Shadow on the Sand (10 page)
You climb the stone steps to a small chamber above the tunnel. Here, at least, it is dry, even though the foul sewer gas permeates everything. You follow a narrow passage, first to the west, and then to the south as it makes an abrupt left turn. Your heart sinks as you see a dead end loom ahead.
If you wish to search for a hidden exit,
turn to 33
.
If you decide to turn around and go back to the walkway,
turn to 64
.
The twisting alley comes to an end in a small garden square flanked on three sides by tall, domed houses, all with first-floor balconies. Wrought-iron grilles reinforce every window and door.
You are near the top of a heavy wooden trellis that hangs below a balcony, when Maouk's men burst into the square. Many are armed with heavy bronze crossbows.
‘Surrender, Lone Wolf!’ shouts Maouk. ‘Or my men will pin you to the wall!’ The situation is hopeless; at such short range, the Sharnazim cannot fail to hit you. Cursing your misfortune, you leap to the ground, landing at the feet of Maouk. ‘You are brave, Kai Lord,’ he snarls. ‘But you will need more than bravery to save you now!’
The guard raises the blowpipe to his lips. His cheeks swell, and then there is a sharp hiss warning you that another tainted needle speeds towards your head.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you have reached the Kai rank of Warmarn or higher, add 1 to the number.
If your total score is now 0–3,
turn to 89
.
If your total is now 4–12,
turn to 21
.
You catch both guards totally by surprise. Do not deduct any
ENDURANCE
points you may lose in the first 3 rounds of combat, due to the surprise and ferocity of your attack. You must fight both guards as one enemy.
Palace Gate Guardians:
COMBAT SKILL
16
ENDURANCE
30
If you win the combat, you quickly hide the bodies before passing through the entrance into the palace gardens beyond.
The dagger hisses through the air and thuds into your chest. You gasp at the sudden pain, clawing at the hilt of the dagger with trembling hands in your panic to draw out the deadly blade. As you stagger backwards, the guard rushes forward, a smile of triumph spreading across his ugly face. You wrench the blade free and turn it on the guard as he dives towards you. He sees the danger but far too late — the blade has already pierced his heart.
From out of the gloom, three Sharnazim warriors suddenly appear. The razor-sharp edges of their swords glint in the darkness; thirsty blades gasping for your blood.
If you wish to attack the warriors,
turn to 60
.
If you wish to evade them, you must turn back and swim across the sewer vault.
Turn to 84
.
The heavy wooden door is reinforced with bands of black iron, held in place by huge bronze studs. You turn the handle, only to find the door is locked.
If you possess the Gaoler's Keys,
turn to 136
.
If you do not have this Special Item,
turn to 26
.
The noise grows louder. Suddenly the door latch rattles and a gruff voice growls out above the din: ‘Break it down!’
Shards of wood and twisted iron are scattered throughout the cellar as the sharp blade of a two-handed axe explodes through the door. The hinges burst from the wall and in run your pursuers, stumbling on the tangle of shattered timbers.
You spring forward, striking left and right, and bringing two men down before they even see you. The officer, a bull-necked warrior with a flat nose, elbows the others aside and attacks. You strike first, jarring the scimitar from his grasp with a well-aimed blow to his wrist. He bellows like an ox but attacks again, a long-bladed dagger clenched in his uninjured hand.
Sharnazim Underlord:
COMBAT SKILL
18
ENDURANCE
28
Illustration VII—The officer, a bull-necked warrior with a flat nose, elbows the others aside and attacks.
You can evade the combat at any stage by escaping through the trapdoor.
Turn to 51
.
If you win the combat,
turn to 198
.
You leap from the window ledge and crash feet-first into the guards, bowling them over with the surprise your attack. You fight with speed and skill, killing three soldiers before they can regain their balance. However, the noise of combat alerts the mess hall, and a dozen more of the Zakhan's soldiers join the battle. You are quickly overwhelmed by the sheer weight of numbers, and it is only their respect for your bravery and combat prowess that prevents them killing you on the spot.
You are disarmed and frog-marched to a prison cell, where you are left to await the Zakhan.
The horse and its dead rider topple from the quayside and splash into the sea. The crew have drawn up the gangplank, forcing you to leap the gap. You fall short and land on the row of oars bristling from the galley's side.
The wood is wet and slippery, and you have to fight to keep your balance. Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–3,
turn to 50
.
If your total is now 4 or more,
turn to 191
.
Keeping in the shadow cast by the tomb, you advance on the north gate. Only two soldiers stand guard were there would normally be twenty. Suddenly, the gate opens to admit a rider. He hands a scroll to the guards before galloping through the open gate. The guards read the scroll, seemingly unaware that the gate is still open.
If you possess the Kai Disciplines of both Camouflage and Hunting,
turn to 170
.
If you decide to attempt to bribe the guards,
turn to 19
.
If you decide to attack them,
turn to 119
.
You walk back along the corridor to the junction in order to get a long run at the door — you know that if you barge the door in exactly the right place, you will tear loose the lock from the wall. Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
and add 10.
If your total is equal to or less than your
COMBAT SKILL
, the wall cracks and lock bursts open.
Turn to 159
.
If your total is greater than your
COMBAT SKILL
, the door remains locked. You sustain a badly bruised shoulder and lose 1
ENDURANCE
point. You must head off dejectedly along the other passage towards the stairs.
Turn to 93
.
Your reach a domed sewer-vault where the tunnel widens. A chute descends from the centre of the chamber, ending just a few feet above the oily surface of the water; a mass of food scraps and offal floats beneath the chute, and the stink of rotting meat is overpowering.
You are about to step into the vault when you detect that the tunnel floor drops away. You freeze just in time to prevent yourself from stepping straight into deep water. The tunnel continues beyond the vault, but over twenty feet of putrid sewage lies between you and the other side.
The echo of a distant splash reminds you that the Sharnazim are still following. If you possess a Rope, you can try to catch it upon a long metal bar that protrudes from the side of the chute to pull yourself out of the water and swing across to the opposite tunnel.
If you have a Rope and decide to use it in the manner described above,
turn to 29
.
If you decide to try to swim across the vault to the tunnel,
turn to 84
.
If you would rather turn around and make your way back to the junction,
turn to 121
.
From the shadow of a doorway, you peer out across the harbour. The square is alive with Maouk's soldiers. It will be far too dangerous to enter the harbour; you must find somewhere else to hide until it is safer.
Groups of soldiers are searching the houses that border the square, and you are forced to leave the doorway and run back along the alley. As you re-enter the marketplace, you run straight into a dozen Sharnazim led by Maouk himself.
If you wish to stand and fight,
turn to 36
.
If you wish to surrender,
turn to 176
.
You snatch the Herb Pad from the dead warrior's face (mark this as a Special Item on your
Action Chart
) and cover your own mouth with this sweet-smelling pouch. The herbs inside neutralize the foul air, making it easier to breathe. Restore 1
ENDURANCE
point.
The dead body sinks from view, and you hear the sound of more Sharnazim wading along the tunnel. You cannot outdistance them — you must hide.
If you possess the Kai Discipline of Camouflage,
turn to 151
.
If you do not have this skill,
turn to 15
.
You sift through the vast number of items that litter the dais, separating the following articles, which may or may not be of use:
- Silver Comb
- Hourglass
- Dagger
- Healing Potion of Laumspur (restores 4
ENDURANCE
points if swallowed after combat) - Prism
- Enough food for 3 Meals (each Meal counts as 1 Backpack Item)
Remember to make the necessary changes to your
Action Chart
before leaving the chamber.
You move quickly and quietly along the north corridor and soon arrive at another arched passage that heads off to the west. A fierce glow can be seen in the distance, and you hear the hiss of red-hot steel as it is thrust into water and the
clang
of hammer on anvil — the unmistakable sounds of a blacksmithy.
If you wish to go west, towards the noise,
turn to 195
.
If you wish to keep moving north,
turn to 30
.
You recognize the tracks of a Kwaraz in the slimy mud of the walkway. Kwaraz are giant carnivorous reptiles. The number and varying size of the prints suggest that a whole colony of these loathsome creatures inhabit the tunnel. You decide it is far too dangerous to continue in this direction, and instead climb a narrow stairway that leads to a chamber above the tunnel. Here at least it is dry, although the foul sewer gas permeates everything. You follow a narrow passage, first to the west and then south, but your heart sinks as you see a dead end looming ahead.
If you wish to search for a hidden exit,
turn to 33
.
If you decide to turn around and return to the walkway,
turn to 64
.
You use your Kai Discipline to force the creature away. The Bloodlug changes direction and jets towards a squid that has taken refuge in a large copper urn. You continue swimming but keep a watchful eye on the Bloodlug as it engulfs and devours the helpless squid.
The air of the new tunnel is hot and humid, and as you press on, the putrid gas makes you increasingly nauseous. You are forced to stop — the vapour is burning your throat and causing painful stomach cramps. Suddenly a noise makes you forget your discomfort; you turn to see that one of Maouk's men has caught up with you. He looms out of the darkness, his face covered by a pad of herbs.
Sharnazim Warrior:
COMBAT SKILL
17
ENDURANCE
22
Deduct 2 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
due to the effects of the noxious fumes.
Illustration VIII—One of Maouk's men looms out of the darkness, his face covered by a pad of herbs.
If you lose this combat,
turn to 161
.
If you win the combat,
turn to 130
.
6
[6] Restore half of any
ENDURANCE
points that you lose (fractions rounded down) during this combat if you win (note what happens if you lose).