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+<gamebook xml:lang="en-UK" version="0.10">
+
+<!--
+
+$Id$
+$Log$
+Revision 1.1 2004/11/09 06:47:16 jonathan.blake
+Initial Freepository revision
+
+
+//// RCS Revision Log ////
+
+Revision 1.2 2002/10/20 04:28:52 jblake
+Added filtered frontmatter and reported errata in comments.
+
+Revision 1.1 2002/10/20 04:05:12 jblake
+Initial revision
+
+//////////////////////////
+
+-->
+
+<!--
+
+ERRATA
+
+196: "gasolene" should be "gasoline"
+
+209: The two instances of "red indian" should be capitalised, "Red Indian".
+ERRATA106-140
+
+122: "gutteral" should be "guttural"
+
+
+ERRATA 211 -245
+
+219: "gasolene" should be "gasoline".
+
+229: "...across the bridge. at a run." The first full-stop should be a comma.
+ERRATA 281-315
+
+305: "'You gone an' broked down, ain't you' boy?'" The apostrophe after "you" is superfluous.
+
+305: "fininshed" should be "finished"
+
+-->
+
+<meta>
+ <title>[Insert Title]</title>
+</meta>
+
+<section id="toc">
+ <meta />
+ <data />
+</section>
+
+<section id="title">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Title Page</title>
+ <link class="next" idref="dedicate" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <!-- Frontmatter -->
+
+<!--
+Ii
+Dateline to Disaster
+1900-1998 Rise of global terrorism on an
+unprecedented scale. Political
+violence funded by organized cilme
+syndicate called HAVOC - The
+Hijack, Assassination and Violent
+Opposition Consortium.
+
+1998-2003
+
+
+
+
+2003-2008
+The governments of many small and
+impoverished nations fall into the
+hands of HAVOC. International
+terrorists receive arms, training and
+shelter in these 'Badlands'.
+
+Raids on oil and gas installations,
+assassinations, and the kidnapping of
+prominent world statesmen become
+commonplace as HAVOC attempt to
+terrorize the civilized world into
+submission. Despite public outrage
+and growing international tension,
+the major powers steadfastly refuse to
+give in to HAVOC's demands.
+
+2008 President of the United States and
+General Secretary of Supreme Soviet
+both assassinated at emergency
+summit meeting. US, USSR and major
+
+11-'~*-~- -
+j
+I
+Dateline go Disaster
+1gO-lgg Rise of global terrorism on an
+Unprecedented scale. Political
+violence funded by organized crime
+syndicate Called HAVOC - The
+Hijack, Assassination and Violent
+Opposition Consortium.
+
+l996-2~33 The governmen~ of many small and
+impove~sh~~ nations fall into the
+hands of HAVOC International
+terrorists receive arms, training and
+shelter in these 'Badlands'.
+
+Raids on oil and gas installations
+assassinations, and the kidnapping of
+prominent world statesmen become
+commonplace as HAVOC attempt to
+terrorize the civilized world into
+submission. Despite Public outrage
+and growing international tension,
+the major Powers steadfastly refuse to
+give in to~VOC's demands
+
+2006 President of the United States and
+General Secretary of Supreme Soviet
+both assassinated at emergency
+summit meeting. US, USSR and major
+
+
+:11
+-
+p
+European nations create the World
+Defence League and declare war on
+HAVOC. The Badlands are invaded,
+key HAVOC bases destroyed, and
+thousands of HAVOC agents are
+captured.
+
+2000 HAVOC leaders imprisoned for life in
+'Deep Pens' - maximum security
+gaols located deep underground - to
+prevent their escape or release by
+HAVOC agents still at large.
+
+2010 New leadership emerges to unify the
+scattered remnants of HAVOC and
+plan revenge.
+
+2011 A WDL train transporting seventeen
+100-kiloton nuclear warheads,
+destined to be neutralized and
+dismantled, is attacked by HAVOC
+agents. The train is destroyed and its
+deadly cargo stolen.
+HAVOC hijack a WDL news satellite
+and broadcast a chilling ultimatum.
+They have planted the seventeen
+stolen warheads in major cities
+throughout the US, USSR and Europe.
+They call for the immediate release of
+all HAVOC agents held in Deep Pens,
+plus the payment of $2 trillion in gold
+bullion, or they will trigger the
+warheads one by one until their
+demands are met in full.
+I
+I
+A twenty-four hour deadline is set.
+WDL leaders declare emergency and
+request that the deadline be extended.
+HAVOC refuse.
+
+2nd January First warhead detonated at Brie
+Nuclear Energy Plant, ten miles south
+of Paris, France. Blast and radioactive
+fallout claim millions of lives.
+HAVOC repeat their demand and
+extend deadline by twenty-four hours.
+
+
+3rd January World Defence League agents
+The Day' discover location of HAVOC
+command headquarters on an island
+in the South Pacific Ocean.
+Immediately orders are given to
+infiltrate and destroy the HQ and its
+occupants. The assault is swift and
+decisive; the complex is quickly
+overrun and its inhabitants are killed.
+
+
+Yet, ironically, as the news of this
+victory is being relayed around the
+world, HAVOC enact their ultimate
+revenge. A transmitter hidden on the
+island, fitted with a time-delay
+mechanism, clicks on, sending its
+high-frequency radio signal to a
+communications satellite orbiting the
+earth. This signal is amplified and
+returned to earth where,
+simultaneously, It triggers the
+remaining nuclear warheads.
+13
+2012
+New Year's
+Day
+12
+2012-2019
+The initial explosions set off a
+disastrous chain reaction that feeds on
+civil and military nuclear installations
+all across the northern hemisphere.
+Hundreds of millions of people are
+killed within days, and many more
+perish during the years that follow,
+falling victim to the lingering
+radioactivity and the severe climatic
+changes that affect the earth.
+
+Gale force winds sweep across the
+world, carrying enormous amounts of
+dust into the upper atmosphere and
+preventing much sunlight from
+reaching the earth's surface.
+Temperatures plummet, deterring
+survivors from remaining above
+ground. Communications are
+disrupted by gamma radiation,
+making all radio, cable and satellite
+contact impossible. Small colonies of
+survivors develop in total isolation
+from one another during these years of
+darkness.
+
+2019-2020 Gradually, the dust storms die down
+and the sun penetrates the
+atmosphere, thawing the earths
+frozen surface. Radiation has decayed
+to tolerable levels, and survivors
+emerge to reclaim what little remains
+of the world they once knew.
+I
+I
+Cal's Story
+You are Cal Phoenix, a survivor, born on Thanks-
+giving in the year 2000 AD. When you cast your
+mind back to the time before 'the Day', you recall your
+two brothers and your sister, your parents' house in
+California, and summer vacations spent cruising the
+blue Pacific off Catalina Island aboard your father's
+boat. They are your fondest memories, yet your most
+vivid recollections are of winter vacations, when the
+family would drive to Dallas to spend Christmas with
+Uncle Jonas and Aunt Betty-Ann. Of all your Texan
+Christmases, the 2011 visit was the most memorable.
+It was also the last time you saw your family alive.
+
+Your parents had decided to cancel the trip to Dallas
+that year. The oil shortage had pushed up the price
+of gasolene to $30 a gallon, and only the rich could
+afford to drive long distances, even in cars equipped
+with solar-pacs. You were so disappointed when you
+heard the news that you decided to walk the 1300
+miles to Dallas, and would have done so had your
+father not caught up with you three miles from home.
+Then, when Uncle Jonas and Aunt Betty-Ann got to
+hear of it, they fixed it with your parents so that you
+at least could spend Christmas with them at their
+ranch near Denton.
+
+From the moment they met your charter flight at
+
+14 ¶5
+Addison Airport you knew it was going to be a vaca-
+tion to remember. Uncle Jonas was an oilman. He
+had been one ever since he graduated from the
+University of Texas in '95 with a degree in geology.
+Earlier that summer he had been put in charge of
+construction at a shale-oil mine near Austin, the very
+first of its kind in Texas, and as a special Christmas
+treat he promised to take you on a guided tour of
+the whole underground complex.
+
+On New Year's Day 2012, the three of you started
+out early on the road to your uncle's mine, located
+on the Austin Chalk, over 200 miles south of Dallas.
+The trip would take at least two days, with an over-
+night stop in Waco. For, in an effort to conserve
+energy, the Federal government had imposed a speed
+restriction of fifteen miles per hour on all state
+highways. It was a slow journey, and despite the
+sombre radio bulletins that gave news of HAVOC's
+latest threats, you can still remember your excitement
+at the thought of exploring those tunnels deep below
+the earth.
+Your arrival at the mine was met by a military patrol,
+
+posted there by the World Defence League. The job
+
+16
+U
+
+U
+of the patrol was to prevent sabotage oil installa-
+hans all over the world had become one of HAVOC's
+primary targets m their campaign of terror The mine
+was officially closed for the New Year's recess but
+Uncle Jonas had right of access at all times and, after
+checking his papers, the patrol allowed you in. It
+was a massive complex and, for security reasons, it
+was totally self-supporting. A central shaft serviced
+the many working levels to which there were
+attached laboratories, workshops and even refineries
+for processing the precious crude oil after it had been
+extracted from the rock. Uncle Jonas was explaining
+the function of these refineries, 300 feet below the
+surface, when it happened.
+
+The ground shuddered when the shock waves from
+the first distant explosions reached the mine, and you
+remember thinking that it must be the start of an
+earthquake, the like of which you had experienced
+many times at home in California. But as the levels
+nearest the surface began to collapse and the central
+shaft filled with falling rubble, you realized the awful
+truth. The unthinkable had happened.
+At first there was no way of telling the extent of the
+surface devastation. Below ground, the safety
+generators had automatically switched into operation
+when the main power supply failed, and the tremors
+faded quickly, encouraging your aunt and uncle to
+believe that the damage above was superficial. Uncle
+Jonas was confident that the military would mount
+k a rescue operation and that you would be brought
+L outwithin a few days - a week at the most. Aunt
+Betty-Ann was also optimistic. After all, there were
+emergency supplies, enough to feed 200 men for a
+whole month. Little did she know that the three of
+you would end up consuming all of those supplies,
+or that the mine would become your home, your
+shelter and your prison for the next eight years of
+your lives.
+
+It was a month after the flay' when the three of you
+accepted that there would never be a rescue opera-
+tion. Many days had been spent in silence, hoping
+and praying for the sounds of excavation or a voice
+on the radio lint to the surface. But all that could
+be heard was the static crackle of the gamma radia-
+tion which was blanketing the earth. Uncle Jonas pro-
+posed that an attempt be made to reach the surface
+by tunnelling through the blocked central shaft. It
+was an awesomely dangerous feat, to dig vertically
+through 300 feet of compressed concrete rubble and
+twisted steel girders, but there was no other way you
+could ever hope to escape from the mine. Progress
+was painfully slow but the work gave you all a sense
+of purpose, a reason to go on, even though you feared
+what could be awaiting you on the surface.
+
+Those years spent In the mine taught you invaluable
+lessons in survival. Uncle Jonas showed you how to
+refine gasolene from crude oil to keep the generators
+alive; to coax fresh water from porous rock; to manu-
+facture spare parts in order to maintain vital
+machinery. Aunt Betty-Ann, who had at one time
+been a nurse and a high school teacher in Denton
+county, attended to your education and made sure
+that you stayed fit and healthy. Their love and sup-
+port enabled you to grow during those dark days
+underground despite the enormous sense of loss you
+felt for your parents, brothers and sister. You vowed
+then that one day you would repay their kindness
+by protecting and caring for them.
+
+It was early September in the year 2019 when finally
+you broke through to the surface. Aunt Betty-Ann
+was convinced that radiation levels would still be
+dangerously high, and at first she was against leav-
+ing the mine. But, during the last few months of your
+incarceration, the static that had always jammed the
+radio wavelengths had gradually cleared, and Uncle
+Jonas was able to persuade her that this meant it was
+now safe to live above ground.
+
+When you first emerged from the mine, you thought
+you were on the surface of another planet. Surely
+this could not be Earth? Few structures had survived
+the blizzards and intense cold that had swept around
+the world in the years following 'the Day', and now,
+after the dust had settled and the sun returned, the
+\95 once-fertile plains of Austin resembled little more
+than a desert of parched and broken rock, littered
+with the artefacts of an absent civilization. During
+the first few days, when you set out to explore this
+wilderness, it was easy to believe that you were the
+only survivors. But on the morning of the fifth day,
+Uncle Jonas made a chance radio contact with a
+family called Ewell who were living near the ruins
+of McKinney, thirty miles north of Dallas. They told
+him that they had been in touch with a handful of
+other groups who had managed somehow to survive
+the holocaust. Most were isolated, unable to move
+due to lack of fuel, food or water. They had urged
+those who could travel to join them in McKinney,
+to start a new community, and some were already
+on their way. Your uncle and aunt also accepted their
+18 19
+invitation. McKinney was not very far from Denton,
+and they were curious to see if anything remained
+of their ranch. They planned to return home, salvage
+whatever they could that might be of use, and then
+move on to McKinney. The Ewells were enthusiastic,
+but they warned that not everyone who had survived
+wanted to establish a new community, The ruins of
+Dallas and Fort Worth were controlled by gangs of
+criminals who fought with each other and terrorized
+anyone seeking to re-establish law and order. They
+advised you to avoid them at all costs when travel-
+ling north.
+
+Interstate Freeway 35 was the only highway still
+intact amid the devastation that surrounded the mine.
+It offered a direct route home to Denton, if only
+transportation could be found, for Uncle Jonas con-
+sidered conditions far too dangerous to attempt such
+a long journey on foot. It took more than a week to
+discover a vehicle that was still serviceable. It was
+an old school bus, one that had been parked in an
+underground lot and had survived the years of sub-
+zero blizzards. With a few new parts, a tankful of
+gas and a lot of hard work it was eventually brought
+back to life.
+
+Provisions, including a small generator, were hoisted
+out of the mine and stowed aboard before you began
+the journey back to the ranch. The noisy old bus
+bumped along the rock-strewn freeway that stretched
+northward across an empty sea of dust. It was a har-
+rowing sight. Hardly a trace remained of what were
+once thriving communities, and the once-populous
+cities of Temple and Waco had barely enough
+buildings still standing to qualify as small towns.
+I
+It was not until you reached the outskirts of Fort
+Worth that you encountered signs of human habita-
+tion. The road ahead was blocked by a line of
+wrecked autos, and at your approach a group of hard-
+faced men and women, clad in composite costumes
+of leather and rivetted steel, suddenly popped up
+from behind this barricade. Uncle Jonas was
+suspicious and slowed the bus almost to a halt. Sud-
+denly they produced handguns and rifles and began
+to take aim at the windshield, and he knew it was
+not the time to stop to ask for directions! He told
+you and Aunt Betty-Ann to brace yourselves, then
+stamped his foot on the gas and drove the bus straight
+through the wall of cars, scattering the punks like
+ten-pins in a strike. The bus was shot at many times
+as it sped through Fort Worth, but the street gangs
+had been caught out and you managed to escape from
+the ruined city before they could give chase.
+
+When you got to Denton you discovered that the
+ranch, like all the other nearby dwellings, had been
+~ reduced to a heap of broken bricks and shattered
+timbers. The sight greatly upset your aunt, and
+~incle Jonas felt it better not to stop but to continue
+~werland to McKinney. It was easy to find where
+
+20 21
+the Ewells lived, for their ranch was the only place
+in town that was still standing. It looked more like
+an old frontier post than a ranch, with its fortified
+perimeter wall, lookout posts and stake-filled moat.
+But, after your brush with the citizens of Fort Worth,
+it was easy to understand the need for these
+defences.
+
+'Pop' Ewell, the seventy-year-old grandfather of the
+Ewell family, was the leader of this small colony of
+survivors; it was he who had urged Uncle Jonas to
+join them when they had first made radio contact.
+The colony numbered less than a dozen at the time
+of your arrival, yet as the airwaves became clearer,
+soon this number had more than doubled to twenty-
+five. It was decided that a name was needed to
+identify the settlement. The name 'Dallas Colony One'
+was adopted - 'DCI' for short - and from that day
+on everyone worked hard to make DCI a secure
+haven for those seeking refuge from the hostile
+wastelands and marauding city gangs.
+
+'Cutter' Jacks was one such refugee. Before the
+holocaust he had been chief mechanic at the Inter-
+national Grand Prix Circuit near Lake Dallas, and his
+Incredible skill and knowledge of engines was soon
+to prove invaluable to the colony. He taught you how
+to drive, and from a pile of old wrecks that you
+helped him salvage from the circuit he built you a
+powerful, customized car. You used it to patrol the
+highways north of the city, keeping a lookout for
+gangs of city punks who frequently mounted raids
+to steal or destroy DCI's supplies. 'Cutter' also taught
+you to shoot, and it was your prowess with a gun
+and your skill behind the wheel that was to earn you
+
+22
+the begrudging respect of your enemies who took to
+calling you 'Freeway Warrior'.
+
+Six months after you arrived at DCI, the colony was
+faced with a major crisis. A heat wave was causing
+a drought that threatened to destroy the food sup-
+ply. Crops were failing and the colony's artesian well
+- its only source of uncontaminated water - was
+beginning to dry up. The drought was also provok-
+mg more attacks from the city punks who were
+desperate for food and water. Their common need
+united them and they posed a very real threat to the
+security of DC1.
+
+It was the last day of May 2020 when Pop Ewell made
+radio contact with another colony who were based
+in the city of Big Spring, 300 miles west of
+McKinney. It appeared that their situation was com-
+pletely the reverse of Dcl's: they had plenty of food
+and water but they were desperately short of fuel.
+They told of their contact with survivors in Tucson,
+Arizona, who were also without fuel. The Tucson
+colony reported that the territories west of the Sierra
+Nevada mountains had been spared the worst effects
+of the radioactive blizzards that had devastated the
+rest of the country and, miraculously, much of
+southern California was still widely populated. It had
+survived the last eight years virtually intact. When
+you heard the news you could hardly believe your
+ears. Perhaps your family were alive. You might be
+reunited after all!
+
+Pop Ewell called for a meeting to decide how best
+to deal with the crisis now facing Dci. Everyone
+agreed that to stay at McKinney would lead to
+
+23
+
+
+
+eventual death, either slowly from starvation or sud-
+denly at the hands of the murderous city gangs. The
+only option open to Dcl was to try to reach
+California; only there lay any real hope for the future
+of the colony. Your decision was relayed to the sur-
+vivors at Big Spring and a deal was struck to rendez-
+vous with them as soon as possible. DCI would
+exchange fuel for food and water, and together they
+would join up with the Tuscon colony for the final
+journey to California.
+
+Preparations began almost immediately. Morale was
+so high that a heady sense of adventure and optimism
+enveloped everyone. Few guessed just how fraught
+with danger the journey would be.
+The Game Rules
+Before embarking on your adventure you must first
+determine your personal characteristics and the
+weapons and provisions with which you are equip-
+ped. On pages 6 and 7 you will find an <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>
+on which to record and amend these details as the
+adventure unfolds. For ease of use during play it is
+recommended that you photocopy these pages.
+
+Your personal characteristics comprise two basic
+attributes: <typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ>. To
+discover your initial <typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ>, take a
+pencil and, with your eyes closed, point the blunt end
+of it on to the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> at the back of
+this book. If you pick a 0 It counts as zero. Add 10
+to the number you have picked and write the total in
+the <typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> section of your Action
+Chart (for example, if your pencil falls on the number
+5 in the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, you have a CLOSE
+<typ class='attribute'>COMBAT SKILL</typ> total of 15). When you fight an enemy
+in hand-to-hand combat, your <typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ>
+will be measured against that of your enemy, so a high
+score in this section is desirable.
+
+To discover your <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> level, repeat the pro-
+cess, but this time add 20 to the number you have
+picked from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. Write the
+total in the <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> section of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>
+
+24 25
+(for example, if your pencil falls on the number 8 on
+the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, you have a total
+<typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> score of 28). If you are wounded in com-
+bat, or injured at any other time during your adven-
+ture you will lose <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points. If, at any time,
+your <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points total falls to zero, you are
+dead and the adventure is over. You can regain lost
+<typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points during the course of the adven-
+ture, but your <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> level can never rise above
+your initial score.
+
+
+
+~Swvtv~SIdUs~
+Ever since the day you returned to the surface, you
+have endeavoured to develop your skills and natural
+instincts fully in order to best defend yourself and
+your colony.
+
+Listed on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> are your five basic sur-
+vival skills:
+
+Driving
+Your ability to control powered vehicles, such as cars,
+motorcycles and trucks.
+
+Shooting
+Your familiarity and experience in the use of missile
+weapons, such as pistols, machine pistols, shotguns
+and rifles.
+
+Field craft
+Your knowledge and experience of all aspects of out-
+door survival.
+
+26
+I
+Stealth
+Your physical fitness, the speed of your reflexes and
+your dexterity.
+Perception
+Your intelligence, your ability to evaluate informa-
+tion, your education and your mental alertness.
+
+
+Your ability in each of these five individual skills is
+measured in skill points. You begin with 3 points per
+skill. Before starting the adventure, you may allocate
+an additional 4 skill points to your list of five survival
+skills. These 4 extra points can be used to improve
+one or more of your five skills. During your adven-
+ture, all five skills will be severely tested, therefore
+the higher the individual skill level, the better your
+chances of survival. You may allocate your 4 addi-
+tional points entirely how you like.
+
+When you have decided where to allocate your 4 addi-
+tional skill points, make a note of the totals in the Sur-
+vival Skills section of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. (In your first
+adventure, your total number of skill points should
+be 19: five skills x 3 points each = 15, plus 4 addi-
+tional skill points = 19 points.)
+
+If you complete successfully the mission set in
+Book 1 of the Freeway Warrior series, you may add
+an additional 4 points to your Survival Skills in
+Book 2. These additional points, together with any
+equipment and provisions that you possess at the end
+of Book 1, may then be used in the next Freeway
+Warrior adventure, which is called Slaughter
+Mountain Bun.
+
+
+
+Equipment
+Apart from your clothing, a number of useful items
+form your basic equipment. These comprise a
+Backpack, and a belt on which hangs your Ammo
+Pouch, Medi-kit, Water Canteen and Hunting Knife.
+In addition to these items, you possess a map of
+Central Texas (see the inside front cover of this book),
+which you carry tucked inside your leather jacket.
+
+Backpack
+Up to ten separate items may be stored and carried
+in your Backpack at any time. However, if more than
+three items are carried, your Stealth level will be
+reduced by I point, If more than six items are car-
+ried, your Stealth level will be reduced by 2 points;
+and if you carry a full Backpack (containing ten
+items) your Stealth level will be reduced by 3 points.
+
+In order to equip yourself for the task ahead, you may
+choose up to four items from the following list:
+
+SOLAR TORCH
+H.E. (High Explosive) GRENADE
+
+BINOCULARS
+COMPASS
+C.B. RADIO
+SIGNAL FLARE
+THREE MEALS (each Meal takes up one space in
+your Backpack)
+FLEXIBLE SAW
+GEIGER COUNTER
+
+List the items you have chosen on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.
+If you have picked four items, adjust your current
+Stealth level accordingly.
+
+28
+Opportunities may arise during your adventure for
+you to pick up useful items. These items will appear
+in the text in bold print and, unless you are
+instructed otherwise, they can be stored and carried
+in your Backpack.
+
+You will need to eat regularly. If you do not possess
+any food when you are instructed to eat a Meal, you
+will lose 3 <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points.
+
+Ammo Pouch
+Your Ammo Pouch is where you store any spare
+ammunition for firearms. It can hold a maximum of
+the following:
+
+40 rounds of 9mm calibre Pistol/Machine Pistol
+ammunition
+or
+20 rounds of 7.62mm calibre Rifle ammunition
+or
+10 rounds of 12-gauge calibre Shotgun ammunition
+
+When carrying mixed calibres of ammunition, use
+this equation to check how much space you have left
+in your Ammo Pouch:
+
+4 x 9mmrounds = 2 x 7.62 rounds = 1 x l2gaugeround
+Additional ammunition can be carried in your Back-
+pack. Ammunition occupies one space for each
+quantity that is equal to (or less than) the maximum
+that can be carried in one Ammo Pouch.
+
+
+Med i-kit
+A well-stocked Medi-kit can make all the difference
+to your chances of survival should you suffer injury
+in the field or as a result of combat. It contains useful
+
+29
+
+
+
+first aid supplies, such as dressings, antiseptics,
+antibiotics, water purification tablets,
+sulphonamides, pain killers, potassium iodine tablets
+(to delay absorption of radioactivity) and sutures.
+
+For convenience, these medical supplies are grouped
+into units. To find how many units you have in your
+Medi-kit, pick a number from the Random Number
+Table (0 equals 10) and add 2. Your total score equals
+the number of units with which you begin your
+adventure. To keep a record of them, circle the
+appropriate number of unit symbols in the Medi-kit
+section of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. The maximum number
+of units you can carry in your Medi-kit is twelve.
+
+You may use your Medi-kit units to restore lost
+<typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points; each unit used in this way
+restores 3 points. Units cannot be used to restore
+<typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points in lieu of a Meal or Water when
+instructed to eat or drink.
+
+Water Canteen
+Water is essential to life, and your life will depend
+on having a sufficient, uncontaminated supply. You
+will need to drink regularly during your adventure.
+One drink is equivalent to half a pint and your can-
+teen holds exactly two pints of water: enough for one
+day's needs. When instructed to drink, be sure to tick
+off one box in the Water section of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.
+
+If you do not have any Water when instructed to
+drink, you must lose 3 <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points.
+-~apons~
+Close Combat Weapons
+These weapons aid you in hand-to-hand fighting.
+You begin your adventure armed with a Hunting
+Knife which, when used in close combat, adds 2
+points to your <typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ>. Note this Hunt-
+ing Knife in the Close Combat Weapons section of
+your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.
+
+If you find a close combat weapon during your
+adventure, you may pick it up and use it. Close com-
+bat weapons will appear in the text with a close com-
+bat skill number, for example, Machete (3). This
+number indicates how many points this weapon will
+add to your <typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> when used in a
+hand-to-hand fight.
+
+The maximum number of close combat weapons you
+may carry is two.
+
+Missile Weapons
+There are four types of missile weapon:
+
+Pistol
+Machine Pistol
+Shotgun
+Rifle
+
+You begin your adventure armed with only one of
+these weapons. Make your choice and then record
+the weapon you have chosen, together with its calibre
+and rate of fire details, in the Missile Weapons sec-
+tion of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.
+
+In order to be able to use a missile weapon, you must
+
+30 31
+
+
+have sufficient ammumtion of the correct calibre The
+following list shows the calibre of each weapon, the
+amount that is used every time the weapon is fired,
+and the number of rounds that you possess at the
+start of your adventure:
+
+
+Rate of Initial No.
+Calibre Fire of Rounds
+PISTOL 9mm 1 8
+MACHINE PISTOL 9mm 6 30
+SHOTGUN 12-gauge I -' 4
+RIFLE 7.62mm 1 4
+The initial number of rounds should be noted in the
+Ammo Pouch section of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. Missile
+weapons cannot be used if you run out of ammuni-
+tion or possess rounds of the wrong calibre. However,
+the opportunity may arise for you to replenish your
+supply of ammunition and/or discover a weapon of
+the correct calibre.
+
+You may carry a maximum of three missile weapons.
+However, for every missile weapon that you carry
+(excluding your initial choice), you must reduce your
+Stealth level by I point.
+
+
+
+-~ Rules for Close Combat
+There will be occasions when you will have to fight
+an enemy in hand-to-hand combat. The enemy s
+<typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> level will
+both be given in the text. Your aim in close combat
+-_ ___ -
+
+
+is to kill the enemy by reducing his <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ>
+points to zero while losing as few of your own
+<typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points as possible.
+
+
+At the start of a close combat, enter both your own
+and your enemy's <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points in the
+appropriate boxes on the Close Combat Record sec-
+tion of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. The sequence for close
+combat is as follows:
+
+Add any extra points gained through the use of
+close combat weapons to your current CLOSE
+<typ class='attribute'>COMBAT SKILL</typ> total.
+
+Subtract the <typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> Of your enemy
+from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio.
+Enter it on the <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.
+
+Example
+Cal Phoenix (<typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> 17) is attacked by
+a Renegade Clansman (<typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> 18). He
+is not given the opportunity to evade close ~m~t,but
+must stand and fight his adversary. Cal Phoenix is
+armed with a Hunting Knife, so he adds 2 points to his
+<typ class='attribute'>CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ>, giving a total CLOSE COMBAT
+SKILL of 19.
+
+
+He subtracts the Renegade Clansman's CLOSECOMBAT
+SKILL from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of + 1
+LI9 -18 = + 1)He notes this +1 onhis<a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as
+
+.he Combat Ratio.
+
+3. After working out your Combat Ratio, pick a
+number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.
+
+4. Turn to the Close Combat Results Table on the
+inside back cover of the book. Along the top of
+
+32 33
+
+
+
+the chart are the Combat Ratio numbers. Find
+the number that is the same as your Combat
+Ratio and cross-refer it with the number that you
+have picked (the random numbers appear down
+the side of the chart). You now have the
+<typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points lost by both Cal Phoenix and
+his enemy in this round of close combat.
+(E represents points lost by the enemy;
+CF represents points lost by Cal Phoenix.)
+
+Example
+The Combat Ratio between Cal Phoenix and the
+Renegade Clansman has been established as ÷1 If the
+number picked from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> is a
+4, then the result of the first round of close combat is:
+Cal Phoenix loses 3 <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points
+Renegade Clansman loses 4 <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points.
+
+5. On the <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>, mark the changes in
+<typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points to the participants in the
+close combat.
+
+6. Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have
+an option to evade, start the next round of close
+combat.
+
+7. Repeat the sequence from stage 3.
+
+This procedure continues until the <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ>
+points of either the enemy or Cal Phoenix are
+reduced to zero, at which point the one whose score
+is zero is declared dead. If Cal Phoenix is dead, the
+adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Cal Phoenix
+proceeds but with a reduced <typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> point
+score.
+
+
+34
+A summary of the close combat niles appears on
+the page after the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.
+
+Evasion of combat
+During your adventure you may be given the chance to
+evade close combat. If you have already engaged in a
+round of close combat and decide to evade, calculate
+the combat for that round in the usual manner. All
+ENDURA NCE points lost by the enemy as a result of that
+round are ignored; only Cal Phoenix may lose
+<typ class='attribute'>ENDURANCE</typ> points during that round, but that is the
+risk of running away! You may evade combat only if the
+text of the particular section allows you to do so.
+-->
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="numbered">
+ <meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect1">
+ <meta><title>1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After a week of careful preparation, the colony is ready to begin the long trek to Big Spring. Three vehicles have been picked to make up the convoy: the school bus, your customized roadster, and a gasolene tanker that was salvaged from an old drilling site at nearby Greenville. Cutter and your uncle have rigged up a square canvas canopy to hide the tanker's tell-tale cylindrical body, which now holds over 5,000 gallons of petroleum, syphoned from the underground storage tanks at the Ewell ranch. In this fuel-starved world, gasolene is the most valuable of all commodities. If the city gangs were to discover that DC1 were transporting such a precious load they would stop at nothing to capture it.</p>
+ <p>Most of the colony will be travelling aboard the bus, which will be driven by your uncle. Cutter will drive the tanker and you, acting as scout, will drive your roadster at the head of the convoy. With the bus full of passengers, luggage is limited to essential supplies only; everything else will be destroyed before leaving McKinney. At dawn, on the day before the convoy is to set off, a thorough check is made of the vehicles and provisions. There is enough food and water to reach your destination but, apart from your personal weapons, the colony has very few firearms with which to defend itself.</p>
+ <p>Long Jake Bannerman, a former roustabout from Gainsville, has volunteered to drive north and search for weapons and ammunition. His brother once owned a hardware store in Sherman and kept his stock of sporting guns locked in the basement. Although they may have to be dug out there is a good chance that they have survived intact. Everyone agrees that it is worth a try, and so Jake, equipped with a C.B. radio. a shovel, and a rusty revolver, sets out for Sherman in his beat-up old truck.</p>
+ <p>Two hours later he radios a message from Sherman. He has found rifles and ammunition, but his truck haa broken down and he is now stranded in the town. He has also found a survivor - a teenage girl - and he requests that you come to pick them up as soon as possible. Uncle Jonas agrees. He tells him to sit tight and wait for you to arrive.</p>
+ <p>'Trust Jake to go an' maroon hi'self with a gal!' grumbles Uncle Jonas, wryly. 'Cal, you better git your body up to Sherman and haul 'em back here. An' no messin' with street punks on the way, y'hear!'</p>
+ <p>'We'll be back in time for breakfast!' you reply, cheerily, as you slide behind the wheel of your roadster and fire up its throaty V-8 engine. Then, with a farewell wave, you power the car out of McKinney and speed northwards to Sherman along what remains of Highway 75.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect204"><link-text>Turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect2">
+ <meta><title>2</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You press your face against the metal stock of your machine pistol, take careful aim at the enemy sniper perched on the building opposite, and squeeze the trigger.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If your total score is now 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If your total score is now 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect3">
+ <meta><title>3</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are about to search the bodies for items that may help you survive when you hear the mob ascending the stairs. Immediately you abandon the idea and concentrate on making an escape. At the end of the corridor is an open window. Below is an alleyway that passes to the rear of the bar. Without a moments hesitation, you climb out on to the ledge and leap to the ground, landing with a jolt that leaves you breathless. Gasping for air, you stagger along the alley and out into a deserted street. The jump has robbed you of stamina but at least you didn't break any hones.</p>
+ <p>Desperately you look for somewhere to hide while you recover. An old boarding house opposite seems to be the answer to your prayers, and you cross the street and enter before the mob reappears.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect86"><link-text>Turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect4">
+ <meta><title>4</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You recall that these letters are the chemical symbol for sodium chloride - common salt. You have stumbled upon a huge stockpile of a substance that is vital to human survival, yet one that is becoming harder to find with every passing day. In your excitement you let out a shout and can barely stop yourself from dancing around the crate in sheer delight.</p>
+ <p>You decide to take as many tubs of salt as you can carry and return to the convoy without delay.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29"><link-text>Turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect5">
+ <meta><title>5</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull and release the bolt of your G-12, then level the barrel at the leading dog as it gets ready to make its leap. Hurriedly you squeeze off a burst of fire that rips through its chest and sends its lifeless body spinning backwards among the rest of the pack. The death of their brother, and the noise and fury of your weapon, brings the pack to a sudden halt.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect6">
+ <meta><title>6</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A bullet clips you, drawing a crimson line across the top of your right forearm before it ricochets off the steering wheel: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You wince at the pain and curse your unseen attacker, but you do not lose control of your roadster. Stoically you staunch the bleeding and continue to lead the convoy on its detour around Westbrook.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect347"><link-text>Turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect7">
+ <meta><title>7</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Moonlight pours in through a large hole in the roof, illuminating the interior of the store. Judging by the nature of the debris littering the floor, this place was once a liquor store. Most of its stock was consumed by the Skulls when they first took over the town, but after a careful search, you discover a Bottle of Bourbon still intact.</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep this item, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect273">To leave the store and continue, <link-text>turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect8">
+ <meta><title>8</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your pistol, take aim at the widest part of the clansman's torso, and hold your breath as you get ready to fire.</p>
+ <p>Add your Shooting skill total to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect96">If your total score is now 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect344">If your total score is now 16 or more, <link-text>turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect9">
+ <meta><title>9</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your bullet hits home, striking the machine gunner squarely in the chest and spinning him away from the window with the force of its impact. You breathe a little easier. Then a long burst of fire echoes from inside the building, causing you to duck involuntarily. But this time you are in no immediate danger. Your single shot proved fatal and, in the throes of death, your enemy has emptied a full magazine into the walls and shattered ceiling of the drugstore.</p>
+ <p>Remember to erase one 9mm round from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect251">To continue, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect10">
+ <meta><title>10</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You land heavily, slip, and lose your footing. Desperately you throw out your hands to stop yourself from falling, and you manage to grab the edge of the door itself. But your legs are now being dragged along the freeway at forty miles an hour: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (0 = 10) and add to it your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If your total is 14 or less, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect272">If your total is 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect11">
+ <meta><title>11</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your caution was well placed. As you focus on the town you count over twenty motorcycles parked at random along the highway. Their riders are looting the stores and houses nearby, and much of what they have found lies heaped beside their machines. Suddenly a pinpoint of light climbs into the sky and explodes with a brilliant white flash that illuminates the surrounding landscape.</p>
+ <p>'What do you make of that?' you say, as Cutter and Kate join you to find out what is wrong.</p>
+ <p>'It's a signal flare,' replies Kate. 'I think they've seen us.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect170"><link-text>Turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect12">
+ <meta><title>12</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The climb is steep and tortuous but you manage to reach the top of the gulley in one piece. Carefully, you pick your way around the edge until you happen upon a narrow path that ascends towards the flickering light on the mountainside above. As you draw closer, you see that the light is being cast by a small fire burning at the entrance to a cave. You approach with caution. As you draw level with the cave, you are greeted by a strange and curious sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect13">
+ <meta><title>13</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A gnawing pain, brought on by the exertion of opening your backpack, stiffens your right hand. You grit your teeth and persist until your aching fingers locate the tip of your survival flare. With care you remove it from the pack and position it between the ropes that bind your body in such a way as to avoid burning yourself when you set it off.</p>
+ <p>Less than a dozen clanswomen and children are on the street when you decide to fire the flare. There is a flash of red light at your side as it erupts into life, then you are engulfed by a huge cloud of choking crimson smoke. The flare alerts the clanswomen who immediately raise the alarm while you struggle against your smouldering bonds.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a></p>
+ <choice idref="sect91">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If the number is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect14">
+ <meta><title>14</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your hand and give the signal to stop. The tanker and the bus slow to a halt and, as you bring your own vehicle to a standstill, you switch off the ignition and reach for your gun.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect101">If you are using a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect131">If you are using a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect72">If you are using a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 72</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect233">If you are using a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect15">
+ <meta><title>15</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As soon as you strike your killing blow, you raise your eyes, expecting to see the other clansman reloading, but instead he discards an empty magazine and turns to run back to his bike. He has exhausted his ammunition and has decided to make his escape before you have a chance to return fire. As he rides off, Kate reaches the top of the slope and suggests that you search the body of the one who did not get away.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect175"><link-text>Turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect16">
+ <meta><title>16</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach for a close combat weapon as the first of the pack reaches the highway and comes bounding towards you. You have encountered rabid dogs before and know only too well that just one scratch from an infected beast will seal your doom. You must fight with speed and skill if you are to survive this deadly attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Rabid Dog</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">12</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">32</enemy-attribute></combat>
+
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you win and the fight lasts three rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect201">If the fight lasts four rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect17">
+ <meta><title>17</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes just four seconds for the clansman to pump thirty bullets into the side of your roadster. Several of the special armour-piercing loads pass straight through the thin metal sheeting that encases the driving compartment, and wound you in a line from your shoulder to your thigh. The force of their impact knocks you across the passenger seat and, as you fall, you pull the steering wheel and send the car veering wildly out of control. It careers off the road and rolls over and over until finally it explodes with a tremendous roar.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here on Freeway 20.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
+ <meta><title>18</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you break cover, gunfire erupts from all sides. In the hope of making yourself a difficult target you zig-zag towards the door, but your manoeuvre is anticipated and a stream of bullets tears up the ground ahead, dangerously close. Long Jake shouts encouragement, and you are within a few feet of the doorway when a sharp burning sensation lances your right forearm: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Gritting your teeth against the sudden pain of your wound, you force yourself forwards and fall headlong through the doorway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect320"><link-text>Turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect19">
+ <meta><title>19</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly a starburst of pain explodes in your head and your mouth fills with a thick, hot liquid. You have been hit in the face by a sniper's bullet, fired from a diner on the other side of the highway, and your wound is fatal. Death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at Westbrook.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect20">
+ <meta><title>20</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The instant you tap the number 20 on the keypad, there is a sharp click and the steel door swings inwards to reveal the shelved walls of a strongroom beyond. You smile with satisfaction at having cracked the university's door code: the number in the last column of each row is the sum of the numbers in the first two columns, minus the number in the third column.</p>
+ <p>Curious as to what lies within, you enter the strongroom and inspect its dusty shelves. This concrete vault contains the documentation of experiments and small quantities of what were once considered precious metals - gold, platinum, silver and titanium. After a thorough search you find three items that you may be able to put to practical use:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>GEIGER COUNTER</li>
+ <li>ALTIMETER</li>
+ <li>RADIATION SUIT (occupies two item spaces in the Backpack)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, amend your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29">To leave the strongroom and return to the convoy, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect21">
+ <meta><title>21</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You react swiftly to the danger by pulling the steering wheel to the left and leaning with your car as it swerves across the freeway. A moment later you hear the metallic whine of the bullet as it ricochets off the edge of your windshield. Tiny fragments of the high-velocity bullet pepper your headrest but you survive the attack unscathed. Quickly you recover control of your car and signal to the others to accelerate. By the time the unknown sniper has reloaded his rifle, you and the convoy are speeding away from the bridge, obscured by a cloud of dust.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect22">
+ <meta><title>22</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Obstructions are few on this stretch of Freeway 35. Most of the wrecks that once choked this route into Fort Worth now lie in dusty heaps at the side of the road, their bodies having been stripped of serviceable parts long ago by city gang scavengers. The piles of auto-shells steadily increase as you near the outskirts of Fort Worth, warning you of the increasing likelihood of ambush and prompting you to keep your eyes peeled for anything that could pose a threat to the convoy.</p>
+ <p>To your left, you can see the buildings of downtown Dallas perched precariously around the edge of a huge crater. These once-gleaming towers of mirrored glass and steel now lie black and broken, like a circle of charred bones. It is a murderously chilling sight.</p>
+ <p>At a junction on the outskirts of Fort Worth, you decide to leave Freeway 35 and follow a safer route that will take you around the city. The remains of Highway 820 serve your purpose well, until you reach another junction where the Jacksboro Highway crosses your path. In order for the convoy to connect with Freeway 20, the interstate highway that leads all the way to Big Spring, you must traverse one major obstacle - the Trinity River.</p>
+ <p>You consult your map. There are two places where the convoy can cross the Trinity, both of them close by. Two miles further along Highway 820 there is a bridge over Lake Worth. Two miles north, along the Jacksboro Highway, another bridge crosses the river at a place called Lakeside Village.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect312">If you wish to check out the bridge at Lakeside Village, <link-text>turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect149">If you decide to continue along Highway 820, and attempt to cross the Trinity River at Lake Worth, <link-text>turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect23">
+ <meta><title>23</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You squeeze the trigger and immediately the rider throws his hands to his face. He swoons, falls backwards, and then tumbles from the saddle. Before the sidecar rider can jump free, the speeding machine careers off the road into the wall of an office building, and explodes in a searing ball of flame.</p>
+ <p>With grim satisfaction you stare at the burning wreckage, but your gaze is soon distracted by a column of motorcycles - the main body of the clan - as it rides into view. They are now less than a mile from the bridge. 'C'mon you two!' shouts Cutter. 'It's time to go.' The tanker has made it across the platform and is now parked with the other vehicles on the far side of the river. Kate is running towards you from the factory, and as she reaches the bridge, you call out to her: 'Set the bomb! I'll cover you!'</p>
+ <p>Tensely you watch the clansmen as they gun their bikes along the freeway, and you glance repeatedly over your shoulder, praying for Kate to signal that the bomb is ready. Then the front line of bikers open fire with their machine pistols, and suddenly the air is filled with the whine and whistle of bullets. 'It's ready!' shouts Kate, and takes off across the bridge at a run.</p>
+ <p>Add together your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score and your Stealth skill total. (Note: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items in order to increase your Stealth skill level.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324">If your total is 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect200">If your total is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect24">
+ <meta><title>24</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You thumb back the switch and point the narrow beam of light at the ground. To your surprise you are standing on the edge of a deep gulley, the remains of a dried-out stream that once gushed and tumbled down this rocky mountainside.</p>
+ <p>Carefully, you pick your way around the gulley and follow a narrow path that ascends towards the flickering light. As you draw closer, you see that the light is being cast by a small fire burning at the entrance to a cave. You switch off your torch and approach with caution. As you draw level with the cave, you are greeted by a strange and curious sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect25">
+ <meta><title>25</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You manage to unsheathe your weapon moments before the rattlesnake lunges at your legs.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Diamondback Rattlesnake</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">18</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">11</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed of its attack, you have only one chance of killing the snake before it bites you. Conduct the first round of combat using the normal combat procedure.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect266">If the snake loses the greater number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points in the initial round, <link-text>turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect157">If you lose the greater number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points in the initial round, do not deduct them from your total, but instead <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect26">
+ <meta><title>26</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Silently you unsling your shotgun and trombone a 12-gauge shell into the breach. The machine-gunner disappears from view, reappearing a moment later with his reloaded gun held at waist level, ready to fire.</p>
+ <p>In one swift, smooth movement you bring your gun to your shoulder and fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275">If the total is now 0-5, <link-text>turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ <p>If it is 6 or more, turn to Ill.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect27">
+ <meta><title>27</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You see the muzzle flash of his rifle and feel a red-hot pain cut across the top of your head as the bullet creases your scalp. In the next instant you feel a tremendous jolt as your roadster hits the rifleman and sends his broken body spinning through the air. You brace yourself against the wheel, but Kate is thrown forwards against the dashboard and gashes her forehead. At first you fear that she is badly injured, but she recovers quickly and, using dressings from her Medi-kit, she attends selflessly to your head wound before treating her own. As a result of her prompt treatment, you do not lose any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect179"><link-text>Turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect28">
+ <meta><title>28</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you unsling your rifle you glance at the breach, taking note of the red tag which indicates that a round is chambered ready to fire. Then swiftly you raise the gun to your shoulder, flick the safety and take aim at the leading dog. You fire as it leaps and your bullet passes clean through its body, killing it instantly and wounding another in the pack behind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If you wish to fire a second round at these rabid dogs and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect04">If you have run out of ammunition, or choose not to fire a second round, <link-text>turn to 04</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect29">
+ <meta><title>29</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With your back bent beneath the combined weight of your equipment, fifty pounds of salt and the thick roll of polythene sheeting that is slung around your shoulders, you slowly make your way back to the convoy. The sight of you staggering out of the campus, half-hidden beneath the mountain of items you have salvaged, provokes a loud roar of laughter from the bus. Cutter Jacks and Uncle Jonas come to your aid, both resisting the urge to poke fun at you. When they discover what you are carrying, their mouths drop open in amazement.</p>
+ <p>Word spreads and everyone is suddenly eager to congratulate you. You decide to keep one of the tubs (mark the Salt on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Backpack Item - if you already carry the maximum number, you must discard another item in favour of this one). As soon as all your precious discoveries are loaded safely on the bus, you climb back into your roadster and lead the convoy along the southbound carriageway of Freeway 35.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect22"><link-text>Turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect30">
+ <meta><title>30</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The billowing smoke threatens to suffocate you before you have a chance to break free. Frantically you pull at the ropes until they give, then you stagger out of the smoke, coughing and retching violently: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>No sooner have you recovered from the effects of the smoke than you are faced with another peril. An indian clansman is running at you, holding a wide-bladed machete above his head. With a scream, he leaps forwards and takes a swipe at your neck.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Choctaw</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">17</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect31">
+ <meta><title>31</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You stoop to pick up one of the spent cartridges, an empty 7.82mm casing. As you are inspecting it, a heavy weight lands on your back, forcing you to your knees: you have been smothered by a large rope net thrown from the roof of the sheriff's office.</p>
+ <p>The silence is shattered by a riot of noise as a dozen screaming clansmen surround your struggling form. Grasping hands snatch your weapons (erase all your missile and close combat weapons from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>) before they drag you - still ensnared in the net - through the entrance doors and along a narrow corridor. At the far end of the corridor, a pair of evil-smelling clansmen pull you out of the net and throw you head first into an empty cell. As the heavy iron door clangs shut, you stagger wearily to your feet and survey your spartan surroundings.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If you possess either a File or a Flexible Saw, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect294">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect32">
+ <meta><title>32</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You glance over your left shoulder to see the biker hauling himself into a crouching position in readiness to leap into the seat beside you. Quickly you reach for your Hunting Knife and prepare to receive his attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Bronx</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to your need to remain in control of the roadster throughout the combat, reduce your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 3 points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect187">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect230">If the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect33">
+ <meta><title>33</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cutter and Kate leave the bus and come forward to find out what is wrong. 'I'm not sure I like the look of this place,' you say, pointing along the road towards Coahoma.</p>
+ <p>Cutter produces a pair of binoculars from a leather case slung over his shoulder, and presses them to his eyes. 'Your senses are servin' you right, Cal,' he says, quietly, as he scans the town. 'Here, take a look at this.'</p>
+ <p>You take the glasses and, when you focus on the town, you can see over twenty motorcycles parked along the highway. The riders are looting the stores and houses nearby, and much of what they have found lies heaped beside their machines. Suddenly a pinpoint of light climbs into the sky and explodes with a brilliant white flash that illuminates the surrounding landscape. 'What do you make of that?' you say, uneasily.</p>
+ <p>'It's a signal flare,' replies Kate. 'I think they know we're here.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect170"><link-text>Turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect34">
+ <meta><title>34</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The scratches that cover the walls of the trench indicate that it was excavated entirely by hand. You scan the surrounding landscape through your lenses, hoping to find some clue as to the identity of the person who dug the trench. Almost immediately you notice a group advancing towards you from the north. Slowly you increase the magnification until the figures become clear: two scrawny-looking men are leading a pack of five alsatian hounds in your direction.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (0 equals zero).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If the number you have picked is equal to, or less than, your current Perception skill level, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect309">If it is greater than your current Perception skill level, <link-text>turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect35">
+ <meta><title>35</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A deafening roar fills the bar as both barrels of a Browning Citori GII shotgun are discharged almost simultaneously. The heavy loads rip through the front of the counter and hit you in the side, spinning your body with the numbing force of their impact, and dislodging most of the rickety shelves that line the wall. The last thing you see, as darkness descends, is a jumble of bottles and glasses cascading towards your face.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your journey end here in Cross Plains.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect36">
+ <meta><title>36</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you cruise along the deserted freeway you glance frequently to the north, on the lookout for a dust cloud that would herald the arrival of the Detroit Lions. But no matter how hard you try to concentrate on your role as convoy scout, you cannot seem to think of anything but your growing affection for Kate. An hour later, as you reach Colorado City, your romantic daydreaming is brought to an abrupt end as a serious problem looms into view.</p>
+ <p>The apex of the bridge that carries Freeway 20 across the Colorado River has collapsed, leaving a gap nearly eight feet wide. You stop the convoy and Cutter examines the damage. He returns to report that the bridge is not beyond repair. 'It's gonna take at least three hours, maybe four, to rig a ramp across that gap strong enough to support the tanker,' he says, squinting at the bridge.</p>
+ <p>At length it is decided that you should scout along the river for another place to cross, while the colony sets to work building a ramp. Then, if your search proves fruitless, at least the repair of the bridge will be well under way.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect161">If you wish to scout along the river to the north, <link-text>turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect319">If you decide to scout along the river to the south, <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect37">
+ <meta><title>37</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'You may not need these, but have 'em anyway,' says Kate, holding out two 12-gauge cartridges.</p>
+ <p>'Every little helps,' you reply, gratefully, as you take them from her hand (remember to note these on your Ammo Pouch). You press the shells into your gun's magazine and chance another look over the edge of the slope to fix the enemy's position in your mind.</p>
+ <p>'I'll go left,' whispers Cutter.</p>
+ <p>'Whenever you're ready,' you reply, and tense your body in preparation for the run.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect177"><link-text>Turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect38">
+ <meta><title>38</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A 1960s Thunderbird convertible, its bodywork and chrome gleaming as if it were only a day old, glides towards you like something out of a dream. Behind the driver stands a tall figure with dark, hungry eyes. He is dressed as an indian chief, with a lamella breastplate and a magnificent head-dress of eagle feathers which frames his stern face. The car draws to a halt and proudly the chief addresses the crowd that kneels before him.</p>
+ <p>'We of the Nanoc are the chosen ones,' he cries, his words drawing the reply 'be it so' from his clan. 'By the strength of our faith have we been spared the great wrath of Hastsezini, god of fire. Now, the time has come for us to reclaim the land of our forefathers. I, Chief Drawoher, call upon Heng, the Thunder Spirit, to bring rains to quench the thirsty earth.'</p>
+ <p>On hearing his words, several of the clan get to their feet and begin to dance around the totem, chanting as they raise their faces to the sky. 'This night Heng will hear our call,' says the chief, excitedly. Then he points at you with his tomahawk and utters the chilling words. 'This night shall we offer this soul as sacrifice to the spirit of thunder.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect39">
+ <meta><title>39</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Inside, the colony are huddled on the ground with their hands over their heads, waiting for the bridge to blow. A few seconds after you enter the church and take cover next to Kate, there is a tremendous flash, followed almost immediately by a deafening roar like a violent earthquake that shakes the walls and floor. Dust and debris fall from the rafters but miraculously no one is injured, and when finally the tremors cease and you go outside to survey the scene, all you can see is a vast cloud of dust hanging over the place where the Colorado City bridge once spanned the river.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect231"><link-text>Turn to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect40">
+ <meta><title>40</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You cradle your rifle in your left hand and, with your right, you work a round into the chamber. The moving shadow of your enemy half fills the window as you raise your weapon, flick back the safety catch and take aim at his chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275">If the total is now 0-5, <link-text>turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect180">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect41">
+ <meta><title>41</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You scream at your people to get away from the window as hurriedly you load, raise, and then aim your rifle at the rider's chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If your total score is 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect302">If your total score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect42">
+ <meta><title>42</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The road to Cross Plains is virtually free of the craters and other hazards that have plagued your journey so far, enabling you to drive at speed at last. You are glad of the cooling breeze but you cannot shake off your presentiment that danger awaits you in Cross Plains. Tyre tracks in the dust, some no more than a few days old, indicate that this highway is used by other four-wheeled vehicles.</p>
+ <p>When the town appears in the distance, caution prompts you to stop your car at a derelict gas station. You park it under cover, inside an empty repair shop at the rear of the building, then venture into Cross Plains on foot.</p>
+ <p>Tyre tracks zig-zag the main street, but you can see no sign of the vehicles that made them. The place itself appears deserted and unremarkable, yet your mind warns you to stay alert. At a junction near the centre of the town you notice something unusual: a tall wooden pole, carved and painted in the fashion of an old Comanche totem, has been erected in the middle of the street.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your current Stealth and Perception skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300">If your total score is now 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect209">If your total score is now 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect43">
+ <meta><title>43</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take hold of the crate, ready to wrench it open but, to your surprise, the wood is infested with dry rot and crumbles to dust under the slightest pressure. You strip away the flaky timbers to discover hundreds of square plastic tubs, held together by a sheet of clear polythene - just what your uncle wanted! Using your hunting knife, carefully you lay open the sheet, peeling it away from the tubs, and rolling it up for future use.</p>
+ <p>On the tubs themselves are blue and white labels that display the letters: N a C 1.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Perception skill total.</p>
+ <p>If the total is now 7 or less, turn 240.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect44">
+ <meta><title>44</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With trembling hands, you rip open your Medi-kit and inspect the vaccines and serums that you are carrying. To your relief you discover that one of your kits contains an ampoule of Dysalomine, a synthetic anti-rabies vaccine. Quickly you break open the sealed top and expose the sterile tip of the hypodermic syringe that is fitted to the ampoule. Then you inject the half cubic inch of life-saving vaccine into your forearm.</p>
+ <p>Remember to erase one Medi-kit unit from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect45">
+ <meta><title>45</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A wave of relief washes over you when you discover that there is an ampoule of snake bite serum in your Medi-kit. Quickly you administer the injection and the pain slowly subsides (remember to erase one unit from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>). As the serum takes effect, it makes you nauseous, causing you to retch violently: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. Eventually these side effects disappear, but they leave you shaky and dehydrated.</p>
+ <p>You must now take two Drinks (or lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) before you climb back into your roadster and return to the convoy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect185"><link-text>Turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect46">
+ <meta><title>46</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You arrive at a ridge of high ground that overlooks the ruins of Denton. The place is familiar - you have stopped here many times over the past few months during your routine patrols of the area, to check that the town was not being used as a base by the gangs who were raiding McKinney. Although you cannot see anything out of the ordinary, you sense that something is wrong, that there is a hidden danger lurking in Denton. Your skin prickles at the thought of investigating the ruins lest your suspicions prove correct, but, on the other hand, the convoy must reach the freeway. You consider your options carefully.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect339">If you possess some Binoculars, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect198">If you wish to return to the convoy and tell them to avoid Denton, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect298">If you decide to ignore your fears and investigate the ruins, <link-text>turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect47">
+ <meta><title>47</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to throw yourself to the ground but before you reach it you are hit in the side and spun out into the open. A starburst of pain explodes in your head and the taste of blood fills your mouth. You have been hit in the face by a tracer shell and death is virtually instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at Colorado City.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect48">
+ <meta><title>48</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Consciousness returns slowly and painfully. With your head pounding fit to burst, you ease yourself into a sitting position and gaze upon your new surroundings. You are in a prison cell, empty save for a wooden bunk. A solitary open window, criss-crossed with pitted steel bars, provides the only source of light and ventilation, and a heavy steel door the only means of access. You no longer possess any weapons or backpack equipment (be sure to erase all your missile and close combat weapons, together with any items you were carrying in your Backpack) but you still possess your Medi-kit, Ammo Pouch and Water Canteen.</p>
+ <p>Standing on the edge of the bunk, you are able to peer through the bars at an alleyway that runs along the rear of the building, which you recognize to be the sheriff's office. However, without weapons, or any other means of dislodgng the bars, you have no hope of escaping through the window.</p>
+ <p>An hour later you hear your captors laughing in the corridor outside. A key rattles in the lock and the cell door swings back to reveal a barrel-chested clansman, clad in a suit of black leather which is adorned with sharpened metal studs. He fixes you with his small bloodshot eyes, and sneers contemptuously.</p>
+ <p>'You scoutin' for the Skulls, ain't you boy?' he says, his hand caressing the butt of a pistol that is holstered on his hip. 'That 'roach Alcatraz sent you here t'check us out, didn't he?' Resentful mutterings fill the corridor outside, urging the beady-eyed clansman to settle the matter by shooting you.</p>
+ <p>'Do I look like a Skull,' you ask defensively.</p>
+ <p>'Maybe not,' he growls, 'but if you ain't a Skull, what are you doing nosin' around Albany?'</p>
+ <p>Choosing your words with care, you manage to convince the clansman and his cohorts that you are a loner, desperately short of food and water, who ran across the town by chance and decided to enter in search of supplies. The clansman, who calls himself Manhattan, seems impressed by your story and invites you to join his gang, who are known as 'the Kickers'. You have little option but to accept his invitation in the hope that once you are released from the cell you will be able to escape.</p>
+ <p>'Good!' snarls Manhattan. He informs his men of your decision and orders them to make preparations for the Rite'. When you ask what 'the Rite' is, he narrows his eyes and sniggers. 'You must earn the right to become a Kicker,' he explains, grimly. 'You must prove to us that you are worthy.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect337"><link-text>Turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect49">
+ <meta><title>49</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The biker beats you to the draw. His shot hits you in the left shoulder, passing clean through and knocking you flat on your back with the force of its impact: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You struggle to reach your shotgun and return fire, but before you can squeeze the trigger, a shot from the slope fells your assailant. The others rush quickly to your aid and tend to your wound with supplies brought from the bus. Your shoulder aches viciously, but no bones are broken and, as soon as you are bandaged, you go to help the others search the bodies of the three dead bikers.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect50">
+ <meta><title>50</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your return is met with great relief and joy that Maria is safe. Juan and Rosita - Maria's parents - cannot thank you enough for finding their child, and the others, especially your uncle and aunt, heap you with praise. After the excitement has abated you venture out into the storm once more, this time with Cutter, to retrieve food and other vital supplies from the bus.</p>
+ <p>'This is one heck of a blue norther,' he says, as you climb aboard the bus. 'Reckon it could hold us here for a day or two before it blows itself out.'</p>
+ <p>'I sure hope you're wrong.' you reply, as you prise open the floor hatch that gives access to the luggage hold from inside the bus. 'Take a look at this.' A fetid smell rises from the compartment, the smell of rotten food.</p>
+ <p>'Dadburn it! That's all we need right now!' exclaims Cutter, as he examines the swollen food parcels at arm's length. 'The heat's put paid to these rations. Now we're really in for a hard time.'</p>
+ <p>The colony react to the news of the spoiled food with silent disbelief. What little that can be saved is carefully shared out, but it amounts to barely a day's ration per person. 'If we don't find some food to replace what we've lost,' says Aunt Betty-Ann, as she distributes the last of the stone-hard bread, 'it'll be a convoy of skeletons that drives into Big Spring.'</p>
+ <p>'Well, at least we've got enough water,' replies Pop Ewell. 'We can live for three weeks without food, but we'd all be dead in three days without water.'</p>
+ <p>Some people save their ration but you decide to eat yours before finally settling down to sleep (if you currently have food in your Backpack you must now erase it; all food, including personal supply, was pooled before distribution).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect51">
+ <meta><title>51</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quietly you creep around to the back of the diner and peer through the cracked window of the rear door. Two men are kneeling on either side of the open front doorway, their eyes fixed on your car. Carefully you test the handle of the door: it is unlocked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect130">If you possess a missile weapon, <link-text>turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not have sufficient ammunition to use it, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect52">
+ <meta><title>52</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fight to control your car but you are powerless to prevent it from crashing through the parapet of the bridge. The shock of the impact, when it hits the surface of the lake thirty feet below, renders you unconscious. Slowly the toxic waters of Lake Worth fill your lungs and, painlessly, you drown.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your journey end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect53">
+ <meta><title>53</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are ten yards from your car when you hear a sound that makes you freeze in your tracks: it is the distinctive warning of a diamondback rattlesnake.</p>
+ <p>The snake is close to your left foot, its wide-headed body perfectly camouflaged by the surrounding rocks. Slowly it uncoils itself and bares its venomous fangs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect112">If you have a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If you wish to draw a close combat weapon to meet an attack by the snake, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect226">If you decide to back away from the snake as slowly as you can, <link-text>turn to 226</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect54">
+ <meta><title>54</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>All six bullets catch your enemy as he turns, hitting him in the side and lifting him into the air with the force of their deadly impact. He disappears from sight, and you hear him crash down upon the broken glass that carpets the floor of the drugstore.</p>
+ <p>Remember to erase six 9mm rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect251">To continue, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect55">
+ <meta><title>55</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is nearly dusk when the clansmen and their chief reappear. Slowly the shiny thunderbird drives towards you, positioned at the head of a torchlit procession of men and women dressed in strange, ceremonial robes. Chief Drawoher brings the line to a halt before the totem and calls for silence. Then he extols the virtues of Heng, the Thunder Spirit, and asks that he grant their request for rain. The clansmen form a wide circle around you and, as their leader steps forwards, they chant loudly and hypnotically.</p>
+ <p>With a glint of madness in his eyes, the chief unsheathes the sacrificial dagger, a blade carved from the bone of a buffalo, and holds it above his head. 'You die so that the land may live!' he screams, his voice barely audible above the drone of his followers. In desperation, you remove your free hand from behind your back and attempt to grab his wrist as he brings the dagger down towards your heart.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the Random Number Tubie and add to it your current Field Craft and Stealth skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect241">If your total score is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect256">If it is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect56">
+ <meta><title>56</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Painfully you drag yourself to your feet. You wait until the footfalls of the patrol have passed out of earshot and then venture out into the park once more. You manage to avoid another patrol before escaping from the amusement park and meeting up with Cutter at the truck depot. You are both relieved to discover that the place is empty and unguarded, and quickly you make your way to the stores building. You find the records office, but without electricity you cannot access the computer files to pinpoint the exact location of the spare you need. With horror you realize that in order to find a new steering linkage you will have to search every one of the 1,600 storage bays that occupy the building.</p>
+ <p>We'll be here forever if we have to search the shelves,' you whisper.</p>
+ <p>'I guess you're right,' replies Cutter, 'but I think I know a quicker way of finding what we need. Follow me.'</p>
+ <p>Intrigued by Cutter's reply, you follow him out of the stores building, across a parking lot, and into another section of the depot that is marked:</p>
+ <p>ZONE 3: MUNICIPAL VEHICLE SERVICING</p>
+ <p>After searching four of the dozen service bays, finally he discovers what he is looking for: a school bus. 'Cal, you keep y'eyes open while I strip the linkage out o' this baby. Give me an hour an' we'll be on our way.'</p>
+ <p>Nervously you stand guard at the door to the service bay while Cutter works. All is quiet until, forty minutes later, you see something moving among the vehicles on the far side of the parking lot: it is a drunken clansman. Slowly he staggers nearer, taking alternate gulps from bottles clutched in either hand. He is about to pass by when Cutter drops a spanner. The ringing noise pierces his drunken stupor and prompts him to investigate.</p>
+ <p>'Trouble on its way!' you whisper to Cutter, but your warning is too late. The clansman comes lumbering through the open door, brandishing his bottles like clubs. He sees you and screams an oath as he gets ready to launch his attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Chickamauga</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect57">
+ <meta><title>57</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is another burst of fire, and the bullets whistle over your head as you run the last few yards to cover. Kate is in front of you. She dives, and you see her land safely behind the rocks just moments before you make your leap. The jagged stones skin your hands and knees, but your fear blocks out the pain, making you concentrate on finding a way out of the ambush.</p>
+ <p>Carefully, you raise your head and peer through the foliage. One of the clansmen is beginning to move around the edge of the hollow, while his partner kneels and waits to give covering fire. Your fear turns to indignation when you realize that he is going after your car.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect193">If you possess a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect195">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 195</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect58">
+ <meta><title>58</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the rumbling sound of your gunfire rolls out across the lake bed, the figure throws his hands to his face, staggers drunkenly and then falls heavily to the ground. His body remains still, convincing you that your shooting has proved deadly accurate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you wish to search the body, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect160">If you decide to press on with the crossing, <link-text>turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect59">
+ <meta><title>59</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You slip the extinguisher out of your pack and point its hose at the base of the fire. The trigger releases a stream of foam that quickly smothers the oily flames and brings the fire to an abrupt end.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188"><link-text>Turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect60">
+ <meta><title>60</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wait until Cutter reaches the safety of the alley before you set off towards the amusement park. Silently, like a cat, you pad across the open ground, before gaining entry to the park itself by wriggling under its rusty chain-link fence. The deserted rides look strange and scary in the moonlight. The shapes play tricks on your imagination, and when a patroi of Skull clansmen suddenly appears at the entrance to the park, you panic and dive for cover through the nearest doorway.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Current Stealth and Perception 8kill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect218">If your total score is now 12 or less, turn to 331. If your total score is now 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect61">
+ <meta><title>61</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is dusk before you are able to escape from Albany under cover of the failing light. With relief you discover that your roadster is still parked at the farm where you left it, and quickly you climb in and accelerate away.</p>
+ <p>When you reach Moran you find that the convoy is awaiting your return with trepidation. Because you are so long overdue, they feared that you had fallen foul of Mad Dog Michigan and his bikers. You tell them what happened to you in Albany, and everyone agrees that, with darkness less than an hour away, it is too dangerous to continue.</p>
+ <p>The night in Moran passes uneventfully and at first light the convoy sets off cross-country towards Abilene. The arid, stony bed of Hubbard Greek leads the convoy south-west, back towards Freeway 20. Shortly after midday you reach the freeway from which you can see the outskirts of Abilene less than five miles distant.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect62">
+ <meta><title>62</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Over an ounce of lead shot hits the clansman in the chest, bringing him crashing to the ground. As he disappears from sight, his partner unleashes a long burst of automatic fire that powders the scree above and behind you. When the firing stops, you raise your head and peer through the bushes, expecting to see your enemy reloading. Instead he discards his empty magazine and turns to run away. He has exhausted his ammunition and has decided to make his escape before you have a chance to return fire.</p>
+ <p>As soon as you are sure that the coast is clear, you rise cautiously and then help Kate to her feet. The sound of a motorcycle riding away into the distance reassures you that your ambusher has fled, and confidently you scramble up the slope and go to examine the body of the one who did not get away.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect175"><link-text>Turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect63">
+ <meta><title>63</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you pull yourself free from beneath Copperhead's body, the Flick Knife (2) drops from his lifeless hand. (If you decide to keep this weapon, remember to mark it on your Weapons list.)</p>
+ <p>Another burst of fire echoes from across the street, and once more Long Jake urges you to take cover in the store. With your pulse racing, you jump to your feet and sprint, head down, towards the darkened doorway.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If the total is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect329">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect64">
+ <meta><title>64</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dogs rush towards you, undaunted by your valiant attempts to stop them. As one pounces at your chest, you grab a close combat weapon and prepare to defend yourself as best you can.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Rabid Dog</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">12</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">32</enemy-attribute></combat>
+
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you win, and the fight lasts three rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect291">If the fight lasts four rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect65">
+ <meta><title>65</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A bullet clips the flesh above your left elbow and spins you to the ground: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. You clutch your injured arm to feel warm blood oozing through your fingers as you crawl along the ground towards your car. A second shot passes over your head and you notice the muzzle flash of the sniper's gun; he is hiding in the doorway of a diner on the other side of the highway. Two motorcycles are parked at the side of the building indicating that he is not alone.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect116">If you possess a C.B. Radio, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect66">
+ <meta><title>66</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The only items you find of practical value are a Fire Extinguisher and a First Aid Box. The box contains dressings and antiseptics sufficient for two Medi-kit units.</p>
+ <p>If you choose to keep either of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect284"><link-text>Turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect67">
+ <meta><title>67</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The voice seems to be drifting from the east, so you change direction and head towards it. After a few minutes there is a lull in the storm and, as the dust settles, you are able to see the ruins of a candy store standing close to the school's perimeter fence. Once more you call out her name and a voice replies, faintly, 'Help me &ellips; I'm in here.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If your current Perception skill total is 4 or less <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ <p>If it is 5 or more, turnto 154.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect68">
+ <meta><title>68</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You relay the message to the others and they begin to laugh. 'I think the heat's finally got to you, Cal!' jokes Hammer Harlan. 'Here, let me listen to those 'phones. Ain't nothin' wrong with my hearin'.' You pass him the headphones, but before he has had a chance to put them on, the insect-like sound of a small engine draws all eyes to the west.</p>
+ <p>'Well, I'll be&ellips; !' mutters Hammer, scarcely able to believe his eyes. High in the azure sky you see a tin flying machine with fragile, bat-shaped wings. Spellbound, the colony watches as the plane circles above the town and comes in to land on the stretch of freeway that approaches the bridge. Slowly the pilot extricates himself from the tiny, motorized hang glider, and gives a friendly wave as he strides towards the group.</p>
+ <p>'The name's Rickenbacker,' he says, removing his goggles and shaking Uncle Jonas by the hand. 'I'm from Big Spring. I saw y'all while I was scoutin' the freeway and thought I'd drop by. Shame about the radio: 'fraid my set's seen better days.'</p>
+ <p>Rickenbacker warns the colony that a large group of clansmen is riding towards the town from the east. They are less than five miles distant and closing fast. He also tells you about another gang of bikers, a clan called 'the Mavericks', who have been the bane of the Big Spring colony for the last six months. They control the city of Lubbock, 100 miles to the north, and their raiding parties are in the area foraging for food. 'I know the next thirty miles ain't gonna be easy for you folks, but there's a big welcome waitin' for y'all at Big Spring,' he says, as he gets ready to take to the air once more. 'Don't delay now. We're countin' on you to make it through.'</p>
+ <p>As soon as he is airborne, the colony sets to work on the bridge with renewed vigour. The Lions are closer than anyone dared imagine and everyone is eager to get across the river before they show up. When Cutter announces that the bridge is safe, you drive the roadster across the platform and park it on the freeway ready for a fast getaway. The colony crosses over on foot, and Cutter drives the empty bus across the bridge. The platform creaks and shudders, but Cutter is able to cross safely to the far side. Together with Kate, the three of you return to help guide Uncle Jonas and the tanker across.</p>
+ <p>Just as the front wheels are about to mount the platform, Kate screams a warning: The Lions are here!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect135">If you possess a missile weapon, <link-text>turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect288">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or have exhausted your supply of ammunition, <link-text>turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect69">
+ <meta><title>69</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A rush of adrenalin sharpens your senses, making you super-aware of the deadly situation. You react with lightning speed, steering your car out of the path of the oncoming wreck yet avoiding the myriad other obstacles that litter the bridge and threaten to send you to your doom. With consummate ease you overcome these dangers and resume your position in line behind the tanker.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect120"><link-text>Turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect70">
+ <meta><title>70</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step over the dead body of your enemy and rush along the centre aisle to help defeat the other three Mavericks who are aboard. Your arrival inspires the colony, and swiftly they help you to overcome these brutal bikers.</p>
+ <p>You are helping to carry their bodies towards the door of the bus when you notice an orange light flickering outside the rear window. You decide to take a closer look and, when you peer through the glass, you are horrified to see that one of the Mavericks is holding a Molotov cocktail - a bottle filled with an inflammable mixture of oil and gasolene - fused with a gasolene-soaked rag. The rag is burning and, as he brings his motorcycle alongside the bus, he gets ready to hurl the bottle through the window.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If you possess a missile weapon, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect238">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not have sufficient ammunition to use it, <link-text>turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect71">
+ <meta><title>71</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One of the men places his weapon on the floor in order to take something from his pack, and you launch your attack. You fell the unarmed man with a crushing blow to his neck, then you turn to face his partner. Unfortunately, he is armed and his gun is pointing at your chest.</p>
+ <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect282">If your total score is now 14 or less, <link-text>turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect306">If your total score is now 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect72">
+ <meta><title>72</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You flick the safety catch off and rest your shotgun across the rollbar of your roadster in order to steady your aim. At 200 yards, the figure appears little more than 1/16 inch high and, as you squeeze the trigger, you pray that your buckshot load will have enough power to reach that far.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total. Now decide how many rounds you wish to fire (minimum-one round; maximum-four rounds). For every round you fire, add one point to your current score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect164">If your total score is now 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect58">If it is 16 or more, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect73">
+ <meta><title>73</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'You'll be needing one of these,' says Pop Ewell, handing you a C.B. transceiver. 'It'll do no good if you find Maria but can't find your way back here.' You take the handset (mark this on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a C.B. Radio; if you already possess the maximum number of Backpack items, you must discard one in favour of this item), thank him, and then join the others to decide on a search plan.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304"><link-text>Turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect74">
+ <meta><title>74</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you set off for Mineral Wells, you consult with Cutter and Uncle Jonas and devise a plan of action. It is decided that after you have investigated the source of the radio transmission, you will drive south on the remains of Highway 281 and rendezvous with the others at Santo, the next town west along the freeway, where the convoy intends to make camp for the night.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If you possess a C.B. Radio, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect158">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect75">
+ <meta><title>75</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you emerge from the water, you notice that your boots are covered with mud and you stop to scrape them clean. Unfortunately, you are standing directly in front of a nest of scorpions, and it is not until you are stooping to pick up a stick that you spot the danger. Swiftly you withdrew your hand just in time to save yourself from their deadly sting.</p>
+ <p>Shaken by this close encounter, you must now take a Drink (or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) before you climb back into your roadster and return to the convoy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect185"><link-text>Turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect76">
+ <meta><title>76</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You swerve to the left and then to the right to deter the rider from making a leap for it, but he is a brave and determined adversary. He makes his jump and lands with a crash on the trunk of your car, his outstretched hands grabbing at the rollbar to prevent himself from falling to his death. You try to dislodge him by braking heavily then accelerating away again, but still he remains glued to your car like a barnacle to a ship's hull. The other bikers yell encouragement as he pulls himself slowly towards the driving compartment.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you possess a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If you do not possess this missile weapon, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect77">
+ <meta><title>77</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At this range your bullet hits the clansman with devastating accuracy, passing through his heart and killing him instantly. He throws his hands in the air and falls forward. As he disappears from sight, his partner unleashes a long burst of fire that powders the scree behind you. When the firing stops, you raise your head and peer through the bushes, expecting to see your enemy reloading. Instead he discards his empty magazine and turns to run away. He has exhausted his ammunition and has decided to make his escape before you have a chance to return fire.</p>
+ <p>As soon as you are sure that the coast is clear, you rise cautiously and help Kate to her feet. The sound of a motor cycle riding away into the distance reassures you that your ambusher has fled, and confidently you scramble up the slope and go to examine the body of the one who did not get away.</p>
+ <p>Turn 175.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect78">
+ <meta><title>78</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a superhuman effort, you leap and dive across the hood of your roadster in an attempt to avoid being caught by the burst of automatic fire. Bullets follow you across the car, piercing the side and glancing noisily off the case-hardened rollbar. One of the hollow-tipped slugs creases your thigh, making you cry out loudly with the sudden pain: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Your scream convinces the biker that he has killed you, and he turns his attention elsewhere. You drag yourself into your car and start the engine without being seen, and swiftly you accelerate away, steering your roadster towards the tail-lights of the bus as it crashes through a group of bikers and escapes on to the freeway. A few random shots ricochet off the trunk as you follow the bus out of Santo, but within minutes you pass out of range and the gunfire ceases.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect182"><link-text>Turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect79">
+ <meta><title>79</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A searing wave of heat scorches your hands and face, forcing you to retreat from the flames. The sleeves of your jacket ignite and you suffer painful first and second degree burns before you can extinguish the fire: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect219">If you are still alive after sustaining this injury, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect80">
+ <meta><title>80</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few feet of the top when suddenly you lose your footing and plummet once more into the gulley. This time the fall proves fatal; you crash head first into the rocky base and shatter your skull. Death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your journey end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect81">
+ <meta><title>81</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The door is locked, but one swift kick is all that is needed to shatter its corroded bolt and gain entry to the warehouse. For a few seconds, as your eyes adapt to the darkness, you are blind: you have no idea of the layout of the building, and you fail to see the scar- faced clansman advancing towards you with a sharpened meat hook in his hand. Only the sound of glass breaking beneath his feet alerts you to his presence and saves you from his first, vicious swipe. Quickly you recover and reach for a close combat weapon as he makes his second attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Trans-am</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you win and the combat lasts three rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If you win and the combat lasts four rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect82">
+ <meta><title>82</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'OK, it's worth a look,' agrees Uncle Jonas, when you tell him you want to search the university campus before the convoy takes the freeway south. 'See if you can rustle up some polythene sheeting. We're mighty short an' we'll be needin some real bad as soon as we hit the desert. We'll wait right here for you an' keep an eye on the road. Any trouble then jus' give a holler.'</p>
+ <p>With your uncle's request in mind, you drive towards the centre of the campus in search of what was once the chemistry faculty. Most of the buildings are just burnt-out, rubble-filled shells, their contents either buried beyond reach or looted months ago by roving city gangs. A shattered sign indicates the entrance to the building you seek, and your hopes rise when you notice that it is the least damaged structure on the campus.</p>
+ <p>Inside, the sound of your footsteps echoes along the dusty corridors as you make your way down to the basement storage levels. To your disappointment you discover little remaining there of practical value.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect184">If you wish to continue your search, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect315">If you decide to call off your search and return to the convoy, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect83">
+ <meta><title>83</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dive to the ground, roll over and then spring to your feet just in time to see the clansman casting aside his empty pistol in frustration. He shouts for help, calling to his partner to cut you down, but you are now too close for the other clansman to risk a burst of fire. With a yelp of surprise, the clansman reaches for a knife as you make your attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Electra-glide</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed of your attack, add 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect15">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 15</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect84">
+ <meta><title>84</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take a deep breath and launch yourself at the exit. However, the stripy-faced youth, whom you encountered earlier wielding a lasso, appears at the doorway, blocking your escape. He reaches for his revolver, which is tucked into his belt, but before he can point and fire, you lash out with your foot and send it spinning from his hand. He screams with pain and anger as he lunges at your throat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mosquito</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">10</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">21</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect215">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect85">
+ <meta><title>85</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes you a few minutes to clear the rubble away from the engine compartment, but your efforts are not in vain. Some of the engine components are still serviceable and could prove useful as spares for the colony's bus.</p>
+ <p>Below are listed the items worth salvaging from the wreck. You may take two from the list, all of which are Backpack items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>DISTRIBUTOR CAP</li>
+ <li>CONDENSER</li>
+ <li>GAS MODIFIER</li>
+ <li>OIL PLUG</li>
+ <li>FAN BELT</li>
+ <li>SPARK PLUGS</li>
+ <li>SOLAR REGULATOR</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these spares, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect224">To return to the convoy, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect86">
+ <meta><title>86</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the window of a room on the second floor you watch as the mob floods out of the alley and into the street below. They divide into two groups and begin searching the adjoining streets, seemingly convinced that you are still out in the open. Silently you crouch by the window, awaiting the chance to slip out of Cross Plains unseen. While you are lying low, you must take a drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. It is dusk before you are able to escape from the town. With relief you discover that your roadster is still parked at the gas station, and quickly you climb in and accelerate away.</p>
+ <p>When you reach Rising Star you find that the convoy is awaiting your return with trepidation. Because you are so long overdue, they feared that you had fallen foul of Mad Dog Michigan and his bikers. You tell them what happened to you in Cross Plains and everyone agrees that, with darkness almost upon you, it is too dangerous to continue.</p>
+ <p>The night at Rising Star passes uneventfully and at first light the convoy sets off cross-country towards Abilene. The arid, stony bed of Pecan Bayou provides excellent cover from the surrounding high ground and leads the convoy north-west, back towards Freeway 20. Shortly after midday you reach the freeway, from which you can see the outskirts of Abilene less than five miles distant.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect87">
+ <meta><title>87</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Holding your breath to steady your nerves, you stare along the barrel of your shotgun and focus your aim on the driver's crash heimet.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect23">If your total score is now 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect88">
+ <meta><title>88</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With practised ease you cup your pistol in both hands, thumb back the safety catch, and take aim at the shadow that fills half the window frame. The machine gunner is levelling his reloaded weapon to fire again when you squeeze off your first shot.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275">If the total is now 0-7, <link-text>turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect89">
+ <meta><title>89</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The glare of a dozen motorcycle headlights follow in the wake of the convoy. The Mavericks who survived your brief but devastating visit to Coahoma are now in pursuit, and they are closing the gap swiftly. Shots are fired from the back of the bus, bringing down two of the leading bikes, but they do not prevent the others from moving alongside. Anxiously you watch in your rear-view mirror as the pillion riders risk their lives to jump aboard. The few who survive the leap without falling under the wheels gain entry by kicking their way through the windows.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the bus loses speed. You sense that something is seriously amiss and you go back to find out what is wrong. You wave the tanker on, then slow almost to a standstill in order to allow Cutter to catch up. As he draws nearer you see that a running battle is taking place on board. You accelerate, bringing your roadster alongside the boarding door, then you tell Kate to move over into the driving seat and take the wheel. As soon as she has control of the car, you coil yourself like a spring and leap towards the door of the bus.</p>
+ <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Stealth skill level, and make a note of the total in the margin of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. Now, pick a number from the Random Number Tabie and add it to your total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10">If the total is 22 or less, <link-text>turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect313">If the total is 23 or more, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect90">
+ <meta><title>90</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Slowly the two figures shamble to the edge of the highway and stare at you with vacant eyes. Your spirited dispatch of their dogs has not worried them in the slightest, neither do they appear unduly concerned for their own safety. You stand your ground, challenging them to attack if they dare. They laugh. It is a pitiful, thin sound, which makes your flesh crawl. You return their empty stares, noting with disgust the ulcer-like sores that cover their pale, greyish skins, their almost complete lack of hair and their teeth, black with decay. Your disgust turns to pity, however, when suddenly you realize why they show no fear: they are both afflicted with terminal radiation sickness. Death is already their companion.</p>
+ <p>'Where are you from?' you call, anxious to discover if there is a hot spot - a zone of radioactivity - nearby.</p>
+ <p>'Cisco,' comes the reply.</p>
+ <p>You take some dressings from your Medi-kit and place them on the ground in front of you (erase one Medi- kit unit from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>), then you turn and walk back to your roadster. The dressings may be of little comfort to these two Rad-vics (the name your colony gives to victims of high-dosage radioactivity), but they may know others who will benefit from them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327"><link-text>Turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect91">
+ <meta><title>91</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You break free and stagger out of the smoke, coughing and retching: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. With streaming eyes, you consider the two routes that offer a chance of escape. You can either run east along the main street and back towards your car, retracing the route by which you entered Cross Plains; or you can run in the opposite direction and attempt to hide in the maze of alleys that once serviced the town stores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect110">If you wish to run east, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect321">If you decide to run west, <link-text>turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect92">
+ <meta><title>92</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You grab a blanket and rush forward to fight the blaze. Several of the colony follow your example and, although you suffer from burns and toxic smoke, you manage eventually to quash the flames.</p>
+ <p>To find out the extent of the injuries you suffered whilst fighting the fire, pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <p>If the number you have picked is 0-3, lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. If it is 4-6, lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. It it is 7-9, lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Make the necessary adjustments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188">To continue, <link-text>turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect93">
+ <meta><title>93</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The colony is divided in opinion. Roughly half urges an investigation of the signal; the other half believes, like you, that it would be foolish to risk walking into an ambush on the dubious merits of such a patchy broadcast.</p>
+ <p>A vote decides the course of action in your favour, and the convoy prepares for the next stage of its journey to Santo. You lead the way along Freeway 20 and, as you pass by the outskirts of a town called Brock, the sun dips reluctantly below the horizon. A full moon brightens the twilight and the temperature drops rapidly until you find yourself shivering in the cold night wind.</p>
+ <p>It takes forty minutes to reach Santo, and another twenty to find a site on which to set up camp overnight. Uncle Jonas orders that the vehicles be drawn into a circle, like a ring of wagons in the wild west, to offer the best protection against the threat of a night raid. Lots are drawn to see who will stand the first watch; unfortunately, you pick the shortest straw.</p>
+ <p>It is an hour after midnight when you see a cluster of lights in the middle distance. They are less than a mile away to the east, and approaching at speed. With only a few minutes at most before the bikers reach the camp, you sound the alarm.</p>
+ <p>Like a pack of screaming demons the marauding bikers descend on the convoy, shooting wildly as they weave in and out of the circle. One of the bikers guns his machine towards you, forcing you to dive aside to avoid being ridden down. You are staggering to your feet when another attacks you from behind.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect265">If your total is now 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect289">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect94">
+ <meta><title>94</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The lake occupies the centre of a saucer-like depression and, as you bring your roadster to a halt at the edge of this rocky rim and stare down at the shimmering water below, you are heartened to see that clumps of vegetation are growing close by: a sure sign that the water is not contaminated.</p>
+ <p>The sides of the depression are steep and covered with loose shale. Rather than risk a fall, you suggest to Kate that perhaps you should go down to the lake alone. When you reach it, she could throw the containers to you, and then help you with them when you climb back out. The idea does not impress her. 'It's been so long, I can't remember the last time I took a dip in some real water. rm sick a' washin' in sand. If you think I'm gonna hang around up here while you splash about down there, you've got another think comin', buster!'</p>
+ <p>With that she grabs two of the plastic containers and lowers herself over the edge. Seconds later you hear her scream and you rush forward to see her tumbling head-over-heels towards the lake. She hits the water with a loud splash and disappears from view. Briefly she surfaces, thrashing her arms and shouting: 'Help, Cal! I can't swim!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If you possess a Rope, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect246">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect95">
+ <meta><title>95</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tyres shriek in protest as you slam on the brakes and wrench the steering wheel hard over to the right simultaneously. The suspension shudders under the strain as the car veers away violently from the ambulance, missing the twisted shell by a few inches. Your driving skill and quick reactions have saved you from certain death.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you recover control of your roadster and accelerate towards the distant ridge. The bikers soon lose interest in the chase and peel away to return to the town, pausing only to curse and fire a few ill-aimed shots at your back as you make your escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect198"><link-text>Turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect96">
+ <meta><title>96</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire fails to bring down the clansman, but it passes close enough to make him veer away from the edge of the slope. Cursing your luck, you shoulder your weapon and turn to Kate.</p>
+ <p>'I've got to stop him before he reaches the roadster,' you say. Kate protests, but you are determined to save your car, and reluctantly she agrees to cover you as best she can with a tiny Derringer pistol that she carries in her boot.</p>
+ <p>'I call it 'Chihuahua',' sue quips, as she cocks the double-hammers and gets ready to fire. 'It don't look much but it makes one helluva noise!'</p>
+ <p>You scan the slope. When you have picked out the best place to make your climb, you break cover and zig-zag along the shore towards it. Immediately, the machine-gunner opens up on you. Kate replies with a single shot, and he diverts his fire back to the rocks and bushes. Swiftly you claw your way to the top of the slope and run straight at the clansman, grimly determined to intercept him before he can do any damage. He sees you approaching, draws a pistol, and empties it at your chest.</p>
+ <p>Add your Stealth skill total to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect258">If your total is 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect83">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect97">
+ <meta><title>97</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Gingerly, you examine the wounds sustained during your fight. Most were caused when you hit the hard surface of the road, but several of the cuts and scratches that criss-cross your arms were made by the teeth and claws of the dog. Fear knots your stomach as you realize that you must have been infected with the rabies virus.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect44">If the number you have picked is 0-4, turn to 283. If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect98">
+ <meta><title>98</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you tap the correct number on the keypad, there is loud click and the steel door creaks inwards to reveal the shelved walls of a strongroom beyond. You smile with satisfaction at having cracked the university's door code: the number of the last column of each row is the sum of the number of the first two columns, minus the number in the third column.</p>
+ <p>Intrigued by what lies within, you enter the strongroom and peer along the dusty shelves. The vault contains the documentation of experiments and quantities of what were once considered precious metals - gold, platinum, silver and titanium. After a thorough search, you find three items that may be put to practical use:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>GEIGER COUNTER</li>
+ <li>ALTIMETER</li>
+ <li>RADIATION SUIT (occupies two item spaces in the Backpack)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, amend your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect315">To leave the strongroom and return to the convoy, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect99">
+ <meta><title>99</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The convoy is too far away to see that you need help, and you dare not stand up and signal to them for fear of being hit. Two more bullets smack the side of your car and then you hear the sound of a rifle bolt being worked frantically back and forth: the sniper's gun has jammed. While he is trying to clear it, you dash across the highway and take cover behind the two motor cycles. You stop there just long enough to sabotage their engines, then you advance along the side of the diner towards an open window.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect276">If you possess an H.E. Grenade, <link-text>turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect311">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect100">
+ <meta><title>100</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Much of Abilene lies in the shadow of a bank of cloud, which has darkened the land since mid-morning. At first the unexpected arrival of this cloud cover cheered the colony, for it brought with it a welcome respite from the burning heat and promised a possible end to the drought. Unfortunately, these initial hopes were soon shattered.</p>
+ <p>As you approach the city a fierce wind arises. It sweeps down from the north and lashes the convoy, not with rain, but with blinding clouds of grit and sand. Within the space of half an hour the colony is engulfed in a ferocious duststorm that threatens to bury you all without trace. At the first opportunity you signal to the others to pull off the elevated freeway and seek shelter from the storm. The danger of grit finding its way into the engines of the convoy vehicles, causing them irreparable damage, is uppermost in your mind, and anxiously you search for shelter.</p>
+ <p>A signpost looms out of the swirling dust, pointing to what was once a high school. You signal to Cutter to follow you into the school yard, but the storm is reaching its peak and you are forced to halt before you can see the school itself. Quickly the colony disembarks and blindly you lead them in single file, heads bowed against the stinging wind, until you reach the school building. Fortunately, it still has a roof and four walls, and offers adequate protection from the storm. Once inside, Aunt Betty-Ann decides to take a roll call to make sure everyone is present. She is about to begin when Rosita Rodriguez cries out in anguish, 'Maria! Where is my Maria? She is not here!'</p>
+ <p>A check of the school reveals that Rosita's little six-year-old girl is missing. She was with the family when they left the bus and must still be close by, but with the storm now at its peak, everyone knows that her chances of survival outside are slim. Uncle Jonas calls for three volunteers to search for Maria, and immediately you step forward, as do Cutter and Kate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304">If you possess a C.B. Radio, <link-text>turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect73">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 73</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect101">
+ <meta><title>101</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using the rollbar of your roadster to steady your hand, you level your pistol and take aim at the distant figure. At 200 yards, your target appears little more than 1/16 inch high. It will take a great deal of skill and considerable luck to hit such a small target, using a pistol.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total. Now decide how many rounds you will fire at the target (minimum-one round; maximum-six rounds). For every round you fire add one point to your current score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect164">If your total score is now 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect58">If it is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect102">
+ <meta><title>102</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rest the magazine of your G-12 on the side of the auto wreck and, as the enemy vehicle speeds nearer, you pull back the firing bolt and focus your aim at the driver's head.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172">If your total score is now 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect23">If your total score is now 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect103">
+ <meta><title>103</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cutter pats you on the shoulder: it is the signal to move. Silently, like a snake, you crawl across the open ground on your stomach, inching your way nearer to the entrance of the alley, which is sandwiched between two mounds of stinking garbage. A clansman appears from the shadows and you freeze in your tracks. With bated breath you watch as he dumps a sack of rubbish on to one of the mounds before turning around and disappearing into the dark.</p>
+ <p>By the time you reach the alley it is deserted. Cautiously you advance along it, your knife held ready just in case you are forced to silence one of the town's inhabitants. The alley ends near the centre of the mall, where the remains of a huge marble fountain lie scattered across the tiled floor. The shop-lined avenues appear empty, so you enter the mall and make your way towards the truck depot. You have just turned a corner when you see a patrol of four Skull clansmen. Instantly you dive through the doorway of a store to your right and crouch in the shadows. The patrol swaggers past the store without noticing you, and soon their footfalls have passed out of earshot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect273">If you wish to search the store, turn to 7. If you decide to leave the store and continue, <link-text>turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect104">
+ <meta><title>104</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull the wheel hard over to the left in the desperate hope that your move will spoil the sniper's aim. A moment later you hear the metallic whine of his bullet as it ricochets off the edge of your windshield. Tiny fragments of the high-velocity bullet pepper your neck and shoulder (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), but the sudden pain does not cause you to lose control of your vehicle. You recover quickly and signal to the others to accelerate. By the time the unknown sniper has reloaded his rifle, you and the convoy are speeding away from the bridge, obscured by a cloud of dust.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect105">
+ <meta><title>105</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You bury the bodies of the three dead bikers - along with their motorcycles - in the gulley, and then take stock of your surroundings. Traces of a paved road that disappears towards the west are found, and Cutter Jacks, who lived only a few miles from Lake Lewisville before 'the Day', identifies it as the remains of State Highway 407.</p>
+ <p>'This'll get us back on course,' he says, confidently. 'Follow this baby and we'll make Freeway 35 in under an hour.'</p>
+ <p>Twenty minutes later, you can make out Freeway 35 in the distance, its long, concrete body bleached and quaking beneath the fiery sun. The road you are following passes beneath it but, as you draw closer, you notice a ramp coiling away to your right giving access to the freeway.</p>
+ <p>A few hundred yards beyond the ramp you see another. It leads to the ruins of a once prestigious group of buildings - the North Texas State University.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If you wish to search the university, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If you decide to lead the convoy on to Freeway 35, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect106">
+ <meta><title>106</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Frantically you search your Medi-kit for an ampoule of snake bite serum, but to your horror you discover that it is the one medicament that you do not possess. The pain in your leg begins to fade, to be replaced by a numbness that spreads rapidly throughout your lower body. Soon you are paralysed from the chest down and unable to drag yourself out of the blazing sun. In less than an hour you fall victim to heatstroke and lapse into an unconsciousness from which you never awaken.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at Lake Thomas.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect107">
+ <meta><title>107</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instinctively you reach for your gun as the first of the pack reach the highway and come bounding towards you. You have encountered rabid dogs before and know only too well that just one scratch from an infected beast will seal your doom. You must shoot fast and accurately if you are to survive this encounter.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect261">If you are using a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 261</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect320">If you are using a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect28">If you are using a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect5">If you are using a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect108">
+ <meta><title>108</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You shout at your people to get away from the window as hurriedly you raise your pistol, take aim at the rider's chest and squeeze the trigger.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If your total score is 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect302">If your total score is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect109">
+ <meta><title>109</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You vault over the trunk and land feet first in the driving seat, your hand poised to switch on the ignition. The engine growls, but before you can shift gear and speed away, there is another burst of gunfire. It shatters the windshield and forces you to throw yourself across the passenger seat to avoid being caught in a deadly crossfire. Then a savage voice screams a command and the firing ceases. You chance a glance over the dashboard and see, to your astonishment, a leather-clad punk come running towards you from out of the ruins. Long Jake takes aim. He fires, missing by a hand's breadth. Undeterred, the grim-faced renegade leaps into the car beside you, cackling like a maniac as he lunges for your throat with his flick knife.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Copperhead</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the surprise of the attack, you must fight the first round of combat unarmed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63">If you win, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect110">
+ <meta><title>110</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One by one the clansmen appear in the street, emerging from stores and other buildings. They advance towards you, brandishing knives and axes, and you are forced to run for your life.</p>
+ <p>As you run past the entrance to a bar, a large group appears on the sidewalk loss than twenty yards ahead. Shots ring out, forcing you to dive for cover inside the bar. Fortunately the place is deserted, but the angry screams of the mob grow louder as they near the bar. Quickly your eyes scan the gloomy interior, searching for a way out or for a place to hide. Two possibilities present themselves: the staircase to the first floor, and the counter at the rear of the bar.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect286">If you wish to ascend the stairs to the first floor, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect118">If you wish to hide behind the counter, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect111">
+ <meta><title>111</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your shotgun roars and spits out a deadly cloud of buckshot, catching the ambusher full in the chest. Briefly you see him thrown backwards through the air before his lifeless body crashes down upon the rubbish-strewn floor of the derelict drugstore. You eject the spent shell but keep your gun trained on the window in case he was not alone. After a minute of silence you lower your weapon and begin to breathe a little easier.</p>
+ <p>Remember to erase one 12-gauge round from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect251">To continue, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect112">
+ <meta><title>112</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Slowly you unshoulder your gun, slip the safety catch, and lower the barrel towards the ground. The rattlesnake darts its head forward and attempts to bury its fangs in your ankle. Its attack is all over, though, the moment you squeeze the trigger: at such close range your gunfire rips the snake apart (remember to erase the appropriate amount of ammunition from your Ammo Pouch).</p>
+ <p>You must now take a Drink (or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) before you climb back into your roadster and return to the convoy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect185"><link-text>Turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect113">
+ <meta><title>113</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sidestep the dead dog as it falls limply to the ground, anxious to avoid the deadly virus that still thrives within its foaming saliva. To your relief the other dogs halt in their tracks. Turning, they run away, scattering in all directions as they leave the highway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect97">If, during your close combat with the rabid dog, you lost 4 or more <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points, <link-text>turn to 97</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect245">If you lost 3 or less <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points, <link-text>turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect114">
+ <meta><title>114</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You see Kate dive safely into cover and are about to follow her when suddenly the dust erupts around your feet and you feel a sharp pain cut across the back of your right calf: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You hobble the last few yards to cover, your wound making you grit your teeth. Another burst of fire cuts through the bushes within inches of your skull. Fear blocks out the pain, making you concentrate on finding a way out of the ambush.</p>
+ <p>Carefully, you raise your head and peer through the foliage. One of the clansmen is beginning to move around the edge of the hollow, while his partner kneels and waits to give covering fire. Your fear turns to indignation when you realize that he is going after your car.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect193">If you possess a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect195">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 195</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect115">
+ <meta><title>115</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Making full use of the broken ground and heaps of wreckage as cover, you circle the mysterious observer and creep up on him from behind. So that you can find out why he is spying on the convoy you decide to try to overpower him. However, he hears you approaching and spins around to face you, his hand reaching for a dagger concealed in his boot.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Stake-out</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect116">
+ <meta><title>116</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull the transceiver out of your Backpack, flick the power switch on and key-in the frequency that Pop Ewell monitors aboard the bus. 'Red Phoenix to DC1,' you say, using your emergency call sign. 'I'm pinned down by sniper fire. It's coming from the diner across the street. Suspect two clansmen. Request assistance.'</p>
+ <p>The tiny speaker crackles into life and you hear Cutter's voice reply: 'Hang in there, Cal. I'll circle 'round the back and flush 'em out.'</p>
+ <p>A minute later you see Cutter jump down from the bus and scurry across the rock-strewn ground behind the diner, cradling a shotgun, which he loads as he runs. He disappears behind the building, then a few moments later you hear a burst of gunfire and see a swarthy-faced man, dressed in western clothes, come running out of the front door with a pistol in his hand.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect143">If you possess a missile weapon, <link-text>turn to 143</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect183">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not have sufficient ammunition to use it, <link-text>turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect117">
+ <meta><title>117</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have taken fewer than a dozen steps when suddenly the ground disappears beneath your feet. With a yelp of horror, you scrabble at the air as you fall head first into a steep-sided gulley.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (0 equals 10) The number you pick is equal to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you lose as a result of your fall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect242">If you are still alive, adjust your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points total and <link-text>turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect118">
+ <meta><title>118</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fling yourself over the counter, landing heavily on a floor carpeted with broken glass and pools of stale liquor. Your knees and elbows bleed freely (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) from the deep cuts you sustain, and you cannot prevent a scream of agony from escaping your lips. Your cry is answered by a malicious laugh, and you hear a shotgun being cocked ready to fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If your Stealth skill total is 4 or more, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect35">If your total score is now 0-2, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect334">If it is 3-6, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If it is 7-10, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect119">
+ <meta><title>119</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly Cutter appears, his face lined with worry. He soon relaxes when he sees that you are alive. 'I reckon these guys were members of the Maverick gang that Rickenbacker warned us about,' he says. 'Seems that the Lions ain't the only ones we gotta look out for.'</p>
+ <p>Cutter helps you search the bodies and the diner. You discover the following items:</p>
+ <p>Pistol (with four rounds of 9mm ammunition)</p>
+ <p>Rifle (with four rounds of 7.62mm ammunition)</p>
+ <p>Water Canteen, containing enough water for three Drinks</p>
+ <p>Serum, sulphonamides, and dressings, sufficient for three Medi-kit units.</p>
+ <p>Flick knife (2)</p>
+ <p>Club (2)</p>
+ <p>Binoculars</p>
+ <p>Rope</p>
+ <p>Fire Extinguisher</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>As soon as your flat tyre has been repaired, and the highway swept clear of spikes, you climb back into your roadster and lead the convoy on towards Big Spring.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect347"><link-text>Turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect120">
+ <meta><title>120</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once the convoy is clear of the bridge, Cutter pulls over to the side of the highway and you stop in line behind him and the tanker. Uncle Jonas jumps down from his cab and together you run forward to check the damage to the bus. The front and sides are riddled with bullet holes, many of which have penetrated the engine and passenger compartments, yet, miraculously, no one has been killed or seriously injured. Aunt Betty-Ann appears at a window and reports that four members of the colony have been hit. She says not to worry - they have minor wounds and she is sure they will pull through.</p>
+ <p>The radiator is leaking coolant but Cutter is confident that he can have it fixed within an hour. 'It's a real shame we've got so few guns aboard,' grumbles Cutter, as he sets to work sealing the perforated radiator mesh. 'It ain't no fun being the target for them punks when you don't get a chance to shoot back.'</p>
+ <p>A hundred yards along the highway you see a sign that points to a road leading off to the east. It says:</p>
+ <p>CARSWELL AIR FORCE BASE</p>
+ <choice idref="sect342">If you wish to investigate the base while Cutter finishes his repairs, <link-text>turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect295">If you decide to stay with the convoy, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect121">
+ <meta><title>121</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly your windshield shatters and you feel something burn deep into your chest. The broken glass spins before your eyes and a terrifying numbness spreads from your chest to your limbs. Kate screams in terror, then silence engulfs you as your roadster slams into the side of a derelict gas station and explodes in a brilliant ball of orange flame.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here in Coahoma.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect122">
+ <meta><title>122</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you near the centre of the corral, you throw yourself forward and reach out for the knife. Your fingers close around the hilt, but your enemy grabs your wrist and twists it, forcing you to drop the blade: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Gasping at the sudden pain, you stagger back, allowing him to pick up the fallen knife. With an evil gutteral laugh, he raises the blade above his head and comes stalking towards you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Meltdown</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">17</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect163">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect123">
+ <meta><title>123</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You climb into your roadster and leave the air force base, arriving back at the convoy minutes later, just as Cutter completes his repairs. You have little to show for your search of Carswell but, as Uncle Jonas is fond of saying, every little helps.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect295"><link-text>Turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect124">
+ <meta><title>124</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your pistol with both hands, drew a breath through clenched teeth, then take careful aim at the enemy sniper perched on the building opposite.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If your total score is now 14 or less, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If your total score is now 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect125">
+ <meta><title>125</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a cotton bandana tied around your nose and mouth, and the collar of your leather jacket pulled close to your face, you set off into the storm. With visibility less than five yards, you must rely on your sense of hearing for some indication of the child's position. Repeatedly you call her name, hoping she will reply, yet all you hear is the incessant howling of the wind.</p>
+ <p>You reach the edge of the school grounds and find a hole in the perimeter fence. A few feet beyond it stands the side wall of a derelict candy store. Once more you call out her name and a faint voice replies: 'Help me &ellips; I'm in here.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If your current Perception skill total is 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect154">If it is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect126">
+ <meta><title>126</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With your pulse racing you jump to your feet and spring, head down, towards the darkened doorway.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If the total is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect329">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect127">
+ <meta><title>127</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull over in order to check the battle damage and allow the rest of the convoy to catch up with you. Fortunately the vital rear sections of your roadster - the fuel tank, axle and tyres - are still intact. Most of the damage has been absorbed by the trunk and the fender, but the incident makes you sorely aware of the need for better protection, and you make a mental note to ask Cutter to help you reinforce the bodywork at the first opportunity.</p>
+ <p>A few minutes later the convoy arrives. Having passed the burning remains of your adversaries the others are relieved to find you still in one piece. You inform them that the bikers were Detroit Lions, probably scouts, and that you suspect that the clan is no more than thirty miles away. 'Well, at least those two you ran into won't be reporting our position to Mad Dog, or anyone else for that matter,' says Cutter, wryly.</p>
+ <p>'Even so,' says Uncle Jonas, 'we daren't afford t' stop too long in any one place. We gotta keep ahead o' that pack all the way to Big Spring.'</p>
+ <p>The next town on the freeway is Sweetwater. Most of the buildings are still standing, although few have roofs as a result of yesterday's storm. Except for a few hungry coyote that have come down from the hills looking for jack rabbits, the place is deserted.</p>
+ <p>Cutter signals for you to stop. The engine of the bus is overheating and, despite the risk of a clan attack, it must be allowed to cool down. The others take the opportunity to search the town for food, and you busy yourself by refuelling your roadster. 'What do you make of that, Cal?' says Uncle Jonas, as you finish rewinding the tanker's fuel pipe. He is standing on the cab of the tanker, pointing at a shimmering ribbon of light to the south of the town. You climb up beside him and immediately you see that it is the sun reflecting off the surface of a small lake. 'Water!' you both exclaim, excitedly.</p>
+ <p>The chance of replenishing the colony's depleted water supply is too good an opportunity to miss. Uncle Jonas helps you load some empty plastic containers on to your roadster, and Kate volunteers to come with you to help fill and carry them. As soon as she is aboard, you start the engine and drive off towards the distant lake.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect94"><link-text>Turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect128">
+ <meta><title>128</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A pack of five dogs suddenly appears at the side of the road, their stealthy approach concealed by the mound of loose earth excavated from the highway trench. At first glance they look like alsatians, but you soon see that these dogs are much larger and fiercer. They fix you hungrily with their feral eyes, their mouths slavering and foaming as they stalk forward. Then two figures come into view behind them, gaunt and pale despite the desert sun. With a rasping scream, they command the dogs to attack and immediately the pack obeys.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If you possess a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect16">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect129">
+ <meta><title>129</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few yards of the bus when something heavy hits you squarely in the back, slamming you to the ground. Gasping for breath, you fight to free yourself from the steely clutches of a biker who has pounced on you. Desperately you struggle as he tightens his claw-like hands around your throat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Kroon</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the surprise of the attack, you are unable to draw a close combat weapon until the start of the second round of combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect166">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect130">
+ <meta><title>130</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One of the men places his weapon on the floor in order to take something from his pack and you launch your attack. You burst through the door and fire your gun at the armed man, killing him instantly. You turn to face his partner, but his reflexes are far quicker than you expected. He hurls a wooden club at your head and you are forced to use your gun to bat it aside. Before you recover your aim, he leaps at you and wrestles you to the ground.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Belushi</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the ferocity of his attack, you are unable to draw a close combat weapon until the start of the second round of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect119">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect131">
+ <meta><title>131</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull the bolt of your G-12, priming it to fire, then rest its stubby barrel on the rollbar of your roadster to steady your aim. At 200 yards your target appears little more than 1/16 inch high. It will demand great skill and considerable luck to hit such a small target with a machine pistol.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill level. Now decide how many bursts of fire you intend to launch at the target (minimum - one round; maximum - five rounds). For every burst, add one point to your current score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect164">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect58">If it is 12, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect132">
+ <meta><title>132</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your gun, take aim and kill the Maverick machine-gunner with a shot to the head. As he falls, you turn your weapon on the remaining biker, but he is using Kate as a shield and you dare not fire for fear of hitting her. With anger and fear welling up inside you, you reluctantly lower your gun.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect133">
+ <meta><title>133</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take the food out of your Backpack and hurl it down into the trench. As soon as the dogs scent the aroma of the food, they switch their attention to the hollow and leap in feet first. Then the two men appear. They shamble to the edge of the trench and stare at you with vacant eyes. The skilful way in which you distracted their dogs does not seem to have antagonized them in the slightest, nor do they appear unduly concerned for their own safety. You stand your ground, challenging them to attack if they dare. They laugh. It is a pitiful, thin sound that makes your flesh crawl. You return their empty stares, noting with disgust the ulcer-like sores that cover their pale, greyish skins; their almost complete lack of hair; and their teeth, black with decay. Your disgust turns to pity, however, when suddenly you realize why they show no fear: they are both afflicted with terminal radiation sickness. Death is already their companion.</p>
+ <p>'Where are you from?' you call, anxious to discover if there is a hot spot - a zone of radioactivity - nearby.</p>
+ <p>'Cisco,' comes the reply.</p>
+ <p>You take some dressings from your Medi-kit and place them on the ground in front of you (erase one Medi-kit unit from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>), before turning and walking back to your roadster. The dressings may be of little comfort to these two Rad-vics (the name your colony gives to the victims of high-dosage radioactivity), but they may know others who will benefit from them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327"><link-text>Turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect134">
+ <meta><title>134</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>These plastic containers are quite unlike anything you have seen before, and you are curious but suspicious: why have they been left untouched when everything else has been either looted or destroyed? Rather than risk opening what may turn out to be a bowlful of dangerous chemicals, you step away from the crate and quickly leave the basement.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect144">To return to the convoy, <link-text>turn to 144</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect135">
+ <meta><title>135</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You see a cloud of dust approaching, then the roar of 100 motorcycle engines fills the air as the Detroit Lions come racing along the freeway into Colorado City. 'You gotta hold 'em off until we've got this baby across,' shouts Cutter, as he waves frantic signals to Uncle Jonas, who is having to fight to keep the tanker in a straight line. The sight of the makeshift platform sagging under the weight of the heavy vehicle makes your stomach churn.</p>
+ <p>'Count on us!' you shout in reply, then turn and follow Kate as she runs back towards the town.</p>
+ <p>As you reach the end of the bridge you notice two ideal defensive positions. One is a three-storey factory that overlooks the freeway; the other is an auto wreck overturned on the approach ramp to the bridge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect332">If you wish to hide behind the auto wreck, <link-text>turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If you decide to take cover inside the factory, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect136">
+ <meta><title>136</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dying screams of their chief dispels the trance into which the clansmen have fallen, but before they can act, you jump into the Thunderbird and twist the ignition key. The moment the antique engine growls into life, you stamp on the gas pedal and accelerate away from the crowd. In a cloud of dust and blue smoke you leave Cross Plains and return to the gas station where you parked your roadster. Before ditching the Thunderbird you search it thoroughly and discover that the trunk contains a Pistol and three rounds of 9mm ammunition. Then, with night drawing in, you climb into your own car and drive away at top speed.</p>
+ <p>When you reach Rising Star you find that the convoy is awaiting your return with trepidation. Because you are so long overdue, they feared that you had fallen foul of Mad Dog Michigan and his bikers. You tell them what happened to you in Cross Plains and everyone agrees that, with darkness almost upon you, it is too dangerous to continue.</p>
+ <p>The night at Rising Star passes uneventfully and at first light the convoy sets off cross-country towards Abilene. The arid, stony bed of Pecan Bayou provides excellent cover from the surrounding high ground and leads the convoy north-west, back towards Freeway 20. It is shortly after midday when you reach the freeway, from which you can see the outskirts of Abilene less than five miles distant.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect137">
+ <meta><title>137</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The journey south-west to Lake Lewisville is a slow and arduous trek across rough terrain, but one that cannot be avoided as you skirt around Denton. When finally you sight the dry lake, it is clear that crossing it will be a dangerous business as the convoy will make an easy target to anyone occupying the surrounding high ground. You must get the convoy moss in the shortest time possible.</p>
+ <p>The bed of the lake is littered with rusted car wrecks and old household machinery. Between these heaps of twisted scrap are avenues covered with slabs of broken earth that jut upwards at all angles, their sharp edges baked hard by months in the furnace-like heat. The bus and the tanker, both heavily laden, are soon reduced to a snail's pace for fear of shredding their tyres, and you are forced to stay close in case they break down or fall victim to an ambush.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect281">If the number you have picked is 0-6, <link-text>turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect160">If it is 7-9, <link-text>turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect138">
+ <meta><title>138</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You throw yourself to the ground. Your speedy reactions save you from being cut in half by the deadly tracer shells. The air is alive with bullet fragments and pieces of twisted metal, and you dare not raise your head for fear of being hit. Out of the corner of your eye you see Kate aiming her rifle from the window of the factory. She shoots and immediately the machine gun fire ceases. You look up to see the rider clutching his face with both hands. He swoons, falls backwards, and then tumbles from the saddle. Before the sidecar rider can jump free, the speeding machine careers off the road into the wall of an office building, and explodes in a searing ball of flame.</p>
+ <p>With a smile you signal a thumbs-up to Kate and she returns your salute with a wave. A few minutes later a column of motorcycles - the main body of the clan - rides into view. They are now less than a mile from the bridge. 'C'mon you two!' shouts Cutter. 'It's time to go.' The tanker has made it across the platform and is now parked with the other vehicles on the far side of the river. Kate is running towards you from the factory and, as she reaches the bridge, you call out to her: 'Set the bomb! I'll cover you!'</p>
+ <p>Tensely you watch tthe clansmen as they gun their bikes along the freeway, and you glance repeatedly over your shoulder, praying for Kate to signal that the bomb is ready. Then the front line of bikers open fire with their machine pistols, and suddenly the air is filled with the whine and whistle of bullets. 'It's ready!' shouts Kate, and takes off across the bridge at a run.</p>
+ <p>Add together your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score and your Stealth skill total. (NOTE: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items in order to increase your Stealth skill level.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324">If your total is 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect200">If your total is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect139">
+ <meta><title>139</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are sure that the old hermit is bluffing and that he will say anything to cadge a ride with the colony. 'Sorry, old timer,' you say, as you make ready to leave the cave, 'the bus is full an' we're short o' food. Anyway, you'd be safer to stay here than come with us. There's a whole heap o' trouble on our tail.'</p>
+ <p>'I ain't afraid o' trouble,' retorts the hermit proudly, 'an' I promise I'll be no burden to y'all. I'm rightly useful when it comes to huntin' an' findin' water. An' besides, if you want that bus o' yours back on the road, you need me to tell you where to find a new steering linkage.'</p>
+ <p>It seems that you have no choice but to take the hermit with you. If he is bluffing about the replacement part, both he and the bus will not be going anywhere. Reluctantly you agree to his proposition and tell him to collect his things.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect257"><link-text>Turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect140">
+ <meta><title>140</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You glance at your magazine, checking that there are sufficient rounds for a burst of fire, then pull and release the bolt. The metal stock feels hot against your cheek as you take aim at the clansman's chest and squeeze the trigger.</p>
+ <p>Add your Shooting skill total to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect96">If your total score is now 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect153">If your total score is now 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect141">
+ <meta><title>141</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With fear in your heart you spring towards the centre of the corral and dive with both your hands outstretched. The instant your fingers close around the hilt, you roll aside, avoiding by inches the vicious kick that your adversary aims at your head. Swiftly you find your feet and move on to the attack as your enemy falters.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Meltdown</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect163">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect142">
+ <meta><title>142</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Grabbing the rollbar that protects the driving compartment, you pull yourself feet first into the driving seat and reach out for the ignition. The engine growls responsively, but its powerful roar is all but drowned by a sudden eruption of gunfire. Bullets shatter the windshield, forcing you to throw yourself across the passenger seat to avoid being caught in a deadly crossfire. Then a savage voice screams a command and the shooting ceases. You stay down and make a grab for the gear shift, but before you can speed away, a leather-clad punk leaps into the car beside you, cackling like a maniac as he draws his knife.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Copperhead</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed of his attack, reduce your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 2 for the first round of this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect143">
+ <meta><title>143</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fleeing man sees you and fires twice, but his aim is awry and the bullets pass high above your head. You raise your gun and order him to stop but he ignores your call. He shoots again and you return fire, killing him cleanly with a shot to the heart.</p>
+ <p>Cutter appears and beckons you over to the diner. Inside the doorway lies the body of another man, a rifle resting across his blood-stained chest. 'I reckon these two were from that Maverick gang that Rickenbacker warned us about,' says Cutter, as he searches through the dead man's pockets. 'Seems like the Lions ain't the only ones we gotta look out for.'</p>
+ <p>You help Cutter search the bodies and the diner. You discover the following items:</p>
+ <p>Pistol (with two rounds of 9mm ammunition)</p>
+ <p>Rifle (with two rounds of 7.62mm ammunition)</p>
+ <p>Water Canteen, containing enough water for three Drinks</p>
+ <p>Serum, sulphonamides, and dressings, sufficient for three Medi-kit units</p>
+ <p>Flick Knife (2)</p>
+ <p>Club (2)</p>
+ <p>Binoculars</p>
+ <p>Rope</p>
+ <p>Fire Extinguisher</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of the items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>As soon as your flat tyre has been repaired and the highway swept clear of spikes, you climb back into your roadster and lead the convoy on towards Big Spring.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect347"><link-text>Turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect144">
+ <meta><title>144</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With the bulky roll of polythene sheeting slung over your shoulder, you hurry back to the convoy as quickly as you can. Uncle Jonas greets you with a broad grin and offers to help you stow your find aboard the bus. 'That'll come in right useful if we run short o' water,' he says, as he slams shut the stowage door. 'We can use it to rig up a solar still.'</p>
+ <p>Once everyone is aboard, you start the roadster and lead the convoy in single file on to the southbound carriageway of Freeway 35.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect22"><link-text>Turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect145">
+ <meta><title>145</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you bring your rifle to your shoulder, draw a breath through clenched teeth, then take careful aim at the enemy sniper perched on the building opposite.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If your total score is now 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect146">
+ <meta><title>146</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dispatch the last of the attacking rats and wait until the others have disappeared before you get down from the counter. Still shivering with the shock of your horrific encounter, you search the store in case Maria is here. You are almost relieved to discover no trace of her; at least she has been spared the terrifying experience that you have just endured. You are about to leave to continue your search when your transceiver crackles into life. It is Kate, and she has good news: she has found Maria and she is on her way back to the school. You acknowledge her call, then tune your handset to Uncle Jonas' signal, using it to guide you back to base.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect280"><link-text>Turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect147">
+ <meta><title>147</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The walls of this trench bear no marks made by picks or shovels, leading you to suspect that the hollow was excavated entirely by hand. You are wondering who on earth would undertake such a task, when you hear a chilling sound: the baying of hounds.</p>
+ <p>The city gangs of Fort Worth keep packs of vicious pit bull terriers, many of whom you have encountered and laid to rest. But nothing you have met in the past has prepared you for the horror that faces you now.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect128"><link-text>Turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect148">
+ <meta><title>148</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fight to maintain your grip, but the injuries sustained by your legs as you are dragged along the freeway sap the very last of your strength. Your grip fails and you fall beneath the rear wheels of the bus: death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect149">
+ <meta><title>149</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For a mile beyond the junction, the highway passes through a corridor of petrified trees, the pitiful remains of a fertile city park that thrived before the holocaust. Then it crests a ridge of high ground that overlooks the sickly, tainted waters of Lake Worth. The bridge ahead is blocked by a manned barricade, and you slow to a halt, signalling to the others to pull off the road to avoid being seen.</p>
+ <p>Cutter is the first to join you, his eagle eyes fixed on the barricade as silently he assess its strength. Uncle Jonas and Hammer Harlan are the next to arrive and they are quick to ask Cutter for his opinion. 'Ain't nothing fancy down there,' he says, almost casually. 'They got a few cars strung out in a line, that's all. I figure if we was to hit 'em hard enough, you can bet yer boots we'd bust through their centre like a bull through a wicker fence.'</p>
+ <p>'We can't risk damaging a vehicle,' says Hammer, wiping the sweat from his brow. 'If we smash a rad or rip a tyre, we can kiss goodbye to our hopes o' seein' Big Spring.'</p>
+ <p>'True enough,' replies Cutter, stroking his stubbly chin. 'But I've got an idea that'll give us a better-than-evens chance o' cuttin' through without a scratch.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect227"><link-text>Turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect150">
+ <meta><title>150</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is not until you reach the town of Trent, seven miles beyond the bridge, that you consider it safe to slow down and allow the convoy to resume its cruising speed. The sniper attack and the burning midday sun have left you shaking and streaming with sweat. You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The battered houses and stores of this Texan town slip past and once again a featureless plain of broken, sun-baked earth stretches before you. Your pulse has just returned to normal when you notice, out of the corner of your eye, something that sets it racing once more. Less than a mile to the north a small cloud of dust is moving across the plain parallel to the freeway. Slowly it draws nearer until you can hear the sound of two motorcycles and glimpse the ugly faces of their riders. They are both standing to help balance their bouncing machines, and as they approach the freeway, they open their throttles and lift their front wheels in a display of bravado. They draw level with your roadster, one on either side, and you notice the symbol that is painted on the sides of their fuel tanks. It is the head of a lion with its teeth bared: the symbol of the Detroit Lions clan.</p>
+ <p>The clansman to your right shouts something but the rush of wind steals his words. You sense something land in the car, and when you turn to look, you are horrified to see a live grenade lying on the passenger seat beside you.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your Driving and Stealth skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect236">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect165">If your total score is now 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect151">
+ <meta><title>151</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly a starburst of pain explodes in your head and your mouth fills with a thick, hot liquid. You have been hit in the face by three of the sniper's bullets. Your wounds are fatal; death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at Colorado City.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect152">
+ <meta><title>152</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The heavy steel door is held shut by an electronic lock. At first you suspect that the lock has jammed, its power having run down long ago, but as soon as you touch the keypad, a blue LED display glows into life above it.</p>
+ <p>Eleven numbers appear, arranged in three rows. There are four numbers on the top row, four on the second, and three on the third:</p>
+ <p>2 12 5 9 4 20 7 17 12 12 4 -</p>
+ <p>You study the rows of numbers carefully, looking for a pattern. By tapping on the keypad the number that is missing from the last row, you will release the lock and open the door.</p>
+ <p>When you think you know the missing number, turn to the entry that bears that number.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect171">If you cannot work out the correct answer, <link-text>turn to 171</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect153">
+ <meta><title>153</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your short burst of fire catches the clansman across the midriff and doubles him over as he runs. As he crashes to the ground, his partner panics and begins to fire wildly, powdering the scree behind you. When the firing stops, you raise your head and peer through the bushes, expecting to see your enemy reloading. Instead he discards his empty magazine and turns to run away. He has exhausted his ammunition and has decided to make his escape while he still can.</p>
+ <p>As soon as you are sure that the coast is clear, you rise and help Kate to her feet. The sound of a motorcycle riding away into the distance reassures you that your ambusher has fled, and confidently you scramble up the slope and walk over to examine the body of the one who did not get away.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect175"><link-text>Turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect154">
+ <meta><title>154</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your instincts tell you that something is wrong. There is no trace of fear in the voice, neither does it sound like Maria. She comes from a Mexican family, and although she has been raised among the English-speaking people of DC1, she has picked up her mother's strong Spanish accent.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you approach the store and peer through a crack in the door. Inside you see two bearded men, armed with clubs, waiting to ambush you the moment you enter. There is no sign of Maria, so quickly you turn around and hurry away to resume your search of the school grounds.</p>
+ <p>A few minutes later your transceiver crackles into life. It is Kate, and she has good news: she has found Maria and she is on her way back to the school. You acknowledge her call, then tune your handset to Uncle Jonas' signal, using it to guide you back to base.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect280"><link-text>Turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect155">
+ <meta><title>155</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You bring your roadster to a halt on a ridge that overlooks the ruins of Denton. The place is familiar - you have stopped here many times in the past few months during the routine patrols of the area, to check that the town was not being used as a base by the gangs who were raiding McKinney. The ruins look deserted but you decide to check them anyway just to make sure.</p>
+ <p>Having driven through the town and seen nothing unusual, you are turning around to return to the convoy when you hear the sound of motorcycle engines being kicked into life. Three bikes burst out of a building in the centre of the town and come racing after you, their riders whooping like red indians. All three machines are carrying pillion passengers, who are armed with an assortment of weapons. As the first bike draws level, its passenger gets ready to leap into the seat beside you.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to this number your current Driving skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect76">If your total is now 0-9, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect156">
+ <meta><title>156</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Fifty miles of broken highway lie between you and the town of Albany. By mid-afternoon the temperature has climbed above 110º Fahrenheit, and the combined effects of the scorching heat and the poor road surface begins to take its toll of those travelling aboard the crowded bus. As you approach the outskirts of a small town called Moran, Cutter signals for you to stop. 'We've got six people down with heat exhaustion and four more on the brink,' he says, his face awash with sweat. 'We've got to get 'em out of this travelling oven and let 'em rest awhile in the shade.'</p>
+ <p>You suggest that the convoy waits in Moran while you go on ahead to make sure that Albany is safe to enter. By the time you have checked it out and returned, the worst of the afternoon heat will have passed and the colony will be better able to continue. Before you leave for Albany you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Unless you possess a tub of Salt, you must reduce your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 4 points, due to excessive salt loss.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect343"><link-text>Turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect157">
+ <meta><title>157</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You cry out in pain as the poison courses up your leg. You clutch the wound and strike a second blow at the snake, but it retreats swiftly, disappearing among the rocks.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it the number of Medi-kit units you possess.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect106">If your total score is now 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect45">If your total score is now 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect158">
+ <meta><title>158</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'You had better take this with you,' says Pop Ewell, reaching into a satchel that he carries over his shoulder. He removes a hand-held transceiver and offers it to you. 'It's tuned to 153 megahertz. I'll be listenin' out for you the whole time you're away.'</p>
+ <p>You take the C.B. Radio (mark this on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Backpack Item - you must discard another item in its favour if you already carry the maximum quota of items), check the setting and make sure there is sufficient power left in its miniaturized solar-pac before you walk to your roadster.</p>
+ <p>'Good luck, Cal,' says Uncle Jonas, as you switch on your ignition and check your instrumentation. 'Don't take no unnecessary risks, y'hear!'</p>
+ <p>With a wave, you bid him farewell, before accelerating the roadster along the highway that leads to Mineral Wells.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect325"><link-text>Turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect159">
+ <meta><title>159</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you raise your shotgun, you shout at your people to get away from the window. Their screams of terror fill your ears as you take aim at the rider's chest and squeeze the trigger.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect302">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect160">
+ <meta><title>160</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Two miles and two hours later you reach the opposite side of the lake. Half an hour further on, the convoy makes a rest stop and takes stock of its surroundings. Traces of a paved road that disappears towards the west are found, and Cutter Jacks, who lived only a few miles from Lake Lewisville before 'the Day', identifies it as the remains of State Highway 407. 'This'll get us back on course,' he says confidently. 'Follow this baby and we'll make Freeway 35 in under an hour.'</p>
+ <p>Twenty minutes later, Freeway 35 appears in the distance, its long, concrete body lying bleached and quaking beneath the fiery sun. The road you are following passes beneath it but, as you draw closer, you notice a ramp coiling away to your right, giving access to the freeway.</p>
+ <p>A few hundred yards beyond the ramp you see another. It leads to the ruins of a once prestigious building - the North Texas State University.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If you wish to search the university, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If you decide to lead the convoy on to Freeway 35, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect161">
+ <meta><title>161</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your map of central Texas as your guide, you leave Colorado City and follow the remains of State Highway 208 north towards Lake Thomas. You are hoping that the dam marked there on your map is still intact, for most dams have a service road running across the top.</p>
+ <p>An hour later you arrive at Lake Thomas to find that the dam is still standing. Excitedly you stop the car and start walking towards it. As you get nearer you see that the service road is no wider than a garden path: the bus and the tanker will never be able to cross the river here. Sadly you return to your car.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your Field Craft and Perception skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect274">If your total score is now 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If your total score is now 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect162">
+ <meta><title>162</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You park beside the control tower, switch off the engine, then wait. Only when you are sure that the area is deserted do you leave your vehicle and enter the derelict building. A spiral staircase leads to the main control room where once sophisticated technology now lies scorched and twisted beyond recognition. You open a service hatch to find yourself staring at the skeletal remains of an air force sergeant. You regain your composure quickly and move to close the hatch. Then you notice that a holster and ammunition pouch are still attached to the dead soldier's belt, and your scavenger's instincts get the better of you.</p>
+ <p>The holster contains a Pistol and the pouch holds twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition. If you decide to keep either of these items, amend your Weapons list and Ammo pouch accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect123">To leave the control tower, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect163">
+ <meta><title>163</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step away from Meltdown's body and turn to face the cheering crowd. Manhattan comes striding towards you, his face beaming, delighted that you have disposed of his would-be rival. 'Nice work, kid. I knew y'was a Kicker when I first set eyes on you,' he says glibly. Then he calls to one of his sidekicks and says something to him that you cannot hear. 'Follow Tweet,' he says, nodding to his grimy, one-eyed helper. 'He'll give you some chow and make sure you get some new equipment. Come see me in an hour - I've got a special job for you.'</p>
+ <p>Tweet takes you to a motel near the centre of town, where he offers you enough food for one Meal, enough water for two Drinks, and a choice of the following weapons, ammunition and equipment:</p>
+ <p>Machine Pistol plus twenty rounds of 9mm ammunition</p>
+ <p>Pistol plus six rounds of 9mm ammunition</p>
+ <p>Rifle plus six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</p>
+ <p>(You may take only one of the three weapons listed above.)</p>
+ <p>Binoculars</p>
+ <p>File</p>
+ <p>Signal Flare</p>
+ <p>Compass</p>
+ <p>Geiger Counter</p>
+ <p>(You may take any number of the above Backpack items.)</p>
+ <p>After you have eaten and re-equipped yourself, you ask to be allowed to visit the latrine. Tweet points to a restroom in the Motel's lobby and tells you to be quick: Manhattan does not like to be kept waiting. Once inside, you discover what you were hoping to find: a window. The small window overlooks an old parking lot, and seconds later, you jump down into it.</p>
+ <p>You have been gone less than a few minutes when Tweet raises the alarm. Soon the town is swarming with clansmen searching for you. In desperation you hide in an old timber yard, where you wait patiently for the chance to slip out of Albany unseen. While you are lying low, you must take a drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect61">To continue, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect164">
+ <meta><title>164</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The hollow sound of your gunfire echoes across the dry lake bed and for a moment your target is obscured by smoke. As the cloud thins, you see that your efforts were in vain. The black figure is now running away from the tree towards a motorcycle that is lying on its side. Frantically he pulls the machine upright, kicks it into life, and makes a speedy escape.</p>
+ <p>Helpless to prevent him from getting away, you signal once more to the others to restart their engines and continue with the difficult crossing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect271"><link-text>Turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect165">
+ <meta><title>165</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With terror gnawing at your insides you reach down and take hold of the grenade. In the next instant you hurl it out of the car and slam your foot down on the gas pedal. Seconds later there is a dull thud, and in your rear view mirror you see the biker to your left disappear in a ball of orange flame as the grenade explodes underneath his motorcycle and ignites the fuel tank.</p>
+ <p>Cutter sounds the bus's horn to alert you to the position of the remaining clansman. He is coming up fast on your blind side and, as he draws level, he jerks a machine pistol from his saddle-bag, cocks the bolt with his teeth, and opens fire</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect17">If the number you have picked is 0-1, <link-text>turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect317">If it is 2-5, <link-text>turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect217">If it is 6-9, <link-text>turn to 217</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect166">
+ <meta><title>166</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You push away the lifeless body of your enemy and spring like a tiger towards the boarding door of the bus. Inside, chaos reigns. Behind the driver's seat, Kate and Uncle Jonas are grappling with a fat clansman in a desperate attempt to prise a vicious machete from his hand. Meanwhile, the central aisle is blocked by a running battle as Hammer Harlan and Juan Rodriguez fight to defend the women and children from two fur-clad bikers. Their screams of terror merge with the curses of the clansmen, filling the bus with a chilling cacophony of noise. You act swiftly and decisively, plunging your hunting knife into the backs of the two bikers, and dispatching the third with a thrust to his heart.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the sound of a horn echoes from the other side of the camp, and you see the tanker, with Cutter at the wheel, start to move away. 'Quick, Cal!' shouts your uncle. 'Get back to your roadster an' follow Cutter. We're breakin' out o' here right now!'</p>
+ <p>You leap from the bus and sprint towards your car as fast as your aching legs will allow. One of the bikers, dressed in a riding suit of tattered red leather, sees you running and stops his machine in order to draw his machine pistol. He is the leader of the clan and he intends to add you to the long list of those he has killed.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to this your current Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect301">If your total is now 0-5, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect78">If it is 6-10, <link-text>turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect213">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 213</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect167">
+ <meta><title>167</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fatigue of your journey and the glare of the afternoon sun prevent you from noticing the shiny metal spikes that lay strewn across the highway. As you enter the town, there is a loud bang and your steering wheel shudders violently. You pull over to the side of the road and give an emergency signal to the convoy to stop immediately and not to follow you into Westbrook.</p>
+ <p>The tyre on the right-side front wheel is completely flat. Wearily you climb out of the driving seat and go to inspect the damage. As you stoop to remove the spike, a shot rings out.</p>
+ <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If your total score is now 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect65">If your total is now 9-14, <link-text>turn to 65</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect248">If your total is 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect168">
+ <meta><title>168</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lift your gun and squeeze the trigger, trusting your aim to instinct alone. At the same time, the double muzzle flash of your enemy's weapon lights up the gloomy interior, making you cry out in anticipation of being caught by its deadly blast. But luck is with you. The shotgun spits its cloud of lead away to your right and you survive unscathed. Your enemy is not so lucky. Your gunfire hits him squarely in the chest, killing him instantly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect169">
+ <meta><title>169</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using what scraps of cloth are available, you cover your nose and mouth before setting off into the storm. You pass the colony's vehicles and walk out on to the main street. With visibility less than five yards, you must rely solely on your sense of hearing for some indication of the child's location. Repeatedly you call her name, hoping she will reply, yet all you hear is the incessant howling of the dust-storm.</p>
+ <p>As you cross the street, you catch what sounds like a young girl's voice drifting on the wind. You shout her name and a voice answers faintly: 'Help me &ellips; I'm here!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect223">If you possess a pair of Goggles, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect252">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 252</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect170">
+ <meta><title>170</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'We won't be a' skirtin' 'round this place,' says Cutter, casting a critical eye over the surrounding landscape. 'The land here's too craggy. The bus and the tanker'd not get a hunnerd yards. Nope, our only chance is to hit 'em before they get muled up. If we go now we could cut straight through that lil' ol' town and be on our way to Big Spring before they know what's happened!'</p>
+ <p>The plan is put to Uncle Jonas and he agrees that it is the colony's best chance of reaching Big Spring before nightfall. Kate volunteers to ride shotgun with you at the head of the convoy. Uncle Jonas will follow in the tanker and Cutter will close up behind with the bus, enabling those with guns to man the back window and keep any pursuers at bay.</p>
+ <p>Within a few minutes the plan is relayed to the colony and the vehicles are drawn up in line, ready to run the Coahoma gauntlet.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect210"><link-text>Turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect171">
+ <meta><title>171</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You tap in several numbers at random, in the hope that you will be lucky enough to hit upon the correct one. Unfortunately, after your sixth unsuccessful attempt, the lock de-activates, making further attempts at opening the door useless.</p>
+ <p>Conscious of the amount of time you have spent in the basement, you decide to return to the colony without further delay.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29"><link-text>Turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect172">
+ <meta><title>172</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have aimed too high: your gunfire passes over the driver's head, alerting his partner to your position. He returns fire, sending a hail of bullets into the wreckage that shields you. They strike with devastating effect, the deadly tracer shells blowing the rusty metal to pieces.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect138">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect173">
+ <meta><title>173</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Breathlessly you climb the iron staircase to the roof. Three times your foot plunges through the rust-weakened steps and three times you nearly fall, but each time you manage to recover your footing and drive yourself onwards. Shots ring out and bullets fly, drawing sparks as they slam into the ironwork; the manic shouts of the angry mob echo loudly in the alley below.</p>
+ <p>After what seems like an eternity you reach the top of the fire escape and stagger on to the warehouse roof. You are feeling light-headed and nauseous due to the combined effects of heat, exertion and fear. Your vision swims in and out of focus and you are finding it difficult to concentrate.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 19 or more, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect225">If your total score is now 0-4, <link-text>turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect202">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect174">
+ <meta><title>174</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hear your enemy scream and catch a brief glimpse of him in your rear-view mirror when his body hits the dusty ground behind your speeding car. The other bikers lose interest and soon give up the chase. They peel away, cursing and firing ill-aimed shots at your back as you make your escape from Denton.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect198"><link-text>Turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect175">
+ <meta><title>175</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You turn out the pockets of the dead clansman and empty the leather satchel that he carried over his shoulder. Among his personal effects you discover the following items:</p>
+ <p>Pistol (no ammunition)</p>
+ <p>Machine Pistol (no ammunition)</p>
+ <p>Knife (2)</p>
+ <p>Enough food for two Meals</p>
+ <p>Water Canteen</p>
+ <p>Enough water for three Drinks</p>
+ <p>Enough pain killers, antibiotics, and dressings for five Medi-kit units</p>
+ <p>Cigarette Lighter</p>
+ <p>H.E. Grenade</p>
+ <p>Compass</p>
+ <p>Gold Nugget</p>
+ <p>You are sifting through his possessions, trying to decide which ones to keep (remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> if you keep any of the items), when you hear Kate calling to you to come and look at the dead man's motorcycle. Its fuel tank bears the same lion's head symbol as those of the two scouts you encountered on the freeway, but it is what Kate has found inside the saddle-bag that is of greater interest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297"><link-text>Turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect176">
+ <meta><title>176</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You spring to your feet and run at the exit. However, the stripy-faced youth, whom you encountered earlier wielding a lasso, suddenly appears in the doorway, blocking your escape. As he reaches for a revolver, which is tucked into his waistband, you lower your shotgun and fire. Only one barrel discharges - the other misfires - but the blast is great enough to lift your adversary off his feet and send him cartwheeling out of the door.</p>
+ <p>You leap over his body and run along an alley that leads into a side street. You hear the mob yell out when they find the body, and you know that they will press their pursuit, so frantically you search for somewhere safe to hide. An old boarding house on the corner of the street looks like the answer to your prayers. You enter before the mob reaches the end of the alley.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect86"><link-text>Turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect177">
+ <meta><title>177</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Let's go!' says Cutter, and simultaneously you leap into action. Your sudden appearance draws a volley of shots from a shallow gulley situated twenty yards ahead, and a wave of fear knots your stomach as the bullets whistle past your head. Then Kate and the others open fire and force the bikers to duck behind their parapet of earth.</p>
+ <p>On the far side, Cutter races across the rocky ground as fast as his skinny legs will carry him. A biker pops out of the gulley like a jack-in-the-box and fires his pistol at your friend's lanky form, missing him by inches. Cutter fires back, a snap shot from the hip that hits the biker full in the chest, sending him spinning backwards into the trench. Three more bikers appear, panicked by the death of their confederate. One falls victim to covering fire; the second is felled by Cutter's second barrel; but the third escapes the crossfire and comes running out of the gulley straight at you. He yelps with horror as he sees you, skids to a halt, and levels his pistol at your face.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting and Stealth skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect49">If the total is now 0-9, <link-text>turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect178">
+ <meta><title>178</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You awake ten hours later in a schoolroom bathed in bright sunlight. The storm has passed during the night and the sun has returned, bringing with it the oppressive heat. 'Ninety-two degrees already,' says Cutter, tapping at an old mercuric thermometer that hangs on the wall. 'And it's not yet eight o'clock. Today's a day for fryin' eggs on the sidewalk &ellips; if we had any eggs, that is.'</p>
+ <p>Soon the colony is busy making preparations to leave. After clearing away the dust you check your roadster thoroughly, making sure that the fuel is clean and that the engine runs as smoothly as ever. Meanwhile, Cutter oversees a group who are working on the bus and Uncle Jonas heads another team who are servicing the tanker. The others, led by Kate, search the school for anything that could be useful on the road ahead. By mid-morning the convoy is back on the road, following Freeway 20 away from the dust-blown ruins of Abilene on the next stage of the journey west.</p>
+ <p>You have been driving for little over an hour when you see a bridge in the distance and notice a glint of sunlight bouncing off a point near the centre of the parapet. Not until you are within 100 yards of the bridge do you realize what is causing the refraction: it is the telescopic sight of a sniper's rifle and it is aimed directly at you.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add it to your Driving and Stealth skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect104">If your total is now 8-13, <link-text>turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect21">If your total is now 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect179">
+ <meta><title>179</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At the first opportunity, you pull the roadster over to the side of the freeway and wait for the convoy to catch up. You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>A few minutes later the tanker and the bus come thundering out of Coahoma. Apart from a few extra bullet holes, they both appear to have survived the run intact. You restart your engine and accelerate away, confident that the colony will reach Big Spring before sunset, but when you glance in your rear-view mirror you spot something that sets your pulse racing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect89"><link-text>Turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect180">
+ <meta><title>180</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You squeeze the trigger and feel the butt of your rifle kick your shoulder. Your enemy has no time to cry out as the bullet finds its mark with deadly accuracy. It passes straight through his heart, killing him instantly.</p>
+ <p>Remember to erase one 7.62mm round from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect251">To continue, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect181">
+ <meta><title>181</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you tear open your Backpack and remove the rope. You slide down the slope, riding the shale feet first, and, as you near the bottom, get ready to throw Kate your line. Twice you cast it across the water to no avail. Then, on the third attempt, she manages to grab it and you are able to pull her, breathless and bedraggled, on to the muddy shore.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect182">
+ <meta><title>182</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The twin beams of your headlights cast a white corridor of light along Freeway 20 as you overtake and pull in to take your place at the head of the convoy. With the memory of the biker's raid still fresh in your mind, you cast frequent glances in your rear-view mirror to make sure that the clansmen are not on your tail.</p>
+ <p>The road climbs steadily for several miles as it approaches the mountains of Erath country. A signpost reflects the glare of your lights, announcing your entry to the town of Thurber, which once had a population of 5,006. You contemplate that figure, wondering how many, if any, inhabitants are still alive, when you are distracted by a light flashing in your mirror. It is the bus: Uncle Jonas is signalling for you to stop.</p>
+ <p>You reach the bus soon after Cutter and hear him asking what is wrong. Uncle Jonas says nothing. He simply tugs at the steering wheel and watches in dismay as it spins freely on the hub. 'Looks like we've got ourselves a big problem,' says Cutter, peering under the front wheel arch. 'The steering linkage has sheared clean in two. I'd guess that rough ride out o' Santo did for it good and proper.'</p>
+ <p>'Can you fix it?' asks Uncle Jonas.</p>
+ <p>'Not without welding gear, or a replacement part,' he replies, dejectedly. 'I guess we'd better stop here for the night. Looks like we won't get much further in this ol' bus, anyhow.'</p>
+ <p>An uneasy silence descends on the colony once news of the breakdown spreads. Cutter continues to inspect the bus but you decide to return to your roadster and snatch a few hours sleep. You are staring at the surrounding mountains, lost in thought, when you see a pinpoint of light flickering in the darkness. With your pulse racing, you grab your gun and set off to take a closer look.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect235"><link-text>Turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect183">
+ <meta><title>183</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the man hurries towards your car, he sees you crouching behind the engine and panics, shooting wildly. He empties his pistol and then, in frustrated anger, he leaps across the hood of your roadster and jumps on you, wielding the butt of his gun like a cosh.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Six-pac</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">17</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the ferocity of his attack, you are unable to draw a close combat weapon until the start of the second round of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect119">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect184">
+ <meta><title>184</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Eventually you enter the last storage room: it contains two objects that stir your curiosity. The first is a large wooden crate, seemingly overlooked by whoever looted the other basement rooms, and the second is a reinforced steel door that is set into the far wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect336">If you wish to take a closer look at the crate, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect255">If you wish to investigate the steel door, <link-text>turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect315">If you choose to examine neither the crate nor the door, you can return to the convoy; <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect185">
+ <meta><title>185</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On your arrival at Colorado City you discover that the colony has been busy during your absence. Using materials salvaged from the ruins of nearby factories, they have managed to put down a platform that spans the gap in the middle of the bridge. Now Cutter is supervising the strengthening of this platform to ensure that it will withstand the weight of the loaded tanker, the heaviest of the convoy vehicles.</p>
+ <p>You tell everyone that you were unable to find an alternative way across the river, expecting the news to be met with disappointment. But most of the colony greets your scouting report with a nod of approval, a reaction that baffles you until Kate offers an explanation. 'That explosive we found at Lake Sweetwater is now under the bridge,' she says, pointing towards the newly laid platform. 'Once we're all on the other side, I'll trigger the timer and two minutes later &ellips; boom! No bridge! It might not stop the Lions chasing us but it should keep 'em off our backs until we reach Big Spring.'</p>
+ <p>You are about to take a closer look when Pop Ewell calls everyone to the bus. He has made radio contact with Big Spring. 'Here, Cal,' he says, handing you the headphones, 'your ears are younger than mine. See if you can figure out what they're saying.'</p>
+ <p>You slip on the headphones and listen to a voice that is almost completely obscured by the hiss and crackle of static. You close your eyes and concentrate as hard as you can in an effort to understand what is being said. 'The guy says he's going to pay us a visit,' you say, hesitantly, suspecting that you have not heard the message correctly. Then the static fades and clearly you hear the words: 'Be with you soon. Watch the skies!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect68"><link-text>Turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect186">
+ <meta><title>186</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The whole of your right arm aches painfully from the exertion of opening your pack, but you ignore the pain and persist until your fingers locate the loops of your flexible wire saw. With care you remove it, slip it around the ropes that bind you, and slowly work it back and forth until they part. Less than a dozen clanswomen and children are on the street, but you bide your time, waiting for the right moment to make your move.</p>
+ <p>Carefully you consider the two escape routes that appear open to you. You can either run east along the main street and back towards your car, retracing the route by which you entered Cross Plains; or you can run in the opposite direction and attempt to hide in the maze of alleys that once serviced the town stores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect110">If you wish to run east, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect321">If you decide to run west, <link-text>turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect187">
+ <meta><title>187</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The biker screams as your killing blow pierces his heart. He throws his arms wide and tumbles backwards out of the car, his lifeless body falling directly beneath the front wheel of his partner's motorcycle and causing his friend to somersault over the handlebars. The other bikers lose interest in you and soon give up the chase, allowing you to escape from Denton.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect198"><link-text>Turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect188">
+ <meta><title>188</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Yahoo! There she is!' screams Cutter, pointing excitedly at a fortified settlement that has just appeared in the distance. 'Big Spring! We've made it!'</p>
+ <p>All the hardships that have been suffered en route are instantly forgotten when the members of the colony look upon their destination. Suddenly the bus is filled with laughing, crying, cheering people as everyone reaffirms their hope that this journey is the first step towards the civilization they once knew.</p>
+ <p>A green flare climbs into the darkening sky and bursts over the town, signalling that the Big Spring colony has seen you approaching. Pop Ewell makes radio contact, and passes on their welcome. 'They say the freeway gate is open. All we got t' do is drive straight in.'</p>
+ <p>The Mavericks seemed to give up the chase as soon as they saw the flare, and now the freeway looks deserted. You join Cutter at the front of the bus and scan the landscape for some sign of your roadster, but the only other vehicle you can see is the tanker, trundling along a few hundred yards ahead.</p>
+ <p>A few minutes later you see your car in the distance, parked at the side of the freeway. As you draw nearer you get ready to wave to Kate. Your heart almost stops when, with horror, you see that two motorcycles are parked alongside, and Kate is embroiled in a desperate hand-to-hand struggle with their riders. 'Stop the bus, Cutter!' you shout. 'It's Kate; she's in trouble.'</p>
+ <p>Cutter slows the bus and you leap out on to the freeway and run towards Kate. 'Help me, Cal!' she screams, as the Mavericks try to bundle her, kicking and punching, into a sidecar attached to one of their machines. A blow to the back of her head with the stock of a machine pistol brings an end to her resistance. Then, as you approach, the biker turns and fires a long burst from the hip.</p>
+ <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect221">If you total is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect290">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect189">
+ <meta><title>189</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Strawn is held by a gang o' renegades,' says Mountain Goat, looking west along the freeway in the direction of the town. 'There's 'bout forty of them. They was kicked out o' San Angelo six months ago after they tried to take over the Angelo clan from Mekong Mike. He sure womped 'em real good. Those that got away came north an' settled here. They're known as 'the Skulls' on account o' their shaved heads, an' their leader is a real mean dude called Alcatraz. He an' his gang have got Strawn sewn up like a genuine fortress, just in case Mekong Mike should ever get the idea to come 'an pay 'em a surprise visit.'</p>
+ <p>Dangerous though it would be, a raid on Strawn must be attempted. Cutter proposes that you and he should be the ones to go: he can identify the part that is needed, and you are by far the fittest member of the colony. You swallow your fear and agree to go with him at first light.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect222"><link-text>Turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect190">
+ <meta><title>190</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire brings down another of the slavering dogs and the others halt in their tracks. Turning, they run away, scattering in all directions as they flee the highway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect191">
+ <meta><title>191</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Raising your weapon, you trust to instinct alone as you point It at the intruder and squeeze the trigger. At the same time, the double muzzle flash of his shotgun lights up the gloomy interior, and you cry out in pain as birdshot peppers your right arm and shoulder: lose 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You stagger backwards and lean against the wall in order to stay on your feet. Your enemy is not so fortunate. Your gunfire has hit him full in the chest, killing him instantly.</p>
+ <p>Remember to make the necessary adjustments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220">To continue, <link-text>turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect192">
+ <meta><title>192</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As your enemy collapses dead at your feet, a starburst of pain explodes in your head and darkness engulfs your vision. You have been struck from behind with the butt of a shotgun, which knocks you unconscious.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect48"><link-text>Turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect193">
+ <meta><title>193</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You keep your eyes focused on the clansman as you unshoulder your weapon. He is now less than 100 yards from the roadster and drawing closer with every passing second.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect8">If the weapon you are using is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect140">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect310">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect264">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect194">
+ <meta><title>194</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try tapping in several numbers at random, in the hope that you will be lucky and hit the correct number by chance. Unfortunately, after your sixth try, the lock de-activates, making any further attempts to open the door useless.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect43">If you wish to examine the crate, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect315">If you choose to leave the basement and return to the convoy, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect195">
+ <meta><title>195</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'One of them's heading for the roadster,' you say, watching anxiously as the clansman scurries around the rim. 'I'm going to stop him before he gets there!' Kate protests, but you are determined to save your car, and reluctantly she agrees to cover you as best she can with the tiny Derringer pistol that she carries in her boot.</p>
+ <p>'I call it 'Chihuahua',' she quips, as she cocks the double-hammers and gets ready to fire. 'It don't look much but it makes one hellava noise!'</p>
+ <p>You scan the slope. When you have picked out the best place to make your climb, you break cover and zig-zag along the shore towards it. Immediately, the machine-gunner opens up on you. Kate replies with a single shot and he diverts his fire back to the rocks and bushes. Swiftly you claw your way to the top of the slope and run straight at the clansman, grimly determined to intercept him before he can do any damage to your roadster. He sees you approaching, draws a pistol, and, still running, empties it at your chest.</p>
+ <p>Add your Stealth skill total to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect258">If your total is 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect83">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect196">
+ <meta><title>196</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The success of your daring night raid is applauded by the colony. Mountain Goat is especially pleased that you found the part needed to fix the bus, and he is quick to remind everyone that without his help the mission would not have been possible.</p>
+ <p>After a few hours' rest, you help Cutter and Uncle Jonas install the new steering linkage. Then you fill your roadster's fuel tank with gasolene piped from the tanker and prepare to lead the convoy on the next stage of the long journey west.</p>
+ <p>You leave Freeway 20 and travel cross-country in order to bypass Strawn. Later in the afternoon you rejoin the highway as it approaches Lake Leon and the town of Eastland. You are two miles from Eastland when you spot an obstruction in the far distance that appears to he blocking the entire road. However, you are aware that the constant heat haze can play strange tricks on your vision, so you signal to the convoy to halt while you scout ahead.</p>
+ <p>A mile along the highway you discover that the obstruction is in fact a trench that has been dug diagonally across the road. It is sufficiently deep along its whole length to wreck any vehicle attempting to cross it at speed. You bring your car to a halt and step out on to the sun-scorched asphalt in order to take a closer look at this curious excavation.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect34">If you possess a Telescope or Binoculars, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect147">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect197">
+ <meta><title>197</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instinctively, you turn your back to the blast and cover your face and hands. The burning liquid splashes your leather jacket and sets it alight, but you are able to extinguish the flames before your back is badly burned: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect219"><link-text>Turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect198">
+ <meta><title>198</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On your speedy return to the convoy, Uncle Jonas tells you that a moving cloud of dust was sighted to the north soon after you left to scout Denton. Judging by the short time it took to cross the horizon, he suspects that it could only have been made by a large gang of bikers on the move. 'We'd best swing aroun' Denton by the south-west,' he says, squinting at a tattered old route map that he has spread across the hood of your roadster, 'just in case it was some o' them Yankees you tumped in Sherman.'</p>
+ <p>You gaze at the now-empty horizon and nod in agreement. 'You take point, Cal,' he says, as he folds his map and goes off to pass word of the detour to Cutter and the others. You see fear and uncertainty in their eyes as Uncle Jonas explains the sudden change of plan. As soon as he is back behind the wheel of the bus, you start your engine and lead the convoy away to the south-west, towards a parched bowl of cracked and barren land that was once the bed of Lake Lewisville.</p>
+ <p>You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect137">To continue, <link-text>turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect199">
+ <meta><title>199</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The voice seems to be coming from directly ahead. Slowly you advance until the dark outline of a toy store looms out of the storm. You approach and, as you reach its open door, you are relieved to see little Maria sitting cross-legged in the middle of the store. She is playing happily with a large furry bear, totally oblivious to the panic her disappearance has caused.</p>
+ <p>You radio the good news to Cutter and Kate, and tell them to return to the colony. Then you gather up Maria and her new playmate in your arms, cover her head to protect her from the storm, and switch your transceiver to Uncle Jonas' signal to guide you back to the school.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect200">
+ <meta><title>200</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You spring to your feet and run towards the platform, weaving back and forth in order to present the Lions with a difficult target. Kate and Cutter are screaming encouragement, inspiring you to greater effort when you reach the centre of the bridge. Bullets are flying everywhere: whistling, singing, smacking into the asphalt on either side of your feet as you sprint the last few yards. As you pass the tanker, Cutter steps in front of you and grabs your jacket to slow you down. He points to the ruins of a nearby church and tells you to follow him there.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39"><link-text>Turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect201">
+ <meta><title>201</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You recognize at once the chemical symbol for sodium chloride - common salt: you have stumbled upon a huge stockpile of a substance that is vital to human survival, yet one that is becoming harder to find with every passing day. In your excitement you give a shout and can barely stop yourself from dancing around the crate in sheer delight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29">If you wish to take as many tubs of salt as you can carry and then return to the convoy, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect152">If you wish to investigate the steel door before leaving the basement, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect202">
+ <meta><title>202</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You force yourself to breathe deeply, giving your blood the oxygen it craves. As your pulse steadies and your vision clears, you see a second fire escape that services the far side of the building. Slowly you make your way towards it, taking care to avoid the many holes that puncture the roof, then you race down the steps and escape along a deserted passage that leads to a derelict timber yard. There, behind a stack of rotting fencing posts, you crouch, waiting for a chance to escape from Albany. While you are lying low, you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect61">To continue, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect203">
+ <meta><title>203</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Silently you creep along the side of the diner and peer around the corner. The front door is open and you can make out the shadowy shapes of the two men as they move about inside. Patiently you wait for the best moment to strike.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect130">If you possess a missile weapon, <link-text>turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect71">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not have sufficient ammunition to use it, <link-text>turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect204">
+ <meta><title>204</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The road stretches before you, empty and silent, shimmering beneath the early morning sun. With the temperature already in the mid-nineties, you are grateful for the cool breeze that whips through your hair as you speed across the barren flats. The tracks made by Long lake's tyres are still fresh in the dust that blankets the highway, and you trail them all the way to the outskirts of Sherman, where you discover his pick-up abandoned near an old gas station.</p>
+ <p>A line of footprints disappears towards the centre of the town, and, as you follow them along the main street, you catch sight of Long Jake, a rifle in his hand, waving at you from the doorway of his brother's store. Behind him stands a girl. She looks eighteen, maybe younger. Judging by the state of her clothing she must have been through a pretty rough time. You bring your roadster to a halt in front of the store and, nervously, Long Jake motions you to enter. 'Quick, Cal!' he hisses. 'Get over here!'</p>
+ <p>You are barely out of the driving seat when a burst of machine-gun fire rings out across the street. Bullets hit the ground near your feet and a number of holes appear, stitched in a jagged row across the trunk of your car.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect109">If you wish to get back into your roadster and try to escape this ambush, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect307">If you wish to dive to the ground and take cover, <link-text>turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect205">
+ <meta><title>205</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The foul smell of their unwashed bodies dissuades you from searching through the pockets of your two attackers. However, their clubs lie on the ground nearby and you may keep one if you wish (record it on your Weapons list as a Club [2]).</p>
+ <p>A search of the store reveals no trace of Maria, and you are about to leave to look elsewhere when your transceiver crackles into life. It is Kate, and she has good news: she has found Maria and she is on her way back to the school. You acknowledge her call, then tune your handset to Uncle Jonas' signal and use it to guide you back to base.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect280"><link-text>Turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect206">
+ <meta><title>206</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your gun and take aim at the moving figures, but in the poor light it is difficult to separate the bikers from your own people. You hesitate, and in that split second your weapon is kicked from your grasp. A burly clansman, his head shaved and tattooed, drags you from under the tanker and attempts to choke you to death with his bare hands.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Cuttisark</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the surprise of the attack, you are unable to draw a close combat weapon until the start of the second round of combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect166">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect207">
+ <meta><title>207</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wade out of the water, your boots heavy with cloying river mud, and stop to scrape away the muck. Unfortunately, you are standing directly over a nest of scorpions, and when you stoop to pick up a stick, you receive a painful sting on the palm of your hand.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it the number of Medi-kit units you currently possess.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect330">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect234">If your total score is now 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect208">
+ <meta><title>208</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Here Cal, take this,' says Uncle Jonas, offering you his sawn-off shotgun. 'When you git in close you won't need to be too fussy where you point this beauty.'</p>
+ <p>You take the gun and check that both barrels are loaded. 'I'll go left,' whispers Cutter.</p>
+ <p>'Whenever you're ready,' you reply, tensing your body in preparation for the run.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect177"><link-text>Turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect209">
+ <meta><title>209</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A sudden sound to your left betrays the hiding place of a would-be ambusher. You spin on your heel, drawing your hunting knife and tensing yourself in expectation of an attack. Lurking in the doorway is a scrawny youth dressed in tattered buckskin. His clothes, and the coloured stripes that mark his face, remind you of books you read when you were young; books with pictures of red indian braves, who fought the cowboys of the old West. The youth screams a curse and casts a rope lasso around your shoulders, but before he can draw it tight, you sever it with one sweep of your razor-sharp blade. His scream echoes across the street and draws forth others of his kind all of them dressed in similar red indian costumes. They advance towards you, brandishing knives and axes, and you turn and run in fear for your life.</p>
+ <p>As you run past the entrance to a small bar, another group appears on the sidewalk less than twenty yards ahead. Shots ring out, forcing you to dive for cover inside the bar. Fortunately the place is deserted, but the angry screams of the mob grow louder by the second. Quickly you scan the gloomy interior, searching for a way out or a place to hide. Two possibilities present themselves: the staircase to the first floor, and the counter at the rear of the bar.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect286">If you wish to ascend the stairs to the first floor, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect118">If you wish to hide behind the counter, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect210">
+ <meta><title>210</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You check your rear-view mirror and see both Cutter and Uncle Jonas giving you a thumbs up. 'Hold on tight,' you shout to Kate, your voice almost lost as you rev your engine. 'Here we go!'</p>
+ <p>You move away, keeping an eye on your mirror to make sure that you do not out-distance the rest of the convoy. Then, as you approach the outskirts of the town, Kate raises her shotgun and gets ready to greet the Maverick clansmen who are brave, or foolish, enough to stand in your way. Gunfire erupts from the windows of the nearby buildings and bullets whistle past, fired from all directions. Kate opens up in reply, empty cartridge cases spewing from her gun as she picks off the renegade bikers with chilling accuracy. Then the first of the obstacles appears and you stamp your foot to the floor. The force of your car's acceleration hits you like a kick in the back. The car screams through the town, scattering motorcycles and riders, its rear wheels trailing a blue haze of friction-burnt rubber.</p>
+ <p>The last few buildings are flashing past on either side when you see a solitary figure standing in the middle of the highway ahead. As you scream towards him, coolly he raises a rifle and takes aim at your windshield.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If the number you have picked is 0-2, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect328">If it is 3-8, <link-text>turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If it is 9, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect211">
+ <meta><title>211</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The familiar outline of McKinney appears on the horizon and you increase speed. You are keen to return as quickly as you can and warn the colony of the danger now approaching from the north. Your return is met with mixed feelings: all are upset to hear that Long lake is dead, and many are disappointed that you could not save the cache of rifles and ammunition that he found. However, all, without exception, are thankful that you are still alive and, despite the threat of a revenge attack by Mad Dog Michigan, they welcome Kate to the colony with open arms.</p>
+ <p>In the light of this new threat to your safety it is decided that the colony should not wait until tomorrow to begin its long journey west. With all the major preparations already completed, the convoy is loaded and ready to move off within the hour. All that remains to do, once the convoy is at a safe distance, is to set fire to the ranch. This will destroy the supplies you are forced to leave behind, preventing them from falling into the hands of either Mad Dog Michigan, or the murderous city gangs of Dallas and Fort Worth.</p>
+ <p>Once the Ewell ranch is ablaze, you lead the convoy cross-country towards Denton. There you hope to pick up Freeway 35 and follow it south on the first stage of your journey to Big Spring. Two miles outside Denton, you signal to the others to halt while you go ahead and make sure that the town is empty and the freeway is clear of obstructions.</p>
+ <p>Add together your current levels of Field Craft and Perception. Now, pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (0 = zero) and add this to your score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect155">If your total is now 6-12, <link-text>turn to 155</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If it is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect212">
+ <meta><title>212</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You slip inside the diner and use the overturned tables and chairs for cover. One of the men places his weapon on the floor in order to take a home-made cigar from his pack, and when the other man strikes a match and offers it to him, you launch your attack. You fell the man holding the match with a crushing blow to his neck, then you turn to face his partner, but his reflexes are far quicker than you expected. He hurls his lighted cigar at your face and you are forced to slap it aside with the back of your hand. Before you recover, he leaps at you and wrestles you to the ground.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Belushi</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the ferocity of his attack, you are unable to draw any close combat weapons until the start of the second round of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect119">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect213">
+ <meta><title>213</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a tremendous effort, you leap and dive across the hood of your roadster to avoid being caught by the burst of automatic fire. Bullets follow you across the car, piercing the side and glancing noisily off the case-hardened rollbar, but your swift reflexes save you from being hit.</p>
+ <p>As soon as you are safely under cover you let out a scream that convinces your enemy that he has killed you. He turns his attention elsewhere, and you are able to pull yourself into the car and start the engine without being seen. Swiftly you accelerate away, steering your roadster towards the tail-lights of the bus as it crashes through a group of bikers and escapes on to the freeway. A few random shots ricochet off the trunk as you follow the bus out of Santo, but within minutes you pass out of range and the gunfire ceases.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect162"><link-text>Turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect214">
+ <meta><title>214</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you bring your shotgun to your shoulder, draw a breath through clenched teeth, and take aim at the enemy sniper perched on the building opposite.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If your total score is now 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect215">
+ <meta><title>215</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step over your dead enemy and look around for his revolver. Just then you hear the angry screams of the mob as it draws closer, and you abandon your search, slamming shut the door and bracing it with a piece of scrap wood. It is a desperate measure and the wood will not hold them for long, but it could buy you the precious seconds you need to get away.</p>
+ <p>A back alley leads into a side street where, frantically, you search for somewhere safe to hide. An old boarding house opposite looks like the answer to your prayers, and quickly you cross the empty street and enter the building.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect86"><link-text>Turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect216">
+ <meta><title>216</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dead bikers sport snake tattoos around their throats, marking them as members of the Arlington Vipers gang. Your colony has encountered many from this gang during the past few months; they often led night raids on the DC1 settlement at McKinney.</p>
+ <p>In addition to three pistols and a shotgun, which are given to some of the colonists aboard the bus who have no weapons, a search of the bikes and bodies reveals the following items:</p>
+ <p>Two Knives (2) Enough food for three Meals Mirror Enough antiseptic and pain killers for two Medi-kit units Water Canteen Enough water for two Drinks (1 pint) Twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition Three rounds of 12-gauge shotgun ammunition Telescope File</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to amend your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly. After your exertion, you must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect105">To continue, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect217">
+ <meta><title>217</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You accelerate a split second before the angry clansman empties his machine pistol into your car in one long burst of fire. The special armour-piercing loads penetrate the rear, many of them passing clean through the trunk and out the far side. Miraculously, you escape with just a grazed rib, the bullet having been stopped by the thickness of your driving seat (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Had it travelled two inches further it would have severed your spine!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect285"><link-text>Turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect218">
+ <meta><title>218</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the door lies a mass of heavy machinery: an engine that once powered a thrilling space ride, which was the biggest attraction of this provincial town park. You glimpse the obsolete engine as you dive and manage to twist aside at the last moment. Although you graze your shoulder (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), you save yourself from crashing head first against its stainless-steel casing.</p>
+ <p>As you recover, your hand locates the sharp implement that caused your wound. It is a Crowbar (2). If you wish to keep this item, record it on your Weapons list as a close combat weapon.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect56"><link-text>Turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect219">
+ <meta><title>219</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>All those whose clothes have been set alight by splashes of the burning gasolene-and-oil mixture, are dragged away from the blaze and smothered with blankets. Miraculously, nobody is seriously burnt, but the bus itself is still ablaze and the flames and fumes are beginning to spread rapidly towards the front.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect59">If you possess a Fire Extinguisher, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect92">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect220">
+ <meta><title>220</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'We gotta get out &ellips;' you say, turning towards Long Jake. But your words of warning stick in your throat when you catch sight of him lying on the floor, unmoving, his chest wet with blood. You reach for a Medi-kit and rush to his side, but it is too late; he caught the worst of the shotgun blast and nothing can be done to help him now.</p>
+ <p>'Watch the street,' shouts the girl, as she moves forward to search the body of Long Jake's killer. 'This dude you've wasted has some real mean kin. They'll soon get to wonderin' what's hap'ning in here and 'll come to check us out.' She pockets some cartridges, snatches up the killer's shotgun, and hurriedly reloads it as she moves towards the door. From out of the ruins opposite step three punks armed with pistols. Slowly they advance, their movements stiff with caution.</p>
+ <p>'Make a run for the car,' she says. 'I'll cover you.' You nod in agreement and take a deep breath before launching yourself out of the doorway. The punks stop and shoot wildly at your moving form, but their nerve deserts them when the girl opens fire, and they soon melt away into the ruins. You reach your roadster, start the engine, then beckon to the girl to follow. The moment she is safely aboard, you drop the clutch and stamp your foot on the gas pedal. The engine roars and the back wheels spin, sending up great clouds of dust and loose stones, but the car does not move forwards. Panic knots your stomach as you feel the rear end snaking sideways - you are losing control. Then the tyres grip the road and you are thrown back in your seat as you screech away, accelerating like a rocket along the main street that leads out of Sherman.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect318"><link-text>Turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect221">
+ <meta><title>221</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to dodge the swathe of bullets, but your reactions are dulled by fatigue and injury and you cannot avoid being hit in the chest and arm: lose 7 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect262">If you are still alive after this grievous wounding, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect222">
+ <meta><title>222</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite your anxiety you manage to get a few hours sleep before dawn. As the sky brightens, Uncle Jonas voices his fear that the vehicles are far too exposed out on the highway, where they can easily be spotted and will be sure to attract another raid like the one you endured last night at Santo. Cutter agrees, so before you set off for Strawn he fixes a line to the back of the tanker and tows the bus into a nearby gulley.</p>
+ <p>There, Uncle Jonas and the others set to work dismantling the broken steering linkage, while Mountain Goat draws a map of Strawn, showing the location of the truck depot. He hands the sketch to Cutter, and you and he check your equipment and bid farewell to the others before setting off.</p>
+ <p>Two hours later you catch sight of the fortified town. It is perched on a ridge of high ground and enjoys an unobstructed view over the surrounding land. You note its perimeter wall, constructed of rubble and old cars, and the crudely built watchtowers that command its freeway approaches. It seems to you that it would be impossible for a large group, or even a single vehicle to approach this town undetected, yet the rocky terrain that surrounds it enables you and Cutter to crawl to within a few hundred yards of the perimeter wall without being seen.</p>
+ <p>Patiently you observe the inhabitants of Strawn while waiting for night to fall. During your long vigil you must eat a Meal (or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) and take two Drinks (or lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). You identify two weak links in the defensive wall: one is an alley that services an old shopping mall; the other is a chain-link fence that surrounds a derelict amusement park at the edge of town. Cutter suggests that you enter Strawn separately in order to minimize the risk of being seen, then meet at the depot itself. He offers you first choice of approach.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103">If you wish to enter Strawn via the alley, <link-text>turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect60">If you decide to enter the town via the amusement park, <link-text>turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect223">
+ <meta><title>223</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With your goggles on you are able to discern the dark outline of a toy store directly ahead. You approach and, as you reach its open door, you are relieved to see little Maria sitting cross-legged in the middle of the store. She is playing happily with a large furry bear, totally oblivious to the panic her disappearance has caused.</p>
+ <p>You radio the good news to Cutter and Kate, and tell them to return to the colony. Then you gather up Maria and her new playmate in your arms, cover her head to protect her from the storm, and switch your transceiver to Uncle Jonas' signal to guide you back to the school.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect224">
+ <meta><title>224</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You return to the convoy and tell the others the disappointing news, that the bridge at Lakeside Village is out. There is only one alternative - the bridge across Lake Worth. As you take your place at the head of the column and lead the convoy along Highway 820, you can only pray that it has not suffered a similar fate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect149"><link-text>Turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect225">
+ <meta><title>225</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In your weakened condition you fail to notice that you are standing at the edge of a gaping hole and, as you shuffle forwards, you tumble straight into it. Automatically you throw out your hands to grasp at anything that will arrest your fall, but before your fingers find purchase, your head glances a supporting beam and you are knocked unconscious.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect48"><link-text>Turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect226">
+ <meta><title>226</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fight to control your fear as slowly, inch by inch, you back away from the deadly rattlesnake. You have made a wise move: the snake is terrified and only too eager to escape a confrontation. As soon as it sees you retreating, it too backs off.</p>
+ <p>As you watch the snake slither away you breathe a deep sigh of relief. You must now take a Drink (or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) before you climb back into your roadster and return to the convoy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect185"><link-text>Turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect227">
+ <meta><title>227</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cutter points to the side of the highway, where a length of crash barrier lies curled and twisted like a petrified metal snake. 'We could rig that piece to the front of the bus,' he says, indicating a v-shaped section shorter than the rest, 'and use it like one o' those ol' fashioned batterin' rams. It'll protect the engine an' wheels an' pack one heck of a punch.'</p>
+ <p>Uncle Jonas looks sideways at Cutter, his eyes narrowed, his face drawn and serious. Then his expression softens and he starts to laugh. 'Why you sly old son of a gun. Trust you to figure out a way.'</p>
+ <p>Fifteen minutes later, the barrier is firmly roped and braced to the front of the bus. Cutter volunteers to take the wheel and lead the attack, with Uncle Jonas driving the tanker and you bringing up the rear in your roadster. If all goes to plan, the bus will smash through the barricade, leaving a gap wide enough for both the tanker and you to follow in its wake.</p>
+ <p>As soon as everyone is in position, Cutter gives the signal to move. Fortunately, the bridge is below you, at the bottom of a steep hill, enabling the bus to build up a good speed. Your heart quickens as the convoy gathers pace, and nervously you watch as your speedometer needle moves further around the dial.</p>
+ <p>The bus is fifty yards from the barricade when the defenders open fire, their automatic weapons filling the air with wave upon wave of lead. The vast bulk of the tanker shields you from this hail of death, but your heart goes out to those aboard the bus who must be bearing the brunt of this withering fire. Then you hear a tremendous crash as the bus slams into the barricade, and moments later you see the tanker shudder as it widens the gap that Cutter has made. It ploughs through with ease, but in doing so, it catches and spins the torn wreckage directly into your path. A cold chill runs down your spine as the twisted wreck of a car comes hurtling towards your windshield.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Driving and Perception skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect323">If your total is now 0-10, <link-text>turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect263">If your total is now 11-14, <link-text>turn to 263</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect69">If your total is now 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect228">
+ <meta><title>228</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman screams his death cry and crashes to the ground. Quickly you prise the Machete (3) from his hand and scan the street in search of an escape route. (Remember to record the Machete on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <p>Carefully you consider the only two routes that appear open to you. You can either run east along the main street, and back towards your car, retracing the route by which you entered Cross Plains; or you can run in the opposite direction and attempt to hide in the maze of alleys that once serviced the town stores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect110">If you wish to run east, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect321">If you decide to run west, <link-text>turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect229">
+ <meta><title>229</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fire and immediately the sniper clutches his chest. He gives a loud scream and then tumbles over the parapet, landing with a thud on the sidewalk below. With grim satisfaction you stare at his body, but your gaze is distracted when a column of motor cycles - the main body of the clan - rides into view. They are now less than a mile from the bridge. 'C'mon you two!' shouts Cutter. 'It's time to go.'</p>
+ <p>The tanker has made it across the platform and is no parked with the other vehicles on the far side of the river. You leave the factory and run back towards the bridge. When you reach the position that Kate is defending, you say breathlessly: 'Set the bomb &ellips; I'll stay here and cover you!'</p>
+ <p>Tensely you watch the clansmen as they gun their bikes along the freeway, and you glance repeatedly over your shoulder, praying for Kate to signal that the bomb is ready. Then the front line of bikers open fire with their machine pistols, and suddenly the air is filled with the whine and whistle of bullets. 'It's ready!' shouts Kate, and takes off across the bridge. at a run.</p>
+ <p>Add together your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> POINTS score and your Stealth skill total. (Note: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items in order to increase your Stealth skill level).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324">If your total is 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect200">If your total is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect230">
+ <meta><title>230</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your attacker screams and falls backwards out of the car, disappearing into the cloud of dust that is being kicked up by your heavy-duty racing tyres. But no sooner has one danger passed than another looms into view. The combat has distracted your attention from the land ahead and, as you regain full control of the roadster, you find yourself hurtling straight towards the overturned wreck of an ambulance.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Driving skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect345">If your total is now 3-8, <link-text>turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect95">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 95</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect231">
+ <meta><title>231</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Debris from the explosion lies scattered across the ground for hundreds of yards. Cutter is worried that the vehicles may have been wrecked, but after a thorough check the damage is found to be superficial. As soon as the colony are back on board the bus, you slip behind the wheel of your roadster and lead them away from Colorado City. You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You have been driving for no more than twenty minutes when you see in the distance a small cluster of weathered buildings shimmering in the heat. A sign informs you that you are now approaching the town of Westbrook.</p>
+ <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Perception skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect167">If your total score is now 20 or less, <link-text>turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If your total score is now 21 or more, <link-text>turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect232">
+ <meta><title>232</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch carefully as the group draws closer, noticing several things that make you feel uneasy. The dogs look much larger than ordinary alsatians, and flecks of white foam drip from their mouths as they tug and snap repeatedly at their heavy chain leashes. By contrast, the two handlers appear painfully thin and gaunt, the skin on their faces unnaturally pale despite the burning desert sun.</p>
+ <p>Rather than await their arrival, you decide to return to your roadster and leave, but you have taken barely a dozen steps towards your car when the dogs emit blood-curdling howls and come racing across the rocky ground towards you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133">If you possess enough food for three Meals, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect322">If you do not possess this much food, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect233">
+ <meta><title>233</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You grab your rifle, pull back its bolt, and let it spring forward to chamber a round. With the safety off and the tangent sight set at 200 yards, you rest the barrel across the rollbar of your roadster and take aim at your distant target. At this range the figure in black appears little more than 1/16 inch high, but this does not cause you any worries. You are used to hitting targets up to half a mile away, using this rifle.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total. Now decide how many rounds you wish to fire (minimum - one round; maximum - four rounds). For every round you fire, add one point to your current score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect164">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect58">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect234">
+ <meta><title>234</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You breathe a sigh of relief when you discover that there is an ampoule of anti-toxin in your Medi-kit. Quickly you administer the injection and the pain slowly subsides. As the anti-toxin takes effect, it makes you nauseous, causing you to retch violently: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. Eventually these side effects disappear, but they leave you shaky and dehydrated.</p>
+ <p>You must now take two Drinks (or lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) before you climb back into your roadster and return to the convoy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect185"><link-text>Turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect235">
+ <meta><title>235</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The broken ground is illuminated by the full moon but, after a short while, the shadow of Washout Mountain intrudes across your path and soon you find yourself in pitch darkness.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect24">If you possess a Solar Torch, <link-text>turn to 24</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect117">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect236">
+ <meta><title>236</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Frantically you fumble for the grenade, but in your panic you knock it off the seat and it rolls into the passenger foot well, beyond the reach of your outstretched hand. Suddenly there is a tremendous flash and you are thrown into the air. Then darkness engulfs you and you cease to think or feel or be.</p>
+ <p>Your journey and your life end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect237">
+ <meta><title>237</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You glance over the wing of your car just long enough to pinpoint the muzzle flash, then duck back and wait for a break in the firing. There is a sudden silence. You chance a second glance and spot a shadowy figure, silhouetted in the window, withdrawing an empty magazine.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect88">If you are using a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you are using a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect26">If you are using a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect40">If you are using a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 40</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect238">
+ <meta><title>238</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You shout at your people to get away from the window as the Maverick hurls his fire-bomb. Their screams of terror fill your ears as they scramble across the seats in a desperate attempt to escape the blast. You hear a sharp crack as the bottle strikes the glass, then there is a brilliant flash of orange and yellow light as it smashes through the window and bursts into flames.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect79">If the number you have picked is 0-2, <link-text>turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect197">If the number is 3-9, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect239">
+ <meta><title>239</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The chief smiles as the colour drains from your face, then he motions to his driver who slowly drives him away. The clan continues to dance around you for nearly an hour before dispersing to prepare for your sacrifice. During this time you manage to free one hand, and furtively you work at undoing the buckles of your Backpack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186">If you possess a Flexible Saw, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect13">If you possess a Signal Flare, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect55">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 55</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect240">
+ <meta><title>240</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The white plastic tubs are unlike any container you have seen before. You are curious but suspicious: why should they have escaped untouched when everything else in the university has either been looted or destroyed? Rather than risk opening what may turn out to be a tub of hazardous or poisonous chemical, you back away from the crate and leave the basement quickly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect144">To return to the convoy, <link-text>turn to 144</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect241">
+ <meta><title>241</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You grab his wrist but you have mistimed your action and you cannot maintain your grip. He breaks free and, with a maniacal scream, plunges the dagger deep into your unprotected chest. Red hot pain fills your body, but the agony is soon replaced by a terrifying numbness. The last thing you see is the triumphant smile fixed on your killer's face.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your journey end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect242">
+ <meta><title>242</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are winded by your fall and lie for several minutes staring helplessly at the starry sky. Gradually you recover your senses and manage to pull yourself unsteadily to your feet. A cursory check of your equipment reveals that your C.B. Radio is smashed to pieces, together with the second Backpack item listed on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> (erase both of these items from your list).</p>
+ <p>As your strength returns, you resolve to climb out of the gulley as quickly as you can.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Stealth and Field Craft skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80">If your total score is now 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect12">If your total score is now 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect243">
+ <meta><title>243</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter the derelict factory and take up your position at a top floor window that overlooks both the freeway and the bridge. Below you can see Kate. She is crouching behind the auto wreck with a rifle in her hands. Nervously you count the passing seconds, your eyes fixed on the road.</p>
+ <p>The first of the Lions appears: it is a motorcycle and sidecar. A lion's head flag flutters from an aerial fixed to the rider's saddle, and a heavy-calibre machine gun is mounted in front of his partner's chair. As soon as they see the tanker they open fire, sending a stream of tracer bullets arcing towards the bridge. The fiery shells tear great holes in the asphalt and riddle Kate's position, but bravely she holds her ground. You rest your weapon on the window ledge and watch the enemy vehicle through your gunsight as it speeds towards the bridge. You are about to fire when a single shot echoes along the street, and you see the rider throw his hands up to his face. Seconds later the speeding machine careers off the road, slams into the wall of an office building, and explodes in a searing ball of flame.</p>
+ <p>With grim satisfaction you stare at the burning wreckage, but your gaze is soon distracted by something moving across the roof of the building opposite. It is a clansman, dressed wholly in black leather and wearing a visored crash helmet. He stops at the corner, unslings a rifle, and takes careful aim at the bridge. Your pulse quickens when you see that the barrel of his gun is pointing directly at Kate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect124">If the gun you are holding is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect2">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 2</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect145">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 145</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect244">
+ <meta><title>244</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wait until the man is about to jump, then you brake heavily and swerve towards the motorcycle. The rider senses your move and stamps on the rear brake, locking his back wheel and slewing his machine sideways along the road. The passenger is sent flying. He hurtles through the air like a rock from a catapult, and crashes against the trunk of your car with a sickening thud. You hear him groan and catch a glimpse of his body in your rear-view mirror, lying broken on the stony ground as you accelerate away towards the ridge. The other bikers lose interest and soon give up the chase. They return to the town, pausing only to curse and fire a few ill-aimed shots at your back as you make your escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect198"><link-text>Turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect245">
+ <meta><title>245</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Fortunately, the injuries you sustained during your fight with the rabid dog were caused by rough contact with the road surface, and not by contact with the animal's infected fangs. You check yourself carefully, cutting away any parts of your clothing that show traces of the deadly saliva.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect246">
+ <meta><title>246</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You drop your containers and slide down the slope, riding the loose shale feet first. As you near the bottom you dig in your heels, using the speed of your descent to lever you forwards into a perfect dive. You reach Kate in a matter of seconds, but she is struggling so fiercely that it takes many minutes before you are able to get hold of her and swim towards the shallows. Eventually, breathless and bedraggled, you crawl out of the water and collapse side by side on the muddy shore.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect247">
+ <meta><title>247</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The hell you will!' shouts Cutter in reply, and looses off a round from his old Colt .45 to reinforce his answer. You glance over the top of the slope and try to estimate the enemy's strength. The punks are well hidden but three motorcycles are visible in the distance. 'It's a bluff', you whisper. 'I reckon there can only be six of them at most.'</p>
+ <p>The muffled sounds of crying can be heard aboard the bus as the children take fright at the unexpected sound of gunfire. Uncle Jonas and Harvey Harlan, known affectionately as 'Hammer Harlan' by the rest of DC1, jump out of the boarding door and run towards you, both of them cradling loaded shotguns. Hurriedly you make a plan: Uncle Jonas, Kate and Hammer will stay here and give covering fire while you and Cutter circle around behind the punks' posi- tions and attempt to flush them out into the open. It is a bold move but one that must be attempted. If the punks manage to pin you down until more of their gang arrive, then the fate of the convoy will be sealed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect37">If you possess a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect208">If you do not possess this missile weapon, <link-text>turn to 208</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect248">
+ <meta><title>248</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instantly you drop to the ground and take cover behind the engine compartment of your car. A glance over the hood invites another shot; it passes within inches of your scalp and makes you duck, but not before you notice the muzzle flash of the sniper's gun. The ambusher is hiding in the doorway of a diner on the other side of the highway. Two motorcycles are parked at the side of the building, indicating that he is not alone.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect116">If you possess a C.B. radio, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect249">
+ <meta><title>249</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cutter helps you to hide the clansman's body in the trunk before returning to the front of the bus to finish his work. Meanwhile, you search inside and find an old tool bag that looks ideal for transporting the heavy linkage. Cutter completes the job and stows the linkage in the bag. Together you carry it out of the service bay and across the parking lot towards the exit.</p>
+ <p>Weighed down by the heavy load, you find it impossible to move quickly and your escape from Strawn takes several hours to accomplish. You manage to avoid the Skull clan's perimeter patrols, but it is not until mid-morning of the following day that eventually you arrive back at the colony.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect196"><link-text>Turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect250">
+ <meta><title>250</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you close in on them, the machine-gunner unsheathes a hunting knife and runs forward to meet your advance. He curses vilely as he sweeps the blade through an arc towards your throat. You back away and avoid its razor-sharp tip, but the Maverick follows up his advantage and lunges at your heart.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Warhol</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">17</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect350">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect251">
+ <meta><title>251</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An eerie silence is broken by Long Jake, who shouts out: ''Taint over yet, Cal. There's more of them damn peckerwoods hidin' out there somewhere!' As if to prove his point, two single shots ring out, almost simultaneously, and ricochet off the storehouse wall. Watch your sides,' Jake yells. 'Don't let 'em circle you.'</p>
+ <p>You sense someone, or something, moving among the ruined shops away to your right. They are trying to get into a position where they will have a clear shot at you. If you are to survive this ambush you had better find somewhere less exposed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect120">If you wish to make a dash for the store, <link-text>turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you decide to jump into your roadster and take off along the main street, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect252">
+ <meta><title>252</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A violent gust blows you off your feet and rolls you along the ground. Wearily you rise to your knees and radio Cutter for assistance, telling him what you have heard. He replies that it was probably a trick of the storm, and that you must continue the search or, if the wind is too strong in your area, abandon it and return to the school. Less than a minute later you hear the voice again, and desperately you try to pinpoint its source.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Perception skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If your total score is now 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect199">If your total score Is now 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect253">
+ <meta><title>253</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Better set up your transceiver before you go, Cal,' says Pop Ewell, 'so's you can call us if you get in a fix.' 'Use the 153 megahertz band,' says Cutter. We'll have someone here listenin' out for you the whole time you're away.'</p>
+ <p>You set your radio to the chosen frequency and make sure there is sufficient power left in its miniaturized solar-pac before you get ready to leave.</p>
+ <p>'Good luck, boy,' says Uncle Jonas, as you switch on your ignition and check your instrumentation. 'Don't take no unnecessary risks, y'hear!'</p>
+ <p>With a wave, you bid him farewell, before accelerating the roadster along the highway that leads to Mineral Wells.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect325"><link-text>Turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect254">
+ <meta><title>254</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw back the bolt of your C-12 and shout at your people to get away from the window as you hurriedly take aim at the rider's chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect302">If your total score is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect255">
+ <meta><title>255</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The steel door appears to be held shut by an electronic lock. You suspect it to be jammed, its power source run down long ago, but as soon as you run your fingers over the keypad, an LED display glows into life above it.</p>
+ <p>Eleven numbers appear, arranged in three horizontal rows. There are four numbers on the top row, four on the second, and three on the third:</p>
+ <p>8 7 9 6 94 20 37 77 52 57 11 -</p>
+ <p>You study the rows of numbers carefully, looking for a pattern. By tapping on the keypad the number that is missing from the last row, you will release the lock and open the door.</p>
+ <p>When you think you know the missing number turn to the entry that bears that number.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect194">If you cannot work out the correct answer, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect256">
+ <meta><title>256</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As your fingers close around the chief's wrist, you twist his hand aside with all the strength you can muster. He screams in frustration and tries to counter your unexpected move by grabbing at your throat with his free hand. In the desperate struggle the blade passes within an inch of your chest. He tightens his grip until you can no longer breathe, but you fight tenaciously to maintain your hold. The tip of the dagger wavers, dangerously close, then jerks upwards and cuts through your bonds. Instinctively you lash out with your freed hand and knock the chief down with a forceful punch to the jaw. By the time he has recovered and staggered to his feet, you have stripped away the remaining ropes and freed yourself from the totem. He still holds the dagger, but he is alone - his clansmen are deeply entranced and oblivious to the struggle that is taking place before them.</p>
+ <p>'Heng will be appeased!' screams the chief, and lunges once more at your heart.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Chief Drawoher</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">17</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect136">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect257">
+ <meta><title>257</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'You'll never regret this,' he says, excitedly, and scurries away to the rear of the cave to collect his meagre belongings. He reappears a few minutes later with a tattered rucksack on his back, and offers to lead the way down the steep hill. During the descent he tells you that Strawn is the next town due west. Before 'the Day', a large service depot that repaired buses and trucks was located there. If the part you need still exists, the service depot at Strawn is the place where you are most likely to find it.</p>
+ <p>Upon reaching the bus, you find that the reaction of the colony to Mountain Goat is less than enthusiastic. Most, especially the women, are horrified at the thought of having to share the bus with a smelly, flea-ridden hermit, and angrily they voice their protest.</p>
+ <p>Not until they have heard how he can help to get the bus moving again do they change their minds.</p>
+ <p>'Where is this depot?' asks Cutter.</p>
+ <p>'It's six miles west o' here,' pipes Mountain Goat, eager to appear helpful.</p>
+ <p>'Good. At first light, Cal can drive us there and you can help locate the part we need.'</p>
+ <p>'Mrnmm&ellips; OK,' replies Mountain Goat, hesitantly, 'but first I think there's something y'all should know.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect169"><link-text>Turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect258">
+ <meta><title>258</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You attempt to dodge the gunfire, but your legs are too weak to propel you quickly enough. Three of the six shots hit you in the body, wounding you fatally. As your life's blood ebbs away and darkness encroaches, you see the flash of the explosion that destroys your roadster.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at Lake Sweetwater.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect259">
+ <meta><title>259</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly your fingers go numb as the biker lashes out at your hand with the heel of his boot, sending your pistol spinning high into the air. You curse the loss of a good weapon (remember to delete this pistol from your list of missile weapons), and fumble for your Hunting Knife as your attacker gets ready to leap into the seat beside you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Bronx</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Because of your numb hand and your need to remain in control of the roadster throughout this combat, reduce your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 4 points for the duration of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect167">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect230">If the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect260">
+ <meta><title>260</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instinctively you dive away from the window, your speedy reactions saving you from being cut down by the swathe of bullets. Then you hear a man scream and abruptly the firing ceases. You chance a glance out of the window to see the sniper falling from the parapet, clutching at his chest as he crashes to the sidewalk below. With a smile you signal a thumbs-up to Kate and she returns your thanks with a wave of her rifle.</p>
+ <p>A few minutes later a column of motorcycles - the main body of the clan - rides into view. They are now less than a mile from the bridge, 'Cmon you two!' shouts Cutter. 'It's time to go.'</p>
+ <p>The tanker has made it across the platform and is now parked with the other vehicles on the far side of the river. You leave the factory and run back towards the bridge. When you reach the position that Kate is defending, you say breathlessly: 'Set the bomb I'll stay here and cover you!'</p>
+ <p>Tensely you watch the clansmen as they gun their bikes along the freeway, and you glance repeatedly over your shoulder, praying for Kate to signal that the bomb is ready. Then the front line of bikers open fire with their machine pistols, and suddenly the air is filled with the whine and whistle of bullets. 'Its ready!' shouts Kate, and takes off across the bridge at a run.</p>
+ <p>Add together your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score and your stealth skill total. (NOTE: if your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items in order to increase your Stealth skill level.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324">If your total is 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect200">If your total is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect261">
+ <meta><title>261</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You snatch your Beretta 92 from its holster and flick back the safety as you level it at the leading dog. You take aim between its wild, feral eyes, but as you squeeze the trigger it leaps up and your bullet strikes low, catching it in the throat. The dog crashes to the ground, mortally wounded, yet the others continue to advance, undeterred. They leap across the body of their injured brother and hurl themselves at your chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total. Now decide how many rounds you wish to fire at the remaining dogs (minimum: one round; maximum: five rounds). For every round you fire, add 1 point to your score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect64">If your total score is now 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If your total score is now 1l or more, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect262">
+ <meta><title>262</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You stagger forwards, grimly determined to prevent them from abducting Kate, despite the agony of your wounds.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect132">If you possess a missile weapon, <link-text>turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect250">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not have sufficient ammunition to use it, <link-text>turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect263">
+ <meta><title>263</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You scream as you pull on the wheel in the desperate hope of avoiding the wreck that is now spinning towards your car. There is a violent jolt, and you are flung against the dashboard as the wreck clips the side of your vehicle and cartwheels into the lake: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Dazed and bloodied by the injury to your face, you fight to regain control of your car as it veers wildly from side to side.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Driving skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect52">If the total is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 52</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect278">If the total is now 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 278</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect264">
+ <meta><title>264</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Carefully, you push the barrel of your rifle through the bush and flick the adjustable rear sight to a range setting of sixty yards. The wooden stock feels uncomfortably warm against your cheek as you take aim at the running clansman. Holding your breath, slowly you squeeze the trigger.</p>
+ <p>Add your Shooting skill total to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect96">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect77">If your total score is now 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 77</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect265">
+ <meta><title>265</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to dodge aside but the front wheel of the motorcycle runs over your right calf, forcing you to the ground with a painful jolt: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points</p>
+ <p>Gritting your teeth against the pain, you manage to roll under the tanker and crouch beside the rear axle.</p>
+ <p>In the flickering light of the camp fire you see two bikers skid to a halt, then hurriedly step away from their machines. Both draw knives as they run towards the open door of the bus.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If you wish to unshoulder a weapon and open fire on the bikers, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect129">If you choose to leap to your feet and try to intercept them before they enter the bus, <link-text>turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect266">
+ <meta><title>266</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your quick, defensive action has saved you from a venomous bite. Your blow causes the rattlesnake to fall limply to the ground, unconscious. Before it revives, you move forward and finish it with a crushing blow to the head, then you step back and wipe the sweat from your forehead with the back of your hand.</p>
+ <p>You must now take a Drink (or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) before you climb back into your roadster and return to the convoy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect165"><link-text>Turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect267">
+ <meta><title>267</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'What is it?' you ask, curiously.</p>
+ <p>'The guy you killed back there in the store, the one who wasted Long Jake, well, his name was Stinger,' she replies, as if the name should mean something to you.</p>
+ <p>'So, what of it?' you say, quizzically.</p>
+ <p>'Well&ellips; he was Mad Dog Michigan's brother. When the others report what has happened to him, Mad Dog's gonna be after us for sure. The guy's a psycho. Believe me, I know. He'll stop at nothing to get even.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect211"><link-text>Turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect268">
+ <meta><title>268</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw a breath through clenched teeth, check that the safety catch is off, then focus your aim near the centre of the driver's crash helmet.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect23">If your total score is now 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect269">
+ <meta><title>269</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unfortunately, the stores show signs of having been looted recently. Lockers, drums, and crates that were once full of spares and munitions lie discarded in heaps on the floor. You climb across the debris, searching among the empty ammunition lockers. After nearly an hour of painstaking work, you manage to find just three rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and a Hammer [2].</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep these items, amend your Weapons list and Ammo Pouch accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect123">To leave the stores, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect270">
+ <meta><title>270</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lead the convoy along the split and cratered surface of State Highway 571, across a wasteland of bleached hills and scorched scrub. In the distance you see mountains - the twin summits of Caddo Peaks and the craggy outline of Spring Mesa - standing sharp and clear against the backdrop of a cloudless sky. By mid-afternoon the temperature has climbed to 110 Fahrenheit, and the combined effects of the heat and poor road surface begin to take their toll. Two miles inside Comanche county, the tanker is forced to halt with an overheated engine. Luckily, the breakdown occurs within sight of the Sabanna River, now little more than a torpid stream, and enough water is soon collected to enable the tanker to continue. (If you wish, you can refill your water canteen at the river at the cost of one Medi-kit unit).</p>
+ <p>Gradually the road turns westwards and climbs towards high plains country. Then, as you approach the outskirts of a town called Rising Star, Cutter signals to you to stop. 'We've got six people down with heat exhaustion, and four more on the brink,' he says, his face awash with sweat. 'We've got to get 'em out of this travelling oven and let 'em rest awhile in the shade.'</p>
+ <p>You suggest that the convoy waits in Rising Star while you go on ahead to make sure that Cross Plains is safe to enter. By the time you have checked it out and returned, the worst of the afternoon heat will have passed and the colony will be in better shape to continue. Before you leave for Cross Plains you must take a drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Unless you possess a tub of Salt, you must reduce your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> total by 4 points, due to excessive salt loss.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect42"><link-text>Turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect271">
+ <meta><title>271</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After two hours of painfully slow driving, the convoy reaches the far side of the lake, only to discover a hostile reception awaiting it. Just as you had suspected, the spy you saw earlier was a city gang member, one of a group of bikers out foraging for food. He has alerted the others in his group and now they lie in ambush, like a pack of hungry jackals, waiting for the convoy to come within range of their guns.</p>
+ <p>You have just cleared the top of the slope that marks the old shoreline of Lake Lewisville when the bikers make their presence felt. A volley of shots ricochet off the hood and side of your roadster, forcing you to swerve to a halt. Grabbing your gun, you leap out of the car and scream a warning to the others as you take cover at the edge of the lake. Cutter and Kate come running up the slope to join you but, just as they reach your side, a harsh voice yells out: 'There are more than thirty of us here and we're armed to the teeth. You don't stand a chance. Throw down your weapons and surrender and we'll spare your lives!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect247"><link-text>Turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect272">
+ <meta><title>272</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You summon every ounce of your strength to save yourself from falling under the wheels of the bus. Painfully, you pull yourself aboard and, as you stagger up the short flight of steps towards the driver's seat, you see Cutter locked in a vicious struggle with a blond-haired Maverick, who is trying desperately to wrestle the wheel from his hands.</p>
+ <p>As you approach, the Maverick releases Cutter and tries to grab you by the throat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Emteevee</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">17</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect70">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect273">
+ <meta><title>273</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You manage to avoid two more patrols before escaping from the mall and meeting up with Cutter at the truck depot. You are both relieved to discover the place empty and unguarded, and quickly you make your way to the stores building. You find the records office, but without electricity you cannot access the computer files to pinpoint the exact location of the spare you need. With mounting fear you realize that in order to find a new steering linkage you will have to search every one of the 1,600 storage bays that occupy the building.</p>
+ <p>'We'll be here forever if we have to search the shelves,' you whisper. 'I guess you're right,' replies Cutter, 'but I think I know a quicker way of finding what we need. Follow me.'</p>
+ <p>Intrigued by Cutter's reply, you follow him out of the stores building, across a parking lot and into another section of the depot that is marked:</p>
+ <p>ZONE 3: MUNICIPAL VEHICLE SERVICING</p>
+ <p>After searching four of the dozen service bays, finally he discovers what he is looking for: a school bus. 'Cal, you keep y'eyes open while I strip the linkage out o' this baby. Give me an hour an' we'll be on our way.</p>
+ <p>Nervously you stand guard at the door to the service bay while Cutter works. All is quiet until, forty minutes later, you see something moving among the vehicles on the far side of the parking, lot: it is a drunken clansman. Slowly he staggers nearer, taking alternating gulps from the bottles clutched in either hand. He is about to pass on his way when Cutter drops a spanner. The ringing noise pierces his drunken stupor and prompts him to investigate.</p>
+ <p>'Trouble on its way!' you whisper to Cutter, but your warning is too late. A moment later, the clansman comes lurching through the open door, brandishing his bottles like clubs. He sees you and screams an oath as he gets ready to launch his attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Chickamauga</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect274">
+ <meta><title>274</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you are walking back to your roadster, you fail to hear the warning rattle of a diamondback rattlesnake that is lying coiled among the rocks immediately in your path. When you step on its perfectly camouflaged body, it lunges, sinks its fangs into your left leg, and then slips away before you have a chance to retaliate.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it the number of Medi-kit units you currently possess.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect106">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect45">If your total score is now 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect275">
+ <meta><title>275</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your enemy's reactions are lightning fast. He throws himself down behind the window and your gunfire passes harmlessly through the now empty frame. An instant later, the unexpected sound of running feet makes you spin on your heel. A leather-clad punk, his skull shaved and sprayed with rings of metallic brown paint, is charging at you from the ruins with a knife held high in his hand. You raise your weapon, but before you can squeeze the trigger, he dives full length and catches you in the chest with the crown of his head. His attack slams you backwards to the ground and, gasping for breath, you struggle to grab hold of his wrist before he can make use of his deadly blade.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Copperhead</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the suddenness of his attack, you must fight the first two rounds of combat unarmed and with your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> reduced by 2 poInts. If you are still alive at the start of the third combat round, you will then be able to draw your Hunting Knife.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect276">
+ <meta><title>276</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull the pin and hurl your grenade through the open window. It bounces noisily on the tiled floor of the diner, startling the men and causing them to cry out in surprise. Moments later their cries are lost amid the deafening roar of an explosion. Silence follows but you wait for the acrid smoke to clear before venturing inside to see what remains of your would-be killers.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect119"><link-text>Turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect277">
+ <meta><title>277</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are about to pick up and inspect one of the empty cartridge cases when you hear something moving above you. Immediately you dive to your left, acting purely on instinct, a reflex that saves you from being caught beneath a heavy rope net dropped from the roof to the sheriff's office by two thin-faced punks. It falls, smothering the ground where, only seconds before, you were standing.</p>
+ <p>The silence is shattered by a riot of noise as a dozen clansmen rush out of the surrounding buildings, screaming and brandishing an assortment of weapons. Escape is your only thought as they start to close in, and swiftly you jump to your feet and race towards an alley that runs alongside the sheriff's office. Bullets ricochet off the wall as you turn the corner, urging you to quicken your pace, but you are brought to a sudden halt when you see that the alley is a dead end. With a howling, bloodthirsty mob in hot pursuit, you search desperately for a way out.</p>
+ <p>You can see only two routes that offer an exit from this alley. One is a iron staircase - the rusty remains of an old fire escape - that leads to the roof of a warehouse; the other is a door at ground level that leads into the same building.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect173">If you wish to climb the staircase to the roof, <link-text>turn to 173</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect81">If you decide to enter the door at ground level, <link-text>turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect278">
+ <meta><title>278</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The rear of your car judders as it scrapes along the parapet of the bridge, yet, despite the rough ride and the stinging pain of your facial wounds, you manage to regain control of the roadster and steer it towards the rear of the convoy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect120"><link-text>Turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect279">
+ <meta><title>279</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Two shots are fired almost simultaneously, filling the bar with a deafening explosion of noise. They rip open the front of the counter less than five feet from where you are crouching, bringing down most of the rickety shelves that line the back wall. Amid a cascade of bottles and glasses, you scurry towards the end of the counter, your eyes fixed on a door situated beneath the staircase. Above it, an unlit sign reads:</p>
+ <p>EXIT - FIRE ESCAPE USE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY</p>
+ <p>'I reckon this constitutes an emergency,' you mutter, as you get ready to break cover and run towards the door. Just as you are about to leave your hand brushes against the stock of a sawn-off shotgun that is lying on a shelf beneath the counter. Both hammers are cocked and the chamber tags show that both barrels are loaded.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you wish to take this weapon, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect84">If you decide to ignore it, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect280">
+ <meta><title>280</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You return to the school in time to see Kate handing little Maria back to her parents. Juan and Rosita Rodriguez cannot thank her enough, and everyone else, including yourself, is full of praise for her. As the excitement begins to wane, Cutter approaches and asks you to brave the storm once more, this time to retrieve food and other vital supplies from the bus. Willingly you agree.</p>
+ <p>'This is one heck of a blue norther,' he says, as you climb aboard the bus. Reckon it could hold us here for a day or two before it blows itself out.' 'I sure hope you're wrong,' you reply, as you prise open the floor hatch that gives access to the luggage hold from inside the bus. 'Take a look at this.' A fetid smell rises from the compartment: the smell of rotten food. 'Dadburn it! That's all we need right now!' exclaims Cutter, as he examines the swollen food parcels at arm's length. The heat's put paid to these rations. Now we're really in for a hard time.'</p>
+ <p>The colony react to the news of the spoiled food with silent disbelief. What little that can be saved is carefully shared out, but it amounts to barely a day's rations per person. If we don't find some food to replace what we've lost,' says Aunt Betty-Ann, as she distributes the last of the stone-hard bread, 'it'll be a convoy of skeletons that drives into Big Spring.'</p>
+ <p>'Well, at least we've got enough water,' replies Pop Ewell. 'We can live for three weeks without food, but we'd all be dead in three days without water.'</p>
+ <p>Some people save their ration but you decide to eat yours before finally settling down to sleep (if you currently have food in your Backpack you must now erase it; all food, including personal supply, was pooled before distribution).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect281">
+ <meta><title>281</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sudden glint of sunlight on glass alerts you to a potential danger. Two hundred yards away to your left, on a ridge of high ground that overlooks the lake, you see a dark figure crouching beside a petrified tree, observing your progress through a telescope. The only people likely to be in this area are scouts or food foragers from one of the Fort Worth street gangs. If this spy manages to alert his gang, the colony might never make it out of Lake Lewisville alive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect14">If you have a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect115">If you decide to go after the spy on foot, <link-text>turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect271">If you choose to ignore the spy and continue crossing the lake, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect282">
+ <meta><title>282</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The gunshots are unbearably loud in the confines of the diner. A starburst of pain explodes in your head: you have been hit in the face by two 9mm bullets. They penetrate your skull, causing death instantly.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at Westbrook.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect283">
+ <meta><title>283</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A cold sweat bathes your face as you rip open your Medi-kit and inspect the vaccines and serums. Fear turns to panic when you discover that you have no Dysalomine, the anti-rabies vaccine. Terrified of what will happen to you if you are unable to find some Dysalomine in the next few days, you jump into your roadster and race back to the colony.</p>
+ <p>Your worst fears are realized when you discover that there is no Dysalomine aboard the bus. Immediately, Uncle Jonas organizes a search of nearby towns in the hope of discovering a supply in a hospital or derelict drug store, but all attempts prove fruitless.</p>
+ <p>Ten days later, unable to drink due to fever and muscle spasms, you slip into a coma from which you never regain consciousness.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your journey end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect284">
+ <meta><title>284</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes half an hour to reach Santo and rendezvous with the colony. They have set up camp on a knoll of bare ground that overlooks a watercourse known as Pinto Creek, now completely dry. Uncle Jonas orders that the vehicles be drawn into a circle, like a ring of wagons in the wild west, to offer the best protection against the threat of a night raid. Lots are drawn to see who will stand the first watch; unfortunately, you pick the shortest straw.</p>
+ <p>It is an hour after midnight when you spot a cluster of lights in the middle distance. The bikers are less than a mile away to the east, and approaching at speed. With only a few minutes at most before they reach the camp, you sound the alarm.</p>
+ <p>Like a pack of screaming demons the marauding bikers descend on the convoy, shooting wildly as they weave in and out of the circle. One of the bikers guns his machine towards you, forcing you to dive aside to avoid being ridden down. You are staggering to your feet when another attacks you from behind.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect265">If your total is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect289">If your total is now 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect285">
+ <meta><title>285</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once more you glance in your mirror and see the biker coax his machine into your slipstream. Behind him the convoy is barely visible, the bus and tanker cannot match the speed that you have maintained in your race against the clansmen. Then you see your enemy reaching inside his leather jacket. He withdraws a grenade, pulls out the safety pin with his teeth, and gets ready to lob it into your car. Immediately you stamp on the brake pedal and fight with the steering wheel to keep the roadster in a straight line as it screeches to a halt. A moment later there is at tremendous jolt as the clansman crashes into the rear of your car. An instant later he somersaults over your head, wide-eyed with terror, before disappearing behind the central crash barrier that divides the freeway. A muffled boom and a plume of dust marks the violent demise of yet another Detroit Lion.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect127"><link-text>Turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect286">
+ <meta><title>286</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race up the carpeted stairs, but as you reach the top you are confronted by two savage-looking women, both armed with knives. For a moment they stare at you with hatred blazing from their eyes, then simultaneously they emit a hideous shriek and launch themselves upon you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Lipsync</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">12</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">18</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <combat><enemy>Catsup</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">11</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">20</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>You must fight each of these women in turn. Owing to the speed and ferocity of their attack, you are unable to use a missile weapon.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect3">If you win both combats and together they take seven rounds or less to complete, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect316">If the combats take eight or more rounds to complete, when added together, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect287">
+ <meta><title>287</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Steering with only your left hand, you snatch your Beretta auto from your shoulder holster with your right hand and thumb back its safety catch. The ruins are beginning to thin out and, as you hit the stony, pot-holed wasteland that surrounds the town, you dare not take your eyes off the ground ahead for fear of crashing. Without turning your head, you point your pistol over your left shoulder and squeeze the trigger in the hope of hitting your attacker.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting and Perception skill totals. For every bullet you decide to fire, add an additional point to your total (but be sure to erase them from your Ammo Pouch).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect259">If your total score is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect174">If it is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect288">
+ <meta><title>288</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The roar of 100 motorcycle engines fills the air as the Detroit Lions come racing along the freeway into Colorado City. 'Y'better take this, Cal,' says Kate, handing you a Rifle that she found while you were away. 'I think you'll be needin' it real soon.' You draw back the bolt and work a cartridge into the breech, noting that there are only two 7.62mm rounds remaining in the magazine (remember to record all three of these 7.62mm rounds - one in the breech and two in the magazine - in the Ammo Pouch section of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>).</p>
+ <p>'You gotta hold 'em off until we've got this baby across,' shouts Cutter, as he waves frantic signals to Uncle Jonas, who is having to fight to keep the tanker in a straight line. The sight of the makeshift platform sagging under the weight of the heavy vehicle makes your stomach churn.</p>
+ <p>'You can count on it!' you shout in reply, then turn and follow Kate as she runs back towards the town.</p>
+ <p>As you reach the end of the bridge you notice two ideal defensive positions. One is a three-storey factory that overlooks the freeway; the other is an auto-wreck overturned on the approach ramp to the bridge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect332">If you wish to hide behind the auto wreck, <link-text>turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If you decide to take cover inside the factory, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect289">
+ <meta><title>289</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The speed of your reactions saves you from the wheels of the motorcycle. You hit the ground, roll over to lessen the impact, then take cover beneath the belly of the tanker. In the flickering light of the camp fire you see two bikers skid to a halt, then hurriedly step away from their machines. Both draw knives as they run towards the open door of the bus.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If you wish to unshoulder a weapon and open fire on the bikers, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect129">If you choose to leap to your feet and try to intercept them before they enter the bus, <link-text>turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect290">
+ <meta><title>290</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You throw yourself forward and your swift reflexes save you from being cut in half by a swathe of bullets. As you rise to your feet once more, the shooting stops with a dull click, a sound that tells you that the gun is now empty.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect132">If you have a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect250">If you do not have a missile weapon, or do not have sufficient ammunition to use it, <link-text>turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect291">
+ <meta><title>291</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>No sooner has the first dog fallen dead at your feet, than another is leaping through the air towards your chest.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Second Rabid Dog</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect292">
+ <meta><title>292</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach for your weapon as the Maverick clansman draws back his arm to hurl the Molotov cocktail.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect108">If you are using a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect41">If you are using a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If you are using a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect159">If you are using a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect293">
+ <meta><title>293</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Guided by instinct alone, you swing your gun around and squeeze the trigger. At the same time, the double muzzle flash of your enemy's weapon lights up the store, and you cry out in pain as a fistful of birdshot clips your right shoulder: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Your wound is superficial. However, your enemy is not so lucky. Your gunfire hits him squarely in the chest, killing him instantly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect294">
+ <meta><title>294</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A solitary open window, criss-crossed with pitted steel bars, provides the only source of light and ventilation in the cell. Standing on the edge of the wooden bunk you are able to peer through the bars at an alleyway that runs along the rear of the building. But without your weapons, or any other means of dislodging the bars, you cannot hope to escape this way.</p>
+ <p>An hour later you hear your captors laughing in the corridor outside. A key rattles in the lock and the cell door swings back to reveal a barrel-chested clansman, clad in a suit of black leather, which is adorned with sharpened metal studs. He fixes you with his small, bloodshot eyes, and sneers contemptuously.</p>
+ <p>'You scoutin' for the Skulls, ain't you boy?' he says, his hand caressing the butt of a pistol that is holstered on his hip. 'That 'roach Alcatraz sent you here t'check us out, didn't he?' Resentful mutterings fill the corridor outside, urging the beady-eyed clansman to settle the matter by shooting you.</p>
+ <p>'Do I look like a Skull?' you ask, defensively.</p>
+ <p>'Maybe not,' he growls, 'but If you ain't a Skull, what you doing nosin' around Albany?'</p>
+ <p>You choose your words with care, managing to convince the clansman and his cohorts that you are a loner, desperately short of food and water, who ran across their town by chance and decided to enter in search of supplies. The clansman, who calls himself Manhattan, seems impressed by your story and invites you to join his gang, which is known as 'the Kickers'. You have little option but to accept his invitation in the hope that once you are released from the cell you will be able to escape.</p>
+ <p>'Good!' snarls Manhattan. He informs his men of your decision and orders them to make preparations for 'the Rite'. When you ask what 'the Rite' is, he narrows his eyes and sniggers. 'You must earn the right to become a Kicker,' he says, grimly. 'You must prove to us that you are worthy.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect337"><link-text>Turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect295">
+ <meta><title>295</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As soon as Cutter has the engine running smoothly and everyone is back on board the bus, you return to your roadster and lead them west to Weatherford.</p>
+ <p>As the afternoon wears on, the rays of the sun cast a blood-red hue on the surrounding landscape. Ahead, the freeway cuts a straight line due west, towards the high peaks of the Edwards Plateau that pierce the horizon like a row of sharpened flints, jagged and blue. You stare into the distance, trying to relax and not think about the dangers you have faced today, or the unknown perils that lie ahead.</p>
+ <p>An hour later you catch sight of Weatherford and signal the convoy to stop. You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Despite the delays, the convoy is making better time than expected, and with at least an hour of light still remaining, it is decided that it would be best to press on to the next town and make camp there overnight.</p>
+ <p>You are finishing your food when suddenly Pop Ewell calls to everyone to hurry to the bus. He has located a broadcast on his C.B. radio set, and he is as excited as a youngster on Christmas morning. 'Listen to this,' he says, holding up the earphones. A faint call sign can be heard above the crackle of static, broadcasting the same message repeatedly: 'Radio K.L.F.M. Mineral Wells &ellips; Radio K.L.F.M. Mineral Wells &ellips;'</p>
+ <p>'That's a town about twenty-five miles north-west o' here,' says Cutter, scratching his scalp. 'It's not where we're planned on headin' but it would be worth checking out.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect74">If you wish to volunteer to go to Mineral Wells and investigate the source of the radio broadcast, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect93">If you choose to ignore the broadcast and insist that the convoy continues along its chosen route, <link-text>turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect296">
+ <meta><title>296</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Bullets whistle across the open ground, hitting the side of the bus with a ringing whine. Silhouetted against the skyline, the convoy makes an easy target for whoever is firing at you from the town. Anxious for the safety of the colony, you search for cover and see a shallow gulley away to your right. Immediately you steer the convoy towards it. The sides of the depression hide the vehicles from view and enable you to bypass Westbrook safely and continue along the freeway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect347"><link-text>Turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect297">
+ <meta><title>297</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Carefully, Kate examines a package she has removed from the saddle-bag. It is about the size of a man's shoe, covered with a shiny black plastic wrapping, and has a keypad and timer attached to its side.</p>
+ <p>'Well, it looks like we got ourselves one mighty big fire-cracker here,' she says, offering it to you for inspection.</p>
+ <p>'What is it?' you ask.</p>
+ <p>'About seven pounds of military grade Zevatec explosive; enough to make a hole the size of this lake.'</p>
+ <p>'That's some fire-cracker!' you reply, uneasily.</p>
+ <p>'Don't worry, it's safe,' she assures you, taking the explosive from your trembling hands. 'I saw the Lions use this stuff in Oklahoma. It's as stable as clay until you prime and time it, then &ellips; boom! I think I'll hang on to it. It could come in useful.' She slips the Zevatec into her bag and then walks back towards the lake.</p>
+ <p>'C'mon Cal,' she says. 'We'd better hustle that water. When that scout gets back to the Lions, Mad Dog's gonna be hot on our heels.'</p>
+ <p>You fill the containers and hurry back to Sweetwater as fast as you can. When you tell Uncle Jonas what has happened at the lake, he cancels the food search and recalls everyone to the bus. As soon as all are safely aboard, you head back on to the freeway and begin the sixty-six mile journey to Big Spring.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect36"><link-text>Turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect298">
+ <meta><title>298</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cautiously, you drive through the centre of the town, your nerves like coiled springs as you scour every inch of the ruins for some sign of life. Having reached the far side of Denton and seen nothing untoward, you decide to turn your car around and head back towards the convoy. Then you hear the sound of motorcycle engines being kicked into life, and suddenly three bikes burst out of a wooden building near the centre of the town and come racing towards you, their riders whooping like red indians. All three machines are carrying pillion passengers who are armed with an assortment of weapons. As the first bike draws level, its passenger gets ready to leap into the seat beside you.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your current Driving skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect76">If your total is now 0-10, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect299">
+ <meta><title>299</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull your T-shirt up to cover your nose and mouth before venturing out into the storm. Visibility is less than five yards and, with the dust constantly gusting into your eyes, you must rely heavily on your sense of hearing for some indication of the child's location. Repeatedly you call out her name, hoping she will reply, yet all you hear is the incessant howling of the wind.</p>
+ <p>A wide avenue leads you to a baseball park on the edge of the school grounds. For a few seconds the wind drops and you are able to see a small grocery store on the other side of the avenue, its front door hanging off its hinges. You can make out a thin, faint sound coming from inside the store.</p>
+ <p>You run towards the entrance, eager to get inside before the wind picks up and you lose sight of the building altogether. The stench of rotting food assails your nostrils the moment you enter the store, making your stomach churn, but you force yourself to ignore it and continue your search. You call Maria's name and hear the sound again: it is coming from behind the cellar door. In the eerie half-light you find the latch and lift it. 'Don't be afraid, Maria. It's Cal,' you say, hoping to reassure and comfort the girl, but when you push open the door it is not little Maria who greets you.</p>
+ <p>A seething flood of squealing rats swarm out of the doorway and break like a wave against your feet. You scream in shocked surprise and drag yourself on to a nearby counter as the ravenous rodents run amok. Most of the pack ignore you, but there are a few that have developed a taste for human flesh, and determinedly they claw their way up the counter in an effort to get at your legs.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Rat Pack</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">13</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect146">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect300">
+ <meta><title>300</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a rush of wind, like a sound of a whip before it cracks, then something tightens around your body, pinning your arms to your sides. Fear wells up inside when you realize that you have been lassoed. Desperately you struggle to grab the rope that is biting into your flesh, but you are pulled roughly to the ground before you can break free.</p>
+ <p>Cursing wildly, you blink the dust from your eyes in time to see a scrawny youth advancing towards you, his hands tugging and shortening the rope to maintain his hold on you. He is dressed in tattered buckskin, and his cheeks and forehead are painted with coloured stripes. His strange appearance reminds you of books you read when you were young; books with pictures of red indian braves who fought cowboys of the old West. The youth gives a warbling scream and more of his kind appear, all of them dressed in similar red indian costumes. With howls of delight they jump on you, take your missile and close combat weapons (erase these from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>), and hold your arms securely behind your back while the youth retrieves his lasso. Then, without a word of explanation, they drag you to the centre of the street and tie you to the totem pole.</p>
+ <p>The sound of a car horn echoes in the distance and your captors cease their whooping. The moment the vehicle glides into view, they throw themselves to their knees and bow their heads devoutly. Open-mouthed, you stare at the approaching car, scarcely able to believe your eyes.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect38"><link-text>Turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect301">
+ <meta><title>301</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The harsh staccato of the biker's machine pistol fills your ears and a starburst of pain explodes in your chest and head. Darkness engulfs you as you tumble to the ground, cut down by a deadly swathe of hollow-nosed bullets.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your journey end here at Santo.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect302">
+ <meta><title>302</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire smashes the window and hits the Maverick rider in the upper chest, killing him instantly. With the Molotov cocktail still gripped in his hand, his lifeless body tumbles from the motorcycle and hits the road with terrific force. There is a flash as the bottle disintegrates, then his body and the bike are consumed by a ball of roaring flame.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188"><link-text>Turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect303">
+ <meta><title>303</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you had suspected, the spy was a city gang member, a scout for the Arlington Vipers judging by the snake tattoo that encircles his throat. You have encountered many from this gang during the past few months; they often led night raids on the DC1 settlement at McKinney.</p>
+ <p>You roll the dead scout over on to his chest and quickly search through his rucksack and pockets. You discover the following items:</p>
+ <p>Pistol (containing three rounds of 9mm ammunition)</p>
+ <p>Dagger (2)</p>
+ <p>Mirror</p>
+ <p>Enough food for two Meals</p>
+ <p>Enough pain killers for one Medi-kit unit</p>
+ <p>Water Canteen</p>
+ <p>Enough water for one Drink (1/2 pint)</p>
+ <p>Five rounds of 9mm ammunition</p>
+ <p>Two rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</p>
+ <p>Telescope</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect160">To return to the convoy and continue with the crossing, <link-text>turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect304">
+ <meta><title>304</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before venturing out into the storm, all three of you turn your transceivers to the same frequency so that you can remain in radio contact with each other throughout the search. Uncle Jonas also possesses a handset, and he selects his to transmit a signal on another frequency. By selecting that channel, and monitoring its signal strength, you should be able to find your way back to the school.</p>
+ <p>The three of you decide to split up and search different areas, thereby maximizing your chances of finding Maria quickly. The school building will have prevented her from wandering to the south, leaving three directions in which to search: north, west and east.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect169">If you wish to search to the north, <link-text>turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect299">If you wish to search to the west, <link-text>turn to 299</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect125">If you decide to search to the east, <link-text>turn to 125</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect305">
+ <meta><title>305</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A scrawny old man, dressed in an assortment of evil-smelling rags, sits cross-legged beside the fire. He pokes at the crackling flames with the handle of an old branding iron, and mumbles continuously and incoherently under his breath. At your approach, he raises his eyes and stares at your gun, yet you sense that it does not worry him unduly.</p>
+ <p>'Saw your lights on the road,' he croaks, a toothy smile cracking several layers of dirt that have built up around his nose and mouth. 'Said to m'self, those folks will come a' callin'. Best whup up a real larrupin' meal to make 'em feel right welcome.' He jabs his metal rod into the fire and spears the blackened remains of a large rat. Proudly he holds it up and nods enthusiastically, as if he were about to serve you a prime T-bone steak. Your stomach turns when he offers you the charred carcass. You refuse politely.</p>
+ <p>'You gone an' broked down, ain't you' boy?' he says, pointing at the convoy on the highway below. 'What exactly's the problem? You never know, maybe I kin help you out. You'd not be the first folks that ol' Mountain Goat'd set right.'</p>
+ <p>Half-heartedly you tell the old hermit about the breakdown, suspecting that he is just wasting your time. When you have fininshed, he smiles once more, and taps the side of his nose with a greasy forefinger. 'I know just where you can lay y'hands on the part you need to fix that ol' bus o' yours,' he says, smugly.</p>
+ <p>'Where?' you reply.</p>
+ <p>'If you agree to take me with you, I'll tell you where. Is it a deal?'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect257">If you agree to his proposition, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect139">If you refuse it, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect306">
+ <meta><title>306</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dodge aside, your lightning reflexes saving you from the gunman's bullets, and then leap towards his chest. You are determined to wrestle him to the ground before he has a chance to reload his pistol and fire again.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Belushi</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the determination of your attack, increase your close combat skill by 2 points for the duration of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect119">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect307">
+ <meta><title>307</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You throw yourself down, your hand reaching automatically for a weapon even as you hit the ground. Then you roll over and over towards your car and take cover behind the engine compartment. Now the street is silent once more. With the blood pounding in your ears you force yourself to listen for a sound that will betray the whereabouts of your hidden attacker.</p>
+ <p>'He's in the drugstore!' shouts Long Jake, his voice drawing another burst of fire from a building directly opposite.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If you have a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect251">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect308">
+ <meta><title>308</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rest the butt of your pistol on the side of the auto wreck and, as the enemy vehicle speeds nearer, you cock the hammer and focus your aim at the driver's bead.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172">If your total score is now 14 or less, <link-text>turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect23">If your total score is now 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect309">
+ <meta><title>309</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the group draws closer you notice several things about them that stir your curiosity. The dogs look much larger than ordinary alsatians, and great flecks of white foam drip from their jaws as they tug and snap repeatedly at their heavy chain leashes. By contrast, the two handlers appear painfully thin and gaunt, the skin of their hands and faces unnaturally grey despite the burning desert sun.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the handlers see you and release the chain leashes. With a rasping scream, they command the dogs to attack and immediately the pack obeys.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If you possess a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect16">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect310">
+ <meta><title>310</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You flick back the safety catch and automatically check to see that the 'F' marker is showing. Then you slide the barrel under the thorny bush and take aim at the clansman's chest.</p>
+ <p>Add your Shooting skill total to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect96">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect62">If your total score is now 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 62</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect311">
+ <meta><title>311</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You crouch beneath the window and listen to the voices of the two men inside the diner. They think that you are still hiding behind your car, and you hear them speculating as to whether or not you are wounded. You have the element of surprise and you decide to use it to your advantage by launching a sudden attack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If you wish to enter the diner by the rear door, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect203">If you choose to enter the diner by the front door, <link-text>turn to 203</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect312">
+ <meta><title>312</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After a brief conference with Uncle Jonas and the others, they agree to wait here at the junction while you go off and scout the bridge at Lakeside Village. If it proves safe, you will return and lead them across.</p>
+ <p>It takes you less than five minutes to reach Lakeside Village and, to your relief, you find it deserted. However, your hopes of an easy crossing are dashed: the bridge across the Trinity no longer exists - it collapsed several years ago.</p>
+ <p>You are preparing to turn back when you notice an old school bus, almost identical to the colony's vehicle, lying on its side amid the rubble of a derelict building.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect85">If you wish to investigate the old bus, <link-text>turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect224">If you decide to ignore it and return to the convoy, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect313">
+ <meta><title>313</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You land on the boarding platform and manage to grab the handrails to prevent yourself from falling backwards out of the door. Then you pull yourself up the short flight of steps towards the driver's seat, where Cutter is locked in a vicious struggle with a blond-haired Maverick, who is trying desperately to wrestle the wheel from his hands.</p>
+ <p>As you approach, the Maverick releases Cutter, spins around and tries to grab you by the throat.</p>
+ <p>Emteevee: <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>: 17 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> 25</p>
+ <choice idref="sect70">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect314">
+ <meta><title>314</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman collapses at your feet, his fingers clasping the fatal wound that you have dealt him. You pick up his Meat Hook [2], which lies nearby, swallowing uneasily as you inspect its razor-sharp tip (if you wish to keep this weapon, remember to record it on your Weapons list). You are about to search his body when you hear the mob approaching the warehouse door. Quickly you run to the far side of the building and escape through a door that leads to a deserted passage. At the end of the passage you discover a derelict timber yard where, behind a stack of rotten fencing posts, you crouch, waiting for the chance to slip out of Albany. While you are lying low, you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect61">To continue, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect315">
+ <meta><title>315</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You make your way back to the convoy, aware that less than a few hours of daylight remain. Cutter and Uncle Jonas greet your return with a nod and a wave, both of them itching to get underway. Quickly you climb into your roadster, switch on the ignition and lead them single file on to the southbound carriageway of Freeway 35.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect22"><link-text>Turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect316">
+ <meta><title>316</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A blow to the back of your legs sends you sprawling across the bodies of your two slain enemies: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. You drag yourself to your feet and, as you turn, you see the grinning face of the youth whom you encountered earlier, who tried in vain to lasso you. He reaches for his revolver, which is tucked into his belt, but before he can point and fire, you lash out with your foot and send it spinning from his hand. He screams in frustration, then dives at you, closing his fingers around your throat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mosquito</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">10</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">21</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect3">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect317">
+ <meta><title>317</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You swerve aside as the clansman empties his machine pistol in one long burst of fire. Most of the bullets either penetrate the trunk or pass harmlessly over the car, due to the speed of your reactions. In frustrated anger the biker hurls his empty weapon at you, but that too misses you by a wide mark.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect285"><link-text>Turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect318">
+ <meta><title>318</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you watch the town shrinking in your rear view mirror, the shock of your encounter, especially the death of Long Jake, makes you shiver despite the burning midday heat. 'D'you know those guys?' you ask, anxious to make some sense of the situation.</p>
+ <p>'Yeah,' replies the girl, her voice shaky, 'though not by choice.'</p>
+ <p>As you race back along the highway to McKinney. The girl, whose name is Kate Norton, tells you about the events leading up to your meeting. She comes from Kansas City and is one of the lucky few who have managed to survive there since the holocaust. A month ago her colony was attacked and wiped out by a gang of motorcycle renegades called 'the Lions'. Their leader, who calls himself Mad Dog Michigan, took a liking to her and spared her life. He was once a high-ranking HAVOC agent who had escaped from Pontiac Deep Pen near Detroit, and he and his gang, most of whom were also HAVOC escapees, were heading for the Fort Hood Military Reserve near Killeen, the largest armoury in the whole of the United States.</p>
+ <p>'He hopes to find enough weapons and ammunition there to equip the other HAVOC clans who are in control of cities all along the eastern seaboard. Once he's armed his army he'll take over the rest of the country,' she says, her blue eyes brimming with tears. 'Three days ago the Lions reached Oklahoma City. They were desperate for food, so Mad Dog decided to camp there and forage the surrounding area. Until then they'd always been kept closely guarded, but while most of them were away I managed to steal a bike and escape. I was beginning to think I'd made it. I was wrong. I ran out of fuel just north of Sherman and had to ditch the bike. I met up with your friend this morning when he walked into town. Soon after he'd told me all about you and your colony and your plans to head west, those guys back there arrived. Mad Dog sent them to find me.' She pauses to wipe her tears and brush the tangle of windswept blonde hair away from her beautiful face.</p>
+ <p>'I'm really sorry about what happened to Long Jake. It's all my fault.'</p>
+ <p>'Don't blame yourself,' you say, trying to console her. 'It's over now. Once we get back to DC1 and take off for Big Spring, Mad Dog and his gang will be just a bad memory.'</p>
+ <p>'I hope you're right, Cal,' she says, unconvinced.</p>
+ <p>'Sure I'm right. Killeen is south o' here an' we're headin' west. He'll miss us by miles.'</p>
+ <p>'Maybe,' she replies, her voice wavering and hesitant, 'but there's something else you ought to know.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect267"><link-text>Turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect319">
+ <meta><title>319</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow the Colorado River as it wends its tortuous course south. The level of the water is very low, but the sheer banks dash all hope of fording this once-mighty river.</p>
+ <p>All the smaller bridges south of Colorado City are no longer standing. An hour slips past, and you are just about to turn around and rejoin the others, when you happen upon a section of the bank that slopes gently towards the river. You stop the car and start walking towards it, hopefully. Standing at the water's edge, you see that the river is unusually dark. You decide to test its depth and begin to wade across, but you have taken less than a dozen steps and the water is already up to your chin. Sadly you return to the bank.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your Field Craft and Perception skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect207">If your total score is now 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect75">If your total score is now 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect320">
+ <meta><title>320</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pump a cartridge into the breach and take aim at the leading dog. You fire as it leaps, the full force of your shot catching it squarely in the cheat. Its lifeless body somersaults backwards into the rest of the pack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If you wish to fire a second round at the rabid dogs, and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect64">If you have run out of ammunition, or choose not to fire a second round, <link-text>turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect321">
+ <meta><title>321</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are soon swallowed up in the network of narrow alleyways, and are able to shake off the few clansmen who attempted to pursue you. Eventually you emerge on to a wider street that is lined with dilapidated stores. Rather than take the risk of staying on the street, you decide to hide in one of these buildings and wait until the heat dies down. Fortunately you choose a hardware store that still has a cache of stock hidden on the first floor, and you discover the following items that could prove useful:</p>
+ <p>1 Rifle</p>
+ <p>Six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</p>
+ <p>Enough food for two Meals</p>
+ <p>Enough medical supplies for three Medi-kit units</p>
+ <p>Rope</p>
+ <p>Goggles</p>
+ <p>Solar Torch</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items be sure to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>From a window on the first floor, you watch as a large group of indian clansmen pour out of an alley opposite. They divide into two groups and begin searching the adjoining street, seemingly convinced that you are still out in the open. Silently you crouch by the window, awaiting the chance to slip out of Cross Plains unseen. While you are lying low, you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>It is dusk before you are able to escape from the town. With relief you discover that your roadster is still parked at the gas station where you left it, and quickly you climb in and accelerate away.</p>
+ <p>When you reach Rising Star you find that the convoy is awaiting your return with trepidation. Because you are so long overdue, they feared that you had fallen foul of Mad Dog Michigan and his bikers. You tell them what happened to you in Cross Plains and everyone agrees that, with darkness almost upon you, it is too dangerous to continue.</p>
+ <p>The night at Rising Star passes uneventfully, and at first light the convoy sets off cross-country towards Abilene. The arid, stony bed of Pecan Bayou provides excellent cover from the surrounding high ground and leads the convoy north-west, back towards Freeway 20. It is shortly after midday when you reach the freeway, from which you can see the outskirts of Abilene less than five miles distant.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect322">
+ <meta><title>322</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dogs are gaining ground quickly and they will be upon you before you are able to jump into your roadster and escape. You turn to face them as they reach the edge of the highway, and a chill runs down your spine as you stare into their hungry, feral eyes.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If you possess a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect16">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect323">
+ <meta><title>323</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Frozen by the terrifying sight of the car spinning towards your windshield, you fail to react quickly enough. The wreckage slams into the driving compartment of your roadster, killing you instantly.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your journey end here at Lake Worth.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect324">
+ <meta><title>324</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You get to your feet and start off towards the platform at the centre of the bridge, weaving back and forth as you run in order to present the advancing clansmen with a difficult target. But you have covered barely twenty yards when the fatigue of your ordeal suddenly catches up with you. You cannot catch your breath and your legs feel like they are clothed in lead. You stumble and fall. For a while you crawl on your hands and knees, then stagger painfully to your feet as you near the platform. The colony screams encouragement from the other side of the river, inspiring you to greater effort, but suddenly a line of bullets cuts across your path and you feel a terrible pain in your back. Rapidly the pain fades, giving way to a numbness that spreads through the lower half of your body. Unable to feel your legs, you are helpless to prevent yourself from falling off the edge of the platform into the Colorado River.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect325">
+ <meta><title>325</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Reluctantly the sun dips below the horizon, relinquishing its reign to a full moon and a clear night sky. The landscape is shrouded in a ghostly twilight and, as the miles slip past, the temperature steadily drops.</p>
+ <p>It takes a little over twenty minutes to reach Mineral Wells. It seems no different to a handful of other towns through which you have passed today: it is derelict, decayed and deserted. As you drive along the main street, you scan the rooftops in search of a radio mast, and, almost immediately, you discover what you seek. On the roof of a three-storey building at the end of the street is the tripod-like structure. The upper section of the mast has long since collapsed, but the remaining lower section is still intact, sufficient in length to carry a call-signal as far as Weatherford.</p>
+ <p>Stopping outside the building, you fasten your jacket against the chill night air, then enter to find the dusty halls and offices of a commercial radio station awaiting you. In a studio at the top of the building you discover what you are looking for. Slumped over a control panel is the body of Doctor Drool, former ace DJ and anchor-man of Radio K.L.F.M. Beneath his skeletal hand is the button that controls the station call-sign, a transmission that has played continuously for the last eight years.</p>
+ <p>You use your C.B. to call the convoy and tell them what you have found. Then you cut the power to the control panel, pausing briefly to sign-off for the last time on behalf of the Doctor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect66">If you wish to search the radio station, <link-text>turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect284">If you decide to return to the convoy without delay, <link-text>turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect326">
+ <meta><title>326</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You freeze with the sudden realization that you are a sniper's target. Mentally you will your hands to turn the wheel, yet physically they refuse to respond. You see a second flash, brighter than the first, and feel something punch you hard in the chest. The bridge and the road ahead begin to spin before your eyes, and a terrifying numbness spreads from your chest to your limbs. Before your car slams into a pillar of the bridge and explodes in a brilliant ball of orange flames, you have already surrendered to death.</p>
+ <p>Your journey and your life end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect327">
+ <meta><title>327</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a squeal of tyres, you accelerate away, retracing your route along Freeway 20 towards the convoy. As you drive, you are haunted by images of the two Rad-vics that you encountered at the trench: the chilling memory of their gaunt, grey faces has awakened your deepest fears. The road crests a rise and you see the convoy parked less than a quarter of a mile away. The welcoming sight distracts you from your morbid thoughts, but the relief is to be short-lived.</p>
+ <p>As you bring your roadster to a halt alongside the bus, you see Cutter standing on the roof, a pair of battered binoculars pressed to his eyes. 'Looks like we're goin' to have company real soon,' he says, staring at a large cloud of dust that is advancing towards Eastland from the north-east. 'I reckon there's over 100 bikes out there on the prairie, and they're all headin' this way. Looks like that Mad Dog Michigan decided not to go to Killeen after all!'</p>
+ <p>'I think we should head for Cisco and lay low until they pass,' says Uncle Jonas, but he soon changes his mind when you tell him about your encounter at the trench.</p>
+ <p>'Abilene would be safer,' says Kate, leaning out of a window of the bus. 'But we'll have to pass wide of Cisco to get there.'</p>
+ <p>Cutter convenes a hasty conference to decide the best way to reach Abilene. The terrain in this area is too rocky to attempt a cross-country detour at speed, so you must use what little remains of the secondary highways in order to reach your goal. After studying the map and staring at the surrounding plain from the roof of the bus, you determine two possible routes: north-west via the town of Albany, or south-west via the town of Cross Plains. The colony is undecided as to which route would be best, and so, as convoy scout, the decision is left to you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If you decide to take the highway north-west to Albany, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you choose to take the south-west route through Cross Plains, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect328">
+ <meta><title>328</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You see the muzzle flash of his rifle and hear the bullet as it whistles over your head. Then in the next instant you feel a tremendous jolt as your roadster hits the rifleman and sends his broken body spinning through the air. You brace yourself against the wheel, but Kate is thrown forwards against the dashboard and gashes her forehead. At first you fear that she is badly injured, but quickly she staunches the wound with dressings from her Medi-kit, and then reloads her empty shotgun.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect179"><link-text>Turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect329">
+ <meta><title>329</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The instant you set foot in the store, two hands reach out of the darkness, grab you by the jacket lapels and pull you away from the doorway. Immediately, there is a long burst of fire and a hail of bullets scythes the air where you were standing only moments before.</p>
+ <p>'These ain't no ordinary punks,' growls Long Jake, peering cautiously over the edge of the bullet-shattered window frame. 'They're scouts for a Yankee gang that's headin' this way, looking to take over. They're a mite anxious to get their hands on her, too,' he says, nodding towards the girl who is crouching behind the store counter, her eyes wide with fright.</p>
+ <p>'What do they want with her?' you ask, but before Long Jake can reply there is a flash and a deafening explosion. The store's rear door is blown inwards and a searing wave of heat and flying debris knocks you off your feet. Stunned by the blast, you rise unsteadily and reach for a weapon. A grey shape fills the rear entrance, its outline fuzzy in the smoke and dust that hovers there. Then the shape draws into focus and you see the silhouette of a tall man, lean and sinewy, his thin mouth set in cruel sneer.</p>
+ <p>'Look out!' screams Long Jake, as the figure leaps through the doorway, a shotgun held before him ready to fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If your current Shooting, Stealth and Perception points (when added together) total 8 or more, then add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect191">If your total is now 0-3, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect293">If it is 4-6, <link-text>turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect168">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect330">
+ <meta><title>330</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You stagger away from the nest, clutching your hand to your chest and cursing your bad luck. Then the horror of what has befallen you registers and frantically you search your Medi-kit for an ampoule of anti-toxin. Fear knots your stomach when you discover that it is the one medicament that you do not possess. The pain in your hand begins to fade, to be replaced by a numbness that spreads rapidly throughout your body. Soon you are completely paralysed and unable to drag yourself out of the blazing sun. In less than an hour you fall victim to heatstroke and lapse into an unconsciousness from which you never awaken.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here on the banks of the Colorado River.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect331">
+ <meta><title>331</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Blinded by the sudden darkness, you fail to see the heavy machinery that is positioned just inside the doorway. You collide with it and gash your scalp: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect56">If you survived the injury, <link-text>turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect332">
+ <meta><title>332</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You crouch behind the wrecked car and watch as Kate disappears into the factory. Minutes later you see her face at a window on the top floor and notice the barrel of her gun resting on its ledge. Nervously you count the passing seconds, your eyes fixed on the road ahead.</p>
+ <p>The first of the Lions appears: it is a motorcycle and sidecar. A lion's head flag flutters from an aerial fixed behind the rider's saddle, and a heavy-calibre machine gun is mounted in front of the chair. As soon as they see the tanker they open fire, sending a stream of tracer bullets arcing towards your position. As the fiery shells rip through your cover, you fight the urge to throw yourself down on the ground, and take aim at the approaching vehicle. You know that you must make your shot count, for if just one of the tracer shells were to pierce the tanker, it would ignite the fuel and blow it sky high.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If the gun you are holding is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect102">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 102</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect268">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect87">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect333">
+ <meta><title>333</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Without taking your eyes off your target, you unsung your G-12, draw back its fixing bolt and flick the selector to burst-fire. Your enemy is reloading a fresh magazine, locking it in place with the heel of his palm, when he sees you. With a scream of fear, he attempts to get away from the open window as you let loose your first burst of fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275">If the total is now 0-6, <link-text>turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect54">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect334">
+ <meta><title>334</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The evil-sounding laughter is cut short by a deafening roar as both barrels of a Browning Citori are discharged at the counter. The heavy loads rip through the front, bringing down most of the rickety shelves that line the back wall. A cascade of bottles and glasses rains down on your head, causing you further injury as you scurry towards the end of the counter: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Ahead, beneath the staircase, you see a door with an unlit sign above it that reads:</p>
+ <p>EXIT - FIRE ESCAPE</p>
+ <p>USE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY</p>
+ <p>'I reckon this constitutes an emergency,' you mutter, as you get ready to break cover and run towards the door. Just as you are about to leave your hand brushes against the stock of a sawn-off shotgun that is lying on a shelf beneath the counter. Both hammers are cocked and the chamber tags show that both barrels are loaded.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you wish to take the weapon, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect84">If you decide to ignore it, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect335">
+ <meta><title>335</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Looks like you got your bath sooner than you expected,' you say, gently brushing aside a few tangled strands of blonde hair that are hanging down in front of her face.</p>
+ <p>'That's the second time you've saved my life,' she says, sheepishly. 'It's getting to be a habit.' She smiles, holding you with her eyes as she kisses her own hand and touches it to your cheek. You feel drawn towards her and, as your lips meet and you feel the tenderness of her touch, it is as if nothing else in the world exists.</p>
+ <p>The illusion of peace is shattered by a burst of gunfire. 'What the&ellips; ?' you cry, as bullets slap the water and punch a line of holes along the muddy shore.</p>
+ <p>'Clansmen!' shouts Kate, pointing across the lake at two figures silhouetted against the cloudless sky. Quickly you grab her by the arm and run towards the cover of some rocks topped with thorny foliage, growing less than twenty yards away. The clansmen snigger as they raise their machine pistols to fire at your fleeing forms.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect114">If your total is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect336">
+ <meta><title>336</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The rotten wood splits and crumbles under the slightest pressure, enabling you to open the crate with your bare hands. Inside, you discover hundreds of square plastic tubs, bound together with tape into units of twelve. Sealing the whole consignment is a vast sheet of clear polythene - just what your uncle wanted! Using your hunting knife, you slit open the sheeting at the corners, remove it from the tubs and fold it away carefully for future use.</p>
+ <p>The tubs themselves are each adorned with blue and white labels that display the letters, N a C l.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Perception skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect134">If the total is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 134</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect201">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect337">
+ <meta><title>337</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At gunpoint you are led from the cell and taken across town to a broken-fenced corral around which the clansmen have gathered. This site is all that remains of the Albany Stockyards and Rodeo that once thrived here during the late 1990s. Its No. 1 enclosure is to be the place of your initiation into the Kicker clan.</p>
+ <p>Lying on the ground at the centre of the corral is your Hunting Knife, and beyond it, leaning against the wooden rails of the corral, is your adversary. As punishment for a breach of clan discipline, Manhattan has chosen him to fight against you in 'the Rite'. It is a dubious honour, for he knows that his life will be forfeit if he fails.</p>
+ <p>The rules of the initiation ceremony are simple. When Manhattan fires his pistol, you must both dash towards the knife. The one who reaches it first will then hold the advantage in the hand-to-hand combat that follows. The combat is to the death; only he who survives the fight will be declared a worthy clan member.</p>
+ <p>The crowd grow silent and nervously you wait for Manhattan to fire. His shot rings out, and you launch yourself towards the centre of the corral.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect122">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 122</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect141">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect338">
+ <meta><title>338</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At the place where it enters the town, the surface of the freeway glitters as if it were covered with hundreds of tiny mirrors. You narrow your eyes to focus on these glimmering points of light, and a chill runs down your spine when you realize what they are. The highway is covered with metal spikes.</p>
+ <p>You signal to the convoy to halt and then inform the other drivers - Cutter and Uncle Jonas - of what you have seen. 'We'll have to circle around this place,' says Uncle Jonas. 'We can't risk our tyres on this stretch o' road. According to that Rickenbaker guy, this land's now bandit territory.'</p>
+ <p>'I bet they're responsible for spikin' the road,' says Cutter. 'It'll be gettin' dark soon an' I sure don't wanna be bushwacked while changing tyres. Besides, we're gettin' real close to home. I'm sure we all'd like to make camp tonight in Big Spring.' You nod your agreement.</p>
+ <p>The three of you decide to detour the town and pick up the freeway a few miles further on. You lead the convoy cross-country, but as you draw level with the town you hear the sound of gunfire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect6">If your total is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 6</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If your total is now 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect339">
+ <meta><title>339</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise the heavy Zeiss binoculars to your eyes and slowly scan the ruins. There is little to confirm your suspicions: rolling tumbleweed and the shimmering heat of early afternoon are the only movements you observe among the derelict remains of Denton. Then something catches your eye at the entrance to an alley near the centre of the town. Your pulse quickens when you recognize it. It is a haze of oily blue smoke - the exhaust fumes of a motorcycle.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If you wish to enter Denton and take a closer look, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect198">If you decide to return to the convoy and warn them to avoid Denton, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect340">
+ <meta><title>340</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have aimed too high and, as the window disintegrates, your gunfire passes harmlessly over the head of the Maverick rider. He hurls his fire-bomb, and screams of terror fill your ears as your people scramble across the seats in a desperate attempt to escape the blast. You hear a sharp crack as the bottle strikes the edge of a seat, then there is a brilliant flash of orange and yellow light as it smashes and bursts into flames.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect79">If the number you have picked is 0-2, <link-text>turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect197">If the number is 3-9, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect341">
+ <meta><title>341</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Don't be afraid, Maria,' you call. 'Cal's here.' You push open the door to the candy store and enter, half-expecting little Maria to come running towards you with open arms, but the greeting you receive is not at all what you had in mind. Two bearded men, dressed in rags and clutching wooden clubs, step out of the shadows.</p>
+ <p>'Hello, Cal!' whines the taller of the two men, sarcastically. 'Have you come to rescue me?' Then, without warning, he swings his club at your head, forcing you to duck to avoid being knocked senseless.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Abilene Hobos</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the surprise of their attack, you are unable to make use of a close combat weapon during the first two rounds of this fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect205">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect342">
+ <meta><title>342</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The overturned fusilage of an Amcorp DL-70, a wide-bodied military transport plane, blocks the entrance to this derelict air force base. Casually you swerve around the wreckage and drive across the perimeter fence, knocked flat by the same blast that destroyed the plane eight years ago. Cruising along the main runway, you cast your eye over the hangars and buildings that once serviced this base. Most have either collapsed or been wrecked by city gangs, but there are still a few that could be worth investigating.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect162">If you wish to explore the control tower, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect269">If you wish to investigate the stores, <link-text>turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect343">
+ <meta><title>343</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The drive to Albany takes you across a rolling plain that once fed a million head of longhorn cattle. Now the once-lush grassland is a vast desert of parched and blistered earth, completely devoid of life. The town stands at the centre of this bald prairie, its battered wooden houses and stores clustered haphazardly in groups on either side of a single main street. You stop your car half a mile from the town and park it in the shade of an old farm building, before venturing into Albany on foot.</p>
+ <p>The first building that you see is the ruins of the Shackelford county sheriffs office. Spent cartridge cases litter the ground around its entrance, marking the site of a recent gunfight.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your current Stealth and Perception skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31">If your total score is now 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If your total score is now 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect344">
+ <meta><title>344</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your bullet hits the clansman in the chest and knocks him clean off his feet. As he disappears from sight, his partner unleashes a long burst of fire that powders the scree behind you. When the firing stops, you raise your head and peer through the bushes, expecting to see your enemy reloading. Instead he discards his empty magazine and turns to run away. He has exhausted his ammunition and has decided to make his escape before you have a chance to return fire.</p>
+ <p>As soon as you are sure that the coast is clear, you rise cautiously and help Kate to her feet. The sound of a motorcycle riding away into the distance reassures you that your ambusher has fled, and confidently you scramble up the slope and go to examine the body of the one who did not get away.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect175"><link-text>Turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect345">
+ <meta><title>345</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you brake and spin the wheel in an attempt to avoid hitting the wreck, but your action causes the front brakes to overheat and seize. The tyres fail to grip on the loose stony surface and, with an ear-piercing screech, you slam sideways into the ambulance and turn over. The impact splits the gas tank wide open and a friction spark ignites the fuel, transforming your car in the blink of an eye into a huge, blazing fireball.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your journey end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect346">
+ <meta><title>346</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The first thing you notice about the dingy cell is the solitary open window, criss-crossed with pitted steel bars, that provides the only source of light and ventilation. Standing on the edge of the wooden bunk, you are able to peer through the bars at an alleyway that runs along the rear of the building. The bars themselves are badly corroded and, after a few minutes' work, you are able to break and bend enough of them to enable you to escape.</p>
+ <p>At the end of the alleyway you discover a derelict timber yard where, behind a stack of rotten fencing posts, you crouch, waiting for the chance to slip out of Albany. While you are lying low, you must take a drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect61">To continue, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect347">
+ <meta><title>347</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In the distance you see the sun resting on the peak of Signal Mountain, and you estimate that no more than an hour of daylight remains. Then a freeway mileage sign looms into view, its paint blistered and barely legible. You slow down and read:</p>
+ <p>BIG SPRING 16 MLS</p>
+ <p>The sign coaxes a cheer from those aboard the bus and renews your hopes of completing the first stage of your long journey west. A few miles further on you see another sign. This announces that you are approaching the town of Coahoma. With the memory of what happened at Westbrook still fresh in your mind, you decide to bring the convoy to a halt.</p>
+ <p>If you possess Binoculars or a Telescope, turn to ll.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect33">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect348">
+ <meta><title>348</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your arm and fire your shotgun without aiming. The speed of your reflexes and the spread of the Double-A target load guarantee that your enemy will never point his pistol at anyone again.</p>
+ <p>As the smoke clears, you see Cutter approach the gulley and reload his gun as he stares over the edge at the lifeless bodies of your ambushers. You are soon joined by the others and together you search their bodies for useful items.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect349">
+ <meta><title>349</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have aimed too low: your gunfire hits the stone parapet of the roof, alerting the sniper to your position. Quickly he lifts his assault rifle, swings the barrel around towards the factory, and focuses on your window. You glimpse a muzzle flash a split-second before the ledge and frame are blown to pieces by a dozen high-velocity bullets.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect151">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect260">If your total score is now 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect350">
+ <meta><title>350</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Seething with anger you watch as the remaining biker climbs astride his machine and kicks it into life. You rush forward in a brave but hopeless attempt to save Kate from being abducted: the Maverick clansman accelerates away before you can even get near. As you watch his fleeing form disappear into the night, you promise yourself that you will get Kate back, no matter what it takes. You run towards your roadster, determined to follow him and rescue Kate, but your plans are frustrated when the bus pulls up close by and Cutter shouts a warning. 'There's a whole mess o lights headin' this way, Cal. I'm sure it's the Lions. We've got to move now or they'll catch us before we get inside Big Spring.' Reluctantly you agree with Cutter. It would be madness to drive alone into the Detroit Lions.</p>
+ <p>The convoy enters the fortified gates of Big Spring and receives a rapturous welcome from the colonists of the settlement. The mood is celebratory, for your arrival marks the start of an alliance that is destined to grow stronger over the forthcoming months. You have completed the first stage of your difficult journey and, although your achievement is overshadowed by Kate's abduction, your mission is a success.</p>
+ <p>For you, Cal Phoenix, champion and protector of Dallas Colony 1, the journey continues in Book 2 of the Freeway Warrior series, entitled:</p>
+ <p>SLAUGHTER MOUNTAIN RUN</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <!-- Backmatter -->
+
+ </data>
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+
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+Revision 1.1 2004/11/09 06:47:16 jonathan.blake
+Initial Freepository revision
+
+
+//// RCS Revision Log ////
+
+Revision 1.1 2002/10/20 05:26:08 jblake
+Initial revision
+
+//////////////////////////
+
+-->
+<meta>
+ <title>[Insert Title]</title>
+</meta>
+
+<section id="toc">
+ <meta />
+ <data />
+</section>
+
+<section id="title">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Title Page</title>
+ <link class="next" idref="dedicate" />
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+
+ <data>
+
+ <!-- Frontmatter -->
+<!--
+
+Freeway Warrior 2:
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+Table of Content
+
+1. The Author
+2. Dedication
+3. Dateline to Disaster
+4. The Story So Far
+5. The Game Rules
+ * Survival Skills
+ * Equipment
+ * Weapons
+ * Rules for Close Combat
+6. Section 1-350
+7. Close Combat Rules Summary
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+The Author
+
+Joe Dever was born in 1956 at Woodford Bridge in Essex. After he left college he became a professional musician, working in studios in Europe and America. While working in Los Angeles in 1977, he discovered a game called 'Dungeons and Dragons' and was soon an enthusiastic player. Five years later he won the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Championships in the US, where he was the only British competitor. Freeway Warrior is the follow up series to his award-winning Lone Wolf adventures, which are printed in several languages and sold all over the world.
+
+Joe also writes for modelling journals and contributes to Britain's leading role-playing games magazines. He adapts the Lone Wolf adventures for computer play, is editor of the 'World of Lone Wolf' series and is noted for his model painting and photography.
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+Dedication
+
+For Mick, Michelle and Ryan
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+Dateline to Disaster
+
+1990-1998
+Rise of global terrorism on an unprecedented scale. Political violence funded by organized crime syndicate called HAVOC - the Hijack, Assassination and Violent Opposition Consortium.
+
+1998-2003
+The governments of many small and impoverished nations fall into the hands of HAVOC. International terrorists receive arms, training and shelter in these 'Badlands'.
+
+2003-2008
+Raids on oil and gas installations, assassinations, and the kidnapping of prominent world statesmen become commonplace as HAVOC attempt to terrorize the civilized world into submission. Despite public outrage and growing international tension, the major powers refuse steadfastly to give in to HAVOC's demands.
+
+2008
+President of the United States and General Secretary of Supreme Soviet both assassinated at emergency summit meeting. US, USSR and major European nations create the World Defence League and declare war on HAVOC. The Badlands are invaded, key HAVOC bases destroyed, and thousands of HAVOC agents are captured.
+
+2009
+HAVOC leaders imprisoned for life in 'Deep Pens' - maximum security gaols located deep underground - to prevent their escape or release by HAVOC agents still at large.
+
+2010
+New leadership emerges to unify the scattered remnants of HAVOC and plan revenge.
+
+2011
+A WDL train transporting seventeen 100-kiloton nuclear warheads, destined to be neutralized and dismantled, is attacked by HAVOC agents. The train is destroyed and its deadly cargo stolen.
+
+2012
+New Year's Day
+HAVOC hijack a WDL news satellite and broadcast a chilling ultimatum. They have planted the seventeen stolen warheads in major cities throughout the US, USSR and Europe. They call for the immediate release of all HAVOC agents held in Deep Pens, plus the payment of $2 trillion in gold bullion, or they will trigger the warheads one by one until their demands are met in full.
+
+A twenty-four hour deadline is set. WDL leaders declare emergency and request that the deadline be extended. HAVOC refuse.
+
+2nd January
+(2012)
+First warhead detonated at Brie Nuclear Energy Plant, ten miles south of Paris, France. Blast and radioactive fallout claim millions of lives. HAVOC repeat their demand and extend deadline by twenty-four hours.
+
+3rd January
+'The Day'
+(2012)
+World Defence League agents discover location of HAVOC command headquarters on an island in the South Pacific Ocean. Immediately orders are given to infiltrate and destroy the HQ and its occupants. The assault is swift and decisive; the complex is quickly overrun and its inhabitants are killed.
+
+Yet, ironically, as the news of this victory is being relayed around the world, HAVOC enact their ultimate revenge. A transmitter hidden on the island, fitted with a time-delay mechanism, clicks on, sending its high-frequency radio signal to a communications satellite orbiting the earth. This signal is amplified and returned to earth where, simultaneously, it triggers the remaining nuclear warheads.
+
+The initial explosions set off a disastrous chain reaction that feeds on civil and military nuclear installations all across the northern hemisphere. Hundreds of millions of people are killed within days, and many more perish during the years that follow, falling victim to the lingering radioactivity and the severe climatic changes that affect the earth.
+
+2012-2019
+Gale force winds sweep across the world, carrying enormous amounts of dust into the upper atmosphere and preventing much sunlight from reaching the earth's surface. Temperatures plummet, deterring survivors from remaining above ground. Communications are disrupted by gamma radiation, making all radio, cable and satellite contact impossible. Small colonies of survivors develop in total isolation from one another during these years of darkness.
+
+2019-2020
+Gradually, the dust storms die down and the sun penetrates the atmosphere, thawing the earth's frozen surface. Radiation has decayed to tolerable levels, and survivors emerge to reclaim what little remains of the world they once knew.
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+The Story So Far
+
+You are Cal Phoenix, a survivor, born in California on Thanksgiving Day in the year AD 2000. In 2012, whilst on winter vacation at your Uncle Jonas' and Aunt Betty-Ann's ranch in Texas, you were invited to visit a shale-oil mine near Austin, the first of its kind in Texas. As Chief of Construction, your uncle was proud to take you on a guided tour of the whole underground complex, which, for security reasons, was totally self-supporting. It was during this tour on 3 January 2012, that the unthinkable happened.
+
+You remember how the ground shuddered when the shock waves from the first distant explosions reached the mine. Immediately you assumed it was the start of an earthquake, which you had experienced many times at home in California. However, as the levels nearest the surface began to collapse and the central elevator shaft filled with rubble, you realized the awful truth: the holocaust. At first there was no way of telling the extent of the surface devastation. Below ground, the safety generators had switched into operation automatically when the main power supply failed, and the tremors had faded quickly, which encouraged your aunt and uncle to believe that the damage above was superficial. Uncle Jonas was confident that the military would mount a rescue operation and that you would be brought out within a few days, a week at the most. Aunt Betty-Ann, too, was optimishc. After all, there were emergency supplies - enough to feed 200 men for a whole month. Little did she know that the three of you would end up consuming all those supplies, or that the mine would become your home, your shelter and your prison for the next eight years of your lives.
+
+It was early September in the year 2019 when eventually you broke through to the surface. When first you set eyes on the landscape surrounding the mine, it was like looking at the surface of another planet. Few structures had survived the blizzards and intense cold that had swept around the world in the years following 'the Day', and now, after the dust had settled and the sun had returned, the once-fertile plains of Austin resembled little more than a desert of parched and broken rock, littered with the artefacts of an absent civilization.
+
+During the first few days, when you set out to explore this wilderness, it was easy to believe that you were the only survivors. But on the morning of the fifth day Uncle Jonas made chance radio contact with a family called Ewell who were living near the ruins of McKinney, thirty miles north of Dallas. They told him that they had been in touch with a handful of other groups who had managed somehow to survive the holocaust. Most were isolated and unable to move due to lack of fuel, food or water. They had urged those who could travel to join them in McKinney to start a new community there, and some people were already on their way. When your uncle and aunt accepted their invitation, the Ewells were enthusiastic, but they also warned you to be wary - not everyone who had survived wanted to establish a new community. The ruins of some large Texan cities, such as Dallas and Fort Worth, were controlled by gangs of criminals who fought with each other and terrorized anyone seeking to re-establish law and order. They urged you to avoid these gangs at all costs.
+
+It took more than a week to discover a vehicle that could transport you to McKinney. It was an old school bus, one that had been parked in an underground lot and had survived the years of sub-zero blizzards. With fuel and spares salvaged from the mine, you managed to coax it back to life, and then set off on your journey north.
+
+When you arrived at the town, it was easy to find where the Ewells lived - their ranch was the only place that was still standing. It looked more like an old frontier post than a ranch, with its fortified perimeter wall, lookout posts and stake-filled moat. However, after being ambushed and shot at by the city gangs of Fort Worth during the final stages of your journey, you fully appreciated the need for these defences.
+
+'Pop' Ewell, the seventy-year-old grandfather of the Ewell family, was the leader of this small colony of survivors, and it was he who had urged Uncle Jonas to join them when they had first made radio contact. The colony numbered less than a dozen at the time of your arrival, yet, as the airwaves became clearer and new contacts were made, soon this number had more than doubled to twenty-five. It was decided that a name was needed to identify the settlement. The name 'Dallas Colony One' was adopted, known as 'DC1' for short. From that day on, everyone worked hard to make DC1 a secure haven for those seeking refuge from the hostile wastelands and marauding city gangs.
+
+'Cutter' Jacks was one such refugee. Before 'the Day' he had been chief mechanic at the International Grand Prix Circuit near Lake Dallas, and his incredible skill with, and knowledge of, engines was soon to prove invaluable to the colony. He taught you how to drive, and from a pile of old wrecks that you helped him salvage from the circuit, he built you a powerful, customized car. You used it to patrol the highways north of the city, keeping a lookout for gangs of city punks who frequently mounted raids to steal or destroy DC1's supplies. Cutter also taught you to shoot. It was your natural prowess with a gun, and your skill behind the wheel, that was to earn you the begrudging respect of your enemies, who took to calling you 'the Freeway Warrior'.
+
+Six months after you arrived at DC1, the colony was faced with a major crisis. A heat wave was causing a drought that threatened to destroy the food supply. Crops were failing and the colony's artesian well, its only source of uncontaminated water, was beginning to dry up. The drought was also provoking more attacks from the city punks, who were desperate for food and water. Their common need had united them and now they posed a very real threat to the security of DC1.
+
+It was the last day of May, 2020, when Pop Ewell made radio contact with another colony who were based in the city of Big Spring, 300 miles west of McKinney. Their situation was completely the reverse of DC1's: they had food and water in plentiful supply but they were desperately short of fuel. They told of their contact with survivors in Tucson, Arizona, who were also without fuel. The Tucson colony reported that the territories west of the Sierra Nevada mountains had been spared the worst effects of the radioactive blizzards that had devastated the rest of the country and, miraculously, much of southern California was still widely populated. In fact, it had survived the last eight years virtually intact. When you heard the news you could hardly believe your ears. Perhaps your family was still alive. After all that had happened, there was now a real hope that one day you might be reunited with them.
+
+A meeting was held to decide how best to deal with the crisis facing DC1. Everyone agreed that to stay at McKinney would lead eventually to death, either slowly from starvation or suddenly at the hands of the murderous city gangs. The only choice open to DC1 was to try to reach California; only there lay real hope for the future of the colony. The decision was relayed to the survivors at Big Spring and a deal was struck to rendezvous with them as soon as possible. DC1 would refuel them in exchange for food and water, and together they would join up with the Tucson colony for the final stage of the journey to California.
+
+Careful preparations were made for the long trek, and three vehicles were chosen to make up the convoy: the school bus, your customized roadster, and a gasolene tanker laden with 5000 gallons of petroleum syphoned from underground storage tanks at the Ewell ranch. Supplies of food and water were adequate but the colony lacked sufficient firearms and ammunition with which to defend itself. So, on the day before the convoy was due to leave, one of the colonists was sent north to search the town of Sherman for weapons. He radioed back to say that he had found a cache of hunting rifles and ammunition, but that his truck had broken down and he was stranded in the town. He had also found a survivor - a beautiful teenage girl - and he requested that you be sent to Sherman to pick them up. As soon as you arrived you were ambushed by the scouts of a brutal gang of bikers known as the Detroit Lions and, in the ensuing gun battle, you killed Stinger - the scouts' leader.
+
+Later, you learned that the girl, Kate Norton, was the sole survivor of a Kansas City colony, which had been attacked and wiped out by the Detroit Lions. The Lions' leader, who calls himself 'Mad Dog Michigan', had taken a liking to her and spared her life. Mad Dog had once been a high-ranking HAVOC agent. He had escaped from Pontiac Deep Pen near Detroit, and he and his gang, most of whom were also HAVOC escapees, were heading for the Fort Hood Military Reserve near Killeen, Texas, the largest armoury in the whole of the United States. There he hoped to find enough weapons to equip the other HAVOC clans who were now in control of cities all along the eastern seaboard. Kate had managed to steal a motorcycle and escape from their camp, but Mad Dog had been determined to get her back. He sent his brother - Stinger and a handful of his best scouts to track her down. They had finally caught up with her at Sherman.
+
+When Mad Dog learned that you had killed his brother, he vowed to get even with you at any price. He abandoned his plans to loot Fort Hood and embarked instead on a relentless pursuit of your colony as it crossed the sun-scorched wastelands of central Texas. The journey to Big Spring was fraught with great danger. Yet, in spite of the many perils you faced, perhaps because of them, you felt yourself falling in love with Kate and you sensed that she, too, was becoming increasingly fond of you.
+
+Sadly, the convoy was only a few miles from Big Spring when disaster struck. The land surrounding the settlement was controlled by a gang of bikers, a renegade clan called 'the Mavericks' who had been the bane of the Big Spring colony for many months. As the convoy drew nearer to its destination, the Mavericks launched an attack, and, in the running battle that ensued, they captured and abducted Kate. The convoy entered the fortified gates of Big Spring to a rapturous welcome from the colonists of that settlement, but for you the mood of celebration was soured by the vivid memory of Kate's abduction. You vowed to rescue her, and, from that moment on, every waking minute of every day at Big Spring was spent thinking about little else.
+
+By chance it transpired that the leader of the Mavericks, a blond-haired murderer called Amex Gold, was a former HAVOC agent who had served under Mad Dog Michigan before 'the Day'. He offered to join forces with the Lions, and, as a token of his loyalty to his former commander, he returned Kate to him. Together, the Lions and the Mavericks launched a hasty attack on Big Spring. However, although they outnumbered the colony by more than three to one, they were unable to breach the settlement's fortified perimeter wall, and were repelled with heavy losses.
+
+On the day after the attack, Pop Ewell discovered the radio frequency that the clansmen were using and was able to eavesdrop on their communications. He learned that Mad Dog had ordered another HAVOC clan, based in New Orleans, to come and reinforce his command; they were expected to arrive within the week. He also overheard Mad Dog arrange a meeting with Mekong Mike, the leader of the Angelinos, a gang that controlled the city of San Angelo. He wanted him as an ally and was prepared to offer guns and ammunition in return for his help in destroying the Big Spring colony.
+
+Two days later, Mad Dog Michigan set off for San Angelo at the head of a motorcycle pack 200 riders strong. Those few clansmen who remained with Amex Gold tried myriad tricks to convince the colony that the Mavericks and the Lions still surrounded Big Spring in strength, but to no avail. The senior members of the newly enlarged colony convened a meeting at which it was decided that, with the clansmen now at their weakest, and with the appearance of the New Orleans gang expected at any time, a breakout had to be attempted without delay.
+
+There is only one way for the colony to reach Tucson overland and that is to follow the remains of Interstate Freeway 10 through the arid, mountainous territory of western Texas. Precisely half-way between Big Spring and Tucson is situated the city of El Paso, which is chosen as the colony's first destination. The city lies at the end of a long, steep and tortuous stretch of mountain highway, and few doubt that the journey to El Paso will prove the most exacting test of strength and endurance any of you are ever likely to face during your long journey to California.
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+The Game Rules
+
+Before embarking on your adventure, you must first determine your personal characteristics and the weapons and provisions with which you are equipped. On pages 6 and 7 you will find an Action Chart on which to record and amend these details as the adventure unfolds. For ease of use during play it is recommended that you photocopy these pages.
+
+Your personal characteristics comprise two basic attributes: CLOSE COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE. To discover your initial CLOSE COMBAT SKILL, take a pencil and, with your eyes closed, point the blunt end of it on to the Random Number Table at the back of this book. If you pick a 0 it counts as zero. Add 10 to the number you have picked and write the total in the CLOSE COMBAT SKILL section of your Action Chart (for example, if your pencil falls on the number 5 in the Random Number Table, you have a CLOSE COMBAT SKILL total of 15). When you fight an enemy in hand-to-hand combat, your CLOSE COMBAT SKILL will be measured against that of your enemy, so a high score in this section is desirable.
+
+To discover your ENDURANCE level, repeat the process, but this time add 20 to the number you have picked from the Random Number Table. Write the total in the ENDURANCE section of your Action Chart (for example, if your pencil falls on the number 8 on the Random Number Table, you have a total ENDURANCE score of 28). If you are wounded in combat, or injured at any other time during your adventure you will lose ENDURANCE points. If, at any time, your ENDURANCE points total falls to zero, you are dead and the adventure is over. You can regain lost ENDURANCE points during the course of the adventure, but your ENDURANCE level can never rise above your initial score.
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+The Game Rules - Survival Skills
+
+Ever since the day you returned to the surface, you have endeavoured to develop your skills and natural instincts fully in order to best defend yourself and your colony.
+
+Listed on your Action Chart are your five basic survival skills:
+
+Driving
+Your ability to control powered vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles and trucks.
+
+Shooting
+Your familiarity and experience in the use of missile weapons, such as pistols, machine pistols, shotguns and rifles.
+
+Field craft
+Your knowledge and experience of all aspects of outdoor survival.
+
+Stealth
+Your physical fitness, the speed of your reflexes and your dexterity.
+
+Perception
+Your intelligence, your ability to evaluate information, your education and your mental alertness.
+
+Your ability in each of these five individual skills is measured in skill points. You begin with 3 points per skill. Before starting the adventure, you may allocate an additional 4 skill points to your list of five survival skills. These 4 extra points can be used to improve one or more of your five skills. During your adventure, all five skills will be severely tested, therefore the higher the individual skill level, the better your chances of survival. You may allocate your 4 additional points entirely how you like.
+
+When you have decided where to allocate your 4 additional skill points, make a note of the totals in the Survival Skills section of your Action Chart.
+
+(If this is your first Freeway Warrior adventure, your total number of skill points should be 19: five skills x 3 points each = 15, plus 4 additional skill points = 19 points.)
+
+If you complete successfully the mission set in Book 2 of the Freeway Warrior series, you may add an additional 4 points to your Survival Skills in Book 3. These additional points, together with any equipment and provisions that you possess at the end of Book 2, may then be used in the next Freeway Warrior adventure, which is called The Omega Zone.
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+The Game Rules - Equipment
+
+Apart from your clothing, a number of useful items form your basic equipment. This comprises a Backpack, and a belt on which hangs your Ammo Pouch, Medi-kit, Water Canteen and Hunting Knife. In addition to these items, you possess a map of Western Texas (see the inside front cover of this book), which you carry tucked inside your leather jacket.
+
+Backpack
+Up to ten separate items may be stored and carried in your Backpack at any time. However, if more than three items are carried, your Stealth level will be reduced by 1 point. If more than six items are carried, your Stealth level will be reduced by 2 points; and if you carry a full Backpack (containing ten items) your Stealth level will be reduced by 3 points.
+
+In order to equip yourself for the task ahead, you may choose up to four items from the following list:
+
+* SOLAR TORCH
+* HE (High Explosive) GRENADE
+* BINOCULARS
+* COMPASS
+* CB RADIO
+* ROPE
+* THREE MEALS (each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack)
+* FLEXIBLE SAW
+* SIGNAL FLARE
+
+List the items you have chosen on your Action Chart. If you have picked four items, adjust your current Stealth level accordingly.
+
+Opportunities may arise during your adventure for you to pick up useful items. These items will appear in the text in bold print and, unless you are instructed otherwise, they can be stored and carried in your Backpack.
+
+You will need to eat regularly. If you do not possess any food when you are instructed to eat a Meal, you will lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
+
+Ammo Pouch
+Your Ammo Pouch is where you store any spare ammunition for firearms. It can hold a maximum of the following:
+
+* 40 rounds of 9mm calibre Pistol/Machine Pistol ammunition
+or
+* 20 rounds of 7.62mm calibre Rifle ammunition
+or
+* 10 rounds of 12-gauge calibre Shotgun ammunition
+
+When carrying mixed calibres of ammunition, use this equation to check how much space you have left in your Ammo Pouch:
+
+4 x 9mm rounds = 2 x 7.62mm rounds = 1 x 12-gauge round
+
+Additional ammunition can be carried in your Backpack. Ammunition occupies one space for each quantity that is equal to (or less than) the maximum that can be carried in one Ammo Pouch.
+
+Medi-kit
+A well-stocked Medi-kit can make all the difference to your chances of survival should you suffer injury in the field or as a result of combat. It contains useful first aid supplies, such as dressings, antiseptics, antibiotics, water purification tablets, sulphonamides, pain killers, potassium iodine tablets (to delay absorption of radioactivity) and sutures.
+
+For convenience, these medical supplies are grouped into units. To find how many units you have in your Medi-kit, pick a number from the Random Number Table (0 equals 10) and add 2. Your total score equals the number of units with which you begin your adventure. To keep a record of them, circle the appropriate number of unit symbols in the Medi-kit section of your Action Chart. The maximum number of units you can carry in your Medi-kit is twelve.
+
+You may use your Medi-kit units to restore lost ENDURANCE points; each unit used in this way restores 3 points. Units cannot be used to restore ENDURANCE points in lieu of a Meal or Water when instructed to eat or drink.
+
+Water Canteen
+Water is essential to life, and your life will depend on having a sufficient, uncontaminated supply. You will need to drink regularly during your adventure. One drink is equivalent to half a pint and your canteen holds exactly two pints of water: enough for one day's needs. When instructed to drink, be sure to tick off one box in the Water section of your Action Chart.
+
+If you do not have any Water when instructed to drink, you must lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+The Game Rules - Equipment
+
+Apart from your clothing, a number of useful items form your basic equipment. This comprises a Backpack, and a belt on which hangs your Ammo Pouch, Medi-kit, Water Canteen and Hunting Knife. In addition to these items, you possess a map of Western Texas (see the inside front cover of this book), which you carry tucked inside your leather jacket.
+
+Backpack
+Up to ten separate items may be stored and carried in your Backpack at any time. However, if more than three items are carried, your Stealth level will be reduced by 1 point. If more than six items are carried, your Stealth level will be reduced by 2 points; and if you carry a full Backpack (containing ten items) your Stealth level will be reduced by 3 points.
+
+In order to equip yourself for the task ahead, you may choose up to four items from the following list:
+
+* SOLAR TORCH
+* HE (High Explosive) GRENADE
+* BINOCULARS
+* COMPASS
+* CB RADIO
+* ROPE
+* THREE MEALS (each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack)
+* FLEXIBLE SAW
+* SIGNAL FLARE
+
+List the items you have chosen on your Action Chart. If you have picked four items, adjust your current Stealth level accordingly.
+
+Opportunities may arise during your adventure for you to pick up useful items. These items will appear in the text in bold print and, unless you are instructed otherwise, they can be stored and carried in your Backpack.
+
+You will need to eat regularly. If you do not possess any food when you are instructed to eat a Meal, you will lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
+
+Ammo Pouch
+Your Ammo Pouch is where you store any spare ammunition for firearms. It can hold a maximum of the following:
+
+* 40 rounds of 9mm calibre Pistol/Machine Pistol ammunition
+or
+* 20 rounds of 7.62mm calibre Rifle ammunition
+or
+* 10 rounds of 12-gauge calibre Shotgun ammunition
+
+When carrying mixed calibres of ammunition, use this equation to check how much space you have left in your Ammo Pouch:
+
+4 x 9mm rounds = 2 x 7.62mm rounds = 1 x 12-gauge round
+
+Additional ammunition can be carried in your Backpack. Ammunition occupies one space for each quantity that is equal to (or less than) the maximum that can be carried in one Ammo Pouch.
+
+Medi-kit
+A well-stocked Medi-kit can make all the difference to your chances of survival should you suffer injury in the field or as a result of combat. It contains useful first aid supplies, such as dressings, antiseptics, antibiotics, water purification tablets, sulphonamides, pain killers, potassium iodine tablets (to delay absorption of radioactivity) and sutures.
+
+For convenience, these medical supplies are grouped into units. To find how many units you have in your Medi-kit, pick a number from the Random Number Table (0 equals 10) and add 2. Your total score equals the number of units with which you begin your adventure. To keep a record of them, circle the appropriate number of unit symbols in the Medi-kit section of your Action Chart. The maximum number of units you can carry in your Medi-kit is twelve.
+
+You may use your Medi-kit units to restore lost ENDURANCE points; each unit used in this way restores 3 points. Units cannot be used to restore ENDURANCE points in lieu of a Meal or Water when instructed to eat or drink.
+
+Water Canteen
+Water is essential to life, and your life will depend on having a sufficient, uncontaminated supply. You will need to drink regularly during your adventure. One drink is equivalent to half a pint and your canteen holds exactly two pints of water: enough for one day's needs. When instructed to drink, be sure to tick off one box in the Water section of your Action Chart.
+
+If you do not have any Water when instructed to drink, you must lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+The Game Rules - Weapons
+
+Close Combat Weapons
+These weapons aid you in hand-to-hand fighting. You begin your adventure armed with a Hunting Knife which, when used in close combat, adds 2 points to your CLOSE COMBAT SKILL. Note this Hunting Knife in the Close Combat Weapons section of your Action Chart.
+
+If you find a close combat weapon during your adventure, you may pick it up and use it. Close combat weapons appear in the text with a close combat skill number, for example, Machete [3]. This number indicates how many points this weapon will add to your CLOSE COMBAT SKILL when used in a hand-to-hand fight.
+
+The maximum number of close combat weapons you may carry is two.
+
+Missile Weapons
+There are four types of missile weapon:
+
+* Pistol
+* Machine Pistol
+* Shotgun
+* Rifle
+
+Unless you are continuing to use weapons from a previous Freeway Warrior book, you begin your adventure armed with only one of these weapons. Make your choice and then record the weapon you have chosen, together with its calibre and rate of fire details, in the Missile Weapons section of your Action Chart.
+
+In order to be able to use a missile weapon, you must have sufficient ammunition of the correct calibre. The following list shows the calibre of each weapon, the amount that is used every time the weapon is fired, and the number of rounds that you possess at the start of your adventure:
+
+Weapon - Calibre - Rate of Fire - Initial No. of Rounds
+PISTOL - 9mm - 1 - 8
+MACHINE PISTOL - 9mm - 6 - 30
+SHOTGUN - 12-gauge - 1 - 4
+RIFLE - 7.62mm - 1 - 4
+
+The initial number of rounds should be noted in the Ammo Pouch section of your Action Chart. Missile weapons cannot be used if you run out of ammunition or possess rounds of the wrong calibre. However, the opportunity may arise for you to replenish your supply of ammunition and/or discover a weapon of the correct calibre.
+
+You may carry a maximum of three missile weapons. However, for every missile weapon that you carry (excluding your initial choice), you must reduce your Stealth level by 1 point.
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+The Game Rules - Rules for Close Combat
+
+There will be occasions when you will have to fight an enemy in hand-to-hand combat. The enemy's CLOSE COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE level will both be given in the text. Your aim in close combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his ENDURANCE points to zero while losing as few of your own ENDURANCE points as possible.
+
+At the start of a close combat, enter both your own and your enemy's ENDURANCE points in the appropriate boxes on the Close Combat Record section of your Action Chart. The sequence for close combat is as follows:
+
+1) Add any extra points gained through the use of close combat weapons to your current CLOSE COMBAT SKILL total.
+
+2) Subtract the CLOSE COMBAT SKILL of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter it on the Action Chart.
+
+Example
+Cal Phoenix (CLOSE COMBAT SKILL 17) is attacked by a Renegade Clansman (CLOSE COMBAT SKILL 18). He is not given the opportunity to evade close combat, but must stand and fight his adversary. Cal Phoenix is armed with a Hunting Knife [2], so he adds 2 points to his CLOSE COMBAT SKILL, giving a total CLOSE COMBAT SKILL of 19.
+
+He subtracts the Renegade Clansman's CLOSE COMBAT SKILL from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of +1 (19 - 18 = +1). He notes this on his Action Chart as the Combat Ratio.
+
+3) After working out your Combat Ratio, pick a number from the Random Number Table.
+
+4) Turn to the Close Combat Results Table on the inside back cover of the book. Along the top of the chart are the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-refer it with the number that you have picked (the random numbers appear down the side of the chart). You now have the ENDURANCE points lost by both Cal Phoenix and his enemy in this round of close combat. (E represents points lost by the enemy; CP represents points lost by Cal Phoenix.)
+
+Example
+The Combat Ratio between Cal Phoenix and the Renegade Clansman has been established as +1. If the number picked from the Random Number Table is a 4, then the result of the first round of close combat is:
+
+Cal Phoenix loses 3 ENDURANCE points
+
+Renegade Clansman loses 4 ENDURANCE points.
+
+5) On the Action Chart, mark the changes in ENDURANCE points to the participants in the close combat.
+
+6) Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, start the next round of close combat.
+
+7) Repeat the sequence from stage 3.
+
+This procedure continues until the ENDURANCE points of either the enemy or Cal Phoenix are reduced to zero, at which point the one whose score is zero is declared dead. If Cal Phoenix is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Cal Phoenix proceeds but with a reduced ENDURANCE point score.
+
+A summary of the close combat rules appears on the page after the Random Number Table
+
+Evasion of combat
+During your adventure you may be given the chance to evade close combat. If you have already engaged in a round of close combat and decide to evade, calculate the combat for that round in the usual manner. All ENDURANCE points lost by the enemy as a result of that round are ignored; only Cal Phoenix may lose ENDURANCE points during that round, but that is the risk of running away! You may evade combat only if the text of that particular section allows you to do so.
+
+Slaughter Mountain Run
+Close Combat Rules Summary
+
+1) Add to your CLOSE COMBAT SKILL any extra points gained through use of a close combat weapon.
+
+2) Subtract the CLOSE COMBAT SKILL score of your enemy from your total. The resulting number is the Combat Ratio.
+
+3) Pick a number from the Random Nuber Table.
+
+4) Turn to the Combat Results Table.
+
+5) Find your Combat Ratio along the top of the chart and cross-refer it with the random number you have picked. (E indicates enemy's loss of ENDURANCE points. CP indicates Cal Phoenix's loss of ENDURANCE points.)
+
+6) Continue the combat from stage 3 until one combatant has zero ENDURANCE points, this is when he is declared dead.
+
+To Evade Combat
+
+1) You may only evade combat when the text of the adventure offers you the opportunity.
+
+2) If the text offers the chance of taking evasive action instead of entering into combat, you may evade in the first round of combat or in any subsequent round.
+
+3) If you decide to evade after a round of combat, ignore all points lost by enemy in that round: only Cal Phoenix loses ENDURANCE points.
+
+-->
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="numbered">
+ <meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect1">
+ <meta><title>1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Throughout a long and moonless night, the colony loads up and manhandles into line the vehicles that are to transport you west to Tucson. Preparations for the breakout did not begin until an hour after sundown, for Amex Gold has men positioned on nearby Signal Mountain with orders to observe and report all activity within Big Spring. These lookouts are especially vigilant; their leader is expecting the colony to attempt an escape and they know that their lives will be forfeit should they fail to predict exactly when it will occur.</p>
+ <p>In near-blackness you service and refuel your roadster by sense of touch alone, while all around you the chill night air is alive with movement and whispering as your fellow colonists furtively attend to their allotted tasks. Although you cannot see them you know exactly the positions of the five other road vehicles that comprise the convoy. At the head of the line, twenty paces back from the west freeway gate, is the armoured tow truck that will lead the breakout. The driver is 'Pecos' Pete Tyler, and beside him you can picture his brother Rex riding shotgun. In the open back of their truck is Rickenbacker, a former flying circus stunt pilot, who has chosen to ride out in the open so that he can look after 'Icarus' - his motorized hang glider - which by now he will have carefully dismantled and strapped aboard. Next in line are two Amcorp Landcruisers - solar-assisted roadbuses that carry the Big Spring colonists, and behind them is positioned the gasolene tanker with Uncle Jonas at the wheel. The DC1 school bus is next and your roadster last, the back marker until the convoy is clear of Big Spring.</p>
+ <p>Once your preparations are complete you leave your vehicle and feel your way along the side of the school bus towards the boarding door. Cutter is sitting in the driver's seat, staring thoughtfully at the night sky, his face lit by the faint green glow of the instrument panel.</p>
+ <p>'Cal, you'd better get back and watch out for Pecos Pete's signal,' he says, on seeing you at his side. 'We're outta here in fifteen minutes.'</p>
+ <p>'I've decided I'm not goin' to Tucson with the convoy,' you reply, your voice steady and resolute. 'I'm not gonna abandon Kate. I'm the only hope she's got of cuttin' loose o' that psychopath Mad Dog Michigan, and I'm not gonna betray that hope. He's sure to have taken her with him to San Angelo, and I've thought out a plan to spring her from there while he's busy fixin' a deal with the Angelinos gang.</p>
+ <p>'I understand how you feel, Cal,' says Cutter, sympathetically, 'but you've a duty to the rest o' the colony that you can't just ignore. You're the convoy scout, the convoy's eyes and ears. We're gonna need you to get us across the mountains in one piece.'</p>
+ <p>'Rickenbacker in his micro-glider can scout for the convoy. With a CB on board he could stay in radio contact with Pop and be your eyes in the sky. He'd make the best scout the convoy could ask for,' you reply, convincingly.</p>
+ <p>Cutter stares at you in silence then, begrudgingly, he nods in agreement. 'OK, Cal. As soon as we're safely away from here I'll talk to the others and get them to listen to your plan. But first we've gotta concern ourselves with gettin' out o' here in one piece - agreed?'</p>
+ <p>'Agreed,' you reply, relieved that at last you have told someone your decision to rescue Kate.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the discordant blare of an auto horn splits the silence: it is Pecos Pete's signal to the other drivers to start their engines. Quickly you return to your roadster and, as you fire up its engine, you see the twin tail lights of the school bus shrinking in the dark as it heads towards the now-open freeway gate. The breakout has begun.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect293"><link-text>Turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect2">
+ <meta><title>2</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are about to push open the door when you notice a thin, almost transparent cord wrapped around the inside handle. It rises to a shelf above the door, where it is attached to a large glass storage jar. Carefully you ease open the door a few inches, take hold of the cord between your fingers and snap it before entering the kitchen. Having deactivated this primitive trap, you make your way silently towards the bar at the front of the building.</p>
+ <p>As you enter, you search the darkened interior for some sign of Haskell, but you cannot see where he is. Rather than risk his mistaking you for a clansman, you whisper his name as you advance cautiously into the bar.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception and Stealth skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If the total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If the total score is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect3">
+ <meta><title>3</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansmen dive aside as you crash through their barrier and accelerate across the open ground towards the safety of the southern ruins. But they recover quickly and soon the staccato hammering of their assault rifles is echoing in your wake. Bullets slam into the rear of the jeep and whistle past your head as you steer the vehicle towards the remains of a building with an open, unobstructed entrance. Bullets continue to ricochet off the bodywork until you skid to a halt inside the derelict building, where you abandon the jeep hurriedly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect148"><link-text>Turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect4">
+ <meta><title>4</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The crack of your pistol shot is echoed by the clansman's shocked scream. He drops the knife and clutches his hands to his wound before crashing lifelessly to the floor. With fear in their eyes, the other two reach for their pistols as they back away hastily from the guard's blood-stained body.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect5">
+ <meta><title>5</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your killing blow tears open the sniper's chest and flings him to the floor like a torn puppet. With a gurgling groan he rolls over on to his back and dies, his rifle still clutched in his hands. (If you wish to keep this weapon, you discover that it contains eight rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.)</p>
+ <p>You walk to the window and shout an 'all clear' to the others in the street below before you turn to leave.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect6">
+ <meta><title>6</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having chosen to stop here and rest, you pull off the highway and search among the ruins for a safe shelter. You are looking for a place where you will be able to hide the roadster and observe the road; if the Angelinos appear during the night, you will need as much forewarning of their arrival as possible in order to make a successful getaway.</p>
+ <p>Only one place meets your needs: a warehouse and factory complex near the middle of the town. The cracked and tarnished facia above its entrance tells you that this was once the Eldorado Woolen Mills. You park the roadster in a covered lot at the rear, then settle yourselves on the first floor in a workshop that has an unobstructed view of the highway. You must now eat a Meal (or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), and take a Drink (or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>Kate curls up beside you and falls asleep in your arms, while you, heavy with fatigue, force yourself to stay awake and watch the highway. Your vigilance pays off when, two hours later, you see a line of lights in the double doors leading to the kitchen and you head straight for them.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If the number you have picked is 0-2, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect218">If the number is 3-9, <link-text>turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect7">
+ <meta><title>7</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This corridor services a number of offices and conference rooms before it ends at a wide staircase leading downwards. You descend three floors and discover the remains of a large private restaurant which, along with the kitchen, occupies most of the sub-basement level. A small 'fire exit' sign hangs over the double doors leading to the kitchen and you head straight for them.</p>
+ <p>As you are crossing the restaurant floor, your rumbling stomach reminds you that you have yet to eat anything today. Then the thought occurs to you that there could still be some canned food in the kitchen, and you decide to search it before you leave the building.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect159">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect233">If it is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect8">
+ <meta><title>8</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kate grips your hand tightly as you descend with a group of the cave people into the depths of the Sonora caverns. An astounding speleological feast greets your eyes as you follow them through a series of monumentous caves that have been eroded over millions of years by subterranean rivers and streams. The group stops frequently at specially prepared defensive hides, which are virtually impossible to see. One or two of their number, armed with rocks, spears and slings, occupy each of these positions. At once you see that it is their intention to lure the clansmen into the caverns and fight them here, where, despite their lack of firearms, the odds are in their favour.</p>
+ <p>Soon the sound of gun fire begins to penetrate the caverns, announcing the arrival of the clansmen. You stop with Kate and crouch behind a clump of stalagmites, while the three remaining cave people arm themselves with rocks and take up a position on a ledge directly above a narrow defile. For several minutes the sound of gun fire and the screams of the wounded fill the caves with clamouring echoes. Then two of the Angelinos appear at the entrance to the defile and come running towards you. The cave people hurl their rocks and bring an Angelino crashing to the ground with a broken skull, but his partner avenges his death by sweeping them from the ledge with one long burst of automatic fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect61">If you have a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect302">If you do not have one, or have exhausted your ammunition, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect9">
+ <meta><title>9</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>To your left is the open doorway of an empty locker room and you slip inside quickly to avoid being seen by the two guards. Having already removed the grenade from your pack, you set its variable timer to detonate four seconds after the pin is pulled. A quick glance into the corridor lets you know the guards' position; you pull the pin and lob the grenade at them.</p>
+ <p>In the confines of the corridor the grenade explodes with devastating effect. Even though you are in an adjacent room, shielded from the direct blast, the concussion makes your ears ring and leaves you gasping for breath. You grab a towel that is hanging behind the door and use it to cover your mouth as you run down the smoke-filled corridor. The clansmen lie dead at the foot of the stairs. As you leap over their bodies and ascend the steps, you see the door to the observation block begin to open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect10">
+ <meta><title>10</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You chamber a round and take aim at the first clansman as he scurries between the rocks that litter the edge of the service area. He is less than thirty yards away when you squeeze off your first shot and bring him crashing to the ground. His partner hesitates, then abandons his stealthy approach and comes running towards you, screaming hysterically, his machine pistol blazing at his hip.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you have sufficient ammunition and wish to fire again, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If you do not have sufficient ammunition to fire a second time, or choose not to fire, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect11">
+ <meta><title>11</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kate rushes over to the dead man's bike and salvages a machine pistol, while you return to the car and finish the repair. The sight of their leader dead leaves the remaining clansmen in a state of confusion, which lasts just long enough for you to complete your wheel change and jump back into the car with Kate.</p>
+ <p>As you reach the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the Angelino scouts cradling their leader's body on the bank of the South Concho River.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect12">
+ <meta><title>12</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For three long, hot, tedious hours you sit watching the two clansmen through your binoculars (during which time you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). You see them finish their meal and then attend to the repair of one of their motorcycle engines. You are beginning to fear that they have no intention of ever leaving the bridge, when another biker appears atop a ridge of high ground on the far side of the river. He approaches them and stops briefly to talk. Then the two clansmen mount their machines and follow him back across the bridge, accelerating away to the south.</p>
+ <p>Once you are sure that it is safe to continue, you start your engine and drive towards the bridge. As you approach the entrance you see the remains of the clansmen's camp fire, its ashes still smouldering.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect111">If you wish to stop and search the area around the camp fire, <link-text>turn to 111</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect213">If you decide to cross the bridge and press on towards San Angelo, <link-text>turn to 213</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect13">
+ <meta><title>13</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wait until Haskell has disappeared into an alley that runs alongside the bar, then you approach the front door cautiously and peek inside. Remnants of food lie scattered across the tables and, judging by the amount of fresh garbage strewn on the floor, a large group of clansmen were here not so long ago.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly you hear the sound of breaking glass. It comes from the rear of the building and you sense that Haskell must have something to do with it. Fearing that he is involved in a fight, you enter the bar and call out his name.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception and Stealth skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If the total score is 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If the total score is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect14">
+ <meta><title>14</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A hail of automatic rifle fire tears into the sides and rear of the jeep as you crash your way through the barrier and accelerate across the open ground. You are twenty yards from the safety of the southern ruins when two bullets penetrate the jeep's gasolene tank.</p>
+ <p>The steel-jacketed rounds cause a spark that ignites the fuel, and, in one chilling instant, the vehicle is transformed into a blazing fireball. A kaleidoscope of shapes assails your eyes as the jeep somersaults end-over-end, before you are engulfed by a wave of searing white heat that kills you instantly.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life come to an end here in San Angelo.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect15">
+ <meta><title>15</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in Ancient Rome. Today's event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be fought out in deadly earnest.</p>
+ <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused by it when you notice that the door to the block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you know that she is Kate Norton.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect16">
+ <meta><title>16</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The bullets whine as they ricochet off the side of the Chevrolet and pass within inches of your body. You reach cover and Kate tosses her machine pistol to you over the side of the roadster. You catch it near the ground, but before you can draw back the firing bolt and return fire, you spot the outline of a man standing away to your right. He is armed with a pistol and he has you dead in his sights.</p>
+ <p>'Do like the man said, buddy, or take your last breath,' he says, and reluctantly you let the G-12 slip to the ground.</p>
+ <p>'Ain't no good you hidin' in there, honey,' says the voice from the pay booth. There is a pause, then slowly Kate climbs out of the car and stands beside you.</p>
+ <p>The man with the pistol is tall and muscular and dressed in green army fatigues. His blond hair is cropped close to his head and his eyes are hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. With his pistol still aimed at your heart, he walks slowly towards you, stopping at the entrance to the pay booth. Two more men in uniform emerge from the doorway - the rifleman and one other, armed with a sawn-off shotgun.</p>
+ <p>'They don't look like clan punks, Sarge,' says the rifleman.</p>
+ <p>'We're not,' interrupts Kate. 'We're running from the clans.'</p>
+ <p>Bemused, the blond-haired man scratches his chin and turns to say something quietly to his two companions. It is then that you notice the faded sergeant stripes and the circular globe-of-the-world emblem that adorn his sleeve. Instantly you recognize the latter: it is the emblem of the World Defence League. At length, he turns to face you once more and says, in a friendlier tone, 'I think you two had better tell us your story.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect321"><link-text>Turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect17">
+ <meta><title>17</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Mad Dog Michigan is poised to shoot you dead when suddenly a loud cheer fills the stadium. Ricky Riot, the top Angelinos rider, has just crossed the line and won the race, and it is this victory cry that distracts Mad Dog's aim at the vital second. His shot goes awry, hitting the lifeless body of Mekong Mike, who is slumped at your feet. He fires again but this time the pistol jams. In desperation he hurls the weapon at your head. You dive to avoid it and it glances off your shoulder: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>When you get to your feet your enemy is speaking into a radio handset. In his hand he now holds another pistol and, with a cruel sneer, he raises it and takes deliberate aim at your head. He is about to squeeze the trigger when Kate appears behind him with a wooden stool clutched unsteadily in her hands. With one fell stroke she smashes it down upon his head and leaves him sprawled unconscious on the floor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect45"><link-text>Turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
+ <meta><title>18</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman is no more than ten feet away when you spring up from your hiding place and bring your barrel to bear. Your gun fire catches him in the side and spins him backwards to the slippery floor. For a moment he shudders, then falls still as his last breath escapes from between his blood-flecked lips.</p>
+ <p>Kate moves forward to check that he is dead and to search his body. She keeps what she needs: his machine pistol, a quantity of ammunition and his water canteen, and offers the rest of his possessions to you:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Enough food for one Meal</li>
+ <li>Enough sulphonamides for one Medi-kit unit</li>
+ <li>Flick Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Compass</li>
+ <li>Binoculars</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>As soon as you are ready, you retrace your way along the defile and return to the surface.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect168"><link-text>Turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect19">
+ <meta><title>19</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire catches the fleeing clansman in the neck and lifts him clean out of the saddle. In your rear-view mirror you see him bounce off the highway, roll over, and then disappear from view amongst a tangle of dead sagebrush at the side of the road. His bike continues in a straight line for almost a minute until, with a loud crash, it finally flips end-over-end and bursts into flames.</p>
+ <p>Less than a mile along the highway you happen upon a deserted stretch of Freeway 87, running directly across your path. You join it, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your map confirms your suspicions: you are approaching the outskirts of Sterling City.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect20">
+ <meta><title>20</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The convoy is travelling at break-neck speed as it passes through the blazing ruins of Allamore and enters the pass beyond. Sweat trickles down your face as the ominous peak of Slaughter Mountain looms out of the smoke, and you witness the vicious battle taking place on its lower slopes. The bodies of slain Mavericks and Mexicans lie at the side of the freeway, tangled among the smoking remains of motorcycles and trucks once loaded with looted provisions. Small groups of desperate men are waging bitter hand-to-hand battles among this carnage, whilst others blaze away with automatic weapons, hiding in their foxholes dug by hand from the barren, stony soil.</p>
+ <p>The arrival of the convoy brings a lull in the fighting. Some turn their guns on you and a hail of bullets begins to rake either side of the colony vehicles. The tow truck approaches a bend in the freeway, and, as it turns, you see a Maverick kneeling at the side of the road with a missile launcher perched on his shoulder. He tracks the truck, but a burst of Mexican fire makes him dive for cover. When he appears again he no longer has the truck in his sights: he has you in his sights!</p>
+ <p>The only way you can hope to avoid being hit by the missile is by taking evasive action immediately.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect182">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect326">If your total score is 11-15, <link-text>turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect108">If your total score is 16 or more, <link-text>turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect21">
+ <meta><title>21</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman unsheathes his knife and slashes at your throat with a wide sweep of his tattooed arm. You duck beneath this vicious swipe, and before he can catch you with a back-handed slice; you drive your fist into his stomach. He doubles over and staggers back, but he recovers quickly and springs forward with unexpected speed, his vice-like fingers scrabbling to get a grip on your neck.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Harley-D</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">18</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>The enemy has been winded by your punch, therefore you may add 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the first two rounds of combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect22">
+ <meta><title>22</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Concealed beneath the piles of old documents, you discover a padlocked hatch. Three well-placed kicks remove the lock and, when you lift the hinged trapdoor, you find a large, hermetically sealed storage bin, which is filled with cigarettes, packed neatly in cartons of 200. Although you have no personal need for these cigarettes, you know that there are those who would willingly trade food or fuel for them.</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep a Carton of Cigarettes, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly. One carton counts as one Backpack item.</p>
+ <p>Having satisfied yourself that there is little else of worth here, you leave the cabin and return to your roadster.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect23">
+ <meta><title>23</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The deadly bullets miss you by inches and you dive to the floor in case the unseen gunman decides to fire again. Then you hear running footsteps approaching, and as they get louder, you raise your weapon and unleash a round of fire at the door. There is a scream from inside the kitchen, and you hear a body fall heavily to the tiled floor amid a crash of broken glass and crockery.</p>
+ <p>Just inside the door you discover the body of a clansman. Judging from the long-horned skull that you find painted on the back of his leather vest, you have just laid to rest your first Angelino. On the floor nearby you find his weapons and equipment: a Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition) and a Backpack, which holds the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Flexible Saw</li>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Small blanket</li>
+ <li>Enough bandages, sulphonamides, and antiseptics for three Medi-kits units</li>
+ <li>Knife [2]</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>In addition to these items, a search of the kitchen also reveals the following:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Meat Cleaver [3]</li>
+ <li>Bread Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Enough canned food for five Meals</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you choose to keep any of the items in either list, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Before leaving the kitchen, you hide the clansman's body in an empty refrigerator. Then you hurry through the fire escape door and make your way up a flight of rusty steps that leads to a service alley at the rear of the building.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect269"><link-text>Turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect24">
+ <meta><title>24</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The track leads to a cluster of log cabins and adobe huts that look as if they have only recently been constructed. Nearby, erected around the entrance to a cave, you see a palisade and, standing at the gate in this wall of logs, you notice a large group of men, women and children. They are dressed in animal skins, and their faces and hair are dyed with bright colours. At your approach they scurry inside the gate and take cover behind their log wall.</p>
+ <p>The instant you bring your roadster to a halt you smell the strong, oily aroma of gasolene. With trepidation you inspect the bullet-riddled trunk and discover, to your horror, that gasolene is gushing from the spare fuel containers. They are so badly holed that an attempt at repairing them would be futile. The roar of your pursuer's motorcycle is growing louder, and Kate urges you to abandon the car and take cover with the others behind the wall of logs. You nod your agreement and run towards the gate but as you get nearer, a man steps forward to block your access. He is holding a loaded bow. A flint-tipped arrow is drawn taught to his lips and he is pointing it at your chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect96">If the number you have picked is 0-3, <link-text>turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect145">If the number is 4-6, <link-text>turn to 145</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If the number is 7-9, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect25">
+ <meta><title>25</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The end of the heavy motorcycle drive chain hits the back of your head and raises an angry weal across your right shoulder: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Stunned by the force of the blow, you keel over and land face-down in the river. For a few seconds, you remain there, unmoving, until the taste of the bitter, putrid water brings you to your senses.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect166"><link-text>Turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect26">
+ <meta><title>26</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull the trigger and immediately duck your head behind the roadster's reinforced steel door. The speed of your reflexes saves you from being hit by the Maverick's gunfire as, in the throes of death, he empties his pistol into the side of your car.</p>
+ <p>With the screams of the other clansmen ringing in your ears, you force yourself to concentrate on restarting your roadster. This time, despite an almost overwhelming urge to stamp the pedal straight through the floor, you take your foot off the gas as you turn the ignition switch. The move works - the engine roars back to life - and within seconds you are accelerating away from the Mavericks with your eyes glued firmly on the convoy's tail lights, glowing red in the distance. A few poorly aimed bullets chase your escape but you soon catch up with the school bus and pass beyond range of the clansmen's guns.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect312"><link-text>Turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect27">
+ <meta><title>27</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull back and release the slide of your pistol, feeding a bullet into the breach, then take careful aim at the first clansman as he scurries between the rocks that litter the edge of the service area. He is less than twenty yards away when you squeeze off your first shot and bring him crashing to the ground. His partner hesitates, then abandons his stealthy approach and comes running towards you, screaming hysterically, his machine pistol blazing at his hip.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you have sufficient ammunition and wish to fire again, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If you do not have sufficient ammunition to fire a second time, or choose not to fire, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect28">
+ <meta><title>28</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kate manages to pull the snapping dog from your arm and despatch it swiftly with a pistol shot to the head.</p>
+ <p>Its fangs have penetrated the leather sleeve of your jacket and gouged your arm (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) but you are relieved to see that there are no signs that the animal was rabid.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you regain full control of the roadster and steer it towards the Christoval bridge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect29">
+ <meta><title>29</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You awake shortly after dawn, your neck stiff and aching after an uncomfortable night's sleep. Little light is filtering from the surface of this underground lot, but there is sufficient for you to be able to take stock of your surroundings and make sure that you are alone. After checking your equipment, you leave your roadster and ascend to the surface, where you make a mental note of this location before beginning your trek towards the downtown stronghold of the Angelinos.</p>
+ <p>The heat is bearable at this early hour and you encounter no sign of the city's occupants as stealthily you make your way through the shattered streets. An hour later you reach the southern section of their perimeter wall and stop to observe those who are guarding it. They look like a motley group of criminals armed with an assortment of weapons and equipment, much of which appears rusty and incapable of functioning. All that identifies them as Angelinos is the symbol they wear on their jackets and T-shirts: the skull of a long-horned steer.</p>
+ <p>After having studied the defences and watched the guards for the better part of an hour, you decide that the best place to gain entry to the stronghold is through an office block that interrupts the perimeter wall. The wooden planks that have been used to seat it are warped and split, and gaining entry to the building should not prove too difficult. Patiently you wait for the right moment before you break cover and sprint across the rubble-strewn street towards the main entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect189"><link-text>Turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect30">
+ <meta><title>30</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You radio back to the convoy that you have sighted something suspicious in the hills to the south. You bring your roadster to a halt, and, as the convoy draws closer, Cutter disembarks and comes running forward to find out more. You point out the place on the ridge where you saw the reflections, and he scans the area with his powerful binoculars.</p>
+ <p>'Whatever was up there has gone now, Cal,' he says. 'If it was clan scouts you saw then we'd better keep on movin' before they rustle up enough of their kin to bushwack us.'</p>
+ <p>You keep a watchful eye on the ridge as you lead the convoy along this section of the freeway. Anxiously you expect an ambush to take place at any time, but, despite your fears, an attack does not materialize. At length, the stores and houses of Van Horn appear on the road ahead. The town looks deserted but you decide to take no chances. You bring the convoy to a halt within a mile of the town limits and, accompanied by Sergeant Haskell, you leave your roadster and enter on foot to check that the place is safe for the convoy to pass through.</p>
+ <p>The tumbledown buildings are deathly quiet as you walk along the main street of Van Horn, and you notice nothing out of the ordinary until you reach a bar near the centre of the town. A motorcycle is parked beside the entrance, its fuel tank emblazoned with the ace of spades emblem of the Mavericks clan. You decide to search the bar and, if possible, try to capture and question the bike's owner. Haskell suggests that it would be a good idea if one of you were to enter by the rear door and you nod your agreement.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect131">If you wish to enter the bar from the rear, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect13">If you choose to enter the bar through the front door, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect31">
+ <meta><title>31</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An agonizing pain cuts into your chest and the warm taste of blood fills your mouth. Then the pain gives way to a terrifying numbness that robs you of all sensation. In a moment you see the sniper working another round into the chamber of his rifle. Then he points the muzzle at your head and darkness engulfs you.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your mission and your life end here in Brogado.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect32">
+ <meta><title>32</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You stamp on the brake pedal and spin the wheel to the right, causing your car to twist about and slide sideways along the highway. The sudden shriek of your tyres and the sight of your roadster hurtling towards him broadside on makes the clansman panic. He empties his magazine yet not one of the armour-piercing loads hits your roadster. Horrified, he fumbles to reload his weapon, but before he can do so he is hit by the rear of your car and sent tumbling over the side of the bridge.</p>
+ <p>His confederate has managed to start his bike and is racing across to the other side. You slam the gear shift into low and give chase, determined to prevent him from warning Mad Dog Michigan that you are coming to pay him a visit. Beyond the bridge you chase the biker up a steep incline to the top of a ridge and, as you crest the top, you see him gunning his machine towards Freeway 87, less than half a mile away.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327">If you wish to draw a weapon and fire at the biker while you are pursuing him, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect199">If you decide to try to ram him off the road, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect33">
+ <meta><title>33</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you stop the car and peer through your binoculars at the little town of Christoval.</p>
+ <p>'Can y'see what's kickin' up that dust?' asks Kate.</p>
+ <p>'Looks like a pack of wild coyote fighting among themselves,' you reply, as you focus on the action taking place at the centre of the town.</p>
+ <p>'Hey, Cal,' she replies, tugging at your sleeve; 'that ain't the dust I'm talkin' about.'</p>
+ <p>Lowering your lenses, you turn to see her pointing back along the highway at another dust cloud, which is fast approaching. You do not need binoculars to be able to see that it is being kicked up by a pack of bikers, who have come racing out of San Angelo.</p>
+ <p>'I think it's time we were movin' on,' says Kate, uneasily.</p>
+ <p>'I think you're right,' you reply, as hurriedly you reach for the ignition switch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect34">
+ <meta><title>34</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your speed and sure-footedness save you from the merciless flames. Your jacket is blackened with soot and the legs of your jeans are smouldering, but you escape from the blazing library without sustaining any injury.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect110"><link-text>Turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect35">
+ <meta><title>35</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Bellowing like an angry bull, you burst through the kitchen doors with your gun held before you, ready to fire. To your left you sense a movement and you turn to face it. A clansman is crouching in front of a food locker, trying to prise the door open with the edge of a meat cleaver. When he sees you his eyes open wide with shock.</p>
+ <p>'I'd drop it!' you shout.</p>
+ <p>'I'll drop you!' he screams in reply, and draws the cleaver back in preparation to throw it at your chest.</p>
+ <p>You shoot once and hit the clansman in the head, the force of your gunfire spinning his body across the kitchen floor and killing him instantly. Slowly you lower your smoking barrel and walk forward to search the body of your would-be attacker.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect126"><link-text>Turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect36">
+ <meta><title>36</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For a moment the clansman shudders at your feet as his last breath escapes from between his blood-flecked lips. Then his eyes glaze over and he succumbs to the endless sleep of death. Kate moves forward to check that he is no longer a threat and to search his body. She keeps what she needs: his machine pistol, a quantity of ammunition, and his water canteen, and offers the rest of his possessions to you:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Enough food for one Meal</li>
+ <li>Enough sulphonamides for one Medi-kit unit</li>
+ <li>Flick Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Compass</li>
+ <li>BinocuIars</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>As soon as you are ready, you retrace your way along the defile and return to the surface.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect168"><link-text>Turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect37">
+ <meta><title>37</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are almost relieved to see that the cause of your irritation is a small, brown, spindly legged spider. Casually you raise your right hand to slap it from your arm, but just as you bring your hand down, Kate's eyes widen with fear. 'No!' she says. 'It's a Fiddleback!'</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect202">If the number you have picked is 0-6, <link-text>turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect280">If it is 7-9, <link-text>turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect38">
+ <meta><title>38</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Reaching over your head, you grasp the rounded handle of your shotgun and unsheathe it from its storage place behind your seat. It is loaded, and a glance at the breach tells you that the safety catch is set to fire. The moment the clansman sees you resting the twelve-gauge barrel on the door, he veers across to the left lane of the highway as quickly as he can. You smile when you realize the purpose of this manouevre: he is trying to increase his chances of survival by making it as difficult as he can for you to shoot at him with your right hand.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Driving and Shooting skill scores. Now decide how many rounds you wish to fire at the clansman (minimum equals one; maximum equals four), and add the number of rounds to your skills total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect318">If your total score is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If your total score is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect39">
+ <meta><title>39</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The gully approaches with frightening speed. Horrified, you watch as the front of your roadster nosedives into the hollow and pitches the car end-over-end. There is darkness, then there is a searing flash of white light that totally engulfs your vision as the fuel tank ruptures and explodes.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at the foot of Slaughter Mountain.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect40">
+ <meta><title>40</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On a count of three you step out into the corridor, raise your pistol, and fix your sights on the guard who is standing to the left of the stairs. You fire a body shot and see him twist backwards, clutching his chest. Then you swing across to his partner, knowing only too well that you must make your second shot count just as effectively. But his reactions prove razor-sharp, and when you do get him in your sights you are shocked to find that you are staring at the muzzle of a machine pistol.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score, and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297">If your total score is 18 or less, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect197">If your total score is 19 or more, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect41">
+ <meta><title>41</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Although you cannot identify these clansmen, you estimate that their pack is more than 400 riders strong. It would be disastrous for the convoy to run head-on into a group of such size, and you hurry back to the colony as quickly as you can to break the bad news.</p>
+ <p>With a pack of bikers approaching from the north, a large Mexican clan crossing the border to the south and the threat of a Maverick ambush to the west, the prospects of reaching El Paso unscathed now look decidedly unpromising. With no time to discuss the situation at length, the convoy reverts to the original plan: to stay on Interstate 10 and approach El Paso from the west. It is the shortest, most direct route, even though there is a very real chance of falling prey to a Maverick ambush.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect42">
+ <meta><title>42</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For a few moments you are blinded by a deluge of stones and stinking water as you drive through the aftermath of the explosion. Then your vision and your windshield clear and you see the opposite bank. Another grenade explodes behind you but the main force of the blast is diverted and you escape unscathed.</p>
+ <p>As you reach the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the clansmen drawn up in a line along the bank of the South Concho River.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect43">
+ <meta><title>43</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Repeatedly you pump the gas pedal and work the ignition, but the engine refuses to start. Then a bullet smacks into the passenger door and another ricochets loudly off the hardened steel plates that protect the rear of your driving seat, making you duck your head involuntarily. Cursing your luck, you realize suddenly that your frantic efforts to restart the engine have caused it to flood with fuel.</p>
+ <p>Running footsteps approach from all sides and angry voices scream abuse in your direction. You grab your weapon and, as you turn to face the moving shadows, you find yourself staring into the steely-blue eyes of a Maverick gunman. A Smith and Wesson model 459 pistol is clasped in his right hand, its nickel-plated barrel pointing straight at your face. As the Maverick begins to squeeze his trigger, you raise your gun and fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting and Stealth skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect235">If your total score is now 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect258">If your total score is 9-12, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect26">If your total score is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect44">
+ <meta><title>44</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kate discovers that you are carrying an anti-toxin in your Medi-kit that will neutralize the Fiddleback's bite. She breaks open the ampoule and forces the bitter liquid into your mouth, washing it down with a few drops of water from your canteen (remember to erase this Medi-kit unit from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>).</p>
+ <p>It is slow to work, but gradually you recover as the anti-toxin breaks down the poison circulating in your bloodstream: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect291"><link-text>Turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect45">
+ <meta><title>45</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rush forward to take Kate in your arms and she yields to your embrace with a kiss that is warm and passionate. 'I thought I'd never see you again, Cal,' she says, her voice trembling and her wide blue eyes brimful with tears of joy. 'They told me you were dead.'</p>
+ <p>'Do I look dead?' you reply, half-jokingly.</p>
+ <p>'No &ellips;' she laughs. 'You look just great.'</p>
+ <p>Then the sound of running feet alerts you both to approaching danger. Before Kate knocked him out, Mad Dog radioed his men and reported your presence in the observation block. Now a dozen of his toughest clansmen are racing along the corridor in answer to his call.</p>
+ <p>'Let's get outta here, Cal!' says Kate, and starts to run towards a fire escape door. You follow her, pausing briefly to snatch the map that the two clan leaders were studying when you burst into the room. (Record this Mad Dog Map in the margin of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>; you carry it tucked inside your jacket and therefore you need not record it as a Backpack item.)</p>
+ <p>You race to catch up with Kate as she runs along the gantry that lies on the other side of the door. A burst of machine pistol fire echoes in your wake as the first of Mad Dog's men enter the observation room. Bullets begin to scream past on either side of you. Twenty yards along the iron gantry you come under additional fire from clansmen in the stadium below.</p>
+ <p>Add your Stealth skill score to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect83">If your total score is 14 or less, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect185">If your total score is 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect46">
+ <meta><title>46</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once more you take to the road. As you approach the town of Broome, the sun is low in the sky and the burning heat has given way to the cooler temperature of early evening. You are contemplating whether or not to stop at this town when, from around a bend in the freeway ahead, a large group of bike-riding clansmen surges towards you.</p>
+ <p>Panic washes over you like an icy shower as you search desperately for somewhere to hide. To your left you see a derelict construction site; to your right, a used car lot. You must act quickly if you are to avoid being seen by the oncoming riders.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect165">If you wish to steer your car towards the construction site, <link-text>turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If you wish to try to hide in the used car lot, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect47">
+ <meta><title>47</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You drag the extinguisher from your pack and tear out the pin that locks its trigger. The heat is beginning to draw wisps of smoke from the sleeves of your leather jacket as hurriedly you take aim at the blazing bookcase. Immediately you squeeze the trigger, a cloud of carbon-dioxide quashes the flames and buys you both the few seconds you need to escape from the burning library.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect196"><link-text>Turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect48">
+ <meta><title>48</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Only heavy construction materials, such as steel girders and concrete panels, remain readily identifiable amongst the dust-covered debris that surrounds the roadster. However, after a brief search of the site, you discover a cache of tools and equipment stored in what was to have been the basement of an office block. After sifting through the cache, you separate the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Welding Torch</li>
+ <li>Oxyacetylene</li>
+ <li>Bolt Cutters</li>
+ <li>Copper Rods</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these Backpack items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Having satisfied yourself that nothing else of use has been overlooked, you return to your roadster and resume your journey to San Angelo.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect49">
+ <meta><title>49</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sharp report of your rifle is echoed by the clansman's shocked scream as your bullet passes straight through his body and punches a hole in the observation window behind. He drops his knife and clutches his hands to his wound before crashing lifelessly to the floor. With fear in their eyes, the other two reach for their holstered pistols as hurriedly they back away from the guard's blood-stained body.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect50">
+ <meta><title>50</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Sergeant Haskell is only too willing to speak to his command unit at El Paso. He gives his call sign Palmito Four Zero - and as soon as it is confirmed as valid, the El Paso garrison relays news of what is happening in their area. Parts of the city and the military reserve are under siege from HAVOC-led Mexican clansmen. They warn that Fabens is a Mexican base, and that they have barricaded the east freeway approach to that town. In closing, they tell you to contact them again if you make it through Fabens. They do not sound very optimistic.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80"><link-text>Turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect51">
+ <meta><title>51</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you steer away from the pump house, you look in your mirror to see the biker speeding towards the apex of the roof. He is within a few inches of the top when it suddenly caves in beneath his front wheel and he is flung head-first over the handlebars. With a scream of terror he cartwheels through the air and lands heavily on his back at the edge of the freeway. Winded by the fall, he cannot summon enough strength to roll away as his bike comes crashing down upon him.</p>
+ <p>Certain in the knowledge that he could not possibly have survived such a terrible crash, you return to the highway and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your map confirms your suspicions: you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect52">
+ <meta><title>52</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The valve clicks open and the tell-tale aroma of gasolene rises from the tank to greet your nostrils. A fuel gauge on the inside edge of the valve shows you that the tank contains 125 gallons of premium unleaded gasolene, more than sufficient for your needs. When the others come to inspect your handiwork they congratulate you unstintingly.</p>
+ <p>After filling the tank of your roadster, Sergeant Haskell and his men set about destroying the remainder of the fuel to prevent it from falling into the hands of Mad Dog Michigan's clansmen. Then, with a view of the station ablaze in your driving mirror, you set off west along Freeway 10 to keep your rendezvous with the convoy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect53">
+ <meta><title>53</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Automatically you check to see that your safety catch is set on 'Fire'. Then you take a deep breath as you get ready to make your move.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect40">If the weapon you are holding is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 40</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect271">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect95">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 95</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect54">
+ <meta><title>54</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You mistime your exit and have to brake heavily to avoid crashing into the freeway barrier. Then, as you struggle to rectify your mistake, a wave of bullets rips into the hood and punches a line of frosted holes across the windshield. One of the slugs gouges a spoonful of flesh from your shoulder before embedding itself in your driving seat: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Spurred on by the sudden pain, you turn your car around and accelerate up the ramp towards the bridge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect55">
+ <meta><title>55</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>When eventually you regain consciousness, you feel as though you have broken every bone in your body (lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Fortunately, your bones are still intact and, as your strength returns, you look around for some means of escaping from the shaft.</p>
+ <p>Eventually you discover a service hatch in the roof of the elevator. The bolts undo with little resistance and you are able to lower yourself into the elevator compartment. Without power, the doors will not respond to the control buttons, but an emergency crank located in the floor allows you to wind them open by hand.</p>
+ <p>Beyond the doors you discover the remains of a large private restaurant which, along with its kitchen, occupies most of the sub-basement level. A small 'fire exit' sign hangs over the double doors leading to the kitchen and you head straight towards them. As you are crossing the restaurant floor, your rumbling stomach reminds you that you have yet to eat anything today. Then the thought occurs to you that there could still be some canned food in the kitchen and you resolve to search it before you leave the building.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect159">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect233">If it is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect56">
+ <meta><title>56</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is midday when you rejoin Interstate 10 to continue your drive west. The sun is at its height and it feels as if it has pushed the temperature to five degrees above unbearable. To save fuel you try to keep your speed below twenty-five miles per hour, even though the lack of a cooling breeze drives you to distraction.</p>
+ <p>You were hoping to be able to scavenge some fuel in Ozona, the first town through which you were due to pass, but when you arrive there you find that it has been totally destroyed. A gently sloping mound of dust and rubble is all that remains of this town. You are forced to continue without respite, and throughout the long, hot drive, the experience of Ozona is repeated many times before you reach Bakersfield in the early evening.</p>
+ <p>During your drive you must take three Drinks or lose 9 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You are both tired and suffering from mild heat exhaustion, but after having at last reached a town that is still standing, you agree that you must search for fuel and water before it gets dark. As the town is divided in two by the freeway, you decide to split up and search one half each.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect137">If you wish to search the north side of Bakersfield, <link-text>turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect267">If you choose to search the south side of Bakersfield, <link-text>turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect57">
+ <meta><title>57</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are expecting a rough reception as you drive into town, but your fears are misplaced. The only inhabitants you see as you speed through Sterling City are a pack of feral cats scavenging for food amongst the debris and rotting garbage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect205"><link-text>Turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect58">
+ <meta><title>58</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After your meal you try to think where you might find some gasolene. Sergeant Haskell and his men - Marines Gunter and Knott - have searched every square inch of Fort Stockton and know that there is none to be had here.</p>
+ <p>'What we need is an old road map,' says Haskell. 'One that would show us where the freeway rest stops and gas stations in this area were located.'</p>
+ <p>'I've got a map,' you volunteer, and take from your jacket the map that you snatched from Mad Dog Michigan's table at the stadium in San Angelo.</p>
+ <p>'Hey, where did you get this?' says Haskell, as he examines the notes and other markings that have been made on the map of the United States. You tell him its origins and he scrutinizes it at length. Finally, he comments, 'What you've got here is a blueprint of a major HAVOC operation to take over the country. This is one hot piece of property: it shows clan strengths, supply areas, HAVOC strongholds, controlled cities, everything - even pockets of WDL resistance on the eastern seaboard. We've gotta get this to El Paso. If there's anything left of WDL headquarters then they must be warned about what is happening in the East.'</p>
+ <p>'OK,' you reply, uneasily, 'but what about fuel? My roadster has barely enough to make it another twenty miles. All we need is enough gas to get as far as Kent in time for the rendezvous with the colony. Then we can refuel from the tanker and you can catch a ride with us all the way to Fort Bliss.'</p>
+ <p>'There's a rest stop here,' replies Haskell, pointing to the map at a place on Interstate 10 that is half-way between Fort Stockton and a town called Brogado. 'There's no knowing if there's still any gas in its storage tanks but it's our only hope. It looks like a 25-mile-drive - do you think you can make it?'</p>
+ <p>'I can try,' you reply. 'Like you say, it's our only hope.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect281"><link-text>Turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect59">
+ <meta><title>59</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The heat of the sun hits you like a blazing hammer as you walk back to your roadster. Slowly you ease yourself into the driving seat and pause for a few moments to look at your map. You estimate that Sterling City is a little over thirty miles away, less than an hour's drive if the highway and your luck hold out.</p>
+ <p>You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points before you leave this ruined town, a place once known as Garden City.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect290"><link-text>Turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect60">
+ <meta><title>60</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You throw yourself to the ground, and avoid being hit in the chest. However, you do not escape from the arrow altogether. It clips your leg and draws an angry red line across your thigh: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>At that moment your pursuer roars up the track, closely followed by the other Angelino scouts, whom you encountered at the bridge. You scream a warning to Kate as a double burst of machine gun fire strafes the palisade. The bullets pass over your back and hit the archer in the chest, dropping him in a tangled heap on the threshold of the gateway.</p>
+ <p>You spring to your feet and rush forward to help Kate drag his body away, so that the gate can be closed. The other members of the settlement come to your aid, and, once the gate is secure, they point to the cave mouth and urge you to enter. You do not want to abandon your roadster to the Angelinos, but to stay here and attempt to fight would be suicidal. Reluctantly you leave the gate and follow them into the cave.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect61">
+ <meta><title>61</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The gun fire stops and you hear the unmistakable sound of the Angelino reloading his machine pistol. Finally, he draws back its firing bolt and starts walking slowly towards your position.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect323">If you are holding a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If you are holding a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect116">If you are holding a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect84">If you are holding a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect62">
+ <meta><title>62</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At such close range, the blast from your shotgun virtually rips the clansman in two. With a gurgling scream he crashes down in the middle of the table before rolling lifelessly to the floor. Hurriedly the other two reach for their pistols as, with fear in their eyes, they back away from the clansman's torn and blood-stained body.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect63">
+ <meta><title>63</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Mexican clansman drops lifelessly to the ground, and quickly you step forward to search his body. He was the one crew member who escaped from the truck, and in his pockets you discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Enough antiseptics and sutures for two Medi-kit units</li>
+ <li>Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect114"><link-text>Turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect64">
+ <meta><title>64</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You perch yourself near the top of the wall and pick out a building on the opposite side of the killing zone: it is the ruins of a fire station. You tell Kate that, when she is running, she should focus all her thoughts and efforts on getting inside that place as quickly as she can. With the clan patrol growing ever nearer, you whisper to Kate to get ready to run.</p>
+ <p>Add together your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score and your Stealth skill score. (Note: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items in order to increase your Stealth skill level.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect117">If your total is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect295">If your total is 11-16, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect334">If your total is 17 or more, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect65">
+ <meta><title>65</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Silently you draw your gun and slip off the safety catch. The clansman is less than six feet away when he sees you crouching on the dry river bed. His eyes widen and he opens his mouth to scream a warning to his partner, but it is a scream of pain that leaves his lips when you open fire at his chest. (Remember to erase the appropriate number of rounds from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <p>As the clansman's body topples into the gully, you catch sight of his partner running head-down towards the bridge. He pauses to grab a machine pistol from his motorcycle before diving for cover behind one of the iron bridge supports. Seconds later he reappears and fires a stream of bullets at your position.</p>
+ <p>You keep your head low and wait for a lull in the shooting before you break cover and return fire at the clansman.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill score. For every round of fire that you wish to discharge at your opponent, add 1 point.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect246">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect266">If your total score is now 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect66">
+ <meta><title>66</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You manage to find your way back to the roadster without running into the clansmen and waste no time in making a hasty escape from Eldorado. The enemy are slow to react to your getaway and you are more than ten miles from the town before you see their headlights in your driving mirror. Your speedy escape may have wrong-footed them, but they have caught up quickly. Fearing that you will not be able to out-run them, you leave the highway and hide your roadster behind a rocky ridge that runs parallel to the road. The sound of their engines grows louder as they approach, then fades quickly as the pack roars past, oblivious to your presence. With the immediate threat now gone, you decide to remain where you are and get a few hours sleep before continuing your journey at dawn.</p>
+ <p>In the clear light of early morning you can see for miles across the rocky plain that surrounds the highway south of Eldorado. It appears empty, although you remain on the alert every second of your drive to Sonora, the next town marked on your map, for it is in this direction that the Angelinos were heading when they passed you last night. You are less than a mile from the ruins of Sonora when you are greeted by the welcome sight of Interstate 10, stretching east-to-west across your path. This is the freeway you hope will take you all the way to your rendezvous with the colony at Kent, and then on through the mountains to El Paso.</p>
+ <p>You join the freeway and enjoy the feel of a firmer, clearer road surface beneath your wheels as you begin the long drive west. Still you can see no sign of the Angelinos, and Kate voices her hope that they have decided to search Sonora, thinking you may have hidden there last night. You want to agree with her, but suddenly, in the distance, you see something that proves her wrong.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect67">
+ <meta><title>67</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the smoke thins, you see that the grenade has made very little impression on the padlock. The door is still secure and, reluctantly, you abandon your attempt at gaining entry to the building.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188"><link-text>Turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect68">
+ <meta><title>68</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You keep as still as you can and try not to breathe as a Detroit Lion clansman rummages through a tool box less than four feet from where you are hiding. Fortunately, he finds what he is looking for quickly, returns to the cab, and restarts the engine. Shortly the truck stops once again, but this time you notice that it has drawn up alongside three others in a section of the stadium that has been turned into a pits area. You slip away from the truck before the driver disembarks, and make your way through the crowds of clan mechanics and riders towards an empty section of the arena.</p>
+ <p>From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in Ancient Rome. Today's event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be fought out in deadly earnest.</p>
+ <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused by it when you notice that the door to this block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you know that the girl you are looking at is Kate Norton.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect69">
+ <meta><title>69</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It feels good to be able to drive once more at a speed that is faster than the brisk walking pace to which you have limited yourself over the past fifty fuel-conscious miles. It is also a great relief not to have to walk the thirty miles to Kent, for they are mostly uphill where the freeway traverses the northern slopes of the Davis Mountains. During this part of your journey you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You reach Kent late in the afternoon. At this hour the dusty little town lies in the shadow of the Apache Mountains, and, after spending hours in the relentless glare of the sun, you are thankful for the cooling shade. You have arrived a day ahead of your planned rendezvous with the convoy. The highway and surrounding area show no sign of their having arrived before you, so you decide to try to relax here while you wait for the convoy to show.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172"><link-text>Turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect70">
+ <meta><title>70</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Placing your hand under the dashboard, you pull down a handful of cables and isolate two - a red one and a black one - that are connected to the ignition lock. Quickly you rip these out and touch the exposed copper braids together. There is a bright blue spark and immediately the engine growls into life. After twisting the wires together, you throw the jeep into low gear and take off towards an open section of the perimeter wall. A wheeled screen partially blocks this access point, which is guarded by two clansmen armed with automatic assault rifles.</p>
+ <p>You are fifteen yards from the screen when suddenly they realize that you have no intention of stopping.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect14">If your total is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect275">If your total is 5-7, <link-text>turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect3">If your total is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect71">
+ <meta><title>71</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman's bullets whistle within inches of your head, and tear chunks of mineral from the stalagmites behind which you have dived. Razor-sharp splinters pepper your face and you skin your hands and knees as you land heavily on the jagged, unyielding stone floor: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Moments later the gunfire ceases and you hear the clansman utter an agonized scream. You lift your head in time to see him staggering slowly towards you, his eyes wide with pain as he works his hands frantically behind his back as if he were trying to clutch at something. Then his body stiffens, and, as he falls to the floor, you see what it was that he was trying so desperately to clasp. It is the spear-like tip of a broken stalactite, hurled from the ledge above the defile by a mortally wounded caveman in a last desperate act of defiance.</p>
+ <p>Kate moves forward to check that the clansman is dead and to search his body. She keeps what she needs: his machine pistol, a quantity of ammunition and his water canteen, and offers the rest of his possessions to you:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Enough food for one Meal</li>
+ <li>Enough sulphonamides for one Medi-kit unit</li>
+ <li>Flick Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Compass</li>
+ <li>Binoculars</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>As soon as you are ready, you retrace your way along the defile and return to the surface.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect168"><link-text>Turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect72">
+ <meta><title>72</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The mighty V-8 engine growls like an angry tiger as a quart of fuel is force-fed into the cylinders. The effect is breathtaking and immediate: the roadster surges forward and you feel as if you are being sucked into your driving seat as it gathers speed rapidly.</p>
+ <p>For a few vital seconds the thrill of the acceleration distracts your attention from the panel truck. By mischance the vehicle reaches the bottom of the embankment, glances off a heap of debris, and is sent spinning wildly across the freeway. Your heart leaps into your mouth the moment you see it appear directly in your way.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Driving skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect273">If your total is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect73">
+ <meta><title>73</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Haskell continues to question the clansman until finally he replies. A trickle of blood escapes from his lips as, with his dying breath, he says: 'Mad Dog'll make sure you never get through &ellips;'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect147"><link-text>Turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect74">
+ <meta><title>74</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sound of their engines is getting louder with every passing second and yet you are unable to find a safe way down to the river bed - it is far too steep. Desperately, you drive back and forth along the edge of the bank until a volley of shots echoes across the plain and the first of the clansmen's bullets start to whistle past. You have been seen.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you abandon your attempt to hide and steer your roadster back on to the freeway in a frantic bid to outrun the pack. The fastest bikes give chase and relentlessly they pursue you until the leader is within twenty yards of your tail. With mounting fear, you glance in your rear-view mirror to see him draw a stubby-barrelled weapon from a tube strapped to the fuel tank. At first you think it is a sawn-off shotgun, but then you recognize the weapon and your heart sinks. It is a D-40 - a laser sighted grenade launcher. You see the muzzle flash, then moments later there is a deafening explosion. The last sensation you feel is that of being hurled skyward, surrounded by fire and fragments of your roadster.</p>
+ <p>The armour-piercing grenade has penetrated the trunk and exploded the spare fuel tanks you were carrying. Tragically, your mission and your life end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect75">
+ <meta><title>75</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A battered Chevrolet pick-up is parked with its hood raised at one of the station's four gasolene pumps. It looks far cleaner than any of the other auto wrecks that lie scattered around the town, and your suspicions are further aroused when you notice a large black pool of oil on the ground beneath the engine compartment. You stop your roadster alongside and step out to investigate it.</p>
+ <p>'Hey, this oil's still wet,' you say to Kate, as you dab your index finger in the pool. You are wiping it clean on the leg of your jeans when you hear an unexpected reply. 'Drop your weapons &ellips; or I'll drop you!'</p>
+ <p>It is a man's voice and it is coming from inside a derelict pay booth.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect241">If you wish to obey the command, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect164">lf you decide to dive for cover, <link-text>turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect76">
+ <meta><title>76</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You help Kate to her feet and check that her windpipe has not been damaged by the clansman's attack. Her throat is badly bruised, and although you can tell she is in great discomfort, stoically she ignores the pain and suggests that you both get out of here before the dead man's confederates turn up. After stooping to snatch his pistol, she follows closely in your wake as you hurry south towards the ruins of the Sears megamarket.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect106"><link-text>Turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect77">
+ <meta><title>77</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At your killing blow, your adversary drops in a limp and lifeless heap at your feet. Meanwhile, his confederate has run back to his motorcycle and armed himself with a machine pistol. You dive aside just in time to avoid his first burst of fire, and, as you scurry for cover, you retrieve the pistol that you had kicked from his dead partner's hand.</p>
+ <p>With a vengeful scream, the clansman comes running at you, firing his machine pistol from the hip. Bullets tear up the ground where you lie, forcing you to stand up and meet this madman head on. Quickly you cock the pistol and take aim at his chest as he comes bounding across the rock-strewn highway, his teeth bared and his eyes blazing with hatred.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect151">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect138">If your total is now 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect78">
+ <meta><title>78</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hand the rounds to Kate (remember to erase these from your Ammo Pouch) before you start work on changing the damaged front wheel. Quickly she reloads her pistol as the clan scout leader, believing that you are now out of ammunition, comes riding across the river, howling curses and whirling a heavy motorcycle chain in his left hand. The moment her gun is ready, she takes aim and silences the screaming Angelino with a single shot to the heart. The sight of him crashing into the river stuns the remaining clansmen just long enough for you to complete your wheel change and jump back into the car.</p>
+ <p>As you reach the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the scouts retrieving their leader's body from the South Concho River.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect79">
+ <meta><title>79</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You discover that the light is seeping into the tunnel from around the edges of a circular metal hatch in the ceiling. Carefully you press your shoulder to the heavy plate and lift it, hoping that it will lead to a way out of the stadium. However, the first thing you see as you push the cover from the hole are scores of running, booted feet.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect263">If the total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 263</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect173">If the total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 173</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect80">
+ <meta><title>80</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>News of the radio contact with El Paso is relayed to the rest of the convoy. It is decided that the barricade at Fabens should be scouted before any attempt at a breakthrough is made. As convoy scout, the mission automatically falls to you, but in view of the increased danger you are likely to face, Sergeant Haskell volunteers to accompany you.</p>
+ <p>Before you leave you are given the opportunity to replenish your Ammo Pouch with rounds donated by the other colonists:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Five rounds of 7.62mm-calibre ammunition</li>
+ <li>Nine rounds of 9mm-calibre ammunition</li>
+ <li>Four rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>You may take only one of these calibres. When you have made your choice, remember to amend your Ammo Pouch record accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect134"><link-text>Turn to 134</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect81">
+ <meta><title>81</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The wheels and tyres squeal as you stand on the brake pedal in a desperate but futile attempt to halt the skidding roadster. Then, with a shuddering jolt, the car slams sideways into the service bay door and comes to an abrupt halt. The reinforced passenger door withstands much of the impact, but the crash leaves you concussed and badly bruised (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>Wincing from the pain of your injuries, you try to keep as still as possible as the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roar past the lot. Soon they have gone and, despite your pain, your spirits are raised by the thought that there will now be at least fifty less of Mad Dog's men to face when you reach San Angelo.</p>
+ <p>After satisfying yourself that the damage to your roadster is superficial, you cast your eyes around the derelict car lot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect124">If you wish to search the lot, <link-text>turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect342">If you wish to leave and continue your journey to San Angelo, <link-text>turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect82">
+ <meta><title>82</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You press your lenses to your eyes and focus on the distant ridge. Two men are climbing towards the crest of Black Peak, and although you cannot identify them, you can see that they are carrying rifles. They reach the crest, pause briefly to stare at the freeway, then continue across to the far side and disappear from sight.</p>
+ <p>You return to your roadster and keep a watchful eye on the ridge as you wait for the convoy to close up the gap. Then, when the vehicles are once again visible in your driving mirror, you continue along the freeway. Anxiously you expect an ambush to take place at any time, but, in spite of your fears, an attack does not materialize.</p>
+ <p>At length you see the stores and houses of Van Horn appear on the road ahead. The town looks deserted but you decide to take no chances. You bring the convoy to a halt within a mile of the town limits and, accompanied by Sergeant Haskell, you leave your roadster and enter on foot to check that it is safe for the convoy to pass through.</p>
+ <p>The tumbledown buildings are deathly quiet as you walk along the main street of Van Horn, and you notice nothing out of the ordinary until you reach a bar near the centre of the town. A motorcycle is parked beside the entrance, its fuel tank emblazoned with the ace of spades emblem of the Mavericks clan. You decide to search the bar and, if possible, try to capture and question the bike's owner. Haskell suggests that it would be a good idea if one of you were to enter by the rear door and you nod in agreement.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect131">If you wish to enter the bar from the rear, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect13">If you choose to enter the bar through the front door, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect83">
+ <meta><title>83</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A sharp, burning pain erupts in your right calf as a bullet, fired from below, hits you and gouges a furrow of flesh from the back of your leg: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Gritting your teeth, you hobble to the end of the gantry, to where a covered staircase leads down to tbe vast area located below the stadium tiers. Kate helps you as best she can by supporting your weight, but you are bleeding heavily and you are soon forced to stop for fear of fainting.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect320">If you possess at least one Medi-kit unit, <link-text>turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect135">If you have no Medi-kit units left, <link-text>turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect84">
+ <meta><title>84</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You force yourself to breathe slowly in an attempt to calm your racing heart. The clansman's footsteps seem unbearably loud as you wait for the right moment to launch your ambush. With sweating palms, you lift your rifle, then, as he comes to a halt, you rise up from your hiding place, aim and fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect85">
+ <meta><title>85</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>All the houses and stores of this forgotten town have collapsed long ago, all, that is, except for two. Both of these sorry, sand-blown shells stand on either side of an alley at the edge of town, and it is here that you decide to park your roadster. Quickly you discover that the buildings were once a hardware store and a tiny, one-pump gas station.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect141">If you wish to investigate the derelict hardware store, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect183">If you wish to take a closer look at the gas station, <link-text>turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect86">
+ <meta><title>86</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You turn the handle and gently push open the door. You have taken but one step into the kitchen when a large glass storage jar falls from a shelf above your head and smashes down on your unprotected skull: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Wincing from the pain of your wound, you notice that the jar was attached by a thin cord to the inside handle of the door: it had been placed there deliberately. Not only have you lost some blood, but this primitive trap may have also lost you the element of surprise.</p>
+ <p>With your nerves on edge, you advance through the kitchen and into the bar beyond. As you enter, you whisper Haskell's name in case, in the darkened interior, he mistakes you for a clansman.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception and Stealth skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If the total score is 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If the total score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect87">
+ <meta><title>87</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With numbing force, you slam the coyote's head against the dashboard and fracture its skull. Immediately, its jaws slacken and Kate is able to pull the creature away by the scruff of its neck and bundle it out of the car. You are shaken but uninjured by the attack, the thickness of your leather sleeve having protected you from the coyote's fangs. Quickly you regain full control of the roadster and steer it with consummate ease towards the Christoval bridge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect88">
+ <meta><title>88</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The cabin door is unlocked. With the toe of your boot you push it open and cast a sceptical eye over the debris that lies within. The hut was once used to store all the food mart's routine paper documentation, most of which now lies scattered across the floor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If you wish to sift through the documents, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect204">If you choose to abandon the hut and continue your search elsewhere, <link-text>turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect89">
+ <meta><title>89</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>To avoid being seen by the two guards, you slip inside a doorway to your left and discover that it leads to an empty locker room. Having already removed the signal flare from your pack, you glance quickly into the corridor in order to establish where the guards are standing. Then you hold the flare out at arm's length, point it in their direction, and pull its ignition cord. (Remember to erase this item from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <p>In the confines of the corridor the flare erupts with devastating effect, its crimson smoke and hissing flame blinding and choking the two clan bodyguards. You grab a towel, which is hanging behind the door, and use it to cover your mouth as you run down the smoke-filled corridor. When you reach the stairs, the clansmen are incapable of defending themselves and you silence them swiftly with a close combat weapon. You are half-way up the stairs when you see the door to the observation block start to open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect90">
+ <meta><title>90</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes all night for you to dismantle, cut, re-align and weld the damaged chassis. It is a difficult task, made even more so by fatigue, but the lessons you learnt when you helped Cutter to build this roadster over six months ago now prove invaluable. You work continuously, taking a break only when Kate sights a pack of Angelinos to the north. You turn off your torch and watch from the cover of the rocks as they pass along the highway heading south. Then, once they have disappeared, you resume the daunting task of repairing the crash damage.</p>
+ <p>It is an hour after dawn when the repairs are finally completed. In the clear light of early morning you can see for miles across the rocky plain that surrounds the highway south of Eldorado. It appears empty, although you remain on the alert every second of your drive to Sonora, the next town marked on your map, for it is in this direction that the Angelinos were heading when they passed you last night. You are less than a mile from the ruins of Sonora when you are greeted by the welcome sight of Interstate 10, stretching east-to-west across your path. This is the freeway you hope will take you all the way to your rendezvous with the colony at Kent, and then on through the mountains to El Paso.</p>
+ <p>You join the freeway and enjoy the feel of a firmer, clearer road surface beneath your wheels as you begin the long drive west. Still you can see no sign of the Angelinos, and Kate voices her hope that they have decided to search Sonora, thinking you may have hidden there last night. You want to agree with her, but suddenly, in the distance, you see something that proves her wrong.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect91">
+ <meta><title>91</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you strike your killing blow, a loud cheer fills the stadium. Ricky Riot, the top Angelinos rider, has just crossed the line and won the motorcycle race. Mekong Mike curses you with his dying breath and, as he falls to the floor, you suddenly realize that Mad Dog Michigan is watching you from the opposite side of the map table. He finishes speaking into a radio handset and then, with a cruel sneer, levels his pistol, taking deliberate aim at your head. He is about to squeeze the trigger when Kate appears behind him with a wooden stool clutched unsteadily in her hands. With one fell stroke she smashes it down upon his head, leaving him sprawled unconscious on the floor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect45"><link-text>Turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect92">
+ <meta><title>92</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dive and roll behind an auto wreck for cover. As you come to a halt, a second shot rings out and a puff of dust rises from the road near the place where you first landed. Angered by this attempt to kill you, and by the heart-rending moans of wounded Marine Gunter, you decide to flush this sniper out and even the score. Kate and the others are pinned down on the other side of the street and cannot move without exposing themselves to the sniper's sights. Only you can reach the drug store entrance with some degree of cover.</p>
+ <p>When a third shot hits the helpless Gunter, your anger explodes. Despite Kate's pleas to stay down, you spring to your feet and sprint towards the drug store entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect338"><link-text>Turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect93">
+ <meta><title>93</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a loud cheer as the stadium gate opens, then the waiting bikers start up their machines and begin entering in single file. Amid all this activity you leave your hiding place and cross the wide avenue that encircles the stadium. None of the clansmen appears to notice as you walk boldly around to the east side of the arena, to a place where a large section of the wall has collapsed, leaving a heap of rubble that rises to within ten feet of the remaining wall. The coast is clear and so, with the blood pounding loudly in your ears, you clamber to the top of the heap and attempt to scale the wall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect315">If your total score is now 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect261">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 261</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect94">
+ <meta><title>94</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You walk around the building and notice that it has no windows or other means of access. Nothing hints at what is stored inside, and the more you consider it, the more intrigued you become.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect221">If you possess a Flexible Saw, and wish to use it to try to cut through the padlock, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect236">If you possess an H.E. Grenade, and wish to use it to blow open the doors, <link-text>turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect188">If you choose to ignore the building and its unknown contents and search elsewhere, <link-text>turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect95">
+ <meta><title>95</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Simultaneously you step into the corridor and raise your rifle to your shoulder. The guard to the left of the staircase sees you but has no time to shout a warning before your bullet finds its mark. He spins backwards and falls heavily at the foot of the stairs as you work another round into the breach. Then you swing the barrel towards his partner, knowing only too well that you must make your second shot count just as effectively, but by the time you have him in your sights you are shocked to find that you are staring into the muzzle of his machine pistol.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297">If your total score is 19 or less, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect197">If your total score is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect96">
+ <meta><title>96</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The man stares at you with fear in his eyes. He is on the brink of releasing the bow string when your pursuer comes roaring up the track, closely followed by the other Angelino scouts. You scream a warning to Kate and throw yourself down as a double burst of machine gun fire strafes the palisade. The bullets pass over your head and hit the archer in the chest, dropping him in a tangled heap on the threshold of the gateway.</p>
+ <p>You spring to your feet and rush forward to help Kate drag his body away so that the gate can be closed. The other members of the settlement come to your aid, and, once the gate is secure, they point to the cave mouth and urge you to enter. You do not want to abandon your roadster to the Angelinos, but to stay here and attempt to fight would be suicidal. Reluctantly you leave the gate and follow them into the cave.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect97">
+ <meta><title>97</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The biker laughs as he opens fire. Vivid yellow muzzle flashes and a stream of empty cartridge cases pour from the side of his assault rifle. Then the bullets strike home, punching a line of frosted holes through the toughened windshield. Fragments of flying glass graze your face {lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) but miraculously the bullets fail to find you. He empties his entire magazine into the front of your roadster yet still it comes screaming towards him. Horrified, he fumbles to reload his weapon, but before he can do so he is hit by your front fender and sent spinning over the side of the bridge.</p>
+ <p>Meanwhile, his confederate has managed to start his bike and is now racing across to the other side. You wrench the gear shift into low and give chase, determined to prevent him from warning Mad Dog Michigan that you are coming to pay the Lions an unexpected visit. Beyond the bridge, you chase the biker up a steep incline to the top of a ridge. As you crest the top, you see him gunning his machine towards Freeway 87, less than half a mile away.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327">If you wish to draw a weapon and fire at the biker while you are pursuing him, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect199">If you wish to try to ram him off the road, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect98">
+ <meta><title>98</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Uncle Jonas hands you a Signal Flare to use once the breach has been blown. You tell the others to watch for your flare. When they see it, they are to start their engines, drive through the Fabens barricade in breakout formation, and not stop until they reach El Paso.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect345"><link-text>Turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect99">
+ <meta><title>99</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch tensely as the bikers ride into the town. You give a silent prayer that they will pass through Eldorado without stopping, and, to your relief, your prayer is answered. With the immediate threat gone, you decide to remain where you are and get a few hours' sleep before waking Kate and continuing your journey at dawn.</p>
+ <p>In the clear light of early morning you can see for miles across the rocky plain that surrounds the highway south of Eldorado. Although it appears empty, you remain on the alert every second of your drive to Sonora, the next town marked on your map, for it is in this direction that the Angelinos were heading when they rode through Eldorado last night. You are less than a mile from the ruins of Sonora when you are greeted by the welcome sight of Interstate 10, stretching east-to-west across your path. This is the freeway you hope will take you all the way to your rendezvous with the colony at Kent, and then on through the mountains to El Paso.</p>
+ <p>You join the freeway and enjoy the feel of a firmer, clearer road surface beneath your wheels as you begin the long drive west. Still you can see no sign of the Angelinos, and Kate voices her hope that they have decided to search Sonora, thinking you may have hidden there last night. You want to agree with her, but suddenly, in the distance, you see something that proves her wrong.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect100">
+ <meta><title>100</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>What little of Sterling City that survived the icy, post-holocaust years has long since been gutted or looted by gangs of roving clansmen. Many have left their mark, sprayed on the sides of auto wrecks or scrawled in jagged letters across warehouse walls.</p>
+ <p>You bring your roadster to a halt and survey the ruins for some sign of life. The place reminds you of the city punk zones of Fort Worth, and, as you scour the shadowy doorways, an uneasy feeling grows in the pit of your stomach.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If you wish to stay on the freeway and drive through Sterling City, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect285">If you decide to leave the freeway and make a detour around the town, <link-text>turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect101">
+ <meta><title>101</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A search of the dead Angelino's body reveals the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Pistol</li>
+ <li>Eight rounds of 9mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>Enough antibiotics for one Medi-kit unit</li>
+ <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for two Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Enough food for one Meal</li>
+ <li>Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Goggles</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>Parked beside the entrance to the store, from where the Angelino first appeared, you discover his motorcycle. You use it to transport Kate and the welding equipment back to your roadster and immediately set to work on repairing the damage. It takes all night for you to dismantle, cut, re-align and weld the damaged chassis. It is a difficult task, made even more so by fatigue, but the lessons you learnt when you helped Cutter to build this roadster over six months ago prove invaluable.</p>
+ <p>You work continuously, and it is not until an hour after dawn that the repairs are finally completed. In the clear light of early morning you can see for miles across the rocky plain that surrounds the highway south of Eldorado. It appears empty, although you remain on the alert every second of your drive to Sonora, the next town marked on your map, for it is in this direction that the Angelinos were heading when they passed you last night. You are less than a mile from the ruins of Sonora when you are greeted by the welcome sight of Interstate 10, stretching east-to-west across your path. This is the freeway you hope will take you all the way to your rendezvous with the colony at Kent, and then on through the mountains to El Paso.</p>
+ <p>You join the freeway and enjoy the feel of a firmer, clearer road surface beneath your wheels as you begin the long drive west. Still you can see no sign of the Angelinos, and Kate voices her hope that they have decided to search Sonora, thinking you may have hidden there last night. You want to agree with her, but suddenly, in the distance, you see something that proves her wrong.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect102">
+ <meta><title>102</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Their eyes widen with a mixture of awe and avarice when you produce the bottle of bourbon from your Backpack. Greedily, the short clansman snatches it from your hands and takes a large gulp of the liquor. Then his partner takes a swig, replaces the cap, and grins delightedly.</p>
+ <p>'You jus' bought yourself a grandstand seat, fella,' he says, slipping the bottle inside a satchel he carries slung over his shoulder. His companion eyes him with distrust, and begrudgingly he agrees to help you into the stadium. Once more you climb the pile of rubble, but this time you are accompanied by the two clansmen. They help you over the wall and then return to the avenue, chuckling and celebrating their good fortune.</p>
+ <p>From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in Ancient Rome. Today's event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be fought out in deadly earnest.</p>
+ <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused by it when you notice that the door to the block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you know that the girl you are looking at is Kate Norton.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect103">
+ <meta><title>103</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire hits the sniper in the chest and flings him against the wall. With a gurgling groan, he slides to the floor and rolls over on to his crimson-stained stomach, his rifle still clutched in his hands. (If you wish to keep this weapon, you discover that it contains eight rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.)</p>
+ <p>You shout an 'all clear' to the others in the street below and then turn to leave.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect104">
+ <meta><title>104</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A bullet smacks into the passenger door and another ricochets loudly off the hardened steel plates that protect the headrest and back of your driving seat. The sound makes you flinch involuntarily, but you suppress your fear and force yourself to concentrate. You take your foot off the gas as you turn the ignition switch, despite an almost overwhelming urge to stamp the pedal straight through the floor. Too much gas would flood the engine for sure, leaving you stranded, a sitting duck for those Mavericks who are now beginning to close in on all sides.</p>
+ <p>Your restraint pays off; the engine roars into life and within seconds you are accelerating away from the barricade, your eyes glued firmly on the convoy's tail lights. A few poorly aimed bullets chase your escape but you soon catch up with the school bus and pass beyond the range of the Maverick's guns.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect312"><link-text>Turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect105">
+ <meta><title>105</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The only hope you have of repairing your crippled roadster is to return to Eldorado and search all the derelict garages and service stations for some welding equipment. Tired and dejected, you abandon the car and begin the long walk back to town. You have covered less than a mile when, to your dismay, you see a line of motorcycle headlights approaching.</p>
+ <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Perception skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect262">If your total score is 24 or less, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect184">If your total is 25 or more, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect106">
+ <meta><title>106</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>News of your escape into the southern ruins of San Angelo is relayed to Mad Dog Michigan. Already he has told the Angelinos that you have assassinated their leader and, in the prevailing emergency, he has appointed himself their new commander. He orders the Angelinos to saturate the southern sector and to kill both of you on sight.</p>
+ <p>You manage to reach the megamarket without further clan encounters, and are relieved to find that your roadster has remained undisturbed since you left it this morning. It takes a few frustrating minutes to start the engine, but as soon as it is running smoothly you leave San Angelo as fast as you can, heading south on the remains of Highway 277.</p>
+ <p>While you are driving, you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect211"><link-text>Turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect107">
+ <meta><title>107</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At such close range, your burst of automatic fire lifts the heavy clansman clean off his feet. He screams, and with a crash he lands on his back in the middle of the table, before rolling lifelessly to the floor. The other two reach for their pistols as hurriedly they back away from the clansman's blood-stained body.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
+ <meta><title>18</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You swerve and accelerate to avoid the missile, and it hits the ground a few feet behind the trunk of your roadster. The blast takes your breath away, but you recover quickly and bring your car under control with consummate skill. In your mirror you see the convoy coming under small-arms fire, but it is light and sporadic and it claims no victims. Soon you are all safely out of the battle zone and racing away from the Slaughter Mountain run towards Sierra Blanca.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect260"><link-text>Turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect109">
+ <meta><title>109</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a light to help you, it is easy to follow the thick power cables that line the walls of the service tunnel. For fifteen minutes you walk without interruption until you reach a wider section where a ladder ascends to a circular steel hatch fitted flush to the tunnel ceiling. Kate suggests that it could be worth investigating, and you lift up the heavy steel cover carefully and look out. Kate was right: the sight that greets you is the entrance gate to the Reagan Memorial Stadium.</p>
+ <p>After waiting until there is little clan activity in the immediate area, you emerge from the shaft and make your way quickly into the ruins of the southern central sector of the San Angelo stronghold.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect110">
+ <meta><title>110</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kate catches you as you emerge from the library and pulls you a safe distance away. Moments later, the roof of the library collapses with a loud, splintering crack, and clouds of sparks whirl into the night, carried upward by the strong, gusting wind. Silently you look at Kate's smoke-blackened face, and then at the blazing library, and you realize just how lucky you both are to have got out of that inferno alive.</p>
+ <p>By the time you recover fully from your ordeal and return to your roadster, the storm has blown itself out. The eastern sky is lightening as dawn approaches, and you decide to leave Bakersfield now, before the sun rises and the temperature becomes unbearable. Beyond the town, the freeway climbs steadily towards a distant line of mountains that shimmer on the horizon. You keep your speed as low as possible and cover forty miles with your fuel gauge nudging the zero mark. Then the silhouette of Fort Stockton appears on the road ahead and your hopes of finding some gas are rekindled.</p>
+ <p>The first thing you see upon entering the town is a gas station. Like everything else, the station appears deserted, but there is something about this building that makes your skin prickle with presentiment.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect75"><link-text>Turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect111">
+ <meta><title>111</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The scorched bones of a coyote lie scattered around the ashes of the camp fire,the remnants of the meal that you watched the two clansmen share. Where their motorcycles were parked you discover a Leather Face Mask. If you decide to keep this item, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Satisfied that nothing of importance has been missed, you return to your roadster and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you see a deserted stretch of Freeway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your map confirms your suspicions: you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect112">
+ <meta><title>112</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You abandon your cover and shadow the two clansmen as they circle around to the rear. An old tyre rack propped against the side of a derelict car wash offers you a good defensive position, and quickly you scurry towards it. You reach the rack in time to see the Lions halt. For a moment they duck out of sight, but soon they reappear and come running half-crouched with guns at the ready, towards your new-found hiding place.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If the weapon you are using is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If the weapon you are using is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect319">If the weapon you are using is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect10">If the weapon you are using is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect113">
+ <meta><title>113</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your shout is met by silence. You are about to repeat it when a burst of machine gun fire rings out and six ragged holes suddenly appear in the centre of the kitchen door.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">If the number you have picked is 0-1, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect256">If it is 2-5, <link-text>turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect23">If it is 6-9, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect114">
+ <meta><title>114</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You start your car and steer it back on to the freeway towards Fabens. Ten minutes later, you see the town in the distance, and once more you hide your roadster in the yucca forest before going forward to scout the clan-held town.</p>
+ <p>A formidable barricade has been thrown across the freeway approach. It consists of auto wrecks filled with earth and broken chunks of concrete, stacked three deep. It would be virtually impossible for the convoy to break through this barrier. On the perimeter of the town, the Mexicans have dug pits to entrap any vehicles attempting to bypass the barricade. It looks hopeless, but if you are to reach El Paso, you must find a way through this freeway defence.</p>
+ <p>After observing the barricade at some length, Sergeant Haskell evolves a plan to blow a hole in it that is large enough to allow the convoy through in its entirety. You return to Fort Hancock and inform the colony of the plan. Then a message is sent to El Paso, requesting that they be ready and waiting to receive you once you break through.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect294">If you possess a Signal Flare, <link-text>turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect98">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect115">
+ <meta><title>115</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hold your breath and try not to move as the clansman rummages through a tool box less than four feet from where you are crouching. Unfortunately, the dust he is stirring up causes you to sneeze, betraying your presence. Suddenly, one of the gasolene drums is rolled aside and you feel two strong hands grab your jacket and drag you to your feet.</p>
+ <p>'What are you up to?' growls the scar-faced Detroit Lion, his stinking breath making you pull away in disgust. 'Sabotage, is it?' he spits, accusingly.</p>
+ <p>'Nah &ellips; I ain't no saboteur,' you reply, stalling for time, as you let your hand drift slowly towards your close combat weapon. I'm an Angelino who jus' wants t'see the race. I'm supposed to be patrolling the south zone but ain't nothin' ever happens down there. Gimme a break, will ya?'</p>
+ <p>As your fingers close around your weapon, you see something that makes you hesitate. At the rear of the truck you glimpse a large crowd of clansmen who are queueing to enter the stadium. The sight dissuades you from attacking your accuser, and instead you decide to try offering him a bribe.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect161">If you possess a Bottle of Bourbon, <link-text>turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect207">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect116">
+ <meta><title>116</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You press yourself against the damp stalagmites and gently flick your shotgun's safety catch to 'fire'. The clansman's footsteps seem unbearably loud as you wait for the moment to launch your ambush. As he comes to a halt, you rise up from your hiding place and open fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If your total score is 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If your total score is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect117">
+ <meta><title>117</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are twenty yards out from the wall when a burst of machine gun fire echoes across the open ground. Bullets graze the rubble just a few feet ahead and ricochet into the air with a piercing whine. Kate looks over her shoulder and begins to slow her pace to allow you to catch up, but you scream at her to keep running and she obeys your command.</p>
+ <p>When you are half-way across the gap, a wave of exhaustion descends on you like a lead blanket. Painfully your thigh muscles tighten until, in the throes of cramp, you stumble and fall. Desperately you try to rise but more shots ring out and you feel something sharp and searing, like a red-hot dagger, pierce your side. Your vision swims in and out of focus and the last thing you see, before total darkness descends, is Kate as she reaches the fire station.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here in San Angelo.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect118">
+ <meta><title>118</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tyres and brakes squeal like banshees as you fight to bring the roadster to a rapid halt. Moments later, the panel truck flashes past, missing the front fender by inches, and overturning on the wreckage-strewn highway. Your skill and keen reflexes have saved you from colliding with the truck, but the sight of the convoy fast disappearing along the freeway makes you feel very uncomfortable. You change into low gear and pump the gas pedal, but nothing happens. The engine has stalled. Frantically you reach for the ignition to bring the car back to life before the surviving Mavericks close in and attempt to put an end to yours.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect43">If your total is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect104">If it is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect119">
+ <meta><title>119</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before he can draw his gun, you land a punch to the side of the clansman's head that sends him reeling to the ground. Kate collapses against the rear door, her hands clasping her throat as she gasps painfully for breath. You are about to help her stand when the clansman lashes out with his foot and brings you down with a vicious kick to the knee: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. Before you can recover fully, he leaps on you and tries to strangle you to death with his powerful hands.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Hang-Ten</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed and fury of his attack, you are unable to draw a close combat weapon until the third round of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect76">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect120">
+ <meta><title>120</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'This should open the gate nice and wide,' says Haskell, as he takes the Leviathan from your hands and settles himself into position at the edge of the freeway.</p>
+ <p>'Stand clear!' he shouts, and then releases the trigger mechanism and sends the high explosive missile screaming towards the centre of the barricade.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect121">
+ <meta><title>121</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you retrieve your weapon and step outside into the corridor. There, lying next to the siren. you see the guard's machine pistol. (If you decide to take this weapon, you discover that its magazine contains twenty-four rounds of 9mm ammunition.)</p>
+ <p>You pick up the siren and switch it off as you run towards the iron staircase. You are half-way up the steps when you see the door to the observation block start to open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect122">
+ <meta><title>122</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Her gunfire silences the screaming Angelino. He throws his arms wide and tumbles backwards out of the saddle. The sight of him crashing into the river stuns the remaining clansmen just long enough for you to complete your wheel change and jump back into the car. As you reach the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the scouts retrieving their leader's body from the South Concho River.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect123">
+ <meta><title>123</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The case-hardened steel padlock is difficult but not impossible to cut. Eventually it gives and you are able to gain access to the hangar-like building. Inside you discover an armoured truck, one of many that were once used by banks to transport cash and bullion around Texas. This one was hijacked shortly before 'the Day', and was brought here where its cargo was to have been shared out by the robbers. However they never had a chance to divide and spend their loot, and the vehicle still contains over thirty million dollars in cash, a sum now completely worthless.</p>
+ <p>The truck's fuel tank is a quarter full, but it is diesel oil and cannot be used in your roadster. Cursing your luck, you search the truck and the building for anything that may be of practical use and you discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Tool Kit</li>
+ <li>Air Pump</li>
+ <li>Distilled Water (enough for three Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Engine Oil</li>
+ <li>Monkey Wrench</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>Dusk is beginning to give way to darkness and you are anxious to return to the roadster before the evening light fades completely. Having satisfied yourself that you have overlooked nothing of value, you leave the building and return to your car.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect124">
+ <meta><title>124</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Very little of any practical use remains intact within the cars that are littered around the lot. However, a search of the service bay uncovers the following items that may be of help to you on the road ahead:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Tool Kit</li>
+ <li>Solar Torch</li>
+ <li>Engine Oil</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these Backpack items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Having satisfied yourself that nothing else of use has been overlooked, you return to your roadster and resume your journey to San Angelo.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect342"><link-text>Turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect125">
+ <meta><title>125</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You search the immediate area for a track or some other means by which you can ascend the peak, but your efforts are to no avail. Reluctantly, you are forced to abandon your investigation and return to your car.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect210"><link-text>Turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect126">
+ <meta><title>126</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Judging from the long-horned skull that you find painted on the back of his leather vest, you have just laid to rest your first Angelino. On the floor, close to where you first spotted him, you find his weapons and equipment: a Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition) and a Backpack, which holds the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Flexible Saw</li>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Small Blanket</li>
+ <li>Enough bandages, sulphonamides, and antiseptics for three Medi-kit units</li>
+ <li>Knife [2]</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>In addition to these items, a search of the kitchen also reveals the following:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Meat Cleaver [3]</li>
+ <li>Bread Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Enough canned food for five Meals</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you choose to keep any of the items in either list, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Before leaving the kitchen, you hide the clansman's body in an empty refrigerator. Then you hurry through the fire escape door and make your way up a flight of rusty steps that lead to a service alley at the rear of the building.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect269"><link-text>Turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect127">
+ <meta><title>127</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The first two clansmen to enter the workshop fall victim to your gun fire. The others duck back and crouch either side of the doorway as their leader, a wiry biker with a badly broken nose, offers you the chance to give yourselves up. Defiantly you both refuse.</p>
+ <p>Seconds later a clutch of grenades are thrown into the workshop and they explode with a thunderous flash. You are both mortally wounded in the blast, and when the Angelinos finally summon enough courage to storm into the room, they find you dead in each other's arms.</p>
+ <p>Your journey and your life end here in Eldorado.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect128">
+ <meta><title>128</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As soon as the clansmen have disappeared from sight, you break cover and run, half-crouched, towards their jeep. Kate circles around to the other side and climbs into the passenger seat while you search for the ignition. To your horror, you discover that the ignition keys are missing.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Field Craft and Perception skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect70">If your total score is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect129">
+ <meta><title>129</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You examine the three dials that are set into the top of the security valve. Each is divided into three segments, and each segment displays a number. One of the segments on the third dial has numbers which can be altered by hand. Carefully you consider the numbers and soon realize that they are part of a coded combination lock. By turning the adjustable numbers on the third dial to the correct total, you will release the lock and open the valve.</p>
+ <p>Consider the following numbers carefully. When you think you know what the missing number is, turn to the entry which bears the same number as your answer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect226">If you cannot solve the security code, <link-text>turn to 226</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect130">
+ <meta><title>130</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite pulling your T-shirt to your face to filter out the dust, the heat and the cloying air conspire to sap your strength: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Determinedly you continue your search and, after nearly half an hour of exhausting work, you uncover the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Tool Kit</li>
+ <li>Siren</li>
+ <li>Six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>Hunting Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Tenon Saw</li>
+ <li>Four rounds of 12-gauge Shotgun shells</li>
+ <li>Plastic tube</li>
+ <li>File</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>Remember to make a note on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> of any of the items that you decide to keep.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect59">To continue, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect131">
+ <meta><title>131</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter an alley that runs alongside the bar, and make your way to the rear door. Through a cracked glass panel you can see the kitchens. They are empty, but remnants of food lie scattered across the tables and, judging by the amount of fresh garbage strewn on the floor, a large group of clansmen must have eaten here not so long ago.</p>
+ <p>You test the handle and discover that the door is unlocked.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect86">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 86</link-text></choice>
+ <choice idref="sect2">If your total score is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 2</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect132">
+ <meta><title>132</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Eldorado, the imaginary land of riches,' you say sardonically, as you scan the tumbledown buildings of this derelict Texan town. 'Somehow I jus' don't reckon we'll find any riches here.'</p>
+ <p>'I guess you're right,' says Kate. 'But we might find us somewhere to rest up a while. I sure could use a few hours' sleep.'</p>
+ <p>The dangers you have encountered during the day have kept you mentally and physically alert, but now that the immediate threat has passed, the fatigue of your ordeal catches up with you all at once. Your need to rest makes the thought of stopping here almost irresistible, but, no matter how tired you feel, you cannot ignore the fact that you are being hunted by the Angelinos.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect6">If you wish to stop and rest in Eldorado, <link-text>turn to 6</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect180">If you decide to continue driving, despite your fatigue, <link-text>turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect133">
+ <meta><title>133</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Coughing and popping, the roadster lurches to a halt in the middle of the highway. You try to restart the engine but it refuses to run smoothly for more than a few seconds at a time. You are running over all the possible faults that could have caused the breakdown when suddenly you remember the comp-aid digipad that Cutter fitted to the dashboard while you were in Big Spring. He had salvaged the unit from the wreck of a '99 Mercedes Malibu Coupe and modified it so that you could use it to run an automatic systems check on your roadster. Hurriedly you tap in your access code and immediately the unit's LCD identifies the fault : &ellips; FUEL FILTER &ellips;</p>
+ <p>It takes you an hour to dismantle, clean and replace the fuel filter, during which time you must take 2 Drinks or lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to dehydration.</p>
+ <p>The fault rectified, the engine starts sweetly the first time you touch the ignition. You accelerate away but within a few minutes you see something in the distance that makes you slow to a snail's pace.</p>
+ <p>It is a girder bridge that carries the highway across the North Concho River. The bridge is intact and passable, but you are worried by the sight of a lazy plume of woodsmoke rising from a spot near its approach ramp.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If you possess Binoculars, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect224">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect134">
+ <meta><title>134</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With Sergeant Haskell beside you, you drive out of Sierra Blanca, heading west on Interstate 10. A few miles later, you see a forest of strange plants growing on either side of the freeway. They are ten to twenty feet high, with stiff, spiky leaves and topped with white, bell-like flowers.</p>
+ <p>'Those are yuccas,' says Haskell, clearly amused by your open-mouthed reaction at seeing these almost science-fictional plants for the first time.</p>
+ <p>'I'm amazed they've survived where everything else has failed,' you reply. 'They must be good at adapting to their new environment.'</p>
+ <p>'That's the key to survival, Cal. We all have to adapt if we are to survive.'</p>
+ <p>You keep your car at a steady sixty miles per hour until the ruins of Fort Hancock loom into view. Like Sierra Blanca, this town is deserted, having been looted by the Mexicans months ago. Sergeant Haskell radios back to the convoy to tell them that the town is safe to enter. When they arrive, you continue towards Fabens to scout the barricade.</p>
+ <p>You are less than three miles from Fort Hancock when you see a vehicle approaching on the highway ahead. Rather than run the risk of a head-on confrontation, you pull your car off the freeway and hide it among the yuccas. As the vehicle grows nearer, you see that it is a military truck, loaded with munitions, and manned by a group of Mexican clansmen. Both you and Sergeant Haskell realize that if this truck is allowed to reach Fort Hancock, it could destroy the colony's hopes of ever seeing El Paso.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect162"><link-text>Turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect135">
+ <meta><title>135</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using strips of cotton torn from the bottom of your T-shirt, Kate bandages your wound as best she can. Her speedy action stops the bleeding and enables you to continue your escape. The wide corridor into which you have emerged is empty at present, but the sound of running footsteps is growing louder with each passing second, and it will not be very long before this area is teeming with clansmen. Kate points to a service hatch, almost invisible against the dirt-encrusted wall, and suggests that you hide there. You nod your agreement and help her to prise open the rusty hatch door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect201"><link-text>Turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect136">
+ <meta><title>136</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In a desperate attempt to reach him before he can cock and fire his gun, you race towards your adversary and launch yourself at his chest. The shock of seeing you charging at him makes him hesitate for a few vital seconds, and when your fists connect with his body, the force of impact leaves him winded and stunned. Still he fights to free himself from your grip, and, as he wriggles free, he unsheathes a knife from his boot and lunges at your neck</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Rockblitz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed of your attack, and your first strike, add 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect248">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect137">
+ <meta><title>137</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Wearily you search through the ruins of stores that are still standing at the centre of the town. A derelict food mart holds out promise of supplies, but once inside you realize that it must have been looted months ago. At the rear of the building, inside a fenced compound, you see a storage cabin. The door is closed and it shows no obvious signs of ever having been forced open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect88">If you wish to enter the compound and search the storage cabin, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect204">If you decide to ignore the cabin and continue your search elsewhere, <link-text>turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect138">
+ <meta><title>138</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to ignore the hail of bullets whistling past on all sides as coolly you crouch down and adopt a two-handed combat stance in order to steady your aim. The clansman is wild with fury, but a single shot to the head, delivered with chilling precision, is all it takes to stop him dead in his tracks.</p>
+ <p>Before you bury these two Detroit Lions, you search their bodies and their bikes, and discover the following useful items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Pistol (containing three rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Dagger [2]</li>
+ <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Leather Face Mask</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ <li>Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Cigarette Lighter</li>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Enough pain killers for one Medi-kit unit</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>There remains no trace of the bikers or their machines when eventually you complete the grisly task of burial. Wearily you return to your roadster and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you see a deserted stretch of Freeway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your map confirms that you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect139">
+ <meta><title>139</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are half-way through the door when your foot becomes caught among the burning shelves and you are sent sprawling to the ground. Quickly you recover and press on with your escape, but as a result of your fall, you sustain painful first-degree burns to your hands (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) and lose one item from your Backpack (erase one item of your choice).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect110">Make the necessary amendments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>, and then <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect140">
+ <meta><title>140</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The coyote is in a frenzy of pain and fear. No matter how hard Kate strikes it with her pistol, the beast refuses to relinquish its grip on your arm. In desperation she tries to drag the dog away, but this also pulls your arm off the steering wheel and causes the car to swerve sideways and go into a violent skid. You slam on the brakes and bring the roadster to a juddering halt, throwing the coyote hard against the dashboard, but still it remains fixed to your arm. The only way you are going to free yourself of this creature is by killing it in close combat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Wild Coyote</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">7</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">19</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect284">If you win and the fight takes four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect313">If you win and the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect141">
+ <meta><title>141</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter through a gaping hole in the store's front window. The shattered remains scrunch loudly beneath the soles of your boots as you explore its darkened interior. The place is a shambles, the fittings and stock having been exposed to the elements for many years. It is a relief to be out of the midday sun but you soon experience difficulty with your breathing for the air is becoming saturated with a fine dust stirred by your movement.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect130">If you wish to continue your search of this dust-choked store, <link-text>turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect59">If you decide to return to your roadster and leave the town, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect142">
+ <meta><title>142</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you check your magazine and cock the firing bolt as the first clansman scurries between the rocks that litter the edge of the service area. He is less than twenty-five yards away when you squeeze off your first burst of fire and bring him crashing to the ground. His partner hesitates, then abandons his stealthy approach and comes running towards you, screaming hysterically, his own machine pistol blazing furiously at his hip.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you have sufficient ammunition and wish to fire again, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If you do not have sufficient ammunition to fire a second time, or choose not to fire, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect143">
+ <meta><title>143</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rush forward, pausing briefly at the bottom of the staircase to check that the two guards are no longer a threat. Lying across the blood-stained chest of one of the men is a machine pistol (if you wish to take this weapon, you discover that it contains twenty-four rounds of 9mm ammunition) and attached to the belt of the other is an HE Grenade.</p>
+ <p>Stepping over the bodies, you begin to ascend the stairs to the observation room, but you are only half-way up when you see the door start to open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect144">
+ <meta><title>144</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kate succeeds in giving enough covering fire to keep the clansmen pinned down, while you retrieve the spare tyre, jack and wheel brace from the trunk of the car. But in doing so she empties her gun, and she has no spare ammunition with which to reload.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect78">If you possess at least six rounds of 9mm ammunition, and wish to give them to Kate so that she can reload her pistol, <link-text>turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If you possess less than six rounds of 9mm ammunition, and wish to give them to Kate, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect301">If you possess no 9mm rounds whatsoever, or do not wish to give any that you have to Kate, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect145">
+ <meta><title>145</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The frightened man lowers his aim and sends the arrow thudding into the ground at your feet - a warning shot. At that moment your pursuer comes roaring up the track, closely followed by the other Angelino scouts whom you encountered at the bridge. You scream a warning to Kate and throw yourself down as a double burst of machine gun fire strafes the palisade. The bullets pass over your back and hit the archer in the chest, dropping him in a tangled heap on the threshold of the gateway.</p>
+ <p>You spring to your feet and rush forward to help Kate drag his body away, so that the gate can be closed. The other members of the settlement come to your aid and, once the gate is secure, they point to the cave mouth and urge you to enter. You do not want to abandon your roadster to the Angelinos, but to stay here and attempt to fight would be suicidal. Reluctantly you leave the gate and follow them into the cave.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect146">
+ <meta><title>146</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman curses you with his dying breath, then keels over and falls heavily across his dead partner's body. Your limbs ache viciously from the bruises and fatigue of your ordeal, and before you can carry on you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Once you have fully recovered, you decide to bury your enemies. But first you search both bodies and the bikes, and discover the following useful items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Machine Pistol (containing twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Cigarette Lighter</li>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Enough pain killers for one Medi-kit unit</li>
+ <li>Pistol (containing four rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Dagger [2]</li>
+ <li>Leather Face Mask</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>There remains no trace of the bikers or their machines when eventually you complete the grisly task of burial. Then wearily you return to your roadster and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you see a deserted stretch of Freeway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your map confirms that you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect147">
+ <meta><title>147</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the bar and return to the convoy to tell the colony what has happened. After considering the likelihood of running into a Maverick ambush on the way to Sierra Blanca, probably in the narrow pass that separates Slaughter Mountain from Devil Ridge, the maps are consulted. A proposal is put forward by Sergeant Haskell that the convoy detours north, across the Salt Lakes to Cornudas, and approach El Paso on Highway 62. It looks like the safest route to follow and it is soon agreed.</p>
+ <p>The convoy is turned around and you lead it north, but you have not travelled very far when you see something on the road ahead that forces another change of plan.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect274"><link-text>Turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect148">
+ <meta><title>148</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow Kate as she runs through the debris towards an exit at the rear. You watch as she races through the open doorway and collides head-on with a clansman, who is hurrying into the building. The two rebound off each other and fall to the ground, stunned and bruised. Drunkenly, the clansman grabs Kate by the throat and fumbles for a pistol that is holstered beneath his shoulder.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect245">If you have a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect119">If you do not have a missile weapon, do not wish to use one, or have insufficient ammunition, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect149">
+ <meta><title>149</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You bring your roadster to a halt beside the pick-up but leave the engine idling in case you have to make a fast getaway. After checking to make sure that it is not booby-trapped, you lift the hood and take a look at the truck's engine. The ground beneath it is stained black where oil has leaked from a shattered sump; the damage looks irreparable.</p>
+ <p>Inside the cab you find a CB Radio attached to the dashboard. It has its own self-contained power supply and the unit is still in good working order. Having satisfied your curiosity, you return to your car and continue on your way to San Angelo.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect303"><link-text>Turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect150">
+ <meta><title>150</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You decide to spend the night in the library's main hall. After clearing a space near the centre, you build a small camp fire, using a few of the many thousands of books that line the walls. Then, once it is ablaze, you help Kate to prepare the food she has found. Outside, the weather has grown steadily worse. Thunder rolls across the surrounding plains and the jagged flashes of forked lightning illuminate the roiling clouds of dust with increasing regularity.</p>
+ <p>'I don't like it - it looks real bad,' you say, as you stare anxiously out of the window at the raging storm.</p>
+ <p>'It ain't all bad,' replies Kate. 'At least we don't have to worry 'bout Mad Dog's boys showin' up outta the blue.'</p>
+ <p>The food and wine taste delicious (restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), and, after eating your fill, you both settle down to sleep in front of the glowing embers of the camp fire.</p>
+ <p>It seems as though you have only just closed your eyes when you are stirred to consciousness by a loud crackling sound and the acrid smell of smoke. Horror fills your senses when you open your eyes to see yourself surrounded by a blazing wall of yellow flame. Lightning struck the library roof while you were asleep, starting a fire that has been fuelled by the shelves of dust-dry books, and which has now spread to the main hall where it threatens to consume you both.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you wake Kate and together you fight your way towards the main door. You are within ten feet of the exit when a burning bookcase falls across your path.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47">If you possess a Fire Extinguisher, <link-text>turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect316">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect151">
+ <meta><title>151</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The coarse staccato sound of a machine pistol and the sight of a clansman's grinning face are the last sensations you experience as a dozen bullets rip into your chest. Mercifully, the bullets deliver a quick and painless death.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your journey end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect152">
+ <meta><title>152</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A parting blow with the edge of your new-found weapon stuns the clansman and drops him to the floor. You call to Kate, telling her to follow you, and immediately she moves out from her hiding place. As she passes the clansman, she stoops to snatch his machine pistol from the floor and then quickly follows in your footsteps as you retrace your way along the defile and return to the surface.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect168"><link-text>Turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect153">
+ <meta><title>153</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pass between the shattered stores and houses of Broome with your nerves on edge, half-expecting to run into a clan patrol or fall prey to an ambush. Yet your visit passes without incident and soon you find yourself back on the open freeway, heading south-east to San Angelo. You are hungry, and during your drive you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>When you first see San Angelo, the sun is a quarter hidden below the skyline, its soft red glow reflecting upon a cluster of tall buildings that stand at the city's centre. They are the ravaged shells of banks and state offices that were the pride of this once-prosperous city before 'the Day'. Surrounding them, for many miles, is a sea of dust and rubble. Your skin prickles when you realize that this is all that remains of the city's suburbs, an area that once was home to more than a million Texans.</p>
+ <p>You are about to drive towards the centre when you notice that a fortified wall has been erected around the tall buildings of the downtown area, and the northern freeway approaches are controlled by roadblocks. It would be near-suicidal to approach any closer, so you make a wide detour around the city limits and try an approach from the south.</p>
+ <p>It takes nearly two hours to reach the south side of San Angelo, by which time night has fallen. Fortunately, your decision to go south has paid off: this section of the city is virtually uninhabited by the Angelinos and your approach goes undetected.</p>
+ <p>Hidden by the darkness, you are able to get within a mile of the downtown area before you encounter any sign of clan activity. You know that if your rescue of Kate is to be successful you must not allow your roadster to fall into enemy hands, and with this thought in mind, you search for somewhere safe to leave it while you venture into the downtown area on foot.</p>
+ <p>An underground parking lot situated below the looted ruins of a Sears megamarket provides just such a safe haven, and it is here that you hide your car. You are tired after the rigours of your journey, so you decide to get a few hours' sleep and attempt your rescue at first light.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29"><link-text>Turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect154">
+ <meta><title>154</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For a moment you are blinded by a deluge of stones and stinking water as you drive through the aftermath of the explosion. Then, as you catch sight of the opposite bank, there is another blast and you feel your steering wheel pulling sharply to the left.</p>
+ <p>'We've lost a tyre,' you shout, as you battle to get the car on to dry land. You succeed in reaching the far bank and skid sideways to a halt. You both leap out quickly and take cover behind the engine compartment. The clansmen seem to have exhausted their supply of grenades, but they are all armed with machine pistols and they proceed to empty them in your direction.</p>
+ <p>Kate draws her pistol and prepares to give covering fire while you inspect the damage. The front left tyre has been shredded by shrapnel and is beyond repair. You will have to replace it with the spare tyre you carry in the trunk. However, in order to retrieve it, you will have to expose yourself to bursts of machine pistol fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score. Now add the combined figure to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect144">If the resulting total score is 28 or less, <link-text>turn to 144</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect194">If the total score is 29 or more, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect155">
+ <meta><title>155</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With dismay, Kate tells you that she can find no anti-toxins in your Medi-kit. Using blankets dragged from the store room, she tries to make you as comfortable as possible as the first shivers of fever begin to grip your pain-wracked body. She cleans the inflamed wound and tries to comfort you as best she can while, over the next three hours, your body battles to overcome the toxin in your blood: lose 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect291">If you are still alive after sustaining such a grievous shock to your system, <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect156">
+ <meta><title>156</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You act purely on instinct, yet the speed and precision of your actions are enough to save your life. Skilfully you decelerate, using the roadster's gears and brakes in unison to prevent the car from ramming into the panel truck. Then, before the engine stalls or the surviving Mavericks are able to close in, you pump the gas and take off once more, your eyes now glued firmly on the tail lights of the school bus. A few poorly aimed bullets chase your escape but you soon catch up with the convoy and pass beyond the range of the Maverick's guns.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect312"><link-text>Turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect157">
+ <meta><title>157</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Haskell despatches three of the four clansmen, and the survivor manages to escape into the yucca forest. You are about to give chase when he says, 'Let him go, Cal. He won't get far on his own. Let's see what they had on board the truck.'</p>
+ <p>You discover several crates and lockers filled with munitions: mortars, anti-tank weapons, heavy machine guns and the like. However, you cannot find any ammunition for these weapons. You are about to set fire to the truck, to prevent them from falling into the hands of other clansmen, when you discover one item that could be of some use after all.</p>
+ <p>In a sealed locker at the bottom of the heap, you discover a portable Leviathan ground-to-air missile, a weapon with approximately eight times the destructive power of a bazooka. If you wish to keep this Leviathan Missile, you must reduce your Stealth score by 2 points due to its size and weight.</p>
+ <p>Having set fire to the truck, you return to your roadster. You are just about to climb in when you feel an arm snake around your neck and pull you backwards into the yucca forest.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Guerrero</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the surprise of his attack, do not erase any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points your enemy may lose in the first two rounds of combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect158">
+ <meta><title>158</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You tighten your grip on your close combat weapon as the door handle turns. The door flies open and you stare at the startled face of your enemy as you spring forward and strike the first blow. Your speedy attack opens a gash across his forehead and knocks the pistol from his hand. He reels back, clutching his face, and immediately you press forward to strike again, eager to silence him before he can raise the alarm.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Armalite</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">11</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">16</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the fury and surprise with which you launched your first strike, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain during the first two rounds of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect336">If you win and the fight takes five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect159">
+ <meta><title>159</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You push open the doors and enter the gloomy kitchen. Out of the corner of your eye you notice a movement. You turn around and see a clansman crouching in front of a food locker, trying to prise the door open with the edge of a meat cleaver. He sees you and his eyes open wide with shock. Before you can draw a weapon and fire, he draws the cleaver back and hurls it at your chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect282">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect160">
+ <meta><title>160</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'It's them!' cries Knott, as he sights the convoy vehicles trundling along the freeway towards Kent. Led by Pete Tyler's tow truck, the convoy pulls into the town with all horns blaring and everyone shouting their relief and delight that the rendezvous has been accomplished. It is a joyous reunion, made especially happy by the return of Kate to the colony.</p>
+ <p>After the excitement has abated you settle down to discuss the more serious matters at hand. From his vantage place in the sky, Rickenbacker has been able to track the movements of Amex Gold and his Maverick clansmen. A large contingent have been shadowing the convoy and are now in ambush somewhere in the mountains ahead. Also, Pop Ewell has monitored by radio the movements of a large Mexican clan, who have crossed the border in search of fuel and food. And, to make matters even worse, Mad Dog Michigan has linked up with the 'Saints', the clan from New Orleans, and now they too are somewhere in the vicinity.</p>
+ <p>'Looks like we're surrounded by enemies,' says Cutter, volunteering his opinion. 'Seem's to me we've got to keep movin' if we're to stand a cat's chance o' gettin' to El Paso in one piece.'</p>
+ <p>His opinions are shared by the majority, and so it is decided to leave Kent this afternoon and press on to El Paso without delay.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect252"><link-text>Turn to 252</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect161">
+ <meta><title>161</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman's eyes widen with a mixture of awe and avarice when you produce the bottle of bourbon from your Backpack. Greedily he snatches it from your hands, pulls the cork, and up-ends the bottle into his mouth. Five gulps later he replaces the cork and grins delightedly.</p>
+ <p>'You jus' bought yourself a grandstand seat, fella,' he says, hiding the bottle inside his jacket.</p>
+ <p>Still grinning, he returns to the cab and restarts the engine. Shortly the truck stops once again, but this time it is parked alongside three others in a section of the stadium that has been turned into a pits area. You leave the truck and slip away through the crowds of mechanics and riders towards an empty section of the arena.</p>
+ <p>From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in Ancient Rome. Today's event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be fought out in deadly earnest.</p>
+ <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused by it when you notice that the door to the block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you know that she is Kate Norton.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect162">
+ <meta><title>162</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You know that you must prevent the truck from reaching Fort Hancock, and the only sure way to do that is to ambush it. You leave the roadster and take up a position at the edge of the freeway. When the truck is twenty yards away, Sergeant Haskell opens fire at its tyres with his machine pistol. The bullets explode the tyres, causing the driver to lose control and run the truck into the freeway crash barrier. It hits a broken section of the barrier at speed and is tipped on to its side, spilling its cargo and crew across the highway. Only four of the Mexicans survive the crash: the driver and three others, who were riding in the back.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect328">If you possess a missile weapon, and wish to use it <link-text>turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect157">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect163">
+ <meta><title>163</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You plan to use the siren to lure the guards away from the stairs to a place where you can ambush them. To your left is an open doorway and quickly you slip inside to avoid being seen. You find that it leads to an empty locker room, and here you remove the siren from your pack and set its volume switch to maximum before pushing it outside into the corridor. Then you take your missile weapon and use its barrel to reach out and trigger the siren.</p>
+ <p>In the confines of the corridor the sound is deafening. Immediately the two guards come rushing forward to investigate, and, as they appear outside the locker room, you raise your gun and fire. The Detroit Lion opens his mouth but his dying scream is lost in the siren's blare. The Angelino survives your gunfire and leaps through the doorway to kick your weapon from your hands. Instinctively you reach for a close combat weapon as the burly Angelino unsheathes his hunting knife and attacks.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Purple Haze</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">18</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect164">
+ <meta><title>164</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Get down Kate!' you shout, as you dive to the ground and roll for cover behind the abandoned pick-up. But before you make it, two shots ring out almost simultaneously, one from a rifle and the other from a pistol.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect278">If the total is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 278</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect16">If the total is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect165">
+ <meta><title>165</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You gun your roadster towards the battered wooden gates of the site and smash your way through them. The ground beyond is covered with loose stones and, to your horror, you feel the nose of your car sliding away to the right. The steel skeleton of an office block looms before you as you fight to correct your front wheel skid.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect195">If your total is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 195</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect309">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect166">
+ <meta><title>166</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Angelino scout skids his bike to a halt and lays it on its side. Then, while he feels he still has the advantage, he comes running at you, swinging his chain in one hand and brandishing a hunting knife in the other.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>B-52</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>At the start of the third round of combat, you may add two points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ>, owing to the help you then receive from Kate in fighting this clansman.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect167">
+ <meta><title>167</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For seventeen miles you follow the 137 south. The surface of the highway is so poor that were it not for the line of shattered telegraph poles that run parallel to the road you would find it impossible to tell the difference between the highway and the open ground. It takes you an hour to reach a junction where the remains of another highway, the 158, cuts east/west across your path. Its condition is marginally better and, for the first time since you left Stanton, you are able to increase your speed to thirty miles per hour as you head east towards Sterling City. From there you will make your way along Freeway 87 to San Angelo.</p>
+ <p>It is nearly noon when you see a ramshackle town appear out of the heat haze that dances on the road ahead. Now the temperature is well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and, as you drive along its deserted main street, you think about stopping to rest for a while in the shade.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect85">If you decide to stop at this town, <link-text>turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect290">If you choose not to stop but to continue driving to Sterling City, <link-text>turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect168">
+ <meta><title>168</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>When you emerge from the caverns you are astounded to see that the Angelinos have been completely overwhelmed by this colony of cave dwellers. The few clansmen to have survived the ambush have been trussed up like turkeys and are being guarded by a circle of spear-wielding women. The rest of the colony are so busy stripping and searching the bodies of those they have killed that they fail to notice you and Kate, as you leave the entrance quietly and make your way back to the roadster. You admire their bravery but there is something about these people, something about their appearance and their silence, that unsettles you.</p>
+ <p>You inspect the damage to the truck. Your fears are confirmed: you no longer have sufficient fuel to reach Kent. You syphon the tanks of the clansmen's bikes, and save what you can from the bottom of the two perforated fuel canisters, but you estimate that in total you have only enough to take you 120 miles.</p>
+ <p>As you are leaving, you notice that the cave people are preparing a funeral pyre for those who were killed in the fighting. It strikes you as a very sensible and civilized way to dispose of the dead, and makes you think that perhaps your suspicions about these people were groundless after all. Your illusions about the cave people are soon shattered, however, when Kate points out that they are not burning the dead at all: they are cooking them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect56"><link-text>Turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect169">
+ <meta><title>169</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You slow your roadster to a halt and, with your hand held to your forehead to shield your eyes from the glare of the evening sun, you try to discern the source of the dust cloud.</p>
+ <p>'It's no good,' you say in frustration, 'I can't tell what's going down in that town.'</p>
+ <p>'Me neither,' says Kate, 'but I've got a pretty good idea what's going on back there.'</p>
+ <p>She points back along the highway at another dust cloud, which is fast approaching. You do not need binoculars to be able to tell that the dust is being stirred up by a pack of bikers that have come racing out of San Angelo.</p>
+ <p>'I think it's time we were movin' on,' says Kate, uneasily.</p>
+ <p>'I think you're right,' you reply, as, hurriedly, you reach for the ignition switch. 'Let's detour around this town and follow the river. We can pick up the highway again at Eldorado.'</p>
+ <p>'OK,' she replies, 'but step on it Cal. Those bikes are movin' real fast.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect317"><link-text>Turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect170">
+ <meta><title>170</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sniper fires as he turns and his bullet drills deep into your chest. You feel yourself lifted into the air, and the warm taste of blood gushes into your mouth. Then you hit the floor and the momentary pain gives way to a terrifying numbness that robs you of all sensation. In a moment, you see the sniper working another round into the chamber of his rifle. Then he points the muzzle at your head and a total darkness engulfs your vision.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your mission and your life end here in Brogado.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect171">
+ <meta><title>171</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You scream with terror as you realize that you are falling face-first into an elevator shaft. In desperation, you throw out your arms to try to stop yourself from falling, and the sleeve of your leather jacket catches on the raised head of a bolt protruding from the wall. There is a violent jolt, and for a moment it feels as if you have been yanked into the air by your wrist. Then the cuff is torn away completely and you continue to fall into the darkness.</p>
+ <p>Seconds later you land on the roof of the elevator with a numbing crash and instantly lose consciousness.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect55"><link-text>Turn to 55</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect172">
+ <meta><title>172</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rise at dawn and spend the morning servicing the engine of your roadster, while Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott take it in turns to act as lookout from the roof of a Baptist church, the tallest building still standing in Kent. It is two hours before noon when you hear a faint buzzing noise, high in the sky towards the north-west. You search the cloudless expanse and your hopes soar as you see Rickenbacker's motorized hang glider circling above the town. He comes down and makes a low pass, waving his arms excitedly as he flies directly over the roadster. Then he is gone, rising above the surrounding peaks and returning the way he came.</p>
+ <p>An hour passes before Knott sights a cloud of dust on the eastern horizon. You are all gathered in the town, waiting expectantly for the convoy to arrive, but he cannot be sure that it is the convoy that is coming. At such a distance it could be a gang of marauding clansmen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect160"><link-text>Turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect173">
+ <meta><title>173</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With your nerves stretched almost to breaking point, you lower the cover gently into position and whisper to Kate to continue along the tunnel.</p>
+ <p>By feeling her way along the thick cables that festoon the walls of this service shaft, she is able to make progress in the dark. More than half an hour later you emerge into a wider section where a faint light seeps down from glass bricks embedded in the ceiling around a circular steel hatch. A ladder ascends to the hatch and Kate suggests that this one could be worth investigating. You agree, and when you lift up the heavy steel cover carefully and look out, she is proved right: the sight that greets you is the entrance gate to the Reagan Memorial Stadium.</p>
+ <p>After waiting until there is little clan activity in the immediate area, you climb out of the shaft and make your way quickly into the ruins of the southern central sector of the San Angelo stronghold.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect174">
+ <meta><title>174</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to dodge the speeding arrow but it catches you in the side and pierces your rib cage. For a moment you feel nothing. Then a searing pain rips through your chest and a swirl of colour obliterates your vision. You crash to the ground and fight desperately for your life, but it is a fight you can no longer win.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at the entrance to the caverns of Sonora.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect175">
+ <meta><title>175</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using the cover afforded by the undercut banks of Lacy Creek you are able to creep to within twenty yards of the bridge unseen. The harsh, greasy smell of roasted coyote wafts over your hiding place as silently you watch the taller of the two clansmen fan the camp fire with his hat, while his partner kneels down and carves himself a large slice of the blackened meat. He chews it without enthusiasm before finally spitting it out in disgust.</p>
+ <p>'Goddamn dogmeat!' he growls. 'I ain't never gonna git used to it.'</p>
+ <p>He gulps a mouthful of water from his canteen as he rises to his feet. Your pulse quickens as he turns and starts to walk straight towards you.</p>
+ <p>If you have a missile weapon and wish to use it, turn 65</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect176">
+ <meta><title>176</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Bullets rip into the tyre rack and whistle past you on all sides as the clansman rushes your position. Calmly you stay hidden until you hear his gun stop in midburst, then you spring to your feet and fire at point-blank range, hitting him in the chest. He doubles up, falls forward and lands in a lifeless heap at your feet.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308"><link-text>Turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect177">
+ <meta><title>177</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Yet another shot rings out and another scream is heard in the street below. You have got to stop this sniper before he massacres your companions at his leisure, and purposefully you look to your weapons.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If you have a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or have insufficient ammunition, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect178">
+ <meta><title>178</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With tyres screeching, you turn on to the bridge and gun your car across it at top speed. Beyond the span you find a secondary road that has barely survived the post-disaster years. A sign flashes past, identifying it as Road 1989, but you fail to see this number as you fight to avoid the boulders that lay strewn in your path.</p>
+ <p>Kate has drawn her pistol and is firing over her shoulder at a biker, who is closing fast. A pair of belt-fed machine guns are mounted atop the headlamp of his motorcycle, and he fires them in devastating bursts whenever the roadster fills his sights. So concerted is the fire that you are both forced to cower in your armour-backed seats to avoid being hit. Then another sign appears on the road ahead, pointing to a winding dirt track that leads away to the left. It reads:</p>
+ <p>TO THE CAVERNS OF SONORA</p>
+ <p>You are desperate to avoid the machine-gunning biker and so decide to take the track. At least its winding course will give him less opportunity to riddle the trunk with bullets.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect24"><link-text>Turn to 24</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect179">
+ <meta><title>179</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment the clansman sees you draw your pistol he veers across to the left lane of the highway. You smile when you realize the purpose of his manoeuvre: he is trying to make it as difficult as he can for you to shoot at him with your right hand.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Driving and Shooting skill scores. Now decide how many rounds you wish to fire at the clansman (minimum equals one; maximum equals four), and add the number of rounds to your skills total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect318">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If your total score is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect180">
+ <meta><title>180</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'At this rate we'll reach Interstate 10 in an hour,' you say, but Kate does not reply: exhaustion has got the better of her and she has drifted off into a deep sleep. Without her conversation to stimulate you, fatigue eats away at your concentration and gradually you lose interest in the road ahead. You fall asleep at the wheel and reawaken only when the roadster veers off the highway and crashes into a rocky spur.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect234">If the number you have picked is 0-7, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect298">If it is 8-9, <link-text>turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect181">
+ <meta><title>181</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step sideways into the corridor with your shotgun held at waist level. The guard to the left of the staircase sees you and tries to shout a warning but his words are lost in the boom of your gunfire. The force of the shot flings him against the wall, and as you swing the barrel towards his partner, you know only too well that you must make your second shot count just as effectively. But his partner's reactions prove razor-sharp, and as you focus on him you are shocked to find yourself staring into the muzzle of his machine pistol.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297">If your total score is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect197">If your total score is 16 or more, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect182">
+ <meta><title>182</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull on the steering wheel and swerve heavily to the left in order to avoid the missile, but you cannot prevent it from hitting your car. The armoured tip penetrates the engine compartment, entering from below the wheel arch and exploding in the middle of the fuel injection system. In a split second, your roadster is transformed into a ball of flame: death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at the foot of Slaughter Mountain.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect183">
+ <meta><title>183</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The derelict gas station shows signs of having been looted some time during the past few months. Its underground gasolene storage tank has been syphoned of fuel, and the contents of its workshop lie broken and scattered across the dusty floor. Carefully you sift through what little remains and uncover the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Crowbar [2]</li>
+ <li>Solar Regulator</li>
+ <li>Box of Matches</li>
+ <li>Tow Chain (ten-feet length)</li>
+ <li>Hammer [2]</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect59">To continue, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect184">
+ <meta><title>184</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You tell Kate to follow you as you dive for cover among the rocks that border this section of the highway. Your speedy reactions save you from being seen by the pack of Angelinos as they race along the highway, heading south. You stay hidden until their lights have disappeared, then you resume your long walk back to Eldorado.</p>
+ <p>Three hours later you reach the town and begin a systematic search of all the buildings. In the ruins of a repair shop you discover what you need: a Welding Torch and a cylinder of Oxyacetylene. You are dragging these items out of the building when suddenly, from the shadow of a doorway, a gruff voice barks an order: 'Stay where you are and put your hands up!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect339"><link-text>Turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect185">
+ <meta><title>185</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Bullets are slamming into the gantry from all sides but a combination of luck and speed saves you from being hit. At the far end is a covered staircase leading down to an internal thoroughfare, one of many that honeycomb the vast area below the stadium tiers. This wide corridor is empty at present, but the sound of running footsteps is growing louder with each passing second, and it will not be very long before the area is teeming with clansmen. Kate points to a service hatch, almost invisible against the dirt-encrusted wall, and suggests you hide there. You nod your agreement and help her to prise it open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect201"><link-text>Turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect186">
+ <meta><title>186</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dive aside, but your reactions are not quick enough to save you from the cleaver's spinning blade. It slices through the arm of your jacket and lays open half an inch of flesh below your right bicep: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You grit your teeth against the pain as you try to stand, but before you are back on your feet, the clansman comes rushing across the kitchen with a knife in his hand. Instinctively you leap away from his first strike, and manage to kick the weapon from his hand when he stabs at you a second time. Angered by your moves, he leaps for your throat and tries to drag you to the ground.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Rockblitz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect248">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect187">
+ <meta><title>187</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite the pain of your wounds, your reactions are still lightning fast. You beat the clansman to the draw and, in a fraction of a second, you save yourself from his murderous intentions.</p>
+ <p>You are in too much pain to try to attempt a burial and, mindful of the time you have lost already, you make only a brief search of the bodies. You discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Pistol (containing four rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Dagger [2]</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ <li>Machine Pistol (containing twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Enough pain killers for one Medi-kit unit</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>Wearily you return to your roadster and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you see a deserted stretch of Freeway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your map confirms that you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect188">
+ <meta><title>188</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After a long and laborious search of all the stores in this part of Bakersfield, you discover absolutely nothing of any practical value. Having exhausted both your energy and your patience, and with dusk already giving way to darkness, you abandon your search and return to your car.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect189">
+ <meta><title>189</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The rotten timbers are easily torn away from the front door and in minutes you have gained access to the building. In the middle of the lobby you discover a stainless steel replica of an oil derrick, standing twelve feet high, on which there is an inscription that reveals the former owners of the block:</p>
+ <p>THE LONE STAR OIL & GAS COMPANY</p>
+ <p>In order to emerge somewhere inside the perimeter wall, you must discover an exit on the north side of this building, so you set off immediately in that direction. Beyond the lobby area you can see a row of elevator doors, and two corridors disappearing to the left and right.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215">If you wish to explore the right-hand corridor, <link-text>turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect7">If you wish to search the left-hand corridor, <link-text>turn to 7</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect190">
+ <meta><title>190</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You detect a movement in the shadows barely a second before there is a bang and a muzzle flash, which illuminates a corner of the bar. You react by reflex, throwing yourself at the floor. The speed of your reaction saves you from a serious wound as a 9mm bullet clips your leg and embeds itself in the wall: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>Seconds later, Haskell bursts into the bar and fires three shots into the corner. There is a loud groan followed almost immediately by the sound of a heavy body falling off a chair. He rushes to your side, and as soon as he is sure that you are not seriously injured, he goes to take a look at who he has shot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333"><link-text>Turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect191">
+ <meta><title>191</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Stepping back from the dead Angelino, you inadvertently trip over the barrel of his machine pistol. (lf you decide to keep this weapon, you discover that its magazine contains twenty-four rounds of 9mm ammunition.)</p>
+ <p>Quickly you regain your balance and start to run towards the iron staircase, but you are only half-way up it when you see the door to the observation block begin to open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect192">
+ <meta><title>192</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The biker stands up as he approaches the ramp. Then, as his machine takes to the air, he pulls back on the handlebars and throws his weight forward over the front wheel. Man and motorcycle soar through the sky, then make a perfect rear wheel landing at the edge of the freeway.</p>
+ <p>Confident that you can match his feat of daring, you accelerate towards the pump house and brace yourself as the front wheels begin to rise. Unfortunately, the roof is not strong enough to support the weight of your car and it collapses before you are airborne. Horrified, you watch as the front of your roadster nosedives into the ditch, pitching the car end-over-end. Then a searing flash of white light engulfs your vision as the fuel tank ruptures and explodes.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your journey end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect193">
+ <meta><title>193</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You throw yourself forward and only just avoid being hit by the arrow as it whistles within inches of your scalp. At that moment your pursuer roars up the track, closely followed by the other Angelino scouts whom you encountered at the bridge. You scream a warning to Kate and throw yourself down as a double burst of machine gun fire strafes the palisade. The bullets pass over your back and hit the archer in the chest, dropping him in a tangled heap on the threshold of the gateway.</p>
+ <p>You spring to your feet and rush forward to help Kate drag his body away, so that the gate can be closed. The other members of the settlement come to your aid, and, once the gate is secure, they point to the cave mouth and urge you to enter. You do not want to abandon your roadster to the Angelinos, but to stay here and attempt to fight would be suicidal. Reluctantly you leave the gate and follow them into the cave.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect194">
+ <meta><title>194</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kate places her shots carefully in an effort to conserve ammunition. The effectiveness of her covering fire keeps the clansmen pinned down long enough for you to retrieve the spare tyre, jack and wheel brace from the trunk of the car.</p>
+ <p>As you start work on changing the damaged front wheel, you see the clan scout leader riding down the opposite bank towards the river. Believing that you are now out of ammunition, he has decided that he will be the one to enact his clan's revenge on you for the killing of Mekong Mike. Howling curses, and whirling a heavy motorcycle chain above his shaved head, he rides his bike into the shallow river. He is half-way across when Kate takes aim and silences his screaming with a single shot to the heart. The sight of him crashing into the river stuns the remaining clansmen just long enough for you to complete your wheel change and jump back into the car.</p>
+ <p>As you reach the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the Angelino scouts retrieving their leader's body from the fetid waters of the South Concho River.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect195">
+ <meta><title>195</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you can regain control of the car, it slams broadside against a steel pillar and comes to an abrupt halt. The reinforced passenger door withstands much of the impact, but the sudden jolt leaves you concussed and badly bruised (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>Wincing from the pain of your injuries, you try to keep as still as possible as the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roars past the site. Soon they have gone and, despite your pain, your spirits are raised by the thought that there will now be at least fifty less of Mad Dog's men to face when you reach San Angelo.</p>
+ <p>After satisfying yourself that the damage to your roadster is superficial, you cast your eyes around the derelict construction site.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect48">If you wish to search the site, <link-text>turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect230">If you wish to leave and continue your journey to San Angelo, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect196">
+ <meta><title>196</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Moments after you reach the safety of the street, you turn to see the roof of the library collapse with a loud, splintering crack. Clouds of sparks whirl into the night, carried upward by the strong, gusting wind. Silently you look at Kate's smoke-blackened face, and then at the blazing library, and you realize just how lucky you both are to have got out of that inferno alive.</p>
+ <p>By the time you have recovered fully from your ordeal and returned to your roadster, the storm has blown itself out. The eastern sky is lightening as dawn approaches and you decide to leave Bakersfield now, before the sun rises and the temperature becomes unbearable. Beyond the town, the freeway climbs steadily towards a distant line of mountains that shimmer on the horizon. You keep your speed as low as possible and cover forty miles with your fuel gauge nudging the zero mark. Then the silhouette of Fort Stockton appears on the road ahead and your hopes of finding some gas are rekindled.</p>
+ <p>The first thing you see upon entering the town is a gas station. Like everything else, the station appears deserted, but there is something about this building that makes your skin prickle with presentiment.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect75"><link-text>Turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect197">
+ <meta><title>197</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In what is a split-second reaction, you throw yourself to the ground as the guard opens fire: it is a move that saves your life. Soft-nosed bullets whistle past your head and ricochet off the walls as you struggle to bring your gun to bear once more. You squeeze off a snap shot and immediately the machine gun fire ceases as the guard, mortally wounded, keels over backwards and slumps to the ground. Now you are back on your feet and rushing forwards, but as you reach the iron staircase and begin to climb, you see the observation room door start to swing open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect198">
+ <meta><title>198</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurl the grenade, but it glances off the edge of an auto wreck and is deflected away from the ammunition chest. It explodes with a brilliant white flash that illuminates the barricade and draws the clansmen's attention to your position. Frantically you run for the safety of the yucca forest, but before you have taken a dozen steps, you are cut down by a long burst of automatic fire.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your mission and your life end here at the Fabens barricade.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect199">
+ <meta><title>199</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nervously the clansman glances over his shoulder as you close in for the kill. His red-rimmed eyes stare fearfully from his dusty face as he struggles to coax more power from his failing machine. Then, in desperation, he veers off the highway and takes to the open ground. You are determined not to let the clansman escape, and so you pull the steering wheel hard over to the left and pursue him as he guns his bike cross-country towards Freeway 87.</p>
+ <p>An empty concrete drainage ditch runs parallel to the freeway, wide enough to deter the biker from attempting to ride straight across it. He veers away, and you chase him along its edge for nearly half a mile before finally he plucks up enough courage to try to get across. Ahead, a derelict pump house appears, straddling the ditch, its angular roof offering itself as a ramp that could be used to launch a jump on to the freeway. The clansman takes one last look at you over his shoulder and then, with a scream of fearful exhilaration, he winds back the throttle and points his bike at the pump house roof.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If you wish to attempt to follow the clansman across the ditch, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If you decide to steer your roadster away from the pump house, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect200">
+ <meta><title>200</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Six black-clad bikers are riding along Interstate 10 towards the rest stop. Affixed to the rear of their saddles are long, whiplash aerials, which are topped with black pennons that bear a lion's head symbol. You stare at these small black flags and a tingle runs down your spine: it is the emblem of the Detroit Lions clan.</p>
+ <p>The bikers catch sight of your roadster and bring their machines to a halt a hundred yards from the rest stop. Then all six spread out and, using the rocks and boulders that litter the landscape, they make their way forward slowly. Sergeant Haskell orders Gunter and Knott to take cover and open fire at the advancing clansmen; they must not be allowed to capture or destroy the fuel tank.</p>
+ <p>From behind an old gas pump you watch as two of the Lions start to edge their way around the service area. They are trying to circle around the rest stop and launch an attack from the rear.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect112">If you possess a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect264">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or have insufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect201">
+ <meta><title>201</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On the other side of the hatch you discover an electrical cable duct that is just large enough to accommodate both of you in some discomfort. You enter first, then Kate squeezes in, closing the hatch behind her. It is now pitch black and very claustrophobic. Outside you can hear the angry screams and pounding feet of the clansmen as determinedly they try to track you down. The news of Mekong Mike's death has been broken to the Angelinos and you have heard more than one of them vow that they will kill you when they find you. The only escape route open to you now is to descend the rusty rungs of the iron service ladder on which you stand.</p>
+ <p>Forty rungs later you reach the bottom of the shaft. You can feel the walls of a tunnel leading away to your right, but it is too dark for you to see where it leads or what it contains.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect109">If you possess a Box of Matches or a Solar Torch, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect238">If you do not possess either of these items, <link-text>turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect202">
+ <meta><title>202</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before the spider is brushed aside, it bites into your skin and injects its toxin. Almost immediately you are gripped by a terrible pain that courses up your arm and radiates across your chest. Frantically Kate searches through your Medi-kit for an anti-toxin, as the effects of the Fiddleback's bite drag you to your knees in agony.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it the number of Medi-kit units that you possess currently.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect155">If your total score is now 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 155</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect44">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect203">
+ <meta><title>203</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have fallen into the shaft of a private elevator that was once used to service the executive penthouse suites of the Lone Star Oil & Gas Company. The elevator itself is located on the sub-basement level, three floors below where you have fallen in, and it is upon its roof that you finally crash to your doom.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your mission and your life end here in San Angelo.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect204">
+ <meta><title>204</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A long and laborious search of all the stores in the same block as the food mart yields the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Water Canteen (empty)</li>
+ <li>Camera</li>
+ <li>Enough antiseptic solution for one Medi-kit unit</li>
+ <li>Microscope</li>
+ <li>Scissors</li>
+ <li>Gold Wristwatch</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you choose to keep any of these items, remember to amend your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Dusk is beginning to give way to darkness and you are anxious to return to the roadster before the evening light fades completely. Having satisfied yourself that you have overlooked nothing of value, you leave the block and return to your car.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect205">
+ <meta><title>205</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond Sterling City the freeway follows a wide, dust-filled gully that was once the North Concho River. You are staring at this dead watercourse, trying to imagine what the river must have looked like before 'the Day', when a road sign flashes past. You stop the car and turn back to read it. It says:</p>
+ <p>BROOME - 2 MILES</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220">If you possess a CB Radio, <link-text>turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect206">
+ <meta><title>206</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The scout leader gives a loud, malicious laugh as he steers his bike towards the front of your roadster. As he rides past, he leans over and lashes out at your unprotected back with his chain.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Perception and Stealth skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If your total is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If your total is 6-8, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect207">
+ <meta><title>207</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'What exactly you offerin' in return for a free ride and a ringside seat, eh?' replies the clansman.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you unshoulder your Backpack and flip open the buckles. 'Choose,' you say, inviting him to look at the items you are carrying. Roughly he pulls the pack from your hands and tips the contents on to the floor of the truck.</p>
+ <p>'I'll take these two,' he says. 'You can keep the rest o' the junk.'</p>
+ <p>Erase from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> those items which you have noted in the second and third sections of your Backpack items list. These are the items chosen by the clansman in return for free passage into the stadium. If you possess less than two Backpack items, you must erase either two Medi-kit units or one close combat weapon instead.</p>
+ <p>With a smile on his face, the clansman pockets your bribe and returns to the cab. He restarts the truck but shortly it stops once again. He has drawn up alongside three other trucks in a section of the stadium that has been turned into a pits area. You leave the truck and slip away through the crowds of clan mechanics and riders towards an empty section of the enclosure.</p>
+ <p>From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film that you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in Ancient Rome. Today's event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be fought out in deadly earnest.</p>
+ <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused by it when you notice that the door to the block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you know that she is Kate Norton.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect208">
+ <meta><title>208</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With your pulse racing, you raise the binoculars to your eyes and focus on the approaching bikers. They ride machines bedecked with a strange symbol: a priest or some other holy man, dressed in flowing white robes, with a halo above his head. It looks a curiously pious symbol for a clan to adopt, until you remember that before 'the Day', the name of the professional football team based in New Orleans was 'the Saints'. Suddenly you realize that this pack of riders, some 400-500 strong, are the New Orleans clan that Mad Dog Michigan sent for. It would be disastrous for the convoy to run head-on into a group of this size, and you hurry back to the colony as quickly as you can to break the bad news.</p>
+ <p>With the New Orleans clan approaching from the north, a large Mexican clan crossing the border to the south, and the threat of a Maverick ambush to the west, the prospects of reaching El Paso unscathed now look decidedly unpromising. With no time to discuss the situation at length, the convoy reverts to the original plan: to stay on Interstate 10 and approach El Paso from the west. It is the shortest, most direct route, even though there is a very real chance of falling prey to a Maverick ambush.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect209">
+ <meta><title>209</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Frantically you spin the wheel to the left and brace yourself as the roadster slews sideways across the wreckage-strewn highway. Before it comes to a halt, there is a sudden and violent jolt that sets the car spinning like a top in the opposite direction. The panel truck has clipped the rear fender and the force of the impact leaves you dazed and gasping for breath: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The sight of the convoy fast disappearing along the freeway is all that is needed to bring you rapidly to your senses. You turn the wheel and pump the gas pedal, but the engine has stalled and the car does not respond. Instantly, you reach for the ignition to bring the car back to life before the Mavericks close in and put an end to yours.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect43">If your total is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect104">If it is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect210">
+ <meta><title>210</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You keep a watchful eye on the ridge as you wait for the convoy to close the gap. Then, when the vehicles are once again visible in your driving mirror, you continue along the freeway. Anxiously, you expect an ambush to take place at any time, but, despite your fears, it does not materialize.</p>
+ <p>At length the stores and houses of Van Horn appear on the road ahead. The town looks deserted but you decide to take no chances. You bring the convoy to a halt within a mile of the town limits and, accompanied by Sergeant Haskell, you leave your roadster and enter on foot to check that it is safe for the convoy to pass through.</p>
+ <p>The tumbledown buildings are deathly quiet as you walk along the main street of Van Horn, and you notice nothing out of the ordinary until you reach a bar near the centre of the town. A motorcycle is parked beside the entrance, its fuel tank emblazoned with the ace of spades emblem of the Mavericks clan. You decide to search the bar and, if possible, try to capture and question the bike's owner. Haskell suggests that it would be a good idea if one of you were to enter by the rear door and you nod your agreement.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect131">If you wish to enter the bar from the rear, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect13">If you choose to enter the bar through the front door, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect211">
+ <meta><title>211</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Expectantly you keep an eye on your rear-view mirror as you power your roadster along the rock-strewn asphalt of Highway 277. You are convinced that the Angelinos will soon be on your tail, yet you have covered fifteen miles and still there is nothing to indicate that you are being pursued. You are beginning to relax when Kate points to a small town in the distance. It is built around a bridge that crosses a stream of shallow black water that was once known as the South Concho River. Near the middle of this town, on the highway approach to the bridge, is a rising cloud of dust.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect33">If you possess Binoculars, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect169">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect212">
+ <meta><title>212</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You crouch behind the rack and fumble for a close combat weapon as the clansman's bullets pepper your position. Then you see Kate running towards you with a machine pistol in her hands. She opens fire at the clansman, but he returns fire and one of his bullets smashes the barrel of Kate's gun, rendering it useless. In the next instant he leaps on to the rack but, before he brings his weapon to bear, you lash out and smash his knee with the edge of your hand. He drops his gun and falls forward, landing on top of you with a jolt that leaves you breathless.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Kalashnikov</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>You cannot evade combat and must fight the clansman to the death.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect213">
+ <meta><title>213</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once across the North Concho River you begin your journey to San Angelo in earnest. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you reach a deserted stretch of Freeway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your map confirms your suspicions: you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect214">
+ <meta><title>214</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman's footsteps seem unbearably loud as you wait for the moment to launch your ambush. You check that your G-12 is 'safety off' and set to burst fire then, as the footsteps halt, you rise up from your hiding place and open fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If your total score is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect215">
+ <meta><title>215</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The corridor is walled from floor to ceiling with exotic hardwood panels that give off a rich, earthy aroma. Innumerable doors, all identical and all giving access to what were once executive offices, march past on either side, while you stride along with your eyes focused on the distance, searching the gloom for something that resembles an exit.</p>
+ <p>The corridor turns left and, after a short distance, left again, and you find yourself faced by a door that is different to all the others. It is fitted flush to the wall and it has no handle or sign to indicate where it leads. You push against it but it does not open, and you can hear nothing when you place your ear to its surface.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you wish to try to barge open the door, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect289">If you decide to abandon your search in this direction and return to the lobby, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect216">
+ <meta><title>216</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You return to find Kate sitting on the hood of the roadster, sifting through a box of items she has found. She, too, has been unable to find any fuel, but she has salvaged enough food for a decent evening meal.</p>
+ <p>'I even found some wine from your home state,' she says, proudly holding out a bottle of Californian dry white for your inspection.</p>
+ <p>'That's great,' you reply, with a smile. 'Now all we need is a corkscrew!'</p>
+ <p>As night draws in and the temperature falls, a strong wind arises that whips along the freeway, howling like an angry ghost. You sense that it is the prelude to a storm and you suggest to Kate that you look for somewhere to shelter. An old brick-built library standing close by seems like a good bet: the walls are strong and it still has a roof, which is more than can be said for over ninety per cent of the Bakersfield buildings.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect217">
+ <meta><title>217</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach down into the passenger foot-well and retrieve your rifle. Fortunately you know that the weapon is loaded and all you have to do is thumb back the safety catch to make it ready to fire. The moment the clansman sees you rest the barrel on the door, he veers across to the left lane of the highway as quickly as he can. You smile as you realize the purpose of this manoeuvre: he is trying to increase his chances of survival by making it as difficult as he can for you to shoot at him with your right hand.</p>
+ <p>Keeping the roadster in a straight line, and the sheer force of the rushing wind whipping around the end of the rifle's barrel, make it impossible for you to take aim. You try to get as near to your enemy as you can before squeezing the trigger, but just as you are about to fire, you hit a pot-hole and lose your grip.</p>
+ <p>Add your Stealth skill score to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score. Now pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add it to your total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect251">If your total score is 32 or less, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect307">If your total score is 33 or more, <link-text>turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect218">
+ <meta><title>218</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to wake Kate but she is in a deep sleep and does not respond immediately. When at last you succeed in rousing her it is too late to attempt a quick getaway by car.</p>
+ <p>You watch tensely as the bikers ride into the town. You give a silent prayer that they will pass through Eldorado without stopping, but to no avail. They bring their machines to a halt in the middle of the town and begin a search of the surrounding ruins. 'They mustn't find us,' you whisper, as you look around the workshop for somewhere to hide. 'If they do we're as good as dead.'</p>
+ <p>The sound of footsteps echoes through the building as you help Kate to conceal herself in an old stationery cupboard. Once she is well hidden, you slip inside an adjoining storage room that is filled from floor to ceiling with musty mohair blankets. Minutes later, you hear a clansman walk into the workshop. You hold your breath and listen to his every move, but your concentration is suddenly broken when you feel something crawling up the back of your left hand.</p>
+ <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Perception skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect343">If your total score is 22 or less, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect259">If your total is 23 or more, <link-text>turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect219">
+ <meta><title>219</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The time Sergeant Haskell used to observe the barricade was well spent. He noticed that the Mexican clansmen have positioned an anti-tank weapon behind it, which doubtless they will bring into action if it is needed. Littered around it are several dozen boxes of shells. If one of those boxes were to explode, it would set off the others and destroy most of the central section of the barricade. Haskell has an incendiary grenade which would do the job, but in order to make sure that it landed in the correct place - in one of the boxes of ammunition - one of you would have to go to the barricade and place it there. Neither of you are keen to volunteer for this mission, so you decide to settle it on the toss of a coin. Sergeant Haskell calls and, unfortunately, you lose.</p>
+ <p>Haskell gives you the incendiary grenade and you hand him your signal flare. Then, when the number of Mexican clansmen on guard are at their fewest, you leave the cover of the yucca forest and creep towards the barricade.</p>
+ <p>Ten yards from the wall of cars you see an opportunity to throw your grenade into an open ammunition chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect198">If your total score is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect272">If your total score is 6-7, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect220">
+ <meta><title>220</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It occurs to you that the colony may still be close enough for radio contact. As it may be the last chance you will get to speak to them before your rendezvous at Kent one week from now, you decide to give it a try. You invert the handset of your CB and key in the frequency that Pop Ewell monitors aboard the school bus. But, for some unknown reason, the frequency is saturated with static and you are unable to transmit. You search for a clear channel and, by chance, you lock on to part of a two-way conversation:</p>
+ <p>'OK Gold&ellips; Sit tight and quit y'bellyaching&ellips; I'm sending some o' my men back to cover it. You just put a tail on 'em &ellips; keep 'em in sight. We'll let 'em run a while and then hit 'em when they reach the mountains. D'you copy&ellips; over?'</p>
+ <p>There is a loud burst of static, then a voice replies:</p>
+ <p>'I copy &ellips; Gold out.'</p>
+ <p>The channel falls silent and you are left staring at the handset, trying to make some sense of what you have just overheard. Then you hear quite a different sound, a sound that sends a shiver of fear coursing down your spine.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect276"><link-text>Turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect221">
+ <meta><title>221</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw the thin saw-cord through the closed hasp of the padlock and work it back and forth. You have made barely a dozen strokes when the metal saw-cord snaps with a loud ping (erase this item from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect236">If you possess an HE Grenade and wish to use it to blow open the door, <link-text>turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect188">If you wish to abandon your attempt to gain entry to the building, <link-text>turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect222">
+ <meta><title>222</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman screams like a maniac as he unsheathes his bowie knife. He is barely five feet away when coolly you raise your gun, point it at his bullet-laden chest, and squeeze the trigger.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If the weapon you are using is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect49">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect62">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 62</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect223">
+ <meta><title>223</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Slowly you raise your gun and press the muzzle against the centre of the door as the muffled footsteps come closer and closer. They stop, and for a few agonizing seconds all you can hear is the relentless pounding of your heart. You are very tense and, when you see the handle start to turn, you snatch the trigger and blast a hole clean through the door.</p>
+ <p>In the cramped confines of the store room your gunfire is deafening. Yet above its roar you hear the scream of a clansman as he catches the blast full in the chest. You get ready to fire again, in case he was not searching alone, but when you kick open the door and spring out, you find only one Angelino, and he is lying dead in the middle of the workshop floor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect336"><link-text>Turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect224">
+ <meta><title>224</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cautiously you drive towards the bridge, fearful yet curious to know what you may find there. You are less than 400 yards away when you see the source of the smoke: a camp fire, over which two clansmen are busily cooking the stringy torso of a coyote. They hear your engine noise and turn their bearded faces to stare in your direction. Suddenly, as if they had received an electric shock, they leap to their feet and start running towards their motorcycles, which are parked at the entrance to the bridge. One of them unsheathes an automatic rifle from the saddle of his bike, whilst the other tries frantically to kick his machine into life.</p>
+ <p>You know that you must act immediately if you are to prevent them from getting away, so you point your vehicle directly at their position and stamp your foot down on the accelerator. Fifty yards from the bridge, with the hot wind screaming past your face, the armed clansman drops to one knee and takes aim at your windshield.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect97">If your total score is 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 97</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If your total score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect225">
+ <meta><title>225</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>To your left you notice the open doorway of an empty locker room and quickly you slip inside to avoid being seen by the two guards. In order to reach the observation room door you will have to deal with these guards as quickly and efficiently as possible. A glance into the corridor establishes their position before you act.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If you possess a missile weapon and sufficient ammunition for two rounds of fire, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect242">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not possess enough ammunition for two rounds of fire, <link-text>turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect226">
+ <meta><title>226</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unable to crack the code, reluctantly you abandon the storage tank and content yourself with syphoning what you can from the fuel tanks of the dead clansmen's motorcycles. Unfortunately, your efforts net you barely enough gasolene to reach Brogado - the next town on the freeway. As you pull away slowly from the service area you are not the only one who is praying that you will find some fuel in Brogado.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect347"><link-text>Turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect227">
+ <meta><title>227</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'What are you carryin' in that bag o' yours?' says the short clansman, pointing his stubby finger at your Backpack.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you take off your pack and flip open the buckles. 'What do you want?' you say, inviting them to look at the items you are carrying. Roughly, the clansman pulls the pack from your hands and tips the contents on to the ground.</p>
+ <p>'I'll take these two,' he says.</p>
+ <p>'And I'll have these,' says his partner. 'You can keep the rest o' the junk.'</p>
+ <p>Erase from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> those items which you have noted in the first four sections of your Backpack items list. These are the items chosen by the two clansmen in return for their help in getting you into the stadium. If you possess less than four Backpack items, you must make up the difference by erasing Medi-kit units instead.</p>
+ <p>With broad smiles on their faces the two clansmen pocket your bribe. 'You jus' bought yourself a grandstand seat, fella,' says the taller of the two as, once again, you climb the pile of rubble. This time you are accompanied by the two clansmen who help you over the wall and then return to the avenue, chuckling and congratulating each other on their good fortune.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect15"><link-text>Turn to 15</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect228">
+ <meta><title>228</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Silently you draw a close combat weapon and steady yourself for the assault. Like a tiger you leap through the open door and scan the darkened room. A figure is crouched at the window, and, as he turns, you run forward, raising your hand to strike.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect170">If your total is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect286">If your total is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect229">
+ <meta><title>229</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You flick open your pouch and give Kate your last few remaining bullets before you start to change the damaged front wheel. Quickly she reloads her pistol as the clan scout leader, believing that you are both out of ammunition, comes riding across the river, howling curses and whirling a heavy motorcycle chain in his left hand. The moment her gun is ready, she takes aim and fires at the foul-mouthed Angelino.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect265">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect122">If the number is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 122</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect230">
+ <meta><title>230</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You drive away from the construction site and pass between the shattered stores and houses of Broome with your nerves on edge, half-expecting to run into a clan patrol or fall prey to an ambush. Yet your departure passes without incident and soon you find yourself back on the open freeway heading south-east to San Angelo. You are hungry, and during your drive you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect231">
+ <meta><title>231</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>While you do your best to staunch the bleeding, Haskell continues to question the Maverick. Finally, on the brink of death, the clansman changes his mind and begins to speak. He says that he is a Maverick outrider, a scout, one of a large group sent here to ambush the Big Spring colony. While drunk, he fell off his bike and broke his leg. Unable to ride, his fellow scouts left him here with the promise that he would be collected when they returned. His group are fighting a Mexican clan near Sierra Blanca. He says that the Mexicans are trying to steal their supplies.</p>
+ <p>Haskell asks him about Mad Dog Michigan, but he refuses to answer. A trickle of blood escapes from his lips and, with his dying breath, he says: 'Mad Dog'll make sure you never get through &ellips;'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect147"><link-text>Turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect232">
+ <meta><title>232</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With armed clansmen less than fifty yards away, you dare spend only a minute searching the truck for useful items. In the brief time that you allow yourself, you discover the following:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Enough medical supplies for six Medi-kit units</li>
+ <li>Fire Axe [3]</li>
+ <li>CB Radio</li>
+ <li>Foil Blanket</li>
+ <li>Fire Extinguisher</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to make the appropriate adjustments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect148">To leave the fire station, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect233">
+ <meta><title>233</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As your hand reaches out to push open one of the doors you hear a faint sound, like a human cough, coming from the kitchen beyond. Instantly you freeze in your tracks and reach automatically for a missile weapon. As you ease off the safety catch, you contemplate your next move.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect35">If you decide to kick open the door and rush into the kitchen, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you decide instead to shout, 'Come outta there with your hands up!', <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect234">
+ <meta><title>234</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The crash brings the car to an abrupt halt and you are brought back to full consciousness when your chest is slammed by the hub of your steering wheel: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Kate is saved from serious injury by her seat belt harness, which she had fastened before she fell asleep. The bone-breaking jolt of the crash has awoken her and, disorientated and bleary-eyed, she asks why you have stopped.</p>
+ <p>'We ran out of road,' you say, sheepishly, as you stagger out of the driving seat and go to inspect the damage. Your heart sinks when you discover that the front chassis, the frame on which the wheels and engine are mounted, is badly bent out of shape. To repair this damage you will need to cut and re-weld the buckled frame.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90">If you possess a Welding Torch and Oxyacetylene, <link-text>turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect105">If you do not possess both these items, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect235">
+ <meta><title>235</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire hits the Maverick in the midriff, forcing him to his knees. His first shot misses you, and through clenched teeth he spits out a curse as he struggles to raise his pistol for a second attempt. He is on the brink of death, and rather than waste precious ammunition, you choose not to fire again. It proves to be a fatal mistake.</p>
+ <p>His pistol is not a standard factory model; it is a weapon that has been customized to fire in fully-automatic mode. With his last ounce of strength he thumbs the selector to auto, and, as he falls forward, he empties the fourteen-round magazine in your direction. Sharp, stinging cores of pain erupt in a line across your chest as the 9mm bullets find their mark. The pain is unbearable, and seems to fill your entire body, but it soon gives way to a numbness that robs you of all sensation. Within a space of a few seconds you slip from consciousness and into a sleep from which you will never awaken.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect236">
+ <meta><title>236</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take the grenade from your Backpack and tie it to the padlock with strips of cloth torn from an oily rag that you find on the ground nearby. Then you set the timer for ten seconds, pull the pin and take cover inside the gas station.</p>
+ <p>Precisely ten seconds later, the grenade explodes with a deafening bang.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If the number you have picked is 0-5, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect331">If it is 6-9, <link-text>turn to 331</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect237">
+ <meta><title>237</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kate emerges from her hiding place and helps you search the dead clansman's body. Apart from his pistol and a quantity of 9mm ammunition, which Kate chooses to keep, you discover that he was carrying the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Bandages and Antiseptics (enough for two Medi-kit units)</li>
+ <li>Hunting Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Flexible Saw</li>
+ <li>Three rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
+ <li>Bolt Cutters</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you keep any of these items, be sure to amend your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>As soon as you have hidden his body beneath a heap of blankets, you gather up your equipment and leave the workshop before his disappearance is noticed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect66"><link-text>Turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect238">
+ <meta><title>238</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Without illumination progress is painfully slow, and gradually the fear that you are becoming hopelessly lost saps your confidence. After a short while, you see a glimmer of light shining through a crack in the ceiling. It is very faint, but it is sufficient for you to be able to discern the outline of a ladder ascending towards it.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect79">If you wish to climb the ladder and investigate the source of the light, <link-text>turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect325">If you wish to ignore the ladder and the crack of light, and continue along the darkened service shaft, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect239">
+ <meta><title>239</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>When you reach the street, Kate and the others are standing in a circle around Gunter, staring at his inert body. You reach for your Medi-kit, but Sergeant Haskell looks up and shakes his head, and you leave the pouch unbuttoned.</p>
+ <p>Without speaking, the sergeant and Knott take Gunter's body away for burial and you and Kate busy yourselves by searching the station wagon. This vehicle belonged to the sniper, and inside you discover the following items, which he looted from the store:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Enough medicines and dressings for six Medi-kit units</li>
+ <li>Enough tinned food for eight Meals</li>
+ <li>Enough water for three Drinks</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>You are able to syphon two gallons of fuel from the gas tank, enough to propel your roadster across the remaining thirty miles to Kent. As soon as the two marines return from their sad duty, you load up and take off along the freeway, heading west.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect69"><link-text>Turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect240">
+ <meta><title>240</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You press yourself against the hot earth and pray that the clansman will stop before he reaches you, but when he is less than six feet away he catches a glimpse of your shoulders and automatically he reaches for his pistol. You sense something is wrong and you look up to see his sneering face. You are galvanized into action: with a superhuman effort you leap from the river bed and drag the clansman, screaming, to the ground before he is able to cock his pistol. A blow to the wrist disarms him, sending his gun skittering across the rocks, but he recovers quickly and rearms himself with a dagger drawn from his boot.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ray-Ban</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">23</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed of your attack, add 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect77">If you win and the fight takes three rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 77</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect337">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect241">
+ <meta><title>241</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Reluctantly, you let your gun slip to the ground as the muzzle of a rifle emerges from the darkened doorway.</p>
+ <p>'You too, honey,' says the disembodied voice, and Kate obeys, tossing her machine pistol out of the car so that it lands deliberately near your feet.</p>
+ <p>'Don't even think about it,' says another voice, away to your right.</p>
+ <p>From behind a wrecked auto steps a tall, muscular man, dressed in green army fatigues. His blond hair is cropped close to his head and his eyes are hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. Pistol in hand, he walks slowly towards you, then stops at the entrance to the pay booth. Two more men in uniform emerge from the doorway - the rifleman and one other - armed with a sawn-off shotgun.</p>
+ <p>'They don't look like clan punks, Sarge,' says the rifleman.</p>
+ <p>'We're not,' interrupts Kate. 'We're running from the clans.'</p>
+ <p>Bemused, the blond-haired man scratches his chin and turns to say something quietly to his two companions. It is then that you notice the faded sergeant stripes and the circular globe-of-the-world emblem that adorn his sleeve. Instantly you recognize the latter: it is the emblem of the World Defence League. At length, he turns to face you once more and says, in a friendlier tone, 'I think you two had better tell us your story.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect321"><link-text>Turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect242">
+ <meta><title>242</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The only way you can think of getting past the two guards is by luring them away from the stairs and launching a surprise attack, so you draw a close combat weapon and start to scream for help. Immediately the two guards come rushing forward to investigate your cries. As they appear outside the locker room, you leap out and strike the first man a heavy blow to the throat. The Detroit Lion opens his mouth to scream but nothing comes. Mortally wounded, he falls to his knees and is pushed aside by his Angelino partner as he tries desperately to fell you with the stock of his machine pistol. You dodge the blow and manage to force the weapon out of his hands. As it clatters to the floor, you leap forward and wrestle the guard to the ground.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Purple Haze</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">18</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed and surprise of your attack, add 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect191">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect243">
+ <meta><title>243</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your driving skill and swift reflexes enable you to regain control of the roadster. With barely inches to spare, you steer it away from the service doors and swing it around to a halt alongside the service bay. Immediately, you cut the engine and try to keep as still as possible as the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roar past the lot. Soon they have gone and your spirits are raised by the thought that there will now be at least fifty less of Mad Dog's men to face when you reach San Angelo.</p>
+ <p>After satisfying yourself that the clansmen have gone, you cast your eyes around the derelict car lot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect124">If you wish to search the lot, <link-text>turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect342">If you wish to leave and continue your journey to San Angelo, <link-text>turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect244">
+ <meta><title>244</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurl the grenade and it lands neatly in the centre of the ammunition chest. Without waiting for it to explode, you turn and sprint for the safety of the yucca forest. As you are running from the barricade, a clansman catches sight of you and opens fire with his machine pistol. Bullets kick up the dirt around your feet, but you manage to reach cover without sustaining any wounds.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect245">
+ <meta><title>245</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You jab the barrel of your gun into the clansman's ribs and squeeze the trigger. At point blank range the effect is awesome; he is torn away from Kate and spun around like a top. His whirling dance of death finally comes to a halt when he hits the wall of the alley in which you are standing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect76"><link-text>Turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect246">
+ <meta><title>246</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>While he was firing, unbeknown to you, the clansman moved forward and he is now lying flat on his stomach behind the rear wheel of his motorcycle. So when you return fire it is aimed at the wrong place and it rattles harmlessly off the iron bridge support where you first saw him take cover. Before you realize your error, he opens up once again and sweeps the gully with a long burst of automatic fire. Pain lances your forearm and shoulder as you stop two of his twenty high-velocity bullets.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (in this instance 0 equals 10) and add 1 point. The total is equivalent to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you must lose as a result of your wounds.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect332">If you have survived the shooting, <link-text>turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect247">
+ <meta><title>247</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to dodge behind the stalagmites to avoid the clansman's fire, but your reflexes are dulled by fatigue and your movements are uncertain. A line of bullets punctures your chest and the taste of blood fills your mouth. As you fall to the ground, strangely you feel no pain, only an irresistible desire to sleep.</p>
+ <p>Moments later the clansman falls victim to Kate's pistol, but it is a shot you do not hear, for you have already slipped into the timeless embrace of death.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here in the caverns of Sonora.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect248">
+ <meta><title>248</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The surly clansman clutches at his wounds, curses, then falls dead at your feet. Judging from the long-horned skull painted on the back of his leather vest, you have just laid to rest your first Angelino. On the floor close by, you find his weapons and equipment: a Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition), a Knife [2], and a Backpack, which holds the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Flexible Saw</li>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Small Blanket</li>
+ <li>Enough bandages, sulphonamides, and antiseptics for three Medi-kit units</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>In addition to these items, a search of the kitchen also reveals the following:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Meat Cleaver [3]</li>
+ <li>Bread Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Enough canned food for five Meals</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you choose to keep any of the items in either list, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Before leaving the kitchen, you hide the clansman's body in an empty refrigerator. Then you hurry through the fire escape door and make your way up a flight of rusty steps that leads to a service alley at the rear of the building.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect269"><link-text>Turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect249">
+ <meta><title>249</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Within ten minutes of escaping from the Angelinos, you are back on Highway 277 and heading south. Even so, you keep your foot firmly on the gas pedal until the South Concho River has disappeared from your rear-view mirror. Ahead, the highway crosses an especially bleak and barren landscape, seemingly devoid of even the hardiest flora and fauna. It looks more like a moonscape than a landscape, and were it not for the setting sun and the welcome cool of dusk, you could easily believe that somehow you had been transported to the surface of another world.</p>
+ <p>It is almost dark when the outline of a town appears on the horizon, its shattered buildings thrown into relief by the ashen moonlight. A battered sign reflects the glare of your headlights and announces your approach to the town of Eldorado.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect132"><link-text>Turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect250">
+ <meta><title>250</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A cloud of fearful anticipation hangs over the convoy as it passes through Van Horn and begins the journey to Sierra Blanca. You feel especially vulnerable as the freeway approaches the narrow mountain pass between Devil Ridge and Slaughter Mountain. Even the names of these landmarks serve to increase your dread of what could happen there.</p>
+ <p>You are a little over five miles from Van Horn when you hear gun fire in the distance, and see a pall of black smoke rising into the cloudless sky. At its base, the buildings of a tiny town called Allamore are feeding the flames, and in the pass beyond this burning town, a gun battle is raging between the Mavericks and a group of invading Mexican clansmen. You assess the situation and decide that the best hope for the convoy lies in speed and surprise. If you can drive straight through this battle zone while both sides are busy shooting at each other, the convoy will be long gone before either side can redirect all its firepower.</p>
+ <p>With trepidation, the colony agrees to your plan and the convoy is drawn up into its break-out formation, with Pete Tyler's tow truck leading the way.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect20"><link-text>Turn to 20</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect251">
+ <meta><title>251</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you fight to regain control of your roadster, you glimpse in your rear-view mirror your rifle hitting the road and disintegrating on impact (erase this gun from your weapons list). The biker throws back his head and laughs as he veers off the highway and takes to the open ground. Angered by the loss of your weapon, but still determined not to let the clansman escape, you pull the steering wheel hard over to the left and pursue him as he guns his bike cross-country towards Freeway 87.</p>
+ <p>An empty concrete drainage ditch runs parallel to the freeway, wide enough to deter the biker from attempting to ride straight across. At the last minute, he veers away and you chase him along its edge for nearly half a mile before finally he plucks up enough courage to try to get across. Ahead, a derelict pump house appears, straddling the ditch, its angular roof offering itself as a ramp that could be used to launch a jump on to the freeway. The clansman takes one last look at you over his shoulder and then, with a scream of fearful exhilaration, he winds back the throttle and points his bike at the pump house roof.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If you wish to attempt to follow the clansman across the ditch, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If you decide to steer your roadster away from the pump house, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect252">
+ <meta><title>252</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes an hour to refuel the convoy vehicles and prepare for the next stage of your journey. You are to take over as scout now that the colony is about to push deeper into the mountains. The increasing altitude and the unpredictable thermal air currents here make it too dangerous for Rickenbacker to continue in his role as air scout.</p>
+ <p>Five miles out from Kent, you cross a dry watercourse once known as the Salt Draw and begin a slow climb into the Apache mountains. To your left you can see a high ridge, known locally as the Black Peak, and it is here that you sight something that makes you suspicious. A glint of sunlight is reflecting repeatedly at a point near the crest of this ridge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If you possess a CB Radio, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect304">If you wish to stop your roadster and investigate these reflections, <link-text>turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If you choose to ignore them and continue along the freeway, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect253">
+ <meta><title>253</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you search along the dashboard, the seats, and the foot-wells, but you find nothing that even vaguely resembles an ignition key. However, you do uncover the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Shotgun (with two rounds of 12-gauge ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Water Canteen {with sufficient water for two Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Antiseptic Dressings (enough for one Medi-kit unit)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>As you are unable to start the jeep, you are forced to abandon it and take cover, once more, amongst the ruins. You perch yourself behind a wrecked car that is balancing on top of the wall and cast your eyes across to the far side of the killing zone.</p>
+ <p>One building stands out from all the others: it is the ruins of a fire station. There is still no sign of the clansmen, so together you agree to make a dash for that building. You tell Kate that, when she is running, she should focus all her thoughts and efforts on getting inside the place as quickly as possible. If anything happens, on no account should she stop for you.</p>
+ <p>Add together your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score and your Stealth skill score. (Note: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items in order to increase your Stealth skill level.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect117">If your total is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect295">If your total is 11-16, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect334">If your total is 17 or more, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect254">
+ <meta><title>254</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull the wheel hard over to the right and power your roadster towards the used car lot. A wrecked auto lies overturned with its trunk partially blocking the entrance, and, as you drive through the gap, you clip its rear fender. Immediately, the wreck flips around and slams into the side of your car, sending you skidding towards the steel doors of a service bay.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect81">If your total is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect255">
+ <meta><title>255</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the door handle turns, you clench your fist and get ready to strike. Suddenly the door flies open and, for a frozen moment, you are staring at the startled face of your enemy as you spring forward and land a solid punch to his throat. Your speedy attack knocks the pistol from his hand and sends him reeling backwards, croaking like a sick toad as he clutches frantically at his injured larynx. Immediately you press forward to strike again before he can recover.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Armalite</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">11</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">16</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the fury and surprise with which you launched your first strike, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain during the first two rounds of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect336">If you win and the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect256">
+ <meta><title>256</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One of the machine gun bullets grazes your side and spins you to the floor: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. You grit your teeth in pain as you try to stand, but before you are back on your feet, the door bursts inwards and a clansman comes rushing out of the kitchen with a machine pistol in his hands.</p>
+ <p>Instinctively you leap up and grab the barrel. Owing to the speed and the unexpectedness of your bold move, you succeed in wrenching the gun from his grasp before he can fire again. Desperately he lashes out with his foot and kicks the weapon aside as he resumes his attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Rockblitz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect248">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect257">
+ <meta><title>257</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dive to the ground. Then you look up at the front of the drug store for some indication of where the shot was fired from. A second shot rings out and you pinpoint the sniper's location just a moment before a stinging sensation assails your eyes. The bullet has hit the road surface a few inches in front of your face, and a handful of grit has been kicked up into your eyes: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Angered by this deliberate attempt to kill you, and by the heart-rending moans of the wounded Marine Gunter, you decide to flush this sniper out and even the score. Kate and the others are pinned down on the other side of the street and cannot move without exposing themselves to the sniper's sights. Only you can reach the drug store entrance with some degree of cover.</p>
+ <p>When a third shot hits the helpless Gunter, your anger gives way to a grim determination. Despite Kate's pleas to stay down, you spring to your feet and sprint towards the drug store entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect338"><link-text>Turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect258">
+ <meta><title>258</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You shoot less than a second before the Maverick discharges his pistol, yet your aim is deadly accurate. You deal him a fatal wound to the head that spins him sideways with the force of its impact. Unfortunately, the pistol in his hand is not a standard factory model: it is a weapon he has customized to fire in fully-automatic mode. The selector is set to auto and, as he falls to the ground, he squeezes the trigger and empties the fourteen-round magazine in a line across your car.</p>
+ <p>A sharp, stinging core of pain erupts in your left arm as one of the 9mm bullets finds its mark: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. With determination, you force yourself to ignore the agonizing pain and concentrate instead on escaping from the clutches of the other Maverick clansmen. Again, you attempt to start the car, but this time you take your foot off the gas as you turn the ignition switch, despite an almost overwhelming urge to stamp the pedal straight through the floor. The move works - the engine roars back to life - and within seconds you are accelerating away from the barricade, your eyes glued firmly to the convoy's tail lights. A few poorly aimed bullets chase your escape but you soon catch up with the school bus and pass beyond range of the Maverick's guns.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect312"><link-text>Turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect259">
+ <meta><title>259</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You freeze, your stomach pinched tight with fear as you try to ignore the crawling sensation that is now moving rapidly up the sleeve of your jacket. Outside, you hear the clansman leaving the workshop and, as soon as you are sure he has gone, you push open the door and step out of the store room.</p>
+ <p>By now the tickling sensation has reached your bicep. When Kate emerges from her hiding place, you tell her what is wrong and ask her to remove your jacket carefully. Gently she lifts it off your shoulders and gasps when she sees the spider that is perched on your arm.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Field Craft and Perception skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect37">If your total is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect311">If your total is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect260">
+ <meta><title>260</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It comes as a relief to discover that the town of Sierra Blanca is deserted. Here the convoy halts to assess the damage and treat those who were wounded during the run. Cutter is among those who need treatment, having stopped a bullet in his left forearm. However, although you can tell he is in considerable pain, he does his best to hide it.</p>
+ <p>Kate greets you with a kiss that leaves you in no doubt about how pleased she is to see you alive and in one piece. Together you go to the school bus for some food and water (restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), and while you are there, you listen to Pop Ewell as he tries to make radio contact with the WDL unit in El Paso. After several attempts, he manages to raise them, but they refuse to acknowledge his call unless he gives a WDL security call sign, a sort of radio password that will prove he is not a clansman trying to trick his way into the city stronghold.</p>
+ <p>'Cal, will you go an' fetch Sergeant Haskell. I think we'll be needin' his help to solve this,' says Pop, and eagerly you oblige.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect261">
+ <meta><title>261</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You manage to pull yourself over the wall and gain access to the stadium without being seen. From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in Ancient Rome. Today's event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be run in deadly earnest.</p>
+ <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused when you notice that the door to the block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you have a strong feeling that the girl is Kate Norton.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect262">
+ <meta><title>262</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You grab Kate by the wrist and take cover among the rocks that border the highway, but it is already too late. You have been seen by the approaching Angelinos and, as they get nearer, they fan out and encircle your position. Their newly elected leader, a wiry biker with a badly broken nose, offers you the chance to give yourselves up. Defiantly you both refuse.</p>
+ <p>Their first attempt to capture you leaves five of them dead. Rather than risk losing any more of his men, the leader orders grenades to be thrown. They explode with a thunderous flash and you are both mortally wounded in the blast. Then they spray your position with automatic fire. When the Angelinos finally summon enough courage to close in, they find the two of you lying dead in each other's arms.</p>
+ <p>Sadly, your journey and your life end nine miles south of Eldorado.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect263">
+ <meta><title>263</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You feel a jolt against your shoulder as one of the clansmen stubs his toe against the raised edge of the cover and is sent sprawling to the ground. Quickly you try to replace the hatch but it is roughly pulled aside by the angry Angelino. The instant he sees your face, he draws his pistol and empties it into the shaft. Pain erupts in your head and chest as seven heavy .45-calibre slugs knock you off the ladder. The last thing you hear, as you plummet into the darkness, is Kate's echoing scream of horror.</p>
+ <p>Your journey and your life end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect264">
+ <meta><title>264</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You signal to Kate to come over to your position and immediately she obeys. You point to the two circling clansmen and she nods her silent understanding of the situation. Together you abandon your cover and shadow the two men as they circle around to the rear. An old tyre rack propped against the side of a derelict car wash offers you a good defensive position, and quickly you scurry towards it. Kate reaches the rack first, in time to see the Lions halt. For a moment they duck out of sight, but soon they reappear and come running, half-crouched, with guns at the ready, towards your new-found hiding place.</p>
+ <p>Kate cocks her machine pistol and takes aim as the first clansman scurries between the rocks that litter the edge of the service area. He is less than twenty yards away when she squeezes off a burst of fire, bringing him crashing to the ground. His partner hesitates, then abandons his stealthy approach and comes running towards you, screaming hysterically his own machine pistol blazing furiously at his hip. Bullets rip into the tyre rack and one smashes the barrel of Kate's gun, rendering it useless. In the next instant, he leaps on to the rack but, before he brings his weapon to bear, you lash out and smash his knee with the edge of your hand. He drops his weapon and falls forward, landing on top of you with a jolt that leaves you breathless.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Kalashnikov</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>You cannot evade combat and must fight the clansman to the death.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect265">
+ <meta><title>265</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The bullets whistle past within inches of the scout leader's head, but he continues undaunted. He steers his machine towards the front of the roadster and, as he rides past, he lashes out at your unprotected back with his length of heavy chain.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Perception and Stealth skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If your total is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If your total is 6-8, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect266">
+ <meta><title>266</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your head and take aim at the bridge, but before you squeeze the trigger you notice that the clansman is no longer there: he has changed his position. He is now lying flat on his stomach behind the rear wheel of his motorcycle. Swiftly you swing around and open fire at the bike. Your gunfire rips into the rear tyre and catches the clansman full in the face, killing him instantly.</p>
+ <p>Before you bury them you search both bodies and the bikes, and discover the following useful items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Pistol (containing four rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Dagger [2]</li>
+ <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Leather Face Mask</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ <li>Machine Pistol (containing twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Cigarette Lighter</li>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Enough pain killers for one Medi-kit unit</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>There remains no trace of the bikers or their machines when eventually you complete your grisly task of burial. Wearily you return to your roadster and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you see a deserted stretch of Freeway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your map confirms that you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect267">
+ <meta><title>267</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At the far end of a block of derelict stores is a blue, star-shaped sign that marks the site of a Lone Star gas station. You hurry along the dusty street, hopeful of finding some fuel, but you are met with disappointment. All the security caps have been sawn off the gasolene storage tanks and not a drop of their precious contents remains.</p>
+ <p>The gas station itself has been ransacked and nothing of value remains, but at the rear of the building you discover something that stirs your curiosity. It is a large storage facility with heavy double doors, which are chained and padlocked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect123">If you possess Bolt Cutters, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect94">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect268">
+ <meta><title>268</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Drawing on your reserves of nervous energy, you race up the last few steps and lash out at the door with the sole of your boot. The door flies wide open and slams against the wall, sending the red-headed clansman who was about to investigate the noise, sprawling flat on his back.</p>
+ <p>Inside the observation room you see two men - one dressed in a flamboyant mix of bright colours and the other attired in sombre black - seated at a table with a map of the United States spread before them. A muscular clansman, his chest criss-crossed with cartridge belts, stands behind the man in black and beyond him, huddled in the corner of the room, is Kate. Clearly she has suffered at the hands of Mad Dog Michigan and the sight of her bruised face and her pained, dispairing expression stirs you to a fit of rage. For a frozen moment the room is deathly quiet, then the man in black barks an order and the bullet-belted clansman rushes forward, drawing a wide-bladed bowie knife as he runs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect222">If you possess a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect21">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not have sufficient ammunition to use it, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect269">
+ <meta><title>269</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your escape from the building goes unnoticed by the few clan patrols that are operating in the area. Mekong Mike has brought most of his men up to the central and northern sectors, partly as a show of strength to Mad Dog Michigan and partly as a precaution in case Mad Dog's talk of an alliance turns out to be a bluff, and he is really here to try to take over the city.</p>
+ <p>The further you venture north, the more clan activity you find, and you are forced to stay hidden for longer periods as you snake your way through the ruins towards the centre of the stronghold. You are working on the assumption that Kate is with Mad Dog Michigan, and he is likely to be found where the number of clansmen is greatest.</p>
+ <p>It is shortly before noon when you catch sight of a building that dominates the centre of San Angelo - the Reagan Memorial Stadium. Scores of motorcycles and their riders are gathered around its entrance where two large, tattered banners are fluttering symbolically in the breeze. One bears the lion's head mark of the Detroit Lions clan; the other is emblazoned with the long-horned steer skull symbol of the Angelinos clan. From your location opposite the entrance you overhear two Angelinos talking. You learn that some sort of motorcycle race is to take place here this afternoon, to celebrate the signing of a pact between the two clans. Now you feel sure that Mad Dog and Kate are here somewhere inside the stadium, and you apply yourself to finding a way in.</p>
+ <p>After watching the entrance for over an hour, only two options appear open to you. You can try to hide in one of the trucks that are carrying spares for the clansmen's bikes, in the hope that they will enter the stadium before the race; or you can attempt to scale the stadium wall at one of the many places where it has partially collapsed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect299">If you decide to try to stow away in one of the service trucks, <link-text>turn to 299</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect93">If you decide to attempt to climb over the wall, <link-text>turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect270">
+ <meta><title>270</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly there is a bang and a muzzle flash illuminates the far corner of the bar. You throw yourself at the floor immediately, but you are not swift enough to avoid being clipped in the thigh by a 9mm bullet: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Seconds later Haskell bursts into the bar and fires three shots into the corner. There is a loud groan followed almost immediately by the sound of a heavy body falling off a chair. He rushes to your side and, using his own Medi-kit, staunches your wound with a sulphonamide pad and a bandage. Once he is sure you are not seriously injured, he goes to take a look at who he has shot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333"><link-text>Turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect271">
+ <meta><title>271</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You move out into the corridor, your G-12 machine pistol held chest high, ready to fire. Your finger grazes the trigger and a burst of automatic fire sweeps the guards in a deadly figure-of-eight pattern, dropping them in a tangled heap at the foot of the stairs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect143"><link-text>Turn to 143</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect272">
+ <meta><title>272</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurl the grenade and it lands neatly in the centre of the ammunition chest. Unfortunately, as you are running from the barricade, a clansman catches sight of you and opens fire with his machine pistol.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (in this instance 0 equals 10). The number you have picked is equal to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points that you lose as a result of being caught in the machine gun fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect350">If you survive your wounds, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect273">
+ <meta><title>273</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Mortified by the sight of the truck veering wildly across your path, you can barely open your mouth in time to scream before the front of your car collides with the side of the truck. The engine compartment crumples under the force of the impact and both front tyres explode simultaneously, flipping your vehicle end-over-end like a discarded toy. A kaleidoscope of shapes assails your eyes as the roadster cartwheels along the freeway. Then you are engulfed by a wave of searing white heat as the fuel tank ruptures and ignites in an enormous ball of flame.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life come to an abrupt end less than five miles from Big Spring.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect274">
+ <meta><title>274</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have reached the place where the highway passes through the Finlay Mountains, and from this high point you have a commanding view over the valley and salt lakes beyond. You stop to survey the scene and, to your horror, you see a huge group of clansmen riding across the valley, heading towards Van Horn.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect208">If you possess Binoculars, <link-text>turn to 208</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect41">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect275">
+ <meta><title>275</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansmen dive aside as you crash through their barrier and accelerate across the open ground towards the safety of the southern ruins. They recover quickly and soon the staccato hammering of their assault rifles is echoing in your wake. With twenty yards left to go, five bullets rip their way through the jeep's rear tyres, which explode with a tremendous bang. For a moment you lose control as the vehicle slews sideways, rises on two wheels and then comes to a sudden halt. Quickly you abandon it and run for cover.</p>
+ <p>Ahead, you see the ruins of a fire station. You shout to Kate and point at the building; immediately she acknowledges your message with a thumbs-up. Then a string of bullets ricochets off the rubble-strewn ground around your feet, kicking up a cloud of dust that engulfs your whole body. Kate looks over her shoulder with fear stark in her eyes, but when you scream that you are OK, and tell her to keep running at all costs, her expression relaxes and she obeys your command willingly. More shots ring out, but they fall short of their mark and you reach the ruins of the fire station unscathed. Inside, you discover that much of the roof has collapsed, although you can see that one vehicle, a paramedic truck, has survived the devastation virtually intact.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you wish to search this vehicle, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If you choose to ignore it and press on with your escape, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect276">
+ <meta><title>276</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The unmistakable roar of motorcycle engines is coming from the direction of Broome, and, as you focus on that distant town, you see a tell-tale cloud of dust rising above its ruins. You know that it can only be a large pack of clansmen and that you must find somewhere to hide yourself and your roadster before they show up.</p>
+ <p>The dried-out bed of the North Concho River offers the only feasible place to take cover from the approaching bikers. Quickly you pull off the freeway and search for a place to enter the river bed as the first of the bikers comes riding out of the town.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and to it your perception skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect74">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect329">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect277">
+ <meta><title>277</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dive behind the wing of the car and cover your head with your arm as the heavy motorcycle drive chain whistles towards you. It catches your shoulder a glancing blow that leaves its mark in the shape of an angry read weal: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>Pained by the blow, you grit your teeth as you turn to face your two-wheeled adversary.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect166"><link-text>Turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect278">
+ <meta><title>278</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Both bullets hit you with deadly accuracy: one in the head and the other in the heart. Death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your mission and your life end here at Fort Stockton.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect279">
+ <meta><title>279</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You grab the pistol grip of your G-12 and glance down at the breach to make sure that the cocking lever is set ready to fire. The moment the clansman sees you resting the barrel on the door, he veers across to the left lane of the highway as quickly as he can. You smile when you realize the purpose of his manoeuvre: he is trying to increase his chances by making it as difficult as he can for you to shoot at him with your right hand.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Driving and Shooting skill scores. Now decide how many bursts of fire you wish to unleash at the clansman (minimum equals one; maximum equals four), and add the number to your skills total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect318">If your total score is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If your total score is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect280">
+ <meta><title>280</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The spider is swept from your arm and sent spinning into a dark corner of the workshop. Quickly you move forward, intending to crush it beneath your boot, but it has already scurried into the safety of the woodwork and no trace of it remains.</p>
+ <p>'You were lucky, Cal,' says Kate. 'A bite from that little fella would have made you real sick.'</p>
+ <p>'Yeah,' you reply uneasily, as you wipe the sweat from your brow, 'that was close.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect291"><link-text>Turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect281">
+ <meta><title>281</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You decide to leave Fort Stockton at dawn the following morning, but the weather deteriorates, putting a swift end to your plans. For two days and nights the town is hit by lightning storms and tornadoes, forcing you to remain in the basement of the motel. It is not until the morning of the sixth day of your mission that the tornadoes blow themselves out and you are able to leave the town in safety.</p>
+ <p>With Kate beside you, and the three marines clinging to the hood and trunk of your roadster, you crawl the twenty-three miles from Fort Stockton to the Balmorhea rest stop that Haskell found on your map. It is located at the entrance to a pass through the Barrilla Mountains and at first glance it appears to have suffered extensive damage in the recent storms. You bring the roadster to a halt with your fuel tank virtually empty, and it is with great trepidation that you and Sergeant Haskell go to inspect the fuel storage tanks while Kate and the others watch the road.</p>
+ <p>Of the eight underground fuel tanks located beneath the gas station area, only one looks promising. Of the others, six are empty and one is contaminated with diesel oil. A coded security valve locks the access pipe to the tank and, after a brief examination, you realize that the code must be cracked if you are to get at the contents. Any attempt to break off or cut through the valve would be sure to cause a spark that would blow the tank, and whoever was tampering with it, sky high.</p>
+ <p>You are studying the valve when you hear Marine Gunter shout a warning: 'Clansmen on the freeway!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect282">
+ <meta><title>282</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You duck to avoid the spinning cleaver, and it whistles over your head to strike the tiled wall with a ringing clang. Cursing you, the clansman reaches for a machine pistol that is propped against the food locker.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If you possess a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect136">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or lack sufficient ammunition to use it, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect283">
+ <meta><title>283</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With seconds to spare, you steer your roadster away from the brink of disaster. Your rear tyres spin along the edge of the gully, kicking up great clouds of stones and dust before they grip and propel you back on to the freeway.</p>
+ <p>In your mirror you see the convoy coming under small-arms fire, but it is light and sporadic and it claims no victims. Soon you are all safely out of the battle zone and racing away from the Slaughter Mountain run towards Sierra Blanca.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect260"><link-text>Turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect284">
+ <meta><title>284</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you strike the killing blow, Kate grabs the dead coyote by the scruff of its neck and bundles it out of the car. The pack-handlers have gathered together the rest of their surviving coyote and intend to set them on you as you try frantically to restart the engine. The mountain dogs bound forward, snapping and howling. Kate draws her pistol and fires, bringing down three of the leading dogs in as many shots and buying you the few precious seconds you need to coax the roadster back to life. Then, with a cloud of dust and burnt rubber, you say farewell to the pack as you take off along the main street towards the Christoval bridge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect285">
+ <meta><title>285</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the freeway and drive due east across the dusty plain. In the distance you can see a derelict ranch house and traces of a highway that pass close by. You are about to drive past the ranch when you notice a pick-up truck parked outside an adjoining barn. Judging by the condition of the vehicle's bodywork it is still serviceable.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect149">If you wish to take a closer look at the pick-up truck, <link-text>turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you decide to ignore the truck and press on with your detour around Sterling City, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect286">
+ <meta><title>286</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The shock of seeing you rushing towards him with a weapon in your hand, causes the sniper to panic. He fires his rifle before he has even brought the barrel to bear on you, and the bullet thuds harmlessly into the floor.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Renegade Sniper</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">11</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">23</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed and ferocity of your attack, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain in the first two rounds of combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect5">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect287">
+ <meta><title>287</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In a fit of panic, the archer releases his bow string and sends his primitive arrow whistling towards your chest.</p>
+ <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Stealth skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect174">If your total score is 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect60">If it is 13-18, <link-text>turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect193">If it is 19 or more, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect288">
+ <meta><title>288</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>When you first see San Angelo, the sun is a quarter hidden below the skyline, its soft red glow reflecting upon a cluster of tall buildings that stand at the city's centre. They are the ravaged shells of banks and state offices that were the pride of this once-prosperous city before 'the Day'. Surrounding them, for many miles, is a sea of dust and rubble. Your skin prickles when you realize that this is all that remains of the city's suburbs, an area that was once home to more than a million Texans.</p>
+ <p>You are about to drive towards the centre when you notice that a fortified wall has been erected around the tall buildings of the downtown area, and that the northern freeway approaches are controlled by roadblocks. It would be near-suicidal to approach any closer, so you decide to make a wide detour around the city limits and try to approach from the south.</p>
+ <p>It takes you nearly two hours to reach the south side of San Angelo, by which time night has fallen. Fortunately, your decision to go south pays off; this section of the city is virtually uninhabited by the Angelinos and your approach goes undetected. Hidden by the darkness, you are able to get within a mile of the downtown area before you encounter any sign of clan activity. You know that if your rescue of Kate is to be successful you must not allow your roadster to fall into enemy hands, and with this in mind, you search for somewhere safe to leave it while you venture into the downtown area on foot.</p>
+ <p>An underground parking lot situated below the looted ruins of a Sears megamarket provides just such a safe haven, and it is here that you hide your car. You are tired after the rigours of your journey, so you decide to get a few hours' sleep and attempt your rescue at first light.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29"><link-text>Turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect289">
+ <meta><title>289</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You retrace your steps all the way back to the front lobby, continue across it, and enter the other corridor. This services a number of offices and conference rooms before it ends at a wide staircase leading downwards. You descend three floors and discover the remains of a large private restaurant which, along with its kitchen, occupies most of the sub-basement level. A small 'fire exit' sign hangs over the double doors leading to the kitchen and you head straight for it.</p>
+ <p>As you are crossing the restaurant floor, your rumbling stomach reminds you that you have yet to eat anything today. Then the thought occurs to you that there may still be some canned food in the kitchen, and you resolve to search it before you leave the building.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect159">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect233">If it is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect290">
+ <meta><title>290</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On every side, a desolate plain of arid, lifeless earth stretches to the horizon. The highway meanders across this wasteland, following the gentle curve of a dry watercourse that the ranchers and oilmen of this county once knew as Lacy Creek.</p>
+ <p>You have been driving for half an hour when you see a signpost, its blistered metal plate announcing your approach to the Sterling county line. As you cross this boundary, your engine begins to splutter and backfire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect344">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect291">
+ <meta><title>291</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Eventually, the clansmen return to their motorcycles and ride out of Eldorado, heading south. With the immediate threat now gone, you decide to remain where you are and snatch a few hours' sleep before continuing your journey at dawn.</p>
+ <p>In the clear light of early morning you can see for miles across the rocky plain that surrounds the highway south of Eldorado. It appears empty, although you remain on the alert every second of your drive to Sonora, the next town marked on your map, for it is in this direction that the Angelinos came when they left Eldorado last night. You are less than a mile from the ruins of Sonora when you are greeted by the welcome sight of Interstate 10, stretching east-to-west across your path. This is the freeway that you hope will take you all the way to your rendezvous with the colony at Kent, and then on through the mountains to El Paso.</p>
+ <p>You join the freeway and enjoy the feel of a firmer, clearer road surface beneath your wheels as you begin the long drive west. Still you can see no sign of the Angelinos, and Kate voices her hope that they have decided to search Sonora, thinking you may have hidden there last night. You want to agree with her, but suddenly, in the distance, you see something that proves her wrong.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect292">
+ <meta><title>292</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your ambush catches the clansman by surprise. But your aim is poor, and although your gun fire wings him and makes him cry out in pain, it does not prevent him from returning a burst of fire at your position.</p>
+ <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Stealth skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If your total score is 17 or less, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect71">If your total score is 18 or more, <link-text>turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect293">
+ <meta><title>293</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The convoy leaves the sanctuary of Big Spring with its headlights blazing and its gas pedals pressed flat to the floor. The deafening motor noise rolls across the surrounding land like thunder, and the twisted auto wrecks that litter this section of Freeway 20 seem to flash past with ever-increasing speed as you accelerate your car into the slipstream of the school bus. Above, you see a smoky pinpoint of fire climb into the night sky, then explode with a brilliant flash. It is a signal flare, and it has been launched by the startled group of Maverick gang lookouts, who are manning a barricade less than half a mile ahead.</p>
+ <p>The barricade comprises a line of old cars and other debris that has been dragged into a haphazard line across the freeway. As the tow truck screams towards its centre, you can just hear the crackle of automatic gunfire above the roar of the convoy's engines. Then, with a grinding crash, the truck slams into the barricade and ploughs straight through without slowing. Torn and buckled sheets of rusty metal are spun skywards, together with the bodies of those Mavericks too slow to jump clear. Still in line, the convoy follows Pecos Pete through the ragged gap carved by his truck. As you approach it, you grit your teeth and tighten your grip on the steering wheel.</p>
+ <p>To your right you notice the steep embankment that borders this section of the freeway. An old panel truck is perched near the top of the slope, held there in defiance of gravity by blocks of concrete that are wedged in front of its wheels. Feverishly two Mavericks are trying to pull away these chocks and, as you reach the gap, they succeed. Your stomach churns as the panel truck comes careering down the embankment on a collision course with your car.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">If you wish to try to avoid the runaway panel truck by swerving to the left, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect118">If you wish to brake heavily in an attempt to avoid a collision, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect72">If you decide to accelerate in an attempt to get out of its path, <link-text>turn to 72</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect294">
+ <meta><title>294</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You tell Uncle Jonas and the others to watch for your flare. You will fire it as soon as a breach has been made in the barricade. When they see it, they are to start their engines, drive through the barricade in break-out formation and stop for nothing until they reach El Paso.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect345"><link-text>Turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect295">
+ <meta><title>295</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Half-way across the open ground there is a sudden burst of machine gun fire and a line of bullets slams into the rubble near your feet. A ricochet cuts you across the back of your left hand and you cry out in pain as you cradle the wounded limb to your chest: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Kate looks over her shoulder, her face aghast, and begins to slow down to allow you to catch her. But you scream that you are OK, and order her to keep running at all costs.</p>
+ <p>More shots ring out, but they fall wide of their mark and you are able to reach the fire station ruins. Much of the roof has collapsed, although you can see that one vehicle, a paramedic truck, has survived the devastation virtually unscathed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you wish to search the vehicle, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If you choose to ignore it and press on with your escape, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect296">
+ <meta><title>296</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull over to the side of the road and focus your lenses on the distant bridge. Two clansmen, both stripped to the waist, are roasting something on a spit that is suspended over a small camp fire. Their motorcycles are parked beside them, nose-to-tail across the road, so that they obstruct the entrance to the bridge. The two men appear to be occupied with the cooking of their meal and are, for now, unaware of your presence.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect175">If you wish to launch a surprise attack on these two clansmen, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect12">If you prefer to stay where you are and wait for them to leave the bridge, <link-text>turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect297">
+ <meta><title>297</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An agonizing pain cuts across your chest and the warm taste of blood fills your mouth. Then the terrible pain gives way to a terrifying numbness. For a moment the corridor swims in and out of focus, then darkness engulfs you as you relinquish your hold on life.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your mission and your life end here in San Angelo.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect298">
+ <meta><title>298</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The roadster hits an outcrop of rock, which forces the right side of the vehicle into the air. Desperately you fight to correct the roll but it is already too late: the car is out of control. You can barely open your mouth in time to scream before the roadster flips over and bursts into flames.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your journey and your life end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect299">
+ <meta><title>299</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wait until the stadium gate opens and the crowd of clansmen starts to enter before you make your move. Purposefully, you stride across the wide avenue that surrounds the stadium, trying not to look directly at any of the bikers or attract their attention. One of the trucks in particular has caught your eye and you head straight for it. It is towing a trailer that contains two powerful-looking motorcycles, and you are convinced that they are to be used in the races. If any of the trucks are to enter the stadium then this one surely will.</p>
+ <p>There is nobody in the truck and its rear door is unlocked, so quickly you climb aboard and find yourself a hiding place behind two large drums of gasolene. After a few minutes, you hear someobody climb into the cab and start the engine. Then the truck moves away and you sense by its direction that it is approaching the stadium gate. You see the shadow of the arch fall across the trailer and then suddenly the vehicle halts. Your heart pounds in your chest as you hear the rear doors creak open and sense someone clambering aboard.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect68">If your total score is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect300">
+ <meta><title>300</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It feels good to be able to drive once more at a speed that is faster than the brisk walking pace to which you have limited yourself over the past twenty-five fuel-conscious miles. It is also a great relief not to have to walk the fifty or so miles to Kent, for they are mostly uphill, as the freeway passes through the ruined town of Brogado and traverses the northern slopes of the Davis Mountains. During this part of your journey you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You reach Kent shortly after noon, a day ahead of your planned time of rendezvous with the convoy. The highway and surrounding area show no sign of their having arrived before you, so you decide to try to relax here and recoup your strength while you wait for the convoy to show.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172"><link-text>Turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect301">
+ <meta><title>301</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Painfully aware that Kate has run out of bullets, you start work on changing the damaged front wheel with frantic vigour. The clan scout leader, confident that you are both out of ammunition, comes riding across the river, howling curses and whirling a heavy motorcycle chain in his left hand.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect330">If you have either a Shotgun or a Rifle, and possess sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect302">
+ <meta><title>302</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kate draws her pistol and fires at the approaching clansman, who flattens himself against the floor for cover. He returns fire and his bullets hack through the stalagmites behind which you are hiding, mowing them down as if they were sheaves of dry straw.</p>
+ <p>Kate rises to fire again but her pistol jams. With a mocking laugh, the Angelino gets to his feet and advances, confident that she is no longer a threat. In desperation she throws her pistol at him, a move so sudden that it takes him aback. The pistol hits him in the face and he drops his weapon and clutches his hands to his bleeding nose. Instinctively, you snatch a broken stalagmite from the floor and rush forward to attack the clansman with it before he has a chance to retrieve his fallen machine pistol.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Chinatown</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">12</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to his wound, and the speed of your attack, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain in the first round of combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect152">You can evade the fight at any time by <link-text>turning to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect36">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect303">
+ <meta><title>303</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You complete your detour of Sterling city without incident and rejoin Freeway 87 a few miles south of the town. The hour you spent driving across the dusty plain has made you very thirsty, and you must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The freeway follows a wide, rock-strewn gully that was once the North Concho River. You are staring at this dead watercourse, trying to imagine what the river must have looked like before 'the Day', when a road sign flashes past. You stop the car and turn back to read it. It says:</p>
+ <p>BROOME - 2 MILES</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220">If you possess a CB Radio, <link-text>turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect304">
+ <meta><title>304</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You bring your car to a halt at the side of the road and approach Black Peak on foot. However, you have not gone very far when the ground becomes too steep to continue without the use of climbing aids. Unless you can find a track you will be forced to abandon your investigation.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If you possess Binoculars, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect125">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 125</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect305">
+ <meta><title>305</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For the next hour you wind your way through the ruined city, crawling over the rubble and sprinting across every open area to minimize the risk of being seen. At length you reach a place that overlooks the southern perimeter wall. There you stop to settle your nerves and catch your breath. In a hushed voice, you tell Kate the whereabouts of your roadster, just in case you do not make it out of San Angelo.</p>
+ <p>'Don't talk like that, Cal,' she says, gripping your hand as if her life depended on it. It scares me.'</p>
+ <p>You tell her as much as you can about your planned rendezvous with the colony; how in six days from now you are to meet at Kent. There is so much you want to tell her, but the sudden arrival of four clansmen in an open-topped jeep puts an abrupt end to your conversation. The vehicle screeches to a halt and the four grim-faced men leap out, brandishing machine pistols. The driver grunts something and they fan out and start searching the ruins.</p>
+ <p>Beyond the wall there is fifty yards of cleared ground separating the stronghold from the ruins of the southern suburbs. To reach your roadster, you will somehow have to cross this killing zone.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect64">If you wish to climb over the wall and make a run for it before the clansmen get any nearer, <link-text>turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect128">If you wish to stay hidden until they pass, and then attempt to steal their jeep and drive across the cleared ground, <link-text>turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect306">
+ <meta><title>306</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beneath a road bridge, a line of Angelinos is strung out across the freeway, each one sitting astride his bike with a rifle or a machine pistol resting across the handlebars. They are the clansmen whom you saw last night. Having realized that they must have passed you in the dark, they are waiting patiently for you to show up.</p>
+ <p>To your right you see an exit ramp that ascends to the bridge itself and, as the clansmen open fire, you steer your car towards it to avoid the withering hail of bullets.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect54">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect178">If your total score is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect307">
+ <meta><title>307</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Violently the roadster swerves left and right, and you almost lose your rifle as you fight to regain control. As soon as you have the car back on a straight line, you bring the barrel to bear on your enemy and squeeze the trigger.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Driving and Shooting skill scores. Now pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add it to your total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect318">If your total score is 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If your total score is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect308">
+ <meta><title>308</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step away from the clansman's body and run to where Kate is standing. She looks a little shell-shocked but is otherwise unharmed, and together you return to the front of the service area in time to see the sole surviving Detroit Lion making a speedy escape back along the freeway.</p>
+ <p>Sergeant Haskell and his men cheer his retreat, then conduct a search of those who did not get away. Although few personal possessions are found, they do recover some weapons and ammunition and you are offered a choice from the following:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Machine Pistol</li>
+ <li>Pistol</li>
+ <li>Twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>Two rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>Five rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
+ <li>Knife [2]</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>While the sergeant and his men dispose of the bodies, you return to the gasolene storage tank and set to work on cracking its security code.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect129"><link-text>Turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect309">
+ <meta><title>309</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you regain control by steering into the skid. Then, as the wheels begin to grip, you bring the car around in a spectacular 180-degree turn and simultaneously cut the engine. You try to keep as still as possible as the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roar past the site. Soon they have gone and your spirits are raised by the thought that there will now be at least fifty less of Mad Dog's men to face when you reach San Angelo.</p>
+ <p>After satisfying yourself that the clansmen have gone, you cast your eyes around the derelict construction site.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect48">If you wish to search the site, <link-text>turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect230">If you wish to leave and continue your journey to San Angelo, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect310">
+ <meta><title>310</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With your foot holding the gas pedal flat to the floor you roar towards Christoval with a score of angry Angelinos hot on your heels. On entering the town, you see that the coyote on the road ahead are fighting each other in two separate packs. Each pack is being urged on by men who are conducting some sort of wager on the outcome of the fight. So engrossed are they in the dog fight that they seem oblivious of the fact that you are speeding straight towards them. It is not until you sound your horn and flash your headlamps that the men and dogs begin to scatter, but by then it is too late for some of them.</p>
+ <p>The car shudders as you plough into a dozen of the fighting dogs, sending them spinning into the air. One tumbles over the windshield and lands between you and Kate. Maddened by the pain of its wounds, it lunges at you and closes its fangs around your right forearm. Desperately, Kate tries to pummel it unconscious with the butt of her pistol as you fight to maintain control of the speeding car.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect140">If your total is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect28">If it is 9-12, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect87">If it is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect311">
+ <meta><title>311</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At once you recognize the brown, thin-legged arachnid by the dark, violin-shaped marking on the back of its head. It is Loxoscees reclusa - a poisonous Fiddleback spider.</p>
+ <p>Nervously you watch the spider while Kate salvages a scrap of stiff board from the rubbish-strewn floor. She tells you to keep absolutely still, for she intends to try to knock it off your arm with one quick flick of the card.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect202">If the number you have picked is 0-2, <link-text>turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect280">If it is 3-9, <link-text>turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect312">
+ <meta><title>312</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You can see the first rays of dawn light in your rear-view mirror as you pull out from behind the bus and start to overtake the convoy. As you draw level with the tanker, a watery spray speckles your windshield and you catch the strong, unmistakable smell of gasolene in the air. A stream of the precious liquid is escaping from a bullet hole in the tanker's side, and, as you draw level with the cab, you signal anxiously to Uncle Jonas to stop at the first opportunity.</p>
+ <p>You have covered less than a mile when the freeway approaches the ruins of Stanton, a town long since looted and forgotten by the Mavericks, and you bring the convoy to a halt. Pecos Pete offers to help Uncle Jonas patch up the damage, and while you are waiting for them to finish their work, you ask Cutter to help you tell the rest of the colony your plan to rescue Kate. At first there are many who think you are being crazy and irresponsible. But gradually, after listening to Cutter's pleas on your behalf, they relent and finally consent to your rescue attempt.</p>
+ <p>Your plan is to go it alone to San Angelo. When you arrive there you will infiltrate the town while Mad Dog Michigan and his gang are busy wheeling and dealing with the Angelinos. Once you have found and rescued Kate, you will leave the city and make your way west to rendezvous with the convoy at a town called Kent, situated at the fork where Freeway 20 joins Interstate 10. The rendezvous is planned to take place exactly seven days from now. If either you or the colony fails to get there by midday, the party that does arrive is to assume the worst and press on to El Paso without delay.</p>
+ <p>Before you leave, two large plastic containers, filled with sufficient fuel to enable you to complete the 400-mile detour you have in mind, are loaded into the trunk of your roadster. Then, with the tanker repaired and your preparations complete, the colonists, especially your aunt and uncle, bid you an emotional farewell. They are fearful of what might befall you, but all, without exception, admire your bravery and determination to save the girl you love.</p>
+ <p>Silently you watch the convoy rumble out of Stanton until it has passed beyond the western horizon. The sun has now risen, and the pot-holed remains of State Highway 137 can be seen cutting a straight line to the south. A wave of uncertainty unsettles your stomach as you think about the difficult mission you have set yourself, but you are quick to dismiss these fears.</p>
+ <p>'I've got a job to do and I'm gonna see it gets done!' you shout, as you start your engine and point your car southwards.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect167"><link-text>Turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect313">
+ <meta><title>313</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In order to prise the dead dog from your arm, you are forced to stand up in your driving seat. Meanwhile, the pack handlers have gathered together the rest of their surviving coyote and now intend to set them on you. They yell an order, and the mountain dogs bound forward, snapping and howling. Kate replies by drawing her pistol and firing, bringing down three of the leading dogs in as many shots. She buys you the few precious seconds you need to free yourself from the dead coyote, but before you can lower yourself behind the wheel, the handlers return fire and you feel something thump you in the back. You feel no pain and, almost fearing to acknowledge that you have been hit at all, you reach for the ignition and bring the roadster back to life, Then, with a cloud of dust and burnt rubber, you say farewell to the coyote and take off along the main street towards the Christoval bridge.</p>
+ <p>Kate heard the impact made by the bullet and, fearing the worst, she leans over to take a look at your back. You hear her breathe a sigh of relief as she discovers that the bullet has lodged itself in the bottom of your water canteen.</p>
+ <p>Erase from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> any water that you may have been carrying in your canteen. You need not erase the canteen itself as it can be repaired and is still serviceable.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect314">
+ <meta><title>314</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You remove the grenade from your pack and set the timer to four seconds. Then you ease out the pin, roll the cylindrical explosive into the sniper's room and quickly turn your face away from the door. The deep thud of the explosion shakes the walls and sends a gout of smoke and flame gushing into the corridor. When the smoke clears, you rush into the room and find the sniper lying dead at the foot of the window with his rifle still clutched in his hands. (If you wish to keep this weapon, you discover that it contains eight rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.)</p>
+ <p>You shout an 'all clear' to the others in the street below and then turn to leave the flame-scorched room.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect315">
+ <meta><title>315</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are nearly at the top of the wall when you lose your footing and fall backwards. In a cloud of dust and loose debris, you tumble head-over-heels down the heap and come to an abrupt and painful halt in the avenue below: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>'What were you up to?' growls the shorter of two ugly-looking Detroit Lions who have appeared suddenly and are now standing over you.</p>
+ <p>'Why ain't you using the North Gate, eh? That's where the Angelinos are supposed to be meetin'.'</p>
+ <p>Stiffly you clamber to your feet and begin to brush away the thick layer of dust that covers you completely, until you realize that it is the dust that is concealing the fact that you are not an Angelino.</p>
+ <p>'I'm an Angelino who jus' wants t'see the race. I'm supposed to be patrolling the south zone, but ain't nothin' ever happens down there. Gimme a break you guys, will ya?'</p>
+ <p>A grin spreads slowly across the faces of the two Lions as they see a chance to make some easy pickings. They agree to get you into the stadium, but at a price; you will have to bribe them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect161">If you possess a Bottle of Bourbon, <link-text>turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect207">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect316">
+ <meta><title>316</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The heat and flames force you back from the entrance, and as you reach the centre of the hall, you look around desperately for another way out but every exit is now ablaze.</p>
+ <p>Using a heavy rug from the floor, you cover Kate's head and tell her to make a dash for the main door. Bravely she obeys your command without hesitation, and she succeeds in escaping through the tunnel of flame and out into the street beyond. Heartened by her success, you raise your jacket over your head, take a deep breath and sprint after her.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect139">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect34">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect317">
+ <meta><title>317</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the highway and drive across the stony ground that borders the town of Christoval and the South Concho River. The land here is far too rough for you to be able to drive at speed and, as you glance in your mirror, you are sorely aware that the bikers are closing the gap. Your only chance of escape is to find a way across the river and get back on to the highway.</p>
+ <p>Kate too senses the danger, and knows what must be done. She keeps her eyes peeled on the river, looking for somewhere suitable to cross, while you negotiate a way through the boulders that lie scattered in your path.</p>
+ <p>'Over there, Cal!' she shouts, pointing to a shallow-sided section of the river bank. Immediately you steer towards it and power your car down the gentle slope towards the foul-smelling water. Here, the tainted river is less than a foot deep and the rocky bed provides a firm grip for your tyres.</p>
+ <p>You are half-way across when you hear a dull thud. Suddenly there is a flash of orange-red flame and a column of splintered rocks and black water erupts from the river a few feet ahead. The clansmen are firing grenades!</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect42">If the number you have picked is 0-3, <link-text>turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect154">If the number you have picked is 4-9, <link-text>turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect318">
+ <meta><title>318</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire misses the clansman by a wide mark, causing him to throw back his head and laugh. Then he veers off the highway and takes to the open ground. You discard your weapon, but you are as determined as ever not to let the clansman escape, so you pull the steering wheel hard over to the left and pursue him as he guns his bike cross-country towards Freeway 87.</p>
+ <p>An empty concrete drainage ditch runs parallel to the freeway, wide enough to deter the biker from attempting to ride straight across. At the last minute he veers away and you chase him along its edge for nearly half a mile before finally he plucks up enough courage to try to get across. Ahead, a derelict pump house looms, straddling the ditch, its angular roof offering itself as a ramp that could be used to launch a jump on to the freeway. The clansman takes one last look at you over his shoulder and then, with a scream of fearful exhilaration, he winds back the throttle and points his bike at the pump house roof.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If you wish to attempt to follow the clansman across the ditch, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If you decide to steer your roadster away from the pump house, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect319">
+ <meta><title>319</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you pump a cartridge into the breach of your shotgun and level the barrel at the first clansman as he scurries between the rocks that litter the edge of the service area. He is less than fifteen yards away when you fire your first shot, bringing him tumbling to the ground. His partner hesitates, then abandons his stalking approach and comes running towards you, screaming hysterically, his machine pistol blazing at his hip.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you have sufficient ammunition and wish to fire again, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If you do not have sufficient ammunition to fire a second time, or choose not to fire, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect320">
+ <meta><title>320</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using bandages and a sulphonamide pad, Kate dresses your leg as quickly as she can. Her speedy attention to your leg restores 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. (This is in addition to the 1 point you gain automatically through the use of a Medi-kit unit.)</p>
+ <p>The wide corridor into which you have emerged is empty at present, but the sound of running footsteps is growing louder with each passing second, and it will not be very long before the area is teeming with clansmen. Kate points to a service hatch, almost invisible against the dirt-encrusted wall, and suggests that you hide there. You nod you agreement and help her to prise open the rusty hatch door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect201"><link-text>Turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect321">
+ <meta><title>321</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You tell the soldiers who you are and how you came to be here in Fort Stockton. At first, they listen to your fantastic account with cool scepticism. They cross-examine you both in an attempt to find a flaw in your story, but when they are unable to find any, their attitude begins to change. By the time they have finished their interrogation, you have managed to win their respect and admiration.</p>
+ <p>Once they are convinced that you are genuine colonists they recount their own tale. They are WDF marines who, before 'the Day', were stationed at an underground tracking facility in Brownsville, Texas. Twelve of their unit survived the post-holocaust years, but soon after their return to the surface they were the victims of a clan attack. They were the only survivors of the attack and were forced to flee Brownsville on foot. Eventually they managed to find a vehicle that worked - the pick-up truck - and had got this far when the fuel ran out and the engine broke down. They are trying to reach their command headquarters at Fort Bliss, located just north of El Paso, where they hope to rejoin remnants of their unit. They arrived in Fort Stockton three days ago and have been prevented from continuing their journey on foot by the blistering day temperatures and the fierce night storms that have swept down from the Barrilla Mountains.</p>
+ <p>They have set up camp in the ruins of a nearby motel and they invite you there to share their food and drink, and to formulate a plan to find some fuel for your roadster. Their provisions are basic but you receive them gratefully: restore 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect58"><link-text>Turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect322">
+ <meta><title>322</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Something sharp punches you in the stomach and nausea washes over you in a wave that leaves you gasping for breath. Fearfully you clasp your hand to your midriff and feel warm blood oozing between your fingers, yet you feel no pain. Aware that you have been shot and that the shock of your wound is numbing your senses, you force yourself to get clear of the door in case the unseen gunman fires again.</p>
+ <p>You have taken just five steps when your vision begins to dim and your legs refuse to support your weight. You fall forwards and hit the floor face-first, but still you feel nothing, save the creeping numbness that slowly robs you of the will to live.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your mission and your life end here at San Angelo.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect323">
+ <meta><title>323</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your pulse is racing as you wait for the optimum moment to launch your ambush. The clansman's footsteps seem unbearably loud but still you hesitate. He stops and instinctively you spring to your feet, aim and fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If your total score is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If your total score is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect324">
+ <meta><title>324</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once you are safely across the bridge, you keep your foot on the gas pedal until the town of Christoval disappears from your rear-view mirror. Ahead, the highway crosses an especially bleak and barren landscape, seemingly devoid of even the hardiest flora and fauna. It looks more like a moonscape than a landscape, and, were it not for the setting sun and the welcome cool of dusk, you could easily believe that you had been transferred to the surface of another world.</p>
+ <p>It is almost dark when the outline of a town appears on the horizon, its shattered buildings thrown into relief by the ashen moonlight. A battered sign reflects the glare of your headlamps and announces your approach to the town of Eldorado.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect132"><link-text>Turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect325">
+ <meta><title>325</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>By feeling your way along the thick cables that festoon the walls of the tunnel, you are able to make reasonable progress in the dark. More than half an hour later you reach a wider section where a faint light seeps down from glass bricks embedded in the ceiling around a circular steel hatch. A ladder ascends to the hatch and Kate suggests that it could be worth investigating. You agree, and you lift up the heavy steel cover carefully and look out. Kate was right: the sight that greets you is the entrance gate to the Reagan Memorial Stadium.</p>
+ <p>After waiting until there is little clan activity in the immediate area, you emerge from the shaft and make your way quickly into the ruins of the southern central sector of the San Angelo stronghold.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect326">
+ <meta><title>326</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You swerve to the right to avoid the speeding missile, and your swift reactions save you from receiving a direct hit. The armour-tipped projectile burrows into the ground close to your rear wheel, and the resultant explosion buffets your trunk and sends the roadster into a skid. Desperately you fight to regain control as you slide off the freeway and career towards a deep gully.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39">If your total is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect283">If your total is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 283</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect327">
+ <meta><title>327</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman glances nervously over his shoulder as the sound of your engine growls louder and louder in his ears. You are drawing very close now, and you can see that he is having difficulty maintaining his speed. His red-rimmed eyes stare fearfully from his dusty face as he struggles to coax more power from his failing machine.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect179">If the missile weapon you are using is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect38">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect217">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 217</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect328">
+ <meta><title>328</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Sergeant Haskell and yourself despatch the clansmen with a volley of well-aimed shots (erase two rounds from your Ammo Pouch) before taking a closer look at what they were transporting. You discover several crates and lockers filled with munitions: mortars, anti-tank weapons, heavy machine guns and the like. However, you cannot find any ammunition for these weapons. You are about to set fire to the truck, to prevent the weapons from falling into the hands of other clansmen, when you discover one item that could be of some use after all.</p>
+ <p>In a sealed locker at the bottom of the heap, you discover a portable Leviathan ground-to-air missile, a weapon with approximately eight times the destructive power of a bazooka.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Leviathan Missile, you must reduce your Stealth score by 2 points due to its size and weight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect114">To continue, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect329">
+ <meta><title>329</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Fighting back your fear, you try to ignore the sound of the engines and concentrate instead on finding a place where you can descend the steep bank and enter the river bed. Your determination pays off and you are able to get yourself and your roadster under cover before the clansmen are close enough to spot you. With bated breath you watch as the pack, fifty riders strong, roar along the freeway. The sight of them passing raises your spirits a little, for at least there will now be fifty less to face when you reach San Angelo.</p>
+ <p>When the pack are nothing but a cloud of dust on the northern horizon, you start up your engine and head back on to the freeway towards Broome.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect153"><link-text>Turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect330">
+ <meta><title>330</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The foul-mouthed scout leader is half-way across the river when Kate snatches your gun, takes aim and silences the screaming Angelino for good with a single shot to the heart. The sight of him crashing into the river stuns the remaining clansmen just long enough for you to complete your wheel change and jump back into the car. Kate leaps in beside you, stows your gun behind your seat and shouts: 'Let's get outta here!'</p>
+ <p>As you mount the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the scouts retrieving their leader's body from the South Concho River.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect331">
+ <meta><title>331</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the noise of the explosion fades and the smoke thins, you approach the door to discover that the padlock no longer exists. Firmly you push open the shrapnel-pitted door and enter the hangar-like interior. Inside you find an armoured truck, one of many that were once used by banks to transport cash and bullion around Texas. This one was hijacked shortly before 'the Day', and was brought here, where its cargo was to have been shared out by the robbers. However, they never had a chance to divide and spend their loot, and the vehicle still contains over thirty million dollars in cash, a sum now completely worthless.</p>
+ <p>The truck's fuel tank is a quarter full, but it is diesel oil and cannot be used in your roadster. Cursing your luck, you search the truck and the building for anything that may be of practical use and you discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Tool Kit</li>
+ <li>Air Pump</li>
+ <li>Distilled Water (enough for three Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Engine Oil</li>
+ <li>Monkey Wrench</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>Dusk is beginning to give way to darkness and you are anxious to return to the roadster before the evening light fades completely. Having satisfied yourself that you have overlooked nothing of value, you leave the building and return to your car.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect332">
+ <meta><title>332</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The force of the bullets throws you flat on your back, knocking your weapon clean out of your hands. You lie there winded for a few seconds, then you grit your teeth and try to rise, but a wave of pain robs you of your strength and you slip and fall heavily against the body of the dead clansman at the botton of the gully.</p>
+ <p>Then you hear a sound that chills your blood: the running footfalls of the biker as he rushes forward to finish you off. Desperately you look around for a weapon and notice a pistol tucked into the waistband of the dead clansman. The biker's face appears above the edge of the gully at precisely the same moment that your fingers close around the pistol grip. Simultaneously you curse each other, then take aim and fire at each other's head.</p>
+ <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Shooting skill score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect151">If your total is now 22 or less, <link-text>turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect187">If your total is now 23 or more, <link-text>turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect333">
+ <meta><title>333</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Clutching your wounded leg, you hobble after the sergeant and find him in the corner of the bar, kneeling beside a clansman who is bleeding from a chest wound. You also notice that the man's leg is set in splints, as if recently broken, and that the leather jacket he wears is marked with the Maverick ace-of-spades symbol.</p>
+ <p>Haskell lifts his head from the floor and asks him what he is doing here. Stubbornly, the dying clansman refuses to answer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you have a Medi-kit unit and wish to use it to treat the clansman's wound, <link-text>turn to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect73">If you do not possess a Medi-kit unit, or do not wish to use one on a man who just tried to kill you, <link-text>turn to 73</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect334">
+ <meta><title>334</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are less than twenty yards from the fire station when a volley of shots echoes across the open ground. Bullets ricochet off the rubble-strewn ground near your feet and Kate looks over her shoulder with fear stark in her eyes. You scream that you are OK and order her to keep running at all costs. More shots ring out, but they too fall wide of their mark and you are able to reach the fire station ruins unscathed.</p>
+ <p>Inside you discover that much of the roof has collapsed, although you can see that one vehicle, a paramedic truck, has survived the devastation virtually unscratched.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you wish to search this vehicle, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If choose to ignore it and press on with your escape, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect335">
+ <meta><title>335</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You identify the brightly dressed clansman as Mekong Mike, for his tanned and moustached face bears a long-horned steer skull tattooed across the forehead. The other man, who is dressed in a black, wide-shouldered leather jacket, can be none other than Mad Dog Michigan himself. He looks older than you had imagined him, his receding hair greying slighty at the temples, yet despite his age there is no doubting the unmistakable aura of power that surrounds him. For a moment you stare into his cold grey eyes and glimpse the vengeful evil that lurks there. Then you remember the danger of your situation.</p>
+ <p>Mekong Mike has drawn his pistol, but before he can fire, you rush forward and whip his wrist with the barrel of your gun. He yelps in pain and drops the Beretta auto to the floor, but there is a blade in his other hand and it is flashing towards your chest. Desperately you turn it aside. You have lost the advantage of surprise, however, and Mekong Mike seizes the initiative.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mekong Mike</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">19</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect91">If you win and the combat lasts seven rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect17">If you win and the combat lasts eight rounds or longer, <link-text>turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect336">
+ <meta><title>336</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The cupboard door creaks open and Kate emerges from her hiding place, her face lined with fearful concern until she sees that you are unharmed. She suggests that you search the dead clansman's body, but even as the words are leaving her lips, you hear the other clansmen rushing up the stairs to the first floor, drawn by the sound of their confederate's dying scream.</p>
+ <p>Only two options are open to you as the Angelinos come running along the corridor towards the workshop: you can stand and fight, or you can leave by jumping from the first floor window.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect127">If you wish to stand and fight the approaching clansmen, <link-text>turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect66">If you choose to escape while you still can, <link-text>turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect337">
+ <meta><title>337</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You deliver your killing blow, sending your adversary sprawling to the ground, limp and nerveless. His companion was unable to get a clear shot at you while the two of you fought hand-to-hand, so he decided that he would join in. You look to the bridge and see him running across the highway at you with a flick knife held before him at arm's length. He is screaming like a madman as he launches his first attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Supa-Nova</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect146">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect338">
+ <meta><title>338</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A bullet passes close by your shoulder, yet you reach the drug store entrance unscathed. The rear of the station wagon occupies most of the doorway, it having been parked there with its tailgate open. Inside, the luggage compartment is stacked with items looted from the store.</p>
+ <p>The store's interior is very dark and it takes a few seconds for your eyes to adjust. When they do, you see a staircase at the back and you approach it cautiously. You have reached the first floor landing when there is another shot, and at once you sense the sniper's location: a room at the far end of the corridor. Silently you creep to within inches of the open door and steel yourself for an attack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you possess an HE Grenade, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect177">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect339">
+ <meta><title>339</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Carefully, you drop the welding equipment and obey the command. Then a swarthy Angelino steps out of the shadows with a pistol in his hand. He sniggers with delight unable to hide his glee at having captured you both single-handedly and reaches into his pocket with his free hand. He removes a pair of handcuffs and tosses them casually at Kate's feet before ordering her to put them on your wrists.</p>
+ <p>Kate stoops to pick up the handcuffs. But the instant her hand closes on them she hurls them back at the grinning Angelino, hitting him squarely in the face. Immediately you take your cue and spring forward, grabbing his gun before he has a chance to recover his composure. You wrestle it from his grasp, but already he is reaching for a knife, which he carries concealed in his boot. He unsheathes it and lashes out, forcing you to dive aside to avoid its razor-sharp tip.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Yellow-Cab</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the help you receive from Kate in overcoming the enemy, you may add 2 points to your close combat skill for the duration of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect101">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect340">
+ <meta><title>340</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You back off a dozen paces to give yourself a good run at the door, then you charge forward and barge it with your shoulder. There is a tremendous crack, the door gives way, and you feel yourself falling head-first into a deep, dark hole.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect203">If the number you have picked is 0-6, <link-text>turn to 203</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect171">If it is 7-9, <link-text>turn to 171</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect341">
+ <meta><title>341</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The chain sails within an inch of your scalp as you duck behind the wing of your roadster. An instant later you retaliate by hurling your brace at the scout leader's bike. The tool jams between the spokes of his front wheel, causing the machine to up-end and slam its rider face-first into the river bank. Then the heavy machine crashes down with a sickening crunch, crushing the Angelino to death under the weight of its lOOOcc engine.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11"><link-text>Turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect342">
+ <meta><title>342</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you leave the car lot and return to the freeway. You pass between the shattered stores and houses of Broome with your nerves on edge, half-expecting to run into a clan patrol or fall prey to an ambush. Yet your departure passes without incident and soon you find yourself back on the open freeway heading south-east to San Angelo. You are hungry, and during your drive you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect343">
+ <meta><title>343</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You flick your hand and the tickling sensation stops, as do the footsteps of the clansman. He has heard you moving. There is a click of a pistol hammer being cocked and then you hear his footsteps once more as slowly he approaches the store room door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect223">If you have a missile weapon, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect158">If you possess a close combat weapon, and wish to draw it to defend yourself, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect255">If you decide to launch an unarmed attack if the clansman opens the door, <link-text>turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect344">
+ <meta><title>344</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Repeatedly you pump the gas pedal and, gradually, after a bout of coughing and popping, the engine clears and begins to pick up speed. Confident that the fault has rectified itself, you relax and accelerate away.</p>
+ <p>You have driven ten miles when, on the horizon, you see a girder bridge appear. It carries the highway across the North Concho River, and, although it appears to be intact and passable, you are worried by the sight of a lazy plume of woodsmoke that is rising close to its approach ramp.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If you possess Binoculars, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect224">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect345">
+ <meta><title>345</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having briefed the convoy, you return to Sergeant Haskell on the freeway outside Fabens.</p>
+ <p>'The convoy's ready to roll straight through here as soon as they see my signal flare,' you inform him.</p>
+ <p>'That's great. Now all we need to do is open up the gate and let 'em go.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect120">If you possess a Leviathan Missile, <link-text>turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect219">If you do not possess this weapon, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect346">
+ <meta><title>346</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The race is about to begin. Eight bikers are drawn up in a line at one end of the arena, each man standing astride his machine and revving its engine in response to the loud cheers of the clansmen watching. The riders have their eyes fixed on a pot-bellied Angelino who is perched atop a wooden tower in the centre of the track. Above his head he holds a checkered flag, and, as he brings his arm down, the crowd screams and the riders surge away from the line.</p>
+ <p>Under cover of the noise and commotion of the race, you approach the observation block. An enclosed corridor leads to a flight of iron stairs where two burly clansmen - one an Angelino, the other a Detroit Lion - stand on guard with machine pistols at the ready. At the top of the stairs is the door to the block itself. The noise of the crowd and the roar of the motorcycles have helped you so far, but the race is now into its fourteenth lap, and you know that if you are to succeed in freeing Kate you must get past these guards and storm the observation block before the race ends.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If you possess an H.E. Grenade, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
+ <p>If you possess a Signal Flare, and wish to use it, turn, to 89.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect163">If you possess a Siren, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect225">If you possess none of these items, <link-text>turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect347">
+ <meta><title>347</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is almost noon when you drive into Brogado. The storm-shattered ruins of this mountain town do not inspire much hope of finding fuel, and, after making a thorough search of its two gas stations, your initial fears are confirmed: one station has been looted and the other has been gutted by fire.</p>
+ <p>It is beginning to look as though you will have to walk the last thirty miles to Kent when Marine Gunter sees a station wagon backed up to the entrance of a drug store, and he calls it to your attention. All five of you are walking along the main street towards the vehicle when a shot rings out from the first floor window of the store, and Gunter is brought to the ground, clutching his blood-stained chest.</p>
+ <p>'Sniper!' shouts Sergeant Haskell. 'Hit the deck!'</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth and Perception skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect257">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect92">If your total score is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect348">
+ <meta><title>348</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unshoulder your gun and take aim in one swift, fluid movement. The clansman is drawing back the bolt of his G-12 when you unleash a round, catching him full in the chest. The force of your gunfire lifts him off the kitchen floor and kills him instantly. Slowly you lower your smoking barrel and walk forward to search the body of your would-be killer.</p>
+ <p>Judging from the long-horned skull painted on the back of his leather vest, you have just laid to rest your first Angelino. On the floor nearby you find his weapons and equipment: a Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition) and a Backpack, which holds the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Flexible Saw</li>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
+ <li>Small Blanket</li>
+ <li>Enough bandages, sulphonamides, and antiseptics for three Medi-kit units</li>
+ <li>Knife [2]</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>In addition to these items, a search of the kitchen also reveals the following:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Meat Cleaver [3]</li>
+ <li>Bread Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Enough canned food for five Meals</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you choose to keep any of the items in either list, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Before leaving the kitchen you hide the clansman's body in an empty refrigerator. Then you hurry through the fire escape door and make your way up a flight of rusty steps that leads to a service alley at the rear of the building.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect269"><link-text>Turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect349">
+ <meta><title>349</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You prime your weapon and spring into the room like a tiger. A man is crouched by an open window, and, as you move towards him, he turns to meet your attack with a rifle clutched firmly in his hands. Instinctively, you raise your gun and fire a snap shot from the hip.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill score.</p>
+ <p>If the weapon you are using is a Shotgun or a Machine Pistol, add 2 points to your total. If the weapon you are using is a Pistol or a Rifle, subtract 1 point from your total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect103">If your total score is now 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect350">
+ <meta><title>350</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a brilliant flash followed by a thunderous explosion that rips a wide hole in the centre of the barricade. Those clansmen who have survived the blast run in confusion as the hot remnants of their mighty wall rain down on their heads. Haskell fires the flare, and within a few minutes the convoy appears, thundering along the freeway with the tow truck in the lead. You climb back into your roadster and follow in their wake as they stream through the shattered barricade and on towards El Paso unchallenged.</p>
+ <p>You receive a warm welcome from the WDL troops, who are defending the city and the military reserve. Then you celebrate the success of your mission and your bold defeat of the Mexican clansmen at the Fabens barricade.</p>
+ <p>You have indeed earned the right to celebrate, for you have freed Kate from her abductors and reached El Paso, thereby achieving everything you set out to do when you left Big Spring one week ago.</p>
+ <p>The celebrations continue in El Paso for several days until the victorious mood is soured by the arrival of Mad Dog Michigan, and an army of clansmen over a thousand strong. He has persuaded the Mexicans to join his cause and now they surround El Paso with a ring of steel.</p>
+ <p>Mad Dog has promised to avenge the death of his brother. Now he reaffirms that vow and delivers the additional threat that neither you, nor any of your colony, will ever get out of El Paso alive.</p>
+ <p>For you, Cal Phoenix, the chance to defy Mad Dog Michigan's threat and continue your life-or-death journey to California awaits you in Book 3 of the Freeway Warrior series entitled:</p>
+ <p>THE OMEGA ZONE</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <!-- Backmatter -->
+
+ </data>
+</section>
+
+</gamebook>
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+
+<!--
+
+$Id$
+$Log$
+Revision 1.1 2004/11/09 06:47:16 jonathan.blake
+Initial Freepository revision
+
+
+//// RCS Revision Log ////
+
+Revision 1.2 2002/10/21 22:29:55 jblake
+Added a comment containing what we have of the frontmatter.
+
+Revision 1.1 2002/10/21 19:47:36 jblake
+Initial revision
+
+//////////////////////////
+
+-->
+<meta>
+ <title>[Insert Title]</title>
+</meta>
+
+<section id="toc">
+ <meta />
+ <data />
+</section>
+
+<section id="title">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Title Page</title>
+ <link class="next" idref="dedicate" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <!-- Frontmatter -->
+
+<!--
+
+<CENTER><P>For Chris Baird of Citrus Heights, Ca.<BR />
+and<BR />
+Mike Malone of Katy, Tx.</P></CENTER>
+Dateline to Disaster
+1990-1998 Rise of global terrorism on an
+unprecedented scale. Political
+violence funded by organized crime
+syndicate called HAVOC - the
+Hijack, Assassination and Violent
+Opposition Consortium.
+
+1998-2003 The governments of many small and
+impoverished nations fall into the
+hands of HAVOC. International
+terrorists receive arms, training and
+shelter in these'Badiands'.
+
+2003-2008 Raids on oil and gas installations,
+assassinations, and the kidnapping of
+prominent world statesmen become
+commonplace as HAVOC attempt to
+terrorize the civilized world into
+submission. Despite public outrage
+and growing international tension,
+the major powers steadfastly refuse to
+give in to HAVOC's demands.
+2008 President of the United States and
+General Secretary of Supreme Soviet
+both assassinated at emergency
+summit meeting. US, USSR and major
+European nations create the World
+Defence League and declare war on
+HAVOC. The Badlands are invaded,
+key HAVOC bases destroyed, and
+thousands of HAVOC agents are
+captured.
+
+2009 HAVOC leaders imprisoned for life in
+'Deep Pens' - maximum security
+gaols located deep underground - to
+prevent their escape or release by
+HAVOC agents still at large.
+
+2010 New leadership emerges to unify the
+scattered remnants of HAVOC and
+plan revenge.
+
+2011 A WDL train transporting seventeen
+loo-kiloton nuclear warheads,
+destined to be neutralized and
+dismantled, is attacked by HAVOC
+agents. The train is destroyed and its
+deadly cargo stolen.
+
+2012 HAVOC hijack a WDL news satellite
+New Year's and broadcast a chilling ultimatum.
+Day They have planted the seventeen
+stolen warheads in major cities
+throughout the US, USSR and Europe.
+They call for the immediate release of
+all HAVOC agents held in Deep Pens,
+plus the payment of $2 trillion in gold
+bullion, or they will trigger the
+warheads one by one until their
+demands are met in full.
+A twenty-four-hour deadline is set.
+WDL leaders declare emergency and
+request that the deadline be extended.
+HAVOC refuse.
+
+2nd January First warhead detonated at Brie
+Nuclear Energy Plant, ten miles south
+of Paris, France. Blast and radioactive
+fallout claim millions of lives.
+HAVOC repeat their demand and
+extend deadline by twenty-four hours.
+
+3rd January World Defence League agents
+'The Day' discover location of HAVOC
+command headquarters on an island
+in the South Pacific Ocean.
+immediately orders are given to
+infiltrate and destroy the HQ and its
+occupants. The assault is swift and
+decisive; the complex is quickly
+overrun and its inhabitants are killed.
+Yet, ironically, as the news of this
+victory is being relayed around the
+world, HAVOC enact their ultimate
+revenge. A transmitter hidden on the
+island, fitted with a time-delay
+mechanism, clicks on, sending its
+high-frequency radio signal to a
+communications satellite orbiting the
+earth. This signal is amplified and
+returned to earth where,
+simultaneously, it triggers the
+remaining nuclear warheads.
+
+The initial explosions set off a
+disastrous chain reaction that feeds on
+civil and military nuclear installations
+all across the northern hemisphere.
+Hundreds of millions of people are
+killed within days, and many more
+perish during the years that follow,
+falling victim to the lingering
+radioactivity and the severe climatic
+changes that affect the earth.
+
+2012-2019 Gale force winds sweep across the
+world, carrying enormous amounts of
+dust into the upper atmosphere and
+preventing much sunlight from
+reaching the earth's surface.
+Temperatures plummet, deterring
+survivors from remaining above
+ground. Communications are
+disrupted by gamma radiation,
+making all radio, cable and satellite
+contact impossible. Small colonies of
+survivors develop in total isolation
+from one another during these years of
+darkness.
+
+2019-2020 Gradually, the dust storms die down
+and the sun penetrates the
+atmosphere, thawing the earth's
+frozen surface. Radiation decays to
+tolerable levels, and survivors emerge
+to reclaim what little remains of the
+world they once knew.
+
+<H2>The Story So Far</H2>
+
+<P>You are Cal Phoenix, a survivor, born in California on Thanksgiving Day in the year AD 2000. In 2012, whilst on winter vacation at your Uncle Jonas' and Aunt Betty-Ann's ranch in Texas, you were invited to visit a shale-oil mine near Austin; it was the first of its kind in Texas. As Chief of Construction, your uncle was proud to take you on a guided tour of the whole underground complex, which, for security reasons, was totally self-supporting. It was during
+this tour on 3 January 2012, that the holocaust began.</P>
+
+<P>You remember how the ground shuddered when the shock waves from the first distant explosions reached the mine, and how you thought it was the start of an earthquake, the like of which you had experienced many times at home in California. But, as the levels nearest the surface began to collapse and the central elevator shaft filled with rubble, you realized the
+awful truth. At first there was no way of telling the extent of the surface devastation. Below ground, the safety generators had automatically switched into operation when the main power supply failed, and the tremors had faded quickly, which encouraged your aunt and uncle to believe that the damage above was superficial. Uncle Jonas was confident that the military would mount a rescue operation and that you would be brought out within a few days, a week
+at the most. Aunt Betty-Ann, too, was optimistic.</P>
+
+<P>After all, there were emergency supplies - enough to feed 200 men for a whole month. Little did she know that the three of you would end up consuming all those supplies, or that the mine would become your home, your shelter and your prison for the next eight years of your lives.</P>
+
+<P>It was early September in the year 2019 when eventually you broke through to the surface. When you set eyes on the landscape surrounding the mine, it was like looking at the surface of another planet. Few structures had survived the blizzards and intense cold that had swept around the world in the years following 'The Day', and now, after the dust had settled and the sun had returned, the once-fertile plains of Austin resembled little more than a desert of parched and broken rock, littered with the artefacts of an absent civilization. During the first few days, when you began to explore this wilderness, it was easy to believe that you were the only survivors. But on the morning of the fifth day Uncle Jonas made chance radio contact with a family called Ewell, who were living near the ruins of McKinney, thirty miles north
+of Dallas. They told him that they had been in touch with a handful of other groups who had managed somehow to survive the holocaust. Most were isolated and unable to move due to lack of fuel, food or water. They were.urging those who could travel to join them in McKinney to start a new community there, and some were already on their way. When your uncle and aunt accepted their invitation, the Ewells were enthusiastic but they also warned you to be wary - not everyone who had survived wanted to establish a new community. The ruins of some
+large Texan cities, such as Dallas and Fort Worth, were controlled by gangs of criminals who fought with each other and terrorized anyone seeking to re-establish law and order. They urged you to avoid these gangs at all costs.</P>
+
+<P>It took more than a week to discover a vehicle that could transport you to McKinney. It was an old school bus, which had been parked in an underground lot and had survived the years of sub-zero blizzards. With fuel and spares salvaged from the mine, you managed to coax it back to life; then you set off on your journey north. When you arrived at the town, it was easy to find where the Ewelis lived, as their ranch was the only place that was still standing. It looked more like an old frontier post than a ranch, with its fortified perimeter wall, lookout posts and stake-filled moat. Having been ambushed and shot at by the city gangs of Fort Worth during the final stages of your journey, you recognized the need for such defences.</P>
+
+<P>'Pop' Ewell, the seventy-year-old grandfather of the Ewell family, was the leader of this small colony of survivors, and it was he who had urged Uncle Jonas to join them when they had first made radio contact. The colony numbered less than a dozen at the time of your arrival, yet as the airwaves became clearer and new contacts were made, this number had soon more than doubled to twenty-five. It was decided that a name was needed to identify the settlement and 'Dallas Colony One' was adopted, 'DC1' for short. From that day on, everyone worked hard to make DC1 a secure haven for those seeking refuge from the hostile wastelands and marauding city gangs.</P>
+
+<P>'Cutter' Jacks was one such refugee. Before 'The Day' he had been chief mechanic at the International Grand Prix Circuit near Lake Dallas, and his incredible skill and knowledge of engines was soon to prove invaluable to the colony. He taught you how to drive, and from a pile of old wrecks that you helped him salvage from the circuit, he built you a powerful, customized car. You used it to patrol the highways north of the city, keeping a lookout for gangs of city punks who frequently mounted raids to steal or destroy DC1's supplies. Cutter also taught you to shoot, and it was your natural prowess with a gun and your skill behind the wheel that were to earn you the begrudging respect of your enemies, who took to calling you 'The Freeway Warrior'.</P>
+
+<P>Six months after you arrived at DC1, the colony was faced with a major crisis. A heat wave was causing a drought that threatened to destroy the food supply. Crops were failing and the colony's artesian well, its only source of uncontaminated water, was beginning to dry up. The,drought was also provoking more attacks from the city punks, who were desperate for
+food and water. Their common need had united them and now they posed a very real threat to the security of DC1. It was the last day of May, 2020, when Pop Ewell made radio contact with another colony, who were based in the city of Big Spring, 300 miles west of McKinney. Their situation was completely the reverse of DCI'S: they had food and water in plentiful supply but they were desperately short of fuel. They told of their contact with survivors in Tucson,
+Arizona, who were also without fuel. The Tucson colony reported that the territories west of the Sierra Nevada mountains had been spared the worst effects of the radioactive blizzards that had devastated the rest of the country and, miraculously, much of southern California was still widely populated: it had survived the last eight years virtually intact. When you heard the news you could hardly believe your ears. Perhaps your family were still alive. After all that had happened, there was now a real hope that one day you might be reunited with them.</P>
+
+<P>A meeting was held to decide how best to deal with the crisis facing DC1. Everyone agreed that to stay at McKinney would lead to eventual death, either slowly from starvation or suddenly at the hands of the murderous city gangs. The only choice open to DC1 was to try to reach California; only there lay real hope for the future of the colony. The decision was
+relayed to the survivors at Big Spring and a deal was struck to rendezvous with them as soon as possible. DC1 would give them fuel in exchange for food and water, and together they would join up with the Tucson colony for the final stage of the journey to California.</P>
+
+<P>Careful preparations were made for the long trek, and three vehicles were chosen to make up the convoy: the school bus, your customized roadster, and a gasolene tanker laden with 5000 gallons of petroleum syphoned from underground storage tanks at the Ewell ranch. Supplies of food and water were adequate but the colony lacked sufficient firearms and ammunition with which to defend itself. On the day before the convoy was due to leave, one of the colonists was sent north to search the town of Sherman for weapons. He radioed back to say that he had found a cache of hunting rifles and ammunition, but that his truck had broken down and he was stranded in the town. He had also found a survivor - a beautiful teenage girl - and he requested that you go to Sherman to pick them up. As soon as you arrived you were ambushed by the scouts of a brutal gang of bikers known as the Detroit Lions and, in the ensuing gun battle, you killed Stinger - the scouts' leader.</P>
+
+<P>Later you learned that the girl - Kate Norton - was the sole survivor of a Kansas City colony, which had been attacked and wiped out by the Detroit Lions. The Lions' leader, who calls himself 'Mad Dog Michigan', had taken a liking to her and spared her life. Mad Dog was once a high-ranking HAVOC agent who had escaped from Pontiac Deep Pen near Detroit,
+and he and his gang, most of whom were also HAVOC escapees, were heading for the Fort Hood
+Military Reserve near Killeen, Texas, the largest armoury in the whole of the United States. There he hoped to find enough weapons to equip the other HAVOC clans who were now in control of cities all along the eastern seaboard. Kate had managed to steal a motorcycle and escape from their camp, but Mad Dog was determined to get her back. He sent his brother - Stinger - and a handful of his best scouts to track her down, and they had finally caught up
+with her at Sherman.</P>
+
+<P>When Mad Dog learned that you had killed his brother, he vowed to get even with you at any price. He abandoned his plans to loot Fort Hood and embarked instead on a relentless pursuit of your colony as it crossed the sun-scorched wastelands of Texas. The journey to Big Spring was fraught with great danger, and yet, in spite of the many perils you faced - perhaps because of them - you felt yourself falling in love with Kate. Moreover you sensed that
+she was becoming increasingly fond of you. Sadly, the convoy was only a few miles from Big Spring when disaster struck. The land surrounding the settlement was controlled by a gang of bikers, a renegade clan called 'the Mavericks' who had been the bane of the Big Spring colony for many months. As the convoy drew nearer to its destination, the Mavericks launched an attack, and, in the running battle that ensued, they captured and abducted Kate. The convoy entered the fortified gates of Big Spring to a rapturous welcome from the colonists of that
+settlement, but for you the mood of celebration was soured by the vivid memory of Kate's abduction. You vowed to rescue her, and from that moment on every waking minute of every day at Big Spring was spent thinking about little else.</P>
+
+<P>By chance it transpired that the leader of the Mavericks, a blond-haired murderer called Amex Gold, was a former HAVOC agent who had served under Mad Dog Michigan before 'The Day'. He offered to join forces with the Lions, and, as a gesture of his loyalty to his former commander, he returned Kate to him. Together the Lions and the Mavericks launched a hasty attack on Big Spring, yet, although they outnumbered the colony by more than three to one, they were unable to breach the settlement's fortified perimeter wall, and were repelled with heavy losses. On the day after the attack, Pop Ewell discovered the radio frequency that the clansmen were using and was able to eavesdrop on their communications. He learned that Mad Dog had ordered another HAVOC clan - the Saints - who were based in New Orleans, to come to reinforce his command; they were expected to arrive within the week. He also overheard Mad Dog arrange a meeting with Mekong Mike, the leader of the Angelinos, a gang who controlled the city of San Angelo. He wanted him as an ally and was prepared to offer guns and ammunition in return for his help in destroying the Big Spring colony. Two days later, Mad Dog Michigan set off for San Angelo at the head of a motorcycle pack 200 riders strong. Those few clansmen who remained with Amex Gold tried all manner of tricks to convince the colony that the Mavericks and the Lions still surrounded Big Spring in strength, but to no avail. The senior members of the newly enlarged colony convened a meeting at which it was decided that, with the clansmen now at their weakest, and with the appearance of the New Orleans gang expected at any time, a breakout had to be attempted without delay. There was only one way for the colony to reach Tucson overland and that was to follow the remains of Interstate Freeway 10
+through the arid, mountainous territory of western Texas. Precisely half-way between Big Spring and Tucson is the city of El Paso. To reach this city in one piece became the convoy's goal, for it lay at the end of a long and tortuous stretch of mountain highway, undoubtedly one of the toughest you would have to face on your journey to California.</P>
+
+<P>Under cover of darkness, the convoy escaped from Big Spring and sped westwards, now your vow to rescue Kate could at last be attempted and, at the first opportunity, you told the colony of your plans. Reluctantly they let you leave the convoy and go to San Angelo, where you intended to infiltrate the meeting between the Lions and Angelinos in the hope of finding Kate there. Your skill and daring were rewarded: you were able to locate and rescue Kate from under the very noses of the clan leaders. During your escape from their city you killed Mekong
+Mike, the Angelinos' leader, and stole a map from Mad Dog Michigan. Later you discovered that this map contained vital details of a HAVOC operation to take over the whole of the United States.</P>
+
+<P>As you escaped westwards from San Angelo, you encountered three soldiers, survivors from a World Defence League outpost in southern Texas, who were also heading for El Paso where the remnants of their command group were stationed. You joined them and together you made a rendezvous with the convoy at the entrance to the only passable road through the
+Apache Mountains. A fierce battle was raging along this pass, between the Mavericks and a renegade clan of Mexicans, who had crossed the border in search of food and supplies. The convoy was forced to run the gauntlet of their gunfire before finally reaching its goal. Upon entering the city, you received a warm welcome from the WDL command group who were
+defending the military reserve of Fort Bliss. They celebrated your arrival for several days until the victorious mood was soured by the appearance of Mad Dog Michigan and an army of clansmen over 1,000 strong. He had persuaded the Mexicans to join the Lions, the Mavericks and the Saints, all of whom were now united to his cause. The situation was desperate. Faced by overwhelming odds the WDL command tried to negotiate with Mad Dog but he rejected their attempts with disdain. He sent a reply to the command leader, Captain Frankland, in which
+he reaffirmed his vow to avenge his brother's death. His aims were brutally simple: he promised that neither you, nor any of the colony, would ever leave El Paso alive. He set up headquarters in Ciudad Juarez, on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, from which he directed his clan army to encircle and lay siege to the colony.</P>
+
+<P>For two weeks, he launched repeated attacks calculated to weaken your defences. The colony withstood the assaults, but this constant attrition began to erode your hopes of ever being able to break out of El Paso and reach Tucson intact. Then a radio message was intercepted that was to turn the desperate situation into a crisis. A clan convoy of trucks was leaving Zaragoza bound for Mad Dog's headquarters in Ciudad Juarez. On board were enough high explosives to blow Fort Bliss and everyone in it to sightless atoms. Something had to be done to prevent Mad Dog from using these explosives. Out of desperation was born a daring plan
+to save the lives of the colony and disrupt the enemy just long enough for you all to break out of El Paso.</P>
+
+<P>The plan is to destroy the explosives as soon as they reach Ciudad Juarez to prevent Mad Dog Michigan from using them against the colony. It is a dangerous and potentially suicidal mission, too difficult for one man alone, so Captain Frankland offers to lead the mission and calls for three volunteers to accompany him. WDL Sergeant Haskell and WDL Marine Knott
+accept the challenge, but no one else steps forward readily to fill the remaining place. The future of the colony hinges on the success of this mission, and with this thought paramount in your mind, you summon up the courage to volunteer as the fourth member of the team.</P>
+
+
+
+
+
+<P>Before embarking on your adventure, you must first determine your personal characteristics and the weapons and provisions with which you are equipped. On pages 6 and 7 you will find an Action Chart on which to record and amend these details as the adventure unfolds. For ease of use during play it is recommended that you photocopy these pages.</P>
+
+<P>Your personal characteristics comprise two basic attributes: CLOSE COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE. To discover your initial CLOSE COMBAT SKILL, take a pencil and, with your eyes closed, point the blunt end of it on to the Random Number Table at the back of this book. If you pick a 0 it counts as zero. Add 10 to the number you have picked and write the total in the CLOSE COMBAT SKILL section of your Action Chart (for example, if your pencil falls on the number 5 in the Random Number Table, you have a CLOSE COMBAT SKILL total of 15). When you fight an enemy in hand-to-hand combat, your CL0SE COMBAT SKILL will be measured against that of your enemy, so a high score in this section is desirable.</P>
+
+<P>To discover your ENDURANCE level, repeat the process, but this time add 20 to the number you have picked from the Random Number Table. Write the total in the ENDURANCE section of your Action Chart (for example, if your pencil falls on the number 8 on the Random Number Table, you have a total ENDURANCE score of 28). If you are wounded in combat, or injured at any other time during your adventure you Will lose ENDURANCE points. If, at any time, your ENDURANCE points total falls to zero, you are dead and the adventure is over. You can regain
+lost ENDURANCE points during the course of the adventure, but your ENDURANCE level can never rise above your initial score.</P>
+<P>Ever since the day you returned to the surface, you have endeavoured to develop your skills and natural instincts fully in order to best defend yourself and your colony.</P>
+
+<P>Listed on your Action Chart are your five basic survival skills:</P>
+
+<H5>Driving</H5>
+<P>Your ability to control powered vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles and trucks.</P>
+
+<H5>Shooting</H5>
+<P>Your familiarity and experience in the use of missile weapons, such as pistols, machine pistols, shotguns and rifles.</P>
+
+<H5>Field craft</H5>
+<P>Your knowledge and experience of all aspects of outdoor survival.</P>
+
+<H5>Stealth</H5>
+<P>Your physical fitness, the speed of your reflexes and your dexterity.</P>
+
+<H5>Perception</H5>
+<P>Your intelligence, your ability to evaluate information, your education and your mental alertness.</P>
+
+<P>Your ability in each of these five individual skills is measured in skill points. You begin with 3 points per skill. Before starting the adventure, you may allocate an additional 4 skill points to your list of five survival skills. These 4 extra points can be used to improve
+one or more of your five skills. During your adventure, all five skills will be severely tested, therefore the higher the individual skill level, the better your chances of survival. You may allocate your 4 additional points entirely how you like.</P>
+
+<P>When you have decided where to allocate your 4 additional skill points, make a note of the totals in the Survival Skills section of your Action Chart. (If this is your first Freeway Warrior adventure, your total number of skill points should be 19: five skills x 3 points each = 15, plus 4 additional skill points = 19 points.)</P>
+
+<P>If you complete successfully the mission set in Book 3 of the Freeway Warrior series, you may add an additional 4 points to your Survival Skills in Book 4. These additional points, together with any equipment and provisions that you possess at the end of Book 3, may then be used in the next Freeway Warrior adventure, which is called:</P>
+
+<P>California Countdown</P>
+<P>Apart from your clothing, a number of useful items form your basic equipment. This comprises a Backpack, and a belt on which'hangs your Ammo Pouch, Medi-kit, Water Canteen and Hunting Knife. In addition to these items, you possess a map of New Mexico/Arizona (see the inside front cover of this book), which you carry tucked inside your leather jacket.</P>
+
+<H5>Backpack</H5>
+<P>Up to ten separate items may be stored and carried in your Backpack at any time. However, if more than three items are carried, your Stealth level will be reduced by I point. If more than six items are carried, your Stealth level will be reduced by 2 points; and if you carry a full Backpack (containing ten items) your Stealth level will be reduced by 3 points.</P>
+
+<P>In order to equip yourself for the task ahead, you may choose up to four items from the following list:</P>
+<UL>
+<LI>SOLAR TORCH</LI>
+<LI>HE (High Explosive) GRENADE</LI>
+<LI>BINOCULARS</LI>
+<LI>COMPASS</LI>
+<LI>CB RADIO</LI>
+<LI>ROPE</LI>
+<LI>THREE MEALS (each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack)</LI>
+<LI>FLEXIBLE SAW</LI>
+<LI>BOX OF MATCHES</LI>
+</UL>
+<P>List the items you have chosen on your Action Chart. If you have picked four items, adjust your current stealth level accordingly.</P>
+
+<P>Opportunities may arise during your adventure for you to pick up useful items. These items will appear in the text in hold print and, unless you are instructed otherwise, they can be stored and carried in your Backpack.</LI>
+
+<P>You will need to eat regularly. If you do not possess any food when you are instructed to eat a Meal, you will lose 3 ENDURANCE points.</P>
+
+<H5>Ammo Pouch</H5>
+<P>Your Ammo Pouch is where you store any spare ammunition for firearms. It can hold a maximum of the following:</P>
+
+<P>40 rounds of 9mm-calibre Pistol/Machine Pistol ammunition<BR />
+or<BR />
+20 rounds of 7.62mm-calibre Rifle ammunition<BR />
+or<BR />
+10 rounds of 12-gauge-calibre Shotgun ammunition<P>
+
+<P>When carrying mixed calibres of ammunition, use the equation below to check how much space you have left in your Ammo Pouch:<BR />
+
+4 x 9 mm rounds = 2 x 7.62 rounds = I x 12-gauge round<BR />
+Additional ammunition can be carried in your Backpack. Ammunition occupies one space for each quantity that is equal to (or less than) the maximum that can be carried in one Ammo Pouch.</P>
+
+<H5>Medi-kit</H5>
+<P>A well-stocked Medi-kit can make all the difference to your chances of survival should you suffer injury in the field or as a result of combat. It contains useful first aid supplies, such as dressings, antiseptics, antibiotics, water purification tablets, sulphonamides, pain killers, potassium iodide tablets (to delay absorption of radioactivity) and sutures.</P>
+
+<P>For convenience, these medical supplies are grouped into units. To find how many units you have in your Medi-kit, pick a number from the Random Number Table (0 equals 10) and add 2. Your total score equals the number of units with which you begin your adventure. To keep a record of them, circle the appropriate- number of unit symbols in the Medi-kit section of your Action Chart. The maximum number of units you can carry in your Medi-kit is twelve.</P>
+
+<P>You may use your Medi-kit units to restore lost ENDURANCE points; each unit used in this way restores 3 points. Units cannot be used to restore ENDURANCE points in lieu of a Meal or Water when instructed to eat or drink.</P>
+
+<H5>Water Canteen</H5>
+<P>Water is essential to life, and your life will depend on having a sufficient, uncontaminated supply. You will need to drink regularly during your adventure. One drink is equivalent to half a pint and your canteen holds exactly two pints of water: enough for one day's needs. When instructed to drink, be sure to tick off one box in the Water section of your Action Chart.</P>
+
+<P>If you do not have any Water when instructed to drink, you must lose 3 ENDURANCE points.</P>
+
+<H5>Close Combat Weapons</H5>
+<P>These weapons aid you in hand-to-hand fighting. You begin your adventure armed with a Hunting Knife which, when used in close combat, adds 2 points to your CLOSE COMBAT SKILL. Note this Hunting Knife in the Close Combat Weapons section of your Action Chart.</P>
+
+<P>If you find a close combat weapon during your adventure, you may pick it up and use it. Close combat weapons appear in the text with a close combat skill number; for example, Machete (3). This number indicates how many points this weapon will add to your CLOSE COMBAT SKILL When used in a hand-to-hand fight.</P>
+
+<P>The maximum number of close combat weapons you may carry is two.</P>
+
+<H5>Missile Weapons</H5>
+<P>There are four types of missile weapon:<BR />
+<UL>
+<LI>Pistol</LI>
+<LI>Machine Pistol</LI>
+<LI>Shotgun</LI>
+<LI>Rifle</LI></UL></P>
+
+<P>Unless you are carrying over weapons from a previous Freeway Warrior book, you begin your adventure armed with only one of these weapons. Make your choice and then record the weapon you have chosen, together with its calibre and rate of fire details, in the Missile Weapons section of your Action Chart.</P>
+
+<P>In order to be able to use a missile weapon, you must have sufficient ammunition of the correct calibre. The following list shows the calibre of each weapon, the amount that is used every time the weapon is fired, and the number of rounds that you possess at the start of your adventure:</P>
+
+ Calibre Rate of Fire Initial No. of rounds
+PISTOL 9mm I 8
+MACHINE PISTOL 9mm 6 30
+SHOTGUN 12-gauge 1 4
+RIFLE 7.62mm 1 4
+
+<P>The initial number of rounds should be noted in the Ammo Pouch section of, your Action Chart. Missile weapons cannot be used if you run out of ammunition or possess rounds of the wrong calibre. However, the opportunity may arise for you to replenish your supply of ammunition and/or discover a weapon of the correct calibre.</P>
+
+<P>You may carry a maximum of three missile weapons. However, for every missile weapon that you carry (excluding your initial choice), you must reduce your Stealth level by 1 point.</P>
+<P>There will be occasions when you will have to fight an enemy in hand-to-hand combat. The enemy's CLOSE COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE level will both be given in the text. Your aim in close combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his ENDURANCE points to zero while losing as few of your own ENDURANCE points as possible.</P>
+
+<P>At the start of a close combat, enter both your own and your enemy's ENDURANCE points in the appropriate boxes on the Close Combat Record section of your Action Chart. The sequence for close combat is as follows:</P>
+
+<P>1. Add any extra points gained through the use of close combat weapons to your current CLOSE COMBAT SKILL total.</P>
+
+<P>2. Subtract the CLOSE COMBAT SKILL of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter it on the Action Chart.</P>
+
+<P>Example<BR />
+Cal Phoenix (CLOSE COMBAT SKILL 17) is attacked by a Renegade Clansman (CLOSE COMBAT SKILL 18). He is not given the opportunity to evade close combat, but must stand and fight his adversary. Cal Phoenix is armed with a Hunting Knife [2], so he adds 2 points to his CLOSE COMBAT SKILL, giving a total CLOSE COMBAT SKILL Of 19.<BR />
+
+He subtracts the Renegade Clansman's CLOSE COMBAT SKILL from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of + 1 (19 - 18 = + 1). He notes this + 1 on his Action Chart as the Combat Ratio.</P>
+
+<P>3 .After working out your Combat Ratio, pick a number from the Random Number Table.</P>
+
+<P>4. Turn to the Close Combat Results Table on the inside back cover of the book. Along the top of the chart are the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-refer it with the number that you have picked (the random numbers appear down the side of the chart). You now have the ENDURANCE Points lost by both Cal Phoenix and his enemy in this round of close combat. (E represents points lost by the enemy;
+CP represents points lost by Cal Phoenix.)</P>
+
+<P>Example<BR />
+The Combat Ratio between Cal Phoenix and the Renegade Clansman has been established as + 1. If the number picked from the Random Number Table is a 4, then the result of the first round of close combat is:<BR />
+
+Cal Phoenix loses 3 ENDURANCE points<BR />
+Renegade Clansman loses 4 ENDURANCE points.</P>
+
+<P>5 .On the Action Chart, mark the changes in ENDURANCE points to the participants in the
+close combat.</P>
+
+<P>6. Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, start the next round of close combat.</P>
+
+<P>7. Repeat the sequence from stage 3.</P>
+
+<P>This procedure continues until the ENDURANCE points of either the enemy or Cal Phoenix are reduced to zero, at which point the one whose score is zero is declared dead. If Cal Phoenix is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Cal Phoenix proceeds but with a reduced ENDURANCE point score.</P>
+
+<P>A summary of the close combat rules appears on the page after the Random Number Table.</P>
+
+<H5>Evasion of combat</H5>
+<P>During your adventure you mdy be given the chance to evade close combat. If you have already engaged in a round of close combat and decide to evade, calculate the combat for that round in the usual manner. All ENDURANCE points lost by the enemy as a result of that round are ignored; only Cal Phoenix may lose ENDURANCE points during that round, but that is the
+risk of running away! You may evade combat only if the text of that particular section allows you to do so.</P>
+
+
+
+
+-->
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="numbered">
+ <meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect1">
+ <meta><title>1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your decision to join Captain Frankland's group pro- vokes a mixed reaction among the original members of Dallas Colony One. They put on a brave face and applaud your courage, outwardly proud that one of their number will be part of his team, but they can- not mask their fear for you, not knowing what awaits you beyond the perimeter wall of the Fort Bliss stronghold.</p>
+ <p>Using maps and equipment salvaged from the military reservation and adjoining airport, Captain Frankland and Sergeant Haskell formulate a plan of action. At midnight, the team will leave the stronghold and attempt to slip unseen through the surrounding enemy cordon. After that the El Paso city ruins should provide enough cover for you to avoid the clan patrols as you make you way south towards the Rio Grande, where only one bridge across the river still stands - the Stanton Street Toll Bridge. The approaches are known to be guarded but the bridge itself is rarely occupied. The plan is to cross the river by this bridge, using a service walkway that runs directly beneath its central span.</p>
+ <p>On the Mexican side of the bridge lies Ciudad Juarez, the sprawling, derelict shanty town where Mad Dog Michigan (in deference to Santiago - the Mexican clan leader) has based his operations. The convoy of explosives is due to arrive there at two o'clock tomorrow morning. The team must locate and destroy the trucks and their deadly cargoes as quickly as possible, using contact mines. The resulting explosions are sure to cause panic among the clansmen surrounding Fort Bliss. They will also pro- vide a clear signal to the colony, who will, by then, be ready to exploit the confusion and break through the cordon. Once clear, they are to follow Interstate 10, firstly north towards Las Cruces, then west towards your intended destination - the city of Tucson.</p>
+ <p>For you, the real danger begins as soon as the mission is accomplished. Once the explosives have been destroyed, the team must hijack a clan vehicle and escape from Ciudad Juarez as best it can. If all goes to plan, you will rejoin the colony at the New Mexican town of Deming, 100 miles north-west of El Paso, at noon the following day. if the team fails to make this rendezvous the colony will continue regardless.</p>
+ <p>The few hours before midnight pass quickly. The colony uses the cover of darkness to prepare their vehicles for the breakout. Kate will be driving your roadster, and you use this as an excuse to spend what little time there is left before the mission with her, supposedly briefing her on the quirks and idio- syncrasies of the car. Everyone is aware that she already knows everything there is to know about your car but no one is insensitive enough to make any comment.</p>
+ <p>At five minutes to midnight, Captain Frankland calls you to join the team. 'You take good care of my car, y'hear,' you whisper, as reluctantly you free yourself rom Kate's tender embrace.</p>
+ <p>'Only if you promise to take good care of yourself,' he replies, her voice wavering as she tries to control he fear that is simultaneously tightening her throat and churning her stomach.</p>
+ <p>'Don't worry, Kate. I've got a feeling that everything's gonna work out just fine. You'll see. Tomorrow we'll be together again in Deming.'</p>
+ <p>I hope so, Cal,' she says, 'I dearly hope so.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect276"><link-text>Turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect2">
+ <meta><title>2</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave your Backpack and gun with Sergeant Haskell, select a close combat weapon, and then follow Captain Frankland towards the jeep. The two Mavericks are oblivious to your presence as you circle around stealthily and creep towards the rear of their vehicle. A heavy, belt-fed machine gun, mounted on a column behind the front seat, half-conceals your approach, and you are soon crouching behind the jeep itself.</p>
+ <p>With bated breath you wait for Frankland's signal. Having satisfied himself that the surrounding area is clear, he nods his head and together you leap on the unsuspecting clansmen from behind.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If your total score is 21 or less, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If it is 22 or more, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect3">
+ <meta><title>3</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leap over the tailgate and land on the sloping rubble. The debris is loose and you nearly lose your footing, but you recover quickly when a scything burst of gunfire shatters the rocks near your feet. You scramble towards the front of the truck, a fearful hail of bullets chasing you every step of the way.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect223">If your total is 14 or less, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect170">If your total is 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect4">
+ <meta><title>4</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your target falls to the ground, but you cannot be sure if he has been hit or if he is diving for cover. You move away from the window in case he tries to return fire, and with nerves on edge, you wait a full minute before chancing another glance out of the window. The assassin is nowhere to be seen, and you fear that he may have gained access to the courthouse. With gun in hand, you peer into the passage outside, then through the banisters at the entrance and lobby below: all are empty.</p>
+ <p>You decide to make your escape from the courthouse while you can. The passage leads to a staircase, at the bottom of which is a fire exit. Through a crack in the door, you see that the yard outside is empty, so you push open the locking bar and pass through. You have taken only a few steps from the door when the assassin rushes around the corner of the court- house with his rifle in his hand.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If you possess sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect5">
+ <meta><title>5</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Again the siren blares from above the east gate but this time it is an alarm signal. Knott responds by slamming his foot to the floor and steering the lumbering truck towards the west gate. Harsh voices curse, then gunshots ring out.</p>
+ <p>'Get down!' shouts Captain Frankland, as the bullets rip through the thin canvas covering and ricochet off the rear of the driver's cab. Instantly you flatten yourself to the floor, which leaps and shudders against your cheek as the truck rams into the west gate. The rot-infested doors offer little resistance: they are wrenched from their hinges and set spinning through the air to disintegrate on landing.</p>
+ <p>More shots are fired but none seem to find their target. You risk a glance over the tailgate to see the race track receding into the distance. In the street outside the track, a handful of determined Angelino clansmen are kick-starting their motorcycles in readiness to pursue you. You know just how dangerous these bikers can be, so you raise your gun and rest its barrel on the tailgate, waiting for the clansmen to come within range.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect42"><link-text>Turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect6">
+ <meta><title>6</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'It could be the sniper,' whispers Knott, wide-eyed with fear. Immediately the two of you step off the trail and crouch behind the nearest tree. Without daring to breathe, you state fixedly at the forest ahead, glimpsing movements among the foliage. Then you catch sight of a man's bearded face and Knott, his nerves stretched to breaking point, draws his pistol and looses off three rounds in quick succession.</p>
+ <p>The bullets rip open the bark of a pine tree less than a foot from where the man is standing. Startled, he freezes with shock, then he takes to his heels and crashes noisily through the foliage in his desperation to get away.</p>
+ <p>'Ha! That's seen him off,' says Knott.</p>
+ <p>'Yeah,' you reply, but your voice is tinged with doubt. You are not convinced that a crack HAVOC assassin would have allowed himself to have been seen so easily, or have behaved in such a way when coming under fire. 'Let's make sure he doesn't come back,' you say, and beckon Knott to follow as you give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect54"><link-text>Turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect7">
+ <meta><title>7</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A bright yellow bulldozer with its earth scoop lowered is trundling along the main street on a head-on col- lision course with the truck. The shock of this unex- pected attack makes Knott panic. He slams his foot on the brake, bringing the truck to a grinding halt. There is a moment of dead silence when the engine stalls, then the peace is shattered as Captain Frankland screams at Knott to start the engine and get the truck out of the path of the oncoming bulldozer.</p>
+ <p>The impending collision has distracted your atten- tion from the rear of the truck, but you are quick to react when Haskell yells for your help. Two Mexican clansmen are scrambling over the tailgate. Quickly they fall upon the sergeant, preventing you from opening fire for fear of hitting him. They fight like maniacs, and, amid a flurry of kicks and punches, your weapon is wrenched from your grasp and you are knocked to the floor.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Slammer</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the frenzy of the attack, you are unable to use a close combat weapon until the second round of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect55">If you win in the combat, <link-text>turn to 55</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect8">
+ <meta><title>8</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The bullet whistles past your left ear, close enough for you to feel the draught. The proximity of the shot spurs you to greater effort and, with a sudden burst of speed, you sprint the remaining few yards across the plateau and along a trail into the trees beyond. Almost immediately the trail drops steeply, causing you to lose your footing and tumble head over heals. When eventually you come to a stop, you are covered from head to toe with scratches and other minor abra- sions: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>From here your descent through the forest continues with comparative ease. Soon you reach the stream that you discovered during your ascent, and you stop here briefly to try to determine if you are still being pursued. The surrounding trees seem unnaturally quiet, and it is easy to imagine that an assassin lurks behind every trunk.</p>
+ <p>With trepidation you continue, leaving the trail to follow the water as it flows west towards the Swissheim Mountains. You cover twelve miles without incident and by early evening you arrive at a small bridge where a road, running north to south, crosses the stream. You check your map, but the road is too minor to be listed. You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect43">If you wish to leave the stream and follow the road, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect175">If you choose to continue along the stream, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect9">
+ <meta><title>9</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You drop to your knees and scurry for cover under a nearby computer terminal. You have barely stopped moving when there is a loud crash and the main door is sent flying clean off its hinges. In strides the clansman, his torch held chest-high as he plays it back and forth across the desks. You reach to your gun as his bloodhound comes snuffling into the room, but you dare not cock your weapon for fear of revealing your hiding place.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect185">If the number you have picked is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8), <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect319">If the number you have picked is odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect10">
+ <meta><title>10</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you break cover, you hear another shot and feel something hot and sharp graze the top of your head: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. The awful suddenness and accuracy of the sniper's shot makes you think twice. You abandon your attempt to spot him and seek once more the safety of the truck's steel skin.</p>
+ <p>Out of the corner of your eye you see the captain cock his machine pistol and get ready to open fire. 'OK, I'm gonna see if I can flush this Yankee out,' he says vehemently, clearly unimpressed by how near you came to death. 'When I start firin', you see if you can pinpoint where he is.'</p>
+ <p>You nod in uneasy agreement and get ready to glance around the tailgate the instant the captain opens fire. 'Let's do it!' he says, as he rises above the cover of the truck and squeezes off a burst of automatic fire. The noise of his gun drowns out the sniper's shot, but within a second of his breaking cover, Frankland is hit. With the machine pistol still chattering in his hands, he falls backwards and crashes to the ground, the assassin's bullet lodged deep in his skull.</p>
+ <p>The shock of Frankland's death, following so closely after Sergeant Haskell's and so nearly after your own, hits you like an icy shower. You cower behind the truck, shivering with fear and convinced that you will be next. For a terrible moment, the fear wells up and consumes you, and all you want to do is run as far away and as fast as you can. Despite Knott's pleas to stay where you are, you scramble to your feet and stumble blindly towards the woods. In your haste you trip and fall, grazing your hands and knees on the flint-sharp shale: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>Inadvertently, your fall saves your life. Another shot passes over your head barely a second after you stumble, missing you by a hand's breadth. The imminent danger clears your mind and you race towards the trees with a determination to survive. Knott encourages you to increase your speed and you pray that you will reach cover before the sniper has a chance to slip another round into the breech of his rifle.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> Points score. [Note: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items in order to increase your Stealth skill level.]</p>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If your total score is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect83">If it is 16-19, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect11">
+ <meta><title>11</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Knott comes to your aid, having silenced his adver- sary, and together you defeat this formidable clansman. You and Knott then search the two bodies, and the saddlebags of their motorcycle, and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Binoculars</li>
+ <li>Compass</li>
+ <li>Signal Flare</li>
+ <li>Pistol (containing four rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Shotgun (containing two rounds of 12-gauge ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Hammer [2]</li>
+ <li>Three rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
+ <li>Eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>Enough food for three Meals</li>
+ <li>Enough water for four Drinks</li>
+ <li>Enough water purification tablets, bandages, pain killers, and antispeties for four Medi-kit units.</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these weapons, ammuni- tion, Medi-kit units or Backpack items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly. You hide the bodies before entering the gas station to took for the spare ignition unit.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect273"><link-text>Turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect12">
+ <meta><title>12</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Collision with the barrier has damaged Mad Dog's car: a section of the front fender is buckled against the wheel, slowing it considerably. In your deadly duel, his supercharged car no longer has the advan- tage of speed. However, even though it is damaged, it still possesses enough power to enable him to catch you.</p>
+ <p>In the distance a bridge is fast approaching. It crosses a channelled drainageway, fed by the Pantona Wash. An Amcorp Landcruiser, one of the colony's vehicles, has broken down and been abandoned on its ap- proach ramp. The bus blocks two lanes of the freeway, leaving just enough room for one vehicle to pass.</p>
+ <p>The two of you speed towards this narrow gap, neck and neck, each determined to be the first to get across. Desperate to beat you, Mad Dog brings his speedster dangerously close. You are three seconds away from the gap when he rams your door.</p>
+ <p>Add your Driving skill total to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add it to your total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220">If your total score is 21 or less, <link-text>turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect105">If your total score is 22-28, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect70">If your total score is 29 or more, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect13">
+ <meta><title>13</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dive to the ground and let out a yelp of pain as you gash the palms of your hands and knees on the jagged rubble (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Marine Knott lands beside you as the beam of torchlight passes over your body. For a few seconds it hovers nearby, then it returns to bathe you both in its reveal- ing glare.</p>
+ <p>An angry shout is followed by two gunshots and the sound of dogs barking. The bullets slam into the ground near your head. 'Run for it!' you hiss. 'We've been seen.'</p>
+ <p>Ignoring the stinging pain of your wounds, you rise to your feet and sprint towards the darkness. Knott disappears to your left just seconds before you reach the freeway arch. You continue to run and are about to emerge from beneath the elevated freeway when the sound of growling stops you dead in your tracks. Ahead two squat shadows move purposefully towards you. You raise your gun but hesitate to pull the trigger for fear of attracting more of the enemy. Your moment's hesitation is seen as a sign of weakness, and instantly the two dogs bound forwards and hurl themselves at your chest.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Pit Bull Terriers</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed and the ferocity of their attack You cannot make use of a close combat weapon until the beginning of the second round of combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect120">If the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect14">
+ <meta><title>14</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In an instant your exhilaration vanishes and a cold, numbing fear returns to chill your spine. You freeze, not daring to move a muscle in case you betray your hiding place. Suddenly you hear the sound of feet moving through the scrub, and you know that the sniper is approaching and that you must act quickly if you are to escape alive.</p>
+ <p>Frantically you scramble to your feet and run headlong into the forest. You have covered less than twenty yards when you chance a glance over your shoulder to see someone following in your wake. You are moving too swiftly to be able to discern their features, yet you dare not slow your pace to satisfy your curiosity. It could prove to be a fatal mistake.</p>
+ <p>Soon the timberland begins a steep descent towards the plateau. Although you have difficulty checking your speed, you manage to stop yourself by clinging to a trunk at the edge of the clearing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240">If you wish to dash across the plateau, towards the cover of the pines on the far side, <link-text>turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect207">If you choose to skirt around the plateau, under cover of its perimeter trees, <link-text>turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect15">
+ <meta><title>15</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The force of the impact sends you both reeling to the ground. Desperately you scramble to your feet, shak- ing your head in an effort to clear your vision. You regain your footing before the clansman and immedi- ately you seize the advantage and attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Yucatan</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">18</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to your having the first strike, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points losses you sustain in the first round of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect197">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect16">
+ <meta><title>16</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cursing your predicament, you gun the jeep along the mountain highway as fast as you dare. Captain Frankland and Sergeant Haskell are manning the heavy machine gun, ready to use it as soon as the clansmen appear, while Marine Knott is busy dress- ing a wound he has sustained to his shoulder. You can see by his expression that he is in pain. However, it is only a flesh wound and he has not lost the use of his arm.</p>
+ <p>Dawn is breaking and you can see the highway continuing due south, deeper into the mountains, leading you away from all hope of an early rendez- vous with the colony. The further you go, the poorer the road surface becomes until all your skill and concentration are required to avoid crashing.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Driving skill total and current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect184">If your total score is 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect258">If it is 14-18, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect336">If it is 19 or more, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect17">
+ <meta><title>17</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You roll away from the dead clansman and scramble to your feet in time to see his partner escaping towards the exit ramp. You must prevent him from raising the alarm, so you sprint after him as fast as your aching legs will allow. You catch up with him near the top of the ramp and dive forward, dragging him to his knees with a flying tackle. You ready yourself for a fight but such action proves unnecessary: with a loud crack, his head hits the con- crete as he falls, and he is knocked unconscious.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
+ <meta><title>18</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The west side of the rockfall is far less steep and you have no difficulty descending to the road. Repeatedly you glance over your shoulder as you escape along the broken highway, cursing your pursuer and the lack of cover. You attempt to maintain a fast pace but the heat, the dust, and the fear, which is gnawing at your insides, all conspire to sap your strength. Four hundred yards from the mound, the best you can achieve is a lumbering shuffle.</p>
+ <p>You are turning to glance over your shoulder once more when a shot rings out and an agonizing pain pierces your left temple. The pain fills your head and courses down your spine, bringing you crashing to the ground. Then it disappears, to be replaced by a numbness that clouds your vision and drains the last of your strength from your unfeeling limbs. An over- whelming desire to sleep assails your senses, and, although you fight to stay awake, it is a fight you have no hope of winning.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Arizona.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect19">
+ <meta><title>19</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire blows open the front tyre and sends the motorcycle skidding away to your left, missing the pump by inches. With a screech of buckled metal it crashes down on its side, rolls over and over, then slams into the gas station wall. Cautiously you approach the tangled, smoking wreckage with your gun poised. You are still very wary of this maniacal rider even though the chances of his surviving such a terrible crash must be slim indeed.</p>
+ <p>As you expected, the rider is dead. A close examina- tion of his broken body reveals that he was already dead before his machine hit the ground. He was killed by a ricocheting bullet as he sped over the bridge, and his body, slumped over the handlebars, kept the machine balanced in an upright and fixed line.</p>
+ <p>Thinking of how close you came to death makes you break out in a cold sweat. Uneasily you wipe your forehead with the back of your trembling hand as you turn and walk away from the dead clansman and his shattered bike.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect20">
+ <meta><title>20</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A fraction of a second before you fire your weapon, a spurt of yellow flame leaps from the muzzle of the clan commander's rifle. Almost simultaneously a ter- rific force hits you in the chest and sends you reel- ing backwards to crash against the cab. You feel no pain, for two of the seven armour-piercing rounds that have passed through your body pierced your heart. Death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Columbus.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect21">
+ <meta><title>21</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You scream a warning to Kate and together you duck your heads as Mad Dog opens fire with his machine pistol. Your swift action saves you both from decapitation. The bullets pass over the driving com- partment and you escape unscathed.</p>
+ <p>Knowing that your enemy has only one hand on the wheel of his speeding car, you nudge the side of his speedster, tempting him to retaliate. Then, when he rises to your challenge, you brake heavily and, because he is still holding his machine pistol, he fails to react in time to prevent his car from crossing in front of you and hitting the central barrier. Metal twists and sparks fly from his fender as he scrapes along the crash barrier at nearly 100 miles an hour. You put your foot down and overtake him on the left, powering your roadster away as he fights to extricate himself from the barrier's magnet-like grip.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect12"><link-text>Turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect22">
+ <meta><title>22</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With the clansman's position fixed in your mind, you spring up from behind the tailgate and raise your gun to fire. The truck is bumping along the highway, making it impossible to take accurate aim, but for an instant he fills your sights and immediately you pull the trigger.</p>
+ <p>Your shooting proves deadly accurate: the bullet hits him in the forehead, killing him before he can transmit his radio message. Haskell looks at you and grins. He is clearly impressed by your marksmanship. He is about to congratulate you when the truck decelerates. When it stops, Captain Frankland leaves the cab and comes around to the back to check that you are both all right.</p>
+ <p>'We're fine,' you reply; 'bruised, but otherwise just fine.'</p>
+ <p>You help the captain climb over the tailgate. Then, as soon as he is aboard, Knott restarts the engine and you continue on your journey west along Highway 9.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect23">
+ <meta><title>23</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are not prepared to risk your life by drinking contaminated water, so you check your Medi-kit to see if you have any water purification tablets.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect180">If the number you have picked is equal to, or less than, the number of Medi-kit units you have in your possession, <link-text>turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect79">If the number you have picked is greater than the number of Medi-kit units you possess, <link-text>turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect24">
+ <meta><title>24</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With unerring accuracy your weapon spins through the air and hits the clansman in the chest, knocking him flat on his back. He groans, but before he can recover enough strength to raise the alarm, Sergeant Haskell pounds up the steps, his combat blade held before him ready to strike. One swift stab to the heart and the clansman is silenced before he has a chance to alert his confederates on the bridge.</p>
+ <p>'Well done, Cal. And you, too, Haskell,'says Captain Frankland, as the team gathers at the entrance to the walkway and sets about disposing of the sentries. 'If that punk had raised the alarm, we'd have had the whole of Mad Dog's army down on us by now.'</p>
+ <p>You retrieve your close combat weapon, and, after the clansmen have been consigned to the Rio Grande, you check your equipment and follow the others as they hurry away from the walkway area.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect25">
+ <meta><title>25</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansmen are training their spotlight directly into your eyes, effectively blinding you, and you are not able to steer the jeep out of their path until the last moment. The pick-up glances the rear and the sud- den jolt makes you hit your head on the steering column: lose 1 ENEDURANCE point.</p>
+ <p>Despite your injury, you regain control of the jeep quickly and bring it back on to the highway. Captain Frankland is standing behind you, manning the heavy machine gun, and, as the pick-up completes a spectacular 180-degree turn and comes racing back, he cocks the weapon and opens fire.</p>
+ <p>The heavy-calibre rounds riddle the engine and tear the cab to shreds. The truck starts to skid, and then there is a tremendous bang as the fuel tank explodes. As you accelerate on to the freeway, you glance in the driving mirror to see a huge ball of billowing orange flame engulf the remains of the truck and its passengers.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect26">
+ <meta><title>26</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dismount, wheel the motorcycle to the edge of the gully, and then let it tumble down the side. You watch it roll to the bottom before approaching the rockfall and beginning to climb. The mound stands more than sixty feet high, and is as steep and as sheer as a granite mountain in places. You have been climbing less than a few minutes when you have difficulty maintaining your grip. I Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Field Craft skill total. If you possess a Rope or a Tow Chain, add 2 points to your total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect123">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect216">If it is I 0 or more, <link-text>turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect27">
+ <meta><title>27</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fire, but your aim is too high and your shot passes harmlessly over the head of the leading biker. His passenger replies by levelling his pistol, resting it on his shoulder, and squeezing off three rounds in rapid succession. The first slug clips your right shoulder and sends you reeling backwards - lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Immediately, the captain and Sergeant Haskell rush to your aid. Captain Frankland attends to your wound, (erase one Medi-kit unit from your Backpack), while the sergeant picks up your gun and returns fire at the pursuing bikers (erase from your Ammo Pouch the quantity of ammunition that is equal to one round of fire). Above the roar of the engines you hear the leading rider scream out in pain: Haskell has wounded him in the hand, severing a finger. He loses control, swerves violently to the left, somersaults, and then his machine bursts into flame.</p>
+ <p>The incident scares the other riders sufficiently for them to pull back to a safe distance. They continue to tail the truck, but at least they are now out of range.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect149"><link-text>Turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect28">
+ <meta><title>28</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You climb to your feet and brush away the debris. As the smoke clears, you see that the grenade has torn a jagged hole in the log wall. It is large enough to climb through and, without hesitation, you scramble into the shelter through this soot-blackened gap.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect214"><link-text>Turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect29">
+ <meta><title>29</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman is half-way down the steps when your warning shout echoes from the bridge. Instantly, Sergeant Haskell reacts by springing forward and pounding up the steps towards the Mexican clansman, his combat blade held before him ready to strike. The Mexican sees Haskell and freezes in mid-step, his eyes widening with fear and shocked surprise. As he fumbles for his pistol, the sergeant tackles and stabs him to the heart, sending him tumbling backwards to land with a heavy thud on the stone-hard bank of the Rio Grande.</p>
+ <p>'Well done, sergeant. And you, too, Cal,' says Captain Frankland, as the team gathers at the entrance to the walkway and sets about disposing of the sentries. 'If the guy on the steps had had the chance to raise the alarm, we'd have had the whole of Mad Dog's army down on us by now.'</p>
+ <p>After the clansmen have been consigned to the Rio Grande, you check your equipment then follow the others as they hurry away from the walkway area.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect30">
+ <meta><title>30</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You stand up and take hold of the heavy machine gun as Captain Frankland drives off towards the west side of Lordsburg. Haskell locates an ammunition box and helps you to thread a belt of .50-calibre shells into the breech.</p>
+ <p>Most of Mad Dog's clansmen are concentrated around the block of buildings where the truck was discovered, but there are some, most notably the Detroit Lions scouts, who have taken up lookout pos- itions in other parts of the town. You pass two or three of them on your way through Lordsburg, yet they seem to ignore you. The jeep, with its clan mark- ings, and the darkness enable you to pass them without challenge.</p>
+ <p>It is not until you begin your approach to the access ramp of Interstate 10 that you encounter any problem. Soon after your truck was found, Mad Dog despatched a unit of scouts in a pick-up to guard the freeway ramp, just in case. It was a smart move. When these scouts see you approaching, they switch on a spotlight mounted on the roof of the pick-up above the driver's seat, catching you in its beam. When a radio call confirms that you are not what you seem, they accelerate towards you in an attempt to run you off the road.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect143">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 143</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect293">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect31">
+ <meta><title>31</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a crash of breaking glass and you catch sight of something resembling a can of food as it flies through the window and bounces on the carpeted floor. Immediately there is a flash and a stream of sickly, cream-coloured gas shoots from the can. As it fills the room rapidly, your throat tightens and your eyes stream. A wave of nausea hits you and you rush frantically from the room before it fills with noxious tear gas: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Coughing and retching, you stagger along the cor- ridor until you come to a fire exit at the rear of the building. Desperate for clean air, you kick its lock- ing bar and stumble out into the courthouse yard. You have taken just two steps when the assassin comes rushing around the corner of the courthouse, his rifle in his hand.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If you possess a missile weapon and sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect32">
+ <meta><title>32</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You approach the door with caution, taking care to tread lightly on the uneven floorboards to avoid making them creak. A small hatch, covered by a sliding panel of plywood, is positioned in the mid- dle of the door at head height. You guess that it is a spyhole.</p>
+ <p>You place your ear to the door, directly below the covered hatch, and hear muffled voices in the room beyond. Although you cannot hear what is being said, you can tell that they are very frightened. Gently you lift the latch, only to discover that the door is locked on the inside.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect316">If the number is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect33">
+ <meta><title>33</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sun has dipped below the western skyline and an eerie twilight bathes the ruined buildings of Lordsburg as you drive into the town. The tracks show that the convoy stopped here, but it must have been a brief visit for the town is now deserted. The fatigue of the mission is beginning to catch up with everyone, and all of you are having difficulty stay- ing awake. The captain decides to camp here over- night and follow the convoy's trail at first light.</p>
+ <p>A place to sleep is chosen at random from among the stores and offices that line the main street and the truck is parked in an adjacent alley. You enter to discover that your overnight accommodation was once a video arcade. Scores of video machines line the aisles, standing side-by-side like tombstones in an electronic cemetery. Their screens are blank but their titles are familiar, and they remind you of the hours you spent playing similar machines at home in California before 'The Day'.</p>
+ <p>Much to your relief, Sergeant Haskell volunteers to take the first watch. Before you sleep, you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect236"><link-text>Turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect34">
+ <meta><title>34</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your steely nerve and natural balance help you to regain control of the motorcycle and steer it safely to the bottom of the gully. Then you follow the wide trench until you find a suitable place, on the far side of the rockfall, to make your exit. The ascent is accomplished without difficulty, but when you clear the crest of the gully and bring your motorcycle to a stop, you notice something that makes you break out in a cold sweat.</p>
+ <p>From the eastern end of the gully a cloud of dust is approaching. It is over a mile distant, but at once you can tell that it is being kicked up by a motorcyle. You stare at the approaching machine and, although you cannot see the rider, you know that it is the assassin.</p>
+ <p>Chilled by his proximity, you wind back the throttle and gun your bike along the bumpy mountain road.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect35">
+ <meta><title>35</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cautiously you continue along the avenue until you are close enough to the flickering lights to identify them as five huge bonfires. They are blazing in the grounds of a civic building - the El Paso Museum of Art - the contents of which have been looted to fuel them. Clansmen and their women dance drunkenly around the fires, feeding the flames with paintings, sculptures, and other works of art, while their confederates urge them to greater feats of destruction with screams and applause. The sight of this wanton vandalism stirs you to anger, but you dare not risk an encounter with this drunken crowd, so you turn away from the museum and press on.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect294"><link-text>Turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect36">
+ <meta><title>36</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nervously you wipe your palms then pump a shot- shell into the breach of your Remington Brushmaster. A quick glance confirms that the safety catch is off. Then you tense yourself in preparation for this dangerous run.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you leap to your feet and race up the steps. As you clear the crater you mark your destination and sprint towards it, whilst simultaneously covering yourself by firing your shotgun at the sniper's position.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth Skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. To this total add 1 point for every round you choose to fire from your shotgun (minimum equals one round; maximum equals five rounds).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect37">
+ <meta><title>37</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Captain Frankland catches the spinning dollar and slaps it on to the back of his left hand. He removes his right hand to reveal that the coin has fallen tails- up. 'OK men, that decides it,'says Captain Frankland; 'we avoid Columbus an'take a detour on Highway 9.'</p>
+ <p>'I think we'd better get going right away, sir,' says Knott, uneasily. 'Look's like more o' Mad Dog's boys are headin' this way.' He points along the highway at an ominous column of dust that is winding towards you from the south.</p>
+ <p>'Hell!'spits Frankland. 'That's all we need. Mount up, men. We ain't got the time to party wi'those punks.'</p>
+ <p>Marine Knott takes the wheel with the captain riding beside him in the cab. Meanwhile, you and the sergeant climb in the back and take up firing pos- itions at the tailgate. As the truck moves Off, you watch anxiously as the column of dust grows closer and closer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275"><link-text>Turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect38">
+ <meta><title>38</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Knott produces a crowbar from his Backpack and tries to force open the door, but it soon becomes obvious that it cannot be prised open. A closer examination of the air vent reveals that it was once a much larger window that has recently been partially boarded over. Confident that you can gain entry this way, you tell Knott to attack the slats.</p>
+ <p>Within a minute he has made a hole large enough to climb through and, without hesitation, you scram- ble into the shelter through the jagged gap.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect214"><link-text>Turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect39">
+ <meta><title>39</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Within a minute he has made a hole large enough to of the truck, there is another sharp crack, followed by the trailing sound of a rifle shot echoing across the surrounding mountains.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth and Perception skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect347">If your total score is 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect10">If your total is 13-16, <link-text>turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect291">If it is 17 or more, <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect40">
+ <meta><title>40</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instinctively you sense the danger and duck to avoid the spinning crowbar. It misses your head by a frac- tion of an inch before drawing a line of sparks along the concrete pillar. Without stopping to look back, you make your escape from the archway and run south in an attempt to find your partner.</p>
+ <p>Knott is crouched in hiding beneath an archway several hundred yards away. He sees you as you pass and attracts your attention by whispering your name. The handler has by now informed his confederates of your whereabouts and the news has sent them into a frenzy of activity. Immediately they launch a manhunt, starting close by. Rather than face them, and jeopardize Frankland's and Haskell's chances of crossing the zone alive, you decide to get away from the freeway as quickly as possible.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect41">
+ <meta><title>41</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fight to control the skid, but before you can bring the roadster back on to a straight course, Mad Dog fires another burst, and the heavy-calibre bullets tear into your rear tyres, ripping them to shreds. Your roadster slews across the freeway and smashes into the central crash barrier, transforming it into a blaz- ing fireball. With a scream of triumph, Mad Dog Michigan passes your burning car, happy in the knowledge that at last he has wrought his revenge.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here, less than thirty miles from Tucson.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect42">
+ <meta><title>42</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly the darkness is obliterated by a flash of white light that seems to fill the sky. It fades rapidly only to be replaced by a huge, billowing fireball that towers into the air above the Juarez Race Track.</p>
+ <p>'Yahoo! There they go!' shouts Sergeant Haskell, excitedly. Then the noise and the shockwave from the explosion overtake the truck. The roar is deafen- ing, and the shock is so violent that it threatens to send the truck careering off the dusty road. Fortu- nately, both are quick to pass. As the roar fades to a rumble, you can make out the distant sound of gunfire.</p>
+ <p>'That's coming from across the river,' says the captain. 'The colony have begun the break-out!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect86"><link-text>Turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect43">
+ <meta><title>43</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Two miles from the bridge you come to a junction where a mountain track branches off to the north. You are about to ignore it and press on when sud- denly you notice the roof of a cabin: it is set back from the track and is almost completely hidden by the pines. Aching with fatigue, and the pain of the minor injuries you have sustained during your flight from the assassin, you decide to investigate the cabin and rest there a while.</p>
+ <p>The dwelling was once a private hunting lodge, owned by a wealthy family who lived in Las Cruces before 'The Day'. Its doors and windows are secured, but the corroded locks are easily shattered and you soon gain entry. Most of the rooms are furnished, yet you discover little of practical value until you look in the cellar. There you find enough canned food for twelve Meals and, in an adjacent workshop, you discover something totally unexpected: a brand new off-road motorcycle still packed in its delivery crate.</p>
+ <p>Outside, the light is beginning to fade. Attempting to reach Tucson, alone and in the dark, does not strike you as a good idea, so you decide to spend the night here in the cellar. You are worried that the assassin may still be on your trail and so you set about barricading the cellar door. Only when you are sure that he could not possibly enter without waking you, do you settle down for some much-needed sleep.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect256"><link-text>Turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect44">
+ <meta><title>44</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Ready?' Marine Knott nods his head, his jaw taut with concentration as he acknowledges your question.</p>
+ <p>'OK then, let's go,' you whisper, as you ease yourself over the rampart, using only your elbows and knees to propel you away from the safety of Fort Bliss.</p>
+ <p>Anxiously, the captain and Sergeant Haskell watch as the two of you crawl across the broken ground, their weapons ready to give covering fire should the enemy see you approaching. The faint moonlight serves both to help and hinder your progress as you inch your way towards your first goal: an elevated section of Freeway 54. Clan snipers are known to occupy this vantage point, and you are painfully aware that not until you are directly beneath the raised highway itself will you be beyond the reach of their high-powered rifles.</p>
+ <p>Minutes pass like hours until you make it to the comparative safety of a shallow ditch that runs parallel to the concrete freeway supports. Knott arrives while you are scanning the dark, arch-like gaps between the concrete pillars, searching for the enemy, and innnediately he points out a threat. Three clansmen are positioned behind a mound of rubble less than twenty yards away to your right. You study them, silently cursing your luck, for they are Detroit Lions; getting past these clansmen is not going to be easy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect147">If you wish to try to distract their attention, <link-text>turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you wish to try to circle around them, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect45">
+ <meta><title>45</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You make the leap, but your legs are tired and you are too fatigued to reach the opposite ledge. With a numbing crunch, you slam face-first into the wall of the neighbouring building and fall three storeys to your death in the alley below.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your mission end here in Lordsburg.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect46">
+ <meta><title>46</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The incomprehensible voices continue their mum- bling as you ease open the plywood spyhole cover. Through the crack you can see the bearded man standing to the far side of a large, dimly-lit room. He appears to be talking excitedly at a hole in the ground.</p>
+ <p>Accidentally, Knott drops his pistol. The sudden noise makes the bearded man glance at the door. He sees you looking through the spyhole and fear blanches his face. In the next instant, he dodges aside and disappears from your field of vision.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186">If you wish to attempt,to barge open the door, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If you wish to shoot open the lock, and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect47">
+ <meta><title>47</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Knott emerges from the rear door of the Post Office. His own search was fruitless, but he is happy that your search of the town was not entirely in vain. He has less equipment than you, and so he offers to carry the heavy fuel can as you walk back to the furniture store to meet Frankland and Haskell.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect218"><link-text>Turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect48">
+ <meta><title>48</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With guns blazing and bullets ricocheting all around, you steel yourself to fire at the biker as he screams past your hiding place.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Shooting and Stealth skill totals. Now, pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add this number to your combined skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If your final score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect97">If it is 9-12, <link-text>turn to 97</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect155">If it is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 155</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect49">
+ <meta><title>49</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes you three hours to walk the ten miles back to Hachita, during which time you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>As you enter the town, you see a clan motorcycle parked in front of the gas station. Two men are crouched nearby, studying tracks in the dust made by the truck's tyres.</p>
+ <p>'We can't let these two get away,' says Knott, as you approach the station stealthily. 'If they bring the others down on us before we've fixed the truck, we'll be lucky to see the colony again.'</p>
+ <p>The two men are so interested in the tracks that they fail to notice you run across the street and take cover behind the gas station wall. Then the first clansman straightens himself and begins to walk towards the bike, while his partner remains kneeling on the ground, sifting through the remnants of the materials Haskell used to repair the truck's gas tank.</p>
+ <p>'We gotta take 'em now, and we gotta take 'em quietly,' whispers Knott, as he unsheathes his combat knife. 'There may be others in the neighbourhood. It's too risky to start shooting.'</p>
+ <p>The second clansman is now rising to his feet. Knott pats your forearm and motions you to move with him as he gets ready to launch the ambush.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect251">If you wish to attack the clansman who is standing beside the motorcycle, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect88">If you wish to attack the clansman who is rising to his feet, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect50">
+ <meta><title>50</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond Gleeson the road snakes its way through hills covered with pine, pinon, and dull grey rocks. The road surface deteriorates rapidly and very soon you are forced to stand in order to remain in full control of your bucking, bouncing machine. Then another, more serious hazard looms into view. A landslip from the surrounding hillside has heaped a mound of rock in the middle of the road ahead, blocking it com- pletely. The only way to circumvent this obstacle involves a difficult descent into a gully that runs parallel to the road, then an equally difficult climb out again.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect136">If you wish to attempt to negotiate this hazard without dismounting from your motorcycle, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect26">If you decide to abandon your bike and scale the rockfall on foot, <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect51">
+ <meta><title>51</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately the clansman ducks to avoid your weapon, but it hits him on the forehead and sends him tumbling from the steps to land with a heavy thud on the stone-hard bank of the Rio Grande.</p>
+ <p>'Well done, Cal,' says Captain Frankland, as the team gathers at the entrance to the walkway and sets about disposing of the sentries. 'If the guy on the steps had raised the alarm, we'd have had the whole of Mad Dog's army down on us by now.'</p>
+ <p>After the clansmen have been consigned to the Rio Grande, you check your equipment (remember to erase your close combat weapon - unfortunately, it cannot be recovered from the body of the clansman) and then join the others as they hurry away from the walkway area.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect52">
+ <meta><title>52</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You spin the steering wheel to the right, hoping to avoid the barrier, which is racing towards you at a terrific speed, but Mad Dog anticipates your move and rams you again, sending you to certain doom. Your car slews off the freeway and smashes into the central crash barrier, transforming it into a blazing fireball. With a scream of triumph, Mad Dog passes your burning car, happy in the knowledge that at last he has wrought his revenge.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here, less than thirty miles from Tucson.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect53">
+ <meta><title>53</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ready yourself and rise to one knee, your gun coming up at the same time in one smooth, fluid motion. A clansman fills your sights and you snatch the trigger; the gun recoils and you see him buckle and fall. Then you scan for another target and find one, but before you can shoot, he falls to a burst of fire from Sergeant Haskell's machine pistol. Inspired by your action, the others join in the firefight and quickly despatch the remaining clansmen. Then you hear the captain barking the order, 'Follow me!' and see Knott and Haskell leaving the wall to run after him. He is heading towards a fire escape ladder on the far side of the roof. You pause just long enough to retrieve your Backpack and belt, then you hurry after them before they disappear.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect151"><link-text>Turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect54">
+ <meta><title>54</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The man is easy to follow: a trail of freshly broken foliage clearly marks his escape route through the trees. His tracks end at a clearing, where a wide, crater-like hollow has been excavated from the rocky soil. You catch a glimpse of him hurrying into the hollow by way of a flight of steps that has been cut out of the earth. As you approach the crater, you notice that one side is constructed entirely from logs, and resembles the side of a pine cabin. Frantically the man bangs his clenched fists on a heavy door in the centre of the log wall, screaming to be let in. The door opens and he falls through it, slamming it shut behind him with a heavy thud.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously the two of you move towards the steps, your weapons ready and your eyes fixed on the closed door. 'He must be a survivor. He's got himself some sort of underground shelter here,' says Knott, having realized by now that you are not tracking the man who is responsible for the murder of your two companions. 'I think you're right,' you reply, 'and I guess he's not alone. Someone opened the door.'</p>
+ <p>A few yards to the right of the door you notice an oblong-shaped air vent. You are about to descend the steps and investigate it further when a single gun- shot rings out and you feel something hit you sharply in the back. A bullet has clipped your Backpack. The force of its impact takes your breath away and sends you tumbling to the floor of the crater: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point and erase one Backpack item from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. You curse your would-be assassin but you are thankful that your equipment has saved you from sustaining a more serious wound.</p>
+ <p>'Dammit!' growls Knott, as he leaps from the steps and lands at your side. 'He's found us.' Together you rise and run towards the door, seeking shelter. Knott bangs his fists on its rough timbers and pleads to be allowed in, but to no avail. The door does not open.</p>
+ <p>'We've gotta get inside,' you say, as you scan the trees beyond the edge of the crater. 'We're sitting ducks out here.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect114">If you possess an HE Grenade, and wish to use it to attempt to gain entry, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect343">If you possess a Tennon Saw, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect38">If you possess neither of these items, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect55">
+ <meta><title>55</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your enemy screams and clutches at his chest as you deliver your killing blow. He falls backwards, and, as he rolls towards the tailgate, you notice a Pistol holstered on the rear of his belt. (If you wish to keep this weapon, you discover that it contains ten rounds of 9mm ammunition.)</p>
+ <p>You rush forward to help Sergeant Haskell deal with his attacker. With your aid, he is able to prise the hands of his enemy from around his throat and, with a double-footed kick to the chest, send him tum- bling backwards out of the truck. You are bundling your dead adversary after him when Knott overcomes his panic and manages to restart the engine. With a jolt the truck turns sharply to the left, and the bulldozer rumbles past with barely inches to spare.</p>
+ <p>In an attempt to escape from the town, Knott heads towards a narrow side street, but as soon as you enter you are confronted by another hazard. Several of the houses that back on to the street have collapsed and the debris has formed a huge, uneven mound, com- pletely blocking your path. Knott, confident that the truck is capable of scaling this obstacle, shifts the gear selector into all-wheel drive and stamps his foot on the gas pedal. Amid a whine of gears, the truck accelerates towards the mountain of bricks and shat- tered timbers, hitting the mound at speed. The truck lurches towards the peak, but shudders to a halt less than five feet from the top.</p>
+ <p>Knott and the captain both leap from the cab, desperate to clear away the debris that has jammed the front wheels. As they begin work, three clansmen come running around the corner, firing their weapons as they sprint towards the truck. Haskell answers them with a burst of fire that fells the leading two, and sends the survivor scurrying for cover. However, this does little to deter the attack. More clansmen are appearing by the second, and you can tell by their blood-curdling screams that they do not intend to take prisoners.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect69">If you have a missile weapon and wish to fire at the advancing clansmen, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect3">If you wish to help the captain and Marine Knott clear away debris from the front wheels, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect56">
+ <meta><title>56</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nervously you wipe your sweaty palms on the front of your T-shirt before tensing yourself to begin this dangerous run.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you leap to your feet and race up the steps. As you clear the crater, you mark your destination and sprint towards it, trusting solely in your speed and courage to see you through.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your cur- rent <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 18 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 19 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect57">
+ <meta><title>57</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Something hits you at the base of the neck, flinging you to the ground with the sheer force of its impact. A sudden, short-lived pain in your chest and a reddening of your vision is all that you sense of the assassin's full metal-jacketed round, which has severed your spinal column and passed clean through your breastbone.</p>
+ <p>Your life and you mission end here in Arizona.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect58">
+ <meta><title>58</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You slap Knott on the shoulder and immediately he starts to climb the stairs. The clansmen are now at the door, so hurriedly you descend the steps towards the basement, where you emerge in an underground parking lot. One hundred yards away moonlight reflects on the rippled surface of an exit ramp to the street above and you walk towards it briskly. A sudden noise on the stairs causes you to break into a run, but you are brought to an abrupt halt as two pairs of booted feet appear at the top of the ramp. As the men begin to descend, you slip away to the right and hide between two parked cars.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect315">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect199">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect59">
+ <meta><title>59</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You approach the door opposite and find that it is unlocked. Carefully you lift the latch and push it open, and as the light from the corridor illuminates the darkness, you see that it contains two bunk beds and a few other pieces of plain pine furniture. Children's toys, lovingly crafted from wood and bone, line the shelves. You are closing the door when you notice a wooden whistle lying on the top of a clothes trunk.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep the Whistle, mark it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Backpack item.</p>
+ <p>Having discovered what lies behind two of the doors in this corridor, you leave the room determined to learn what lies behind the third.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect32"><link-text>Turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect60">
+ <meta><title>60</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you realize that the sergeant and captain have mistaken you for clansmen, you take evasive action. The only cover is a shallow gully that runs alongside the highway, and immediately you steer towards it. Bullets are kicking up the dust in a line that follows you all the way off the road, but your skill and the speed of your reactions save you from being hit and enable you to bring the bike to a controlled halt.</p>
+ <p>It takes several minutes of shouting before you are able to convince Frankland and Haskell that you are not the enemy. When at last they realize their mistake., they throw down their guns and run towards you with looks of abject horror on their faces. Both men are clearly shocked at how near they came to killing you.</p>
+ <p>Once you have all got over the shock, you busy yourselves by helping Knott replace the damaged ignition unit. The new unit works perfectly, and within half an hour of your return the engine is run- ning smoothly and you are able to continue.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect61">
+ <meta><title>61</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lift your G-12 to your shoulder and, as you take aim at the assassin's chest, you see him take up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places the bulky lenses to his visor and begins to search the surrounding roof- tops. This seems a curious thing to do: the buildings are close, surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is standing on top of them?</p>
+ <p>Then he dips the lenses and scans the ground-floor windows of the courthouse. A sudden chill stabs your heart as you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, enhanced- resolution, image intensifiers. He sees you and immediately you snatch the trigger, fearful that you have left your burst of fire too late.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect62">
+ <meta><title>62</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hidden on the lower slopes of the trail you discover a wire leg snare, designed to trap rabbit or other small game. The snare is in good condition, indicating that it must have been set sometime within the last ten days. Someone else must be living here in the forest. You tell Knott of your find and proceed with renewed caution.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect311"><link-text>Turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect63">
+ <meta><title>63</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman slumps lifelessly across the bodies of his two dead dogs, his hand still grasping his crowbar in a vice-grip. You try to prise it loose but soon aban- don the attempt in favour of searching his pockets instead. You discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Enough food for one Meal</li>
+ <li>Pistol [containing three rounds of 9mm ammunition]</li>
+ <li>Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Whistle</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Rather than wait for his confederates to find his body, you leave the archway and attempt to find your part- ner. Knott is crouched in hiding beneath an archway further south. He sees you as you pass and attracts your attention by whispering your name. The discovery of the handler and his dead dogs sends the clansmen into a frenzy of activity and immediately they launch a manhunt. Fortunately, they start by searching some distance away, enabling the two of you to slip away unseen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect64">
+ <meta><title>64</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Mounds of dust lie heaped before the closed doors of this derelict town, stirred to lazy movement by the warm breeze that sweeps down from the surround- ing mountains. You park your motorcycle before a burnt-out gas station, then walk slowly along the main street, peering into the grimy windows as you pass. Only three buildings strike you as worthy of further investigation: a hardware store, a drug store, and a radio repair shop.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect152">If you wish to investigate the hardware store, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect272">If you choose to enter the drug store, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If you decide to take a closer look at the radio shop, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect50">If you prefer to abandon your search and return to your motorcycle and leave Gleeson, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect65">
+ <meta><title>65</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You peer along the ground at the truck behind and see the captain crouching beneath it, signalling to you to place your contact mine in position. The heavy disc locks itself against the dusty tank and you uncover its detonator button carefully. Once again the captain signals and once again you obey his com- mand, this time by pressing the button. As soon as you hear the timing mechanism start to tick, you close your Backpack and make a dash for the truck that Knott has commandeered.</p>
+ <p>Frankland and Haskell join your escape: the captain is running twenty yards ahead of you and the sergeant, who has had to place two mines, is trail- ing behind you by about the same distance. Knott sees you in the side mirror and starts the truck, smoke belching from the exhaust pipe as he revs the reluc- tant engine. The captain reaches the rear and clambers over the tailgate just as a couple of clansmen notice you running and begin shouting wildly. Their screams distract your attention and you fail to notice a metal tool locker that is lying on the ground directly in your path.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect224">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect66">
+ <meta><title>66</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The gas station's three storage tanks have been emptied of fuel recently, but a little still remains at the bottom of each. It takes an hour to syphon this residual gasolene - less than two gallons - from the tanks, by which time Sergeant Haskell has been able to seal the three bullet holes.</p>
+ <p>While Haskell is pouring the precious gasolene into the truck, you help Knott to make a quick search of the gas station for useful spares. Your search uncovers the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Electrolyte</li>
+ <li>Wire Cutters</li>
+ <li>Screwdriver</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these Backpack items, adjust your Action Chail accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Captain Frankland is disappointed at having found so little fuel, but Knott assures him that it should be sufficient to enable you to reach Lordsburg and rendezvous with the colony. Once the refuelling has been completed, you climb aboard and set off in a new direction - north, towards a junction with Interstate Freeway 10.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect183"><link-text>Turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect67">
+ <meta><title>67</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Follow me, sergeant,' says Captain Frankland. 'I'll take the one on the left, you take the one on the right. Is that understood?' Sergeant Haskell acknowledges the order as he unsheathes his own combat knife.</p>
+ <p>'You two stay here,' says Frankland, addressing you and Marine Knott. 'As soon as we've dealt with the sentries you follow us, OK?'</p>
+ <p>'OK,' you reply, simultaneously.</p>
+ <p>You watch expectantly as Frankland and Haskell creep up on the two unwary clansmen. Swiftly they silence them, then signal to you to help hide the bodies. You respond immediately, but as you are nearing the end of the walkway, suddenly you see a clansman appear at the edge of the river bank and start to descend a flight of steps that leads to the walkway gate. It can only be a matter of seconds before he sees what is going on.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215">If you wish to raise your gun and open fire at the approaching clansman, <link-text>turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect166">If you choose to draw a close combat weapon and hurl it at the clansman, <link-text>turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect29">If you decide to shout a warning to the captain, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect68">
+ <meta><title>68</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly, a door bursts open behind you and instinc- tively you spin around to face the threat. As you turn, you see that the door was concealed by a bookcase. Now it is wide open, and standing before it is the bearded man with a pistol clamped firmly in both hands. Purely in reflex you raise your gun, but the man fires before you can bring it to bear. His bullet grazes your wrist (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) and sends your weapon spinning from your grasp.</p>
+ <p>Instantly Knott moves to retaliate but the smoking pistol is now aimed at his face.</p>
+ <p>'Drop it,' growls the stranger, and reluctantly Knott obeys his command.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect69">
+ <meta><title>69</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A long-limbed clansman dressed in a tiger-striped combat suit is standing at the corner of the street. He is directing the attack and, judging by the way the other clansmen react to his orders, he must be their commander.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133">If you are using a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect248">If you are using a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect278">If you are using a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 278</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect339">If you are using a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect70">
+ <meta><title>70</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You anticipate Mad Dog's attack and steer into the collision. Your skilful manoeuvre enables you to keep in a straight line and sends Mad Dog's speedster veer- ing away to the left. You hit the ramp, shoot through the narrow gap and cross the bridge, glancing in your mirror to see Mad Dog Michigan's car soar into the air. For a moment it seems to hang in the sky, then it tips forward and plummets into the drainageway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect71">
+ <meta><title>71</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race up the stairs and find an office that overlooks the main street. From the window you watch the clan rider bring his motorcyle to a halt at the edge of town. He is wearing a close-fitting black leather riding suit, a full-face black crash helmet, and is sporting a rig of combat equipment that makes him look like a futuristic space warrior.</p>
+ <p>Slowly he climbs off his machine, pausing briefly to adjust the controls of his air-conditioned riding suit. Then he unsheathes a scoped rifle from his saddle holster and advances along the main street, using the shadowy doorways of the stores and offices to cover his approach. He is thirty yards away, on the opposite side of the street, when he stops to select an orange- tipped bullet from a pouch at his hip. You watch with fearful anticipation as he presses the round into the breach of his rifle, raises the weapon to his shoulder, and takes aim at your motorcycle. There is a sharp crack, followed by a roaring boom as the incendiary round ignites and explodes the fuel tank.</p>
+ <p>With pounding heart, you watch as coolly he lowers his rifle and proceeds to reload it.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect111">If you wish to attempt to shoot the assassin while he is busy reloading his rifle, <link-text>turn to 111</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect241">If you have insufficient ammunition, or if you choose not to fire at the assassin, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect72">
+ <meta><title>72</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Hold it right there!' screams the clansman, as he fixes you with his flashlight. He stands silhouetted in the doorway, as his bloodhound comes loping across the desks towards you. Desperately you try to pass through the window before he can raise his gun and fire. Unfortunately, the clansman has taped his torch to the barrel of his machine pistol, which is already aimed at your chest. Callously he watches as you struggle to get clear, then he pulls the trigger and sprays the window with a deadly hail of lead.</p>
+ <p>Hot cores of pain erupt in your right thigh and shoulder as three of the bullets clip you and send you spinning out of the window - lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Reeling from the impact of your fall and the pain of your wounds, you drag yourself to your feet and stagger down the fire escape as quickly as you are able.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect282"><link-text>Turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect73">
+ <meta><title>73</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few feet of firm ground when the bark of the tree you are grasping tears loose in your hands. Desperately you throw out your arms in an attempt to find new purchase, but you are already falling and your flailing hands claw only air.</p>
+ <p>For a few seconds your senses are scrambled as you somersault backwards through the empty sky. Then you hit an outcrop of rock and instantly all feeling deserts your body, saving you from experiencing the pain of your shattered bones when finally you crash to the valley floor below.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in the Pedregosa Mountains.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect74">
+ <meta><title>74</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race across to the gas station and slide to a halt behind its solitary pump just as the first of the bikers reaches the apex of the bridge. Seconds later the cap- tain's voice bellows the order: 'Open fire!' The others obey, strafing the Angelinos as they come speeding off the bridge. Two riders are hit and fall from their machines; a third has his front tyre shot out and loses control, crashing into the parapet; but the fourth rider seems to escape injury and comes screaming away from the bridge, heading on a collision course with the gas pump. An icicle of fear stabs your heart as you realize that he does not intend to stop.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect299">If you wish to fire at the approaching biker and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 299</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect182">If you decide to dive out of his path, <link-text>turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect268">If your Perception skill total is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect75">
+ <meta><title>75</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the jeep speeds away from Lordsburg, you watch the blazing wreckage disappear slowly into the night. You are half-expecting a horde of clansmen to come roaring out of the town in hot pursuit, but as you make your escape there is no sign of any clan activity.</p>
+ <p>You cover fifteen miles, reaching the intersection with Highway 80, when the jeep runs out of fuel. The captain lets it cruise to the side of the freeway, and as soon as it stops he leaps out and walks around to the back to unhook a large fuel can that is strapped to the spare tyre.</p>
+ <p>'It's your turn to drive, Cal,' he says, as he shakes the can. You obey this command and settle yourself in the driving seat while he pours the contents into the jeep's empty tank. 'There's about two gallons in this,' he says, as the precious gas sloshes into the filler pipe. 'It's not going to get us very far.'</p>
+ <p>The captain is pouring in the last few drops of the spare gas when suddenly you discover why you were not followed out of Lordsburg.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect309"><link-text>Turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect76">
+ <meta><title>76</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You throw yourself to the ground, biting back your urge to scream as you gash the palms of your hands and your knees on the jagged rubble (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Marine Knott follows your lead and the beam of torchlight passes over your still bodies without stopping. It hovers nearby for a few seconds then moves away.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you crawl the final few yards to cover. When both of you are hidden from view, you wait for your breathing to return to normal before glancing around the pillar to see if the coast is clear. The three clansmen are now searching the place where the rock landed. Confident that you have not been detected, you readjust your equipment and continue on your way.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect77">
+ <meta><title>77</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have inadvertently stumbled upon a remote sur- vivalist colony, which undoubtedly had the foresight to prepare a shelter long before the holocaust occur- red. Your arrival and means of entry must have con- vinced them that they are under concerted attack, and they have sought sanctuary in the lower levels of their shelter.</p>
+ <p>You share your thoughts with Knott and he agrees with your assessment of the situation. Rather than risk it ending in tragedy, he calls out to whoever is hiding below, assuring them that you wish them no harm and asking them to come out and talk with you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect280"><link-text>Turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect78">
+ <meta><title>78</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>To find yourself looking into the muzzle ot your enemy's assault rifle sends a shiver down your spine. You must fire first and make it count if you are to survive this deadly situation.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect20">If your total score is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 20</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect213">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 213</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect79">
+ <meta><title>79</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unfortunately, you are unable to find any water purification tablets among the supplies in your Medi- kit. The spring looks cool and clean, but you know only too well that appearances are deceptive. The water could easily be contaminated with dangerous bacteria, viral organisms, or residual radioactivity, which could kill you in a matter of hours, days or weeks.</p>
+ <p>Rather than risk your life, reluctantly you avoid the spring.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect289">To continue, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect80">
+ <meta><title>80</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sleep deeply but not for very long: the truck comes to a stop barely an hour after you closed your eyes, and you are woken by the sudden lack of move- ment. 'Where are we?' you ask, shielding your bleary eyes from the glare of the early morning sunlight.</p>
+ <p>'Bout a mile fmm the border,' says the captain, as he pulls open the tailgate latch and lets the heavy sec- tion swing down noisily. 'There's trouble up ahead. You two had better take a look for y'selves.'</p>
+ <p>You and Sergeant Haskell stretch your aching limbs, then ease yourselves down from the truck to take a look at your surroundings. You have stopped on a boulder-strewn highway that descends towards a town occupying a narrow mountain pass. North, beyond the sun-bleached buildings, the peaks of the Florida Mountains dominate the skyline. To the west of the town, another highway branches away at a junction that is marked with a battered road sign.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect126">If you possess a pair of Binoculars, <link-text>turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you do not possess this Backpack item, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect81">
+ <meta><title>81</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'I think they were waiting to hear some good news from an agent they sent after us,' you reply, as you walk together towards the place where Kate has parked your roadster. 'They've a long wait if they're still expecting him to call.'</p>
+ <p>Kate looks at you with a puzzled expression, and you recount in detail the events that befell the team during the escape from Ciudad Juarez. As you drive out of Benson, you tell her how Frankland, Haskell and Knott met their deaths, and how you avenged them in your showdown with their murderer, Helmut Varken, at the Tombstone courthouse.</p>
+ <p>'What d'you think's gonna happen when Mad Dog finds out that you've killed Varken?' she asks, ner- vously.</p>
+ <p>'Well, he ain't gonna be happy, that's f'sure, especially after what we did at Ciudad. I don't know what he'll do. I guess we'll just have to wait an' see.'</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately, you do not have to wait long.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect252"><link-text>Turn to 252</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect82">
+ <meta><title>82</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You strike swiftly, silently and lethally. As soon as it is all over, the captain signals to Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott. They rush to the jeep, returning your equipment, and then help him to search the Mavericks' bodies before hiding them in the bus depot. Of the items that are found, you can choose from the following three:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Bowie Knife [3]</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>On returning to the vehicle, Captain Frankland offers you the opportunity to drive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to drive the jeep, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If you decide to let the captain drive, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect83">
+ <meta><title>83</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you lumber towards the trees, another shot echoes across the mountains. Almost immediately you feel something sharp, like a hot razor, cut across your thigh: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> Points.</p>
+ <p>The pain makes you flinch, but you dare not stop for fear of being picked off by the sniper. You reach the trees and throw yourself down behind a thick pine, breathless with the sheer exertion of your ordeal. As you lie there, nursing your wounded leg and fighting to control the nausea that rises in waves, Marine Knott crawls to your side and tugs at your sleeve.</p>
+ <p>'We stand a better chance if we can get deeper into the forest,' he says, his voice betraying the fear that is gnawing at his insides like a voracious rat. You blink your approval and struggle to follow him as he crawls across the tinder-dry bed of pine needles and sickly brown vegetation that covers the tall trees' roots.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect189"><link-text>Turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect84">
+ <meta><title>84</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly the dog begins to bark - he has seen you. Automatically you cock your gun as the clansman spins around and points his machine pistol at you. Unable to move from your hiding place, you have no choice but to fire at your enemy before he sees you clearly.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect194">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect85">
+ <meta><title>85</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Knott screams, and you see his head forced flat against his shoulder by the impact of the sniper's bullet. Crab-like he staggers sideways, then for a few brief seconds he seems to defy gravity before finally crashing to the ground. You rush to his side to find dark blood trickling from beneath his hairline; instinctively you know that it is already too late to help him.</p>
+ <p>A rush of adrenaline, triggered by the anger and resentment you feel towards Knott's assassin, surges through your veins and spurs you to immediate action. You grab your gun and scurry towards the steps, seeking cover there below the lip of the crater. A second shot rings out and a high-velocity bullet kicks up a column of dust within inches of your face. As you duck, you see the muzzle flash and pinpoint the assassin's position among some foliage, twenty yards away to your left. You know that for as long as you keep your head below ground level you will be safe from his rifle. You also know that he can move to another position whenever he chooses.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you glance over the lip of the crater, look- ing for somewhere safer to hide, and spot a clump of dense foliage less than ten yards from the steps.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect295">If you have sufficient ammunition to be able to fire your gun, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect261">If you have insufficient ammunition to be able to fire, <link-text>turn to 261</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect86">
+ <meta><title>86</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Comfort is hard to find as the truck speeds along the pot-holed Mexican highway that heads west out of Ciudad Juarez. You brace your feet against the bench seat opposite and hang on to the tailgate with your free hand in an effort to keep the bruising to a minimum, but to little avail. Outside, the mountains rush past on either side, lit by the moon yet softened by the clouds of dust billowing in the truck's wake. Both the captain and the sergeant are searching the truck while you keep a watchful eye open for the clansmen. Your thoughts wander, and you find yourself thinking of the perils that must be facing Kate and the rest of the colony at this moment as they stage their vital break-out from Fort Bliss. You can only hope and pray that the destruction of Mad Dog's headquarters has secured their escape.</p>
+ <p>A flickering pin-prick of light alerts you to danger. It grows brighter, then divides into two, three, then five. The lights grow larger until you can make out the silhouettes of five clan bikers speeding along the highway in hot pursuit.</p>
+ <p>'We've got visitors!' you shout, steadying your gun. But Haskell and Frankland do not respond: they are examining something on the floor near the cab and do not hear your warning.</p>
+ <p>The leading biker is now less than ten yards away from the tailgate, his headlight shining full in your face. Gunshots crack and bullets ricochet off the rear as his pillion rider attempts to shoot you dead.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172">If you are using a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect337">If you are using a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect246">If you are using a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect219">If you are using a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect87">
+ <meta><title>87</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You scream as Mad Dog opens fire with his machine pistol, and slam your foot on the brake pedal. Your swift action saves you from death but you do not escape unscathed. One bullet clips your forearm and another grazes your neck: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> Points.</p>
+ <p>Knowing that your enemy has only one hand on the wheel of his speeding car, you nudge the side of his speedster, tempting him to retaliate, and then, when he rises to your challenge, you brake heavily. Because he is still holding his machine pistol, he fails to react in time to prevent his car from crossing in front of you and hitting the central barrier. Metal twists and sparks fly from his fender as he scrapes along the crash barrier at nearly 100 miles an hour. You put your foot down and overtake him on the left, power- ing your roadster away as he fights to extricate himself from the barrier's magnet-like grip.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect12"><link-text>Turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect88">
+ <meta><title>88</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Like a cat, you spring forward and pad towards the clansman as quickly and as quietly as you can. He is standing half-crouched when he sees you, and immediately he retreats, still bent over, until his back hits the gas pump and he can go no further. You strike first, confident of victory, but he avoids the blow and retaliates with a punch to your body. You pull away, evading the punch, but it has served its purpose. It buys the clansman the few seconds he needs to draw a knife from his belt.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Big Apple</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If you win and the combat lasts five rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect11">if the fight lasts six rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect89">
+ <meta><title>89</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The incessant noise of the dogs is making your stomach churn. Then you catch sight of them - two slack-jowled bloodhounds - padding their way across the Montana Road with two clansmen close behind. One of the men is carrying a machine pistol; the other a long-handled flashlight.</p>
+ <p>'Run for it!' you hiss, pointing towards the ruins. Knott turns and sprints away. As soon as he is clear of the ditch, the dogs begin to bark wildly, alerting their handlers to your position. You scramble out and follow your partner, praying that you will reach cover before the clansmen see you and open fire. Your prayers are answered. In his haste the clansman drops his flashlight, and before he can retrieve it and switch it on, you follow Knott through the open door of a derelict building.</p>
+ <p>'We stand a better chance if we split up,' you say, casting an anxious glance over your shoulder at the yellow light that is now streaming through the doorway. 'But remember - meet up at the bridge as planned.'</p>
+ <p>The torchlight illuminates the interior sufficiently for you to be able to make out two possible exits: a carpeted staircase leading to the first floor, and another leading down to the basement.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If you wish to ascend the stairs to the first floor, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect58">If you decide to descend to the basement, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect90">
+ <meta><title>90</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Gradually the condition of the road improves and you are able to increase your speed. Five miles have slip- ped swiftly under your wheels when you see the ruins of a town, shimmering on the horizon, and catch a glimpse of the metalled highway that runs through it, heading north to south.</p>
+ <p>It is the ruins of Tombstone, famed for the swift and ferocious gunfight that took place here at the OK Corral on 26 October, 1881. As you approach the town and see its faded sign, you remember the old romantic Hollywood films you saw when you were young, in which Doc Holliday and the Earp brothers met and defeated the Clantons and McLowerys, their bitter, sworn enemies. The post-holocaust storms have left this place looking much like it must have done to those men when they shot it out over 100 years ago. The historical buildings are sun-bleached and shabby, and the main street is completely empty, devoid even of auto wrecks and other twenty-first century debris.</p>
+ <p>As you ride along the main street, you notice that the sound of your motorcycle's engine has grown coarser and louder; it is as if it were filled with loose nuts and bolts.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect154">If you possess some Engine Oil, <link-text>turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect313">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect91">
+ <meta><title>91</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Mad Dog follows your manoeuvre and rams you towards the crash barrier. Kate screams as the bar- rier looms into view: a high-speed collision is imminent.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Driving skill total and your cur- rent <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect52">If your total score is 20 or less, <link-text>turn to 52</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If your score is 21 or more, <link-text>turn to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect92">
+ <meta><title>92</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The only way you know of retrieving gasolene from a fuel tank is by syphoning, and to do this you need a length of tubing. You search the parking lot, but can find nothing that remotely resembles a length of flexible pipe. Then you remember something that Cutter taught you when you were learning to drive, and the recollection of it spreads a smile across your face. Using a braided fuel line cut from the carbu- rettor, you are able to syphon more than a gallon of gasolene from the truck's fuel tank. Once you are sure that you have retrieved as much fuel as possible, you seal the fuel can and call for Marine Knott to join you in the parking lot.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep the braided fuel line, mark it as a Plastic Tube on your list of Backpack items.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect93">
+ <meta><title>93</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>By keeping strictly to the alleys and side streets you are able to make your way deep into the heart of the city, avoiding the numerous clan patrols. At length you reach the banks of the Rio Grande and follow the river westwards towards your rendezvous destina- tion. Your early encounters with Mad Dog's men have delayed you and now, as you hurry along the walkways and plazas bordering the river, you are fearful that you will arrive too late to join the others. You are hurrying along a walled sidewalk when you catch sight of the Stanton Street Toll Bridge less than 400 yards away. You are confident that it is the right bridge for it is the only one still intact. A glance at your wristwatch shows that you have less than ten minutes to spare.</p>
+ <p>You are about to break into a run when suddenly you hear a noise behind you that makes you freeze: it is the sound of a pistol being cocked. Instinctively you reach for your gun as you spin around to face your potential attacker, but your fear quickly evaporates when you see the familiar face of Marine Knott peer- ing at you from over the walkway wall.</p>
+ <p>'You're getting a touch careless, Cal,' he says, as he holsters his pistol and clambers over the wall to join you.</p>
+ <p>'Yeah, you're right,' you reply, self-consciously. 'I oughta know by now. Better late than dead, right?'</p>
+ <p>'Right,' he says, and slaps you reassuringly on the back. 'The bridge is over there. It'll only take a few minutes to reach it. If all's well, the captain and Sergeant Haskell should be there already waitin' for us.'</p>
+ <p>You set off, soon reaching a cluster of old US immigration offices standing at the approach to the bridge. As Knott predicted, Frankland and Haskell are waiting for you to show and, as you approach the buildings, they call you over to join them. They have already scouted the bridge and determined that there are four clan guards on the bridge itself, but none at all on the service walkway that runs beneath it.</p>
+ <p>'We've less than an hour before the explosives are due to arrive,' says the captain, checking his watch. 'Is everyone ready?'</p>
+ <p>You nod in unison. 'OK then. Let's go!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect202"><link-text>Turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect94">
+ <meta><title>94</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you begin to climb the steep trail, you fail to notice a wire leg snare, designed to trap rabbit or other small game, which has been set near the bot- tom of the slope. You set it off, and the wire tightens around your ankle, cutting deep into the flesh: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>After extricating your leg, you notice that the snare is in remarkably good condition, indicating that it has been set sometime within the last ten days at most.</p>
+ <p>Someone else must be living here in the forest, set- ting this type of snare to catch fresh food. You tell Knott of your find before proceeding with renewed caution.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect311"><link-text>Turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect95">
+ <meta><title>95</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansmen are armed with assault rifles, which they empty at the truck. Bullets ricochet from the rear and whistle past on every side, forcing you to duck behind the tailgate for cover. Your reflexes save you from being hit, but as you duck for cover, you catch your chin on the edge of the tailgate, splitting the skin: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>The firing stops and you raise your head in time to see the clan leader running into the middle of the highway, his hand outstretched to pick up a walkie- talkie that must have dropped from his pocket. He could attempt to radio another clan outpost, perhaps in Mimbres or even nearer, and forewarn them of your arrival.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If you wish to attempt to shoot the clansman to pre- vent him from using his radio, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect335">If you have insufficient ammunition, or do not wish to fire at him, <link-text>turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect96">
+ <meta><title>96</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having satisfied yourself that nothing has been overlooked, you leave the drug store and return to your motorcycle. Before you start the engine you make a quick check of the cooling fins and notice that they are very hot to the touch. The lack of oil is caus- ing the engine to overheat. As you remount the machine and kick start the engine, you hope desperately that it will keep running long enough to get you back to the colony.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect97">
+ <meta><title>97</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fire and hit the Angelino clansman in the side as he roars past your hiding place, sending him tumbling from his machine to hit the ground in a cloud of dust. It is not until the dust settles and your heartbeat begins to slow that you realize that you have been wounded.</p>
+ <p>A neat hole in your jacket sleeve marks the entry point of a machine pistol bullet. Fortunately, it is a clean wound and there is very little bleeding, the slug having passed through the muscle of your inner forearm, missing the bone by a hair's breadth: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Soon the feeling returns and your arm begins to ache viciously. Marine Knott helps you to clean and ban- dage the wound while the others search the clansmen's bodies.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect98">
+ <meta><title>98</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You bring your rifle to your shoulder and, as you align the sights at the assassin's chest, you see him take up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places these bulky lenses to his visor and begins to search the sur- rounding rooftops. This strikes you as a curious thing to do as the buildings are close: surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is stand- ing on top of them?</p>
+ <p>He dips the lenses and scans the ground floor windows of the courthouse, and a sudden chill stabs your heart as you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, enhanced- resolution, image intensifiers. He sees you and immediately you squeeze the trigger, fearful that you have left your shot too late.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If is is I 1 or more, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect99">
+ <meta><title>99</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The commander dives aside fast enough to avoid being hit, but one of his men is not so lucky. As he runs around the corner, he catches your gunfire full in the chest and is thrown backwards to the ground.</p>
+ <p>Angered by your attempt to kill him, the hard-faced clan commander unslings his rifle and throws himself down behind the man you have just shot, using his body as a shield.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect78">If you wish to fire at the commander before he can fire at you, <link-text>turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect301">If you decide to take cover behind the tailgate, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect100">
+ <meta><title>100</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After considering the situation, Captain Frankland calls the team together in a room at the rear of the derelict cafe. 'We've got two options, men,' he says, quietly. 'Either we ambush the trucks before they reach the race track, or we hit'em once they're inside. What d'you think, sergeant?'</p>
+ <p>Haskell shifts uneasily, his face lined with concen- tration. I think we're gonna have t'blow them once they're inside, sir. We don't know for sure which direction they'll approach from, and, considerin' what they've got on board, I doubt if they'll stop for anything until they're safe inside Michigan's HQ.' You nod in agreement, as does Marine Knott.</p>
+ <p>'Very well then. If we can't ambush 'em on the out- side, we'll have to get inside the track and destroy 'em there. It'll make our chances of escape a whole lot shorter, but I agree with you - I reckon we have no choice.'</p>
+ <p>Having decided on a plan of action, Sergeant Haskell distributes the mines, one to each man. 'Set the timers to five minutes,' he says, and demonstrates how to do this using his own charge. 'They're magnetic, so try to fix them to the fuel tank if possible. Failing that, place them as near to the explosives as you can get.'</p>
+ <p>You examine the heavy, saucer-like device and then carefully set its clockwork timer, according to Haskell's instructions. Finally, you flick across the safety cover so that it protects the detonator button, and slip the mine inside your Backpack.</p>
+ <p>Record the Contact Mine on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Backpack item. If you already possess the maximum quota of Backpack items, you must discard one article in its favour.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect124">To continue, <link-text>turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect101">
+ <meta><title>101</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Puzzled and frustrated by his unexpected retreat, all manner of questions form in your mind. Did he see you? Was he only a clan scout and not the sniper after all? Did the sniper overtake you during the night, and is he now lying in wait somewhere on the road ahead?</p>
+ <p>After several minutes of useless deliberation you try to lay aside these thoughts and apply yourself to the task of rejoining your colony. Without transport, the journey is going to be extremely difficult, so you decide to try to salvage your discarded motorcycle. To the west, the rockfall is far less steep and you have no difficulty descending to the edge of the gully. Then you lower yourself down the final slope to where your motorcycle lies at the bottom. You are expecting to find little more than a twisted heap of scrap metal, so it comes as a welcome surprise to discover that the machine is still in working order. After straightening the handlebars and the front wheel alignment, you climb astride it and restart the engine on the fifth kick.</p>
+ <p>You follow the wide trench until you find a suitable place to make your exit. The ascent is accomplished without difficulty, and, as you clear the crest of the gully, you bring your motorcycle to a halt in order to take a last look at the retreating clansman. For a moment the recent memory of your murdered companions sends a shiver along your spine, but the memory fades quickly when you wind back the throttle and gun your bike along the bumpy moun- tain road, heading west.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect102">
+ <meta><title>102</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You and Captain Frankland curse your bad luck: first the clansmen at Columbus and now this breakdown have thwarted your hopes of a rendezvous with the colony at Deming. Then suddenly it occurs to you that if the colony were able to reach Deming on time, they would by now have realized that you were not going to make it, and would have continued along Interstate 10 as planned. You are less than fifteen miles from this freeway, and should be well within radio range.</p>
+ <p>With your hopes high, you retrieve your CB transceiver from your pack, switch on, and key in the frequency used by DC1. 'Phoenix to DC1, Phoenix to DC1,' you call, but the only reply you receive is a loud burst of static. After trying several different fre- quencies, you finally accept that you cannot get through.</p>
+ <p>'Don't worry, Cal,' says the captain on seeing how disappointed you are. 'At least if we can't use the radio to keep in touch, then neither can Mad Dog's men.'</p>
+ <p>It is early evening before Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott return, but at least their journey was not in vain. The ignition unit that Knott spotted at the gas station works perfectly when fitted to the truck, and within half an hour of their return, the engine is run- ning smoothly once more and you are able to continue.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect103">
+ <meta><title>103</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The bullet clips your left shoulder and pitches you into the trees on the far side of the plateau (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). The land drops steeply, causing you to tumble head over heels through the scrub and bracken. When eventually you come to a stop, you are covered from head to toe with scratches and other minor abrasions (lose an additional 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>Painfully you stagger to your feet and force yourself to continue your descent. Soon you reach the stream that you discovered during your climb, and you stop briefly to bathe your wounds and to try to determine if you are still being followed. The surrounding trees seem unnaturally quiet, and it is easy to imagine that an assassin lurks behind every trunk.</p>
+ <p>Your strength returns and with trepidation you con- tinue, leaving the trail to follow the water as it flows west towards the Swissheim Mountain. You cover twelve miles without incident and by early evening you arrive at a small bridge where a road, running north to south, crosses the stream. You check your map, but the road is too minor to be listed. You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect43">If you wish to leave the stream and follow the road, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect175">If you choose to continue along the stream, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect104">
+ <meta><title>104</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instinctively you reach for your gun as you spin around to face your potential attacker, but your fear fades quickly when you see the familiar face of Marine Knott peering at you from over the walkway wall.</p>
+ <p>'You're getting a touch careless, Cal,' he says, as he holsters his pistol and clambers over the wall to join you.</p>
+ <p>'Yeah, you're right,' you reply, self-consciously. 'I oughta know by now. Better late than dead, right?'</p>
+ <p>'Right, he says, and slaps you reassurringly on the back. 'The bridge is over there. It'll only take a few minutes to reach it. If all's well, the captain and Sergeant Haskell should already be there waitin' for us.'</p>
+ <p>You set off, soon reaching a cluster of old US immigration offices standing at the approach to the bridge. As Knott predicted, Frankland and Haskell are waiting for you to show and, as you approach the buildings, they call you over to join them. They have already scouted the bridge and determined that there are four clan guards on the bridge itself, but none at all on the service walkway that runs beneath it.</p>
+ <p>'We've less than an hour before the explosives are due to arrive,' says the captain, checking his watch. 'Is everyone ready?'</p>
+ <p>You nod in unison. 'OK then. Let's go!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect202"><link-text>Turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect105">
+ <meta><title>105</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The door buckles under the impact, driving a piece of twisted metal into your ribs: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Despite the fearful pain, you have the presence of mind to steer into the collision. Your swift and skilful manoeuvre enables you to keep a straight line and sends Mad Dog's speedster veering away to the left. You hit the ramp, shoot through the narrow gap, and cross the bridge, glancing in your mirror to see Mad Dog Michigan's car soar into the air. For a moment it seems to hang in the sky, then it tips forward and plummets into the drainageway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect106">
+ <meta><title>106</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'I think I might have the answer to our problem,' you say, as you fish in your Backpack for the solar regulator. The unit is not designed to fit this vehicle, but you plan to attach it to the battery's terminals and then short circuit the unit to provide a surge of power, sufficient to recharge the battery and spark the engine.</p>
+ <p>It takes nearly an hour to rewire the regulator, by which time the sun is beating down directly on to the exposed, unregulated solar core. The cells at the core convert the solar power unchecked, and within a few minutes the unit is humming and giving off wisps of pungent blue smoke.</p>
+ <p>'Try starting it now,' you call out to Knott, who is sit- ting in the driver's seat, looking as anxious as if he were sitting on a ticking time bomb. He hot-wires the ignition switch and immediately the engine coughs and splutters into life. As soon as it is running smoothly, you cover your hands with your leather jacket, disconnect the red-hot regulator from the battery, and throw it away.</p>
+ <p>This item is now beyond repair: remember to erase it from your list of Backpack items before you continue.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect329"><link-text>Turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect107">
+ <meta><title>107</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A sharp pain courses up your leg as you scrape your shin and twist your ankle simultaneously: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You fall, but moments later Sergeant Haskell drags you to your feet and bundles you towards the truck. As you arrive, the captain reaches down and grabs you by the jacket, and together the two men push and pull you unceremoniously over the tailgate.</p>
+ <p>As the sergeant leaps aboard and Knott takes off towards the west gate, you discover that you have lost some items of equipment as a result of your fall. Erase from your Backpack the item you have recorded last on your list. Also, erase two Medi-kit units and six rounds of ammunition (any calibre).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect5">To continue, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect108">
+ <meta><title>108</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An old US Mail panel truck is the only vehicle in the Post Office parking lot. Its tyres have rotted, its battery is dead, and its engine is so full of dust that it will never work again. However, it still has some gasolene left in its fuel tank. The truck may not carry you anywhere but you cannot readily abandon its fuel.</p>
+ <p>You look for some means of collecting the gas, and discover an empty fuel can lying in the cab. However, you are still faced with the problem of getting the gasolene out of the truck's fuel tank.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect269">If you possess a Plastic Tube, <link-text>turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect92">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect109">
+ <meta><title>109</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hastily you flip open your Backpack and remove a handful of dried jackrabbit meat. Knott anticipates what you are planning to do and quickly uncorks his canteen and splashes the stringy meat with water. You hurl it in the direction of the hounds and make a dash for the ruins before the dogs catch sight of you attempting to escape.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Field Craft skill total. For every Meal (in excess of one) that you decide to use, add 3 points to your total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect265">If your total score is 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect234">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect110">
+ <meta><title>110</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After ten hours' deep, uninterrupted sleep, you wake feeling thoroughly refreshed: restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. The barricade is still intact and, once it is dismantled, you arm yourself before investigating the six other buildings that comprise the town. All of them are empty and show no signs of having been entered during the night, prompting you to believe that you may, at least for the time being , have given the assassin the slip.</p>
+ <p>In a shack behind the diner you discover a motorcycle that is in a serviceable condition. The tyres are sound and the gas tank is over half full with gasolene, but its oil level is very low. As you kick start the engine you can only hope that it will get you as far as Tucson before breaking down.</p>
+ <p>After studying the map you mount your new vehicle and set off, heading north along Highway 666. You have ridden only seven miles when a collapsed bridge forces you to change direction and travel west along an unmarked mountain road. You enjoy the cool breeze whipping through your hair as you ride at speed along this empty trail, and you cover more than twenty miles before coming to a small town where a sign proclaims:</p>
+ <p>GLEESON WELCOMES CAREFUL DRIVERS</p>
+ <choice idref="sect64">If you wish to stop at this mountain town, <link-text>turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect50">If you decide to ride through without stopping, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect111">
+ <meta><title>111</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You give your enemy your undivided attention, for he is a formidable opponent. Also, he presents a dif- ficult target: he is partially hidden behind the brick pillar of a hardware store, and his black suit merges readily with the shadows. Despite these dis- advantages, you know that this may be your only chance to put an end to his pursuit and avenge the lives of your three dead comrades.</p>
+ <p>You watch as be completes the reloading of his rifle. Then he shoulders the weapon and takes up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places these bulky lenses to his visor and methodically scans the surrounding rooftops. This seems a curious thing to do as the buildings are very close: surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if ayone is standing on top of them?</p>
+ <p>You prepare your own weapon and get ready to take aim. Then a chill stabs your heart as he scans the first floor windows of the courthouse and you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, high-resolution, image intensifiers.</p>
+ <p>Immediately you duck back from the window, but you cannot help but fear that he has already located your position.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327"><link-text>Turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect112">
+ <meta><title>112</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fire, and above the roar of the engines you hear the leading rider scream out in pain. Your gunfire has wounded him in the hand, severing two fingers. He loses control of his machine, which swerves violently to the left, somersaults, and then bursts in- to flame.</p>
+ <p>The incident scares the other riders sufficiently for them to pull back to a safe distance. They continue to tail the truck, but at least they are now out of range.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect149"><link-text>Turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect113">
+ <meta><title>113</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The muzzle of the gun belches flame, and in the close confines of the corridor the noise of its discharge is deafening. Something stabs you in the chest, and an instant later you are lying on your back, staring at one of the dim electric bulbs in the ceiling. You sense Knott moving past you, but you can no longer hear clearly, or feel anything save the numbness that has engulfed your body.</p>
+ <p>Powerless to resist, you slip gently into a sleep from which you will never awaken. Sadly, your life and your mission end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect114">
+ <meta><title>114</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You realize at once that the door is far too thick to be blown open by a grenade. However, a closer examination of the air vent reveals that it was once a much larger window that has recently been partially boarded over. Confident that the grenade will destroy this boarding, you wedge it into the vent, set the timer to a five-second delay, and pull the pin.</p>
+ <p>'Five seconds!' you shout, and immediately Knott throws himself to the ground and covers his head. You copy his actions and wait for the grenade to detonate. It explodes with a dull boom, showering you with dust and charred pine splinters.</p>
+ <p>Remember to erase this item from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect28">To continue, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect115">
+ <meta><title>115</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly a terrible pain explodes in the nape of your neck and you are thrown forward by the impact of something heavy hitting you between the shoulders. You crash to the ground face-first but feel very little as the pain quickly gives way to a chilling numbness. You have been hit in the back by the clansman's crowbar, which has severed your spinal cord.</p>
+ <p>You are helpless, unable to move or defend yourself as the clansman enacts a swift but brutal revenge for the death of his dogs. Tragically, your life and your mission end here in El Paso.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect116">
+ <meta><title>116</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A bullet misses your neck by inches and buries itself in the shoulder of Marine Knott, who is beside you in the passenger seat. The force of impact nearly hurls him out of the jeep, and, as he fights to prevent himself from falling, he grabs at your jacket, wrench- ing your hand off the steering wheel.</p>
+ <p>With a screech of tyres, the jeep veers off the freeway towards the exit ramp. The captain and Sergeant Haskell come to Knott's aid, pulling him back into the vehicle. As you regain control of the steering wheel, you find yourself ascending the ramp towards Highway 80.</p>
+ <p>In your driving rnirror you see the clansmen turning their bikes around: they intend to pursue you. Unable to continue along the freeway, you put your foot to the floor and make a hasty escape heading south along Highway 80.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect16"><link-text>Turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect117">
+ <meta><title>117</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your enemy screams and crumples as you deliver your killing blow. He hits the floor, and, as he rolls towards the tailgate, you notice a Pistol and a Knife [2] tucked into his belt. (If you wish to keep the Pistol, you discover that it contains eight rounds of 9mm ammunition.)</p>
+ <p>Sergeant Haskell is recovering from his fall as you move towards the cab to try to find out what is going on. To your horror you see a bright yellow bulldozer, with its earth scoop lowered, trundling along the main street on a collision course with the truck. Captain Frankland is screaming at Knott to move the truck out of the way of the oncoming bulldozer, but the engine refuses to start. The situation is looking hopeless when suddenly, with a roar, the engine fires into life. Knott kicks the gas pedal and swerves out of the way as the bulldozer bears down. Miracu- lously, it misses you, rumbling past with barely inches to spare.</p>
+ <p>In an attempt to escape from the town, Knott heads towards a narrow side street, but as soon as you enter, you are confronted by another hazard. Several of the houses that back on to the street have collapsed and the debris has formed a huge, uneven mound, which blocks your path. Knott, confident that the truck is capable of scaling this obstacle, shifts the gear selector into all-wheel drive and stamps his foot on the gas pedal. Amid a whine of gears, the truck accel- erates towards the mountain of bricks and shattered timbers. You hit the mound at speed and lurch towards the peak, but less than five feet from the top the truck shudders to a halt.</p>
+ <p>Knott and the captain both leap from the cab, desperate to clear away the debris that has jammed the front wheels. As they begin their work three clansmen come running around the corner, firing their weapons as they sprint towards you. Haskell answers them with a burst of fire that fells the leading two, and sends the survivor scurrying for cover. However, this does little to deter the attack. More clansmen are appearing by the second, and from the sound of their blood-curdling screams they intend to take no prisoners.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect69">If you have a missile weapon and wish to fire at the advancing clansmen, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect3">If you choose to help the captain and Marine Knott clear away debris from the front wheels, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect118">
+ <meta><title>118</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hit the ground and roll over in an attempt to get as far away from the gas pump as you can. Your swift action saves your life, for moments later the motor- cycle ploughs into the pump, exploding in a ball of bright flame. A wave of searing heat washes over your back, and, as you stagger to your feet and turn to look at the fire now raging on the gas station forecourt, you break out in a cold sweat thinking how close you came to death.</p>
+ <p>Uneasily you wipe your forehead with the back of your trembling hand as you turn and walk away from the crackling inferno.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect119">
+ <meta><title>119</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You spin around, hardly able to believe your eyes when you see Kate Norton waving at you from a gas station on the opposite side of the freeway. In a daze you run towards her, and she towards you, and together you meet in the centre of the deserted highway, locked in an embrace that melts away all memory of the ordeal you have endured over the past two days.</p>
+ <p>When at last the exhilaration of your unexpected reunion subsides, she tells you that the colony has already reached Tucson, and is safely encamped with the Tucson colony inside a stronghold they have established at the Davis-Monthan Air Force base. When you and the rest of Captain Frankland's team failed to make the Deming rendezvous, the colony continued as planned, hoping that you would join them en route. Gradually, as they progressed further west, their hopes faded until they accepted that you must have perished during the raid on Ciudad Juarez. But Kate refused to abandon hope. When the convoy reached Benson she insisted that she wait here in case you had been unable to find transport and were heading for Tucson on foot. Reluctantly they agreed to her request, knowing full well that there was little they could do to prevent her from staying.</p>
+ <p>You ask if she has seen any clan activity during the twenty-four hours she has been here, and she says that there has been none. The freeway and the surrounding area have remained completely deserted.</p>
+ <p>'It's funny,' she says, 'but since we left Lordsburg it's as if they lost interest in us.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect81"><link-text>Turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect120">
+ <meta><title>120</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you cast aside the body of the second dog, his handler appears at the entrance to the archway. A scrawny-faced clansman, he is dressed in a tattered denim jacket and jeans that are encrusted with grime. Seeing his dogs lying dead at your feet, he begins to howl like a maniac.</p>
+ <p>'I'm gonna get you for this!' he screams, and comes running at you, wielding a crowbar in his bony hand.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Skunk</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">12</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">20</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect211">You can evade the combat in the first round only: <link-text>turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect63">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect121">
+ <meta><title>121</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your engine responds and you surge ahead, avoiding Mad Dog's attack by a few feet. You glance in your mirror to see him swerve across the freeway, but his car is equipped with a supercharged V-12 engine, more powerful than your own, and within a few seconds he comes roaring alongside. As he draws level, his electric passenger window glides down and you find yourself staring at the barrel of his machine pistol.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Perception skill total and your cur- rent <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect193">If your total score is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect87">If your total is 16-20, <link-text>turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect21">If it is 21 or more, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect122">
+ <meta><title>122</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The crown of your head connects with the clansman's buckle and the impact sends you crashing to the ground - lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Before you can recover your senses fully, the Mexican draws a knife and attacks you while you lie on the ground stunned.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Banderas</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">23</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to your condition, you are unable to use a close combat weapon until the third round of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect257">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect123">
+ <meta><title>123</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within ten feet of the top when the rock you are grasping tears loose in your hands. Frantically you throw out your arms in an attempt to find a new hand-hold, but you are already falling backwards and your flailing hands claw only air. For a few seconds your senses are scrambled as you tumble down the rockface, then you hit the edge of the gully and your vision becomes cloudy: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>When eventually it clears you find yourself lying at the botton of the gully, staring at the sky. Wearily you drag yourself to your feet, rub your aching limbs, then stagger towards your motorcycle. You are expecting to find little more than a twisted heap of scrap metal, so it comes as a pleasant surprise to discover that the machine is still in working order. After straightening the handlebars, the headlight, and the front wheel alignment, you are able to restart the engine with your fourth kick.</p>
+ <p>You ride this wide trench until you find a suitable place, on the far side of the rockfalls to make your exit. The ascent is accomplished without difficulty, but as you clear the crest of the gully and bring your motorcycle to a stop, you notice something that makes you break out in a cold sweat.</p>
+ <p>From the eastern end of the gully a cloud of dust is approaching. It is over a mile distant, but you can tell at once that it is being kicked up by a motorcyle. You stare at the approaching machine and, although you cannot see the rider, you know that it is the assassin. Chilled by his proximity, you wind back the throttle and gun your bike along the bumpy moun- tain road.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect124">
+ <meta><title>124</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the team are preparing to leave, the captain briefs you on the plan of attack. 'Once we're on the inside and the convoy arrives, we've got to place the mines as quickly as possible in case they decide to off-load the explosives. From now on we stick together. Move quickly on my command and no firing unless it's absolutely unavoidable. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a suitable escape vehicle. We'll need to find one before we set the mines. We've got only five minutes to make our getaway, and I sure don't want to be around when those trucks go up. There'll not be a whole lot left o' this place once those mines explode.'</p>
+ <p>After the briefing, you follow the captain in single file as he leads the team through a series of intercon- necting alleys that takes you to the race track's west gate. Most of the clansmen are congregated at the front of the track, around the east gate, making it easy for you to gain access to the track at the rear without being seen.</p>
+ <p>Once inside, you make your way through the now- empty kennels and administration blocks, to a pos- ition opposite the track itself. Here you catch a glimpse of your old enemy - Mad Dog Michigan.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect125">
+ <meta><title>125</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nervously you wipe your sweaty palms on the front of your T-shirt before checking to see that there is a live round in the breach of your rifle. Then, once you are sure that your equipment is secure, you tense yourself to begin this dangerous run.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you leap to your feet and race up the steps. As you clear the crater, you mark your destination and sprint towards it, whilst simultaneously covering yourself by firing your rifle at the sniper's position.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current ENDIJRANCE points score. To this total add 1 point for every round you choose to fire from your gun (minimum equals one round; maximum equals three rounds).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect126">
+ <meta><title>126</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You retrieve your Backpack from the truck and rummage through the contents for your binoculars. It takes you a few moments to focus your lenses on the sign, but when you do, you see that it says: Mimbres - 9 Miles.</p>
+ <p>You inform the captain then bring your glasses to bear on the town. At once you see why he has halted the truck.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect232"><link-text>Turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect127">
+ <meta><title>127</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You scan the shelves, but find little more than bottled fruit juices and preserved foodstuffs. Knott reaches for a jar of pickled cucumbers that is illuminated by the sunlight streaming through the hole in the wall. As his hand closes upon the lid, another gunshot echoes from the forest and the jar explodes, spray- ing you both with glass and pulped vegetable: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>Stunned by the bullet's effect, you fall towards the door and fumble with the wooden latch. Now that you know the sniper can see you through the jagged hole, you are anxious to leave the store room before he fires again.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect334"><link-text>Turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect128">
+ <meta><title>128</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Marine Knott takes the wheel with the captain riding beside him in the cab. Meanwhile, you and the sergeant climb in the back and take up firing pos- itions at the tailgate. Steadily Knott drives towards Columbus, keeping the speed down to avoid arous- ing too much suspicion. You are sixty yards from the barricade when the captain shouts through the cab partition: 'Hold on men - we're going in!'</p>
+ <p>You exchange an anxious glance with Sergeant Haskell as the engine roars and the truck picks up speed.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188">If the number you have picked is 0-3, <link-text>turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If the number is 4-6, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect345">If it is 7-9, <link-text>turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect129">
+ <meta><title>129</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the office by a rear door that opens on to a parking lot. Here you find Marine Knott. He has discovered a wrecked US mail truck, and although the engine and tyres are beyond repair, he has been able to syphon more than a gallon of gasolene from its fuel tank. You congratulate him on his find, and together you return to the furniture store to meet up with Frankland and Haskell.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect218"><link-text>Turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect130">
+ <meta><title>130</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You make the jump with a few feet to spare, but, barely seconds after landing, a handful of clansmen pour from the roof door and begin to fire at the team. Bullets smack into the brickwork and ricochet off the parapet, forcing you to dive for cover.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If you have a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect306">If you do not possess a gun, do not have sufficient ammunition, or do not wish to use your gun, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect131">
+ <meta><title>131</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For a few moments, Captain Frankland assesses the situation in silence. Then he turns to Sergeant Haskell and says: 'Follow me, sergeant, I'll take the one on the left, you take the one on the right. Is that understood?' Sergeant Haskell acknowledges the order as he unsheathes his own combat knife.</p>
+ <p>'You two stay here,' says Frankland, addressing you and Marine Knott. 'As soon as we've dealt with the sentries you follow us, OK?'</p>
+ <p>You watch expectantly as Frankland and Haskell creep up on the two unwary clansmen. Swiftly they silence them, then they signal to you to help them dispose of the bodies. After the two clansmen have been consigned to the Rio Grande, you check your equipment then follow the others as they hurry away from the walkway area.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect132">
+ <meta><title>132</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your pistol and take aim at the assassin's chest as he takes up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places these bulky lenses to his visor and begins to search the surrounding rooftops. It seems a curious thing to do as the buildings are very close: surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is standing on top of them?</p>
+ <p>He lowers the lenses and scans the ground floor windows of the courthouse, and a sudden chill stabs your heart as you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, enhanced- resolution, image intensifiers. He sees you and immediately you snatch the trigger, fearful that you have left your shot too late.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect133">
+ <meta><title>133</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you raise your pistol, cupped in both hands, ignoring the bullets that are whistling past as you take aim at the clan commander. For a brief instant, his eyes widen with shock when he sees the muzzle of your Beretta pointing directly at his chest. He starts to pull away, but before he can take cover, you squeeze off your first shot.</p>
+ <p>Add together you Shooting skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If your total is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect134">
+ <meta><title>134</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The captain cocks his machine pistol and gets ready to open fire. 'OK, I'm gonna see if I can flush this Yankee out,' he says vehemently. 'When I start firin', you see if you can pinpoint where he is.'</p>
+ <p>You nod in agreement and get ready to glance around the tailgate the instant the captain opens fire.</p>
+ <p>'Let's do it!' he says, as he rises above the cover of the truck and squeezes off a burst of automatic fire. The noise of his gun drowns out the sniper's shot, but within a second of him breaking cover, Frankland is hit. With the machine pistol still chattering in his hands, he falls backwards and crashes to the ground, the assassin's bullet lodged deep in his skull.</p>
+ <p>The shock of Frankland's death, following so closely after Sergeant Haskell's, hits you like an icy shower. You cower behind the truck, shivering with fear, afraid that you will be next. For a terrible moment, the fear consumes you, and all you want to do is run as far away and as fast as you can. Despite Knott's pleas to stay where you are, you scramble to your feet and stumble towards the woods. In your haste, you trip and fall, grazing your hands and knees on the flint-sharp shale: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>Inadvertently, your fall saves your life. A shot passes over your head a second after you stumble, missing you by a hand's breadth. The imminent danger clears your mind and you race towards the trees with a determination to survive. Knott encourages you to increase your speed and you pray that you will reach cover before the sniper has a chance to slip another round into the breech of his rifle.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. [Note: If Your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items in order to increase your Stealth skill total.]</p>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If your total score is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect83">If it is 16-19, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect135">
+ <meta><title>135</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Bullets ricochet off the trash can, their sharp clangour making your ears ring. The firing continues for several seconds until you hear a squeal of tyres. followed by a loud metallic crash. A careful glance over the rim reveals that the last biker and his machine have finally met their doom.</p>
+ <p>As you climb out of the trash can and walk away from the bridge, you hear Captain Frankland ordering everyone back to the truck. 'This ain't the last we've seen of Mad Dog's men,'he says, looking to the west in the direction of Ciudad Juarez. 'We'd best keep moving while we're ahead. We've made good progress, but we've still got about 100 miles to cover before we reach Deming.'</p>
+ <p>He climbs into the cab beside Marine Knott, while you and the sergeant settle down in the rear of the truck and try to make yourselves comfortable. You leave the town, heading.north, following the remains of a highway that promises to take you back across the border and on to your rendezvous with the colony. A few miles outside the town, the highway crosses a lake by means of a narrow causeway. The first few rays of the dawn sun are lightening the eastern sky, and, as you stare across the lonely land- scape, you find yourself thinking of Kate and the colony.</p>
+ <p>'If all goes.well, we'll reach Deming a few hours before noon,' says Haskell, studying a map by the light of a tiny bulb in a wire cage bolted to the rear of the cab. Then he slips the map inside his combat jacket, switches off the light, and curls up on the floor to sleep. You too are feeling very tired, so you decide to follow Haskell's example and try, despite the bumpy ride, to snatch a few hours'much-needed rest.</p>
+ <p>Before you sleep you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> Points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80">To continue, <link-text>turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect136">
+ <meta><title>136</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Gently you coax the bike's front wheel over the edge of the steep gully. Then, as it tips forward and gathers speed, you work at the clutch and front brake levers to keep the machine upright and under control. The descent is fast and exciting until you hit a patch of loose shale and feel the front wheel juddering sideways. Then, what moments before was controlled and exhilarating, suddenly becomes a terrifying free-fall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
+ <p>If your total score 8 or less, turn 235.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect34">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect137">
+ <meta><title>137</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tracks lead to a drug store at the centre of the town. It looks as if Kate parked your car here and went inside the store, for there are two lines of foot- prints in the dust, running from the street to the front door.</p>
+ <p>The others wait in the truck while you enter the store. Following in Kate's footsteps, you arrive at some empty places on the store's shelves. She was after medical supplies, although she was selective about what she took. The shelves still hold a few medicines and other medical supplies - enough for two Medi- kit units. (If you wish to keep these, remember to mark them on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <p>Having satisfied your curiosity, you go back to the truck and tell the others what you have found. Captain Frankland is anxious to reach Lordsburg before dark, so he orders Knott to turn the truck around and head back to Interstate 10.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect33"><link-text>Turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect138">
+ <meta><title>138</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using the darkness to best advantage, you follow a wide avenue that leads away from the park. The once- grand buildings that line the street show signs of hav- ing been looted recently. The driveways and gardens are littered with broken furniture and furnishings, hurled from the windows of plush, penthouse suites.</p>
+ <p>In the distance you see yellow, flickering lights, and, as you draw nearer, you hear the raucous cheers and laughter of drunken clansmen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect35">If you wish to continue along the avenue, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect294">If you prefer to avoid the clansmen by leaving the avenue and heading south, <link-text>turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect139">
+ <meta><title>139</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach the trapdoor and stare down the flight of wooden steps into the darkness below. Although you cannot see or hear anything, you sense that someone is there.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect280">If you wish to assure whoever is hiding below that you mean them no harm, and that all you wish to do is talk with them, <link-text>turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect68">If you prefer to demand that they throw down their weapons and come out with their hands up, <link-text>turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect140">
+ <meta><title>140</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman crashes back against the truck, hits his head, and falls to the ground in a dazed heap. Although you are bruised by the collision, you are still able to remain on your feet and seize the initia- tive. Half-concussed, the leather-jacketed Mexican fumbles blindly for his bolstered pistol, but before he can draw and fire it, a well-placed kick to the side of his head knocks him out cold.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you drag his body under the truck and prop him out of sight behind the rear wheels, before turn- ing your attention to the vehicle's fuel tank.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect141">
+ <meta><title>141</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An agonizing pain erupts in the middle of your forehead. You have been hit by your enemy's bullet and the impact lifts you off your feet and sends you sprawling against the courthouse wall. The pain disappears to be replaced by a numbness that darkens your vision and bleeds the last ounce of strength from your unfeeling limbs. An overwhelming urge to sleep assails your senses, and, although you fight to stay awake, it is a fight you have no hope of winning.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here at Tombstone, Arizona.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect142">
+ <meta><title>142</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You twist the ignition key and pump the gas pedal; you feel a surge of relief when you hear the jeep's sturdy engine growl throatily. A flick of a switch brings the headlights to life and then you are off, accelerating along a narrow street opposite the bus depot that leads to the west side of town.</p>
+ <p>Most of Mad Dog's clansmen are concentrated around the block of buildings where the truck was discovered, but there are some, most notably the Detroit Lions' scouts, who have taken up lookout pos- itions in other parts of the town. You pass two or three of them on your way through Lordsburg, yet they seem to ignore you. The jeep - with its clan markings - and the darkness, enable you to pass them without challenge.</p>
+ <p>It is not until you begin your approach to the access ramp of Interstate 10 that you encounter any problem. Soon after your truck was found, Mad Dog despatched a unit of scouts in a pick-up to guard the freeway ramp, just in case. It was a smart move. When the scouts see you approaching, they switch on a spotlight mounted on the roof of the pick-up, above the driver's seat, and catch you in its beam. When a radio call confirms that you are not what you seem, they accelerate towards you in an attempt to run you off the road.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect205">If your total score is 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If it is 4-7, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect330">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect143">
+ <meta><title>143</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansmen are pointing their spotlight at tne jeep's windscreen, effectively blinding Captain Frankland. Valiantly he struggles to control the vehicle, but he is fractionally too slow to avoid the truck completely and it clips the rear wheel arch as it flashes past.</p>
+ <p>You are shaken and bruised (lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point) by the collision, and, as you fight to bring the heavy gun to bear on the pick-up, you swing too far and your first burst misses by several yards. With a screech of tyres, the pick-up completes a spectacular 180-degree turn and comes racing back towards the jeep. This time you are ready for them. They are thirty yards away when you draw back the cocking lever and open fire.</p>
+ <p>The heavy-calibre rounds riddle the engine and tear the cab to shreds. The truck starts to skid, and then there is a tremendous bang as the fuel tank explodes. As the captain accelerates away on to the freeway you watch in silence as a huge ball of billowing orange flame engulfs the remains of the truck and its passengers.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect144">
+ <meta><title>144</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your weapon arcs towards the clansman, but your aim is poor and it misses him by an arm's length. Alerted by the sound of it hitting the steps, he immediately screams a warning to the guards on the bridge.</p>
+ <p>'What the&ellips;' hisses the captain, his eyes wild with anger and fear as he turns to face the shouting Mexican. Then, in the next instant, all hell breaks loose.</p>
+ <p>The clansmen who are guarding the toll bridge rush to their searchlights and train them on the walkway entrance. Within seconds the whole area is bathed in white light, revealing the team and the bodies of the two dead clan sentries. Swiftly the area is sur- rounded by the enemy, who open fire mercilessly. Unable to find cover or escape from this deadly ambush, all four of you fall victim to the clansmen's guns.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here on the banks of the Rio Grande.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect145">
+ <meta><title>145</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The door is unlocked. Carefully you lift the latch and push it open, and, as the light from the corridor illuminates the darkness within, you see that the room contains two bunk beds and a few other pieces of plain pine furniture. Children's toys, lovingly crafted from wood and bone, line the shelves. You are closing the door when you notice a wooden whistle lying on the top of a clothes trunk.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Whistle, mark it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Backpack item.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If you wish to investigate the door on the opposite side of the corridor, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you decide to investigate the door at the end of the corridor, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect146">
+ <meta><title>146</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clan commander's bullets hit you in the side, sending you rolling backwards to crash against the cab. You feel no pain, for two of the seven rounds that hit you pierced your heart. Death is instan- taneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Columbus.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect147">
+ <meta><title>147</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You select a plum-sized chunk of rubble from the bot- tom of the ditch and whisper to Knott to get ready to make a dash for the freeway. Then you draw back your arm and hurl the rock away to your right, beyond the clansmen's position, and wait for it to hit the ground.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect242">If the number you have picked is 0-5, <link-text>turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect221">If the number is 6-9, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect148">
+ <meta><title>148</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull back the slide of your Beretta just far enough to check that there is a bullet in the breach, then you tense yourself in preparation for this dangerous run.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you leap to your feet and race up the steps. As you clear the crater, you mark your destination and sprint towards it, whilst simulta- neously covering yourself by firing your pistol at the sniper's position.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your cur- rent <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. To this total add 1 point for every round you choose to fire from your pistol (minimum equals one round; maximum equals eight rounds).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect149">
+ <meta><title>149</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Knott's fist banging repeatedly against the inside of the cab, draws all three of you towards its tiny window. Through the grimy glass you see him point- ing at a town on the road ahead, its battered buildings illuminated by the truck's headlights. 'Vado de Piedra!' he shouts. 'Better get ready in case it's a clan town.'</p>
+ <p>'If you see any clansmen, you just keep drivin',' replies Captain Frankland. 'If the town's empty, find somewhere safe and then stop the truck. Is that clear?'</p>
+ <p>'Yessir!' Knott replies.</p>
+ <p>As the dust-blown stores and houses of the derelict Mexican town trail away behind the truck, it becomes obvious that the place is deserted. Knott arrives at the same conclusion and decreases speed as he prepares to turn off the main highway. The truck crosses a bridge then swings to the right and stops beside a store that lost its roof long ago.</p>
+ <p>'They're still with us, captain,' said Haskell, staring across the dry river bed at the group of headlights, as the bikers enter the town.</p>
+ <p>'Not for long,' Frankland growls, his voice harsh and determined. 'Spread out and find some cover. We'll take 'em as they come over the bridge.'</p>
+ <p>Quickly you move away from the truck and scour the darkness, straining your eyes to find a place to hide that also has an unobstructed view of the bridge. You can see only two such places, both far from ideal. One is a gas pump, standing on the forecourt of a gas station directly opposite the bridge: the other is an industrial trash can, abandoned at the side of the bridge's exit ramp.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect74">If you wish to take cover behind the gas pump, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect317">If you decide to place yourself inside the trash can, <link-text>turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect150">
+ <meta><title>150</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For a few seconds you stand entranced, not know- ing for sure whether you are dead or alive. Then, as the warm breeze clears the lingering gunsmoke, you see the body of the assassin lying motionless beside the courthouse wall. You are filled with a great sense of relief, as if a huge weight has been lifted from your shoulders. Then the shock of your encounter takes hold of your body and you begin to shiver uncon- trollably. You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>With grim curiosity you move forward to search the body. You pull off his helmet and stare at the face of this killer. At once you recognize the cruel, angular features: he is Helmut Varken, a top HAVOC assassin who achieved infamy on 1 May, 2008 when he assassinated both the President of the United States, and the General Secretary of the Supreme Soviet at an emergency summit meeting in Rome. HAVOC were proud of his ignoble feat, and when by chance they leaked his identity, his photograph appeared on every television screen and on the front page of every newspaper around the world. You were only eight years old at the time, but the image of his face became synonymous with the evil that HAVOC represented, and it etched itself indelibly upon your mind.</p>
+ <p>As your pulse returns to normal, you begin to search his blood-stained body. You are disappointed to find that his air-con suit has been irreparably damaged, but you discover more than enough useful items to compensate for the loss:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Rifle (containing twenty-two rounds of 7.62mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Pistol (containing ten rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Twenty rounds of spare 7.62mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>Fifteen rounds of spare 9mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>Combat Viewer</li>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Tear Gas Grenade</li>
+ <li>CB Radio</li>
+ <li>Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Enough food for three Meals</li>
+ <li>Enough medical supplies for eight Medi-kit units</li>
+ <li>Enough water for three Drinks</li>
+ <li>Compass</li>
+ <li>Map</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>After finishing your search, you leave the courthouse and commandeer Varken's motorcycle. You are anxious to reach Tucson as quickly as you can, so you kick start the machine and speed away from Tombstone, heading north on Highway 80.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect151">
+ <meta><title>151</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you descend the fire escape into the alley below, seconds before a group of clansmen turn the corner and come running towards you. Fortunately, they are without torches and in their haste they fail to notice the four of you hiding in the shadows as they make their way around to the rear of the building.</p>
+ <p>The moment they have gone, the captain leads you along a covered walkway that ends at a rotunda. Opposite this paved concourse is the entrance to a bus depot, and parked close by is a US army jeep containing two clansmen. Judging by the long- horned skull emblazoned on the vehicle's side, they are members of the Texan clan known as the Mavericks.</p>
+ <p>'There's our ticket outta here,' says Captain Frankland. Silently he draws his knife and holds it to his cheek as he asks for a volunteer to help him commandeer the jeep.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect2">If you wish to volunteer to ambush the two Mavericks, <link-text>turn to 2</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If you do not wish to volunteer, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect152">
+ <meta><title>152</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once you wipe away the thick layer of dust that blankets every piece of the merchandise in this store, you realize that it is stocked with several items that may prove useful during your ride to Tucson.</p>
+ <p>You collect together an armful of goods and lay them out by the door before choosing which ones to keep. You have discovered the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Rifle</li>
+ <li>Shotgun</li>
+ <li>Six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>Twelve rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
+ <li>Hunting Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Bowie K-infe [3]</li>
+ <li>Solar Torch</li>
+ <li>Fishing Tackle</li>
+ <li>Tool Kit</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ <li>Blanket</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to make the appropriate adjustments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect318">To continue, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect153">
+ <meta><title>153</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pick up a steel-framed chair and hurl it at the window. The glass shatters with a deafening crash, leaving a jagged hole through which to escape. Using the barrel of your gun, hastily you clear away the knife-sharp slivers protruding from the window frame before starting to climb through to the fire escape.</p>
+ <p>You can ill afford the delay. You are half-way through the frame when the clansman and his bloodhound burst into the room.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <p>If your total score is 0-4, tum to 271.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect72">If it is 5-8, <link-text>turn to 72</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect179">It it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect154">
+ <meta><title>154</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You halt your bike at the side of the street and begin to rummage through your Backpack for the can of oil. The filter cap is so hot it has expanded and jammed, forcing you to wait for the engine to cool before you can replenish the oil. During your wait you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>At length you are able to free the cap and pour in the oil. You are attempting to restart it when sud- denly you see an all-too-familiar dust cloud ap- proaching the town from the east.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect298"><link-text>Turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect155">
+ <meta><title>155</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fire, hitting the Angelino clansman in the side as he roars past your hiding place, and sending him tumbling from his machine to hit the ground in a cloud of dust. it is not until the dust settles and your pulse slows that you realize just how close you came to being killed.</p>
+ <p>Seven neat indentations run in a line across the trash can, marking the place where the biker's machine pistol bullets ricocheted off the thick steel plate. They are barely an inch below the top of the rim. Had he aimed a fraction higher, the bullets would have hit you for sure.</p>
+ <p>Thinking of how close you came to death makes you break out in a cold sweat. Uneasily you wipe your forehead with the back of your trembling hand as you climb out of the trash can and walk away from the bridge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect156">
+ <meta><title>156</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>While you are trying to think of an alternative power source, you check inside the truck's cab and discover that it does not have automatic transmission: it has a manual, four-wheel drive system.</p>
+ <p>'I think I may have the answer to our problem,' you say, and proceed to explain your plan to the others. 'If we can get this truck moving, we might just be able to shove-start it, using the manual gears.'</p>
+ <p>The others look sceptical but they are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, especially as they can offer no alternative plan. With considerable effort, you manage to manhandle the pick-up on to the highway. Knott is the lightest and so he is chosen to steer the truck while the others, yourself includ- ed, push it as fast as you can. Once it has built up a reasonable speed, Knott engages high gear and releases the clutch pedal in the hope that the elec- trical power generated by the computerized alternator will be sufficient to spark the engine. The plan is not an instant success, but on the fifth attempt the power is sufficient to bring the engine coughing and splut- tering back to life.</p>
+ <p>Owing to the sheer physical effort required to start the engine in this manner, you must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect329"><link-text>Turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect157">
+ <meta><title>157</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clan commander's bullets punch a neat line of holes across the tailgate, barely inches above the place where you are lying. Before he can fire a second burst beneath the first, Sergeant Haskell hits him with a single shot to the head, killing him instantly.</p>
+ <p>Realization of his death passes like a shockwave through the other clansmen, causing them to abort their attack and fall back. A few stop long enough to pick up and bear his lifeless body away from the street.</p>
+ <p>While there is a lull in the firing, you seize the chance to help Knott and Captain Frankland clear away the debris that is blocking your escape. A thick, wooden pole, which once supported overhead electricity cables in this part of town, is jammed between the wheel and the truck's front fender. With your help they are at last able to shift it. Knott returns to the cab and starts the engine first time. Then, as he brings the truck over the mound, you and the captain leap on to the tailgate and pull yourselves aboard.</p>
+ <p>The street ends at a piece of wasteland but a few hun- dred yards beyond it lies a highway running east to west. The captain peers through the cab's partition window and gives an ironic laugh when he sees the highway.</p>
+ <p>'Make for that road and head west,' he commands, and Knott obeys. Then he turns to the sergeant and says, 'It looks like you're finally outvoted, Haskell. Seems we're on our way to Mimbres.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect158">
+ <meta><title>158</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>By keeping strictly to alleys and side streets you are able to make your way deep into the heart of the city, avoiding the numerous clan patrols. At length you reach the banks of the Rio Grande and follow the river westwards towards your rendezvous destination. Your early encounters with Mad Dog's men have delayed you and now, as you hurry along the walkways and plazas bordering the river, you are fearful that you will arrive too late to join the others. In your haste you become less cautious and take risks that might prove dangerous.</p>
+ <p>You are hurrying along a walled sidewalk when you catch sight of the Stanton Street Toll Bridge less than 400 yards away. You are confident that it is the right bridge because it is the only one still intact. A glance at your wristwatch reveals that you have less than ten minutes to spare. You are about to break into a run when suddenly you hear a noise behind you that makes you freeze: it is the sound of a pistol being cocked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect104"><link-text>Turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect159">
+ <meta><title>159</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have taken less than a dozen steps before the man senses your approach. For a moment you make eye contact, then he dashes away from the trail and runs deeper into the forest. Rather than let him get away, you instruct Knott to keep up with you as you give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect54"><link-text>Turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect160">
+ <meta><title>160</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to persuade the family to come with you to Tucson, to join up with your colony and make a new start in California, but they dismiss your request out of hand. 'I've told you: we can look after ourselves,' retorts Steve, the bearded brother. 'All we want is to be left alone.'</p>
+ <p>Then his wife appears at the door to the corridor and calls out: 'There's another one movin' around outside.'</p>
+ <p>Steve looks worried. He checks the magazine of his pistol, cocks the slide, and then points it in your direction. 'OK, you two,' he says, his voice waver- ing. 'You're leaving here right now.'</p>
+ <p>Knott tries to reason with him, telling him that he is sentencing you both to certain death by forcing you outside to face the sniper, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. 'No one invited you here,' Steve spits. 'If you an' that guy outside have got a problem, it's your problem not ours. We don't want no part of it, is that clear?'</p>
+ <p>Reluctantly you allow yourselves to he escorted along a corridor that leads to the reinforced front door. The bolts are drawn and the door is thrown open. 'Get out!' screams Steve, and you feel his hands thrust against your back, propelling you into the blinding glare of the sunlight. Knott soon follows, and then come your weapons, clattering on the beaten earth floor of the crater.</p>
+ <p>As you stoop to retrieve your guns, the heavy door slams shut. The sound is echoed immediately by another that chills your blood: the sharp crack of a high-velocity rifle.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect85"><link-text>Turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect161">
+ <meta><title>161</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you fight to regain control of your roadster as it stews off the freeway and skids towards a crash barrier. With a numbing jolt, the car scrapes along the moulded steel barrier for more than 200 yards before you are able to steer it back on to the freeway. The impact has crushed your front fender and torn a jagged hole in the driver's door, which has left your arm badly bloodied: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect274"><link-text>Turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect162">
+ <meta><title>162</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dive to the ground and roll over, but you can- not help but let out a yelp of pain as you gash your knees and shoulders on the sharp rubble (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Marine Knott lands beside you as the beam of torchlight passes over your body. For a few seconds it hovers nearby, then it returns to bathe you both in its revealing glare.</p>
+ <p>An angry shout is followed by a burst of gunfire and the sound of dogs barking. Bullets powder the rock near your hands. 'Run for it!' you hiss. 'We've been seen.'</p>
+ <p>Ignoring the stinging pain of your wounds, you rise to your feet and sprint towards the darkness. Knott disappears to your left just seconds before you reach the freeway arch. You continue to run and are about to emerge from beneath the elevated freeway when the sound of growling stops you dead in your tracks. Ahead two squat shadows move purposefully towards you. You raise your gun but hesitate to pull the trigger for fear of attracting more of the enemy. Your moment's hesitation is seen as a sign of weakness, and the two fighting dogs bound forwards instantly flinging themselves at your chest.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Pit Bull Terriers</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed and ferocity of their attack, you cannot make use of a close combat weapon until the beginning of the second round of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect120">If the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect163">
+ <meta><title>163</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus all your attention on your enemy, for he is a formidable opponent. He presents a difficult target: he is partially hidden behind the brick pillar of a hardware store, and his black suit merges easily with the shadows.</p>
+ <p>Despite these disadvantages, you know that this may be your only chance to put an end to his pursuit and avenge the lives of your three dead comrades.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect132">If the gun you are using is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect61">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect98">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 98</link-text></choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect164">
+ <meta><title>164</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fear that Knott has somehow tripped an alarm vanishes as you realize that the siren is coming from the main entrance. It is announcing the arrival of the explosives convoy. Four trucks, each one carpeted in a layer of thick, red, desert dust, roar through the east gate and screech to a halt. You watch tensely as Mad Dog Michigan and one other, a Mexican whom you assume to be Santiago, run across to the vehicles and inspect their cargoes. Having satisfied themselves that all is in order, they proceed to berate the drivers for their poor timekeeping.</p>
+ <p>Patiently the captain watches the proceedings. When Mad Dog and his entourage finally leave the trucks and the cowering drivers, and walk towards the main gate, he tells you and Haskell to prepare to move. Gradually the crowds of clansmen who have gathered around the trucks disperse, and the captain gives the order to go: 'OK, let's do it!'</p>
+ <p>The explosives convoy comprises four trucks parked in a line near the centre of the race track. Sergeant Haskell opts for the two rearmost vehicles on which to plant his mines, leaving the first and second trucks for you and the captain to deal with. The captain allows you to choose your target.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239">If you wish to approach the first vehicle, <link-text>turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect290">If you decide to target the second truck, <link-text>turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect165">
+ <meta><title>165</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lift the latch and gently push the door but it does not move. At first you think that it must be locked from the inside, but then you notice that it fits poorly in its rough-hewn timber frame, and realize that it is simply sticking. A sharp kick soon cures it.</p>
+ <p>Inside you discover a large bed, constructed of pine and covered with a counter pane of rabbit fur. An assortment of male and female clothing hangs from a rail at the foot of the bed, and a handful of faded family photographs stands on a table beside it. You search a cupboard behind the door and discover a Solar Torch and a Screwdriver.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect59">If you wish to investigate the door on the opposite side of the window, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect196">If you decide to examine the door at the end of the corridor, <link-text>turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect166">
+ <meta><title>166</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman descends the steps with a bow-legged horseman's gait. He is exactly half-way down when he sees the captain kneeling over the body of a dead clan sentry. The sight freezes him in mid-step and his eyes widen with shocked surprise. As he opens his mouth to scream, you draw back your arm and hurl your weapon at his barrel-like chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect144">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 144</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect24">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 24</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect167">
+ <meta><title>167</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>To the west, the rockfall is far less steep and you have no difficulty descending to the edge of the gully. With the dust cloud growing nearer by the second, you creep down the final slope towards your motor- cycle as fast as you dare. You are expecting to find little more than a twisted heap of scrap metal, so it comes as a welcome surprise to discover that the machine is still in working order. After straigthen- ing the handlebars and the front wheel alignment, you are able to restart the engine and attempt to ride it away.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect281">If your total score is 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect225">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect168">
+ <meta><title>168</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At first you are shocked that Captain Frankland and Sergeant Haskell are firing at you. But, as the first wave of bullets kicks up the dust on the highway, your natural instinct for self-preservation takes over.</p>
+ <p>The only cover is a shallow gully that runs alongside the highway, and immediately you steer towards it. Another burst of fire follows you: this time the bullets strike home, slamming into the front of the motor- cycle and destroying the tyre. As you leave the highway you lose control of the machine, and the last thing you are aware of are the bars twisting in your hands: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>When you regain consciousness, you are lying in the back of the truck with the captain and the sergeant standing over you. Your head aches viciously, but apart from a slight concussion and a massive bruise on the left side of your skull, your body has survived the crash with little injury.</p>
+ <p>Marine Knott survived the crash without suffering any harm, and has been busy fitting the ignition unit to the truck. Now that the others are sure that you are all right, they check one last time that the engine is running smoothly and then continue north along Highway 81.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect169">
+ <meta><title>169</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In silence, the three of you busy yourselves with the grim task of burying Sergeant Haskell's body in the loose shale that borders this part of the highway. When the task is complete, the captain marks his grave with a cross and says a few words in honour of the memory of this brave soldier who died in the course of duty.</p>
+ <p>You and the captain leave Knott to pay his last respects and walk back to the pick-up to consider your next course of action. Mad Dog Michigan is known to have snipers at his disposal, former HAVOC assassins who operated under him in the years before 'The Day'. If it was one of those profes- sionals who killed Haskell, the chances are that he will not stop until he has finished you all off.</p>
+ <p>'We've gotta keep moving if we're to stay out of range of this assassin,' says Captain Frankland, as he stares across the landscape. 'I've had experience of these murderers in the past. They're totally ruthless and totally professional.'</p>
+ <p>Then, as if in answer to his words and your fears, another gunshot echoes across the pine-clad mountains.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If the number you have picked is 0-3, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If the number is 4-9, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect170">
+ <meta><title>170</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach the front of the truck uninjured and start to help Frankland and Knott clear away the debris that is blocking your escape. A thick, wooden pole, which once supported overhead electricity cables in this part of town, is jammed between the wheel and the truck's front fender. With your help, they are at last able to shift it and Knott braves the gunfire to climb into the cab. The engine starts first time, and as he brings the truck over the mound, you and the captain leap on to the tailgate and pull yourselves aboard.</p>
+ <p>The street ends at a piece of wasteland, but a few hundred yards beyond it lies a highway running east to west. The captain peers through the cab's partition window and gives a harsh laugh when he sees the highway.</p>
+ <p>'Make for that road and head west,' he commands, and Knott obeys. Then he turns to the sergeant and says, 'It looks like you're finally outvoted, Haskell. Seems we're on our way to Mimbres after all.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect171">
+ <meta><title>171</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At the end of the corridor you find a closet with a window that overlooks the main street. From here you observe the clan rider bring his motorcycle to a halt at the edge of the town. He is wearing a close- fitting black leather riding suit, a full-face black crash helmet, and is sporting a rig of combat equipment that makes him look like a futuristic space warrior.</p>
+ <p>Slowly he climbs off his machine, pausing briefly to adjust the controls of his air-conditioned riding suit. Then he unsheathes a scoped rifle from his saddle holster and advances along the main street, using the shadowy doorways of the stores and offices to cover his approach. He is thirty yards away, on the opposite side of the street, when he stops to select an orange- tipped bullet from a pouch at his hip. You watch with fearful anticipation as he presses the round into the breach of his rifle, raises the weapon to his shoulder, and takes aim at your motorcycle. There is a sharp crack, followed by a roaring boom as the incendiary round ignites and expodes the fuel tank.</p>
+ <p>With pounding heart you watch as coolly he lowers his rifle and proceeds to reload it.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect163">If you wish to attempt to shoot the assassin while he is busy reloading his rifle, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ <p>If you have insufficient ammunition, or if you choose not to fire at the assassin, turn 304.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect172">
+ <meta><title>172</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a much-practised movement, you thumb off the safety catch and bring your pistol to bear on the biker. You start to squeeze the trigger just as the muzzle levels off at a spot two feet above the motorcycle's blazing headlight.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect112">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect173">
+ <meta><title>173</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With nerves on edge you wait a full minute before you chance a glance out of the window. The assassin is nowhere to be seen, and you are gripped by the fear that he may by now have gained access to the courthouse. Cautiously you peer into the passage out- side, then through the banisters at the entrance and lobby, but all are empty.</p>
+ <p>You decide to escape from the courthouse while you can. The passage leads to a staircase, at the bottom of which is a fire exit. Through a crack in the door you can see that the yard outside is empty, so you push open the locking bar and leave. You have taken only a few steps away from the door when the assassin comes rushing around the corner of the courthouse with his rifle in his hand.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If you possess a missile weapon and sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect174">
+ <meta><title>174</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Knott acts as lookout while you take a look inside the cab. You find nothing of use, even the ignition key is missing, so you abandon the search and hurry to the rear of the truck. The doors are unlocked and inside you discover several open-topped boxes con- taining the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Enough food for five Meals</li>
+ <li>Blanket</li>
+ <li>Solar Torch</li>
+ <li>File</li>
+ <li>Tool kit</li>
+ <li>Air Pump</li>
+ <li>Enough water for three Drinks</li>
+ <li>Bandages and surgical tape, sufficient enough for two Medi-kit units</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Having satisfied your curiosity, you leave the truck and motion to Marine Knott to continue.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect138"><link-text>Turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect175">
+ <meta><title>175</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sun has disappeared behind the mountains and dusk is turning to darkness when you reach the small town of Elfrida. It was once the centre of a close rural community, but now it is no more than a sorry collec- tion of wind-damaged stores and cabins straddling the stream. Aching with fatigue, and the pain of the minor injuries which you have sustained during your flight from the assassin, you decide to inves- tigate the little town and rest there awhile.</p>
+ <p>A derelict diner with a cellar offers the best place for shelter. Attempting to reach Tucson, alone and in the dark, does not strike you as a good idea, so you decide to spend the night here in the cellar and continue tomorrow at first light. Worried that the assassin may still be on your trail, you set about bar- ricading the cellar door. Only when you are sure that he could not possibly enter without waking you, do you settle down for some much-needed sleep.</p>
+ <p>Before you sleep you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect110">To continue, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect176">
+ <meta><title>176</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You climb on to the jeep and aim a blow at the back of the clansman's head. However, your approach is noisy and he half-turns before you land your blow. The sight of your raised fist galvanizes him into action, and he turns aside your arm with the edge of his hand.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Exxon</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">23</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the surprise of your attack, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you sustain in the first round of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect320">If you win and the combat lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect217">If the combat lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 217</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect177">
+ <meta><title>177</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your vote carries the decision to detour Columbus by a majority of three to one. 'OK men, that decides it,' says Captain Frankland. 'We avoid Columbus an' take a detour on Highway 9.'</p>
+ <p>'I think we'd better get going right away, sir,' says Knott, uneasily. 'Looks like more o'Mad Dog's boys are headin' this way.' He points along the highway at an ominous column of dust that is approaching from the south.</p>
+ <p>'Hell!'spits Frankland. 'That's all we need. Mount up, men. We ain't got the time to party with those punks.'</p>
+ <p>Marine Knott takes the wheel with the captain riding beside him in the cab. Meanwhile, you and the sergeant climb in the back and take up firing pos- itions at the tailgate. As the truck starts to move, you watch anxiously as the column of dust draws closer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275"><link-text>Turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect178">
+ <meta><title>178</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave behind the blazing wreckage as you speed away from Lordsburg on Interstate 10. You are expecting to be followed, yet, as the town slowly vanishes into the night, there is no sign of a clan pursuit.</p>
+ <p>You cover fifteen miles, reaching the intersection with Highway 80, when the jeep runs out of fuel. You let it cruise to the side of the freeway. As soon as you stop, Captain Frankland unhooks a large fuel can that is strapped to the rear of the jeep and shakes it.</p>
+ <p>'There's about two gallons in this,' he says, as he flicks open the cap and pours the contents into the jeep's empty tank. 'It's not going to get us very far.'</p>
+ <p>As the captain pours the last of the spare gas into the jeep suddenly you discover why you were not fol- lowed out of Lordsburg.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect309"><link-text>Turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect179">
+ <meta><title>179</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach for your gun but a gruff voice bellows: 'Hold it right there!'</p>
+ <p>The clansman stands silhouetted in the doorway, as his bloodhound comes loping across the desk towards you. Desperately you throw yourself out of the win- dow before he can raise and fire a gun. Your swift action undoubtedly saves your life, for the Angetino has taped his torch to the barrel of his machine pistol, which is already aimed at your chest. As you make your move, he pulls the trigger, spraying the win- dow with a deadly hail of lead. The frame is ripped to pieces yet none of the bullets find their mark.</p>
+ <p>An iron fire-escape platform breaks your fall, but not without injury. Its surface is littered with glass and you suffer several minor cuts to your hands and knees - lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. Galvanized by the shock of coming so close to death, you ignore the cuts and stagger down the fire escape as quickly as you can.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect282"><link-text>Turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect180">
+ <meta><title>180</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are relieved to discover that you are carrying a pack of water purification tablets.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to do so, you may refill your canteen at the cost of 1 Medi-kit unit.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect289">To continue, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect181">
+ <meta><title>181</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In this crucial moment between life and death, you are no longer able to think rationally. Your actions are pure reflex and, as you raise your gun to fire, everything seems to be happening in slow motion. For a fleeting moment you feel super-aware, something that the fighters at the OK Corral must have experienced in the first few seconds of their savage encounter. Then all hell breaks loose as your guns spit fire simultaneously.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth and Shooting skill scores.</p>
+ <p>To this total, add you current ENDURANCF points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect141">If your total score is 20 or less, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect150">If you total is 21 or rnore, <link-text>turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect182">
+ <meta><title>182</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Frantically you scramble to your feet and throw yourself out of the path of the oncoming biker as he guns his machine manically straight at the gas pump.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If your total score is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect226">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 226</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect183">
+ <meta><title>183</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The temperature continues to rise as the truck makes its way along the remains of Highway 81, across a vast and spectacular landscape. It is nearly noon when you reach a winding, steep-sided canyon - part of the great continental divide. Its multi-banded strata of rocks provide a dramatic splash of colour in this sun-bleached mountain wasteland.</p>
+ <p>'The colony should be in Deming about now,' says the Captain, glancing at his wristwatch. 'When we reach the Interstate, we'll stop and wait for them there. No sense travelling in this heat if we can help it.'</p>
+ <p>He has barely finished talking when there is a loud bang. The floor shudders, then the engine starts to cough and splutter. Knott groans loudly, fearing the worst, and desperately pumps the gas pedal to keep the engine from stalling. For half a mile the truck lurches along the highway like a drunken kangaroo, until the engine utters its last cough and stops.</p>
+ <p>An examination of the engine soon reveals the problem - a cracked electronic ignition unit. Knott recalls seeing one of these lying on a workbench back at the Hachita gas station, and curses himself for not having taken it. At least a replacement part is within reach. Knott volunteers to return to the town, ten miles away, and asks for someone to accompany him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect49">If you wish to walk back to Hachita with Marine Knott, <link-text>turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect286">If you decide to stay with the truck, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect184">
+ <meta><title>184</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The highway weaves its way towards a high pass, beyond which there is a hairpin bend. Fatigue is mak- ing it increasingly difficult for you to concentrate, and you take the sharp bend too fast, causing the jeep's left side wheels to skid on the loose shale that borders the road. Desperately you try to control the skid but you run out of road. The last thing you see as the jeep plummets into a canyon is the tops of the stunted pine trees that line the canyon floor, 300 feet below.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your mission end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect185">
+ <meta><title>185</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dog begins to whine excitedly as it follows a trail of scent towards a cupboard near the opposite wall. You hear the clansman chuckling evilly, then a loud burst of automatic gunfire shatters the cupboard's plywood door. The dog claws open what little there remains of the door to reveal a swarm of new-born rats nesting among some books on the bottom shelf. Cursing, the clansman allows his hound to feast brief- ly on the brood before dragging him away by his col- lar. Then he turns and leaves the room to go in search of you on the floor above.</p>
+ <p>You wait until his footsteps have faded before you come out from beneath the table and return to the window. After several abortive attempts, you manage to free the lock. Quickly you open the window and leave the building unseen via the fire escape stairs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect158"><link-text>Turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect186">
+ <meta><title>186</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call Knott to support your attack as you run towards the door, bracing yourself against the impact. With a numbing jolt, your shoulder connects with the door's planed timber, and the force splinters its wooden bolt clean in two: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>The door flies open and you step back to allow Knott to rush into the room beyond, crouching in combat stance, his pistol held before him, ready to fire. No shots are fired, and when you enter the room, you discover that the bearded man has disappeared.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect233"><link-text>Turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect187">
+ <meta><title>187</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly you feel a sharp pain in your back, and your vision swims in and out of focus. You have been hit by a pistol bullet, and, although you fight to hang on to life, it is a struggle you cannot win. Gradually, your fingers weaken and you fall three storeys to your death in the alley below.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your mission end here in Lordsburg.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect188">
+ <meta><title>188</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly you hear shouts and sporadic gunfire amid the engine noise, then there is a dull thud and the floor shudders violently as the truck smashes through the barricade. Haskell loses his grip and is thrown heavily against your legs as the truck bucks and twists like an angry stallion. Haskell's fall dislodges you and together you tumble across the floor as the vehicle slews sideways across the highway. Then there is a second thud, louder than the first, and the truck comes to an abrupt halt.</p>
+ <p>You are dazed and bruised but still conscious enough to know that something is seriously wrong. Your gun lies by your side and automatically you reach for it as you struggle to your feet. Your hand has just closed around the barrel when you see two Mexican clansmen climbing over the tailgate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect267">If you wish to open fire at these clansmen, and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect312">If you do not wish to open fire, or are unable to do so, <link-text>turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect189">
+ <meta><title>189</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>When you can no longer see the highway for trees, you rise to your feet and scurry deeper into the forest. Here the air is heavy and still, and the heat is stifling, but at least the trees protect you from the midday sun. For two hours you ascend the pineclad slopes of the Pedregosa Mountains, wending your way steadily westwards towards peaks that are hidden from sight.</p>
+ <p>Throughout your weary trek, you exchange less than a dozen words with Marine Knott. The grief and the shock you feel play on your mind, and no matter how hard you try to shake them the images of your com- panions' final moments keep repeating in your mind's eye. Eventually you come to terms with your sense of bereavement, but you cannot escape the ever- present fear that the sniper is somewhere nearby.</p>
+ <p>By mid-afternoon you discover a trail that cuts through the scrub growing in abundance on the higher slopes. The trail is a welcome discovery, for the scrub is twisted and tough, gnarled and deep- rooted, and difficult to climb. You have been follow- ing the trail for less than an hour when it starts to ascend very steeply towards a rugged outcrop of rock.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Field Craft skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect94">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect62">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 62</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect190">
+ <meta><title>190</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'OK, Cal,' says the captain. 'Me and the sergeant'll take the scenic route. We'll go first. Give us time to clear the zone then wait five minutes before you and Knott make your move. Is that clear?'</p>
+ <p>'No problem,' you reply, confidently. 'We'll meet up at the toll bridge at 0100 hours.'</p>
+ <p>With bated breath you watch as the two soldiers slip over the perimeter wall and crawl away from the safety of Fort Bliss. Expertly they merge with the broken wasteland so that you soon find it impossible to track their path, leading to an elevated section of Freeway 54. Fifteen minutes later, all is still as quiet as the grave. You are sure that they have made it across the zone by now, and so you motion to Marine Knott to follow as you lower yourself head-first over the rampart and propel yourself across the rocky ground using only your elbows and knees.</p>
+ <p>The faint moonlight serves both to help and hinder your progress as you inch your way towards the Montana Road, a highway that runs 100 yards in front of, and parallel to, the clansmen's position. Every move you make is slow and deliberate as though the ground were strewn with eggs, so urgent is the need to prevent dust from betraying your position. Eventu- ally you reach a shallow ditch bordering the highway and you use it as cover as you advance towards a group of ruined buildings at the edge of the city. You are less than twenty yards from the ruins when you are frozen by the sound of howling dogs. They are clan bloodhounds and they have picked up your scent on the warm night air.</p>
+ <p>With your pulse racing, you peer over the edge of the ditch, seeking to catch a clear view of the enemy. You cannot see them, but you can hear them approaching fast. You must act quickly if you are to avoid being caught by the hounds and their handlers.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect109">If you possess at least one Meal's worth of food and wish to use it to delay the hounds, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect89">If you do not possess any food, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect191">
+ <meta><title>191</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take the grenade in your right hand and set its timer to detonate in five seconds. Then you ease out the firing pin and hurl the bomb towards the scrub where you first sighted the sniper.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you hear the grenade explode with a shuddering boom. Instantly you leap to your feet and race up the steps. As you clear the crater, you try to make out your destination through the swirling curtain of smoke now hanging between the pines.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth and Perception skill totals. Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add it to your score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect192">
+ <meta><title>192</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As soon as both clansmen have been defeated, you and Knott search their bodies and the saddlebags of their motorcycle, and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Pistol (containing four rounds of 9mm am- munition)</li>
+ <li>Shotgun (containing two rounds of 12-gauge ammunition)</li>
+ <li>Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Hammer [2]</li>
+ <li>Three rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
+ <li>Eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>Enough food for three Meals</li>
+ <li>Enough water for four Drinks</li>
+ <li>Enough water purification tablets, bandages, pain killers, and antiseptics for four Medi-kit units</li>
+ <li>Binoculars</li>
+ <li>Compass</li>
+ <li>Signal Flare</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these weapons, ammuni- tion, Medi-kit units or Backpack items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>You hide the bodies before entering the gas station to look for the spare ignition unit.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect273"><link-text>Turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect193">
+ <meta><title>193</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The barrel of Mad Dog's machine pistol spits flame and you feel red-hot cores of pain erupt in your shoulder, neck and head. In an instant your vision is transformed into a kaleidoscope of swirling colours, the most predominant being red.</p>
+ <p>With breathtaking suddenness your car stews off the freeway and smashes into the central crash barrier, transforming it into a blazing fireball. With a scream of triumph, Mad Dog passes your burning car, ecstatic in the knowledge that at last he has wrought his revenge.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here, less than thirty miles from Tucson.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect194">
+ <meta><title>194</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire wounds the clansman but does not pre- vent him from returning fire, and, as he staggers back, he empties his magazine into your hiding place. The bullets rip through the table and hit your chest and legs. You try to move but cannot. Colours swim before your eyes and the sharp pain that fills your body at first quickly gives way to a numbness that clouds your mind. You try to fight the over- whelming urge to close your eyes, but eventually you drift off into a sleep from which you will never awaken.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in El Paso.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect195">
+ <meta><title>195</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using rubber sealant, insulation tape, and strips of metal cut from an old oil can, you help the sergeant to patch up the three bullet holes. Meanwhile, the others are able to syphon nearly two gallons of gasolene from the station's storage tanks, which is then carefully transferred to the truck's newly repaired fuel tank. Captain Frankland is disappointed at having found so little fuel, but Knott assures him that it should be sufficient to enable you to reach Lordsburg and rendezvous with the colony.</p>
+ <p>Once the refuelling is completed, you climb aboard and set off in a new direction - north, towards a junction with Interstate Freeway 10.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect183"><link-text>Turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect196">
+ <meta><title>196</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the bedroom and approach the door at the end of the corridor with caution, taking care to tread lightly on the uneven floorboards to avoid making them creak. A small hatch, covered by a sliding panel of plywood, is positioned in the centre of the door at head height: it is a spyhole.</p>
+ <p>You place your ear to the door, directly below the covered hatch, and hear muffled voices in the room beyond. Although you cannot make out what is being said, you can tell that they are very frightened. Gently you lift the latch, only to discover that the door is locked on the inside.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect316">If the number is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect197">
+ <meta><title>197</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you haul the clansman's body under the truck and prop him out of sight behind the rear wheels. You then turn your attention to the vehicle ahead. The captain is crouching beneath it, signalling to you to place your contact mine in position. The heavy disc locks itself against the dusty tank and you uncover its detonator button carefully. Once again the captain signals and once again you obey his command, this time by pressing the button. As soon as the timing mechanism starts to tick, you close your Backpack and make a dash for the truck that Knott has commandeered.</p>
+ <p>Frankland and Haskell join your escape: the captain is running twenty yards ahead of you and the sergeant, who has had to place two mines, is trail- ing behind you by about the same distance. Knott sees you in the side mirror and starts the truck. Smoke belches from the exhaust pipe as he revs the reluctant engine. The captain reaches the rear and clambers over the tailgate just as a couple of clansmen notice you running and start shouting wildly. Their screams distract your attention and you fail to notice a metal tool locker that is lying on the ground directly in your path.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect224">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect198">
+ <meta><title>198</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow the main street, examining more than a dozen wrecked autos, but none holds out even the faintest hope of ever being resurrected. The last building in the street is the Post Office, and by the time you reach it, you are virtually resigned to the fact that your search is in vain. However, Knott wishes to search the building and, as there are still a few minutes left before you must rejoin Frankland and Haskell, you agree to help him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect108">If you wish to search the lot at the rear of the Post Office, <link-text>turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you decide to search the Post Office, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect199">
+ <meta><title>199</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hit the ground and roll under a car in time to see the clansmen's feet reach the base of the ramp. For a few seconds the men remain stationary, then they advance along the centre aisle, stopping occa- sionally to check between the rows of parked cars. You keep as still as possible until they reach the stairs and begin to ascend, then you crawl out from your hiding place and make a run for the exit ramp.</p>
+ <p>By the time the clansmen realize that you have given them the slip, you are a safe distance from the park- ing lot and heading into the heart of the city. By keep- ing strictly to alleys and side streets you are able to avoid clan patrols and reach the banks of the Rio Grande without incident. Then you head west, following the river towards your rendezvous destination.</p>
+ <p>Your early encounters with Mad Dog's men have delayed you and now, as you hurry along the walkways and plazas bordering the river, you are fearful that you will arrive too late to join the others. In your haste you become less cautious, taking risks that might prove dangerous.</p>
+ <p>You are hurrying along a walled sidewalk when you catch sight of the Stanton Street Toll Bridge less than 400 yards away. You are confident that it is the right bridge because it is the only one still intact. A glance at your wristwatch shows that you have less than ten minutes to spare. You are about to break into a run when suddenly you hear a noise behind you that makes you freeze: it is the sound of a pistol being cocked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect104"><link-text>Turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect200">
+ <meta><title>200</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The man enters the room, his pistol poised to shoot should either of you be foolish enough to think you can overpower him. He motions you to move back against the far wall, and when you comply, he calls to his companions, who are hiding below the floor.</p>
+ <p>'It's OK Jack, I got 'em covered. You can bring everyone up now.'</p>
+ <p>One by one, a family colony of survivors climbs the stairs and files into the room. The first to appear is a man in his mid-thirties, lean and clean-shaven, yet bearing a striking resemblance to the man with the gun. He is followed by two women of about the same age; then two children appear: a boy aged about eight and a girl aged eleven or so.</p>
+ <p>The women and children leave the room to check security at the front entrance, while the two men - brothers - demand to know who you are and why you are here.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect302"><link-text>Turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect201">
+ <meta><title>201</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus your lenses to see a figure moving among the gnarled grey pine trunks less than thirty yards away. A bearded man in his mid-forties, he is dressed in a plaid shirt and patched blue jeans. He is carry- ing a clutch of dead rabbits in one hand and a small axe in the other. Quietly you tell Knott exactly what you can see, and he replies: 'He doesn't sound much like a HAVOC assassin. What d'you think we should do, Cal?'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect325">If you wish to call out to the man, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect159">If you decide to stalk him, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect202">
+ <meta><title>202</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The captain leads the team through the buildings of the immigration control compound, and on towards the iron-framed service walkway. The gate to this section is locked but its rusty padlock is soon dealt with and stealthily you make your crossing. Below your feet, through the cage-like steel floor of the walkway, the waters of the Rio Grande glint in the moonlight. To your right lie the ruined remains of the Cordova Bridge. Its central span collapsed dur- ing the post-holocaust years, and the debris now forms an island of broken concrete that parts the waters near the middle of the river. The noisy rush of the water passing over this isle obscures the sound of your footfalls as the team hurries across the walkway towards the Mexican side of the border.</p>
+ <p>You are less than twenty yards from the exit gate when the captain signals a halt. Silently he points to the end of the walkway, where two clan sentries are standing guard with their backs to the river. 'We've gotta deal with these two quickly and quietly,' he whispers, as he reaches to his boot and unsheathes his black-bladed combat knife.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If the number you have picked is 0-6, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect131">If it is 7-9, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect203">
+ <meta><title>203</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nervously you wait for the rider to make his move. More than ten minutes elapse before he remounts his machine and kicks the engine into life. You reach for your gun, hoping for a clear shot as soon as he is in range, but your hopes are dashed when he turns his machine around and rides away in the opposite direction.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect101"><link-text>Turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect204">
+ <meta><title>204</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The force of the collision sends you both reeling to the ground. Desperately you scramble to your feet, shaking your head in an effort to clear your vision. You regain your footing before the clansman and immediately you seize the advantage and attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Banderas</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">19</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to your having the first strike, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points losses you sustain in the first round of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect257">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect205">
+ <meta><title>205</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Blinded by the glare of their spotlight, you struggle to avoid the oncoming truck and swerve sharply to the right. Captain Frankland, who is manning the heavy machine gun, is poised to fire when you make your move. Not only does the sudden change of direction ruin his aim, it hurls him out of the jeep into the path of the pick-up truck. The loss of your commander distracts your attention from the road, and you fail to see the steep ravine that is looming out of the darkness. The last thing you hear, as the jeep plummets sixty feet into an empty reservoir, are the terrified screams of Haskell and Knott.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect206">
+ <meta><title>206</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step over the dead dogs just as their handler, a scrawny-faced clansman dressed in a tattered denim jacket and jeans, comes running towards you wielding a crowbar. He is calling to his dogs by name and quickly you realize that he has not seen you standing in the shadows. Rather than fight him, you decide to backtrack and attempt to find your partner.</p>
+ <p>Knott is crouched in hiding beneath an archway further south. He sees you as you pass and attracts your attention by whispering your name. The discovery of the dead dogs has sent the clansmen into a frenzy of activity and immediately they launch a manhunt. Fortunately, they start by searching some distance away from you, enabling the two of you to slip away unseen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect207">
+ <meta><title>207</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The steep ground that borders the plateau is dry and flaky, and it crumbles frequently beneath your weight. Progress is painfully slow as you inch your way around the wooded outcrop, hugging the trunks of the mountain pines to prevent yourself from fall- ing into the valley far below.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Field Craft and Stealth skill totals. Add to this total your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect73">If your total score is 19 or less, <link-text>turn to 73</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect283">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 283</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect208">
+ <meta><title>208</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You grit your teeth and struggle to hang on. Then a ricochet screams from the brickwork and cuts across the back of your left hand: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The pain in your hand is excruciating, but it soon subsides to be replaced by a tingling sensation that cramps the muscles in your forearm. Your fingers weaken and, with a terrifying jolt, you find yourself swinging in the void, supported only by the fingers of your right hand.</p>
+ <p>After what seems like an eternity, your companions put paid to the clansmen and come to your rescue. Strong hands grip your aching arm and haul you to safety, but before you can thank them, they turn and follow the captain towards a fire escape on the far side of the building. You pause just long enough to catch your breath and retrieve your Backpack, then you hurry after them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect151"><link-text>Turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect209">
+ <meta><title>209</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Captain Frankland orders everyone back to the truck. 'This ain't the last we've seen of Mad Dog's men,' he warns, looking to the west in the direction of Ciudad Juarez. 'We'd best keep moving while we're ahead. We've made good progress, but we've still got about 100 miles to cover before we reach Deming.'</p>
+ <p>He climbs into the cab beside Marine Knott, while you and the sergeant settle yourselves in the rear and try to make yourselves comfortable. You leave the town, heading north, following the remains of a highway that promises to take you back across the border and on to your rendezvous with the colony. A few miles beyond the town, the highway crosses a lake by means of a narrow causeway. The first few rays of the dawn sun are lightening the eastern sky, and, as you stare across the lonely landscape, you find yourself thinking of Kate and the colony.</p>
+ <p>'If all goes well, we'll reach Deming a few hours before noon,' says Haskell, studying a map by the light of a tiny bulb in a wire cage bolted to the rear of the cab. Then he slips the map inside his combat jacket, switches off the light, and curls up on the floor to sleep. You are now feeling very tired, so you decide to follow Haskell's example and try, despite the rough ride, to get a few hours' much-needed rest.</p>
+ <p>Before you sleep you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80">To continue, <link-text>turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect210">
+ <meta><title>210</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Breathless with the exertion and exhilaration of your run, you crash through the foliage and throw yourself to the ground, scarcely able to believe that you escaped from the crater without being shot. You are beginning to think that the sniper failed to see you, when suddenly there is a gunshot and a bullet smacks into the base of a tree less than six Feet From where you lie.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect14"><link-text>Turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect211">
+ <meta><title>211</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you turn to run, the clansman hurls his crowbar at the middle of your back.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth and Perception skill totals.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115">If your total score is 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect40">If your total score is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 40</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect212">
+ <meta><title>212</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You bring your shotgun to your shoulder, and, as you take aim at the assassin's chest, you see him take up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places these bulky lenses to his visor and begins to search the surrounding roof- tops. It seems a curious thing to do as the buildings are close: surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is standing on top of them?</p>
+ <p>He dips the lenses and scans the ground floor windows of the courthouse, and a sudden chill stabs your heart as you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, enhanced- resolution image intensifiers. He sees you and immediately you squeeze the trigger, fearful that you have left your shot too late.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect213">
+ <meta><title>213</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fire, and almost immediately throw yourself to the floor of the truck, hoping to avoid your enemy's counter-fire. Fortunately, your move proves unnecessarily cautious: your burst of fire hits the clan commander in the head, killing him instantly.</p>
+ <p>His death travels like a shockwave through the other clansmen, bringing them to an abrupt halt. They abort their attack and fall back, a few of them stop- ping just long enough to pick up and bear his lifeless body away from the street.</p>
+ <p>While there is a lull in the firing, you seize the chance to help Knott and Captain Frankland clear away the debris that is blocking your escape. A thick, wooden pole, which once supported overhead electricity cables in this part of town, is jammed between the wheel and the truck's front fender. With your help they are able to shift it, and Knott returns to the cab and starts the engine first time. Then, as he brings the truck over the mound, you and the captain leap on to the tailgate and pull yourselves aboard.</p>
+ <p>The street ends at a piece of wasteland but a few hun- dred yards beyond it lies a highway running east to west. The captain peers through the cab's partition window and gives an ironic laugh when he sees the highway.</p>
+ <p>'Make for that road and head west,' he commands, and Knott obeys. Then he turns to the sergeant and says, 'It looks like you're finally outvoted, Haskell. Seems we're on our way to Mimbres.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect214">
+ <meta><title>214</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As your eyes grow accustomed to the gloom, you see that you have gained access to a small, sweet-smelling store room. Apart from an area occupied by a wooden door, the walls of the room are lined with shelves on which are stored jars of preserved fruits, canned foodstuffs, and pickled vegetables.</p>
+ <p>On one shelf alone there is sufficient food for more than fifty Meals. If you wish to take some, remember to mark your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect127">If you wish to continue to search the room, <link-text>turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect334">If you wish to leave the room via the door, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect215">
+ <meta><title>215</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You aim and fire at the approaching clansman, the rising barrel of your weapon blocking your target for just an instant. As your gun comes down from its recoil you see him staggering on the steps, his eyes bulging and his hands clamped to his chest. Then his legs buckle and he falls from the stairs to land, with a dull, heavy thud, on the dried-up bank of the Rio Grande.</p>
+ <p>'What the&ellips;' hisses the captain, his eyes wild with anger and fear as he turns to face you. Then, in the next instant, all hell breaks loose.</p>
+ <p>Alerted by the sound of your gunfire, the clansmen who are guarding the toll bridge immediately rush to their searchlights and train them on the walkway entrance. Within seconds the whole area is bathed in white light, revealing the team, and the bodies of the two dead clan sentries. Swiftly the area is sur- rounded by the enemy who open fire mercilessly. Unable to find cover or escape from this deadly ambush, all four of you fall victim to the clansmen's guns.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your mission end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect216">
+ <meta><title>216</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your strength, skill, and considerable deter- mination, you overcome your climbing problems and propel yourself to the peak. Elation hits your senses when you stand on the top of the rockfalls but it is a feeling that is all too brief.</p>
+ <p>From the eastern end of the gully a cloud of dust is approaching. It is over a mile distant, but at once you can tell that it is being kicked up by a motorcycle. You stare at the approaching machine and, although you cannot see the rider, you know that it is the assassin. Cursing your decision to abandon your bike, you look around desperately for some means of escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If you wish to descend the west side of the rockfall and attempt to escape along the road on foot, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect167">If you decide to descend into the gully and try to salvage your motorcycle, <link-text>turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect332">If you choose to remain on the rockfall and attempt to ambush the assassin when he arrives, <link-text>turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect217">
+ <meta><title>217</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are beginning to think that the ambush has backfired when the captain arrives to help you to overcome your adversary. He then signals to Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott, and they rush to the jeep, return your equipment, and then help him search the Mavericks' bodies before hiding them in the bus depot.</p>
+ <p>On returning to the vehicle, Captain Frankland offers you the opportunity to drive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to drive the jeep, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If you decide to let the captain drive, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect218">
+ <meta><title>218</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On your return to the main street you see Sergeant Haskell in the distance, beckoning you over to a used car lot near the middle of Rodeo. You hurry across the highway and enter the lot, which specialized in commercial and recreational vehicles before 'The Day'. The faded billboards boast that 'only the best vehicles are to be found here', but sadly this claim is long out-of-date. Most of the trucks and RVs are totally wrecked, and 'nearly all have tyres and batteries that perished during the post-holocaust years. All, that is, save one.</p>
+ <p>Captain Frankland has discovered a battered Toyota pick-up truck that still has four good tyres. He has lifted the hood and, as you enter the lot, he asks you to take a closer look at the engine. Apart from a dead battery and lack of fuel, you soon realize that this pick-up is in remarkably good condition.</p>
+ <p>'Well, we've found some gas,' says Knott, raising the fuel can, 'so that solves one problem.'</p>
+ <p>'That's fine,' replies the captain, 'but we'll still need some electrical power to get this engine started.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect106">If you possess a Solar Regulator, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect219">
+ <meta><title>219</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pump a cartridge into the breech as you bring your shotgun to bear on the leading biker. Your finger starts to squeeze the trigger as the muzzle levels off at a spot two feet above the motorcycle's blazing headlight.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect112">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect220">
+ <meta><title>220</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The unexpected ramming sends you to your doom. Your car veers off to the right and collides with the stationary landcruiser at over 100 miles an hour, transforming it into a blazing fireball. With a scream of triumph, Mad Dog crosses the bridge, happy in the knowledge that at last he has wrought his revenge.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here, less than twenty miles from Tucson.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect221">
+ <meta><title>221</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The rock shatters with a loud crack that sends the clansmen diving for cover. Instantly you spring out of the ditch, crouching as you run, your eyes fixed on the shadowy archway ahead. You are five yards from safety when your foot connects with a twisted steel rod protruding from the ground and you are sent sprawling. You land with a jolt (lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point), but almost immediately Knott pulls you to your feet by your Backpack and bundles you towards the archway. Moments later a beam of torchlight passes over the place where you fell. It hovers there for a few seconds then moves away slowly.</p>
+ <p>Patiently you wait for your breathing to return to normal. A glance around the pillar reveals the three clansmen searching the place where the rock landed. Confident that you have not been detected, you con- tinue on your way.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect222">
+ <meta><title>222</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The horror of seeing the pistol pointing straight at your heart galvanizes you into action. You hurl yourself at the floor, barely moments before the muzzle belches flame, avoiding what would most cer- tainly have been a fatal wound.</p>
+ <p>In the close confines of the corridor the noise of the pistol's discharge is deafening. You shake your head in a vain effort to clear the ringing that now fills your ears. Angered at how close you came to death, you struggle to your feet and face the door, only to see the spyhole slam firmly shut.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186">If you wish to attempt to barge open the door, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If you wish to shoot open the lock, and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect223">
+ <meta><title>223</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly something hits you in the back. The im- pact knocks you flat on your face, and you gash your hands and cheek on the jagged rubble: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> Points.</p>
+ <p>Although you have been hit by a bullet, you are not seriously wounded. Your Backpack has saved you from fatal injury: the bullet has lodged itself in one of your Medi-kits. (Erase one Medi-kit from you <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. If you have no Medi-kits, erase the first item you have recorded on your list of Backpack items.)</p>
+ <p>Breathlessly, you drag your aching body towards the front of the truck and start to help Frankland and Knott clear away the debris that is blocking your escape. A thick, wooden pole, which once supported overhead electricity cables in this part of town, is jammed between the wheel and the truck's front fender. With your help, they are at last able to dislodge it, and Knott braves the gunfire to climb into the cab. The engine starts first time and, as he brings the truck over the mound, you and the captain leap on to the tailgate and pull yourselves aboard.</p>
+ <p>The street ends at a piece of wasteland, but a few hundred yards beyond lies a highway running east to west. The captain peers through the cabs partition window and gives a harsh laugh when he sees the highway.</p>
+ <p>'Make for that road and head west,' he commands, and Knott obeys. Then he turns to the sergeant and says, 'It looks like you're finally outvoted, Haskell. We're on our way to Mimbres.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect224">
+ <meta><title>224</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your toe connects with the heavy metal box but you are able to recover your footing in time to avoid fall- ing over. Haskell draws level and together you jump and cling to the truck's tailgate as Knoft starts to move away. Helped by Captain Frankland, the two of you make it safely aboard as the truck rapidly picks up speed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect5"><link-text>Turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect225">
+ <meta><title>225</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow the wide trench until you find a suitable place on the far side of the rockfall to make your exit. The ascent is accomplished without difficulty, and, as you clear the crest of the gully, you bring your motorcycle to a halt in order to take a parting look at the approaching cloud of dust. It is less than half a mile distant, within range of a snipers rifle. Chilled by the thought of your murdered companions, you wind back the throttle and gun your bike along the bumpy mountain road.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect226">
+ <meta><title>226</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hit the ground with a jolt that leaves you breathless. Moments later, you hear a dull thud and a screech of buckled metal as the motorcyle clips the gas pump and crashes down on its side. You look up in time to see it rolling over and over, then, with a loud bang, it slams into the gas station wall. Cautiously you get to your feet and approach the tangled, smoking wreckage with your gun poised. You are still very wary of this maniacal rider even though the chances of his surviving such a terrible crash must be slim indeed.</p>
+ <p>As you expected, the rider is dead. A closer examin- ation of his broken body, however, reveals that he was dead before his machine hit the ground. He was killed as he sped over the bridge by a ricocheting bullet, and his body, slumped over the handlebars, kept his machine balanced in an upright and fixed line.</p>
+ <p>Thinking of how close you came to death makes you break out in a cold sweat. Uneasily you wipe your forehead with the back of your trembling hand as you turn and walk away from the dead clansman and his shattered bike.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect227">
+ <meta><title>227</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sound of the crash brings the clansmen to a halt at the side of the mountain road. They dismount from their machines and peel off their leather face masks before taking tentative steps towards the edge of the steep-sided canyon. The sight of the burning wreckage draws evil grins across their cruel faces, and when Knott's blood-stained tunic is found nearby, they laugh and howl like victorious jackals. Convinced that you are dead, their leader radios the news to Mad Dog Michigan. When he finishes the call he orders his scouts to remount their bikes and follow him back to Lordsburg. Only when you can no longer hear the thunderous growl of their bikes do you leave your hiding place and set off on foot along Highway 80, heading south.</p>
+ <p>It is only an hour after the sun has risen and the temperature is already climbing above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The prospect of spending a whole day walking in the burning desert heat is too dangerous to contemplate seriously, so when you see the town of Rodeo shimmering in the distance, you resolve to set about finding a replacement vehicle the moment you arrive.</p>
+ <p>The highway cuts through the centre of this empty town, dividing it into two halves of roughly the same size. A derelict furniture store marks the start of the main street and it is here, in the shade of its awning, that you stop to rest. You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Once you have recovered your strength, Captain Frankland and Sergeant Haskell pair up to search one half of the town while you and Knott search the other. You need to find a serviceable vehicle that will carry you as far as Tucson.</p>
+ <p>'We'll meet back here in half an hour,' says the captain, and offers you the choice of searching the west side or the east side of Rodeo.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect198">If you wish to search the east side of the town, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you choose to search the west side of the town, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect228">
+ <meta><title>228</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire catches the clansman in the upper chest and sends him spinning across the room. He hits the far wall, rebounds, then drops to his knees, his hands scrabbling all the while to maintain a grip on his weapon. He is determined to kill you but, as he struggles to raise his machine pistol, death robs him of the chance to avenge himself.</p>
+ <p>You scramble out from under the table to see the bloodhound scurrying away through the open door. Aware that the noise will have alerted the dead man's confederates, you waste no time in forcing open the window and leaving the building via the fire escape stairs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect158"><link-text>Turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect229">
+ <meta><title>229</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The interior of the repair shop looks like a junk yard after a sandstorm. The floor and counters are littered with pieces of electronic equipment that were once praised as the best of their kind during the communications boom that swept the world at the turn of the century. Now these gadgets lie broken and buried beneath a blanket of post-holocaust dust.</p>
+ <p>You spend several minutes sifting through the debris, and manage to unearth a CB Radio transceiver that still functions. If you choose to keep this item, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect245"><link-text>Turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect230">
+ <meta><title>230</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is not long before Interstate 10 appears on the horizon, its surface glowing warmly orange in the light of the setting sun. When you reach the junction, Knott drives on to the freeway and brings the truck to a halt to allow Captain Frankland to inspect the surface. The tyre tracks of several heavy vehicles are clearly visible in the dust, indicating that the colony has passed this way some time in the last six hours. The discovery is well received; it confirms that the convoy broke out of El Paso successfully, and it raises your hopes for an early reunion with Kate and the others.</p>
+ <p>Seven miles west of the junction, the remains of a small New Mexican town stands less than a mile from the freeway. A set of fresh tyre tracks veers away from the freeway and heads towards the town. The tracks are quite distinctive and you recognize them at once: they were made by the tyres that are fitted to your roadster.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect137">If you wish to ask Captain Frankland to follow the tyre tracks, <link-text>turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect33">If you decide to say nothing, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect231">
+ <meta><title>231</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You brake heavily and Mad Dog's speedster crosses in front of you to hit the barrier with a terrific screech. Metal twists and sparks fly from the fender as he scrapes along the crash barrier at nearly 100 miles an hour. You pull back and overtake him on the right, powering your roadster away as he fights to free himself from the barrier's magnet-like grip.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect12"><link-text>Turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect232">
+ <meta><title>232</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A barricade of wrecked autos has been strung out in a continuous line across the highway at the entrance to the town. Beyond this wall of buckled hulks, you see that the town is clan held. More than a dozen motorcycles are parked on either side of the main street, where two or three clansmen are asleep in the shade.</p>
+ <p>'Why are they so interested in holding this God- forsaken place?' you ponder aloud.</p>
+ <p>'Strategically it's important,' replies the captain. 'It controls the only cross-border highway through the mountains into New Mexico.'</p>
+ <p>The captain asks for Sergeant Haskell's map, and after studying it, he says: 'The town's called Columbus. If we're gonna reach Deming on time we'll have to smash our way through the road block, otherwise we face a long detour on Highway 9, the Mimbres road.</p>
+ <p>If we go that way we'll have to try an' link up with the convoy someplace else, someplace further west, like Lordsburg or San Simon. Either way it's damn risky.'</p>
+ <p>Because of the risks involved, the captain puts the decision to the vote. He and Knott opt to take a detour, while Sergeant Haskell favours the direct approach. He votes to crash the road block while the clansmen are off their guard. The others wait to hear your choice.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect342">If you vote to smash through the road block, <link-text>turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect177">If you side with the captain and Marine Knott, and vote to detour Columbus, <link-text>turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect233">
+ <meta><title>233</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have entered what appears to be the living area of a small, well-equipped, efficiently organized colony. A bellows-operated air pump stands in one corner next to a bookcase filled to bursting with classical literature, disc-chips, and visi-cassettes. There are compact industrial batteries to supply power to the ceiling lights, a hand-cranked generator, a short-wave receiver, video and hi-fi equipment, a wall-mounted cine-screen, a computer and VDU, a first aid kit, and cupboards from floor to ceiling filled, no doubt, with other essential and luxury items.</p>
+ <p>Opposite the door by which you entered, in the corner of the room is an open trapdoor. A flight of steps descends into the darkness of another room directly below the one in which you now stand. You point to it, Knott nods his head, and together you approach the steps with your guns at the ready.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect139">If your Perception skill total is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect77">If your Perception skill total is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 77</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect234">
+ <meta><title>234</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nervously you glance over your shoulder as the howl- ing grows louder. Then you catch sight of them, two slack-jowled bloodhounds, padding their way across the Montana Road with two clansmen close behind. One of the men is carrying a machine pistol; the other a long-handled flashlight.</p>
+ <p>You are beginning to fear the worst when suddenly both dogs smell the meat and bound towards it. The clansmen curse them, but, before they can pull them away from their meal, you and Knott reach the open door of a derelict building and slip inside unseen. Although the interior is dark and dusty, you are able to discover an exit on the far side of the building and escape before the enemy has a chance to catch up.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect93"><link-text>Turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect235">
+ <meta><title>235</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fight to maintain control but the handlebars twist out of your grip and you lose your balance. Before you can recover, the front wheel locks and you are thrown forward, head-first over the headlight, to land with a sickening thud at the bottom of the rock- strewn gully.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (in this instance 0 equals 10). Add 1 point to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <p>Your total score is equivalent to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you must lose as a result of your fall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect307">If, after this accident, you are still alive, <link-text>turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect236">
+ <meta><title>236</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wake with a start, your hand reaching for your gun as you sense instinctively that something is wrong.</p>
+ <p>'Quick, everyone up!' hisses the sergeant. 'There's trouble on the way!'</p>
+ <p>Within seconds you are wide awake, taking in every detail of your surroundings, assessing the threat. A column of vehicles is entering the town, their headlights hooded but still visible in the darkness. There are several four-wheeled vehicles but motor- cycles make up the majority. It is a clan convoy.</p>
+ <p>They enter the town and stop in line along the main street. They, too, are following the colony's tracks, which have led them straight to you.</p>
+ <p>An RV draws up alongside the line of vehicles and out steps a man with hatred blazing in his eyes. A chill touches your heart as you recognize his haunting features: it is Mad Dog Michigan. He screams a com- mand and immediately the clansmen leave their machines and, with torch in hand, commence a search of the surrounding buildings.</p>
+ <p>'This way!' says Captain Frankland, his voice a harsh whisper. You and the others follow him up a flight of stairs that leads to the roof. As you crouch beside the parapet that encircles the roof, you peer carefully through a gap and into the street below. There are clansmen everywhere, running back and forth, their torches probing every shadow. All the same, you are beginning to feel sure that they will miss you when you hear something that sets your pulse racing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect264"><link-text>Turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect237">
+ <meta><title>237</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Marine Knott begins his descent to the basement while you race up the stairs to a landing on the first floor where a corridor stretches away into the darkness. To your right is a door, slightly ajar, which bears the faded words 'EL PASO JOURNAL - NEWS ROOM' on its panelled wood surface. You enter to discover a large, dusty room cluttered with desks and computer terminals. A fire escape sign catches your eye: it is positioned above a window on the far side of the room.</p>
+ <p>A noise on the stairs makes your heart skip a beat: someone is approaching. Hurriedly you weave your way through the maze of office furniture, taking great pains to avoid making a noise, only to discover that the fire escape window is jammed shut. A light shines across the door and you hear the snuffling whine of a bloodhound in the corridor outside.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect153">If you wish to smash the glass and escape through the window, <link-text>turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If you decide to hide among the desks, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect238">
+ <meta><title>238</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You investigate the ground surrounding the spring and discover that it is lush with green vegetation, mosses, and damp earth imprinted with many animal tracks. There are no signs of carcasses or dead foliage, which would indicate that the spring is con- taminated.</p>
+ <p>Now that you are sure that it is safe to do so you drink from the spring, refill your water canteen and wash in the cool, clean water: restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect289">To continue, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect239">
+ <meta><title>239</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The spectators' enclosure offers enough cover for the three of you to reach a position directly opposite the parked trucks without being seen, but the minutes pass slowly as you await an opportunity to dash across the track and plant your mines. Sergeant Haskell and the captain seize the first opportunity and make it across the track safely. Once they are hid- den beneath their targets they signal to you to join them as quickly as you can. Four long minutes tick by before you get the chance to reach the first truck. When it comes, you tense yourself like a coiled spring and propel yourself forward, sprinting head-down across the track towards your target. You are within a few feet of the vehicle when a Mexican clansman suddenly appears and walks directly in your path: collision is unavoidable.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth and Perception skill totals. Now pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add the number you pick to your combined skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect122">If your final score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 122</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect204">If your final score is 9-13, <link-text>turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If your final score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect240">
+ <meta><title>240</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fix your eyes on the trail that disappears into the pines on the far side of the plateau. Taking a deep breath, you launch yourself out of the trees, running as fast as your aching legs will allow.</p>
+ <p>You are near the middle of the clearing when the silence is shattered once more by the sound of the sniper's rifle.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect8">If the number you have picked is 0-5, <link-text>turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect103">If it is 6-9 <link-text>turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect241">
+ <meta><title>241</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch the assassin remove a banana-shaped magazine from his pocket and insert it in a slot in front of the rifle's trigger guard. Then he shoulders the weapon and takes up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places them to his visor and methodically scans the surrounding rooftops. This strikes you as a curious thing to do as the buildings are very close: surely he does not need binoculars to see if anyone is standing on top of them? Then a chill stabs your heart when he scans the first floor windows of the courthouse and you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binouclars: they are sophisticated, high-resolution, image intensifiers.</p>
+ <p>Immediately you duck back from the window, but you fear that he has already located your position.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect173">If the number you have picked is 0-3, <link-text>turn to 173</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect327">If it is 4-9, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect242">
+ <meta><title>242</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the rock smashes to the ground, you spring out of the ditch, crouching as you run, your eyes fixed ' on the shadowy archway ahead. You have covered only a few yards when you hear a faint noise somewhere on the road above. There is a flash, then a beam of torchlight pours down from the freeway parapet and comes sweeping towards you.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect13">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect76">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect243">
+ <meta><title>243</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You cross to the door opposite and lift the latch. At first it does not move and you assume that it is lock- ed from the inside, but then you notice that it fits poorly in its rough-hewn timber frame, and realize that the door is simply sticking. A sharp kick soon cures it.</p>
+ <p>Inside you discover a large bed, constructed of pine and covered with a counterpane of rabbit fur. An assortment of male and female clothing hangs from a rail at the foot of the bed, and a handful of faded family photographs stands on a table beside it. You search a cupboard behind the door and discover a Solar Torch and a Screwdriver.</p>
+ <p>Having discovered what lies behind two of the doors in this corridor, you leave the room determined to learn what lies behind the third.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect32"><link-text>Turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect244">
+ <meta><title>244</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The truck hits the wall of cars with a tremendous crash that sends a violent shudder through the floor. Angry voices and the sharp crackle of automatic gun- fire can be heard amidst the roar of the engine as the truck lurches through the enemy line and accelerates along the main street. The air becomes livid with the sounds of singing bullets. They pierce the canvas and shatter against the cage-like frame. An occasional fragment singes your skin but otherwise you escape unharmed.</p>
+ <p>Now Haskell is at the tailgate, returning fire at the clansmen who are guarding the barricade, forcing them to quit shooting and dive for cover. You move to join him but you are distracted when you feel the truck decelerating. A glance over your shoulder in the direction of the cab window soon reveals why Knott is slowing down.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect7"><link-text>Turn to 7</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect245">
+ <meta><title>245</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Certain that you have missed nothing of any practical value, you leave the radio shop and return to your motorcycle. Before starting it, you check the engine and notice that the cooling fins are very hot to the touch: the lack of oil is causing the bore to overheat. As you kick start the engine, you hope desperately that the bike will continue to run long enough to carry you back to the colony.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect246">
+ <meta><title>246</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite the close proximity of your target, the con- stant jolting makes it hard to bring the barrel of your rifle to bear. Unable to aim with any degree of accu- racy, you are forced to fire into the shadowy area above the motorcycle's blazing headlight.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect112">If it is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect247">
+ <meta><title>247</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In the Post Office the air is thick with dust, making it difficult for you to draw breath as you explore the lobby. You find little of practical use here, only a Fire Extinguisher and a Ball of String. (If you wish to keep either or both items, remember to record them on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>).</p>
+ <p>On leaving the lobby area, you investigate a small office and make a macabre discovery. Three rag-clad skeletons, all former Post Office staff, are seated at their work stations, their bony frames slumped for- wards over the keyboards of their computers. You find the sight disturbing, and when you hear Marine Knott calling to you to come to the rear of the Post Office, you waste no time in responding.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect129"><link-text>Turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect248">
+ <meta><title>248</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lift your machine pistol to your shoulder and try to ignore the bullets that are ricocheting off the tailgate as you take aim at the clan commander. For a brief moment his eyes widen with shock when he sees the muzzle of your G-12 pointing in his direc- tion. He starts to step away, but before he can find cover, you squeeze off your first burst of fire.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Shooting Skill total and your cur- rent <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points Score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If your total is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect249">
+ <meta><title>249</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few feet of the foliage when a shot rings out and an agonizing pain in your left temple brings you crashing to the ground. Swiftly the pain is replaced by a numbness that clouds your vision and drains the strength from your limbs. An over- whelming desire to sleep assails your senses, and, although you fight to stay awake, it is a fight you can- not win.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in the Pedregosa Mountains of Arizona.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect250">
+ <meta><title>250</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Warily you make your way through the streets of Ciudad Juarez, past the derelict stores of the Pronaf Shopping Center, and on towards the Juarez Race Track. The captain knows this border town well, and he is confident that Mad Dog Michigan will take delivery of the explosives at the town's famous dog racing track, which he and the Mexican leader, Santiago, are using as their joint headquarters. Its size and defensive position are ideally suited to their needs.</p>
+ <p>From the ruins of a burnt-out cafe located opposite the race track's east gate, you act patiently as lookout while the captain considers the team's next course of action. While you are observing the traffic of men entering and leaving the clan headquarters, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDLJRANCE points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect251">
+ <meta><title>251</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You move in quickly towards the biker, hoping that the speed of your attack will catch him off-guard, but he sees you coming out of the corner of his eye, and, as you leap over his machine and launch your first blow, he avoids it by rolling aside. He rises to his feet, and you see the glint of polished steel in his right hand.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Firefox</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect252">
+ <meta><title>252</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are five miles out ot Benson wtien you notice in your driving mirror a cloud of dust rising in the distance. You tell Kate and she turns around to take a look.</p>
+ <p>'Clan scouts, a pack of them,' she reports. 'Looks like twenty bikes, but they're not on their own. They're tailin' a car. Well, I think it's a car - it's got four wheels.' She continues to stare into the distance for several minutes, then she says: 'I don't like the look of it, Cal. Let's not hang around to say hi to these dudes, OK?'</p>
+ <p>You respond by flooring the gas pedal until the roadsters speedometer registers 100 miles an hour. 'The pack's dropping back,' shouts Kate, her voice barely audible above the noise of the rushing wind. 'But that car is gaining on us.'</p>
+ <p>You are speeding over a girder bridge, across a water- course known locally as the Pantona Wash, when you see the car in your mirror. It is black and bullet- shaped, with an enclosed driver's compartment and a roaring lion's head emblazoned on the hood. It accelerates to within twenty yards of your trunk, and you catch sight of the driver's snarling face. A shiver runs down your spine when you recognize the manic features of Mad Dog Michigan.</p>
+ <p>Kate draws her pistol, but before she can take aim, you hear a burst of heavy machine gunfire and see muzzle flashes erupting from the front of Mad Dog's speedster. The heavy-calibre rounds slam into your trunk, and the force of their impact at high speed sends your roadster careering into a skid.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect41">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect161">If it is 7-10, <link-text>turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect321">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect253">
+ <meta><title>253</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The instant you deal your enemy a killing blow, his partner appears and shines a torch full in your face. For a moment you are blinded by the glare, but instinctively you move to defend yourself as he leaps towards you, a baseball bat poised to crush your skull.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Babe Ruth</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to your partial blindness, and the fatigue of your earlier combat, reduce Your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 2 points for the duration of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect254">
+ <meta><title>254</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your stomach lurches when you hear yet another shot echo across the mountains. You flinch as you run, half expecting to feel the pain of impact, but the bullet misses you and lodges itself in the trunk of a pine tree less than ten yards ahead.</p>
+ <p>You reach the trees and throw yourself down behind a thick pine, breathless with fear and sheer exertion. As you lie there, inwardly weeping, fighting to con- trol the nausea that rises in waves, Marine Knott crawls to your side and tugs at your sleeve.</p>
+ <p>'We stand a better chance if we can get deeper into the forest,' he says, his voice betraying the fear that is gnawing at his insides like a voracious rat. You blink your approval and struggle to follow him as he crawls across the tinder-dry bed of pine needles and sickly brown vegetation that covers the tall trees' roots.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect189"><link-text>Turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect255">
+ <meta><title>255</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Confident that the clansmen are too shaken to be able to shoot straight, you laugh with disdain at their attempt to hit the truck. Unfortunately, they are armed with high-powered, M-10 assault rifles that are fitted with telescopic sights. Moreover all three men are expert shots.</p>
+ <p>A withering hail of bullets hits you in a line across your chest and sends you tumbling backwards to crash against the cab. You feel no pain, for two of the rounds have pierced your heart. Death is instan- taneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here on Highway 9.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect256">
+ <meta><title>256</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wake shortly after dawn feeling thoroughly refreshed after ten hours' uninterrupted sleep: restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. The barricade is still intact and, once it is dismantled, you arm yourself and investigate the cabin above. Nothing has been touched during the night, prompting you to believe that you may, at least for the time being, have given the assassin the slip.</p>
+ <p>After eating breakfast, you set about unpacking and constructing the motorcycle. There is sufficient gasolene stored in the cellar to fill its tank, but you can find no engine oil. The motorcycle's oil level is very low and you can only hope that it will get you as far as Tucson before breaking down.</p>
+ <p>After studying the map, you mount your new vehicle and set off along the road, heading west through the Swisshelm Mountains. You enjoy the cool breeze whipping through your hair as you ride at speed along the empty highway, and you cover more than twenty miles before you come to a small town with a sign that proclaims:</p>
+ <p>GLEESON WELCOMES CAREFUL DRIVERS</p>
+ <choice idref="sect64">If you wish to stop at this mountain town, <link-text>turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect50">If you decide to ride through without stopping, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect257">
+ <meta><title>257</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you drag the clansman's body under the truck and prop him out of sight behind the rear wheels. You then turn your attention to the vehicle behind. The captain is crouching beneath it, signal- ling to you to place your contact mine in position. The heavy disc locks itself against the dusty tank and you uncover its detonator button carefully. Once again the captain signals and once again you obey his command, this time by pressing the button. As soon as the timing mechanism starts to tick, you close your Backpack and make a dash for the truck that Knott has commandeered.</p>
+ <p>Frankland and Haskell join your escape: the captain is running twenty yards ahead of you and the sergeant, who has had to place two mines, is trail- ing behind you by about the same distance. Knott sees you in the side mirror and starts the truck, smoke belching from the exhaust pipe as he revs the reluc- tant engine. The captain reaches the rear and clambers over the tailgate just as a couple of clansmen notice you running and start shouting wildly. Their screams distract your attention and you fail to notice a metal tool locker that is lying on the ground directly in your path.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect224">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect258">
+ <meta><title>258</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Steadily the highway climbs towards a pass, beyond which there is a hairpin bend. You manage to negotiate it safely, only to find that a rockfall has par- tially blocked the road less than twenty yards beyond the bend. Your driving instinct warns you not to brake heavily for fear of sending the jeep into a skid, so you try to steer around the mound of fallen rock without slowing down. Your tactics work: you clear the mound with inches to spare. Unluckily, as you straighten the steering wheel, you strike a stray boulder and the jeep is brought to a grinding halt.</p>
+ <p>'The front running gear's wrecked,' says Captain Frankland, despondently, as he inspects the damage. 'There's no way we'll get any further in this vehicle.'</p>
+ <p>The situation looks bleak: the clansmen are likely to show up at any time and they are sure to catch you now that the jeep is wrecked. Then an idea occurs to you that might just throw them off your trail. If you were to set fire to the jeep and push it into the deep canyon that borders this section of the moun- tain road, the sight of the burning wreckage might convince them that you had met with a fatal accident. The others agree that it is worth a try and immedi- ately set about preparing the jeep. Together you manhandle it to the edge of the road, then light a rag, which Haskell has stuffed into the gasolene filter pipe. Once it is burning, you give one last push and send the vehicle careering over the edge into the canyon 300 feet below. After the resounding crash, you hear the clansmen approaching and you quickly take cover among the boulders. To make it seem more realistic Marine Knott drops his blood-stained tunic at the edge of the road before he takes cover, seconds before the first riders appear on the scene.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect227"><link-text>Turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect259">
+ <meta><title>259</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You drop to the ground, biting back your urge to cry out in pain as you gash your knees and elbows on the sharp rubble (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Marine Knott copies your move, and the beam of the torch- light passes over your still bodies without stopping. It hovers nearby for a few seconds then reluctantly moves away.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you crawl the final few yards to cover. When both of you are hidden from view, you wait for your breathing to return to normal and then glance around the pillar to see if the coast is clear. The torchbeam is scanning the ground further south. Then you hear a curse from somewhere on the freeway above and the light is switched off.</p>
+ <p>Confident that you have not been detected, you readjust your equipment and continue on your way.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect260">
+ <meta><title>260</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Mad Dog's speedster crosses in front of you as you reduce your speed quickly, and Kate cheers as he hits the barrier with a terrific screech. Metal twists and sparks fly from his fender as he scrapes along the crash barrier at nearly 100 miles an hour. You stamp your foot on the gas pedal and overtake him on the right, powering your roadster away as he fights to extricate himself from the barrier's magnet-like grip.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect12"><link-text>Turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect261">
+ <meta><title>261</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Fixedly you concentrate on the area of the forest that you have picked as your target destination. The more you think about what lies ahead, the more you shiver with dread at having to risk your life running such a dangerous gauntlet of fire.</p>
+ <p>The chance that the sniper will fail to hit you is very slim indeed. To increase the odds in your favour. you will need to distract his aim.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect191">If you possess a HE Grenade, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If you possess a Signal Flare, <link-text>turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect56">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect262">
+ <meta><title>262</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The silver dollar hits the dusty soil, spins, then settles heads-up.</p>
+ <p>'OK men, that decides it,' says Captain Frankland, stooping to pick up'the coin. 'We hit Columbus right now. Sergeant - you and Knott see what sort o' extra protection you can rig up to the truck's front fender, while me an' Cal set up firing positions in the back.'</p>
+ <p>I don't think we're gonna have time for that, sir,' says Knott, apologetically. 'Looks like more o' Mad Dog's boys are on their way.' He points along the highway at an ominous column of dust that is approaching from the south.</p>
+ <p>'Hell!' spits Frarikland. 'We'll just have to take our chances. Mount up men. We've got a date to keep an' I aim to be there on time.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect128"><link-text>Turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect263">
+ <meta><title>263</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Through your lenses you watch as the black-clad rider casually withdraws a bulky pair of binoculars from a saddlebag, flips back the visor of his full-face crash helmet, and raises them to his eyes. After a few seconds, he kneels behind the motorcycle and rests his elbows on the seat in order to steady his hands as he scans the landscape. You are in no doubt that he is looking for you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect203"><link-text>Turn to 203</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect264">
+ <meta><title>264</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Coarse shouts and whooping screams of delight echo from behind the building: the clansmen have discovered the truck. The news is relayed to Mad Dog Michigan stirring him to a fearful rage. 'They're here, I know it!' he screams, demonically. 'Find them! Find them! I want them dead!'</p>
+ <p>He paces the main street, shaking his fist at the buildings on either side, demanding that his men fulfil his lust for revenge. They storm the building on which you hide and at once you begin looking for a way out.</p>
+ <p>The fire escape offers no solution: its ladder descends to the main street. There is only one way off the roof and that is to jump to the neighbouring building fif- teen feet away. After jamming the roof door to delay the clansmen for as long as possible, the captain leads the escape. The others throw their guns and equip- ment across and then make the jump safely. You are making the run-up to your jump when you hear a loud burst of gunfire and see the roof door collapse, shot off its hinges.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your cur- rent <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score (ignoring any encumberance penalties you have due to the number of Backpack items you possess). Now pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add this figure to your score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect45">If your total score is 18 or less, <link-text>turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If your total is 19-22, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect130">If it is 23 or more, <link-text>turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect265">
+ <meta><title>265</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The howling grows louder. Then you catch sight of them, two slack-jowled bloodhounds, padding their way across the Montana Road with two clansmen close behind. One of the men is carrying a machine pistol; the other a long-handled flashlight.</p>
+ <p>One of the dogs smells the meat and bounds towards it, but the other ignores his brother and continues to lead his torch-wielding handler straight towards you. He sees you, and begins to bark wildly, alerting its handler to your presence.</p>
+ <p>'Run for it!' you hiss. 'We've been seen!'</p>
+ <p>Knott increases his speed and you follow him, pray- ing that you will reach cover before the clansmen open fire. Your prayers are answered. In his haste, the clansman drops his flashlight, and before he can retrieve it and switch it on, you follow Knott through the open door of a derelict building.</p>
+ <p>'We stand a better chance if we split up,' you say, casting an anxious glance over your shoulder at the yellow light that is streaming through the doorway. 'But remember - meet up at the bridge as planned.'</p>
+ <p>The torchlight illuminates the interior sufficiently for you to be able to make out two possible exits: a carpeted staircase leading to the first floor, and another leading down to the basement.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If you wish to ascend the stairs to the first floor, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect58">If you decide to descend to the basement, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect266">
+ <meta><title>266</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A rush of adrenalin fires your reflexes and you throw yourself to the floor as the muzzle of the gun belches flame. You avoid a fatal wound but you do not escape entirely without injury. As you fall, one of the bullets cuts a stinging groove across the side of your skull: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Angered by the wound you have received, and how close you came to death, you struggle to your feet just in time to see the spyhole slam shut.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186">If you wish to attempt to barge open the door, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If you wish to shoot open the lock, and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect267">
+ <meta><title>267</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fire a snap shot from the hip and send one of the clansmen somersaulting backwards out of the truck. But before you can get a bead on his con- federate, he leaps head-first from the tailgate and pulls you to the floor. Desperately you wrestle to get free, but your gun is dashed from your grasp and you steel yourself for a tough hand-to-hand combat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Gator</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed of your enemy's attack, you are unable to use a close combat weapon until the second round of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect117">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect268">
+ <meta><title>268</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly you notice a bullet wound to the side of the biker's head and realize that he is dead. He is slumped forward over the handlebars in a racing pose, his right hand locked on the throttle and his weight balanced to keep the machine upright and fixed in a straight line.</p>
+ <p>You scramble to your feet and throw yourself out of the path of the dead biker as relentlessly his machine approaches the gas pump.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect118">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect269">
+ <meta><title>269</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using the length of plastic tubing, you are able to syphon more than a gallon of gasolene from the truck's fuel tank. Once you are sure that you have retrieved as much fuel as possible, you seal the fuel can and caU for Marine Knott to join you in the park- ing lot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect270">
+ <meta><title>270</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You freeze for an instant, then raise your hands above your head slowly in a desperate attempt to save yourself by surrendering to the assassin. Unfortu- nately, your actions do not impress the cold-hearted murderer.</p>
+ <p>With horror you see the muzzle of his rifle spit a core of yellow flame, then an agonizing pain erupts in the middle of your forehead. The impact lifts your feet off the ground, sending you sprawling against the courthouse wall. The pain disappears to be replaced by a numbness that clouds your vision and drains the last of your strength from your unfeeling limbs. An overwhelming desire to sleep assails your senses, and, although you fight to stay awake, it is a fight you have no hope of winning.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Tombstone, Arizona.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect271">
+ <meta><title>271</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'You ain't goin' no-place!' screams the clansman, fixing you with his flashlight. He stands silhouetted in the doorway, as his bloodhound lopes across the desks towards you. Automatically you reach for your gun, unaware that the clansman has taped his torch to the barrel of his machine pistol. Callously he watches as you struggle to free your weapon, then he pulls the trigger and cuts you down with a lethal hail of lead. Death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in El Paso.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect272">
+ <meta><title>272</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Most of the more useful medicaments and supplies that once filled the shelves of this store were taken by the local inhabitants during the days of panic that followed 'The Day'. All that remains are a few ban- dages and some gauze - enough for one Medi-kit unit.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect96"><link-text>Turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect273">
+ <meta><title>273</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The ignition unit is lying on a work bench, exactly where Knott saw it when he first searched this section of the gas station. He examines it carefully and begins to smile. 'This'll do the job f' sure,' he says, and slips the unit into the pocket of his combat jacket.</p>
+ <p>The thought of having to walk back to the truck in the blistering afternoon sun fills you both with dread. Then you remember the clansman's motorcycle, and you too begin to smile. Using the bike, it takes you little more than fifteen minutes to cover the ten miles of open road between Hachita and the truck. It is an exhilarating experience, made doubly so when, as you approach the truck, Haskell and Frankland mistake you for clan scouts and open fire at you with their machine pistols.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect331">If your total score is 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 331</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect168">If it is 4-7, <link-text>turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect60">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect274">
+ <meta><title>274</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you bring the roadster back on to the freeway, Mad Dog draws up alongside. Kate empties her pistol at his head, but the clan leader just laughs: his speedster is equipped with bullet-proof glass and the slugs fail to penetrate. He sneers, and draws his finger across his throat before swerving towards you in an attempt to ram you off the road.</p>
+ <p>If you are to avoid this ramming attack, you must take swift evasive action.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you wish to accelerate, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect260">If you choose to brake heavily, <link-text>turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect91">If you decide to swerve to the left, away from his attack, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect275">
+ <meta><title>275</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In order to reach Highway 9, you have to pass within 100 yards of an adobe shack. It looks no different in style or state to a dozen others dotted around the town, but, unbeknown to you, this one is used as an outpost by the Mexicans who occupy Columbus.</p>
+ <p>As the truck approaches, three clan lookouts emerge from the side door and walk slowly across the highway. Their leader, a fat-bellied renegade with grey hair and a drooping moustache, stops in the middle and raises a pudgy hand. Knott ignores his signal to stop. Instead, he steps on the gas and sends the three clansmen diving to avoid the truck. You roar past, but they are quick to recover and immediately they start firing at the tailgate.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect95">If the number you have picked is 0-3, <link-text>turn to 95</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect322">If it is 4-8, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect255">If it is 9, <link-text>turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect276">
+ <meta><title>276</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The three other members of the sabotage team are waiting for you at an earth rampart that forms part of the southern perimeter wall. In a hushed voice, Captain Frankland gives a final briefing, while you join with the others in applying camouflage blacking to your face, and taping your weapons and equipment to muffle any noise. Five hundred yards away, across a rubble-strewn no-man's-land, clan snipers are entrenched behind a makeshift barricade of old cars and other debris. Their rifles are trained on Fort Bliss and, in the past, they have been all too eager to use them whenever a target has presented itself. Cross- ing this zone will be perilous in the extreme and, in order to minimize the risks of the mission failing here, the captain proposes that the team split into pairs and cross the zone at two separate locations. Each pair is to make its way through the enemy cordon and the city beyond, and then regroup at the Stanton Street Toll Bridge at one a.m. precisely. You synchronize watches before joining with your chosen partner, Marifte Knott, in getting ready to go.</p>
+ <p>There are two routes open to you. The most direct path will take you south, through the heart of El Paso where the enemy are most numerous. Or you can attempt a detour around the northern edge of the city before you try to reach the bridge, a longer but possibly less dangerous route.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If you wish to cross the zone heading south, directly towards the city, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect44">If you decide to cross the zone heading west, on a detour around the city, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect277">
+ <meta><title>277</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a dull thump, followed by a loud hissing, as the sniper's bullet pierces the truck's rear tyre, releasing a stream of stale air.</p>
+ <p>'Take cover,' shouts Frankland, and together you dive towards the pick-up and cower behind the passenger door. Knott has heard the shot and Frankland's warn- ing, and has hidden himself among the pines that stand close to Haskell's grave.</p>
+ <p>'If only we could see his position,' says the captain, as he unslings his machine pistol and checks the magazine. 'We'd at least have a fighting chance. This way he can circle round and pick us off at his leisure.'</p>
+ <p>There is a second shot and another tyre deflates noisily. With your pulse beating like an express train, you reach to your gun and prepare for a firefight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39">If you wish to glance over the truck to see if you can locate the sniper's position, <link-text>turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect134">If you choose not to look, <link-text>turn to 134</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect">
+ <meta><title></title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For an instant his eyes widen with shock on seeing the muzzle of your rifle pointing directly at his chest, then he starts to pull away, looking for cover. He is almost obscured by a wall when you fire your first shot.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Shooting skill total and your cur- rent <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If your total is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect279">
+ <meta><title>279</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire catches the Angetino clansman in the side and sends him tumbling from his machine. Simultaneously, however, you are hit by his burst of machine pistol fire, which knocks you off your feet. Pain fills your chest and a terrifying greyness clouds your vision. You hear voices, those of Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott, but you cannot make out what they are saying.</p>
+ <p>Swiftly the pain subsides and, despite your efforts to stay conscious, you drift off into a sleep from which you will never awaken.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Mexico.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect280">
+ <meta><title>280</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly, a concealed door in the wall behind you bursts open and in rushes the bearded man with a pistol clenched firmly in his hand.</p>
+ <p>'Drop your guns!' he commands. 'Drop them now or the only talkin' you'll be doin' is to the Devil!'</p>
+ <p>Slowly you let your gun fall to the floor, then you raise your hands and turn to face your ambusher.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect281">
+ <meta><title>281</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You gun the motorcycle along the wide trench until you find a rocky slope that offers a way back on to the highway. The ascent is difficult, and when you reach the crest of the gully, you fall and become pinned beneath your motorcycle. As you struggle to free yourself you notice that the cloud of dust has stopped less than half a mile distant. The outline of a man's head and shoulders can be seen leaning across the saddle, which is supporting a rifle.</p>
+ <p>Chilled by the thought of your murdered compan- ions, you renew your efforts to get free. You are pull- ing yourself upright when a shot rings out and an agonizing pain explodes in your left temple. The pain fills your head and courses down your spine, bring- ing you crashing back to the ground. The pain disap- pears, to be replaced by a numbness that dims your vision and drains the last of your strength from your unfeeling limbs. An overwhelming desire to sleep assails your senses, and, although you fight to stay awake, it is a fight you have no chance of winning.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Arizona.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect282">
+ <meta><title>282</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you reach the bottom of the steps you hear an angry voice shouting from the first floor window: your adversary is attempting to warn his partner that you have escaped. His shouting spurs you to greater effort and, despite your injuries, you run from the building through a maze of dark alleyways. Not until you are sure that you have not been followed do you stop to catch your breath and dress your wounds. It is then you discover that, during your fall through the window, you lost one piece of equipment from your Backpack.</p>
+ <p>Erase the article noted second on your list of Backpack items. If you have less than two Backpack items, erase two Medi-kit units instead.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect158">To continue, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect283">
+ <meta><title>283</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Eventually you reach firmer ground beyond the plateau and you are able to continue your descent through the forest with comparative ease. Soon you reach the stream that you discovered during your ascent, and you stop here briefly to try to determine if you area still being pursued. The surrounding trees seem unnaturally quiet, and it is easy to imagine that an assassin lurks behind every trunk.</p>
+ <p>You continue, with trepidation, following the water as it flows west towards the Swisshelm Mountains. You cover twelve miles without incident and by early evening you arrive at a small bridge where a road, running north to south, crosses the stream. You check your map, but the road is too minor to be listed. You are hungry and must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> Points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect43">If you wish to leave the stream and follow the road, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect175">If you choose to continue along the stream, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect284">
+ <meta><title>284</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your companions quickly put paid to the clansmen with a volley of well-aimed shots, and immediately they come to your rescue. Strong hands grip your aching arms and haul you to safety, but before you can thank them, they turn and follow the captain towards a fire escape on the far side of the building. You pause just long enough to retrieve your backpack and belt, then you hurry after them before they disappear.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect151"><link-text>Turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect285">
+ <meta><title>285</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A bullet clips your arm (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> Points) then hits Marine Knott, who is beside you in the passenger seat. The impact nearly hurls him out of the jeep, and, as he fights to prevent himself from falling, he grabs at your jacket, pulling your hands off the steering wheel. With a screech of tyres, the jeep veers off the freeway towards the exit ramp, and before you can regain control, you find yourself ascending the ramp towards Highway 80.</p>
+ <p>In your driving mirror you see the clansmen turning their bikes around: they intend to pursue you. Unable to continue along the freeway, you are forced to put your foot to the floor and make a hasty escape heading south along Highway 80.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect16"><link-text>Turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect286">
+ <meta><title>286</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Sergeant Haskell volunteers to go back to town with Marine Knott. While they are gone, you and Captain Frankland take it in turns to keep watch. During this time you must take two Drinks or lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect102">If vou possess a CB Radio, <link-text>turn to 102</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect344">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect287">
+ <meta><title>287</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the room and approach the door at the end of the corridor with caution, taking care to tread lightly on the uneven floorboards to avoid making them creak. A small hatch, covered by a sliding panel of plywood, is positioned in the centre of the door at head height. You guess that it is a spyhole.</p>
+ <p>You place your ear to the door, directly below the covered hatch, and hear muffled voices in the room beyond. Although you cannot make out what is being said, you can tell that they are very frightened. Gently you lift the latch, only to discover that the door is locked on the inside.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect316">If the number is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect288">
+ <meta><title>288</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the freeway, the ground slopes away towards a unit of industrial buildings, all extensively damaged by the post-holocaust storms. Clan patrols, many with dogs, are active in the vicinity but the ruined factories provide enough cover for you to avoid them without too much difficulty.</p>
+ <p>You make good progress until you reach a wide highway once known as Dyer Street. A clan com- mand station, complete with equipment dumps and a vehicle workshop, has been set up among the stores bordering this main street. It crosses your mind that the stores must contain weapons and provisions that would be useful to the colony, but when you lose count of the number of clansmen that are entering and leaving them, you abandon the idea of a raid and concentrate on the mission in hand.</p>
+ <p>In order to avoid the clan command station you are forced to follow Dyer Street south, towards the heart of the city. You have covered more than a mile before you reach a place, close to the Muncipal Park, where you are able to cross the street without risk of being seen. Once safely across, you enter the park and con- tinue on your way west. As you reach the west side exit, a truck appears, catching you in the glare of its headlights. You both freeze, fearing the worst. It con- tinues to approach, then, with a screech of brakes, it veers aside and stops nearby. The driver jumps from the cab and, without a word, strides off towards a building directly opposite the park.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect174">If you wish to take a closer look at the truck, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect138">If you choose to ignore the truck and hurry away before the driver returns, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect289">
+ <meta><title>289</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the spring and follow the trail as it ascends towards a wooded summit overlooking the plateau. During your climb you catch sight of Chiricahua Peak, a majestic, tree-clad mountain to the north, and you stop for a few minutes to enjoy the view. You are about to press on when you detect something moving among the trees ahead.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect201">If you possess Binoculars or a Telescope, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect6">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 6</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect290">
+ <meta><title>290</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Only the centre of the race track is lit, enabling you to approach a position directly opposite the trucks without being seen. But the minutes pass slowly as you await an opportunity to dash across the track and plant your mines. Sergeant Haskell and the captain seize the first opportunity and make it across the track safely. Once they are hidden beneath their targets they signal to you to join them as quickly as you can. Four long minutes tick by before you get the chance to reach the second truck. When it presents itself, you tense yourself like a coiled spring and propel yourself forward, sprinting head-down across the track towards your target. You are within a few feet of the vehicle when a Mexican clansman suddenly appears and walks directly in your path: a collision is unavoidable.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth and Perception skill total. Now pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add the number you pick to your combined skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If your final score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect15">If your final score is 9-13, <link-text>turn to 15</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect140">If your final score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect291">
+ <meta><title>291</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A shot rings out barely a second after you rise from cover, but the speed of your reflexes saves you from being hit. The awful suddenness and accuracy of the sniper's shot makes you think twice about trying to spot him a second time. Then out of the corner of your eye you see the captain cock his machine pistol and get ready to open fire.</p>
+ <p>'OK, I'm gonna see if I can flush this Yankee out,' he says vehemently, clearly unimpressed by how near you came to death. 'When I start firin', you see if you can pinpoint where he is.'</p>
+ <p>You nod in uneasy agreement and get ready to glance around the tailgate the instant the captain opens fire. 'Let's do it!' he says, as he rises above the cover of the truck and squeezes off a burst of automatic fire. The noise of his gun drowns out the sniper's shot, but within a second of breaking cover, Frankland is hit. With the machine pistol still chattering in his hands, he falls backwards and crashes to the ground, the assassin's bullet lodged deep in his skull.</p>
+ <p>The shock of Frankland's death, following so closely after Sergeant Haskell's and so nearly after your own, hits you like an icy shower. You cower behind the truck, shivering with fear, afraid that you will be next. For a terrible moment, the fear wells up and consumes you, and all you want to do is run as far away and as fast as you can. Despite Knott's pleas to stay where you are, you scramble to your feet and stumble blindly towards the woods. In your haste, you trip and fall, grazing your hands and knees on the flint-sharp shale: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>Inadvertently, your fall saves your life. A shot passes over your head a second after you stumble, missing you by a hand's breadth. The imminent danger clears your mind and you race towards the trees with a determination to survive. Knott encourages you to in- crease your speed and you pray that you will reach cover before the sniper has a chance to slip another round into the breech of his rifle.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. [Note: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items in order to increase your Stealth skill total.]</p>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If your total scores is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ <p>If it is 16-19, turn to, 83.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect292">
+ <meta><title>292</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With bated breath you watch as Sergeant Haskell and Captain Frankland stalk towards the jeep. The two Mavericks are oblivious of their presence as they circle around silently and creep up on them from behind. A heavy, belt-fed machine gun, mounted on a column behind the front seats, helps to conceal their approach until they are crouching behind the jeep itself.</p>
+ <p>For a few seconds there is absolute silence, then you see them leap forward and grapple the unsuspecting clansmen, striking swiftly and silently. As soon as it is all over, the captain signals to you and Knott to join them. You rush to the jeep and help the sergeant search the Mavericks' bodies before hiding them in the bus depot.</p>
+ <p>On your return to the vehicle, Captain Frankland offers you the opportunity to drive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to drive the jeep, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If you decide to let the captain drive, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect293">
+ <meta><title>293</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As they approach, the clansmen train their spotlight on the jeep's windscreen in an attempt to blind Cap- tain Frankland. Despite the glare, he controls the vehicle admirably, veering away at the last moment to avoid collision with the oncoming truck. As the pick-up flashes past, you swing around and open fire at its trunk.</p>
+ <p>The heavy-calibre rounds riddle the running gear and tear the back tyres to shreds. It sends the truck into a violent skid, and then there is a tremendous bang as the fuel tank explodes. As the captain accelerates away on to the freeway, you watch in silence as a huge ball of billowing orange flame engulfs the remains of the truck and its passengers.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect75"><link-text>Turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect294">
+ <meta><title>294</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>By keeping strictly to the alleys and side streets you are able to avoid the occasional clan patrol and you soon reach the banks of the Rio Grande without being seen. Then you work your way west towards the Stanton Street Toll Bridge, the only bridge still span- ning this once-great waterway. A cluster of old US immigration offices standing at the approach to the bridge provide a safe place for you and Knott to hide while you wait for the others to show.</p>
+ <p>'Where are they?' you whisper, glancing anxiously at your wristwatch. The time is 0055, five minutes before the hour you are due to rendezvous, but the waiting is making you nervous.</p>
+ <p>'We're here!' hisses a voice from behind. It is so unex- pected that you nearly jump out of your skin.</p>
+ <p>Captain Frankland and Sergeant Haskell emerge from the shadows and hurry forward to join you. They apologize for giving you such a scare, but you can tell by the wide grins on their faces that they are clearly amused by your jumpy reaction. They arrived a few minutes ahead of you and Knott, and they have already scouted the bridge. There are four clan guards on the bridge itself but none at all on the service walkway beneath it.</p>
+ <p>'We've an hour before the explosives are due to arrive,' says the captain, checking his watch. 'Everyone ready?'</p>
+ <p>You nod in unison. 'OK then. Let's go!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect202"><link-text>Turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect295">
+ <meta><title>295</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You decide to make a dash for the clump of foliage before the sniper circles around the crater and picks you off at his leisure. With sweat-slick hands you raise your gun and get ready to fire as you run for cover.</p>
+ <signpost>Note: If Your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items now, in order to increase your Stealth skill score before you attempt your run.</signpost>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If you are holding a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect323">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect36">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect125">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 125</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect296">
+ <meta><title>296</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire hits the clan leader in the chest, kill- ing him outright. Realization of his death passes like a shockwave through the other clansmen, bringing them to an abrupt halt. They abort their attack and fall back, a few stopping just long enough to pick up and bear his lifeless body away from the street.</p>
+ <p>While there is a lull in the firing, you seize the chance to help Knott and Captain Frankland clear away the debris that is blocking your escape. A thick, wooden pole, which once supported overhead electricity cables in this part of town, is jammed between the wheel and the truck's front fender. With your help, they are at last able to shift it and Knott returns to the cab and starts the engine first time. As he brings the truck over the mound, you and the captain leap on to the tailgate and pull yourselves aboard.</p>
+ <p>The street ends at a piece of wasteland but a few hundred yards beyond it lies a highway, running east to west. The captain peers through the cab's partition window and gives an ironic laugh when he sees the highway.</p>
+ <p>'Make for that road and head west,' he commands, and Knott obeys. Then he turns to the sergeant and says, 'It looks like you're finally outvoted, Haskell. Seems we're on our way to Mimbres.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect297">
+ <meta><title>297</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wait until the clansman's footsteps have faded before you come out from beneath the table and return to the window. After several abortive attempts, you manage to free the lock. You then prise open the window and leave the building unseen via the fire escape stairs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect158"><link-text>Turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect298">
+ <meta><title>298</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instantly you know that the motorcycle approaching Tombstone is being ridden by the assassin who murdered your three companions. The fear that has haunted you during the past two days returns once more to tighten your stomach as hurriedly you search for somewhere to hide. The Tombstone courthouse is the nearest building and you rush into its lobby as the assassin rides into town.</p>
+ <p>Ahead the doors to the courtroom are chained and padlocked, preventing easy entry, so you look for somewhere else to hide in this old, historical building. Two options present themselves: you can climb a wide staircase to the first floor, or you can run along a corridor that leads away to your left.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect71">If you wish to ascend the stairs, <link-text>turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect171">If you decide to follow the corridor, <link-text>turn to 171</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect299">
+ <meta><title>299</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you raise your gun and take aim at the approaching rider. He is less than ten yards away when you shoot your first round of fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect328">If your total score 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If your total is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect300">
+ <meta><title>300</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow the highway twenty-five miles across Cochise county and, shortly before mid-afternoon, you arrive at a junction with Interstate 10. From here it is only a short ride west to the town of Benson, where you stop to take a closer look at the tyre tracks that are etched in the freeway's dusty surface. You are convinced that they are made by the DC1 convoy, and you hazard a guess that they are at least a day old.</p>
+ <p>You are about to leave the tracks and return to your newly acquired motorcycle when you hear something that sets your heart racing. It is the voice of a young woman and she is calling out your name.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect119"><link-text>Turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect301">
+ <meta><title>301</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You disappear from his sights before the clan com- mander can open fire, but the speed of your move may not be enough to save you. This man is an expert shot and his assault rifle is loaded with armour- piercing rounds. He sprays a long burst of fire across the rear of the truck, and, as the first of the bullets punch through the metal tailgate, you flatten yourself to the floor, praying that they will not hit you.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect146">If your total score is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect157">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect302">
+ <meta><title>302</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes you more than an hour to explain the events and circumstances that have led to your uninvited arrival at this secret mountain retreat. The family of survivalists, which comprises Jack and Steve Lendorff, their wives, Marian and Carly, and their children, Sissy and Bruce, listen with interest to your story, but they never once lower their guard or their guns.</p>
+ <p>At length, you learn that they bought this land and built the shelter ten years ago, at the time when HAVOC was bringing the civilized world to its knees. After 'The Day' this region, owing to its geographical location, was spared the worst of the post-holocaust blizzards. Its most important resource was fresh water and, as a result of this, the family was able to achieve and maintain its self-sufficiency.</p>
+ <p>They have a radio receiver and they are aware of the existence of other colonies, notably the one at Tucson, and of the situation that exists in California, but they have made no effort to contact other survivors or to join with other groups. Long ago they made a con- scious decision to remain separate from the rest of the world, and they see no reason to change their minds.</p>
+ <p>'Do you know what the Californians call this part of the country?' asks Jack Lendorff, offhandedly. 'They call it the Omega Zone. They think of it as a wilderness, useless and uninhabitable. A forbidden area. They've written it off. As far as they're con- cerned we simply don't exist!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect160"><link-text>Turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect303">
+ <meta><title>303</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You point to the left and motion Knott to follow as you crawl silently along the ditch, away from the clansmen's position. Fifty yards later, you reach a drainage tunnel. It is impossible to pass any further in this direction, for the roof of the tunnel has collapsed and sealed the entrance.</p>
+ <p>We'll have to make a run for the freeway,' you whisper. 'I'll lead.'</p>
+ <p>When the coast looks clear, you clamber out of the ditch and move forward, crouching as you run, your eyes fixed on a shadowy archway ahead. You have covered only a few yards when you hear a faint noise somewhere on the freeway above. There is, a flash, then a beam of torchlight pours down from the barrier parapet and sweeps across your path.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect162">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect259">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect304">
+ <meta><title>304</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch the assassin reload his rifle with a banana- shaped magazine that he inserts in a slot in front of the trigger. Then he shoulders the weapon and takes up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places them to his visor and methodically scans the surrounding roof- tops. It seems a curious thing to do as the buildings are very close: surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is standing on top of them? Then a chill stabs your heart when he scans the win- dows and you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, high- resolution, image intensifiers.</p>
+ <p>Immediately you duck back from the window, but you fear that he has already located your position.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31"><link-text>Turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect305">
+ <meta><title>305</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lean over and look along the ground at the truck ahead. There you see the captain, crouching beneath it, who signals to you to place your contact mine in position. The heavy disc locks itself against the dusty tank with a reassuring clunk, and you uncover its detonator button carefully. Once again the captain signals and once again you obey his command, this time by pressing the button. As soon as you hear the timing mechanism begin to tick, you close your Backpack and make a dash for the truck that Knott has commandeered.</p>
+ <p>Frankland and Haskell join your escape: the captain is running twenty yards ahead of you and the sergeant, who has had to place two mines, is trail- ing behind you by about the same distance. Knott sees you in the side mirror and starts the truck, smoke belching from the exhaust pipe as he revs the reluc- tant engine. The captain reaches the rear and clambers over the tailgate just as a couple of clansmen notice you running and start shouting wildly. Their screams distract your attention and you fail to notice a metal tool locker that is lying on the ground directly in your path.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect224">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect306">
+ <meta><title>306</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You keep your head low, making sure that it stays well below the parapet wall while all around the air is alive with the whistle and screech of bullets. The others return fire, and, within a few minutes, the clansmen have been silenced to a man. Then you hear the captain bark the order, 'Follow me!', and see Knott and Haskell leave the wall to run after him. He is heading towards a fire escape ladder on the far side of the roof. You pause just long enough to retrieve your Backpack and belt, then you hurry after them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect151"><link-text>Turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect307">
+ <meta><title>307</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Wearily you drag yourself to your feet, wipe the grit from your eyes, then stagger towards your motor- cycle. You are expecting to find little more than a twisted heap of scrap metal, so it comes as a welcome surprise to discover that the machine is still in work- ing order. After straightening the handlebars, the headlight, and the front wheel alignment, you are able to restart the engine with your third kick.</p>
+ <p>You follow the wide trench until you find a suitable place, on the far side of the rockfalls to make your exit. The ascent is accomplished without difficulty, but as you clear the crest of the gully and bring your motorcycle to a stop, you notice something that makes you break out in a cold sweat.</p>
+ <p>From the eastern end of the gully a cloud of dust is approaching. It is over a mile distant, but at once you can tell that it is being kicked up by a motorcycle. You stare at the approaching machine and, although you cannot see the rider, you know that it is the assassin. Chilled by his proximity, you wind back the throttle and gun your bike along the bumpy moun- tain road.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect308">
+ <meta><title>308</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You realize too late that the biker is already dead, killed as he sped over the bridge by a ricocheting bullet. He is slumped forward over the handlebars in a racing pose, his right hand locked on the throttle and his weight balanced to keep the machine upright and fixed in a straight line.</p>
+ <p>You try to get clear but in your panic you mistime your dive. With a fearful crash, the motorcycle ploughs into the gas pump and explodes in a ball of bright flame, catching you in mid-leap. The last thing you see is a blinding yellow flash as you are engulfed by the blazing inferno. Death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, you life and your mission end here in Mexico.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect309">
+ <meta><title>309</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The growl of motorcycle engines can be heard approaching from the south, yet you can see no sign of their headlights in the near-darkness that blankets the land. Then you spot a glint of chrome reflecting the pale pre-dawn twilight, and suddenly there is a piercing blue-white glare as six black-clad clansmen simultaneously switch on their headlights as they race along Highway 80 towards the intersection. Their machines are drawn up in a perfect wedge for- mation, giving them the semblance of a giant, fiery arrow-head as they come speeding down the freeway access ramp towards your jeep. Now, as they close in, you see that the riders are wearing black face- protectors, which are fitted with infra-red lenses, enabling them to see in the dark without the need for artificial light. They are all heavily armed, and the pennons that flutter from the whiplash aerials fixed to their saddles identify them as scouts for the Detroit Lions clan.</p>
+ <p>These scouts are part of a group that were based in Ciudad Juarez. You notice that each machine carries a radio and you realize that they must have been directed by Mad Dog Michigan to intercept you. Several of their closest comrades died at the Juarez Race Track and they have sworn to avenge their deaths by wiping you out.</p>
+ <p>'Get going, Cal!' shouts Captain Frankland, as he drops the now empty can and leaps into the jeep. You start the engine and accelerate straight at the oncom- ing wedge of bikers. They see you and part forma- tion, firing their pistols at point-blank range as they stream past on either side.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect285">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect116">If your total is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect310">
+ <meta><title>310</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pause just long enough to search the bodies before you make your escape from the parking lot. Your search uncovers the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Machine Pistol [containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition]</li>
+ <li>Pistol [containing seven rounds of 9mm ammunition]</li>
+ <li>Water Canteen [containing enough water for three Drinks]</li>
+ <li>Hunting Knife [2]</li>
+ <li>Baseball Bat [2]</li>
+ <li>Enough canned food for two Meals</li>
+ <li>Compass</li>
+ <li>Flexible Saw</li>
+ <li>Signal Flare</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect158">To continue, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect311">
+ <meta><title>311</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Slowly you follow the steep trail as it ascends towards the outcrop. The climb is difficult but your perseverance is rewarded when you reach the top and discover a plateau that commands a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountain timberlands. Then, as you scan the horizon, you hear something that is far more exciting than the wondrous view: it is the sound of running water.</p>
+ <p>With high expectations, you and Knott re-enter the forest, determined to investigate the sound. You have covered less than fifty yards when you discover the source: a spring of clear, sparkling water cascading from a crack in the mountainside. Knott is elated by the find and rushes forward to drink his fill. You are more cautious: you control the strong urge to drink and warn your companion of the high possibility that the water is contaminated.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect238">If your Field Craft skill total is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect23">If it is not, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect312">
+ <meta><title>312</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rush forward to barge the leading clansman with your shoulder. The force and surprise of your attack sends him flying out of the truck, but your move leaves you vulnerable to his confederate, who immediately leaps upon you before you can regain your balance.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mustang</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed of his attack, you are unable to use a close combat weapon until the second round of the fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect117">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect313">
+ <meta><title>313</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The engine emits the ominous sound of grinding metal and immediately the rattling ceases. Unfortu- nately, so too does the engine. The piston has become so hot that the rings that seal it have welded themselves to the bore. At once you realize what has happened, and, as you steer the powerless machine to the side of the street, you are filled with dread at the prospect of having to continue your journey on foot. You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You are staring gloomily at the ruined machine, con- sidering your next course of action, when you hear a vehicle approaching. Your dread deepens when you look up to see an all-too-familiar dust cloud approaching the town from the east.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect298"><link-text>Turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect314">
+ <meta><title>314</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Half-way along the main street you discover a used car lot that specialized in commercial and recrea- tional vehicles. The faded billboards boast that 'only the best vehicles are to be found here', but sadly this claim is long out-of-date. Most of the trucks and RVs are totally wrecked, and nearly all have tyres and bat- teries that have perished during the post-holocaust years. A battered Toyota pick-up rests on its side, hardly warranting a second glance until you notice that its tyres are still sound. Knott helps you to heave it back on to all four wheels and then goes to fetch the others while you make a closer examination of the engine. Apart from a dead battery and lack of fuel, the pick-up is in remarkably good condition.</p>
+ <p>You are checking the air filter when the others arrive. Although they have not been able to locate a vehicle in better condition, their search has not been entirely fruitless. They did find some gasolene, which Sergeant Haskell proceeds to pour into the pick-up's fuel tank.</p>
+ <p>'That solves one problem,' you say, as you replace the air filter, 'but we'll still need some electrical power to get this engine started.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect106">If you possess a Solar Regulator, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect315">
+ <meta><title>315</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With your face to the ground, you peer under a row of cars to see the clansmen's feet as they reach the base of the ramp. For a few seconds the men remain stationary, then they split up and begin to search along the rows in your immediate vicinity. Carefully you ease yourself under a pick-up truck and watch with growing fear as one of the clansmen walks slowly towards your hiding place.</p>
+ <p>He stops beside the pick-up, his boots inches away from your chest. Automatically you tense yourself in readiness to strike should he show the slightest indication that he has found you. He starts to move away, then hesitates. Slowly he begins to kneel.</p>
+ <p>At that moment you lash out like a striking cobra and catch him in the leg with the heel of your boot. He screams and falls backwards, clutching his dislocated knee. This allows you the few seconds you need to roll out from under the truck and to gain the upper hand.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Camaro</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">12</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">18</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the effects of your surprise attack, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain in the first two rounds of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect17">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect316">
+ <meta><title>316</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The voices stop, and a few seconds later the spyhole cover slides open an inch. An eye appears at the gap.</p>
+ <p>It stares down at you, widens with shock, then disap- pears from view. Cursing your luck, you start to move back from the door and have retreated a few yards when something else appears, something that makes you gulp with fear. It is the barrel of a semi-automatic pistol, and it is pointed at your chest.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If your total score is 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect266">If your total is 13-19, <link-text>turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect222">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect317">
+ <meta><title>317</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You run to the trash can and haul yourself over its thick steel rim just as the first of the bikers reaches the apex of the bridge. Seconds later the captain's voice bellows the order: 'Open fire!' Immediately the others obey, strafing the Angelinos as they speed off the bridge. Two riders are hit and fall from their machines; a third has his front tyre shot out and loses control, crashing into the parapet; but the last rider appears to escape injury and comes screaming over the bridge with his front wheel raised defiantly. As he approaches you he raises his machine pistol one- handedly and looses off a burst of automatic fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect48">If you wish to remain standing and return fire as the biker speeds past, <link-text>turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect135">If you choose to avoid his fire by ducking below the rim of the trash can, <link-text>turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect318">
+ <meta><title>318</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the hardware store and return to your motorcycle. Before you start the engine you make a cursory check of the cooling fins and notice that they are very hot to the touch: the lack of oil is causing the engine to overheat. As you remount the machine and kick start the engine, you pray that it will run just long enough to get you back to the colony.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect319">
+ <meta><title>319</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dog begins to whine excitedly. He lopes into the room, following the trail of your scent towards the window where he paces back and forth until his master calls him to heel. Quickly he obeys, the scars on his body bearing testimony to past punishments for reacting too slowly to his master's command. You hear the clansman approaching, then see him stand- ing at the window staring out at the fire escape. Thoughtfully he scratches his unshaven chin, then calls his dog once more and turns to leave.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth and Field Craft totals. Then pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (in this instance 0 = 10).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297">If your total skill score is equal to, or less than, the number you have picked from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect84">If your total skill score is greater than the number you picked from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect320">
+ <meta><title>320</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You strike your killing blow with your right hand and cover the clansman's mouth with your left to prevent him screaming. The captain has dealt with his adver- sary and has already given a signal to Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott. They reach the jeep, return your equipment, and then help the captain to search the Mavericks' bodies before hiding them in the bus depot. Of the items that are found, you can choose from the following three:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</li>
+ <li>HE Grenade</li>
+ <li>Bowie Knife [3]</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>On returning to the vehicle, Captain Frankland offers you the opportunity to drive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to drive the jeep, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If you decide to let the captain drive, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect321">
+ <meta><title>321</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You struggle to control your car as it skids off the freeway and slews sideways towards the crash barrier. The roadster collides with it, but at such an acute angle that you are able to regain control almost immediately. The impact leaves you shaken, but otherwise you and Kate survive the collision unharmed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect274"><link-text>Turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect322">
+ <meta><title>322</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Bullets ricochet from the rear and whistle past on every side, forcing you to duck behind the tailgate for cover. Your swift reflexes save you from being hit. As you lower your head, you glimpse the clan leader running into the middle of the highway, his hand outstretched to pick up a walkie-talkie that must have dropped from his pocket. As you cower behind the tailgate you suddenly realize that he could attempt to radio another clan outpost, perhaps one in Mimbres, or one further along the highway, and forewarn them of your arrival.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If you wish to attempt to shoot the clansman, to prevent him from using the radio, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect335">If you have insufficient ammunition, or do not wish to fire at him, <link-text>turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect323">
+ <meta><title>323</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw back the bolt of your G-12 and make a quick check of the magazine to ensure that you have sufficient bullets to cover yourself. Then, with your pulse pounding loudly in your ears, you get ready to run to the forest.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you leap to your feet and scramble up the steps. As you clear the crater, you fix your destination and sprint towards it, your machine pistol blazing at your hip.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. To this total add 1 point for every burst you choose to fire from your machine pistol (minimum equals one round; maximum equals five rounds).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect324">
+ <meta><title>324</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The leader of the Detroit Lions is standing with a group of Mexicans in front of a large canvas tent pitched in the centre of the track. He is shouting, and clearly he is very angry, although you cannot hear what he is saying above the mechanical din of the generators that are supplying electricity to the track's floodlights. An assortment of vehicles is parked haphazardly around the tents, and at least fifty clansmen, perhaps more, are hovering in the area. They all seem very nervous, many of them glancing repeatedly at their wristwatches as they pace back and forth. You look at your own watch and see that the time is 0225; no wonder they are so edgy - the convoy is late.</p>
+ <p>'Look over there, Captain,' whispers Knott, pointing at a large, six-wheeled truck that is parked at the side of the track, close to the dog traps. 'It's an old Defence League three-tonner, just like the one I used to drive in Brownsville. They ain't fast but they can take a lot of punishment. It might be just what we need if we have to ram our way outta here.'</p>
+ <p>'OK, Knott. You've convinced me,' replies the captain. 'She looks like she's been left unguarded, so you get on over there and get aboard. We'll join you as soon as the mines are set, so you just be sure she's ready to go, y' hear.'</p>
+ <p>'Yessir,' says Knott. He is about to leave the group when the captain grabs him by the arm. 'Hold it, you'd better give the sergeant your contact mine.'</p>
+ <p>Knott fishes the device from his haversack and passes it to Haskell. Then he leaves, and all three of you watch as he makes his way slowly around the perimeter, using what cover he can find. He reaches the truck and climbs aboard. Moments later there is a tremendous noise - a siren that fills the race track with a deafening clangour.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect164"><link-text>Turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect325">
+ <meta><title>325</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Hey, you up there!' you shout, in as friendly a voice as you can muster. You try hard not to sound threatening, but the unexpected sound of your voice startles the man. Immediately he dashes away from the trail and runs deeper into the forest. Rather than let him get away, you beckon Knott to follow as you give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect54"><link-text>Turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect326">
+ <meta><title>326</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes less than twenty minutes to reach the tiny mountain town of Mimbres but you find no welcome awaiting you there. The place is deserted, its buildings, all save two derelict stores at its centre, have long since collapsed. There is nothing to be gained by stopping here, so Captain Frankland orders Knott to continue without slowing.</p>
+ <p>Beyond Mimbres, the highway begins a steady climb into the Cedar Mountains. You stay alert, anticipat- ing clan contact at any time, but the rocky landscape seems devoid of life. The temperature rises with the sun, and when you see the town of Hachita, perched near the western edge of a wide box canyon, all four of you are beginning to feel the ill effects of dehydra- tion and salt deficiency.</p>
+ <p>You are approaching Hachita when Knott calls the captain to the cab window. The truck's fuel gauge was registering full when you left Ciudad Juarez, but the needle has now slipped to below the quarter mark and he fears that there may not be enough gasolene left to reach Lordsburg. Hachita looks as empty as Mimbres, so Captain Frankland orders him to stop there to search for some fuel.</p>
+ <p>As you reach a crossroads in the centre of the town, Knott stops the truck at a gas station that was once part of a shopping mart. You disembark and Sergeant Haskell quickly discovers the reason for the truck's poor fuel consumption: there are three bullet holes in the petrol tank.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect195">If you wish to help the sergeant fix the damaged tank, <link-text>turn to 195</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect66">If you decide to help Frankland and Knott search the gas station for some fuel, <link-text>turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect327">
+ <meta><title>327</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Moments later there is a crash of breaking glass and you catch sight of something vaguely resembling a can of food as it flies through the window. It bounces on the carpeted floor and immediately there is a flash, followed by a stream of sickly, cream-coloured gas that shoots from its base. As the gas fills the room rapidly, your throat tightens and your eyes stream. A wave of nausea hits you and frantically you rush from the room before it fills to the ceiling with nox- ious tear gas: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> Points.</p>
+ <p>Coughing and retching, you stagger along the cor- ridor and down a flight of stairs that leads to a fire exit at the rear of the building. Desperate for clean air, you kick its locking bar and stumble out into the courthouse yard. You have taken just two steps when the assassin comes rushing around the corner of the courthouse with his rifle in his hand.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If you possess a missile weapon and sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect328">
+ <meta><title>328</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire is accurate - it hits the biker in the head - but it does not divert his machine. The fact is, the biker is already dead, killed by a ricocheting bullet as he sped over the bridge. He is slumped for- ward over the handlebars in a racing pose, his right hand locked on the throttle and his weight balanced to keep his machine upright and fixed in a straight line.</p>
+ <p>In desperation you scramble to your feet to throw yourself out of the path of the bike, but you have left it too late. With a fearful crash, the motorcycle ploughs into the gas pump and explodes in a ball of bright flame. The last thing you see is a blinding yellow flash as you are engulfed by the blazing inferno. Death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Mexico.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect329">
+ <meta><title>329</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Nice work, Cal,' says Captain Frankland, as he climbs into the back of the Toyota.</p>
+ <p>'Yeah, well done,' says Haskell, echoing the captain's sentiments. 'I sure weren't looking forward to hoofin' it all the way t' Tucson, I can tell you.'</p>
+ <p>He vaults into the back beside the captain then extends his right hand to help you aboard. You are reaching out to grip his palm when you hear the sharp crack of a gunshot. Haskell raises his hand to his forehead, a look of shocked surprise registering on his strong, angular face. Then his eyes roll back to reveal just the whites, and a trickle of blood oozes from a neat hole two inches above his nose. He wavers and then falls limply across the tailgate.</p>
+ <p>For an unknown length of time you stare at Haskell's face, oblivious to your surroundings, until the fran- tic thumping of your heart begins to subside. A sick feeling hits you in waves and you are unable to move. Then you feel yourself being lifted and pulled into the truck by the front of your leather jacket. Captain Frankland is screaming at Knott to drive away as fast as he can. As the back wheels spin and the Toyota begins to accelerate, the horror of witnessing Haskell's death at such close quarters makes you shiver with shock: lose 3 ENDUPANCE points.</p>
+ <p>The truck races out of Rodeo and within minutes you are crossing the state border into Arizona. Respect- fully, Captain Frankland covers the sergeant's face with his combat jacket, and, although your minds are full of unanswered questions, you say nothing to each other until Knott brings the truck to a halt at the edge of a great expanse of mountain timberland once known as the Coronado National Forest.</p>
+ <p>'It must have been a clan sniper,' says Frankland, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. 'I didn't see a thing, did you?'</p>
+ <p>You and Knott shake your heads silently, both deeply saddened by the loss of your brave companion. For Knott it is a specially bitter blow, for he and Haskell survived the post-holocaust years together at the WDL base in Brownsville, Texas.</p>
+ <p>'We had better take care of the burial right away,' says Frankland, scanning the surrounding landscape. 'There's no sign of anyone following us on the highway. It should be safe to bury him here.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect169"><link-text>Turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect330">
+ <meta><title>330</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your left hand to shield your eyes from the glare of the spotlight. They are trying to blind you as they approach, but you are more than a match for them. You shout to the others to hold tight and, when they are nearly upon you, you swerve aside, bring- ing the jeep to a controlled halt at the edge of the highway.</p>
+ <p>Captain Frankland is the first to recover and quickly mans the heavy machine gun. The pick-up completes a spectacular 180-degree turn and comes racing back, but he is waiting for them. They are thirty yards away when he cocks the weapon and opens fire.</p>
+ <p>The heavy-calibre rounds riddle the engine and tear the cab to shreds. The truck starts to skid, then there is a tremendous bang as the fuel tank explodes. As you accelerate on to the freeway, you glance in the driving mirror to see a huge ball of billowing orange flame engulf the remains of the truck and its passengers.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect331">
+ <meta><title>331</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The shock of being fired at by the captain and Sergeant Haskell freezes you with fear. You are unable to react quickly enough to avoid the first wave of bullets and, as they slam into the front of the motorcycle and tear the wheel to shreds, you lose control of the machine. Without the tyre to absorb the bumps and holes that litter the road, the machine becomes a bucking bronco. The bars twist in your hands and you are flung head-first into a gully at the side of the highway.</p>
+ <p>Marine Knott survives the crash but you are not so fortunate. You suffer fatal head injuries on impact and death is virtually instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect332">
+ <meta><title>332</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You crouch in a hollow behind two large boulders, which top this mound, and peer through a gap at the approaching dust cloud. The motorcycle slows down, then leaves the highway and descends into the gully before accelerating towards you along the dry bed. It comes to a halt within a few hundred yards of your position, and although you can see the rider dis- mounting, he is too far away to discern his features.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect263">If you possess Binoculars or a Telescope, <link-text>turn to 263</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect203">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 203</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect333">
+ <meta><title>333</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The clansman crashes against the truck and falls to the ground in a dazed heap. Although you are bruised by the collision, you are able to stay on your feet, and you seize the initiative. Half-concussed, the swarthy Mexican fumbles blindly for his pistol, but before he can draw and fire it, a well-placed kick to the chin knocks him out cold.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you drag his body under the truck and prop him out of sight behind the rear wheels, before turn- ing your attention to the vehicle's fuel tank.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect65"><link-text>Turn to 65</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect334">
+ <meta><title>334</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the store room you discover a narrow corridor lit by several low-voltage electric light bulbs mounted in the ceiling. In the glow of their pale, yellowy light, you notice a drawbolt on the store room door. You lock it, hoping to deter the sniper should he try to follow you into the shelter.</p>
+ <p>As you progresq along the corridor you discover three doors. The first is to your left; the second is directly opposite the first; and the third lies at the end of the passage, just a few yards ahead.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect145">If you wish to investigate the door to your left, <link-text>turn to 145</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect165">If you wish to examine the door to your right, <link-text>turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If you choose to continue walking towards the door at the end of the corridor, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect335">
+ <meta><title>335</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Soon the truck is beyond the range of the clansmen's rifles and you are able to pick yourself up off the floor. Your body feels stiff and sore, but at least both you and Sergeant Haskell are still in one piece. Then the truck begins to decelerate; when it stops, Captain Frankland leaves the cab and comes around to the back to check that you are both all right.</p>
+ <p>'We're fine,' you reply, 'bruised, but otherwise just fine.'</p>
+ <p>You help the captain climb over the tailgate. As soon as he is aboard, Knott re-starts the engine and you continue your journey west along Highway 9.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect336">
+ <meta><title>336</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>All the advanced driving skills that you learned from Cutter Jacks, and which you perfected during the months you patrolled the highways around McKinney, pay off now as you negotiate this hazar- dous section of mountain highway. However, the clansmen are equally proficient roadmasters and they are gaining on you, relentlessly closing the gap.</p>
+ <p>The more you think about your predicament, the more you realize how futile it is to try to outrun them. Even if you were able to defeat all the scouts, Mad Dog Michigan would simply send more and more un- til his lust for vengeance had finally been sated. Then an idea occurs to you that might just throw him off your trail for good. If you were able to convince the enemy that you were dead, it would put an end to their pursuit. You share your thoughts with the others and they agree with your reasoning.</p>
+ <p>'You're right, Cal. We'll have to stage an accident and convince the clansmen that we've all been killed.' says Captain Frankland.</p>
+ <p>Soon you reach a part of the mountains where a deep canyon borders the road. Here you bring the jeep to a halt and immediately set about preparing the 'accident'. You push the vehicle to the edge of the road, then light a rag, which Haskell has stuffed into the gasolene filler pipe. It ignites and once it is burn- ing you give the jeep a push and send it careering over the edge into the canyon 300 feet below. After the resounding crash, you hear the clansmen approaching and you quickly take cover behind some boulders. To make it seem more realistic, Marine Knott drops his blood-stained tunic at the edge of the road before he joins you, seconds before the first clansmen appear on the scene.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect227"><link-text>Turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect337">
+ <meta><title>337</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Aiming from the hip, you bring your G-12 machine pistol to bear on the leading biker, your finger start- ing to squeeze as the muzzle levels off at a spot two feet above the motorcycle's blazing headlight.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect112">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect338">
+ <meta><title>338</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You retrieve the flare from your Backpack and carefully examine the instructions printed along its side. It is an aerial flare, designed to shoot a burning core of red fire 300 feet into the sky. if you intend to use it to distract the sniper, you will need to fire it straight at him.</p>
+ <p>The sniper's position is etched clearly in your mind. Nervously you grasp the signal flare tube and take hold of its pull-cord, then you spring to your feet and fire. It recoils in your hand, sending a blaze of red fire surging towards the assassin's position. The moment you see it strike the scrub, you discard the smouldering tube and race up the steps. As you clear the crater you try to make out your destination through the swirling curtain of red smoke now mask- ing the pines.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth and Perception skill totals. Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> and add it to your score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect339">
+ <meta><title>339</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Calmly you raise your shotgun, your thumb releas- ing the auto-safety as the stock beds snugly into your shoulder. Bullets whistle past, frighteningly close, but you force yourself to ignore them as you take aim calmly at the clan commander. For an instant his eyes widen with shock when he sees the barrel of your shotgun pointing in his direction. Then he starts to pull away and is almost obscured by a wall when you loose off your first shot.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Shooting skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If your total is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect340">
+ <meta><title>340</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The captain screams and throws his hands to his face: he has been hit. Blood oozes thickly through his fingers as he crumples slowly to the ground, the assassin's bullet lodged deeply in his skull.</p>
+ <p>The shock of Frankland's death, following so closely after Sergeant Haskell's, hits you like an icy shower. You cower behind the truck, shivering with fear, afraid that you will be next. For a terrible moment the fear consumes you, and all you want to do is run as far and as fast as you can. Knott has taken cover among the pines and he pleads with you to stay where you are. But you cannot think clearly; panic has over- whelmed your senses. Blindly, you scramble to your feet and stumble towards the woods and, in your haste, you trip and fall, skinning your hands and knees on the flint-sharp shale: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>Inadvertently, your fall saves your life. A shot passes over your head a second after you stumble, missing you by a hand's breadth. The imminent danger clears your mind and you race towards the trees with renewed determination to survive. Knott encourages you to increase your speed and you pray that you will reach cover before the sniper has a chance to work another round into the breech of his rifle.</p>
+ <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. (Note. If Your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack items in order to increase your Stealth skill total.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If your total score is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect83">If it is 16 - 19, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect341">
+ <meta><title>341</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At such close range, your gunfire shatters the wooden lock (remember to erase the appropriate amount of ammunition from your Ammo Pouch). As the smoke clears, you call Knott to support your attack, then you run forward and kick open the door.</p>
+ <p>It slams back against the wall and immediately you step aside to allow Knott to rush into the room beyond, crouching in combat stance, is pistol held before him, ready to fire. No shots are fired, and when you enter the room, you discover that the bearded man has vanished.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect233"><link-text>Turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect342">
+ <meta><title>342</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You tell the others that you think the team should attempt to break through the Columbus road block.</p>
+ <p>'Well, it looks like we got ourselves what the French call an 'impasse',' says the captain, as he reaches to the breast pocket of his combat jacket. 'There's only one way to solve this&ellips;' So saying, he withdraws a coin - a commemorative AD2000 silver dollar.</p>
+ <p>'Heads we hit Columbus; tails we avoid it,' he says, and flips the coin into the air.</p>
+ <p>Pick A number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect262">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect37">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect343">
+ <meta><title>343</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A cursory examination of the door confirms your fears: it is far too thick to be sawn open. However, a closer examination of the air vent reveals that it was once a much larger window that has recently been partially boarded over. Confident that you can gain entry this way, you set about sawing through the slats.</p>
+ <p>It is exhausting work, and before you make a hole large enough to climb through, you lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point due to fatigue.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect214"><link-text>Turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect344">
+ <meta><title>344</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is early evening before Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott return, but at least their journey was not in vain. The ignition unit that Knott spotted at the gas station was still there and works perfectly when fitted to the truck. Within half an hour of their return, the engine is running smoothly once more and you are able to continue.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect345">
+ <meta><title>345</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The truck slams through the wall of cars with a tremendous crash. The impact sends a violent shudder through the floor but the truck is slowed very little by the collision. Once clear of the barricade, Knott accelerates along the main street and you hear angry voices and the sharp crackle of automatic gunfire amidst the roar of the vehicle's engine. The air becomes livid with the sound of singing bullets, which pierce the canvas and shatter against the truck's cage-like frame. An occasional fragment singes your skin but otherwise you and the sergeant escape unharmed.</p>
+ <p>Haskell is at the tailgate, returning fire at the clansmen who were guarding the barricade, forcing them to quit their shooting and dive for cover. You join him and focus your sights on the doorways of the passing stores, where sleepy-eyed clansmen are stumbling into the street to investigate the commo- tion (erase from your Ammo Pouch ammunition equivalent to one round of fire).</p>
+ <p>You are starting to feel confident that you have beaten the clansmen when you feel the truck decelerating. A glance over your shoulder in the direction of the cab window reveals why Knott is slowing down. A bright yellow bulldozer, with its earth scoop lowered, is trundling along the main street towards you. The captain screams an order and Knott obeys. He spins the steering wheel and sends the truck screeching sharply to the left towards a narrow side street. His quick reactions and driving skill have saved you from the bulldozer, but immediately you are confronted by a new hazard.</p>
+ <p>Several of the houses that back on to this street have collapsed, and the debris has formed a huge, uneven mound that blocks your path. Knott, confident that the truck is capable of scaling this obstacle, shifts the selector into all-wheel drive and stamps his foot on the gas pedal. Amid a whine of gears, the truck accelerates towards the mountain of bricks and shat- tered timbers. You hit the mound at speed and the truck lurches towards the peak, but, less than five feet from the top, the truck shudders to a halt.</p>
+ <p>Knott and the captain both leap from the cab desperate to clear away the debris that has jammed the front wheels. As they begin their work, three clansmen come running around the corner, firing their weapons as they sprint towards the truck. Haskell answers them with a burst of fire that fells the leading two and sends the survivor scurrying for cover. This does little to deter the attack: more clansmen are appearing by the second, and, judging by their blood-curdling screams, they do not intend to take prisoners.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect69">If you have a missile weapon and wish to fire at the advancing clansmen, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect3">If you wish to help the captain and Marine Knott clear away the debris from the front wheels, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect346">
+ <meta><title>346</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your gunfire impacts against the pillar and instinc- tively you pull away from the window in case the assassin attempts to return fire. A few seconds later, there is a crash of breaking glass and you catch sight of something vaguely resembling a can of food as it flies through the window and bounces on the carpeted floor. Immediately there is a flash and a stream of sickly, cream-coloured gas shoots from its base. As the gas rapidly fills the room, your throat tightens and your eyes stream. A wave of nausea hits you and you rush frantically from the room before it fills to the ceiling with noxious tear gas: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Coughing and retching, you stagger along the cor- ridor until you come to a flight of stairs that descends to a fire exit at the rear of the building. Desperate for clean air, you kick its locking bar and stumble out into the courthouse yard. You have taken just two steps when the assassin comes rushing around the corner of the courthouse, his rifle in his hand.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If you have sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect347">
+ <meta><title>347</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A sudden, short-lived pain in your head and a red- dening of your vision is all that you sense as the assassin's full metal jacketed round pierces your forehead and passes clean through your skull. Merci- fully, death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your mission end here in Arizona.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect348">
+ <meta><title>348</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your forehead connects with the clansman's studded leather jacket and the impact sends you reeling to the ground - lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Before you have recovered your senses fully, the Mexican draws a knife and attacks you while you are lying on the ground.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Yucatan</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to your condition, you are unable to use a close combat weapon until the third round of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect197">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect349">
+ <meta><title>349</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leap across the gap and reach the far ledge, but your toes slip on the dusty mortar and you fall crashing to your knees: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. The others rush forward to grab your arms, but they are forced to duck when the clansmen open fire. Ricochets dislodge sections of the ledge where you are crouching and suddenly it gives way. Your stomach heaves as you feel yourself falling. Franti- cally, you throw up your hands to grab the roof's edge. You make it, and hold firm, but you are left dangling in mid-air while a firefight rages across the rooftops.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect187">If the number you have picked is 0, <link-text>turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect208">If it is 1-4, <link-text>turn to 208</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect284">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect350">
+ <meta><title>350</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You and Kate enter the Tucson stronghold to receive a hero's welcome. The colony are overjoyed; they feared they would never see either of you alive again. They are saddened to hear your account of how Captain Frankland, Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott met their deaths, yet they draw comfort from the knowledge that their memory will live on in the hearts of the colonists. If it were not for their ultimate sacrifice, the colony would never have reached Tuc- son intact.</p>
+ <p>After celebrating your successful return, the colony leaders set about planning the last stage of the journey to California, confident that now Mad Dog Michigan is no longer around, his army will be disinclined to continue the pursuit of the convoy. But a nagging doubt remains in your mind. Did Mad Dog Michigan really meet his doom at the Pantona Bridge?</p>
+ <p>For you, Cal Phoenix, the answer to that question, and the final part of your exodus to California, await you in book four of the Freeway Warrior series, entitled:</p>
+ <p>CALIFORNIA COUNTDOWN</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <!-- Backmatter -->
+
+ </data>
+</section>
+
+</gamebook>
--- /dev/null
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
+<!DOCTYPE gamebook SYSTEM "gamebook.dtd" [
+ <!ENTITY % xhtml.characters SYSTEM "htmlchar.mod">
+ <!ENTITY % latex.characters SYSTEM "ltexchar.mod">
+ %xhtml.characters;
+
+ <!ENTITY % general.links SYSTEM "genlink.mod">
+ %general.links;
+ <!ENTITY % xhtml.links SYSTEM "htmllink.mod">
+ %xhtml.links;
+]>
+
+<gamebook xml:lang="en-UK" version="0.11">
+
+<!--
+
+$Id$
+$Log$
+Revision 1.1 2004/11/09 06:47:15 jonathan.blake
+Initial Freepository revision
+
+
+//// RCS Revision Log ////
+
+Revision 1.12 2003/01/27 22:11:39 jblake
+Checkin prior to global footnote change
+
+Revision 1.11 2003/01/27 21:53:41 jblake
+Checkin prior to making global change to footnote structure.
+
+Revision 1.10 2003/01/09 20:41:40 jblake
+Added small12 and minor validity corrections.
+
+Revision 1.9 2003/01/08 16:30:00 jdougan
+- Added Peter Smyth to "Special Thanks" (for providing primary illustration captions)
+- Cross-check against posted //non-errata// mistakes (trying to ensure that nothing was missed)
+- inserted code for large illustrations
+- placed all small illustrations except for small12 (which, per SOSBORNE, does not appear to have a good place to go)
+- updated tables of illustrations
+- added footnote to Section 15 for riddle solution. (The other correct riddle explanation provides a correct answer, and the obvious incorrect answer makes it obvious that the solution is incorrect.)
+
+Revision 1.8 2003/01/07 00:30:28 jblake
+Errata corrections and general cleanup.
+
+Revision 1.7 2002/11/12 18:53:00 jblake
+Fixed validity errors.
+
+Revision 1.6 2002/11/06 01:14:00 jdougan
+- attempted reasonable link for 14TCoK in front matter and section 350.
+- dougan note to jblake: should we renumber the versions in which validity errors have been corrected and no other changes made to, e.g. 1.4.1? Or is that possible with your version control tools?
+- created section structure (without prev/next links) for Combat Rules, ranks, and improved disciplines
+- replaced all relevant ' with '
+- corrected proofreader errata as noted.
+
+Revision 1.5 2002/10/31 18:21:36 jblake
+Corrected validity errors.
+
+Revision 1.4 2002/10/31 18:10:00 jdougan
+- Inserted escape sequences for emdash (48 occurrences) and endash (18 sections)
+- Pasted backmatter from TPoT; removed data from errata, lists, etc.
+- put in <quote></quote> where appropriate
+
+Revision 1.3 2002/10/31 16:49:23 jblake
+Corrected validity errors.
+
+Revision 1.2 2002/10/30 20:36:07 jdougan
+- Inserted paragraph delimiters throughout front matter
+- linked all front matter occurrences of Action Chart
+- Marked all front matter occurrences of COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE with <typ></typ> markup
+- Began to insert <section><data></data></section> structure into front matter. (incomplete)
+- Linked all front matter occurrences of the random number table
+- Noticed that none of the Grand Master Disciplines have the usual "if you choose this skill..." paragraph. Should we add these?
+- Entered the credits (transcription, XML, Proofreading)
+- front matter is missing the "how to carry" section - something seems a little wonky in general. closing out the currently open data and sections, then sending it back to Jon.
+
+Revision 1.1 2002/10/20 06:49:07 jblake
+Initial revision
+
+//////////////////////////
+
+Pending errata - TPLOR
+
+(3) Under Bows and Arrows, page 33, do we add 3 or 5 to numbers we pick from the RNT?
+
+==>JDOUGAN: I can make the case both ways, but suspect that it should probably be +3.
+
+(4) {JDOUGAN} The example combat has a major mistake, adding +3 CS for using Kai-surge - this gives a wrong Combat Ratio, with consequently wrong EP losses for both participants. What's the best way to fix it?
+
+Section 127: First sentence doesn't make sense grammatically.
+
+Secction 133: pathsmanship > Pathsmanship ?
+
+Changes made:
+<li>The Story So Far: Changed <quote>Ragador</quote> to <quote>Ragadorn</quote></li>
+<li>How to Use Your Equipment/Weapons: Amended the text to correctly reflect the +5 <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> bonus for Grand Weaponmastery</li>
+<li>Section 2: Changed <quote>Extermius</quote> to <quote>Exterminus</quote></li>
+<li>Section 7: Changed <quote>crease</quote> to <quote>cease</quote></li>
+<li>Section 7: Changed <quote>fowards</quote> to <quote>forwards</quote></li>
+<li>Section 24: Changed <quote>agarashi</quote> to <quote>Agarashi</quote></li>
+<li>Section 24: Changed <quote>it red eyes</quote> to <quote>its red eyes</quote></li>
+<li>Section 31: Changed <quote>agarashi</quote> to <quote>Agarashi</quote></li>
+<li>Section 35: Changed <quote>as it they were</quote> to <quote>as if they were</quote></li>
+<li>Section 41: Changed <quote>suface</quote> to <quote>surface</quote></li>
+<li>Section 41: Changed <quote>aproaches</quote> to <quote>approaches</quote></li>
+<li>Section 47: Changed <quote>eg</quote> to <quote>i.e.</quote></li>
+
+==>jdougan: in context, this is the proper abbreviation - we want "that is", not "for the sake of an example", because the list provided is complete
+
+<li>Section 50: Changed <quote>seeth</quote> to <quote>seethe</quote></li>
+<li>Section 106: Changed <quote>youself</quote> to <quote>yourself</quote></li>
+<li>Section 108: Changed <quote>imposter</quote> to <quote>impostor</quote></li>
+<li>Section 110: Changed <quote>agarashi</quote> to <quote>Agarashi</quote></li>
+<li>Section 121: Changed <quote>agarashi's</quote> to <quote>Agarashi's</quote></li>
+<li>Section 127: Changed <quote>gong echoes n some</quote> to <quote>gong echoes in some</quote></li>
+<li>Section 127: Changed <quote>begining</quote> to <quote>beginning</quote></li>
+<li>Section 131: Changed <quote>foward</quote> to <quote>forward</quote></li>
+<li>Section 131: Changed <quote>agarashi</quote> to <quote>Agarashi</quote> in two places</li>
+<li>Section 186: Changed <quote>suface</quote> to <quote>surface</quote></li>
+<li>Section 188: Changed <quote>Grand Mastery</quote> to <quote>Grand Nexus</quote></li>
+
+==>JDOUGAN: Based on the text of section 203, this is probably what was intended
+
+<li>Section 220: Changed <quote>0&endash;2 turn</quote> to <quote>0&endash;2, turn</quote></li>
+<li>Section 223: Changed <quote>Unforturnately</quote> to <quote>Unfortunately</quote></li>
+<li>Section 256: Changed <quote>creatures snarls</quote> to <quote>creature snarls</quote></li>
+<li>Section 266: Changed <quote>flame, Two</quote> to <quote>flame. Two</quote></li>
+<li>Section 277: Changed <quote>stength</quote> to <quote>strength</quote></li>
+<li>Section 310: Changed <quote>lifiting</quote> to <quote>lifting</quote></li>
+<li>Section 320: Changed <quote>suddeness</quote> to <quote>suddenness</quote></li>
+
+-->
+
+<meta>
+ <title>The Plague Lords of Ruel</title>
+ <creator class="short">Joe Dever and Brian Williams</creator>
+ <creator class="medium">Joe Dever<br />Illustrated by Brian Williams</creator>
+ <creator class="long">
+ <p><strong>Joe Dever</strong>, the creator of the bestselling Lone Wolf adventure books and novels, has achieved world-wide recognition in three creative fields&emdash;as an award-winning author of international renown, as an acclaimed musician and composer, and as a games designer specialising in role-playing games.</p>
+ <p>On graduating from college in 1974, Joe Dever became a professional musician, and for several years, he worked in the music industry in Europe and the United States.</p>
+ <p>While working in Los Angeles in 1977 he discovered a then little-known game called <quote>Dungeons &ersand; Dragons</quote>. Although the game was in its infancy, Joe at once realised its huge potential and began designing his own role-playing games along similar conceptual lines. These first games were to form the basis of a fantasy world called Magnamund, which later became the setting for the Lone Wolf books.</p>
+ <p>Five years later, in 1982, Joe won the Advanced Dungeons &ersand; Dragons World Championships in Baltimore, an event held before 16,000 people. Inspired and encouraged by his success at Origins, Joe decided to quit the music business and devote his time to writing and games design.</p>
+ <p>In 1983, after a brief spell at Games Workshop in London, he wrote <cite>Flight from the Dark</cite>&emdash;the first Lone Wolf interactive gamebook. His manuscript immediately attracted a frenzy of interest from three major London publishing companies, all of whom bid for world rights. Joe accepted an offer of publication from Hutchinson's (later to become Century Hutchinson Ltd; now Random House UK) and <cite>Flight from the Dark</cite> was first published in 1984.</p>
+ <p>This first book sold more than 100,000 copies within its first month of publication, and overseas rights were snapped up by twelve countries (including the United States, France, Germany, Japan, Italy and Sweden). The success of Joe's first book laid the foundations for the future of the Lone Wolf series, which has sold millions of copies around the world.</p>
+ <p>The Lone Wolf series ended after 28 books and 14 years. Joe has continued to work in the games industry as script writer and games design consultant.</p>
+ <p><strong>Brian Williams</strong> was first noticed by Joe Dever for his work in White Dwarf magazine (circa issue 50) and the Real Life Adventure series by Jon Sutherland. Brian Williams was Joe's first choice of illustrators to replace Gary Chalk. Jon, being an old friend of Joe's, introduced the two. Brian was excited to work with Joe on the Lone Wolf series. He illustrated <cite>The Cauldron of Fear</cite> and almost every book about Magnamund since that time.</p>
+ </creator>
+ <publisher>Project Aon</publisher>
+ <date class="publication"><year>2003</year><month>2</month><day>1</day></date>
+ <description class="blurb">
+ <p>You are the warrior Lone Wolf&emdash;Kai Grand Master of Sommerlund. You have defeated the Darklords of Helgedad and avenged your murdered ancestors, but now you are challenged by a sinister evil which threatens to destroy all life on your home world of Magnamund.</p>
+ <p>In <cite>The Plague Lords of Ruel</cite> your mission is to prevent the malevolent Cener Druids of Ruel from releasing a deadly plague virus that will destroy all but their own kind. Of all the warriors of Magnamund only you can thwart their wicked plans&emdash;for only you possess the disciplines of a Kai Grand Master.</p>
+ </description>
+ <description class="publication">
+ <p>Internet Edition published by <a href="http://www.projectaon.org/">Project Aon</a>. 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 <a idref="errata">Errata</a>.</p>
+ </description>
+ <rights class="copyrights">Text copyright © 1990 Joe Dever.<br />Illustrations copyright © 1990 Brian Williams.</rights>
+ <rights class="license-notification">
+ <p>Text copyright © 1990 Joe Dever.<br />Illustrations copyright © 1990 Brian Williams.<br />Distribution of this Internet Edition is restricted under the terms of the <a idref="license">Project Aon License</a>.</p>
+ </rights>
+</meta>
+
+<section id="toc">
+ <meta><title>Table of Contents</title></meta>
+ <data />
+</section>
+
+<section id="title">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Title Page</title>
+ <link class="next" idref="dedicate" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="dedicate">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Dedication</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="title" />
+ <link class="next" idref="acknwldg" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <p class="dedication">To Mel</p>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="acknwldg">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Acknowledgements</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="dedicate" />
+ <link class="next" idref="tssf" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <p><quote>I would be especially pleased if my granting of the rights to distribute my books in this way was seen as my <quote>millennium gift</quote> to all those devoted readers who have kept the Kai flag flying high, through all the good times, and the not-so-good. It would make me very proud indeed if this enterprise laid the foundations of a lasting legacy, securing the longevity of Lone Wolf by making my creation freely and readily accessible to current and future online generations. For them, for us, for Sommerlund and the Kai.&ellips;</quote> <strong>Joe Dever</strong></p>
+ <p>Project Aon would first like to thank Joe Dever for making this generous offering of the books that we have all loved from the beginning. We would also like to acknowledge the following members of Project Aon for their diligent work:</p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="credits">
+ <meta><title>Credits</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <dl>
+ <dt>Transcription</dt>
+ <dd>Matthew Reynolds</dd>
+ <dt>XML</dt>
+ <dd>Jonathan Blake<br />Jeff Dougan</dd>
+ <dt>Action Charts</dt>
+ <dd>JC Alvarez<br />Jonathan Blake</dd>
+ <dt>Proofreading</dt>
+ <dd>Daniel Nash (Sections 71&endash;105) <br />Simon Osborne (Frontmatter, Sections 1&endash;70, 106&endash;140, 176&endash;350) <br />Tony Wrigley (Sections 141&endash;175)</dd>
+ <dt>Editing</dt>
+ <dd>Jeff Dougan<br/>Christopher Lundgren<br />Ingo Klöcker<br/>Simon Osborne<br/>Thomas Wolmer</dd>
+<!-- <dt>PDF Layout</dt>
+ <dd></dd>-->
+ <dt>Coordination</dt>
+ <dd>Jonathan Blake</dd>
+ <dt>Special Thanks</dt>
+ <dd>Boris Basic<br />Martin Ryland<br />Peter Smyth<br />Jason Thomas</dd>
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="tssf">
+ <meta>
+ <title>The Story So Far&ellips;</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="acknwldg" />
+ <link class="next" idref="gamerulz" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <p>You are Grand Master Lone Wolf, last of the Kai Lords of Sommerlund and sole survivor of a massacre that wiped out the First Order of your élite warrior caste.</p>
+ <p>It is the year MS 5075 and twenty-five years have passed since your brave kinsmen perished at the hands of the Darklords of Helgedad. These champions of evil, who were sent forth by Naar, the King of the Darkness, to destroy the fertile world of Magnamund, have themselves since been destroyed. You vowed to avenge the murder of the Kai and you kept your pledge, for it was you who brought about their downfall when alone you infiltrated their foul domain&emdash;the Darklands&emdash;and caused the destruction of their leader, Archlord Gnaag, and the core of their cancerous power that was the infernal city of Helgedad.</p>
+ <p>In the wake of their destruction, chaos befell the Darkland armies who, until then, had been poised to conquer all of Northern Magnamund. Some factions which comprised this huge army, most notably the barbaric Drakkarim, began to fight with the others for control. This disorder quickly escalated into an all-out civil war, which allowed the Freeland armies of Magnamund time in which to recover and launch a counter-offensive. Skilfully their commanders exploited the chaos and secured a swift and total victory over an enemy far superior in numbers.</p>
+ <p>For five years now peace has reigned in Sommerlund. Under your direction, the once-ruined monastery of the Kai has been thoroughly rebuilt and restored to its former glory, and you have begun the task of training a Second Order of Kai warriors so that the skills and proud traditions of your ancestors will be carried forward in the centuries to come. The new generation of Kai recruits, all of whom were born during the era of war against the Darklords, possess latent Kai skills and show exceptional promise. These skills will be nurtured and honed to perfection during their time at the monastery so that they may teach and inspire future generations, thereby ensuring the continued security of your homeland in future years.</p>
+ <p>Your attainment of the rank of Kai Grand Master brought with it great rewards. Some, such as the restoration of the Kai and the undying gratitude of your fellow Sommlending, could have been anticipated. Yet there have also been rewards which you could not possibly have foreseen. The discovery that within you lay the potential to develop Kai Disciplines beyond those of the Magnakai, which, until now, were thought to be the ultimate that a Kai Master could aspire to, was truly a revelation. Your discovery has inspired you to set out upon a new and previously unknown path in search of the wisdom and power that no Kai lord before you has ever possessed. In the name of your creator, the God Kai, and for the greater glory of Sommerlund and the Goddess Ishir, you have vowed to reach the very pinnacle of Kai perfection&emdash;to attain all of the Grand Master Disciplines and become the first Kai Supreme Master.</p>
+ <p>With diligence and determination you set about the restoration of the Kai monastery and organized the training of the Second Order recruits. Your efforts were soon rewarded and, within the space of two short years, the first raw recruits had graduated to become a cadre of gifted Kai Masters who, in turn, were able to commence the teaching of their skills to subsequent intakes of Kai novices. Readily the Kai Masters rose to their new-found responsibilities, leaving you free to devote more of your time to the pursuit and perfection of the Grand Master Disciplines. During this period you also received expert tutelage in the ways of magic from two of your most trusted friends and advisors: Guildmaster Banedon, leader of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star, and Lord Rimoah, speaker for the High Council of the Elder Magi.</p>
+ <p>In the deepest subterranean level of the monastery, one hundred feet below the Tower of the Sun, you ordered the excavation and construction of a special vault. In this magnificent chamber wrought of granite and gold, you placed the seven Lorestones of Nyxator, the gems of Kai power that you had recovered during your quest for the Magnakai. It was here, bathed in the golden light of those radiant gems, that you spent countless hours in pursuit of perfection. Sometimes alone, sometimes in the company of your two able advisors&emdash;Banedon and Rimoah&emdash;you worked hard to develop your innate Grand Master Disciplines and grasp the fundamental secrets of left-handed and Old Kingdom magic. During this time you noticed many remarkable changes taking place within your body: you became physically and mentally stronger, your five primary senses sharpened beyond all that you had experienced before, and, perhaps most remarkably, your body began to age at a much slower rate. Now, for every five years that elapse you age but one year.</p>
+ <p>At this time many changes were also occurring beyond the borders of Sommerlund. In the regions to the north-east of Magador and the Maakengorge, the Elder Magi of Dessi and the Herbwardens of Bautar were working together in an effort to restore the dusty volcanic wasteland to its former fertile state. It was the first tentative step towards the reclamation of all the Darklands. However, although they had had notable successes in these regions, generally their progress was painfully slow and both parties were resigned to the fact that their efforts to undo the damage caused by the Darklords would take not years but centuries to complete.</p>
+ <p>In the far west, the Drakkarim had retreated to their homelands and were engaged in a bloody war against the Lencians. Much of Nyras had been reclaimed by the armies of King Sarnac, the Lencian commander, and his flag now flew over a land which, two thousand years ago, had once been part of Lencia.</p>
+ <p>Following the destruction of the Darklords of Helgedad, the Giaks, the most prolific in number of all of Gnaag's troops, fled into the Darklands and sought refuge in the gigantic city-fortresses of Nadgazad, Aarnak, Gournen and Kaag. Within each of these hellish strongholds there exists now a state of frenzied civil war as remnants of the Xaghash (lesser Darklords) and the Nadziranim (evil practitioners of right-handed magic who once aided individual Darklord masters) fight for control. By virtue of their geographic locations, and the struggles taking place within them, each of these city-fortresses is isolated from the next and poses no immediate threat to the peoples of the Free Kingdoms. It is widely believed that by the time the Elder Magi and the Herbalish reach the walls of these strongholds the occupants will have long since brought about their own extinction.</p>
+ <p>Elsewhere, throughout Northern Magnamund, peace reigns victorious and the peoples of the Free Kingdoms rejoice in the knowledge that the age of the Darklords has finally come to an end. Readily men have exchanged their swords for hoes and their shields for ploughs, and now the only marching they do is along the ruts of their freshly furrowed fields. Few are the watchful eyes that scan the distant horizon in fear of what may appear, although there are still those who maintain their vigilance, for the agents of Naar come in many guises and there are those upon Magnamund who wait quietly in the shadows for the chance to do his evil bidding.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small12.gif" width="386" height="195"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small12.pdf" width="386" height="195"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Often, over the past two years, Lord Rimoah has warned you to be wary of one such group. They are known as the Cener Druids and they occupy a small forested realm to the south of the Stornlands called Ruel, which they have made virtually impregnable to invasion through the use of evil herbcraft. Once, long ago, after the defeat of Naar's greatest champion&emdash;Agarash the Damned&emdash;they were used by Naar as agents of revenge. Then they formulated and released a plague that decimated the Elder Magi and left the way open for their conquest of Magnamund. Now the Elder Magi fear that, as before, Naar will use them again to enact revenge for the defeat of his champions. They fear that they will seek to destroy the Second Order of the Kai before it becomes too strong, for your quest for mastery of the Grand Master Disciplines has opened a door to such goodly power that even Naar himself may be unable to counter it. Unless he closes that door, others of your kind could soon be following in your footsteps.</p>
+ <p>Already the Elder Magi have petitioned the courts of all the Freeland rulers, beseeching them to act immediately and destroy the Cenerese before it is too late. Many of the kingdoms they have visited unwittingly harboured secret sects of Cener Druids who practised their vile herbcraft, often in remote areas. Sommerlund was one such land. Only a year ago, a sect of Cenerese was found in the foothills of the Durncrags engaging in blood rituals at a site less than a day's ride from the Kai monastery. News of this prompted action which brought about a scourge of the Lastlands and forced many Cenerese sects to flee to the safety of Ruel. The regular armies of three nations&emdash;Palmyrion, Lourden, and Slovia&emdash;are now encamped around its border in an attempt to contain the Cener threat. They remain watchful, but that is all they can hope to do. The Cenerese are too powerful within their own domain for the Freeland armies to dare launch an invasion. One such attempt has already ended in disaster. Six months ago an allied force numbering seven thousand men entered the Forest of Ruel, intent on storming the Cenerese fortress of Mogaruith and razing it to the ground. Seven thousand men went into the forest; only seventy returned alive.</p>
+ <p>Despite the vigilance of the three Freeland armies, the containment of the Cenerese threat within Ruel has not been entirely successful. To the south, the Cenerese can enter and leave their realm by means of tunnels which honeycomb the Skardos Mountains. These secret passages emerge in the free state of Caron, at the northern edge of the Rootstrangle Swamp which, in due course, drains into the Tentarias (the great waterway which divides the northern and southern continents of Magnamund). Once access to the Tentarias has been achieved, the Cenerese are virtually free to sail to any port or country of their choosing. Caron is helpless to prevent the Cenerese from using this route through their land. They are a poor nation with few resources, and the Rootstrangle Swamp is one of the most difficult places to patrol. It comprises a constantly shifting morass of mud flats and rotting vegetation, inhabited only by Tzargs&emdash;a carnivorous race of frog-like animals originally bred by the Cenerese for the sole purpose of guiding them through the swamp's ever-shifting channels.</p>
+ <p>On midsummer's day, Lord Rimoah arrived at the monastery without, as was customary on such occasions, any forewarning of his visit. His unexpected appearance surprised the other Kai and caused them to speculate in whispers about the reasons for his journey. Yet his coming was of no surprise to you. For days you had experienced a feeling of unease, a presentiment that your orderly life at the monastery was about to undergo a dramatic change. Rimoah brought with him a glass phial of pale green liquid, a liquid that was proof-positive that the Cenerese were indeed preparing to enact Naar's revenge upon the Free Kingdoms of Magnamund.</p>
+ <p>The phial had been found among the possessions of a Cener Druid who had been caught in the city of Ragadorn after having been followed there by a watchful Herbwarden from Bautar. Under interrogation, the Cener revealed that he had been sent to Ragadorn by Arch Druid Cadak, the ruler of Ruel, to distribute the phials of this liquid to agents sympathetic to the Cenerese cause. The Herbwarden had sent the phial to Dessi where the Elder Magi, upon analysing the liquid, discovered it to be a powerful vaccine against a new and complex plague virus. Judging by the composition of the vaccine, this plague virus would prove to be several times more lethal than the Great Plague which had so devastated their race thousands of years ago. The Cener succeeded in taking his own life before he revealed further details, but, judging from the evidence in their possession, the Elder Magi were convinced that the Cenerese are getting ready to unleash an airborne plague virus that could kill all the living creatures of Magnamund, save those that had ingested the vaccine.</p>
+ <p>Rimoah informs you that the Elder Magi are unable to replicate the vaccine in huge quantities, and even if they were so able, to distribute it to every living creature on Magnamund would be an impossible task.</p>
+ <p><quote>The Herbwardens are sure that the Cener they found in Ragadorn was one of the first of those sent out of Mogaruith to distribute this vaccine,</quote> said Rimoah, his voice uncharacteristically sombre. <quote>Therefore we must act quickly if we are to destroy the virus before Cadak is ready to release it into the atmosphere. Someone must enter Mogaruith. They must find and destroy the plague virus, and they must ensure that this evil work can never again be resumed.</quote></p>
+ <p>For a long moment you stood in silence staring into Rimoah's unblinking eyes. Then, with a nod of your head, you acknowledged what had to be done. Only a Kai Grand Master possesses the skills and experience that would be essential to the success of this vital mission&ellips; and there is only one Kai Grand Master.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="gamerulz">
+ <meta>
+ <title>The Game Rules</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="tssf" />
+ <link class="next" idref="discplnz" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="gamerulz-1-foot" idref="gamerulz-1">
+ <p>The Discipline bonuses mentioned do not affect your permanent scores. If you have completed previous adventures, the Disciplines that you have mastered may still be beneficial. See the Grand Master Rules section of the <a href="&link.rh;">Rules Handbook</a> for details.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <p>You keep a record of your adventure on the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>For five years, ever since the demise of the Darklords of Helgedad, you have devoted yourself to developing further your fighting prowess&emdash;<typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>&emdash;and physical stamina&emdash;<typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ>. Before you begin your first Grand Master adventure you need to measure how effective your training has been. To do this, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you pick a 0 it counts as zero.</p>
+ <p>The first number that you pick from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> in this way represents your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. Add 25 to the number you picked and write the total in the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 6 in the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> you would write in a <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of 31). When you fight, your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> will be pitted against that of your enemy. A high score in this section is therefore very desirable.</p>
+ <p>The second number that you pick from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> represents your powers of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ>. Add 30 to this number and write the total in the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 7 on the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> you would have 37 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>If you are wounded in combat you will lose <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. If at any time your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points fall to zero, you are dead and the adventure is over. Lost <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points can be regained during the course of the adventure, but your number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points can never rise above the number you have when you start an adventure.</p>
+ <p>If you have successfully completed any of the previous adventures in the Lone Wolf series (Books 1-12), you can carry your current scores of <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points over to Book 13. These scores may include Lore-circle bonuses. You may also benefit from the Disciplines that you've mastered (e.g. Weaponmastery, Curing, and Psi-surge bonuses).<a id="gamerulz-1" idref="gamerulz-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Only if you have completed these previous adventures will you benefit from the appropriate bonuses in the course of the Grand Master series. You may also carry over any Weapons and Backpack Items you had in your possession at the end of your last adventure, and these should be entered on your new Grand Master <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (you are still limited to two Weapons, but you may now carry up to ten Backpack Items).</p>
+ <p>However, only the following Special Items may be carried over to the Lone Wolf Grand Master series (Book 13 onwards):</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Crystal Star Pendant</li>
+ <li>Sommerswerd</li>
+ <li>Silver Helm</li>
+ <li>Dagger of Vashna</li>
+ <li>Silver Bracers</li>
+ <li>Jewelled Mace</li>
+ <li>Silver Bow of Duadon</li>
+ <li>Helshezag</li>
+ <li>Kagonite Chainmail</li>
+ <li>Korlinium Scabbard</li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="discplnz">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Grand Master Disciplines</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="gamerulz" />
+ <link class="next" idref="equipmnt" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="discplnz-1-foot" idref="discplnz-1">
+ <p>The rules of the books in the Magnakai series (6-12) and the fact that the <quote>rank of Kai Grand Defender&ellips; means you are skilled in two&ellips; weapons</quote> imply that for each book that you complete of the Grand Master series (13-20), you will gain mastery of an additional Kai weapon. E.g. if you complete <cite>The Plague Lords of Ruel</cite> and have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery at the beginning of the next book, you can choose an additional Weapon from the list to have Mastery of.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="mksumary">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Kai and Magnakai Disciplines</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>During your distinguished rise to the rank of Kai Grand Master you have become proficient in all of the basic Kai and Magnakai Disciplines. These Disciplines have provided you with a formidable arsenal of natural abilities which have served you well in the fight against the agents and champions of Naar, King of the Darkness. A brief summary of your skills is given below.</p>
+
+ <dl>
+ <dt>Weaponmastery</dt>
+ <dd>Proficiency with all close combat and missile weapons. Master of unarmed combat; no <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> loss when fighting bare-handed.</dd>
+ <dt>Animal Control</dt>
+ <dd>Communication with most animals; limited control over hostile creatures. Can use woodland animals as guides and can block a non-sentient creature's sense of taste and smell.</dd>
+ <dt>Curing</dt>
+ <dd>Steady restoration of lost <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points (to self and others) as a result of combat wounds. Neutralization of poisons, venoms and toxins. Repair of serious battle wounds.</dd>
+ <dt>Invisibility</dt>
+ <dd>Mask body heat and scent; hide effectively; mask sounds during movement; minor alterations of physical appearance.</dd>
+ <dt>Huntmastery</dt>
+ <dd>Effective hunting of food in the wild; increased agility; intensified vision, hearing, smell and night vision.</dd>
+ <dt>Pathsmanship</dt>
+ <dd>Read languages, decipher symbols, read footprints and tracks. Intuitive knowledge of compass points; detection of enemy ambush up to 500 yards; ability to cross terrain without leaving tracks; converse with sentient creatures; mask self from psychic spells of detection.</dd>
+ <dt>Psi-surge</dt>
+ <dd>Attack enemies using the powers of the mind; set up disruptive vibrations in objects; confuse enemies.</dd>
+ <dt>Psi-screen</dt>
+ <dd>Defence against hypnosis, supernatural illusions, charms, hostile telepathy, and evil spirits. Ability to divert and re-channel hostile psychic energy.</dd>
+ <dt>Nexus</dt>
+ <dd>Move small items by projection of mind power; withstand extremes of temperature; extinguish fire by force of will; limited immunity to flames, toxic gases, corrosive liquids.</dd>
+ <dt>Divination</dt>
+ <dd>Sense imminent danger; detect invisible or hidden enemy; telepathic communication; recognize magic-using and/or magical creatures; detect psychic residues; limited ability to leave body and spirit-walk.</dd>
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <p>Now, through the pursuit of your new skills and the further development of your innate Kai abilities, you have set out upon a path of discovery that no other Kai Grand Master has ever attempted with success. Your determination to become the first Kai Supreme Master, by acquiring total proficiency in all twelve of the Grand Master Disciplines, is an awe-inspiring challenge. You will be venturing into the unknown, pushing back the boundaries of human limitation in the pursuit of greatness and the cause of Good. May the blessings of the gods Kai and Ishir go with you as you begin your brave and noble quest.</p>
+ <p>In the years following the demise of the Darklords you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Defender, which means that you have mastered four of the Grand Master Disciplines listed below. It is up to you to choose which four Disciplines these are. As all of the Grand Master Disciplines will be of use to you at some point during your adventure, pick your four skills with care. The correct use of a Grand Master Discipline at the right time could save your life.</p>
+ <p>When you have chosen your four Disciplines, enter them in the Grand Master Disciplines section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart.</a></p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="wpnmstry">
+ <meta><title>Grand Weaponmastery</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>This Discipline enables a Grand Master to become supremely efficient in the use of all weapons. When you enter combat with one of your Grand Master weapons, you add 5 points to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. The rank of Kai Grand Defender, with which you begin the Grand Master series, means you are skilled in two of the weapons listed below.<a id="discplnz-1" idref="discplnz-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="weapons.gif" width="386" height="310" />
+ <instance class="pdf" src="weapons.pdf" width="386" height="310" />
+ <instance class="text" src="none" width="none" height="none" >
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Spear</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Mace</li>
+ <li>Short Sword</li>
+ <li>Warhammer</li>
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>Quarterstaff</li>
+ <li>Broadsword</li>
+ <li>Axe</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ </ul>
+ </instance>
+ </illustration>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="anmlmstr">
+ <meta><title>Animal Mastery</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters have considerable control over hostile, non-sentient creatures. Also, they have the ability to converse with birds and fishes, and use them as guides.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="deliver">
+ <meta><title>Deliverance (Advanced Curing)</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to use their healing power to repair serious battle wounds. If, whilst in combat, their <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is reduced to 8 points or less, they can draw upon their mastery to restore 20 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. This ability can only be used once every 20 days.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="assimila">
+ <meta><title>Assimilance (Advanced Invisibility)</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to effect striking changes to their physical appearance, and maintain these changes over a period of a few days. They have also mastered advanced camouflage techniques that make them virtually undetectable in an open landscape.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="hntmstry">
+ <meta><title>Grand Huntmastery</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to see in total darkness, and have greatly heightened senses of touch and taste.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="pthmnshp">
+ <meta><title>Grand Pathsmanship</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to resist entrapment by hostile plants, and have a super-awareness of ambush, or the threat of ambush, in woods and dense forests.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="kaisurge">
+ <meta><title>Kai-surge</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>When using their psychic ability to attack an enemy, Grand Masters may add 8 points to their <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. For every round in which Kai-surge is used, Grand Masters need only deduct 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. When using the weaker psychic attack&emdash;Mindblast&emdash;they may add 4 points without loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. (Kai-surge, Psi-surge, and Mindblast cannot be used simultaneously.)</p>
+ <p>Grand Masters cannot use Kai-surge if their <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score falls to 6 points or below.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="kaiscrn">
+ <meta><title>Kai-screen</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>In psychic combat, Grand Masters are able to construct mind fortresses capable of protecting themselves and others. The strength and capacity of these fortresses increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="nexus">
+ <meta><title>Grand Nexus</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to withstand contact with harmful elements, such as flames and acids, for upwards of an hour in duration. This ability increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="gnosis">
+ <meta><title>Telegnosis (Advanced Divination)</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>This Discipline enables a Grand Master to spirit-walk for far greater lengths of time, and with far fewer ill effects. Duration, and the protection of his inanimate body, increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="magi">
+ <meta><title>Magi-magic</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Under the tutelage of Lord Rimoah, you have been able to master the rudimentary skills of battle magic, as taught to the Vakeros&emdash;the native warriors of Dessi. As you advance in rank, so will your knowledge and mastery of Old Kingdom magic increase.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="alchemy">
+ <meta><title>Kai-alchemy</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Under the tutelage of Guildmaster Banedon, you have mastered the elementary spells of left-handed magic, as practised by the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star. As you advance in rank, so will your knowledge and mastery of left-handed magic increase, enabling you to craft new Kai weapons and artifacts.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <p>If you successfully complete the mission as set in this, the first of the Lone Wolf Grand Master series, you may add a further Grand Master Discipline of your choice to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> in <a href="&link.14tcok;">Book 14</a>.</p>
+
+ <p>For every Grand Master Discipline you possess, in excess of the original four disciplines you begin with, you may add 1 point to your basic <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> score and 2 points to your basic <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. These bonus points, together with your extra Grand Master Discipline, your original four Grand Master Disciplines, and any Special Items that you have found and been able to keep during your adventures, may then be carried over and used in the next Grand Master adventure, which is called <a href="&link.14tcok;"><cite>The Captives of Kaag</cite></a>.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="equipmnt">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Equipment</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="discplnz"/>
+ <link class="next" idref="cmbtrulz"/>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you leave the monastery and begin your long journey to the land of Palmyrion, you take with you a <a idref="map">map of the Dark Realm of Ruel</a> and a pouch of gold. To find out how much gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add 20 to the number you have picked. The total equals the number of Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you should now enter this number in the <quote>Gold Crowns</quote> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. If you have successfully completed any of the previous Lone Wolf adventures (Books 1-12), you may add this sum to the total sum of Crowns you already possess. Fifty Crowns is the maximum you carry, but additional Crowns can be left in safekeeping at your monastery.</p>
+ <p>You can take five items from the list below, again adding to these, if necessary, any you may already possess from previous adventures (remember, you are still limited to two Weapons, but you may now carry a maximum of ten Backpack Items).</p>
+ <ul class="paragraphed">
+ <li><p>Sword (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li><p>Bow (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Quiver (Special Items) This contains six arrows: record them on your weapons list.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="quiver.gif" width="386" height="127"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="quiver.pdf" width="386" height="127"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li><p>Axe (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>4 Meals (Meals) Each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="food.gif" width="386" height="152"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="food.pdf" width="386" height="91"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Rope (Backpack Item)</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="rope.gif" width="386" height="109"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="rope.pdf" width="386" height="109"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Item) This potion restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for only one dose.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="potion.gif" width="386" height="167"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="potion.pdf" width="386" height="127"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li><p>Spear (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Dagger (Weapons)</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="dagger.gif" width="386" height="157"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="dagger.pdf" width="386" height="103"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <p>List the five items that you choose on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>, under the appropriate headings, and make a note of any effect they may have on your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points or <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>.</p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="howcarry">
+ <meta>
+ <title>How to Carry Equipment</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Now that you have your equipment, the following list shows you how it is carried. You do not need to make notes, but you should refer back to this list in the course of your adventure.</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Sword&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Bow&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Quiver&emdash;slung over your shoulder.</li>
+ <li>Axe&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Meals&emdash;carried in the Backpack.</li>
+ <li>Rope&emdash;carried in the Backpack.</li>
+ <li>Potion of Laumspur&emdash;carried in the Backpack.</li>
+ <li>Spear&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Dagger&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ </ul>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="howmuch">
+ <meta>
+ <title>How Much Can You Carry?</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <dl class="paragraphed">
+ <dt>Weapons</dt>
+ <dd><p>The maximum number of weapons that you may carry is two.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Backpack Items</dt>
+ <dd><p>These must be stored in your Backpack. Because space is limited, you may keep a maximum of only ten articles, including Meals, in your Backpack at any one time.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Special Items</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how to carry it.</p>
+ <p>The maximum number of Special Items that can be carried on any adventure is twelve. Surplus Special Items may be left for safekeeping at your Kai monastery.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Gold Crowns</dt>
+ <dd><p>These are always carried in the Belt Pouch. It will hold a maximum of fifty Crowns.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Food</dt>
+ <dd><p>Food is carried in your Backpack. Each Meal counts as one item.</p></dd>
+ </dl>
+ <p>Any item that may be of use, and which can be picked up on your adventure and entered on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> is given either initial capitals (e.g. Gold Dagger, Magic Pendant), or is clearly labelled as a Backpack Item. Unless you are told that it is a Special Item, carry it in your Backpack.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="howuse">
+ <meta>
+ <title>How to Use Your Equipment</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <dl class="paragraphed">
+ <dt>Weapons</dt>
+ <dd><p>The maximum number of weapons that you can carry is two. Weapons aid you in combat. If you have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery and a correct weapon, it adds 5 points to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. If you find a weapon during your adventure, you may pick it up and use it.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Bows and Arrows</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>During your adventure there will be opportunities to use a Bow and Arrow. If you equip yourself with this weapon, and you possess at least one arrow, you may use it when the text of a particular section allows you to do so. The Bow is a useful weapon, for it enables you to hit an enemy at a distance. However, a Bow cannot be used in hand-to-hand combat, therefore it is strongly recommended that you also equip yourself with a close combat weapon, such as a sword or axe.</p>
+ <p>In order to use a Bow you must possess a quiver and at least one arrow. Each time the Bow is used, erase an arrow from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. A Bow cannot, of course, be used if you exhaust your supply of arrows, but the opportunity may arise during your adventure for you to replenish your stock of arrows.</p>
+ <p>If you have the Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery with a Bow, you may add 3 to any number that you pick from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, when using the Bow.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Backpack Items</dt>
+ <dd><p>These must be stored in your Backpack. Because space is limited, you may keep a maximum of ten articles, including Meals, in your Backpack at any one time. You may only carry one Backpack at a time. During your travels you will discover various useful items which you may decide to keep. You may exchange or discard them at any point when you are not involved in combat.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Special Items</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how or where to carry it. The maximum number of Special Items that can be carried on any adventure is twelve.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Gold Crowns</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>These are always carried in the Belt Pouch. It will hold a maximum of fifty Crowns. The currency of Palmyrion is the Lune, but Gold Crowns are readily accepted at an exchange of 4 Lune for every 1 Gold Crown.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Food</dt>
+ <dd><p>Food is carried in your Backpack. Each Meal counts as one item. 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 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. If you have chosen the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery as one of your skills, you will not need to tick off a Meal when instructed to eat.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Potion of Laumspur</dt>
+ <dd><p>This is a healing potion that can restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for one dose only. If you discover any other potion during the adventure, you will be informed of its effect. All potions are Backpack Items.</p></dd>
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="cmbtrulz">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Rules for Combat</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="equipmnt" />
+ <link class="next" idref="levels" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There will be occasions during your adventure when you have to fight an enemy. The enemy's <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points are given in the text. Lone Wolf's aim in the combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to zero while losing as few <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points as possible himself.</p>
+ <p>At the start of a combat, enter Lone Wolf's and the enemy's <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points in the appropriate boxes on the Combat Record section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. The sequence for combat is as follows:</p>
+ <ol class="paragraphed">
+ <li><p>Add any extra points gained through your Grand Master Disciplines and Special Items to your current <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> total.</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Subtract the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter it on the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>Example</p>
+ <p>Lone Wolf (<typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 27) is attacked by a pack of Doomwolves (<typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 30). He is taken by surprise and is not given the opportunity of evading their attack. Lone Wolf has the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge to which the Doomwolves are not immune, so Lone Wolf adds 8 points to his <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>, giving him a total <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of 35.</p>
+ <p>He subtracts the Doomwolf pack's <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of +5. (35-30 = +5). +5 is noted on the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as the Combat Ratio.</p>
+ </li>
+ <li><p><a id="stage3">When you have your Combat Ratio</a>, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Turn to the <a idref="crtable">Combat Results Table</a>. 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 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost by both Lone Wolf and his enemy in this round of combat. (E represents points lost by the enemy; LW represents points lost by Lone Wolf.)</p>
+ <p>Example</p>
+ <p>The Combat Ratio between Lone Wolf and the Doomwolf Pack has been established as +5. If the number picked from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> is a 2, then the result of the first round of combat is:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Lone Wolf loses 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points (plus an additional 1 point for using Kai-surge).</li>
+ <li>Doomwolf Pack loses 7 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
+ </ul>
+ </li>
+
+ <li><p>On the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>, mark the changes in <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to the participants in the combat.</p></li>
+
+ <li><p>Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, the next round of combat now starts.</p></li>
+
+ <li><p>Repeat the sequence from <a idref="stage3">Stage 3.</a></p></li>
+ </ol>
+
+ <p>This process of combat continues until <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of either the enemy or Lone Wolf are reduced to zero, at which point the one with the zero score is declared dead. If Lone Wolf is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Lone Wolf proceeds but with his <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points reduced.</p>
+ <p>A <a idref="crsumary">summary of Combat Rules</a> appears in the back of this book.</p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="evasion">
+ <meta><title>Evasion of Combat</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>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 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points during that round (but then that is the risk of running away!). You may evade only if the text of the particular section allows you to do so.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="levels">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Levels of Kai Grand Mastership</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="cmbtrulz" />
+ <link class="next" idref="imprvdsc" />
+ </meta>
+ <data>
+
+ <p>The following table is a guide to the rank and titles you can achieve at each stage of your journey along the road of Kai Grand Mastership. As you successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf Grand Master series, you will gain an additional Grand Master Discipline and progress towards the pinnacle of Kai perfection&emdash;to become a Kai Supreme Master.</p>
+
+ <ol>
+ <li>Kai Grand Master Senior</li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Master Superior</li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Sentinel</li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Defender&emdash;<em>You begin the Lone Wolf Grand Master adventures at this level of Mastery</em></li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Guardian</li>
+ <li>Sun Knight</li>
+ <li>Sun Lord</li>
+ <li>Sun Thane</li>
+ <li>Grand Thane</li>
+ <li>Grand Crown</li>
+ <li>Sun Prince</li>
+ <li>Kai Supreme Master</li>
+ </ol>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="imprvdsc">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Improved Grand Master Disciplines</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="levels" />
+ <link class="next" idref="kaiwisdm" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you rise through the higher levels of Kai Grand Mastery you will find that your Disciplines will steadily improve. For example, if you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus when you reach the Grand Master rank of Grand Thane, you will be able to pass freely through Shadow Gates and explore the nether realms of Aon and the Daziarn Plane.</p>
+ <p>The nature of these additional improvements and how they affect your Grand Master Disciplines will be noted in the Improved Grand Master Disciplines section of future Lone Wolf books.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="kaiwisdm">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Grand Master's Wisdom</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="imprvdsc" />
+ <link class="next" idref="sect1" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your mission to enter the Cenerese stronghold of Mogaruith and destroy the deadly plague virus will be fraught with deadly danger. Be wary and on your guard at all times, for the inhabitants of Ruel are sworn enemies of the gods Kai and Ishir.</p>
+ <p>Some of the things that you will find during your mission will be of use to you in this and future Lone Wolf books, while others may be red herrings of no real value at all, so try to be selective in what you decide to keep.</p>
+ <p>Choose your four Grand Master Disciplines with care, for a wise choice will enable any player to complete the quest, no matter how weak their initial <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> scores may be. Successful completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures, although an advantage, is not essential for the completion of this first Grand Master adventure.</p>
+ <p>The prevention of the spread of a deadly Cenerese plague virus, and the subsequent deaths of untold millions, depends on the success of your mission. May the light of Kai and Ishir be your guide as you venture into the darkness of Ruel.</p>
+ <p>For Sommerlund and the Kai!</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="numbered">
+ <meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect1">
+ <meta><title>1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Grand Master&ellips; the quest must begin without delay for time is not our ally,</quote> says Lord Rimoah, as he paces nervously back and forth across the flagstoned floor of your monastery chamber. You voice your agreement and call upon your wise friend to counsel you as best he can about the mission you have undertaken. Not entirely to your surprise, you learn that he has already made preparation, confident in the knowledge that you would agree to this dangerous quest. He has arranged for you to travel to the Freeland of Palmyrion where a guide is waiting to escort you to Ruel. The guide can guarantee safe passage to the borders of the dark realm, but no further.</p>
+ <p>Rimoah tells you that little is known of Ruel, save that the unnatural forest which surrounds and protects the Cenerese stronghold of Mogaruith harbours creatures that are the stuff of nightmares. Some almost defy description. The poor wretches who survived the last ill-conceived, ill-fated invasion of Ruel, spoke of their encounters with gigantic, acid-spitting worms that rose up out of the ground without warning and devoured whole regiments of their comrades at a single stroke. They told also of the battles that were waged against ferocious packs of disease-ridden rat-creatures they called <quote>Vazhag</quote>. The Cenerese breed these sentient vermin in warrens deep below Mogaruith, then release them into the forest to patrol and gather food for even viler abominations that rarely venture beyond the walls of their stronghold.</p>
+ <p><quote>Truly I wish that I were able to tell you more, Lone Wolf, but so little is known of Ruel. It is a dark and sinister place. Yet, there is something else, something that I can give you which will aid your quest,</quote> says Rimoah, and he holds out his hand. In his palm is the phial of green liquid, the vaccine that will, at least, protect you from the plague which threatens to destroy so much of your beloved world. You take it, uncork it, then quickly swallow the bitter contents. Unexpectedly your stomach rebels and a wave nausea rises up which makes you slap a hand over your mouth. A few moments later the nausea fades and you are able to remove your hand and speak.</p>
+ <p><quote>How long will it protect me?</quote> you ask, queasily.</p>
+ <p>Rimoah smiles. <quote>Oh, I'm sure you will be safe for some considerable time, Lone Wolf. I'm afraid I forgot to mention that the phial contained a concentrated vaccine, more than sufficient to protect a hundred men!</quote></p>
+ <p>Within the space of a few short hours you are ready to begin your long journey south to Palmyrion. Having entrusted the monastery to the care of your Kai Masters, you and Lord Rimoah leave by means of a secret tunnel, one of several that you have had constructed to enable you to enter and leave the monastery unobserved. You emerge in a clearing at the heart of the Fryelund forest, at a place where Guildmaster Banedon is waiting patiently to welcome you aboard Skyrider, his flying ship. Here you take time to bid farewell to Lord Rimoah, who will await your return at the monastery, before climbing aboard and placing yourself in the charge of your old friend Banedon.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect260"><link-text>Turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect2">
+ <meta><title>2</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wrench yourself free from the creature's grip and stagger towards the antechamber, but Cadak is not prepared to allow you to escape from his creation so easily. From the tip of his staff there erupts a stream of thorny vines that wrap themselves around you and bury their barbs deep into your flesh: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. You struggle desperately to break your cruel bonds as Exterminus closes in for the kill.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect97">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 97</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect245">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect3">
+ <meta><title>3</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The knife's tip draws a crimson line across your left shoulder before it hits the wall and rebounds with a metallic clang: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The Vazhag, its confidence boosted by the wounds it has caused you, draws another knife and comes waddling across the chamber, screeching maniacally. Raising your weapon you turn to face your foe as it launches its desperate attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Fat Vazhag</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">18</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect4">
+ <meta><title>4</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a thin, gurgling scream, the Cener clutches at his fatal wounds and slides slowly down the cavern wall. As he crumples on the floor, he raises his hand and, in a last defiant gesture, he lunges out to scratch at your leg. You step back and avoid the sharp, cat-like claws which have suddenly sprouted from the tips of his gloved fingers, and these poisoned barbs eject their venom harmlessly upon the dusty floor.</p>
+ <p>Once you are sure that the druid is no longer alive, curiosity prompts you to prise away his green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-pocked face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity.</p>
+ <p>Before leaving the cavern you decide to search him and his Vazhag escorts, and you discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)</li>
+ <li>Cener Mask</li>
+ <li>16 Lune (equivalent to 4 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178">To continue, <link-text>turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect5">
+ <meta><title>5</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The warrior clasps his wounds and exhales his last breath as he tumbles lifelessly to the floor. Standing over his still body you use the tip of your weapon to prise open the visor of his iron helmet. You reveal the brutal features of a Drakkar, one who had survived the downfall of the Darklords and had counted himself fortunate to have found refuge here in Mogaruith. Sadly for him he had not reckoned on ever crossing your path.</p>
+ <p>You conceal the bodies of the Drakkar and his hound as best you can before pulling the portal closed and continuing your exploration of Mogaruith.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect205"><link-text>Turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect6">
+ <meta><title>6</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A sudden rush of pain and nausea makes you drop to your knees (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), leaving you shivering fitfully. Your psychic Magnakai Disciplines were insufficient to protect you against the physical effects of the powerful mind probe which you have just experienced, but they were at least able to shield your true identity.</p>
+ <p>The light, reflected from the Cener Mask you are wearing, activates a sensor and as you rise to your feet you see the great metal door begin to slide open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect7">
+ <meta><title>7</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus your power upon the scuttling horde and try to bring them under your control. They do not respond to your commands and, at once, you sense that they are under a spell that has robbed them of all free will. You draw on your inner strength and attempt to break this spell, and the creatures cease their frenzied movement with an abruptness you find unnerving; it is as if they have suddenly turned to stone. Now that you can see them clearly they remind you of beetles, save that they are far larger and have long, rat-like tails. You observe them for a few moments longer, then take a tentative step forwards. Instantly they burst into life, only this time they do not confine themselves to the forest floor.</p>
+ <p>With a sound like a thousand squeaky door hinges, they sprout wings and soar into the air in a formation which resembles a small black cloud. Soon they have left the clearing, and as you watch the last of them disappear over the tops of the trees, you can only hope that they are not some form of lookout employed by the Cenerese.</p>
+ <p>On the far side of the clearing you discover that the trail continues deeper into the forest. You follow it for nearly an hour until your keen senses warn of danger ahead and immediately you halt in your tracks. You hear a movement: it is above and behind you. With incredible speed you spin on your heel and raise your weapon to parry a possible attack. Your reactions are fast, but they may not be quick enough to protect you from what lurks in the canopy of branches high above.</p>
+ <p>From out of the darkness there falls a wriggling mass of thorny creepers that come snaking towards your head as if driven by a single mind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect257">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect140">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect8">
+ <meta><title>8</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you crouch down and take cover beside the staircase, hidden from view by the shadows and your Kai camouflage skills. Within seconds the Vazhag appear, but they are not alone. They are being led by a frog-like Tzarg which they have tethered on a chain. The Tzarg has its face pressed close to the steps and it is snuffling and snorting like a bloodhound as it tries to locate your scent.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect154">If you possess Grand Mastery of Assimilance, <link-text>turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect207">If you possess Animal Mastery and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect36">If you have neither of these Grand Master Disciplines, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect9">
+ <meta><title>9</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Trusting to your Magnakai skill of Invisibility, you leave your hiding place and attempt to slip past the wagon and its struggling escort.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Mastery of Assimilance, add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect59">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect10">
+ <meta><title>10</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Warily you follow the track into the deepening gloom, your senses alive to the evil that permeates every root and branch of this forbidding forest. As darkness closes in there arises from out of the mire a mist, grey-green and sickly, which smothers the ground. Its corpse-like chill leaves you shivering, despite all your efforts to shield yourself from its clammy touch.</p>
+ <p>Night no longer restricts your vision and, as the track ascends towards a wooded peak, you see the outline of a ruined stone watchtower perched atop a rocky knoll. You sense that the tower is deserted and, keen to escape from the mist, you climb towards a crack in its granite base. You crouch to enter the jagged breach and, in doing so, you disturb a host of crab-creatures nesting within. In a frenzy they scuttle away from the tower, disappearing among the surrounding rocks in the blink of an eye.</p>
+ <p>Aching with fatigue, and mindful of the perils which still lie ahead, you settle yourself into a corner of the rubble-strewn tower and try to snatch a few hours of sleep. This night your slumber is disturbed by strange and unwholesome dreams, formed from the fears suppressed by your conscious mind. You are haunted by phantom shapes which take the form of friends and fellow countrymen. Kai initiates under your tutorage and simple Sommlending folk, their heads bowed and their faces pitted and disfigured by plague, drift past you in a seemingly endless procession.</p>
+ <p>You awake with a start, your pulse racing and your forehead glistening with beads of sweat. At first a sense of hopelessness washes over you, brought on by the vivid memory of your nightmare but, as your consciousness returns, so too does your inner strength. You perceive the dreams as a warning of what will happen should your quest fail, and this realization strengthens your resolve to reach Mogaruith and thwart the Cener's evil plan.</p>
+ <p>You have slept for several hours and, physically at least, you feel refreshed (restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). In the half-light of early morning you gather together your equipment and weapons in readiness to resume your perilous journey to Mogaruith.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect160"><link-text>Turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect11">
+ <meta><title>11</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sound of scraping metal and rattling chains echoes in your ears as you fell the creature with a deadly blow to the base of its skull. As it falls from its stool, you spin around, weapon in hand, and the first thing you see is the knife-like glint of fangs. From a semicircular hole in the wall a pack of war-dogs come charging into the hall, their jaws agape and their claws scrabbling on the shiny flagstones as they race towards the desk. You raise your weapon confidently and brace yourself in readiness to meet their attack.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A pack of war-dogs with jaws agape charges into the hall.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill1.gif" width="386" height="613"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill1.pdf" width="386" height="613"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>Ruel War-dogs</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">36</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">22</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect323">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect12">
+ <meta><title>12</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The columns of armoured rat-men pay little attention to you, but your undead charge does elicit squeals of disgust from some as you draw closer to their mighty stronghold.</p>
+ <p>Walking across the age-blackened drawbridge towards the spiky arched tower of Mogaruith is an unnerving experience. It is as if you are walking along a blackened tongue towards the gaping throat of some gigantic dragon. On either side the bubbling moat releases foul fumes which fill your nostrils with a terrible sugary stench that clogs your lungs and blurs your vision. You draw upon your Magnakai skills and your vision clears, but the sight which lies ahead looks no more inviting than it did before.</p>
+ <p>At the tower you are challenged by a troop of Vazhag guards who regard your companion with a distaste that is all too obvious. Using your Magnakai Disciplines of Animal Control and Pathsmanship to aid your deception, you inform them that you have come from the south on urgent business. They demand to know your name and why you have charge of an undead human. You try to bluff them but you notice that the zombie's presence is beginning to attract the unwanted interest of other Vazhag guards.</p>
+ <p>One of the rat-men pushes his snout to within inches of your mask and says, to your surprise, that you can enter Mogaruith so long as you first register your arrival. He points to a door in the tower wall and asks you to enter it. <quote>There,</quote> he says, <quote>you can make your registration.</quote></p>
+ <p>Immediately your Magnakai sense of Divination warns that the Vazhag is lying; a prison cell awaits you beyond that door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If you wish to do as the Vazhag requests and enter the door, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect162">If you refuse to enter the door, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect256">If you decide to attempt to distract the Vazhag guards, <link-text>turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect13">
+ <meta><title>13</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you strike the blow that brings one of the fearsome monsters crashing lifelessly to the ground, you spring away from its gore-stained carcass and barge shoulder-first through the line of screeching ghouls. The spectacle of the fallen Giganite, and the suddenness of your action, has taken the creatures by surprise. Before they can react you have already sprinted to within a few yards of the leafy tunnel.</p>
+ <p>You glance over your shoulder to see the shambling horde falling over themselves in their haste to give chase. The sight raises your spirits but the sensation is short-lived, for above them towers a Giganite, its mouth full of bubbling phlegm. With a flick of its powerful neck it sends the massive spit-ball arching towards your fleeing form.</p>
+ <p>Instinctively you throw yourself to the ground and the foul missile whooshes past, hitting a tree at the base of its trunk. At once there is a sizzling sound and, with a creaking groan, the tree is brought crashing to the ground, its base eaten clean away by the acidic saliva. Great droplets of the spittle splash your tunic and instantly it begins to smoulder.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect88">If you possess Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect343">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect14">
+ <meta><title>14</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With ease, you sidestep and dodge your way through the throng of hungry Vazhag, and escape undetected into the empty passage which lies beyond the iron portal. A few minutes later, as you are exploring this new tunnel, you hear the squealing cease as the great door closes with a rumbling boom.</p>
+ <p>The passage continues eastwards for several miles and, with the exception of an occasional Vazhag sentry, it is virtually deserted. At length you arrive at the entrance to another hall smaller than the lava-cavern but equally as crowded. Daylight streams into this hall through a large archway guarded by armoured Vazhag, and pairs of horny-skinned war-dogs which they hold on the leash. Beyond the archway you can see a track that disappears towards a distant ridge of hills.</p>
+ <p>Directly above the archway, you notice a thin ray of sunlight streaming through a window-like hole in the rock. Sorely aware that the main entrance is so heavily guarded that it will be very difficult, even for someone as gifted as yourself, to escape that way undetected, you resolve instead to escape by means of the smaller opening in the rock wall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect15">
+ <meta><title>15</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect15-foot-1" idref="sect15-foot">
+ <p>This is the correct answer to the combination lock riddle in Sections <a idref="sect158">158</a> and <a idref="sect227">227</a>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Szalista,</quote> you say, the ancient Cenerese word meaning <quote>fifteen</quote>, and immediately you hear the door's locking mechanism disengage itself.<a id="sect15-foot" idref="sect15-foot-1" class="footnote" /> There is a hiss of escaping air and the heavy portal swings slowly inwards on massive hinges.</p>
+ <p>Without hesitation, you step through the doorway and enter the circular tunnel beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect205"><link-text>Turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect16">
+ <meta><title>16</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The passage descends steeply and the foul air becomes thick with a gritty dust which clogs your eyes and nostrils. Although the pitch blackness does not hamper your vision, the air has become so saturated with dust that you now have difficulty seeing more than a few feet in front of your outstretched hands. Slowly you advance, trusting to your Magnakai skills to protect you from choking as you seek a clearer section of the passage.</p>
+ <p>After a while you notice long streamers of greasy yellow moss hanging from cracks in the tunnel roof. Between them are spread festering fungi of varying hues, all cankerous and vile to the eye. You are passing beneath these growths when suddenly, as if triggered by a silent command, they burst open and shower you with great clouds of sticky, mote-like spores.</p>
+ <p>At once your body senses that the spores are highly poisonous and, as a subconscious reflex, your Magnakai Curing skills activate and counter the deadly toxins that have found their way into your lungs. Your chest is wracked with pain but you sustain no serious injury: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The sticky, foul-smelling spore cloud is so thick that you have difficulty moving forwards. It feels as if you are wading through a tunnel of mud. Your Kai skills have neutralized the poisonous spores, but there is now hardly any air left to breathe. Fear wells up in your stomach as you feel your strength beginning to ebb.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If you possess some Baylon's Fungi, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect136">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect17">
+ <meta><title>17</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>There is only one who could withstand the fire of this wand &ellips; Kai lord,</quote> he spits, still pointing at you with his flame-tipped staff.</p>
+ <p><quote>And I rejoice that fate has brought you here to me, Lone Wolf. Your doom is sealed. Turn around and meet your nemesis!</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect125"><link-text>Turn to 125</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
+ <meta><title>18</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As your killing blow severs the creature's body, the two halves explode, scattering shards of mummified remains all around the chamber. The force knocks you backwards and, as you fall, you catch a glimpse of a wispy, ghost-like shadow, rising towards the ceiling. It halts for a moment in mid-air, then it seeps through the solid stone ceiling like smoke through a veil.</p>
+ <p>Before leaving the chamber you pause to search the stone casket. Inside you discover a few mouldering rags and a Copper Key (if you wish to keep this Key, record it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Backpack item).</p>
+ <p>Cursing your ill luck, you leave the chamber and head towards the laboratory door. On the other side of it you discover a series of narrow passages which eventually end at an antechamber. This domed chamber is decorated with tapestries which depict Cenerese legends, ignoble and infamous deeds that were perpetuated during the Age of the Old Kingdoms, when, for nearly a thousand years, the Cenerese tyrannized Northern Magnamund.</p>
+ <p>A single heavy oaken door in the opposite wall offers the only exit from the antechamber. As you approach it, you notice that it is slightly ajar. Suddenly you hear the doleful sound of chanting emanating from beyond this door. Curiosity prompts you to peer through its narrow opening and, as you do so, a chill runs the length of your spine when you see what lies beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect19">
+ <meta><title>19</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You look down to see that a leafy vine is spiralling upwards around your leg. You summon your powers to repel the plant but your commands appear to have no effect. Then the fearful realization hits you that this is not a vine at all: it is the limb of a bog creature.</p>
+ <p>You attack and sever the plant-like tendril, but immediately there is another, then another. With the speed of striking snakes they ensnare your legs and wrench you into the morass. You fight desperately to free yourself as you are dragged deeper into the foul-smelling mire. Repeatedly you strike out below the surface in the hope of dealing your attacker a mortal wound. You feel something burst upon your weapon's tip and, momentarily, the creature's grip falters, but only to recover with renewed strength and tenacity.</p>
+ <p>Then sharp pain lances through your thighs as row upon row of barbed claws spring out from the unseen creature's tendrils and puncture your skin. You scream in agony and your cry is echoed from beneath the surface of the muddy pool by the sound of a malicious bubbling laugh.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect339">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect47">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect20">
+ <meta><title>20</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you strike the blow that seals this creature's doom, it vents a fearful high-pitched shriek that instantly silences the cave-beasts and sends them scurrying for the shadows of their filthy cells.</p>
+ <p>Within the blink of an eye the ghostly Pechdrazil evaporates in the air, leaving nothing to mark its existence save the harsh metallic odour of ozone. You wipe your sweat-laden brow with the back of your left hand and glance over your shoulder at the cowering creatures, huddled in their cells. Casually you sheathe your weapon and step forward to stare down the staircase into the gloom below. You focus upon the darkness, but you are unable to discern where the staircase ends.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect106">If you wish to descend the stairs, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect85">If you decide not to descend the staircase, you can retrace your steps to the junction and continue by means of the north tunnel instead. <link-text>Turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect21">
+ <meta><title>21</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At the top of the stairs you find a dining chamber in disarray. Piles of rubbish are strewn across its tiled floor, gnawed bones cover its tables, and the remains of a small fire are still smouldering at its centre.</p>
+ <p>An arched portal in the far wall offers hope of escape into a corridor beyond and you hurry towards it. As you are running across the room, you notice a pile of discarded weapons lying beside a bench. Among the weapons are:</p>
+ <p>Dagger</p>
+ <p>Sword</p>
+ <p>Broadsword</p>
+ <p>Bow</p>
+ <p>4 Arrows</p>
+ <p>Quiver</p>
+ <p>If you wish to take any of the above, adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect255">To continue, <link-text>turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect22">
+ <meta><title>22</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The torrent of flaming oil hits you in the face and a wave of pain forces you to your knees. Instinctively you call upon your Magnakai skill of Nexus to extinguish the flames and, within seconds, the oily fire gutters and dies: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The Cener had begun to cackle gleefully, so sure was he that you were doomed. Now his cruel laughter chokes in his throat as, numbly, he fumbles for a weapon to halt your approach. He draws a curvy-bladed knife from a hidden sheath and holds it out unsteadily in front of his chest. You tell him to drop the dagger but he is deaf to your command. He feints a swipe then lunges for your heart, yet you deflect this weak attack with your right forearm and counter it with a left hook to the chin which shatters the druid's glassy green mask. He reels backwards and crashes to the floor, his bony fingers scrabbling his throat. For a moment he writhes around on the dusty ground, then his body stiffens and he lies completely still. Cautiously you step nearer, expecting trickery. Then you see that a shattered fragment of his mask has severed his jugular vein and you know that he no longer poses a threat to your life.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If you wish to search the druid's body, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect306">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect23">
+ <meta><title>23</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you search the drawers of the dead creature's desk, sifting through papers and ledgers for clues as to where in Mogaruith the plague virus is being cultivated. The papers yield no useful information, but you do find two small levers set into the desk's surface.</p>
+ <p>You examine them closely and your Kai senses reveal that they operate the two metal doors to this antechamber. You flip the right-hand lever and the door by which you entered glides shut. Then you pause for a moment to prepare yourself before flipping the left lever, for this will open the door which leads to Cadak's throne room.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240"><link-text>Turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect24">
+ <meta><title>24</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Pit Agarashi gives a deafening howl as your killing blow ruptures its black heart. Its powerful body stiffens and its red eyes become opaque, like two orbs of frosted crimson glass. For a moment it remains fixed and immobile, then its claws release their grip upon the rock wall and the beast plummets backwards to crash heavily upon the hard pit floor.</p>
+ <p>Breathless with exertion, you sheathe your weapon and force yourself towards the surface, eager to escape lest someone, or something, should come to investigate the creature's death-cry.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect87"><link-text>Turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect25">
+ <meta><title>25</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a foul, snickering cry the Vazhag swarm into the derelict hut. You sidestep into a corner to prevent them from getting behind you, then raise your weapon in readiness to meet their attack. The leading rat-men throw themselves upon you in a blood-crazed frenzy, hacking and stabbing with their rusty blades, yet you dispatch them in seconds with such precision and economy of movement that it would appear to an onlooker that you had hardly moved at all.</p>
+ <p>But for every Vazhag that falls, three more take its place, and within minutes you are in danger of being suffocated to death by the press of their loathsome bodies.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag pack</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">44</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect72">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 72</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect26">
+ <meta><title>26</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect26-1-foot" idref="sect26-1">
+ <p>This section corresponds to an incorrect answer to the riddle in <a idref="sect48">Section 48</a>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You speak your answer several times but nothing happens.<a id="sect26-1" idref="sect26-1-foot" class="footnote" /> You are convinced that your answer is correct and, in frustration, you tap the box on the table repeatedly in the hope of releasing the lid. On the third tap a razor-sharp blade springs from the side and cuts into the palm of your hand: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Cursing the device, you fling it away into a corner and attend to your injured hand. A sudden shuffling noise, somewhere in another part of the library, causes you to freeze: someone else has entered. You look over your shoulder at the door and decide that now would be a very wise time to leave.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect27">
+ <meta><title>27</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At the top of the stairs you find a corridor which heads off towards the west before turning sharply towards the north. As you approach the corner you skid to a halt: your senses are warning you of approaching danger. Hurriedly you unsheathe your weapon, but no sooner is it out of its scabbard than a Drakkar warrior comes running around the corner and crashes straight into you, knocking you both sprawling to the ground.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you recover but not in time to retrieve your weapon before the Drakkar attacks.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkar</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">32</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>You must fight the first three rounds of this combat unarmed. At the start of the fourth round you are able to retrieve your weapon and fight as normal.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect255">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect28">
+ <meta><title>28</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Feeling unsettled by your close encounter with the deadly acid-spitting tunnel crabs, you unsheathe your weapon and descend the staircase with renewed caution. Sixty steps later you arrive at a small cavern where three tunnels converge, from the north, the south, and the west.</p>
+ <p>There are many tracks on the dusty floor and your Magnakai hunting skills enable you to read them with ease. They are confined to the west and south tunnels and, judging by their size and depth, they were made by large rat-like creatures, but ones that walk upright, like humans. From what you have been told about the denizens of Ruel, you are sure that these tracks were made by Vazhag, the warrior vermin bred by the Cenerese.</p>
+ <p>Among their tracks you note others that are far from rat-like. You are about to examine these a little closer when suddenly you hear the sounds of movement echoing from the west tunnel; a group of creatures are approaching. At once you abandon your tracking and look around for somewhere to hide.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect35">If you wish to take cover in the north tunnel, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect201">If you wish to take cover in the south tunnel, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect153">If you choose to hide in the cavern itself, <link-text>turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect29">
+ <meta><title>29</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the Acolyte's body falls limply to the platform, you sheathe your weapon and take hold of the ladder which ascends to the winch. All eyes in the hall below are watching your ascent and, when they suddenly realize what it is you are trying to do, pandemonium breaks out. Hysterical screams of anger and fear merge into a dreadful cacophony which fills the hall with clamouring echoes. You glance down at their faces, contorted by rage, and as you do so you glimpse a new threat to your safety.</p>
+ <p>A handful of Vazhag archers are scurrying out of the portal which connects Cadak's chamber to the gallery. They spread out along the parapet and begin firing at you with their lacquered bows. Black-fletched arrows whistle past on either side, their barbed heads passing dangerously close to your legs and feet.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 4 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If your total score is now 0&endash;2, <link-text>turn to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect293">If it is 3&endash;6, <link-text>turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect278">If it is 7 or higher, <link-text>turn to 278</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect30">
+ <meta><title>30</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With trepidation you approach the door, fully aware that you are walking into a trap. Spear-wielding Vazhag hover on either side, alert and suspicious, their tarnished weapons held in readiness to strike should you show any sign of resistance.</p>
+ <p>A cell awaits you beyond the door. It seems to be no more than what you expected to find and, as the heavy door is slammed shut, you begin immediately to search for a means of escape before the Vazhag guards return.</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately, despite its plain appearance, this cell is far more than you expected it to be. It is an extermination chamber, one of several located throughout Mogaruith. It is designed for the speedy destruction of those who would dare to challenge the Cenerese.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly a powerful electrical current is fed into the metal floor and you are transfixed as the deadly voltage courses through your body. You fight with all your strength to survive this terrible onslaught but the current is irresistible and, eventually, your body can take no more.</p>
+ <p>Sadly, your life and your quest end here in Mogaruith.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect31">
+ <meta><title>31</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You send your Arrow whistling towards the creature's throat. A fatal wound looks certain until, at the very last moment, the beast twists aside to avoid the oncoming shaft and, with a dull thunk, the Arrow skewers its shoulder. The creature roars with pain but the injury does not deter it from attacking. With the knife-wielding Vazhag close behind, it quickly recovers and together they rush forward to attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Pit Agarashi (wounded) & Vazhag</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">30</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>The Pit Agarashi is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge; only the Grand Mastery of Kai-surge can harm it psychically.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect32">
+ <meta><title>32</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The track crosses the plateau and passes within a few yards of the pits before continuing into a tunnel-like gap in the trees beyond. You advance, but every step that brings you nearer to the site causes your senses to rebel. The sensation of evil is so strong here that it clogs your nostrils and makes you struggle for breath. You resolve to run towards the gap but a sudden noise from behind arrests you in mid-step.</p>
+ <p>Shambling out of the forest come a horde of monstrous shapes, corpse-like beings that exist in a twilight between life and death. Perched atop their withered bodies are hairless heads bearing lidless, red eyes and gaping maws, rimmed with hundreds of needle-thin fangs. As one they utter a deathly groan and you feel an icy chill electrify your spine.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Corpse-like beings shamble out of the forest, uttering a chilling groan.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill2.gif" width="386" height="591"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill2.pdf" width="386" height="591"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Fighting to suppress your mounting horror, you turn and run towards the gap. You are within a few yards of the rocky spur when a dozen or more of these fearful creatures appear from the shadows to block your escape. Once more they utter their cadaverous cry and advance upon you from both sides.</p>
+ <p>Desperately you survey the plateau for another means of escape, but there is none: you are trapped. The only choice you have is to face the creatures or retreat towards the pits.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect163">If you wish to fight these creatures, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If you choose to retreat towards the pits, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect33">
+ <meta><title>33</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tapestry depicts a ghastly feast, a banquet attended by demonic creatures who are gorging themselves on human remains. Seated at the head of this unholy feasting table is a bull-like creature who possesses the head and face of a man. From between his bloodstained lips there protrude two fangs, needle-sharp and gleaming. From his seat he looks down upon his loathsome guests with a sneering contempt.</p>
+ <p>Your thoughts are suddenly disturbed by a faint sound; someone or something is moving about in the antechamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect222"><link-text>Turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect34">
+ <meta><title>34</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Silently you crawl through the foliage to a position close by the busy trail. Twenty minutes later you see a wagon approaching and, as it nears your hiding place, you focus your Magnakai powers of Nexus at one of the front wheels, causing it to jam. The ghorkas grunt in protest as the wheel locks and the wagon veers off the track.</p>
+ <p>Cursing and squealing, the Vazhag driver jumps down and begins to hammer at the wheel with the butt of its spear, whilst his three wounded companions struggle to quieten the startled ghorkas. Under cover of the confusion, you slip around to the rear of the wagon, using your camouflage skills to minimize the risk of being seen.</p>
+ <p>You climb aboard without being observed but you are shocked to the core when you discover the nature of the wagon's cargo.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect218"><link-text>Turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect35">
+ <meta><title>35</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You press yourself into a hollow in the north tunnel wall and wait with bated breath as the sound of the approaching group grows louder and nearer. Torchlight flickers, casting a watery yellow beam across the cavern floor, then the first of the group enters and you catch sight of their repulsive forms. A patrol of six Vazhag file into the cavern. Each one is as tall as a Sommlending youth and all are armed with crude, rusty weapons. Fragments of armour and uniforms, which once belonged to human soldiers, encase their hairy, rat-like bodies. They are more than twenty feet away from your hiding place, but even so, they give off such a vile aroma of filth and disease that you are forced to draw upon your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus to prevent yourself from retching out loud.</p>
+ <p>They halt at the foot of the stone stairs and communicate with each other in a high-pitched squeal which reminds you of rusty door hinges, and repeatedly they cast furtive glances along the west tunnel as if they were waiting for another of their party to catch up. Within minutes, another member of their patrol does arrive, only this creature is not one of their breed: it is human-sized. However, the hooded scarlet robe it is wearing makes it difficult for you to be absolutely sure that the creature within is human.</p>
+ <p>The Vazhag cease their squealing when the hooded one raises a gloved hand and motions to the south tunnel. For an instant, you catch a glimpse of the glassy green mask that is covering his face, and at once you recognize this mask: it is a jazak, the ritual mask of a Cener Druid.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect289">If you wish to ambush this patrol, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect198">If you choose to allow them to leave the cavern by the south tunnel, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect36">
+ <meta><title>36</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch nervously as the Tzarg snuffles closer and closer to your hiding place, praying all the while that your Magnakai skills of Animal Control and Invisibility will keep you safe from detection.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If the number you have chosen is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect302">If the number is 5&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect37">
+ <meta><title>37</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you slay the last war-dog, a host of squealing Vazhag come pouring into the hall; your pursuers have caught up with you at last. Having chased you for over five miles, the screaming rat-men want only to rend you limb from limb, yet the unexpected sight of the slain war-dogs heaped about your feet immediately cools their bloodlust. Any warrior who could defeat half a dozen of these hellish creatures deserves to be treated with some respect!</p>
+ <p>You hear them muttering, then, from among their ranks comes one dressed in contrast to its brethren, cloaked completely in a brown hooded robe. It pulls from a pocket a sphere of glass which is filled with a speckled swirling vapour and, with a curse, it hurls this fragile sphere at your feet.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect76">If you possess Deliverance, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect217">If you do not have this Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 217</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect38">
+ <meta><title>38</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a terrifying wail the three creatures rise above you and stretch wide their powerful jaws. Defiantly you face them as they flex their coils and steady themselves to strike.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>3 Ruel Giganite</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">80</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect13">These creatures are susceptible to all forms of psychic attack. When their <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score has been reduced to 36 or less, you can elect to evade combat by <link-text>turning to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect286">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect39">
+ <meta><title>39</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With incredible speed you unshoulder your Bow and draw an Arrow to your lips. Then, almost instantly, you release the straining bowstring and send the shaft burrowing deep into the creature's body, killing it instantly. The force of the impact lifts it out of its hollowed stool and sends it crashing to the floor where it wobbles back and forth grotesquely, like a giant fleshy egg, before coming to rest on its side.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect23"><link-text>Turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect40">
+ <meta><title>40</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a roar of agony, the Degradon crashes forward, forcing you to leap aside to avoid being pinned beneath its loathsome carcass. Breathless and shaking with the fatigue of this deadly combat, you lean against the wall and survey your surroundings.</p>
+ <p>Before you stretches a cavernous hall, lit by the glow from fire-filled orbs hanging by chains from the ceiling. Facing each other are two rows of stone statues which form a grotesque corridor leading to an archway on the far side. Although they are human in shape, extreme expressions of pain and despair twist and contort their faces.</p>
+ <p>You advance cautiously. You are wary of the statues and your body is tensed to react should they show the slightest hint of animation. Fortunately your caution is unnecessary and you are able to reach the archway and leave the hall without further incident. A short passage leads to a junction where a wider corridor crosses from left to right. Your skin prickles in reaction to the concentration of evil you detect in this subterranean part of Mogaruith, and silently you call upon your creator, the noble god Kai, for protection and guidance before continuing.</p>
+ <p>Instinct prompts you to turn left, and within a few minutes you arrive at a chamber where a vast staircase of black marble ascends to many levels, lost in the gloom above. Opposite this grand staircase stands a large door, carved from a solid sheet of strange green metal, the like of which you have never seen before. It gives off a pulsating radiance which washes over the empty chamber, illuminating symbols carved into the walls and floor. You focus on these symbols and, in a chilling moment of realization, you decipher their meaning.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect41">
+ <meta><title>41</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The two rat-men have only just finished their meal when a group of Vazhag, accompanied by a red-robed Cener Druid, enter the cave through an archway on the far side of the lake. The Cener directs the Vazhag to man a large capstan-like device and, as they work this creaking hoist, slowly the drawbridge begins to descend. The moment it is fully lowered the druid and his escort come shuffling across the bridge in single file. They are about halfway over when there is a bubbling rush of water and the surface of the lake begins to seethe, as if it is boiling. A sudden fear grips the Vazhag. They freeze in their tracks, twitching and squealing fitfully as they stare aghast at the frothing water. Then the Cener screams at them to retreat and they scurry back the way they came, with the two you saw earlier close on their heels.</p>
+ <p>The first ones to make it back scamper to the capstan and begin to reverse it as quickly as they can. You see the bridge-ropes tighten and, with a tortured creak, the heavy wooden bridge rises off the platform. Fearing that you could be left stranded on the wrong side of the lake, you rush forward and leap for the underside of the rising drawbridge.</p>
+ <p>Like a limpet you fix yourself to its damp timbers as the bridge approaches the vertical. However, before the bridge is fully retracted, the Vazhag abandon the capstan and flee through the archway, unaware that you are clinging to the underside of the bridge. For a moment you are relieved that the rat-men and their druidic master have disappeared, for you had not relished the thought of them discovering you in such a vulnerable situation. Unfortunately, your relief is short-lived, for within seconds of their disappearance you find yourself face-to-face with the object of their terror.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect295"><link-text>Turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect42">
+ <meta><title>42</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You scream in pain as an arrow skewers your left wrist. The agony of the wound and the shock of the arrow's impact cause you to lose your grip and, in a terrifying instant, you fall from the chain and plummet headlong towards the floor of the hall below. Death is mercifully swift.</p>
+ <p>Your incredible bravery has brought about the destruction of the plague virus, and the druids who knew the secrets of its cultivation. This destruction has saved millions from a terrible death, and the selfless courage you displayed in bringing this about will never be forgotten by the free peoples of Magnamund. Sadly, though, death is the price you have paid for your victory.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your quest end here in the plague hall of Mogaruith.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect43">
+ <meta><title>43</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Even though your Bow and quiver are covered by your druid's robe, you retrieve them and are ready to fire at the fleeing Vazhag before either has taken a dozen paces. In lightning succession you draw and fire two Arrows, sending the shafts thudding into the backs of the two rat-men with unerring accuracy. Simultaneously they crash to the ground and lie still.</p>
+ <p>Your swift dispatching of the Vazhag has gone undetected and, anxious that it remains so, you rush forward to drag their bodies away into the undergrowth. Within minutes the task is complete.</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately, you still have to find a way of entering Mogaruith. Yet, as you return to the trail, you are struck by a bold idea. Calmly you approach the zombie, who has remained stationary throughout the incident, and stoop to retrieve the poor creature's chain. Then, with pounding heart you turn and slowly walk along the trail towards the crowded drawbridge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect12"><link-text>Turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect44">
+ <meta><title>44</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call upon your mastery to weave a multi-layered fabric which absorbs the Cener's psychic probe. It protects your mind, but in so doing the evil druid senses resistance where there should be none and his suspicions are confirmed. You have been detected!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect159"><link-text>Turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect45">
+ <meta><title>45</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With an angry roar, the huge creature springs forward with its taloned paws outstretched. You retreat, drawing a hand weapon with which to fight this ravenous beast.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Pit Agarashi</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">38</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge; only Kai-surge can harm it psychically.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect110">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect46">
+ <meta><title>46</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sensation of falling accelerates until you are consumed completely by this spinning vortex. You have been drawn through a portal which leads to a terrible place, a realm where the power of Good holds no sway. You have been ensnared by the soul of Naar himself, the King of the Darkness, and as his prisoner you will remain, doomed to wander his dark domain for all eternity.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your quest ends here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect47">
+ <meta><title>47</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The pain in your legs increases as the creature's venomous barbs release their poison. You draw on your natural Magnakai abilities to neutralize the venom, but even as the anti-toxins begin their work, you are being dragged deeper and deeper into the muddy pool.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Plaghatar</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">35</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all psychic attacks. If the weapon you are using is non-edged (i.e., a Mace, a Quarterstaff, or a Warhammer), deduct 4 points from your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect129">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect48">
+ <meta><title>48</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect48-1-foot" idref="sect48-1">
+ <p>The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You scan the walls of this reading room and as your eye passes over the books and scrolls stored upon its shelves, you feel an almost uncontrollable urge to tear every one of them to pieces. The wickedness they contain, gleaned after thousands of years of perpetrating the vilest herbcraft known to Magnamund, is so potent that you feel your Kai strength waning in their presence (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small6.gif" width="386" height="156"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small6.pdf" width="386" height="156"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Mindful of the insidious effect of these books you search as quickly as you can. On one of the lower shelves you notice an ornately carved wooden box, banded with gold and inlaid with precious gemstones. You carry it to the main table where the light is brightest and, as you place it there, you hear a riddle emanating from a design engraved on its lid. It speaks in the Cenerese tongue but you instantly recognize the words:</p>
+ <blockquote>
+ <p><quote>My treasure is hidden from view
+ <br />But I'll open myself for you,
+ <br />If you ponder this puzzle then state
+ <br />The right answer to determine my fate.
+ <br />Divide 80 by one half,
+ <br />Then examine what you see.
+ <br />From this number take 14,
+ <br />What remains will open me.</quote>
+ </p>
+ </blockquote>
+ <p>Your Kai senses tell you that by solving the riddle, then speaking the answer aloud, you will cause the lid of the box to open.</p>
+ <p>When you think you have solved this riddle, turn to the page number which is the same as your answer.<a id="sect48-1" idref="sect48-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect311">If you cannot answer the riddle, or if your answer does not lead to the page number which opens the box, <link-text>turn instead to 311</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect49">
+ <meta><title>49</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your powerful senses detect the tang of fresh water on the air that is wafting gently towards you from out of the east tunnel. The source is distant, more than a mile away at least.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect118">If you wish to investigate the east tunnel, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect189">If you would rather explore the west tunnel, <link-text>turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect50">
+ <meta><title>50</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Through the wide opening in the chamber wall there is a gallery which overlooks a vast windowless hall. You approach the gallery's railed parapet and stare down at a score of druids who are working at tiled tables positioned in rows across the floor. Upon some tables rest porcelain troughs filled with oily fluids which seethe beneath a constant shower of electrical sparks. Other tables support dozens of glass boxes of differing sizes. The smallest contain rats; the largest contain horses. Hundreds of pipes and tubes run around the walls, feeding a supply of fluids and gasses to the experiment tables. The fumes rising from this diabolical laboratory sting your eyes, but you ignore the discomfort and continue your observations, eager to take in every detail of the evil work which is taking place below. It is not long before you recognize that this hall is where the deadly plague virus, and its vaccine, are being produced.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>You approach the gallery's veiled parapet and stare down at a score of druids working at tiled tables.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill3.gif" width="386" height="642"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill3.pdf" width="386" height="642"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You know that you must act with all haste for Arch Druid Cadak is still alive and, wherever he is at present, you can be sure he is plotting to capture or kill you, probably both. Below lies that which you have come here to destroy. But how will you accomplish your task? Relentlessly the seconds tick by as you try to formulate a plan. Then you see something which sparks an idea. The pipes that feed fluids to the laboratory's disposal tanks are connected to a massive cauldron suspended from the ceiling by a winch and chains. You focus upon a plaque fixed to the side of this great vat and magnify your vision until you can read what has been engraved upon it. With grim satisfaction you read the words: <quote>Danger&emdash;Concentrated Acid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>Here is the key to the destruction of the virus. If you can cause the cauldron to tilt over far enough it will discharge its contents into the hall below, flooding the virus-laden tables with thousands of gallons of concentrated acid.</p>
+ <p>Elated by your daring plan, you look for a way to reach the winch which controls the angle at which the cauldron hangs from the ceiling. It is positioned high upon a platform atop an iron gantry, which is accessible only by ladder. Fortunately this ladder begins on the far side of the gallery.</p>
+ <p>Confident in your purpose you hurry around the gallery towards the ladder. You are within twenty paces when suddenly the harsh clang of an alarm bell fills the hall. You have been seen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect177"><link-text>Turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect51">
+ <meta><title>51</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus upon your left forearm and utter the Elder spell-word which calls into existence an invisible shield. Instantly there is a sizzling splash of blue-white sparks as the bolt of crackling energy collides with your magical defence.</p>
+ <p>However, your preparation of the battle spell was hurried and incomplete. The shield is shattered by the force of impact and the bolt bursts through to lance deep into your chest: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect135">If you survive this wounding, <link-text>turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect52">
+ <meta><title>52</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you swim away from the bridge towards the east wall of the cave. You can see no obvious exit here, but twenty feet below the surface you notice that the crevasse appears to undercut the cave wall.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly a spear splashes into the lake and passes within inches of your head, causing you to dive deeper to avoid the others that are sure to follow. In the icy gloom you sense an undercurrent of warmer water rising from the crevasse. Also, your super-keen eyesight detects a pale light radiating from the base of the cave wall. Another cavern must lie beyond this one, but you have no way of knowing for sure just how far away that cave might be.</p>
+ <p>Mustering your Kai courage, you swim down towards the crevasse and propel yourself along an oval-shaped tunnel below the east cave wall. In the distance you see the pale glow and you strike out towards it, thankful that at least this watery passage does not harbour hostile creatures.</p>
+ <p>After four long minutes of strenuous swimming, you begin to suffer pains in your chest due to lack of oxygen.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, and add 1 to the number you have picked. This total is equal to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you lose due to oxygen starvation.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect246">Adjust your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points total accordingly and then <link-text>turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect53">
+ <meta><title>53</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Cener curses you with his dying breath, his hooked hands outstretched before him as slowly he sinks to the ground. For a moment his body lies shivering at your feet, then it stiffens and is finally still.</p>
+ <p>Curiosity prompts you to prise away his green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity. Reluctantly you search the body and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)</li>
+ <li>Cener Mask</li>
+ <li>20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Your Magnakai skills tell you that the gold rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.</p>
+ <p>With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10"><link-text>Turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect54">
+ <meta><title>54</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Cener cackles with glee as he advances towards you, eager to finish you off. Dazed but determined to survive, you stagger to your feet in time to parry his first blow. Sparks explode as your weapon connects with his rod and a numbing jolt runs the length of your arm. Again you are forced back, but you manage to recover quickly and, with a defiant cry, you launch yourself upon him in a determined fight to the death.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Brother Croumah (with Power Rod)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect101">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect55">
+ <meta><title>55</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With deceptive ease you reach forward and pluck the spinning blade from the air when it is barely inches in front of your chest. The Vazhag looks at you aghast, frozen momentarily by the shock of what it has witnessed, but it is galvanized into action upon the instant you send the blade spinning back across the chamber, aimed at its head.</p>
+ <p>The knife misses the creature's head by a finger's length, strikes the chamber wall, and rebounds with a metallic clang. It falls at the Vazhag's feet and is snatched up in its defence as you advance swiftly upon the creature, weapon in hand.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Fat Vazhag</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">18</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect56">
+ <meta><title>56</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instantly your senses tell you that what you are fighting is a living creature and not a plant! The creeper-like tendrils are part of its natural camouflage, and as it coils them around your limbs and neck in an attempt to squeeze the life from your body, you can feel its animal strength.</p>
+ <p>Forewarned, you resist this attack just long enough to raise your weapon and strike a mighty blow which tears away a great swath of the creature's wriggling limbs. A fountain of ichor erupts from every severed end and, from somewhere above the canopy of branches, you hear an unearthly roar of pain. Once more the remaining tendrils seek you out, but this time they are no longer soft and fibrous, but stiff and studded with barbed thorns.</p>
+ <p>The swirling mass strikes out for your throat. Desperately you hack at them with devastating effect, yet one of the limbs avoids your blows and wraps itself tightly about your neck. Pain fills your head and chest as its razor-sharp thorns bite deeply into your flesh and inject a powerful acid.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Stragnah</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">36</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">39</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect57">
+ <meta><title>57</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The corridor makes a gradual descent towards a single wooden door shod with heavy iron fittings. You press the handle carefully and, to your surprise, the door opens inwards without a sound. You enter and push the door closed before beginning your exploration of this archive.</p>
+ <p>The library contains thousands of books and time-yellowed parchments, stacked in uneven rows upon shelves that line every wall. The air is heavy with their odour and your senses prickle with the sensation that you are in the presence of works of great evil. Silently you pass from one chamber to the next until you spy two druids seated at a table in an adjoining room. They are studying a large tome which is bound in a pale-coloured leather. A wave of nausea makes you swallow hard the instant you realize that the book is covered with human skin. The two druids, who appear to be little older than a dozen years apiece, are chattering to each other excitedly. You move closer to the room and eavesdrop on their conversation.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>In the library you spy two druids seated at a table studying a large tome covered with human skin.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill4.gif" width="386" height="640"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill4.pdf" width="386" height="640"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>After a few minutes you learn that their names are Noraa and Monad. They are novices who were brought into the sect by Cenerese agents after having been orphaned in their native land of Lourden. They seem devoted to studying the lore of their evil brotherhood, and as they read they ruminate at length about a great <quote>day of retribution</quote> that the Cenerese will enjoy before the year ends.</p>
+ <p>At length they finish their studies and rise from the table. As Monad restores the book to its shelf, Noraa says:</p>
+ <p><quote>Hurry up. We'll be late for Kadrian's sermon.</quote></p>
+ <p>Monad nods apologetically, and hurries to join his brother as he leaves the library by another door. As the latch clicks shut, you emerge from your listening place and enter the room.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect138">If you wish to follow the two young druids, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect48">If you choose to search this room, <link-text>turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect58">
+ <meta><title>58</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At once you recognize the black berries contained within the stoppered glass jar. They are Volko berries, found only in the remote uplands of Kakush, and much prized by magicians for their use as catalysts in their magical experiments. The juice of the berries aids or speeds up magical reactions between substances, while remaining unchanged itself.</p>
+ <p>Your knowledge of Kai-alchemy, as taught to you by Guildmaster Banedon, is at best rudimentary. However, you are in no doubt that these berries are valuable, and they may even be of practical help to you during your quest.</p>
+ <p>If you choose to keep this jar of Black Berries, record them on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Backpack item.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306">To continue, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect59">
+ <meta><title>59</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Effortlessly you sidestep and dodge your way through the throng of rat-men, who are gathered about the wagon in a frenzy of activity, and escape into the empty passage which lies beyond the iron portal. A few minutes later, as you are exploring this new tunnel, you hear the great door close with a rumbling boom.</p>
+ <p>The passage continues eastwards for several miles and, with the exception of an occasional Vazhag sentry, it is virtually deserted. At length you arrive at the entrance to another hall, smaller than the lava-cavern but equally as crowded. Daylight streams into this hall through a large archway guarded by armoured Vazhag, and pairs of horny-skinned war-dogs which they hold on the leash. Beyond the archway you can see a track that disappears towards a distant ridge of hills.</p>
+ <p>Directly above the archway, you notice a thin ray of sunlight streaming through a window-like hole in the rock. Sorely aware that the main entrance is so heavily guarded that it will be very difficult, even for someone as gifted as yourself, to escape that way undetected, you resolve instead to escape by means of the smaller opening in the rock wall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect60">
+ <meta><title>60</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Cener's dying scream alerts the Vazhag pack and they come scampering back to investigate the sound. The moment they see you, standing over their leader like a hunter over his kill, their nerve appears to crumble. They lower their weapons and begin to edge away. Then the leading rat-men panic; they turn and run, and the others quickly follow suit, leaving you alone in the clearing with the body of the dead druid lying crumpled at your feet.</p>
+ <p>Curiosity prompts you to prise away the druid's green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity. Reluctantly you search him and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)</li>
+ <li>Cener Mask</li>
+ <li>20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Your Magnakai skills tell you that the golden rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hands, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.</p>
+ <p>With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10"><link-text>Turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect61">
+ <meta><title>61</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise the Sommerswerd and catch the magical fire upon the flat of its blade. There is a deafening crack and you feel an electrifying jolt run the length of your sword arm as the flame is deflected and set roaring back towards its caster. He regards the rebounding fireball with a look of cool indifference and proceeds to sheathe himself in a glowing cocoon of pale blue light. The flames split apart as they collide with this protective shell, flowing harmlessly around his body to disappear into the antechamber beyond.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small11.gif" width="386" height="72"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small11.pdf" width="386" height="72"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>There is only one who wields such a blade,</quote> he spits, pointing at the Sommerswerd with his flame-tipped staff.</p>
+ <p><quote>And I'll see that you perish upon it, Cadak!</quote> you shout in defiant reply.</p>
+ <p><quote>Ha!</quote> he sneers, <quote>I rejoice that fate has brought you here to me, Lone Wolf, for it is you who will perish. Turn around and meet your nemesis!</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect125"><link-text>Turn to 125</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect62">
+ <meta><title>62</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wait at the corner, relying upon your keen senses for your cue to attack. When you judge the footfalls and the rasping breaths of the Vazhag to be within an oar's length of the corner, you leap out and confront them, striking at the leading rat-man with your weapon. The beast's rib cage cracks under the blow, and its four companions freeze with shock as its body collapses dead at their feet. Before they snap out of their trauma, you cut your way through their ranks and escape along the passageway.</p>
+ <p>The tunnel continues eastwards for several miles and, with the exception of an occasional Vazhag sentry, whom you deal with swiftly, it is virtually deserted. At length you arrive at the entrance to another hall, smaller than the lava-cavern but equally as crowded. Daylight streams into this hall through a large archway guarded by armoured Vazhag, and pairs of horny-skinned war-dogs which they hold on the leash. Beyond the archway you can see a track that disappears towards a distant ridge of hills.</p>
+ <p>Your sudden appearance galvanizes the guards into action. They squeal attack commands at their brutish dogs and let loose their straining leashes. With a fearful howling, the war-dogs bound forward and together they leap for your throat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">If you possess the Discipline of Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect100">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect63">
+ <meta><title>63</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fearsome Dholdaarg retreats before your blows, half-mad with the pain of its wounds, its eyes rolling and its fanged jaws clashing on empty air. Desperately you draw upon your Psychic Magnakai skills to repel this injured lake-beast, hoping to buy the few precious seconds you need in which to climb to the top of the raised drawbridge and escape.</p>
+ <p>The beast tries to resist your mental commands but it cannot overcome them. Its natural instinct for food and revenge urge it to lunge at your flailing legs, yet the stinging agony of its wounds, and your potent psychic commands, make the creature hesitate.</p>
+ <p>With your heart racing and the blood pounding in your ears, you drag yourself over the top of the drawbridge and leap down upon the platform. The cave echoes with the beast's unearthly roar as it beats its scaly head against the underside of the bridge in frustration. Timbers sag and splinter, prompting you to stagger to your feet and enter the tunnel beyond before it is too late.</p>
+ <p>During your fight, and in your haste to flee the lake monster, you lose two items from your Backpack. Erase those items which you have listed third and fourth on your list of Backpack Items.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306">To continue, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect64">
+ <meta><title>64</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The body of the plague hound crashes to the floor and you see the warrior freeze with shock. Hesitantly he reaches to his sword, but before he can unsheathe it, you leap forward and fell him with a single thrust that pierces his armour and skewers his heart.</p>
+ <p>Standing over his still body you use the tip of your weapon to prise open the visor of his iron helm. You reveal the brutal features of a Drakkar. He had survived the downfall of the Darklords and had counted himself fortunate to have found refuge here in Mogaruith. Sadly for him he had not reckoned on ever crossing your path.</p>
+ <p>You conceal the bodies of the Drakkar and his hound as best you can before pulling the portal closed and continuing your exploration of Mogaruith.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect205"><link-text>Turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect65">
+ <meta><title>65</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Magnakai defences are too weak to resist the wave of psychic energy directed against your mind. It tears through your shields and explodes like a fiery ball of white hot plasma deep within your brain. Every nerve in your body is scorched by the blast and, as you fight to remain conscious, your body is contorted by excruciating pain: lose 12 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>As the agony fades and your powers of cohesive thought return, you are dimly aware of another hostile entity drawing closer, attracted by your psychic screams. Then, from out of the black shadows of the pits, you hear a dreadful, rumbling roar. Something huge is stirring deep within each of those dark forbidding shafts. As the ghoulish laughter of the horde reaches its pitch, you turn to see three giant, misshapen cat-like heads rise up into the light, each perched atop a snaky body as thick as the trunk of a tree. They bare their fangs and shake off the tangle of human bones that cling to their stinking, corpse-green manes.</p>
+ <p>The sight of these unholy creatures makes you reel back in shock and utter a cry of disbelief. Your cry is lost among the barrage of screeching howls, yet the cat-things react as if they hear it and, together, they come oozing out from their dark, noisome lairs and glide slowly towards where you stand.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80">If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge, <link-text>turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect38">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect66">
+ <meta><title>66</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your search of the dead Cener's robes uncovers the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Potion of Alether (increase <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 2 points for duration of one fight only)</li>
+ <li>Enough food for 1 Meal</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect214">To leave this chamber and continue, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect67">
+ <meta><title>67</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your advanced sixth senses alert you to danger. At the end of the tunnel you feel the presence of several creatures, some of which you know to be Vazhag. They are a noisy crowd although the sounds they are making are not particularly hostile. Their voices echo strongly, giving you the impression that the creatures are occupying a large and spacious location.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect337">If you wish to spirit-walk in order to gather more information about what lies ahead, <link-text>turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If you choose not to risk spirit-walking here in hostile tunnels, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect68">
+ <meta><title>68</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai skill of Psi-surge, you focus your power at a Vazhag guard who is standing on top of the wagon, and release a stunning burst of psychic energy aimed at its brain. Immediately, the creature grasps its head between its paws and lets out an ear-splitting squeal of pain as your attack sears its nervous system. The sudden cry freezes the surrounding rat-men and, when the victim of your attack tumbles from the rear of the wagon, they surge forward, eager to find out what is wrong. In the ensuing confusion, you leave your hiding place and attempt to escape unseen through the portal.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Kai-screen, add 2 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect223">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect331">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 331</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect69">
+ <meta><title>69</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your weapon glances off the creature's head, opening a wound which kills it instantly. But the force of the impact is not enough to prevent its hand from reaching the button. As the creature topples lifelessly to the floor, you stare with mounting fear at the sight of the depressed alarm button.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect70">
+ <meta><title>70</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Vazhag pushes his snout to within an inch of your face and says, to your surprise, that you can enter Mogaruith so long as you first register your arrival. He points to a door in the tower wall and requests you to enter it. <quote>There,</quote> he says, <quote>is where you can make your registration.</quote></p>
+ <p>Immediately your Magnakai sense of Divination warns that the Vazhag is lying; nothing but a prison cell awaits you beyond that door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If you wish to do as the Vazhag requests and enter the door, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect162">If you refuse to enter the door, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect71">
+ <meta><title>71</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You grit your teeth and fix your eyes on the observation platform as you wait for the chain to reach the end of its arc. Upon the instant the momentum stops, you release your grip and hurtle through air towards the platform's rail. You have timed your jump to perfection. You skim the rail and land on the metal floor, roll over to lessen the impact, then spring to your feet and run towards the inviting darkness of the doorway which services this platform.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect128"><link-text>Turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect72">
+ <meta><title>72</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You struggle to extricate yourself from the bodies of the Vazhag you have slain. As you rise to the summit of the grisly heap, you glimpse the Cener Druid scurrying towards the gap in the trees by which he, and his late minions, entered the clearing.</p>
+ <p>You know that he must not be allowed to escape. If he were to reach Mogaruith and raise the alarm, your mission, and probably your life, would soon be over.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you possess a Bow and Arrows and wish to use them, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect334">If you possess mastery of Magi-magic and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect264">If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If you possess none of the above, or choose not to make use of them, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect73">
+ <meta><title>73</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Exterminus is no more than an arm's length from you when you manage to tear free of your thorny bonds. With cat-like grace you duck below the creature's outstretched hands and drive your weapon deep into its unprotected belly. It screams in agony and reels backwards to crash down upon the table which stands beside Cadak's black chair. The awesome bulk of the creature's body crushes the table to matchwood and breaks open the crystal sphere that rested upon it. Immediately there is a loud boom and a tremendous rush of putrid air knocks you down. A funnel of darkness engulfs the body of Exterminus and, with stunning suddenness, there is silence. Both the creature and the shattered remnants of the sphere have vanished completely.</p>
+ <p>You stagger to your feet and turn to face the Arch Druid. The shock of what he has witnessed has left him open-mouthed and drained of colour. He is mumbling incoherently and trembling with fear. You take up your weapon and advance towards him, determined to rid Magnamund of this evil druid once and for all, but the sight of you drawing closer snaps him out of his trauma and galvanizes him into action. He weaves his hands before his face and, in an instant, he is shrouded in a cocoon of light. You strike out at the light but your weapon passes clean through it, meeting with no resistance. Then the light fades and you are left standing alone in the druid's empty throne room.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect259"><link-text>Turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect74">
+ <meta><title>74</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step away from the water's edge as the Vazhag comes thundering off the drawbridge and on to the platform. With the manic curses of their leader echoing in their ears, they leap to the muddy shore and charge straight at you, their rusty weapons glinting dully in the light of the cave.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">26</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect75">
+ <meta><title>75</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The stairs lead to another hall on a level fifty feet higher. Here, two staircases ascend to the left and right, and a gloomy tunnel disappears directly ahead of you. Your senses pick up something moving at the end of the tunnel and, when you focus your infravision along this dark passageway, you see another Vazhag patrol heading straight towards you. This one is being led by two Acolytes of Vashna and a pack of Ruel war-dogs.</p>
+ <p>Eager to evade these enemies, you glance at both staircases and try to decide which one to climb.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect21">If you wish to ascend the left staircase, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If you decide to ascend the right staircase, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect76">
+ <meta><title>76</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sphere explodes on impact and you are engulfed by a cloud of sickly grey gas. At once you feel your throat tighten and your stomach churn as deadly bacteria-infested vapour penetrates your lungs. But, within seconds, your powerful defences destroy this bacteria and you recover enough to be able to run towards the entrance, hidden by the billowing gas.</p>
+ <p>In the ensuing chaos, you escape through the entrance unchallenged. For a moment you are blinded by the early morning sunlight which illuminates the surrounding hills, but, as you stumble along the trail which leads away from the caverns, your vision clears and you see a vast expanse of forest away to the east. This sea of sickly grey-green trees radiates an unmistakable aura of evil that immediately identifies it as the Forest of Ruel.</p>
+ <p>Your escape is not pursued and, after a few minutes, you stop among a cluster of boulders in order to catch your breath. The surrounding land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being the track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the unwelcoming forest. You consult your map and conclude that this is the Skardos Trail, the secret route used by the Ceners which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow the trail, but first (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect77">
+ <meta><title>77</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A Cener Robe and a Mask would provide you with a useful disguise as you explore the chambers of Mogaruith, a disguise that would undoubtedly raise your chances of success. With this in mind you take and put on what you need from the pegs.</p>
+ <p>Remember to record your choice on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. A Cener Robe takes up two spaces in your Backpack; a Cener Mask takes one space. If you already carry the maximum number of Backpack items allowed, you must discard one item in favour of the Mask and/or Robe</p>
+ <choice idref="sect158">To continue, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect78">
+ <meta><title>78</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you stretches a cavernous hall, lit by the glow from fire-filled orbs hanging by chains from the ceiling. Facing each other are two rows of stone statues which form a grotesque corridor leading to an archway on the far side. A flicker of fear chills your heart when you notice that the expressions frozen upon their misshapen faces are those of pain and despair.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you advance. You are wary of the statues and your body is tensed to react should they show the slightest hint of animation. Then you detect something which makes you freeze in mid-step. Your Kai senses warn you that something is sleeping in a shadowy alcove close to the distant archway. Anxious not to disturb whatever is resting there, you call upon your camouflage skills to mask your presence before moving any nearer.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Grand Mastery of Assimilance, add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186">If your total score is 5 or lower, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect196">If your score is 6 or higher, <link-text>turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect79">
+ <meta><title>79</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow the tunnel for many miles as it plunges deep into the bowels of the Skardos Mountains. At length you reach a wider, smooth-walled corridor, which bears recent tracks upon its dusty floor. Your infallible Magnakai skills of Pathsmanship reveal that this corridor leads due west, towards Mogaruith.</p>
+ <p>The numerous tracks tell you that this passage is frequently used. Judging by their size and depth, they have been made by large, rat-like creatures, but ones who walk upright, like humans. From what you have been told about the denizens of Ruel, you are sure that these are the tracks of Vazhag, warrior vermin bred by the Cenerese. Among them you note other tracks that are far from rat-like.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously, you follow the corridor and, despite your mounting fears, you encounter nothing more threatening than a nest of ragged-winged bats and an occasional rock snake, which slithers away at your approach. Gradually, the air becomes increasingly cooler and more humid. You can smell the strong scent of water somewhere in the distance and you are not at all surprised when, as you round a sharp bend, you see shimmering reflections playing upon the smooth stone ceiling ahead.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If you possess Telegnosis, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect80">
+ <meta><title>80</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In desperation you draw upon your reserves of psychic strength to shape a ball of energy, then you hurl it at the nearest abomination. It strikes its subconscious and the beast's eyes shut tight in pain as the force of your mind-strike bites deep into its unshielded cortex.</p>
+ <p>The attack is successful; the creature is wounded and it slithers back into the safety of its pit. Yet, despite seeing what has befallen their brother, the remaining two creatures continue to advance undaunted.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>2 Ruel Giganite</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">60</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect13">These creatures are susceptible to all forms of psychic attack. When their <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score has been reduced to 36 or less, you can elect to evade combat by <link-text>turning to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect286">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect81">
+ <meta><title>81</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your weapon and slide it between the pin and the body of the cauldron. You cannot break the thick iron pin but you may be able to lever it away from the chain.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small9.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small9.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. Now consult the list below and modify the number you have picked:</p>
+ <p>If you possess the Sommerswerd, add 4.</p>
+ <p>If you are using a Spear or a Broadsword add 2.</p>
+ <p>If you are using a Quarterstaff or a Dagger subtract 2.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275">If your total is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect248">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect82">
+ <meta><title>82</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your hood and draw your Kai cloak close about your shoulders before pressing yourself flat against the dusty tunnel wall. The shadows and your camouflage skills mask you completely; it is as if you have suddenly vanished. When the two groups of Vazhag come together, close to where you are hiding, they immediately blame each other for having allowed you to escape. They argue loudly and a fight looks imminent until the timely arrival of a Vazhag elder cools their flaring tempers. He orders them back to the lava-lit cavern, and you wait calmly for the grumbling rat-men to disperse before continuing eastwards, along a now-empty tunnel.</p>
+ <p>For nearly five miles you explore and, with the exception of an occasional Vazhag sentry, the tunnel remains virtually deserted. At length you arrive at the entrance to another hall, smaller than the lava-cavern but equally as crowded. Daylight streams into this hall through a large archway guarded by armoured Vazhag, and pairs of horny-skinned war-dogs which they hold on the leash. Beyond the archway you can see a track that disappears towards a distant ridge of hills.</p>
+ <p>Directly above the archway, you notice a thin ray of sunlight streaming through a window-like hole in the rock. Sorely aware that the main entrance is so heavily guarded that it will be very difficult, even for someone as gifted as yourself, to escape that way undetected, you resolve instead to escape by means of the smaller opening in the rock wall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect83">
+ <meta><title>83</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Breathless and bespattered with the blood of your slain foes, you step back from the bodies which lie heaped around your feet and sheathe your gore-stained weapon. The alarm bell continues to toll, warning you that every living creature in Mogaruith is being summoned for the hunt.</p>
+ <p>Anxious to reach the surface as quickly as you can, you leap over the bodies and stride up the stairs. You are hungry and while you run you must eat a meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect75">To continue, <link-text>turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect84">
+ <meta><title>84</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your innate Magnakai skill of Invisibility, you take care to mask your body heat and scent lest they should stir the curiosity of any keen-nosed denizens of Ruel. Then, with caution guiding your every step, you advance through the knee-high grasses towards the fallen tree. As you approach, you focus your powers of Divination and scan the surrounding darkness for invisible or hidden enemies. Sensing no immediate threat, you continue to the forest's edge where you are greeted by an unwholesome warmth. It rises out of a mulch of insects and fungi that are feasting upon the corpse of the tree. Silently you offer up a prayer to Ishir before venturing a step further this inhospitable domain.</p>
+ <p>Beyond the dead tree you find a muddy track which is bordered on both sides by the tall trunks and thorny briars of the forest. So dense is this tangle of trees and brush that it is impossible to leave the track. You feel as if you are walking along an endless passage, one so unnatural that its construction could only be the result of evil herbcraft.</p>
+ <p>At length the track widens and the trees begin to thin out. Ahead you see a clearing and at once your senses tingle: it is a warning that you are not alone. Instinctively you reach for your weapon and, as your hand closes upon it, you see that the floor of the clearing is alive with a carpet of loathsome scuttling creatures. At once you attempt to use your Magnakai powers of Animal Control, to determine if these creature are hostile, but your efforts go unrewarded.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect7">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 7</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect171">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 171</link-text></choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect85">
+ <meta><title>85</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a slight gradient to the tunnel and, gradually, as the stone floor ascends, you feel a draught of warm air wafting gently in your face. It feels comfortable and yet it is far from welcoming for the air is sticky and humid, as if the breath of some great jungle beast was being exhaled along the passageway.</p>
+ <p>In the distance you hear a fire-like roar, and another sound&emdash;squeaking&emdash;which forewarns you that Vazhag lie ahead. You advance, masked by your Magnakai skills, and step forth into a massive chamber which is lit by the fierce light of volcanic fire. From a crater-like pit at the chamber's centre, a jet of red-gold flame roars up to a towering height, and clouds of steam fill the cavernous roof space where it plays upon a ceiling of damp rock. Around the pit are constructed several small, domed huts, all made of volcanic clinker scavenged from the crater's edge. The huts house a colony of Vazhag; you count more than fifty females and their young scurrying around the crude dwellings, and estimate that at least that number again could be sheltering inside.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>From a pit at the centre of a massive chamber, a jet of red-gold flame roars up to a towering height.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill5.gif" width="386" height="640"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill5.pdf" width="386" height="640"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Using your skills, and the advantage of the flickering shadows which dance upon the rough cavern walls, you circle around the settlement unseen. On the far side there is an onion-shaped archway guarded by six Vazhag males, all of whom are heavily armed and armoured. You move a little closer, confident that your natural abilities will get you past these oversized spear-toting rodents unnoticed, but you are brought to a halt by a daunting sight. A few feet beyond the archway stands a massive portal, a wall of solid black iron.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect342">If you possess Grand Huntmastery, <link-text>turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect127">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect86">
+ <meta><title>86</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Holding on to the ladder with your left hand, you unsheathe your weapon with your right hand and lash out at the Acolytes above in a desperate attempt to gain the platform.</p>
+ <p>Acolytes of Vashna: (One with a Medallion of Protection) <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 36 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> 50</p>
+ <p>Due to the disadvantageous position, and the length of your enemies' weapons, you must reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 4 for the duration of this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect305">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect87">
+ <meta><title>87</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You emerge on a mountainside, at a place hidden beneath an outcrop which is ringed by wind-worn boulders and scrub. Early morning sunlight illuminates the surrounding hills, and beyond them you see a vast expanse of forest, a sea of sickly grey-green trees, which radiates an unmistakable aura of evil. The position of the sun and your Pathsmanship skills inform you that you are now looking upon the Forest of Ruel from the eastern foothills of the Skardos Mountains.</p>
+ <p>The land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being a wide dirt track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the grim forest. You consult your map and conclude that this must be the Skardos Trail, the secret route used by the Ceners, which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow the trail, but first (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect88">
+ <meta><title>88</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The saliva burns several holes in your tunic's right arm and back. Fortunately, the power of your Grand Mastery skills saves your body from suffering a similar fate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect117"><link-text>Turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect89">
+ <meta><title>89</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch helplessly as the Vazhag disappear into the trees. You are tempted to give chase, fearful that if allowed to escape they will raise the alarm and bring all of Mogaruith down upon you. But the Vazhag are creatures of this forest and tracking two of them, even for a hunter as gifted as yourself, would be no easy task.</p>
+ <p>You decide instead to let them go and use the zombie in an attempt to gain entry to Mogaruith. You stoop to retrieve the poor creature's chain and, with pounding heart, walk slowly along the trail towards the crowded drawbridge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect12"><link-text>Turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect90">
+ <meta><title>90</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Mustering all your courage, you abandon your hiding place and rush to attack the Cener. Instantly he spins to face you and screams at his Vazhag to defend him. With a foul, snickering cry the Vazhag race to do their master's bidding and, before you can reach the druid, they leap upon you, hacking and stabbing with their rusty blades.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag pack</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">44</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect149">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect91">
+ <meta><title>91</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect91-1-foot" idref="sect91-1">
+ <p>Although adding <quote>a further 2</quote> to your random number implies that you must have Kai-surge to get this bonus, it is also reasonable to apply this bonus whether or not you have this Discipline.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus your gaze upon the creature's eye and will it, with all of your power, to fall asleep. Slowly its lid begins to lower but it does not close completely. The creature is fighting your psychic suggestion and you can sense its resistance is fierce.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Mastery of Kai-surge, add 3 to the number you have chosen. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 20 or higher, add a further 2 to your score.<a id="sect91-1" idref="sect91-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect281">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect184">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect92">
+ <meta><title>92</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Determined not to be defeated by a closed door, you kneel down in front of the keyhole and attempt to pick the lock. It takes you just a few seconds to defeat it, but upon the very instant you do so, the spell which shields the mechanism discharges a powerful bolt of energy.</p>
+ <p>The bolt runs along the length of your arm and explodes in your head with a blinding flash&emdash;lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Your psychic defences lessen the damage you sustain, damage that would have killed a lesser man, but the unexpected shock still causes you to scream involuntarily.</p>
+ <p>The door is no longer locked and you hurry through it, keen to make up for lost time. However, your scream did not go unheard and as you rush into the hall which lies beyond the door, you are confronted by a creature freshly awoken by your cry of pain.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect120"><link-text>Turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect93">
+ <meta><title>93</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Slowly you recover from the trauma and pull yourself to your feet. Ahead, the track crosses the plateau and passes within a few yards of the pits before continuing into a tunnel-like gap in the trees beyond. You advance, but every step that brings you nearer to the site causes your psychic senses to rebel. The images you saw, and the aura of evil that lingers here, are so strong that you find it difficult to step closer. You resolve to reach the gap at a run but a sudden noise from behind arrests you in mid-step.</p>
+ <p>Shambling out of the forest come a horde of monstrous shapes, corpse-like beings that exist in a twilight between life and death. Perched atop their withered bodies are hairless heads bearing lidless, red eyes and gaping maws, rimmed with hundreds of needle-thin fangs. As one they utter a deathly groan and you feel an icy chill electrify your spine.</p>
+ <p>Fighting to suppress your mounting horror, you turn and run towards the gap. You are within a few yards of the rocky spur when a dozen or more of these fearful creatures appear from the shadows to block your escape. Once more they utter their cadaverous cry and advance upon you from both sides.</p>
+ <p>Desperately you survey the plateau for another means of escape, but there is none: you are trapped. The only choice you have is to face the creatures or retreat towards the pits.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect163">If you wish to fight these creatures, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If you choose to retreat towards the pits, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect94">
+ <meta><title>94</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After observing the tunnel for several minutes, you sense that there are no Vazhag in the immediate area and decide it is safe to enter. Silently you drop down into the passageway and head off towards the north, using the shadows and your Kai skills to shield yourself as you advance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect85"><link-text>Turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect95">
+ <meta><title>95</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow this dark passage for several minutes before arriving at what appears to be a dead end. You are about to turn around and retrace your steps when suddenly your senses alert you to an ornately carved brick in the facing wall. On closer examination you discover a keyhole, and a Cenerese engraving which bears the seal of Arch Druid Cadak.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If you possess a Map of Mogaruith, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect234">If you possess a Gold Key, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect179">If you have neither of these Special Items, <link-text>turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect96">
+ <meta><title>96</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You land with a thick splash in the muddy shallows at the water's edge and, seconds later, a voice echoes from the far side of the lake. It is the rasping voice of a Cener Druid, commanding his Vazhag minions to rush forward and prevent you from escaping. You hear clawed feet scrabbling on the bridge timbers, then you catch sight of four of these vile rat-men as they come racing across the bridge, with swords and spears clasped in their hairy paws.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect225">If you possess a Bow and at least one Arrow, <link-text>turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect74">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect97">
+ <meta><title>97</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The power of your Grand Pathsmanship repels the insidious vines and sends them snaking towards Exterminus. Rapidly they weave themselves around his muscular frame, pinning his arms and tripping his feet, despite his futile attempts to break free. The demonic creature screams in frustration and topples forward to crash face first upon the table which stands beside Cadak's black chair. The awesome bulk of the creature's body crushes the table to matchwood and breaks open the crystal sphere that rested upon it. Immediately there is a loud boom and a tremendous rush of putrid air knocks you down. A funnel of darkness engulfs Exterminus and, with stunning suddenness, there is silence. Both the creature and the shattered remnants of the sphere have vanished completely.</p>
+ <p>You turn to face the Arch Druid. The shock of what he has witnessed has left him open-mouthed and drained of colour. He is mumbling incoherently and trembling with fear. You take up your weapon and advance towards him, determined to rid Magnamund of this evil druid once and for all, but the sight of you drawing closer snaps him out of his trauma and galvanizes him into action. He weaves his staff before his face and, in an instant, he is shrouded in a cocoon of light. You strike out at the light but your weapon passes clean through it, meeting with no resistance. Then the light fades and you are left standing alone in the druid's empty throne room.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect259"><link-text>Turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect98">
+ <meta><title>98</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the darkened doorway you watch the activity taking place in the keep, hoping to see something that will help you locate where in Mogaruith the Cenerese are producing their deadly plague viruses.</p>
+ <p>From out of the milling crowds of Vazhag there suddenly appears a small group of red-robed Cener Druids. They are talking to each other as they walk towards your hiding place.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you pull away from the open doorway and retreat deeper into the building. A narrow corridor takes you to a flight of steps which descends to where a passage crosses your path. An ornately painted sign, written in Cenerese, indicates what may be found at the end of each passage.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small13.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small13.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Your Magnakai skills enable you to read this sign. The arrow pointing to the left reads <quote>Library</quote>; the arrow pointing to the right reads <quote>Laboratory</quote>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If you wish to go left towards the Library, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect285">If you choose to go right and head towards the Laboratory, <link-text>turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect99">
+ <meta><title>99</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your arrow clips the druid's arm but it fails to stop him from making his hasty escape along the forest track. Cursing your ill luck, you run across the clearing and give chase.</p>
+ <p>You have been on his trail for less than a mile when you sense danger ahead. The druid has managed to reach another patrolling pack of Vazhag, much larger than his own escort, this one led by six of the druid's brethren. He informs them of your presence and, using their corrupted form of herbcraft, they cause the undergrowth to close in upon you and hold you prisoner. Marshalling all your skills, you manage to cut your way free of its grip, but not before the druids have mustered reinforcements from Mogaruith.</p>
+ <p>They attack you mercilessly with the full might of their evil craft. Courageously, you defy them, but their combined power is far greater than even a Grand Master can withstand. With the name of your gods and your country on your lips, you finally meet your doom here in the Forest of Ruel.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect100">
+ <meta><title>100</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect100-1-foot" idref="sect100-1">
+ <p>You must defeat all of the Ruel War-dogs before turning to <a idref="sect37">Section 37</a>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With chilling ferocity, the war-dogs throw themselves at you, their slavering fang-filled jaws stretched wide in readiness to clamp upon your flesh. Coolly you unsheathe your weapon and brace yourself to meet their attack, for it is too late to evade these sadistic, slavering hounds.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ruel War-dogs</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">36</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">22</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If you win and the combat takes 5 rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect37">If the combat takes 6 rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.<a id="sect100-1" idref="sect100-1-foot" class="footnote" /></choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect101">
+ <meta><title>101</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Still trembling from the shock of your encounter, you stare at the dead Cener's body as you struggle to catch your breath.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect66">If you wish to search his body, <link-text>turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If you decide to hurry away from this evil chamber, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect102">
+ <meta><title>102</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You insert the key and twist it. The lock opens with a satisfying <quote>clunk</quote>, allowing you to open the door and enter a strange and eerie hall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect78"><link-text>Turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect103">
+ <meta><title>103</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach the top of the ladder and haul yourself on to the winch platform. Now the whistling shafts strike and splinter uselessly against the underside of this metal floor which hides you from the archers' view.</p>
+ <p>You run to the winch and examine the gears and chains, trying at once to understand their workings and find a way to cause the cauldron to discharge its corrosive contents into the hall below. But the device is designed to prevent the chance of this occurring. The only way you can make the cauldron spill its deadly load is by severing a thick metal pin which secures the heavy chain to its rim.</p>
+ <p>Anxiously you glance over the edge of the platform at the confusion raging in the hall below. Three druids, having recognized your intentions, are trying desperately to gather together virus samples from their cultivation vats. The vats are fixed to the tables, triple-sealed with protective glass to prevent accidental leaks, and it is precisely this elaborate protection which now confounds the druids' frantic efforts to save their plague cultures.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small7.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small7.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Out of the corner of your eye you notice that the first of the Vazhag archers is now climbing the ladder to the winch platform, and you know you must act swiftly and effectively if you are to fulfil your quest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect226">If you possess Mastery of Grand Nexus, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 226</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect307">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect81">If you possess neither of these Grand Master Disciplines, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect104">
+ <meta><title>104</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unshoulder your Bow and draw an Arrow from your Quiver. Then, with smooth precision, you take aim at the fleeing druid's back. The instant you fix upon his billowing scarlet robes, you release the bowstring and send your shaft speeding towards the nape of his neck.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Weaponmastery (with Bow), add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect167">If your total score is 0&endash;5, <link-text>turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect235">If it is 6 or higher, <link-text>turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect105">
+ <meta><title>105</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The heavy chain whips towards your face but your reactions are lightning fast. You pull yourself away and it misses you by inches. Then you move forward to the platform's edge to watch, with grim fascination, as the gigantic acid-filled cauldron plummets into the hall below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect106">
+ <meta><title>106</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes you half an hour to reach the foot of the staircase. There awaits a dank cavern, its uneven floor littered with the bones of creatures who fell from the stairs or were consumed by the spectral being which once commanded this vault. Steeling yourself against the unwelcoming gloom, you advance along an oval, white-walled passageway of mineral rock and emerge in another chamber which is filled by a deep pool of crystal-clear water.</p>
+ <p>At first it appears to be a dead end, then you notice a faint light reflecting upon the surface of the water and you look up to see a hollow directly above. It is a natural chimney which rises into the ceiling, and at its end you see a warm, yellow, lantern-like glow. The chimney is rough and pitted, and to someone of your experience it is as easy to climb as a wide-stepped ladder.</p>
+ <p>Within ten minutes you reach the neck of the chimney and find yourself staring through a hole at the floor of a passageway beyond. The source of the light comes from several oil lamps which hang at regular intervals from the roof of this narrow tunnel. You can sense the presence of Vazhag somewhere in the vicinity, and so you choose to wait here in case a patrol is about to pass this way.</p>
+ <p>During your wait, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect94">To continue, <link-text>turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect107">
+ <meta><title>107</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The strength of your psychic defences is such that you can easily withstand the pulse of energy that the druid has launched against you. His attack fragments and fades, leaving him sorely weakened by his desperate effort to thwart your advance.</p>
+ <p>With a cry of despair, he draws a dagger from inside his robes and prepares to fight you to the death.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Cener Druid</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">20</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect108">
+ <meta><title>108</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You begin your bogus report and the creature dutifully copies down your words, but what you are saying soon heightens its suspicions that you are an impostor. Then you notice its free hand gliding slowly towards a button which protrudes from the side of its desk. It is an alarm button.</p>
+ <p>Before you can prevent it, the creature depresses the button.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11"><link-text>Turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect109">
+ <meta><title>109</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the two figures turn from the table, you recognize the red robes they are wearing. At first you assumed them to be Cener Druids, but their garments are not the same. They have black hoods, and the skull-like motifs which are embroidered upon them identify these two to be members of an evil sect known as the Acolytes of Vashna.</p>
+ <p>The presence here of two worshippers of Vashna, who was once the greatest of all the Darklords, rekindles chilling memories of past encounters with these fanatics. Following the downfall of the Darklords you had assumed that the last remnants of the sect had vanished forever, yet here before you are two who still wear their robes and practise their vile necromantic art.</p>
+ <p>Fearful that you have stumbled upon a secret Cenerese conspiracy, you inch your way closer to the robed men to listen to their whispered conversation.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect247"><link-text>Turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect110">
+ <meta><title>110</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your death-blow sends the Pit Agarashi sprawling limply to the chamber floor, but its loathsome body has barely settled amongst the junk when you glimpse the Vazhag hurl something from the corner of the room. A glint of light on razor-sharp steel reveals the curvy-bladed knife which is now spinning end-over-end towards your chest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect55">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 55</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect174">If you do not possess <em>both</em> of these Grand Master Disciplines, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect111">
+ <meta><title>111</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus upon the three distant pits and allow your consciousness to pass into the trance-like state that must be achieved to allow your Discipline to work. A tingling sensation runs along your limbs and gradually an image takes form in your mind.</p>
+ <p>From out of a swirling mist there comes into focus a moving scene that is terrible to behold. A vast procession of partially-clad soldiers are being herded into the pits by packs of blood-hungry Vazhag. They are bound with ropes and many are grievously wounded. They plead for mercy but their pitiful cries go unheeded as the snarling, savage rat-men stab them to death with their cruelly-fashioned spears before casting them down into the three yawning abysses.</p>
+ <p>Gradually the image fades and, as you return to consciousness, you discover that you are lying face down upon the ground. Your limbs shake uncontrollably and your forehead and chest are bathed in a cold sweat. You have tapped into the powerful residue of psychic force that pervades this site and the experience has left you in a state of psychic shock: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect93">To continue, <link-text>turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect112">
+ <meta><title>112</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hanging by your fingertips on to the underside of the descending drawbridge, you are slowly lowered into the icy cold waters of the lake. The bridge stops with a jolt, leaving you dangling waist-deep in the water and feeling all-too-vulnerably like a piece of Dholdaarg bait.</p>
+ <p>You hear the rasp of clawed feet scurrying across the bridge and a voice, unmistakably Cenerese, echoes from the opposite side of the cave. Despite the pain in your fingers and forearms, you remain absolutely motionless as the rat-like Vazhag cross the bridge and descend to the muddy shore. One or two remain on the bridge directly above you, and you can see them through the cracks in the timbers. They are squeaking and pointing at the oily green pools of blood that stain the surface of the lake.</p>
+ <p>Drawn by their comrades' squeaking, you see two Vazhag leap from the platform and pad down towards the water's edge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect195">If you possess Assimilance, <link-text>turn to 195</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect130">If you do not possess this Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect113">
+ <meta><title>113</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Vazhag lancer tumbles lifelessly to the ground startling its horse which turns and bolts towards the forest. Instantly you act to prevent its escape by using your Magnakai ability of Animal Control. Your powers soothe the creature and coax it to return.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you mount the steed and head off along the trail which leads to the River Storn. You are less than five miles from the bridge where you hope to finally make good your escape to the Freeland of Slovia. By keeping to the forest's edge you avoid the traffic of Vazhag troops moving back and forth along the trail and, by the time you reach the banks of the mighty Storn, your spirits are high. Unfortunately, when you do catch your first sight of the bridge, your hopes of making a crossing here are soon dashed.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small2.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small2.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect182"><link-text>Turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect114">
+ <meta><title>114</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The hound crashes to the ground, mortally wounded. But before you can even catch your breath, its master comes charging at you with his sword raised to hack you down.</p>
+ <p>You sidestep his first blow, gaining the few precious seconds you need in which to compose yourself for this second wave of combat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Defender</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">30</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect5">If you win this fight, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect115">
+ <meta><title>115</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull the iron lever and at first nothing happens. Then you hear a click followed by the hiss of escaping air as the concealed door unlocks and glides open. Quickly you enter and close the door to avoid being seen by the Vazhag guards.</p>
+ <p>A narrow corridor lies beyond, lit by a gloomy crimson light which is filtering through a threadbare curtain hung from hooks in the ceiling. Automatically you cast your eyes around, checking floor, walls, and roof for traps, but detect nothing unduly suspicious. Then you approach the curtain and through its moth-eaten fabric you spy a small bed chamber. A grossly overweight Vazhag, wrapped in furs, lies sprawled upon a divan in the centre of the room. He is snoring fitfully. Around him are strewn heaps of all manner of items: rusty weapons, tarnished armour, boxes and candlesticks, trinkets, baubles and books. In the merchant stores of Holmgard they would be rejected as worthless junk, but here, in the rat-holes of the Skardos Mountains, they no doubt pass for treasure.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small3.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small3.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Across the chamber, beyond the sleeping Vazhag, you see another curtained archway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect319">If you wish to enter the chamber and search through the items which litter the floor, <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect238">If you choose to cross the chamber and investigate the curtained archway, <link-text>turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If you decide to turn around and leave by the secret door, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect116">
+ <meta><title>116</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you approach the sphere, its sparkling crystal core is darkened by a mist. Rapidly this smoky discolouration expands until it transcends the confines of the sphere and begins to take the shape of a swirling funnel which comes closer with every passing second. The moment that the edges of this sinister cone engulf your vision, you sense a dramatic change take place, as if you have suddenly crossed over the boundary which separates consciousness from dreams.</p>
+ <p>A sensation of falling assails your senses and, with panic in your heart, you try desperately to extricate yourself from this terrifying cone of darkness.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <p>Now, consult the following list and modify your number where appropriate:</p>
+ <p>If you possess Kai-screen add 3.</p>
+ <p>If you possess Grand Nexus add 1.</p>
+ <p>If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is 20 or higher add 1.</p>
+ <p>If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is 19 or lower subtract 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect269">If it is 5-7, <link-text>turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect143">If it is 8 or higher, <link-text>turn to 143</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect117">
+ <meta><title>117</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With the shrieks of the horde and the rasping growl of the Giganite echoing in your ears, you spring to your feet and run headlong into the mouth of the leafy tunnel. Your stamina and fleetness of foot keep you ahead of the ghouls until, two miles later, you sense that the danger has passed and it is safe enough for a few minutes' rest.</p>
+ <p>Once your pulse has settled, your fear of being followed prompts you to continue along the leafy passage without further delay. You progress in a near-darkness which is broken only by a few scattered rays of grey light that creep through the ceiling above. At length the tunnel ends and you emerge into a clearing where stand the derelict remains of an ancient stone dwelling. You approach it warily, sensing the presence of magic, yet inside its shattered walls you find nothing but mould and clumps of sickly black grass. Then your skills of Divination tingle afresh as the presentiment of sorcery increases. Suddenly you realize that the source of the magic is not here in this ruined hut: it is approaching the hut.</p>
+ <p>Through a crack in the stones you see a gap appear in the wall of trees opposite and a group of Vazhag enter the clearing, their ratty faces sniffing at the heavy, humid air. Among their number is one who is not of their breed. He is human in size and stature, though his hooded scarlet robes make it difficult to be sure. For a moment you catch a glimpse of the glassy green mask covering his face and at once you know that this being is a Cener Druid. In his hand he carries a rod of gold that is radiating the aura of magic which you detected when first you entered the clearing.</p>
+ <p>The Cener calls his pack to a halt. They cease all movement and watch in quiet awe as he raises his golden rod and uses it to make a slow, deliberate sweep of the clearing. Hurriedly you draw on your Magnakai skills of Invisibility and Pathsmanship to shield you from detection as the Cener sweeps back the rod and levels it directly at the derelict hut.</p>
+ <p>Waves of psychic energy flow across your mind. Steadily they grow in intensity, probing and testing your defences to breaking point.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect44">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect298">If you do not possess this Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect118">
+ <meta><title>118</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tunnel continues for more than a mile before it descends, by means of a steep staircase, to another passageway over one hundred feet below the first. Here the air is full of fine dust and you can hear small scratching sounds coming from inside the walls.</p>
+ <p>In the dark distance, you see clearly a score of crab-like creatures grouped in circles on the tunnel floor. Their shells are bone-white and you hazard a guess that these strange crustaceans have probably never been exposed to the sun. At your approach they scuttle up the walls with surprising speed and disappear into funnel-shaped holes that riddle the ceiling.</p>
+ <p>Confident that the crabs have taken fright and fled, you advance along the tunnel towards another staircase, the top of which you can just discern in the far distance. You are passing beneath the crab-holes when you hear a faint hissing noise and suddenly you feel droplets of sticky clear liquid spattering your head and shoulders. Then wisps of grey smoke arise from your cloak and you feel a searing pain, as if a fistful of red-hot needles were being stabbed repeatedly into your scalp. You are being attacked by a powerful organic acid and it is rapidly eating its way into your flesh!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If you possess Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect329">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect119">
+ <meta><title>119</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Stealthily you make your way towards the stairwell and descend the steps without being seen. The circular stairs spiral down more than fifty feet to a chamber directly below the hall, empty save for a line of red robes and masks which hang from pegs driven into the marble wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect158">If you already possess Cener Robes <em>and</em> a Cener Mask, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect77">If you possess only one, or neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 77</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect120">
+ <meta><title>120</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature's ghastly visage is the very stuff of nightmares. From its bear-like torso there protrude four tentacles and two powerful legs, all sheathed in shaggy scales. The limbs are surmounted with horny talons which glint menacingly in the gloom. Its head, set with huge fishy eyes, is bulbous and disfigured by disease. It rests awkwardly upon a crooked neck which wobbles with every movement the lumbering beast makes. A livid crimson gash just below the eyes serves as its mouth, and a long tail, ridged with sharp spines, swishes behind it.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>You see a creature advancing towards you whose ghastly visage is the very stuff of nightmares.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill6.gif" width="386" height="589"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill6.pdf" width="386" height="589"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>With unexpected speed the beast is suddenly upon you, stabbing and slashing at your body with its sword-sharp talons.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Degradon</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">49</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge (but not Kai-surge).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect121">
+ <meta><title>121</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you step away from the dead Vazhag, you notice a tiny box-like device hanging from a chain around the Pit Agarashi's neck. At once your natural sixth sense informs you that the device is magical. It controlled the creature's instincts, enslaving it to the commands of the weaker Vazhag.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to take this Restrainer, record it as a Special Item on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>Anxious to leave, you lift the furs which cover the divan and see, protruding from the side, a small lever identical to the one that opened the secret door. You pull it and the door clicks open, enabling you to escape by the way you entered.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308"><link-text>Turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect122">
+ <meta><title>122</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Vazhag inform you that they are returning from a place called the Temple of Dzenya. Brother Hoylez, the druid in charge of the temple, recently resurrected this human from the temple's grave-pits. They have been ordered to deliver it to Brother Croumah at the Hall of Sacrifice in Mogaruith.</p>
+ <p><quote>Excellent!</quote> you reply, convincingly. <quote>I myself am on my way to seek council with Brother Croumah this very instant. You will escort me there. Now, lead on!</quote></p>
+ <p>The Vazhag appear to relax upon hearing your order, as if they had half-expected you to punish them, and they set off readily towards the drawbridge with you following close behind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect233"><link-text>Turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect123">
+ <meta><title>123</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You see the red-robed druid flick his wrist and from his golden rod there leaps a second charge. This lance of crackling fire spirals through the hole in the wall and comes arcing towards your face, like a ravenous vampire let loose upon a maiden's throat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215">If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect344">If you have neither of these Grand Master Disciplines, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect124">
+ <meta><title>124</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sense a strong aura of power surrounding the druid. He stands only a few feet from where you are crouching and, in order to prevent him detecting your presence, you call upon all of your advanced mastery of camouflage to keep you safe.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect213">If your total score is now 3&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 213</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect164">If it is 5&endash;12, <link-text>turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect125">
+ <meta><title>125</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sense that Cadak's command is no simple trick for you can feel another presence in the room, moving towards your back. You sidestep to your left and turn, keeping the Arch Druid still in sight as you glance across your shoulder at the rest of the chamber.</p>
+ <p>You had been half-expecting to see one of Cadak's henchmen sneaking forward with a dagger in his hand, and so the terrible sight which greets your gaze now is doubly shocking.</p>
+ <p>Stepping from out of the tapestry which covers the wall is a gigantic, bull-like creature, with the head and face of a man. Two needle-sharp fangs protrude from its bloodstained upper lip, and its eyes gleam with a murderous lust that chills your soul. What had once, only minutes before, been woven into the fabric of the tapestry, now strides towards you with slow purposeful steps, its taloned hands outstretched in eager readiness to tear you apart.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A gigantic, bull-like creature steps towards you out of the tapestry.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill7.gif" width="386" height="625"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill7.pdf" width="386" height="625"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>Exterminus</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">50</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect2">You may evade this combat after 4 rounds by <link-text>turning to 2</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect320">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect126">
+ <meta><title>126</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A sudden noise startles you and you spin around to face it. A section of the wall is moving inwards, carrying with it the robes that are hanging there. A figure, dressed in a hooded purple cloak and clasping a large leather-bound book, appears in the opening. As he steps into the room the section of wall closes behind him.</p>
+ <p><quote>What are you doing here, brother?</quote> he asks, his voice heavy with suspicion. You sense that he is a druid of high rank and you know your answer must be convincing if you are to avoid his wrath.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect170">If you wish to answer by saying that you have come here to help him, <link-text>turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If you wish to say that you are looking for a lost possession, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If you decide that actions speak louder than words, you can attack him by <link-text>turning to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect127">
+ <meta><title>127</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Waiting in the shadows, camouflaged from detection by your cloak of Kai skills, you patiently observe the portal and guards. After several minutes, the resonant boom of a metal gong echoes in some deep and distant part of the caves. As the echo slowly fades, another sound, that of metal scraping on stone, resounds around the cavern. Then a crack of light appears along the bottom of the portal and, with a grating screech, the great wall of iron slowly rises up into the ceiling.</p>
+ <p>Through the opening comes a patrol of Vazhag who are escorting a wagon stacked high with wooden boxes, barrels and sacks. A sudden rush of female Vazhag, all squealing and clamouring for food, brings the wagon to a halt directly beneath the onion-shaped portico. The escort struggles to fend off the hungry females with little effect until, with a spine-tingling screech, the portal begins to descend. A wave of panic washes over the Vazhag and they turn and run back into the cavern, fearful of being crushed beneath the falling iron door.</p>
+ <p>When it is just a few feet from the wagon, the portal shudders and grinds to a halt. Those few guards and Vazhag escort who remained nearby quickly rush forward to drag the wagon from beneath the portal. You notice that the females are beginning to return and you know that you must act now if you are to escape from the cavern before the wagon is pulled clear and the iron door closes.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you wish to use your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus to help you escape, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect68">If you wish to use your Magnakai Discipline of Psi-surge, <link-text>turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If you wish to use your Magnakai Discipline of Invisibility, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect128">
+ <meta><title>128</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the doorway is a flight of stone steps which ascend into the gloom. You pound up the steps, your heart beating in time with your feet, and emerge at a chamber which is lit by foul-smelling torches fixed around the walls. Two passages lead out of this room: one heads towards the west, the other towards the east. You pause for a moment to use your Magnakai senses of Divination and Pathsmanship, but you detect nothing unusual about either passage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect271">If you wish to enter the west passage, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect95">If you choose to enter the east passage, <link-text>turn to 95</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect129">
+ <meta><title>129</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Coughing and retching, you haul your way out of the stinking bog and collapse upon the soft forest floor. For a few moments you lie there, unable to see through the mask of filth that hangs down in front of your eyes. Then, with the edge of your hand, you slowly scrape the slime from your face and look back at the threads of dark crimson blood which trace a marbled pattern against the green surface scum. They are testimony to your hard-won fight.</p>
+ <p>With the memory of your battle against the bog creature still vivid in your mind, you clamber to your feet and hurry along the track heading east.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect242"><link-text>Turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect130">
+ <meta><title>130</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Anxious to avoid being seen by the approaching Vazhag, you release your grip and allow yourself to drop silently into the lake. The moment the cold waters close above your head you strike out and swim underwater towards the north bank. The lake is dark and forbidding yet your powerful sight enables you to see the contours of the lake bed as they pass beneath you.</p>
+ <p>For the most part the water is no more than twenty feet deep, hardly a depth capable of hiding the huge body of a Dholdaarg. But as you are nearing the centre you catch sight of the monster's lair. A yawning black crevasse cuts a jagged line east to west along the bottom of the lake bed. A strong undercurrent and an inky blackness tell you that this watery abyss could be several hundred feet deep.</p>
+ <p>You increase your stroke and swim across the crevasse as swiftly as you can, fearful of what lurks in its hellish depths. Like an underwater cliff's edge the lake bed reappears, and beyond it you glimpse the inviting shallows of the north bank.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect183">If the number you have chosen is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect312">If the number is 5&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect131">
+ <meta><title>131</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect131-1-foot" idref="sect131-1">
+ <p>If you possess the Sommerswerd, you should double the Undead Plague Agarashi's <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point loss.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai power of Nexus, and the strength of your own two hands, you force open the barred door and gain access to the ante-room beyond. It is unlit and every surface is thick with a dust that has lain undisturbed for many years. On a marble dais, which occupies most of the floor, there stands a large rectangular stone casket. It has no lid, and as you approach it you see that it contains the mummified remains of a creature you cannot readily identify.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>You approach a marble dias containing remains of a creature you cannot identify.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill8.gif" width="386" height="593"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill8.pdf" width="386" height="593"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You can feel no evil in the vicinity of this corpse, and your senses tell you that there is nothing, other than yourself, alive in this room. Confident in this knowledge you lean forward to examine the corpse.</p>
+ <p>Without warning, a powerful spike of psychic energy penetrates deep into your mind. Its icy-cold attack numbs your senses and leaves you trembling helplessly with shock&emdash;lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Reeling from the unexpected onslaught, you struggle to erect a mind shield as the mummified remains of the corpse slowly stir into life.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly, a claw-tipped limb snakes towards your throat and grabs you in a choking, vice-tight grip. Desperately you struggle to unsheathe a weapon and free yourself as the grisly remains of a Plague Agarashi rise up from the casket only inches before your disbelieving eyes.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Plague Agarashi (Undead/magically animated)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">46</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Due to the speed and surprise of this creature's attack, reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 3 for the duration of this fight.<a id="sect131-1" idref="sect131-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect132">
+ <meta><title>132</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly, above you, there is a loud rattling noise followed by the grating squeal of iron on stone. You spin around to look at the staircase by which you entered and, to your horror, you see a heavy portcullis come crashing down to seal off the exit. Then there is another sound: the hiss of escaping air. Your senses detect it is coming from around the great portal and, as it slowly begins to open, you reach for your weapons in readiness to defend your life.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect221">If you possess a Bow and an Arrow and wish to use them, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect325">If you do not possess a Bow, or choose not to use it, you can unsheathe a hand weapon instead by <link-text>turning to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect133">
+ <meta><title>133</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The crumbling rock wall and lack of secure hand holds fail to thwart your natural climbing ability. With relative ease you scale the shaft and emerge upon a mountainside, at a place hidden beneath an outcrop which is ringed by wind-worn boulders and scrub.</p>
+ <p>Early morning sunlight illuminates the surrounding hills. Beyond them you see a vast expanse of forest, a sea of sickly grey-green trees, which radiates an unmistakable aura of evil. The position of the sun and your Pathsmanship skills inform you that you are looking upon the Forest of Ruel from the eastern foothills of the Skardos Mountains.</p>
+ <p>The land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being a wide dirt track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the grim forest. You consult your map and conclude that this must be the Skardos Trail, the secret route used by the Ceners, which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow the trail, but first (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must eat a meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect134">
+ <meta><title>134</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you try to swim against the current to avoid the fall of shattered rocks and fire but, despite your valiant efforts, you cannot escape being crushed by the deluge. Death is mercifully swift.</p>
+ <p>The incredible bravery you have displayed during your quest has brought about the destruction of the plague virus, and the druids who knew the secrets of its cultivation. This destruction has saved millions from a terrible death, and the selfless courage you have shown in bringing this about will never be forgotten by the free peoples of Magnamund. Sadly, though, death is the price you have paid for your victory.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here beneath the Ghardoz bridge.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect135">
+ <meta><title>135</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The druid's bolt knocks you flat on your back and surrounds your body with a flashing web of electrical power. Painfully you drag yourself to your feet and, as the spider-like threads of energy begin to fade, you look up to see the Cener shouting and waving at his Vazhag minions. He is commanding them to attack the ruins and rip what remains of you to shreds!</p>
+ <p>With hatred blazing in their blood-red eyes, the Vazhag advance towards the derelict dwelling, each carrying a rusty weapon poised for the kill.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If you wish to stand and fight these disease-ridden Vazhag, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If you decide to attempt to evade them, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect136">
+ <meta><title>136</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Gasping for air, you are forced to retreat from this seemingly impenetrable cloud of poisonous spores. For several minutes you claw your way blindly up the steep passageway until at last you reach a section where you can breathe more easily. You have survived, but you have been severely weakened by your encounter with a colony of deadly khloros fungi: lose 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Unable to continue in your chosen direction, you turn around and reluctantly head back towards the fissure.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect332"><link-text>Turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect137">
+ <meta><title>137</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You descend a few rungs, just far enough to put you beyond reach of the spear blades, and then you utter the words of the Brotherhood spell of Levitation. Moments later you feel gravity losing its grip and gently you push yourself away from the ladder to hover in mid-air.</p>
+ <p>The Acolytes gasp in shocked surprise as you rise up to confront them eye to eye. The nearest allows his spear to waver and instantly you lash out at his vulnerable chest. The impact of your blow knocks him from the platform to fall, screaming, into the midst of the glass boxes on an experiment table far below.</p>
+ <p>Gracefully you step on to the platform and crouch in readiness to fight the remaining Acolyte. He meets your stare with a sneer that readily conveys his hatred of your race. Then, spurred on by the yells of his confederates in the hall below, he jumps forward and thrusts his weapon at your throat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Acolyte of Vashna (With Medallion of Protection)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">25</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect29">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect138">
+ <meta><title>138</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You trail the two novices along a series of corridors that end at a large antechamber. This domed hall is decorated with tapestries which depict Cenerese legends, ignoble and infamous deeds that were perpetrated during the Age of the Old Kingdoms, when, for nearly a thousand years, the Cenerese tyrannized Northern Magnamund.</p>
+ <p>The novices hurry towards a heavy door and, as they swing it open and enter, you hear the doleful sound of chanting. Curiosity prompts you to approach the door, which they have left ajar, and peer through its narrow opening. A chill runs the length of your spine the moment you see what lies in the hall beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect139">
+ <meta><title>139</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The corpulent Vazhag continues to snore, blissfully oblivious to your presence inside his private chamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect238">If you wish to cross the chamber and investigate the curtained archway, <link-text>turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If you choose to leave the chamber via the secret door, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect140">
+ <meta><title>140</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nimbly you dive and roll across the spongy ground to avoid the falling creepers. Your swift action saves you from the first attack, but another mass descend, moving faster than the first, and ensnare you in their thorny grasp before you can get back on your feet.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect56">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect291">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect141">
+ <meta><title>141</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly there is a loud crack: the support pin has popped out and, as the massive weight of the cauldron is suddenly removed, the chain whips away like an angry snake. You step back to avoid being hit by it and, from the edge of the platform, you watch with grim satisfaction as the cauldron plummets into the hall below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect142">
+ <meta><title>142</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The speed and apparent ease with which you dispatched his minions shocks the Cener Druid to the core. Gibbering with fright, he turns and runs for the safety of the tunnel by which he and his now deceased underlings entered the cave. Anxious not to allow him to escape and raise the alarm, you clamber on to the platform and run across the drawbridge in pursuit of the red-robed figure.</p>
+ <p>The tunnel beyond the bridge is narrow yet well-lit and you have no difficulty following your prey. Stealthily and speedily you close upon him like a lion running to ground a frightened fawn. He glances over his shoulder repeatedly as you draw nearer, then, in desperation, he skids to a halt beneath one of the many hanging bowls which illuminate the passageway. He raises both hands, as if surrendering, but as you approach him he grasps the underside of the heavy bowl and heaves it at you. Suddenly, with a sizzling rush, a gallon of blazing coal oil spills over the stone rim and comes gushing down towards your unprotected face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324">If you possess Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect143">
+ <meta><title>143</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw on all your strength to resist the terrible power which is sucking you towards its heart. In desperation you call upon the gods Kai and Ishir to aid you and, as if in response to your prayers, you sense yourself rising as the swirling vortex begins to recede.</p>
+ <p>Then, abruptly, the swirling funnel evaporates and you find yourself on your hands and knees, breathless and trembling, staring at the cold stone floor of Cadak's throne room. Slowly you rise to your feet, then a faint sound behind warns you that someone or something is moving about in the antechamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect222"><link-text>Turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect144">
+ <meta><title>144</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Carefully you form your lips into an <quote>O</quote> shape in readiness to utter the power word battle-spell you have been taught by Lord Rimoah. Then, the instant the spell-thoughts focus in your mind, you project the power word&emdash;Gloar!&emdash;at the middle of the fleeing druid's back. Like a sledgehammer, the sound hits him between the shoulder blades and sends him tumbling head over heels into a tangle of forest briars.</p>
+ <p>Stunned and groaning, the Cener fumbles for his slender golden rod and, as if guided by more than chance, his spindly fingers locate it at once. Yet, before he can use it to retaliate, you sprint across the clearing, weapon in hand, and attack him where he lies:</p>
+ <p>Cener Druid (prone):</p>
+ <p><typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 20 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> 28</p>
+ <choice idref="sect60">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect145">
+ <meta><title>145</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few feet of the gap when the first of the Vazhag's arrows come screaming towards your legs. You twist aside and avoid one of the shafts, but the other hits you in the left leg and gouges a furrow of flesh from your calf: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Gritting your teeth against the sharp pain, you drag yourself through the narrow opening and emerge on a mountainside, at a place hidden beneath an outcrop which is ringed by wind-worn boulders and scrub. Early morning sunlight illuminates the surrounding hills, and beyond them you see a vast expanse of forest, a sea of sickly grey-green trees, which radiates an unmistakable aura of evil. The position of the sun and your Pathsmanship skills tell you that you are now looking upon the Forest of Ruel from the eastern foothills of the Skardos Mountains.</p>
+ <p>The land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being a wide dirt track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the grim forest. You consult your map and conclude that this must be the Skardos Trail, the secret route used by the Ceners, which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow the trail, but first you hobble away from the ledge lest the Vazhag, and their monstrous war-dogs, should decide to give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect146">
+ <meta><title>146</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect146-1-foot" idref="sect146-1">
+ <p>This section corresponds to the correct answer to the riddle in <a idref="sect48">Section 48</a>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You speak your answer and instantly the lid of the box clicks open.<a id="sect146-1" idref="sect146-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Congratulations, Grand Master Lone Wolf, your reckoning was correct. Dividing any number by one half actually doubles that number. Therefore, 80 divided by one half becomes 160. Subtract 14 from 160 and you have the solution to the puzzle.</p>
+ <p>Inside the box you discover a Map of Mogaruith, which details its dungeon levels. This is a Special Item which you carry tucked into your tunic. You need not discard any other Special Item in its favour if you already carry the maximum allowed.</p>
+ <p>An unexpected shuffling noise, somewhere in another part of the library, causes you to freeze. Someone else has entered. You look over your shoulder at the door and decide that now would be a very wise time to leave.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect147">
+ <meta><title>147</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You clear the gap with inches to spare but not entirely without cost. The portcullis snares your Backpack and, as you roll away, it is torn from your shoulders and crushed when the heavy portal slams to the ground. (You must now erase all Backpack Items and Meals from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <p>You spring to your feet instantly and run headlong across the drawbridge towards the far side. Arrows rain down on you from the battlements, but your speed and agility keep you from being hit. Then, within seconds of reaching firm ground, you are confronted by a group of three Vazhag returning from battle. Two are armed with spears and they face you on foot, but the third sits astride a captured Slovian steed. It is wielding a cavalry lance and you can tell by the way the rat-man balances it that it is skilled in its use.</p>
+ <p>The two spear-wielders squeal their battle-cry and attack you simultaneously. However, this cry is quickly transformed into a duet of pain when you strike out and kill them instantly. They drop to the ground and almost immediately the rider is upon you, jabbing at your chest with the tip of its lance. You duck the first thrust, and steady yourself to meet the second as the Vazhag lancer turns and bears down on you once more.</p>
+ <combat>
+ <enemy>Vazhag Lancer</enemy>
+ <enemy-attribute class="combatskill">32</enemy-attribute>
+ <enemy-attribute class="endurance">20</enemy-attribute>
+ </combat>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect148">
+ <meta><title>148</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The grim horde shambles nearer and close ranks, in readiness, perhaps, for a concerted attack. But combat is not their intent. As one, they open their mouths and give vent to a ghastly sound that is akin to mocking laughter, the like of which you have never heard before.</p>
+ <p>As if in answer to their gleeful cacophony there arises, from out of the black shadows of the pits, a dreadful rumbling roar. Something huge is stirring deep within each of those dark forbidding shafts. As the ghoulish laughter reaches its pitch, three giant, misshapen cat-like heads rise up into the light, each perched atop a snaky body as thick as the trunk of a tree. They bare their fangs and shake off the tangle of human bones that cling to their stinking, corpse-green manes.</p>
+ <p>The sight of these unholy creatures makes you reel back in shock and utter a cry of disbelief. Your cry is lost among the barrage of screeching howls, yet the cat-things react as if they hear it and, together, they come oozing out from their dark, noisome lairs and glide slowly towards where you stand.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80">If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge, <link-text>turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect38">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect149">
+ <meta><title>149</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having witnessed how swiftly you dispatched his entire Vazhag escort, the Cener chooses to escape while he can. He turns and runs along the track which leads away from the clearing, and hurriedly you give chase.</p>
+ <p>You catch up with him less than fifty yards along the track. In desperation, he tries to cut you down with another blast of energy but your swift reflexes save you from being hit. A well-placed blow knocks the rod from his hand and deflects the blast away into the trees. Cursing you, he unsheathes a dagger and lunges at your heart.</p>
+ <combat>
+ <enemy>Cener Druid</enemy>
+ <enemy-attribute class="combatskill">28</enemy-attribute>
+ <enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute>
+ </combat>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect150">
+ <meta><title>150</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the door awaits an echoing hall which reeks of decay. Its walls are adorned with gruesome paintings which depict terrible scenes of human slaughter. One in particular catches your eye and, although you try hard to ignore it, you find you cannot turn your head away. It shows a pit of helpless humans, writhing and screaming in anguish as they are slowly consumed by packs of wild-eyed plague dogs. The scene shocks you deeply for the doomed humans all have distinct Sommlending features.</p>
+ <p>With difficulty you tear your eyes away and force yourself to look elsewhere in this unfriendly hall. You see columns rising to the roof, each wound round with creepers and fungi which give off an unwholesome, pallid light. Ahead you see another door, identical to that by which you have entered, and before it there stands a desk on top of a plinth of green stone. A creature sits at the desk, huddled over the open pages of a ledger upon which it is writing with a feathered quill pen. As you draw closer it stops scrawling and places its quill into a nearby pot of ink, fashioned from the crown of a human skull. The creature raises its hairless head and stares at you unblinkingly with its solitary eye.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>As you draw closer the creature stops scrawling and places its quill into an ink pot fashioned from a human skull.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill9.gif" width="386" height="569"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill9.pdf" width="386" height="569"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>Who seeks an audience with He?</quote> it croaks, hoarsely. <quote>State your name, brother, and your purpose here.</quote></p>
+ <p>You are standing in the antechamber of Arch Druid Cadak's throne hall. To enter the hall itself and, hopefully, discover where the deadly virus is being cultivated, you know that you must first persuade this creature to allow you to pass.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you decide to say that you have come from the battlefront with important news for the Arch Druid, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect208">If you wish to say that you are an agent who has just arrived from the Lastlands with vital information for Cadak's eyes only, <link-text>turn to 208</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect91">If you possess Animal Mastery and wish to use it to exert control over this creature's mind, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect151">
+ <meta><title>151</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call upon the power of your Animal Mastery and hold the rat-man with your piercing gaze as you demand that he grants you entry to Mogaruith without further delay. He does not respond to your power and at once you detect that his mind is shielded by some magical means which enables him to resist your will.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Grand Mastery of Kai-alchemy <em>and</em> Kai-surge, add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect70">If your total score is now 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect175">If your score is 5 or higher, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect152">
+ <meta><title>152</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The flame-creature rises up and hovers little more than an arm's length above your head. Its tentacles lash out and you are forced to sidestep swiftly to avoid them ensnaring you. Then, as if spurred on by the frantic cries of the cave beasts, it advances upon you. For a moment it seems to swell and contract, as if it is inhaling and exhaling a huge lungful of air, then suddenly a wall of blinding white light erupts before your eyes as a blast of psychic energy comes crashing into your mind. You reel from the unexpected shock of its impact, and your Magnakai senses are unable to shield you from its withering onslaught: lose 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect301">If you survive this massive psychic assault, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect153">
+ <meta><title>153</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hide yourself as best you can, taking advantage of a brace of boulders that lie beside the stone steps, and wait with bated breath as the sound of the approaching group grows louder and nearer. Torchlight flickers, casting a watery yellow beam across the cavern floor, then the first of the group enters and you catch sight of their repulsive forms.</p>
+ <p>A patrol of six Vazhag file into the cavern. Each one is as tall as a Sommlending youth and all are armed with crude, rusty weapons. Fragments of armour and uniforms, which once belonged to human soldiers, encase their hairy, rat-like bodies. They are more than ten feet from your hiding place, but even so, they give off such a vile aroma of filth and disease that you are forced to draw upon your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus to prevent yourself from retching out loud.</p>
+ <p>They come closer and halt at the foot of the stone stairs, barely an arm's length from where you are hiding, and you hear them talking in a high-pitched squeal which reminds you of rusty door hinges. All the while they repeatedly cast furtive glances at the west tunnel entrance as if they are waiting for another of their party to catch up.</p>
+ <p>Within minutes another member of their patrol does arrive, only this creature is not one of their breed: it is human-sized. However, the hooded scarlet robe it is wearing makes it difficult for you to be absolutely sure that the creature within is human. The Vazhag cease their squealing when the hooded one raises a gloved hand. In that instant, you catch a glimpse of the glassy green mask which is covering his face, and at once you recognize this mask: it is a jazak, the ritual mask of a Cener Druid.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect124">If you possess Grand Mastery of Assimilance, <link-text>turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect213">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 213</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect154">
+ <meta><title>154</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The inquisitive Tzarg passes within a few feet of your hiding place, but your Grand Mastery saves you from detection. Eventually it waddles into the passageway from which you entered and hurries off with an excited group of Vazhag close on its heels, all of them now convinced by the Tzarg's actions that it has picked up your trail.</p>
+ <p>Patiently you wait until the sound of their footsteps has faded before you emerge from your hiding place and leave the hall by the stairs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect75"><link-text>Turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect155">
+ <meta><title>155</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cautiously you advance to the edge of the stagnant pool, your super-sharp senses alert to the slightest hint of danger. Using your innate Magnakai skill of Invisibility you take care to mask your body heat and scent least they should stir the unwanted attentions of any keen-nosed denizens of Ruel. You pause at the pool's edge for a moment where, using your powers of Divination, you scan the surrounding darkness for invisible or hidden enemies. Sensing no threat, you continue to skirt the fetid pond and follow the stream to where it trickles out of the forest. There you are greeted by an unwholesome warmth. It rises from a decaying mulch of roots and fungi that squelch repulsively underfoot. Silently you offer up a prayer to Ishir before venturing further into this inhospitable domain.</p>
+ <p>For several miles you trudge through the slime that borders the stream. This sickly strip of mud forms a narrow pathway that is, in turn, bordered by the tall trunks and thorny briars of the forest. So dense is this tangle of trees and brush that you feel sure it could only be the result of evil herbcraft.</p>
+ <p>At length the stream widens and the forest begins to thin out. Soon you are able to leave the foul-smelling brook and enter the forest proper, where after a short while you happen upon the remnants of a track. It descends towards a bog from which arises a cloak of misty vapour. Warily you approach, for the fog clings to the morass and masks its dangers.</p>
+ <p>Now your senses tingle: there is evil all around. At once you reach for your weapon and, as your hand closes upon it, you feel something snake-like coiling around your left foot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect273">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect156">
+ <meta><title>156</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>What blasphemy is this!</quote> gasps the druid, horrified by your answer. <quote>Know you not that it is forbidden for a brother to possess anything! The pursuit of possessions is a hammer that shatters loyalty to our cause. You will atone for this &ellips; oh yes. You will atone to me!</quote></p>
+ <p>And with these crazed words the druid unsheathes a dagger and raises it above his head. A wave of psychic energy washes over your mind and, for an instant, you see his cold eyes widen with shock as he discovers who you really are. He screams a curse and the blade of his dagger is transformed at once into a yellow spike of glowing luminescence. Swiftly you reach for your own weapon as the crazed druid forces you back, stabbing and slicing the air before him with his sorcerous blade.</p>
+ <combat>
+ <enemy>High Priest</enemy>
+ <enemy-attribute class="combatskill">47</enemy-attribute>
+ <enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute>
+ </combat>
+ <p>This enemy is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge (but not Kai-surge).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect157">
+ <meta><title>157</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You release the creaking bowstring and send your Arrow burrowing deep into the Vazhag's chest. The rat-thing utters a strangled cry of pain and surprise as, wide-eyed, it crashes down face first into the midst of its hoard of shoddy treasure.</p>
+ <p>Immediately, with an angry roar, the dog-creature springs forward with its taloned paws outstretched. You retreat, discarding your Bow in favour of a hand weapon with which to fight this ravenous beast.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Pit Agarashi</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">38</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge; only Kai-surge can harm it psychically.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect158">
+ <meta><title>158</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect158-1-foot" idref="sect158-1">
+ <p>The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A narrow corridor connects the chamber to another, where there stands an imposing door made of sheeted copper, inlaid with a filigree of gold and silver. It is the only exit from this otherwise drab chamber.</p>
+ <p>A closer inspection of the door reveals that it is surrounded by an airtight seal. Furthermore, there is no keyhole, drawbolt, or handle. However, your keen eyesight is drawn to a pattern in the door's centre panel which, thanks to past experience, you recognize to be a sophisticated combination lock.</p>
+ <p>The gold inlays form three rows of three numbers within a grid of silver lines:</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small14.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small14.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Below these numbers, in ancient Cenerese script, is carved the message:</p>
+ <p><quote>Declare ye the true number to pass this way</quote></p>
+ <p>Study the grid of numbers. When you think you know the answer to the riddle, turn to the page that bears the same number as your answer.<a id="sect158-1" idref="sect158-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect132">If you cannot solve this puzzle, <link-text>turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect159">
+ <meta><title>159</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A hellish noise echoes around the clearing, a terrifying whip-like crack that sets your ears ringing. From the tip of the Cener's rod there has erupted a stream of crackling blue light. It arcs towards the dwelling and comes bursting through the blocks of ancient stone, ripping them asunder as if they were no more substantial than bales of mildewed corn. Sharp slivers of stone pepper your legs, and the blast's concussion leaves you wide-eyed and gasping for breath: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Through the smoking hole in the wall you can see that the Vazhag pack have halted in their tracks. They hold their grimy paws to their ears and grimace as the Cener prepares to launch a second blast of power from his golden rod.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect123">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect160">
+ <meta><title>160</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You decide that to travel openly along the track would be too risky. Rather than chance falling foul of a Vazhag patrol, you set off through the forest, using the trees for cover, but all the while keeping the trail in sight as you trek north-eastwards toward the Cenerese stronghold.</p>
+ <p>Your decision is soon justified. Within a few minutes you are forced to hide when a rickety wagon, laden with casks and escorted by a dozen Vazhag, appears on the trail ahead. Unaware of your presence, the detachment passes within yards of your position before continuing on its way southwards.</p>
+ <p>It is an hour past noon when the trees thin out and you catch your first glimpse of Mogaruith. Crouching at the forest's edge, you stare awestricken by the sight of its slime-green walls and towers. This vast Cenerese fortress, rising out of the land like the thrusting fist of some vile volcanic demon, bristles with formidable defences. Turrets and bastions punctuate its sheer stone walls, and its base is ringed by a moat of bubbling water. A single drawbridge spans this moat, providing sole access to an archway lined with iron spikes, which gives the entrance a monstrous appearance, like that of a gigantic fanged maw.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>You catch your first glimpse of Mogaruith, the vast Cenerese fortress rising out of the land like the thrusting fist of some volcanic demon.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill10.gif" width="772" height="580"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill10.pdf" width="772" height="580"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Two muddy tracks lead away from the drawbridge. One is the Skardos Trail, the track that brought you here, and the other heads due east. You consult your <a idref="map">map</a> and discover that it leads to the River Storn, less than five miles distant. There a bridge spans this mighty waterway, connecting Ruel to the realm of Slovia. A small army of Vazhag, accompanied by a host of other creatures of doubtful origin, are marching away from Mogaruith in a column. Judging by their numbers, and the wagonloads of equipment they trundle in their wake, you suspect that they are marching to battle with the Freeland army of Slovia.</p>
+ <p>In order to destroy the plague virus and fulfil your vital quest, you know you must gain entry to this stronghold. Anxiously you let the minutes pass as you scan the interminable lines of marching Vazhag, and the fortress walls, in the hope of spotting a means by which you could enter Mogaruith undetected.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If you possess a Cener Mask <em>and</em> a Cener Robe, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect193">If you do not possess both of these items, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect161">
+ <meta><title>161</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You seize the spear and ascend the ladder as quickly as you can. The remaining archers are hot on your heels as you pull yourself on to the platform and rush towards the cauldron. Hastily you wedge the spear's shaft between the chain and its mounting, and lever it back as hard as you can. The wooden shaft begins to split and, for a moment, you are gripped by the fear that all your valiant efforts will be in vain. Then there is a loud crack: the support pin has popped out and, as the massive weight of the cauldron is suddenly removed, the chain whips away like an angry snake.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect191">If the number you have chosen is 0&endash;3, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect105">If it is 4&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect162">
+ <meta><title>162</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>How dare you delay me with trivial formalities!</quote> you bellow, and slap the Vazhag aside with the palm of your hand. The creature snarls and raises its spear defensively. <quote>Delay me a moment longer and I'll see you are boiled alive in your own grease,</quote> you growl. <quote>Let me pass!</quote></p>
+ <p>Your bold threat works. The rat-man's confidence crumbles and nervously he shuffles to one side, lowering his spear as you advance towards him. At that moment, a column of Vazhag and a wagon laden with weapons converge beneath the archway, blocking it completely. Chaos ensues, but the confusion is to your advantage. Quickly you weave your way through the crowd and into the keep beyond where you notice several smaller entrances dotted around the flagstoned square. One in particular looks promising: a staircase that descends to a portal set into the base of the citadel.</p>
+ <p>You are moving towards this entrance when unexpectedly you are confronted by three Cener Druids. They emerge from an alley and come walking towards you in a line abreast. To avoid them you are forced to sidestep quickly into a shadowy doorway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect98"><link-text>Turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect163">
+ <meta><title>163</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Marching shoulder to grisly shoulder the ghoulish horde advances, hungry for flesh untainted by disease and decay. Hurriedly you draw your weapon and breathe a prayer to the sun god Kai to protect you in this moment of truth. Then, with a rush, the first wave fall upon you with a mindless fury. With blurring speed you deal them blows that would consign any mortal to its doom, but the grievous wounds draw neither blood nor ichor.</p>
+ <p>Tirelessly you slash and sever their grasping arms to prevent them from clawing you to the ground. They howl, but not in pain; these ghastly cries are joyous and triumphant. For no matter how skilfully you fight, you cannot resist their weight of numbers and, inch by relentless inch, they are forcing you ever nearer to the pits. As soon as you recognize their strategy you change your method of attack, and direct your blows at those parts of the creatures which pass for legs. Yet even now those parted from their limbs still advance, hunching and clawing their way forwards on their bellies whilst those that were once behind trample them underfoot.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the advance falters and the howling ceases. The grim wall of creatures draw back a few yards and close their ranks in readiness, perhaps, for a final attack. Then, as one, they open their mouths and give vent to laughter, the like of which you have never heard before. Knots of pain build at your temples and frantically you draw upon your mind defences to repel this tidal wave of evil psychic energy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect194">If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect65">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 65</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect164">
+ <meta><title>164</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite his close proximity, and his powerful sense of tracking, the druid fails to detect your presence here in the cavern. You hear him mumble a few disgruntled comments and then, with all the enthusiasm of a tired sloth, he leads his snickering group of rat-men into the south tunnel.</p>
+ <p>Patiently you wait for their flickering torches to be swallowed up by its dark depths. When you are surrounded by total darkness once more, you leave your hiding place and hurry away along the west tunnel. For more than five miles you follow this winding route and, despite your mounting fears, you encounter nothing more threatening than a few ragged-winged bats and a frightened rock snake. Gradually, as the tunnel delves deeper into the Skardos range, the air becomes increasingly cooler and more humid. You can smell the strong scent of water somewhere in the distance and you are not at all surprised when, as you round a sharp bend in the tunnel, you see faint shimmering reflections playing upon the rough stone ceiling.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If you possess Telegnosis, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect165">
+ <meta><title>165</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you return to the chamber, you see the sleeping Vazhag beginning to stir from its slumber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect282">If you wish to attack the waking Vazhag, <link-text>turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If you choose to hurry past it and escape from the chamber by means of the secret door, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect166">
+ <meta><title>166</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With gleeful malevolence the creature Exterminus takes hold of you in a bear-hug and proceeds to crush the air from your lungs. Then, with a demonic squeal of delight, it buries its needle-sharp fangs into the side of your neck and a flash of brilliant white light explodes in your head.</p>
+ <p>Consciousness deserts you. The sensation of falling overcomes your senses until you are consumed completely by a spinning vortex of darkness. The creature has taken your life, but more than this, it has sentenced you to a terrible punishment. You have been consigned to a realm where the power of Good holds no sway. You have been ensnared by the soul of Naar himself, the King of the Darkness, and as his prisoner you will remain, doomed to wander his dark domain for all eternity.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your quest ends here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect167">
+ <meta><title>167</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your aim is awry and the Arrow arcs over the druid's shoulder to disappear among the trees beyond. Instantly he spins to face you and screams at his Vazhag to finish you for good.</p>
+ <p>With a foul, snickering cry the Vazhag race to do their master's bidding. In a frenzy they leap upon you, hacking and stabbing with their rusty blades.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag pack</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">44</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect168">
+ <meta><title>168</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quietly you contemplate your next move as the portcullis slams down, sealing off the main exit from Mogaruith. Within a few moments your thoughts are disturbed by the sound of a large troop of Vazhag ascending the stairs by which you entered this hall. Their approach prompts you to leave by the main door and look for another hiding place outside in the keep.</p>
+ <p>From the shadows of a disused storeroom doorway, you scour the surrounding battlements and walkways, hoping to see an opportunity for escape. However, it does not take too long to discover that the tower offered the only easy route out of this stronghold, one that is now blocked by the portcullis.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly you hear an angry squeal and turn to see a rat-man's snout protruding from the window of a turret high up to your left. It has seen you and it is informing its confederates of your hiding place. You are forced to abandon the doorway and run into a nearby alley as a score of Vazhag guards come charging across the keep in hot pursuit. The alley is a dead end, but you find a stone stairway which ascends to the battlements and you take it in order to keep ahead of the bloodthirsty pack.</p>
+ <p>At the top of the stairs you find yourself sandwiched between two converging Vazhag patrols which are racing along the battlements from both directions. To stand and fight would be futile; you would kill many but you would eventually be overcome by the sheer weight of their numbers.</p>
+ <p>Now there is only one option left and the very thought of it sends a chill racing down your spine. Steeling yourself for what must be done, you sheathe your weapon, take a deep breath, then launch yourself over the battlements towards the bubbling moat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect283"><link-text>Turn to 283</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect169">
+ <meta><title>169</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Ably you sidestep and dodge your way through the throng of female Vazhag who are swarming around the wagon in a food-starved frenzy. One of them runs across your path, forcing you to halt momentarily to avoid crashing into her. But before you can continue, a Vazhag guard is shouldered away from the wagon by the crowd and he collides with you. Swiftly you grab the creature by the throat to stop it from warning its confederates, and drag it one-handedly towards the shadowy cavern wall.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly you feel something crawling up your forearm. A wave of revulsion knots your stomach when you see a mass of black fleas coursing up your arm, migrating from the neck of the frightened Vazhag. The ghastly sight makes you loosen your grip and allows the disease-ridden creature to squeal a desperate cry for help. As one, the guards respond to the cry. They draw their rusty weapons and narrow their tiny red eyes as they abandon the wagon and advance upon you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect313">If you wish to stand and fight these Vazhag, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect204">If you wish to evade them, you can escape through the open portal by <link-text>turning to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect170">
+ <meta><title>170</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Mmmm&ellips; I did not request an attendant to assist me during devotions,</quote> he says, narrowing his cruel grey eyes. <quote>Who ordered you here? Was it Brother Jhordax?</quote></p>
+ <p>You hesitate, but he does not seem to be expecting a reply.</p>
+ <p><quote>That fool Jhordax. This is not the first time that he has failed to observe the protocol of this hall. You can tell your master that I am not impressed by his incompetence. He will have to answer to Him if this ever occurs again.</quote></p>
+ <p>The cloaked druid sweeps past you, opens the door to the prayer hall, then slams it shut behind him to reinforce his displeasure.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect227"><link-text>Turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect171">
+ <meta><title>171</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creatures cease their frenzied movement with an abruptness you find unnerving; it is as if they have suddenly turned to stone. Now that you can see them clearly they remind you of beetles, save that they are far larger and have long segmented tails. You observe them for a few moments longer, then take a tentative step forwards. Instantly they burst into life, only this time they do not confine themselves to the forest floor. With a sound like a thousand squeaky door hinges, they sprout wings and soar into the air in a formation which resembles a small black cloud. Soon they have left the clearing, and as you watch the last of them disappear over the tops of the trees, you can only hope that they are not some form of lookout employed by the Cenerese.</p>
+ <p>On the far side of the clearing you discover that the trail continues deeper into the forest. You follow it for nearly an hour until your keen senses warn of danger ahead and immediately you halt in your tracks. You hear a movement: it is above and behind you. With incredible speed you spin on your heel and raise your weapon to parry a possible attack. Your reactions are fast, but they may not be quick enough to protect you from what lurks in the canopy of branches high above.</p>
+ <p>From out of the darkness there falls a wriggling mass of thorny creepers that come snaking towards your head as if driven by a single mind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect257">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect140">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect172">
+ <meta><title>172</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You struggle to extricate yourself from the bodies of the Vazhag you have slain. As you rise to the summit of the grisly heap, you glimpse the druid scurrying towards the gap in the trees by which he, and his late minions, entered the clearing.</p>
+ <p>You know that he must not be allowed to escape. If he were to reach Mogaruith and raise the alarm, your mission, and probably your life, would soon be over. With fear in your heart you clamber over the dead Vazhag and work your way back along the passage, determined to stop him before he can get away.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you possess a Bow and Arrows and wish to use them, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect334">If you possess mastery of Magi-magic and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect264">If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If you possess none of the above, or choose not to make use of them, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect173">
+ <meta><title>173</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You detect that the crystal sphere is the source of the evil which saturates this room. The closer you move towards it, the harder it becomes for you to suppress the feeling of nausea and revulsion which you are currently experiencing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect338"><link-text>Turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect174">
+ <meta><title>174</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instinctively you flatten yourself against the chamber wall in an attempt to avoid being hit by the spinning blade.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is higher than 20, add 2 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect3">If your total score is now 0&endash;3, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect263">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 263</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect175">
+ <meta><title>175</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Reluctantly, as your Grand Mastery overcomes the magical shield placed upon this creature's mind to protect it from alien influence, the Vazhag stands aside and allows you to pass into the keep of Mogaruith.</p>
+ <p>The great flagstoned square echoes with the rhythmic thump of marching troops and the squealed commands of their Vazhag sergeants. By means of a covered walkway you skirt around this busy plaza and make your way stealthily towards a staircase which descends to a grand portal set into the base of the stronghold's citadel.</p>
+ <p>You have reached the north side of the keep when you are unexpectedly confronted by three Cener Druids, who turn a corner and come walking towards you in a line abreast. To avoid them you are forced to sidestep into a shadowy doorway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect98"><link-text>Turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect176">
+ <meta><title>176</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you unshoulder your Bow and draw an Arrow to your lips. The straining bowstring bites into your fingertips as, with smooth precision, you take aim at the fleeing druid's back. The instant you fix upon his billowing scarlet robes, you release the bowstring and send your shaft speeding towards the nape of his neck.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Weaponmastery (with Bow), add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If your total score is 0&endash;5, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect317">If it is 6 or higher, <link-text>turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect177">
+ <meta><title>177</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Screams of <quote>Intruder!</quote> echo from below as you run headlong towards the ladder. You reach it and begin your climb towards a secondary platform, located directly below the one which supports the winch.</p>
+ <p>You are only six rungs away from the platform when suddenly the faces of two Acolytes of Vashna appear over the edge. They curse and spit on you as they try to stab you with their spears.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect137">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect345">If you possess Magi-magic, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect86">If you possess neither of these Grand Mastery Disciplines, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect178">
+ <meta><title>178</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hide the bodies of your slain enemies as best you can before you leave the cavern. For more than five miles you follow the west tunnel and, despite your mounting fears, you encounter nothing more threatening than a few ragged-winged bats and a frightened rock snake. Gradually, as the tunnel delves deeper into the Skardos range, the air becomes increasingly cooler and more humid. You can smell the scent of water somewhere in the distance and you are not at all surprised when, as you round a bend in the tunnel, you see shimmering reflections playing upon the rough stone ceiling.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If you possess Telegnosis, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect179">
+ <meta><title>179</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai skills, you examine the keyhole and discover that the wall is in fact a concealed door. You attempt to pick the lock, but it is shielded by a powerful spell which you cannot overcome.</p>
+ <p>Reluctantly, you are forced to abandon your efforts and retrace your steps to the top of the stairs. Once you arrive back at this point you continue your escape by taking the west passage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect271"><link-text>Turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect180">
+ <meta><title>180</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You duck to avoid the sweeping tendrils, then turn and begin to run towards the clearing. You have taken but a few steps when a barbed limb lashes out and rakes the back of your legs (lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>You cry out at the sudden pain and stumble to your knees, but quickly you regain your footing and manage to escape without sustaining further injury. Without looking back, you cross the clearing and press on towards the east.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect242"><link-text>Turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect181">
+ <meta><title>181</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nimbly you sidestep and dodge your way through the throng of rat-men who are gathered around the wagon in a frenzy of activity. One of the Vazhag runs across your path, forcing you to halt momentarily to avoid crashing into him. But before you can continue, another of his comrades steps back from the wagon and collides with you. Swiftly you grab the creature by the throat to stop it from warning its confederates, and then you drag it one-handedly towards the shadowy cavern wall.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly you feel something crawling up your forearm. A wave of revulsion knots your stomach when you see a mass of black fleas coursing up your arm, migrating from the neck of the frightened Vazhag. The ghastly sight makes you loosen your grip and allows the disease-ridden creature to squeal a desperate cry of help. As one, the guards respond to the cry. They draw their rusty weapons and narrow their tiny red eyes as they leave the wagon and advance upon you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect313">If you wish to stand and fight these Vazhag, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect204">If you wish to evade them, you can escape through the open portal by <link-text>turning to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect182">
+ <meta><title>182</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A fierce and bloody battle is raging upon the Ghardoz, the formidable stone bridge that joins together the lands of Ruel and Slovia across the River Storn. Its central span is wreathed with smoke and flame, and the approaches are heaped with the dead of both armies.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>On the Ghardoz, the formidable stone bridge joining the lands of Ruel and Slovia, a fierce and bloody battle rages.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill11.gif" width="386" height="643"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill11.pdf" width="386" height="643"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>On the far side of the river, over three hundred yards away, you can see the scarlet battle banners of Slovia fluttering in the soot-laden air. Regiments of foot soldiers are positioned on the bank, waiting nervously for their orders to assault the bridge. You stare at the fast-flowing waters of the Storn and, after careful thought, you decide to brave the currents and attempt to swim across.</p>
+ <p>You send your horse away into the forest and then wade into the icy waters. You are only waist-deep in the Storn when the currents catch you and swiftly bear you away downstream, towards the bridge and the battle. You are passing beneath the central span when suddenly a section of the parapet collapses, showering you with rocks and flame.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery <em>and</em> Assimilance, add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect134">If your total score is 3 or lower, <link-text>turn to 134</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect350">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect183">
+ <meta><title>183</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Seeking a safe place to surface, you swim slowly towards a pair of large, smooth-faced boulders that rest half-buried in the muddy shallows of the north bank. Here you break through the waist-deep water behind the nearest rock and catch your breath. A few moments later a snarling shriek echoes around the walls of the cave and a sudden chill courses down your spine; a Vazhag has seen you.</p>
+ <p>Blinking the water from your eyes, you focus on the screaming rat-thing which is leaning across the rope hand-rail of the bridge. Excitedly it jabs its spear at the boulder, directing the unwanted attention of its loathsome comrades to your hiding place. The Cener Druid screams an order and, with a high-pitched cry, the Vazhag come racing back across the drawbridge, brandishing their rusty weapons. You glance about you for some means of escape but none appears. The only exit from the north bank is the tunnel and that can only be reached from the drawbridge.</p>
+ <p>As the first of the Vazhag leap from the bridge and land on the shore, you know that battle is imminent. You must make a swift decision if you are to survive this deadly encounter.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect52">If you wish to dive into the lake and swim away, <link-text>turn to 52</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect258">If you choose to stand and fight this Vazhag patrol, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect184">
+ <meta><title>184</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect184-1-foot" idref="sect184-1">
+ <p>You must have at least one Arrow in order to <cite>be able to use</cite> a Bow.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature finally overcomes your will but the exertion leaves it dizzy with exhaustion. Then you notice its bony hand is fumbling for a button which protrudes from the side of its desk. It is an alarm button.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39">If you possess a Bow and are able to use it,<a id="sect184-1" idref="sect184-1-foot" class="footnote" /> <link-text>turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect251">If you do not possess a Bow, or choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect185">
+ <meta><title>185</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your right hand and call to mind the thoughts of the spell&emdash;Lightning Hand&emdash;as taught to you by Banedon, and focus the power of this spell upon the tips of your first three fingers. You feel a burning sensation and quickly it becomes almost unbearable: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You are sorely tempted to abandon the spell, but quickly you stifle this urge and release it at the middle of the fleeing druid's back. There is a crackling sound, like the crumpling of dried leaves, then a bright blue light shoots from the tips of your fingers and hits the Cener like a hammer between the shoulder blades, sending him sprawling head first into a tangle of thorny briars.</p>
+ <p>Stunned and groaning, the druid fumbles for his slender golden rod and quickly his spindly fingers locate it. However, before he can use it to retaliate, you sprint across the clearing, weapon in hand, and attack him as he lies on the ground.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Cener Druid (prone)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">20</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect186">
+ <meta><title>186</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within twenty feet of the archway when suddenly a tremendous roar echoes around the hall. You start to run, hoping to make it through the arch and escape a confrontation, but almost immediately you are brought skidding to a halt by a terrifying sight.</p>
+ <p>Advancing from the alcove is a creature whose ghastly visage is the very stuff of nightmares. From its bear-like torso there protrude four tentacles and two powerful legs, all sheathed in shaggy scales. The limbs are surmounted with horny talons which glint menacingly, and its head, set with huge fishy eyes, is bulbous and disfigured by disease. It rests awkwardly upon a crooked neck which wobbles with every movement the lumbering beast makes. A livid crimson gash just below the eyes serves as its mouth, and a long tail with sharp spines swishes behind it, gouging furrows in the surface of the marble floor.</p>
+ <p>With surprising speed the beast is suddenly upon you, stabbing and slashing at your body with its sword-sharp talons.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Degradon</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">49</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge (but not Kai-surge).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect40">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 40</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect187">
+ <meta><title>187</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instantly your Bow is in your hand, an Arrow fixed and drawn ready to fire. The Vazhag, no longer fearful now that its protector has arrived, moves away from the corner and issues a high-pitched command. The savage dog-like creature growls in response and you see its muscles tighten as it gets ready to leap for your throat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31">If you wish to fire your Bow at the growling dog-like creature, <link-text>turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect157">If you decide to fire at the Vazhag instead, <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect188">
+ <meta><title>188</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The brilliance and the roar of the crackling fireball threatens to overpower your senses as it comes rushing towards your chest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect203">If you possess Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 203</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect299">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 299</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect189">
+ <meta><title>189</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For nearly an hour you follow this empty subterranean passage before your senses alert you to possible danger ahead. You can detect a musty, unwholesome smell that immediately reminds you of rotting vegetables. The further you advance into the darkness, the stronger this smell becomes.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect332">If you wish to go no further in this direction, you can turn around and retrace your steps to the fissure by <link-text>turning to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect16">If you choose to continue to explore this tunnel, <link-text>turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect190">
+ <meta><title>190</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you force your way through the narrow thorny corridor, you are aware that the Vazhag are now streaming into the gap, close on your heels. In desperation, you turn and force your way into the wall of tangled briar and call upon your Kai mastery of Camouflage to mask your location.</p>
+ <p>The rat-men scurry past. You hear them in the distance, burrowing deeper into the thicket, but still you remain exactly where you are. Your caution is well-placed for soon the Vazhag retrace their steps, having lost all trace of you.</p>
+ <p>The Cener blazes with anger at the failure of his minions to carry out such a simple command. With a flick of his rod you see him reduce one luckless rodent to ashes, and shorten the tail of another by a broadsword's length. Loudly he vents his displeasure and, among the oaths and vile curses, you hear him utter his intention to report to his master, Arch Druid Cadak, that there is an enemy assassin at large in the forest.</p>
+ <p>You know that he must not be allowed to make his report. If he were to reach Mogaruith and raise the alarm, your mission, and probably your life, would soon be over.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect104">If you possess a Bow and Arrows and wish to use them, <link-text>turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect144">If you possess mastery of Magi-magic and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 144</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect185">If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect90">If you possess none of the above, or choose not to make use of them, <link-text>turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect191">
+ <meta><title>191</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The heavy chain whips towards your face, making you throw yourself to the floor in order to avoid decapitation. Unfortunately, your reactions are not swift enough to avoid being hit. The chain glances your shoulder, knocking you flat on your back with the force of its impact: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You scramble to your feet quickly and advance to the edge of the platform from where you watch, with grim fascination, as the gigantic acid-filled cauldron plummets into the hall below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect192">
+ <meta><title>192</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using all your stealth and natural Kai agility, you inch your way up the rocky wall of the cavern towards the window-like gap. Your ascent goes undetected by the Vazhag guards until, by mischance, your foot dislodges a pebble and sends it tumbling down to land, with a hollow thok, upon the head of a snoozing war-dog. The dog erupts with a savage howl and hurls itself bodily at the rock wall.</p>
+ <p>Its frenzied reaction alerts the Vazhag guards and, to your horror, you see them produce bows which they load hastily and aim at your back. Throwing caution aside, you climb towards the distant gap as quickly as your aching fingers will allow, hoping to reach it before the rat-men can open fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect145">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 145</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect193">
+ <meta><title>193</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>While observing the entrance and the drawbridge for over an hour, you cannot help but notice that the flow of traffic is almost entirely in one direction: out of Mogaruith and away towards the east.</p>
+ <p>Occasionally a covered wagon, drawn by a team of ox-like ghorkas and escorted by Vazhag with bandaged wounds, returns along the crowded trail and crosses the moat. The guards at the main arch do not appear to challenge these wagons; they are allowed to pass directly into the keep without slowing. You hazard a guess that they are carrying battle-wounded and you consider the possibility of getting into Mogaruith by stowing aboard the next one that appears.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect34">If you wish to attempt to hide aboard the next wagon, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect318">If you decide instead to trust solely to your Kai skills and experience to gain entry to Mogaruith, <link-text>turn instead to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect194">
+ <meta><title>194</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From deep within your being you summon the psychic energy you need to construct a fortress around your mind. The evil wave crashes against this defence and breaks into a million shards that sparkle for an instant then disappear into darkness. Your psychic energy has saved you from this concerted assault upon your mind. Yet, even as remnants of the psychic attack are fading, you sense another hostile entity is getting ready to appear.</p>
+ <p>From out of the black shadows of the pits you hear a dreadful rumbling roar: something huge is stirring deep within each of those dark forbidding shafts. As the ghoulish laughter reaches its pitch, you turn to see three giant, misshapen cat-like heads rise up into the light, each perched atop a snaky body as thick as the trunk of a tree. They bare their fangs and shake off the tangle of human bones that cling to their stinking, corpse-green manes.</p>
+ <p>The sight of these unholy creatures makes you reel back in shock and utter a cry of disbelief. Your cry is lost among the barrage of screeching howls, yet the cat-things react as if they hear it and, together, they come oozing out from their dark, noisome lairs and glide slowly towards where you stand.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80">If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge, <link-text>turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect38">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect195">
+ <meta><title>195</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Drawing upon your special skills and your reserves of physical strength, you pull your lower body out of the cold lake and slowly raise your knees up to your chin. The toes of your boots find footholds between the timbers and there you hold yourself, completely motionless, while your Grand Mastery of Assimilance causes your shadowy outline to blend in perfectly with the underside of the drawbridge.</p>
+ <p>The Vazhag scour the lake's edge thoroughly. They search beneath the bridge, passing within a few paces of your location and yet, despite their keen senses, they completely fail to notice you. Disappointedly, they report their lack of findings to their Cenerese commander before clambering back on to the platform. You hear the Cener and the remaining Vazhag trooping across the bridge. They stop just long enough to open the Tzarg cage and drag out one of the croaking creatures. Then the cage door squeaks shut, a key jangles in its lock, and briskly the party marches away along the south passage.</p>
+ <p>For a full minute you remain immobile until you are sure that the enemy have gone. Then you pull yourself up on to the bridge and, without looking back, you hurry across the lake and enter the tunnel on the north side of the cave.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect196">
+ <meta><title>196</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With bated breath you tiptoe past the alcove, your weapon unsheathed and held ready in case the sleeping creature should awaken. Fortunately, your Kai skills serve you well and you are able to reach the archway and leave the hall without incident.</p>
+ <p>A short passage leads to a junction where a wider corridor crosses from left to right. Your skin prickles in reaction to the concentration of evil you detect in this subterranean part of Mogaruith, and silently you call upon your creator, the noble god Kai, for protection and guidance before continuing.</p>
+ <p>Instinct prompts you to turn left, and within a few minutes you arrive at a chamber where a vast staircase of black marble ascends to many levels, lost in the gloom above. Opposite this grand staircase stands a large door, carved from a solid sheet of strange green metal, the like of which you have never seen before. It gives off a pulsating radiance which washes over the empty chamber, illuminating symbols carved into the walls and floor. You focus on these symbols and, in a chilling moment of realization, you decipher their meaning.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect197">
+ <meta><title>197</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your weapon strikes the creature's skull with deadly force and the shock of the impact lifts it high out of its hollowed stool. It crashes to the floor, where it wobbles back and forth grotesquely like a giant fleshy egg, before coming to rest on its side.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect23"><link-text>Turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect198">
+ <meta><title>198</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Patiently you wait for the flickering light of the Vazhag's torches to be swallowed up by the dark depths of the south tunnel. When you are surrounded by total darkness once more, you leave your hiding place and venture back into the cavern. You are hungry and, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>For more than five miles you follow the west tunnel and, despite your mounting fears, you encounter nothing more threatening than a few ragged-winged bats and a frightened rock snake. Gradually, as the tunnel delves deeper into the Skardos range, the air becomes increasingly cooler and more humid. You can smell a strong scent of water somewhere in the distance and you are not at all surprised when, as you round a bend in the tunnel, you see shimmering reflections playing upon the rough stone ceiling.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If you possess Telegnosis, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect199">
+ <meta><title>199</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The crackling stream of energy hits the Sommerswerd with a tremendous jolt that knocks you back a few paces, yet you manage both to maintain your grip and to stay on your feet. The sun-sword absorbs the power directed against you and transfers part of that power through your hand and along your outstretched arm. The transmuted energy revitalizes and emboldens you, (restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small11.gif" width="386" height="72"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small11.pdf" width="386" height="72"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>For Sommerlund!</quote> you cry, and cast this scabbard of sparkling energy back at the priest. Suddenly there is a tremendous flash, followed by a crackling roar as his golden rod is consumed in a blazing ball of flame. He screams as he is hurled backwards against the chamber wall by the force of the blast, then he falls to the floor where he lies completely motionless. You sheathe your sword and stare at his smouldering body, certain in the knowledge that he is no longer a threat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect101"><link-text>Turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect200">
+ <meta><title>200</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the door lies a secret Cenerese prayer hall, a chapel of evil where the druids worship and make sacrifice to their foul gods. Kneeling in pews before a blood-red alter are dozens of figures. They chant a soulless dirge as they read from books bound in black cloth. Around the walls hang grim decorations: skulls, flayed skins, tattered baffle banners, and other ugly tributes to the power that is worshipped and coveted here&emdash;the power of death, disease and decay.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>You look beyond the door into the secret Cenerese prayer hall where the druids worship and make sacrifice to their foul gods.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill12.gif" width="386" height="642"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill12.pdf" width="386" height="642"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You look with loathing at the congregation. In the main they are Cenerese, but there are others among them, old adversaries whose origins you recognize immediately. Acolytes of Vashna, Drakkarim, Vassagonian outlaws, Hammerlanders, and even a few Giaks. No doubt the remnants of the Darkland armies found sanctuary here after their masters' demise.</p>
+ <p>A noise in the corridor behind warns that someone is approaching the antechamber. To avoid them, you slip inside the prayer hall and hide in the shadows cast by a column which supports the roof. Moments later, three druids enter the hall and close the door before taking their places among the congregation.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect265"><link-text>Turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect201">
+ <meta><title>201</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You kneel beside the tunnel wall and wait with trepidation as the sound of the approaching group grows louder and nearer. Torchlight flickers, casting a watery yellow beam across the cavern floor, then the first of the group enters and you catch sight of their ugly forms.</p>
+ <p>A patrol of six Vazhag file into the cavern. Each one is as tall as a Sommlending youth and all are armed with crude, rusty weapons. Fragments of armour and uniforms, which once belonged to human soldiers, encase their hairy, rat-like bodies. They are no more than ten feet away from your hiding place, and they give off such a vile aroma of filth and disease that you are forced to draw upon your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus to prevent yourself from retching out loud.</p>
+ <p>They halt at the foot of the stone stairs and talk with each other in a high-pitched squeal which reminds you of rusty door hinges. All the while they repeatedly cast furtive glances along the west tunnel as if they are waiting impatiently for another of their party to catch up. Within minutes another member of their patrol does arrive, only this creature is not one of their breed: it is human-sized. However, the hooded scarlet robe it is wearing makes it difficult for you to be absolutely sure that the creature within is human.</p>
+ <p>The Vazhag cease their squealing when the hooded one raises a gloved hand and motions to the south tunnel, pointing directly at the place where you are hiding. For an instant, you catch a glimpse of the glassy green mask that is covering his face, and at once you recognize this mask: it is a jazak, the ritual mask of a Cener Druid.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect348"><link-text>Turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect202">
+ <meta><title>202</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You steel yourself in preparation for what can only be a fight to the death as maniacally the mass of limbs comes swarming towards your throat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Stragnah</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">36</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">39</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect203">
+ <meta><title>203</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The blazing flames engulf your body but you feel no pain. Protected by the power of your Grand Mastery, the hungry fire feels no hotter than a summer's breeze. You laugh as you luxuriate in its warmth, to the angry frustration of your would-be killer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect17"><link-text>Turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect204">
+ <meta><title>204</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With the angry squeals of the Vazhag patrol ringing in your ears, you race through the portal and escape along the winding passageway beyond. For nearly a mile you run without slowing until you turn a corner and are brought skidding to a halt by an unwelcome sight: a group of rat-men advancing along the passageway towards you. Although you have gradually outdistanced your pursuers, the sound of their squealing reminds you that they are still hot on your trail.</p>
+ <p>Trapped between the two approaching enemy patrols, you look in vain for some other means of escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If you wish to use your Kai skills to try to hide from the approaching Vazhag, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect62">If you decide to ambush the oncoming patrol in an attempt to break through them and escape before your pursuers arrive, <link-text>turn to 62</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect205">
+ <meta><title>205</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow a circular tunnel for several minutes until you come to a flight of steps leading down. Here, a few paces before the steps begin, you see a plain wooden door which is set into the tunnel wall. An inquisitive prod with the toe of your boot reveals it to be unlocked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239">If you wish to investigate what lies behind the door, <link-text>turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect347">If you choose to ignore the door and descend the steps instead, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect206">
+ <meta><title>206</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Dawn breaks and the sun appears through a rent in the ominous mass of grey cloud that is swirling overhead. You stop and tilt back your head to enjoy the warmth of its life-giving rays upon your face. It is a brief respite, for within minutes the clouds close ranks and you find yourself immersed once more in the forest's gloom.</p>
+ <p>During the night the track has led you out of the valley and up a steady rise towards a plateau where a jutting spur of slate-grey rock stands surmounted by a score of lightning-blasted trees. There, in the shadow of the rock, your eagle-eyes detect three dark pits which have been dug side by side. You cannot see what lies at the bottom of these excavations, but you can sense that they radiate a powerful aura of evil.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect111">If you wish to use your Magnakai Discipline of Divination in order to detect any psychic residues which may be lingering at this site, <link-text>turn to 111</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If you decide not to use this ability, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect207">
+ <meta><title>207</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus your power at the Tzarg and will it to leave the hall along the passage by which you entered. At first you sense resistance to your command but this soon collapses and the Tzarg obeys. It waddles into the passageway with an excited group of Vazhag close on its heels, all of them now convinced by the Tzarg's reaction that it has picked up your trail.</p>
+ <p>Patiently you wait until the sound of their footsteps has faded before you emerge from your hiding place and leave the hall by the stairs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect75"><link-text>Turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect208">
+ <meta><title>208</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You notice a flicker of suspicion register in the creature's eye.</p>
+ <p><quote>The Arch Druid is not present in his chamber at this hour,</quote> he says, reaching once more for his quill. <quote>Dictate your report to me and I shall see that he receives it this day.</quote></p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You approach the desk and, as you draw closer, you see that the creature has no legs. Its body rests in a crevice hollowed out from the seat of its stool. Its bulbous body is wedged there like an egg in a cup.</p>
+ <p>Carefully it charges its pen with ink and prepares to commence writing.</p>
+ <p><quote>Report your news, brother,</quote> it says, impatiently, <quote>I am waiting for you to begin.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect310">If you choose to attack the creature, <link-text>turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect108">If you decide to try and bluff your way past, <link-text>turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect209">
+ <meta><title>209</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Calling upon your Grand Mastery, you order the vicious war-dogs to cease their attack immediately. Instantly they obey your psychic command; they scrabble to a halt and turn their eyes to the floor, their once-chilling howls now little more than a weak chorus of kitten-like whimpers.</p>
+ <p>Having cowed them, you now use your power to redirect their latent aggression against their masters and, suddenly, they are transformed once more into a host of gnashing, snarling beasts. Horror fills the eyes of the Vazhag guards as their dogs turn around and come bounding towards them, hungry for the kill.</p>
+ <p>In the ensuing chaos, you skirt around the hall and escape through the entrance unchallenged. For a moment you are blinded by the early morning sunlight which illuminates the surrounding hills, but, as you escape along the trail which leads away from the caverns, your vision clears and you see a vast expanse of forest away to the east. This sea of sickly grey-green trees radiates an unmistakable aura of evil that immediately identifies it as the Forest of Ruel.</p>
+ <p>Your escape is not pursued and, after a few minutes, you stop among a cluster of boulders in order to catch your breath. The surrounding land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being the track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the unwelcoming forest. You consult your map and conclude that this is the Skardos trail, the secret route used by the Ceners which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow the trail, but first (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect210">
+ <meta><title>210</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Vazhag literally shiver with fright. Frantically they acknowledge your order and set off towards Mogaruith, with you following close behind, but they have only gone a little way when suddenly they drop the zombie's chain and flee headlong towards the forest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect43">If you possess a Bow and a minimum of two Arrows, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect89">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect211">
+ <meta><title>211</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The flame-creature seems to swell and contract, as if it is inhaling and exhaling a huge lungful of air, then suddenly a wall of blinding white light erupts before your eyes as a blast of psychic energy comes crashing into your mind. You reel from the unexpected shock of its impact, but instantly your Kai senses react by erecting defences to shield you from the onslaught: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>An unholy screech, full of fear and frustration, echoes loudly in your ears. The flame-thing has detected that you are capable of defending yourself and this realization is far from its liking. For a few fleeting seconds it whirls around your head, and then, with a final howl of anguish, it dives away into the gloomy depths of the stairwell and is gone.</p>
+ <p>Disappointedly, the caged creatures watch the flame-thing depart before they shuffle dejectedly to the rear of their cells and settle themselves down once more. Shaken, but relatively unharmed by your psychic encounter, you stare down the stone staircase into the gloom below. Tentatively you put one foot forward, but your Kai skills and your common sense tell you that to go any further in this direction would be sheer foolhardiness. With reluctance you turn and leave this landing and retrace your steps all the way back to the junction where you continue instead by way of the north tunnel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect85"><link-text>Turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect212">
+ <meta><title>212</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your weapon and attack the druid with lightning speed, but this Cener is more of a match than he first appears. In the blink of an eye he creates a magical shield which deflects your initial blow, causing you to stumble and nearly overbalance. As you recover you feel a wave of psychic energy washing over your mind and, for an instant, you see his cold eyes widen with shock as he discovers who you really are.</p>
+ <p>He screams a curse and suddenly there is a dagger in his hand, its blade a yellow spike of fiery luminescence. He lunges at your throat, forcing you to retreat into the room as he stabs and slices the air with this sorcerous weapon.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>High Priest</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">47</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This enemy is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge (but not Kai-surge).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect213">
+ <meta><title>213</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At first the Vazhag and the Cener seem unaware of your presence and you feel confident that your Kai skills are keeping your location secure. However, just as they are about to leave the cavern and head off towards the south tunnel, the Cener suddenly spins around and points directly at your hiding place.</p>
+ <p><foreign xml:lang="x-cenerese"><quote>Scarzh&emdash;nah!</quote></foreign> he screams, and with such vehemence that you are left in no doubt that you have been detected.</p>
+ <p>The Vazhag draw their weapons and rush towards the steps in response to their leader's cry. The sudden danger galvanizes you into action and, like a panther hungry for the kill, you spring to your feet and leap among the onrushing rat-men, striking down the two nearest with one wide, sweeping blow. Before they have fallen you kick out at the chest of another and feel its ribs crack under the impact. A side-swipe puts paid to a fourth of their number, neatly parting its disease-riddled head from its shoulders and, as you pause to draw breath, you see the remaining enemy backing away in shocked confusion.</p>
+ <p>Ineptly they fumble with their weapons while the Cener screams at them to avenge their slain comrades. One Vazhag plucks up enough courage to attack you but you duck its whistling sword stroke with ease. Before it can strike again, you dispatch the beast with a lightning-fast stab through the heart. Your strike is executed with such economy of movement that, to the druid and the remaining Vazhag, it looks as if you hardly moved at all. For the sole surviving Vazhag it is the last straw and, with a squeal of abject terror, it drops its torch and rusty blade and abandons the druid for the dark safety of the south tunnel.</p>
+ <p>Cursing vilely, the Cener retreats until his red-robed back is pressed flat against the cavern wall. His mask hides his entire face, yet even so you can sense the blazing hatred that is pouring from his eyes, as if it is a stream of liquid fire. You raise your weapon and advance, eager to finish him swiftly, but you are halted by a sudden, unexpected pulse of psychic energy that crashes like a wave against your mind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect272">If you do not possess this Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect214">
+ <meta><title>214</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow the narrow passageway which gradually ascends towards the north. The clanging of a distant alarm bell reminds you that all of Mogaruith has been alerted to your presence and, in light of the devastation you have caused, you know better than to expect mercy from the Cenerese if they should catch you now.</p>
+ <p>After a few minutes the passage arrives at a hall where a railed balcony overlooks a deep circular shaft. A broad stone staircase at the north wall ascends to the next level and you stride swiftly towards it. As you pass the balcony you pause for a moment to stare down at a fascinating sight. Hundreds of feet below, at the base of the shaft, huge vats filled with a sickly brown fluid bubble and seethe as if they are boiling on a hob. You notice scores of robed druids standing on a great iron gantry suspended above these vats, each one equipped with what appears to be a gigantic butterfly net. They are busily scooping up large brown objects which keep bobbing to the surface of the morass. You use your Magnakai skills to magnify your vision and, as the scene looms larger, you see that the objects are alive. Your stomach churns with revulsion when you suddenly realize what it is that you are looking at. These are the spawning vats in which the Ceners create their loathsome, disease-ridden Vazhag.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>You stare down at the base of the shaft where huge vats filled with a sickly brown fluid bubble and seethe.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill13.gif" width="386" height="640"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill13.pdf" width="386" height="640"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>A noise from the staircase attracts your attention; it is the sound of shuffling footfalls descending the stairs. Moments later your keen sense of smell identifies the threat: a Vazhag patrol is hurrying towards the hall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect8">If you wish to attempt to hide from this patrol, <link-text>turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect262">If you decide to stand and fight them, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect215">
+ <meta><title>215</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You spit out the words of a Brotherhood spell and instantly you rise into the sky, as if plucked off the ground by some invisible giant. The crackling ray speeds past below your feet and explodes harmlessly among the ancient rocks. As the dust settles, you arrest your levitation and lower yourself back towards the ground, your muscles tense in readiness to run as soon as your boots touch down.</p>
+ <p>The druid is visibly stunned by your display of magic. However, he quickly recovers his senses, and as soon as you return to the ruins he shouts at his Vazhag minions, commanding them to attack and rip you to shreds.</p>
+ <p>With hatred blazing in their blood-red eyes, the Vazhag advance towards the ancient ruins, each carrying a rusty weapon poised for the kill.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If you wish to stand and fight these disease-ridden Vazhag, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If you decide to attempt to evade them, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect216">
+ <meta><title>216</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sound of scraping metal and rattling chains echoes in your ears. You stoop to retrieve your weapon and, as you spin around, the first thing you see is the knife-like glint of fangs. From a semicircular hole in the wall a pack of war-dogs come charging into the hall, their jaws agape and their claws scrabbling on the shiny flagstones as they race towards the desk. With the cool battle-confidence of a Grand Master you brace yourself in readiness to meet their attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ruel War-dogs</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">36</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">22</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect323">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect217">
+ <meta><title>217</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The glass orb explodes on impact with a loud bang and you are engulfed by a cloud of sickly grey gas. At once you feel your throat tighten and your stomach churn as the deadly bacteria-infested vapour penetrates deep into your lungs: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Coughing and retching, you stagger towards the entrance, your escape hidden by the cloud of poisonous gas. You have inhaled a deadly cocktail of plague viruses to which the Vazhag are naturally immune, a cocktail which would have killed an average human within seconds; only your Magnakai skills have saved you from an agonizing death.</p>
+ <p>In the ensuing chaos, you escape through the entrance unchallenged. For a moment you are blinded by the early morning sunlight which illuminates the surrounding hills but, as you stumble along the trail which leads away from the caverns, your vision clears and you catch sight of a vast expanse of forest away to the east. This sea of sickly grey-green trees gives off an unmistakable aura of evil that immediately identifies it as the Forest of Ruel.</p>
+ <p>Your escape is not pursued and, after a few minutes, you stop among a cluster of boulders in order to catch your breath. The surrounding land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being the track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the unwelcoming forest.</p>
+ <p>You consult your map and conclude that this is the Skardos Trail, the secret route used by the Ceners which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow that trail, but first (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect218">
+ <meta><title>218</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The wagon is filled with the bodies of dead soldiers&emdash;human soldiers&emdash;all of whom have perished from the effects of a virulent disease. They have been stripped of weapons and armour but their tunics bear a scarlet crest emblazoned with a black stallion, readily identifying them as Slovians. Several have minor wounds caused by tiny fragments of glass. The wounds are a tell-tale sign that these troops were killed by narbul bombs: spheres of glass filled with a mixture of explosive and deadly plague spores. They have become one of the most feared battlefield weapons used by the Cenerese against the Freeland armies.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small2.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small2.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>As the wagon trundles across the drawbridge you ponder why the Vazhag should be transporting a wagonload of dead Slovian soldiers to Mogaruith. Before you can fathom an answer, the wagon passes through the great arch and comes to a halt on the north side of the stronghold's keep, close to an open doorway. Before the Vazhag disembark, you leap from the wagon and hide just inside this shadowy entrance to avoid being seen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect98"><link-text>Turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect219">
+ <meta><title>219</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your killing blow decapitates the monstrous lake creature, sending its vile head, with its fanged jaws still clashing madly, spinning through the air to splash into the foam-flecked waters close to the platform. For a few moments the weaving neck, its scaly stump oozing reptilian gore, thrashes the surface before it, too, is swallowed up by the cold dark waters of this underground lake.</p>
+ <p>Aching and breathless, you sheathe your weapon, then wipe the spatterings of Dholdaarg blood from your face with the back of your trembling hand. The Tzargs, who were silent throughout your titanic struggle with the lake monster, now rattle the bars of their cage and croak incessantly. You recognize their crude language enough to realize that their captors are returning. However, before you can act on their warning, a shudder runs through the timbers of the drawbridge and you are forced to grip tightly with both hands as jerkily it begins to descend.</p>
+ <p>Inexorably the bridge approaches the platform, inching you nearer and nearer to the cold, bloodstained waters of the lake.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect96">If you wish, you can leap for the shore of the lake before the drawbridge fully descends, by <link-text>turning to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect112">If you choose to remain where you are, clinging to the underside of the bridge, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect220">
+ <meta><title>220</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The cauldron smashes down into the centre of the hall and explodes with devastating effect, spewing its deadly contents in all directions. A tidal wave of acid engulfs the tables, submerging and burning everything not made of stone, porcelain or glass. The pitiful screams of the druids rise above the thunderous din as they and their deadly work are consumed by a merciless sea of corrosive.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly an arrow passes within a few inches of your face. The Vazhag archers have reached the top of the ladder and are poised to rush on to the platform itself. Anxiously you look around for some means of escape, but when none readily appears you fear you are trapped. Then you notice an observation platform jutting out of the wall. It is over on the far side of the hall, more than thirty yards away, and lies some ten feet below your present position.</p>
+ <p>A daring escape plan forms in your mind's eye and hurriedly you cast off your Cener Robe and Mask, a disguise which is now redundant, and prepare to enact your vision (erase the Robe and Mask from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>). You reach out and grab hold of the chain which once supported the cauldron. Then, using all your strength, you draw it back and leap into the air as the momentum carries you off the platform.</p>
+ <p>Your stomach churns as you swing across the hall and glance down at the dreadful carnage taking place a hundred feet below. Angry squeals and a clutch of arrows follow in your wake as the Vazhag archers try desperately to prevent you from getting away. Grimly you cling to the chain as it nears the end of its arc, and try to ignore the arrows that are whistling by on either side.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have chosen. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is 28 or higher, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect42">If your total score is now 0&endash;2, <link-text>turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect267">If it is 3&endash;6, <link-text>turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect71">If it is 7 or higher, <link-text>turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect221">
+ <meta><title>221</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect221-1-foot" idref="sect221-1">
+ <p>You must defeat the Plague Hound before turning to <a idref="sect114">Section 114</a>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a moment of terror when first you glimpse the hideous visage which emerges from the portal. It is of a gigantic hound with mad red eyes that burn into your mind with a furnace-like intensity. It sees you and howls ferociously, baring yellow fangs dripping with foam.</p>
+ <p>Before it can leap up you release your arrow and plant it deep into the creature's ghastly skull. The beast roars as the arrow penetrates its head but the wound does not stop it from attacking. Aghast, you drop your Bow and unsheathe a weapon to meet its assault. Moments before it strikes, you glimpse the outline of an armoured warrior standing in the open doorway. He is shouting at the beast, commanding to rip you to shreds.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Plague Hound (wounded)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">32</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is attacking you simultaneously with a powerful psychic blast. Unless you possess the Grand Mastery of Kai-screen, reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 3 for the duration of this fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect64">If you win the combat in 4 rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect114">If the combat lasts 5 rounds or longer, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.<a id="sect221-1" idref="sect221-1-foot" class="footnote" /></choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect222">
+ <meta><title>222</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You spin around to see a figure standing in the doorway. He is tall and his sharp features are framed by a mane of flowing platinum hair. In his left hand he carries a wizard's staff and in his right he holds a feathered quill, the pen of the creature who was once his scribe.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A tall figure with a mane of flowing platinum hair stands in the doorway.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill14.gif" width="386" height="569"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill14.pdf" width="386" height="569"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>Was it you who murdered Cordask?</quote> he asks, his powerful voice devoid of the slightest emotion. But when you do not answer him immediately his voice and his expression undergo a dramatic change. His eyes radiate an unearthly glow and your skin tingles as you feel his psychic energies probing at your mind.</p>
+ <p><quote>You are not a brother,</quote> he growls, like a rabid dog, and casts the quill aside.</p>
+ <p><quote>Take off your mask and show your true self &ellips; assassin!</quote></p>
+ <p>And with that he advances towards you with his staff pointing straight at your heart. You raise your weapon defensively and, in the blink of an eye, a crackling flame lights at the tip of his staff and comes roaring towards your chest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect61">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect188">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect223">
+ <meta><title>223</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You set off towards the open portal whilst the rat-men gather inquisitively around their injured comrade. Unfortunately, one of these comrades is gifted in the psychic arts, and at once it senses your presence. It jumps upon the wagon and points accusingly at your fleeing form as it screams a warning to its fellow guards.</p>
+ <p>As one, the Vazhag guards respond to the cry. They draw their rusty weapons and narrow their tiny red eyes as they turn and advance upon you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect313">If you wish to stand and fight the Vazhag, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect204">If you wish to evade them, you can escape through the open portal by <link-text>turning to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect224">
+ <meta><title>224</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The great flagstoned square echoes with the rhythmic thump of marching troops and the squealed commands of their Vazhag sergeants. Your first concern is to part company with your undead companion as soon as you can, for his presence is already attracting attention from the passing Vazhag. An empty storehouse becomes his new home and, after you have paused to bolt the door, you make your way stealthily towards a staircase which descends to a grand portal set into the base of the stronghold's citadel.</p>
+ <p>You have reached the north side of the keep when you are unexpectedly confronted by three Cener Druids, who turn a corner and come walking towards you in a line abreast. To avoid them you are forced to sidestep quickly into a shadowy doorway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect98"><link-text>Turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect225">
+ <meta><title>225</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dig your heels into the muddy shore and take aim at the leading Vazhag. It sees you and, for an instant, its red eyes widen with horror as your shaft speeds towards its snout. With a hollow <quote>thok</quote> the arrow skewers the beast's scrawny throat, lifts it bodily from the bridge and sends it toppling end-over-end into the lake.</p>
+ <p>Undeterred, the remaining Vazhag come thundering off the drawbridge and on to the platform. With the magic curses of their leader echoing in their ears, they leap to the muddy shore and charge straight at you, their rusty weapons glinting dully in the light of the cave.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">23</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">23</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect226">
+ <meta><title>226</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus on the metal pin and summon forth all your psychic power, condensing it and directing it towards this piece of iron in an attempt to disrupt its structure from within. Faint cracks appear in its surface as the bombardment exacts its toll.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small9.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small9.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is 25 or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked. If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is 15 or lower, deduct 2.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect328">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect141">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect227">
+ <meta><title>227</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect227-1-foot" idref="sect227-1">
+ <p>The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Mindful of how near you have just come to being detected, you hurry to the section of wall from where the druid appeared and search for a way to make it open once more. You discover a lever and, within seconds of pulling it, the concealed panel glides inwards allowing you access to a secret passage.</p>
+ <p>The narrow passageway descends by steps and slopes to a chamber which is lit by two large black candles, fixed into holes in the surface of a marble slab. On a nearby table lie the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>2 Arrows</li>
+ <li>Enough food for 2 Meals</li>
+ <li>2 Daggers</li>
+ <li>1 Sword</li>
+ <li>Mirror</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to take any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Opposite the slab there is a door which opens into a narrow corridor. You step through and follow this corridor to a room where stands an imposing door made of sheeted copper, inlaid with a filigree of gold and silver. It is the only exit from an otherwise drab and gloomy chamber.</p>
+ <p>A closer inspection of the door reveals that it is surrounded by an airtight seal. Furthermore, there is no keyhole, drawbolt, or handle. However, your keen eyesight is drawn to a pattern in the door's centre panel which, thanks to past experience, you recognize to be a sophisticated combination lock.</p>
+ <p>The gold inlays form three rows of three numbers within a grid of silver lines.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small14.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small14.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Below these numbers, in ancient Cenerese script, is carved the message:</p>
+ <blockquote>
+ <p><quote>Declare ye the true number to pass this way</quote></p>
+ </blockquote>
+ <p>Study the grid of numbers. When you think you know the answer to the riddle, turn to the entry which bears the same number as your answer.<a id="sect227-1" idref="sect227-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect132">If you cannot solve this puzzle, <link-text>turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect228">
+ <meta><title>228</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Shortly before midnight, you and the Captain ride out of Stonewatch on two fine Slovarian steeds. It is another moonless night and the plain is shrouded by darkness, yet you have no difficulty in seeing the terrain that lies ahead. Using your natural Magnakai skill of Huntmastery, every flowing contour of the grassy plain is revealed to you. The Captain is not so gifted, but the special spectacles he wears fully compensate for his lack of night vision. They were a token of gratitude from the Arch-Chief of Chaman for his services in defence of the city of Gleesh during the war against the Darklords, and often they have been of use to the Captain when scouting his country's border with Ruel.</p>
+ <p>In less than an hour you arrive at a grassy knoll which overlooks the dense, forbidding wall of trees that is the Forest of Ruel. You are dismounting when something causes you to halt mid-way. You perceive a scent being carried on the night air: it is the heavy, cloying stench of decay.</p>
+ <p><quote>There is great evil here,</quote> says the Captain, observing your reaction. <quote>You would not be thought faint-hearted were you to return with me to Stonewatch.</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>I will return to your fortress, Captain,</quote> you reply, your voice quietly resolute, <quote>but not until my task at Mogaruith has been completed.</quote></p>
+ <p>The Captain smiles and raises his steely hand in a salute to your brave determination. <quote>Very well, my lord. So be it. Until that glad day dawns I shall pray for your safety and success.</quote></p>
+ <p>Then he brings his horse about, takes yours by the reins, and bids you a final farewell before heading back to Stonewatch. <quote>May the gods watch over you and deliver us swiftly from the darkness of Mogaruith.</quote></p>
+ <p>You return his salute and watch as he gallops away with your steed in tow. Then, when finally he disappears, you turn to observe the gloomy forest perimeter. At first, the tangle of underbrush and trees appear to be so interwoven that they form an impregnable wall. Yet, at length, you see that there are two points where entry is possible. The first is where a sickly stream emerges from the forest to feed a stagnant, scum-encrusted pond; the second is where a tree has fallen and torn a hole in the thorny briars.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect155">If you wish to enter the Forest of Ruel by way of the stream, <link-text>turn to 155</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect84">If you choose to enter through the gap created by the fallen tree, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect229">
+ <meta><title>229</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The inquisitive Tzarg passes within a few feet of your hiding place, but your Magnakai skills save you from detection. Eventually it waddles into the passageway from which you entered the hall and hurries off with an excited group of Vazhag close on its heels, all of them now convinced by the Tzarg's actions that it has picked up your trail.</p>
+ <p>Patiently you wait until the sound of their footsteps has faded before you emerge from your hiding place and leave the hall by the stairs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect75"><link-text>Turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect230">
+ <meta><title>230</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your camouflage skills to mask your passage, you enter the forest and follow the track into the deepening gloom. Your senses come alive to the evil that permeates every root and branch of this forbidding place and, as darkness closes in, your fears are heightened by a sickly mist which seeps out of the ground. Its corpse-like chill leaves you shivering, despite all your efforts to shield yourself from its clammy touch.</p>
+ <p>You are a Grand Master and night no longer restricts your vision. As the track ascends towards a wooded peak, you see the outline of a ruined stone watchtower perched atop a rocky knoll. You sense that the tower is deserted and, keen to escape from the mist, you climb towards a crack in its granite base. You crouch to enter the jagged breach and, in doing so, you disturb a host of crab-creatures nesting within. In a frenzy they scuttle away from the tower, disappearing among the surrounding rocks in the blink of an eye.</p>
+ <p>Aching with fatigue, and mindful of the perils which still lie ahead, you settle yourself into a corner of the rubble-strewn tower and try to snatch a few hours of sleep. This night your slumber is disturbed by strange and unwholesome dreams, formed from the fears suppressed by your conscious mind. You are hunted by phantom shapes which take the form of friends and fellow countrymen. Kai initiates under your tutorage and simple Sommlending folk, their heads bowed and their faces pitted and disfigured by plague, drift past you in a seemingly endless procession.</p>
+ <p>You awake with a start, your pulse racing and your forehead glistening with beads of sweat. At first a sense of hopelessness washes over you, brought on by the vivid memory of your nightmare, but as your consciousness returns, so too does your inner strength. You perceive the dreams as a warning of what will happen should your quest fail, and this realization strengthens your resolve to reach Mogaruith and thwart the Cener's evil plan.</p>
+ <p>You have slept for several hours and, physically at least, you feel refreshed (restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). In the half-light of early morning you gather together your equipment and weapons in readiness to resume your perilous journey to Mogaruith.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect160"><link-text>Turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect231">
+ <meta><title>231</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An agonizing pain shoots up your left leg, forcing a scream from your lips. With fearful trepidation you glance down and see that a Vazhag arrow has found its mark. The shaft has skewered your calf: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You draw upon your healing skills to deaden the searing pain just long enough so that you can reach down and snap the arrowhead from the shaft. Then, as swiftly as you can, you withdraw the shaft and cast it down into the hall.</p>
+ <p>A wave of nausea leaves you trembling, but the sensation soon passes and, aided by your determination and your healing skills, you force yourself to resume the ascent towards the winch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103"><link-text>Turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect232">
+ <meta><title>232</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Arrow misses its mark and arcs harmlessly into the trees, allowing the druid to effect a hasty escape along the forest track. Cursing your luck, you run across the clearing and give chase.</p>
+ <p>You have been on his trail for less than a mile when you sense danger ahead. The druid has managed to reach another patrolling pack of Vazhag, much larger than his own escort, this one led by six of the druid's brethren. He informs them of your presence and, using their corrupted form of herbcraft, they cause the undergrowth to close in upon you and hold you prisoner. Marshalling all your skills, you manage to cut your way free of its grip, but not before the druids have mustered reinforcements from Mogaruith.</p>
+ <p>They attack you mercilessly with the full might of their evil craft. Courageously, you defy them, but their combined power is far greater than even a Grand Master can withstand. With the name of your gods and your country on your lips, you finally meet your doom here in the Forest of Ruel.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect233">
+ <meta><title>233</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Walking across the age-blackened drawbridge towards the spiky arched tower of Mogaruith is an unnerving experience. It is as if you are walking along a blackened tongue towards the gaping throat of some gigantic dragon. On either side the bubbling moat releases foul fumes which fill your nostrils with a terrible sugary stench that clogs your lungs and blurs your vision. You draw upon your Magnakai skills and your vision clears, but the sight which lies ahead looks no more inviting than it did before.</p>
+ <p>At the tower you are challenged by a troop of Vazhag guards. Using your Magnakai Disciplines of Animal Control and Pathsmanship to aid your deception, you inform them that you have come to deliver the zombie to Brother Croumah at the Hall of Sacrifice. Immediately, the guards scurry aside, bowing subserviently as they part to allow you entry to the great keep of Mogaruith.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect224"><link-text>Turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect234">
+ <meta><title>234</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect234-1-foot" idref="sect234-1">
+ <p>According to <cite><a href="&link.05sots;">Shadow on the Sand</a></cite> Section 2, one dose of the Oede herb can heal 10 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of damage.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ <footnote id="sect234-2-foot" idref="sect234-2">
+ <p>Since you <quote>take down half a dozen jars</quote> and there are exactly six types of herbs in the list, it may safely be assumed that one jar contains all of a given herb or potion. (e.g. one jar contains all five doses of Laumspur) If each jar is one Backpack Item, then the Cener have created some <em>extremely</em> concentrated potions which take up very little space.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You insert the gleaming key into the keyhole and twist it clockwise. There is a faint click and, as you push, the wall glides inwards then moves away to your right. It reveals a small well-kept chamber, its walls lined with shelves containing hundreds of stoppered jars, each one neatly labelled.</p>
+ <p>The jars contain all manner of compounds and elements, from worthless dirt to precious gold dust, and many herbs besides. You search along the shelves and take down half a dozen jars whose contents you recognize:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Laumspur (Enough for 5 doses) Restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points when swallowed after combat.</li>
+ <li>Alether (Enough for 4 doses) Increases <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 2 points for duration of one fight only.</li>
+ <li>Gallowbrush (Enough for 2 doses) Induces 10 hours' sleep and loss of 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points per dose.</li>
+ <li>Sabito (Enough for 2 doses) Enables user to breathe underwater.</li>
+ <li>Laumwort (Enough for 3 doses) Restores 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points if swallowed before or after combat.</li>
+ <li>Oede (Enough for 1 dose) Very rare and valuable. Many healing properties. Cures serious diseases.<a id="sect234-1" idref="sect234-1-foot" class="footnote" /></li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep one or more of the above jars, remember to record your choice on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. All of these jars are Backpack Items.<a id="sect234-2" idref="sect234-2-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <p>Apart from the secret door by which you entered, you notice that there is a narrow passageway which leads out of this room.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If you wish to leave the room by this passageway, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect271">If you wish to leave by the secret door and retrace your steps all the way back to the west passage, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect235">
+ <meta><title>235</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Arrow strikes the druid in the back and its tip skewers his evil heart. He takes a few faltering steps, then raises his arms and vents his death-cry before collapsing into the undergrowth.</p>
+ <p>You run to where he has fallen and, as you reach his lifeless body, the Vazhag pack appear, alerted by his scream. The moment they see you, standing over their leader like a hunter over his kill, their nerve appears to crumble. They lower their weapons and begin to edge away. Then the leading rat-men panic; they turn and run, and the others quickly follow suit, leaving you alone with the body of the dead druid spread-eagled at your feet.</p>
+ <p>Curiosity prompts you to prise away the druid's green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity. Reluctantly you search him and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Cener Robe (if kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)</li>
+ <li>Cener Mask</li>
+ <li>20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Your Magnakai skills tell you that the golden rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.</p>
+ <p>With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10"><link-text>Turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect236">
+ <meta><title>236</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your powerful psychic defences shield you from this mind scan as it passes over your body. The light, reflecting from the Cener Mask you are wearing, activates a sensor in the door and, as you walk forward, slowly it begins to slide open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect237">
+ <meta><title>237</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race after the fleeing druid and catch up with him less than fifty yards along the path. In desperation, he tries to cut you down with another blast of energy but your swift reflexes save you from being hit. A well-placed blow knocks the rod from his hand and deflects the blast away into the trees. Cursing you, he unsheathes a dagger and lunges at your heart.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Cener Druid</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">28</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect238">
+ <meta><title>238</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw aside the mouldy velvet curtain and at once your senses are assailed by an unwholesome aroma redolent of decaying flesh. Beyond the curtain a narrow passage descends, by means of a wooden ramp, to the edge of a dark circular pit. Cautiously you approach the rim and peer down into this reeking hollow. There, lying asleep on a mouldering bed of straw, ten feet below, is a gigantic dog-like creature. It has a shiny blue-black hide and a huge crocodile-like jaw. It is muscular, although its powerful limbs are scarred and pined with an unsightly disease.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Peering into a dark pit, you see lying asleep on a mouldering bed of straw a gigantic dog-like creature.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill15.gif" width="386" height="578"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill15.pdf" width="386" height="578"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>A few thin rays of light are descending from a shaft in the rocky ceiling directly above the pit. Intrigued, you look upwards and notice a clump of sickly foliage at the very top of the shaft which is partially covering the entrance. You focus on this gap and conclude that the shaft must lead directly to the surface, at a place somewhere in the eastern foothills of the Skardos Mountains.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect336">If you wish to attempt to scale the shaft and escape into the foothills, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect165">If you decide not to attempt to climb the shaft, you can turn around and leave the pit area. <link-text>Turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect239">
+ <meta><title>239</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter a small foul-smelling chamber lit by a single candle perched atop a three-legged stool. A bed with a straw mattress fills one corner, and a bench with drawers stands by its side. A shelf on the wall displays three cracked plates, a lump of stale cheese, some dried meat, some bread, and a bottle of brownish water (in all, enough provisions for 1 Meal).</p>
+ <p>You pull open the drawers and find some assorted clothing, infested with fleas, and a Copper Key. If you decide to keep the Key, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly. Satisfied that nothing has been overlooked, you leave the room and descend the stairs at the end of the tunnel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect347"><link-text>Turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect240">
+ <meta><title>240</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You flick the lever and turn to approach the throne room door. There is a faint rumble and the great metallic portal slowly glides open to reveal Arch Druid Cadak's private domain.</p>
+ <p>The room is little larger than the antechamber, however its furnishings and appointments are lavish in the extreme. Ornately carved furniture, inlayed with gold and precious gems, lines walls hung with priceless tapestries and paintings. At the centre of the chamber stands a great black chair, sculpted to display demonic creatures paying homage to the Cenerese. Glowing orbs hang suspended from the ceiling, bathing the chamber in a multi-hued light which is continually changing in colour and intensity.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small5.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small5.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Although your eyes and your Kai senses tell you that the chamber is empty, you are reluctant to pass through the door. A stench of pure evil is flooding out from this room, wafting over you like an invisible sea that seeks to soil and corrupt all it touches. Fighting back your nausea, you force yourself to cross the threshold and search the chamber before its owner returns.</p>
+ <p>Of all the precious items which crowd this room, your eye is attracted to three that seem to stand out from the rest. The first is a large crystal sphere which rests on a table beside the great chair. The second is a tapestry, the largest of them all, which hangs directly opposite the door. And the third is a gold statuette which rests on a shelf to your left.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect173">If you possess Grand Mastery of Telegnosis, <link-text>turn to 173</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect241">
+ <meta><title>241</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take a deep breath, then you fix your eyes on the descending portcullis as you race out of the door and sprint across the cobblestoned keep. The heavy portcullis is less than three feet from the ground when you enter the arch of the tower. In desperation you dive at the shrinking gap and, as you hit the ground, you roll over in the hope of avoiding being crushed by this heavy iron-tipped portal.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is 25 or higher, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect321">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect147">If it is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect242">
+ <meta><title>242</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For an hour you follow the muddy track as it twists a tortuous route through the trees of this accursed realm. Baleful eyes observe your passing yet you choose to ignore them for you sense that these watchers pose no real threat to your safety. They are lowly animals that possess little intelligence and even less courage (though you fancy the latter would not be so if you were weak or wounded). The path ascends a ridge, then drops steeply towards the floor of a mist-enshrouded valley where you happen upon something that brings you to a halt.</p>
+ <p>A moss-grown skull lies on the path ahead, its jawbone agape as if uttering a silent scream. Beyond it lie two skeletons in rotting mail, half-buried in a nest of saw-toothed briar. Then, through the mist, you see weapons, rusted and mouldering, and the grisly remains of a warhorse, its armoured rider slumped astride its ruined back. You are advancing towards the horse when you hear a sound that draws your eyes away to the east. It is a busy, squeaking noise, muffled by the dense undergrowth.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small4.gif" width="386" height="169"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small4.pdf" width="386" height="169"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You leave the path and melt into the tangled trees. With careful steps you edge towards the noise, your senses straining to extract information from your surroundings until you become almost a part of the forest itself. Then you detect movement ahead and, from the cover of a thorny bough, you draw your weapon and wait in readiness.</p>
+ <p>A line of rat-like creatures, each as tall as a youth, is wending its way along the forest path. They are armed with crude and rusty weapons and clothed in rags that once were worn by human soldiers. Your keen sense of smell detects the vile aroma of disease which hangs heavy about these loathsome rat-men, and at once you realize that these must be the Vazhag that Rimoah spoke about. Shielded by your Magnakai skills, you watch in silence as they file past your hiding place and slowly disappear. When you are sure they have gone, you sheathe your weapon and continue your trek towards Mogaruith.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect206"><link-text>Turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect243">
+ <meta><title>243</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have climbed little more than halfway up the shaft when a snickering growl echoes from below. Awoken by falling clods of earth and dust, the gigantic dog-like creature now stands erect with its head tilted back and its fiery red eyes fixed on you. It gives a hungry roar and, with terrifying agility, it leaps from the pit and starts to claw its way up the shaft after you. Hurriedly you press on in the hope of reaching the entrance before this creature reaches you.</p>
+ <p>You are less than ten feet from the top when the creature slashes at your legs with its razor-sharp claws. A searing pain shoots through your calves, making you cry out with shocked surprise: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Quickly you draw up your injured legs before it can strike again, and you glimpse the beast's huge fang-filled Jaw. It snaps at your feet ravenously, spraying them with its foul saliva, and at once you know that you cannot hope to out-climb this horror. If you are to escape from the shaft in one piece, you must fight this creature to the death.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Pit Agarashi</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">38</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to your precarious position you must reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 6 points for the duration of this fight. If the weapon you are using is a Broadsword, a Spear, or a Quarterstaff, reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by a further 3 points. This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge; only Kai-surge can harm it psychically.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect24">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 24</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect244">
+ <meta><title>244</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Slowly you advance towards the shimmering lights and, as the tunnel begins to level off in the distance, you see that it opens out into a huge cave. The shimmering is caused by a line of glowing beacons hung by chains from the vault-like ceiling of the cave. Their warm amber light is reflecting upon the cold dark waters of a lake.</p>
+ <p>At first there appears to be no way across the lake, but as you draw nearer to the tunnel's end you see a spur of rock and a raised drawbridge on the opposite side. On the near side, close to a platform upon which the bridge rests when lowered, there stands a large iron cage filled with giant frog-like creatures. These must be the Tzargs that Lord Rimoah spoke of, the scouts bred by the Ceners to guide them through the swamps of Caron. A pair of Vazhag are teasing and taunting the Tzargs with sharpened sticks, jabbing them through the criss-crossed bars of their rusty cage.</p>
+ <p>After a while the rat-men tire of their spiteful game. Casually they cast their sticks into the lake and then settle themselves down upon the muddy shore. The larger of the two produces a haunch of maggoty meat from a haversack slung over its shoulder, and eagerly the two Vazhag proceed to devour this vile food. Both are seemingly oblivious to the hungry cries of the caged Tzargs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect41"><link-text>Turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect245">
+ <meta><title>245</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The thorny vines hold you in a vice-like grip. With Cadak's cold laughter ringing in your ears you struggle to escape before the hands of his demonic servant, Exterminus, close around your throat.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <p>If you possess Kai-alchemy or Magi-magic, add 3 to the number you have chosen (if you possess both of these Grand Master Disciplines, add 7). If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is higher than 16, add a further 1 to your score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect166">If your total score is now 6 or lower, <link-text>turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect73">If it is 7 or higher, <link-text>turn to 73</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect246">
+ <meta><title>246</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With your lungs aching desperately for air, you propel yourself towards the shimmering, pale blue light and burst through the surface, choking and spluttering like a netted fish. You gulp at the cool air hungrily and try simultaneously to take stock of your new surroundings. You have surfaced in a vaulted chamber, small by comparison with the one from which you have just escaped, but substantial nevertheless. Here, there is no shoreline, just sheer rock walls, but to your left you see a narrow ledge of flat stone and you swim towards it. As you clamber out of the water you notice the source of the pale light that drew you to this chamber. Directly above the ledge there is a natural chimney which rises into the ceiling, and at its end you see a warm, lantern-like glow. The chimney is rough and pitted, and to someone of your experience it is as easy to climb as a wide-stepped ladder.</p>
+ <p>Within ten minutes you reach the neck of the chimney and find yourself staring through a hole at the floor of a passageway beyond. The source of the light comes from several oil lamps which hang at regular intervals from the roof of this narrow tunnel.</p>
+ <p>You can sense the presence of Vazhag somewhere in the vicinity, and so you choose to wait here in case a patrol is about to pass this way.</p>
+ <p>During your wait, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect94">To continue, <link-text>turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect247">
+ <meta><title>247</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The two figures look down at their ghastly handiwork and shake their heads in dismay. As you watch, the sloat shudders beneath its bonds and becomes abruptly still. One of the robed figures stoops to inspect the creature's exposed heart, then you hear him whisper words of disappointment that, yet again, their experiment has failed.</p>
+ <p>They wipe their bloodied hands on their robes before leaving the laboratory, locking the door behind them. Sensing that you are now alone, you take the opportunity to search the laboratory, including seven of its eight smaller ante-rooms, but you find nothing that remotely resembles the cultivation of a plague virus. The eighth ante-room, the door to which is bolted and barred, is the only area of the laboratory you have not investigated.</p>
+ <p>Although the main door is now locked, during your search you have discovered one other exit.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you wish to leave the laboratory by this door, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect131">If you decide to investigate the eighth ante-room, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect248">
+ <meta><title>248</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Straining with all of your might, you pull back on your weapon in a desperate attempt to prise the heavy chain from its mounting. Then there is a loud crack: the support pin has popped out and, as the massive weight of the cauldron is suddenly removed, the chain whips away like an angry snake.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect294">If the number you have chosen is 0&endash;1, <link-text>turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect191">If it is 2&endash;5, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect105">If it is 6&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect249">
+ <meta><title>249</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With little effort you are able to draw on your mastery of Nexus to protect yourself from the effects of the corrosive acid. Where you have been splashed, you cause the affected skin to exude a strong alkaline that immediately neutralizes the acid. Quickly the pain recedes and you are able to escape along the tunnel, away from this deadly shower.</p>
+ <p>You reach the distant staircase and stop to cut away the parts of your cloak and tunic that have been eaten by the acid. To your annoyance you find a smouldering hole in the top of your Backpack and, when you check the contents, you discover that two items have been damaged beyond repair. (Erase from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> those items which you have noted second and fourth on your list of Backpack Items.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect28">To continue, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect250">
+ <meta><title>250</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Arrow strikes the druid in the back and its tip skewers his evil heart. He takes a few faltering steps, then raises his arms and vents his death-cry before collapsing into the undergrowth.</p>
+ <p>You run to where he has fallen and curiosity prompts you to prise away his green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity. Reluctantly you search his body and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 space in your Backpack)</li>
+ <li>Cener Mask</li>
+ <li>20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Your Magnakai skills tell you that the golden rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.</p>
+ <p>With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10"><link-text>Turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect251">
+ <meta><title>251</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperate to prevent the creature from sounding the alarm, you unsheathe a hand weapon and throw it at its hairless head.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery, add 4 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect69">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect197">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect252">
+ <meta><title>252</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the smoke from the explosion clears, you see a jagged, flame-blackened hole where once there had been a lock. You kick the door and it creaks open, allowing you to enter the hall which lies beyond.</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately, the sound of the explosion did not go unnoticed and as you rush into the hall you are confronted by a creature freshly awoken by the noise.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect120"><link-text>Turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect253">
+ <meta><title>253</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A thorough search of the druid's body uncovers the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)</li>
+ <li>20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ <li>Jar of Black Berries</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect58">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect306">If you do not possess this Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect254">
+ <meta><title>254</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Triumphantly, you clamber over the corpses of the slain war-dogs and advance menacingly towards their handlers. The sight of your stern, blood-flecked face is enough to break the nerve of these Vazhag guards, especially now that their canine protectors lie sprawled in a lifeless heap upon the cavern floor. Shivering with fear, the rat-men retreat and allow you to escape unchallenged.</p>
+ <p>For a moment, as you emerge from the hall, you are blinded by the early morning sunlight, but as you escape along the trail which leads away from the caverns, your vision soon clears and you see before you a vast expanse of forest away to the east. This sea of sickly grey-green trees radiates an unmistakable aura of evil that immediately identifies it as the Forest of Ruel.</p>
+ <p>Your escape is not pursued and, after a few minutes, you stop among a cluster of boulders in order to catch your breath. The surrounding land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being the track which wends its way eastward through the hill towards a gap at the edge of that unwelcoming forest. You consult your map and conclude that this is the Skardos Trail, the secret route used by the Ceners which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow the trail, but first (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect255">
+ <meta><title>255</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You run through a maze of corridors and narrow passageways, up flights of stairs and across dingy halls and chambers. On several occasions you are forced to hide when a Vazhag patrol passes within a few feet, but your wits and your camouflage skills keep you safe and undetected.</p>
+ <p>At length you reach a pillared hall on the surface level where you hide from the patrols until the coast is clear. Daylight is streaming in through the hall door, and from where you are hiding you can see the keep and tower beyond. Your hopes rise when you notice that the keep is deserted and the drawbridge is still lowered, tempting you with a direct escape route out of Mogaruith.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly another bell tolls, adding to the persistent din of the alarm. It is coming from the tower and it signifies that the portcullis is being lowered.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect241">If you wish to make a dash for the tower and escape across the drawbridge before the portcullis seals off this route, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect168">If you decide to try and find some other way of escaping from Mogaruith, <link-text>turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect256">
+ <meta><title>256</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>How dare you delay me with trivial formalities!</quote> you bellow, and slap the Vazhag aside with the palm of your hand. The creature snarls and raises its spear defensively. <quote>Delay me a moment longer and I'll see you are boiled alive in your own grease,</quote> you growl. <quote>Let me pass!</quote></p>
+ <p>Your bold threat works. The rat-man's confidence crumbles and nervously he shuffles to one side, lowering his spear as you advance towards him. At that moment, a column of Vazhag and a wagon laden with weapons converge beneath the archway, blocking it completely. Chaos ensues, but the confusion is to your advantage. Quickly you abandon your undead companion and weave your way through the crowd, into the keep beyond. There you notice several smaller entrances surrounding the flagstoned square. One in particular looks promising: a staircase that descends to a portal set into the base of the citadel.</p>
+ <p>You are heading towards this entrance when unexpectedly you are confronted by three Cener Druids. They emerge from an alley and come walking towards you in a line abreast. To avoid them you are forced to sidestep quickly into a shadowy doorway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect98"><link-text>Turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect257">
+ <meta><title>257</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Forewarned by your powerful senses, you are able to avoid the wriggling creepers by diving and rolling across the spongy forest floor. As you begin to rise to your feet, you fix your eyes on those vines and suddenly you realize that they are not plants after all&emdash;they belong to a creature that is hiding in the canopy above. The creeper-like tendrils are part of its natural camouflage.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly another mass of the tendrils descend and spread out in an attempt to locate you. One brushes against your foot and immediately the others hone in on your position like a swarm of hungry eels. You raise your weapon and strike a mighty blow which tears away a great swath of the creature's wriggling limbs. A fountain of ichor erupts from every severed end and, from somewhere above the canopy of branches, you hear an unearthly roar of pain. Once more the remaining tendrils seek you out; this time they are no longer soft and fibrous, but stiff and studded with barbed thorns.</p>
+ <p>The swirling mass strikes out for your throat. Desperately you hack at them with devastating effect yet more and more emerge from above to replace them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect180">If you wish to evade this creature, <link-text>turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect202">If you choose to stand and fight it, <link-text>turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect258">
+ <meta><title>258</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Vazhag huddle together on the shore, snarling and spitting as they await the right moment to strike. On a signal they fan out in a semicircle and confidently begin their approach. They growl curses and one hurls its spear at your chest which you sidestep effortlessly and catch in mid-flight. In an instant you send this rusty shaft whistling back to skewer its owner's heart. Shock ripples through the ranks when the Vazhag victim emits a strangled squeal and falls snout-first into the mud, but their sudden fear is soon dispelled when, from the safety of the bridge, the druid bellows an angry command. He orders the Vazhag to kill you and, as one, they surge forward and attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag pack</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">32</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect288">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect259">
+ <meta><title>259</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The overpowering aura of evil that filled this room has now vanished. You close your eyes and, for a few seconds, you allow your Magnakai sense of Divination to analyse the psychic residues lingering at the place where Exterminus disappeared. Shapes take form in your mind and, in a moment of chilling discovery, you fathom the secret of the crystal sphere.</p>
+ <p>The sphere was not of this world. It was fashioned in the Plain of Darkness, the domain of Naar, King of all that is Evil. Through the sphere the Dark God maintained contact with Arch Druid Cadak, directing him to fulfil his schemes of vengeance. The destruction of the sphere has rid your world of a terrible device, a channel through which the concentrated Evil of Naar had been allowed to pour unchecked.</p>
+ <p>You open your eyes once more and a feeling of well-being envelops your senses, as if you have just awoken after a deep and refreshing sleep (restore 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). A rustling sound draws your keen eyes towards the tapestry from where Exterminus appeared; it is crumbling to pieces. As the rotting scraps of material fall away, a portal is revealed through which you glimpse a scene that revives your hopes for your quest's success.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect260">
+ <meta><title>260</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Banedon issues the order to his dwarven crew to set a course for Palmyrion. Then, as the hum of the craft's powerful engine rises in pitch, he ushers you into his cabin where a welcoming meal awaits. Effortlessly the Skyrider ascends into the moonless sky and speeds southwards across Sommerlund's forested heartland, while you endeavour to enjoy your friend's good food and company and try not to dwell too much on the daunting task that lies ahead. Together you reminisce about past times spent aboard the Skyrider, and recall the adventures you shared in the far-away lands of Anari and Vassagonia.</p>
+ <p>A few hours later, as your airborne voyage is nearing completion, the conversation turns to the quest in hand. Banedon tells you that you are bound for the Palmyrion city of Holona where your guide, Captain Cearmaine, is patiently awaiting your arrival. At once you recognize the name; you recall having heard tell of the Captain's feats of bravery during the Darklands War where his actions won more than a single battle and earned him commendations from more than a dozen Freeland nations. Lord Rimoah has served you well, for in all of central Magnamund you could not have wished for a better guide than Cearmaine.</p>
+ <p>It is an hour after midnight when the Skyrider passes over the glimmering waters of the River Reloni and descends towards the flat-roofed Canatarium, the largest of Holona's eight municipal halls. There you are greeted by the Captain, a man whose proud face bears the scars of his many battles. He offers his hand in friendship and you are mildly shocked when your fingers close around a palm crafted of cold steel.</p>
+ <p><quote>A keepsake from the Battle of Vellino,</quote> he says, raising his metal hand so that you may inspect it in the light of the Skyrider's bow lanterns. <quote>Alas, the first was stole away by a Drakkar's axe.</quote></p>
+ <p>Captain Cearmaine is eager to leave Holona before sunrise. His carriage awaits to take you south to his command at Stonewatch, a military fortification which stands within sight of the Forest of Ruel. Before you leave, Banedon wishes you success and godspeed. He and his crew will be awaiting you here in Holona in readiness to return you to Sommerlund once the quest has been accomplished. You bid your old friend a fond farewell then settle yourself down into the plush comfort of the Captain's carriage.</p>
+ <p>For four hours you are lost in dreamless slumber as the carriage wends its way across a hundred miles of open grassland trail. When next you open your eyes it is to the sight of a grey dawn breaking over the Palmyrion plain, and the sound of a sentry's war-horn announcing your arrival at Stonewatch. A company of horsemen, each clad like the Captain in ring-mail armour and a flowing chequered tunic of crimson and blue, emerge from the outpost and ride forward to meet the carriage. The Captain acknowledges their salute and watches with pride as faultlessly they change formation to escort the carriage through the outpost's stout wooden gate. Beyond lies a drill square that, even at this early hour, resounds to the shouts of command and the measured stamp of soldiers' feet. You disembark near a watchtower and swiftly the Captain ushers you inside and leads you to his quarters on the uppermost level.</p>
+ <p>You spend the day in his company and together you discuss your approach to Mogaruith while you wait for night to fall. After careful study of his maps, the Captain proposes two possible routes by which you can reach the Cenerese stronghold. The most direct way is to enter the Forest of Ruel and journey due east. This is by far the shortest way, but it could also prove to be the most perilous. You recall Rimoah's account of what lurks in this dread forest and the memory alone is enough to send a shiver coursing down your spine. The alternative is to journey southwards into the Skardos Mountains and enter one of the many subterranean passages that pass through that range. If you can find your way to the Skardos trail, the secret route by which the Cenerese enter and leave their realm, you should be able to follow it all the way to Mogaruith. Consult the <a idref="map">map</a> before making your decision.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you decide to approach Mogaruith via the Forest of Ruel, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect309">If you choose to make your approach via the Skardos Mountains, <link-text>turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect261">
+ <meta><title>261</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Confidently you draw on your Magnakai power of Nexus and focus it at the lock. You will the crude mechanism to open but, to your surprise, you sense that it is protected by magic.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect330">If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect92">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect262">
+ <meta><title>262</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You move to the centre of the hall and unsheathe your weapon in readiness to receive the approaching patrol. A frog-like Tzarg is the first thing you see. It is tethered on a chain, and its ugly face is pressed close to the stone steps. It shuffles down the stairs, snuffling and snorting like a bloodhound as it locates your scent.</p>
+ <p>Close behind it come eight Vazhag warriors, armed with swords and maces. The instant they see you they squeal with delight and fan out in an attempt to surround you. Freed from its cruel handlers, the Tzarg waddles away into the passage as quickly as it can to avoid the fight which is about to commence.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag patrol</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>You cannot evade this combat. The Vazhag attack simultaneously and you must fight them as one enemy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect83">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect263">
+ <meta><title>263</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With deceptive ease you reach forward and pluck the spinning blade from the air when it is barely inches in front of your chest. The Vazhag looks at you aghast, frozen momentarily by the shock of what it has witnessed, but it is galvanized into action upon the instant you send the blade spinning back across the chamber, aimed at its head.</p>
+ <p>The knife misses the creature's head by a finger's length, strikes the chamber wall, and rebounds with a dull metallic clang. It falls at the Vazhag's feet and is snatched up in its defence as you advance swiftly upon the creature, weapon in hand.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Fat Vazhag</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">18</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect264">
+ <meta><title>264</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Raising your right hand, you call to mind the thoughts of the Brotherhood spell of Lightning Hand, as taught to you by Guildmaster Banedon, and focus the power of this spell upon the tips of your first three fingers. You feel a burning sensation. It becomes more intense until your whole hand aches with a gnawing pain (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>You are tempted to abandon the spell but quickly you stifle this urge and project the spell at the middle of the fleeing druid's back. There is a crackling sound, like the crumpling of dried parchment, then a bright blue light shoots from the tips of your fingers and hits the Cener like a hammer between the shoulder blades, sending him sprawling head first into a tangle of thorny briars.</p>
+ <p>Stunned and groaning, the druid fumbles for his slender golden rod and quickly his spindly fingers locate it. However, before he can use it to retaliate, you sprint across the clearing, weapon in hand, and slay him with a single blow to the head. Curiosity prompts you to prise away the druid's green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity.</p>
+ <p>Reluctantly you search him and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)</li>
+ <li>Cener Mask</li>
+ <li>20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Your Magnakai skills tell you that the golden rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a foul-smelling dust.</p>
+ <p>With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10"><link-text>Turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect265">
+ <meta><title>265</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In case there are any among the congregation who have the power to sense your presence, you draw upon your Disciplines of camouflage and mental defence to minimize the risks of being detected.</p>
+ <p>A few uneventful minutes pass until another druid enters the hall, ascending from a circular stairwell to your left. He is a tall, imposing figure, dressed in glittering blue robes edged with black velvet. The congregation rises as he walks to the altar, where he turns to face them.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small1.gif" width="386" height="295"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small1.pdf" width="386" height="295"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>Be seated my brothers,</quote> he commands, in a voice that is deep and resonant. At once you suspect that he is Arch Druid Cadak himself, but his opening address soon dispels this idea.</p>
+ <p><quote>The battle against the Slovians goes in our favour. We have repulsed their puny attacks and our defences along the Storn remain intact. The Slovians are beaten. They are too weak to threaten us again. I, Kadrian, have seen the great river running red with the blood of their slain.</quote></p>
+ <p>Upon hearing this the congregation screech their approval until Kadrian calls for silence. Then, from a tome lying on the altar, he begins to read the opening passages of a service dedicated to Xuzargha, the Cenerese god of pestilence. The gathering fall to their knees, raise the hoods of their robes, and close their eyes in reverence as they listen devoutly to Brother Kadrian's sonorous voice.</p>
+ <p>Anxious to leave this hall, you look around for a means of escape. Two opportunities present themselves: the circular stairwell by which Brother Kadrian entered the hall, and a door to your right marked <quote>Vestibule</quote>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect119">If you wish to descend the circular staircase, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect280">If you decide to enter the door marked <quote>Vestibule</quote>, <link-text>turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect266">
+ <meta><title>266</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tunnel floor is mostly solid stone but heavily littered with powdered rock and mouldering rubble. Slowly you advance, treading carefully among this debris to avoid making any sound that could betray your presence. The unwholesome stench becomes stronger the deeper you explore this eerie passageway, and you feel a warmth radiating from within your chest, as if your lungs had been replaced by two gently glowing coals. Your Magnakai curing skills are working to keep you safe from harm, for the air of this passageway is thick with a host of microscopic organisms, a virulent airborne cloud of disease.</p>
+ <p>At length the tunnel descends to a wide landing where a stone staircase plummets into darkness. Here, to your left and right, you see two small cave mouths criss-crossed with rusty iron bars. Only the slow drip of dank water punctuates the silence, but your super-senses detect that these cave-cells are not devoid of life. Huddled in the shadows are several blue-black shapes, hunched and entangled so as to form one unseemly mass upon the floor. Languidly an eye blinks open, then another, then three more. Slowly, limbs and torso disengage themselves from the mass and rise up unsteadily. For an instant you catch sight of the whole creature and you are shocked by its awful visage. A shaggy goat-like head is perched atop a snaky neck, and it wobbles repulsively as the beast staggers upright. Like its fellow creatures, its bloated trunk is riddled with disease and decay. As it shuffles drunkenly towards the bars, you see in its hellish eyes a baleful green glow. At first you feel a mixture of revulsion and pity for these creatures, but this feeling is suddenly replaced by cold fear when you notice that the green glow does not radiate from their eyes&emdash;it is reflected in them!</p>
+ <p>Swiftly you spin on your heels, your hand reaching instinctively to unsheathe your weapon. Confronting you now at the top of the stone stairs there hovers a monstrous shape, fashioned as if from shimmering green flame. Two whip-like tentacles extend menacingly from its core and a toothless fiery maw gapes like a death wound from where, if it were human, its face should be.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Confronting you now at the top of the stairs there hovers a monstrous shape, fashioned from shimmering green flame.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill16.gif" width="386" height="572"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill16.pdf" width="386" height="572"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Frantically the caged beasts claw and rattle the bars of their cells as the flaming creature comes gliding towards you, borne silently on moth wings of green fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect211">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect152">If you do not possess this Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect267">
+ <meta><title>267</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fix your eyes on the observation platform as you wait for the chain to reach the end of its arc. Upon the instant that momentum stops, you release your grip and hurtle through the air towards the platform's rail. You have timed your jump to perfection, but your landing leaves much to be desired. You collide heavily with the rail, bloodying your nose and bruising your hands and shins, yet you still manage to hold tight and prevent yourself from falling backwards to your doom (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>Winded and bleeding you drag yourself over the rail and stagger toward the inviting darkness of the doorway which services this platform.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect128"><link-text>Turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect268">
+ <meta><title>268</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One of the rat-men pushes his snout to within inches of your face and says, to your surprise, that you can seek an audience with the Arch Druid so long as you first register your arrival. He points to a door in the tower wall and asks you to enter it. <quote>There,</quote> he says, <quote>you can make your registration.</quote></p>
+ <p>Immediately your Magnakai sense of Divination warns that the Vazhag is lying; a prison cell awaits you beyond that door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If you wish to do as the Vazhag requests and enter the door, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect162">If you refuse to enter the door, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect269">
+ <meta><title>269</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With all your strength you resist the terrible power that is sucking you towards its heart. In desperation you call upon the gods Kai and Ishir to aid you, and as if in response to your prayers, you sense yourself rising as the swirling vortex begins to recede. A terrible pain wracks your mind and body (lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) but it does not break your will to survive this supernatural ordeal.</p>
+ <p>Then, abruptly, the swirling funnel evaporates and you find yourself on your hands and knees, breathless and shivering, staring at the cold stone floor of Cadak's throne room. Slowly you rise to your feet, then a faint sound behind warns you that someone or something is moving about in the antechamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect222"><link-text>Turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect270">
+ <meta><title>270</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai skill of Nexus, you cause several of the boxes and sacks to fall from the rear of the wagon. They splinter and tear open, spilling foul-smelling foodstuffs which immediately incite the hungry females to rush forward once more. In the ensuing chaos you leave your hiding place and attempt to escape unseen through the portal.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Mastery of Assimilance, add 2 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect169">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect14">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect271">
+ <meta><title>271</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The west passage continues for several hundred yards before ending at a heavy oak door. As you approach it you can sense an evil at work somewhere beyond, and the stench of its corruption stirs your anger.</p>
+ <p>With weapon in hand you run at the door and give it a mighty kick, sending it crashing open. With ease you have gained access to the chamber beyond, but you are stunned by the awful sight which greets your eyes.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect290"><link-text>Turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect272">
+ <meta><title>272</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your psychic defences buckle under the sudden onslaught and a wave of red-hot pain sweeps unchecked through your mind: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Almost immediately you muster your psychic Magnakai skills and the pain melts away, but the attack leaves you shivering with psychic shock. Seeing a slender advantage, the druid acts quickly to exploit it. He draws a dagger from inside his robes and hurls himself forward in a desperate attempt to drive it into your heart.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Cener Druid</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">23</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to the speed and desperation of his attack, reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 20 points for the first round of this combat only.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect273">
+ <meta><title>273</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You strike and sever the plant-like tendril, but immediately there is another, then another. With the speed of striking snakes they ensnare your legs and wrench you into the morass. Desperately you fight to free yourself as you are dragged deeper into the foul-smelling mire. Repeatedly you strike out below the surface, in the hope of dealing your attacker a mortal wound, and you feel something burst upon your weapon's tip. Momentarily, the creature's grip falters, but only to recover with renewed strength and tenacity.</p>
+ <p>Then sharp pain lances through your thighs as row upon row of barbed claws spring out from the unseen creature's tendrils and puncture your skin. You scream in agony and your cry is echoed from beneath the surface of the bog pool by the sound of a malicious, bubbling laugh.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect339">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect47">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect274">
+ <meta><title>274</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the smoke from the explosion clears, you see a jagged, flame-blackened hole where once there had been a lock. You kick the door and it creaks open, allowing you to enter the hall which lies beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect78"><link-text>Turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect275">
+ <meta><title>275</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>No matter how hard you try you cannot prise the chain from its mounting; you need to use a longer weapon in order to exert more leverage on the pin. Looking around you see nothing that can aid you, but then the image of the ideal object springs into your mind and you rush to the platform's edge. Below you, lying on the first platform, you see one of the slain Acolyte's spears.</p>
+ <p>Swiftly you grab hold of the ladder and begin a hurried descent. As you leap the last few feet to the platform you are confronted by the first of the Vazhag archers. A kick to the snout sends this slavering rat-man tumbling to his doom, but no sooner has he disappeared than another pops up to take his place. You draw your weapon and steel yourself for combat as the Vazhag comes leaping from the ladder with a knife held ready to cut you down.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag archer</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">22</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">21</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect161">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect276">
+ <meta><title>276</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly the Vazhag stops snoring and the silence freezes you in your tracks. The creature prises open its beady eyes, caked with dried sweat, and its whiskered nose sniffs the air suspiciously. Then, as if suddenly electrified, the pudgy rat-man rolls off the divan and reaches with its paw for something hidden beneath the fur covers. You decide to make an escape and pull at the secret door, but it will not open. Somehow the Vazhag has locked it.</p>
+ <p>You turn to face the nervous creature, your hand on the hilt of your weapon as you advance threateningly. In response it darts towards a corner of the chamber and huddles there, shivering with fright. But before you can reach the Vazhag and pull it to its feet, there is the sound of heavy footfalls and suddenly something comes bursting through the curtained archway.</p>
+ <p>Before you now stands a gigantic dog-like creature with fiery red eyes. Its shiny blue-black hide ripples over a muscular frame and a huge crocodile-like jaw protrudes from its cruel, canine face. It is sleek and powerful, yet, as it draws nearer, you see that its hide is pitted and scarred by a virulent disease.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect187">If you possess a Bow and Arrow and wish to use them, <link-text>turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect45">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect277">
+ <meta><title>277</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instinct alone prompts you to take a chunk of the fungi from your Backpack and swallow it whole. Within seconds of consuming the tinder-dry flesh you feel a core of resurgent strength welling deep within your chest. Your spore-choked lungs burn no longer and you can breathe once more with ease.</p>
+ <p>Immune to the insidious effects of the spore-cloud you battle your way through the tunnel to a clearer section several hundred yards beyond. Aided by a fungus from another world, you have survived an encounter with a colony of deadly khloros spores. Few can claim as much!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect79"><link-text>Turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect278">
+ <meta><title>278</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Arrows ricochet from the iron rungs and pass perilously close to your legs, but your agility and the speed of your ascent save you from being hit. Undaunted by the barrage, you continue climbing towards the winch with increased determination.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103"><link-text>Turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect279">
+ <meta><title>279</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You clamber out of the derelict hut and run towards a narrow gap in the trees. A thorny corridor lies beyond it, leading away into darkness. With the fanatical shrieks of the Vazhag echoing in your ears, you muster your courage and leap into the gap.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Assimilance, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect315">If you do not possess this ability, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect280">
+ <meta><title>280</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once inside, you close the door gently and breathe a sigh of relief. You find yourself alone in a small room which reeks of a heady mixture of incense and sulphur. Scarlet robes line the walls, hanging from wooden pegs driven into the crumbling plaster, and upon a solitary table are heaped a pile of green masks, fashioned from a glass-like mineral.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect126">If you possess a Cener Robe and a Cener Mask, <link-text>turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect304">If you possess neither (or only one) of these items, <link-text>turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect281">
+ <meta><title>281</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature finally overcomes your will and, in that instant, you see its eyes widen with fearful recognition. Then you notice its bony hand is gliding rapidly towards an alarm button which protrudes from the side of its desk. You advance towards the desk but it is too late: the button has been pressed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11"><link-text>Turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect282">
+ <meta><title>282</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Vazhag's eyes widen in alarm when it sees you approaching. It opens its mouth as if to scream, but a sharp blow to the side of its neck with the edge of your hand renders it instantly unconscious. You are about to search its pockets when a faint scrabbling sound warns you that the pit creature is on the prowl. Rather than face that nameless horror, you hurry across the chamber to the secret door and make a hasty escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308"><link-text>Turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect283">
+ <meta><title>283</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hit the surface with a mighty splash and sink like a stone. Foul fluids fill your nose and mouth, causing you to cough and retch as you struggle to rise to the surface. You are submerged in a deadly cocktail of acids and toxic wastes from the dungeons of Mogaruith and, were it not for your Magnakai Disciplines of Nexus and Curing, you would have perished within seconds of entering the moat.</p>
+ <p>The Vazhag on the battlements are squealing in triumph for they are certain that you have jumped to your doom. They leave the wall and return to their duties for, in their experience, no living thing has ever survived a dip in the moat. When you do break the surface and strike out for the bank, you do so unseen. It is not until you are pulling yourself out of the moat that your luck suddenly fails you.</p>
+ <p>You are spotted by a group of three Vazhag returning from battle. Two are armed with spears and they face you on foot, but the third sits astride a captured Slovian steed. It is wielding a cavalry lance and you can tell by the way the rat-man balances it that it is skilled in its use. The two spear-wielders squeal their battle-cry and attack you simultaneously. However, this cry is quickly transformed into a duet of pain when you strike out and kill them instantly. They drop to the ground and almost immediately the rider is upon you, jabbing at your chest with the tip of its lance. You duck the first thrust, and steady yourself to meet the second as the Vazhag lancer turns and bears down on you once more.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>You are spotted by a Vazhag returning from battle, sitting astride a captured Slovian steed.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill17.gif" width="386" height="640"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill17.pdf" width="386" height="640"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag lancer</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">32</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">20</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect284">
+ <meta><title>284</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the narrow opening you discover a dusty passage sandwiched between two walls of rough, unyielding stone. Worm casts and a myriad animal tracks mark the surface of the dirt floor, revealing at once to your expert eye that no creature larger than a domestic cat has trodden the floor of this passage in the past three months. Confidently you explore and, unhindered by the darkness, you experience no difficulty in following its sinuous course towards the heart of the Skardos Mountains.</p>
+ <p>You have been walking for two miles before you reach a junction where a wider tunnel leads away, both to the east and the west. Unlike the passage, this tunnel has been excavated from the rock and its walls still bear the scars of shovels and picks. Your Magnakai sense of Divination reveals no imminent dangers and your Pathsmanship can detect no unusual tracks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect49">If you possess Grand Huntmastery, <link-text>turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect118">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, you can investigate either the east tunnel (<link-text>turn to 118</link-text>),&ellips;</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect189">or the west tunnel (<link-text>turn to 189</link-text>).</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect285">
+ <meta><title>285</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Silently, like a cat, you pad along the corridor towards a distant light. The promise of finding a laboratory has raised your hopes of a swift victory for perhaps it is here that you will find the Cenerese crafting their evil diseases.</p>
+ <p>The entrance to the laboratory is unguarded, so you slip inside its open door and hide behind one of the many stone pillars that support a cavernous roof. At the centre of the chamber you see two robed figures huddled over a stone table. Surrounding them are wooden racks filled with strange implements, scrolls, books, jars and other paraphernalia. They appear to be tending to a large frog-like creature which lies spread-eagled upon the table, its limbs secured by coarse ropes. It is not until you are two steps away from the table that you recognize the creature to be a sloat&emdash;a beast of burden much used to tow barges along the River Storn. Your stomach churns when you see that the poor creature is being dissected whilst alive and conscious.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small8.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small8.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect109">If you have ever visited the town of Quarlen or the ruins of Maaken in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you have never been to either of these locations, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect286">
+ <meta><title>286</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The instant you slay the last creature an eerie silence envelops the site. The howling horde have ceased their dreadful caterwauling and now their mindless faces contort with sorrow as they stare at the sundered remains of the pit beasts, twitching and convulsing in the last throes of death.</p>
+ <p>You spin around to face the horde, your steely gaze taunting them to approach you if they dare. But none possesses the will to continue and slowly, one by one, they turn and melt away into the surrounding trees, like phantoms into a mist. Lying on the gore-stained ground close to the pit's edge, you notice a coil of fine copper chain. You pick it up and, in doing so, discover that it is attached to a key embedded in the mud. You can sense no aura of evil surrounding this key, and its cut and crude markings tell you nothing about its origins.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Copper Key, remember to record it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>You leave the pits and hurry on your way along the leafy tunnel. For several miles you progress in a near-darkness that is broken only by a few scattered rays of grey light creeping through the ceiling above. At length the tunnel ends and you emerge into a clearing where stand the derelict remains of an ancient stone dwelling. You approach it warily, sensing the presence of magic, yet inside its shattered walls you find nothing but mould and clumps of sickly black grass. Then your skills of divination tingle afresh as the presentiment of sorcery increases. Suddenly you realize that the source is not here in this ruined hut: it is approaching the hut.</p>
+ <p>Through a crack in the stones you see a gap appear in the wall of trees opposite and a group of Vazhag enter the clearing, their ratty faces sniffing at the heavy, humid air. Among their number is one who is not of their breed. He is human in size and stature, though his hooded scarlet robes make it difficult to be sure. For a moment you catch a glimpse of the glassy green mask covering his face and at once you know that this being is a Cener Druid. In his hand he carries a rod of gold that is radiating the aura of magic which you detected when first you entered the clearing.</p>
+ <p>The Cener calls his pack to a halt. They cease all movement and watch in quiet awe as he raises his golden rod and uses it to make a slow, deliberate sweep of the clearing. Hurriedly you draw on your Magnakai skills of Invisibility and Pathsmanship to shield you from detection as the Cener sweeps back the rod and levels it directly at the derelict hut.</p>
+ <p>Waves of psychic energy flow across your mind. Steadily they grow in intensity, probing and testing your defences to breaking point.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect44">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect298">If you do not possess this Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect287">
+ <meta><title>287</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The statuette is carved from solid gold. It depicts a delicate female figure with flowing hair and slender limbs. Were it not for the goat-like horns protruding from her forehead, and her long barbed tail, you would have thought this statuette to have been modelled on a beautiful human girl.</p>
+ <p>Propped against the statuette you notice a Gold Key. If you wish to take this key, record it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item.</p>
+ <p>You are staring thoughtfully at the statuette when suddenly your daydreaming is disturbed by a faint sound; someone or something is moving in the antechamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect222"><link-text>Turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect288">
+ <meta><title>288</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last of the rat-men succumbs to your fatal blows, you look towards the bridge to see the Cener Druid gibbering with fright. He is horrified by the ease with which you disposed of his escort. Nervously he gathers up his robe and runs for the safety of the tunnel by which he and his now-deceased underlings entered the cave. Anxious not to allow him to escape and raise the alarm, you clamber out of the shallows and pull yourself on to the drawbridge in time to see his red-robed figure disappearing along the passage.</p>
+ <p>The tunnel beyond the bridge is narrow yet well-lit and you have no difficulty following your prey. Stealthily and speedily you close upon him like a lion running to ground a frightened fawn. He glances over his shoulder repeatedly as you draw nearer, then, in desperation, he skids to a halt beneath one of the many hanging bowls which illuminate this passageway. He raises both hands as if surrendering, but as you approach him he grasps the underside of the heavy bowl and heaves it at you. Suddenly, with a sizzling rush, a gallon of blazing coal oil spills over the stone rim and comes gushing down towards your unprotected face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324">If you possess Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect289">
+ <meta><title>289</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Without a sound you raise your weapon and tense yourself in readiness to strike. The Vazhag and the Cener are unaware of your presence and, as they move to enter the south tunnel, they turn their backs on where you are hiding. It is a fatal mistake, for in this instance you launch your attack.</p>
+ <p>Like a tiger hungry for prey, swiftly and silently you bound into the cavern and strike down the two nearest rat-men with one scything blow. A mighty kick sends a third Vazhag crashing head-first into the cavern wall, and a back-handed slash puts paid to a fourth of their number, neatly parting its disease-riddled head from its shoulders. Shocked and confused, the remaining Vazhag fumble ineptly with their weapons whilst the Cener screams frantically at them to avenge their slain comrades. With ease you duck a whistling sword stroke, then dispatch the beast with a lightning-fast stab to its heart. Your strike is executed with such economy of movement that, to the druid and the remaining Vazhag, it looks as if you hardly moved at all. For the Vazhag it is the last straw and, with a squeal of terror, it drops its torch and rusty blade and scurries for the dark safety of the south tunnel.</p>
+ <p>Cursing vilely, the Cener retreats until his red-robed back is pressed flat against the cavern wall. His mask hides his entire face, yet even so you can sense the blazing hatred that is pouring from his eyes, as if it were a stream of liquid fire. You raise your weapon and advance, eager to finish the druid swiftly, but you are halted by a sudden, unexpected pulse of psychic energy that crashes like a wave against your mind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect272">If you do not possess this Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect290">
+ <meta><title>290</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have entered a chamber constructed entirely of black marble and illuminated by artificial light. A dozen spheres of white flame hang motionless in mid-air near the ceiling, each positioned directly above an operating table bearing the corpse of a Slovian soldier. You are shocked to see that their skulls are open and empty. The brains float in glass tanks standing at the head of each table, yet still connected to their respective bodies by coils of thin copper wire.</p>
+ <p>Two Cenerese initiates are attending to the corpses. Their hands are sheathed in transparent gloves and they are clad in close-fitting papery suits. Startled by your dramatic entrance, they abandon their grisly work and seek the protection of their mentor, a druid who wears the hooded purple cloak of a Cenerese High Priest. He faces you across this hellish chamber, his lips drawn back in a silent, gasping snarl as he fumbles for a golden rod which is tucked into his belt.</p>
+ <p><quote>Kill him!</quote> he commands, and he pushes his terrified students towards you. Hesitantly they draw their daggers and, being far more frightened of their tutor than of you, they advance. With swift and deadly precision you dispatch the two initiates and stride towards the priest, your weapon poised to deal a third fatal blow. The Cener spits a curse and instantly a sparking web of energy appears, writhing around the golden rod which he is now holding in his hand. Another curse, and the web becomes a lance of crackling power that comes surging towards your face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect199">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect316">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect291">
+ <meta><title>291</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creepers coil around your limbs and neck in an attempt to crush the life from your body, but you resist this attack just long enough to raise your weapon and strike back. Your first blow tears away a great swath of the writhing vines and, unexpectedly, you see a fountain of ichor erupt from every severed end. Then the realization hits you that you are fighting a creature&emdash;not a plant!</p>
+ <p>From somewhere above the canopy of branches you hear an unearthly roar of pain. Once more the remaining tendrils seek you out; this time they are no longer soft and fibrous, but stiff and studded with barbed thorns. The swirling mass strikes out for your throat. Desperately you hack at them with devastating effect, yet one of the limbs avoids your blows and wraps itself tightly about your neck. Pain fills your head and chest as its razor-sharp thorns bite deeply into your flesh and release a powerful acid.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Stragnah</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">36</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">39</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Due to the surprise of its attack, reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 3 points for the first two rounds of this combat. This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect292">
+ <meta><title>292</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you unshoulder your pack and remove the Cener Robe and Mask. The garment and the mask still bear the vile smell of the creature that once owned them, making you hesitate before puffing them on, but you are determined to enter Mogaruith undetected and, by wearing this Cenerese outfit, you hope to achieve that aim.</p>
+ <p>Once you have donned your disguise, you crawl to a clump of dense foliage at the edge of the forest and wait patiently for your opportunity to act. Eventually your patience is rewarded when you spy two Vazhag approaching Mogaruith from the Skardos Trail. They are leading on a chain what appears at first glance to be a man, although this impression is soon dispelled when they draw closer to your hiding place.</p>
+ <p>Trailing behind the Vazhag is a creature with no free will of its own, a being that was once human but is now consigned to the twilight world of the undead. The sight of this stiff-limbed zombie, propelling itself forward on withered grey limbs, fills you with revulsion and pity. With difficulty you suppress your anger at the creatures who have caused this transformation and, as the Vazhag draw level, you emerge from the foliage and order them to stop. At once the rat-men obey, deceived by your disguise and your command of the Cenerese dialect. Nervously their red eyes regard you and they shuffle uneasily as they wait for your next command.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect122">If you wish to ask them what they are doing, <link-text>turn to 122</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If you wish to order them to accompany you into Mogaruith, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect293">
+ <meta><title>293</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A sharp pain runs up your left leg and, with fearful expectation, you glance down to see that a Vazhag arrow has gouged your thigh: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You draw upon your healing skills to numb the stinging pain and, as it fades, you continue your ascent towards the winch with increased determination.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103"><link-text>Turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect294">
+ <meta><title>294</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a blinding flash followed by a terrible pain which fills your head. Then the pain subsides and you feel as if you are falling forwards into a dark, bottomless pit. The end of the heavy chain has lashed out and struck your skull, fracturing it badly. As you are plunged into unconsciousness, you lose your footing and fall to your doom in the hall below.</p>
+ <p>Your brave action causes the cauldron to tip its contents into the hall, thereby destroying the plague virus and the druids who know the secrets of its cultivation. This destruction has saved millions from a terrible death, and your courage in bringing this about will never be forgotten by the free peoples of Magnamund. Sadly, though, death is the price you must pay for your victory.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your quest end here in the plague hall of Mogaruith.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect295">
+ <meta><title>295</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You catch sight of something huge and grey, moving just below the surface of the foaming water. For a moment it disappears, then, with a mighty splash, a great scaly head emerges with two cold reptilian eyes that flare like yellow flames. It soars up from the icy depths of the lake, perched atop a neck as stout and as long as a toa tree.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A great scaly head emerges with two cold reptilian eyes that flare like pits of yellow flame.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill18.gif" width="386" height="657"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill18.pdf" width="386" height="657"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>One-handedly you struggle to unsheathe your weapon as the feral-eyed beast hovers above you, its open mouth set with jagged, jet-black fangs. Hungrily it watches you and a rumble issues from its gullet as it steadies itself to strike.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Dholdaarg</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">43</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">56</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Owing to your precarious position you must reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 5 points for the duration of this fight. If the weapon you are using is a Broadsword, a Spear, or a Quarterstaff, reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by a further 3 points. This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not to Psi-surge or Kai-surge).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63">You may evade combat after 6 rounds by <link-text>turning to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect219">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect296">
+ <meta><title>296</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The hideous Degradon roars in agony as your killing blow seals its fate. It crashes forward and you leap aside just in time to avoid being pinned beneath its loathsome carcass. Breathless and shaking with the fatigue of combat, you lean against the wall and survey your surroundings.</p>
+ <p>Before you stretches a cavernous hall, lit by the glow from fire-filled orbs hanging by chains from the ceiling. Facing each other are two rows of stone statues which form a grotesque corridor leading to an archway on the far side. Although they are human in shape, extreme expressions of pain and despair twist and contort their faces.</p>
+ <p>You advance cautiously. You are wary of the statues and your body is tensed to react should they show the slightest hint of animation. Fortunately your caution is unnecessary and you are able to reach the archway and leave the hall without further incident. A short passageway leads to a junction where a wider corridor crosses from left to right. Your skin prickles in reaction to the concentration of evil you detect in this subterranean part of Mogaruith, and silently you call upon your creator, the noble god Kai, for protection and guidance, before continuing.</p>
+ <p>Instinct prompts you to turn left, and within a few minutes you arrive at a chamber where a vast staircase of black marble ascends to many levels, lost in the gloom above. Opposite this grand staircase stands a large door, carved from a solid sheet of strange green metal, the like of which you have never seen before. It gives off a pulsating radiance which washes over the empty chamber, illuminating symbols carved into the walls and floor. You focus on these symbols and, in a chilling moment of realization, you decipher their meaning.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect297">
+ <meta><title>297</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step over the bodies of your attackers and stoop to retrieve your Bow. As you are rising, you notice a tiny box-like device hanging from a chain around the Pit Agarashi's neck. At once your natural sixth sense informs you that this device is magical. It controlled the creature's instincts, enslaving it to the commands of the weaker Vazhag.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to take this Restrainer, record it as a Special Item on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>Anxious to leave, you lift the furs which cover the divan and see, protruding from the side, a small lever identical to the one that opened the secret door. You pull it and the door clicks open, enabling you to escape by the way you entered.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308"><link-text>Turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect298">
+ <meta><title>298</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The psychic protection afforded you by your Magnakai Disciplines buckles under the Cener's concentrated assault. You feel an unbearable pressure behind your eyes, then a white-hot core of pain erupts inside your head and you are sent reeling to the ground in agony: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>As gradually the pain fades, you hear the Cener's harsh voice barking an order to his Vazhag escort. You have been detected!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect159"><link-text>Turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect299">
+ <meta><title>299</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The flames explode upon your chest and fan out to engulf your entire body. You call upon the protection of your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus to save you, but it cannot overcome the incredible temperature of this magical fire: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Within a few seconds the flames have gone, leaving you singed and smouldering but (to the angry frustration of your attacker) still alive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect17"><link-text>Turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect300">
+ <meta><title>300</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The symbols form concentric circles which spell out a grim message:</p>
+ <p><quote>Humble thyself for thou art worthless like the dust before He who dwells herein. Pay homage to the emissary of the Lords of Decay for He is the instrument of their intention. Abase thyself afore His power. Hail, mighty Cadak of Mogaruith!</quote></p>
+ <p>Fear and uncertainty knot your stomach as you stand and stare at the door to Arch Druid Cadak's throne hall. Your senses scream at you to turn and run from this place for the air is so heavy with evil that you feel as if you are being slowly suffocated to death. But on this occasion you resist your instincts, for you have yet to discover where the Cenerese are cultivating their deadly plague virus and you know that the answer to that question can most likely be found here.</p>
+ <p>With fear running cold in your veins, you steel yourself and step towards the glowing door. As you come within a few feet of its pulsating surface, a band of intense light washes over you from head to toe.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect236">If you possess the Grand Mastery of Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect6">If you do not possess mastery of this skill, <link-text>turn to 6</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect301">
+ <meta><title>301</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a chilling howl, the spectral creature swoops down to exploit its advantage, but you are too quick for it. You roll across the rock-strewn floor and lash out as it passes overhead, and feel a cold shock run up your arm as your weapon passes clean through its fiery, ghost-like body. The creature howls again, this time with pain. Heartened by the realization that it is vulnerable to your attack, you rise to your feet and prepare for combat as it comes swooping down to attack once more.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Pechdrazil</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is especially susceptible to high-level psychic attacks. If you possess Kai-surge, and wish to use it, increase your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 10 points (instead of 8) for the duration of this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect20">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 20</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect302">
+ <meta><title>302</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Tzarg croaks excitedly when it discovers where you are. Cursing the creature, you abandon your hiding place and step into the light, your weapon drawn in readiness for combat.</p>
+ <p>The instant the Vazhag see you they squeal with delight and fan out in an attempt to surround you. Freed from its cruel handlers, the Tzarg waddles away into the passage as quickly as it can to avoid the fight which is about to commence.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag patrol</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>You cannot evade this combat. The Vazhag attack simultaneously and you must fight them as one enemy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect83">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect303">
+ <meta><title>303</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You struggle to extricate yourself from the bodies of the Vazhag you have slain. As you rise to the summit of this grisly heap, you glimpse the Cener Druid scurrying towards the gap in the trees by which he, and his late minions, entered the clearing. He must not be allowed to escape!</p>
+ <p>Carefully you take up your Bow and aim at this enemy for a second time, determined to stop him in his tracks. Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Weaponmastery (with Bow), add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If your total score is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect250">If it is 5 or higher, <link-text>turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect304">
+ <meta><title>304</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A Cener Robe and Mask would provide you with a useful disguise as you explore the chambers of Mogaruith, a disguise that would undoubtedly raise your chances of success. With this in mind you take and put on what you need from the pegs.</p>
+ <p>Remember to record your choice on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. A Cener Robe takes up two spaces in your Backpack; a Cener Mask takes one space. If you already carry the maximum number of Backpack items allowed, you must discard one item(s) in favour of the Mask and/or Robe.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect126">To continue, <link-text>turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect305">
+ <meta><title>305</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last Acolyte drops lifelessly to the platform, you sheathe your weapon and take hold of the ladder which ascends to the winch. All eyes in the hall below are watching your ascent and, when they suddenly realize what it is you are trying to do, pandemonium breaks out. Hysterical screams of anger and fear merge into a dreadful cacophony which fills the hall with clamouring echoes. You glance down at their faces, contorted by rage, and as you do so you glimpse a new threat to your safety.</p>
+ <p>A handful of Vazhag archers are scurrying from out of the portal which connects Cadak's chamber to the gallery. They spread out along the parapet and begin firing at you with their lacquered bows. Black-fletched arrows whistle past on either side, their barbed heads passing dangerously close to your legs and feet.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 4 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If your total score is now 0&endash;2, <link-text>turn to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect293">If it is 3&endash;6, <link-text>turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect278">If it is 7 or higher, <link-text>turn to 278</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect306">
+ <meta><title>306</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow this illuminated tunnel with your nerves on edge, your every sense stretched to breaking point to detect anything that could forewarn you of an ambush or a trap. You follow it for almost a mile, and it is not until you reach a junction where the tunnel branches off in two directions, north and south, that your vigilance and skill are finally rewarded.</p>
+ <p>To the north you detect the greasy smell of Vazhag hide, and another aroma that reminds you of boiled offal. To the south you detect a completely different stench, a sickly gangrenous smell, rank and fetid, its origin unknown.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect85">If you wish to investigate the north tunnel, <link-text>turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect266">If you choose to follow the south tunnel, <link-text>turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect307">
+ <meta><title>307</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You breathe the words of the Brotherhood spell <quote>Lightning Hand</quote> and point towards the iron pin. A core of heat wells up in your chest and then surges along your outstretched arm to manifest itself at the tip of your index finger as a crackling ball of magical fire. This fire arcs towards the pin and explodes on impact amid a shower of hissing sparks. As these sparks fade you see faint cracks appearing in the surface of the flame-scorched pin.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small9.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small9.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is 25 or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked. If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is 15 or lower, deduct 2.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect328">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect141">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect308">
+ <meta><title>308</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The secret door clicks shut behind you and you find yourself back in the vast, lava-lit cavern once more. Unseen, you advance towards the iron portal and wait close by, camouflaged from detection by your cloak of Kai skills, as patiently you observe the doorway and its guards.</p>
+ <p>After several minutes, the resonant boom of a metal gong echoes in some deep and distant part of the caves. As the echo slowly fades, another sound, that of metal scraping on stone, resounds around the cavern. Then a crack of light appears along the bottom of the portal and, with a grating screech, the great wall of black iron slowly rises up into the ceiling.</p>
+ <p>Through the opening comes a patrol of Vazhag who are escorting a wagon stacked high with wooden boxes, barrels and sacks. A sudden rush of female Vazhag, all squealing and clamouring for food, brings the wagon to a halt directly beneath the onion-shaped portico. The escort struggles to fend off the hungry females with little effect until, with a spine-tingling screech, the portal begins to descend. A wave of panic washes over the Vazhag and they turn and run back into the cavern, fearful of being crushed beneath the falling iron door.</p>
+ <p>When it is just a few feet from the wagon, the portal shudders and grinds to a halt. Those few guards and Vazhag escort who remained nearby quickly rush forward to drag the wagon from beneath the portal. You notice that the females are beginning to return and you know that you must act now if you are to escape from the cavern before the wagon is pulled clear and the iron door closes.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you wish to use your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus to help you escape, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect68">If you wish to use your Magnakai Discipline of Psi-surge, <link-text>turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If you wish to use your Magnakai Discipline of Invisibility, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect309">
+ <meta><title>309</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A little after midnight, you and Captain Cearmaine ride out of Stonewatch on the backs of two swift Slovarian steeds. It is another moonless night and the plain is shrouded by darkness, yet you have no difficulty in seeing the terrain that lies ahead. Using your natural Magnakai skill of Huntmastery, every flowing contour of the grasslands south of Stonewatch is revealed to your eagle eyes. The Captain is not so gifted; however, the special spectacles he wears fully compensate for his lack of night vision. They were a token of gratitude from the Arch-Chief of Chaman for his services in defence of the city of Gleesh during the war against the Darklords, and they have often been of use to him when scouting his country's border with Ruel.</p>
+ <p>It takes an hour to reach the foothills of the Skardos Mountains. Here, the fertile grasslands of Palmyrion give way to a hilly, weed-choked terrain which is broken by deep canyons and sharp, frowning cliffs. In the pitch blackness your eyes pick out a trail that loops down the rugged slopes towards a deep canyon floor. The Captain takes the lead and you follow closely as he descends towards the mouth of a narrow gorge, situated at the far end of the canyon. Within this gorge, the trail writhes and twists like the track of a serpent as it cuts its way between two towering walls of solid rock. Strange animal-like sounds issue from hollows in the rock high above, and you feel a chill of premonition as you ride deeper into this unwelcoming gorge.</p>
+ <p>At length, the trail widens, then divides in two. The Captain veers left and, within a few minutes, you espy a fissure in the rock wall ahead. Silently you dismount and approach the opening with caution.</p>
+ <p><quote>Yonder passage leads to the Skardos Trail,</quote> whispers Captain Cearmaine. <quote>It is a sure route to Mogaruith, but one that is perilous in the extreme. More than a dozen of my bravest scouts have ventured here, alas, never to return. You would not be thought fainthearted were you to forego entry and ride back with me to Stonewatch.</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>I will return to your fortress, Captain,</quote> you reply, your voice quietly resolute, <quote>but not until my task at Mogaruith has been completed.</quote></p>
+ <p>The Captain smiles and raises his steely hand in a salute to your brave determination. <quote>Very well, my lord. So be it. Until that glad day dawns I shall pray for your safety and success.</quote></p>
+ <p>Then he brings his horse about, takes yours by the reins, and bids you a final farewell before turning back to Stonewatch. <quote>May the gods watch over you and deliver us swiftly from the darkness of Mogaruith.</quote></p>
+ <p>You return his salute and watch as he rides along the gorge with your steed in tow. The moment he passes out of sight you turn around and steel yourself to enter the gloomy fissure.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect284"><link-text>Turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect310">
+ <meta><title>310</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature is totally unprepared for your attack. You strike out and hit the back of its head, killing it instantly, the force of the blow lifting it clean out of its hollowed stool. It crashes to the floor where it wobbles back and forth grotesquely, like a giant fleshy egg, before coming to rest on its side.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect23"><link-text>Turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect311">
+ <meta><title>311</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>No matter what you say or do, the lid of the box refuses to open. In one last effort you use your Kai skills in an attempt to overcome the magical spell which keeps this container secure, but the radiating evil of the surrounding books saps your strength and you are soon forced to abandon the attempt.</p>
+ <p>As you discard the box you hear a shuffling noise. It is coming from somewhere in another part of the library and it makes you freeze. Someone else has entered the archives. You look over your shoulder at the door and decide that now would be a very wise time to leave.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect312">
+ <meta><title>312</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Slowly you swim towards a pair of large boulders that rest half-buried in the muddy shallows of the north bank. Here you break through the waist-deep water behind the nearest rock and press yourself against its cool, smooth surface as you fight to catch your breath. Blinking the water from your eyes, you look across the lake to see the Vazhag scouring the south shore. They search beneath the bridge, passing within a few paces of where you were hanging only minutes before. Disappointedly, they report their lack of findings to their Cenerese commander before clambering back on to the platform.</p>
+ <p>The Cener and the remaining Vazhag cross the bridge. They stop just long enough to open the Tzarg cage and drag out one of the croaking creatures. Then the cage door is slammed shut, locked, and briskly the party march away along the south passage.</p>
+ <p>For a full minute you remain immobile until you are sure that the enemy have gone. Then you pull yourself up on to the bridge and, without looking back, you enter the north tunnel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect313">
+ <meta><title>313</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a sudden rush, the leading five Vazhag fall upon you, hacking and stabbing with rust-dulled weapons. Expertly you feint and parry their attacks, then answer their assault with such mind-numbing speed and accuracy that it is as if all five have been dispatched with one solitary blow. Their sudden deaths cool their comrades' courage and, as the horde retreat nervously, you seize your chance and escape through the portal.</p>
+ <p>A few yards along the passage you happen upon a lever protruding from a grating in the floor. Instinct prompts you to pull it, and at once the great iron door descends to crush the wagon and seal off the lava-lit cavern. Safe now from the wrath of the rat-men, you explore this new tunnel in the hope of finding your way back to the surface.</p>
+ <p>The passage continues eastwards for several miles and, with the exception of an occasional Vazhag sentry, it is virtually deserted. At length you arrive at the entrance to another hall, smaller than the lava-cavern but equally as crowded. Daylight streams into this hall through a large archway guarded by armoured Vazhag, and pairs of horny-skinned war-dogs which they hold on the leash. Beyond the archway you can see a track which disappears towards a distant ridge of hills.</p>
+ <p>Directly above the archway, a thin ray of sunlight comes streaming through a window-like hole in the rock. Sorely aware that the main entrance is so heavily guarded that it will be very difficult, even for someone as gifted as yourself, to escape that way undetected, you resolve instead to escape by means of the smaller opening in the rock wall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect314">
+ <meta><title>314</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature looks you up and down. Then, with a suspicious tone, it asks:</p>
+ <p><quote>Who is High Priest of your chapter?</quote></p>
+ <p>You hesitate, unable to answer, and in that instant you see the creature's eye widen with fear. Then you notice its bony hand is gliding slowly towards a button which protrudes from the side of its desk. It is an alarm button.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39">If you possess a Bow and are able to use it, <link-text>turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect251">If you do not possess a Bow, or choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect315">
+ <meta><title>315</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You force your way through the narrow, thorny corridor but it soon comes to an abrupt end. The Vazhag are now streaming into the gap, close on your heels; in seconds they will be upon you.</p>
+ <p>Then you see them. With a foul, snickering cry the Vazhag swarm comes leaping towards you, three abreast. You steady yourself, then raise your weapon in readiness to meet their attack. The leading rat-men throw themselves upon you in a blood-crazed frenzy, hacking and stabbing with their rusty blades, yet you dispatch them in seconds with such precision and economy of movement that it would appear to an onlooker that you had hardly moved at all.</p>
+ <p>But for every Vazhag that falls, three more take its place, and within minutes you are in danger of being suffocated to death by the press of their loathsome bodies.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vazhag pack</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">44</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect172">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect316">
+ <meta><title>316</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sidestep to avoid the oncoming pulse of energy, but it twists in mid-air and catches you in the right shoulder. Pain lances across your chest and you are sent reeling backwards by the force of the impact: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect54">If you have survived this wounding, <link-text>turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect317">
+ <meta><title>317</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your arrow skewers the druid's wicked heart. He takes a few faltering steps, then he raises his arms and vents his death-cry before collapsing into the saw-toothed briar.</p>
+ <p>You run to where he has fallen and curiosity prompts you to prise away his green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity. Reluctantly you search him and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)</li>
+ <li>Cener Mask</li>
+ <li>20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Your Magnakai skills tell you that the golden rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.</p>
+ <p>With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10"><link-text>Turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect318">
+ <meta><title>318</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Drawing upon all of your Kai skills for aid and protection, you raise the hood of your cloak and emerge from your hiding place. The columns of armoured rat-men seem to pay little attention to you as you march boldly along the trail towards their mighty stronghold. Your skills of camouflage are working well; you can only pray that they will sustain you when you reach the archway itself.</p>
+ <p>Walking across the age-blackened drawbridge towards the spiky arched tower of Mogaruith is an unnerving experience. It is as if you are walking along a blackened tongue towards the gaping maw of some gigantic dragon. On either side the bubbling moat releases foul fumes which fill your nostrils with a terrible sugary stench that clogs your lungs and blurs your vision. You draw upon your skills and your vision clears, but the sight which lies ahead looks no more inviting than it did before.</p>
+ <p>At the tower you are challenged by a troop of Vazhag guards who regard you with suspicion and demand to know your purpose here. They will not let you pass until you answer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect268">If you wish to tell them that you are one of Arch Druid Cadak's agents and that you have vital information for his ears only, <link-text>turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect151">If you have the Discipline of Animal Mastery and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect319">
+ <meta><title>319</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Carefully you tiptoe around the divan, taking care not to make any noise that could wake the recumbent Vazhag. A search of the various items confirms your first impression: this is nothing more than a hoard of junk. From the hundreds of pieces you manage to sift the following few which could be of some use to you during your quest:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>16 Lune (equivalent to 4 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ <li>Pouch of Tobacco</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ <li>Copper Bowl</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Now, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance and Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect276">If your total score is 0&endash;5, <link-text>turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect139">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect320">
+ <meta><title>320</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The demonic Exterminus screams in agony as your killing blow pierces its heart. It sways for a moment, defying gravity, then reels backwards and crashes down upon the table which stands beside Cadak's black chair. The awesome bulk of the creature's body crushes the table to matchwood and breaks open the crystal sphere that rested upon it. Immediately there is a loud boom and a tremendous rush of putrid air knocks you down. A funnel of darkness engulfs the body of Exterminus and, with stunning suddenness, there is silence. Both the creature and the shattered remnants of the sphere have vanished completely.</p>
+ <p>You stagger to your feet and turn to face the Arch Druid. The shock of what he has witnessed has left him open-mouthed and drained of colour. He is mumbling incoherently and trembling with fear. You take up your weapon and advance towards him, determined to rid Magnamund of this vile druid once and for all, but the sight of you drawing closer snaps him out of his trauma and galvanizes him into action. He weaves his hands before his face and, in an instant, he is shrouded in a cocoon of light. You strike out at the light but your weapon passes clean through it, meeting with no resistance. Then the light fades and you are left standing alone in the druid's empty throne room.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect259"><link-text>Turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect321">
+ <meta><title>321</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you roll, your Backpack hits the falling edge of the portcullis and jams. In the next moment you are crushed to death by twenty-five tons of oak and iron. Death is mercifully swift.</p>
+ <p>The incredible bravery you have displayed during your quest has brought about the destruction of the plague virus, and the druids who knew the secrets of its cultivation. This destruction has saved millions from a terrible death, and the selfless courage you have shown in bringing this about will never be forgotten by the free peoples of Magnamund. Sadly, though, death is the price you have paid for your victory.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your quest end here at the entrance to Mogaruith.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect322">
+ <meta><title>322</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unsheathe the sun-sword and point the tip of its golden blade at the red-robed druid. From his rod leaps a second charge, a lance of crackling fire that spirals through the hole in the wall and fixes itself to the Sommerswerd like a ravenous vampire let loose upon a maiden's throat. Instantly there is a sizzling splash of blue-white sparks and flashing webs of electrical power run back and forth along your arm. Yet you experience no pain; the dark power of the druid's rod is no match for the goodly might of the Sommerswerd.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small11.gif" width="386" height="72"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small11.pdf" width="386" height="72"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Slowly and deliberately you draw back your sword then cast away its unwelcome sheath of fire. The ball of crackling fire arcs across the clearing and scythes through a pair of trees with a splintering roar. The severed trunks teeter for a moment, then come crashing to the ground, narrowly missing the Cener. The druid screams in fury and frustration. He curses you, then he shouts at his Vazhag minions, commanding them to attack and rip you to shreds.</p>
+ <p>With hatred blazing in their blood-red eyes, the Vazhag advance towards the ruins, each with a rusty weapon poised for the kill.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If you wish to stand and fight these disease-ridden Vazhag, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If you decide to attempt to evade them, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect323">
+ <meta><title>323</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Blood-spattered and drenched with sweat, you stagger away from the bodies of the slain hounds. It takes you a few moments to recover fully but, once you have, you set about a systematic search of the drawers of the desk. You find many scrolls and ledgers which you scrutinize for clues as to where in Mogaruith the virus is being cultivated. Unfortunately the papers yield no useful information, but your search is not entirely fruitless. Beneath the ink pot you find two small levers recessed into the desk's surface.</p>
+ <p>As you examine them your Kai senses reveal that they operate the two metal doors to this antechamber. You flip the right-hand lever and the door by which you entered glides shut. Then you pause for a moment to prepare yourself before flipping the left lever, for you know that this will open the door which leads to Cadak's throne room.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240"><link-text>Turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect324">
+ <meta><title>324</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The flaming oil hits you like a fiery shower full in the face yet, protected by your Grand Mastery of Nexus, you suffer no harm. The Cener freezes with shock and gurgles inanely as, unhurriedly, you wipe the blazing oil from your face with the edge of your hand and pat out the tongues of flames which have sprung from parts of your tunic splashed by the oil.</p>
+ <p>Numbly the Cener fumbles for a weapon. He draws a curvy-bladed knife from a hidden sheath and holds it out unsteadily in front of his chest. You tell him to drop the dagger but he is deaf to your command. He lunges, you deflect his weak attack with your right forearm and counter it with a left hook to the chin which shatters the druid's glassy mask. He reels backwards and crashes to the floor, his bony fingers clutching his throat. For a moment he writhes around on the dusty ground, then his body stiffens and he lies completely still. Cautiously you step nearer, expecting trickery. Then you see that a shattered fragment of his mask has severed his jugular vein and thus sealed his fate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If you wish to search the druid's body, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect306">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect325">
+ <meta><title>325</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect325-1-foot" idref="sect325-1">
+ <p>You must defeat the Plague Hound before turning to <a idref="sect114">Section 114</a>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a moment of horror when first you glimpse the hideous creature which emerges from the portal. It is a gigantic hound with mad red eyes that burn into your mind with a furnace-like intensity. It sees you and howls ferociously, baring yellow fangs dripping with foam.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>You glimpse a gigantic hound with mad red eyes emerging from the portal.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill19.gif" width="386" height="635"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill19.pdf" width="386" height="635"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Aghast, you raise your weapon to meet its assault. Then, mere moments before it strikes, you glimpse the outline of an armoured warrior standing in the open doorway. He is shouting at the beast, commanding it to rip you to shreds.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Plague Hound</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">36</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">34</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is attacking you simultaneously with a powerful psychic blast. Unless you possess the Grand Mastery of Kai-screen, reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 3 for the duration of this fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect64">If you win the combat in 4 rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect114">If the combat lasts 5 rounds or longer, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.<a id="sect325-1" idref="sect325-1-foot" class="footnote" /></choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect326">
+ <meta><title>326</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you recall the words of the Brotherhood spell <quote>Invisible Shield</quote>, and cast it by circling your right palm around your lower body as you breathe the words of the incantation. A few seconds later, a pair of Vazhag arrows come screaming towards your legs and rebound from your magical shield with a sizzling splash of sparks.</p>
+ <p>Saved by your mastery of Brotherhood magic, you are able to reach the gap unharmed and make your escape. You emerge on a mountainside, at a place hidden beneath an outcrop, which is ringed by wind-worn boulders and scrub. Early morning sunlight illuminates the surrounding hills, and beyond them you see a vast expanse of forest, a sea of sickly grey-green trees, which radiates an unmistakable aura of evil. The position of the sun and your Pathsmanship skills inform you that you are now looking upon the Forest of Ruel from the eastern foothills of the Skardos Mountains.</p>
+ <p>The land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being a wide dirt track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the grim forest. You consult your <a idref="map">map</a> and conclude that this must be the Skardos Trail, the secret route used by the Ceners, which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow the trail, but first you hurry away from the ledge lest the Vazhag, and their monstrous war-dogs, decide to give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect327">
+ <meta><title>327</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you sever the last of the flailing tendrils, the roaring above is replaced by a deathly silence. For a moment you remain where you stand, gasping for breath, the blood pounding in your ears. Your Kai tunic is soaked with the ichor of your unseen attacker and its rising stench is making it difficult to draw breath. Then you hear the sound of snapping branches and quickly you move aside as the body of the beast comes crashing down to earth.</p>
+ <p>With weapon poised you approach the huge shape. It resembles a bear, but covered in leaves rather than fur, and it possesses a bulbous head with four hooded orange eyes. Its bloated black and yellow striped body is a mass of severed stumps, and from the back of its neck there protrudes a clump of spines, like those of a porcupine, but these ooze a sticky black venom.</p>
+ <p>The sight and smell of this unnatural creature makes you linger no longer than necessary once your curiosity has been satisfied. Quickly you sheathe your weapon and press on towards the east.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect242"><link-text>Turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect328">
+ <meta><title>328</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your efforts have cracked the pin but it is still intact and supporting the cauldron. You have no option now but to use a hand weapon.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect81"><link-text>Turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect329">
+ <meta><title>329</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In desperation, you muster your Magnakai skills and try to neutralize the terrible effects of the acid. At once the searing pain abates, but your skills are insufficient to rectify the damage you have already sustained: lose 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Cursing your luck you hurry along the tunnel, away from this deadly shower. You reach the distant staircase and stop to cut away the parts of your cloak and tunic that have been eaten by the acid. To your dismay you find that your scalp and your tunic are not the only things to have been damaged. There is a smouldering hole in the top of your Backpack and, when you check the contents, you discover that two items have been corroded beyond repair. (Erase from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> those items which you have noted first and third on your list of Backpack Items.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect28">To continue, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect330">
+ <meta><title>330</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One of the basic skills that Guildmaster Banedon taught you was how to mix together seemingly harmless materials in order to create explosive energy. With that lesson in mind you search your Backpack and pockets and, eventually, you manage to pull together small quantities of sulphur, charcoal and loamsalt.</p>
+ <p>Carefully you mix them together before packing them in a strip of cloth and wedging it tightly into the keyhole. You leave a few strands of the cloth trailing from the hole and, with the help of a wall torch, you set them alight.</p>
+ <p>Hurriedly you move away from the door. You have taken only a few paces when suddenly there is a sharp bang and a jet of orange flame shoots from the keyhole.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect274">If the number you have chosen is 0&endash;3, <link-text>turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect252">If it is 4&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 252</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect331">
+ <meta><title>331</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Vazhag are totally unaware of your presence as you slip through the milling throng and escape into the empty passage which lies beyond the iron portal. A few minutes later, as you are exploring this new tunnel, you hear their anxious squealing cease and the great door close with a rumbling boom.</p>
+ <p>The passage continues eastwards for several miles and, with the exception of an occasional Vazhag sentry, it is virtually deserted. At length you arrive at the entrance to another hall, smaller than the lava-cavern but equally as crowded. Daylight streams into this hall through a large archway guarded by armoured Vazhag, and pairs of horny-skinned war-dogs which they hold on the leash. Beyond the archway you can see a track that disappears towards a distant ridge of hills.</p>
+ <p>Directly above the archway, you notice a thin ray of sunlight streaming through a window-like hole in the rock. Sorely aware that the main entrance is so heavily guarded that it will be very difficult, even for someone as gifted as yourself, to escape that way undetected, you resolve instead to escape by means of the smaller opening in the rock wall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect332">
+ <meta><title>332</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your familiarity with the tunnel enables you to retrace your steps all the way back to the fissure in less than twenty minutes. However, all this walking has made you hungry and (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect118">To continue, you can explore the east tunnel by <link-text>turning to 118</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect333">
+ <meta><title>333</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On the far side of the door awaits a series of narrow passages which eventually end at a large antechamber. This domed chamber is decorated with tapestries which depict Cenerese legends, ignoble and infamous deeds that were perpetrated during the Age of the Old Kingdoms, when, for nearly a thousand years, the Cenerese tyrannized Northern Magnamund.</p>
+ <p>A single heavy oaken door in the opposite wall offers the only exit from the antechamber. As you approach it, you notice that it is slightly ajar. Suddenly you hear the doleful sound of chanting emanating from beyond this door. Curiosity prompts you to peer through its narrow opening and, as you do so, a chill runs the length of your spine when you see what lies beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect334">
+ <meta><title>334</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You open your mouth and form your lips into an <quote>O</quote> shape in readiness to utter the power word battle-spell you have learned from Lord Rimoah. Then, the instant the spell-thoughts focus in your mind, you project the power word&emdash;Gloar!&emdash;at the middle of the fleeing druid's back. Like a hammer, the sound hits him between the shoulder blades and sends him tumbling head over heels into a tangle of thorny briars.</p>
+ <p>Stunned and groaning, the Cener fumbles for his slender golden rod. His spindly fingers locate it, but before he can use it to retaliate, you sprint across the clearing, weapon in hand, and slay him with a single blow to the head. Curiosity prompts you to prise away the druid's green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity.</p>
+ <p>Reluctantly you search him and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)</li>
+ <li>Cener Mask</li>
+ <li>20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Your Magnakai skills tell you that the golden rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.</p>
+ <p>With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10"><link-text>Turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect335">
+ <meta><title>335</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurry out of the library and follow a series of corridors which end at a large antechamber. This domed hall is decorated with tapestries which depict Cenerese legends, ignoble and infamous deeds that were perpetrated during the Age of the Old Kingdoms, when, for nearly a thousand years, the Cenerese tyrannized Northern Magnamund.</p>
+ <p>A single heavy oaken door in the opposite wall offers the only exit from the antechamber. As you approach it you notice that it is slightly ajar. Suddenly you hear the doleful sound of chanting emanating from beyond this door. Curiosity coaxes you nearer. You approach and peer through its narrow opening, and a chill runs the length of your spine when you see what lies beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect336">
+ <meta><title>336</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Stretching upwards, you grasp a spur of rock and begin your ascent towards the tiny patch of daylight, fifty feet above the pit. The rock walls are caked with fine dirt which has settled into the cracks over the years, and all too readily it crumbles beneath your fingers, forcing you to test every handhold carefully before trusting it with your weight.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133">If the number you have chosen is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If it is 5&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect337">
+ <meta><title>337</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Calling upon your powers of Telegnosis, you slip easily into the trance-like state which is necessary in order for you to effect complete transcendency. At once you see yourself in spirit form, rising out of your physical body and floating effortlessly along the tunnel beyond.</p>
+ <p>As you drift towards the shimmering lights, you see that the tunnel opens out into a huge cave. The shimmering is caused by a line of glowing beacons hung by chains from the vault-like ceiling of the cave. Their warm amber light is reflecting upon the cold dark waters of a lake. At first there appears to be no way for you to cross the lake in physical form, but, as you draw nearer to the tunnel's end you see a spur of rock and a raised drawbridge on the opposite side. On the near side, close to a platform upon which the bridge rests when lowered, there stands a large iron cage filled with giant frog-like creatures. You sense that they are the Tzargs that Lord Rimoah spoke of, the scouts bred by the Ceners to guide them through the swamps of Caron. A pair of Vazhag are teasing and taunting the Tzargs with sharpened sticks, jabbing them through the criss-crossed bars of their rusty cage.</p>
+ <p>After a while the rat-men tire of their spiteful game. Casually they cast their sticks into the lake and then settle themselves down upon the muddy shore. The larger of the two produces a haunch of maggoty meat from a haversack slung over its shoulder, and eagerly the two of them proceed to devour this vile food. Both are seemingly oblivious to the hungry cries of the caged Tzargs.</p>
+ <p>You sense that it is time you rejoined your physical body and so you will yourself back to where it stands in the tunnel, entranced and unmoving. The moment that your two beings are reunited, you are able to wake from your trance feeling refreshed, as if you have just awoken after a few hours' sleep. Yet, unlike a dream, the memory of all you saw during your spirit-walk is still fresh in your mind.</p>
+ <p>Aware now of what lies ahead, you advance to the end of the tunnel and take up a position at the entrance to the cave, from where you observe the two Vazhag consuming their unwholesome meal.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect41"><link-text>Turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect338">
+ <meta><title>338</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are sorely aware that time is running out. It can not be long before either Cadak returns to his chamber or the Cenerese discover that they have an intruder in their midst. With this thought in mind you set about searching the throne room for clues that could reveal the whereabouts of the lethal plague virus you have come to destroy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect116">If you wish to examine the glass sphere, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect33">If you choose to investigate the large tapestry, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you wish to take a closer look at the golden statuette, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect339">
+ <meta><title>339</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw upon your Kai power to repel the creature, to force it away by the strength of your will alone, and instantly it responds as if you had run it through with a red hot sword. The creature retreats towards the depths of its slimy pool, but its barbs are snagged in your tunic and, as it slinks away, you are drawn deeper into the mire. If you are to survive this encounter you must cut yourself free.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Plaghatar</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">24</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all psychic attacks. If the weapon you are using is non-edged (i.e. a Mace, a Quarterstaff, or a Warhammer), deduct 4 points from your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect129">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect340">
+ <meta><title>340</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you land your killing blow, the druid crashes down upon the floor, driving his magical blade deep into the flagstones. For a moment he writhes in the throes of death, then he stiffens and lies still.</p>
+ <p>As you step away from his body you suddenly sense a new danger. A number of the congregation are approaching the door, prompted to investigate by the noise of your fight. Quickly you hurry to the section of wall from where the druid appeared and search for a way to make it open once more. You discover a lever and, within seconds of pulling it, the concealed panel glides inwards, allowing you access to a secret passage. You enter, dragging the body of the High Priest behind you by the heels, then push shut the panel just as the inquisitive congregation push open the vestibule door.</p>
+ <p>You abandon the body and pass along the narrow passageway, descending by steps and slopes until you reach a chamber which is lit by two large black candles, fixed into holes in the surface of a marble slab. On a nearby table lie the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>2 Arrows</li>
+ <li>Enough food for 2 Meals</li>
+ <li>2 Daggers</li>
+ <li>1 Sword</li>
+ <li>Mirror</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to take any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small3.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small3.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Opposite the slab there is a door which opens into a narrow corridor. You step through and follow this corridor towards a distant chamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect158"><link-text>Turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect341">
+ <meta><title>341</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect341-1-foot" idref="sect341-1">
+ <p>According to <cite><a href="&link.05sots;">Shadow on the Sand</a></cite> Section 2, one dose of the Oede herb can heal 10 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of damage.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ <footnote id="sect341-2-foot" idref="sect341-2">
+ <p>Since you <quote>take down half a dozen jars</quote> and there are exactly six types of herbs in the list, it may safely be assumed that one jar contains all of a given herb or potion. (e.g. one jar contains all five doses of Laumspur) If each jar is one Backpack Item, then the Cener have created some <em>extremely</em> concentrated potions which take up very little space.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unfurl the map and try to find your present location. At length you discover where you are and, marked by a tiny cipher, you see that there is a hidden lever which activates the wall. You examine the surrounding bricks carefully and soon discover the false panel which contains the lever. You pull it and the wall glides inwards before moving away to your right. It reveals a small well-kept chamber, its walls lined with shelves containing hundreds of stoppered jars, each one neatly labelled.</p>
+ <p>The jars contain all manner of compounds and elements, from worthless dirt to precious gold dust, and many herbs besides. You search along the shelves and take down half a dozen jars whose contents you recognize:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Laumspur (Enough for 5 doses) Restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points when swallowed after combat.</li>
+ <li>Alether (Enough for 4 doses) Increases <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 2 points for duration of one fight only.</li>
+ <li>Gallowbrush (Enough for 2 doses) Induces 10 hours' sleep and loss of 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points per dose.</li>
+ <li>Sabito (Enough for 2 doses) Enables user to breathe underwater.</li>
+ <li>Laumwort (Enough for 3 doses) Restores 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points if swallowed before or after combat.</li>
+ <li>Oede (Enough for 1 dose) Very rare and valuable. Many healing properties. Cures serious diseases.<a id="sect341-1" idref="sect341-1-foot" class="footnote" /></li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep one or more of the above jars, remember to record your choice on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. All of these jars are Backpack Items.<a id="sect341-2" idref="sect341-2-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small8.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small8.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Apart from the secret door by which you entered, you notice that there is a narrow passageway which leads out of this room.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If you wish to leave the room by this passageway, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect271">If you wish to leave by the secret door and retrace your steps all the way back to the west passage, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect342">
+ <meta><title>342</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you inch your way towards the iron portal, your super-senses alert you to a hairline crack which runs vertically through the cavern wall. You run your fingers along the seam and your fingertips detect a faint change in air pressure. At once you realize that you have stumbled upon a secret doorway.</p>
+ <p>Eagerly your eyes search the adjoining wall and floor for a concealed latch or lever. It takes a few minutes, but eventually you detect what you are looking for: a hinged flap of stone covers a lever which is set nearby into the wall at knee-height from the floor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115">If you wish to pull this concealed lever, <link-text>turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect127">If you decide to ignore it, <link-text>turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect343">
+ <meta><title>343</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature's spittle eats through the right arm and back of your tunic, causing you several deep and painful burns: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect117">If you survive this grievous wounding, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect344">
+ <meta><title>344</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A sizzling splash of blue-white sparks erupts in front of your eyes as the bolt of crackling energy lances deep into your chest: lose 10 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect135">If you survive this wounding, <link-text>turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect345">
+ <meta><title>345</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You drop back a few rungs, just far enough to put you beyond reach of the spear blades, and then you perform the movements of a battle-spell that Lord Rimoah calls <quote>The Invisible Fist</quote>. You clench your right fist, then extend your arm and open your palm towards the enemy. A tingling rush of power surges along your arm and, an instant later, you see the Acolytes tumbling backwards, knocked over by the concussive force of the spell.</p>
+ <p>You seize your chance and swiftly ascend to the platform. A well-aimed kick sends one of the Acolytes toppling over the edge to fall, screaming, into the midst of some glass boxes on an experiment table far below. His partner is back on his feet, weapon in hand, and he meets your stare with a sneer that readily conveys his hatred of your race. Then, spurred on by the yells of his confederates in the hall below, he jumps forward and thrusts his weapon at your throat.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>One of the Acolytes meets your stare with a sneer that readily conveys his hatred of your race.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill20.gif" width="386" height="664"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill20.pdf" width="386" height="664"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>Acolyte of Vashna (with Medallion of Protection)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">25</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect29">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect346">
+ <meta><title>346</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your ascent to the gap goes undetected by the Vazhag guards and you emerge on a mountainside, at a place hidden beneath an outcrop which is ringed by wind-worn boulders and scrub. Early morning sunlight illuminates the surrounding hills, and beyond them you see a vast expanse of forest, a sea of sickly grey-green trees, which radiates an unmistakable aura of evil. The position of the sun and your Pathsmanship skills inform you that you are now looking upon the Forest of Ruel from the eastern foothills of the Skardos Mountains.</p>
+ <p>The land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being a wide dirt track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the grim forest. You consult your map and conclude that this must be the Skardos Trail, the secret route used by the Ceners, which leads all the way to their stronghold of Mogaruith. You resolve to follow the trail, but first (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect347">
+ <meta><title>347</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At the bottom of the stairs the tunnel continues in a straight line towards a stout wooden door that is studded and braced with iron. You sense that it is locked even before you have reached it. When you do reach the door you notice a keyhole located beneath its rust-pitted handle.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect102">If you possess a Copper Key, <link-text>turn to 102</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect261">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 261</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect348">
+ <meta><title>348</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Without a sound you raise your weapon and tense yourself in readiness to strike. At first the Vazhag and the Cener seem unaware of your presence. But as they move to enter the south tunnel, the Vazhag suddenly freeze in their tracks and begin squealing frantically.</p>
+ <p>The sound galvanizes you into action. Like a panther hungry for the kill, swiftly and silently you leap among the Vazhag and strike down the two nearest with one scything blow. Before they have fallen you kick out at the chest of another and feel its bones crack under the impact. A side-swipe puts paid to a fourth of their number, neatly parting its disease-riddled head from its shoulders. You pause for breath, and see the remaining enemy backing away in shocked confusion.</p>
+ <p>Ineptly they fumble to unsheathe their weapons whilst the Cener screams at them to avenge their slain comrades. One Vazhag plucks up enough courage to attack you and, with ease, you duck its whistling sword stroke. Before it can strike again, you can dispatch the beast with a lightning-fast stab through the heart. Your strike is executed with such economy of movement that, to the druid and the remaining Vazhag, it looks as if you hardly moved at all. For the sole surviving Vazhag it is the last straw and, with a squeal of abject terror, it drops its torch and rusty blade and scurries for the dark safety of the north tunnel.</p>
+ <p>Cursing vilely, the Cener retreats until his red-robed back is pressed flat against the cavern wall. His mask hides his entire face, yet even so you can sense the blazing hatred that is pouring from his eyes, as if it were a stream of liquid fire. You raise your weapon and advance, eager to finish the druid swiftly, but you are halted by a sudden, unexpected pulse of psychic energy that crashes like a wave against your mind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect272">If you do not possess this Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect349">
+ <meta><title>349</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Cener's dying scream alerts the Vazhag pack and they come scampering back to investigate the sound. The moment they see you, standing over their leader like a hunter over his kill, their nerve appears to crumble. They lower their weapons and begin to edge away. Then the leading rat-men panic; they turn and run, and the others quickly follow suit, leaving you alone in the clearing with the body of the dead druid lying crumpled at your feet.</p>
+ <p>Curiosity prompts you to prise away the druid's green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity. Reluctantly you search him and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)</li>
+ <li>Cener Mask</li>
+ <li>20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Your Magnakai skills tell you that the golden rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.</p>
+ <p>With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10"><link-text>Turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect350">
+ <meta><title>350</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Drawing upon your very last reserves of strength, you fight against the powerful current and succeed in avoiding being hit by the deluge of rocks and flames. As your strength subsides, you are swept under the bridge and, minutes later, you find yourself washed up on the west bank of the Storn. A company of Slovian archers drag you from the icy water and, fearing you to be a Cenerese spy, they take you to their Captain. Fortunately he recognizes your Kai cloak and tunic, and at once you are afforded the treatment and respect which befits one who holds the title of Kai Grand Master.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small2.gif" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small2.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>The Captain sends word of your survival to the Palmyrions at Holona where, the following day, you are reunited with Captain Cearmaine and Guildmaster Banedon. Later that same day, the president of Palmyrion&emdash;Elector Manatine&emdash;arrives with his entourage and, upon learning of the success of your daring mission, he orders that an official celebration take place throughout the republic. You receive the thanks of a grateful nation and, in recognition of your bravery, the Elector presents you with the <quote>Golden Star of Palmyrion</quote>, the highest award his country can bestow upon a warrior.</p>
+ <p>Congratulations Lone Wolf!&emdash;you have won a major victory over the Cenerese and removed a threat which could have devastated all of Magnamund. Yet the struggle against Evil goes on. Within a few months of your triumphant return to Sommerlund a grave situation develops, a situation which threatens the life of your closest friend&emdash;Guildmaster Banedon.</p>
+ <p>The nature of this threat and your quest to overcome it awaits you in Book 14 of the Lone Wolf series, entitled:</p>
+ <p><a href="&link.14tcok;"><cite>The Captives of Kaag.</cite></a></p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="map">
+ <meta><title>The Dark Realm of Ruel</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <illustration>
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="map.jpg" width="1024" height="768" class="html" />
+ <instance src="map.pdf" width="1024" height="768" class="pdf" />
+ </illustration>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="action">
+ <meta><title>Action Chart</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acstats.gif" width="386" height="286" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acdscplz.gif" width="386" height="103" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acchklst.gif" width="385" height="128" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acitems.gif" width="386" height="161" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acbckpck.gif" width="386" height="137" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acspcl.gif" width="386" height="280" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="ac1.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="ac2.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="ac3.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="crsumary">
+ <meta><title>Combat Rules Summary</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <ol>
+ <li>Add your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> to any extra points given to you by your Kai Disciplines.</li>
+ <li>Subtract the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of your enemy from this total. This number = Combat Ratio.</li>
+ <li>Pick number from <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</li>
+ <li>Turn to <a idref="crtable">Combat Results Table</a>.</li>
+ <li>Find your Combat Ratio on the top of chart and cross-reference to random number you have picked. (E indicates loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to Enemy. LW indicates loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to Lone Wolf.)</li>
+ <li>Continue the combat from Stage 3 until one character is dead. This is when <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of either character fall to 0.</li>
+ </ol>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="smevazn">
+ <meta><title>To Evade Combat</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <ol>
+ <li>You may only do this when the text of the adventure offers you the opportunity.</li>
+ <li>You undertake one round of combat in the usual way. All points lost by the enemy are ignored, only Lone Wolf loses the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
+ <li>If the book offers the chance of taking evasive action in place of combat, it can be taken in the first round of combat or any subsequent round.</li>
+ </ol>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="crtable">
+ <meta><title>Combat Results Table</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="crtneg.gif" width="386" height="472" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ <instance src="crtneg.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="crtpos.gif" width="386" height="472" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ <instance src="crtpos.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="random">
+ <meta><title>Random Number Table</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="random.gif" width="332" height="432" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ <instance src="random.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="errata">
+ <meta><title>Errata</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="errintro">
+ <meta><title>Introduction</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>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 <a href="mailto:staff@projectaon.org">Project Aon Staff</a>.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="errerr">
+ <meta><title>Errata</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>(<a idref="title">Title Page</a>) Replaced <quote>THE PLAGUE LORDS OF RUEL</quote> with <quote><cite>The Plague Lords of Ruel</cite></quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="tssf">The Story So Far</a>) Replaced <quote>elite</quote> with <quote>élite</quote>, <quote>freestate</quote> with <quote>Freeland</quote>, <quote>Ragador</quote> with <quote>Ragadorn</quote>, and <quote>Arch-Druid</quote> with <quote>Arch Druid</quote>. Combined the last two paragraphs into one.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="gamerulz">The Game Rules</a>) Removed <quote> that you will find in the front of this book. For ease of use, and for further adventuring, it is recommended that you photocopy these pages</quote>. Replaced <quote>To do this take a pencil and, with your eyes closed, point with the blunt end of it on to the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> on the last page of this book</quote> with <quote>To do this, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a></quote>. Replaced all occurrences of <quote>ie,</quote> with <quote>i.e.</quote>. Replaced <quote>These scores may include Weaponmastery, Curing, and Psi-surge bonuses.</quote> with <quote>These scores may include Lore-circle bonuses. You may also benefit from the Disciplines that you've mastered (e.g. Weaponmastery, Curing, and Psi-surge bonuses)</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="discplnz">Grand Master Disciplines</a>) Replaced <quote>Magi-Magic</quote> with <quote>Magi-magic</quote>. Replaced <quote>THE CAPTIVES OF KAAG</quote> with <quote><cite>The Captives of Kaag</cite></quote> and <quote>weapons listed overleaf</quote> with <quote>weapons listed below</quote>. Replaced <quote>disciplines</quote> with <quote>Disciplines</quote>. Replaced <quote>their <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ></quote> with <quote>their <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ></quote> under Deliverance. It seems unlikely that the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> score would ever be reduced to such a low level. We assume that this was intended to be <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> instead.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="equipmnt">Equipment</a>) Removed <quote>(see the inside front cover of this book)</quote>. Replaced <quote>arrows</quote> with <quote>Arrows</quote>. Amended the text to correctly reflect the +5 <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> bonus for Grand Weaponmastery. Replaced both occurrences of <quote>safe-keeping</quote> with <quote>safekeeping</quote>. Replaced <quote>eg,</quote> with <quote>e.g.</quote>. Replaced all occurences of <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="cmbtrulz">Rules for Combat</a>) Removed <quote>on the inside back cover of this book</quote>. Replaced <quote>on the page after the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a></quote> with <quote>in the back of this book</quote>. In the example combat, changed Lone Wolf's initial <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> to 27 and corrected the Kai Surge bonus to +8 <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="imprvdsc">Improved Grand Master Disciplines</a>) Removed the quotation marks from <quote>Improved Grand Master Disciplines</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect2">2</a>) Replaced <quote>Extermius</quote> with <quote>Exterminus</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect7">7</a>) Replaced <quote>crease</quote> with <quote>cease</quote> and <quote>fowards</quote> with <quote>forwards</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect8">8</a>) Moved the Animal Mastery choice into the first position.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect11">11</a>) Replaced <quote>semi-circular</quote> with <quote>semicircular</quote> and <quote>Ruel war-dogs</quote> with <quote>Ruel War-dogs</quote>. Replaced <quote>wag dogs</quote> with <quote>war-dogs</quote> and <quote>charge</quote> with <quote>charges</quote> in the illustrations caption.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect16">16</a>) Replaced <quote>sub-conscious</quote> with <quote>subconscious</quote> and <quote>curing</quote> with <quote>Curing</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect24">24</a>) Replaced <quote>it red</quote> with <quote>its red</quote>, <quote>pit agarashi</quote> with <quote>Pit Agarashi</quote>, <quote>it red eyes</quote> with <quote>its red eyes</quote>, and <quote>death cry</quote> with <quote>death-cry</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect25">25</a>) Replaced <quote>side-step</quote> with <quote>sidestep</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect31">31</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>pit agarashi</quote> with <quote>Pit Agarashi</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect34">34</a>) Replaced <quote>Ghorkas</quote> with <quote>ghorkas</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect35">35</a>) Replaced <quote>as it they were</quote> with <quote>as if they were</quote> and <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect37">37</a>) Replaced <quote>blood-lust</quote> with <quote>bloodlust</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect39">39</a>) Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote> and <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect41">41</a>) Replaced <quote>suface</quote> with <quote>surface</quote>, <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>, and <quote>aproaches</quote> with <quote>approaches</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect42">42</a>) Replaced <quote>arrows</quote> with <quote>Arrows</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect43">43</a>) Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect47">47</a>) Replaced <quote>eg</quote> with <quote>i.e.</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect49">49</a>) Replaced <quote>senses tells</quote> with <quote>senses tell</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect50">50</a>) Replaced <quote>seeth</quote> with <quote>seethe</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect62">62</a>) Replaced <quote>rib-cage</quote> with <quote>rib cage</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect72">72</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote> and <quote>Magi-Magic</quote> with <quote>Magi-magic</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect83">83</a>) Added <quote>(unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery)</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect84">84</a>) Replaced <quote>animal control</quote> with <quote>Animal Control</quote> and <quote>divination</quote> and <quote>Divination</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect87">87</a>) Replaced <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect96">96</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect98">98</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druids</quote> with <quote>Cener Druids</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect103">103</a>) Replaced <quote>Grand Mastery of Nexus</quote> with <quote>Mastery of Grand Nexus</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect104">104</a>) Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>, <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>, and <quote>quiver</quote> with <quote>Quiver</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect106">106</a>) Replaced <quote>youself</quote> with <quote>yourself</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect108">108</a>) Replaced <quote>imposter</quote> with <quote>impostor</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect109">109</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druids</quote> with <quote>Cener Druids</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect110">110</a>) Replaced <quote>death blow</quote> with <quote>death-blow</quote>, <quote>pit agarashi</quote> with <quote>Pit Agarashi</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect113">113</a>) Replaced <quote>freeland</quote> with <quote>Freeland</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect116">116</a>) Replaced <quote>discoloration</quote> with <quote>discolouration</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect117">117</a>) Replaced <quote>divination</quote> with <quote>Divination</quote> and <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect121">121</a>) Replaced <quote>pit agarashi's</quote> with <quote>Pit Agarashi's</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect123">123</a>) Replaced <quote>Magi-Magic</quote> with <quote>Magi-magic</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect124">124</a>) Replaced <quote>0&endash;4</quote> with <quote>3&endash;4</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect125">125</a>) Replaced <quote>rounds, by</quote> with <quote>rounds by</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect127">127</a>) Replaced <quote>You wait</quote> with <quote>Waiting</quote>, <quote>gong echoes n some</quote> with <quote>gong echoes in some</quote>, and <quote>begining</quote> with <quote>beginning</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect128">128</a>) Replaced <quote>beating time</quote> with <quote>beating in time</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect131">131</a>) Replaced <quote>foward</quote> with <quote>forward</quote> and <quote>Plague agarashi</quote> with <quote>Plague Agarashi</quote> and <quote>plague agarashi</quote> with <quote>Plague Agarashi</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect132">132</a>) Replaced <quote>Bow and wish to use it</quote> with <quote>Bow and an Arrow and wish to use them</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect133">133</a>) Replaced <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect137">137</a>) <quote>levitation</quote> with <quote>Levitation</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect142">142</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect145">145</a>) Replaced <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote> and <quote>least</quote> with <quote>lest</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect147">147</a>) Replaced <quote>lancer</quote> with <quote>Lancer</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect151">151</a>) Replaced <quote>Kai Alchemy <em>and</em> Kai Surge</quote> with <quote>Kai-alchemy <em>and</em> Kai-surge</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect153">153</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect155">155</a>) Replaced <quote>divination</quote> with <quote>Divination</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect157">157</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>, <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>, and <quote>foward</quote> with <quote>forward</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect160">160</a>) Replaced <quote>wagon-loads</quote> with <quote>wagonloads</quote> and <quote>Cener mask</quote> with <quote>Cener Mask</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect162">162</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druids</quote> with <quote>Cener Druids</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect167">167</a>) <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect172">172</a>) Replaced <quote>Magi-Magic</quote> with <quote>Magi-magic</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect175">175</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druids</quote> with <quote>Cener Druids</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect176">176</a>) Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote> and <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect186">186</a>) Replaced <quote>suface</quote> with <quote>surface</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect182">182</a>) Replaced <quote>fast flowing</quote> with <quote>fast-flowing</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect183">183</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect187">187</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>. Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect188">188</a>) Replaced <quote>Grand Mastery</quote> with <quote>Grand Nexus</quote>. (cf. <a idref="sect203">Section 203</a>)</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect189">189</a>) Replaced <quote>fissure, by</quote> with <quote>fissure by</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect190">190</a>) Replaced <quote>camouflage</quote> with <quote>Camouflage</quote> and <quote>Magi-Magic</quote> with <quote>Magi-magic</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect193">193</a>) Replaced <quote>Ghorkas</quote> with <quote>ghorkas</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect200">200</a>) Replaced <quote>giaks</quote> with <quote>Giaks</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect201">201</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect204">204</a>) Replaced <quote>out-distanced</quote> with <quote>outdistanced</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect216">216</a>) Replaced <quote>semi-circular</quote> with <quote>semicircular</quote> and <quote>Ruel war-dogs</quote> with <quote>Ruel War-dogs</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect220">220</a>) Replaced <quote>0&endash;2 turn</quote> with <quote>0&endash;2, turn</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect221">221</a>) Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote> and <quote>Plague hound</quote> with <quote>Plague Hound</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect223">223</a>) Replaced <quote>Unforturnately</quote> with <quote>Unfortunately</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect224">224</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druids</quote> with <quote>Cener Druids</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect232">232</a>) <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect235">235</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>, <quote>death cry</quote> with <quote>death-cry</quote>, and <quote>spreadeagled</quote> with <quote>spread-eagled</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect244">244</a>) Replaced <quote>hunch of maggoty</quote> with <quote>haunch of maggoty</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect247">247</a>) Replaced <quote>Sloat</quote> with <quote>sloat</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect249">249</a>) Replaced <quote>backpack</quote> with <quote>Backpack</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect250">250</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>death cry</quote> with <quote>death-cry</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect256">256</a>) Replaced <quote>creatures snarls</quote> with <quote>creature snarls</quote> and <quote>Cener druids</quote> with <quote>Cener Druids</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect258">258</a>) Replaced <quote>semi-circle</quote> with <quote>semicircle</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect260">260</a>) Removed <quote>at the front of this book</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect266">266</a>) Replaced <quote>flame, Two</quote> with <quote>flame. Two</quote> and <quote>supersenses</quote> with <quote>super-senses</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect276">276</a>) Replaced <quote>use it</quote> with <quote>use them</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect277">277</a>) Replaced <quote>backpack</quote> with <quote>Backpack</quote> and <quote>stength</quote> with <quote>strength</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect284">284</a>) Split the choice about the two tunnels into two paragraphs and added an ellipse (&ellips;) to the end of the first new paragraph.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect285">285</a>) Replaced <quote>Sloat</quote> with <quote>sloat</quote> and <quote>spreadeagled</quote> with <quote>spread-eagled</quote>. Replaced <quote>Quarlen</quote> with <quote>Quarlen or the ruins of Maaken</quote> in the first choice. Replaced <quote>Quarlen</quote> with <quote>either of these locations</quote> in the second choice.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect286">286</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect288">288</a>) Replaced <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect292">292</a>) Replaced <quote>un-dead</quote> with <quote>undead</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect296">296</a>) Replaced <quote>degradon</quote> with <quote>Degradon</quote> and <quote>shape extreme</quote> with <quote>shape, extreme</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect297">297</a>) Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote> and <quote>pit agarashi's</quote> with <quote>Pit Agarashi's</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect300">300</a>) Replaced <quote>afore his</quote> with <quote>afore His</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect303">303</a>) Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote> and <quote>Cener druid</quote> with <quote>Cener Druid</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect310">310</a>) Replaced <quote>lifiting</quote> with <quote>lifting</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect317">317</a>) Replaced <quote>death cry</quote> with <quote>death-cry</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect320">320</a>) Replaced <quote>suddeness</quote> with <quote>suddenness</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect323">323</a>) Replaced <quote>Bloodspattered</quote> with <quote>Blood-spattered</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect325">325</a>) Replaced <quote>Plague hound</quote> with <quote>Plague Hound</quote>. Replaced <quote>the gigantic hound</quote> with <quote>a gigantic hound</quote> in the illustration caption.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect329">329</a>) Replaced <quote>backpack</quote> with <quote>Backpack</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect337">337</a>) Replaced <quote>re-united</quote> with <quote>reunited</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect339">339</a>) Replaced <quote>eg,</quote> with <quote>i.e.</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect341">341</a>) Typeset the list of items in initial capital letters instead of all capitals.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect346">346</a>) Replaced <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect350">350</a>) Typeset <quote><a href="&link.14tcok;"><cite>The Captives of Kaag</cite></a></quote> in initial capital letters instead of all capitals.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="crsumary">Combat Rules Summary</a>) Replaced <quote>cross reference</quote> with <quote>cross-reference</quote>.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="footnotz">
+ <meta><title>Footnotes</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>(<a idref="gamerulz">The Game Rules</a>) The Discipline bonuses mentioned do not affect your permanent scores. If you have completed previous adventures, the Disciplines that you have mastered may still be beneficial. See the Grand Master Rules section of the <a href="&link.rh;">Rules Handbook</a> for details.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="discplnz">Grand Master Disciplines</a>) The rules of the books in the Magnakai series (6-12) and the fact that the <quote>rank of Kai Grand Defender&ellips; means you are skilled in two&ellips; weapons</quote> imply that for each book that you complete of the Grand Master series (13-20), you will gain mastery of an additional Kai weapon. E.g. if you complete <cite>The Plague Lords of Ruel</cite> and have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery at the beginning of the next book, you can choose an additional Weapon from the list to have Mastery of.</p> <p>(<a idref="sect15">15</a>) This is the correct answer to the combination lock riddle in Sections <a idref="sect158">158</a> and <a idref="sect227">227</a>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect26">26</a>) This section corresponds to an incorrect answer to the riddle in <a idref="sect48">Section 48</a>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect48">48</a>) The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect91">91</a>) Although adding <quote>a further 2</quote> to your random number implies that you must have Kai-surge to get this bonus, it is also reasonable to apply this bonus whether or not you have this Discipline.</p> <p>(<a idref="sect100">100</a>) You must defeat all of the Ruel War-dogs before turning to <a idref="sect37">Section 37</a>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect131">131</a>) If you possess the Sommerswerd, you should double the Undead Plague Agarashi's <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point loss.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect146">146</a>) This section corresponds to the correct answer to the riddle in <a idref="sect48">Section 48</a>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect158">158</a>) The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect184">184</a>) You must have at least one Arrow in order to <cite>be able to use</cite> a Bow.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect221">221</a>) You must defeat the Plague Hound before turning to <a idref="sect114">Section 114</a>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect227">227</a>) The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect234">234</a>) According to <cite><a href="&link.05sots;">Shadow on the Sand</a></cite> Section 2, one dose of the Oede herb can heal 10 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of damage.</p>
+ <p>Since you <quote>take down half a dozen jars</quote> and there are exactly six types of herbs in the list, it may safely be assumed that one jar contains all of a given herb or potion. (e.g. one jar contains all five doses of Laumspur) If each jar is one Backpack Item, then the Cener have created some <em>extremely</em> concentrated potions which take up very little space.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect325">325</a>) You must defeat the Plague Hound before turning to <a idref="sect114">Section 114</a>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect341">341</a>) According to <cite><a href="&link.05sots;">Shadow on the Sand</a></cite> Section 2, one dose of the Oede herb can heal 10 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of damage.</p>
+ <p>Since you <quote>take down half a dozen jars</quote> and there are exactly six types of herbs in the list, it may safely be assumed that one jar contains all of a given herb or potion. (e.g. one jar contains all five doses of Laumspur) If each jar is one Backpack Item, then the Cener have created some <em>extremely</em> concentrated potions which take up very little space.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="illstrat">
+ <meta><title>Table of Illustrations</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The following is a list of all Sections containing illustrations found in this book:</p>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="primill">
+ <meta><title>Primary Illustrations</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Illustration I (<a idref="sect11">Section 11</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration II (<a idref="sect32">Section 32</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration III (<a idref="sect50">Section 50</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration IV (<a idref="sect57">Section 57</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration V (<a idref="sect85">Section 85</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration VI (<a idref="sect120">Section 120</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration VII (<a idref="sect125">Section 125</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration VIII (<a idref="sect131">Section 131</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration IX (<a idref="sect150">Section 150</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration X (<a idref="sect160">Section 160</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XI (<a idref="sect182">Section 182</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XII (<a idref="sect200">Section 200</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XIII (<a idref="sect214">Section 214</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XIV (<a idref="sect222">Section 222</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XV (<a idref="sect238">Section 238</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XVI (<a idref="sect266">Section 266</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XVII (<a idref="sect283">Section 283</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XVIII (<a idref="sect295">Section 295</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XIX (<a idref="sect325">Section 325</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XX (<a idref="sect345">Section 345</a>)</li>
+ <li><a idref="action">Action Chart</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="map">The Dark Realm of Ruel</a></li>
+ </ul>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="secill">
+ <meta><title>Secondary Illustrations</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Only the first occurrence of each secondary illustration is cited.</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li><a idref="tssf">The Story So Far&ellips;</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect48">Section 48</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect61">Section 61</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect81">Section 81</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect98">Section 98</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect103">Section 103</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect113">Section 113</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect115">Section 115</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect158">Section 158</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect208">Section 208</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect240">Section 240</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect242">Section 242</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect265">Section 265</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect285">Section 285</a></li>
+ </ul>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="license">
+ <meta><title>Project Aon License</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>24 May 2001</p>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-pre">
+ <meta><title>0. Preamble</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Joe Dever, author of the Lone Wolf game books, and Ian Page, author of the World of Lone Wolf books are providing certain of their works for free (gratis) download from the internet. Gary Chalk and Brian Williams are similarly offering the illustrations that they did for Joe Dever's books. This license is intended to protect the rights of the authors and the illustrators, the rights of his readers, and the quality of the distributions of the books.</p>
+ <p>Basically, by viewing or downloading the books or the illustrations, you agree to refrain from redistributing them in any format for any reason. This is intended to protect readers from getting poor quality, unofficial versions or from being asked for payment in exchange for the books by someone who is redistributing them unofficially.</p>
+ <p>Anyone who wishes to simply view or download the Internet Editions for their own personal use need not worry about running afoul of the terms of this License. These activities are within acceptable behaviour as defined by this License.</p>
+ <p>This section does not contain the legally binding terms of this license. The precise terms and conditions of this license follow.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-1">
+ <meta><title>1. Definitions</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-1-0">
+ <meta><title>1.0</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>License</quote> shall hereafter refer to this document.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-1-1">
+ <meta><title>1.1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Authors</quote> shall hereafter refer to Joe Dever and Ian Page, copyright holders for the literary works covered by this license. Where either Joe Dever or Ian Page are mentioned singly, they will be referred to by name.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-1-2">
+ <meta><title>1.2</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Illustrator</quote> shall hereafter refer to Gary Chalk, holder of the copyrights for the illustrations of Lone Wolf books one through eight counted inclusively, and Brian Williams, holder of the copyrights for the illustrations of Lone Wolf books nine through twenty-eight counted inclusively with the exception of the illustrations for book twenty-one, <cite>The Voyage of the Moonstone</cite> and holder of the copyrights for the illustrations of books two through four of the Freeway Warrior series. Where either Gary Chalk or Brian Williams are mentioned singly, they will be referred to by name.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-1-3">
+ <meta><title>1.3</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Internet</quote> shall hereafter refer to any means of transferring information electronically between two or more <quote>Licensees</quote>. (the term <quote>Licensee</quote> is defined in Section 1.5 of the License)</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-1-4">
+ <meta><title>1.4</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Internet Editions</quote> shall hereafter refer to the document or documents, any parts thereof or derivative works thereof (including translations) made available to the public under the terms of this License via the Internet. The term <quote>Internet Editions</quote> is limited to the electronic transcription of certain text and illustrations by the Authors and Illustrators respectively as listed hereafter.</p>
+ <p>The following are the works written by Joe Dever which are being offered under the terms of this license:</p>
+
+ <ul>
+ <li><cite>Flight from the Dark</cite>; Copyright 1984 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>Fire on the Water</cite>; Copyright 1984 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Caverns of Kalte</cite>; Copyright 1984 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Chasm of Doom</cite>; Copyright 1985 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>Shadow on the Sand</cite>; Copyright 1985 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Kingdoms of Terror</cite>; Copyright 1985 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>Castle Death</cite>; Copyright 1986 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Jungle of Horrors</cite>; Copyright 1987 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Cauldron of Fear</cite>; Copyright 1987 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Dungeons of Torgar</cite>; Copyright 1987 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Prisoners of Time</cite>; Copyright 1987 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Masters of Darkness</cite>; Copyright 1988 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Plague Lords of Ruel</cite>; Copyright 1990, 1992 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Captives of Kaag</cite>; Copyright 1990, 1992 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Darke Crusade</cite>; Copyright 1991, 1993 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Legacy of Vashna</cite>; Copyright 1991, 1993 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Deathlord of Ixia</cite>; Copyright 1992, 1994 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>Dawn of the Dragons</cite>; Copyright 1992 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>Wolf's Bane</cite>; Copyright 1993, 1995 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Curse of Naar</cite>; Copyright 1993, 1996 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Magnamund Companion</cite>; Copyright 1986 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>Freeway Warrior: Highway Holocaust</cite>; Copyright 1988 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>Freeway Warrior: Slaughter Mountain Run</cite>; Copyright 1988 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>Freeway Warrior: The Omega Zone</cite>; Copyright 1989 Joe Dever.</li>
+ <li><cite>Freeway Warrior: California Countdown</cite>; Copyright 1989 Joe Dever.</li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <p>The following are the works written by Ian Page which are being offered under the terms of this license:</p>
+
+ <ul>
+ <li><cite>Grey Star the Wizard</cite>; Copyright 1985 Ian Page.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Forbidden City</cite>; Copyright 1986 Ian Page.</li>
+ <li><cite>Beyond the Nightmare Gate</cite>; Copyright 1986 Ian Page.</li>
+ <li><cite>War of the Wizards</cite>; Copyright 1986 Ian Page.</li>
+ </ul>
+
+
+ <p>The illustrations created by Gary Chalk of the following books are part of the illustrations being offered under the terms of this License:</p>
+
+ <ul>
+ <li><cite>Flight from the Dark</cite>; Illustrations copyright 1984 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>Fire on the Water</cite>; Illustrations copyright 1984 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Caverns of Kalte</cite>; Illustrations copyright 1984 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Chasm of Doom</cite>; Illustrations copyright 1985 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>Shadow on the Sand</cite>; Illustrations copyright 1985 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Kingdoms of Terror</cite>; Illustrations copyright 1985 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>Castle Death</cite>; Illustrations copyright 1986 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Jungle of Horrors</cite>; Illustrations copyright 1987 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.</li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <p>The illustrations created by Brian Williams of the following books are part of the illustrations being offered under the terms of this License:</p>
+
+ <ul>
+ <li><cite>The Cauldron of Fear</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1987 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Dungeons of Torgar</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1987 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Prisoners of Time</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1987 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Masters of Darkness</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1988 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Plague Lords of Ruel</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1990, 1992 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Captives of Kaag</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1990, 1992 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Darke Crusade</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1991, 1993 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Legacy of Vashna</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1991, 1993 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Deathlord of Ixia</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1992 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>Dawn of the Dragons</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1992 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>Wolf's Bane</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1993 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Curse of Naar</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1993 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Buccaneers of Shadaki</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1994 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>Mydnight's Hero</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1995 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>Rune War</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1995 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>Trail of the Wolf</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1997 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Fall of Blood Mountain</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1997 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>Vampirium</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1998 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>The Hunger of Sejanoz</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1998 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>Freeway Warrior: Slaughter Mountain Run</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1988 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>Freeway Warrior: The Omega Zone</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1989 Brian Williams.</li>
+ <li><cite>Freeway Warrior: California Countdown</cite>; Illustrations Copyright 1989 Brian Williams.</li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <p><quote>Internet Editions</quote> shall not refer to any other works by the Authors nor any other illustrations by the Illustrators. <quote>Internet Editions</quote> shall refer solely to the text and illustrations of the above works when made available through the Internet.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-1-5">
+ <meta><title>1.5</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Licensee</quote> shall hereafter refer to any person or electronic agent who receives some or all of the Internet Editions. The <quote>Licensee</quote> shall hereinafter be referred to as <quote>Licensee</quote> or <quote>you</quote>.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-1-6">
+ <meta><title>1.6</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Distribution Point</quote> shall hereafter refer to the specific Internet site or sites to which the Authors and Illustrators have granted rights to distribute the Internet Editions.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-1-7">
+ <meta><title>1.7</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Maintainer</quote> shall hereafter refer to the person or persons who are responsible for the maintenance of the Distribution Point.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-2">
+ <meta><title>2. Terms of Distribution</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-2-0">
+ <meta><title>2.0</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The terms of this License are limited to the distribution of the Internet Editions. No other form of distribution is covered under the terms of this License.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-2-1">
+ <meta><title>2.1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Authors and Illustrators grant you the right to receive a copy or copies of the Internet Editions from the Distribution Point at no charge provided that you agree to all of the terms and obligations of this License. If you do not agree to all of the terms and obligations of this License, you are not granted any rights by this License.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-2-2">
+ <meta><title>2.2</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You agree to refrain from redistributing the Internet Editions in any form, electronic or otherwise, to any other person or persons for any reason. You are granted the right to receive a copy or copies only for your own personal use.</p>
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+ <p>Redistribution includes but is not limited to displaying the Internet Editions within the graphical representation of an Internet site other than the Distribution Point. This prohibition includes but is not limited to HTML <quote>frames</quote>.</p>
+ <p>One exception to the restrictions on redistribution in this section is made in that you may send the Internet Editions or derivative works thereof to the Distribution Point by the consent of the Maintainer.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-2-3">
+ <meta><title>2.3</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You agree to be bound by the terms and obligations of this License by receiving or viewing a copy or copies of the Internet Editions even though you have not signed any written document. Indeed you have no right to receive or view a copy or copies without first agreeing to the terms and obligations of this License.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-2-4">
+ <meta><title>2.4</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Authors and Illustrators retain all other rights to their respective portions of the Internet Editions not covered by this License. The Authors or Illustrators may, at any time, without notice and without need to show due cause, revoke the rights granted to you by this License to their respective portions of the Internet Editions.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-2-5">
+ <meta><title>2.5</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>If a person is under the legal age to be able to enter into a contractual relationship as defined by the laws of the area in which that person lives, they may have a parent or legal guardian agree to be bound by the terms and obligations of this license. That same parent or legal guardian may thereafter give a copy or copies of the Internet Editions to that child. That parent or legal guardian is thereafter legally responsible to ensure that that child behaves in accordance with all of the terms and obligations of this License.</p>
+ <p>The authority of a parent or legal guardian to distribute the Internet Editions does not extend to the distribution of the Internet Editions to any other person or persons except his or her child or legal dependent.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-3">
+ <meta><title>3. Termination of the License</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-3-0">
+ <meta><title>3.0</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>If for any reason you are unable to comply with any of the terms and obligations of this License, you agree to destroy all copies of the Internet Editions of which you have control within fourteen calendar days after the first violation.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-3-1">
+ <meta><title>3.1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>If any of the Authors or the Illustrators revokes your rights granted under this License, you agree to destroy all copies of the Authors' or Illustrators' work which is a part of the Internet Editions of which you have control within fourteen calendar days of receiving notification in any form.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-4">
+ <meta><title>4. Jurisdiction</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-4-0">
+ <meta><title>4.0</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>If, in consequence of court judgement or the laws of a particular area, any portion of the License is held as invalid or unenforceable in any particular circumstance, you are no longer granted any rights under the terms of this License in that circumstance. You agree to act in accordance with section 3.0 for all copies of the Internet Editions for which the License is held as invalid or unenforceable as if you had violated the terms and obligations of the License. The License is intended to remain in force in all other circumstances.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-5">
+ <meta><title>5. Revision of the License</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-5-0">
+ <meta><title>5.0</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Authors and the Illustrators may publish revisions of this License in the future to address new concerns. Any further revisions will be legally binding at the time that you receive notification in any form of the revision.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-6">
+ <meta><title>6. NO WARRANTY</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-6-0">
+ <meta><title>6.0</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>BECAUSE THE INTERNET EDITIONS ARE LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE INTERNET EDITIONS, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE INTERNET EDITIONS "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY OF THE INTERNET EDITIONS IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE INTERNET EDITIONS PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY REPAIRS.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="lic-6-1">
+ <meta><title>6.1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR MAINTAINER BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE INTERNET EDITIONS (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE INTERNET EDITIONS TO OPERATE WITH ANY PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+</section>
+
+</gamebook>
--- /dev/null
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
+<!DOCTYPE gamebook SYSTEM "gamebook.dtd" [
+ <!ENTITY % xhtml.characters SYSTEM "htmlchar.mod">
+ <!ENTITY % latex.characters SYSTEM "ltexchar.mod">
+ %xhtml.characters;
+
+ <!ENTITY % general.links SYSTEM "genlink.mod">
+ %general.links;
+ <!ENTITY % xhtml.links SYSTEM "htmllink.mod">
+ %xhtml.links;
+
+ <!ENTITY % general.inclusions SYSTEM "geninc.mod">
+ %general.inclusions;
+]>
+
+<gamebook xml:lang="en-UK" version="0.11">
+
+<!--
+
+$Id$
+$Log$
+Revision 1.1 2004/11/09 06:47:16 jonathan.blake
+Initial Freepository revision
+
+
+//// RCS Revision Log ////
+
+Revision 1.7 2003/03/05 23:51:16 jblake
+Fixes to the Table of Illustrations, illustrations placement
+and markup.
+
+Revision 1.6 2003/03/05 22:01:56 jblake
+Moved small illustration placeholders into chosen sections
+and implemented the Table of Illustrations.
+
+Revision 1.5 2003/03/03 17:00:00 jdougan
+Added illustrations and placeholder markup for the small illustrations.
+
+Revision 1.4 2003/02/24 15:33:46 jblake
+Inserted missing backmatter and fixed validity.
+
+Revision 1.3 2003/02/24 15:00:00 jdougan
+Coded special characters and added backmatter.
+
+Revision 1.2 2003/02/20 17:47:00 jblake
+Added numbered sections and validated.
+
+Revision 1.1 2003/02/20 17:21:09 jdougan
+Initial progress on front matter
+
+Change log:
+- TSSF: Changed Oarklands to Darklands as a presumed OCR error.
+Game Rules: retained original list of acceptable Special Items from 13tplor
+As the XML editions of the front matter from 13TPLoR and the Rules Handbook were used to speed the processing of the existing front matter, all remaining errata in the front matter from 13TPLoR apply here, as well. this also means that the Combat Rules example is the one from the Rules Handbook. (it was this editor's opinion that a Combat Ratio of +10 was unrealistic for a first-time player.)
+
+- Inserted coding for &emdash; and &endash;
+- Added coding for <quote>, and <thought> markup to appropriate speeches.
+- Pasted blank backmatter
+- Replaced all remaining ' with '
+- Fixed markup of a few lists of found items
+- Added placeholder code for primary illustrations; full code for combination lock illustrations
+- Fixed dimensions and references on primary illustrations; added formatted placeholder code for secondary illustrations in following commented section
+- Fixed captions in primary illustrations
+
+//////////////////////////
+
+TO DO:
+
+- do the Statuettes of Zagarna and Slutar occupy a Backpack space in addition to a Special Item slot?
+- Footnotes for combination lock answers
+- add "foreign" tags to Giak
+-->
+
+ <meta>
+ <title>The Captives of Kaag</title>
+ <creator class="short">Joe Dever and Brian Williams</creator>
+ <creator class="medium">Joe Dever<br />Illustrated by Brian Williams</creator>
+ <creator class="long">
+ &inclusion.joe.dever.bio.lw;
+ &inclusion.brian.williams.bio.lw;
+ </creator>
+ <publisher>Project Aon</publisher>
+ <date class="publication"><year>2003</year><month>5</month><day>19</day></date>
+ <description class="blurb">
+ <p>You are the Lone Wolf&emdash;Kai Grand Master of Sommerlund. After the demise of the Darklords of Helgedad, the fearsome city-fortress of Kaag became a refuge for the remains of their broken armies. Defeated and powerless, these minions seemed doomed to live in bitter isolation from the rest of Magnamund. But now a new evil is stirring deep within the dungeons of Kaag.&ellips;</p>
+ <p>In <cite>The Captives of Kaag</cite>, you must venture alone into the black heart of Kaag, to free your friend from the forces which imprison him against his will. Will you succeed? Or will you and Banedon fall victim to the evil power which commands this fortress of nightmares?</p>
+ </description>
+ <description class="publication">
+ <p>Internet Edition published by <a href="http://www.projectaon.org/">Project Aon</a>. 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 <a idref="errata">Errata</a>.</p>
+ </description>
+ <rights class="copyrights">Text copyright © 1991 Joe Dever.<br />Illustrations copyright © 1991 Brian Williams.</rights>
+ <rights class="license-notification">
+ <p>Text copyright © 1991 Joe Dever.<br />Illustrations copyright © 1991 Brian Williams.<br />Distribution of this Internet Edition is restricted under the terms of the <a idref="license">Project Aon License</a>.</p>
+ </rights>
+ </meta>
+
+ <section id="toc">
+ <meta><title>Table of Contents</title></meta>
+ <data />
+ </section>
+
+ <section id="title">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Title Page</title>
+ <link class="next" idref="dedicate" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="dedicate">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Dedication</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="title" />
+ <link class="next" idref="acknwldg" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <p class="dedication">To Mike, Jeannie and Megan</p>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="acknwldg">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Acknowledgements</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="dedicate" />
+ <link class="next" idref="tssf" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ &inclusion.joe.dever.endowment;
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="credits">
+ <meta><title>Credits</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <dl>
+ <dt>Transcription</dt>
+ <dd>Rob Hataway <br />Tim Pederick</dd>
+ <dt>XML</dt>
+ <dd>Jonathan Blake<br />Jeff Dougan</dd>
+ <dt>Action Charts</dt>
+ <dd>JC Alvarez<br />Jonathan Blake</dd>
+ <dt>Proofreading</dt>
+ <dd>Rob Hartley (Sections 141&endash;210)<br />Tim Pederick (Sections 71&endash;140)<br />Martin Ryland (Frontmatter, Sections 1&endash;70 and 211&endash;350)</dd>
+ <dt>Editing</dt>
+ <dd>David Davis<br />Jeff Dougan<br />Nick Jankowski<br />Ingo Klöcker<br />Christopher Lundgren<br />Simon Osborne</dd>
+<!-- <dt>PDF Layout</dt>
+ <dd></dd>-->
+ <dt>Coordination</dt>
+ <dd>Jonathan Blake</dd>
+ <dt>Special Thanks</dt>
+ <dd>Peter Smyth</dd>
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="tssf">
+ <meta>
+ <title>The Story So Far&ellips;</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="acknwldg" />
+ <link class="next" idref="gamerulz" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are Grand Master Lone Wolf, last of the Kai Lords of Sommerlund and sole survivor of a massacre that wiped out the First Order of your élite warrior caste.</p>
+ <p>It is the year MS 5075 and twenty-five years have passed since your brave kinsmen perished at the hands of the Darklords of Helgedad. These champions of evil, who were sent forth by Naar, the King of the Darkness, to destroy the fertile world of Magnamund, have themselves since been destroyed. You vowed to avenge the murder of the Kai and you kept your pledge, for it was you who brought about their downfall when alone you infiltrated their foul domain&emdash;the Darklands&emdash;and caused the destruction of their leader, Archlord Gnaag, and the seat of his power that was the infernal city of Helgedad.</p>
+ <p>In the wake of their destruction, chaos befell the Darkland armies who, until then, had been poised to conquer all of Northern Magnamund. Some factions which comprised this huge army, most notably the barbaric Drakkarim, began to fight with the others for control. This disorder quickly escalated into an all-out civil war, which allowed the Freeland armies of Magnamund time in which to recover and launch a counter-offensive. Skilfully their commanders exploited the chaos and secured a swift and total victory over an enemy far superior in numbers.</p>
+ <p>For five years now peace has reigned in Sommerlund. Under your direction, the once-ruined monastery of the Kai has been thoroughly rebuilt and restored to its former glory, and the task of teaching a Second Order of Kai warriors the skills and proud traditions of your ancestors is also well underway. The new generation of Kai recruits, all of whom were born during the era of war against the Darklords, possesses latent Kai skills and all show exceptional promise. These skills will be nurtured and honed to perfection during their time at the monastery so that they may teach and inspire future generations, thereby ensuring the continued security of your homeland in future years.</p>
+ <p>Your attainment of the rank of Kai Grand Master brought with it great rewards. Some, such as the restoration of the Kai and the undying gratitude of your fellow Sommlending, could have been anticipated. Yet there have also been rewards which you could not possibly have foreseen. The discovery that within you lay the potential to develop Kai Disciplines beyond those of the Magnakai, which, until now, were thought to be the ultimate that a Kai Master could aspire to, was truly a revelation. Your discovery has inspired you to set out upon a new and previously unknown path in search of the wisdom and power that no Kai Lord before you has ever possessed. In the name of your creator, the God Kai, and for the greater glory of Sommerlund and the Goddess Ishir, you have vowed to reach the very pinnacle of Kai perfection&emdash;to attain all of the Grand Master Disciplines and become the first Kai Supreme Master.</p>
+ <p>With diligence and determination you set about the restoration of the Kai monastery and organized the training of the Second Order recruits. Your efforts were soon rewarded and, within the space of two short years, the first raw recruits had graduated to become a cadre of gifted Kai Masters who, in turn, were able to commence the teaching of their skills to subsequent intakes of Kai novices. Readily the Kai Masters rose to their new-found responsibilities, leaving you free to devote more of your time to the pursuit and perfection of the Grand Master Disciplines.</p>
+ <p>During this period you also received expert tutelage in the ways of magic from two of your most trusted friends and advisors: Guildmaster Banedon, leader of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star, and Lord Rimoah, speaker for the High Council of the Elder Magi.</p>
+ <p>In the deepest subterranean level of the monastery, one hundred feet below the Tower of the Sun, you ordered the excavation and construction of a special vault. In this magnificent chamber wrought of granite and gold, you placed the seven Lorestones of Nyxator, the gems of Kai power that you had recovered during your quest for the Magnakai. It was here, bathed in the golden light of those radiant gems, that you spent countless hours in pursuit of perfection. Sometimes alone, sometimes in the company of your two able advisors&emdash;Banedon and Rimoah&emdash;you worked hard to develop your innate Grand Master Disciplines, and grasp the fundamental secrets of Left-handed and Old Kingdom magic. During this time you noticed many remarkable changes taking place within your body: you became physically and mentally stronger, your five primary senses sharpened beyond all that you had experienced before, and, perhaps most remarkably, your body began to age at a much slower rate. Now, for every five years that elapse you age but one year.</p>
+ <p>At this time many changes were occurring beyond the borders of Sommerlund. In the regions to the northeast of Magador and the Maakengorge, the Elder Magi of Dessi and the Herbwardens of Bautar were working together in an effort to restore the dusty volcanic wasteland to its former fertile state. It was the first tentative step towards the reclamation of all the Darklands. However, their progress was painfully slow and both parties were resigned to the fact that their efforts to undo the damage caused by the Darklords would take not years but centuries to complete.</p>
+ <p>In the far west, the Drakkarim had retreated to the homelands and were engaged in a bloody war again the Lencians. Much of Nyras had been reclaimed by the armies of King Sarnac, the Lencian commander, and his flag now flew over territory which, two thousand years ago, had once been part of Lencia.</p>
+ <p>Following the destruction of the Darklords of Helgedad, the Giaks, the most prolific in number of all of Gnaag's troops, fled into the Darklands and sought refuge in the gigantic city-fortresses of Nadgazad, Aarnak, Gourmen and Kaag. Within each of these hellish strongholds fierce fighting broke out as remnants of the Xaghash (lesser Darklords) and the Nadziranim (evil practitioners of Right-handed magic who once aided individual Darklord masters) fought for control. It is widely believed that by the time the Elder Magi and the Herbwardens reach the walls of these strongholds the occupants will have long since brought about their own extinction.</p>
+ <p>Elsewhere, throughout northern Magnamund, peace reigns victorious and the peoples of the Free Kingdoms rejoice in the knowledge that the age of the Darklords has finally come to an end. Readily men have exchanged their swords for hoes and their shields for ploughs, and now the only marching they do is along the ruts of their freshly furrowed fields. Few are the watchful eyes that scan the distant horizon in fear of what may appear, although there are still those who maintain their vigilance, for the agents of Naar come in many guises and there are those who wait quietly in the shadows for the chance to do his evil bidding.</p>
+ <p>Only six months ago the evil Cener Druids of Ruel attempted to enact Naar's revenge. Secretly, in the laboratories of their foul stronghold of Mogaruith, they had laboured to create a virulent plague virus capable of killing every living creature upon Magnamund, save their own kind. Word of their terrible plan reached Lord Rimoah who immediately urged the rulers of the Freelands to raise armies and invade Ruel. Hurriedly they complied, but the invasion ended in disaster. Seven thousand fighting men entered Ruel intent on storming the fortress of Mogaruith and razing it to the ground. Seven thousand marched into the dark realm; only seventy emerged alive. The Ceners were within days of perfecting their ultimate weapon when you took up the challenge and ventured alone into Mogaruith. Despite overwhelming odds you thwarted their evil plan by destroying the virus and the means by which it was created.</p>
+ <p>After emerging from Ruel triumphant, your quest fulfilled, you returned home to Sommerlund and the Kai monastery where you resumed your duties as Grand Master. Three months later, on the day that saw the first fall of winter snow, you were visited by Lord Rimoah. Once again he found himself the reluctant bearer of ill news. Your friend Guildmaster Banedon, whilst helping with the reclamation of wastelands close to the Maakengorge, had been abducted by a war-band of Giaks under the command of Nadziranim sorcerers. A rescue was attempted, but ruthlessly the Nadziranim obliterated those who tried to follow their escape into the Darklands.</p>
+ <p><quote>The Nadziranim have grown bold of late,</quote> said Lord Rimoah, his words tinged with fear and bitterness. <quote>They have a new-found power and are keen to exercise it. It would have taken considerable skill and energy to ensnare one as gifted as Banedon.</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>But why Banedon?</quote> you asked, trying at once to comprehend and come to terms with the loss of your trusted friend.</p>
+ <p><quote>I fear that the Nadziranim seek to extract from him the secrets of Left-handed magic, so that they may be able to marry it to their own foul sorcery. Such an outcome would give them extraordinary power. It could herald the rebirth of the Darklands.</quote></p>
+ <p>At once you recalled how such an attempt to unite the two paths of magic had resulted in catastrophe for Sommerlund. Vonotar the Traitor, a magician from the same guild as Banedon, had betrayed his homeland in exchange for the promise of Nadziranim power. It was his act of treachery that brought about the invasion of Sommerlund and the destruction of the First Order of the Kai.</p>
+ <p><quote>What can be done?</quote> you asked of Rimoah, fearful that it may already be too late to save your friend.</p>
+ <p><quote>Banedon is still alive, of that I'm sure. The Nadziranim have taken him to the old Darklord city-fortress of Kaag. His life is in deadly danger but they will not kill him until they have succeeded in extracting the knowledge they crave. We can only pray that he is strong enough to resist them until&ellips;</quote> Lord Rimoah held you with his eyes, words no longer necessary. It was clear that all hope for Banedon's survival depended upon his swift rescue from Kaag, and there was only one who could effect such a perilous quest with any hope of success.</p>
+ <p><quote>So be it,</quote> you said, resolutely, <quote>I accept the mission. I alone will go to Kaag and secure his release&ellips; or die valiantly in the attempt.</quote></p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="gamerulz">
+ <meta>
+ <title>The Game Rules</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="tssf" />
+ <link class="next" idref="discplnz" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="gamerulz-1-foot" idref="gamerulz-1">
+ <p>The Discipline bonuses mentioned do not affect your permanent scores. If you have completed previous adventures, the Disciplines that you have mastered may still be beneficial. See the Grand Master Rules section of the <a href="&link.rh;">Rules Handbook</a> for details.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ <footnote id="gamerulz-2-foot" idref="gamerulz-2">
+ <p>Note that this list is not identical to the one used in <cite><a href="&link.13tplor;">The Plague Lords of Ruel</a></cite>: this list is missing the Silver Bracers and Korlinium Scabbard. These items are restored to the list of permissible items from the Kai and Magnakai series again in <cite><a href="&link.17tdoi;">The Deathlord of Ixia</a></cite>. Presumably, therefore, it should be permissible to leave the Silver Bracers and Korlinium Scabbard in safekeeping at the monastery during the intervening books and retrieve them at the outset of <cite><a href="&link.17tdoi;">The Deathlord of Ixia</a></cite>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <p>You keep a record of your adventure on the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>For five years, ever since the demise of the Darklords of Helgedad, you have devoted yourself to developing further your fighting prowess&emdash;<typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>&emdash;and physical stamina&emdash;<typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ>. Before you begin your first Grand Master adventure you need to measure how effective your training has been. To do this, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you pick a 0 it counts as zero.</p>
+ <p>The first number that you pick from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> in this way represents your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. Add 25 to the number you picked and write the total in the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 6 in the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> you would write in a <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of 31). When you fight, your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> will be pitted against that of your enemy. A high score in this section is therefore very desirable.</p>
+ <p>The second number that you pick from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> represents your powers of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ>. Add 30 to this number and write the total in the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 7 on the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> you would have 37 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>If you are wounded in combat you will lose <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. If at any time your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points fall to zero, you are dead and the adventure is over. Lost <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points can be regained during the course of the adventure, but your number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points can never rise above the number you have when you start an adventure.</p>
+ <p>If you have successfully completed any of the previous adventures in the Lone Wolf series (Books 1-13), you can carry your current scores of <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points over to Book 14. These scores may include Lore-circle bonuses. You may also benefit from the Disciplines that you've mastered (e.g. Weaponmastery, Curing, and Psi-surge bonuses).<a id="gamerulz-1" idref="gamerulz-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Only if you have completed these previous adventures will you benefit from the appropriate bonuses in the course of the Grand Master series. You may also carry over any Weapons and Backpack Items you had in your possession at the end of your last adventure, and these should be entered on your new Grand Master <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (you are still limited to two Weapons, but you may now carry up to ten Backpack Items).</p>
+ <p>However, only the following Special Items may be carried over from the Lone Wolf Kai (1-5) and Magnakai (6-12) series to the Lone Wolf Grand Master series (<a href="&link.13tplor;">Book 13</a> onwards):<a id="gamerulz-2" idref="gamerulz-2-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Crystal Star Pendant</li>
+ <li>Sommerswerd</li>
+ <li>Silver Helm</li>
+ <li>Dagger of Vashna</li>
+ <li>Jewelled Mace</li>
+ <li>Silver Bow of Duadon</li>
+ <li>Helshezag</li>
+ <li>Kagonite Chainmail</li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="discplnz">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Grand Master Disciplines</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="gamerulz" />
+ <link class="next" idref="equipmnt" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="discplnz-1-foot" idref="discplnz-1">
+ <p>The rules of the books in the Magnakai series (6-12) and the fact that the <quote>rank of Kai Grand Defender&ellips; means you are skilled in two&ellips; weapons</quote> imply that for each book that you complete of the Grand Master series (13-20), you will gain mastery of an additional Kai weapon. E.g. if you complete <cite>The Plague Lords of Ruel</cite> and have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery at the beginning of the next book, you can choose an additional Weapon from the list to have Mastery of.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="mksumary">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Kai and Magnakai Disciplines</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>During your distinguished rise to the rank of Kai Grand Master you have become proficient in all of the basic Kai and Magnakai Disciplines. These Disciplines have provided you with a formidable arsenal of natural abilities which have served you well in the fight against the agents and champions of Naar, King of the Darkness. A brief summary of your skills is given below.</p>
+
+ <dl>
+ <dt>Weaponmastery</dt>
+ <dd>Proficiency with all close combat and missile weapons. Master of unarmed combat; no <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> loss when fighting bare-handed.</dd>
+ <dt>Animal Control</dt>
+ <dd>Communication with most animals; limited control over hostile creatures. Can use woodland animals as guides and can block a non-sentient creature's sense of taste and smell.</dd>
+ <dt>Curing</dt>
+ <dd>Steady restoration of lost <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points (to self and others) as a result of combat wounds. Neutralization of poisons, venoms and toxins. Repair of serious battle wounds.</dd>
+ <dt>Invisibility</dt>
+ <dd>Mask body heat and scent; hide effectively; mask sounds during movement; minor alterations of physical appearance.</dd>
+ <dt>Huntmastery</dt>
+ <dd>Effective hunting of food in the wild; increased agility; intensified vision, hearing, smell and night vision.</dd>
+ <dt>Pathsmanship</dt>
+ <dd>Read languages, decipher symbols, read footprints and tracks. Intuitive knowledge of compass points; detection of enemy ambush up to 500 yards; ability to cross terrain without leaving tracks; converse with sentient creatures; mask self from psychic spells of detection.</dd>
+ <dt>Psi-surge</dt>
+ <dd>Attack enemies using the powers of the mind; set up disruptive vibrations in objects; confuse enemies.</dd>
+ <dt>Psi-screen</dt>
+ <dd>Defence against hypnosis, supernatural illusions, charms, hostile telepathy, and evil spirits. Ability to divert and re-channel hostile psychic energy.</dd>
+ <dt>Nexus</dt>
+ <dd>Move small items by projection of mind power; withstand extremes of temperature; extinguish fire by force of will; limited immunity to flames, toxic gases, corrosive liquids.</dd>
+ <dt>Divination</dt>
+ <dd>Sense imminent danger; detect invisible or hidden enemy; telepathic communication; recognize magic-using and/or magical creatures; detect psychic residues; limited ability to leave body and spirit-walk.</dd>
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <p>Now, through the pursuit of your new skills and the further development of your innate Kai abilities, you have set out upon a path of discovery that no other Kai Grand Master has ever attempted with success. Your determination to become the first Kai Supreme Master, by acquiring total proficiency in all twelve of the Grand Master Disciplines, is an awe-inspiring challenge. You will be venturing into the unknown, pushing back the boundaries of human limitation in the pursuit of greatness and the cause of Good. May the blessings of the Gods Kai and Ishir go with you as you begin your brave and noble quest.</p>
+ <p>In the years following the demise of the Darklords you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Defender, which means that you have mastered <em>four</em> of the Grand Master Disciplines listed below. It is up to you to choose which four Disciplines these are. As all of the Grand Master Disciplines will be of use to you at some point during your adventure, pick your four skills with care. The correct use of a Grand Master Discipline at the right time could save your life.</p>
+ <p>When you have chosen your four Disciplines, enter them in the Grand Master Disciplines section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart.</a></p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="wpnmstry">
+ <meta><title>Grand Weaponmastery</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>This Discipline enables a Grand Master to become supremely efficient in the use of all weapons. When you enter combat with one of your Grand Master weapons, you add 5 points to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. The rank of Kai Grand Defender, with which you begin the Grand Master series, means you are skilled in <em>two</em> of the weapons listed below.<a id="discplnz-1" idref="discplnz-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="weapons.gif" width="386" height="310" />
+ <instance class="pdf" src="weapons.pdf" width="386" height="310" />
+ <instance class="text" src="none" width="none" height="none" >
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Spear</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Mace</li>
+ <li>Short Sword</li>
+ <li>Warhammer</li>
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>Quarterstaff</li>
+ <li>Broadsword</li>
+ <li>Axe</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ </ul>
+ </instance>
+ </illustration>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="anmlmstr">
+ <meta><title>Animal Mastery</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters have considerable control over hostile, non-sentient creatures. Also, they have the ability to converse with birds and fishes, and use them as guides.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="deliver">
+ <meta><title>Deliverance (Advanced Curing)</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to use their healing power to repair serious battle wounds. If, whilst in combat, their <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is reduced to 8 points or less, they can draw upon their mastery to restore 20 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. This ability can only be used once every 20 days.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="assimila">
+ <meta><title>Assimilance (Advanced Invisibility)</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to effect striking changes to their physical appearance, and maintain these changes over a period of a few days. They have also mastered advanced camouflage techniques that make them virtually undetectable in an open landscape.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="hntmstry">
+ <meta><title>Grand Huntmastery</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to see in total darkness, and have greatly heightened senses of touch and taste.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="pthmnshp">
+ <meta><title>Grand Pathsmanship</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to resist entrapment by hostile plants, and have a super-awareness of ambush, or the threat of ambush, in woods and dense forests.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="kaisurge">
+ <meta><title>Kai-surge</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>When using their psychic ability to attack an enemy, Grand Masters may add 8 points to their <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. For every round in which Kai-surge is used, Grand Masters need only deduct 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. When using the weaker psychic attack&emdash;Mindblast&emdash;they may add 4 points without loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. (Kai-surge, Psi-surge, and Mindblast cannot be used simultaneously.)</p>
+ <p>Grand Masters cannot use Kai-surge if their <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score falls to 6 points or below.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="kaiscrn">
+ <meta><title>Kai-screen</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>In psychic combat, Grand Masters are able to construct mind fortresses capable of protecting themselves and others. The strength and capacity of these fortresses increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="nexus">
+ <meta><title>Grand Nexus</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to withstand contact with harmful elements, such as flames and acids, for upwards of an hour in duration. This ability increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="gnosis">
+ <meta><title>Telegnosis (Advanced Divination)</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>This Discipline enables a Grand Master to spirit-walk for far greater lengths of time, and with far fewer ill effects. Duration, and the protection of his inanimate body, increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="magi">
+ <meta><title>Magi-magic</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Under the tutelage of Lord Rimoah, you have been able to master the rudimentary skills of battle magic, as taught to the Vakeros&emdash;the native warriors of Dessi. As you advance in rank, so will your knowledge and mastery of Old Kingdom magic increase.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="alchemy">
+ <meta><title>Kai-alchemy</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Under the tutelage of Guildmaster Banedon, you have mastered the elementary spells of Left-handed magic, as practised by the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star. As you advance in rank, so will your knowledge and mastery of Left-handed magic increase, enabling you to craft new Kai weapons and artifacts.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <p>If you successfully complete the mission as set in Book 14 of the Lone Wolf Grand Master series, you may add a further Grand Master Discipline of your choice to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> in <a href="&link.15tdc;">Book 15.</a></p>
+
+ <p>For every Grand Master Discipline you possess, in excess of the original four Disciplines you begin with, you may add 1 point to your basic <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> score and 2 points to your basic <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. These bonus points, together with your extra Grand Master Disciplines, your original four Grand Master Disciplines, and any Special Items that you have found and been able to keep during your adventures, may then be carried over and used in the next Grand Master adventure, which is called <a href="&link.15tdc;"><cite>The Darke Crusade</cite></a>.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="equipmnt">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Equipment</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="discplnz"/>
+ <link class="next" idref="cmbtrulz"/>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you leave the monastery and journey westwards to Kaag, you take with you a <a idref="map">map of the Darklands</a> and a pouch of gold. To find out how much gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add 20 to the number you have picked. The total equals the number of Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you should now enter this number in the <quote>Gold Crowns</quote> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>If you have successfully completed any of the previous Lone Wolf adventures (Books 1-13), you may add this sum to the total sum of Crowns you already possess. Fifty Crowns is the maximum you carry, but additional Crowns can be left in safekeeping at your monastery.</p>
+ <p>You can take five items from the list below, again adding to these, if necessary, any you may already possess from previous adventures. (Remember, you are still limited to two Weapons, but you may now carry a maximum of ten Backpack Items).</p>
+ <ul class="paragraphed">
+ <li><p>Sword (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li><p>Bow (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Quiver (Special Items) This contains six Arrows: record them on your weapons list.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="quiver.gif" width="386" height="127"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="quiver.pdf" width="386" height="127"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li><p>Axe (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>4 Meals (Meals) Each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="food.gif" width="386" height="152"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="food.pdf" width="386" height="91"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Rope (Backpack Item)</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="rope.gif" width="386" height="109"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="rope.pdf" width="386" height="109"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Item) This potion restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for only one dose.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="potion.gif" width="386" height="167"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="potion.pdf" width="386" height="127"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li><p>Spear (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Dagger (Weapons)</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="dagger.gif" width="386" height="157"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="dagger.pdf" width="386" height="103"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <p>List the five items that you choose on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>, under the appropriate headings, and make a note of any effect they may have on your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points or <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>.</p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="howcarry">
+ <meta>
+ <title>How to Carry Equipment</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Now that you have your equipment, the following list shows you how it is carried. You do not need to make notes, but you should refer back to this list in the course of your adventure.</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Sword&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Bow&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Quiver&emdash;slung over your shoulder.</li>
+ <li>Axe&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Meals&emdash;carried in the Backpack.</li>
+ <li>Rope&emdash;carried in the Backpack.</li>
+ <li>Potion of Laumspur&emdash;carried in the Backpack.</li>
+ <li>Spear&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Dagger&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ </ul>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="howmuch">
+ <meta>
+ <title>How Much Can You Carry?</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <dl class="paragraphed">
+ <dt>Weapons</dt>
+ <dd><p>The maximum number of weapons that you may carry is two.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Backpack Items</dt>
+ <dd><p>These must be stored in your Backpack. Because space is limited, you may keep a maximum of only ten articles, including Meals, in your Backpack at any one time.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Special Items</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how to carry it.</p>
+ <p>The maximum number of Special Items that can be carried on any adventure is twelve. Surplus Special Items may be left for safekeeping at your Kai monastery.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Gold Crowns</dt>
+ <dd><p>These are always carried in the Belt Pouch. It will hold a maximum of fifty Crowns.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Food</dt>
+ <dd><p>Food is carried in your Backpack. Each Meal counts as one item.</p></dd>
+ </dl>
+ <p>Any item that may be of use, and which can be picked up on your adventure and entered on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> is given either initial capitals (e.g. Gold Dagger, Magic Pendant), or is clearly labelled as a Backpack Item. Unless you are told that it is a Special Item, carry it in your Backpack.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="howuse">
+ <meta>
+ <title>How to Use Your Equipment</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <dl class="paragraphed">
+ <dt>Weapons</dt>
+ <dd><p>The maximum number of weapons that you can carry is two. Weapons aid you in combat. If you have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery and a correct weapon, it adds 5 points to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. If you find a weapon during your adventure, you may pick it up and use it.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Bows and Arrows</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>During your adventure there will be opportunities to use a Bow and Arrow. If you equip yourself with this weapon, and you possess at least one Arrow, you may use it when the text of a particular section allows you to do so. The Bow is a useful weapon, for it enables you to hit an enemy at a distance. However, a Bow cannot be used in hand-to-hand combat, therefore it is strongly recommended that you also equip yourself with a close combat weapon, such as a sword or axe.</p>
+ <p>In order to use a Bow you must possess a quiver and at least one Arrow. Each time the Bow is used, erase an Arrow from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. A Bow cannot, of course, be used if you exhaust your supply of Arrows, but the opportunity may arise during your adventure for you to replenish your stock of Arrows.</p>
+ <p>If you have the Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery with a Bow, you may add 3 to any number that you pick from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, when using the Bow.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Backpack Items</dt>
+ <dd><p>These must be stored in your Backpack. Because space is limited, you may keep a maximum of ten articles, including Meals, in your Backpack at any one time. You may only carry one Backpack at a time. During your travels you will discover various useful items which you may decide to keep. You may exchange or discard them at any point when you are not involved in combat.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Special Items</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how or where to carry it. The maximum number of Special Items that can be carried on any adventure is twelve.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Food</dt>
+ <dd><p>Food is carried in your Backpack. Each Meal counts as one item. 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 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. If you have chosen the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery as one of your skills, you will not need to tick off a Meal when instructed to eat.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Potion of Laumspur</dt>
+ <dd><p>This is a healing potion that can restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for one dose only. If you discover any other potion during the adventure, you will be informed of its effect. All potions are Backpack Items.</p></dd>
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="cmbtrulz">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Rules for Combat</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="equipmnt" />
+ <link class="next" idref="levels" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There will be occasions during your adventure when you have to fight an enemy. The enemy's <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points are given in the text. Lone Wolf's aim in the combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to zero while losing as few <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points as possible himself.</p>
+ <p>At the start of a combat, enter Lone Wolf's and the enemy's <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points in the appropriate boxes on the Combat Record section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. The sequence for combat is as follows:</p>
+ <ol class="paragraphed">
+ <li><p>Add any extra points gained through your Grand Master Disciplines and Special Items to your current <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> total.</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Subtract the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter it on the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>Example</p>
+ <p>Lone Wolf (<typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 27) is attacked by a pack of Doomwolves (<typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 30). He is taken by surprise and is not given the opportunity of evading their attack. Lone Wolf has the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge to which the Doomwolves are not immune, so Lone Wolf adds 8 points to his <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>, giving him a total <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of 35.</p>
+ <p>He subtracts the Doomwolf pack's <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of +5. (35-30 = +5). +5 is noted on the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as the Combat Ratio.</p>
+ </li>
+ <li><p><a id="stage3">When you have your Combat Ratio</a>, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Turn to the <a idref="crtable">Combat Results Table</a>. 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 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost by both Lone Wolf and his enemy in this round of combat. (E represents points lost by the enemy; LW represents points lost by Lone Wolf.)</p>
+ <p>Example</p>
+ <p>The Combat Ratio between Lone Wolf and the Doomwolf Pack has been established as +5. If the number picked from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> is a 2, then the result of the first round of combat is:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Lone Wolf loses 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points (plus an additional 1 point for using Kai-surge).</li>
+ <li>Doomwolf Pack loses 7 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
+ </ul>
+ </li>
+
+ <li><p>On the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>, mark the changes in <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to the participants in the combat.</p></li>
+
+ <li><p>Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, the next round of combat now starts.</p></li>
+
+ <li><p>Repeat the sequence from <a idref="stage3">Stage 3.</a></p></li>
+ </ol>
+
+ <p>This process of combat continues until <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of either the enemy or Lone Wolf are reduced to zero, at which point the one with the zero score is declared dead. If Lone Wolf is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Lone Wolf proceeds but with his <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points reduced.</p>
+ <p>A <a idref="crsumary">summary of Combat Rules</a> appears in the back of this book.</p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="evasion">
+ <meta><title>Evasion of Combat</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>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 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points during that round (but then that is the risk of running away!). You may evade only if the text of the particular section allows you to do so.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="levels">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Levels of Kai Grand Mastership</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="cmbtrulz" />
+ <link class="next" idref="imprvdsc" />
+ </meta>
+ <data>
+
+ <p>The following table is a guide to the rank and titles you can achieve at each stage of your journey along the road of Kai Grand Mastership. As you successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf Grand Master series, you will gain an additional Grand Master Discipline and progress towards the pinnacle of Kai perfection&emdash;to become a Kai Supreme Master.</p>
+
+ <ol>
+ <li>Kai Grand Master Senior</li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Master Superior</li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Sentinel</li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Defender&emdash;<em>You begin the Lone Wolf Grand Master adventures at this level of Mastery</em></li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Guardian</li>
+ <li>Sun Knight</li>
+ <li>Sun Lord</li>
+ <li>Sun Thane</li>
+ <li>Grand Thane</li>
+ <li>Grand Crown</li>
+ <li>Sun Prince</li>
+ <li>Kai Supreme Master</li>
+ </ol>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="imprvdsc">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Improved Grand Master Disciplines</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="levels" />
+ <link class="next" idref="kaiwisdm" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you rise through the higher levels of Kai Grand Mastery you will find that your Disciplines will steadily improve. For example, if you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus when you reach the Grand Master rank of Grand Thane, you will be able to pass freely through Shadow Gates and explore the nether realms of Aon and the Daziarn Plane.</p>
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="guardian">
+ <meta><title>Kai Grand Guardian</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>If you are a Grand Master who has reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian (5 Disciplines), you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:</p>
+ <dl class="paragraphed">
+ <dt>Animal Mastery</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Grand Guardians with this Discipline are able to summon a limited number of forest animals to their location. The creatures so summoned will become loyal and willing allies, willing to do the Kai Grand Guardian's bidding. This ability can only be used in an outdoor setting.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Assimilance</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Grand Guardians who possess this skill are able to create a cloud of fog-like vapour within 15 yards of their location. This fog will obscure both normal and infravision. The duration of the fog increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Grand Huntmastery</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Grand Guardians with this skill enjoy increased mobility when travelling across all types of terrain, whether on foot or on horseback. This improved ability is very useful when used to outdistance a pursuing enemy.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Kai-surge</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Grand Guardians who possess mastery of this Discipline are able to attack up to three enemies in psychic combat simultaneously.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Kai-screen</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Grand Guardians who possess this Discipline are able to exercise a defensive psychic skill known as Mindblend. This cloaking ability enables them to both protect and hide their minds from being detected by a hostile psychic probe.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Magi-magic</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>Grand Masters who have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian are able to use the following battle-spells of the Elder Magi:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li><spell>Splinter</spell>&emdash;This causes breakable items such as bottles, jugs, mirrors, windows, etc., to shatter to pieces. The range of this spell increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.</li>
+ <li><spell>Flameshaft</spell>&emdash;This causes the tip of any Arrow, or arrow-like missile, to burn fiercely with a magical flame which cannot readily be extinguished by normal means.</li>
+ </ul>
+ </dd>
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ <p>The nature of these additional improvements and how they affect your Grand Master Disciplines will be noted in the Improved Grand Master Disciplines section of future Lone Wolf books.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="kaiwisdm">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Grand Master's Wisdom</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="imprvdsc" />
+ <link class="next" idref="sect1" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your mission to enter old Darklord city-fortress of Kaag and rescue Guildmaster Banedon will be fraught with deadly dangers. Be wary and on your guard at all times, for the inhabitants of Kaag are still a formidable enemy despite the demise of their Darklord masters.</p>
+ <p>Some of the things that you will find during your mission will be of use to you in this and future Lone Wolf books, while others may be red herrings of no real value at all, so try to be selective in what you decide to keep.</p>
+ <p>Choose your four Grand Master Disciplines with care, for a wise choice will enable any player to complete the quest, no matter how weak their initial <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> scores may be. Successful completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures, although an advantage, is not essential for the completion of this Grand Master adventure.</p>
+ <p>The survival of your countryman and close friend Banedon depends on the success of your mission. May the light of Kai and Ishir be your guide as you venture into the grim darkness of Kaag.</p>
+ <p>For Sommerlund and the Kai!</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="numbered">
+ <meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect1">
+ <meta><title>1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Preparations for the quest take no more than a day to complete. The following morning, shortly before dawn, you and Lord Rimoah leave the Kai monastery by a secret route which takes you to a clearing deep in the heart of the Fryelund forest. There awaits the means by which you will travel swiftly to Kaag.</p>
+ <p>Your journey to the Darklands will be made aboard Guildmaster Banedon's airship&emdash;the <cite>Skyrider</cite>. This magical craft has borne you on many quests to distant lands, yet never before without your friend and companion at its helm. Now, in his absence, the stewardship of the <cite>Skyrider</cite> has passed to its bo'sun&emdash;Nolrim of Bor.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small5.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small5.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>Welcome aboard, Grand Master,</quote> says Nolrim, proud to be serving under your command. You clasp his strong hand in friendship and compliment him and the crew for the pristine condition of their craft. There is no doubting that he and his company of dwarves are sorely grieved by the absence of their Captain, yet they have not allowed their anguish to give way to hopelessness or despair. These sturdy warriors are renowned for their formidable fighting spirit and you know they willingly risk their lives to help you rescue Banedon from the minions of darkness.</p>
+ <p>Soon the frost-laden fir trees are receding beneath the <cite>Skyrider's</cite> bow as Nolrim steers a westward course towards the grey, snow-capped peaks of the Durncrag mountains. You spend the flight inside the Captain's cabin, where you and Lord Rimoah discuss your dangerous mission. The plan is to traverse the Durncrag Range and enter the Darklands under cover of a dust storm which is currently sweeping southwards towards Kaag. A landing will be made ten miles to the north-east of the city-fortress, beyond a ridge of hills that will keep the <cite>Skyrider</cite> hidden from the eyes of Kaag's watchful lookouts. From there you are to make your way to the fortress on foot, enter as best you can, locate and rescue Banedon, then return with him to the <cite>Skyrider</cite> which will carry you back to the safety of Sommerlund. You will have 48 hours in which to complete your mission. If, after the two days have elapsed, you have not returned, Rimoah will be forced to assume that you and the Guildmaster have perished. The dust storm will not last for more than two days, after which time there is a grave danger that the <cite>Skyrider</cite> will be spotted and attacked by the Kraan and Zlanbeasts which are known to patrol the skies around Kaag.</p>
+ <p>In a little under two hours you reach your destination where the weather conditions are atrocious. A fierce, dust-choked wind buffets the craft mercilessly during the final descent and visibility is no more than a dozen yards at best. Yet, despite these terrible conditions, Nolrim brings the <cite>Skyrider</cite> in for a faultless landing behind the ridge. The moment the keel beds into the soft ground, the crew leap into action with ropes and chains. Nolrim soon enters the cabin to inform you that the craft is secure and, with trepidation, you get ready to set off for Kaag.</p>
+ <p><quote>Godspeed, Lone Wolf,</quote> says Rimoah, with a smile of encouragement. <quote>I shall pray to Kai and Ishir for your safety and success. May their light guide you on your journey into darkness.</quote></p>
+ <p>You acknowledge his blessing gratefully before bidding him, and Nolrim, farewell. Then, without looking back, you pull your warm cloak tight about you and set off into the storm.</p>
+
+ <choice idref="sect309"><link-text>Turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect2">
+ <meta><title>2</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sound of arrows whistling towards your back provides all the incentive you need to keep running. You bound up the steps and, as the deadly barbed shafts fly past only inches from your back and legs, you run headlong into the tunnel.</p>
+ <p>The dingy passage beyond descends by slope and stair to a rectangular hall which is lined with ancient stone statues, their features made unrecognizable by age. Tar-soaked torches fixed to the two longest walls illuminate this musty chamber with a flickering amber light, and the air is heavy with their oily stench. In the distance you see an archway and the passage continuing away into darkness.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29">If you wish to stop here for a few minutes and try to revive Banedon, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect177">If you decide to press on without stopping here, <link-text>turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect3">
+ <meta><title>3</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect3-1-foot" idref="sect3-1">
+ <p>This section corresponds to the correct answer to the Kagonite door lock.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On the third tap the lock emits a distinct click and, slowly, the great door swings open to reveal a dark, smoky tunnel.<a id="sect3-1" idref="sect3-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Warily you pass through the door and enter the unwelcoming passage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect4">
+ <meta><title>4</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You run into a passageway and follow it towards a distant intersection, but as you near the end of this narrow thoroughfare, a figure clad in red robes, accompanied by three Giaks, suddenly appears from the right and blocks your path. At once you recognize the robed creature: it is a Vordak, an undead spawn of the Darklords. The instant it sees you it attempts to cut you down with a bolt of psychic energy, but your innate Magnakai defences negate this attack. Shocked by your immunity to its power, the Vordak scans your mind and instantly discovers your true identity. With a shriek of abject horror the creature turns and flees, leaving its Giak escort stunned and bewildered by its behaviour. Then, too, their nerve breaks and they scurry after their lieutenant as fast as their bowed legs will carry them.</p>
+ <p>Anxious to prevent them from escaping and raising the alarm, you chase them towards a junction at the end of the street. When they reach the junction they split up; the Vordak turns to the left, while the three Giaks head off to the right.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect118">If you wish to pursue the Vordak, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect189">If you choose to pursue the Giaks, <link-text>turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect5">
+ <meta><title>5</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Defiantly you raise your right hand and point your finger at the Helghast's chest. The creature sneers, revealing two sharp fangs which protrude from its lower jaw. It emits a hideous cackle, full of hatred and contempt, and its eyes blaze like two hot coals as it confidently quickens its gait. You utter the words of power that you learned from your mentor, Guildmaster Banedon, and at once your whole hand is sleeved with a crackling blue-white fire. A jolt runs the length of your arm and a pulse of energy, shaped like a small meteor, arcs from your index finger towards the approaching Helghast. The bolt rips through its chest and, with a wail of abject terror, the creature is lifted into the air and sent tumbling backwards into the flame-filled moat.</p>
+ <p>Open-mouthed, the two Drakkarim stumble to a halt and stare down into the all-consuming fire. Nervously they glance at each other, fearful of suffering a similar fate, but years of fierce battle discipline soon override their anxiety and, like two automatons, they raise their swords and continue to advance towards you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim Veterans</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">30</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">35</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect6">
+ <meta><title>6</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise the sun-sword and the onrushing bolt of energy is drawn to its blade where it collides with a brilliant flash, showering you with sparks which rapidly dissolve. Power surges through the hilt of your divine sword and flows along your arm, renewing your flagging strength: increase your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score by 3.</p>
+ <p>Revitalized by this energy, you bite back your fear and focus on the advancing swarm. Suddenly your psychic senses tingle. These are no ordinary insects; in fact these are not insects at all. Your sixth sense detects that they are merely a clever illusion created to deceive you. Confident in this knowledge, you stand your ground and allow the tide of creepy-crawlies to wash over your feet. Within a matter of seconds the insect horde fades and vanishes, dispelled by your disbelief in their existence.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect281"><link-text>Turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect7">
+ <meta><title>7</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes an extraordinary effort to open the crypt door, but you do not allow it to defeat you. Soon you have forced it open sufficiently for you to be able to squeeze through the gap and escape. Reduce your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score by 3 because of the exertion required to open the door.</p>
+ <p>You climb the short flight of steps to the street above and survey the surrounding ruins. When you are satisfied that it is safe to continue, you run to a neighbouring ruin where you stop to catch your breath. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect201">To continue, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect8">
+ <meta><title>8</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect8-1-foot" idref="sect8-1">
+ <p>This section corresponds to the correct answer to the lock on the exit from the torture chamber of the Nadziranim.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On the eighth tap, there is a loud <onomatopoeia>click</onomatopoeia> and the heavy steel door creaks slowly open.<a id="sect8-1" idref="sect8-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Ahead you see a ramp which slopes down to a junction where a passage crosses from left to right. You descend the slope, taking care not to graze Banedon's back against the low ceiling, and when you reach the junction you ask your friend in which direction you should go. Unfortunately your question goes unanswered; Banedon has lapsed once more into unconsciousness.</p>
+ <p>You stand at the junction and use your Kai senses in an attempt to choose the safest route, but you detect nothing that can help or influence your decision. Both routes seem equally unwelcoming and perilous.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect271">If you decide to turn left, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect83">If you choose to go right, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect9">
+ <meta><title>9</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Aided by your youthful strength and Kai skills, you catch hold of the archway and pull yourself to safety. After pausing just long enough to catch your breath, you look into the dust-filled room and reflect upon how you were nearly buried alive. With a shake of your head you dismiss these morbid thoughts and set off along the tunnel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect82"><link-text>Turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect10">
+ <meta><title>10</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull yourself over the parapet, only to be confronted immediately by a Drakkar guard. Unbeknown to you he has been sitting on the tower roof, quietly watching the spectacle of the feeding Kraan.</p>
+ <p>He grabs you by the throat and attempts to throw you off the tower. You counter this clumsy attack easily by turning his hand aside and grabbing hold of his battle tunic. A swift twist of your body sends him sailing over your shoulder to land, head first, in the street below.</p>
+ <p>The guard, his neck broken, is no longer a threat to anyone, so you turn your attention to the five Kraan which are feeding on the roof. Gingerly you approach them, hoping not to startle them into flight, but the commotion, and your presence, has made them very uneasy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90">If you possess the Discipline of Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect136">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect11">
+ <meta><title>11</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You search for a weak spot on the creature's shell but you cannot readily discern one. The tip of your Arrow is made of best Sommlending steel but, even so, you fear it may not be sufficient to penetrate the creature's chest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect227">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect73">If you do not possess this skill, or have not yet reached this Kai rank, <link-text>turn to 73</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect12">
+ <meta><title>12</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your weapon to defend yourself from the creature's attack but, as you stare into its hellish eyes, you suddenly realize that this supernatural horror is immune to the effects of man-made weaponry.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect330">If you possess the Dagger of Vashna, a Jewelled Mace, or Helshezag, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If you do not possess one of these Special Items, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect13">
+ <meta><title>13</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step over the dead war-dog and enter the adjoining chamber. This foul-smelling room is littered with Giak bones and half-chewed haunches of greenish meat. Amongst the debris you notice something gleaming dully. It is a bronze statuette, forged in the likeness of Darklord Zagarna.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Statuette of Zagarna, record it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you keep in your Backpack. If you already carry the maximum number of items allowed, you will have to discard one in its favour.</p>
+ <p>To your right you notice another curtained archway. Through the threadbare cloth you can see a stone staircase spiralling down into the dark.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect56">If you wish to explore this staircase, <link-text>turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect44">If you choose to retrace your steps and leave the barracks, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect14">
+ <meta><title>14</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you can find something with which to start a fire, the octopoid moves away from the pool and forces you back against the wall of rubble. You contemplate escaping through the narrow gap by which you entered the chamber but it is already too late; the creature's tentacles are almost upon you.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>The octopoid forces you back against the wall of rubble<br />and you face the hideous being in mortal combat.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill1.gif" width="386" height="613"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill1.pdf" width="386" height="613"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Resigned to your fate, you unsheathe your weapon and prepare to face this hideous being in mortal combat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Korozon</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">52</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect78">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect15">
+ <meta><title>15</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Liganim watch you return to Banedon, then they turn and flee through the archway. Less than a minute later they return with a troop of armoured Drakkarim and Giak soldiers. Like a horde of screaming fanatics, they come rushing down the staircase and spread out to surround you and your companion. You draw your weapon and fight bravely, dispatching more than fifty of the enemy, but they receive a constant stream of reinforcements and, when finally your strength fails you, you are overwhelmed by these merciless denizens of Kaag.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect16">
+ <meta><title>16</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your desperate attempts to reach the saddle are dashed when the Kraan rears up in the air and rakes you with its claws. You lose your grip and fall screaming to the concourse below.</p>
+ <p>You hit the ground and instantly lose consciousness. Tragically, although you survive the fall, you never reawaken. Your body is discovered by a Giak patrol who kill you out of hand, thinking you to be an enemy spy in disguise.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your quest end here before the citadel of Kaag.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect17">
+ <meta><title>17</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Arrow strikes the creature in the centre of its forehead but causes it no injury. With a dull <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia> the tip snaps off and the shaft ricochets harmlessly away. There is no time now for a second shot so you hurriedly shoulder your Bow and draw a hand weapon. Sensing victory within its grasp, the creature emits a gurgling shriek and comes bounding forwards. You get ready to meet its advance; however, when it is only ten feet away, it suddenly opens its mouth wide and spews forth a stream of white-hot liquid fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
+ <meta><title>18</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sensation of danger is steadily building. Fearful that the denizens of this domain may burst into the hall and thwart your rescue attempt at any moment, you cast the Brotherhood spell <quote>Detect Evil</quote> in the hope of locating exactly where the danger lies.</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately, the spell merely serves to increase the sensitivity of your Kai senses. The sensation of impending danger becomes like a heavy cloud that is suffocating you. Gasping for breath, you are forced to break off the spell for fear of losing consciousness: deduct 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect274">If you possess Telegnosis, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect146">If you do not possess this Discipline, or choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect19">
+ <meta><title>19</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Drawing on your special abilities, you cause your facial features to change. Your expression, and the bone structure of your face, takes on the wholly brutal countenance of a Drakkar. Boldly you stride up the stairs towards the guard and slap the flint and braid from his gloved hands.</p>
+ <p><quote>Okak dan-ish! Ok der kog!</quote> you growl, ordering him, in his native tongue, to stand aside and let you pass.</p>
+ <p>The Drakkar does not move. He stares at you, open-mouthed with shock, his pipe hanging precariously from his lower lip.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Kai-screen, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect60">If your total score is now 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect202">If it is 3 or more, <link-text>turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect20">
+ <meta><title>20</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect20-1-foot" idref="sect20-1">
+ <p>This section corresponds to the correct answer to the lock on the <quote>stout steel-sheathed doors</quote>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The door opens on your twentieth knock, revealing a small armoury beyond.<a id="sect20-1" idref="sect20-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Most of the weapons stored here are of inferior quality, but you do notice several which may be of use to you during your quest:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>4 Arrows</li>
+ <li>1 Quiver</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Broadsword</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>On the far side of this armoury you discover a spiral staircase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If you wish to ascend the stairs, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect152">If you choose to descend the stairs, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect21">
+ <meta><title>21</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A wave of negative psychic energy crashes against your mind, forcing you to erect a defensive wall to prevent it from damaging your nervous system. You muster your psychic reserves in preparation yet, as the complex process is taking place, you suddenly realize that you are playing into your unseen enemy's hands.</p>
+ <p>You sense that your attacker feeds off psychic defences; to erect a mind-wall would merely provide power for the creature to gorge itself upon. Mindful of this fact you consciously deplete your mind-wall, draining the energy away, channelling it to boost your Kai senses instead.</p>
+ <p>Your strategy works; the creature breaks off its psychic attack (increase your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> by 4 points). The creature then prepares to attack you face to face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect229"><link-text>Turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect22">
+ <meta><title>22</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race across the mound of jagged rubble, barely slowing your stride as you surmount this obstacle easily. The pursuing Death Knights, handicapped by their weighty armour and lack of special skills, can only watch in astonishment as you disappear from view.</p>
+ <p>The street continues beyond the mound, heading due south towards the great citadel, the shadow of this edifice looming ever larger. Soon the street opens out to a wide concourse which encircles the citadel and offers access to its great northern door. The entire door is made of black iron and streaked with rust. Turrets jut from either side, on top of which you see giant cannon-like weapons, similar to those once employed by the Darklords aboard their ironclad fleets.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Giaks and Drakkarim pass the citadel, all clad in orange<br />uniforms bearing the mark of a bloodied scythe.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill2.gif" width="386" height="613"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill2.pdf" width="386" height="613"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>From the cover of a ruined house, you watch the traffic of Giaks and Drakkarim, all clad in orange uniforms bearing the mark of a bloodied scythe. The more you stare at the citadel, the more you are sure that this is where Banedon is being held prisoner. However, entry into the citadel itself looks to be impossible, until, that is, an opportunity unexpectedly presents itself.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect124"><link-text>Turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect23">
+ <meta><title>23</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your spell causes the crystal to vibrate, but you are too weak to muster the power needed to shatter or dislodge it. The curtain of light imprisoning Banedon remains intact and you are forced to abandon the spell and try some other way of freeing him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect245">If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect69">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If you do not have a Bow, do not possess Kai-alchemy, or have yet to reach the required Kai rank, <link-text>turn instead to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect24">
+ <meta><title>24</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You descend ten levels and follow a tunnel which eventually ends at a sealed door, carved from a solid slab of coal-black steel. Engraved into its surface are several runes and glyphs of power which you immediately recognize to be magical. They have been placed here as a warning to anyone foolish enough to attempt a forced entry that such an attempt is likely to result in their death.</p>
+ <p>Intrigued by the warning, you examine the runes more closely. As you are doing so, you suddenly hear a sound in the tunnel and turn to see two figures approaching. Hurriedly you retreat into the shadows, masking yourself with your camouflage disciplines to prevent your detection, as the two figures draw closer to the door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect270"><link-text>Turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect25">
+ <meta><title>25</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race to the edge of the steps and jump for the Drakkar guard. You land on his back heavily, your feet together, slamming him flat on his face with the full weight of your body and rendering him completely unconscious. You are winded by the impact but you quickly recover and drag his limp body out of sight, fearful that it will be seen by a passing patrol. Already a huge bruise is beginning to discolour his face and you are sure that it will be many hours before he regains consciousness. As you are moving him you notice that he wears two chains around his neck. To one there is attached a Whistle; to the other a Brass Key. (If you decide to keep either of these Backpack Items, mark your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.)</p>
+ <p>Once you are satisfied that he is well hidden, you climb the stairs and carefully push open the heavy door. At the end of a short corridor there is a landing where a gallery overlooks the cavernous lower level.</p>
+ <p>Nearby there is a staircase, leading down, and to your right you see a black oak door set flush to the wall.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you approach the gallery's railed parapet and peer down at an unnerving sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect26">
+ <meta><title>26</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The challenge catches you off-guard and your mind races for an answer that you hope will sound convincing.</p>
+ <p><quote>I've been sent here by my master to deliver an unholy relic,</quote> you say, patting your canvas haversack.</p>
+ <p>The two guards stare at the satchel then look at each other and converse in a language you do not recognize.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Kai-alchemy or Assimilance, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239">If total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect98">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect27">
+ <meta><title>27</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You push Banedon aside and dive to avoid the falling trap but, even though you act speedily, your legs are ensnared by the net and you are brought crashing to your knees.</p>
+ <p><quote>Finish them both!</quote> snarls a voice, and a dozen trident-wielding Drakkarim leap from the shadows, eager to enact their master's command.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect182"><link-text>Turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect28">
+ <meta><title>28</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your invisible shield fails to protect you fully against all of the speeding crossbow bolts. One penetrates its weakened bottom edge, bursting through with a splash of yellow sparks to gouge your thigh: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Biting back the pain, you hurry towards the Death Knights, hoping to break through their line before they have a chance to reload and fire again. The sight of you surviving such a rain of missiles leaves many of their number staring open-mouthed with shock. You dodge through their line with ease, and by the time they realize that you have evaded them, and start to give chase, you have passed the junction and begun to run along the street opposite.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect266"><link-text>Turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect29">
+ <meta><title>29</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lower Banedon to the floor and make him as comfortable as you can by propping him in a sitting position with his back against one of the statues. Then, despite your own fatigue, you use your innate healing skills in an attempt to revive him to consciousness. His pulse is weak and his skin is cold to the touch, and you can tell by his poor physical condition that he has been starved and beaten during his imprisonment here in Kaag. Placing your hands upon his brow, you feel some of your body warmth draining away as you concentrate on transmitting your healing powers to your injured friend. Slowly he responds, and although he is still too weak to speak, he manages to open his eyes and communicate with you telepathically.</p>
+ <p><thought>I know this chamber&ellips;</thought> he says, <thought>&ellips;I have been here before. Look there, at the statue opposite. You'll find a lever concealed at its side. It opens a hidden door.</thought></p>
+ <p>Guided by Banedon's messages you discover that there is indeed a lever as he described. You pull it and a panel in the stone wall glides open to reveal a secret alcove and flight of steps leading downwards. Noises in the tunnel warn you that Drakkarim are approaching and so, without hesitation, you shoulder your friend once more and hurry into the alcove to avoid them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect30">
+ <meta><title>30</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Fear rapidly turns to panic as the loathsome tide of insects comes crawling and scuttling towards your legs. You cast your eyes left and right, seeking escape, but before you can turn and run, you become the target of a new attack. From out of the hovering shadow there comes a crackling bolt of energy. Quickly it gathers speed as it hurtles directly towards your head.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect6">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 6</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect222">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect31">
+ <meta><title>31</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The stairs ascend to a chamber lined with wooden racks covered with saddlery, lances, tack and all manner of Kraan kit. A single Drakkar occupies this musty room. He is asleep on a chair near to a window which overlooks a landing platform and the city far below. You are tempted to take hold of the snoring guard and force him to tell you where Banedon is being held, but you daren't risk being detected. If the guard should raise the alarm, your chances of finding and rescuing your friend will be greatly reduced.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326">If you possess the Discipline of Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect246">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect32">
+ <meta><title>32</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You land with a jolt that empties your lungs and sends red-hot pain lancing up your left leg. You have landed on a heap of broken bricks and rot-infested timbers, one of which has opened a deep gash along the back of your calf: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Winded, disorientated, and in acute pain, you crawl across the slimy floor of this cellar towards a flight of steps. Then, with a chilling suddenness, your senses warn that you are not alone. From behind, a lanky grey-skinned humanoid form creeps from a shadowy hollow, snickering evilly. It leaps upon your back and scratches your face with its razor-sharp nails. You twist yourself free and hammer your elbow into its chest, sending it sprawling to the damp ground where it lies deathly still. You draw your weapon and prepare for combat, but this proves unnecessary. Your blow has crushed the creature's brittle rib cage, piercing its heart.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect225">If you possess the Discipline of Deliverance, <link-text>turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect130">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect33">
+ <meta><title>33</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dive to the floor and, although you avoid the full impact of the fiery missile, it glances off your right shoulder, burning you badly. Lose 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect196">If you have survived this wounding, <link-text>turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect34">
+ <meta><title>34</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Arrow penetrates the beast's skull and kills it instantaneously, although the momentum of its attack carries its hulking body forward for several yards before it finally crashes snout-first into the iron drawbridge floor, and tumbles head over heels.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect247"><link-text>Turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect35">
+ <meta><title>35</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the initial heaps of rubble this avenue is surprisingly clear of debris and obstructions. You are conscious that perhaps it is too clear, offering you no cover at all from the buildings which line this route to the centre of Kaag.</p>
+ <p>You decide to trust to the ruins rather than run the risk of being detected out in the open. However, within a matter of minutes you are confronted by a new hazard. The ground in this section of the city is unsafe. It is riddled with pot-holes and concealed cellars, covered by rotten wooden beams and slabs of paper-thin plaster. Suddenly one such section gives way beneath your feet and you find yourself falling headlong into coal-black darkness.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If your total score is now 0&endash;5, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If it is 6 or higher, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect36">
+ <meta><title>36</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Arrows fly past you on all sides, forcing you to a halt.</p>
+ <p><quote>It's no good, Lone Wolf,</quote> shouts Banedon, as he watches the Drakkarim advancing along the passage, <quote>we'll have to go back and take our chances in the pen.</quote></p>
+ <p>Cursing your predicament, you turn around and hurry back towards the waiting ambush. You are expecting to be attacked by more archers, yet as soon as you set foot inside the pen you are confronted by something totally unexpected. A faint sound above makes you look up, and, to your horror, you see a weighted net falling from the ceiling directly on to your heads.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If your total is now 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect262">If it is 5 or higher, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect37">
+ <meta><title>37</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Aided by your mastery, you traverse the tunnel without injury and reach the cooler section beyond. Here you happen upon a steep staircase, set into the right-hand wall, which ascends to a hall on the level above. This vault-like room contains a wealth of grim exhibits, hung upon the walls and displayed in glass-fronted cases. The skulls of rare creatures are displayed beside tanned hides and jewel-encrusted bones. One item in particular catches your eye: it is a Statuette, fashioned in the likeness of Darklord Zagarna.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>The skulls of rare creatures are displayed beside tanned<br />hides, jewel encrusted bones and a Statuette of Darklord<br />Zagarna.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill3.gif" width="386" height="613"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill3.pdf" width="386" height="613"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Statuette of Zagarna, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you keep in your Backpack. If you already carry your maximum quota, you must discard one item in its favour.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">To continue, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect38">
+ <meta><title>38</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dingy stone staircase leads down to an empty torchlit chamber, its floor strewn with filthy straw. A dank tunnel extends from the chamber and you follow this for over a mile before you reach its end. There you discover an iron door, eaten by rust, its lock made useless by years of acidic corrosion. Using your Magnakai skill of Nexus you free the lock mechanism, then lever the door open to reveal a short flight of steps which are almost unrecognizable beneath a carpet of moss and fungi.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you ascend, clearing the way ahead with your weapon before trusting it to your step. The stairs emerge at street level, in the midst of a once-grand building which now lies in ruins. Through one of its shattered windows you look out upon a concourse littered with more than a dozen Giak dead. Their posture, and the nature of their wounds, tell of a savage street battle fought here within the last few hours. Perched on nearby rooftops are a flock of vulture-like birds, cawing delightedly, their bellies distended by a feast of Giak meat.</p>
+ <p>The distant clang and clash of steel tells you that the fighting is not over, it has simply moved on. The noise prompts you to stay crouched in the ruins whilst you consider your next course of action. From this position you survey the street and notice a narrow stairway, directly opposite, which leads down to a crypt door. You focus on the dark portal and sense at once that it is open and unguarded.</p>
+
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you wish to cross the street and investigate the crypt, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you choose to ignore the crypt, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect39">
+ <meta><title>39</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Talons spring from the creature's forepaws and its sharp teeth glint like polished knives as it comes leaping through the air towards you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vodok</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">44</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">52</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect150">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect40">
+ <meta><title>40</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last of the handlers falls to your deadly blows, his sword falls from his grasp and you notice a glint of polished metal, unusually bright, radiating from a chain bracelet dangling at his wrist. The source of the glint is a polished key fixed to the chain. (If you wish to keep this Brass Key, record it as a Backpack Item on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <p>With the angry yelps of the Akataz echoing in your ears, you leap over the bodies of the slain handlers and sprint along the passage that leads away from the pen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304"><link-text>Turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect41">
+ <meta><title>41</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to avoid being impaled upon the runaway log by diving between the spinning staves. You succeed in avoiding death, but one of the sharpened steel spikes gouges your leg, leaving a deep wound: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect213">Adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> before <link-text>turning to 213</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect42">
+ <meta><title>42</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have only just re-entered the chamber when a second bolt slams into the floor of the tunnel. The blast and concussion throw you forwards, but you manage to recover your balance and stay on your feet.</p>
+ <p>The sound of the explosion revives Banedon and, although he is still far too weak to speak or walk, he manages to open his eyes and communicate with you telepathically.</p>
+ <p><thought>I know this chamber&ellips;</thought> he says, <thought>&ellips;I have been here before. Look there, at the statue opposite. You'll find a lever concealed at its side. It opens a hidden door. Hurry&ellips;</thought></p>
+ <p>Guided by Banedon's messages you discover that there is indeed a lever as he described. You pull it and a panel in the stone wall glides open to reveal a secret alcove and flight of steps leading downwards. The sound of running feet warns you that the enemy are approaching along both passages <!--(jon: what was original???)-->, and so, without hesitation, you shoulder your friend once more and slip into the alcove to avoid them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect43">
+ <meta><title>43</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After several abortive attempts to open the lock, you decide to abandon the door and leave the chamber by means of the narrow staircase. An unwholesome smell fills this dark spiralling stairwell and, as you descend, you are forced to cling to the wall to prevent yourself slipping on the uneven, slime-smeared steps.</p>
+ <p>After several minutes your painfully slow progress is halted by a huge mound of rubble. At first your heart sinks with the fear that you have reached a dead end, then you glimpse a pinpoint of light filtering through the debris and at once your senses reveal that a chamber lies a few yards beyond. However, in order to gain access to this chamber you must first clear away some of the debris which blocks the stairs.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. Now subtract 1 from the number you have picked. The resultant score equals the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost due to fatigue. (If you picked 0 or 1, your score is zero.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100">To continue, <link-text>turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect44">
+ <meta><title>44</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurry along the corridor, down the steps, and along the alley to the street. When the coast is clear you cross the street and follow a passage which takes you further southwards, towards the centre of this hellish metropolis. Everywhere there is decay and dereliction. Once-grand buildings lie in ruins and every surface is beslimed with nameless refuse. Soon you happen upon a concourse littered with more than a dozen Giak dead. Their posture, and the nature of their wounds, tell of a savage street battle fought here within the last few hours. Perched on nearby rooftops are a flock of vulture-like birds, cawing delightedly, their bellies distended by a surfeit of Giak meat.</p>
+ <p>The distant clang and clash of steel tells you that the fighting is not over, it has simply moved on. The noise prompts you to crouch in a darkened doorway for cover whilst you consider your next course of action. From this position you survey the street and notice a narrow stairway, directly opposite, which leads down to a crypt door. You focus on the dark portal and sense at once that it is open and unguarded.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you wish to cross the street and investigate the crypt, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you choose to ignore the crypt, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect45">
+ <meta><title>45</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The psychic assault rakes your mind, leaving you stunned and shaky: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Your Magnakai psychic defences rally to repel the probe and the pain recedes, but upon the instant that the attack is repulsed, the two dragon-creatures raise their scaly paws and shoot forth a stream of flaming bolts, aimed directly at your head and body.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect211">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect169">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect46">
+ <meta><title>46</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sheathe your weapon and unshoulder your Bow as you run towards the stairs. Once there, you draw an Arrow and take aim at the advancing creature. It halts, snarling defiantly, then, to your utter amazement, its furry chest undergoes a rapid metamorphosis. What was fur only a few seconds ago is now a shiny steel-hard shell.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11">If you wish to aim your Arrow at the creature's shell, <link-text>turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect345">If you choose to aim at its head, <link-text>turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect125">If you decide to abandon your shot altogether, you can shoulder your Bow by <link-text>turning to 125</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect47">
+ <meta><title>47</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Row upon row of rough wooden bunks cover the floor of the hall below, more than two hundred in all, and racks of armour and weaponry line all four walls. You have entered a Drakkarim barracks house but, fortunately for you, the place is virtually deserted. You scan the cots and count fewer than a dozen warriors, most of whom are asleep. All wear clothing and armour which is predominantly orange in colour, and their shields are emblazoned with the mark of a bloodied scythe blade.</p>
+ <p>You are anxious to leave this place but you are just as anxious to find clues to where Banedon is being held prisoner. Kaag is a vast city; it could take a lifetime to search every vault and chamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect315">If you wish to search for clues behind the black oak door, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect80">If you decide to leave this building and search elsewhere, <link-text>turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect48">
+ <meta><title>48</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the Helghast closes for the kill it emits a wailing cry, sending a wave of psychic energy to assail your mind. Your Magnakai defences are more than sufficient to repel this weak attack and, to the creature's visible dismay, you remain unaffected by its initial assault. The Helghast's feral eyes blaze brightly and talons spring from its fingers as, with one last cry, it launches itself towards your chest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect162">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect12">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect49">
+ <meta><title>49</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Wracked by fever, you slip reluctantly into a deep unconsciousness. Countless hours slip by while your body battles against the virus. It is a close fight but one that is eventually won thanks to your innate Kai healing skills.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. Now add 3 to the number you have picked. The resultant score is equivalent to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you have lost due to the infection.</p>
+ <p>Once you have fully recovered, you pause to check your equipment before climbing the steps that lead out of this grim cellar.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172"><link-text>Turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect50">
+ <meta><title>50</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you strike your killing blow, the body of the Ice Dragon becomes transparent, as if it was made wholly of glass, then slowly this form melts away to a steamy vapour which quickly evaporates, leaving no trace of the creature's existence.</p>
+ <p>A deathly silence fills the hall, broken only by the sound of Banedon's laboured breathing. Fearful of his condition, you climb the ivory staircase and rush to his side. However, you are prevented from touching your friend by the encircling wall of energy in which he is held prisoner. You sense that the power which keeps him here against his will is being generated by the crystal sphere which hangs suspended in the air directly above him. You gaze at this sphere and the thought occurs that if you could disrupt it in some way, by breaking or dislodging it, it might cause the power wall to fail.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect245">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect69">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect108">If you possess Magi-magic, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If you do not wish to use a Bow, do not have any of the above skills, or have yet to reach the required Kai rank, <link-text>turn instead to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect51">
+ <meta><title>51</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you fall, you throw out your hands and manage to grab hold of a thick timber which lies across the gaping hole. Splinters of rotten wood dig deeply into your hands, causing you to cry out in pain (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), but the discomfort does not cause you to lose your grip. With grim determination, you haul yourself out of the hole and continue across these perilous ruins, taking more care than before as to where you tread.</p>
+ <p>Eventually you clear this section of the city and find yourself in the midst of a once-grand building which now lies derelict. Through one of its shattered windows you look out upon a concourse littered with more than a dozen Giak dead. Their posture, and the nature of their wounds, tell of a savage street battle fought here within the last few hours. Perched on nearby rooftops are a flock of vulture-like birds, cawing delightedly, their bellies distended by a surfeit of Giak meat.</p>
+ <p>The distant clang and clash of steel tell you that the fighting is not over, it has simply moved on. The noise prompts you to stay crouched in the ruins whilst you consider your next course of action. From this position you survey the street and notice a narrow stairway, directly opposite, which leads down to a crypt door. You focus on the dark portal and sense at once that it is open and unguarded.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you wish to cross the street and investigate the crypt, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you choose to ignore the crypt, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect52">
+ <meta><title>52</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The bolt strikes the pool and the inflammable liquid ignites with a deafening <onomatopoeia>whoomph</onomatopoeia> that knocks you flat on your back. For a few seconds the chamber is aglow with a blinding white light, then the glare fades to reveal the octopoid writhing on the floor, close to the blazing pool's edge, its loathsome body being consumed by a hungry mass of guttering yellow flames.</p>
+ <p>Covering your mouth with your cloak, you skirt around the burning carcass and approach the archway through the thick smoke. The sheet of blue-green metal that once blocked this exit is no longer there; it has moved aside to reveal a dark tunnel leading away from the chamber. Eager to leave this smoke-filled hall and continue your search for your captive friend without further delay, you hurry through the archway into the darkness beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect53">
+ <meta><title>53</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sprint across the street and bound up the tower stairs. You are halfway up when suddenly there is a loud <onomatopoeia>clunk</onomatopoeia>, and you look up to see a heavy wooden log, pierced by a criss-cross of metal staves sharpened at either end, come careering down the steps towards you. Frozen with horror, you can but stare at the brutal face of a Drakkar who is peering over the edge of the tower parapet. He guards this feeding tower and, with gleeful expectation, he watches as his <quote>toy</quote>, the great spiked log, bounces on the steps and spins straight towards its latest unsuspecting victim.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A heavy wooden log, pierced by a criss-cross of metal<br />staves, comes careering down the steps towards you.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill4.gif" width="386" height="570"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill4.pdf" width="386" height="570"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect289">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect41">If it is 4-9 <link-text>turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect54">
+ <meta><title>54</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>So we meet again, Lone Wolf.</quote></p>
+ <p>The words, full of hatred, are spoken by a tall, ancient figure, whose gaunt face is framed by a shock of platinum hair. It is Arch Druid Cadak, ruler of Mogaruith, the leader of the Cener Druids of Ruel.</p>
+ <p><quote>What is your purpose here, Cadak?</quote> you growl in reply, your weapon raised in case he or his minions should attempt to rush you.</p>
+ <p><quote>I am ruler of this city now. After all, is it not fitting that I should inherit the legacy of the Darklords?</quote> Cadak's whimsical mood seems to change for the worse, a change reflected in his voice.</p>
+ <p><quote>Your meddlesome intrusions have cost me dear, Kai Lord,</quote> he hisses. <quote>We have a debt to settle and I intend to make you pay what you owe. I brought you here. It was my purpose. I have no interest in the inferior magic of this fool you call friend,</quote> he says, sneering at Banedon, <quote>yet I knew he would be bait enough to lure you.</quote></p>
+ <p>Slowly he steps towards the shadows and you tense yourself, fearing an imminent attack.</p>
+ <p><quote>Now you will settle your debt&ellips;</quote> he says, almost in a whisper, <quote>once and for all!</quote></p>
+ <p>He snaps his fingers and you hear the creak of a heavy iron door slowly opening. Then a low, snorting noise echoes through the pen, stirring the caged Kraan and Zlanbeast to sudden frenzy. You steel yourself and cast your eyes around in a desperate attempt to see what it is that is responsible for this sudden uproar. Then the cause emerges into the light and your blood runs ice cold in your veins when you look upon its terrible face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect226"><link-text>Turn to 226</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect55">
+ <meta><title>55</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the west arch you discover a flight of stairs. Cautiously you ascend several levels of the citadel until the stairs emerge into a vast, frigid hall which is festooned with icy stalactites. In the dim distance you see the yellowy glow of a warmer chamber and you hurry towards it, taking care not to slip on the treacherous, frost-covered floor.</p>
+ <p>You are near the centre of this chamber when the temperature drops dramatically. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to the extreme cold.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133">To continue, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect56">
+ <meta><title>56</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dingy stone staircase leads down to an empty torchlit chamber, its floor strewn with filthy straw. To the right there is a stout wooden door secured by a rusty drawbolt, and ahead you see a damp passage. Your Magnakai senses tell you that it heads due south.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect242">If you wish to take a closer look at the door, <link-text>turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect343">If you wish to investigate the passage, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect57">
+ <meta><title>57</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After a few minutes the tunnel ascends by steps to a cavern-like chamber where the walls are mildewed and damp. A sloping passage leads away to your left, descending towards a distant pit which reeks of vermin and decay. You shun this exit and turn your attentions instead to an iron door set into the far wall. Although it is locked, you experience no difficulty picking it.</p>
+ <p>On the other side of the door you discover a torchlit corridor leading off to the left and right.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect252">If you wish to go right, <link-text>turn to 252</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect170">If you decide to go left, <link-text>turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect58">
+ <meta><title>58</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite the fatigue of recent combat, you manage to erect a defensive wall around your mind which protects you from the Vordak's attack. At first their destructive energy is absorbed by this barrier, then it is transformed and cast back at them with twice its original intensity.</p>
+ <p>The Vordaks reel under the impact of your psychic retaliation. Before they can fully recover, you run at them and launch yourself into hand-to-hand combat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>3 Vordak (in psychic shock)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">28</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">38</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect260">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect59">
+ <meta><title>59</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tunnel ends at a huge, echoing hall. It was once a place of worship dedicated to Zagarna, Darklord of Kaag. Now, however, it lies in total ruin, having been ransacked and destroyed by those who took command following his destruction, by your hand, at the raising of the Siege of Holmgard.</p>
+ <p>In the alcoves and grottoes that adjoin this hall, where once stood effigies of Zagarna, there now stand likenesses of Darklord Slûtar. Behind one such tribute you notice something very unusual, yet familiar. A column of shimmering blue light descends into the alcove from a hole in the middle of the roof and passes through a similar hole in the floor. Your senses tingle as you gaze at this column, for you immediately recognize its purpose. Within the confines of the light, gravity is greatly reduced. It is used as a means of transportation, an elevator that can take you to other levels of Kaag, either above or below. The last time you saw one of these devices was in Helgedad, the former principal stronghold of the Darklands.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect127">If you wish to step into the transporter beam, <link-text>turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If you choose to ignore it, you can leave this ruined hall by means of a tunnel in its north wall. <link-text>Turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect60">
+ <meta><title>60</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instinctively the Drakkar reacts to the sound of your harsh commands and moves away from the door, a reflexive action born of a lifetime of military service. But then his expression changes when his eyes take in the cut and colour of your tunic and Kai cloak. He hesitates, then quickly snatches up his spear and holds it poised to thrust at your heart.</p>
+ <p><quote>An okak oknar?</quote> he growls, demanding to know the name of your leader.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect339">If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect291">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect61">
+ <meta><title>61</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You remove the item from the satchel and the two guards scrutinize it. Then they nod their approval and draw back their spears. At once the crackling crimson energy ceases to arc between the shafts.</p>
+ <p><quote>You may pass,</quote> they say, without any trace of emotion, and as they stand aside, so the two great doors glide silently open. Steeling yourself, you stride towards the blazing purple light which fills the chamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186"><link-text>Turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect62">
+ <meta><title>62</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect62-1-foot" idref="sect62-1">
+ <p>Presumably by <quote>double all bonuses it bestows upon you</quote> you are meant to receive a 16 point bonus to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unshoulder your Bow, draw an Arrow, and let it fly towards the chest of the leading Xaghash. The shaft shatters against the iron-hard scales which protect its heart, and the great merciless beast roars with delight at your misfortune.</p>
+ <p>Hurriedly you retreat, drawing a hand weapon in your defence as the two evil-eyed horrors come rushing forward with murderous intent.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>2 Xaghash</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">52</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">60</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>If you possess the Sommerswerd, double all bonuses it bestows upon you (for the duration of this combat only).<a id="sect62-1" idref="sect62-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect276">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect63">
+ <meta><title>63</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite the treacherous condition of the tower wall, your natural skill and agility see you safely to the top. In less than a minute you manage to reach the level of the tower parapet.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10"><link-text>Turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect64">
+ <meta><title>64</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter the passage and follow it for several minutes before arriving at an empty circular room. The only feature here is a rusty iron ladder, fixed precariously to the wall, which ascends through a hole in the ceiling to a level above. There is no other exit from this chamber and so, with caution guiding your every move, you climb the rust-eaten rungs.</p>
+ <p>You rise through the hole to find yourself in a corridor which is strewn with human bones. Skeletons lie mixed in tangled heaps and many of the skulls and loose bones seem to have been gnawed. The psychic residues of pain and terror left by these luckless victims presses in upon your senses, making you feel queasy and claustrophobic. With pounding heart you advance along the bone-choked passage, stepping carefully through the skeletons to avoid making a sound. But you have taken less than a dozen steps when something unexpected makes you freeze in your tracks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect218"><link-text>Turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect65">
+ <meta><title>65</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You turn and enter a rubble-strewn alley which takes you deeper into the black heart of Kaag. A mile later you reach a broader street, partially submerged by brackish, ankle-deep slime. Beyond it, at a deserted square, you see a tangle of rusty iron pipes spilling out from a circular shaft in the ground. Jets of steam hiss skywards from a thousand tiny cracks in these old corroded conduits. Nearby, in the ruins, a guttering fire casts an eerie yellow light over the area. Shadows play upon the surrounding walls, cast not only by the fire but also by the winged Kraan which swoop back and forth across this square, dousing themselves in the jets of scalding-hot steam.</p>
+ <p>You are watching the Kraan diving and twisting above the rooftops when suddenly your Magnakai sense of Divination alerts you to an imminent danger. You can sense the approach of a hostile creature, one which is using its psychic power to scan the surrounding area.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If you wish to avoid this creature by entering one of the ruined buildings that border the square, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If you decide to hurry away from the square, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect66">
+ <meta><title>66</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You push down on the Zlanbeast's head and send it into a steep dive, a swift action which saves you from being knocked out of the sky by the cloud of deadly bolts. The streets of Kaag come rushing towards you with unnerving speed, but you control the winged creature skilfully, reining it in to level off in time to clear the ramparts of the South Gate. As you pass over this gate you catch sight of something strange yet wondrous to behold.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect67">
+ <meta><title>67</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You push aside the last remaining Drakkar and rush out into the passageway. At the far end you find a door which leads to a covered courtyard. A group of Drakkarim stablehands are sent sprawling as you career through them and sprint towards a low wall which encircles this part of the complex. Without looking back, you leap over the wall in one bound and race into the ruins beyond.</p>
+ <p>For over a mile you wend your way through derelict buildings before you happen upon an avenue which is surprisingly clear of debris and obstructions. You are conscious that perhaps it is too clear, offering you no cover at all from the tall buildings that line this route to the centre of Kaag.</p>
+ <p>You decide to trust to the ruins rather than run the risk of being detected out in the open. However, within a matter of minutes you are confronted by a new hazard. The ground in this section of the city is unsafe. It is riddled with pot-holes and concealed cellars, covered by rotten wooden beams and slabs of paper-thin plaster. Suddenly one such section gives way beneath your feet and you find yourself falling headlong into coal-black darkness.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If your total score is now 0&endash;5, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect68">
+ <meta><title>68</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurry away from the dead Drakkarim and enter a tunnel which is dank and humid. You have taken less than a dozen paces when suddenly your senses alert you to a crude floor trap. A pit of poison-tipped stakes, concealed beneath a large square of oiled cloth, blocks the tunnel ahead. What would normally have ensnared a lesser warrior causes you little worry. With a single bound you clear the pit and continue on your way.</p>
+ <p>Soon the tunnel leads to another hall, but the entrance is blocked by a huge stone statue of Zagarna which has been tipped on to its side. The statue must have shattered on impact for the tunnel exit is almost filled with large boulders. In order to gain access to the hall beyond, you must first clear away some of this heavy debris.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. Now subtract 1 from the number you have picked. The resultant score equals the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost due to fatigue. (If you picked 0 or 1, your score is zero.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect69">
+ <meta><title>69</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You move back a few feet and raise your right hand, pointing your finger at the glowing sphere. Then you utter the words of power that you learned from the man who you are seeking to set free, and at once your whole hand is encased by a crackling blue-white fire. A jolt runs the length of your arm and a bolt of energy leaps from your index finger towards the sphere.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect320">If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 14 or less, <link-text>turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect120">If your score is 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect70">
+ <meta><title>70</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The leather Drakkar battle jacket and leggings fit easily over your close-fitting Kai tunic. The jacket has a large hood, with slits cut for your eyes and mouth, and you pull this down to cover your whole face. You stow your Backpack in a canvas satchel and sling this over your shoulder before opening the door and setting off towards the distant thoroughfare.</p>
+ <p>You stride boldly towards the two guards, hoping they will let you pass unhindered. But as you draw closer, they cross their jewel-encrusted spears to block your way. Raw power crackles like a sparkling crimson serpent where the shafts of the two spears touch, warning you that these are no ordinary weapons.</p>
+ <p><quote>What is your business here?</quote> growls the guard on the left, his voice gritty and full of suspicion. <quote>Why do you seek access to the Hall of Unholy Worship?</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you possess the Disciplines of Kai-surge <em>and</em> Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect26">If you do not possess <em>both</em> of these Grand Master skills, <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect71">
+ <meta><title>71</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An arrow gouges your heel and a sharp pain runs up the back of your leg, making you stumble. You struggle to stay on your feet but the weight of your unconscious friend throws you off-balance and together you crash down on the steps in a heap. The Drakkarim howl with delight and, as you pull yourself free, they fire a final volley of arrows.</p>
+ <p>There is a flash of light and a blinding pain fills your head, but this is soon replaced by a total blackness. You feel yourself falling forwards into an infinite void, as if you had just stepped over the edge of a towering cliff. Reluctantly you surrender to the sensation for it is the last you will ever feel.</p>
+ <p>Sadly, your life and your quest end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect72">
+ <meta><title>72</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Painfully you stagger to your feet and shake your head in a vain attempt to be rid of the loud ringing that now fills your ears. Through the smoke and dust generated by the explosion, you glimpse the hooded creature creeping towards you. He holds a rod before him which radiates a ghostly green light. You snatch up your weapon and prepare to do battle as your robed enemy raises this rod in readiness to strike you down. Then there is a crack of energy and, as the rod whistles towards your chest, the tip transforms itself into a fiery spiked ball.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A hooded creature creeps towards you holding a rod<br />which radiates a ghostly green light.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill5.gif" width="386" height="609"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill5.pdf" width="386" height="609"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>Liganim (with Ziranakag)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">44</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">32</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect298">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect73">
+ <meta><title>73</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The weakest area appears to be the creature's throat, where the horny chest plates butt against the bony cartilage which protects its windpipe. You whisper a prayer to the God Kai to guide your Arrow as you let slip your straining bowstring.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Weaponmastery with Bow, add 5 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect251">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect74">
+ <meta><title>74</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You whisper the words of the Brotherhood spell <quote>Invisible Shield</quote> and feel a chill as some of your body warmth surges from your trunk towards your outstretched hand. Hurriedly you circle your palm in the air before you, barely moments before the Death Knights let loose a volley of deadly bolts.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> (in this instance, 0 = 10). If you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178">If your total score is 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect28">If your score is 3&endash;5, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect344">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect75">
+ <meta><title>75</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Undaunted and undeterred by the charm that has been placed on this door, you settle down in front of the keyhole and set about picking the lock. More than once you wish that Banedon was fit and conscious; he would have no difficulty opening this door.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you have Grand Pathsmanship, add 2. If you have Telegnosis, add 3.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect161">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect302">If it is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect76">
+ <meta><title>76</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you land your killing blow, the Nadziran vanishes completely, leaving only a harsh, caustic stench to mark its passing. You sheathe your weapon and hurry through the open portal into a well-appointed chamber, its many tables and shelves filled with flasks, bottles and boxes of unique design. To your left you notice an oaken shelf sagging under the weight of three large, heavily bound books, and to your right there is a workbench stacked high with magical paraphernalia.</p>
+ <p>A search of this chamber uncovers the following items which may be of use to you during your quest:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Tinderbox</li>
+ <li>Laumspur (enough for 3 doses&emdash;each dose restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points after combat)</li>
+ <li>Vial of Gold Dust</li>
+ <li>Conch Shell</li>
+ <li>Silver Flask</li>
+ <li>Green Key</li>
+ <li>Brass Key</li>
+ <li>Copper Key</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ <li>Comb</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>All of the above are Backpack Items. If you decide to keep any, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect331">To continue, <link-text>turn to 331</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect77">
+ <meta><title>77</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Biting back your fears, you raise your weapon and focus on the advancing swarm. Suddenly your psychic senses tingle. These are no ordinary insects; in fact these are not insects at all. Your sixth sense detects that they are merely a clever illusion created to deceive you. Confident in this knowledge you stand your ground and allow the tide of creepy-crawlies to wash over your feet. Within a matter of seconds the insect horde fades and vanishes, dispelled by your disbelief in their existence.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect281"><link-text>Turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect78">
+ <meta><title>78</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Upon the instant you strike your killing blow, the Korozon disintegrates. Within seconds, all that remains of this fearsome creature is a dusty, foul-smelling pile of dull grey tiles and shattered glass.</p>
+ <p>Covering your mouth with your cloak, you skirt around the remains and approach the archway. The sheet of blue-green metal that once blocked this exit is no longer there; it has moved aside to reveal a dark tunnel leading away from the chamber. Eager to leave this foul-smelling hall and continue your search for your captive friend without further delay, you hurry through the archway into the unwelcoming darkness beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect79">
+ <meta><title>79</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As your final blow parts the head of the ghastly Vordak, it collapses at your feet and rapidly dissolves into a foul-smelling green gas. Mindful that the combat may have attracted others of its kind, you sheathe your weapon and escape from the area as quickly as you can. At the end of the street you see an avenue leading off to the south, and another, blocked by rubble, heading off to the west.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to follow the avenue southwards, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect35">If you choose to clamber over the rubble which fills the entrance to the west avenue, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect80">
+ <meta><title>80</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurry out of the building and descend to the alley below. When the coast is clear you cross the street and follow a passage which takes you further south, towards the centre of this hellish metropolis.</p>
+ <p>Everywhere there is decay and dereliction. Once-grand buildings lie in ruins and every surface is beslimed with nameless refuse. Soon you happen upon a concourse littered with more than a dozen Giak dead. Their posture, and the nature of their wounds, tell of a savage battle fought here within the last few hours. Perched on nearby rooftops are a flock of vulture-like birds, cawing delightedly, their bellies distended by a surfeit of Giak meat.</p>
+ <p>The distant clang and clash of steel tell you that the fighting is not over, it has simply moved on. The noise prompts you to crouch in a darkened doorway for cover whilst you consider your next course of action. From this position you survey the street and notice a narrow stairway, directly opposite, which leads down to a crypt door. You focus on the dark portal and sense at once that it is open and unguarded.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you wish to cross the street and investigate the crypt, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you choose to ignore the crypt, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect81">
+ <meta><title>81</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You utter the words of the spell <spell>Lightning Hand</spell> and point your right index finger at the creature's ugly head. You feel your arm tingling from the shoulder down, then a crackling mass of energy takes form at your fingertip. With a loud crack it arcs towards the oncoming beast and explodes full in its face, making it falter and cry out in pained surprise. But it does not delay its advance for very long. Its horny eyelids save its sight and quickly it recovers, now more determined to fulfil Cadak's command. Hastily you draw a hand weapon as the shadow of the beast falls upon you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect128"><link-text>Turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect82">
+ <meta><title>82</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tunnel descends, by slope and staircase, deeper into the bowels of the citadel. In the distance you see a torchlit chamber and hear the sound of Giaks screaming in agony. As you draw closer to the room, your suspicions are confirmed that you have stumbled upon a torture chamber.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small4.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small4.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>The Drakkarim torturers are too preoccupied with the mutilation of their charges to notice you slipping through their grisly workplace to the tunnel beyond. This leads to a large stairwell from where you can see many levels, above and below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect145">If you wish to ascend the stairs, <link-text>turn to 145</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect106">If you choose to descend the stairs, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect83">
+ <meta><title>83</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After a hundred yards or so, the passage bears to the left then continues in a straight line until it arrives at a small stone-walled chamber. A crude cot, a chair, a battered trunk and a three-legged table made from a captured Freeland battleshield comprise its meagre furnishings. You stop to rest here for a few minutes, placing Banedon upon the cot while you half-heartedly search the trunk. Your curiosity is rewarded though, for inside you discover half a bottle of fine Slovian wine and a pouch full of Laumspur. You consume these (restore 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) and, suitably refreshed, you shoulder your charge and set off along the passage in search of a way to escape from this dread citadel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect290"><link-text>Turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect84">
+ <meta><title>84</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw upon your skill and experience to mask your presence here in the ruins. The Vordak, using its psychic ability, scans the surrounding buildings yet fails to locate your hiding place. With a shriek of frustration, the loathsome creature turns and retreats from the square with its bow-legged Giak followers in tow.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to return to the street and continue your exploration of Kaag, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect35">If you choose to stay in the ruins and proceed in a different direction, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect85">
+ <meta><title>85</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Less than twenty yards ahead the street bears sharply to the right. You slow your pace and get ready to make the turn, but you are brought skidding to a halt when you see that the street goes nowhere. It is a dead end. A solid wall of black marble, thirty feet high, blocks your escape from the pursuing Death Knights.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small8.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small8.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Reluctantly you turn to face your foes. Having reached the junction and seen that you are trapped, they have spread out and are now walking slowly towards you in a line abreast. Casually they unshoulder their crossbows and prepare them as they advance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324">If you possess the Discipline of Assimilance, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect74">If you possess the Discipline of Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect153">If you have neither of these skills, or do not wish to use them, <link-text>turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect86">
+ <meta><title>86</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Anxious to make up for lost time, you turn away from the altar and hurry through the archway opposite. Beyond lies an icy-cold corridor where the walls and ceilings are carved with many strange spatial designs. As you follow this passage, you notice that the theme of planets and stars gradually changes to one of volcanoes and lava fissures. As if to mirror this the temperature also changes, becoming steadily hotter and drier until, by the time you finally near the corridor's end, the heat has become almost furnace-like in intensity. Breathless and bathed with sweat, you stare through the shimmering air and see a great iron door at the end of the passage.</p>
+ <p>Due to the excessive heat, unless you possess the Disciplines of Grand Huntmastery and Grand Nexus, you must now consume a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect87">
+ <meta><title>87</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The flames lessen and, as the heat subsides, you lower your cloak and stare with trepidation at the sealed archway.</p>
+ <p><quote>He who does not serve&ellips;</quote> booms the voice, menacingly, <quote>shall not live.</quote></p>
+ <p>With a startling abruptness, there is a loud <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia>. Chunks of mortar fall from the octopoid mosaic above the archway and, to your mounting horror, you watch as the eyes of the creature begin to glow with a baleful green light.</p>
+ <p>Like a waking goliath, the mosaic comes slowly to life. Mesmerized by its pulsating gaze, you barely step back in time to save yourself when its tile-encrusted tentacles burst from the wall and come writhing towards your head. You lash out at the flailing limbs but your blow glances off the armour-like skin, inflicting no more than a scratch upon the tiled hide of this supernatural creature. The tentacles move apart briefly to reveal once more the two glowing green orbs. Then a wave of psychic energy buffets your mind, designed to weaken and subdue you, but your Magnakai defences deflect this attack. You sense that the creature is surprised by your natural resistance and, before it can muster its powers to launch a second, far stronger psychic blast, you leap forward and aim a blow between its evil green eyes. You are within an arm's length of striking the creature's bulbous head when suddenly it squirts a stream of clear liquid from its beak aimed directly at your face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect139">If you possess mastery of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect258">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect88">
+ <meta><title>88</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swallowing your fears of what may lie ahead, you descend the ridge and approach the great, frowning bastions of Kaag. Through the swirling dust you see a wide road that leads to the North Gate, its surface littered with Giak corpses, bleached bones and rusted weapons. Crab-like scavengers scuttle among the debris, fighting for scraps to feed their young, which nest in thousands of empty skulls half-buried in the ground.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small6.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small6.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Shielded from detection by the storm and your Kai skills, you reach the breached wall unobserved. Swiftly you climb over the huge mound of rubble, which is all that remains of this section of the curtain-wall, and find yourself in a street lined with decaying hovels and ugly, squat towers. A dun pall of smoke hovers above this thoroughfare and the air reeks of iron and sulphurous smoke. At the far end of the street you see a ragged group of Giaks, led by two Drakkarim warriors, suddenly emerge from an alley. They stop for a few moments as if to catch their breath, then one of the Drakkarim barks an order and they take off at a lumbering pace, heading south. You notice that their tattered, orange-coloured uniforms all bear the emblem of a scythe with a bloodied blade.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect123">If you wish to follow these troops, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect327">If you choose to avoid them by heading in the opposite direction, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect89">
+ <meta><title>89</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your weapon and steel yourself to fight the approaching beast. The boar-thing comes bounding on to the drawbridge, its red-rimmed jaws agape and its great curved tusks glinting evilly in the fires of the moat. Defiantly you shout your battle-cry and step forwards to meet its advance.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>The boar-thing bounds onto the draw bridge,<br />red-rimmed jaws agape and curved tusks glinting.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill6.gif" width="386" height="635"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill6.pdf" width="386" height="635"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>Gnagusk</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">41</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect90">
+ <meta><title>90</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Kai mastery, you focus upon one of the five feeding Kraan, the only one which is equipped with a saddle and reins. The other four abandon their feast and take to the air as you approach, but the target of your attention remains on the roof, cowed and submissive to your psychic command.</p>
+ <p>You approach this scaly beast confidently and climb into its saddle. Obediently it obeys when, with a kick of your heels, you urge it skywards. Its powerful wings bear you speedily towards the landing platforms situated high above the great north door and, as you fly closer to your destination, you see two which are open and unguarded. One has an arch-shaped portal, the other a wider, oblong-shaped entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you wish to land at the platform with the arch-shaped portal, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect282">If you choose to land upon the platform with the oblong-shaped entrance, <link-text>turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect91">
+ <meta><title>91</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The flaming Arrow strikes the creature in the centre of its chest but causes it no harm. With a dull <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia> the tip snaps off and the shaft ricochets away. There is no time now for a second shot so you hurriedly shoulder your Bow and draw a hand weapon ready. Sensing victory within its grasp, the creature emits a gurgling shriek and comes bounding forwards. You get ready to meet its advance but, when it is only ten feet away, it suddenly opens its mouth wide and spews forth a stream of white-hot liquid fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect92">
+ <meta><title>92</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few yards of the passage which leads out of the pen when suddenly the dogs begin howling in alarm.</p>
+ <p><quote>Intruder!</quote> screams one of the handlers, and points accusingly at your back. In an instant your weapon is in your hand and you spin on your heel, ready for combat.</p>
+ <p>The handlers jump to their feet and fumble for their weapons as they scramble to attack you.</p>
+ <p><quote>For Sommerlund!</quote> you cry as they approach, then launch yourself at them in a determined counterattack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim handlers</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">35</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">39</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect40">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 40</link-text></choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect93">
+ <meta><title>93</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your powerful senses warn you that the entrance to a secret chamber lies directly behind the threadbare tapestry. You sense also that this concealed place harbours a magical being who, at present, is unaware that you have entered the crypt. Forewarned by your Kai skills, you step behind the chair and quietly unsheathe your weapon, using it to push aside the tapestry. You reveal a secret door which you know to be unlocked. Beyond it your acute hearing detects the sound of a voice, distinctly non-human, muttering the words of an evil incantation.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you wish to use your advantage of surprise, you can burst into the secret room and launch a lightning attack. <link-text>Turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect7">If you choose to avoid a confrontation, you can leave the crypt by <link-text>turning to 7</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect94">
+ <meta><title>94</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In a moment of vivid realization your Kai senses inform you that this creature is unaffected by normal missiles, yet it is specially vulnerable to fire. Hastily you replace your Arrow in your Quiver and search instead for something capable of igniting a fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect223">If you possess a Lantern, a Torch, or a Tinderbox, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect14">If you do not possess any of these items, <link-text>turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect95">
+ <meta><title>95</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your weapon and support your friend with your free hand. You tell him what you have sensed, that there is a strong chance that an ambush awaits you in the pen, but he agrees with you that a sudden rush towards the landing platform stands a good chance of success. Then, with a nod of your head, you indicate the Zlanbeast that is perched outside on the platform and whisper to Banedon that that particular creature is the one that will soon be carrying you out of Kaag. He nods his approval and you get ready to enter the pen.</p>
+ <p>You have taken less than five steps towards the platform when an unexpected sound makes you look up. To your horror, you see a weighted net falling from the ceiling directly on to your heads.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If your total score is now 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect262">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect96">
+ <meta><title>96</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your skill, you will the gigantic Doomwolf to return to sleep. At first it tries to resist, but soon it succumbs to your psychic command and settles down to sleep once more on its bed of filthy straw.</p>
+ <p>Rather than attempt to force the door open, you cross the room and investigate its solitary window. It is criss-crossed with iron bars, but on closer examination you discover they are loose and badly corroded. A swift blow with the heels of your hands is enough to dislodge them, allowing you to escape with ease.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect329"><link-text>Turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect97">
+ <meta><title>97</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your throw goes awry. The weapon hits the crystal, but it only grazes its surface before falling to the floor. Cursing your aim, you retrieve your weapon and try once again.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect216">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect259">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect98">
+ <meta><title>98</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After what seems like an eternity, the guards draw back their spears and at once the crackling crimson energy ceases to arc between the shafts.</p>
+ <p><quote>You may pass,</quote> they say, without any trace of emotion, and as they stand aside, so the two great doors glide silently open. Steeling yourself, you stride towards the blazing purple light which fills the chamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186"><link-text>Turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect99">
+ <meta><title>99</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you unshoulder your Bow, but as you are drawing an Arrow to your lips, the Akataz rips free of the curtain and comes leaping at your chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have the skill of Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect334">If your score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect135">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect100">
+ <meta><title>100</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the rubble you discover a large chamber fashioned from great blocks of polished blue-green stone. At the centre of this eerie hall there lies an oval pool of water, the surface of which appears to be alight with a myriad of tiny, pale green flames. The flames shed light on the surrounding walls but generate no heat.</p>
+ <p>As you approach the pool, you see a mosaic of glittering stones set high upon the far wall. They have been fixed to depict the shape of an octopus-like creature with two bulging eyes, a hooked beak, and twelve snaky tentacles. Directly below this mosaic is an archway which is sealed by a featureless sheet of solid blue-green metal.</p>
+ <p>Your senses tingle in response to the aura of magic that saturates this chamber. Fearful of what may lurk here, you unsheathe your weapon and hold it in readiness for your defence. For a moment the light of the pool flickers and the flames waver from side to side, as if disturbed by the passage of an invisible hand. Then, from the sealed archway, there issues forth a deep, resonant voice.</p>
+ <p><thought>Which Darklord of Kaag do you call master?</thought> booms the disembodied voice. <thought>Zagarna or Slûtar?</thought></p>
+ <choice idref="sect157">If you wish to answer <quote>Zagarna</quote>, <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect204">If you decide to answer <quote>Slûtar</quote>, <link-text>turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect193">If you choose not to answer at all, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect101">
+ <meta><title>101</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Ashradon comes crashing to the ground with a tremendous noise. Its crumpled wings collide with one of the braziers, knocking it over and scattering glowing coals the length of the hall. One of these coals sets alight the sleeve of Banedon's robe, and you have to act quickly to extinguish the flames before he is badly burned.</p>
+ <p>Once more you heave your friend across your shoulders, then you hurry out of the hall and follow the tunnel for almost a mile before you reach a chamber where eight smaller passages disappear off in all directions. You scan these exits and a familiar fear returns to haunt you, a fear that you will never find your way out of Kaag alive.</p>
+ <p>Using your innate healing skills, you try once more to revive Banedon. You remember once, during a tutorial at the Kai monastery, that Banedon conjured up a vision of the monastery and its surrounding estates. You were able to see yourself in miniature, standing in your chambers as if you were a tiny animated doll in a doll's house. If he were able to perform that spell here in Kaag, you might well be able to locate your position and plan a route of escape.</p>
+ <p>Mustering your skills, you place your hands on Banedon's chest and transmit your power directly into his heart. (Reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> by 3 points.) Gradually he stirs to consciousness and, as his strength returns, rekindled by your healing power, he is able to grant your request. On the floor of the chamber he calls forth a living, three-dimensional vision of Kaag. Gradually this vision expands until you are looking at yourselves, kneeling on the floor of a chamber on one of the upper levels of the central citadel. The vision blurs and fades, but not before you are able to trace the quickest way out of this dreadful place.</p>
+ <p>The passage that heads due south from this chamber leads directly to the Zlanbeast pens and landing platforms situated on the exterior wall of the citadel, high above the great South Gate. It is from here that you plan to escape, leaving the citadel the same way you entered it: by air.</p>
+ <p>Confident that the success of your quest is now within your grasp, you help Banedon to his feet and support him as you make your way along the south passage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect267"><link-text>Turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect102">
+ <meta><title>102</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>To your dismay the Arrow glances off the creature's tusk and arcs harmlessly into the air. With only seconds to go before the beast falls upon you, you drop your Bow and reach to unsheathe your weapon. The Bow tumbles off the bridge (erase this from your <a idref="action">Weapons List</a>) and you curse its loss as you get ready to fight to the death.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Gnagusk</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">41</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect103">
+ <meta><title>103</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The stream of flame catches you full in the face and knocks you sprawling to the ground. Unfortunately your Magnakai skill of Nexus is not effective enough to save you completely from the effects of this super-hot fire: lose 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39">If you have survived this wounding, you must face the creature; <link-text>turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect104">
+ <meta><title>104</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Expecting the unexpected, you enter a rubble-strewn alley which takes you deeper into the black heart of Kaag. A mile later you reach a broader street, partially submerged by brackish, ankle-deep slime. Beyond it, at a deserted square, you see a tangle of rusty iron pipes spilling out from a circular shaft in the ground. Jets of steam hiss skywards from a thousand tiny cracks in these corroded conduits. Nearby, in the ruins, a guttering fire casts an eerie yellow light over the area. Shadows play upon the surrounding walls, cast not only by the fire but also by the winged Kraan which swoop back and forth across this square, dousing themselves in the jets of scalding-hot steam.</p>
+ <p>You are watching the Kraan diving and twisting above the rooftops when suddenly your Magnakai sense of Divination alerts you to imminent danger. You can sense the approach of a hostile creature, one which is using its psychic power to scan the surrounding area.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If you wish to avoid this creature by entering one of the ruined buildings which border the square, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If you decide to hurry away from this square, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect105">
+ <meta><title>105</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Aching with battle fatigue and the pain of your wounds, you stumble and fall to your knees before the mighty Zavaghar. Cadak laughs like a madman and screams for his creature to finish you off quickly. The beast rises up on its hind legs in readiness to strike you a killing blow, but suddenly, as it reaches its full height, its limbs and torso become stiff and its movements jerky.</p>
+ <p><thought>Slay the beast, Lone Wolf!</thought> whispers Banedon, the words forming in your mind. <thought>I cannot hold it for long.</thought></p>
+ <p>You glance to where your friend is lying and see that his trembling hand is stretched out towards the towering Zavaghar. Inspired by his courageousness, you shake off your fatigue and rush forwards to plunge your weapon deep into the exposed belly of the beast, striking it a mortal wound barely moments before Banedon's spell of <spell>Holding</spell> fails.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect248"><link-text>Turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect106">
+ <meta><title>106</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The temperature rises steadily the deeper you descend this flight of stairs, causing you to give thanks to your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus which is sparing you any pain or discomfort. The stairs end at a chamber constructed of stones which radiate a deep purplish light. It is furnished with tables, chairs, draperies and carpets, all of a similar hue.</p>
+ <p>You are crossing the floor on your way towards a tunnel-like exit on the far side, when suddenly a secret panel opens in the wall and from out of the darkness step two horny-skinned creatures which you recognize immediately. They are Xaghash, brutish lesser Darklords, implacable servants of the evil God Naar.</p>
+ <p>They are busily arguing with each other as they lumber into this chamber, and both of them fail to see you at first. But suddenly their senses detect the presence of your pure spirit, and it stirs them to a fearful fury. With frightening ease they hurl aside heavy furniture in their eagerness to attack you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect62">If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 62</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect263">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 263</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect107">
+ <meta><title>107</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Magnakai senses warn you that the left road leads to a dead end. Without hesitation, you turn right and take off along the street at a steady pace.</p>
+ <p>Although the Death Knights are hot on your heels, you are confident that you will soon outrun them. However, your confidence is severely shaken when you see that the way ahead is blocked by a hill of rubble, the remains of a collapsed watchtower.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian in the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you have yet to reach this level of Kai Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect108">
+ <meta><title>108</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You move back a few feet from the power wall then look up and focus all your attention upon the sphere. Silently you mouth the words of the Elder Magi battle-spell <spell>Splinter</spell> and, with a blink of your eyes, you project its energy at the centre of the glassy orb.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect23">If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 14 or less, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If your score is 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect109">
+ <meta><title>109</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Kai skills keep you safe from detection and enable you to cross the Akataz pen unseen. Quietly you enter the deserted passage beyond and press on with your search for Banedon.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304"><link-text>Turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect110">
+ <meta><title>110</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you sprint towards the beckoning safety of the cooler tunnel section, you trip and stumble headlong to the floor. Your hands and knees are burnt by rough contact with the red-hot metal, leaving them badly blistered: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>When finally you reach the cooler section, you happen upon a steep staircase, set into the right-hand wall, which ascends to a hall on the level above. This vault-like room contains a wealth of grim exhibits, hung upon the walls and displayed in glass-fronted cases. The skulls of rare creatures are displayed beside tanned hides and jewel-encrusted bones. One item in particular catches your eye: it is a statuette, fashioned in the likeness of Darklord Zagarna.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Statuette of Zagarna, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you keep in your Backpack. If you already carry your maximum quota, you must discard one item in its favour.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">To continue, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect111">
+ <meta><title>111</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Drakkar hits the cobblestones head-first, the impact leaving him stunned but not unconscious. Groaning loudly, he crawls around on all fours, fumbling to find a whistle that is dangling from a chain around his neck. You know you must do something to stop him; it will only be a matter of seconds before he locates it and raises the alarm.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect159">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If you do not, or choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect112">
+ <meta><title>112</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are struggling to recover your footing when you hear the metallic <onomatopoeia>twang</onomatopoeia> of a crossbow's drawstring, and feel something hard punch you squarely in the middle of your back. Fortunately, your Backpack has spared you from a fatal wound.</p>
+ <p>Driven by fear, you recover your footing and force yourself to the top of the mound. Only when you crest the summit and slide down the far side do you realize that the bolt has damaged one of your Backpack Items beyond repair.</p>
+ <p>Erase the item noted as No. 3 on your current list of Backpack Items.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect337">To continue, <link-text>turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect113">
+ <meta><title>113</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have only just re-entered the chamber when a second bolt slams into the arch of the tunnel. The blast and concussion throws you off-balance and, together with Banedon, you crash headlong to the floor: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The fall revives Banedon and, although he is still far too weak to speak or walk, he manages to open his eyes and communicate with you telepathically.</p>
+ <p><thought>I know this chamber&ellips;</thought> he says, <thought>&ellips;I have been here before. Look there, at the statue opposite. You'll find a lever concealed at its side. It opens a hidden door. Hurry&ellips;</thought></p>
+ <p>Guided by Banedon's messages you discover that there is indeed a lever as he described. You pull it and a panel in the stone wall glides open to reveal a secret alcove and a flight of steps leading down. The sound of running feet warns you that the enemy are approaching along both passages, and so, without hesitation, you shoulder your friend once more and hurry into the alcove to avoid them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect114">
+ <meta><title>114</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull a wooden bung from one of the casks and cautiously sniff the contents. It contains a strong, foul-smelling spirit that tightens your throat and makes your eyes water, prompting you to discard it as quickly as possible. The boxes and sacks yield little of value; however, in one trunk you find the following items which may be of some use during your quest:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ <li>Lantern</li>
+ <li>Silver Bowl</li>
+ <li>Whistle</li>
+ <li>Brass Key</li>
+ <li>Black Key</li>
+ <li>Hammer</li>
+ <li>Enough food for 2 Meals</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of the above, remember to record them as Backpack Items on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect224">To continue, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect115">
+ <meta><title>115</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The stairs seem to go on forever. You lose count of the number of levels through which you ascend and, after an hour of relentless climbing, you feel the need for rest and refreshment. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Eventually the stairs end at a tunnel which leads to a hall. However, you cannot enter this hall because it is blocked by a huge stone statue which has been tipped on to its side. The statue must have shattered on impact, for the tunnel exit is almost filled with large boulders. The thought of having to descend the stairs you have just laboured up fills you with dread, but in order to gain access to the hall beyond you must first clear away some of the heavy debris.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. Now subtract 1 from the number you have picked.</p>
+ <p>The resultant score equals the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost due to fatigue. (If you picked 0 or 1, your score is zero.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100">To continue, <link-text>turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect116">
+ <meta><title>116</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At once you recognize the glassy orb which rests upon the altar. It is identical to the sphere you saw in the chamber of Arch Druid Cadak in Mogaruith, the sphere by which he communicated with the master of all evil&emdash;the evil God Naar. With dread, you look upon the surface of the orb and your blood runs cold; it is as if the eye of the Dark God himself were gazing upon you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect208">If you wish to attempt to destroy this sphere, <link-text>turn to 208</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect86">If you choose to flee from this temple as quickly as you can, <link-text>turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect117">
+ <meta><title>117</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You duck your head and the cube passes harmlessly over your shoulder to smash against the wall behind. On impact there is a tremendous flash and an explosion which releases a gout of searing flame. Needle-sharp slivers of stone pepper your back, but your quick reflexes have saved you from sustaining fatal injuries. Lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect72">To continue, <link-text>turn to 72</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect118">
+ <meta><title>118</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You swiftly catch up with the fleeing Vordak and draw your weapon in readiness to cut it down. The creature glances over its shoulder and, as you strike out at its skull-like head, it raises an iron mace in an attempt to parry the blow. It manages to deflect your attack, but you quickly raise your weapon to strike again.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vordak</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">22</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect79">If you win this combat in three rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect284">If you win and the combat lasts four rounds or longer, <link-text>turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect119">
+ <meta><title>119</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last of the Drakkarim falls to your deadly blows, his outstretched hand grabs at your tunic and holds on with a vice-like grip. In order to free yourself you are forced to prise back the fingers one by one, mindful all the while of the Drakkarim squad who are arming themselves in readiness to attack.</p>
+ <p>As you disentangle the last two fingers you notice a chain bracelet dangling from the dead warrior's wrist. A polished key is fixed to this chain. (If you wish to keep this Brass Key, record it as a Backpack Item on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <p>With the angry screams of the Drakkarim echoing in your ears, you leap over the body of the slain warrior and sprint along the passage beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304"><link-text>Turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect120">
+ <meta><title>120</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your spell causes the sphere to vibrate uncontrollably. Tiny cracks appear in its crystal surface then, with a flash of sparks, it breaks cleanly in two. At once the shimmering wall of light which imprisons Banedon flickers, then disappears completely.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188"><link-text>Turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect121">
+ <meta><title>121</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the Kraan glides towards the semicircular platform, you swing one leg over its neck and get ready to leap from the saddle the moment it lands. With cat-like agility, you jump the last remaining few feet on to the platform and run through the open archway. Two Drakkarim Kraan-handlers suddenly appear before you, but your quick wits and Kai camouflage skills keep you from being seen. As the handlers walk out on to the platform to tend to the screeching Kraan, you run towards the rear of the pen where a spiral staircase leads off to levels above and below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31">If you wish to ascend the stairs to the level above, <link-text>turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect217">If you choose to descend the stairs to the level below, <link-text>turn to 217</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect122">
+ <meta><title>122</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rejoin your physical body barely seconds before the creature attacks, but the suddenness of such a swift transition leaves you trembling with psychic shock: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Shakily you draw your weapon as the boar-thing comes bounding towards you, its mouth agape and its great curved tusks glinting evilly in the fire of the moat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Gnagusk</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">41</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect325">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect123">
+ <meta><title>123</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Skilfully you tail the group, using the cover of doorways and debris to hide your presence as you move through a maze of streets and alleyways. At length you reach a wide avenue bisected by a dead river of salty, acid water. The group cross this foul stream by a bridge, then enter a two-storey, flat-roofed building which is guarded by other Giaks, wearing similar orange-patched uniforms. In the distance you can hear the faint sounds of battle.</p>
+ <p>Patiently you observe the building and its Giak guards. The front door appears to be well defended, but there is another entrance, at the end of an alley which runs alongside the building, that looks to be unguarded. An iron stair ascends to this entrance on the upper floor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect273">If you wish to investigate this second entrance, <link-text>turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect171">If you do not wish to approach this building, you can leave this section of Kaag by <link-text>turning to 171</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect124">
+ <meta><title>124</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Directly across the street from where you are hiding, you see a square, flat-roofed tower, one of several which encircle the outer edge of the concourse. A flock of screeching Kraan are feeding on slabs of maggoty meat which have been left there by the Drakkarim guards. Once they have eaten their fill, they take to the air and return to their cave-like pens, located high up on the citadel's outer wall. Some of the returning Kraan are ridden by Drakkarim and other guards who steer their mounts towards landing platforms which jut like great steel tongues from the entrances to the pens.</p>
+ <p>It occurs to you that if you were able to mount one of the feeding Kraan, you could attempt to enter the citadel by the very same route.</p>
+ <p>Emboldened by your plan, you resolve to put it into action. Patiently you survey the feeding tower opposite and note that there are two ways to gain access to its roof. You could climb a staircase that runs directly from the street to the roof, or you could attempt to scale its wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect149">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect125">
+ <meta><title>125</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you replace your Arrow and shoulder your Bow. Sensing victory within its grasp, the creature emits a gurgling shriek and comes bounding forwards. You get ready to meet its advance but, when it is only ten feet away, it suddenly opens its mouth wide and spews forth a stream of white-hot liquid fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect126">
+ <meta><title>126</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The further you explore along this tunnel, so the sense of impending doom becomes greater. Although the plain grey walls, ceiling, and floor of this passage appear featureless and ordinary, you are soon brought to a halt by the overwhelming presentiment of danger. Instinctively you reach for your weapon, but before your hand tightens around it, a slick syrupy sound draws your eyes to the arched ceiling above.</p>
+ <p>Fear stabs like an ice-cold spike in your heart when you see three jelly-like discs peel away from the roof and come plummeting down towards your head. Each of the rubbery discs has two sets of snake-like fangs which trail sticky yellow venom. At once you recognize these deadly creatures: they are Plaak, live instruments of assassination employed by the Nadziranim.</p>
+ <p>Desperate to avoid their venomous fangs, you hurl yourself backwards and crash heavily to the ground. Breathlessly you unsheathe your weapon and get ready to defend yourself as the loathsome Plaak bounce off the floor and come arching through the air towards your chest.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Plaak</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">39</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">20</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>These creatures are immune to all forms of psychic attack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect138">You may evade this combat after three rounds by <link-text>turning to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect285">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect127">
+ <meta><title>127</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect127-1-foot" idref="sect127-1">
+ <p>The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step warily into the glimmering column of light and immediately feel yourself begin to rise. Bands of darkness flick past with growing rapidity, each one marking a passing level of this mountainous citadel. Then you feel yourself slowing to a halt. The column fades and you find yourself standing on a metal dais in the centre of a domed chamber. Ahead you see a great door, forged of Kagonite, and beside it there is a narrow staircase leading downwards.</p>
+ <p>As you approach the door, you notice the lock which secures it. It is inlaid with a series of numbers and, at once, you recognize that they are component parts of a combination lock. One number in the sequence is missing. By tapping the correct number upon the blank square, you will cause the lock to disengage.</p>
+ <p>Study the following sequence of numbers carefully. When you think you know what the missing number is, turn to the page that is identical to your answer.<a id="sect127-1" idref="sect127-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+<illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="sect127.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="sect127.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect43">If you guess incorrectly, or if you cannot answer the puzzle, <link-text>turn instead to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect128">
+ <meta><title>128</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a manic cry, the creature lunges at your head in an attempt to impale you upon its shovel-like teeth. You sidestep the attack and lash out at its throat before it can dodge your blow. You strike and open a gash in the leathery hide, but it is shallow and does not deter the beast from launching a second attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Zavaghar</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">52</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">60</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect105">If, during this fight, your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score falls to below 12 points, do not continue the combat. <link-text>Turn instead to 105</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect248">If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> remains at 12 points or above and you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect129">
+ <meta><title>129</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw upon your Magnakai skill of Kai-screen to mask your presence here in the ruins, but the Vordak detects a mental resistance where there should be none. It shrieks an unearthly cry and at once the troop of Giaks respond by drawing their swords and charging towards your hiding place.</p>
+ <p>Confident of success, you emerge from the shattered building and challenge your enemy&emdash;six Giaks and their Vordak lieutenant&emdash;to combat on the street bordering the square.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vordak & Giak patrol</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">37</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect79">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect130">
+ <meta><title>130</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A wave of nausea drops you to your knees and at once you sense that the ghoulish creature has infected you with a virulent virus, which passed into your body the moment it scratched your face. Hurriedly you draw on your Magnakai Discipline of Curing in an attempt to counter this insidious threat, but already the virus has spread throughout your bloodstream. Shaking and sweating profusely, you keel over and fall flat on your back as a second wave of nausea and weakness robs you of your strength to resist.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306">If you possess some Oede, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect49">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect131">
+ <meta><title>131</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Arrow hits the centre of the sphere, but the shock of impact is not sufficient to dislodge it. The power wall imprisoning Banedon remains intact and you are forced to try some other way of freeing him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect69">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect108">If you possess Magi-magic, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If you do not have either of the above Disciplines, or have yet to reach the required Kai rank, <link-text>turn instead to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect132">
+ <meta><title>132</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Defiantly you face the Helghast, your weapon at your side. The creature looks upon you and sneers, revealing two sharp fangs which protude from its lower jaw. It emits a chilling cackle, full of hatred and contempt, and its eyes blaze like hot coals as it confidently quickens its gait. You focus on its ghastly visage and muster all your strength to summon a pulse of psychic energy. The pulse forms an invisible ball of power which speeds across the hall and slams into the head of the approaching Helghast. The concussive force of this psychic attack lifts the creature bodily into the air and sends it tumbling, like some hideous rag doll, backwards into the flame-filled moat.</p>
+ <p>As the last shriek of the doomed creature echoes through the hall, the two Drakkarim stumble to a halt and stare down into the all-consuming fire. Nervously they glance at each other, fearful of suffering a similar fate, but years of fierce battle discipline soon override their anxiety and, like two automatons, they raise their swords and continue to advance towards you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim Veterans</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">30</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">35</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect133">
+ <meta><title>133</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Soon you arrive at a circular chamber. There is a huge hole in the roof and another hole, equally large, in the middle of the floor. Carefully you approach the perimeter of this hole and stare down into a deep, dark shaft. It passes through countless levels of the citadel, below and above. The edge of the shaft is overgrown with ivy-like creepers, and a tangle of thorny vines hang down from the levels high above.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288">If you wish to climb these vines to another level of the citadel, above the one you are currently on, <link-text>turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect59">If you choose to ignore the shaft and continue along an adjoining tunnel, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect134">
+ <meta><title>134</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You utter the words of <spell>Counterspell</spell> and instantly the wall of crackling energy is dispelled. Moments later the Liganim wands explode with a tremendous flash, killing their wielders. Unfortunately for them, your counterspell reversed the latent energy of their wands, causing them to overload and self-destruct.</p>
+ <p>The noise of the dual explosions freezes the escaping Liganim dead in his tracks. He spins around in the archway, his ugly face transfixed into a mask of sheer terror as he watches you come racing towards him with your weapon poised to strike. The sight is too much for his weak heart which ceases to beat moments before you land your blow.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect207"><link-text>Turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect135">
+ <meta><title>135</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Arrow drills into the warhound's shoulder, but it does not stop the beast's attack. Oblivious to the pain it leaps upon you, knocking you down, its fang-filled jaws snapping within inches of your unprotected face.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Akataz (<em>wounded</em>)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">20</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">22</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This war-dog is especially susceptible to psychic attack. If you can and wish to use a psychic attack during combat, double all bonuses to which you are entitled.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect13">If you win this combat in four rounds, or less, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect264">If you win and the combat lasts five rounds, or longer, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect136">
+ <meta><title>136</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You notice that only one of the five Kraan is equipped with a saddle and reins. You focus on this beast and use you Magnakai skill of Animal Control in an attempt to subdue it. The other four abandon their feast and take to the air as you approach, but the target of your attention remains on the roof, eyeing you nervously.</p>
+ <p>You have approached to within an arm's length of the reins when suddenly the Kraan takes fright. It beats its wings frantically in an attempt to knock you away, then propels itself into the air. You leap for its neck and hold fast as the spawn clears the tower and takes to the sky. Desperately you try to swing yourself into the saddle as the creature hovers haphazardly, fifty feet above the concourse.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 20 or higher, add 2 to the number you have chosen. If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is less than 10, deduct 2. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect16">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If it is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect137">
+ <meta><title>137</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The guard finally loses his patience. He draws his dagger and, with a lunge, he tries to slash open your satchel, causing you to pull away and draw your own weapon. The guard recognizes that it is not one that a Drakkar would wield, and instantly he shouts out in alarm: <quote>Intruder!</quote></p>
+ <p>The two silver-plated warriors raise their spears and a blaze of sorcerous energy erupts simultaneously from their tips. Crimson fire lances towards your body to pierce your chest and abdomen, the impact knocking you headlong to the floor in agony. Biting back the pain, you stagger to your feet and retrieve your weapon in time to fight off the merciless guards. But the alarm has been raised and, within minutes, the thoroughfare is flooded with Drakkarim and Giak soldiers. You fight bravely and dispatch more than fifty of the enemy, but eventually your strength fails and you are overwhelmed and beaten by the denizens of Kaag.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect138">
+ <meta><title>138</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You break free from the combat and run headlong through the tunnel without looking back. The Plaak are incapable of pursuing you at speed and within minutes you have managed to leave them far behind.</p>
+ <p>The tunnel continues for several hundred yards before arriving at an empty circular room. The only feature here is a rusty iron ladder, fixed precariously to the wall, which ascends through a hole in the ceiling to a level above. There is no other exit from this chamber and so, with caution guiding your every move, you climb the rust-eaten rungs.</p>
+ <p>You rise through the hole to find yourself in a corridor which is strewn with human bones. Skeletons lie mixed in tangled heaps and many of the skulls and loose bones seem to have been gnawed. The psychic residues of pain and terror left by these luckless victims presses in upon your senses, making you feel queasy and claustrophobic. With pounding heart you advance along the bone-choked passage, stepping carefully through the skeletons to avoid making a sound. But you have taken less than a dozen steps when something unexpected makes you freeze in your tracks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect218"><link-text>Turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect139">
+ <meta><title>139</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You twist aside and the liquid passes over your right shoulder to splash, with a sizzling hiss, across the chamber floor. Droplets of the fluid spray your face and cloak, but your mastery of Grand Nexus saves you from being burned by this highly corrosive acid, an acid which would have instantly sealed the doom of a lesser mortal.</p>
+ <p>Shaken but undeterred, you scramble to your feet and face the octopoid once more, determined to defeat it in combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect140">
+ <meta><title>140</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take up the Spear and notice three notches cut along the shaft where the guard has recorded the lives he has taken with this crudely made weapon. (If you wish to keep this spear, remember to record it on your <a idref="action">Weapons List</a>.)</p>
+ <p>You push open the heavy door carefully and glimpse the Drakkar striding along a corridor. He reaches the end and starts to descend a staircase to the ground floor. You enter and move stealthily towards the stairs. As you draw nearer, you see a gallery which overlooks the cavernous lower level. To your right, set flush to the wall, is a black oak door.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you approach the gallery's railed parapet where you look down at an unnerving sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect141">
+ <meta><title>141</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your senses tell you that you possess the correct key to open this door long before you have even approached the door itself. You retrieve the key from your Backpack, insert it in the lock and twist it confidently. The lock clicks open and you pass through into the chamber beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect328"><link-text>Turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect142">
+ <meta><title>142</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The avenue continues to a square where stands a massive horseshoe-shaped arch, crafted from dull blue metal which is engraved with runes and evil insignia. A score of battle-weary Giaks, some Drakkarim, and a Gourgaz are resting nearby. No guards have been posted around their makeshift camp and your arrival here goes unnoticed.</p>
+ <p>Beyond them, in the middle distance, you see the base of the great citadel. It is a truly awesome sight, a pyramid of jet-black stone which rises to a needle-sharp peak more than ten thousand feet above the streets of the city.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Battle-weary Giaks, Drakkarim and a Gourgaz rest<br />near the massive horseshoe shaped arch.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill7.gif" width="386" height="644"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill7.pdf" width="386" height="644"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Soon a rickety wooden cart, drawn by two ugly, ox-like creatures in harness, trundles into the square. It halts and its Giak driver pulls back the tarpaulin which is covering its cargo, revealing haunches of grey-green meat stacked in a pile. Unceremoniously, the driver tosses them to the soldiers who devour them with obvious relish. It is an unwholesome sight, made even more so when you realize that what they are eating is freshly slaughtered Giak meat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect143">
+ <meta><title>143</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Arrow slams into the centre of the crystal and cracks it open. There is a flash of sparks, then the shimmering wall of light which imprisons Banedon flickers and disappears completely.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188"><link-text>Turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect144">
+ <meta><title>144</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Gourgaz, followed obediently by his squad of ragged Giak warriors, crosses a mile-wide section of derelict buildings before entering a broad, clear avenue where there is very little cover. Unhampered by the terrain, you watch as they start to outdistance you, but you are not lured into following them. You decide to stay in the ruins rather than run the risk of being detected out in the open. However, within a matter of minutes you discover the reason why the Gourgaz took his troops out into the open. The ground in this section of the ruins is unsafe. It is riddled with pot-holes and concealed cellars, covered by rotten wooden beams and slabs of paper-thin plaster. Suddenly one such section gives way beneath your feet and you find yourself falling headlong into coal-black darkness.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If your total score is now 0&endash;5 <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect145">
+ <meta><title>145</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You climb the broad staircase, ascending more than twenty levels. Your camouflage disciplines keep you hidden from the inhabitants of the citadel that you encounter during your ascent, but as you climb higher, you notice that these encounters are becoming fewer and fewer.</p>
+ <p>At the top of the staircase you are engulfed by a furnace-like heat. A deserted corridor extends into the distance, its walls glowing a deep dull red. Yet beyond this initial section you detect that the tunnel is far cooler.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect313">If you wish to try to reach the cooler section of this tunnel, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect24">If you decide not to enter the tunnel, you can descend the stairs to a lower, cooler level, by <link-text>turning to 24</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect146">
+ <meta><title>146</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment the heavy iron bridge crashes down across the moat you leap upon it and race towards the dais. But as you near its centre a wall of sparkling magical flame erupts at either end, sealing off both routes completely. In desperation you call telepathically to Banedon, hoping to awaken him to consciousness, but you are unable to make contact. Then, unexpectedly, your psychic calls are answered by a blood-chilling scream.</p>
+ <p>Horror floods your mind when you realize that the person on the dais is not your friend Banedon&emdash;it is a Helghast. As the creature rises and its features twist and distort before your gaze, you cast an anxious glance back across the bridge towards the great door. Standing there now are two Drakkarim guards with a slavering boar-like beast which is straining on its leash. Suddenly the magical flame vanishes and, with relish, they release the creature and send it bounding towards you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect89">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect147">
+ <meta><title>147</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have retreated barely a dozen yards along the passage when suddenly a troop of Drakkarim appear in the distance, blocking your escape. They howl like demons and unshoulder their bows as they come rushing along the tunnel towards you.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275">If the number you have picked is 0, <link-text>turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect283">If it is 1&endash;3, <link-text>turn to 283</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect36">If it is 4&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect148">
+ <meta><title>148</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you step inside the building your breath is snatched away by an overpowering stench. It takes some considerable effort to stem the waves of nausea welling up from the pit of your stomach as, slowly, you follow a corridor which winds its way deeper into this foul place. The smell is atrocious, but not unfamiliar, and when the passage finally reaches its destination your suspicions are confirmed. What you can smell is the stench of Giak blood.</p>
+ <p>Before you is a vast, low-ceilinged hall, filled with butchered carcasses hanging from hooks drilled into a criss-cross of roof beams. A dozen Giaks stand at gore-stained benches, cleavers in hand, hacking the grey-green meat into more manageable sizes. It does not seem to worry them in the least that the meat they are crudely shaping is of their own kind.</p>
+ <p>Your churning stomach prompts you quickly to leave this abattoir by means of another passage. This ends abruptly at a flight of stairs, at the foot of which is a door secured by a large wooden drawbolt.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect38">If you wish to descend the stairs, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If you choose to investigate the door, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect149">
+ <meta><title>149</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You move stealthily to a new position, directly opposite the tower, and wait for the traffic of Giaks and Drakkarim to clear. The street is soon empty and you get ready to make your move.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If you wish to ascend the stairs which lead directly to the tower roof, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If you prefer to attempt to climb the tower wall, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect150">
+ <meta><title>150</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Slowly a brooding, malignant vapour arises from the creature's corpse to hover in the air above it. You sense a powerful magical aura radiating from this sinister shadow and, as you back away from it, a mass of swirling sparks begin flickering at its core. Banedon calls for your help, his cry echoing faintly in your mind. You spin around and see him falling sideways to the floor of the platform, unconscious and unmoving. Fear runs cold in your veins, a fear that grows wilder when you glance once more at the hovering shadow, for now it has descended to the ground and from beneath its curtain-like base there pours a seething tide of black-bodied insects, some as large as mice.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Black-bodied insects seethe from the base of the<br />hovering shadow.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill8.gif" width="386" height="660"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill8.pdf" width="386" height="660"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 12 or lower <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect77">If it is 13 or more <link-text>turn to 77</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect151">
+ <meta><title>151</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fell creature pins you to the ground and you feel its steely fingers clawing at your throat. In sheer desperation, you twist and writhe like a snake to free yourself from its deadly grip. For an instant its hold falters and you exploit this weakness to the full. Swiftly you bring your knees up to your chest and kick out at the creature's midriff whilst holding firm to the neck of its robe. The Helghast is sent tumbling over your shoulder to plummet, head-first, into the flame-filled moat.</p>
+ <p>Open-mouthed, the two Drakkarim stumble to a halt and stare down into the crackling fire. Nervously they glance at each other, fearful of suffering a similar fate, then they turn and run towards the open chamber door. Determined not to let them escape, you give chase and catch up with them within a few yards of the entrance.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">26</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">35</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect152">
+ <meta><title>152</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The torchlit stairs spiral down to a busy hall where several stairways and tunnels converge. You stay hidden in the shadows while you observe the creatures, mainly Giaks and Drakkarim, who are using this hall to move from one passage to another. All, without exception, are clad in uniforms which have been dyed a muddy shade of orange.</p>
+ <p>After a short while, the hall clears and you hurry across it towards a tunnel directly opposite. It is the only exit from the hall to have been ignored by the flow of traffic, and you choose it in the hope that it will be empty of guards. An archway off the tunnel reveals a chamber where the floor appears to be carpeted with a fine grey-green dust. Your senses tingle with a premonition of danger as you stare at the phosphorescent lichen clinging to the rough-hewn walls. The glow from the lichen illuminates several stout pilasters supporting the vaulted ceiling and an arched exit on the far side. The surface of the dusty floor is perfectly flat, undisturbed by tracks of any kind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect301">If you wish to cross the dusty floor and enter the archway opposite, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If you choose to ignore this hall and continue along the tunnel, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect153">
+ <meta><title>153</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Coolly you face the advancing line of Death Knights. There is nowhere to run, and there are too many of the enemy to hope to avoid all of their deadly bolts. Upon their leader's command, the Death Knights take aim and fire, sending a dozen iron-tipped shafts whistling towards your chest. You dive aside, but even though your reflexes are lightning-fast, two of the missiles penetrate your heart, killing you instantly.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here in the dread city-fortress of Kaag.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect154">
+ <meta><title>154</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you cease tapping on the lock, a powerful charge leaps from the surface of the door and explodes in your hand, knocking you backwards to the floor: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Banedon, upon whom you landed when you fell to the floor, is far from impressed by your display of mental arithmetic and he asks to be allowed to see the lock for himself. You heave him on to your shoulder once more and carry him to the door. Even in his weakened state it takes him less than two seconds to arrive at a solution. <thought>Eight,</thought> he says, telepathically.</p>
+ <p>You apologize to him, then tap the lock eight times, secretly hoping that he is correct, for you do not relish the thought of receiving a second bolt from this door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect155">
+ <meta><title>155</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your sixth sense prickles with the presentiment of danger. You can feel the presence of a hostile magical being who, although not in this chamber, is somewhere very near. Fearful of the risk of being trapped in this dingy crypt, you unsheathe your weapon and back slowly towards the door, your eyes scanning all around for the merest hint of movement. Then, suddenly, the heavy portal slams shut with a mighty crash that reverberates in your ears. Before you have time to take a breath there is another sound, stone grating on stone, which draws your eyes to the fire-blackened chair.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect167"><link-text>Turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect156">
+ <meta><title>156</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The floor of the tunnel is gently sloped and, as it ascends, you notice the temperature steadily becoming much cooler. At length it opens out into a dimly-lit chamber where the stone floor is strewn with wood-shavings soiled by dung and dried blood. As you enter, you hear an inhuman snickering sound coming from among the maze of stout pillars that support the roof. The sound causes you immediately to draw your weapon; you have heard this cry once before, and although it was several years ago, you have not forgotten the creature who made it.</p>
+ <p>Slowly, from out of the shadows come three hulking beasts, their yellow cat-like eyes glinting malevolently. Your fears are confirmed: they are Egorghs, massive wild bear-like creatures native to the stormy northern coasts of the Darklands. Stirred by the promise of fresh meat, they advance towards you and make ready to launch an attack with fang and claw.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect233">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect318">If you do not possess this Grand Master skill, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect157">
+ <meta><title>157</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><thought>Very well, minion of Zagarna,</thought> rumbles the voice. <thought>Display proof of your allegiance to your master and you shall be allowed to pass beyond this chamber.</thought></p>
+ <p>The echoing voice has barely faded when suddenly the tiny flames of the pool are transformed into a hundred roaring jets of white fire. A wave of searing heat forces you to retreat from the pool's edge and, as you cower behind the protection of your cloak, you try to think of a way to satisfy the voice's command.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect336">If you possess a Statuette of Zagarna, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect87">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect158">
+ <meta><title>158</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The flaming Arrow strikes the creature in the centre of its chest and punches straight through the iron-hard shell. With a look of pained surprise fixed upon its ugly face, the beast shrieks loudly and paws at the shaft quivering in its breast. Then its scarlet eyes roll back in their sockets and it crashes limply to the ground.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect159">
+ <meta><title>159</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With deadly accuracy, you draw an Arrow and let fire at the crawling Drakkar guard. At such short range the shaft penetrates his iron backplate, killing him instantly.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you descend the iron stairs and drag his limp body out of sight, fearful that it may be seen by a passing patrol. As you are moving him, you notice that he has two chains around his neck. To one there is attached a Whistle; to the other a Brass Key. (If you would like to keep either of these Backpack Items, mark your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.)</p>
+ <p>Once you are satisfied that the body is well hidden, you climb the stairs and carefully push open the heavy door. At the end of a short corridor there is a landing where a gallery overlooks the cavernous lower level. Nearby there is a staircase, leading downwards, and to your right a black oak door set flush to the wall.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you approach the gallery's railed parapet and peer down at an unnerving sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect160">
+ <meta><title>160</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter the nearest building through a stable door in the north wall. Inside, you narrowly avoid colliding with a Drakkar warrior who is carrying two buckets of water, one in either hand. Your speedy reflexes, and your Kai camouflage skills, prevent this. They also prevent him from seeing you enter. You follow him and soon find yourself in a cavernous hall which is divided into scores of small pens. Each pen is barred with iron gates which keep secure the Doomwolves that are stabled within. You use your Magnakai skill of Animal Control to mask your scent, but even so, some of the larger Doomwolves are becoming noticeably restless in your presence.</p>
+ <p>You leave the hall by an archway which leads to a long, narrow passage. You have taken less than a dozen steps when you see a group of Drakkarim approaching in the distance. The passage is dark, but it is too narrow to risk hiding here; the Drakkarim would likely brush against you as they passed.</p>
+ <p>Looking around for a way to avoid them, you notice two doors, one on either side of the passageway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect272">If you wish to enter the door to your left, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If you choose to enter the door to your right, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect161">
+ <meta><title>161</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have been working on the lock for nearly twenty minutes when suddenly you hear the <onomatopoeia>clang</onomatopoeia> of an alarm bell. Seconds later a troop of armoured Drakkarim and Giak soldiers comes rushing into the chamber and spreads out in an attempt to surround you and Banedon. You draw your weapon and fight bravely, dispatching more than fifty of the enemy, but they receive a constant stream of reinforcements and, when finally your strength fails you, you are overwhelmed by the merciless denizens of Kaag.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect162">
+ <meta><title>162</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unsheathe the sun-sword and hold it before your face. At once a golden halo of flame bursts from its polished blade, causing the Helghast to shriek in alarm as it recognizes the power you wield. It breaks off its advance and staggers back towards the bridge, desperate to flee its nemesis. Determinedly you chase after this evil being and, as it reaches the drawbridge, you come to within a sword's length of its spine.</p>
+ <p><quote>Die, foul spawn!</quote> you cry, and with one fell sweep of your arm, you cleave the demonic creature cleanly in two.</p>
+ <p>The sundered halves of the Helghast fall from the bridge to be consumed by the hungry flames. Open-mouthed, the two Drakkarim stumble to a halt and stare down into the moat. Nervously they glance at each other, fearful of suffering a similar fate, then they turn and run towards the open door. Determined not to let them escape, you give chase and catch up with them within a few yards of the entrance.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">26</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">35</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect163">
+ <meta><title>163</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Not daring to move a muscle, you watch the Drakkar guard as he repeatedly attempts to light his pipe. On his sixth attempt he manages to cause the braid to smoulder. However, his success is short-lived. Calling upon your Magnakai skill of Nexus, you extinguish the braid by force of will. Cursing foully, the Drakkar hurls it to the floor in frustration, then turns and throws open the heavy iron door to go in search of a more reliable light. In his anger and haste he leaves his spear behind. With your weapon at the ready, you advance to the top of the stairs and approach the door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect140">If you wish to pick up the Drakkar's spear, <link-text>turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect194">If you choose to ignore the spear, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect164">
+ <meta><title>164</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You move quietly to a new position, directly opposite the tower, and wait for the traffic of Giaks and Drakkarim to disperse. The street is soon empty and you get ready to make your move.</p>
+ <p>You sprint across the now-empty street and crouch at the base of the tower wall. The brick surface is plastered with powdery grey cement and, as you look up at the roof twenty feet above, you steel yourself for what could prove to be a difficult climb.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess a Rope, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect198">If it is 4-6, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect63">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect165">
+ <meta><title>165</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You speak the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Levitation</spell> and slowly you feel yourself rising out of the pool of dust. The moment your feet clear the surface, you reach out, take hold of the arched entrance, and pull yourself to safety.</p>
+ <p>Your submersion has cost you your money pouch and one item from your Backpack, lost when you first fell into the dusty pool. Erase all your Gold Crowns, and the first item recorded on your Backpack Items list.</p>
+ <p>As the effects of the spell wear off, you leave this sinister chamber and head off along the tunnel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect82"><link-text>Turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect166">
+ <meta><title>166</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fireball skims your back before impacting against a distant wall. Your swift reflexes have saved you from injury but now you find yourself lying face down in the seething carpet of insects. You feel them creeping and slithering across your skin, then your psychic senses tingle with a sudden realization. These are no ordinary insects; in fact these are not insects at all. Your sixth sense tells you that they are merely a clever illusion created to panic and deceive you. Confident in this knowledge, you get to your feet, ignoring the mass of creepy-crawlies that are attached in clumps to your body. Then, in a matter of seconds, the insect horde fades and vanishes, the illusion dispelled by your disbelief in its existence.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect281"><link-text>Turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect167">
+ <meta><title>167</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Behind the chair, the tapestry is suddenly torn aside and you find yourself staring at a creature swathed in a hooded orange cloak. It sidesteps the chair and shrieks a defiant curse as it raises a warty, taloned fist. In the next instant you see it hurl a cube of shiny black stone, which comes streaking through the air towards your face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect117">If you wish to attempt to dodge this missile, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect322">If you choose to try to bat it aside with your weapon <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect168">
+ <meta><title>168</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your weapon and hold it in your right hand whilst supporting your friend with your left. Then, with a nod of your head, you indicate the Zlanbeast that is perched outside on the platform and whisper to Banedon that it will soon be your transport out of Kaag. He nods his approval and cautiously you take your first few steps into the pen.</p>
+ <p>An unexpected sound makes you look up and, to your horror, you see a weighted net falling from the ceiling directly on to your heads.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If your total is now 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect262">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect169">
+ <meta><title>169</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You throw yourself down to avoid the fiery missiles and the stream passes over your head, missing you by inches. They rip into a pillar supporting the tunnel ceiling, and sever it cleanly in two. Then there is a thunderous roar and, in the blink of an eye, a whole section of the roof collapses, burying one of the dragon-creatures beneath hundreds of tons of iron and stone.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>The dragon leaps forward and lashes out with its fiery<br />blade.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill9.gif" width="386" height="563"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill9.pdf" width="386" height="563"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>For several seconds you stare at the remaining creature through a cloud of choking dust. Then, as if prompted by a silent command, you are both galvanized into action. The dust clears and a flaming sword appears in the dragon's paw. With stunning suddenness, it leaps forwards and lashes out with its fiery blade.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Nadziran (in dragon guise, with flamesword)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">46</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature possesses strong psychic ability. Unless you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, deduct 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points every round you are in combat due to its relentless psychic assault.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect76">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect170">
+ <meta><title>170</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The corridor wends a tortuous route through a series of interconnecting caverns and chambers. Some are occupied by lowly Giak slaves engaged in menial tasks, none of whom notice your stealthy passing.</p>
+ <p>After nearly an hour you arrive at a large hall which is littered with stout trestle tables and wooden benches. A squad of thirty Drakkarim are seated around the largest table, hungrily devouring a foul-smelling feast of meat and wine. You note that most are unarmed, their weapons having been heaped upon an adjoining table prior to the feasting.</p>
+ <p>From the shadowy cover of an alcove you listen to their idle chatter, hoping to glean clues as to the location of Zagarna's courtroom, but, unfortunately, your patience goes unrewarded. These troops seem preoccupied with exaggerating the success of ambushes which they have launched recently upon their enemies in the streets around the citadel. However, from this barrack-room talk you do learn two interesting facts about the struggle taking place within Kaag. The two warring factions are fighting principally for control over the Giak spawning vats located in the dungeons of the citadel. The vats are the key to power here; they produce both an unending supply of fresh troops and a source of raw food for whoever controls them.</p>
+ <p>Anxious to continue your quest, you resolve to leave the hall by an archway on the far side. Although confident that your camouflage skills will keep you hidden from the Drakkarim, the hall is well-lit and there is a slim chance that you could be seen.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If your total is 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect256">If it is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect171">
+ <meta><title>171</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the fetid watercourse and enter a passage which takes you further south, towards the centre of this hellish metropolis. Everywhere there is decay and dereliction. Once-grand buildings lie in ruins and every surface is beslimed with nameless refuse. Soon you happen upon a concourse littered with more than a dozen Giak dead. Their posture, and the nature of their wounds, tell of a savage street battle fought here within the last few hours. Perched on nearby rooftops are a flock of vulture-like birds, cawing delightedly, their bellies distended by a feast of Giak meat.</p>
+ <p>The distant clang and clash of steel tells you that the fighting is not over, it has simply moved on. The noise prompts you to crouch in a darkened doorway for cover whilst you consider your next course of action. From this position you survey the street and notice a narrow stairway, directly opposite, which leads down to a crypt door. You focus on the dark portal and sense at once that it is open and unguarded.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you wish to cross the street and investigate the crypt, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you choose to ignore the crypt, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect172">
+ <meta><title>172</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Eventually you clear this section of the city and find yourself in the midst of a once-grand building which now lies derelict. Through one of its shattered windows you look out upon a concourse littered with more than a dozen dead Giak. Their posture, and the nature of their wounds, tell of a savage street battle fought here within the last few hours. Perched on nearby rooftops are a flock of vulture-like birds, cawing delightedly, their bellies distended by a surfeit of Giak meat.</p>
+ <p>The distant clang and clash of steel tells you that the fighting is not over, it has simply moved on. The noise prompts you to stay crouched in the ruins whilst you consider your next course of action. From this position you survey the street and notice a narrow stairway, directly opposite, which leads down to a crypt door. You focus on the dark portal and sense at once that it is open and unguarded.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you wish to cross the street and investigate the crypt, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you choose to ignore the crypt, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect173">
+ <meta><title>173</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature is less than ten feet away when it opens its mouth wide and spews forth a stream of white-hot liquid fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect174">
+ <meta><title>174</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your psychic defences repel the probe and the pain rapidly recedes. But upon the instant that the attack is repulsed, the two dragon-creatures raise their scaly paws and shoot forth a stream of flaming bolts, aimed directly at your head and body.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect211">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect169">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect175">
+ <meta><title>175</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The guards see the approaching clouds of smoke and immediately they come thundering along the corridor. You step away from the door, expecting them to kick it open and come rushing in, but instead they skid to a halt and hurriedly pull the door closed to stop the fire spreading into the corridor. They wait outside for several minutes before they are sure it is safe, then together they return to their positions.</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately your plan has backfired, but at least your Magnakai skill of Nexus enables you to extinguish the fire before it gets out of control. Frustrated but not defeated, you return to the spy-hole and try to formulate a more successful plan.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect278"><link-text>Turn to 278</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect176">
+ <meta><title>176</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You give the door a mighty kick, slamming it open to reveal a creature clad in a hooded orange robe, kneeling in prayer before a black stone altar where a golden statuette stands on a square of faded cloth. It is flanked on either side by candles which give off a sickly bitter odour. The creature half-turns and shrieks in horror when it sees you rushing into the room. In desperation it raises its warty fists, but it is a futile defence against a blow which cleaves both its hands, and its head, from its loathsome body.</p>
+ <p>Sheathing your weapon, you step over the corpse and examine the creature's remains. You recognize it to be a Liganim, one of those who aid the Nadziranim sorcerers in their evil craft. The statuette is a likeness of Slûtar, a Darklord who once ruled Kaag, and the orange robes mark this creature as one of his minions. It would seem that he still worshipped his master's memory.</p>
+ <p>A foul, misty vapour arises from the corpse, forcing you to cover your nose and mouth and retreat from the chamber. As you pass in front of the altar, your eye is drawn to the gleaming golden statuette.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Statuette of Slûtar, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you keep in your Backpack. If your Backpack is full you need not discard an item in its favour.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect7">To continue, <link-text>turn to 7</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect177">
+ <meta><title>177</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter the passage, but you have covered less than fifteen yards when you see something which forces you to a halt. A group of figures clad in hooded orange robes are walking towards you from the opposite end of the passage. The leader wears silver bracers on his wrists and he carries a silver staff which he levels at you the moment he sees you and Banedon in the tunnel ahead.</p>
+ <p>Instinctively you dodge aside; it is an instinct that saves both your lives, for without warning a radiant bolt of energy leaps from the tip of the creature's staff and comes hurtling along the passage to explode in the chamber behind. Hurriedly you turn and run from the group as the leader makes ready to launch a second bolt.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If the number you have chosen is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8), <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect42">If the number is odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), <link-text>turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect178">
+ <meta><title>178</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your hastily constructed shield fails to protect you against all of the speeding crossbow bolts. Two penetrate its weakened edges, bursting through with a splash of yellow sparks to bury themselves in your thigh and shoulder: lose 7 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Biting back the pain, you wrench the bolts from your body and stagger towards the Death Knights, hoping to break through them before they have a chance to reload and fire again. The sight of you recovering so bravely from such a fearful wounding leaves many of their number staring open-mouthed with shock. You dodge through their line with ease, and by the time they realize that you have evaded them, and start to give chase, you have passed the junction and have recovered sufficiently to run along the street opposite.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect266"><link-text>Turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect179">
+ <meta><title>179</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call to mind the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Lightning Hand</spell> and point your index finger at the keyhole. Upon reciting those words a surge of power runs along your arm, culminating in a blast of energy that leaps from your fingertip and rips into the lockplate. Some glowing splinters from the torn plate pepper your face (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), but your spell has worked: the door is now open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect328"><link-text>Turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect180">
+ <meta><title>180</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You muster your skill and use it to calm the unseen Akataz. The growling stops and, when you pull back the curtain, you see the leathery creature lying on the sawdusted floor as docile as a lamb. This foul-smelling chamber is littered with Giak bones and half-chewed haunches of meat. Amongst the debris you notice something gleaming dully. It is a bronze statuette, forged in the likeness of Darklord Zagarna.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Statuette of Zagarna, record it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you keep in your Backpack. If you already carry the maximum number of items allowed, you will have to discard one in its favour.</p>
+ <p>To your right you notice another curtained archway. Through the threadbare cloth you see a stone staircase spiralling down into the dark.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect56">If you wish to explore this staircase, <link-text>turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect44">If you choose to retrace your steps and leave the barracks, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect181">
+ <meta><title>181</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect181-1-foot" idref="sect181-1">
+ <p>The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the archway, a passage leads to a pair of stout steel-sheathed doors. The lock that secures them is inlaid with a series of numbers and you immediately recognize that they are part of a combination lock. One number in the sequence is missing. By tapping the correct number upon the blank square, you will cause the lock to disengage.</p>
+ <p>Study the following sequence of numbers carefully. When you think you know what the missing number is, turn to the page that is identical to your answer.<a id="sect181-1" idref="sect181-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+<illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="sect181.gif" width="386" height="131"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="sect181.pdf" width="386" height="131"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect297">If you guess incorrectly, or if you cannot answer the puzzle, <link-text>turn instead to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect182">
+ <meta><title>182</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hastily you push Banedon behind you to shield him with your body as the Drakkarim come rushing across the pen, their barbed tridents poised to strike. <quote>Taag!</quote> they cry, and fall upon you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Due to your need to defend both yourself and Banedon, reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 3 for the duration of this fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect321">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect183">
+ <meta><title>183</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Driven by fear, you recover your footing and force yourself to the top of the mound. The pursuing Death Knights, handicapped by their weighty armour and lack of special skills, can only watch in astonishment as you disappear from view.</p>
+ <p>The street continues beyond the mound, heading due south towards the great citadel, the shadow of this edifice looming ever larger. Soon the street opens out to a wide concourse which encircles the citadel and offers access to its great Northern Door. The entire door is made of black iron, streaked with rust. Turrets jut from either side, on top of which you see giant cannon-like weapons, similar to those once employed by the Darklords aboard their ironclad fleets.</p>
+ <p>From the cover of a ruined house you watch the traffic of Giaks and Drakkarim, all clad in orange uniforms bearing the mark of a bloodied scythe. The more you stare at the citadel, the more you are sure that this is where Banedon is being held prisoner. However, entry into the citadel itself looks to be impossible, until, that is, an opportunity unexpectedly presents itself.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect124"><link-text>Turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect184">
+ <meta><title>184</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A ghostly mist issues from the parting jaws of the throne-statue. You step back, your weapon raised, but it does nothing to protect you from the piercing screech which suddenly fills your head. Fortunately, your powerful mind defences are protection enough against this violent psychic attack, and soon the screech fades to a more tolerable volume.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect293"><link-text>Turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect185">
+ <meta><title>185</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Stealthily you tail the group as they wend their way through the alleyways and ruined streets of this quarter. Shortly they arrive at a complex of stable-like buildings, each one devoid of all decoration or embellishment save for a liberal coating of coal-black grime. Here the party splits into two groups. One section enters the complex; the other, led by the Gourgaz, continues on its way southwards, heading deeper into Kaag towards the sound of a distant street battle.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect144">If you wish to follow the Gourgaz and his troop of Giak soldiers, <link-text>turn to 144</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect160">If you choose to investigate the complex of buildings, <link-text>turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect65">If you decide to avoid both of these groups, you can make your own way deeper into Kaag by <link-text>turning to 65</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect186">
+ <meta><title>186</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The purplish glare is generated by a glassy opaque sphere which hangs suspended above the doors. It pours forth a blinding curtain of light which fills the entrance, but this quickly fades once you have passed through into the chamber beyond.</p>
+ <p>As your eyes adjust to the gloomy interior, you find yourself standing in a small temple. A plain stone altar dominates the chamber, around which are positioned a ring of twenty black candles. The candles are fixed into elaborately carved holders fashioned to resemble each of the twenty Darklords sent long ago by Naar, King of the Darkness, to conquer Magnamund. Their flames burn brightly scarlet and they give off a rancid, greasy smell that, despite your attempts to block it, makes you feel lightheaded and nauseous.</p>
+ <p>Hurriedly you dispose of the Drakkar uniform and move to leave this temple through an archway opposite, for there is an extraordinary saturation of evil contained within these walls and you feel it leeching your mental and physical strength. (Unless you possess Kai-screen, deduct 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to its insidious effects.)</p>
+ <p>You are near the centre of the temple when you notice something strange resting in a hollow in the surface of the altar.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect116">If, in a previous <cite>Lone Wolf</cite> adventure, you have ever been to Mogaruith, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect86">If you have not, <link-text>turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect187">
+ <meta><title>187</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your attempt to free yourself from your dusty entrapment goes awry. Your foot slips and your effort merely accelerates your descent. Within two minutes the fine grit closes over your head. You survive beneath the dust for ten minutes more before surrendering to your doom.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here in the citadel of Kaag.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect188">
+ <meta><title>188</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rush forwards and try to revive Banedon but he is deeply unconscious and does not respond. Taking hold of your friend by the arm, you lift him across your shoulders, then carefully begin your descent from the platform. Once you are safely at the bottom of the steps, you cast your eyes around the hall for a means of escape. There are only two exits visible: the light-filled doors by which you entered, and a tunnel in the north wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect203">If you wish to leave the hall by the main doors, <link-text>turn to 203</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect310">If you choose to leave via the tunnel in the north wall, <link-text>turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect189">
+ <meta><title>189</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You catch the fleeing Giaks and cut them down before they have a chance to retaliate. Breathless and bloodied, you are about to sheathe your weapon when suddenly you see the Vordak appear at the far end of the street. This time it is not alone; it is flanked by two others of its kind. With a chorus of shrieking howls, these three undead spawn raise their bony fists in your direction and launch a combined psychic assault on your senses.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect317">If your total is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect58">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect190">
+ <meta><title>190</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Bloodied and battered, you struggle to disentangle yourself from the bodies of the slain Kraan. Their deaths have scared their confederates who are now flying from this quarter of the city, shrieking and cawing in alarm and dismay.</p>
+ <p>Once free, you stumble off the street into the relative safety of the ruins, where you find an ideal hiding place. It is concealed from the sky by an upper storey, and it commands an unobstructed view of a deserted plaza, its only means of approach. Here you rest while you consider your next course of action. Restore 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>During your rest, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect201">To continue, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect191">
+ <meta><title>191</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A wave of negative psychic energy crashes against your mind and you stagger back, shocked and dazed by the ferocity of this unexpected assault: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If you have survived this psychic attack, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect192">
+ <meta><title>192</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your weapon but before you can raise it to strike, a mass of flailing tentacles come snaking towards you, forcing you to retreat towards the pool. Each of these limbs is tipped with a razor-sharp segment of tile which whistles as it cuts the air before your face.</p>
+ <p>Slowly but relentlessly the octopoid advances, pushing you steadily back towards the rubble-strewn entrance to the chamber. As it draws level with the central pool, you suddenly realize something that had eluded your senses when first you entered this hall. The pool itself contains not water, but a clear, oily fluid&ellips; a clear, oily, <em>inflammable</em> fluid!</p>
+ <p>In a moment of vivid realization your Kai senses inform you that this creature is especially vulnerable to fire. Hastily you sheathe your weapon and search instead for something capable of igniting a fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect223">If you possess a Lantern, a Torch, or a Tinderbox, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect14">If you do not possess any of these items, <link-text>turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect193">
+ <meta><title>193</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fading echoes of the voice give way to a low, rumbling growl which seems to emanate from somewhere behind the sealed archway. This rumbling persists for more than a minute until, with a startling abruptness, there is a loud <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia>. Chunks of mortar fall from the octopoid mosaic and, to your mounting horror, you watch as the eyes of the creature begin to glow with a baleful green light.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Chunks of mortar fall from the tiled hide of the<br />octopoid mosaic as its eyes glow with baleful green light.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill10.gif" width="386" height="642"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill10.pdf" width="386" height="642"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Like a waking goliath, the mosaic comes slowly to life. Mesmerized by its pulsating gaze, you barely step back in time to save yourself when its tile-encrusted tentacles burst from the wall and come writhing towards your head. You lash out at the flailing limbs but your blow glances off the armour-like skin, inflicting no more than a scratch upon the tiled hide of this supernatural creature. Briefly the tentacles move apart to reveal once more the two glowing green orbs. Then a wave of psychic energy buffets your mind, designed to weaken and subdue you, but your Magnakai defences deflect this attack. You sense that the creature is surprised by your natural resistance and, before it can muster its powers to launch a second, far stronger psychic blast, you leap forwards and aim a blow between its evil green eyes. You are within an arm's length of striking the creature's bulbous head when suddenly it squirts a stream of clear liquid from its beak, aimed directly at your face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect139">If you possess mastery of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect258">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect194">
+ <meta><title>194</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You push open the heavy door carefully and glimpse the Drakkar striding along a corridor. He reaches the end and starts to descend a staircase to the ground floor. You enter and move stealthily towards the stairs. As you draw nearer, you see a gallery which overlooks the cavernous lower level. To your right, set flush to the wall, is a black oak door.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you approach the gallery's railed parapet where you look down at an unnerving sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect195">
+ <meta><title>195</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai skill of Animal Control you attempt to will the waking creature into returning to sleep. Unfortunately, this Giant Doomwolf is very hungry and it has already detected your scent.</p>
+ <p>Stirred to wakefulness by its gnawing hunger, and angered by the close proximity of a natural enemy, the great beast breaks free of the rope that is keeping it tethered and comes leaping through the air towards your chest.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Giant Doomwolf</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">39</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">49</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>You cannot evade this combat and must fight this creature to the death.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect295">If you win and the combat lasts three rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If you win and the combat lasts four rounds or longer, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect196">
+ <meta><title>196</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the terrible pain in your shoulder subsides, you open your eyes to find yourself lying face down in the seething carpet of insects. You feel them creeping and slithering across your skin, then your psychic senses tingle with a sudden realization. These are no ordinary insects; in fact these are not insects at all. Your sixth sense tells you that they are merely a cunning illusion created to panic and deceive you. Confident in this knowledge, you get to your feet, ignoring the mass of creepy-crawlies that are attached in clumps to your body. Then, in a matter of seconds, the insect horde fades and vanishes, the illusion dispelled by your disbelief in its existence.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect281"><link-text>Turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect197">
+ <meta><title>197</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Talons spring from the creature's forepaws and its sharp teeth glint like polished knives as it comes leaping through the air towards you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vodok</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">44</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">52</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect150">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect198">
+
+ <meta><title>198</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>When you are less than five feet from the roof, a part of the surface cement crumbles beneath your fingers. Desperately you throw your arms wide, seeking new purchase, and only just manage to prevent yourself from falling backwards to the street below. This close call leaves your hands skinned and bleeding: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Determinedly you haul yourself up the remaining few feet and take firm hold of the tower parapet.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10"><link-text>Turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect199">
+ <meta><title>199</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your Arrow and let fire at the creature's head, aiming for its eyes, but it twists its powerful neck as the shaft approaches and it lodges harmlessly between its teeth. The great jaw chomps down, pulping the Arrow which it spits back at you with contempt. Hastily you drop your Bow and draw a hand weapon as the shadow of the beast falls upon you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect128"><link-text>Turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect200">
+ <meta><title>200</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dark tunnel descends to a titanic circular hall which is lit by a lava-filled vent at its centre. Tunnels radiate from this hall in every direction, like the spokes of an infernal wheel, their destinations mere pinpoints of flame in the far distance. The air here is thick and cloying. It is choked by sulphur and other foul discharges of noisy engines located deep in the bowels of Kaag. The pressure of this tainted atmosphere is forever changing, causing you momentarily to lose your balance and stumble when first you enter the central hall.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small7.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small7.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Before you, astride the vent, a colossal idol looms up against the crimson light like some supernatural giant forged of steel and stone. Warily you pass beside one of its huge, taloned feet, half expecting it to animate suddenly and come crashing down upon you as if you were a lowly insect. Fortunately, the foot remains immobile and you are able to leave by a triangular-shaped tunnel, the largest of those which radiate from this hall.</p>
+ <p>Other passages branch off this tunnel, spaced at regular intervals of one hundred paces. You detect movement taking place in several of these sub-tunnels and, when at last your natural curiosity prompts you to stop and observe one (using your Magnakai skills to magnify your vision), you detect that it is occupied by Nadziranim. These mysterious sorcerers are gifted in the black arts of Right-handed magic and, before their demise, they slavishly assisted the Darklords of Helgedad. These particular Nadziranim are busy at slime-filled vats, engaged in the harvesting of Giak spawn, a process that at first fascinates then rapidly repulses you. Sickened by what you have seen, you hurry away towards a distant junction where a narrower tunnel crosses from left to right. As you approach the junction, you feel the skin on your arms and the nape of your neck tingle with a premonition of peril. The sensation soon passes, but you are left with an awareness that a greater danger lurks somewhere nearby.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If you wish to turn left at the junction and continue, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect126">If you choose to turn right, <link-text>turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect201">
+ <meta><title>201</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your rest is disturbed by the sudden arrival in the plaza of a score of battle-weary Giaks, some Drakkarim, and a Gourgaz who is nursing a wounded arm. You watch them make camp and notice that they are so fatigued that they neglect to post any sentries.</p>
+ <p>The pall of smoke which has covered this section of the city begins to thin out, and in the middle distance you can see the base of the great citadel. It is a truly awesome sight, a pyramid of jet-black stone which rises to a needle-sharp peak more than ten thousand feet above the streets of Kaag.</p>
+ <p>Soon a rickety wooden cart, drawn by two ugly, ox-like creatures in harness, trundles into the plaza. It halts and its Giak driver pulls back the tarpaulin which is covering its cargo, revealing haunches of grey-green meat stacked in a pile. Unceremoniously, he tosses them to the exhausted soldiers who devour them with obvious relish. It is an unwholesome sight, made even more so when you realize that what they are eating is freshly slaughtered Giak meat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect202">
+ <meta><title>202</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The guard lowers his eyes to avoid your burning stare. He mumbles something which sounds like an apology and shuffles away from the door to let you enter. With exaggerated bravado, you thrust open the heavy iron portal and stride into the corridor beyond. The door slams shut behind you with a dull boom.</p>
+ <p>The corridor ends at a landing where a gallery overlooks the cavernous lower level. Nearby there is a staircase, leading down, and a black oak door set flush to the wall.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you approach the gallery's railed parapet and look down at an unnerving sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect203">
+ <meta><title>203</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you are ascending the steps towards the curtain of light which hangs before the main entrance your Kai senses warn you that there is danger ahead. You halt and listen. At first you hear nothing, then you detect the sound of marching feet. The sound stops and moments later you see the curtain on light shimmering; the doors to the hall have been opened.</p>
+ <p>Cursing your luck, you turn and run towards the tunnel as the first few soldiers of a Drakkarim patrol come marching through the light-curtain into the hall. They command you to halt but you ignore them and hurry across the tiered hall as fast as you can. Burdened by the weight of your friend, you cannot move as quickly as you would like, and before you reach the mouth of the tunnel the Drakkarim are taking aim at you with their bows.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect2">If you possess Grand Huntmastery and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 2</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect269">If you do not possess this skill, or have yet to reach this level of Kai rank, <link-text>turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect204">
+ <meta><title>204</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Very well, minion of Slûtar,</quote> rumbles the voice. <quote>Display proof of your allegiance to your master and you shall be allowed to pass beyond this chamber.</quote></p>
+ <p>The echoing voice has barely faded when suddenly the tiny flames of the pool are transformed into a hundred roaring jets of white fire. A wave of searing heat forces you to retreat from the pool's edge and, as you cower behind the protection of your cloak, you try to think of a way to satisfy the voice's command.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect336">If you possess a Statuette of Slûtar, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect87">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect205">
+ <meta><title>205</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach to your belt and unsheathe the sun-sword. At once a golden halo of flame bursts from its polished blade, causing the Helghast to shriek in alarm as it recognizes the power you wield. It loosens its terrible grip upon your throat, enabling you to thrust the hilt of the Sommerswerd into its midriff and force it away. The Helghast emits a wailing cry and a wave of psychic energy assails your mind. But your Magnakai defences are more than sufficient to repel this weak attack and, with one fell sweep of your arm, you cleave the demonic creature cleanly in two.</p>
+ <p>The sundered halves of the Helghast fall from the bridge to be consumed by the hungry flames. Open-mouthed, the two Drakkarim stumble to a halt and stare down into the moat. Nervously they glance at each other, fearful of suffering a similar fate, then they turn and run towards the open door. Determined not to let them escape, you give chase and catch up with them within a few yards of the entrance.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">26</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">35</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect206">
+ <meta><title>206</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the Doomwolf crashes to the floor, mortally wounded, you hear the sound of the door being unlocked. It is thrown open and in rush a group of grim-faced Drakkarim guards, their swords drawn ready for action. Swiftly you dispatch the leading pair, but more arrive to take their place, forcing you to retreat deeper into the cell.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim Guards</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">32</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect207">
+ <meta><title>207</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You return to collect Banedon, then, once he is safely across your shoulders, you climb the stairs and hurry through the archway. A tunnel lined with rich wood panelling leads to a chamber where eight smaller passages disappear off in all directions. You scan these exits and a familiar fear returns to haunt you, a fear that you will never find your way out off Kaag alive.</p>
+ <p>Using your innate healing skills, you try once more to revive Banedon. You remember once, during a tutorial at the Kai monastery, that Banedon conjured up a vision of the monastery and its surrounding estates. You were able to see yourself in miniature, standing in your chambers as if you were a tiny animated doll in a doll's house. If he were well enough to perform that spell here in Kaag, you might be able to locate your position and plan a route of escape.</p>
+ <p>Mustering your skills, you place your hands on Banedon's chest and transmit your power directly into his heart. (Reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> by 3 points.) Gradually Banedon stirs to consciousness and, as his strength returns, rekindled by your healing power, he is able to grant your request. On the floor of the chamber he calls forth a living, three-dimensional vision of Kaag. Gradually this vision expands until you are looking at yourselves, kneeling on the floor of a chamber on one of the upper levels of the central citadel. The vision blurs and fades, but not before you are able to trace the quickest way out of this dreadful place.</p>
+ <p>The passage which heads due south from this chamber leads directly to the Zlanbeast pens and landing platforms situated on the exterior wall of the citadel, high above the great South Gate. It is from here that you plan to escape, leaving the citadel by the same way you entered it: by air.</p>
+ <p>Confident that the success of your quest is now within your grasp, you help Banedon to his feet and support him as you make your way along the south passage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect267"><link-text>Turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect208">
+ <meta><title>208</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take up one of the heavy black candlesticks and raise it above your head, steadying yourself as you get ready to hurl it at the sphere. Then a wave of dark energy comes coursing from the orb and you swoon as it washes over your body. You are in danger of dropping the candlestick upon your own head until, with a defiant cry, you draw on your psychic strength to counter the power of the orb.</p>
+ <p>As your mind clears and your strength returns, you launch the candlestick at the altar and smash the orb into hundreds of tiny shards. Instantly there is a tremendous implosion and a rush of air as the evil within this chamber is sucked back to its source. The stench that permeated the air has now gone and you feel a sense of well-being infuse your body: add 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to your current score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect86">To continue, <link-text>turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect209">
+ <meta><title>209</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ascend several levels of the citadel, by slope and stair, until you reach a vast hall festooned with icy stalactites. In the dim distance you see the yellowy glow of a warmer chamber and you hurry towards it, taking care not to slip on the treacherous, frost-covered floor.</p>
+ <p>You are near the centre of this chamber when the temperature drops dramatically. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to the extreme cold.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133">To continue, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect210">
+ <meta><title>210</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few yards of the passage that leads out of the mess hall when suddenly four Drakkarim turn a corner and come striding up the passage towards you. One of them sees you and shouts out in alarm: <quote>Intruder!</quote></p>
+ <p>In an instant your weapon is in your hand, ready for combat. Behind you the feasting squad falls silent, then, as one, they jump to their feet and scramble to retrieve their weapons. Rather than face thirty Giaks, you decide to rush the four who are now striding along the passage, their swords drawn ready to cut you down.</p>
+ <p><quote>For Sommerlund!</quote> you cry, and launch yourself at the four grim-faced warriors.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>4 Drakkarim</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">37</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">41</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect119">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect211">
+ <meta><title>211</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unsheathe the sun-sword and hold it before you. Immediately, the twin streams of fiery bolts are drawn to its golden blade. They hit the tip and merge into a searing hot ball of power which radiate a blinding white light. The Sommerswerd vibrates in your hands. Desperately you fight to control the power that is held precariously in your grasp.</p>
+ <p><quote>For Sommerlund!</quote> you cry and, with a mighty effort, you cast the ball of energy at the two dragon-creatures. The meteor of light hits the leading creature and explodes with a brilliant flash. There a splash of white-hot sparks and suddenly the tunnel is silent. The dragon-creature and the ball of fire have vanished.</p>
+ <p>For several seconds you stare at the remaining creature without either of you moving. Then, as prompted into action by a silent command, the two of you are galvanized into action. A flaming sword appears in the dragon's paw and, with stunning suddenness, it leaps forwards into the attack.</p>
+
+ <combat><enemy>Nadziran (in dragon guise, with flamesword)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">46</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature possesses strong psychic ability. Unless you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, deduct 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points every round you are in combat due to its relentless psychic assault.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect76">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect212">
+ <meta><title>212</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Helghast slams into your chest and drags you flailing to the ground. Frantically you try to get a firm grip on its robes as the two of you roll precariously close to the edge of the moat. With glee, the two Drakkarim stand back and watch your mortal struggle, confident that the Helghast will emerge victorious.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 15 or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect311">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect151">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect213">
+ <meta><title>213</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race up the remaining steps and take hold of the Drakkar by the throat. Desperately he fights to free himself from your crushing grip, kicking and scratching like a wild animal, until you are forced to let him go. As you do so, he stumbles and falls backwards over the parapet, landing with a shriek in the street below. You glance over the stone rail and see that he has met his doom, impaled upon the spikes of his cruel device.</p>
+ <p>Now you turn your attention to the five Kraan which are feeding on the roof. Gingerly you approach them, hoping not to startle them into flight, but the commotion, and your presence, has made them very uneasy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90">If you possess the Discipline of Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect136">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect214">
+ <meta><title>214</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are unable to evade the creature so you raise your weapon defiantly and steel yourself for combat, as the shadow of this angry beast falls upon you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect128"><link-text>Turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect215">
+ <meta><title>215</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw on your innate Magnakai ability of Animal Control, but to no avail. The Akataz has already detected your scent; it is too late to attempt to mask it now.</p>
+ <p>With a chilling howl the leathery creature comes bursting through the curtain, its claws and fangs shredding the rotting fabric with ease. For a moment it becomes entangled and struggles to tear itself free, allowing you precious seconds in which to react to this vicious attack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect286">If you do not, or choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect216">
+ <meta><title>216</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once more your weapon hits the crystal and glances off without effect. You are moving forwards to retrieve it when suddenly the hall echoes to the <onomatopoeia>clang</onomatopoeia> of an alarm bell. Seconds later a troop of armoured Drakkarim and Giak soldiers comes streaming through the entrance and moves to surround you and your captive friend. You fight bravely and dispatch more than fifty of the enemy, but eventually your strength fails and you are overwhelmed by the denizens of Kaag.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here in the courtroom of Zagarna.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect217">
+ <meta><title>217</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The torchlit stairs spiral down to a busy hall where several stairways and tunnels converge. You stay hidden in the shadows while you observe the creatures, mainly Giaks and Drakkarim, that are using this hall to move from one passage to another. All, without exception, are clad in uniforms which have been dyed a muddy shade of orange.</p>
+ <p>After a short while, the hall clears and you hurry across towards a tunnel directly opposite. It is the only exit from the hall to have been ignored by the flow of traffic, and you choose it in the hope that it will be empty of guards. An archway off the tunnel reveals a chamber where the floor appears to be carpeted with a fine grey-green dust. Your senses tingle with a premonition of danger as you stare at the phosphorescent lichen clinging to the rough-hewn walls. The glow from the lichen illuminates several stout pilasters which support the vaulted ceiling and an arched exit on the far side. The surface of the dusty floor is perfectly flat, undisturbed by tracks of any kind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect301">If you wish to cross the dusty floor and enter the archway opposite, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If you choose to ignore this hall and continue along the tunnel, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect218">
+ <meta><title>218</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In the dim distance you see a score of creatures stumbling along the tunnel. You magnify your gaze and discern that they are vaguely human in form, although hairless, lean and stringy as if from starvation. Their toes and fingers end in horny, hooked claws and their large eyes are deep set in skeletal faces, etched by untold years of pain and anguish. You bring to bear your innate psychic skills and are shocked by what you discover.</p>
+ <p>Your senses reveal that these creatures were once human soldiers in the armies of the Freeland Alliance. Captured in battle and brought to Kaag long ago, they have endured unspeakable experiments at the hands of the Nadziranim. Now, no longer of use to those evil magicians, these pitiful victims have been left to wander the forgotten passages of this foul city, united in undeath.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Lean, hairless and stringy creatures stumble along the<br />tunnel, faces showing years of pain and anguish.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill11.gif" width="386" height="578"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill11.pdf" width="386" height="578"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>When the undead soldiers are twenty yards distant you attempt to communicate with them telepathically. You sense that the one who is leading the group radiates a faint psychic aura and you hope that he may know the whereabouts of your captive friend Banedon. At first your questions elicit no reply, then, when your eyes meet, you feel a wave of despair wash over you as suddenly you tap into the agony of this creature's existence. (Lose two <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to psychic shock.) As the effects of the shock fade, you hear a ghostly voice echoing thinly in your mind.</p>
+ <p><thought>Yes&ellips; I know of whom you seek&ellips;</thought> it croaks. <thought>The Sommlending wizard is imprisoned here in Kaag&ellips; in Zagarna's courtroom&ellips;</thought></p>
+ <p>You ask the wretched zombie for directions to Zagarna's courtroom but the only help he can offer is to tell you that it is <quote>many levels above</quote>.</p>
+ <p>The pitiful group part in two to allow you to pass. As you move through them, your hatred of the Nadziranim blazes anew when you see upon the bodies of these once-human soldiers the terrible scars left by the cruel experiments. Filled with anger and remorse you hurry away, silently fearful that Banedon may already have suffered a similar fate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect57"><link-text>Turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect219">
+ <meta><title>219</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Vordaks cackle with glee at the success of their combined attack. Eager to exploit their advantage, they rush forwards drawing heavy iron maces as they prepare to finish you once and for all. As the pain in your head recedes, you raise your own weapon and get ready to meet their assault.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>3 Vordaks</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">42</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect260">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect220">
+ <meta><title>220</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect220-1-foot" idref="sect220-1">
+ <p>The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The panel glides shut behind you and keeps you hidden from the enemy. Through the wall you hear cries of surprise and some curses when they enter the chamber to discover that you have seemingly disappeared into thin air. Mindful that they might find your hiding place, you descend the stairs and arrive at a vault which is lavishly equipped with all manner of elaborate laboratory apparatus. Several large tables line one wall, many stained with blood.</p>
+ <p>You sense that Banedon is disturbed by the sight of these tables and, when you ask him what is wrong, he tells you that this chamber is where the Nadziranim subjected him to hours of brutal interrogation in a futile attempt to extract the magical secrets of the Brotherhood.</p>
+ <p><thought>Despite all their fiendish tortures,</thought> he says, his mind-voice weak yet full of pride, <thought>they learned nothing.</thought></p>
+ <p>You search for a way out of this vault and soon discover a steel door which is secured by a curious combination lock. It comprises three raised blocks, each block divided into four equal squares. In each square, bar one, there is a number. You ask Banedon if he knows how the lock operates and he recalls once seeing a Nadziranim tapping the empty square several times in order to make the door open.</p>
+ <p>Consider the following grids of numbers. When you think you know what the missing number is, turn to the entry that bears the same number as your answer.<a id="sect220-1" idref="sect220-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="sect220.gif" width="386" height="124"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="sect220.pdf" width="386" height="124"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect154">If your answer is incorrect, or if you cannot solve the puzzle, <link-text>turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect221">
+ <meta><title>221</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Arrow strikes the creature's head and gouges out a skull-deep furrow of skin and muscle before arcing away into the air. The beast shrieks with the agony of the wound and skids to a halt, twisting its head violently from side to side in a futile attempt to rid itself of the terrible pain. The wound has slowed the beast but not stopped it and, with revenge stark in its eyes, it resumes the attack.</p>
+ <p>Cursing its tenacity, you shoulder your Bow and unsheathe your weapon in readiness for a fight to the death.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Gnagusk</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">41</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect222">
+ <meta><title>222</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fiery bolt continues to gather speed and energy as it comes racing towards you. It is barely an arm's length from your chest when you are forced to dive headlong into the insect swarm to avoid being hit.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect33">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect166">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect223">
+ <meta><title>223</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurl your light towards the pool and the inflammable liquid ignites on contact, with a deafening <onomatopoeia>whoomph</onomatopoeia> that leaves you sprawled flat on your back.</p>
+ <p>For a few seconds the chamber is aglow with a blinding white light, then the glare fades to reveal the octopoid writhing on the floor, close to the blazing pool's edge, its loathsome body being consumed by a hungry mass of guttering yellow flames.</p>
+ <p>Covering your mouth with your cloak, you stumble to your feet and skirt around the burning carcass towards the archway. The sheet of blue-green metal that once blocked this exit is no longer there; it has moved aside to reveal a dark tunnel leading away from the chamber. Eager to leave this smoke-filled hall and continue the search for your captive friend without further delay, you hurry through the archway into the unwelcoming darkness beyond. (Remember to erase the Backpack Item from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect224">
+ <meta><title>224</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Intrigued by the squealing, you approach the door cautiously and place your eye to the spy-hole. Your fears soon melt away when you see two ragged-eared rats in a corridor beyond, fighting over a meaty bone. You chuckle as the smaller of the two unexpectedly wins the dispute and proudly drags away his prize. Your eyes follow the rat as it disappears towards a distant hallway where you spy something else that makes your pulse quicken in anticipation.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small9.gif" width="386" height="148"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small9.pdf" width="386" height="148"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai skills to magnify your vision, you see a pair of massive doors at the far side of the thoroughfare, guarded by two warriors clad in polished silver armour. A steady traffic of Drakkarim and Giaks passes to and fro before the doors, but none enter. You judge the hall to be over a hundred yards away, but even at this distance you can sense a great power is being contained behind the doors.</p>
+ <p>After a short while the traffic in the hallway subsides. Then two wispy, ghost-like figures glide into view, each clad in shimmering semi-transparent robes, and at once you recognize them to be Nadziranim&emdash;masters of evil magic. The guards step aside and, as the great doors part to allow the sorcerers entry, a flood of blinding purplish light pours from out of the room beyond. Suddenly your senses tingle with a premonition that your friend Banedon is close at hand. Convinced that you will find him somewhere beyond the doors, you resolve to gain entry as quickly as you can, but if you are to get past the two guards you must first create a diversion.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect268">If you wish to start a fire in this storeroom in order to lure the guards away, <link-text>turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect70">If you wish to put on a Drakkar uniform (which lies discarded on the floor nearby), then attempt to bluff your way past the guards, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect225">
+ <meta><title>225</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At once you sense that the ghoulish creature has infected you with a virulent virus, which passed into your body the moment it scratched your face. Hurriedly you draw on the healing power of your Grand Master Discipline and cause an army of antibodies to be released into your bloodstream to counter the insidious virus. You feel your temperature rise as the antibodies battle to clear your blood and, within a few minutes, this battle is won. The use of your Discipline costs you 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points, but it saves you from an otherwise grisly death.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172">Once you have fully recovered, you check your equipment before climbing the steps which lead out of this grim cellar. <link-text>Turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect226">
+ <meta><title>226</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Emerging from the shadows with slow purposeful steps comes a huge rodent-like creature. Its mustard-coloured body and its six claw-tipped legs are thick and powerful, corded with muscle that ripples as it moves. Its head is monstrous, the jaw seeming too large for the skull. This entire bony structure extends beyond the lips and is studded with large spade-like teeth.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A huge, rodent-like creature with monstrous jaw and<br />large spade-like teeth emerges from the shadows.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill12.gif" width="386" height="597"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill12.pdf" width="386" height="597"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>It turns its great head to look at you with cruel deep-set eyes and an eerie cry breaks from its maw. Cadak laughs with undisguised glee and, upon his command, the creature gathers speed and attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect199">If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect81">If you have Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect307">If you have Magi-magic and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If you have neither a Bow nor the listed Disciplines, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn instead to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect227">
+ <meta><title>227</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You invoke the words of the Brotherhood spell <quote>Flameshaft</quote> and instantly the first few inches of your Arrow are sheathed with magical blue fire.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="79"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="79"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Weaponmastery with Bow, add 5 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect91">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect158">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect228">
+ <meta><title>228</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once the coast is clear, you run across the street and down the short flight of stone steps leading to the crypt door. Hurriedly you press your shoulder to the cold iron and the portal creaks open to reveal a cramped, rough-walled chamber, dominated by a massive wooden chair, its back mostly destroyed by fire. Through the blackened timbers you see a mouldy tapestry covering part of the rear wall. The crypt is otherwise empty.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect93">If you possess the Grand Master Disciplines of Telegnosis <em>and</em> Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect155">If you do not have <em>both</em> of these skills, <link-text>turn to 155</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect229">
+ <meta><title>229</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swooping down from out of the shadows of the roof comes a huge gull-winged monstrosity. Its red reptilian skin is aglow with fine barbs, and a mass of coal-black hair streams from its bony skull. An open maw reveals a set of chisel-shaped teeth, many of which have been broken on the bones of past victims who have wandered unwittingly into this hall. It shrieks maniacally as it plummets towards your head.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A huge gull-winged monstrosity with glowing red<br />reptilian skin swoops out of the shadows.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill13.gif" width="386" height="574"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill13.pdf" width="386" height="574"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You drop Banedon to the floor and unsheathe a weapon just in time to defend yourself against this creature's initial attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ashradon</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">42</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge, and suffers only half-damage resulting from the use of Kai-surge. If you choose to use Kai-surge during this combat, halve your normal <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> bonus for the duration of the combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect101">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect230">
+ <meta><title>230</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect230-1-foot" idref="sect230-1">
+ <p>Kika are one-tenth of the value of a Gold Crown and also take up one-tenth of the space of a Gold Crown.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you step away from the bodies of the two Drakkarim Death Knights, you notice they both have brass keys hanging on chains from their sword belts. If you wish to keep one of these keys, record it as a Brass Key in the Backpack section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>A search also reveals the following items:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>2 Swords</li>
+ <li>1 Dagger</li>
+ <li>Enough food for 2 Meals</li>
+ <li>80 Kika (10 Kika = 1 Gold Crown)<a id="sect230-1" idref="sect230-1-foot" class="footnote" /></li>
+ <li>Bottle of Wine</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect68">To continue, <link-text>turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect231">
+ <meta><title>231</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature tries to sidestep your speeding shaft but it moves too slowly. The Arrow penetrates the side of its neck, causing the beast to shriek out loudly in pained surprise. However, despite this fearful wounding, it does not break off its attack. With chilling disregard for pain it wrenches the Arrow from its throat and hurls it aside. Unnerved by this display of bravado, you shoulder your Bow as, with a gurgling shriek, the beast comes bounding forwards.</p>
+ <p>You get ready to meet its advance yet, when it is but ten feet away, it suddenly opens its blood-spattered mouth wide and spews forth a stream of white-hot liquid fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect232">
+ <meta><title>232</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You claw your way towards the top of the mound, fearful all the while that you are presenting yourself as too easy a target for the crossbow-wielding Death Knights to miss. You are making good progress until, less than six feet from the summit, you slip on some loose rubble and fall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect183">If the number you have chosen is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8), <link-text>turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect112">If it is odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect233">
+ <meta><title>233</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Calling upon your Grand Mastery, mentally you command the three lumbering beasts to halt and, simultaneously, all three freeze in their tracks. Bewildered and frightened by the strange feelings that are coursing through their bodies, the three creatures back away into the shadows, whimpering grotesquely as they retreat like a litter of sick pups.</p>
+ <p>Immediately you seize the chance to escape and hurry past them, running through the chamber towards an open passage beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect64"><link-text>Turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect234">
+ <meta><title>234</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You summon forth the power word of the Elder Magi and direct it at the keyhole. There is a crack like thunder and the door shudders violently under the weight of its impact. A cloud of metal shavings wafts from the keyhole and, when you place your boot to the door, you discover that the spell has worked; the lock is broken and the door swings open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect328"><link-text>Turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect235">
+ <meta><title>235</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Drawing on your inner strength to quell your fears of what may lie ahead, you descend the ridge and approach the great, frowning bastions of Kaag. Through the swirling dust you see a pitted road which leads to the East Gate. Its storm-blown surface is littered with corpses, bleached bones, rusted weapons and armour. Crab-like scavengers scuttle among the debris, fighting for scraps to feed their young which nest in thousands of empty Giak skulls half-buried in the ground.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small6.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small6.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Shielded from detection by the storm and your Kai skills, you reach the breached east wall unobserved.</p>
+ <p>Swiftly you climb over the rubble, which is heaped between the huge cubes of marble that once comprised this section of Kaag's curtain-wall, and find yourself in a street lined with decaying halls and slum dwellings. A dun pall of choking smoke hovers above this quarter, which reeks of iron and sulphur. Moving among the ruins you see a ragged group of Giaks, led by a Gourgaz clad in a shirt of mail. They halt for a few moments, then the Gourgaz hisses an order and they continue at a lumbering pace, heading south. You notice that their tattered blue-green uniforms all bear the emblem of a broken skull.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect185">If you wish to follow these troops, <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect104">If you choose to avoid them by heading in the opposite direction, <link-text>turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect236">
+ <meta><title>236</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An arrow pierces your breeches and gouges a crimson line across the back of your thigh, making you cry out in pain. You stumble, but you manage to stay on your feet: lose three <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Cursing the pain, you hobble into the dingy passage beyond and descend by slope and stair to a rectangular hall which is lined with ancient stone statues, their features made unrecognizable by age. Tar-soaked torches fixed to the two longest walls illuminate this musty chamber with a flickering amber light, and the air is heavy with their oily stench. In the distance you see an archway and the passage continuing away into darkness. Your injured leg aches viciously and the thought of resting for a few minutes seems irresistible.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29">If you wish to stop here for a few minutes' rest, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect177">If you decide to press on without stopping, <link-text>turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect237">
+ <meta><title>237</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your senses warn you that the tower stairs, although they look empty, are in fact guarded by Drakkarim stationed inside the tower. They offer the most convenient route to the roof, but it could also be the most perilous.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect164">If you wish to avoid the stairs, you can attempt to climb the wall instead by <link-text>turning to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect312">If you decide to use the stairs, despite having been forewarned, <link-text>turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect238">
+ <meta><title>238</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to control your urge to struggle, yet you are aware that even when you remain perfectly still you are sinking little by little to your doom.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the toe of your left boot strikes something firm and a shiver runs down your spine when you sense that it is a corpse. It is the body of a Giak who was thrown into this chamber as punishment for some minor infringement of citadel discipline. You wait until your foot is firmly placed on the corpse, then you tense your leg muscles and push yourself upwards as hard as you can, with your hands outstretched in a desperate effort to grab hold of the arched entrance.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect187">If your total score is 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect342">If it is 4-8, <link-text>turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect239">
+ <meta><title>239</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The guards break off their conversation, then turn to face you once more.</p>
+ <p><quote>Show this relic,</quote> commands the warrior to your right.</p>
+ <p>Hesitantly you reach into the satchel and fumble with the buckle, stalling for time.</p>
+ <p><quote>Be quick,</quote> warns the other guard, reaching for a dagger with his free hand, <quote>or I shall open it for you.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect61">If you possess either a Statue of Slûtar, the Dagger of Vashna, or Helshezag, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect137">If you do not possess any of these Special Items, <link-text>turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect240">
+ <meta><title>240</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A sudden noise makes you spin around, half-crouched, your weapon ready to hand for your defence. At first you see nothing, then a faint shadow moving at the corner of your eye draws your attention to an alcove on the other side of the hall. Suddenly you hear Banedon's voice echoing faintly in your head. You cannot understand what he is saying but you sense that it is a warning. You glance over your shoulder and notice that he is pointing at the granite throne. To your horror you see that the throne's fanged mouth is opening wider and wider.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small3.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small3.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect184">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect265">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect241">
+ <meta><title>241</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You charge through the power-wall and your senses reel as your body earths the electrical energy: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. But, despite the momentary pain, you quickly recover and dispatch the two wand-wielding Liganim before they, too, attempt to run from the library.</p>
+ <p>The noise of their dying screams freezes the escaping Liganim dead in his tracks. He spins around in the archway, his ugly face transfixed into a mask of sheer terror as he watches you come racing towards him with your weapon poised to strike. However, the sight is too much for his weak heart which ceases to beat moments before you land your blow.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect207"><link-text>Turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect242">
+ <meta><title>242</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You place your ear to the rough timbers and hear movement, snoring, and the rattle of arms and equipment. At once you realize that this door leads to the Drakkarim dormitory hall, a place you would do well to avoid.</p>
+ <p>Forewarned, you leave the chamber and venture south into the passage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect343"><link-text>Turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect243">
+ <meta><title>243</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw an Arrow but before you can place it to your Bow, a mass of flailing tentacles come snaking towards you, forcing you to retreat towards the pool. Each of these limbs is tipped with a razor-sharp segment of tile which whistles as it cuts the air before your face.</p>
+ <p>Slowly but relentlessly the octopoid advances, pushing you steadily back towards the rubble-strewn entrance to the chamber. As it draws level with the central pool, you suddenly realize something that had eluded your senses when first you entered this hall. The pool itself contains not water, but a clear, oily fluid&ellips; a clear, oily, <em>inflammable</em> fluid!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect94">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn instead to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect244">
+ <meta><title>244</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull open a bolt which secures the door and slip inside the room beyond. With bated breath you close the door and listen intently to the footfalls of the approaching Drakkarim, silently praying that they will pass by without checking this room. The steps grow louder, then, to your dismay, they halt immediately outside the door. You hear a gruff voice cursing, then there is a metallic click as the bolt is drawn. Unwittingly they have locked you in.</p>
+ <p>The Drakkarim continue on their way and you hear the sound of their heavy iron-shod boots receding along the passageway. Suddenly, a low growl makes you spin around, your hand flashing to the hilt of your weapon. Before you, resting on a bed of mouldy straw, lies the largest Doomwolf you have ever seen. It twitches and flicks its massive head as slowly it stirs from sleep.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect96">If you possess the Discipline of Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect195">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 195</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect245">
+ <meta><title>245</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step back a few paces and take aim with your Bow at the centre of the crystal sphere. For someone of your ability this is a target that is difficult to miss. But will the Arrow strike with sufficient force to break or dislodge the sphere?</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect131">If the number you have picked is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect143">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 143</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect246">
+ <meta><title>246</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After some deliberation, you decide to let the Drakkar sleep on undisturbed. You climb the stairs and emerge in the centre of a hall on the level above. This vault-like room contains a wealth of grim exhibits, hung upon the walls and displayed in glass-fronted cases. The skulls of rare creatures are displayed beside tanned hides and jewel-encrusted bones. One item in particular catches your eye: it is a statuette, fashioned in the likeness of Darklord Zagarna.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Statuette of Zagarna, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you keep in your Backpack. If you already carry your maximum quota, you must discard one item in its favour.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">To continue, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect247">
+ <meta><title>247</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch as the body of the slain Gnagusk slowly rolls off the drawbridge and plummets into the flaming moat. This victory fills you with renewed confidence, but the feeling is all too short-lived. Suddenly, two steely hands fix themselves around your throat, crushing your windpipe. The Helghast is attacking you from behind and, as you struggle to break free, its iron-hard fingers close ever tighter: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The two Drakkarim cackle at your plight as they approach the drawbridge, their swords drawn ready to avenge the death of their pet.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect205">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect248">
+ <meta><title>248</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Zavaghar shrieks in agony and comes crashing to the floor, its limbs flailing and its jaw chattering wildly as it ekes out the last throes of death.</p>
+ <p><quote>No! No! No!</quote> screams Arch Druid Cadak, his voice filled with anger and bitter frustration. <quote>It cannot be! It cannot be!</quote></p>
+ <p>Madly he rushes across the pen and stares with open-mouthed incredulity at the carcass of the huge Zavaghar, his eyes wide with disbelief. Meanwhile, you have helped Banedon to his feet and the two of you have begun to hurry towards your means of escape which is still perched on the landing platform.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly, Cadak recovers from his shock and, seeing the two of you escaping, screams an order to his remaining Drakkarim to prevent you from getting away.</p>
+ <p>You reach the winged creature and, using your Magnakai skills, you manage to subdue it to your command. Arrows and crossbow bolts fly past, dangerously close, fired by those Drakkarim who have responded to Cadak's order. You try to ignore these missiles as you mount the Zlanbeast and heave Banedon roughly across its great scaly neck.</p>
+ <p>With a sharp kick, you urge the Zlanbeast into the air and, as it soars away from the platform, you glance back to see Cadak shaking his fist and screaming vile curses.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small11.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small11.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You laugh at his displeasure, but your laughter chokes in your throat when you notice a battery of heavy bolt-throwers lining the battlements above the pens. They are manned by Giak soldiers, and, as you fly past them, they discharge a cloud of deadly missiles.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect66">If the number you have picked is 0&endash;8, <link-text>turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If it is 9, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect249">
+ <meta><title>249</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using all your strength, you haul yourself into the saddle and hold fast as the Kraan soars upwards into the stormy sky. Frantically you kick and beat the creature with your fists until, reluctantly, it submits to your will.</p>
+ <p>Pulling back on the reins, you urge it to go higher. Then a few well-aimed slaps to its horny head persuade it to bear you towards the landing platforms situated above the great North Door. As you draw closer to your chosen destination, you see two platforms which are open and unguarded. One has an arch-shaped portal; the other a wider, oblong-shaped entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you wish to land at the platform with the arch-shaped portal, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect282">If you choose to land upon the platform with the oblong-shaped entrance, <link-text>turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect250">
+ <meta><title>250</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The troops have almost finished their grisly meal when a figure, clad in flowing grey robes and a helm of brightly polished steel, swoops down from out of the brooding sky upon the back of a Zlanbeast. He screams orders to the Gourgaz who immediately responds by cursing and slapping his tired troops into line. The grey rider berates the sorry-looking squad before finally taking to the skies once more. Stung into action by his harsh words, the Gourgaz officer leads his unit away at the double.</p>
+ <p>Curiosity prompts you to follow them, although you take care to remain hidden from view. They zig-zag through a maze of back streets before arriving at the approach road to a large hall. Here a pitched battle is taking place between two warring factions: one side wearing uniforms of orange cloth, the other clad in blue-green.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small2.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small2.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>For several minutes you observe the carnage taking place as the two groups fight for control of the hall. The fighting soon escalates to the surrounding ruins and wisely you decide it best to leave this area before you, too, become caught up in the fighting.</p>
+ <p>You notice a road away to your right which leads directly to the citadel. It is virtually deserted and seems to offer the best escape route from the battle zone. However, you have covered barely a hundred yards when you are suddenly confronted by a unit of Drakkarim Death Knights, reinforcements freshly arrived from the citadel itself.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you dive into a side street and run as fast as I you can, but the Death Knights have seen you and, despite their heavy armour, they give chase determinedly.</p>
+ <p>The street soon ends at a junction where two roads branch away, one to the left, the other to the right.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If you have the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect85">If you do not possess this skill or do not wish to use it, you can take either the left road, by <link-text>turning to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect266">Or the right road, by <link-text>turning to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect251">
+ <meta><title>251</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fiery Arrow strikes the creature's throat but fails to penetrate. With a high-pitched whine, the steel-tipped shaft ricochets harmlessly away into the hall. There is no time now for a second shot so you hurriedly shoulder your Bow and draw a hand weapon ready. Sensing victory within its grasp, the creature emits a gurgling shriek and comes bounding forwards. You get set to meet its advance, yet, when it is only ten feet away, it suddenly opens its mouth wide and spews forth a stream of white-hot liquid fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect252">
+ <meta><title>252</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The corridor passes through a series of interconnecting caverns, some of which are occupied by lowly Giak slaves engaged in menial tasks, none of whom notice your stealthy passing. After almost an hour, you arrive at a cavernous hall filled with iron cages in which lie countless Akataz, a breed of leathery war-dogs used by the Drakkarim. Nearby are a group of Drakkarim handlers seated at a table playing cards.</p>
+ <p>From the shadows you listen to their idle chatter, hoping to glean clues as to the location of Zagarna's courtroom, but, unfortunately, your patience goes unrewarded. These brutish humanoids seem preoccupied with their game, and the unfairness of their duties here in the Akataz pen. However, from their banal conversation you do learn two interesting facts about the struggle taking place within Kaag. The two warring factions are fighting principally for control over the Giak spawning vats located in the dungeons of this citadel. The vats are the key to power here; they produce both an unending supply of fresh troops and a ready source of raw food for whoever controls them.</p>
+ <p>Anxious to continue your quest, you resolve to leave the pen by an archway on the far side. Although confident that your camouflage skills will keep you hidden from the Drakkarim, the hall is full of keen-nosed war-dogs.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect92">If your total is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect109">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect253">
+ <meta><title>253</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few feet of the roof when a part of the surface cement crumbles beneath your fingers. You try to reach up and find new purchase but it is too late; you are already falling backwards to the street below.</p>
+ <p>On landing you strike your head and lose consciousness. Tragically you never reawaken. Your body is discovered by a Giak patrol who kill you out of hand, thinking you to be an enemy Drakkar spy in disguise.</p>
+ <p>Your life and your quest end here in Kaag.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect254">
+ <meta><title>254</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tunnel leads to another hall, but the entrance is blocked by a huge stone statue of Zagarna which has been tipped on to its side. The statue must have shattered on impact for the tunnel exit is almost filled with large boulders. In order to gain access to the hall beyond, you must first clear away some of this heavy debris.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. Now subtract 1 from the number you have picked.</p>
+ <p>The resultant score equals the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost due to fatigue. (If you picked 0 or 1, your score is zero.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100">To continue, <link-text>turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect255">
+ <meta><title>255</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You examine the door more closely and soon discover it is locked, held secure by a common deadlock. Confidently you call upon your Magnakai skill of Nexus in an attempt to pick this lock, but to your dismay, you cannot cause the mechanism to disengage. A magical charm has been placed upon this door, making the lock pick-proof.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect179">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect234">If you possess Magi-magic, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect75">If you have neither of these Disciplines, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect256">
+ <meta><title>256</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few yards of the passage that leads out of the mess hall when suddenly four Drakkarim turn a corner and come striding up the passage towards you. Hurriedly you flatten yourself against the nearest wall and muster your Kai camouflage skills in an attempt to stay hidden.</p>
+ <p>The four stride past within an arm's length of your position yet they fail to detect your presence. Once they are inside the hall you peel yourself away from the wall and quickly escape into the passage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304"><link-text>Turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect257">
+ <meta><title>257</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a loud <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia>, the Drakkar hits the cobblestones head-first and is knocked unconscious. Quickly you descend the iron stairs and drag his limp body out of sight, fearful that it might be seen by a passing patrol. Already a huge bruise is beginning to discolour his face and you are sure that it will be many hours before he regains consciousness. As you are moving him, you notice that he wears two chains around his neck. To one there is attached a Whistle; to the other a Brass Key. If you wish to keep either of these Backpack Items, adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Once you are satisfied that he is well hidden, you climb the stairs and carefully push open the heavy door. At the end of a short corridor there is a landing where a gallery overlooks the cavernous lower level. Nearby there is a staircase, leading down, and to your right a black oak door set flush to the wall.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you approach the gallery's railed parapet and peer over at an unnerving sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect258">
+ <meta><title>258</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You twist aside in time to avoid the liquid, but a small quantity still splashes your right shoulder and cheek. Instantly there is a sizzling hiss and you feel a searing pain engulf your head and upper body as this highly corrosive acid bites deep into your flesh: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Only your innate Magnakai skill of Nexus saves you from sustaining what, for any lesser mortal, would have undoubtedly been a fatal injury. Shaken by this ferocious and unexpected attack, you scramble to the safety of a nearby pillar. Another stream of acid comes arching towards you, but only to splash harmlessly against the blue-green stone.</p>
+ <p>A glance around the pillar prompts a third stream of acid, only this time the creature ejects barely a trickle from its hook-like beak. It has exhausted its corrosive venom. Hungry for vengeance you emerge from your hiding place and face the octopoid once more, determined more than ever to defeat it in combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect259">
+ <meta><title>259</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your weapon slams into the centre of the crystal and cracks it open. There is a flash of sparks, then the shimmering wall of light which imprisons Banedon flickers, and disappears completely.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188"><link-text>Turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect260">
+ <meta><title>260</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you deal your final killing blow, the bodies of the three Vordaks rapidly dissolve into a foul-smelling green gas which is carried away on the breeze. Mindful that the combat may have attracted others of their kind, you sheathe your weapon and escape from the area as quickly as you can. At the end of the street you see an avenue leading off to the south, and another, blocked by rubble, heading off to the west.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to follow the avenue southwards, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect35">If you choose to clamber over the rubble which fills the entrance to the west avenue, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect261">
+ <meta><title>261</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last Egorgh crashes lifelessly to the ground, you turn and hurry towards the adjoining passage. Sheathing your weapon as you run, you follow the passage for several minutes before arriving at an empty circular room. The only feature here is a rusty iron ladder fixed precariously to the wall, which ascends through a hole in the ceiling to a level above. There is no other exit from this chamber and so, with caution guiding your every move, you climb the rust-eaten rungs.</p>
+ <p>You rise through the hole to find yourself in a corridor which is strewn with human bones. Skeletons lie mixed in tangled heaps and many of the skulls and loose bones seem to have been gnawed. The psychic residues of pain and terror left by these luckless victims presses in upon your senses, making you feel queasy and claustrophobic. With pounding heart you advance along the bone-choked passage, stepping carefully through the skeletons to avoid making a sound. But you have taken less than a dozen steps when something unexpected makes you freeze in your tracks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect218"><link-text>Turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect262">
+ <meta><title>262</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hastily you push Banedon aside then dive to avoid the falling net, the sheer speed with which you react saving you both from becoming trapped like two foxes in a snare. Quickly you spring to your feet and rush to help your fallen companion. As you stoop to lift him, you hear a deep voice cursing you quietly in the shadows. You turn to face the voice, weapon in hand, ready to cut him down. But you are shocked to the core when you see who it is who emerges into the grey light of the pen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect54"><link-text>Turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect263">
+ <meta><title>263</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you retreat, drawing a hand weapon in your defence as the two evil-eyed horrors come rushing forwards with murderous intent.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Two evil-eyed horrors rush forward with murderous<br />intent.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill14.gif" width="386" height="596"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill14.pdf" width="386" height="596"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>2 Xaghash</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">52</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">60</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>If you possess the Sommerswerd, double all bonuses it bestows upon you (for the duration of this combat only).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect276">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect264">
+ <meta><title>264</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step back from the dead war-dog and wipe away the splashes of its foul blood from your face. The sound of footfalls outside the door warn you that the noise of the fight has attracted some unwanted attention. A Drakkar shouts, demanding to know who is in the room. You rush to the door and pull across the bolt just in time to prevent him getting in. With the warrior pounding on the door, you turn and run into the adjoining chamber which is littered with Giak bones and half-chewed haunches of meat. To your right you notice another curtained archway, and through its threadbare cloth you see a stone staircase spiralling down into the dark.</p>
+ <p>The dingy stone staircase leads down to an empty torchlit chamber, its floor strewn with filthy straw. To the right there is a stout wooden door secured by a rusty drawbolt, and ahead you see a damp passage. Your Magnakai senses tell you that it heads due south.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect242">If you wish to take a closer look at the door, <link-text>turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect343">If you wish to investigate the passage, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect265">
+ <meta><title>265</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A ghostly mist issues from the parting jaws of the throne-statue. You step back, your weapon raised, but it does nothing to protect you from the piercing screech which suddenly fills your head. You reel under the onslaught as, desperately, your Magnakai senses try to block this violent psychic attack. Before you can muster your defences to repel the attack, you suffer shock and injury to your central nervous system: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect293"><link-text>Turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect266">
+ <meta><title>266</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Although you race along the street with the Death Knights hot on your heels, you are confident that you will soon outrun them. However, your confidence is severely shaken when you see that the way ahead is blocked by a hill of rubble, the remains of a collapsed watchtower.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you do not possess this skill, or have yet to reach this level of Kai Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect267">
+ <meta><title>267</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With trepidation you follow the passage, praying all the while that Banedon's vision proves to be correct. Then at last your prayers are answered when, in the distance, you catch your first glimpse of the Zlanbeast pens.</p>
+ <p>You soon arrive at the entrance to the pens, where, from the safety of the shadows, you stop to observe the activity taking place inside. Lining the walls of the chamber you count more than a dozen cages, each holding a Zlanbeast or several smaller Kraan. Most are feeding, but there are some saddled ready for flight. One of these saddled Zlanbeast is perched nearby on a landing platform from where it casts its idle gaze upon the city far below.</p>
+ <p>You are contemplating how long it will take you and Banedon to reach the platform and climb aboard the waiting Zlanbeast, when suddenly you notice something strange that arouses your suspicions: there are no handlers or guards on duty in the pen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect294">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect168">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect268">
+ <meta><title>268</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull the door slightly ajar then quickly gather up some sacks and boxes which you stack in a heap near the opening. The guttering wall torch that illuminates this chamber provides the flame to set this little makeshift bonfire alight. Soon the tinder-dry pile is ablaze, sending clouds of acrid blue-grey smoke billowing along the corridor towards the guards.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect347">If the number you have picked is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect175">If it is 5&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect269">
+ <meta><title>269</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Barbed arrows whistle past you to shatter on the marble steps as you force your aching legs to cover the final twenty feet which separate you from the safety of the tunnel ahead.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect71">If your total is 0&endash;1, <link-text>turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect236">If it is 2&endash;6. <link-text>turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect316">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect270">
+ <meta><title>270</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch with fascination as the two wispy figures glide to a halt before the door. Their dark bodies are amorphous and indistinct, as if some spell or charm was preventing you from focusing clearly upon their true forms. They whisper words in a sombre musical tone, and slowly the slab of steel recedes into the wall.</p>
+ <p>A sudden probe invades your mind; you have been detected psychically. The wispy creatures solidify into the shapes of two dragon-like creatures, each the size of a small horse and, as they turn to face you, the probe in your mind is transformed into a red-hot lance of pain.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect174">If you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect45">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect271">
+ <meta><title>271</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The passage runs in an uninterrupted straight line for several hundred yards before arriving at a great circular room constructed of granite blocks. Cold air falls from a dark opening overhead and dozens of ropes and pulleys extend from this shaft, hanging down to touch the flag stoned floor. A large square door, furnished with brass and iron studs, is situated to your left. Apart from the shaft it appears to be the only exit from this chamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect141">If you possess a Brass Key, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect255">If you do not have this Backpack Item, <link-text>turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect272">
+ <meta><title>272</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the door you find a small chamber, its wood-panelled walls hung with bridles and saddlery. You push the door closed and hold your breath as the footfalls of the Drakkarim steadily grow louder. To your relief, they pass by the door and continue without slowing down. When you can detect no sounds in the passageway, you leave this tack room and hurry away.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect332"><link-text>Turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect273">
+ <meta><title>273</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Like a shadow, you slip across the bridge and enter the alleyway unnoticed. At the far end of this narrow, foul-smelling passage you see the iron staircase which ascends to an arched portal, an opening which is framed by the coils of a black stone serpent. Cautiously you climb the stairs, taking care to avoid those steps eaten through by rust, your eyes fixed upon the portal above. Suddenly you freeze in your tracks when a splash of sparks illuminates the face of a Drakkar warrior who is standing on guard in the shadows. He is striking a flint, trying desperately to ignite a braided cord with which to light the briar pipe clenched between his rot-blackened teeth. Beside him, propped against a heavy iron door, is a spear.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Assimilance, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect163">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect274">
+ <meta><title>274</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai Discipline of Telegnosis, you induce a trance that allows your conscious mind to leave your physical body and float across the fiery moat towards Banedon's prone form. Telepathically you call to him, trying to awaken him to consciousness, but you are unable to make contact. Then unexpectedly, your psychic calls are answered by a blood-chilling scream.</p>
+ <p>Horror floods your mind when you realize that the person before you is not your friend Banedon&emdash;it is a Helghast. As the creature rises and its features twist and distort before your gaze, you cast an anxious glance back across the moat to the place where your physical body stands. Through the great door come two Drakkarim guards behind a slavering boar-like creature which is straining on its leash. With relish they release the beast and it bounds towards your inanimate body, its jaws snapping wildly. Fear blazes scarlet as you will your spirit towards your body, desperate to reunite before the boar-thing tears your flesh to shreds.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 20 or more, add 1 to the number you have picked. If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is 19 or less, deduct 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect299">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 299</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect122">If it is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 122</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect275">
+ <meta><title>275</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An arrow strikes your friend in the side and silently he falls to his knees, his hands still clinging to you for support. You stoop to lift him, but suddenly there is a flash of light and a blinding pain fills your head. The pain soon passes, but it is replaced by a blackness which fills your vision. You feel yourself falling forwards into an infinite void, as if you had, in the middle of a moonless night, just stepped over the edge of a towering cliff. Reluctantly you surrender to the sensation for it is the last sensation you will ever feel.</p>
+ <p>Sadly, your life and your quest end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect276">
+ <meta><title>276</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step back from the slain bodies of these two deadly foes, and lean against a table for support until your strength returns. By chance, you notice a strange key lying there. It has been carved from a green metallic substance which radiates a dim, phosphorescent light.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Green Key, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you carry in your tunic pocket.</p>
+ <p>As soon as your strength returns, you leave this chamber and press on with your search for Guildmaster Banedon.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133"><link-text>Turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect277">
+ <meta><title>277</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sprint across the empty street and crouch at the base of the tower wall. The brick surface is plastered with mouldering grey cement and, as you look up at the roof twenty feet above, you steel yourself for what could prove to be a difficult climb.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess a Rope, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect198">If it is 4-6, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect63">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect278">
+ <meta><title>278</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A few minutes later you see two Giaks coming down the corridor, both carrying wooden buckets filled with sand. Hesitantly they push open the door, tip the sand haphazardly over the smouldering remains of the fire, then turn and scurry away.</p>
+ <p>For a while there is a hubbub of activity in the hallway as the guards and the Giaks speculate at length about the cause of the fire. While you are waiting for things to calm down, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points (unless you possess Grand Huntmastery).</p>
+ <p>Your first plan having failed, you decide instead to exercise your Kai skills of persuasion, aided by the use of the discarded Drakkar uniform.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect70"><link-text>Turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect279">
+ <meta><title>279</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw back the bolt and push the rickety door. It opens out to a passageway which runs alongside the abattoir, deserted and empty save for a few piles of Giak bones freshly stripped of their flesh.</p>
+ <p>You follow this passage to its end, keeping to the shadows to minimize the risk of being seen by those who may be lurking in the ruins, yet, unfortunately, you neglect to notice the Kraan which are circling high above. As you reach the end of the passage and turn the corner, three of these flying spawn come swooping down out of the smoky sky to batter you with their claw-tipped wings. Twice you are knocked down before you manage to draw your weapon and fight back.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small12.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small12.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>3 Kaag Kraan</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">45</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">60</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>If you possess the skill of Kai-surge and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, double any psychic combat bonuses you may be entitled to (for the duration of this combat only).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If you win this fight, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect280">
+ <meta><title>280</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Defiantly you face the Helghast, your weapon at your side. The creature looks upon you and sneers, revealing two sharp fangs which protrude from its lower jaw. It emits a chilling cackle, full of hatred and contempt, and its eyes blaze like two hot coals as it confidently quickens its gait. You take a breath and utter the word of power that you learned from your mentor, Lord Rimoah: <quote>Gloar!</quote></p>
+ <p>The word forms a ball of energy that speeds across the hall and slams into the approaching Helghast. The force of this power-word lifts the creature into the air and sends it tumbling, like some hideous rag doll, backwards into the flame-filled moat.</p>
+ <p>Open-mouthed, the two Drakkarim stumble to a halt and stare down into the all-consuming fire. Nervously they glance at each other, fearful of suffering a similar fate, but years of fierce battle discipline soon override their anxiety and, like two automatons, they raise their swords and continue to advance towards you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim Veterans</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">30</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">35</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect281">
+ <meta><title>281</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The hovering shadow is changing shape once more. It expands and thickens, its misty outline now becoming hard and clearly defined. Your heart quickens when the transformation is complete for now you see before you a scaly dragon, with frosty-white skin and eyes as black as deep space. It fixes you with a murderous gaze and opens a mouth that is packed with razor-sharp fangs. Then a chilling gust of super-cold breath blows over you, leaving you shivering. Your Magnakai skills save you from being instantly frozen to death by this icy blast, but they will not keep you safe from the creature's fangs, its horny tail, or its sword-like claws. With a hungry growl, the dragon comes stalking forwards. Its jaw hangs open in expectation of an easy feast.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A scaly dragon with frosty white skin and razor-sharp<br />fangs fixes you with a murderous gaze.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill15.gif" width="386" height="567"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill15.pdf" width="386" height="567"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>Ice dragon (polymorphed Nadziranim)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">52</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect50">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect282">
+ <meta><title>282</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Kraan glides towards the semi-ovoid platform and you swing one leg over its neck in readiness to leap from the saddle the moment it lands. With graceful agility, you jump the last few feet on to the platform and run through the open entrance. A Giak Kraan-handler suddenly appears before you, but your quick wits and Kai camouflage skills keep you from being seen. As he shuffles out on to the platform to tend to the screeching Kraan, you run towards the rear of the pen where there are two exits: one to the south, the other to the west.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If you wish to enter the south arch, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect55">If you choose to enter the west arch, <link-text>turn to 55</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect283">
+ <meta><title>283</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An arrow clips your forearm, making you cry out in pained surprise: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p><quote>It's no good, Banedon,</quote> you shout, as you watch the Drakkarim rushing towards you, <quote>we'll have to take our chances in the pen.</quote></p>
+ <p>Cursing your predicament you turn around and hurry back towards the waiting ambush. But you have taken less than five steps inside the pen when an unexpected sound makes you look up. To your horror, you see a weighted net falling from the ceiling directly on to your heads.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If your total is now 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect262">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect284">
+ <meta><title>284</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you land the killing blow which parts the head of this ghastly Vordak, it shrieks a cry of alarm that attracts a Zlanbeast circling in the smoky sky above. The winged reptilian answers its call by swooping down and raking you with its serrated beak.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add 1 to this number. The resulting total is equivalent to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you lose due to the Zlanbeast's attack.</p>
+ <p>Before you can retaliate, the winged creature soars into the air and disappears. Cursing its departure, you look down to see that the body of the slain Vordak is no longer there. It has transformed into a foul-smelling green gas.</p>
+ <p>Mindful that the Zlanbeast might summon others of its kind, you sheathe your weapon and escape from the area as quickly as you can. At the end of the street you see an avenue leading off to the south, and another, blocked by rubble, heading off to the west.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to follow the avenue southwards, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect35">If you choose to clamber over the rubble which fills the entrance to the west avenue, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect285">
+ <meta><title>285</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Carefully you step over the twitching remains of the three Plaak and continue along the tunnel without looking back. Several hundred yards later you arrive at an empty circular room. The only feature here is a rusty iron ladder fixed precariously to the wall, which ascends through a hole in the ceiling to a level above. There is no other exit from this chamber and so, with caution guiding your every move, you climb the rust-eaten rungs.</p>
+ <p>You rise through the hole to find yourself in a corridor which is strewn with human bones. Skeletons lie mixed in tangled heaps and many of the skulls and loose bones seem to have been gnawed. The psychic residues of pain and terror left by these luckless victims presses in upon your senses, making you feel queasy and claustrophobic. With pounding heart you advance along the bone-choked passage, stepping carefully through the skeletons to avoid making a sound. But you have taken less than a dozen steps when something unexpected makes you freeze in your tracks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect218"><link-text>Turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect286">
+ <meta><title>286</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a triumphant growl, the Akataz rips free of the curtain and comes leaping at your chest. Hurriedly you step back, unsheathing your weapon as you struggle to defend yourself from its slavering jaws.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Akataz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">24</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This war-dog is especially susceptible to psychic attack. If you can and wish to use a psychic attack during combat, double all bonuses to which you are entitled.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect13">If you win this combat in four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect264">If you win this combat in five rounds or longer, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect287">
+ <meta><title>287</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You feel the heat singe your skin as the stream of flame comes speeding towards your face. Guided purely by instinct, you throw yourself to the floor in a desperate attempt to avoid being sprayed by this stream of liquid fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect323">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect288">
+ <meta><title>288</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The vines are rope-thick and immensely tough. Despite their thorns, which repeatedly snag your cloak, you find it easy to climb up the shaft to the level above. However, as you approach the level, the thorns begin to grow at an alarming rate. They pierce your clothing and, when they puncture your skin, you feel an agonising pain course through your body. Like the teeth of a vampire, the thorns allow the bloodsucking vines to leech your life's blood: lose 10 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Half-blinded by the pain and loss of blood, you fail to see the pair of Drakkarim Death Knights who are standing close to the edge of the shaft on this level. Your cries of agony startle them and, with brutal efficiency, they tear you away from your thorny prison and throw you to the ground. Through a red haze of pain you glimpse them unsheathing their swords with the intention of striking you dead.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim Death Knights</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">42</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">37</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect230">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect289">
+ <meta><title>289</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In desperation you throw up your hands to shield your face as the spiked log comes hurtling down the stairs. It hits you, impaling your chest upon two of its deadly sharpened staves, and rolls you down the stairs to the street below. You suffer terrible wounds and, mercifully, death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here in Kaag.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect290">
+ <meta><title>290</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The passage leads directly to a huge hall constructed of fiery red granite. It is lit by scores of braziers placed at regular intervals around the walls, and the atmosphere is heavy with the stench of ash and sulphur. Tapestries woven of metal thread adorn the far wall, making it gleam dully in the scarlet light. They depict scenes of evil grandeur: vast molten landscapes, like the surfaces of suns, all furiously ablaze.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you step into the hall, passing between two great pillars which flank the entrance. The air is scorchingly hot (although you have experienced hotter places here in Kaag) and your senses are dulled by it. Far off in the distance, through the rising heat, you glimpse a tunnel which descends to a lower level of the citadel.</p>
+ <p>You are contemplating avoiding this hall by turning back and retracing your steps to the junction, when suddenly you hear the sound of flapping wings high above. You look up and a shiver runs the length of your spine when you see two malicious eyes staring down at you from the shadows of the roof.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect21">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect191">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect291">
+ <meta><title>291</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Anger wells up in the guard's face when you refuse to answer him.</p>
+ <p><quote>Okak gaz!</quote> he growls, and thrusts his spear murderously at your chest. With ease you sidestep the attack and, as you move, you take hold of the shaft and pull him off balance. With a yelp of fear the brutish Drakkar stumbles and falls headlong down the steps towards the alley below.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect257">If the number you have chosen is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect111">If it is 5&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 111</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect292">
+ <meta><title>292</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You feel your strength waning as the Helghast's steely fingers claw relentlessly into your throat: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. In sheer desperation you twist and writhe like a snake in a last-ditch attempt to free yourself from its deadly grip. For an instant its hold falters and you exploit this weakness to the full. You grab the creature's sleeves and, with a swerve of your hips, you send it hurtling over your shoulder. With a wail of abject terror, the Helghast is sent tumbling off the bridge to fall, face first, into the flame-filled moat.</p>
+ <p>Open-mouthed, the two Drakkarim stumble to a halt and stare down into the moat. Nervously they glance at each other, fearful of suffering a similar fate, then they turn and run towards the open chamber door. Determined not to let them escape, you give chase and catch up with them within a few yards of the entrance.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">26</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">35</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect293">
+ <meta><title>293</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From out of the mist-filled jaw there emerges a small black creature covered in shaggy fur. Its head is white, cut with dark bony ridges and studded with running sores that encircle its flaming red eyes.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A small, black, shaggy creature with flaming red eyes<br />emerges from the mist-filled jaw.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill16.gif" width="386" height="676"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill16.pdf" width="386" height="676"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You raise your weapon and get ready to strike as it stalks nearer, but your concentration is momentarily broken when you notice a wispy shadow emerging from the alcove on the far side of the hall. It is a Nadziranim sorcerer. Fearful of its purpose, you turn away from the furry creature and make a dash towards the ivory staircase, intent on reaching Banedon as quickly as possible. The stalking creature, thinking that you are running in fear, immediately gives chase and comes bounding towards you, determined to intercept you before you reach the steps.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect173">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 173</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect294">
+ <meta><title>294</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You bring your advanced tracking senses to bear and, almost at once, you detect an ambush has been laid for you in this pen. An elaborate magical screen has been erected to camouflage and keep hidden the warriors who are, at this very moment, lying in wait for you and Banedon to appear.</p>
+ <p>Anxiously, you peer into the pen, scrutinizing every shadow for some clue to the ambushers' whereabouts, but you are unable to spot their positions. The saddled Zlanbeast looks so inviting, yet your hopes of escape are tempered by the desire to keep yourself and Guildmaster Banedon alive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect95">If you wish to attempt to reach the Zlanbeast and escape as quickly as you can, hopefully before the ambushers can stop you, <link-text>turn to 95</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect147">If you decide to retreat from the pens and go in search of an alternative escape route, <link-text>turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect295">
+ <meta><title>295</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the Doomwolf howls its death-cry and crashes to the floor, you hear the sound of booted feet running along the passageway outside. The noise of combat and the Doomwolf's last howl have drawn a squad of Drakkarim to this cell.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you cross to the room's solitary window. It is criss-crossed with iron bars, but on closer examination you discover that they are loose and badly corroded. A swift blow with the heels of your hands is enough to dislodge them, allowing you to escape with ease.</p>
+ <p>Outside the window there is a covered courtyard. You crouch in the shadows while you wait for a group of Drakkarim stablehands to disappear, then you cross to the far side, climb a low wall, and make your escape into the ruins beyond.</p>
+ <p>For over a mile you wend your way through derelict buildings before you happen upon an avenue which is surprisingly clear of debris and obstructions. You are conscious that perhaps it is too clear, offering you no cover at all from the tall buildings that line this route to the centre of Kaag. You decide to trust to the ruins rather than run the risk of being detected out in the open. However, within a matter of minutes you are confronted by a new hazard. The ground in this section of the city is unsafe. It is riddled with pot-holes and concealed cellars, covered by rotten wooden beams and slabs of paper-thin plaster. Suddenly one such section gives way beneath your feet and you find yourself falling headlong into coal-black darkness.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If your total score is now 0&endash;5, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect296">
+ <meta><title>296</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your spell causes the sphere to vibrate uncontrollably. Tiny cracks appear in its crystal surface then, with a flash of sparks, it breaks in two. At once the shimmering wall of light which imprisons Banedon flickers, then disappears completely.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188"><link-text>Turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect297">
+ <meta><title>297</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unable to progress any further in this direction, you return to the Kraan pen and enter the west arch. There you discover a flight of stairs which ascends through several levels of the citadel until it finally emerges in a vast hall. This chilly place is festooned with icy stalactites. In the dim distance you see the yellowy glow of a warmer chamber and you hurry towards it, taking care not to slip on the treacherous, frost-covered floor.</p>
+ <p>You are near the centre of this chamber when the temperature drops dramatically. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to the extreme cold.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133">To continue, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect298">
+ <meta><title>298</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Upon the instant of his death, your enemy is consumed by a roaring fire which sprouts from the shaft of his sorcerous weapon. Within the space of a few seconds he is transformed into a heap of red-hot dust.</p>
+ <p>Shocked by what has occurred here, and fearful of what may yet happen if you stay any longer, you rush to the crypt door and force it open. Grasping for breath, you race up the short flight of steps and run headlong for cover among the neighbouring ruins. There you find an ideal hiding place. It is concealed from the sky by an upper storey, and it commands an unobstructed view of a deserted plaza, its only means of approach. Here you rest while you consider your next course of action. Restore 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>During your rest, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect201">To continue, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect299">
+ <meta><title>299</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rejoin your physical body barely seconds before the creature attacks, but the shock of such a swift transition leaves you temporarily paralysed and unable to move: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>As the numbness fades, the boar-thing slams into your chest and sends you reeling backwards across the glassy floor towards the moat. Its great curved tusks deeply gouge your arm and shoulder (lose a further 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Unsteadily you rise to your feet and draw your weapon as the beast attacks once more, this time with its head down, in an attempt to butt you into the fiery moat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Gnagusk</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">41</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect325">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect300">
+ <meta><title>300</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You increase your speed as you approach the iron door and get ready to push against it, expecting great resistance but, to your complete surprise, the heavy portal swings open the instant you reach out to touch it. A gust of cooling air wafts in your face, encouraging you to step into the hall which lies beyond. Swiftly the iron door slams shut behind you but you pay it no heed. The refreshing coolness and the awesome spectacle of the hall itself commands your complete attention.</p>
+ <p>Tiers of glittering gold-veined marble descend to a circular hall where a ring of fluted copper pillars support a platform, shaped like the foredeck of some great ship. Multicoloured rays stream from a crystal sphere suspended above this platform, creating a cage of flickering light at its centre. Sitting in this radiant cage is a pale-skinned man with long blond hair. His knees are drawn up to his chin and his eyes are closed, as if asleep. You recognize him to be Banedon, but still mindful of your encounter with the Helghast, you reserve your judgement.</p>
+ <p>A narrow staircase, its hand-rails carved and fashioned from the tusks of Kalte mammoths, leads directly to the platform. Cautiously you descend the tiers, cross the floor, and advance towards these stairs, stopping only when you reach a granite throne positioned directly opposite the staircase. The back and arms of this crude seat have been chiselled to resemble a lion-like creature sitting on its haunches, and it is from here that you attempt to communicate telepathically with the sleeping man.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Multicoloured rays stream from a crystal sphere into<br />the circular hall where the blond, pale-skinned man sits.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill17.gif" width="386" height="638"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill17.pdf" width="386" height="638"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>At first there is no response. Then, wearily, he raises his head and forces open his eyes. His face is haggard and lined with fatigue, but the look of extreme tiredness slowly changes to a smile of recognition when he sees you.</p>
+ <p><thought>Lone Wolf&ellips;</thought> the words form slowly in your mind, <thought>thank Ishir you've found me&ellips;</thought></p>
+ <p>Convinced now that he truly is your friend Banedon, you rush towards the steps, eager to free him from his prison. Then you sense something is wrong and you skid to a halt at the foot of the steps. Banedon's weary smile has changed to a wide-eyed look of fear.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240"><link-text>Turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect301">
+ <meta><title>301</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you set foot upon the dusty floor you discover that it is not what it seems. It is not solid and rapidly you sink up to your chest in a pool of fine grey grit. You throw out your arms to try to slow your descent, but the more you struggle to get free, the faster you sink.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect165">If you possess the Discipline of Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect238">If you do not possess this skill or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect302">
+ <meta><title>302</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Eventually your persistence pays off. The lock clicks open and the door swings back to allow you to pass through into the chamber beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect328"><link-text>Turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect303">
+ <meta><title>303</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter a street bordering the square and move quickly towards a junction in the far distance. All the while you keep to the shadows to minimize the risk of being seen by those lurking in the ruins, yet, unfortunately, you neglect the Kraan who are circling above. As you reach the junction and turn the corner, three of these flying spawn come swooping down out of the smoky sky to batter you with their claw-tipped wings. Twice you are knocked down before you manage to draw your weapon and fight back.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small12.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small12.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>3 Kaag Kraan</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">45</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">60</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>If you possess the skill of Kai-surge and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, double any psychic combat bonuses you may be entitled to (for the duration of this combat only).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If you win this fight, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect304">
+ <meta><title>304</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Fifty yards on, the passage turns sharply to the left and you find yourself staring at an iron-banded door. Luckily this portal is unlocked and you hurry through it, pausing only for a few seconds to bolt it shut behind you before continuing on your way.</p>
+ <p>Shortly you arrive at a deserted stairwell where you begin a long and laborious ascent. You climb more than sixty levels of the citadel before reaching the top. During your climb, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Directly opposite the landing at the top of the stairs is a massive bronze portal, its surface inlaid with intricate symbols cast in silver and gleaming gold. A sleeping Drakkar sentry is seated beside this huge door. He snores softly, his leather-helmeted head tilted to his shoulder and his spear lying uselessly at his feet. He is oblivious to your presence as you glide past him and silently push open the great door.</p>
+ <p>Beyond the portal lies a massive circular hall, its walls lined with slabs of smooth black rock. Its domed ceiling rises more than a hundred feet to point directly above a dais positioned at the centre of the chamber. A flame-filled moat surrounds this circular platform whereupon lies the unconscious body of a blond-haired man clad in silken blue robes. Your spirits soar when you recognize the designs embroidered upon the robe for they are the symbols of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star&emdash;the magician's guild of Sommerlund. For a moment your joy at having found your friend is dampened when your Magnakai senses warn that great danger is close at hand. Prompted by this presentiment you hurry towards the moat, to where an iron drawbridge stands raised, and begin to crank its handle in order to lower it across the fiery divide.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If you possess the Discipline of Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect274">If you possess Telegnosis and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect146">If you possess neither of these Grand Master Disciplines, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect305">
+ <meta><title>305</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature tries to dodge your speeding shaft but it is too slow. The Arrow skewers its lower jaw, causing the beast to shriek out loudly in pained surprise. However, despite this fearful wounding, it does not break off its attack. With chilling disregard for pain, it wrenches the Arrow from its jaw and hurls it aside. Unnerved by this display of bravado, you shoulder your Bow as, with a gurgling shriek, the beast comes bounding forwards. You get ready to meet its advance yet, when it is but ten feet away, it suddenly opens its bloodstained mouth wide and spews forth a stream of white-hot liquid fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect306">
+ <meta><title>306</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You struggle to remove the precious herb from your Backpack. Then, with great difficulty, you force yourself to swallow the dry, golden leaves.</p>
+ <p>Within a few minutes you feel the Oede countering the insidious virus. Your temperature drops and very soon the battle is over; the virus has been totally eradicated from your bloodstream.</p>
+ <p>Once you have fully recovered, you check your equipment before climbing the steps which lead out of this grim cellar.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172"><link-text>Turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect307">
+ <meta><title>307</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You utter a power-word which you direct at the creature's head. The concussive force of this spell hits the beast full in its face, making it falter and stagger back. But it does not delay its advance for very long. Its sheer size and strength enables it to withstand the blow and continue its advance, now doubly determined to fulfil Cadak's command. Hastily you draw a hand weapon as the shadow of the angry beast falls upon you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect128"><link-text>Turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect308">
+ <meta><title>308</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You climb the stairs and emerge in the centre of a hall on the level above. This vault-like room contains a wealth of grim exhibits, hung upon the walls and displayed in glass-fronted cases. The skulls of rare creatures are displayed beside tanned hides and jewel-encrusted bones. One item in particular catches your eye: it is a statuette, fashioned in the likeness of Darklord Zagarna.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Statuette of Zagarna, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you keep in your Backpack. If you already carry your maximum quota, you must discard one item in its favour.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">To continue, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect309">
+ <meta><title>309</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lower your head and force yourself to trudge uphill against the storm, your feet sinking ankle-deep into the barren volcanic dust with every laboured step. Keeping your eyes shut tight against the stinging, gritty winds, you trust solely to your Magnakai senses to steer you on the correct course towards the Darkland city. Only when you reach the top of the ridge do you attempt to look around at the bleak domain. The <cite>Skyrider</cite> is lost from sight, shrouded by the swirling grey clouds. Kaag, too, remains hidden for some minutes until a sudden lull in the storm clears the southern vista. Then, what you see makes your blood run cold.</p>
+ <p>In your lifetime you have gazed upon many awe-inspiring cities, but few compare with the enormous size and monstrous grandeur of Kaag. A coal-black curtain-wall constructed of massive blocks of smooth, featureless stone, encircles this city, forty miles wide. At its centre there arises a gigantic citadel of black marble, pyramid-shaped and slitted with numerous vents to allow what passes for air to circulate within. Its highest point towers two miles above the desolate plain. Thunder booms and streaks of blue-white lightning earth themselves against its walls, drawn from the rolling storm clouds gathered menacingly overhead.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small1.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small1.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>At first the fortress seems wholly impregnable, then you notice that the outer wall is not entirely intact. Illuminated by the infrequent electrical flashes, you see that a vast section of the battlements, close to the North Gate, have collapsed. Also, away to the east, a mile-long section has fallen outwards to litter the plain with huge black cubes of stone. You are surprised to note that no attempt has been made to repair these breaches and, consequently, access to the city could be effected at either place with relative ease.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect88">If you wish to enter Kaag through the breach in the north wall, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect235">If you decide instead to enter Kaag through the east wall, <link-text>turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect310">
+ <meta><title>310</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Holding Banedon firmly in place across your shoulders, you climb the tiered steps towards the tunnel. The cold dark passage looks most uninviting, but when you hear the sound of a patrol approaching the main doors, you forget your reticence and hurry along the passage to avoid him.</p>
+ <p>The dingy passage descends by slope and stair to a rectangular hall which is lined with ancient stone statues, their features made unrecognizable by age. Tar-soaked torches fixed to the two longest walls illuminate this musty chamber with a flickering amber light, and the air is heavy with their oily stench. In the distance you see an archway and the passage continuing away into darkness.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29">If you wish to stop here for a few minutes and try to revive Banedon, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect177">If you decide to press on without stopping here, <link-text>turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect311">
+ <meta><title>311</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fell creature pins you to the ground and its steely hands tighten like two vices around your throat. Blackness invades the edges of your vision and, although you twist and buck to break free, you feel your strength ebbing away fast. Soon you are too weak to struggle any longer and, reluctantly, you slip away into a sleep from which you will never awaken. Sadly, your life and your quest end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect312">
+ <meta><title>312</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You propel yourself out of the ruins and sprint across the street towards the tower stairs. Everything seems to be going to plan until you are halfway up, when suddenly there is a loud <onomatopoeia>clunk</onomatopoeia>. You look up and, to your horror, you see a heavy wooden log, pierced by a criss-cross of metal staves sharpened at either end, come crashing down the steps towards you. The brutal face of a Drakkar peers over the edge of the tower parapet, watching with gleeful expectation as the great spiked log bounces on the steps and comes spinning straight at you.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect289">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect41">If it is 4-7, <link-text>turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect313">
+ <meta><title>313</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have taken less than a dozen steps along the tunnel when the soles of your boots begin to smoulder and give off wisps of smoke.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect37">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect110">If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect314">
+ <meta><title>314</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using the Brotherhood spell of <spell>Mind Charm</spell>, reinforced by your powerful psychic ability, you convince the two guards to allow you to pass unhindered. They draw back their spears and at once the crackling crimson energy which united them ceases to arc between the shafts.</p>
+ <p><quote>You may enter,</quote> they say, without any trace of emotion, and as they stand aside, so the two great doors glide silently open. Steeling yourself, you stride towards the blazing purple light which fills the chamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186"><link-text>Turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect315">
+ <meta><title>315</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try the handle and discover the door is unlocked. Inside, you find a room lit by four wall sconces. A single bed, a trestle table, a stool and a wooden trunk are the only furnishings in this spartan abode. A filthy curtain partitions this room from the next and, as you approach it, you hear a menacing growl that makes you reach for your weapon. It is the growl of an Akataz: a Drakkarim war-dog.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect180">If you possess the Discipline of Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect215">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 215</link-text></choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect316">
+ <meta><title>316</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sound of arrows whistling towards your back provides all the incentive you need to keep running. You bound up the steps and, as the deadly barbed shafts fly past only inches from your back and legs, you carry your friend headlong into the tunnel.</p>
+ <p>The dingy passage beyond descends by slope and stair to a rectangular hall which is lined with ancient stone statues, their features made unrecognizable by age. Tar-soaked torches fixed to the two longest walls illuminate this musty chamber with a flickering amber light, and the air is heavy with their oily stench. In the distance you see an archway and the passage continuing away into darkness. You are breathless from your narrow escape and feel the need to rest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29">If you wish to stop here for a few minutes to rest, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect177">If you decide to press on without stopping here, <link-text>turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect317">
+ <meta><title>317</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you call upon your psychic defences to shield your mind from this attack, but your reflexes have been dulled by the fatigue of recent combat and you react too slowly to prevent some of the Vordaks' destructive energy from reaching your psyche. Lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect219"><link-text>Turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect318">
+ <meta><title>318</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call upon your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control in an attempt to halt the Egorgh advance, but your powers of persuasion are not strong enough to turn away all three of these fearsome hulks. For a moment they halt and settle on their haunches, then, with a chorus of frantic screeches, the creatures come leaping towards you, their mouths agape and their claws extended ready for the kill.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>The creatures leap towards you, mouths agape and<br />claws extended, ready for the kill.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill18.gif" width="386" height="644"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill18.pdf" width="386" height="644"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>3 Egorghs</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">37</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">42</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>These creatures are particularly susceptible to psychic attacks; double all bonuses you would normally be entitled to if you choose to employ psychic attacks during this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect261">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 261</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect319">
+ <meta><title>319</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect319-1-foot" idref="sect319-1">
+ <p>The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With trepidation you step into the glimmering column of light and immediately you feel yourself begin to rise. Bands of darkness flick past with growing rapidity, each one a passing floor level of this mountainous citadel. Then you feel yourself slowing to a halt. The column fades and you find yourself standing on a metal dais in the centre of a domed chamber. Ahead you see a great door, forged of Kagonite, and beside it there is a narrow staircase leading down.</p>
+ <p>As you approach the door, you notice the lock that secures it. It is inlaid with a series of numbers and, at once, you recognize that they are component parts of a combination lock. One number in the sequence is missing. By tapping the correct number upon the blank square, you will cause the lock to disengage.</p>
+ <p>Study the following sequence of numbers carefully. When you think you know what the missing number is, turn to the page that is identical to your answer.<a id="sect319-1" idref="sect319-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+<illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="sect181.gif" width="386" height="131"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="sect181.pdf" width="386" height="131"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect297">If you guess incorrectly, or if you cannot answer the puzzle, <link-text>turn instead to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect320">
+ <meta><title>320</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The bolt of lightning hits the sphere and causes it to vibrate, but the bolt itself is not strong enough to shatter or dislodge it. The curtain of light imprisoning Banedon remains intact and you are forced to abandon the spell and try some other way of freeing him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect245">If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect108">If you possess Magi-magic, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If you do not have a Bow, do not possess the Discipline of Magi-magic, or have yet to reach the required Kai rank, <link-text>turn instead to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect321">
+ <meta><title>321</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last of the Drakkarim falls dead at your feet, you turn and help Banedon who has been wounded during the fight. He is bleeding from the upper right arm, but when you examine the wound you discover that it is not as deep as you had first feared. You are helping him to stand when you hear a man's voice cursing you quietly in the shadows. You turn to face this voice, weapon in hand, ready to attack. You command him to show himself, but you are shocked to the core when you see who it is who emerges into the grey light of the pen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect54"><link-text>Turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect322">
+ <meta><title>322</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lash out at the cube with unerring accuracy, but the moment your weapon connects with it there is a tremendous flash and explosion. A searing gout of flame hurls you backwards to the floor, leaving you blinded and semi-conscious. Lose 15 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect72">If you have survived this grievous wounding, <link-text>turn to 72</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect323">
+ <meta><title>323</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your lightning-fast reflexes save you from being hit by the searing stream of liquid fire. Several droplets splash your tunic and it catches alight (lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point), but you quickly extinguish the flames. Coolly you raise your weapon and stare the creature defiantly in the eye as it gets ready to pounce.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39"><link-text>Turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect324">
+ <meta><title>324</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Calling upon the secrets of your new-found Kai mastery, you summon from the ground a dense mist which rapidly fills the space between you and the advancing Death Knights. The instant they are lost to sight, you throw yourself flat on your chest to avoid their volley of deadly bolts. They fire, but their missiles pass over where you lie and shatter harmlessly against a distant wall.</p>
+ <p>Before they can retreat from the mist to reload, you spring to your feet and rush forwards, catching them unaware. You dodge through their line with ease, and by the time they realize that you have evaded them, and start to give chase, you have passed the junction and have begun to run along the street opposite.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect266"><link-text>Turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect325">
+ <meta><title>325</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you pull away from the body of the dead Gnagusk, the iron drawbridge comes crashing down. The sudden noise makes you spin around and you see the Helghast as it comes rushing across the flaming moat. As it runs, its skin darkens and peels away in tatters as if it was being scorched by some invisible fire. The Drakkarim meet the creature at the end of the bridge and, together, they turn and advance upon you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect5">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect280">If you possess Magi-magic, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect132">If you possess Kai-surge, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect48">If you have none of these Grand Master Disciplines, or choose not to use any of them, <link-text>turn instead to 48</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect326">
+ <meta><title>326</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You invoke the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Mind Charm</spell> and direct it at the sleeping Drakkar. Telepathically, you ask him where the Sommlending wizard is being held prisoner, and at first you detect no reply. You ask again, and this time you get a faint response.</p>
+ <p><thought>Above&ellips; high above&ellips; In old Zagarna's courtroom.</thought></p>
+ <p>Satisfied that you have gleaned all the information you are likely to from this Drakkar, you climb the stairs and emerge in the centre of a hall on the level above. This vault-like room contains a wealth of grim exhibits, hung upon the walls or displayed in glass-fronted cases. The skulls of rare creatures are displayed beside tanned hides and jewel-encrusted bones. One item in particular catches your eye: it is a statuette, fashioned in the likeness of Darklord Zagarna.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep this Statuette of Zagarna, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you keep in your Backpack. If you already carry your maximum quota, you must discard one item in its favour.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">To continue, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect327">
+ <meta><title>327</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Warily you follow the avenue deeper into the black heart of Kaag. This cobbled street, beslimed with nameless refuse, winds its way between mountainous piles of rubble and derelict dwellings. You reach a square where you see huge scarlet flames roaring skywards from a vent in the ground. The flames fill the air with intermittent flashes of blood-red light and billowing clouds of sooty smoke. Shadows play upon the surrounding walls, cast not only by the fire but also by the winged Kraan which swoop back and forth across this section of the city.</p>
+ <p>You are watching the Kraan diving and twisting above the rooftops when suddenly your senses alert you to an imminent danger. You sense a troop of Giaks approaching along the avenue towards your hiding place.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If you wish to avoid them by entering one of the buildings that border the square, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you decide to hurry away from the square, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect328">
+ <meta><title>328</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the door awaits a sumptuous chamber dominated by a magnificent fireplace crafted from blocks of glassy rock. The walls are hung with fine tapestries, looted from the Stornlands during times of war, and you note that the furniture is carved from best Durenese oak.</p>
+ <p>You pass through the chamber into an adjoining passage which leads to a library. As you enter, you disturb a robed creature seated at a lectern. Before it can rise or raise the alarm, you draw your weapon and silence it with a swift blow to the base of its skull. Pulling back its hood reveals it to be a Liganim, a thrall of the Nadziranim sorcerers.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Beyond the door lies a sumptuous chamber, walls<br />hung with fine tapestries and furniture carved from Durenese<br />oak.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill19.gif" width="386" height="642"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill19.pdf" width="386" height="642"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Suddenly you hear movement and glance up to see another Liganim peering over the parapet of a gallery which encircles the upper level of this library. The creature, having witnessed the slaying of its companion, lets out a horrified squeal and turns to run towards an archway on the far side of the gallery. Determined to prevent his escape, you lower Banedon to the floor then rush towards a flight of wooden stairs that also lead to the archway. However, as you near the landing at the top of these stairs, two more of the creatures appear from either side, with wands gripped in their clawed hands. They shout a spell-word in the dark tongue and a crackling curtain of energy flares between the two rods, blocking your path. The power-wall looks formidable, but you sense at once that it is really quite weak.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect134">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 134</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect241">If you wish to run straight through this magical barrier, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect15">If you choose to retreat down the stairs and rejoin your unconscious companion, <link-text>turn to 15</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect329">
+ <meta><title>329</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Outside the window there is a covered courtyard. You crouch in the shadows while you wait for a group of Drakkarim stablehands to finish their duties here, then you cross to the far side, climb over a low wall, and make your escape into the ruins beyond.</p>
+ <p>For over a mile you wend your way through derelict buildings before you happen upon an avenue which is surprisingly clear of debris and obstructions. You are conscious that perhaps it is too clear, offering you no cover at all from the tall buildings that line this route to the centre of Kaag.</p>
+ <p>You decide to trust to the ruins rather than run the risk of being detected out in the open. However, within a matter of minutes you are confronted by a new hazard. The ground in this section of the city is unsafe. It is riddled with pot-holes and concealed cellars, covered by rotten wooden beams and slabs of paper-thin plaster. Suddenly one such section gives way beneath your feet and you find yourself falling headlong into coal-black darkness.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If your total score is now 0&endash;5, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect330">
+ <meta><title>330</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you raise your enchanted weapon, the Helghast shrieks in alarm as it recognizes the power you wield. Immediately it breaks off its advance and staggers back towards the bridge, desperate to flee its nemesis. Determinedly you chase after this evil being and, as it reaches the drawbridge, you come to within a sword's length of its skull.</p>
+ <p><quote>Die, foul spawn!</quote> you cry, and with one fell sweep of your arm, you send the creature tumbling from the bridge to be consumed by the hungry flames below. Open-mouthed, the two Drakkarim stumble to a halt and stare down into the moat. Nervously they glance at each other, fearful of suffering a similar fate, then they turn and run towards the open door. Determined not to let them escape, you give chase and catch up with them within a few yards of the entrance.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">26</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">35</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect331">
+ <meta><title>331</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the chamber by means of a passageway that leads to a circular hall. Here, a column of shimmering blue light descends from a hole in the middle of the roof and passes through a similar hole in the floor. Your senses tingle as you gaze at this column, for you immediately recognize its purpose. Within the confines of the light, gravity is greatly reduced. It is used as a means of transportation, an elevator that can take you to other levels of Kaag, either above or below. The last time you saw one of these devices was in Helgedad, the former principal stronghold of the Darklands.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect319">If you wish to step into the transporter beam, <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect115">If you choose to ignore it, you can leave the chamber by means of a spiral staircase adjacent to its north wall. <link-text>Turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect332">
+ <meta><title>332</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The passage ends at an open door which leads to a covered courtyard. You wait for a group of Drakkarim stablehands to leave the yard, then you cross to the far side, climb over a low wall, and make your way into the ruins beyond.</p>
+ <p>For over a mile you wend your way through derelict buildings before you happen upon an avenue which is surprisingly clear of debris and obstructions. You are conscious that perhaps it is too clear, offering you no cover at all from the tall buildings which line this route to the centre of Kaag.</p>
+ <p>You decide to trust to the ruins rather than run the risk of being detected out in the open. However, within a matter of minutes you are confronted by a new hazard. The ground in this section of the city is unsafe. It is riddled with pot-holes and concealed cellars, covered by rotten wooden beams and slabs of paper-thin plaster. Suddenly one such section gives way beneath your feet and you find yourself falling headlong into coal-black darkness.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If your total score is now 0&endash;5, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect333">
+ <meta><title>333</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your lightning-fast reflexes and your mastery of the Discipline of Grand Nexus saved you from being hit by the searing stream of liquid fire. Droplets splash on your tunic and it catches alight, but you quickly extinguish the flames before stepping forwards to engage the creature in mortal combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect197"><link-text>Turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect334">
+ <meta><title>334</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You release the straining bowstring but the speed of the war-dog's attack spoils your aim. The Arrow misses by a hair's breadth and shatters against the floor. An instant later the dog is upon you, knocking you down, its fang-filled jaws snapping within inches of your unprotected face.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Akataz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">24</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This hound is especially susceptible to psychic attack. If you can and wish to use a psychic attack during combat, double all bonuses to which you are entitled.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect13">If you win this combat in four rounds, or less, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect264">If you win, and combat lasts five rounds, or longer, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect335">
+ <meta><title>335</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Steadily you draw an Arrow and take aim at the approaching beast. As the boar-thing comes bounding on to the drawbridge, you let fly your shaft at a point between its great curved tusks.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, add 5 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect102">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 102</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect221">If it is 6-11, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect34">If it is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect336">
+ <meta><title>336</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Guided by instinct, you hurriedly retrieve the statuette from your Backpack and hold it high above your head. Instantly the flames subside and, as the terrible heat dissipates, you hear the voice boom out once more.</p>
+ <p><thought>Very well, loyal acolyte,</thought> it says, in an almost condescending tone, <thought>you may pass.</thought></p>
+ <p>With a hiss of escaping air, the solid, blue-green metal door slides open to reveal a dark tunnel leading away from the chamber. Eager to continue your search for your captive friend Banedon without further delay, you slip the statuette into your Backpack and hurry through the archway into the darkness beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect337">
+ <meta><title>337</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The street continues beyond the mound, heading due south towards the great citadel, the shadow of this edifice looming ever larger. Soon the street opens out to a wide concourse which encircles the citadel and offers access to its great Northern Door.</p>
+ <p>The entire door is made of black iron, streaked with rust. Turrets jut from either side, on top of which you can see giant cannon-like weapons, similar to those once employed by the Darklords aboard their ironclad fleets. From the cover of a ruined house you watch the traffic of Giaks and Drakkarim, all clad in orange uniforms bearing the mark of a bloodied scythe. The more you stare at the citadel, the more you are sure that this is where Banedon is being held prisoner. However, entry into the citadel itself looks to be impossible, until, that is, an opportunity unexpectedly presents itself.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect124"><link-text>Turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect338">
+ <meta><title>338</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your weapon, you draw back your right hand and take aim at the sphere. For someone of your ability, it would be difficult to miss hitting this target with a thrown weapon. But will it strike with sufficient force to break or dislodge the sphere?</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect97">If your total score is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 97</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect259">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect339">
+ <meta><title>339</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Mentally you recite the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Mind Charm</spell> while you hold the Drakkar with your eyes. You say nothing, but within moments the brutish soldier breaks off his stare and stands aside, as if you had given him an acceptable answer. With exaggerated bravado, you thrust open the heavy iron portal and stride into the corridor beyond. The door slams shut behind you with a dull boom.</p>
+ <p>The corridor ends at a landing where a gallery overlooks the cavernous lower level. Nearby there is a staircase, leading down, and a black oak door set flush to the wall.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you approach the gallery's railed parapet and look down at an unnerving sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect340">
+ <meta><title>340</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Breathless from combat, you step away from the two dead Drakkarim, sheathe your weapon, and wipe your blood-spattered brow with the back of your hand. Then, in order to leave no trace, you drag both of the corpses to the edge of the moat and consign them, and their weapons, to the hungry flames.</p>
+ <p>A narrow passage near the main door provides an exit from this hall. This leads into a wider tunnel which is flanked on both sides by cages, all empty but showing signs of having recently been occupied by war-dogs and the like. Beyond the cells you discover a chamber strewn with wooden boxes, trunks, sacks and several oak casks. It, too, is empty, although in the far wall there is a stout door with a spy-hole drilled at its centre. Your keen Kai senses detect the faint sound of squealing coming from the other side of this door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect114">If you wish to search this chamber, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect224">If you wish to peek through the spy-hole, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect341">
+ <meta><title>341</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull on the reins, hoping to steer the Zlanbeast higher in time to clear the whistling cloud of bolts, but the beast lacks the speed and strength to perform such an exacting manoeuvre.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly a starburst of pain erupts in your head and the taste of blood fills your mouth. You have been hit in the skull by one of the iron-tipped missiles and death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here on the very threshold of victory.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect342">
+ <meta><title>342</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your efforts to escape are rewarded but only after immense exertion: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. You catch hold of the archway and pull yourself to safety, yet your submersion has cost you your money pouch and one item from your Backpack, lost when you first fell into the dusty pool. Erase all your Gold Crowns, and the first item recorded on your Backpack Items list.</p>
+ <p>As the effects of the spell wear off, you leave this sinister chamber and head off along the tunnel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect82"><link-text>Turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect343">
+ <meta><title>343</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow the dank passage for over a mile before you reach its end. There you discover an iron door, eaten by rust, its lock made useless by years of acidic corrosion. Using your Magnakai skill of Nexus you free the lock mechanism, then lever open the door to reveal a short flight of steps which are almost unrecognizable beneath a carpet of moss and fungi.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you ascend, clearing the way ahead with your weapon before trusting it to your step. The stairs emerge at street level, in the midst of a once-grand building which now lies in ruin. Through one of its shattered windows you look out upon a concourse littered with more than a dozen Giak dead. Their posture, and the nature of their wounds, tell of a savage street battle fought here within the last few hours. Perched on nearby rooftops are a flock of vulture-like birds, cawing delightedly, their bellies distended by a feast of Giak meat.</p>
+ <p>The distant clang and clash of steel tell you that the fighting is not over, it has simply moved on. The noise prompts you to stay crouched in the ruins whilst you consider your next course of action. From this position you survey the street and notice a narrow stairway, directly opposite, which leads down to a crypt door. You focus on the dark portal and sense at once that it is open and unguarded.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you wish to cross the street and investigate the crypt, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you choose to ignore the crypt, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect344">
+ <meta><title>344</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite your hasty casting of the spell, your invisible shield protects you fully against the speeding crossbow bolts. The sight of you having survived such a rain of missiles leaves many of their number staring open-mouthed with shock. You seize the initiative and dodge through their line with ease, and by the time they realize that you have evaded them, and start to give chase, you have already passed the junction and begun to run along the street opposite.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect266"><link-text>Turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect345">
+ <meta><title>345</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take aim at the point mid-way between the creature's feral eyes, then release your straining bowstring.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Weaponmastery with Bow, add 5 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect17">If your total score is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect305">If your total score is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect346">
+ <meta><title>346</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you transfer your Bow to your left hand and raise your right, pointing it directly at the shimmering surface of the pool. The octopoid is within a few feet of the pool's edge when you shout out the power words that trigger the Brotherhood spell <spell>Lightning Hand</spell>. Immediately, a brilliant flash of blue-white light engulfs your palm and a bolt of flame shoots from your index finger towards the pool.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect52"><link-text>Turn to 52</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect347">
+ <meta><title>347</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The guards see the approaching clouds of smoke and immediately raise the alarm. Aided by a passing group of Drakkarim and Giaks, the two silver-clad guardians come thundering along the corridor and skid to a halt outside the door. You hear them coughing and cursing, then the door flies open and two luckless Giaks are thrust into the smoky room with orders to put out the blaze.</p>
+ <p>Utilizing your Magnakai camouflage skills, and helped by the smoke and confusion, you manage to slip past the Giaks and the others and hurry along the corridor towards the distant doors. To your surprise, the two massive portals open as you approach them. A purple glare blinds you momentarily, forcing you to raise your hand to shield your eyes, but still you keep running until you have passed through the doors.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186"><link-text>Turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect348">
+ <meta><title>348</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In the face of this deadly trap you draw on all your skills and agility in order to save yourself from a grisly death. As the log falls upon you, you turn sideways and dive headlong between the spinning staves. You land heavily on the stone steps, bruising your hands (lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point), but you have successfully avoided being impaled upon the terrible steel spikes.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect213"><link-text>Turn to 213</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect349">
+ <meta><title>349</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You climb across the shattered masonry and take cover near an empty window which overlooks the square. Minutes later you see a thin figure clad in red robes, accompanied by six grime-smeared Giaks, enter the square from an alley on the far side. At once you recognize the skeletal features of the robed one: it is a Vordak, an undead spawn of the Darklords.</p>
+ <p>The Vordak raises a bony hand and immediately its companions halt. Then, with a sweep of its arm, it slowly scans the ruins bordering the square.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect84">If you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect129">If you do not possess this skill, or have yet to reach this level of Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect350">
+ <meta><title>350</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Below you is the South Gate of Kaag. Its surface is covered by the hide of Nyxator, preserved by the Darklords as a trophy of Naar's evil power. Nyxator was the first servant of the God Kai to appear on Magnamund and the form he chose to adopt was that of a great dragon. He was the first recipient of Kai's wisdom, a wisdom he encapsulated in the Lorestones for the future good of all who follow the way of Kai.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Below is the South Gate of Kaag, its surface covered<br />by the hide of Nyxator.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill20.gif" width="386" height="641"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill20.pdf" width="386" height="641"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You stare down at the face of your ancient ancestor and, for a fleeting moment, you detect the trace of a smile upon its fossilized lips. Then, in the next instant, you plunge into a bank of stormy grey cloud and the dread city of Kaag is lost to view.</p>
+ <p>By the time you find your way back to the <cite>Skyrider</cite>, the storm has blown itself out. Your return is met with cheers and joyous celebration for your quest has been a great success. Lord Rimoah is especially pleased and he praises you warmly:</p>
+ <p><quote>Against all odds,</quote> he says, his voice filled with pride, <quote>you have rescued our friend from the nightmare fortress of Kaag and delivered him safely into the arms of his loyal crew.</quote></p>
+ <p>Congratulations, Grand Master Lone Wolf. You have triumphed once again, proving beyond doubt that you embody the ideals of the Kai. You have saved your closest friend from the clutches of the evil druid Cadak and confounded his plans.</p>
+ <p>Yet the fight against Evil goes ever on. Soon your courage and skills will be put to the test again, this time in a far distant realm of Magnamund. The nature of the quest and the perils that await you can be found in the next Grand Master adventure entitled:</p>
+ <p><a href="&link.15tdc;">The Darke Crusade</a></p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="map">
+ <meta><title>Sommerlund and The Darklands</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <illustration>
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="map.jpg" width="1024" height="768" class="html" />
+ <instance src="map.pdf" width="1024" height="768" class="pdf" />
+ </illustration>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="action">
+ <meta><title>Action Chart</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acstats.gif" width="386" height="286" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acdscplz.gif" width="386" height="156" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acchklst.gif" width="385" height="128" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acitems.gif" width="386" height="161" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acbckpck.gif" width="386" height="137" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acspcl.gif" width="386" height="280" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="ac1.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="ac2.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="ac3.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="crsumary">
+ <meta><title>Combat Rules Summary</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <ol>
+ <li>Add your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> to any extra points given to you by your Kai Disciplines.</li>
+ <li>Subtract the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of your enemy from this total. This number = Combat Ratio.</li>
+ <li>Pick number from <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</li>
+ <li>Turn to <a idref="crtable">Combat Results Table</a>.</li>
+ <li>Find your Combat Ratio on the top of chart and cross-reference to random number you have picked. (E indicates loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to Enemy. LW indicates loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to Lone Wolf.)</li>
+ <li>Continue the combat from Stage 3 until one character is dead. This is when <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of either character fall to 0.</li>
+ </ol>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="smevazn">
+ <meta><title>To Evade Combat</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <ol>
+ <li>You may only do this when the text of the adventure offers you the opportunity.</li>
+ <li>You undertake one round of combat in the usual way. All points lost by the enemy are ignored, only Lone Wolf loses the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
+ <li>If the book offers the chance of taking evasive action in place of combat, it can be taken in the first round of combat or any subsequent round.</li>
+ </ol>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="crtable">
+ <meta><title>Combat Results Table</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="crtneg.gif" width="386" height="472" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ <instance src="crtneg.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="crtpos.gif" width="386" height="472" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ <instance src="crtpos.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="random">
+ <meta><title>Random Number Table</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="random.gif" width="332" height="432" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ <instance src="random.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="errata">
+ <meta><title>Errata</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="errintro">
+ <meta><title>Introduction</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>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 <a href="mailto:staff@projectaon.org">Project Aon Staff</a>.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="errerr">
+ <meta><title>Errata</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>(<a idref="tssf">The Story So Far&ellips;</a>) Replaced <quote>elite</quote> with <quote>élite</quote>, <quote>Kai lord</quote> with <quote>Kai Lord</quote>, <quote>freestate</quote> with <quote>Freeland</quote>, and <quote>re-birth</quote> with <quote>rebirth</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="gamerulz">The Game Rules</a>) Replaced <quote>13-onwards</quote> with <quote>Book 13 onwards</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="discplnz">Grand Master Disciplines</a>) Replaced <quote>gods</quote> with <quote>Gods</quote>. Replaced <quote>their <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ></quote> with <quote>their <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ></quote> under Deliverance. It seems unlikely that the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> score would ever be reduced to such a low level. We assume that this was intended to be <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> instead.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="equipmnt">Equipment</a>) Replaced all occurrences of <quote>arrow</quote> or <quote>arrows</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="imprvdsc">Improved Grand Master Disciplines</a>) Replaced <quote>etc,</quote> with <quote>etc.,</quote>, <quote>discipline</quote> with <quote>Discipline</quote>, and <quote>Magi-Magic</quote> with <quote>Magi-magic</quote>. Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>. Replaced <quote>infra-vision</quote> with <quote>infravision</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect1">1</a>) Replaced <quote>Bo'sun</quote> with <quote>bo'sun</quote> and <quote>look-outs</quote> with <quote>lookouts</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect5">5</a>) Replaced <quote>veterans</quote> with <quote>Veterans</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect11">11</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect12">12</a>) Replaced <quote>the Sword of Helshezag</quote> with <quote>Helshezag</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect17">17</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect29">29</a>) Removed the quotation marks from the quotation of Banedon's speech in favour of italicizing the text.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect32">32</a>) Replaced <quote>rib-cage</quote> with <quote>rib cage</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect34">34</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect35">35</a>) Replaced <quote>potholes</quote> with <quote>pot-holes</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect37">37</a>) Replaced <quote>statuette</quote> with <quote>Statuette</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect38">38</a>) Replaced <quote>torch-lit</quote> with <quote>torchlit</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect42">42</a>) Removed the quotation marks from the quotation of Banedon's speech in favour of italicizing the text.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect43">43</a>) Replaced <quote>pin-point</quote> with <quote>pinpoint</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect46">46</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>. Replaced both occurrences of <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect50">50</a>) Replaced <quote>ice dragon</quote> with <quote>Ice Dragon</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect54">54</a>) Replaced <quote>Kai lord</quote> with <quote>Kai Lord</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect55">55</a>) Replaced <quote>stalagtites</quote> with <quote>stalactites</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect56">56</a>) Replaced <quote>torch-lit</quote> with <quote>torchlit</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect57">57</a>) Replaced <quote>torch-lit</quote> with <quote>torchlit</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect62">62</a>) Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote> and <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect67">67</a>) Replaced <quote>potholes</quote> with <quote>pot-holes</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect70">70</a>) Replaced <quote>backpack</quote> with <quote>Backpack</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect73">73</a>) Replaced <quote>god</quote> with <quote>God</quote> and <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect76">76</a>) Replaced <quote>enough for 3 doses. Each dose restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points after combat.</quote> with <quote>enough for 3 doses&emdash;each dose restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points after combat</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect80">80</a>) Replaced <quote>here. within</quote> with <quote>here within</quote> (the word <quote>within</quote> also began on a new line which has also been fixed).</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect82">82</a>) Replaced <quote>torch-lit</quote> with <quote>torchlit</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect87">87</a>) Replaced <quote>far-stronger</quote> with <quote>far stronger</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect91">91</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect94">94</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow in your quiver</quote> with <quote>Arrow in your Quiver</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect99">99</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect100">100</a>) Italicized the speech of the disembodied voice and removed the quotation marks. Replaced <quote>Zargarna</quote> with <quote>Zagarna</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect102">102</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and both occurrences of <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect105">105</a>) Replaced <quote>Bandedon</quote> with <quote>Banedon</quote>. Removed the quotation marks from the quotation of Banedon's speech in favour of italicizing the text. Replaced <quote>Spell of <spell>Holding</spell></quote> with <quote>spell of <spell>Holding</spell></quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect106">106</a>) Replaced <quote>god</quote> with <quote>God</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect107">107</a>) Replaced <quote>out-run</quote> with <quote>outrun</quote> and <quote>discipline</quote> with <quote>Discipline</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect113">113</a>) Removed the quotation marks from the quotation of Banedon's speech in favour of italicizing the text.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect116">116</a>) Replaced <quote>god</quote> with <quote>God</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect121">121</a>) Replaced <quote>semi-circular</quote> with <quote>semicircular</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect124">124</a>) Replaced <quote>discipline</quote> with <quote>Discipline</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect125">125</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect131">131</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>any of the above</quote> with <quote>either of the above</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect132">132</a>) Replaced <quote>veterans</quote> with <quote>Veterans</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect135">135</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>war-hound's</quote> with <quote>warhound's</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect139">139</a>) Replaced <quote>Grandmastery of Nexus</quote> with <quote>mastery of Grand Nexus</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect140">140</a>) Replaced <quote>spear</quote> with <quote>Spear</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect143">143</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect144">144</a>) Replaced <quote>out-distance</quote> with <quote>outdistance</quote> and <quote>potholes</quote> with <quote>pot-holes</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect148">148</a>) Replaced <quote>carcases</quote> with <quote>carcasses</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect152">152</a>) Replaced <quote>torch-lit</quote> with <quote>torchlit</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect154">154</a>) Replaced <quote>Eight</quote> with <quote>Eight,</quote>. Removed the quotation marks from the quotation of Banedon's speech in favour of italicizing the text.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect156">156</a>) Replaced <quote>egorghs</quote> with <quote>Egorghs</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect157">157</a>) Italicized the speech of the disembodied voice and removed the quotation marks.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect158">158</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect159">159</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect170">170</a>) Replaced <quote>Zargarna's</quote> with <quote>Zagarna's</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect175">175</a>) Replaced <quote>spyhole</quote> with <quote>spy-hole</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect192">192</a>) Replaced <quote>clear oily</quote> with <quote>clear, oily</quote> and <quote>clear oily <em>inflammable</em></quote> with <quote>clear, oily, <em>inflammable</em></quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect199">199</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>. Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect200">200</a>) Replaced <quote>pin-points</quote> with <quote>pinpoints</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect209">209</a>) Replaced <quote>stalagtites</quote> with <quote>stalactites</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect211">211</a>) Replaced <quote>Immmediately</quote> with <quote>Immediately</quote> and <quote>(In</quote> with <quote>(in</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect212">212</a>) Replaced <quote><a idref="sect331">turn to 331</a></quote> with <quote><a idref="sect311">turn to 311</a></quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect216">216</a>) Emphasized <quote>clang</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect217">217</a>) Replaced <quote>torch-lit</quote> with <quote>torchlit</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect218">218</a>) Removed the quotation marks from the quotation of Banedon's speech in favour of italicizing the text.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect220">220</a>) Removed the quotation marks from the quotation of Banedon's speech in favour of italicizing the text.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect221">221</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect224">224</a>) Replaced <quote>spyhole</quote> with <quote>spy-hole</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect227">227</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect228">228</a>) Emphasized the word <quote>both</quote> in the last choice.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect231">231</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>. Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect236">236</a>) Replaced <quote>irresistable</quote> with <quote>irresistible</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect239">239</a>) Replaced <quote>the sword of Helshezag</quote> with <quote>Helshezag</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect240">240</a>) Replaced <quote>Kai-surge</quote> with <quote>Kai-screen</quote>. <a idref="sect184">Section 184</a> speaks of <quote>powerful mind defences</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect241">241</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>liganim</quote> with <quote>Liganim</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect243">243</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>. Emphasized <quote>inflammable</quote> to mirror <a idref="sect192">Section 192</a>. Replaced <quote>clear oily</quote> with <quote>clear, oily</quote> and <quote>clear oily <em>inflammable</em></quote> with <quote>clear, oily, <em>inflammable</em></quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect245">245</a>) Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote> and <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect248">248</a>) Replaced <quote>eeks</quote> with <quote>ekes</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect251">251</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect261">261</a>) Replaced <quote>egorgh</quote> with <quote>Egorgh</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect264">264</a>) Replaced <quote>torch-lit</quote> with <quote>torchlit</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect266">266</a>) Replaced <quote>out-run</quote> with <quote>outrun</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect280">280</a>) Replaced <quote>veterans</quote> with <quote>Veterans</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect295">295</a>) Replaced <quote>death cry</quote> with <quote>death-cry</quote> and <quote>potholes</quote> with <quote>pot-holes</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect300">300</a>) Replaced <quote>handrails</quote> with <quote>hand-rails</quote> and <quote>commmunicate</quote> with <quote>communicate</quote>. Removed the quotation marks from the quotation of Banedon's speech in favour of italicizing the text.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect305">305</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>. Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote></p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect318">318</a>) Replaced <quote>discipline</quote> with <quote>Discipline</quote> and <quote>egorgh</quote> with <quote>Egorgh</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect326">326</a>) Removed the quotation marks from the quotation of Banedon's speech in favour of italicizing the text.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect328">328</a>) Replaced <quote>liganim</quote> with <quote>Liganim</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect329">329</a>) Replaced <quote>potholes</quote> with <quote>pot-holes</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect332">332</a>) Replaced <quote>potholes</quote> with <quote>pot-holes</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect334">334</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect335">335</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect336">336</a>) Italicized the speech of the disembodied voice and removed the quotation marks.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect340">340</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>spyhole</quote> with <quote>spy-hole</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect345">345</a>) Replaced <quote>bowsting</quote> with <quote>bowstring</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect346">346</a>) Replaced <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="footnotz">
+ <meta><title>Footnotes</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>(<a idref="gamerulz">The Game Rules</a>) The Discipline bonuses mentioned do not affect your permanent scores. If you have completed previous adventures, the Disciplines that you have mastered may still be beneficial. See the Grand Master Rules section of the <a href="&link.rh;">Rules Handbook</a> for details.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="gamerulz">The Game Rules</a>) Note that this list is not identical to the one used in <cite><a href="&link.13tplor;">The Plague Lords of Ruel</a></cite>: this list is missing the Silver Bracers and Korlinium Scabbard. These items are restored to the list of permissible items from the Kai and Magnakai series again in <cite><a href="&link.17tdoi;">The Deathlord of Ixia</a></cite>. Presumably, therefore, it should be permissible to leave the Silver Bracers and Korlinium Scabbard in safekeeping at the monastery during the intervening books and retrieve them at the outset of <cite><a href="&link.17tdoi;">The Deathlord of Ixia</a></cite>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="discplnz">Grand Master Disciplines</a>) The rules of the books in the Magnakai series (6-12) and the fact that the <quote>rank of Kai Grand Defender&ellips; means you are skilled in two&ellips; weapons</quote> imply that for each book that you complete of the Grand Master series (13-20), you will gain mastery of an additional Kai weapon. E.g. if you complete <cite>The Plague Lords of Ruel</cite> and have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery at the beginning of the next book, you can choose an additional Weapon from the list to have Mastery of.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect3">3</a>) This section corresponds to the correct answer to the Kagonite door lock.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect8">8</a>) This section corresponds to the correct answer to the lock on the exit from the torture chamber of the Nadziranim.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect20">20</a>) This section corresponds to the correct answer to the lock on the <quote>stout steel-sheathed doors</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect62">62</a>) Presumably by <quote>double all bonuses it bestows upon you</quote> you are meant to receive a 16 point bonus to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect127">127</a>) The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect181">181</a>) The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect220">220</a>) The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect230">230</a>) Kika are one-tenth of the value of a Gold Crown and also take up one-tenth of the space of a Gold Crown.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect319">319</a>) The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="illstrat">
+ <meta><title>Table of Illustrations</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The following is a list of all Sections containing illustrations found in this book:</p>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="primill">
+ <meta><title>Primary Illustrations</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Illustration I (<a idref="sect14">Section 14</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration II (<a idref="sect22">Section 22</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration III (<a idref="sect37">Section 37</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration IV (<a idref="sect53">Section 53</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration V (<a idref="sect72">Section 72</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration VI (<a idref="sect89">Section 89</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration VII (<a idref="sect142">Section 142</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration VIII (<a idref="sect150">Section 150</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration IX (<a idref="sect169">Section 169</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration X (<a idref="sect193">Section 193</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XI (<a idref="sect218">Section 218</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XII (<a idref="sect226">Section 226</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XIII (<a idref="sect229">Section 229</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XIV (<a idref="sect263">Section 263</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XV (<a idref="sect281">Section 281</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XVI (<a idref="sect293">Section 293</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XVII (<a idref="sect300">Section 300</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XVIII (<a idref="sect318">Section 318</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XIX (<a idref="sect328">Section 328</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XX (<a idref="sect350">Section 350</a>)</li>
+ <li><a idref="action">Action Chart</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="map">Sommerlund and the Darklands</a></li>
+ </ul>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="secill">
+ <meta><title>Secondary Illustrations</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Only the first occurrence of each secondary illustration is cited.</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li><a idref="sect1">Section 1</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect82">Section 82</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect85">Section 85</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect88">Section 88</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect127">Section 127</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect181">Section 181</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect200">Section 200</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect220">Section 220</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect224">Section 224</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect227">Section 227</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect240">Section 240</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect248">Section 248</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect250">Section 250</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect279">Section 279</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect309">Section 309</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect319">Section 319</a></li>
+ </ul>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ &inclusion.project.aon.license;
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+</gamebook>
+
--- /dev/null
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
+<!DOCTYPE gamebook SYSTEM "gamebook.dtd" [
+ <!ENTITY % xhtml.characters SYSTEM "htmlchar.mod">
+ <!ENTITY % latex.characters SYSTEM "ltexchar.mod">
+ %xhtml.characters;
+
+ <!ENTITY % general.links SYSTEM "genlink.mod">
+ %general.links;
+ <!ENTITY % xhtml.links SYSTEM "htmllink.mod">
+ %xhtml.links;
+
+ <!ENTITY % general.inclusions SYSTEM "geninc.mod">
+ %general.inclusions;
+]>
+
+<gamebook xml:lang="en-UK" version="0.10">
+
+<!--
+
+$Id$
+$Log$
+Revision 1.1 2004/11/09 06:47:16 jonathan.blake
+Initial Freepository revision
+
+
+//// RCS Revision Log ////
+
+Revision 1.4 2003/01/27 22:11:39 jblake
+Checkin prior to global footnote change
+
+Revision 1.3 2002/11/07 17:00:33 jblake
+Fixed a couple validity errors and tweaked formatting.
+
+Revision 1.2 2002/11/07 16:46:00 jdougan
+- Inserted title into the proper place
+- Copied front matter to separate file; pasted formatted front matter from PLoR; then re-pasted appropriate paragraphs (TSSF, Equipment, Improved Disciplines, Wisdom)
+- re-altered all occurrences of "ie" to "i.e."
+- corrected credits
+- Game Rules: left unaltered from PLoR the list of Special Items that can be carried over from Kai/Magnakai adventures
+- Deliverance: re-altered COMBAT SKILL to ENDURANCE
+- Fixed hard breaks leftover from OCR
+- Inserted &endash; where necessary
+- inserted 46 occurrences of &emdash;
+- Fixed OCR character recognition flaws (for right-side smart quote, equivalent for left-side smart quote)
+- Corrected miscellaneous hyphenations that reflect the original page typesetting.
+- <quote></quote> and ' both dealt with
+- Inserted Backmatter template
+- fixed non-listed available items
+
+Revision 1.1 2002/10/20 17:06:07 jblake
+Initial revision
+
+//////////////////////////
+
+All occurrences of "ie" in the Frontmatter were changed to "i.e."
+
+In description of "Deliverance", changed COMBAT SKILL to ENDURANCE, as in later editions, and also because it does not make sense - it is not possible (or very, very unlikely) for your Combat Skill to fall to below 8.
+
+In "Equipment - How to use it", under "Weapons", changed the bonus for combat skill from "3" to "5", once again as in later editions and due to the description of Grand Weaponmastery at the beginning.
+
+In the example for the rules of combat, the bonus for using Kai-surge is changed from "3" to "8", for consistency with the rules in the Grand Master disciplines section. Therefore I changed all the numbers in the example further on where appropriate.
+==>JDOUGAN: I believe this might have been undone in the front-matter paste.
+
+Section 23
+The word "raised" should be changed to "razed"
+
+Section 31
+The word "of" should be added to the sentence "They comprise a line..." (so it reads: 'They comprise of a line..)
+
+section 36 3rd paragraph,
+the words "first you" should be swapped around
+
+Section 51 last line
+the hyphen between "much" and "needed" is not needed
+
+section 65 2nd paragraph
+the hyphen between "recently" and "cleared" is not needed
+
+section 108, second last line
+"themsleves" should be spelt "themselves"
+
+section 126, second last line
+"Its" should be "It"
+
+section 149, second last line
+"is" should be inserted between "second" and "a"
+
+section 150, paragraph 9, first line
+"weapons enough" should either be "weapons, enough" or "enough weapons"
+
+section 156
+What if your endurance score is below 15? I reckon that in this case, game over!
+
+section 158
+The links for the Kai alchemy should be swapped - you learn "halt missile" at the rank of Sun Knight
+
+section 241, not really errata, more of a clarification
+of course you can only choose to fire again if you have another arrow
+
+section 257, 6th line of 2nd paragraph
+the hyphen in "less-enchanting" is not needed
+
+section 264, 3rd line of 3rd paragraph
+"I've heard tell..." does not make sense, perhaps "I've heard tale(s)" section
+JDOUGAN: stet. Acceptable informalism (particularly common in the American South)
+
+299, paragraph after list, 5th line
+there is no need for the "s" in "Action Charts" section 343
+note: you need at 3 arrows to follow the link to 180
+
+-->
+
+<meta>
+ <title>The Darke Crusade</title>
+ <creator class="short">Joe Dever and Brian Williams</creator>
+ <creator class="medium">Joe Dever<br />Illustrated by Brian Williams</creator>
+ <creator class="long">
+ &inclusion.joe.dever.bio.lw;
+ &inclusion.brian.williams.bio.lw;
+ </creator>
+ <publisher>Project Aon</publisher>
+ <date class="publication"><year>2004</year><month>1</month><day>14</day></date>
+ <description class="blurb">
+ <p>You are the warrior Lone Wolf&emdash;Kai Grand Master of Sommerlund. In the distant realm of Nyras a bitter war is waging between the brave knights of Lencia and the evil Drakkarim. The Lencians have won many battles, but now the Drakkarim leader&emdash;Warlord Magnaarn&emdash;is near to finding the Doomstone of Darke. If he should succeed he will be capable of destroying the Lencians once and for all.</p>
+ <p>In <cite>The Darke Crusade</cite>, you must journey through the infernal Hellswamp, trek deep into the forests of northern Nyras and brave the heat of battle. Will you succeed and save your allies? Or will you fall victim to Warlord Magnaarn?</p>
+ </description>
+ <description class="publication">
+ <p>Internet Edition published by <a href="http://www.projectaon.org/">Project Aon</a>. 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 <a idref="errata">Errata</a>.</p>
+ </description>
+ <rights class="copyrights">Text copyright © 1991 Joe Dever.<br />Illustrations copyright © 1991 Brian Williams.</rights>
+ <rights class="license-notification">
+ <p>Text copyright © 1991 Joe Dever.<br />Illustrations copyright © 1991 Brian Williams.<br />Distribution of this Internet Edition is restricted under the terms of the <a idref="license">Project Aon License</a>.</p>
+ </rights>
+</meta>
+
+<section id="toc">
+ <meta><title>Table of Contents</title></meta>
+ <data />
+</section>
+
+<section id="title">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Title Page</title>
+ <link class="next" idref="dedicate" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="dedicate">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Dedication</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="title" />
+ <link class="next" idref="acknwldg" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <p class="dedication">To the spirit of San Diego&emdash;America's Finest City.</p>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="acknwldg">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Acknowledgements</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="dedicate" />
+ <link class="next" idref="tssf" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <p><quote>I would be especially pleased if my granting of the rights to distribute my books in this way was seen as my <quote>millennium gift</quote> to all those devoted readers who have kept the Kai flag flying high, through all the good times, and the not-so-good. It would make me very proud indeed if this enterprise laid the foundations of a lasting legacy, securing the longevity of Lone Wolf by making my creation freely and readily accessible to current and future online generations. For them, for us, for Sommerlund and the Kai.&ellips;</quote> <strong>Joe Dever</strong></p>
+ <p>Project Aon would first like to thank Joe Dever for making this generous offering of the books that we have all loved from the beginning. We would also like to acknowledge the following members of Project Aon for their diligent work:</p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="credits">
+ <meta><title>Credits</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <dl>
+ <dt>Transcription (OCR)</dt>
+ <dd>Kenny Wong</dd>
+ <dt>XML</dt>
+ <dd>Jonathan Blake<br />Jeff Dougan</dd>
+ <dt>Action Charts</dt>
+ <dd>JC Alvarez<br />Jonathan Blake</dd>
+ <dt>Proofreading</dt>
+ <dd>Kenny Wong</dd>
+ <dt>Editing</dt>
+ <dd>Ingo Klöcker<br />Christopher Lundgren<br />Simon Osborne<br />Thomas Wolmer<br />Jody Williams</dd>
+<!-- <dt>PDF Layout</dt>
+ <dd></dd>-->
+ <dt>Coordination</dt>
+ <dd>Jonathan Blake</dd>
+<!-- <dt>Special Thanks</dt>
+ <dd></dd>-->
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="tssf">
+ <meta>
+ <title>The Story So Far&ellips;</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="acknwldg" />
+ <link class="next" idref="gamerulz" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="tssf-1-foot" idref="tssf-1">
+ <p>The Drakkarim land of Nyras has been referred to as <quote>Nyraz</quote> in previous publications. We have left it as it stands in this book due to its consistent use here and under the assumption that the author intended this name change.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <p>You are Grand Master Lone Wolf, last of the Kai Lords of Sommerlund and sole survivor of a massacre that wiped out the First Order of your élite warrior caste.</p>
+ <p>It is the year MS 5076 and twenty-six years have passed since your brave kinsmen perished at the hands of the Darklords of Helgedad. These champions of evil, who were sent forth by Naar, the King of the Darkness, to destroy the fertile world of Magnamund, have themselves since been destroyed. You vowed to avenge the murder of the Kai and you kept your pledge, for it was you who brought about their downfall when alone you infiltrated their foul domain&emdash;the Darklands&emdash;and caused the destruction of their leader, Archlord Gnaag, and the seat of his power that was the infernal city of Helgedad.</p>
+ <p>In the wake of their destruction, chaos befell the Darkland armies who, until then, had been poised to conquer all of Northern Magnamund. Some factions which comprised this huge army, most notably the barbaric Drakkarim, began to fight with the others for control. This disorder quickly escalated into an all-out civil war, which allowed the Freeland armies of Magnamund time in which to recover and launch a counter-offensive. Skilfully their commanders exploited the chaos and secured a swift and total victory over an enemy far superior in numbers.</p>
+ <p>For six years now peace has reigned in Sommerlund. Under your direction, the once-ruined monastery of the Kai has been thoroughly rebuilt and restored to its former glory, and the task of teaching a Second Order of Kai warriors the skills and proud traditions of your ancestors is also well under way. The new generation of Kai recruits, all of whom were born during the era of war against the Darklords, possess latent Kai skills and all show exceptional promise. These skills will be nurtured and honed to perfection during their time at the monastery so that they may teach and inspire future generations, thereby ensuring the continued security of your homeland in future years.</p>
+ <p>Your attainment of the rank of Kai Grand Master brought with it great rewards. Some, such as the restoration of the Kai and the undying gratitude of your fellow Sommlending, could have been anticipated. Yet there have also been rewards which you could not possibly have foreseen. The discovery that within you lay the potential to develop Kai Disciplines beyond those of the Magnakai, which, until now, were thought to be the ultimate that a Kai Master could aspire to, was truly a revelation. Your discovery, has inspired you to set out upon a new and previously unknown path in search of the wisdom and power that no Kai Lord before you has ever possessed. In the name of your creator, the God Kai, and for the greater glory of Sommerlund and the Goddess Ishir, you have vowed to reach the very pinnacle of Kai perfection&emdash;to attain all of the Grand Master Disciplines and become the first Kai Supreme Master.</p>
+ <p>With diligence and determination you set about the restoration of the Kai monastery and organized the training of the Second Order recruits. Your efforts were soon rewarded and, within the space of two short years, the first raw recruits had graduated to become a cadre of gifted Kai Masters who, in turn, were able to commence the teaching of their skills to subsequent intakes of Kai novices. Readily the Kai Masters rose to their new-found responsibilities, leaving you free to devote more of your time to the pursuit and perfection of the Grand Master Disciplines. During this period you also received expert tutelage in the ways of magic from two of your most trusted friends and advisors: Guildmaster Banedon, leader of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star, and Lord Rimoah, speaker for the High Council of the Elder Magi.</p>
+ <p>In the deepest subterranean level of the monastery, one hundred feet below the Tower of the Sun, you ordered the excavation and construction of a special vault. In this magnificent chamber wrought of granite and gold, you placed the seven Lorestones of Nyxator, the gems of Kai power that you had rediscovered during your quest for the Magnakai. It was here, bathed in the golden light of those radiant gems, that you spent countless hours in pursuit of perfection. Sometimes alone, sometimes in the company of your two most able advisors&emdash;Banedon and Rimoah&emdash;you worked hard to develop your innate Grand Master Disciplines, and grasp the fundamental secrets of Left-handed and Old Kingdom Magic. During this time you noticed many remarkable changes taking place within your body: you became physically and mentally stronger, your five primary senses sharpened beyond all that you had experienced before, and, perhaps most remarkably, your body began to age at a much slower rate. Now for every five years that elapse you age but one year.</p>
+ <p>At this time many changes were occurring beyond the borders of Sommerlund. In the regions to the northeast of Magador and the Maakengorge, the Elder Magi of Dessi and the Herbwardens of Bautar were working together in an effort to restore the dusty volcanic wasteland to its former fertile state. It was the first tentative step towards the reclamation of all the Darklands. However, their progress was painfully slow, and both parties were resigned to the fact that their efforts to undo the damage caused by the Darklords would take not years but centuries to complete.</p>
+ <p>In the far west, the Drakkarim had retreated to their homelands and were engaged in a bloody war against the Lencians. Much of southern Nyras<a id="tssf-1" idref="tssf-1-foot" class="footnote"/> had been reclaimed by the armies of King Sarnac, the Lencian commander, and his flag now flew over territory which, two thousand years ago, had once been part of Lencia.</p>
+ <p>Following the destruction of the Darklords of Helgedad, the Giaks, the most prolific in number of all of Gnaag's troops, fled into the Darklands and sought refuge in the gigantic city-fortresses of Nadgazad, Aarnak, Gournen, Akagazad and Kaag. Within each of these hellish strongholds fierce fighting broke out as remnants of the Xaghash (lesser Darklords) and the Nadziranim (evil practitioners of Right-handed Magic who once aided individual Darklord masters) fought for control. It is widely believed that by the time the Elder Magi and the Herbwardens reach the walls of these strongholds they will encounter no resistance; the occupants will have long since brought about their own extinction. Elsewhere, throughout Northern Magnamund, peace reigns victorious and the peoples of the Free Kingdom rejoice in the knowledge that the age of the Darklords has finally come to an end. Readily men have exchanged their swords for hoes and their shields for ploughs, and now the only marching they do is along the ruts of their freshly furrowed fields. Few are the watchful eyes that scan the distant horizon in fear of what may appear, although there are still those who maintain their vigilance, for the agents of Naar come in many guises and there are those upon Magnamund who wait quietly in the shadows for the chance to do his evil bidding.</p>
+ <p>Only a year ago the evil Cener Druids of Ruel attempted to enact Naar's revenge. Secretly, in the laboratories of their foul stronghold of Mogaruith, they had laboured to create a virulent plague virus capable of killing every living creature upon Magnamund, save their own kind. Word of their terrible plan reached Lord Rimoah who immediately urged the rulers of the Freelands to raise armies and invade Ruel. Hurriedly they complied, but the invasion ended in disaster. Seven thousand fighting men entered Ruel intent on storming the fortress of Mogaruith and razing it to the ground. Seven thousand marched into the dark realm; only seventy emerged alive. The Ceners were within days of perfecting their ultimate weapon when you took up the challenge and ventured alone into Mogaruith.</p>
+ <p>Despite overwhelming odds you thwarted their evil plan by destroying the virus and the means by which it was created.</p>
+ <p>After emerging from Ruel triumphant, your quest fulfilled, you returned home to Sommerlund and the Kai monastery where you resumed your duties as Grand Master. Three months later, on the day that saw the first fall of winter snow, you were visited by Lord Rimoah. Once again he found himself the reluctant bearer of ill news. Your friend Guildmaster Banedon, whilst helping with the reclamation of wastelands close to the Maakengorge, had been abducted by a war-band of Giaks under the command of Nadziranim sorcerers. A rescue was attempted, but ruthlessly the Nadziranim obliterated those who tried to follow their escape into the Darklands. It was feared that the Nadziranim would try to extract from Banedon the secrets of Left-Handed Magic, so that they might marry it to their own foul sorcery. Such an outcome would have given them extraordinary power, power enough to revive the Darklands. A previous attempt to unite the two paths of Magic had resulted in catastrophe for Sommerlund. In the year MS 5050, Vonotar the Traitor, a magician from the same guild as Banedon, had betrayed his homeland in exchange for the promise of Nadziranim power. It was his act of treachery which brought about the invasion of Sommerlund and the destruction of the First Order of the Kai.</p>
+ <p>Banedon's survival depended upon a swift rescue from Kaag. Mindful of all that was at stake, courageously you volunteered to enter the city-fortress alone in an attempt to save your friend.</p>
+ <p>Despite fierce odds you gained entry to Kaag, located Banedon, then snatched him from the foul denizens of that city by way of a daring aerial escape from the upper levels of their great citadel. Banedon was
+severely weakened by his ordeal at the hands of the Nadziranim and, had it not been for your timely intervention, he would certainly have perished in that grim city-fortress.</p>
+ <p>The rescue of Guildmaster Banedon and his safe return to Sommerlund was cause for much celebration, especially in the streets and guildhalls of his native city of Toran. For several days you allowed yourself to be fêted by the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star before returning to your monastery where, with a feeling of quiet satisfaction, you gladly resumed your duties as Kai Grand Master.</p>
+ <p>So the year ended and another began, yet even before the snows of winter had begun to thaw, once again your unique skills were being sought in the relentless struggle against Evil. This time the plea for help arrived by way of a foreign ambassador, a special envoy who had travelled thousands of miles from the court of King Sarnac of Lencia. Their war against the Drakkarim, who were under the command of Magnaarn, the High Warlord of Darke, had stagnated ever since the onset of winter and recently the whole campaign had taken a turn for the worse. The Lencians learned that Magnaarn had undertaken a quest for the Doomstone of Darke, an artefact of legendary evil. It was said that this gem was the most powerful of all the Doomstones created by Agarash the Damned during the Age of Eternal Night. Before the demise of the Darklords, this Doomstone had rested in the head of the Nyras Sceptre, a magical weapon wielded by Darklord Dakushna, Lord of Kagorst. In the chaos that followed the wake of Dakushna's destruction, the Nyras Sceptre was lost, though many secretly believed it to have been stolen by one of Dakushna's Nadziranim sorcerers. Some months later during the war in Nyras the sceptre reappeared, but the Doomstone was missing from its setting atop the sceptre's platinum haft.</p>
+ <p><quote>We fear that Magnaarn is close to finding the Doomstone of Darke,</quote> said the Lencian envoy. <quote>Already he possesses the sceptre's haft. My liege, King Sarnac, beseeches you, Grand Master Lone Wolf, to come to our aid. Help us find the Doomstone and thwart Magnaarn's plan, for if he successfully reunites the Doomstone and the Nyras sceptre he will command a power capable of our undoing.</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>With respect, my lord, surely this one weapon, however evil it may be, is no match when pitted against all the armoured might of Lencia?</quote> you replied diplomatically, as yet unconvinced by the envoy's plea.</p>
+ <p><quote>Perhaps so, Grand Master,</quote> he replied, <quote>Were the nature of the threat merely the weapon alone. Sadly this is not the only issue here. Until now, the Nadziranim sorcerers who control the strongholds of Kagorst and Akagazad have refused to aid Magnaarn in his war against us. Many times he has begged them for help, for within those fortress walls are thousands of Giaks and other breeds who sought sanctuary there after the defeat of the Darklords. They still possess their weapons and they would make a formidable enemy if ever they were mustered against us. Magnaarn's possession of the Doomstone of Darke will most certainly influence the Nadziranim. Its power is such that Magnaarn could simply force them to obey his every command. Their refusal would result in their immediate destruction.</quote></p>
+ <p>Politely you dismissed the envoy whilst you considered your response to his plea. In the solitude of your chamber you pondered the problem, weighing plight of Lencia against your duties and responsibilities there at the Kai monastery. At length, after careful deliberation, you reached your decision.</p>
+ <p><quote>Well my Lord?</quote> enquired the envoy, nervously, upon re-entering your chamber. <quote>Will you help us thwart Magnaarn?</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>Once, not so very long ago, your King and his army aided me during my quest for the Magnakai,</quote> you replied. <quote>Perhaps now the time has come for me to repay my debt of gratitude. Yes, I shall help you. I shall return with you to Lencia and champion your cause. I vow that I shall do all in my power to thwart Magnaarn's quest.</quote></p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="gamerulz">
+ <meta>
+ <title>The Game Rules</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="tssf" />
+ <link class="next" idref="discplnz" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="gamerulz-1-foot" idref="gamerulz-1">
+ <p>The Discipline bonuses mentioned do not affect your permanent scores. If you have completed previous adventures, the Disciplines that you have mastered may still be beneficial. See the Grand Master Rules section of the <a href="&link.rh;">Rules Handbook</a> for details.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ <footnote id="gamerulz-2-foot" idref="gamerulz-2">
+ <p>Note that this list is not identical to the one used in <cite><a href="&link.13tplor;">The Plague Lords of Ruel</a></cite>: this list is missing the Silver Bracers and Korlinium Scabbard. These items are restored to the list of permissible items from the Kai and Magnakai series again in <cite><a href="&link.17tdoi;">The Deathlord of Ixia</a></cite>. Presumably, therefore, it should be permissible to leave the Silver Bracers and Korlinium Scabbard in safekeeping at the monastery during the intervening books and retrieve them at the outset of <cite><a href="&link.17tdoi;">The Deathlord of Ixia</a></cite>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <p>You keep a record of your adventure on the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>For more than five years, ever since the demise of the Darklords of Helgedad, you have devoted yourself to developing further your fighting prowess&emdash;<typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>&emdash;and physical stamina&emdash;<typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ>. Before you begin your first Grand Master adventure you need to measure how effective your training has been. To do this take a pencil and, with your eyes closed, point with the blunt end of it on to the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you pick a 0 it counts as zero.</p>
+ <p>The first number that you pick from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> in this way represents your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. Add 25 to the number you picked and write the total in the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (i.e., if your pencil fell on the number 6 in the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> you would write in a <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of 31). When you fight, your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> will be pitted against that of your enemy. A high score in this section is therefore very desirable.</p>
+ <p>The second number that you pick from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> represents your powers of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ>. Add 30 to this number and write the total in the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (i.e., if your pencil fell on the number 7 on the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> you would have 37 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>If you are wounded in combat you will lose <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. If at any time your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points fall to zero, you are dead and the adventure is over. Lost <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points can be regained during the course of the adventure, but your number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points can never rise above the number you have when you start an adventure.</p>
+ <p>If you have successfully completed any of the previous adventures in the Lone Wolf series (Books 1&endash;14), you can carry your current scores of <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points over to Book 15. These scores may include Weaponmastery, Curing, and Psi-surge bonuses obtained upon completion of Lone Wolf Kai (Books 1&endash;5) or Magnakai (Books 6&endash;12) adventures.<a id="gamerulz-1" idref="gamerulz-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Only if you have completed these previous adventures will you benefit from the appropriate bonuses in the course of the Grand Master series. You may also carry over any Weapons and Backpack Items you had in your possession at the end of your last adventure, and these should be entered on your new Grand Master <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (you are still limited to two Weapons, but you may now carry up to ten Backpack Items).</p>
+ <p>However, only the following Special Items may be carried over to the Lone Wolf Grand Master series (<a href="&link.13tplor;">Book 13</a> onwards):<a id="gamerulz-2" idref="gamerulz-2-foot" class="footnote"/></p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Crystal Star Pendant</li>
+ <li>Sommerswerd</li>
+ <li>Silver Helm</li>
+ <li>Dagger of Vashna</li>
+ <li>Jewelled Mace</li>
+ <li>Silver Bow of Duadon</li>
+ <li>Helshezag</li>
+ <li>Kagonite Chainmail</li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="discplnz">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Grand Master Disciplines</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="gamerulz" />
+ <link class="next" idref="equipmnt" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="discplnz-1-foot" idref="discplnz-1">
+ <p>The rules of the books in the Magnakai series (6-12) and the fact that the <quote>rank of Kai Grand Defender&ellips; means you are skilled in two&ellips; weapons</quote> imply that for each book that you complete of the Grand Master series (13-20), you will gain mastery of an additional Kai weapon. E.g. if you complete <cite>The Plague Lords of Ruel</cite> and have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery at the beginning of the next book, you can choose an additional Weapon from the list to have Mastery of.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="mksumary">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Kai and Magnakai Disciplines</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>During your distinguished rise to the rank of Kai Grand Master you have become proficient in all of the basic Kai and Magnakai Disciplines. These Disciplines have provided you with a formidable arsenal of natural abilities which have served you well in the fight against the agents and champions of Naar, King of the Darkness. A brief summary of your skills is given below.</p>
+
+ <dl>
+ <dt>Weaponmastery</dt>
+ <dd>Proficiency with all close combat and missile weapons. Master of unarmed combat; no <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> loss when fighting bare-handed.</dd>
+ <dt>Animal Control</dt>
+ <dd>Communication with most animals; limited control over hostile creatures. Can use woodland animals as guides and can block a non-sentient creature's sense of taste and smell.</dd>
+ <dt>Curing</dt>
+ <dd>Steady restoration of lost <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points (to self and others) as a result of combat wounds. Neutralization of poisons, venoms and toxins. Repair of serious battle wounds.</dd>
+ <dt>Invisibility</dt>
+ <dd>Mask body heat and scent; hide effectively; mask sounds during movement; minor alterations of physical appearance.</dd>
+ <dt>Huntmastery</dt>
+ <dd>Effective hunting of food in the wild; increased agility; intensified vision, hearing, smell and night vision.</dd>
+ <dt>Pathsmanship</dt>
+ <dd>Read languages, decipher symbols, read footprints and tracks. Intuitive knowledge of compass points; detection of enemy ambush up to 500 yards; ability to cross terrain without leaving tracks; converse with sentient creatures; mask self from psychic spells of detection.</dd>
+ <dt>Psi-surge</dt>
+ <dd>Attack enemies using the powers of the mind; set up disruptive vibrations in objects; confuse enemies.</dd>
+ <dt>Psi-screen</dt>
+ <dd>Defence against hypnosis, supernatural illusions, charms, hostile telepathy, and evil spirits. Ability to divert and re-channel hostile psychic energy.</dd>
+ <dt>Nexus</dt>
+ <dd>Move small items by projection of mind power; withstand extremes of temperature; extinguish fire by force of will; limited immunity to flames, toxic gases, corrosive liquids.</dd>
+ <dt>Divination</dt>
+ <dd>Sense imminent danger; detect invisible or hidden enemy; telepathic communication; recognize magic-using and/or magical creatures; detect psychic residues; limited ability to leave body and spirit-walk.</dd>
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <p>Now, through the pursuit of your new skills and the further development of your innate Kai abilities, you have set out upon a path of discovery that no other Kai Grand Master has ever attempted with success. Your determination to become the first Kai Supreme Master, by acquiring total proficiency in all twelve of the Grand Master Disciplines, is an awe-inspiring challenge. You will be venturing into the unknown, pushing back the boundaries of human limitation in the pursuit of greatness and the cause of Good. May the blessings of the Gods Kai and Ishir go with you as you begin your brave and noble quest.</p>
+ <p>In the years following the demise of the Darklords you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Defender, which means that you have mastered <em>four</em> of the Grand Master Disciplines listed below. It is up to you to choose which four Disciplines these are. As all of the Grand Master Disciplines will be of use to you at some point during your adventure, pick your four skills with care. The correct use of a Grand Master Discipline at the right time could save your life.</p>
+ <p>When you have chosen your four Disciplines, enter them in the Grand Master Disciplines section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="wpnmstry">
+ <meta><title>Grand Weaponmastery</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>This Discipline enables a Grand Master to become supremely efficient in the use of all weapons. When you enter combat with one of your Grand Master weapons, you add 5 points to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. The rank of Kai Grand Defender, with which you begin the Grand Master series, means you are skilled in <em>two</em> of the weapons listed below.<a id="discplnz-1" idref="discplnz-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="weapons.gif" width="386" height="310" />
+ <instance class="pdf" src="weapons.pdf" width="386" height="310" />
+ <instance class="text" src="none" width="none" height="none" >
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Spear</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Mace</li>
+ <li>Short Sword</li>
+ <li>Warhammer</li>
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>Quarterstaff</li>
+ <li>Broadsword</li>
+ <li>Axe</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ </ul>
+ </instance>
+ </illustration>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="anmlmstr">
+ <meta><title>Animal Mastery</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters have considerable control over hostile, non-sentient creatures. Also, they have the ability to converse with birds and fishes, and use them as guides.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="deliver">
+ <meta><title>Deliverance (Advanced Curing)</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to use their healing power to repair serious battle wounds. If, whilst in combat, their <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is reduced to 8 points or less, they can draw upon their mastery to restore 20 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. This ability can only be used once every 20 days.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="assimila">
+ <meta><title>Assimilance (Advanced Invisibility)</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to effect striking changes to their physical appearance, and maintain these changes over a period of a few days. They have also mastered advanced camouflage techniques that make them virtually undetectable in an open landscape.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="hntmstry">
+ <meta><title>Grand Huntmastery</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to see in total darkness, and have greatly heightened senses of touch and taste.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="pthmnshp">
+ <meta><title>Grand Pathsmanship</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to resist entrapment by hostile plants, and have a super-awareness of ambush, or the threat of ambush, in woods and dense forests.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="kaisurge">
+ <meta><title>Kai-surge</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>When using their psychic ability to attack an enemy, Grand Masters may add 8 points to their <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. For every round in which Kai-surge is used, Grand Masters need only deduct 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. When using the weaker psychic attack&emdash;Mindblast&emdash;they may add 4 points without loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. (Kai-surge, Psi-surge, and Mindblast cannot be used simultaneously.)</p>
+ <p>Grand Masters cannot use Kai-surge if their <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score falls to 6 points or below.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="kaiscrn">
+ <meta><title>Kai-screen</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>In psychic combat, Grand Masters are able to construct mind fortresses capable of protecting themselves and others. The strength and capacity of these fortresses increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="nexus">
+ <meta><title>Grand Nexus</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Grand Masters are able to withstand contact with harmful elements, such as flames and acids, for upwards of an hour in duration. This ability increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="gnosis">
+ <meta><title>Telegnosis (Advanced Divination)</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>This Discipline enables a Grand Master to spirit-walk for far greater lengths of time, and with far fewer ill effects. Duration, and the protection of his inanimate body, increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="magi">
+ <meta><title>Magi-magic</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Under the tutelage of Lord Rimoah, you have been able to master the rudimentary skills of battle magic, as taught to the Vakeros&emdash;the native warriors of Dessi. As you advance in rank, so will your knowledge and mastery of Old Kingdom magic increase.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="alchemy">
+ <meta><title>Kai-alchemy</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>Under the tutelage of Guildmaster Banedon, you have mastered the elementary spells of Left-handed magic, as practised by the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star. As you advance in rank, so will your knowledge and mastery of Left-handed magic increase, enabling you to craft new Kai weapons and artifacts.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <p>If you successfully complete the mission as set in this, the first of the Lone Wolf Grand Master series, you may add a further Grand Master Discipline of your choice to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> in <a href="&link.16tlov;">Book 16</a>.</p>
+
+ <p>For every Grand Master Discipline you possess, in excess of the original four Disciplines you begin with, you may add 1 point to your basic <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> score and 2 points to your basic <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. These bonus points, together with your extra Grand Master Discipline(s), your original four Grand Master Disciplines, and any Special Items that you have found and been able to keep during your adventures, may then be carried over and used in the next Grand Master adventure, which is called <a href="&link.16tlov;"><cite>The Legacy of Vashna.</cite></a></p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="equipmnt">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Equipment</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="discplnz"/>
+ <link class="next" idref="cmbtrulz"/>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you set off on your long journey to Lencia, you take with you a <a idref="map">map of the lands and territories of the Western Tentarias</a> and a pouch of gold. To find out how much gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add 20 to number you have picked. The total equals the number of Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you should now enter this number in the <quote>Gold Crowns</quote> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>If you have successfully completed any of the previous Lone Wolf adventures. (Books 1&endash;14), you may add this sum to the total sum of Crowns you already possess. Fifty Crowns is the maximum you can carry, but additional Crowns can be left in safekeeping at your monastery.</p>
+ <p>You can take five items from the list below, again adding to these, if necessary, any you may already possess from previous adventures (remember, you are still limited to two Weapons, but you may now carry a maximum of ten Backpack Items).</p>
+ <ul class="paragraphed">
+ <li><p>Sword (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li><p>Bow (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Quiver (Special Items) This contains six Arrows: record them on your weapons list.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="quiver.gif" width="386" height="127"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="quiver.pdf" width="386" height="127"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li><p>Axe (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>4 Meals (Meals) Each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="food.gif" width="386" height="152"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="food.pdf" width="386" height="91"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Rope (Backpack Item)</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="rope.gif" width="386" height="109"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="rope.pdf" width="386" height="109"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Item) This potion restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for only one dose.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="potion.gif" width="386" height="167"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="potion.pdf" width="386" height="127"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ <li><p>Spear (Weapons)</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Dagger (Weapons)</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="dagger.gif" width="386" height="157"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="dagger.pdf" width="386" height="103"/>
+ </illustration>
+ </li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <p>List the five items that you choose on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>, under the appropriate headings, and make a note of any effect they may have on your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points or <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>.</p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="howcarry">
+ <meta>
+ <title>How to Carry Equipment</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Now that you have your equipment, the following list shows you how it is carried. You do not need to make notes, but you should refer back to this list in the course of your adventure.</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Sword&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Bow&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Quiver&emdash;slung over your shoulder.</li>
+ <li>Axe&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Meals&emdash;carried in the Backpack.</li>
+ <li>Rope&emdash;carried in the Backpack.</li>
+ <li>Potion of Laumspur&emdash;carried in the Backpack.</li>
+ <li>Spear&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ <li>Dagger&emdash;carried in the hand.</li>
+ </ul>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="howmuch">
+ <meta>
+ <title>How Much Can You Carry?</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <dl class="paragraphed">
+ <dt>Weapons</dt>
+ <dd><p>The maximum number of weapons that you may carry is two.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Backpack Items</dt>
+ <dd><p>These must be stored in your Backpack. Because space is limited, you may keep a maximum of only ten articles, including Meals, in your Backpack at any one time.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Special Items</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how to carry it.</p>
+ <p>The maximum number of Special Items that can be carried on any adventure is twelve. Surplus Special Items may be left for safekeeping at your Kai monastery.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Gold Crowns</dt>
+ <dd><p>These are always carried in the Belt Pouch. It will hold a maximum of fifty Crowns.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Food</dt>
+ <dd><p>Food is carried in your Backpack. Each Meal counts as one item.</p></dd>
+ </dl>
+ <p>Any item that may be of use, and which can be picked up on your adventure and entered on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> is given either initial capitals (e.g. Gold Dagger, Magic Pendant), or is clearly labelled as a Backpack Item. Unless you are told that it is a Special Item, carry it in your Backpack.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="howuse">
+ <meta>
+ <title>How to Use Your Equipment</title>
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <dl class="paragraphed">
+ <dt>Weapons</dt>
+ <dd><p>The maximum number of weapons that you can carry is two. Weapons aid you in combat. If you have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery and a correct weapon, it adds 5 points to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>. If you find a weapon during your adventure, you may pick it up and use it.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Bows and Arrows</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>During your adventure there will be opportunities to use a Bow and Arrow. If you equip yourself with this weapon, and you possess at least one Arrow, you may use it when the text of a particular section allows you to do so. The Bow is a useful weapon, for it enables you to hit an enemy at a distance. However, a Bow cannot be used in hand-to-hand combat, therefore it is strongly recommended that you also equip yourself with a close combat weapon, such as a sword or axe.</p>
+ <p>In order to use a Bow you must possess a quiver and at least one Arrow. Each time the Bow is used, erase an Arrow from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. A Bow cannot, of course, be used if you exhaust your supply of Arrows, but the opportunity may arise during your adventure for you to replenish your stock of Arrows.</p>
+ <p>If you have the Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery with a Bow, you may add 3 to any number that you pick from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, when using the Bow.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Backpack Items</dt>
+ <dd><p>These must be stored in your Backpack. Because space is limited, you may keep a maximum of ten articles, including Meals, in your Backpack at any one time. You may only carry one Backpack at a time. During your travels you will discover various useful items which you may decide to keep. You may exchange or discard them at any point when you are not involved in combat.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Special Items</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how or where to carry it. The maximum number of Special Items that can be carried on any adventure is twelve.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Gold Crowns</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>These are always carried in the Belt Pouch. It will hold a maximum of fifty Crowns. The currency of Nyras is the Kika. The exchange rate is 10 Kika for 1 Gold Crown.</p>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Food</dt>
+ <dd><p>Food is carried in your Backpack. Each Meal counts as one item. 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 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. If you have chosen the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery as one of your skills, you will not need to tick off a Meal when instructed to eat.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Potion of Laumspur</dt>
+ <dd><p>This is a healing potion that can restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for one dose only. If you discover any other potion during the adventure, you will be informed of its effect. All potions are Backpack Items.</p></dd>
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="cmbtrulz">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Rules for Combat</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="equipmnt" />
+ <link class="next" idref="levels" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There will be occasions during your adventure when you have to fight an enemy. The enemy's <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points are given in the text. Lone Wolf's aim in the combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to zero while losing as few <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points as possible himself.</p>
+ <p>At the start of a combat, enter Lone Wolf's and the enemy's <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points in the appropriate boxes on the Combat Record section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. The sequence for combat is as follows:</p>
+ <ol class="paragraphed">
+ <li><p>Add any extra points gained through your Grand Master Disciplines and Special Items to your current <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> total.</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Subtract the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter it on the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>Example</p>
+ <p>Lone Wolf (<typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 27) is attacked by a pack of Doomwolves (<typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 30). He is taken by surprise and is not given the opportunity of evading their attack. Lone Wolf has the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge to which the Doomwolves are not immune, so Lone Wolf adds 8 points to his <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>, giving him a total <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of 35.</p>
+ <p>He subtracts the Doomwolf pack's <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of +5. (35−30 = +5). +5 is noted on the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as the Combat Ratio.</p>
+ </li>
+ <li><p><a id="stage3">When you have your Combat Ratio</a>, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p></li>
+ <li>
+ <p>Turn to the <a idref="crtable">Combat Results Table</a>. 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 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost by both Lone Wolf and his enemy in this round of combat. (E represents points lost by the enemy; LW represents points lost by Lone Wolf.)</p>
+ <p>Example</p>
+ <p>The Combat Ratio between Lone Wolf and the Doomwolf Pack has been established as +5. If the number picked from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> is a 2, then the result of the first round of combat is:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Lone Wolf loses 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points (plus an additional 1 point for using Kai-surge).</li>
+ <li>Doomwolf Pack loses 7 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
+ </ul>
+ </li>
+ <li><p>On the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>, mark the changes in <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to the participants in the combat.</p></li>
+ <li><p>Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, the next round of combat now starts.</p></li>
+ <li><p>Repeat the sequence from <a idref="stage3">Stage 3.</a></p></li>
+ </ol>
+
+ <p>This process of combat continues until <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of either the enemy or Lone Wolf are reduced to zero, at which point the one with the zero score is declared dead. If Lone Wolf is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Lone Wolf proceeds but with his <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points reduced.</p>
+ <p>A <a idref="crsumary">summary of Combat Rules</a> appears in the back of this book.</p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="evasion">
+ <meta><title>Evasion of Combat</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>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 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points during that round (but then that is the risk of running away!). You may evade only if the text of the particular section allows you to do so.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="levels">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Levels of Kai Grand Mastership</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="cmbtrulz" />
+ <link class="next" idref="imprvdsc" />
+ </meta>
+ <data>
+
+ <p>The following table is a guide to the rank and titles you can achieve at each stage of your journey along the road of Kai Grand Mastership. As you successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf Grand Master series, you will gain an additional Grand Master Discipline and progress towards the pinnacle of Kai perfection&emdash;to become a Kai Supreme Master.</p>
+
+ <ol>
+ <li>Kai Grand Master Senior</li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Master Superior</li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Sentinel</li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Defender&emdash;<em>You begin the Lone Wolf Grand Master adventures at this level of Mastery</em></li>
+ <li>Kai Grand Guardian</li>
+ <li>Sun Knight</li>
+ <li>Sun Lord</li>
+ <li>Sun Thane</li>
+ <li>Grand Thane</li>
+ <li>Grand Crown</li>
+ <li>Sun Prince</li>
+ <li>Kai Supreme Master</li>
+ </ol>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="imprvdsc">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Improved Grand Master Disciplines</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="levels" />
+ <link class="next" idref="kaiwisdm" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="imprvdsc-1-foot" idref="imprvdsc-1">
+ <p>The <spell>Strength</spell> spell is, in practice, also used in armed combat contrary to what is indicated here.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you rise through the higher levels of Kai Grand Mastery you will find that your Disciplines will steadily improve. For example, if you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus when you reach the Grand Master rank of Grand Thane, you will be able to pass freely through Shadow Gates and explore the nether realms of Aon and the Daziarn Plane.</p>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="guardian">
+ <meta><title>Guardian</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>If you are a Grand Master who has reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian (5 Disciplines), you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:</p>
+ <dl class="paragraphed">
+ <dt>Animal Mastery</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Grand Guardians with this Discipline are able to summon a limited number of forest animals to their location. The creatures so summoned will become loyal and willing allies, willing to do the Kai Grand Guardian's bidding. This ability can only be used in an outdoor setting.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Assimilance</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Grand Guardians who possess this skill are able to create a cloud of fog-like vapour within 15 yards of their location. This fog will obscure both normal and infravision. The duration of the fog increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Grand Huntmastery</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Grand Guardians with this skill enjoy increased mobility when travelling across all types of terrain, whether on foot or on horseback. This improved ability is very useful when used to outdistance a pursuing enemy.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Kai-surge</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Grand Guardians who possess mastery of this Discipline are able to attack up to three enemies in psychic combat simultaneously.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Kai-screen</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Grand Guardians who possess this Discipline are able to exercise a defensive psychic skill known as Mindblend. This cloaking ability enables them to both protect and hide their minds from being detected by a hostile psychic probe.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Magi-magic</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>Grand Masters who have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian are able to use the following battle-spells of the Elder Magi:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li><spell>Splinter</spell>&emdash;This causes breakable items such as bottles, jugs, mirrors, windows, etc., to shatter to pieces. The range of this spell increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.</li>
+ <li><spell>Flameshaft</spell>&emdash;This causes the tip of any arrow, or arrow-like missile, to burn fiercely with a magical flame which cannot readily be extinguished by normal means.</li>
+ </ul>
+ </dd>
+ </dl>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="sunkght">
+ <meta><title>Sun Knight</title></meta>
+ <data>
+ <p>If you are a Grand Master who has reached the rank of Sun Knight (6 Disciplines), you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:</p>
+ <dl class="paragraphed">
+ <dt>Grand Weaponmastery</dt>
+ <dd><p>Sun Knights with this Discipline are able to wield two-handed weapons (i.e. Broadsword, Quarterstaff, Spear) with full effect, using only one hand.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Deliverance</dt>
+ <dd><p>Sun Knights who possess this skill are able to repair serious wounds sustained by creatures other than themselves. By the laying of hands upon the affected creature's body, a Sun Knight can cause an open wound (or other serious injury) to mend itself. The speed at which this healing takes place increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Grand Pathsmanship</dt>
+ <dd><p>Kai Sun Knights with this skill are able to repel at will all normal-sized insects within a radius of three yards. The range and numbers of insects so affected increases considerably as a Grand Master rises in rank.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Grand Nexus</dt>
+ <dd><p>Sun Knights who possess Mastery of this Discipline are able to feign death. By placing themselves into a state of suspended animation, outwardly they are able to achieve all semblance of being truly dead. However, whilst in this state the only sense that a Sun Knight retains is the ability to hear.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Telegnosis</dt>
+ <dd><p>Sun Knights who possess this Discipline are able to communicate telepathically over great distances. Initially the range of this ability is approximately 100 miles, but this distance increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.</p></dd>
+ <dt>Kai-alchemy</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <p>Grand Masters who have reached the rank of Sun Knight are able to use the following Brotherhood spells:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li><spell>Halt Missile</spell>&emdash;This causes any projected or hurled missile (i.e. arrows, axes, crossbow bolts etc.) which may pose an immediate threat to the life of a Sun Knight, to cease its flight and remain stationary in mid-air. The effect of the spell lasts for 2&endash;3 seconds, allowing the Sun Knight sufficient time to move away from its line of flight. Initially only one missile can be affected by this spell, but the number increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.</li>
+ <li><spell>Strength</spell>&emdash;By casting this spell, a Sun Knight is able to greatly increase his or her physical strength for a short duration. It can be used to lift or move heavy objects, or to effect a temporary increase in <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> scores whilst fighting an enemy in unarmed combat.<a id="imprvdsc-1" idref="imprvdsc-1-foot" class="footnote" /></li>
+ </ul>
+ </dd>
+ </dl>
+ <p>The nature of any additional improvements and how they affect your Grand Master Disciplines will be noted in the Improved Grand Master Disciplines section of future Lone Wolf books.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="frontmatter" id="kaiwisdm">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Grand Master's Wisdom</title>
+ <link class="prev" idref="imprvdsc" />
+ <link class="next" idref="sect1" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your mission to thwart Magnaarn's quest for the Doomstone of Darke will be fraught with deadly dangers. Be wary and on your guard at all times, for the warriors of Nyras are still a formidable enemy despite their recent defeats on the battlefields of the Western Tentarias.</p>
+ <p>Some of the things that you will find during your mission will be of use to you in this and future Lone Wolf books, while others may be red herrings of no real value at all. If you discover items, be selective in what you choose to keep.</p>
+ <p>Pick your four Grand Master Disciplines with care, for a wise choice will enable any player to complete the quest, no matter how weak their initial <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> scores may be. Successful completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures, although an advantage, is not essential for the completion of this Grand Master adventure.</p>
+ <p>The lives of thousands of Lencian crusaders besieging the city of Darke and, ultimately, the final outcome of their war against the hated Drakkarim depends on the success of your mission. May the light of Kai and Ishir be your guide as you venture into the helotry of Nyras.</p>
+ <p>For Sommerlund and the Kai!</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="numbered">
+ <meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect1">
+ <meta><title>1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having pledged your help, you commence preparations for your long journey to Lencia. You have many things you wish to attend to before you depart and so you invite Lord Floras, the Lencian envoy, to enjoy the hospitality of the monastery for a few days in order that you can settle your most pressing obligations. To your surprise he declines your invitation and insists that you leave at once, for he is anxious to return immediately to his distant homeland. Respectfully he reminds you that time does not favour your quest. By ship and by horse his journey to the monastery took more than a month to complete, and with Magnaarn already so near to finding the Doomstone of Darke, he fears that further delays could prove disastrous.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Mindful of the great distance which needs to be traversed you hurriedly dispatch a journeyman to Toran. He carries your request for help which is addressed to Lord Rimoah, your most trusted friend and advisor, who is presently attending to Guildmaster Banedon in his convalescence. Early next morning Lord Rimoah arrives at the monastery in person, aboard the vessel that is to be the answer to your dilemma: <cite>Skyrider</cite>&emdash;Banedon's flying ship.</p>
+ <p>Warmly you greet your old friend, then you introduce him formally to Lord Floras. The two talk at length about the war in the west, and Rimoah concludes the discussion by voicing his approval of your decision to go to King Sarnac's aid. Then he offers some words of warning.</p>
+ <p><quote>Be in no doubt, Grand Master,</quote> he says, <quote>This mission you have chosen to fulfil will be as perilous as any you have undertaken in the past. Magnaarn is a cunning adversary and this stone he seeks is possessed of a deadly evil. Do not underestimate your enemy. If he should succeed in his quest then I fear the lands of the Western Tentarias will never be at peace.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect140"><link-text>Turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect2">
+ <meta><title>2</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you search the smouldering ruins, you discover little has survived the fire which, at its height, must have transformed this town into a blazing inferno. The charred bones and skulls of those who died in the battle are strewn everywhere, and no attempt has been made to bury them. You are examining the remains of a Drakkar sword when suddenly you hear Schera calling you. His voice is full of urgency. You discard the sword and hurry back to the main street to find out what is wrong.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small9.gif" width="386" height="121"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small9.pdf" width="386" height="121"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect184"><link-text>Turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect3">
+ <meta><title>3</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You deal the ice a mighty blow and it splits wide open. For a moment you fear you are already too late to save your guide, then suddenly his head bobs out of the icy water and you grab hold of his collar before he disappears once again.</p>
+ <p>You haul him out of the lake and lay him on the frozen surface. His skin is a deep shade of violet and his entire body is shaking uncontrollably. You know that he is in serious condition but at least he is still alive. Using your healing skills, you transmit some of your body warmth through your hands to his chest and face and, within a few minutes, he comes out of shock and his body returns to its normal temperature. Your prompt action has saved his life, but it has also drained you of 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect157">Adjust your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score accordingly and then <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect4">
+ <meta><title>4</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last of the trench-troopers falls lifelessly to the muddy floor of the dugout, Prarg appears by your side, sheathing his bloodstained sword.</p>
+ <p><quote>Come, sire. We still have the advantage. We best use it before the Drakkarim discover what has happened here.</quote></p>
+ <p>Keen to maintain the element of surprise, you quickly leave the trench and rush across the remaining strip of open ground which separates you from the town's outlying dwellings. Prarg points ahead, to an alleyway that lies sandwiched between two burnt-out hovels, and immediately you follow as he rushes towards it shadowy entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect5">
+ <meta><title>5</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect5-1-foot" idref="sect5-1">
+ <p>This section represents the correct answer to the dragon door lock.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a dull <onomatopoeia>click</onomatopoeia> and the great iron door swings slowly to reveal a dark chamber constructed entirely of polished black rock.<a id="sect5-1" idref="sect5-1-foot" class="footnote"/> Revealed in the torchlight is a throne of rough-hewn marble, upon which there rests the skeletal remains of a warrior clad in mouldering furs. Bare bone gleams dully through a clinging mass of muscle and sinew, now shrunken to an iron-hard texture, and upon its skull there rests a helm of solid gold. Set into the face of this helm is an emerald as large as your fist</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Upon a throne of rough-hewn marble rests the remains of a warrior clad in mouldering furs.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill1.gif" width="386" height="632"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill1.pdf" width="386" height="632"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Prarg approaches the throne, tempted by the magnificent emerald, but he halts the moment you warn him that the helm is protected by a magical trap. You sense that a powerful spell of warding encircles the throne; to touch the crown would activate the spell, thereby unleashing a blast of destructive energy. The thought of being blown to atoms serves to dampen Prarg's curiosity and sheepishly he returns to your side. You give the booby-trapped throne a wide berth and leave the chamber by a smooth-walled tunnel in the far wall. But you have taken no more than a dozen steps when a chill of premonition runs like a trickle of icy cold water down your spine. You halt and reach for your weapon.</p>
+ <p>Then a loud voice booms out, destroying the silence.</p>
+ <p><quote>Welcome, Lone Wolf. Welcome to your tomb!</quote></p>
+ <p>Instinctively you know that it is the voice of Warlord Magnaarn.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect280"><link-text>Turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect6">
+ <meta><title>6</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Rising into view at the top of the stairs comes another Tunnel Stalker, the mate of the one you encountered earlier. Mindful of that combat, you decide to seize the initiative and attack this beast before it reaches the top of the stairs.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Tunnel Stalker</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Because of the speed of your attack, and the advantage of fighting from higher ground, increase your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> score by 3 points for the duration of this fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect91">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect7">
+ <meta><title>7</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your weapon and steady yourself as the two Ciquali clamber over the gunwale. For a moment they glare at you with hideous, bulging eyes, their throat sacs swelling and collapsing rapidly as they approach the moment to strike. Then, with a shrill screech, they spring simultaneously towards your chest.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ciquali</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">32</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">28</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect8">
+ <meta><title>8</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The scout places two fingers to his lips and gives a long, warbling whistle. The sound makes the mercenaries spin around and stare in your direction, and you hear one of them whistling twice in reply. Your scout then asks that you be allowed to enter their camp. There is a long pause, then a heavily-accented voice replies, <quote>Show yourselves.</quote></p>
+ <p>Relief that you are human, and not Drakkarim, is displayed clearly on the faces of these League-landers when the four of you stand up and walk slowly towards their camp. They offer their apologies for firing on you and one suggests that he escorts you to meet their leader Baron Maquin. Politely you accept his offer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect294"><link-text>Turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect9">
+ <meta><title>9</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus a ball of psychic energy at the advancing creature and unleash it with unexpected results. The beast possesses phenomenal natural psychic abilities which absorb the shock of your attack, enabling it to shrug off a mental assault which would devastate many creatures twice its size.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297"><link-text>Turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect10">
+ <meta><title>10</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You search through the many cases and boxes which lie scattered around this cluttered cabin, and you discover the following which may be of use to you during your mission:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Signet Ring</li>
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>3 Arrows</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ <li>2 Potions of Laumspur (each restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points)</li>
+ <li>Hourglass</li>
+ <li>Brass Key</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to make the necessary adjustments to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect277">To continue, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect11">
+ <meta><title>11</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the portal you discover a narrow flight of stone steps. Quickly you climb these stairs, spurred on by the wintery chill which grows steadily colder as you ascend. You count fifty steps before you eventually arrive at a chamber which is heaped with rubble. Its only door is blocked by debris and huge slabs of marble, making an immediate exit impossible. But it is not the door which commands your attention; it is a narrow circular shaft which is set into the middle of the ceiling. It is the source of the cold, wintery draft.</p>
+ <p>Expectantly, you step closer and investigate this shaft. For the most part it is dark, but you can see glimmers of grey daylight high above, and you can hear the whistling of the wind. But you can also hear another sound, one that is quite unexpected. It is a buzzing, insectile noise. You focus upon the darkness and suddenly you see that the noise comes from nests of winged insects which are fixed all along the inside of the shaft.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and have reached the rank of Sun Knight, <link-text>turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect281">If you do not possess this Discipline, or have yet to reach this level of Kai rank, <link-text>turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect12">
+ <meta><title>12</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step away from the two dead Tukodaks, sheathe your weapon and turn around to find Prarg standing by your side. He thanks you for saving him from the Tukodak's spear and then he helps you to hide the bodies of the two slain guards beneath some undergrowth in the surrounding ruins. Before you leave them, a quick search of their packs and pockets reveals the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Enough food for 1 Meal</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>2 Swords</li>
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>4 Arrows</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to take and keep any of the above items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect221">To enter the unguarded tower, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect13">
+ <meta><title>13</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the deadly crossbow bolts scream towards you and the Captain, you open your hand and thrust your palm into Prarg's back, pushing him forward. This swift action saves him from the first bolt, but it robs you of time in which to react to the second. It strikes and red-hot pain flares up your arm as the iron-tipped bolt gouges a deep furrow of flesh from the back of your wrist: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The lookouts fumble with their crossbows, desperate to fire again but before they can reload you have disappeared along the beach. Shortly you reach a small secluded cover where Prarg discovers a rusty anchor. It is a landmark, left on purpose by agents of King Sarnac to point the way to the cave where they have left your boat and provisions. You find the cave and together you haul the boat down the beach and raise its coal-black sail before pushing it out into the icy waters of the Tentarias.</p>
+ <p>Once aboard you trim the sail whilst Prarg takes charge of the rudder. There is a good wind and within minutes your tiny craft is bobbing towards the far western channel of the Hellswamp, twenty miles distant. You ask Prarg if this dark estuary has a name, and he replies, <quote>Yes. The Drakkarim call it <quote>Dakushna's Channel</quote> after the Darklord who once commanded the city-fortress of Kagorst. They say it is a fitting dedication, for the waterway is as deadly and as treacherous as the creature after whom it is named.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect60"><link-text>Turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect14">
+ <meta><title>14</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>During your trek through the forest, Prarg tells you a little about the history of this land. You learn that the whole of Nyras was once known as Northern Lencia until it was lost to the invading Drakkarim during the Darkdawn War. Many crusades and campaigns have been launched over the centuries to try and recapture this territory, but none, until now, have been successful. The Drakkarim built a fortress on the ruins of the Lencian capital, which was called Gamir, which they renamed Nagamir after their victory. But later, when the Drakkarim allied themselves to the Darklords of Helgedad, the capital was renamed Darke in their honour.</p>
+ <p>As dusk approaches, you happen by chance upon a forest trail and immediately your tracking skills tell you that it has only recently been constructed. Hoof prints frozen beneath the snow and several sets of footprints tell you that this trail has been used by more than a dozen riders and armoured foot soldiers within the last week.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect45">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect15">
+ <meta><title>15</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Prarg rushes towards the dying Drakkar and, before he can sound his horn, he deals him a killing blow.</p>
+ <p><quote>Quick, Sire,</quote> he says, sheathing his sword. <quote>Let us away from here lest this knight is not alone.</quote></p>
+ <p>You leap over the corpse and run down the corridor following closely on the heels of your companion. Soon you come to a junction where you are forced to choose a direction, left or right. You call upon your Kai skills and immediately you sense a strong presence of evil lurking at the end of the right-hand passage. You focus on the source of this evil and determine it is the Doomstone. You tell Prarg, and together you advance along the passage until you reach a closed door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If you possess Grand Huntmastery or Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If you possess neither of these Disciplines, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect16">
+ <meta><title>16</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wait as two Drakkarim on horseback come riding past the cabin, then, as soon as the coast is clear, you leap from the ditch and sprint through a gap in the log wall. The moment you reach the cabin you press yourself flat against its rough timbers and peer cautiously through its grimy window.</p>
+ <p>The cabin is not empty. Inside, you see a Drakkarim sergeant stretching for a bottle of wine that stands on a high shelf. He takes it down, pulls out the cork and helps himself to a long gulp of the glistening, ruby-red liquid. Behind him you can see the edge of the table; his body is obscuring the map.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect266">If you wish to enter the cabin and attack the soldier while he is distracted, <link-text>turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect124">If you choose to remain where you are and continue your observations, <link-text>turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect17">
+ <meta><title>17</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fix your eyes on the speeding arrow and incant the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Halt Missile</spell>. For a few seconds the shaft freezes in mid-air, then it resumes flight and passes harmlessly across the rear of the boat. You hear gasps of astonishment from the Drakkarim, and more than one utters the word <foreign xml:lang="x-giak"><quote>Ziran</quote></foreign>&emdash;the Giak for <quote>Wizard</quote>. As you disappear rapidly downstream, you see the renegades scrambling up the muddy bank in a desperate attempt to get away, having convinced themselves that you are a powerful sorcerer!</p>
+ <p>Your voyage continues without further interruption until, later in the afternoon, you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your <a idref="map">map</a> and discover it to be Konozod, a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you wish to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by <link-text>turning to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
+ <meta><title>18</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With brave determination you begin the laborious task of clearing away the rock and rubble which fills this stairway. You are fearful that it may take you several days to reach the next level and so it comes as a welcome surprise when, after just a few minutes' work, you see a gap appearing at the top of the mound. A gust of cold, wintery air wafts through this breach, rekindling your hopes of reaching the surface. Revived by the cold clean air, you attack the rubble with renewed vigour. But then your hopes are shaken when you hear a sinister sound; behind you, a Tunnel Stalker is climbing the stairs to the landing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect256">If you possess Kai-alchemy and have reached the rank of Sun Knight, <link-text>turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect6">If you do not possess this Discipline, or have yet to reach this level of Kai training, <link-text>turn to 6</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect19">
+ <meta><title>19</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your advanced Kai skills you conjure up a cloud of fog which completely obscures you from the sight of the approaching lookouts.</p>
+ <p><quote>Hurry, Captain!</quote> you whisper, as you pull Prarg to his feet, <quote>we must get away before the wind destroys our screen.</quote></p>
+ <p>The lookouts stumble into the fog and you hear them cursing as you make good your escape along the beach. You soon outdistance them and, a few minutes later, you happen upon a small secluded cove where Captain Prarg, to his delight, discovers a rusty anchor. At first you cannot fathom why this should please him so, then he tells you that it is a landmark, left on purpose by agents of King Sarnac to point the way to the cave where they have left your boat and provisions. You find the cave and together you haul the boat down the beach and raise its coal-black sail before pushing it out into the icy waters of the Tentarias.</p>
+ <p>Once aboard, you trim the sail whilst Prarg takes charge of the rudder. There is a good wind and within minutes your tiny craft is bobbing towards the far western channel of the Hellswamp, twenty miles distant. You ask Prarg if this dark estuary has a name, and he replies, <quote>Yes. The Drakkarim call it <quote>Dakushna's Channel</quote> after the Darklord who once commanded the city-fortress of Kagorst. They say it is a fitting dedication, for the waterway is as deadly and as treacherous as the being after whom it is named.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect60"><link-text>Turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect20">
+ <meta><title>20</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Towards you stalks a great albino creature as big as a bear. Two huge tusks protrude from its dripping jaws, and it yawns hungrily as slowly it draws closer and closer to you and your companion, attracted by the prospect of easy prey. The beast coughs and advances yet another step, its stubby tail twitching angrily. Prarg panics and he shouts <quote>Run</quote> as it fixes him with its fearsome pink eyes. Then the creature senses his fear and at once it comes bounding towards you with its great jaws agape in readiness to bite.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A great bear-like creature stalks towards you, two huge tusks protruding from its dripping jaws.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill2.gif" width="386" height="632"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill2.pdf" width="386" height="632"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect76">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect217">If you do not have a Bow, or choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 217</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect21">
+ <meta><title>21</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With bated breath you watch as the cavalry approaches. You recognize them to be Zagganozod, a unit of armoured Drakkarim cavalry of a type you once encountered many years ago, during a quest that took you to the land of Eru.</p>
+ <p>The enemy horsemen reach the road where they draw their mounts to a halt. They exchange a few words, then they turn their horses towards Darke and gallop away towards the battle that is raging around its walls. As soon as they are out of earshot, Schera and Maquin's men let out a collective sigh of relief.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect234"><link-text>Turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect22">
+ <meta><title>22</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A barricade has been thrown across the road which leads north out of Shugkona. The Drakkarim posted here have been alerted by the sounds of chaos coming from the square, and hurriedly they are trundling an armoured wagon across a gap at the centre of the barricade to seal off the exit completely. You slap your horse's rump and gallop towards this shrinking gap, but three spear-wielding guards see you approaching, and they rush forward to challenge you with their weapons held ready to strike.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect332">If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect312">If you possess Kai-surge and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, <link-text>turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect289">If you possess neither of these skills, or have yet to reach the required level of Kai Grand Mastership, <link-text>turn instead to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect23">
+ <meta><title>23</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Schera wakes you shortly before dawn and wearily you rise from your makeshift bed. Mindful of the journey ahead, you make a brief search of the armoury and discover a few weapons, and other items which could prove useful:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>6 Arrows</li>
+ <li>Quiver</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ <li>Spear</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>The captain sends word to his men to find boats for the voyage downstream. The order is duly carried out and, within the hour, twenty small craft have been brought to the icy river on the west side of the stone bridge. Schera appoints ten men to each craft, then you and he step aboard the first boat, cast off, and begin a voyage that will take you towards the coastal city of Darke.</p>
+ <p>The current is strong and the river is free of obstructions, enabling your flotilla to make swift progress downstream. Much of the riverbank is lightly wooded and Schera commands everyone to remain vigilant in case there are Drakkarim among the trees, lying in ambush. You pass through the woods without incident, and shortly before noon, you see the ruined town of Odnenga in the distance. Every building has been razed to the ground and a pall of wood smoke hangs above the town, fed by fires still smouldering from a battle that took place here several days ago. The river here is blocked by debris and you are forced to put ashore. Schera's men set to work clearing a passage, while you and the Captain scout the ruins in search of information.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small14.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small14.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>A soot-blackened road, running east to west, divides this shattered town into two halves. Schera suggests that you split up and search one half each and you nod in agreement.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect2">If you wish to search the north side of this ruined town, <link-text>turn to 2</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If you choose to search the south side, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect24">
+ <meta><title>24</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you land your killing blow, the Mawtaw shrieks an unearthly cry and falls to the ground, shivering and twitching fitfully. Then, with unnerving abruptness, it stiffens and lies still. Prarg immediately awakens from his hypnotic trance and, to your surprise, you discover that he has no memory at all of what has happened in the last hour.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you hurry away from the carcass of the slain Mawtaw and press on deeper into the forest. Your instinct and Pathsmanship skills lead you in a northerly direction and you cover more than five miles before the trees begin to thin out. Then you emerge from the forest to be greeted by a spectacular sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192"><link-text>Turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect25">
+ <meta><title>25</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are ushered into a lavish chamber that is hung with Lencian flags and decorated with exotic fineries from the far-flung corners of Magnamund. All around guardsmen stand rigidly to attention, their eyes watchful and unblinking behind their silver visors as you approach the high-backed throne which dominates the centre of the room. There before you sits King Sarnac, his silver-grey hair framing a benign face that is still lean and firm despite advancing years.</p>
+ <p><quote>Welcome, Grand Master,</quote> he says, as he rises from his throne and offers his hand in friendship. <quote>I prayed that you would come to Lencia, to help in the defeat of that cur, Magnaarn, but I did not imagine that you would arrive so soon. You are most welcome.</quote></p>
+ <p>Gladly you acknowledge the King's greeting and, after he has commended and dismissed Lord Floras, you adjourn with him to an antechamber where he tells you about the mission ahead.</p>
+ <p><quote>Latest reports from my spies and scouts in the north say that Magnaarn is presently at his army headquarters in Shugkona. Drakkarim have been seen combing a region of the Tozaz forest fifty miles to the north of his headquarters. We think that this is where he believes he'll find the Doomstone of Darke. There are many ancient temples in this area&ellips; perhaps one is harbouring that evil gem.</quote></p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small5.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small5.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>The King pauses for a few moments to take some refreshment. From a jewel-encrusted pitcher, he pours two glasses of wine and proffers one to you before continuing. Gratefully you accept and politely you sip the rare vintage whilst listening to the King's plan of action.</p>
+ <p><quote>Grand Master,</quote> he says, fixing you with his powerful gaze, <quote>if you are to thwart Magnaarn you must travel to Shugkona and seek him out. He must be killed, or failing this, the infernal Doomstone must be destroyed before he can use it against us. Secrecy is paramount if your mission is to succeed, therefore no attempt to approach Shugkona directly can be made. The lines of battle are drawn up to within fifty miles of that stronghold and the region is alive with Drakkarim. Yet there is still one means of approach that the enemy will not be guarding. I have made provision for a boat to take you to a place we call <quote>Bear Rock</quote>. It lies on the River Gourneni and is only thirty miles from Magnaarn's headquarters. However, there is one complication&ellips; to reach the river you must first enter the Hellswamp.</quote></p>
+ <p>The thought of venturing into that terrible mire fills you with a cold dread, for the Hellswamp is notoriously perilous. King Sarnac recognizes your apprehension and quickly he tries to assuage your fears.</p>
+ <p><quote>I understand your anxiety, Grand Master, but rest assured that you will not be entering alone. One of my finest officers will be your guide throughout this mission. He has scouted this route before and he knows how to avoid its many dangers. Once you reach Bear Rock he will guide you through the forest to Shugkona. There you must find out where Magnaarn is and do whatever is necessary to foil his quest. Once your mission has been accomplished, my officer will bring you through our battle lines and see you safely back here to Vadera.</quote></p>
+ <p>The king reaches for a cord which hangs from a hole in the domed ceiling. He tugs it and a bell tinkles in a distant part of the citadel.</p>
+ <p><quote>Now, Grand Master,</quote> he says, turning to face the door of the antechamber, <quote>the time has come for me to introduce your guide.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect315">If you took part in the Battle of Cetza in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect123">If you have not taken part in this battle, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect26">
+ <meta><title>26</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurry along this tunnel, passing in your stride many fissures which have opened up the stone floor and shattered the walls. It ends at a ruined staircase which leads to a landing where you are confronted by the corpse of a Drakkarim guard. It is slumped beside a mound of rubble which is blocking the stairs to the level above. A quick examination of the dead body reveals that both arms are broken. Injured and trapped here by the rockfall, it appears that this guard eventually died of thirst.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you wish to search the body further, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect347">If you wish to attempt to clear away the rubble that is blocking the stairs, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect27">
+ <meta><title>27</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Guided by your instincts, you take the Silver Rod from your pocket and insert it into the lock. It is a perfect fit. Silently the lock disengages and the door swings open to reveal two Tukodak guards, both standing with their backs to you. One feels a draft and glances over his shoulder, but before he can draw a weapon or warn his comrade, you leap forward and silence them with two swift and deadly open-handed blows to the napes of their necks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect83"><link-text>Turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect28">
+ <meta><title>28</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You crash down upon the unsuspecting lancer and send him tumbling from the saddle. Then you seize control of his startled horse and take off across the square. With your left hand you unholster the lance and bring it to bear as you gallop headlong towards the mass of Drakkarim soldiers who stand between you and the platform.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63"><link-text>Turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect29">
+ <meta><title>29</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unfortunately, you do not cast the spell quickly enough to block the Drakkar's arrow and it hits you squarely in the upper chest, knocking you flat on your back: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Bravely you take hold of the arrow and wrench it from your chest. Then, using your innate healing skills, you manage to staunch the bleeding. For nearly an hour you lie in the bottom of the boat staring at the grey sky, allowing the river to carry you downstream, and when eventually you pull yourself upright, you find that the Drakkarim renegades are no longer in sight.</p>
+ <p>Your voyage continues without further incident until, later in the afternoon, you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your <a idref="map">map</a> and discover it to be a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you decide to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by <link-text>turning to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect30">
+ <meta><title>30</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After several unsuccessful attempts to open this lock, you abandon the door and leave the chamber. You are fearful of what may happen if you stay here any longer and so you retrace your steps to the place where you first emerged from the collapsed passage. You pause here for a few minutes to catch your breath, then you continue along the tunnel until, once more, you find yourself standing at the edge of the chasm. You scan this vast and dismal fissure, hoping to find a way to escape from this grim subterranean prison.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect138">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect31">
+ <meta><title>31</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Uncertainty haunts your thoughts as you race across the desolate no man's land that lies between the inner and outer defences of Shugkona. Soon you catch sight of these outer defences. They comprise a line of man-sized wooden casks filled with earth, behind which there stands a squad of Drakkarim archers. Their bows are loaded and aimed, ready to fire.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you steer your horse away from the road and set off across rough, snowy ground towards a distant line of trenches. Fortunately, the defences at the northern perimeter are much weaker than elsewhere. The trenches are empty, the guards having left earlier to watch Prarg's execution in the main square. However, the rough terrain soon takes its toll upon your already tired horse. It is near to exhaustion, and as you approach the trenches, you fear he is not strong enough to make the jump.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Animal Mastery, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you have reached the Kai rank of Grand Guardian or higher, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect246">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect87">If it is 4&endash;7, <link-text>turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect165">If it is 8 or higher, <link-text>turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect32">
+ <meta><title>32</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Quickly, Prarg!</quote> you shout, as the advancing pack spreads out, attempting to surround you. <quote>Stand back-to-back. Whatever you do, don't let them separate us or we're done for!</quote></p>
+ <p>The Captain obeys your command and, as the first of the snarling war-dogs comes leaping through the air, you steel yourselves to receive its manic attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Wild Akataz Pack</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">50</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>These war dogs are especially susceptible to psychic attack. Double all bonuses you would normally receive should you decide to use a psychic attack during this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect286">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect33">
+ <meta><title>33</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect33-1-foot" idref="sect33-1">
+ <p>You may take <em>one</em> handful of the Floroa Fungi.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The slime-smeared steps are narrow and steep and seem to go on forever. You ascend, settling into a steady climbing rhythm, and after a long while you come to a rot-infested door on which your fumbling fingers discover a corroded metal latch. It opens into a dim and lofty chamber, vaulted by massive pillars of marble which are slick with moisture. The ground is carpeted with mottled green fungi, some specimens standing even taller than yourself, and the humid air is thick with spores.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you make your way across the chamber to an archway which is flanked by stone pillars, carved to resemble two huge open books. Around the base of these book-like pillars you notice several clumps of fleshy fungi which you recognize at once. They are called Floroa and are very nutritious. Eagerly you pick and swallow a handful of these Floroa&emdash;restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points&emdash;before leaving this chamber. (If you wish to take some of this fungi with you, record it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Backpack Item. Consuming this at a later time will restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.<a id="sect33-1" idref="sect33-1-foot" class="footnote" />)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">To continue, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect34">
+ <meta><title>34</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sight of Prarg being held hostage by these ruthless Drakkarim fills you with frustrated anger, but you dare not show it. The slightest provocation could result in the Captain's death. Instead, you call upon Warlord Magnaarn to show himself; you do not have to wait long for his response.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect35">
+ <meta><title>35</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You slay the Death Knights and bundle their bodies down the stairs to delay the other Drakkarim. Then, with fear running cold in your veins, you hurry across to a window on the far side of the tower. Outside, directly below, you see a Drakkar lancer sitting astride a warhorse. His lance is sheathed in a tube-like scabbard fixed to the rear of his saddle and in his hand he holds aloft a heavy-bladed cavalry sabre. He is cheering those who are entering the tower and he is completely unaware that you are barely a few yards away.</p>
+ <p>Swiftly you climb on to the window ledge, draw your weapon, then leap on to the unwary lancer below.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect153">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect28">If your total score is now 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect36">
+ <meta><title>36</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow Prarg to the top of the steps, and as you race along the body-strewn battlements, you see the fighting which is raging both inside and outside the city. The battlements end at a tower where a flight of spiral steps ascend to a circular landing. Here you wait in the shadows until a troop of Drakkarim pass by. While you are waiting for them to disappear, you look out of the tower through an arrow slit and see the waters of the Gulf of Lencia, and the conflict that is raging across the coastal plain.</p>
+ <p><quote>The King's Crusaders breached the city gate three days ago,</quote> whispers Prarg. <quote>They were close to taking the city when Magnaarn and his armies arrived. His new-found power shattered the Crusaders, but even though they were broken by it, not all were ejected from the city. Those you saw fighting at the keep are trying to hold on until our allies arrive from Kasland. The fleet is expected at any time. Magnaarn must be slain. He and the sceptre have become one entity&emdash;he is now a puppet of a far greater evil.</quote></p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small13.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small13.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>A shudder runs down your spine as, for the first time since you entered Darke, you feel the presence of the Doomstone. Fear returns to haunt you, the fear that the evil gem will sap your strength, as it did when first you encountered it at the Temple of Antah. If this is still so then Magnaarn may prove impossible to defeat.</p>
+ <p>Prarg senses your anxiety and he offers some words of advice and hope: <quote>The taking of Darke has weakened the Warlord&emdash;he's paid a terrible price. He has been forced to retire from the battle in order to recover his strength and he is presently at his weakest. Now, Sire, is the time to strike.</quote></p>
+ <p>Beyond the landing lies a corridor which leads to a junction where another passageway crosses from left to right. You look to the right and see that the way is blocked by a heavy steel door. Prarg utters a curse under his breath, then he explains his anger.</p>
+ <p><quote>That way leads directly to the Palace Tower. Magnaarn is hiding there, in its uppermost chamber.</quote></p>
+ <p>Anxiously he glances along the opposite passage and furrows his brow. <quote>Perhaps we can get there by another route,</quote> he muses.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220">If you wish to investigate the closed door, <link-text>turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect182">If you choose to look for another way of reaching the Palace Tower, <link-text>turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect37">
+ <meta><title>37</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly you sense that Prarg is walking directly towards a patch of thin ice. You shout a warning but it is already too late. A loud <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia> echoes across the lake as the surface shatters and, in a terrible moment, your companion disappears feet-first into a seething pool of icy grey water.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect211">If you possess a Rope, <link-text>turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect38">
+ <meta><title>38</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You let fly your Arrow and send it deep into the creature's throat. For a few moments the Ciquali looks at you as if unaffected by the Arrow, then its eyes roll backwards in their sockets and stiffly it falls backwards over the gunwale to sink without trace beneath the slimy water.</p>
+ <p>As one, the remaining Ciquali flee from the boat and disappear as quickly as they had come, slipping back to the cold, dark safety of their hiding places beneath the surface. Silence returns, and for a long moment you stand alert, suspecting trickery, then slowly you relax; they have gone.</p>
+ <p>Aided by your healing skills, Prarg makes a speedy recovery from the battering he sustained in combat with the Ciquali chieftain. The boat, too, has survived the attack and you are able to continue without further delay. As soon as you pass the obstruction, you hoist the sail and catch the prevailing wind which propels you northwards along the channel beyond.</p>
+ <p>You are hungry after your encounter. Unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">To continue, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect39">
+ <meta><title>39</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fight for control of Konozod is swift and bloody. Within the hour the town is under Lencian control, its Drakkarim garrison having been put mercilessly to the sword. However, not all of the enemy perish in the battle. To Captain Schera's dismay, several manage to escape across the river and flee to the west on horseback. He is anxious that they may return with reinforcements to retake the town.</p>
+ <p>A food store is discovered and, whilst the starving Lencians satiate their hunger, you talk with Captain Schera about the events of the last few weeks which have led to this meeting. Your learn from him that after you were interred in the Temple of Antah, Warlord Magnaarn waged a major offensive against the Lencian army. Having reunited the Doomstone with the Nyras Sceptre, he has, as King Sarnac feared, forced the Nadziranim sorcerers of Kagorst and Akagazad to help him. Their combined skills have wrought great destruction. They attacked and drove through the Lencian lines like demons in an offensive which was swift and deadly. A week ago, Captain Schera and his regiment were cut off and captured in the fighting around Hokidat, after which they were marched here and imprisoned. He considers himself lucky to be alive, for the Drakkarim rarely take prisoners. Then you ask what news he has heard about the war since he came here.</p>
+ <p><quote>There's much confusion,</quote> he says, wearily. <quote>I've heard talk that most of the mercenaries in Sarnac's pay have deserted us. Some have even joined the enemy. The Drakkarim taunted us, saying that our army had been smashed. They said the remnants had been pushed into the Tentarias, but I dismissed this as lies. One thing is sure, though: Magnaarn intends to raise the siege of Darke. It has become his battle call&emdash;<quote>On to Darke!</quote> This cry was on the lips of his troops during the battle at Hokidat. I saw him during this battle. He was leading his army personally, and he was wielding his accursed sceptre, dealing death to all who tried to stand in his way. He possesses a great and terrible power, and I fear that we may now be unable to put an end to his evil ambitions.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect97">If you wish to ask Schera if he knows anything about Captain Prarg, <link-text>turn to 97</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect236">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect40">
+ <meta><title>40</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect40-1-foot" idref="sect40-1">
+ <p>This section represents the correct answer to the octagonal door lock.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On the final tap you hear a faint <onomatopoeia>click</onomatopoeia>, then the door creaks slowly open to reveal a dark and desolate chamber, its brick walls dripping with evil-smelling grey slime.<a id="sect40-1" idref="sect40-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect196">If you possess Grand Huntmastery, <link-text>turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect126">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect41">
+ <meta><title>41</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Shortly after midnight you are awoken by the sound of wolves howling. Within a few moments you are on your feet, your weapon in hand as you race up the bank towards the place where you stationed your timberwolf guards. As you crest the bank you see them pacing back and forth, their eyes fixed on the forest's edge, their thick white fur standing on end with anxiety and fear. You scour the tree-line and at once you see the cause of their concern: Akataz. A dozen of the leathery black war-dogs are slinking in the shadows, waiting for the chance to attack. These ferocious wild dogs are often used by the Drakkarim and you have encountered them before on several occasions. Mindful of past experiences, you recall a weakness of the breed: they are particularly susceptible to psychic attacks.</p>
+ <p>Armed with this knowledge, you focus your Magnakai skill of Psi-surge upon the pack and launch a sharp blast of psychic energy in their direction. The effect is immediate: the Akataz are traumatized by this sudden assault. Shrieking with fright; the dogs flee from the bank and seek refuge in the dark safety of the Tozaz Forest. Confident that they will not be back, affectionately you pat your two loyal guards then return to the boat to resume your night's rest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215"><link-text>Turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect42">
+ <meta><title>42</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Nadziranim sorcerer has taken on the visage of a great snuffling beast which creeps towards you on six long-clawed feet. A vile, bulbous head is perched uneasily on its immense shoulders and its baleful, milky-coloured eyes roll like balls of mist within its scabrous head. The reeking fur of its body seems to bristle as slowly, with ponderous steps, it draws closer and closer.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>The Nadziranim sorcerer, taking on the visage of a great sniffling beast, creeps towards you.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill3.gif" width="386" height="600"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill3.pdf" width="386" height="600"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect271">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect134">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 134</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect43">
+ <meta><title>43</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A few moments after the wall closes there is a sound like distant thunder. Then a shudder runs through the floor and clumps of dirt begin to fall from cracks in the ceiling. Your strength is returning, but before you can attempt to escape, there is an almighty explosion and a deluge of rock and damp earth cascades into the passageway. The ceiling and floor are being pulled in opposing directions, and with a grating cry of tortured stone, the heavy portcullis shatters in two. Quickly you crawl beneath a broken section which lies at an angle to the wall, and take cover as countless tons of rock and earth rain down from above.</p>
+ <p>When at last the destruction ceases you find yourself trapped in the narrow triangular space between the heavy portcullis and the wall. Your quick thinking has saved you from physical injury, but, as far as you can tell, you are now buried in a collapsed level of the temple, hundreds of feet below the surface. Confident in the knowledge that, at worse, your stamina and Kai skills alone can keep you alive for several days, you begin the slow and laborious task of digging your way out of this subterranean tomb.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect156"><link-text>Turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect44">
+ <meta><title>44</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the Gorodons come pounding through the shallows, you draw upon your Magnakai skill of Animal Control in a desperate attempt to repel their attack. But your Discipline is not sufficiently strong enough and it fails to slow their advance.</p>
+ <p>Desperately you struggle to unsheathe your weapon as, with eyes blazing and horns lowered in eager readiness to strike, the Gorodons come rushing in for the kill.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>3 Gorodons</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">46</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">60</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect264">If you win and the combat takes six rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect155">If the combat is still in progress at the start of the seventh round, do not continue. Instead, <link-text>turn immediately to 155</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect45">
+ <meta><title>45</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Guided by your intuition, you set off with Prarg along the forest trail heading west, and soon your tracking skills warn you that you are nearing an enemy encampment. You signal your discovery to Prarg, and he follows as stealthily you enter the undergrowth and slip past a line of Drakkarim sentries. From the cover of the dense forest bracken you observe their camp. You count more than two dozen soldiers, plus horses, wagons and shelters. Prarg points to the emblem which adorns all of their uniforms and equipment: a black eagle clutching two fiery swords.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small11.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small11.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>These are the Tukodak&emdash;Warlord Magnaarn's personal guards,</quote> he says in a hushed whisper. <quote>We would be wise to avoid them.</quote></p>
+ <p>You nod in agreement then together you slip away from the camp and head north through the trees. You are drawn in this direction by something your senses have detected. It is a strong aura of energy, an evil energy which you feel sure must be radiating from the Doomstone of Darke. Within a few minutes you stumble upon a clearing where stands the majestic ruins of an ancient temple. At once you know that this is the Temple of Antah, and you sense that the Doomstone is here, lying somewhere deep within the ruins.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect46">
+ <meta><title>46</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Stoically, you begin the difficult trek westwards through this dense timberland, following the tracks left behind by Magnaarn's troops. At dusk you reach the forest's edge and stare out across an open expanse of bare, snow-covered plain. There is no cover to be had here, but at least the approaching darkness will help keep you hidden from hostile eyes.</p>
+ <p>As you emerge from the trees, by chance you notice something half-buried in the undergrowth. A closer look reveals it to be a large Drakkarim backpack. You flip open the buckles to search it and discover it contains the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>2 Arrows</li>
+ <li>Enough food for 2 Meals</li>
+ <li>Potion of Alether (increases <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 2 points for duration of one combat only)</li>
+ <li>Bottle of Wine</li>
+ <li>Bowstring</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103">To continue your trek, <link-text>turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect47">
+ <meta><title>47</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You share your premonition of danger with Captain Prarg and wisely he heeds your warning. He suggests you draw in the sail to prevent the wind from propelling your boat towards the raft of weeds, yet once the sail is gathered, still you find yourselves drifting ever nearer to the obstruction.</p>
+ <p>With weapons drawn, you wait in tense expectation as the boat grazes the edge of the weed-raft. For a few seconds there is an unnatural silence, then suddenly a gurgling screech rends the frosty air. Like sorcery-conjured demons, a dozen ghoulish creatures rise up from the murky depths of the swamp amid a seething froth of bubbles. Swiftly they climb from beneath the weed-raft and slink from other hiding places among the dank thickets of the adjoining bank. Within seconds they have you surrounded.</p>
+ <p><quote>Ciquali!</quote> cries Prarg, naming these ghoulish foes. He steps forward, brandishing his sword, and lashes out at the boldest of the dome-headed creatures as it tries to slip aboard. His razor-sharp blade severs its forearm at the wrist, sending a scaly webbed hand spinning into the swamp, trailing green ichor. The beast screams as it falls over the side, yet no sooner has it vanished beneath the surface when two more of its kin grab the gunwales and attempt to haul themselves into the boat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect180">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect7">If you do not, or choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 7</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect48">
+ <meta><title>48</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your advanced Pathsmanship skills locate the faint outline of tracks in the dust which covers the rough stone floor. These tracks were made by a creature that is bigger than yourself, a large-footed biped with clawed toes and an awkward shuffling gait. You are tracing the outline of one footprint with your index finger when suddenly your acute senses warn you that something hostile is approaching along the corridor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect252">If you wish to avoid a confrontation, you can turn around and hurry along this tunnel in the opposite direction, by <link-text>turning to 252</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect122">If you choose instead to draw your weapon and advance to meet this unknown threat, <link-text>turn to 122</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect49">
+ <meta><title>49</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You crash down upon the unsuspecting lancer, but the shock of impact does not unseat him and desperately he struggles to fend you off. He gouges your cheek with his studded gauntlets before you succeed in knocking him out of the saddle: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The lancer falls heavily to the ground, striking his head. Before he can recover his senses, you seize control of the horse and take off across the square. With your left hand you unholster the lance and bring it to bear as you gallop headlong towards the backs of the Drakkarim soldiers who stand between you and the platform.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63"><link-text>Turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect50">
+ <meta><title>50</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A ragged line of Lencian prisoners are crossing the stone bridge, escorted by a dozen Drakkarim armed with crossbows and spears. The main gates swing open to admit them, and, as the Lencians file through with their heads bowed in defeat, you see that the central square of this town has been turned into a large prisoner-of-war compound. It is enclosed by a crude fence of wire and sharpened stakes, which is patrolled by sentries and Akataz war-dogs. From what little you can see you estimate at least two hundred Lencians are being held captive here.</p>
+ <p>The conditions are shocking. The men are being kept out in the open, without shelter or heat of any kind, and judging by the state of those already here, it looks as if the Drakkarim are purposefully starving them to death.</p>
+ <p>Your shock soon turns to anger, and you vow to do something to help these prisoners. But before you can think through a plan of action, your Kai senses warn you of approaching footsteps. Two of the Drakkarim escort have slipped away from the line and they are now walking briskly towards the alleyway. One has a large canvas sack slung over his shoulder, and as they draw closer, you are forced to take cover in a shadowy doorway to avoid being seen.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance, add 3 to your score.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect116">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect259">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect51">
+ <meta><title>51</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you feel the icy-cold waters of the Gourneni lapping about your legs, you press your shoulders to the stern timbers and launch the boat into the shallows. Prarg scrambles over the side, then turns with his arms outstretched to pull you aboard.</p>
+ <p><quote>Quickly, Lone Wolf!</quote> he screams, <quote>they're nearly upon us!</quote></p>
+ <p>With Prarg's help you clamber over the gunwale, narrowly avoiding the horns of a Gorodon as you tumble head-over-heels into the bottom of the boat. Unaided, the boat drifts towards the middle of the river and is soon beyond reach of the Gorodons who, despite their hunger, have decided not to pursue.</p>
+ <p><quote>That was too close for comfort,</quote> says Prarg, as he struggles to free the oars and set them in place. <quote>We can count ourselves lucky to have escaped with our lives and limbs intact. The first time I navigated these channels I lost three good men in a Gorodon attack. These beasts are the bane of this accursed place&ellips; yet, t'is true to say, there are other creatures here that are far worse. Far worse.</quote></p>
+ <p>Using the oars you soon reach the west bank where, once safely ashore, you encamp on a strip of frozen loam that overlooks a bleak expanse of marsh. Night has fallen and so too has the temperature. From the shelter of your upturned boat you cast your experienced eye across the darkening skies and see banks of cloud, heavy with snow, scudding the distant horizon. They are an unwelcome sight, the precursors to a winter storm</p>
+ <p>Prarg volunteers to continue the first watch but, mindful that his need for rest is greater than yours, you insist that he gets some sleep. For four hours you sit and scan the bleak horizon, your mind filled with unanswered questions about the mission and the dangers you have yet to face. While you ponder what awaits you in the near future, you remain watchful and alert, your encounter on the east bank still vivid in your mind. Fortunately, the increasing cold dissuades the Hellswamp's inhabitants from leaving their lairs this night and your watch passes without incident.</p>
+ <p>Then the time comes for you to awaken Prarg. With a noticeable lack of enthusiasm he takes his turn while you settle yourself down to catch a few hours of much-needed sleep.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327"><link-text>Turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect52">
+ <meta><title>52</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cautiously you descend the slippery hill track and make your approach to the bridge. The thick snow muffles your steps and you are able to reach the cabin without alerting its occupants. You motion to Prarg to take hold of the horse and keep lookout whilst you investigate the stables. Silently you slip alongside the cabin and pass beneath its solitary window.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect263">If you wish to peek through the window, <link-text>turn to 263</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect115">If you choose to ignore the window and make your way directly to the stables, <link-text>turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect53">
+ <meta><title>53</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Drakkar shudders as you land your killing blow. With an open-mouthed look of surprise, he clasps his chest then drops lifelessly to the floor. Quickly you step over his corpse and hurry to the table to study the map. To your disappointment, the map turns out to be merely a construction plan of the encampment. It offers no clues to Magnaarn's present location.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small7.gif" width="386" height="117"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small7.pdf" width="386" height="117"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect213">If you wish to search the cabin more thoroughly, <link-text>turn to 213</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If you choose to leave the cabin and return to Prarg, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect54">
+ <meta><title>54</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The ambush is swift and devastating, yet despite having been caught completely unawares, the Drakkarim cavalry put up a spirited fight. Their leader is a formidable swordsman and more than a dozen Lencians die beneath his swishing blade before he finds himself in face-to-face combat with a Kai Grand Master.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Zagganozod Captain</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">36</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">38</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect55">
+ <meta><title>55</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your super-keen senses warn you that Prarg is walking towards a patch of thin ice. At once you shout a warning and he halts in his tracks. Then, carefully, he retraces his steps and follows in your footsteps as you make a wide detour around this perilous section. An hour later you reach the far side of the lake and hurry into the forest beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect187"><link-text>Turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect56">
+ <meta><title>56</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take a Gold Crown from your money pouch, flick it in the air, then catch it on the back of your hand. With your advanced skills it is easy for you to sense immediately that the coin is showing heads, but Prarg is not so gifted.</p>
+ <p><quote>Heads or tails?</quote> you ask your companion.</p>
+ <p>Thoughtfully he scratches his chin as he considers his answer.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect117">If the number you have picked is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect298">If it is 5&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect57">
+ <meta><title>57</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite your realistic disguise and plausible story, the Tukodak guards are not deceived.</p>
+ <p><quote>Gazim!</quote> shouts the spear-wielder, and you are forced to knock Prarg aside to save his life as the angry Drakkar thrusts at his chest. You move back a few paces and draw your weapon just in time to defend yourself as the guards rush to attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Tukodaks</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">34</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect12">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect58">
+ <meta><title>58</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You crash down upon a stack of ale barrels which, in turn, topple and fall, pinning you beneath them. Yet despite your heavy landing, your cat-like reflexes save you from sustaining any serious injuries: lose only 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>At once you try to extricate yourself from beneath the heavy casks, but a sudden sound causes you to stop and stare at the broken trapdoor. In the alleyway above, you hear the sounds of a struggle taking place: the Drakkarim have found your companion, Prarg, and they are attempting to overpower him by force.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect225"><link-text>Turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect59">
+ <meta><title>59</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect59-1-foot" idref="sect59-1">
+ <p>It is at your discretion whether or not to apply these bonuses cumulatively. It seems that the bonuses are used non-cumulatively (i.e. a Sun Knight would add 2, not 3).</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The open doors to the tower appear to offer the only means of access to the temple. Because of this, you decide that you will try and overpower the two Tukodak who are standing guard there. Armed with your formidable Kai skills, and with dusk fast turning to darkness, you are confident you will succeed.</p>
+ <p>You tell Prarg, who is unarmed, to wait here at the forest's edge until you signal for him to join you. Then you stalk towards the tower, your approach masked by your camouflage skills. At first the way is easy, but the last twenty yards of ground to the stone ramp have been cleared of temple debris and this area is completely open, devoid of any cover.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add 1. If you have reached the rank of Sun Knight add 2.<a id="sect59-1" idref="sect59-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect268">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect151">If it is 6 or higher, <link-text>turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect60">
+ <meta><title>60</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Dawn breaks as you sail into the estuary of Dakushna's Channel. Prarg keeps the boat in the centre of the wide waterway, where the slimy water is deepest and the ever-present risk of grounding upon submerged debris is less likely to befall you.</p>
+ <p>Soon you are enveloped by the chaotic wilderness of the Hellswamp and you feel your spirits drop, as if they are being leeched by some unseen vampire. The monotonous view of slime-laden mudflats extends seemingly forever on every side, broken only occasionally by a dead, vine-strangled tree. You both take some comfort in the fact that there is a wind and it is blowing in a favourable direction. Despite the depressing scenery you make good progress until, late in the afternoon, you are forced to lower your sail when you reach a point where unexpectedly the channel splits in two. Prarg says that this split must have occurred recently, for it was not present the last time he sailed this way. Reluctantly he admits that he is not sure which way to go.</p>
+ <p>Upon the edge of the left bank, in the middle distance, you see a circle of mud huts perched close to the channel's edge. You magnify your vision, but you are unable to discern any signs of life.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect144">If you wish to enter the left channel which passes close to the circle of mud huts, <link-text>turn to 144</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect235">If you wish to take the right channel and thereby avoid passing by the huts, <link-text>turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect61">
+ <meta><title>61</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>I'll prepare a diversion. When the guards and their dogs are drawn away from the perimeter fence, you must act quickly. You and your men must storm the gates. Once you are free, make your way to the armoury with all haste. You'll find your weapons there.</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>That's all very well,</quote> replies the Captain, sceptically, <quote>but how do you propose we get into the armoury? It's the most secure building in the town.</quote></p>
+ <p>'Don't worry about that,' you say, with confidence. <quote>I shall be inside, waiting to let you in.</quote></p>
+ <p>For a few moments the Captain considers your plan in silence. Then, with a nod, he finally agrees.</p>
+ <p><quote>Very well, so be it. I'll pass the word.</quote></p>
+ <p>You watch as he returns to his men, then you leave the fence and retrace your steps to the darkened alleyway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect62">
+ <meta><title>62</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you charge towards the sentries, they huddle together and set the butts of their wavering spears into the ground in readiness to receive your attack. But a sharp burst of Psi-surge unsettles them and they scatter moments before you come galloping upon them. In the next instant you are through the gap in the barricade and racing along the road beyond. You have passed successfully through the inner defensive line, but, as Prarg quickly points out, you have yet to reach the outer defences of Shugkona.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31"><link-text>Turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect63">
+ <meta><title>63</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You steer the horse towards the platform and the troops scatter before you. All, that is, save one. He is a Death Knight sergeant, an élite Drakkarim warrior. He curses his comrades for their cowardice and, as you bear down on him with your lance levelled at his chest, he draws his sword and gets ready to meet your attack head-on. Then the tip of your lance strikes his steel breastplate and you are forced back in your saddle with a jolt that leaves you breathless.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 12 or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If your total score is now 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If it is 3 or higher, <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect64">
+ <meta><title>64</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your hopes of finding a clear route out of here are soon dashed when you arrive at a ruined staircase. It leads to a landing where you are confronted by the corpse of a Drakkarim guard, slumped beside a mound of rubble which is blocking the stairs to the level above. A quick examination of the dead body reveals that both arms are broken. Injured and trapped here by the falling rocks, it appears that this guard eventually died of thirst.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you wish to search the body further, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect347">If you wish to attempt to clear away the rubble that is blocking the stairs, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect65">
+ <meta><title>65</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Prarg has reservations about your decision; he fears that your curiosity could be leading you both straight into the arms of the enemy. You understand his anxiety but you stand by your decision. Time is running against you and some risks must be taken if you are to discover quickly the location of Magnaarn and the Doomstone. With a nod of his head Prarg accepts the logic of your argument. Then, as if to reaffirm his loyalty, he draws his sword and offers to lead the way.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you follow him through the dense trees, your nerves as taught as bowstrings. As you draw closer, you are able to make out the sounds of wood being chopped, gruff voices and the jingle of horse bridles. Your suspicions are confirmed when you reach the edge of a clearing and see a Drakkarim encampment in the centre of recently cleared ground. Three log cabins, two only partially completed, stand in the middle of a circular ditch which is backed in turn by a chest-high wall of sharpened stakes. You count more than a hundred Drakkarim labouring to complete this forest outpost, while another fifty or so stand guard along its perimeter wall. They look well-equipped; all are clad in thick furs and studded leather armour, and they wield weapons which are unmistakably fresh from the forge.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Suddenly the door swings open and a Drakkarim officer strides out into the snow.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill4.gif" width="386" height="634"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill4.pdf" width="386" height="634"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Slowly you edge your way around the clearing until you are on the north side of the encampment. Here the perimeter wall has yet to be completed, affording you an unobstructed view of the cabins. You settle yourself behind a fallen tree and patiently you observe the main hut. Suddenly the door swings open, and a Drakkarim officer strides out into the snow. He pulls on his iron helm and draws his wolfskin cloak close about him as he goes off to inspect his men's work. The door swings shut, but before it closes, you catch a glimpse of something that sparks your curiosity anew.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect329"><link-text>Turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect66">
+ <meta><title>66</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you strike your killing blow, the creature explodes with a flash of brilliant white light. As the glare fades, you see that nothing whatsoever remains of either its body or spirit. Magnaarn witnesses the death of his servant with a look of pure terror. He screams, and in a moment of panic, he touches the head of the Nyras Sceptre to the floor. There is a tremendous boom, and the floor shudders violently as it is torn wide open by a massive quake.</p>
+ <p>Hurriedly, Magnaarn makes his escape through a curtained archway. Determined not to allow him to escape, you get ready to leap across the fissure which has opened up the chamber floor. It is no less than twenty feet wide at its narrowest point.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery <em>and</em> have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect128">If your total is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect75">If it is 4&endash;6, <link-text>turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect179">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect67">
+ <meta><title>67</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The guard's eyes, made unnaturally large by the lens, narrow as he stares intently across the snowy eastern approaches to the tower. Immediately you slow yourself to a halt, fall to the ground, then begin utilizing your camouflage skills to keep you hidden from his unblinking gaze.</p>
+ <p>With your cheek pressed flat to the snow, you glance firstly at the guard's face at the observation slit, then to Captain Prarg who is now climbing the stairs to tower door, his sword ready to hand. He reaches the door, throws it open, and disappears quickly inside. For a few moments there is complete silence, then he reappears, sheathes his bloodied blade, and beckons you to hurry to the tower.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect112"><link-text>Turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect68">
+ <meta><title>68</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take some bread and dried meat from your Backpack and offer it to your companion. Gratefully he accepts the food and settles himself at the base of a tree where hungrily he consumes every scrap. (Remember to deduct this Meal from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <p>Meanwhile you scan the surrounding forest, ever watchful for enemies. For the last hour you have had a growing suspicion that something has been watching you. Your senses detect the presence of a hostile entity, closing from the east. Now the suspicion has become a firm belief, and the moment Prarg finishes his meal, you suggest that you be on your way as swiftly as possible.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect14"><link-text>Turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect69">
+ <meta><title>69</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The current, and your powerful oar-strokes, propel you swiftly towards the Drakkarim renegades. You are fifty yards distant when the unexpected sight of your boat galvanizes them into action. They drop their makeshift fishing lines and take up their bows in readiness to fire the moment you are opposite their position. A growl from their pot-bellied leader passes for an order to fire, and suddenly you find yourself speeding through a cloud of deadly arrows.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect278">If you possess a Bow and wish to return fire, <link-text>turn to 278</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect158">If you do not possess a Bow, or choose not to return fire, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect70">
+ <meta><title>70</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Reluctantly you abandon your attempt to open this iron portal and turn instead to a sloping passageway which descends to a deeper subterranean level of this ancient temple. You set off down this damp passage and at length it ends at a vault where the only exit appears to be a vertical pit at its centre. Cautiously you approach the pit and peer through its barred grill.</p>
+ <p>To your surprise, you see the floor of another torchlit passageway less than a dozen feet directly below the grill. With Prarg's help you pull open the rusty cover, then you lower yourself through the hole and drop down into the corridor below, followed by your companion. The pervading aura of evil is stronger now, and you feel certain that with every step you are drawing closer to finding the Doomstone. You are thinking to yourself that perhaps your progress has been almost too easy when suddenly you sense imminent danger.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect132">If your total score is now 0&endash;2, <link-text>turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect205">If it is 3&endash;6 <link-text>turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect92">If it is 7 or higher, <link-text>turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect71">
+ <meta><title>71</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Patiently you keep watch to the north, expecting to see the appearance of enemy cavalry at any moment. You do not have to wait too long, for within minutes of deciphering the crow's warning, you see the first few outriders of a Drakkarim platoon crest the horizon. You magnify your vision and recognize them to be part of Magnaarn's own army. They are carrying lances topped with pennants that bear Magnaarn's personal emblem: an eagle clasping two fiery swords. Steadily these cavalry scouts draw closer. They are riding directly towards the river.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small11.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small11.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect21">If the number you have chosen is 0&endash;6, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect267">If it is 7&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect72">
+ <meta><title>72</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect72-1-foot" idref="sect72-1">
+ <p>This section is unreachable and superfluous since it is equivalent to <a idref="sect349">Section 349</a> and <a idref="sect185">Section 185</a>.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the beast keels over backwards and splashes into the mire, you roll Prarg on to his back then watch as the remaining Ciquali, now leaderless, turn away and disappear as quickly as they had come, slipping back to the cold, dark safety of their hiding places beneath the surface. Silence returns, and for a long moment you stay alert, suspecting trickery, then slowly you relax; they have gone.<a id="sect72-1" idref="sect72-1-foot" class="footnote"/></p>
+ <p>Aided by your healing skills, Prarg makes a speedy recovery from the battering he sustained in combat with the Ciquali chieftain. The boat, too, has survived the attack and you are able to continue without further delay. As soon as you pass the obstruction, you hoist the sail and catch the prevailing wind which propels you northwards along the channel beyond.</p>
+ <p>You are hungry after your encounter. Unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">To continue, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect73">
+ <meta><title>73</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You make swift progress, helped by the river's strong current. Gradually, as the day unfolds, the surrounding landscape changes from open plain to an expanse of low, rolling hills which are blackened and scarred by war. Ruined hovels smoulder on the horizon, and scores of snow-covered corpses, human and otherwise, lie scattered across the fields, their limbs frozen into impossible shapes.</p>
+ <p>It is late afternoon when you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your <a idref="map">map</a> and discover it to be Konozod, a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you decide to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by <link-text>turning to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect74">
+ <meta><title>74</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The guard's eyes, made unnaturally large by his magical lens, stare out across the snowy eastern approaches to the town. You are in plain view, less than a few dozen yards from his position, yet he fails to notice you racing to join your companion. Shielded by your Kai skills and aided by your fleetness of foot, you reach Prarg unobserved by this watchful defender.</p>
+ <p>Prarg points ahead to an alleyway that lies sandwiched between two burnt-out hovels close by the watchtower. You nod to confirm you understand his intentions, and without a word having been spoken, you follow as he runs towards the alley's shadowy entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect75">
+ <meta><title>75</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leap across the gap, but, as you land, you slip on the broken flooring and gash both knees: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Cursing your luck, you hobble towards the curtain through which Magnaarn disappeared and pull it aside to find a short flight of stone steps. You climb them and discover that they emerge at a turret at the very top of the Palace Tower, the highest point in the city of Darke.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Magnaarn cowers with his crooked back pressed against the frost-covered wall</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill5.gif" width="386" height="649"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill5.pdf" width="386" height="649"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Here you find Magnaarn, cowering with his crooked back pressed hard against the frost-covered wall. You sense that he has very nearly succumbed to the evil power of the Doomstone; he is treading a fine line between life and undeath. Yet, even though he is but a whisker away from eternal damnation, he musters enough spite to challenge you to a fight to the death.</p>
+ <p><quote>Very well, Drakkar,</quote> you reply, <quote>Let battle commence.</quote></p>
+ <combat><enemy>Warlord Magnaarn (with Nyras Sceptre) </enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect350">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect76">
+ <meta><title>76</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you draw an Arrow, take aim, and fire as the beast comes leaping through the air towards your chest. The arrow thuds into its furry belly but the momentum of its leap still carries it forwards.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect174">If the number you have picked is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect258">If it is 5&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect77">
+ <meta><title>77</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The arrow whistles over your head and sinks harmlessly into the muddy bank on the opposite side of the river. For ten minutes you lie in the bottom of the boat staring up at the grey sky as the river carries you downstream, and when eventually you pull yourself upright, you discover that the Drakkarim renegades are no longer in sight.</p>
+ <p>Your voyage continues without further incident until, later in the afternoon, you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your <a idref="map">map</a> and discover it to be Konozod, a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you decide to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by <link-text>turning to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect78">
+ <meta><title>78</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Upon reaching the base of the chasm you discover the ground to be slick with black, foul-smelling mud. It is peppered with broken slabs of rock, veined marble and other temple debris which have fallen from the many sundered levels above. You wade through this ankle-deep slime, following the course of the river as it rushes towards the brick-lined tunnel at a frightful speed. When you reach the tunnel entrance, to your relief you discover a solid stone walkway which runs parallel to the roaring water. From the roof of this echoing tunnel hang vast, bloated domes of stinking fungi which give off a grey-green radiance. It is an unwelcoming light, an illumination born of decay.</p>
+ <p>You have taken a few hundred paces along the stone walkway when you are confronted by a massive iron grill. It stretches across the entire width of the tunnel and prevents you from continuing further in this direction. Nearby, a heavy chain hangs from a hole in the arched ceiling. Upon closer investigation you discover that it operates a concealed winch which raises and lowers the grill, like the portcullis of a castle. You are about to haul the chain and raise the grill when suddenly you hear a beast-like roar echoing along the tunnel, louder than the rushing water. You sense danger; something is approaching. You release the chain and spin around, your hand reaching instinctively to your weapon, but you are frozen immobile by the terrible sight of the creature that is now moving along the walkway towards you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect102">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 102</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect318">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect79">
+ <meta><title>79</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This quarter of the town is now teeming with enemy soldiers, and as you hurry away from the cell window, you know that you are in grave danger of being caught unless you can find somewhere safe to hide.</p>
+ <p>At length you discover a refuge on the far side of the main square. It is an empty grain storage tower which overlooks Magnaarn's headquarters and the gaol, and it is here that you spend a sleepless night contemplating the mission and the fate of your captured companion. Now that it appears Magnaarn has found the Doomstone, you know you should do as Captain Prarg insisted; you should try to reach Antah and confront him before he can use his new-found power against the Lencians. But you are loath to abandon your guide. You have promised Prarg that you will help him escape, and a Kai Grand Master never breaks his word. The Captain has been captured as a spy, and as such, he can expect no mercy from the Drakkarim.</p>
+ <p>Soon after dawn you witness some activity in the main square which confirms your worst fears. A squad of Drakkarim engineers arrive and set to work constructing a raised wooden platform in the centre of the square.</p>
+ <p>An hour later, when their work is complete, a covered wagon arrives. The engineers unload a large lump of black oak which they place in the middle of the platform, and as you focus on this block, a shiver runs the length of your spine the moment you realize its grim purpose.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect118"><link-text>Turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect80">
+ <meta><title>80</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>You will commence your mission at midnight,</quote> says the King, motioning you towards a small window which overlooks the busy harbour of Vadera. He points to a ship, one of several moored at the quayside, but one that is readily identifiable for it is the only vessel not in military service.</p>
+ <p><quote>That trading sloop will carry you and the Captain to the small island you can see in the distance. That is Battle Isle. There you will find a sailing boat with enough provisions for your mission. The Captain knows where it is hidden and he will be responsible for your safe passage once you set sail for the Hellswamp. Remember, secrecy is vital to the success of your mission. Trust nobody save Captain Prarg.</quote></p>
+ <p>The King voices his fear that Drakkarim spies are operating in the harbour and he expresses his concern that your unexpected arrival by air may have already alerted them to your presence here in Vadera. However, it is too late to change the plan; it is a risk you must accept.</p>
+ <p>Having concluded your briefing, King Sarnac sends for an escort to take you to a private chamber where you can rest and reflect upon the mission ahead. Later that evening, you and Captain Prarg are smuggled out of the citadel via a secret passage which leads directly to the harbour. Quietly you board the sloop and hide yourselves amongst its cargo of supplies which are destined for the garrison on Battle Isle. The ship sets sail on the first strike of midnight and, after a smooth and uneventful voyage it moors at a jetty on the southern coast of Battle Isle, three hours later.</p>
+ <p>The crew of the sloop are unaware that you are aboard and, in order to safeguard your secrecy, you await your chance to disembark without being seen. Soon the opportunity presents itself. As the crew go in search of help to unload the cargo, the two of you leave the sloop and hurry off along the beach, heading north towards the place where your sailing boat awaits. There is no cloud and a near-full moon illuminates the rocky beach, making it easy for you to progress despite the difficult terrain.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect202">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect159">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect81">
+ <meta><title>81</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You tell the three Lencians to spread out into an extended line and watch carefully for your signals. Then you scale the river bank and make your approach to the trees. The three men all seem to be competent scouts but you have your reservations. Had it not been for Schera's insistence, you would have preferred to scout this copse alone.</p>
+ <p>You have only just entered the copse when one of the Lencians accidentally steps on a dry twig. There is a loud <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia>, and almost immediately, a volley of arrows comes screaming out of the trees, forcing you to throw yourself face-first into the snow to avoid being hit.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect226">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 226</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect199">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect82">
+ <meta><title>82</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sudden jolt knocks you backwards off your horse and, as you hit the ground, you strike your head and lose consciousness. Sadly, you never reawaken. A few moments after your fall, you are mobbed by angry Drakkarim soldiers who slay you out of hand.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here in Shugkona.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect83">
+ <meta><title>83</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You detect a strong presence of evil lurking somewhere nearby and you warn Prarg of what you sense. Cautiously, the two of you leave this chamber by a passage which leads to a flight of black stone steps. You ascend the steps to a domed chamber which is sheathed with dull black stone. Heavy velvet hangings of ebony hue cover most of the walls, and all of the furnishings are upholstered with the same morbid cloth. The sensation of evil is stronger here, so strong that you feel as if you are slowly suffocating.</p>
+ <p><quote>It's here&ellips;</quote> you whisper, your hand reaching for your weapon, <quote>The Doomstone. I can feel its presence!</quote></p>
+ <p>Suddenly there is a movement away to your left and a blast of white-hot energy comes roaring towards your face. You dive aside in time to avoid it, but the bolt rebounds from the steel-hard wall and glances off the back of Prarg's head, knocking him unconscious.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect161"><link-text>Turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect84">
+ <meta><title>84</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are some distance from the east bank when the boat stops abruptly; it has run aground in the shallows.</p>
+ <p><quote>Curse our luck,</quote> grumbles Prarg, peering over the side. <quote>I was a'hoping we'd be fortunate enough t'keep our feet dry.</quote> Wearily he searches through the provisions and produces a heavy rope, one end of which he proceeds to tie around the bowhead while you stow away the oars. Then, together, you slip into the cold knee-deep mud and begin the laborious task of hauling the boat towards dry ground.</p>
+ <p>Eventually you reach dry ground where you set up camp on a promontory which offers the best view of the surrounding swamp. The upturned boat becomes your shelter from the elements, but you both are sorely aware that it will not protect you from the creatures who inhabit this morass. Prarg volunteers to sit the first watch, and hungry for sleep, you bow to his request. But it seems as if you have only just closed your eyes when you are awoken by his hushed and fearful voice:</p>
+ <p><quote>Awake Sire, I think we've visitors!</quote></p>
+ <p>You rise in an instant, your hand reaching in reflex for your weapons as your senses try to locate the threat. In the middle-distance, emerging from a bed of tall, frost-heavy rushes, you catch sight of three large and scaly reptilians. From horn-tipped snout to barbed tail they are twenty feet or more, and, despite their enormous weight, they move with impressive lizard-like grace.</p>
+ <p><quote>Gorodons!</quote> says Prarg, his voice full of horror. <quote>Quickly, Sire, we must get away while we still can!</quote></p>
+ <p>Hurriedly you right the boat and drag it through the cloying mud towards the river. Your escape is painfully slow and your mounting fear rapidly approaches sheer terror when, in unison, the pursuing Gorodons give vent to a chorus of croaking growls At once you sense that these huge carnivores are ravenously hungry, and the prospect of a feast upon warm-blooded prey is driving them into a frenzy.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If the number you have picked is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If the number you have picked is 5&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect85">
+ <meta><title>85</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch with mounting anxiety as the Drakkar officer approaches the execution block. He halts beside the helpless Captain and signals to the gaolers to step back, to give him room to enact the execution. Then he takes an oiled stone from his pocket and an ugly sneer spreads across his face as he proceeds to sharpen the blade of the great axe with slow deliberation.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small3.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small3.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect136">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect86">
+ <meta><title>86</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you recite the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Invisible Shield</spell> and make a circle in the air with the palm of your left hand. But have you acted quickly enough to deflect the speeding arrow?</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If your present <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 20 or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29">If your total is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If it is 5 or higher, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect87">
+ <meta><title>87</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Bravely the horse attempts to clear the trench, but it is simply too exhausted to jump. Its forelegs buckle as it approaches the edge, and you and Prarg are thrown head-first into the trench. Luckily, you both land in deep snow and emerge unharmed by the fall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect276"><link-text>Turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect88">
+ <meta><title>88</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having finished your evening meal, you are faced with a difficult decision: who should take the first watch. Both of you are very tired, and after a whole day's rowing you are less than enthusiastic about the prospect of trying to stay awake for another four hours.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect309">If you decide to volunteer for the first watch, <link-text>turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect56">If you would rather decide the matter on the toss of a coin, <link-text>turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect89">
+ <meta><title>89</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect89-1-foot" idref="sect89-1">
+ <p>The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step closer to the door and carefully examine the combination lock. You are confident that, with your skill and experience, you will soon have it open without too much difficulty.</p>
+ <p>Study the following sequence of numbers. When you think you have worked out what the missing number is turn to the page which is identical to your answer.<a id="sect89-1" idref="sect89-1-foot" class="footnote"/></p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small1.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small1.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If you guess incorrectly, or if you cannot solve the door puzzle, <link-text>turn instead to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect90">
+ <meta><title>90</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The night passes without incident and you awake to a bright dawn feeling refreshed by your long, uninterrupted sleep. Prarg, too, has slept well, and he feels eager to start the journey to Shugkona. Fresh snow has fallen during the night, and when you descend to the base of the tree, you discover several sets of footprints nearby. Your Pathsmanship senses tell you that they are little more than an hour old and were made by a Drakkarim patrol heading due north.</p>
+ <p>You set off towards the north east, following a frozen stream that winds its way through the forest like a glistening crystal serpent. Luck and your Kai skills keep you safe from the Drakkarim patrols, and by noon you find yourselves approaching the outskirts of Shugkona. From the cover afforded by a small wooden footbridge that crosses the icy stream, you are able to reconnoitre this heavily fortified Drakkarim town. Log-lined trenches encircle most of its perimeter, fronted by pits filled with sharpened stakes to counter attacks by enemy cavalry. Mantlets and wheeled barricades defend its four highway approaches, and the whole line is manned by squads of Drakkarim and Hammerland mercenaries. However, this formidable protection comprises just a first line of defence behind which there are more fieldworks, sharpened stakes and watchtowers, many bearing recent scars of war. The town itself lies within this second circle. It is constructed entirely of wood, and many of its outermost buildings have, over the years, been reduced to ash by Lencian firebombs. You learn from Prarg that Magnaarn's headquarters are located at the very centre, in a high tower which commands a clear view over the town and its defensive lines.</p>
+ <p>At first sight the Shugkona defences look impregnable, but after having carefully observed the perimeter lines you note two places where, with luck, you might enter the town without being observed. The first is close to the east road where an expanse of cleared ground is guarded only by a watchtower. The second is a section of the perimeter, further south, where only one line of trenches has been completed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect317">If you wish to try to enter Shugkona from the east, <link-text>turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you choose to try to enter Shugkona from the south, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect91">
+ <meta><title>91</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For a few moments you stare at the lifeless body of the Tunnel Stalker, then you sheathe your weapon and continue the chore of clearing away the rockfall. Soon you have removed enough debris to enable you to squeeze through the gap to a clear section of the stairwell beyond. Once here, you block the opening behind you, and then race up the steps to the level above.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect175"><link-text>Turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect92">
+ <meta><title>92</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your super-sensitive hearing detects the faint sound of stone grating on stone. Then you notice that a line of loopholes are opening at chest height along both walls of this passageway, revealing the sticky sharpened tips of venom-coated spears.</p>
+ <p><quote>Get down!</quote> you shout, and throw yourself flat on to the damp stone floor. Moments later, a volley of the deadly spears comes hurtling from out of the walls to smash and splinter in the passageway. Both you and your companion escape injury, your timely warning saving you from certain death.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect325">To continue, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect93">
+ <meta><title>93</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Follow me!</quote> shouts Prarg, and before you can stop him he is on his feet and sprinting away. Hurriedly you follow him, with the lookouts shouting wildly in your wake.</p>
+ <p><quote>Halt!</quote> they scream, <quote>Halt or we shoot!</quote></p>
+ <p>There is the sound of bowfire, then two arrows hit the rocks and shatter dose by your feet. You invoke your Magnakai skill of Invisibility to keep you safe, but your Discipline does not extend to Captain Prarg who is less than an arm's length ahead of you.</p>
+ <p>Then your senses tingle anew, drawing your eyes towards a ridge less than thirty yards from the beach. Standing there, clutching loaded crossbows, are two more Lencian lookouts.</p>
+ <p><quote>Beware!</quote> you cry to Prarg, but already the Lencians are preparing to fire at your fleeing forms.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect291">If the number you have chosen is 0, <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect13">If it is 1&endash;3, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect171">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 171</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect94">
+ <meta><title>94</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take a deep breath and launch yourself feet-first into the icy lake. At first, as the dark water closes over your head, your senses are numbed by the intense cold. Then your Magnakai skill of Nexus begins to protect your body and the cold gives way to a warm, tingling glow.</p>
+ <p>Using your infravision, you detect Prarg by the warmth radiating from his body. He is caught upon a jagged ridge of ice and, as you take hold of his tunic and try to pull him free, suddenly you feel unable to move. Something has taken hold of your legs!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect110">If you possess Magi-magic, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect326">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect95">
+ <meta><title>95</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Inspired by your victory, the Lencians and their League-land allies repel the remaining Zagganozod and close their ranks until the square is intact once more. The enemy are now exhausted and wearily they retreat across the plain with the stinging cheers of their foes echoing in their ears.</p>
+ <p>Then an ominous noise comes rolling across the plain from the city of Darke, a thunderous boom that shakes the very ground on which you stand. You look towards the city and see that the battle is growing ever fiercer. But now there is a new and sinister aspect. Flickerings of magical fire can be seen dancing along battlements, engulfing friend and foe alike. You sense that it is the work of Magnaarn; he and his Nadziranim allies are responsible for this.</p>
+ <p>Then, through the smoke of battle, you see a Lencian flag flying proudly amidst the carnage that is taking place on the coastal plain to the south of the city. Here, King Sarnac's crusaders have turned an enemy flank and are storming its weakened centre. Maquin and Schera see the flag and, encouraged by the cheers of their own men, they decide to march at once in support of the crusader's brave attack.</p>
+ <p>You wish them both good fortune, for you know the time has come to part company with these brave men. Their destiny awaits them on the field of battle; yours will be found inside the city of Darke itself where, if you are to fulfil your quest, you must confront Warlord Magnaarn.</p>
+ <p>You bid them farewell and watch as they lead their men in a marching column across the plain towards the distant field of battle. When they are a mile away, you set off alone towards the hamlet, which lies en route to the gates of Darke.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect154"><link-text>Turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect96">
+ <meta><title>96</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter the stables by a side door and soon find a hiding place in one of a hundred straw-filled stalls. You also find the following items which may be of use to you:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Lantern</li>
+ <li>Rope</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Enough food for 2 Meals</li>
+ <li>Hourglass</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you choose to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Periodically, Drakkarim enter and search the building, but they fail to detect you. While you are hiding from their search parties, you consider your companion's plight and grow ever more fearful for his safety. You are also very anxious that, under torture, he will reveal your presence, your identity and the reason why you have come to this town. You are determined not to allow this to happen and so, as midnight approaches, you slip away from your hiding place and make your way stealthily towards the Shugkona Gaol.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect260"><link-text>Turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect97">
+ <meta><title>97</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Schera considers your question, then he replies:</p>
+ <p><quote>I'm sorry, I've heard nothing. There have been so many men lost, killed, or captured since Magnaarn attacked. I know of this officer, and though we've never met, I've heard tell that he is a good and brave man. All I can tell you is that I have not seen him here in Konozod.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect236"><link-text>Turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect98">
+ <meta><title>98</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This dry and crumbling surface is the worst you have ever attempted to climb, but it does not defeat you. Your consummate climbing skills and natural grace of movement ensure that you do not falter for a moment. You clear this section of the chasm wall and safely reach the ledge above.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect146"><link-text>Turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect99">
+ <meta><title>99</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your psychic attack penetrates the war-dog's mind, causing it to howl with pain and terror. Immediately the others halt in their tracks, visibly shaken by the horrible cries issuing from their leader as he rolls over and over in the snow. You sense that the pack is torn now between its desire to satisfy its gnawing hunger and its natural instinct for survival. Eventually the instinct for preservation wins out, and one by one the dogs turn and flee for the safety of the forest.</p>
+ <p>Confident that the Akataz will not be back this night, you return to the boat to catch some sleep while Prarg begins his turn on guard.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215"><link-text>Turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect100">
+ <meta><title>100</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the cover of the forest's edge you observe the temple, taking in every detail, your eyes scouring every inch of its leprous grey exterior for a way of gaining entry without being detected. Much of the temple is derelict yet it is still an imposing edifice, especially the squat stone tower which stands intact at its centre. Its walls are covered with intricate designs that must have taken centuries to complete, yet while you admire the craftsmanship you find the embellishments wholly repulsive for they depict and glorify acts of great evil.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small8.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small8.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>The ruins are deserted, except for a wide ramp of stone which leads to a pair of huge bronze doors set into the base of the tower. These doors are open, but they are guarded by two of Warlord Magnaarn's Tukodak.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect223">If you have Assimilance, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect59">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect101">
+ <meta><title>101</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Reluctantly, you abandon your attempt to open this door and retrace your steps to the junction. Prarg leads you along the opposite passageway until you come to a corner. He turns the corner before you can warn him otherwise and finds himself staring at the brutish features of a Drakkarim Death Knight Sergeant. The warrior's curses echo loudly along the narrow corridor as he draws his sword and comes striding towards your careless companion.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect241">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you do not, or if you choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect102">
+ <meta><title>102</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Along the walkway comes a lumbering hulk with cold scarlet eyes. This beast is covered with a vile fur which glistens in the grey-green light of the tunnel. Its long sinewy arms are outstretched and in both of its huge hands it holds chunks of dagger-like flint. Its bloated belly skims the floor as it stalks closer, and a brown gluey saliva bubbles and runs freely from its fanged lower jaw.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A beast with cold scarlet eyes lumbers along the walkway.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill6.gif" width="386" height="562"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill6.pdf" width="386" height="562"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Using your Kai mastery you command this beast to halt and for a few seconds it ceases to advance, but you can sense that it is being driven by a desperate hunger, a hunger that could prove stronger than your Kai mastery.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. For every level of Kai rank you have attained above Kai Grand Master Superior, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect218">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect119">If it is 6 or higher, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect103">
+ <meta><title>103</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Layers of heavy snow clouds blanket the moon, and dusk quickly fades to a darkness which is total. Yet, using your Magnakai night vision, you experience no difficulties as you follow Magnaarn's tracks across the open plain.</p>
+ <p>Shortly before midnight you come to the banks of the River Shug, close to a small cluster of log huts which are grouped around a derelict ferry post. Your enemy's week-old tracks lead you to the centre of this deserted settlement.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect104">
+ <meta><title>104</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus on the distant mass of floating vegetation as you evoke the Brotherhood spell <spell>Sense Evil</spell> and immediately you are able to feel the presence of several hostile creatures. They are lying in ambush beneath the raft of weeds and among the dank thickets which line the adjoining bank.</p>
+ <p>You tell Prarg of what lies ahead, and wisely he heeds your warning. He suggests you draw in the mainsail to prevent the wind from propelling your boat any nearer to the obstruction, yet once the sail is gathered, still you find yourselves drifting inexorably towards your would-be ambushers.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you wish to make use of the oars in order to escape from probable ambush, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect343">If you choose to do nothing further to prevent the boat from drifting towards the raft of weeds, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect105">
+ <meta><title>105</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The two commanders have a great respect for your Kai instincts and immediately they order their men to return to the river bank. Once you are in position, you keep your eyes glued to the north, expecting to see the appearance of the enemy at any moment. You do not have to wait too long, for within minutes of returning here, you see the first few outriders of a Drakkarim cavalry platoon crest the horizon.</p>
+ <p>You magnify your vision and recognize them to be part of Magnaarn's own army. They are carrying lances topped with pennants that bear Magnaarn's personal emblem: an eagle clasping two fiery swords. Steadily these cavalry scouts draw closer. They are riding directly towards the river.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small11.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small11.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect21">If the number you have picked is odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect267">If the number is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8), <link-text>turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect106">
+ <meta><title>106</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In the distance you see a makeshift roadblock. Several trees have been hacked down and they are strewn haphazardly across the road. Behind this obstruction stand several armoured Drakkarim, waiting eagerly for you to appear.</p>
+ <p>At once, you leave the road and take cover in the forest. The trees hereabouts are too dense to allow you to enter on horseback, so reluctantly you abandon the mare and enter on foot. Your instinct and Pathsmanship skills lead you in a westerly direction and you cover more than five miles before the trees begin to thin out. Then you emerge from the forest to be greeted by a spectacular sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192"><link-text>Turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect107">
+ <meta><title>107</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach Bear Rock shortly before dusk. The landmark is a massive granite boulder, weather-worn into the shape of a huge bear standing upright with its forepaws extended. It is positioned on the west side of the Gourneni and overshadows a sheltered cove formed where, over the centuries, the river has undercut the bank. Here you bring the boat ashore and make camp for the night.</p>
+ <p>Over your evening meal you discuss the next leg of your mission. In the morning you will hide the boat before setting off cross-country towards Magnaarn's headquarters at Shugkona. Fifty miles of dense timberland separate you from this town and, in current conditions, you estimate it will take at least two days to reach.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect129">If you possess Animal Mastery <em>and</em> have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, <link-text>turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect88">If you do not possess this Discipline, or have yet to reach this level of Kai rank, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect108">
+ <meta><title>108</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You flatten yourself against the bottom of the rowboat and listen to the gruff voices of the Drakkarim as you draw closer to their position. You hear splashes, then suddenly there is a loud thud and the rusty tip of an arrow punches its way through the side of the boat, stopping barely inches in front of your face. You hear the enemy's coarse laughter and you realize that they are simply using your boat for a spot of target practice. They are unaware that you are hiding inside. As you drift past them they rapidly lose interest in your craft. They put down their bows, pick up their makeshift fishing lines, and resume their efforts to catch themselves something to stave off their hunger.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect251"><link-text>Turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect109">
+ <meta><title>109</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Although you have been greatly weakened by your internment, your powers of Nexus are still sufficient to neutralize the effects of the noxious fumes.</p>
+ <p>As your mind clears and your strength returns, you approach the circular door and take a closer look at its strange octagonal lock. It comprises a keyhole and a series of numbers, although one of the numbers is clearly missing. Experience tells you that this is a dual combination lock, one that can be opened either by key or by tapping in the correct number which is missing from the sequence.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304">If you possess a Green Key, <link-text>turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect89">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect110">
+ <meta><title>110</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You look down at your feet, and using your infravision, you see the outline of a huge, slug-like amphibian poised no more than a fathom below. Wrapped tightly around your legs are two rope-like tentacles which extend from a sac beneath the creature's solitary eye. You try to kick free but it will not easily let you go. Slowly it is drawing you deeper into the lake.</p>
+ <p>Desperate to get free, you summon to mind the Elder Magi battle spell of <spell>Concussion</spell>. Then you project your right hand at the creature and a deep boom resonates in your head, its effect greatly amplified by the water. At once the creature releases you and dives for the shelter of its lair, trailing blood from those parts of its body which pass for its ears.</p>
+ <p>Once free, you take hold of Prarg's tunic and pull him towards the jagged hole in the ice.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect313"><link-text>Turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect111">
+ <meta><title>111</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You release your drawstring and send the Arrow screaming towards the creature's hairless skull. Almost immediately it strikes the beast above its right eye and, although it does not penetrate bone, the shock of the impact knocks the Ciquali off its webbed feet and sends it tumbling backwards into the water.</p>
+ <p>You shoulder your Bow and rush to help Prarg who is lying, barely conscious, with his face in the shallow water which is sloshing around at the bottom of the boat. You are reaching down to pull him over on to his back when suddenly you feel two pairs of scaly hands grab hold of your cloak. With a loud growl, you spin around and unsheathe your weapon in readiness to deal with your attackers.</p>
+ <p>They are two Ciquali, their hides decorated with ritual scars which mark them as warriors of their tribe. At first they back away, shocked by the speed of your reflexes, but rapidly their nerve returns and, half-crouched, they glare at you with their hideous, bulging eyes. Their throat sacs swell and collapse with increasing rapidity as they approach the moment to strike, then, with a shrill screech, they raise their claw-tipped hands and leap simultaneously towards your chest</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ciquali</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">30</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect112">
+ <meta><title>112</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you rise up out of the snow and run to the tower where you meet up with Prarg at the foot of the wooden steps.</p>
+ <p><quote>That guard'll not be raising any alarms,</quote> he says, cocking his thumb behind him towards the tower door. <quote>And they'll not find him too soon, neither.</quote></p>
+ <p>You smile knowingly. Then Prarg points to an alleyway that lies sandwiched between two burnt-out hovels at the edge of the town, and suggests you go that way.</p>
+ <p><quote>Lead on Captain,</quote> you say, and follow as he runs towards the alley's shadowy entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect113">
+ <meta><title>113</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your weapon, turn the corner, and run at the Death Knight with it held ready to strike him down. The warrior meets your stare and laughs. Confidently he parries your first blow, then strikes out for your neck.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Death Knight</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">33</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">34</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect191">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect114">
+ <meta><title>114</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite the treacherous surface, your consummate climbing skills and natural grace of movement ensure that you do not falter for a moment. You clear this section of the chasm wall and reach the base safely.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect78"><link-text>Turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect115">
+ <meta><title>115</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once inside the stable you discover two horses. One is old and lame, but the other is young and powerfully built. Using your powers of Animal Control, you subdue them and lead the younger horse, a grey mare, from its stall. As you leave the stable you see Prarg pointing frantically towards the crest of the hill. A troop of Drakkarim cavalry are descending towards the bridge.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you mount the mare and help Prarg to climb up upon her back. Then the enemy see you and immediately they sound a horn. Moments later an old Drakkar appears at the door to the cabin. He is holding a Bor musket, and when you fail to obey his command to halt, he levels his primitive gun at you and pulls the trigger.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288">If the number you have picked is 0&endash;2, <link-text>turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect145">If it is 3&endash;6, <link-text>turn to 145</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect342">If it is 7&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect116">
+ <meta><title>116</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Drakkar who is carrying the sack appears to be very anxious. His companion also seems wary and alert. As you are moving towards the doorway, he glimpses you and commands you to halt at once. When you do not obey, the two of them draw their swords and come running towards the doorway with their blades held ready to cut you down.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim Escorts</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">30</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">32</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect245">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect117">
+ <meta><title>117</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You remove your hand and uncover the proud countenance of King Ulnar V stamped on the face of the coin.</p>
+ <p><quote>Well done, Prarg. You've guessed correctly,</quote> you say, and press the Gold Crown back into your pouch. <quote>I'll stand the first watch&emdash;you get some sleep. We've a long march ahead of us tomorrow and you'll need all your strength.</quote></p>
+ <p>Prarg breaths a sigh of relief, and while he settles himself down to sleep in the relative comfort of the boat, you pull your cloak about you and climb to the top of Bear Rock where you begin your lonely vigil.</p>
+ <p>For hours you sit on this windswept boulder, staring out through a curtain of swirling snow at the surrounding timberline. Despite your fatigue you stay alert and your iron discipline pays off when, shortly before midnight, you sense movement at the forest's edge. Then your super-keen Kai senses detect an animal scent on the cold air which you recognize immediately: it is Akataz.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect163"><link-text>Turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect118">
+ <meta><title>118</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The solid lump of oak is an executioner's block. Its surface is cut and scarred by blows from a heavy axe, and its sides are stained dark with the blood of a hundred Lencian prisoners who have lost their lives upon it.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly your thoughts are disturbed by the rhythmic stamp of marching feet and your eyes are drawn to the avenue which runs alongside Magnaarn's headquarters. Down this thoroughfare come a regiment of Drakkarim. They file into the square and form up in three lines facing the platform. Then an open wagon, drawn by a brace of half-starved oxen, emerges from the alleyway beside the gaol. Captain Prarg is standing in the rear of the wagon with his hands tied behind his back. Despite the bumpy ride he stands rigidly at attention, proudly defiant in the face of imminent death. The wagon halts and the Captain is dragged up onto the platform by three brutish gaolers. He is made to kneel down before the block as a Drakkar officer hurriedly reads the contents of a scroll to the assembled troops. He is condemning the Captain to death for spying. When he finishes the reading, he takes a two-handed axe from one of the gaolers and walks slowly across the platform towards the block. Clearly he intends to carry out the execution personally.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>The Captain is dragged up on to the platform and is made to kneel before the sold oak executioner's block.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill7.gif" width="386" height="632"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill7.pdf" width="386" height="632"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect85">If you do not possess a Bow, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn instead to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect119">
+ <meta><title>119</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly the creature's expression changes from fierce anger to stark fear. It drops its flint weapons, turns on its heel, and scurries off along the tunnel as fast as it can. Your use of Animal Mastery has been successful; it has subdued the creature's natural instincts and totally shattered its will.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small4.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small4.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Confident that it will not return, you take hold of the heavy chain and pull it to raise the grill a few feet off the walkway, just high enough for you to duck under the rusty bars and continue along this tunnel. After a few hundred yards, the tunnel turns to the south. At this point you discover a flight of slimy steps that ascend from the walkway towards a darkened arch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect33">If you wish to ascend the steps to the arch, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect274">If you decide to ignore the steps and continue along the tunnel, <link-text>turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect120">
+ <meta><title>120</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your final blow kills the scarlet wasp-leader and immediately the surviving swarm members break off their attack. They stream towards the opening at the centre of the ceiling and disappear towards the sky at the top of the shaft, closely followed by the remainder of their colony.</p>
+ <p>When you feel sure that the nests are empty, you reach up and take a grip of the rough brick which lines the shaft. It offers good purchase for your fingers and toes, enabling you to climb past the nests and reach the top of the shaft in a matter of minutes.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect121">
+ <meta><title>121</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect121-1-foot" idref="sect121-1">
+ <p>The most reasonable way to treat the temporary <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> gain is reduce your score at the end of combat <em>only</em> if it is above your original score. Another choice would be to reduce your score at the end of combat unless it would cause your score to fall to zero. The only other option would be to reduce your score regardless which would make the spell pointless.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature utters a spine-chilling shriek as it comes bounding towards you, its sabre-like teeth glinting in the wintery sun. You step back and draw your weapon just in time to defend yourself as it makes its first strike.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mawtaw</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">43</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">50</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to the effects of Mindblast and Psi-surge. If you choose to use Kai-surge, add only 1 point to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>.</p>
+ <p>If you possess Kai-alchemy and have reached the rank of Sun Knight, you may increase your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point scores by 5 each for the duration of this combat.<a id="sect121-1" idref="sect121-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect24">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 24</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect122">
+ <meta><title>122</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Fifty yards along the tunnel, you turn a corner and find yourself face-to-face with a nightmarish creature. From out of the gloom comes a lumbering hulk that fixes you with its pair of hungry scarlet eyes. The beast is covered with a vile fur which glistens in the eerie half-light of the tunnel, and its long sinewy arms are outstretched as if it is sleepwalking. But this beast is not asleep. In both of its huge hands it holds chunks of dagger-like flint which it wields like weapons. Its distended belly skims the floor as it gathers speed, and a brown gluey saliva runs freely from its fanged lower jaw.</p>
+ <p>With a shriek, the creature comes lunging towards you, flailing the air with its dagger-flints as it closes in for the kill. You step back and get ready to defend yourself as the beast rushes towards you at a breathtaking pace.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Tunnel Stalker</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">43</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">48</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect330">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect123">
+ <meta><title>123</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hear approaching footsteps, then through the open archway comes a Lencian soldier attired in the parade tunic and breeches of a Court Captain. He is unusually tall, but his most striking feature is his close-set eyes which are bright above his thin, hawk-like nose and bushy black moustache.</p>
+ <p><quote>May I introduce you to Captain Prarg,</quote> says King Sarnac. <quote>He will be your guide.</quote></p>
+ <p>The Captain shakes your hand and bows his head respectfully.</p>
+ <p><quote>'Tis an honour to have been the one chosen to accompany you. Grand Master Lone Wolf, on such a noble quest</quote>'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80"><link-text>Turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect124">
+ <meta><title>124</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch the Drakkarim sergeant, who is pilfering his Captain's private stock of wine, tilt the bottle back to take another long gulp. He belches loudly, then bangs in the cork and replaces the bottle on the shelf before turning to leave. You wait until he is out of view before you slip into the cabin and close the door.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small7.gif" width="386" height="117"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small7.pdf" width="386" height="117"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You hurry to the table but, to your disappointment, the map you glimpsed earlier turns out to be merely a construction plan of the encampment. It offers no clues to Magnaarn's present location.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect344">If you wish to search this cabin more thoroughly, <link-text>turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If you choose to leave the cabin and return to Prarg, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect125">
+ <meta><title>125</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You clamber over the bodies that are heaped chest-high around the shattered city gates, then you begin to fight your way steadily towards the centre of this terrible stronghold. Beyond the entrance you see that a wild battle is raging through the streets. A regiment of Lencian Crusaders are fighting to wrestle possession of the keep from a determined horde of Magnaarn's Drakkarim. The tide turns against the Lencians and as they are driven back towards the gates, you are forced to climb a stair which leads to the battlements in order to avoid being lost in the crush. Halfway up the steps you are attacked by a Drakkar armed with sword and shield. You duck his clumsy swipe and lash out at his chest. He catches your blow on his shield, but the sheer force of your attack hurls him down on the steps where he remains, cradling his broken arm, tears streaming down his soot-blackened face.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small12.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small12.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You stride up the steps towards the battlements where a group of Lencians are locked in combat with two Death Knights. The Crusaders slay their enemies, but they, in turn, are slain when a bolt of crackling crimson energy rips through their shiny steel armour, fired from the tip of a wizard's staff. Their lifeless bodies come tumbling down the steps, knocking you flat on your back and pinning you down beneath the weight of their armour. You struggle to get free, but you are being observed by the one who slayed the knights: an evil Nadziranim wizard. He levels his staff at your head and a swirling trail of sparks ignites at its tip. With imminent death staring you full in the face, you steel yourself to meet your maker.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect177"><link-text>Turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect126">
+ <meta><title>126</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You head towards an archway in the far wall, advancing with caution as you traverse the slippery mounds of rubble which litter the floor of this damp and unwholesome chamber. A short tunnel lies beyond the arch. It ends at a junction where a wider passageway crosses from west to east.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect261">If you wish to go west, <link-text>turn to 261</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect26">If you wish to go east, <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect127">
+ <meta><title>127</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Whilst observing the guards, a bold idea springs to mind. You tell Prarg to take a firm grip of your cloak and stay close as you cross the clearing and approach to within twenty yards of the stone ramp. At this point you use your Discipline of Assimilance to summon a fog from out of the frozen ground. A dense white vapour arises which quickly envelops the guards before they can take steps to avoid it. Vainly, the two Tukodaks shout to each other and stab at the mist with their spears, lest an enemy should be poised to attack them. With Prarg clinging to your cloak, you slip past the confused guards with ease and make your way into the tower unseen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect221"><link-text>Turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect128">
+ <meta><title>128</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You run to the edge of the fissure and make your leap, but, as you take off, you slip on a loose stone and fall head-first into the yawning void.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here in the Palace Tower of Darke.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect129">
+ <meta><title>129</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After your meal, you leave Prarg and climb to the top of the river bank. Here, using your Grand Mastery, you send forth a mental command into the surrounding forest, summoning creatures to your aid. At first there is no response, then a pair of white Nyras Timberwolves appear at the forest's edge and, upon your command, they approach you. Normally these wolves are wild and feral creatures, slave to nothing save their natural instincts, yet your mastery over them is total; they are utterly compliant to your will.</p>
+ <p>You command the two wolves to guard your camp while you and Prarg are sleeping. With a blink of their eyes they acknowledge your order and settle themselves on their haunches. You return to the boat and tell Prarg what you have done. At first he is sceptical, but having already witnessed some of your powers in action, he does not protest too hard, especially as he can now look forward to a long sleep without having to stand watch. Unfortunately for Prarg, his hopes for an uninterrupted night's rest are soon shattered.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect41"><link-text>Turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect130">
+ <meta><title>130</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach the tower steps and look up to see Captain Prarg emerging from the open door. Quickly he descends, sheathing his bloodied sword as he hurries down the steps to meet you.</p>
+ <p><quote>That guard'll not be raising any alarms,</quote> he says, cocking his thumb behind him towards the tower door. <quote>And they'll not be finding him too soon, neither.</quote></p>
+ <p>You smile knowingly, and commend your guide for his swift and brave action. Then Prarg points to an alleyway that lies sandwiched between two burnt-out hovels at the edge of the town, and suggests you enter Shugkona that way.</p>
+ <p><quote>Lead on Captain,</quote> you say, and follow as he hurries off towards the alley's shadowy entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect131">
+ <meta><title>131</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With mixed feelings you begin your trek through the forest. You are still hopeful of defeating Magnaarn, but you are less than enthusiastic about the prospect of having to foot-slog more than 250 miles in order to reach Darke, the city where you are most likely to find your sworn enemy.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect216">If the number you have picked is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If it is 5&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect132">
+ <meta><title>132</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your acute hearing detects the faint sound of stone grating on stone. Then you notice that a line of loopholes are opening at chest height along both walls of the passageway, revealing the sticky sharpened tips of venom-coated spears.</p>
+ <p><quote>Get down!</quote> you shout, and throw yourself flat on to the damp stone floor. Moments later, a volley of the deadly spears comes hurtling from out of the walls to smash and splinter in the passageway. Your timely warning saves you and Prarg from certain death, but one of the spears ricochets and gouges the back of your thigh.</p>
+ <p>Your Magnakai Curing skills neutralize the venom, but the wound is deep and painful: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect325">To continue, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect133">
+ <meta><title>133</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your weapon and strike one of the sentries a killing blow as you slam through their brave but futile defence. They are trampled under your horse's hooves and you clear the gap, but it is not until you are racing along the road beyond the barricade that you realize you have been wounded in the leg: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31">To continue, <link-text>turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect134">
+ <meta><title>134</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature opens its great jaws and from the depths of its throat it coughs forth a guttering ball of flame. Immediately, your senses alert you to the fact that this is no ordinary fireball; it is wholly psychic in nature. It comes roaring towards you, like a mini-sun trailing fiery orange sparks, and although you try to dodge aside, it follows your feint and hits you in the back with numbing force. Unless you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The sudden jolt knocks you to the floor. Before you fully recover your footing, the creature seizes its advantage and comes leaping through the air towards your chest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect283"><link-text>Turn to 283</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect135">
+ <meta><title>135</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Within ten yards of the west bank the boat stops abruptly when it runs aground in the silted shallows.</p>
+ <p><quote>Curse our fortunes,</quote> grumbles Prarg, peering over the side. <quote>I was a'hoping we'd be lucky enough t'keep our feet dry.</quote> Wearily he searches through the provisions and produces a heavy rope, one end of which he proceeds to tie around the bowhead while you stow away the oars. Then, together, you slip into the cold knee-deep mud and begin the laborious task of hauling the boat towards dry ground.</p>
+ <p>You encamp on a strip of frozen loam and use the upturned boat as a shelter from the elements. As night falls, so, too, does the temperature. You cast your experienced eye across the darkening skies and see banks of cloud, heavy with snow, scudding the distant horizon. They are an unwelcome sight, the precursors to a winter storm.</p>
+ <p>Prarg volunteers to sit the first watch but, mindful that his need for rest is greater than yours, you insist that he be the first to get some sleep. For four hours you sit and scan the bleak horizon, your mind filled with unanswered questions about the mission and the dangers you have yet to face. While you ponder what may await you in the future, you remain watchful and alert, for the risk of an attack by the denizens of this swamp is ever present. Fortunately, the cold dissuades them from leaving their lairs this night and your watch passes without incident. Then the time comes for you to awaken Prarg. With a distinct lack of enthusiasm he takes over whilst you settle down to catch a few hours of much-needed sleep.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327"><link-text>Turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect136">
+ <meta><title>136</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Immediately below the window of the grain tower sits a Drakkar lancer astride his warhorse. He is one of a dozen troopers who have been posted around the perimeter of the square to guard its many exits, but he is more interested in watching the execution than carrying out his duty. His lance is sheathed in a tube-like scabbard fixed to the rear of his saddle, and all his attention is focused on the platform. He is unaware that you are hiding barely a few yards from where he sits.</p>
+ <p>The officer puts away his oiled stone and a murmur of expectation ripples through the assembled Drakkarim as he gets ready to raise the axe. Captain Prarg has no more than a few minutes left to live; you must act now if you are to save him. Using a Brotherhood spell <spell>Mind Charm</spell> you will the lancer to dismount from his horse, and at once he obeys your mental command. He climbs down, and as he wanders away, you leap from the open window and land in the empty saddle. Seizing the reins you spur the horse forward and it takes off across the square at a gallop. Then you unholster the lance and bring it to bear as you race headlong towards the backs of the Drakkarim soldiers who are standing between you and the platform.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63"><link-text>Turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect137">
+ <meta><title>137</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull your cloak close about your shoulders and draw upon your camouflage skills to keep you hidden as you follow the two Drakkarim towards the town gates. Their sergeant berates them, then he orders them to assist with a new influx of Lencians, just arrived. They are all so preoccupied with their duties that they fail to see you stride confidently through the open gates and into the town. Once safely inside, you head towards a dark, deserted alleyway which is sandwiched between a stables and an armoury. From here you observe the compound with a growing anger and pity for those trapped inside. Stirred by their plight, you vow to do what you can to help these starving men. Patiently you watch and wait for the patrols to pass, then you scurry towards the compound fence, eager to make contact with the Lencians.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect138">
+ <meta><title>138</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After several minutes spent surveying the gloomy chasm, you note two promising features. One is situated fifty feet or so directly above your head. At first it merely looks like a narrow ledge of rock with a grey semicircular shadow poised above it, but when you look closely, you see that it is the mouth of a passageway.</p>
+ <p>The second feature lies far below you. It is a large, brick-lined tunnel situated at the eastern edge of the chasm floor, through which the waters of the dark river flow away. This, too, may offer a way out of this subterranean prison.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect224">If you wish to attempt to climb the chasm wall and enter the passageway above, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect193">If you wish to attempt to descend to the floor of the chasm and escape via the river tunnel, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect139">
+ <meta><title>139</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you hack and stab at the ice but it simply will not break. Reluctantly you abandon the attempt, sheathe your weapon, arid run back towards the jagged hole. You have no choice now but to enter the water. Prarg will soon be beyond help if you delay much longer.</p>
+ <p>You take a deep breath and launch yourself feet-first into the icy lake. At first, as the dark water closes over your head, your senses are numbed by the intense cold. Then your Magnakai skill of Nexus protects your body and the terrible chill gives way to a warm, tingling sensation.</p>
+ <p>Using your infravision, you detect Prarg by the warmth radiating from his body. He is caught upon a jagged ridge of ice and, as you take hold of his tunic and try to pull him free, suddenly you feel unable to move. Something has taken hold of your legs!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect110">If you possess Magi-magic, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect326">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect140">
+ <meta><title>140</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Within the hour the final preparations for your airborne voyage to Lencia are completed, and Lord Floras and you are piped aboard the <cite>Skyrider</cite> by Bo'sun Nolrim and his cheerful crew of dwarves. You exchange a few reminiscences with each of the jovial crewmen and cannot help but smile when they tell you how proud they feel to have been given the chance to serve you once more.</p>
+ <p>Nolrim takes the helm and you sense a vibration run down the length of the deck as he coaxes the craft's powerful engine to life. Lord Floras joins you at the prow and together you wave a farewell to Rimoah and your fellow Kai as, steadily, the <cite>Skyrider</cite> ascends into the crisp, wintery sky. Then, with a sudden surge of power, the keel clears the battlements of the Tower of the Sun and swiftly the monastery and its inhabitants recede into the distance.</p>
+ <p>You and your companion are escorted to a warm cabin at the bow which has been prepared especially for your passage. It is well stocked with provisions and, spread out across a grand oak table, you find several maps of Northern Magnamund. Aided by Lord Floras, you study these maps and use them to chart your course to the Lencian city-port of Vadera. Bo'sun Nolrim is informed of your chosen route and, as he sets about implementing your course, you settle back to enjoy what will be a long voyage. By your calculations, it will take thirty hours for the <cite>Skyrider</cite> to reach its destination.</p>
+ <p>During your voyage, Lord Floras recounts the dramatic events which have taken place in the Western Tentarias since the demise of the Darklords. Prior to their fall, the Drakkarim nations had for many centuries kept the Lencians at bay. Countless crusades had been undertaken to recapture their former lands but all had ended in costly defeat for the House of Sarnac. Then, two years ago, the tide finally turned when the King launched an invasion across the Gulf of Lencia into the lands of Zaldir and Nyras. The boldness of his strategy and the unpreparedness of his enemies combined to win for him many victories in the early months of the war. Much of Zaldir and all of southern Nyras were taken and held by his conquering knights, and now the lines of battle are drawn diagonally across the centre of Nyras, from Lake Lenag in the north to the marshland fortress of Lozonzee in the east. However, King Sarnac cannot lay claim to total victory in the south, for the cities of Shpyder and Darke have defied all his attempts at capture. Their Drakkarim garrisons have steadfastly held on to these important strongholds and, although they have been surrounded and besieged for more than a year, still they refuse to surrender.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small6.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small6.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>At present, the war is focused around the towns of Hokidat and Konozod,</quote> says Lord Floras, tracing a circle around their location on the map with the tip of his index finger. <quote>Many battles have been fought here but victory has, as yet, eluded us. Now, with the onset of a cruel winter, our advance has ground to a halt. Maintaining the sieges at Shpyder and Darke has drained us of troops and resources that would have been put to better use in the north. To compensate for this shortage, the King has employed many companies of foreign mercenaries to reinforce his armies in the field, but their services are expensive and the campaign has already proved costly, both in revenue and lives. The King is hard pressed to pay for their continued loyalty and already several regiments have deserted. If Magnaarn were to complete his quest and strike now, whilst our battle lines are weakened, his counterattack could push us all the way back to the sea.</quote></p>
+ <p>Lord Floras' report is sobering, yet it serves to strengthen your determination to thwart Magnaarn's quest. Later, shortly before nightfall, you leave the cabin and go up to the stern deck for a breath of fresh air. In quiet solitude you see the great expanse of the Slovarian plain passing by more than a mile beneath the craft and, as you watch, you lose yourself in thoughts of what may await your arrival in Lencia. The night sky is clear and laced with twinkling stars. As you return to the cabin to sleep, you draw comfort from the thought that the weather and the stars have seen fit to help speed your night passage to Vadera.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect257"><link-text>Turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect141">
+ <meta><title>141</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One of your scouts hurries to your side and takes hold of your arm, fearful that you have been mortally wounded. You pull away and brusquely you tell him that you are not seriously hurt and that he should watch where he steps in future. Sheepishly he follows as you creep forward through the snow, using the sparse undergrowth to your advantage wherever possible. You move deeper into the copse until you spy where the arrow came from. A small camp is hidden among the trees. It comprises four white canvas tents attended by a dozen lean and hungry-looking human soldiers armed with longbows. A furled battle-flag stands propped against one of the tents and you ask your scout if he recognizes its chequered black-and-white design.</p>
+ <p><quote>They're League-landers of Ilion,</quote> he whispers. <quote>I know that flag well. They're good mercenaries, these men, loyal to the King. We fought alongside them at Hokidat.</quote></p>
+ <p>You are anxious about risking another volley of arrows, but when you tell your companion of your fears, he smiles.</p>
+ <p><quote>Don't worry, Sire,</quote> he says, <quote>I know how to make safe contact with them.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect142">
+ <meta><title>142</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Abandoning the shelter of the bridge, you work your way slowly along the ice-filled ditch to a point directly in front of the south trench. Here you settle to observe the Drakkarim guards who are dutifully keeping watch over this sector. All you can see of them is their brutal faces peering over the rim of their dugout, but, after a while, one by one these faces disappear. Your keen hearing detects the sound of laughter, some clicks, and a few Giak curses, and judging by what you have heard you hazard a guess that the guards are busy gambling with dice.</p>
+ <p>You decide that now would be the best time to make your move, while the guards are distracted from their duty. Prarg insists that he lead the way; he has crossed here once before and he knows a safe way through. The ground in front of the trench-line looks clear but there are concealed pits out there just waiting to snare the careless or unwary. You nod your agreement and follow in his wake as he crawls a zig-zagging route towards the distant trench.</p>
+ <p>Two minutes later you reach the mound of frost-hardened earth abutting the dugout. Silently you motion to Prarg to get ready to attack, but before he can draw his sword, one of the enemy guards pops his head up to take a cursory glance over the parapet. He is less than an arm's length from you, and his eyes and mouth spring open with sheer terror when he finds himself staring into the face of a Kai Grand Master!</p>
+ <p>Instinctively you lash out with the edge of your hand, aiming for his right temple, hoping to render him unconscious before he can warn his confederates. But the shock of seeing you makes him reel backwards, and your blow misses by a hair's breadth.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If the number you have chosen is 0&endash;2, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect337">If it is 3&endash;6, <link-text>turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect164">If it is 7&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect143">
+ <meta><title>143</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You face the portal and shape your mouth in readiness to emit the power-word battle spell, as taught to you by your trusted friend, Lord Rimoah.</p>
+ <p><quote>Gloar!</quote></p>
+ <p>The word slams into the portal's lock like an invisible hammer before reverberating around the walls of this confined chamber. A spider's web of cracks appear in the surface of the portal and, when you place your shoulder to it and push hard, the lock breaks and the door gives way.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11"><link-text>Turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect144">
+ <meta><title>144</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Without a rigged sail, the stinking marsh wind propels your boat along the channel at a far slower rate. Gradually you approach the cluster of huts and, as you pass before them, you see eight dwellings, each built of mud-daubed roots and thatched with rotting vegetation. They are empty but they have not been deserted. The shoreline is littered with bones, the remnants of past meals, and nearby is a crude wooden frame on which the skins of a snake and a lizard have been stretched out to dry.</p>
+ <p><quote>It's a Ciquali camp,</quote> whispers Prarg nervously, his eyes scouring the surrounding waters for the slightest sign of movement. During your travels you have heard tales about the Ciquali, none of which were favourable. They are the bane of the Hellswamp&emdash;a breed of vicious amphibians, intelligent and cunning, with a taste for human flesh that makes them especially dangerous.</p>
+ <p><quote>Our luck's good, Lone Wolf,</quote> says Prarg, as gradually the wind carries you beyond the huts. <quote>The camp's empty&emdash;they must be away hunting. Truly we're fortunate to have come this way this time.</quote></p>
+ <p>As soon as you lose sight of the settlement, you hoist the sail and catch the prevailing wind which propels you northwards along Dakushna's Channel. You are hungry, and unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">To continue, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect145">
+ <meta><title>145</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a loud <onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia> and a great grey cloud billows from the muzzle of the musket. It startles the horse, but you swiftly control the animal and urge it forwards, out onto the road. Quickly you make your escape northwards, hidden from the eyes of your pursuing enemy by the acrid cloud of gunpowder smoke.</p>
+ <p>Your ears are ringing but otherwise you escape unharmed. Prarg however has not been so lucky. His arm and shoulder are bleeding from where he has been grazed by buckshot. You halt as soon as you can, and using your healing skills, you mend his wounds before continuing on your way. The use of your powers reduces your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score by 3.</p>
+ <p>The mare is strong and sure-footed, and you quickly cover eight miles before you encounter something on the road ahead which makes you halt for a second time.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect106"><link-text>Turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect146">
+ <meta><title>146</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From here you hurry into the new tunnel in search of a clear route to the surface. Unfortunately, your hopes for a quick escape are soon dashed when you arrive at a ruined staircase. It leads to a landing where you are confronted by the corpse of a Drakkarim guard, slumped beside a mound of rubble which is blocking the stairs to the level above. A quick examination of the dead body reveals that both arms are broken. Injured and trapped here by the falling rocks, it appears that this guard eventually died of thirst.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you wish to search the body further, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect347">If you wish to attempt to clear away the rubble that is blocking the stairs, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect147">
+ <meta><title>147</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The bolt hits the lock and, to your horror, it rebounds and hits you full in the chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. The number you have picked is equivalent to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost as a result of this backfire (0 = 10). If you have survived this setback, make the necessary adjustment to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <p>Reluctantly, you abandon any thought of opening this door and retrace your steps to the junction. Prarg leads you along the opposite passageway until you come to a corner. He turns the corner before you can warn him otherwise, and finds himself staring at the brutish features of a Drakkarim Death Knight Sergeant. The warrior's curses echo loudly along the narrow corridor as he draws his sword and comes striding towards your careless companion.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect241">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you do not, or if you choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect148">
+ <meta><title>148</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As your slain enemies keel over backwards and splash into the mire, you spin around to see your companion grappling with a Ciquali in a desperate hand-to-hand combat. Prarg has lost his sword and the fight is going badly for him. The creature is by far the largest of the attacking pack and much of its muscular body is protected by armour, crudely fashioned from human bones. Anxious to help your companion, you rush forward and strike the creature a mighty blow at the base of its skull, opening a fearful wound. For a few moments the Ciquali continues to fight on as if unaffected by your blow, then its webbed hands spring open, letting Prarg, who is barely conscious, fall limply to the bottom of the boat. The beast touches a hand to its shattered skull and a look of astonishment fixes upon its ugly face when it sees its gore-stained palm. You raise your weapon to strike again, to finish the creature once and for all, but a second blow proves unnecessary. Its eyes roll backwards in their sockets, then stiffly the Ciquali falls sideways over the gunwale and sinks without trace beneath the slimy water.</p>
+ <p>As one, the remaining Ciquali turn away from the boat and disappear as quickly as they had come, slipping back to the cold, dark safety of their hiding places beneath the surface. Silence returns, and for a long moment you stand alert, suspecting trickery, then slowly you relax; they have gone.</p>
+ <p>Aided by your healing skills, Prarg makes a speedy recovery from the battering he sustained in combat with the Ciquali chieftain. The boat, too, has survived the attack and you are able to continue without further delay. As soon as you pass the obstruction, you hoist the sail and catch the prevailing wind which propels you northwards along the channel beyond.</p>
+ <p>You are hungry after your encounter. Unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">To continue, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect149">
+ <meta><title>149</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You clamber out of the cellar and set off after the Drakkarim with weapon in hand, determined to free your companion from their clutches, but as you hurry into the western avenue you see that they have already joined with the troops who are escorting the covered wagon. The wagon has halted and you count more than fifty Drakkarim jostling the helpless Prarg, bullying and cursing him vilely. More than one voice calls out in the Giak tongue&emdash;<quote>Let's kill the Lencian spy!</quote></p>
+ <p>Fearful that they are going to beat him to death, you decide to charge headlong into the crowd in a desperate attempt to save him, despite the overwhelming odds against your success. But before you can act, a Drakkar officer on horseback appears and commands the troops to order. An uneasy silence descends on the group, then dutifully they step away from Prarg and form up in a column facing the officer and his mount. Prarg, who has been left lying on the ground, barely conscious, is bundled into the wagon. The officer raises his hand and the wagon trundles off along the avenue towards a distant square, with the troop of soldiers marching smartly in its wake.</p>
+ <p>You follow and observe, taking in every aspect, every detail that might help you to free your companion. When you reach the square at the end of the avenue, you discover that is dominated by a tall tower. It is Magnaarn's tower. His flag, emblazoned with the emblem of a black eagle clutching two fiery swords, flutters lazily from its slender wooden spire. The wagon draws up in front of a building adjacent to the tower and Prarg is dragged unceremoniously inside. Judging by the bars which adorn its windows, and the armed guards at its entrance, you hazard a guess that this is the Shugkona Gaol.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small11.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small11.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Patiently you watch the square for several minutes while you try to formulate a plan. Then the assembled troops are galvanized into action when an order from their officer sends them off in pairs to search the town for other spies. Several Drakkarim come towards your location and you are forced to seek somewhere to hide. Looking around you can see only two dwellings that may offer some hope of a safe haven. The first is a warehouse; the second a stables.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324">If you wish to hide in the warehouse, <link-text>turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect96">If you choose to hide in the stables, <link-text>turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect150">
+ <meta><title>150</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Huddled together in a corner of the compound, away from the other prisoners, is a small group of men-at-arms. The fronts of their tattered blue coats bear the emblem of a crown set above the crest of Vadera identifying them to be of the same regiment&emdash;the Imperial Vadera Guard&emdash;one of Lencia's finest. Using your Magnakai skills to avoid detection, you make your way to the fence and try to attract their attention. One of their number, a Captain, sees you and is immediately suspicious. You signal to him to come closer and, reluctantly at first, he crawls towards the fence.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A captain of the Imperial Vadera Guard crawls reluctantly towards the fence in response to your signal.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill8.gif" width="386" height="595"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill8.pdf" width="386" height="595"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>You're not Drakkarim or Lencian. Who are you? What do you want?</quote> he hisses, through cracked lips that are blue with hunger and cold. <quote>Is this another Drakkar trick devised to torment us?</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>This is no trick,</quote> you whisper in reply, trying hard to reassure him, <quote>I'm an ally in the service of your King. I want to help you and your men to escape.</quote></p>
+ <p>He holds you with his steely-grey eyes and slowly shakes his head.</p>
+ <p><quote>It's too late to help us,</quote> he says, sadly. <quote>We're too weak to resist. Some have tried and they've all died in the jaws of the dogs. No, you save yourself, stranger. Forget us.</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>But if you stay here you'll starve to death,</quote> you retort. <quote>Surely it's better to die fighting than waste away. The garrison here is small, barely forty in number. I could cause a diversion and draw their dogs away. Your men may be weakened but still they outnumber the enemy five times over. For Ishir's sake, man, have you lost the will to live?</quote></p>
+ <p>The Lencian Captain glances over his shoulder at his starving comrades and, when he turns to face you once more, you see a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes.</p>
+ <p><quote>All of these men have been more than a week without food or shelter. Many have died, many are near to death. I fear they are too weak to fight an enemy who has food in his belly and a sword in his hand. Perhaps&ellips; if we had weapons&ellips;</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>If you do as I say, you'll have weapons enough to pluck this town from under their very noses,</quote> you reply, earnestly.</p>
+ <p>The Lencian narrows his eyes, and for a moment, the trace of a smile softens his gaunt features.</p>
+ <p><quote>Very well, stranger. Tell me your plan.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect61"><link-text>Turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect151">
+ <meta><title>151</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Thanks to your Kai skills, the two Tukodak guards do not see you until it is too late. From the base of the stone ramp you launch a lightning attack which dispatches them both before they can attempt to raise the alarm.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect311"><link-text>Turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect152">
+ <meta><title>152</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You utter the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Lightning Hand</spell> and a crackling blast of electrical energy leaps from your fingers. The fiery bolt hits the advancing creature, stunning it momentarily, but it soon recovers and presses home its attack with renewed determination.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297"><link-text>Turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect153">
+ <meta><title>153</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You crash down upon the unsuspecting lancer, but the shock of impact does not unseat him and desperately he struggles to fend you off. He wounds your forearm with his sabre before you succeed in knocking him out of the saddle: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You seize control of the startled horse and take off across the square, unholstering the lance as you gallop headlong towards the mass of Drakkarim soldiers who stand between you and the platform.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63"><link-text>Turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect154">
+ <meta><title>154</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach the hamlet and hurry along its solitary road. Flanking you are two rows of low cottages, their thick-thatched roofs still intact despite the fiery carnage that has swept so near. Off to the right you see a barn-like building standing with its door ajar. A brazier of coals, an anvil and a scattering of iron strips prove it to have once been a busy smithy. But now, like the surrounding buildings, it is seemingly deserted.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A Lencian Crusader rushes out into the road brandishing a heavy steel mace in his left hand.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill9.gif" width="386" height="604"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill9.pdf" width="386" height="604"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You are passing the open door when suddenly you hear a man's voice. He has a strong Lencian accent and he is cursing you, thinking you to be a turncoat Stornland mercenary. As you turn to face the smithy door, a Lencian Crusader comes rushing out into the road, brandishing a heavy steel mace in his left hand. You yell at him that you are loyal to King Sarnac, but he ignores your plea and swings his weapon wildly at your head.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Lencian Crusader</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Throughout this combat you are attempting to strike a blow that will render the knight unconscious. Fight this combat using the normal combat procedure.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect272">If you manage to reduce the knight's <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> to zero, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect155">
+ <meta><title>155</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you struggle to kill the last Gorodon, suddenly you catch sight of Prarg attacking the creature from the rear. Having witnessed your desperate plight, he has brought the boat back to shore and grounded it nearby. Now, with his help, swiftly you seal the doom of this last swamp-creature.</p>
+ <p>Shaken by your hard-won battle, Prarg helps you back to the boat and places you aboard.</p>
+ <p><quote>That was a mite too close for comfort,</quote> he says, as he frees the oars and sets them in place.</p>
+ <p><quote>You can count yourself lucky to have escaped with your life. The first time I navigated these channels I lost three good men in a Gorodon attack. Those beasts are the bane of this accursed place&ellips; yet, t'is true to say, there are other creatures here that are far deadlier.</quote></p>
+ <p>Soon you reach the west bank where, once safely ashore, you encamp on a strip of frozen loam that overlooks a bleak expanse of marsh. Night has fallen and so, too, has the temperature. From the shelter of your upturned boat you cast your experienced eye across the darkening skies and see banks of cloud, heavy with snow, scudding the distant horizon. They are an unwelcome sight, the precursors to a winter storm.</p>
+ <p>Prarg volunteers to continue the first watch but, mindful that his need for rest is greater than yours, you insist that he gets some sleep. For four hours you sit and scan the bleak horizon, your mind filled with unanswered questions about the mission and the dangers you have yet to face. While you ponder what awaits you in the near future, you remain watchful and alert, your encounter on the east bank still vivid in your mind. Fortunately, the increasing cold dissuades the Hellswamp's inhabitants from leaving their lairs this night and your watch passes without further incident.</p>
+ <p>Then the time comes for you to awaken Prarg. With a noticeable lack of enthusiasm he takes his turn while you settle yourself down to catch a few hours of much-needed sleep.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327"><link-text>Turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect156">
+ <meta><title>156</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect156-1-foot" idref="sect156-1">
+ <p>Reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to 15 only if it is currently above that level.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For fifteen days you tunnel through a solid wall of earth and broken rock, using your weapons and bare hands, sustained all the while by little more than your indefatigable spirit and will to survive. You are near to giving up when, mid-way through the sixteenth day of your internment, you suddenly break through into a passageway that is free of debris. Weak but alive, you drag yourself into this empty tunnel and collapse on the damp, fungi-covered floor.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Reduce your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to 15.<a id="sect156-1" idref="sect156-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Also, erase any Meals you may have been carrying in your Backpack, and erase any potions of Laumspur and/or Alether.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239">To continue, <link-text>turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect157">
+ <meta><title>157</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Captain Prarg recovers consciousness and slowly his strength returns until he is able, with your help, to regain his feet. He is cold and soaking wet, but you sense that he is no longer in a state of shock. He will survive.</p>
+ <p>Carefully you both retreat from the hole and make a wide detour around this section. An hour later you reach the far side of the lake and enter the trees beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect187"><link-text>Turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect158">
+ <meta><title>158</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You increase your stroke until you are rowing as fast as you can, then you hear the leader shout a command and suddenly the rain of arrows ceases. You pray that you are either out of range, or the enemy are out of arrows, but when you glance at the shore you see that the leader has you fixed in his sights. The only reason he has ordered his troops to stop firing is because he wants you all to himself.</p>
+ <p>The fat Drakkar lets loose his bowstring and his steel-tipped shaft comes whistling towards your head with chilling accuracy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect17">If you possess Kai-alchemy and have reached the Kai rank of Sun Knight, <link-text>turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect86">If you possess Kai-alchemy but have yet to reach this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect345">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn instead to 345</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect159">
+ <meta><title>159</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are moving across a stretch of beach which is overlooked by a small grassy hill when suddenly a harsh command splits the night air:</p>
+ <p><quote>Halt where you are. Do not move!</quote></p>
+ <p>Instantly you flatten yourself among the rocks and moments later you hear Prarg whispering, <quote>They're Lencians. They must be lookouts from the island garrison.</quote></p>
+ <p>Together you watch with bated breath as two inquisitive soldiers appear, silhouetted on the top of the hill. Brandishing their spears, they curse your sudden disappearance and come hurrying down a steep track towards the beach.</p>
+ <p><quote>Curse them,</quote> hisses Prarg, <quote>If they find us, the whole garrison will get to hear of our mission even before it has properly begun.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If you possess Assimilance <em>and</em> you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect93">If you do not possess this Discipline, or you have yet to achieve this rank, <link-text>turn instead to 93</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect160">
+ <meta><title>160</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In order to delay the other Drakkarim, you bundle the bodies of the Death Knights down the stairs, but one soldier clambers across them and attempts to skewer you upon the tip of his spear. You sidestep his thrust and fell him with a lightning blow to the head, but not before his weapon gashes your side: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Hurriedly you cross to a window at the far side of the tower. Outside, directly below, you see a Drakkar lancer sitting astride a warhorse. His lance is sheathed in a tube-like scabbard fixed to the rear of his saddle and in his hand he holds aloft a heavy cavalry sabre. He is cheering those who are entering the tower and he is completely unaware that you are only a few yards away.</p>
+ <p>Swiftly you climb onto the window ledge, raise your weapon, then leap onto the unwary lancer below.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect153">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect28">If your total score is now 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect161">
+ <meta><title>161</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You kneel beside Prarg and check that he is still breathing. He is fortunate that the bolt struck him a glancing blow; had it hit him squarely it would have killed him outright. Then you hear a movement over on the far side of the chamber, and when you look up, you see Warlord Magnaarn emerging from behind one of the many hanging black drapes. An aura of evil surrounds his body like a shimmering grey cocoon, and his features no longer appear as they did when first you encountered him in the subterranean labyrinths of the Temple of Antah. Now his body is twisted and mummy-like, and feverish eyes burn from black sockets within a bald skull of a face. You sense that he is wholly possessed by the object he holds clenched in his shrunken hand&emdash;the Nyras Sceptre.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small13.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small13.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>The dread sceptre hums with the power of the Doomstone that is set upon its platinum shaft. Magnaarn utters an evil laugh and points the sceptre at you, but curiously you feel no weakness or leeching of strength, as occurred at Antah. The Warlord's sick eyes widen with surprise and you sense that he is fearful. He threatens you with death, but his voice is wavering. He is unsure of his power. Then you sense another presence, a magical presence. A wispy shape emerges from behind another curtain, summoned forth by Magnaarn, and at once you recognize it to be the formless life-force of a Nadziranim sorcerer. You hear Magnaarn issue a psychic command, ordering the creature to slay you, and immediately it responds. Swiftly it moves across the chamber, changing shape as it draws closer. It is no more than ten feet distant when it solidifies into a form which is truly horrifying to behold.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect42"><link-text>Turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect162">
+ <meta><title>162</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You strike your killing blow and send the creature tumbling off the walkway into the rushing black waters of the subterranean river. It surfaces for a brief moment, its arms flailing wildly, then it disappears forever beneath the swirling foam.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small4.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small4.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Confident in your victory, you sheathe your weapon and take hold of the heavy winch chain. You pull it to raise the grill a few feet off the walkway, just high enough for you to duck under the rusty bars, then you continue along the tunnel at a brisk pace: After a few hundred yards, the tunnel turns to the south. At this point you discover a flight of slimy steps that ascend from the walkway towards a darkened arch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect33">If you wish to ascend the steps to the arch, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect274">If you decide to ignore the steps and continue along the tunnel, <link-text>turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect163">
+ <meta><title>163</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you return to the boat and attempt to awaken your companion. But he does not respond at once, and you are forced to shake him vigorously by the shoulders until finally he stirs to consciousness.</p>
+ <p><quote>Wha&ellips; what's wrong!</quote> he mumbles, as he struggles to free himself from your firm grip.</p>
+ <p><quote>Wake up Captain,</quote> you retort, <quote>there's trouble coming our way.</quote></p>
+ <p>The word <quote>trouble</quote> galvanizes Prarg into action. He throws off his blankets, unsheathes his sword, and follows as you lead the way up the river bank. When you reach the crest, you see a dozen or more of the leathery black war-dogs come slinking out of the trees. Your senses are drawn to one of the red-eyed creatures, who instinctively you recognize as the leader of this pack, and suddenly you recall from past experience that Akataz are susceptible to psychic attacks. Using your Magnakai abilities, you focus on this leading hound and prepare to launch a burst of psychic energy directly at its mind.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Kai-surge, add 4 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect242">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect164">
+ <meta><title>164</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The guard crashes to the bottom of the trench, but before he can raise the alarm, you and Prarg are in the dugout beside him with your weapons drawn ready to strike.</p>
+ <p>Your attack is swift and deadly. In less than five seconds, you and your companion dispatch all four of the Drakkarim trench-troopers who occupy this position, overcoming them before they can even unsheathe their swords.</p>
+ <p>Keen to maintain your advantage of surprise, you quickly leave the trench and rush across the remaining strip of open ground which separates you from the town's outlying dwellings. Prarg points ahead, to an alleyway that lies sandwiched between two burnt-out hovels, and immediately you follow as he rushes towards its shadowy entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect165">
+ <meta><title>165</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite its fatigue, the horse clears the trench and carries you safely beyond range of the Drakkarim archers. For half a mile you skirt along the edge of the Tozaz forest, then, the moment the enemy are lost to sight, you rejoin the road and make your escape northwards.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect166">
+ <meta><title>166</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you step away from the dead guards, you hear shouts of alarm outside the building: the roof of the stables has just erupted into a sheet of flame. The garrison is thrown into a state of near-panic as they try to fight the fire and contain the horses which are stampeding through the streets.</p>
+ <p>You run the length of the armoury and hurriedly lift the massive drawbar which holds the main doors closed. Outside, you see the perimeter guards are abandoning their posts in order to fight the fire now raging through the stables. The Lencians are on their feet. They are grouped by the entrance to the compound and, as the last of the guards leaves, they rush forward and barge open the gates. Led by the Captain, they come streaming across the flagstoned square towards the armoury, sweeping aside any Drakkarim foolish enough to try to turn this vengeful tide. With a cheer they pour into the armoury and equip themselves with weapons from its many racks of spears and swords.</p>
+ <p><quote>Let's take this town!</quote> shouts the Captain, and amid stirring battle-cries of <quote>Lencia</quote> and <quote>For the House of Sarnac</quote>, the starving Lencians set off to obey his command.</p>
+ <p>You try to reach the Captain, whose name you learn is Schera, but before you reach him you are swept out into the street and carried along by this crowd of battle-hungry soldiers.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39"><link-text>Turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect167">
+ <meta><title>167</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You breathe the words of the Brotherhood spell <quote>Halt Missile</quote> and, in an instant, the first of the bolts freezes in mid-air. This swift action saves Prarg from being hit, but it does not stop the second missile from striking home. Red-hot pain flares up your arm as the iron-tipped bolt gouges a deep furrow of flesh from the back of your wrist: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The lookouts fumble with their crossbows, desperate to fire again, but before they can reload you have disappeared along the beach. Shortly you reach a small secluded cove where Prarg discovers a rusty anchor. It is a landmark, left on purpose by agents of King Sarnac to point the way to the cave where they have left your boat and provisions. You find the cave and together you haul the boat down the beach and raise its coal-black sail before pushing it out into the icy waters of the Tentarias.</p>
+ <p>Once aboard, you trim the sail whilst Prarg takes charge of the rudder. There is a good wind and within minutes your tiny craft is bobbing towards the far western channel of the Hellswamp, twenty miles distant. You ask Prarg if this dark estuary has a name, and he replies, <quote>Yes. The Drakkarim call it <quote>Dakushna's Channel</quote> after the Darklord who once commanded the city-fortress of Kagorst. They say it is a fitting dedication, for the waterway is as deadly and as treacherous as the creature after whom it is named.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect60"><link-text>Turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect168">
+ <meta><title>168</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hold the bird with a mental command and use your skill to converse with it. Its response is rudimentary, but you are able to understand that many warriors, dressed in metal and riding horses, are approaching the river from the north.</p>
+ <p>You tell Captain Schera and Baron Maquin of what you have gleaned from the bird, and the Baron says, <quote>It sounds to me that a troop of Drakkarim cavalry are coming this way.</quote></p>
+ <p>The Captain agrees, and both commanders pass the word to their men to stay hidden and keep completely silent.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect71"><link-text>Turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect169">
+ <meta><title>169</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The spear-wielding guard notices the Signet Ring and immediately his suspicions melt away. The ring must denote a very high rank or office within Magnaarn's army for the Tukodaks both stand rigidly to attention and bow their heads reverently. You approach the open doors and hastily they step aside to allow you and Prarg entry to the temple. Once safely inside, you cause your features to revert to normal before you set off on your urgent hunt for the Doomstone of Darke.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect221"><link-text>Turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect170">
+ <meta><title>170</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You quickly draw an Arrow and take aim through a hole in the portcullis, but the Tukodaks cower behind Prarg, using him as a human shield. Again the, cruel voice booms out: <quote>Put down your bow, Lone Wolf, or I'll have my guards kill your companion.</quote></p>
+ <p>At once your anger subsides. You sense that this is no idle threat and, reluctantly, you obey the command.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect171">
+ <meta><title>171</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The iron-tipped bolts scream towards you but your swift reflexes are more than a match for these deadly missiles. You open your hand and thrust your palm into Prarg's back, pushing him forward and saving him from the first bolt; then you sidestep to avoid being hit by the second. The lookouts fumble with their crossbows, desperate to fire again, but before they can reload you have disappeared along the beach.</p>
+ <p>Shortly you reach a small secluded cove where Captain Prarg discovers a rusty anchor. it is a landmark, left on purpose by agents of King Sarnac to point the way to the cave where they have left your boat and provisions. You find the cave and together you haul the boat down the beach and raise its coal-black sail before pushing it out into the icy waters of the Tentarias.</p>
+ <p>Once aboard, you trim the sail whilst Prarg takes charge of the rudder. There is a good wind and within minutes your tiny craft is bobbing towards the far western channel of the Hellswamp, twenty miles distant. You ask Prarg if this dark estuary has a name, and he replies, <quote>Yes. the Drakkarim call it <quote>Dakushna's Channel</quote> after the Darklord who once commanded the city-fortress of Kagorst. They say it is a fitting dedication, for the waterway is as deadly and as treacherous as the creature after whom it is named.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect60"><link-text>Turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect172">
+ <meta><title>172</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You crash down upon the unsuspecting lancer and send him tumbling from the saddle. The impact leaves him stunned, but before he can recover, you seize control of his horse and take off across the square. With your left hand you unholster the lance and bring it to bear as you gallop headlong towards the backs of the Drakkarim soldiers who are standing between you and the platform.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63"><link-text>Turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect173">
+ <meta><title>173</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Aided by your Kai skills, you uncover some tracks frozen beneath the snow. They were made by horses and wagons and are a little over a week old. There are far more than you expected to find here, and you can tell at once that they were not all made by Magnaarn's entourage. Before he left this site and headed west, he was joined by several hundred reinforcements.</p>
+ <p>During your search you also discover some scraps of food which you eat immediately: restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Having satisfied your curiosity, and your rumbling stomach, you decide to leave the campsite and follow the tracks westward.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect227">If you possess Animal Mastery, <em>and</em> have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian (or higher), <link-text>turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect131">If you do not possess this Discipline, or have yet to reach this level of Kai training, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect174">
+ <meta><title>174</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature is badly wounded but its powerful natural psychic skills block out the pain, enabling it to press home its attack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297"><link-text>Turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect175">
+ <meta><title>175</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you climb the stairs, spurred on by the wintery chill which grows steadily colder as you ascend. You count one hundred and fifty steps before you arrive at a chamber which is heaped with rubble. Its only door is blocked by debris and huge slabs of marble, making an immediate exit impossible. But it is not the door which commands your attention; it is a narrow circular shaft which is set into the middle of the ceiling. It is the source of the cold, wintery draft.</p>
+ <p>Expectantly, you step closer and investigate this shaft. For the most part it is dark, but you can see glimmers of grey daylight high above, and you can hear the whistling of the wind. But you can also hear another sound, one that is quite unexpected. It is a buzzing, insectile noise. You focus upon the darkness and suddenly you see that the noises come from nests of winged insects which are fixed to the inside of the shaft.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, <em>and</em> have reached the rank of Sun Knight, <link-text>turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect281">If you do not possess this Discipline, or have yet to reach this level of Kai rank, <link-text>turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect176">
+ <meta><title>176</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the few remaining pack survivors slink away into the forest, you help Prarg, who has sustained several deep wounds to his arms and legs, to reach the boat. Repeatedly he apologizes for having fallen asleep while on guard but you refuse to let him take all of the blame.</p>
+ <p>Using your mate Kai skills you tend to Prarg's injuries and ensure that they heal without infection. He recovers quickly, but the use of your Curing skills leaves you feeling weak and tired: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215"><link-text>Turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect177">
+ <meta><title>177</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly the evil wizard cries out in pained surprise and throws his claw-tipped hands into the air. A sparkling bolt, which was destined to seal your doom, arcs from his staff and blows a man-sized hole in the wall of the fortress. As the resultant smoke and dust slowly clears, you see Captain Prarg standing over the body of the slain wizard with a bloodied sword held in his hand. With a cry of victory, he leaps over the crumpled corpse and comes rushing down the steps to help free you from the tangle of bodies.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Captain Prarg stands over the body of the slain wizard with bloodied sword in hand.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill10.gif" width="386" height="634"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill10.pdf" width="386" height="634"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>Well met, Sire,</quote> he says excitedly. <quote>I feared you were dead and buried at the Temple of Antah.</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>I, too, thought you dead, Prarg,</quote> you reply, thankful to see him still alive. <quote>Yet it seems that fate has decreed otherwise.</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>I was lucky,</quote> he says, <quote>I escaped from Magnaarn. But come, Sire. There's no time for tales now. We must away from here. Follow me, I know where the Warlord is hiding.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect36"><link-text>Turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect178">
+ <meta><title>178</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dark alleyway leads to a square where, an age ago, the grand mansions of Lencian noblemen encircled a shrine dedicated to the Goddess Ishir, High Priestess of the Moon. But now this square, in common with the rest of the town, bears little resemblance to, or trace of, its Lencian origins. When the Drakkarim first captured Ferndour, as it was then called, all the houses and public buildings which had stood for centuries were demolished. In their place were erected ungainly dormitories and ugly communal dwellings made entirely of timber culled from the surrounding forest. The town's once-picturesque plazas and narrow, winding streets were replaced with coldly functional military avenues for the marching Drakkarim hordes.</p>
+ <p>From the shadows of a doorway, you and Prarg observe a small covered wagon and a troop of weary Drakkarim soldiers entering the square from the north. This small procession swings right and approaches an avenue which exits the square, leading off to the west towards the centre of the town. Magnaarn's headquarters are located in the middle of Shugkona and, with night fast approaching, Prarg suggests you follow the troop using the gathering darkness for cover. You are about to agree with him when suddenly the door of a nearby hovel swings open, and out into the alley step three burly, drunken Drakkarim.</p>
+ <p>Instinctively you both leap for cover to avoid being seen. Prarg drops down behind a stack of empty ale casks, whilst you dive behind a mound of rotten timbers. The moment you hit the ground you feel it sag beneath your weight, then, in a moment of terror, the ground collapses and you fall headlong into darkness. You have crashed through the rot-infested timbers of a trapdoor into a damp and dingy cellar.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If your total score is now 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect58">If it is 5 or higher, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect179">
+ <meta><title>179</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You clear the gap with one bound, and even manage to stay on your feet when you land on the far side of the fissure. Hungry for victory and vengeance, you tear aside the curtain through which Magnaarn disappeared and discover a short flight of steps which emerge at a turret at the very top of the Palace Tower, the highest point in the city of Darke.</p>
+ <p>Here you find Magnaarn, cowering with his crooked back pressed hard against the frost-covered wall. You sense that he has very nearly succumbed to the evil power of the Doomstone; he is treading a fine line between life and undeath. Yet, even though he is but a whisker away from eternal damnation, he musters enough spite to challenge you to a fight to the death.</p>
+ <p><quote>Very well, Drakkar,</quote> you reply. <quote>Let battle commence.</quote></p>
+ <combat><enemy>Warlord Magnaarn (with Nyras Sceptre)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect350">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect180">
+ <meta><title>180</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With lightning speed you draw and fire two Arrows, sending the shafts whistling deep into the scaly bellies of the two swamp creatures. Their effect is swift and deadly; the Ciquali screech in unison and throw their arms wide as they are hurled backwards into the mire. You string another Arrow and glance over your shoulder at your companion who, having lost his sword, is now grappling with a Ciquali in a desperate hand-to-hand combat.</p>
+ <p>The fight is going badly for Prarg. The creature is by far the largest of the pack and much of its muscular body is protected by armour, crudely fashioned from human bones. Anxious to help your companion, you raise your Bow and take aim, but the two are entwined and you dare not fire for fear of hitting the Captain. Then a sudden swipe of the creature's horny fist knocks Prarg to his knees, allowing you a moment's unobstructed view of his adversary.</p>
+ <p>(Remember to erase three Arrows from your quiver.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect111">If you wish to fire at the creature's head, <link-text>turn to 111</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect38">If you choose to fire at the sac which surrounds the creature's throat, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you decide to fire at the creature's upper chest, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect181">
+ <meta><title>181</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For a terrible moment your body is racked with pain. It fills your mind with a scarlet fog and your vision swims in and out of focus. The reins slip from your hands and you fall from the horse to crash heavily upon the snow-covered road. You strike your head and lose consciousness; you never awaken. The guards close in and put a swift end to both you and your companion, Captain Prarg.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your quest ends here at Shugkona.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect182">
+ <meta><title>182</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurry along this wind-swept passageway until you come to a corner. Prarg turns the corner before you can warn him otherwise, and he finds himself staring at the brutish features of a Drakkarim Death Knight Sergeant. The warrior's curses echo along the corridor as he draws his sword and comes striding towards your careless companion.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect241">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you do not, or your choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect183">
+ <meta><title>183</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Arrow flies true, but at the very last moment before impact, the Drakkar spins around to face the assembled soldiers, and your shaft shatters harmlessly upon the blade of his axe. For a few seconds he is stunned by the nearness of your attack, then suddenly he points to the grain tower and begins to scream like a madman:</p>
+ <p><quote>Up there! At the window! The arrow was fired from up there!</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect254"><link-text>Turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect184">
+ <meta><title>184</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On reaching the main street, you see Captain Schera beckoning to you from the doorway of a ruined inn.</p>
+ <p><quote>Over here,</quote> he calls, <quote>I think I've found something.</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>What is it?</quote> you say, on entering the fire-ravaged ruins.</p>
+ <p><quote>Come and take a look for yourself,</quote> he replies, and takes you to flight of stone steps which lead down into a cold, dark cellar.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect197"><link-text>Turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect185">
+ <meta><title>185</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The chieftain bellows its death-cry and keels over backwards to hit the water with a mighty splash. Now leaderless, the remaining Ciquali turn away from the boat and disappear as quickly as they had come, slipping back to the cold, dark safety of their hiding places beneath the surface. Silence returns, and for a long moment you stand alert, suspecting trickery, then slowly you relax; they have gone.</p>
+ <p>Aided by your healing skills, Prarg makes a speedy recovery from the battering he sustained in combat with the Ciquali chieftain. The boat, too, has survived the attack and you are able to continue without further delay. As soon as you pass the obstruction, you hoist the sail and catch the prevailing wind which propels you northwards along the channel beyond.</p>
+ <p>You are hungry after your encounter. Unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">To continue, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect186">
+ <meta><title>186</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you tend to your companion's wound, using your Magnakai Curing skills to neutralize the venom before it does its fatal work. Your swift action saves him but it drains you of energy: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect325">To continue, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect187">
+ <meta><title>187</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You move deeper into the forest, maintaining a steady pace. Here, in this part of the Tozaz, the snowfall underfoot is light because of the canopy of thick branches overhead, and you make good progress. You have been walking for an hour when a shivery rustle brings you abruptly to a halt. You look up and a miniature snowslide falls from a branch overhead, covering your face and shoulders with a deluge of powdery snow. Prarg laughs as he watches you spluttering, and as you wipe your eyes, you glimpse a grey-winged bird fluttering away to the west.</p>
+ <p><quote>By the Gods, I'm hungry,</quote> exclaims Prarg, leaning weakly against a tree trunk. <quote>What I'd give for a side of beef and a plate of boiled beets.</quote></p>
+ <p>The Captain has not eaten since before you reached Shugkona and you can see that after the rigours of his capture and escape, he is sorely in need of food. Unless he eats soon he will be unable to go much further.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect68">If you possess a Meal, <link-text>turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect282">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect188">
+ <meta><title>188</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You awake at first light and make a search of all the cabins, but they have either been despoiled by Giaks or stripped bare and you discover nothing of practical use. However, you do uncover enough scraps of food, preserved by the cold, to make quite a decent breakfast: restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>After your meal, you gather together your equipment and set off along the river bank, heading west. The surrounding landscape is a harsh black and white desolation, devoid of all colour. The bleakness is deepened by the constant moaning wind and the occasional cawing of distant carrion crows. Five miles downstream you happen upon a hut at the edge of the river. You are expecting it to be empty, like the others at the ferry stage, so it comes as a welcome surprise to find it contains a rowboat and a pair of oars, both in good condition. Heartened by your discovery, you launch the boat into the water and begin your voyage towards Darke.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect73">If the number you have picked is 0&endash;4, <link-text>turn to 73</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect293">If it is 5&endash;9, <link-text>turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect189">
+ <meta><title>189</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Prarg makes a wide detour to the west in order to avoid the risk of walking straight into the arms of your enemies. The detour takes you across a steep and rugged part of the forest previously unexplored by your guide, and progress here is slowed dramatically. You have covered less than six miles when the failing light, and the increasing sightings of Drakkarim patrols, forces you to halt and make camp for the night.</p>
+ <p>From the safety of a treetop, fifty feet above the forest floor, you rope yourself to the trunk before settling down to sleep. You are hungry and, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect190">
+ <meta><title>190</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw upon your psychic strength to create, in the depths of your mind, three radiant pulses of pure energy. As you watch the advancing Gorodon, rapidly these glowing cores increase in size and power until they resemble a cluster of fiery meteors. The Gorodons increase their speed and come pounding through the shallows, their eyes blazing and their horns lowered in eager readiness to impale you on their razor-sharp tips. They are almost upon you when, with a blink of your eyes, you hurl your psychic pulses, directly into their brains. The effect is instantaneous and devastating. It is as if all three have been felled simultaneously by a massive hammer blow to the skull.</p>
+ <p>The Gorodons' forelegs buckle and they are brought down head first into the muddy shallows. Their horns sink deeply into the silt whilst their heavy torsos are thrown forwards by the momentum of their charge. For a few seconds they cartwheel end-over-end, then, with a chilling abruptness, they cease moving and settle into the mud. Your psychic attack was devastating but it did not kill them outright; it was the massive strain placed upon their necks when they fell that ultimately sealed their doom.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect284"><link-text>Turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect191">
+ <meta><title>191</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leap over the corpse and run down the corridor with Prarg close on your heels. Soon you reach a junction where you are forced to choose a direction, left or right. You call upon your Kai skills and immediately you sense a strong presence of evil lurking at the end of the right-hand passage. You focus on the source of this evil and determine that it is the Doomstone. You tell Prarg and together you advance along the passage until you reach a closed door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If you possess Grand Huntmastery or Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If you possess neither of these Disciplines, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect192">
+ <meta><title>192</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you lies a vast frozen lake, more than a mile wide at the point at which you now stand. An icy wind whips across its glistening surface, stirring freshly fallen snow into eddies which whirl and dance like spinning tops. Silently you stare across the lake at the distant tree line and your mind is filled with doubt. The Temple of Antah lies beyond, of that you are sure, and the quickest way to reach it would be to traverse the lake, but there is no cover and no way of knowing if the ice is thick enough to support you all the way across. Yet, to go around the lake would delay you by hours, giving your pursuers ample time to catch up and attack.</p>
+ <p>At length you decide to take your chances and cross the lake. At first the going is smooth and you make easy progress, but as you near the centre, suddenly you sense that something is wrong.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect55">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship <em>and</em> have reached the Kai rank of Sun Knight, <link-text>turn to 55</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect37">If you do not possess this skill, or have yet to reach this level of Kai training, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect193">
+ <meta><title>193</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You begin the descent and soon discover that the rough chasm wall makes for an ideal climbing surface. With confidence you descend towards the river, but you are almost caught unawares when you reach a section of the chasm wall which is treacherous in the extreme. It is smooth, dry and crumbly, making it suddenly impossible for you to find safe purchase for your toes and fingers.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess a Rope, add 1. If your present Kai rank is Grand Guardian or higher, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect114">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect194">
+ <meta><title>194</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect194-1-foot" idref="sect194-1">
+ <p>This section is unreachable and superfluous since it is equivalent to <a idref="sect19">Section 19</a> but less complete.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the deadly shafts scream towards you and Prarg, you open your hand and thrust your palm into his back, pushing him aside. This swift action saves him from the first bolt, but it robs you of time in which to react to the second. It strikes and red-hot pain flares up your leg as the iron-tipped bolt gouges a deep furrow of flesh from the back of your calf: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.<a id="sect194-1" idref="sect194-1-foot" class="footnote"/></p>
+ <choice idref="sect60"><link-text>Turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect195">
+ <meta><title>195</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step over the body of the fallen lancer and pull yourself into the saddle of his warhorse. Seizing the reins you spur the horse forward and it takes off across the square at a gallop. Then you unholster the lance and bring it to bear as you race headlong towards the backs of the Drakkarim soldiers who are standing between you and the platform.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect63"><link-text>Turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect196">
+ <meta><title>196</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your keen senses detect an unpleasant odour wafting towards you on the damp air. It is the scent of a hostile animal. It is not lurking in this chamber but it is somewhere close by.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you head towards an archway in the far wall, taking great care not to fall as you traverse the slippery mounds of rubble which litter the floor of this dank and unwholesome chamber. A short tunnel awaits you beyond the arch. It ends at a junction where a wider passageway crosses from west to east.</p>
+ <p>The animal odour is stronger here; it is wafting from out of the west tunnel. Forewarned, you shun this tunnel and set off to the east.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect26"><link-text>Turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect197">
+ <meta><title>197</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In a corner of the cellar you see two booted and bloodstained feet protruding from beneath a mass of collapsed flooring. You move closer and discover they belong to a Lencian soldier who is badly wounded and barely conscious. Schera helps you to clear away the charred timbers that are pinning him to the ground and, using your Kai healing skills, you attend to the man's wounds. After a few minutes he recovers consciousness just long enough to tell you his name&emdash;Hul Sendal.</p>
+ <p>You both carry the man back to the river and place him carefully into your boat. The Captain's men have managed to clear a passage wide enough for the flotilla to pass through in single file, and as you continue your journey down-river, you spend some time nursing the injured soldier back to consciousness. He tells you of the battle that destroyed his regiment, of how Magnaarn used his sceptre to set the town ablaze, and of how he has survived the last six days sustained by nothing more than a few handfuls of snow. His account of the battle is chilling and it leaves you with a gnawing fear that maybe it is already too late to prevent Warlord Magnaarn from regaining control of Darke.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect208"><link-text>Turn to 208</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect198">
+ <meta><title>198</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unsheathe your weapon and rush forward to strike the soldier down, determined to finish him quickly before he can raise the alarm.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim Sergeant</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">32</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">29</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Due to the speed of your attack, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> loss you may sustain in the first round of this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect199">
+ <meta><title>199</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The arrows miss you by an arm's length, but as you hit the ground you gash the palms of your hands on the trunk of a fallen tree: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect141"><link-text>Turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect200">
+ <meta><title>200</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From out of the shadows of the secret passage steps Warlord Magnaarn. He is a huge man&emdash;not much over six feet tall but massively built. His body is sheathed in finely crafted armour that fits his frame like a glove, and his features are coarse and foreboding, accentuated by a fresh battle scar which runs diagonally from the top his red-haired scalp to a point near the lobe of his left ear.</p>
+ <p>Arrogantly he approaches the portcullis and stares unblinkingly into your eyes. For a moment you consider attacking him, but your senses detect that he is surrounded by a field of energy so strong that already you feel it leeching your psychic powers. He reaches to a pocket inside his cloak and takes out a large black gemstone, which he holds level with his sneering face. Scarlet veins glow within the depths of this stone, swirling and undulating as if they are alive. Waves of dizziness force you to your knees as the evil power of the Doomstone of Darke washes over you, bleeding you of the strength and will to resist.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>The massively build Warlord Magnaarn steps out of the shadows and stares arrogantly into your eyes.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill11.gif" width="386" height="633"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill11.pdf" width="386" height="633"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>I've been waiting for you, Lone Wolf,</quote> says Magnaarn, with a condescending tone. <quote>I've known your plan ever since my spies told me of your arrival at Vadera. After all, there could be but one reason why the great Grand Master of the Kai would come to Lencia at this time. Yet, as you can see, Grand Master, you are already too late to stop me.</quote></p>
+ <p>Magnaarn turns to his Tukodak guards and orders them to take Prarg away. You try to protest but you cannot find strength enough to voice the words. The warlord smiles at your weakness.</p>
+ <p><quote>Know you this, Grand Master. Now that I possess the stone of power, nothing can stand in my way. You were the only threat to my victory, but now you're a threat no longer.</quote></p>
+ <p>With this he steps away from the portcullis and turns to follow his guards as they drag Prarg into the secret passage.</p>
+ <p><quote>Farewell,</quote> he says, sardonically, before disappearing into the portal, <quote>and remember my first words to you: welcome to your tomb.</quote></p>
+ <p>With these chilling words echoing in your mind, you watch as he disappears into the passage and the wall closes behind him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect43"><link-text>Turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect201">
+ <meta><title>201</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Arrow strikes with deadly accuracy. The Drakkar officer drops the axe and clutches the shaft which has suddenly buried itself in his throat. He tries to scream, but the arrow has destroyed his larynx and slowly he topples from the platform without uttering a sound. For a few moments the assembled Drakkarim are transfixed by his death, then a solitary voice shrieks in alarm: 'Up there! The arrow came from up there!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect336"><link-text>Turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect202">
+ <meta><title>202</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your super-keen senses alert you to something on the brow of a hill which overlooks this stretch of beach. You detect the faint glint of moonlight on steel and at once you whisper a warning to Prarg. Instantly he takes cover among the rocks and together you watch with bated breath as two inquisitive Lencian lookouts leave their post and come down to the sea's edge. They scan the beach then, shaking their heads, they turn and retrace their steps, pausing to skewer a few clumps of seaweed with their spears as they trek back to their post.</p>
+ <p>As the lookouts climb the hill, you and Prarg hurry away whilst they have their backs turned.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect273"><link-text>Turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect203">
+ <meta><title>203</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With the caustic stench of your smouldering cloak filling your nostrils, you kneel before the portal and set to work in an attempt to pick its ancient lock. The mechanism is quite basic and it takes you less than a minute to pick it successfully.</p>
+ <p>However, before you escape from this chamber, the deluge of acid takes its toll upon your Backpack and equipment. Erase from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> those items which you have recorded as the first and fourth on your list of Backpack Items. Also, erase either one Special Item of your choice, or (if you possess one) your Bow.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11"><link-text>Turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect204">
+ <meta><title>204</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A bold idea springs to mind. Using your Kai Discipline, you cause your facial features to take on the harsh countenance of a Drakkar warrior. At first Prarg is alarmed by your dramatic change and he steps back aghast, but you quickly reassure him that the effect is temporary; it is part of your plan to gain entry to the temple.</p>
+ <p>Prarg will act as your prisoner while you pretend to be a Drakkar guard, summoned from Shugkona by Warlord Magnaarn himself. Prarg agrees to the plan and. he places his hands behind his back, as if they are tied, and you escort him towards the temple doors. As you approach the two guards you call out to them, speaking in Giak, saying that Warlord Magnaarn has sent for this prisoner. Visibly they hesitate. They have no knowledge of their master's request and are suspicious. As you ascend the ramp, one of the guards levels his spear and points it threateningly at your chest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect169">If you possess a Signet Ring, <link-text>turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect205">
+ <meta><title>205</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your acute hearing detects the faint sound of stone grating on stone. Then you notice that loopholes are opening at chest height along both walls of the passageway, revealing the sticky sharpened tips of venom-coated spears.</p>
+ <p><quote>Get down!</quote> you shout, and throw yourself flat on to the damp stone floor. Moments later, a volley of the deadly spears comes hurtling from out of the walls to smash and splinter in the passageway. Your timely warning saves you and Prarg from certain death, yet, unluckily, one of the speartips ricochets and gouges Prarg's shoulder.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186"><link-text>Turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect206">
+ <meta><title>206</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The guard crashes to the bottom of the trench, screaming&emdash;<foreign xml:lang="x-giak"><quote>Gaz rekenarim! Gaz rekenarim!</quote></foreign></p>
+ <p>Instantly the other Drakkarim react to his warning. They leap to their feet and thrust their spears upwards as you come leaping over the parapet. One spear tip gouges your leg, another cuts deeply into your shoulder, but neither wounds are fatal: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p><quote>Sarnac and Lencia!</quote> cries Prarg, as side-by-side you land in the trench and engage these four Drakkarim warriors in a fierce close combat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim Trench-troopers</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">29</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect207">
+ <meta><title>207</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You utter the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Lightning Hand</spell> and point the index finger of your right hand at the circular keyhole. A tingling sensation engulfs your entire arm, then a shudder runs from your shoulder to your fingertip, culminating in a burst of blue-white energy which arcs towards the lock.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 20 or higher, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect147">If you total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect255">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect208">
+ <meta><title>208</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>West of Odnenga, the river meanders very little as it crosses the snow-swept plain of Southern Nyras. It is a deserted landscape, yet Captain Schera cautions his men to remain watchful, doubly so whenever the boats pass an occasional copse of fir or stunted pine. Late in the afternoon, as the light is beginning to fade, you come to a forested part of the river where the banks are steeply undercut. Trees are growing at the very edge of the overhanging banks and their roots are clearly visible, hanging down like clusters of vines into the icy waters of the Shug. You are watching the left bank when suddenly your Pathsmanship senses alert you to the threat of ambush. You warn the Captain and he signals to the following boats to put ashore at once.</p>
+ <p>Having sensed the threat, you volunteer to go forward and scout the woods to find out who, or what, is there. Schera agrees, and he calls for three of his men, all trained army scouts, to accompany you. He and the rest of his command will remain here with the boats and wait for you to return.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect81">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect275">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect209">
+ <meta><title>209</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment your horse slams into the sentries, you strike out and fell one of them with a crushing blow to the side of his head. But, as you strike, the remaining two guards catch you with their spears and you receive deep wounds to your leg and chest: lose 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points total is now 15 or lower, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect301">If it is 16 or higher, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect210">
+ <meta><title>210</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have almost overcome this treacherous section of the chasm wall when a sudden slip ends in disaster. You are stretching to reach an outcrop of rock with your left hand when the powdery wall gives way beneath the toe of your left boot. You try to recover but it is too late. You slip sideways and topple head-first into the chasm where you land amongst the boulders and debris embedded into the river bank. Death is instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here in the deepest reaches of the Temple of Antah.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect211">
+ <meta><title>211</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rush towards your stricken companion, unshouldering your Backpack as you run. Once you are as close to the hole as you dare go, you tear open the pack and take out your coiled rope. Prarg is foundering in the icy water; he can barely keep his head above the surface. Hurriedly you hurl one end of the rope towards him and he makes a desperate grab for it with numbed fingers. Miraculously he grips it first time and manages to hold on tight as you haul him out of the freezing water.</p>
+ <p>His skin is violet and his entire body is shaking uncontrollably. Using your healing skills, you transmit some of your body warmth through your hands to his chest and face and, within a few minutes, he comes out of his state of shock and his body returns to its normal temperature. Your prompt action has saved his life, but it has also drained you of 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect157"><link-text>Turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect212">
+ <meta><title>212</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You swallow hard and within a few seconds you feel your strength returning. You shake your head and as your vision clears you approach the circular door and take a closer look at its strange octagonal lock. It comprises a keyhole and a series of numbers, although one of the numbers is clearly missing. Experience tells you that this a dual combination lock, one that can be opened either by key or by tapping in the correct number which is missing from the sequence.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304">If you possess a Green Key, <link-text>turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect89">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect213">
+ <meta><title>213</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sift through the items stacked upon the shelves, packed in cases and hidden in the personal bags of the Drakkarim commander, and discover the following which may be of use to you during your mission:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ <li>2 potions of Laumspur (each restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points)</li>
+ <li>Hourglass</li>
+ <li>Signet Ring</li>
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>3 Arrows</li>
+ <li>Brass Key</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to make the necessary adjustment to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect277">To continue, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect214">
+ <meta><title>214</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Kai sense detects that your approach to this door has set off a trap.</p>
+ <p>You shout a warning to Prarg, and he reacts with commendable swiftness. The two of you hit the floor and, moments later, several razor-sharp sword blades lunge from slits in the walls to rake the air just a few feet above your heads. Then they retract and lock back into the walls with a deadly slickness.</p>
+ <p>When you are sure that this trap no longer poses a threat to your lives, you get to your feet and move forward to take a closer look at the door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect307"><link-text>Turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect215">
+ <meta><title>215</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wake with the dawn and fix a hasty breakfast before breaking camp. Within the hour you are ready to begin your trek towards Magnaarn's stronghold at Shugkona, but first you must dispose of your boat. Prarg takes what provisions he needs, then, with his sword, he pierces several holes in the keel. You launch the boat towards the centre of the river and watch as slowly it sinks beneath the surface. The moment it disappears, you leave the river's edge and set off into the trees.</p>
+ <p>Deep in the forest the snowfall is light underfoot, because of the thick canopy of branches overhead, and you find the going much easier than expected. You are struck by the unexpected beauty of this dense timberland in winter, by the intricate webs of frost that trail between its blue-green branches, and by its frozen streams and waterfalls. But even as you admire it, you remain ever conscious of its dangers. Prarg leads the way, and swiftly you progress from one concealed marker to another, all having been placed by him on previous missions behind enemy lines. By using his system of hidden signposts he is able to guide you safely through a maze of Drakkarim outposts and patrol routes that riddle this timberland.</p>
+ <p>It is nearing noon and you have covered more than twenty miles when Prarg motions you to halt: he has found something unexpected. Nailed to a trunk is a small rectangle of orange-coloured metal.</p>
+ <p><quote>This is a Drakkarim marker,</quote> he says, after closer examination. <quote>They use them to mark the perimeter boundaries of their forest camps. It wasn't here the last time I came this way which means there must be a new outpost here, somewhere close.</quote></p>
+ <p><quote>How close?</quote> you ask.</p>
+ <p><quote>Within half a mile at most.</quote></p>
+ <p>For a few moments you stop and listen to the silence of the forest. You close your eyes and concentrate, and through the use of your aural skills, you detect noises away to the north. The sounds are mixed and many, and you are unable to discern their exact cause.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect65">If you wish to investigate these sounds, <link-text>turn to 65</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect189">If you choose to avoid them, <link-text>turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect216">
+ <meta><title>216</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With forbearance, you make the difficult trek westwards through the dense forest, following the scant trail left by Magnaarn's troops. Dusk arrives within the hour and with it comes a fresh fall of snow which hampers your progress further. You are hungry, and unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103">To continue, <link-text>turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect217">
+ <meta><title>217</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The beast's albino eyes widen and you feel a wave of psychic energy washing over you. It is trying to subdue you, to hypnotize you. Your Magnakai skill of Psi-screen blocks this primitive Mindforce but Prarg succumbs to the hypnotic suggestion. Rigidly he stands to attention as the creature makes its attack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect331">If you possess Animal Mastery, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 331</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If you possess Kai-surge, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect152">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you have none of these skills, or choose not to use any of them, <link-text>turn instead to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect218">
+ <meta><title>218</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature shakes its ghastly head and emits a piercing shriek. Its great hunger and natural predatory instincts have overcome your psychic commands and, with anger blazing in its eyes, it comes lunging towards you, flailing at the air with its dagger-flints as it closes in for the kill. You step back and get ready to defend yourself as the beast rushes towards you at a breathtaking pace.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Tunnel Stalker</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">43</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">48</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect162">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect219">
+ <meta><title>219</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes you a few moments to disentangle yourself from the coarse, hairy limbs and weighty carcasses of the Nad-jaguz war-hogs. As you emerge, bruised and bespattered with their blood, you see Captain Prarg climbing the stairs to the tower door, his sword in his hand. At once you recognize his purpose; he intends to silence the tower guard before he can raise the alarm.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect130">If you wish to follow Prarg, <link-text>turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect306">If you decide to enter the tower via the open hatch, through which the war-hogs first appeared, <link-text>turn instead to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect220">
+ <meta><title>220</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hurry to the door and examine the lock. It is a unique design, quite unlike any you have seen before. It appears be made entirely of silver with a keyhole that is smooth and circular in shape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If you possess a Silver Rod, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect290">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect221">
+ <meta><title>221</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect221-1-foot" idref="sect221-1">
+ <p>The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the doors you discover a large echoing hall, lit by a circle of torches which flare dimly in the moist gloom. The atmosphere is saturated with a malevolent power, an evil that is welling up from somewhere deep below ground. Immediately to your right you see a ladder which ascends to the upper floor of the tower, and to your left there is a wide staircase which leads down. Your senses scream a warning as you approach this staircase and begin to descend, but this time you choose to ignore your trusty instincts. The aura of evil which pervades this place has its source, and you are certain that it is the Doomstone of Darke, the very object you have sworn to destroy.</p>
+ <p>The staircase leads down to a winding torchlit hallway which passes through a series of narrow chambers, all empty and derelict. Eventually, you come to an iron portal and you stop for a few moments to examine the intricate engravings that embellish its age-blackened surface. Quickly you realize that the engravings are not mere decorations, they are part of a sophisticated combination lock which holds this door secure.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small2.gif" width="386" height="326"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small2.pdf" width="386" height="326"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>A host of writhing dragons are intertwined above a dial edged with ancient numerals. Each dragon has a number engraved upon its forehead, similar to those numbers which encircle the dial. Your senses inform you that the dragon numbers form a puzzle, and by solving this puzzle you will discover the <quote>key</quote> to this door. Then, by turning the dial to this <quote>key</quote> number, the lock will disengage and the door will open.</p>
+ <choice>Study this puzzle. When you think you have found the answer, turn to the entry in this book which is the same as your answer.<a id="sect221-1" idref="sect221-1-foot" class="footnote"/></choice>
+ <choice idref="sect70">If you discover that your answer is wrong, or if you cannot solve the puzzle, <link-text>turn instead to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect222">
+ <meta><title>222</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The driver shouts a rude greeting to the guards at the main gates as they pull them open, allowing the cart to pass through into the town unchallenged. You stay hidden beneath the straw until the cart slows to a halt, then, very carefully, you raise your head and take a look around. You have stopped in a muddy alley which runs between a stables and an armoury. This alley opens on to a central square that has been turned into a prisoner of war compound. It is enclosed by a crude fence of wire and sharpened stakes, and is patrolled by sentries with Akataz war-dogs. You estimate at least two hundred Lencians are being held captive here, and in conditions that are shocking to behold. The men are being kept out in the open, without shelter or heat of any kind, and judging by their physical state, it looks as if the Drakkarim are purposefully starving them to death.</p>
+ <p>Shock soon turns to anger and you vow that you will do whatever you can to save these prisoners. Unseen, you slip from the rear of the cart and wait in the shadows until the chance comes for you to approach the fence and make contact with the Lencians.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect223">
+ <meta><title>223</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <choice idref="sect127">If you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, or higher, <link-text>turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect204">If you have yet to reach this level of Kai Grand Mastership, <link-text>turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect224">
+ <meta><title>224</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At first the ascent is easy, but as you approach the ledge you find that the chasm wall is dry and crumbly, making it very difficult for you to find safe purchase for your toes and fingers.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If your present Kai rank is Grand Guardian or higher, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect98">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect225">
+ <meta><title>225</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sounds of the struggle cease abruptly and you hear gruff Drakkarim voices yelling and cursing in anger. A yellowy light flares up and grows brighter as it approaches the broken trapdoor. Then the face of a Drakkar appears, framed in the ragged hole, illuminated grotesquely by the guttering flames of a torch. The Drakkar thrusts the torch through the shattered door and peers into the cellar, his small piggy eyes probing into every corner. You keep completely still, and he fails to see you lying beneath the clutter of barrels and casks.</p>
+ <p>The moment the face and the torch disappear, you prise yourself free and then scramble up onto an upright barrel in order to reach the trapdoor. Prarg and the Drakkarim are no longer in the alleyway, yet as you pull yourself through the gaping hole, you catch sight of them in the square beyond. The Drakkarim have captured Prarg; they have tied his hands and they are marching him along the west avenue towards the centre of the town, towards Magnaarn's headquarters.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect149"><link-text>Turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect226">
+ <meta><title>226</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You land with a splash in the powdery snow and a sharp pain lances across your right shoulder blade. You have been grazed by an arrow, but fortunately, the wound is shallow: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect141"><link-text>Turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect227">
+ <meta><title>227</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having decided to follow Magnaarn's tracks, you are now faced with the unwelcome prospect of a tiring foot-slog through the Tozaz forest, unless, of course, you can find some other means of speeding your journey. Using your Kai mastery, you scan the surrounding woodland and send out a silent call for help A few minutes pass, then a wild dog appears. He is soon joined by a handful of other creatures: a young grey-skinned boar, two feral snow-cats and an ape-like Rhudun. Unfortunately, none are large or sturdy enough to carry you any great distance.</p>
+ <p>Then, from out of the snow-laden undergrowth, bursts forth a wild stag. It is a magnificent animal, as large and as strong as any stallion. Subdued by your commands, it approaches and tilts it antlered head to allow you to climb upon its back. Obediently it responds as you steer it through forest, heading westwards in the wake of Magnaarn's troops.</p>
+ <p>Shortly after dusk you come to the banks of the River Shug, close by a small settlement of log huts which are grouped around a derelict ferry post. You dismount, and with a slap to its rump, you send the stag trotting back to its forest home. You watch him disappear towards the distant tree-line, then you turn back to the river and approach the huts on foot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect228">
+ <meta><title>228</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Arrow hits the creature squarely in the chest but its tip fails to penetrate the bone armour. With a shriek of anger and contempt, the Ciquali knocks Prarg aside and comes lumbering towards you with both claw-tipped hands outstretched. Swiftly you shoulder your Bow and unsheathe your weapon in readiness to repel this beast as it makes a desperate lunge for your throat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ciquali Chieftain</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">32</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect185">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect229">
+ <meta><title>229</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly a dozen razor-sharp sword blades lunge from out of the walls and come scything towards you at waist-height. You shout a warning to Prarg and push him to the floor, an action which saves his life, but in doing so it leaves you vulnerable to this trap. You try to twist aside but you are gashed across your stomach and lower back: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The blades retract and lock back into the wall with a deadly slickness. You staunch your bleeding wounds and, when you are sure that this trap no longer poses a threat to your lives, you stagger to your feet and move forward to take a closer look at the door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect307"><link-text>Turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect230">
+ <meta><title>230</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you ride along this road of frozen earth, the sky begins to darken ominously and the weather closes in. What begins as a light flurry of snow soon deteriorates into an icy squall which cuts through you like a knife. Your Magnakai skills protect you from the cold, but Captain Prarg is not so fortunate. He utters not a word of complaint but you can sense that he is in great discomfort. Moreover, your horse, already tired from the exertions of the escape, is greatly weakened by the icy winds. Eventually it can carry you no further and you are forced to halt and dismount.</p>
+ <p>Your Kai senses warn you that enemy cavalry are in pursuit. You are a few miles ahead of them but their mounts are fresh and the distance between you is shrinking rapidly. You are about to suggest to Prarg that you abandon the horse altogether and seek shelter in the surrounding forest, when suddenly there is a lull in the storm and the falling snow thins out to reveal an unexpected sight.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Below you the forest road descends to a stone bridge which crosses a frozen stream.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill12.gif" width="386" height="632"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill12.pdf" width="386" height="632"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You have stopped near the crest of a hill. Below you the forest road descends to a stone bridge which crosses a frozen stream. A rough log cabin stands beside this bridge, and a thin trail of wood smoke rises from its crooked chimney indicating that it is occupied. At the rear you see stables and at once you sense the presence of horses.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect52">If you wish to approach the cabin and attempt to take a fresh mount from the stables, <link-text>turn to 52</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect319">If you choose to abandon your exhausted horse and take to the forest on foot, <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect231">
+ <meta><title>231</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You steer the boat towards the river bank and as soon as the prow embeds itself in the mud, you disembark and make your way quickly towards two lines of ramshackle huts which are standing near the water's edge. A narrow alley separates these hovels, and it is from here that you observe the town's defences and try to assess how many Drakkarim are stationed within this stronghold.</p>
+ <p>The town itself comprises a sorry collection of battle-damaged buildings, ringed by a perimeter wall of logs which is shored up in many places. Several long and bitter battles have been fought here over the past year, and everywhere you look the vivid scars of war are plain to see. The town is strangely quiet and it appears to be weakly protected. The Drakkarim garrison are few in number, and those that you have seen so far appear to be either young, old, or walking wounded.</p>
+ <p>Night is beginning to draw in. The Drakkarim are lighting the torches which line the perimeter wall, and a change of guard is taking place at the main gate. You are considering leaving this town and continuing on your way towards Darke, when suddenly you see something which makes you change your mind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect232">
+ <meta><title>232</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You utter the words of the Brotherhood spell <quote>Silence</quote> and within the confines of the cabin all sound ceases. The Drakkarim sergeant screams for help, but to his amazement, he finds he has suddenly been struck dumb. You unsheathe your weapon and rush forward to strike him down, determined to finish him before the effects of the spell wear off.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkarim Sergeant</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">30</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">29</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Due to the surprise of your spell and the speed of your attack, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> loss you may sustain in the first round of this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect233">
+ <meta><title>233</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Fearful of what may happen if your stay in this chamber any longer, you retrace your steps and make your way swiftly to the place where you first emerged from the collapsed passage. You pause here to catch your breath, then you continue along the tunnel until, once more, you find yourself standing at the edge of the chasm. You scan this vast and dismal fissure, hoping to find a means of escape from this grim subterranean prison.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect138">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect234">
+ <meta><title>234</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An ominous noise comes rolling across the plain from the city of Darke, a thunderous boom that shakes the very ground on which you lie. You look towards the city and see that the battle is growing ever fiercer. But now there is a new and sinister aspect. Flickerings of magical fire can be seen dancing along battlements, engulfing friend and foe alike. You sense that it is the work of Magnaarn; he and his Nadziranim allies are responsible for this.</p>
+ <p>Then, through the smoke of battle, you see a Lencian flag flying proudly amidst the carnage that is taking place on the coastal plain to the south of the city. Here, King Sarnac's crusaders have turned an enemy flank and are storming its weakened centre. Maquin and Schera see the flag and, encouraged by the cheers of their own men, they decide to march at once in support of the crusaders' brave attack.</p>
+ <p>You wish them both good fortune, for you know the time has come to part company with these brave men. Their destiny awaits them on the field of battle; yours will be found inside the city of Darke itself where, if you are to fulfil your quest, you must confront Warlord Magnaarn.</p>
+ <p>You bid them farewell and watch as they lead their men in a marching column along the river road towards the field of battle. When they are a mile distant, you set off alone across the plain towards the hamlet, which lies en route to the gates of Darke.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect154"><link-text>Turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect235">
+ <meta><title>235</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The boat glides silently through the dark, syrupy water and within minutes the huts are lost to sight. Unlike the smooth muddy banks of Dakushna's Channel, the shores of this newly-formed passage comprise a tangle of exposed roots and rotting vegetation. A foul-smelling mist clings to these torn roots, exuding a corpse-like chill that, despite your Kai skills, makes you shiver involuntarily.</p>
+ <p>You have been following this unwelcoming canal for nearly a mile when it starts to meander towards the east, and soon you are brought to a halt when an unexpected obstruction looms into view. A matted raft of floating, frost-covered weeds has become ensnared upon the right bank, partially blocking the way ahead.</p>
+ <p>You are observing the raft, looking for a way to steer around it, when suddenly your senses alert you to a hidden danger.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect104">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect47">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect236">
+ <meta><title>236</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Captain Schera musters his men, and posts lookouts around the town wall as a precaution in case the Drakkarim return during the night with reinforcements. He then oversees the care of the sick and wounded. You are impressed by his devotion to the men under his command and, once his duties are completed, you return with him to the armoury to formulate a plan of action. It is decided that it is too dangerous to remain here and you agree that you should leave at first light. Schera says there are sufficient boats to transport everyone downriver to Darke, but there is a risk that you could run foul of Magnaarn's troops. However, he is determined to rejoin his army. If the Lencians are still resisting Magnaarn, then he reasons that the city of Darke is where the battle is most likely to be taking place.</p>
+ <p>Before you settle down to sleep, one of Schera's men brings you some food and ale: restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect23">To continue, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect237">
+ <meta><title>237</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You land with a jolt, crashing down upon a stack of ale barrels which topple and fall, pinning you beneath them: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Stunned by the fall, and with blood trickling into your eyes from a gash on your forehead, at first you feel totally unable to move. Then you hear sounds that immediately stir you into action. In the alleyway above, you hear the sounds of a struggle taking place: the Drakkarim have found Prarg and they are attempting to overpower him by force.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect225"><link-text>Turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect238">
+ <meta><title>238</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect238-1-foot" idref="sect238-1">
+ <p>The weapon bonuses are cumulative (e.g. the Dagger of Vashna which is a Dagger and a Special Item confers a bonus of +1: 2 - 1).</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your weapon and attack the ice. Time is fast running out for your trapped companion; you have but a few seconds in which to reach him or he will surely drown.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <p>If the weapon you are using is a Special Item, add 2 to the number you have picked. If it is a Mace, a Warhammer, an Axe, or a Broadsword, add 1. If it is a Dagger, a Quarterstaff, or a Short Sword, deduct 1.<a id="sect238-1" idref="sect238-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect139">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect3">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect239">
+ <meta><title>239</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Many hours pass before you regain consciousness, and although your terrible ordeal has left you physically weakened, your mind is still as sharp and resolute as ever. You are determined to find a route to the surface and continue your quest, for even though Magnaarn now has Captain Prarg and the Doomstone of Darke, there may yet be a way you can defeat him. Before he entombed you in the passage he admitted that you alone posed a threat to his quest for victory over Lencia. Now that he thinks you dead and buried, you feel sure you can turn this to your advantage.</p>
+ <p>You stagger to your feet and peer along the gloomy passageway in either direction, east and west. You are anxious to pursue a route that will lead you quickly to the surface, and when you detect cold, damp air wafting from the west, you hurry this way. But you are soon disappointed. The passageway ends abruptly at the edge of a vast chasm, formed by the same destructive powers which buried you alive. At the bottom of this great fissure is a river of black water, and high above, you glimpse a few rays of winter daylight filtering through a tiny rent in the darkness. It looks so far distant that you abandon any thought of reaching it from here and return along the passageway.</p>
+ <p>A few hundred yards beyond where you emerged, you discover an octagonal chamber that is bathed by an eerie green light. This light is emitted by fungi which blanket the walls and ceiling and illuminate a strange circular door that has an octagonal lock. You have been in the chamber for no more than a few seconds when your senses detect something is wrong. Invisible fumes are rising from the fungi, which, in your weakened state, are making you feel dizzy and nauseous.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect109">If you possess Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect240">
+ <meta><title>240</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You stand directly below the shaft and focus your Kai power on the basket-sized nests that are fixed along its walls. The incessant buzzing grows steadily louder, then several lines of large wasp-like insects emerge from the nests and escape towards the sky at the top of the shaft, driven away by your mental command.</p>
+ <p>When you feel sure that the nests are empty, you reach up and take a grip of the rough brick which lines the shaft. It offers good purchase for your fingers and toes, enabling you to climb past the nests and reach the top of the shaft in a matter of minutes.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect241">
+ <meta><title>241</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw an Arrow, then you peep around the corner and fire at the advancing Death Knight. Your shaft hits him in the middle of his chest and knocks him flat on his back. He is fatally wounded but, incredibly, he finds the strength to reach for a horn which is strung around his neck. In his dying moments he is trying to summon help.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect321">If you wish to fire a second Arrow at the Death Knight, <link-text>turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect15">If you do not wish to fire again, <link-text>turn to 15</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect242">
+ <meta><title>242</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your burst of psychic energy penetrates the war-dog's mind, causing it to shriek with pain and fear. Immediately the others halt in their tracks, visibly shaken by the horrible cries of their leader, but their hesitation is short-lived. Their hunger is so great that, despite the fearsome howls of their pack master, they ignore his plight and continue their advance upon you and Captain Prarg.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect339">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, or choose not to use it, <link-text>turn instead to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect243">
+ <meta><title>243</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At last you strike the killing blow that sends this evil amphibian spiralling down to the bottom of the frigid lake. Once free of its grip, you take hold of Prarg's tunic and pull him towards the jagged hole in the ice. Then, with great difficulty, you climb out of the water and haul your unconscious companion to safety. His skin is deep violet, he is barely breathing, and his entire body is shaking uncontrollably. Using your healing skills, you transmit some of your body warmth through your hands to his chest and face and, within a few minutes, he comes out of his state of shock as his body returns to its normal temperature. Your prompt action has saved his life, but it has also drained you of 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect157">Make the necessary adjustments to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> and <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect244">
+ <meta><title>244</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leap down upon the unsuspecting lancer, but you have judged the jump badly and you only glance his shoulder before you hit the ground. Stunned by the fall, you react slowly when the Drakkar unholsters his lance and tries to impale you upon its steel tip.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Drakkar Lancer</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">30</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">35</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Because of the fall, you must reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 10 for the first two rounds of this fight. You are unable to use any potions prior to combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect195">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 195</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect245">
+ <meta><title>245</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dispatch the Drakkarim with deadly precision. Then you hide their bodies in a nearby hovel, just in case their comrades should notice their absence and care enough to come looking for them. You are keen to leave this place but, before you go, you notice that one of them is wearing a hooded leather cloak which could help you get inside the town. It is big enough to hide your Kai tunic and, when pulled up, the hood hides your face completely.</p>
+ <p>Wrapped totally in this cloak, you approach the main gates. The guards are busy admitting the latest batch of prisoners and they do not give you a second glance as you stride confidently into the town. Once inside, you head towards a dark, deserted alleyway which is sandwiched between a stables and an armoury. From here you observe the compound with a growing anger and pity for those trapped inside. Stirred by their plight, you vow to help these starving men. Patiently you watch and wait for the patrols to pass, then you scurry towards the compound fence, eager to make contact with the Lencians.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect246">
+ <meta><title>246</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Bravely the horse attempts to clear the trench but it is simply too weak. Its rear legs buckle as it tries to jump and you and Prarg are both thrown head-first into the trench. Painfully you land amongst a heap of picks, shovels, and other entrenching tools: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect276">To continue, <link-text>turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect247">
+ <meta><title>247</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You empty the dead Drakkar's pockets and pouches, and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ <li>Bottle (empty)</li>
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>2 Arrows</li>
+ <li>Ball of String</li>
+ <li>40 Kika (equivalent to 4 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>You are about to abandon the body when suddenly you notice something gleaming in the top of its left boot. It is a rod of silver, plain and unmarked, and little more than four inches in length. If you wish to keep this Silver Rod, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you carry in your pocket.</p>
+ <p>Satisfied that you have overlooked nothing of worth, you turn your attention to clearing the rockfall which is blocking your escape from this landing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect347">To continue, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect248">
+ <meta><title>248</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The order goes out to advance quickly towards the distant hamlet. But you have covered barely a quarter of a mile when you see enemy horsemen fast approaching from the north. Mindful of the danger of being caught out here in the open, Baron Maquin orders his mercenaries to form into a square in readiness to repel a cavalry attack. Captain Schera issues the same order to his men, and together they create a square that is bristling with spears.</p>
+ <p>The cavalry thunder towards you, undaunted by the sight of this porcupine-like defence. The first wave of Drakkarim cavalry slam against the square and are repulsed with heavy losses, then a second line hits home and it, too, fails to break through. The wounded are dragged to the centre of the square and the ranks close in readiness to face the next charge. Twice the Drakkarim have been repulsed but they are a determined enemy and they are getting ready to attack again. This time the charge is led by armoured Zagganozod, on warhorses that are sheathed with plates of bronze. Their armour, and the sheer weight of their attack, smashes a corner of the square and, in a terrible moment of carnage and chaos, several enemy horsemen break into the middle of the square and trample the helpless wounded.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>The charge is led by armoured Zagganozod on warhorses that are sheathed with plates of bronze.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill13.gif" width="386" height="591"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill13.pdf" width="386" height="591"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You rush to help them but, in the heat of the battle, you are knocked down by a riderless horse. Before you can get to your feet you are attacked simultaneously by two enemy lancers, who are maniacally determined to pin you to the ground with their lances.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>2 Zagganozod Lancers</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">37</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect95">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 95</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect249">
+ <meta><title>249</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You glimpse the guard's startled eyes, made unnaturally large by the lens, and instantly you know that you have been seen. The Drakkar retreats from the observation slit and, moments later, a noise issues from the base of the tower. It is the rattle of chains and the creak of straining timbers.</p>
+ <p>A section of the tower's log wall is opening like a castle drawbridge, revealing a dark cave-like opening at its base. The noise prompts you to increase speed until you are racing towards Prarg just as fast as you can. You hope to reach him before the portal opens completely, but before the descending section hits the ground, from out of the darkness leap five vicious war-hogs. Their fearsome tusks glint like sharpened knives as they come charging across the snow to attack you head-on.</p>
+ <p>You have no time to avoid this attack; you must draw a hand weapon and fight these beasts to the death.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Nad-jaguz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">46</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">46</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>If you possess Animal Mastery, add 2 to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of this fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect219">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect250">
+ <meta><title>250</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sound of a dog growling loudly in your ear stirs you to sudden wakefulness. Instinctively you reach for your weapon, but as you do so, a set of sharp fangs closes about your wrist: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Fiercely you struggle to free yourself from the vice-tight jaws of an Akataz. The war-dog hangs on to your wrist with grim determination until a blow to its neck with the edge of your left hand kills it instantly. As its body drops to the snow, you unsheathe your weapon and call out to Prarg. He replies, but his voice is distant and filled with desperation. You climb the river bank, cursing yourself for allowing your guide to take the first watch. Overcome by fatigue he must have fallen asleep, allowing a pack of marauding Akataz to fall upon you without warning.</p>
+ <p>As you crest the bank, you see Prarg stabbing and slashing with his sword, fighting like a wild man to save himself from a dozen of the snapping, snarling war-dogs.</p>
+ <p><quote>Quickly, Prarg!</quote> you shout, as you rush to his aid, <quote>Stand back-to-back. Don't let them separate us or you're done for!</quote></p>
+ <combat><enemy>Wild Akataz Pack</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">55</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>These war-dogs are especially susceptible to psychic attack. Double all bonuses you would normally receive should you decide to use a psychic attack during this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect251">
+ <meta><title>251</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is late afternoon when you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your <a idref="map">map</a> and discover it to be Konozod, a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you decide to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by <link-text>turning to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect252">
+ <meta><title>252</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You get to your feet and hurry along this tunnel in the opposite direction. Before long you find yourself in a section of this underground labyrinth which has suffered greatly during the recent rockfalls. Many fissures have opened up the stone floor and shattered the walls, but you take these obstacles in your stride and soon arrive at a ruined staircase which ascends to a landing. Here you are confronted by the corpse of a Drakkarim guard. It is slumped beside a mound of rubble which is blocking the stairs to the next level above. A quick examination of the dead body reveals that both arms are broken. Injured and trapped here by the rockfall, it appears that this guard eventually died of thirst.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you wish to search the body further, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect347">If you wish to attempt to clear away the rubble that is blocking the stairs, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect253">
+ <meta><title>253</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Immediately below the window of the grain tower sits a Drakkar lancer astride his warhorse. He is one of a dozen troopers who have been posted around the perimeter of the square to guard its many exits, but he is more interested in watching the execution than carrying out his duty. His lance is sheathed in a tube-like scabbard fixed to the rear of his saddle, and all his attention is focused on the platform. He is unaware that you are hiding barely a few yards from where he sits.</p>
+ <p>The officer puts away his oiled stone and a murmur of expectation ripples through the assembled Drakkarim as he gets ready to raise the axe. Captain Prarg has no more than a few minutes left to live; you must act now if you are to save him. Quickly, you climb through the open window and leap from the ledge on to the back of the unwary lancer below.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect49">If your total score is now 4&endash;8, <link-text>turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect172">If your total score is now 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect254">
+ <meta><title>254</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As one, the soldiers draw their weapons and come rushing towards the ground floor entrance to the tower. You retreat from the window and look around for a means of escape for already you can hear the first of the enemy climbing the stairs. With fear running cold in your veins you cross to a window on the far side of the tower. But before you reach it you are confronted at the top of the stairs by two formidable warriors. They are Death Knights, the fighting élite of the Drakkarim.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Death Knights</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect35">If you win this combat in three rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect160">If this combat takes four rounds or longer to resolve, <link-text>turn instead to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect255">
+ <meta><title>255</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The bolt enters the keyhole and shatters the lock with a deafening boom. The heavy door is flung open, and you see standing before you two Tukodak guards, both visibly shaking from the effects of concussion. Before they come to their senses and reach for their weapons, you rush forward and silence them both with two swift and deadly open-handed blows to their necks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect83"><link-text>Turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect256">
+ <meta><title>256</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pause to incant the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Strength</spell> and within seconds you feel the fatigue disappear from your aching muscles. A vibrant sense of power and well-being infuses your whole body, enabling you to attack the rockfall with increased effect. Soon you have removed enough debris to enable you to squeeze through the gap to a clear section of the stairwell beyond. Once here, you block the opening behind you, and then race up the steps to the level above.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect175"><link-text>Turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect257">
+ <meta><title>257</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rise at dawn and peer out of the cabin porthole to be greeted by a wondrous sight, for the <cite>Skyrider</cite> is now flying west along the Tentarias, the great divide that parts the two continents of Magnamund. You are soaring more than a mile above blue-green waters which shimmer in the early morning sun. Sunlight is also reflecting from the snow-capped mountain peaks of the Great Bor and Boradon mountains which rise up on either side to form a gigantic corridor of unyielding stone. Fondly the crew cast their eyes across the northern landscape, for this is the magnificent realm of Bor, the place of their birth, and many years have elapsed since they last visited their native land.</p>
+ <p>The weather remains clear and swift progress is made as the <cite>Skyrider</cite> follows its course along the Tentarias towards the Gulf of Lencia. By mid-morning you pass within a few miles of Humbold, capital of Eru, then emerge from the mountain corridor to a less enchanting sight. To the north, as far as the eye can see, stretches a dull and sickly mire. It is the infamous Hellswamp, an infernal morass of twisted vegetation and treacherous, shifting mudflats. Slowly the hours pass and the anticipation of your arrival at Vadera steadily grows. Then, at two hours past noon, the lookout catches first sight of the city-port nestling in its protected bay along the Lencian coast. You join Nolrim at the prow as skilfully he begins a descent towards the main square, the only place large enough to accommodate the craft in the closely packed quarters of this populous city.</p>
+ <p>At first, the sight of the <cite>Skyrider</cite> gliding towards their city causes a wave of panic among the Vaderans, who mistake it for a Drakkarim machine of war. But this initial fear is soon assuaged when the tower lookouts pass word that your mast bears a Sommlending flag. Upon landing, masses of curious citizens surge from out of the surrounding streets to form a ring of bodies around the airship's keel. Then a troop of armoured guardsmen push through the crowds and the air is filled with the buzz of their excited speculation. After a brief consultation with Lord Floras, they escort you both to the Vadera Citadel for an immediate audience with King Sarnac.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect25"><link-text>Turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect258">
+ <meta><title>258</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unexpectedly your Arrow pierces the creature's heart, which is located at its midriff, and brings the beast crashing on to the snow. For a few moments it twitches and shivers fitfully, then it stiffens and lies still with a sudden abruptness. Prarg regains his composure and sheepishly he steps forward to look at the dead creature.</p>
+ <p><quote>The Gods are watching over us, Sire,</quote> he says, quite respectfully. <quote>This beast is a Mawtaw. Few can say they have defeated this fearsome king of the Tozaz forest.</quote></p>
+ <p>You decide to press on without delay, just in case there are others of its breed close by. Your instinct and Pathsmanship skills lead you in a northerly direction and you cover more than five miles before the trees begin to thin out. Then you emerge from the forest to be greeted by an unexpected and spectacular sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192"><link-text>Turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect259">
+ <meta><title>259</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The two escorts enter the alleyway and, although you are less than ten feet away from them, they fail to see you hiding in the shadowy doorway. You watch as they open the sack and proceed to pick over and divide its contents. It is filled with the spoils of battle: items of value which they have taken from prisoners or stolen from the dead.</p>
+ <p>They laugh greedily until they hear the gruff shouts of their sergeant who is standing at the main gates, shouting out their names. Quickly they hide their booty in a hole beneath an empty horse trough, then they leave the alleyway and hurry back to the town.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect323">If you wish to uncover the hiding place and search the sack, <link-text>turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect137">If you choose instead to follow these two Drakkarim, <link-text>turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect260">
+ <meta><title>260</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dark alleys and streets surrounding the gaol are illuminated by a hundred guttering brands. Magnaarn's soldiers are everywhere, casting their suspicious eyes over every section of the nighted town laid bare by their torches. Your Kai skills keep you hidden from sight and soon you reach the gaol, but only to discover that the entrance is now heavily guarded by a platoon of Drakkarim.</p>
+ <p>You abandon your hopes of entering by the front door and instead you circle around to an alley at the rear of the building where you discover a line of windows, each one criss-crossed with iron bars. Instinct leads you to the last in the line and you peer inside to see Captain Prarg lying on a bed of filthy straw. He looks in poor shape; both his eyes are bruised, his lips are swollen, and his bushy moustache is caked with dried blood. You whisper his name and wearily he turns his head towards the cell window. Then he sees you and suddenly his whole face lights up with renewed hope.</p>
+ <p><quote>Thank the Gods you are still free, Lone Wolf,</quote> he says quietly, pressing his battered face to the bars. <quote>The Drakkarim have tried to make me talk but I have kept silent. They know nothing about the mission.</quote></p>
+ <p>You examine the cell window and reassure Prarg that you will soon spring him from this gaol, but he insists that you do not risk your life on his account.</p>
+ <p><quote>Listen, Sire. I have learned that Magnaarn isn't here in Shugkona. When the gaolers' beat me, I feigned unconsciousness and overheard them say that their leader is at a place called Antah. It's a ruined temple some forty miles away to the north. They talked of certain victory now that their warlord has found <quote>the stone</quote>. Please, Lone Wolf, I beseech you to continue without me. Go to Antah and defeat Magnaarn, before it is too late.</quote></p>
+ <p>Then a yellowy flicker of torchlight at the end of the alley cuts short your conversation. It is a Drakkarim patrol. They turn the corner and come marching towards you with purposeful steps.</p>
+ <p><quote>Don't give up hope, Captain,</quote> you say, as you make ready to run from the approaching patrol, <quote>I'll come back for you.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect79"><link-text>Turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect261">
+ <meta><title>261</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have covered no more than a few hundred yards of this dark and dreary tunnel when you sense imminent danger. You stop and, using your Kai tracking skills, you attempt to identify the nature of this threat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect48">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect335">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect262">
+ <meta><title>262</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You send one of the scouts to summon Captain Schera and his men, and when they arrive they are treated most hospitably by the mercenaries who, despite their own hunger, unselfishly share out their meagre rations.</p>
+ <p>You stay here overnight and break camp at dawn. The Baron's regiment has suffered heavily in battle and now totals little more than forty men, and so you have no difficulty in finding room for them in the boats. Captain Schera is especially pleased to have these warriors aboard. Despite their losses, they are a cheerful group and they help lift the morale of his men.</p>
+ <p>The journey downstream passes swiftly and without incident until, shortly before noon, the sky grows steadily darker. An orange glow illuminates the distant horizon, and you can see many pinpoints of fire spread all across the land. An eerie silence descends on the flotilla as it draws nearer to the city of Darke. Shortly after, you see lines of troops marching towards the glowing skyline. Then you witness isolated actions taking place in the surrounding fields as groups of Lencian knights, cut off during the retreat, fight desperate hand-to-hand battles with Drakkarim cavalry. Some Drakkarim horse scouts have reached the river bank, and as you pass them, they open fire at you with their bows. But the swift current soon carries the flotilla away and there are few casualties.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Whilst observing the distant battle, a large black carrion crow lands on a nearby log and stares at you with a cold, beady eye.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill14.gif" width="386" height="632"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill14.pdf" width="386" height="632"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>It is an hour past noon when you first see the forbidding city of Darke. A great battle is raging around its mighty walls and bastions, and the noise and stench of this fierce conflict comes gusting towards you on the chill winter wind. The river current is getting stronger as it approaches the sea, and so you signal to the other boats to row for the bank. You put ashore on the right bank and both Captain Schera and Baron Maquin have their men take up defensive positions here. There is a road close by, running parallel to the river, and beyond it lies a snowy expanse of open plain on which many regiments of Drakkarim, and some Giaks, are marching towards the city. You are observing the distant battle when a large black carrion crow lands on a nearby log and stares at you with a cold, beady eye.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect168">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect302">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect263">
+ <meta><title>263</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You peer through the grimy glass and see a grizzled old Drakkar sitting in front of a blazing fire. A briar pipe hangs precariously from the corner of his bearded mouth and he puffs fitfully at its contents as he reads from a tattered, leather-bound book which lies open in his lap.</p>
+ <p>You sense that he is a veteran of many battles who, now that he is too old to fight, has been given the undemanding task of guarding this river crossing. Mindful that time is fast running out, you leave the window and hurry on towards the stables.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115"><link-text>Turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect264">
+ <meta><title>264</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The remaining Gorodon utters a high-pitched and piercing whistle as your killing blow steals its life. Its massive limbs shudder and stiffen, then, with a final gasp, it topples over and lands heavily in the thick mud.</p>
+ <p>Prarg brings the boat back to shore and, as he draws closer, you can see by his facial expression that he is greatly impressed by your incredible fighting skills. Respectfully he helps you aboard the boat then sets about rowing towards the west bank.</p>
+ <p><quote>Sire, I salute you,</quote> he says, <quote>Never have I seen such courage and skill in the face of so formidable an enemy. I've heard tell of the fighting disciplines of the Sommlending Kai Lords, but, until now, I must admit I'd not wholly believed what I'd heard. The first time I navigated these channels I lost three good men in a Gorodon attack. Those beasts are the bane of this accursed place&ellips;yet, t'is true to say, there are other creatures here that are far deadlier. I count myself lucky indeed to be your guide.</quote></p>
+ <p>Soon you reach the west bank where, once safely ashore, you encamp on a strip of frozen loam that overlooks a bleak expanse of marsh. Night has fallen and so, too, has the temperature. From the shelter of your upturned boat you cast your experienced eye across the darkening skies and see banks of cloud, heavy with snow, scudding the distant horizon. They are an unwelcome sight, the precursors to a winter storm.</p>
+ <p>Prarg volunteers to continue the first watch but, mindful that his need for rest is greater than yours, you insist that he gets some sleep. For four hours you sit and scan the bleak horizon, your mind filled with unanswered questions about the mission and the dangers you have yet to face. While you ponder what awaits you in the near future, you remain watchful and alert, your encounter on the east bank still vivid in your mind. Fortunately, the increasing cold dissuades the Hellswamp's inhabitants from leaving their lairs this night and your watch passes without further incident.</p>
+ <p>Then the time comes for you to awaken Prarg. With a noticeable lack of enthusiasm he takes his turn while you settle down to catch a few hours of much-needed sleep.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327"><link-text>Turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect265">
+ <meta><title>265</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You settle yourself close to the lock which holds the portal secure and, using your Discipline, you cause the ancient mechanism to vibrate. The portal begins to resonate and hairline cracks appear in the stone surrounding the lock. Then there is a loud <onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia>; the lock has disintegrated.</p>
+ <p>Confidently you move forward and place your shoulder to the portal. One hard push is all that is needed to break the seal of dirt, and slowly it creaks open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11"><link-text>Turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect266">
+ <meta><title>266</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ease open the window and climb in, making an agile and silent entry. The Drakkarim sergeant, who is pilfering his Captain's private stock of wine, belches loudly, then tilts the bottle back to take another long gulp. He is unaware of you moving towards his back, and does not feel the blow to his neck that is to seal his doom.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small7.gif" width="386" height="117"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small7.pdf" width="386" height="117"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>The Drakkar shudders and, with an open-mouthed look of surprise, closes his eyes and drops lifelessly to the floor. Quickly you step over his body and hurry to the table to study the map. To your disappointment, the map turns out to be merely a construction plan of the encampment. If offers no clues to Magnaarn's present location.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect10">If you wish to search this cabin more thoroughly, <link-text>turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If you choose to leave the cabin and return to Prarg, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect267">
+ <meta><title>267</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You watch as the cavalry steadily approaches. As they come closer you recognize them to be Zagganozod, a unit of armoured Drakkarim troopers of a type you once encountered many years ago, during a quest that took you to the land of Eru. The enemy horsemen reach the road and you can tell by their gait that they are battle-weary.</p>
+ <p><quote>Prepare!</quote> says Schera, and his whispered command is passed all along the line.</p>
+ <p>The enemy cross the road and draw closer; they intend to water their horses at the river. They are less than ten yards distant when Baron Maquin yells the order to attack and, as one, the combined force of Lencians and League-landers rise up from hiding and catch the Drakkarim totally by surprise.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect54"><link-text>Turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect268">
+ <meta><title>268</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are nearing the base of the stone ramp when suddenly you are seen by one of the Tukodak guards. He grunts a warning to his comrade. Quickly you draw your weapon in readiness to meet them as, shoulder to shoulder, they level their spears and move down the ramp towards you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Tukodaks</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">34</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect311">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect269">
+ <meta><title>269</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unfortunately, you do not act quickly enough to avoid the Drakkar's arrow. It hits you squarely in the upper chest, knocking you flat on your back: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Despite the pain, bravely you take hold of the arrow and wrench it from your chest. Then, using your innate healing skills, you successfully staunch the bleeding. But you are weakened by shock and for nearly an hour you lie in the bottom of the boat staring at the grey sky, allowing the river to carry you downstream, and when eventually you pull yourself upright you find that the Drakkarim renegades are no longer in sight.</p>
+ <p>Your voyage continues without further incident until, later in the afternoon; you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your <a idref="map">map</a> and discover it to be Konozod, a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you decide to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by <link-text>turning to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect270">
+ <meta><title>270</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take an Arrow from your Quiver and place it to your bow in readiness to shoot. You gauge the range at forty yards as you take aim at the Drakkar officer. Patiently you wait for him to reach the execution block, and at the very moment he stops moving, you release your straining bowstring and send your Arrow arching through the air towards his head.</p>
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="small3.gif" width="386" height="150"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="small3.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, add 4 to the number you have picked.</p>
+<!-- JDOUGAN: should this be +3? (Consistent with just being a reminder about the standard bonus?) -->
+ <choice idref="sect183">If your total score is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect201">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect271">
+ <meta><title>271</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature opens its great jaws and from the depths of its throat it coughs forth a guttering ball of flame. Immediately, your senses alert you to the fact that this is no ordinary fireball; it is wholly psychic in nature. It comes roaring towards you like a mini-sun trailing fiery orange sparks. You strike at it with the Sommerswerd, and as your divine blade connects, the fiery ball suddenly explodes into a million motes of light which rapidly dissolve.</p>
+ <p>The sudden jolt of contact knocks you backwards. Before you fully recover your footing, the creature seizes its advantage and comes leaping through the air towards your chest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect283"><link-text>Turn to 283</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect272">
+ <meta><title>272</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The misguided knight falls unconscious at your feet. Before he recovers, you take to your heels and continue on across the plain which leads inexorably towards the gates of Darke.</p>
+ <p>As you approach the city, the din of battle fills your ears. The shouts of angry men, the neighs of galloping steeds, the clang of riven steel and the terrible screams of the slain buffet you remorselessly. Then, all of a sudden, you are plunged into the battle and to survive you are forced to cleave your way through a seemingly endless wall of enemy troops. It is as if they are gladly willing to sacrifice themselves in order to prevent you from reaching the apex of the slope that ascends to the shattered gates of the city. Undeterred, you forge a bloody path through this Drakkarim horde, wielding your weapon with deadly precision, every blow claiming an enemy soul. It is not until you are standing upon the very threshold of the gates that you encounter more formidable defenders. The breached gates are being held by a trio of blood-spattered Tukodaks. They are in a state of battle-frenzy which you sense has been magically induced. Wild-eyed with savage bloodlust, they scream maniacally as they rush at you with their bloodied blades.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description> The breached gates are held by a trio of blood-spattered Tukodaks who rush at you with their bloodied blades.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill15.gif" width="386" height="566"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill15.pdf" width="386" height="566"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>For Sommerlund!</quote> you cry, as you steel yourself to meet their attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>3 Tukodak Guardians (in battle-frenzy)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">44</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">44</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect125">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 125</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect273">
+ <meta><title>273</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Shortly you reach a small secluded cove where Captain Prarg discovers a rusty anchor. It is a landmark, left on purpose by agents of King Sarnac to point the way to the cave where they have left your boat and provisions. You find the cave and together you haul the boat down the beach and raise its coal-black sail before pushing it out into the icy waters of the Tentarias.</p>
+ <p>Once aboard, you trim the sail whilst Prarg takes charge of the rudder. There is a good wind and within minutes your tiny craft is bobbing towards the far western channel of the Hellswamp, twenty miles distant. You ask Prarg if this dark estuary has a name, and he replies, <quote>Yes. The Drakkarim call it <quote>Dakushna's Channel</quote> after the Darklord who once commanded the city-fortress of Kagorst. They say it is a fitting dedication, for the waterway is as deadly and as treacherous as the being after whom it is named.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect60"><link-text>Turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect274">
+ <meta><title>274</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow the tunnel for a mile further until it opens into a vast underground cistern. Slimy water splashes down the slick sides of this vertical shaft to mix with the rushing river before disappearing into a whirlpool which is swirling at its centre. The noise here is almost unbearable and you look around for some means of escape. The walkway ends at a rusty iron ladder which is cemented into the wall and ascends the shaft for as far as you can see. Slowly you climb this ladder, testing every rung carefully before trusting it to your weight.</p>
+ <p>You climb for an hour before reaching the entrance to a man-sized tunnel set into the wall of the shaft. Here you leave the ladder and follow this damp passageway until you come to a small, smooth-walled chamber. At first it appears to be raining, then you notice that the ceiling is badly broken and water is dripping constantly from the cracks. Opposite the tunnel exit there is a stone door. Anxious to escape, you hurry across the chamber and place your shoulder to this heavy portal in an attempt to force it open, but unfortunately it is locked. Then you detect something unusual, an acrid burning smell. Your heart skips a beat when suddenly you realize that your cloak and tunic are smouldering and giving off wisps of bluish smoke. The fluid raining from the ceiling is not water at all&emdash;it is corrosive acid!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect143">If you possess Magi-magic, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 143</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect265">If you possess Grand Nexus, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect203">If you do not possess any of these Disciplines, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn instead to 203</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect275">
+ <meta><title>275</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You brief the three Lencians to spread out into an extended line and to watch carefully for your signals before you scale the river bank and make your approach to the trees. They all seem to be competent scouts but you have your reservations. Had it not been for Schera's insistence, you would have preferred to have reconnoitred this copse alone.</p>
+ <p>Silently you creep forward through the snow, using the sparse undergrowth to your advantage wherever possible. You are less than a hundred yards into the copse when you spy a small cabin hidden among the trees. It comprises four white canvas tents attended by a dozen lean and hungry-looking human soldiers armed with longbows. A furled battle-flag stands propped against one of the tents and you signal to your nearest scout to join you, hoping he will be able to identify its chequered black-and-white design.</p>
+ <p><quote>They're League-landers of Ilion,</quote> whispers the scout, staring at the campsite. <quote>I know that flag well. They're good mercenaries, these men, loyal to the King. We fought alongside them at Hokidat.</quote></p>
+ <p>You are anxious about going forward and making contact with the mercenaries. If they are as good as your scout claims, there is a real danger that they will fire first and ask questions later. You tell your companion of your fears and he smiles.</p>
+ <p><quote>Don't worry, Sire,</quote> he says, <quote>I know how to contact them.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect316"><link-text>Turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect276">
+ <meta><title>276</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You scramble to your feet to see that your horse is still close by. He is standing at the forest's edge, steam rising from his flanks as hungrily he swallows mouthfuls of snow to cool himself down. You call to the animal, using your Magnakai skills, and at once he responds obediently to your silent commands. Drakkarim archers are now running from the outer defences and you are in danger of being surrounded unless you can make a speedy escape. You and Prarg remount the horse and set off at a gallop along the forest's edge. Only when you are safely beyond the range of the enemy's bows do you rejoin the road and head off towards the north.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect277">
+ <meta><title>277</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you are about to leave the cabin, you notice a lantern hanging on a hook beside the door. You take it down, flip up its glass cover, then cast it into the corner where it immediately sets fire to a heap of clothes. The fire will cover your tracks and, hopefully, cause enough of a diversion to enable you to escape from the encampment unchallenged.</p>
+ <p>As you hoped, the fire spreads quickly and, as you sprint across the frozen ground towards the forest's edge, you glance over your shoulder to see bright orange flames roaring from the open doorway, and a pall of black smoke rising into the steel-grey sky. You reach Prarg and together you hurry deeper into the forest. The fire covers your escape, but it also draws several Drakkarim patrols back to the encampment. You are forced to make a wide detour to the west in order to avoid these returning soldiers and your new route takes you across a steep and rugged part of the Tozaz forest previously unexplored by your guide.</p>
+ <p>The difficult terrain slows you down and you cover less than six miles before failing light and the increasing sightings of Drakkarim patrols force you to halt and make camp for the night. From the safety of a treetop, fifty feet above the forest floor, you rope yourself to the trunk before settling down to sleep. You are hungry and, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90">To continue, <link-text>turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect278">
+ <meta><title>278</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ship the oars and take aim with your bow at the pot-bellied leader of this band of lowly Drakkarim renegades. For a moment your eyes meet and instantly his nerve shatters when he realizes that he is your chosen target. He drops his bow and turns to run, but it does not save him; your Arrow still finds its mark. As he throws his hands to the sky and tumbles lifelessly into the river, panic breaks out among his motley followers. Any attempt to fire at you is soon forgotten as they scramble desperately up the muddy bank and flee for the safety of the hills.</p>
+ <p>Your voyage continues without interruption until, later in the afternoon, you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your <a idref="map">map</a> and discover it to be Konozod, a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you decide to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by <link-text>turning to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect279">
+ <meta><title>279</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After what seems like an eternity, you reach the icy-cold waters of the Gourneni and hurriedly launch your boat. Prarg scrambles over the stern, but as the aft drips beneath his weight, the rudder embeds itself in the mud and the boat is held fast.</p>
+ <p><quote>Hurry Prarg! Break out the oars!</quote> you shout. <quote>I'll push!</quote></p>
+ <p>The Gorodons are gaining ground; you can hear the rasping rush of their breathing as they close in for the kill. Desperately you press your shoulder to the stern timbers and push with all your might. There is a shudder, then suddenly the boat lurches forwards and you fall face first into the freezing water. You surface almost immediately and blink the muddy water from your eyes to see the boat drifting away towards the middle of the river. Prarg is leaning over the gunwale with his arms outstretched:</p>
+ <p><quote>Quickly, Lone Wolf!</quote> he screams. <quote>They're nearly upon you!</quote></p>
+ <p>Sensing that it would be quicker to swim than wade towards the boat, you bring your hands together in readiness to dive. But before you can launch yourself forwards, you feel something sharp graze your shoulders. An instant later, you are lifted out of the river and hurled backwards through the air to land, with a thick splash, in the mud at the water's edge. One of the Gorodons caught your cloak upon its bull-like horns and, with a flick of its powerful neck muscles, it has tossed you all the way back to the shoreline.</p>
+ <p>Cold, stunned, and covered with mud, you struggle to find your feet and unsheathe your weapon as the three Gorodons come lumbering through the shallows, eager to kill and consume.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If you possess Kai-surge <em>and</em> have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect44">If you do not possess this Discipline, or have yet to reach this level of Kai rank, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect280">
+ <meta><title>280</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The chilling echo of Magnaarn's voice is drowned by new sounds: the rattle of chains and the rumble of falling stone. You shout a warning to Prarg and he dives aside only just in time to avoid being crushed by a heavy portcullis. The great stone portal slams down, partitioning the passageway and separating you from the Captain. The dust has barely settled when a section of the passage wall slides open behind Prarg, and a trio of Magnaarn's Tukodak bodyguards leap out and seizes him. Your companion is unarmed and he is quickly and brutally overpowered. Anger floods your mind and you vow to get even with these cruel Drakkarim, but they are not impressed by your threat. They are aware of your exceptional skills yet they feel safe behind the portcullis. With a knife held to Prarg's throat they taunt you and dare you to retaliate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect170">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect34">If you do not, or if you choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect281">
+ <meta><title>281</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly the gentle buzzing becomes an angry drone. Then from out of the lowest nest comes a swarm of wasp-like insects, each as large as a clenched fist. Alerted by your body warmth, they hurtle down the shaft and gather in a menacing cloud around the opening. For a few moments they hover there, virtually motionless, then they begin to circle the ceiling, led by an insect whose vivid scarlet markings stand out in stark contrast to the black and yellow striped torsos of the others.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>From out of the lowest nest comes a swarm of wasp-like insects, each as large as a clenched fist.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill16.gif" width="386" height="613"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill16.pdf" width="386" height="613"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>As the encircling swarm gathers speed, the lower section of their bodies begins to glow, illuminating needle-like stingers in their tails. You draw your weapon and get ready to defend yourself lest they should attack, but you are caught off-guard when suddenly the leading insects fire their stingers at you. Diving aside, you avoid being hit by this volley of venom-tipped needles, but as you scramble to your feet the remainder of the swarm break away and dive down to attack your unprotected back.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Antah Wasps</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>These insects are immune to all psychic attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect120">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect282">
+ <meta><title>282</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Pathsmanship skills, you identify and gather up a handful of edible roots, fungi and berries from the forest floor which you then offer to Prarg. At first he thinks you are joking. Then, once you assure him that they are nutritious, he accepts this dubious selection and starts to eat.</p>
+ <p><quote>Damn rabbit food,</quote> he mumbles, but you notice that he is careful not to waste a crumb. Meanwhile, you scan the surrounding forest, ever watchful for enemies. For the last hour you have had a growing suspicion that something has been watching you. Your senses detect the presence of a hostile enemy, closing from the east. Now the suspicion has become a sure belief, and the moment Prarg finishes his meal, you suggest that you be on your way as swiftly as possible.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect14"><link-text>Turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect283">
+ <meta><title>283</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you roll across the black stone floor to avoid the creature's initial attack. Your swift reactions save you from its razor claws, but it, too, possesses lightning reflexes. It leaps once more and you barely have enough time to unsheathe your weapon before it lands upon you and slams you to the ground.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Tarhdemon (polymorphed Nadziran)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">42</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">42</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect66">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect284">
+ <meta><title>284</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Shaken but unharmed, you wade out to the boat where Prarg helps you aboard.</p>
+ <p><quote>That was too close for comfort,</quote> says Prarg, as he struggles to free the oars and set them in place.</p>
+ <p><quote>You can count yourself lucky to have escaped with your life. The first time I navigated these channels I lost three good men in a Gorodon attack. Those beasts are the bane of this accursed place&ellips; yet, t'is true to say, there are other creatures here that are far deadlier.</quote></p>
+ <p>Using the oars you soon reach the west bank where, once safely ashore, you encamp on a strip of frozen loam that overlooks a bleak expanse of marsh. Night has fallen and so, too, has the temperature. From the shelter of your upturned boat you cast your experienced eye across the darkening skies and see banks of cloud, heavy with snow, scudding the distant horizon. They are an unwelcome sight, the precursors to a winter storm.</p>
+ <p>Prarg volunteers to continue the first watch but, mindful that his need for rest is greater than yours, you insist that he gets some sleep. For four hours you sit and scan the bleak horizon, your mind filled with unanswered questions about the mission and the dangers you have yet to face. While you ponder what awaits you in the near future, you remain watchful and alert, your encounter on the east bank still vivid in your mind. Fortunately, the increasing cold dissuades the Hellswamp's inhabitants from leaving their lairs this night and your watch passes without incident.</p>
+ <p>Then the time comes for you to awaken Prarg. With a noticeable lack of enthusiasm he takes his turn while you settle yourself down to catch a few hours of much-needed sleep.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327"><link-text>Turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect285">
+ <meta><title>285</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Rising to the top of the stairs comes a lumbering hulk with hungry, scarlet eyes. The beast is covered with a vile fur which glistens in the eerie light of the landing, its long sinewy arms are outstretched and in both of its huge hands there are chunks of dagger-like flint. Its distended belly skims the floor as it stalks closer, and a brown gluey saliva runs freely from its fanged lower jaw. With the rockfall preventing a hasty escape, you draw your weapon and steel yourself for combat with this nightmarish creature.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Tunnel Stalker</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">43</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">48</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect91">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect286">
+ <meta><title>286</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The few war-dogs that manage to survive the combat now slink away into the forest like frightened pups. Prarg, elated by the victory, is confident that they will not be back this night. You are not so sure, and as you turn to go back to the boat to catch some sleep, you warn him to remain vigilant whilst he is on guard.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215"><link-text>Turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect287">
+ <meta><title>287</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The shield takes form and the arrow shatters against it. You hear gasps of astonishment from the Drakkarim, and more than one utters the word <foreign xml:lang="x-giak"><quote>Ziran</quote></foreign>&emdash;the Giak for <quote>Wizard</quote>. As you disappear rapidly downstream, you see the renegades scrambling up the muddy bank in a desperate attempt to get away, having convinced themselves that they have just encountered a powerful sorcerer!</p>
+ <p>Your voyage continues without further incident until, later in the afternoon, you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your <a idref="map">map</a> and discover it to be Konozod, a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you decide to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by <link-text>turning to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect288">
+ <meta><title>288</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>An agonizing pain lances through your body and the warm taste of blood fills your mouth. Then the terrible pain gives way to a terrifying numbness For a moment the surrounding forest swims in and out of focus, then darkness engulfs you and you slip into a sleep from which you will never awaken.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect289">
+ <meta><title>289</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unsheathe your weapon and warn Prarg to hold tight as you bear down on a collision course with the three Drakkarim sentries.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery and have reached the Kai rank of Sun Knight, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect133">If it is 4&endash;8, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect62">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 62</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect290">
+ <meta><title>290</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You examine the circular lock with care and sense that it is protected by a powerful magical spell. Any attempt to pick this lock could prove fatal.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect207">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect101">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect291">
+ <meta><title>291</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The deadly bolts come screaming towards you and Captain Prarg with an unnerving accuracy that sends a cold spike of fear coursing down your spine. Impact is imminent.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect167">If you possess Kai-alchemy <em>and</em> have reached the rank of Sun Knight, <link-text>turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect334">If you do not possess this Discipline, or have yet to reach this rank, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect292">
+ <meta><title>292</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You feel yourself awakening; all you wish for is to sleep. But your senses warn you that to fall asleep here could prove fatal. You know you must do something, and quickly, if you are to avoid unconsciousness.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If you possess some Oede or some Sabito, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect233">If you possess neither of these substances, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect293">
+ <meta><title>293</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The journey downstream is swift and easy. The icy river cuts a direct path across the frozen plain before it wends its way through an expanse of low, rolling hills, blackened and scarred by war. Ruined hovels smoulder on the horizon and scores of snow-covered corpses, human and otherwise, lie where they died in a running battle that has swept like wildfire across this land.</p>
+ <p>Shortly after midday, you see something in the distance that sets your nerves on edge. It is a group of figures, huddled together on the river bank. You magnify your vision and identify them to be Drakkarim, possibly deserters from Magnaarn's army, who are attempting to catch fish from the river.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect108">If you wish to hide in the bottom of the boat and allow the current to carry you past them, <link-text>turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect69">If you choose to row with the current, so that you will pass by these enemy soldiers as quickly as possible, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect294">
+ <meta><title>294</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You and your scouts are taken to a lookout post on the banks of the river where you meet with Baron Maquin, the leader of this mercenary band. He is a tall man, clad from neck to toe in furs that are caked with frost. A battered silver helm hides much of his battle-scarred face, but you can see enough of his distinctly Ilionian features to know at once that he is a brave man, a man of honour. He regards you with a sceptical eye, having never before met a Sommlending lord, let alone one such as you. He questions you at length, and upon hearing your story, you sense that he is greatly impressed. In return he tells you briefly of how he and his men have come to find themselves here.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Baron Maquin, leader of the mercenary band, regards you with a sceptical eye.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill17.gif" width="386" height="630"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill17.pdf" width="386" height="630"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>This regiment is still loyal to King Sarnac,</quote> he says, proudly, <quote>unlike the cowardly Stornlanders. They have broken their pact and now they fight 'gainst Lencia, alongside the enemy.</quote> The Baron spits at the ground in a show of contempt for these treacherous regiments. <quote>My command has been left here to fight as a rear-guard. Our orders are to ambush any Drakkarim that may try to reach Darke by river. We believe there to be many enemy reinforcements at Konozod and our task is to prevent them from joining with Magnaarn.</quote></p>
+ <p>You remind the Baron that you have just come from Konozod and that it is virtually empty. There are no enemy reinforcements there. Respectfully you suggest that he and his men join with you in an attempt to reach Darke, where he could join once more with the Lencian army. He considers your suggestion, and after discussing it with his men, finally he agrees.</p>
+ <p><quote>But first,</quote> he says, as he shakes your hand in friendship, <quote>you must summon your men to my humble camp. It will soon be dark and it is much too dangerous to travel this river at night. You could be ambushed!</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect262"><link-text>Turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect295">
+ <meta><title>295</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As soon as the coast is clear, you leap from the ditch and sprint through a gap in the log wall. You are within a few yards of the cabin when suddenly you see two Drakkarim on horseback come galloping along a newly-laid forest track which leads to the encampment. You are in danger of being seen by them, so the moment you reach the cabin door you thrust it open and rush in.</p>
+ <p>Your sudden entrance startles a Drakkarim sergeant who is secretly sneaking a gulp of wine from his Captain's private stock. The bristle-bearded soldier chokes on his mouthful of ruby-red claret when he hears the door open, but his fear soon turns to anger when he sees it is you, and not his commander, who is standing in the doorway. He spits out the wine and hurls the half-empty bottle at your head. You dodge this missile with ease, but it has served its purpose; it has bought the sergeant the time he needs to unsheathe his heavy-bladed sword. He sneers, and your heart skips a beat when you see him get ready to shout for help. You must silence him quickly or he will alert the entire camp to your presence.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect198">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn instead to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect296">
+ <meta><title>296</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Slowly you wander through the smouldering ruins but discover little that has survived the fire which, at its height, must have transformed this whole town into a blazing inferno. The charred bones and skulls of those who died in the battle are strewn everywhere, and no attempt has been made to gather and bury them. You are examining the twisted remains of an iron axe when suddenly you sense that someone is nearby. You can tell that they are weak and in pain.</p>
+ <p>Instinct leads you to the ruins of an inn, and as you enter what was once its front door, you stop to listen. You can hear someone breathing. You detect they are somewhere below ground and you call out to Captain Schera to come quickly.</p>
+ <p><quote>What is it?</quote> he says, as he enters the ruined inn.</p>
+ <p><quote>There's someone alive here,</quote> you reply. <quote>They're somewhere beneath the floor.</quote></p>
+ <p>Schera helps you to lift away some charred beams and you discover a trapdoor. You pull it open and slowly descend a flight of stone steps leading down into a cold, dank cellar. The sound of breathing has stopped but your suspicions are soon confirmed. There is somebody here.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect197"><link-text>Turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect297">
+ <meta><title>297</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect297-1-foot" idref="sect297-1">
+ <p>The most reasonable way to treat the temporary <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> gain is reduce your score at the end of combat <em>only</em> if it is above your original score. Another choice would be to reduce your score at the end of combat unless it would cause your score to fall to zero. The only other option would be to reduce your score regardless which would make the spell pointless.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature utters a spine-chilling shriek as it comes bounding towards you, its sword-like teeth glinting in the wintery sun. You step back and draw your weapon just in time to defend yourself as it makes its first strike.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mawtaw</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">50</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to the effects of Mindblast and Psi-surge. If you choose to use Kai-surge, add only 1 point to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>.</p>
+ <p>If you possess Kai-alchemy and have reached the rank of Sun Knight, you may increase your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point scores by 5 each for the duration of this combat.<a id="sect297-1" idref="sect297-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
+ <choice idref="sect24">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 24</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect298">
+ <meta><title>298</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Heads!</quote> says Prarg.</p>
+ <p>You remove your hand to reveal the citadel of Holmgard stamped on the reverse side of the coin.</p>
+ <p><quote>Never mind, Prarg,</quote> you say, trying hard not to sound too pleased with the way things have turned out. <quote>The time'll soon pass. Wake me in four hours and I'll take over.</quote></p>
+ <p>Prarg gathers his weapons and equipment and, while you are settling yourself down to sleep in the relative comfort of the boat, he climbs to the top of Bear Rock to begin his cold and lonely vigil.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect299">
+ <meta><title>299</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You search the dead guard's pockets and belt pouches, and discover the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>2 Arrows</li>
+ <li>Ball of String</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ <li>Bottle (empty)</li>
+ <li>40 Kika (equivalent to 4 Gold Crowns)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>You are about to abandon the body when suddenly you notice something gleaming in the top of its left boot. It is a rod of silver, plain and unmarked, and little more than four inches in length. If you wish to keep this Silver Rod, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you carry in your pocket.</p>
+ <p>Satisfied that you have overlooked nothing of worth, you turn your attention to clearing the rockfall which is blocking your escape from this landing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect18"><link-text>Turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect300">
+ <meta><title>300</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the top of the shaft you look out across the sprawling ruins of Antah. You have emerged upon the flat roof of a mouldering stone crypt situated a few hundred yards from the tower by which you first entered the subterranean temple. A chill wind howls in the surrounding trees and overhead the darkening winter sky warns that night is fast approaching.</p>
+ <p>The ruins are completely deserted. The undisturbed blanket of snow which lies thick upon the ground, hiding all tracks, sorely reminds you that fifteen precious days have elapsed since your internment. You think of Captain Prarg and wonder if he is still alive, and an empty feeling gnaws at your stomach when you pause to consider the fate which may have befallen him and his Lencian countrymen now that Magnaarn is in possession of the Doomstone. You are fearful, but you are not entirely without hope. Magnaarn believes you to be dead; it is a belief that you could use to your advantage. After all, by his own admission, did he not say that you were the only threat to his victory?</p>
+ <p>Carefully you descend from the roof of the crypt and make your way through the forest to where, two weeks earlier, Magnaarn's Tukodak guards were encamped. In this clearing there are no visible remains of their campsite, but diligently you sift through the ankle-deep snow, looking for clues to where they may have gone.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect173">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 173</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect320">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect301">
+ <meta><title>301</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Pain knifes along your limbs but you draw upon your inner strength to control and lessen the agony of your wounds. Moments later your horse slams into the sentries and they are trampled mercilessly beneath its hooves. Then you are through the gap in the barricade and racing along the road beyond. You have passed successfully through the inner defensive line, but, as Prarg quickly points out, you have yet to reach the outer defences of Shugkona.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31"><link-text>Turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect302">
+ <meta><title>302</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The bird suddenly takes fright and flies away, cawing long and loud as hurriedly it disappears towards the northern horizon.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect328"><link-text>Turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect303">
+ <meta><title>303</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you and Prarg fix the oars in place and row with all your strength, retracing your route all the way back to where the channel first divided. Once here, you slow your boat to a halt and take some time to reconsider your plans.</p>
+ <p>Reluctantly you decide to navigate the left channel. Rather than run the risk of making any noise, you stow the oars and allow the stinking marsh wind to propel your boat along the channel, albeit at a far slower speed. Gradually you approach the cluster of huts and, as you pass before them, you see eight dwellings, each built of mud-daubed roots and thatched with rotting vegetation. They are empty but they have not been deserted. The shoreline is littered with bones, the remnants of past meals, and nearby is a crude wooden frame on which the skins of a snake and a lizard have been stretched out to dry.</p>
+ <p><quote>It's a Ciquali camp,</quote> whispers Prarg nervously, his eyes scouring the surrounding waters for the slightest sign of movement. During your travels you have heard tales about the Ciquali, none of which are favourable. They are the bane of the Hellswamp&emdash;a breed of vicious amphibians, intelligent and cunning, with a taste for human flesh that makes them especially dangerous.</p>
+ <p><quote>Our luck's good, Lone Wolf,</quote> says Prarg, as gradually the wind carries you beyond the huts. <quote>The camp's empty&emdash;they must be away hunting. Perhaps it was they who were lying in wait for us along the other passage?</quote></p>
+ <p>As soon as you lose sight of the settlement, you hoist the sail and catch the prevailing wind which propels you northwards along Dakushna's Channel. You are hungry, and unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">To continue, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect304">
+ <meta><title>304</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Sixth Sense tells you that the Green Key you have in your possession will open this door. Quickly you take it from your Backpack, insert it into the lock, and twist it counter-clockwise. There is a faint <onomatopoeia>click</onomatopoeia>, then the door creaks open to reveal a dark and desolate chamber, its brick walls dripping with evil-smelling grey slime.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect196">If you possess Grand Huntmastery, <link-text>turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect126">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect305">
+ <meta><title>305</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>When the coast is clear, you enter the stables and set a fire in the straw loft. Then, as you are leaving, you open each of the stalls so that the horses will be able to escape once the fire has taken hold. On returning to the alleyway you run to the rear of the armoury building and locate a window through which you can force an entry. It is shuttered and barred, but aided by your innate Kai skills, you are able to break it open. Unfortunately, the noise of your forced entry alerts the two Drakkarim who are on guard inside the building and, as you are squeezing through the narrow window, they attack you with their black-bladed swords.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Armoury Guards</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">32</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Pathsmanship, reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 3 for the first round of this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect166">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect306">
+ <meta><title>306</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you approach the opening at the base of the tower, your keen senses detect the repulsive aromas of greasy bristles and dung. At once you know that a war-hog pen lies beyond, and you can also detect that it is now empty.</p>
+ <p>With weapon drawn you enter the enclosure, searching for a door that will allow you swift entry to the viewing tower above. There is a door, but it is locked and bolted from the other side. Rather than waste precious minutes trying to open this barred portal, you turn to leave. But as you are crossing the straw-strewn floor of the pen, you are brought to a halt when your eye falls upon an oiled leather whip which hangs from a peg on the wall. (If you wish to take this Boar Whip, record it as a Backpack Item on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <p>You leave the pen and rush around the side of the tower in time to see Captain Prarg emerging from the open door. Quickly he descends, sheathing his bloodied sword as he hurries down the steps to meet you.</p>
+ <p><quote>That guard'll not be raising any alarms,</quote> he says, cocking his thumb behind him towards the tower door. <quote>And they'll not be finding him too soon, neither.</quote></p>
+ <p>You smile knowingly, and commend your guide for the swiftness of his action. Then Prarg points to an alleyway that lies sandwiched between two burnt-out hovels at the edge of town, and suggests you enter Shugkona that way.</p>
+ <p><quote>Lead on Captain,</quote> you say, and follow as he hurries off towards the alley's shadowy entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect307">
+ <meta><title>307</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>To your surprise, you discover that the door is unlocked. You push it and it swings open to reveal an empty chamber. You detect a strong presence of evil lurking somewhere nearby and you warn Prarg of what you sense. Cautiously, the two of you leave this chamber by a passage which leads to a flight of black stone steps. You ascend the steps to a domed chamber which is sheathed with dull black stone. Heavy velvet hangings of ebony hue cover most of the walls, and all of the furnishings are upholstered with the same morbid cloth. The sensation of evil is stronger here, so strong that you feel as if you are slowly suffocating.</p>
+ <p><quote>It's here&ellips;</quote> you whisper, your hand reaching to your weapon, <quote>the Doomstone. I can feel its presence!</quote></p>
+ <p>Suddenly there is a movement away to your left and a blast of white-hot energy comes roaring towards your face. You dive aside in time to avoid it, but the bolt rebounds from the steel-hard wall and glances off the back of Prarg's head, knocking him unconscious.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect161"><link-text>Turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect308">
+ <meta><title>308</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using the Brotherhood spell <spell>Sense Evil</spell> you scour the surrounding woodland and a powerful sensation alerts you to danger. It is not an immediate threat, yet you can feel the invisible waves of power which are radiating from its source. The power is strong, too strong to originate from Drakkarim or a hostile forest creature. You focus your senses in the direction of this power and at once you recognize its source: it is the Doomstone of Darke.</p>
+ <p><quote>What's wrong, Sire?</quote> says Prarg.</p>
+ <p><quote>It's the Doomstone,</quote> you reply quietly. <quote>We're close&ellips; I can feel it.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect45"><link-text>Turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect309">
+ <meta><title>309</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Prarg is understandably happy to accept your offer to stand the first watch. While he settles himself down to sleep in the relative comfort of the boat, you pull your cloak about you and climb to the top of Bear Rock where you begin your lonely vigil. For hours you sit on this windswept boulder, staring out through a curtain of swirling snow at the surrounding timberline. Despite your fatigue you stay alert and your iron discipline pays off when, shortly before midnight, you sense movement at the forest's edge. Then your super-keen Kai senses detect an animal scent on the cold air which you recognize immediately: it is Akataz.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect163"><link-text>Turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect310">
+ <meta><title>310</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tracks end at a wooden jetty which juts precariously into the deep, fast-flowing waters of the River Shug. Carefully you examine the ground around this landing area, and aided by your exceptional tracking skills, you make two important discoveries. You deduce that Magnaarn and his troops boarded a barge here and headed downstream towards Darke. Also, you discover that this area was used as a mustering place for a second, far larger unit of troops. Doomwolf droppings and a Giak tooth hint at the identity of these troops, but your suspicions are confirmed when you find a bronze belt buckle which is engraved with the symbol of a fortress and a full moon. It is the symbol of the old Darklord city-fortress of Kagorst. It confirms your fears that Magnaarn has at last persuaded Kagorst to join his cause.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>You find a bronze belt buckle engraved with the symbol of a fortress and a full moon.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill18.gif" width="386" height="618"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill18.pdf" width="386" height="618"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p>You are tired after your long trek. Rather than attempt to go any further, you decide instead to rest here in one of the empty cabins overnight and continue your journey at dawn.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188"><link-text>Turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect311">
+ <meta><title>311</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step away from the two dead Tukodaks, sheathe your weapon, then signal to Prarg that the coast is now clear. He emerges from the trees and hurries to your side. He praises your combat skill and then he helps you to hide the bodies of the two slain guards beneath some undergrowth in the surrounding ruins. Before you leave, a quick search of their packs and pockets reveals the following items:</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Enough food for 1 Meal</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ <li>2 Swords</li>
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>4 Arrows</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you wish to take and keep any of the above items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect221">To enter the unguarded tower, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect312">
+ <meta><title>312</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw upon your mental powers and launch a blast of psychic energy at the three Drakkarim sentries. The effect is instantaneous. They begin to shake uncontrollably and all three drop their spears. Unable to move aside, you trample them into the ground as you gallop through the gap in the barricade and race along the road beyond. You have passed successfully through the inner defensive line, but as Prarg quickly points out, you have yet to reach the outer defences of Shugkona.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31"><link-text>Turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect313">
+ <meta><title>313</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With some difficulty you climb out of the water and haul your unconscious companion to safety. His skin is deep violet, he is barely breathing, and his entire body is shaking uncontrollably. Using your healing skills, you transmit some of your body warmth through your hands to his chest and face, and within a few minutes, he comes out of his state of shock as his body returns to its normal temperature. Your prompt action has saved his life, but it has also drained you of 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect157">Make the necessary adjustments to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> and <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect314">
+ <meta><title>314</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the current carries you towards the stone bridge, you row against the river's flow in order to slow your final approach to the log barrier. There are Drakkarim on the bridge and the noise of a hard collision would be sure to attract their unwanted attention. The prow grazes the muddy river bank, slowing you further, then the boat comes to an abrupt halt as it bumps against the barrier. Quickly, you leap on to the line of logs and make your way towards the bank as swiftly as the treacherously icy surface will allow.</p>
+ <p>A rickety flight of wooden steps ascends from the river to the top of the bridge. You climb them, then you crouch down and take cover behind the stone parapet. From here you observe the town's defences and try to assess how many Drakkarim are stationed within this stronghold. The town itself comprises a sorry collection of battle-damaged buildings, ringed by a perimeter wall of logs which is shored up in many places. Several long and bitter battles have been fought here over the past year, and everywhere you look the vivid scars of war are plain to see.</p>
+ <p>A rutted road crosses the bridge and leads directly to the town gates. You observe Drakkarim on guard at the bridge, and at the gate, yet you sense something is wrong. The town is strangely quiet and it appears to be weakly protected; the Drakkarim garrison is few in number, and those that you have seen so far appear to be either young, old, or walking wounded.</p>
+ <p>Night is beginning to draw in. The Drakkarim are lighting the torches which line the perimeter wall, and a change of guard is taking place at the main gate. A wagon laden with straw crosses the bridge and pulls to a halt nearby. Wearily the driver gets down from his seat, curses his aching back, then wanders off towards a nearby hovel, one of barely a dozen that are still standing outside the town's wall. While he is gone, you take the opportunity to climb into the cart and hide yourself beneath the foul-smelling straw. Soon you hear the driver's gruff voice and you feel the cart sway as he climbs back into his seat. There is the <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia> of a whip and, with a jolt, the cart trundles off towards the main gates.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect222"><link-text>Turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect315">
+ <meta><title>315</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Through the open archway comes a Lencian soldier attired in the parade tunic and breeches of a Court Captain. He is unusually tall, but his most striking feature is his close-set eyes which are bright above his thin, hawk-like nose and bushy black moustache. At once you recognize this officer, for he is Captain Prarg. During the fighting at Cetza you and he led Prince Graygor's reserves in a decisive action that helped save the Eruan Guards and turn the tide of the battle in your favour.</p>
+ <p><quote>Well met, Sire!</quote> he says, with a smile, <quote>'Tis an honour to have been chosen to guide you on your noble quest.</quote></p>
+ <choice idref="sect80"><link-text>Turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect316">
+ <meta><title>316</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The scout places two fingers to his lips and gives a long, warbling whistle. The sound makes the mercenaries turn and stare in your direction, and you hear one of them whistle twice in reply. Your scout then calls out a request that you be allowed to enter their camp. There is a long pause, then a heavily-accented voice replies:</p>
+ <p><quote>Show yourselves.</quote></p>
+ <p>Relief that you are human, and not Drakkarim, is displayed clearly on the faces of these League-landers when the four of you stand up and walk towards their camp. You receive a warm welcome from these soldiers of fortune, and two of them offer to escort you to their leader&emdash;Baron Maquin.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect294"><link-text>Turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect317">
+ <meta><title>317</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You abandon the shelter of the bridge and work your way slowly along the ice-filled ditch to a point directly in front of the tower. Here you settle to observe the Drakkarim guards who are dutifully keeping watch over the eastern approaches to the town. All you can see of them is their brutal faces peering out of the horizontal slit which runs the full circumference of the tower. After a while, three of the four Drakkarim leave the tower by a staircase at the side. Only one remains, and you decide that now would be the best time to make your move, before the three return or before their replacements show up for duty.</p>
+ <p>Prarg insists that he go first; he has crossed here once before and he knows a safe way through. The ground looks clear but there are concealed pits out there just waiting to snare the careless or unwary. You nod your agreement and, as soon as the guard turns his face away from the observation slit, Prarg makes his run. Crouching low, he half-runs, half-scampers across the clearing, keeping low and zig-zagging as he weaves a safe path through the pits. It takes him thirty seconds to reach the base of the tower, then he slips around the side and takes cover beneath the steps before beckoning you to follow.</p>
+ <p>You take a deep breath then launch yourself out into the open. With heart pounding you run towards the tower, following in Prarg's footsteps which are clearly visible in the snow. You are halfway across when suddenly the guard's face reappears at the observation slit. You pray your camouflage skills will keep you hidden for a few seconds longer, but then you see something that shakes your confidence. The guard raises a curious square of glass in front of his eyes, and at once you sense it possesses magical properties.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you have Grand Huntmastery and you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, add 1 to the number you have chosen. If you have the Discipline of Assimilance, add 2.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 0&endash;3, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If it is 4&endash;6, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect74">If it is 7 or higher, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect318">
+ <meta><title>318</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From out of the grey-green gloom comes a lumbering hulk that fixes you with its hungry scarlet eyes. The beast is covered with a vile fur which glistens in the eerie light of the tunnel. Its long sinewy arms are outstretched and in both of its huge hands there are chunks of dagger-like flint. Its distended belly skims the walkway as it stalks closer, and a brown gluey saliva runs freely from its fanged lower jaw. With the grill at your back preventing your escape, you draw your weapon and get ready to defend yourself from this nightmarish creature.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Tunnel Stalker</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">43</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">48</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect162">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect319">
+ <meta><title>319</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai skills you command your tired horse to descend the hill and cross the bridge. Hopefully its tracks will lead your pursuers in the wrong direction and enable you to get away. As the horse wanders off, you beckon Prarg to follow you into the dense forest. Your instincts and Pathsmanship skills set you on a north-westerly tack, the direction you hope will lead eventually to Magnaarn and the hidden Temple of Antah.</p>
+ <p>You have covered two miles when suddenly you hear a sound which stops you both dead in your tracks. It is a terrible, bestial growl.</p>
+ <p><quote>There!</quote> gasps Prarg, and you spin round to see a terrifying creature come slinking from out of the undergrowth.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect20"><link-text>Turn to 20</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect320">
+ <meta><title>320</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The site has been expertly cleared and very little evidence remains that Magnaarn and his bodyguard were here, yet you do manage to uncover some tracks frozen beneath the snow. They were made by men and horses, and are a little over a week old. Satisfied with your discovery, you leave the campsite and follow the tracks westward.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect227">If you possess Animal Mastery and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian (or higher), <link-text>turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect131">If you do not possess this Discipline, or have yet to reach this level of Kai training, <link-text>turn instead to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect321">
+ <meta><title>321</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your second Arrow kills the Death Knight instantly. You shoulder your Bow and run down the corridor, with Prarg close on your heels, and soon you reach a junction where you are forced to choose a direction, left or right. You call upon your Kai skills and immediately you sense a strong presence of evil lurking at the end of the right-hand passage. You focus on the source of this evil and determine that it is the Doomstone. You tell Prarg and together you advance along the passage until you reach a closed door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If you possess Grand Huntmastery or Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If you possess neither of these Disciplines, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect322">
+ <meta><title>322</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Gradually, over the next few hours, the level of the water rises until it covers most of the surrounding mud flats. Here and there, clumps of wire-hard briar stand isolated on tiny islands which are almost flush with the surface. They are the only features to break the dreary landscape.</p>
+ <p>As sunset approaches, so the wind dies until there is barely enough breeze to ruffle the canvas. Stoically Prarg gathers in the mainsail and you ship the oars, then together you pull back against the scum-darkened water and continue on your way. You are watchful of the current, for this will indicate your approach to the River Gourneni, but the water is so thick with silt and slime that neither of you can be certain of its direction, or even of its existence.</p>
+ <p>It is almost dark when finally you reach the outflow of the Gourneni. It is a sluggish confluence, jammed with deadwood and silt-banks which obstruct most of its fifty-yard width. You both realize that an attempt to navigate this river at night would be foolish, and so you decide to set up camp at the river's edge and wait until first light before continuing.</p>
+ <p>Using your Kai skills of detection, you scan the two river banks to determine which would be a safer place to set up camp. Unfortunately you sense little difference between the two; neither east nor west looks very inviting.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect135">If you decide to set up camp on the west bank, <link-text>turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect84">If you choose to set up camp on the east bank, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect323">
+ <meta><title>323</title></meta>
+
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect323-1-foot" idref="sect323-1">
+ <p>This bonus is applicable when the missiles are aimed at you&emdash;not when you're aiming them at someone or something else. Note the word <quote>against</quote> and that the list includes bolts and darts which are not normally used by Lone Wolf.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You uncover the sack and sift through its contents. Gleaming in the dim light you see a mass of coins, silver plates and candlesticks, jewellery and all manner of precious and semi-precious stones. There are countless gold teeth, pulled no doubt from the mouths of fallen Lencian knights, and scores of trinkets and other mementoes taken from less noble corpses. One item you sense possesses magical properties. You pull it out and, on closer inspection, you discover it to be a polished Jadin Amulet which is fixed to a gold neckchain.</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep this Jadin Amulet, record it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you wear around your neck. It adds +1 to your score should you be instructed to pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> to check against normal missiles (arrows, bolts, darts, etc.).<a id="sect323-1" idref="sect323-1-foot" class="footnote"/></p>
+ <p>Having replaced the sack in its hole, you draw your cloak about you and approach the main gates. The guards are busy admitting the latest batch of prisoners and, helped by your camouflage skills, they do not give you a second glance as you stride confidently into the town.</p>
+ <p>Once inside, you head towards a dark, deserted alleyway which is sandwiched between a stables and an armoury. From here you observe the compound with a growing anger and pity for those trapped inside. Stirred by their plight, you vow to help these starving men. Patiently you watch and wait for the patrols to pass, then you scurry towards the compound fence to make contact with the Lencians.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect324">
+ <meta><title>324</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter the warehouse through a broken window and soon find a hiding place among hundreds of rolls of canvas that are being stored on the ground floor. Periodically, Drakkarim enter and search the length and breadth of this sprawling building, but they fail to detect you.</p>
+ <p>While you are hiding from their search parties, you consider your companion's plight and grow ever more fearful for his safety. You are also very anxious that, under torture, he will reveal your identity and the reason why you have come to this town. You are determined not to allow this to happen and so, as midnight approaches, you slip away from your hiding place and make your way stealthily towards the Shugkona Gaol.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect260"><link-text>Turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect325">
+ <meta><title>325</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p><quote>Come, Prarg,</quote> you say urgently, <quote>we must hurry from here. I sense more traps nearby.</quote></p>
+ <p>Obediently, the Captain follows as you make your way speedily along the passageway towards a distant torchlit chamber. Upon reaching this chamber you are brought skidding to a halt by an unexpected sight.</p>
+ <p>The room is constructed entirely of polished black rock. Revealed in the torchlight is a throne of rough-hewn marble, where rests the skeletal remains of a warrior clad in mouldering furs. Bare bone gleams dully through a clinging mass of muscle and sinew, now shrunken to an iron-hard texture, and upon its skull there is perched a helm of solid gold. Set into the face of this helm is an emerald as large as your fist.</p>
+ <p>Prarg approaches the throne, tempted by the magnificent emerald, but he halts the moment you warn him that the helm is protected by a magical trap. You sense that a powerful spell of warding encircles the throne; to touch the crown would activate the spell, thereby unleashing a blast of destructive energy. The thought of being blown to atoms serves to dampen Prarg's curiosity and sheepishly he returns to your side. You give the booby-trapped throne a wide berth and leave the chamber by a smooth-walled tunnel in the far wall. But you have taken no more than a dozen steps when a chill of premonition runs like a trickle of icy cold water down your spine. You halt and reach for your weapon. Then a loud voice booms out, destroying the silence.</p>
+ <p><quote>Welcome, Lone Wolf. Welcome to your tomb!</quote></p>
+ <p>Instinctively you know that it is the voice of Warlord Magnaarn.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect280"><link-text>Turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect326">
+ <meta><title>326</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you try to tear yourself free from the creature's grip. You draw your weapon and strike at the tentacles which ensnare your legs, but the skin which sheathes them is like iron and you can barely cause a scratch. Then you sense that the creature's most vulnerable spot is its single eye and, with renewed vigour, you dive down and attack it relentlessly.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>Desperately trying to draw yourself away from the creature's grip, you strike at the tentacles which ensnare your legs.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill19.gif" width="386" height="609"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill19.pdf" width="386" height="609"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <combat><enemy>Gartoth</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">43</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">50</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect327">
+ <meta><title>327</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Prarg awakens you shortly before dawn. It has been snowing during the night and the boat is covered with a thin layer of crisp white flakes. As you open your eyes, the cold air brings you swiftly to your senses, its sudden unexpected chill making you shiver violently. However, this discomfort is momentary; your Magnakai skill of Nexus rights the imbalance and a comfortable warmth returns to your frozen limbs.</p>
+ <p>Carefully you step from beneath the boat and cast your eyes across the marsh which borders the river, now completely white. Tracks in the snow betray the nocturnal passage of several swamp creatures, but none are too large as to cause you undue concern. Prarg unpacks some provisions and, after a breakfast of dried meat, potatoes, ale and blue cheese, you prepare the boat for your long voyage north up the Gourneni river to Bear Rock.</p>
+ <p>By mid-morning the snow has returned and your progress is soon hampered by a whipping wind that blows persistently in your faces. Shielded by your innate skills, the sub-zero temperatures cause you little concern as tirelessly you work the oars. But Prarg is not so fortunate and, as the hours pass, the cold saps his strength until he is unable to continue rowing. Single-handedly you take over the oars whilst your guide, swathed in blankets, mans the rudder and acts as your pilot through the narrower sections of the Gourneni.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect107"><link-text>Turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect328">
+ <meta><title>328</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Baron Maquin and Captain Schera are anxious to move their men away from the river bank. Their military training has taught them to avoid placing their troops with their backs to an impassable body of water, for if the enemy were to attack, there would be no way to escape. You understand their concern and, using your ability to magnify your vision, you scan the landscape in search of a more advantageous position. A mile away, to the north-west, you see a tiny hamlet. It appears to be deserted and you suggest to the two officers that they move their men there. Briefly they discuss your suggestion and both agree that it would be a safer position.</p>
+ <p>The order to move is passed along the ranks and the men prepare to leave the boats and go forward. You take the lead, together with the Baron and the Captain, but you have barely covered a quarter of the distance to the hamlet when your tracking senses warn you that a threat is approaching from the north.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect105">If you wish to insist they return to the river, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect248">If you wish to hurry towards the hamlet, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect329">
+ <meta><title>329</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before the door closed you caught sight of a map spread out across a trestle table in the centre of the cabin. You whisper to Prarg what you have seen, then you tell him to wait for you here while you try to get a closer look at that map. It may contain a clue to Magnaarn's whereabouts.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you work your way across the snowy ground towards the ditch which encircles the camp. Your camouflage skills keep you from being seen by the Drakkarim sentries and you are able to reach the cover of this shallow, ice-filled trench with little difficulty. While you wait here for the chance to make a dash for the cabin, you notice two points of entry: the main door and a side window.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect295">If you wish to enter the cabin by the door, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect16">If you choose to enter through the side window, <link-text>turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect330">
+ <meta><title>330</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Breathless from the fight, you step away from the slain beast and wipe its foul blood from your weapon before sheathing it in your belt. A distant howl echoes along the tunnel, a chilling cry that warns you that the creature you have just defeated was not the only one of its kind.</p>
+ <p>Fearful of staying a moment longer, you turn around and hurry along the tunnel. Before long you find yourself in a section of this underground labyrinth which has suffered greatly during the recent rockfalls. Many fissures have opened up the stone floor and shattered the walls, but you take these obstacles in your stride and soon arrive at a ruined staircase which ascends to a landing. Here you are confronted by the corpse of a Drakkarim guard. It is slumped beside a mound of rubble which is blocking the stairs to the next level above. A quick examination of the dead body reveals that both arms are broken. Injured and trapped here by the rockfall, it appears that this guard eventually died of thirst.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect299">If you wish to search the body further, <link-text>turn to 299</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If you wish to attempt to clear away the rubble that is blocking the stairs, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect331">
+ <meta><title>331</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Drawing on your mastery, you will the creature to cease its mental attack. It hesitates, but not for long. Its instincts quickly overcome your psychic commands and, with a terrifying howl, it leaps forward and attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297"><link-text>Turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect332">
+ <meta><title>332</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You utter the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Lightning Hand</spell> and point your index finger at the trio of Drakkarim. A surge of crackling energy gushes from your hand and explodes in their midst, scattering them like rag dolls. Their comrades flee the wagon and, without slowing, you gallop through the gap in the barricade with barely inches to spare and race along the road beyond. You have passed successfully through the inner defensive line, but as Prarg quickly points out, you have yet to reach the outer defences of Shugkona.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31"><link-text>Turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect333">
+ <meta><title>333</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You exit this chamber by the archway and discover yet another flight of stairs awaiting you. At first you bemoan the thought of another long and weary climb, but then you detect something which quickly changes your mind. You can smell clean, fresh air descending this stairwell.</p>
+ <p>You hurry up the stairs, spurred on by the wintery chill which grows steadily colder as you ascend. You count one hundred steps before you arrive at a small chamber which is heaped with rubble. Its only door is blocked by debris and huge slabs of shattered marble, making an immediate exit impossible. But it is not the door which commands your attention; it is a narrow circular shaft which is set into the middle of the ceiling. It is the source of the cold, wintery draft.</p>
+ <p>Expectantly, you step closer and investigate this shaft. For the most part it is dark, but you can see glimmers of grey daylight far above, and you can hear the whistling of the wind. But you can also hear another sound, one that is quite unexpected. It is a buzzing, insectile noise. You focus upon the darkness and suddenly you see that the noise comes from nests of winged insects which are fixed along the inside of the shaft.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and have reached the rank of Sun Knight, <link-text>turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect281">If you do not possess this Discipline, or have yet to reach this level of Kai rank, <link-text>turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect334">
+ <meta><title>334</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One of the bolts hits you in the back with such force that you are lifted off your feet. There is a fiery flash of pain, then a terrifying numbness engulfs your body. As you crash face first into the swirling foam, you realize to your horror that you cannot move any of your limbs. The bolt has severed your spine and, in the long minutes which follow, slowly you drown in the tide.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your quest end here on Battle Isle.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect335">
+ <meta><title>335</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A hundred paces further along the tunnel, you turn a corner and find yourself face-to-face with a ghastly creature. From out of the gloom comes a lumbering hulk with hungry scarlet eyes. This beast is covered with vile fur which glistens in the eerie half-light of the tunnel, and its long sinewy arms are outstretched as if it is sleepwalking. But this beast is not asleep. In both of its huge hands it holds chunks of dagger-like flint which it wields like weapons. Its bloated belly skims the floor as it gathers speed, and a brown gluey saliva runs freely from its fanged lower jaw.</p>
+ <p>With a shriek; the creature lunges towards you, flailing at the air with its brace of dagger-flints as it closes in for the kill. You are forced to retreat as it comes rushing towards you at a breathtaking pace.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Tunnel Stalker</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">44</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">49</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Due to the unexpected speed and ferocity of its attack, reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> score by 3 points for the first round of this combat only.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect330">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect336">
+ <meta><title>336</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As one, the soldiers draw their weapons and come rushing towards the ground floor entrance to the grain tower. You retreat from the window and look around for a means of escape for already you can hear the first of the enemy climbing the stairs. With fear running cold in your veins you cross to a window on the far side of the tower. Outside, directly below the window, you see a Drakkar lancer sitting astride a warhorse. His lance is sheathed in a tube-like scabbard fixed to the rear of his saddle, and in his hand he holds aloft a heavy-bladed cavalry sabre. He is staring at the onrushing soldiers and is completely unaware that you are barely a few yards away.</p>
+ <p>Swiftly you climb on to the window ledge, draw your weapon, and leap on to the unwary lancer below.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect153">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect28">If your total score is now 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect337">
+ <meta><title>337</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The guard crashes to the bottom of the trench, screaming&emdash;<quote>Gaz rekenarim! Gaz rekenarim!</quote></p>
+ <p>The other Drakkarim are slow to react, and only one manages to snatch up his spear in his defence as you come leaping over the parapet. He thrusts it at your head and you dodge aside just in time to avoid a fatal wound, yet the tip gouges your shoulder: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p><quote>Sarnac and Lencia!</quote> cries Prarg, as side-by-side you land in the trench and strike out at its defenders. Your attack is swift and deadly. In less than five seconds, you have dispatched all four of the Drakkarim trench-troopers who occupy this position, overcoming three of them before they could even unsheathe their swords.</p>
+ <p>Keen to maintain your advantage of surprise, you quickly leave the trench and rush across the remaining strip of open ground which separates you from the town's outlying dwellings. Prarg points ahead to an alleyway that lies sandwiched between two burnt-out hovels, and immediately you follow as he hurries towards its shadowy entrance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect338">
+ <meta><title>338</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You summon forth the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Lightning Hand</spell> and extend your right arm towards the portal. A tingling sensation runs all the way from your shoulder to the tip of your index finger, culminating in a crackling arc of electrical power that bridges the gap between your hand and the portal's lock.</p>
+ <p>The charge slams into the lock, splintering its stone surround and utterly destroying its ancient mechanism. Confidently you move forward and place your shoulder to the portal. One hard push is all that is needed to break the seal of dirt, and slowly it creaks open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11"><link-text>Turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect339">
+ <meta><title>339</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You conjure forth the Brotherhood spell of <spell>Lightning Hand</spell> and, at once, your right arm is sheathed with rings of glowing, blue fire. Calmly you raise your hand, point your index finger at the leader of the Akataz pack, and with a blink of your eyes you launch a crackling pulse of energy directly at his head. The bolt arcs through the cold air and hits the war-dog squarely between the eyes, sending it tumbling backwards in a flurry of snow to disappear among the trees.</p>
+ <p>Instantly the others halt in their tracks, visibly shaken. You sense that the pack is torn now between its desire to satisfy its gnawing hunger and its natural instinct for survival. Eventually the instinct for self-preservation wins out, and one by one the dogs turn and flee for the safety of the Tozaz forest.</p>
+ <p>Confident that the Akataz will not be back this night, you return to the boat to catch some sleep while Prarg begins his turn on guard.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215"><link-text>Turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect340">
+ <meta><title>340</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After several minutes you notice a ledge which juts out from the chasm wall. It is located fifty feet or so directly above the place where you are currently standing. Close to this ledge you see a dark shadow. It marks the entrance to another tunnel, one that hopefully may lead all the way to the surface.</p>
+ <p>With renewed optimism, you recite the words of the Brotherhood spell <spell>Levitation</spell> and at once you feel gravity losing its grasp. Assisted by this magic, you climb the rough chasm wall with ease and quickly reach the ledge above. Here you cancel the spell before hurrying into the new tunnel in search of a clear route to the surface.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect64"><link-text>Turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect341">
+ <meta><title>341</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Shocked by the death of their leader, the few remaining enemy turn tail and flee across the open plain in panic, with the stinging cheers of their foes echoing in their ears.</p>
+ <p>Then the cheering is cut short when an ominous noise comes rolling across the plain from the city of Darke. It is a thunderous boom that shakes the very ground on which you stand. You look towards the city and see that the battle is growing ever fiercer. But now there is a new and sinister aspect. Flickerings of magical fire can be seen dancing along battlements, engulfing friend and foe alike. You sense that it is the work of Magnaarn; he and his Nadziranim allies are responsible for this.</p>
+ <p>Then, through the smoke of battle, you see a Lencian flag flying proudly amidst the carnage that is taking place on the coastal plain, to the south of the city. Here, King Sarnac's crusaders have turned an enemy flank and are storming its weakened centre. Maquin and Schera see the flag and, encouraged by their own victory, they decide to march at once in support of the crusader's brave attack.</p>
+ <p>You wish them both good fortune, for you know the time has come to part company with these brave men. Their destiny awaits them on the field of battle; yours will be found inside the city of Darke itself where, if you are to fulfil your quest, you must confront Warlord Magnaarn. You bid them farewell and watch as they lead their men in a marching column along the river road towards the field of battle. When they are a mile distant, you set off alone across the plain towards the hamlet, which lies en route to the gates of Darke.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect154"><link-text>Turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect342">
+ <meta><title>342</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a loud <onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia> and a great grey cloud billows from the muzzle of the musket. It startles the horse, but you swiftly control the animal and urge it forwards, out on to the road. In the confusion you make your escape northwards, hidden from the eyes of your pursuing enemy by the acrid cloud of gunpowder smoke.</p>
+ <p>Your ears are ringing but otherwise you and Prarg escape unharmed. The mare is strong and sure-footed, and despite the snow, you quickly cover more than eight miles before you encounter something on the road ahead that brings you immediately to a standstill.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect106"><link-text>Turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect343">
+ <meta><title>343</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With weapons drawn you wait for the boat to strike the frost-covered raft of weeds. An unnatural silence has descended upon the surrounding mire, as if every creature of the Hellswamp were holding its breath in anticipation, waiting for the trap to be sprung. The bow grazes the obstruction and suddenly the silence is torn apart by a gurgling screech. Like sorcery-conjured demons, a dozen ghoulish creatures rise up from the murky depths of the swamp amid a seething froth of bubbles. Swiftly they climb from beneath the weed-raft and slink from hiding places along the bank. Within seconds they have you surrounded.</p>
+ <illustration class="float">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ <description>A dozen ghoulish creatures rise up from the murky depths of the swamp amid a seething froth of bubbles.</description>
+ </meta>
+ <instance class="html" src="ill20.gif" width="386" height="665"/>
+ <instance class="pdf" src="ill20.pdf" width="386" height="665"/>
+ </illustration>
+ <p><quote>Ciquali!</quote> growls Prarg, naming these ghoulish foes. He moves forward, sword raised, and lashes out at the first of these dome-headed creatures as it tries to climb aboard. His razor-sharp blade severs its forearm at the wrist, sending a scaly webbed hand spinning into the swamp, trailing green ichor. The beast screams and falls over the side, yet no sooner has it vanished beneath the surface when two more of its kin attempt to haul themselves into the boat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect180">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect7">If you do not, or choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 7</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect344">
+ <meta><title>344</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you search through the clutter of boxes which lie scattered all around this cabin, and you discover the following which may be of use to you during your mission:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>2 Potions of Laumspur (each restores 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points)</li>
+ <li>Hourglass</li>
+ <li>Signet Ring</li>
+ <li>Bow</li>
+ <li>3 Arrows</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ <li>Brass Key</li>
+ <li>Dagger</li>
+ </ul>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to make the necessary adjustments to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect277">To continue, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect345">
+ <meta><title>345</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you let go of the oars and throw yourself on the floor of the boat to avoid being hit by the speeding arrow.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect269">If your total is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect77">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 77</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect346">
+ <meta><title>346</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Prarg is soon paralysed by the intense cold. He ceases all movement when his body goes into shock and rapidly he disappears beneath the water. You rush to help him, approaching as near to the edge of the hole as you dare, and then you see his face pressed to the underside of the ice, close to where you are standing. His eyes are wide open and a stream of bubbles are trailing from his nose and mouth. You must act quickly if you are to save him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect94">If you wish to jump into the gaping hole in the ice and attempt to pull him out, <link-text>turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect238">If you decide to attempt to smash another hole in the ice, close to where he is trapped, <link-text>turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect347">
+ <meta><title>347</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With stoic determination you begin the laborious task of clearing away the rock and rubble which fills this stairwell. You are fearful that it may take you several days to reach the next level, and so it comes as a welcome surprise when, after just a few minutes work, you see a gap appearing at the top of the mound. A gust of cold, wintery air wafts through this breach, rekindling your hopes of reaching the surface. Revived by the cold clean air, you attack the rubble with renewed vigour. But then your hopes are shaken when you hear a sinister sound; behind you, something is climbing the stairs to the landing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect256">If you possess Kai-alchemy and have reached the rank of Sun Knight, <link-text>turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect285">If you do not possess this Discipline, or have yet to reach this level of Kai training, <link-text>turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect348">
+ <meta><title>348</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tip of your lance penetrates the Death Knight's armoured breastplate and kills him instantly. The force of the blow is such that it snaps the lance in two and nearly knocks you clean out of your saddle, but you manage to hold tight and quickly you recover. Moments later you reach the platform to see Captain Prarg struggling to break free from his gaolers. He succeeds and he comes running towards you. With a yell he leaps from the platform and lands astride the rump of your horse.</p>
+ <p><quote>Go, Lone Wolf, go!</quote> he shouts, excitedly.</p>
+ <p>You dig your heels into the horse's flanks and take off through the confused mass of Drakkarim towards an avenue on the north side of the square. Prarg's hands are still tied behind his back and in order to stop himself from falling off the horse, he is forced to hang on to your cloak with his teeth.</p>
+ <p>You gallop out of the square and along the northern avenue which is flanked by barracks and hovels. Arrows come whistling from their windows but they are poorly aimed and fly wide of their mark. You glance over your shoulder and see that some Drakkarim horsemen are grouping up at the exit from the square in order to give chase. You urge the horse onwards, and as you speed towards a distant corner, you use your Magnakai skill of Nexus to loosen Prarg's bonds. Minutes later you turn the corner and see the road which leads out of Shugkona. Your spirits rise, but they are quickly dashed when you see that your route of escape is blocked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect22"><link-text>Turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect349">
+ <meta><title>349</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As your slain enemies keel over backwards and splash into the mire, you roll Prarg on to his back then watch as the remaining Ciquali, now leaderless, turn away and disappear as quickly as they had come, slapping back to the cold, dark safety of their hiding places beneath the surface. Silence returns, and for a long moment you stay alert, suspecting trickery, then slowly you relax; they have gone.</p>
+ <p>Aided by your healing skills, Prarg makes a speedy recovery from the battering he sustained in combat with the Ciquali chieftain. The boat, too, has survived the attack and you are able to continue without further delay. As soon as you pass the obstruction, you hoist the sail and catch the prevailing wind which propels you northwards along the channel beyond.</p>
+ <p>You are hungry after your encounter. Unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">To continue, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect350">
+ <meta><title>350</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you strike your killing blow, the Nyras Sceptre explodes with a brilliant flash and you are knocked down by the sudden release of energy. For several minutes you lie unconscious on the floor of this wind-swept turret, until you are found and revived by your guide and companion, Captain Prarg. Nothing remains of either Warlord Magnaarn or the Nyras Sceptre; both have been utterly destroyed. Prarg helps you to your feet, and as you look out across the battle-torn landscape, you witness a wondrous event. The Gulf of Lencia is dotted with scores of square-rigged men o' war. They are the ships of the Kasland fleet: at last Lencia's allies have arrived.</p>
+ <p>Thanks to your bravery and determination, the power which has so devastated this land is now no more. The destruction of the Nyras Sceptre heralds a turning of the tides of war in the west. The Nadziranim and their armies flee the field of battle and are pursued by the allies all the way back to their strongholds in the north. The remnants of Magnaarn's army are routed and swept out of Nyras, and after many centuries, this country finally returns to its rightful heirs.</p>
+ <p>In recognition of your victory over Warlord Magnaarn, King Sarnac of Lencia and Archduke Chalamis of Kasland hold a royal banquet in Vadera in your honour. You are heaped with praise and you receive the thanks and warm congratulations of a grateful populace.</p>
+ <p>Well done, Lone Wolf. Once again you have achieved a victory over the forces of darkness and proved yourself to be worthy of the title <quote>Kai Grand Master</quote>. Yet the fight against Evil goes ever on. On your return to your homeland you will be faced with a new and deadly challenge that will test your remarkable skills and unquestionable bravery. The nature of this challenge can be found in the next Grand Master adventure, which is entitled:</p>
+ <p><a href="&link.16tlov;"><cite>The Legacy of Vashna</cite></a></p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="map">
+ <meta><title>Lands & Territories of the Western Tentarias</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <illustration>
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="map.jpg" width="1024" height="768" class="html" />
+ <instance src="map.pdf" width="1024" height="768" class="pdf" />
+ </illustration>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="action">
+ <meta><title>Action Chart</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acstats.gif" width="386" height="286" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acdscplz.gif" width="386" height="181" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acitems.gif" width="386" height="161" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acbckpck.gif" width="386" height="137" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>JC Alvarez & Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="acspcl.gif" width="386" height="280" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="ac1.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="ac2.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="ac3.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="crsumary">
+ <meta><title>Combat Rules Summary</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <ol>
+ <li>Add your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> to any extra points given to you by your Kai Disciplines.</li>
+ <li>Subtract the <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> of your enemy from this total. This number = Combat Ratio.</li>
+ <li>Pick number from <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</li>
+ <li>Turn to the <a idref="crtable">Combat Results Table</a>.</li>
+ <li>Find your Combat Ratio on the top of the chart and cross-reference to the random number you have picked. (E indicates loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to Enemy. LW indicates loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to Lone Wolf.)</li>
+ <li>Continue the combat from Stage 3 until one character is dead. This is when <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of either character fall to 0 or below.</li>
+ </ol>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="smevazn">
+ <meta><title>To Evade Combat</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <ol>
+ <li>You may only do this when the text of the adventure offers you the opportunity.</li>
+ <li>You undertake one round of combat in the usual way. All points lost by the enemy are ignored, only Lone Wolf loses the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
+ <li>If the book offers the chance of taking evasive action in place of combat, it can be taken in the first round of combat or any subsequent round.</li>
+ </ol>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="crtable">
+ <meta><title>Combat Results Table</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="crtneg.gif" width="386" height="472" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ <instance src="crtneg.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="crtpos.gif" width="386" height="472" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ <instance src="crtpos.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="random">
+ <meta><title>Random Number Table</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <illustration class="inline">
+ <meta>
+ <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
+ </meta>
+ <instance src="random.gif" width="332" height="432" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
+ <instance src="random.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
+ </illustration>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="errata">
+ <meta><title>Errata</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="errintro">
+ <meta><title>Introduction</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>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 <a href="mailto:staff@projectaon.org">Project Aon Staff</a>.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="errerr">
+ <meta><title>Errata</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>(<a idref="tssf">The Story So Far&ellips;</a>) Replaced <quote>elite</quote> with <quote>élite</quote>, <quote>feted</quote> with <quote>fêted</quote>, <quote>Left-Handed</quote> with <quote>Left-handed</quote>, <quote>Right-Handed</quote> with <quote>Right-handed</quote>, <quote>freestate</quote> with <quote>Freeland</quote>, both occurrences of <quote>doomstone</quote> with <quote>Doomstone</quote>, and <quote>Kai lord</quote> with <quote>Kai Lord</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="gamerulz">The Game Rules</a>) Removed <quote> that you will find in the front of this book. For ease of use, and for further adventuring, it is recommended that you photocopy these pages</quote> and <quote> on the last page of this book</quote>. Replaced both occurrences of <quote>(ie</quote> with <quote>(i.e.</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="discplnz">Grand Master Disciplines</a>) Replaced <quote>Magi-Magic</quote> with <quote>Magi-magic</quote>, <quote>gods</quote> with <quote>Gods</quote>, and <quote>listed overleaf</quote> with <quote>listed below</quote>. Replaced <quote><typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> is reduced to 8 points or less</quote> with <quote><typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is reduced to 8 points or less</quote> since it is highly unlikely that your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> will ever be reduced to such a low level and later published books also make this change.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="equipmnt">Equipment</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>safe-keeping</quote> with <quote>safekeeping</quote>, <quote>(eg,</quote> with <quote>(e.g.</quote>, five occurrences of <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>, two occurrences of <quote>arrows</quote> with <quote>Arrows</quote>, and eight occurrences of <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>. Inserted the explanation of how to use Gold Crowns. Removed <quote> (see the inside front cover of this book)</quote>. Amended the text to correctly reflect the +5 <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> bonus for Grand Weaponmastery.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="cmbtrulz">Rules for Combat</a>) Removed <quote> on the inside back cover of this book</quote>. Replaced <quote>on the page after the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a></quote> with <quote>in the back of this book</quote>. In the example combat, changed Lone Wolf's initial <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> to 27 and corrected the Kai Surge bonus to +8 <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="imprvdsc">Improved Grand Master Disciplines</a>) Replaced <quote>discipline</quote> with <quote>Discipline</quote> and <quote>(e.g. Broadsword, Quarterstaff, Spear etc)</quote> with <quote>(i.e. Broadsword, Quarterstaff, Spear)</quote>. Replaced <quote>etc)</quote> with <quote>etc.)</quote> in the <spell>Halt Missile</spell> section. Added the description of the improvements for Grand Guardian. Removed the quotation marks around <quote>Improved Grand Master Disciplines</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect6">6</a>) Replaced <quote>tunnel stalker</quote> with <quote>Tunnel Stalker</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect10">10</a>) Replaced <quote>potions</quote> with <quote>Potions</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect11">11</a>) Replaced <quote>Pathsmanship, and</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect17">17</a>) Removed the quotation marks around <quote>Halt Missile</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect18">18</a>) Replaced <quote>tunnel stalker</quote> with <quote>Tunnel Stalker</quote> and <quote>Kai-alchemy, and</quote> with <quote>Kai-alchemy and</quote>. Removed <quote> or higher</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect22">22</a>) Replaced <quote>approaching and</quote> with <quote>approaching, and</quote>, <quote>Kai-alchemy, and</quote> with <quote>Kai-alchemy and</quote>, and <quote>Kai-surge, and</quote> with <quote>Kai-surge and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect23">23</a>) Replaced <quote>raised</quote> with <quote>razed</quote>, <quote>river bank</quote> with <quote>riverbank</quote>, <quote>woodsmoke</quote> with <quote>wood smoke</quote>, and <quote>incident and, shortly</quote> with <quote>incident, and shortly</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect24">24</a>) Replaced <quote>mawtaw</quote> with <quote>Mawtaw</quote> and <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect25">25</a>) Replaced <quote>or, failing</quote> with <quote>or failing</quote>, <quote>assauge</quote> with <quote>assuage</quote>, and both occurrences of <quote>ante-chamber</quote> with <quote>antechamber</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect31">31</a>) Replaced <quote>aimed ready</quote> with <quote>aimed, ready</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect33">33</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>floroa</quote> with <quote>Floroa</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect36">36</a>) Replaced <quote>steps and, as</quote> with <quote>steps, and as</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect37">37</a>) Removed the quotation marks around <quote>crack</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect38">38</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect39">39</a>) Replaced <quote>remnants have</quote> with <quote>remnants had</quote> and <quote>seige</quote> with <quote>siege</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect41">41</a>) Replaced <quote>treeline</quote> with <quote>tree-line</quote> and <quote>psi-surge</quote> with <quote>Psi-surge</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect43">43</a>) Replaced <quote>directions and, with</quote> with <quote>directions, and with</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect45">45</a>) Replaced <quote>west and</quote> with <quote>west, and</quote>, <quote>Prarg and</quote> with <quote>Prarg, and</quote>, and <quote>Antah and</quote> with <quote>Antah, and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect48">48</a>) Replaced <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect50">50</a>) Replaced <quote>anger and</quote> with <quote>anger, and</quote>, <quote>judging, and</quote> with <quote>judging and</quote>, and <quote>shoulder and, as</quote> with <quote>shoulder, and as</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect59">59</a>) Removed <quote> (or higher)</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect63">63</a>) Replaced <quote>elite</quote> with <quote>élite</quote> and <quote>breastplace</quote> with <quote>breastplate</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect65">65</a>) Replaced <quote>argument, then</quote> with <quote>argument. Then</quote>, <quote>open and</quote> with <quote>open, and</quote>, and <quote>recently-cleared</quote> with <quote>recently cleared</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect68">68</a>) Replaced <quote>backpack</quote> with <quote>Backpack</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect70">70</a>) Replaced <quote>now and</quote> with <quote>now, and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect73">73</a>) Replaced <quote>horizon and</quote> with <quote>horizon, and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect74">74</a>) Replaced <quote>ahead, to</quote> with <quote>ahead to</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect76">76</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect77">77</a>) Replaced <quote>upright you</quote> with <quote>upright, you</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect79">79</a>) Replaced <quote>escape and</quote> with <quote>escape, and</quote>, <quote>spy and, as</quote> with <quote>spy, and as</quote>, and <quote>platform, and, as</quote> with <quote>platform, and as</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect81">81</a>) Replaced <quote><onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia> and, almost</quote> with <quote><onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia>, and almost</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect84">84</a>) Replaced <quote>watch and, hungry</quote> with <quote>watch, and hungry</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect85">85</a>) Replaced <quote>Kai alchemy</quote> with <quote>Kai-alchemy</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect86">86</a>) Removed the quotation marks around <quote>Invisible Shield</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect87">87</a>) Replaced <quote>trench but</quote> with <quote>trench, but</quote> and <quote>edge and</quote> with <quote>edge, and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect90">90</a>) Replaced <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect91">91</a>) Replaced <quote>tunnel stalker</quote> with <quote>Tunnel Stalker</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect93">93</a>) Replaced <quote>invisibility</quote> with <quote>Invisibility</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect94">94</a>) Replaced <quote>nexus</quote> with <quote>Nexus</quote> and <quote>infra-vision</quote> with <quote>infravision</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect100">100</a>) Replaced <quote>open but</quote> with <quote>open, but</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect101">101</a>) Replaced <quote>otherwise, and</quote> with <quote>otherwise and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect104">104</a>) Removed the quotation marks around <quote>Sense Evil</quote> and replaced <quote>ahead and</quote> with <quote>ahead, and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect106">106</a>) Replaced <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect108">108</a>) Replaced <quote>themsleves</quote> with <quote>themselves</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect110">110</a>) Replaced <quote>feet and, using</quote> with <quote>feet, and using</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect111">111</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect114">114</a>) Replaced <quote>consumate</quote> with <quote>consummate</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect115">115</a>) Replaced <quote>animal control</quote> with <quote>Animal Control</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect118">118</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect121">121</a>) Removed <quote> (or higher)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Kai-alchemy, and</quote> with <quote>Kai-alchemy and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect122">122</a>) Replaced <quote>distented</quote> with <quote>distended</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect126">126</a>) Replaced <quote>Its ends</quote> with <quote>It ends</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect132">132</a>) Replaced <quote>curing</quote> with <quote>Curing</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect134">134</a>) Replaced <quote>Kai-shield</quote> with <quote>Kai-screen</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect136">136</a>) Removed the quotation marks and dashes around <quote>Mind Charm</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect138">138</a>) Replaced <quote>semi-circular</quote> with <quote>semicircular</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect139">139</a>) Replaced <quote>infra-vision</quote> with <quote>infravision</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect140">140</a>) Replaced <quote>yourself are</quote> with <quote>you are</quote>, <quote>abroad</quote> with <quote>aboard</quote>, <quote>seiges</quote> with <quote>sieges</quote>, and <quote>counter-attack</quote> with <quote>counterattack</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect145">145</a>) Replaced <quote>can and, using</quote> with <quote>can, and using</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect149">149</a>) Replaced <quote>succcess</quote> with <quote>success</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect150">150</a>) Replaced <quote>eyes and, for</quote> with <quote>eyes, and for</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect152">152</a>) Removed the quotation marks and dashes around <quote>Lightning Hand</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect154">154</a>) Replaced <quote>barnlike</quote> with <quote>barn-like</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect155">155</a>) Replaced <quote>hard-worn</quote> with <quote>hard-won</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect158">158</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>Kai Alchemy</quote> with <quote>Kai-alchemy</quote>. Changed the choice that requires the rank of Sun Knight to lead to <a idref="sect17">Section 17</a> instead of <a idref="sect86">Section 86</a>, and changed the other choice to lead to <a idref="sect86">Section 86</a> instead of <a idref="sect17">Section 17</a>. <a idref="sect17">Section 17</a> assumes that you've reached the rank of Sun Knight. Replaced <quote>Kai-alchemy, and</quote> and <quote>Kai-alchemy and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect160">160</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect170">170</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect176">176</a>) Replaced <quote>curing</quote> with <quote>Curing</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect180">180</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>arrows</quote> with <quote>Arrows</quote>, <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>, and <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>. Moved <quote>(Remember to erase three Arrows from your quiver.)</quote> above the list of choices.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect183">183</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>soldiers and</quote> with <quote>soldiers, and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect185">185</a>) Replaced <quote>death cry</quote> with <quote>death-cry</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect186">186</a>) Replaced <quote>curing</quote> with <quote>Curing</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect189">189</a>) Replaced <quote>Weaponmastery, and</quote> with <quote>Weaponmastery and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect192">192</a>) Removed <quote> or higher</quote>. Inserted <quote>, or have yet to reach this level of Kai training</quote> into the last choice.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect200">200</a>) Replaced <quote>portlcullis</quote> with <quote>portcullis</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect201">201</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect203">203</a>) Replaced <quote>backpack</quote> with <quote>Backpack</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect207">207</a>) Removed the quotation marks around <quote>Lightning Hand</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect208">208</a>) Replaced <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect211">211</a>) Replaced <quote>backpack</quote> with <quote>Backpack</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect212">212</a>) Changed the first choice to lead to <a idref="sect304">Section 304</a> instead of <a idref="sect30">Section 30</a> (cf. <a idref="sect109">Section 109</a>). If you cannot solve the combination lock in <a idref="sect89">Section 89</a>, you are lead to <a idref="sect30">Section 30</a> which is its correct role instead of here, in <a idref="sect212">Section 212</a>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect217">217</a>) Replaced <quote>mindforce</quote> with <quote>Mindforce</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect223">223</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect225">225</a>) Replaced <quote>still and</quote> with <quote>still, and</quote>, <quote>upon an upright</quote> with <quote>up onto</quote> and <quote>yet, as</quote> with <quote>yet as</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect226">226</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow but, fortunately</quote> with <quote>arrow, but fortunately</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect230">230</a>) Replaced <quote>woodsmoke</quote> with <quote>wood smoke</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect231">231</a>) Replaced <quote>ramshakle</quote> with <quote>ramshackle</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect234">234</a>) Replaced <quote>crusader's</quote> with <quote>crusaders'</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect241">241</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect243">243</a>) Replaced <quote>killing bow</quote> with <quote>killing blow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect254">254</a>) Replaced <quote>elite</quote> with <quote>élite</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect256">256</a>) Removed the quotation marks around <quote>Strength</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect257">257</a>) Replaced <quote>less-enchanting</quote> with <quote>less enchanting</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect258">258</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect262">262</a>) Replaced <quote>pin-points</quote> with <quote>pinpoints</quote> and <quote>bank and, as</quote> with <quote>bank, and as</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect269">269</a>) Replaced <quote>inate</quote> with <quote>innate</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect270">270</a>) Replaced both occurrences of <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>quiver</quote> with <quote>Quiver</quote>. Replaced <quote>block and, at</quote> with <quote>block, and at</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect272">272</a>) Replaced <quote>battle frenzy</quote> with <quote>battle-frenzy</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect278">278</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect282">282</a>) Replaced <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect285">285</a>) Replaced <quote>distented</quote> with <quote>distended</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect289">289</a>) Replaced <quote>Weaponmastery, and</quote> with <quote>Weaponmastery and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect294">294</a>) Replaced <quote>length and, upon</quote> with <quote>length, and upon</quote>, <quote>suggestion and, after</quote> with <quote>suggestion, and after</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect297">297</a>) Replaced <quote>Kai-alchemy, and</quote> with <quote>Kai-alchemy and</quote>. Removed <quote> (or higher)</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect299">299</a>) Replaced <quote>Charts</quote> with <quote>chart</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect304">304</a>) Replaced <quote>sixth sense</quote> with <quote>Sixth Sense</quote> and <quote>backpack</quote> with <quote>Backpack</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect305">305</a>) Replaced <quote>inate</quote> with <quote>innate</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect308">308</a>) Removed the quotation marks and dashes around <quote>Sense Evil</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect310">310</a>) Replaced <quote>area and, aided</quote> with <quote>area, and aided</quote> and <quote>larger, unit</quote> with <quote>larger unit</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect312">312</a>) Replaced <quote>but, as</quote> with <quote>but as</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect313">313</a>) Replaced <quote>face and, within</quote> with <quote>face, and within</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect319">319</a>) Replaced <quote>pathsmanship</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect320">320</a>) Replaced <quote>Mastery, and</quote> with <quote>Mastery and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect321">321</a>) Replaced <quote>arrow</quote> with <quote>Arrow</quote> and <quote>bow</quote> with <quote>Bow</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect323">323</a>) Replaced <quote>momentoes</quote> with <quote>mementoes</quote>, <quote>jadin amulet</quote> with <quote>Jadin Amulet</quote>, <quote>less-noble</quote> with <quote>less noble</quote>, and <quote>etc</quote> with <quote>etc.</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect327">327</a>) Replaced <quote>inate</quote> with <quote>innate</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect332">332</a>) Removed the quotation marks around <quote>Lightning Hand</quote>. Replaced <quote>but, as</quote> with <quote>but as</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect333">333</a>) Replaced <quote>Pathsmanship, and</quote> with <quote>Pathsmanship and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect338">338</a>) Removed the quotation marks and dashes around <quote>Lightning Hand</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect339">339</a>) Removed the quotation marks around <quote>Lightning Hand</quote>. Replaced <quote>glowing blue-fire</quote> with <quote>glowing, blue fire</quote></p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect339">339</a>) Removed the quotation marks and dashes around <quote>Levitation</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect344">344</a>) Replaced <quote>potions</quote> with <quote>Potions</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect347">347</a>) Replaced <quote>Kai-alchemy, and</quote> with <quote>Kai-alchemy and</quote>. Removed <quote> or higher</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect349">349</a>) Replaced <quote>is routed</quote> with <quote>are routed</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect350">350</a>) Replaced <quote>Nyras and, after</quote> with <quote>Nyras, and after</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>) Inserted a zero in a blank spot that appeared in the original printing. The zero appeared in the edition printed in the US.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="crsumary">Combat Rules Summary</a>) Replaced <quote>of chart</quote> with <quote>of the chart</quote>, <quote>to random</quote> with <quote>to the random</quote> and <quote>to 0</quote> with <quote>0 or below</quote>. Replaced <quote>to Combat Results Tables</quote> with <quote>to the Combat Results Table</quote>. Replaced <quote>cross reference</quote> with <quote>cross-reference</quote>.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="footnotz">
+ <meta><title>Footnotes</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>(<a idref="tssf">The Story So Far&ellips;</a>) The Drakkarim land of Nyras has been referred to as <quote>Nyraz</quote> in previous publications. We have left it as it stands in this book due to its consistent use here and under the assumption that the author intended this name change.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="gamerulz">The Game Rules</a>) The Discipline bonuses mentioned do not affect your permanent scores. If you have completed previous adventures, the Disciplines that you have mastered may still be beneficial. See the Grand Master Rules section of the <a href="&link.rh;">Rules Handbook</a> for details.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="gamerulz">The Game Rules</a>) Note that this list is not identical to the one used in <cite><a href="&link.13tplor;">The Plague Lords of Ruel</a></cite>: this list is missing the Silver Bracers and Korlinium Scabbard. These items are restored to the list of permissible items from the Kai and Magnakai series again in <cite><a href="&link.17tdoi;">The Deathlord of Ixia</a></cite>. Presumably, therefore, it should be permissible to leave the Silver Bracers and Korlinium Scabbard in safekeeping at the monastery during the intervening books and retrieve them at the outset of <cite><a href="&link.17tdoi;">The Deathlord of Ixia</a></cite>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="discplnz">Grand Master Disciplines</a>) The rules of the books in the Magnakai series (6-12) and the fact that the <quote>rank of Kai Grand Defender&ellips; means you are skilled in two&ellips; weapons</quote> imply that for each book that you complete of the Grand Master series (13-20), you will gain mastery of an additional Kai weapon. E.g. if you complete <cite>The Plague Lords of Ruel</cite> and have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery at the beginning of the next book, you can choose an additional Weapon from the list to have Mastery of.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="imprvdsc">Improved Grand Master Disciplines</a>) The <spell>Strength</spell> spell is, in practice, also used in armed combat contrary to what is indicated here.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect5">5</a>) This section represents the correct answer to the dragon door lock.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect33">33</a>) You may take <em>one</em> handful of the Floroa Fungi.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect40">40</a>) This section represents the correct answer to the octagonal door lock.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect59">59</a>) It is at your discretion whether or not to apply these bonuses cumulatively. It seems that the bonuses are used non-cumulatively (i.e. a Sun Knight would add 2, not 3).</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect72">72</a>) This section is unreachable and superfluous since it is equivalent to <a idref="sect349">Section 349</a> and <a idref="sect185">Section 185</a>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect89">89</a>) The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect121">121</a>) The most reasonable way to treat the temporary <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> gain is reduce your score at the end of combat <em>only</em> if it is above your original score. Another choice would be to reduce your score at the end of combat unless it would cause your score to fall to zero. The only other option would be to reduce your score regardless which would make the spell pointless.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect156">156</a>) Reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to 15 only if it is currently above that level.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect194">194</a>) This section is unreachable and superfluous since it is equivalent to <a idref="sect19">Section 19</a> but less complete.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect221">221</a>) The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect238">238</a>) The weapon bonuses are cumulative (e.g. the Dagger of Vashna which is a Dagger and a Special Item confers a bonus of +1: 2 - 1).</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect297">297</a>) The most reasonable way to treat the temporary <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> gain is reduce your score at the end of combat <em>only</em> if it is above your original score. Another choice would be to reduce your score at the end of combat unless it would cause your score to fall to zero. The only other option would be to reduce your score regardless which would make the spell pointless.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect323">323</a>) This bonus is applicable when the missiles are aimed at you&emdash;not when you're aiming them at someone or something else. Note the word <quote>against</quote> and that the list includes bolts and darts which are not normally used by Lone Wolf.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="illstrat">
+ <meta><title>Table of Illustrations</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The following is a list of all Sections containing illustrations found in this book:</p>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="primill">
+ <meta><title>Primary Illustrations</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li>Illustration I (<a idref="sect5">Section 5</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration II (<a idref="sect20">Section 20</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration III (<a idref="sect42">Section 42</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration IV (<a idref="sect65">Section 65</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration V (<a idref="sect75">Section 75</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration VI (<a idref="sect102">Section 102</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration VII (<a idref="sect118">Section 118</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration VIII (<a idref="sect150">Section 150</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration IX (<a idref="sect154">Section 154</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration X (<a idref="sect177">Section 177</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XI (<a idref="sect200">Section 200</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XII (<a idref="sect230">Section 230</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XIII (<a idref="sect248">Section 248</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XIV (<a idref="sect262">Section 262</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XV (<a idref="sect272">Section 272</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XVI (<a idref="sect281">Section 281</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XVII (<a idref="sect294">Section 294</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XVIII (<a idref="sect310">Section 310</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XIX (<a idref="sect326">Section 326</a>)</li>
+ <li>Illustration XX (<a idref="sect343">Section 343</a>)</li>
+ <li><a idref="action">Action Chart</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="map">Lands & Territories of the Western Tentarias</a></li>
+ </ul>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="backmatter" id="secill">
+ <meta><title>Secondary Illustrations</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Only the first occurrence of each secondary illustration is cited.</p>
+ <ul class="unbulleted">
+ <li><a idref="sect1">Section 1</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect2">Section 2</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect23">Section 23</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect25">Section 25</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect36">Section 36</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect45">Section 45</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect53">Section 53</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect85">Section 85</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect89">Section 89</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect100">Section 100</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect119">Section 119</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect125">Section 125</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect140">Section 140</a></li>
+ <li><a idref="sect221">Section 221</a></li>
+ </ul>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ &inclusion.project.aon.license;
+
+ </data>
+</section>
+
+</gamebook>
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+
+$Id$
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+Revision 1.1 2004/11/09 06:47:16 jonathan.blake
+Initial Freepository revision
+
+
+//// RCS Revision Log ////
+
+Revision 1.1 2002/10/20 05:59:12 jblake
+Initial revision
+
+//////////////////////////
+
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+<meta>
+ <title>[Insert Title]</title>
+</meta>
+
+<section id="toc">
+ <meta />
+ <data />
+</section>
+
+<section id="title">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Title Page</title>
+ <link class="next" idref="dedicate" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <!-- Frontmatter -->
+
+<!--
+
+THE STORY SO FAR
+
+You are Grand Master lone Wolf of Sommerlund, sole survivor of a massacre that wiped out the First Order of the Kai - an elite warrior caste.
+
+It is the year MS 5077, twenty-seven years since your brave kinsmen perished at the hands of the Darklords of Helgedad. These champions of evil, who were sent forth by Naar - the King of the Darkness, to destroy the fertile world of Magnamund, have themselves since been destroyed. You vowed to avenge the murder of the Kai and you kept your pledge, for it was you who brought about their downfall when alone you infiltrated their foul domain - the Darklands - and caused the destruction of their leader and the base of his power that was the infernal city of Helgedad.
+
+In the wake of their destruction, chaos befell the Darkland armies who, until then, had been poised to conquer all of Magnamund. Some factions which comprised this huge army, roost notably the barbaric Drakkarim, began to fight with the others for control. This disorder quickly escalated into an all-out civil war which allowed the freestate armies of Magnamund time in which to recover and launch a counter-offensive. Skilfully their commanders exploited the chaos and secured a swift and total victory over an enemy far superior in numbers.
+
+For sever years now peace has reigned in Sommerlund. Under your direction the once-ruined monastery of the Kai has been thoroughly rebuilt and restored to its former glory, and the task of teaching a New Order of Kai warriors the skills and proud traditions of your ancestors is also well established. The new generation of Kai recruits, all of whom were born during the era of war against he Darklords, possess latent Kai skills and show exceptional promise. These skills will be nurtured and honed to perfection during their time here at the Monastery so that they may teach and inspire future generations, thereby ensuring the continued security of your homeland in future years.
+
+Your attainment of he rank of Kai Grand Master brought with it great rewards. Some, such as he restoration of he Kai and the undying gratitude of your fellow Sommlending, could have been anticipated. Yet there have been rewards which you could not possibly have foreseen. The discovery that within you lay he potential to develop Kai Disciplines beyond those of he Magnakai, which, until now, were thought to be the ultimate that a Kai Master could aspire to, was truly a revelation. Your discovery has inspired you to set out upon a new and previously unknown path in search of the wisdom and power that no Kai lord before you has ever possessed. In the name of your creator, the God Kai, and for the greater glory of Sommerlund and the Goddess Ishir, you have vowed to reach the very pinnacle of Kai perfection -to attain all of the Grand Master Disciplines and become the first Kai Supreme Master.
+
+With diligence and determination you set about the restoration of the Kai Monastery and the training of the New Order recruits. Your efforts were soon rewarded for, within the space of two short years, the first raw recruits had graduated to become a cadre of gifted Kai Masters who, in turn, were able to commence the teaching of their skills to subsequent intakes of Kai novices. Readily the Kai Masters rose to their new-found responsibilities, leaving you free to devote more of your time to the pursuit and perfection of the Grand Master Disciplines. During this period you also received expert tutelage in the ways of magic from two of your most trusted friends and advisors: Guildmaster Banedon, leader of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star, and Lord Rimoah, speaker for the High Council of be Elder Magi.
+
+In the deepest subterranean level of the Monastery, one hundred feet below the Tower of the Sun, you ordered the excavation and construction of a special vault. In this magnificent chamber, wrought of granite and gold, you placed the seven Lorestones of Nyxator, the gems of Kai power which you had recovered during an earlier quest for Kai knowledge. In this vault, bathed in the golden light of those radiant gems, you spent countless hours in pursuit of perfection. Sometimes alone, sometimes in the company of your two able advisors - Banedon and Rimoah - you worked hard to develop your innate Grand Master Disciplines, and grasp the fundamental secrets of Brotherhood and Old Kingdom magic. During this time you noticed many remarkable changes taking place within your body: you became physically and mentally stronger, your five primary senses sharpened beyond all that you had experienced before, and, perhaps most remarkably, your body began to age at a much slower rate. Now, for every five years that elapse you age but one year.
+
+
+In the years following your victory over the Darklords, peace has reigned victorious and the peoples of the Free Kingdoms rejoice in the knowledge that the evil which once threatened to destroy them has been banished from the face of Magnamund. Readily men have exchanged their swords for hoes and their shields for ploughs, and now the only marching they do is along the ruts of their fleshly furrowed fields. Few are the watchful eyes that scan the distant horizon in fear of what may appear, although there are still those who maintain their vigilance, for the agents of the Dark God Naar come in many guises and there are those upon Magnamund who wait quietly in the shadows for the chance to do his evil bidding.
+
+Already your new-found skills have been tested against Naar's agents and you have, on each occasion, acquitted yourself admirably. But your continuing victories against his minions have enraged the Dark God and inflamed his lust for vengeance. One such minion, the powerful Deathlord of Ixia, threatened to enslave the free nations of Magnamund with a weapon forged by Naar himself. Bravely you ventured alone into the Deathlord's icy domain and confronted him in a life-or-death battle in which you were triumphant. However, as you were returning from the Deathlord's frigid realm you learned that Sommerlund had been attacked. In your absence, Naar had sent forth host of dragon-creatures to destroy the New Order of the Kai and lay waste to your homeland.
+
+The news came as a terrible shock. In Ixia you had won a great victory over Evil, yet at what cost? You had no doubts that the New Order were worthy Kai warriors, but they were all so young, their mettle as yet untested in the furnace-heat of battle. Secretly you feared that they would be unable to resist Naar's newest champions, and so you resolved to return as quickly as possible to Sommerlund to take command of the Kai Monastery and orchestrate your country's defences.
+
+In the court of King Sarnac of Lencia, in the city of Vadera, you received a pledge from the King himself that he would do all in his power to help speed your long journey home to Sommerlund. Accompanied by Lord Ardan, a friend and magician from the land of Dessi, you were put aboard a Lencian clipper, one of the fastest of all sea-going vessels. This ship was bound for Garthen - the principal city of Talestria - which lies more than a thousand miles to the east of Vadera. This was to be the first stage of your journey back to Sommerlund, a destination more than two thousand miles from Lencia. As you set sail from Vadera harbour you knew that you were embarking upon a race against time, a desperate race in which the future of your country and the New Order of the Kai were at stake.
+
+THE GAME RULES
+
+You keep a record of your adventure on the Action Chart that you will find in the front of this book. For ease of use, and for further adventuring, it is recommended that you photocopy these pages.
+
+For more than seven years, ever since the demise of the Darklords of Helgedad, you have devoted yourself to further developing your fighting prowess - COMBAT SKILL - and physical stamina - ENDURANCE. Before you begin this Grand Master adventure you need to measure how effective your training has been. To do this, take a pencil and, with your eyes closed, point with the blunt end of it onto the Random Number Table on the last page of the book. If you pick a 0 it counts as zero.
+
+The first number that you pick from the Random Number Table in this way represents your COMBAT SKILL. Add 25 to the number you picked and write the total in the COMBAT SKILL section of your Action Chart (ie, if your pencil fell on the number 6 in the Random Number Table you would write in a COMBAT SKILL of 31). When you fight, your COMBAT SXILL will be pitted against that of your enemy. A high score to this section is therefore very desirable.
+
+The second number that you pick from the Random Number Table represents your powers of ENDURANCE. Add 30 to this number and write the total in the ENDURANCE section of your Action Chart (ie, if your pencil fell on the number 7 on the Random Number Table you would have 37 ENDURANCE points).
+
+If you are wounded in combat you will lose EUNDURANCE points. If at any time your ENDURANCE points fall to zero, you are dead and the adventure is over. Lost ENDURANCE points can be regained during he course of the adventure, but your number of ENDURANCE points cannot rise above the number you have when you start an adventure.
+
+Playing Tip: You may use a ten-sided die instead of the Random Number table if you find it easier.
+
+If you have successfully completed any of the previous adventures in the Lone Wolf series (Books 1-17), you can carry your current scores of COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points over to Book 18. These scores may include Weaponmastery, Curing and Psi-surge bonuses obtained upon completion of Lone Wolf Kai (Books 1-5) or Magnakai (Books 6-12) adventures. Only if you have completed these previous adventures will you benefit from the appropriate bonuses in the course of the Grand Master series. You may also carry over any weapons and Backpack Items you had in your possession at the end of your last adventure, and these should be entered on your new Grand Master Action Chart (you are still limited to two Weapons, but you may now carry up to ten Backpack Items).
+
+However, only the following Special Items may be carried over from the Lone Wolf Kai (Books 1-5) and Magnakai (Books 6-12) series to the Lone Wolf Grand Master series (Book 13-onwards):
+
+Crystal Star Pendant Jewelled Mace
+Sommerswerd Silver Bow of Duadon
+Silver Helm Silver Brace
+Korlinium Scabbard Kagonite Chainmail
+
+KAI & MAGNAKAI DISCIPLINES
+
+During your distinguished rise to the rank of Kai Grand Master, you have become proficient in all of the basic Kai and Magnakai Disciplines. These Disciplines have provided you with a formidable arsenal of natural abilities which have served you well in the fight against the agents and champions of Naar, King of Darkness. A brief summary of your skills is given below.
+
+Weaponmastery
+Proficiency with all close combat and missile weapons. Master of unarmed combat; no COMBAT SKILL loss when fighting bare-handed.
+
+Animal Control
+Communication with most animals; limited control over hostile creatures. Can use woodland animals as guides and can block a non-sentient creature's sense of taste and smell.
+
+Curing
+Steady restoration of lost ENDURANCE points (to self and others) as a result of combat wounds. Neutralization of poisons, venoms and toxins. Repair of serious battle wounds.
+
+Invisibility
+Mask body heat and scent; hide effectively; mask sounds during movement; minor alterations of physical appearance.
+
+Huntmastery
+Effective hunting of food in the wild; increased agility; intensified vision hearing, smell and night vision.
+
+Pathsmanship
+Read languages, decipher symbols, read footprints and tracks. Intuitive knowledge of compass points; detection of enemy ambush up to 500 yards; ability to cross terrain without leaving tracks; converse with sentient creatures; mask self from psychic spells of detection.
+
+Psi-surge
+Attack enemies using the powers of the mind; set up disruptive vibrations in objects; confuse enemies.
+
+Psi-screen
+Defence against - hypnosis, supernatural illusions, charms, hostile telepathy and evil spirits. Ability to divert and re-channel hostile psychic energy.
+
+Nexus
+Move small items by projection of mind power; withstand extremes of temperature; extinguish fire by force of will; limited immunity to flames, toxic gases, corrosive liquids.
+
+Divination
+Sense imminent danger; detect invisible or hidden enemy; telepathic communication; recognize magic-using and/or magical creatures; detect psychic residues; limited ability to leave body and spirit-walk.
+
+
+GRAND MASTER DISCIPLINES
+
+Now, through the pursuit of new skills and the further development of your innate Kai abilities, you have set out upon a path of discovery that no other Kai Grand Master has ever attempted with success. Your determination to become the first Kai Supreme Master, by acquiring total proficiency in all twelve of the Grand Master Disciplines, is an awe-inspiring challenge. You will be venturing into the unknown, pushing back the boundaries of human limitation in the pursuit of greatness and the cause of Good. May the blessings of the gods Kai and Ishir go with you as you begin your brave and noble quest.
+
+In the years following the demise of the Darklords you have reached she rank of Kai Grand Defender, which means that you have mastered four of the Grand Master Disciplines listed below. It is up to you to choose which four Disciplines these are. As all of the Grand Master Disciplines will be of use to you at some point during your adventure, pick your four skills with care. The correct use of a Grand Master Discipline at the right time could save your life.
+
+When you have chosen your four Disciplines, enter them in the Grand Master Disciplines section of your Action Chart.
+
+Grand Weaponmastery
+This Discipline enables a Grand Master to become supremely efficient in the use of all weapons. When you enter combat with one of your Grand Master weapons, you add 5 points to your COMBAT SKILL. The rank of Kai Grand Defender, with which y you begin the Grand Master series, means you are skilled in two of the weapons listed opposite and overleaf.
+
+SPEAR
+
+DAGGER
+
+MACE
+
+SHORT SWORD
+
+WARHAMMER
+
+BOW
+
+QUARTERSTAFF
+
+BROADSWORD
+
+AXE
+
+SWORD
+
+Animal Mastery
+Grand Masters have considerable control over hostile, non-sentient creatures. Also, they have the ability to converse with birds and fishes, and use them as guides.
+
+Deliverance (Advanced Curing)
+Grand Masters are able to use their healing power to repair serious battle wounds. If, whilst in combat, their ENDURANCE is reduced to 8 points or less, they can draw upon their mastery to restore 20 ENDURANCE points. This ability can only be used once every 20 days.
+
+Assimilance (Advanced Invisibility)
+Grand Masters are able to effect striking changes to their physical appearance, and maintain these changes over a period of a few days. They have also mastered advanced camouflage techniques that make them virtually undetectable in an open landscape.
+
+Grand Huntmastery
+Grand Masters are able to see in total darkness, and have greatly heightened senses of touch and taste.
+
+Grand Pathsmanship
+Grand Masters are able to resist entrapment by hostile plants, and have a super-awareness of ambush, or the threat of ambush, in woods and dense forests.
+
+Kai-surge
+When using their psychic ability to attack an enemy, Grand Masters may add 8 points to their COMBAT SKILL. For every round in which Kai-surge is used, Grand Masters need only deduct 1 ENDURANCE point. When using the weaker psychic attack - Mindblast - they may add 4 points without loss of ENDUBANCE points. Kai-surge, Psi-surge and Mindblast cannot be used simultaneously.)
+
+Grand Masters cannot use Kai-surge if their ENDURANCE score falls to 6 points or below.
+
+Kai-screen
+In psychic combat, Grand Masters are able to construct mind-fortresses capable of protecting themselves and others. The strength and capacity of these fortresses increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.
+
+Grand Nexus
+Grand Masters are able to withstand contact with harmful elements, such as flames and acids, for upwards of an hour in duration. This ability increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.
+
+Telegnosis (Advanced Divination)
+This Discipline enables a Grand Master to spirit-walk for far greater lengths of time, and with far fewer ill- effects. Duration, and the protection of his inanimate body, increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.
+
+Magi-Magic
+Under the tutelage of Lord Rimoah, you have been able to master the rudimentary skills of battle magic, as taught to the Vakeros - the native warriors of Dessi. As you advance in rank, so will your knowledge and mastery of Old Kingdom magic increase.
+
+Kai-alchemy
+Under the tutelage of Guildmaster Banedon, you have mastered the elementary spells of Left-handed Magic, as practised by the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star. As you advance in rank, so will your knowledge and mastery of Left-handed Magic increase, enabling you to craft new Kai weapons and artefacts.
+
+If you successfully complete the mission asset in Book 18 of the Lone Wolf Grand Master series, you may add a further Grand Master Discipline of your choice to your Action Chart in Book 19.
+
+For every Grand Master Discipline you possess, In excess of the original our Disciplines you begin with, you may add 1 point to your basic COMBAT SKILL score and 2 points to your basic ENDURANCE points score. These bonus points, together with your extra Grand Master Discipline(s), your original four Grand Master Disciplines, and any Special items that you have found and been able to keep during your adventures, may then be carried over and used in the next Grand Master adventure, which is called
+
+Wolf's Bane.
+
+EQUIPMENT
+
+Before you set off on your long journey to Sommerlund you take with you a map of Northern Magnamund (see the inside front cover of this book) and a pouch of gold. To find out how much gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the Random Number Table and add 20 to the number you have picked. The total equals the number of Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you should now enter this number in the 'Gold Crowns' section of your Action Chart.
+
+If you have successfully completed any of the previous Lone Wolf adventures (Books 1-17), you may add this sum to the total sum of crowns you already possess. Fifty Crowns is the maximum you can carry, but additional Crowns can be left in safe-keeping at your monastery.
+
+You can take four items from, the list below, again adding to these, if necessary, any you may already possess from previous adventures (remember, you are still limited to two weapons, but you may now carry a maximum of ten Backpack items).
+
+QUARTERSTAFF (Weapons)
+
+Bow (Weapons)
+
+QUIVER (Special Items) This contains six arrows; record them on your Weapons List.
+
+DAGGER Weapons)
+
+SWORD (Weapons)
+
+2 MEALS Each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack.
+
+ROPE (Backpack tern)
+
+POTION OF LAUMSPUR (Backpack Item) This potion restores 4 ENDURANCE points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for only one dose.
+
+AXE (Weapons)
+
+List the four items bat you choose on your Action Chart, under the appropriate headings, and make a note of any effect that may have on your ENDURANCE points or COMBAT SKILL.
+
+Equipment - How to use it
+
+Weapons
+The maximum number of weapons that you can carry is two. Weapons aid you in combat. If you have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery and a correct weapon, it adds 5 points to your COMBAT SKILL. If you find a weapon during your adventure, you may pick it up and use it.
+
+Bow and Arrows
+During your adventure there will be opportunities to use a bow and arrow. If you equip yourself with this and you possess at least one arrow, you may use it when the text of a particular section allows you to do so. The bow is a useful weapon, for it enables you to hit an enemy at a distance. However, a bow cannot be used in hand-to-hand combat, therefore it is recommended that you also equip yourself with a combat weapon, such as a sword or an axe.
+
+In order to use a bow you must possess a quiver and at least one arrow. Each time the bow is used, erase an arrow from your Action Chart. A bow cannot, of course, be used if you exhaust your supply of arrows, but the opportunity may arise during your adventure for you to replenish your stock of arrows.
+
+If you have the Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery with a bow, you may add 3 points to any number you pick from the Random Number Table, when using the bow.
+
+Backpack Items
+These must be stored in your Backpack. Because space is limited, you may keep a maximum of ten articles, including Meals, in your Backpack at any one time. You may only carry one Backpack at a time. During your travels you will discover various useful items which you may decide to keep. You may exchange or discard them at any point when you are not involved in combat.
+
+Any item that may be of use, and which can be picked up on your adventure and entered on your Action Chart is given either initial capitals (eg, Gold Dagger, Magic Pendant), or is clearly labelled as a Backpack Item. Unless you are told that it is a Special Item, carry it in your Backpack.
+
+Special Items
+Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how or where to carry it. The maximum number of Special Items that can be carried on any adventure is twelve.
+
+Food
+Food is carried in your Backpack. Each Meal counts as one item. 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 ENDURANCE points. However, if you have chosen the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you will not need to tick off a Meal when instructed to eat.
+
+Potion of Laumspur
+This is a healing potion that can restore 4 ENDURANCE points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for one dose only. If you discover any other potion during the adventure, you will be informed of its effect. All potions are Backpack Items.
+
+RULES FOR COMBAT
+
+There will be occasions during your adventure when you have to fight an enemy. The enemy's COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points are given in the text. Lone Wolf's aim in he combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his ENDURANCE points to zero while losing as few ENDURANCE points as possible himself.
+
+At the start of a combat, enter Lone Wolf's and the enemy's ENDURANCE points in the appropriate boxes on the Combat Record section of your Action Chart.
+
+The sequence for combat is as follows:
+
+1. Add any extra points gained through your Grand Master Disciplines and Special Items to your current COMBAT SKILL total.
+
+2. Subtract the COMBAT SKILL of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter on the Action Chart.
+
+Example
+Lone Wolf (COMBAT SKILL 32) is attacked by a pack of Doomwolves (COMBAT SKILL 30). He is taken by surprise and is not given the opportunity of evading their attack. Lone Wolf has the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge to which the Doomwolves are not immune, so Lone Wolf adds 3 points to his COMBAT SKILL, giving him a total COMBAT SKILL of 35.
+
+He subtracts the Doomwolf Pack's COMBAT SKILL from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of +5. (35 - 30= +5). +5 is noted on the Action Chart as the Combat Ratio.
+
+3. When you have your Combat Ratio, pick a number from the Random, Number Table.
+
+4. Turn to the Combat Results Table on the inside back cover of this book. 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 ENDURANCE points lost by both Lone Wolf and his enemy in this round of combat. (E represents points loss by the enemy; LW represents points lost by Lone Wolf.)
+
+Example
+The Combat Ratio between Lone Wolf and the Doomwolf Pack has been established as +5. If the number taken from the Random Number Table is a 2, then the result of the first round of combat is:
+
+Lone Wolf loses 3 ENDURANCE points (plus an additional 1 point for using Kai surge).
+Doomwolf Pack loses 7 ENDURANCE points.
+
+5. On the Action Chart, mark the changes in ENCURANCE points to the participants in the combat.
+
+6. Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, the next round of combat now starts.
+
+7. Repeat the sequence from Stage 3.
+
+This process of combat continues until ENDURANCE points of either the enemy or Lone Wolf are reduced to zero, at which point the one with the zero score is declared dead. If Lone Wolf is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Lone Wolf proceeds but with his ENDURANCE points reduced.
+
+A summary of Combat Rules appears on the page after the Random Number Table.
+
+Evasion of combat
+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 ENDURANCE points during that round (but then that is the risk of running away!). You may only evade if the text of the particular section allows you to do so.
+
+
+GRAND MASTERS WISDOM
+
+In order to find the quickest route from Vadera to your Kai Monastery you nay well have to pass through several wild and dangerous regions of Magnamund. Be wary and on your guard at all times, for the agents of the Dark God Naar are abroad and they will do everything in their power to thwart your safe return.
+
+Some of the things that you will find or encounter during your mission will be of use to you in this and future Lone Wolf books, while others may be red herrings of no real value at all,. If you discover items, be selective in what you choose to keep.
+
+
+
+Pick your four Grand Master Disciplines with care for a wise choice will enable any player to complete the quest, no matter how weak their initial COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE scores may be. Successful completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures, although an advantage, is not essential for the completion of this Grand Master adventure.
+
+May the light of the Gods Kai and Ishir make swift your return to your endangered homeland.
+
+For Sommerlund and the Kai!
+
+IMPROVED GRAND MASTER DISCIPLINES
+
+As you rise through the higher levels of Kai Grand Mastery, you will find that your Disciplines will steadily improve. If you are a Kai Grand Master who has reached the rank of Grand Thane, you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:
+
+Deliverance
+Grand Thanes with this Discipline are able to call upon the God Kai for divine assistance should a situation warrant it. Kai cannot intervene to save a Grand Thane from physical danger, but he can give signs which may help a Grand Thane chose the best course of action. A Grand Thane can call upon the God Kai for assistance no more than once every month. The frequency of divine audiences will increase as a Grand Master rises in rank.
+
+Assimilance
+Grand Thanes who possess this skill are able to protect themselves from detection by creatures using infra-vision (the ability to see the heat radiating from a person or thing), or ultra-vision (the ability to detect objects or movement in the ultra-violet spectrum of light).
+
+Grand Kai-surge
+Grand Thanes with this skill are able to focus their mind-power upon inanimate breakable objects, eg, bottles, windows, all ceramics, urns, jugs etc, and cause them to explode violently. Any person or creature in close proximity to such an explosion risks injury from flying shrapnel.
+
+Grand Nexus
+Grand Thanes who possess mastery of this Discipline can pass freely through the Shadow Gates. These phenomena are special portals which enable one to access other dimensions and planes of existence outside of Magnamund. Kai Grand Thanes are able to detect the location of Shadow Gates and pass through them without suffering any physical ill effects. The range of their detection increases as a Kai Grand Master rises in rank.
+
+Telegnosis
+Grand Thanes who possess this Discipline are able to detect the exact location of precious gems, and valuable metals such as gold, platinum and silver. These minerals and metals may occur naturally in the ground or they could be part of a hidden treasure hoard. The range of this ability is limited at first, but increases steadily as a Kai Grand Master rises in rank.
+
+Magi-magic
+Grand Masters who have reached the rank of Grand Thane are able to use the following Old Kingdom battle-spells:
+
+Power Glyph - By inscribing this ancient glyph (a secret magical symbol) upon a door, an archway, or even upon the lid of a closed box, a Kai Grand Thane is able to protect items or portals from being opened. Any creature attempting to open a portal protected in such a way will release the power of the glyph and suffer its deadly effects.
+
+Hold Enemy - Using this spell, a Kai Grand Thane is able to immobilize a single hostile creature anywhere within twenty feet of themselves. The duration of the spell is dependent upon the size and strength of the targetted creature. The range and duration of effect of this spell increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.
+
+The nature of any additional improvements and how they affect your Grand Master Disciplines will be noted
+ in the 'Improved Grand Master Disciplines' section of future Lone Wolf books.
+
+LEVELS OF KAI GRAND MASTERSHIP
+
+The following table is a guide to the rank and titles you can achieve at each stage of your journey along the road of Kai Grand Mastership. As you successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf Grand Master series, you will gain an additional Grand Master Discipline and progress towards the pinnacle of Kai perfection - becoming a Kai Supreme Master.
+
+No of Grand
+Master Disciplines
+Acquired Grand Master Rank
+
+1 Kai Grand Master Senior
+2 Kai Grand Master Superior
+3 Kai Grand Sentinel
+4 Kai Grand Defender - You begin the Lone Wolf Grand Master adventures at this level of Mastery
+5 Kai Grand Guardian
+6 Sun Knight
+7 Sun Lord
+8 Sun Thane
+9 Grand Thane
+10 Grand Crown
+11 Sun Prince
+12 Kai Supreme Master
+
+
+-->
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="numbered">
+ <meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect1">
+ <meta><title>1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You set sail from Vadera harbour on a bitterly cold, grey, late winters day. The masts of your host ship, the Lencian clipper Saxin, have been rigged with every available square inch of canvas to catch the prevailing winds that will, with luck, propel you quickly to Talestria - the first stage of your long journey home. The clipper is a sleek and impressive craft and its departure does not go unnoticed, yet of all the many Lencians who have turned out to watch and wave it farewell, only King Sarnac and his closest advisors know the true purpose of its voyage.</p>
+ <p>Once the Saxin Is beyond the sheltering walls of Vadera harbour, its Captain charts an easterly course along the Tentarlas - the chain of seas and landlocked lakes which separate the two continents of Magnamund. You and your companion, Lord Ardan, settle into the ship's easy routine and, with few on-board duties to perform, you endeavour to pass the long hours constructively. With the aid of a map (see the inside front cover of his book) which he gives to you, Ardan briefs you on the route you should travel if you are to reach Sommerlund as swiftly as possible. You spend your time discussing the details of the route and pondering the new Evil which now threatens your homeland and the Kai.</p>
+ <p>Every night, as you lie awake on your bunk staring at the tarred beams of your cabin, you wish away the miles that separate you from your beloved homeland. You want, most of all, to be with your young Kai acolytes in this dark hour, but fate has seen fit to place a great distance between you. Fearful of what you may find if you arrive home too late, every night you offer up prayers to the Gods Ishir and Kai to help speed your return to Sommerlund.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect175"><link-text>Turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect2">
+ <meta><title>2</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are deeply suspicious of the youth, and by using the Brotherhood spell Sense Evil, you soon confirm your fears. You detect that he is a murderous cut-throat and that his sinister building is home to Varetta's notorious Guild of Thieves. Forewarned of the danger, you wheel your horse about and gallop away along Spur Lane, retracing your route back to the square at the city's South Gate. On returning here, you rein in your horse and pause to consider the remaining two exits from the square.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If you wish to go north Into Ladder Way, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect194">If you choose to go west into Quill Street, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect3">
+ <meta><title>3</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is early in the afternoon when you catch sight of a grand, half-timbered bridge in the far distance. It spans a river, swollen by the recent rains, which you recognize at once to be the River Reloni. There is a mall circular tent near the approach to the bridge, and three Eldenoran soldiers are seated on stools beside it, each smoking a long-stemmed pipe.</p>
+ <p>At first you consider avoiding the bridge and finding somewhere else to make a crossing, but the river is wide and fast-flowing, and the three guards look particularly weak and stupid. After some deliberation, you decide to try and bluff your way past them.</p>
+ <p>As you approach, one of the guards gets up off his stool and moves to stand in your way. Casually, he asks to see some sort of identification.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect283">If you possess a Silver Seal, <link-text>turn to 283</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect317">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect4">
+ <meta><title>4</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You shout the order to fire and the Kai let loose their straining bowstrings. A cloud of arrows with armour-piercing tips, hardened in the fires of the monastery forge, whistle towards the swooping lavas with impressive accuracy. All find their target, but only one of the winged creatures falls from the sky. You see that the beast has been struck in the eye. Hurriedly the acolytes reload as the lavas prepare to land on the Tower of the Sun.</p>
+ <p>'Fire at their eyes!' you shout, and a cloud of Kai arrows are sent screaming through the sky to seek their elusive mark. This time more than half find their target, decimating the onrushing lavas at a single stroke, yet those winged creatures who do survive this deadly volley are quickly among the defenders on the Tower.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect58"><link-text>Turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect5">
+ <meta><title>5</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before your face disappears completely below the surface of the Storn, you manage to utter the words of the Brotherhood spell Strength. Immediately, you feel the fatigue melting away from your aching limbs, and a surge of renewed energy revitalizes your muscles.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect327"><link-text>Turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect6">
+ <meta><title>6</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a mighty effort, you drag your feet from the burning mire and leap head-first into the whirling black abyss of the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect69"><link-text>Turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect7">
+ <meta><title>7</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The pack leader is ripped to shreds by the blast and many of his followers are left mortally wounded. But neither the sight of their injuries nor the deafening sound of the explosion deters the remaining pack members from approaching the bridge. With fear running ice cold in your veins, you spur your tired horse to the gallop in a desperate attempt to out-run these howling fiends.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304"><link-text>Turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect8">
+ <meta><title>8</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You bow to the King's wishes and resolve, instead, to reach the Kai Monastery by land and destroy the Shadow Gate as soon as you are able. Strengthened by this resolution, you show to the council the Sun-Crystal that Gwynian gave you, and you tell them how you intend to use it.</p>
+ <p>Ulnar and the barons applaud your plan and your steadfast courage. The King places under your command his elite Guard Cavalry regiment, so that you may be able to use them to break through the enemy's line at its weakest point and reach the Kai monastery. Captain D'Val, commander of the Guard Cavalry, knows where this weak point is and he will guide you to it.</p>
+ <p>The King dissolves the council and, as the barons return to their armies in the field, he orders you to rest in his chambers for a few hours.</p>
+ <p>'Get some sleep, Grand Master,' he says, patting you paternally on the shoulder, 'you will need it. You ride with the Guard at dawn.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect94"><link-text>Turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect9">
+ <meta><title>9</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you intone the words of the Old Kingdom spell Hold Enemy and direct its power at Prince Lutha. Instantly he is frozen into immobility. Your swift action has prevented him from activating the evil power of the ring he wears, a power which could spell your doom. But you sense that it is only a matter of time before your spell wears off and he is free to direct the power of the ring against you.</p>
+ <p>Seizing the advantage, you call on your Magnakai skills of Pathsmanship to aid you as you begin the difficult climb out of the pit. The ascent becomes a race against time; you must reach the open trapdoor before the Prince recovers from the effects of your spell.</p>
+ <p>You are pulling yourself through the opening when Lutha begins to move. He attempts to kick you with his right foot but you twist away in time to avoid the vicious attack. You tug his left leg and put him off balance; this move buys you the few seconds you need to get to your feet. As you rise he comes at you with a dagger in his hand, forcing you back towards the open hole.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Prince Lutha (with Ring of Power)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">54</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">39</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>While wearing the Ring of Power, Lutha is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect89">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect10">
+ <meta><title>10</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you make your descent across the rocks to where the Sun-Crystal lies, but in your hurry, you slip and fall on he wet granite.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Nexus, add 2. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 1. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points total is 11 or less, deduct 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect258">If your total score is now 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect134">If it is 3 or more, <link-text>turn to 134</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect11">
+ <meta><title>11</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is near dusk when you emerge from the hills and see the glimmering waters of River Kinam less than five miles distant. This great river marks the border between Talestria and Palmyrion, Queen Evaine's neighbouring ally. The road descends to a border toll bridge beyond which you can see the sprawling town of Scade. The troop is challenged by the bridge warden to halt and pay a fee of 100 Silver Lune. This fee is soon forgotten, though, when the Lord Constable shows the pedantic old man his Royal Seal. With a stiff salute he steps aside and bids you all a safe journey.</p>
+ <p>Scade is a bustling market town which has grown rich and fat in the years following the defeat of the Darklords. Its brightly painted buildings and paved thoroughfares exude affluence, and even its lowly street-beggars look clean and well-fed by comparison to those in other parts of Magnamund. Nathor leads the troop to an inn near the centre of the town, a fine establishment called 'The Lucky Bucket'. Its owner, a corpulent fellow with a polished bald pate, welcomes him with open arms. After the ordeal at Pinepeaks and the long day's ride, you are looking forward to a hot bath and a large supper. However, it soon transpires that the inn is almost full and the owner can only provide rooms for five of the troop.</p>
+ <p>'Not to worry,' says Nathor, noticing the look of disappointment on your face. 'I know Knight Tranius - the lord of this manor. Many's the time we've hunted boar in the hills. His castle is but two miles from here. Five can billet here tonight while the rest of us lodge with Tranius.'</p>
+ <p>You agree to Nathor's proposal and set off with him, accompanied by three of the troopers, along a river track which heads north to Castle Tranius.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect140"><link-text>Turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect12">
+ <meta><title>12</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Drawing on all your Kai camouflage and tracking skills, you manage to evade the war-dog pack and escape into the depths of the forest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect13">
+ <meta><title>13</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You place your hands on the young man's chest and, using your Magnakai healing skills, you cause the puncture wound to mend (reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 1 point). However, your treatment is not enough to save him. The poison in his blood is too strong and to well-established to be neutralized by your innate Kai powers. Sadly you watch as the brave young man slips into a sleep from which he will not awaken.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect255"><link-text>Turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect14">
+ <meta><title>14</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hear the hiss of a crossbow bolt in flight, and instantly react by pulling your horse sharply to one side. It is a move that saves your life. The iron missile grazes your shoulder (lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point) but it does not prevent you from making good your escape into the trees.</p>
+ <p>You keep to the woods and head south in a wide arc around the Eldenoran settlement at Fabri. During your ride through this lush timberland, you discover the following items in the bags and blanket roll which are attached to the horse's saddle:</p>
+ <p>Sword Rope Tinderbox Blanket Bow Quiver containing 5 arrows 12 Lune (equivalent to 3 Gold Crowns) Spyglass</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Shortly before sunset, you emerge from the trees at a place where three trails meet. A wooden signpost propped against a boulder indicates three directions, and distances:</p>
+ <p>North-Chod-250 miles West-Holona-SO miles South-Tenzha-20 miles</p>
+ <p>You are anxious to leave hostile Eldenoran territory as soon as possible and, after checking your map, you set off to the south, towards the Slovian border town of Tenzha. During your ride, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENOURANCE points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect343">To continue, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect15">
+ <meta><title>15</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Did you not know, Northlander,' chuckles Dorst, 'that cheatin' is fair in Taluka? Least, that's the way we play it, eh boys?'</p>
+ <p>Feeling a little embarrassed by their behaviour, you fold your hand of cards, pick up your money, and make an excuse that you are tired after your long day's ride. Dorst and his men bid you goodnight, and as he and his men continue with their dubious game, you go and check to see that your horse is comfortable for the night. You are busy gathering some grasses for his feed when suddenly a shriek echoes through the hills - it is the unmistakable cry of a Kraan.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect221">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect16">
+ <meta><title>16</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Overhead the sun gleams like a jewel in the clear blue sky, and the early morning air bites with a refreshing sharpness which helps to revive your spirits. A layer of thick frost covers the stony trail from the monastery, and it scrunches loudly under the horses' hooves as you make your careful descent. Soon you rejoin the east road and follow it, through a series of shallow gorges, to a thick pine forest where the ground is covered with mossy rocks. Here the road ascends to a crest where a pall of black smoke stains the cloudless sky. As you approach the crest, you suddenly sense danger ahead and shout a warning to Nathor. He commands the troop to halt while you go ahead to assess the situation.</p>
+ <p>Beyond the crest you see a broad valley with steeply wooded sides. At its centre there is a village and a large stone building which, when you magnify your vision, you determine to be a church. The roof of this building is ablaze and several bodies lie dotted around its cultivated grounds and gardens. You signal to Nathor to join you and, when he arrives upon the crest, he is able to identify the burning church.</p>
+ <p>'That's Pinepeaks Abbey,' he says, his voice stilted with anxiety. 'They are in trouble - we must help them.'</p>
+
+ <p>He calls his men to come forward and, before you can caution him, he leads them at the gallop down the steep trail which descends towards the valley floor. Cursing his impetuosity, you spur your steed onward and follow in his wake. You have covered less than half a mile when suddenly your Magnakai sense of Divination screams a warning - the troop is riding directly into an ambush.</p>
+ <p>Desperately you shout for Nathor to halt but your command goes unheeded. Then, from out of the surrounding pines, there comes a volley of arrows and spears. One spear penetrates deep into your horse's flank, killing him instantly.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <p>If the number you have picked is 0 or 1, turn 278.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect183">If it is 2-6, <link-text>turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If it is 7-9, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect17">
+ <meta><title>17</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>High above you can hear the distant sound of running feet. A troop of the Prince's guards are rushing to his aid, although you sense that it is too late to save him now. Rather than stay to face their wrath when they discover their leader has been incinerated, you use the Sommerswerd to open the circular panel in the wall of the pit. As it falls away, you discover a chute which leads to an underground river. Quickly you crawl along this slime-smeared chute and slip into the cold waters, where you are carried swiftly away by the strong undercurrent.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
+ <meta><title>18</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sense that the talisman is protecting your body from the extreme heat and toxic atmosphere of this hellish plane. However, this talisman alone will not be sufficient to keep you sale from the creatures that are now advancing rapidly towards the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80"><link-text>Turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect19">
+ <meta><title>19</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the valley lies an expanse of coarse and thorny vegetation which is alive with wild game. You stop to catch yourself an evening meal and then make camp beneath an old twisted oak (restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). The night passes uneventfully and at first light you resume your ride east. Shortly before midday, you arrive at the ruins of an ancient church where a signpost, pointing to the east, says:</p>
+ <p>VANAMOR - 42 miles</p>
+ <p>You allow yourself a smile; with luck you could be the city walls by nightfall.</p>
+ <p>Later in the day you see a dust cloud approaching along the road. You magnify your vision and see a dozen armed horsemen clad in ragged uniforms of green and black. A sense of unease pervades your mind; these are the colours most often worn by Eldenoran soldiers. Trusting to your Kai instincts, you steer your horse off the trail and take cover among the trees of a nearby copse.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect81">If the number you have picked is 0-6, <link-text>turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If it is 7-9, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect20">
+ <meta><title>20</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The unexpected sound of the voice jolts you to full consciousness. You look around for who it was who uttered these words and, to your surprise, you see an old man dressed in brown robes standing before you, stroking your horses nose. Immediately you recognize the kindly face of Gwynian the Sage.</p>
+ <p>'Fate calls us together once more, Lone Wolf,' he says, 'Come, we have much to discuss.'</p>
+ <p>And with that he takes hold of your horse's bridle and leads him across the park to a grand building. It has changed much since you were last here, but despite 'he new brick and marble façade you recognize Varetta's Halls of Learning.</p>
+ <p>You are taken along a gravelled path to a hall, where a sign hanging over its richly-carved oak door says: LIBRARY. You dismount, and Gwynian ties the reins to a ring set into the wall. Then he pushes open the door and together you enter the library's cool interior. Countless thousands of books and parchments crowd the stone shelves of this magnificent library, marching past on either side as you walk towards another door at the far end of the hall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect21">
+ <meta><title>21</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you urge the horse forwards, but the combined weight of you and Lord Nathor conspire to slow its progress. Before it can carry you through the gatehouse and onto the drawbridge beyond, the portcullis comes crashing down, sealing your only means of escape. Then a second portcullis descends, preventing you from returning into the castle keep. You are caught, trapped like fish in a barrel in the narrow corridor between these two gates.</p>
+ <p>This area is called the 'murder hole', and, as you soon discover to your cost, it is an apt description of what can occur in this dreadful place. Within seconds of your capture, the walls above are ringed by guardsmen, each armed with bows which they aim at you and your companion. At a given signal they open fire, pouring volley after relentless volley of arrows into your defenceless forms.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your journey home to Sommerlund ends here, in the murder hole of castle Tranius.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect22">
+ <meta><title>22</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You instruct Captain D'Val to retreat with the regiment fifty yards back along the trail. When he has complied with your order, you move upstream until you can see, at an angle, the source of the ultra-violet beam: it is a small metallic polyhedron, studded with rivets.</p>
+ <p>You dismount and pick a large stone out of the river and lob it at the device with deft precision. The instant the stone hits, there is a violent explosion which knocks you down and peppers the area of the ford with sharp splinters of rock.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310">If the number you have picked is 0-3, <link-text>turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect105">If it is 4-9, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect23">
+ <meta><title>23</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly you feel your throat tighten, and the skin on your face and the backs of your hands begins to itch. With mounting dread you realize that you have been walking into an area which is infested with a virulent plague. Hurriedly, you turn to run from the town as fast as you can, but you have taken no more than a dozen steps when you collapse to the muddy ground.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you possess any Oede herb, or Matho's potion, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect128">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect24">
+ <meta><title>24</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The death of their leader stuns the dragon herd into frozen silence, and you seize this opportunity to make a dash for the Shadow Gate. Before Naar can direct his lavas to block your escape, you reach the Gate and hurl yourself through it into the whirling black abyss.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect69"><link-text>Turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect25">
+ <meta><title>25</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fold your hand of cards, pick up your money, and make an excuse that you are tired after your long day's ride. Dorst and his men bid you good-night, and as he and his men continue with the game, you go and check to see that your horse is comfortable for the night. You are busy gathering some grasses for his feed when suddenly a shriek echoes through the hills - it is the unmistakable cry of a Kraan.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect221">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect26">
+ <meta><title>26</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your advanced Kai mastery reveals to you the whereabouts of the missing purse of gems. It is in the boot of the bargee, the lank-haired man who is siding with the merchant against the other. He is hoping to keep hidden his guilt by pointing the finger of suspicion at the man in the hide coat.</p>
+ <p>The bargee steps away from the table and, as he tries to move quietly towards the tavern door, he passes in front of your chair. Deftly you kick the top of his boot. The blow splits the purse and scatters gemstones all over the tavern floor.</p>
+ <p>'Why you &ellips;' growls the guilty bargee, and, in the blink of an eye, he draws a dagger and lunges for your heart.</p>
+Bargee (master thief): <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 36 ENCURANCE 25
+ <choice idref="sect199">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect27">
+ <meta><title>27</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take a gasp of air and dive below the surface, but as you submerge, you feel the stinging kiss of a crossbow bolt's tip graze your shoulder: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Having lost the element of surprise, you allow the current to carry you a few hundred yards downstream before you cone to the surface. You find yourself opposite a shallow bay in the river bank which affords you better cover from the nearest enemy trench than your previous position upstream. Quickly you crawl out of the water and slither like a snake up the muddy bank to drop silently into this trench. A dull-witted Eldenoran is swiftly dispatched with a blow from the edge of your hand, enabling you to move further along this log-walled ditch. Just as you are passing the opening to a makeshift dug-out, you sense danger ahead. A single file of Eldenoran swordsmen are marching along the trench in your direction; it will be only a matter of seconds before they are close enough to see you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect185">If you wish to dive into the dug-out to avoid being seen by these men, <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If you choose to unsheathe your weapon and prepare for combat with this advancing file of troops, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect28">
+ <meta><title>28</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your decision to stop and speak with the pilgrims clearly irritates the Lord Constable, but he bows to your authority and watts patiently for you to finish talking with them.</p>
+ <p>You learn that this ragged group are on their way to Garthen. Their leader, a bearded wretch called Pospora, also tells you of a strange camp that he and his pilgrims discovered last night, near a place on the road which he calls 'red rock'. However, this information does not come cheaply - you are pressed by the pilgrims into making a donation to their dubious cause. (Deduct 5 Gold Crowns from you <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. If you possess less than 5 Crowns, erase instead one Backpack Item of your choice.)</p>
+ <p>Having satisfied your curiosity, you return to the troop and continue the ride east.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect319"><link-text>Turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect29">
+ <meta><title>29</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fall among the damp, jagged rocks and gash your head on a pointed outcrop: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Your sudden movement alerts a lavas to your position and it circles around Ravens Eerie until it is sure that you are human. Then, with a piercing shriek, it comes diving out of the sky with its claws extended and its beaked jaw open wide.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect108"><link-text>Turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect30">
+ <meta><title>30</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You abandon your horse at the derelict barn and creep down stealthily to the river's edge. After stowing your cloak and boots in your backpack, you wade out into the cold dark waters of the Storn and begin your swim to the opposite bank. The river current is strong and, before long, you find yourself being carried swiftly downstream.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 10 or less <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect177">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect31">
+ <meta><title>31</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A signpost on the road out of Quarlen says: Casiorn 260 miles. On a normal horse you would expect the journey to take four days, but on Wildwind you are confident of reaching the City of Merchants before midnight.</p>
+ <p>Aided by a full moon and your sharp Kai skills, you keep Wildwind on a safe course throughout your long night's ride. Rapidly the miles melt away beneath his hooves and, as midnight approaches, you see the welcoming lights of Casiorn twinkling on the horizon. Using magical spyglasses, the watchful guards above the city's west gate see you coming and set their torches to fire-beacons to help guide you. The gates of the city are thrown open and, as you ride through, you meet with a thunderous welcome from its citizens, rich and poor, many of whom have left their beds to cheer your arrival.</p>
+ <p>Not until you see the bulbous golden towers of the High Mayor's Palace do you allow Wildwind to slow his pace. You pass through the palace's grand arch, crafted from marble and gold, and as you bring Wildwind to a halt you see a wondrous skyship hovering over the roof of the High Mayor's chambers. It reminds you of Skyrider - your friend Guildmaster Banedon's flying ship, although the craft above is and appears to be fashioned not from wood, but from burnished metal.</p>
+ <p>'She awaits your command,' says High Mayor Cordas, as he strides down the steps of his palace chambers with an entourage of guards and advisors scurrying in his wake. 'What do you think?' he beams, pointing to the ship. 'Is she not magnificent?'</p>
+ <p>'Yes, indeed she is,' you reply, as you dismount from Wildwind who, to your greater astonishment, displays not the slightest sign of fatigue after your incredible ride from Varetta. 'Pray tell me, High Mayor. What is the craft's name?'</p>
+ <p>'We call her 'Cloud-dancer'' he replies, proudly.</p>
+ <p>Within the hour you are standing aboard the gleaming steel deck of Cloud-dancer, which vibrates gently in tune to the rising power of its magical engines. The crew of Casiornian engineers set free the hawsers which hold her in place and then, with a farewell wave to Cordas and his court, you give the order for Cloud-dancer to commence her maiden voyage north to Holmgard.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect60"><link-text>Turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect32">
+ <meta><title>32</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The burning wolf-thing comes crashing down into the midst of its following pack members, scattering them in all directions. A collective howl arises from the darkness, a hellish shrieking that is filled with fear, anger and pain. The dramatic loss of their leader is more than the remaining beasts can bear, and, with a final howl of frustration, they flee from the bridge and scurry back to the safety of their pens in Castle Tranius</p>
+ <choice idref="sect86"><link-text>Turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect33">
+ <meta><title>33</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The trooper fumbles for the haft of an axe which is tucked into his belt. Before he can free it, you stride forward and strike a blow with your fist that sends him crashing backwards through the open hut door. Moments later, there is a loud commotion and half a dozen angry Eldenorans come pouring out of the doorway with weapons drawn. You will have to fight them:</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Eldenoran horse-scouts</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">38</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect85">If you win and the combat lasts three rounds or less <link-text>turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect160">If you win and the combat lasts four rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect34">
+ <meta><title>34</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your calves and feet are badly scorched by the heat of the dragon's breath: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Gritting your teeth against the pain, you force yourself to stand and then use your Magnakai skill of Nexus to extinguish your burning breeches. Your quick thinking has saved you from more serious injury, but it does not impress the dragon. Your escape from his incinerating breath serves to make him even angrier. In a fit of pique, he stomps his massive forefoot down on to the black soil and sends a splash of molten mud and flame soaring into the sulphurous sky.</p>
+ <p>You use this opportunity to retreat towards the Shadow Gate, but you do not get very far before the great beast sees you and comes lumbering forwards with his jaw agape.</p>
+ <p>Unless you possess a Platinum Amulet, a Talisman of Ishir, or the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you must now deduct 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to the debilitating effects of the heat and atmosphere.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect316"><link-text>Turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect35">
+ <meta><title>35</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rush to the brigand's side and wrench the dagger from his chest, but it is already too late to save his life. You step away from his lifeless body and look around at the devastation he and his men have brought to the sleepy village of Pinepeaks. Leaderless, the remaining brigands now abandon their loot and flee to the wooded hills to rejoin their confederates, those who attempted to ambush the troop when first you entered this valley. Nathor's men have secured the village and they are busy helping the villagers to fight small fires which are burning in several of the cottages.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect126"><link-text>Turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect36">
+ <meta><title>36</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You continue along the avenue until you reach the city's north wall. Here you stop to read a proclamation that had been nailed to the door of a coaching inn and stables. It states that a curfew is in force in Rhem, and anyone found on the streets an hour after nightfall will be arrested by the city watch.</p>
+ <p>You are about to leave when you overhear the owner of the stables talking to one of his stable-hands. The boy is holding the reins of an aged horse that is severely lame in one leg, and the owner is telling him that he can no longer afford to stable the sick old mare.</p>
+ <p>'She'll have to go,' says the owner, shaking his head, 'she's worthless to me now she's not earning her keep.'</p>
+ <p>Tears are streaming down the young boys face. Clearly he loves the old horse and is heartbroken at the prospect of her being destroyed. Boldly you approach the owner and propose a deal.</p>
+
+ <p>'Sir, if I am able to cure this lame mare,' you say, stroking the horse's velvety nose, 'then will you allow me to keep her?'</p>
+ <p>'Ha, ha, ha, so you think you can work miracles, do you?' chuckles the owner, 'Very well then, stranger. If you can cure her - you can keep her.'</p>
+ <p>Gently you settle the mare and run your hands down her lame foreleg. Using your Magnakai Disciplines of curing and animal control, you slowly ease her worn-out joints and mend her cracked bones. Within minutes she is as agile as a new-born foal.</p>
+ <p>'Well I be a storgh's uncle!' gasps the owner, amazed by the sudden transformation. 'So, stranger, you con work miracles after all! The horse is yours!'</p>
+ <p>You climb upon the mare's back and wave farewell to the owner and the stable-boy, who is now crying tears of joy.</p>
+ <p>'If ever you're looking for work,' says the owner, as you turn the horse to leave, 'then there'll always be a job for you here!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect244"><link-text>Turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect37">
+ <meta><title>37</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You intone the words of the Old Kingdom spell Invisible Fist and extend the palm of your right hand, pointing it towards the belly of the swooping beast. You feel a surge of energy leap from your palm and shoot towards the creature. It senses your attack and veers in mid-air to avoid it, but its reactions are too slow to escape being hit. The concussive force of your spell deals a crushing blow to its chest and, momentarily stunned by the impact, the beast loses control and hits the ground with a sickening crunch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215"><link-text>Turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect38">
+ <meta><title>38</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cearmaine provides you with a fresh horse from the Canatarium's stables, and then he escorts you personally to the city's north gate.</p>
+ <p>'Good luck and godspeed, Grand Master,' he says. 'May we meet again one day - but in happier circumstances.'</p>
+ <p>Under cover of darkness you ride due north towards the border with Eldenora, less than eight miles distant. The hilly terrain and your natural camouflage skills enable you to evade the enemy's lookouts and pass into their territory unseen. At first the going is easy and you cover many miles despite the undulating ground, but shortly before dawn you find yourself descending from the hills towards an expanse of marsh and reed beds. You try to avoid this bog and make a wide detour to the east, but before long you are brought to a halt at the edge of a steep ravine.</p>
+ <p>Both ways ahead now look impossible on horseback, but you are loathe to abandon your mount. You decide to turn back, yet you have gone no more than half a mile when your Kai senses alert you to danger. In the distance you see a regiment of Eldenoran cavalry on the move; you count more than a hundred riders. Rather than risk running foul of them, you reluctantly abandon your horse and return again to the edge of the ravine.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect186">If you wish to attempt to cross the ravine, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect217">If you decide to try to cross the bog, <link-text>turn to 217</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect39">
+ <meta><title>39</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You erect a psychic shield to protect our mind from Roark's assault, and you successfully deflect his attack. But as his ghastly apparition gallops past, it stirs in its wake a whirling maelstrom that is filled with rocks, broken glass and other city debris. This whirlwind assails you physically and knocks you to the ground.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ghost of Roark</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>You conduct this combat in ho normal way. While attacking the ghost of Roark using your psychic Kai abilities, you must defend yourself from the injurious effects of the debris-storm. Only by defeating Roark's ghost an combat will you cause the maelstrom to cease.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect146">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect40">
+ <meta><title>40</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the monastery under cover of darkness and set off towards the north-west, into the foothills the Durncrag mountains. Soon you pick up the trail that leads to Raven's Eerie and you follow it for a mile to where it crosses a mountain stream. Mist oozes from the peaty soil, breathing a damp film on the surrounding rocks.</p>
+ <p>You continue beyond the mist-enshrouded stream until you reach a rocky spur of granite called Eagle's Claw. Here you detect a low humming sound and your pulse quickens; you sense you are getting closer to the Shadow Gate. This resonant hum steadily increases in volume the nearer you get to Raven's Eerie. Then, as you come to within a few hundred yards of the peak, you catch your first glimpse of the Shadow Gate. It is an awe-inspiring sight.</p>
+ <p>It appears like a black, semi-circular cavemouth that seems to hover motionless in the air. Crackling snakes of electrical energy surround its edges, and the air before it writhes and shimmers like a desert mirage. You reach to the pocket of your tunic and remove the Sun-Crystal, weighing it carefully in your hand so that you will be ready to throw it accurately when the time comes.</p>
+ <p>The electrical fire that borders the Shadow Gate suddenly flares and gives off hissing sparks which climb like fireworks into the night sky. Moments later, a trio of lavas emerge from its total darkness and soar into the air. Judging by their direction of flight, you determine that they are going to reinforce the enemy line which keeps King Ulnar's armies at bay.</p>
+ <p>You are too far from the Shadow Gate to hurl the Sun-Crystal and so, with caution, you begin to inch your way nearer to your goal.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect291">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and Telegnosis <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect127">If you do not possess both of these skills, <link-text>turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect41">
+ <meta><title>41</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you take hold of Nathor and heave him across the neck of a saddled horse. Then you mount this steed and urge it to the gallop, scattering a trio of bogus castle guards that are hurriedly trying to block your escape from the stables. The castle keep is alive with screams and curses as you steer your horse towards the gatehouse, where, to your mounting horror, you see the portcullis beginning to fall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Telegnosis, and have reached the Kai rank of Sun Lord or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2. If you possess Animal Mastery, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect21">If your total score is now 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect230">If it is 3 or higher, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect42">
+ <meta><title>42</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This village is a run down shabby-looking place which appears to have seen better days. The timbers of its gaudily-painted houses are riddled with rot, and its citizens have a mean and surly demeanour at you find irksome. You are having second thoughts about stopping at the inn and are only persuaded when you hear the distant rumble of thunder.</p>
+ <p>To your surprise, you discover the owner of the Pickled Scow to be an unusually kind and cheerful character. For 3 Gold Crowns (erase these from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>), he and his daughter furnish you with a fine meal and a warm room above their kitchen. Before you retire for the night, they invite you to sample their ale - free of charge. It is a weak but flavoursome brew, and while you sip it in front of the blazing hearth, they tell you stories about the colourful travellers who have spent the night at their inn.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you wish to ask them if they have heard any news about your homeland, <link-text>turn to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect56">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect43">
+ <meta><title>43</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the bog, the land gently rises to barren plateau that is dotted with scrub and stunted pines. Here, beneath the twisted boughs of a dead tree, you make camp for the night and settle down to sleep. Before you rest, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect313">To continue, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect44">
+ <meta><title>44</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>King Ulnar convenes an emergency council of the Sommlending barons in his Chamber of State. When all are assembled, Baron Caldar of Anskaven conducts a briefing, principally for your benefit, outlining the grave situation confronting Sommerlund and, most especially, the new order of the Kai. You are aware of much of what he says, having been briefed already by Gwynian the Sage in Varetta, but you learn that the Sommlending army has lost many brave men attempting to break the siege at the Kai Monastery and is too weakened, at present, to attack the enemy again.</p>
+ <p>'Where is Guildmaster Banedon?' you ask, when called upon by the King to speak to the council of war.</p>
+ <p>'He is at the Kai Monastery,' answers Baron Medar of Tyso, 'He, in company with Lord Rimoah of Dessi and the ten most senior magicians of Toran's Brotherhood, went to the monastery during the early days of the siege. They travelled there aboard the Guildmaster's skyship and &ellips;' At this point, the Baron hesitates and looks to the King, as if seeking his permission to continue. The King continues on his behalf.</p>
+ <p>'Grand Master,' he says, his voice heavy, 'The Guildmaster's skyship was seen falling from the skies above the monastery. Border Rangers saw it crash in flames. We &ellips; we fear that all aboard were lost.'</p>
+ <p>The King's words come as a terrible blow for Banedon and Rimoah are your closest friends. If it is true, and all of Sommerlund's finest magicians have been lost at a stroke, then the blow is doubly severe. The security of your homeland will have been greatly compromised by their deaths.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect252">If you possess Telegnosis, <link-text>turn to 252</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect124">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect45">
+ <meta><title>45</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fight with devastating skill and, despite the overwhelming odds against you, you succeed in defeating every last one of these vicious hounds. As the last one falls to your blows, you urge your horse away from the bridge and set off along the track to the distant town of Scade.</p>
+ <p>On returning to the Lucky Bucket inn, you break the ill news of your encounter at Castle Tranius to he remaining five troopers. It comes as a shock, both to them and to he innkeeper, who fears for the safety of the real Knight Tranius.</p>
+ <p>'I haven't seen him in the town for near-on a week,' he says, anxiously rubbing his many chins. 'We 'ere had no inkling that somethin' bad was happenin' up there at the castle. It's right put the shakes up me, I can tell you.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect246"><link-text>Turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect46">
+ <meta><title>46</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you utter the words of the Brotherhood spell Levitation and, simultaneously, you leap into the air. The spell takes effect almost immediately, and it pushes you high enough to avoid the dragon's searing blast of flame.</p>
+ <p>Your quick thinking has saved your skin, but it does not impress the dragon. Your escape from his incinerating breath serves to make him even angrier. He stomps his massive forefoot down on to the black soil and sends a splash of molten mud and flame soaring into the sulphurous sky.</p>
+ <p>You ease the levitation spell and return to the uncertain black soil. Then you retreat towards the Shadow Gate, but, as you run, you are forced to reach for your weapon as the great beast comes lumbering forwards with his jaw agape.</p>
+ <p>Unless you possess a Platinum Amulet, a Talisman of Ishir, or the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you must now deduct 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to the debilitating effects of the heat and atmosphere.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect316"><link-text>Turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect47">
+ <meta><title>47</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Kai skill, you send a silent, soothing message to the excited war-dogs. They respond within seconds, becoming suddenly quiet as your psychic command subdues their trained and natural instincts. Their handlers, the Eldenoran archers, curse them under their breath, thinking that their outburst may have given away their position to the enemy. While they are berating their dogs, you slip through their line and move deeper into the woods.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect48">
+ <meta><title>48</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Lord Constable Is an imposing man with a proud and noble countenance. At your approach he removes a white Leather gauntlet and welcomes you with a formal salute.</p>
+ <p>'Greetings, my Lord,' he says, his voice deep and resonant, 'Welcome to Garthen. I am Nathor, Lord Constable of the Royal Citadel. It would be an honour if you would allow me to escort you and Lord Ardan to an audience with Queen Evaine.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect238"><link-text>Turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect49">
+ <meta><title>49</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The defenders on the Tower fight like lions. The battle is fierce and bloody throughout the monastery, but the struggle is soon won and the shaken remnants of the winged attackers are repelled with heavy losses. A great cheer goes up as the last of the battered lavas limps into the air and makes its escape towards the Durncrags.</p>
+ <p>You leave the Tower and tour the battlements, offering words of comfort to the wounded and praising those Kai who have shown exceptional bravery. You are returning to the Grand Hall when you see Banedon approaching from the other direction.</p>
+ <p>'The time is ripe for you to begin your mission, Grand Master,' he says. The enemy have lost a great number this night - it is unlikely they will return before the dawn.'</p>
+ <p>Yes, my friend,' you reply, touching the pocket of your tunic which contains the Sun-Crystal, 'you are n1ht. The time has come- I will leave for Raven's terie at once.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect40"><link-text>Turn to 40</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect50">
+ <meta><title>50</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your weapon and slay the first guard to come within arm's length of your horse. The others freeze in their tracks, stunned by the speed of your attack, but then the sergeant screams at them like a wild animal and they rush forward again. They are more scared of their sergeant's wrath, it seems, than they are of your battle skill. You must fight them.</p>
+ <p>Duadon guardsmen: COMBAT SNILL 42 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> 42</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335">You may evade this combat after loin rounds by <link-text>turning to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect290">If you win he fight, <link-text>turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect51">
+ <meta><title>51</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rush into the forest and glance overhead to make doubly sure that you are not being tracked by the winged lavas. The darkening sky is clear of the enemy and confidently you press on through the trees, sure in your ability to remain undetected now that you are in your natural environment of the forest.</p>
+ <p>Soon you reach the clearing and hurry to a boulder which bears the imprint of a human band. You place your right hand upon it and the imprint fits around it like a glove. Silently a hinged stone slab rises up from the around revealing a stair hat leads down into a brick-lined passageway. You enter and hurry along this familiar tunnel, covering a mile before you come to a door that opens automatically at your approach. Beyond lies the Vault of the Sun, your personal stronghold. It radiates a warmly golden light: they are the rays of the Lorestones of Nyxator. Once safely inside your underground lair, you pause to allow the radiant light of the Lorestones to wash over your tired and aching limbs and, within the space of a few heartbeats, the fatigue of your long journey home is melted away (restore all lost <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>Revived and revitalized, you throw open the door to the vault and see a young Kai Master standing guard at the foot of the tower stairwell. He is Sabre Fox, one of your most gifted students.</p>
+ <p>'Gr.. Grand Master!' he stammers, hardly daring to believe his eyes, 'you have returned. Praise the Gods! - Our prayers have been answered!'</p>
+ <p>You smile at the young Kai Master who now has tears of joy in his steel-grey eyes.</p>
+ <p>'Yes, Sabre Fox,' you reply, 'I have returned. Now let us vanquish this foe and rid our land of their evil shadow.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect180"><link-text>Turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect52">
+ <meta><title>52</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using the Brotherhood spell Levitation you are able to counter the speed of your descent. Unfortunately, Lord Constable Nathor does not possess the same ability and, as you are beginning to slow down, he comes screaming past you, his eyes and mouth wide with terror.</p>
+ <p>You stretch out and make a grab for his cloak as he hurtles past. You manage to get a grip and hold on fast, but as you are nearing the ground, his cloak comes undone and he falls the last twenty feet to the flagstoned keep. Upon landing, you discover that Nathor is still alive, but his left ankle is badly broken and his face is cut and bruised. Despite his obvious pain he manages a smile, revealing gaps where he is now missing two of his teeth.</p>
+ <p>Bravely Nathor stifles his urge to scream as you take hold of his shattered ankle. You summon your healing powers and transmit them through your hands to the injured foot (reduce you <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score by 4). You feel the warmth of your power start to reduce the swollen tissues and mend the broken bone, but before you can complete the cure, a yelling horde of bogus castle guardsmen come rushing from out of the gatehouse with their swords drawn. You unsheathe your weapon and crouch in readiness to meet their manic attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Castle guardsmen (imposters)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">48</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect93">If you win this fight, <link-text>turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect53">
+ <meta><title>53</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly an explosion of while light fills your vision and the taste of blood fills your mouth: you have been hit in the head by an armour-piercing arrow. Mercifully, death is virtually instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Sadly your life and your journey home comes to an abrupt end here, in the cold dark waters of the River Reloni.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect54">
+ <meta><title>54</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You recite the words of the Brotherhood spell Slow Fall and then leap from the rocky slab to where the Sun-Crystal is lying, wedged among the rocks. The spell slows your descent, and you are able to land easily. With a growing sense of awe, you take hold of the warm crystal and turn to look back at the Shadow Gate in order to gauge your throw.</p>
+ <p>The halo of energy which surrounds the Gate begins to crackle fiercely, and your Kai instincts tingle with a strange and sinister premonition. You can sense that, on the Plane of Darkness, Naar has just consigned his newest champions to the Shadow Gate. His mighty dragon herd is on its way to Magnamund.</p>
+ <p>As the first rays of the dawn sun spread across the surrounding rocks, you draw back your arm and hurl the Sun-Crystal into the gaping maw of the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect55">
+ <meta><title>55</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You yell at the drunken thug, calling him a 'cowardly snake' in his native Eldenoran tongue. Unfortunately, this taunt does not distract him for long. In fact it makes the situation worse - he seems more frightened and murderous now than he was before.</p>
+ <p>He snarls as he raises his dagger and you are forced to rush headlong towards him in a desperate attempt to prevent him from wounding his innocent captive's child.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect311"><link-text>Turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect56">
+ <meta><title>56</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sleep well and rise with the cock's crow. When you reach the stable, you discover the innkeeper has already prepared your horse ready for your departure. You thank him and wave farewell to be cheerful man and his daughter as you set off on the road north to Varetta.</p>
+ <p>It is midday when you catch your first glimpse of this ancient city. Positioned on a large plateau in the centre of a grassy plain, the blood-red walls and towering spires of Varetta look doubly impressive. As you approach the south gate, you admire the carvings which embellish the city's walls. They depict great dragons with snake-like bodies that intertwine as they flow around the towers and bastions of this ancient city.</p>
+ <p>The guards at the gate allow you to enter without challenge, and you pass through the grand southern entrance which leads to a flagstoned square.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect284">If you have ever visited Varetta before, in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect62">If you have never visited this city before, <link-text>turn to 62</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect57">
+ <meta><title>57</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The leading Eldenoran soldier is stunned into open-mouthed shock when he sees you standing in the trench before him. You strike a swift, deadly blow, and he staggers backwards, pulling two of his comrades down to the floor of the trench as he falls. The others draw their swords and come leaping over their fallen friends, attacking you with unexpected fury.</p>
+ <p>Eldenoran assault troops; <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 39 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> 42</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect58">
+ <meta><title>58</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly you are confronted by one of these beasts who attempts to strike you from the Tower with its horny tail. You leap to avoid its scything attack, draw your weapon in mid-air, and swing your first blow the moment your feet return to the flagstones.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Lavas</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">49</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect49">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect59">
+ <meta><title>59</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You help the Baroness's entourage 10 set up camp beside the stream while Dorst, who considers himself something of a master cook, prepares the trout you caught earlier. To your surprise, the meal turns out to be excellent (restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.)</p>
+ <p>During supper, you ask the Baroness what news she has heard of events in the east. She tells you that there is war between the principalities of the Stornlands, although this is such a common condition that it can hardly be considered news any more. Of distant Sommerlund she has heard nothing. After supper, she excuses herself and retires to her carriage. Dorst posts two men to guard her coach, then he invites you to play cards with himself and the remaining five men.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect152">If you wish to accept his offer, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect330">If you choose to decline his offer, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect60">
+ <meta><title>60</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Throughout your sky voyage home, your mind is filled with the fear and uncertainty of what may await you in Holmgard. You spend most of the journey on the rear deck, alone with your thoughts, staring down at the land speeding past more than a mile below. You watch as the jungle of the Maakenmire swamp gives way to the barren scrub of the Wildlands. Then, when you catch sight of the Pass of Moytura, your pulse races with excitement for this V-shaped cleft in the southern Durncrags is where the Wildland territories end and your beloved homeland of Sommerlund begins. Yet he excitement you feel here is but nothing compared to your elation when you first glimpse the lights of Holmgard - the Sommlending capital.</p>
+ <p>Guided by beacons blazing atop the King's Citadel, the crew of the Cloud-dancer bring her gently in towards the city. The craft is made to hover directly above the Citadel and hawsers are lowered to anchor her in position against the wind. Then you descend by rope ladder to the Citadel roof where your are greeted by a distinguished party of Barons and Fryearls, led by King Ulnar himself.</p>
+ <p>'Welcome home, Grand Master,' he says, his voice breaking with emotion. Then he clasps you to his chest, like a father welcoming home a lost son. 'Thank Kai and Ishir you are safe, Lone Wolf' he says. 'Now may the darkness of Naar be lifted from our land.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect44"><link-text>Turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect61">
+ <meta><title>61</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'In the name of the Gods!' splutters Nathor, spilling liqueur down the front of his tunic, 'what was that?'</p>
+ <p>A knot of fear tightens in the pit of your stomach. 'A Kraan,' you reply, recognizing at once the fell cry of this unwelcome creature.</p>
+ <p>You hurry to a window and see the large, bat-like Kraan silhouetted against the moon. A man-sized rider clings precariously to the creature's reptilian back as it swoops and soars among the hills and gulleys.</p>
+ <p>'You had best come away from the window, my Lord,' replies an anxious Nathor, 'lest it detects your presence here,'</p>
+ <p>You take heed of the Lord Constable's advice and retreat from the window. Furthermore, you use your Magnakai skill of Kai-screen to shield your mind in case the Kraan rider is able to employ psychic abilities to locate your presence.</p>
+ <p>'It is not the first time it has come,' says Rasbarin. 'Every night for the past ten days we've heard it circling the hills. Sometimes there is more than one of its kind.' He suggests that you bunk in the cellar of the monastery where you may be safer from detection, and you accept his offer gladly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect154"><link-text>Turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect62">
+ <meta><title>62</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you stop to survey the shops and stalls which encircle this busy square, you notice a stone signpost positioned on a plinth at its centre. It indicates the names of the three exits from this square:</p>
+ <p>Ladder Way (North) Spur Lane (East) Quill Street (West)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect112">If you wish to enter Ladder Way, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If you wish to enter Spur Lane, <link-text>turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect90">If you wish to enter Quill Street, <link-text>turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect63">
+ <meta><title>63</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the horsemen close in, unexpectedly you spur your steed straight at then in a bold counter-charge. The move takes the leading pair of riders by surprise and, before they fully recover their battle-senses, you speed between them and lash out with a single scything sweep. Both riders crash to the ground - minus their heads.</p>
+ <p>Shocked by your sheer audacity, the brigand leader shouts a recall to the others. They wheel around in a wide arc and form up in a line behind him, cursing you vehemently for the death of their comrades. Then, with a vengeful yell, the brigand chief leads his gang of saddle-bandits in a charge that, he hopes, will leave you trampled into the ground.</p>
+ <p>As this wave of brigands come thundering down upon you, the leader urges at your head with his straight-bladed sword. It whistles by 4ust inches from your scalp, but you do not allow him a second try. You twist in the saddle and strike like lightning, splitting his helmet and his skull with a single mighty blow. He falls before his men, yet they prove to be hardy rogues and they press home their attack regardless.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Eldenoran brigands</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">46</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">41</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect182">You may evade this combat after four rounds, by <link-text>turning to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect109">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect64">
+ <meta><title>64</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With dread, you cast your eyes across a nightmare landscape that stretches in every direction to a horizon dancing with fire. Streams of blazing lava cut fissures through the coal-black soil, and pools of molten mud, glowing cherry-red, spout geysers of yellow flame that seem to claw vengefully at the orange sky. The heat, and the stench of sulphur, is overwhelming.</p>
+ <p>The lavas drops you onto the shifting black soil and soars upwards until it disappears into the roiling clouds. In the middle distance you see a herd of dragon-like creatures, snorting fire as they lumber slowly across this hellish plain. You sense great danger, and when you focus your Kai skills at the approaching leviathans, you are shocked by what you learn.</p>
+ <p>You have been transported to the Plane of Darkness, the domain occupied and ruled over by Naar, the Dark God. The approaching dragon-creatures are massing to enter the Shadow Gate that lies several hundred yards at your back. They are Naar's newest creations, and you sense that if they are allowed entry to your world, then Sommerlund and the Kai are doomed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect321">If you possess Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect208">If you possess a Platinum Amulet, <link-text>turn to 208</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect18">If you possess a Talisman of Ishir, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect131">If you do not possess this skill, nor either of these Special Items, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect65">
+ <meta><title>65</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You manage to pull free from he tangle of shattered timbers, but you are now so chose to unconsciousness due to lack of oxygen that you are forced to surface. The moment your head bobs above the water and you gasp for breath, you attract a volley of arrows from the archers hiding in the trees.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 1.</p>
+ <p>If your total score is now 3 or less, him to 53.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect298">If it is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect66">
+ <meta><title>66</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call upon your special Kai abilities to lighten your body weight sufficiently enough for you to prevent yourself from sinking further into this evil-smelling morass. Then, using your hands and weapons, you wade through this sinking bog until you feel the welcome sensation of firm ground once more beneath your feet. You rest momentarily to regain your strength before you hurry away from the morass and head north.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect43"><link-text>Turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect67">
+ <meta><title>67</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your hand and bring the regiment to a silent halt. Captain D'Val leans towards you from his saddle and whispers: Here is the enemy who have your monastery surrounded, Grand Master, and this as the weakest point in their line.'</p>
+ <p>'I know this place,' you reply, quietly. 'The monastery lies beyond the next ridge of trees. If we are to break through here, we must be quick about it. These creatures can take to the skies - it would not take them long to summon reinforcements.'</p>
+ <p>'You are right, Grand Master. The risks are indeed great, but I and my men are willing to take them to ensure your return to the Monastery of the Kai. You must get through. You are the only one who can destroy the Shadow Gate and remove this curse from our land.'</p>
+ <p>'Very well then, Captain,' you reply, unsheathing your weapon. 'Pass the order to prepare to charge.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect68">
+ <meta><title>68</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The pack leader is torn to shreds by the blast, and several of his followers are left modally wounded. The sight of their injuries, coupled with the deafening sound of the unexpected explosion, is more than the remaining pack members can bear. With a howl of fear and frustration, they turn away and race back to the safety of Castle Tranius.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect86"><link-text>Turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect69">
+ <meta><title>69</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The howling winds of the abyss buffet you unmercifully as you spin around this whirling black vortex. Pressure begins to build in your body, and soon the pain in your head and chest become almost unbearable: it feels as if you are being torn apart.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect187">If you possess Grand Nexus, and have attained the rank of Grand Thane, <link-text>turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect305">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect70">
+ <meta><title>70</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ride to a barricade that is within twenty yards of the river's edge. To he astonishment of the soldiers who are sheltering here from a hail of fire bombs and arrows, you leap from your horse and sprint headlong towards the river. The moment you hit the freezing water, you stay submerged as you begin the long swim to the opposite bank.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <p>If the number you have picked is 0-5, urn to 163.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect125">If it is 6-9, <link-text>turn to 125</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect71">
+ <meta><title>71</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You tell Captain D'Val to take the regiment fifty yards back along the trail. When he has complied with your order, you move upstream until you can see, at an angle, the source of the ultra-violet beam: it is a shiny metallic polyhedron, studded with rivets.</p>
+ <p>Using your Kai mastery of Nexus, you cause the device to rise. You have lifted it no more than a few inches when suddenly It is torn apart by a violent explosion that peppers the area around the ford with sharp splinters of rock. As the dust of the explosion clears, you signal to D'Val to bring the regiment forward.</p>
+ <p>'Thank Ishir you're with us,' says the Captain, as he leads the men across the ford. 'Without you, this wicked sorcery would have cost us dear.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect235"><link-text>Turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect72">
+ <meta><title>72</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The figure at the fireplace does not reply. Instead, it stretches out a gloved hand and takes up an iron rod which is lying upon the stone mantle. The instant its fingers close around the haft, a crackling blue flame ignites at its tip.</p>
+ <p>'Draw steel!' commands Nathor, and his men respond by unsheathing their swords in readiness for combat. You focus your psychic powers at the figure and sense that it is not human: it possesses an aura of evil that marks it as a dark disciple, a magician versed in the forbidden black arts of the Nadziranim.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly there is a low, concussive boom and a spiral of blue flame shoots the length of the hail, Fired from the tip of the figure's iron stave. You are its intended target and you dive to the floor to avoid being hit. The bolt ricochets off the stone wall close behind you and shatters one of the tall windows into a thousand glittering shards.</p>
+ <p>'Take him!' shouts Nathor, and his men rush forward, but a second blast from the stave puts an end to their brave advance. All three are cut down by an arc of blue fire that leaves their corpses heaped and smouldering in the middle of the hall.</p>
+ <p>Nathor curses the sinister figure and it responds by uttering a chilling, inhuman laugh. Now you sense a new danger approaching - the being's sickly laughter is summoning its minions to the hall.</p>
+ <p>'Lord Nathor!' you cry, 'We cannot prevail here. We must escape &ellips; follow me!'</p>
+ <p>And with these words, you race to the window and leap feet-first through its shattered pane.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect219">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect301">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect73">
+ <meta><title>73</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Within a matter of seconds, the remaining pack members catch the scent of their leaders blood and it drives them into a frenzy. They increase their speed and, knowing that you cannot out-run them, you are forced to turn and face them as they launch a simultaneous attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Eldenoran war-dogs (in blood-frenzy)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">42</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">47</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Due to their frenzied state, these war-dogs are immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect295">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect74">
+ <meta><title>74</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave behind the Denka Gate and follow a road that twists and climbs through densely wooded highland. Once you crest the last timbered hill, you begin a gradual descent towards the Taunor Valley - a fertile expanse of cropland and grassy plain. By dusk you can see the River Quarl ahead and, shortly before nightfall, you cross its fast-flowing waters at a bridge in the centre of Quarlen, a busy town on the caravan route to Casiorn.</p>
+ <p>Just beyond the bridge you see an impressive hostelry, with adjoining stables. A shield hangs above the courtyard gate displaying its name: THE BARREL BRIDGE TAVERN.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect211">If you wish to stop and enter this hostelry, <link-text>turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect31">If you choose to continue your ride to Casiorn, <link-text>turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect75">
+ <meta><title>75</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In the twilight before dawn, you catch sight of the River Kinam less than a mile away to the west. You scan the surrounding landscape and note several small tracks (which lead to tiny farmsteads dotted around the vast plain) converging at a hamlet which nestles in a bend of this great river. During the past hour your horse has developed a slight limp, and a cursory look at his affected leg reveals that he has thrown a shoe. You know that unless you replace the missing shoe, and soon, he will be too lame to carry you further. Reluctantly, you decide to enter the hamlet and go in search of a blacksmith.</p>
+ <p>A signpost at the entrance to the hamlet announces its name: Kalma. It is a quiet, sleepy sort of place that in many ways reminds you of Dage, the Sommlending village where you were born and where you spent your early years. Near the centre of this humble village you discover a smithy where, even at this early hour, you can hear the sound of a hammer beating iron. You tether your horse to a rail alongside a moth-eaten old donkey, and call out for the blacksmith.</p>
+ <p>'In 'ere,' comes the curt reply. On entering you discover a tail, broad-shouldered man clad in a leather apron, busily shaping a horseshoe on an anvil.</p>
+ <p>'My steed has shed a shoe,' you say, 'can replace it?'</p>
+ <p>'Aye,' he says, without bothering to look up from his work, 'but it'll cost you 20 Lune. In cash, and in advance, if you please.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect234">If you have sufficient cash to pay the blacksmith (20 Lune = 5 Gold Crowns}, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect259">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect76">
+ <meta><title>76</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your arrow glances harmlessly off the dragon's skull, making him even angrier than he already is. He stomps his massive forefoot down onto the black soil and sends a splash of molten mud and flames soaring into the air.</p>
+ <p>Hurriedly you discard your bow and reach for your weapon as the great beast comes lumbering slowly towards you with his massive jaw agape.</p>
+ <p>Unless you possess a Platinum Amulet, a Talisman of Ishir, or the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you must now deduct 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to the debilitating effects of the heat and atmosphere.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect316"><link-text>Turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect77">
+ <meta><title>77</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You avoid, as best you can, any contact with your fellow passengers as the ferry sets off on its return trip to the city of Rhem. It docks inside the city's famous horseshoe-shaped harbour, and you make sure that you are among the first to disembark.</p>
+ <p>Using your Kai camouflage skills and your natural stealth, you avoid the attentions of the watchful Salonese guards at the harbour and, once inside the city proper, you merge with the crowds. Soon you find yourself in a square that is overshadowed by the twin towers of Rhem Cathedral. An avenue runs along the cathedral's south side and, at its far end, your eye is drawn to a rusty suit of armour which stands beside the door to a dingy-looking weapons shop.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect339">If you wish to enter this armoury, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect36">If you decide not to enter, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect78">
+ <meta><title>78</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You shout the order to fire and the Kai let loose their straining bowstrings. A cloud of arrows with armour-piercing tips, hardened in the fires of the monastery forge, whistle towards the swooping lavas with impressive accuracy. All find their target, but only one of the winged creatures falls from the sky. You see that the beast has been struck in the eye. Hurriedly the acolytes reload as the lava prepare to land on the battements.</p>
+ <p>'Fire at their eyes!' you shout, and a cloud of fifty Kai arrows are sent screaming through the sky to seek their elusive mark. This time more than half find their target, decimating the onrushing lavas at a single stroke, yet those winged creatures who do survive this deadly volley are quick1y among the defenders on the wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect165"><link-text>Turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect79">
+ <meta><title>79</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using the Brotherhood spell Mind Charm, you command the prisoner to reveal the identity of the person who sent him here to Garthen to murder you. At first you are unable to penetrate the man's mind - his memory is protected by a magical shield. Then you draw on your psychic Kat skills to boost the Mind Charm spell and suddenly you feel the man's magical shield begin to crack and disintegrate.</p>
+ <p>The man shrieks with fear as his body is racked by convulsions. A mass of images swirl and solidify in your mind's eye - they are images of a past meeting in a far-off place which you recognize to be Duadon, the capital city of Eldenora. You see a shadowy figure, sheathed in ornate chainmail, handing a bulging pouch of gold to the prisoner in a dimly-lit alleyway. The figure speaks your name before melting away into the shadows.</p>
+ <p>'Who is this person?' you say, commanding the trembling prisoner to answer. He parts his bruised bps and tries to utter a name but no sound emerges. You sense that he is fighting to overcome the remnants of the shielding spell placed upon his mind. Moving closer, you try to make out the name he is struggling hard to whisper.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect80">
+ <meta><title>80</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The herd of coppery-red dragons continue their relentless advance across the fiery plain. You count more than a hundred in total, and each one is as long and as broad as a galleon. The largest of their number, who is also the swiftest of foot, comes looming towards you, breathing blasts of blue flame. His scaly brethren halt in their tracks and watch expectantly, through hooded black eyes, as their leader stalks you like a cat preying upon a helpless doormouse.</p>
+ <p>High above, swooping in and out of the clouds, are scores of cackling lavas. You sense also another presence, a wispy dark shadow that exudes malevolence. You shudder when you realize that you are in the presence of a manifestation of Naar himself. He has come to witness your doom, to enjoy the sport of your final, futile battle, before he unleashes his dragons upon Sommerlund. The lavas' attacks were but a preliminary phase of his master plan to destroy Sommerlund and the Kai.</p>
+ <p>With terror in your heart you retreat across the moving sands in a desperate attempt to reach the Shadow Gate - your only hope of escape. The dragon continues to advance and it utters a thunderous roar as it bares its fangs in preparation for its attack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect196">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect122">If you do not, or if you choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 122</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect81">
+ <meta><title>81</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the riders approach, your initial suspicions are confirmed: these are unquestionably Eldenoran brigands. Their saddle-cloths bear their emblem and their steeds are laden with sacks and pouches that bulge with ill-gotten gains. You decide to remain hidden until they have passed by, but as they draw level with the copse, your horse suddenly shrieks and rises up on its hind legs, With shocked dismay you see that a harmless grasssnake has coiled itself around your horse's foreleg.</p>
+ <p>The cry of your frightened horse betrays your hiding place. The Eldenorans wheel away from the road and come charging towards the copse, their swords drawn in eager anticipation of yet another easy kill.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect293">If you wish to unsheathe a weapon and gel ready to defend yourself, <link-text>turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect241">If you choose to retreat deeper into the copse in an attempt to evade these brigands, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect82">
+ <meta><title>82</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using the Old Kingdom battle-spell Hold Enemy, you command the Eldenoran to cease all movement. Instantly, the drunken thug freezes like a stone statue, enabling the young woman and her child to break free from his grasp. She runs towards you, cradling the sobbing child in her arms.</p>
+ <p>'Thank you, thank-you &ellips;' she cries as she falls to your feet. Gently you lift her, assuring her with kind words that her ordeal is over. She smiles, reassured, but her expression quickly changes when she spots something moving behind you.</p>
+ <p>'There he is, that cur Holkar!' she spits. He's the murdering leader of these bandits. All this chaos his doing.'</p>
+ <p>You turn to look at the object of her hatred, and see a swarthy brigand dodging between the gravestones tat line the abbey grounds. He has a sack full of cot slung over his shoulder and he is hurrying towards his horse which stands close to the abbey's perimeter wall. Determined not to let him escape, you rush into the grounds of the abbey and give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect206"><link-text>Turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect83">
+ <meta><title>83</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once outside the broken gate of Amory, you turn to the north and follow the road which leads to Varetta, the principal city of Lyris. At noon you come to a fork in the road where a signpost indicates two different destinations: Soren (left) and Varetta (right). You take the right-hand road and spend the afternoon riding across a lonely stretch of gently undulating plain. During this ride, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Daylight is beginning to wane when you arrive at a village that is dominated by a fortified manor house. Rain clouds are fast closing in from the west and your thoughts turn, once more, to finding shelter or the night.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect318">If you wish to seek shelter at the manor house, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect42">If you choose to seek shelter in the village, <link-text>turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect84">
+ <meta><title>84</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Grand Master, let me introduce you to Captain Cearmaine,' says Elector Manatine, formally presenting the tough-looking officer to you. 'I have chosen him to see you safely to Holona. He will do all he can to help you through the battle zone so that you may press on with your urgent journey to Casiorn.'</p>
+ <p>You recognize the captain's name and recall haying heard tales of his bravery during the Darklands War. His acts of heroism turned many battles to the favour of the Freeland Armies and earned him a respected reputation throughout Northern Magnamund. You could not have asked for a better man to escort you on the next, difficult stage of your vital journey.</p>
+ <p>He offers you his hand in friendship and you are mildly shocked when your fingers close around a palm crafted from cold steel.</p>
+ <p>'A keepsake from the Battle of Vellino', he says, smiling at his metal hand. 'Sadly, the first was stole away by a Drakkar's axe.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect130"><link-text>Turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect85">
+ <meta><title>85</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last of the Eldenorans falls to the ground, you turn and vault on to the freed horse's back. With a flick of your heels, you urge him to gallop and steer him into the woods. You keep to the trees and head south in a wide arc around the Eldenoran settlement at Fabri. During your ride through the timberland, you discover the following items in the bags and blanket roll which are attached to the horse's saddle:</p>
+ <p>Sword</p>
+ <p>Rope</p>
+ <p>Tinderbox</p>
+ <p>Blanket</p>
+ <p>Bow</p>
+ <p>Quiver containing 5 arrows</p>
+ <p>12 Lune (equivalent to 3 Cold Crowns)</p>
+ <p>Spyglass</p>
+ <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Shortly before sunset, you emerge from the trees at a place where three trails meet. A wooden signpost propped against a boulder indicates three directions, destinations, and distances:</p>
+ <p>North-Chod-250 miles West-Holona-50 miles South-Tenzha-20 miles</p>
+ <p>You are anxious to leave hostile Eldenoran territory as soon as possible and, after checking your map, you set off to the south, towards the Slovian border town of Tenzha.</p>
+ <p>During your tide, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect343">To continue, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect86">
+ <meta><title>86</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ride to Scade, with all the speed your exhausted horse can muster, and return at once to the Lucky Bucket inn where the remaining members of the troop are billeted. The news of your encounter at Castle Tranius comes as a shock, both to the troopers and to the innkeeper who fears for the safety of the real Knight Tranius.</p>
+ <p>'I haven't seen him in the town for near-on a week,' he says, anxiously rubbing his many chins. 'We 'ere had no inkling that somethin' bad was happenin' up there at the castle. It's right put the shakes up me, I can tell you.'</p>
+ <p>In the warm comfort of the inn, you use your Kai healing skills to mend the Lord Constable's injuries. He is carefully testing his weight on his newly mended ankle when suddenly there is a commotion outside in the street. An angry mob of hard-faced men, many clutching torches, staves, and coils of rope, are marching down the cobbled avenue towards the inn.</p>
+ <p>'Hang the Talestrian thieves!' they shout. 'String up the murdering swine!'</p>
+ <p>'What's going on? Who are these men?' says Nathor. The innkeeper's face turns white and he begins to tremble with fear.</p>
+ <p>'I &ellips; I don't rightly know,' he stammers, 'I ain't never seen 'em before. They's not from these parts. We've never had no quarrel with Talestria. You've always been our friends.'</p>
+ <p>Suddenly a chunk of cobblestone smashes through a window and an angry cry arises from the mob:</p>
+ <p>'Come out, you Talestrian dogs. Come out or we'll burn you out!'</p>
+ <p>Nathor calls everyone to the rear of the inn where a passage leads directly to the stables.</p>
+ <p>'I fear this is some kind of crude ploy to murder you, Grand Master,' he says. 'If you are to stand any chance of reaching your homeland, you must continue your journey at once. I and my men will do what we can to hold this mob at bay, but you must leave now and you must go alone.'</p>
+ <p>Another window shatters and a burning brand is hurled into the inn.</p>
+ <p>'Very well,' you reply, uneasily, I shall leave at once.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect161"><link-text>Turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect87">
+ <meta><title>87</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are part-way across the lord when alarm bells sound on both sides of the river.</p>
+ <p>'Deserter at the ford!' goes the cry from the Eldenoran fort. 'Enemy spy approaching!' shout the Slovian guards.</p>
+ <p>Moments later, a hissing cloud of arrows and bolts descend on you from both sides and several missiles graze your back and thighs: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. But the speed of your surprise crossing and your Kai camouflage skills enable you to reach the Slovian side intact, and you disappear swiftly into the darkness of the plains beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect92"><link-text>Turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect88">
+ <meta><title>88</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The instant you pass through the Shadow Gate, you are assailed by howling gales and icy winds that freeze you to the bone: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. You feel as if both you and the lavas are whirling downwards in ever-decreasing circles into the core of the vortex, and rapidly you lose all track of time. Then, as abruptly as it began, the whirling ceases and the frigidity of the abyss is transformed into a harsh and blistering heat. With fearful apprehension, you force open your eyes to look upon the nightmare realm that surrounds you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect64"><link-text>Turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect89">
+ <meta><title>89</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you strike your killing blow, the evil power of Lutha's ring implodes and consumes the Prince's body in a whirlwind of supernatural fire. You turn your back on the intense heat and, when the heat subsides, you turn around to see that he has been incinerated beyond all recognition. No sign of the ring remains, and only a glowing heap of bones mark the place where he fell.</p>
+ <p>From beyond a closed door you hear a horde of guards come running along an echoing corridor towards the chamber in which you stand. Beside your feet is the dagger which Prince Lutha used against you, and you stoop to pick it up (record this in the Weapons List section of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>).</p>
+ <p>Then you lower yourself back into the shaft and descend to the bottom of the pit. There you use the dagger to prise open the circular panel in the wall and, as it falls away, you discover a chute which leads to an underground river. Quickly you crawl along the slime-smeared chute and slip into the river, where you are carried swiftly away by the strong undercurrent.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect90">
+ <meta><title>90</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter Quill Street and ride along this narrow avenue, which is flanked by aromatic jala houses and perfumeries, until it turns abruptly right into a wider thoroughfare called Brass Street. Here you see the courtyard enhance to a grand building whose brick and marble façade is adorned with the words: HALLS OF LEARNING. Suddenly you feel inexplicably drawn towards this building; it is as if it possesses the solution to all your problems.</p>
+ <p>You enter and ride along a gravelled path which leads to a building where a sign, hanging over its richly-carved oak door, simply says: LIBRARY. You feel compelled to stop here and, without quite knowing why, you dismount from your horse and tie his reins to a ring which is set into the wall. Then you push open the door and enter the library's cool interior.</p>
+ <p>Countless thousands of books and parchments crowd the stone shelves of this magnificent library. Your eyes travel along them until they reach another door at the far end of the hall. There, standing framed in its archway, is an old man clad in plain brown robes. He looks at you and smiles knowingly.</p>
+ <p>'Welcome, Grand Master,' he says, 'I have been expecting you.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If you have ever visited a hut on Raider's Road, the city of Tahou, or Lake Vorndarol (in previous Lone Wolf adventures), <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect184">If you have never visited any of these places, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect91">
+ <meta><title>91</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You grab Dorst by the wrist and shake a dozen cards from his sleeve. A deathly silence descends on the group as all eyes look first at the cards, then at you. Simultaneously, the men start to laugh like hyenas until tears are soon streaming down their faces. One by one, they jiggle their hands over the blanket and hidden cards cascade from all their sleeves.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect15"><link-text>Turn to 15</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect92">
+ <meta><title>92</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After the dangers of Eldenora, the plains of peaceful Slovia seem like a tranquil paradise. The grasslands are rich arid fertile, and an abundance of game keeps you well fed during the five days it takes you to ride north to the walled city of Tekaro. Here, at an inn close by the city's cathedral, where, years ago, you discovered one of the Lorestones of Nyxator during your quest for Kai knowledge, you spend a fortunate evening in the company of a band of Salonese mercenaries. Aided by your Kai skills, you fleece them of 30 Gold Crowns while playing cards, and with your gain you purchase a fresh horse (or your continuing journey home. (Your new horse and a night's lodging at the inn cost you 25 Cold Crowns; you may add the balance of 5 Cold Crowns to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>, maximum allowances permitting.)</p>
+ <p>Early the following day you leave Tekaro and set out on the highway hound for Tido. You plan to reach Casiorn by means of the North Pass through the Slovarian Range, but during your second day on the road you are forced to revise your plans drastically. During a chance meeting at a wayside inn with a merchant who has journeyed from Casiorn, you learn that an avalanche has blocked the North Pass and travel by that route is now impossible. It will be several months before the pass is cleared and the mountain road rebuilt. You resolve instead to reach Casiorn by way of Varetta, the ancient city of crossed swords, and the following day you resume your ride north.</p>
+ <p>During your ride, you stop to assist a farmer whose cart has shed a wheel. In return for your help, he offers the services of his brother who operates a raft ferry across the river Quarl. Gladly the brother transports you and your horse across the river to Salony, where you enter the great forest by way of a timberland trail. After a full day's ride along this lonely track, you find yourself approaching the outskirts of a town called Ellio.</p>
+ <p>During your long day's ride through the forest of Salony, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect138"><link-text>Turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect93">
+ <meta><title>93</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leap over the heaped bodies of the bogus castle guardsmen and sheathe your bloodied weapon. Then you take hold of Nathor and carry him into the stables where you heave him across the neck of a saddled horse. Quickly you mount this steed and urge it to the gallop, bursting forth from the stable doors at a breakneck speed. Outside, the castle keep is alive with screams and curses as you steer your horse towards the gatehouse, where, to your mounting horror, you see that the portcullis is beginning to fall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Telegnosis, and have reached the Kai rank of Sun Lord or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2. If you possess Animal Mastery, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect21">If your total score is now 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect230">If it is 3 or higher, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect94">
+ <meta><title>94</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the sun rises above the waters of the Holmgulf, it sheds its golden light upon the hopeful citizens of Holmgard who have gathered to cheer your departure. You ride out of the King's Citadel at the head of the Guard Cavalry regiment, with Captain D'Val at your side. Bouquets of Sommlending roses are thrown before the hooves of your warhorse, and your ears ring to the jubilant cries of the crowd as you, and the brave horsemen at your back, ride with pride through the city streets that lead to Holmgard's north gate.</p>
+ <p>Once outside the city, you order your troop to couch their lances and form up in column, four abreast, in readiness for a swift ride north. At midday, you cross the River Unoram and meet with a patrol of Border Rangers who are guarding a junction. A track emerges from the Fryelund Forest and joins with the main road from the west at this point. Although it is unsigned, you recognize its rutted surface at once: it is the Alema trail, one of several forest tracks which lead to the Kai Monastery, thirty miles distant. Captain D'Val tells you that the enemy line is weakest at a place several miles along this trail.</p>
+ <p>The Border Rangers come quickly to attention when they see you approaching. Their leader, a sergeant with a battle-wounded leg, warns you that the enemy were seen earlier flying over this area of the forest. You acknowledge his salute, then you give the order for the regiment to form up in column, two abreast, before leading them along the trail and into the Fryelund Forest.</p>
+ <p>You have covered less than a mile of this woodland track when you find yourself descending a gentle slope towards a stream, a tributary of the Unoram. There once was a bridge which crossed the water-course at this point, but it has long since collapsed. Its ancient stones now form a ford which carries the trail over to the far side of the stream.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect203">If you possess Grand Huntmastery, and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord or higher, <link-text>turn to 203</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect151">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect95">
+ <meta><title>95</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus your Magnakai powers of psi-surge and launch a pulse of energy at the prisoner's mind in an attempt to weaken his resolve. Unexpectedly, you discover that his memory is protected by a magical shield and it takes a great effort for you to break through this defence (reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 4 points).</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the man's mind shield crumbles. He shrieks with fear and his body is racked by uncontrollable tremors. You command the prisoner to reveal the identity of the person who sent him here to Garthen to murder you, and a mass of images begin to swirl and solidify in your mind's eye. They are the images of a past meeting in a far-off place which you recognize to be Duadon, the capital city of Eldenora. You see a shadowy figure, sheathed in ornate chainmail, handing a bulging pouch of gold to the prisoner in a dimly-lit alleyway. The figure speaks your name before melting away into the shadows.</p>
+ <p>'Who is this person?' you say, commanding the trembling prisoner to answer. He parts his bruised lips and tries to utter a name but no sound emerges. You sense that he is fighting to overcome the remnants of the shielding spell placed upon his mind. Moving closer, you try to make out the name be is struggling hard to whisper.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect96">
+ <meta><title>96</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You resolve to reach a clearing in the Fryelund Forest, a mile to the east of the monastery, where a secret entrance and passageway are located. The passage leads directly to your vault beneath the Tower of the Sun, and it is your intention to gain entry to the monastery by this way.</p>
+ <p>Before you set off towards the woods, you use your psychic ability - Mindblend - as an extra camouflage precaution. Quickly it proves to be wise, for no sooner have you begun to run for the trees, than a flight of winged lavas come soaring out of the clouds overhead. You throw yourself to the ground and they pass by without slowing.</p>
+ <p>Once they have disappeared beyond the ridge, you get to your feet and continue your run for the trees.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect51"><link-text>Turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect97">
+ <meta><title>97</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave your horse at the derelict barn and make your way on foot towards the ferry post, arriving there just as the boat is docking at the jetty. Using your Kai camouflage skills, and aided by the frenzy of activity, you merge with the crowds of anxious travellers who are jostling to get aboard. An impatient trio of Eldenoran soldiers are collecting tickets from passengers before allowing them off the jetty. When it is your turn to board, you say that you have dropped your ticket and lost it.</p>
+ <p>'Pay again!' shouts one of the soldiers. 'Yeah!' sneers another, 'cough up another 2 Crowns, y' scab, and be sharpish about it!'</p>
+ <p>Hurriedly you give the soldier 2 Gold Crowns (erase these from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>) and take your place aboard the crowded boat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect77"><link-text>Turn to 77</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect98">
+ <meta><title>98</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As if in answer to your prayer to the Goddess Ishir, the blade of your divine sword suddenly radiates a blinding halo of golden light. You sense that you hold in your hands a weapon capable of destroying the dragon and this realization greatly lifts your spirits (restore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost so far).</p>
+ <p>The dragon growls with disdain as the light of your sword washes over his scaly hide. He raises a claw-tipped forepaw and lashes out in an attempt to swat the Sommerswerd from your grasp, but you duck the blow and thrust the blade into his side. He roars with pain, but then he caps at you with frightening speed.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vaxagore</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">56</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">52</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast. Due to the increased power of your sword while upon the Plane of Darkness, you may add 4 to your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of this fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect99">
+ <meta><title>99</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You look up to see the loathsome creature circling directly above, less than twenty feet above the tops of the trees. Instinctively, you crouch down and take cover amongst the nearby foliage, your weapon drawn in readiness, as it attempts in vain to force a landing amongst the densely-packed pines. Its incessant cawing and the crash of its leathery wings against the upper branches brings Dorst and his men hurrying to investigate. They each pause to grab a bow and quiver from their saddlebags, then they loose off a volley of arrows at the beast. Shrieking with frustration, the Kraan takes to the night sky and quickly disappears, heading away to the north.</p>
+ <p>A chill night wind whistles through the trees and you shiver. But it is not the cold that is chilling your blood - it is the nagging fear that you may never live to see your homeland again.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275"><link-text>Turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect100">
+ <meta><title>100</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From a secret drawer beneath the stone table, Gwynian brings forth a golden crystal the size of an apple. Its multi-faceted surface radiates a myriad tiny beams which shimmer and sparkle with the fiery energy that is locked within its core.</p>
+ <p>'This is a Sun-Crystal, Grand Master,' he says, placing the object into the palm of your hand. Its surface feels pleasantly warm, inviting your touch. 'If you are to save your brethren, you must close the Shadow Gate for good. This crystal can achieve this aim. It contains power sufficient to destroy the Shadow Gate and prevent its return.'</p>
+ <p>You look down at the glowing crystal with fearful respect. Gwynian notes your concern and smiles.</p>
+ <p>'You need not fear the crystal's power for it cannot cause harm in our world. Only if it is cast into another plane of existence will its powers be released. Grand Master, you must cast it into the Shadow Gate that Naar has created.'</p>
+ <p>'So this is how I can save my brethren,' you whisper, as you peer into the glittering head of the crystal.</p>
+ <p>'Just so,' replies Gwynian, 'Just so.'</p>
+ <p>'Then I must away at once,' you say, placing the Sun-Crystal into the pocket of your tunic. 'Now that I have the weapon I need to save my people, I can stay not a moment longer, I must leave for Casiorn at once.'</p>
+ <p>'Yes,' says Gwynian, still smiling, 'I know of your plans, and I have made provision for you to travel to the City of Merchants more swiftly. Come, follow me, and all will be revealed.'</p>
+ <p>Record the Sun-Crystal on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item. You must discard another item in its favour if you already possess the maximum permissible.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect323"><link-text>Turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect101">
+ <meta><title>101</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The figure beside the fireplace does not reply. Instead, it stretches out a gloved hand and takes up an iron rod which is lying upon the stone mantle. The moment its fingers close around the haft, a crackling blue flame ignites at its tip.</p>
+ <p>'Draw steel!' commands Nathor, and his men respond by unsheathing their swords in readiness or combat. The Sommerswerd hums with power as you release it from its scabbard and hold it before dour face. You sense that the figure is not human: it possesses an aura of evil that marks it as a dark disciple, a magician versed in the forbidden black arts of the Nadziranim.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly there is a low, concussive boom and a spiral of blue flame shoots the length of the hall, fired from the tip of the figure's iron stave. It connects with the blade of your divine sword and rebounds, shattering one of the tall windows into a thousand glittering shards.</p>
+ <p>'Take him!' shouts Nathor, and his men rush forward, but a second blast from the stave puts an end to their brave advance. All three are cut down by an arc of blue fire that leaves their corpses heaped and smouldering in the middle of the hall.</p>
+ <p>Nathor curses the sinister figure and it responds by uttering a chilling, inhuman laugh. Now you sense a new danger approaching - the being's sickly laughter is summoning its minions to the hall.</p>
+ <p>'Lord Nathor!' you cry, 'we cannot prevail here. We must escape &ellips; Follow me!'</p>
+ <p>And with these words, you race to the window and leap feet first through the shattered pane.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect219">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect301">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect102">
+ <meta><title>102</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your arrow penetrates deeply into the dragon's eye, its entire length disappears into the black cornea and he reacts to the sudden, agonising pain by emitting a ground-shuddering roar. He rears up on his hind legs and, for a few terrifying moments, he claws wildly at the sulphurous sky before keeling over on his side. You have slain the dragon!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect24"><link-text>Turn to 24</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect103">
+ <meta><title>103</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dismount and toss your horse's reins to a sniffing stable-boy before entering the dry and welcome warmth of the inn. The innkeeper is a burly, ginger-bearded man with an incongruous lisp, who attends to his small group of patrons with an air of bored indifference. You hand him 2 Cold Crowns and in return you receive a small and draughty room over the stables.</p>
+ <p>You sleep well (restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) and wake at dawn. The innkeeper offers you breakfast, but the unsavoury plate of stale cheese and bacon rind that he produces from under the taproom counter does little to excite your appetite. You decline his offer, collect your horse, and set off on the trail which heads east out of Ellio.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176"><link-text>Turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect104">
+ <meta><title>104</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sun is now above the horizon and this hamlet is slowly stifling to life. You decide to while away the next hour or so by looking around its simple shops and riverside stores. One building in particular catches your eye: it is a hail perched precariously on the end of a wide wooden jetty. You can hear an old man's voice hailing from its open doors, answered by the occasional murmur of a crowd. Inside you discover a wizened old cleric administering to a sick woman whose head is swathed with bandages. The cleric is attempting to cure the woman of her ills by laying-on his hands, but the pressure is simply making the pain in her head feel worse.</p>
+ <p>'Charlatan,' mumbles one onlooker. 'Old fake,' whispers another. The aged cleric hears these dissenting voices and he becomes flustered. Although he may be incompetent as a healer, you sense that he is a good man at heart and so you decide to save him from the disgruntled crowd, who look as if they are on the brink of throwing him In the river at any moment.</p>
+ <p>'Hold, good brother!' you say, moving swiftly through the crowd to the small stage on which he and the bandaged woman are standing. 'You should not be placing your hands upon this good woman's head. Surely the source of her pain stems from her aching heart!'</p>
+ <p>And with this you take hold of the man's hands and place them on the woman's chest. Her first reaction is one of shock and she starts to pull away, but when you transmit your own healing powers through the cleric's hands and into her body, the pain in her head suddenly vanishes. A smile of pure joy lights up her face and hurriedly she strips off her bandages.</p>
+ <p>'Ishir be praised!' she cried, 'I'm cured. I'm completely cured!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect188"><link-text>Turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect105">
+ <meta><title>105</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you rise from the river and cough out a mouthful of cold water. The dust of the explosion is settling and you can see D'Val bringing the regiment forward.</p>
+ <p>'Are you badly injured, Grand Master?' he shouts, as he comes riding through the water.</p>
+ <p>'I'll live,' you reply, sardonically, and hurry to remount your skittish horse.</p>
+ <p>'Thank Ishir you're with us,' says the Captain, as together you return to the regiment and lead kern across the ford. 'Without you, this wicked sorcery would have cost us dear.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect253"><link-text>Turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect106">
+ <meta><title>106</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tip of the swirling vortex is drawn to the Platinum Amulet you wear around your neck, like lightning to a conductor, and upon the instant it touches there is a blinding flash. An electrifying jolt runs through your body and a deafening screech splits the air.</p>
+ <p>For a terrifying moment the amulet becomes red hot (lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), then there is another flash, and the power of the ring rebounds from the amulet and returns towards its source. For an instant you glimpse the Prince's face - it is a mask of abject terror. Then the vortex reaches him and, in a blink of an eye, he is swallowed up by a whirlwind of supernatural fire.</p>
+ <p>'So perish all who serve the Dark God!' you scream, elated by your unexpected victory over the evil Prince Lutha.</p>
+ <p>High above you can hear the distant sound of running feet. A troop of the Prince's guards are rushing to his aid, although you sense that it is too late to save him now. Rather than stay to face their wrath when they discover their leader has been incinerated, you use the edge of the amulet to prise open the circular panel in the wail of the pit. As it falls away, you discover a chute which leads to an underground river. Quickly you crawl along this slime-smeared chute and slip into the cold waters, where you are carried swiftly away by the strong undercurrent.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect107">
+ <meta><title>107</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your horse crashes lifelessly to the ground and you are thrown forwards through the air. With cat-like grace, you land on your feet among the boulders and bracken which border this hill road, and regain your balance almost immediately. Seconds later, you see a yelling horde of leather-clad men, each brandishing a sword or a spear, come rushing from hiding places among the surrounding pines. As they close in upon you, you unsheathe your weapon and prepare to fight for your life.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Eldenoran ambushers</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">42</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect285">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect108">
+ <meta><title>108</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The shrieking lavas snatches you off the mountainside and soars into the air. At first you struggle to free yourself from its mighty claws, but then you see the creature is carrying you directly towards the yawning black maw of the Shadow Gate and you freeze with shock.</p>
+ <p>Moments before entering this hellish abyss, you look down and get a passing glimpse of the Sun-Crystal lying among the rocks, no more than thirty feet from the entrance to the Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you possess Grand Nexus, and have reached the Kai rank of Grand Thane, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect88">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect109">
+ <meta><title>109</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sheathe your bloodstained weapon and dismount in order to search the bodies of your slain foes. Your search is thorough and it uncovers the following items:</p>
+ <p>6 Swords</p>
+ <p>4 Axes</p>
+ <p>1 Broadsword</p>
+ <p>2 Spears</p>
+ <p>260 Lune (equivalent to 65 Gold Crowns)</p>
+ <p>4 Backpacks</p>
+ <p>5 Daggers</p>
+ <p>Enough food for 12 Meals</p>
+ <p>Rope</p>
+ <p>Boar Whip</p>
+ <p>Hammer</p>
+ <p>Lantern</p>
+ <p>Blanket</p>
+ <p>Spyglass</p>
+ <p>Sliver Seal (Special Item)</p>
+ <p>If you choose to keep any of the above items, remember to record them in the appropriate sections of your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">To continue your journey east, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect110">
+ <meta><title>110</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus a blast of psychic energy at the trooper (deduct 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point) and he collapses in the doorway, clasping his head and screaming in agony.</p>
+ <p>His cries of pain alert his fellow horsemen, but by the time they come to his aid, you and the shocked trooper's horse are nowhere to be seen. You keep to the trees and head south in a wide arc around the Eldenoran settlement at Fabri. During your ride trough the woodland, you discover the following items in the bags and blanket roll which are attached to the horse's saddle:</p>
+ <p>Sword</p>
+ <p>Rope</p>
+ <p>Tinderbox</p>
+ <p>Blanket</p>
+ <p>Bow</p>
+ <p>Quiver containing 5 arrows</p>
+ <p>12 Lune (equivalent to 3 Cold Crowns)</p>
+ <p>Spyglass</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Shortly before sunset, you emerge from the trees at a place where three trails meet. A wooden signpost propped against a boulder indicates three directions, destinations, and distances:</p>
+ <p>North-Chod-250 miles West-Holona-SO miles South-Tenzha--20 miles</p>
+ <p>You are anxious to leave hostile Eldenoran territory as soon as possible and, after checking your map, you set off to the south, towards the Slovian border town of Tenzha.</p>
+ <p>During your ride, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect343">To continue, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect111">
+ <meta><title>111</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You spend the night at the Royal Citadel as the guest of Queen Evaine, and enjoy a fine feast and the hospitality of her court. Then, shortly after dawn of the following day, you bid her majesty, and your companion - Lord Ardan - a fond farewell before beginning the next stage of your long journey home.</p>
+ <p>The Queen has given her Lord Constable a Royal Seal and placed him, along with a troop of ten court cavalrymen, at your disposal. Lord Nathor and his men are to act as your guides and bodyguards on the road to Vanamor, the capital city of neighbouring Palmyrion. This republic is closely allied to Talestria and lies along its eastern border. Palmyrion also has close ties with your homeland and you look forward to the chance of renewing your friendship with its leader, Elector Manatine.</p>
+ <p>Mounted on fine Talestrian steeds, your party leaves the walled city of Garthen by is East Gate and sets off towards the outlying village of Sharr. Here you cross the mighty River Phoen by way of a great stone bridge. On the far side of this bridge you notice a signpost which points to the east. It reads: VANAMOR 280 miles.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect210"><link-text>Turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect112">
+ <meta><title>112</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ride across this busy square and enter Ladder Way, a thoroughfare which heads towards the very heart of Varetta. Apothecaries and candle-makers' shops flank this wide street until it opens upon an ornate park that is filled with rare and beautiful flowers.</p>
+ <p>To the west of the park you notice a fortified tower, by far the tallest in the city. You feel inexplicably drawn towards this tower; it is as if it possesses the solution to all your problems. You leave the park by its west sate and enter a wider thoroughfare called Brass Street. Here you see the courtyard entrance to a grand budding whose brick and marble facade is adorned with the words: HALLS OF LEARNING.</p>
+ <p>You enter and ride along a gravelled path which leads to a building where a sign, hanging over its richly-carved oak door, simply says: LIBRARY. You feel compelled to stop here and, without quite mowing why, you dismount from your horse and tie his reins to a ring which is set into the wall. Then you push open the door and enter the library's cool interior.</p>
+ <p>Countless thousands of books and parchments crowd the stone shelves of his magnificent library. Your eyes travel along them until they reach another door at the far end of the hall. There, standing framed in its archway, is an old man clad in plain brown robes. He looks at you and smiles knowingly.</p>
+ <p>'Welcome. Grand Master,' he says, 'I have been expecting you.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If you have ever visited a hut on Raider's Road, the city of Tahou, or Lake Vorndarol (in previous Lone Wolf adventures), <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect184">If you have never visited any of these places, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect113">
+ <meta><title>113</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The swelling in your throat is choking your oesophagus, making it difficult for you to swallow: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Fighting back the pain, you force yourself to swallow hard and, within seconds, you feel the terrible plague symptoms begin to subside.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect193"><link-text>Turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect114">
+ <meta><title>114</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The lower ranks of the Kai are proud and excited to have you among them. Your presence inspires their courage and you feel confident that they will fight exceptionally well in the coming battle. Lord Rimoah is also by your side, quietly intoning the words of battle spells in preparation for the lavas' attack.</p>
+ <p>'Here they come!' shouts Sabre Fox from the far end of the battlements,</p>
+ <p>'Take up your bows, my lords!' you cry, as the first wave of winged beasts come sweeping down from out of the northern sky, 'and make every arrow count!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If you possess a Bow, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect78">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect115">
+ <meta><title>115</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The burning wolf-thing comes crashing down into the midst of its following pack members, setting fire to four of their number. A collective howl arises, a hellish shrieking filled with fear, anger and pain. For a few moments the pack is thrown into turmoil, but this panic does not last and, with renewed tenacity, they soon come sweeping across the bridge towards you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304"><link-text>Turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect116">
+ <meta><title>116</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull free from the shattered timbers and continue your swim, reaching the far bank as quickly as your aching lungs will allow. Using the corpses that litter the shoreline for cover, you crawl slowly from the river and slither on your stomach into the wood which commands this stretch of bank. Your stealth and your Kai camouflage skills keep you hidden from the watchful eyes of the Eldenoran archers who infest these trees, but they do not fool their keen-nosed war-dogs. You have barely reached the treeline when they begin to bark and howl.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect117">
+ <meta><title>117</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly there is a tremendous Crack! and a gaping chasm splits the ground wide open. With the hellish laughter of the Dark God Naar ringing in your ears, you are consumed by this fiery crevasse.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, on the threshold of victory, your life and pour quest end here on the Plane of Darkness.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect118">
+ <meta><title>118</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow the narrow track for half a mile before arriving at a clearing. Here you discover the poorly-concealed remains of an encampment which, on closer examination, you are convinced was used by the Eldenoran bandits who attacked the village at Pinepeaks.</p>
+ <p>Among the ashes of a campfire you find a small, soot-blackened silver seal which bears the star emblem of Eldenora. (If you wish to keep this Silver Seal, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item.)</p>
+ <p>Once satisfied that there is nothing else here of interest or value, you return with the troop to the red rock and continue east along the main trail.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11"><link-text>Turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect119">
+ <meta><title>119</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The speed and audacity of your crossing, coupled with your Kai camouflage skills, enable you to reach the Slovian side without being detected by the guards on either side of the river.</p>
+ <p>As soon as your horse's hooves touch Slovian soil, you spur him onwards and disappear swiftly into the welcoming darkness of the plains beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect92"><link-text>Turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect120">
+ <meta><title>120</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The hall is lit by a hundred spluttering candies and the light of a log fire which blazes in the chamber's imposing stone hearth. Three tall arched windows, each glazed with stained glass panels, are set into the south wall, and an impressive collection of books and fine tapestries line the others. Clearly, Knight Tranius is a refined man whose tastes extend beyond hunting the occasional boar.</p>
+ <p>After a few minutes, a concealed panel beside the fireplace slides open and a broad-shouldered man clad in a wolfskin coat and a silver helm steps into the hall.</p>
+ <p>'Hail Tranius!' says Nathor, 'It's good to &ellips;'</p>
+ <p>The Lord Constable's words of greeting die in his throat and immediately you sense that something is very wrong. You hear a bolt slide shut outside the door to the hall, sealing it closed, and your Kai senses suddenly scream a warning of impending danger.</p>
+ <p>'You're not Tranius,' shouts Nathor at the shadowy figure at the far end of the hall. 'By the gods! Who are you?'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect101">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
+ <p>If you do not possess this Special Item, turn 72.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect121">
+ <meta><title>121</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'It is good to see you again, Grand Master,' he says, forcing a smile, 'I was expecting you. I received word yesterday from Queen Evaine telling me of your urgent journey. Yet it is unfortunate that your visit should come at this time, I would have hoped to have given you the kind of welcome you truly deserve.' The Elector then introduces you to his generals who acknowledge you with soldierly salutes.</p>
+ <p>'As you can see, we are at war, Grand Master,' he says, sweeping a hand over the maps which lie strewn across his state table. 'The new ruler of Eldenora, a low-born blackguard by the name of Lutha who dares to adorn himself with the title 'Prince of Duadon', is attempting to seize our northern territories. We are locked in battle with his army of cut-throats near Holona and, though it pains me to have to admit this, were hard-pressed to contain his advance. This war has come without warning and we were ill-prepared. We have few reserves, insufficient to support the Holona garrison and to counter the many small units of Eldenoran horsemen who are ravaging our plains. This is a dark and testing time for us, Grand Master, but e'er so, I shall old you all I can.'</p>
+ <p>You learn that the Elector has already elicited, on your behalf, the help of High-Mayor Cordas of Casiorn. Cordas is reputedly the richest man in all of Magnamund. Manatine tells you that Cordas has ordered the construction of a sky-vessel to transport you swiftly to Sommerlund.</p>
+ <p>'This craft is presently being built in Casiorn, and the High-Mayor has sent word that you should go there as quickly as you can. His teams of skilled artisans are working on the craft day and night, and he is confident that it will be completed in fifteen days' time.'</p>
+ <p>In times of peace, you would expect the 850-mile ride to Casiorn to take little more than two weeks to complete. But peace, always a fragile state in the Stornlands, has been shattered by Prince Lutha's unprovoked attack on Holona, a town through which you had hoped to travel. Anxiously, you ask the Elector how the wax against Eldenora will affect your chances of reaching Casiorn swiftly.</p>
+ <p>'Sadly, I cannot predict the future, Grand Master,' he replies, 'the war bodes ill for both our causes. However, I shall do what I am able to speed your journey onwards.'</p>
+ <p>The Elector motions to one of his guardsmen who ms and leaves the War Room. He soon returns with another soldier who wears the uniform of a captain.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect204">If you have ever visited the Palmyrion military post at Stonewatch, in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect84">If you have not, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect122">
+ <meta><title>122</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the depths of its cavernous gullet, the dragon coughs forth a concentrated jet of white-hot flame that comes speeding towards your chest. Wide-eyed with fear, you leap aside desperately to avoid being incinerated by this lance of dragon-fire.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If you possess Kai alchemy, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect153">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect123">
+ <meta><title>123</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Please sir,' she says once more. 'Are you not the Northland warrior, the one they call Lone Wolf? I was in attendance at the Elector's court when he awarded you the Star of Palmyrion for your victory over the Cener Druids of Ruel. I would be honoured if you would grace me with your company.'</p>
+ <p>Intrigued by the young woman's account, and her high-bred charms, you step away from the bushes and approach her carriage door.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect135"><link-text>Turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect124">
+ <meta><title>124</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dare not allow yourself to believe that Guildmaster Banedon and the others are dead. You ask the King to be allowed to travel immediately to the Kai Monastery aboard your flying ship Cloud-dancer so that you may be sure of their fate. King Ulnar considers your request, but he refuses his permission for you to fly to the monastery. He fears that Cloud-dancer could be destroyed in the same manner that Skyrider was felled from the skies. He reasons that if Naar's minions were capable of wrecking a skyship that was protected by twelve powerful magicians, they would have little difficulty in destroying a skyship with no magical defences whatsoever. And, furthermore, he can ill afford to risk losing you in this fashion. You embody Sommerlund's only hope of victory against the forces of Naar in this dark hour.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect125">
+ <meta><title>125</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On reaching the far bank, you use the corpses that litter the shoreline for cover. You wait here, absolutely motionless, for nearly fifteen minutes before crawling from the water and slithering on your stomach into the wood which commands this stretch of the river bank. Your stealth and your Kai camouflage skills keep you hidden from the watchful eyes of the Eldenoran archers who infest these trees, but they do not fool their keen-nosed war-dogs. You have barely reached the treeline when they begin to bark and howl.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect126">
+ <meta><title>126</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You help Nathor and the villagers to fight the fires which threaten to consume their humble homes, using your Magnakai skill of Nexus to good effect, and when you have saved all you can, you summon the troop together to assess the situation</p>
+ <p>Six brigands and two Court Cavalry troopers were killed during the brief fight to secure the village. The villagers themselves have lost eight of their menfolk, with several others wounded and some missing; these are presumed to be hiding in the woods. They have retained most of their possessions but their abbey has been gutted by the fire which Holkar and his thugs started. Nathor conducts a burial for the slain villagers and his two men, during which he pledges that Queen Evaine will be informed of what happened here this day.</p>
+ <p>'Her Majesty will see that justice is done,' he assures the tearful gathering of peasants. 'The bandit-realm of Eldenora will be made to pay for this crime.</p>
+ <p>After the burial, Lord Nathor gives to the village elders a weighty purse of silver Lune and a horse which belonged to one of his slain men. It is a small token for the loss they have suffered, but one that is appreciated by the villagers. The other horse is given to you, to replace the steed that was killed beneath you during the ambush on the road.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect190"><link-text>Turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect127">
+ <meta><title>127</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You get to your feet and resume your steady climb towards the gate, now less than a hundred yards distant, but you have taken only a few dozen steps when suddenly another flight of lavas emerge from the Shadow Gate. You flatten yourself against the damp granite in a desperate attempt to avoid being seen, hut in your hurry you lose your footing on the slippery rocks.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. For every level of Kai rank you have attained above that of Kai Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect272">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect29">If it is 6-8, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect141">If it is 9 or higher, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect128">
+ <meta><title>128</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to drag yourself up from the roadway, but your strength rapidly deserts you and you tumble, unconscious, back into the mud.</p>
+ <p>Several hours later you regain consciousness and are able to muster sufficient strength to stand. Your innate Kai healing skills have saved you from the deadly plague virus which infects this town, but you have paid a grievous price.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If the number you have chosen is even (0, 2, 4. 6, 8), deduct 10 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points from your current total. If the number you have picked is odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), deduct 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect193">If you are still alive, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect129">
+ <meta><title>129</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You utter the words of the Brotherhood spell Lightning Hand and raise your right arm, pointing it towards the belly of the swooping beast. A flash of blue-white light erupts at your fingertips, and an arc of crackling energy speeds from your hand towards the creature. It veers in mid-air to avoid the bolt but its reactions are too slow to escape being hit. The bolt rips a jagged hole in its left wing and, suddenly off-balanced by the wound, the beast loses control and slams into the ground with a sickening crunch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215"><link-text>Turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect130">
+ <meta><title>130</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Elector Manatine permits you the use of his private chambers, which adjoin the War Boom, where you are able to get a few hours' sleep before dawn. Then, shortly after sunrise, you bid the Elector and his generals farewell and leave the city, with Captain Cearmaine, in a military coach bound for Holona. An escort of cavalry outriders accompany this armoured carriage in case you should meet unexpectedly with a unit of roving Eldenorans during your journey east. Thankfully, the journey proves swill and uneventful and, as the day is turning to dusk, you find yourself approaching the military outpost of Stonewatch.</p>
+ <p>You stay at this fort overnight and then continue on to Holona in the morning. For most of the journey you experience a sense of unease, a premonition that something is wrong, but it is not until you catch sight of the city, shortly before noon, that your fears are realized.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect157"><link-text>Turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect131">
+ <meta><title>131</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The severe heat and poisonous atmosphere is beginning to take its toll: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You sense that your Magnakai skill of Nexus is shielding your body from the worse effects of this hellish environment, but you cannot rely on it to protect you indefinitely. Already your tunic is smouldering and the so1es of your boots are giving off wisps of blue smoke. You must escape from here soon, before you succumb to the heat and the toxic atmosphere.</p>
+ <p>However, for the moment there is a more pressing danger to be faced. The dragon-creatures that you saw earlier are now advancing rapidly towards the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80"><link-text>Turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect132">
+ <meta><title>132</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Queen Evaine commands the Lord Constable to take you to the citadel dungeons which are located several levels below the State Hall. Here, shackled o the dank stone wall of a rat-infested cell, is the man who was caught in a Garthen tavern plotting your murder. Limp and unconscious, he hangs by his wrists in chains, his emaciated body showing all too clearly the signs of recent tortures. A pot-bellied gaoler scoops a bucket of foul water from a trough by the cell door and revives the prisoner by pouring it unceremoniously over his head. Coughing and spluttering, the wretch stirs to consciousness. He raises his face and you sense that he recognizes immediately who you are; his eyes blaze with an undisguised hatred.</p>
+ <p>'He's a tough 'un,' growls the gaoler, 'I've used all o' me skills on 'im but 'e won't say who 'is paymaster be.'</p>
+ <p>The fat gaoler reaches for a pair of long-handled pincers which are protruding from a brazier of hot coals.</p>
+ <p>'Perhaps you'll be wanting to interrogate 'im yourself, sire?' he says, offering you the pincers. Wisps of smoke curl from their sharpened tips which are red and glowing.</p>
+ <p>'Aye, gaoler, there are questions I'd like this man to answer. But I'll not be needing those,' you reply, declining the use of the cruel pincers.</p>
+ <p>'I prefer to rely on my own methods of interrogation.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect79">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If you possess Kai-surge, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect95">If you possess neither of these Grand Master Disciplines, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn instead to 95</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect133">
+ <meta><title>133</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You wait until the line of Eldenoran soldiers have filed past the entrance to the dug-out, then you slip outside and make your way swiftly along the trench. Suddenly there Is a terrific boom, and a brilliant splash of blue-white fire illuminates the distant bridge. It is the opening bombardment in yet another futile assault across the river.</p>
+ <p>The trench ahead is empty; its owners have already gone forward to support the new attack. When you reach the end, you scramble over the muddy parapet and race head-down across a stretch of open ground towards a small wood.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect134">
+ <meta><title>134</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You do not slip very far before you are able to arrest your fall and descend at a slower pace. You find the Sun-Crystal lying wedged among the rocks and, with a growing sense of awe, you take hold of it and weigh it in your hand. Then you turn to look back at the Shadow Gate in order to gauge your throw.</p>
+ <p>The halo of energy which surrounds the Gate begins to crackle fiercely, and your Kai instincts tingle with a strange and sinister premonition. You can sense that, on the Plane of Darkness, Naar has just consigned his newest champions to the Shadow Gate through which you escaped. His mighty dragon herd is on its way to Magnamund.</p>
+ <p>As the first rays of the dawn sun spread across the surrounding rocks, you draw back your arm and hurl the Sun-Crystal into the gaping maw of the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect135">
+ <meta><title>135</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The carriage door swings open and the beautiful young woman steps gracefully out on to the stony trail.</p>
+ <p>'May I be so bold as to introduce myself,' she says, pausing to adjust a broad-brimmed hat which is trimmed with black corvayl fur, as silky smooth as her flowing hair. 'I am the Baroness Coryene of the Lucia Province.'</p>
+ <p>She offers her delicate hand and you kiss it in deference to her noble rank. Out of the corner of your eye you notice the leading horseman dismount and come to stand protectively by her side.</p>
+ <p>'Oh, and this is my personal guard - Dorst.'</p>
+ <p>You give the gruff-looking fellow a slight bow and he nods his head in response, albeit begrudgingly.</p>
+ <p>'We are returning from a visit to my cousin's estate. We were hoping to reach Kalma by sunset, but we were delayed by bandits,' she says, almost apologetically.</p>
+ <p>'We made 'em pay dearly for wastin' our time, though,' adds Dorst, with quiet menace.</p>
+ <p>'It appears that we shall now have to encamp here in the hills this night,' says the Baroness. 'Perhaps you would care lo join us, my Lord? I would feel so much safer if you did.'</p>
+ <p>Despite Dorst's cutting glances, you agree to the Baroness's proposal. Then you produce the six trout that you caught earlier and offer them to her as a gift.</p>
+ <p>'Why, thank you,' she says, with a wide smile, 'they look &ellips; delicious.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect59"><link-text>Turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect136">
+ <meta><title>136</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite not having made a telepathic contact with Guildmaster Banedon, you refuse to believe that he and Lord Rimoah are dead. You resolve instead to reach the Kai Monastery and destroy the Shadow Gate as soon as you are able and, strengthened by this resolution, you return to the council of war and announce your decision to the King. You show the council the Sun-Crystal that Gwynian gave you, and you tell them how you intend to use it.</p>
+ <p>Ulnar and the barons applaud your plan and your steadfast courage. The King places under your command his elite Guard Cavalry regiment, so that you may be able to use them to break through the enemy's line at its weakest point and reach the Kai Monastery. Captain D'Val, commander of the Guard Cavalry, knows where this weak point is and he will guide you to it.</p>
+ <p>The King dissolves the council and, as the barons return to their armies in the field, he orders you to rest in his chambers for a few hours.</p>
+ <p>'Get some sleep, Grand Master,' he says, patting you paternally on the shoulder, 'you will need it. You ride with the Guard at dawn.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect94"><link-text>Turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect137">
+ <meta><title>137</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You steel yourself for the impact, but you hit the flagstones with such numbing force that your preparation does little to lessen the injuries you receive to your legs and body (lose 12 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Moments later, you are hit by Nathor who comes crashing down upon your prone form. Your body softens his fall, but even so, the impact leaves him with a broken left ankle and severe cuts to his face and hands. Despite his obvious pain he manages to smile when he realizes that you are both still alive, revealing gaps where he is now missing two of his front teeth.</p>
+ <p>Using your natural Kai curing skills, you repair your internal injuries sufficiently for you to be able to stand and assist your companion. Bravely Nathor stifles his urge to scream as you take hold of his shattered ankle. You summon your healing powers and transmit them through your hands to his injured foot (reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by a further 4 points). You feel the warmth of your power start to reduce the swollen tissues and mend the broken bone, but before you can complete the cure, a yelling horde of bogus castle guardsmen come rushing from out of the gatehouse with their swords drawn. Cursing your luck, you unsheathe your weapon and crouch in readiness to meet their manic attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Castle guardsmen (imposters)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">48</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect93">If you win this fight, <link-text>turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect138">
+ <meta><title>138</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The first spatterings of rain are dampening your shoulders as you approach the forest town's solitary inn. The smell and soft noises of horses waft from an adjoining stable, and the flickering orange light of an open fire can be seen shimmering through the bulls-eye glass of the inn's leaded windows. You halt outside the main door and stoop to read a weather-faded board that is fixed to the wall:</p>
+ <p>The Towering Pine Inn Room & Stabling - 2 Cold Crowns per night</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103">If you possess sufficient Gold Crowns to stay here for the night, <link-text>turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect302">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect139">
+ <meta><title>139</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The lavas veers away from you and uses its wings to deflect the Sun-Crystal. With dismay you watch as the glowing crystal drops harmlessly among the rocks, below the entrance to the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <p>Hurriedly you scramble over the jagged granite in a desperate attempt to retrieve the Sun-Crystal and try again, but as you are about to stretch out and close your hand upon it, the lavas swoops down and fixes its claws into your backpack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect108"><link-text>Turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect140">
+ <meta><title>140</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The river hack runs parallel to the Kinam for nearly a mile before bearing east and entering a coppice of tall conifers. On the far side of this cultivated wood you come to a bridge across a wide, fast-flowing tributary of the Kinam. The parapet of the bridge is lined with imposing stone statues, each depicting a past lord of Scade manor.</p>
+ <p>In the distance you can now see Castle Tranius. Its curtain wall and fortified barbican are illuminated by torches which were lit, as is the custom here, an hour before sunset. On arriving at the gatehouse, Lord Nathor and the rest of you are welcomed into the castle keep where your horses are attended to. A trio of Knight Tranius's guards come to escort you to his hall and, as you follow them to the castle's upper chambers, Nathor asks after Guetor the Boarmaster, the leader of Knight Tranius's hunt.</p>
+ <p>'He's no longer with us,' answers one of the guards, tersely, 'he's gone away.'</p>
+ <p>Before Nathor ran enquire further as to the whereabouts of his old hunting instructor, you are ushered into the castle's main hall and asked to wait a few minutes for Knight Tranius to arrive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect120"><link-text>Turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect141">
+ <meta><title>141</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you regain your footing and flatten yourself against the rocks. The granite is cold and damp against your cheek as you watch the second flight soar into the sky and fly away, heading due east.</p>
+ <p>You resume your climb quickly. When you are within thirty yards of the Shadow Gate, you draw back your arm and get ready to hurl the Sun-Crystal into its inky black core. At this moment, a piercing shriek rises above the Gate's throbbing hum and, to your horror, you look up to see a lavas diving towards your chest. Hurriedly you throw the Sun-Crystal before the creature can press home its attack.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect139">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect233">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect142">
+ <meta><title>142</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The pack leader comes leaping through the air as you are unsheathing your weapon. You only just manage to sidestep in time to avoid being slammed to the ground beneath its vast bulk. As it flashes past, you spin around and sever its spine with one mighty, back-handed blow.</p>
+ <p>Within seconds, the remaining pack members appear. They catch the scent of their leader's blood and it drives them into a frenzy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect166">If you possess Assimilance, and have reached the Kai rank of Grand Guardian or higher, <link-text>turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect216">If you do not possess his skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, <link-text>turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect143">
+ <meta><title>143</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With painstaking care, you inch your way up the side of the ravine. Bits of rock and soil crumble away beneath your feet with alarming regularity, and often you are left dangling precariously in mid-air, holding on by just the fingers of one hand.</p>
+ <p>You are within sight of the top, more than a hundred feet from the base of the ravine, when suddenly there is a thundering roar. You look up and, to your mounting horror, you see a deluge of rock and stone come tumbling towards your face.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <p>If you possess a Rope, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess the Grand Master discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect223">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect329">If it is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect144">
+ <meta><title>144</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The leading wolf-creatures swarm around you and then attack with chilling ferocity. As they leap at you from all sides, desperately you lash out, left and right, in an attempt to cut your way free from their deadly circle.</p>
+ <p>Hounds of Vikkak <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 50 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> 50</p>
+ <p>These beings are immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect45">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect145">
+ <meta><title>145</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you slay the last of the line of lavas, you feel the wrath of Naar sweep down upon your back. The ground beneath your feet begins to shudder and fissures appear in the black soil, running red with glowing lava. You struggle to reach the entrance to the Shadow Gate, barely ten yards distant, as the ground is transformed into a heaving molten mass.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If you possess Grand Huntmastery, and have attained the rank of Rat Grand Guardian or higher, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect162">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect146">
+ <meta><title>146</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Upon the instant you defeat the spirit of Roark, the whirlwind ceases and all the airborne debris drops harmlessly to the ground. Roark's ghostly apparition mouths a silent scream before it, and its hideous mount, melt into the shadows of the night. You sense that the evil which pervaded this sad city has, at last, been banished for good.</p>
+ <p>You s1eep easily this night, and you awake the following morning to the sound of birdsong. It brings a smile to your face to hear that life is already returning to Amory. You gather your equipment and, as you are leaving, you are blessed by an unexpected stroke of luck. By accident you step on a rotten board, and, when you pull your foot free, you discover 10 Gold Crowns hidden in the hollow beneath the floorboards. (You may record these on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>, maximum allowances permitting.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect83"><link-text>Turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect147">
+ <meta><title>147</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You recognize these creatures at once - they are Lavas, winged-horrors from the Plane of Darkness, the domain of the Dark God himself. The memory of your previous encounter with these creatures sends a shiver coursing down your spine.</p>
+
+ <p>With a silent signal you bring the regiment to a halt. Captain D'Val leans towards you Iron his saddle and whispers: 'Here is the enemy who have your Monastery surrounded, Grand Master, and this is the weakest point in their line.'</p>
+ <p>'I know this place,' you reply quietly. 'the monastery lies over the next ridge of trees. If we are to break through here, we must be quick about it. These creatures can take to the skies - it would not take them long to summon reinforcements.'</p>
+ <p>'You are right, Grand Master. The risks are indeed great, but I and my men men are willing to take them to ensure your return in the monastery of the Kai. You must get through. You are the only one who can destroy the Shadow Gate and remove this curse from our land.'</p>
+ <p>'Very well then, Captain,' you reply, unsheathing your weapon. 'Pass the order to prepare to charge.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect148">
+ <meta><title>148</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You recoil from the insidious green cloud and fall back towards the cell door. Your mastery of Nexus protects you from this highly poisonous gas, but the gaoler and Lord Nathor are not so fortunate: both are vulnerable to its deadly effect. Choking and retching, they collapse to the floor, their fingers scrabbling at their swelling throats as they fight desperately for breath. You grab hold of their tunics, one in each hand, and drag their bodies me of the cell into the cleaner air of the corridor beyond. Here you use your Magnakai healing disciplines to ease the effects of the poison gas; your skill and the swiftness of your actions save them from a painful, suffocating death.</p>
+ <p>'Wh &ellips; what happened?' wheezes Nathor, as he slowly recovers from the deadly gas.</p>
+ <p>You peer into the cell at he man now hanging limply in chains, then you turn to Nathor and say: 'Suicide. A suicide and an attempted murder. The prisoner has just killed himself with a poison pellet and it seems his last wish was to take all three of us with him.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect309"><link-text>Turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect149">
+ <meta><title>149</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Calling upon your Kai Mastery, you cause yourself to slip into a coma-like state which gives every outwardly appearance of death.</p>
+ <p>High above, you hear Prince Lutha bowling delightedly at the sight of your seemingly lifeless body. He calls for his guards and, a few moments later, you hear them entering the pit. They pronounce you dead, then there Follows the tinny sound of metal scraping on metal before you feel yourself being lifted by the shoulders and feet and lowered into a slippery chute. A wave of panic makes you awake from your death-like trance with a start. This sudden and unexpected resurrection makes the guards scream and drop you. They scurry away, gibbering like idiots, and you are left to slide headlong down a chute which leads to a fast-flowing underground river. You hit the cold waters head-first and are carried swiftly away by the strong undercurrent.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect150">
+ <meta><title>150</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For several minutes you ride the river, keeping to the centre of its course to avoid being dashed against the rough rock walls of the tunnel through it flows. Then you glimpse a moonlit opening in the distance and, a few moments later, you are tumbling from an outflow at the base of Duadon's east city wall. You fall amidst a torrent of frothing water and hit the surface of a river twenty feet below.</p>
+ <p>Immediately you strike out with your hands and rise as quickly as you can, spitting out a mouthful of foul-tasting water as soon as your head breaks the surface. The current pushes you towards the river bank where a group of beggars, clad in mouldering rags, are sifting through the flotsam that is being flushed out of the city. You note with disgust that this floating debris consists mainly of corpses, many the victims of Prince Lutha's brutal regime. The beggars take fright and scatter when you stagger out of the water. You watch them run away, then you hurry towards the beckoning safety of a wood which borders upon a rutted river road. Here you spend a damp uncomfortable night trying to formulate a new plan of action that will enable you to reach Casiorn as quickly as possible. At length you resolve to go east and attempt to cross the River Storn to the Salonese city of Rhem, located on its east bank. It has the reputation for being a tough and lawless place but you feel sure it can be no worse than Duadon.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect202"><link-text>Turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect151">
+ <meta><title>151</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lead the regiment across the ford, keeping an eye peeled on the sky above In case the enemy should appear without warning from over the treeline. But the danger to the regiment comes not from above; it is at ground level.</p>
+ <p>As you are leaving the ford and ascending the slope of the river bank, suddenly there is a tremendous explosion. Unwittingly, you have ridden your horse through an invisible beam, a beam which has triggered a device hidden earlier among the rocks by Naar's minions. The explosion sends sharp splinters of rock tearing into horses and men with deadly effect. The blast knocks you from your saddle and, as you fall backwards into the cold water, a splinter of rock slices through your left arm and another tears open your upper left thigh: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Gritting your teeth against the stinging pain you struggle to your feet and use your Kai healing skills to staunch the bleeding. As the dust of the explosion clears, you count two horses and two men lying dead in the water. Captain D'Val has lost his horse, but miraculously he has survived with no more than scratches to his face and legs, Quickly you attend to the wounded, using your healing skills to ease their suffering. D'Val, wary of the vulnerability of his regiment, orders his men to abandon the dead and cross the ford as quickly as they can.</p>
+ <p>Cursing your ill luck, you hurriedly remount and join him at the head of the column.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect235"><link-text>Turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect152">
+ <meta><title>152</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Dorst spreads out an oilskin blanket and you all gather round, seating yourself cross-legged on the ground. He then deals five cards to each man and opens the betting with a stake of five Lune. The game is Taluka - common in the inns of Palmyrion and especially popular among professional gamblers. With your Kai abilities it is easy for you to know every card that is being played, and so, rather than risk being called a cheat, you simply go through the motions of playing the game, maintaining exactly the same amount of money you begin with.</p>
+ <p>After half an hour or so, you suddenly realize that Dorst is cheating.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If you wish to expose his cheating, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>l.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If you decide to quit the game, <link-text>turn instead to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect153">
+ <meta><title>153</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You feel the searing heat of the dragon's breath blister your legs as you dive headlong to avoid its deadly jet of flame.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 12 or less, deduct 1 from the number you have picked. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 13 or more, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect34">If your total score is now 2 or lower, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect213">If it is 3 or higher, <link-text>turn to 213</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect154">
+ <meta><title>154</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For hours the sound of the Kraan's incessant cry echoes among the surrounding hills, making it difficult for you to sleep at all this night. As you lie awake listening to its ghastly caw, a sense of foreboding invades your mind and, despite your strong will, you feel powerless to overcome it. Restless and agitated, you get up and pace around the cellar until, at last, the cawing ceases and a chorus of birdsong ushers in the dawn (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points because of lack of rest).</p>
+ <p>You join the troop for breakfast with Rasbarin and his brothers. During this meal, the elderly monk offers you a Flask of Aquas to fortify you on the road ahead, and a Talisman of Ishir to ward off hostile creatures (these are both Backpack Items). After breakfast, Nathor thanks Rasbarin for his hospitality and makes a donation of 50 Lune to his monastery. (If, before leaving, you too would like to make a donation, erase from your Anion Chart the number of Gold Crowns you decide to give to the holy Vaderish brethren.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect16">To continue, <link-text>turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect155">
+ <meta><title>155</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After your long ride to Varetta, the youth's offer of rest and assistance sounds inviting. You dismount and approach the door, but as you are about to enter, your Kai sixth sense screams a warning.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly, a gang of scurrilous rogues emerge from the shadows and come creeping towards your back. Swiftly you unsheathe your weapon and spin around to face them as they launch their cowardly attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Thieves of Varetta</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">36</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect222">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect156">
+ <meta><title>156</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The cry of the war-dogs grows steadily louder until the Eldenoran archers let them off the leash. Then, like a wave of hellish demons, the yellow-eyed hounds come bounding through the trees, homing-in directly on your scent. The leading war-dog, a great grey beast with teeth that glint like polished daggers, storms through the foliage less than twenty yards from where you are crouching. It fixes you with its gruesome stare and turns towards you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If you possess a bow, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect157">
+ <meta><title>157</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Holona is in turmoil. The approach roads and outlying fields are littered with scores of broken wagons, dead horses, and the ruined impediments of war. Palmyrion soldiers sit dejectedly on the frost-hardened earth, their glazed eyes and bandaged limbs bearing grim testimony to the bitter fighting that is taking place just a few miles to the north. Battle-weary officers ride among these exhausted men, cursing and coaxing them in a half-hearted attempt to rally them to arms. Few heed their call.</p>
+ <p>Inside the city walls the situation is tense. Every available dwelling is packed to overflowing with wounded soldiers, and the civilian populace, displaced from their homes by the army's needs, wander the streets and alleyways in a state of shocked confusion, greatly adding to the chaos.</p>
+ <p>Captain Cearmaine orders his driver to the Canatarium, the largest of Holona's municipal halls, where General Foucharl, the Palmyrion commander, has established his headquarters. On entering this crowded building, a young lieutenant rushes up to Cearmaine and informs him that his son has been wounded in the battle now raging at the Reloni bridge.</p>
+ <p>'I must go to him, Grand Master,' he says, his voice choked with emotion, 'I'm told that he has not long to live.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect289">If you wish to go with Captain Cearmaine to see his wounded son, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect307">If you choose not to accompany him, <link-text>turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect158">
+ <meta><title>158</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the top of the Tower of the Sun you survey the mountainous northern approaches with growing trepidation. Banedon is by your side, so too are Kai Masters Black Hawk and Wild Weasel and a score of Kai warmarns and savants. You sense the lower ranks of the Kai are proud and excited to be stationed here with their Grand Master. Your presence inspires their courage and you feel confident that they will fight exceptionally well in the coming battle.</p>
+ <p>You look down at the shattered wreck of the Skyrider lying in the monastery grounds far below, and I reminds you of your sky journey from Casiorn to Holmgard. You tell Banedon about the Cloud-dancer and you promise him that, if your mission to destroy the Shadow Gate is successful, you will make a gift of it to him in recognition of the help he has given the Kai in your absence.</p>
+ <p>'Thank you, Grand Master,' he says, 'yours is a most gracious gesture,'</p>
+ <p>Then the first of the lavas horde are seen, their burnished wings glinting in the moonlight.</p>
+ <p>'Here they come!' shouts Black Hawk, from the far end of the tower.</p>
+ <p>'Take up your bows, my lords!' you cry, as the first wave of these winged beasts comes sweeping down from out of the northern sky, 'and make every arrow count!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178">If you possess a Bow, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect159">
+ <meta><title>159</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step away from the heaped bodies of the bogus castle guardsmen and sheathe your bloodied weapon. Then you take hold of Nathor and heave him across the neck of a saddled horse. Quickly you mount this steed and urge it to the gallop, bursting forth from the stables at breakneck speed. Outside, the castle keep is alive with screams and curses as you steer your horse towards the gatehouse, where, to your mounting horror, you see that the portcullis is beginning to fall.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Telegnosis, and have reached the Kai rank of Sun Lord or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2. If you possess Animal Mastery add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect21">If your total score is now 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect230">If it is 3 or higher, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect160">
+ <meta><title>160</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You finish the last of the horse scouts with a crushing blow to the head, and, as he collapses to the ground, you spin about and vault on to the freed horse's back. But before you can spur him to the gallop and make good your escape, you hear the ominous click of a crossbow being cocked in the doorway behind you.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect224">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect14">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect161">
+ <meta><title>161</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After bidding a hurried farewell to the Lord Constable and his men, you take a fresh horse and leave the inn by a door at the rear of the stables. Some of the mob have gathered in an adjoining alleyway, but aided by your Kai camouflage skills, you evade these bloodthirsty thugs with ease.</p>
+ <p>Keeping to the smaller alleys and passages, you make your way across Scade unseen and then head north towards the open plains. You ride all night, using your infra-vision to help guide your horse trough the lush grasslands and keep watch for potential dangers. As the hours slip past you cannot help but think about Nathor and the men of his troop; they are risking their lives by staying behind as bait for the mob. You admire their courage and it strengthens your resolve to return home to Sommerlund. Should the Lord Constable and his men have to pay or your escape with their lives, then you are determined that their sacrifice shall not be a wasted one.</p>
+ <p>During your long night ride, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect75">To continue, <link-text>turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect162">
+ <meta><title>162</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you struggle to reach the Shadow Gate as the ground heaves and jolts beneath your sinking feet.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. For every level of Kai rank you have attained above Kai Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect117">If your total is now 0-3, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect6">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 6</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect163">
+ <meta><title>163</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are more than two-thirds of the way across the river when you become entangled in the submerged wreckage of a siege engine. You fight to free yourself but, in doing so, you quickly expend the last of the air in your lungs.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <p>If you possess any Sabito, or if you possess mastery of Kai-alchemy, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Nexus, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect65">If your total is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 65</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect116">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect164">
+ <meta><title>164</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus your advanced Kai healing powers on the young man's wound and cause the punctured tissues to knit together (reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 3 points). Your treatment deadens his pain and revives him, but you know that this remission is but temporary; the poison in his blood is too strong and too well-established to be neutralized by your Kai powers.</p>
+ <p>Through clenched teeth, he forces himself to speak. You hear him tell his father that Prince Lutha's army is being aided by a sinister group of Cener Druids and renegade nadziranim magicians. Lutha himself possesses a ring of power, which bestows upon him an invulnerability to weapons. The boy says this ring must be taken from him if he is to be slain.</p>
+ <p>Gradually, the effects of your healing powers wear off and the brave young man slips into a sleep from which he will not awaken.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect255"><link-text>Turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect165">
+ <meta><title>165</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly you are confronted by one of these beasts who attempts to strike you from the battlements with its horny tail. You leap to avoid its scything attack, draw your weapon in mid-air, and swing your first blow the moment your feet return to the flagstones of the North Watch.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Lavas</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">46</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect282">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect166">
+ <meta><title>166</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Kai ability, you conjure up a fog from the forest floor to conceal your position. Shielded by this supernatural mist, you manage to evade the war-dog pack and make good an escape into the forest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect167">
+ <meta><title>167</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Moments before you reach him, he throws the young woman and her child to the ground and spins around to face you, his dagger held poised to slash at your throat. He strikes and you dodge his first clumsy blow with ease. As he is about to strike out for a second time, you raise your weapon and aim a scything blow at his head.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Eldenoran thug (drunk)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">30</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect168">
+ <meta><title>168</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ask a street trader the way to the Halls of Learning and he points impatiently to an avenue on the west side of the square. A rusty plate fixed to the corner building says: Quill Street.</p>
+ <p>You ride along this narrow avenue, which is flanked by aromatic ala houses and perfumeries, until it turns abruptly right into a wider thoroughfare called Brass Street. A smile cracks your travel-grimy face when you see the courtyard entrance to a grand building. It has changed much since you were last here, but despite its new brick and marble façade you recognise Varetta's Halls of Learning.</p>
+ <p>You ride along a gravelled path to a fountain where you stop to ask a brown-robed scholar if he mows where Gwynian can be found. Without speaking, he points to a nearby hall. A sign hanging over its richly-carved oak door says: LIBRARY. You thank the robed man and dismount from your horse, leaving him tied to a ring which is set into the wall. Then you push open the door and enter the library's cool interior.</p>
+ <p>Countless thousands of books and parchments crowd the stone shelves of this magnificent library. Your eyes travel along them until they reach another door at the far end of the hall. There, standing Framed in the arch, is the man whose help you seek.</p>
+ <p>'Welcome, Grand Master,' says Gwynian the Sage, 'I have been expecting you.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect169">
+ <meta><title>169</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your keen Kai senses detect a faint aroma in the air, a sickly sweet smell which you recognize immediately. It is the aroma of disease and decay - the ghastly cloying smell of plague.</p>
+ <p>Alerted by your acute Kai senses to the tragedy which has befallen the town of Nursha, you skirt around its perimeter before taking the road which heads east towards Abisko.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect3"><link-text>Turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect170">
+ <meta><title>170</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The young man gets up off his knees and greets you with a friendly smile. He is unusually talkative for a guildsman and you soon learn that his name is Frello, and that he is a journeyman from the Silversmiths Guild of Vanamor. He has stopped here to offer up a prayer to Ishir to protect him from 'bad strangers on the trail'. It appears that he was robbed yesterday by some Eldenorans on the road out of Vanamor. He offers to share half a loaf of bread with you, but you decline his generosity, thanking him nonetheless. You sense that it is all the food he has. Mindful of wasting time, you bid him good luck and then continue your journey east.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect19"><link-text>Turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect171">
+ <meta><title>171</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You signal to Captain D'Val to bring the regiment to a halt. Then, as soon as they are stationary, you dismount and move into the undergrowth alone. Stealthily you advance towards the boot, suspecting it to be another of the enemy's booby traps, but when you get to within a few feet you see that it is no trap. A knot tightens in the pit of your stomach and a tear wells up in your eye as you look with pity at what lies here.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect245"><link-text>Turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect172">
+ <meta><title>172</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw on your Kai mastery to conjure up a dense fog which fills the pit. You hear Lutha cursing you vehemently, for he can no longer see where you are. In frustration, he causes a whirling blast of power to surge from the ring and sweep down the shaft of the pit. You are buffeted by a wave of evil psychic energy (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) but this power is unfocused and you quickly recover.</p>
+ <p>Seizing the advantage, you call on your Magnakai skills of Pathsmanship to aid you as you begin the difficult climb out of the pit. The ascent becomes a race against time; you must reach the open trapdoor before the mist clears.</p>
+ <p>You are pulling yourself through the opening when Lutha sees you. He attempts to kick you with his right foot, but you twist away in time to avoid the vicious attack and you tug his left leg, pulling him off balance. This move buys you the few seconds you need to get to your feet. As you rise he comes at you again, this time with a dagger in his hand.</p>
+ <p>Prince Lutha (with Ring of Power) <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 54 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> 39</p>
+ <p>While wearing the Ring of Power, Lutha is immune to all fonts of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect89">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect173">
+ <meta><title>173</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your arrow glances off the Dragons lower eyelid and its tip gouges a furrow of black tissue from the cornea of his eye. He reacts to the sudden, agonizing pain by emitting a ground-shuddering roar. Wildly he stomps his massive forefeet down into the black soil and sends splashes of molten mud and flame soaring into the air.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect344"><link-text>Turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect174">
+ <meta><title>174</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You whisper the words of the Brotherhood spell Mind Charm and point your hand at the trooper's face. Instantly he relaxes and becomes entirely susceptible to your psychic commands. You will him to turn around and close the door to the hut and, as he is obeying your silent order, you mount his horse and escape into the woods.</p>
+ <p>You keep to the trees and head south in a wide arc around the Eldenoran settlement at Fabri. During your ride through the woodland, you discover the following items in the bags and blanket roll which are attached to the horse's saddle:</p>
+ <p>Sword</p>
+ <p>Rope</p>
+ <p>Tinderbox</p>
+ <p>Blanket</p>
+ <p>Bow</p>
+ <p>Quiver containing 5 arrows</p>
+ <p>12 Lune (equivalent to 3 Gold Crowns)</p>
+ <p>Spyglass</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Shortly before sunset, you emerge from the trees at a place where three trails meet. A wooden signpost propped against a boulder indicates three directions, destinations, and distances:</p>
+ <p>North-Chod-250 miles West-Holona-50 miles South-Tenzha-20 miles</p>
+ <p>You are anxious to leave hostile Eldenoran territory as soon as possible and, after checking your map, you set off to the south, towards the Slovian border town of Tenzha.</p>
+ <p>During your ride, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect343">To continue, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect175">
+ <meta><title>175</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Ten days after leaving Vadera, the Saxin drops anchor in Varnos harbour in Garthen - the crown capital of Talestria. The sleek and elegant lines of the Lencian craft contrast starkly with the drab, functional hulls of the merchant ships and dhows which crowd this city-port's jetties and wharfs. Lencian craft are a rare sight in Garthen, and the Saxin is the rarest of Lencian craft; it is no wonder that its arrival stirs a frenzy of interest and speculation among the citizens of this capital.</p>
+ <p>Word of your arrival travels quickly to the Royal Citadel and a troop of Queen Evaine's court cavalry are dispatched to the harbour. They are led by a stern-faced man who wears the uniform and gold insignia of the Lord Constable, the highest military rank in the Talestrian army. He brings his column of regal horsemen to a halt at the quayside, then he dismounts and strides forward to welcome you in person as you disembark from the ship.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If you have ever visited Garthen or Torgar in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect48">If you have not, <link-text>turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect176">
+ <meta><title>176</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For two days you follow this trail through the great forest of Salony. During your ride it strikes you that the weather seems to be reflecting the nature of the people who dwell in this region - cold and inhospitable. They do not take kindly to strangers, especially those riding alone.</p>
+ <p>On the morning of the third day, you reach a small village called Hopforst which stands at the edge of the great forest. To the west of the village you can now see the snow-capped mountain peaks of the Ceners, and to the north stretches an open expanse of rough grassland dotted with thickets of larch and pine.</p>
+ <p>As dusk is drawing its curtain of shadow over the land, you see in the distance the decaying walls of a derelict city. A broken sign by the roadside says that this place is called Amory, yet the newish track which branches off the road and avoids the city gate tells you that travellers on this road no longer visit here. It has begun to rain again and you are quietly dreading having to spend another night out in the open. Tempted by the promise of shelter, you approach Amory and enter the city by a gate that hangs haphazardly from its hinges.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240"><link-text>Turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect177">
+ <meta><title>177</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Stoically you swim against the powerful current and reach the distant shore, breathless and exhausted, but glad to have escaped in one piece from the hostile land of Eldenora.</p>
+ <p>Once you have fully recovered, you put on your boots and cloak and take stock of your surroundings. You have emerged from the Storn at a wooded stretch of riverbank, less than a mile south of the city of Rhem. You set off along a track heading north and within a few minutes, you catch sight of the city walls and its famous horseshoe-shaped harbour.</p>
+ <p>You enter the city by its south gate, using your Kai camouflage skills and your natural stealth to avoid the attentions of the watchful guards. Once inside, you merge with the crowds and soon find yourself in a square that is overshadowed by the twin towers of Rhem Cathedral. An avenue runs along the cathedral's south side and, at its far end, your eye is drawn to a rusty suit of armour which stands beside the door to a dingy-looking shop.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect339">If you wish to enter this armoury, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect36">If you decide not to enter, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect178">
+ <meta><title>178</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw an arrow and take careful aim at one of the leading lavas. As it dips its head and opens its jaw, you release your straining bowstring and send your shaft whistling towards its head. The fire-hardened tip penetrates its eye and, with a hideous shriek, it spins end over end before crashing into the parapet of the Tower.</p>
+ <p>'Fire at their eyes!' you shout, and a cloud of Kai arrows are sent screaming through the sky to seek their elusive mark. More than half find their target, decimating the first wave of the lavas attack at a single stroke, yet those winged creatures who do survive this deadly volley are quickly among the defenders on the tower. Suddenly you are confronted by one of these beasts who attempts to bat you over the parapet with its horny tail. You leap to avoid its scything attack, draw your weapon in mid-air, and strike your first blow the moment your feet return to the Tower's flagstones.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Lavas</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">46</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect49">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect179">
+ <meta><title>179</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The pack leader is a ferocious creature whose supernatural will is far too strong to be turned by your powers of animal control. Your attempts at repelling him prove futile, and, with their kill now in sight, these howling beasts increase their speed. Hurriedly you unsheathe your weapon as they come streaming across the bridge towards you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect144"><link-text>Turn to 144</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect180">
+ <meta><title>180</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With Sabre Fox at your side, you climb the circular stairs to the Grand Hall of the Tower of the Sun. Excitedly the young Kai master announces your arrival to the battle-weary Kai who are gathered here, and, at first, they look at you in stunned disbelief. Then the truth of what they see sinks in and they give vent to a loud cheer that can be heard all throughout the monastery.</p>
+ <p>The news of your return spreads like wildfire. Two of the first to welcome you back are your friend Guildmaster Banedon, and your trusted advisor Lord Rimoah.</p>
+ <p>'Thank Ishir you are alive, Banedon,' you say clasping his hand in friendship. 'In Holmgard they fear that you and Rimoah were killed aboard your skyship. It gladdens my heart to see this is not so.'</p>
+ <p>'And it warms me to see you safely home, Grand Master,' he replies, 'though we've been hard-pressed to keep your home safe in your absence,' adds Lord Rimoah, with a wry smile.</p>
+ <p>'You both have my deepest thanks,' you reply. 'You took a great risk in corning to the aid of the Kai. I have seen what became of your skyship, Banedon. You were indeed fortunate to have survived.'</p>
+ <p>'Aye,' he replies, sadly. 'Yet, alas, three of my Brotherhood were not so blessed. They perished when the lavas dragged us from the skies.'</p>
+ <p>'Take heart, Banedon, for their deaths will not be in vain. They shall be avenged.' And with these prophetic words you take the Sun-Crystal from your pocket and show it to your grieving friend. 'With this crystal I shall destroy the Shadow Gate and put an end to Naar's evil plan.'</p>
+ <p>Together with Banedon and Rimoah, you make a tour of the monastery to assess for yourself the extent of the battle damage. Your presence among the young Kai greatly improves their morale and strengthens their resolve to withstand the lavas' siege. You Ask every area of the monastery, including the Lore Hall of Solaris where the bodies of those slain in battle have been layed out, awaiting burial. It saddens you to see so many Kai dead and, as you walk among their still ranks, you recognize many in whom you had held high hopes; Spring Rain, Eastwind, Sharp Dove, Deep Heart. Frost Lark, and Firefly. As you turn to leave the Lore Hall, you vow to Banedon and Rimoah that the sacrifice they have made will never be forgotten.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect256"><link-text>Turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect181">
+ <meta><title>181</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ride to an overturned wagon that lies within thirty yards of the river's edge. To the wide-eyed astonishment of the three soldiers who are sheltering here from a hail of naptha and crossbow bolts, you leap from your horse and sprint headlong towards the river. The moment you hit the freezing water, you stay submerged and swim to the opposite bank. Once there, you make use of the corpses that litter the shoreline to conceal your presence while you observe the enemy trenches.</p>
+ <p>The Eldenoran assault troopers are well dug in. Furthermore, they are aided by a Cener Druid who occupies a nearby trench. He is peering through what, at first glance, appears to be a giant magnifying glass.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect320">If you possess Assimilance, and have attained the rank of Grand Thane, <link-text>turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect207">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, <link-text>turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect182">
+ <meta><title>182</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your deadly battle-skill leaves the brigands shocked and bloodied. With ease you are able to disentangle yourself from the fight and escape across the open plain. Two of the bandits attempt to pursue you, but they soon lose heart and give up the chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340"><link-text>Turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect183">
+ <meta><title>183</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your slain horse crashes to the ground and you are thrown through the air. You land among the boulders and bracken which border the hill road, but your swift Kai reflexes prevent you from sustaining serious injury: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Bruised but unshaken, you spring to your feet in time to see a yelling horde of leather-clad men, each brandishing a sword or a spear, come rushing from hiding places among the surrounding trees. As they close in upon you, you draw your weapon and prepare to fight for your life.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Eldenoran ambushers</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">42</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect285">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect184">
+ <meta><title>184</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your first reaction is to back away from this strange old man and reach for the hilt of your weapon, but then your Kai senses tell you that he means you no harm. You focus your psychic powers at his mind and, in an instant, you sense that he has summoned you here to aid you.</p>
+ <p>'I am Gwynian the Sage,' he says, meekly. 'I am a humble servant of the Gods Kai and Ishir. I seek to help you, Grand Master. Will you not listen to my wisdom?'</p>
+ <p>You nod in wary agreement and allow the old man to usher you through the archway into an adjoining chamber. Here you see strange floating bulbs of light that illuminate a stone table covered with charts and scrolls.</p>
+ <p>'Very well, Gwynian, what news have you of Sommerlund?' you ask, sceptically.</p>
+ <p>'Grave news,' replies the old man, with an ominous tone. He picks up a chart from the table and traces a finger across the intricate lines and calculations that embellish its ancient yellowed surface.</p>
+ <p>'The Dark God Naar has opened a Shadow Gate in the Durncrag mountains, a corridor between our world and his. By means of this corridor he has sent a host of winged creatures - the Lavas - to assail your monastery. It is his plan to destroy the young order of Kai warriors while you are not able to lead them. The Shadow Gate opened at the time of the last full moon and, since then, the Kai Monastery has been attacked many times. Naar's servants have your stronghold encircled and cut off from the armies of King Ulnar, who has repeatedly sought to break the siege. Your Kai have withstood the attacks well, Lone Wolf, but they are weakening. Only you can save them now.'</p>
+ <p>'But how?' you ask, shaken by Gwynian's account of the events which have occurred during your absence from the monastery. 'If the armies of King Ulnar are powerless to break the siege, how can I hope to save my brethren?'</p>
+ <p>'Do not despair, Lone Wolf,' replies Gwynian, reassuringly. 'All is not yet lost. You can save your brave order by closing the gate through which Naar sends his Lavas minions.'</p>
+ <p>You are about to ask how you could possibly achieve this, how you could close the Shadow Gate, but your urgent question is forestalled when Gwynian raises his hand.</p>
+ <p>'Patience for just a moment, Lone Wolf,' he says, and he allows himself a smile. 'I, humble Gwynian, possess the means by which you can thwart the Dark God's murderous plan.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect185">
+ <meta><title>185</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your hasty dive lands you upon the chest of a sleeping Eldenoran officer who awakes with a start. Before he can cry out, you punch him squarely or the jaw, knocking him unconscious. As you get to your feet you notice that scattered on his makeshift bunk are several leather bags and scraps of paper.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If you wish to silt through these items, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect133">If you choose to get ready to leave this dug-out as soon as the coast is clear, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect186">
+ <meta><title>186</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sides of the ravine are composed of gravel and shale which is loose and treacherous underfoot, yet our natural agility enables you to make the descent about too much difficulty. Climbing up the far side, however, proves to be a far harder task than expected.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect262">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect143">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 143</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect187">
+ <meta><title>187</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw upon your Nat mastery for protection and, gradually, you feel the pain subside. Flashing motes of light are beginning to whirl past you in the inky blackness, and faint sounds are reaching your ears, emanating from a pinpoint of light in the far distance. This speck of light steadily grows until it seems to fill your senses, and, with an abruptness that leaves you gasping for breath, you suddenly find yourself lying face-down on a slab of damp granite.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect276"><link-text>Turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect188">
+ <meta><title>188</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The woman reaches to her purse and counts out 40 silver Lune into the cleric's trembling hands, and all the while she praises him loudly for along the pain from her head. The cleric, whose name is Matho, sheepishly accepts her generous donation. Then, quite suddenly, he is swamped by the crowd of onlookers who all rush the stage at once. Each one waves a money purse and demands that he cure them as well. The frail old man is in danger of being crushed to death until you rescue him from this agitated crowd.</p>
+ <p>Once safely outside, he offers you all of the woman's donation, for he knows only too well that it was your healing abilities which cured her, and not his own. (If you wish to accept this money, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as 40 Lune).</p>
+ <p>'Where are you bound for, stranger?' he asks.</p>
+ <p>'The east,' you reply.</p>
+ <p>'That's where I've journeyed from. Perhaps I can offer you a word of caution, eh? There's plague in the Stornlands this year. You would be well to avoid the region if you can. If you can't, well, this potion will protect you. I can at least guarantee that.'</p>
+ <p>The old cleric pulls a small flask from his pocket and offers it to you (if you wish to accept this potion, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as Matho's Potion).</p>
+ <p>Then the old cleric accompanies you back to the blacksmithy where he, too, is having his mount re-shoed. You collect your horse, and he collects his ragged old mule, then you bid each other good luck and farewell before going your separate ways.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect315"><link-text>Turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect189">
+ <meta><title>189</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Stealthily you approach the nearest horse, using your Magnakai Discipline of animal control to keep him calm as you untie his reins. But you have only just released them from the rail when suddenly the door of the hut swings open and you find yourself confronted by the horse's rider - an Eldenoran cavalry scout.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect110">If you possess Kai-surge, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect174">If you possess Kai alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect33">If you possess neither of these Grand Master Disciplines, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect190">
+ <meta><title>190</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is the mid-afternoon when the troop resumes the long journey east to Vanamor. During the ride, Lord Nathor voices his grave concern that Eldenoran bandits should be operating in the heart of his country: they have rarely dared to venture this far from home before. Although he does not say so, you sense that he knows the reason why they have become so bold of late. They have been sent here to find and kill you.</p>
+ <p>The road climbs out of the valley and zig-zags its way through the forested hills to a high pass. Beyond this pass there stretches a wide expanse of lush grassland where herds of wild deer roam and graze freely. It is late in the afternoon when you catch sight of a procession approaching on the road ahead. Mostly they are men dressed in ragged brown robes, and one is carrying aloft a grimy banner which bears the image of a lightning bolt set upon a full moon.</p>
+ <p>'Shoni pilgrims,' says Nathor, dismissively. 'They're wandering beggar-monks who have taken a vow of poverty. Many in Garthen regard them as just a gang of scroungers who pretend to be a holy order so they can fleece the foolish. I suggest we ignore them and press on.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect319">If you wish to take Nathor's advice and ignore the Shoni pilgrims, <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect28">If you decide to stop and talk to them, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect191">
+ <meta><title>191</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the ravine the land becomes increasingly barren. You press on, following a dried watercourse to a plateau which is dotted with scrub and stunted pines. Here, beneath the twisted boughs of a dead tree, you make camp for the night and settle down to sleep. Before you rest, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal and lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect313">To continue, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect192">
+ <meta><title>192</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw an arrow and take careful aim at one of the leading lavas. As it dips its head and opens its jaw, you release your straining bowstring and send your shaft whistling towards its face. The fire-hardened tip penetrates its eye and, with a hideous shriek, it spins end over end before crashing into the parapet of the North Watch.</p>
+ <p>'Fire at their eyes!' you shout, and a cloud of fifty Kai arrows are sent screaming through the sky to seek their elusive mark. More than half find their target, decimating the first wave of the lavas attack at a single stroke, yet those winged creatures who do survive this deadly volley are quickly among the defenders on the wall. Suddenly you are confronted by one of these beasts who attempts to bat you from the battlements with its horny tail. You leap to avoid its scything attack, draw your weapon in mid-air, and strike your first blow the moment your feet return to the flagstones of the North Watch.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Lavas</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">46</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect282">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect193">
+ <meta><title>193</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave this accursed town as quickly as you are able, and skirt around its perimeter before joining the road which heads east towards Abisko. Later in the afternoon, you catch sight of a grand, half-timbered bridge in the far distance. It spans a river, swollen by recent rains, which you recognize at once to be the River Reloni. There is a small circular tent near the approach to the bridge, and three Eldenoran soldiers are seated on stools beside it, each smoking a long-stemmed pipe.</p>
+ <p>At first you consider avoiding the bridge and finding somewhere else to make a crossing, but the river is wide and fast-flowing, and the three guards look particularly weak and stupid. After some deliberation, you decide to try and bluff your way past them. At your approach, one of the guards gets up off his stool and moves to stand in your way. Casually, he asks to see some sort of identification.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect283">If you possess a Silver Seal, <link-text>turn to 283</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect317">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect194">
+ <meta><title>194</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before the angry thieves of Spur Lane can catch you, you cross the square and enter Quill Street. This narrow avenue is flanked by aromatic jala houses and perfumeries, until at length it turns abruptly right into a wider thoroughfare called Brass Street. Here you see the courtyard entrance to a grand building whose brick and marble façade is adorned with the words: HALLS OF LEARNING. Suddenly you feel inexplicably drawn towards this building; it is as if it possesses the solution to all your problems.</p>
+ <p>You enter and ride along a gravelled path which leads to a building where a sign, hanging over its richly-carved oak door, simply says: LIBRARY. You feel compelled to stop here and, without quite knowing why, you dismount from your horse and tie his reins to a ring which is set into the wall. Then you push open the door and enter the library's cool interior.</p>
+ <p>Countless thousands of books and parchments crowd the stone shelves of this magnificent library. Your eyes travel along them until they reach another door at the far end of the hall. There, standing framed in its archway, is an old man clad in plain brown robes. He looks at you and smiles knowingly.</p>
+ <p>'Welcome, Grand Master,' he says, 'I have been expecting you.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If you have ever visited a hut on Raider's Road, the city of Tahou, or Lake Vorndarol (in previous Lone Wolf adventures), <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect184">If you have never visited any of these places, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect195">
+ <meta><title>195</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You cross to the far side of the river and wait there as the first few wolf-creatures come racing towards the bridge. The pack leader is a massive brute with chillingly yellow eyes that seem to follow your every move. The moment he reaches the bridge approach, you focus your Kai powers of Animal Control at him in a desperate attempt to turn him away.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. For every level of Kai rank you have attained above that of Kai Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect179">If your total score is now 0-4, <link-text>turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If it is 5--8, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect266">If it is 9 or higher, <link-text>turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect196">
+ <meta><title>196</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you draw an arrow and raise your bow at the dragon's massive head, you hear the lavas emitting a sound that approximates laughter. Clearly they are amused by your reliance on such a primitive weapon. Undaunted by their cackling sneers, you pull the bowstring as taut as you can and place your trust in the Gods Ishir and Kai to guide your aim.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect297">If you possess Magi-magic, and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord, or higher, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect334">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect197">
+ <meta><title>197</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After a few minutes the druid ceases to sweep the river's edge with his curious-looking device, and you watch him disappear below the parapet of the trench.</p>
+ <p>Rather than attempt to exit the water here, you allow the current to carry you a few hundred yards downstream. Here you discover a shallow bay in the river bank which affords you better cover from the nearest enemy trench. Quickly you crawl out of the water and slither like a snake up the muddy bank to drop silently into this trench. A dull-wined Eldenoran is swiftly dispatched with a blow from the edge of your hand, enabling you to move further along this log-walled ditch. Just as you are passing the opening to a makeshift dug-out, you sense danger ahead. A single file of Eldenoran swordsmen are marching along the trench in your direction: it will only be a matter of seconds before they are close enough to see you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect185">If you wish to dive into the dug-out to avoid being seen by these men, <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If you choose to unsheathe your weapon and prepare for combat with this advancing file of troops, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect198">
+ <meta><title>198</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'In the name of the Gods!' splutters Nathor, spilling liqueur down the front of his tunic, 'what was that?'</p>
+ <p>You hurry to the window and see a large, bat-like shape silhouetted against the moon. A man-sized rider clings precariously to the creature's back as it swoops and soars among the hills and gulleys. A knot of fear tightens in the pit of your stomach.</p>
+ <p>'A Kraan,' you say, recognizing at once the outline of this unwelcome creature.</p>
+ <p>'You had best come away from the window, my Lord,' replies an anxious Nathor, 'lest it detects your presence here.'</p>
+ <p>You take heed of the Lord Constable's advice and retreat from the window. Furthermore, you use your Magnakai skill of Kai-screen to shield your mind in case the Kraan rider is able to employ psychic abilities to locate your presence.</p>
+ <p>'It is not the first time,' says Rasbarin. 'Every night for the past ten days we've heard it circling the hills. Sometimes there is more than one of its kind.' He offers you a bunk in the cellar of the monastery where you may be safe from detection, and you accept gladly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect154"><link-text>Turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect199">
+ <meta><title>199</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The accused man thanks you profusely for proving his innocence, and the merchant, while on his hands and knees gathering up his scattered gems, offers the man one of his glittering stones by way of an apology.</p>
+ <p>Red-faced wish embarrassment, the merchant then offers you 10 Gold Crowns for having rid him of a thief whom he was about to entrust with his entire cargo of gems and spices from Casiorn. (If you choose to accept the crowns, be sure to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.)</p>
+ <p>The tavern owner, however, is not so understanding. He does not like blood being spilled on his premises and he asks you to leave at once. You bid all three goodnight and then return to the stables to collect Wildwind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31"><link-text>Turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect200">
+ <meta><title>200</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lead the regiment along the trail to where the surrounding forest opens out into a shallow meadow. Along the centre of this grassy clearing there meanders a small stream, where a dozen of the winged creatures are spread unevenly along the muddy banks. They are staring intently at the water, seemingly fascinated by the sight of the trout swimming there, and at first they do not see the regiment approaching. You give the signal to change formation, to form into two lines abreast for the charge. Then you glance at the wooded rise on the far side of the meadow, knowing that beyond this ridge lies your goal - the Kai Monastery.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly one of the creatures hovering over the stream raises the alarm and his ghastly brothers growl with surprise. Unnervingly, they clack their beaked jaws as they survey the King's Cavalry, as if they are relishing the thought of an imminent feast. You order the men to lower their lances and then, with a smile of grim determination on your lips, you spur your horse forward and give voice to your battle-cry: 'For Sommerlund and the Kai!'</p>
+ <p>The King's Cavalry sweep down the meadow and engulf the winged horrors, driving their lances through their steely hides. You see two of the creatures disappear beneath a thundering wave of hooves, and another two are caught from behind as they attempt to take to the air. You strike one creature a blow to its head as you gallop across the stream. It glances off its iron-hard skull, but the force s sufficient to stun the beast. As it staggers drunkenly in your wake, Captain D'Val, who is leading the second line, veers towards it and runs it through with his lance.</p>
+ <p>Once you are over the stream, you spur your horse up the grassy rise towards the top of the ridge, now no more than a hundred yards distant. You are within seconds of reaching the crest of the ridge when suddenly one of the creatures comes swooping out of the sky. It flies you with its glowing eyes and extends its talons as it comes screaming down towards your face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect129">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect37">If you possess Magi-magic, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ <p>If you possess neither of these skills, or if you choose not to use them, turn in 303.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect201">
+ <meta><title>201</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Intrigued by the young woman's high-bred charms, you step away from the bushes and approach her carriage door.</p>
+ <p>'Why, yes,' she says, excitedly. 'You are the Northland warrior they call Lone Wolf, are you not? I was in attendance at the Elector's court the day he awarded you the Star of Palmyrion or your victory over the Cener Druids of Ruel. I am honoured to meet with you in person, brave Sir.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect135"><link-text>Turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect202">
+ <meta><title>202</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are woken from a fitful slumber by the sound of shouting. Cautiously you part the foliage to see a group of Duadon guardsmen scorning the river hank in search of your body. A brutish garrison sergeant is questioning a scrawny beggar whom he holds by the neck, lifting him several inches off the ground. The beggar, shaking with fear, points a finger towards the wood. The sergeant gives him a sneering smile, then rewards him for his co-operation with a dagger in the guts.</p>
+ <p>'Search the copse!' bellows the sergeant, wiping be blood from his blade on the dead beggar's coat. 'Damned Northlander's gone to ground in there.'</p>
+ <p>Quickly you retreat deeper into the wood as a line of soldiers come crashing through the foliage, hacking and slashing with their broad-bladed swords. Using your camouflage skills, you slip through their line and make your way back towards the river road, to the place where they have left their horses. A blow to the base of the skull puts paid to the soldier who is standing guard there and, as quietly as you can, you take a horse and escape towards the east.</p>
+ <p>When you can no longer see the walls of Duadon, you rein in your horse and take stock of the equipment contained in its saddle-bags. You discover the following items:</p>
+ <p>Backpack</p>
+ <p>Rope</p>
+ <p>Enough food for 2 Meals</p>
+ <p>Sword</p>
+ <p>3 Gold Crowns</p>
+ <p>Bow</p>
+ <p>Quiver, containing 3 arrows</p>
+ <p>(Record these items on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. They replace those that were confiscated from you in Duadon.)</p>
+ <p>Determinedly you continue your ride east and, by mid-afternoon, you come to the banks of the mighty River Storn. From the cover of a derelict barn you observe a group of merchants and travellers who are waiting at a ferry post for the boat to Rhem. The post us controlled by Eldenoran soldiers who check the ferry passengers thoroughly to make sure they are not enemy agents or deserters from the army. After an hour or so, you see the boat from Rhem approaching the post. The waiting crowd gather their belongings and get ready to board what will be the last crossing of the day.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect97">If you wish to go to the ferry post and try to board the boat to Rhem, <link-text>turn to 97</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect30">If you decide to avoid the ferry, you can attempt to swim the half mile stretch of river to Rhem by <link-text>turning to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect203">
+ <meta><title>203</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Kai mastery alerts you to a beam of ultra-violet light at the exit from the ford. This pencil-thin beam emanates from behind the age-worn keystone of the old bridge, crosses the exit just inches off the ground, and disappears into some bushes opposite.</p>
+ <p>'Column halt!' you shout, bringing the regiment to a stop at the approach to the ford.</p>
+ <p>'Is something wrong, Grand Master?' asks D'Val, anxiously.</p>
+ <p>'Perhaps,' you reply, staring at the beam which is invisible to the Captain's eyes. 'Wait here, Captain, while I satisfy my curiosity.'</p>
+ <p>You urge your horse forward and approach the fallen keystone. As you draw closer, you sense that it conceals an explosive device constructed from materials not of this world. It is an elaborate booby trap planted here by Naar's minions, and it is set to detonate should any large creature unwittingly break the beam.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect274">If you possess Kai alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect71">If you possess Grand Nexus, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If you possess neither of these skills, or if you choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect204">
+ <meta><title>204</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At once you recognize the captain: it is Cearmaine, the brave hero of the Darklords War, who guided you to Stonewatch and the Forest of Ruel during your quest to thwart the Cener Druids, two years previously.</p>
+ <p>'Hail, Grand Master!' he says, his battle-scarred face beaming with delight, 'I am pleased to have been chosen by the Elector to escort you north to Holona.'</p>
+ <p>'Well met, captain,' you reply, shaking his steel hand. 'I could not have wished for a better travelling companion.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect130"><link-text>Turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect205">
+ <meta><title>205</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the ghastly spectre comes galloping towards you on its hellish black steed, your Kai senses warn you that it is the spirit of the evil lord who once ruled this city. His name was Roark and be was once a secret practitioner of the dark arts of the Cener Druids. He has long since perished in the flesh but his evil spirit lives on, tortured and restless, doomed to ride the deserted streets of his shattered domain.</p>
+ <p>As the spectre of Roark comes closer, his mouth opens and a hideous shriek fills the air. You feel a pressure rapidly building in your head; it is an agonizing force that threatens to tear your skull apart.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect206">
+ <meta><title>206</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The brigand leader mounts his horse, but before he can make good his escape, you take a running leap over the abbey wail and drag him out of the saddle. Together you crash to the frost-hardened ground and desperately he kicks and struggles to break free from your steely grip. Out of his boot he snatches a stiletto blade and thrusts it viciously at your throat. You dodge your head aside, avoiding its razor-sharp tip, but in doing so you let the brigand slip out of your hands. He rolls away and begins to rise to his feet, but then he freezes, his eyes wide with fearful recognition, as he stares at your face.</p>
+ <p>'L &ellips; Lone Wolf!' he gasps, mortified, as if he is confronting a ghost.</p>
+ <p>'Drop the dagger and surrender!' you order, levelling your weapon at his head to reinforce your command. Swiftly the brigand's expression changes from one of shock to one of sneering defiance.</p>
+ <p>'You'll never take me alive!' he spits, and to your shocked surprise he thrusts his danger deep into his chest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect337">If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Deliverance, and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Knight or higher, <link-text>turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect35">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect207">
+ <meta><title>207</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You detect a faint shimmer of crimson light radiating from the druid's giant spy-glass as he sweeps it back and forth along the river's edge.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Kai-screen, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect248">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect197">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect208">
+ <meta><title>208</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You give thanks to your friend Banedon for providing you with the Platinum Amulet, for you sense that it is protecting your body from the extreme heat and toxic atmosphere of this hellish plane. However, the amulet alone is not sufficient to keep you safe from the creatures that are now advancing rapidly towards the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80"><link-text>Turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect209">
+ <meta><title>209</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>On the far side of the river you notice a milestone half-buried in a roadside ditch. Etched on its granite surface is a small arrow which points eastwards, and below reads the message: Abisko - 25 miles.</p>
+ <p>Later, as you approach the outskirts of this town, you notice a large flock of carrion crows circling above its timbered buildings. You sense that plague has recently visited this town as well, and so you leave the road and spend the night in woodland a few miles to the south.</p>
+ <p>The next day, the weather changes for the better. The temperature rises and the surface of the muddy road quickly becomes dry and hard. Ten miles east of Abisko you see a small regiment of Eldenoran soldiers camped out beside the road. They are busy with their luckless duty of having to burn the bodies of Abisko's plague victims, which number in the hundreds. So preoccupied are they with their grim task that they fail to see you steal one of their horses and make off with it along the road which leads to Duadon - their capital city.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect270"><link-text>Turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect210">
+ <meta><title>210</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The road which crosses the plains to the east of the River Phoen is deeply rutted. Fortunately though, it is dry, there haying been little rain in these parts for weeks. Progress is good and by midday you and your troop have covered more than thirty miles. You pass many wagons on this road, mostly driven by farmers who are taking their crops to the markets and wharfs of Garthen. These wagon drivers seem an unusually loyal and friendly breed; invariably they wave and cheer the moment they recognize the uniforms of Queen Evaine's Court Cavalry.</p>
+ <p>After a brief rest at a village on the road, you continue your ride across the open plains and descend into a wide valley where a shallow stream winds its way through a mass of reed-beds and willow copses. Beyond this valley, the land becomes increasingly hilly. The sun is almost touching the horizon when you come to a small wayside shrine dedicated to the Goddess Ishir. Here a track leads off to the north and, a mile distant, you can make out the walls and tall bell-tower of a chateau high in the hills.</p>
+ <p>'That's the monastery of the Vaderish Brethren,' says Nathor. 'They're a holy order devoted to the worship of the Goddess Ishir. We will find safe shelter with them this night.'</p>
+ <p>The sun has set and dusk is quickly turning to darkness by the time the troop reaches the gates of the Vaderish monastery. The brothers of this holy order are led by an elderly monk called Rasbarin whom Nathor has met once before. The old cleric welcomes him warmly, as if he was his son, then he invites you to stay here overnight.</p>
+ <p>The monk's evening meal is simple fare but well-prepared and wholesome nonetheless (restore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you may have lost during your adventure so far). Afterwards, Rasbarin invites you and Nathor to his chambers to sample some of the monks' speciality - a fine liqueur called Aquas. You are raising a glass of this golden liquid to your lips when suddenly the peace is shattered by a loud, cawing shriek which echoes through the surrounding hills.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect61">If you possess the Discipline of Telegnosis, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect198">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect211">
+ <meta><title>211</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you enter the courtyard, a boy rushes out of the stables and eagerly takes charge of Wildwind's reins. He praises your horse enthusiastically and promises that he will look after him well while you are enjoying your visit to the tavern. On entering the taproom, you are welcomed by the mouth-watering smell of roasting beef and fine ale. The tavern is busy and nobody pays you any special attention as you take a seat by the counter.</p>
+ <p>At a nearby table, you notice an argument is brewing between a merchant and a man dressed in a shabby hide coat. The merchant is accusing the man of stealing a purse of gems from his pocket, and the confrontation is being made worse by a third man, a lank-haired bargee, who is siding with the merchant. The accused man pleads that he is innocent but the other two give no credence to his pleas. Suddenly, the merchant draws a dagger and threatens to slit the man's throat unless he hands over the stolen gems at once.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect26">If you possess Telegnosis, and have attained the Kai rank of Grand Thane, <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect294">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect212">
+ <meta><title>212</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>While you are observing the town, your thoughts wander to your homeland and the threat that is confronting the new order acolytes at the Kai Monastery. Your fervent desire to be with them is rekindled, making you wish that you possessed a horse to help speed your journey to Casiorn.</p>
+ <p>Near the junction at the centre of the town, you see a large timbered building. Painted on its facia and roof are two words: Narsha Stables.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If you wish to enter the deserted-looking town and go in search of a horse, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect3">If you would rather avoid this town, you can skirt around its perimeter and take the road which heads east towards Abisko, by <link-text>turning to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect213">
+ <meta><title>213</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your quick reactions have saved you from being burnt alive, but this feat does not impress the dragon. Your escape from his incinerating breath serves to make him even angrier. In a fit of pique, he stomps his massive forefoot down on to the black soil and sends a splash of molten mud and flame soaring into the sulphurous sky.</p>
+ <p>You use this opportunity to retreat towards the Shadow Gate, but you do not get very far before the great beast sees you and comes lumbering forwards with his jaw agape.</p>
+ <p>Unless you possess a Platinum Amulet, a Talisman of Ishir, or the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you must now deduct 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to the debilitating effects of the heat and atmosphere.</p>
+ <p>Turo to 316</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect214">
+ <meta><title>214</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The pack leader is a ferocious creature whose supernatural will is far too strong to be turned by your powers of animal control. Some of the pack, however, are affected by your psychic suggestion and break away from the main body to cower by the side of the bridge. But the majority continue to follow their leader, and with their prey now in sight, these howling beasts are increasing the pace of their loping stride.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304"><link-text>Turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect215">
+ <meta><title>215</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly you hear Captain D'Val's strident voice rising above the din of the battle: 'Ride on, Lone Wolf!' he shouts, Ride to the monastery!'</p>
+ <p>You glance over your shoulder and see the Captain and his men locked in combat with the winged creatures. More are swooping in from the east now, drawn by the cries of their brothers. The tide of the battle is turning against D'Val's men and your heart goes out to them as they struggle bravely against increasing odds. Your instinct is to turn back, but you heed the Captains plea and urge your horse on towards the top of the ridge. The best way you can serve these courageous men now is to reach the Kai Monastery and destroy the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text></choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect216">
+ <meta><title>216</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a terrifying howl, the war-dog pack launch a simultaneous attack and come leaping at you from all sides.</p>
+Eldenoran war-dogs (in blood-frenzy): <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 42 ENOURANCE 47
+ <p>Due to their frenzied state, these war-dogs are imniune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect295">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect217">
+ <meta><title>217</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have ventured less than a few hundred yards across this stagnant bog, taking care to avoid its bubbling pools and treacherous tracks of quicksand, when suddenly you find yourself sinking knee-deep into a treacly black ooze. What you had at first thought to be firm earth has, to your growing dismay, turned out to be a cloying, semi-liquid morass of rotting vegetation.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect66">If you possess Telegnosis. and have reached the Kai rank of Sun Lord or higher, <link-text>turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect296">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect218">
+ <meta><title>218</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are half-way across the ford when alarm bells sound on both sides of the river.</p>
+ <p>'Deserter at the ford!' goes the cry from the Eldenoran fort. 'Enemy spy approaching!' shout the Slovian guards.</p>
+ <p>Moments later, a hissing cloud of arrows and bolts descend on you from both sides and your horse is killed instantly in he crossfire. It crashes head-first into the water and you are thrown out of the saddle to land heavily amongst the rocks which lie strewn along the Slovian bank. You try to rise but suddenly an explosion of white light fills your vision and the taste of blood fills your mouth: you have been hit in the head by an armour-piercing arrow. Mercifully, death is virtually instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Sadly your life and your journey home comes to an abrupt end here, on the Slovian banks of the River Storn.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect219">
+ <meta><title>219</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For a few moments you hurtle through the cold night air, oblivious to your surroundings. Then you glimpse the flagstones of the keep and the roof of the castle stables, more than a hundred feet below, and your stomach churns with fear.</p>
+ <p>Steeling yourself for impact, you smash through the thatched roof of the stables and land amidst a tangle of hay and broken timbers. Moments later, Nathor comes crashing through the roof and lands just a few yards from where you are lying. You are badly bruised but you have survived the fall (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Nathor, too, is alive, but his injuries are more severe. His left ankle is badly broken and his face is a mess of cuts and contusions. Despite his obvious pain he manages a smile, revealing gaps where he is missing two of his teeth.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect269">If you wish to use your kai healing skills on the Lord Constable, <link-text>turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect41">If you decide to concentrate on escaping from the castle as quickly as possible, <link-text>turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect220">
+ <meta><title>220</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You press on through the trees, your senses alert to the slightest sound. After an hour or so, you stumble across a stream where you stop briefly to gulp a mouthful of icy fresh water. Beyond this stream the trees become far denser, offering you better cover from the wandering groups of Eldenorans who seem to be positioned all over this vast timberland. It is not until later that you realize that they have not been posted here; they are deserters, hiding out in the forest to avoid a certain death at the Reloni Bridge.</p>
+ <p>By morning, you have covered several miles of forest and avoided all contact with the Eldenorans. Then, shortly before midday, you come across the outlying huts of a fortified town which sits astride a busy woodland trail. A glance at your map reveals this to be Fabri, an Eldenoran outpost close to the Slovian border. From the top of a pine tree you look down on this settlement which is ringed by a palisade. Five cavalry regiments are camped within its perimeter wail of sharpened logs, and you note several Cener Druids conversing with the regimental commanders. It would seem that Prince Lutha is in league with the evil plague-lords of Ruel.</p>
+ <p>While you are observing Fabri from your vantage point high above, you notice a patrol of horsemen wending their way through the trees towards one of the outlying huts. On arriving, they dismount and enter, leaving their horses tied to a split rail but otherwise unattended. Tempted by the opportunity, you descend the tree and make your way towards the hut.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect260">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect189">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect221">
+ <meta><title>221</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Instinctively you crouch down and take cover amongst the nearby foliage. You also call upon your Kai camouflage and psychic skills to help mask your presence from the creature which is circling high above the trees. For several minutes you stare at the loathsome creature, not daring to move a muscle, then you see it fly away and you breathe a sigh of relief.</p>
+ <p>A chill night wind whistles through the trees and you shiver. But it is not the cold that is chilling your blood - it is the sudden fear that you may never see your homeland again.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275"><link-text>Turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect222">
+ <meta><title>222</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the thieves lying dead and bleeding outside the door to their sinister guildhouse. Coming from inside, you can hear the sound of running feet and angry voices. Before more of the thieves appear, you vault on to your horse and gallop away along Spur Lane, retracing your route back to the square at the city's South Gate. On returning here, you rein in your panting horse and pause to consider the remaining two exits from the square.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308">If you wish to go north into Ladder Way, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect194">If you choose to go west into Quill Street, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect223">
+ <meta><title>223</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You press yourself as flat as you can against the sheer rock face of the ravine, but a heavy boulder glances your shoulder and you lose your precarious grip. Frantically you scrabble for a hand hold, but already you are falling backwards amidst a cloud of choking dust and loose shale. With a sickening thud, you smash head-first into the boulder-strewn ground at the base of the ravine.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your journey home come to an abrupt end here in Eldenora.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect224">
+ <meta><title>224</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hear the hiss of the crossbow bolt in flight, then suddenly an explosion of white light fills your vision and the taste of blood fills your mouth: you have been shot in the base of the skull by an iron bolt and, mercifully, death is virtually instantaneous.</p>
+ <p>Sadly your life and your journey home comes to an abrupt end here, in the timberlands of southern Eldenora.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect225">
+ <meta><title>225</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Discipline, you launch a concentrated burst of psychic energy at the drunken thug. The bolt penetrates his mind and stuns him, causing him to freeze like a stone statue (reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score by 1).</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately, this temporary paralysis also prevents the young woman and her child from breaking free from his grasp. After a few moments the thug emerges from his state of psychic shock in a murderous mood, and you are forced to draw your weapon and rush towards him in an effort to stop him before he can enact his revenge on his innocent captive's child.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect167"><link-text>Turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect226">
+ <meta><title>226</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your hurried blow rips a jagged hole in the wing of the beast, and, suddenly off-balanced by the wound it loses control and slams into the ground with a sickening crunch. You give a cry of elation, then you hear Captain D'Val's strident voice rising above the din of the battle:</p>
+ <p>'Ride on, Lone Wolf!' he shouts, 'Ride to the monastery!'</p>
+ <p>You glance over your shoulder and see the Captain and his men locked in combat with the winged creatures. More are swooping in from the east now, drawn by the cries of their brothers. The tide of the battle is turning against D'Val's men and your heart goes out to them as they struggle bravely against increasing odds. Your instinct is to turn back, but you heed the Captain's plea and urge your horse on towards the top of the ridge. The best way you can serve these courageous men now is to reach the Kai Monastery and destroy the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect227">
+ <meta><title>227</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before your face disappears completely below the surface of the Storn, you force yourself to intone the words of the Brotherhood spell Breathe Water. Immediately, you feel the fatique melting away from your aching limbs as you absorb oxygen directly from the river itself. Powered by a surge of renewed energy, you are able to strike out afresh for the opposite bank.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect177"><link-text>Turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect228">
+ <meta><title>228</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Calling upon your Kai mastery, you are able to vault across the opening fissures and reach the Shadow Gate uninjured. With the hellish screams of the Dark God Naar ringing in your ears, you hurl yourself through the Shadow Gate into the whirling abyss beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect69"><link-text>Turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect229">
+ <meta><title>229</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the riders approach, your initial suspicions are confirmed: these are unquestionably Eldenoran brigands. Their saddle-cloths bear the emblem of their realm, and their steeds are laden with sacks and pouches that bulge with ill-gotten gains. You remain hidden until they have passed by, and then, to be doubly sure you wait until the dust of their horses' hooves disappears beyond the horizon.</p>
+ <p>During your wait, unless your possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">To continue, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect230">
+ <meta><title>230</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race through the gatehouse arch just moments before the heavy portcullis comes crashing down. Without daring to look back, you urge your horse across the wooden drawbridge and along the open track that lies beyond. The angry shouts of the gate guards echo from the battlements but so too do the unexpected sounds of clanking chains and baying hounds.</p>
+ <p>You have covered more than half a mile when you chance a glance over your shoulder. To your dismay you see that you are being pursued by a snarling pack of wolf-like creatures with drooling fangs and eyes that gleam menacingly in the darkness. An icy chill invades your heart. These are ho ordinary hunting hounds - these are hellish beasts born of a dark sorcery.</p>
+ <p>Soon you reach the tributary bridge that is lined with statues, and you catch sight of the twinkling lights of Scade about a mile beyond. The feral pack are closing fast and you know that your encumbered horse cannot outpace them indefinitely. You must do something to delay them, if you and Nathor are to escape in one piece.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">If you possess the discipline of Magi-magic, and have reached the Kai rank of Grand Thane <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect281">If you possess Kai-surge, and have reached the Kai rank of Grand Thane, <link-text>turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect195">If you do not possess these skills, or if you have yet to attain the necessary level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 195</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect231">
+ <meta><title>231</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Sommerlund?' answers the innkeeper, quizically. 'Im afraid not, kind Sir. Your home must be mor'n six hundred miles from 'ere. It's rare we gets to hear what's goin' on in Varetta and that's only twenty five miles t'north.'</p>
+ <p>Hearing the inkeeper mention how far it is to Sommerlund brings a leaden feeling to your stomach. You still have far to go and so little time in which to accomplish your urgent journey. Feeling chastened by the daunting number of miles you must ride, you bid the innkeeper and his daughter goodnight and retire quietly to your room.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect56"><link-text>Turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect232">
+ <meta><title>232</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to swim against the current, but your recent ordeal in Duadon has greatly weakened your constitution. The strength in your limbs is ebbing fast, and, with mounting panic, you feel unable to prevent yourself from sinking beneath the surface of the Storn.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect5">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Knight, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect227">If you possess Kai-alchemy and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Thane, or higher, <link-text>turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect264">If you possess Telegnosis, and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord, or higher, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect251">If you possess none of these skills, or if you have yet to attain the necessary levels of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect233">
+ <meta><title>233</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The lavas veers away from you and uses its wings to deflect the Sun-Crystal. With dismay you watch as the glowing crystal drops harmlessly among the rocks, below the entrance to the Shadow Gate. Hurriedly you scramble over the jagged granite in a desperate attempt to retrieve the Sun-Crystal, but in doing so you lose your footing and fall heavily among the rocks: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The shrieking lavas snatches you off the mountainside and soars into the air. At first you struggle to free yourself from its mighty claws, but then you see the creature is carrying you directly towards the yawning black maw of the Shadow Gate and you freeze with shock.</p>
+ <p>Moments before entering this hellish abyss, you look down and get a passing glimpse of the Sun-Crystal lying among the rocks, no more than thirty feet from the entrance to the Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you possess Grand Nexus, and have reached the Kai rank of Grand Thane, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect88">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect234">
+ <meta><title>234</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You place five Gold Crowns on the blacksmith's anvil (remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>) and he nods his approval.</p>
+ <p>'Leave y' horse outside and come back in an hour - I'll 'ave it done by then.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect104"><link-text>Turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect235">
+ <meta><title>235</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>After the explosion at the ford, you sense that the regiment is more wary of the surrounding forest. You proceed at a slower, more cautious pace, and keep a watchful eye on the trail ahead. You have not gone very far when your eagle-eyes detect something amiss in the undergrowth away to your right. You magnify your vision and see a patch of grey among the greens of the forest floor. After a few moments you recognize it to be the sole of a man's boot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect171">If you wish to halt the troop and examine what you have seen more closely, <link-text>turn to 171</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect280">If you decide to ignore it and continue along the trail, <link-text>turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect236">
+ <meta><title>236</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As soon as your feet touch the ground, the sergeant and his men swarm around you and force you to your knees. Quickly they bind your hands with cord and confiscate your weapons, money pouch, backpack and cape (delete these from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>; you need not erase your Special Items however as none of these are taken).</p>
+ <p>Then the staff-wielding Cener arrives with a horsedrawn cart into which the soldiers bundle you unceremoniously. The robed druid cackles like a crazed maniac ecstatic at having identified and captured Lone Wolf - the destroyer of so many of his evil brethren. His vile laughter echoes in your ears as he lashes his horses and steers his rickety cart through the dark streets of Duadon. After a short and bruising journey at breakneck speed, you pass beneath the imposing arch of Skull-Tor, the fortified bastion of Duadon's long line of past rulers, and descend a stone ramp to an underground gaol. Here you are greeted by a squad of brutal guards who beat you with staves (lose 3 ENOURANCE points) before imprisoning you in a circular pit infested with vermin.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect237">
+ <meta><title>237</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ride across this busy square into an avenue that heads north, towards the heart of Varetta. Apothecaries and candle-makers' shops flank this wide street until it opens upon an ornate park filled with rare and beautiful flowers. The sight and scent of these blooms are entrancing and, before you are aware of any change, you find yourself intoxicated by their powerful aroma.</p>
+ <p>'Awake, Grand Master,' says an old man's voice in your ear. 'you have no time to dream.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect20"><link-text>Turn to 20</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect238">
+ <meta><title>238</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You accept Lord Constable Nathor's offer of an escort to Queen Evaine's citadel and call to Lord Ardan, who has been watching from the deck of the Saxin, to come and join you. As Ardan disembarks, Nathor gives a signal to his men who are busy keeping an inquisitive crowd of citizens at bay. Hurriedly they clear a gap in the pressing wall of curious, wide-eyed Garthanians, and moments later the horse-drawn coach comes trundling through towards the quay.</p>
+ <p>Once you and Ardan are safely aboard, Lord Constable Nathor shouts a terse command to the driver and the coach speeds away from the harbour, escorted by the troop of court cavalry. A swervingly swift journey through Garthen's steeply narrow streets ends when the coachman reins in his horses in the courtyard of the Royal Citadel. Everywhere you look you see soldiers of the Royal Household in uniforms bedecked with glittering braid. A fanfare of trumpets announces your arrival and, with minimal delay, Nathor escorts you personally to the State Hall where Queen Evaine of Talestria, seated upon a throne and surrounded by a dozen of her court advisors, is waiting patiently for you to appear.</p>
+ <p>'Welcome, Grand Master.' she says, graciously, 'we have been expecting you. King Sarnac sent word of your arrival by message-hawk and we have made arrangements to help speed your passage homewards,'</p>
+ <p>Respectfully you bow to the queen and voice your thanks for the cooperation she has seen fit to offer you.</p>
+ <p>'Not at all. Grand Master, for Talestria is in your debt. Were it not for you, our land would be in the thrall of the Darklords.'</p>
+ <p>With this, Queen Evaine dismisses her advisors and motions for you, Ardan, and Lord Constable Nathor to approach to the foot of her throne.</p>
+ <p>I understand the urgency of your jourmey, Grand Master,' she says, her voice hushed as if she fears being overheard, 'but I must caution you to be on guard. The Dark God Naar's agents are abroad with plans to thwart your homecoming. I have received word from my garrisons in the north that Zlanbeast and Kraan riders have been sighted in the night skies. They venture forth from the ruins of the Darklord cities of Nadgazad and Cragmantle, sent by the express command of Naar himself. They know now that you triumphed in Ixia and they are watching expectantly for your coming.'</p>
+ <p>I thank you for this information, your majesty, but I am sure that I can avoid these night-riders,' you reply confidently.</p>
+ <p>'I have no doubt of this, Grand Master,' she says, 'but they are not the only agents in Naar's employ. Word of your coming has spread like wildfire throughout the shadowy underworld of thieves and assassins. Great rewards of gold and dark magic have been offered for your death.'</p>
+ <p>'With respect, your majesty,' you reply, tactfully masking your scepticism, 'how do you know this to be true?'</p>
+ <p>'Grand Master, it is true. I have heard it from the very lips of an assassin who was plotting your murder, here, in the heart of my capital. He was captured while attempting to recruit others and he is being held prisoner in the dungeons of this citadel. Perhaps you would welcome the chance to question this man yourself?'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect132">If you wish to accept Queen Evaine's offer and question your would-be assassin, <link-text>turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect111">If you choose not to question the prisoner, <link-text>turn to 111</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect239">
+ <meta><title>239</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The dragon growls with disdain as you threaten him with your weapon. He raises a claw-tipped forepaw and lashes out in an attempt to swat it from your grasp, but you duck he blow and thrust it into his side. He roars with pain, but then he leaps at you with frightening speed.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Vaxagore</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">52</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">50</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect240">
+ <meta><title>240</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At close quarters, the city of Amory gives off an odour of disease and decay. Its flagstoned streets are cracked and broken open by plants, the roofs of its once-fine houses have long since caved in, and every surface is damp and mildewed. It is also completely deserted; even the rats have left.</p>
+ <p>You seek shelter in one of the few buildings with a roof still intact. The furnishings that you discover here are made of the finest Durenese oak and Salonese leather, but none withstand your weight. Everything has rotted and falls to shreds at a touch. You are clearing debris from the floor to make a place to sleep when suddenly you hear hoofbeats in the street outside. You rush to the open door and see, to your shocked surprise, a ghostly rider astride a black horse come galloping down the narrow avenue. Tongues of red flame shoot from the horse's nostrils and it leaves in its wake a trail of yreen mist.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If you have ever visited the town of Quarlen, or the Isle of Ghosts, in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect205">If you have visited neither of these places, <link-text>turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
+
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect241">
+ <meta><title>241</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Expertly you guide your horse through the densely packed trees at the centre of this copse. The brigands attempt to follow, but they are poor riders by comparison and they find it impossible to penetrate this wood on horseback.</p>
+ <p>After a few minutes you hear their leader command them to return to the road. He has lost patience with his men and cannot be bothered to pursue the chase any further. You remain hidden at the middle of the copse and do not emerge until the dust of their horses' hooves has disappeared beyond the horizon.</p>
+ <p>During your wait, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">To continue, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect242">
+ <meta><title>242</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your arrow penetrates the dragon's skull, but the only effect it has is to make him angrier than he already is. He stomps his massive forefoot down on to the black soil and sends a splash of molten mud and flame into the air.</p>
+ <p>You discard your bow and reach for your weapon as the great beast comes lumbering slowly towards you with his jaw agape.</p>
+ <p>Unless you possess a Platinum Amulet, a Talisman of Ishir, or the Dilscipline of Grand Nexus, you must now deduct 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to the debilitating effects of the heat and atmosphere.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect316"><link-text>Turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect243">
+ <meta><title>243</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you unshoulder your bow and draw an arrow to your lips. You take aim at the thug's head and let fly your shaft but in an instant before it strikes, he twists around and the arrows tip merely scratches a crimson line across his cheek.</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately, this wound does not make him loose his grip; it simply makes him more frightened and murderous than before. You are forced to discard your bow and unsheathe a hand weapon as you rush towards him in a desperate attempt to prevent him from wounding his innocent captive's child.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect167"><link-text>Turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect244">
+ <meta><title>244</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ride out of Rhem by its east gate and head off along a wide road that is bordered by hovels and farmsteads. Shortly you come to a signpost where the road ends and a track begins. It marks the entrance to the forest of Salony, and indicates the distances to two Salonese towns:</p>
+ <p>Ellio - 50 miles Amory - 100 miles</p>
+ <p>You follow the track deep into the forest and spend your first night in Salony here, surrounded by the leafy comfort of this rich timberland. At dawn, you resume your ride and, by nightfall, you find yourself approaching the outskirts of the forest town of Ellio.</p>
+ <p>During your long day's ride through the forest, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect138"><link-text>Turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect245">
+ <meta><title>245</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have found the body of a Kai Master. His torn and crushed remains are clothed in the grey cloak and tunic that denotes his rank within the new order. He has been dead for two or three days.</p>
+ <p>At first you can hardly bear to look at his face, but when you do, you recognize him at once: it is Swift Fire. He was the fastest runner of all the Kai, and you suspect he may have volunteered to use his speed to try and break through the enemy lines. Sadly, it seems, he could not outrun his fate.</p>
+ <p>Respectfully you cover his face with his cloak and say a short prayer to the God Kai to watch over his spirit. Then you return to the regiment and continue the ride along the trail.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect280"><link-text>Turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect246">
+ <meta><title>246</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In the warm comfort of the inn, you use your Kai healing skills to mend the Lord Constable's injuries. He is carefully testing his weight on his newly-mended ankle when suddenly there is a commotion outside in the street. An angry mob of hard-faced men, many clutching torches, staves, and coils of rope, are marching down the cobbled avenue towards the inn.</p>
+ <p>'Hang the Talestrian thieves!' they shout. 'String up the murdering swine!'</p>
+ <p>'What's going on? Who are these men?' asks Nathor. The innkeeper's face turns white and he begins to tremble with fear.</p>
+ <p>'I &ellips; I don't rightly know,' he stammers, 'I ain't never seen 'em before. They's not from these parts. We've never had no quarrel with Talestria. You've always been our friends.'</p>
+ <p>Suddenly a chunk of cobblestone smashes through a window and an angry cry arises from the mob:</p>
+ <p>'Come out, you Talestrian dogs. Come out or we'll burn you out!'</p>
+ <p>Nathor calls everyone to the rear of the inn where a passage leads directly to the stables.</p>
+ <p>'I fear this is some kind of crude ploy to murder you, Grand Master,' he says. 'If you are to stand any chance of reaching your homeland, you must continue your journey at once. I and my men will do what we can to hold this mob at bay, but you must leave now and you must go alone.'</p>
+ <p>Another window shatters and a burning brand is hurled into the inn.</p>
+ <p>'Very well,' you reply, uneasily, 'I shall leave at once.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect161"><link-text>Turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect247">
+ <meta><title>247</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The instant you pass through the Shadow Gate, you are assailed by howling gales and winds. Yet, despite the freezing coldness of this abyss, you feel no pain. Your body is protected, cocooned and shielded by your advanced mastery of the Discipline of Nexus.</p>
+ <p>You feel as if both you and the lavas are whirling downwards in every-decreasing circles into the core of a vortex, and rapidly you lose all track of time. Then, as abruptly as it began, the whirling ceases and the frigidity of the abyss is transformed into a harsh and blistering heat. Shielded as you are, this extreme temperature feels pleasantly warm. Nevertheless, with fearful apprehension, you force open your eyes to look upon the nightmare realm that now surrounds you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect64"><link-text>Turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect248">
+ <meta><title>248</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The druid suddenly detects you in hiding at the water's edge. He shouts a hurried order to a group of Eldenoran crossbowmen in the trench beside him and immediately they open fire, sending a volley of deadly bolts whistling about your ears.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect332">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect249">
+ <meta><title>249</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Through the foliage you see six well-armed horsemen riding two abreast. They are followed by a carriage, behind which there are another two horsemen guarding the rear. The coach is quite small, suitable for no more than two passengers at most, and its lacquered black wood looks dull. It is covered with the dust of a long journey. It has curtained windows and a crest adorns its doors.</p>
+ <p>As they draw closer, you see one of the leading horsemen raise his hand to bring the column to a halt. Your heart sinks when you realize that he has seen your horse. Rather than take the risk of losing your mount, you call out to the horseman, commanding him to continue on his way.</p>
+ <p>'Show y'self,' he shouts in reply, and draws his sabre. 'Unless you be a brigand, you have no need to fear us.'</p>
+ <p>You remain hidden for a few moments longer, using your Kai skills to determine their purpose. When you can detect no aura of evil about them, you rise from behind the bush so that you can be seen. A pale hand parts the carriage curtains and you glimpse the face of a handsome young woman with jet-black hair. Judging by the finery of her dress and the elegance of her demeanour, you assess her to be of noble birth.</p>
+ <p>'You, Sir!' she calls, with a refined Palmyrion accent, 'I &ellips; I know you. Please, won't you approach my coach so that I can be sure?'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect201">If you wish to do as she requests, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect123">If you decide to ignore her request and stay where you are, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect250">
+ <meta><title>250</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You crest the ridge and your spirits soar when you see the Kai monastery two miles distant. The chequered battle banner of the Kai flutters atop the Tower of he Sun, proudly defiant in the face of the hordes of winged lavas circling overhead. The monastery is largely intact, though much of its surrounding wall has been damaged and plumes of smoke rise from the inner keep and training park. Yet, even at this distance, you sense that it is still being held secure from Naar's loathsome minions.</p>
+ <p>The new order have indeed proved themselves worthy in your absence. However, the pride you feel for your young acolytes is tempered by the price that has been paid. At the base of the Tower of the Sun you can see the blackened wreckage of the Skyrider, Banedon's skyship, twisted and gutted where it fell to earth. There are bodies strewn about it, but at this distance, even with your magnified vision, you cannot tell if they are friend or foe.</p>
+ <p>Dusk is already upon the land and darkness will be total within the hour. Mindful of the circling lavas who command the skies, you decide to abandon your horse and continue from here on foot. It will be harder for the enemy to spot you moving through the forest on foot than if you were to continue on horseback.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect96">If you possess Kai-screen, and have reached the Kai rank of Grand Guardian or higher, <link-text>turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect328">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect251">
+ <meta><title>251</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly, you are gripped by spasms which paralyse your leg and stomach muscles. Incapacitated by cramp, you are unable to prevent yourself from sinking rapidly to the bottom of the River Storn.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your journey home to Sommerlund end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect252">
+ <meta><title>252</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You request the King to excuse you from the council of war for a few moments. He grants your request, thinking that you wish to be alone to grieve the loss of your friends Banedon and Rimoah, and he allows you the use of his Royal chamber.</p>
+ <p>Once you are alone, you use your Kai mastery to attempt to make contact with Guildmaster Banedon telepathically. You concentrate with all your power, straining your psychic energies in your effort to connect with your friend's mind. To your surprise, you detect a barrier in the ethereal plane, a wall of dark energy that has been placed there purposefully to prevent telepathic contact. You sense that the barrier is the work of the Dark God Naar and you call on all your reserves of psychic strength in an effort to break through it.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. For every level of Kai rank you have attained above that of Kai Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect312">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect286">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect253">
+ <meta><title>253</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw on your Magnakai skill of Psi-screen to protect your mind from Roark's assault, but before it can deflect his attack, you suffer the numbing effects of psychic shock: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>As you recover your senses, you see his ghastly apparition galloping past. It stirs in its wake a whirling maelstrom that is filled with rocks, broken glass and other city debris. This whirlwind assails you physically and knocks you to the ground.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ghost of Roark</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>You conduct this combat in the normal way. While attacking the ghost of Roark using your psychic Kai abilities, you must defend yourself from the injurious effects of the debris-storm. Only by defeating Roark's ghost in combat will you cause the maelstrom to cease.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect146">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect254">
+ <meta><title>254</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus your psychic powers and launch a pulse of energy at the prisoner's mind in an attempt to weaken his resolve (reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 1 point). You sense that his memory is protected by a magical shield, but it proves to be ineffective against your psychic probe. The man shrieks with fear as his body is racked by uncontrollable tremors.</p>
+ <p>You command the prisoner to reveal the identity of the person who sent him here to Garthen to murder you, and a mass of images begin to swirl and solidify in your mind's eye. They are the images of a past meeting in a far-off place which you recognize to be Duadon, the capital city of Eldenora. You see a shadowy figure, sheathed in ornate chainmail, handing a bulging pouch of gold to the prisoner in a dimly-lit alleyway. The figure speaks your name before melting away into the shadows.</p>
+ <p>'Who is this person?' you say, commanding the trembling prisoner to answer. He parts his bruised lips and tries to utter a name but no sound emerges. You sense that he is fighting to overcome the remnants of the shielding spell placed upon his mind. Moving closer, you try to make out the name he is struggling hard to whisper.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect255">
+ <meta><title>255</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cearmaine is overcome with grief by his son's death. With trembling hands he takes the bloodstained tunic from beneath the young mans head, unfolds it, and drapes it over his lifeless body. To your surprise, you note the insignia on the lapels are similar to those on Cearmaine's uniform; his son held the rank of captain, the same as his father.</p>
+ <p>'I must go to his regiment,' he says, his voice wavering. 'It is right and fitting that I take command of them now.'</p>
+ <p>After attending to the burial of his son, the grieving Captain returns to the Canatarium to find out where his son's regiment is stationed. He learns they are at he Reloni Bridge, at the very heart of the battle. Before he leaves, he thanks you for trying to save his son's life and he suggests two routes by which you can reach the distant city of Casiorn from here.</p>
+ <p>The first route is the most direct, but it is also the most hazardous. It requires you to pass through the enemy lines at the Reloni Bridge, cross the southern tip of Eldenora, then continue your journey north by way of the Slovarian Plain.</p>
+ <p>The second route will avoid the fighting at the Reloni Bridge, but it would mean having to pass through the city of Duadon - Prince Lutha's stronghold.</p>
+ <p>(Consult the map at the beginning of this book before making your choice.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect271">If you choose to take the Reloni Bridge/Slovarian Plain route to Casiorn, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect38">If you decide to take the Duadon/Rhem route instead, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect256">
+ <meta><title>256</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You return to the Grand Hall where Banedon and Rimoah tell you of the location of the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <p>'Kai scouts sighted it in the foothills of the Durncrag mountains, less than five miles distant, at a place called Raven's Eerie,' says Banedon.</p>
+ <p>'I know this place,' you say. 'My old tutor, Storm Hawk, and I camped there on a hunting trip when I was an acolyte, before the war with Darklord Zagarna. There is a track that leads there - I know it well'</p>
+ <p>You are determined to destroy the Shadow Gate and you resolve to go to Raven's Eerie tonight, to carry out the mission. Also you are aware that tomorrow is a very special day. It is Fehmarn - the first day of Spring, a holy day in Sommerlund when traditionally all of the Kai gather at the Monastery to reaffirm their fealty to King Ulnar and the God Kai. It is also the anniversary of the First Order, the day upon which all of your warrior caste, save you, were massacred by Darklord Zagarna's hordes.</p>
+ <p>'I will destroy the Shadow Gale tonight,' you vow resolutely, 'and tomorrow we shall celebrate Fehmarn, secure in the knowledge that a lasting peace has returned to our land.'</p>
+ <p>Moments later, a doleful bell sounds from atop the Durncrag tower: it is the alarm.</p>
+ <p>'Hurry, my lords!' shouts a young Kai savant who comes rushing breathlessly into the Grand Hall, 'the enemy are attacking in force!'</p>
+ <p>'To your battle positions, my lords!' you command, as you stride towards the door, 'the time has come for you to avenge your dead brothers. Fight well! Fight true! The spirit of the sun-god Kai is with us this night!'</p>
+ <p>A great cloud of winged lavas are speeding towards the Monastery from the north-west and they will arrive within a few minutes at most. As you watch the young Kai lords arm themselves and take up their positions around the Monastery, you consider where best to position yourself for the imminent battle.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect114">If you wish to join the acolytes who are lining the battlements of the North Watch, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect158">If you choose to fight from the top of the Tower of the Sun, the highest point in the Kai Monastery, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect257">
+ <meta><title>257</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The numbing blast leaves you slumped against the wall of the pit. Rather than invite a second devastating blast from Lutha's Ring of Power, you pretend to be dead in the hope that you may be able to escape when Lutha's guards come to dispose of your body.</p>
+ <p>High above you, you hear Prince Lutha howling delightedly at the sight of your seemingly dead corpse. He calls for his guards and, a few minutes later, you hear them entering the pit. There follows the tinny sound of metal scraping on metal before you feel yourself being lifted by the shoulders and feel and lowered into a slippery chute. A wave of panic makes you open your eyes and struggle to break free of their grip. This sudden and unexpected resurrection in turn makes the guards scream and drop you. They scurry away, gibbering like idiots, and you are left to slide headlong down a chute which leads to a fast-flowing underground river. You hit the cold waters feet-first and are carried swiftly away by the strong undercurrent.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect258">
+ <meta><title>258</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You tumble head-first down the slope and knock yourself unconscious on a jagged outcrop. Minutes later, the halo of energy which surrounds the Shadow Gate begins to crackle fiercely. The surge of energy has great significance, for on the Plane of Darkness, Naar has just consigned his newest champions to the Shadow Gate through which you escaped from his realm.</p>
+ <p>As the first rays of the dawn sun spread across the surrounding rocks, the first of Naar's mighty dragon herd emerge from the Shadow Gate. Drawn by the glow of the Sun-Crystal, they descend on your unconscious form and, in a frenzy of retribution, they rend you limb from limb.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, on the threshold of victory, your life and the future of Sommerlund ends here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect259">
+ <meta><title>259</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Lacking cash, you decide instead to try and barter with the blacksmith in return for his services. You offer him a choice of any item in your backpack and, after some initial reluctance, he decides to accept. (Erase the third item you have recorded on your list of Backpack Items.)</p>
+ <p>'Alright stranger,' he says, tossing the item on a bench at the rear of the smithy, 'leave y' horse outside and come back in an hour - I'll 'ave it done by then.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect104"><link-text>Turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect260">
+ <meta><title>260</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the cover of the trees, you first use your Magnakai Nexus Discipline to cause one of the horse's reins to become untied from the rail. Then you summon the steed using your animal mastery. The horse responds without hesitation and soon you are back in the saddle once more, heading sooth in a wide arc around the Eldenoran settlement at Fabri.</p>
+ <p>During your ride through the woodland, you discover the following items in the bags and blanket roll which are attached to the saddle:</p>
+ <p>Sword</p>
+ <p>Rope</p>
+ <p>Tinderbox</p>
+ <p>Blanket</p>
+ <p>Bow</p>
+ <p>Quiver containing 5 arrows</p>
+ <p>12 Lune (equivalent to 3 Gold Crowns)</p>
+ <p>Spyglass</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>Shortly before sunset, you emerge from the trees at a place where three trails meet. A wooden signpost propped against a boulder indicates three directions, destinations, and distances:</p>
+ <p>North-Chod-250 miles West-Holona-50 miles South-Tenzha-20 miles</p>
+ <p>You are anxious to leave hostile Eldenoran territory as soon as possible and, after checking your map, you set off to the south, towards the Slovian border town of Tenzha.</p>
+ <p>During your ride, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect343">To continue, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect261">
+ <meta><title>261</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pull away from the bitter green cloud and fall back towards the cell door. Your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus offers some protection from this highly poisonous gas, but you are not completely safe from its effect: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The gaoler and Lord Nathor were standing several paces from the prisoner when he exhaled, yet even so they are affected by the insidious poison. Choking and retching, they collapse to the floor, their fingers scrabbling at their swelling throats as they fight desperately for breath. You grab hold of their tunics, one in each hand, and drag their bodies out of the cell into the cleaner air of the corridor beyond. Here you use your Magnakai healing Disciplines to ease the effects of the poison gas; your skill and the swiftness of your actions undoubtedly save them from a painful, suffocating death.</p>
+ <p>'Wha &ellips; what happened?' wheezes Nathor, as he slowly recovers from the gas effects.</p>
+ <p>You peer into the cell at the man now hanging limply in chains, then you turn to Nathor and say: 'Suicide. A suicide and an attempted murder, that is. The prisoner has just killed himself with a poison pellet and it seems his last wish was to take all three of us with him.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect309"><link-text>Turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect262">
+ <meta><title>262</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Rather than take the risk of serious injury in a fall, you intone the words of the Brotherhood spell Levitation, and slowly you rise to the top of the ravine. Once safely on firm ground, you cancel the spell and continue on your way, heading north.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect191"><link-text>Turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect263">
+ <meta><title>263</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The shock of the creature's attack lifts you physically from your horse's back, and it is only your agility and determination which save you from crashing to the ground.</p>
+ <p>You heave yourself back into the saddle and hold fast as the beast swoops away into the meadow. Then you hear Captain D'Val's strident voice rising above the din of battle:</p>
+ <p>'Ride on, Lone Wolf!' he shouts, 'Ride to the monastery!'</p>
+ <p>You glance over your shoulder and see the Captain and his men locked in combat with the winged creatures. More are swooping in from the east now, drawn by the cries of their brothers. The tide of the battle is turning against D'Val's men and your heart goes out to them as they struggle bravely against increasing odds. Your instinct is to turn back, but you heed the Captain's plea and urge your horse on towards the top of the ridge. You know that the best way you can serve these courageous men now is to reach the Kai Monastery and destroy the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect264">
+ <meta><title>264</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before your face disappears for the last time below the surface of the Storn, you call upon your Kai mastery to lighten your body weight. The increased buoyancy raises you in the water and enables you to keep your head above the surface. Gradually, you feel the fatigue melting away from your aching limbs and you are able to strike out afresh for the opposite bank.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect177"><link-text>Turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect265">
+ <meta><title>265</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your arrow glances off the Dragon's lower eyelid and its tip gouges a furrow of black tissue from the cornea of his eye. He reacts to the sudden, agonizing pain by emitting a ground-shuddering roar. Wildly he stomps his massive forefeet down into the black soil and sends splashes of molten mud and flame soaring into the air.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect344"><link-text>Turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect266">
+ <meta><title>266</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The pack leader is a ferocious creature, but his will is no match for your highly-advanced Kai powers. You command him to retreat and instantly he obeys your psychic order. The sight of their leader running away with his tail between his hind legs is more than the remaining pack members can bear. With a howl of fear and frustration they, too, turn away and race back to the safety of their pens in Castle Tranius.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect86"><link-text>Turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect267">
+ <meta><title>267</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the crystal ring there pours forth a torrent of energy, a crackling vortex of evil power that whirls around and around the wall of the circular shaft as it slowly descends towards you. Tugging the Sommerswerd from its scabbard, you hold the golden blade aloft and brace yourself for the moment the two powers collide. The tip of the swirling vortex is drawn to your blade like lightning to a conductor, and upon the instant it touches the tip, there is a blinding flash. An electrifying jolt runs through your body and a deafening screech splits the air. For a terrifying moment the tip of the Sommerswerd becomes molten and begins to lose its rigidity, then there is another flash, and he power of the ring rebounds from your divine blade and returns towards its source, conquered and repelled by the goodly might of the Sword of the Sun.</p>
+ <p>For an instant you glimpse the Prince's face - it is a mask of abject terror. Then the vortex reaches him and, in an instant, he is swallowed up by a whirlwind of supernatural fire.</p>
+ <p>'So perish all who serve the Dark God!' you scream, elated by your victory over the evil Prince Lutha.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect17"><link-text>Turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect268">
+ <meta><title>268</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Gwynian ushers you through into an adjoining chamber where floating bulbs of light illuminate a stone table covered with charts and scrolls.</p>
+ <p>'What news have you of Sommerlund?' you ask anxiously.</p>
+ <p>'Grave news,' replies Gwynian, with an ominous tone. He picks up a chart from the table and traces a finger across the intricate lines and calculations that embellish its ancient yellowed surface.</p>
+ <p>'The Dark God Naar has opened a Shadow Gate in the Durncrag mountains, a corridor between our world and his. By means of this corridor he has sent a host of winged creatures - the Lavas - to assail your monastery. It is his plan to destroy the young order of Kai warriors while you are not able to lead them. The Shadow Gate opened at the time of the last full moon and, since then, the Kai Monastery has been attacked many times. Naar's servants have your stronghold encircled and cut oft from the armies of King Ulnar, who has repeatedly sought to break the siege. Your Kai have withstood the attacks well, Lone Wolf, but they are weakening. Only you can save them now.'</p>
+ <p>'But how?' you ask, shaken by Gwynian's account of the events which have occurred during your absence from the monastery. 'If the armies of King Ulnar are powerless to break the siege, how can I hope to save my brethren?'</p>
+ <p>'Do not despair, Lone Wolf,' replies Gwynian, reassuringly. 'All is not yet lost. You can save your brave order by closing the gate through which Naar sends his Lavas minions.'</p>
+ <p>You are about to ask how you could possibly achieve this, how you could close the Shadow Gate, but your urgent question is forestalled when Gwynian raises his hand.</p>
+ <p>'Patience for just a moment, Lone Wolf,' he says and he allows himself a smile. 'I, humble Gwynian, possess the means by which you can thwart the Dark God's murderous plan.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect269">
+ <meta><title>269</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Bravely Nathor stifles his urge to scream as you take hold of his shattered ankle. You summon your healing powers and transmit them through your fingers to his injured foot (reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score by 3). You feel the warmth of your power begin to reduce the swollen tissues and mend the broken bones, but before you can complete the cure, a yelling horde of bogus castle guardsmen come rushing into the stables with their swords drawn. They see you, and you have barely enough time to draw your weapon before they launch a manic attack.</p>
+ <p>Castle guardsmen (imposters) <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 48 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> 48</p>
+ <choice idref="sect159">If you win this fight, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect270">
+ <meta><title>270</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>While riding the road to Duadon, you search the bags which hang from the saddle of your new-found horse. Among the things they contain are a spare Eldenoran uniform and rain-cape. You throw the uniform away, but you sling the voluminous cape around your shoulders and fix the clasp under your chin. Mindful of the increased risks of detection the nearer you get to Duadon, this simple black cape serves two useful purposes: it keeps hidden your Kai clothes and gives you the outward appearance of an Eldenoran horseman. (You need not record this cape on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <p>Among the other items you discover in the saddle-bags are:</p>
+ <p>Enough food for 2 Meals</p>
+ <p>Mace</p>
+ <p>Rope</p>
+ <p>Tinderbox</p>
+ <p>8 Lune (equivalent to 2 Cold Crowns)</p>
+ <p>Mirror</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <p>During the remaining daylight hours, you frequently see units of Eldenorans on the road, most marching westwards with long pikes over their shoulders. None of them challenge you as you pass them by, for they assume you are a cavalry scout going about his duty. After spending a comfortable night in the loft of a deserted hay barn, you continue your ride at first light and reach the outskirts of Duadon shortly before midday.</p>
+ <p>The Eldenoran capital is a grey and unlovely place. Its cold stone buildings bear the scars of a city whose history is one of near-continual warfare. The roads leading to the city gates are crowded with regiments on the move, and soon you find yourself caught up to a large body of troops which is snaking slowly towards Duadon's heavily fortified western approach. The mood of the troops is one of studied indifference, a condition which often prevails in those who have become emotionally numbed by the horrors of war. As this sullen mass moves through the west gate, you glance up at the battlements and notice a red-robed figure clutching a long staff of glowing white metal. A tingle of apprehension runs the length of your spine when you recognize the figure to be a Cener druid. The staff he holds radiates a magical aura and you sense at once that he is scanning the arriving soldiers, using the staff to determine, amongst other things, if any have contracted plague. Suddenly the Cener becomes agitated and he sprints the length of the battlements to sound an alarm bell. Within a few moments, the west gate is sealed by a heavy iron portcullis and panic sweeps through the troops who have been shut outside. You look up at the battlements once more and this time your heart skips a beat; the Cener is pointing his glowing staff directly at your head.</p>
+ <p>From out of the crowd of panic-struck soldiers there bursts a unit of Duadon guards armed with spears and throwing nets. They are led by a bearded, one-eyed sergeant who barks an order at you to throw down your weapons and dismount from your horse.</p>
+ <p>'Do as I say,' he growls, murderously, 'or I'll cut out your liver and feed it to the crows.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect236">If you decide to do as he says, <link-text>turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect50">If you choose to ignore his command and get ready to defend yourself, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect271">
+ <meta><title>271</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Very well, Grand Master, if this is the way you choose to proceed with your journey, then you are welcome to ride with me.'</p>
+ <p>You accept Cearmaine's offer and, within the hour, you and he are on the road once more, this time riding north on horseback towards the battle that is raging at the Reloni Bridge. When you are three miles from the dyer you can see the night sky lit up by the fires of war. At two miles, the sounds of singing steel and dying men can he heard on the wind. At a mile distant, you see fields littered with the wounded and dying recently evacuated from the front, and regiments of young Palmyrion reserves nervously awaiting their turn to go forward. And when at last you catch sight of the bridge itself, your stomach churns as you witness the carnage being wrought there.</p>
+ <p>The bridge, and the surrounding banks of the river, are carpeted with dead and dying men, twisted into impossible shapes. Massive engines of war bombard the soldiers on both sides, raining fiery death and destruction upon their heads. You have seen many battles in your time, but none to rival the savagery of the conflict that is unfolding here.</p>
+ <p>Cearmaine catches hold off a young lieutenant whose face is covered with dried blood. Part of his scalp has been sliced away but he seems unaware of his gaping wound. Cearmaine barks a question and the man answers him by pointing to a regiment of pikemen stationed on a distant hill.</p>
+ <p>'There stand the Black Ravens - my son's men. I must away now, Grand Master, so I bid you farewell. The enemy have been repulsed this last hour and are gathering themselves for their next attack. If you are determined to cross the water to their side, you should attempt it now, before they advance again.' Cearmaine turns his horse about and makes ready to ride off. 'By the Gods, Grand Master, you are brave to have chosen this road home!' he says, saluting you. 'I wish you luck - may Kai and Ishir keep you safe. Farewell, my friend. Farewell!'</p>
+ <p>As the captain gallops away, you look with mounting dread at the slaughter. To cross the river by the bridge is impossible; the only ways across are either upstream to the north, or downstream to the south. To the north you see a dense wall of trees on the far bank, which, judging by the number of arrow-struck bodies lying nearby, you hazard is full of enemy archers. To the south, the far shore is a mass of heavily fortified trenches filled to overflowing with Eldenoran assault troops.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect70">If you wish to attempt to cross the river north of the bridge, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If you decide to try a crossing to the south of the bridge, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect272">
+ <meta><title>272</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fall backwards and land heavily among the damp, jagged rocks. The hard fall gashes your head and injures your back: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Your sudden movement alerts a lavas to your position on the mountainside and it circles around Raven's Eerie until it is sure that what it has seen is human. Once it spots you lying dazed among the rocks, it gives a piercing shriek. Like a predatory bird, it comes diving out of the sky, its claws extended and its beaked jaw open wide.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect108"><link-text>Turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect273">
+ <meta><title>273</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using the Brotherhood spell Slow Fall you are able to control the rate of your descent. Unfortunately, Lord Constable Nathor does not possess this ability and, as you are beginning to slow down, he comes tumbling past you, his eyes and mouth wide with terror.</p>
+ <p>You stretch out and make a grab for his cloak as he hurtles past. You manage to get a grip and hold on fast, but as you are nearing the ground, the cloak comes unfastened and he falls the last twenty feet to the flagstoned keep. Upon landing, you discover that Nathor is still alive, but his left ankle is badly broken and his face is cut and bruised. Despite his obvious pain he manages a smile, revealing gaps where he is missing two of his teeth.</p>
+ <p>Bravely Nathor stifles his urge to scream as you take hold of his shattered ankle. You summon your healing powers and transmit them through your fingers to his injured foot (reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score by 3). You feel the warmth of your power start to reduce the swollen tissues and mend the broken bone, but before you can complete the cure, a yelling horde of bogus castle guardsmen come rushing from the gatehouse with their swords drawn. You draw your weapon and crouch in readiness to meet their manic attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Castle guardsmen (imposters)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">48</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect93">If you win this fight, <link-text>turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect274">
+ <meta><title>274</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You instruct Captain D'Val to retreat with the regiment fifty yards back along the trail. When he has complied with your order, you move upstream until you can see, at an angle, the source of the ultra-violet beam: it is a small metallic polyhedron, studded with rivets.</p>
+ <p>You utter the words of the Brotherhood spell Lightning Hand and point the index finger of your right hand at the device. A tingle runs the length of your arm and a crackling arc of power jumps from your finger to the polyhedron. Instantly, there is a violent explosion which peppers lie area around the ford with sharp splinters of rock. As the dust of the explosion clears, you signal to D'Val to bring the regiment forward.</p>
+ <p>'Thank Ishir you're with us,' says the Captain, as he leads the men across the ford. 'Without you, this wicked sorcery would have cost us dear.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect235"><link-text>Turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect275">
+ <meta><title>275</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Dorst doubles the guard in case the Kraan should decide to return during the night. Then he and the others unpack their sleeping furs and settle down to a night's rest beside the warmth of the camp fire embers. For an hour you lay awake, staring uneasily at the sky, until fatigue finally overtakes you and you slip into a deep sleep.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect299"><link-text>Turn to 299</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect276">
+ <meta><title>276</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Still shaking from the effects of your return through the Shadow Gate, you slowly get to your feet and look out across the surrounding foothills. Here, on your home world, several hours have passed since you were carried through the Gate and into the Plane of Darkness, and as you survey the land, you notice that the first rays of the Fehmarn dawn are beginning to colour the eastern horizon.</p>
+ <p>You look down at the mountainous slopes which descend before the yawning black mouth of the Shadow Gate, and, to your relief, you see the faint golden shimmer of the Sun-Crystal. It is still lying where it fell, thirty feet below where you are now standing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect54">If you possess Kai alchemy, and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Thane or higher, <link-text>turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect10">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect277">
+ <meta><title>277</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Among the unconscious officer's possessions, you discover the following:</p>
+ <p>Map of Palmyrion</p>
+ <p>Backpack</p>
+ <p>Dagger</p>
+ <p>Scroll</p>
+ <p>Pouch containing 12 Gold Crowns</p>
+ <p>Pouch containing 2 potions of Laumspur</p>
+ <p>Pouch of tobacco</p>
+ <p>Military Pass</p>
+ <p>If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to make the necessary adjustments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133">To continue, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect278">
+ <meta><title>278</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your slain steed crashes to the ground and you are catapulted head over heels through the air. You land heavily among boulders and bracken which border the hill road, hiring your forehead with a sickening crack: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Nauseous and dizzy from the impact, you struggle to stand up. You are barely back on your feet when suddenly a yelling horde of leather-clad men, each brandishing a sword or a spear, emerge from hiding places among the trees and come rushing at you from all sides. You must fight them.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Eldenoran ambushers</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">42</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Due to the effect of your fall, you must reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 4 for the duration of this fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect285">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect279">
+ <meta><title>279</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A cold lance of fear stabs your heart the moment you see the face of the ghostly rider. You recognize it immediately to be Roark - the highborn lording of Amory who chose to follow the ways of Evil.</p>
+ <p>Roark was once a powerful disciple of the Demonlord Tagazin and a secret practitioner of the foul arts of the Cener Druids, but he has long since perished in the flesh. Yet his evil spirit lives on, tortured and restless, doomed to ride the deserted streets of his shattered city.</p>
+ <p>As the ghastly spectre of Roark comes rushing towards you on his hellish steed, his mouth opens and a hideous shriek fills the air. You feel a pressure rapidly building in your head, an agonizing force that threatens to tear your skull apart.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect280">
+ <meta><title>280</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Two miles further along the Alema trail, you catch your first glimpse of Naar's minions. You see five horny-skinned creatures, hovering on the breeze, thirty feet above the distant treeline.</p>
+ <p>These creatures have wings and tails that shimmer like burnished gold, and armour-like plates which protect their limbs and bellies. From their beaks protrude snaky tongues, and their claw-like hands and feet are tipped with talons that glint like sharpened knives in the sunlight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect147">If you have visited Ixia, or Lake Vorndarol, in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If you have ever visited these places, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect281">
+ <meta><title>281</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You cross to the far side of the river and wait there as the first few wolf-creatures come racing towards the bridge. The pack leader is a massive brute with ghastly yellow eyes that seem to follow your every move. The moment he reaches the bridge approach, you focus your psychic power at the nearest statue. Your concentrated pulse of psychic energy shatters this sculpture with devastating effect, peppering the hellish beast with razor-sharp shards of stone.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect7">If the number you have picked is 0-3, <link-text>turn to 7</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect68">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect282">
+ <meta><title>282</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The defenders on the North Watch fight like lions. The battle is fierce and bloody throughout the monastery, but the struggle is soon won and the shaken remnants of the winged attackers are repelled with heavy losses. A great cheer goes up as the last of the battered lavas limps into the air and makes its escape towards the Durncrags.</p>
+ <p>You are moving slowly along the battlements, helping the wounded and praising those Kai who have shown exceptional bravery, when Banedon approaches.</p>
+ <p>'The time is ripe for you to begin your mission, Grand Master,' he says, as he watches the last of the enemy wave disappearing into the mountains. 'They have lost many this night - it is unlikely they will return before the dawn.'</p>
+ <p>'Yes, my friend,' you reply, touching the pocket of your tunic which contains the Sun-Crystal, 'you are right. The time has come. I will leave for Raven's Eerie at once.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect40"><link-text>Turn to 40</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect283">
+ <meta><title>283</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Guided by your Kai instincts, you remove the seal from your tunic pocket and show it to the sallow-faced guard. He grunts his approval and then shuffles back to his cronies seated beside the tent. Calmly, you proceed to cross the bridge without paying them a second glance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect284">
+ <meta><title>284</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you stop to survey the shops and stalls which encircle this busy square, you recall the welcome help you received from Gwynian the Sage the last time you visited here. You remember vividly your meeting with him at the Halls of Learning, but you have no idea whereabouts in this vast city the Halls are located.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect168">If you wish to go in search of the Halls of Learning, <link-text>turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If you decide not to seek Gwynian, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect285">
+ <meta><title>285</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last of your attackers collapses at your feet, you turn and run headlong down the steep hill track. Arrows and spears whistle past on all sides as you endeavour to outrun the remaining ambushers. By dint of luck and speed, Nathor and his troop of court cavalry have survived the Eldenoran ambush with little injury and no los. of life. You see them in the distance, gathered in a group on the valley floor, and you wave to them to show that you are still alive. Immediately Nathor gallops away from the troop and comes speeding up the track to your rescue. As he gets nearer he slows his horse to allow you to leap astride its rump. Once aboard, he pulls his steed about and descends once more towards he valley floor, cheered on by his anxious men.</p>
+ <p>'Follow me!' commands the Lord Constable as he gallops past his troop without slowing. You glance over your shoulder and see them spur their steeds forward, their faces set in expressions of grim determination. Upon entering the village, you note a number of frightened women and children who are huddled beside stone walls or lying beneath hay carts. Some are cradling the bodies of their dead menfolk who lie scattered in the fields nearby. Then you catch sight of a group of Eldenorans in the grounds of the abbey. All are laden with loot, yet even so there are some who are squabbling amongst themselves in an effort to grab an even bigger share of the booty.</p>
+ <p>Nathor brings his steed to a halt and you both quickly dismount. As your feet touch the ground, you notice a drunken Eldenoran come lurching out of the doorway of a nearby cottage. He has a flagon of ale in one hand and a young woman, with a crying baby in the other. He sees you and, in a moment of drunken panic, he drops the flagon and unsheathes a dagger from his belt. It is clear from his actions that he intends to stab the screaming child.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If you possess Magi-magic and have reached the Kai rank of Grand Thane, or higher, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect225">If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge, <link-text>turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If you possess a bow, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect55">If you possess neither a bow, nor any of the above skills, (or should you decide not to use them), <link-text>turn instead to 55</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect286">
+ <meta><title>286</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You feel your psychic powers burrowing through Naar's ethereal barrier. You have almost penetrated this shield when suddenly you sense the presence of the Dark God himself; he is pouring the essence of his Evil into the breach, repairing the damage you have inflicted.</p>
+ <p>Immediately you cease your telegnosis. You are mortally afraid of allowing Naar the opportunity of locating and attacking your mindforce, for if he was to do so, you risk losing not only your sanity but also your soul!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect136"><link-text>Turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect287">
+ <meta><title>287</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the crystal ring there pours forth a torrent of energy, a crackling vortex of evil power that whirls around and around the wall of the circular shaft as it slowly descends towards you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect106">If you possess a Platinum Amulet, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect345">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect288">
+ <meta><title>288</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The death of Vaxagore stuns the dragon herd into frozen silence, and you seize this opportunity to make a dash for the Shadow Gate. Before Naar can direct his lavas to block your escape, you reach the Gate and hurl yourself through into the whirling black abyss.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect69"><link-text>Turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect289">
+ <meta><title>289</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow Cearmaine and the young lieutenant out of the Canatarium and along a crowded avenue towards a tented encampment in the city's main park. Here, under a canvas awning, the Captain finds his mortally wounded son being attended to by an army physician.</p>
+ <p>'Will he pull through?' asks Cearmaine, of the physician whose white surgical apron is stained deep crimson with the blood of all those he has attempted to save this day. The weary man does not answer - he simply shakes his head and leaves to attend yet another poor wretch who is crying out for him to end his suffering.</p>
+ <p>Cearmaine's son has a deep chest wound which, on closer inspection, you determine was made by a poisoned arrow. The physician has removed the shaft but the poison has long since entered the young man's bloodstream. His life is fast ebbing away and you sense there is very little you can do to save him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect164">If you possess Deliverance, and have reached he rank of Sun Knight or higher, <link-text>turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect13">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect290">
+ <meta><title>290</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having slain all of the guardsmen, and their sergeant, with stunning ease, the surrounding crowd of Eldenoran pikemen now look at you with fearful respect. You seize the opportunity to wheel your horse about and then you spur him to the gallop and scatter a score of soldiers as you attempt an escape along the crowded west road. Soon the cry goes up from the city's battlements to stop you and, when you are only a few hundred yards away from the gatehouse, your horse is brought crashing to the ground by a volley of arrows.</p>
+ <p>A mass of angry Eldenorans close in and grab hold of you before you can get to your feet. Roughly they bind your hands with cord, then they confiscate your weapons, money pouch, backpack and cape (delete these from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>; you need not erase any Special Items however, as none of these are taken).</p>
+ <p>Minutes later, the staff-wielding Cener arrives with a horse-drawn cart into which the soldiers bundle you unceremoniously. The robed druid cackles like a crazed maniac, ecstatic at having identified and captured Lone Wolf - the destroyer of so many of his evil brethren. His vile laughter echoes in your ears as he lashes the horses and steers his rickety cart back to the gatehouse and into the dark streets of Duadon beyond. After a short and bruising journey at breakneck speed, you pass beneath the imposing arch of Skull-Tor, the fortified bastion of Duadon's long line of past rulers, and descend a stone ramp to an underground gaol. Here you are greeted by a squad of brutal guards who beat you mercilessly with staves (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) before imprisoning you in a circular pit infested with vermin.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect291">
+ <meta><title>291</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Kai masteries warn you that another flight of lavas are about to emerge from the Shadow Gate. You flatten yourself against the damp granite rocks and wait until this second flight pass overhead before resuming your steady advance up the mountainside towards the Gate, now less than a hundred yards distant.</p>
+ <p>When you have climbed to within thirty yards, you draw back your arm and get ready to hurl the Sun-Crystal into the inky black core. At this moment, a piercing shriek rises above the throbbing hum of the Shadow Gate and, to your horror, you look up to see a lavas diving towards your chest. Hurriedly you throw the Sun-Crystal before the creature can press home its attack.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect139">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect233">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect292">
+ <meta><title>292</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The smooth dark hair and noble countenance of the Lord Constable is oddly familiar, reminding you of someone whose name momentarily you cannot recall.</p>
+ <p>'Welcome, my Lord,' he says, with a respectful salute, 'I an Nathor, Lord Constable of the Royal Citadel. My troop would be honoured to escort you to an audience with Queen Evaine.'</p>
+ <p>'Pray tell me, Lord Constable,' you reply, 'have we not met before?'</p>
+ <p>'No, sire. I venture you must be thinking of my late brother - Adamas. He held the office of Lord Constable afore me. I understand that you and he once fought together in the war 'gainst the Darklords. He spoke most highly of your courage. Sadly, though, he is no longer with us. He died valiantly during the great siege of Torgar.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect238"><link-text>Turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect293">
+ <meta><title>293</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Upon the bellowed command of their leader, the onrushing horsemen split into two groups. One group continues their charge towards you while the other slows to a halt to await the outcome. You sense that they are used to picking off lone travellers in this fashion; no sense expending the energy of twelve men when the job can be accomplished by six. But this time they have underestimated their enemy and it is a mistake you intend them to pay dearly for.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect336">If you possess a bow, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect63">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect294">
+ <meta><title>294</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have no desire to become embroiled in this argument, and so you take your leave of the taproom and return to the stables to collect your horse.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31"><link-text>Turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect295">
+ <meta><title>295</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you despatch the last of the war-dogs, you turn and run headlong into the forest. The Eldenoran archers attempt to give chase, and several of their arrows come whistling past as you make your escape, but you soon out-distance them and reluctantly they are forced to call off the pursuit.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect296">
+ <meta><title>296</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call on your Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, as well as your natural agility and dexterity, to slow your descent into this syrupy mire. After several anxious minutes, with the foul morass lapping at your chest, you feel yourself no longer sinking any deeper into the bog. Now, using your hands and your weapons, you heave your way slowly through this stinking bog until, at last, you feel the welcome sensation of firm ground beneath your feet. Breathless and exhausted, you crawl out of the ooze and collapse on a bank of soft, dark earth.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. The number you have picked equals the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you have lost in your struggle to free yourself from the mire (0 = 10).</p>
+ <p>As soon as you are able, you get to your feet and hurry away from this foul morass, heading north.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect43"><link-text>Turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect297">
+ <meta><title>297</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You whisper the words of the Old Kingdom spell Penetrate and direct its power to the tip of your arrow. Instantly, its steel point and shaft become as hard as diamond. Then, with a prayer to Ishir on your lips, you release your straining bowstring and send the arrow whistling towards the dragon's head.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery (with Bow), add 5 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Nexus, add 2. If you possess Telegnosis, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect242">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect173">If it is 8-9, <link-text>turn to 173</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect102">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 102</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect298">
+ <meta><title>298</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take a lungful of air and dive once more below the surface, but as you submerge, you feel the stinging kiss of an arrow's tip graze the top of your head: lose 3 ENDUNANCE points.</p>
+ <p>On reaching the far bank, you use the corpses that litter the shoreline for cover. You wait here, absolutely motionless, for nearly fifteen minutes before crawling from the water and slithering on your stomach into the wood which commands this stretch of the river bank. Your stealth and your Kai camouflage skills keep you hidden from the watchful eyes of the Eldenoran archers who infest these trees, but they do not fool their keen-nosed war-dogs. You have barely reached the treeline when they begin to bark and howl.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect47">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect299">
+ <meta><title>299</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are woken at dawn by one of Dorst's men who immediately hands you a steaming mug of Huas, a delicious Palmyrion beverage. You notice the others are in various states of waking and, as you sip your reviving drink, you watch Dorst shaving at the stream. After a while the Baroness emerges from her carriage. She appears as fresh as a spring flower, and together you breakfast before the camp is struck and you go your separate ways.</p>
+ <p>'If ever you visit Lucia Province,' she says, leaning from the open window of her carriage, 'be sure to visit my estate in Gadorvo.'</p>
+ <p>'I would be honoured, my Lady,' you reply, and wave to her until, at last, her carriage and riders disappear into the hills.</p>
+ <p>The weather is warmer than of late and you make good progress despite the poor condition of the road. An hour past midday, as you are crossing a treeless valley, you happen upon a young man praying at a wayside shrine. He is dressed in a guildsman's tunic and cloak, and he appears to be unarmed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect170">If you wish to stop and question this young man, <link-text>turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If you decide to ignore him and continue on your way, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect300">
+ <meta><title>300</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The stench of the circular pit is almost unbearable. The floor is covered with a brackish green slime in which a host of flea-infested rats are scratching for food. In the dim half-light you watch with a mixture of fascination and revulsion as these vicious rats burrow nose-first into the evil-smelling mire, pausing only to fight when one of them uncovers the prey that they are hunting for: glistening, black-bodied worms.</p>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai skill of Nexus, you are able to free your hands from the cords that bind them. Escape from this pit is now foremost in your mind. Beyond the wall you can hear the sound of rushing water and, when you move to where the sound is loudest, you discover a panel partially concealed by slime. A closer inspection reveals it to be an opening to a circular chute. You are working on a way to prise open this panel, hoping it will lead to a way out of the pit, when suddenly there is a grating rumble high above. A column of bright light invades the gloom and, squealing with fright, the rats burrow frantically into the slime to avoid it.</p>
+ <p>'Well well, if it isn't Grand Master Lone Wolf himself!' booms a man's voice from the top of the shaft. 'How good of you to come to Duadon in person. You have saved me the further expense of having you hunted down and brought here in chains.'</p>
+ <p>Quickly your eyes grow accustomed to the light and you see, peering over the lip of an open trapdoor at the top of the shaft, the sneering face of a young man. His pointed beard and moustache are trimmed to perfection, and his dark eyes twinkle with a cold malevolence that places a chill in your very soul. His skin is unusually pale and, judging from the wealth of gold embellishment that bedecks the neck of his velvet tunic, you feel sure that he is Prince Lutha, the self-appointed ruler of this city.</p>
+ <p>'What do you intend for me?' you ask aloud, but silently you are dreading his answer. The Prince does not reply directly, he simply utters a soft, chilling laugh as he extends his right hand. On his index finger you see a glowing ring of green crystal and, in a moment of terror, you realize that it is an artefact of pure evil, fashioned by, and imbued with, the power of the Dark God Naar himself.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect267">If you possess the Sommerswerd, and wish to unsheathe it, <link-text>turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If you possess Magi-magic, and have attained the Kai rank of Grand Thane, or higher, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect306">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect172">If you possess Assimilance, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, <link-text>turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you do not possess any of the above Special Items, Grand Master Disciplines, or if you have yet to attain the relevant levels of Kai Mastery, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect301">
+ <meta><title>301</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For a few moments you hurtle through the cold night air, oblivious to your surroundings. Then, in a terrifying instant, you glimpse the flagstones of the keep and the roof of the castle stables: they are more than a hundred feet below.</p>
+ <p>Your stomach churns with fear as you watch the hard, unyielding flagstones of the keep come rushing towards you at dizzying speed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect273">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have reached the Kai rank of Sun Thane or higher, <link-text>turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect52">If you possess Kai-alchemy but have yet to reach this level of Kai rank, <link-text>turn to 52</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect137">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn instead to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect302">
+ <meta><title>302</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You spend a cold and uncomfortable night sheltering beneath a stone bridge near the centre of this forest town (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). The rain which began at dusk, eases off at dawn. In the grey half-light, you gather some nutritious roots and grasses for your mare and allow her to finish them before setting off on the trail which heads east out of Ellio.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect176"><link-text>Turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect303">
+ <meta><title>303</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your weapon and brace yourself in the stirrups as the winged horror comes swooping down to rake you with its sword-sharp claws.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Lavas</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">45</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>The creature is attempting to claw you as it swoops past, therefore fight this combat for one round only.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect263">If, in this single round of combat, you lose more <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points than your enemy, <link-text>turn to 263</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect226">If your enemy loses more <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points, or if the loss is identical, <link-text>turn to 226</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect304">
+ <meta><title>304</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unsheathe your weapon and urge your frightened horse along the track. As you reach the perimeter of the conifer coppice, the leading wolf-creatures draw alongside and begin to claw and bite at your steed's flanks. Desperately you lash out, left and right, in an attempt to cut them down before they can drag your shrieking horse to the ground.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Hounds of Vikkak</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">45</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>These beings are immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect347">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect305">
+ <meta><title>305</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In desperation you draw upon your psychic Kai defence skills to erect a shield around your mind. This eases the agony coursing through your head, but your body sustains a severe battering before you are able to control the pain that grips your torso and limbs: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Gradually, you feel your pain subsiding. Flashing motes of light are now beginning to whirl past you in the inky blackness, and faint sounds are reaching your ears, emanating from a pinpoint of light in the far distance. This speck of light steadily grows until it seems to fill your senses, and, with an abruptness that leaves you gasping for breath, you suddenly find yourself lying face-down on a slab of damp granite.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect276"><link-text>Turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect306">
+ <meta><title>306</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you recite the words of the Brotherhood spell Levitation and, as you feel gravity losing its grip, you leap from the floor of the pit in order to boost the effects of the spell.</p>
+ <p>Prince Lutha sees you come soaring up the shaft towards him and he is frozen with shock. Your swift action prevents him from activating the evil power of the ring he wears, a power which could spell your doom, but you sense that it is only a matter of seconds before he comes to his senses.</p>
+ <p>You rise up through the opening and strike a blow with your fist which glances off the side of Lutha's face. He reels backwards, but the sudden pain serves to awaken him from his shock, and when he comes back at you he has a needle-sharp dagger clasped in his hand.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Prince Lutha (with Ring of Power)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">54</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">39</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>While wearing the Ring of Power, Lutha is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect89">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect307">
+ <meta><title>307</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For several hours you wait in the crowded Canatarium for Captain Cearmaine to return. Then, shortly before nightfall, the Captain enters by the main doors, his head bowed with sorrow. You sense at once that his son has died of his wounds, and you try to console him as best you can.</p>
+ <p>'I must go to his regiment,' says Cearmaine, his voice full of emotion. 'It is right and fitting that I take command of them now.'</p>
+ <p>You learn that his son's regiment is stationed at the Reloni Bridge, at the very heart of the battle. Before the Captain leaves, he wishes you good luck and suggests two routes by which you can reach the distant city of Casiorn from here.</p>
+ <p>The first route is the most direct, but it is also the most hazardous. It requires you to pass through the enemy lines at the Reloni Bridge, cross the southern tip of Eldenora, then continue your journey north by way of the Slovarian Plain.</p>
+ <p>The second route will avoid the fighting at the Reloni Bridge, but it would mean having to pass through the city of Duadon - Prince Lutha's stronghold. (Consult the map at the beginning of this book before making your choice.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect271">If you choose to take the Reloni Bridge/Slovarian Plain route to Casiorn, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect38">If you decide to take the Duadon/Rhem route instead, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect308">
+ <meta><title>308</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You make your way across this busy square and enter Ladder Way, a thoroughfare which heads towards the very heart of Varetta. Apothecaries and candlemakers' shops flank this wide street until it opens up on an ornate park filled with rare and beautiful flowers.</p>
+ <p>To the west of the park you notice a fortified tower, by far the tallest in the city. You feel inexplicably drawn towards this tower; it is as if it possesses the solution to all your problems. You leave the park by its west gate and enter a wider thoroughfare called Brass Street. Here you see the courtyard entrance to a grand building whose brick and marble façade is adorned with the words: HALLS OF LEARNING.</p>
+ <p>You enter and ride along a gravelled path which leads to a budding where a sign, hanging over its richly-carved oak door, simply says: LIBRARY. You feel compelled to stop here and, without quite knowing why, you dismount from your horse and tie his reins to a ring which is set into the wall. Then you push open the door and enter the library's cool interior.</p>
+ <p>Countless thousands of books and parchments crowd the stone shelves of this magnificent library. Your eyes travel along them until they reach another door at the far end of the hall. There, standing framed in its archway, is an old man clad in plain brown robes. He looks at you and smiles knowingly.</p>
+ <p>'Welcome, Grand Master,' he says, 'I have been expecting you.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If you have ever visited a hut on Raider's Road, the city of Tahou, or Lake Vorndarol (in previous Lone Wolf adventures), <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect184">If you have never visited any of these places, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect309">
+ <meta><title>309</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>When you sense that the poison gas has dissipated and the air is no longer perilous to breathe, you enter the cell and take one last look at the prisoner's body. The man's face and upper body have been horribly disfigured by the effects of the gas, yet the extensive blistering has only partially destroyed a small tattoo on the side of his neck. It is a six-pointed star which you recognize to be the national symbol of Eldenora.</p>
+ <p>'He must have died within seconds of biting into the poisoned pellet,' says Nathor. 'It chills me to think that whoever sent him here commanded such respect from this man that he chose in die in this way rather than face the consequences of failing his mission.'</p>
+ <p>'Aye, and if there are others like him who are out to stop me,' you reply, uneasily, 'then my journey home to Sommerlund may prove more difficult than I expected.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect342"><link-text>Turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect310">
+ <meta><title>310</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you fall backwards into the cold water, a splinter of rock slices through your upper left arm: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Gritting your teeth against the stinging pain, you struggle to your feet and use your Kai healing skills to staunch the bleeding. The dust of the explosion is clearing and you can see D'Val bringing the regiment forward.</p>
+ <p>'Are you badly injured, Grand Master?' he shouts, as he comes riding through the water.</p>
+ <p>'I'll live,' you retort, and hurry to remount your skittish horse.</p>
+ <p>'Thank Ishir you're with us,' says the Captain, as together you return to the regiment and lead them across the ford. 'Without you, this wicked sorcery would have cost us dear.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect235"><link-text>Turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect311">
+ <meta><title>311</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Moments before you reach him, he throws the young woman and her child to the ground and spins around to face you, his dagger hold poised to slash at your throat. He strikes and you dodge his first clumsy blow with ease. As he is about to strike out for a second time, you raise your weapon and aim a scything blow at his head.</p>
+ <p>Eldenoran thug (drunk) <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> 34 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> 34</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect312">
+ <meta><title>312</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sense your psychic powers burrowing through Naar's ethereal barrier. You have almost penetrated this shield when suddenly you feel the presence of the Dark God himself; he is pouring the essence of his Evil into the breach, repairing the damage you have inflicted.</p>
+ <p>Immediately you cease your telegnosis for fear of allowing Naar the opportunity of locating and attacking your mindforce. If he was to do so, you would risk losing not only your sanity but also your soul! You succeed in severing the telepathic link, but the abrupt cessation leaves you in psychic shock: lose S <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect136">To continue, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect313">
+ <meta><title>313</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are woken by the clammy sensation of fine cold spray on your face. Reluctantly you prise open your sleep-clogged eyes and see that the sky above is uniformly grey, swaddled by a thick blanket of cloud. A fine drizzle is sweeping down across the plateau, but the darkening clouds above indicate that this is merely the prelude to heavier rain.</p>
+ <p>Sure enough, within the hour you find yourself trekking north through a torrential downpour. The heavy rain makes the going difficult, but you take some comfort in the fact that it will lessen the odds of a chance encounter with an Eldenoran patrol.</p>
+ <p>Later in the day you come to a ridge which overlooks a sizeable town positioned at the centre of a wide valley. A glance at your map confirms your suspicion that this town is Oredal, and, when you magnify your vision, you see that it is swarming with Eldenoran troops and horsemen. You decide to give this town a wide berth and you stay in the hills to avoid the risk of being detected. For two days you live off the land as you make your way steadily northwards. Despite the bad weather, and having to go on foot, you make excellent progress. On the morning of the third day you come to a wood overlooking a small village called Nursha, which sits astride the main Rioma road. In the centre of this town there is a junction where another wide road branches off to the east. A large signpost at the junction says: Abisko - 40 miles.</p>
+ <p>From the dry shelter of the wood you observe the town for nearly an hour, but you detect no movement there whatsoever: the place appears to be completely deserted.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect169">If you possess the Disciplines of Deliverance and Grand Pathsmanship, <link-text>turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If you do not possess both of these Grand Master Disciplines, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect314">
+ <meta><title>314</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The lavas turn in mid-air and circle around the place where you lie. They have seen you and are getting ready to attack you with their fearsome claws. As they swoop down, you unsheathe your weapon and spring to your feet, determined to fight them off.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Lavas sky patrol</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">55</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">50</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect315">
+ <meta><title>315</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave Kalma and ride due east along a dusty track. Mile after mile of featureless grassland passes by on either side until, late in the afternoon, you enter a range of gentle, wooded hills. You have not gone very far before you discover a stream of sparkling water that is teeming with trout. Feeling tired and hungry, you decide to rest here and try your luck at catching some fresh fish for your supper.</p>
+ <p>Within half an hour, you have collected six fine speckled specimens of Palmyrion trout, more than enough to sate your ravenous appetite. You are about to construct a small camp fire on which to cook them when suddenly you hear the sound of a wagon and horses approaching along the hill track from the east. Rather than run the risk of being confronted by bandits, you take cover behind a bush and wait for the wagon to appear.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect316">
+ <meta><title>316</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your weapon before your face, dig your heels into the shifting soil, and pray to the Goddess Ishir to watch over you as the dragon gets ready to lash out with fang and claw.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect98">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect239">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect317">
+ <meta><title>317</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At first you are tempted to use your psychic Kai skills to influence this guard, to persuade him to lose interest in you and return to his pipe-smoking comrades seated outside the tent. But then you sense that they are not the only ones standing guard over this bridge. Beyond a nearby knoll you feel the presence of many horses and men: it is an Eldenoran cavalry encampment.</p>
+ <p>When you delay in showing the sallow-faced guard the identification that he wants to see, he becomes abusive and threatens to throw you in the river. To quieten his anger, you offer him a bribe. It is an offer which gains his undivided attention. He says that for 20 Gold Crowns he will let you across the bridge. If you do not possess sufficient money, this greedy guard will settle for half of the items in your Backpack plus one Special Item of your choice. Not wishing to have an entire Eldenoran cavalry regiment descend on you, you reluctantly agree to his extortionate terms.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">Make the necessary adjustments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> before <link-text>turning to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect318">
+ <meta><title>318</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A steep path leads to a turreted gate which marks the entrance to this manor house. The house itself is barred and shuttered as if to withstand a siege. You ring a bell at the door but there is no reply. When you ring a second time, the shutters on an upstairs window creak open and the sneering face of an startlingly ugly woman peers down at you.</p>
+ <p>'Whadya want?' she snaps.</p>
+ <p>'A room for the night and feed for my horse, if you'd be so kind,' you reply, as politely as you feel able. 'I'd be prepared to pay, of course.'</p>
+ <p>The wart-faced old woman snorts and retreats from view. Moments later, she suddenly reappears and hurls a rotten cabbage which catches you squarely in the face (lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point).</p>
+ <p>'Be off, y' scraggin' Northlander,' she yells, 'afore I set the dogs on ya!'</p>
+ <p>Wiping a trickle of blood from your nose, you turn your horse about and ride back down the path, cursing the old woman under your breath. As you pass through the turreted gate, she shouts out: 'I heard that!'</p>
+ <p>As soon as you rejoin the main road, you urge your horse to a canter and ride into the village that lies a little way beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect42"><link-text>Turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect319">
+ <meta><title>319</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For an hour you ride across the rich grasslands of eastern Talestria until you come to a range of hills that are carpeted with scented spruce and pine. The road snakes its way through this ruggedly beautiful landscape to a place where a smaller track branches off the main trail, heading south. A huge boulder of red granite marks the start of this adjoining track, yet there is no signpost to indicate where it leads. Using your Kai tracking skills, you determine that the track has been used by men and horses during the last twenty-four hours.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect118">If you wish to investigate the track, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect11">If you choose to ignore it and continue along the main east road, <link-text>turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect320">
+ <meta><title>320</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>When you focus your Kai senses upon this device, you suddenly realize its true purpose: it detects light in the infra-red spectrum. It is a means by which the Cener Druid can locate objects in the dark by the heat radiating from them. Many of the men, whose corpses now provide you with cover, were detected crossing the river this way.</p>
+ <p>Forewarned by your advanced mastery, you slip back into the water and allow the current to carry you a few hundred yards downstream. Here you discover a shallow bay in the river bank which affords you cover from the device, and also from the nearest enemy trench. Quickly you slither like a snake up the muddy bank and drop silently into this trench. A dull-witted Eldenoran is quickly dispatched with a blow from the edge of your hand, enabling you to move further along this log-walled ditch. Just as you are passing the opening to a makeshift dug-out, you sense danger ahead. A single file of Eldenoran swordsmen are marching along the trench in your direction: it will only be a matter of seconds before they are close enough to see you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect185">If you wish to dive into the dug-out to avoid being seer by these men, <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If you choose to unsheathe your weapon and prepare for combat with this advancing file of troops, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect321">
+ <meta><title>321</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You give thanks for your mastery of Nexus, for you sense that it is protecting your body from the extreme heat and toxic atmosphere of this hellish plane. However, your mastery alone is not sufficient to protect you from the creatures that are now advancing rapidly towards the Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80"><link-text>Turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect322">
+ <meta><title>322</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You bring your horse to a halt at the approach to the bridge and quickly recite the complex intonations of the Old Kingdom spell Power Glyph. For a brief moment, a faint shimmering light dances on the piled surfaces of the first two statues, indicating that he spell has been successfully activated. An invisible barrier is now in place across the entrance to the bridge; anything passing through this barrier will trigger a massive discharge of magical energy.</p>
+ <p>You canter your horse across the river and wait on the far side as the first few wolf-creatures come racing towards the bridge. The pack leader, a massive brute with ghastly yellow eyes, breaks the invisible barrier and, amidst a crackling flash of sparks, he is flung high into the air like a soaring meteor, his black fur and tail blazing fiercely.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115">If the number you have picked is 0-3, <link-text>turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect323">
+ <meta><title>323</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow Gwynian through a series of corridors to a stable from where he brings forth a magnificent white stallion, the finest steed you have ever seen.</p>
+ <p>'This is Wildwind, Grand Master,' says Gwynian, as he strokes the steed's muscular neck. 'He will carry you to Casiorn far swifter than any horse you have known. Swifter than even your own fine steed, Storm.'</p>
+ <p>You look into Wildwind's intelligent eyes and you detect the faint aura of magic about him. But it is not until you climb into the saddle that you sense his true power.</p>
+ <p>'A thousand thanks, Gwynian. I am forever in your debt.'</p>
+ <p>And with these words you bid Gwynian farewell and leave the Halls of Learning. You depart from Varetta through its great east gate and, once outside the city, you spur Wildwind to the gallop. You are astounded by his speed and untiring stamina: Gwynian was right - he is the fastest horse you have ever ridden. In little more than an hour you have covered sixty miles. It is only when you find yourself approaching a stone bridge, commanded by a huge gated archway, that you are forced to rein him to a halt. Above the archway you notice the words 'Denka Gate' engraved into the stone. Below them, written in chalk, is the message: Toll - 4 Gold Crowns.</p>
+ <p>After a few minutes, an unshaven old man emerges from a door set into this grand gate. He holds out his hand and demands that you pay him the toll.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect74">If you wish to pay the gateman his toll of 4 Cold Crowns, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect331">If you cannot pay, or if you do not wish to, <link-text>turn to 331</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect324">
+ <meta><title>324</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leap over the bodies of your Eldenoran foes and make your way swiftly along the trench beyond. Suddenly there is a terrific boom, and a brilliant splash of blue-white fire illuminates the budge behind you. It is the opening bombardment in yet another futile assault across the river.</p>
+ <p>The trench ahead is empty; its owners have already gone forward to support the new attack. When you reach the end, you scramble over its muddy parapet and race head-down across a stretch of open ground towards a distant wood.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect325">
+ <meta><title>325</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly you feel your throat tighten, and the skin on your face and the backs of your hands begins to itch. With mounting dread you realize that you have been walking into an area which is infested with a virulent plague. Hurriedly, you run from the town as fast as you can, thankful that your Grand Master Discipline affords you some protection from the deadly plague virus which has decimated the population of Nursha, and turned it into a ghost town.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If the number you have chosen is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8}, deduct 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points from your current total. If the number you have picked is odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), deduct 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect193">If you have survived your visit to Nursha, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect326">
+ <meta><title>326</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cautiously you place your ear close to the trembling man's mouth and try to identify the name he is struggling hard to utter.</p>
+ <p>'L &ellips; L &ellips; Lutha,' he breathes. Then he gives a chilling snigger and you feel the hairs on the nape of your neck begin to rise. Your sixth senses are screaming a warning: you are in danger. With his tongue, the prisoner dislodges a hollow tooth and bites down hard upon it. It releases a vile greenish gas which he exhales directly into your face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect261">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 261</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect327">
+ <meta><title>327</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With renewed vigour you swim against the powerful current and reach the distant shore. As you emerge from the water you are thankful for two reasons: for having survived the crossing, and for having escaped in one piece from the hostile land of Eldenora.</p>
+ <p>Once you are fully recovered, you put on your boots and cloak and take stock of your surroundings. You have emerged from the Storn at a wooded stretch of riverbank, less than a mile south of the city of Rhem. You set off along a track heading north and, within a few minutes, you catch sight of the city walls and its famous horseshoe-shaped harbour.</p>
+ <p>You enter the city by its south gate, using your Kai camouflage skills and your natural stealth to avoid the attentions of the watchful guards. Once inside, you merge with the crowds and soon find yourself in a square that is overshadowed by the twin towers of Rhem Cathedral. An avenue runs along the cathedral's south side and, at its far end, your eye is drawn to a rusty suit of armour which stands beside the door to a dingy-looking weapons shop.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect339">If you wish to enter this armoury, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect36">If you decide not to enter, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect328">
+ <meta><title>328</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You resolve to reach a clearing in the Fryelund forest, a mile to the east of the monastery, where a secret entrance and passageway are located. The passage leads directly to your vault beneath the Tower of the Sun and it is your intention to gain entry to the monastery by this way. But no sooner have you begun to run for the trees, than a flight of winged lavas come soaring out of the clouds overhead. Swiftly you throw yourself to the ground and pray that they will not see you as they fly towards the ridge.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Huntmastery add 1</p>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If it is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect329">
+ <meta><title>329</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You press yourself as flat as you can against the sheer rock face of the ravine, and manage to hold tight until the deluge of loose shale ceases to fall. Once the dust has cleared, you find the remainder of the climb relatively easy, and you scramble quickly to the top of the ravine. There you pause for a few moments to check that your equipment is still intact, then you hurry away from the ravine, heading north.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect191"><link-text>Turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect330">
+ <meta><title>330</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You decline Dorst's offer politely and make an excuse that you are tired after your long day's ride. As he and his men settle down to a night's gambling, you go and check to see that your horse is comfortable. You are busy gathering some grasses for his feed when suddenly a shriek echoes through the hills - it is the unmistakable cry of a Kraan.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect221">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect331">
+ <meta><title>331</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Eeeargh!' snorts the old man, impatiently, and begins to walk back to the door, 'Raggin' time-waster!'</p>
+ <p>Rather than being forced to make a long detour to avoid this bridge, you decide to try and barter with the gateman. Your proposal captures his interest and he demands to see what valuables you have. You show him your possessions and, after a few minutes thought, he agrees to let you pass in return for one of your Special Items (excluding the Sun-Crystal).</p>
+ <p>Wary of the delay, you agree to his terms. (Erase one Special Item of your choosing from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect74">To continue, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect332">
+ <meta><title>332</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly an explosion of scarlet light fills your vision and the taste of blood fills your mouth: you have been hit in the head by a crossbow bolt. Mercifully, death comes instantaneously.</p>
+ <p>Sadly, though, your life and your journey home come to an abrupt end here, in the cold dark waters of the River Reloni.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect333">
+ <meta><title>333</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Thank you, thank you &ellips;' cries the young woman, whose child you have just saved from certain death at the hands of the drunken thug. Sobbing with gratitude, she collapses at your feet. Gently you lift her by the arm and assure her with kind words that her ordeal is over. She smiles, reassured, but her expression quickly changes when she spots something moving behind you.</p>
+ <p>'There he is, that cur Holkar!' she spits. 'He's the murdering leader of these bandits. This chaos is his doing.'</p>
+ <p>You turn to look at the object of her hatred, and see a swarthy brigand dodging between the gravestones that line the abbey grounds. He has a sack full of loot slung over his shoulder and he is hurrying towards his horse which stands close by the abbey's perimeter wall. Determined not to let him escape, you rush across the road and into the grounds of the abbey to give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect206"><link-text>Turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect334">
+ <meta><title>334</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a prayer to the Goddess Ishir on your lips, you release your straining bowstring and send the arrow whistling towards the dragon's head.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect76">If the number you have chosen is 0-8, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect265">If it is 9, <link-text>turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect335">
+ <meta><title>335</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sheathe your weapon and wheel your horse away from the shouting guardsmen. Spurting him to the gallop, you scatter and trample a score of soldiers as you attempt to escape along the crowded west road. Soon the cry goes up to stop you and, when you are only a few hundred yards away from the gatehouse, your horse is brought crashing to the ground by an arrow in its right foreleg.</p>
+ <p>A mass of angry Eldenorans close in and hold you firm until the garrison sergeant and his men catch up. Roughly they force you to your knees and quickly bind your hands with cord. Then your weapons, money pouch, backpack and cape are all confiscated (delete these from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>; you need not erase any Special Items however, as none of these are taken).</p>
+ <p>Minutes later the staff-wielding Cener arrives with a horse-drawn cart into which the soldiers bundle you unceremoniously. The robed druid cackles like a crazed maniac, ecstatic at having identified and captured Lone Wolf - the destroyer of so many of his evil brethren. His vile laughter echoes in your ears as he lashes the horses and steers his rickety cart back to the gatehouse and into the dark streets of Duadon beyond. After a short and bruising journey at breakneck speed, you pass beneath the imposing arch of Skull-Tor, the fortified bastion of Duadon's long line of past rulers, and descend a stone ramp to an underground gaol. Here you are greeted by a squad of brutal guards who beat you mercilessly with staves (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) before imprisoning you in a circular pit infested with vermin.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect336">
+ <meta><title>336</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With stunning speed and accuracy, you let loose an arrow at the leading Eldenoran rider. The tip punctures his forehead and sends him tumbling backwards, his limbs flailing wildly, to disappear into the tall plains grass. Shocked by your bowskill, the brigand leader shouts a recall to his men. They wheel about and form up in a line behind him, cursing you for the death of their confederate. Then, with a vengeful yell, the brigand chief leads his gang of ruffians in a charge he hopes will trample you into the ground.</p>
+ <p>You shoulder your bow and draw a hand weapon as the wave of brigands come thundering down upon you. The leader flashes past, his sword blade whistling inches from your scalp, but he does not get very far. You turn in the saddle and strike like lightning, splitting his helmet and his skull with a single mighty blow. He falls before his men, but they prove to be hardy rogues and they press home their attack regardless.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Eldenoran brigands</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect182">You may evade this combat after four rounds, by <link-text>turning to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect109">If you win this fight, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect337">
+ <meta><title>337</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rush to the brigand's side and wrench he dagger from his chest. The wound is deep and you sense that it has penetrated his heart; he has only seconds to live. Calling upon your advanced healing skills, you cause he torn tissues of his heart wall to knit together sufficiently enough to stem the bleeding.</p>
+ <p>'How do you know my name?' you demand. 'Who sent you here? What is your purpose?'</p>
+ <p>The brigand tries to smile through his pain and a trickle of crimson blood runs from the corner of his mouth.</p>
+ <p>'You &ellips; you are the reason I'm here,' he whispers, 'I came here looking to finish you. I am finished now &ellips; Lutha will not be pleased.'</p>
+ <p>Then a fit of coughing reopens his punctured heart. With a final gurgling gasp, he expires in your arms. You get to your feet and look around at the devastation he and his men have brought to the sleepy village of Pinepeaks. Leaderless, the remaining brigands abandon their loot and flee to the wooded hills to rejoin their confederates, those who attempted to ambush the troop when first you entered this valley. Nathor's men have secured the village and they are helping the villagers to fight the fires which are burning in several of the cottages.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect126"><link-text>Turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect338">
+ <meta><title>338</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This narrow lane is flanked by hovels and makeshift shelters for the poor of the city. Beggars assail you from all sides, pleading for money with outstretched hands, but there are so many of them that you quickly abandon the idea of making a donation.</p>
+ <p>At length, the lane opens into a rubbish-strewn square faced by a shadowy, unsigned building. As you draw nearer, its grey door creaks open and a curly-haired youth beckons you to approach.</p>
+ <p>'Welcome, stranger,' he says, in a syrupy voice. 'You look lost. Why don't you rest here a while. I'm sure I can help you find your way.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect2">If you possess Kai alchemy, <link-text>turn to 2</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect155">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 155</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect339">
+ <meta><title>339</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The owner of this emporium is a grizzled old veteran of many wars. As you enter, you see him and his son busy at a workbench, shaping and flattening squares of rusty iron into poor-quality breastplates. A sign fixed to their bench reads:</p>
+ <p>Armour & Weapons - we buy we sell</p>
+ <p>Swords 2GC 4GC</p>
+ <p>Spears 3GC 6GC</p>
+ <p>Axes 1GC 2GC</p>
+ <p>Daggers 1GC 2GC</p>
+ <p>Bows 3GC 6GC</p>
+ <p>Arrows 1/2GC 1GC</p>
+ <p>Broadswords 3GC 6GC</p>
+ <p>Maces 2GC 1GC</p>
+ <p>Helmets 3GC 6GC</p>
+ <p>Breastplates 3GC 6GC</p>
+ <p>Full suits of armour - by special arrangement</p>
+ <p>If you wish to purchase or sell any of the above weapons for Gold Crowns, remember to make the necessary adjustments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect36">To leave this weapons shop, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect340">
+ <meta><title>340</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You reach the city of Vanamor late in the evening, long after the sun has set beyond the western horizon. The guards at the west gate do not, at first, look kindly upon a travel-stained rider of unknown origin, but when you show them the Star of Palmyrion - the medal that their leader, the Elector Manatine, awarded you for your victory over the evil druids of Ruel - their cold attitude undergoes a dramatic change. The guard sergeant apologizes profusely and escorts you personally through the capital's streets, past a well-ordered collection of dwellings and public buildings, to a grand palatial edifice in the city's northern quarter. It is the Elector's Hall - the seat of the Palmyrion republic.</p>
+ <p>Trumpets announce your arrival as you stride through the hall's great arched doors. Senators and officials stop momentarily to stare, then their attentions return to their affairs of state which strike you as unusually urgent. It is almost midnight, yet the Elector's Hall is a buzzing hive of activity. You meet with Elector Manatine in his War Room where he and his generals are pouring over maps and battle reports. He welcomes you with a warm handshake but his countenance seems unusually dour and agitated. You are soon to learn why.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect121"><link-text>Turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect341">
+ <meta><title>341</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw and fire an arrow in the blink of an eye. The shaft whistles through the trees and hits the war-dog squarely between its hideously yellow eyes. For a few seconds it continues to bound forward, then its front legs collapse beneath its weight and it crashes, nose-first, into the soft forest earth.</p>
+ <p>Swiftly you shoulder your bow and run headlong into the trees, desperate to make use of what little time you have gained by slaying the pack leader.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect73">If your total score is now 0-4, <link-text>turn to 73</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect12">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect342">
+ <meta><title>342</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the cell and return to the State Hall where Lord Constable Nathor reports what has happened to the Queen. Concerned for your safety, she suggests that you spend the night at the Royal Citadel as her guest. You accept her gracious invitation and enjoy a fine feast and the hospitality of her court. Then, shortly after dawn of the following day, you bid her majesty, and your companion - Lord Ardan - a fond farewell before beginning the next stage of your long journey home.</p>
+ <p>Mindful of the dangers, the Queen gives her Lord Constable a Royal Seal and places him, along with a troop of ten court cavalrymen, at your disposal. Lord Nathor and his men are to act as your guides and bodyguards on the road to Vanamor, the capital city of neighbouring Palmyrion. This republic is closely allied to Talestria and lies along its eastern border. Palmyrion also has close ties with your homeland and you look forward to the chance of renewing your friendship with its leader, Elector Manatine.</p>
+ <p>Mounted on fine Talestrian steeds, your party leaves the walled city of Garthen by its East Gate and sets off towards the outlying village of Sharr. Here you cross the mighty River Phoen by way of a great stone bridge. On the far side of this bridge you notice a signpost which points to the east. It reads: VANAMOR 280 miles.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect210"><link-text>Turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect343">
+ <meta><title>343</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It is near midnight when you arrive at a ridge which commands a view of the mighty River Storn. Moonlight pours molten silver over the rushing water, illuminating a ford where a crossing can be made over this unusually deep and fast-flowing river. To the far horizon stretch the plains of Slovia, peaceful and inviting. You long to be on the other side, but you suspect that crossing here, despite the ford, will not be an easy task. Heavily fortified border posts stand at the approaches to the ford, and many keen-eyed sentries are scanning the surrounding countryside on both sides of the river. The Eldenorans are watching for deserters attempting to flee to the safety of Slovia, a neutral territory in the war against Palmyrion; the Slovians keep watch for signs of an Eldenoran attack. It would not be the first time an invasion by their hostile neighbour had come this way.</p>
+ <p>Patiently you observe the ford for more than an hour, trying to determine the optimum time to make your move, but then suddenly the choice is taken out of your hands. In the middle distance you see an Eldenoran patrol riding towards the ridge. Unless you abandon the ridge at once, they will be sure to see you and raise an alarm.</p>
+ <p>Taking your courage in both hands, you spur your horse to the gallop and rush headlong down the rocky slope that leads directly to the ford.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2. And if you possess Kai alchemy, add 1</p>
+ <choice idref="sect218">If your total score is now 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect87">If it is 3-6, <link-text>turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect119">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect344">
+ <meta><title>344</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Gradually the wounded dragon yields his ground. He twists his head violently back and forth, as if he is trying to cast away the pain, then slowly he turns his back on you and lumbers towards his herd.</p>
+ <p>You seize this opportunity to make a dash for the Shadow Gate. However, the wraith-like manifestation of Naar senses your intention and sends his lavas swooping down to block your path. Hurriedly they form up in a line at the entrance to the Gate, forcing you to fight or retreat. Knowing that they block your only means of escaping from this nightmare realm, you draw your weapon and hurl yourself against them in a frenzied attempt to break through their line.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Lavas</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect145">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 145</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect345">
+ <meta><title>345</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tip of the swirling vortex connects with your chest and, in a moment of terrifying agony, you are lifted into the air and burled against the wall: lose 10 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points (only 6 if you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-screen).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect149">If you are still alive and you possess Grand Nexus, and have reached the rank of Sun Knight or higher, <link-text>turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect257">If you are still alive and you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect346">
+ <meta><title>346</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last of the winged horrors comes crashing to the ground, slain by your deadly blows, you take off at a run towards the trees. You rush headlong into the forest and glance overhead to make doubly sure that you are not being tracked by more of the winged lavas. The darkening sky is clear of the enemy and confidently you press on through the trees, sure in your ability to remain undetected now that you are in your natural environment of the forest.</p>
+ <p>Soon you reach the clearing and hurry to a boulder which bears the imprint of a human hand. You place your right hand upon it and the imprint fits around it like a glove. Silently a hinged stone slab rises up from the ground revealing a stair that leads down into a brick-lined passageway. You enter and hurry along this familiar tunnel, covering a mile before you come to a door that opens automatically at your approach. Beyond lies the Vault of the Sun, your personal stronghold. It radiates a warmly golden light: the rays of the Lorestones of Nyxator. Once safely inside your underground lair, you pause to allow the radiant light of the Lorestones to wash over your tired and aching limbs and, within the space of a few heartbeats, the fatigue of your long journey home is melted away (restore all lost <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>Revived and revitalized, you throw open the door to the vault and see a young Kai Master standing guard at the foot of the tower stairwell. He is Sabre Fox, one of your most gifted students.</p>
+ <p>'Gr &ellips; Grand Master!' he stammers, hardly daring to believe his eyes, 'you have returned. Praise the Gods! - Our prayers have been answered!'</p>
+ <p>You smile at the young Kai Master who now has tears of joy in his steel-grey eyes.</p>
+ <p>'Yes, Sabre Fox,' you reply, 'I have returned. Now let us vanquish this foe and rid our land of their evil shadows.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect180"><link-text>Turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect347">
+ <meta><title>347</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You fight with the devastating speed and skill that only a Kai Grand Master possesses. Despite the overwhelming odds against you, you succeed in defeating every last one of these vicious hounds. As the last one falls to your blows, you urge your horse away from the coppice and set off along the dyer track to Scade.</p>
+ <p>On returning to the Lucky Bucket inn, you break the news of your encounter at Castle Tranius to the remaining five troopers. It comes as a shock, both to them and to the innkeeper, who fears or the safety of the real Knight Tranius.</p>
+ <p>'I haven't seen him in the town for near-on a week,' he says, anxiously rubbing his many chins. 'We 'ere had no inkling that somethin' bad was happenin' up there at the castle. It's right put the shakes up me, I can tell you.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect246"><link-text>Turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect348">
+ <meta><title>348</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Immediately you recognize the kindly face of Gwynian the Sage.</p>
+ <p>'Fate calls us together once more, Lone Wolf,' he says. 'Come, we have much to discuss.'</p>
+ <p>And with that he ushers you through the archway into an adjoining chamber, where floating bulbs of light illuminate a stone table covered with charts and scrolls.</p>
+ <p>'What news have you of Sommerlund?' you ask, anxiously.</p>
+ <p>'Grave news,' replies Gwynian, with an ominous tone. He picks up a chart from the table and traces a finger across the intricate lines and calculations that embellish its ancient yellowed surface.</p>
+ <p>'The Dark God Naar has opened a Shadow Gate in the Durncrag mountains, a corridor between our world and his. By means of this corridor he has sent a host of winged creatures - the Lavas - to assail your monastery. It is his plan to destroy the young order of Kai warriors while you are not able to lead them. The Shadow Gate opened at the time of the last full moon and, since then, the Kai Monastery has been attacked many times. Naar's servants have your stronghold encircled and cut off from the armies of King Ulnar, who has repeatedly sought to break the siege. Your Kai have withstood the attacks well, Lone Wolf, but they are weakening. Only you can save them now.'</p>
+ <p>'But how?' you ask, shaken by Gwynian's account of the events which have occurred during your absence from the monastery. 'If the armies of King Ulnar are powerless to break the siege, how can I hope to save my brethren?'</p>
+ <p>'Do not despair, Lone Wolf,' replies Gwynian, reassuringly. 'All is not yet lost. You can save your brave order by closing the gate through which Naar sends his Lavas minions.'</p>
+ <p>You are about to ask how you could possibly achieve this, how you could close the Shadow Gate, but your urgent question is forestalled when Gwynian raises his hand.</p>
+ <p>'Patience for just a moment, Lone Wolf,' he says, and he allows himself a smile. 'I, humble Gwynian, possess the means by which you can thwart the Dark God's murderous plan.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect349">
+ <meta><title>349</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leave the wood and make your way across open fields to a farm at the edge of the town. Here, among the outbuildings of this deserted property, you make a shocking discovery. The burnt remains of men, women, and children are heaped in small mounds all over the farmyard. Open trenches, containing fire-blackened bones and skulls, have been dug in lines behind the farm house, and cattle carcasses fill the ditches which border the muddy road into the town. You detect no life at all, not even a bird or lowly farm animal wonders freely here.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect325">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect23">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect350">
+ <meta><title>350</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is a blinding flash as the Sun-Crystal passes through the Shadow Gate, and a deafening implosion follows which sucks a whirlwind of air and loose rock into its whirling core. For a few moments you hear a terrible, far-off scream: it is the lonely cry of Naar himself, lamenting the destruction of his dragon herd, which, by your action, you have consigned to oblivion. The vortex continues to whirl but it is growing smaller as its collapsing power fades it shrinks and shrinks until, with a final Crack!, it disappears completely.</p>
+ <p>You return to the monastery where, upon your arrival at the north gate, you are treated to the loud and joyous applause of the young Kai warriors. Banedon and Rimoah praise and congratulate you for your victory over the minions of Naar; it is a victory that will long be remembered in the history of Sommerlund and the legends of the Kai.</p>
+ <p>Congratulations, Grand Master Lone Wolf. Once again you have triumphed over the evil forces of the Dark God. You are truly a brave and exceptional warrior. Yet the fight against Evil has still to be won. A new and chilling manifestation of this Evil will soon appear in your world, and it is an Evil that will test your skills to the limit. The nature of this challenge awaits you in the next Grand Master adventure, which is entitled:</p>
+ <p>WOLF'S BANE</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <!-- Backmatter -->
+
+ </data>
+</section>
+
+</gamebook>
--- /dev/null
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
+<!DOCTYPE gamebook SYSTEM "gamebook.dtd" [
+ <!ENTITY % xhtml.characters SYSTEM "htmlchar.mod">
+ <!ENTITY % latex.characters SYSTEM "ltexchar.mod">
+ %xhtml.characters;
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+ <!ENTITY % general.links SYSTEM "genlink.mod">
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+ <!ENTITY % xhtml.links SYSTEM "htmllink.mod">
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+
+<gamebook xml:lang="en-UK" version="0.10">
+
+<!--
+
+$Id$
+$Log$
+Revision 1.1 2004/11/09 06:47:16 jonathan.blake
+Initial Freepository revision
+
+
+//// RCS Revision Log ////
+
+Revision 1.1 2002/10/21 19:27:04 jblake
+Initial revision
+
+//////////////////////////
+
+Suggestions for Wolf's Bane, sections 141-210:
+
+150: Capitalize the p in psi-screen (2nd paragraph, 1st sentence).
+171: Maybe add 'or have not reached this level of Kai mastery' to the second choice, just to make it a little clearer what to do if the player has Kai-alchemy but isn't a Sun Knight or higher.
+177: Contains a non-numbered illustration that MUST be included as part of a puzzle.
+178: Change 'flys' to 'flies' (1st paragraph, 2nd sentence).
+218: Change 'lost 3 ENDURANCE points' to 'lose 3 ENDURANCE points' (2nd sentence, 1st paragraph)
+226: Capitalize 'curing' and 'animal control' (1st sentence, 1st paragraph)
+252: Contains a small illustration that must be included because it is an essential part of a puzzle.Suggestions for Wolf's Bane, sections 281-350
+
+347: Change 'divination' in the first sentence to 'Divination', as it is referring to the Magnakai Discipline.
+
+-->
+
+<meta>
+ <title>[Insert Title]</title>
+</meta>
+
+<section id="toc">
+ <meta />
+ <data />
+</section>
+
+<section id="title">
+ <meta>
+ <title>Title Page</title>
+ <link class="next" idref="dedicate" />
+ </meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <!-- Frontmatter -->
+<!--
+
+Wolf's Bane
+
+THE STORY SO FAR...
+
+You are Grand Master Lone Wolf, the sole survivor
+of a massacre that wiped out the First Order of the
+Kai - the warrior elite of Sommerlund.
+
+It is the year MS 5080, thirty years since your brave
+kinsmen perished at the hands of the Darklords of
+Helgedad. These champions of evil, who were sent
+forth by Naar - the King of the darkness - to
+destroy the fertile world of Magnamund, have them-
+selves since been destroyed. You vowed to avenge
+the murder of the Kai and you kept your pledge,
+for it was you who brought about their downfall
+when alone you infiltrated their foul domain - the
+Darklands - and caused the destruction of their
+leader and the base of his power that was the
+infernal city of Helgedad.
+
+In the wake of their destruction, chaos befell the
+Darkland armies who had been poised to conquer
+all of Magnamund. This disorder escalated into a
+mutinous civil war, which allowed the freestate
+armies of Magnamund time in which to recover
+and launch a counter-offensive. Against
+the odds, a swift and total victory was secured over
+the feuding Darklands armies.
+
+For ten unbroken years peace has reigned in Som-
+merlund. Under your direction, the once-ruined
+monastery of the Kai has been rebuilt and restored
+to its former glory, and the task of teaching a New
+Order of Kai warriors the skills and proud traditions
+of your ancestors is also well established. The new
+generation of Kai recruits, all of whom were born
+during the era of war against the Darklords, possess
+strong latent Kai skills and all show exceptional
+promise. These skills will be nurtured and honed
+to perfection during their time at the monastery so
+that they may teach and inspire future generations,
+thereby ensuring the continued security of your
+homeland in future years.
+
+Your attainment of the rank of Kai Grand Master
+brought with it great rewards. Some, such as the
+restoration of the Kai and the undying gratitude of
+your fellow Somrnlending, could have been antici-
+pated. Yet there have also been rewards which you
+could not possibly have foreseen. The discovery
+that within you lay the potential to develop Kai
+Disciplines beyond those of the Magnakai (which
+were thought to be the ultimate that a Kai Master
+could aspire to) was truly a revelation. Your dis-
+covery, has inspired you to search for the wisdom
+and power that no Kai lord before you has ever
+possessed. In the name of your creator, the God
+Kai, and for the greater glory of Sommerlund and
+the Goddess Ishir, you have vowed to reach the
+very pinnacle of Kai perfection - to attain all of the
+Grand Master Disciplines and become the first Kai
+Supreme Master.
+
+With diligence and determination you set about the
+restoration of the Kai monastery and the training
+of the New Order recruits. Your efforts were soon
+rewarded and, within the space of two short years,
+the first raw recruits had graduated to become a
+cadre of gifted Kai Masters who, in turn, were able
+to commence the teaching of their skills to sub-
+sequent intakes of Kai novices. Readily the Kai Masters
+rose readily to their new-found responsibilities,
+leaving you free to devote more of your time to
+the pursuit and perfection of the Grand Master
+Disciplines. During this period you also received
+expert tutelage in the ways of magic from two of
+your most trusted friends and advisors: Guildmaster
+Banedon, leader of the Brotherhood of the Crystal
+Star, and Lord Rimoah, speaker for the High Coun-
+cil of the Elder Magi.
+
+In the deepest subterranean level of the monastery,
+one hundred feet below the Tower of the Sun, you
+ordered the excavation and construction of a special
+vault. In this magnificent chamber wrought of granite
+and gold, you placed the seven Lorestones of
+Nyxator - gems of Kai power which you
+had recovered during your quest for Kai
+knowledge. In this vault, bathed in the golden light
+of those radiant gems, you spent countless hours in
+pursuit of perfection. Sometimes alone, sometimes
+in the company of your two able advisors - Bane-
+don and Rimoah - you worked hard to develop
+your innate Grand Master disciplines, and grasp
+the fundamental secrets of Brotherhood and Old
+Kingdom Magic. During this time you noticed many
+remarkable changes taking place within your body;
+you became physically and mentally stronger, your
+five primary senses sharpened beyond all that
+you had experienced before, and, perhaps most
+remarkably, your body began to age at a much
+slower rate. Now for every five years that elapse
+you age but one year.
+
+In the years since your victory over the Darklords,
+peace has reigned victorious and the peoples of
+the Free Kingdoms have rejoiced in the knowledge
+that the evil which once threatened to destroy them
+has been banished from the face of Magnamund.
+Men have readily exchanged their swords for hoes
+and their shields for ploughs, and now the only
+marching they do is along the ruts of their freshly
+furrowed fields. Few are the watchful eyes that scan
+the distant horizon in fear of what may appear,
+although there are still some who maintain their
+vigilance, for the agents of the Dark God Naar
+come in many guises and there are those upon
+Magnamund who wait quietly in the shadows for
+the chance to do his evil bidding.
+
+Already your new-found skills have been tested
+against Naar's agents and you have, on each
+occasion, acquitted yourself admirably. Yet your
+continuing victories have enraged the Dark God
+and inflamed his lust for vengeance. Three years
+earlier, you and your new Kai kinsmen achieved a
+glorious victory over a host of deadly Lavas. These
+dragon-like horrors were sent by Naar to destroy
+the Kai Monastery and lay waste to Sommerlund,
+and yet, despite their supernatural strength, they
+were defeated in battle by the sheer courage and
+skill of the New Order Kai who fought magnifi-
+cently under your leadership.
+
+After the ignominious defeat of his minions, Naar
+retreated to the Plane of Darkness to plot and
+scheme anew. Victory at the monastery had won
+for you a respite in the Dark God's war against
+Sommerlund and the Kai. The following three
+years were peaceful for your homeland, yet else-
+where on Magnamund the agents of Naar con-
+tinued their insidious work. On several occasions
+your special skills were sought by envoys from
+foreign realms whose leaders were desperate to rid
+themselves of Naar's minions. Courageously you
+undertook many of these dangerous missions and,
+by succeeding where no other mortal could, you
+brought fresh glories upon yourself and your fellow
+Kai.
+
+In the summer of MS 5080, during a return voyage
+by sea from a successful quest to distant Dessi, an
+act of sabotage very nearly wrecked the sailing ship
+that was transporting you home. Only fair weather
+and skilful repairs by the Sommlending crew saved
+the ship from being lost in the Gulf of Durenor.
+When the damaged craft limped into its home port
+of Anskaven, more than two weeks late, the recep-
+tion you received was far from welcoming. The
+normally cheerful seafaring folk of this busy port
+were in a strangely sullen mood. Clearly they all
+recognized you, yet none cheered as you disem-
+barked on Anskaven quay. The crowd were quietly
+hostile. Before you could determine their reasons,
+the uneasy silence was shattered by a troop of
+heavily-armoured cavalrymen who came galloping
+along the quayside, their gleaming swords drawn.
+The crowd scattered as the horsemen drew up in
+a circle around you. Their leader, a nervous young
+lieutenant whose coat bore the black eagle and
+three hearts motif of Avan Caldar, Baron of Ans-
+kaven, curtly ordered you to lay down your
+weapons. Not wishing to provoke these city troop-
+ers, you obeyed the command and allowed them
+to escort you to Baron Caldar's castle where you
+felt sure their inglorious mistake would be swiftly
+punished.
+
+Baron Caldar formally received you in the Great
+Hall of his castle. You had met previously on many
+state occasions at King Ulnar's court in Holmgard
+and had always held each other in high esteem.
+Yet Caldar, flanked by more than a dozen armed
+bodyguards, could barely bring himself to conceal
+his contempt. He spoke to you as if you were a
+hated criminal. You asked why you were being
+treated in such a manner, but your pleas fell on
+deaf ears. Without further explanation, he ordered
+that you be taken immediately to the dungeons
+and placed in irons.
+
+Later that evening, using your mental Kai Disci
+plines to help loosen the tight-lipped resolve of a
+dungeon guard, you learned the reasons for your
+apparent fall from grace.
+
+'You first arrived in Anskaven by ship eighteen days
+ago, as expected,' said the gaoler, in response to
+your psychic commands. 'Baron Caldar met you
+personally at the quayside and gave you a horse
+and six of his best troopers to escort you to Toran.
+During your ride to that city, they say you mur-
+dered his men and burnt their bodies. On arriving
+at Toran, you tried to assassinate Banedon - the
+Guildmaster of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star.
+He survived, yet much of the Guildmaster's Hall
+was destroyed by your doing. To cover your
+escape from the city, you poisoned the wells caus-
+ing hundreds of deaths. At first it was said that a
+Helghast had adopted your likeness to gain entry
+to the Guildhall, but Guildmaster Banedon refuted
+these claims. He is convinced that you are pos-
+sessed by the spirit of Naar. The Guildmaster dis-
+patched the Toran militia to spread this message
+across Somrnerlund. A few days later at the forest
+village of Dumf allow, near Tyso, the Fryearl of
+Durnfallow was murdered and his manor house
+was torched to the ground. The villagers say they
+saw you riding away from the blazing ruins, howl
+ing like a crazed wolf. The people are terrified by
+the thought that Naar has corrupted you - their
+greatest hero - and turned you against your own.
+They are scared and they are demanding swift jus-
+tice. King Ulnar has bowed to their will; he has
+sent all of his Border Rangers to Tyso with orders
+to find and kill you on sight.'
+
+The news of your alleged crimes comes as a bitter
+blow. You are sure that it is all the handiwork of
+an agent of Naar, and you resolve to find and
+vanquish this impostor at the first opportunity.
+However, as you cast your eyes around the damp
+walls of the castle dungeon, you can only pray to
+Ishir and Kai that the Baron and his guards will
+believe your story and allow you a chance to
+reclaim your honour.
+Wolf's Bane
+
+THE GAME RULES
+
+You keep a record of your adventure on the Action
+Chart that you will find in the front of this book.
+For ease of use, and for further adventuring, it is
+recommended that you photocopy these pages.
+
+For more than ten years, ever since the demise
+of the Darklords of Helgedad, you have devoted
+yourself to developing further your fighting prow-
+ess - COMBAT SKILL - and physical stamina - ENDUR-
+ANCE. Before you begin this Grand Master adven-
+ture you need to measure how effective your
+training has been. To do this take a pencil and,
+with your eyes closed, point with the blunt end of it on
+to the Random Number Table on the last page of
+the book. If you pick a 0 it counts as zero.
+
+The first number that you pick from the Random
+Number Table in this way represents your COMBAT
+SKILL. Add 25 to the number you picked and write
+the total in the COMBAT SKILL section of your Action
+Chart (ie if your pencil fell on the number 6 in
+the Random Number Table you would write in a
+COMBAT SKILL of 31). When you fight, your COMBAT
+SKILL will be pitted against that of your enemy. A
+high score in this section is therefore very desirable.
+
+The second number that you pick from the
+Random Number Table represents your powers of
+ENDURANCE. Add 30 to this number and write the
+total in the ENDURANCE section of your Action Chart
+(ie if your pencil fell on the number 7 on the
+Random Number Table you would have 37 ENDUR-
+ANCE points).
+
+If you are wounded in combat you will lose ENDUR-
+ANCE points. If at any time your ENDURANCE points
+fall to zero, you are dead and the adventure is over.
+Lost ENDURANCE points can be regained during the
+course of the adventure, but your number of
+ENDURANCE points can not rise above the number
+you have when you start an adventure.
+
+Playing Tip: You may use a 10-sided die instead
+of the Random Number Table if you find it easier.
+
+If you have successfully completed any of the
+previous adventures In the Lone Wolf series
+(Books 1-18), you can carry your current
+scores of SKILL and ENDURANCE points
+over to Book 19. These scores may include
+Weaponmastery, Curing and Psi-surge
+bonuses obtained upon completion of Lone
+Wolf Kai (Books 1-5) or Magnakai (Books
+6-12) adventures. Only if you have completed
+these previous adventures will you benefit
+from the appropriate bonuses in the course
+of the Grand Master series. You may also
+carry over any Weapons and Backpack Items
+you had in your possession at the end of your
+last adventure, and these should be entered
+on your new Grand Master Action Chart (you
+are still limited to two Weapons, but you may
+now carry up to ten Backpack Items). How-
+ever, only the following Special Items may be
+carried over from the Lone Wolf Kai (Books
+1-5) and Magnakai (Books 6-12) series, to
+the Lone Wolf Grand Master series (13
+onwards):
+
+Crystal Star pendant Jewelled Mace
+Sommerswerd Silver Bow of Duadon
+Silver Helm Silver bracers
+Kagonite Chainmail Korlinium scabbard
+
+Wolf's Bane
+
+KAI AND MAGNAKAI DISCIPLINES
+
+During your distinguished rise to the rank of Kai
+Grand Master, you have become proficient in all
+of the basic Kai and Magnakai Disciplines. These
+Disciplines have provided you with a formidable
+arsenal of natural abilities which have served you
+well in the fight against the agents and champions
+of Naar, King of the Darkness. A brief summary of
+your skills is given below:
+
+Weaponmastery
+Proficiency with all close combat and missile
+weapons. Master of unarmed combat; no COMBAT
+SKILL loss when fighting bare-handed.
+
+Animal Control
+Communication with most animals; limited control
+over hostile ceatures. Can use woodland animals
+as guides and can block a non-sentient creature's
+sense of taste and smell.
+
+Curing
+Steady restoration of lost ENDURANCE points (to self
+and others) as a result of combat wounds. Neutral-
+ization of poisons, venoms and toxins. Repair of
+serious battle wounds.
+
+Invisibility
+Mask body heat and scent; hide effectively; mask
+sound during movement; minor alterations of
+physical appearance.
+
+Huntmastery
+Effective hunting of food in the wild; increased
+agility; intensified vision, hearing, smell and night
+vision.
+
+Pathmanship
+Read languages, decipher symbols, read footprints
+and tracks. Intuitive knowledge of compass points;
+detection of enemy ambush up to 500 yards; ability
+to cross terrain without leaving tracks; converse
+with sentient creatures; mask self from psychic
+spells of detection.
+
+Psi-surge
+Attack enemies using the powers of the mind; set
+up disruptive vibrations in objects; confuse
+enemies.
+
+Psi-screen
+Defence against hypnosis, supernatural illusions,
+charms, hostile telepathy and evil spirits. Ability to
+divert, and re-channel hostile psychic energy.
+
+Nexus
+Move small items by projection of mind power;
+withstand extremes of temperature; extinguish fire
+by force of will; limited immunity to flames, toxic
+gases, corrosive liquids.
+
+Divination
+Sense imminent danger, detect invisible or hidden
+enemy; telepathic communication; recognize
+magic-using and/or magical creatures; detect
+psychic residues; limited ability to leave body and
+spirit-walk.
+
+
+Wolf's Bane
+
+GRAND MASTER DISCIPLINES
+
+Now, through the pursuit of new skills and the
+further development of your inate Kai abilities,
+you have set out upon a path of discovery that no
+other Kai Grand Master has ever attempted with
+success. Your determination to become the first Kai
+Supreme Master, by acquiring total proficiency in
+all twelve of the Grand Master disciplines, is an
+awe-inspiring challenge. You will be venturing into
+the unknown, pushing back the boundaries of
+human limitation in the pursuit of greatness and
+the cause of Good. May the blessings of the gods
+Kai and lshir go with you on your brave and noble
+quest.
+
+In the years following the demise of the Darklords
+you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Defender,
+which means that you have mastered four of the
+Grand Master Disciplines listed below. It is up to
+you to choose which four disciplines these are. As
+all of the Grand Master Disciplines will be of use
+to you at some point during your adventure, pick
+your four skills with care. The correct use of a
+Grand Master Discipline at the right time could
+save your life. When you have chosen your four
+Disciplines, enter them in the Grand Master Disci-
+plines section of your Action Chart.
+
+
+Grand Weaponmastery
+This discipline enables a Grand Master to become
+supremely efficient in the use of all weapons. When
+you enter combat with one of your Grand Master
+weapons, you add 5 points to your COMBAT SKILL.
+The rank of Kai Grand Defender, with which you
+begin the Grand Master series, means you are skil-
+led in two of the weapons listed opposite and over-
+leaf.
+
+Spear
+Dagger
+Mace
+Short Sword
+Warhammer
+Bow
+Quarterstaff
+Broadsword
+Axe
+Sword
+
+Animal Mastery
+Grand Masters have considerable control over hos-
+tile, non-sentient creatures. Also, they have the
+ability to converse with birds and fishes, and use
+them as guides.
+
+Deliverance (Aduanced Curing)
+Grand Masters are able to use their healing power
+to repair serious battle wounds. If, whilst in combat,
+their ENDURANCE is reduced to 8 points or less,
+they can draw upon their mastery to restore 20
+ENDURANCE points. This ability can only be used
+once every 20 days.
+
+Assimilance (Aduanced Invisibility)
+Grand Masters are able to effect striking changes
+to their physical appearance, and maintain these
+changes over a period of a few days. They have
+also mastered advanced camouflage techniques
+that make them virtually undetectable in an open
+landscape.
+
+Grand Huntmastery
+Grand Masters are able to see in total darkness,
+and have greatly heightened senses of touch and
+taste.
+
+Grand Pathsmanship
+Grand Masters are able to resist entrapment by
+hostile plants, and have a super-awareness of
+ambush, or the threat of ambush, in woods and
+dense forests.
+
+Kai-surge
+When using their psychic ability to attack an
+enemy, Grand Masters may add 8 points to their
+COMBAT SKILL. For every round in which Kai-surge
+is used, they need only deduct 1 ENDURANCE point.
+Grand Masters have the option of using a weaker
+form of psychic attack called Mindblast. When
+using this lesser attack, they may add 4 points to
+their Combat Skill without loss of ENDURANCE
+points. (Kai-surge, Psi-surge, and Mindblast cannot
+be used simultaneously.)
+
+Grand Masters cannot use Kai-surge if their ENDUR-
+ANCE score falls to 6 points or below.
+
+Kai-screen
+In psychic combat, Grand Masters are able to con-
+struct mind fortresses capable of protecting them-
+selves and others. The strength and capacity of
+these fortresses increases as a Grand Master
+advances in rank.
+
+Grand Nexus
+Grand masters are able to withstand contact with
+harmful elements such as flames and acids, for
+upwards of an hour in duration. This ability
+increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.
+
+Telegnosis (Advanced Divination)
+This discipline enables a Grand Master to spirit-
+walk for far greater lengths of time, and with far
+fewer ill effects. Duration, and the protection of
+his inanimate body, increases as a Grand Master
+advances in rank.
+
+Magi-Magic
+Under the tutelage of Lord Rimoah, you have been
+able to master the rudimentary skills of battle
+magic, as taught to the Vakeros - the native war-
+riors of Dessi. These skills include the use of basic
+magi-magic spells such as Shield, Power Word, and
+Invisible Fist. As you advance in rank, so will your
+knowledge and mastery of Old Kingdom Magic
+increase.
+
+Kai-alchemy
+Under the tutelage of Guildmaster Banedon, you
+have mastered the elementary spells of Left-
+handed Magic, as practised by the Brotherhood
+of the Crystal Star. These spells iclude Lightning
+Hand, Levitation, and Mind Charm. As you
+advance in rank, so will your Knowledge and mas-
+tery of Left-Handed Magic increase, enabling you
+to craft new Kai weapons and artefacts
+
+If you successfully complete the mission as set in
+Book 19 of the Lone Wolf Grand Master series,
+you may add a further Grand Master Discipline of
+your choice to your Action Chart in Book 20.
+For every Grand Master Discipline you possess, in
+excess of the original four Disciplines you begin
+with, you may add 1 point to your basic COMBAT
+SKILL score and 2 points to your basic ENDURANCE
+points score. These bonus points, together with
+your extra Grand Master Discipline(s), your original
+four Grand Master Disciplines, and any Special
+Items that you have found and been able to keep
+during your adventures, may then be carried over
+and used in the next Grand Master adventure,
+which is called: THe Curse of Naar
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Wolf's Bane
+
+GRAND MASTER'S WISDOM
+
+You are about to face an adversary who possesses
+skills and abilities commensurate with your own.
+Even though you have returned to Sommerlund,
+the land of your birth, you should remain wary and
+on guard at all times. Your enemy is cunning
+and ruthless; you can expect no quarter from him
+whatsoever.
+
+Some of the things you will encounter during
+your adventure will be of use to you in this and
+future Lone Wolf books, while others may be red
+herrings of no real value at all. If you discover
+items, be selective in what you choose to keep.
+
+Pick your four Grand Master Disciplines with care
+for a wise choice will enable any player to complete
+the quest, no matter how weak their initial COMBAT
+SKILL and ENDURANCE scores may be. Successful
+completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures,
+although an advantage, is not essential for the com-
+pletion of this Grand Master adventure.
+
+May the light of Kai and Ishir be your guide as you
+strive to defeat the agents of Naar.
+
+For Sommerlund and the Kai!Wolf's Bane
+
+EQUIPMENT
+
+Before you set off on your long journey home to
+Sommerlund, you took with you a map of Northern
+Magnamund (see the inside front cover of this
+book) and a pouch of gold. To find out how much
+gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the
+Random Number Table and add 20 to the number
+you have picked. The total equals the number of
+Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you should
+now enter this number in the 'Gold Crowns' sec-
+tion of your Action Chart.
+
+If you have successfully completed any of the
+previous Lone Wolf adventures (Books 1-18),
+you may add this sum to the total sum of
+Crowns you already possess. Fifty Crown is
+the maximum you can carry, but additional
+Crowns can be left in safe-keeping at your
+monastery.
+
+You can take four items from the list below,
+again adding to these, if necessary, any you
+may already possess from previous adven-
+tures (remember, you are still limited to two
+Weapons, but you may now carry a maximum
+of ten Backpack items).
+
+BROADSWORD (Weapons)
+BOW (Weapons)
+QUIVER (Special Items) This contains six arrows;
+record them on your Weapons List.
+DAGGER (Weapons)
+SWORD (Weapons)
+2 MEALS (Meals) Each Meal takes up one space in
+your Backpack.
+ROPE (Backpack Item)
+POTION OF LAUMSPUR (Backpack Item) This potion restores
+4 ENDURANCE points to your total when
+swallowed after combat. There is enough for only
+one dose.
+AXE (Weapons)
+
+List the four items that you choose on your Action
+Chart, under the appropriate headings, and make
+a note of any effect that may have on your ENDUR-
+ANCE points or COMBAT SKILL.
+
+Equipment - How to use it
+
+Weapons
+The maximum number of weapons that you can
+carry is two. Weapons aid you in combat. If you
+have the Grand Master Discipline of Grand Wea
+ponmastery and a correct weapon, it adds 5 points
+to your COMBAT SKILL. If you find a weapon during
+your adventure, you may pick it up and use it.
+
+Bows and Arrows
+During your adventure there will be opportunities
+to use a bow and arrow. If you equip yourself with
+this weapon, and you possess at least one arrow,
+you may use it when the text of a particular section
+allows you to do so. The bow is a useful weapon
+for it enables you to hit an enemy at a distance.
+However, a bow cannot be used in hand-to-hand
+combat, therefore it is recommended that you also
+equip yourself with a close combat weapon, such
+as a sword or an axe.
+
+In order to use a bow you must possess a quiver
+and at least one arrow. Each time the bow is used,
+erase an arrow from your Action Chart. A bow
+cannot, of course, be used if you exhaust your
+supply of arrows, but the opportunity may arise
+during your adventure for you to replenish your
+stock of arrows.
+
+If you have the Discipline of Grand Weaponmas-
+tery with a bow, you may add 3 points to any
+number you choose from the Random Number
+Table, when using the bow.
+
+Backpack Items
+
+These must be stored in your Backpack. Because
+space is limited, you may keep a maximum of ten
+articles, including Meals, in your Backpack at any
+one time. You may only carry one Backpack at a
+time. During your travels you will discover various
+items which you may decide to keep. You
+may exchange or discard them at any point when
+you are not involved in combat.
+
+Any item that may be of use, and which can be
+picked up on your adventure and entered on your
+Action Chart is given either initial capitals (eg Gold
+Dagger, Magic Pendant), or is clearly identified as
+a backpack item. Unless you are told that it is a
+Special Item, carry it in your Backpack.
+
+Special Items
+Special Items are not carried in the Backpack.
+When you discover a Special Item, you will be told
+how or where to carry it. The maximum number
+of Special Items that can be carried on any adven
+ture is twelve.
+
+
+Food
+Food is carried in your Backpack. Each Meal
+counts as one item. 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 ENDURANCE points. However, if you have
+chosen the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you
+will not need to tick off a Meal when instructed to
+eat.
+
+Potion of Laumspur
+This is a healing potion that can restore 4 ENDUR
+ANCE points to your total when swallowed after
+combat. There is enough for one dose only. If you
+discover any other potion during the adventure,
+you will be informed of its effect. All potions are
+Backpack Items.
+
+
+Wolf's Bane
+
+RULES FOR COMBAT
+
+There will be occasions during your adventure
+when you have to fight an enemy. The enemy's
+COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points are given in
+the text. Lone Wolf's aim in the combat is to kill
+the enemy by reducing his ENDURANCE points to
+zero while losing as few ENDURANCE points as possi-
+ble himself
+
+At the start of a combat, enter Lone Wolf's and
+the enemy's ENDURANCE points in the appropriate
+boxes on the 'Combat Record' section of your
+Action Chart.
+
+The sequence for combat is as follows:
+
+1. Add any extra points gained through your
+ Grand Master Disciplines and Special Items to
+ your current COMBAT SKILL total.
+
+2. Subtract the COMBAT SKILL of your enemy from
+ this total. The result is your Combat Ratio.
+ Enter it on the Action Chart.
+
+ Example
+ Lone Wolf (COMBAT SKILL 32) is attacked by a
+ pack of Doomwolves (COMBAT SKILL 30). He is
+ taken by surprise and is not given the oppor-
+ tunity of evading their attack. Lone Wolf has the
+ Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge to which
+ the Doomwolves are not immune, so Lone Wolf
+ adds 8 points to his COMBAT SKILL, giving him a
+ total COMBAT SKILL of 40.
+
+ He subtracts the Doomwolf pack's COMBAT SKILL
+ from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of +10.
+ (40 - 30 = + 10). +10 is noted on the Action Chart
+ as the Combat Ratio.
+
+3. When you have your Combat Ratio, pick a
+ number from the Random Number Table.
+
+4. Turn to the COMBAT RESULTS TABLE on the inside
+ back cover of this book. 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 ENDURANCE
+ points lost by both Lone Wolf and his enemy
+ in this round of combat. (E represents points
+ lost by the enemy; LW represents points lost by
+ Lone Wolf.)
+
+ Example
+ The Combat Ratio between Lone Wolf and the
+ Doomwolf Pack has been established as +10. If
+ the number taken from the Random Number Table
+ is a 2, then the result of the first round of combat
+ is:
+
+ Lone Wolf loses 3 ENDURANCE points (plus an
+ additional 1 point for using Kai-surge. This loss
+ is in addition to the loss suffered as a result of
+ combat.)
+ Doomwolf Pack loses 9 ENDURANCE points.
+
+5. On the Action Chart, mark the changes in
+ ENDURANCE points to the participants in the
+ combat.
+
+6. Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have
+ an option to evade, the next round of combat now
+ starts.
+
+7. Repeat the sequence from Stage 3.
+
+This process of combat continues until ENDURANCE
+points of either the enemy or Lone Wolf are
+reduced to zero, at which point the one with the
+zero score is declared dead. If Lone Wolf is dead,
+the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Lone
+Wolf proceeds but with his ENDURANCE points
+reduced.
+
+A summary of Combat Rules appears on the
+page after the Random Number Table.
+
+Evasion of combat
+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 ENDURANCE points during
+that round (but then thatis the risk of running
+away!). You may only evade if the text of that par-
+ticular section allows you to do so.
+
+
+
+
+Wolf's Bane
+
+LEVELS OF KAI GRAND MASTERSHIP
+
+The following table is a guide to the rank and titles
+you can achieve at each stage of your journey
+along the Road of Kai Grand Mastership. As you
+complete each adventure successfully in the Lone
+Wolf Grand Master series, you will gain an
+additional Grand Master Discipline and progress
+towards the pinnacle of Kai perfection - to become
+a Kai Supreme Master.
+
+ No. of Grand
+Master Disciplinies
+ acquired Grand Master Rank
+
+ 1 Kai Grand Master Senior
+ 2 Kai Grand Master Superior
+ 3 Kai Grand Sentinel
+ 4 Kai Grand Defender - You
+ begin the Lone Wolf Grand
+ Master adventures at this level of
+ Mastery
+ 5 Kai Grand Guardian
+ 6 Sun Knight
+ 7 Sun Lord
+ 8 Sun Thane
+ 9 Grand Thane
+ 10 Grand Crown
+ 11 Sun Prince
+ 12 Kai Supreme Master
+
+Wolf's Bane
+
+IMPROVED GRAND MASTER
+DISCIPLINES
+
+As you rise through the higher levels of Kai Grand
+Mastery you will find that your Disciplines will
+steadily improve. For example, if you possess the
+Discipline of Grand Nexus when you reach the
+Grand Master rank of Grand Thane, you will be
+able to pass freely through Shadow Gates and
+explore the nether realms of Aon and the Daziarn
+Plane.
+
+If you are a Grand Master who has reached the
+rank of Grand Crown, you will now benefit from
+improvements to the following Grand Master Disci
+plines:
+
+Grand Weaponmastery
+Kai Grand Crowns with this discipline are consum-
+mate masters of unarmed combat. When fighting
+bare-handed ie, without any weapons, they may
+add 3 points to their COMBAT SKILL.
+
+Animal Mastery
+Grand Crowns with this ability are able to plant in
+the mind of any animal the image of their most
+feared predator or adversary. Under the influence
+of this illusion the animal will believe, with all of
+its senses, that it is being confronted by such a
+creature instead of a Kai Grand Crown.
+
+Grand Pathsmanship
+Grand Crowns with this skill are able to create
+a clear passageway through dense undergrowth,
+forest, or jungle. Once having passed through this
+passageway, the plant material will revert to its
+normal state. This skill can also be employed by a
+Kai Grand Crown against magical foliage, or to
+counter any plant material ranged against him by
+an enemy.
+
+Kai-screen
+Grand Crowns who possess mastery of this Disci
+pline are able to mask the goodly aura which radi
+ates naturally from their minds and bodies.
+Additionally, Grand Crowns can deliberately alter
+these auras to give a false impression of themselves
+to creatures who are sensitive to such psychic
+auras.
+
+Grand Nexus
+Grand Crowns who possess this Discipline are able
+to speak a Kai Power Word - a holy utterance
+which will cause physical and psychic damage to
+any single creature within a radius of thirty feet.
+The degree of damage so caused, and the resultant
+drain upon a Grand Crown's reserves of ENDUR
+ANCE, are dependent upon individual circum
+stances. The power and range of this skill increases
+as a Grand Master rises in rank.
+
+Kai-alchemy
+Grand Masters who have reached the rank of
+Grand Crown are able to use the following
+Brotherhood spells:
+
+Teleport - By casting this spell, Kai Grand Crowns
+can transport themselves physically to any place
+which they can see with their own eyes. The spell
+will carry the caster, his equipment and clothing
+to his chosen sighted destination. It cannot be used
+on any other living creature and it will not transport
+any other living creature along with the caster. Use
+of this spell will cost the caster between 1 and 5
+ENDURANCE points every time it is used. This cost
+reduces as a Kai Grand Master increases in rank.
+
+See Illusion - Using this spell, a Kai Grand Crown
+is able to detect an illusion and know immediately
+its true identity or purpose.
+
+The nature of any additional improvements and
+how they affect your Grand Master Disciplines will
+be noted in the 'Improved Grand Master Disci
+plines' section of future Lone Wolf books.
+
+-->
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="numbered">
+ <meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect1">
+ <meta><title>1</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The jangle of keys and the metallic squeal of a rusty iron drawbolt makes your pulse quicken. Moments later, the heavy dungeon door creaks open and two imperious figures step with caution into the dingy cell. They are protected by a dome of radiant magical energy, yet you can see enough of their features through this shimmering force-field to recognize them to be Baron Calder and Guildmas ter Banedon.</p>
+ <p>'Well met, old friend!' you call out, but Banedon does not return your greeting. His countenance is one of fearful suspicion. Clearly he and the Baron suspect you are the evil impostor who has wrought havoc across Sommerlund.</p>
+ <p>'Come now, Banedon. Truly, it is I - Lone Wolf. Won't you release me from these shackles?'</p>
+ <p>Banedon takes hold of a crystal pendant that hangs from a chain around his neck and a wave of strong psychic energy washes over you. The sensation is. deeply unpleasant, but you resist the urge to use repel it. Instead, you allow this mental probe to access the recesses of your mind and gradually Banedon's grim expression is replaced by a smile. He nods approv ingly and, in an instant, the magical barrier which protects the two men blinks out of existence.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect302">If you possess a Platinum Amulet, turn to 195. If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect2">
+ <meta><title>2</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hit the stinking water and dive beneath the surface. But moments later you are struck forcefully in the side by the tip of the creature's tail, lifted into the air, and dashed against the rough earth wall of the cavern: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Coughing and gasping for breath, you find your feet and claw the muck from your eyes just in time to see the serpent's tail swishing back towards your chest. Instinctively you throw yourself against the wall and the deadly barbed tail misses you by inches. As it sweeps past, you draw your weapon in readiness to strike out at it the moment it come within range.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ukara (chained)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">44</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This serpent is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect3">
+ <meta><title>3</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your divine blade from its scabbard and a halo of golden light irradiates the throne hall. Naar bellows with a terrible rage. He is mortally aghast that such a holy weapon should be unsheathed in his inner sanctum, and in his rage he summons yet a further horde of Crypt Spawn to attack and overwhelm you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Crypt Spawn hordes</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">55</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect350">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect4">
+ <meta><title>4</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus, you con centrate upon a small area of the plant wall and will the fibres to loosen and tear. The wall is remarkably resilient, and you expend a great deal of energy before the tough fibres weaken and bend to your will: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Eventually you are able to create a large enough hole in the stem through which you can make your escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect5">
+ <meta><title>5</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your killing blow decapitates the head of this mechanical beast, sending it bouncing across the chamber. Fountains of fiery sparks shoot from its severed neck and its torso cracks and crumples in on itself. Within seconds, the body is transformed into a glowing mound of steel slag.</p>
+ <p>Warily you approach the creature's head and prod it with the tip of your weapon. When you are sure that it is safe, you examine it more closely and discover a curious disc of iron wedged in a crease in the back of its skull. Guided by instinct, you take this disc and insert it into the wall. Moments later, the door opens with a hiss of escaping air.</p>
+ <p>If you wish to retrieve the Iron Disc before you pass through the door, record it on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you carry in the pocket of your tunic.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect83">To continue, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect6">
+ <meta><title>6</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You throw yourself to the ground and the beam of blazing white light passes within inches of your head, close enough to scorch the hood of your cloak. The moment you hit the warehouse floor you roll over and over and scramble for the nearest cover - a heavy iron chest, banded and riveted with steel. The warrior follows your swift movement and looses a second beam from his spear which slams into the iron chest with stunning force. You gasp with horror as you see the side of the chest bulging towards your face. Its thick rivets tremble and its age-blackened skin smoulders with a sullen heat. Instinct takes over, making you roll away from the iron chest and seek cover elsewhere. As you move, the beam of light tears through the rear of the iron box and destroys the ground where, only moments before, your face had been.</p>
+ <p>You call upon all of your camouflage skills to mask your body as you hurriedly seek a way to escape from this warrior and his sorcerous weapon. You reach the base of a large steel tank and scramble up a ladder fixed to its side. The top of the tank is stacked high with coiled ropes and you force your- self in amongst them. A few moments later you watch the warrior approach the smouldering remains of the iron chest. He is close enough now for you to see that his weapon is attached by length of steel cable to a canister strapped to his back.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">If you possess a Bow and the Discipline of Magi magic, and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If you do not possess a Bow or this skill, or if you have yet to attain the rank of Sun Lord, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect7">
+ <meta><title>7</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Guided by a circle of blazing beacons, Javano the pilot lands the skyship expertly in the middle of a paved training park located within the castle's expansive grounds. In Tyso a curfew is in force, and the only figures lawfully abroad this night are Baron Medar's guardsmen whose numbers have been doubled by a regiment of Border Rangers recently arrived from Holmgard. Banedon suggests that you stay on board until he has informed Baron Medar of the true situation.</p>
+ <p>'The guards of Tyso are under orders to kill you on sight,' he says, as he gets ready to disembark. 'It would not be wise to show yourself, Grand Master, until I have explained all to the Baron.'</p>
+ <p>You remain in his quarters while Banedon seeks an audience with Baron Medar. Shortly he returns with the Baron who, upon entering the cabin, greets you warmly like a father welcoming home a favourite son.</p>
+ <p>'You will always be welcome here, Lone Wolf,' he says clasping your hand in friendship. 'I knew in my heart that you were innocent of these crimes which have so shocked our people. You may rely on me to help you find this impostor who has sought to harm us and bring dishonour upon your good name.'</p>
+ <p>You thank the Baron for his support and his pledge of loyalty, and you tell him how pleased you are to be in Tyso after the months you have spent abroad.</p>
+ <p>'Then come, my lord, let's adjourn to my hall where you may enjoy the hospitality of my court,' he says, and turns to leave the cabin. As he reaches the door he says: 'Oh, and by the way, there are some men waiting there who, I'm sure, will be most pleased to meet with you.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect238"><link-text>Turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect8">
+ <meta><title>8</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The arrow hits your forehead, yet fortunately at an angle. It carves a gash across the top of your head and removes a deep furrow of skin and hair as it glances off your skull bone: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Biting back the pain, you clasp both hands to your scalp and muster your healing skills to staunch the heavy flow of blood. As you stagger to your feet, you look to the jungle and pinpoint the place where the arrow emerged. When you magnify your vision you see the face of your enemy - Wolf's Bane - partially hidden by a tree. He is laughing, his teeth showing white against the deep green of the jungle. He mouths a curse and then he springs to his feet and disappears into the undergrowth.</p>
+ <p>Determined that you are not going to allow him to escape so easily, you break into a run and give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect9">
+ <meta><title>9</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your killing blow punctures the beast's single lung and heart, sending it swiftly to the bottom of the flooded cellar. You sheathe your weapon and strike out for the surface where, upon clambering onto the steps, you pause for a few moments to regain your composure. As you recover, you note that one of your Backpack Items is missing, lost during your underwater combat with the Ekmakon. (Erase from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> the item which you have recorded at the top of your list of Backpack Items.)</p>
+ <p>Eager to continue your pursuit, you climb the steps and emerge through a trapdoor into the rubble- heaped city ruins. There is no sign of Wolf's Bane, but when you hurry to where you saw him last, you discover a flight of steps leading down into a wide underground passage. His tracks can be seen clearly imbedded in the muddy floor of this tunnel.</p>
+ <p>The tunnel passes under a street and then surfaces in front of a grand two-storey building, once a busy warehouse that stored braided coils of fine copper cable. You avoid the main entrance in case your adversary is lying in ambush there, and enter instead by way of a flight of iron steps that lead to a second floor window. The moment you set foot inside the building you sense that Wolf's Bane is here. Warily you explore, your nerves stretched to breaking point as your eyes seek out detail in the darkness. You are approaching the west wing of this building when you suddenly catch sight of your opponent through a hole in the floor. He is sitting on his haunches behind a mound of wooden crates, busily eating a green-skinned fruit, and he is unaware that you are watching him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect81">If you possess Magi-magic, and have attained the rank of Grand Thane (and wish to use your skill), <link-text>turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect106">If you possess a Bow, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect319">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect20">If you possess none of these skills, or have yet to reach the required level of Kai rank, or simply choose not to use them, <link-text>turn instead to 20</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect10">
+ <meta><title>10</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The door opens with a hiss. You rush forward and immediately sidestep to place a solid wall between you and the steel monster. Then the door slides shut and, a few moments later, you feel a shudder run through the wall as the creature slams head first into the portal and shatters its skull.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect83">To continue, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect11">
+ <meta><title>11</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One of the arrows grazes your left shoulder and gouges a furrow of skin from the back of your left thigh. You stifle a cry, but the intense pain that grips your injured limbs warns you at once that the tip of the arrow was tainted with poison.</p>
+ <p>Your innate healing skills counter the poison before it can do its deadly work, but your body's defences draw heavily on your reserves of strength and the curing process leaves you feeling weak and light- headed: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect309">To continue, <link-text>turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect12">
+ <meta><title>12</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Luckily, the acid-spitter was the only one of its kind to be found lurking in this hall, and you are able to reach the door without being spat upon by one of its many brothers. The door itself is unlocked and, without further delay, you pull it open and hurry through into the hall which lies beyond.</p>
+ <p>You are hungry and, unless you possess the Disci- pline of Grand Huntmnastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220">To continue, <link-text>turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect13">
+ <meta><title>13</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hit the ground with a numbing jolt and almost lose consciousness. As you lie there, dazed and gasping for breath, you hear the anxious voices of your companions swirling around in your mind. You cannot move but you are able to draw on your Magnakai curing skills to staunch your bleeding wounds. Gradually you feel your strength return ing. The young Kai gather around and lift you carefully to your feet. As your vision clears, you see that the doorway to the tomb is now devoid of rubble. You sense that the destructive force of the power-glyph has been discharged, but only temporarily. It is recharging, and you have but a few seconds in which to enter the tomb before the deadly device is fully active once more.</p>
+ <p>'Quickly, my lords,' you gasp, as you break free of their grasp and stagger towards the entrance, 'follow me!'</p>
+ <p>They hesitate, fearing you are about to trigger yet another explosion. 'Hurry!' you cry, 'the trap is spent but its power is fast returning. We must enter now!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect131"><link-text>Turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect14">
+ <meta><title>14</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You utter the words of the Brotherhood spell Light ning Hand and point your right hand at the onrush ing beast. A tingle runs down your arm and a bolt of power bursts from your fingertip. It arcs towards the creature's head and there is a splash of hissing sparks as it rips a strip of steel from the creature's skull. But the wound is not fatal. The beast shud- ders under the impact yet it hardly slows its pace, and now there is no time left to launch a second bolt. You only have two seconds remaining in which to unsheathe a hand weapon, as this great metallic horror comes leaping at you through the darkness.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mech-wulf</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect5">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect15">
+ <meta><title>15</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The arrow clips the top of your right shoulder and rips away a strip of skin: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Wincing at the sharp pain, you clasp your left hand to the wound and use your healing skills to staunch the flow of blood. Then you get to your feet and look to the jungle to pinpoint the place where the arrow emerged. When you magnify your vision you see the face of your enemy - Wolf's Bane - partially hidden by a tree. He is laughing, his teeth showing white against the deep green of the jungle. He mouths a curse before springing to his feet and running off into the undergrowth.</p>
+ <p>Determined that you are not going to allow him to escape so easily, you rush forward and give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect16">
+ <meta><title>16</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You trawl the depths of your psychic defences to construct a fortress wall to protect yourself from this agonizing mental assault. The process drains your reserves of strength (lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), but the effort is not in vain. You feel your vitality returning as you force the pain from your mind.</p>
+ <p>This psychic assault has been one of the worst you have ever experienced. You have survived, but your Kai senses tell you that your ordeal has not ended. You force open your eyes and look with dread at the terrible threat that confronts you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect17">
+ <meta><title>17</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You raise your weapon and lash out at the crea- ture's ugly maw. You wound the beast but it only serves to make him more angry. With a jerk of his head, he spits a gout of venom which splashes the front of your tunic and rapidly melts through the cloth to attack your skin.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (0=10). If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, deduct 2 from the number you have chosen. The resultant score is equal to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you lose due to the harmful effects of this creature's highly corrosive saliva.</p>
+ <p>Before the beast can spit at you again, you strike a blow which crushes its windpipe and sends it sinking fast to the bottom of the flooded cellar. Free now to continue your pursuit, you climb the steps to emerge amongst the ruins of the city. There is no sign of Wolf's Bane, but when you hurry to where you saw him last, you discover a flight of steps leading down into a wide underground pas- sage. His tracks can be seen clearly imbedded in the muddy floor of this tunnel.</p>
+ <p>The tunnel passes under a broad avenue and then surfaces in front of a grand two-storey building. This was once a busy warehouse that stored braided coils of fine copper cable. You avoid the main entrance in case your adversary is lying in ambush there, and enter instead by way of a flight of iron steps that lead to a second floor window. The moment you set foot inside the building you sense that Wolf's Bane is here. Warily you explore, your nerves stretched to breaking point as your eyes seek out detail in the darkness. You are approaching the west wing of this building when you suddenly catch sight of your opponent through a hole in the floor. He is sitting on his haunches behind a mound of wooden crates, busily eating a green-skinned fruit, and he is unaware that you are watching him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect81">If you possess Magi-magic, and have attained the rank of Grand Thane (and wish to use your skill), <link-text>turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect106">If you possess a Bow, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect319">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect20">If you possess none of these skills, or have yet to reach the required level of Kai rank, or simply choose not to use them, <link-text>turn instead to 20</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
+ <meta><title>18</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>To the left of the tunnel arch you discover two squares of opaque crimson gemstone separated by a small slot. The squares are similar in size and design to those you encountered at the entrance to the temple of Avaros. These, too, comprise a locking mechanism that controls this portal. By tap- ping upon each square a correct number of times you will cause the lock to disengage and the portal to rise.</p>
+ <p>You place your fingers lightly upon the squares and feel the tell-tale vibrations that are the key to deciphering the secret code. After only seconds you are able to determine that the first code is equal to the number of islands south of the Kirlun din island of Hemd.</p>
+ <p>The second code is equal to the number of villages that lie on the highway between the cities of Toran and Anskaven.</p>
+ <p>In order to discover the exact numbers that will open the portal, consult the map at the front of this book.</p>
+ <p>When you think you know the two-digit solution, turn to the entry that is the same number as your answer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect242">If you cannot decipher the codes, <link-text>turn instead to 242</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect19">
+ <meta><title>19</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly the Bangrol shrieks in agony as a steel- tipped arrow skewers its skull. The force of the impact sends it cartwheeling through the air to crash limply against the chamber wall. You glance to your left and see a grinning Blazer calmly shouldering his bow.</p>
+ <p>'Well done, Blazer,' you say, as you sheathe your weapon. 'Your bowmanship's as keen as ever. Those many hours you've spent in the Monastery butts were not in vain, eh!' The young Kai Master smiles his gratitude for your welcome words of praise.</p>
+ <p>'Now, my lords, we must press on. We've a trail to find,' you say, and motion your companions to follow as you leave this chamber by a tunnel in its south wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect298"><link-text>Turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect20">
+ <meta><title>20</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call upon your Magnakai Discipline of Psi- surge and focus a pulse of psychic energy at the head of your mortal enemy. The moment you launch your mental attack, you see him physically shudder. Then his body stiffens and his half-eaten fruit drops from his grasp. You have hit your target, but you sense resistance; your adversary has powerful psychic defences with which he can coun- ter your attack.</p>
+ <p>You feel a sudden wave of pain wash through you as he repels your mental assault and turns it back on you: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. To your dismay, you watch as Wolf's Bane leaps to his feet and makes a hasty escape, seemingly uninjured by your mental assault.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect224"><link-text>Turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect21">
+ <meta><title>21</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cautiously you approach the slain warriors. You are eager to examine their strange armour and you are particularly curious about the light-emitting spears they wielded; weapons such as these could prove useful in your fight against Wolf's Bane. However, on examining these steely shafts you discover that they are now useless. The source of their power was contained in the canisters strapped to the warriors' backs, a power that is now depleted.</p>
+ <p>When you pose open a helmet and breastplate, you discover a thin, pale-skinned humanoid within. His bone structure and muscularity is surprisingly weak for a warrior, prompting you to suspect that he must have relied heavily on his power-fed armour for strength and protection. This sallow faced soldier has a lean and brutal appearance, a look which resembles that of an emaciated Drak- karim.</p>
+ <p>After having satisfied yourself that there is nothing worth salvaging from the bodies of these two slain enemies, you make a cursory check of your own equipment. You are hungry, and unless you pos- sess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Having satisfied your curiosity and your appetite, you hurry out of this derelict warehouse by a rear door and continue your hunt for Wolf's Bane's trail.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect31"><link-text>Turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect22">
+ <meta><title>22</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature's sharp proboscis misses you by inches. Before it can strike again, you prise yourself out of the cluster and retreat back along the stamen until you are out of harm's way. Blindly the giant insect stabs and slashes, splintering stamen tips and drenching you with showers of sticky pollen. Fortu- nately, the span of its gigantic wings and the nar- rowness of the plant's corolla conspire to prevent it from reaching deeper into the plant, and you are able to escape without injury.</p>
+ <p>You retreat all the way down to the bowl of the corolla, from where you began your ascent. Look- ing around you see that the hollow stem is now the only remaining chance you have of getting out of this plant alive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103"><link-text>Turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect23">
+ <meta><title>23</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The instant you tap in the second code the portal begins to rise. You wait until it has risen a few feet and you are sure that no enemy awaits you on the other side, then you duck under the heavy iron plate and hurry into the tunnel beyond. As you run, you hear the portal slamming shut behind you with a dull reverberating boom.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115"><link-text>Turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect24">
+ <meta><title>24</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Kai camouflage skills keep you hidden from the unwanted attentions of these thirsty creatures, and you reach the stairs without being detected. Once you are here, you ascend to the balcony and hurry through the arch.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50">To continue, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect25">
+ <meta><title>25</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Suddenly the tip of the creature's tail erupts from beneath the water and comes swishing towards your face. Instinctively you dive to avoid being hit and ripped open by the scores of razor-sharp barbs that encircle its tail.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect2">If the number you have picked is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 2</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect169">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect26">
+ <meta><title>26</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You summon your Kai skills to mask your body prior to uttering the words of the advanced Brotherhood spell Teleport. You focus on the dis- tant balcony and feel yourself leave the ground and surge towards it. As you come close to passing over the fountain, you pray that your camouflage skills will keep you hidden from the eyes of the creatures gathered there.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance, add 4 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect179">If your total score is 5 or lower, <link-text>turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect245">If it is 6 or higher, <link-text>turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect27">
+ <meta><title>27</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You approach the hut and crouch down beside its mud wall, close to its open door. Your senses detect no glyphs or other traps here, and there are no residues of magical energy that might betray the presence of illusions or shielding spells. How ever, your Kai senses do pick up a strong aura of evil lingering at the rear of the hut, close to the water's edge.</p>
+ <p>You move around to the rear of this hovel and discover that the bank is deeply undercut where the soft earth has been eroded by the fast-flowing stream. Standing in a line in the shadow of the undercut are a dozen wooden cages, each contain- ing a fleshless skeleton. A shiver runs down your spine as your Magnakai Discipline of Divination detects the lingering agonies of these luckless victims. They suffered cruelly at the hands of the natives of this settlement before death finally ended their torment. The shock of your discovery is unnerving: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>You leave the stream and return to the front of the hut. Inside the open doorway you discover several fruits stacked in mounds on a mat of woven rushes. Somewhat to your surprise, your senses tell you that they are nutritious and safe to eat. (There are sufficient fruits here for 3 Meals.)</p>
+ <p>Wary of further delay, you approach the trench at the centre of the hut. Your tracking skills locate your enemy's tracks leading down the flight of steps, and quickly you follow them into an under- ground tunnel. You have gone only a few yards along this narrow passageway when suddenly you hear the terrifying roar of a large cat. With an abruptness that takes your breath away, a huge tiger-like beast comes bounding from out of the darkness ahead. So sudden and unexpected is this creature's attack, that you only just have enough time to unsheathe a hand weapon as it hurls itself upon you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Rahjaz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">41</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect28">
+ <meta><title>28</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unsheathe the Sword of the Sun and a shim- mering halo of light engulfs the blade. This golden glow washes over the rubble-strewn steps and illuminates something that, until now, had gone unnoticed.</p>
+ <p>Lying across the open doorway to the tomb is a slab of granite. Cautiously you move nearer to inspect a strange mark on its surface which is glint- ing in the light from your sword. You discover that it is an intricate design which has been scratched upon its surface. Someone has gone to the trouble of smearing it with dirt and a magical spell of shield- ing has been placed upon it to disguise its true purpose, yet you immediately realize what it is and you recoil from the slab, hurriedly retreating a dozen paces. It is a glyph of power: a magical booby trap that has been expertly camouflaged to keep it secret. If anyone or anything were to step upon or pass over this glyph, the energy contained within it would be released in one devastating instant.</p>
+ <p>You sheathe your sword and warn the others of what you have found, telling them to retreat with you to a safe distance. From the cover of a grave- stone, several yards from the tomb, you instruct Star Lynx to pick up a rock and hurl it through the open doorway. He responds by selecting an apple- sized chunk of granite which he lobs with accuracy into the tomb.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect211">If the number you have chosen is 1-3, <link-text>turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If it is 4-9, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect29">
+ <meta><title>29</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You climb more than two hundred steps before the staircase arrives at a short tunnel which opens into a damp, cavernous hall. This huge chamber is par- titioned into pens which house several giant dragonflies, similar to those you encountered when first you arrived on Avaros. High above, great oblong sections of the steel roof are open to the elements and the bases of passing storm clouds are lit up by the glow from the hall's phosphorescent lighting. You scan the rainswept pens for sight of your adversary, and find him climbing upon the saddled back of a great crimson dragonfly. He urges the creature into the air and it obeys with stunning swiftness. You watch as Wolf's Bane steers his winged mount once around the roof of the hail, and then, to your horror, you see him bring the creature to hover directly over your head. He shouts at you, but his words are lost in the buzz of the dragonfly's massive wings. Then he leans from the saddle and casts down a metallic box before urging his mount skywards. The box lands close by, bouncing once before coming to rest near your feet. Your heart pounds when you sense that it is a powerful time bomb. A panel on the side of this device contains several illuminated numerals that are blinking intermittently. You can see by the numbers remaining that you have only 30 seconds before the bomb detonates.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect177">If you wish to attempt to diffuse this time bomb, <link-text>turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect190">If you decide instead to mount one of the giant dragonflies and attempt to escape from this hall before the bomb explodes, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect30">
+ <meta><title>30</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nausea wells up from the pit of your stomach as the lower chamber of the tower is suddenly trans- formed into a whirling spiral of violent colours and noise. You feel yourself falling forwards into this vortex and, for a few fleeting seconds, you glimpse your adversary. He is brandishing his sword and laughing like a madman, his face twisted with maniacal glee as he rides this terrifying whirlwind. Then he is lost to the chaos of the maelstrom and he vanishes from your sight.</p>
+ <p>For what seems like an eternity you spin and fall through a rainbow of colour and sound. Only gradually do you become aware that this nightmare journey is coming to an end when the noise abates and the swirling colours begin to fade. Then, with a jolt, you find yourself standing ankle-deep in stagnant green water, struggling to keep your bal- ance. You draw your weapon and scan your sur roundings, fearful of sudden attack, but you soon realize that you are alone.</p>
+ <p>You appear to be under the ground, standing in a crude sewer-like tunnel which has been excavated by primitive means. The roots of trees protrude from its beaten earth ceiling and there is a stale and unpleasant smell of rotting vegetation. You use your psychic skills to probe for Wolf's Bane but you cannot detect his presence, and so you sheathe your weapon and relax your guard. The encounter with the manifestation of Naar has left a fear gnaw ing at your heart, the fear that the Dark God could at any moment he chooses lay claim to your soul. But your Kai courage swiftly overcomes the anxiety and you draw comfort from your faith in the Gods Kai and Ishir. You offer up a prayer to them to watch over you during the coming trial of strength, and vow that you will never lose hope, no matter what the dangers you may have yet to face. As if in answer to your prayer you feel a surge of energy flow through your body, revitalizing your mind and senses (restore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points which you may have lost during your adventure so far).</p>
+ <p>Alert and confident, you peer along the gloomy tunnel in both directions and try to determine the best course to follow. Neither way looks especially appealing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect128">If you choose to explore the tunnel ahead, <link-text>turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect262">If you decide to follow the tunnel behind, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect31">
+ <meta><title>31</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The rear of the warehouse opens onto a wasteland of shattered rubble which is bisected by a dead stream of salty, acidic water. You trudge across this bleak and forbidding landscape, past sharp spires of crimson and jet that erupt through the dereliction to scratch the cloudy sky. Rust-red water encircles their bases, lending them a wholly sinister aspect. To your eyes it seems as if this blighted city has been impaled upon these cruel, towering spikes.</p>
+ <p>Beyond the spires you discover a paved street almost clear of debris. You find several sets of footprints here, and your hopes are raised when you determine that one set belong to Wolf's Bane. You follow them to a gutted building, several stor- eys high, which is adorned with strangely angular gargoyles. The inside of this crumbling edifice is completely empty and your adversary's trail passes through it to a rear exit. As you emerge on the far side, you catch your first breathtaking glimpse of this grim city's tallest structure.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect32">
+ <meta><title>32</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The giant serpent tries desperately to resist your mental command to retreat, but it cannot over- come your powers of persuasion. Slowly it retreats towards the cavern wall until it is halted by the chain to which it is shackled. Cautiously you advance, keeping a wary eye on its trembling form as you skirt around the opposite wall. Within seconds you are able to reach the safety of the exit tunnel and make your escape unscathed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115"><link-text>Turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect33">
+ <meta><title>33</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The water is refreshingly cold to your touch, but it has a metallic taste that makes you retch: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect336"><link-text>Turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect34">
+ <meta><title>34</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kekataag the Avenger is attired in battle armour that, glimmers like slime-dulled gold. Beneath his helmet there is a hollow skull-face from which emerges a sickly stench that permeates even the foul air of this hall. The skulls and bones of humans bedeck his armoured hide and in his mighty hands he carries a great two-handed axe, its blade stained black with the blood of his countless victims.</p>
+
+ <p>This fearsome warrior holds you with his glowing eyes and you feel waves of powerful psychic energy buffet your mind. You muster your Mag nakai defences to repel this attack, but you sustain psychic shock before your defences knit together properly: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. This sudden and unprovoked attack leaves you in no doubt that Kekataag is deeply jealous of your supposed defeat of Lone Wolf.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect255"><link-text>Turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect35">
+ <meta><title>35</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Steel Hand and the other Kai clear away the rubble to reveal a trapdoor set into the floor. You com- mand Star Lynx to tie one end of his rope to its bronze ring and then together, from a safe distance, you pull open this stone hatch. No traps are sprung as the heavy slab of stone creaks open, and when you move closer, you see a circular chute and a ladder descending to a deeper level of the cata- combs. You peer down into the darkness and you detect fresh tracks on the ladder's iron rungs. You are back on the impostor's trail.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you lead the descent into the chute, using your powers of infravision to scan for signs of movement in the damp darkness below. After several minutes you reach the bottom of the ladder where you discover a large, vaulted chamber. Around its walls are positioned urns and grey stone caskets, each embellished with traces of gold. There is an unexpected air of opulence about this vault which prompts you to guess that it is a secret burial tomb.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect182">If you have ever visited the Graveyard of the Ancients in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If you have never visited this place, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect36">
+ <meta><title>36</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your target is beyond the effective range of your power word. The energy of your attack dissipates before it reaches Wolf's Bane, and all that he feels is a cool and pleasant breeze. The use of this Disci- pline at such extreme range drains your strength unnecessarily: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>You watch your adversary and see him getting to his feet he is moving deeper into the jungle. Fear- ing that he is getting away, you dash from the cavemouth and chase after him. But you have covered fewer than a dozen yards when suddenly an arrow comes whistling out of the undergrowth. It speeds directly towards your face with terrifying accuracy.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect152">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have attained the rank of Sun Knight or higher, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you possess Kai-alchemy but have yet to reach this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you do not possess this Grand Master Disci- pline, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect37">
+ <meta><title>37</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As your enemy's platform passes through the next level of the tower, he leaps off and disappears from view. A few moments later, when your platform reaches this level, Wolf's Bane is nowhere to be seen. You step into the circular chamber and cast your eyes around its bare metallic surfaces. There is only one exit from here: a narrow tunnel in the north wall.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you enter this tunnel and discover foot- prints in the dust which blankets the floor. You follow the tracks, but they soon fade and then disappear completely. You stop to examine the floor and your tracking skills tell you that your adversary is deliberately masking his trail. Deter- mined not to give up the pursuit, you break into a run and hurry along this tunnel to where it makes a sharp turn to the left. What you see filling the corridor ahead brings you skidding to a halt.</p>
+ <p>The way is blocked by a ctiss-crossed tangle of thick, gluey strands, which are anchored to the floor, walls and ceiling. You sense that Wolf's Bane has cast this magical net to ensnare and delay you while he makes good his escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect118">If you possess the Sornmerswerd, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect233">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect187">If you possess Grand Weaponmastery, have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord, and possess a bladed weapon (ie sword, axe, dagger etc), <link-text>turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect69">If you possess none of these skills, rank, weapons or Special Item, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect38">
+ <meta><title>38</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your blow has ripped a hole in the creature's sil- very wing. The wound is not fatal, but the damage is enough to render the hungry creature incapable of ascending any higher. It emits a loud buzz of frustration which fades as it slowly spirals away towards a cluster of smaller dragonflies hovering near the centre of the gorge.</p>
+ <p>Several minutes elapse before your tireless mount reaches the apex of the cavern and soars into the light-filled vent. Upon entering this vast aperture you are buffeted by crosswinds which sweep you and your air-steed precariously close to its rocky lip. The shock of the unexpectedly violent wind causes your mount to circle around the lip and attempt to dive back into the cavern. Blind with fear, it no longer responds to your commands, forcing you to take drastic action to avoid being carried back into the gorge. As you swoop past a rocky outcrop, you leap from the creature's back and abandon yourself to the crosswinds. Only your Kai mastery and your lightning-swift reactions save you from being crushed to death as you are blown towards the jagged, volcanic rock.</p>
+ <p>Miraculously, you survive the impact and are able to haul yourself out of the vent and climb safely onto a surface that you assume is the roof of the cavern. Seeking shelter from the raging crosswinds, you squeeze yourself into a hollow in the porous rock from where you are able to take stock of your new surroundings. The sight makes you gasp, for it is a view that truly rivals the fertile wonders of the cavern below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect39">
+ <meta><title>39</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell Lightning Hand and loose a power beam of your own at the back of the running warrior. It tears open the canister that is strapped between his shoulder blades and, with a sudden eruption of blue-white light, he is hurled upon the cylinders that cover his slain comrade. For a few seconds a spidery net of pulsating light enshrouds the two lifeless warriors, then it crackles and disappears, leaving behind an acrid stench of scorched metal and roasted meat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect21"><link-text>Turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect40">
+ <meta><title>40</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step away from the body of your enemy and allow yourself a smile of grim satisfaction that you have, at last, rid Aon of this evil intruder.</p>
+ <p>'Hurry, Lone Wolf,' says Alyss, impatiently, 'Naar is vengeful. He will soon be wanting to know how his champion is faring. If he finds him slain, we will both feel his wrath.'</p>
+ <p>'Then we must escape from here,' you reply, 'but how? Do you know of a way?'</p>
+ <p>'Mmm&ellips;maybe,' she replies, narrowing her green eyes. 'Yes&ellips;I've got a plan.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect280">If you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Crown, <link-text>turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect98">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect41">
+ <meta><title>41</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Black Hawk unsheathes his sword and rests this gleaming band of Sornmlending steel across his forearm, awaiting your signal to proceed. You cast your eyes over the surface of the wall one last time, to satisfy yourself that you can detect no lurking traps, and when you are fully confident that it is safe you nod your head affirmatively. Because you are so sure that there is no threat, what occurs in the next instant is doubly shocking.</p>
+ <p>Black Hawk puts the tip of his sword to the hairline crack in the wall and presses forward with all of his weight. But, unexpectedly, he meets with no resistance. His blade disappears into the wall and the young Kai Master stumbles forwards and van- ishes through the seemingly solid granite. For a second or two there is a deathly silence. Then an explosion of white light obliterates your vision and you feel a searing wave of heat buffet your face and body.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect223">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect99">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect42">
+ <meta><title>42</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hear the great portal closing behind the hover- wagon. It makes surprisingly little noise for such a huge expanse of iron, barely a serpent-like hiss as it seals out the stormy city wind. You stay hidden until the wagon comes to a halt and then you venture a glance over the side of its cargo bay to assess the situation.</p>
+ <p>Before your eyes there stretches a cavernous plaza, crafted entirely of steel, glass, silver and iron. Towering girders arc over your head, buttressed upon each other to support the many upper levels of this stupendous edifice. The plaza is vast and alien in design, and it is virtually deserted. You count no more than six armoured warriors, some so far distant that you have to magnify your vision to be sure that they are what they seem.</p>
+ <p>The arrival of the wagon attracts no attention. The driverless craft has docked of its own accord at a steel jetty that encircles an iron support pillar. The coast is clear and so you waste no time in attempt- ing to locate your adversary's trail. As expected, you find traces of his tracks close to the portal. They lead you to an archway which opens into a steel-lined chamber that has two exits: one to the left, the other to the right. Here the tracks become indistinct; you are unable to determine which way Wolf's Bane went from here.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If you wish to explore the left exit, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If you choose to explore the right exit, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect43">
+ <meta><title>43</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You take several deep breaths as you prepare to utter the Kai power word. Focusing on your enemy's hiding place, you expel the word - Kai! - and you see the undergrowth shimmer as the force of your exhalation ploughs through the jungle like an invisible fist.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is more than 20, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect36">If your total score is now 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect327">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect44">
+ <meta><title>44</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your arrow flies straight and true and hits the crea- ture's glowing eye, yet it does not penetrate deep enough to cause a fatal wound. The eye dims but the beast does not slow its pace, and there is now no time for a second shot. You only just have time to unsheathe a hand weapon to defend yourself as the metallic horror comes leaping at you through the darkness.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mech-wulf</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">44</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect5">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect45">
+ <meta><title>45</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The swift and unexpected ferocity of this psychic assault makes you fall to your knees and clasp your head in both hands. Pain is flooding your mind and causing your body to convulse with psychic shock. Dimly, through a red haze, you sense that the Plati- num Amulet you are wearing around your neck affords you some defence against this attack. Sadly, it is insufficient to save you from sustaining damage to the fabric of your mind.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (0=10). Now add 5 to the number you have chosen. The resultant total equals the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you have lost due to this psychic attack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect203">If you survive this mental assault, you may con tinue by <link-text>turning to 203</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect46">
+ <meta><title>46</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You open the cage door and command the crea- ture to jump onto your outstretched arm. You are hoping to be able to use it as a guide to help you find Wolf's Bane, but the primate does not co- operate as expected. It is deeply confused. It thinks that you are Wolf's Bane and adamantly it refuses to leave its cage.</p>
+ <p>You detect that it has suffered cruelly at the hands of the impostor, and this sudden realization serves to strengthen your determination to find and defeat him. You take one last look at the pitiful creature before closing the cage door, and continuing your exploration of the tower by way of the circular stairs.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect287"><link-text>Turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect47">
+ <meta><title>47</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you emerge from the tunnel, the oppressive jungle heat hits you like a sledgehammer. Your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus automatically regu lates your body temperature, making the heat bear- able, yet even so it comes as a shock that any living creature can exist in this hellish environment.</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately, the shock of the jungle heat is only the first of two nasty surprises that await you. The second is a barbed arrow that whistles from out of the dense foliage and comes speeding towards your forehead!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect152">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have attained the rank of Sun Knight or higher, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you possess Kai-alchemy but have yet to reach this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you do not possess this Grand Master Disci- pline, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect48">
+ <meta><title>48</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The instant you set foot into the hall, your worst fears are realized. The floor is not solid and quickly you sink up to your waist in a dry, foul-smelling quicksand. You spread your arms and legs to slow your rate of descent, but your action does little to help your situation. It seems the more you move the quicker you sink. In desperation, you attempt to swim through this dry morass.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 2. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is 12 or less, deduct 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect158">If your total score is now 3 or lower, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect257">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect49">
+ <meta><title>49</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With mixed feelings of fear and fascination you force open your eyes and gaze upon your alien surroundings. At first it seems as if you have fallen into a humid, green-walled cell, illuminated by a solitary lantern at the apex of a fluted chimney-like ceiling. Then slowly your mind makes sense of sights and smells and the realization of where you are makes you shiver with dread.</p>
+ <p>You have landed inside the corolla tube of some gigantic flower. Huge stamens rise up to the light from the sticky bowl-shaped floor on which you lie, and nearby there is a large, chute-like tunnel which drops away into the plant's hollow stem. For a moment you close your eyes and let your psychic senses explore this strange environment. Your greatest fear is that you have been drawn through the Shadow Gate to the Plane of Darkness, the supernatural realm of Dark God Naar, yet you can detect no abnormally high concentrations of evil. Also, you are unable to sense the presence of your adversary - Wolf's Bane. Your hopes begin to rise when suddenly you realize that you are still some where within the material universe of Aon. You are able to determine that this alien place is not your home world, yet you are certain that it is a planet that lies within the same galaxy as Magnamund.</p>
+ <p>You cling to this small crumb of comfort and resolve to find a way of returning to Magnamund as quickly as you can. You open your eyes and stare around the walls of your plant-prison, search- ing for a means of escape. There appear to be only two ways out: by climbing a stamen towards the light high above, or by sliding down the nearby chute which plunges deep into the plant's stem.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect264">If you wish to climb a stamen, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect103">If you choose to slide down the hollow stem, <link-text>turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect50">
+ <meta><title>50</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have covered twenty yards of a passageway that extends from the balcony when you hear a grating noise. It is a concealed portal, and it is sliding shut to seal off the hall through which you have just passed.</p>
+ <p>Ahead lies a chamber which is bedecked with a score of lavish tapestries, each depicting the land scapes of remote and wondrous planets within the universe of Aon. Your adversary's tracks pass through this opulent chamber and end at a pair of stout wooden doors, inlaid with exquisite gold marquetry. You place your ear to one of the doors and concentrate. The only sound you can hear is the crackle of a log fire, but your Kai senses detect the presence of your adversary in the room beyond. You peer through a keyhole and glimpse part of a gallery with a railed parapet. The wooden rails are lit from below by the warming yellow flicker of a fire.</p>
+ <p>You reach out to open the doors and confront your enemy, but a strong sense of unease stays your hand. It feels as if a swarm of butterflies are fighting to escape from your churning stomach. You have a chilling premonition that a confrontation with Wolf's Bane in the room beyond could prove fatal for both of you. This fear prompts you to pray to the Gods Kai and Ishir to sustain and protect you in the coming fight.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect104">If the number you have picked is 0 - 4, <link-text>turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect216">If it is 5 - 9, <link-text>turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect51">
+ <meta><title>51</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You relax the tension in your body and allow your- self to enter a trance state, the preliminary stage required before you spirit-walk. You feel yourself leave your corporeal body and, in spirit form, you move through the curtain of vines and out into the jungle heat. Immediately beyond the cave mouth there is a small clearing which slopes away to the jungle perimeter. You scan the border of dense foliage and you are shocked when you detect your adversary, Wolf's Bane, hiding among the bushes less than fifty yards away. He is armed with a bow which he has trained upon the entrance to the tunnel.</p>
+ <p>You retreat into the cave mouth and re-enter your body. On awakening from your trance, you move forward and peer through the hanging vines to locate your enemy's hiding place. So advanced is his camouflage skill that it takes you several minutes to find him. Once you are sure you have him, you allow yourself a smile; you are looking forward to turning the tables on this arrogant impostor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect196">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect43">If you possess Grand Nexus, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Crown (and wish to use your mastery), <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect114">If you do not have a Bow, the Discipline of Grand Nexus, or if you have yet to attain this higher level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect52">
+ <meta><title>52</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You haul yourself out of the putrid, salty water, and narrowly avoid the clutches of the cellar beast. The creature opens its fanged jaw and issues a gurgling roar of frustration as it gets ready to climb onto the steps and pursue you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect172">If you possess Grand Pathsrnanship, and have attained the rank of Sun Thane, <link-text>turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect17">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect53">
+ <meta><title>53</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Star Lynx dives for cover behind the gravestone, but you stay on your feet to watch the trajectory of the rock as it disappears into the open tomb. The moment it passes over the glyph there is a blinding flash of white light, followed almost instantly by the deafening crackle of exploding electrical energies. You are hit by the concussive force of the explosion which knocks you flat on your back - lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>As you lie on the hard damp ground, gasping for breath, you can hear splinters of stone ricocheting off the surrounding gravestones and smell the stench of scorched earth and ozone in the air. Then, abruptly, the noise and light abates and the burial ground is shrouded once more in gloomy silence. You pull yourself to your feet to see that the doorway is now clear of rubble, save for the slab upon which the glyph is inscribed. The destructive power of the glyph has been dis- charged, but only temporarily. Your senses warn you that it is recharging; you have but a few seconds in which to enter the tomb before the magical device is active once more.</p>
+ <p>'Quickly, my lords,' you shout, as you hurry towards the entrance, 'Follow me!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect131"><link-text>Turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect54">
+ <meta><title>54</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One of the arrows whistles past dangerously close to your legs, while the other passes wide and shat- ters harmlessly against the ceiling. Before the crea- tures can reload and fire again, you reach the bal- cony and speak the words which negate the effects of the Teleport spell. The moment your feet touch the ground, you hurry into the archway beyond.</p>
+ <p>Use of the Teleport spell costs you 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Be sure to make the necessary adjustment to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50">To continue, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect55">
+ <meta><title>55</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cursing your predicament, you steel yourself to confront the chained serpent. Unsheathing your weapon, you take your first tentative steps towards the hissing creature and soon discover that its iron collar and chain will prevent it from reaching you so long as you keep close to the cavern wall. Mind ful of this, you skirt around the writhing serpent and inch your way carefully towards the tunnel. However, you have progressed only a few yards when you feel the floor sloping away. The water is getting deeper.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect234">If you possess Magi-magic, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If you do not possess this Grand Master Disci- pline, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect56">
+ <meta><title>56</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your adversary sniggers when he hears your cry of pain. Yet, despite the burning agony of your wound, you wrench the evil shaft from your chest and force yourself to stand. Defiantly, you level your weapon at the darkened stairwell. But Wolf's Bane is no longer crouching near the steps; he is fast ascending them. Calling upon your innate healing skills, you staunch the flow of blood that is soaking the front of your tunic and stumble towards the staircase in pursuit of your hated foe.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29"><link-text>Turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect57">
+ <meta><title>57</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You place your lips to the plant wall and utter the power word of the Elder Magi: Gloar!</p>
+ <p>The explosive power of this magical word is greatly accentuated within the confines of the stem. It tears a large ragged hole in the plant wall through which, with little difficulty, you are able to make your escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect58">
+ <meta><title>58</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you recite the words of the Brotherhood spell Counterspell and, to your relief and amaze- ment, the fire-bolt splutters and dissolves within an arm's reach of your face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect37"><link-text>Turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect59">
+ <meta><title>59</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Guided by your advanced Kai instincts, you avoid the rain of debris without too much difficulty and reach the entrance to the skull-rock unscathed. Without any hesitation you enter the misty portal in pursuit of your enemy. Barely seconds later, there is a tremendous explosion and the entire temple ceiling collapses.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect174"><link-text>Turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect60">
+ <meta><title>60</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you twist the dial to the correct number, the panel slides open and a rush of air surges into the cell. Greedily you fill your lungs as you stagger out into the corridor and make your way back along this steel-lined passage towards the stairs. Quietly cursing your ill luck, you descend the steps to the foyer and leave the building.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect71"><link-text>Turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect61">
+ <meta><title>61</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your advanced mastery, you are able to pro- ject the image of the creature's most-feared adver- sary into its mind's eye. The huge serpent reacts violently; it twists and wrenches at its iron collar in a desperate attempt to break free from its bonds. Its great body, which is studded with tiny barbed horns, thrashes the water into a stinking foam as it writhes back and forth in front of the exit tunnel. Your psychic projection has this creature terrified, but its state of near-panic will now make it difficult for you to reach the tunnel and escape from this cavern.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect293">If you possess Kai alchemy, <link-text>turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect326">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect62">
+ <meta><title>62</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you negate your spell of levitation and set foot upon firm ground, you feel a warm breeze. You sense that it comes from a stairwell at the far end of this new hail and, when you investi- gate it, you rediscover Wolf's Bane's footprints on the stone steps. You cast your hands over them and detect that this is not a false trail: your enemy passed this way sometime within the last hour.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you ascend the stairs and arrive at the arched entrance to a large, vaulted stone chamber. Gathered around a fountain set into its north wall are a group of six grey-skinned humanoids. They are busy drinking a clear, oily fluid that pours from the fountain's spout into a semi-circular trough. All are barefoot and clad in rags, and they are each armed with a spear and a bow. The only exit from this chamber appears to be an archway set high in the north wall. There is a balcony in front of it that can only be reached by two flights of stairs which rise up on either side of the fountain.</p>
+ <p>Quietly you observe the creatures slaking their thirsts, and you try to formulate a way in which you can get past them and reach the balconied exit in the north wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect138">If you possess a Bow, and the Discipline of Magi- Magic, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect26">If you possess Kai-alchemy and have attained the rank of Grand Crown (and wish to use it), <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you do not possess these skills, or a Bow, or if you have yet to attain the required levels of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect63">
+ <meta><title>63</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You release your grip of your enemy and roll away from him. Moments later, the beam from his com- rade's weapon hits his side and erupts through the back of his armour. The force of the impact lifts him bodily from the floor and hurls him into a pile of rusty cylinders, bringing them crashing down to bury him. Shocked and angry at having acciden tally killed his confederate, the newly-arrived war rior rushes forward. He is determined to find and finish you once and for all, but his anger and his armour put him at a disadvantage. He fails to see where you have gone and, under cover of the smoke and debris, you manage to circle around behind him without being seen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect39">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect349">If you do not possess this Grand Master Disci- pline, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect64">
+ <meta><title>64</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you complete the code, you feel a shuddering vibration run through the great iron portal. Slowly it grinds open to reveal an ante- chamber that is lit by a dozen flaming torches set around its glassy walls. The wind has now become so fierce that it is tearing the fabric of your cloak and tunic. Rather than remain outside in the storm a moment longer, you hurry through the open portal and seek shelter within.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect227"><link-text>Turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect65">
+ <meta><title>65</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes you more than half an hour to cut a clear path through these magical strands, and the effort leaves you aching with fatigue.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If the number you have picked is 0-4, reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 2 points. If the number you have picked is 5-9, reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 4 points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect316">To continue, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect66">
+ <meta><title>66</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ask Steel Hand to give you his rope and he obeys dutifully. Then you utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell Levitation and almost immedi- ately you feel gravity losing its grip on your body. Gently you rise to the ceiling of the vault where, using the exposed stone buttresses, you are able to pull yourself along until you are directly above the centre of the fissure. Here you fix one end of the rope to an exposed stone beam and cast the other end to your companions wailing below. One by one they swing across the void and, when all have crossed safely, you untie the rope and pull yourself to the far side before intoning the words that cancel the effects of the spell.</p>
+ <p>It is clear from their wide-eyed expressions that they are all impressed with your mastery of Brotherhood magic, especially Steel Hand. You gather up his rope and as you give it back to him you say: 'Don't worry. One day I'll instruct you in the ways of magic so that you, too, can walk a ceiling!'</p>
+ <p>The young Kai Master smiles as he stuffs his rope into his bulging backpack.</p>
+ <p>'And now, my lords, we must press on. We've a trail to find,' you say, and you motion your com panions to follow as you get ready to leave this chamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect160"><link-text>Turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect67">
+ <meta><title>67</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You feel your throat tightening and your lungs col- lapsing as the air is sucked out of the chamber. The whirling flames of the fire have rapidly trans- formed into a raging vortex which is dragging into its core every loose item in the banquet hall. You and Alyss hang on to the banister rail affixed to the gallery stairs, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain your grip. Chairs, tapestries, tables and other furniture batter you as they tumble past to be sucked into the vortex (lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Then the rail collapses and the two of you are drawn into the raging heart of this fearsome whirlpool.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect170"><link-text>Turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect68">
+ <meta><title>68</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>So advanced is your adversary's camouflage skill that it takes you several minutes to locate him, despite the fact that he is less than fifty yards away. He is partially hidden behind a tree, and he is armed with a bow which is trained upon the entrance to the tunnel. Once you are sure you have found him, you allow yourself a smile; you are looking forward to turning the tables on this arrogant impostor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect196">If you have a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect43">If you possess Grand Nexus, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Crown (and wish to use your mastery), <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect114">If you do not have a Bow, the Discipline of Grand Nexus, or if you have yet to attain this higher level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect69">
+ <meta><title>69</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The strands of this magical net are thick, sticky and tough. Clearing a way through them quickly becomes a trial of strength and stamina.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess a bladed weapon, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect65">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 65</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect228">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect70">
+ <meta><title>70</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few feet of the exit tunnel when a heavy sheet of iron falls from the ceiling and seals off your chosen route of escape. You spin around and glimpse the creatures in the pot who attempted to shoot you full of arrows. They are small, blue- skinned reptilians, with cruel crocodilian faces and curiously human hands. They are armed with finely crafted bows of gleaming white bone which you detect are capable of discharging six poisoned arrows every second. The reptilians are close to reloading these bows - you must act quickly if you are to avoid becoming the target of another deadly volley.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect219">If you possess Magi-magic, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect136">If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If you possess neither of these Disciplines, or a Bow, or choose to use none of them, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect71">
+ <meta><title>71</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once outside, you focus your tracking skills and attempt to pick up your enemy's trail. You have a feeling that he may have doubled-back on his tracks and so you retrace your steps to the street where you first appeared in this alien city. As you are nearing this place, you suddenly hear the ringing metallic clang of an iron girder falling from a height. The noise echoes from an alleyway off to your right and immediately you go to investigate.</p>
+ <p>At the end of the alley you discover a derelict warehouse. Fire has ravaged its interior and much of the roof has caved in, but amongst the debris you can see that it once stored metal cylinders and coils of wire. You stop at the entrance and listen. Your caution is rewarded when you hear footsteps at the rear of the building. You draw your weapon and enter, using the debris for cover as you inch your way towards the back of the ruined ware- house. You are moving between cover when sud denly you see the outline of a human form silhouet- ted against a broken window. Instantly you know that it is not Wolf's Bane: this figure is clad in grey, close-fitting armour and is holding a metallic spear. The realization makes you hesitate, and in that split second of indecision, the armoured figure sees you and raises its spear. A blinding flame ignites at its tip and a beam of white-hot light comes speeding towards your chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect312">If your total is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect6">If it is 6 or higher, <link-text>turn to 6</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect72">
+ <meta><title>72</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You motion to your companions to follow, then you take your first step into the dark tomb. Sud denly there is a blinding flash of white light fol- lowed almost instantly by the deafening crackle of exploding electrical energies. Pain consumes your body as you are lifted into the air and thrown backwards by the blast. You have triggered a hidden power-glyph, a magical booby trap, you have been caught by its explosive energy.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the Random Number (0=10). Now add 5 to the number you picked. The resulting total equals the number <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you lose.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect13">Make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart before <link-text>turning to 13</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect73">
+ <meta><title>73</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your advanced Kai mastery reveals to you that a hoard of precious platinum is stored in a chamber at the end of the left corridor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect95">If you wish to explore the left conidor, <link-text>turn to 95</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect137">If you choose instead to explore the right corri- dor, <link-text>turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect74">
+ <meta><title>74</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature that is diving towards you suddenly freezes in mid-air. The morbid fear of death that had gripped your heart quickly evaporates, but you are left with a feeling of deep unease as your senses detect that something extraordinary is taking place around you. The hall has become filled with a deadly silence and everything, including the tongues of flame trailing from the creature's sword, and the blazing fire in the grate, is utterly frozen. It is as if time itself is standing still.</p>
+ <p>Wolf's Bane is a frozen statue, his face fixed in the malevolent sneer he was wearing in gleeful anticipation that you were about to meet your doom. You are beginning to think that perhaps you have been killed and that this is life after death, when suddenly you glimpse a blurred movement out of the corner of your eye.</p>
+ <p>From the shadows cast by the gallery there steps a young teenage girl. She is dressed in a leather jerkin and threadbare trousers which are cut short at the knees. She is barefoot and appears to be armed only with a mischievous grin.</p>
+ <p>'Who&ellips; who are you? Why are you here?' you stammer, dumbly. Casually she walks towards you and reaches up to touch a finger to the frozen fiery sword clutched in the taloned hands of Wolf's Bane's winged minion. There is a gentle Pop! and the creature disappears.</p>
+ <p>'I'm Alyss, and I do hate cheats,' she says, as she wanders over to where Wolf's Bane is standing immobile. Cheekily she pokes out her tongue at him and then she spins on her heel to face you.</p>
+ <p>'Now, perhaps you can finish what you came here to do, Lone Wolf,' she says, and claps her hands three times. A sudden rush of noise assails your ears and your senses reel as the reality of time comes flooding back into the hall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect296"><link-text>Turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect75">
+ <meta><title>75</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With a loud and angry buzzing noise, the predatory dragonfly circles you twice and then dives down like a speeding hawk to make its initial attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Golasyx</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">49</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is attempting to stab you with the tip of its spear-like proboscis as it swoops past, there- fore you need only fight this combat for one round.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect163">If you inflict an equal or greater <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> loss upon the enemy in this single round of combat, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect221">If you sustain a greater <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> loss than your enemy, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect76">
+ <meta><title>76</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your advanced mastery, you cause the dragonfly's wounds to close up and heal. Con sciousness and strength return to its battered body and the creature is able to pull out of its dive before it is too late. It swoops deep into the cavernous moat of the tower to gather speed for its ascent into the clouds. As you soar past the top of the tower, you see that the dragonfly pens have been completely destroyed by the explosion. Fire rages through the uppermost levels of the tower, and is spreading quickly to those below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect77">
+ <meta><title>77</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You use your tracking skills to find your enemy's trail, but following it becomes increasingly difficult. You sense that he has used magic to assist his escape for the foliage hereabouts is entangled far tighter than in neighbouring areas of this jungle. Your progress is slowed, but eventually you reach a copse of toa trees where you hear the sound of running water away to your left. Your adversary's tracks turn in this direction and you follow them all the way to the banks of a fast flowing watercourse.</p>
+ <p>Less than fifty yards downstream there is a primitive settlement of huts that form an untidy line along the edge of the stream. The tracks appear to lead to this settlement but you can see no sign of Wolf's Bane. The place looks deserted.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect215">If you wish to stay in the jungle and observe the settlement, <link-text>turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect297">If you choose to continue your pursuit, you can approach the settlement under cover of the jungle, by <link-text>turning to 297</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect78">
+ <meta><title>78</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You motion your companions to follow as you leave this chamber by a tunnel in its south wall. This new passage gradually descends by slope and stair through deeper levels of the catacombs. You detect no trace of the impostor and, when even- tually the tunnel comes to a dead end, you curse your ill luck and turn reluctantly to retrace your steps. It is then that you sense a faint but lingering aura of evil close to the tunnel floor.</p>
+ <p>Closer inspection reveals a trapdoor set into the flagstones. You pull this heavy hatch open and discover a circular chute and a ladder descending into darkness. Your heart misses a beat when you notice fresh tracks on the ladder's iron rungs: at last you have found the impostor's trail.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you lead the descent into the chute, using your powers of infravision to scan for signs of movement in the damp darkness below. After several minutes you reach the bottom of the ladder where you discover a large vaulted chamber. Around its walls are positioned urns and grey stone caskets, each embellished with traces of gold. There is an unexpected air of opulence about this vault which prompts you to guess that it is a secret burial tomb.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect182">If you have ever visited the Graveyard of the Ancients in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If you have never visited this place, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect79">
+ <meta><title>79</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You make your way towards the avenue and take cover in a darkened alleyway, an ideal place from which to observe the passing traffic. Thirty minutes elapse before a hover-wagon glides into view at the city end of the avenue. It is bound for the tower, but you note that its cargo compartment is completely sealed and so you decide to let it pass and wait for a more suitable target. Fortunately, you do not have to wait too long. Within the space of a few minutes another appears. This one, like the first, has no driver, but its cargo bay is open to the elements. As you wait for it to get closer, you judge its speed and prepare yourself to leap aboard as it passes. It is less heavily laden than the first wagon and is moving much quicker; leaping aboard this speeding wagon is not going to be easy.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have picked. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 12 or less, deduct 2 from the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect301">If your total is now 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect185">If it is 3 or higher, <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect80">
+ <meta><title>80</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The grating rumble of heavy stone on stone heralds the sudden appearance of the impostor. Like some secret door to a nightmare realm, the entire far wall of this vault is slowly sliding open. Violent tremors shake the floor and orange tongues of flaming gas shoot from the ever-widening gap. Silhouetted in the centre of this fiery portal is a warrior clad in a parody of the robes of a Kai Grand Master. His stature and his facial features bear an uncanny resemblance to your own, yet the two of you are not entirely identical. The eyes of this impostor betray his true nature for they are black and cold; they are like two tiny windows through which you can see the evil lurking deep within his heart.</p>
+ <p>The portal crackles and roars like a blazing furnace yet it radiates no heat. You sense powerful magic at work here and you shout a command to your young Kai comrades to prepare themselves for combat. They react as one, their years of training suppressing their fears, and swiftly they draw arms and form up in a protective circle around you. The impostor unsheathes his black-bladed sword and gives vent to a chilling laugh that momentarily drowns the roar of the flames. His cruel laughter fills your head and suddenly the stone walls of the vault seem to writhe and buckle inwards. Your psychic Kai defences resist this illusion and the distortion ceases, yet as it does so you realize that something important has changed. You command your companions to retreat towards the chute but they do not respond. They are completely rigid, frozen immobile like four stone statues.</p>
+ <p>'Ha ha ha&ellips;' cackles the impostor, 'so we meet at last, Lone Wolf.' He advances a little nearer and you feel an icy chill wash over you. The body of this bogus Kai lord radiates coldness.</p>
+ <p>'How I have enjoyed myself in your guise,' he sneers. 'Let me introduce myself&ellips;I am Wolf's Bane. An apt name don't you think?'</p>
+ <p>'What is your purpose?' you growl in reply, your hand poised to draw a weapon in case he should attempt to launch a sudden attack.</p>
+ <p>'Why, I've come to kill you, of course,' he retorts, his voice full of contempt. 'There should be but one Grand Master and only I am worthy of such distinction.' The impostor narrows his coal-black eyes and curls back his lip in disdain.</p>
+ <p>'And I intend to prove my worthiness, Lone Wolf,' he adds, with quiet menace.</p>
+ <p>'How so?'</p>
+ <p>'By a duel,' he replies. 'I challenge you to a duel. A fight to the finish. A fight between just you and I, Lone Wolf.'</p>
+ <p>'And if I refuse your challenge?' you retort, defiantly.</p>
+ <p>'Then your four frail acolytes will die.' The impos tor sweeps his sword in a wide arc, as if to empha- size his threat, and the fiery wall at his back begins to change. The plumes of flame twist and spin with increasing speed until the wall is transformed into a swirling vortex. Fear tightens its icy fingers around your throat as you witness the creation of a Shadow Gate - a portal to another plane of existence. At once you know his threat is real. If he were to direct the power of the vortex towards your paralysed companions, they would be helpless to resist. They would be sucked into the Shadow Gate and destroyed.</p>
+ <p>'Very well,' you say, 'I accept your challenge.'</p>
+ <p>Wolf's Bane gives a triumphant smile and whirls his black sword around his head. Then he dashes the blade to the floor and, in a terrifying instant, a mighty gust of wind tears the two of you off your feet and sends you both hurling into the fiery heart of the dread Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect81">
+ <meta><title>81</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You focus on Wolf's Bane as you intone the words of the Old Kingdom spell Hold Enemy. You see him shudder, and the half-eaten fruit drops from his grasp. But suddenly you sense resistance: your adversary is casting a counterspell. There is an abrupt release of energy as the effects of your spell are negated and broken: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>To your dismay, you watch Wolf's Bane leap to his feet and make a hasty escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect224"><link-text>Turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect82">
+ <meta><title>82</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The reptilians complete the reloading of their bows, and together they lean over the lip of the pot to take aim at your unprotected body. Simultaneously they let fire, sending a stream of arrows whistling towards your chest, and you are forced to dive headlong into the grey slime to avoid being pep- pered with poison-tipped shafts. One of the bone arrows clips your calf and you feel an agonising pain shoot up the back of your thigh as its poison enters your blood: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Your innate healing skills quickly neutralize the venom and seal the wound. Dripping with slime, you scramble to your feet and hear your thwarted enemies cursing you vilely as they fumble with their bows.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect288">If you possess a Naptha Bomb, <link-text>turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect320">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect83">
+ <meta><title>83</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The steel walls of the room you have entered are sheened with ice. Several tall glass canisters stand in a circle at the centre of this frigid chamber, connected to one another with pipes and coils of copper cable. Their liquid contents bubble and seethe and appear to be boiling despite the freezing air temperature. You walk around them, mesmer- ized by the strange beauty of the roiling multi- coloured fluids. Then you sense imminent danger somewhere to your right and instantly you spin around to face it, your hand reaching reflexively to the weapon at your belt.</p>
+ <p>You see a dark stairwell and a shadowy shape which is crouched near to the bottom steps. It is Wolf's Bane. He is clutching a bow and he has an arrow drawn ready to fire. The instant you see him releases his bowstring and the tip of the arrow bursts into flames as it comes speeding towards your chest.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If your current ENDUR- ANCE score is 10 or less, deduct 2.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect155">If your total is now 3 or lower, <link-text>turn to 155</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect102">If it is 4-7, <link-text>turn to 102</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect248">If it is 8 or higher, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect84">
+ <meta><title>84</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You increase the rate of your ascent and swiftly accelerate beyond the reach of the predatory dragonfly. Unable to catch you, it emits a loud buzz of frustration which slowly fades as it spirals away. You glance down to see it satisfying its appetite in an attack upon a number of smaller dragonflies. From this great height they appear to be no larger than a cluster of colourful dots hovering above the centre of the great gorge.</p>
+ <p>After several minutes you reach the apex of the cavern and soar into the light-filled vent. Upon entering this vast aperture you are buffeted by crosswinds which sweep you precariously towards its rocky lip, yet your Kai mastery and your light- ning-swift reactions save you from being crushed to death as you are blown onto its jagged, volcanic edge.</p>
+ <p>You survive the impact and are able to haul your- self out of the vent and climb safely onto a surface that you assume to be the roof of the cavern. Seeking shelter from the raging crosswinds, you squeeze yourself into a hollow in the porous rock from where you are able to take stock of your new surroundings. The sight makes you gasp, for it is a view that truly rivals the fertile wonders of the cavern below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect85">
+ <meta><title>85</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Surely the great master of all the Kai is not a coward?' sneers Wolf's Bane, taunting you for your refusal to accept his challenge. 'Are you not brave enough to prove your worth?'</p>
+ <p>'I have no fear of you, impostor,' you retort. 'I simply do not trust you to fight with honour.'</p>
+ <p>'If you should win the duel, Lone Wolf, you will be returned to Tyso - of that you have my word. And the word of my master.'</p>
+ <p>'Both equally worthless,' you reply, coolly.</p>
+ <p>For a few moments you stare into your adversary's murderous eyes and sense that every word of his pledge is a lie. Yet you know that your options are limited. If you do not fight this duel, he will be sure to summon his minions to capture and kill you. There is nothing to gain by refusing his challenge and so, with reluctance, you accept.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304"><link-text>Turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect86">
+ <meta><title>86</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The arrow soars over your shoulder and lodges itself in the tangle of vines that hang down in front of the cave mouth. You spring to your feet and swiftly your sharp eyes pinpoint the place where the arrow emerged from the jungle perimeter. When you magnify your vision you see the face of your enemy - Wolf's Bane - partially hidden by a tree. He is cursing you, his teeth showing white against the deep green of the jungle. Then he sees that you have spotted him and he turns and runs, quickly disappearing into the dense undergrowth.</p>
+ <p>Determined that you are not going to allow him to escape so easily, you rush forward and give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect87">
+ <meta><title>87</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Swiftly you place an arrow to your bow and take aim at the beast's left eye. It senses a threat to its sight, and instantly a layer of interlocking metal plates emerges from beneath its protruding fore- head to protect its vision. You offer up a prayer to the God Kai to guide youi aim, for the moving target you are attempting to hit is now no wider than the edge of a coin.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, add 5 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect322">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect44">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect299">If it is 10 or higher, <link-text>turn to 299</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect88">
+ <meta><title>88</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Caldar removes his hand from his sword and heaves a sigh of relief. 'Thank Ishir you've returned to us, Grand Master. Perhaps now the evil that has befallen Sommerlund will be avenged.'</p>
+ <p>The Baron summons his gaoler who unlocks the shackles that encase your wrists. Then, as the three of you hurriedly ascend from the castle dungeons to the Great Hall, Caldar and Banedon confirm the account of events that you extracted earlier from the gaoler. In addition to these facts you also learn that several days ago an angry mob, composed in the main of soldiers and citizens from Holmgard, marched upon the Kai Monastery. Firestone, the most senior of the New Order Kai, pleaded with the mob for calm. Fortunately they heeded his call and allowed him to send four Kal Masters to Tyso - the city where the impostor was last sighted. Firestone has ordered these four Kai to track down and slay the impostor as quickly as possible.</p>
+ <p>You are in no doubt that this impostor is a formi- dable enemy, one who could easily prove more than a match for the four young Kai. Anxious for their safety, you request that you be allowed to ride to Tyso to join with them. Banedon is in agree ment, but he suggests a swifter and surer way that you may reach Tyso. Moored to the tower of Baron Caldar's castle is Cloud Dancer - the Guildmaster's skyship - which he places at your disposal. Grate- fully you accept his generous offer.</p>
+ <p>You are keen to leave for Tyso without further delay, but before you depart, Baron Caldar offers you the chance td equip yourself with weapons and stores from his well-stocked armoury.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect149">If you wish to accept the Baron's offer, <link-text>turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect260">If you decide to decline his offer, <link-text>turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect89">
+ <meta><title>89</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite your valiant efforts, you are unable to revive your mount and it dies of its wounds before reaching the ground. Unfortunately, you become entangled in its trailing wings and are unable to save yourself before the giant dragonfly smashes into the rim of the moat surrounding the tower. Death is mercifully swift.</p>
+ <p>Sadly, your life and your duel end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect90">
+ <meta><title>90</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You force your way through the dense tangle of plants and grasses and soon reach the place where Wolf's Bane lay in wait for you. The foliage around this hiding place has been carefully arranged, which suggests to you that he must have spent some considerable time setting his ambush. Yet there is also evidence of a hasty retreat. Lying on the ground behind a tree you discover 2 Arrows and a Dagger (if you wish to take one or more of these, remember to make the appropriate adjust ments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>).</p>
+ <p>Determined to stay on his trail while it is still fresh, you leave this hide and press deeper into the jungle in pursuit of your enemy. However, you have penetrated less than twenty yards into the under- growth when his trail becomes indistinct.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect246">If you possess the Discipline of Grand Paths- manship, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Crown, <link-text>turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect77">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 77</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect91">
+ <meta><title>91</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Luckily, this acid-spitter has emptied its sac of cor- rosive venom and you are able to make good your escape from the hall without being spat upon as you leave. You reach the door and discover it is unlocked. Without hesitation, you pull it open and hurry through into the hall beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect220"><link-text>Turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect92">
+ <meta><title>92</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The broken buttress and the rope plummet into the fissure and are lost when they hit an under- ground river far below. Steel Hand swings one- handedly from the ceiling yet he manages to main- tain his grip, despite being showered with loose rocks and dust. You command him to return and he obeys readily.</p>
+ <p>As soon as Steel Hand is back on solid ground, you praise his skill and his brave effort. Only ill luck thwarted him. He offers to try again but you say that it is your turn - he has already proved his courage. Blazer offers you his rope and you accept it, then you walk along the edge of the fissure until you reach the wall. You find it easy to ascend the rough surface and work your way across to a point directly above the fissure. From here you fix the rope to a secure beam and cast the other end to your companions waiting below. One by one you watch them swing across the void and, when all have crossed safely, you untie the rope and make your way over to the far side to join them.</p>
+ <p>'Come, my lords,' you say, as you jump effortlessly down from the wall, 'we must press on. We've a trail to find.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect160"><link-text>Turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect93">
+ <meta><title>93</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You try to evade the crackling light that speeds towards you from the muzzle of the warrior's spear, but the wounds and fatigue you have sustained conspire to dull your reactions. You are hit in the side by this white-hot beam and hurled high into the air. Suddenly an explosion of white light oblit- erates your senses and, in a horrifying instant, the light that is your life is snuffed out.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your duel with Wolf's Bane ends here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect94">
+ <meta><title>94</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your Grand Mastery skills, you conjure a fog from the surface of the slime which rapidly fills the lower level of the vault. You hear the angry, rasping voices of the creatures echoing inside the pot as they curse the fog which is obscuring their view of the vault floor. Under cover of the vapour, you enter the vault and wade silently through the slime towards the far exit. You have just passed beneath the pot when suddenly a volley of bone arrows comes whistling down from above.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect11">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect266">If it is 7 or higher, <link-text>turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect95">
+ <meta><title>95</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This passage ends at a door crafted from sheeted silver inset with circles of iron. It has no handle and there appears to be no lock. You try pushing against it but to no avail: it refuses to open. Then you notice a small slit cut into the frame of the door and, when you run your fingers across it, you detect the tell-tale vibrations of an electrical lock.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect159">If you possess an Iron Disc, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect143">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 143</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect96">
+ <meta><title>96</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You muster your psychic defences and construct a wall around your mind to protect yourself from this agonizing mental assault. Your strategy is effective although the effort it requires depletes your reserves of strength (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
+ <p>This psychic assault has been one of the worst you have ever experienced. You have survived, but your Kai senses tell you that your ordeal has not ended; it has only just begun. You force open your eyes and look with dread at the terrible threat confronting you now.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect97">
+ <meta><title>97</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One of the arrows grazes your tight forearm and gouges a furrow of skin from the top of your right thigh. You stifle a cry, but the intense pain that grips your injured limbs warns you at once that the tip of the arrow was tainted with poison.</p>
+ <p>Your innate healing skills counter the poison before it can do its deadly work, but your body's defences draw heavily on your reserves of strength and the curing process leaves you feeling weak and light- headed: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect70">To continue, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect98">
+ <meta><title>98</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Come, Grand Master. You're going home,' she says, and she takes you by the hand and leads you to the middle of the banquet hall, to a place directly opposite the great fireplace. 'But first we must make preparations for the journey.'</p>
+ <p>Alyss then proceeds to remove an amulet from around the throat of your slain adversary. She presses it into your palm and tells you to put it on immediately. (Record this Special Item on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Wolf's Bane Amulet, which you wear on a chain around your neck. You must dis- card another Special Item in its favour if you already possess the maximum permissible.)</p>
+ <p>Having done as she requests, she then touches her finger to the two amulets that you now wear, and she smiles.</p>
+ <p>'Good, good,' she enthuses, 'these baubles will take care of you.'</p>
+ <p>She then takes a piece of limestone from her pocket and proceeds to draw a pentagram on the floor of the hail. She has half-completed the com plicated design when suddenly she becomes agi- tated.</p>
+ <p>'Must hurry,' she mumbles, 'must, must hurry.'</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the fire in the hearth flares brightly. The flames begin to grow and whirl and slowly change colour.</p>
+ <p>'It's no good!' cries Aylss, tearful with frustration. Angrily she casts her chunk of crumbling limestone at the roaring flames and then leaps to her feet and comes rushing to your side. 'It's too late!' she screams, her voice now barely audible above the unnatural crackling of the fire, 'Naar is summoning his champion!.'</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect273">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect99">
+ <meta><title>99</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The shockwave from the blast sends you tumbling backwards into the chamber. Moments later some thing heavy falls across your legs, pinning you to the ground. You reach down to pull yourself free and discover that the object that is lying across your legs is Black Hawk. Dazed and trembling, you roll his limp body over and then hurriedly check to see if he is still breathing. Thankfully you dis- cover that he is alive, although he has sustained serious injuries. His hand and sword arm are badly burnt and he is in a state of deep shock.</p>
+ <p>Using your Magnakai curing skills, you are able to stabilize his condition and bring him out of shock (in doing so you expend 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). As you help him to his feet you look around and see that the others have been knocked fiat by the blast. They too are now struggling to pull themselves to their feet. Fortunately their physical injuries are minor; their innate Kai skills appear to have spared them from serious injury. However, you sense that your inability to detect that the wall was an explo- sive illusion has taken its toll on their confidence.</p>
+ <p>'Our prey is far more cunning than I feared,' you say, reproachfully, 'but we are Kai and we shall rise to the challenge. Our enemy possesses strong magic and he is capable of masking it well. Yet he chooses to use it to wound and weaken our party, not to kill us. Why this should be I do not know. But from now on we cannot entirely trust our senses to protect us. We must proceed with the utmost caution.'</p>
+ <p>Beyond where the illusory north wall once stood, you can now see a small antechamber which is wreathed in acrid blue smoke. Gradually this smoke dissipates to reveal a shallow plinth upon which lies a bronze urn. This heavy object rests on its side and a quantity of pale grey ash has spilled from its hinged lid. Cautiously you approach the urn and see that there is an inscription engraved on its side. From this ancient script you learn that the ashes are the last remains of Baroness Garru- len, the wife of Hul - third Baron of Tyso. Glinting half-buried in the ash, you notice a ring encrusted with crimson gemstones (if you wish to keep this Ruby Ring, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item).</p>
+ <p>You are righting the urn on its plinth when you hear Steel Hand calling you. He has found something among the rubble which litters the floor at the rear of the antechamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect35"><link-text>Turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect100">
+ <meta><title>100</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are eager to confront your enemy, but you are wary of walking into a trap. At first glance he appears to be alone in this circular hall, but then you notice something curious about the hail itself. At the four points of the compass there are rails attached to the walls. Small horizontal platforms are attached to these rails and they move along them in a continuous procession. At the north and the south these platforms ascend through holes in the ceiling; at the west and east the platforms descend through similar holes and continue through other holes cut in the floor. You suspect them to be elevators and your suspicions are con- firmed when suddenly an armoured warrior appears; he is standing on a descending platform and he passes through the hall and continues trav- elling downwards to a level somewhere below.</p>
+ <p>Wolf's Bane is standing with his back to you and is examining a panel of glass set into the chamber wall. You magnify your vision and you see that the panel displays an illuminated view of the avenue that approaches the tower. Your adversary is watching and waiting for your approach; clearly he is unaware that you have already gained access to the tower.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly, something alerts him to your presence and he spins on his heel, his dark eyes blazing with a mixture of fear and loathing. He sees you at the entrance to the hall and immediately he leaps upon a rising north platform in an attempt to escape from you. Determined not to let him get away again, you enter the hall and jump onto a rising south platform. As the platform passes through the ceiling of the hall, it carries you .up a tall open shaft. Wolf's Bane is on the far side of the shaft wall, some twenty feet above. You can see his face peering over the lip of the platform on which he is standing. He mouths something that you suspect is a curse, but then he points at you with an extended hand and a crackling arc of crimson fire leaps from his fingers and comes twisting down the shaft towards your face.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect341">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect153">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect101">
+ <meta><title>101</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You detect several footprints in the loamy mulch, all of them virtually identical to your own. They have been partially covered by leaves and there are many narrow channels in the soft soil, made unmistakably by human fingers. Your suspicions are immediately aroused; the tracks are so poorly concealed, it is as if someone wanted you to find them.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect51">If you possess Telegnosis, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect258">If you do not possess this Grand Master Disci pline, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect102">
+ <meta><title>102</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You throw yourself forwards to avoid the missile, yet it dips in mid-air and carves a furrow across your shoulder blades as you slide along the frost- encrusted floor: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Your adversary sniggers when he hears your cry of pain. Yet, despite the burning agony of your wound, you scramble to your feet and level your weapon defiantly at the darkened stairway. But Wolf's Bane is no longer crouching near the steps - he is fast ascending them. Calling upon your innate healing skills, you staunch the blood that is trickling freely from your back and hurry towards the staircase in pursuit of your hated foe.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29"><link-text>Turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect103">
+ <meta><title>103</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lower yourself carefully into the hollow stem and soon discover that it drops away very steeply. It is a vertical tube for most of its length, yet you are able to slow your rate of descent by grabbing hold of tiny tendrils which protrude from the lining of the stem wall. As you get nearer to its base, the stem wall becomes semi-transparent and slick with moisture. You press your face to this warm surface and you are able to discern other stems. They look like the trunks of trees in a dense green forest. Then you look down to see that the stem of this plant is descending into darkness. The darkness begins at the point where the stem passes below ground level. You decide to stop at this point for you have no desire to explore the roots of this strange flower.</p>
+ <p>Carefully you examine the fabric of the semi-trans parent stem. If you can force your way through this tough plant wall, you will be able to escape from your prison-like tube.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect332">If you possess a bladed weapon, or a bladed Special Item, <link-text>turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If you possess none of the above, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect104">
+ <meta><title>104</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In response to your prayer, you feel a warming sensation radiating through your body and your mind, leaving you physically and mentally refreshed and alert: restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> paints.</p>
+ <p>Comfident that the divine Gods of Good are watching over you in this moment of truth, you throw open the doors and stride boldly into the hall beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240"><link-text>Turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect105">
+ <meta><title>105</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having weighed the risks and options, you decide to make a dash for the exit on the far side of the vault. You are confident that the combination of surprise, speed, and camouflage will be enough to see you safely across the vault before your would- be ambushers have a chance to react to your pres ence.</p>
+ <p>Taking a deep breath, you launch yourself into the vault. You have covered barely ten feet of the floor when you hear the angry, rasping voices of the creatures echoing from inside the hanging caul dron. You are passing beneath this iron pot when suddenly a volley of bone arrows comes whistling down from above.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance and Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect97">If your total score is now 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 97</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect180">If it is 9 or higher, <link-text>turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect106">
+ <meta><title>106</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Silently you unshoulder your bow and notch an arrow to the bowstring. Then, with cold precision, you take aim at the back of your enemy's head and release your arrow. A split second before the shaft reaches its target, Wolf's Bane senses danger and throws himself to the floor. The fire-hardened tip of your deadly missile pierces his thigh, wounding him badly, but not so as to prevent him from wrenching the shaft from his leg and making a hasty escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect207"><link-text>Turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect107">
+ <meta><title>107</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This narrow passageway leads to a vault littered with scraps of cloth, rodent skins, bones, and twisted clumps of dry vegetation. Out of this carpet of debris a crude, nest-like hollow has been fashioned. The glint of burnished gold prompts you to investigate the nest more closely and, to your surprise, you discover a valuable Gold Cup (Special Item) entangled among its twigs and grasses.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly you sense movement directly overhead. You glance upwards and find yourself looking into a brick-lined vent which ascends all the way to the surface. Descending this chimney at an alarming speed is a Bangrol - an acquisitive and aggressive breed of Sommlending sea-eagle. This particular bird is far from pleased that you have disturbed its secret nest.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect139">If you possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect217">If you do not possess this skill, <link-text>turn to 217</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect108">
+ <meta><title>108</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you emerge from the cave mouth, the oppressive jungle heat hits you like a battering ram. Your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus automatically regulates your body temperature, making the heat bearable, yet even so it comes as something of a shock that any living creature can exist in this hellish environment.</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately, the shock of the jungle heat is only the first of two nasty surprises that await you. The second is a barbed arrow that whistles from out of the dense foliage and comes speeding towards your forehead!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect152">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have attained the rank of Sun Knight or higher, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you possess Kai-alchemy but have yet to reach this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect109">
+ <meta><title>109</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow this torchlit tunnel as it snakes through the dungeon levels of this strange castle. A growing presentiment warns you that danger lies ahead and you pause to focus your Kai skills in an attempt to determine its exact nature. You cannot identify the threat, save that it is not a living entity.</p>
+ <p>You draw your weapon and advance more cautiously now. As you turn a bend in this meandering passageway, a warrior appears from out of the gloom ahead. He is sheathed in plate armour and he clutches a sword and, at first sight, appears to be human. It is not until he steps a little closer that you see he has no neck: his visored helm hovers inches above his breastplate and is not connected to his torso.</p>
+ <p>A pulse of green light illuminates the warrior's visor and suddenly a wave of powerful psychic energy hits you with terrific force.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect181">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect265">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect110">
+ <meta><title>110</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You attempt to subdue the giant serpent using your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, but the creature is resilient to mental suggestion and it resists your psychic command.</p>
+ <p>You are now faced with a dilemma. In order to escape from this cavern you must either face the chained serpent in combat, or you can evade it by discovering some way of opening the portcullis so that you can go back the way you have come.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect165">If you choose to face the creature in combat, <link-text>turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect171">If you decide to attempt to open the portcullis, <link-text>turn to 171</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect111">
+ <meta><title>111</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Alyss commands you to leave at once. The cocoon of light that surrounds her and the Moonstone is beginning to flicker with every blow it sustains from Kekataag's mighty axe. You sense that she cannot maintain her shield for very much longer.</p>
+ <p>You heed her cry and race towards the swirling mouth of the Shadow Gate. But Naar is determined to launch one last desperate attempt to prevent you from escaping. You are within ten paces of the gate when two rubbery-limbed horrors emerge from the smoky walls and hurl themselves upon you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>2 Cryopedeans</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">32</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect350">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect112">
+ <meta><title>112</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The fabled Moonstone was created many thousands of years ago by the god-like Shianti, whose presence upon Magnamund heralded the dawn of humanity. This wondrous artifact contains the combined might of all their magic and wisdom, the sum of all their knowledge. So significant was the creation of this artifact that all time on Magnamund is measured from the date of its creation. It had long been held that the Moonstone's location was a secret known only to the remnants of the Shianti, who dwell upon the Isle of Lorn in deepest Southern Magnamund, yet the evidence of your eyes tells you that this mystical stone of power has fallen into the hands of the Dark God.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the significance of the Moonstone becomes clear. Naar is using its legendary powers to generate Shadow Gates within the world of Magnamund, at locations and times of his own choosing. Such power has enabled him to send his loathsome champions to your home world, while the goodly forces of Kai and Ishir are held at bay, helpless to counter them. Only you and your Kai brethren have stood in the way of the onslaught of Naar's agents since the demise of his Darklords.</p>
+ <p>The hideous form of the Dark God returns to the dais and settles there uneasily. Then a deep rumble fills the throne hail; it is the prelude to the voice of Naar.</p>
+ <p>'You have done well, my champion,' it booms.</p>
+ <p>'Now I command you to return to accursed Sommerlund and finish my work. Prepare the way for my armies of night. At last this planet is mine for the taking. My victory is complete!'</p>
+ <p>It is clear from his words that Naar is convinced that you are his champion - Wolf's Bane - freshly returned from a duel in which Evil has triumphed. Suddenly you see Alyss emerge from the smoky wall less than a dozen paces behind Naar, yet the Dark God appears unaware of her presence. She appears calm and focussed, and you sense that she is waiting for an auspicious moment to approach the plinth and take the Moonstone. With bated breath you watch as she inches closer and closer to the legendary stone. Then Naar shifts his gruesome bulk and she freezes.</p>
+ <p>'Your return to Sommerlund will not be alone, Wolf's Bane. Kekataag the Avenger will accompany you. He has a mission of assassination to complete in Toran, at the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star.'</p>
+ <p>Then the Dark God emits a high-pitched whistle and, moments later, a fearsome warrior answers the call. He emerges from the smoky wall and the floor shudders as he strides to the centre of the throne hall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect183">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect34">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect113">
+ <meta><title>113</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Frantically you shout the words of the Old Kingdom Battle spell Shield and make a swift circle in the air with your right hand. The crackling fire-bolt explodes against an invisible barrier which you have hurriedly brought into existence, and dissolves away in a shower of crimson sparks which are sucked into the depths of the shaft.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect37"><link-text>Turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect114">
+ <meta><title>114</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call upon all of your Kai camouflage skills to keep you hidden as you attempt to slip out of the tunnel unseen. However, your adversary has disciplines comparable to your own. He is watching the cave mouth like a hawk and your stealthy exit may not go unnoticed.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance and Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect105">If your total score is now 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect191">If it is 6 or higher, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect115">
+ <meta><title>115</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You follow the tunnel as it ascends towards the surface. A dot of daylight appears in the distance which, as you climb towards it, becomes a cluster of bright sunbeams filtering through a curtain of vines. This fringe of emerald streamers conceals the cave mouth entrance to this tunnel. The tunnel itself becomes increasingly humid as you get nearer to the exit. Its dry earth floor has gradually transformed into a slick and treacherous surface which is alive with beetles and centipedes, some as long as daggers.</p>
+ <p>Upon reaching the cave mouth, you stop to peer through the hanging vines. Outside, in the fiercely tropical heat, you can see a dense jungle sweltering beneath a blazing sun. It extends in every direction towards a jagged horizon of volcanic mountain peaks. Then your eye is caught by something small and metallic glinting in the mulch of vegetation that carpets the entrance. You pick it up and discover that it is a brass button, engraved with a sun motif. It is identical to the buttons which adorn your own tunic, none of which are missing. You deduce that it has come from the tunic of your adversary, but you cannot be sure whether it was lost accidentally or was placed here deliberately for you to find.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect101">If you wish to search the entrance for further clues to the whereabouts of your enemy, <link-text>turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect47">If you choose to leave the tunnel and explore the jungle beyond, <link-text>turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect116">
+ <meta><title>116</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You regard the distant vent with trepidation. It looks to be so high and so far away that you fear an escape from this world may truly be impossible. In your growing despair, you call upon your divine mentor - the God Kai - for inspiration and, as if in answer to your prayer, you experience a sudden moment of revelation in which a bold plan takes form in your mind's eye.</p>
+ <p>Using your innate Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, you focus on one of the smaller dragonflies that is circling above the fecund blossoms lining the lip of the gorge. Instantly it responds to your silent command and comes soaring down to land in a nearby clearing. Like a tame and obedient horse, this winged creature waits patiently for you to clamber upon its back. Then, once you are in position, it takes to the air with such speed that your stomach feels as if it has been physically torn from your body. Several minutes pass before you fully recover from the shock of the stunningly swift take-off, and are able to sit back and enjoy the spectacular aerial views of the gorge.</p>
+ <p>Using your palms and your knees, you quickly discover that you are able to steer the dragonfly towards the distant vent. Unfortunately, your ascent does not go entirely unnoticed. You are close to a mile above the canyon when suddenly your insectile steed attracts the unwanted attention of a larger predatory dragonfly. This predator is bigger and faster than your encumbered mount and, as it circles around him, it is clear that it is simply biding its time, awaiting the best moment to strike.</p>
+ <p>You draw your weapon and tighten your grip on your mount's scaly back as the predatory dragonfly swoops down to make its initial attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Golasyx</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">49</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is attempting to stab you with the tip of its spear-like proboscis as it swoops past, therefore you need only fight this combat for one round.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect38">If you inflict an equal or greater <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> loss upon the enemy in this single round of combat, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect192">If you sustain a greater <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> loss than your enemy, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect117">
+ <meta><title>117</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nimbly you dodge aside and avoid being hit by this creature's drool. At first you think nothing of it, but then you look to see where it landed and you notice that this trail of saliva is melting the flagstones.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect141">If you wish to attack the creature that attempted to spit acid in your face, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect91">If you choose to evade this creature, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect118">
+ <meta><title>118</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Vigorously you attack the sticky strands of the net with your magical sword, cleaving throughthem with unexpected ease. They shrivel at the touch of your golden blade and drop in smouldering heaps onto the floor of the tunnel. Within a matter of seconds you have cut your way through and are able to continue your pursuit.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect316"><link-text>Turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect119">
+ <meta><title>119</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You and the others watch as Steel Hand slings his coil of rope over his shoulder and commences his climb. The rough wall of this vault offers many handholds and he is able to progress swiftly to the ceiling and work his way across to the middle of the chamber, directly above the fissure. Whilst holding himself in position with his left hand, he attempts to fix one end of the rope around an exposed stone beam with his right. On completing the task he ties off the rope and tugs it to make sure it is secure. There is a loud crack! and you gasp with horror as the buttress to which he has fixed his rope suddenly crumbles and breaks away from the ceiling.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect92">If the number you have chosen is 0-7, <link-text>turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect268">If it is 8 or 9, <link-text>turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect120">
+ <meta><title>120</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>At the end of the passage you discover another tunnel that leads off to the left. The walls and ceiling of this adjacent passageway are dripping wet, indicating that it passes directly under the stream. You stride along its narrow confines, your shoulders grazing the muddy walls as you advance up a flight of steps which lead to an archway supported by thick wooden beams. Beyond the arch lies a large subterranean chamber that is daubed and decorated with runes and evil insignia. It is a primitive temple and it radiates an aura of evil so vile and malicious that the thought of entering makes your skin crawl.</p>
+ <p>On the far side of this unholy place, you see a stone altar standing before a huge boulder that has been crudely chiselled to resemble a grinning human skull. An eerie green glow pulsates from the eye sockets of this great skull-rock, and a mist swirls from its open jaw. Wolf's Bane stands before the altar, an arrogant sneer spreading slowly across his face.</p>
+ <p>'I'd expected better sport from you, Lone Wolf,' he chides. 'You disappoint me&ellips; but no matter. Such easy triumph proves the worthiness of my master's cause. I bid you farewell, Lone Wolf. A final farewell.'</p>
+ <p>And with these chilling words ringing in your ears, your enemy stretches out both of his hands and takes hold of two iron staves that protrude from the ground on either side of the skull-rock's jaw. He jerks them out of their settings and casts them into the centre of the temple. Then, with a patronising salute, he turns and enters the open jaw, swiftly disappearing into the swirling mist.</p>
+ <p>The dull boom of an explosion somewhere in the rock above the ceiling makes your heart miss a beat. Moments later, the walls begin to shake and the floor shudders violently beneath your feet, throwing you off balance. Rock and earth cascade from the roof and fissures tear open the ground. With fear running ice cold in your veins, you begin a desperate race to reach the mouth of the skull-rock before the entire roof collapses and you are buried alive in this doomed temple.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. For every level of Kai rank you have so far attained, above the rank of Sun Knight, add 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect222">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect321">If it is 4-6, <link-text>turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect205">If it is 7-9, <link-text>turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect59">If it is 10 or higher, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect121">
+ <meta><title>121</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You detect that the fluid which the creatures are drinking is highly flammable. Armed with this knowledge, you realize that if you were able to set fire to the fluid in the trough, it would cause such a panic among the creatures that, in the ensuing chaos, you would very likely be able to reach the distant archway without being seen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect292">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect314">If you do not possess this Discipline, or if you choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect122">
+ <meta><title>122</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sudden and unexpected ferocity of this psychic assault makes you fall to your knees and clasp your head in both hands. The pain is worming its way deep into your mind, causing your body to convulse with psychic shock. Dimly, through a red haze, you sense that the Platinum Amulet you are wearing around your neck affords you some defence against this attack, although it cannot protect you completely.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. For every level of Kai mastership that you have attained above the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked. (The maximum you are permitted to add is 7.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect16">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect96">If it is 4-9, <link-text>turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect315">If it is 10 or higher, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect123">
+ <meta><title>123</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you retreat a few paces from the shrieking horde to unsheathe a weapon, you glance towards the plinth to see how Alyss is faring. She has drawn upon her powers to create a cocoon of energy to protect both her vulnerable body and the legendary Moonstone. Kekataag assaults this glowing shield with maniacal ferocity, his great two-handed axe drawing fiery sparks with every mighty blow. You can sense from the hatred which blazes in his supernatural eyes that he and Alyss are old enemies.</p>
+ <p>Her bravery inspires you to fight like a demon to reach the Shadow Gate and escape to your home world. You are determined that her efforts to save you will not be in vain.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Crypt Spawn horde</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect350">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect124">
+ <meta><title>124</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The great portal closes behind you with little noise, save the serpent-like hiss of escaping air. Inside, a cavernous plaza awaits you, crafted entirely of steel, glass, silver and iron. Towering girders arc over your head, buttressed upon each other to support the many upper levels of this stupendous edifice.</p>
+ <p>The plaza is vast and alien in design, and it is virtually deserted. You count no more than six armoured warriors, some so far distant that you have to magnify your vision to be sure that they are what they seem to be. Your arrival goes unchallenged and you waste no time in attempting to locate your adversary's trail. As expected, you find traces of his tracks close to the portal. They lead you to an archway which opens into a steel-lined chamber that has two exits: one to the left, the other to the right. Here the tracks become indistinct and you are unable to determine which way Wolf's Bane went from here.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect243">If you wish to explore the left exit, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect254">If you choose to explore the right exit, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect125">
+ <meta><title>125</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You instruct your Kai comrades to search the chamber's four walls for hidden levers or secret panels, while you busy yourself with a careful examination of Baron Garrulen's sarcophagus. You attempt to lift its heavy stone lid but without success; it is sealed tight by the grime of centuries. You are considering ways to prise it open when Black Hawk discovers something unusual about the north wall. He signals to you to come and take a closer look.</p>
+ <p>Your experienced eye immediately detects two faint hairline cracks in its granite surface. They run vertically from the floor to the ceiling and appear to reveal the outline of a secret panel.</p>
+ <p>'Good work, Black Hawk. I'd wager the impostor escaped this way,' you say, as you scan the entire wall for some means of opening the secret panel. When no obvious way can be found, Black Hawk volunteers to force it open.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect41">If you decide to allow Black Hawk to attempt to force open the secret panel, <link-text>turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect286">If you choose to try and open it yourself, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect126">
+ <meta><title>126</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>One arrow passes wide and shatters against the ceiling. But the other shaft clips your left leg and opens a painful gash above your knee: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>On reaching the balcony you speak the words which negate the effects of the Teleport spell, and, the moment your feet touch the ground, you hurry into the archway beyond.</p>
+ <p>Use of the Teleport spell costs you a further 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Remember to make the necessary adjustments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50">To continue, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect127">
+ <meta><title>127</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unsheathe a hand weapon and brace your back against the door as the great metallic beast comes leaping through the darkness with its iron jaw set wide.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mech-wulf</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect5">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect128">
+ <meta><title>128</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The damp subterranean tunnel meanders for nearly a mile before entering a cavern which is lit by rays of insipid sunlight, permeating through holes in its root-entangled ceiling. Your natural pathsmanship warns you that the slimy water is deep at the centre of this cavern and, as you enter, you take extra care where you tread.</p>
+ <p>Thirty yards opposite there is a sloping tunnel which appears to ascend towards the surface; dim light illuminates its dry earthen floor. You approach it, keeping near to the cavern wall to avoid the deep water, but you have only taken a few paces when a sudden noise jars your nerves. With a dull boom, a concealed portcullis falls from the ceiling to seal off the tunnel through which you have come. Moments later, swirling eddies form in the water at the centre of the cavern and, with a hissing splash, a huge snaky head breaks through the surface and rises up to scrape the ceiling. Around its banded neck there is a collar of iron which is attached to a heavy chain. The chain disappears below the surface, keeping the creature a prisoner of this cavern. You gasp as you look into the eyes of this gigantic serpent for they radiate waves of evil that seem to place a chill in your very soul.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect61">If you possess the Discipline of Animal Mastery, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Crown, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect208">If you possess Animal Mastery, but have yet to attain this rank, <link-text>turn to 208</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect110">If you do not possess Animal Mastery, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect129">
+ <meta><title>129</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step away from the bodies of your slain enemies and collapse against the wall of the vault, gasping for breath. As you slowly recover, you notice that one of the reptilians has a leather pouch slung around its neck. You kneel down and tear open the pouch to discover that it contains a small Iron Disc. A cursory search of his dead companion reveals a Dagger, a Sword, and a small stone phial containing a Black Potion (properties unknown).</p>
+ <p>The size and shape of the disc suddenly triggers an image in your memory. You take the disc and insert it between the gemstone squares which operate the portal lock. There is an audible click!, and the disc reappears at the slot (if you wish to keep this Iron Disc, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item). Seconds later, the heavy portal begins to rise. You wait until it has risen a few feet and you are sure that no enemy awaits you on the other side, then you duck under the iron plate and hurry into the tunnel beyond. As you run, you hear the portal slamming shut behind you with a dull reverberating boom.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115"><link-text>Turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect130">
+ <meta><title>130</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you key-in the correct number, it activates the detonator lock and the bomb ceases to function. You wipe a trickle of sweat from your brow as you look at the illuminated display, for it shows that there were only five seconds to go before the bomb would have exploded. Carefully you set the device down on the floor and then hurry to the nearest dragonfly pen where you use your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control to subdue its hostile occupant. The creature reluctantly submits to your will and allows you to climb upon its back, It has no saddle, and so you are forced to grip its scaly spine as you urge it skywards in pursuit of Wolf's Bane.</p>
+ <p>As you emerge through the open steel roof of the tower, you catch a fleeting glimpse of the rainswept city far below. Then, in the next instant, you plunge into the base of the thick black storm clouds which keep this alien city forever in shadow.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect131">
+ <meta><title>131</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The inside of the tomb is a cold and sombre place, devoid of all life. Its featureless walls glisten with rivulets of moisture and the air is dank and evil smelling, like the breath of some cold-blooded reptile. At its centre, where one would have expected to find the remains of the nobleman who long ago was incarcerated here, there is instead a yawning shaft. An ancient bronze ladder is fixed to the shaft wall which descends to an unknown depth.</p>
+ <p>Using your Kai senses, you scan the tomb and detect lingering traces of the impostor. His trail leads directly to the ladder. After satisfying yourself that your quarry has left behind no unwelcome surprises, you step onto the ladder and begin a slow descent into the shaft.</p>
+ <p>The ladder ends inside a larger stone chamber, one hundred feet below the tomb. Here you discover a granite coffin embellished with runes and ancient Sommlending script. As you wait for your Kai companions to complete their descent, you read enough of the script to learn that you have found the final resting place of Hul Garrulen, the third Baron of Tyso. Your senses confirm that you are on the trail of the impostor, yet there appear to be no other exits from this chamber, other than the shaft by which you entered.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect290">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Crown, <link-text>turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect125">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Grand Mastery, <link-text>turn to 125</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect132">
+ <meta><title>132</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your divine blade from its scabbard and a halo of golden light irradiates the throne hall. Naar bellows with a terrible rage. He is mortally aghast that such a holy weapon should be unsheathed in his presence, in his inner sanctum, and in his anger he summons a host of rubbery-limbed horrors from the smoky walls of his evil domain.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect201">If you wish to fight these creatures, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect162">If you wish to attempt to evade them by entering the Shadow Gate, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect133">
+ <meta><title>133</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your eagle eyes pinpoint the place where the arrow emerged from the jungle perimeter and, when you magnify your vision, you see the face of your enemy - Wolf's Bane - partially hidden by a tree. He laughs, his teeth showing white against the dark green of the jungle, and then he springs to his feet and disappears into the undergrowth.</p>
+ <p>Determined that you are not going to allow him to escape so easily, you break into a run and give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect134">
+ <meta><title>134</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cursing your luck, you abandon the lock and turn to face the metal beast. The creature is loping towards you now, the rhythmic squeal of its metal joints counterpointed by the whirring clack of its great iron jaw. You bite back your fear and brace yourself as the beast gets ready to pounce.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect87">If you possess a Bow, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect14">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect127">If you do not possess this weapon or skill, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect135">
+ <meta><title>135</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The gigantic insect detects movement where it is expecting none and immediately it senses a threat to its safety. Swiftly it retracts its proboscis and rises several feet, taking its vulnerable belly beyond the reach of your sword arm. It hovers motionlessly for a few seconds, its glinting fly-like eyes watching you intently, then it emits a high-pitched shriek and at once you know that it is getting ready to attack.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect178">If you possess Animal Mastery, and wish to use it in an attempt to repel this creature's imminent attack, <link-text>turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect311">If you do not possess this Discipline, or if you choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect136">
+ <meta><title>136</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With stunning grace and swiftness, you unshoulder your bow and let loose two hastily aimed arrows at the reptilians. Yet, despite the haste of your shots, both shafts find their mark. They skewer the horny skulls of these cold-blooded ambushers, killing them both in an instant. (Remember to reduce your total number of arrows by 2.)</p>
+ <p>Free now from the immediate threat of attack, you shoulder your bow and turn to examine the sealed portal for a lever or some other means to make it rise.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect202"><link-text>Turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect137">
+ <meta><title>137</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This passage ascends by a slope to a chamber that is lined with sheets of a glassy, jet-black mineral. A flight of iron steps ascends from here to a landing where a circular stair continues the ascent to the levels above. On a shelf beside the opening to the circular stairway there is a steel cage containing a small primate. It reminds you of the kakarmi, the wild primates who inhabit the forests around the Kai Monastery. This creature seems to recognize you, and as you approach the stairs, it begins to shriek with fear. Rather than risk drawing unwanted attention to yourself, you use your innate skills of animal control to calm and subdue the frightened creature.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect46">If you wish to release this creature from its cage, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect287">If you choose to ignore it and continue on your way up the circular stairs, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect138">
+ <meta><title>138</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You detect that the fluid which the creatures are drinking from the fountain is highly flammable. Armed with this knowledge, you place an arrow to your bow and take aim at the stone trough. Moments before you release your bowstring, you utter the words of the Old Kingdom battle spell Flameshaft and the tip of your missile flares brightly with a crackling magical flame. You launch the arrow and watch as it arcs into the trough. With a deafening wumph!, the liquid ignites to form a blazing fireball which greedily consumes the creatures who are gathered around the lip of the trough.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect204"><link-text>Turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect139">
+ <meta><title>139</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you focus your Discipline at the attacking bird and command it to stop.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. For every level of Kai rank that you have attained above the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have chosen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect241">If your total is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect307">If it is 8 or higher, <link-text>turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect140">
+ <meta><title>140</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you pass into the mouth of the skull-rock you are engulfed by a dense fog that is icy-cold and impenetrable to your sight and senses. You strain your Kai skills to aid your pursuit of Wolf's Bane, but all to no avail; this ivory-white fog hides everything, swamping and distorting all sense of time and direction.</p>
+ <p>You keep moving, forcing yourself onwards even though the surface beneath your feet has become viscous and uncertain. After what seems like an eternity spent wandering through this cloudy limbo, you gradually feel the ground hardening and sense that the impenetrable fog is beginning to dissipate. Patches of grey appear in the creamy whiteness. Then the fog dissolves completely and you find yourself standing in the middle of a rubble-strewn street, surrounded by the bleak and derelict dwellings of a decaying, alien city.</p>
+ <p>It is the dead of night and a fine drizzle falls from a storm-laden sky, dampening this dreary landscape. Everywhere you look you see the hollow shells of buildings. They are heaped with mounds of broken stone, twisted rusty iron, and shattered glass. There are no trees, no blades of grass, no animals here. Everything is cold, grey, and dead.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly you sense a blur of movement beside a mountain of rubble which blocks the end of the street. You focus upon it, magnifying your vision to penetrate the damp gloom, and you are rewarded with a fleeting glimpse of Wolf's Bane. He is running away. You hurry after him and, as you crest the mound, you see him entering the shattered entrance to a three-storey dwelling close by.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect141">
+ <meta><title>141</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your weapon and climb the rickety shelves in order to be able to reach this elusive acid-spitter. Despite its ungainly shape, it proves to be adept at evading your first few blows until you manage to corner it at the far end of the top shelf.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Caq</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">32</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">20</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect328">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect142">
+ <meta><title>142</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your killing blow decapitates the Bangrol and the two sundered halves of its body fall limply to the debris-strewn floor. Hurriedly you wipe clean your weapon and re-sheathe it, then you motion your companions to follow as you leave this chamber by a tunnel in its south wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect298"><link-text>Turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect143">
+ <meta><title>143</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unable to open this portal, you turn around and retrace your steps back to the junction and then explore the other passageway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect137"><link-text>Turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect144">
+ <meta><title>144</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you retreat back along the stamen until you are out of harm's way. Blindly the angry Solyx stabs with its proboscis, splintering stamen tips and drenching you with showers of sticky pollen. Fortunately, the span of its gigantic wings and the narrowness of the plant's corolla conspire to prevent it from reaching deeper into the plant, and you are able to escape without sustaining further injury.</p>
+ <p>When you reach the bowl of the corolla once more, you lower yourself into the hollow stem and soon discover that it drops away very steeply. It is a vertical tube for most of its length, yet you are able to slow your rate of descent by grabbing hold of tiny tendrils which protrude from the lining of the stem wall. As you get nearer to its base, the stem wall becomes semi-transparent and slick with moisture. You press your face to this warm surface and you are able to discern other stems beyond. They look like the trunks of trees in a dense green forest. Then you look down to see that the stem of this plant is descending into darkness. The darkness begins at the point where the stem passes below ground level. You decide to stop at this point for you have no desire to explore the roots of this huge flower.</p>
+ <p>Carefully you examine the fabric of the semi-transparent stem. If you can force your way through this tough plant wall, you will be able to escape from your prison-like tube.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect332">If you possess a bladed weapon, or a bladed Special Item, <link-text>turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect57">If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect279">If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect4">If you possess none of the above, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect145">
+ <meta><title>145</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lose your grip and slip back into the water. As you make a second attempt to climb out, you feel the creature grab your legs. Swiftly he pulls you beneath the surface and drags you down towards the cellar floor, twenty feet below the surface. You are left in no doubt that this beast wants to drown you before it feasts on your flesh!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect194">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Thane, or higher, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect237">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect146">
+ <meta><title>146</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You step out from beneath the leaf under which you have been hiding and focus on the distant vent. Carefully you recite the words of the Brotherhood spell Levitation that Guildmaster Banedon taught you many years ago, and moments later you feel yourself floating upwards through the air towards the apex of this gigantic cavern.</p>
+ <p>The spell frees you from the grip of gravity and enables you to soar towards the cavern's roof. However, you are unable to control the angle of your ascent and in order to steer yourself towards the vent, you must try to position yourself in one of the thermal currents which are rising from the canyon floor.</p>
+ <p>After some great effort you manage to locate a benign thermal which carries you slowly towards the distant vent. Unfortunately, you are not the only creature enjoying the hospitality of this rising current. You have soared close to a mile above the canyon when suddenly you attract the unwanted attention of a gigantic dragonfly. Anxious to defend yourself in case it should attack, you draw a weapon and wait with bated breath as it circles around your floating form.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect75">If your total is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect244">If it is 7 or higher, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect147">
+ <meta><title>147</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Naar summons forth a shrieking horde of horrors from the smoky walls of his throne room. These hideous bat-winged creatures resemble deformed human brains that trail skeletal appendages. You retreat a few paces before them, in order to unsheathe your weapon, and then with your battle cry on your lips - 'For Sommerlund and the Kai!' - you launch yourself into their midst and fight like a demon.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Crypt Spawn horde</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">36</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect111">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 111</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect148">
+ <meta><title>148</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The once-grand doors of this hall no longer hang upon their hinges. They have been torn down and now lie twisted and rusted together, partially blocking the entrance. After checking to make sure that your adversary has not left any unwelcome surprises, you clamber over these ruined doors and begin a cautious exploration of the hall's gloomy interior.</p>
+ <p>The cavernous ground floor was long ago gutted by fire. All that remains of its contents now lie buried beneath blackened timbers and twisted iron beams. Metal chains hang in festoons from the buckled roof girders, dripping icicles of rust. They sway and squeal eerily in the wind, sending shivers coursing down your spine.</p>
+ <p>You detect nothing of interest in the debris and are about to abandon your search when suddenly you hear something unexpected - a dull thump. The sound came from below the ground. Drawing upon your Magnakai hunting skills, you peer through a hole in the ruined floor and detect something large and warm-blooded. It is moving away, towards the rear of the hall's cellar level.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect168">If you wish to investigate your discovery further, <link-text>turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect71">If you choose to abandon your search and leave the hall, <link-text>turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect149">
+ <meta><title>149</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Caldar instructs one of his guards to escort you to the castle armoury, where you are encouraged to take whatever you need. From among the many racks of fine weapons and equipment, the following items catch your eye:</p>
+ <ul>
+ <li>Broadsword</li>
+ <li>Sword</li>
+ <li>Axe</li>
+ <li>Warhammer</li>
+ <li>Short Sword</li>
+ <li>Mace</li>
+ <li>Spear</li>
+ <li>Arrows (6)</li>
+ <li>Quiver (counts as a Special Item if you choose this in addition to any quiver you may already possess)</li>
+ <li>Naptha Bomb (small explosive incendiary - counts as a Backpack Item)</li>
+ </ul>
+ <choice idref="sect260">If you choose to take any of the above items, make the appropriate adjustments to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. You may then leave the armoury by <link-text>turning to 260</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect150">
+ <meta><title>150</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the arch lies a steep ramp that descends to the floor of a circular chamber, the lowest level of the tower which soars into the stormy sky above. Runes of alien design run around the seamless glassy walls and the air is heavy with the sweet smell of decay. A large circular plinth stands in the centre of the chamber, its mirror-smooth surface a little under three feet from the floor. You take a step towards it and suddenly it is surrounded by a wall of fierce blue flames which shoot upwards from tiny vents in the floor around its base. As these flames gradually subside, you see four Kai Masters cowering upon the plinth. They are the four young Kai you thought had been left safely behind in the Old Necropolis of Tyso. They look petrified with fear, and when they see you they throw up their blistered, soot-blackened hands and plead for you to release them from their fiery prison.</p>
+ <p>Drawing upon your Magnakai Discipline of psiscreen, you detect that the image of the four Kai Masters is nothing but a cruel illusion. Then, in the very next instant, the ramp on which you are standing suddenly drops away from under your feet. You throw yourself to one side and crash down upon the floor of the chamber, rolling over as you strike the hard surface to lessen the shock of impact. As you stagger to your feet, you see the image of the four Kai being consumed by fire. It is a frightful sight, and as they scream their last, a wave of hostile psychic energy crashes into your mind.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect122">If you possess Kai-screen, <link-text>turn to 122</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect45">If you do not possess this Discipline, <link-text>turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect151">
+ <meta><title>151</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Wolf's Bane staggers backwards, clutching at his wounds with his free hand. You move forward, eager to finish him, but he parries your lunge and then, with a look of utter desperation in his soulless eyes, he glances up at the ceiling and shouts:</p>
+ <p>'Take him, Doom-blight! Take him now!'</p>
+ <p>Your blood freezes when you see a great gull-winged horror emerge from a hidden perch among the hall's shadowy rafters. It plunges towards you, a fiery sword held at arm's length ready to be driven through your heart.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect263">If you have ever encountered the Demoness Shamath in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 263</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect74">If you have never encountered this creature, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect152">
+ <meta><title>152</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Frantically you shout the words of the Brotherhood spell Halt Missile and point at the onrushing arrow. The deadly shaft freezes in mid-flight, barely a few inches from the tip of your extended finger. Immediately you crouch down, and as the effects of the spell wear off, the shaft suddenly re-animates and whistles over your head to lodge itself in the tangle of vines that curtain the cave mouth.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133"><link-text>Turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect153">
+ <meta><title>153</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Icy fingers of fear run up and down your spine as you brace yourself for the imminent impact of the approaching fire-bolt.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect58">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect113">If you possess Magi-magic, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect176">If you possess Assimilance, and have attained the rank of Sun Lord, (and you wish to use this Discipline), <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect212">If you possess Grand Huntmastery, and have attained the rank of Sun Lord, (and you wish to use this Discipline), <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect259">If you possess none of these skills, or do not yet possess the necessary level of Kai rank, (or if you choose not to use any Kai mastery), <link-text>turn instead to 259</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect154">
+ <meta><title>154</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Dazed and trembling, you stagger to your feet and tentatively shake your head in an effort to clear your blurred vision. Close by your feet you see the outline of your weapon and you stoop to retrieve it. (If you were holding a normal weapon when you passed through the wall, you discover it has been destroyed by the blast: delete this weapon from your Weapons List. If the weapon you were holding was a Special Item, you discover that it has survived intact.)</p>
+ <p>As your vision returns you see that you have been hurled back into the chamber. Your fellow Kai, all of whom were knocked to the floor by the blast, are now struggling to get themselves back on their feet. Fortunately their physical injuries are minor; their innate Kai skills have spared them from serious injury. However, you sense that your inability to detect that the wall was an explosive illusion has severely shaken their confidence.</p>
+ <p>'Our prey is far more cunning than I feared,' you say, reproachfully, 'but we are Kai and we shall rise to the challenge. Our enemy possesses strong magic and he is capable of masking it well. Yet he chooses to use it to wound and weaken our party, not to kill us. Why this should be I do not know. But from now on we cannot entirely trust our senses to protect us. We must proceed with the utmost caution.'</p>
+ <p>Beyond where the illusory north wall once stood, you can now see a small antechamber which is wreathed in acrid blue smoke. Gradually this smoke dissipates to reveal a shallow plinth upon which lies a bronze urn. This heavy object rests on its side and a quantity of pale grey ash has spilled from its hinged lid. Cautiously you approach the urn and see that there is an inscription engraved on its side. From this ancient script you learn that the ashes are the last remains of Baroness Garrulen, the wife of Hul - third Baron of Tyso. Glinting half-buried in the ash, you notice a ring encrusted with crimson gemstones (if you wish to keep this Ruby Ring, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item).</p>
+ <p>You are righting the urn on its plinth when you hear Steel Hand calling you. He has found something among the rubble which litters the floor at the rear of the antechamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect35"><link-text>Turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect155">
+ <meta><title>155</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you can move to avoid the oncoming missile, it hits you in the chest and sends you crashing to the floor: lose 10 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect56">If you have survived this grievous wounding, <link-text>turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect156">
+ <meta><title>156</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With bated breath you watch as the warrior kicks the smouldering remains of the iron chest. He scans the warehouse, the visor of his helmet pulsing a dull crimson glow as he tries to locate where you are hiding. Unable to find you, he cradles his weapon and begins a systematic search of the building.</p>
+ <p>As he passes beneath the storage tank you seize the opportunity to launch a surprise attack. You leap onto his back and bring him crashing to the ground. However, you soon discover that he is an exceptionally strong opponent and your advantage of surprise is quickly lost. He draws his power from the armour he wears and you are hard pressed to maintain your hold on his neck as he wrestles to break free. Then another warrior appears at the rear of the building. He, too, is armed with a magical spear. He aims this weapon at you and a flash of light erupts from its tip.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 12 or less, deduct 2 from the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect93">If your total is now 0 or less, <link-text>turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect63">If it is 1 or more, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect157">
+ <meta><title>157</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you destroy the mechanism, you feel a shuddering vibration run through the great iron portal. Slowly it grinds open to reveal an antechamber that is lit by a dozen flaming torches set around its glassy walls. The wind has now become so fierce that it is ripping your exposed flesh. Rather than remain outside in the storm a moment longer, you hurry through the open portal and seek shelter within.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect227"><link-text>Turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect158">
+ <meta><title>158</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Despite your desperate action, you continue to sink further into this dry bog until the soil closes in over your head. You draw upon your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus to ease the pain in your aching lungs, but this simply prolongs your life for a further fifteen minutes before the lack of air and the crushing weight of the morass combine to overwhelm you.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your duel end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect159">
+ <meta><title>159</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You insert the iron disc and the portal slides open to reveal an impressive sight. The chamber beyond is stacked to the ceiling with coils of wire and solid bars made of pure platinum. These items are worth a vast fortune on your home world of Magnamund. (If you wish to take a Platinum Ingot, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. Due to its weight, however, it occupies the same space as 2 Backpack Items.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect330">To leave this chamber and continue, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect160">
+ <meta><title>160</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The passage beyond the fissure twists and turns like an angry snake. Gradually this winding tunnel bears eastwards and descends by slope and stair into deeper levels of the catacombs. During your long trek you detect not a single trace of the imposter and, when eventually the tunnel comes to a dead end, you curse your ill luck. Reluctantly you decide to retrace your steps. It is only then that you sense a faint but lingering aura of evil close to the tunnel floor.</p>
+ <p>A closer inspection reveals a trapdoor set into the grimy flagstones. You pull this heavy hatch open and discover a circular chute and a ladder descending into darkness. Your heart misses a beat when you notice fresh tracks on the ladder's iron rungs; at last you have found the impostor's trail.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you lead the descent into the chute, using your powers of infravision to scan for signs of movement in the damp darkness below. After several minutes you reach the bottom of the ladder where you discover a large vaulted chamber. Around its walls are positioned urns and grey stone caskets, each embellished with traces of gold. There is an unexpected air of opulence about this vault which prompts you to guess that it is a secret burial tomb.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect182">If you have ever visited the Graveyard of the Ancients in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If you have never visited this forbidden place, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect161">
+ <meta><title>161</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You approach the open door and pause momentarily to check that no glyphs or other traps have been placed here. The doorway is clear, and you can detect no lingering residues of magical energy that might betray the presence of illusions or shielding spells, so you rush through it and hurry down the flight of steps that descends beneath the ground.</p>
+ <p>The steps lead down to a tunnel that is dark and narrow. You sense danger ahead and, using your infravision, you detect Wolf's Bane standing at the far end of this passageway, some thirty yards distant. He is holding a long piece of rope which trails back along the tunnel towards you. You follow its course and see that it is attached to a wooden peg which holds secure the door to a cage set flush into the tunnel wall. You focus on the door and sense that the cage beyond is occupied by a large and ferocious carnivore. Wolf's Bane utters a chilling laugh as he whips the rope to dislodge the peg. But you focus on the peg and, using your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus, you cause it to jam. Your adversary curses you and casts aside the rope in frustration. Then he turns and disappears into a tunnel which meets this main passageway from the left.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect344"><link-text>Turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect162">
+ <meta><title>162</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race towards the swirling mouth of the Shadow Gate, but Naar is determined to launch one last desperate attempt to prevent you from escaping. You are within ten paces of the gate when two of the rubbery-limbed horrors emerge from the smoky walls and hurl themselves upon you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>2 Cryopedeans</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">32</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect350">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect163">
+ <meta><title>163</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your defensive blow tears a hole in the creature's silvery wing. The wound is not fatal, but the damage to its wing is enough to render the hungry dragonfly incapable of ascending any higher. It emits a loud buzz of frustration which fades as it slowly spirals away towards a cluster of smaller creatures hovering near the centre of the gorge.</p>
+ <p>At length you reach the apex of the cavern and soar into the light-filled vent. Upon entering this vast aperture you are buffeted by crosswinds which sweep you precariously towards its rocky lip. Only your Kai Disciplines and your lightning-swift reactions save you from being crushed to death as you are blown towards its jagged, volcanic edge.</p>
+ <p>You survive the impact and are able to haul yourself out of the vent and climb safely onto a surface that you assume to be the roof of the cavern. Seeking shelter from the raging crosswinds, you squeeze yourself into a hollow in the porous rock from where you are able to take stock of your new surroundings. The sight makes you gasp, for it is a view that truly rivals the fertile wonders of the cavern below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect164">
+ <meta><title>164</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Wary of the uncertain floor of this hall, you utter the words of the Brotherhood spell Levitation and feel yourself rising slowly to the ceiling. Using the gaps between the bricks in the arched roof, you pull yourself along the ceiling until you reach the far end of the hall. Fortunately, the door is unlocked and you are able to open it with your foot and lower yourself safely through its archway and into the hall beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect62"><link-text>Turn to 62</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect165">
+ <meta><title>165</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You soon realize that the creature's iron collar and chain prevent it from reaching you so long as you keep your back pressed to the cavern wall. Mindful of this, you inch your way slowly towards the tunnel. However, you have progressed only a few yards when you feel the floor sloping away. The water is getting deeper.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect234">If you possess Magi-magic, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect166">
+ <meta><title>166</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Fortunately your attempt to evade this magical missile is successful. The onrushing bolt hits you only a glancing blow (lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point) before it slams into the wall of the shaft, showering you with harmless crimson sparks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect37">Make the necessary adjustment to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> and then continue by <link-text>turning to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect167">
+ <meta><title>167</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Once more you focus your advanced Kai senses on the gloomy entrance to the tomb. You can detect no living creature or imminent threat of ambush, yet the area around the doorway radiates traces of a malevolent magic that makes you deeply suspicious. However, you are mindful of the fact that the impostor has entered the catacombs by this door, and the longer you delay in tracking him, the more he increases his chances of successfully evading your hunting party.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect72">If you wish to suppress your sense of unease and enter the tomb, <link-text>turn to 72</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect173">If you choose to heed your senses and examine the entrance more closely, <link-text>turn to 173</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect168">
+ <meta><title>168</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Carefully you lower yourself through the hole and drop silently to the floor of the cellar beneath. You remain crouched where you land, not daring to move a muscle until you have scoured the darkness for any potential threat to your life. You detect an area of warmth radiating from behind a stack of rotting timbers and slowly you inch towards it, your weapon drawn in readiness to strike.</p>
+ <p>You have moved to within a few yards of the timber pile and feel confident that you have tracked down your enemy.</p>
+ <p>'Come out, Wolf's Bane!' you shout, 'Don't hide from me like some cowardly dog!'</p>
+ <p>You sense movement and draw back your weapon in anticipation of your enemy's imminent attack. Then a loud, inhuman, blood-curdling howl issues from behind the pile of timber and in a terrifying moment your confidence is shattered. The enemy confronting you is not Wolf's Bane.</p>
+ <p>You glimpse the shadowy blur of a huge, black shape rising up from behind the timbers. Fangs gleam momentarily in the gloom as it opens its cavernous maw, and then, in the blink of an eye, it leaps over the pile and falls upon you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Kataka</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">42</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect333">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect169">
+ <meta><title>169</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hit the stinking water and dive beneath the surface. Your swift reactions save you from being hit and wounded, but when you rise from the stinking mire and claw the muck from your eyes, you are horrified to see the serpent's tail swishing back towards your chest.</p>
+ <p>Instinctively you throw yourself flat against the wall and its deadly barbed tail misses you by inches. As it sweeps past, you draw your weapon in readiness to strike out at it the moment it comes within range.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ukara (chained)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">44</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This serpent is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect348">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect170">
+ <meta><title>170</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For what seems like an eternity, you plummet into the swirling heart of a supernatural vortex. Brilliant sparks and flashes of colour illuminate this funnel of darkness as items of furniture from the banquet hall explode and disintegrate, unable to withstand the extraordinary pressures generated by this cosmic whirlpool. You watch with shock and awe as the lifeless body of your adversary - Wolf's Bane - is transformed into a fiery meteor before your very eyes. Then, gradually, the spin of the vortex becomes less fierce and you feel the centrifugal pull on your body easing. Beams of light penetrate the darkness and you see Alyss glide into view. She appears to be reclining, as if casually resting upon a couch after a weary day's work, and her expression is mildly pensive. She looks as if to her this whole terrifying journey is nothing more than an irritating inconvenience.</p>
+ <p>At last the vortex slows to a standstill and you feel ground solidifying beneath your feet. But the darkness gives way to a swirling mist which dissolves to reveal a horrifying sight. A deep and morbid terror returns to twist its knife in your guts when you suddenly realize where you are. You have been summoned to the throne hall of Naar - the seat of power of the King of the Darkness - the inner sanctum of ultimate evil.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect331"><link-text>Turn to 331</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect171">
+ <meta><title>171</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Frantically you examine the portcullis, searching for some chink in its armour that you can exploit to your advantage. It is crudely constructed from criss-crossing strands of iron and steel, bolted and riveted wherever the bars connect, yet despite its crude appearance you soon discover that it is very tough and secure. You will not be able to break through this portal.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect272">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have attained the rank of Sun Knight or higher, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect55">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 55</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect172">
+ <meta><title>172</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You muster your skill and plunge your hand into the water, close to where the creature's head has surfaced. In an instant, the black water around its neck and body freezes over, trapping and crushing the beast within a solid block of ice.</p>
+ <p>Free now to continue your pursuit, you leave the frozen cellar-beast and climb the steps to emerge amongst the ruins of the city. There is no sign of Wolf's Bane, but when you hurry to where you saw him last, you discover a flight of steps leading down into a wide underground passage. His tracks can be seen clearly imbedded in the muddy floor of this tunnel.</p>
+ <p>The tunnel passes under a broad avenue and then surfaces in front of a grand two-storey building. This was once a busy warehouse that stored braided coils of fine copper cable. You avoid the main entrance in case your adversary is lying in ambush there, and enter instead by way of a flight of iron steps that leads to a second floor window. The moment you set foot inside the building you sense that Wolf's Bane is here. Warily you explore, your nerves stretched to breaking point as your eyes seek out detail in the darkness. You are approaching the west wing of this building when you suddenly catch sight of your opponent through a hole in the floor. He is sitting on his haunches behind a mound of wooden crates, busily eating a green-skinned fruit, and he is unaware that you are watching him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect81">If you possess Magi-magic, and have attained the rank of Grand Thane (and wish to use your skill), <link-text>turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect106">If you possess a Bow, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect319">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect20">If you possess none of these skills, or have yet to reach the required level of Kai rank, or simply choose not to use them, <link-text>turn instead to 20</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect173">
+ <meta><title>173</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Cautiously you inch your way nearer to the open tomb. Lying across the threshold is a slab of stone which stirs your curiosity. A closer inspection reveals an intricate design scratched upon its surface. It has been smeared with dirt and a magical spell of shielding has been placed upon it to disguise its true purpose. Yet you realize immediately what it is and you recoil from the slab, hurriedly retreating a dozen paces. It is a glyph of power: a magical booby trap that has been expertly camouflaged to keep it secret. If anyone or anything were to step upon or pass over this glyph, the energy contained within it would be released in one devastating instant.</p>
+ <p>You warn the others of what you have found and tell them to retreat with you to a safe distance. From the cover of a gravestone, several yards from the tomb, you instruct Star Lynx to pick up a rock and hurl it through the open doorway. He selects an apple-sized chunk of granite and lobs it accurately into the open tomb.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect211">If the number you have chosen is 1-4, <link-text>turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect174">
+ <meta><title>174</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you enter the mouth of the skull-rock you are engulfed by a dense fog that is icy-cold and impenetrable to your sight and senses. The thunderous noise of the temple's destruction ends abruptly, as if a great door has suddenly been closed upon it. You strain your Kai skills to aid your pursuit of Wolf's Bane but to no avail; the ivory-white fog hides everything, swamping and distorting your sense of time and direction.</p>
+ <p>You keep moving, forcing yourself onwards, even though the surface beneath your feet has become viscous and uncertain. After what seems like an eternity spent wandering through this cloudy limbo, you gradually feel the ground hardening and sense that the impenetrable fog is beginning to dissipate. Patches of grey appear in the creamy whiteness. Then the fog dissolves completely and you find yourself standing in the middle of a rubble-strewn street, surrounded by the bleak and derelict remains of a decaying, alien city.</p>
+ <p>It is the dead of night and a fine drizzle falls from a storm-laden sky, dampening this dreary landscape. Everywhere you look you see the hollow shells of buildings. They are heaped with mounds of broken stone, twisted rusty iron, and shattered glass. There are no trees, no blades of grass, no animals here. Everything is cold, grey, and dead.</p>
+ <p>You examine the paved surface of the street and detect your enemy's footprints. They are fresh and they lead you to a small courtyard flanked by two buildings: a large municipal hall and a smaller two-storey dwelling. Wolf's Bane's tracks end in the middle of the wet courtyard and you sense that they have been deliberately erased. Despite your advanced hunting skills, you are unable to determine into which building your enemy has escaped.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect148">If you wish to enter the municipal hall, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect267">If you wish to investigate the two-storey dwelling, <link-text>turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect175">
+ <meta><title>175</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The giant serpent resists your mental command to retreat, yet the strain of doing so leaves its body in a state of partial paralysis. Cautiously you advance, keeping a wary eye on its trembling form as you skirt around the serpent and inch your way towards the opposite tunnel. However, you have progressed only a few yards when you feel the floor sloping away beneath your feet. The water is getting deeper.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect234">If you possess Magi-magic, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect176">
+ <meta><title>176</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You use your Kai mastery to blur the outline of your body in the hope that the onrushing bolt of energy will miss its mark.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. For every level of Kai rank you have attained above that of Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect291">If your total is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect166">If it is 5 or higher, <link-text>turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect177">
+ <meta><title>177</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pick up the ticking bomb and examine it carefully. Below the illuminated panel, which is counting down the seconds, you see four small windows which display a sequence of numbers. Beneath these windows are tiny buttons which, when pressed, change the numbers that are displayed. The third window in the sequence is blank and, when you concentrate upon it, your Kai senses reveal to you that by keying-in the missing number in the sequence you will prevent the bomb from exploding.</p>
+ <p>Study the following sequence of numbers carefully. When you think you know the solution, turn to the page number that is the same as your answer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect269">If you guess incorrectly, or if you cannot determine the missing number, <link-text>turn instead to 269</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect178">
+ <meta><title>178</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your psychic powers prove very effective: the giant insect obeys your command not to attack. Yet, before it flys away, it sprays the stamen with a misty vapour which causes the petals to close up.</p>
+ <p>Hurriedly you retreat along the stamen and narrowly avoid being crushed to death as the huge petals fold in on themselves. Your innate Kai Discipline of Animal Control has saved you from a confrontation with the giant insect, yet the creature has used its own innate abilities to thwart your chances of escaping from the plant this way. The vapour condenses and runs along the stamen, making it difficult for you to maintain your grip, and reluctantly you are forced to retreat all the way down to the bowl of the corolla, to where the hollow stem is now the only chance you have of getting out of this plant alive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103"><link-text>Turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect179">
+ <meta><title>179</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unfortunately you are detected by one of the greyskinned creatures as you pass directly over their fluid-filled trough. It raises the alarm and frantically its ragged brothers scramble to unshoulder and load their bows.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect198">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect231">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 231</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect180">
+ <meta><title>180</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Arrows splash into the mire, dangerously close. You sense that this volley was not aimed at you; it was let loose in the hope of hitting you by chance. Anxious to avoid a second volley, you increase your pace and sprint across the vault towards the exit tunnel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect70"><link-text>Turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect181">
+ <meta><title>181</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your advanced psychic defences save you from sustaining severe damage to the fabric of your mind. However, the surprise assault on your mental defences has bought this castle guardian the precious few seconds he needs in which to advance upon you. As the pain in your head recedes, you see the armoured warrior striding towards you with his sword raised high, poised ready to deal you a mighty blow.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Meghanic</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">48</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This being is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect182">
+ <meta><title>182</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Looking around the walls of this tomb brings back memories of the time that you ventured into the Graveyard of the Ancients. The shape of the urns which stand here are identical to those that you discovered by chance in the tombs beneath that forbidden burial ground. The recollection chills you, for clearly you recall that those urns contained deadly Crypt Spawn.</p>
+ <p>You focus your sixth sense on the urns that line this chamber and, to your relief, you detect no living creatures lurking within. You instruct the others to examine them with care and, to your surprise, they discover that some contain Laumspur leaves. They are spotted with age but they still possess their healing powers. (There are enough leaves here for three potions of Laumspur. Each potion counts as one Backpack Item and will restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points when swallowed immediately after combat.)</p>
+ <p>You are helping Blazer to tilt one of the urns when a sudden and unexpected noise at the far end of the chamber sets your pulse racing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80"><link-text>Turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect183">
+ <meta><title>183</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Kekataag the Avenger is attired in battle armour that glimmers like slime-dulled gold. Beneath his helmet there is a hollow skull-face from which emerges a sickly stench that permeates even the foul air of this hall. The skulls and bones of humans bedeck his armoured hide and in his mighty hands he carries a great two-handed axe, its blade stained black with the blood of his countless victims.</p>
+ <p>This fearsome warrior holds you with his glowing eyes and you feel waves of powerful psychic energy buffet your mind. Your advanced Kai defences repel this attack, but you are left in no doubt that he is deeply jealous of your supposed defeat of Lone Wolf.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect255"><link-text>Turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect184">
+ <meta><title>184</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call upon your advanced mastery to mask the goodly aura that radiates from your body. Then, having mustered your Kai camouflage skills, you enter the vault and make your way stealthily towards the exit on the far side.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance and Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect313">If your total score is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect236">If it is 6 or higher, <link-text>turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect185">
+ <meta><title>185</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race towards the hover-wagon and, as it sweeps by, you hurl yourself towards its open cargo bay. You hit the side of the vehicle with numbing force (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), but you manage to keep your grip and haul yourself aboard.</p>
+ <p>By the time the wagon reaches the windswept moat, you have concealed yourself in amongst its cargo of steel cylinders and bales of wire. You hear the distant clang of a bell and, from your hiding place, you are able to watch as the drawbridge extends from beneath the portal to span the deep chasm. Swiftly the wagon passes across the semi-transparent bridge and glides through the tower's open portal unchallenged.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect42"><link-text>Turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect186">
+ <meta><title>186</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your killing blow opens a gash across the giant insect's belly and brings the creature crashing down into the plant's corolla. Hurriedly you retreat along the stamen and narrowly avoid being crushed to death beneath its huge rainbow-coloured torso. You have triumphed in combat, yet the creature's death has thwarted your chances of escaping this way. Slippery ichor drips from its fatal wound and runs along the stamen, making it difficult for you to maintain your grip, and the bulk of its lifeless body now blocks any chance of your being able to escape upwards.</p>
+ <p>Reluctantly you are forced to retreat all the way down to the bowl of the corolla, to where the hollow stem is the only chance you now have of getting out of this sinister plant alive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103"><link-text>Turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect187">
+ <meta><title>187</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You concentrate your attention upon the cutting edge of your weapon and, using your advanced skill, cause tongues of magical flame to ignite along its length. Then you vigorously attack the sticky strands of the net and cleave through them with surprising ease. They shrivel at the touch of your fiery weapon and drop in smouldering heaps onto the floor of the tunnel. Within a matter of seconds you have cut a path through and are able to continue your pursuit.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect316"><link-text>Turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect188">
+ <meta><title>188</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You approach the hut and crouch down beside its mud wall, close to its open door. Your senses detect no glyphs or other traps here, and there are no residues of magical energy that might betray the presence of illusions or shielding spells. However, your Kai senses do detect a strong aura of evil lingering at the rear of the hut, close to the water's edge.</p>
+ <p>You move around to the rear of this hovel and discover that the bank is deeply undercut where the soft earth has been eroded by the fast-flowing stream. Standing in a line in the shadow of the undercut are a dozen wooden cages, each containing a fleshless skeleton. A shiver runs down your spine as your Magnakai Discipline of Divination detects the lingering agonies of these luckless victims. They suffered cruelly at the hands of the natives of this settlement before death finally ended their torment. The shock of your discovery is unnerving: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>You leave the stream and return to the front of the hut. Inside the open doorway you discover several fruits stacked in mounds on a mat of woven rushes. Somewhat to your surprise, your senses reveal that they are nutritious and safe to eat. (There are sufficient fruits here for 3 Meals.)</p>
+ <p>Wary of further delay, you approach the trench at the centre of the hut and descend a flight of steps that lead down to an underground tunnel. You can detect no traps, yet you have gone only a few yards along this narrow passageway when you hear the terrifying roar of a large cat. With an abruptness that takes your breath away, a huge tiger-like beast comes bounding from out of the darkness ahead. So sudden and unexpected is this creature's attack, that you only just have time in which to unsheathe a hand weapon as it hurls itself upon you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Rahjaz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">41</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect189">
+ <meta><title>189</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You ask Steel Hand to give you his rope and he obeys dutifully. You sling its coiled length around your shoulder and then you commence your climb. The rough, pitted wall offers many handholds and you progress swiftly to the ceiling where you are able to work your way quickly across to the middle of the chamber, directly above the fissure. Once you are in position, you fix one end of the rope to an exposed stone beam and cast the other end to your companions waiting below. One by one you watch them swing across the void and, when all have crossed safely, you untie the rope and make your way over to the far side to join them.</p>
+ <p>'Come, my lords,' you say, anxious to waste not a minute more, 'we must press on. We've a trail to find.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect160"><link-text>Turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect190">
+ <meta><title>190</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You rush to the nearest dragonfly pen and use your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control to subdue its hostile occupant. Reluctantly the creature submits to your will and allows you to climb upon its back. It has no saddle, and so you are forced to grip its scaly back as best you can as it rapidly takes to the air. Fear is running ice-cold in your veins as you urge the creature towards the open portal in the roof, for you know that the bomb is set to explode at any moment.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect335">If the number you have picked is 0-3, <link-text>turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect278">If it is 4-6, <link-text>turn to 278</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect218">If it is 7-9, <link-text>turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect191">
+ <meta><title>191</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You emerge from the cave mouth, staying as low as you can and making the most of what little foliage there is in the clearing. You are so successful that you come to within twenty yards of your enemy's hiding place before he spots your approach.</p>
+ <p>The sudden realization that you are so close shocks your adversary to the core. You see his mouth drop open, revealing teeth that show white against the green of the jungle, then he regains his senses and rapidly disappears into the undergrowth. Determined that you are not going to allow him to get away so easily, you leap to your feet and give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect192">
+ <meta><title>192</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The sudden shock of impact nearly knocks you off the back of your flying steed. Frantically you scramble to regain your seat and, as you pull yourself upright, you notice that the enemy is now more than a hundred feet below; the momentum of its attack has carried it deeper into the cavern.</p>
+ <p>Your mount seizes its slim advantage and climbs as fast as it can to get away from the larger dragonfly. The enemy circles about, as if preparing to pursue, then it emits a loud buzz and changes its course. You watch with relief as it spirals away towards a cluster of smaller dragonflies that are hovering near the centre of the gorge.</p>
+ <p>Several minutes elapse before your tireless mount reaches the apex of the cavern and soars into the light-filled vent. Upon entering this vast aperture you are buffeted by crosswinds which sweep you and your air-steed precariously close to its rocky lip. The shock of the unexpectedly violent wind causes your mount to circle around the lip and attempt to dive back into the cavern. Blind with fear, it no longer responds to your commands, forcing you to take drastic action to avoid being carried back into the gorge. As you swoop past a rocky outcrop, you leap from the creature's back and abandon yourself to the mercy of the crosswinds. Only your Kai mastery and your lightning-swift reactions save you from being crushed to death as you are blown towards the jagged, volcanic edge.</p>
+ <p>Miraculously, you survive the impact and are able to haul yourself out of the vent and climb safely onto a surface that, you assume, is the roof of the cavern. Seeking shelter from the raging crosswinds, you squeeze yourself into a hollow in the porous rock from where you are able to take stock of your new surroundings. The sight makes you gasp, for it is a view to rival the fertile wonders of the cavern below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect193">
+ <meta><title>193</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a dozen paces of the stairs when suddenly one of the grey-skinned creatures turns and sniffs the air; it has detected your scent. It scans the hall and the moment its ghoulish eyes focus on your body it raises the alarm. Frantically, its ragged brothers scramble to the stairs to deny you access to the balcony and archway above.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>6 Avarosi</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">44</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">48</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>You cannot evade this combat; you must fight these foes to the finish.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect325">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect194">
+ <meta><title>194</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Mentally you recite the words of the spell Breathe Water and feel strength coursing through your limbs as the pain in your air-starved lungs melts away. The creature is unaware of your ability to survive underwater and this gives you a strong advantage; it is slow to react to your initial attack.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ekmakon</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain in the first two rounds of this combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect195">
+ <meta><title>195</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Release him, my lord,' says Banedon. The Baron, caught off-guard by the sudden disappearance of the magical shield and the Guildmaster's unexpected request, takes a step backwards and reaches nervously for his sword.</p>
+ <p>'Have no fear,' says Banedon, staying the Baron's hand, 'for we have here the real Grand Master of the Kai.'</p>
+ <p>'How can you be so sure?' retorts Caldar. Banedon smiles and points to the amulet that you wear around your neck.</p>
+ <p>'Look there,' he says. 'No agent of Naar could tolerate the touch of that goodly artifact. Banish your doubts, my lord. This man is Lone Wolf.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect88"><link-text>Turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect196">
+ <meta><title>196</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You place an arrow to your bowstring and draw it taut to your lips. Expertly you gauge the distance to your target and then let your arrow fly. It arcs into the jungle and slams into the tree behind which your enemy is part-hidden, peppering his face with splinters of damp wood.</p>
+ <p>He curses you, his teeth showing white against the green of the jungle as he spits out fragments of tree bark. Then he springs from his hiding place and disappears into the undergrowth. Determined that you are not going to allow him to get away so easily, you dash out of the tunnel and give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect197">
+ <meta><title>197</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having been detected, you attempt a hasty escape and sprint as fast as you can towards the exit. As you run, a volley of bone arrows comes whistling down from the iron cauldron. One of the arrows grazes your left shoulder and gouges a furrow of skin from the back of your left thigh. You stifle a cry, but the intense pain that grips your injured limbs warns you at once that the tip of the arrow was tainted with poison.</p>
+ <p>Your innate healing skills counter the poison before it can do its deadly work, but your body's defences draw heavily on your reserves of strength and the curing process leaves you feeling weak and light-headed: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect70">To continue, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect198">
+ <meta><title>198</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You extend your right arm and point your hand at the trough below. Then you utter the words of the Brotherhood spell Lightning Hand and a familiar tingle rushes along your arm to explode into life at the tip of your index finger. A bolt of blue fire arcs downwards to the oily surface and, with a deafening wumph!, it ignites the liquid to create a blazing fireball. Greedily, this guttering ball of flame consumes the creatures who are gathered around the lip of the trough, sparing none. The heat from the blast buffets you and singes your tunic and cloak, but your body survives unscathed.</p>
+ <p>On reaching the balcony you speak the words which negate the effects of the Teleport spell, and the moment your feet touch the ground you hurry into the archway beyond.</p>
+ <p>Use of the Teleport spell has cost you 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Remember to make the necessary adjustment to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50">To continue, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect199">
+ <meta><title>199</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The first thing you see are the creature's eyes. Like two strips of molten sulphur, they radiate a cold, yellow light. Then you glimpse the outline of its angular shoulders, its square snout, and its gleaming steel forelegs. Oily drool hangs from an iron jaw which is set with jagged blades. As this shocking jaw widens, you hear the whir of metal cogs and gears.</p>
+ <p>You can be fearless in the face of foes of flesh and blood, but this steel wolf strikes terror in your heart. You turn and flee towards the distant door, praying that it will lead to a safe haven from this bloodless beast, but you reach it only to discover that it is locked. Frantically you search for a bolt or a keyhole but there are none. Then you locate two squares of opaque crimson gemstone set into the wall. The squares are like those you encountered at the entrance to the temple of Avaros, yet these differ in one important respect: they are separated by a small slot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect261">If you possess an Iron Disc, <link-text>turn to 261</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect210">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect200">
+ <meta><title>200</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Fiery winds sear your face and body as you, and your adversary, tumble headlong towards the whirling white heart of the vortex. Motes of fire stream past on all sides and a roaring wind howls like a demon in your ears. You pass through a cloud of sparkling vapour which wraps threads of silver light around your limbs and torso. As you emerge from the cloud, this shimmering cocoon grows tighter and tighter until the pain becomes almost unbearable.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect229">If you possess Grand Nexus, and have attained the rank of Grand Thane, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect281">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect201">
+ <meta><title>201</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The seething horde of needle-fanged horrors attempt to surround and overwhelm you. They seem undaunted by the divine glow of your wondrous blade - a blade that can seal their doom.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Cryopedeans</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">45</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect350">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect202">
+ <meta><title>202</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>To your amazement, the portal begins to rise of its own accord. You wait until it has risen a few feet and you are sure that no enemy awaits you on the other side, then you duck under the heavy iron plate and hurry into the tunnel beyond. As you run, you hear the portal slamming shut behind you with a dull reverberating boom.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115"><link-text>Turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect203">
+ <meta><title>203</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This psychic assault has been one of the worst you have ever experienced. You have survived it, but your Kai senses warn you that your ordeal has not ended; it has only just begun. You force open your eyes and look with dread at the terrible threat that waits to confront you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect204">
+ <meta><title>204</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You feel a searing wave of heat wash over your body as the fireball reaches its peak and then rapidly dies to form a spluttering flame which clings to the mouth of the fountain. None of the creatures have survived the conflagration and you are able to cross the hall and ascend the stairs to the balconied archway without meeting any resistance.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50">To continue, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect205">
+ <meta><title>205</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Guided by your Kai mastery, you successfully avoid the tumbling debris until you reach the base of the skull-rock. Here you are struck by a falling boulder which clips your left shoulder and leaves you sprawled on the floor: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Your arm may be injured but your spirit refuses to give up. Cradling your injured arm, you stagger to your feet and hurry through the misty opening. Barely seconds later there is a tremendous explosion and the entire temple ceiling caves in.</p>
+ <p>In addition to the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points loss, you soon discover that you have also lost 1 Backpack Item. Delete from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> the third item you have recorded on your list of Backpack Items.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect174">To continue, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect206">
+ <meta><title>206</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Wary of danger, you focus your Kai sixth sense on the urns and caskets which line this chamber and, to your relief, detect no evil creatures lurking within. You instruct the others to examine them with care and, to your surprise, they discover that some contain Laumspur leaves. They are spotted with age but they still possess healing powers. (There are enough leaves here for three potions of Laumspur. Each potion counts as one Backpack Item and will restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points when swallowed immediately after combat.)</p>
+ <p>You are helping Blazer to tilt one of the urns when a sudden and unexpected noise at the far end of the chamber sets your pulse racing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect80"><link-text>Turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect207">
+ <meta><title>207</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lower yourself through the hole and catch sight of Wolf's Bane running away. He is clutching at his injured leg as he weaves and swerves to avoid the debris which litters his escape route. You move to follow him, but your attention is momentarily distracted by something that has fallen from his tunic pocket. It is a small disc of bronze that is engraved with alien symbols. (You must keep this Bronze Disc. Record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item. You must discard one non-weapon Special Item in its favour if you already hold the maximum number permissible.)</p>
+ <p>You pocket the disc and give chase. Despite his wounded leg, your adversary is more familiar with this treacherous cityscape and he widens the gap between you. Soon you have lost sight of him completely. However, he cannot shake you off his trail, and you have no difficulty following his tracks as they leave the building and wend their way across a desolate wasteland beyond. You follow his footprints to a gutted building, several storeys high, which is adorned with strangely angular gargoyles. The inside of this crumbling edifice is completely empty and your adversary's trail passes through it to a rear exit. As you emerge on the far side, you catch your first breathtaking glimpse of this grim city's tallest structure.</p>
+ <p>It is a great tower of gleaming black stone which rises from the depths of a fathomless moat and soars to within a hundred feet of the stormy grey clouds. Its pitted surface bristles with metal discs and antennae, streaked with rust, yet there are few windows and you can see but one portal. Wolf's Bane is limping towards it. He approaches the deep trench that rings the tower's base and, as he halts at the edge, a semi-transparent drawbridge extends from beneath the portal. It resembles a flattened beam of solid, green-grey light. This beam bridges the moat and provides your enemy with a means to reach the open tower door.</p>
+ <p>Powerless to stop him, you can only stand and watch as he crosses the moat and disappears into the tower. At first glance this stronghold looks to be impregnable, but you have gained access to far tougher fortresses in the past and you do not allow your spirits to be dampened by the difficult task of finding a way into this one.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308"><link-text>Turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect208">
+ <meta><title>208</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Drawing upon your Animal Mastery, you will the giant snake to retreat towards the far wall of the cavern. Its hypnotic eyes widen and its huge body trembles as it struggles to resist your psychic command.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. Add 1 to the number you have picked for every level of Kai mastery you have attained above the rank of Kai Grand Guardian.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect175">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect32">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect209">
+ <meta><title>209</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unshoulder your bow and draw an arrow from your quiver. As you fix the notch of the arrow to the bowstring, you cast the Old Kingdom battle spell Flameshaft upon its tip, keeping the last word of the spell upon your lips until you are ready to fire.</p>
+ <p>Patiently you watch the warrior kicking at the smouldering remains of the iron chest. The moment he turns away, you utter the completing word of the spell and let loose your arrow at his back. The tip of the arrow ignites in flight, the magical flame illuminating the gloom as it arcs towards your unwary target with deadly precision. The fiery point penetrates deep into the metal canister strapped to the warrior's back and, in a terrifying instant, he and his sorcerous weapon are engulfed by a crackling mass of electrical energy. He screams and staggers across the floor, his limbs and torso trailing blue-white snakes of light which earth themselves to the surrounding metal debris. Then, finally, the energy that is contained within the canister is expended. Released from his torment, he loses his balance and falls heavily to the floor.</p>
+ <p>You shoulder your bow and move to descend from the top of the storage tank, but you freeze when you see a second warrior running to where the first has fallen. As he passes beneath the tank, you leap onto his back and bring him crashing to the ground. To your shocked surprise you discover that he is an exceptionally strong opponent. He draws power from the armour he wears and he uses it to break your grip. In desperation you utter the words of the Old Kingdom spell Energy Grasp and use it to discharge a powerful pulse of energy into the fabric of his armour. The effect is devastating. His armour disintegrates, crushing him to death as it crumples and compresses his body.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect21"><link-text>Turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect210">
+ <meta><title>210</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The rasping growl of the metal wolf is steadily getting louder. The sinister sound makes your palms slick with cold sweat as you feverishly examine the door and the locking mechanism set into the wall nearby.</p>
+ <p>The gemstone squares are sensitive devices which secure this door. By tapping upon each of them a correct number of times you will cause the lock to disengage and the door will open. You place your fingers lightly upon the squares and feel the telltale vibrations that are the key to deciphering their secret code. Aided by your Kai skills, you are able to determine that the first code is equal to the number of named Kirlundin islands north of Egen. The second code is equal to the number of villages to the east of Ragadorn.</p>
+ <p>In order to discover the exact numbers that will open the door, consult the map.</p>
+ <p>When you think you know the two-digit solution, turn to the entry that is the same number as your answer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect134">If you cannot decipher the codes, <link-text>turn instead to 134</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect211">
+ <meta><title>211</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment the rock passes over the glyph there is a blinding flash of white light, followed almost instantly by the deafening crackle of exploding electrical energies. Splinters of stone ricochet from the gravestone behind which you and your fellow Kai have wisely taken cover, and the stench of scorched earth and ozone assails your nostrils.</p>
+ <p>Then, abruptly, the noise and light cease and the burial ground is shrouded once more in gloomy silence. You peer over the gravestone to see that the doorway is now clear of rubble, save for the slab upon which the glyph is inscribed. The destructive power of the glyph has been discharged, but only temporarily. Your senses warn you that it is recharging; you have but a few seconds in which to enter the tomb before the magical device is active once more.</p>
+ <p>'Quickly, my lords,' you say, as you spring to your feet and hurry towards the entrance, 'Follow me!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect131"><link-text>Turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect212">
+ <meta><title>212</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You call on your advanced Kai mastery to protect you from the effects of being struck by a massive electrical charge. However, the bolt that is now speeding towards your head is not a natural phenomenon - it is wholly magical in nature. The protection of your advanced Discipline may not be sufficient to save you from this crackling bolt of magical fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. For every level of Kai rank you have attained above that of Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect291">If your total is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect166">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect213">
+ <meta><title>213</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You hear the pot splash into the mire and the sound makes you spin around and reach for your weapon. The two angry reptilians clamber out of the pot and come rushing at you with jagged bone swords clutched tightly in their hands. They hiss and howl as simultaneously they launch themselves upon you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>2 Knoarcs</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">41</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>These beings are immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect129">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect214">
+ <meta><title>214</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You retreat along the stamen as fast as you can, yet the sticky pollen conspires to slow you down. Then there is a sudden rush of air and you are forced to flatten yourself behind a gluey pollen cluster as the insect's lance-like proboscis comes hurtling towards your back.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Disciplines of Grand Pathsmanship and Assimilance, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect295">If your total score is now 0-4, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect22">If it is 5 or higher, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect215">
+ <meta><title>215</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the cover of the leafy undergrowth you observe the primitive settlement for several minutes. During this vigil, you are bitten on the wrist by a small, ugly-looking spider which you crush immediately under your heel. The spider's bite is poisonous, but you are saved from a long and painful death by your innate Kai healing powers which eradicate the venom from your blood: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>As time ticks by you become increasingly restless. You can detect no signs of life around the settlement and you are haunted by the fear that you may have allowed your adversary's trail to go cold. Prompted by this anxiety, you move closer to the settlement under cover of the thick jungle foliage. The line of deserted mud huts look innocuous, but the words of the voice of Naar still linger in your memory. This humid jungle realm lies within his domain; it is therefore reasonable to expect that any inhabitants of this place will be wholly devoted to the cause of Evil.</p>
+ <p>You reach the edge of the undergrowth and pause to assess potential threats. The huts are semi-derelict, all bearing some signs of neglect and decay. The nearest one is a clay-tiled hovel that, like the others, appears to be empty. But when you focus upon its open doorway you see that a trench has been cut into its earth floor. You magnify your vision and at once you detect steps in the wall of this excavation, leading underground.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect306">If you wish to enter the hut and investigate where these steps lead to, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If you choose instead to check the hut for traps, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect216">
+ <meta><title>216</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>In response to your prayer, you feel a warm and glowing sensation deep within your chest. This feeling grows and then pulses through your body and your mind, leaving you physically and mentally refreshed and alert: restore 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Confident that the divine Gods of Good are watching over you in your moment of truth, you throw open the doors and stride boldly into the hall beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect240"><link-text>Turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect217">
+ <meta><title>217</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You unsheathe your weapon and dive aside to avoid the Bangrol as it swoops out of the chimney and attempts to claw you with its razor-sharp talons.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Bangrol</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you win this combat in 3 rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If the combat goes to a fourth round, do not continue the fight. Instead, <link-text>turn immediately to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect218">
+ <meta><title>218</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You escape through the steel roof of the tower and catch a fleeting glimpse of the rainswept city far below. Suddenly there is a tremendous flash as the bomb explodes and a debris-laden shockwave hits you from behind, flattening you against the dragonfly's crusty neck: lost 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Your winged mount is hit by twisted metal from the blast which tears open its vulnerable belly. You feel it shudder, and then, in a terrifying instant, it ceases to beat its gossamer wings. Moments later you find yourself clinging desperately to its back as it plummets towards the ruins of the alien city.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect76">If you possess Deliverance, and have attained the rank of Sun Knight, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect226">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 226</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect219">
+ <meta><title>219</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You recite the words of the Old Kingdom battle spell Shield and circle your arm in a wide arc before you. The reptilians cackle with glee as they finish reloading their bows, and together they lean over the lip of the pot and take aim at your seemingly unprotected body. Simultaneously they let fire, sending a stream of arrows whistling towards your chest, but none of them find their mark. The bone shafts shatter to pieces as they smash into your invisible shield.</p>
+ <p>Your thwarted enemies curse you vilely as they fumble to reload once more. It will take them less than a minute to achieve this task and so, mindful of the impending danger, you turn and hurriedly examine the sealed portal for a lever or some other means to make it rise.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect18"><link-text>Turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect220">
+ <meta><title>220</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You can feel a warm breeze wafting along this new hallway and you sense that it comes from a stairwell at its far end. When you investigate it, you rediscover Wolf's Bane's footprints on the stone steps. You cast your hands over them and detect that this is not a false trail: your enemy passed this way sometime within the last hour.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you ascend the stairs and arrive at the arched entrance to a large, vaulted stone chamber. Gathered around a fountain set into its north wall are a group of six grey-skinned humanoids. They are busy drinking a clear, oily fluid that pours from the fountain's spout into a semi-circular trough. All are barefoot and clad in rags, and they are each armed with a spear and a bow. The only exit from this chamber appears to be an archway set high in the north wall. There is a balcony in front of it that can only be reached by two flights of stairs which rise up on either side of the fountain.</p>
+ <p>Quietly you observe the creatures slaking their thirsts, and you try to formulate a way in which you can get past them and reach the balconied exit in the north wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect138">If you possess a Bow, and the Discipline of Magi-magic, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect26">If you possess Kai-alchemy and have attained the rank of Grand Crown (and wish to use it), <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you do not possess these skills, or a Bow, or if you have yet to attain the required levels of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect221">
+ <meta><title>221</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The shock of impact sends you tumbling helplessly into the gorge. You fall several hundred feet before you finally stop spinning, yet before you can unscramble your senses, you are struck from behind by the predatory dragonfly. White hot pain shoots through your body as you are impaled upon the tip of the creature's proboscis. You struggle to get free but your strength quickly deserts you. Mercifully, you are spared further agonies when you slip into unconsciousness - the prelude to a sleep from which you never awaken.</p>
+ <p>Sadly, your life and your quest end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect222">
+ <meta><title>222</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have leapt and scrambled your way to the base of the skull-rock, when suddenly a starburst of pain explodes in your head and the taste of blood fills your mouth. You fall face-first to the ground, breaking your nose on impact, but you are numb to the pain; a falling boulder has already snapped your neck in two.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your duel come to an end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect223">
+ <meta><title>223</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The blast sends you tumbling backwards into the chamber. The instant you come to rest, you roll over onto your hands and knees and try to scramble back onto your feet. But before you can do so, something heavy strikes your side and knocks you down, pinning your legs to the ground. You reach out to pull yourself free and discover that the heavy object is Black Hawk. Dazed and trembling but otherwise uninjured, you drunkenly help each other to stand.</p>
+ <p>Once you are upright, you look around and see that the others have all been knocked flat by the blast. They, too, are now struggling to pull themselves to their feet. Fortunately their innate Kai skills appear to have spared them from serious injury. However, you sense that your inability to detect that the wall was an explosive illusion has shaken their confidence.</p>
+ <p>'Our prey is far more cunning than I feared,' you say, reproachfully, 'but we are Kai and we shall rise to the challenge. Our enemy possesses strong magic and he is capable of masking it well. Yet he chooses to use it to wound and weaken our party, not to kill us. Why this should be I do not know. But from now on we cannot entirely trust our senses to protect us. We must proceed with the utmost caution.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect345"><link-text>Turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect224">
+ <meta><title>224</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You lower yourself through the hole in the floor and quickly give chase. Wolf's Bane sprints through the ruined building, leaping obstacles with a catlike grace that rivals your own legendary agility. He is more familiar with this treacherous cityscape and, despite your best efforts, he soon widens the gap between you until you lose sight of him completely. Yet he cannot shake you off his trail, and you have no difficulty following his tracks as they leave the building and wend their way across the desolate wasteland beyond. You follow his footprints to a gutted building, several storeys high, which is adorned with strangely angular gargoyles. The inside of this crumbling edifice is completely empty and your adversary's trail passes through it to a rear exit. As you emerge on the far side, you catch your first breathtaking glimpse of this grim city's tallest structure.</p>
+ <p>It is a great tower of gleaming black stone which rises from the depths of a fathomless moat and soars to within a hundred feet of the stormy grey clouds. Its pitted surface bristles with metal discs and antennae, streaked with rust, yet there are few windows and you can see but one portal. Wolf's Bane is running towards it. He approaches the deep trench that rings the tower's base and, as he halts at the edge, a semi-transparent drawbridge extends from beneath the portal. It resembles a flattened beam of solid, green-grey light. This beam bridges the moat and provides your enemy with a means to reach the open tower door.</p>
+ <p>Powerless to stop him, you can only stand and watch as he crosses the moat and disappears into the tower. At first glance this stronghold looks to be impregnable, but you have gained access to far tougher fortresses in the past and you do not allow your spirits to be dampened by the difficult task of finding a way into this one.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308"><link-text>Turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect225">
+ <meta><title>225</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Using your psychic and pathsmanship skills, you focus your attention on the iron pot and determine that the two creatures lurking inside are armed with a variety of weapons. Your acute senses detect the presence of bone, oiled twine and bronze, as well as some volatile chemicals which you cannot identify. Also, you sense that they possess very sensitive hearing and are receptive to goodly auras. There is a very great risk that if you attempt to cross the vault undetected, relying solely on your advanced camouflage skills, these ambushers would be able to detect you using their own innate abilities.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect184">If you possess Kai-screen, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Crown, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect105">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect226">
+ <meta><title>226</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw upon your Magnakai Disciplines of curing and animal control in a desperate attempt to revive your unconscious mount before it is too late.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is 20 or higher, add 1 to the number you have picked. If it is 10 or lower, deduct 1.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect89">If your total score is 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect346">If it is 3 or higher, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect227">
+ <meta><title>227</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The iron portal grinds to a close behind your back, shutting out the storm so completely that the roar of the wind instantly disappears. The abrupt silence and lower air pressure within this entry chamber makes your ears pop painfully. You lower the hood of your cloak and carefully wipe the sand from your eyes before taking your first tentative steps across the antechamber's polished glass floor.</p>
+ <p>You pass through a triangular arch and down a ramp that leads to an echoing hallway. The floor and walls of this broad hall are fashioned from a black glassy mineral that is veined with fluorescent greens and sickly purples. You sense strong pulses of psychic power radiating from an open arch at the far side of the hall and your skin prickles with a presentiment of danger. You unsheathe your weapon and move towards the arch with the utmost caution; you are expecting the unexpected.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect228">
+ <meta><title>228</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>It takes you nearly half an hour to cleave a path through these magical strands, and the effort leaves you tired and aching with fatigue.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If the number you have picked is O-4, reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 1 point. If the number you have picked is 5-9, reduce your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 2 points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect316">To continue, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect229">
+ <meta><title>229</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Rapidly the pain melts away as your advanced Kai mastery sheathes and protects you from the crushing grip of the vortex. The strands of light unravel themselves and dissolve as you plummet ever nearer to the blazing white heart of this cosmic whhipool. Then, at the moment you plunge into its core, your senses are obliterated and you are engulfed by total darkness.</p>
+ <p>From out of the depths of this cold dark universe there appears a pinpoint of light. You feel yourself being drawn inexorably towards it and, although you struggle to resist, you cannot tear yourself free from its irresistible pull. You feel yourself accelerating towards it until the speck becomes as large as a glowing sun. Then, with an abruptness that leaves you gasping, there is a flash of blue-white light and you find yourself lying spread-eagled upon a bed of moist green foliage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect49"><link-text>Turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect230">
+ <meta><title>230</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leap from the rent in the plant wall and land safely on a mound of soft black earth. As you struggle to your feet, you notice that this rich soil forms a narrow clearing between the base of the plant and the stems of many others, all of a similar species. Their colossal stalks soar into a dimly amber sky where gigantic flowering heads bend and sway in a humid breeze. Staring at this awe-inspiring canopy, hundreds of feet above, makes you feel incredibly small and vulnerable - like a tiny insect. This feeling is made worse when suddenly a huge, horse-sized beetle comes careering through the plant stems. Instinct and quick thinking save your skin. Instantly you freeze and the shiny black monstrosity ignores you and continues its chaotic rampage through this forest of gigantic plants.</p>
+ <p>It is several moments before your pulse slows and your senses detect a distant source of energy, somewhere away to the north. You cannot discern its nature or purpose but you feel compelled to investigate. Guided by your tracking skills, you trek through this extraordinary forest for nearly an hour before arriving at a huge clearing where, from the cover of a huge fallen leaf, you gaze upon a spectacular sight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect334"><link-text>Turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect231">
+ <meta><title>231</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are rapidly approaching the safety of the balcony, yet two of the ghoulish creatures manage to aim and fire their bows at you before you disappear out of their field of fire.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Assimilance, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect126">If your total score is now 2 or less, <link-text>turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect54">If it is 3 or higher, <link-text>turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect232">
+ <meta><title>232</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You throw yourself flat to the ground in a desperate attempt to avoid being hit by this deadly missile.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect8">If your total score is now 0, <link-text>turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect15">If it is 1-6, <link-text>turn to 15</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect86">If it is 7 or higher, <link-text>turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect233">
+ <meta><title>233</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You cast the Brotherhood spell Counterspell at the sticky strands, and watch as they sag and smoulder. Your magic has weakened the fabric of this net, but it has not completely removed it. You are forced to draw a weapon and slash your way through the remaining strands in order to be able to continue along this tunnel. (The fatigue of overcoming this obstacle costs you 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect316"><link-text>Turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect234">
+ <meta><title>234</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You recall the verses of the Old Kingdom spell Hold Enemy and as you whisper these arcane words, you focus upon the eyes of the chained serpent. Instantly, the creature ceases to thrash the water and falls silent and still, enabling you to wade across the deep channel which bisects this cavern.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect342"><link-text>Turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect235">
+ <meta><title>235</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tunnel zigzags to the left and right for several hundred yards before it widens at the entrance to a long, low-ceilinged hall. The slabs of stone which have so far paved the tunnel end abruptly at the entrance to this chamber. The floor here appears to be made of a gritty brown soil that gives off a pungent, earthy aroma. You scan its surface but you can see no tracks - it looks perfectly smooth.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect164">If you possess Kai-alchemy, <link-text>turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect48">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect236">
+ <meta><title>236</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within a few yards of the exit when suddenly you hear gleeful, rasping voices. You have been detected! Your immediate reaction is to bolt for the tunnel and, as you run, arrows whistle down to splash into the mire all around your feet. Anxious to avoid risking being hit by a second volley, you increase your pace as you approach the mouth of the tunnel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect70"><link-text>Turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect237">
+ <meta><title>237</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You feel the strength ebbing from your limbs as the pain in your air-starved lungs begins to worsen. You are near to the bottom of the flooded cellar when you manage to unsheathe your weapon and strike out at your rubbery foe.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Ekmakon</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by five for the duration of this fight, due to your lack of oxygen.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect9">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect238">
+ <meta><title>238</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The Baron escorts you and Banedon through the echoing corridors of his castle, past watchful ranks of court guards and Border Rangers, to a hall which is lavishly furnished with Durenese oak and rare silken tapestries. Awaiting you there are a group of young men attired in hooded grey cloaks and close-fitting tunics. You recognize them immediately for they are four of your most promising students - Kai Masters Black Hawk, Star Lynx, Blazer and Steel Hand.</p>
+ <p>'Praise Ishir you've returned to us, Grand Master!' says Black Hawk, laying his right hand across his chest in a formal Kai salute. His companions breathe an audible sigh of relief as they, too, salute you and bow in deference to your rank.</p>
+ <p>'Stand easy, my lords,' you say, smiling as you motion them to relax. 'It warms my heart and gives me strength to be with you again.'</p>
+ <p>'We have heard the Guildmaster's account,' says red-haired Blazer, 'and we await your orders, my lord. Upon your command we will find the impostor and avenge the honour of the Kai.'</p>
+ <p>You are about to give your answer when a court herald announces the unexpected arrival of Lord Foilan, Reeve-lieutenant of Tyso, the man charged with keeping law and order in the city. Upon entering the hall he is momentarily taken aback by the sight of you standing at the Baron's side.</p>
+ <p>'Calm yourself, Foilan,' says Baron Medar, 'this is the true Lone Wolf, not the impostor who stalks our land. What news have you?'</p>
+ <p>'Sire&ellips; the Kai impostor has been sighted within the hour by rangers in the city's North Quarter. They tried to take him captive but he slew two and wounded three of their number before escaping into the old necropolis. The city watch now have both entrances to the necropolis secure - he will not be permitted to escape.'</p>
+ <p>'Very good, my lord,' retorts the Baron, 'so we have him cornered.'</p>
+ <p>'If he's gone to ground in the old necropolis,' says Banedon, 'he'll be hard to track down. The catacombs of that ancient burial field are vast. It could take months to search them all.'</p>
+ <p>'Never fear,' you say confidently. 'With the help of my able young Kai Masters I shall track and trap this impostor before dawn.'</p>
+ <p>'Aye, my lord,' pipes Star Lynx, elated by the thought of the hunt, 'we'll flush this cur from his hole before sunrise and bring him to justice.'</p>
+ <p>Guided by Lord Foilan, you take your leave of Banedon and Baron Medar and depart from the castle on horseback, accompanied by your eager Kai. During your ride through the twisting, lanternlit streets of Tyso, you learn from Foilan that there are only two ways in and out of the city's old necropolis: by its South Gate or by its Western Arch.</p>
+ <p>'The impostor fled into the burial ground by the South Gate, my lord,' says Foilan, 'but that was more'n an hour ago. He'll be deep un'erground by now.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect337">If you wish to ask Foilan to lead you to the South Gate of the necropolis, <link-text>turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect323">If you choose to ask that he take you to the Western Arch instead, <link-text>turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect239">
+ <meta><title>239</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before your disbelieving eyes there spreads a vast volcanic landscape, punctuated by mountainous dunes of blue-grey sand and columns of towering rock. The amber sky is mottled and banded, like the eye of an angry tiger, and within its fathomless reaches you count twelve multi-coloured moons. These glowing spheres cast their light upon the burnt and crusty soil, lending it a ghostly aspect. Thick clouds, black and turgid, swollen with humid vapours, rear up like shadowy castles upon the far horizon. You can feel coarse grains of sand in the stinging crosswinds and your senses warn that a storm is fast approaching.</p>
+ <p>Seeking safer shelter from the coming storm, you get to your feet and cast your eyes across this warm yet unwelcoming land. Away to your right, lying less than a mile distant within a shallow basin of age-worn rock, you see a monstrous temple crafted from opaque black glass. Spikes of crystal embellish its many tiers and atop its highest level there stands a tower, tall and sleek.</p>
+ <p>A square of yellow light marks an open portal at the tower's base. You glimpse something standing in the doorway and, when you magnify your vision, you see that it is a cloaked warrior silhouetted against the portal's fiery glow. Your pulse quickens the instant you recognize the warrior. It is your accursed adversary - Wolf's Bane.</p>
+ <p>The compelling urge to move northwards, that you felt shortly after you broke free from the plant stem, returns to haunt your senses. You feel drawn towards the temple as if you are being summoned by a force beyond this world. Your sixth senses scream danger, and every fibre of your being knows it should resist, but you suppress these natural instincts and set off towards the temple. This towering edifice holds many dangers, of that you are in no doubt, yet bravely you resolve to confront and overcome them. Only by doing so can you hope to triumph over your enemy and find a way back to your home world of Magnamund.</p>
+ <p>During your difficult trek to the temple, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect251">To continue, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect240">
+ <meta><title>240</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The doors swing open onto a gallery which encircles three sides of a large banquet hall. Below, through the wooden spindles of the gallery's parapet rail, you can see the hall itself. Tapestries drape the walls and a blazing fire crackles in a great stone fireplace that occupies much of the north wall. Your adversary is sitting alone in a throne-like chair at the head of a long banqueting table. A plain, oblong-shaped wooden case lies closed on the table before him.</p>
+ <p>'Welcome, Lone Wolf - so glad you could join me,' he says, his voice oozing sarcasm as he gets to his feet and tilts his head condescendingly towards the gallery. You see his right hand move below the edge of the table and, moments later, you hear the double doors swing shut and lock behind you. Anxiously you cast your eyes around the hall, searching out his hidden accomplices.</p>
+ <p>'We're alone,' snaps Wolf's Bane. He raises a hand and beckons you to descend the gallery stairs to the hall below. 'The time has come, Lone Wolf. Our jaunt across Avaros has been leading to this moment of truth.'</p>
+ <p>Wolf's Bane reaches out to the slim case that is laid on the table before him and he flips open its lid. Inside you see two thin-bladed duelling rapiers couched on a velvet liner.</p>
+ <p>'We two are as equally matched as these fine blades,' he says, in a voice as syrupy as rancid molasses. 'Come, Lone Wolf. I challenge you to duel honourably. Come and choose your weapon and let fate decide who of us will triumph this day.'</p>
+ <p>You magnify your vision and scrutinize the open case. Your senses confirm that these swords are finely crafted blades. They are not booby-trapped, nor are they magically cursed in any way.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect304">If you choose to accept Wolf Bane's challenge to a duel to the death using these swords, <link-text>turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect85">If you choose to decline his challenge, <link-text>turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect241">
+ <meta><title>241</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your psychic command weakens the Bangrol's resolve, but it is already too late to turn aside its savage attack. This razor-clawed bird is set on a collision course with your face!</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Bangrol</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">34</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">30</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <choice idref="sect142">If you win this combat in two rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect19">If the combat goes to a third round, do not continue the fight. Instead, <link-text>turn immediately to 19</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect242">
+ <meta><title>242</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This lock looks similar to that which operates the door to the temple of Avaros, yet there is one important difference. The mechanism of this lock is genuinely protected by a powerful spell, shielded also by magic to prevent its detection. Your unsuccessful attempt to open the portal triggers this spell and causes a massive bolt of electrical energy to be discharged through your fingers, along your outstretched arm, and deep into your body.</p>
+ <p>A blinding flash of light obliterates your vision and an agonising pain explodes in your chest. The pain quickly fades, but it is replaced by a terrifying numbness. You feel weightless, as if you are falling through deep space. Briefly you try to resist this sensation but it is no use. You are falling into a sleep from which you will never awaken.</p>
+ <p>Sadly, your life and your duel against Wolf's Bane end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect243">
+ <meta><title>243</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This exit leads to an echoing tunnel constructed from sheeted steel. Its walls and ceiling are lined with iron pipes and braided copper cables for most of its length. You follow this passage for several hundred yards before arriving at another which crosses it from left to right.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect73">If you possess Telegnosis, and have attained the rank of Grand Thane, <link-text>turn to 73</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect347">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect244">
+ <meta><title>244</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The huge dragonfly swoops down like a hunting hawk and attempts to skewer you upon the sharp tip of its spear-like proboscis. You wait until the very last moment before twisting aside to avoid its lunge and, as it streaks past, you deal it a backhanded blow which tears a hole in its silvery wing. The wound is not fatal, but the damage to its wing is enough to render the hungry creature incapable of ascending any higher. It emits a loud buzz of frustration which fades as it slowly spirals away towards a cluster of smaller dragonflies hovering near the centre of the gorge.</p>
+ <p>At length you reach the apex of the cavern and soar into the light-filled vent. Upon entering this vast aperture you are buffeted by crosswinds which sweep you precariously towards its rocky lip. Only your Kai mastery and your lightning-swift reactions save you from being crushed to death as you are blown towards its jagged, volcanic edge.</p>
+ <p>You survive the impact and are able to haul yourself out of the vent and climb safely onto a surface that you assume to be the roof of the cavern. Seeking shelter from the raging crosswinds, you squeeze yourself into a hollow in the porous rock from where you are able to take stock of your new surroundings. The sight makes you gasp, for it is a view that truly rivals the fertile wonders of the cavern below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect245">
+ <meta><title>245</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Kai camouflage skills keep you hidden from the unwanted attentions of the creatures below, and you reach the balcony without being seen. Once you are here, you whisper the words which negate the effects of the spell and then you hurry into the archway.</p>
+ <p>Use of the Teleport spell costs you 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Remember to make the necessary adjustment to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50">To continue, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect246">
+ <meta><title>246</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You use your advanced mastery to find your enemy's tracks, and then you clear a path through the dense undergrowth which covers them. You sense that he has used magic to assist his escape, for the foliage here is entangled far tighter than in neighbouring areas of this jungle. Your advanced Discipline flattens the undergrowth as you advance, as if you were being preceded by some invisible battering ram. So effective is your skill that you gain ground on your fleeing enemy.</p>
+ <p>As you pass through a copse of toa trees, you hear the sound of running water away to your left. The tracks turn in this direction and you follow them all the way to the banks of a fast-flowing watercourse. Less than fifty yards downstream there is a primitive settlement of huts that form an untidy line along the banks of the stream. You catch sight of Wolf's Bane as he runs into this settlement and hides in the nearest hut - a mud-walled hovel with a clay tile roof.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect339">If you wish to stay in the jungle and observe the settlement, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect285">If you choose to continue your pursuit, you can approach the settlement under cover of the jungle, by <link-text>turning to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect247">
+ <meta><title>247</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Steel Hand pulls a rope from his backpack and volunteers to climb the rough-hewn chamber wall. The ceiling above is criss-crossed with buttresses and he is confident that he can affix his rope securely to one of them, thereby enabling your party to swing across the gaping fissure and reach the tunnel on the far side.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect119">If you decide to approve Steel Hand's suggestion, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect189">If you prefer instead to fix the rope yourself, <link-text>turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect248">
+ <meta><title>248</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You leap aside to avoid the missile, yet it alters course in mid-air and clips your shoulder as you fall to the frost-encrusted floor: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Quickly you scramble to your feet and look to see your opponent escaping up the darkened staircase. Calling upon your innate healing skills, you staunch the blood that is trickling freely from your wounded shoulder and hurry towards the stairs in pursuit of your hated foe.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect29"><link-text>Turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect249">
+ <meta><title>249</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your killing blow fells this feline horror, bringing it crashing nose-first to the dirt floor. The body of the beast almost blocks the passageway, forcing you to clamber over it in order to reach the other side. You are struggling across its still-warm carcass when you notice a thick leather collar buckled around its throat. Affixed to the buckle is a curious Black Clasp (if you wish to take this clasp, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item which you carry in the pocket of your tunic).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect120">To continue, <link-text>turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect250">
+ <meta><title>250</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you stands a great tower of gleaming black stone which rises from the depths of a fathomless moat and soars to within a hundred feet of the stormy grey clouds. Its pitted surface bristles with metal discs and antennae, streaked with rust, yet there are few windows and you can see but one portal.</p>
+ <p>You magnify your vision and note that your adversary's tracks lead to a traffic-worn area on this side of the moat, directly opposite the portal. You watch this area for several minutes, and then you see two armour-clad warriors emerge from the ruins and approach it. Suddenly a semi-transparent drawbridge extends from beneath the portal. It resembles a flattened beam of solid, green-grey light, and this beam bridges the moat and provides the two warriors with the means to reach the open tower door.</p>
+ <p>You scan the great tower with your senses and you feel sure that your opponent is lurking somewhere within. Powerless to reach him, you can only stand and watch the two warriors as they cross the moat and disappear into the portal, which slides shut behind them. At first glance this stronghold looks to be impregnable, but you have gained access to far tougher fortresses in the past and you refuse to allow your spirits to be dampened by the daunting task of finding a way into this one.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect308"><link-text>Turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect251">
+ <meta><title>251</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>By the time you reach the base of the temple, the storm is howling like a vengeful demon in your ears. Stinging blasts of hot, sand-laden wind whip your face mercilessly and you are forced to lean almost horizontally into the storm to maintain your balance. The storm is increasing in ferocity by the minute. You are sorely aware that you must find cover within an hour at most or you will perish in this hellish blizzard.</p>
+ <p>An empty parapeted stairway ascends from the temple's lowermost tier to the portal of its crowning tower. The parapet offers you protection from the wind and you climb the many steps bent over, almost on your hands and knees, in order to stay out of the abrasive storm. Before you ascend the last tier, you check to make sure that your adversary is not lying in ambush. The portal is now closed and you can sense no living creature nearby, yet you unsheathe your weapon from your belt and hold it ready in case danger should come from an unsuspected quarter.</p>
+ <p>When you reach the portal, you discover that it comprises a seamless sheet of lead-lined iron, many inches thick. You detect a lingering aura of magic around its threshold which makes you wary that a trap may have been set. Yet when you summon your psychic skills to probe deeper, you sense otherwise. You detect that Wolf's Bane has deliberately cast an illusion of magic around this portal, no doubt in the hope that it will delay or deter you long enough for the storm to do its work. Confident that the door is not lethal, you examine it more closely. Set flush into the glassy surface of its surrounding arch, you discover an inscription above two squares of dull crimson gemstone. Your sixth senses reveal that by tapping upon each square a correct number of times you will cause the door to open. Cautiously you place your fingers lightly upon the squares and feel the gentle vibration of the door's locking mechanism. By concentrating on these vibrations you hope to be able to decipher its locking codes.</p>
+ <p>After several minutes you determine that the first code is equal to the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score below which a Grand Master cannot use the Discipline of Kai-surge.</p>
+ <p>The second code is equal to the number of villages that lie on the highway between the cities of Holmgard and Ragadorn.</p>
+ <p>In order to determine the numbers that will open the door to the temple, consult the map and games rules. When you think you know the two-digit solution, turn to the entry that is the same number as your answer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect283">If you cannot decipher the codes, <link-text>turn instead to 283</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect252">
+ <meta><title>252</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you enter the new passage, the concealed panel slides shut behind you. Almost immediately, another panel slides out of the metal wall and seals off the passage ahead, trapping you in the cell-like space between. You throw yourself against the steel door and run your hands over its smooth surface, searching frantically for a means to escape. Your efforts are made all the more urgent when suddenly a loud hissing sound fills your ears; it is the sound of the air being extracted from this cell.</p>
+ <p>Gasping for breath, you turn around to search the opposite panel. Your hopes rise when you see a combination lock set flush into its surface. It is unlike the lock which secured the entrance to the temple of Avaros, but your Kai senses soon detect how it operates. The lock is inlaid with five dials in two groups. There is one group of three and one group of two. Each dial indicates a number. One dial however, in the group of two, is set to zero. By turning this dial to the correct number you will cause the lock to disengage.</p>
+ <p>Study the following sequence of numbers carefully.</p>
+ <p>When you think you know what the correct solution is, turn to the page that is the same as your answer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect303">If you guess incorrectly, or if you cannot answer this puzzle, <link-text>turn instead to 303</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect253">
+ <meta><title>253</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Having been detected, your immediate reaction is to bolt for the exit and, as you run, arrows whistle down to splash into the mire all around your feet. Anxious to avoid risking being hit by a second volley, you increase your pace as you approach the mouth of the tunnel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect70"><link-text>Turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect254">
+ <meta><title>254</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You pass through the arch and enter a long passageway that is crafted from sheets of silver and steel. A panel of translucent mineral is embedded into the entire length of the ceiling, illuminating the tunnel with a harsh phosphorescent light. You have covered several hundred yards before you see a small alcove set into the wall. A stream of clear water pours from a pipe protruding from the alcove, and drains away into a grille set into the floor. The sight and sound of the trickling makes you thirsty for a drink.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect33">If you wish to stop and take a drink from this pipe, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect336">If you choose not to drink, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect255">
+ <meta><title>255</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Naar moves from the dais and commands Kekataag to cease his psychic assault. The murderous leviathan complies at once with his fell master's wishes. For the first time since he strode into this throne hall, Kekataag turns to face Naar. His intent is to bow his huge form in dutiful deference to his master's authority, but this formality is soon forgotten when his psychic powers detect the presence of Alyss. The realization that she is here makes the warrior bellow with supernatural rage. The deafening sound galvanizes Alyss into action; she leaps towards the plinth and places both of her hands upon the surface of the Moonstone. Instantly a whirling hole appears in the smoky wall of the throne hall; it is the unmistakable mouth of a Shadow Gate.</p>
+ <p>'Flee, Lone Wolf,' she cries, 'flee to your homeland before it's too late!'</p>
+ <p>Bravely she stands her ground, her hands clasped upon the glowing Moonstone, as Kekataag and Naar advance upon her from two sides. You are deeply moved by the courage of this enigmatic being; it seems she is prepared to sacrifice her immortality that you might escape alive from this terrible place.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect282">If you wish to obey her command and enter the whirling Shadow Gate, <link-text>turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect343">If you choose to stay and fight the Dark God and his evil avenger, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect256">
+ <meta><title>256</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your advanced Kai senses detect faint magical energies radiating from a large chunk of rubble which lies in the open doorway to this tomb. Cautiously you move nearer to inspect the slab of stone and discover an intricate design scratched upon its surface. It has been smeared with dirt and a magical spell of shielding has been placed upon it to disguise its true purpose, yet you immediately realize what it is and you recoil from the slab, hurriedly retreating a dozen paces. It is a glyph of power: a magical booby trap that has been expertly camouflaged to keep it secret. If anyone or anything were to step upon or pass over this glyph, the energy contained within it would be released in one devastating instant.</p>
+ <p>You warn the others of what you have found and tell them to retreat with you to a safe distance. From the cover of a gravestone, several yards from the tomb, you instruct Star Lynx to pick up a rock and hurl it through the open doorway. He selects an apple-sized chunk of granite and lobs it accurately into the tomb.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect211">If the number you have chosen is 1-4, <link-text>turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect53">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text></choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect257">
+ <meta><title>257</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Kai mastery skills and your sheer will to survive save you from succumbing to a grisly death in this morass. After an agonizing ordeal, you finally reach the door at the end of the hall and haul yourself through it. Aching with fatigue (lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), you lie on the solid flagstones for several minutes until you regain sufficient strength to be able to continue your hunt for Wolf's Bane.</p>
+ <p>You can feel a warm breeze wafting along this hall and you sense that it comes from a stairwell at the far end. When you investigate it, you rediscover Wolf's Bane's footprints on the stone steps. You cast your hands over them and detect that this is not a false trail: your enemy passed this way sometime within the last hour.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you ascend the stairs and arrive at the arched entrance to a large, vaulted stone chamber. Gathered around a fountain set into its north wall are a group of six grey-skinned humanoids. They are busy drinking a clear, oily fluid that pours from the fountain's spout into a semi-circular trough. All are barefoot and clad in rags, and they are each armed with a spear and a bow. The only exit from this chamber appears to be an archway set high in the north wall. There is a balcony in front of it that can only be reached by two flights of stairs which rise up on either side of the fountain.</p>
+ <p>Quietly you observe the creatures slaking their thirsts, and you try to formulate a way in which you can get past them and reach the balconied exit in the north wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect138">If you possess a Bow, and the Discipline of Magimagic, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect26">If you possess Kai-alchemy and have attained the rank of Grand Crown (and wish to use it), <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you do not possess these skills, or a Bow, or if you have yet to attain the required levels of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect258">
+ <meta><title>258</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tracks lead out of the tunnel and across a clearing before disappearing into the jungle perimeter. Deeply suspicious, you peer through the curtain of vines and scan along the jungle's edge for signs of your adversary.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect68">If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and Grand Huntmastery, <link-text>turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect317">If you do not possess both of these Grand Master Disciplines, <link-text>turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect259">
+ <meta><title>259</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>A white-hot spike of pain penetrates deep into your chest as the onrushing bolt hits you and slams you against the moving wall of the shaft: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>If you survive this wounding, adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect37">To continue, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect260">
+ <meta><title>260</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Baron Caldar escorts you and Banedon to the roof of his castle's main tower where, hovering above, you see the great gleaming hull of the Guildmaster's skyship - Cloud Dancer. At Banedon's signal a cage is lowered from the stern of this magical vessel and, after bidding farewell to the Baron, you are both hoisted aboard. The crew, some of whom are survivors from his previous skyship - Skyrider - are clearly agitated by your unexpected appearance; the sibilant hiss of their fearful whispers echoes softly along the deck. But immediately Banedon vouches that you are not the impostor who has terrorized Sommerlund these past few weeks and this swiftly allays his crew's suspicions. As you accompany the Guildmaster to his quarters, the mood of the men and dwarves of the ship's complement changes. Respectfully they salute you and welcome you with pride aboard their wondrous craft.</p>
+ <p>The Cloud Dancer sets sail and follows a southwesterly bearing for the city of Tyso, over one hundred miles distant. The night sky is clear and Javano, the ship's pilot, is confident that you will arrive within the hour. During the brief voyage, Banedon communicates magically with the elders of his Brotherhood in Toran. He informs them of your safe return and tells them of your plans to track down the impostor. In response they assure him that word of your return will be conveyed at once to the King in Holmgard, and to your beleaguered kinsmen at the Kai Monastery. This glad news does much to lift your bruised spirits.</p>
+ <p>It seems as if you have been aboard the Cloud Dancer for no more than a few minutes when a message arrives from the forward lookout: 'Tyso lights due south'. You leave Banedon's comfortable quarters below deck and accompany him to the prow rail from where you catch your first aerial glimpse of the distant city-port. The warm lantern light of hovels and taverns shimmers like a captive cluster of stars within the city's protective wall. At the Guildmaster's command, Javano begins the skyship's descent and, as the twinkling lights loom larger, you are able to make out the silhouette of a grand castle that is perched on a headland overlooking the harbour.</p>
+ <p>'There's our destination, Lone Wolf,' says Banedon, cheerfully, 'the castle of Baron Tor Medar - the Seneschal of Tyso.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect7"><link-text>Turn to 7</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect261">
+ <meta><title>261</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Now you can hear the creature loping towards you. The squeal of its metal joints merges with the whirring clack of its great iron jaw. The sound unnerves you and, for a terrifying moment, your sweat-slick fingers cannot grip the disc in your tunic pocket. Then you have it and quickly you insert it into the slot in the wall.</p>
+ <p>The door opens with a hiss. You rush forward and immediately sidestep to place a solid wall between you and the steel monster. The door slides shut and, a few moments later, you feel a shudder run through the wall as the creature slams head-first into the portal and shatters its skull.</p>
+ <p>Your swift escape may have saved your life, but in your haste to evade the mechanical wolf you left behind the key which opened the portal (erase the Iron Disc from your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect83">To continue, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect262">
+ <meta><title>262</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The tunnel twists and turns for several hundred yards before entering a large vault that is knee-deep in brackish grey slime. A huge black iron pot hangs suspended by a large chain in the middle of the vault, ten feet above the surface of the slimy floor. The oily chain runs around a large wheel fixed near the ceiling and drops through the centre of a slit, high up in the opposite wall. Carefully you approach the entrance to the vault and, using your Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship, you detect that the pot hides two creatures. They are lying in ambush. There is an exit on the far side of the vault, but in order to reach it you will have to pass directly below the hanging pot. Using the cover of shadows at the entrance to the vault, you look to the far exit and consider how you can reach it unscathed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect94">If you possess the Discipline of Assimilance, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, or higher, <link-text>turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect225">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect263">
+ <meta><title>263</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature that is diving towards you suddenly freezes in mid-air. The morbid fear of death that had gripped your heart quickly evaporates, but you are left with a feeling of deep unease as your Kai senses detect that something extraordinary is taking place around you. The hall has become filled with a deadly silence and everything, including the tongues of flame trailing from the creature's sword, and the blazing fire in the grate, is utterly frozen. It is as if time itself is standing still.</p>
+ <p>Wolf's Bane is a frozen statue, his face fixed in the malevolent sneer he was wearing in gleeful anticipation that you were about to meet your doom. You are beginning to think that perhaps you have been killed and that this is life after death, when suddenly you glimpse a blurred movement at the corner of your eye.</p>
+ <p>From out of the shadows cast by the gallery steps a young teenage girl, dressed in a leather jerkin and threadbare trousers. You recognize her at once - it is Alyss, the strange enigmatic creature who helped you once before, during your confrontation with the Demoness Shamath.</p>
+ <p>'Wh&ellips; what are you doing here?' you stammer. Casually she walks towards you and reaches up to touch a finger to the frozen fiery sword clutched in the taloned hands of Wolf's Bane's winged minion.</p>
+ <p>'Why, doing what I like doing best,' she replies, airily, 'minding other people's business.'</p>
+ <p>She prods the frozen sword with the tip of her finger and there is a gentle Pop! Instantly the creature disappears.</p>
+ <p>'I do hate cheats,' she says, as she wanders over to where Wolf's Bane is standing immobile. Cheekily she pokes out her tongue at him and then she spins on her heel to face you.</p>
+ <p>'Now, perhaps you can finish what you came here to do, Lone Wolf,' she says, and claps her hands three times. A sudden rush of noise assails your ears and your senses reel as the reality of time comes flooding back into the hall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect296"><link-text>Turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect264">
+ <meta><title>264</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The thick, trunk-like stamen is covered with fine hairs which help you to make the long climb towards the amber-coloured light far above. However, as you get nearer to the light, the stamen hairs become coated with lumps of sticky, sweetsmelling yellow pollen. These pollen clusters hamper your progress as you have to struggle to unglue yourself from them every time you shift your position.</p>
+ <p>You are nearing the stamen's bud-like top when you become aware of a distant buzzing sound. Rapidly the noise gets louder until you are suddenly plunged into semi-darkness. A huge winged insect is hovering directly above you, its multicoloured body blotting out most of the pale amber sky. It lunges back and forth with its great head as it sucks away clumps of pollen from surrounding stamens with its long, spear-like proboscis. Then the creature detects your presence and the deafening noise of its wings changes pitch. It rises several feet above the stamen and hovers there for a few moments while it studies you with massive composite eyes. Unfortunately it takes only a few seconds for the creature to decide that it wants to vary its diet of pollen. With a sinister nod of its head, it extends its proboscis and then stabs its sticky point towards your unprotected back.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect135">If you wish to attempt to defend yourself from this creature's attack, <link-text>turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect214">If you decide to attempt to evade it, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect265">
+ <meta><title>265</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw upon your Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen to repel this psychic attack, but your defence is not sufficient enough to completely protect the fabric of your mind: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>The surprise assault on your mental defences has bought this castle guardian the precious few seconds it needs in which to advance upon you. As the pain in your head recedes, you see the armoured warrior striding towards you with its sword raised high, poised ready to deal you a mighty blow.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Meghanic</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">48</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This being is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect338">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect266">
+ <meta><title>266</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The arrows splash into the mire, dangerously close to where you are standing. You sense that the volley was not aimed at you; it was let loose in the hope of hitting you by chance. You suspect that the creatures who fired these arrows have an exceptional hearing ability, and rather than risk them getting lucky with their second volley, you decide to throw caution to the wind and make a dash for the exit tunnel.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect309"><link-text>Turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect267">
+ <meta><title>267</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>There is no door to the entrance of this derelict dwelling and, after checking that Wolf's Bane has left no unwelcome surprises, you enter and find a foyer strewn with mouldering masonry. Two staircases lead off this small entrance hall; one ascends to the floor above, the other descends to the basement. The stairwell down is blocked by timbers and sheets of crumpled iron. It shows no signs of having been disturbed for years and so you choose instead to explore the upper floor.</p>
+ <p>At the top of the stairs you make an unexpected discovery. You emerge into a corridor that is lined with a seamless metallic skin. Unlike the dereliction you have so far witnessed, the walls and floor of this passage bear no signs of neglect or corrosion. They gleam like highly polished steel.</p>
+ <p>You explore the corridor and come to what, at first sight, appears to be a dead end. Then you hear a loud hiss and a concealed panel slides open to reveal another steel-lined passageway. You pause to examine the panel but you can detect no traps or residues of magic.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect252">If you wish to enter the new passageway, <link-text>turn to 252</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect274">If you choose not to enter, <link-text>turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect268">
+ <meta><title>268</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The buttress and the rope plummet into the fissure and are lost to an underground river far below. For a few terrible seconds Steel Hand swings precariously from the ceiling, then his fingers lose their purchase and he, too, tumbles into the abyss.</p>
+ <p>You and your young Kai comrades rush to the edge of the fissure, fearing the worst. But Steel Hand has not fallen into the raging river to be carried out to sea; he is still in sight. Your infravision reveals him to be lying on a rocky ledge less than twenty feet below. He has been knocked unconscious by the fall but thankfully he is still alive.</p>
+ <p>It takes nearly an hour to retrieve Steel Hand from the ledge and then cross safely to the far side of the fissure. During this time, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>'Come, my lords,' you say, mindful of the unwelcome dangers and delays you have so far endured, 'we must press on. We've yet to find our quarry's trail.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect160"><link-text>Turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect269">
+ <meta><title>269</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>With mounting dread, you watch as the seconds tick away. When the illuminated display reaches zero, there is a sun-like burst of light which totally obliterates your senses; it is the last light that you ever see. The bomb detonates and explodes with terrific force, destroying the dragonfly pens and several of the upper storeys of the tower.</p>
+ <p>Sadly, your struggle against Wolf's Bane has ended in defeat, leaving the way clear for Naar's forces to invade and conquer Magnamund. Your life and your duel end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect270">
+ <meta><title>270</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Hurriedly you spit out the words of the Brotherhood spell Invisible Shield and sweep your hand in a circle before your face. You complete the spell barely seconds before the deadly shaft splinters against this magical protection and falls in pieces to the ground.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect133"><link-text>Turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect271">
+ <meta><title>271</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your search uncovers many interesting and rare items, but few which are of any practical value. The only item worthy of consideration is a valuable goblet, crafted from gold. (If you wish to take and keep this Gold Cup, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect12">To continue, <link-text>turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect272">
+ <meta><title>272</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You recite the words of the Brotherhood spell Strength, and feel a wave of vibrant energy course through your body and limbs. Charged with the power of this spell, you take a firm grip of the portcullis with both hands and lift with all your might. The heavy iron portal creaks and shudders, then its hidden counterweights bow to your efforts. The portal rises and you are able to make a swift escape from the clutches of the chained serpent.</p>
+ <p>You retrace your steps along the tunnel, passing the place where you first appeared in this subterranean labyrinth, and continue on until you reach a large vault that is knee-deep in brackish grey slime. A huge black iron pot hangs suspended by a large chain in the middle of the vault, ten feet above the surface of the slimy floor. The oily chain runs around a large wheel fixed near the ceiling and drops through the centre of a slit, high up in the opposite wall. Carefully you approach the entrance to the vault and, using your Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship, you detect that the pot hides two creatures. They are lying in ambush. There is an exit on the far side of the vault, but in order to reach it you will have to pass directly below the hanging pot. Using the cover of shadows at the entrance to the vault, you look to the far exit and consider how you can reach it unscathed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect94">If you possess the Discipline of Assimilance, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, or higher, <link-text>turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect225">If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect273">
+ <meta><title>273</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You feel your throat tightening as the air is sucked out of the chamber. The whirling flames of the fire have rapidly transformed into a raging vortex which is dragging into its core every loose item in the banquet hall. You and Alyss hang on to the banister rail affixed to the gallery stairs, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain your grip. Chairs, tapestries, tables and other furniture batter you as they tumble past to be sucked into the vortex (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Then the rail collapses and the two of you are drawn into the raging heart of this fearsome whirlpool.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect170"><link-text>Turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect274">
+ <meta><title>274</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You return to the stairs and descend to the foyer. Mindful of your enemy's skills of deception and illusion, you take a closer look at the debris which blocks the stairs leading down. But you cannot detect any tracks or evidence that Wolf's Bane has come this way. You are about to abandon the stairwell and leave the building when something catches your eye. Protruding from the dust that covers the top step is a small disc of iron engraved with runic symbols. (If you wish to keep this Iron Disc, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect71">To leave the building and continue, <link-text>turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect275">
+ <meta><title>275</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Lining the walls of this passage are countless thousands of small alcoves, each one occupied by the skull of an ancient Tysoan. Occasionally this macabre display is punctuated by a sealed tomb or burial urn, but in the main the parade of mirthless skulls seems to go on forever.</p>
+ <p>At length you come to a circular vault where, unexpectedly, you can hear the sound of the sea. Using your infravision to scan the dark chamber before entering, you note that a wide section of its stone floor has collapsed. The sound of the sea breaking against a distant shoreline wells up from this gaping hollow.</p>
+ <p>With caution guiding your step, you enter the inky-black chamber and inch your way to the edge of the fissure. You can detect no living creatures or other sources of heat, but using your Kai senses you are able to determine that the hollow is more than one hundred feet deep. There is one exit from the vault, but it lies over forty feet away, on the opposite side of the fissure.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect66">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect247">If you do not possess this skill, or if you choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect276">
+ <meta><title>276</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You make your way towards the avenue and select an ideal place from where you can launch an ambush. Twenty minutes tick by before you see two armoured humanoids approaching. One walks several paces behind the other, but both are on their way towards the tower. At first you are discouraged that there are two, fearing that an ambush will be harder to effect. But as they draw closer you note that neither appears to be carrying weapons.</p>
+ <p>You let the first warrior pass and then you strike the second one, dragging him off the street and into the dark alley where you have been lying in wait. A sharp blow beneath the chin-guard of his helmet renders him unconscious, and swiftly you begin to strip away his armour. All is going to plan until a scraping noise behind alerts you to trouble. His companion has noticed that he is alone and has retraced his steps to investigate the sudden disappearance of his brother-in-arms.</p>
+ <p>You are holding an armoured breastplate in both hands when he comes striding into the alley. You hurl it at him, hoping to buy yourself a few precious seconds in which you can unsheathe your weapon, but the warrior bats it aside and attempts to close his hands around your throat.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Manoyd (with power gloves)</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">40</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Unless you possess Grand Weaponmastery, and have attained the rank of Grand Crown, you must reduce your <typ class="attribute">COMBAT SKILL</typ> by four for the duration of this fight.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect289">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect277">
+ <meta><title>277</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You speak the words of the Brotherhood spell Lightning Hand and point your right index finger at the iron pot. There is a flash of bluish light and then an arc of crackling electricity leaps from your finger to strike the top of the pot, blowing a fistsized chunk of rusty iron out of its turned rim. One of the creatures is killed instantly by the blast and the other is stunned when the electrical charge is earthed along the supporting chain.</p>
+ <p>You sense that the surviving creature is only temporarily incapacitated; it will soon revive and it will be sure to attempt to avenge its dead companion by shooting at you with its bow. Mindful of the pending danger, you hurriedly examine the portal for a lever or some other means to make it rise.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect18"><link-text>Turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect278">
+ <meta><title>278</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You escape through the steel roof of the tower and catch a fleeting glimpse of the rainswept city far below. Suddenly there is a tremendous flash, followed almost immediately by the concussive blast from an enormous explosion. A debris-laden shockwave hits you from behind, flattens you against the dragonfly's crusty neck, and leaves you bleeding from several minor wounds: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Fortunately your winged mount survives the shockwave unscathed and is propelled upwards at greater speed into the base of the thick storm clouds.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect279">
+ <meta><title>279</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You press the index finger of your right hand against the plant wall and whisper the words of the Brotherhood spell Lightning Hand. You feel a tingling sensation run down your arm and then a crackling flame ignites at your fingertip which burns a neat hole through the stem. Then, quite suddenly, the sap within the plant wall catches fire and within seconds you find yourself trapped inside a roaring cocoon of fire.</p>
+ <p>The highly flammable sap feeds the flames, and the temperature rapidly increases until the inside of the stem becomes as hot as a blazing furnace. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points before the flames die down and you are able to burst free from the smouldering stem.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect280">
+ <meta><title>280</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Come, Grand Master. You're going home,' she says, and she takes you by the hand and leads you to the middle of the banquet hall, to a place directly opposite the great fireplace. 'But first we must make preparations for the journey.'</p>
+ <p>Alyss then proceeds to tell you to use your advanced Kai mastery to mask the goodly aura that radiates naturally from your mind and body. Having done as she requests, she touches the platinum amulet which you wear around your neck and smiles.</p>
+ <p>'Good, good,' she enthuses, 'this bauble will take care of the rest.'</p>
+ <p>She then takes a piece of limestone from her pocket and proceeds to draw a pentagram on the floor of the hall. She has half-completed the complicated design when suddenly she becomes agitated.</p>
+ <p>'Must hurry,' she mumbles, 'must, must hurry.'</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the fire in the hearth flares brightly. The flames begin to grow and whirl and slowly change colour.</p>
+ <p>'It's no good!' cries Alyss, tearful with frustration. Angrily she casts her chunk of crumbling limestone at the roaring flames and then leaps to her feet and comes rushing to your side. 'It's too late!' she screams, her voice now barely audible above the unnatural crackling of the fire, 'Naar is summoning his champion!'</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect273">If the number you have picked is 0-4, <link-text>turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect67">If it is 5-9, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect281">
+ <meta><title>281</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw upon all of your defensive Kai Disciplines to protect you from the effects of the vortex. The agony abates, but the effort depletes your reserves of mental and physical stamina: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>As the pain melts, so the strands of light unravel themselves and dissolve. As the silvery cloud disappears, you find yourself plummeting ever nearer to the blazing heart of this cosmic whirlpool. Then, at the moment you plunge into its core, your senses are obliterated and you are engulfed by a total darkness.</p>
+ <p>From out of the depths of this cold dark universe there appears a pinpoint of light. You feel yourself being drawn inexorably towards it and, although you struggle to resist, you cannot tear yourself free from its irresistible pull. You feel yourself accelerating towards it until the speck becomes as large as a glowing sun. Then, with an abruptness that leaves you gasping, there is a flash of blue-white light and you find yourself lying spread-eagled upon a bed of moist green foliage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect49"><link-text>Turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect282">
+ <meta><title>282</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you scramble across the throne hall and leap towards the swirling maw of this supernatural portal, but your entry is barred by a horde of shrieking horrors which materialize from the smoke surrounding the circumference of the Shadow Gate. Immediately you recognize them and your heart sinks - they are Crypt Spawn.</p>
+ <p>Now Naar himself is aware of your true identity and he is determined not to let you escape from the Plane of Darkness.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect3">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect123">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect283">
+ <meta><title>283</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unable to decipher the code, you decide instead to attempt to dismantle the locking mechanism. Using the buckle of your belt, you work it between the gemstone lockplates and attempt to prise them away. It is a difficult and delicate procedure, made doubly so by the increasing ferocity of the storm which is tearing through the fabric of your cloak and tunic: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>After several painful minutes you succeed in lifting off the gemstone plates. But this does not release the locking mechanism; it simply exposes it to the elements. In order to force the door to open you must now physically destroy the exposed mechanism.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Temple Portal</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">50</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>Conduct a combat in the usual manner. Any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost by yourself result from the effects of prolonged exposure to the storm.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect157">If you succeed in reducing the door's <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score to zero before losing all of your own, <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect284">
+ <meta><title>284</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Nimbly you dodge aside, but droplets of the creature's drool splash your arm and shoulder to burn straight through your tunic with frightening speed. You immediately call upon your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus for protection against this acidic saliva, but the substance is highly corrosive and your innate skill is hard-pressed to provide you with adequate protection.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (0=10). The resultant score is equal to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you lose due to the effects of this acid on your skin and muscle.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect141">If you wish to attack the creature that has spat at you, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect91">If you wish to evade this creature, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect285">
+ <meta><title>285</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Warily you approach the settlement, your keen senses absorbing every detail. The line of deserted mud huts look innocuous, but the words of the voice of Naar still linger in your memory. This humid jungle realm lies within his domain; it is therefore reasonable to expect the inhabitants of this place to be wholly devoted to the cause of Evil.</p>
+ <p>You reach the edge of the undergrowth and pause to assess potential threats. The huts are semi-derelict, all bearing some signs of neglect and decay. The clay-tiled hovel that Wolf's Bane entered appears to be empty, but when you focus upon its open doorway, you see what appears to be a trench cut into the earth. You magnify your vision and at once you see steps in the wall of this excavation. Your heart sinks: Wolf's Bane has escaped underground.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect161">If you wish to enter the hut and follow your enemy without further delay, <link-text>turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect188">If you choose to investigate the hut to check for traps, <link-text>turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect286">
+ <meta><title>286</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Obediently, Black Hawk stands aside. You cast your eyes over the surface of the north wall for one last time, to satisfy yourself that you can detect no lurking traps, and when you are fully confident that it is safe you take up your weapon and put it to the crack in the wall. Because you are so sure that there is no threat, what occurs in the next instant is doubly shocking.</p>
+ <p>You press forward with all of your weight yet, unexpectedly, you meet with no resistance. Your weapon disappears into the wall and you stumble forward to plunge through seemingly solid granite. For a second or two you are consumed by total darkness, then an explosion of white light obliterates your vision and you feel yourself being hurled backwards by a searing wave of heat.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a> (0=10). Now add 2 to the number you have picked. The resultant total is the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you have lost as a consequence of this explosion.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect154">Make the appropriate adjustment to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> and continue by <link-text>turning to 154</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect287">
+ <meta><title>287</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you climb the stairs, you are filled with a growing sense of uncertainty and dread as you ponder what may yet await you in this alien tower. However, these feelings of impending doom are quickly banished when you reach the third level, for here you pick up the trail of your adversary. Your tracking skills determine that his trail is fresh and you pursue it eagerly.</p>
+ <p>You pass through a maze of empty passageways which lead eventually to a large, circular hall. Cautiously you approach the entrance and peer inside. Your tracking skills and your curiosity are handsomely rewarded when you see Wolf's Bane; he is standing alone and he is unaware that you have found him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect288">
+ <meta><title>288</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Quickly you take the incendiary from your Backpack, prime its crude detonator, and hurl it at the hanging cauldron. There is a splash of oily yellow flame as it impacts and smashes against the lip of the iron pot, then, in a terrifying instant, the two reptilians are consumed in a roaring ball of fire. You watch with shocked fascination as they shriek their last and tumble from the pot to splash, like two fiery meteors, into the mire.</p>
+ <p>You turn your eyes away from the terrible sight and, to your amazement, you see the portal beginning to rise of its own accord. You wait until it has risen a few feet and you are sure that no enemy awaits you on the other side, then you duck under the heavy iron plate and hurry into the tunnel beyond. As you run, you hear the portal slamming shut behind you with a dull reverberating boom, sealing away the smouldering remains of your two would-be assassins.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115"><link-text>Turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect289">
+ <meta><title>289</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You drag the body of the dead Manoyd into the ruins of a house and cover it with rubble. Then you put on the armour, which you have stripped from the unconscious Manoyd, and lower the visor of the helmet to hide your face. A black haversack taken from the warrior provides you with a convenient means to hide your own weapons, equipment, and cloak.</p>
+ <p>After checking that the avenue is clear, you emerge from the alley and stride boldly towards the tower. On reaching the edge of this windswept canyon, you hear the distant clang of a bell and watch as the drawbridge extends from beneath the portal to span the chasm. You march across, trying not to look down through the semi-transparent bridge to the dark floor of the moat that lies thousands of feet below, and enter the tower's great portal.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect124"><link-text>Turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect290">
+ <meta><title>290</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your experienced eye is drawn to the chamber's north wall. You step closer and magnify your vision, which enables you to detect two faint hairline cracks in the damp granite surface. They run vertically from the floor to the ceiling and appear to be the outline of a secret panel. But all is not what it seems. You utter the words of the advanced Brotherhood spell See Illusion, and the truth is swiftly revealed. The panel does not exist: it is a skilful illusion. With the memory of the powerglyph you encountered at the tomb entrance still fresh in your mind, you command your companions to stand with their backs against the south wall. Then you scoop a handful of gravel from the floor and hurl it at the north wall. There is a sudden flash of blue-white light which melts into a shower of hissing sparks as the gravel passes through the illusory panel, dissipating its energy.</p>
+ <p>'Just as I thought - another trick!' you say, as you unsheathe your weapon and signal to your comrades to follow your lead. 'Be on your guard, my lords. We're hunting a cunning foe.'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect345"><link-text>Turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect291">
+ <meta><title>291</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Unfortunately your attempt to evade this magical missile is unsuccessful. A white-hot spike of pain penetrates deep into your chest as the onrushing bolt hits you and slams you against the moving wall of the shaft: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>If you survive this wounding, adjust your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect37">To continue, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect292">
+ <meta><title>292</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You extend your right arm and point your hand at the stone trough. Then you speak the words of the Brotherhood spell Lightning Hand and a familiar tingle rushes along your arm to explode into life at the tip of your index finger. A bolt of blue fire arcs towards the trough and, with a deafening wumph!, it ignites the liquid to create a blazing fireball. Greedily, this guttering ball of flame consumes the creatures who are gathered around the lip of the trough.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect204"><link-text>Turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect293">
+ <meta><title>293</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You concentrate upon the entrance to the tunnel as you recite the words of the Brotherhood spell Teleport. You feel a power building deep within your body, a power you are able to contain until the moment comes to release it. As soon as the writhing giant serpent twists away from the tunnel mouth, you channel the spell's energy into propelling you across the cavern. Within seconds you are able to reach the safety of the exit and make your escape unscathed.</p>
+ <p>Use of this spell drains you of 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Make the necessary adjustment to your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> before continuing.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115"><link-text>Turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect294">
+ <meta><title>294</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Less than a hundred paces along this tunnel you come to a narrow hall which is lined with shelves. These thin and ancient beams sag under the weight of a strange collection of bones, stones, shells, ornaments and other curios. The uppermost shelves are crowded with books, all old, dusty and damaged.</p>
+ <p>You are advancing past the shelves, towards a door at the end of the hall, when a strange sound makes you freeze in your tracks. Something is moving behind the books on the top shelf. You tilt your head to look and find yourself staring into the corpse-green eyes of a round, pudding-shaped creature. It seems to be smiling, but then it purses its bulbous lips and spits a stream of smoky-coloured fluid at your face.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect284">If your total is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect117">If it is 5 or higher, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect295">
+ <meta><title>295</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The creature's sharp proboscis penetrates your Backpack and gouges a furrow of skin from your ribs: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Before it can strike again, you prise yourself out of the sticky cluster and retreat back along the stamen until you are out of harm's way. Excited by the taste of your warm blood, the giant insect stabs and slashes wildly, splintering stamen tips and drenching you with showers of sticky pollen. Fortunately, the span of its gigantic wings and the narrowness of the plant's corolla conspire to prevent it from reaching deeper into the plant and you are able to escape without sustaining further injuries.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect296">
+ <meta><title>296</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The triumphant sneer dies on Wolf's Bane's face the instant he realizes that his winged minion has disappeared and that you are still alive. He recoils, his mouth gaping and his eyes wide with disbelief. As he retreats, he brushes against Alyss and utters a yelp of fright. His abject fear, however, soon transforms into blind fury.</p>
+ <p>'You!' he cries, accusingly. Fuelled by rage, he raises his sword in readiness to slash at her face. You rush forward and block his vicious blow, then you twist the blade from his grasp and, with one swift thrust, you skewer his heart upon the tip of your rapier.</p>
+ <p>Wolf's Bane regards the blade protruding from his chest with a look of utter astonishment. Then, with a curse on his blood-flecked lips, he drops to his knees and crumples lifelessly to the floor.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect40"><link-text>Turn to 40</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect297">
+ <meta><title>297</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Warily you approach the settlement, your keen senses absorbing every detail. The line of deserted mud huts look innocuous but the words of the voice of Naar still linger in your memory. This humid jungle realm lies within his domain; it is therefore reasonable to expect that the inhabitants of this place will be wholly devoted to the cause of Evil.</p>
+ <p>You reach the edge of the undergrowth and pause to assess potential threats. The huts are semi-derelict, all bearing some signs of neglect and decay. The nearest one is a clay-tiled hovel that, like the others, appears to be empty. But when you focus upon its open doorway you see that a trench has been cut into its earth floor. You magnify your vision and at once you detect steps in the wall of this excavation, leading underground.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect161">If you wish to enter the hut and investigate where these steps lead to, <link-text>turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect27">If you choose instead to check the hut for traps, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect298">
+ <meta><title>298</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>This tunnel gradually descends by slope and stair through deeper levels of the catacombs. You detect no trace of the impostor and, when eventually the tunnel comes to a dead end, you curse your ill luck and turn reluctantly to retrace your steps. It is then that you sense a faint but lingering aura of evil close to the tunnel floor.</p>
+ <p>Closer inspection reveals a trapdoor set into the flagstones. You pull this heavy hatch open and uncover a circulate chute and a ladder descending into darkness. Your heart misses a beat when you notice fresh tracks on the ladder's iron rungs; at last you have found the impostor's trail.</p>
+ <p>Cautiously you lead the descent into the chute, using your powers of infravision to scan for signs of movement in the damp darkness below. After several minutes you reach the bottom of the ladder where you discover a large vaulted chamber. Around its walls are positioned urns and grey stone caskets, each embellished with traces of gold. There is an unexpected air of opulence about this vault which prompts you to guess that it is a secret burial tomb.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect182">If you have ever visited the Graveyard of the Ancients in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, <link-text>turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect206">If you have never visited this place, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect299">
+ <meta><title>299</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your arrow hits its mark and penetrates deep into the creature's eye socket. There is a splash of white sparks and a crackle of electrical arcing as the tip punches through the back of its steel skull, and yet the beast comes on. The wound has inflicted serious damage to its sight and senses, but it does not stop it from pressing home its attack. You have barely one second remaining in which to unsheathe a hand weapon as this great metallic horror launches itself at your chest.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mech-wulf</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">38</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">35</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect5">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect300">
+ <meta><title>300</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the uppermost reaches of the tower there descends an icy fog which radiates an intensely powerful aura of evil. This menacing mist darkens as it swirls around the lower levels, like some huge vaporous snake seeking out its prey. Then, slowly, it gathers in towards the centre of the chamber where it hangs above the plinth like an angry thunderhead, roiling and seething with colossal malevolence.</p>
+ <p>You gaze into this black cloud and are gripped by an abject terror the instant you fathom its nature and purpose. This cloud is not of this world and it has not fully taken on substance and being within the material plane of Aon, yet even in its malformed state you recognize it to be a materialization of ultimate evil. This is a manifestation of Naar - the King of the Darkness!</p>
+ <p>Suddenly a deafening clap of thunder shakes the walls and the base of the tower is lit up by crackling arcs of lightning. The freezing air seethes with tension as the presence of Naar triggers explosive chemical imbalances within it. Then, above the crackling cacophony of noise, you hear a chilling voice speaking to you in your native tongue.</p>
+ <p>'Disciple of Kai - you know my name. Will you not deign to speak it?'</p>
+ <p>Morbid terror is ripping at your insides yet you refuse to show the slightest trace of weakness. You steel yourself and inwardly you pray to Kai and Ishir to protect you in this hour of deepest need.</p>
+ <p>'No!' you scream, 'I will never acknowledge you!'</p>
+ <p>'You may be one of Kai's favourite minions,' retorts the voice, 'but you will always be mortal. You would do well to remember that in my presence.' Thunder booms and the floor shakes beneath your feet, causing you to fall involuntarily to your knees.</p>
+ <p>'Now that you bow before me, Lone Wolf, I shall impart to you your fate, for I am the true master of Aon. This is Avaros, a small and insignificant satellite of Duron, a world that has long been devoted to my cause. And you have been lured here for one purpose - to be destroyed. During the speck of time that you have existed, you have become an impertinent obstacle to my conquest of Magnamund. For this you will forfeit your soul. Yet, before I claim your worthless soul, I shall make sport of your demise so that Kai and Ishir shall see the worthlessness of their creations and know the futility of their cause.'</p>
+ <p>Once more the thunder booms and you are blinded momentarily by a flash of white fire. Slowly your sight returns, and now you can see your adversary - Wolf's Bane - standing upon the plinth, directly under the menacing black cloud.</p>
+ <p>'Here is my champion,' speaks the voice of Naar, 'you and he are well-matched for the contest that is about to commence.'</p>
+ <p>Wolf's Bane unsheathes his sword and levels it your chest. His facial features twist into a grotesque parody of your own as he spits out a venomous threat:</p>
+ <p>'Victory will be mine, Lone Wolf. Evil shall ultimately triumph!'</p>
+ <p>You shout a defiant riposte, but the voice of Naar booms once more, drowning your worthy cry:</p>
+ <p>'So be it! Let the duel begin!'</p>
+ <choice idref="sect30"><link-text>Turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect301">
+ <meta><title>301</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You sprint towards the speeding wagon and hurl yourself towards its open cargo bay. But, disastrously, you misjudge your leap and crash headlong into the side of the hover-wagon, knocking yourself unconscious.</p>
+ <p>The concussion you have sustained does not kill you, but it contributes indirectly to your death. Your body is seen lying in the avenue by Wolf's Bane, from one of the tower's many watching posts, and he immediately dispatches a troop of Manoyds to capture and slay you. Sadly, they are brutally efficient servants and they obey his commands to the letter.</p>
+ <p>Tragically, your life and your duel end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect302">
+ <meta><title>302</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Release him, my lord,' says Banedon. The Baron, unnerved by the sudden disappearance of the magical shield and the Guildmaster's unexpected request, takes a step backwards and reaches for his sword.</p>
+ <p>'Have no fear,' says Banedon, staying the Baron's hand, 'for we have here the real Grand Master of the Kai.'</p>
+ <p>'How can you be so sure?' retorts Caldar, his voice full of scepticism.</p>
+ <p>'I'm certain,' says Banedon, 'yet there is one way we can be absolutely sure.'</p>
+ <p>So saying, Banedon removes from the pocket of his robe a small platinum disc which is strung upon a loop of braided cord. He approaches you and slips the cord over your head.</p>
+ <p>'Here is proof,' he says. 'No agent of Naar could tolerate the touch of this goodly artifact. Banish your doubts, my lord. This man is Lone Wolf.'</p>
+ <p>(Record this Platinum Amulet, which you wear around your neck, as a Special Item on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a>. You need not discard another item in its favour if you already possess the maximum number permissible.)</p>
+ <choice idref="sect88">To continue, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect303">
+ <meta><title>303</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Within thirty seconds of both panels closing, all of the air is sucked out of this tiny metal cell. Your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus sustains you for a further ten minutes, during which precious little time you try everything possible to extricate yourself from this deadly vacuum. Unfortunately, your valiant efforts are to no avail. You are unable to penetrate the strange metal skin of this cell. Slowly, reluctantly, you succumb to the lack of oxygen until you drift off into a sleep from which you never awaken.</p>
+ <p>Sadly, your life and your duel end here.</p>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect304">
+ <meta><title>304</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Slowly you descend the stairs and approach the banqueting table. Wolf's Bane slides the open case towards you and motions for you to take a weapon. You reach for the box and remove the uppermost rapier, then you slide the case back across the table to your opponent.</p>
+ <p>'Very well,' he says, as he takes the sword and makes a few strokes to gauge its balance, 'let the duel begin.'</p>
+ <p>The Duel: Lone Wolf vs. Wolf's Bane</p>
+ <p>The combat ratio for the duel is -4. This ratio takes account of all bonuses which may apply (eg Grand Weaponmastery with Sword, psychic attacks, and Special Items). Wolf's Bane's <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score is identical to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score, unless you possess a Bronze Disc. If you possess this Special Item, you may reduce your enemy's <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> by 4 points before the commencement of combat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect151">Conduct the combat using the normal combat procedure. However, should Wolf's Bane's <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> be reduced to 10 or less, do not continue any further with the fight. Instead, <link-text>turn immediately to 151</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect305">
+ <meta><title>305</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You retreat all the way down to the bowl of the corolla, to where you began your ascent. Here you take the opportunity to check your Backpack and you discover that three items have been damaged beyond repair (erase three items of your choice from your current list of Backpack Items). Having had your hopes of escape thwarted by the creature, you see that the hollow stem is now the only remaining chance you have of getting out of this plant alive.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect103"><link-text>Turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect306">
+ <meta><title>306</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You approach the hut and crouch down beside its mud wall, close to its open door. Your senses detect no glyphs or other traps here, and there are no residues of magical energy that might betray the presence of illusions or shielding spells. Wary of further delay, you approach the trench at the centre of the hut and descend a flight of steps that leads down to an underground tunnel. You still cannot detect any traps, yet you have gone only a few yards along this narrow passageway when you hear the terrifying roar of a large cat. With an abruptness that takes your breath away, a huge tiger-like beast comes bounding from out of the darkness ahead. So sudden and unexpected is this creature's attack, that you only just have time in which to unsheathe a hand-weapon as it hurls itself upon you.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Rahjaz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">48</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">41</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect249">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect307">
+ <meta><title>307</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your powerful Discipline of Animal Control suppresses the Bangrol's natural instinct to defend its nest and immediately it breaks off its attack. It circles around the chamber, cawing with frustration, and then re-enters the chimney and escapes back to the surface.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect78"><link-text>Turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect308">
+ <meta><title>308</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>For two hours you observe the tower. During this time you sense that an invisible field of energy surrounds the wall, a defence that augments the terrifyingly deep moat. This force field disappears only when the portal opens and the drawbridge extends to allow for the arrival or departure of armoured warriors, or strange horseless wagons that hover a few feet from the ground, but in the main the great door remains firmly closed.</p>
+ <p>You notice that the sparse traffic of warriors and wagons passes along one avenue. It is the only thoroughfare approaching the tower which has been cleared of debris. It is an uncomfortable vigil, but the time you spend observing the tower is rewarded when a bold plan gradually takes form in your mind.</p>
+ <p>You assess that an entry to the tower could be effected by two means: if you were able to ambush a warrior and use his armour as a disguise, or, if you were able to stow away aboard one of the wagons approaching the moat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect276">If you wish to attempt to ambush one of the armoured warriors, <link-text>turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect79">If you decide to attempt to stow away aboard a hover-wagon, <link-text>turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect309">
+ <meta><title>309</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You are within ten feet of the exit tunnel when a heavy sheet of iron falls from the ceiling and seals off your chosen route of escape. The fog is beginning to thin out and you can now see the creatures in the pot who attempted to shoot you full of arrows. They are small, blue-skinned reptilians, with cruel crocodilian faces and curiously human hands. They are armed with finely crafted bows of gleaming white bone that you detect are capable of discharging six poisoned arrows every second. The reptilians are close to reloading these bows - you must act quickly if you are to avoid becoming the target of a second deadly volley.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect277">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect219">If you possess Magi-magic, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect136">If you possess a Bow, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect82">If you possess neither of these Disciplines, or a Bow, or choose to use none of them, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect310">
+ <meta><title>310</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The moment you pass through the storm clouds, you enter a stratosphere that is bathed with magnificent light. Above the city's perpetual cloud layer lies a wondrous vista, an aerial realm that is calm and clear. The golden rays from two suns and the reflected light from twelve satellite moons, combine to bathe the thunderheads with a panoply of colour. You scan these heavens and see high above the dragonfly which is carrying Wolf's Bane. It is climbing towards a castle-like fortress that seems to rest upon a base of wispy cloud, defying gravity. Your enemy's flying mount enters the castle from below, passing through a gap in the underside of its cloudy base. Upon seeing his destination you urge your own winged mount to follow in his wake.</p>
+ <p>You enter the clouds and pass through an open portal, like some massive trapdoor located in the belly of this mystical stronghold. Beyond the portal is a cavern of stone, vaulted and substantial like the dungeons of a great castle. There is no sign of your enemy, save for his mount which is tethered to a wooden pier. You bring your dragonfly in to land upon this pier and then leap down from its back and examine the ground for tracks. You find what you are seeking and they lead you to an archway that opens upon a landing where three tunnels lead off in different directions. However, to your dismay, you discover that Wolf's Bane has deliberately spoiled his tracks; his footprints lead to all three tunnels.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect294">If you wish to explore the north tunnel, <link-text>turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect109">If you choose to explore the east tunnel, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect235">If you decide instead to explore the west tunnel, <link-text>turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect311">
+ <meta><title>311</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Desperately you take cover behind a pollen cluster as the insect's lance-like proboscis comes hurtling towards your body.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Solyx</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">45</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">40</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect144">You may evade this combat after four rounds by <link-text>turning to 144</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect186">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect312">
+ <meta><title>312</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You dive to the ground, but the white beam is lightning fast and it glances your shoulder as you fall: lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. You bite your lip to stifle a scream of pain as you hit the warehouse floor, then you scramble for the nearest cover - a heavy iron chest, banded and riveted with steel - to avoid leaving yourself exposed to another blast from this deadly weapon. The warrior follows your swift move and discharges a second beam from his spear which slams into the iron chest with stunning force. You gasp with horror as you see the side of the chest bulging towards your face. Its thick rivets tremble and its age-blackened skin smoulders with a sullen heat. Instinct takes over, making you roll away from the iron chest and seek cover elsewhere. As you move, the beam of light tears through the rear of the iron box and destroys the ground where, only moments before, your face had been.</p>
+ <p>You call upon all of your camouflage skills to mask your body as you hurriedly seek a way to escape from this warrior and his sorcerous weapon. You reach the base of a large steel tank and scramble up a ladder fixed to its side. The top of the tank is stacked high with coiled ropes and you force yourself in amongst them. A few moments later you watch the warrior approach the smouldering remains of the iron chest. He is close enough now for you to see that his weapon is attached by a length of steel cable to a canister strapped to his back.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect209">If you possess a Bow and the Discipline of Magimagic, and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect156">If you do not possess a Bow or this skill, or if you have yet to attain the rank of Sun Lord, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect313">
+ <meta><title>313</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you move across the vault, you hear your would-be ambushers moving around in the cauldron above. You are near the centre of this dingy chamber, level with the hanging pot, when a glassy sphere filled with white liquid is dropped over the side. As it hits the slimy floor it explodes, spraying droplets of the white fluid in every direction. You are hit by this fine spray which instantly reveals your position to the creatures above.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Huntmastery and Assimilance, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect197">If your total score is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect253">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect314">
+ <meta><title>314</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You summon all of your Kai skills to mask your body before setting foot into the hall. You keep close to the left wall and, as you inch your way closer to the stairs, you pray that your camouflage skills will keep you hidden from the eyes of the creatures who are gathered around the trough.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance, add 3 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect193">If your total score is 4 or lower, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect24">If it is 5 or higher, <link-text>turn to 24</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect315">
+ <meta><title>315</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You gather your psychic defences and construct a wall around your mind to protect yourself from this agonizing mental assault. Your strategy is swiftly effective and costs you but a fraction of your remaining reserve of psychic energy (lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point).</p>
+ <p>This psychic assault has been one of the strongest you have ever experienced. You have survived it, but your Kai senses tell you that your ordeal has not ended; it has only just begun. You force open your eyes and look with dread at the terrible threat that confronts you now.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect316">
+ <meta><title>316</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond the net you rediscover your opponent's tracks. They lead you to an unlit storage chamber containing dozens of iron canisters and large steel crates. Using your ability to see in the dark, you follow his footprints as they wend their way around these obstacles and trail off towards a distant door. But before you reach the door you are brought to an abrupt halt by a strange sound - a whirring, mechanical growl. Instinctively you look over your shoulder, in the direction of the noise, and freeze with shock the moment you catch sight of the creature that is moving slowly towards your back.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect199"><link-text>Turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect317">
+ <meta><title>317</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You scan the jungle perimeter several times but you can detect nothing potentially hostile lurking amongst the undergrowth and trees. You decide to follow the tracks to see where they lead and, as you emerge from the tunnel, the oppressive jungle heat hits you like a sledgehammer. Your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus automatically regulates your body temperature, making the heat bearable, yet even so it comes as a shock that any living creature can exist in this hellish environment.</p>
+ <p>Unfortunately, the shock of the jungle heat is only the first of two nasty surprises that await you. The second is a barbed arrow that whistles from out of the dense foliage and comes speeding towards your forehead!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect152">If you possess Kai-alchemy, and have attained the rank of Sun Knight or higher, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect270">If you possess Kai-alchemy but have yet to reach this level of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect232">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect318">
+ <meta><title>318</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your Kai sixth sense reveals to you traces of a magical energy which is lingering around the entrance to the tomb. Your fellow Kai also detect that something is wrong, although their senses are not as finely tuned as your own and they are unable to pinpoint its source.</p>
+ <p>'Is it safe to enter, Grand Master?' whispers Steel Hand.</p>
+ <p>'I cannot be certain,' you reply, uneasily. 'But of one thing I am sure - the impostor has already descended into the catacombs by way of this entrance.'</p>
+ <p>You take a few steps back from the open tomb and point to a patch of soft earth amongst the rubble.</p>
+ <p>'Look here - it's a footprint.' You examine it closely and a tingle of apprehension runs down your spine when you realize that the impression is identical to that made by your own boot.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect28">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect167">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect319">
+ <meta><title>319</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You recite the familiar words of the Brotherhood spell Lightning Hand and point your index finger at the head of your mortal enemy. You feel a surge of power and a crackle of blue flame explodes at the tip of your finger, but the sudden noise alerts Wolf's Bane to your presence.</p>
+ <p>A split second before your bolt of energy reaches its target, Wolf's Bane throws himself to the floor. The bolt burns the back of his thigh, wounding him badly, but not so badly as to prevent him from scrambling to his feet and effecting a hasty escape.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect207"><link-text>Turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect320">
+ <meta><title>320</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The two reptilians have exhausted their supply of arrows and are frantically working at the chain in an effort to lower their iron pot to the floor of the vault. You can see that it will only be a matter of minutes before they accomplish their task.</p>
+ <p>Anxious to evade them, you examine the portal for a lever or some other means to make it rise. To the left of the tunnel arch you discover two squares of opaque crimson gemstone separated by a small slot. The squares are similar in size and design to those you encountered at the entrance to the temple of Avaros. These, too, comprise a locking mechanism that controls this portal. By tapping upon each square a correct number of times you will cause the lock to disengage and the portal to rise.</p>
+ <p>You place your fingers lightly upon the squares and feel the tell-tale vibrations that are the key to deciphering the secret code. After only seconds you are able to determine that the first code is equal to the number of islands south of the Kirlundin island of Hemd.</p>
+ <p>The second code is equal to the number of villages that lie on the highway between the cities of Toran and Anskaven.</p>
+ <p>In order to discover the exact numbers that will open the portal, consult the map.</p>
+ <p>When you think you know the two-digit solution, turn to the entry that is the same number as your answer.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect213">If you cannot decipher the codes, <link-text>turn instead to 213</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect321">
+ <meta><title>321</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Aided by your Kai skills, you manage to avoid the falling debris until you reach the base of the skull-rock. Here you are struck by a deluge of earth that knocks you down and pins your legs to the floor: lose 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <p>Your body may be injured but your spirit refuses to give up. Frantically you dig yourself free with your bare hands and crawl the last few remaining yards to the skull's mist-filled jaw. Gritting your teeth against the pain of your injuries, you stagger to your feet and enter the opening barely moments before the entire temple ceiling caves in.</p>
+ <p>In addition to the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points loss, you also lose 1 Special Item and 1 Backpack Item of your choice.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect174">To continue, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect322">
+ <meta><title>322</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You let your arrow fly but it fails to find its mark. It shatters uselessly against the creature's steel skull, leaving no time for a second shot. You only just have time to unsheathe a hand weapon to defend yourself as the great metallic beast comes leaping through the darkness.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Mech-wulf</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">50</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect5">If you win this combat, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect323">
+ <meta><title>323</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'Follow me, my lords!' shouts Foilan, as he spurs his black mare along a narrow, cobblestoned street that wends its way through Tyso's shabby northern quarter. At a junction close by the city's main stables, he turns into an avenue that leads to the West Arch of the Old Necropolis.</p>
+ <p>When the Arch is less than a hundred yards distant, Foilan brings his horse to a halt and you reign in your steed beside him. Several dozen guards and rangers have gathered at the Arch and they have erected a barricade which completely blocks the entrance to the burial ground beyond. The Reeve-lieutenant tells you to wait here with your men while he goes forward to inform the guards of the situation and to tell them that you and your companions are not Kai impostors.</p>
+ <p>Patiently you wait for Foilan to complete his task. Then, on seeing his signal, you move forward and join him at the Western Arch. He shouts an order and hurriedly the guards pull aside a wagon which blocks the entrance, enabling the five of you to dismount and proceed into the necropolis on foot.</p>
+ <p>Aided by the moonlight, you lead your party along a gravelled path towards the centre of the burial ground, to where a tunnel-like opening has been excavated in the side of a mossy mound. On arriving at this shadowy entrance you stop to examine the surrounding area, to check for any clues that may help you track your quarry. You find no fresh prints and you sense no lingering aura of an evil that could betray his presence. Confident that it is safe to proceed, you enter the mound and lead your comrades down a wide stone ramp to an oval-shaped chamber. A dozen stone coffins, each carved with the likeness of its occupant, are laid out in a circle like the spokes of a wheel. The chamber is cold and unwelcoming, but it does not harbour any trace of evil. You are sure that the impostor has not set foot here.</p>
+ <p>On the far side of the burial chamber, opposite the ramp, there is a stairwell which descends deep into the catacombs below the necropolis. You go down these stairs until you come to a landing where a passage crosses from north to south. Black Hawk suggests that the party split in two and explore both ways, but you are not in favour of this idea. Splitting the party would make it easier for the impostor if he chose to launch an ambush. You peer along both passages and draw on your Grand Mastery skills to determine the best route to follow, but with little success. Neither passage looks especially inviting.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect275">If you decide to enter and explore the north passage, <link-text>turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect107">If you choose to investigate the south passage, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect324">
+ <meta><title>324</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You enter the building at ground level and follow your adversary's tracks to a mouldering hall at the rear of this derelict dwelling. From the cover of a shadowy alcove you watch as Wolf's Bane meets and converses with two warriors. They are both helmeted and clad in suits of close-fitting grey armour. They have shiny steel spears slung over their shoulders which radiate a faint hum of electrical power. Their meeting is brief. Wolf's Bane issues terse commands and the two warriors leave to enact his orders. As you watch them go, you hazard a guess that their mission is to find and kill you.</p>
+ <p>Wolf's Bane leaves the hall by a broken rear door. You wait for a few minutes, to reduce the risk that he may detect how near you are, and then you follow his trail. The rear of the building opens onto a wasteland of shattered rubble which is bisected by a dead stream of salty, acidic water. You follow your opponent's trail across this bleak and forbidding landscape, past sharp spires of crimson and jet that erupt through the dereliction to scratch the cloudy sky. Rust-red water encircles their bases, lending them a wholly sinister aspect. To your eyes it seems as if this blighted city has been impaled upon these cruel, towering spikes.</p>
+ <p>Beyond the spires you see Wolf's Bane descending a flight of stone steps that disappear into the ground. Suddenly he stops and looks in your direction; it is as if he has sensed you are on his trail. Instinctively you dive to take cover behind a broken wall, but as you hit the ground it collapses, dumping you unceremoniously into a cellar that is flooded with black, briney water.</p>
+ <p>Coughing and spluttering, you bob to the surface and reach out to grab at a stone step. It is the lowest of a flight of slime-smeared steps that rise out of the water and ascend to a trapdoor in the ceiling. Suddenly you see two fiery red eyes emerging from the darkness and your stomach churns. They belong to the hungry, rubbery-skinned creature that dwells in this dismal cellar. It reaches out to grab you with its taloned hands, but you avoid its attack by wrenching at its wrist, sending it somersaulting over your head to splash into the water. Quickly you attempt to pull yourself onto the slippery steps before this creature recovers and tries to attack again.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect145">If your total score is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 145</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect52">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 52</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect325">
+ <meta><title>325</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last of these ghoulish creatures falls to your lightning-swift blows, you leap over its body and race up the stairs to the balcony above. You spare one last glance at the hall below and then, when you are sure that you have left behind no survivors who could raise an alarm, you hurry into the arch beyond.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect326">
+ <meta><title>326</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You soon discover that the creature's iron collar and chain prevent it from reaching you so long as you keep close to the cavern wall. Mindful of this, you skirt around the writhing serpent and inch your way carefully towards the tunnel. However, you have progressed only a few yards when you feel the floor sloping away. The water is getting deeper.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect234">If you possess Magi-magic, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect25">If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect327">
+ <meta><title>327</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your target is beyond the effective range of your power word, yet there is still sufficient energy in your attack to knock him down. However, use of this Discipline at such long range puts an unnecessary strain on your vocal chords: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
+ <p>Wolf's Bane struggles to his feet and he curses you, his teeth showing white against the green of the jungle as he spits out a mouthful of damp soil. Then he turns and disappears into the undergrowth. Determined that you are not going to let him get away so easily, you dash out of the tunnel and give chase.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect328">
+ <meta><title>328</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your killing blow splits the vile creature in two, severing the venom sac located below its tongue. The small amount of fluid remaining in the sac splashes on your weapon and immediately it gives off wisps of acrid, green-grey smoke.</p>
+ <p>Unless the weapon you are using is a Special Item, the acid quickly corrodes it and renders it useless (delete this weapon from your Weapons List).</p>
+ <choice idref="sect271">If, before leaving this hall, you wish to search the shelves for useful items, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect12">If you choose not to search the shelves, <link-text>turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect329">
+ <meta><title>329</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Drawing on your newly acquired magic, you focus on the distant vent and carefully recite the words of the Brotherhood spell Teleport. For a few seconds your vision swims in and out of focus as your strength is sapped of the power that this spell requires (lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Then your sight becomes crystal clear and you feel yourself floating upwards through the air towards the apex of this gigantic cavern.</p>
+ <p>You have risen close to a mile above the canyon when suddenly you attract the unwanted attention of a gigantic dragonfly. Anxious to evade a probable attack, you concentrate harder upon your destination and will yourself to accelerate.</p>
+ <p>Pick a number from the <a idref='random'>Random Number Table</a>. If you possess Assimilance, add 1 to the number you have picked.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect340">If your total is now 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect84">If it is 4 or higher, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect330">
+ <meta><title>330</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you leave the chamber, the portal slides shut and your Iron Disc emerges from the slot. You take the disc and slip it back into your pocket as you retrace your steps to the junction. On arriving there, you continue ahead and begin your exploration of this new passageway.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect137"><link-text>Turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect331">
+ <meta><title>331</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Before you lies a smoke-filled hall that reeks of death and decay. Only the floor appears to be solid, and yet when you stare down at its glassy surface, you see that it is honeycombed with thousands of cells, each one occupied by a tortured soul writhing in perpetual torment. The walls of this evil chamber are wreathed with sulphurous smoke, lit intermittently by shafts of crimson lightning. The foul substances which pass for air seethe with the tension of ferocious, evil energies.</p>
+ <p>From the centre of the floor there arises a slender domed plinth. Moments later, a wide dais rises beside it, upon which you see a visage of the Dark God, one that he favours whilst occupying his unholy throne hall. Nothing could have prepared you for the sight that now meets your gaze - it is the foulest you have ever seen.</p>
+ <p>Naar's favoured form is a great globular body, like that of a bloated spider, borne by a score of stunted limbs which emerge chaotically from the underside of a sac-like abdomen. His face hangs like a parody of a wrinkled old sow's yet with an evil-smelling black hole where one could expect a snout. The upper surface of his body is covered with pouches of vile fluids that trail wisps of black smoke, and his maw is studded with hundreds of blue-stained fangs. But it is the eyes that shock you most. The Dark God has the eyes of a man.</p>
+ <p>Naar shifts his bloated body from the dais and slither-shuffles towards the plinth. A misshapen limb extends to the plinth and its domed cover retracts to reveal a wondrous and mysterious artifact. A second shock stuns your senses when you recognize the nature of this artifact. It is one of the most legendary items in all the long history of Magnamund. It is the fabled Moonstone of the Shianti!</p>
+ <choice idref="sect112"><link-text>Turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect332">
+ <meta><title>332</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The toughness of the plant wall and the confines of the stem make it difficult for you to wield your weapon effectively. It takes you nearly half an hour to hack your way out of this plant, during which time you lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points due to fatigue.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect230">To continue, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect333">
+ <meta><title>333</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you pull yourself a from under the creature's body, your hand brushes against a collar of steel that is fixed tightly around its muscular neck. Attached to this collar is a thin disc of iron engraved with runic symbols. (If you wish to keep this Iron Disc, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item.)</p>
+ <p>You are now anxious to leave this place in case the creature's death cry has alerted others of its kind. By way of an iron staircase, you leave this cellar and emerge through a trapdoor into a street adjacent to the hall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect71"><link-text>Turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect334">
+ <meta><title>334</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You have come to the edge of a deep canyon. The verdant walls of this massive gorge are carpeted with a rainbow of colour and the air is alive with the busy noise of huge, buzzing insects. Everything is fecund and fertile and dripping with humid jungle heat. High above the gorge you glimpse for the first time the source of the light which illuminates this strangely wonderful realm. The canyon is set within a cavern, the walls of which seem to engulf the sky. At its apex there is an oval-shaped vent through which a concentrated shower of amber rays pours down, like sunbeams through a stained glass portal. You watch in awe as flights of dragonflies, each as large as a Vassagonian Itikar, circle languidly above the canyon on gossamer wings. They shimmer like streaks of liquid silver as they ride the thermal currents. The sight is one of great beauty, yet one you cannot fully enjoy. The instinct which led you to the rim of this gorge now tells you that the source of the power you seek lies several miles away and above, beyond the vent that is the source of this cavern's light. Carefully you consider your predicament and determine that in order to escape, you must reach the vent - an exit that lies more than a thousand feet above the rim of the gorge.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect329">If you possess Kai-alchemy (and wish to use it) and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Crown, <link-text>turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect146">If you possess Kai-alchemy (and wish to use it), but have yet to attain the rank of Kai Grand Crown, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect116">If you do not possess this Discipline, or if you choose not to use it, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect335">
+ <meta><title>335</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You emerge through the steel roof of the tower and catch a fleeting glimpse of the rainswept city far below. Suddenly there is a tremendous flash, closely followed by the concussive blast of a terrific explosion. This shockwave hits you from behind, leaving you feeling as if you have just been kicked in the back by an angry mule.</p>
+ <p>Fortunately your winged mount is able to ride this shockwave which helps propel it upwards at great speed into the base of the thick black storm clouds.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect336">
+ <meta><title>336</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The passage leads to a landing where a circular staircase gives access to levels above. As you climb the stairs, you are filled with a growing sense of uncertainty and dread as you ponder what may await you in this alien tower. Yet these feelings of impending doom are quickly banished when you reach the third level, for here you pick up the trail of your adversary. Your tracking skills determine that his trail is fresh and you pursue it eagerly.</p>
+ <p>You pass through a maze of empty passageways which leads eventually to a large, circular hall. Cautiously you approach the entrance and peer inside. Your tracking skills and your curiosity are handsomely rewarded when you see Wolf's Bane; he is standing alone and he is unaware that you have found him.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect337">
+ <meta><title>337</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>'This way, my lords!' shouts Foilan, as he spurs his black mare along a mist-wreathed street that snakes through Tyso's shabby northern quarter. The street is deserted yet many citizens witness your passing. Their eyes glint in the moonlight as they peep through the smoky yellow panes of their windows, their curiosity and fears awakened by the clatter of your horses' hooves.</p>
+ <p>At length the street opens onto a wider avenue which gently descends towards a sprawling expanse of derelict ground surrounded by a tall, moss-covered perimeter wall. Several dozen guards and rangers have gathered at a distant archway in this wall and, by magnifying your vision, you can see that they have erected a barricade which completely blocks the entrance to the burial ground beyond.</p>
+ <p>The Reeve-lieutenant tells you to wait here with your men. Then he goes forward to inform the guards of the situation and to tell them that you and your companions are not Kai impostors. On seeing his signal, you move forward and join him at the archway. At his command, the guards hurriedly clear away some of the rubble which fills the entrance, enabling the five of you to dismount and proceed into the necropolis on foot.</p>
+ <p>In the moonlight, the burial ground has a certain ghostly beauty. There is an aura of sad serenity surrounding its mouldering tombs as, with the passing of centuries, they crumble to dust and disappear with their secret memories of another age. But all is not what it seems. Your sixth sense detects the lingering aura of an evil entity that has invaded this place. A glance at your fellow Kai tells you that they, too, can sense its presence.</p>
+ <p>You clasp the Platinum Amulet and feel a tingling vibration run through the palm of your hand. The sensation grows stronger as you move along a weed-choked path which leads to a shadowy tomb. With the passage of the years this tomb has settled lop-sidedly into the soft Tysoan earth, yet a flight of damp stone steps descends to where its door once was. As you draw nearer, you notice that all that now remains of the door is a mound of broken rubble.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect256">If you possess Telegnosis, <link-text>turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect318">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect338">
+ <meta><title>338</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>When you strike your final blow, the limbs of the Meghanic come adrift from its torso and it disintegrates into a heap of buckled metal. You sift through this scrap and discover nothing of value, save for the warrior's sword.</p>
+ <p>You leap over the battered remains and continue along this winding tunnel until you reach an empty chamber. Here you can feel a warm breeze and you sense that it comes from a stairwell in the far wall. When you investigate, you rediscover Wolf's Bane's footprints clearly imbedded in dust on the stone steps. You cast your hands over them and detect that this is not a false trail; your enemy passed this way sometime within the last hour.</p>
+ <p>Slowly you ascend the stairs and arrive at the arched entrance to a large, vaulted stone chamber. Gathered around a fountain set into its north wall are a group of six grey-skinned humanoids. They are busy drinking a clear, oily fluid that pours from the fountain's spout into a semi-circular trough. All are barefoot and clad in rags, and they are each armed with a spear and a bow. The only exit from this chamber appears to be an archway set high in the north wall. There is a balcony in front of it that can only be reached by two flights of stairs which rise up on either side of the fountain.</p>
+ <p>Quietly you observe the creatures slaking their thirsts, and you try to formulate a way in which you can get past them and reach the balconied exit in the north wall.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect138">If you possess a Bow, and the Discipline of Magimagic, and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect26">If you possess Kai-alchemy and have attained the rank of Grand Crown (and wish to use it), <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect121">If you do not possess these skills, or a Bow, or if you have yet to attain the required levels of Kai mastery, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect339">
+ <meta><title>339</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>From the cover of a leafy bush you observe the primitive settlement for several minutes. (During this vigil, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.) But as time ticks by you become increasingly restless. The hut into which your enemy ran is a small, single-roomed hovel, yet you can detect no movement within it. Prompted by a gnawing fear that you may have allowed Wolf's Bane to escape, you move closer to the settlement under cover of the thick jungle foliage.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect285"><link-text>Turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect340">
+ <meta><title>340</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You increase the rate of your ascent, but your sudden acceleration serves only to make you a more attractive target in the eyes of the predatory dragonfly. With a loud and angry buzzing noise, the creature comes soaring down upon your back like a hawk upon a bolting hare.</p>
+ <combat><enemy>Golasyx</enemy><enemy-attribute class="combatskill">49</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">45</enemy-attribute></combat>
+ <p>This creature is attempting to stab you with the tip of its spear-like proboscis as it swoops past, therefore you need only fight this combat for one round.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect163">If you inflict an equal or greater <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> loss upon the enemy in this single round of combat, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect221">If you sustain a greater <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> loss than your enemy, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect341">
+ <meta><title>341</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You draw your divine blade and a radiant halo of golden flame caresses its razor-sharp edge. You raise the sword above your head and then strike out at the leading point of the approaching fire-bolt. There is a tremendous splash of fiery sparks as you connect with the bolt and send it arcing away to explode harmlessly against the wall of the shaft.</p>
+ <p>The Sommerswerd absorbs some of the energy of the fire-bolt which it transfers to you through its hilt: restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect37">To continue, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect342">
+ <meta><title>342</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As you pass close to the creature's barbed torso, you sense that inwardly it is struggling desperately to overcome the effects of the spell you have placed upon it. Its body begins to twitch as its great crushing coils go into spasm. Sensing that it is about to break free, you cast the spell again to reinforce its effect.</p>
+ <p>Your second casting of the spell keeps the serpent from breaking loose and swiping you with its deadly tail, but the double use of Old Kingdom magic takes its toll on your physical stamina (lose 5 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). With the serpent subdued, you are able to reach the safety of the exit and make your escape unscathed.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115"><link-text>Turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect343">
+ <meta><title>343</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Alyss draws upon her powers to create a cocoon of energy to protect both her vulnerable body and the legendary Moonstone. Kekataag assaults this glowing shield with maniacal ferocity, his great two-handed axe drawing fiery sparks with every mighty blow. You can sense from the hatred which blazes in his supernatural eyes that he and Alyss are old enemies.</p>
+ <p>Naar is now aware of your true identity. He also senses that you have made no effort to reach the Shadow Gate and so he moves away from Alyss, seemingly happy to allow his minion to press on with the attack while he devotes his undivided attention to you.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect132">If you possess the Sommerswerd, <link-text>turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect147">If you do not possess this Special Item, <link-text>turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect344">
+ <meta><title>344</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You race along the passageway and turn the corner to see a tunnel sloping away into the gloom. The walls and ceiling are dripping wet, indicating to you that this dingy passageway passes directly under the stream. You hurry along its narrow confines, your shoulders grazing its muddy walls as you run, until you arrive at a flight of steps that ascend to an archway supported by thick wooden beams. Beyond the arch lies a large subterranean chamber that is daubed and decorated with runes and evil insignia. It is a primitive temple and it radiates an aura of evil so malicious that it makes your skin crawl.</p>
+ <p>On the far side of this unholy place, you see a stone altar standing before a huge boulder that has been crudely chiselled to resemble a grinning human skull. An eerie green glow pulsates from the eye sockets of this great skull-rock, and a mist swirls from its open jaw. Wolf's Bane is at the centre of the chamber but he is moving quickly towards the altar. You command him to stop and face you, but he ignores your order and continues running until he reaches the jaw of the great stone skull, which is flanked by two staves of iron set into holes in the ground. Gasping for breath, he now turns to face you. For a moment his evil eyes dart towards one of the iron staves and he reaches out a hand as if to grasp it. But, seemingly, he changes his mind. He sees you entering the temple and he turns and runs into the open jaw of the skull to be swallowed up by the roiling mist.</p>
+ <p>Quickly you pursue him, confident that you can maintain the upper hand so long as you do not lose his trail.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect140"><link-text>Turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect345">
+ <meta><title>345</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Beyond where the illusory north wall once stood, you can now see a small antechamber which is wreathed in acrid blue smoke. Gradually this smoke dissipates to reveal a shallow plinth upon which lies a bronze urn. This heavy object rests on its side and a quantity of pale grey ash has spilled from its hinged lid. Cautiously you approach the urn and see that there is an inscription engraved on its side. From this ancient script you learn that the ashes are the last remains of Baroness Garrulen, the wife of Hul - third Baron of Tyso. Glinting half-buried in the ash, you notice a ring encrusted with crimson gemstones (if you wish to keep this Ruby Ring, record it on your <a idref='action'>Action Chart</a> as a Special Item).</p>
+ <p>You are righting the urn on its plinth when you hear Steel Hand calling you. He has found something among the rubble which litters the floor at the rear of the antechamber.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect35"><link-text>Turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect346">
+ <meta><title>346</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your efforts are rewarded when the dragonfly responds to your healing powers. Consciousness and strength return to its battered body and the creature is able to pull out of its dive before it is too late. It swoops deep into the cavernous moat of the tower to gather speed for its slow ascent into the clouds. As you climb past the top of the tower you see that the dragonfly pens have been completely destroyed by the explosion. Fire rages through the uppermost levels of the tower, and it is spreading quickly to the other levels below.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect347">
+ <meta><title>347</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>You stop to use your Magnakai Discipline of divination, to determine which passage you should follow. Unfortunately, you are still unable to detect your adversary's trail and you cannot determine any difference between the two passages.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect95">If you decide to explore the left corridor, <link-text>turn to 95</link-text>.</choice>
+ <choice idref="sect137">If you choose instead to explore the right corridor, <link-text>turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect348">
+ <meta><title>348</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>Your final blow cleaves the head from the chained serpent and sends it spinning into the air. It collides with the ceiling and rebounds to splash loudly into the mire. For a moment it bobs on the surface, its lifeless eyes glazed and opaque, then it sinks slowly beneath the foam. Breathless from the fight, you sheathe your weapon and wade across the slimy ichor-stained waters towards the mouth of the tunnel where you make a hasty escape from this hostile cavern.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect115"><link-text>Turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect349">
+ <meta><title>349</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>The warrior skids to a halt and stares down in disbelief at the legs of his slain comrade that protrude from beneath the fallen cylinders. You seize the chance to attack and you move up behind him and leap onto his undefended back. He fights tenaciously to free himself, but his struggle ends abruptly when you rip a steel cable from the canister that is strapped to his back. There is a dull boom, and an eruption of blue-white flame shoots from the top of the canister, burning open the back of his helm. The force of this blast hurls him forwards and leaves him sprawled across the cylinders that cover his slain comrade. For a few seconds a spidery net of pulsating light enshrouds the two lifeless warriors, then it crackles and disappears, leaving behind an acrid stench of scorched metal and roasted meat.</p>
+ <choice idref="sect21"><link-text>Turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <section class="numbered" id="sect350">
+ <meta><title>350</title></meta>
+
+ <data>
+ <p>As the last of the creatures dies, you leap over its heaped body and stumble through the Shadow Gate into a whirling oblivion. The last image that burns itself into your memory is that of Alyss slowly succumbing to the relentless blows from Kekataag's axe. The memory of her fearless bravery strengthens your spirit and resolve to forever serve the forces of Good against the accursed hordes of darkness.</p>
+ <p>Congratulations Grand Master - you have won a great victory over the forces of Evil. You have defeated Naar's sinister plan to destroy you and conquer all of Magnamund. But, as you return through the Shadow Gate to the land of your birth, you know that the fight against Evil is not yet over. If you are to prevent the Dark God from launching his armies of night into Magnamund, you must return to the Plane of Darkness and retrieve the fabled Moonstone. Only by doing so will Magnamund be safe from the ravages of Naar's unholy hordes.</p>
+ <p>It will be a supremely perilous mission, perhaps the most dangerous you have ever undertaken. If you possess the true courage of a Kai Grand Master, the ultimate quest awaits you in the climax to the Grand Master series, entitled:</p>
+ <p>THE CURSE OF NAAR</p>
+
+ </data>
+ </section>
+ </data>
+ </section>
+
+ <!-- Backmatter -->
+
+ </data>
+</section>
+
+</gamebook>
Project Aon Git Repositories / project-aon.git / commitdiff