The Darke Crusade (25 page)
You brief the three Lencians to spread out into an extended line and to watch carefully for your signals before you scale the river bank and make your approach to the trees. They all seem to be competent scouts but you have your reservations. Had it not been for Schera's insistence, you would have preferred to have reconnoitred this copse alone.
Silently you creep forward through the snow, using the sparse undergrowth to your advantage wherever possible. You are less than a hundred yards into the copse when you spy a small camp hidden among the trees. It comprises four white canvas tents attended by a dozen lean and hungry-looking human soldiers armed with longbows. A furled battle-flag stands propped against one of the tents and you signal to your nearest scout to join you, hoping he will be able to identify its chequered black-and-white design.
‘They're League-landers of Ilion,’ whispers the scout, staring at the campsite. ‘I know that flag well. They're good mercenaries, these men, loyal to the King. We fought alongside them at Hokidat.’
You are anxious about going forward and making contact with the mercenaries. If they are as good as your scout claims, there is a real danger that they will fire first and ask questions later. You tell your companion of your fears and he smiles.
‘Don't worry, Sire,’ he says, ‘I know how to contact them.’
You scramble to your feet to see that your horse is still close by. He is standing at the forest's edge, steam rising from his flanks as hungrily he swallows mouthfuls of snow to cool himself down. You call to the animal, using your Magnakai skills, and at once he responds obediently to your silent commands. Drakkarim archers are now running from the outer defences and you are in danger of being surrounded unless you can make a speedy escape. You and Prarg remount the horse and set off at a gallop along the forest's edge. Only when you are safely beyond the range of the enemy's bows do you rejoin the road and head off towards the north.
As you are about to leave the cabin, you notice a lantern hanging on a hook beside the door. You take it down, flip up its glass cover, and then cast it into the corner where it immediately sets fire to a heap of clothes. The fire will cover your tracks and, hopefully, cause enough of a diversion to enable you to escape from the encampment unchallenged.
As you hoped, the fire spreads quickly and, as you sprint across the frozen ground towards the forest's edge, you glance over your shoulder to see bright orange flames roaring from the open doorway, and a pall of black smoke rising into the steel-grey sky. You reach Prarg and together you hurry deeper into the forest. The fire covers your escape, but it also draws several Drakkarim patrols back to the encampment. You are forced to make a wide detour to the west in order to avoid these returning soldiers and your new route takes you across a steep and rugged part of the Tozaz Forest previously unexplored by your guide.
The difficult terrain slows you down and you cover less than six miles before failing light and the increasing sightings of Drakkarim patrols force you to halt and make camp for the night. From the safety of a treetop, fifty feet above the forest floor, you rope yourself to the trunk before settling down to sleep. You are hungry and, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.
To continue,
turn to 90
.
You ship the oars and take aim with your bow at the pot-bellied leader of this band of lowly Drakkarim renegades. For a moment your eyes meet and instantly his nerve shatters when he realizes that he is your chosen target. He drops his bow and turns to run, but it does not save him; your Arrow still finds its mark. As he throws his hands to the sky and tumbles lifelessly into the river, panic breaks out among his motley followers. Any attempt to fire at you is soon forgotten as they scramble desperately up the muddy bank and flee for the safety of the hills.
Your voyage continues without interruption until, later in the afternoon, 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
.
After what seems like an eternity, you reach the icy cold waters of the Gourneni and hurriedly launch your boat. Prarg scrambles over the stern, but as the aft drips beneath his weight, the rudder embeds itself in the mud and the boat is held fast.
‘Hurry Prarg! Break out the oars!’ you shout. ‘I'll push!’
The Gorodons are gaining ground; you can hear the rasping rush of their breathing as they close in for the kill. Desperately you press your shoulder to the stern timbers and push with all your might. There is a shudder; then suddenly the boat lurches forwards and you fall face first into the freezing water. You surface almost immediately and blink the muddy water from your eyes to see the boat drifting away towards the middle of the river. Prarg is leaning over the gunwale with his arms outstretched:
‘Quickly, Lone Wolf!’ he screams. ‘They're nearly upon you!’
Sensing that it would be quicker to swim than wade towards the boat, you bring your hands together in readiness to dive. But before you can launch yourself forwards, you feel something sharp graze your shoulders. An instant later, you are lifted out of the river and hurled backwards through the air to land, with a thick splash, in the mud at the water's edge. One of the Gorodons caught your cloak upon its bull-like horns and, with a flick of its powerful neck muscles, it has tossed you all the way back to the shoreline.
Cold, stunned, and covered with mud, you struggle to find your feet and unsheathe your weapon as the three Gorodons come lumbering through the shallows, eager to kill and consume.
If you possess Kai-surge
and
have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher,
turn to 190
.
If you do not possess this Discipline, or if you have yet to reach this level of Kai rank,
turn to 44
.
The chilling echo of Magnaarn's voice is drowned by new sounds: the rattle of chains and the rumble of falling stone. You shout a warning to Prarg and he dives aside only just in time to avoid being crushed by a heavy portcullis. The great stone portal slams down, partitioning the passageway and separating you from the captain. The dust has barely settled when a section of the passage wall slides open behind Prarg, and a trio of Magnaarn's Tukodak bodyguards leap out and seize him. Your companion is unarmed and he is quickly and brutally overpowered. Anger floods your mind and you vow to get even with these cruel Drakkarim, but they are not impressed by your threat. They are aware of your exceptional skills yet they feel safe behind the portcullis. With a knife held to Prarg's throat they taunt you and dare you to retaliate.
If you have a Bow and wish to use it,
turn to 170
.
If you do not, or if you choose not to use it,
turn to 34
.
Suddenly the gentle buzzing becomes an angry drone. Then from out of the lowest nest comes a swarm of wasp-like insects, each as large as a clenched fist. Alerted by your body warmth, they hurtle down the shaft and gather in a menacing cloud around the opening. For a few moments they hover there, virtually motionless; then they begin to circle the ceiling, led by an insect whose vivid scarlet markings stand out in stark contrast to the black and yellow striped torsos of the others.
Illustration XVI—From out of the lowest nest comes a swarm of wasp-like insects, each as large as a clenched fist.
As the encircling swarm gathers speed, the lower section of their bodies begins to glow, illuminating needle-like stingers in their tails. You draw your weapon and get ready to defend yourself lest they should attack, but you are caught off-guard when suddenly the leading insects fire their stingers at you. Diving aside, you avoid being hit by this volley of venom-tipped needles, but as you scramble to your feet the remainder of the swarm break away and dive down to attack your unprotected back.
Antah Wasps:
COMBAT SKILL
40
ENDURANCE
30
These insects are immune to all psychic attacks.
If you win the combat,
turn to 120
.
Using your Huntmastery skills, you identify and gather up a handful of edible roots, fungi, and berries from the forest floor which you then offer to Prarg. At first he thinks you are joking. Then, once you assure him that they are nutritious, he accepts this dubious selection and starts to eat.
‘Damn rabbit food,’ he mumbles, but you notice that he is careful not to waste a crumb. Meanwhile, you scan the surrounding forest, ever watchful for enemies. For the last hour you have had a growing suspicion that something has been watching you. Your senses detect the presence of a hostile enemy, closing from the east. Now the suspicion has become a sure belief, and the moment Prarg finishes his meal, you suggest that you be on your way as swiftly as possible.
Desperately you roll across the black stone floor to avoid the creature's initial attack. Your swift reactions save you from its razor claws, but it, too, possesses lightning reflexes. It leaps once more and you barely have enough time to unsheathe your weapon before it lands upon you and slams you to the ground.
Tarhdemon (polymorphed Nadziran):
COMBAT SKILL
42
ENDURANCE
42
If you win this combat,
turn to 66
.
Shaken but unharmed, you wade out to the boat where Prarg helps you aboard.
‘That was too close for comfort,’ says Prarg, as he struggles to free the oars and set them in place.
‘You can count yourself lucky to have escaped with your life. The first time I navigated these channels I lost three good men in a Gorodon attack. Those beasts are the bane of this accursed place … yet, 'tis true to say, there are other creatures here that are far deadlier.’
Using the oars you soon reach the west bank where, once safely ashore, you encamp on a strip of frozen loam that overlooks a bleak expanse of marsh. Night has fallen and so, too, has the temperature. From the shelter of your upturned boat you cast your experienced eye across the darkening skies and see banks of cloud, heavy with snow, scudding the distant horizon. They are an unwelcome sight, the precursors to a winter storm.
Prarg volunteers to continue the first watch but, mindful that his need for rest is greater than yours, you insist that he gets some sleep. For four hours you sit and scan the bleak horizon, your mind filled with unanswered questions about the mission and the dangers you have yet to face. While you ponder what awaits you in the near future, you remain watchful and alert, your encounter on the east bank still vivid in your mind. Fortunately, the increasing cold dissuades the Hellswamp's inhabitants from leaving their lairs this night and your watch passes without incident.
Then the time comes for you to awaken Prarg. With a noticeable lack of enthusiasm he takes his turn while you settle yourself down to catch a few hours of much needed sleep.
Rising to the top of the stairs comes a lumbering hulk with hungry, scarlet eyes. The beast is covered with a vile fur which glistens in the eerie light of the landing, its long sinewy arms are outstretched, and in both of its huge hands there are chunks of dagger-like flint. Its distended belly skims the floor as it stalks closer, and a brown gluey saliva runs freely from its fanged lower jaw. With the rockfall preventing a hasty escape, you draw your weapon and steel yourself for combat with this nightmarish creature.
Tunnel Stalker:
COMBAT SKILL
43
ENDURANCE
48
If you win this combat,
turn to 91
.
The few war-dogs that manage to survive the combat now slink away into the forest like frightened pups. Prarg, elated by the victory, is confident that they will not be back this night. You are not so sure, and as you turn to go back to the boat to catch some sleep, you warn him to remain vigilant whilst he is on guard.