The Darke Crusade Read online

  Turn to 80.

  124

  You watch the Drakkarim sergeant, who is pilfering his captain's private stock of wine, tilt the bottle back to take another long gulp. He belches loudly, and then bangs in the cork and replaces the bottle on the shelf before turning to leave. You wait until he is out of view before you slip into the cabin and close the door.

  You hurry to the table but, to your disappointment, the map you glimpsed earlier turns out to be merely a construction plan of the encampment. It offers no clues to Magnaarn's present location.

  If you wish to search this cabin more thoroughly, turn to 344.

  If you choose to leave the cabin and return to Prarg, turn to 277.

  125

  You clamber over the bodies that are heaped chest-high around the shattered city gates; then you begin to fight your way steadily towards the centre of this terrible stronghold. Beyond the entrance you see that a wild battle is raging through the streets. A regiment of Lencian Crusaders are fighting to wrestle possession of the keep from a determined horde of Magnaarn's Drakkarim. The tide turns against the Lencians and as they are driven back towards the gates, you are forced to climb a stair which leads to the battlements in order to avoid being lost in the crush. Halfway up the steps you are attacked by a Drakkar armed with sword and shield. You duck his clumsy swipe and lash out at his chest. He catches your blow on his shield, but the sheer force of your attack hurls him down on the steps where he remains, cradling his broken arm, tears streaming down his soot-blackened face.

  You stride up the steps towards the battlements where a group of Lencians are locked in combat with two Death Knights. The Crusaders slay their enemies, but they, in turn, are slain when a bolt of crackling crimson energy rips through their shiny steel armour, fired from the tip of a wizard's staff. Their lifeless bodies come tumbling down the steps, knocking you flat on your back and pinning you down beneath the weight of their armour. You struggle to get free, but you are being observed by the one who slew the knights: an evil Nadziranim wizard. He levels his staff at your head and a swirling trail of sparks ignites at its tip. With imminent death staring you full in the face, you steel yourself to meet your maker.

  Turn to 177.

  126

  You head towards an archway in the far wall, advancing with caution as you traverse the slippery mounds of rubble which litter the floor of this damp and unwholesome chamber. A short tunnel lies beyond the arch. It ends at a junction where a wider passageway crosses from west to east.

  If you wish to go west, turn to 261.

  If you wish to go east, turn to 26.

  127

  Whilst observing the guards, a bold idea springs to mind. You tell Prarg to take a firm grip of your cloak and stay close as you cross the clearing and approach to within twenty yards of the stone ramp. At this point you use your Discipline of Assimilance to summon a fog from out of the frozen ground. A dense white vapour arises which quickly envelops the guards before they can take steps to avoid it. Vainly, the two Tukodak shout to each other and stab at the mist with their spears, lest an enemy should be poised to attack them. With Prarg clinging to your cloak, you slip past the confused guards with ease and make your way into the tower unseen.

  Turn to 221.

  128

  You run to the edge of the fissure and make your leap, but, as you take off, you slip on a loose stone and fall head-first into the yawning void.

  Tragically, your life and your quest end here in the Palace Tower of Darke.

  129

  After your meal, you leave Prarg and climb to the top of the river bank. Here, using your Grand Mastery, you send forth a mental command into the surrounding forest, summoning creatures to your aid. At first there is no response; then a pair of white Nyras timber wolves appear at the forest's edge and, upon your command, they approach you. Normally these wolves are wild and feral creatures, slave to nothing save their natural instincts, yet your mastery over them is total; they are utterly compliant to your will.

  You command the two wolves to guard your camp while you and Prarg are sleeping. With a blink of their eyes they acknowledge your order and settle themselves on their haunches. You return to the boat and tell Prarg what you have done. At first he is sceptical, but having already witnessed some of your powers in action, he does not protest too hard, especially as he can now look forward to a long sleep without having to stand watch. Unfortunately for Prarg, his hopes for an uninterrupted night's rest are soon shattered.

  Turn to 41.

  130

  You reach the tower steps and look up to see Captain Prarg emerging from the open door. Quickly he descends, sheathing his bloodied sword as he hurries down the steps to meet you.

  ‘That guard'll not be raising any alarms,’ he says, cocking his thumb behind him towards the tower door. ‘And they'll not be finding him too soon, neither.’

  You smile knowingly, and commend your guide for his swift and brave action. Then Prarg points to an alleyway that lies sandwiched between two burnt-out hovels at the edge of the town, and suggests you enter Shugkona that way.

  ‘Lead on, captain,’ you say, and follow as he hurries off towards the alley's shadowy entrance.

  Turn to 178.

  131

  With mixed feelings you begin your trek through the forest. You are still hopeful of defeating Magnaarn, but you are less than enthusiastic about the prospect of having to foot-slog more than 250 miles in order to reach Darke, the city where you are most likely to find your sworn enemy.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 216.

  If it is 5–9, turn to 46.

  132

  Your acute hearing detects the faint sound of stone grating on stone. Then you notice that a line of loopholes are opening at chest height along both walls of the passageway, revealing the sticky sharpened tips of venom-coated spears.

  ‘Get down!’ you shout, and throw yourself flat onto the damp stone floor. Moments later, a volley of the deadly spears comes hurtling from out of the walls to smash and splinter in the passageway. Your timely warning saves you and Prarg from certain death, but one of the spears ricochets and gouges the back of your thigh.

  Your Magnakai Curing skills neutralize the venom, but the wound is deep and painful: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 325.

  133

  You raise your weapon and strike one of the sentries a killing blow as you slam through their brave but futile defence. They are trampled under your horse's hooves and you clear the gap, but it is not until you are racing along the road beyond the barricade that you realize you have been wounded in the leg: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 31.

  134

  The creature opens its great jaws and from the depths of its throat it coughs forth a guttering ball of flame. Immediately, your senses alert you to the fact that this is no ordinary fireball; it is wholly psychic in nature. It comes roaring towards you, like a mini-sun trailing fiery orange sparks, and although you try to dodge aside, it follows your feint and hits you in the back with numbing force. Unless you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, lose 5 ENDURANCE points.

  The sudden jolt knocks you to the floor. Before you fully recover your footing, the creature seizes its advantage and comes leaping through the air towards your chest.

  Turn to 283.

  135

  Within ten yards of the west bank the boat stops abruptly when it runs aground in the silted shallows.

  ‘Curse our fortunes,’ grumbles Prarg, peering over the side. ‘I was a'hoping we'd be lucky enough t'keep our feet dry.’ Wearily he searches through the provisions and produces a heavy rope, one end of which he proceeds to tie around the stem while you stow away the oars. Then, together, you slip into the cold knee-deep mud and begin the laborious task of hauling the boat towards dry ground.

  You encamp on a strip of frozen loam and use the upturned b
oat as a shelter from the elements. As night falls, so, too, does the temperature. 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 sit the first watch but, mindful that his need for rest is greater than yours, you insist that he be the first to get 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 may await you in the future, you remain watchful and alert, for the risk of an attack by the denizens of this swamp is ever present. Fortunately, the cold dissuades them from leaving their lairs this night and your watch passes without incident. Then the time comes for you to awaken Prarg. With a distinct lack of enthusiasm he takes over whilst you settle down to catch a few hours of much needed sleep.

  Turn to 327.

  136

  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. Using a Brotherhood Spell Mind Charm you will the lancer to dismount from his horse, and at once he obeys your mental command. He climbs down, and as he wanders away, you leap from the open window and land in the empty saddle. Seizing the reins you spur the horse forward and it takes off across the square at a gallop. Then you unholster the lance and bring it to bear as you race headlong towards the backs of the Drakkarim soldiers who are standing between you and the platform.

  Turn to 63.

  137

  You pull your cloak close about your shoulders and draw upon your camouflage skills to keep you hidden as you follow the two Drakkarim towards the town gates. Their sergeant berates them; then he orders them to assist with a new influx of Lencians, just arrived. They are all so preoccupied with their duties that they fail to see you stride confidently through the open gates and into the town. Once safely inside, you head towards a dark, deserted alleyway which is sandwiched between a stables and an armoury. From here you observe the compound with a growing anger and pity for those trapped inside. Stirred by their plight, you vow to do what you can to help these starving men. Patiently you watch and wait for the patrols to pass; then you scurry towards the compound fence, eager to make contact with the Lencians.

  Turn to 150.

  138

  After several minutes spent surveying the gloomy chasm, you note two promising features. One is situated fifty feet or so directly above your head. At first it merely looks like a narrow ledge of rock with a grey semicircular shadow poised above it, but when you look closely, you see that it is the mouth of a passageway.

  The second feature lies far below you. It is a large, brick-lined tunnel situated at the eastern edge of the chasm floor, through which the waters of the dark river flow away. This, too, may offer a way out of this subterranean prison.

  If you wish to attempt to climb the chasm wall and enter the passageway above, turn to 224.

  If you wish to attempt to descend to the floor of the chasm and escape via the river tunnel, turn to 193.

  139

  Desperately you hack and stab at the ice but it simply will not break. Reluctantly you abandon the attempt, sheathe your weapon, arid run back towards the jagged hole. You have no choice now but to enter the water. Prarg will soon be beyond help if you delay much longer.

  You take a deep breath and launch yourself feet-first into the icy lake. At first, as the dark water closes over your head, your senses are numbed by the intense cold. Then your Magnakai skill of Nexus protects your body and the terrible chill gives way to a warm, tingling sensation.

  Using your infravision, you detect Prarg by the warmth radiating from his body. He is caught upon a jagged ridge of ice and, as you take hold of his tunic and try to pull him free, suddenly you feel unable to move. Something has taken hold of your legs!

  If you possess Magi-magic, turn to 110.

  If you do not, turn to 326.

  140

  Within the hour the final preparations for your airborne voyage to Lencia are completed, and Lord Floras and you are piped aboard the Skyrider by Bo'sun Nolrim and his cheerful crew of dwarves. You exchange a few reminiscences with each of the jovial crewmen and cannot help but smile when they tell you how proud they feel to have been given the chance to serve you once more.

  Nolrim takes the helm and you sense a vibration run down the length of the deck as he coaxes the craft's powerful engine to life. Lord Floras joins you at the prow and together you wave a farewell to Rimoah and your fellow Kai as, steadily, the Skyrider ascends into the crisp, wintry sky. Then, with a sudden surge of power, the keel clears the battlements of the Tower of the Sun and swiftly the monastery and its inhabitants recede into the distance.

  You and your companion are escorted to a warm cabin at the bow which has been prepared especially for your passage. It is well stocked with provisions and, spread out across a grand oak table, you find several maps of Northern Magnamund. Aided by Lord Floras, you study these maps and use them to chart your course to the Lencian city-port of Vadera. Bo'sun Nolrim is informed of your chosen route and, as he sets about implementing your course, you settle back to enjoy what will be a long voyage. By your calculations, it will take thirty hours for the Skyrider to reach its destination.

  During your voyage, Lord Floras recounts the dramatic events which have taken place in the Western Tentarias since the demise of the Darklords. Prior to their fall, the Drakkarim nations had for many centuries kept the Lencians at bay. Countless crusades had been undertaken to recapture their former lands but all had ended in costly defeat for the House of Sarnac. Then, two years ago, the tide finally turned when the King launched an invasion across the Gulf of Lencia into the lands of Zaldir and Nyras. The boldness of his strategy and the unpreparedness of his enemies combined to win for him many victories in the early months of the war. Much of Zaldir and all of southern Nyras were taken and held by his conquering knights, and now the lines of battle are drawn diagonally across the centre of Nyras, from Lake Lenag in the north to the marshland fortress of Lozonzee in the east. However, King Sarnac cannot lay claim to total victory in the south, for the cities of Shpyder and Darke have defied all his attempts at capture. Their Drakkarim garrisons have steadfastly held on to these important strongholds and, although they have been surrounded and besieged for more than a year, still they refuse to surrender.

  ‘At present, the war is focused around the towns of Hokidat and Konozod,’ says Lord Floras, tracing a circle around their location on the map with the tip of his index finger. ‘Many battles have been fought here but victory has, as yet, eluded us. Now, with the onset of a cruel winter, our advance has ground to a halt. Maintaining the sieges at Shpyder and Darke has drained us of troops and resources that would have been put to better use in the north. To compensate for this shortage, the King has employed many companies of foreign mercenaries to reinforce his armies in the field, but their services are expensive and the campaign has already proved costly, both in revenue and lives. The King is hard-pressed to pay for their continued loyalty and already several regiments have deserted. If Magnaarn were to complete his quest and strike now, whilst our battle lines are weakened, his counterattack could push us all the way back to the sea.’

  Lord Floras' report is sobering, yet it serves to strengthen your determination to thwart Magnaarn's quest. Later, shortly before nightfall, you leav
e the cabin and go up to the stern deck for a breath of fresh air. In quiet solitude you see the great expanse of the Slovarian Plain passing by more than a mile beneath the craft and, as you watch, you lose yourself in thoughts of what may await your arrival in Lencia. The night sky is clear and laced with twinkling stars. As you return to the cabin to sleep, you draw comfort from the thought that the weather and the stars have seen fit to help speed your night passage to Vadera.

  Turn to 257.

  141

  One of your scouts hurries to your side and takes hold of your arm, fearful that you have been mortally wounded. You pull away and brusquely you tell him that you are not seriously hurt and that he should watch where he steps in future. Sheepishly he follows as you creep forward through the snow, using the sparse undergrowth to your advantage wherever possible. You move deeper into the copse until you spy where the arrow came from. A small camp is 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 ask your scout if he recognizes its chequered black-and-white design.

  ‘They're League-landers of Ilion,’ he whispers. ‘I know that flag well. They're good mercenaries, these men, loyal to the King. We fought alongside them at Hokidat.’