Score 8-11 An ambush turn to 345 Score 12 A rare sight turn to 377 488
You begin to stalk the unicorn, trying to get on to the slopes above it from where you can leap to the attack. You may use SCOUTING, THIEVERY or COMBAT in your attempt to hunt the creature, playing to your strengths. Choose your ability and make a roll at a Difficulty of 14.
If you succeed, turn to 127. If you fail the roll, your techniques are no match for the unicorn and it flees – turn to 307.
489
It is the spectre of Kizil Irmak, and it cuts at you with the flickering sword it wields. You must fight.
Irmak's Spectre, COMBAT 8, Defence 8, Stamina 10
Each time you are wounded by the spectre, make a SANCTITY roll at Difficulty 11. If you fail the roll, the sword drains you of one COMBAT point (for this fight only – it is not permanent).If you make the roll, you resist the COMBAT drain.
Lose turn to 7 Win turn to 565 Run away turn to 45 490
Tick the codeword Evict and gain one point of SANCTITY for ridding the swamp of the toad demon. Turn to 371.
491
You set off in search of the dragon's hoard. The map leads you to a frost-bound cave deep in the Icicle Woods. Unfortunately, the ice dragon is at home. It is too mighty to slay so you attempt to sneak in, and steal some of its treasure.
Make a THIEVERY roll at Difficulty 15. Successful THIEVERY roll turn to 257 Failed THIEVERY roll turn to 344 492
You impress the Master of Shadows greatly. He is planning an expedition to rob the Spider Palace and is in need of good thieves. You are invited to join the mission. Accept turn to 545
Decline turn to 686 493
If there is a tick in the box, turn to 266 immediately. If not, put a tick there now, and read on.
You step into a chamber called the Hall of Blandishments. The Conjuror of Amusements is standing in the middle of the hall practising some kind of magical light show – blasts
of fiery energy and coruscating wheels of blue fire dance and spin around his hands. Yellow and green balls of sorcerous flame describe intricate patterns through the air around his head.
He ceases his magical mummery when you enter. It seems the conjuror, an accomplished prestidigitator, requires your services in the re-enactment of an epic of old Uttaku, to be performed before the court. The story involves the victory of an ancient Uttakin hero called the Grand High Inquisitor over the bogeyman of Uttakin history, the Disseminator of Heresies. You are to play the role of the Disseminator of Heresies; he is to play the Grand High Inquisitor. The problem is that the inquisitor defeated his foe by engulfing him in a blast of sorcerous flame and the conjuror wants to recreate the event with
accuracy. He needs someone who is magically skilled enough to resist the blast of energy he will use.
Agree to play the part turn to 175 Decline the invitation turn to 504 494
If you are an initiate it costs only 10 Shards to purchase Maka's blessing. A non-initiate must pay 20 Shards. Cross off the money and mark Immunity to Disease/Poison in the Blessings box on your Adventure Sheet.
The blessing works by allowing you to ignore any one occasion when you would
normally suffer from disease or poison, for instance, the venomous bite of a snake. When you use the blessing, cross it off your Adventure Sheet. You can have only one Immunity to Disease/Poison blessing at any one time. Once it is used up, you can return to any temple of Maka to buy a new one. Turn to 142.
495
You cut several of them down in the first few seconds of the fight, and the rest flee in terror.
You loot the bodies and find 125 Shards, a katana (COMBAT +1), a suit of ring mail (Defence +2), and a compass (SCOUTING +1).
Turn to 168. 496
The Hall of Ablution is a bit like a bathhouse except that the baths are full of sand, not water. The Uttakin purify themselves in sand as part of a religious ritual that goes back to the days when they were tribesmen in the deserts of Ankon-Konu, the southern continent. To be purified in the Hall of Ablution costs 50 Shards.
Pay the money turn to 559 Return to the city centre turn to 444 497
The flickering, flaming sword puts fire in your eyes and soul. While you carry it, add 2 to your CHARISMA. Note the sword of fire (CHARISMA +2) on your Adventure Sheet. You swim back to shore. Turn to 268.
498
on.
Gain the codeword Envoy.
It transpires that he is seeking the steps to an ancient dance that goes back to the early days of the Uttakin empire. It has great ceremonial and religious significance to the Uttakin, but the way it is performed has long since been lost.
'Bring me knowledge of the spectral minuet and I will reward you,' says the seneschal. If you have the codeword Cruel or Hill, turn to 347 immediately. If not, you return to the audience chamber. Turn to 401.
499
You approach a patrol. Its members are dressed in long, flowing black robnes
emblazoned with an arcane symbol. They were lacquered masks of black and purple, fashioned to resemble terrible demons of the dark, the spawn of Ebron. They carry batons in each hand, tipped with a glowing purple gem. You explain how you were robbed. If you have the title Masked Lord or Masked Lady, or if you have blue skin, turn to 571 immediately. Otherwise, turn to 55.
500
You are restored to life at the war-god's chapel in the High King's castle. Your Stamina is back to normal. The possessions and cash you were carrying at the time of your death are lost. Cross them off your Adventure Sheet. Also remember to delete the entry in the Resurrection box now it has been used.
The high priest, pale and wan after the effort of resurrecting you says, 'Tyrnai has granted you another chance – seek to do battle in the name of the High King, for he is the chosen one of mighty Tyrnai!'
Turn to 526. 501
As a member of the Church of Ebron, you are deemed worthy enough to enter the outer precincts of the palace. You ascend the stairs. Expungers stand on guard, as still as statues, on either side of you as you walk up and up. At the top, you come to the Garden of Exotic Fragrances, which rings the palace like a garland of sweet-smelling flowers. Masked lords amble through the garden, or huddle here in groups, plotting intrigue no doubt.
You see strange winged reptiles lurking in the bushes. These are butterfly lizards, trained to respond to the commands of the masked lords. They have poisonous barbed spines, like porcupine quills, running up the backs of their necks, which they can fire at their enemies. These are the guardian pets of the court.
If you have the codeword Élite, turn to 251. Otherwise, turn to 183. 502
Don't forget to pay the fare for your journey.
The ship sets sail and is soon making good headway. The captain is a man who enjoys tempting fate.
'Let's just hope we don't run into pirates,' he says with a reckless grin. Roll two dice.