The Caverns of Kalte (12 page)

You search every square inch of the door and surrounding wall, but there appear to be no unusual features. You are examining the stone ramp when a loud roar freezes your blood. A Kalkoth has entered the ice hall. You turn to see the creature bounding towards you — its jaws are wide open, revealing its barbed tongue. You cannot evade the Kalkoth and you must fight it to the death.

Kalkoth:
COMBAT SKILL
 10   
ENDURANCE
 28

If you lose any
ENDURANCE
points during the course of the combat,
turn immediately to 66
.

If you win the combat without losing any
ENDURANCE
points,
turn to 84
.

You are halfway down the staircase when you run straight into a patrol of Ice Barbarians. You attempt to fight your way past them, but they are heavily armoured and equipped with swords and spears. You slay many of them before you are surrounded and suffer your death-blow.

Your life and your mission end here.

You skilfully sidestep as the Ice Barbarian scout stabs at you with a bone-tipped lance.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
to see if you have avoided his blow. If you have the Kai Disciplines of Tracking, Hunting, or Sixth Sense, you may add 2 to the number that you have chosen.

If your total is now 0–4,
turn to 286
.

If your total is now 5–11,
turn to 333
.

Your blow splinters the smooth white surface of the statue. A freezing blast of wind hisses from the crack and, within seconds, a film of glistening ice covers every inch of the chamber. Unless you have applied Baknar oil to your skin, you lose 2
ENDURANCE
points due to the sudden drop in temperature.

To your mounting horror, you see that the wind is taking the shape of a small cyclone. It is drawing all the loose ice and rock of the chamber towards its core. You have released an Ice Demon and it is intent on your destruction.

Illustration X
—You have released an Ice Demon and it is intent on your destruction.

If you possess the Sommerswerd,
turn immediately to 120
.

If you possess a Firesphere,
turn to 310
.

If you wish to attack the swirling cyclone with a weapon,
turn to 18
.

If you wish to try to escape into the distant archway,
turn to 211
.

As the hideous beast dies at your feet, you hear Dyce shouting: ‘Quick, we've got to get away from here. Kalkoth never hunt alone.’

Grabbing your Backpack, you follow Dyce and Irian along a steep mountain path, up and away from the ice ledge. But you have covered less than fifty yards when disaster strikes. Blinded by the darkness and icy wind, Dyce fails to see that the path comes to an abrupt end at the edge of a sheer precipice. You freeze in horror as you hear your guide's screams fading into the darkness ahead. With death threatening from every side, you cling in desperation to the frozen rock-face.

If you have applied Baknar oil to your skin,
turn to 209
.

If you have not,
turn to 339
.

You decide to distract his attention by throwing some Gold Crowns into an alcove directly opposite to him.

Firstly, write down the number of Gold Crowns you are going to throw. Now pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. (0 = 10)

If the number you have picked is equal to or less than the number that you have written down,
turn to 319
.

If the number you pick is greater than the number that you have written down,
turn to 181
.

You are nearly across the lake when catastrophe befalls you. Your right foot crashes through the ice and holds you fast at the knee. You fight to free your leg but it is no good; it is completely trapped. A few seconds later, there is a tremendous crack of splintering ice as the lake monster breaks through to the surface. In terror you see the razor-sharp teeth and black slimy head of the ancient horror bearing down on you. This is the last thing you see before it swallows you whole.

Your life and your mission end here.

You are bleeding very badly from a wound in your right leg. It seems as if the flow of blood will never stop, so you tie a makeshift tourniquet around your thigh. You stagger to your feet and survey the damaged chamber.

The monolith must have been designed to guard against or ensnare trespassers. A powerful glyph, which is a spell of explosive power, was obviously placed on it long ago.

You notice a panel in the north wall has opened to reveal a darkened exit from this chamber.

If you wish to explore this new exit,
turn to 145
.

If you wish to try to open the door by which you entered,
turn to 242
.

The dawn mists are quickly cleared by the icy mountain wind. Tired, shocked, and frozen to the bone, you claw your way up the cruel rock-face until you finally reach the safety of a wide ridge. You are very hungry and must eat a Meal here before you continue or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points. Remember to subtract the Meal from your
Action Chart
.

The ridge joins another which you struggle across, only to find yourself at the top of a terrifying descent. To reach the narrow mountain pass one thousand feet below, you must go down a steep and perilous ice staircase.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If your current
ENDURANCE
point total is less than 10, deduct 2 from the number that you have picked. If your current
ENDURANCE
point total is greater than 20, add 1 to the number that you have picked.

If your total is now -2–2,
turn to 248
.

If your total is now 3–10,
turn to 191
.

You recognize the aroma of concentrated Gallowbrush, or ‘Sleeptooth’ as it is commonly called in Sommerlund. This is the thorny briar your Kai masters once used to induce sleep when tending to ill or injured horses. This distilled brew made from the plant is a very powerful sleeping Potion. If you wish to keep the Potion, remember to mark it on your
Action Chart
as a Backpack Item.

Now
return to 10
and choose your next course of action.

You take the Potion from your Backpack and carefully open the door just wide enough to be able to empty the contents of the vial into the bubbling cauldron. You do not have to wait long for the Ice Barbarians to fall asleep after their meal. (Remember to erase this potion from your
Action Chart
.)

The kitchen is small and surprisingly well stocked with herbs. ‘These are from the Trading Post at Ljuk,’ says Loi-Kymar, peering closely at the labelled jars, several of which he crams into his pockets. Opening two herb jars, he mixes the contents, and offers them to you. ‘It will give you strength, Lone Wolf,’ he says. You eat the dry leaves and feel a warm glow radiating throughout your body.

Restore 6
ENDURANCE
points to your current total and
turn to 301
.

As the Ice Barbarian scout is on skis, you will only be able to fight one round of combat before the momentum of his attack carries him past you.

Ice Barbarian Scout:
COMBAT SKILL
 20   
ENDURANCE
 28

If you sustain a higher
ENDURANCE
point loss than the enemy in this one round of combat,
turn to 165
.

If the Ice Barbarian scout loses more
ENDURANCE
points than you in this one round of combat,
turn to 271
.

If you both lose exactly the same number of
ENDURANCE
points in this one round of combat,
turn to 337
.

The man stares you straight in the eye and says, ‘The Ragad.’

If you now wish to wipe away the pentagram and free him,
turn to 170
.

If you do not want to free him now, close the cell door and return to the main corridor by
turning to 254
.

Your transport to Ikaya consists of two sledges, each drawn by a team of six Kanu-dogs. This sturdy breed is native to Kalte, and they make ideal sledge dogs. Their thick tawny coats and powerful chests, as well as their vigour and enthusiasm even in the coldest climates, make them well suited to the work ahead.

On board each sledge is enough food and equipment for the mission. Your three guides, Irian, Fenor, and Dyce, are all experienced trappers. They are skilled at survival in the icy desert, and know of the many unseen dangers.

Once the dogs are harnessed, you and Dyce climb aboard your sledge and signal to the others to lead the way. As you stare across the frozen expanse of the Ljuk ice shelf, you can see a white glare on the distant horizon. This is the Viad Glacier wall, the point where the flow of ice meets the frozen sea. Through the crisp, clear air of Kalte it looks no more than six miles away at most, but in reality it is nearer sixty miles away.

You make good progress on the first day and as darkness approaches, you decide to set up camp for the night. You halt inside a circle of ice pillars that have been forced upwards by the constantly moving ice shelf. The sledges are drawn together and the tent is erected beside them. Once the canvas is secured and the Kanu-dogs have been settled for the night, you begin to prepare your evening meal. Suddenly, a terrifying roar is heard outside the tent.

‘By the gods!’ cries Irian. ‘A Baknar!’

Baknar are large carnivorous creatures that dwell near the Kalte coastline. Their usual prey are gallings or the smaller ostrels that live at the sea's edge. But this Baknar has been attracted by the scent of the dogs. It is about to attack and eat several of your sledge dog team.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting,
turn to 204
.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship,
turn to 318
.

Otherwise, leave the tent and attack the Baknar by
turning to 78
.

The Ice Barbarian slowly advances, his white pupil-less eyes sending a shiver down your spine. In his right hand, he clutches a bone scimitar. Although it is raised to strike, his movements are stiff and unsteady as if he were attacking against his will. He is immune to Mindblast.

Ice Barbarian:
COMBAT SKILL
 17   
ENDURANCE
 29

If you win the combat,
turn to 210
.

The sledge is unpacked and the equipment is ferried across piece by piece. Everything is going according to plan until the sledge itself is brought over the gorge. Dyce is steering it, taking great pains to keep it in the centre of the narrow bridge, when suddenly the two lead Kanu-dogs slip and fall into the gorge. They hang helplessly in their harnesses, howling and kicking at the air. Dyce frantically pulls on the reins to try to prevent the others from falling as well, but his efforts are in vain. One by one, the other four dogs are pulled from the bridge by the increasing weight of those below.

‘Jump, Dyce, jump!’ screams Irian, as the last dog plummets into the void. Dyce leaps clear just as the sledge topples into the gorge, but he lands on the narrowest section of ice and loses his footing.

‘Help me, help me!’ he cries, his fingers clawing at the slippery ice.

If you wish to attempt to save Dyce,
turn to 19
.

If you feel there is no way you can save him,
turn to 257
.