The Curse of Naar Page 4
Kai-screen
Sun Princes who possess this Discipline are able to create a mental sanctuary in which to keep safe their minds from psychic assault. Creation of this sanctuary does not require thought or concentration; it occurs instantly whenever a Kai Sun Prince is subjected to psychic attack. The defensive strength of this sanctuary further increases when a Sun Prince attains the rank of Kai Supreme Master.
Grand Huntmastery
Grand Masters who have reached the rank of Sun Prince are able to control their direction and rate of movement when subjected to strong currents of air or water, or when venturing through non-material planes of existence, e.g. Shadow Gates.
Grand Master's Wisdom
You are about to embark upon the ultimate quest against the Dark God Naar, the Master of all Evil. Your search for the precious Moonstone will take you to the Plane of Darkness where you can expect no help at all from the monstrous creatures who inhabit this terrible realm. You should remain wary and on your guard at all times for this mission will be the most dangerous you have ever undertaken.
Some of the things that you will encounter during your quest will be of use to you, while others may be red herrings of no real value at all. If you discover items, be selective in what you choose to keep.
Pick your Grand Master Disciplines with care for a wise choice will enable any player to complete the quest, no matter how weak their initial COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE scores may be. Successful completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures, although an advantage, is not essential for the completion of this Grand Master adventure.
May the light of Kai and Ishir be your guide as you strive to outwit and defeat the Dark God and his loathsome minions.
For Sommerlund and the Kai!
1
Your journey through the Shadow Gate is a cold and lonely voyage, yet one that you endure without fear for you sense that Alyss is watching over you. She is using her powers to steer you safely home to Magnamund. As you hurtle through the timeless void, you remember vividly the last few moments which preceded your leap into the Shadow Gate and your triumphant escape from Naar's throne hall, the innermost sanctum of his stronghold upon the Plane of Darkness. You recall how Alyss commanded you to flee whilst she drew away the frenzied attacks of Naar's champion, Kekataag the Avenger. It was her selfless act of bravery which enabled you to escape and it has left an indelible mark upon your conscience. Inspired by her courage — and by the realization that if the Dark God is to be stopped from sending more of his foul creations to Magnamund you must deny him the fabled Moonstone of the Shianti — you vow that you will return to the Plane of Darkness and recapture that precious stone of power.
After what seems like an eternity, gradually the inky blackness of the abyss is illuminated by a fluorescent vapour studded with whirling motes of light. Clumps of tiny stars swirl around your body like swarms of glowing moths until you become completely cocooned within a shroud of blinding white luminescence. Then, quite suddenly, you feel solid ground once more beneath your feet and you emerge from the light to find yourself standing in a dank, subterranean vault.
Turn to 160.
2
You throw yourself forwards and tumble into the adjoining tunnel barely seconds before the gigantic beetle-creature thunders past in a cloud of dust, hauling a long line of ore wagons in its wake. Some of these heavy wagons are empty but the majority are piled high with grey metallic rock, heavily veined with a mineral which radiates a strange yellow luminescence.
If you wish to attempt to leap onto the last ore wagon as it passes by the junction, turn to 181.
If you do not wish to leap onto the wagon, turn to 158.
3
As the first bolts come whistling through the air, you throw yourself behind Shamath's great Throne of Power. Crouching here, as you listen fearfully to the hiss of flying missiles and the screams of the approaching horde, you notice the waters of the strange pool which lies no more than a dozen yards from the throne. Beyond this pool you see the pair of huge black gates which dominate the far wall of this chamber and suddenly you recall the text which appeared in the Tome of Darkness. This must be the Pool of Sorrows, and beyond it are the Gates of Darkness, an exit from this cruel domain. Your feelings of excitement at having discovered a way to escape the approaching horde are tempered when you further recall that you must spill your own blood into the pool if you are to leave this realm successfully. Without hesitation, you stab a finger against the point of your belt buckle and draw a few droplets of blood. Then you spring to your feet and rush towards the pool. As you come to within a few yards, you flick your finger and a stunning transformation takes place the instant your blood hits the pool's swirling surface.
Turn to 300.
4
The swirling mist condenses and reshapes itself into a column of flickering light. It resembles a large candle flame, but one that radiates an icy coldness. Within this chill flame you see a pair of glowing eyes that mesmerize and hold you transfixed. Pulses of psychic energy bombard your mind, making you shudder and recoil as your innate mind defences scramble to shield your psyche: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
Illustration I—The carpet of maggots squirm towards you like a seething flood-tide of corruption.
Sensing that its attack has weakened you, the spirit of Cadak ruthlessly seizes the advantage. It issues a psychic command and instantly the carpet of maggots wriggle and squirm towards you like a seething flood-tide of corruption.
If you possess Animal Mastery, turn to 92.
If you do not possess this skill, turn to 69.
5
You have survived the first volley but your ordeal is far from over. As soon as the front rank hurl their spears they retreat to let those behind them come forward to take their places at the rim of the pit. With cool defiance you stare back at this new rank of mutants. This time you count more than thirty spears held ready to be hurled at you upon Nza'pok's command, far more than you can hope to avoid at once, even with the aid of magic. Yet, despite the overwhelming odds, you refuse to show this loathsome spawn any sign of weakness or despair.
You offer up a silent prayer to the God Kai to protect you, and then suddenly you recall part of the script of the Tome of Darkness that told of a secret name which can bind Nza'pok when spoken aloud. This name could be the key to your survival, yet you have no time left to retrieve the book from your Backpack. If you are to use this secret name you must try to recall it from memory.
If you think that Nza'pok's secret name is ‘Hulka’, turn to 171.
If you think that the name is ‘Khula’, turn to 105.
If you think that the name is ‘Lukha’, turn to 56.
6
Suddenly you hear Alyss's voice in your mind.
‘Take up the axe, Lone Wolf,’ she cries. ‘Use Kekataag's weapon to smite the power that holds me captive!’
You respond to her command and quickly you stoop to retrieve Kekataag's mighty two-handed axe which lies upon the floor, close to his mouldering remains. You close your hands around its iron handle, but when you try to raise it from the floor you discover that it is supernaturally heavy.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Kai-alchemy, add 2 to the number you have picked. If your current ENDURANCE score is 15 or higher, add 1. If your ENDURANCE score is 8 or lower, deduct 1.
If your total score is 3 or lower, turn to 346.
If it is 4 or higher, turn to 12.
7
As you listen to the rumbling sound drawing closer, you notice markings in the grit and dust which blankets the ground. You count wheel prints that have been made by several heavy wagons, and there are also innumerable rippled tracks that you cannot readily identify. The only markings you have experienced which bear any resemblance to these tracks were much smaller and were made by a centipede.
The curious tracks have diverted your attention from the approaching noise. You glance along the tunnel and see a dark shape speeding t
hrough the gloom. Its width almost completely fills the tunnel.
If you wish to wait for it to come closer so that you attempt to identify it, turn to 141.
If you wish to try to find somewhere you can hide from it, turn to 266.
8
Using your weapon you are able eventually to dig yourself free from this sticky mire. However, the physical exertion leaves you aching with fatigue: lose 5 ENDURANCE points. Also, due to the prolonged time you have spent in the open, the rain has taken a heavy toll on your clothing and equipment. Your cloak is in tatters and your Backpack is full of holes. When you reach the knoll you stop to repair your Backpack before the damage gets any worse and discover that three of the items contained within have been ruined. (Delete from your Action Chart the items which you have recorded in the first three sections of your Backpack Items list.)
The boughs of the thorny-barked trees of this swamp island are tightly intertwined and form a formidable barrier. Through a gap in their tortured branches you can see a clearing at the centre of this copse and, when you magnify your vision, you glimpse part of a crude stone hut. You raise your weapon and cleave a path through the trees to the clearing where you discover that the hut is surrounded by a moat brim-full of gelatinous black mud, the surface of which is pitted with a myriad animal tracks. Sensing that the hut is empty, you leap across the moat and take cover inside from the corrosive rain.
If you possess Telegnosis and have reached the rank of Grand Thane or higher, turn to 269.
If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 348.
9
Patiently you wait until the bridge is clear of traffic before you muster your courage and seize the opportunity to make a dash for the far side.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Assimilance, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1. If your current ENDURANCE score is 10 or lower, deduct 2.
If your total score is now 4 or lower, turn to 241.
If your score is 5 or higher, turn to 196.
10
The instant you tap the tenth square, amber sparks flare and crackle into life to encircle the opening like the trail of a slow-burning fuse.5 You sense that the magical shield which protects this hatch is rapidly disappearing. When you can no longer detect any residue of magical energies, you pull yourself through the trapdoor and climb into the nest of fire.
Turn to 250.
[5] This is the correct answer to the combination lock in Section 239.
11
You speak the words of the Brotherhood Spell Net and point your right hand at the attacking creature. A gout of sticky fibres shoots from your palm and engulfs the beast, ensnaring its head and forefeet in a gluey net which brings it crashing to the floor at the foot of the ramp.
As the beast struggles to break free from its sticky prison, you turn your attention to the portal and examine its surface in an attempt to find a way to open it. Using your advanced Kai skills you are able to decipher enough of the runic text to discover the secret code which keeps it secure. Confidently you press a section of the surface and, just as you believe it will, it moves inwards with an audible clunk! Moments later the portal creaks open and you hurry through, slamming it shut behind you to prevent the beast from following in your wake.
Turn to 210.
12
You raise the axe and stagger to where Alyss sits imprisoned within her sparkling force-field. Then, with one precise and powerful blow from Kekataag's fearsome weapon, you shatter the sorcerous prison. The anguished scream of Naar echoes through the corridors and dungeons of Dazganon. As its terrible timbre begins to rumble and fade, you are horrified to see a host of monstrous creatures burst forth from the smoky walls of the inner sanctum and close in upon you from all sides.
Turn to 52.
13
You stride towards Nza'pok and raise your weapon, grimly determined to rid the universe of this foul creature.
‘So perish all spawn of evil,’ you cry, and, with one swift and mighty blow, you sunder his ghastly body in two. From the torn halves of his carcass there is an eruption of putrid gas that makes you reel backwards and cover your mouth and nose. Rapidly this gas dissipates and, in a matter of seconds, the remains of Nza'pok and his amulet have turned to dust.
A collective cry of horror arises from the distant horde the moment you slay their master. Fearing that the destruction of their leader will spur them to seek revenge, you hurry away along a track that winds through the settlement of huts and down to a beach covered with coarse black sand. Here a ramshackle jetty, constructed from wood and bone, protrudes from the lee of a sand dune and out into the sluggish grey sea. Fringing the beach is dense jungle from where there suddenly arises a cacophony of hellish cries, echoing those of the chaos-horde. You glimpse shadows moving in the undergrowth, and when you stop momentarily to take a longer look, several arrows come shooting out of the trees. They arc towards you and explode when they hit the sand close by. Your Kai senses warn you that there are a great number of archers lurking in the jungle, far more than you can hope to defeat single-handedly. Anxious to escape while you are still able, you hurry down the beach to the jetty where you discover a sea-going canoe. Without daring to look back, you leap into this canoe, cast off its mooring rope, and paddle as fast as you can away from the shore.
Once you feel sure that you are beyond arrow range, you attempt to follow the coastline in the hope of finding a safer place to put ashore. But a mist sweeps in across the water and engulfs your tiny craft before you can change course. This mist thickens rapidly to become a dense sea fog, the like of which you have never experienced. Despite your advanced Kai skills, you are unable to see through it and you quickly lose all sense of time and direction.
After what seems like many hours, you eventually catch sight of a dark shape low in the water which, at first, appears to be a distant island. You paddle towards it but as you draw closer your senses suddenly scream a warning that you are heading into deadly danger. Instantly you reverse your stroke to change course, but it is already too late. Two slits open in the dark shape and a ghostly light washes over the fog-wreathed ocean. You feel the canoe lurch violently as it is hit by a powerful undercurrent and, in the next terrifying instant, you are sucked into the maw of a titanic sea creature and swallowed whole.
Tragically, your life and your quest for the Moonstone come to a watery end here.
14
To your relief you sense that your precautions have worked; the dragon no longer suspects that it is carrying a stowaway. It raises its head and continues its flight towards the construction area which lies close to the main temple. Upon reaching this busy area it hovers above an expanse of levelled ground which is covered with dozens of cargo nets full of blocks awaiting collection by the building teams. A crew of four reptilians guide your net gently to the ground and then swiftly they unhook it from the dragon's harness using long poles.
From the safety of your hiding place you watch as the dragon flies away to collect another cargo. As soon as the reptilians move on to attend to the next delivery of blocks, you leave the net and make your way as quickly as you can towards the main temple.
Turn to 220.
15
Despite your brave attempt to dodge the onrushing lance of flame, it glances your back and sends you spinning backwards across the hall's slimy floor.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table (0=10). The number you have picked is equal to the number of ENDURANCE points you have lost as a result of your wounds. If you possess Deliverance, you may reduce this total by 1 point.
Aware now that the Lord of Decay seated on the right-hand throne is Jantoor, you stagger to your feet and shout out his secret name. Immediately the creature becomes immobile. The sight of his frozen form — and the sudden cessation of mind contact — throws his brother-lord into a state of panic and confusion. In a blind rage he utters a c
urse and, to your horror, you see the maggot swarm emerge from the shadowy recesses of the hall. As the tide of larvae writhe towards you they begin to swell grotesquely in size.
If you are to save yourself from this monstrous horde you must quickly use the secret name of the remaining Künae. But there is no time to consult the Tome of Darkness: you must try to recall the name from memory.
If you think the secret name is ‘Rhunotar’, turn to 96.
If you think the secret name is ‘Rhunadan’, turn to 311.
If you think the secret name is ‘Rhunaguin’, turn to 289.
16
As you tumble and spin through the void of the Shadow Gate, you struggle to keep your eyes focused on a tiny mote of light which glimmers in the dark, immeasurable distance. You sense that your passage through this astral corridor is being guided by the concerted will of the council gathered at the entrance to the portal. Using their psychic powers they are attempting to steer your body through a maze of channels which will lead towards that remote speck of light. Sensing this, you draw upon your improved Kai Discipline and use it to aid the magicians' efforts. By doing so you are able to stabilize yourself and reduce the terrible fatigue of your journey.