The Chasm of Doom (13 page)
You climb the spiral stairs for over five minutes before reaching the next level. Here, a tunnel leads off towards the south. You march along the dank passage until you reach a point where it veers sharply to the west. A little further on, a staircase descends to your right.
If you wish to descend the staircase,
turn to 228
.
If you wish to continue along the passage,
turn to 221
.
Mile after mile, you ride across the flat and desolate landscape surrounding the Ruanon Pike. (You have entered the Wildlands south of the Pass of Moytura and cannot use the Kai Discipline of Hunting to hunt for food in this desolate area.) Yet in spite of the uninspiring view, your men seem in fine spirits. They sing rousing marching songs to relieve the tedium of the journey and help to allay fears of what may lie ahead. During the afternoon, storm clouds gather above the peaks of the Durncrag Mountains to the west, and the roll of distant thunder warns of imminent rain.
It is late afternoon when your scouts sight a coaching tavern on the highway ahead. It is a large stone building that has been fortified.
If you wish to stop at the tavern for the night,
turn to 63
.
If you decide to brave a possible storm and continue to ride south,
turn to 141
.
You recognize the eastern accent in their voices. They are Vassagonian bandit warriors. There are at least four of them in the room beyond, and they are discussing what to do about an intruder in the mines. You decide that discretion is by far the better part of valour and return to the gallery. You make sure that you are not being followed and enter the wagon tunnel in the west wall.
The wooden pillar is stout and firm; it will take a heavy blow to dislodge it.
If you possess the Sommerswerd,
turn to 275
.
If you do not possess the Sommerswerd pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess either a Pick or a Shovel, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–6,
turn to 143
.
If it is 7–11,
turn to 179
.
More enemy warriors are clambering across the shattered barricade towards you. You throw down your bow and run to a large water cask, which is being defended by a stout Sommlending sergeant. The ground around the cask is carpeted with enemy dead.
‘Shoot the leader!’ you command, pointing towards the enemy officer. The sergeant aims and fires his bow with one swift and fluid movement. The arrow arcs through the smoke-blackened sky and pierces the officer's shiny breastplate. Slowly his cruel eyes flicker and close, and he slips from his saddle with the arrow lodged deep in his heart.
You have covered less than a mile when disaster strikes. Without warning, a ranger in front of you lets out a piercing cry; a disc of razor-sharp steel has sunk into his chest. More of the deadly discs cut the air, whistling past you on all sides. Before you all fall prey to the hidden assassins, you lead your men away at a gallop.
When you finally rein in your sweating horse, you are more than two miles from the scene of the ambush, and only four of your men remain at your side. Your halt must be brief, for the enemy may already be in pursuit. With the terrible sound of the deadly steel discs still ringing in your ears, you lead the remnants of your company southwards along the highway.
With a bone-jarring crunch, your horse crashes into the flank of a bandit steed, and you are hurled head over heels to the ground. You are stunned by the shock of impact and fail to see the blade that bites into your shoulder. Lose 3
ENDURANCE
points before turning to face your attacker. You cannot evade combat and must fight your adversary to the death.
Bandit Warrior:
COMBAT SKILL
17
ENDURANCE
25
If you win,
turn to 7
.
You have taken just one step into the cavern when a blow on the back of your head knocks you senseless. You were seen at the junction by two guards, who prepared this ambush for you. Your equipment is taken and your unconscious body bound by Barraka's men, who throw you into a cell.
You are unable to stop the sacrifice. When the time comes for your cell door to open, it is the bony hand of a skeleton that turns the key.
Your life and your mission end here.
You drag the loathsome creature away from the ranger only to find that the man is dead. The Elix has already sunk its needle-like teeth into the poor man's heart.
Grabbing your weapon you turn to help the other man who is now being attacked by two of the giant war-cats. A third Elix pounces at you as you run across the chamber, but you strike it in mid-air, sending it tumbling into the well.
The prop begins to splinter and break in two. A shudder runs through the floor, making you stumble and fall, but you quickly regain your footing. As you sprint to safety, a deluge of earth and stone pours into the tunnel behind. A shock wave from the blast hits you squarely in the back and flattens you to the floor; the air is choked with dust. You stagger to your feet and press on, but it takes you half an hour to reach a section of the tunnel where the air is clear and still and the torches are still burning.
On the far side of the boathouse, a narrow slipway descends to a door at river level. One of your men hurries over and raises the stout drawbar while the others carry the rowing boat down the ramp. You push off and clamber aboard, emerging from the boathouse with such a jolt that you are thrown forward in a heap. By the time you have disentangled yourselves, the boat is firmly in the grip of the river current. You grab an oar and fight to keep the boat in the centre of the rushing water as it speeds on its course through the foothills of the Maaken Range. But no sooner has the boat been brought under control than you are confronted by an unexpected hazard: ahead of you the river suddenly disappears into the rock-face beneath a massive granite ledge. It is too late to avoid being swept into the inky black cavern, and as you glide into the darkness, you prepare yourself for any hidden dangers that may lurk inside.
The twang of the sniper's bow and the hiss of an arrow are the last sounds that you hear in this world. The shaft punctures your skull and you die instantly.
Your life and your mission end here.
The wagons are drawn into a circle and you set up camp inside. A ranger is posted to patrol the perimeter. The troubadours construct a small stage onto which strides Yesu. He calls for silence before announcing the title of their play, ‘The Brave Warriors of Sommerlund’, a choice that meets with the hearty approval of your men.
During the performance, you notice something very odd; not only is one of the actors using a real sword, but it is a type of sword only issued to officers of the Sommlending cavalry. After the play you approach the man to question him about the sword. He looks at you nervously and makes a dash for the darkness of the perimeter wagons.
If you wish to give chase and have either the Kai Discipline of Tracking or Hunting,
turn to 332
.
If you do not possess these skills but still wish to give chase,
turn to 58
.
If you decide to let him go, return to your men by
turning to 165
.
You manage to reach a tangle of briars growing near the crypt door, and from here you can observe the Vassagonian guards undetected. More soldiers appear on horseback, riding into Maaken from the north. They dismount and approach the door.
‘Password!’ shout the crypt guards.
‘Lohn,’ reply the soldiers. The door opens and they are allowed to enter.
Armed with the password, you decide to try to enter in the same way. Keeping the hood of your cloak raised and your Sommlending features in shadow, you walk boldly towards the guards.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage, add 4 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–6,
turn to 198
.
If it is 7–13,
turn to 338
.
You are barely ten yards from the enemy when they fire. Miraculously you are not hit, but you must now fight alone, as three of your men lie dead and the other can no longer fight — a bolt has shattered his wrist. As you attack, the fierce warriors discard their empty crossbows and draw their swords, and you find yourself being pushed back to the bridge by six angry swordsmen.
If you wish to fight them,
turn to 202
.
If you wish to dive over the parapet of the bridge to avoid them,
turn to 342
.
You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points. (If you possess the Kai Discipline of Hunting, you are unable to use it within the Maaken Mines to hunt for food.) You then continue along the tunnel, which runs for several miles before eventually arriving at a long, deserted gallery.
The Vassagonian bandits break cover and charge, and you give the order to fire. A cloud of arrows sweeps down upon the armour-clad men, the hardened tips penetrating their scarlet plate. The first wave of assailants tumbles and falls; the second wave falters. Another volley forces them back, and they retreat to the ruins to reorganize themselves.
Here and there, groups of bandit warriors have survived the hail of death and reached the barricade. Most are slain as they try to enter, but a small and determined section of their boldest fighters have broken through close to where you stand. Suddenly, a thick-bodied warrior with oily, black hair tied in a knot at the back of his scarred head leaps onto the wagon and attacks you.
Vassagonian Warrior:
COMBAT SKILL
18
ENDURANCE
25
You can evade combat at any time by jumping from the wagon.
Turn to 66
.
If you win the fight,
turn to 243
.