begins. The ground is softer, and tall, black rushes appear in clumps around misty pools of stagnant water. From tortured husks of trees hang thorny vines, as tough and as cruel as sharpened steel wire. So thickly are they entwined around some trees that they have strangled them, leaving empty coils where the trunks have rotted away. The stench of decay fills your nostrils in the humid yet cold air.
You wade through ankle-deep slime for nearly an hour before reaching the edge of a huge, murky pool. Whirls and eddies disturb its surface, warning of the creatures that lurk below.
If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship and have reached the rank of Tutelary, turn to 203 .
If you wish to skirt around this pool to the north, turn to 36 .
If you wish to skirt around it to the south, turn to 300 .
140
You reel back from the edge, blocking Paido, who is following close on your heels. Your swift reaction has saved you both from falling to certain doom in the chasm. Shaken, you turn away from the edge and follow the track instead.
Turn to 229 .
141
‘Very well,’ says Count Conundrum. ‘Just to make our journey to Tharro a little more interesting, if there is anyone here who can answer my next puzzle correctly they will receive from me forty Lune.’ A chorus of delighted whisperings emanates from the crowd.
‘In winter,’ he begins, ‘the ice-lilies of Lake Adon double in area every twenty-four hours. It takes sixty days from the time the first ice-lily appears until the lake is completely covered with them. On what day is the lake half covered with lilies?’
If you can answer the ice-lily riddle, turn to the entry with the same number as your answer. 10
If you cannot answer the riddle, turn to 338 .
[10] If you decide to make a guess, the section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.
144
Your killing blow beheads the evil warlord, sending the great bronze helm spinning skywards. The sight of him slain in such a way shakes the morale of his men, and they break off their attack abruptly, wheeling their horses about and galloping away in disorder. ‘Let's fly,’ shouts Paido, waving his sword darkened by the blood of the Drakkarim, ‘before they regroup and attack again.’
You sheathe your weapon and follow Paido as he leaves the track and rides along the stream to the west. Turn to 136 .
145
The dwarf draws two flagons of ale and a brace of wheat cakes from the counter. ‘That'll be fifteen Lune, all told,’ he says, pushing two carved wooden platters with their mouthwatering cargoes a little closer. You flick open your Belt Pouch and take out four Crowns.
‘This should cover it,’ you say, sliding the gold coins across the bar. He tests them between his teeth before nodding his approval.
‘No offence t'you two gentlemen, y'understand, but I've been caught with snide coinage afore an' it's made me a might careful like. These be Dessi mint, if I'm not mistaken?’ he enquires, his eye twinkling at the thought of hearing tales of that distant magical land.
‘Could be,’ says Paido, guardedly. ‘The coins of Magnamund mix freely in Garthen's markets — there's no telling when those four last saw their birthplace.’
‘How about you, innkeeper?’ you interrupt, steering conversation away from Dessi. ‘You're no native Talestrian. When did you last see your homeland?’ The dwarf's face beams as he prepares to talk on his favourite subject — himself. By the time you have finished your food and ale you have heard the life story of Lardin, son of Kardon of Bor.
‘What news have you of Luukos?’ asks Paido, as the dwarf takes a rare pause for breath.
‘News of a kind that's becomin' only too familiar round these parts,’ he replies in a disgruntled tone. ‘But that Zegron's bitten off more than he can chew this time. Once Lord Adamas an' the army boys come down on 'im he'll wish he'd stayed in his stinkin' city o' Xanar,
You wade through ankle-deep slime for nearly an hour before reaching the edge of a huge, murky pool. Whirls and eddies disturb its surface, warning of the creatures that lurk below.
If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship and have reached the rank of Tutelary, turn to 203 .
If you wish to skirt around this pool to the north, turn to 36 .
If you wish to skirt around it to the south, turn to 300 .
140
You reel back from the edge, blocking Paido, who is following close on your heels. Your swift reaction has saved you both from falling to certain doom in the chasm. Shaken, you turn away from the edge and follow the track instead.
Turn to 229 .
141
‘Very well,’ says Count Conundrum. ‘Just to make our journey to Tharro a little more interesting, if there is anyone here who can answer my next puzzle correctly they will receive from me forty Lune.’ A chorus of delighted whisperings emanates from the crowd.
‘In winter,’ he begins, ‘the ice-lilies of Lake Adon double in area every twenty-four hours. It takes sixty days from the time the first ice-lily appears until the lake is completely covered with them. On what day is the lake half covered with lilies?’
If you can answer the ice-lily riddle, turn to the entry with the same number as your answer. 10
If you cannot answer the riddle, turn to 338 .
[10] If you decide to make a guess, the section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.
144
Your killing blow beheads the evil warlord, sending the great bronze helm spinning skywards. The sight of him slain in such a way shakes the morale of his men, and they break off their attack abruptly, wheeling their horses about and galloping away in disorder. ‘Let's fly,’ shouts Paido, waving his sword darkened by the blood of the Drakkarim, ‘before they regroup and attack again.’
You sheathe your weapon and follow Paido as he leaves the track and rides along the stream to the west. Turn to 136 .
145
The dwarf draws two flagons of ale and a brace of wheat cakes from the counter. ‘That'll be fifteen Lune, all told,’ he says, pushing two carved wooden platters with their mouthwatering cargoes a little closer. You flick open your Belt Pouch and take out four Crowns.
‘This should cover it,’ you say, sliding the gold coins across the bar. He tests them between his teeth before nodding his approval.
‘No offence t'you two gentlemen, y'understand, but I've been caught with snide coinage afore an' it's made me a might careful like. These be Dessi mint, if I'm not mistaken?’ he enquires, his eye twinkling at the thought of hearing tales of that distant magical land.
‘Could be,’ says Paido, guardedly. ‘The coins of Magnamund mix freely in Garthen's markets — there's no telling when those four last saw their birthplace.’
‘How about you, innkeeper?’ you interrupt, steering conversation away from Dessi. ‘You're no native Talestrian. When did you last see your homeland?’ The dwarf's face beams as he prepares to talk on his favourite subject — himself. By the time you have finished your food and ale you have heard the life story of Lardin, son of Kardon of Bor.
‘What news have you of Luukos?’ asks Paido, as the dwarf takes a rare pause for breath.
‘News of a kind that's becomin' only too familiar round these parts,’ he replies in a disgruntled tone. ‘But that Zegron's bitten off more than he can chew this time. Once Lord Adamas an' the army boys come down on 'im he'll wish he'd stayed in his stinkin' city o' Xanar,
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