of Autarch Sejanoz. He urges you to find and destroy it.
If this should prove impossible, you must take it to the city of Pensei. There you should make contact with Lord Ghadra, the Dessian envoy, and he will see to its destruction. He will also help you to return home to Sommerlund.
Having memorized its contents, you tear the scrap of papyrus into small pieces and swallow them to ensure that Rimoah's message will never be discovered by the enemy. Then you return to the mountain pass to rejoin Captain Gildas and his men.
You inform them that Lord Rimoah has been forced to flee in order to save
Cloud-dancer
and his crew from the attacking horde. On hearing this they bow their heads in disappointment, fearing that they may never again see Rimoah, or their homeland of Siyen. Then you tell them about the message that Rimoah left behind and, despite their sadness, they each vow to help you capture the Claw of Naar.
Suddenly Ranger Yalin shouts a warning: the flying creatures are returning. Hurriedly you take cover among the rocks and watch as they circle above the pass. Your Kai instincts tell you that these beasts cannot survive for long beyond the mountain borders of the Doomlands, and soon your suspicions are confirmed when you see them returning north to Naaros. When the last of the creatures has disappeared, you beckon Gildas and his men to follow you down onto the mountain trail. Here you discover the bodies of two Imperial Guards who were caught by the rockslide ambush and crushed to death.
If you wish to search their pockets and backpacks, turn to 80 .
If you choose to ignore their bodies, you may leave the pass by turning to 291 .
16
You do not recognize the tree-like shrub and you are wary of any properties its leaves or bark may possess. Rather than risk testing it in case it should prove to be poisonous, you advise Yalin to step away from the strange-looking plant.
To continue, turn to 240 .
17
You call upon your improved Kai Mastery to project a noise beneath the first arch of the bridge. Amplified by the water, and the arch itself, this sudden rumbling noise startles the soldiers on the river bank. Fearing that a monster is set to rise up and consume the bridge at any moment, they turn tail and flee in panic from the water's edge.
Turn to 127 .
18
The death of their leader forces the other winged horrors to break off their attack. They swoop out of the pass and veer away to the east, towards the ravine where
Cloud-dancer
is hidden. There they muster their numbers and, with a hellish chorus of cackling shrieks, they launch an attack upon the grounded skyship and its crew.
You cast a glance down into the pass and see that the squad of Imperial Guards has now halted on the narrow mountain trail. You sense that they are waiting for their winged escorts to return before they dare to venture a step further.
If you wish to hurry back to
Cloud-dancer
and help Lord Rimoah repel the aerial assault, turn to 345 .
If you choose to stay with Captain Gildas and the rangers, turn to 302 .
19
Unfortunately, your ploy fails. The squad leader overhears you and he raises the alarm. Suddenly the door to the antechamber is kicked open and a dozen soldiers burst in, armed and eager to protect their esteemed commander.
You fight bravely and slay most of those who attack you, but the antechamber is soon awash with reinforcements and you are forced to surrender. During the mêlée, the rangers are also captured, and together you are taken before the Sergeant of the Guard. He denounces you as would-be thieves, out to steal provisions, and he orders that your weapons and equipment be confiscated before you are led away and thrown into the dungeons.
As the heavy door to your cell slams shut, you immediately look for a way out of this grim prison chamber. You try to pick the lock, but your attempt is thwarted when the sergeant and his guards return. With them is the squad leader, freshly bathed and sporting a fine new
If this should prove impossible, you must take it to the city of Pensei. There you should make contact with Lord Ghadra, the Dessian envoy, and he will see to its destruction. He will also help you to return home to Sommerlund.
Having memorized its contents, you tear the scrap of papyrus into small pieces and swallow them to ensure that Rimoah's message will never be discovered by the enemy. Then you return to the mountain pass to rejoin Captain Gildas and his men.
You inform them that Lord Rimoah has been forced to flee in order to save
Cloud-dancer
and his crew from the attacking horde. On hearing this they bow their heads in disappointment, fearing that they may never again see Rimoah, or their homeland of Siyen. Then you tell them about the message that Rimoah left behind and, despite their sadness, they each vow to help you capture the Claw of Naar.
Suddenly Ranger Yalin shouts a warning: the flying creatures are returning. Hurriedly you take cover among the rocks and watch as they circle above the pass. Your Kai instincts tell you that these beasts cannot survive for long beyond the mountain borders of the Doomlands, and soon your suspicions are confirmed when you see them returning north to Naaros. When the last of the creatures has disappeared, you beckon Gildas and his men to follow you down onto the mountain trail. Here you discover the bodies of two Imperial Guards who were caught by the rockslide ambush and crushed to death.
If you wish to search their pockets and backpacks, turn to 80 .
If you choose to ignore their bodies, you may leave the pass by turning to 291 .
16
You do not recognize the tree-like shrub and you are wary of any properties its leaves or bark may possess. Rather than risk testing it in case it should prove to be poisonous, you advise Yalin to step away from the strange-looking plant.
To continue, turn to 240 .
17
You call upon your improved Kai Mastery to project a noise beneath the first arch of the bridge. Amplified by the water, and the arch itself, this sudden rumbling noise startles the soldiers on the river bank. Fearing that a monster is set to rise up and consume the bridge at any moment, they turn tail and flee in panic from the water's edge.
Turn to 127 .
18
The death of their leader forces the other winged horrors to break off their attack. They swoop out of the pass and veer away to the east, towards the ravine where
Cloud-dancer
is hidden. There they muster their numbers and, with a hellish chorus of cackling shrieks, they launch an attack upon the grounded skyship and its crew.
You cast a glance down into the pass and see that the squad of Imperial Guards has now halted on the narrow mountain trail. You sense that they are waiting for their winged escorts to return before they dare to venture a step further.
If you wish to hurry back to
Cloud-dancer
and help Lord Rimoah repel the aerial assault, turn to 345 .
If you choose to stay with Captain Gildas and the rangers, turn to 302 .
19
Unfortunately, your ploy fails. The squad leader overhears you and he raises the alarm. Suddenly the door to the antechamber is kicked open and a dozen soldiers burst in, armed and eager to protect their esteemed commander.
You fight bravely and slay most of those who attack you, but the antechamber is soon awash with reinforcements and you are forced to surrender. During the mêlée, the rangers are also captured, and together you are taken before the Sergeant of the Guard. He denounces you as would-be thieves, out to steal provisions, and he orders that your weapons and equipment be confiscated before you are led away and thrown into the dungeons.
As the heavy door to your cell slams shut, you immediately look for a way out of this grim prison chamber. You try to pick the lock, but your attempt is thwarted when the sergeant and his guards return. With them is the squad leader, freshly bathed and sporting a fine new
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