The Dungeons of Torgar (9 page)

You smite the chain a mighty blow but you miss the rivet and the link does not break. Incensed by the boldness of your attack, and aware now of the threat it would have posed had it succeeded, the Demonlord leaps upon you and sinks his fangs deep into your chest. Pain explodes in your body but the agony is soon obliterated by the numbing chill of death.

Your life and your quest end here.

The Baron is shouting at the Krorn to form a line and get ready to advance. The only vulnerable part of his body that you can see as he strides back and forth before his troops is his unarmoured head.

Coolly you draw an Arrow to your lips and aim at the nape of his neck.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
and add to it any missile bonuses you may have.

If your total is now 0–7,
turn to 9
.

If your total is now 8 or more,
turn to 272
.

For an hour you sit staring at the river, mourning the loss of your brave companion. Your heart is heavy with the grief of his passing but you do not permit sorrow to become despair. You turn your eyes towards Torgar and defiantly you vow to avenge his death by retrieving the stolen Lorestones from the dungeons of that dread citadel.

Your journey along the bank of the River Torg is a long and tiring ordeal. For eight days you trudge through the black mud, cut off from all view of the lands to the north and south by an unbroken wall of stunted trees. The only inhabitants of this forsaken territory are the buzzing insects which hang seemingly motionless in the humid air. They are a constant source of irritation but at least their bite proves harmless.

On the morning of the ninth day, the muddy river bank gives way to firmer ground and the trees become less dense. Ahead you can see a barren expanse of yellow sulphurous soil that marks the beginning of the Nadulritzaga foothills. You can also see a road of broken stones disappearing into the distance.

Turn to 140
.

A sudden tumble of loose shale from the rim of the gorge alerts you to potential danger. You focus your eagle eyes on the rugged grey rocks above and catch sight of a pair of eyes staring down at you through a gap between two large boulders. Your stomach tightens. You feel trapped, and are about to spur your horse towards the mouth of the gorge and escape, when a voice calls down from above: ‘Hail, Pathfinder! What news have you from Luomi?’

If you choose to answer the voice,
turn to 223
.

If you decide to make a hasty escape from the gorge,
turn to 134
.

The shouts of the defenders and the metallic twang of the vanguard's crossbows echo across the causeway as you sprint headlong towards the door. A rain of boulders begins to fall, smashing around you with terrific force, but you manage to dodge these and reach your goal unscathed. Quickly you tear the satchel from your shoulder, prime the crystal explosive, and sprint back, counting the seconds with every step. Suddenly a terrific jolt throws you forward and a dull throbbing pain spreads across your back. A falling rock has clipped your shoulder blade and knocked you to the ground: lose 4
ENDURANCE
points.

Desperation suppresses the pain and you scramble over the rampart with only one second to spare.

Turn to 301
.

Cautiously you approach the edge of the pit and look down into its midnight depths. No light penetrates the blackness and no sounds can be heard in this seemingly bottomless abyss.

Above you the Lorestones hang suspended in a ball of green flame, beyond reach from the ground but within a hand's breadth of the gantries which criss-cross above the pit.

If you wish to climb a gantry and attempt to retrieve the Lorestones from above,
turn to 249
.

If you wish to examine the crystal rods,
turn to 160
.

If you wish to search for a way of retrieving the Lorestones from below,
turn to 201
.

The third day of your voyage is accompanied by a cold west wind that blows across the desolate swamp and chills you to the bone. Clumps of twisted grey foliage line the channel along which you row, releasing nauseating clouds of gas as your bow-wave laps at their rotting roots. At length, you pass by these poisoned shrubs and reach a wider waterway where the current flows against you.

‘We must be getting near the Torg estuary,’ says Jarel, now having to labour at the oars in order to make headway. He continues for a few minutes more, and then, just as you are about to take your turn at rowing, the mouth of the River Torg looms into view.

Turn to 209
.

Your Magnakai sense tells you that the trail that climbs out of the valley is heading north. The town of Pirsi lies approximately thirty miles in that direction.

If you wish to take this trail and head north to Pirsi,
turn to 313
.

If you choose to follow the track upstream towards the west,
turn to 18
.

Having made sure that your pack and other equipment are securely fastened, you take a long run-up and leap feet-first across the gap.

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 in now 0–6,
turn to 154
.

If it is 7 or more,
turn to 215
.

You recognize the pale, badly scarred features of Roark, lord of the Salonese town of Amory. He has aged much since your last meeting: his jet-black hair is now streaked with grey and he walks with a stoop, as if burdened by a heavy pack. But his eyes are still as cold and as cruel as they were when he attempted to kill you four years ago.

Turn to 263
.

‘I come from King Sarnac,’ says the officer, his voice full of urgency. ‘I must find your Prince and request that he commit his reserves at once in support of our knights assaulting the bridge. Our spearmen are already engaged in a desperate attack at the orchard and the rest of our retainers have been used to support our cavalry advance on the right flank. We have but less than 100 men left to save our noblemen, who are being slaughtered at the bridge.’

You tell the officer where the Prince and his Palace Guard are fighting, of their victory, and of the desperate situation they now face. ‘I understand,’ says the officer, sadly. ‘I cannot expect the Prince to allow his reserves to be used when he needs them so urgently himself.’

If you wish to return and take command of the Prince's reserves,
turn to 49
.

If you wish to help the Lencian officer gather reinforcements to support the knights at the bridge,
turn to 148
.

You are dazzled by a brilliant flash as the two globes explode, scattering fragments that hiss like a host of fiery snakes into the Palmyrion ranks. The men-at-arms scream with pain and terror as the fragments burn everything they touch. You escape the worst of the blast, but the sleeve of your tunic is splashed with fragments and is now on fire.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus and have reached the Kai rank of Principalin or higher,
⁴
turn to 2
.

If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training,
turn to 253
.

With a splash, the Death Knight warrior appears, his massive frame filling the archway. He curses his clumsiness and snatches up his spear, but his curses turn to shouts of alarm when he sees you hiding beneath the bridge.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-surge and wish to use it,
turn to 139
.

If you wish to attack this élite Drakkarim soldier,
turn to 180
.

If you wish to escape from beneath the bridge and run for the safety of the allies' camp,
turn to 316
.

You ride along an overgrown cart track that descends to the ford. As you draw level with the first log hut, your horse rears up and whinnies as if sensing danger, and you are forced to tighten your grip of the reins for fear of being thrown. As you regain control of your mount there is a sudden shout and a hail of arrows comes whistling towards you.

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

If your total is now 0–1,
turn to 91
.

If it is 2–6,
turn to 283
.

If it is 7 or more,
turn to 153
.

At point-blank range your Arrow strikes the Drakkarim leader's armour with lethal force; it punches through the thick metal plate which protects his chest and skewers his heart. As he crashes to the ground, the other warriors draw their swords and rush forward to avenge his death.

Élite Death Knights:
COMBAT SKILL
 38   
ENDURANCE
 45

If you win the combat,
turn to 162
.

King Sarnac and a host of mounted knights block the road that leads to Blackshroud. They sit astride their warhorses, their armour dented and stained with the blood of the Baron's cavalry, all of whom they have slain in battle or put to flight. The Baron thunders towards them at breakneck speed, but the King and his knights remain grimly immobile, like a wall of tarnished steel. Slowly they lower their lances as the Baron speeds nearer and nearer. With a last defiant cry of anger, the Baron and his horse smash headlong into the line. There is a sickening screech of buckling metal and rearing horses, and then the Baron reappears, hoisted into the air, impaled on the tip of King Sarnac's lance.

Turn to 300
.

The captain smiles. Then he looks over your shoulder and nods to the owner. You hear a thin squeak followed by a rush of air as the crossbow bolt hurtles towards your back. Your Kai senses scream a warning and you respond by flattening yourself to the table. A look of abject terror barely has time to register on the captain's face before the speeding missile embeds itself between his startled eyes.

‘Get him!’ screams the owner, and three stocky drinkers rush forward with short swords held ready to strike. The first attacker loses his sword and the hand that holds it. As he reels back, screaming, the others exchange a fearful glance and halt in their tracks.

If you wish to advance and attack them,
turn to 274
.

If you decide to try to escape from the log tavern,
turn to 68
.

You focus your Magnakai skill on the lumbering reptile and command it to retreat. It halts and raises its horned head, its hungry eyes regarding you with suspicion. Then, with a snort of disdain, it turns and crawls back into the tall grass.

Turn to 144
.

‘Meet your doom, Eruan scum!’ he sneers, as he strides across the square, his fearsome axe raised to strike. You lift the Sommerswerd and level it at his head; the blade shimmers gold as the sunlight catches upon its tip and charges it with power. A flicker of doubt passes across the Baron's eyes, but he shrugs aside his fear and continues to advance. With a roar like a howling gale the blade of his axe is transformed into a mass of scarlet flame that reeks of sulphurous decay.

Illustration VI
—‘Meet your doom, Eruan scum!’ he sneers, his fearsome axe raised to strike.

Baron Shinzar (with Ogg-kor-kaggaz):
COMBAT SKILL
 40   
ENDURANCE
 50

Intoxicated by the power of the weapon he wields, the Baron is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge).

You may evade combat after three rounds;
turn to 229
.

If you win the combat,
turn to 300
.

You see a dank dungeon cell and a prisoner sitting cross-legged on the cold stone floor. His dark skin is covered with tiny scars and his plaited flaxen hair is matted with grime and dried blood. Wearily he raises his head and his sharp cat-like eyes glint in the torchlight. At once you recognize his distinctive features: he is a Vakeros, a native warrior-magician of Dessi.

You step back to examine the lock and notice that the key to this cell is hanging on a hook beside the door.

If you wish to open the cell and release the prisoner,
turn to 269
.

If you decide to ignore him and continue,
turn to 189
.