Grey Star the Wizard (15 page)

You decide to make another dash for it, and, turning in the direction of the Wall of Azakawa, you break into a run, Shan lagging at your heels.

Turn to 249
.

One stall in particular catches your eye. A sign reads:

The stall is full of potions and salves and the dried leaves and roots of many different plants, some of great power and others of no use at all. Your trained eye notices several items for sale that could be of great use to you as an alchemist. They are:

• 1 Jar of Ezeran Crystals (which produce an acid capable of melting metal when combined with sulphur). Cost:
  5 Nobles
  
• Pestle and Mortar (Backpack Item). Cost:
  5 Nobles
  
• 1 Bottle of Naphtha (a volatile, inflammable liquid). Cost:
  2 Nobles
  
• 2 Vials of Laumspur (a healing potion that will restore 3
  ENDURANCE
  points when swallowed). Cost:
  2 Nobles each
  
• 1 Vial of Graveweed Essence (a strong poison). Cost:
  1 Noble
  
• 1 Vial of Alether (a potion that will increase
  COMBAT SKILL
  by 2 points when swallowed before an attack). Cost:
  2 Nobles
  
• 1 Bundle of dried Azawood Leaves (a base constituent that will charm up to 4 magical potions). Cost:
  5 Nobles
  
• 3 Tarama Seeds (swallowing 1 seed permits a wizard to use his Wizard's Staff, or Magical Power, without losing any
  WILLPOWER
  points; they take up no room in your Herb Pouch or Backpack).
  ²⁰
  Cost:
  3 Nobles each
  

You may purchase any number of these items. Items that do not fit in your Herb Pouch must be carried as extra Backpack Items. Remember to make the necessary adjustments to your
Action Chart
.

Turn to 26
.

You turn left and resume your journey. As you wind in and out of the pillars, you use the sun to guide you, keeping in a southerly direction.

As evening begins to fall, Shan sighs with relief. The columns have become less dense, and far ahead, you can see the Great Wall of Azakawa. It is a huge cliff-face, many hundreds of feet high, stretching from east to west as far as the eye can see. Directly ahead of you, at the top of the sheer cliffs, you glimpse a huge cascading waterfall: the Shenwu Falls.

You move faster, anxious to reach the boundary of the Azanam before nightfall, and to leave this barren land of nightmarish scenery and strange inhabitants.

Turn to 325
.

‘For pity's sake, what on Earth are you doing now?’ questions Shan in a complaining tone.

‘Hush,’ you retort, closing your eyes to concentrate on preparing a holding spell to bar the door. At the cost of 1
WILLPOWER
point, you create a magical barrier to bar the door. It will take the Shadakine guards some time before they will be able to break it open.

If you wish to take the left stairway that leads from the landing,
turn to 80
.

If you would prefer to take the right stairway,
turn to 253
.

Cautiously you creep away, hoping that the Quoku will not notice you. Though you dare not look back, you hear the rustle of movement on the top of the nearest column where a very large Quoku is perched.

Turn to 86
.

Senseless with exhaustion, you are dragged forcibly from the chamber, down long flights of stairs and into the darkness of the dungeons of the Hall of Correction. Your senses rail against the ominous and overpowering feeling of oppression that seems imbued into the walls of the place. A tortured scream fills the air, followed by the sound of brutal laughter. ‘What was that?’ you whisper, hoarsely.

‘You'll find out soon enough,’ one of the Shadakine replies. ‘Gaoler! Lock this one up!’ A tattered cripple lurches towards you, a large bunch of keys rattling at his side.

‘Here, Master Turnkey. Lock him up nice and safe now.’

The gaoler limps forwards, a mad and joyous expression on his face. ‘Marvellous, simply marvellous,’ he giggles. ‘Another guest. How wonderful to meet you.’

An iron-shod door is unlocked and you are thrown into a dark and foul-smelling pit. You fall headlong down a flight of steps and lose consciousness before coming to rest on the straw-covered floor.

If you have been arrested at the Inn of the Laughing Moon,
turn to 230
.

If not,
turn to 261
.

Reluctantly you retrace your way back down the cliff, clawing and stretching for every precarious gap in the rock. Your descent proves tedious and tiring. At length, you reach the small cave and haul yourself inside.

Careful to make as little sound as possible, you explore the tiny cave.

Turn to 8
.

Suddenly you are confronted by the Shadakine officer. He gives a crazed yell before hurling himself at you.

The officer is a formidable opponent, and you cannot safely evade combat without risking being cut down by this fanatic. You must fight him to the death. Since Shan is with you, add 3 points to your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of this combat.

Shadakine Officer:
COMBAT SKILL
 25   
ENDURANCE
 26

If you win the combat,
turn to 215
.

‘We go south,’ you say to Shan.

‘Very well,’ he replies. ‘I only pray that I am not leading you on a fool's errand.’

‘With you leading, what else could it be?’ says Tanith under her breath, smiling sweetly at Shan. Within minutes, the two are trading curses and insults.

‘We have no time for this,’ you admonish them. ‘Shan, lead the way.’ Abashed, he obeys.

‘At the heart of this forest,’ he says, ‘the Suhni River is joined by the Azan River. The Azan River will lead us all the way to this Azanam. We have a choice of two routes to the Azan. North of here is the Suhni River, which leads west, finally merging with the Azan. South lies the Great Suhn Road, which we left last night; it crosses the Azan further south. Which way, Grey Star?’

Consult the
map
before making your decision.

If you wish to find the Azan River by travelling first north and then west, following the Suhni River,
turn to 38
.

If you would rather travel first south and then west along the Great Suhn Road,
turn to 21
.

Concentrating your will, you tap the raw energy of Sorcery from the Astral Plane and form it into a ball of pure thought, holding it poised in your mind, ready to hurl into the Kazim Stone.

If you wish to draw 2
WILLPOWER
points into your mind,
turn to 323
.

If you wish to draw 3
WILLPOWER
points into your mind,
turn to 314
.

If you wish to draw 4
WILLPOWER
points,
turn to 288
.

(Remember to adjust your
WILLPOWER
total to its new value before turning to the appropriate section.)

You are smothered in an all-consuming darkness. Somewhere, seemingly far off, a muffled cry reaches your ears. It is Shan. ‘Tanith, you must save him,’ he cries. Then you hear Tanith's clear and brave voice for the last time …

Turn to 276
.

When you tell Jnana that you are versed in the arts of Alchemy, he offers you the following items:

• Pestle and Mortar (Backpack Item)
  
• Packet of Ezeran Crystals
  
• Jar of Yabari Ointment (a salve that will keep insects away and disguise the human scent)
  ²¹
  
• 4 Tarama Seeds (swallowing 1 seed of this rare flower permits a wizard to use his Wizard's Staff, or Magical Power, without expending any
  WILLPOWER
  points; they take up no room in your Backpack or Herb Pouch)
  ²²
  

You may take any of these items. Carry them in your Herb Pouch unless otherwise indicated. Remember to mark the items you take on your
Action Chart
.

Turn to 15
.

Carefully you throw the Rope towards Shan, but overwhelmed by his fear, he is unable to catch it; you make three attempts before Shan grabs hold of it. You watch the injured Quoku come to a halt a short distance from Shan as the terrified merchant is trying to tie the Rope around his waist with fumbling fingers. You wait, your nerves on edge, ready to pull Shan across the ravine, once he has secured the Rope. Still the Quoku comes no closer, and before you can guess the reason, it is too late!

Turn to 269
.

The narrow street widens and grows lighter. The source of the light is the window of a grim, stone building at the end of the street which opens on to the market square. Above the doorway of the building hangs a sign which reads:

You decide that you must try to find some information from the Suhnese inhabitants. Perhaps you can pick up some clues about the whereabouts of the Lost Tribe of Lara.

If you wish to try to gain this information in the market square,
turn to 157
.

If you would rather enter the Inn of the Laughing Moon,
turn to 82
.