The Darke Crusade (23 page)
You glimpse the guard's startled eyes, made unnaturally large by the lens, and instantly you know that you have been seen. The Drakkar retreats from the observation slit and, moments later, a noise issues from the base of the tower. It is the rattle of chains and the creak of straining timbers.
A section of the tower's log wall is opening like a castle drawbridge, revealing a dark cave-like opening at its base. The noise prompts you to increase speed until you are racing towards Prarg just as fast as you can. You hope to reach him before the portal opens completely, but before the descending section hits the ground, from out of the darkness leap five vicious war-hogs. Their fearsome tusks glint like sharpened knives as they come charging across the snow to attack you head-on.
You have no time to avoid this attack; you must draw a hand weapon and fight these beasts to the death.
Nad-jaguz:
COMBAT SKILL
46
ENDURANCE
46
If you possess Animal Mastery, add 2 to your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of this fight.
If you win the combat,
turn to 219
.
The sound of a dog growling loudly in your ear stirs you to sudden wakefulness. Instinctively you reach for your weapon, but as you do so, a set of sharp fangs closes about your wrist: lose 2
ENDURANCE
points.
Fiercely you struggle to free yourself from the vice-tight jaws of an Akataz. The war-dog hangs on to your wrist with grim determination until a blow to its neck with the edge of your left hand kills it instantly. As its body drops to the snow, you unsheathe your weapon and call out to Prarg. He replies, but his voice is distant and filled with desperation. You climb the river bank, cursing yourself for allowing your guide to take the first watch. Overcome by fatigue he must have fallen asleep, allowing a pack of marauding Akataz to fall upon you without warning.
As you crest the bank, you see Prarg stabbing and slashing with his sword, fighting like a wild man to save himself from a dozen of the snapping, snarling war-dogs.
‘Quickly, Prarg!’ you shout, as you rush to his aid. ‘Stand back-to-back. Don't let them separate us or you're done for!’
Wild Akataz Pack:
COMBAT SKILL
40
ENDURANCE
55
These war-dogs are especially susceptible to psychic attack. Double all bonuses you would normally receive should you decide to use a psychic attack during this combat.
If you win the combat,
turn to 176
.
It is late afternoon when you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your
map
and discover it to be Konozod, a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.
If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier,
turn to 314
.
If you decide to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by
turning to 231
.
You get to your feet and hurry along this tunnel in the opposite direction. Before long you find yourself in a section of this underground labyrinth which has suffered greatly during the recent rockfalls. Many fissures have opened up the stone floor and shattered the walls, but you take these obstacles in your stride and soon arrive at a ruined staircase which ascends to a landing. Here you are confronted by the corpse of a Drakkarim guard. It is slumped beside a mound of rubble which is blocking the stairs to the next level above. A quick examination of the dead body reveals that both arms are broken. Injured and trapped here by the rockfall, it appears that this guard eventually died of thirst.
If you wish to search the body further,
turn to 247
.
If you wish to attempt to clear away the rubble that is blocking the stairs,
turn to 347
.
Immediately below the window of the grain tower sits a Drakkarim lancer astride his warhorse. He is one of a dozen troopers who have been posted around the perimeter of the square to guard its many exits, but he is more interested in watching the execution than carrying out his duty. His lance is sheathed in a tube-like scabbard fixed to the rear of his saddle, and all his attention is focused on the platform. He is unaware that you are hiding barely a few yards from where he sits.
The officer puts away his oiled stone and a murmur of expectation ripples through the assembled Drakkarim as he gets ready to raise the axe. Captain Prarg has no more than a few minutes left to live; you must act now if you are to save him. Quickly, you climb through the open window and leap from the ledge onto the back of the unwary lancer below.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 3 or less,
turn to 244
.
If your total score is now 4–8,
turn to 49
.
If your total score is now 9 or more,
turn to 172
.
As one, the soldiers draw their weapons and come rushing towards the ground floor entrance to the tower. You retreat from the window and look around for a means of escape for already you can hear the first of the enemy climbing the stairs. With fear running cold in your veins you cross to a window on the far side of the tower. But before you reach it you are confronted at the top of the stairs by two formidable warriors. They are Death Knights, the fighting élite of the Drakkarim.
Death Knights:
COMBAT SKILL
38
ENDURANCE
40
If you win this combat in three rounds or less,
turn to 35
.
If this combat takes four rounds or longer to resolve,
turn instead to 160
.
The bolt enters the keyhole and shatters the lock with a deafening boom. The heavy door is flung open, and you see standing before you two Tukodak guards, both visibly shaking from the effects of concussion. Before they come to their senses and reach for their weapons, you rush forward and silence them both with two swift and deadly open-handed blows to their necks.
You pause to incant the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Strength
and within seconds you feel the fatigue disappear from your aching muscles. A vibrant sense of power and well-being infuses your whole body, enabling you to attack the rockfall with increased effect. Soon you have removed enough debris to enable you to squeeze through the gap to a clear section of the stairwell beyond. Once here, you block the opening behind you, and then race up the steps to the level above.
You rise at dawn and peer out of the cabin porthole to be greeted by a wondrous sight, for the
Skyrider
is now flying west along the Tentarias, the great divide that parts the two continents of Magnamund. You are soaring more than a mile above blue-green waters which shimmer in the early morning sun. Sunlight is also reflecting from the snow-capped mountain peaks of the Great Bor and Boradon Mountains which rise up on either side to form a gigantic corridor of unyielding stone. Fondly the crew cast their eyes across the northern landscape, for this is the magnificent realm of Bor, the place of their birth, and many years have elapsed since they last visited their native land.
The weather remains clear and swift progress is made as the
Skyrider
follows its course along the Tentarias towards the Gulf of Lencia. By mid-morning you pass within a few miles of Humbold, capital of Eru; then emerge from the mountain corridor to a less enchanting sight. To the north, as far as the eye can see, stretches a dull and sickly mire. It is the infamous Hellswamp, an infernal morass of twisted vegetation and treacherous, shifting mudflats. Slowly the hours pass and the anticipation of your arrival at Vadera steadily grows. Then, at two hours past noon, the lookout catches first sight of the city-port nestling in its protected bay along the Lencian coast. You join Nolrim at the prow as skilfully he begins a descent towards the main square, the only place large enough to accommodate the craft in the closely packed quarters of this populous city.
At first, the sight of the
Skyrider
gliding towards their city causes a wave of panic among the Vaderans, who mistake it for a Drakkarim machine of war. But this initial fear is soon assuaged when the tower lookouts pass word that your mast bears a Sommlending flag. Upon landing, masses of curious citizens surge from out of the surrounding streets to form a ring of bodies around the airship's keel. Then a troop of armoured guardsmen push through the crowds and the air is filled with the buzz of their excited speculation. After a brief consultation with Lord Floras, they escort you both to the Vadera Citadel for an immediate audience with King Sarnac.
Unexpectedly your Arrow pierces the creature's heart, which is located at its midriff, and brings the beast crashing onto the snow. For a few moments it twitches and shivers fitfully; then it stiffens and lies still with a sudden abruptness. Prarg regains his composure and sheepishly he steps forward to look at the dead creature.
‘The gods are watching over us, Sire,’ he says, quite respectfully. ‘This beast is a Mawtaw. Few can say they have defeated this fearsome king of the Tozaz Forest.’
You decide to press on without delay, just in case there are others of its breed close by. Your instinct and Pathsmanship skills lead you in a northerly direction and you cover more than five miles before the trees begin to thin out. Then you emerge from the forest to be greeted by an unexpected and spectacular sight.
The two escorts enter the alleyway and, although you are less than ten feet away from them, they fail to see you hiding in the shadowy doorway. You watch as they open the sack and proceed to pick over and divide its contents. It is filled with the spoils of battle: items of value which they have taken from prisoners or stolen from the dead.
They laugh greedily until they hear the gruff shouts of their sergeant who is standing at the main gates, shouting out their names. Quickly they hide their booty in a hole beneath an empty horse trough; then they leave the alleyway and hurry back to the town.
If you wish to uncover the hiding place and search the sack,
turn to 323
.
If you choose instead to follow these two Drakkarim,
turn to 137
.
The dark alleys and streets surrounding the gaol are illuminated by a hundred guttering brands. Magnaarn's soldiers are everywhere, casting their suspicious eyes over every section of the nighted town laid bare by their torches. Your Kai skills keep you hidden from sight and soon you reach the gaol, but only to discover that the entrance is now heavily guarded by a platoon of Drakkarim.
You abandon your hopes of entering by the front door and instead you circle around to an alley at the rear of the building where you discover a line of windows, each one criss-crossed with iron bars. Instinct leads you to the last in the line and you peer inside to see Captain Prarg lying on a bed of filthy straw. He looks in poor shape; both his eyes are bruised, his lips are swollen, and his bushy moustache is caked with dried blood. You whisper his name and wearily he turns his head towards the cell window. Then he sees you and suddenly his whole face lights up with renewed hope.
‘Thank the gods you are still free, Lone Wolf,’ he says quietly, pressing his battered face to the bars. ‘The Drakkarim have tried to make me talk but I have kept silent. They know nothing about the mission.’
You examine the cell window and reassure Prarg that you will soon spring him from this gaol, but he insists that you do not risk your life on his account.
‘Listen, Sire. I have learned that Magnaarn isn't here in Shugkona. When the gaolers beat me, I feigned unconsciousness and overheard them say that their leader is at a place called Antah. It's a ruined temple some forty miles away to the north. They talked of certain victory now that their warlord has found “the stone”. Please, Lone Wolf, I beseech you to continue without me. Go to Antah and defeat Magnaarn, before it is too late.’
Then a yellowy flicker of torchlight at the end of the alley cuts short your conversation. It is a Drakkarim patrol. They turn the corner and come marching towards you with purposeful steps.
‘Don't give up hope, captain,’ you say, as you make ready to run from the approaching patrol. ‘I'll come back for you.’
You have covered no more than a few hundred yards of this dark and dreary tunnel when you sense imminent danger. You stop and, using your Kai tracking skills, you attempt to identify the nature of this threat.
If you possess Grand Pathsmanship,
turn to 48
.
If you do not possess this Discipline,
turn to 335
.
You send one of the scouts to summon Captain Schera and his men, and when they arrive they are treated most hospitably by the mercenaries who, despite their own hunger, unselfishly share out their meagre rations.
You stay here overnight and break camp at dawn. The Baron's regiment has suffered heavily in battle and now totals little more than forty men, and so you have no difficulty in finding room for them in the boats. Captain Schera is especially pleased to have these warriors aboard. Despite their losses, they are a cheerful group and they help lift the morale of his men.
The journey downstream passes swiftly and without incident until, shortly before noon, the sky grows steadily darker. An orange glow illuminates the distant horizon, and you can see many pinpoints of fire spread all across the land. An eerie silence descends on the flotilla as it draws nearer to the city of Darke. Shortly after, you see lines of troops marching towards the glowing skyline. Then you witness isolated actions taking place in the surrounding fields as groups of Lencian knights, cut off during the retreat, fight desperate hand-to-hand battles with Drakkarim cavalry. Some Drakkarim horse scouts have reached the river bank, and as you pass them, they open fire at you with their bows. But the swift current soon carries the flotilla away and there are few casualties.
Illustration XIV—Whilst observing the distant battle, a large black carrion crow lands on a nearby log and stares at you with a cold, beady eye.
It is an hour past noon when you first see the forbidding city of Darke. A great battle is raging around its mighty walls and bastions, and the noise and stench of this fierce conflict comes gusting towards you on the chill winter wind. The river current is getting stronger as it approaches the sea, and so you signal to the other boats to row for the bank. You put ashore on the right bank and both Captain Schera and Baron Maquin have their men take up defensive positions here. There is a road close by, running parallel to the river, and beyond it lies a snowy expanse of open plain on which many regiments of Drakkarim, and some Giaks, are marching towards the city. You are observing the distant battle when a large black carrion crow lands on a nearby log and stares at you with a cold, beady eye.
If you possess Animal Mastery,
turn to 168
.
If you do not possess this Discipline,
turn to 302
.