immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.
Conduct this combat for two rounds only.
If Tagazin is killed outright during either of these rounds, turn to 252 .
If not, turn to 218 .
55
You hurl yourself to the floor to avoid the onrushing bolt of energy, but your reactions are too slow. It catches you in the back and an explosion of white-hot fire obliterates your senses. In this terrifying instant, the light that is your life is snuffed out.
Tragically, you have fallen victim to the power of the Deathstaff. Your life and your quest end here in the Crystal Spire of Ixia.
58
You leap among the mass of advancing undead with renewed vigour, chopping and hewing at their decaying bodies until barely a handful remain to confront you. Grudgingly they yield ground. You snarl at them, defiantly cursing the power which makes them live beyond the grave, and they pull back a few yards more as if to catch their breath before launching their next assault.
You glance over your shoulder to see how the Lencian crew are faring but your eye is distracted by something glinting brightly in the dull light. It is a key, hanging from a chain strung around the neck of a slain undead warrior. You stoop to snatch up this key and, as your hand closes around its jade-green stem, you sense that it has magical properties. (If you wish to keep this Onyx Key, record it as a Special Item which you keep in the pocket of your tunic.)
Moments later the undead renew their attack, clambering awkwardly over the heaped bodies of those you have destroyed, their eyes burning with cold fire. You retreat from this relentless enemy and evade them by descending a stair which leads down into the ship's hold. Above, you can hear the frenzied shouts of the Lencian crewmen as they are engaged by the undead Drakkarim in fierce hand-to-hand combat. Then you hear something else — the clatter of steel-shod boots on the steps, alerting you to the fact that your foes have not given up the chase. As they begin to descend, you quickly scan the gloomy hold for a place to hide.
If you possess Assimilance, turn to 208 .
If you do not possess this skill, turn to 26 .
61
Using the Brotherhood Spell Sense Evil you focus on the encroaching mist and detect a strange presence. You cannot discern exactly what is moving out there, but you are certain of one thing: it is evil and it is drawing ever closer to Fort Azgad.
You warn Captain Lanza and at first he does not believe you. He chuckles, saying that it is not uncommon for new arrivals to imagine they have seen all manner of spectres in the sea mists which swirl around the fort. But then a loud, discordant bell rings out from above, and Lanza's face is transfixed with shock.
‘By the gods!’ he splutters. ‘It's the alarm bell — we're under attack!’
Turn to 181 .
65
Your attempt at opening the lock using only your Magnakai skill of Nexus proves to be a fatal mistake. Inadvertently, you activate a powerful necromantic spell of protection placed upon the lock by Deathlord Ixiataaga himself. You see a flash of white light as, in an instant, a surge of radiant energy comes shooting from the hole to hit you squarely in the face. Pain engulfs your mind, followed by an explosion of white-hot fire which obliterates your senses. Then, in a terrifying instant, the light that is your life is snuffed out.
Tragically, you have fallen victim to one of the Deathlord's spells. Your life and your quest end here.
66
You throw out your arms in a desperate attempt to arrest your fall, but it does you no good. You hit the sea face-first and slam your head and left shoulder against a ridge of solid ice that lies submerged just a few inches below the slushy surface: lose 6 ENDURANCE points.
The frigid water is shockingly cold but you are oblivious to its numbing chill. Your Magnakai skill of Nexus, and the concussion which you have sustained due to the fall, account for that. Stunned and helpless, it is
Conduct this combat for two rounds only.
If Tagazin is killed outright during either of these rounds, turn to 252 .
If not, turn to 218 .
55
You hurl yourself to the floor to avoid the onrushing bolt of energy, but your reactions are too slow. It catches you in the back and an explosion of white-hot fire obliterates your senses. In this terrifying instant, the light that is your life is snuffed out.
Tragically, you have fallen victim to the power of the Deathstaff. Your life and your quest end here in the Crystal Spire of Ixia.
58
You leap among the mass of advancing undead with renewed vigour, chopping and hewing at their decaying bodies until barely a handful remain to confront you. Grudgingly they yield ground. You snarl at them, defiantly cursing the power which makes them live beyond the grave, and they pull back a few yards more as if to catch their breath before launching their next assault.
You glance over your shoulder to see how the Lencian crew are faring but your eye is distracted by something glinting brightly in the dull light. It is a key, hanging from a chain strung around the neck of a slain undead warrior. You stoop to snatch up this key and, as your hand closes around its jade-green stem, you sense that it has magical properties. (If you wish to keep this Onyx Key, record it as a Special Item which you keep in the pocket of your tunic.)
Moments later the undead renew their attack, clambering awkwardly over the heaped bodies of those you have destroyed, their eyes burning with cold fire. You retreat from this relentless enemy and evade them by descending a stair which leads down into the ship's hold. Above, you can hear the frenzied shouts of the Lencian crewmen as they are engaged by the undead Drakkarim in fierce hand-to-hand combat. Then you hear something else — the clatter of steel-shod boots on the steps, alerting you to the fact that your foes have not given up the chase. As they begin to descend, you quickly scan the gloomy hold for a place to hide.
If you possess Assimilance, turn to 208 .
If you do not possess this skill, turn to 26 .
61
Using the Brotherhood Spell Sense Evil you focus on the encroaching mist and detect a strange presence. You cannot discern exactly what is moving out there, but you are certain of one thing: it is evil and it is drawing ever closer to Fort Azgad.
You warn Captain Lanza and at first he does not believe you. He chuckles, saying that it is not uncommon for new arrivals to imagine they have seen all manner of spectres in the sea mists which swirl around the fort. But then a loud, discordant bell rings out from above, and Lanza's face is transfixed with shock.
‘By the gods!’ he splutters. ‘It's the alarm bell — we're under attack!’
Turn to 181 .
65
Your attempt at opening the lock using only your Magnakai skill of Nexus proves to be a fatal mistake. Inadvertently, you activate a powerful necromantic spell of protection placed upon the lock by Deathlord Ixiataaga himself. You see a flash of white light as, in an instant, a surge of radiant energy comes shooting from the hole to hit you squarely in the face. Pain engulfs your mind, followed by an explosion of white-hot fire which obliterates your senses. Then, in a terrifying instant, the light that is your life is snuffed out.
Tragically, you have fallen victim to one of the Deathlord's spells. Your life and your quest end here.
66
You throw out your arms in a desperate attempt to arrest your fall, but it does you no good. You hit the sea face-first and slam your head and left shoulder against a ridge of solid ice that lies submerged just a few inches below the slushy surface: lose 6 ENDURANCE points.
The frigid water is shockingly cold but you are oblivious to its numbing chill. Your Magnakai skill of Nexus, and the concussion which you have sustained due to the fall, account for that. Stunned and helpless, it is
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