From a8ecfb4e059da9e4ea69887e85918fe5f3a08623 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Simon Osborne
Quickly,
you hiss. Come with me.
You run through the door and into the corridor outside. Shadow forms are flowing out of the walls and floor, and everywhere spirit shapes fly in all directions. You turn to your right and see the horribly mutilated corpse of the jailer. Still clenched in his mortifying fist is a small Dagger. You may take this item if you wish. (Remember to mark it on your Action Chart under the Weapons section.)
You enter an alley that runs alongside the bar, and make your way to the rear door. Through a cracked glass panel you can see the kitchens. They are empty, but remnants of food lie scattered across the tables and, judging by the amount of fresh garbage strewn on the floor, a large group of clansmen must have eaten here not so long ago.
You test the handle and discover that the door is unlocked.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table and add to it your Perception skill score.
-You reach out to the Elemental plane and ask for the help of the Elementals. Representatives of the four Elements appear before you and you must choose which one you wish to help you.
You smile quietly to yourself. TanithAccept their offer, Grey Star,
she says. I do not fear this over-fed worm, or that slinking weasel.
You sense that Tanith is far more afraid than she admits but the success of the quest is as important to her as it is to you and without the Ethetron it is unlikely that you will succeed. Very well,
you say. Show me how the machine works. What must I do?
Sullenly, Crabkey shows you the machine. Spittlethrift, pale and perspiring, remains silent, his chubby hands fluttering nervously at his side.
-The harsh hammering of the clansman
The harsh hammering of the clansman
The urge to sleep overwhelms you. Coupled with the creeping numbness that has spread through your body, you surrender to death
Tragically, your journey and your life end here at Picacho.
diff --git a/04tcod.xml b/04tcod.xml index 7c878ed..b68fde3 100755 --- a/04tcod.xml +++ b/04tcod.xml @@ -1470,7 +1470,7 @@No sooner has the first warrior collapsed when another is hacking at you from the side. As you turn to face him, a spear thrust gashes your left arm and you lose 2
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Kai Discipline of Camouflage, add 3 to the number you have picked.
-You rush into the cellar and bolt the door. Pressing your ear to the gnarled timber, you listen intently to the noise of Maouk
You aim and fire a fraction of a second later, hitting the leader in the chest. He tumbles backwards, knocked off his feet by the force of your arrow. His followers growl their anger, unsheathing long knives and axes as they press forward to wreak their revenge.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Weaponmastery with bow, add 3 to the number you have picked.
A gangplank is lowered and the crew guide your horses aboard. As you dismount the captain strides along the bleached wood deck and greets you like an old friend, shaking both of you warmly by the hand. Lord Adamas sent word to expect two riders for this trip, though I
The captain points to the rear of the barge where two sets of stairs descend below the deck. Take the stairs on your left; your cabin is the door at the end of the gangway. If you be wantin
There is only one group of standing stones that offers enough cover for you, Banedon, and your mounts, and they are situated very close to the highway along which the cavalry must pass.
You wait tensely as the thunder of their hooves grows steadily louder. Then, suddenly, your horse rears up, startled by a snake, which has slithered around its foreleg.
This way, gentlemen,
beckons the owner, and leads you through the crowd to a table in the corner of the high-ceilinged room. Banedon hands him a clutch of silver Lune and the jolly red-cheeked man waddles away to fetch you food and ale. The soldiers are dressed in a variety of uniforms, many of which you recognize to be the tunics of mercenary regiments from the Stornlands. Two of these soldiers of fortune share your table. They talk in hushed tones and cast nervous glances at another group of men sitting near the fire.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you have completed the Lore-circle of Solaris, add 3.
Using your improved mastery, you move forward silently, pillar by pillar, until you are within a few feet of the creatures. Their heads resemble those of baby crocodiles, but their bodies and forelimbs are toad-like and covered with hard, shiny scales. They chatter incessantly and, judging by their behaviour and speech patterns, they are sentient beings.
As you kneel by the trapdoor, your basic Kai sense of Hunting reveals to you that someone is hiding in the cellar below. Carefully you raise the trapdoor and demand that the person show himself to you.
A surge of scarlet energy leaps from the orb and rips into your arm, hurling you backwards on to the ground (lose 5
In the space of a few fleeting seconds you have loaded your bow and aimed it at the giant snake
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Weaponmastery with Bow, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 1.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery or Nexus, add 3 to the number you have picked.
Pressing your shoulder to the door you force it open and advance into the corridor beyond. But a shock awaits you: two reptilians kneel at the end of the passage, supporting on their scaly shoulders a huge rod of crystal encircled with tubes and glowing with metallic buttons. Terror grips your heart as you see the rod become charged with a bolt of power that is aimed at your chest.
Your arrow opens a shallow wound in the creature
This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge).
-You manage to unsheathe your weapon and strike a blow that carves a crimson wedge from the ugly creature
This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge).
-Beyond the dead tree you find a muddy track which is bordered on both sides by the tall trunks and thorny briars of the forest. So dense is this tangle of trees and brush that it is impossible to leave the track. You feel as if you are walking along an endless passage, one so unnatural that its construction could only be the result of evil herbcraft.
At length the track widens and the trees begin to thin out. Ahead you see a clearing and at once your senses tingle: it is a warning that you are not alone. Instinctively you reach for your weapon and, as your hand closes upon it, you see that the floor of the clearing is alive with a carpet of loathsome scuttling creatures. At once you attempt to use your Magnakai powers of Animal Control, to determine if these creature are hostile, but your efforts go unrewarded.
The handlers jump to their feet and fumble for their weapons as they scramble to attack you.
For Sommerlund!
you cry as they approach, then launch yourself at them in a determined counterattack.
You try the handle and discover the door is unlocked. Inside, you find a room lit by four wall sconces. A single bed, a trestle table, a stool and a wooden trunk are the only furnishings in this spartan abode. A filthy curtain partitions this room from the next and, as you approach it, you hear a menacing growl that makes you reach for your weapon. It is the growl of an Akataz: a Drakkarim war-dog.
(87) Replaced far-stronger
with far stronger
.
(90) Replaced Kai mastery
with Kai Mastery
.
(91) Replaced arrow
with Arrow
and bow
with Bow
.
(92) Replaced 40
with 40.
.
(94) Replaced arrow in your quiver
with Arrow in your Quiver
.
(99) Replaced arrow
with Arrow
.
(100) Italicized the speech of the disembodied voice and removed the quotation marks. Replaced Zargarna
with Zagarna
.
(305) Replaced both occurrences of arrow
with Arrow
. Replaced bow
with Bow
(308) Deleted which you keep in your Backpack
to avoid confusion.
(310) Replaced avoid him
with avoid it
.
(315) Replaced 215
with 215.
.
(314) Replaced Brotherhood spell
with Brotherhood Spell
.
(318) Replaced discipline
with Discipline
and egorgh
with Egorgh
. Replaced their haunches, then
with their haunches; then
.
(324) Replaced new-found
with newfound
. Replaced Kai mastery
with Kai Mastery
.
Using the Brotherhood Spell of
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
For every level of Kai rank you have attained above the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked.
-You circle around the hall, keeping a wary eye on the frozen humanoids that line the walls in case your presence here should cause them to animate. Fortunately your caution proves unnecessary
As you pass by the shimmering archway, you feel nausea rising from the pit of your stomach and a wave of dizziness makes you falter for a few moments: lose 2
Using your advanced mastery, you lighten your body weight to prevent yourself from sinking any deeper into the mire. Moments later, you feel something brush past your leg for a second time and the chilling sensation galvanizes you into action.
The walls of the shaft are mirror smooth for the first ten feet above the surface of the mire. But beyond this point you notice that they are rough-hewn and studded with sharp spurs of rock. One such spur offers a tempting handhold
You crouch down amongst the foul-smelling debris which litters the floor of the hold, watching with bated breath as a dozen undead warriors enter by the stairs and begin a systematic search. Your Kai camouflage skills make you virtually invisible to the eye, but these undead Drakkarim no longer have eyes
You spin on your heel and sprint towards the arched opening by which you entered this chamber, but the insectoids anticipate your action and they move with frightening speed to block your escape. Snickering evilly, they fall upon you from the sides and rear, using their barbed limbs to drag you to the floor.
Your advanced Kai skill detects a secret door concealed in the far wall of this chamber. It is finely constructed, virtually undetectable to the human eye, but a closer examination reveals a raised pimple of rock positioned at its centre. As you reach out to touch it, the heat from your hand activates a concealed catch and the secret door slides silently open, revealing a dark passageway beyond.
You drop your Bow and unsheathe a hand weapon only just in time to defend yourself from these deathly creatures as they launch a lightning-swift attack.
These beings are immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.
-You warn the others of what you have found and tell them to retreat with you to a safe distance. From the cover of a gravestone, several yards from the tomb, you instruct Star Lynx to pick up a rock and hurl it through the open doorway. He selects an apple-sized chunk of granite and lobs it accurately into the tomb.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
The moment you reach firm ground, you sprint headlong across the clearing towards a distant jungle perimeter. At first the giant arachnids give chase, but they prove themselves not to be so agile on dry land and you are soon able to outdistance them and escape.
On entering the jungle perimeter, you force your way through dense foliage and soon discover the remnants of a trail which you follow for nearly a mile until you arrive at the edge of a second clearing. This area of levelled ground is devoid of foliage yet it is littered with strange fruits that resemble gigantic grey pineapples. Beyond these curious fruits you can see the ruins of a settlement partially overgrown with moss. Warily you leave the jungle, make your way around the fruits, and hurry across the clearing towards a statue which is crouching among the ruins. It is constructed of a smooth, lustrous black mineral and is fashioned in the likeness of some evil beast of prey. It reminds you of a hyena, but one with a massive lower jaw set with a pair of sabre-toothed fangs. Between its forelegs is a flight of rubble-strewn steps leading down to an open door. You detect waves of power emanating from somewhere beyond this darkened doorway, but you are unable to determine just how deep below the ground the source of this energy is located.
As you strike the killing blow that finishes the last of these hideous arachnids, you drag yourself out of the thick mud and collapse on the crest of the river bank. But you allow yourself just a few moments to recover from the fatigue of combat before you are once again back on your feet and on the move.
You cross the clearing to a perimeter of jungle on its far side. Here you force your way through thick foliage until you discover the remnants of a trail which leads you to the edge of a second clearing. This expanse of open ground is devoid of foliage yet it is littered with strange fruits that resemble gigantic grey pineapples. Beyond these curious fruits you can see the ruins of a settlement partially overgrown with moss. Warily you leave the jungle, make your way around the fruits, and hurry towards a gigantic statue which sits crouched among the ruins. It is constructed of a smooth, lustrous black mineral and is fashioned in the likeness of some evil beast of prey. It reminds you of a hyena, but one with a massive lower jaw set with sabre-toothed fangs. Between its forelegs is a flight of rubble-strewn steps leading down to an open door. You detect waves of power emanating from somewhere beyond this darkened doorway, but you are unable to determine just how deep below the ground the source of this energy is located.
You leave all you carry (except for your Crystal Star Pendant and Guildmaster
After fifteen minutes you reach the far side and stumble ashore, cold and bedraggled. However, if you possess the spell of Mend, you may restore 5
After fifteen minutes you reach the far side and stumble ashore, cold and bedraggled. However, if you possess the spell of Mend, you may restore 5
You leave all you carry (except for your Crystal Star Pendant and Guildmaster's Envelope) on this side of the lake, for fear of drowning.
-After fifteen minutes you reach the far side and stumble ashore, cold and bedraggled. However, if you possess the spell of Mend, you may restore 5
After fifteen minutes you reach the far side and stumble ashore, cold and bedraggled. However, if you possess the spell of Mend, you may restore 5