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.
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.
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.
During your wait, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 94 .
107
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.
With a cry of despair, he draws a dagger from inside his robes and prepares to fight you to the death.
Cener Druid: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 26
If you win the combat, turn to 4 .
108
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.
Before you can prevent it, the creature depresses the button.
Turn to 11 .
109
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.
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.
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.
Turn to 247 .
110
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.
If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and Grand Nexus, turn to 55 .
If you do not possess
both
of these Grand Master Disciplines, turn to 174 .
111
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.
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
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.
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.
During your wait, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 94 .
107
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.
With a cry of despair, he draws a dagger from inside his robes and prepares to fight you to the death.
Cener Druid: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 26
If you win the combat, turn to 4 .
108
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.
Before you can prevent it, the creature depresses the button.
Turn to 11 .
109
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.
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.
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.
Turn to 247 .
110
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.
If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and Grand Nexus, turn to 55 .
If you do not possess
both
of these Grand Master Disciplines, turn to 174 .
111
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.
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
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