and then turn to 246 .
53
The Cener curses you with his dying breath, his hooked hands outstretched before him as slowly he sinks to the ground. For a moment his body lies shivering at your feet; then it stiffens and is finally still.
Curiosity prompts you to prise away his green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity. Reluctantly you search the body and discover the following items:
Dagger
Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)
Cener Mask
20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)
If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.
Your Magnakai skills tell you that the gold rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.
With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.
Turn to 10 .
54
The Cener cackles with glee as he advances towards you, eager to finish you off. Dazed but determined to survive, you stagger to your feet in time to parry his first blow. Sparks explode as your weapon connects with his rod and a numbing jolt runs the length of your arm. Again you are forced back, but you manage to recover quickly and, with a defiant cry, you launch yourself upon him in a determined fight to the death.
Brother Croumah (with Power Rod): COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 30
If you win this combat, turn to 101 .
55
With deceptive ease you reach forward and pluck the spinning blade from the air when it is barely inches in front of your chest. The Vazhag looks at you aghast, frozen momentarily by the shock of what it has witnessed, but it is galvanized into action upon the instant you send the blade spinning back across the chamber, aimed at its head.
The knife misses the creature's head by a finger's length, strikes the chamber wall, and rebounds with a metallic clang . It falls at the Vazhag's feet and is snatched up in its defence as you advance swiftly upon the creature, weapon in hand.
Fat Vazhag: COMBAT SKILL 18 ENDURANCE 28
If you win this combat, turn to 121 .
56
Instantly your senses tell you that what you are fighting is a living creature and not a plant! The creeper-like tendrils are part of its natural camouflage, and as it coils them around your limbs and neck in an attempt to squeeze the life from your body, you can feel its animal strength.
Forewarned, you resist this attack just long enough to raise your weapon and strike a mighty blow which tears away a great swath of the creature's wriggling limbs. A fountain of ichor erupts from every severed end and, from somewhere above the canopy of branches, you hear an unearthly roar of pain. Once more the remaining tendrils seek you out, but this time they are no longer soft and fibrous, but stiff and studded with barbed thorns.
The swirling mass strikes out for your throat. Desperately you hack at them with devastating effect, yet one of the limbs avoids your blows and wraps itself tightly about your neck. Pain fills your head and chest as its razor-sharp thorns bite deeply into your flesh and inject a powerful acid.
Stragnah: COMBAT SKILL 36 ENDURANCE 39
This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.
If you win this combat, turn to 327 .
57
The corridor makes a gradual descent towards a single wooden door shod with heavy iron fittings. You press the handle carefully and, to your surprise, the door opens inwards without a sound. You enter and push the door closed before beginning your exploration of this archive.
The library contains thousands of books and time-yellowed parchments, stacked in uneven rows upon shelves that line every wall. The air is heavy with their odour and your senses
53
The Cener curses you with his dying breath, his hooked hands outstretched before him as slowly he sinks to the ground. For a moment his body lies shivering at your feet; then it stiffens and is finally still.
Curiosity prompts you to prise away his green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity. Reluctantly you search the body and discover the following items:
Dagger
Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)
Cener Mask
20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)
If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.
Your Magnakai skills tell you that the gold rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.
With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.
Turn to 10 .
54
The Cener cackles with glee as he advances towards you, eager to finish you off. Dazed but determined to survive, you stagger to your feet in time to parry his first blow. Sparks explode as your weapon connects with his rod and a numbing jolt runs the length of your arm. Again you are forced back, but you manage to recover quickly and, with a defiant cry, you launch yourself upon him in a determined fight to the death.
Brother Croumah (with Power Rod): COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 30
If you win this combat, turn to 101 .
55
With deceptive ease you reach forward and pluck the spinning blade from the air when it is barely inches in front of your chest. The Vazhag looks at you aghast, frozen momentarily by the shock of what it has witnessed, but it is galvanized into action upon the instant you send the blade spinning back across the chamber, aimed at its head.
The knife misses the creature's head by a finger's length, strikes the chamber wall, and rebounds with a metallic clang . It falls at the Vazhag's feet and is snatched up in its defence as you advance swiftly upon the creature, weapon in hand.
Fat Vazhag: COMBAT SKILL 18 ENDURANCE 28
If you win this combat, turn to 121 .
56
Instantly your senses tell you that what you are fighting is a living creature and not a plant! The creeper-like tendrils are part of its natural camouflage, and as it coils them around your limbs and neck in an attempt to squeeze the life from your body, you can feel its animal strength.
Forewarned, you resist this attack just long enough to raise your weapon and strike a mighty blow which tears away a great swath of the creature's wriggling limbs. A fountain of ichor erupts from every severed end and, from somewhere above the canopy of branches, you hear an unearthly roar of pain. Once more the remaining tendrils seek you out, but this time they are no longer soft and fibrous, but stiff and studded with barbed thorns.
The swirling mass strikes out for your throat. Desperately you hack at them with devastating effect, yet one of the limbs avoids your blows and wraps itself tightly about your neck. Pain fills your head and chest as its razor-sharp thorns bite deeply into your flesh and inject a powerful acid.
Stragnah: COMBAT SKILL 36 ENDURANCE 39
This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.
If you win this combat, turn to 327 .
57
The corridor makes a gradual descent towards a single wooden door shod with heavy iron fittings. You press the handle carefully and, to your surprise, the door opens inwards without a sound. You enter and push the door closed before beginning your exploration of this archive.
The library contains thousands of books and time-yellowed parchments, stacked in uneven rows upon shelves that line every wall. The air is heavy with their odour and your senses
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