The Caverns of Kalte (7 page)

The next day is bitterly cold. A fierce northerly wind blows relentlessly, beating your face, and drying your lips until they crack and bleed. Your nose begins to run but the mucus instantly freezes on your lips. The sun is obscured by a thick layer of falling snow that mutes the light. Snow mounds and small pot-holes in the ice become invisible, and the journey is often brought to a halt when a sledge overturns or jams.

Great strain is put on your eyes by the constant glare as you search for the rough ice on the ground which is so hazardous. By midday, your vision has become a blur.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing,
turn to 17
.

If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 251
.

The cone of frost rips into the vines and freezes them in an instant. They become brittle and collapse under your weight. Without hesitation, you sprint across the falling bridge and dive onto the far platform just as the vines completely disintegrate.

You have made it safely across the moat, but you are now lying at Vonotar's feet. He sneers at you and points his crystal rod at your head.

Turn to 252
.

The Kalkoth charges onto the lake and immediately falls through the ice. Beneath the frozen surface, a shadow speeds towards the helpless creature as it thrashes wildly in the icy water, snatching it suddenly into the depths. An unnatural stillness descends and all that remains now is a large patch of red water, spreading slowly beneath the ice.

You quickly scramble towards the jagged outline of the tunnel on the far side of this lake. As you reach the solid ice of the bank, you notice something strange lying there. It is a small triangle of blue stone on a neck chain. If you wish to keep this Blue Stone Triangle, slip the chain over your head and mark it on your
Action Chart
as a Special Item.

Enter the tunnel by
turning to 235
.

You have taken less than a dozen steps when a brilliant crackle of blue energy arcs between the two staves. You see the white statue beginning to move as if activated by the surge of power.

If you wish to attack the creature before it rises from the altar,
turn to 150
.

If you wish to remain perfectly still and prepare for combat,
turn to 31
.

If you wish to run for the darkened archway beyond,
turn to 306
.

You enter a covered balcony running round the perimeter of an open courtyard. Suddenly you hear the dull tone of a stone bell as it tolls in a watchtower high above the fortress — the alarm bell. The balcony and the courtyard below are completely deserted, except for a wind sledge near to the courtyard gate.

You decide to take a chance, and descend a flight of steps to discover that the sledge is loaded with food and equipment from Ljuk. With the whole of Ikaya alerted to your presence, it is now impossible to complete your mission. There is nothing else you can do but make your escape on the wind sledge, while there is still time.

Ten days from now, you will reach your ship the
Cardonal
and regretfully report that you have failed your mission.
⁴

As the light gradually fades, a blizzard blows across the open ice shelf and batters relentlessly against the tent. The flapping canvas and the pain in your fingers and toes are beginning to wear on your nerves; you wish you had never set foot in this icy hell. Then, in the middle of the night, the wind rips away the edge of the canvas and the full force of the gale scatters your equipment and provisions. You are forced to spend the rest of the night on your elbows, clinging with frozen fingers to the edge of the tent. Your sleeping furs fill with a half frozen slush, and, by dawn, your clothes are stiff with ice. You lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

Make the necessary adjustment to your
Action Chart
, before
turning to 167
.

You follow this passage northwards until it turns abruptly towards the west. A few yards ahead, a flight of stone steps ascends to an archway thirty feet above. Just past the staircase, you notice another stone door, with a lever in the wall next to it. The lever is raised and the door is closed.

If you wish to climb the stairs,
turn to 323
.

If you wish to investigate the door,
turn to 246
.

You get the uneasy feeling that danger lurks along both tunnels. Although you sense that the northern tunnel is the more perilous of the two, you feel sure that it is the quickest route to Ikaya.

If you wish to enter the north tunnel,
turn to 321
.

If you wish to take the west tunnel,
turn to 275
.

The buttons have jammed. No matter how hard you try you cannot make them budge. You have no choice but to abandon the altar and leave the temple by the northern archway.

Turn to 306
.

The barb of a Kalkoth's tongue holds a powerful venom, with which it paralyses its victims before devouring them. The venom takes only a few seconds to act. Stung by the barb, you quickly fade into unconsciousness. It is a sleep from which there will be no awakening.

Your life and your mission end here.

The man jerks his head back as if suddenly woken from a trance. ‘Who's there?’ he whispers, his deep-set eyes peering into the gloom above. ‘Is anyone there, or does madness now befriend me?’ You extend your hand through the portal and chance a wave to show your whereabouts. ‘The gods be praised,’ he cries, jumping excitedly to his feet. ‘My name is Tygon. I am a merchant from Ragadorn. The Ice Barbarians kidnapped me and my cargo, and brought me here. I now await an audience with their new Brumalmarc, the Sommlending sorcerer called Vonotar. It seems that he will decide my fate. If you free me, I'll help you as best I can.’

If you have a Rope, you can lower it through the portal and help the man to climb out of his cell by
turning to 328
.

If you do not possess a Rope, or if you do not want to help him, you can continue along the corridor towards the stairs by
turning to 166
.

As the Ice Barbarian moves closer, he suddenly lets out a blood-curdling scream and lunges at your head.

Ice Barbarian:
COMBAT SKILL
 18   
ENDURANCE
 28

If you win the combat,
turn to 186
.

You have covered less than twenty yards when you see a patrol of six Ice Barbarians marching towards you along the corridor. Then, to your left, you notice a small flight of stairs leading down into a darkened chamber.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage,
turn to 222
.

If you wish to run down these stairs and hide from the patrol,
turn to 108
.

If you wish to run back to the landing and take the north corridor,
turn to 198
.

‘Quick, we must pack up and leave immediately,’ shouts Fenor, the howling wind carrying his words away into the night. ‘Kalkoth never hunt alone. There's sure to be others nearby — they can smell blood miles away.’

The tent is dismantled and you quickly leave, Dyce leading the way and you guarding the rear. You have covered less than fifty yards when disaster strikes. Blinded both by the darkness and the wind, Dyce fails to see that the path comes to an abrupt end at the edge of a sheer precipice. You freeze with horror as you hear the screams of your guides fading into the darkness. With death threatening from all sides, you cling in desperation to the frozen rock-face.

If you have coated yourself with Baknar oil,
turn to 209
.

If you have not applied this oil to your skin,
turn to 339
.

You can sense that the Ice Barbarian child has a bone dagger hidden in his boot. He is trying to reach it so that he can attack you.

Forewarned by your Kai sense,
turn to 320
.

You carefully examine the altar and the two black staves protruding from its surface. The cyclone continues to howl but while you carry the Firesphere, it will not advance towards the altar.

You notice that where the statue once lay, two stone buttons have risen from the surface.

Turn to 227
.

The guides look at you as if you are mad, and refuse to ride with you. At first, the Kanu-dogs are reluctant to approach the gorge, but with some encouragement from your whip they soon change their minds. There is less than six inches of ice on either side of your sledge runners, and all your concentration is needed to keep to the centre of this frozen bridge. You are less than fifteen feet from the other side when there is a tremendous crack and the sledge shudders violently.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–7,
turn to 119
.

If the number you have picked is 8–9,
turn to 136
.

The stone walls of the corridor are covered with strange carvings, which cast deep shadows. Using your skill, you hide yourself in their gloom. The Ice Barbarian walks slowly towards you, his movements tense and unsteady. Your skin crawls as you notice for the first time his white pupil-less eyes. Holding your breath, you pray that he has not seen you.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 48
.

If the number you have picked is 5–9,
turn to 287
.

The tracks have been made by dangerous and carnivorous creatures called Baknar. If you run into them in the confines of a dark and narrow tunnel, your chances of survival will be very slim indeed. Although your Kai Discipline has enabled you to identify the tracks, you are unable to sense which tunnel the Baknar occupy.

If you wish to take the left tunnel,
turn to 235
.

If you wish to take the right tunnel,
turn to 114
.

You continue upwards until you reach a narrow stone door. Like the other doors you have seen so far, it is controlled by a wall lever. This door also has a small spy-hole cut into its centre. Carefully placing your eye to the aperture, you peer into the small room beyond. There, lying on the floor of the cell, are three sleeping Doomwolves. In the north wall, a cell door is open, and the outline of an Ice Barbarian's back can be seen filling the archway.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting or Animal Kinship,
turn to 51
.

If you do not have either of these skills, you can open the door and attack the Doomwolves by
turning to 137
.

If you would rather back away from the cell door and descend the stairs,
turn to 261
.

You recognize the pungent smell of distilled graveweed, a very powerful poison. Even the vapour is enough to make your head spin and your vision blur. Quickly you discard the broken glass and cover your nose with the sleeve of your jacket; you lose 1
ENDURANCE
point due to the effects of the poisonous vapour.

Return to 10
and choose your next course of action.