Grey Star the Wizard (21 page)

You run pell-mell along the tunnel, stopping abruptly at the end. For you have made a terrible mistake. The tunnel opens into a vast chamber full of thousands of worker Cave Mantiz and an even greater number of Mantiz larvae.

Enraged at your intrusion, the worker Mantiz surge towards you. You turn back and run as fast as your legs will carry you. Jets of acid burn your arms and legs, and you cry out in pain (lose 2
ENDURANCE
points).

But there is worse to come. Blocking the exit of the tunnel are two soldier Mantiz. You must force your way past these insects if there is to be any hope of escaping the furious horde.

2 Soldier Mantiz:
COMBAT SKILL
 20   
ENDURANCE
 15

If you win the combat in three rounds or less,
turn to 322
.

If the combat enters a fourth round, do not continue with the combat but
turn immediately to 315
.

Suddenly the Giant bursts into a vast cavern, dark with filthy, black mud. ‘Man make tunnel here … you go up … me go down now … goodbye.’

With these words, the Earth Giant descends into the ground, the floor rippling to cover his descent as he burrows out of sight. The use of this Magical Power has cost you 1
WILLPOWER
point.

You and Shan stand alone in the gloomy cavern, a vague feeling of disquiet stirring in your heart.

Turn to 259
.

With a painful jolt, you slam into the lip of the ravine and grab hold of a jutting rock with just one hand. Your grip is slipping. Frantically you search for a secure handhold.

Turn to 306
.

It seems as if you have only just fallen asleep when morning comes. With aching limbs, you rise to see that Tanith and Shan are already up and waiting for you.

Turn to 18
.

‘
Kleasá Tanith, Mundi Gudro
,’ chants Tanith, repeating the words over and over.

Suddenly, the darkness is lifted, and you see Tanith throw herself onto the raging fire. The black shadow of the Kleasá flies towards her. As the Kleasá engulfs her burning body, she gives one last, agonized cry, ‘Grey Star, do not fail!’

The fire erupts, and in a blinding flash, both Tanith and the Kleasá disappear. All that remains is a splash of smoking embers. You swoon and lapse into unconsciousness where you lie.

Turn to 52
.

Ready for action, you throw open the door, but there is no one there. Warily you enter the shack.

Turn to 252
.

You close your eyes and search into the future. Your Power of Prophecy tells you that the way south, towards the Azanam, is to your left. The use of this Magical Power has cost you 1
WILLPOWER
point.

Turn to 184
.

With some difficulty, you shear through the vine that pulls at your right leg, using up 1
WILLPOWER
point.
³⁴

Shan leaps to your rescue, hacking wildly at the tendril that holds your left ankle. With three clumsy blows, he cuts through the wriggling creeper.

Turn to 128
.

The harbour is full with ships of varying kinds, though there is little sign of life. Mooring the small boat, you step onto the stone quayside and survey the harbour area.

‘Psst!’ a voice hisses at you from out of the darkness. Startled, you spot the crouching form of a one-eyed Suhnese fisherman. ‘Come far have we?’ he asks, patronizingly. ‘And in such secrecy too! Got something to hide have we? Lurking out there at the edge of the bay till nightfall … tsk, tsk, very suspicious.’

In vain, you try to convince the one-eyed Suhnaman that you have nothing to hide. ‘Saw your sail a long way off,’ he sneers. ‘Perhaps you're a smuggler, or on the run, I'll be bound. Come now, young master. You can't fool me. What'll you offer to buy my silence?’

With a helpless shrug, you tell him that you have no money. At first, the fisherman seems very angry, but eventually he offers to buy your boat for 20 Nobles, though you cannot be sure that this will keep him quiet.

If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it,
turn to 53
.

If you agree to sell your boat,
turn to 16
.

If you would rather not sell your boat and wish to continue into the Port of Suhn,
turn to 100
.

The Quoku hovers in the air and then sweeps down in an attempt to poison you with its venomous touch.

The slightest contact with this monster's flesh could spell death for you. You must fight defensively. Deduct 1 point from your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of this combat.

Large Quoku:
COMBAT SKILL
 15   
ENDURANCE
 30

You may only fight one round of combat as the Quoku flies past.

If your
WILLPOWER
score is still more than 10,
turn to 331
.

If it is less than 10,
turn to 32
.

Urgently you call out to Shan. He looks down, and seeing the grotesque creature that is stalking him, he redoubles his efforts. With uncharacteristic speed he scrambles up the slope, dislodging clouds of dust and gravel with his scurrying feet. As he comes within reach he clutches at your outstretched hand, and you haul him over the edge.

Turn to 148
.

The raging storm howls all around. Fine dust lashes at your face, courses through your hair and seeps into your mouth until you can hardly breathe. Relentlessly you press on, staggering exhausted against the wind. The choking sand causes you to lose 3
ENDURANCE
points. At last the storm subsides, and you find yourself on the other side of the Wilderwastes, at the edge of the Azagad Gorge.

Turn to 227
.

With panic growing like a twisted knot in your belly, you turn back the way you came. As you reach the end of this tunnel, you are confronted by two soldier Mantiz out to find the human invader in their midst. Just as you prepare to attack, two more come running from the other direction. You are heavily outnumbered, and there is no escape. You must fight all four insects as one enemy.

If you are carrying a lit Torch,
turn to 207
.

If you are not carrying a Torch, you must proceed with the battle now.

4 Soldier Mantiz:
COMBAT SKILL
 20   
ENDURANCE
 25

If you win the combat,
turn to 310
.

Another bolt pierces the heart of the Yaku plant, releasing Shan and costing you 2 more
WILLPOWER
points. Terrified, he leaps to his feet and runs towards you, stopping only when he is standing next to you.

Turn to 128
.

With sweating hands, you fumble with the large bunch of Keys, trying to find one that matches the shape of the lock.

If you have the Power of Psychomancy,
turn to 235
.

If you do not have this Magical Power, pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8,
turn to 214
.

If it is 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9,
turn to 205
.

With reckless audacity spurred on by fear, you jump onto the chitinous abdomen of the Cave Mantiz. Before they can react, you have thrown yourself into the shaft, scratching and scrabbling for a handhold in the smooth sides.

Slowly you pull yourself up. A worker Mantiz sends a jet of acid up the shaft, catching your leg. You almost fall as the shock of pain ravages your flesh, burning your calf. (You must lose 2
ENDURANCE
points.)

Turn to 263
.

You fling the energy ball at the Kazim Stone. The cost of propelling this thought mass costs an extra 2
WILLPOWER
points.

There is a tremendous flash as the two forces clash and the energy envelopes the stone. White light fills the room, momentarily blinding you.

Turn to 320
.

‘Sit, child,’ says the old woman, gesturing to the chair opposite. ‘I am Mother Magri, seer of the Kazim Stone, Law Giver to the city of Suhn, Truthsayer of Shadaki in the service of the Wytch-king, Shasarak.’ The old crone peers at you with hypnotic eyes. ‘Look into the Kazim Stone, boy,’ she commands, ‘that the truth may be revealed.’

Unable to resist, your eyes are drawn by the power of the Stone as it shines brightly, filling the chamber with a lurid yellow glow. With a gasp of horror, you feel fiery fingers reach into your mind and clutch at your will. Your mind is being read by a potent magical force.

If your current
WILLPOWER
score is less than 15,
turn to 150
.

If it is 15 or more,
turn to 175
.

The soldier Mantiz lies dead at your feet. Stepping lightly over the insect's carcass, you enter the passage that it was guarding. After a few minutes the passage splits into two, one tunnel sloping up, the other sloping down.

If you wish to enter the passage sloping up,
turn to 267
.

If you wish to enter the passage sloping down,
turn to 272
.

If you wish to go back the way you came,
turn to 284
.

The only other occupant of the cell is a sick old man who lies, barely moving, upon a wooden pallet. Your Wizard's Staff and Backpack have been taken from you, but you still possess any items not carried in the Backpack (for example, your Herb Pouch).

Shan turns towards you. ‘Innocent. I am innocent of any crime, save the possession of a loud voice and the consumption of too much ale. It is said that those who enter the Hall of Correction are never seen again. Surely, they will not leave us to rot in this hell-hole. What ever am I to do?’

You talk with the merchant for some time, discovering many stories about the Lost Tribe of Lara: of their flight into the Shuri Mountains, and the legend of their pilgrimage beyond the Kashima Mountains into the Unknown Valley and the Forest of Fernmost. You find yourself growing to like this little man with his dry humour and ironic quips.

‘I'll guide you anywhere you want to go, if you can get us out of here,’ he says, half joking; but he can see by the look in your eyes that you take his offer seriously, and that to you escape is not an impossible dream.

Turn to 178
.