The Masters of Darkness (10 page)

You snatch a large ring of keys from the belt of a dead guard and unlock the steel door. Beyond it you discover a vast hall filled with row upon row of fearsome weaponry. It is the Imperial Armoury of Helgedad.

If you possess a Black Cube,
turn to 40
.

If you do not possess this item,
turn to 320
.

You hit the ground and roll forward to lessen the impact, but still the force of the landing numbs your legs and leaves you breathless. As you struggle to stand, your vision swims in and out of focus.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have completed the Lore-circle of Solaris and the Lore-circle of Light, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 4 or less,
turn to 72
.

If it is 5 or more,
turn to 161
.

At the first opportunity, you leave the busy street and ride along a little-used alley. It leads to a large, flat-roofed warehouse, common in this section of Argazad. It is unlit and seemingly empty.

As you halt in front of its sliding steel door, you are startled by a loud screech and the flap of huge wings directly above. You look up to see a dark shape crossing the moonlit sky, and then plummet to land somewhere behind the warehouse. Intrigued by this shadowy creature, you decide to skirt around the warehouse and investigate.

Turn to 328
.

An icy cold spike of fear stabs your heart as you feel something wet and slippery land on top of your head.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have completed the Lore-circles of Light and Solaris, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–4,
turn to 233
.

If it is 5 or more,
turn to 205
.

Silently you draw an Arrow to your lips and take aim at the Drakkar's throat, at the point where a thin strip of unprotected skin is visible between the chin-piece of his battle-mask and the top of his hardened-leather breastplate. A wound there should prove fatal and yet leave untarnished the armour that you intend to wear in order to gain entry to Argazad.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
and add to it any bow-skill bonuses to which you are entitled.

If your total score is now 0–4,
turn to 336
.

If it is 5 or more,
turn to 212
.

Almost invisible against the horizon of black cliffs and cloudy grey skies are two enemy warships, anchored a few hundred yards offshore. At first they look deserted; then the sudden
clang
of alarm bells and the appearance of huge clouds of yellow smoke from their funnels indicate they are manned, and they intend to give chase.

‘Our only chance is to outrun them,’ says Davan, his eyes narrowing as he surveys the ironclads hauling their anchors and turning about. At his command the crew spring into action, breaking their backs to coax every last knot of speed from their battered ship, but the winds are against them and the enemy, not reliant on sails for their propulsion, are soon closing the gap.

‘Prepare to repel boarders!’ shouts Davan, as an ironclad draws alongside. Hastily they abandon their attempt to outrun the enemy, and draw weapons in readiness to receive a unit of leather-clad Drakkarim marines who are poised to spring aboard the very moment the two vessels collide. Then, with a resounding crash, the ironclad smashes into the side of the
Intrepid
and the enemy come scrambling over the rail, screaming and howling like a pack of demons.

One of their number singles you out. He strides forward, his black blade swinging viciously as he attempts to cleave your skull in two. Owing to the speed of his attack you are unable to make use of a Bow.

Drakkarim Marine:
COMBAT SKILL
 23   
ENDURANCE
 27

You can evade combat at any time:
turn to 7
.

If you win the combat,
turn to 248
.

At first you are puzzled by your newfound invulnerability; then you remember the Golden Amulet that Banedon gave you before you left Toran. Its magical powers have saved you from serious injury. Silently you give thanks to your old friend.

The explosion has caused havoc aboard the
Intrepid
. Men run howling across the decks, their clothes and hair ablaze, as the fire spreads swiftly throughout the ship. ‘Save yourselves!’ cries Davan. ‘Abandon ship!’ You reach the deck rail, and, as you look along the beam, you see scores of men — Drakkarim and Sommlending alike — hurling themselves into the cold, dark waters of the Kaltersee rather than perish amid the roaring holocaust of fire.

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery or Divination,
turn to 4
.

If you do not possess either of these skills,
turn to 224
.

You are in combat with a powerful spirit-creature, summoned by Darklord Gnaag from the Plane of Darkness. You fight to suppress your fear, for, by feeding upon it, the creature is growing stronger and stronger.

Mind Reaper:
COMBAT SKILL
 30   
ENDURANCE
 36

This supernatural being is especially susceptible to psychic attack. Double all bonuses you would normally receive if you choose to use either Mindblast or Psi-surge during the combat.

If you win the combat,
turn to 306
.

With bated breath, you wait for the creature to appear, fearful yet confident that your bow-skill will put paid to the hostile intentions of this malodorous cave-dweller.

The tip of a thin, snaky limb rises from the abyss and glides slowly across the ground towards your legs. Its skin is smooth and dark, like black velvet, and it moves with alarming speed. Suddenly it halts, as if sensing the danger, and draws itself up like a serpent preparing to strike.

If you wish to fire at the snaky limb,
turn to 276
.

If you decide to hold your fire and wait for it to make the first move,
turn to 185
.

The creature howls with malicious joy, and its Liganim followers add to this hellish cry with a chorus of cackling laughter as they spread out quickly to surround you. You have stumbled into a sector of Helgedad that is the domain of Darklord Taktaal, an arch-rival of Darklord Ghanesh whose colours you wear. With the thought of your slaughter fixed in their minds, the minions of Taktaal launch their attack. You cannot evade this combat and must fight them as one enemy.

Minions of Taktaal:
COMBAT SKILL
 31   
ENDURANCE
 43

If you possess the sword Helshezag and wish to use it, remember to add the appropriate bonuses to your
COMBAT SKILL
.

If you possess the Sommerswerd and wish to use it,
turn to 208
.

If you win the combat,
turn to 164
.

Your Arrow speeds towards its target and disappears. Seemingly uninjured, the Xargath draws back its head in readiness to strike, its awesome jaws poised to seal your doom. Death seems but moments away, when suddenly the creature freezes. It shudders, its green eyes roiling in their sockets, and then gives vent to a scream so loud that you are forced to cover your ears for fear of being deafened. The scream grows louder until, with a mighty splash, the Xargath lurches sideways into the fog-wreathed sea.

Turn to 217
.

No sooner has the Xaghash crashed dead at your feet than you see yet more of its loathsome kind emerging from the surrounding towers. There is no time to search the dead body — to stay would be suicidal. Without hesitation, you turn on your heel and run for your life.

Turn to 48
.

The bird approaches at incredible speed, its black body difficult to make out against the darkening cloud. Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
, and add to it any bow-skill bonuses to which you are entitled.

If your total score is now 0–6,
turn to 245
.

If it is 7 or more,
turn to 211
.

‘Okak nenrak!’
growls the Giak, unsheathing his short sword. Your offer of a bribe has aroused his suspicions; he thinks you have stolen the Zlanbeast and he intends to kill you, thereby securing promotion for himself.

Aarnak Giak Sentry:
COMBAT SKILL
 17   
ENDURANCE
 20

If you win the combat,
turn to 52
.

You are fighting a horde of winged Crypt Spawn. You cannot evade this combat and must fight the loathsome creatures to the death.

Crypt Spawn Flood:
COMBAT SKILL
 30   
ENDURANCE
 36

If you win the combat,
turn to 255
.

The deck heaves and shudders, and the metallic whirr of the ironclad's engine rises to a deafening roar as it fights to extricate itself from the stern of the sinking
Intrepid
. Then a war-horn blares, signalling to the enemy troops to break off their attack and return to their vessels. Everywhere you look Drakkarim marines and Sommlending crewmen are sheathing their weapons and scrambling towards the ship's rail. Clouds of acrid yellow smoke waft across the decks, adding to the chaos and confusion as scores of men hurl themselves into the dark waves of the Kaltersee.

Illustration VII
—Scores of men hurl themselves over the ship's rail into the Kaltersee.

‘Jump!’ shouts Davan.

‘But what about the captain?’ you reply, anxiously.

‘Forget the captain,’ he says, pointing at the enemy craft. ‘No one can help him now. The ironclad that rammed our stern completely demolished his cabin. No one could have lived through that.’

You pull yourself over the rail and wait for the smoke to thin before you leap. But the
Intrepid
lurches violently, and, before you can stop yourself, you slip and fall head-first into the swirling yellow smog.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 194
.

If it is 5–9,
turn to 16
.

You duck behind a boulder, and then immediately begin crawling on your stomach towards another large rock. The slippery shingle aids your progress, but the scrunching sound of enemy footfalls is growing ever louder and you begin to fear that they will catch up with you before you can slip away.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. Add 1 to this number for every Magnakai Discipline you possess in excess of three Disciplines (for example, if you possess five Disciplines, add 2 to the number you have picked).

If your total is now 0–7,
turn to 8
.

If it is 8 or more,
turn to 279
.