The Dungeons of Torgar (19 page)

A terrible pain rips through your body: you gasp in shocked surprise and instinctively clutch your body. Blood oozes thickly between your fingers and you stare down in horror at the arrow which is protruding from your chest. Colours whirl and sounds grow faint as the pain drags you to the ground. Then, as the agony reaches an intolerable pitch, the pain suddenly disappears and you plunge into the timeless oblivion of death.

Your life and your quest end here.

The wind whistles past your face as you leap across the gap and land with a jolt that leaves you breathless. Desperately you cling to the rock, but your feet cannot grip the smooth surface and you slip backwards into the river.

You surface quickly but the river here is deep and strong, and you cannot resist being swept along on the current. For over three miles you ride the icy white water until you begin to feel smooth rocks speeding past beneath your feet. By kicking out against these boulders you are able to propel yourself towards the bank. Cold and exhausted, you claw your way out of the water and collapse on the rocky shore.

Your fall and the rough river ride have taken a toll on your possessions. Delete the items you have listed fourth, fifth, and sixth on the Backpack section of your
Action Chart
, and half the contents of your Belt Pouch.

To continue,
turn to 294
.

A figure dressed in black robes, whom you recognize as one of Roark's followers, is waving a burning torch in front of him at arm's length and shouting. Five spectral shadow-shapes wreathed in mist swirl around him, trying repeatedly to penetrate his fiery guard. Behind him stands an ancient burial mound, and lying near its dark entrance are the bodies of two soldiers clad in leather armour and three horses. A dozen of the ghost-like apparitions hover over each of the soldiers, as if they are feasting on their bodies.

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Divination and have reached the rank of Mentora,
turn to 303
.

If you wish to help the black-robed man fight off his ghostly attackers,
turn to 71
.

If you choose to avoid this conflict, skirt around the edge of the quarry, and continue deeper into the forest,
turn to 175
.

‘That ring you're wearing and those clothes o' yours look real enough,’ he says, flicking the bird meat from his dagger, ‘but you don't look like a Pathfinder and you sure don't sound like one neither!’ Then, without warning, he draws back his blade and flings it at your throat.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–4,
turn to 208
.

If it is 5 or more,
turn to 33
.

As you hurry away you happen upon a trail that gradually descends to the bank of a rushing river. Massive boulders, smoothed by the water over the centuries, rise from the foaming torrent like giant stepping stones. Across the river you see another forest, dark and forbidding. The sun is strong in a cloudless sky and the air is warm and dry, yet a grey mist hangs heavy and cold around the trees of that forest.

All along the bank on this side of the river grow clumps of bushy herbs with bright scarlet flowers.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Curing,
turn to 276
.

If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 325
.

The Vakeros is overjoyed at the prospect of being rescued from this dreadful place. He has languished here for a year since being captured by agents of the Darklords. His name is Paido, and although you tell him that you are an Eruan Pathfinder, he recognizes your accent and your strong Sommlending features.

‘You may wear Eruan cloth but you are not a native of that land,’ he says, suspecting that you have been sent to trick him.

If you wish to reveal your true identity to this man,
turn to 69
.

If you do not,
turn to 337
.

The enemy are rallying to launch a counterattack on the hill. To the south you see a mass of leather-clad Hammerlanders, supported by a regiment of grim-faced Brigandi mercenaries, advancing towards the Prince's position. The Palace Guard have fought like lions, but they have lost half their number and must be near to exhaustion. They may not survive a counterattack by a much fresher force that outnumbers them five to one. All that can save them now are the Eruan reserves.

If you wish to take command of the Prince's reserves and march them towards the hill,
turn to 49
.

If you decide to ride to King Sarnac's camp and ask him to save the Prince,
turn to 197
.

Wiping the sweat from your brow, you sheathe your weapon and search the bodies of your ambushers. All of them are clad in black helmets and scarlet, chainmail hauberks, and each has an assortment of weapons and equipment strapped to his muscular body. You recognize the distinctive armour which identifies them as Zagganozod — a motley unit of Drakkarim cavalry which patrols the Blackshroud Trail. This company must have fled here on foot after the Drakkarim defeat at Cetza, for you can find no sign of their horses.

Your search of their bodies reveals the following items:

• 2 Swords
  
• 3 Quivers
  
• 2 Daggers
  
• 11 Arrows
  
• 3 Bows
  
• 2 Axes
  
• 1 Mace
  
• 1 Broadsword
  
• 16 Lune (4 Gold Crowns)
  
• Enough food for 4 Meals
  

You may take whatever items you wish. When you have made the necessary adjustments to your
Action Chart
, you ford the river and continue on foot.

Turn to 186
.

Your Arrow strikes the Baron, but he is saved from a fatal wound by the lip of the steel bevor that protects his neck and back. The Arrow ricochets, gouging a deep furrow across the base of his skull and making him fall heavily to his knees. Bellowing like an angry bull, he glares in your direction as he staggers painfully to his feet.

If you possess the Sommerswerd,
turn to 113
.

If you do not possess this Special Item,
turn to 126
.

You take your place beside Lord Adamas and charge through the smouldering gap, leaping over the charred and broken remains of the Drakkarim who were caught by the blast. The allied soldiers follow your lead and sweep into the startled city, through a gate now guarded only by the slain. Despite their shock, the defenders begin to rally as they receive fresh reinforcements from other parts of the city, and soon a vicious battle rages in the cramped, gloomy streets.

You lead a group of Palmyrion men-at-arms across a courtyard and into a dingy street where you find yourselves confronted by a regiment of Drakkarim garrison troops. They have gathered to make a wall of shields behind a pair of small figures, black-robed and cowled, each holding a yellow globe.

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Divination and have reached the rank of Tutelary or higher,
turn to 22
.

If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training,
turn to 57
.

Desperately the two men fight to defend themselves from your deadly attack. You cannot evade this combat and must fight them both to the death.

Pirsian Swordsman 1:
COMBAT SKILL
 18   
ENDURANCE
 31

Pirsian Swordsman 2:
COMBAT SKILL
 17   
ENDURANCE
 29

If you win the combat,
turn to 68
.

‘My mission is secret,’ you reply. ‘If it is to succeed it is vital that it remains so.’ You glance at the other men seated around the fire and they return your glance with suspicion.

‘They are my brothers. Whatever you wish to say to me can be said in front of them.’

If you wish to tell these men about your quest,
turn to 216
.

If you would prefer not to tell them anything,
turn to 51
.

You recognize the plants: they are Laumwort, a herb very similar to the healing plant, Laumspur. You can regain lost
ENDURANCE
points by eating the leaves.

Each Meal of Laumwort restores 2
ENDURANCE
points and there are enough leaves here for 3 Meals. If you decide to pick this herb and keep it, remember to adjust your
Action Chart
accordingly.

To continue,
turn to 325
.

The sniper's second arrow splinters harmlessly against the wall behind which you shelter. Close to where you lie is the crimson-splashed body of a Drakkarim Death Knight. Wounded during the fighting at the bridge, he crawled here to die. A Broadsword and an Axe hang from his belt, and among the contents which have spilled out of his pack you see a Bottle of Water, a Torch, a Blanket, and enough food for three Meals.

You may take any of these Backpack Items or Weapons before leaving the ruins and pressing on towards the centre of the town.

Turn to 155
.

A key to the cell door hangs on a hook nearby. You grab it, twist it in the lock, and kick the heavy slab of metal. It creaks open and Paido rushes forward to embrace you.

‘Thank the gods you have found me, Lone Wolf,’ he says, his voice filled with emotion. ‘The Drakkarim said you were dead, that your body lay rotting in the Danarg, but I never once believed their lies.’

Paido is overjoyed to hear that the Torgar Gate has fallen and that a battle is raging in the streets above.

And when you inform him of your mission he replies with news that raises your hopes of success.

Turn to 307
.

Your lightning reflexes save you from the snake's deadly bite. Its jaws snap shut around air and instantly it recoils into its hollow in case you retaliate. Rather than attempt to kill the snake in the tight confines of the shaft, you snatch the opportunity to escape.

Turn to 205
.

At the break of dawn the soldiers of Lencia and Eru rouse themselves and adopt their positions for the fight. You gather your equipment and join the Prince at the top of the hill on which he has established his command post. He is observing the enemy line through a telescope and dictating orders to his heralds, who commit his words to parchment and dispatch them to his regiments in the field.

Illustration XVI
—The Battle of Cetza: Troop positions at dawn.

‘We outnumber the enemy two to one, but they are well positioned to receive our attack,’ comments the Prince, handing you his telescope so that you can scan their lines.

The town of Cetza is little more than a handful of ruined cottages clustered on a flat-topped hill. To the north lies a wood and a small hill on which a ruined temple stands; to the south lies an orchard surrounded by a low wall, and further on, open grassland bisected by a ditch that runs the whole length of the battlefield. The road from Luomi crosses the ditch at a stone bridge which is barricaded and heavily defended. The enemy have also been busy to the north. A mass of pointed stakes form a barrier between the two hills to impede any attempt by cavalry to break through the centre, and all along this defensive line are row upon row of Drakkarim archers.

An unnatural calm descends on the field, as though time momentarily stands still. Suddenly the quiet is shattered by a fanfare of trumpets from King Sarnac's camp. It is the signal to advance.

Turn to 150
.