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.
‘It's here … ’ you whisper, your hand reaching for your weapon. ‘The Doomstone. I can feel its presence!’
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.
Turn to 161 .
84
You are some distance from the east bank when the boat stops abruptly; it has run aground in the shallows.
‘Curse our luck,’ grumbles Prarg, peering over the side. ‘I was a'hoping we'd be fortunate enough t'keep our feet dry.’ Wearily he searches through the provisions and produces a heavy rope, one end of which he proceeds to tie around the stem 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.
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 that 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:
‘Awake Sire, I think we've visitors!’
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.
‘Gorodons!’ says Prarg, his voice full of horror. ‘Quickly, Sire, we must get away while we still can!’
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.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table .
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 279 .
If the number you have picked is 5–9, turn to 51 .
87
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.
Turn to 276 .
89
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.
Study the following sequence of numbers. When you think you have worked out what the missing number is turn to the entry which is identical to your answer. 9
If you guess incorrectly, or if you cannot solve the door puzzle, turn instead to 30 .
[9] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.
90
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
‘It's here … ’ you whisper, your hand reaching for your weapon. ‘The Doomstone. I can feel its presence!’
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.
Turn to 161 .
84
You are some distance from the east bank when the boat stops abruptly; it has run aground in the shallows.
‘Curse our luck,’ grumbles Prarg, peering over the side. ‘I was a'hoping we'd be fortunate enough t'keep our feet dry.’ Wearily he searches through the provisions and produces a heavy rope, one end of which he proceeds to tie around the stem 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.
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 that 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:
‘Awake Sire, I think we've visitors!’
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.
‘Gorodons!’ says Prarg, his voice full of horror. ‘Quickly, Sire, we must get away while we still can!’
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.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table .
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 279 .
If the number you have picked is 5–9, turn to 51 .
87
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.
Turn to 276 .
89
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.
Study the following sequence of numbers. When you think you have worked out what the missing number is turn to the entry which is identical to your answer. 9
If you guess incorrectly, or if you cannot solve the door puzzle, turn instead to 30 .
[9] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.
90
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
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