The Caverns of Kalte (14 page)

You discover a low passage that opens out into a cavern full of stalagmites. There are two exits in the opposite ice wall; both disappear into darkness. In the snow around the entrances of both tunnels are many strange tracks.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking,
turn to 75
.

If you wish to take the right tunnel,
turn to 114
.

If you wish to explore the left tunnel,
turn to 235
.

You sprint towards the northern corridor as fast as your twisted ankle will allow.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 2 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–3,
turn to 89
.

If your total is now 4–11,
turn to 215
.

The tunnel is short and soon leads you to a small cavern. In the centre of the cavern lie two corpses, both human. In spite of the freezing temperature, they are badly decomposed; they have obviously been dead for a very long time. Both are attired in furs and one still has a flint dagger grasped in his hand. From the position of the bodies, it looks as if they killed each other in a desperate fight.

If you wish to search the corpses,
turn to 298
.

If you wish to continue, you may leave this cavern by the tunnel in the far wall.
Turn to 315
.

If you wish to retrace your steps and take the other tunnel,
turn to 125
.

You focus your power upon the lock, but you find it difficult to visualize the inner mechanism.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, you may add 2 to this number.

If your total is now 0–4,
turn to 22
.

If your total is now 5–11,
turn to 326
.

The dead Ice Barbarian's child cowers over his father's body and stares at you with hatred blazing in his eyes. You notice that the other Ice Barbarian scouts are closing in and you must act quickly to save yourself.

You decide to use the boy as a hostage, but he is like a wild animal. He bites, scratches, and kicks to free himself from your grip.

Turn to 320
.

As you close the Bracelet around your wrist, a terrible pain shoots through your head. You are being attacked by a powerful Mindforce, which is draining your will.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield,
turn immediately to 258
.

If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 93
.

The next day, thick snow clouds have descended over the Ljuk ice shelf and there is little wind. As you draw closer to the edge of the glacier, the surface of the ice shelf becomes very rough and broken. Slabs of solid ice jut out at every angle, forming difficult obstacles. You are forced to dismount from the sledges and manhandle them across the hummocks and ridges, as you try to reach the smoother slope of the distant Viad Glacier.

You have covered half a mile when ahead you see a large crevasse. This great crack in the ice is only two or three feet wide; but it extends for over a mile in either direction. For safety's sake, you agree to tie a rope around your waists and link up together. Should one person fall into a crevasse, the others should be able to pull him out.

You cross this narrow fissure successfully, only to find yourselves in a maze of crevasses. Thin layers of snow hide their locations, and you only detect their presence by testing the ground with your weapon.

You have covered less than half a mile when you come to a crevasse over eight feet wide. You stare downwards, but there is no light to be seen in the black yawning void. Your sledges are ten feet long and could bridge the gap. But if the icy edge were to collapse, you could lose all your equipment at once.

If you wish to unload the sledges and use them as a bridge,
turn to 232
.

If you wish to jump across with the Kanu-dogs and then pull the sledges after you,
turn to 346
.

You continue along the corridor for over fifteen minutes until you reach a massive stone doorway, twenty feet high. Placing your ear to the warm surface, you feel the stone vibrating and hear low rumbling noises. Like the other stone doors of Ikaya, this entrance has a lever in the nearby wall.

If you wish to pull the lever and enter,
turn to 292
.

If you do not wish to enter, you can return to the junction and take the east passage by
turning to 97
.

Letting the boy go free at the last possible moment, you grab the sledge whip and lash the dogs, driving them for everything they are worth. On all sides, flurries of arrows whistle past you and several thud into the framework of the empty sledge. A couple of the Ice Barbarian scouts give chase, but your dog team is now much faster and you soon outdistance even their arrows.

By nightfall, you reach the very edge of the Viad Mountains. This vast granite range rises sheer out of the ice and snow and presents you with an impassable barrier on such a moonless night. Meanwhile a wind arises in the west, heralding a night squall. You must find shelter or you will surely perish in the blizzard.

If you have the Kai Discipline of either Tracking or Sixth Sense,
turn to 348
.

If you do not have either of these skills, you can look for shelter towards the north by
turning to 27
.

If you prefer, you can search towards the south by
turning to 314
.

Shaking with shock and exhaustion, you finally reach the pass just as night is about to fall. In the distance, you see a small cave located directly beneath a frozen waterfall. The wind has become much stronger and you decide to take shelter in the cave for the night. However as you enter, you are surprised to see a shaft of light falling from a fissure at the rear of the cave.

You cautiously approach the strange glow, but fail to see a snow covered crevasse and fall in a tumble of snow and ice.

Turn to 40
.

If you possess a Glowing Crystal,
turn to 267
.

If you do not,
turn to 44
.

You have cuts and bruises on both legs and your nose bleeds from striking it against a stalactite. You lose 2
ENDURANCE
points, but you can count yourself very lucky: you narrowly escaped stepping into a deep fissure hidden in the darkness. Make the necessary adjustments to your
Action Chart
.

Turn to 235
.

Your skill and patience finally pay off. A subtle
click
indicates you have been successful, and as you remove your blade, the great stone lid slowly opens to reveal a magnificent Silver Helm.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense,
turn to 127
.

If you wish to wear this splendid Helm, mark it on your
Action Chart
and
turn to 308
.

If you decide to leave it in the stone chest, you may continue your exploration towards the stairs by
turning to 323
.

As you leap across to the opposite ledge, a tremor shakes the ice and the crevasse suddenly widens. You slip, hitting your head on the edge as you drop into the gaping void. The cord attaching the safety rope to your belt snaps, and you fall into darkness.

Turn to 21
.

The struggle is desperate but in your very desperation you find the strength to survive.

Any Weapon(s) you had has been dragged from your grasp and, bombarded by ice and stone, you lose 2
ENDURANCE
points. Make the necessary adjustments to your
Action Chart
. However, you manage to crawl to the safety of the northern archway. You are now unarmed but grateful to be alive.

Turn to 306
.

You can see another passage leading out of the cavern towards the north.

If you wish to creep past the sleeping creatures towards the tunnel,
turn to 125
.

If you do not want to take the risk of waking them, you can return the way you have just come and enter the other tunnel by
turning to 235
.

If you wish to attack the sleeping creatures, you can do so by
turning to 109
.

The corridor ends at a large stone door. Unlike the others, this door has no lever to open it, but you do notice that a small slot has been cut into a nearby wall. You are examining the slot when you are disturbed by a howling mob of mutated Ice Barbarians, advancing along the corridor towards you. You prepare for combat but there are too many of them for you. Although you fight bravely, they eventually overwhelm you and stab you to death.

Your life and your mission end here.

After nearly a mile, the ice-walled tunnel opens out into a beautiful grotto. Melt-water cascades over a large outcrop of silvery mineral, which casts a dazzling display of reflections.

You can see that there is a small cave beneath the waterfall, which disappears into the silver rock. There appear to be no other exits from the grotto.

If you wish to enter the cave,
turn to 82
.

If you wish to return along the passage and take the other tunnel,
turn to 284
.

The ghastly tentacled horror rises out of the moat and attacks you. You must fight it to the death.

Akraa'Neonor:
COMBAT SKILL
 22   
ENDURANCE
 50

During the combat, you glimpse Vonotar, his black staff raised, fixing his gaze on Loi-Kymar. He is attacking the old man with the force of his mind. If Loi-Kymar is killed, the secret of his Guildstaff will die with him.

If you win the combat in seven rounds or less,
turn to 272
.

If you win the combat in more than seven rounds,
turn to 324
.

The bowl creaks and splinters of stone fall from the ceiling as you swing across the black fissure, but you are lucky; the Rope holds and you land safely on the other side. With a flick of your wrist you retrieve the Rope and set off along the passage.

You have gone only a few yards when you notice an arched stone door to your left, adorned with strange carvings. These carvings depict hundreds of skeletons entwined around smooth blocks of stone. To the side of the door you see that a lever in the wall is raised.

If you wish to pull the lever and open the door,
turn to 110
.

If you wish to continue along the passage,
turn to 63
.