beyond. A walled city of low, pyramid-shaped dwellings is spread along the centre of a narrow valley. Near the middle, rising high above the other buildings, stands a tower of stone, its colour identical to the drab grey of the sky. Its straight thoroughfares are thronged with hairy, ape-like creatures who pass freely and leisurely through the narrow streets.
The path leads down to an open gate in the city wall where two of its squat-limbed inhabitants stand guard. You are relieved to have at last discovered a vestige of civilization in this strange land, and you set off for the city gate at a brisk pace.
Turn to 215 .
116
Your senses warn that a powerful spell protects this portal. If you inscribe the wrong symbol on the blank square you will break the spell, the consequences of which could be fatal!
Turn to 25 .
118
Your detour takes you through a marshy section of the Nahgoth where firm ground gives way to thorn-guarded shrubs and ankle-deep slime. You press on and, as you disturb the surface of the mire, you release a cloud of vile, choking marsh gas.
Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Curing (at the rank of Mentora or higher), or the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus (at the rank of Primate or higher), lose 5 ENDURANCE points owing to the insidious effect of the gas.
Turn to 276 .
120
As the last of your enemies falls dead at your feet, the traitor vents a shrill cry of terror and scurries like a bloated spider towards the Shadow Gate. In his hand he clutches a banded, leaden box and, as he runs, he works feverishly at the lock. Suddenly the lid springs back and your senses burn as the power of the last Lorestone is uncovered. Now instinct alone guides your actions. You sprint towards him, determined to stop him from entering the Shadow Gate. He squeals with fear and turns to face you, his hand raised, a ring of blue fire pulsating on his finger. He screams a curse and a jet of cold fire lances your chest and slams you to the floor: lose 5 ENDURANCE points. As you stagger to your feet, the traitor runs forward to finish you with another blast. You dive aside and the blast tears open the floor but, before he can launch another, you leap forward and attack.
Illustration VII —Vonotar the Traitor screams a curse and a jet of cold fire from his ring lances your chest.
Vonotar the Traitor (with Power Ring): COMBAT SKILL 30 ENDURANCE 21
He is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge.
If you win the combat, turn to 350 .
122
The Beholder deactivates the light-picture and wills his servant to carry him back to the first gallery. There, bathed in the shadowless glow of the fireball, stands a huge globe of silvery metal. At his approach it radiates an eerie phosphorescent light and symbols appear upon its surface.
‘The Lorestones entered the Shadow Gate some moments before you fell, is that not so?’ asks the Beholder, incisively. You confirm this to be the case and watch with fascination as the symbols shift and change colour. ‘There are many channels within the Shadow Gate that are warped by the vagaries of time and space. Usually it is an impossible task to predict where an object passing through to the Daziarn will materialize, but the coordinates of your arrival are known and this will help my calculations.’
Slowly the symbols begin to disappear until just three remain. ‘Without knowing the precise Aon-time they entered the Shadow Gate I can find only an approximate location,’ he says, scrutinizing the symbols. ‘As reckoned by the time-scale of your planet, the Lorestones arrived on the Daziarn forty-one hours ago. They materialized together and intact in the forest of the Khat Trisect of Vhozada — a realm situated between the elemental strongholds of Earth and Water. This bodes well for you, human. Vhozada is a temperate and stable domain, rich in those elements necessary to sustain mortal life-forms. Also, there is one of great vision who has made this her home. Her name is
The path leads down to an open gate in the city wall where two of its squat-limbed inhabitants stand guard. You are relieved to have at last discovered a vestige of civilization in this strange land, and you set off for the city gate at a brisk pace.
Turn to 215 .
116
Your senses warn that a powerful spell protects this portal. If you inscribe the wrong symbol on the blank square you will break the spell, the consequences of which could be fatal!
Turn to 25 .
118
Your detour takes you through a marshy section of the Nahgoth where firm ground gives way to thorn-guarded shrubs and ankle-deep slime. You press on and, as you disturb the surface of the mire, you release a cloud of vile, choking marsh gas.
Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Curing (at the rank of Mentora or higher), or the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus (at the rank of Primate or higher), lose 5 ENDURANCE points owing to the insidious effect of the gas.
Turn to 276 .
120
As the last of your enemies falls dead at your feet, the traitor vents a shrill cry of terror and scurries like a bloated spider towards the Shadow Gate. In his hand he clutches a banded, leaden box and, as he runs, he works feverishly at the lock. Suddenly the lid springs back and your senses burn as the power of the last Lorestone is uncovered. Now instinct alone guides your actions. You sprint towards him, determined to stop him from entering the Shadow Gate. He squeals with fear and turns to face you, his hand raised, a ring of blue fire pulsating on his finger. He screams a curse and a jet of cold fire lances your chest and slams you to the floor: lose 5 ENDURANCE points. As you stagger to your feet, the traitor runs forward to finish you with another blast. You dive aside and the blast tears open the floor but, before he can launch another, you leap forward and attack.
Illustration VII —Vonotar the Traitor screams a curse and a jet of cold fire from his ring lances your chest.
Vonotar the Traitor (with Power Ring): COMBAT SKILL 30 ENDURANCE 21
He is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge.
If you win the combat, turn to 350 .
122
The Beholder deactivates the light-picture and wills his servant to carry him back to the first gallery. There, bathed in the shadowless glow of the fireball, stands a huge globe of silvery metal. At his approach it radiates an eerie phosphorescent light and symbols appear upon its surface.
‘The Lorestones entered the Shadow Gate some moments before you fell, is that not so?’ asks the Beholder, incisively. You confirm this to be the case and watch with fascination as the symbols shift and change colour. ‘There are many channels within the Shadow Gate that are warped by the vagaries of time and space. Usually it is an impossible task to predict where an object passing through to the Daziarn will materialize, but the coordinates of your arrival are known and this will help my calculations.’
Slowly the symbols begin to disappear until just three remain. ‘Without knowing the precise Aon-time they entered the Shadow Gate I can find only an approximate location,’ he says, scrutinizing the symbols. ‘As reckoned by the time-scale of your planet, the Lorestones arrived on the Daziarn forty-one hours ago. They materialized together and intact in the forest of the Khat Trisect of Vhozada — a realm situated between the elemental strongholds of Earth and Water. This bodes well for you, human. Vhozada is a temperate and stable domain, rich in those elements necessary to sustain mortal life-forms. Also, there is one of great vision who has made this her home. Her name is
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