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You are Lone Wolf In Fire on the Water, the King has sent you on a desperate journey to retrieve the only power in Magnamund that can save your people: the Sommerswerd, the sword of the sun. Ahead of you lie terrible dangers Internet Edition published by Project Aon. This edition is intended to reflect the complete text of the original version. Where we have made minor corrections, they will be noted in the Errata.
+
+ You are Lone Wolf In Fire on the Water, the King has sent you on a desperate journey to retrieve the only power in Magnamund that can save your people: the Sommerswerd, the sword of the sun. Ahead of you lie terrible dangers Internet Edition published by Project Aon. This edition is intended to reflect the complete text of the original version. Where we have made minor corrections, they will be noted in the Errata.
+
-
In the northern land of Sommerlund, it has been the custom for many centuries to send the children of the Warrior Lords to the monastery of Kai. There they are taught the skills and disciplines of their noble fathers.
-In olden times, during the Age of the Black Moon, the Darklords waged war on Sommerlund. The conflict was a long and bitter trial of strength that ended in victory for the Sommlending at the great battle of Maakengorge. King Ulnar and the allies of Durenor broke the Darkland armies at the pass of Moytura and forced them back into the bottomless abyss of Maakengorge. Vashna, mightiest of the Darklords, was slain upon the sword of King Ulnar, called Sommerswerd
, the sword of the sun. Since that age, the Darklords have vowed vengeance upon Sommerlund and the House of Ulnar.
You are Lone Wolf, a young Kai initiate who was learning the secret skills of the Kai Lords. Two days ago, your peaceful country was plunged into war when a vast Darklord army suddenly invaded Sommerlund and completely destroyed the Kai Monastery. All the Kai Lords were in attendance for the feast of Fehmarn, and all were killed as the monastery was surrounded and destroyed, the walls collapsing in on the assembled company. You, the only Kai Lord to survive the massacre, vowed then to avenge their deaths. You knew your first task had to be to warn the King, for without the Kai Lords to lead her armies, your country, Sommerlund, would be unable to mobilize in time to drive the Darklords back.
-Your journey to the capital was perilous indeed. The enemy had overrun much of the country and were marching upon Holmgard, the capital itself. But despite the many dangers, you fought your way through to the capital and delivered your warning to the King
After the defeat of Vashna, the Sommerswerd had been bestowed upon the allies of Durenor as a mark of trust and allegiance that exists between the two kingdoms. In return, King Alin of Durenor gave Sommerlund a magnificent golden ring bearing the royal arms of Durenor. This ring is known as the Seal of Hammerdal. At that time, King Alin vowed that if ever the shadow of the west should rise again to threaten Sommerlund, Durenor would come to the aid of her ally.
-The King has given you the Seal of Hammerdal. Your quest is to travel to Durenor to fetch the Sommerswerd back. But meanwhile the enemy have broken through the outer defences to the capital and are preparing to besiege the city wall. As Captain D
Forty days, Lone Wolf. We have strength to stand against them for only forty days.
You keep a record of your adventure on the Action Chart.
-During your training as a Kai Lord you have developed fighting prowess
The first number that you pick from the Random Number Table in this way represents your
The second number that you pick from the Random Number Table represents your powers of
If you are wounded in combat you will lose
If you have successfully completed Book 1 of the Lone Wolf series, you will already have your
Through your experiences in
Over the centuries, the Kai monks have mastered the skills of the warrior. These skills are known as the Kai Disciplines, and they are taught to all Kai Lords. You have learnt only five of the skills listed below. The choice of which five skills these are, is for you to make. As all of the Disciplines may be of use to you at some point on your perilous quest, pick your five with care. The correct use of a Discipline at the right time can save your life.
-When you have chosen your five Disciplines, enter them in the Kai Disciplines section of your Action Chart.
- -This Discipline enables a Kai Lord to blend in with his surroundings. In the countryside, he can hide undetected among trees and rocks and pass close to an enemy without being seen. In a town or city, it enables him to look and sound like a native of that area, and can help him to find shelter or a safe hiding place.
-If you choose this skill, write Camouflage
on your Action Chart.
This skill ensures that a Kai Lord will never starve in the wild. He will always be able to hunt for food for himself except in areas of wasteland and desert. The skill also enables a Kai Lord to be able to move stealthily when stalking his prey.
-If you choose this skill, write Hunting: no need for a Meal when instructed to eat
on your Action Chart.
This skill may warn a Kai Lord of imminent danger. It may also reveal the true purpose of a stranger or strange object encountered in your adventure.
-If you choose this skill, write Sixth Sense
on your Action Chart.
This skill enables a Kai Lord to make the correct choice of a path in the wild, to discover the location of a person or object in a town or city and to read the secrets of footprints or tracks.
-If you choose this skill, write Tracking
on your Action Chart.
This Discipline can be used to restore
If you choose this skill write Healing: +1
on your Action Chart.
Upon entering the Kai Monastery, each initiate is taught to master one type of weapon. If Weaponskill is to be one of your Kai Disciplines, pick a number in the usual way from the Random Number Table, and then find the corresponding weapon from the list below. This is the weapon in which you have skill. When you enter combat carrying this weapon, you add 2 points to your
The fact that you are skilled with a weapon does not mean you set out on the adventure carrying that particular weapon. However, you will have opportunities to acquire weapons in the course of your adventures. You cannot carry more than 2 weapons.
-If you choose this skill, write Weaponskill in
on your Action Chart.
The Darklords and many of the evil creatures in their command have the ability to attack you using their Mindforce. The Kai Discipline of Mindshield prevents you from losing any
If you choose this skill, write Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast
on your Action Chart.
This enables a Kai Lord to attack an enemy using the force of his mind. It can be used at the same time as normal combat weapons and adds two extra points to your
If you choose this skill, write Mindblast: +2
on your Action Chart.
This skill enables a Kai Lord to communicate with some animals and to be able to guess the intentions of others.
-If you choose this skill, write Animal Kinship
on your Action Chart.
Mastery of this Discipline enables a Kai Lord to move small objects with his powers of concentration.
-If you choose this skill, write Mind Over Matter
on your Action Chart.
If you successfully complete the mission as set in Book 2 of Lone Wolf, you may add a further Kai Discipline of your choice to your Action Chart in
Guard Captain DGold Crowns
section of your Action Chart. (If you successfully completed
On a large table in the centre of the armoury, a number of items have been laid out for your choice. You may take any two of the following:
-Sword (Weapons)
+
+
In the northern land of Sommerlund, it has been the custom for many centuries to send the children of the Warrior Lords to the monastery of Kai. There they are taught the skills and disciplines of their noble fathers.
+In olden times, during the Age of the Black Moon, the Darklords waged war on Sommerlund. The conflict was a long and bitter trial of strength that ended in victory for the Sommlending at the great battle of Maakengorge. King Ulnar and the allies of Durenor broke the Darkland armies at the pass of Moytura and forced them back into the bottomless abyss of Maakengorge. Vashna, mightiest of the Darklords, was slain upon the sword of King Ulnar, called Sommerswerd
, the sword of the sun. Since that age, the Darklords have vowed vengeance upon Sommerlund and the House of Ulnar.
You are Lone Wolf, a young Kai initiate who was learning the secret skills of the Kai Lords. Two days ago, your peaceful country was plunged into war when a vast Darklord army suddenly invaded Sommerlund and completely destroyed the Kai Monastery. All the Kai Lords were in attendance for the feast of Fehmarn, and all were killed as the monastery was surrounded and destroyed, the walls collapsing in on the assembled company. You, the only Kai Lord to survive the massacre, vowed then to avenge their deaths. You knew your first task had to be to warn the King, for without the Kai Lords to lead her armies, your country, Sommerlund, would be unable to mobilize in time to drive the Darklords back.
+Your journey to the capital was perilous indeed. The enemy had overrun much of the country and were marching upon Holmgard, the capital itself. But despite the many dangers, you fought your way through to the capital and delivered your warning to the King
After the defeat of Vashna, the Sommerswerd had been bestowed upon the allies of Durenor as a mark of trust and allegiance that exists between the two kingdoms. In return, King Alin of Durenor gave Sommerlund a magnificent golden ring bearing the royal arms of Durenor. This ring is known as the Seal of Hammerdal. At that time, King Alin vowed that if ever the shadow of the west should rise again to threaten Sommerlund, Durenor would come to the aid of her ally.
+The King has given you the Seal of Hammerdal. Your quest is to travel to Durenor to fetch the Sommerswerd back. But meanwhile the enemy have broken through the outer defences to the capital and are preparing to besiege the city wall. As Captain D
Forty days, Lone Wolf. We have strength to stand against them for only forty days.
You keep a record of your adventure on the Action Chart.
+During your training as a Kai Lord you have developed fighting prowess
The first number that you pick from the Random Number Table in this way represents your
The second number that you pick from the Random Number Table represents your powers of
If you are wounded in combat you will lose
If you have successfully completed Book 1 of the Lone Wolf series, you will already have your
Through your experiences in
Over the centuries, the Kai monks have mastered the skills of the warrior. These skills are known as the Kai Disciplines, and they are taught to all Kai Lords. You have learnt only five of the skills listed below. The choice of which five skills these are, is for you to make. As all of the Disciplines may be of use to you at some point on your perilous quest, pick your five with care. The correct use of a Discipline at the right time can save your life.
+When you have chosen your five Disciplines, enter them in the Kai Disciplines section of your Action Chart.
+ +This Discipline enables a Kai Lord to blend in with his surroundings. In the countryside, he can hide undetected among trees and rocks and pass close to an enemy without being seen. In a town or city, it enables him to look and sound like a native of that area, and can help him to find shelter or a safe hiding place.
+If you choose this skill, write Camouflage
on your Action Chart.
This skill ensures that a Kai Lord will never starve in the wild. He will always be able to hunt for food for himself except in areas of wasteland and desert. The skill also enables a Kai Lord to be able to move stealthily when stalking his prey.
+If you choose this skill, write Hunting: no need for a Meal when instructed to eat
on your Action Chart.
This skill may warn a Kai Lord of imminent danger. It may also reveal the true purpose of a stranger or strange object encountered in your adventure.
+If you choose this skill, write Sixth Sense
on your Action Chart.
This skill enables a Kai Lord to make the correct choice of a path in the wild, to discover the location of a person or object in a town or city and to read the secrets of footprints or tracks.
+If you choose this skill, write Tracking
on your Action Chart.
This Discipline can be used to restore
If you choose this skill write Healing:
on your Action Chart.
Upon entering the Kai Monastery, each initiate is taught to master one type of weapon. If Weaponskill is to be one of your Kai Disciplines, pick a number in the usual way from the Random Number Table, and then find the corresponding weapon from the list below. This is the weapon in which you have skill. When you enter combat carrying this weapon, you add 2 points to your
The fact that you are skilled with a weapon does not mean you set out on the adventure carrying that particular weapon. However, you will have opportunities to acquire weapons in the course of your adventures. You cannot carry more than 2 weapons.
+If you choose this skill, write Weaponskill in
on your Action Chart.
The Darklords and many of the evil creatures in their command have the ability to attack you using their Mindforce. The Kai Discipline of Mindshield prevents you from losing any
If you choose this skill, write Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast
on your Action Chart.
This enables a Kai Lord to attack an enemy using the force of his mind. It can be used at the same time as normal combat weapons and adds two extra points to your
If you choose this skill, write Mindblast:
on your Action Chart.
This skill enables a Kai Lord to communicate with some animals and to be able to guess the intentions of others.
+If you choose this skill, write Animal Kinship
on your Action Chart.
Mastery of this Discipline enables a Kai Lord to move small objects with his powers of concentration.
+If you choose this skill, write Mind Over Matter
on your Action Chart.
If you successfully complete the mission as set in Book 2 of Lone Wolf, you may add a further Kai Discipline of your choice to your Action Chart in
Guard Captain DGold Crowns
section of your Action Chart. (If you successfully completed
On a large table in the centre of the armoury, a number of items have been laid out for your choice. You may take any two of the following:
+Sword (Weapons)
+Short Sword (Weapons)
+Short Sword (Weapons)
-Two Meals (Meals)
-Chainmail Waistcoat (Special Items). This adds 4
Mace (Weapons)
-Healing Potion (Backpack Item). This can restore 4
Quarterstaff (Weapons)
-Spear (Weapons)
-Two Meals (Meals)
+Chainmail Waistcoat (Special Items). This adds 4
Mace (Weapons)
+Healing Potion (Backpack Item). This can restore 4
Quarterstaff (Weapons)
+Spear (Weapons)
+Shield (Special Items) This adds 2 points to your
Broadsword (Weapons)
+If you are already carrying Weapons from
List the two items you choose on your Action Chart, under the heading given in brackets, and make a note of any effect it may have on your
Now that you have your equipment, the following list shows you how it is carried. You don
Any item that may be of use and can be picked up on your adventure and entered on your Action Chart is given capital letters in the text. Unless you are told it is a Special Item, carry it in your Backpack.
+ +Weapons aid you in combat. If you have the Kai Discipline of Weaponskill and the correct weapon, it adds 2 points to your
During your travels you will discover various useful items which you may wish to keep. (Remember you can only carry eight items in your Backpack at once.) You may exchange or discard them at any point when you are not involved in combat.
Each Special Item has a particular purpose or effect. You may be told this when the item is discovered, or it may be revealed to you as the adventure progresses.
+Enter on your Action Chart a map that you found in the ashes of the Monastery.
+You begin this section with the Seal of Hammerdal, a ring that you wear on your right hand. Enter it on your Action Chart under Special Items.
+The local currency is the Crown, which is a small gold coin. Gold Crowns can be used on your adventure to pay for transport, food, or even as a bribe! Many of the creatures that you will encounter possess Gold Crowns, or have them hidden in their lairs. Whenever you kill a creature, you may take any Gold Crowns that it has and put them in your Belt Pouch.
You will need to eat regularly during your adventure. If you do not have any food when you are instructed to eat a Meal, you will lose 3
This can restore 4
There will be occasions during your adventure when you have to fight an enemy. The enemy
At the start of a combat, enter Lone Wolf
The sequence for combat is as follows.
+Add any extra points gained through your Kai Disciplines to your current
Subtract the
Example
+Lone Wolf (
He subtracts the Winged Devil
When you have your Combat Ratio, pick a number from the Random Number Table.
Turn to the Combat Results Table. Along the top of the chart are shown the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-reference it with the random number that you have picked (the random numbers appear on the side of the chart). You now have the number of
Example
+The Combat Ratio between Lone Wolf and Winged Devil has been established as
On the Action Chart, mark the changes in
Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, the next round of combat now starts.
Repeat the sequence from Stage 3.
This process of combat continues until the
A summary of Combat Rules appears in the back of this book.
+ +During your adventure you may be given the chance to evade combat. If you have already engaged in a round of combat and decide to evade, calculate the combat for that round in the usual manner. All points lost by the enemy as a result of that round are ignored, and you make your escape. Only Lone Wolf may lose
The following table is a guide to the ranks and titles that are bestowed upon Kai Lords at each stage of their training. As you successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf series, you will gain an additional Kai Discipline and gradually progress towards mastery of the ten basic Kai Disciplines.
+Beyond the ten basic skills of the Kai Master await the secrets of the higher Kai Disciplines or Magnakai
. By acquiring the wisdom of the Magnakai, a Kai Lord can progress towards the ultimate achievement and become a Kai Grand Master.
Your mission will be one of great danger, for the Darklords and their servants are a cruel and fierce enemy who give and expect no mercy. Use the map to help you steer a correct course for the capital. Make notes as you progress through the story, for they will be of great help in future adventures.
+Many things that you find will aid you during the adventure. Some Special Items will be of use in future Lone Wolf adventures and others may be red herrings of no real use at all, so be selective in what you decide to keep.
+There are many routes to Hammerdal, but only one will enable you to retrieve the Sommerswerd and return to Sommerlund with the minimum of danger. A wise choice of Kai Disciplines and a great deal of courage, will enable any player to complete the mission, no matter how weak their initial
The fate of your country hangs on the success of your perilous quest.
+Good luck!
+ +Captain D
This is the quay, my lord. There is your ship, the Green Sceptre.
As he speaks the driver points across the quay to a sleek trade caravel anchored near to the harbour wall.
The first mate
Then the driver bids you farewell and quickly disappears into the teeming crowds.
You reach the inn to find the front doors locked and the window shutters barred. You are trying to decide what to do next when a hand grabs your arm and you are pulled into the darkness.
+You are travelling along a narrow section of coast road which follows a dizzy course beneath high, overhanging cliffs. A rockfall has blocked the road ahead and you must stop to clear it. You are helping the driver to lever a large rock from the path of the carriage, when you hear the sound of falling rocks. A boulder crashes down from the overhanging cliff, killing the driver before you can make any attempt to save him. He was standing less than six feet away from you at the time of his death.
+You enter a small alleyway behind the shop, at the end of which you can see a horse tethered to a post.
+The tavern is full of brigands and drunks, the good-for-nothing crews of trading ships moored at the jetty, all singing and drinking while some try their strength at arm-wrestling. All are so engrossed that nobody notices you enter. In a far corner, you see the fishermen that robbed you. They are seated at a round table covered with empty ale tankards. You know that if you are to reach Durenor in time, you must retrieve the Seal of Hammerdal and your gold.
+The door bursts open and in rushes a Helghast, its black sword raised. You strike the creature as it enters the hold and open a terrible gash in its chest. It lets out a hideous cry but although badly wounded, it leaps forward to attack you. You must fight this creature to the death.
+It is an undead creature. Double all
The boy has spotted you following him. Once outside, he turns and runs south. You give chase but he has soon disappeared into the maze of alleyways and warehouses lining the waterfront.
+You turn east into Oxyoke Way and walk past another entrance to the trading post. A little further on, you notice a sign above the door of a small shop:
+Dorier jumps away from the table and draws his sword. In an instant, his brother Ganon is by his side. You must fight them both as one enemy.
+Due to the surprise of your attack, add 2 points to your
Your sleep is deep indeed
It is early morning on the fifteenth day of your quest when you open your eyes to the breathtaking spectacle of Hammerdal, the mountain city. The capital of Durenor, unlike other cities in the Lastlands, does not need man-made fortifications. The encircling peaks of the Hammerdal Range offer a far more secure protection to the people within.
+The carriage speeds through the lush farmlands surrounding the city with its many towers and wide streets. On a hill in the very centre of Hammerdal stands the King
You pocket the ticket (mark this as a Special Item on your Action Chart) and the man takes you to a coach that is waiting near the east gate of the seaport. It is empty and you take a seat near one of its circular windows. You are relieved to find that the seat is quite comfortable, for the journey to Port Bax will take seven days.
+Stowing your equipment beneath the seat, you settle back in comfort and doze off.
+When you awake, there are five other passengers and the journey to Durenor has already begun.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+Covering yourself with your Kai cloak, you hide inside a large wooden barrel. But it is to no avail, for in less than a minute the trapdoor is thrown open and four angry villagers drop to the stone floor, torches and swords held high in their hands. As you are dragged kicking from the cellar, the screams of the crowd drown your pleas for mercy.
+Captain Kelman unlocks a display case and removes a Samor board. The beautifully carved playing pieces are already in position when he carefully sets it down upon the table.
+Shield (Special Items) This adds 2 points to your
After somewhat reluctantly agreeing to a wager of 10 Gold Crowns, you begin the game.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, you may add 2 to this number.
+Your Kai sense reveals that the left path is the quickest route to Port Bax. You adjust the load of your equipment on your back and set off once more.
+As the contest begins, you use your Kai Discipline to weaken your opponent
His look of suspicion changes to one of surprise. I believed you to be a trickster, Kai Lord. I must confess that I had planned to teach you a lesson you would not have forgotten in a lifetime. Please forgive my doubts but your story sounded so grave that I refused to believe it for fear it be true. I am sworn to the defence of the border and I cannot leave this tower, but I offer you any of my possessions if they may aid you on your quest.
He places the following items on a large oak table and invites you to take your choice:
+As you are about to leave the tower, he points out the direction you should take.
+When you reach the Rymerift, take the track northwards. You will come to a bridge guarded by the King
sunset
. The road beyond the Rymerift leads to Port Bax. Godspeed, Lone Wolf.
You thank the brave warrior and leave. You must abandon your horse at the watchtower, for it would be impossible to pass through the dense trees on horseback.
+You pick up an ale glass and smash it across the edge of the table. The jagged glass is razor-sharp. As you draw it across the back of your left hand, a long cut appears trickling blood. Covering this wound with your right hand, you concentrate and feel the warmth of your power as the wound heals. When you remove your right hand, no trace of the cut or any scar remains. The sailor stares at you in amazement.
+You have pulled yourself halfway through the deck when the door to the hold below bursts open. A Helghast runs shrieking towards you. You cannot escape in time and it badly wounds you in the legs with its black sword. You lose 5
It is an undead creature, so remember to double all
The street ahead is completely blocked by wagons which are being unloaded onto a merchant ship. You follow the street as it turns east into Oxyoke Way. To your left is another entrance to the Ragadorn Trading Post. Beyond that you notice a smaller shop with a sign above the door.
+Broadsword (Weapons)
-Less than twenty yards away, a small search party is marching along the wet cobblestones. You run towards the darkened doorway of a small shop and quickly enter to avoid the mob. With your heart pounding in your chest, you pray that you have not been spotted.
+You follow this rat-infested street as it drops steeply to the wharves and jetties of the River Dorn. From the edge of the waterfront, you see the Ragadorn Bridge. It is the only crossing between the east and west sides of this sleazy port. Pushing your way through the crowds of people on the bridge, you enter a rubbish-strewn thoroughfare known as East Trade Lane.
+The trickster lies dead at your feet. Rolling him over with your foot, you remove several cards from the sleeves of his jacket and throw them on the table. The crowd soon disperses and the tavern is a bustle of noise and activity once more. The other card players retrieve their gold from the table and leave the remainder for you.
+To find out how much has been left on the table, pick a number from the Random Number Table. (In this instance, 0 = 10 instead of zero.) Now multiply this number by 3. The total is the number of Gold Crowns that are on the table. You may also take the Card Sharp
As the body is being dragged outside, you walk to the bar and call for the innkeeper. You press a Gold Crown into his hand and ask for a room for the night.
+In the morning you are awoken by the cry of the deck watchman: Wreckage off the starboard bow!
Quickly dressing, you climb up on deck and join the captain at the rail.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+You chase the furry creature as it hurries along a narrow, twisting passage for nearly ten minutes and are about to give up the chase when the passage opens out into a huge torchlit cavern. A stunning sight greets your eyes. The cavern houses an entire colony of these strange creatures, all busy sorting through and examining a vast pile of strange objects littering the centre of the hall.
+It is the crypt of Killean the Overlord. He had been ruler of Ragadorn, but he and many others in Ragadorn died during an outbreak of Red Death plague three years ago.
+You suddenly recall a journeyman of your monastery called Swift Fox. He told you tales of his many travels to Ragadorn. The Red Death killed over half the population here. It also killed Swift Fox.
+Casting your eye around the crowded tavern, you notice that many of the local villagers are playing various gambling games. Near to the main door, a young rogue has three upturned wooden cups on the table in front of him. He spins them around and challenges anyone to point out the cup that contains a small glass marble. If they guess correctly, he will pay them double the money they have gambled.
+You are staring into the hollow eye sockets of a walking corpse. Twisted and disfigured though he is, you recognize Captain Kelman. You are in fact standing upon the deck of the Green Sceptre which sank during the storm twenty-eight days ago, and which has been raised from its murky grave this very morning to join the death-hulk fleet.
+The dead captain extends a broken hand towards you and a ghastly voice begs you to lay down the Sommerswerd: Put down your sword and my soul will be spared this torment.
You walk for over three hours along the lonely coast road before night begins to fall. You are very tired and you decide to get some sleep and continue at dawn. You remember the tales told by your Kai masters of the Wildlands between Sommerlund and Durenor, where packs of wild dogs roam the wastelands at night.
+With these stories in mind, you decide to spend the night in the safety of a large leafy tree at the edge of the road.
+The cowardly Szalls squeal in terror and run in all directions to avoid your blows. They have soon fled from the clearing and you turn to help the dying man. He is barely alive and far too weak to talk.
+You release the lock and slide back the hatch cover. The sudden draught of air causes flames to billow out of the hold. You stumble backwards, clutching your burnt face. Lose 2
Fire! Fire!
the cry goes up.
In panic the crew fight to put out the flames. It takes over an hour to control the blaze. The damage is considerable
As you stand surveying the wreckage, the captain approaches you, his face blackened by the smoke. He is carrying something in a bundle under his arm. We must talk in private, my lord,
he says quietly.
Without replying, you turn and follow him below to his cabin.
+You land on the rotting timbers and crash straight through to the deck below. You are unharmed by the fall, but the stench of decay that fills your nostrils is overwhelming. You clamber up and unsheathe the Sommerswerd. Four ghastly zombies stagger out of the gloom, their twisted hands extended towards your throat. You must fight them as one enemy.
+They are undead creatures, so remember to double all
If you do not have a Backpack, you may choose to assume here that you are outfitted with one by Rhygar.
+Your first meeting with the Lord-lieutenant comes as something of a shock. You had perhaps half expected him to be a servile old man, as are the envoys of the southern lands that plague your King
Born of a Sommlending father and a Durenese mother, he has become something of a legend in this city. In the last decade, he has led an alliance of the nations to victory against the invading Ice Barbarians of Kalte. Wise in peace, fierce in war, you could not have wished for better company on your quest for the Sommerswerd.
+Rhygar orders that a sumptuous meal be served. It is by far the best food you have tasted since the war began. During the feast, you recall the events that have brought you to Port Bax, and reflect on the daunting challenge that still lies before you. After the meal, Rhygar sends for his physician who attends to your wounds. His potions restore 6
Early next day, you are taken to an enclosed garden at the rear of the consulate where Rhygar and three of his best soldiers await you on horseback. They are to be your bodyguard and guides on the 230 mile ride to Hammerdal. The streets of Port Bax are just beginning to come to life as you ride through the town. Passing under the moss-covered city gate, you now feel confident that your mission will succeed.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+You awake at dawn to the sound of a shrill cockcrow. You can see the crooked streets of Ragadorn through a veil of heavy rain beating down on the cobblestones outside. It has been six days since you left Holmgard and you are still 200 miles from Port Bax.
+You are in the loft of a very large coach station. A group of green-clad men have arrived and have started to clean out one of the coaches. You overhear one of them say that the coach leaves for Port Bax at one o
You are hungry and must eat a Meal here or lose 3
The other travellers stare with horror and disbelief at what you have done. Before you can explain yourself, there is a loud crash as the front door is thrown open. In rush six armoured soldiers led by the innkeeper. They are the town guard, and the one-eyed innkeeper is screaming at them to arrest you.
+As you close the door of your cabin, you hear the frantic shouts of the crew as they prepare to fight off the attackers. Suddenly you hear the dull thud of something hitting the rear deck followed by the shrieks of creatures you know only too well
Stepping over the unconscious soldier, you quickly dash past the tower into the forest. If more guards appear they are likely to attack first and ask questions later.
+You have been walking for over two hours when you come to a fork in the road by a stunted oak tree.
+The food tastes delicious and it is only a matter of minutes before you empty your plate. You decide to take a short nap before meeting the others in the bar room. But as you are about to lie down, a terrible pain grips your stomach. Your legs buckle and you fall trembling to the floor. You feel as if your whole body is on fire. One word repeats itself over and over again in your mind
Inside the coach it is warm and dry. Shaking the rain from your Kai cloak, you notice three other passengers on board: two women and a man who is snoring loudly. One of the women looks up and smiles.
+We should reach Ragadorn in six hours,
she says, placing her basket on the floor so that you can sit beside her. You learn that she lives in Ragadorn and she tells you a little about the port.
Since Killean the Overlord died three years ago, Ragadorn has been ruled by Lachlan, his evil son. He and his mercenaries are nothing but pirates. They bleed the people dry with their heavy taxes, and if anyone complains, they are quietly disposed of. It
During the journey you must eat a Meal or lose 3
Then in the distance you hear a bell tolling. You look out of the window to see the city wall of Ragadorn. The coach passes through the west gate and pulls to a halt. As you jump to the ground, you are greeted by the awful smell of this dingy seaport. A rusty sign nailed to a wall says Welcome to Ragadorn
.
The woman tells you that you can board a coach to Port Bax at the coach station near the east gate of the city.
+You grab the shaft of the Spear and thrust it upwards into the rib cage of the Helghast. It screams in agony and rage, and releases its grip on your throat. You roll away in time to see the hideous creature fall writhing on the ground, desperately trying to pull the spear from its body.
+At dusk the coach stops at an inn on the coast road to Port Bax. The cost of a room for the night is 1 Gold Crown for coach passengers and 3 Gold Crowns for anyone else. As you are about to enter, the coach driver demands to see your ticket.
+The muster of the army and the preparation of the Durenese fleet takes fourteen days to complete, during which time you remain as a guest of the king in Hammerdal. As each day passes, you despair for your besieged countrymen of Holmgard and pray that they have enough strength to resist the Darklords until you return.
+Every day of your reluctant exile you devote long periods to exercise and meditation. You are also visited by a Durenese herbwarden called Madin Rendalim, who is famous throughout the Lastlands for his knowledge and skill in the healing arts. He restores all the
He is also the bearer of some sad news. The body of Lord-lieutenant Rhygar was found in the forest near to the entrance to Tarnalin. He was killed by Helghast.
+You are in luck, for the boat has seen your distress signal and is heading towards you. It is a small fishing boat from the port of Ragadorn. The fishermen are a rough-looking bunch, but they wrap you in a warm blanket and offer you some food. The captain suggests that you sleep, as it will be two or three hours before they arrive back in Ragadorn.
+You sense that someone is on the cliff above and that you were the intended victim of their attack. Someone is trying to kill you!
+You swing the Sommerswerd in a wide arc and hit four of the zombies in one sweep, but no sooner do their corpses drop to the deck than others press forward to take their place. You will never kill them all before they overwhelm you. As they start to tear at your cloak, you are forced to dive overboard into the sea to avoid certain death.
+The venom is in your bloodstream. Your arm feels numb and you are beginning to sweat. The last sound you hear is the gentle lap of the surf and the cries of vultures high above.
+You are galloping along the forest road towards the cloaked riders when you see one of them raise a black staff high above his head. A knot of twisted black steel crowns the tip and it is starting to flow with a vivid blue flame. You are just ready to strike when a searing bolt of energy hurtles from the evil staff and explodes beside you. Thrown sideways by the force of the blast, you tumble into the undergrowth.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+You try hard to remember the significance of the orange door, but without success.
+You must have learned the password (i.e. have read Section 15) during this same adventure (not only during a previous reading) in order to use it.
+The soldiers quickly descend from the roof of the hut and grab their spears. They advance towards you and one of them shouts, Password, stranger!
Pointing at a jug of ale on the bar, you tell the sailor to watch very closely. Closing your eyes, you concentrate on the jug until you can picture it in your mind
For three days and nights, the fleet of Durenor spread canvas and sail swiftly towards the Holmgulf. But although the voyage is fast, each ship in the fleet is cursed by misfortune. Sails tear, ropes mysteriously untie themselves and timbers warp and leak. The men become short-tempered in the cramped quarters, and fighting
Never have I suffered such a wretched journey. No enemy has been sighted nor battle fought, yet half my men are either ill or wounded, and we have lost two of our finest ships. We have been jinxed by an evil moon. How I pray that it would wane, for even if we were to arrive in Holmgard this very night I fear we are too weak to break the siege.
As he speaks, you can see the dawn of the next day breaking. You think it may bring promise of relief, but the calm waters that now surround the fleet contain a far deadlier threat.
+A priest suddenly leans forward and donates another Crown to the plate and the coach is allowed to continue on its way. Perhaps you can return the favour sometime in the future, my son,
he says and returns to his seat before you can reply. But you notice how strange it is that the hood of his robe keeps his face in constant shadow.
You are soon across the swollen river and the journey continues.
+After nearly an hour, the coach stops at the shrine of Kalanane. It is said that this shrine is built upon the grave of King Alin, the first ruler of Durenor, and all around the shrine grow clumps of Laumspur.
+Suddenly from out of the darkness above, there is a blood-chilling cry. You look up to see the glowing red eyes of a Helghast as it charges down the steps straight at you. You scream in terror and frantically search for a weapon.
+You hear whispering among the crew and catch the words ghost-ships
and cursed voyage
, but the whispering stops when the captain
Men, we are three days
The crew seem unhappy at the captain
Later that afternoon, you are invited by both the crew and by the captain to take your evening meal with them.
+As you race through the door, you are knocked off your feet by the force of a spear thrust into your chest. As the moonlight fades, the last thing you see of this world is a circle of screaming villagers as they stab and hack you to death.
+A large man dressed in a leather apron is busily sharpening a fine Broadsword. He is seated at a grindstone that sends a shower of sparks high into the air every time he touches the blade to it. He bids you good evening and offers you the Broadsword.
+If you wish to purchase this Broadsword, mark it on your Action Chart.
+The innkeeper hands you a key. Room 4, second left at the top of the stairs. I expect you out an hour after dawn.
Your room contains nothing more than a bed, a chair, and a small table. You lock the door and prop the chair against it for good measure, before settling down to sleep. You resolve to find some other route to Durenor in the morning.
+With the back of his gloved hand, the guard knocks the gold from your grasp and it drops into the dark waters of the Rymerift. Pick a number from the Random Number Table to determine how much gold you have lost (0 = 10 Gold Crowns).
+We would not sell the security of our land so cheaply,
he says. Only a bandit or a fool would try to bribe a soldier of Durenor, and I fancy that you are both.
Unfortunately, you have insulted their honour and they intend to teach you a harsh lesson.
+Bad luck, Lone Wolf. Your strategy is daring, but I think I have you now.
The captain moves his ornate keystone across the board and you realize that the game is lost. You congratulate him on his mastery of Samor and hand over 10 Gold Crowns.
+Perhaps another game tomorrow evening? Never let it be said that I am not a fair man,
the captain says. Perhaps,
you answer cautiously. You bid the smiling captain goodnight before returning to your cabin.
You spur your horse towards a cloaked Helghast that is about to strike a helpless soldier. This creature is immune to Mindblast and can only be wounded by a magical weapon.
+Halvorc stares in shocked disbelief.
+He is unable to fight back for the first two rounds due to the surprise of your attack. Do not deduct any
Through the pouring rain, you can just make out the dark shape of a city patrol marching towards you. If they should stop you and ask your business in Ragadorn, you could end up in the dungeons of Lachlan the Overlord. Rather than risk being arrested, you retreat along Black Knight Street and quickly turn into Sage Street as the soldiers march past.
+You enter a large room full of ledgers and files. A man wearing the uniform of a Durenese naval officer is seated opposite at a large desk. He peers at you inquisitively from behind a huge book and says, You must have pressing business in the naval quadrant to apply for a red pass at this late hour. I shall need to see your access papers and proof of your commanding officer
You are awoken during the night by the weight of something on your chest. You slowly open your cloak and are horrified to see a sand snake nestling beneath.
+Ahead you can see a passenger wagon similar in design to those that use the coast roads of Ragadorn. The horses have been cut free and it appears to be deserted. You notice the bodies of three soldiers lying beneath it. Their uniforms are heavily bloodstained.
+As you run along Watchtower Street, you hear the curses of the guard fading behind you. You reach Tomb Square, and spot four soldiers marching up Tomb Street towards you. Quickly you head south to avoid them. You have been running along the cobbled street for nearly ten minutes when you spot a large stable and coach station in the gloom ahead. Under cover of the darkness, you enter and spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.
+As you raise the glowing blade, the zombie captain pulls an evil-looking dagger from inside his tattered jacket. You must fight him to the death.
+Be sure to remember to double all
You quickly deduce that the impostor must have escaped by the main entrance to the tavern, and if he is still in the harbour area he must be in or around the main square.
+You search the buildings and alleyways round the square but there is no sign of him at all. Rather than waste more time in a fruitless search, you return to the quayside and untie a small coracle from its mooring. As you row towards the Green Sceptre you begin to feel uneasy that so early in your mission your enemies seem already to have found you.
+The guardI am a soldier of Durenor. Your gold will not help you here.
Unfortunately you have insulted his honour and he intends to teach you a harsh lesson.
+One of the cloaked strangers removes a black staff from beneath his robes and holds it aloft. A blue flame ignites at the twisted iron tip and a searing blast of energy leaps towards you. There is a deafening crack as the bolt is turned away by Rhygar
Give no quarter,
cries the Lord-lieutenant as he attacks the cloaked staff-bearer. His sword slices clean through the robed stranger but he remains unharmed. You suddenly realize why he does not bleed. He and his sinister companions are Helghast, fell captains of the Darklords. They have the ability to adopt human form but are invulnerable to normal weapons. The Helghast lets out a hideous scream that tears at your mind. Blinded by the sudden pain, you trip and fall into the dense undergrowth of the wooded hillside. Unless you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, lose 2
You gasp with pain as the serpent
You slam the door shut and draw the bolt. The shop is dark but you can still make out a staircase to your right, a trapdoor in the centre of the floor and another door in the opposite wall. Suddenly there is a crash as an axe splinters a panel of the door behind you. You have been spotted entering the shop and the mob are breaking down the door.
+The innkeeper takes your Gold Crown and places a foaming tankard of ale on the bar. The ale is strong and fortifying. Restore 1
The climb is very difficult, for you have only one free hand
You eventually reach the rim of the tower and quickly hook a leg over the narrow ledge. You are about to jump into the tower and attack when a thin voice makes you freeze.
+How I shall delight in the irony of your death, Lone Wolf.
The sorcerer is standing in the far corner of the tower, his left hand pointing at your head. Your quest has failed, Lone Wolf. Now you must die!
A blinding flash of orange flame shoots from his hand towards your face.
+Placing your hands upon his chest, you try to seal the open wound. He has lost a lot of blood and although he is sweating heavily, his skin is cold to the touch. His eyes suddenly roll open and he shouts a garbled warning.
+Pirates
The captain is soon unconscious once more. You wrap him in blankets and place a cushion beneath his head, but he has drifted off into a sleep from which he will not awake. Back on deck, the bodies of the dead crew have been gathered together. Captain Kelman approaches you and hands you a vicious-looking black scimitar.
+This is no pirate sword, Lone Wolf. This weapon was forged in the furnaces of Helgedad. It is a Darklord blade.
It is daunting news. If the Darklords have allied the Lakuri pirates to their cause, the voyage to Durenor will be a perilous one. You fling the black sword into the sea and return to the Green Sceptre. As you set sail for the east, you watch as the Durenor merchantman slips beneath the waves.
+You enter a musty office where two men sit hunched over desks bowed beneath the weight of books and papers.
+Good evening, sir,
says one of the men, his long waxed moustache twitching as he speaks. Sir requires a merchant
Before you can reply, the man passes to you a fistful of complicated forms. If sir would care to sign these, I can issue sir
Tearing open his bloodied robes, you are shocked to discover there is no evidence that he was your would-be assassin. All that you find are 2 Gold Crowns and a Dagger. You may take these items if you wish.
+During the period of your Kai training, your masters taught you many of the languages and dialects of northern Magnamund, one of which was Szall. The creatures in this clearing are Szalls and they are screaming at you that the wounded man is not a man at all. They say he is a Helghast, a powerful shape-changing servant of the Darklords.
+You dive backwards, but only just in time to avoid the falling mast as it smashes straight through the deck. You stagger upright and peer into the mass of shattered timbers. Pinned beneath the broken mast is the lifeless body of Captain Kelman.
+As you stare in horror, a loud crack fills the air as the storm breaks open the already damaged hull of the Green Sceptre. As the ship breaks up you are hurled over the side and into the raging sea.
+Gasping for air, you claw your way up to the surface but strike your head on a hatch cover. Lose 1
When you eventually awake, the storm has passed. The only trace of the Green Sceptre is the hatch cover on which you lie. By the position of the sun you suppose it to be late afternoon. In the distance, you can see a small fishing boat and beyond it, the coastline stretches out along the horizon.
+The Sommerswerd is a weapon-like Special Item. The
The power coursing through your body so overwhelms your senses that you become oblivious to your surroundings. You instinctively raise the blade above your head where a shaft of sunlight suddenly catches upon its very tip and floods the chamber with a blinding white glow. At that moment the true power of the Sommerswerd is revealed to you.
+This weapon was forged long before the Sommlending, the Durenese, or the Darklords dwelt in the Lastlands. Its makers were of a race that men would now call gods. To release the power that it contains, only a Kai Lord may wield it. Should it be used in combat by anyone who is not a Kai Lord, its power will fade and be lost forever.
+When used in combat, the Sommerswerd will add 8 points to your
You now realize you hold the only power in Magnamund that can save your people. Slowly the light starts to fade and you become aware of Lord Axim
Come, Lone Wolf, there is much to prepare for your return to Sommerlund.
You sheathe the Sommerswerd in its jewelled scabbard and follow Lord Axim as he leaves the King
Make the necessary adjustments to your
The knight sheathes his broadsword and ushers you inside the tower. You follow him to a large room at the top of a flight of stone steps, where a log fire blazes warmly.
+If you are who you claim to be, you must be in possession of the Seal of Hammerdal. Show it to me,
he orders.
You awake the following morning to the cries of the lookout from high in the crow
Longboat adrift off the port stern!
You climb up on the deck and meet the captain, bracing yourself against the fresh breeze. Less than fifty yards off the port stern, a damaged longboat bobs up and down in the heavy sea. On board are three men huddled together against the wind.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+When you are certain that the angry mob has passed, you jump from the hay-wain and run stealthily along the street, dodging from one shadow to the next. To your left there is a shop with a sign above the door.
+There is a light in the window and the door is open.
+At the end of Barnacle Street there is a junction. It is now very dark and you will have to find shelter soon.
+Just inside the main door sits a kindly old man with a long beard. He is studying a huge leather-bound book that rests on a lectern before him. He has not noticed you enter the city hall.
+Viveka kicks over the table. Her reactions are lightning-fast and you have not gained the advantage of surprise over her. She draws her short sword and attacks you.
+There are many ships of all sizes and nationalities moored on this side of the harbour. The River Dorn, which divides the city of Ragadorn, is always busy.
+You are about to give up your search, when you spot the thieves
You take the Mace and Crowns and return to Stonepost Square.
+As you raise your weapon and strike at the knight, you realize too late that you have made a dreadful mistake, for he is a champion swordsman and the soldiers are from the
Although night has fallen, a full moon casts a bright light upon the village. Behind the tavern, you see a small wheelwright
As you jump, you are spotted by the driver. He quickly stops the coach and turns to confront you, a sword already in his hand.
+Two Szalls and three angry villagers are running up the stairs to attack you. You must fight them one at a time.
+The boy is thrown out of the trading post by two black-clad guards. The merchant thanks you and offers you the choice of any two items of his cargo. (Remember that you must take the Backpack in order to carry any of the Backpack Items.)
+Choose any two of the above items and record them on your Action Chart. After thanking the merchant, you leave by a side door.
+The hideous creature lets out one last cry as it collapses at your feet. As you step back to avoid the putrid smell of its rotting corpse, you see three more Helghast advancing towards you. To remain here would be suicide. You shout a warning to Rhygar as you turn and flee for the safety of the woods.
+Deduct however many Crowns you wish to give to the beggars from your Action Chart. They thank you, but many other beggars have appeared and demand that you give them money as well. You eventually push through the crowd and continue on your way.
+You urge the captain to investigate the vessel, but he ignores your plea and orders the crew to continue with their duties. As the trading ship disappears from view, you stare at it and wonder why the captain was so reluctant to do anything.
+You descend below deck and take care to lock the door of your cabin behind you.
+You spur your horse through the tangle of trees until you enter a small clearing. Six Szalls are jumping excitedly around the writhing body of a man on the ground. A strangely carved spear is stuck in his chest, and lying dead beside him is the body of a Knight of the White Mountain. The creatures are shrieking at each other and appear to be unconcerned with the man
Your Kai sense warns you that this place harbours evil. You are standing directly outside the orange door when something strikes you.
+You have noticed during your rigorous training exercises with the Sommerswerd that your Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense has become more sensitive than ever before: you knew exactly what Madin Rendalim
Your Kai sense reveals that there are no tracks in this part of the Durenor Forest, but it does tell you the correct direction to Port Bax. However, the forest that lies before you is so dense that you will have to abandon your horse at the watchtower before you can continue.
+The following morning you are woken by the cry of the ship
Ship ahoy off the port bow!
You clamber up a narrow ladder and join the captain at the stern. Your eyes are younger than mine, see what you can make of her, my lord,
he says, and hands you an ornate telescope.
You can make out the red sails and black flag of a Lakuri pirate warship on the horizon.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+A veil of sea fog has rolled across the still ocean from the broken spine of land known as the Kirlundin Isles. Strange dark shapes hide within this mist. They are growing larger, and slowly the distinct outlines of ships become plain.
+Prepare for battle!
The admiral
All hands on deck!
As the black ships approach through the fog, a horrific sight befalls you. They are death-hulks, sunken ships crewed by the living corpses of drowned sailors. They have been summoned to the surface by great wizardry, and they are closing for battle. Suddenly the fog vanishes, and you can now see that the death-hulks bar the entrance to the Holmgulf. In the centre of the line is their sinister flagship. Swiftly it sails towards you, a huge ram protruding from its black prow. As it rips its way through the hull of the Durenor, you hear the admiral
Abandon ship!
You are now in the thick of the enemy fleet and the Durenor is sinking fast.
+As you burst into his cabin, the captain looks up in surprise from his chart table. Fire in the hold,
you gasp, breathless from your run.
In an instant, the captain is through the door and ordering the crew to fill buckets with water and gather blankets to smother the fire. By the time you reach the forward hold, the smoke is dense. Suddenly the ship is thrown into a frenzy as flames erupt from the hatch cover. It takes over an hour to contain the blaze and the damage is great. The entire store of food and fresh water was in that hold, and the hull has been badly weakened.
+The captain climbs out of the smoking hold and approaches you, his face black with soot. He is carrying something in a bundle under his arm. We must talk in private, my lord,
he says quietly. Without replying, you turn and follow him to his cabin.
Tarnalin is a wonder to behold. Over a hundred feet in height and width, the tunnel runs to the capital on the far side of the Hammerdal Range. Usually it is alive with the traffic of wagons and people to and from Port Bax. But as you enter, you find it deserted except for an overturned fruit cart. The road that disappears into the torchlit tunnel is empty and quiet.
+As you walk along the paved road, you get an uneasy feeling that perhaps the Helghast have arrived at Tarnalin before you. You have been walking for nearly an hour when the tunnel splits in two.
+This Meal of Laumspur may be consumed when instructed to eat a Meal in which case it fulfils the Meal requirement in addition to restoring 3
Laumspur is a delicious herb, much sought after in the Lastlands for its healing properties. You have picked enough for one Meal. Eating this meal will restore 3
The fishermen stare at you with open mouths as if they have just seen a corpse return from the dead. Suddenly one of them kicks over the table and they make their escape through the back door of the tavern. In one bound, you leap over the table and pursue them out of the tavern, into the darkness beyond.
+Unfortunately for you, the rope has been nearly cut in two by a sword blow, and it is likely to snap under your weight.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table to see if the rope and your luck holds.
+The carved spear is made of metal, yet it feels as light as if it were made of wood. You notice the shaft is covered in runes and magic emblems. As you carefully pull it from the man
You are amazed to see the man jump to his feet, and then horrified to see the dreadful change that comes over him. The skin of his face appears to writhe and change colour, growing darker and shrinking as it decays on his skull. His eyes burn with a bright red glow and long fangs protrude from his bottom jaw. You choke with fear as you realize it is a Helghast, a nightmarish agent of the Darklords. It is attacking you with its powerful Mindforce. If you do not have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, you will lose 2
You cannot evade this creature and you must fight it to the death.
+If you win the combat, you can keep the Spear. Mark it on your Action Chart under the Special Items section as a Magic Spear.
The captain orders his crew to go alongside. As they board the trader, you are shocked by the sight that awaits you. Dead sailors cover the deck, many pierced by arrows. It seems they must have put up a desperate fight to defend their cargo, but not a trace of it remains in any of the ship
One of the wheels jams in a deep rut and three of the large wooden spokes are shattered. You are forced to stop and replace the wheel before you can continue to Port Bax. You volunteer to help the driver by levering the coach axle with a small tree trunk, so that the spare wheel can be slid into position.
+You are pushing down on the stout branch with all your strength, when the horses suddenly rear up and race forward. The trunk springs back and catches you square in the face, knocking you backwards to the ground. You are stunned and you lose 2 No accident
Blinking the foul water from your eyes, you can see that the flagship of the death-hulk fleet is now ablaze. Black smoke is pouring from the decks, and tongues of orange and yellow flame flicker from its rotten black hull.
+Suddenly, you are aware of the beating of wings directly above you. You are shocked to see a Kraan hovering above, trying to grab at you with its sharp claws. Its hooked talons catch your cloak and suddenly you are snatched up into the air. But it is to be a short flight. You draw the Sommerswerd and sink it into the soft belly of the creature. With a shriek of agony, it releases its grip and you fall. You pray that luck will be on your side and that you will land safely.
+The guard does not believe you, and he attacks you with his sword.
+If you do not have a weapon, deduct 4 points from your
The guards reluctantly lower their weapons and allow you to cross the bridge. As you slip past, they stare at you and whisper to each other. Once you are safely across the Rymerift, you quickly hurry on your way in case they change their minds and arrest you. After nearly an hour of walking along the forest road, you arrive at a junction where a signpost points to the east.
+You smile and set off eastwards. You should be there in just under an hour.
+You suddenly remember what he said about the shop with the orange door. It is the headquarters of the Silent Brotherhood, Lachlan
You quickly turn away from the orange door and hurry northwards.
+It is likely that the information provided here is a combination of the information given to you previously by Banedon and the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, both of which you must have in order to receive the Crystal Star Pendant.
+He is Vonotar the Traitor, renegade wizard from the Magicians
You have walked for over three hours along this lonely coast road when night starts to fall. The land is flat and barren, and you have seen no sign of life here at all. You finally decide to rest beneath the branches of a large tree standing close to the highway. Making a pillow of your backpack, you pull your warm Kai cloak around yourself and drift off into a deep sleep.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+The area around the watchtower door has been cleared of foliage, and the ground is well-trodden. You are looking for a lock or keyhole in the iron-clad door when it suddenly opens. Standing before you is a Knight of the White Mountain, a broadsword held in front of his face.
+State your purpose and mark your words well. My steel will be my answer if you lie!
Neither Discipline literally gives you the ability to see through clay.
+Using your Kai Discipline, you can tell which cup hides the marble, for to you, the clay is as transparent as glass itself.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table and add 5 to it. This equals the number of Gold Crowns that you win before the rogue suspects something is wrong and ends the game.
+With gold in your purse once more, you return to the bar and hand over 1 Gold Crown for a room.
+It is a large passenger wagon similar to those used by highway travellers of Sommerlund. The driver pulls the horses to a halt and stares at you from under the wide brim of his hat. You ask where he
We
You bid Rhygar farewell and enter Tarnalin. Over a hundred feet in height and width, the tunnel runs to the capital on the far side of the Hammerdal Range, and is lit by torches for its entire length. The highway through the mountain is usually alive with the traffic of merchants to and from Port Bax, yet now the entrance and interior are deserted except for an overturned fruit wagon. As you walk deeper into Tarnalin, a doubt nags at you. Have the Helghast arrived here first?
+You have been walking for half an hour when you see a strange creature on top of a wagon in the road ahead. It is two feet high and resembles an overgrown marsh rat. You assume it is some sort of tunnel dwelling rodent until you notice that it is wearing a splendid jacket of patched leather and carrying what appears to be a spear. As you get nearer, it suddenly turns to face you. Its whiskered nose is sniffing the air and its bright black eyes are peering into the gloom. It sees you and scampers off into the darkness of a smaller tunnel to your left.
+Shattered beams, pieces of planking and torn sails litter the white-flecked waves. It is all that remains of a merchant ship. But then suddenly you notice a body clinging to a broken hatch cover. A rope ladder is quickly lowered and the poor man is brought aboard.
+Pirates!
is all he says before collapsing to the deck. The man is wrapped in a large blanket and taken below. He has suffered many wounds and is close to death.
This crime bears the mark of the Lakuri pirates,
the captain confides in you, but it is unusual to run across them in these waters. They must be in search of a rich cargo to sail so far from their tropical islands.
As the ship resumes its course for Durenor, you cannot help but wonder if that rich cargo
is you.
Luck is with you, for you land safely on the deck of the Kalkarm, a Durenese warship. The soldiers here have been involved in a desperate battle but have fought off the enemy and are cutting the grappling ropes that hold the ship to a death-hulk. From out of the smoke strides Lord Axim, his face bloodied and his shield badly scarred.
+Thank the gods you are alive, Lone Wolf. The fight has been bitter and our losses are high, but I am heartened indeed to see you standing before me now,
he says and leads you to the shipLook yonder, their flagship is ablaze.
Through the fog of war you can see that the huge death-hulk is slowly sinking beneath a plume of dense black smoke. The Kalkarm is eventually freed and slowly it manoeuvres out of the tangle of wreckage. A wind begins to stir, filling its tattered sails and carrying away the smoke of battle. Lord Axim orders the Royal Arms of Durenor to be hoist aloft so that other ships can rally to the Kalkarm. For the first time since the battle began, you can now see the other Durenese ships. It is an amazing sight for as the enemy flagship sinks beneath the waves, so every death-hulk on the horizon returns to its watery grave.
+Their sorcery is broken. We have won this battle,
says Lord Axim. And within a few minutes, not one of the death-hulks remains afloat.
As you run along Lookout Street, you quickly reach the waterfront where the River Dorn separates the east and west sides of the city. To your left is the Ragadorn Bridge, an ugly construction of rusted iron that provides the only connection between the two halves of Ragadorn. With the shouts of the street thieves echoing in your ears, you push your way through the people crowding the bridge. By the time you have got across, the street thieves have given up the chase, and you enter a rubbish-strewn thoroughfare known as East Trade Lane.
+This street follows the city wall northwards. On your right you notice a shop with a bright orange door. Unlike all of the other shops in this street, it bears no sign above it. You suddenly remember the tales of a Kai Lord who returned from a visit to Ragadorn about a year ago. He mentioned this orange door in one of his many stories.
+If not, pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+A strange power is coursing through your body. Instinctively you raise the blade above your head and a shaft of sunlight suddenly catches the edge of the sword and floods the King
But almost immediately the light starts to fade and you are aware of Lord AximCome, Lone Wolf. There is much to prepare for your return to Sommerlund.
You sheathe the Sommerswerd in its jewelled scabbard and follow Lord Axim as he turns and leaves the King
You quickly search her body but find no evidence that she was your would-be assassin. You discover 42 Gold Crowns, a Short Sword, and a Dagger. Take any of these items if you wish, and mark them on your Action Chart.
+You quickly dash through the side door of the tavern and run the length of the alleyway towards the main square. Through the crowds of people you can see many boats and coracles tied up to the quayside. The thugs are close behind and you must act quickly.
+Untying one of the small boats, you jump from the harbour wall and land with a crash, splintering the wooden seat. It has one paddle which you use to make your way towards the Green Sceptre, anchored three hundred yards across the water.
+The man pulls a hidden bell-rope, and suddenly four armed guards burst into the room.
+These documents are forgeries. No doubt you are a spy, or worse perhaps? No matter, you
Before you can explain, you are seized by both arms and marched away to the city gaol. All your equipment is confiscated, including all Special Items and Weapons, and you are thrown into a cell full of evil-looking villains. You notice that several of these ruffians bear the strange tattoo of a serpent on their left wrists: the sign of Vonotar the Traitor. By the time the guards have examined your possessions and realized your true identity, you have been strangled to death by the wizard
You awake at dawn to the sound of heavy rain falling on the cobbled streets outside.
+It has been six days since you left Holmgard, and you must eat a Meal here or lose 3
A golden glow runs the length of the Sommerswerd as you raise it high above your head, ready to face your enemy. You are confronted by six grisly zombies and you must fight them as one enemy.
+They are undead creatures, so remember to double all
You pass several narrow warehouses lining the waterfront, and reach the harbour wall. Here the road bears sharply to the right into Tomb Street.
+Marching along the centre of this street are four heavily armed city guards. Rather than be stopped and possibly arrested by these soldiers, you dodge into an alleyway off to your right. The guards suddenly halt opposite the alley entrance. If one of them should turn his head, you will be spotted for sure. Behind you is a small window, leading into a crowded tavern.
+Without a second
The priest approaches you and says, You need to rest, as we all do. I understand your problem my friend. Please allow me to practice what I humbly preach,
and with these words he leads you to the bar and places a Gold Crown into the hand of the innkeeper. A room for my friend,
he says and smiles.
You ask them what they want of you. In answer, they simultaneously produce long, curved daggers from inside their jackets. Their leader steps forward and demands your gold. As you hesitate, he shouts, Take
and all three attack you.
Deduct 4 points from your
You crash to the muddy street in a shower of broken glass. You are winded by the fall, but otherwise unharmed. An angry villager armed with a cudgel tries to smash your skull, but you roll aside, jump to your feet and sprint away down the twisting street before he has struck his blow. Then an ugly Szall on horseback charges towards you with a raised spear. He is about to stab you when you sidestep and grab the weapon, pulling it and the Szall from the saddle.
+If you wish to keep the Spear, remember to mark it on your Action Chart.
+Looking directly into the sailor
Suddenly from out of the darkness there is a blood-chilling cry. You find yourself staring into the glowing eyes of a Helghast. As it tries to close its fingers around your throat, you scream in terror and fall to the ground. The hideous creature tears at your tunic, rending the cloth with its black claws.
+The knight points to the woods behind you and says in a gruff voice, There is your shelter.
Before you can reply, he has stepped back into the tower and bolted the heavy door. The forest here is very dense and the undergrowth is a tangle of weeds and briars. It will prove impossible to enter the wood on horseback, so you must abandon your mount before continuing on foot.
+The fare to Port Bax is 20 Gold Crowns,
says the coachman in a gruff Ragadornian accent.
You reach a junction where Beggar Lane turns south into Black Knight Street. A few yards along there is another lane called Anchor Street, which heads off towards the east. The rain has become much heavier now.
+You have been walking for nearly two hours when you reach the peak of a hill and see the Durenor Forest stretched out before you. The road bears eastwards and enters the trees at a point where a large wooden tower has been built. You can see the silhouette of a soldier on guard.
+The training that you received in the art of Hunting has taught you to recognize most of the poisonous and non-poisonous fruits to be found in northern Magnamund. These purple fruits are larnuma, a sweet and nutritious food. You quickly eat your fill and then store enough of them in your Backpack for 2 Meals.
+Beyond the larnuma trees, you notice a wide coast road that disappears towards the east and the west.
+Both guards stare at the Seal in awe. The legend of the Seal of Hammerdal is well known to all the people of Durenor. It is said that of all the lost treasures of Durenor, the Seal of Hammerdal is the one they would not wish returned. The anxious faces of the two guards show they clearly realize its significance.
+One of the guards escorts you across the Rymerift and along a forest road that eventually ends at a junction. A signpost points to the east.
+I must leave you now and return to the Rymerift. I fear that war will soon cast its black shadow upon this land and I shall be needed at the border. Godspeed to you Sommlending, godspeed.
You watch for a few minutes as the soldier returns along the forest track before you set off eastwards. You should arrive in Port Bax within the hour.
+As the mast smashes into the deck, a splintered beam hits your head and you are knocked overboard. Gasping for air, you fight your way to the surface and catch hold of a hatch cover. You are half-stunned. You lose 2
You pull yourself onto this makeshift raft and cling to it with all your strength. If you are wearing a Chainmail Waistcoat, you must discard it now or otherwise you will be drowned for sure.
+You feel dizzy and sick. As the heaving sea buffets you relentlessly, you gradually slip into unconsciousness. When you awake many hours later, the storm has passed. By the position of the sun, you judge it to be late afternoon. In the distance you can see a small fishing boat and beyond it, on the horizon, land. The only trace of the Green Sceptre is the hatch cover on which you now sit.
+The man takes your money and hands you a White Pass that is valid for the next seven days. (Mark the White Pass on your Action Chart as a Special Item.) You thank him and leave the building. Outside you turn left and walk towards the guards at the end of the street.
+You head south and follow the quayside until you come to a junction where the street heads off towards the east. Most of the shops in this street are still closed except for one to your right. There is a sign above the door.
+A large Noodnic, wearing a brightly coloured cloak of patchwork silks, orders several of his people to arm themselves and drive you out of the hall. When you speak to them in their own language, a hush of astonishment fills the cavern. Never before have they encountered a human being who could actually speak their tongue. For some of them it is too much to grasp, and they stare at you open-mouthed, their furry little arms hanging loosely by their sides.
+Then the large Noodnic addresses you, saying he is the leader of this colony. His name is Gashgiss and he welcomes you and invites you to join him on top of a raised platform in the centre of the chamber.
+Yooze notta Dureneeze man-man, eh? Whereza yooze come za from, eh?
questions Gashgiss, in his strange Noodnic accent.
You tell him that you are a Sommlending on your way to Hammerdal. He looks at you nervously, and then asks, Yooze notta Blackscreamerz, eh?
You realize that the Blackscreamerz
that Gashgiss refers to are Helghast. You learn that two of them arrived in Tarnalin over two hours ago, and caused quite a panic in the main tunnel. Gashgiss knows where they are lying in ambush, waiting for you to appear.
Iza show yooze z
he offers. You nod your agreement and follow him down the steps of the platform, to the hall below.
The Noodnics seem to have overcome their shock and react to you now as if you were one of them. Before you leave, a pretty female Noodnic offers you some food for your journey ahead. There is enough for two Meals. You thank her for her generosity and then follow Gashgiss along one of the many passages leading out of the cavern. After an hour of trekking through the dark, he stops and points towards a shaft of light that is pouring through a crevice in the far distance. Yooze goez left, yooze be zafe,
he says.
You thank Gashgiss for his help and silently thank your Kai masters who taught you the skill of Animal Kinship. The many years of instruction have probably saved your life. You squeeze through a fissure in the rock wall and drop three feet to the pathway below. You are thinking how kind the Noodnics were when you discover that they have stolen all your gold! You will have to mark this on your Action Chart.
+You are becoming weaker and weaker. After what seems an eternity of painful struggle you find the Laumspur and force yourself to swallow the dry leaves. Within seconds you are violently sick, after which you drift off into a restless sleep.
+It is nearly an hour before you awake and you still feel dreadfully ill. Deduct 5
As you slowly regain your strength, the shock of what has happened soon turns to anger. You grab your equipment and stagger out of the room, intent on confronting your would-be assassin.
+You were right. The cloud is made of huge Zlanbeast and many Kraan, a smaller species but one that is just as deadly. Hanging below their black bellies are nets full of Giaks. As the Zlanbeast descend on the Green Sceptre, a net of shrieking Giaks crashes onto the deck behind you. Some are crushed in the fall, but many more have survived and waste no time attacking you. You must fight them as one enemy.
+Your senses reveal that the path is a dead end. The only way that you can cross the Rymerift and reach Port Bax is via the bridge.
+You wrap yourself in your Kai cloak and raise the hood. The driver shouts and whips the horses and soon you are on your way along the tree-lined coast road to Ragadorn. During the journey, you talk to the driver and learn some useful things about the seaport of Ragadorn.
+Ever since Killean the Overlord died three years ago, Ragadorn has been ruled (or misruled according to the driver) by his son, Lachlan. It seems that he and his men are nothing more than pirates. They tax the people heavily, and murder all who oppose them.
+You are hungry and during the coach ride, you must eat a Meal or lose 3
At last, in the distance, you can just make out the city wall of Ragadorn. A bell is tolling
If you want to get to Durenor, you can catch a coach from the stable at the east gate. Best hurry mind, it leaves at one o
the driver tells you.
You thank the driver for the advice and jump to the cobblestones below. For the first time, you suddenly notice the awful stench of this dirty seaport. A rusty sign nailed to a rot-infested house says Welcome to Ragadorn
.
You can sense that this guard is a loyal Durenese soldier. If you were to attempt to bribe him, he would be likely to consider it a grave insult and attack you.
+You spur the horse along the twisting village street across a wooden bridge and up a steep path towards the crest of the cove. In the light of the moon, you catch a glimpse of a signpost pointing eastwards.
+You ride all night without sleep. As the dawn breaks, you are greeted by a startling change of landscape. The barren Wildlands have given way to moors and waterlogged fens. And a dark shadow runs the length of the eastern horizon for as far as the eye can see. This is the Durenor Forest, the natural frontier of the mountain kingdom where it borders the untamed Wildlands. It is indeed a welcome sight.
+You are no more than a day
After an hour
Using your skill to mimic the gruff Ragadornian accent, you bluff the guard, saying that there is a fight in Tomb Square. You say that the city watch have been overpowered, and that he is needed at once.
+To see if your bluff has been successful, pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+It is early in the morning of the thirty-third day of your quest, when you ride into Port Bax with Lord Axim at your side.
+The preparations for war have been completed. The galleons of the Durenese war fleet lie at anchor in the harbour, impatiently awaiting the order to set sail for Sommerlund. On board each ship are many brave soldiers from the mountain kingdom, a tough army of skilled warriors, eager to face the Darklords in battle. Each man has sworn to avenge their besieged allies, or die in the attempt.
+You are to sail back to Holmgard aboard the flagship Durenor, a warship whose great curving prow and tall masts emphasize its sheer power and strength. You and Lord Axim are taken aboard and welcomed by Admiral Calfen, commander of the fleet, and then the fleet prepares to set sail.
+In less than an hour, the harbour lies far behind you. The domes of Port Bax are now merely dots on the horizon.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+You forget about the rogue with his cup and marble game and instead watch a card game in progress near the tavern stairs. You notice that one of the players is cheating.
+The crew
After supper, they invite you to play Portholes
with them, and wager a little gold on the fall of the dice.
After travelling a mile along the left track, you arrive at a long stone bridge. At first glance, the river that it crosses seems to be swollen and in danger of flooding the banks. Then you realize that this is the Rymerift. The waters of the Rymerift are two miles across at the widest point and over a mile deep for most of its length. Here, the land has slipped away and a natural gap has appeared separating Durenor from the rest of Magnamund.
+There is a signpost at the entrance to the stone bridge.
+You breathe a sigh of relief, for you are on the correct path and should be in the city within the hour.
+The driver becomes very angry and shouts, There
as he slams the door in your face. You cannot afford to buy a room for the night, so you decide to bed down with the horses in the stable next door.
The guard is furious and charges down the stairs at you, his sword raised above his head. If you do not have a weapon, remember to deduct 4 points from your
The priest does not seem to be surprised by your attack, and he draws a black sword from beneath his robes.
+You eventually come to a halt at the base of a huge fir tree. You try to stand, but the pain in your legs and side is so great that you collapse and lose consciousness. It is a sleep that will spare you the pain of the Helghast blades, but it is also a sleep from which there is no awakening.
+Forgive me, my lord, I did not mean to startle you.
The man seems nervous, and the open hand that is extended towards you is shaking quite visibly.
With some caution you accept the gesture of friendship, and sit with the man at a tavern table. The place is deserted save for a couple of mice gnawing at a large chunk of cheese.
+Captain Kelman has instructed me to take you to the Green Sceptre, but only if I am sure that you are the Kai Lord they call Lone Wolf. Can you prove your identity?
You decide you must show your mastery of one of your Kai Disciplines.
The shop appears to be empty. You wait and look at the merchandise for nearly five minutes, but still no one appears. You are about to leave when you notice a map hanging inside the door. It is a plan of the Port of Ragadorn. The Ragadorn stables and coach station is clearly marked near the east gate of the city. This is where land transport can be found to take you to Port Bax. You memorize the map route to the east gate and leave the shop. You run back to Axe Lane and turn east into Sage Street. At the end of this winding lane you arrive at the Ragadorn Bridge, the only connection between the east and west sides of the city. You push your way across the crowded bridge and run along the cobblestones of East Trade Lane.
+He bellows his battle-cry and lunges at your head.
+We
says the captain.
He is proved right, for the pirate ship soon disappears over the horizon. Twenty-five years at sea and I
he says, stroking his beard thoughtfully. They must be after a valuable cargo to sail so far from their tropical islands.
As the captain descends below deck to his cabin, you get an uneasy feeling that the valuable cargo may be you.
+You have walked for nearly a mile along this deserted tunnel when you see a flight of steps cut into the rock-face to your left. They lead to a platform which runs the length of the tunnel ceiling. It is used to service the torches.
+Placing the gold in your pouch, you remove the Seal and hand it to her. She snatches it and examines it closely. As you leave the shop, you hear her sniggering quietly to herself, and you wonder if you have done the right thing.
+You make your way up a flight of stairs and onto the crowded deck. Fierce battle rages all around you as the Durenese fleet is engulfed by the rush of ghostly death-hulks. Suddenly a flash of searing flame shoots from a tower at the rear of the death-hulk you are on, and explodes into the side of a Durenese warship less than fifty yards away. You watch with horror as soldiers leap from the deck, their clothes and hair in flames.
+You play a daring strategy, Lone Wolf. But I think I have you now.
Captain Kelman moves his ornate keystone across to your side of the board with a triumphant smile. But it soon fades to a look of shock as you unexpectedly counter his move. Stalemate,
you reply coolly. The captain stares at the board in disbelief.
The skills of the Kai never cease to amaze me,
he says, slowly scratching his head. He is still staring at the Samor board when you finally bid him goodnight and return to your cabin.
Slowly, one by one, the other travellers appear and stare in shock at the dead coachman. We must bury him,
says the priest.
You silently nod your agreement and prepare a grave in which to lay the corpse. As you all walk back to the coach, you discuss what should be done.
+I know the road to Port Bax. I had better drive the coach,
volunteers Halvorc.
I do hope we
says the priest nervously.
It was an act of the gods,
says Dorier.
I shall testify to that,
says Ganon. Lies are never spoken by Knights of the White Mountain.
It is true that in Durenor, a true knight will speak only the truth whether for his own good or ill. His words seem to reassure the priest and you are all soon once more on the road heading towards the eastern horizon. It is late in the afternoon when you arrive at a coach station in a small coastal village known as Gorn Cove, which is mainly populated by outcasts, thieves, and Szalls.
+The death of the coachman is met by the villagers with great suspicion, but Dorier
There is only one inn at the village, a tavern known as the Forlorn Hope. Its state of disrepair is typical of all the other hovels in this poor sea village. A room for the night costs 1 Gold Crown.
+You leave the gaming-house and walk dejectedly back towards the coach station. In the distance you can see the east gate of the city. Waiting below it is the coach to Durenor. You must get to Port Bax
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+The guard looks at your white card and sneers, This is a merchant
He flicks the card back at you and returns to his post at the gate.
Behind the trees you notice a wide coast road running from east to west.
+Your Kai sense warns you that there is something evil hiding in the darkness of the platform.
+You enter a magnificent emporium in which are displayed some of the finest goods of northern Magnamund. Even at this late hour, the trading post is busy, as captains and rich merchants haggle over the sale or exchange of their cargoes. The owner of the trading post appears to be a young warrior, who presides over the auction of goods from an ornate chair held up by four massive chains. His men are all dressed in black armour, and on their shields they bear the emblem of a black ship on a red crest.
+Then, by chance, you notice a small boy steal a money pouch from the belt of a merchant, and slip it into his boot.
+The knight steps towards you and says, I
With a flick of his broadsword, he unhorses you and heavily you fall to the ground. Instinctively, you draw your weapon in self-defence as the knight attacks you.
+It seems our bird has flown,
says the captain, pointing to a longboat moving swiftly towards another ship on the horizon. She flies no flag, and her hull is of a strange shape. I
You watch as the longboat reaches the mysterious ship. As if by magic a sea fog appears from nowhere and engulfs the vessel. Moments later, both the ship and the fog have disappeared.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+For three days and nights, you have ridden along the highway as it follows its route up the river valley of the Durenon. In the distance are the peaks of the Hammerdal Mountains, one of the highest ranges in all Magnamund. The capital lies at the very centre of those mountains.
+It is now the morning of the fourteenth day of your quest. You have made camp near a waterfall where the fast-flowing Durenon drops over 120 feet. You are about to leave, when a group of six hooded riders appears on the forest highway above, blocking your exit from the camp.
+Lord-lieutenant Rhygar demands that they let you pass, adding that you bear a royal dispatch. In Durenor, it is a treasonable offence to hinder a King
If you do not care for reason, perhaps our swords will turn your tails,
says Rhygar. He draws his sword, and orders his men to attack.
As you re-enter the tavern, you can see that most of the sailors are clustered around the centre table to watch an arm-wrestling contest.
+Although the delicious smell of the food is making your mouth water, you suspect that something is very wrong. You set the tray down by the door. Your hunger has made you tired, and you decide to take a short nap before meeting the others in the bar.
+When you awake, you see the bodies of two dead rats lying beside the food tray
You grab your equipment and leave the room, intent on discovering your would-be assassin.
+Using your Kai Discipline of Camouflage, you can hide undetected in the hay-cart until it is safe to come out.
+You conclude that the crew are either blind or have no intention of rescuing you. The fishing boat continues on its course out to sea and, without seeming to notice you, disappears over the horizon. Pulling off a loose plank from the hatch cover, and using it as a makeshift oar, you set about paddling towards the shore.
+According to Lone Wolf Club Newsletter #12: Realistically, you can only wear one Backpack at a time, and carry a maximum of eight Backpack Items (Special Items not included).
This street seems dirtier and smellier than the one you have just been down. The cluttered window of a shop to your left catches your attention. In the window are many useful items, all of which bear a price tag.
+You may enter and purchase any of the above items. Remember to mark them on your Action Chart. When you have completed your purchases, you continue your way along Sage Street, towards the Ragadorn Bridge. This bridge is the only connection between the east and west sides of the port and you push your way through the crowds of people and carts. You find yourself in a rubbish-strewn thoroughfare known as East Trade Lane.
+You must find shelter for the night or you will risk being arrested by the city guard. Your Kai sense tells you that the best course of action is to return to the tavern and ask the innkeeper for a room. Refreshed by a comfortable night
The forest drops away steeply at the edge of your campsite, and in your haste you trip and fall headlong through the trees.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+As the Drakkar dies at your feet, the pirates falter at the sight of such a powerful warrior floored, and then flee to their sinking ship. Captain Kelman rallies his crew and leads them against the retreating enemy, driving them into the water with the fury of the attack.
+The Green Sceptre pulls free of the pirate ship, which keels heavily to starboard.
+Our thanks, Kai Lord.
The captain grasps your hand. We are proud and thankful to have you with us.
A cheer resounds along the deck, and the crew voice their praise.
You help tend the wounded whilst repairs are carried out to the damaged prow. Within the hour, the wind fills the sails and you are back on course for Durenor once more.
+As you race along the corpse-littered deck, two Drakkarim warriors emerge from a doorway and attack you by surprise. You must fight them one at a time.
+You are standing opposite a large building with a sign on the wall:
+A green-clad coachman is sitting next to a notice board that reads, Port Bax
.
A quick search of their bodies reveals the following items:
+If you decide to take any of these, remember to mark them on your Action Chart.
+You roll the bodies into the Rymerift and then run across the bridge in case anyone saw the incident. The forest track continues for over an hour before you arrive at a junction, where you see a signpost.
+You adjust your equipment and set off towards the east.
+Your quick wits and skill have saved you from a venomous bite. As the snake disappears into the long grass beyond the road, you gather together your Backpack and climb the tree, where you spend the rest of the night safely above the ground.
+Impostor!
he cries, and draws his weapon. Before you can react to his attack, his sword has grazed your arm and you lose 2
Using the edge of a steel rule to prise open the lock, you suddenly feel a sharp pain in your chest. A cunning trap has been laid, and as you open the box, a small needle shoots out and embeds itself in your flesh. It is tipped with a deadly poison. You die instantly.
+At the end of the avenue, the cobbled street turns abruptly to the right. Opposite this point is a tall, white stone building with a plaque above the door.
+You can see that the cobbled street ends at a high stone wall. There is a large red gate in this wall and it is guarded by two soldiers. Beyond the gate, you can make out the masts of ships moored in the harbour.
+The drunken sailors roar with delight, money changes hands and bets are settled. You notice your opponent wink at two of his henchmen. They begin to move towards you. Without a moment
As you reach the tavern door, an ugly sailor draws his sword and blocks your escape. But before you have a chance to do anything, there is a loud thud and he falls to his knees. Behind him stands the serving girl, a large wooden club in her hand, smiling at you. You thank her, and wink as you race out of the door and into the darkened street beyond.
+After running blindly in the dark for many minutes, you notice a stable and coach station through the gloom ahead. With the shouts of angry sailors still ringing in your ears, you run to the building and climb a ladder where you spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.
+The voyage to Sommerlund is one of ill omen. Deep black storm clouds gather on the horizon, and a fierce wind relentlessly torments the restless sea. At night, great bolts of lightning tear open the darkness, followed by a rolling thunder so loud that it shakes every timber of the flagship. Many of the soldiers aboard the fleet are mountain-dwellers, unaccustomed to the shift of the sea. By the third day, over half their number are so ill as to be unable to stand. Lord Axim is close to despair.
+How I pray that this storm will lift, for even if the fleet arrives intact, I fear our men will be too weak to break the enemy.
Then, as if in answer to his prayer, the dawn of the next day heralds an end to the raging storms. But the calm waters now surrounding the fleet contain a danger far greater than any storm.
+In the Collector
When you awake, you are shocked to find yourself lying beneath a wooden jetty, and the shallow water surrounding you fills your nostrils with a foul stench. As you stand, your head throbs violently as if you had been knocked unconscious. This is exactly what has happened to you, and your Gold, your Backpack, your Weapons, and all your Special Items (including the Seal of Hammerdal) have been stolen by the fishermen.
With a groan of despair, you climb out of the slimy water and pull yourself onto the jetty. Looking up you see a faded sign.
+You fear the rumours about this place are true. It is nearly dark and it has started to rain. You must find the Seal if you are to persuade the Durenese to give you the Sommerswerd. Looking round, you see a large market square with a stone signpost in the centre, indicating the various roads that lead off the square.
+You have been travelling for nearly two hours when the driver shouts, Toll bridge ahead. One Crown apiece.
Looking out of the window, it is pouring down with rain but you can just make out a wooden bridge and a log cabin in the distance. The driver halts the coach at the log cabin and an ugly creature appears at the doorway. It is a warty-skinned Szall, a harmless and cowardly breed of Giak. They have been natives of the Wildlands since the Age of the Black Moon, when thousands of their kind migrated from the Durncrag Mountains to avoid the tyranny of Vashna, the mightiest of the Darklords.
+The Szall demands one Gold Crown from each passenger before the coach will be allowed to pass. The other passengers each place one Crown upon a small plate and hand it to you.
+King Alin IV sits alone in his domed tower, viewing his mountain domain through one of the many portals of tinted glass. You and Lord Axim are formally announced as you enter the chamber, and you respectfully bow to his Majesty. Then, Lord Axim removes the Seal of Hammerdal from your finger and walks over to the King
Alas, the Darklords have woken once more, and once more does Sommerlund come in search of our aid. I had prayed that my reign would be remembered as a time of peace and fulfilment, but in my heart I knew it was to be otherwise.
The King removes a golden key from the pocket of his white robe and inserts it in a marble dais standing in the centre of the chamber. A gentle humming fills the room, as the stone cover slides back to reveal the hilt of a golden sword.
+Take the sword, Lone Wolf. It is foretold that only a true son of Sommerlund can release the powers that lie within its blade.
As you grasp the glowing hilt, a tingling sensation runs up your arm and radiates throughout your body.
+As dawn breaks, a fierce storm rises and you are woken by the violent rocking of the ship. The floor of your cabin is awash, and the shouts of the crew can hardly be heard above the howling wind. You quickly dress, gather up your equipment, and make your way to the deck.
+You are soon joined by the captain, who takes hold of your arm and orders you to return to your cabin. Suddenly, as you start to go down, there is a thunderous crack as, high in the rigging, part of the mast snaps. You look up to see the shattered pole falling towards you.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+You have covered less than twenty yards when your horse rears up and bolts. You are thrown to the ground and you lose 1
The innkeeper pockets the Crown and says in a mocking voice, You can get there by putting one foot in front of the other
and with a loud laugh he walks behind the counter and disappears into the kitchen beyond. You curse his trickery and leave the inn, pausing only, in your anger, to kick over his bucket of dirty water.
By the time you reach the bar, the others are all seated at a large table awaiting your appearance. Drawing closer to the table, you realize you have found your would-be assassin. You will have to attack without giving any warning to your enemy, so study your fellow travellers carefully and then make your decision.
+++[The following descriptions are of the illustration that originally appeared in the print editions:
+Viveka is seated at one end of the table, with a wary expression on her face. One arm is on the table near a large mug of ale, with her finger tapping the edge. As usual, she is dressed in battle gear.
+Ganon is seated between Viveka and Halvorc, with a sombre look on his face. He is in the uniform of the Knights of the White Mountain and has a meal and wine cup in front of him.
+Dorier is standing behind his brother Ganon, with a more gentle expression. The hilt of his sword is visible between his Knight of the White Mountain uniform and his cloak. Another wine cup on the table appears to belong to him.
+Halvorc is seated comfortably between Ganon and Parsion, giving you an ugly sneer. His hand strays close to a small ale mug.
+Parsion is sitting on the side of the table close to you, but with his body turned to the side, opposite Viveka. His hand, which has a snake painted or tattooed on the wrist, is holding a medium-sized ale mug. He regards you out of the corner of his eye from beneath the large hood of his robe.]
+
As you rise, the snake hisses and strikes at your arm. You dodge to one side, but are you quick enough to avoid its deadly fangs?
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table to find out.
+The soldier salutes and allows you to pass through the red gate. You walk into an open square lit by the tall beacons lining the quayside. To your relief, you sight the marble pillars of the Sommerlund Consulate, and the familiar sun-flag of your country flying above it in the fresh night breeze.
+As you climb the stone steps, you are recognized by the Sommlending guards on duty at the main door. They disappear inside and quickly return in the company of a tall grey-haired official. His anguished expression suddenly changes to a smile of joy as he beholds your ragged Kai cloak and tunic.
+Hope beyond hope! Thank the gods that you live, Kai Lord. The scant news that has reached us from the west has caused us great alarm.
You are ushered inside and taken immediately to the envoy of Sommerlund, Lord-lieutenant Rhygar.
+Feeling hungry?
you say, peering at the two busy house mice in the far corner. Perhaps you would care for some cheese?
Using your Kai Discipline, you order the two mice to bring the cheese to you. The sailor looks on in amazement as the two furry creatures deposit the cheese at your feet and then scurry away.
+The keen sight you have developed through your Kai Discipline of Tracking has enabled you to identify the talisman that sits on top of the black staff. It is the crescent and crystal star emblem of the Magicians
The innkeeper frowns at you and points to a side door. If you can
As you walk towards the exit, you feel the stare of the other passengers burning into your back. The door is slammed shut and you stand shivering in the cold night air.
+You are woken during the night by the baying of wolves in the distance. Rather than risk being torn to pieces in your sleep, you climb the tree and spend the rest of the night in safety, high above the ground.
+You have walked less than a hundred yards when the track disappears over the edge of a precipice towards the deep waters of the Rymerift below. It is impossible to go on any further in this direction. You will have to return along the path and cross the river at the bridge.
+You have just passed the wagon when you hear a noise behind you. Spinning around, you scan the walls and ceiling but you can see nothing in the gloom of the tunnel.
+The crew start to whisper. You hear the words ghost-ship
and cursed voyage
, but the muttering stops when the captain
Men, we
The crew seem pleased by the captain
Then the captain turns to you. We
As you return to your cabin, the KingForty days, Lone Wolf. We only have strength to stand against them for forty days.
You do not have long to complete your dangerous mission.
You place both hands on your stomach and try to fight back the pain as you concentrate on focusing your skill. The familiar warmth of your healing power numbs the pain, but the poison is very strong and your struggle is not yet over.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table. May the luck of the gods steer your choice, for your life now hangs on the number that you pick.
+The consulate of Sommerlund?
he says in surprise, somewhat taken aback by your sudden appearance. Then, recovering himself, he says, Why, of course! It is in Alin Square, near the harbour. Turn right when you leave and right again at the end of the avenue. That will take you to the Red Gate. You
You ask the man how you can obtain a red pass.
+From the captain of the port watch,
he says. You
You thank the old man and leave the city hall.
+Unfortunately, you are without a weapon and he is an expert swordsman. The fight is desperate and short. He runs you through the body with a swift lunge, and as he kicks you from the roof of the wagon, you feel nothing. You are already dead.
+You climb to the top of a pile of sheaves of hay and pull your warm Kai cloak around your shoulders to keep out the chill wind. You quickly fall asleep, little knowing you will never open your eyes again. One of the other passengers on the coach who is an agent of the Darklords creeps out and assassinates you in the dark chill of the night. Do you know who it was?
+Once you are inside, you are immediately aware that this is not a shop at all. The room is cold and bare except for a large table in the centre. You notice sinister large iron manacles attached to each of its corners.
+You are in the headquarters of the Silent Brotherhood, Lachlan
It may interest you to know that after a long week in the prison of the chief inquisitor you did not let a single Kai secret pass your lips. It is a record that has yet to be equalled, but not one that spared your life.
+Thirty yards along on the left side of the street, you hear the sound of merriment drifting out of a large ramshackle building. There is a creaking sign above the door.
+For three days and nights the mighty fleet of Durenor steers swiftly towards the Holmgulf, a strong wind filling the sails of the warships. But although the voyage is fast, the soldiers
This black mood that haunts our decks is the evil work of the Darklords. I know of their power to turn a man
As if in answer to his prayer, the black curse seems to be lifted from the fleet with the dawning of the next day. But the spell is replaced by a threat far deadlier.
+The big man looks at you and says in a cynical voice: The coach station. A coach leaves for Port Bax this afternoon. For a Gold Crown I
You look up from the dead captain to see the macabre faces of the other crew members. They are surrounding you. There are at least twenty of them and they are armed with cutlasses and axes.
+Already the venom is taking effect. Your wounded arm feels stiff and a cold sweat has broken out on your brow. Quickly you remove the Pendant that Banedon gave you at the Ruins of Raumas. Using a sharp point of the star, you cut a deep V through the two puncture holes made by the fangs, and suck out the venom.
+The charm is lucky indeed
Searching the body, you discover all you need to prove that he was the assassin. Inside his pockets, you find a half-empty vial of gnadurn sap, the deadly poison that was used to taint your food. Then there is a scroll written in Giak, giving details of your expected arrival in Port Bax. He must have located you at Ragadorn and hatched his murder plans there. You notice that the weapon he carries is a Darklord blade, fashioned of black steel and forged in the furnaces of Helgedad, the infernal city of the Darklords beyond the Durncrag Range. Only there in all of vast Magnamund can black steel be made. But the final proof of his true identity is the serpent tattoo on his left wrist. The harbour thugs who attempted to kill you before you had even left Holmgard bore exactly the same mark.
+His purse contains 23 Gold Crowns which you may keep. Do not forget to mark them on your Action Chart.
+The floor of the tavern is covered with the blood and bodies of the people you have killed. Outside in the main street you can hear the chant of a mob. The local inhabitants believe that you are a mad murderer and they intend to lynch you. Quickly, you make your escape through the rear door as the sound of the mob gets closer.
+After taking care to close his door, the captain opens the mysterious bundle and tips the contents onto his cabin table. A large charred earthenware jug and several blackened rags drop in a heap. They give off a strange oily smell.
+This was no accidental fire,
he says solemnly. This was an act of sabotage. The forward hold is a food store yet I find this oil jug and these soaked rags upon the floor. Someone on this ship is prepared to risk his life to stop us reaching Durenor.
You both stare at the burnt rags as if they hold the answer to your questions. Suddenly a cry from up on deck breaks the silence.
+Ship Ahoy! Ship off the port bow!
Grabbing his sword and telescope, the captain disappears through the door and up the ladder to the deck above.
+The guard stares at the magnificent ring in awe. The legend of the Seal of Hammerdal is well known to the people of Durenor. It is said that of all the lost treasures of the Durenese, the Seal of Hammerdal is one that they would not wish returned. The guard
I will not hinder your urgent mission, but I cannot help you except to set you on the road for Port Bax. Continue on this forest path and you will come to a fork near a stunted oak tree. Take the left track
You thank the loyal guard, and push on once more into the forest. A mile or so along the road, you come to the fork and take the left track. It leads to a stone bridge across the Rymerift. The waters of the Rymerift are over one mile deep and up to two miles at its widest point. Near to the bridge you find a signpost.
+You breathe a sigh of relief for you should arrive there in under an hour.
+The following morning you are woken by the cry of seagulls as they wheel and soar above the clipper. The wind is strong and it fills the sails. You breakfast with Captain Kelman who is in better spirits than the previous day. He tells you that the Green Sceptre is making good speed and should arrive at Port Bax, the main Durenese seaport, within a week. Suddenly you hear a cry from the crow
Land off the port bow! Land a
You and the captain climb up on deck and brace yourselves against the fresh sea breeze.
+That
says the captain, pointing towards the sharp rocky coastline in the distance. Wreck Point
the traders call it. Many a ship has ended her days upon those granite teeth.
Captain Kelman hands you an ornate telescope with which to take a closer look. The sharp rocks are festooned with the splintered skeletons of ships that have run aground, or were dashed against the shore in a storm. You stare in fascination at the shattered hulls, imagining the terrifying scenes of their destruction. Then, suddenly, high above the pinnacles of stone hovers a black shadow, like a small rain cloud. It seems to be moving towards you. Suddenly you realize what the cloud
really is. It is a swarm of large Zlanbeast and possibly some Kraan. The alarm is shouted along the deck: Prepare for battle!
Seventy Durenese warships left Port Bax, but only fifty now enter the Holmgulf. The battle has claimed many brave men including Admiral Calfen, who died aboard the flagship Durenor, the first ship to be sunk. But despite the heavy loss, a great victory has been won, a victory which inspires the Durenese soldiers with new strength so that the past ordeal of both the voyage and the battle are now forgotten. As their optimism and determination return, all are eager to reach Holmgard and raise the siege.
+It is dusk on the thirty-seventh day of your quest when you sight the spires of Holmgard on the horizon. The city still stands defiantly against the army of Darklords, although constantly under siege. Flickering in the darkness you can see the small fires which burn throughout the capital. A confident Lord Axim joins you at the prow.
+The moonless sky will aid us this night. We shall enter the harbour unseen. Come the dawn, my men will scatter the wretched foe like dead leaves upon the wind of a storm.
As you enter Holmgard harbour at the head of the Durenese fleet, you unsheathe the Sommerswerd and prepare to fulfil your destiny.
+The innkeeper speaks with the gruff tone of a native Ragadornian. You discover from him that this seaport is ruled by Lachlan, son of Killean the Overlord who died three years ago of the dreadful Red Death plague. The innkeeper does not speak highly of Lachlan, whom he calls the Prince of Thieves
.
He and his mercenaries bleed the people dry with heavy taxes, and if y
The big man shakes his head and pours another round of ale for the drunken sailors.
Marching along the centre of the street are four heavily armed city guards. Rather than risk being arrested, you quickly dodge into an alley on your left. The guards suddenly halt opposite the entrance. If one of them should turn his head, you will be spotted for sure. Behind you is a small window that leads into a crowded tavern. Without hesitation, you climb in as quickly as possible.
+They are larnuma trees and their fruit is very nutritious as well as being sweet and juicy. After your Meal you feel much stronger. You pick enough fruit for 2 Meals and store it in your Backpack.
+Looking behind the trees, you see a wide coast road that stretches into the distance to the east and west. There are no signposts.
+Your sense warns you that the wagon contains an evil presence.
+You follow the street until it turns abruptly eastwards into Beggar Lane. You can see how this street got its name, for there are scores of ragged men, women, and children huddled in doorways, all holding out their begging bowls.
+As you walk towards the junction at the end of the street, you are assailed from all sides with pleas for gold.
+The back door opens onto a small square, in the centre of which is a large tomb. The fishermen have disappeared into the gloomy streets; all that is except one who has slipped on the wet cobblestones and knocked himself out. He is lying in the gutter with his face submerged in a puddle.
+You roll him over with your foot and search him. You discover 5 Gold Crowns, a Dagger, and to your great relief the Seal of Hammerdal on his finger. Mark on your Action Chart those items you take with you and continue.
+You are less than twenty yards from the tower when the guard steps forward and demands to know your business. You notice that the soldier is wearing the red coat of a Durenese man-at-arms, and realize that you have reached the border of Durenor. You need to find some way of getting past him.
+We
he says, his face almost completely hidden by the wide brim of his hat. A seat below will cost you 3 Crowns, but you can ride on the roof for only one.
Before you can defend yourself, the Helghast has smashed into you and you both fall onto the highway below.
+It may be some comfort to learn that your death was swift and painless. Your neck was instantly broken and you were spared the agony of the Helghast
As you reach the landing of the next floor, you hear the door crash open and the angry mob pour through. At the top of the stairs, a Short Sword hangs on a hook by the fireplace. You may take this weapon if you wish. Looking around you, you see that there is only one way to escape from this room and that is to jump through the window to the street below.
+Suddenly panic strikes. The ship is thrown into a frenzy of activity as sailors grab buckets and blankets with which to fight the fire. Flames are roaring through the hatch cover, and it takes over an hour to contain the blaze. The damage to the ship is great. The entire store of food and fresh water has been destroyed and the mid-section of the ship badly weakened.
+The captain appears from out of the smoking hold and approaches you, his face black with soot. He is carrying something in a bundle under his arm.
+We must talk in private my lord,
he says quietly.
Without replying, you turn and follow him to his cabin.
+The dead zombies lie around your feet. By now, the soldiers
It is an undead creature, so remember to double all
Opposite the coach station is a narrow street leading to a gaming-house with a sign outside.
+You are excited by the chance of being able to win some gold and you quickly enter. Any Weapons you may have must be left with a guard at the door. You can recover your Weapons when you decide to leave (do not erase them from your Action Chart). You are given a silver token worth 1 Gold Crown, that can only be used in this gaming-house. (You only receive the free silver token once, regardless of how many times you may enter the gaming-house.)
+The entrance hall opens out into a huge room where many gambling games are in progress. One that catches your eye is called Cartwheel
. At one end of a long table, an attractive young woman spins a black dish divided into ten sections marked 0
To play Cartwheel
, you must first decide the number you would like to bet on and just how many Gold Crowns you would like to stake. Make a note of these numbers and then pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you pick exactly the same number, you win 8 Gold Crowns for every 1 Gold Crown that you gamble. If the number you pick is immediately before or after the correct choice, you win 5 Gold Crowns for every 1 Gold Crown that you stake. (Note that 0 sits between 9 and 1 in Cartwheel.) There is a limit to how much you can win on this table: 40 Gold Crowns.
You may play as many rounds of Cartwheel
as you wish until either you lose all your Gold Crowns, or you decide to pick up your winnings (maximum of 40 Gold Crowns).
You try to apply your hands to the injured man
After three uneventful days at sea, you find shipboard life rather dreary. If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, any
On the afternoon of the fourth day, you are talking with an injured sailor up on deck when you smell smoke seeping from the hold.
+Fire!
A hush descends on the tavern as the man you have accused turns to face you.
+You
he says menacingly. It should be cut out before it does any more harm.
He draws a curved dagger and attacks you. The crowd form a circle around you both, preventing either of you from escaping. You must fight this man to the death.
The Sommerswerd is a weapon-like Special Item. The
Much of your time at Hammerdal is taken up by training with the Sommerswerd. Day by day your skill with the wondrous blade improves, and as you progress, so you learn more of its marvellous properties.
+When you use the sword in combat it will add 8 points to your
You also come to realize that it is the only weapon in all of Magnamund that can kill a Darklord, and for this reason above all others the Darklords are bent on thwarting your quest.
+Seeing their master slain, the Giaks falter and retreat towards the stern. Captain Kelman rallies his crew and attacks, leading his men against the snarling creatures and driving them back until they leap into the sea to avoid the rain of swords. Knowing the battle to be lost, the Kraan leave the masts and fly back to the distant coastline.
+Our thanks, Kai Lord,
the captain says and shakes your hand. We are proud and thankful to have you with us.
A cheer resounds along the deck as the crew voice their praise.
+You help tend the wounded whilst repairs are carried out on the damaged masts. Within two hours they are complete, the wind fills the sails, and you continue your voyage to Durenor.
+You push on through the dense forest for nearly three hours before you discover a track heading north, running parallel to the Rymerift, whose rushing waters are over one mile deep. In the distance, you spot a bridge that spans the dark water at a narrow point. A small hut with a flat roof has been erected in the centre, on top of which stand two soldiers. A sign points across the bridge.
+You turn east into Oxyoke Way and notice a sign above the door of a small shop to your left.
+If you are already carrying Weapons from
List the two items you choose on your Action Chart, under the heading given in brackets, and make a note of any effect it may have on your
Now that you have your equipment, the following list shows you how it is carried. You don
Any item that may be of use and can be picked up on your adventure and entered on your Action Chart is given capital letters in the text. Unless you are told it is a Special Item, carry it in your Backpack.
- -Weapons aid you in combat. If you have the Kai Discipline of Weaponskill and the correct weapon, it adds 2 points to your
During your travels you will discover various useful items which you may wish to keep. (Remember you can only carry eight items in your Backpack at once.) You may exchange or discard them at any point when you are not involved in combat.
Each Special Item has a particular purpose or effect. You may be told this when the item is discovered, or it may be revealed to you as the adventure progresses.
-Enter on your Action Chart a map that you found in the ashes of the Monastery.
-You begin this section with the Seal of Hammerdal, a ring that you wear on your right hand. Enter it on your Action Chart under Special Items.
-The local currency is the Crown, which is a small gold coin. Gold Crowns can be used on your adventure to pay for transport, food, or even as a bribe! Many of the creatures that you will encounter possess Gold Crowns, or have them hidden in their lairs. Whenever you kill a creature, you may take any Gold Crowns that it has and put them in your Belt Pouch.
You will need to eat regularly during your adventure. If you do not have any food when you are instructed to eat a Meal, you will lose 3
This can restore 4
There will be occasions during your adventure when you have to fight an enemy. The enemy
At the start of a combat, enter Lone Wolf
The sequence for combat is as follows.
-Add any extra points gained through your Kai Disciplines to your current
Subtract the
Example
-Lone Wolf (
He subtracts the Winged Devil
When you have your Combat Ratio, pick a number from the Random Number Table.
Turn to the Combat Results Table. Along the top of the chart are shown the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-reference it with the random number that you have picked (the random numbers appear on the side of the chart). You now have the number of
Example
-The Combat Ratio between Lone Wolf and Winged Devil has been established as
On the Action Chart, mark the changes in
Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, the next round of combat now starts.
Repeat the sequence from Stage 3.
This process of combat continues until the
A summary of Combat Rules appears in the back of this book.
- -During your adventure you may be given the chance to evade combat. If you have already engaged in a round of combat and decide to evade, calculate the combat for that round in the usual manner. All points lost by the enemy as a result of that round are ignored, and you make your escape. Only Lone Wolf may lose
The following table is a guide to the ranks and titles that are bestowed upon Kai Lords at each stage of their training. As you successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf series, you will gain an additional Kai Discipline and gradually progress towards mastery of the ten basic Kai Disciplines.
-Beyond the ten basic skills of the Kai Master await the secrets of the higher Kai Disciplines or Magnakai
. By acquiring the wisdom of the Magnakai, a Kai Lord can progress towards the ultimate achievement and become a Kai Grand Master.
Your mission will be one of great danger, for the Darklords and their servants are a cruel and fierce enemy who give and expect no mercy. Use the map to help you steer a correct course for the capital. Make notes as you progress through the story, for they will be of great help in future adventures.
-Many things that you find will aid you during the adventure. Some Special Items will be of use in future Lone Wolf adventures and others may be red herrings of no real use at all, so be selective in what you decide to keep.
-There are many routes to Hammerdal, but only one will enable you to retrieve the Sommerswerd and return to Sommerlund with the minimum of danger. A wise choice of Kai Disciplines and a great deal of courage, will enable any player to complete the mission, no matter how weak their initial
The fate of your country hangs on the success of your perilous quest.
-Good luck!
- -Captain D
This is the quay, my lord. There is your ship, the Green Sceptre.
As he speaks the driver points across the quay to a sleek trade caravel anchored near to the harbour wall.
The first mate
Then the driver bids you farewell and quickly disappears into the teeming crowds.
You reach the inn to find the front doors locked and the window shutters barred. You are trying to decide what to do next when a hand grabs your arm and you are pulled into the darkness.
-You are travelling along a narrow section of coast road which follows a dizzy course beneath high, overhanging cliffs. A rockfall has blocked the road ahead and you must stop to clear it. You are helping the driver to lever a large rock from the path of the carriage, when you hear the sound of falling rocks. A boulder crashes down from the overhanging cliff, killing the driver before you can make any attempt to save him. He was standing less than six feet away from you at the time of his death.
-You enter a small alleyway behind the shop, at the end of which you can see a horse tethered to a post.
-The tavern is full of brigands and drunks, the good-for-nothing crews of trading ships moored at the jetty, all singing and drinking while some try their strength at arm-wrestling. All are so engrossed that nobody notices you enter. In a far corner, you see the fishermen that robbed you. They are seated at a round table covered with empty ale tankards. You know that if you are to reach Durenor in time, you must retrieve the Seal of Hammerdal and your gold.
-The door bursts open and in rushes a Helghast, its black sword raised. You strike the creature as it enters the hold and open a terrible gash in its chest. It lets out a hideous cry but although badly wounded, it leaps forward to attack you. You must fight this creature to the death.
-It is an undead creature. Double all
The boy has spotted you following him. Once outside, he turns and runs south. You give chase but he has soon disappeared into the maze of alleyways and warehouses lining the waterfront.
-You turn east into Oxyoke Way and walk past another entrance to the trading post. A little further on, you notice a sign above the door of a small shop:
-Dorier jumps away from the table and draws his sword. In an instant, his brother Ganon is by his side. You must fight them both as one enemy.
-Due to the surprise of your attack, add 2 points to your
Your sleep is deep indeed
It is early morning on the fifteenth day of your quest when you open your eyes to the breathtaking spectacle of Hammerdal, the mountain city. The capital of Durenor, unlike other cities in the Lastlands, does not need man-made fortifications. The encircling peaks of the Hammerdal Range offer a far more secure protection to the people within.
-The carriage speeds through the lush farmlands surrounding the city with its many towers and wide streets. On a hill in the very centre of Hammerdal stands the King
You pocket the ticket (mark this as a Special Item on your Action Chart) and the man takes you to a coach that is waiting near the east gate of the seaport. It is empty and you take a seat near one of its circular windows. You are relieved to find that the seat is quite comfortable, for the journey to Port Bax will take seven days.
-Stowing your equipment beneath the seat, you settle back in comfort and doze off.
-When you awake, there are five other passengers and the journey to Durenor has already begun.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-Covering yourself with your Kai cloak, you hide inside a large wooden barrel. But it is to no avail, for in less than a minute the trapdoor is thrown open and four angry villagers drop to the stone floor, torches and swords held high in their hands. As you are dragged kicking from the cellar, the screams of the crowd drown your pleas for mercy.
-Captain Kelman unlocks a display case and removes a Samor board. The beautifully carved playing pieces are already in position when he carefully sets it down upon the table.
-One of the guards steps forward and demands to see your pass.
+You are mesmerized by the falling mast and feel totally powerless to escape. As you are crushed beneath the enormous weight of splintering timber, the last thing that you remember are the horrified faces of Captain Kelman and his crew staring down at you.
+As you lay the golden sword upon the deck, the zombie captain dives at you and pins you down. His strength is unnatural. As he sinks a dagger into your throat, the last thing you hear is a hideous laugh of victory.
+During the course of the afternoon
After somewhat reluctantly agreeing to a wager of 10 Gold Crowns, you begin the game.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, you may add 2 to this number.
-Your Kai sense reveals that the left path is the quickest route to Port Bax. You adjust the load of your equipment on your back and set off once more.
-As the contest begins, you use your Kai Discipline to weaken your opponent
His look of suspicion changes to one of surprise. I believed you to be a trickster, Kai Lord. I must confess that I had planned to teach you a lesson you would not have forgotten in a lifetime. Please forgive my doubts but your story sounded so grave that I refused to believe it for fear it be true. I am sworn to the defence of the border and I cannot leave this tower, but I offer you any of my possessions if they may aid you on your quest.
He places the following items on a large oak table and invites you to take your choice:
-As you are about to leave the tower, he points out the direction you should take.
-When you reach the Rymerift, take the track northwards. You will come to a bridge guarded by the King
sunset
. The road beyond the Rymerift leads to Port Bax. Godspeed, Lone Wolf.
You thank the brave warrior and leave. You must abandon your horse at the watchtower, for it would be impossible to pass through the dense trees on horseback.
-You pick up an ale glass and smash it across the edge of the table. The jagged glass is razor-sharp. As you draw it across the back of your left hand, a long cut appears trickling blood. Covering this wound with your right hand, you concentrate and feel the warmth of your power as the wound heals. When you remove your right hand, no trace of the cut or any scar remains. The sailor stares at you in amazement.
-You have pulled yourself halfway through the deck when the door to the hold below bursts open. A Helghast runs shrieking towards you. You cannot escape in time and it badly wounds you in the legs with its black sword. You lose 5
It is an undead creature, so remember to double all
The street ahead is completely blocked by wagons which are being unloaded onto a merchant ship. You follow the street as it turns east into Oxyoke Way. To your left is another entrance to the Ragadorn Trading Post. Beyond that you notice a smaller shop with a sign above the door.
-Sitting opposite are two brothers named Ganon and Dorier. They are knights in the Order of the White Mountain, warrior lords of Durenor who have pledged allegiance to protect the country from raids by the bandits of the Wildlands. They own a castle and land near Port Bax. Next to them sits Halvorc the merchant. His nose is swollen and his face is badly bruised thanks to Lachlan, the Overlord of Ragadorn. A little misunderstanding about port taxes lost him his cargo and most of his gold. Seated by the far door is a priest called Parsion. Like you, he is a Sommlending who has journeyed across the Wildlands by coach on his way to Port Bax. Beside you sits a young woman called Viveka. She is a mercenary adventuress who earns her gold by fighting for it, and sells her services to the highest bidder. She is returning to Port Bax having collected payment for a successful adventure in Ragadorn.
+Not wishing to reveal your true identity, you have pretended to be a simple peasant. The travellers seem unaware of the war that now rages in Sommerlund.
+The soldier looks at you with a disbelieving stare.
+Where are your goods? Where is your horse or wagon? Merchants never travel to Port Bax on foot. You are no merchant
If you are to get past this border guard alive, you will have to come up with an alternative plan.
+It is nearly dark when the small fishing boat passes through the harbour entrance of Ragadorn. You have still seen no sign of survivors from the storm and you fear the worst.
+You notice that three of the fishermen are acting very suspiciously. They whisper to each other and their eyes often glance at your money pouch. As the boat sails into the estuary of the River Dorn, they surround you and demand that you hand over all your gold. You are about to fight them when an unexpected blow from behind knocks you to the deck. You see one of the fishermen raise his foot. As it strikes your head, suddenly everything fades into darkness.
+You try to remember some of the stories told to you by an old Kai master called Wise Hawk. He was envoy to Port Bax for many years, and he knew and loved this city as well as any native Durenese. You recall him saying that the consulate overlooked Alin Square in the naval quadrant of the city. There is a sign to your left pointing along the avenue.
+Certain this is the right direction, you walk confidently along the tree-lined avenue.
+This street follows the harbour wall towards the River Dorn where it then turns south into Booty Walk. As you pass the warehouses lining the waterfront, you recognize the stone signpost in the centre of the square ahead.
+For three days and nights you have followed the highway to the capital as it runs parallel to the River Durenon. The river valley is a wide belt of rich, cultivated land that climbs towards the Hammerdal Mountains, one of the highest ranges in all of Magnamund.
+It is on the morning of the fourteenth day of your quest, when six cloaked men appear at the edge of your camp. Lord-lieutenant Rhygar is the first to draw his sword. With a voice of authority he demands an explanation for their intrusion. In reply, they unsheathe black swords. Rhygar shouts to his men to prepare for combat as the cloaked strangers advance towards you.
+Taking hold of your weapon, you demonstrate the Kai skills of balance and speed, as taught to you by your Kai masters. With breathtaking speed, as you spin and twist the weapon around your head and body, the movement of your hands becomes a dazzling blur. To finish your display of Weaponskill, you strike the edge of a pewter plate and send it spinning across the room so fast that it embeds itself in the cellar door.
+The sailor watches in amazement.
+You pass the stone steps and continue along the highway. You have just passed under the platform when you hear a noise above you. You stop and stare upwards but you can see nothing in the gloom of the tunnel ceiling.
+This rubbish-strewn cobbled street runs between rows of ramshackle, rot-infested houses and shops. The few inhabitants of Ragadorn that you see appear a cheerless lot, their faces haggard and drawn. They shuffle through the gloom, hunched against the pouring rain, their eyes fixed on the cobblestones at their feet. Then you reach a junction where Axe Lane bends towards the north and another street heads off towards the east.
+Less than twenty yards away, a small search party is marching along the wet cobblestones. You run towards the darkened doorway of a small shop and quickly enter to avoid the mob. With your heart pounding in your chest, you pray that you have not been spotted.
-You follow this rat-infested street as it drops steeply to the wharves and jetties of the River Dorn. From the edge of the waterfront, you see the Ragadorn Bridge. It is the only crossing between the east and west sides of this sleazy port. Pushing your way through the crowds of people on the bridge, you enter a rubbish-strewn thoroughfare known as East Trade Lane.
-The trickster lies dead at your feet. Rolling him over with your foot, you remove several cards from the sleeves of his jacket and throw them on the table. The crowd soon disperses and the tavern is a bustle of noise and activity once more. The other card players retrieve their gold from the table and leave the remainder for you.
-To find out how much has been left on the table, pick a number from the Random Number Table. (In this instance, 0 = 10 instead of zero.) Now multiply this number by 3. The total is the number of Gold Crowns that are on the table. You may also take the Card Sharp
As the body is being dragged outside, you walk to the bar and call for the innkeeper. You press a Gold Crown into his hand and ask for a room for the night.
-In the morning you are awoken by the cry of the deck watchman: Wreckage off the starboard bow!
Quickly dressing, you climb up on deck and join the captain at the rail.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-You chase the furry creature as it hurries along a narrow, twisting passage for nearly ten minutes and are about to give up the chase when the passage opens out into a huge torchlit cavern. A stunning sight greets your eyes. The cavern houses an entire colony of these strange creatures, all busy sorting through and examining a vast pile of strange objects littering the centre of the hall.
-It is the crypt of Killean the Overlord. He had been ruler of Ragadorn, but he and many others in Ragadorn died during an outbreak of Red Death plague three years ago.
-You suddenly recall a journeyman of your monastery called Swift Fox. He told you tales of his many travels to Ragadorn. The Red Death killed over half the population here. It also killed Swift Fox.
-Casting your eye around the crowded tavern, you notice that many of the local villagers are playing various gambling games. Near to the main door, a young rogue has three upturned wooden cups on the table in front of him. He spins them around and challenges anyone to point out the cup that contains a small glass marble. If they guess correctly, he will pay them double the money they have gambled.
-You are staring into the hollow eye sockets of a walking corpse. Twisted and disfigured though he is, you recognize Captain Kelman. You are in fact standing upon the deck of the Green Sceptre which sank during the storm twenty-eight days ago, and which has been raised from its murky grave this very morning to join the death-hulk fleet.
-The dead captain extends a broken hand towards you and a ghastly voice begs you to lay down the Sommerswerd: Put down your sword and my soul will be spared this torment.
You walk for over three hours along the lonely coast road before night begins to fall. You are very tired and you decide to get some sleep and continue at dawn. You remember the tales told by your Kai masters of the Wildlands between Sommerlund and Durenor, where packs of wild dogs roam the wastelands at night.
-With these stories in mind, you decide to spend the night in the safety of a large leafy tree at the edge of the road.
-The cowardly Szalls squeal in terror and run in all directions to avoid your blows. They have soon fled from the clearing and you turn to help the dying man. He is barely alive and far too weak to talk.
-You release the lock and slide back the hatch cover. The sudden draught of air causes flames to billow out of the hold. You stumble backwards, clutching your burnt face. Lose 2
Fire! Fire!
the cry goes up.
In panic the crew fight to put out the flames. It takes over an hour to control the blaze. The damage is considerable
As you stand surveying the wreckage, the captain approaches you, his face blackened by the smoke. He is carrying something in a bundle under his arm. We must talk in private, my lord,
he says quietly.
Without replying, you turn and follow him below to his cabin.
-You land on the rotting timbers and crash straight through to the deck below. You are unharmed by the fall, but the stench of decay that fills your nostrils is overwhelming. You clamber up and unsheathe the Sommerswerd. Four ghastly zombies stagger out of the gloom, their twisted hands extended towards your throat. You must fight them as one enemy.
-They are undead creatures, so remember to double all
If you do not have a Backpack, you may choose to assume here that you are outfitted with one by Rhygar.
-Your first meeting with the Lord-lieutenant comes as something of a shock. You had perhaps half expected him to be a servile old man, as are the envoys of the southern lands that plague your King
Born of a Sommlending father and a Durenese mother, he has become something of a legend in this city. In the last decade, he has led an alliance of the nations to victory against the invading Ice Barbarians of Kalte. Wise in peace, fierce in war, you could not have wished for better company on your quest for the Sommerswerd.
-Rhygar orders that a sumptuous meal be served. It is by far the best food you have tasted since the war began. During the feast, you recall the events that have brought you to Port Bax, and reflect on the daunting challenge that still lies before you. After the meal, Rhygar sends for his physician who attends to your wounds. His potions restore 6
Early next day, you are taken to an enclosed garden at the rear of the consulate where Rhygar and three of his best soldiers await you on horseback. They are to be your bodyguard and guides on the 230 mile ride to Hammerdal. The streets of Port Bax are just beginning to come to life as you ride through the town. Passing under the moss-covered city gate, you now feel confident that your mission will succeed.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-You awake at dawn to the sound of a shrill cockcrow. You can see the crooked streets of Ragadorn through a veil of heavy rain beating down on the cobblestones outside. It has been six days since you left Holmgard and you are still 200 miles from Port Bax.
-You are in the loft of a very large coach station. A group of green-clad men have arrived and have started to clean out one of the coaches. You overhear one of them say that the coach leaves for Port Bax at one o
You are hungry and must eat a Meal here or lose 3
The other travellers stare with horror and disbelief at what you have done. Before you can explain yourself, there is a loud crash as the front door is thrown open. In rush six armoured soldiers led by the innkeeper. They are the town guard, and the one-eyed innkeeper is screaming at them to arrest you.
-As you close the door of your cabin, you hear the frantic shouts of the crew as they prepare to fight off the attackers. Suddenly you hear the dull thud of something hitting the rear deck followed by the shrieks of creatures you know only too well
Stepping over the unconscious soldier, you quickly dash past the tower into the forest. If more guards appear they are likely to attack first and ask questions later.
-You have been walking for over two hours when you come to a fork in the road by a stunted oak tree.
-The food tastes delicious and it is only a matter of minutes before you empty your plate. You decide to take a short nap before meeting the others in the bar room. But as you are about to lie down, a terrible pain grips your stomach. Your legs buckle and you fall trembling to the floor. You feel as if your whole body is on fire. One word repeats itself over and over again in your mind
Inside the coach it is warm and dry. Shaking the rain from your Kai cloak, you notice three other passengers on board: two women and a man who is snoring loudly. One of the women looks up and smiles.
-We should reach Ragadorn in six hours,
she says, placing her basket on the floor so that you can sit beside her. You learn that she lives in Ragadorn and she tells you a little about the port.
Since Killean the Overlord died three years ago, Ragadorn has been ruled by Lachlan, his evil son. He and his mercenaries are nothing but pirates. They bleed the people dry with their heavy taxes, and if anyone complains, they are quietly disposed of. It
During the journey you must eat a Meal or lose 3
Then in the distance you hear a bell tolling. You look out of the window to see the city wall of Ragadorn. The coach passes through the west gate and pulls to a halt. As you jump to the ground, you are greeted by the awful smell of this dingy seaport. A rusty sign nailed to a wall says Welcome to Ragadorn
.
The woman tells you that you can board a coach to Port Bax at the coach station near the east gate of the city.
-You grab the shaft of the Spear and thrust it upwards into the rib cage of the Helghast. It screams in agony and rage, and releases its grip on your throat. You roll away in time to see the hideous creature fall writhing on the ground, desperately trying to pull the spear from its body.
-At dusk the coach stops at an inn on the coast road to Port Bax. The cost of a room for the night is 1 Gold Crown for coach passengers and 3 Gold Crowns for anyone else. As you are about to enter, the coach driver demands to see your ticket.
-The muster of the army and the preparation of the Durenese fleet takes fourteen days to complete, during which time you remain as a guest of the king in Hammerdal. As each day passes, you despair for your besieged countrymen of Holmgard and pray that they have enough strength to resist the Darklords until you return.
-Every day of your reluctant exile you devote long periods to exercise and meditation. You are also visited by a Durenese herbwarden called Madin Rendalim, who is famous throughout the Lastlands for his knowledge and skill in the healing arts. He restores all the
He is also the bearer of some sad news. The body of Lord-lieutenant Rhygar was found in the forest near to the entrance to Tarnalin. He was killed by Helghast.
-You are in luck, for the boat has seen your distress signal and is heading towards you. It is a small fishing boat from the port of Ragadorn. The fishermen are a rough-looking bunch, but they wrap you in a warm blanket and offer you some food. The captain suggests that you sleep, as it will be two or three hours before they arrive back in Ragadorn.
-You sense that someone is on the cliff above and that you were the intended victim of their attack. Someone is trying to kill you!
-You swing the Sommerswerd in a wide arc and hit four of the zombies in one sweep, but no sooner do their corpses drop to the deck than others press forward to take their place. You will never kill them all before they overwhelm you. As they start to tear at your cloak, you are forced to dive overboard into the sea to avoid certain death.
-The venom is in your bloodstream. Your arm feels numb and you are beginning to sweat. The last sound you hear is the gentle lap of the surf and the cries of vultures high above.
-You are galloping along the forest road towards the cloaked riders when you see one of them raise a black staff high above his head. A knot of twisted black steel crowns the tip and it is starting to flow with a vivid blue flame. You are just ready to strike when a searing bolt of energy hurtles from the evil staff and explodes beside you. Thrown sideways by the force of the blast, you tumble into the undergrowth.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-You try hard to remember the significance of the orange door, but without success.
-You must have learned the password (i.e. have read Section 15) during this same adventure (not only during a previous reading) in order to use it.
-The soldiers quickly descend from the roof of the hut and grab their spears. They advance towards you and one of them shouts, Password, stranger!
Pointing at a jug of ale on the bar, you tell the sailor to watch very closely. Closing your eyes, you concentrate on the jug until you can picture it in your mind
For three days and nights, the fleet of Durenor spread canvas and sail swiftly towards the Holmgulf. But although the voyage is fast, each ship in the fleet is cursed by misfortune. Sails tear, ropes mysteriously untie themselves and timbers warp and leak. The men become short-tempered in the cramped quarters, and fighting
Never have I suffered such a wretched journey. No enemy has been sighted nor battle fought, yet half my men are either ill or wounded, and we have lost two of our finest ships. We have been jinxed by an evil moon. How I pray that it would wane, for even if we were to arrive in Holmgard this very night I fear we are too weak to break the siege.
As he speaks, you can see the dawn of the next day breaking. You think it may bring promise of relief, but the calm waters that now surround the fleet contain a far deadlier threat.
-A priest suddenly leans forward and donates another Crown to the plate and the coach is allowed to continue on its way. Perhaps you can return the favour sometime in the future, my son,
he says and returns to his seat before you can reply. But you notice how strange it is that the hood of his robe keeps his face in constant shadow.
You are soon across the swollen river and the journey continues.
-After nearly an hour, the coach stops at the shrine of Kalanane. It is said that this shrine is built upon the grave of King Alin, the first ruler of Durenor, and all around the shrine grow clumps of Laumspur.
-Suddenly from out of the darkness above, there is a blood-chilling cry. You look up to see the glowing red eyes of a Helghast as it charges down the steps straight at you. You scream in terror and frantically search for a weapon.
-You hear whispering among the crew and catch the words ghost-ships
and cursed voyage
, but the whispering stops when the captain
Men, we are three days
The crew seem unhappy at the captain
Later that afternoon, you are invited by both the crew and by the captain to take your evening meal with them.
-As you race through the door, you are knocked off your feet by the force of a spear thrust into your chest. As the moonlight fades, the last thing you see of this world is a circle of screaming villagers as they stab and hack you to death.
-A large man dressed in a leather apron is busily sharpening a fine Broadsword. He is seated at a grindstone that sends a shower of sparks high into the air every time he touches the blade to it. He bids you good evening and offers you the Broadsword.
-If you wish to purchase this Broadsword, mark it on your Action Chart.
-The innkeeper hands you a key. Room 4, second left at the top of the stairs. I expect you out an hour after dawn.
Your room contains nothing more than a bed, a chair, and a small table. You lock the door and prop the chair against it for good measure, before settling down to sleep. You resolve to find some other route to Durenor in the morning.
-With the back of his gloved hand, the guard knocks the gold from your grasp and it drops into the dark waters of the Rymerift. Pick a number from the Random Number Table to determine how much gold you have lost (0 = 10 Gold Crowns).
-We would not sell the security of our land so cheaply,
he says. Only a bandit or a fool would try to bribe a soldier of Durenor, and I fancy that you are both.
Unfortunately, you have insulted their honour and they intend to teach you a harsh lesson.
-Bad luck, Lone Wolf. Your strategy is daring, but I think I have you now.
The captain moves his ornate keystone across the board and you realize that the game is lost. You congratulate him on his mastery of Samor and hand over 10 Gold Crowns.
-Perhaps another game tomorrow evening? Never let it be said that I am not a fair man,
the captain says. Perhaps,
you answer cautiously. You bid the smiling captain goodnight before returning to your cabin.
You spur your horse towards a cloaked Helghast that is about to strike a helpless soldier. This creature is immune to Mindblast and can only be wounded by a magical weapon.
-Halvorc stares in shocked disbelief.
-He is unable to fight back for the first two rounds due to the surprise of your attack. Do not deduct any
Through the pouring rain, you can just make out the dark shape of a city patrol marching towards you. If they should stop you and ask your business in Ragadorn, you could end up in the dungeons of Lachlan the Overlord. Rather than risk being arrested, you retreat along Black Knight Street and quickly turn into Sage Street as the soldiers march past.
-You enter a large room full of ledgers and files. A man wearing the uniform of a Durenese naval officer is seated opposite at a large desk. He peers at you inquisitively from behind a huge book and says, You must have pressing business in the naval quadrant to apply for a red pass at this late hour. I shall need to see your access papers and proof of your commanding officer
You are awoken during the night by the weight of something on your chest. You slowly open your cloak and are horrified to see a sand snake nestling beneath.
-Ahead you can see a passenger wagon similar in design to those that use the coast roads of Ragadorn. The horses have been cut free and it appears to be deserted. You notice the bodies of three soldiers lying beneath it. Their uniforms are heavily bloodstained.
-As you run along Watchtower Street, you hear the curses of the guard fading behind you. You reach Tomb Square, and spot four soldiers marching up Tomb Street towards you. Quickly you head south to avoid them. You have been running along the cobbled street for nearly ten minutes when you spot a large stable and coach station in the gloom ahead. Under cover of the darkness, you enter and spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.
-As you raise the glowing blade, the zombie captain pulls an evil-looking dagger from inside his tattered jacket. You must fight him to the death.
-Be sure to remember to double all
You quickly deduce that the impostor must have escaped by the main entrance to the tavern, and if he is still in the harbour area he must be in or around the main square.
-You search the buildings and alleyways round the square but there is no sign of him at all. Rather than waste more time in a fruitless search, you return to the quayside and untie a small coracle from its mooring. As you row towards the Green Sceptre you begin to feel uneasy that so early in your mission your enemies seem already to have found you.
-The guardI am a soldier of Durenor. Your gold will not help you here.
Unfortunately you have insulted his honour and he intends to teach you a harsh lesson.
-One of the cloaked strangers removes a black staff from beneath his robes and holds it aloft. A blue flame ignites at the twisted iron tip and a searing blast of energy leaps towards you. There is a deafening crack as the bolt is turned away by Rhygar
Give no quarter,
cries the Lord-lieutenant as he attacks the cloaked staff-bearer. His sword slices clean through the robed stranger but he remains unharmed. You suddenly realize why he does not bleed. He and his sinister companions are Helghast, fell captains of the Darklords. They have the ability to adopt human form but are invulnerable to normal weapons. The Helghast lets out a hideous scream that tears at your mind. Blinded by the sudden pain, you trip and fall into the dense undergrowth of the wooded hillside. Unless you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, lose 2
You gasp with pain as the serpent
You slam the door shut and draw the bolt. The shop is dark but you can still make out a staircase to your right, a trapdoor in the centre of the floor and another door in the opposite wall. Suddenly there is a crash as an axe splinters a panel of the door behind you. You have been spotted entering the shop and the mob are breaking down the door.
-The innkeeper takes your Gold Crown and places a foaming tankard of ale on the bar. The ale is strong and fortifying. Restore 1
The climb is very difficult, for you have only one free hand
You eventually reach the rim of the tower and quickly hook a leg over the narrow ledge. You are about to jump into the tower and attack when a thin voice makes you freeze.
-How I shall delight in the irony of your death, Lone Wolf.
The sorcerer is standing in the far corner of the tower, his left hand pointing at your head. Your quest has failed, Lone Wolf. Now you must die!
A blinding flash of orange flame shoots from his hand towards your face.
-Placing your hands upon his chest, you try to seal the open wound. He has lost a lot of blood and although he is sweating heavily, his skin is cold to the touch. His eyes suddenly roll open and he shouts a garbled warning.
-Pirates
The captain is soon unconscious once more. You wrap him in blankets and place a cushion beneath his head, but he has drifted off into a sleep from which he will not awake. Back on deck, the bodies of the dead crew have been gathered together. Captain Kelman approaches you and hands you a vicious-looking black scimitar.
-This is no pirate sword, Lone Wolf. This weapon was forged in the furnaces of Helgedad. It is a Darklord blade.
It is daunting news. If the Darklords have allied the Lakuri pirates to their cause, the voyage to Durenor will be a perilous one. You fling the black sword into the sea and return to the Green Sceptre. As you set sail for the east, you watch as the Durenor merchantman slips beneath the waves.
-You enter a musty office where two men sit hunched over desks bowed beneath the weight of books and papers.
-Good evening, sir,
says one of the men, his long waxed moustache twitching as he speaks. Sir requires a merchant
Before you can reply, the man passes to you a fistful of complicated forms. If sir would care to sign these, I can issue sir
Tearing open his bloodied robes, you are shocked to discover there is no evidence that he was your would-be assassin. All that you find are 2 Gold Crowns and a Dagger. You may take these items if you wish.
-During the period of your Kai training, your masters taught you many of the languages and dialects of northern Magnamund, one of which was Szall. The creatures in this clearing are Szalls and they are screaming at you that the wounded man is not a man at all. They say he is a Helghast, a powerful shape-changing servant of the Darklords.
-You dive backwards, but only just in time to avoid the falling mast as it smashes straight through the deck. You stagger upright and peer into the mass of shattered timbers. Pinned beneath the broken mast is the lifeless body of Captain Kelman.
-As you stare in horror, a loud crack fills the air as the storm breaks open the already damaged hull of the Green Sceptre. As the ship breaks up you are hurled over the side and into the raging sea.
-Gasping for air, you claw your way up to the surface but strike your head on a hatch cover. Lose 1
When you eventually awake, the storm has passed. The only trace of the Green Sceptre is the hatch cover on which you lie. By the position of the sun you suppose it to be late afternoon. In the distance, you can see a small fishing boat and beyond it, the coastline stretches out along the horizon.
-The Sommerswerd is a weapon-like Special Item. The +10
The power coursing through your body so overwhelms your senses that you become oblivious to your surroundings. You instinctively raise the blade above your head where a shaft of sunlight suddenly catches upon its very tip and floods the chamber with a blinding white glow. At that moment the true power of the Sommerswerd is revealed to you.
-This weapon was forged long before the Sommlending, the Durenese, or the Darklords dwelt in the Lastlands. Its makers were of a race that men would now call gods. To release the power that it contains, only a Kai Lord may wield it. Should it be used in combat by anyone who is not a Kai Lord, its power will fade and be lost forever.
-When used in combat, the Sommerswerd will add 8 points to your
You now realize you hold the only power in Magnamund that can save your people. Slowly the light starts to fade and you become aware of Lord Axim
Come, Lone Wolf, there is much to prepare for your return to Sommerlund.
You sheathe the Sommerswerd in its jewelled scabbard and follow Lord Axim as he leaves the King
Make the necessary adjustments to your
The knight sheathes his broadsword and ushers you inside the tower. You follow him to a large room at the top of a flight of stone steps, where a log fire blazes warmly.
-If you are who you claim to be, you must be in possession of the Seal of Hammerdal. Show it to me,
he orders.
You awake the following morning to the cries of the lookout from high in the crow
Longboat adrift off the port stern!
You climb up on the deck and meet the captain, bracing yourself against the fresh breeze. Less than fifty yards off the port stern, a damaged longboat bobs up and down in the heavy sea. On board are three men huddled together against the wind.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-When you are certain that the angry mob has passed, you jump from the hay-wain and run stealthily along the street, dodging from one shadow to the next. To your left there is a shop with a sign above the door.
-There is a light in the window and the door is open.
-At the end of Barnacle Street there is a junction. It is now very dark and you will have to find shelter soon.
-Just inside the main door sits a kindly old man with a long beard. He is studying a huge leather-bound book that rests on a lectern before him. He has not noticed you enter the city hall.
-Viveka kicks over the table. Her reactions are lightning-fast and you have not gained the advantage of surprise over her. She draws her short sword and attacks you.
-There are many ships of all sizes and nationalities moored on this side of the harbour. The River Dorn, which divides the city of Ragadorn, is always busy.
-You are about to give up your search, when you spot the thieves
You take the Mace and Crowns and return to Stonepost Square.
-As you raise your weapon and strike at the knight, you realize too late that you have made a dreadful mistake, for he is a champion swordsman and the soldiers are from the
Although night has fallen, a full moon casts a bright light upon the village. Behind the tavern, you see a small wheelwright
As you jump, you are spotted by the driver. He quickly stops the coach and turns to confront you, a sword already in his hand.
-Two Szalls and three angry villagers are running up the stairs to attack you. You must fight them one at a time.
-It is probably best to consider each Meal as one item of the merchant
The boy is thrown out of the trading post by two black-clad guards. The merchant thanks you and offers you the choice of any two items of his cargo. (Remember that you must take the Backpack in order to carry any of the Backpack Items.)
-Choose any two of the above items and record them on your Action Chart. After thanking the merchant, you leave by a side door.
-The hideous creature lets out one last cry as it collapses at your feet. As you step back to avoid the putrid smell of its rotting corpse, you see three more Helghast advancing towards you. To remain here would be suicide. You shout a warning to Rhygar as you turn and flee for the safety of the woods.
-Deduct however many Crowns you wish to give to the beggars from your Action Chart. They thank you, but many other beggars have appeared and demand that you give them money as well. You eventually push through the crowd and continue on your way.
-You urge the captain to investigate the vessel, but he ignores your plea and orders the crew to continue with their duties. As the trading ship disappears from view, you stare at it and wonder why the captain was so reluctant to do anything.
-You descend below deck and take care to lock the door of your cabin behind you.
-You spur your horse through the tangle of trees until you enter a small clearing. Six Szalls are jumping excitedly around the writhing body of a man on the ground. A strangely carved spear is stuck in his chest, and lying dead beside him is the body of a Knight of the White Mountain. The creatures are shrieking at each other and appear to be unconcerned with the man
Your Kai sense warns you that this place harbours evil. You are standing directly outside the orange door when something strikes you.
-You have noticed during your rigorous training exercises with the Sommerswerd that your Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense has become more sensitive than ever before: you knew exactly what Madin Rendalim
Your Kai sense reveals that there are no tracks in this part of the Durenor Forest, but it does tell you the correct direction to Port Bax. However, the forest that lies before you is so dense that you will have to abandon your horse at the watchtower before you can continue.
-The following morning you are woken by the cry of the ship
Ship ahoy off the port bow!
You clamber up a narrow ladder and join the captain at the stern. Your eyes are younger than mine, see what you can make of her, my lord,
he says, and hands you an ornate telescope.
You can make out the red sails and black flag of a Lakuri pirate warship on the horizon.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-A veil of sea fog has rolled across the still ocean from the broken spine of land known as the Kirlundin Isles. Strange dark shapes hide within this mist. They are growing larger, and slowly the distinct outlines of ships become plain.
-Prepare for battle!
The admiral
All hands on deck!
As the black ships approach through the fog, a horrific sight befalls you. They are death-hulks, sunken ships crewed by the living corpses of drowned sailors. They have been summoned to the surface by great wizardry, and they are closing for battle. Suddenly the fog vanishes, and you can now see that the death-hulks bar the entrance to the Holmgulf. In the centre of the line is their sinister flagship. Swiftly it sails towards you, a huge ram protruding from its black prow. As it rips its way through the hull of the Durenor, you hear the admiral
Abandon ship!
You are now in the thick of the enemy fleet and the Durenor is sinking fast.
-As you burst into his cabin, the captain looks up in surprise from his chart table. Fire in the hold,
you gasp, breathless from your run.
In an instant, the captain is through the door and ordering the crew to fill buckets with water and gather blankets to smother the fire. By the time you reach the forward hold, the smoke is dense. Suddenly the ship is thrown into a frenzy as flames erupt from the hatch cover. It takes over an hour to contain the blaze and the damage is great. The entire store of food and fresh water was in that hold, and the hull has been badly weakened.
-The captain climbs out of the smoking hold and approaches you, his face black with soot. He is carrying something in a bundle under his arm. We must talk in private, my lord,
he says quietly. Without replying, you turn and follow him to his cabin.
Tarnalin is a wonder to behold. Over a hundred feet in height and width, the tunnel runs to the capital on the far side of the Hammerdal Range. Usually it is alive with the traffic of wagons and people to and from Port Bax. But as you enter, you find it deserted except for an overturned fruit cart. The road that disappears into the torchlit tunnel is empty and quiet.
-As you walk along the paved road, you get an uneasy feeling that perhaps the Helghast have arrived at Tarnalin before you. You have been walking for nearly an hour when the tunnel splits in two.
-This Meal of Laumspur may be consumed when instructed to eat a Meal in which case it fulfils the Meal requirement in addition to restoring 3
Laumspur is a delicious herb, much sought after in the Lastlands for its healing properties. You have picked enough for one Meal. Eating this meal will restore 3
The fishermen stare at you with open mouths as if they have just seen a corpse return from the dead. Suddenly one of them kicks over the table and they make their escape through the back door of the tavern. In one bound, you leap over the table and pursue them out of the tavern, into the darkness beyond.
-Unfortunately for you, the rope has been nearly cut in two by a sword blow, and it is likely to snap under your weight.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table to see if the rope and your luck holds.
-The carved spear is made of metal, yet it feels as light as if it were made of wood. You notice the shaft is covered in runes and magic emblems. As you carefully pull it from the man
You are amazed to see the man jump to his feet, and then horrified to see the dreadful change that comes over him. The skin of his face appears to writhe and change colour, growing darker and shrinking as it decays on his skull. His eyes burn with a bright red glow and long fangs protrude from his bottom jaw. You choke with fear as you realize it is a Helghast, a nightmarish agent of the Darklords. It is attacking you with its powerful Mindforce. If you do not have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, you will lose 2
You cannot evade this creature and you must fight it to the death.
-If you win the combat, you can keep the Spear. Mark it on your Action Chart under the Special Items section as a Magic Spear.
The captain orders his crew to go alongside. As they board the trader, you are shocked by the sight that awaits you. Dead sailors cover the deck, many pierced by arrows. It seems they must have put up a desperate fight to defend their cargo, but not a trace of it remains in any of the ship
One of the wheels jams in a deep rut and three of the large wooden spokes are shattered. You are forced to stop and replace the wheel before you can continue to Port Bax. You volunteer to help the driver by levering the coach axle with a small tree trunk, so that the spare wheel can be slid into position.
-You are pushing down on the stout branch with all your strength, when the horses suddenly rear up and race forward. The trunk springs back and catches you square in the face, knocking you backwards to the ground. You are stunned and you lose 2 No accident
Blinking the foul water from your eyes, you can see that the flagship of the death-hulk fleet is now ablaze. Black smoke is pouring from the decks, and tongues of orange and yellow flame flicker from its rotten black hull.
-Suddenly, you are aware of the beating of wings directly above you. You are shocked to see a Kraan hovering above, trying to grab at you with its sharp claws. Its hooked talons catch your cloak and suddenly you are snatched up into the air. But it is to be a short flight. You draw the Sommerswerd and sink it into the soft belly of the creature. With a shriek of agony, it releases its grip and you fall. You pray that luck will be on your side and that you will land safely.
-The guard does not believe you, and he attacks you with his sword.
-If you do not have a weapon, deduct 4 points from your
The guards reluctantly lower their weapons and allow you to cross the bridge. As you slip past, they stare at you and whisper to each other. Once you are safely across the Rymerift, you quickly hurry on your way in case they change their minds and arrest you. After nearly an hour of walking along the forest road, you arrive at a junction where a signpost points to the east.
-You smile and set off eastwards. You should be there in just under an hour.
-You suddenly remember what he said about the shop with the orange door. It is the headquarters of the Silent Brotherhood, Lachlan
You quickly turn away from the orange door and hurry northwards.
-It is likely that the information provided here is a combination of the information given to you previously by Banedon and the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, both of which you must have in order to receive the Crystal Star Pendant.
-He is Vonotar the Traitor, renegade wizard from the Magicians
You have walked for over three hours along this lonely coast road when night starts to fall. The land is flat and barren, and you have seen no sign of life here at all. You finally decide to rest beneath the branches of a large tree standing close to the highway. Making a pillow of your backpack, you pull your warm Kai cloak around yourself and drift off into a deep sleep.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-The area around the watchtower door has been cleared of foliage, and the ground is well-trodden. You are looking for a lock or keyhole in the iron-clad door when it suddenly opens. Standing before you is a Knight of the White Mountain, a broadsword held in front of his face.
-State your purpose and mark your words well. My steel will be my answer if you lie!
Neither Discipline literally gives you the ability to see through clay. Rather, Sixth Sense intuitively clues you into the marble
Using your Kai Discipline, you can tell which cup hides the marble, for to you, the clay is as transparent as glass itself.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table and add 5 to it. This equals the number of Gold Crowns that you win before the rogue suspects something is wrong and ends the game.
-With gold in your purse once more, you return to the bar and hand over 1 Gold Crown for a room.
-It is a large passenger wagon similar to those used by highway travellers of Sommerlund. The driver pulls the horses to a halt and stares at you from under the wide brim of his hat. You ask where he
We
You bid Rhygar farewell and enter Tarnalin. Over a hundred feet in height and width, the tunnel runs to the capital on the far side of the Hammerdal Range, and is lit by torches for its entire length. The highway through the mountain is usually alive with the traffic of merchants to and from Port Bax, yet now the entrance and interior are deserted except for an overturned fruit wagon. As you walk deeper into Tarnalin, a doubt nags at you. Have the Helghast arrived here first?
-You have been walking for half an hour when you see a strange creature on top of a wagon in the road ahead. It is two feet high and resembles an overgrown marsh rat. You assume it is some sort of tunnel dwelling rodent until you notice that it is wearing a splendid jacket of patched leather and carrying what appears to be a spear. As you get nearer, it suddenly turns to face you. Its whiskered nose is sniffing the air and its bright black eyes are peering into the gloom. It sees you and scampers off into the darkness of a smaller tunnel to your left.
-Shattered beams, pieces of planking and torn sails litter the white-flecked waves. It is all that remains of a merchant ship. But then suddenly you notice a body clinging to a broken hatch cover. A rope ladder is quickly lowered and the poor man is brought aboard.
-Pirates!
is all he says before collapsing to the deck. The man is wrapped in a large blanket and taken below. He has suffered many wounds and is close to death.
This crime bears the mark of the Lakuri pirates,
the captain confides in you, but it is unusual to run across them in these waters. They must be in search of a rich cargo to sail so far from their tropical islands.
As the ship resumes its course for Durenor, you cannot help but wonder if that rich cargo
is you.
Luck is with you, for you land safely on the deck of the Kalkarm, a Durenese warship. The soldiers here have been involved in a desperate battle but have fought off the enemy and are cutting the grappling ropes that hold the ship to a death-hulk. From out of the smoke strides Lord Axim, his face bloodied and his shield badly scarred.
-Thank the gods you are alive, Lone Wolf. The fight has been bitter and our losses are high, but I am heartened indeed to see you standing before me now,
he says and leads you to the shipLook yonder, their flagship is ablaze.
Through the fog of war you can see that the huge death-hulk is slowly sinking beneath a plume of dense black smoke. The Kalkarm is eventually freed and slowly it manoeuvres out of the tangle of wreckage. A wind begins to stir, filling its tattered sails and carrying away the smoke of battle. Lord Axim orders the Royal Arms of Durenor to be hoist aloft so that other ships can rally to the Kalkarm. For the first time since the battle began, you can now see the other Durenese ships. It is an amazing sight for as the enemy flagship sinks beneath the waves, so every death-hulk on the horizon returns to its watery grave.
-Their sorcery is broken. We have won this battle,
says Lord Axim. And within a few minutes, not one of the death-hulks remains afloat.
As you run along Lookout Street, you quickly reach the waterfront where the River Dorn separates the east and west sides of the city. To your left is the Ragadorn Bridge, an ugly construction of rusted iron that provides the only connection between the two halves of Ragadorn. With the shouts of the street thieves echoing in your ears, you push your way through the people crowding the bridge. By the time you have got across, the street thieves have given up the chase, and you enter a rubbish-strewn thoroughfare known as East Trade Lane.
-This street follows the city wall northwards. On your right you notice a shop with a bright orange door. Unlike all of the other shops in this street, it bears no sign above it. You suddenly remember the tales of a Kai Lord who returned from a visit to Ragadorn about a year ago. He mentioned this orange door in one of his many stories.
-If not, pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-A strange power is coursing through your body. Instinctively you raise the blade above your head and a shaft of sunlight suddenly catches the edge of the sword and floods the King
But almost immediately the light starts to fade and you are aware of Lord AximCome, Lone Wolf. There is much to prepare for your return to Sommerlund.
You sheathe the Sommerswerd in its jewelled scabbard and follow Lord Axim as he turns and leaves the King
You quickly search her body but find no evidence that she was your would-be assassin. You discover 42 Gold Crowns, a Short Sword, and a Dagger. Take any of these items if you wish, and mark them on your Action Chart.
-You quickly dash through the side door of the tavern and run the length of the alleyway towards the main square. Through the crowds of people you can see many boats and coracles tied up to the quayside. The thugs are close behind and you must act quickly.
-Untying one of the small boats, you jump from the harbour wall and land with a crash, splintering the wooden seat. It has one paddle which you use to make your way towards the Green Sceptre, anchored three hundred yards across the water.
-The man pulls a hidden bell-rope, and suddenly four armed guards burst into the room.
-These documents are forgeries. No doubt you are a spy, or worse perhaps? No matter, you
Before you can explain, you are seized by both arms and marched away to the city gaol. All your equipment is confiscated, including all Special Items and Weapons, and you are thrown into a cell full of evil-looking villains. You notice that several of these ruffians bear the strange tattoo of a serpent on their left wrists: the sign of Vonotar the Traitor. By the time the guards have examined your possessions and realized your true identity, you have been strangled to death by the wizard
You awake at dawn to the sound of heavy rain falling on the cobbled streets outside.
-It has been six days since you left Holmgard, and you must eat a Meal here or lose 3
A golden glow runs the length of the Sommerswerd as you raise it high above your head, ready to face your enemy. You are confronted by six grisly zombies and you must fight them as one enemy.
-They are undead creatures, so remember to double all
You pass several narrow warehouses lining the waterfront, and reach the harbour wall. Here the road bears sharply to the right into Tomb Street.
-Marching along the centre of this street are four heavily armed city guards. Rather than be stopped and possibly arrested by these soldiers, you dodge into an alleyway off to your right. The guards suddenly halt opposite the alley entrance. If one of them should turn his head, you will be spotted for sure. Behind you is a small window, leading into a crowded tavern.
-Without a second
The priest approaches you and says, You need to rest, as we all do. I understand your problem my friend. Please allow me to practice what I humbly preach,
and with these words he leads you to the bar and places a Gold Crown into the hand of the innkeeper. A room for my friend,
he says and smiles.
You ask them what they want of you. In answer, they simultaneously produce long, curved daggers from inside their jackets. Their leader steps forward and demands your gold. As you hesitate, he shouts, Take
and all three attack you.
Deduct 4 points from your
You crash to the muddy street in a shower of broken glass. You are winded by the fall, but otherwise unharmed. An angry villager armed with a cudgel tries to smash your skull, but you roll aside, jump to your feet and sprint away down the twisting street before he has struck his blow. Then an ugly Szall on horseback charges towards you with a raised spear. He is about to stab you when you sidestep and grab the weapon, pulling it and the Szall from the saddle.
-If you wish to keep the Spear, remember to mark it on your Action Chart.
-Looking directly into the sailor
Suddenly from out of the darkness there is a blood-chilling cry. You find yourself staring into the glowing eyes of a Helghast. As it tries to close its fingers around your throat, you scream in terror and fall to the ground. The hideous creature tears at your tunic, rending the cloth with its black claws.
-The knight points to the woods behind you and says in a gruff voice, There is your shelter.
Before you can reply, he has stepped back into the tower and bolted the heavy door. The forest here is very dense and the undergrowth is a tangle of weeds and briars. It will prove impossible to enter the wood on horseback, so you must abandon your mount before continuing on foot.
-The fare to Port Bax is 20 Gold Crowns,
says the coachman in a gruff Ragadornian accent.
You reach a junction where Beggar Lane turns south into Black Knight Street. A few yards along there is another lane called Anchor Street, which heads off towards the east. The rain has become much heavier now.
-You have been walking for nearly two hours when you reach the peak of a hill and see the Durenor Forest stretched out before you. The road bears eastwards and enters the trees at a point where a large wooden tower has been built. You can see the silhouette of a soldier on guard.
-The training that you received in the art of Hunting has taught you to recognize most of the poisonous and non-poisonous fruits to be found in northern Magnamund. These purple fruits are larnuma, a sweet and nutritious food. You quickly eat your fill and then store enough of them in your Backpack for 2 Meals.
-Beyond the larnuma trees, you notice a wide coast road that disappears towards the east and the west.
-Both guards stare at the Seal in awe. The legend of the Seal of Hammerdal is well known to all the people of Durenor. It is said that of all the lost treasures of Durenor, the Seal of Hammerdal is the one they would not wish returned. The anxious faces of the two guards show they clearly realize its significance.
-One of the guards escorts you across the Rymerift and along a forest road that eventually ends at a junction. A signpost points to the east.
-I must leave you now and return to the Rymerift. I fear that war will soon cast its black shadow upon this land and I shall be needed at the border. Godspeed to you Sommlending, godspeed.
You watch for a few minutes as the soldier returns along the forest track before you set off eastwards. You should arrive in Port Bax within the hour.
-As the mast smashes into the deck, a splintered beam hits your head and you are knocked overboard. Gasping for air, you fight your way to the surface and catch hold of a hatch cover. You are half-stunned. You lose 2
You pull yourself onto this makeshift raft and cling to it with all your strength. If you are wearing a Chainmail Waistcoat, you must discard it now or otherwise you will be drowned for sure.
-You feel dizzy and sick. As the heaving sea buffets you relentlessly, you gradually slip into unconsciousness. When you awake many hours later, the storm has passed. By the position of the sun, you judge it to be late afternoon. In the distance you can see a small fishing boat and beyond it, on the horizon, land. The only trace of the Green Sceptre is the hatch cover on which you now sit.
-The man takes your money and hands you a White Pass that is valid for the next seven days. (Mark the White Pass on your Action Chart as a Special Item.) You thank him and leave the building. Outside you turn left and walk towards the guards at the end of the street.
-You head south and follow the quayside until you come to a junction where the street heads off towards the east. Most of the shops in this street are still closed except for one to your right. There is a sign above the door.
-A large Noodnic, wearing a brightly coloured cloak of patchwork silks, orders several of his people to arm themselves and drive you out of the hall. When you speak to them in their own language, a hush of astonishment fills the cavern. Never before have they encountered a human being who could actually speak their tongue. For some of them it is too much to grasp, and they stare at you open-mouthed, their furry little arms hanging loosely by their sides.
-Then the large Noodnic addresses you, saying he is the leader of this colony. His name is Gashgiss and he welcomes you and invites you to join him on top of a raised platform in the centre of the chamber.
-Yooze notta Dureneeze man-man, eh? Whereza yooze come za from, eh?
questions Gashgiss, in his strange Noodnic accent.
You tell him that you are a Sommlending on your way to Hammerdal. He looks at you nervously, and then asks, Yooze notta Blackscreamerz, eh?
You realize that the Blackscreamerz
that Gashgiss refers to are Helghast. You learn that two of them arrived in Tarnalin over two hours ago, and caused quite a panic in the main tunnel. Gashgiss knows where they are lying in ambush, waiting for you to appear.
Iza show yooze z
he offers. You nod your agreement and follow him down the steps of the platform, to the hall below.
The Noodnics seem to have overcome their shock and react to you now as if you were one of them. Before you leave, a pretty female Noodnic offers you some food for your journey ahead. There is enough for two Meals. You thank her for her generosity and then follow Gashgiss along one of the many passages leading out of the cavern. After an hour of trekking through the dark, he stops and points towards a shaft of light that is pouring through a crevice in the far distance. Yooze goez left, yooze be zafe,
he says.
You thank Gashgiss for his help and silently thank your Kai masters who taught you the skill of Animal Kinship. The many years of instruction have probably saved your life. You squeeze through a fissure in the rock wall and drop three feet to the pathway below. You are thinking how kind the Noodnics were when you discover that they have stolen all your gold! You will have to mark this on your Action Chart.
-Due to the loss of
You are becoming weaker and weaker. After what seems an eternity of painful struggle you find the Laumspur and force yourself to swallow the dry leaves. Within seconds you are violently sick, after which you drift off into a restless sleep.
-It is nearly an hour before you awake and you still feel dreadfully ill. Deduct 5
As you slowly regain your strength, the shock of what has happened soon turns to anger. You grab your equipment and stagger out of the room, intent on confronting your would-be assassin.
-You were right. The cloud is made of huge Zlanbeast and many Kraan, a smaller species but one that is just as deadly. Hanging below their black bellies are nets full of Giaks. As the Zlanbeast descend on the Green Sceptre, a net of shrieking Giaks crashes onto the deck behind you. Some are crushed in the fall, but many more have survived and waste no time attacking you. You must fight them as one enemy.
-Your senses reveal that the path is a dead end. The only way that you can cross the Rymerift and reach Port Bax is via the bridge.
-You wrap yourself in your Kai cloak and raise the hood. The driver shouts and whips the horses and soon you are on your way along the tree-lined coast road to Ragadorn. During the journey, you talk to the driver and learn some useful things about the seaport of Ragadorn.
-Ever since Killean the Overlord died three years ago, Ragadorn has been ruled (or misruled according to the driver) by his son, Lachlan. It seems that he and his men are nothing more than pirates. They tax the people heavily, and murder all who oppose them.
-You are hungry and during the coach ride, you must eat a Meal or lose 3
At last, in the distance, you can just make out the city wall of Ragadorn. A bell is tolling
If you want to get to Durenor, you can catch a coach from the stable at the east gate. Best hurry mind, it leaves at one o
the driver tells you.
You thank the driver for the advice and jump to the cobblestones below. For the first time, you suddenly notice the awful stench of this dirty seaport. A rusty sign nailed to a rot-infested house says Welcome to Ragadorn
.
You can sense that this guard is a loyal Durenese soldier. If you were to attempt to bribe him, he would be likely to consider it a grave insult and attack you.
-You spur the horse along the twisting village street across a wooden bridge and up a steep path towards the crest of the cove. In the light of the moon, you catch a glimpse of a signpost pointing eastwards.
-You ride all night without sleep. As the dawn breaks, you are greeted by a startling change of landscape. The barren Wildlands have given way to moors and waterlogged fens. And a dark shadow runs the length of the eastern horizon for as far as the eye can see. This is the Durenor Forest, the natural frontier of the mountain kingdom where it borders the untamed Wildlands. It is indeed a welcome sight.
-You are no more than a day
After an hour
Using your skill to mimic the gruff Ragadornian accent, you bluff the guard, saying that there is a fight in Tomb Square. You say that the city watch have been overpowered, and that he is needed at once.
-To see if your bluff has been successful, pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-It is early in the morning of the thirty-third day of your quest, when you ride into Port Bax with Lord Axim at your side.
-The preparations for war have been completed. The galleons of the Durenese war fleet lie at anchor in the harbour, impatiently awaiting the order to set sail for Sommerlund. On board each ship are many brave soldiers from the mountain kingdom, a tough army of skilled warriors, eager to face the Darklords in battle. Each man has sworn to avenge their besieged allies, or die in the attempt.
-You are to sail back to Holmgard aboard the flagship Durenor, a warship whose great curving prow and tall masts emphasize its sheer power and strength. You and Lord Axim are taken aboard and welcomed by Admiral Calfen, commander of the fleet, and then the fleet prepares to set sail.
-In less than an hour, the harbour lies far behind you. The domes of Port Bax are now merely dots on the horizon.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-You forget about the rogue with his cup and marble game and instead watch a card game in progress near the tavern stairs. You notice that one of the players is cheating.
-The crew
After supper, they invite you to play Portholes
with them, and wager a little gold on the fall of the dice.
After travelling a mile along the left track, you arrive at a long stone bridge. At first glance, the river that it crosses seems to be swollen and in danger of flooding the banks. Then you realize that this is the Rymerift. The waters of the Rymerift are two miles across at the widest point and over a mile deep for most of its length. Here, the land has slipped away and a natural gap has appeared separating Durenor from the rest of Magnamund.
-There is a signpost at the entrance to the stone bridge.
-You breathe a sigh of relief, for you are on the correct path and should be in the city within the hour.
-The driver becomes very angry and shouts, There
as he slams the door in your face. You cannot afford to buy a room for the night, so you decide to bed down with the horses in the stable next door.
The guard is furious and charges down the stairs at you, his sword raised above his head. If you do not have a weapon, remember to deduct 4 points from your
The priest does not seem to be surprised by your attack, and he draws a black sword from beneath his robes.
-You eventually come to a halt at the base of a huge fir tree. You try to stand, but the pain in your legs and side is so great that you collapse and lose consciousness. It is a sleep that will spare you the pain of the Helghast blades, but it is also a sleep from which there is no awakening.
-Forgive me, my lord, I did not mean to startle you.
The man seems nervous, and the open hand that is extended towards you is shaking quite visibly.
With some caution you accept the gesture of friendship, and sit with the man at a tavern table. The place is deserted save for a couple of mice gnawing at a large chunk of cheese.
-Captain Kelman has instructed me to take you to the Green Sceptre, but only if I am sure that you are the Kai Lord they call Lone Wolf. Can you prove your identity?
You decide you must show your mastery of one of your Kai Disciplines.
The shop appears to be empty. You wait and look at the merchandise for nearly five minutes, but still no one appears. You are about to leave when you notice a map hanging inside the door. It is a plan of the Port of Ragadorn. The Ragadorn stables and coach station is clearly marked near the east gate of the city. This is where land transport can be found to take you to Port Bax. You memorize the map route to the east gate and leave the shop. You run back to Axe Lane and turn east into Sage Street. At the end of this winding lane you arrive at the Ragadorn Bridge, the only connection between the east and west sides of the city. You push your way across the crowded bridge and run along the cobblestones of East Trade Lane.
-He bellows his battle-cry and lunges at your head.
-We
says the captain.
He is proved right, for the pirate ship soon disappears over the horizon. Twenty-five years at sea and I
he says, stroking his beard thoughtfully. They must be after a valuable cargo to sail so far from their tropical islands.
As the captain descends below deck to his cabin, you get an uneasy feeling that the valuable cargo may be you.
-You have walked for nearly a mile along this deserted tunnel when you see a flight of steps cut into the rock-face to your left. They lead to a platform which runs the length of the tunnel ceiling. It is used to service the torches.
-Placing the gold in your pouch, you remove the Seal and hand it to her. She snatches it and examines it closely. As you leave the shop, you hear her sniggering quietly to herself, and you wonder if you have done the right thing.
-You make your way up a flight of stairs and onto the crowded deck. Fierce battle rages all around you as the Durenese fleet is engulfed by the rush of ghostly death-hulks. Suddenly a flash of searing flame shoots from a tower at the rear of the death-hulk you are on, and explodes into the side of a Durenese warship less than fifty yards away. You watch with horror as soldiers leap from the deck, their clothes and hair in flames.
-You play a daring strategy, Lone Wolf. But I think I have you now.
Captain Kelman moves his ornate keystone across to your side of the board with a triumphant smile. But it soon fades to a look of shock as you unexpectedly counter his move. Stalemate,
you reply coolly. The captain stares at the board in disbelief.
The skills of the Kai never cease to amaze me,
he says, slowly scratching his head. He is still staring at the Samor board when you finally bid him goodnight and return to your cabin.
Slowly, one by one, the other travellers appear and stare in shock at the dead coachman. We must bury him,
says the priest.
You silently nod your agreement and prepare a grave in which to lay the corpse. As you all walk back to the coach, you discuss what should be done.
-I know the road to Port Bax. I had better drive the coach,
volunteers Halvorc.
I do hope we
says the priest nervously.
It was an act of the gods,
says Dorier.
I shall testify to that,
says Ganon. Lies are never spoken by Knights of the White Mountain.
It is true that in Durenor, a true knight will speak only the truth whether for his own good or ill. His words seem to reassure the priest and you are all soon once more on the road heading towards the eastern horizon. It is late in the afternoon when you arrive at a coach station in a small coastal village known as Gorn Cove, which is mainly populated by outcasts, thieves, and Szalls.
-The death of the coachman is met by the villagers with great suspicion, but Dorier
There is only one inn at the village, a tavern known as the Forlorn Hope. Its state of disrepair is typical of all the other hovels in this poor sea village. A room for the night costs 1 Gold Crown.
-You leave the gaming-house and walk dejectedly back towards the coach station. In the distance you can see the east gate of the city. Waiting below it is the coach to Durenor. You must get to Port Bax
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-The guard looks at your white card and sneers, This is a merchant
He flicks the card back at you and returns to his post at the gate.
Behind the trees you notice a wide coast road running from east to west.
-Your Kai sense warns you that there is something evil hiding in the darkness of the platform.
-You enter a magnificent emporium in which are displayed some of the finest goods of northern Magnamund. Even at this late hour, the trading post is busy, as captains and rich merchants haggle over the sale or exchange of their cargoes. The owner of the trading post appears to be a young warrior, who presides over the auction of goods from an ornate chair held up by four massive chains. His men are all dressed in black armour, and on their shields they bear the emblem of a black ship on a red crest.
-Then, by chance, you notice a small boy steal a money pouch from the belt of a merchant, and slip it into his boot.
-The knight steps towards you and says, I
With a flick of his broadsword, he unhorses you and heavily you fall to the ground. Instinctively, you draw your weapon in self-defence as the knight attacks you.
-It seems our bird has flown,
says the captain, pointing to a longboat moving swiftly towards another ship on the horizon. She flies no flag, and her hull is of a strange shape. I
You watch as the longboat reaches the mysterious ship. As if by magic a sea fog appears from nowhere and engulfs the vessel. Moments later, both the ship and the fog have disappeared.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-For three days and nights, you have ridden along the highway as it follows its route up the river valley of the Durenon. In the distance are the peaks of the Hammerdal Mountains, one of the highest ranges in all Magnamund. The capital lies at the very centre of those mountains.
-It is now the morning of the fourteenth day of your quest. You have made camp near a waterfall where the fast-flowing Durenon drops over 120 feet. You are about to leave, when a group of six hooded riders appears on the forest highway above, blocking your exit from the camp.
-Lord-lieutenant Rhygar demands that they let you pass, adding that you bear a royal dispatch. In Durenor, it is a treasonable offence to hinder a King
If you do not care for reason, perhaps our swords will turn your tails,
says Rhygar. He draws his sword, and orders his men to attack.
As you re-enter the tavern, you can see that most of the sailors are clustered around the centre table to watch an arm-wrestling contest.
-Although the delicious smell of the food is making your mouth water, you suspect that something is very wrong. You set the tray down by the door. Your hunger has made you tired, and you decide to take a short nap before meeting the others in the bar.
-When you awake, you see the bodies of two dead rats lying beside the food tray
You grab your equipment and leave the room, intent on discovering your would-be assassin.
-Using your Kai Discipline of Camouflage, you can hide undetected in the hay-cart until it is safe to come out.
-You conclude that the crew are either blind or have no intention of rescuing you. The fishing boat continues on its course out to sea and, without seeming to notice you, disappears over the horizon. Pulling off a loose plank from the hatch cover, and using it as a makeshift oar, you set about paddling towards the shore.
-According to Lone Wolf Club Newsletter #12: Realistically, you can only wear one Backpack at a time, and carry a maximum of eight Backpack Items (Special Items not included).
This street seems dirtier and smellier than the one you have just been down. The cluttered window of a shop to your left catches your attention. In the window are many useful items, all of which bear a price tag.
-You may enter and purchase any of the above items. Remember to mark them on your Action Chart. When you have completed your purchases, you continue your way along Sage Street, towards the Ragadorn Bridge. This bridge is the only connection between the east and west sides of the port and you push your way through the crowds of people and carts. You find yourself in a rubbish-strewn thoroughfare known as East Trade Lane.
-You must find shelter for the night or you will risk being arrested by the city guard. Your Kai sense tells you that the best course of action is to return to the tavern and ask the innkeeper for a room. Refreshed by a comfortable night
The forest drops away steeply at the edge of your campsite, and in your haste you trip and fall headlong through the trees.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-As the Drakkar dies at your feet, the pirates falter at the sight of such a powerful warrior floored, and then flee to their sinking ship. Captain Kelman rallies his crew and leads them against the retreating enemy, driving them into the water with the fury of the attack.
-The Green Sceptre pulls free of the pirate ship, which keels heavily to starboard.
-Our thanks, Kai Lord.
The captain grasps your hand. We are proud and thankful to have you with us.
A cheer resounds along the deck, and the crew voice their praise.
You help tend the wounded whilst repairs are carried out to the damaged prow. Within the hour, the wind fills the sails and you are back on course for Durenor once more.
-As you race along the corpse-littered deck, two Drakkarim warriors emerge from a doorway and attack you by surprise. You must fight them one at a time.
-You are standing opposite a large building with a sign on the wall:
-A green-clad coachman is sitting next to a notice board that reads, Port Bax
.
A quick search of their bodies reveals the following items:
-If you decide to take any of these, remember to mark them on your Action Chart.
-You roll the bodies into the Rymerift and then run across the bridge in case anyone saw the incident. The forest track continues for over an hour before you arrive at a junction, where you see a signpost.
-You adjust your equipment and set off towards the east.
-Your quick wits and skill have saved you from a venomous bite. As the snake disappears into the long grass beyond the road, you gather together your Backpack and climb the tree, where you spend the rest of the night safely above the ground.
-Impostor!
he cries, and draws his weapon. Before you can react to his attack, his sword has grazed your arm and you lose 2
Using the edge of a steel rule to prise open the lock, you suddenly feel a sharp pain in your chest. A cunning trap has been laid, and as you open the box, a small needle shoots out and embeds itself in your flesh. It is tipped with a deadly poison. You die instantly.
-At the end of the avenue, the cobbled street turns abruptly to the right. Opposite this point is a tall, white stone building with a plaque above the door.
-You can see that the cobbled street ends at a high stone wall. There is a large red gate in this wall and it is guarded by two soldiers. Beyond the gate, you can make out the masts of ships moored in the harbour.
-The drunken sailors roar with delight, money changes hands and bets are settled. You notice your opponent wink at two of his henchmen. They begin to move towards you. Without a moment
As you reach the tavern door, an ugly sailor draws his sword and blocks your escape. But before you have a chance to do anything, there is a loud thud and he falls to his knees. Behind him stands the serving girl, a large wooden club in her hand, smiling at you. You thank her, and wink as you race out of the door and into the darkened street beyond.
-After running blindly in the dark for many minutes, you notice a stable and coach station through the gloom ahead. With the shouts of angry sailors still ringing in your ears, you run to the building and climb a ladder where you spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.
-The voyage to Sommerlund is one of ill omen. Deep black storm clouds gather on the horizon, and a fierce wind relentlessly torments the restless sea. At night, great bolts of lightning tear open the darkness, followed by a rolling thunder so loud that it shakes every timber of the flagship. Many of the soldiers aboard the fleet are mountain-dwellers, unaccustomed to the shift of the sea. By the third day, over half their number are so ill as to be unable to stand. Lord Axim is close to despair.
-How I pray that this storm will lift, for even if the fleet arrives intact, I fear our men will be too weak to break the enemy.
Then, as if in answer to his prayer, the dawn of the next day heralds an end to the raging storms. But the calm waters now surrounding the fleet contain a danger far greater than any storm.
-In the Collector
When you awake, you are shocked to find yourself lying beneath a wooden jetty, and the shallow water surrounding you fills your nostrils with a foul stench. As you stand, your head throbs violently as if you had been knocked unconscious. This is exactly what has happened to you, and your Gold, your Backpack, your Weapons, and all your Special Items (including the Seal of Hammerdal) have been stolen by the fishermen.
With a groan of despair, you climb out of the slimy water and pull yourself onto the jetty. Looking up you see a faded sign.
-You fear the rumours about this place are true. It is nearly dark and it has started to rain. You must find the Seal if you are to persuade the Durenese to give you the Sommerswerd. Looking round, you see a large market square with a stone signpost in the centre, indicating the various roads that lead off the square.
-You have been travelling for nearly two hours when the driver shouts, Toll bridge ahead. One Crown apiece.
Looking out of the window, it is pouring down with rain but you can just make out a wooden bridge and a log cabin in the distance. The driver halts the coach at the log cabin and an ugly creature appears at the doorway. It is a warty-skinned Szall, a harmless and cowardly breed of Giak. They have been natives of the Wildlands since the Age of the Black Moon, when thousands of their kind migrated from the Durncrag Mountains to avoid the tyranny of Vashna, the mightiest of the Darklords.
-The Szall demands one Gold Crown from each passenger before the coach will be allowed to pass. The other passengers each place one Crown upon a small plate and hand it to you.
-King Alin IV sits alone in his domed tower, viewing his mountain domain through one of the many portals of tinted glass. You and Lord Axim are formally announced as you enter the chamber, and you respectfully bow to his Majesty. Then, Lord Axim removes the Seal of Hammerdal from your finger and walks over to the King
Alas, the Darklords have woken once more, and once more does Sommerlund come in search of our aid. I had prayed that my reign would be remembered as a time of peace and fulfilment, but in my heart I knew it was to be otherwise.
The King removes a golden key from the pocket of his white robe and inserts it in a marble dais standing in the centre of the chamber. A gentle humming fills the room, as the stone cover slides back to reveal the hilt of a golden sword.
-Take the sword, Lone Wolf. It is foretold that only a true son of Sommerlund can release the powers that lie within its blade.
As you grasp the glowing hilt, a tingling sensation runs up your arm and radiates throughout your body.
-As dawn breaks, a fierce storm rises and you are woken by the violent rocking of the ship. The floor of your cabin is awash, and the shouts of the crew can hardly be heard above the howling wind. You quickly dress, gather up your equipment, and make your way to the deck.
-You are soon joined by the captain, who takes hold of your arm and orders you to return to your cabin. Suddenly, as you start to go down, there is a thunderous crack as, high in the rigging, part of the mast snaps. You look up to see the shattered pole falling towards you.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-You have covered less than twenty yards when your horse rears up and bolts. You are thrown to the ground and you lose 1
The innkeeper pockets the Crown and says in a mocking voice, You can get there by putting one foot in front of the other
and with a loud laugh he walks behind the counter and disappears into the kitchen beyond. You curse his trickery and leave the inn, pausing only, in your anger, to kick over his bucket of dirty water.
By the time you reach the bar, the others are all seated at a large table awaiting your appearance. Drawing closer to the table, you realize you have found your would-be assassin. You will have to attack without giving any warning to your enemy, so study your fellow travellers carefully and then make your decision.
---[The following descriptions are of the illustration that originally appeared in the print editions:
-Viveka is seated at one end of the table, with a wary expression on her face. One arm is on the table near a large mug of ale, with her finger tapping the edge. As usual, she is dressed in battle gear.
-Ganon is seated between Viveka and Halvorc, with a sombre look on his face. He is in the uniform of the Knights of the White Mountain and has a meal and wine cup in front of him.
-Dorier is standing behind his brother Ganon, with a more gentle expression. The hilt of his sword is visible between his Knight of the White Mountain uniform and his cloak. Another wine cup on the table appears to belong to him.
-Halvorc is seated comfortably between Ganon and Parsion, giving you an ugly sneer. His hand strays close to a small ale mug.
-Parsion is sitting on the side of the table close to you, but with his body turned to the side, opposite Viveka. His hand, which has a snake painted or tattooed on the wrist, is holding a medium-sized ale mug. He regards you out of the corner of his eye from beneath the large hood of his robe.]
-
As you rise, the snake hisses and strikes at your arm. You dodge to one side, but are you quick enough to avoid its deadly fangs?
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table to find out.
-The soldier salutes and allows you to pass through the red gate. You walk into an open square lit by the tall beacons lining the quayside. To your relief, you sight the marble pillars of the Sommerlund Consulate, and the familiar sun-flag of your country flying above it in the fresh night breeze.
-As you climb the stone steps, you are recognized by the Sommlending guards on duty at the main door. They disappear inside and quickly return in the company of a tall grey-haired official. His anguished expression suddenly changes to a smile of joy as he beholds your ragged Kai cloak and tunic.
-Hope beyond hope! Thank the gods that you live, Kai Lord. The scant news that has reached us from the west has caused us great alarm.
You are ushered inside and taken immediately to the envoy of Sommerlund, Lord-lieutenant Rhygar.
-Feeling hungry?
you say, peering at the two busy house mice in the far corner. Perhaps you would care for some cheese?
Using your Kai Discipline, you order the two mice to bring the cheese to you. The sailor looks on in amazement as the two furry creatures deposit the cheese at your feet and then scurry away.
-The keen sight you have developed through your Kai Discipline of Tracking has enabled you to identify the talisman that sits on top of the black staff. It is the crescent and crystal star emblem of the Magicians
The innkeeper frowns at you and points to a side door. If you can
As you walk towards the exit, you feel the stare of the other passengers burning into your back. The door is slammed shut and you stand shivering in the cold night air.
-You are woken during the night by the baying of wolves in the distance. Rather than risk being torn to pieces in your sleep, you climb the tree and spend the rest of the night in safety, high above the ground.
-You have walked less than a hundred yards when the track disappears over the edge of a precipice towards the deep waters of the Rymerift below. It is impossible to go on any further in this direction. You will have to return along the path and cross the river at the bridge.
-You have just passed the wagon when you hear a noise behind you. Spinning around, you scan the walls and ceiling but you can see nothing in the gloom of the tunnel.
-The crew start to whisper. You hear the words ghost-ship
and cursed voyage
, but the muttering stops when the captain
Men, we
The crew seem pleased by the captain
Then the captain turns to you. We
As you return to your cabin, the KingForty days, Lone Wolf. We only have strength to stand against them for forty days.
You do not have long to complete your dangerous mission.
You place both hands on your stomach and try to fight back the pain as you concentrate on focusing your skill. The familiar warmth of your healing power numbs the pain, but the poison is very strong and your struggle is not yet over.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table. May the luck of the gods steer your choice, for your life now hangs on the number that you pick.
-The consulate of Sommerlund?
he says in surprise, somewhat taken aback by your sudden appearance. Then, recovering himself, he says, Why, of course! It is in Alin Square, near the harbour. Turn right when you leave and right again at the end of the avenue. That will take you to the Red Gate. You
You ask the man how you can obtain a red pass.
-From the captain of the port watch,
he says. You
You thank the old man and leave the city hall.
-Unfortunately, you are without a weapon and he is an expert swordsman. The fight is desperate and short. He runs you through the body with a swift lunge, and as he kicks you from the roof of the wagon, you feel nothing. You are already dead.
-You climb to the top of a pile of sheaves of hay and pull your warm Kai cloak around your shoulders to keep out the chill wind. You quickly fall asleep, little knowing you will never open your eyes again. One of the other passengers on the coach who is an agent of the Darklords creeps out and assassinates you in the dark chill of the night. Do you know who it was?
-Once you are inside, you are immediately aware that this is not a shop at all. The room is cold and bare except for a large table in the centre. You notice sinister large iron manacles attached to each of its corners.
-You are in the headquarters of the Silent Brotherhood, Lachlan
It may interest you to know that after a long week in the prison of the chief inquisitor you did not let a single Kai secret pass your lips. It is a record that has yet to be equalled, but not one that spared your life.
-Thirty yards along on the left side of the street, you hear the sound of merriment drifting out of a large ramshackle building. There is a creaking sign above the door.
-For three days and nights the mighty fleet of Durenor steers swiftly towards the Holmgulf, a strong wind filling the sails of the warships. But although the voyage is fast, the soldiers
This black mood that haunts our decks is the evil work of the Darklords. I know of their power to turn a man
As if in answer to his prayer, the black curse seems to be lifted from the fleet with the dawning of the next day. But the spell is replaced by a threat far deadlier.
-The big man looks at you and says in a cynical voice: The coach station. A coach leaves for Port Bax this afternoon. For a Gold Crown I
You look up from the dead captain to see the macabre faces of the other crew members. They are surrounding you. There are at least twenty of them and they are armed with cutlasses and axes.
-Already the venom is taking effect. Your wounded arm feels stiff and a cold sweat has broken out on your brow. Quickly you remove the Pendant that Banedon gave you at the Ruins of Raumas. Using a sharp point of the star, you cut a deep V through the two puncture holes made by the fangs, and suck out the venom.
-The charm is lucky indeed
Searching the body, you discover all you need to prove that he was the assassin. Inside his pockets, you find a half-empty vial of gnadurn sap, the deadly poison that was used to taint your food. Then there is a scroll written in Giak, giving details of your expected arrival in Port Bax. He must have located you at Ragadorn and hatched his murder plans there. You notice that the weapon he carries is a Darklord blade, fashioned of black steel and forged in the furnaces of Helgedad, the infernal city of the Darklords beyond the Durncrag Range. Only there in all of vast Magnamund can black steel be made. But the final proof of his true identity is the serpent tattoo on his left wrist. The harbour thugs who attempted to kill you before you had even left Holmgard bore exactly the same mark.
-His purse contains 23 Gold Crowns which you may keep. Do not forget to mark them on your Action Chart.
-The floor of the tavern is covered with the blood and bodies of the people you have killed. Outside in the main street you can hear the chant of a mob. The local inhabitants believe that you are a mad murderer and they intend to lynch you. Quickly, you make your escape through the rear door as the sound of the mob gets closer.
-After taking care to close his door, the captain opens the mysterious bundle and tips the contents onto his cabin table. A large charred earthenware jug and several blackened rags drop in a heap. They give off a strange oily smell.
-This was no accidental fire,
he says solemnly. This was an act of sabotage. The forward hold is a food store yet I find this oil jug and these soaked rags upon the floor. Someone on this ship is prepared to risk his life to stop us reaching Durenor.
You both stare at the burnt rags as if they hold the answer to your questions. Suddenly a cry from up on deck breaks the silence.
-Ship Ahoy! Ship off the port bow!
Grabbing his sword and telescope, the captain disappears through the door and up the ladder to the deck above.
-The guard stares at the magnificent ring in awe. The legend of the Seal of Hammerdal is well known to the people of Durenor. It is said that of all the lost treasures of the Durenese, the Seal of Hammerdal is one that they would not wish returned. The guard
I will not hinder your urgent mission, but I cannot help you except to set you on the road for Port Bax. Continue on this forest path and you will come to a fork near a stunted oak tree. Take the left track
You thank the loyal guard, and push on once more into the forest. A mile or so along the road, you come to the fork and take the left track. It leads to a stone bridge across the Rymerift. The waters of the Rymerift are over one mile deep and up to two miles at its widest point. Near to the bridge you find a signpost.
-You breathe a sigh of relief for you should arrive there in under an hour.
-The following morning you are woken by the cry of seagulls as they wheel and soar above the clipper. The wind is strong and it fills the sails. You breakfast with Captain Kelman who is in better spirits than the previous day. He tells you that the Green Sceptre is making good speed and should arrive at Port Bax, the main Durenese seaport, within a week. Suddenly you hear a cry from the crow
Land off the port bow! Land a
You and the captain climb up on deck and brace yourselves against the fresh sea breeze.
-That
says the captain, pointing towards the sharp rocky coastline in the distance. Wreck Point
the traders call it. Many a ship has ended her days upon those granite teeth.
Captain Kelman hands you an ornate telescope with which to take a closer look. The sharp rocks are festooned with the splintered skeletons of ships that have run aground, or were dashed against the shore in a storm. You stare in fascination at the shattered hulls, imagining the terrifying scenes of their destruction. Then, suddenly, high above the pinnacles of stone hovers a black shadow, like a small rain cloud. It seems to be moving towards you. Suddenly you realize what the cloud
really is. It is a swarm of large Zlanbeast and possibly some Kraan. The alarm is shouted along the deck: Prepare for battle!
Seventy Durenese warships left Port Bax, but only fifty now enter the Holmgulf. The battle has claimed many brave men including Admiral Calfen, who died aboard the flagship Durenor, the first ship to be sunk. But despite the heavy loss, a great victory has been won, a victory which inspires the Durenese soldiers with new strength so that the past ordeal of both the voyage and the battle are now forgotten. As their optimism and determination return, all are eager to reach Holmgard and raise the siege.
-It is dusk on the thirty-seventh day of your quest when you sight the spires of Holmgard on the horizon. The city still stands defiantly against the army of Darklords, although constantly under siege. Flickering in the darkness you can see the small fires which burn throughout the capital. A confident Lord Axim joins you at the prow.
-The moonless sky will aid us this night. We shall enter the harbour unseen. Come the dawn, my men will scatter the wretched foe like dead leaves upon the wind of a storm.
As you enter Holmgard harbour at the head of the Durenese fleet, you unsheathe the Sommerswerd and prepare to fulfil your destiny.
-The innkeeper speaks with the gruff tone of a native Ragadornian. You discover from him that this seaport is ruled by Lachlan, son of Killean the Overlord who died three years ago of the dreadful Red Death plague. The innkeeper does not speak highly of Lachlan, whom he calls the Prince of Thieves
.
He and his mercenaries bleed the people dry with heavy taxes, and if y
The big man shakes his head and pours another round of ale for the drunken sailors.
Marching along the centre of the street are four heavily armed city guards. Rather than risk being arrested, you quickly dodge into an alley on your left. The guards suddenly halt opposite the entrance. If one of them should turn his head, you will be spotted for sure. Behind you is a small window that leads into a crowded tavern. Without hesitation, you climb in as quickly as possible.
-They are larnuma trees and their fruit is very nutritious as well as being sweet and juicy. After your Meal you feel much stronger. You pick enough fruit for 2 Meals and store it in your Backpack.
-Looking behind the trees, you see a wide coast road that stretches into the distance to the east and west. There are no signposts.
-Your sense warns you that the wagon contains an evil presence.
-You follow the street until it turns abruptly eastwards into Beggar Lane. You can see how this street got its name, for there are scores of ragged men, women, and children huddled in doorways, all holding out their begging bowls.
-As you walk towards the junction at the end of the street, you are assailed from all sides with pleas for gold.
-The back door opens onto a small square, in the centre of which is a large tomb. The fishermen have disappeared into the gloomy streets; all that is except one who has slipped on the wet cobblestones and knocked himself out. He is lying in the gutter with his face submerged in a puddle.
-You roll him over with your foot and search him. You discover 5 Gold Crowns, a Dagger, and to your great relief the Seal of Hammerdal on his finger. Mark on your Action Chart those items you take with you and continue.
-You are less than twenty yards from the tower when the guard steps forward and demands to know your business. You notice that the soldier is wearing the red coat of a Durenese man-at-arms, and realize that you have reached the border of Durenor. You need to find some way of getting past him.
-We
he says, his face almost completely hidden by the wide brim of his hat. A seat below will cost you 3 Crowns, but you can ride on the roof for only one.
Before you can defend yourself, the Helghast has smashed into you and you both fall onto the highway below.
-It may be some comfort to learn that your death was swift and painless. Your neck was instantly broken and you were spared the agony of the Helghast
As you reach the landing of the next floor, you hear the door crash open and the angry mob pour through. At the top of the stairs, a Short Sword hangs on a hook by the fireplace. You may take this weapon if you wish. Looking around you, you see that there is only one way to escape from this room and that is to jump through the window to the street below.
-Suddenly panic strikes. The ship is thrown into a frenzy of activity as sailors grab buckets and blankets with which to fight the fire. Flames are roaring through the hatch cover, and it takes over an hour to contain the blaze. The damage to the ship is great. The entire store of food and fresh water has been destroyed and the mid-section of the ship badly weakened.
-The captain appears from out of the smoking hold and approaches you, his face black with soot. He is carrying something in a bundle under his arm.
-We must talk in private my lord,
he says quietly.
Without replying, you turn and follow him to his cabin.
-The dead zombies lie around your feet. By now, the soldiers
It is an undead creature, so remember to double all
The restriction on Weapons inside the gaming-house is merely flavourful text and has no effect on your Action Chart.
-In the game of Cartwheel
, the number 0 is adjacent to the number 9. For example, if you bet on 9, and the silver ball falls on 0, you win 5 Gold Crowns for every 1 that you staked.
Opposite the coach station is a narrow street leading to a gaming-house with a sign outside.
-You are excited by the chance of being able to win some gold and you quickly enter. Any Weapons you may have must be left with a guard at the door. You can recover your Weapons when you decide to leave.
The entrance hall opens out into a huge room where many gambling games are in progress. One that catches your eye is called Cartwheel
. At one end of a long table, an attractive young woman spins a black dish divided into ten sections marked 0
To play Cartwheel
, you must first decide the number you would like to bet on and just how many Gold Crowns you would like to stake. Make a note of these numbers and then pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you pick exactly the same number, you win 8 Gold Crowns for every 1 Gold Crown that you gamble. If the number you pick is immediately before or after the correct choice,
You may play as many rounds of Cartwheel
as you wish until either you lose all your Gold Crowns, or you decide to pick up your winnings (maximum of 40 Gold Crowns).
You try to apply your hands to the injured man
After three uneventful days at sea, you find shipboard life rather dreary. If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, any
On the afternoon of the fourth day, you are talking with an injured sailor up on deck when you smell smoke seeping from the hold.
-Fire!
A hush descends on the tavern as the man you have accused turns to face you.
-You
he says menacingly. It should be cut out before it does any more harm.
He draws a curved dagger and attacks you. The crowd form a circle around you both, preventing either of you from escaping. You must fight this man to the death.
The Sommerswerd is a weapon-like Special Item. The +10
Much of your time at Hammerdal is taken up by training with the Sommerswerd. Day by day your skill with the wondrous blade improves, and as you progress, so you learn more of its marvellous properties.
-When you use the sword in combat it will add 8 points to your
You also come to realize that it is the only weapon in all of Magnamund that can kill a Darklord, and for this reason above all others the Darklords are bent on thwarting your quest.
-Seeing their master slain, the Giaks falter and retreat towards the stern. Captain Kelman rallies his crew and attacks, leading his men against the snarling creatures and driving them back until they leap into the sea to avoid the rain of swords. Knowing the battle to be lost, the Kraan leave the masts and fly back to the distant coastline.
-Our thanks, Kai Lord,
the captain says and shakes your hand. We are proud and thankful to have you with us.
A cheer resounds along the deck as the crew voice their praise.
-You help tend the wounded whilst repairs are carried out on the damaged masts. Within two hours they are complete, the wind fills the sails, and you continue your voyage to Durenor.
-You push on through the dense forest for nearly three hours before you discover a track heading north, running parallel to the Rymerift, whose rushing waters are over one mile deep. In the distance, you spot a bridge that spans the dark water at a narrow point. A small hut with a flat roof has been erected in the centre, on top of which stand two soldiers. A sign points across the bridge.
-You turn east into Oxyoke Way and notice a sign above the door of a small shop to your left.
-The stench of the ship is making you choke. You lose 1
Through the pouring rain, you can make out the dark shape of a city patrol marching towards you. Rather than risk being stopped and possibly arrested, you dash into a nearby shop.
+The captain orders the ship to go alongside and pick up the three men. They are fishermen from the Sommerlund port of Tyso. Their boat was attacked last night by pirates, and they are the only survivors.
+You give them food and warm clothing and they can barely hold back their tears of gratitude. As you prepare to continue your journey to Durenor, one of the men offers you a fine Sword as a token of his thanks. If you wish to accept this gift, remember to mark it on your Action Chart.
+The road follows a course along a high, grassy ridge for many miles before turning northwards to the coast. You pass a village where the houses curve in a circle around a large pond of stagnant water. As you ride through, a gaggle of Szall children come running towards you, shouting and throwing stones.
+You descend into the deep valley beyond and gradually the moor gives way to richer land that has been cleared and ploughed. The hillside opposite is heavily wooded. You are not far from the coast and you can see the tall cliffs with their multicoloured bands of rock jutting out into the ocean.
+Then just as you are passing through a small copse, you hear desperate cries for help off to your right.
+You have lost your Backpack and therefore cannot carry the Meal or the Orange Potion.
+The guard roughly pushes you aside and runs out of the watchtower towards Tomb Square. There is a small room off the staircase and you decide to enter and search it before he returns. In it you discover:
+If you wish to take any of these items, mark them on your Action Chart.
As you are leaving, you collide with another guard and you both tumble down the stairs, but before he can gather his senses, you have sprinted off into the night.
+The man stares at the Seal with a look of shocked dismay. Without saying a word, he gets up from his chair and beckons you to follow him up a flight of spiral stairs that lead to a domed chamber. Here you meet the captain of the port watch. He listens intently as you tell of the war in Sommerlund and of your urgent mission.
+Issue a red pass immediately,
he orders. Top priority.
You collect your Red Pass, leave the port watchtower, and hurry along the street towards the harbour guards. (Mark the Red Pass on your Action Chart as a Special Item.)
+Focusing your powers of concentration on the snake
At dusk on the tenth day of your quest, you experience your first sight of the magnificent city of Port Bax. Like a diamond set in the green velvet shore, the towers of the city glimmer in the pale light of a waxing moon. To the north is the harbour and the formidable war fleet of the Durenese navy. To the east, beyond the moss-covered city wall, stretches the Forest of Durenor. And there, on the crest of a hill, stands a castle tall and proud, the crowning glory of this beautiful port.
+You enter Port Bax through an unguarded gate in the green city wall, and make your way through the darkening streets towards the harbour.
+As you turn into a tree-lined avenue, you notice the wide stone steps of a domed building to your right. You stop to read the brass plaque.
+Despite the late hour, the main doors are open.
+As you enter, a bell rings and a small man in a padded leather jerkin bids you welcome. He is busy polishing a rusty suit of armour with a wire brush. The prices of his weapons are displayed on a wooden board above the counter:
+You may purchase any of the above weapons if you have enough money to do so. The weaponsmith will also buy any Weapons that you may already have for 1 Gold Crown less than the price shown on his wooden board. Mark any necessary changes on your Action Chart before bidding him goodnight and returning to the street.
+At the end of Oxyoke Way, on your right you find a large stable and coach station. It is now very dark and you must find somewhere to spend the night. Climbing a ladder at the side of the building, you spend a comfortable night hidden in the hay-loft.
+As you surface, you see that battle now rages all around you and the sea is choked with the bodies of the dead and drowning. You manage to swim thirty yards and scramble over the rail of a Durenese warship. Here, a bitter struggle is being waged against a long death-hulk that has grappled alongside. The zombies have clambered aboard and are slaughtering the terror-struck Durenese soldiers.
+You are indeed a Kai Lord,
says the sailor, but the astonishment on his face quickly changes to an unpleasant sneer.
Or should I say you were!
One of the guards steps forward and demands to see your pass.
-You are mesmerized by the falling mast and feel totally powerless to escape. As you are crushed beneath the enormous weight of splintering timber, the last thing that you remember are the horrified faces of Captain Kelman and his crew staring down at you.
-As you lay the golden sword upon the deck, the zombie captain dives at you and pins you down. His strength is unnatural. As he sinks a dagger into your throat, the last thing you hear is a hideous laugh of victory.
-During the course of the afternoon
Sitting opposite are two brothers named Ganon and Dorier. They are knights in the Order of the White Mountain, warrior lords of Durenor who have pledged allegiance to protect the country from raids by the bandits of the Wildlands. They own a castle and land near Port Bax. Next to them sits Halvorc the merchant. His nose is swollen and his face is badly bruised thanks to Lachlan, the Overlord of Ragadorn. A little misunderstanding about port taxes lost him his cargo and most of his gold. Seated by the far door is a priest called Parsion. Like you, he is a Sommlending who has journeyed across the Wildlands by coach on his way to Port Bax. Beside you sits a young woman called Viveka. She is a mercenary adventuress who earns her gold by fighting for it, and sells her services to the highest bidder. She is returning to Port Bax having collected payment for a successful adventure in Ragadorn.
-Not wishing to reveal your true identity, you have pretended to be a simple peasant. The travellers seem unaware of the war that now rages in Sommerlund.
-The soldier looks at you with a disbelieving stare.
-Where are your goods? Where is your horse or wagon? Merchants never travel to Port Bax on foot. You are no merchant
If you are to get past this border guard alive, you will have to come up with an alternative plan.
-It is nearly dark when the small fishing boat passes through the harbour entrance of Ragadorn. You have still seen no sign of survivors from the storm and you fear the worst.
-You notice that three of the fishermen are acting very suspiciously. They whisper to each other and their eyes often glance at your money pouch. As the boat sails into the estuary of the River Dorn, they surround you and demand that you hand over all your gold. You are about to fight them when an unexpected blow from behind knocks you to the deck. You see one of the fishermen raise his foot. As it strikes your head, suddenly everything fades into darkness.
-You try to remember some of the stories told to you by an old Kai master called Wise Hawk. He was envoy to Port Bax for many years, and he knew and loved this city as well as any native Durenese. You recall him saying that the consulate overlooked Alin Square in the naval quadrant of the city. There is a sign to your left pointing along the avenue.
-Certain this is the right direction, you walk confidently along the tree-lined avenue.
-This street follows the harbour wall towards the River Dorn where it then turns south into Booty Walk. As you pass the warehouses lining the waterfront, you recognize the stone signpost in the centre of the square ahead.
-For three days and nights you have followed the highway to the capital as it runs parallel to the River Durenon. The river valley is a wide belt of rich, cultivated land that climbs towards the Hammerdal Mountains, one of the highest ranges in all of Magnamund.
-It is on the morning of the fourteenth day of your quest, when six cloaked men appear at the edge of your camp. Lord-lieutenant Rhygar is the first to draw his sword. With a voice of authority he demands an explanation for their intrusion. In reply, they unsheathe black swords. Rhygar shouts to his men to prepare for combat as the cloaked strangers advance towards you.
-Taking hold of your weapon, you demonstrate the Kai skills of balance and speed, as taught to you by your Kai masters. With breathtaking speed, as you spin and twist the weapon around your head and body, the movement of your hands becomes a dazzling blur. To finish your display of Weaponskill, you strike the edge of a pewter plate and send it spinning across the room so fast that it embeds itself in the cellar door.
-The sailor watches in amazement.
-You pass the stone steps and continue along the highway. You have just passed under the platform when you hear a noise above you. You stop and stare upwards but you can see nothing in the gloom of the tunnel ceiling.
-This rubbish-strewn cobbled street runs between rows of ramshackle, rot-infested houses and shops. The few inhabitants of Ragadorn that you see appear a cheerless lot, their faces haggard and drawn. They shuffle through the gloom, hunched against the pouring rain, their eyes fixed on the cobblestones at their feet. Then you reach a junction where Axe Lane bends towards the north and another street heads off towards the east.
-The stench of the ship is making you choke. You lose 1
Through the pouring rain, you can make out the dark shape of a city patrol marching towards you. Rather than risk being stopped and possibly arrested, you dash into a nearby shop.
-The captain orders the ship to go alongside and pick up the three men. They are fishermen from the Sommerlund port of Tyso. Their boat was attacked last night by pirates, and they are the only survivors.
-You give them food and warm clothing and they can barely hold back their tears of gratitude. As you prepare to continue your journey to Durenor, one of the men offers you a fine Sword as a token of his thanks. If you wish to accept this gift, remember to mark it on your Action Chart.
-The road follows a course along a high, grassy ridge for many miles before turning northwards to the coast. You pass a village where the houses curve in a circle around a large pond of stagnant water. As you ride through, a gaggle of Szall children come running towards you, shouting and throwing stones.
-You descend into the deep valley beyond and gradually the moor gives way to richer land that has been cleared and ploughed. The hillside opposite is heavily wooded. You are not far from the coast and you can see the tall cliffs with their multicoloured bands of rock jutting out into the ocean.
-Then just as you are passing through a small copse, you hear desperate cries for help off to your right.
-You have lost your Backpack and therefore cannot carry the Meal or the Orange Potion.
-The guard roughly pushes you aside and runs out of the watchtower towards Tomb Square. There is a small room off the staircase and you decide to enter and search it before he returns. In it you discover:
-If you wish to take any of these items, mark them on your Action Chart.
As you are leaving, you collide with another guard and you both tumble down the stairs, but before he can gather his senses, you have sprinted off into the night.
-The man stares at the Seal with a look of shocked dismay. Without saying a word, he gets up from his chair and beckons you to follow him up a flight of spiral stairs that lead to a domed chamber. Here you meet the captain of the port watch. He listens intently as you tell of the war in Sommerlund and of your urgent mission.
-Issue a red pass immediately,
he orders. Top priority.
You collect your Red Pass, leave the port watchtower, and hurry along the street towards the harbour guards. (Mark the Red Pass on your Action Chart as a Special Item.)
-Focusing your powers of concentration on the snake
At dusk on the tenth day of your quest, you experience your first sight of the magnificent city of Port Bax. Like a diamond set in the green velvet shore, the towers of the city glimmer in the pale light of a waxing moon. To the north is the harbour and the formidable war fleet of the Durenese navy. To the east, beyond the moss-covered city wall, stretches the Forest of Durenor. And there, on the crest of a hill, stands a castle tall and proud, the crowning glory of this beautiful port.
-You enter Port Bax through an unguarded gate in the green city wall, and make your way through the darkening streets towards the harbour.
-As you turn into a tree-lined avenue, you notice the wide stone steps of a domed building to your right. You stop to read the brass plaque.
-Despite the late hour, the main doors are open.
-As you enter, a bell rings and a small man in a padded leather jerkin bids you welcome. He is busy polishing a rusty suit of armour with a wire brush. The prices of his weapons are displayed on a wooden board above the counter:
-You may purchase any of the above weapons if you have enough money to do so. The weaponsmith will also buy any Weapons that you may already have for 1 Gold Crown less than the price shown on his wooden board. Mark any necessary changes on your Action Chart before bidding him goodnight and returning to the street.
-At the end of Oxyoke Way, on your right you find a large stable and coach station. It is now very dark and you must find somewhere to spend the night. Climbing a ladder at the side of the building, you spend a comfortable night hidden in the hay-loft.
-As you surface, you see that battle now rages all around you and the sea is choked with the bodies of the dead and drowning. You manage to swim thirty yards and scramble over the rail of a Durenese warship. Here, a bitter struggle is being waged against a long death-hulk that has grappled alongside. The zombies have clambered aboard and are slaughtering the terror-struck Durenese soldiers.
-You are indeed a Kai Lord,
says the sailor, but the astonishment on his face quickly changes to an unpleasant sneer.
Or should I say you were!
As he speaks, a door crashes open behind you and you turn to see three harbour thugs advancing towards you. Each is armed with a scimitar and you have no choice but to fight all three as one enemy.
-The horrific sight of the writhing creature fills you with loathing for the Darklords and their evil minions.
-When the Helghast has finally crumbled to nothing and you are quite sure that it has been destroyed, you remove the Magic Spear and wipe the tip on its smouldering robe.
-Anxious to leave this place, you run down the tunnel as fast as you can.
-Ganon rolls away from his chair and draws his sword. An instant later his brother Dorier is by his side. You must fight them both as one enemy.
-Due to the surprise of your attack, add 2 points to your
You enter the tower archway and climb a stone stair where you are suddenly confronted by an armoured warrior. His head is encased in a steel helm and he wears the emblem of a black ship on a red crest. He steps forward and draws his sword saying, Halt and give the password!
Someone or something is approaching the door of the hold from the other side. If you climb out through the shattered deck, you will leave your legs vulnerable to attack from below and there is no other way out. You sense that it is an evil creature of some considerable power. Raise the Sommerswerd and prepare for combat.
-You are about to strike when your assailant shouts, I am Ronan, my lord. I mean you no harm.
You manage to divert your blow at the last moment and your weapon smashes the back of a wooden chair. The beads of sweat that have broken out on the sailor
A quick search of the bodies reveals a Sword, 6 Gold Crowns, and a Mace. Take what you wish and mark them on your Action Chart.
-Before you can leave by the front door, more angry villagers have forced their way into the shop. You can only leave now by the first-floor window.
-You become weaker and weaker until your body finally surrenders to the welcoming arms of death. Your assassin has successfully completed his mission.
-A grim-looking sailor is challenging all-comers to an arm-wrestling contest. He is so confident of winning that he will pay 5 Gold Crowns to anyone who beats him. As you approach his table, a serving girl whispers in your ear, Be careful stranger, he is an evil man. He breaks the arms of those who lose, and murders any who beat him.
As you face the sailor across the table, bets are made throughout the tavern.
-If you do not have this skill, conduct the wrestling contest as if you were in combat. The first one to reach 0
When the contest is over, restore your
As Rhygar and his men gallop nearer to the riders, one of the cloaked horsemen draws a black staff from beneath his robes. A fierce blue flame shoots from its tip and explodes beneath Rhygar
You desperately wave your Kai cloak above your head until you are near to exhaustion.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table to see if your effort has been rewarded.
-You recognize the creature to be a Noodnic, an intelligent but mischievous mountain-dwelling native of Durenor. The Noodnics inhabit a maze of smaller shafts and fissures that honeycomb the Hammerdal Mountains, and live off whatever they can steal from the merchant caravans that travel the Tarnalin. It occurs to you that if you can catch the Noodnic, you may be able to learn if the Helghast are hiding within the tunnel.
-You sleep deeply without being disturbed before rising at dawn, gathering your equipment, and joining the others as they board the coach.
-For two days and nights, the coach follows the trade route across the flat, treeless Wildlands. It stops only to allow the driver to sleep. But on the morning of the ninth day of your quest, there is an unfortunate accident.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-You beg the captain to pick up the unfortunate castaways but he ignores your pleas and orders the crew to continue with their duties. As the longboat disappears from view, you have a premonition that a similar fate awaits you. Shaken by the thought, you descend below decks and retire to your cabin.
-Both soldiers stab at you with their spears and try to force you off the bridge. As you lash out at one, the other dodges past you and attacks you from behind.
-You cannot evade and you must fight them both to the death.
-You stare in awe at the variety of merchandise. Silk and spices from the opulent bazaars of Vassagonia; jewels from the mines of Bor; the finest weapons and armour from the smithies of Durenor; furs from the Brumalmarc of Kalte; cloth from Cloeasia; and all kinds of food and drink cover the tables.
-Near the centre of the trading post you notice that the prices are displayed on large pieces of stretched vellum. One of the signs in particular catches your eye:
-If you have enough money, you may purchase any of the above items. When you have concluded your purchases, you may leave the trading post by a side exit.
-Cautiously, the soldiers surround you and take your Weapons and Backpack. (You do not need to adjust your Action Chart.) The knight steps forward and raises the visor of his helm.
-Who are you? What is your purpose in Tarnalin?
he demands in a gruff voice.
You tell him that you are a Kai Lord from Sommerlund on an urgent mission to King Alin. He seems unconvinced by your words until you show him the Seal of Hammerdal. Then, without hesitation, he orders his men to return your belongings and ushers you through the wall of wagons. Beyond, you can see a horse-drawn carriage waiting in the centre of the crowded tunnel.
-Back to Hammerdal without delay,
he orders the driver, and you are thrown back in your seat as the coach moves off at breakneck speed.
You soon learn that the knight is Lord Axim of Ryme, commander of King Alin
During your ride through the Tarnalin, you must eat a Meal or lose 3
You feel the snake
You hit the water and swim submerged for over a minute to avoid the falling bodies and burning debris of the battle. When you are finally forced to the surface for air, you catch a glimpse of a sight that raises your hopes of fulfilling your quest.
-You focus your concentration on the small, brass lock. After a few seconds, you hear a faint
Without uttering a word, the knight points to the woods behind you and returns to the watchtower. He disappears inside and bolts the door.
-The forest here is very thick and the undergrowth is a tangle of weeds and briars. It will be impossible to enter the wood on horseback. You realize you will have to abandon your mount and continue on foot.
-To preserve continuity, if you no longer possess the Seal of Hammerdal, you leave the shop immediately. Turn to Section 186.
-You are welcomed by an old woman dressed from head to toe in white. She smiles and offers you a delicious cup of jala. Your experience of Ragadorn so far makes you suspicious of the dark liquid and you politely refuse her offer.
What a magnificent ring! Is it for sale?
she asks, her eyes lighting up with excitement. You tell her firmly that it is not but she will not accept your refusal. She offers you any choice of the hundreds of potions that fill the glass cabinets behind her counter. As you turn to leave, she offers you 40 Gold Crowns.
The food smells delicious, but you notice that there are two or three drops of clear liquid on the side of the plate and another on the tray. At first you suspect that it is only water, until you touch the fluid and notice that it is sticky. You recognize it as sap from the gnadurn tree, a deadly poison used by assassins because of its lack of flavour or scent. The shock of your discovery soon turns to anger and you race out of the room, intent on discovering the identity of your enemy.
-The forest here is extremely dense and the undergrowth is a tangle of bushy weeds. You ride for a mile in either direction and discover no track or path near the watchtower. If you are to reach Port Bax you must dismount and enter the forest on foot.
-You have been walking in the rain for over three hours when you are confronted by seven horsemen. They are mercenaries employed by the Overlord of Ragadorn and they bear his emblem, a black ship on a red crest, upon their shields.
-They demand that you hand over all your gold or they will kill you. When they discover that you have no gold, they chase you and eventually cut you down with their longswords. As you lie dying on the road, the last sight that you remember is the outline of Ragadorn on the distant horizon.
-This road eventually ends at a deserted forest cabin. Although it is furnished, a layer of fine dust covers everything inside and indicates that this place has not been used for several months. It is a dead end, and you have wasted precious time. You must return to the fork and take the left path without further delay.
-As you wrap the injured man in a large blanket, he drifts off into a sleep from which he will never awake. Back on deck, the bodies of the dead crew have been laid together.
-Captain Kelman approaches and hands you a vicious-looking blade. This is no pirate sword, Lone Wolf. This weapon was forged in the furnaces of Helgedad. It is a Darklord blade.
You cast the evil sword into the sea where it quickly sinks beneath the waves, and return to the Green Sceptre. As the crew make ready to set sail for the east, you watch with sorrow as the Durenese trader sinks beneath the waves.
-A creature, much larger than the others and dressed in a magnificent robe of patchwork silk, screams an order in their strange language. All of the furry creatures arm themselves with spears and swords that look as if they have been crafted from broken wagon spokes and broom handles. With a strange battle-cry that sounds like Gashgiss
, they charge towards you. Your curiosity soon gives way to the realization that you must evade them or be trampled to death by the sheer weight of their numbers.
You turn and sprint along the narrow corridor until their angry cries begin to fade. You reach the entrance to where the passage connects with the main tunnel, and continue your journey from there.
-The people flee the tavern as the town guard attack. There are six of them and you must fight them one at a time.
-Halfway along this street on the left-hand side is a large stable and coach station. As it is now completely dark, you decide to enter. You spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft of the stables.
-You hear the footsteps behind you quicken, and you spin round just in time to see them draw their daggers to attack you. You must deduct 4 points from your
See the erratum for this section for details of the gameplay changes made to this section. Note: the results of the choices presented here are discussed.
-For six hours you run without rest. The Helghast are on the highway and you are forced to make your way through the steep and wooded foothills to avoid the risk of capture. Many times you feel that you just cannot go on, that the pain and the fatigue are too much to bear. But each time you falter, you are spurred on by Rhygar. You marvel at his endurance, for he is not a young man and he is clothed in the heavy armour of a Sommlending knight.
-By nightfall, you have reached the entrance to Tarnalin, the western tunnel through the Hammerdal Mountains. The three tunnels of Durenor were excavated during the age of the Black Moon, and each tunnel is over forty miles long and passes through the huge circle of the Hammerdal Range to the capital. The tunnels provide the only access to the city.
-Rhygar sits beside you and takes some bread and meat from his pack. Eat this, Lone Wolf. You must sustain your strength for the journey to Hammerdal, for from here you must venture alone through the Tarnalin. I shall remain here and hold the enemy back for as long as I have the strength to fight. Do not argue
If Rhygar is to hold off the Helghast, he will need a magic weapon as his own sword is of no use against the creatures.
As you paddle towards the sleek trade caravel, you notice to your surprise that the boarding ladder is being pulled up. A mean-looking sailor leans over the gunwale and curses at you. He seems to think that you are a refugee trying to stowaway on board. But when you shout that you are Lone Wolf and you were ambushed by an impostor at the tavern, the ladder is soon lowered again. As you climb over the side of the ship, you are met by a tall man in a gold-braided uniform. His face is almost totally covered by a shock of bright red hair and a bright red beard.
-Haul anchor!
he booms. The crew spring into action as if their very lives depended on it.
The captain ushers you below to his cabin where he pours two glasses of wanlo, a strong spirit. His face shows concern as you tell him what has happened.
-There is evil treachery at work and the enemy already has plans afoot to thwart your quest,
he begins when youIt seems that you have lost the element of surprise
You leave him to go up on deck just in time to see the outline of Holmgard on the horizon. With mixed feelings of pride and apprehension, you descend the stairway to your cabin as the last spire of the capital disappears from view.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-You search the bodies and discover 3 Gold Crowns, 3 Daggers, and a Short Sword. If you wish to take any of these, mark them on your Action Chart.
-Stepping over the body, you set about a quick search of these living quarters. You find:
-Take whatever items you wish and quickly leave the watchtower in case someone discovers you.
-You realize that the forest is very thick in this area and you will have to abandon your horse and continue on foot.
-Piles of rotting garbage litter this stretch of the waterfront, giving off such an evil smell that you are forced to cover your mouth and nose with your cloak. Ahead to your left, you notice the glow of torchlight streaming from an open door. Above the door is a sign.
-It may be of some consolation to learn that your death was mercifully swift. The Helghast
There is a shocked silence as you scoop up the 5 Gold Crowns from the table and turn to leave, but as you reach the tavern door, an ugly thug draws his sword and blocks your exit. Just as you are wondering what to do, there is a loud thud, and the man keels over onto the floor. Behind him, to your surprise stands the serving girl with a large wooden club in her hand. You thank her politely and race out of the door into the darkened street beyond.
-After running for ten minutes in the dark, you spot a large stable and coach station through the gloom ahead. With the shouts of angry sailors still ringing in your ears, you quickly enter the building and spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.
-The soldier stabs at your chest with his spear, but you quickly sidestep and it merely grazes your arm. The guard is determined to fight but you do not want to have to kill him in combat, so you decide to try to knock him unconscious.
-Fight the following combat as normal, but double all
The guards look angry and ready to attack. You will have to think of something quickly.
-A sailor called Sprogg sits beside you and explains the rules of the game Portholes
. First he shows you two diamond-shaped dice made of red glass. Each die has ten sides and they are numbered 0portholes
and automatically win.
Each player stakes 3 Gold Crowns per throw. There are two other players in the game and they all place their stake money into a hat before the dice are rolled.
-Pick two numbers from the Random Number Table for each of the other two players, and note these scores down. Now pick two numbers from the Random Number Table for yourself. If your total is higher than the other players, you win 6 Gold Crowns. If either of the other players beat your score, you lose 3 Gold Crowns. You may leave the game at any time, but you must stop playing if you lose all your Crowns (bad luck!).
-As you advance along the deck, the hideous creatures turn and flee from the golden light of your sword. You notice something strange about this death-hulk, something familiar, but you are not quite sure what it is. Suddenly, a ghastly voice behind you cries out your name.
-You raise the Sommerswerd and spin around to face the voice. The sight that confronts you fills your senses with a mortal terror.
-You soon reach the end of Oxyoke Way where it is crossed by another street running north to south. It is now so dark that you are unable to read the street signs. You must find shelter for the night. To your right you see a light above a sign.
-Under cover of the dark, you enter by a side entrance and spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.
-If you have not already been told, the Helghast are the riders who attacked your party. Helghast are fell captains of the Darklords. They have the ability to adopt human form but are invulnerable to normal weapons.
You come to rest face downwards in a tangle of thick bracken. The ringing of steel and the horrible cries of the Helghast echo through the trees around you. You are stunned and cannot move until a hand grabs your arm and pulls you upright. It is Rhygar. His face is bloodied and his armour is battered and charred.
-We must flee these demons, Lone Wolf.
You glimpse the silhouette of six Helghast on the forest road above. Their minds bent on the slaughter of Rhygar
Although you awake to a cold and rain-swept dawn, the branches of the tree and your Kai cloak have kept you warm and dry during the night. Looking along the coast road, in the distance you can see a wagon heading towards you.
-The gruesome death-cries of the Helghast finally fade and you risk stopping for a few seconds to catch your breath. You wince as you discover that the creature
Remember to deduct 3
The innkeeper is a thin old man with only one eye. He hands you a key and points to a balcony opposite. Number two, the red door,
he says.
The other travellers each pay their one Crown, collect a key, and make their way across the crowded tavern floor towards the stairs.
-We must make plans for tomorrow,
says Dorier. The others all nod in agreement. I suggest we meet here in the bar in one hour to decide what to do.
As you close the red door of your room, for some unknown reason you recall the words of Captain Kelman when you left Holmgard harbour: There is evil treachery at work and the enemy already has plans afoot to thwart your quest.
An hour has nearly passed when your thoughts are disturbed by a knock at the door. It is the innkeeper and he is carrying a tray of hot food.
-With the compliments of one of your friends,
he says, and leaves before you can ask which one. The food smells most appetizing. You have not eaten today and now you must eat a Meal or lose 3
Keeping one eye on the door, you quickly search the drawers of an ornate chart table. There does not appear to be anything unusual about the contents. You find mainly charts, island maps, and navigational instruments. You are about to abandon this fruitless search when you notice a small lever hidden below the tabletop. You push it and a panel flips open to reveal a small wooden box with a brass lock.
-The following morning you are woken by the cry of the shipShip ahoy! Ship off the starboard bow!
You climb up on deck and brace yourself against the fresh sea breeze. On the horizon, you can see the wooded coastline of eastern Sommerlund, but in the middle distance is a merchant ship that looks badly damaged. It is low in the water and has only one mast remaining intact. It flies the flag of Durenor but the flag is upside down, a signal of distress.
-Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
-The shriek of the dying Szall is soon echoed by your own death-cry as two crossbow bolts embed themselves in your back.
-You are standing in a large, empty hall. Opposite are two doors, each with a brass sign above them.
-White Passes,
Red Passes,
The street ends abruptly at a large stone watchtower.
-You search in his pack and are horrified to find that it contains a scroll of human skin upon which a message has been written in a strange runic script. The only word that you can make out is Kai
. You also find an evil-looking dagger with a black blade, and a block of cold obsidian.
These items bear the signs of the Darklords
The meal is poor. It is made up of yesterday
I have a confession to make, Kai Lord. The fire destroyed our entire food store; we had barely enough in the galley for this meal. I fear that we will have to survive on a diet of fresh fish until we reach Port Bax.
Unless you have food in your Backpack, the poor meal leaves you hungry and you lose 2
After dinner, the captain challenges you to a game of Samor, a board game a little like chess, involving skilful strategy and bluff. To add a little excitement, he suggests a small wager.
-There is a strong aura of evil surrounding these cloaked riders. Your Kai sense warns you not to follow Rhygar and his men on their impetuous charge. You shout a warning to them to stop them attacking, but it is too late. You cannot be heard above their battle-cries and the thundering hooves of their mounts.
-You follow this dingy street until it turns sharply eastwards into Lookout Street. In the far distance, you can see the River Dorn which separates the east and west sides of Ragadorn.
-As you walk through the pouring rain, three suspicious men appear from an alley and start to follow you.
-Will you:
-You sense that the left tunnel is the quickest route to Hammerdal by about two miles. Just before you reach the junction you come across a large puddle in the centre of the highway. You notice that two sets of footprints, about the size and shape of a man
The captain orders the crew to hoist all the sails to attempt to outrun the vessel, but the pirate ship is fast and is trying to cross the bows of the Green Sceptre. A collision seems imminent.
-Prepare to ram,
the captain cries, as the side of the red-sailed warship looms up directly in front of the prow. There is an enormous crack of splintered timber as the Green Sceptre punches a large hole into the side of the pirate ship, and you are thrown to the deck with a jolt.
As the pirates clamber aboard, you are horrified to see the black-clad shape of a Drakkarim warrior in their midst. He has spotted you and he is advancing towards you, a large broadsword raised above his head. You must fight him to the death.
-If you do not have 6 Gold Crowns, the boy will sell the papers to you for however many you have, including 0 Crowns. These papers need not be marked on your Action Chart (and thus do not require a Backpack to carry them in). Without these papers, it would be possible to wander endlessly in Port Bax.
-You are slowly walking back along the cobbled street, trying to think of the best course of action, when a young boy approaches you. I can get you into the harbour, mister,
he says, but it
He produces an envelope containing a sheaf of official-looking papers. These
If you wish to buy the documents, pay the boy 6 Gold Crowns. If you refuse them, he will soon lose interest in you and will disappear. When you have made your decision, you return to the port watchtower.
-Two zombies try to block your passage but you cleave them in half with one sweep of the Sommerswerd. You are at the foot of the tower and you can now see a hunchbacked man in crimson robes above you. He wears a tall, curved tokmor, a magician
Congratulations, Lone Wolf,
says the captain, as he wipes the sweat from his furrowed brow, you are a masterful player.
He reaches into his waistcoat pocket and hands you a small pouch containing 10 Gold Crowns. You thank him for the game and offer him the chance to win back his stake the following evening. With a wry smile, he accepts your offer and bids you goodnight.
-Within seconds, you are violently sick and then drift off into unconsciousness. It is nearly an hour before you awake. You feel dreadfully ill but you have survived the poison. Deduct 5
You quickly search the dead guard and discover a Sword, a Dagger, and 3 Gold Crowns. You may take any of these items and mark them on your Action Chart.
-Suddenly you hear the sound of iron-shod boots descending the stone steps, and you look up to see another watchtower guard on the landing above. As you run into the street, you can hear him cursing you.
-You are in combat with a Helghast.
-It is attacking you with a powerful Mindblast. If you do not have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, you will lose 2
The sailor who claimed to be First Mate Ronan seems to have escaped during the fight. You quickly search the bodies of the harbour thugs, but find nothing of value. However, you do notice that each of them has a tattoo of a serpent on their left wrist. Whoever sent them to kill you must already know of the importance of your quest.
-You leave the tavern by the side door and discover the dead body of a sailor lying beneath some stairs. Inside the collar of his bloodstained jacket is a tag bearing the name Ronan
. This must be the real Ronan. He has been murdered. You cover the body and turn towards the quay, where the Green Sceptre is anchored about three hundred yards from the harbour wall.
After a few miles, the track becomes tangled and overgrown, until all trace of it has completely disappeared. The ride becomes slow and difficult as you strain to avoid the bogs and pot-holes of this moor.
-After several hours you reach the edge of Durenor Forest, and above the ferns, you notice a tall watchtower. A spiral of smoke rises lazily from a hidden chimney.
-You notice a sign hanging outside a small shop.
-As he speaks, a door crashes open behind you and you turn to see three harbour thugs advancing towards you. Each is armed with a scimitar and you have no choice but to fight all three as one enemy.
+The horrific sight of the writhing creature fills you with loathing for the Darklords and their evil minions.
+When the Helghast has finally crumbled to nothing and you are quite sure that it has been destroyed, you remove the Magic Spear and wipe the tip on its smouldering robe.
+Anxious to leave this place, you run down the tunnel as fast as you can.
+Ganon rolls away from his chair and draws his sword. An instant later his brother Dorier is by his side. You must fight them both as one enemy.
+Due to the surprise of your attack, add 2 points to your
You enter the tower archway and climb a stone stair where you are suddenly confronted by an armoured warrior. His head is encased in a steel helm and he wears the emblem of a black ship on a red crest. He steps forward and draws his sword saying, Halt and give the password!
Someone or something is approaching the door of the hold from the other side. If you climb out through the shattered deck, you will leave your legs vulnerable to attack from below and there is no other way out. You sense that it is an evil creature of some considerable power. Raise the Sommerswerd and prepare for combat.
+You are about to strike when your assailant shouts, I am Ronan, my lord. I mean you no harm.
You manage to divert your blow at the last moment and your weapon smashes the back of a wooden chair. The beads of sweat that have broken out on the sailor
A quick search of the bodies reveals a Sword, 6 Gold Crowns, and a Mace. Take what you wish and mark them on your Action Chart.
+Before you can leave by the front door, more angry villagers have forced their way into the shop. You can only leave now by the first-floor window.
+You become weaker and weaker until your body finally surrenders to the welcoming arms of death. Your assassin has successfully completed his mission.
+A grim-looking sailor is challenging all-comers to an arm-wrestling contest. He is so confident of winning that he will pay 5 Gold Crowns to anyone who beats him. As you approach his table, a serving girl whispers in your ear, Be careful stranger, he is an evil man. He breaks the arms of those who lose, and murders any who beat him.
In a fraction of a second, the searing burst of flame changes direction in mid-air and is drawn towards the blade of the Sommerswerd. The bolt of energy disappears into the golden blade like water into a drain. (You remember that the Sommerswerd has the power to absorb magic. This power has saved you from certain death.)
-The sorcerer curses you, pulls a jewel from his ornate tokmor, and throws it at your feet. There is a flash of flame and a cloud of choking green gas billows up in your face, filling your nostrils with its acidic smell. You are forced to jump to the deck below to avoid the poisonous gas, and you just catch a glimpse of the sorcerer as he frantically paddles a small boat away from the death-hulk flagship.
-When you are only fifty yards offshore, you slip into the waves and swim towards land. When you finally reach the beach, you sink your fingers deep into the wet sand and slowly claw your way up the beach to the shelter of some dunes. You are exhausted and very hungry. The only possessions that you have saved are your Gold Crowns, your Backpack, and any Special Items that you did not discard in the storm. Any Weapons and Backpack Items that you possessed before the storm have been lost. Make the necessary adjustment to your Action Chart. However, a few hundred yards away, you notice clumps of small twisted trees laden with purple fruit.
-You grasp the haft of the spear and level it at the approaching Helghast. It shrieks a desperate cry for it knows that it cannot avoid being impaled on the sharp tip of your spear. The shock of impact knocks you backwards and you crash to the highway below, losing 2
After only half an hour, the coach is stopped by some armed horsemen. They wear the black ship and red crest emblem of Lachlan the Overlord of Ragadorn. They demand gold in payment for what they call exit taxes
: one Crown from each passenger. The other travellers each place a Crown on a small plate and hand it to you.
You have been walking along the deserted tunnel for a further half-hour when the highway splits in two.
-Shattered beams and torn sails are all that remain of the unfortunate merchant ship. You ask the captain to search for survivors but he ignores your plea and orders the crew to continue their duties. As the wreckage gradually disappears from view, the nagging fear that a similar fate could await you makes your throat dry. You descend below deck and take care to lock the cabin door behind you.
-He is a mountain of a man, completely bald and with large gold rings hanging from each ear. He looks at you suspiciously and says, Ale is one Gold Crown, a bed for the night is two. Which do you want?
You sense that you were the intended victim of this supposed accident. One of the passengers is trying to kill you!
-Your Kai sense reveals to you that the strangers are Helghast, fell captains of the Darklords. They have been sent from the Darklord city of Helgedad on a mission of assassination. They have the ability to take on the appearance of humans and they are immune to normal weapons and Mindblast.
-You turn to shout a warning to Rhygar as you run for the safety of the forest.
-A fierce battle now rages throughout the ship as the evil Giaks fight to win control of the Green Sceptre. Perched high up in the masts, the Kraan are rending the sails with their talons and razor-sharp teeth whilst the Zlanbeast have flown back towards Wreck Point to pick up more nets of malicious Giaks.
-Through the body-strewn decks, a menacing shape looms. Both Giaks and sailors are cut down by the creature as it advances towards you. It is a Drakkar, a cruel warrior of the Darklords. Raising his jet-black broadsword, he attacks and you must fight him to the death.
-The driver nods and hands back the ticket. The inn is warm but poorly furnished. You must eat a Meal here which will cost you 1 Gold Crown unless you have a Meal in your Backpack.
-The Kai Discipline of Hunting cannot be used when instructed to eat a Meal on your journey through the Wildlands, as it is a barren wasteland inhabited only by creatures called Szalls, a weak and cowardly breed of Giak.
-At the end of this street is a large stable. To your right, you can see some of the mob searching the shops and houses. Suddenly, one of them sees you and raises the alarm. There he is
There is no time to think. You rush into the stable and freeing one of the horses you leap onto its back. As you ride out into the moonlight, an axe flies through the air and grazes your shoulder. You lose 1
The sailor
Perhaps neither you nor I are all we claim to be. No matter. You will not live long enough to discover who I really am!
You hear a door crash open behind you. Spinning round, you see three harbour thugs moving towards you. Each is armed with a scimitar and you must fight them as one enemy.
You have covered nearly three miles when you see a group of wagons in the distance. They have been strung out across the highway to form a barricade. Soldiers in red uniforms line the roofs of the wagons and a large crowd of people have gathered behind them. You can hear their excited chatter echoing along the tunnel. As you get closer, there is a sudden silence as all eyes turn to stare at you. A detachment of ten soldiers, led by a knight whose shield bears the royal arms of Durenor, advances towards you.
-Holmgard has suffered much since your departure. Many of the shops and houses you remember passing on your way to the quay, are little more now than heaps of ashes. The DarklordsThe Kai Lord has returned.
You are standing at the top of the great watchtower, high above the main gate of the city, when the first light of dawn creeps slowly over the horizon. Thousand upon thousand of the black-clad enemy are massed around the city wall, huddled like beetles in the trenches that cover the plain. In the midst of this horde, a great red tent has been erected bearing the symbol of a broken skull. It is the mark of Zagarna, Lord of Kaag, a Darklord of Helgedad. His great ambition is the destruction of Holmgard; his fiercest desire to lead his army to victory over the House of Ulnar and claim Sommerlund for his own.
-But victory is not to be his this day. Raising the Sommerswerd high above your head, a shaft of dawn sunlight catches upon the tip of the golden sword and a brilliant flash of blinding white flame runs the entire length of the blade. The power of the Sommerswerd electrifies you. Your senses reel and now your body reacts instinctively. You lower the Sommerswerd and point the blade towards the tent of Lord Zagarna. There is a mighty roar as the power of the sun-sword is unleashed in a searing white beam. The tent explodes and a brilliant fireball of white flame mushrooms skyward. A long and terrible cry rends the air. It is Lord Zagarna. The leader of the evil army is no more.
-Gripped with fear and panic, the vast black army rise up and run in chaos from the city wall. The impossible has happened, their invincible master is slain. Again the Sommerswerd has returned to defeat them. The army and the allies of Durenor ride out of the city gates in pursuit of the panic-stricken enemy as they run blindly towards the Durncrag Mountains. The victory is yours. Holmgard is saved and the murder of the Kai has finally been avenged.
-But for you, Lone Wolf, a life of high adventure has only just begun. A new challenge awaits you and the Sommerswerd in Book Three of the Lone Wolf series:
-
-
Kai Disciplines:
-Bonus Disciplines:
-Weapons:
-Belt Pouch:
Meals:
Backpack Items:
-Special Items:
+As you face the sailor across the table, bets are made throughout the tavern.
+If you do not have this skill, conduct the wrestling contest as if you were in combat. The first one to reach 0
When the contest is over, restore your
As Rhygar and his men gallop nearer to the riders, one of the cloaked horsemen draws a black staff from beneath his robes. A fierce blue flame shoots from its tip and explodes beneath Rhygar
You desperately wave your Kai cloak above your head until you are near to exhaustion.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table to see if your effort has been rewarded.
+You recognize the creature to be a Noodnic, an intelligent but mischievous mountain-dwelling native of Durenor. The Noodnics inhabit a maze of smaller shafts and fissures that honeycomb the Hammerdal Mountains, and live off whatever they can steal from the merchant caravans that travel the Tarnalin. It occurs to you that if you can catch the Noodnic, you may be able to learn if the Helghast are hiding within the tunnel.
+You sleep deeply without being disturbed before rising at dawn, gathering your equipment, and joining the others as they board the coach.
+For two days and nights, the coach follows the trade route across the flat, treeless Wildlands. It stops only to allow the driver to sleep. But on the morning of the ninth day of your quest, there is an unfortunate accident.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+You beg the captain to pick up the unfortunate castaways but he ignores your pleas and orders the crew to continue with their duties. As the longboat disappears from view, you have a premonition that a similar fate awaits you. Shaken by the thought, you descend below decks and retire to your cabin.
+Both soldiers stab at you with their spears and try to force you off the bridge. As you lash out at one, the other dodges past you and attacks you from behind.
+You cannot evade and you must fight them both to the death.
+You stare in awe at the variety of merchandise. Silk and spices from the opulent bazaars of Vassagonia; jewels from the mines of Bor; the finest weapons and armour from the smithies of Durenor; furs from the Brumalmarc of Kalte; cloth from Cloeasia; and all kinds of food and drink cover the tables.
+Near the centre of the trading post you notice that the prices are displayed on large pieces of stretched vellum. One of the signs in particular catches your eye:
+If you have enough money, you may purchase any of the above items. When you have concluded your purchases, you may leave the trading post by a side exit.
+Cautiously, the soldiers surround you and take your Weapons and Backpack. (You do not need to adjust your Action Chart.) The knight steps forward and raises the visor of his helm.
+Who are you? What is your purpose in Tarnalin?
he demands in a gruff voice.
You tell him that you are a Kai Lord from Sommerlund on an urgent mission to King Alin. He seems unconvinced by your words until you show him the Seal of Hammerdal. Then, without hesitation, he orders his men to return your belongings and ushers you through the wall of wagons. Beyond, you can see a horse-drawn carriage waiting in the centre of the crowded tunnel.
+Back to Hammerdal without delay,
he orders the driver, and you are thrown back in your seat as the coach moves off at breakneck speed.
You soon learn that the knight is Lord Axim of Ryme, commander of King Alin
During your ride through the Tarnalin, you must eat a Meal or lose 3
You feel the snake
You hit the water and swim submerged for over a minute to avoid the falling bodies and burning debris of the battle. When you are finally forced to the surface for air, you catch a glimpse of a sight that raises your hopes of fulfilling your quest.
+You focus your concentration on the small, brass lock. After a few seconds, you hear a faint
Without uttering a word, the knight points to the woods behind you and returns to the watchtower. He disappears inside and bolts the door.
+The forest here is very thick and the undergrowth is a tangle of weeds and briars. It will be impossible to enter the wood on horseback. You realize you will have to abandon your mount and continue on foot.
+To preserve continuity, if you no longer possess the Seal of Hammerdal, you leave the shop immediately. Turn to Section 186.
+You are welcomed by an old woman dressed from head to toe in white. She smiles and offers you a delicious cup of jala. Your experience of Ragadorn so far makes you suspicious of the dark liquid and you politely refuse her offer.
What a magnificent ring! Is it for sale?
she asks, her eyes lighting up with excitement. You tell her firmly that it is not but she will not accept your refusal. She offers you any choice of the hundreds of potions that fill the glass cabinets behind her counter. As you turn to leave, she offers you 40 Gold Crowns.
You must eat another Meal in place of this poisoned food or lose 3
The food smells delicious, but you notice that there are two or three drops of clear liquid on the side of the plate and another on the tray. At first you suspect that it is only water, until you touch the fluid and notice that it is sticky. You recognize it as sap from the gnadurn tree, a deadly poison used by assassins because of its lack of flavour or scent. The shock of your discovery soon turns to anger and you race out of the room, intent on discovering the identity of your enemy.
The forest here is extremely dense and the undergrowth is a tangle of bushy weeds. You ride for a mile in either direction and discover no track or path near the watchtower. If you are to reach Port Bax you must dismount and enter the forest on foot.
+You have been walking in the rain for over three hours when you are confronted by seven horsemen. They are mercenaries employed by the Overlord of Ragadorn and they bear his emblem, a black ship on a red crest, upon their shields.
+They demand that you hand over all your gold or they will kill you. When they discover that you have no gold, they chase you and eventually cut you down with their longswords. As you lie dying on the road, the last sight that you remember is the outline of Ragadorn on the distant horizon.
+This road eventually ends at a deserted forest cabin. Although it is furnished, a layer of fine dust covers everything inside and indicates that this place has not been used for several months. It is a dead end, and you have wasted precious time. You must return to the fork and take the left path without further delay.
+As you wrap the injured man in a large blanket, he drifts off into a sleep from which he will never awake. Back on deck, the bodies of the dead crew have been laid together.
+Captain Kelman approaches and hands you a vicious-looking blade. This is no pirate sword, Lone Wolf. This weapon was forged in the furnaces of Helgedad. It is a Darklord blade.
You cast the evil sword into the sea where it quickly sinks beneath the waves, and return to the Green Sceptre. As the crew make ready to set sail for the east, you watch with sorrow as the Durenese trader sinks beneath the waves.
+A creature, much larger than the others and dressed in a magnificent robe of patchwork silk, screams an order in their strange language. All of the furry creatures arm themselves with spears and swords that look as if they have been crafted from broken wagon spokes and broom handles. With a strange battle-cry that sounds like Gashgiss
, they charge towards you. Your curiosity soon gives way to the realization that you must evade them or be trampled to death by the sheer weight of their numbers.
You turn and sprint along the narrow corridor until their angry cries begin to fade. You reach the entrance to where the passage connects with the main tunnel, and continue your journey from there.
+The people flee the tavern as the town guard attack. There are six of them and you must fight them one at a time.
+Halfway along this street on the left-hand side is a large stable and coach station. As it is now completely dark, you decide to enter. You spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft of the stables.
+You hear the footsteps behind you quicken, and you spin round just in time to see them draw their daggers to attack you. You must deduct 4 points from your
See the erratum for this section for details of the gameplay changes made to this section. Note: the results of the choices presented here are discussed.
+For six hours you run without rest. The Helghast are on the highway and you are forced to make your way through the steep and wooded foothills to avoid the risk of capture. Many times you feel that you just cannot go on, that the pain and the fatigue are too much to bear. But each time you falter, you are spurred on by Rhygar. You marvel at his endurance, for he is not a young man and he is clothed in the heavy armour of a Sommlending knight.
+By nightfall, you have reached the entrance to Tarnalin, the western tunnel through the Hammerdal Mountains. The three tunnels of Durenor were excavated during the age of the Black Moon, and each tunnel is over forty miles long and passes through the huge circle of the Hammerdal Range to the capital. The tunnels provide the only access to the city.
+Rhygar sits beside you and takes some bread and meat from his pack. Eat this, Lone Wolf. You must sustain your strength for the journey to Hammerdal, for from here you must venture alone through the Tarnalin. I shall remain here and hold the enemy back for as long as I have the strength to fight. Do not argue
If Rhygar is to hold off the Helghast, he will need a magic weapon as his own sword is of no use against the creatures.
As you paddle towards the sleek trade caravel, you notice to your surprise that the boarding ladder is being pulled up. A mean-looking sailor leans over the gunwale and curses at you. He seems to think that you are a refugee trying to stowaway on board. But when you shout that you are Lone Wolf and you were ambushed by an impostor at the tavern, the ladder is soon lowered again. As you climb over the side of the ship, you are met by a tall man in a gold-braided uniform. His face is almost totally covered by a shock of bright red hair and a bright red beard.
+Haul anchor!
he booms. The crew spring into action as if their very lives depended on it.
The captain ushers you below to his cabin where he pours two glasses of wanlo, a strong spirit. His face shows concern as you tell him what has happened.
+There is evil treachery at work and the enemy already has plans afoot to thwart your quest,
he begins when youIt seems that you have lost the element of surprise
You leave him to go up on deck just in time to see the outline of Holmgard on the horizon. With mixed feelings of pride and apprehension, you descend the stairway to your cabin as the last spire of the capital disappears from view.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+You search the bodies and discover 3 Gold Crowns, 3 Daggers, and a Short Sword. If you wish to take any of these, mark them on your Action Chart.
+Stepping over the body, you set about a quick search of these living quarters. You find:
+Take whatever items you wish and quickly leave the watchtower in case someone discovers you.
+You realize that the forest is very thick in this area and you will have to abandon your horse and continue on foot.
+Piles of rotting garbage litter this stretch of the waterfront, giving off such an evil smell that you are forced to cover your mouth and nose with your cloak. Ahead to your left, you notice the glow of torchlight streaming from an open door. Above the door is a sign.
+It may be of some consolation to learn that your death was mercifully swift. The Helghast
There is a shocked silence as you scoop up the 5 Gold Crowns from the table and turn to leave, but as you reach the tavern door, an ugly thug draws his sword and blocks your exit. Just as you are wondering what to do, there is a loud thud, and the man keels over onto the floor. Behind him, to your surprise stands the serving girl with a large wooden club in her hand. You thank her politely and race out of the door into the darkened street beyond.
+After running for ten minutes in the dark, you spot a large stable and coach station through the gloom ahead. With the shouts of angry sailors still ringing in your ears, you quickly enter the building and spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.
+The soldier stabs at your chest with his spear, but you quickly sidestep and it merely grazes your arm. The guard is determined to fight but you do not want to have to kill him in combat, so you decide to try to knock him unconscious.
+Fight the following combat as normal, but double all
The guards look angry and ready to attack. You will have to think of something quickly.
+A sailor called Sprogg sits beside you and explains the rules of the game Portholes
. First he shows you two diamond-shaped dice made of red glass. Each die has ten sides and they are numbered 0portholes
and automatically win.
Each player stakes 3 Gold Crowns per throw. There are two other players in the game and they all place their stake money into a hat before the dice are rolled.
+Pick two numbers from the Random Number Table for each of the other two players, and note these scores down. Now pick two numbers from the Random Number Table for yourself. If your total is higher than the other players, you win 6 Gold Crowns. If either of the other players beat your score, you lose 3 Gold Crowns. You may leave the game at any time, but you must stop playing if you lose all your Crowns (bad luck!).
+As you advance along the deck, the hideous creatures turn and flee from the golden light of your sword. You notice something strange about this death-hulk, something familiar, but you are not quite sure what it is. Suddenly, a ghastly voice behind you cries out your name.
+You raise the Sommerswerd and spin around to face the voice. The sight that confronts you fills your senses with a mortal terror.
+You soon reach the end of Oxyoke Way where it is crossed by another street running north to south. It is now so dark that you are unable to read the street signs. You must find shelter for the night. To your right you see a light above a sign.
+Under cover of the dark, you enter by a side entrance and spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.
+If you have not already been told, the Helghast are the riders who attacked your party. Helghast are fell captains of the Darklords. They have the ability to adopt human form but are invulnerable to normal weapons.
You come to rest face downwards in a tangle of thick bracken. The ringing of steel and the horrible cries of the Helghast echo through the trees around you. You are stunned and cannot move until a hand grabs your arm and pulls you upright. It is Rhygar. His face is bloodied and his armour is battered and charred.
+We must flee these demons, Lone Wolf.
You glimpse the silhouette of six Helghast on the forest road above. Their minds bent on the slaughter of Rhygar
Although you awake to a cold and rain-swept dawn, the branches of the tree and your Kai cloak have kept you warm and dry during the night. Looking along the coast road, in the distance you can see a wagon heading towards you.
+The gruesome death-cries of the Helghast finally fade and you risk stopping for a few seconds to catch your breath. You wince as you discover that the creature
The innkeeper is a thin old man with only one eye. He hands you a key and points to a balcony opposite. Number two, the red door,
he says.
The other travellers each pay their one Crown, collect a key, and make their way across the crowded tavern floor towards the stairs.
+We must make plans for tomorrow,
says Dorier. The others all nod in agreement. I suggest we meet here in the bar in one hour to decide what to do.
As you close the red door of your room, for some unknown reason you recall the words of Captain Kelman when you left Holmgard harbour: There is evil treachery at work and the enemy already has plans afoot to thwart your quest.
An hour has nearly passed when your thoughts are disturbed by a knock at the door. It is the innkeeper and he is carrying a tray of hot food.
+With the compliments of one of your friends,
he says, and leaves before you can ask which one. You have not eaten today and the food smells most appetizing.
Keeping one eye on the door, you quickly search the drawers of an ornate chart table. There does not appear to be anything unusual about the contents. You find mainly charts, island maps, and navigational instruments. You are about to abandon this fruitless search when you notice a small lever hidden below the tabletop. You push it and a panel flips open to reveal a small wooden box with a brass lock.
+The following morning you are woken by the cry of the shipShip ahoy! Ship off the starboard bow!
You climb up on deck and brace yourself against the fresh sea breeze. On the horizon, you can see the wooded coastline of eastern Sommerlund, but in the middle distance is a merchant ship that looks badly damaged. It is low in the water and has only one mast remaining intact. It flies the flag of Durenor but the flag is upside down, a signal of distress.
+Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+The shriek of the dying Szall is soon echoed by your own death-cry as two crossbow bolts embed themselves in your back.
+You are standing in a large, empty hall. Opposite are two doors, each with a brass sign above them.
+White Passes,
Red Passes,
The street ends abruptly at a large stone watchtower.
+You search in his pack and are horrified to find that it contains a scroll of human skin upon which a message has been written in a strange runic script. The only word that you can make out is Kai
. You also find an evil-looking dagger with a black blade, and a block of cold obsidian.
These items bear the signs of the Darklords
The meal is poor. It is made up of yesterday
I have a confession to make, Kai Lord. The fire destroyed our entire food store; we had barely enough in the galley for this meal. I fear that we will have to survive on a diet of fresh fish until we reach Port Bax.
Unless you have food in your Backpack, the poor meal leaves you hungry and you lose 2
After dinner, the captain challenges you to a game of Samor, a board game a little like chess, involving skilful strategy and bluff. To add a little excitement, he suggests a small wager.
+There is a strong aura of evil surrounding these cloaked riders. Your Kai sense warns you not to follow Rhygar and his men on their impetuous charge. You shout a warning to them to stop them attacking, but it is too late. You cannot be heard above their battle-cries and the thundering hooves of their mounts.
+You follow this dingy street until it turns sharply eastwards into Lookout Street. In the far distance, you can see the River Dorn which separates the east and west sides of Ragadorn.
+As you walk through the pouring rain, three suspicious men appear from an alley and start to follow you.
+Will you:
+You sense that the left tunnel is the quickest route to Hammerdal by about two miles. Just before you reach the junction you come across a large puddle in the centre of the highway. You notice that two sets of footprints, about the size and shape of a man
The captain orders the crew to hoist all the sails to attempt to outrun the vessel, but the pirate ship is fast and is trying to cross the bows of the Green Sceptre. A collision seems imminent.
+Prepare to ram,
the captain cries, as the side of the red-sailed warship looms up directly in front of the prow. There is an enormous crack of splintered timber as the Green Sceptre punches a large hole into the side of the pirate ship, and you are thrown to the deck with a jolt.
As the pirates clamber aboard, you are horrified to see the black-clad shape of a Drakkarim warrior in their midst. He has spotted you and he is advancing towards you, a large broadsword raised above his head. You must fight him to the death.
+If you do not have 6 Gold Crowns, the boy will sell the papers to you for however many you have, including 0 Crowns. These papers need not be marked on your Action Chart (and thus do not require a Backpack to carry them in). Without these papers, it would be possible to wander endlessly in Port Bax.
+You are slowly walking back along the cobbled street, trying to think of the best course of action, when a young boy approaches you. I can get you into the harbour, mister,
he says, but it
He produces an envelope containing a sheaf of official-looking papers. These
If you wish to buy the documents, pay the boy 6 Gold Crowns. If you refuse them, he will soon lose interest in you and will disappear. When you have made your decision, you return to the port watchtower.
+Two zombies try to block your passage but you cleave them in half with one sweep of the Sommerswerd. You are at the foot of the tower and you can now see a hunchbacked man in crimson robes above you. He wears a tall, curved tokmor, a magician
Congratulations, Lone Wolf,
says the captain, as he wipes the sweat from his furrowed brow, you are a masterful player.
He reaches into his waistcoat pocket and hands you a small pouch containing 10 Gold Crowns. You thank him for the game and offer him the chance to win back his stake the following evening. With a wry smile, he accepts your offer and bids you goodnight.
+Within seconds, you are violently sick and then drift off into unconsciousness. It is nearly an hour before you awake. You feel dreadfully ill but you have survived the poison. Deduct 5
You quickly search the dead guard and discover a Sword, a Dagger, and 3 Gold Crowns. You may take any of these items and mark them on your Action Chart.
+Suddenly you hear the sound of iron-shod boots descending the stone steps, and you look up to see another watchtower guard on the landing above. As you run into the street, you can hear him cursing you.
+You are in combat with a Helghast.
+It is attacking you with a powerful Mindblast. If you do not have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, you will lose 2
The sailor who claimed to be First Mate Ronan seems to have escaped during the fight. You quickly search the bodies of the harbour thugs, but find nothing of value. However, you do notice that each of them has a tattoo of a serpent on their left wrist. Whoever sent them to kill you must already know of the importance of your quest.
+You leave the tavern by the side door and discover the dead body of a sailor lying beneath some stairs. Inside the collar of his bloodstained jacket is a tag bearing the name Ronan
. This must be the real Ronan. He has been murdered. You cover the body and turn towards the quay, where the Green Sceptre is anchored about three hundred yards from the harbour wall.
After a few miles, the track becomes tangled and overgrown, until all trace of it has completely disappeared. The ride becomes slow and difficult as you strain to avoid the bogs and pot-holes of this moor.
+After several hours you reach the edge of Durenor Forest, and above the ferns, you notice a tall watchtower. A spiral of smoke rises lazily from a hidden chimney.
+You notice a sign hanging outside a small shop.
+In a fraction of a second, the searing burst of flame changes direction in mid-air and is drawn towards the blade of the Sommerswerd. The bolt of energy disappears into the golden blade like water into a drain. (You remember that the Sommerswerd has the power to absorb magic. This power has saved you from certain death.)
+The sorcerer curses you, pulls a jewel from his ornate tokmor, and throws it at your feet. There is a flash of flame and a cloud of choking green gas billows up in your face, filling your nostrils with its acidic smell. You are forced to jump to the deck below to avoid the poisonous gas, and you just catch a glimpse of the sorcerer as he frantically paddles a small boat away from the death-hulk flagship.
+When you are only fifty yards offshore, you slip into the waves and swim towards land. When you finally reach the beach, you sink your fingers deep into the wet sand and slowly claw your way up the beach to the shelter of some dunes. You are exhausted and very hungry. The only possessions that you have saved are your Gold Crowns, your Backpack, and any Special Items that you did not discard in the storm. Any Weapons and Backpack Items that you possessed before the storm have been lost. Make the necessary adjustment to your Action Chart. However, a few hundred yards away, you notice clumps of small twisted trees laden with purple fruit.
+You grasp the haft of the spear and level it at the approaching Helghast. It shrieks a desperate cry for it knows that it cannot avoid being impaled on the sharp tip of your spear. The shock of impact knocks you backwards and you crash to the highway below, losing 2
After only half an hour, the coach is stopped by some armed horsemen. They wear the black ship and red crest emblem of Lachlan the Overlord of Ragadorn. They demand gold in payment for what they call exit taxes
: one Crown from each passenger. The other travellers each place a Crown on a small plate and hand it to you.
You have been walking along the deserted tunnel for a further half-hour when the highway splits in two.
+Shattered beams and torn sails are all that remain of the unfortunate merchant ship. You ask the captain to search for survivors but he ignores your plea and orders the crew to continue their duties. As the wreckage gradually disappears from view, the nagging fear that a similar fate could await you makes your throat dry. You descend below deck and take care to lock the cabin door behind you.
+He is a mountain of a man, completely bald and with large gold rings hanging from each ear. He looks at you suspiciously and says, Ale is one Gold Crown, a bed for the night is two. Which do you want?
You sense that you were the intended victim of this supposed accident. One of the passengers is trying to kill you!
+Your Kai sense reveals to you that the strangers are Helghast, fell captains of the Darklords. They have been sent from the Darklord city of Helgedad on a mission of assassination. They have the ability to take on the appearance of humans and they are immune to normal weapons and Mindblast.
+You turn to shout a warning to Rhygar as you run for the safety of the forest.
+A fierce battle now rages throughout the ship as the evil Giaks fight to win control of the Green Sceptre. Perched high up in the masts, the Kraan are rending the sails with their talons and razor-sharp teeth whilst the Zlanbeast have flown back towards Wreck Point to pick up more nets of malicious Giaks.
+Through the body-strewn decks, a menacing shape looms. Both Giaks and sailors are cut down by the creature as it advances towards you. It is a Drakkar, a cruel warrior of the Darklords. Raising his jet-black broadsword, he attacks and you must fight him to the death.
+The driver nods and hands back the ticket. The inn is warm but poorly furnished. You must eat a Meal here which will cost you 1 Gold Crown unless you have a Meal in your Backpack.
+The Kai Discipline of Hunting cannot be used when instructed to eat a Meal on your journey through the Wildlands, as it is a barren wasteland inhabited only by creatures called Szalls, a weak and cowardly breed of Giak.
+At the end of this street is a large stable. To your right, you can see some of the mob searching the shops and houses. Suddenly, one of them sees you and raises the alarm. There he is
There is no time to think. You rush into the stable and freeing one of the horses you leap onto its back. As you ride out into the moonlight, an axe flies through the air and grazes your shoulder. You lose 1
The sailor
Perhaps neither you nor I are all we claim to be. No matter. You will not live long enough to discover who I really am!
You hear a door crash open behind you. Spinning round, you see three harbour thugs moving towards you. Each is armed with a scimitar and you must fight them as one enemy.
You have covered nearly three miles when you see a group of wagons in the distance. They have been strung out across the highway to form a barricade. Soldiers in red uniforms line the roofs of the wagons and a large crowd of people have gathered behind them. You can hear their excited chatter echoing along the tunnel. As you get closer, there is a sudden silence as all eyes turn to stare at you. A detachment of ten soldiers, led by a knight whose shield bears the royal arms of Durenor, advances towards you.
+Holmgard has suffered much since your departure. Many of the shops and houses you remember passing on your way to the quay, are little more now than heaps of ashes. The DarklordsThe Kai Lord has returned.
You are standing at the top of the great watchtower, high above the main gate of the city, when the first light of dawn creeps slowly over the horizon. Thousand upon thousand of the black-clad enemy are massed around the city wall, huddled like beetles in the trenches that cover the plain. In the midst of this horde, a great red tent has been erected bearing the symbol of a broken skull. It is the mark of Zagarna, Lord of Kaag, a Darklord of Helgedad. His great ambition is the destruction of Holmgard; his fiercest desire to lead his army to victory over the House of Ulnar and claim Sommerlund for his own.
+But victory is not to be his this day. Raising the Sommerswerd high above your head, a shaft of dawn sunlight catches upon the tip of the golden sword and a brilliant flash of blinding white flame runs the entire length of the blade. The power of the Sommerswerd electrifies you. Your senses reel and now your body reacts instinctively. You lower the Sommerswerd and point the blade towards the tent of Lord Zagarna. There is a mighty roar as the power of the sun-sword is unleashed in a searing white beam. The tent explodes and a brilliant fireball of white flame mushrooms skyward. A long and terrible cry rends the air. It is Lord Zagarna. The leader of the evil army is no more.
+Gripped with fear and panic, the vast black army rise up and run in chaos from the city wall. The impossible has happened, their invincible master is slain. Again the Sommerswerd has returned to defeat them. The army and the allies of Durenor ride out of the city gates in pursuit of the panic-stricken enemy as they run blindly towards the Durncrag Mountains. The victory is yours. Holmgard is saved and the murder of the Kai has finally been avenged.
+But for you, Lone Wolf, a life of high adventure has only just begun. A new challenge awaits you and the Sommerswerd in Book Three of the Lone Wolf series:
+
+
Kai Disciplines:
+Bonus Disciplines:
+Weapons:
+Belt Pouch:
Meals:
Backpack Items:
+Special Items:
+Combat results are given enemy12/0means that the enemy loses 12 kmeans that the combatant is killed. For example, 0/kmeans that the enemy loses 0 |
- |||||||||||||||||||||||
Random Number | -Combat Ratio | -||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | -1/ 2 | -3/ 4 | -5/ 6 | -7/ 8 | -9/ 10 | -11 or higher | -
Combat results are given enemy12/0means that the enemy loses 12 kmeans that the combatant is killed. For example, 0/kmeans that the enemy loses 0 |
+ |||||||||||||
Random Number | +Combat Ratio | +||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | +1/ 2 | +3/ 4 | +5/ 6 | +7/ 8 | +9/ 10 | +11 or higher | +|||||||
1 | +0/k | +0/k | +0/8 | +0/6 | +1/6 | +2/5 | +3/5 | +4/5 | +5/4 | +6/4 | +7/4 | +8/3 | +9/3 | +
2 | +0/k | +0/8 | +0/7 | +1/6 | +2/5 | +3/5 | +4/4 | +5/4 | +6/3 | +7/3 | +8/3 | +9/3 | +10/2 | +
3 | +0/8 | +0/7 | +1/6 | +2/5 | +3/5 | +4/4 | +5/4 | +6/3 | +7/3 | +8/3 | +9/2 | +10/2 | +11/2 | +
4 | +0/8 | +1/7 | +2/6 | +3/5 | +4/4 | +5/4 | +6/3 | +7/3 | +8/2 | +9/2 | +10/2 | +11/2 | +12/2 | +
5 | +1/7 | +2/6 | +3/5 | +4/4 | +5/4 | +6/3 | +7/2 | +8/2 | +9/2 | +10/2 | +11/2 | +12/2 | +14/1 | +
6 | +2/6 | +3/6 | +4/5 | +5/4 | +6/3 | +7/2 | +8/2 | +9/2 | +10/2 | +11/1 | +12/1 | +14/1 | +16/1 | +
7 | +3/5 | +4/5 | +5/4 | +6/3 | +7/2 | +8/2 | +9/1 | +10/1 | +11/1 | +12/0 | +14/0 | +16/0 | +18/0 | +
8 | +4/4 | +5/4 | +6/3 | +7/2 | +8/1 | +9/1 | +10/0 | +11/0 | +12/0 | +14/0 | +16/0 | +18/0 | +k/0 | +
9 | +5/3 | +6/3 | +7/2 | +8/0 | +9/0 | +10/0 | +11/0 | +12/0 | +14/0 | +16/0 | +18/0 | +k/0 | +k/0 | +
0 | +6/0 | +7/0 | +8/0 | +9/0 | +10/0 | +11/0 | +12/0 | +14/0 | +16/0 | +18/0 | +k/0 | +k/0 | +k/0 | +
1 | -0/k | -0/k | -0/8 | -0/6 | -1/6 | -2/5 | -3/5 | -4/5 | -5/4 | -6/4 | -7/4 | -8/3 | -9/3 | +7 | +5 | +0 | +1 | +5 | +1 | +5 | +7 | +3 | +6 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | -0/k | -0/8 | -0/7 | -1/6 | -2/5 | -3/5 | -4/4 | -5/4 | -6/3 | -7/3 | -8/3 | -9/3 | -10/2 | +3 | +6 | +4 | +3 | +9 | +3 | +9 | +2 | +8 | +1 |
3 | -0/8 | -0/7 | -1/6 | -2/5 | -3/5 | -4/4 | -5/4 | -6/3 | -7/3 | -8/3 | -9/2 | -10/2 | -11/2 | +4 | +5 | +1 | +4 | +2 | +6 | +1 | +0 | +7 | +3 |
4 | -0/8 | -1/7 | -2/6 | -3/5 | -4/4 | -5/4 | -6/3 | -7/3 | -8/2 | -9/2 | -10/2 | -11/2 | -12/2 | +0 | +1 | +7 | +2 | +5 | +0 | +2 | +8 | +9 | +2 |
5 | -1/7 | -2/6 | -3/5 | -4/4 | -5/4 | -6/3 | -7/2 | -8/2 | -9/2 | -10/2 | -11/2 | -12/2 | -14/1 | +6 | +2 | +4 | +8 | +1 | +5 | +9 | +6 | +4 | +8 |
6 | -2/6 | -3/6 | -4/5 | -5/4 | -6/3 | -7/2 | -8/2 | -9/2 | -10/2 | -11/1 | -12/1 | -14/1 | -16/1 | +9 | +0 | +1 | +7 | +9 | +0 | +3 | +1 | +3 | +9 |
7 | -3/5 | -4/5 | -5/4 | -6/3 | -7/2 | -8/2 | -9/1 | -10/1 | -11/1 | -12/0 | -14/0 | -16/0 | -18/0 | +7 | +4 | +9 | +7 | +8 | +5 | +8 | +2 | +5 | +1 |
8 | -4/4 | -5/4 | -6/3 | -7/2 | -8/1 | -9/1 | -10/0 | -11/0 | -12/0 | -14/0 | -16/0 | -18/0 | -k/0 | +0 | +5 | +4 | +6 | +7 | +7 | +0 | +4 | +8 | +6 |
9 | -5/3 | -6/3 | -7/2 | -8/0 | -9/0 | -10/0 | -11/0 | -12/0 | -14/0 | -16/0 | -18/0 | -k/0 | -k/0 | +9 | +6 | +0 | +2 | +4 | +4 | +6 | +8 | +3 | +2 |
0 | -6/0 | -7/0 | -8/0 | -9/0 | -10/0 | -11/0 | -12/0 | -14/0 | -16/0 | -18/0 | -k/0 | -k/0 | -k/0 | +2 | +8 | +5 | +6 | +3 | +8 | +3 | +7 | +0 | +9 |
7 | -5 | -0 | -1 | -5 | -1 | -5 | -7 | -3 | -6 | -
3 | -6 | -4 | -3 | -9 | -3 | -9 | -2 | -8 | -1 | -
4 | -5 | -1 | -4 | -2 | -6 | -1 | -0 | -7 | -3 | -
0 | -1 | -7 | -2 | -5 | -0 | -2 | -8 | -9 | -2 | -
6 | -2 | -4 | -8 | -1 | -5 | -9 | -6 | -4 | -8 | -
9 | -0 | -1 | -7 | -9 | -0 | -3 | -1 | -3 | -9 | -
7 | -4 | -9 | -7 | -8 | -5 | -8 | -2 | -5 | -1 | -
0 | -5 | -4 | -6 | -7 | -7 | -0 | -4 | -8 | -6 | -
9 | -6 | -0 | -2 | -4 | -4 | -6 | -8 | -3 | -2 | -
2 | -8 | -5 | -6 | -3 | -8 | -3 | -7 | -0 | -9 | -
We have taken our unique opportunity to correct errors and to enforce a standard of English usage. We list our changes here. If you see anything that needs correction, please contact the Project Aon Staff.
- -(Title Page) Replaced seastorms
with sea-storms
. Replaced FIRE ON THE WATER
with Fire on the Water,
.
(Dedication) Replaced Ryan and
with Ryan, and
.
The Story so Far) Replaced Darklord armies
with Darkland armies
.
(The Game Rules) Replaced all occurrences of ie
with i.e.
. Removed that you will find in the front of this book. For further adventuring you can copy out the chart yourself or get it photocopied.
Split the last paragraph into two starting with Through your experiences
. Replaced on to
with onto
. Replaced fall to zero
with fall to zero or below
. Replaced Chart. (you
with Chart. (You
. Replaced Items).
with Items.)
. Replaced each occurrence of Action Chart. (ie
with Action Chart (i.e.
. Replaced 14.)
with 14).
. Replaced points.)
with points).
. Replaced
with
.
(Kai Disciplines) Replaced Kai Discipline section
with Kai Disciplines section
. Capitalized all occurrences of discipline
. Replaced Lone Wolf
with Lone Wolf
when referring to the series. Replaced food or
with food, or
. Replaced Kai monastery
with Kai Monastery
. Replaced will be of use
with may be of use
.
(Equipment) Removed the 1=, 2=,
in the How to carry your equipment
section. These were obviously carried over from Lone Wolf
with Lone Wolf
when referring to the series. Replaced two weapons
with two Weapons
. Replaced slung over shoulder when not in combat otherwise
with slung over the shoulder when not in combat, otherwise
. Replaced to your total when swallowed
with to your total, when swallowed
. Added You may only use one Weapon at a time in combat.
in harmony with the Collector
(Rules for Combat) Removed on the inside back cover of the book
. Removed on the last page of the book
. Replaced on the page after the Random Number Table
with in the back of this book
. Replaced reduced to zero
with reduced to zero or below
. Replaced points reduced
with points possibly reduced
. Replaced at which point the one with the zero score is declared dead.
with at which point that combatant is declared dead.
.
(Levels of Kai Training) The Levels of Kai Training section did not originally appear in this book, but has been added for the reader
(Kai Wisdom) Removed on the back cover of the book
. Replaced LONE WOLF
with Lone Wolf
.
(1) Replaced to try and
with to try to
.
(4) Replaced to try and
with to try to
.
(8) Replaced Sandsnake
with sand snake
.
(9) Added a period to the end of the illustrationHammerdal range
with Hammerdal Range
.
(12) Replaced agreeing a wager
with agreeing to a wager
.
(15) Replaced Godspeed Lone Wolf
with Godspeed, Lone Wolf
.
(16) Replaced razor sharp
with razor-sharp
.
(20) Replaced wharfs
with wharves
. Replaced Ragadorn bridge
with Ragadorn Bridge
to match other occurrences.
(23) Replaced torch-lit
with torchlit
.
(24) Replaced Fox He
with Fox. He
.
(26) Added a period to the end of the illustration
(27) Capitalized wildlands
. Replaced far), and
with far) and
.
(28) Replaced useful Items
with useful items
.
(31) Replaced both occurrences of Lord-Lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
. Replaced lord-lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
.
(34) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(35) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position.
-(37) Added a period to the end of the illustrationEast Bank Walk
with West Bank Walk
since you are west of the River Dorn at this stage, though not on its banks; nor does the street go to the river bank, as Section 323 strongly implies that it ends and becomes Lookout Street (cf. erratum for Section 86 regarding Westbank Wharf
).
(38) Replaced rib-cage
with rib cage
. Replaced each occurrence of spear
with Spear
as it is referring to the Magic Spear mentioned in Section 134.
(40) Replaced Lord-Lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
.
(49) Replaced quarters and fighting, often to the death, is
with quarters, and fighting
.
(50) Replaced the first word The
with A
. This is the first time you meet the priest
(56) Replaced chair and
with chair, and
.
(62) Replaced requires, or
with requires or
. Added if you possess it
after Seal of Hammerdal
and switched the first and second choices to make it clearer that if the reader possesses the access papers, the only way to avoid showing them is to also possess the Seal of Hammerdal.
(63) Moved the Animal Kinship choice into the first position. Replaced sandsnake
with sand snake
.
(64) Replaced it, their
with it. Their
. Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.
(69) Replaced staffbearer
with staff-bearer
. Replaced Lord-Lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(73) Replaced failed Lone Wolf
with failed, Lone Wolf
.
(75) Replaced Sir, requires
with Sir requires
. Replaced white pass
with White Pass
.
(76) Replaced these Items
with these items
.
(78) Replaced risk drowning
with you will surely drown
in harmony with the Collectoron to
with onto
.
(79) Replaced both occurrences of Kai lord
with Kai Lord
. Replaced enemies, eg Helghasts, in
with enemies (e.g. Helghast) in
. Added a period to the end of the illustrationDurenese or
with Durenese, or
. Replaced much preparation for
with much to prepare for
.
(80) Replaced Seal, or
with Seal or
.
(82) Replaced angry mob have
with angry mob has
.
(84) Replaced leatherbound
with leather-bound
.
(86) Replaced Westbank Wharf
with Eastbank Wharf
since the geography clearly indicates that you are on the east bank of the River Dorn at this stage, since walking west from Section 86 to Section 194 leads to the jetty (cf. erratum for Section 37 regarding East Bank Walk
).
(88) Moved the Camouflage choice into the first position.
-(91) Replaced cargo:
with cargo. (Remember that you must take the Backpack in order to carry any of the Backpack Items.)
. Replaced two Items
with two items
. Replaced above Items
with above items
. Replaced Food
with food
.
(95) Moved the choice to heal the wounded man into the first position. Replaced potion or some Laumspur, and
with potion, or some Laumspur and
.
(98) Replaced Durenor forest
with Durenor Forest
.
(100) Replaced on to
with onto
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(102) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position. Replaced Hammerdal range
with Hammerdal Range
.
(103) Added if you possess a Backpack. Otherwise you must consume it now or abandon it
after add this to your Action Chart
based on a similar change in the Collector
(106) Added (The Magic Spear is a weapon-like Special Item. Remember that you only get a Weaponskill bonus in this fight against the Helghast if you have Weaponskill with Spear.
to the end of the second paragraph.
(113) Replaced magician
with Magicians
. Replaced overboard, and
with overboard and
.
(118) Moved the Animal Kinship choice into the first position. Added a period to the end of the illustrationHammerdal range
with Hammerdal Range
.
(122) Replaced Kai lord
with Kai Lord
. Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position. Replaced Pick
with If not, pick
.
(123) Replaced king
with King
.
(124) Replaced Short Sword and
with Short Sword, and
.
(126) Replaced Vonatar
with Vonotar
. Replaced jail
with gaol
. Replaced their left wrist
with their left wrists
.
(131) Replaced If you have no Weapon, deduct
with Deduct
since Lone Wolf has had no opportunity to acquire Weapons.
(132) Moved the paragraph about keeping the Magic Spear before the choices.
-(134) Added a period to the end of the illustration
(138) Replaced Durenor forest
with Durenor Forest
.
(139) Replaced each occurrence of Larnuma
with larnuma
.
(140) Replaced well-known
with well known
.
(141) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(142) Added (Mark the White Pass on your Action Chart as a Special Item.)
.
(144) Added a period to the end of the illustrationnervously, then
with nervously, and then
.
(146) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(148) Replaced East Bank Walk
with West Bank Walk
since you are west of the River Dorn at this stage, though not on its banks; nor does the street go to the river bank, as Section 323 strongly implies that it ends and becomes Lookout Street (cf. erratum for Section 86 regarding Westbank Wharf
).
(150) Replaced marshbird
with marsh-bird
. Replaced Durenor forest
with Durenor Forest
. Added (You are leaving the Wildlands and heading into the Durenor Forest and may once again use Hunting to hunt for food.)
.
(151) Replaced succesful
with successful
.
(152) Replaced warfleet
with war fleet
.
(160) Replaced me my lord
with me, my lord
. Added are carrying a Weapon and
.
(163) Replaced both occurrences of said
with says
.
(164) Replaced rockface
with rock-face
. Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.
(166) Replaced on to
with onto
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(168) Replaced thieves and
with thieves, and
. Replaced villagers, with
with villagers with
.
(169) Replaced gaming house
with gaming-house
.
(173) Replaced seen, and
with seen and
.
(176) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position. Replaced despatch
with dispatch
in the illustrationHammerdal mountains
with Hammerdal Mountains
. Replaced king
with King
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(181) Replaced Useful Items
with useful items
. Replaced above Items
with above items
.
(184) Replaced Kai lord
with Kai Lord
.
(187) Replaced following Items
with following items
.
(192) Replaced sommersaults
with somersaults
.
(193) Replaced ill-omen
with ill omen
.
(194) Replaced on to
with onto
. Replaced Weapons and
with Weapons, and
. Replaced jetty, and
with jetty and
. Replaced Westbank Wharf
with Eastbank Wharf
since the geography clearly indicates that you are on the east bank of the River Dorn at this stage, since walking west from Section 86 to Section 194 leads to the jetty (cf. erratum for Section 37 regarding East Bank Walk
).
(195) Replaced Durncrag mountains
with Durncrag Mountains
.
(196) Added (Remember to erase the Seal of Hammerdal from your Action Chart.)
.
(197) Replaced equipment and
with equipment, and
.
(200) Added a period to the end of the illustration
(202) Replaced Lord-Lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
.
(203) Replaced housemice
with house mice
.
(204) Replaced magician
with Magicians
.
(209) Replaced king
with King
. Replaced Lord-Lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
.
(213) Replaced assasinates
with assassinates
.
(217) Replaced says in a cynical voice.
with says in a cynical voice:
.
(218) Replaced rope, and
with rope and
.
(220) Replaced Durncrag range
with Durncrag Range
.
(222) Replaced on to
with onto
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(223) There was a superfluous comma between dreadful
and significance
in the first paragraph.
(228) Replaced distance to left and right
with distance to the east and west
. Replaced Larnuma
with larnuma
. Replaced go left
with head east
and go right
with head west
(cf. Section 171).
(230) Replaced women and
with women, and
.
(231) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position. Replaced on to
with onto
.
(232) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.
-(234) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(237) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(238) Added a period to the end of the illustrationCrowns or
with Crowns, or
. Added (You only receive the free silver token once, regardless of how many times you may enter the gaming-house.)
to the end of the second paragraph.
(241) he
has now been capitalized.
(242) Replaced (eg
with (e.g.
. Replaced they are determined to destroy you before you reach Durenor
with the Darklords are bent on thwarting your quest
, copied from Section 79.
(243) Replaced Kai lord
with Kai Lord
. Replaced sails and
with sails, and
.
(244) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position.
-(246) Replaced red pass
with Red Pass
. Replaced white pass
with White Pass
.
(249) Added a period to the end of the illustration
(250) Replaced to try and
with to try to
.
(254) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.
-(255) Replaced weaponskill
with Weaponskill
.
(258) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.
-(261) Replaced person
with people
to agree in number to the second choice.
(263) Replaced your pass
with your Red Pass
. Added (Mark the Red Pass on your Action Chart as a Special Item.)
. Replaced watchtower and
with watchtower, and
.
(265) Replaced warfleet
with war fleet
. Moved the Tracking choice into the first position. Replaced forest of Durenor
with Forest of Durenor
.
(266) Replaced Quarterstaffs
with Quarterstaves
. Replaced The price of his weapons are
with The prices of his weapons are
.
(267) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(268) Replaced Kai lord
with Kai Lord
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(274) Replaced Crowns and
with Crowns, and
. Replaced first floor
with first-floor
.
(276) It makes sense to restore your
--If you lose, restore your
-ENDURANCE points to the same total that you had before the contest, and turn to 192.
(277) Replaced staffbearer
with staff-bearer
.
(279) Replaced Hammerdal mountains
with Hammerdal Mountains
.
(280) Replaced equipment and
with equipment, and
.
(283) Replaced above Items
with above items
.
(284) Added a period to the end of the illustration(You do not need to adjust your Action Chart.)
.
(287) Replaced click
with
.
(289) Replaced Jala
with jala
. Replaced seal
with Seal
.
(297) Replaced door, and
with door and
.
(298) Replaced If you do not have a Weapon, you
with You
since Lone Wolf has had no opportunity to acquire Weapons.
(Section 299) The original edition of this book reads: If you wish to give him your Magic Spear, so that he can defend the tunnel entrance, turn to 102. If you do not possess a Magic Spear, or do not wish to give it to Rhygar, turn to 118.
Later editions came out reversing these two choices (i.e. the first choice leads to Section 118, the second choice to Section 102). Both of these versions are very problematic to game flow and inspired a controversy among the members of Project Aon. The version that you see in our text is a mixed scenario intended to most closely match the author
If you wish to use either of the previously published versions, then refer to the appropriate choice as listed here. Discussion of the different versions follows:
-Original version: The choices appear to serve no other purpose other than punishing Lone Wolf with certain death for mercifully handing Rhygar the Spear. The fact that this version was revised and the path that Lone Wolf is given in the Legends of Lone Wolf series also both appear to refute the correctness of this version.
-Revised version: Under this version, it is impossible for Lone Wolf to succeed without taking the left path back at the beginning of the Durenor Forest (Section 150), ignoring the warning of the Szalls, and fighting the Helghast. This directly contradicts the statement in Kai Wisdom that a wise choice of Disciplines enables you to succeed regardless of your starting
Project Aon version: Although never previously published, this scenario allows Lone Wolf to succeed despite giving the Magic Spear to Rhygar.
-Replaced Hammerdal mountains
with Hammerdal Mountains
. Replaced Hammerdal range
with Hammerdal Range
. Replaced Spear, so
with Spear so
.
(300) Replaced Wanlo
with wanlo
.
(301) Replaced Daggers and
with Daggers, and
.
(302) Replaced climb the watchtower stairs and quickly search the
with set about a quick search of these
in harmony with the Collectorwhatever Items
with whatever items
.
(305) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(306) Replaced score reaches zero
with score reaches zero or below
. Replaced points to zero
with points to zero or below
. Replaced to try and
with to try to
.
(308) Replaced Each dice
with Each die
.
(312) Replaced rainswept
with rain-swept
. Replaced on to
with onto
.
(313) Added (Erase the Magic Spear from your Action Chart.)
.
(314) Replaced at work when
with at work and
as this is a direct quote of Captain Kelmantomorrow.
with tomorrow,
. Added a period to the end of the illustrationkey and make
with key, and make
.
(315) Moved the Mind Over Matter choice into the first position. Replaced maps and
with maps, and
.
(321) Replaced Kai lord
with Kai Lord
.
(323) Replaced to start to
with and start to
.
(326) Added a period to the end of the illustration
(328) Replaced If you possess a Crystal Star Pendant, turn to 113
with If you have ever been given a Crystal Star Pendant, turn immediately to 113
based in part on the Collector
(331) Replaced Dagger and
with Dagger, and
. Replaced these Items
with these items
.
(332) Added This creature is immune to Mindblast.
to the end of the final paragraph. Replaced forest, and
with forest and
.
(333) Replaced blood-stained
with bloodstained
.
(334) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position. Replaced Durenor forest
with Durenor Forest
.
(336) Replaced tokmor and
with tokmor, and
.
(337) Moved the Hunting choice into the first position. Replaced Backpack and
with Backpack, and
. Replaced Any weapons
with Any Weapons and Backpack Items
based on a clarification made in Lone Wolf Club Newsletter No.2
(338) Added erase the Magic Spear from your Action Chart and
.
(345) Replaced jet black
with jet-black
.
(346) Replaced Hunting cannot be used on your journey through the Wildlands
with Hunting cannot be used when instructed to eat a Meal on your journey through the Wildlands
.
(347) Replaced leap on
with leap onto
.
(348) Replaced door, and
with door and
.
(350) Replaced Durncrag mountains
with Durncrag Mountains
. Replaced air, continually
with air continually
. Added a period to the end of the illustrationLone Wolf
with Lone Wolf
when referring to the series.
(Combat Rules Summary) Replaced cross reference
with cross-reference
. Replaced top of chart
with top of the chart
. fall to 0
with falls to 0 or below
. Replaced Pick number from
with Pick a number from the
. Replaced Turn to Combat
with Turn to the Combat
. Replaced to random number
with to the random number
. Replaced when ENDURANCE
with when the ENDURANCE
. Replaced ignored, only
with ignored; only
.
The following is a list of all Sections containing illustrations found in this book:
- -We have taken our unique opportunity to correct errors and to enforce a standard of English usage. We list our changes here. If you see anything that needs correction, please contact the Project Aon Staff.
+ +(Title Page) Replaced seastorms
with sea-storms
. Replaced FIRE ON THE WATER
with Fire on the Water,
.
(Dedication) Replaced Ryan and
with Ryan, and
.
The Story so Far) Replaced Darklord armies
with Darkland armies
.
(The Game Rules) Replaced all occurrences of ie
with i.e.
. Removed that you will find in the front of this book. For further adventuring you can copy out the chart yourself or get it photocopied.
Split the last paragraph into two starting with Through your experiences
. Replaced on to
with onto
. Replaced fall to zero
with fall to zero or below
. Replaced Chart. (you
with Chart. (You
. Replaced Items).
with Items.)
. Replaced each occurrence of Action Chart. (ie
with Action Chart (i.e.
. Replaced 14.)
with 14).
. Replaced points.)
with points).
. Replaced
with
.
(Kai Disciplines) Replaced Kai Discipline section
with Kai Disciplines section
. Capitalized all occurrences of discipline
. Replaced Lone Wolf
with Lone Wolf
when referring to the series. Replaced food or
with food, or
. Replaced Kai monastery
with Kai Monastery
. Replaced will be of use
with may be of use
.
(Equipment) Removed the 1=, 2=,
in the How to carry your equipment
section. These were obviously carried over from Lone Wolf
with Lone Wolf
when referring to the series. Replaced two weapons
with two Weapons
. Replaced slung over shoulder when not in combat otherwise
with slung over the shoulder when not in combat, otherwise
. Replaced to your total when swallowed
with to your total, when swallowed
. Added You may only use one Weapon at a time in combat.
in harmony with the CollectorIt cannot be used to increase
in harmony with the Collector
(Rules for Combat) Removed on the inside back cover of the book
. Removed on the last page of the book
. Replaced on the page after the Random Number Table
with in the back of this book
. Replaced reduced to zero
with reduced to zero or below
. Replaced points reduced
with points possibly reduced
. Replaced at which point the one with the zero score is declared dead.
with at which point that combatant is declared dead.
.
(Levels of Kai Training) The Levels of Kai Training section did not originally appear in this book, but has been added for the reader
(Kai Wisdom) Removed on the back cover of the book
. Replaced LONE WOLF
with Lone Wolf
.
(1) Replaced to try and
with to try to
.
(4) Replaced to try and
with to try to
.
(8) Replaced Sandsnake
with sand snake
.
(9) Added a period to the end of the illustrationHammerdal range
with Hammerdal Range
.
(12) Replaced agreeing a wager
with agreeing to a wager
.
(15) Replaced Godspeed Lone Wolf
with Godspeed, Lone Wolf
.
(16) Replaced razor sharp
with razor-sharp
.
(20) Replaced wharfs
with wharves
. Replaced Ragadorn bridge
with Ragadorn Bridge
to match other occurrences.
(23) Replaced torch-lit
with torchlit
.
(24) Replaced Fox He
with Fox. He
.
(26) Added a period to the end of the illustration
(27) Capitalized wildlands
. Replaced far), and
with far) and
.
(28) Replaced useful Items
with useful items
.
(31) Replaced both occurrences of Lord-Lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
. Replaced lord-lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
.
(34) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(35) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position.
+(37) Added a period to the end of the illustrationEast Bank Walk
with West Bank Walk
since you are west of the River Dorn at this stage, though not on its banks; nor does the street go to the river bank, as Section 323 strongly implies that it ends and becomes Lookout Street (cf. erratum for Section 86 regarding Westbank Wharf
).
(38) Replaced rib-cage
with rib cage
. Replaced each occurrence of spear
with Spear
as it is referring to the Magic Spear mentioned in Section 134.
(40) Replaced Lord-Lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
.
(49) Replaced quarters and fighting, often to the death, is
with quarters, and fighting
.
(50) Replaced the first word The
with A
. This is the first time you meet the priest
(56) Replaced chair and
with chair, and
.
(62) Replaced requires, or
with requires or
. Added if you possess it
after Seal of Hammerdal
and switched the first and second choices to make it clearer that if the reader possesses the access papers, the only way to avoid showing them is to also possess the Seal of Hammerdal.
(63) Moved the Animal Kinship choice into the first position. Replaced sandsnake
with sand snake
.
(64) Replaced it, their
with it. Their
. Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.
(69) Replaced staffbearer
with staff-bearer
. Replaced Lord-Lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(73) Replaced failed Lone Wolf
with failed, Lone Wolf
.
(75) Replaced Sir, requires
with Sir requires
. Replaced white pass
with White Pass
.
(76) Replaced these Items
with these items
.
(78) Replaced risk drowning
with you will surely drown
in harmony with the Collectoron to
with onto
.
(79) Replaced both occurrences of Kai lord
with Kai Lord
. Replaced enemies, eg Helghasts, in
with enemies (e.g. Helghast) in
. Added a period to the end of the illustrationDurenese or
with Durenese, or
. Replaced much preparation for
with much to prepare for
.
(80) Replaced Seal, or
with Seal or
.
(82) Replaced angry mob have
with angry mob has
.
(84) Replaced leatherbound
with leather-bound
.
(86) Replaced Westbank Wharf
with Eastbank Wharf
since the geography clearly indicates that you are on the east bank of the River Dorn at this stage, since walking west from Section 86 to Section 194 leads to the jetty (cf. erratum for Section 37 regarding East Bank Walk
).
(88) Moved the Camouflage choice into the first position.
+(91) Replaced cargo:
with cargo. (Remember that you must take the Backpack in order to carry any of the Backpack Items.)
. Replaced two Items
with two items
. Replaced above Items
with above items
. Replaced Food
with food
. Added (each Meal counts as one item of the merchant
.
(95) Moved the choice to heal the wounded man into the first position. Replaced potion or some Laumspur, and
with potion, or some Laumspur and
.
(98) Replaced Durenor forest
with Durenor Forest
.
(100) Replaced on to
with onto
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(102) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position. Replaced Hammerdal range
with Hammerdal Range
.
(103) Added if you possess a Backpack. Otherwise you must consume it now or abandon it
after add this to your Action Chart
based on a similar change in the Collector
(106) Added (The Magic Spear is a weapon-like Special Item. Remember that you only get a Weaponskill bonus in this fight against the Helghast if you have Weaponskill with Spear.
to the end of the second paragraph.
(113) Replaced magician
with Magicians
. Replaced overboard, and
with overboard and
.
(118) Moved the Animal Kinship choice into the first position. Added a period to the end of the illustrationHammerdal range
with Hammerdal Range
.
(122) Replaced Kai lord
with Kai Lord
. Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position. Replaced Pick
with If not, pick
.
(123) Replaced king
with King
.
(124) Replaced Short Sword and
with Short Sword, and
.
(126) Replaced Vonatar
with Vonotar
. Replaced jail
with gaol
. Replaced their left wrist
with their left wrists
.
(131) Replaced If you have no Weapon, deduct
with Deduct
since Lone Wolf has had no opportunity to acquire Weapons.
(132) Moved the paragraph about keeping the Magic Spear before the choices.
+(134) Added a period to the end of the illustration
(138) Replaced Durenor forest
with Durenor Forest
.
(139) Replaced each occurrence of Larnuma
with larnuma
.
(140) Replaced well-known
with well known
.
(141) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(142) Added (Mark the White Pass on your Action Chart as a Special Item.)
.
(144) Added a period to the end of the illustrationnervously, then
with nervously, and then
.
(145) Added (As the dry leaves merely helped purge the poison from your stomach, you do not regain any
in harmony with the Collector
(146) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(148) Replaced East Bank Walk
with West Bank Walk
since you are west of the River Dorn at this stage, though not on its banks; nor does the street go to the river bank, as Section 323 strongly implies that it ends and becomes Lookout Street (cf. erratum for Section 86 regarding Westbank Wharf
).
(150) Replaced marshbird
with marsh-bird
. Replaced Durenor forest
with Durenor Forest
. Added (You are leaving the Wildlands and heading into the Durenor Forest and may once again use Hunting to hunt for food.)
.
(151) Replaced succesful
with successful
.
(152) Replaced warfleet
with war fleet
.
(160) Replaced me my lord
with me, my lord
. Added are carrying a Weapon and
.
(163) Replaced both occurrences of said
with says
.
(164) Replaced rockface
with rock-face
. Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.
(166) Replaced on to
with onto
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(168) Replaced thieves and
with thieves, and
. Replaced villagers, with
with villagers with
.
(169) Replaced gaming house
with gaming-house
.
(173) Replaced seen, and
with seen and
.
(176) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position. Replaced despatch
with dispatch
in the illustrationHammerdal mountains
with Hammerdal Mountains
. Replaced king
with King
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(181) Replaced Useful Items
with useful items
. Replaced above Items
with above items
.
(184) Replaced Kai lord
with Kai Lord
.
(187) Replaced following Items
with following items
.
(192) Replaced sommersaults
with somersaults
.
(193) Replaced ill-omen
with ill omen
.
(194) Replaced on to
with onto
. Replaced Weapons and
with Weapons, and
. Replaced jetty, and
with jetty and
. Replaced Westbank Wharf
with Eastbank Wharf
since the geography clearly indicates that you are on the east bank of the River Dorn at this stage, since walking west from Section 86 to Section 194 leads to the jetty (cf. erratum for Section 37 regarding East Bank Walk
).
(195) Replaced Durncrag mountains
with Durncrag Mountains
.
(196) Added (Remember to erase the Seal of Hammerdal from your Action Chart.)
.
(197) Replaced equipment and
with equipment, and
.
(200) Added a period to the end of the illustration
(202) Replaced Lord-Lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
.
(203) Replaced housemice
with house mice
.
(204) Replaced magician
with Magicians
.
(209) Replaced king
with King
. Replaced Lord-Lieutenant
with Lord-lieutenant
.
(213) Replaced assasinates
with assassinates
.
(217) Replaced says in a cynical voice.
with says in a cynical voice:
.
(218) Replaced rope, and
with rope and
.
(220) Replaced Durncrag range
with Durncrag Range
.
(222) Replaced on to
with onto
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(223) There was a superfluous comma between dreadful
and significance
in the first paragraph.
(228) Replaced distance to left and right
with distance to the east and west
. Replaced Larnuma
with larnuma
. Replaced go left
with head east
and go right
with head west
(cf. Section 171).
(230) Replaced women and
with women, and
.
(231) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position. Replaced on to
with onto
.
(232) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.
+(234) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(237) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(238) Added a period to the end of the illustrationCrowns or
with Crowns, or
. Added (You only receive the free silver token once, regardless of how many times you may enter the gaming-house.)
to the end of the second paragraph. Added (do not erase them from your Action Chart)
in harmony with the Collector(Note that 0 sits between 9 and 1 in Cartwheel.)
in harmony with the Collector
(241) he
has now been capitalized.
(242) Replaced (eg
with (e.g.
. Replaced they are determined to destroy you before you reach Durenor
with the Darklords are bent on thwarting your quest
, copied from Section 79.
(243) Replaced Kai lord
with Kai Lord
. Replaced sails and
with sails, and
.
(244) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position.
+(246) Replaced red pass
with Red Pass
. Replaced white pass
with White Pass
.
(249) Added a period to the end of the illustration
(250) Replaced to try and
with to try to
.
(254) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.
+(255) Replaced weaponskill
with Weaponskill
.
(258) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.
+(261) Replaced person
with people
to agree in number to the second choice.
(263) Replaced your pass
with your Red Pass
. Added (Mark the Red Pass on your Action Chart as a Special Item.)
. Replaced watchtower and
with watchtower, and
.
(265) Replaced warfleet
with war fleet
. Moved the Tracking choice into the first position. Replaced forest of Durenor
with Forest of Durenor
.
(266) Replaced Quarterstaffs
with Quarterstaves
. Replaced The price of his weapons are
with The prices of his weapons are
.
(267) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(268) Replaced Kai lord
with Kai Lord
. Added a period to the end of the illustration
(274) Replaced Crowns and
with Crowns, and
. Replaced first floor
with first-floor
.
(276) It makes sense to restore your
++If you lose, restore your
+ENDURANCE points to the same total that you had before the contest, and turn to 192.
(277) Replaced staffbearer
with staff-bearer
.
(279) Replaced Hammerdal mountains
with Hammerdal Mountains
.
(280) Replaced equipment and
with equipment, and
.
(283) Replaced above Items
with above items
.
(284) Added a period to the end of the illustration(You do not need to adjust your Action Chart.)
.
(287) Replaced click
with
.
(289) Replaced Jala
with jala
. Replaced seal
with Seal
.
(297) Replaced door, and
with door and
.
(298) Replaced If you do not have a Weapon, you
with You
since Lone Wolf has had no opportunity to acquire Weapons.
(Section 299) The original edition of this book reads: If you wish to give him your Magic Spear, so that he can defend the tunnel entrance, turn to 102. If you do not possess a Magic Spear, or do not wish to give it to Rhygar, turn to 118.
Later editions came out reversing these two choices (i.e. the first choice leads to Section 118, the second choice to Section 102). Both of these versions are very problematic to game flow and inspired a controversy among the members of Project Aon. The version that you see in our text is a mixed scenario intended to most closely match the author
If you wish to use either of the previously published versions, then refer to the appropriate choice as listed here. Discussion of the different versions follows:
+Original version: The choices appear to serve no other purpose other than punishing Lone Wolf with certain death for mercifully handing Rhygar the Spear. The fact that this version was revised and the path that Lone Wolf is given in the Legends of Lone Wolf series also both appear to refute the correctness of this version.
+Revised version: Under this version, it is impossible for Lone Wolf to succeed without taking the left path back at the beginning of the Durenor Forest (Section 150), ignoring the warning of the Szalls, and fighting the Helghast. This directly contradicts the statement in Kai Wisdom that a wise choice of Disciplines enables you to succeed regardless of your starting
Project Aon version: Although never previously published, this scenario allows Lone Wolf to succeed despite giving the Magic Spear to Rhygar.
+Replaced Hammerdal mountains
with Hammerdal Mountains
. Replaced Hammerdal range
with Hammerdal Range
. Replaced Spear, so
with Spear so
.
(300) Replaced Wanlo
with wanlo
.
(301) Replaced Daggers and
with Daggers, and
.
(302) Replaced climb the watchtower stairs and quickly search the
with set about a quick search of these
in harmony with the Collectorwhatever Items
with whatever items
.
(305) Replaced on to
with onto
.
(306) Replaced score reaches zero
with score reaches zero or below
. Replaced points to zero
with points to zero or below
. Replaced to try and
with to try to
.
(308) Replaced Each dice
with Each die
.
(312) Replaced rainswept
with rain-swept
. Replaced on to
with onto
.
(313) Added (Erase the Magic Spear from your Action Chart.)
.
(314) Replaced at work when
with at work and
as this is a direct quote of Captain Kelmantomorrow.
with tomorrow,
. Added a period to the end of the illustrationkey and make
with key, and make
. Replaced If you do not want to eat this food,
with If you do not want to eat this food, you must eat a Meal or lose 3
in harmony with the CollectorThe food smells most appetizing. You have not eaten today and now you must eat a Meal or lose 3
with You have not eaten today and the food smells most appetizing.
in harmony with the Collector
(315) Moved the Mind Over Matter choice into the first position. Replaced maps and
with maps, and
.
(321) Replaced Kai lord
with Kai Lord
.
(323) Replaced to start to
with and start to
.
(326) Added a period to the end of the illustration
(328) Replaced If you possess a Crystal Star Pendant, turn to 113
with If you have ever been given a Crystal Star Pendant, turn immediately to 113
based in part on the Collector
(331) Replaced Dagger and
with Dagger, and
. Replaced these Items
with these items
.
(332) Added This creature is immune to Mindblast.
to the end of the final paragraph. Replaced forest, and
with forest and
.
(333) Replaced blood-stained
with bloodstained
.
(334) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position. Replaced Durenor forest
with Durenor Forest
.
(336) Replaced tokmor and
with tokmor, and
.
(337) Moved the Hunting choice into the first position. Replaced Backpack and
with Backpack, and
. Replaced Any weapons
with Any Weapons and Backpack Items
based on a clarification made in Lone Wolf Club Newsletter No.2
(338) Added erase the Magic Spear from your Action Chart and
.
(345) Replaced jet black
with jet-black
.
(346) Replaced Hunting cannot be used on your journey through the Wildlands
with Hunting cannot be used when instructed to eat a Meal on your journey through the Wildlands
.
(347) Replaced leap on
with leap onto
.
(348) Replaced door, and
with door and
.
(350) Replaced Durncrag mountains
with Durncrag Mountains
. Replaced air, continually
with air continually
. Added a period to the end of the illustrationLone Wolf
with Lone Wolf
when referring to the series.
(Combat Rules Summary) Replaced cross reference
with cross-reference
. Replaced top of chart
with top of the chart
. fall to 0
with falls to 0 or below
. Replaced Pick number from
with Pick a number from the
. Replaced Turn to Combat
with Turn to the Combat
. Replaced to random number
with to the random number
. Replaced when ENDURANCE
with when the ENDURANCE
. Replaced ignored, only
with ignored; only
.
The following is a list of all Sections containing illustrations found in this book:
+ +