The Deathlord of Ixia (20 page)

You reach down to unsheathe your weapon, but it has only just cleared the scabbard when a terrible pain knifes through your lower left leg. The unseen pit-beast has clamped its powerful jaws around your calf and is now attempting to drag you below the surface of the bog. Desperately you stab blindly for the creature's head in an attempt to cut yourself free from its vice-tight grip.

Suggaz:
COMBAT SKILL
 44   
ENDURANCE
 44

If you win this fight,
turn to 67
.

The moment you enter the electrical field arcing between the pillars, an explosion of white-hot fire obliterates your vision and you feel agonizing pain shoot through every part of your body: lose 10
ENDURANCE
points.

If you are still alive after this grievous wounding,
turn to 315
.

With a yell of desperation you tumble headlong towards the sea and strike the water face-first. For an instant you feel its icy chill; then you are plunged into darkness as your head and left shoulder slam against a ridge of solid ice that lies submerged just a few inches below the slushy surface. Mercifully, you are knocked unconscious and spared the agony of being crushed and torn between the ship's prow and the cruel, unyielding ice.

Tragically, your life and your quest end here in the Tozaz Sea.

The bodies of the ghastly creatures undergo a swift and gruesome transformation upon the instant you deal them the
coup de grâce
. Their torsos implode with dramatic effect, and they barely have time to cry out in agony as their twisted remains hit the floor and crumble to dust.

You sheathe your weapon and step away from the foul-smelling mounds of dust. But as you go to leave, you discover that the open archway that these creatures were guarding when you first arrived in this chamber is now sealed. You approach the solid sheet of opaque green crystal and examine an intricate lockplate which is set in the centre of its mirror-smooth surface. It is a lock of ancient design, one which operates by psychic energy. You study the intricate patterns which embellish it and gradually you realize that they give clues to a two-digit number. By projecting the image of this number at the lock, using your psychic powers, you will release the locking mechanism and cause the portal to open.

The first of the two numbers is equal to the number of islands which lie within 150 miles to the west of Xaagon.

The second number is equal to the number of cities and towns which can be found located in the Shegtar Peaks.

Consult the
map
in order to determine the correct two-digit number which will open the lock. When you think you have cracked it,
turn to the entry
that bears that same number as your answer.
¹²

If you calculate incorrectly, or if you cannot solve the clues,
turn instead to 199
.

You raise the Sommerswerd and a gout of golden flame engulfs the blade, flaring with such brilliance that Deathlord Ixiataaga is momentarily blinded by its goodly light. He shrieks, and raises the Deathstaff defensively to ward off your first blow. As the blade of the sun-sword bites the haft of Ixiataaga's fell weapon, a hissing mass of crimson and gold sparks explode into the air. These fiery motes are sucked into the vortex of the Shadow Gate, which has now begun to whirl with alarming intensity.

The Deathlord reels from the force of the impact, but he recovers swiftly and thrusts the sharp tip of the Deathstaff at your face. You duck the thrust, but you sense that this is just the beginning of what will be a titanic fight to the finish.

Deathlord Ixiataaga (with Deathstaff — uncharged):
COMBAT SKILL
 60   
ENDURANCE
 39

This supernatural being
¹³
is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.

If you win the combat,
turn to 290
.

You unsheathe your weapon and advance bravely towards the Deathlord, determined to take the fight to him and finish him in mortal combat. His laughter buffets you like a ghastly storm, and its growing, concussive power keeps you from reaching the fiery moat. Then you see a ball of light appear at the tip of the Deathstaff and, in the very next moment, an agonizing pain shoots through your chest. Almost immediately there is an explosion of white-hot fire that obliterates your senses and, in a terrifying instant, the light that is your life is snuffed out.

Tragically, you have fallen victim to the Deathlord and his staff of unholy power. Your life and your quest end here.

You stare into the glowing eyes of the approaching Demonlord and muster your strength to summon up a pulse of psychic energy. The pulse forms a radiant ball of power which you send speeding across the chamber to slam into Tagazin's unprotected mind. He flinches with pain and halts momentarily, but he soon recovers and presses home his attack.

Demonlord Tagazin:
COMBAT SKILL
 54   
ENDURANCE
 60

You may use Kai-surge again 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, but
turn instead to 168
.

You bring to mind the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Counterspell
and focus on the lock as you quietly recite them under your breath. For a few moments the air crackles with static electricity; then you feel a calm descend: the sorcerous spell which once protected this door has suddenly evaporated.

Confident that it is safe to proceed, you unsheathe your weapon and use its tip to prise open the three lockplates, revealing their internal mechanisms. With the lock exposed, you set about the now-simple task of opening the door.

Turn to 10
.

The second wave of Lavas comes swooping down, howling defiantly, and the terrific beat of their wings forces you and the Demonlord apart. You look up to see that one of the winged creatures is cradling a curious item in his horny hands, an item which radiates an intense aura of evil power. At first glance it resembles a large metal bowl with a sharp spear of crystal fixed to its underside, but when the Lavas descends towards Tagazin and inverts it, you suddenly realize its true purpose and design. It is a helm of power, affixed with a crystal spike. The Lavas place the helm upon the Demonlord's head and the spike begins to glow menacingly.

Now the encircling Lavas ascend into the sky where they wait to view the confrontation which is about to commence. Suddenly Tagazin, revitalized by the power of the spiked helm, comes charging at you with his head lowered, snorting loudly like a raging bull.

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

If your total is now 4 or less,
turn to 257
.

If it is 5 or more,
turn to 142
.

As your hand closes around the hilt of the sun-sword, you suddenly recall Guildmaster Banedon's words of warning:
Use the Sommerswerd with discretion. In the darkness of Ixia its power will be like a blazing beacon … it could readily alert the Deathlord to your presence.

For a moment you hesitate in drawing the sun-sword from its Korlinium Scabbard. But the cave creature is now almost upon you — it is closing swiftly for the kill. You must act immediately if you are to defend yourself from its attack.

If you choose to unsheathe the Sommerswerd and use it in your defence,
turn to 110
.

If you decide to leave the Sommerswerd in its scabbard and use another Weapon instead,
turn to 275
.

‘Give me your Weapon, Grand Master,’ says Banedon, holding out his hand expectantly. You unsheathe your hand-weapon and pass it to him hilt-first. From a pocket he takes out a dull red gem, no bigger than a fig stone, and presses it gently against the hilt of your Weapon. To your surprise, you see the gem sink into the hilt as easily as if Banedon were pressing it into a pat of warm butter.

‘The gem is a Dessi Stone,’ says Banedon, in answer to your unspoken question. ‘Lord Rimoah gave it to me. Now, I give it to you. Whenever you use this Weapon in combat against a non-living foe, the power of the Dessi Stone will help you achieve swift victory.’ Banedon returns your Weapon and you examine the Dessi Stone carefully for a few moments before sheathing it in your belt.

With the Dessi Stone fitted into its hilt, your Weapon now inflicts double
ENDURANCE
point losses against an undead opponent in combat. Be sure to record this permanent modification to your Weapon on your
Weapons List
.

To continue,
turn to 22
.

You stagger to your feet and try to get away but your escape is quickly thwarted. The creatures glide swiftly across the snow and block your escape route, forcing you to face them in a desperate hand-to-hand combat.

If you possess the Sommerswerd and wish to use it,
turn to 167
.

If you do not possess this Special Item or choose not to use it in combat against these creatures,
turn instead to 130
.

You barge your way through the skeletal warriors and escape into a maze of dark corridors. The breathtaking speed of your action leaves them sprawled helplessly on the ground and, by the time they have untangled themselves and staggered to their feet, you are nowhere to be seen.

When you are sure that you are not being followed, you pause for a few moments to use your Magnakai skill of Nexus in an attempt to determine the location of your missing weapons and equipment. You sense they are not too distant and, guided by your feelings, you go off along an adjoining passageway in search of them.

The dingy, ice-caked tunnel wends its way deeper into the bowels of this vast alien vessel. You explore a series of empty holds, where the walls are braced with gleaming crystal girders, and pass through low-ceilinged chambers that, despite the biting chill, reek of death and decay. At length your search ends at a great grey door which is guarded by two undead Drakkarim warriors, armed with spears. The noises you heard earlier have now ceased, and so has the movement of the vessel; you sense that this craft is no longer at sea.

From the cover of a curving crystal bulkhead, you spy silently upon the Drakkarim guards while you consider your next move.

If you wish to attack the guards with your bare hands,
turn to 243
.

If you choose instead to use your Magnakai mind Disciplines upon the guards,
turn to 336
.

You sense that the wisps of black smoke are a manifestation of several evil beings, each possessed of a strong psychic presence. Fearing attack, you quickly draw upon your Kai Mastery to construct a
Mindfort
to protect yourself from psychic assault. It is a wise precaution. Moments after the
Mindfort
is in place, the wisps streak across the chamber and encircle your body. They accelerate to a dizzying speed before launching a massive wave of psychic energy at your mind. Fortunately for you, this tidal wave crashes against the walls of your
Mindfort
and dissipates harmlessly into a thousand motes of light.

Turn to 283
.

You take the ship's wheel and turn this alien vessel out of the narrow harbour, into the roiling waters of the Tozaz Sea. It is less than an hour past noon and yet the winter night has already closed in. You share the icy darkness with a crew of six Lencian outposters, all of whom have volunteered for this perilous mission. Lanza has ordered them to land you on the coast of Ixia and wait at anchor for seven days for you to return; they must wait no longer.

With ten miles of sea behind you, you hand over the wheel to one of the crew and settle down on the wheelhouse floor to sleep. But you have barely closed your eyes when the deck begins to buck like a stallion. The ship has sailed directly into a
saesha
 — a sudden and violent sea-storm for which the Tozaz is infamous. Thunder roars and sleet blows with blinding ferocity as the ship dips and rolls in the waves.

After what seems like an eternity, the ship emerges from the storm — a storm against which few craft other than this could have sailed. The darkness gives way to an eerie dawn which casts its watery light upon a new danger. In the grey half-light you see thousands of icebergs ahead, stretching across the horizon as far as the eye can see. Your heart sinks — navigating a course through this icy maze could well prove impossible.

If you wish to take control of the ship's wheel as you approach the field of icebergs,
turn to 51
.

If you wish to go forward to the prow and act as ship's pilot,
turn to 189
.