Shadow on the Sand Page 18

  At regular intervals, rough-edged slabs protrude into the main corridor. You stop to take a close look at one of these slabs and the floor beneath it and come to a frightening conclusion. They are obviously traps, no doubt set off by the Giaks when they cleared this corridor of sand. Rather than instructing the Giaks to avoid them, the Darklords must have deliberately used their slaves to set them off. Once the traps had been sprung, the squashed bodies were cleared away and the slabs chiselled through to the next section. Pit traps in the floors seem to have been neutralized in the same way. Set off by luckless Giaks, they would have been filled in with the dead bodies and levelled off with sand. The thought of this heartless barbarity fills you with revulsion.

  Just over a mile along the corridor, you eventually arrive at a large stone door. The stone surround bears evidence of chisel-work, but the door itself is rock solid.

  You notice a faint beam of light descending from a hole in the ceiling. It creates a small circular pool of light, a little to one side of a similar hole in the floor. In the wall near to the door there is a triangular indentation, no larger than a Gold Crown.

  If you possess a Prism, turn to 233.

  If you possess a Blue Stone Triangle, turn to 245.

  If you have neither of these items, turn to 298.

  396

  Inside the cool marble tower, two flights of spiral stairs meet at a landing. You detect the sound of distant running feet, gradually growing louder. It is coming from one of the spiral staircases, but which one? Suddenly, a band of Drakkarim warriors appear; they are crossing the bridge that leads to the tower. You must escape.

  If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 266.

  If you wish to ascend the spiral stairs, turn to 322.

  If you wish to descend the spiral stairs, turn to 360.

  397

  Greedily, she snatches the coin from her begging bowl and tests it between her blackened teeth. Once satisfied the coin is real, she nods her head and waits for your questions.

  If you wish to ask her if she is Soushilla (only if you have heard that name before), turn to 307.

  If you wish to ask her if she knows where Tipasa the Wanderer can be found, turn to 314.

  398

  The guard raises a hand to the back of his neck and removes the tiny dart, but before he realizes what has happened, he keels over unconscious, spread-eagled on the landing platform.

  You can hear the clatter of running feet echoing across the palace roof: the Drakkarim have arrived. You must act quickly if you are to avoid them.

  If you wish to search the body of the sleeping guard, turn to 207.

  If you wish to ignore the guard and rush into the Itikar pen, turn to 224.

  399

  Banedon lowers his staff, the trace of a wry smile on his pain-racked face. ‘Alas, I was too slow to protect myself, Lone Wolf,’ he says, glancing at his arm. You kneel at his side and free the spear that pins him to the floor. The wound is serious; hastily you staunch the bleeding with strips of cloth torn from his dark blue robes. You recognize the robes, for they are the attire of a Journeymaster. It seems that young Banedon has achieved distinction among his brother magicians since last you met.

  ‘It appears that we are fated to meet in their company,’ he says, still watching the Kraan-riders anxiously. ‘Help me to my feet, we must escape before they drag us from the sky.’

  You support the magician as he grasps the ship's helm — a radiant crystal sphere with hundreds of glowing facets set on a slim silver rod. No sooner has his hand closed around the crystal than there is a tremendous explosion.

  Turn to 323.

  400

  You examine the floor where Darklord Haakon fell, but there are no signs of his body. The atmosphere is strangely calm and peaceful, as if a great and evil shadow has been lifted. (If you lost the Sommerswerd in the confrontation with the Darklord, you may now retrieve it.)

  You turn and walk to the throne where Haakon sat, waiting for you to appear. Beyond it lies a portal, an ancient inscription carved deep into the blood-red stone. Below the carving is set the impression of a human hand. Instinct and intuition guide your hand to the door; the carving fits around it like a glove.

  Illustration XXIV—Set on a pedestal, the book lies open, its secrets revealed to your eyes alone.

  Silently the portal slides back to reveal your destiny — the Book of the Magnakai. Set on a pedestal, the book lies open, its secrets revealed to your eyes alone. As you lift the sacred book, the very air throbs with the vibration of the force locked within its sun-gold cover. With a pounding heart you close the book and hurry from the chamber.

  By the time you reach the foothills of the Koneshi, Banedon has successfully completed his mission; he and Tipasa are waiting for you. As they see you appear, clutching the Book of the Magnakai, they can barely contain their excitement.

  ‘This night of triumph,’ says Banedon, jubilantly, ‘will herald a new dawn of hope for Sommerlund. The Kai are reborn.’

  The quest is now over. You have found the Book of the Magnakai and freed Magnamund from the shadow of Darklord Haakon. But for you, Kai Master Lone Wolf, the story has only just begun.

  Your destiny lies along the path of the Grand Masters. To learn their secrets and attempt the first exciting quest of the Magnakai, begin your journey with Book 6 of the Lone Wolf series entitled:

  The Kingdoms of Terror

  Part II

  201-210: 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210

  211-220: 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220

  221-230: 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230

  231-240: 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240

  241-250: 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250

  251-260: 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260

  261-270: 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270

  271-280: 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280

  281-290: 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290

  291-300: 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300

  301-310: 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310

  311-320: 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320

  321-330: 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330

  331-340: 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340

  341-350: 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350

  351-360: 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360

  361-370: 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370

  371-380: 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380

  381-390: 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390

  391-400: 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400

  The Empire of Vassagonia

  Action Chart

  Combat Rules Summary

  Add your COMBAT SKILL to any extra points given to you by your Kai Disciplines.

  Subtract the COMBAT SKILL of your enemy from this total. This number = Combat Ratio.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  Turn to the Combat Results Table.

  Find your Combat Ratio on the top of the chart and cross-reference to the random number you have picked. (E indicates loss of ENDURANCE points to Enemy. LW indicates loss of ENDURANCE points to Lone Wolf.)

  Continue the combat from Stage 3 until one character is dead. This is when the ENDURANCE points of either character falls to 0 or below.

  To Evade Combat

  You may only do this when the text of the adventure offers you the opportunity.

  You undertake one round of combat in the usual way. All points lost by the enemy are ignored; only Lone Wolf loses the ENDURANCE points.

  If the book offers the chance of taking evasive action in place of combat, it can be taken in the first round of combat or any subsequent round.

  Combat Results Table

  Random Number Table

  Errata

  Introduction

  We have taken our unique opportunity to correct errors and to enforce a standard
of English usage. We list our changes here. If you see anything that needs correction, please contact the Project Aon Staff.

  Errata List

  (Blurb) Replaced ‘SHADOW ON THE SAND’ with ‘Shadow on the Sand’.

  (The Story So Far … ) Replaced ‘mid-winter’ with ‘midwinter’. Replaced ‘king's’ with ‘King's’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘king’ with ‘King’. Replaced ‘Maaken range’ with ‘Maaken Range’.

  (The Game Rules) Removed ‘ that you will find in the front of this book. For further adventuring you can copy out the chart yourself or get it photocopied’ and ‘ on the last page of this book’. Replaced ‘Combat Skill, Endurance Points’ with ‘COMBAT SKILL, ENDURANCE points’. Placed ‘or below’ after ‘fall to zero’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’. Replaced ‘Chart (you’ with ‘Chart. (You’. Replaced ‘Items).’ with ‘Items.)’. Replaced each occurrence of ‘Action Chart. (ie, if’ with ‘Action Chart (i.e. if’. Replaced ‘of 14.) When’ with ‘of 14). When’. Replaced ‘ENDURANCE points.)’ with ‘ENDURANCE points).’. Replaced ‘points and Kai Disciplines’ with ‘points, and Kai Disciplines’.

  (Kai Disciplines) Replaced ‘Kai Discipline section’ with ‘Kai Disciplines section’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘discipline(s)’ with ‘Discipline(s)’. Set the Weapons list in initial capital letters instead of all capitals. Replaced ‘Kai monastery’ with ‘Kai Monastery’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘Lone Wolf’ with ‘Lone Wolf’ when referring to the series. Replaced ‘will be of use’ with ‘may be of use’.

  (Equipment) Removed ‘ (see the front of this book)’. Capitalized the items in the list rather than setting them in all capitals. Replaced both occurrences of ‘Safe Keeping’ with ‘safekeeping’. Replaced ‘Kai monastery’ with ‘Kai Monastery’. Replaced ‘Lone Wolf’ with ‘Lone Wolf’ when referring to the series. Replaced ‘also they cannot’ with ‘neither can they’. Replaced ‘slung over shoulder’ with ‘slung over the shoulder’. Added ‘You may only use one Weapon at a time in combat.’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

  (Rules for Combat) Removed ‘ on the inside back cover of the book’. Replaced ‘on the page after the Random Number Table’ with ‘in the back of this book’. Placed ‘or below’ after ‘reduced to zero’. Replaced ‘reduced’ with ‘possibly reduced’. Replaced ‘at which point the one with the zero score is declared dead.’ with ‘at which point that combatant is declared dead.’.

  (Levels of Kai Training) Replaced ‘rank and titles’ with ‘ranks and titles’. Replaced ‘LONE WOLF’ with ‘Lone Wolf’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘Lone Wolf’ with ‘Lone Wolf’ when referring to the series.

  (Kai Wisdom) Replaced both occurrences of ‘LONE WOLF’ with ‘Lone Wolf’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘Lone Wolf’ with ‘Lone Wolf’ when referring to the series.

  (1) Replaced ‘you must — ’ with ‘you must … ’. Replaced ‘elite’ with ‘élite’. Replaced ‘minarets and’ with ‘minarets, and’.

  (2) Replaced ‘fades; and’ with ‘fades, and’. Replaced ‘diseases, or’ with ‘diseases or’. Replaced ‘entered, and’ with ‘entered and’. Replaced ‘Gold Chain and Key’ with ‘Gold Key on a chain’. Replaced ‘the Key’ with ‘the Gold Key’. Replaced ‘the Potion’ with ‘the Oede herb’.

  (3) Replaced ‘sixty-seven’ with ‘67’. Altered the paragraph breaks to mirror Section 101. Replaced ‘dial.’ with ‘dial!’ in harmony with Section 101.

  (4) Replaced ‘Palace Jailer’ with ‘Palace Gaoler’. Replaced ‘If the fight lasts’ with ‘If you win and the fight lasts’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

  (5) Replaced ‘half-way’ with ‘halfway’.

  (7) Replaced ‘bowstring and’ with ‘bowstring, and’. Replaced ‘range and’ with ‘range, and’. Replaced ‘surrounded and’ with ‘surrounded, and’.

  (8) Replaced ‘efforts and’ with ‘efforts, and’.

  (10) Replaced ‘wire and’ with ‘wire, and’. Replaced ‘head first’ with ‘head-first’. Replaced ‘Gold Crowns and’ with ‘Gold Crowns, and’. Replaced ‘to your Action Chart’ with ‘to your Action Chart, but note your lost possessions elsewhere in case you find them again later’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

  (12) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

  (13) Replaced ‘appalling, and choking’ with ‘appalling; choking’.

  (14) Replaced ‘urns and all kinds of fruit’ with ‘urns, and all kinds of fruit’. Replaced ‘Weapons and Gold Crowns’ with ‘Weapons, and Gold Crowns’.

  (17) Replaced ‘subside but’ with ‘subside, but’. Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.

  (18) Replaced ‘Dahir mountains’ with ‘Dahir Mountains’.

  (19) Replaced ‘suspiciously, but’ with ‘suspiciously but’.

  (20) Replaced ‘reins, and’ with ‘reins and’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘turn to 82’ with ‘do not continue the combat but turn immediately to 82’.

  (24) Replaced ‘market-place’ with ‘marketplace’.

  (25) Replaced ‘free but’ with ‘free, but’.

  (27) Replaced ‘oil’ with ‘Oil’. Replaced ‘Each of the three bottles bear a’ with ‘Each of the three bottles bears a’.

  (29) Replaced ‘joint and’ with ‘joint, and’. Replaced ‘water, and’ with ‘water and’. Replaced ‘bar and’ with ‘bar, and’. Replaced ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’.

  (30) Replaced ‘wall, and’ with ‘wall and’. Replaced ‘action, when’ with ‘action when’. Replaced ‘narrow and’ with ‘narrow, and’. Moved the Guardian choice into the first position.

  (31) Replaced ‘these Items’ with ‘these items’.

  (32) Replaced ‘prayer and’ with ‘prayer, and’. Replaced ‘end and’ with ‘end, and’. Replaced ‘wrapped in’ with ‘rapt in’.

  (33) Replaced ‘corroded but’ with ‘corroded, but’.

  (35) Replaced ‘disgusting and’ with ‘disgusting, and’. Replaced ‘six, silver-handled’ with ‘six silver-handled’. Replaced ‘tunic, and’ with ‘tunic and’. Replaced ‘emeralds and pearls’ with ‘emeralds, and pearls’.

  (37) Replaced ‘slaves quarters’ with ‘slaves' quarters’.

  (38) Replaced ‘Half-way’ with ‘Halfway’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

  (40) Replaced ‘retch, and’ with ‘retch and’. Replaced ‘tunnel and’ with ‘tunnel, and’.

  (44) Replaced ‘leatherbound’ with ‘leather-bound’.

  (49) Replaced ‘climb; and’ with ‘climb, and’. Replaced ‘troops you’ with ‘troops, you’.

  (51) Replaced ‘pain but’ with ‘pain, but’. Replaced each occurrence of ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’.

  (52) Replaced both occurrences of ‘Jailer' Keys’ with ‘Gaoler's Keys’.

  (54) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘traitors and’ with ‘traitors, and’.

  (56) Replaced ‘shot and’ with ‘shot, and’.

  (57) Replaced ‘unlocked and’ with ‘unlocked, and’.

  (61) Replaced ‘open and’ with ‘open, and’.

  (63) Replaced ‘total, for’ with ‘total for’. Replaced ‘discover the healing’ with ‘discover a healing’.

  (64) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

  (66) Replaced ‘guard, and’ with ‘guard and’.

  (67) Replaced ‘deep dark’ with ‘deep, dark’. Replaced ‘now extinct’ with ‘now extinct elsewhere’. Replaced ‘shape and’ with ‘shape, and’.

  (68) Replaced ‘Welcome Northlander’ with ‘Welcome, Northlander’.

  (69) Replaced ‘crisscrossed’ with ‘criss-crossed’. Replaced ‘free, and’ with ‘free and’. Replaced ‘greedily, and’ with ‘greedily and’. Replaced ‘hospitality?’ with ‘hospitality.’ since the sentence is not constructed as a question. Added ‘(Erase from your Action Chart all Weapons, Special Items, Gold Crowns, an
d your Backpack and all its contents, but note them down elsewhere in case you should find them again later.)’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

  (73) Replaced ‘something and’ with ‘something, and’.

  (74) Replaced ‘door, and’ with ‘door and’.

  (75) Replaced ‘Quickly Northlander, I’ with ‘Quickly, Northlander. I’.

  (79) Moved the Camouflage/Hunting choice into the first position.

  (80) Replaced ‘ ‘click’ ’ with ‘click’.

  (81) Replaced each occurrence of ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’.

  (82) Replaced ‘courage but’ with ‘courage, but’.

  (83) Replaced ‘Vakar mountains’ with ‘Vakar Mountains’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

  (84) Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

  (86) Replaced ‘settling; and’ with ‘settling, and’. Replaced ‘turn round’ with ‘turn around’.

  (87) Replaced ‘Zakhans, and’ with ‘Zakhans and’.

  (88) Replaced ‘overturned and’ with ‘overturned, and’. Replaced ‘Kara Kala and’ with ‘Kara Kala, and’. Replaced ‘There is’ with ‘Then there is’.

  (89) Replaced ‘equipment, and’ with ‘equipment and’.

  (90) Replaced ‘advice, and’ with ‘advice and’. Replaced ‘water keeping’ with ‘water, keeping’. Replaced ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

  (91) Replaced ‘If the fight lasts’ with ‘If you win and the fight lasts’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

  (93) Replaced ‘parched and’ with ‘parched, and’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.