hillock. Here, contained within an arch of ancient stone, you see a whirling vortex: it is unmistakably an open Shadow Gate.
Surrounding Tagazin are a host of winged, dragon-like creatures, with horny skins that glimmer like gold in the wan light. By the slow, laborious way in which the jackal-like Demonlord is moving his limbs, you sense that he has been injured and greatly weakened by his passage through the void.
If you have ever been to the Plane of Darkness before in a previous
Lone Wolf
adventure, 11 turn to 205 .
If you have not, turn to 227 .
[11] In other words, have you ever visited the domain of the Demoness Shamath?
152
As the last skeletal warrior crumbles beneath your repeated blows, you step back and wipe the sweat of battle from your brow. A glance into the secret panel through which they emerged reveals a narrow chamber beyond. Lying on the crystal slab floor you see several items of equipment:
Small Sack
Stone Bowl
Spyglass
Iron Key
Coil of Oiled Rope
If you decide to keep any of the above, record them on your Action Chart as Backpack Items.
You leave the chamber and hurry down the stone staircase to the archway below. The Drakkarim patrol you sighted earlier is now nowhere to be seen, enabling you to leave the barbican and enter Xaagon without further confrontation.
Warily you trek through the awesome ruins of this age-old city, where once, at the beginning of the Age of Eternal Night, a proud and mighty race reigned supreme.
You have just passed a derelict mausoleum when you are forced to halt and hide from a passing troop of Ixian warriors. You watch as they march stiffly along an ice-choked avenue towards a plaza that is dominated by a huge frozen fountain. Beyond the fountain's solid plume of water you see a broad ramp which ascends to a grand archway at the base of the Crystal Spire.
If you possess Grand Huntmastery and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord or higher, turn to 9 .
If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to reach this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 122 .
153
Silently you climb the stairs and peer over the lip of the hatch; you are just in time to witness a scene which shocks you to the core. You see that the undead Drakkarim warriors have slain all of the Lencian crewmen and have heaped their bodies around the base of the mainmast. One of the undead, clad in a filthy grey cloak embroidered with alien symbols, utters a chilling liturgy over the corpses of the slain. You sense something is very wrong. The chill air crackles with power and sparks of evil energy whirl around their bodies. When at last the liturgy ends, you see to your horror the slain Lencians rise up and take their places alongside the Drakkarim undead.
Illustration IX —One of the undead warriors utters a chilling liturgy over the corpses of the slain.
Revolted and angered by what you have witnessed, you vow to avenge the souls of the crew and draw your weapon in readiness to attack the host of Drakkarim undead. But before you can act, you feel a shudder run through the deck. The great vessel which has swallowed your ship is lurching to a halt. There is a dull boom, and then several portals open in the surrounding walls of the host vessel, spilling beams of white light across the deck of your captive ship. Scores of Drakkarim undead emerge from these portals and descend upon the ship like a host of hungry ghouls. You are forced to abandon your plan for vengeance — there are now far too many of the enemy. Yet all is not lost. In the milling confusion, you seize an opportunity to get away from the ship and escape into one of the light-filled portals.
Turn to 320 .
154
You rise once more and return to the edge of the shaft, drawing on reserves of strength and determination both to fight and maintain your levitation spell.
‘For Sommerlund and the Kai!’ you shout, as you lash out at the monstrous Chaos-creatures crowding the edge of the pit.
Chaos-horde: COMBAT SKILL 37
Surrounding Tagazin are a host of winged, dragon-like creatures, with horny skins that glimmer like gold in the wan light. By the slow, laborious way in which the jackal-like Demonlord is moving his limbs, you sense that he has been injured and greatly weakened by his passage through the void.
If you have ever been to the Plane of Darkness before in a previous
Lone Wolf
adventure, 11 turn to 205 .
If you have not, turn to 227 .
[11] In other words, have you ever visited the domain of the Demoness Shamath?
152
As the last skeletal warrior crumbles beneath your repeated blows, you step back and wipe the sweat of battle from your brow. A glance into the secret panel through which they emerged reveals a narrow chamber beyond. Lying on the crystal slab floor you see several items of equipment:
Small Sack
Stone Bowl
Spyglass
Iron Key
Coil of Oiled Rope
If you decide to keep any of the above, record them on your Action Chart as Backpack Items.
You leave the chamber and hurry down the stone staircase to the archway below. The Drakkarim patrol you sighted earlier is now nowhere to be seen, enabling you to leave the barbican and enter Xaagon without further confrontation.
Warily you trek through the awesome ruins of this age-old city, where once, at the beginning of the Age of Eternal Night, a proud and mighty race reigned supreme.
You have just passed a derelict mausoleum when you are forced to halt and hide from a passing troop of Ixian warriors. You watch as they march stiffly along an ice-choked avenue towards a plaza that is dominated by a huge frozen fountain. Beyond the fountain's solid plume of water you see a broad ramp which ascends to a grand archway at the base of the Crystal Spire.
If you possess Grand Huntmastery and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord or higher, turn to 9 .
If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to reach this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 122 .
153
Silently you climb the stairs and peer over the lip of the hatch; you are just in time to witness a scene which shocks you to the core. You see that the undead Drakkarim warriors have slain all of the Lencian crewmen and have heaped their bodies around the base of the mainmast. One of the undead, clad in a filthy grey cloak embroidered with alien symbols, utters a chilling liturgy over the corpses of the slain. You sense something is very wrong. The chill air crackles with power and sparks of evil energy whirl around their bodies. When at last the liturgy ends, you see to your horror the slain Lencians rise up and take their places alongside the Drakkarim undead.
Illustration IX —One of the undead warriors utters a chilling liturgy over the corpses of the slain.
Revolted and angered by what you have witnessed, you vow to avenge the souls of the crew and draw your weapon in readiness to attack the host of Drakkarim undead. But before you can act, you feel a shudder run through the deck. The great vessel which has swallowed your ship is lurching to a halt. There is a dull boom, and then several portals open in the surrounding walls of the host vessel, spilling beams of white light across the deck of your captive ship. Scores of Drakkarim undead emerge from these portals and descend upon the ship like a host of hungry ghouls. You are forced to abandon your plan for vengeance — there are now far too many of the enemy. Yet all is not lost. In the milling confusion, you seize an opportunity to get away from the ship and escape into one of the light-filled portals.
Turn to 320 .
154
You rise once more and return to the edge of the shaft, drawing on reserves of strength and determination both to fight and maintain your levitation spell.
‘For Sommerlund and the Kai!’ you shout, as you lash out at the monstrous Chaos-creatures crowding the edge of the pit.
Chaos-horde: COMBAT SKILL 37
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