The Deathlord of Ixia Read online

  44

  For an hour you trek through a swirling white oblivion of a blizzard, trusting solely to your keen survival instincts to keep you safe from rock falls and hidden crevasses. Yet, despite your skills, it proves to be a difficult and treacherous journey: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  Gradually, the storm lifts its heavy yoke. Although snow continues to fall, the wind loses its angry intensity, and for the first time since you left the cave mouth, you are able to see more than a mile distant. As you crest an icy ridge, you stop to get your bearings. You look to the south and see the brooding, grey-black waters of the Tozaz Sea lapping at the ice-locked Ixian coastline. To the north and west you are surrounded by unfriendly mountains, and to the east, directly ahead, lies a pass which cuts between two viciously sharp peaks. Beyond the pass you catch your first tantalising glimpse of Xaagon — the city of the Deathlord.

  You establish that you are less than three miles from the crystal walls and monstrous towers of Xaagon. You resolve to try to reach the city before the storm resumes but, as you enter the pass, the blizzard returns with malicious vigour. Finding it impossible to continue, you stop and use your Kai skills in order to seek sanctuary from the raging storm.

  In this narrow pass you detect only two possibilities for shelter: a cave on the north side, and a circle of fallen rocks a few hundred yards away to the south.

  If you wish to take shelter in the cave, turn to 253.

  If you choose to seek shelter among the rocks, turn to 197.

  45

  Tagazin quickly recovers from your psychic attack and launches himself through the air at you, his clawed paws outstretched in readiness to tear your flesh.

  Illustration III—Tagazin launches himself through the air, clawed paws outstretched.

  Demonlord Tagazin: COMBAT SKILL 55 ENDURANCE 60

  Before commencing the combat procedure, reduce your enemy's ENDURANCE points score by the number you have noted in the margin of your Action Chart. You may use Kai-surge again to aid you during this combat. This being is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.

  If at any time during this fight you reduce Tagazin's ENDURANCE points score to 25 or less, do not continue. Turn instead to 168.

  46

  The metal door of this cell is sheathed with ice and there is no visible means of opening it only a hexagonal-shaped keyhole. You crouch down, so that your face is level with the keyhole; then you form your lips into an O-shape in readiness to utter the battle-spell Power Word you once learned from Lord Rimoah. The instant the spell-thoughts focus in your mind, you project the power-word Gloar! at the keyhole.

  Use of this spell so soon after recovering consciousness costs you 2 ENDURANCE points.

  Adjust your Action Chart accordingly before turning to 174.

  47

  You dive and roll over several times to avoid the onrushing bolt of energy. The massive flame-ball passes over your back and explodes through the far wall of the chamber with devastating effect. It tears open a hole in the steel-hard crystal measuring more than ten feet in diameter, and it fills the air with razor-sharp shards. You are peppered in the back by these splinters: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  As you stagger to your feet, you suddenly see an opportunity to seize the initiative and carry the attack to the Deathlord.

  Turn to 12.

  48

  As you strike down the last of your skeletal foes, you hear Captain Lanza's stirring battle-cry ring out above the noise of the fighting: ‘For Lencia and the House of Sarnac!’ Despite the odds, he and his men have beaten back the enemy and are now within a stone's throw of the quay. You rush to the end of the street and join them at a small flagstoned square, close to the harbour wall.

  ‘Captain — we must save the ice-boat!’ you shout, pointing to the ship which is being attacked by the skeleton horde. ‘Indeed we must,’ he replies, dourly. He orders a handful of his men to form a protective wall around you and, the moment their shields lock together, you move with them towards the ice-boat.

  Twenty yards from the quayside, you break away from the wall and sprint towards the ship's gangplank. You are halfway along the plank when you find yourself confronted by a wedge of skeletal warriors, armed with crude axes and swords. You leap into their midst, striking them down with blurring speed and deadly accuracy. But as the last one falls, its corpse-like body almost severed at the waist, you hear a noise behind you which makes you spin around in fearful expectation.

  Turn to 78.

  49

  You rely on your natural agility to descend from the top of the pillar. You achieve the task swiftly, yet your continued close proximity to the deadly electrical rays takes its toll: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  The moment your feet touch the coal-black floor you hurry away towards the shadowy exit, eager to distance yourself from the debilitating power that is arcing between the pillars.

  Turn to 300.

  50

  The instant you twist the key in the lock, a stunning jolt of raw electrical power runs up your arm and across your chest. The sudden pain makes you cry out in shocked surprise and desperately you attempt to let go of the key. But it is no use — the current holds you firmly in its agonizing grip: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.

  Then you hear approaching footsteps and frantically you redouble your efforts to free your pain-numbed fingers from the electrified key. A troop of a dozen undead warriors appear on the landing and, upon seeing you, they come rushing forwards with swords drawn.

  Ixian Undead: COMBAT SKILL 42 ENDURANCE 50

  Due to your painful predicament, you must reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 8 points for the duration of this combat.8

  If you win the fight, turn to 103.

  [8] In view of Banedon's comments in Section 339, it would seem that you should not use the Sommerswerd in this combat.

  51

  You take over control of the helm and send a man forward to the bow with instructions to keep his eyes on the ship's waterline. The vast bulk of any iceberg lies hidden beneath the surface and you are fearful that collision with a submerged ridge could rip the hull wide open. Guided by the man's shouted directions, and your own Magnakai skills, you steer the ship cautiously into a passage which is overshadowed on either side by two monstrous mountains of ice.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you picked.

  If your total score is now 5 or less, turn to 144.

  If it is 6–8, turn to 255.

  If it is 9 or higher, turn to 97.

  52

  The moment you step into the light, a wave of acute pain washes through your body as the curtain of shimmering radiance swallows you up. You writhe in agony as gravity releases its hold on your body, and you feel yourself begin to rise: lose 10 ENDURANCE points.

  You are on the threshold of unconsciousness when suddenly the light fades and you find yourself kneeling on a floor of black crystal, staring at the reflection of your pain-wracked face in its highly-polished surface. Wearily you raise your aching head and see, to your horror, a trio of undead creatures scurrying towards you from an open archway. They have barbed tridents clasped in their corpse-green hands, held raised in readiness to pin you to the floor.

  If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 287.

  If you possess Kai-surge and wish to use it, turn to 96.

  If you cannot, or if you choose not to use either of the above, then turn to 64.

  53

  You cast the Brotherhood Spell Strength upon yourself and, within seconds, your body surges with newfound energy. You increase your pace until you are running at three times your previous speed. Within a matter of seconds you close upon Tagazin, your weapon drawn in preparation to strike at him as you pass by, but the Demonlord sees you gaining on him and he stops to block your path. He is weaker than before, but he has lost none of his devilish cunning.

  As you come to within striking distance, sud
denly he leaps at your chest and brings you crashing to the loamy ground.

  Demonlord Tagazin (injured): COMBAT SKILL 45 ENDURANCE 45

  This being is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.

  Conduct this combat for two rounds only.

  If Tagazin is killed outright during either of these rounds, turn to 252.

  If not, turn to 218.

  54

  As you reach out your hand towards the silvery rod, you suddenly hesitate — your Kai Sixth Sense is warning you of imminent danger.

  If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Telegnosis, turn to 262.

  If you do not possess this Discipline, turn to 25.

  55

  You hurl yourself to the floor to avoid the onrushing bolt of energy, but your reactions are too slow. It catches you in the back and an explosion of white-hot fire obliterates your senses. In this terrifying instant, the light that is your life is snuffed out.

  Tragically, you have fallen victim to the power of the Deathstaff. Your life and your quest end here in the Crystal Spire of Ixia.

  56

  As you hurry away from the cave mouth, you look back over your shoulder to see the Ixian Mhagani illuminated momentarily by a flash of lightning. It fills the entrance to the cave, and it is howling with glee at having successfully defended its evil-smelling lair.

  Denied shelter in the cave, you return to the bottom of the pass and seek cover among the circle of rocks which lie embedded in the ice on the southern face. When you are within a few dozen yards of the circle, you hear a deafening crack! which sets your pulse racing. With that split-second warning, a huge expanse of rock and ice breaks away from the slopes above and swiftly transforms itself into a thundering avalanche. Wide-eyed with horror, you watch as a million tons of ice, snow, and shale comes rumbling down the mountainside towards you.

  Galvanized into action, you turn and run from this deadly white wall of destruction. It is almost upon you when you see a low shelf of rock near the base of the pass, and desperately you dive for cover beneath it.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Nexus, you may add another 2.

  If your total score is now 5 or lower, turn to 99.

  If it is 6–9, turn to 231.

  If it is 10 or higher, turn to 104.

  57

  Banedon tosses the box back onto the cluttered shelf and continues with his briefing. Having satisfied himself that you have adequate protection, he turns his attention to your weapons.

  ‘It concerns me greatly that so little is known of Xaagon — the Deathlord's city. There is no way of knowing what unholy breed of creature awaits you there. It seems that you can be confident of only one thing, Lone Wolf: whoever or whatever inhabits that dreadful place will surely be hostile to your presence. If you are to defeat the Deathlord of Ixia and his minions, you will need a weapon of exceptional power — a weapon capable of destroying that which is already dead.’

  If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 339.

  If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 220.

  58

  You leap among the mass of advancing undead with renewed vigour, chopping and hewing at their decaying bodies until barely a handful remain to confront you. Grudgingly they yield ground. You snarl at them, defiantly cursing the power which makes them live beyond the grave, and they pull back a few yards more as if to catch their breath before launching their next assault.

  You glance over your shoulder to see how the Lencian crew are faring but your eye is distracted by something glinting brightly in the dull light. It is a key, hanging from a chain strung around the neck of a slain undead warrior. You stoop to snatch up this key and, as your hand closes around its jade-green stem, you sense that it has magical properties. (If you wish to keep this Onyx Key, record it as a Special Item which you keep in the pocket of your tunic.)

  Moments later the undead renew their attack, clambering awkwardly over the heaped bodies of those you have destroyed, their eyes burning with cold fire. You retreat from this relentless enemy and evade them by descending a stair which leads down into the ship's hold. Above, you can hear the frenzied shouts of the Lencian crewmen as they are engaged by the undead Drakkarim in fierce hand-to-hand combat. Then you hear something else — the clatter of steel-shod boots on the steps, alerting you to the fact that your foes have not given up the chase. As they begin to descend, you quickly scan the gloomy hold for a place to hide.

  If you possess Assimilance, turn to 208.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 26.

  59

  With a jolt that leaves you gasping for breath, you hit the gluey surface of a stinking subterranean bog and sink in up to your neck. In the eerie half-light you can see the chaos horde above you, clustered around the edge of the square opening through which you fell. They are like excited spectators at a pit fight waiting for combat to begin.

  Suddenly you sense movement in the slime — something is brushing past your left thigh. You struggle to move but, in doing so, you cause your body to sink deeper into the mire.

  If you possess Telegnosis and have reached the rank of Sun Lord or higher, turn to 15.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 176.

  If you possess Animal Mastery and wish to use it, turn to 337.

  If you cannot, or choose not to use any of the above Disciplines, turn instead to 27.

  60

  The creatures utter a chilling sound that resembles mocking laughter. Then, from pockets inside their tattered black robes, they draw silvery rods which they level menacingly at your head. Quickly you dive for cover as a trio of crackling bolts come arcing through the snowy air towards your face.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.

  If your total score is now 3 or lower, turn to 319.

  If it is 4–7, turn to 187.

  If it is 8 or higher, turn to 91.

  61

  Using the Brotherhood Spell Sense Evil you focus on the encroaching mist and detect a strange presence. You cannot discern exactly what is moving out there, but you are certain of one thing: it is evil and it is drawing ever closer to Fort Azgad.

  You warn Captain Lanza and at first he does not believe you. He chuckles, saying that it is not uncommon for new arrivals to imagine they have seen all manner of spectres in the sea mists which swirl around the fort. But then a loud, discordant bell rings out from above, and Lanza's face is transfixed with shock.

  ‘By the gods!’ he splutters. ‘It's the alarm bell — we're under attack!’

  Turn to 181.

  62

  You hurry across the chamber, zigzagging to dodge pillars, chunks of stone, and the many bodies of Ixiataaga's former undead slave-warriors which are raining down from the upper levels of the Crystal Spire. Aided by your Kai Mastery, eventually you reach the lowest level of the spire where the entrance hall and grand arch open out into the city. You are racing through a torrent of crystal dust towards the grand arch, the main exit, when a massive shock wave runs through the entire building. You are within seconds of escaping when, to your horror, you see the walls buckle and the grand arch begin to collapse.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE points score is 10 or less, deduct 1 from the number you have picked. If your ENDURANCE score is 20 or higher, add 1.

  If your total is now 3 or lower, turn to 316.

  If it is 4 or higher, turn to 193.

  63

  You leap over the broken bodies of the Drakkarim guards and rush to the door. To your relief you discover it to be unlocked, and when you push upon the surface of this great grey slab of metal, it creaks open to reveal your weapons and equipment stacked haphazardly upon a stone table in the middle of a small chamber.

  Carefully you check your belong
ings and discover that they are mostly intact. However, all of your Gold Crowns, plus two items from your Backpack are missing. Erase all of the Gold Crowns from your Action Chart, and cross off the first two items recorded on your list of Backpack Items.

  If you wish to stay and search this chamber further, turn to 204.

  If you choose to leave the chamber, turn to 34.

  64

  The trio of ghastly creatures press home their attack with fearful speed and purpose. You look around for some means of evading them, but there appears to be only one way: the shimmering curtain of light you saw before you arrived here. The painful memory of your passage through it makes you abandon this idea at once.

  If you possess the Sommerswerd and wish to use it, turn to 238.

  If you do not possess this Special Item or choose not to use it, turn instead to 125.

  65

  Your attempt at opening the lock using only your Magnakai skill of Nexus proves to be a fatal mistake. Inadvertently, you activate a powerful necromantic spell of protection placed upon the lock by Deathlord Ixiataaga himself. You see a flash of white light as, in an instant, a surge of radiant energy comes shooting from the hole to hit you squarely in the face. Pain engulfs your mind, followed by an explosion of white-hot fire which obliterates your senses. Then, in a terrifying instant, the light that is your life is snuffed out.