Beyond the Nightmare Gate (4 page)

Carefully you set down the heavy statue and a sigh of relief escapes the Elessi's lips.
I am the Guardian of the Screaming God,
he says in a clear, musical tone.
Before you continue this madness, let me tell you of that which you seek to steal.

If you agree to the Guardian's request,
turn to 115
.

If you do not agree to the Guardian's request and wish to take up the statue and continue, pick a number from the
Random Number Table
and add to it your current
ENDURANCE
points total.

If your total is now 20 or more,
turn to 59
.

If your total is now less than 20,
turn to 65
.

The Academicians gave you a detailed description of the Threnogem and, at the cost of 1
WILLPOWER
point, you search for it with your mind. It is very near. To your surprise, you sense no magical presence or power; whatever power the Threnogem might possess, it is now inactive. Your vision leads you to a long avenue paved with crystal stones. At the end of the avenue stands a magnificent palace. The Threnogem awaits you there.

Turn to 262
.

Suddenly you raise your Staff and hurl a bolt of magical fire at the nearest Elessi. He falls to the ground and his companions recoil in horror.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
and add this number to your current
COMBAT SKILL
total.

If your total is now 15 or more,
turn to 248
.

If it is less than 15,
turn to 93
.

You take one step forward and instantly a sword drops from above, fatally skewering your head.

Your life and your quest end here.

You are looking into a large, circular room full of mirrors. It is completely empty.

If you wish to enter the room,
turn to 2
.

If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it,
turn to 149
.

At the expense of 1
WILLPOWER
point, you search the future to help you make the correct decision. Your vision tells you that the Elessi is able to read your mind and, indeed, has already done so. The truth alone will suffice here; you must trust the Elessi to understand that you were forced by others to commit your action.

Turn to 259
.

You study the inscription again, only to find that the words have changed once more. Tanith reads the inscription aloud:

‘Ware the hunters, beasts of prey,
Five in number, feared by name:
The widow woman, patient weaver;
The tireless runner, shadow-seeker;
Bird of fire, the treasure lover;
Arrow-swift, his keen-eyed brother;
But only he who walks without feet
May pass this door of mystery.’

If you wish to try the Serpent Key,
turn to 240
.

If you wish to try the Eagle Key,
turn to 227
.

If you wish to try the Wolf Key,
turn to 235
.

If you wish to try the Spider Key,
turn to 252
.

If you wish to try the Dragon Key,
turn to 277
.

If you wish to strike the door with your Wizard's Staff,
turn to 97
.

If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it,
turn to 161
.

If you have the Magical Power of Psychomancy and wish to use it,
turn to 193
.

You are now close to the foot of the stairs.

If you wish to walk to the one-sword flagstone directly at the base of the stairs,
turn to 42
.

If you wish to step onto the two-sword flagstone next to it,
turn to 349
.

If you wish to step onto the two-sword flagstone that lies directly behind the foot of the stairs,
turn to 40
.

If you wish to move in the direction of the main entrance and onto the two-sword flagstone behind you,
turn to 7
.

If you wish to step onto the centre stone that bears just one sword,
turn to 311
.

You find Oz-na-Mun sitting before his shack, staring at a tall mass of moist, red clay before him. His gaunt face is full of sorrow and he does not even look up when you approach. ‘So you have come,’ he says, flatly.

Illustration I
—Oz-na-Mun is sitting before his shack, staring at a mass of red clay.

‘You knew I was coming?’ you reply, surprised.

‘He has been here; your shadow brother, your dark self. There was a girl with him also.’

‘I seek the Moonstone of the Shianti,’ you state. ‘Do you know where it is and how it may be found?’

The sad-eyed man looks at you solemnly. ‘There is a mountain, the Moaning Mountain it is called. In the side of the mountain is a cavern and at the end of the cavern is a Gate from this realm to the next, a place known as the Vale of Peace. The people of the Vale are wise and friendly; they will show you the way to the hidden realm of the Moonstone. Here, take this map of the Moaning Mountain.’ He gives you a cloth map showing the location of the cavern. Mark this as a Special Item on your
Action Chart
and carry it in a small pocket inside your robe.

‘But first you must leave this realm and save the girl.’ You nod your head. ‘You will have to bargain with the Master.’ You look puzzled and the man explains: ‘All who come to the Realm of Paradox may ask for a gift from the god and, if it is within his power, he must give it. But beware his bargains. He has many cruel gifts: gifts such as these.’ Oz-na-Mun raises his hands and you look at them with horror. They are the hands of a giant and are grossly out of proportion with the rest of his body.

‘Once, I was a great sculptor and in my home realm of Meledor I was respected by all. But I hungered for greater success. I took up the company of a mage and one night we summoned the Chaos-master together. His spirit came easily, for the realm of Meledor and the Realm of Paradox are joined. I told him that I desired the greatest hands in the world that I might make the greatest sculptures in the world. He said he could grant me my wish on condition that I remain in his realm until completion of my first work. I agreed and as soon as I was brought here, I discovered that my hands had been transformed. However, they were not as I had wished: they were clumsy, rough, fit only for digging clay not shaping it. I have never made another piece.’ He curls a huge hand into a fist and punches the shapeless mass before him. ‘Beware the bargains of the Chaos-master. He is a malevolent god.’

‘What does he want with the girl, Tanith?’ you ask.

‘He will bargain with her, also.’ He tells you that you can summon the Chaos-master by calling to him for audience. ‘But beware! The bargains of the Chaos-master are in keeping with the law of Paradox: opposites and contradictions.’

‘There is no other way of saving Tanith,’ you reply, sadly. ‘I must summon the Chaos-master.’

Turn to 94
.

You manage to control the craft but make such a bumpy landing that you are hurled from the machine. You lose 2
ENDURANCE
points due to injuries sustained in the fall. The Ethetron grinds to a noisy, juddering halt but fortunately, like yourself, it has survived the impact.

Turn to 26
.

You perceive that the realm you have entered harbours many illusions: the waters of a blue ocean, rippling with foam-crested waves, roll above your head where the sky should be; below, green hills undulate between mountains balanced upon their peaks; a huge fist rises up, poised to smash down upon you but you pass through it as if it were a phantom. All around is the sound of crazed laughter. A man who believed in the reality of these illusions would stand at the threshold of madness. With the strength of your will you challenge the illusions that surround you; instantly the nightmare vision disappears.

Turn to 187
.

Drear is working a subtle magic on your mind. Closing your eyes, you concentrate the power of your will, and, at the cost of 1
WILLPOWER
point, summon the magical energy of the Astral Plane. But your Power of Sorcery appears to have no effect. Perhaps Drear's magic does not obey the same laws as your own and is beyond your control?

If you wish to attack Drear with your Wizard's Staff,
turn to 36
.

If you wish to resist Drear's call without the aid of magic,
turn to 3
.

You must act quickly, before he can pronounce sentence, for you are sure that the sentence can only be death.

If you wish to rush at the man and attempt to fight him bare-handed,
turn to 57
.

If you have the Magical Power of Sorcery and wish to use it to create a shield around yourself,
turn to 25
.

If you have the Magical Power of Sorcery and wish to use it to summon your Staff into your hand,
turn to 49
.

If you have a Mind Gem and wish to use its power,
turn to 37
.

If you possess a silver Elessi Pipe and wish to use it,
turn to 69
.

You are standing on the battlements of the Crystal Tower. You see a skylight and, with Tanith following, you enter a dark room. Two cold, black eyes watch your every move as, cautiously, you advance into the room. A slight sound from above causes you to glance at the ceiling, where a hideous, leathery-winged creature is preparing to attack. There is no time to evade; you must fight this creature to the death.

Daemonak:
COMBAT SKILL
 21   
ENDURANCE
 28

If you win the combat,
turn to 250
.

The Elessi stops playing his strange, silver pipe and, at long last, the terrible pain in your head ceases. The Elessin guards drag you to your feet. Your brain reels from the assault of the pipes and you are powerless to resist them. With a guard holding each arm, you are marched to a massive palace that lies at the very heart of the city.

Turn to 191
.

Pulling back the steering lever, you draw more power and coax the flying machine to climb. Soon, the Crystal Tower is nothing but a speck on a barren grey landscape. Taking out the Gyronome, you discover that you are travelling in the right direction. Presumably, there is more than one route that leads from the Neverness. The sound of the Gyronome grows louder as you climb higher into the featureless sky.

Suddenly, the craft lurches forwards and you are pitched to the floor. You feel a tingling sensation throughout your body and, as you stagger to your feet, you gaze upon a wondrous sight. You are flying through a clear, sunlit sky. The wind is rushing past your face and, below, the land is fresh and green.

You have passed through an invisible barrier or Gate that connects the Neverness with this realm. In the distance you can see a city, gleaming brightly beneath the sun: it is the Singing City of the Elessin.

You sway as the wind buffets the ship. You struggle to regain control as the Ethetron violently bucks and reels. You are disoriented by the sudden change and, clumsily, you try to make a landing.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess the Talisman of the Shianti, add 2 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–3,
turn to 13
.

If your total is now 4–11,
turn to 77
.