bear, and, with a final howl of frustration, they flee from the bridge and scurry back to the safety of their pens in Castle Tranius.
Turn to 86 .
34
Your calves and feet are badly scorched by the heat of the dragon's breath: lose 4 ENDURANCE points. Gritting your teeth against the pain, you force yourself to stand and then use your Magnakai skill of Nexus to extinguish your burning breeches. Your quick thinking has saved you from more serious injury, but it does not impress the dragon. Your escape from his incinerating breath serves to make him even angrier. In a fit of pique, he stomps his massive forefoot down onto the black soil and sends a splash of molten mud and flame soaring into the sulphurous sky.
You use this opportunity to retreat towards the Shadow Gate, but you do not get very far before the great beast sees you and comes lumbering forwards with his jaw agape.
Unless you possess a Platinum Amulet, a Talisman of Ishir, or the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you must now deduct 3 ENDURANCE points due to the debilitating effects of the heat and atmosphere.
Turn to 316 .
35
You rush to the brigand's side and wrench the dagger from his chest, but it is already too late to save his life. You step away from his lifeless body and look around at the devastation he and his men have brought to the sleepy village of Pinepeaks. Leaderless, the remaining brigands now abandon their loot and flee to the wooded hills to rejoin their confederates, those who attempted to ambush the troop when first you entered this valley. Nathor's men have secured the village and they are busy helping the villagers to fight small fires which are burning in several of the cottages.
Turn to 126 .
36
You continue along the avenue until you reach the city's north wall. Here you stop to read a proclamation that has been nailed to the door of a coaching inn and stables. It states that a curfew is in force in Rhem, and anyone found on the streets an hour after nightfall will be arrested by the city watch.
You are about to leave when you overhear the owner of the stables talking to one of his stable-hands. The boy is holding the reins of an aged horse that is severely lame in one leg, and the owner is telling him that he can no longer afford to stable the sick old mare.
‘She'll have to go,’ says the owner, shaking his head. ‘She's worthless to me now she's not earning her keep.’
Tears are streaming down the young boy's face. Clearly he loves the old horse and is heartbroken at the prospect of her being destroyed. Boldly you approach the owner and propose a deal.
‘Sir, if I am able to cure this lame mare,’ you say, stroking the horse's velvety nose, ‘then will you allow me to keep her?’
‘Ha, ha, ha, so you think you can work miracles, do you?’ chuckles the owner. ‘Very well then, stranger. If you can cure her — you can keep her.’
Gently you settle the mare and run your hands down her lame foreleg. Using your Magnakai Disciplines of Curing and Animal Control, you slowly ease her worn-out joints and mend her cracked bones. Within minutes she is as agile as a newborn foal.
‘Well I be a storgh's uncle!’ gasps the owner, amazed by the sudden transformation. ‘So, stranger, you
can
work miracles after all! The horse is yours!’
You climb upon the mare's back and wave farewell to the owner and the stable-boy, who is now crying tears of joy.
‘If ever you're looking for work,’ says the owner, as you turn the horse to leave, ‘then there'll always be a job for you here!’
Turn to 244 .
37
You intone the words of the Old Kingdom Spell Invisible Fist and extend the palm of your right hand, pointing it towards the belly of the swooping beast. You feel a surge of energy leap from your palm and shoot towards the creature. It senses your attack and veers in mid-air to avoid it, but its reactions are too slow to escape being hit. The concussive force of your spell deals a crushing blow to its chest and, momentarily
Turn to 86 .
34
Your calves and feet are badly scorched by the heat of the dragon's breath: lose 4 ENDURANCE points. Gritting your teeth against the pain, you force yourself to stand and then use your Magnakai skill of Nexus to extinguish your burning breeches. Your quick thinking has saved you from more serious injury, but it does not impress the dragon. Your escape from his incinerating breath serves to make him even angrier. In a fit of pique, he stomps his massive forefoot down onto the black soil and sends a splash of molten mud and flame soaring into the sulphurous sky.
You use this opportunity to retreat towards the Shadow Gate, but you do not get very far before the great beast sees you and comes lumbering forwards with his jaw agape.
Unless you possess a Platinum Amulet, a Talisman of Ishir, or the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you must now deduct 3 ENDURANCE points due to the debilitating effects of the heat and atmosphere.
Turn to 316 .
35
You rush to the brigand's side and wrench the dagger from his chest, but it is already too late to save his life. You step away from his lifeless body and look around at the devastation he and his men have brought to the sleepy village of Pinepeaks. Leaderless, the remaining brigands now abandon their loot and flee to the wooded hills to rejoin their confederates, those who attempted to ambush the troop when first you entered this valley. Nathor's men have secured the village and they are busy helping the villagers to fight small fires which are burning in several of the cottages.
Turn to 126 .
36
You continue along the avenue until you reach the city's north wall. Here you stop to read a proclamation that has been nailed to the door of a coaching inn and stables. It states that a curfew is in force in Rhem, and anyone found on the streets an hour after nightfall will be arrested by the city watch.
You are about to leave when you overhear the owner of the stables talking to one of his stable-hands. The boy is holding the reins of an aged horse that is severely lame in one leg, and the owner is telling him that he can no longer afford to stable the sick old mare.
‘She'll have to go,’ says the owner, shaking his head. ‘She's worthless to me now she's not earning her keep.’
Tears are streaming down the young boy's face. Clearly he loves the old horse and is heartbroken at the prospect of her being destroyed. Boldly you approach the owner and propose a deal.
‘Sir, if I am able to cure this lame mare,’ you say, stroking the horse's velvety nose, ‘then will you allow me to keep her?’
‘Ha, ha, ha, so you think you can work miracles, do you?’ chuckles the owner. ‘Very well then, stranger. If you can cure her — you can keep her.’
Gently you settle the mare and run your hands down her lame foreleg. Using your Magnakai Disciplines of Curing and Animal Control, you slowly ease her worn-out joints and mend her cracked bones. Within minutes she is as agile as a newborn foal.
‘Well I be a storgh's uncle!’ gasps the owner, amazed by the sudden transformation. ‘So, stranger, you
can
work miracles after all! The horse is yours!’
You climb upon the mare's back and wave farewell to the owner and the stable-boy, who is now crying tears of joy.
‘If ever you're looking for work,’ says the owner, as you turn the horse to leave, ‘then there'll always be a job for you here!’
Turn to 244 .
37
You intone the words of the Old Kingdom Spell Invisible Fist and extend the palm of your right hand, pointing it towards the belly of the swooping beast. You feel a surge of energy leap from your palm and shoot towards the creature. It senses your attack and veers in mid-air to avoid it, but its reactions are too slow to escape being hit. The concussive force of your spell deals a crushing blow to its chest and, momentarily
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