The Jungle of Horrors (9 page)

You sense that the guard has taken a dislike to you. The attack on Luukos has made the Tharro garrison more suspicious than usual and, rather than risk allowing two possible spies into the stronghold, he turns you away. ‘Go back to Phoena, if that's where you've come from,’ he shouts. ‘We've no welcome here for strangers.’

It will soon be dark. You, Paido, and the horses need food and rest, but there is scant hope of finding either on the darkening plain that surrounds Tharro.

If you wish to skirt the perimeter of Fortress Hill and look for another entrance to the town,
turn to 107
.

If you decide to camp out on the plain,
turn to 226
.

Your skin prickles with fearful premonition, for you are in the presence of a powerful evil. With pounding heart you rise from your seat in readiness for combat.

If you have a Bow and wish to use it,
turn to 161
.

If you do not have a Bow or do not wish to use it,
turn to 171
.

You sense that someone is hiding behind the door. He or she is armed and intends to attack you as you enter the hut.

If you wish to unsheathe a hand weapon before you open the door,
turn to 233
.

If you decide not to enter the hut,
turn to 64
.

Silently you slip from your saddle and pad noiselessly through the mud, hiding in the shadows cast by the timber staircase. You reach the far side of the platform and look up to see the silhouette of a man clutching a spear, its tip held low at Paido's midriff.

If you have a Bow and wish to use it,
turn to 196
.

If you wish to call to the man to put down his spear,
turn to 137
.

If you choose to stay quietly hidden in the shadows of the platform,
turn to 240
.

You climb the steps to the pulpit as swiftly as you are able and rest Paido in the recess behind its sword-shaped facia. By chance his tunic snags on a hidden lever and, as his body slumps over, the lever is pulled to one side. Suddenly the floor of the pulpit shudders and begins to descend into a secret passage beneath the hall.

Carefully you pull Paido off the platform and raise him into a sitting position, his back against the passage wall. Slowly the platform rises back into the pulpit. In the silence of this secret passage all you can hear is the shallow breathing of your unconscious companion. You lift one of his eyelids and note that the almond-shaped iris is fully dilated. Your basic Kai skill of healing informs you that he is in a coma.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Curing,
turn to 19
.

If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 317
.

Carefully you slip the tip of your dagger beneath the creature's body and wrench the blade back, cutting it clean in half. The tentacles release their grip, and the two halves drop from your nerveless hand. Hurriedly you pluck the needle-like spines from your palm and the feeling gradually returns — lose 1
ENDURANCE
point.

If you wish to bathe your stinging hand in the pool of clear water,
turn to 315
.

If you decide not to bathe it,
turn to 177
.

The cloying smell in the cabin is unbearable and soon forces you to return to the deck to clear your lungs. From there you see the captain walking along the river bank inspecting his team of long-haired ghorkas. Stoically they haul the barge upstream, rarely faltering as they tread the rutted and pot-holed towpath. Beyond the bank lies an incredible array of colourful wild flowers — scarlet lankpetal, yellow podlumes, and violet mellowroots of towering proportions. Their perfume soon dispels the lingering odour in the cabin.

The colourful fields suddenly give way to rolling acres of grassy plain, and gradually the sky grows darker until just a slender streak of light fringes the horizon. It is not long before a roll of thunder echoes across the plain.

‘Storm brewing,’ shouts the captain, as the first drops of rain splash the deck. ‘You two best take shelter below.’ You baulk at the thought of returning to the dank and dismal cabin. Paido suggests a visit to the tap-room and offers to buy you ale. It is an offer that sounds too good to refuse.

Turn to 151
.

The monk utters a thin but chilling laugh in reply to your demand.

‘What do you want with us?’ shouts Paido, his voice sharp and threatening. But the monk offers no reply. Instead he stands motionless and silent, his eyes fixed firmly on you. Paido repeats his demand, but his voice is weaker. The sword is now trembling in his hand. With a groan he collapses scattering plates and cutlery as he hits the table and crashes to the floor.

Turn to 238
.

The great doors close with a whisper. You follow Paido along a corridor of gleaming silvery metal that dazzles your eyes to a hall carved from solid crystal. Icicles of diamond hang from its ceiling and reflect in a floor set with mosaics of a thousand shimmering squares.

‘Approach the crystal dais, Lone Wolf,’ instructs Paido, pointing to a radiant circular plateau of pure quartz.

But even as his words leave his lips you are already walking towards the plinth, drawn by a strange compulsion. You mount the dais and a flood of golden light pours down from above, bathing you in its warm, cleansing rays. You raise your cupped hands, as if offering up an invisible gift, and a tingling sensation runs the length of your arms and spreads through your body, giving you an incredible sense of well-being. A ball of sparkling light is taking shape in your hands. It condenses into a radiant crystal filled with golden fire: it is the Lorestone of Ohrido.

Illustration V
—It is the Lorestone of Ohrido.

Restore your current
ENDURANCE
score to its original level and
turn to 239
.

The attackers shriek with murderous glee as they form a circle around Paido and yourself. They pull maces from inside their robes and leap forward, brandishing the black steel weapons in their bony fists.

Vordaks:
COMBAT SKILL
 23   
ENDURANCE
 30

Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, deduct 3 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of the combat. These creatures are undead. They are immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge).

If you win the combat,
turn to 202
.

Day breaks and the view it brings fills you with awe. Perched on this rocky peak, you can see the sheer vastness of the swamp in all its frightening glory for the first time. Paido activates the starguider and scans the horizon, but even before its tell-tale clicks are heard, your eagle eyes have spotted the glint of the temple's korlinium spire. To the west, beyond a sea of sickly green-black vegetation, stands the Temple of Ohrido, imprisoned but unaffected by the swamp.

The howl of the Ghagrim echoes across the island as you make your descent, by rope and vine, to the wetlands below. You reach the rocky base and set off across the mud flats, following the starguider's signal now that the spire is hidden by swamp mist.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–5,
turn to 278
.

If it is 6–9,
turn to 150
.

A bead of sweat on Paido's forehead is the first sign of his recovery. Slowly he stirs to consciousness, waking from a sleep that was so nearly his last. He can remember nothing of the ordeal, and when you tell him what has happened he shakes his head in disbelief. ‘A Helghast?’ he says, incredulously. ‘How can it be?’

‘The servants of Darklord Gnaag have infiltrated this monastery,’ you reply. ‘They have kept themselves hidden, but I fear the day is fast approaching when they will rise up and wreak their havoc. Already they know our true identities, and I wager they know why we're here.’

‘This is bitter news, Lone Wolf,’ replies Paido, his face etched with worry. ‘We can afford to delay no longer. If Talestria falls to Darklord Gnaag before we reach the Danarg, then the quest is lost.’ You nod in agreement, and as you cast your eyes along the gloomy passageway, you cannot help but wonder if the quest is already lost. With a shake of your head you dismiss the thought and help Paido to his feet.

The passage follows a tortuous path that leads eventually to a panelled door. A raised button activates the lock, and the door slides into the wall to reveal a strange room. Domed and hexagonal, its walls are hung with tapestries depicting strange and grotesque creatures. Numerous plinths stand upon the richly carpeted floor, each supporting a large bowl filled to the brim with a silvery liquid. Cautiously you step through the secret portal and into this sumptuous chamber.

Turn to 201
.

The sudden chill of cold water on your brow makes you open your eyes with a start. Blinking away the droplets, you shake your head and a terrible pain shoots through your skull, making you curse and grit your teeth: lose 2
ENDURANCE
points. Strong hands lift you off the floor and steer you towards a quiet corner of the tap-room where Paido sits, grinning broadly. ‘That Bor Brew packs a vicious punch,’ he says, blithely, barely able to conceal his amusement at the effect the ale has had on you.

‘It's got a taste like nectar but the kick of an angry mule!’ replies the man in red, who has helped you across the floor. As your vision and the pain in your head begin to clear, you notice that he is a soldier. He wears the scarlet tunic of the Tharro garrison, emblazoned with their insignia of a castle and an open hand. You apologize for the trouble you have caused and offer to buy him a drink to make amends. He accepts but on one condition — that you do not have another Bor Brew!

Turn to 126
.

Eventually the volcanic spur slopes back into the stinking mire, and once more you find yourselves ankle-deep in cold, black ooze. A chilling howl drifts across the swamp from the north, and for a few fleeting seconds, you can hear no scuttling, slithering, or any other small noise.

You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

Turn to 56
.

You race to the end of the alley, turn the corner, and run across the quadrangle. Suddenly two monks on horseback trot out of the street ahead. You recognize them at once: they are the two monks you saw earlier — the two that took your horses. They shout a curse and draw their swords, riding straight towards you.

Monks (on horseback):
COMBAT SKILL
 22   
ENDURANCE
 29

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, you may add 2 points to your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of the combat.

If you win the combat,
turn to 247
.

You return along the road to the stone bridge and follow the canal eastwards to the River Phoen. A waterway has been constructed to allow river barges to enter the perimeter wall of Tharro. Here, a queue of passengers, who have just disembarked, are shuffling into the town through a narrow arch. Paido points to a group of horse traders who are herding their charges into the town. If you can tag along with them, perhaps you can gain entry to Tharro unchallenged.

If you wish to join the group of horse traders,
turn to 297
.

If you choose not to risk entering Tharro this way, you will have to spend the night on the open plain;
turn to 226
.