This module did see print with a certain publisher, and permission to do so was granted, though in the wake of that scandal it was unclear if the art used to illustrate it had been lifted from other sources. The print version was edited by individuals in that project, and honestly a fine job was done on the edit...but what follows is a loose clean-up and reorganization of the original, on my own, with no external editing. Enjoy!
Fun fact! Venice Kong was based off of the actual Venice Kong, whom I had an obsessive crush on as a teenager.
I still have a crush on her, just don't tell my wife!
 |
| Source! |
ABERDAN'S FOLLY I: Of Jungles and Amazons
Aberdan’s Folly originally ran from issues
27-29 of The Sorcerer’s Scrolls. I have made a few revisions in the new edition
and updated it for compatibility with the 7th edition of Tunnels
& Trolls, although you could still play it with older editions just fine.
This edition is dedicated to Erik von Glahn, wherever you are!
The following adventure is suitable for use with 7th
edition Tunnels & Trolls characters averaging 2nd to 5th
level, of all types (although the scenario does assume you are playing a male
character….or a very masculine gal, ahem.). You might want to have some cash
handy, as you will be in a position to spend it, and may need to. This
adventure is set in the world of Lingusia, primarily in a northern region of
the Amech jungle, along a stretch of great mountains known as Aberdan's Folly,
named after an explorer who entered the range and never returned. The scenario
opens in a small river kingdom to the north of the region, called Covarte. To
begin the adventure, read the introduction then head for paragraph 0.
A NOTE ABOUT HENCHMEN AND NPCS: In the solo, you will have the opportunity to pick up henchmen and cohorts.
If you are partied with Venice Kong, you
can find her stats at 199. You can
find the stats of Caraman at 198. Stats of other characters not detailed in
the text are rolled up by you. Since there's a lot of room for bringing in
henchmen, when the chance comes, feel free to bring in other characters!
The rest of the text will be done in a general
style, with special paragraphs for special characters if necessary, to make the
most out of the remaining space. Whenever you are required to make SR’s, all
characters in your party must make SR’s. If you want, you can try having one
character do one thing and another do another to see what happens, but this
solo isn't specifically designed for split groups towards the latter part.
Start
It
was two months ago when you crossed the burning sands of the Hyrkanian Desert,
braved the swamps of the Bullow Lands, and eventually fought your way through
the Marshes of Mist and found yourself enjoying the splendid bastion of
civilization that was the seat of the fabled city of Karan. Not long after
arriving, you squandered much of your hard earned loot in wine, women and song,
and found yourself seeking adventurous employment once more. So it was that you
took up the sword as a blade for hire in the defense of a south-bound caravan,
managed by a doughty gnomish skinflint named Turgan. He may have been abrasive,
but you’ll miss the litte guy…
It
was half-way through the northern rim of the Amechain Jungles, not far from the
small river kingdom of Covarte when the caravan was ambushed. You were a mile
away, recovering game with the rough barbarian Loveshk of Hettanar for
tonight’s roast when a savage assault by unknown assailants slaughtered the
caravan. By the time you and Loveshk made it back, a large antelope swinging
from a pole between the two of you, that you saw the wreckage and the bodies.
As the two of you searche dfor survivors, you found the old gnome, gasping his
last. “Codam!” he shouted, blood frothing from his lips. “It was the Codam….I
ain’t seen one a’ them beasts in many a year….” And then he died.
The
two of you looted what could be salvaged from the caravan, and then continued
on. The following morning, when you awoke, Loveshk was gone, as were the
supplies…never trust a Hettenar! Two days later, you stagger in to the small
river town of Alitor-Rue, weary and eager for some rest. Go to 0.
0:
The
town of Alitor-Rue is classic for its kind. As you walk down the main street,
and, for the matter, the only street, you notice all the familiar old
buildings. Off to one side stands a tall Inn and Saloon, next to which is a
smithy, followed by an assortment of trading shops and minor grocers. The other
side is similar, with the exception of a huge fenced-off space, in which a multitude
of people are walled in, shouting, and betting in some sort of auction.
You
have arrived in this town after a long hard travel. It has been months since
you left the great city of Karan and made your journey south to reach this
distant frontier land along the northern edge of the Amech jungle. The jungle
itself--is partly what interests you .....from over 100 miles away you could
clearly make out the thick, tall edge of the jungle jutting up, abruptly, from
the flat plains you had been traveling through. Now, some 30 miles distant from
the deep slope that leads down into the dark rain forest, you have stopped into
this small town in search of company and supplies for when you enter.
You have several options. Would you like to check out the
auction (go to 1), head for the saloon(2), engage in sane appropriation of
supplies(3), or drop by the smithy(4)?
1.
You
head over to the auction. You find that you must pay a 2 G.P. fee to enter. If
you want to try and sneak in at an unguarded area of the fence, go to 5. If you
pay the fine, then you enter.
Fighting
your way through the crowd, you reach a position where you can begin to pick up
on what is transpiring here. Up, on a large platform, is a man auctioning off
slaves! The slaves are mostly dark-skinned, and appear to have been taken from
their residence in the jungle, but none appear pleased at being trooped naked
across the platform to be sold to the highest bidder. Indeed, many do their
best to resist.
(At
this point, you may wish to buy a slave(s) if you are not a devout humanist, or
maybe you are, and plan to set them free. If you wish to do so, then roll up
your slave of choice like a normal character; total all attributes and multiply
by 5 for the cost in gold pieces. Slaves may be citizens, warriors or rogues;
wizards are rarely found a slaves, and they usually make for an escape and
revenge!)
As
the procession continues, a particularly beautiful dark-skinned woman is forced
up onto the stage. As the two guards attempt to get her up, she struggles and
manages to kick one of the two right in the gonads! He crumbles, but the other
guard strikes her and she falls onto the platform. Bidding Starts Immediately,
and the price begins to rise high!
If you'd like to enter into the bidding, going as high as
you dare, go to 6. Otherwise, you may stick around as long as you want or go to
the bottom of 0 and make another choice.
2.
You
head for the saloon, and enter through swinging doors. The place is relatively
empty, with few drinkers or loiterers about. An explanation from the barmaid
indicates that the slave auction across the street is the reason.
You may order a decent meal here for 2 G.P., secure a room
for the night for 5 G.P., or head back to part. 0 and make another choice to
head for. Anytime you hit the sack for the day, go to 7.
3.
You
can get any supplies of a non-weapon nature listed in the T&T rule book,
and there is a 1 in 6 chance for each weapon in the rules that one is
available, at a 15% discount. However, it is most likely used (make a L2SR LK
to find out if it is or isn't). If it is, then it gets a 1d6 subtraction in
adds (roll to find out how many).
Now head back to 0. for another option.
4.
The
smithy is a quaint little place, and the smith is a rather sturdily built
deo’dell orc (having a purplish tinge to his skin). He is willing to construct
up to 3 weapons for you and have them ready by tomorrow of a non-ranged nature.
If the weapon is exotic or uncommon, there is a chance he will not know how to
make it (make a L2SR LK to find out). One you've placed your order, you can
pick than up in the morning with payment.
Now go back to the bottom of 0 and make another choice to
head for.
5.
Make
a L2SR LK. If you succeed, then you slip under an unwatched portion of the
fence with no problem (go to the second paragraph of l.) If you fail, then as
you are clamoring over, a very large bouncer comes up to greet you. "Hey,
pal, 2 guilders in the hand, now, or you're out on your arse!" if you pay
him, he lets you in. If you don't, then make a L3SR STR.
If you succeed, then he does not throw you out; you throw
him out! Quickly run into the crowd at the second paragraph at 1. If you
failed, then you land on your rump, outside the auction. Go to 0 for another
choice. If you're in this position because you have no money at all, you may
try to relieve someone of their cash; go to 8.
6.
You
shout out your bid, and it's topped by someone else! You shout out louder, and
so does that someone else! How far dare you go? If you will not go above 500 G.P.,
then go back to 1, as you have been outbid. If you wish to approach the
individual who bought her, go to 9, otherwise pay 5 G.P. for a room at the Inn
and go to 7. If you can bet higher than 500 G.P., then you spend that and the
auctioneer says, "Sold, to the fellow in sterling armor!" and a guard
pulls her off-stage and motions for you to meet him off to the side.
Arriving
there, you find that she is now bound and gagged, and the guard is holding her
as best he can without being injured. A man comes up whom you secure the deal
with, and give him the pouch of gold. They then hand over the leash round her
neck, and the auctioneer mumbles, “Good luck, friend….she’s a feisty one!” Now
what are you going to do?
If you want to try and get her back to the Inn (if you have
a room reserved there, go to 10. If not, go to 11) by yourself. If you want to
offer a 5 golden coin to a eager teenager near by watching the auction to help
you get her back without escaping, then go to 12.
7.
As
you head on up the stairs of the Inn, mike a L1SR CHR. If you fail, then you
get a good night's sleep; go to 24. If you succeed, then as you head up the
stairs, a comely young woman approaches you. "Interested in a little
fun?" she asks. If you are, then go to 13. If not, then go upstairs and
get to sleep. Wake up to a fresh new day at 24.
8.
Would
you like to try a robbery(14), mugging(15), or pick-pocketing(16)?
9.
You
approach the man and his two cohorts as they pick up their slaves, her among
them. The man looks like a Takkain, from his yellowish skin, but does not sound
or look it. His two cohorts, one a burly, blue-skinned blyskanyu orc with foul
breath, the other a battle-scarred and unshaven northerner eye you nastily.
"So you are interested in the Amazon?" he says. "Perhaps you
would like to assist me, with her as payment, in an upcoming expedition into
the jungle." If you agree, go to 17. If you decline, go to 18.
10.
You
drag her kicking and muffling (her muffle prevents her from screaming) back to
the Inn, and up into your room. Once there, you settle down on the bed and have
two options:
Are
you a Samaritan of sorts, and did you buy her to free her? (go to 19).
Are
you just as bad as the rest, and was her beauty and thoughts of carnal lust the
only reason for purchasing her? (go to 20).
11.
Make
a L1SR LK. If you fail, then when you get there, all the rooms are taken! You
may look for room and board from a nearby farm house (21), or you may pay 3s.p.
and sleep in a stall of the Inn (22), or you may go to the outskirts of the
town and set up a camp of your own (23).
12.
You
get the woman to the inn with the aid of the kid, and have no problems. You
give him 5 gold pieces, and he leaves. Now go to 11 if you have no room
reserved, 10 if you do.
13. She requests that you pay her first, 20
gold. If you don't have it, you may make a L3SR CHR, and if you succeed, she'll
spend the night with you for what you can offer in gold or other coins. If you
fail the roll, or have no money at all, then go to 24. Otherwise, you go upstairs
and spend a wild night of love making with a professional. In the morning, you
wake up and (cringe!) all the money you possess as well as valuables of any
worth are all gone (weapons, clothes, armor are still here though). You
complain to the manager of this place, but he explains that he never did
operate it as a brothel, but charged the prostitutes a sum for letting them
work. His roster doesn't indicate her on the list it, so must have been a scam
to clean out naive heroes like you! Go to 24 and ignore the first sentence (for
obvious reasons).
14. Well, there's the bank ....you can scout it
out and see what's in store for you if you hit it (25), or you can rush in and
take them by surprise (26).
15.
Mugging...for
shame! You pick an easy target: A young but prim kid. He is dressed in fine
garb and has a fat money purse. Probably nobility, but an easy target (go to
27), or you can mug an old, decrepit man who also seems to be monetarily well
off (28). Finally, there is a plump merchant who just walked by, but he has a
big mean body guard next to him, with a wicked scimitar, who wears the garb of
a Khutanam Tsui (Amechan Warrior of an obscure tribe) (to mug him, go to 29).
16.
Picket-pocketing
is easy, and relatively safe. You walk into the tavern, order a drink, and
while doing it, lift the purse of the fellow next to you, plucking the gold
from his purse. Is he minutely aware of existence? Roll a L2SR LK. If you make
it, then you manage to withdraw 1d6x10 GPs from this guy's flowl go to 0 and
start buying! If you fail the roll, however, go to 30.
17.
The
man is named Rogar-Sin, and his two companions are Ookala, whom you learn is an
ex-chieftain from the Caves of Chaos, who was sentenced to death for crimes
unimaginable (knowing that land, you have reason to suspect this fellow is very
nasty!) and Zinnis Fofan, a wolfen from the far north who is on a year-long
Vision Quest, partly to complete his journey to become a sorcerer, and partly
because his clan wanted to get rid of him. Knowing too, how nasty wolfen can
be, this guy has to be pretty rotten to be asked out of the tribe-politely!
As
for Rogar-Sin, you learn nothing, as the man tries to be quite mysterious. But
you do know that he has a relatively imperious and egotistical nature.
The
group is camped same miles out of town, to avoid the fees of the Inn, and to
avoid "in city" payments for the duration of their stay. You return
with then and 16 slaves to the camp. Once there, you are greeted by four hired
mercenaries who all stare at you with the ugliest mugs this side of Takkai.
The
plan, you learn, is to travel some twenty miles south into the jungle and
connect with the Zindar River. This explains the crates you had observed,
containing some raft building materials that would make things easier on
arrival. From there, Zindar planned to sail down the river and vacate it 100
miles south, right along the edge of the jutting edges of Aberdan's Folly,
where the trek would continue on foot. The idea was to penetrate where Aberdan
had been and live to tell the tale.
"Besides
which," says Rogar-Sin, "I have heard many valid rumors of late that
the Folly contains a race of beautiful Amazonian women....." he points to
the nearby chained woman whom was partially responsible for your sign-up.
"I believe she is an Amazon, for I noticed the mark of Naril on her left
breast.”
It's
embarrassing to stare, but you do notice a tattoo in the symbolic shape of
Naril, the fiery life-bringer, placed proudly upon her breast.
"However,"
Roger-Sin says, "She clearly cannot speak our language, and nor can we
hers. I suggest that we have a volunteer who can learn to communicate with her,
and learn from her all we need to survive the expedition ....someone who she
can learn to trust…." he looks evilly at you.
Do
you accept? If so, go to 31. Otherwise, back off and go to 32.
18.
You
shake your head at the offer and leave. "Suit yourself," says the
man. You may now go to the saloon and Inn (2), get supplies (3), or see the
smithy (4). If you need cash, and want to earn some illicitly, go to 8.
19.
You
slit her bonds and pull off her muffle. "Okay, you're free now," you
say.
She
was about to beat the hell out of you, but stops. "You don't want to
enslave me?" she asks in broken Middle Tongue, the common language.
"No,
of course not! Slavery is for the dogs. People, especially beautiful people,
deserve better." you say.
She
realizes that you mean well. "My name is Venice-Kong," she says.
"I am from a very faraway land in the jungle. Your honor is surprising,
and if you help me get back, I would like to reward you." Do you accept?
go to 33 if you do, 34 if you don't.
Note:
if
you came from Para. 23, go first to 35 before making your decision.
20.
You
fiendish slime! You have your way with her, but make a level 4 SR ST as you do.
If you fail, she gets the upper hand on you and manages to work her bonds over
your head! She begins strangling you for 1d6 CON of damage until you are dead;
you can try to break free by making another L4 SR ST each round. If you do, and
kill her for the attempt on your life, do so and go to 24; my I suggest a
psychiatrist? If you have no problems, or otherwise, go to 24 anyway. If she
kills you, then good for her!
Note:
If
you came from paragraph. 23, go to 35 instead.
21.
You
approach a farm house that still has its lights on. Make a L2SR CH. If you
succeed, then you knock on the door and you are greeted by a short,
flat-headed, long-snouted deo’dell orc (noted for his purplish skin). He looks
you over, listens to your plea, and invites you in to sleep on the couch. Just,
keep in mind, no copulating with the female of your kind, and do his chores for
him in the morning.
These
are easily, well, relatively easily done. In the morning, after a good night's
sleep, you manage to get the chores done with a bit of direction, and you are
only knocked silly by a kick from the cow while trying to milk her once. In the
meantime, you have a chance to talk to the woman....go to 19.
22.
The
stall is nice and comfortable, in spite of what it is, and the neighbors aren't
too rowdy, and the roof is not very leaky overhead as the night rains pour
down, but given the situation, it could be worse. You now have a chance to
speak with your charge (19), or prove how vile you are and rape her (20).
23.
You
head out about a quarter of a mile and find a nice place off from the road with
several bushes. Do you have a tent? No? Then enjoy the cool, drizzling rains of
the night as they pour down on you… Go to 19 to speak with the woman, or 20 to
have your vicious way with her. Important: Note this paragraph.
24.
You
get a more or less good night's sleep. Waking up bright and early, all
prepared, you set off on your journey into the jungle; would you like to head
west, where you could intersect with the Zindar River as it winds down into the
jungle, and build a raft to float down in (go to 36), or would you like to head
straight south into the jungle (go to 37)? Optionally, you notice a caravan
getting ready to head south. You could ask the Manager of the expedition if he
needs an extra guard (go to 38).
25.
The
bank is small, and the inside contains a large wall with two barred openings,
and one metal door. As you make a small money transaction at one of the barred
windows with the teller, you observe the thick safe sitting against the wall.
It will almost certainly require explosives to open, and you don't have any,
and nor does this muddy little trading town. Go back to 8.
26.
You
charge in, weapons ready, and attack the guard who is quite surprised! You get
one free strike on him before combat resumes; the fellow has 7 adds and fights
with a broadswords and leather armor; he has 3d6 CON.
As
you duel, you must make a L2SR SPD; if you fail, then the matchlock pistol the
teller was hiding behind one of the barred transaction windows rips into your
gut! Take 5+25 dice of damage.
The
teller is out of reach, behind a solid wall with two thick bars and one thick
iron door (locked). The safe is sitting there, impregnable without explosives.
Make
a L3SR LK. If you succeed, then you get out of there, fast, before anyone can
recognize your face. Go back to 8, you knave! If you fail, then as you rush out
6 arrows drill you through as the local constabulary has arrived. Take 6 dice
of damage. If you survive, then they patch you up, strip you of possessions and
throw you in the pokey for 1d6 months before you are bought by a local slaver
and sold to a merchant man from Zued. You succeed in escaping on a L2SR LK 2d6
days later, somewhat east of here, and may make good your escape to another adventure!
27.
You
duck down an alley. As the kid walks by, you reach out and grab him. Make a
L1SR ST to keep a hold of the squirming little brat; If you fail by less than 3
points, then you hang on, but he lets out a sharp, piercing scream for his
uncle!
Grab
his purse, now, then make a L2SR LK (L4 if the kid squealed). If you succeed,
then run like hell to 0 so you can spend the 367 GPs in that wallet. If you
fouled up, then meet the kid's uncle, a giant, plate-mailed, nasty looking
Thargon (troll)
wielding
a huge great sword; He is MR 48, now fight!
If
you win, take 100 x.p. for the effort and run to 0 to get rid of that money
before
it
kills you. If you lose, then Prince Mikki of Covarte kicks your carcass and
asks god-Uncle Jon to skin you for him.
28.
The
old fellow is walking along in his best "evening on the town suit" to
the saloon when you jump him from a dark alley! He doesn't give up a fight,
being too old to do so, but when you get him into the dark recesses of the
ambush site make a L4SR LK. If you fail, then that "old man"
transforms into one peeved Balrog! He has x6 ST and CN, x3 DX and LK, and will
cast TTYF at you on the first round of combat. If you survived, then go, shaken
and bleeding, to 0 to spend that dough (exactly 798 G.P.!) in his purse.
Assuming you survived, take a 350 x.p. bonus only if you killed him, and a 100
x.p. bonus if you merely survived.
If
you made the saving roll, then the Balrog was so surprised in his human form,
you actually managed to knock him out! You grab his purse of 798 G.P. and run!
Add 1 to your luck, you devil! Go to 0 and spend that money. If a any time you
are fighting him and wish to try and flee, make a L4SR SPD….success means you
outrun the fiend and make your way back to 0, empty handed.
29.
You
decide caution is the best bet here, and you prepare yourself in the alley to
leap out and kill the guard first, then grab the merchant's purse in the
surprise. As they pass by, make a L3SR LK. If you make it, your plan works! You
leap out, stab or blast a full round of hits into the guard, and grab the
merchant's purse. It contains 231 G.P. If you failed, then you miss, and the
merchant evilly turns towards you. "Kill," he says, pointing to you.
The guard turns, muttering, "Heh heh, Bubba killlllll...!"
Bubba
has 32 adds, fights with a scimitar and wears leather armor. He is a warrior,
and has 33 CON. If you survive, then grab the purse from the bleating merchant
and run to 0!
30.
The
man accuses you of picking his pocket, and you find yourself in a duel!
Everyone steps up and starts placing bets if
you would like to place a bet on
yourself
winning before the duel begins, then place your money, double or nothing; you
don't need to present it, just give the score to the bartender so he can write
it up on his betting board.
The
man has a CON of 23, 19 adds, and fights with two weapons: a sax and a
scimitar. He is wearing quilted armor. If you win, get double what you betted
and go to 0; In addition, keep the full 79 G.P. the man owned. If you lose,
then the audience disgustedly throws your loser's body out, especially when
they learn you didn't have the money you betted!
31.
"Excellent!
She shall stay with you in your tent. Do as you will with her, but remember; I
want information!" Rogar says. You leave, the woman with you, and enter
your private tent.
You
try and speak with her, after ungagging her. If you want to try and explain to
her that you are here to rescue her, go to 39. If you'd like to just try and do
what Rogar-Sin says, and win over her confidence so you can pry her for
information, start raw and go to 40.
32.
"Very
well," says Rogar. "I expected as much." Suddenly, you feel an
arching pain in your back as a tiny dart hits you, sending its seething poison
throughout your body. You are cast out into the night.
Make
a L4SR CON. If you make it, go to 41. If you fail, then you die a sorry death.
33.
"Thank
you," she says. You spend an enjoyable night with her. In the morning, you
wake up feeling like you're on top of the world! After getting her some
suitable clothes for the coming journey, and a sax as a weapon, the two of you
leave. "The best route is to take the main road south, and once in the
jungle, to branch off onto a special trail that I know of," says Venice.
How can you argue with such a beautiful creature as her? Besides, she knows the
best route, having lived in the jungle, so the two of you set off. This
adventure continues at paragraph 50 in PART II: THE JOURNEY OF DOOM, in Issue
#28 of The Sorcerer's Scrolls! For now, take 175 X.P. for this part of the
adventure.
34.
You
decline her offer. She looks at you with pity, understanding your good nature,
but disliking your apparent cowardice. She quickly makes herself a robe out of
one of your bed blankets, thanks you, and leaves. You, too, leave in the
morning, wondering if you made the right decision. Your adventure is at an end;
take 250 x.p. and fly north for the summer!
35.
In
the morning, you are awakened by the local constabulary. He requests 2 G.P.s in
payment for your sleeping on city territory, or 2 days hard labor at civic
duties. If you opt for the first, pay him and go back to the paragraph you came
from. If you opt to attack him, he is CON 20, 15 adds, is armed with a
matchlock handgunne, broadsword, and leather armor. He will fight you to below
CON 5 then handcuff you and drag you back to jail. If you win, go to 24.
If
you opt for hard labor, then you are tricked! He keeps your equipment for
himself, and sells you at a profit into slavery. You escape 500 miles and
several weeks later, naked and a fugitive. Take 250 X.P. and better adventuring
to you!
36.
You
travel for a day and a night, and part of the next morning until you came to
the river. Along side of it is a small village. A local fisherman, you find, is
willing to aid in building a boat for you, if you will pay him 100 G.P.s. (go
to 42). If you wish to sneak into town at night and steal a boat, go to 43.
37.
You
start off on the main road that leads into the jungle. It is a long and arduous
trek that awaits you, and one which shall be continued at paragraph 51 in PART
II: THE JOURNEY OF DOOM!
38.
The
Caravan Manager is named Borovan Silos. You approach him and give your resume,
complete with past exploits. He listens, and decides, "Yes, I think I'd
like a man like you on the trek to back me up when things get tough. We'll be
going right into headhunter land, for trade and slave-selling. It's right next
to Aberdan's Folly, so you can leave us there once we arrive, but your help
getting there will be handy. I'm willing to pay you 75 gold now, and an
additional 200 upon arrival, for your services."
If
you accept, then he gives you the down payment. Two other new guards of the
caravan, along with one of the guards and friends of Borovan accompany you on
equipment appropriation, as a group, to make sure no one runs off with their
down payments. Go to 3 for supplies, 4 for the smithy (but no special weapon
orders, however), and return once finished. The guard captain will lend you up
to 35 additional gold if you need it, and have it deducted from your final pay.
Return here immediately once you're done shopping.
The
trek begins as the caravan slowly moves out, with 20 merchants, 50 slaves and
aides, and 20 guards, along with over 100 pack mules and horses and 6 carts to
carry the valuables. This adventure will be continued in paragraph 52, in PART
II: THE JOURNEY OF DOOM! For now, take 175 X.P. for this part of the adventure.
39.
"Don't
worry," you say in what you hope is a reassuring voice. "I'm here to
rescue you." Make a L2SR CHR. If you succeed, she believes you. Otherwise,
she spits in your face and calls you an unrecognized name, which is best left
at that. Go to 47.
If
you win over her confidence, she listens. You explain that you don't believe in
slavery, especially with her, as she seemed to be of a higher class than the
other slaves. You were determined to free her, and, having failed in buying
her, have decided to try and free her from the ownership of Rogar-Sin.
She
leans over, after looking around the tent, and whispers into your ear, "I
believe you," in broken but understandable Middle Tongue! "But we are
being listened to, and I do not want than knowing I can speak your
tongue," she finishes, then backs of and says something in her native
language.
You
think about this, and after a moment, you whisper back into her ear, "What
plan do you have of escape, then? If we are being observed, then Rogar-Sin will
try and kill us if we make a break for it."
"We
should play along with him," she says. "He is going right where I
want to, and I will even help with some advice. The dog will suffer the same
fate Aberdan did." She then pulls back and acts ignorant of the
conversation as Rogar steps into the tent.
"Having
any success?" Roger asks.
"Yes,"
you say. "I think she trusts me. Once I've got that, I can start to learn
her dialect, and then she may well tell us all." you lie.
"Good,
good. I'm glad I hired you, my dear man!" says the 100% pure grade sleaze
as he turns and leaves.
The
rest of the night is spent with the woman, who tells you her name is Venice
Kong. While in the act of lovemaking (well, yes this is Swords & Sorcery,
after all!), the two of you manage to pass on more data in whispers.
Specifically, that Venice lives within the mountains called Aberdan's Folly,
and that she wishes to return to her tribe. You agree wholeheartedly to help
her, both out of honor, respect, and thoughts of how good a love maker she is
serving as factors.
In
the morning, the camp is taken down and the expedition made ready. In two
hours, everything is packed on to the two carts and everyone is on horses,
except the slaves. You manage to get Venice to ride on the back of your steed,
explaining to Rogar-Sin that it will further serve to win her into your
confidence. He believes you, and the expedition begins its journey! This
adventure continues in Paragraph 53 of PART II: THE JOURNEY OF DOOM! Take 200
X.P. now, for this part of the journey.
40.
Make
a level 4SR CHR. If you succeed, then she believes you are sincere. Go to 39
and ignore the first paragraph. Read the rest of the entry, dismissing the
obvious contradictions to your personality as being your clever guile, and then
return here. Would you like to tell Rogar-Sin she speaks the Middle Tongue,
along with all she told you? If so, go to paragraph 44. If she doesn't believe
you, go to 47.
41.
You
wake up, the next morning, lying face dawn in the gutter along the road. Simple
peasants shy away from you, and the dogs eagerly wait for you to expire.
Unfortunately for them, you don't, as you drag your aching self out of the
muddy muck.
Crawling
onto the roadside, you begin to plot revenge. Returning to the sight of Rogar's
camp, you find it abandoned, but the tracks of his expedition lead to the main
road. They can't be more than 10 miles ahead of you, unless you'd like to quit
now and take 300 x.p.s for the effort, you can go after that scum bucket, maybe
rescue the mysterious woman, and do the world same good by cleaning up that
walking sleaze and his men. If you want to do that, then go to paragraph 54 in
PART II: THE JOURNEY OF DOOM! Take 300 x. p. for this portion of the adventure
42.
You
pay him the money, and in two days you have a fine boat to begin your journey
in. You crawl into the finely made boat, take a jug of whiskey, and you and the
fisherman christen it, "The Jungle Hopper I,” or "Thed Kaddashi
Chichos Sem" in the local dialect, a mixture of the aboriginal languages
of the Amech tribesmen and the Middle Tongue.
You
began your journey, sailing down the long, winding river, into the deep valley
of the Land of Amech below. Continue your adventure at paragraph 55 in PART II:
THE JOURNEY OF DOOM! Take 200 X.P. for this part of the adventure.
43.
You
decide to steal a suitable boat in the middle of the night. It is relatively
simple; make a L1SR LK. If you succeed, then you do indeed steal a boat. If you
fail, then you must fight an enraged fishernian (MR:22) before you can take it.
Now
make another L2SR LK. If you make it, then the boat you steal is adequate for
the coning journey. If you fail, then you have stolen a dud; it sinks some
miles down the river! You soggily crawl back onto land; you can follow the
curves of the rivers south, to paragraph 45, or you can return and steal
another boat (46).
44.
Rogar
listens with great interest. "So, the little wench can speak, eh? Good
job, man! Keep her in your trust, worm the information out of her, and we shall
dispose of her when necessary. For this, a bonus I shall give you!" And he
gives you a fat bag of 100 G.P.s. And so the journey continues as your
expedition moves south. Continue this journey at paragraph 53 in The Sorcerer's
Scrolls #28.
45.
You
begin your southerly trek south, into the Amech Jungle. Continue your adventure
in paragraph 56, PART II: THE JOURNEY OF DOOM! Take 225 X.P. for this part of
the adventure.
46.
As
you approach the town, again, at night, you steal away into the silent village
of fisherman, make your way to the docks, and....
Suddenly,
twenty fishermen with pikes and torches arise from hiding spots! One of then
moves forth, and says, "You caused us some grief, mister. Unfortunately
for you, we knew that boat you stole wouldn't get far, and figured you'd be
back. So now's the time to pay the price!"
You
see lightning bolts came from the finger tips of what is obviously the local
sorcerer. Suddenly, the waters explode open in a funnel of power, and a giant,
black shape rises out! Before you can do anything, the Serpent God She’sek’s
dreadful avatar Siddizah sucks you up into a big hole of a mouth, where you are
crunched to death by hundreds of rock-like teeth. It just goes to show you,
never steal at the same place twice....
47.
In
the morning you get ready for the coming journey. Soon Rogar's caravan is set
and ready, and everyone mounts their horses. Continue this adventure at
Paragraph 60 if PART TWO: THE JOURNEY OF DOOM! Take 250 X.P. for this portion
of the adventure.
48.
Somehow,
you are suddenly transported from wherever you were to a dark and grisly
dungeon. Huge, ominously dark shades trudge back and forth in front of distant
bars, but you cannot reach then as you are chained to the ground. Two dark
robed priests approach you. The strange, dark shapes seen to shy away from
their presence, and that relieves you a bit until you see their sacrificial
dagger! They approach you go to 49.
49.
The
priests cut out your still beating heart, but you do not die! You are to suffer
here, forever, slowly losing your sanity, for you are undead, and in the
darkest realms of the Land of the Dead. You have paid the ultimate price for
looking at paragraphs you shouldn't be at!!!!
ABERDAN'S FOLLY II: The Journey of Doom
50. You have been
journeying for a week now through the jungle expanse of the Amechian Rain
Forests. The deep, dark, and humid lands are the source of your goal, Aberdan's
Folly, an ancient Mountain Range which you have a vested interest in
conquering, and which your adventuring companion Venice Kong came from and
seeks to return to. With her as your guide, you have struggled along through
the densest foliage, hottest climate, and avoided the most gruesome insects in
all of Lingusia. But these are just the little add-ons, the icing on the cake,
as dangers much greater lie ahead. Continue to 50-A.
50-A. One week into your
journey, Venice announces, "This is where we shall leave the trade route.
To continue on will lead into the kingdom of Belladas and no self-righteous
warrior wishes to be associated with those peace-lovers. From here we shall
travel through the jungle, the Great Vishannu our guide, to reach the hunting
trails of the Kodam-T’kezzu. They will lead up to the base of Aberdan's Folly,
where we may then finish our journey." You have no argument with this, so
you follow her into the dense, unmarked terrain. You grin to yourself as you
travel along. Belladas, a kingdom of peace-lovers? They stage annual wars
between their chieftains’ armies for sport, you have heard! Venice-Kong must
come from very militant people.
An
hour into the walk. Venice suddenly stops before a particularly dark area of
the forest, a small clearing shaded heavily by the hundred-foot tall trees.
Without explanation, she drops all of her equipment in the hollow of a tree,
then searches about the jungle for several small plants. Motioning for you to
help, she says, "Find a white, dead plant. It is called Nebbesha Druidsav.
It horrifies the dead and death-dealers."
Pondering
what she said, you search for a while, and eventually find a small, dead white
branch protruding from the ground. When you return to the clearing, you find
Venice waiting. She is sitting in the middle of the clearing, naked, with
painted lines down her chest, waist, and shoulders. Nearby you notice the rocks
from which she ground the necessary substances for the paint. "Grind up
the branch into powder," she says. "Spread it in a thin circle around
me."
Interested
in this form of magic, rather unlike the traditional western flash-bang style
you are accustomed to, you grind the branch up and then spread it in a thin
circle about her. When you have finished, she says, "While I commune, do
not light a flame, under any circumstances!" She then closes her eyes and
begins chanting a strange multi-syllabic tongue that seems like same sort of
beautiful song. You sit back and wait, observing the ritual. After about two
hours, she begins to writhe and speak in two different tones of voice, as if
she was possessed! Soon, she begins to move in a strange, rhythmic series of
contortions.
Suddenly,
you get a creepy, hideous feeling that something is watching you-something in
the dark recesses of the forest canopy. The fierce noise of the jungle, from
chattering monkeys and sreching birds to the hum of insects, all fall silent.
What
will you do? Will you light a flame (go to 80) cast a spell that lets you see without
light (61), use any night-vision you might have (61), or sit back very quietly
and watch to see what happens (65)?
51. It has been one
Loooooong week, my friend, since you set off into the Amech Rain Forests in
search of fame, fortune, and maybe whatever lies beyond the mountain range
called Aberdan's folly. For a week you have traveled along the well-trodden 30
foot wide trade route, marked with deeply entrenched wagon grooves. As you
journey deeper in to the jungle, it seems as if the thick vegetation is
determined to swallow you and the path whole.
The
bugs, beasts, and humidity are starting to get to you, yet you know that you
are getting near something worth your while. Would you like to keep going
south, into the jungle at 68 in hopes of running into the Great Tribes of
Belladas, which are famed across the Great Plains for their gullibility and
openness to swindling merchants from civlization? Or would you like to try and
branch away from the trade route, on a less well-traveled trail (83)? Alternatively,
you can set out blindly, and see how long you last at 92.
52. It has been one
week since you joined the Caravan of Horovan Silos as a guard, and set off into
the deep, dark rain forest of the God Amech. For thousands of square miles the
humid, dangerous and largely uncivilized lands stretched out, like some sort of
creeping doom, you think. Yes, the Amech jungle is a suitable place to find
adventure, indeed .....
Now,
many hours into the seventh day, a bit tired from evening guard duty for the
last two hours of night, you watch as Borovon, up ahead in the main caravan
wagon, directs it off the main, well established trade route and onto one you
almost don't recognize as a trail!
Sitting
in about the middle of the carts, told to guard its goods with your life you
cannot move forward to ask Borovan why he did this so you lean forward instead
and ask the other guard on the cart, quite bored, if he knows.
"Nope,
but the boss did say we were going to trade with Headhunters, and the main
trade route leads to Belladas. They sure aren't headhunters, I know that for
sure."
You
digest this bit of information, as your fellow guard promptly falls asleep,
while wondering what is in store for you. Let's find out: roll 1d6 and go to
the appropriate paragraph. 1-3=118, 4-6=71.
53. It has been a
long, dreary week as you and the small band of brigands, slavers, and
scum-of-the-earth that you have joined tramp along a back trail in the
boondocks of the Amech Rain Forest. Life has been sheer hell, with the biting
insects, annoying beasts and Rogar-Sin, band leader, breathing down your back
to find out what information you pumped out of your "charge", the
amazon who is supposedly from within Aberdan's Folly named Venice-Kong. Goto
53-A.
53-A. Now, after the
day's travels are over, the tired crew has finally stopped and set camp. You
sit huddled in your tent, with Venice, trying to keep the mosquitoes out, when
she says, quietly, "We can escape. We are near a Kodam-T’kezzu hunting
trail."
You
have no chance to ask what a Kodan-T’kezzu is when she says, "We will also
kill Rogar-Sin, once we have left."
Will
you agree to her plan (125), or agree with it but then snitch on her to
Rogar (116)?
54. It's been a long,
hard week, my friend, and the agonies accompanied with traveling through the
world's densest, hottest, and most pest-ridden rain forest has made you EVER so
mad for revenge! Just one week ago you made an attempt to join forces with the
villainous Rogar-Sin, owner of a captured Amazon warrior, but he double crossed
you, filled your blood with poison, and dumped your body in the gutters. Now
you seek revenge, and hope to free the captured Amazon from the slime's grasp.
Better
yet, as the evening slowly takes the already tree-shadowed land, you can hear
the distant sounds of a camp being set, the camp of Rogar and his lackeys.
Would
you like to try and sneak In to camp and free the Amazon (go to 77), or scout
it out, first (88)? Alternatively, you can make some magical preparations at
109 before making your choice.
55. The Zindar river
current runs swiftly, and has been running swiftly for the last week, carrying
you far Into the Amech Rain Forest, and no doubt deep into danger! Should you
wish to at any time leave this accursed, mosquito-ridden river, do so at 68. In
the meantime, make a L1SR CN to make sure you don't come down with something
like malaria. If you fail, go to 122. Do this at each interval you are here.
If
you wish to keep sailing down the river, in the hope of eventually reaching the
mountain range called Aberdan's Folly, which this river skims, then roll three
times on the following encounter table. Once an encounter has happened, it will
not happen again, so re-roll. paragraph. 63=1-2, 97=3-4, 117=5-6.
56. About a day or two
into your journeys, you realize that the mosquitoes along the river are not so
thick inland, so you head for the nearest trade route. go to 51.
57. Really, now! You
know what's going to happen, I'm sure. No? Well, okay. They eat you alive,
that's what. Really gruesome, too, as they dislocate their jaws, and start
worming up your legs, then your torso, and finally your head is the only thing
sticking out, with that giant face and neck wrapped around you! Oh, yes, a grim
death, and horrifying. But you don't last much longer as the acids start
dissolving flesh, and the powerful neck muscles start crunching bones to
powder!
58. You run and run
until your lungs and heart are about to burst, when suddenly, you find yourself
on the main trade route!
Approaching
you is a caravan.
You
are suddenly picked up by a large individual and tossed around for a sec. The
large individual says, "Well, lookee here! Got any valuables on you,
fella?"
You
recognize the man as a wolven who you saw so long ago in the frontier town! Two
men from the caravan, one a tough blue orc, the other the sinister-looking
thoroughly vile fellow who is the leader of this group, approach.
"Looks
like a useful lackey," he says. "My name is Rogar-Sin. The orc to my
left is Ookala. the wolven is Zinnis Fofan. What is your name, and how did you
get into this predicament?"
You're
too addled with the recent events, slaughter, and several bad falls while
escaping to answer.
"Won't
answer, eh? Zinnis here has a way with people. The lupine being shifts to a
more comfortable form of a wolf, staring you in the eyes. You grow very sleepy.
From a distance, you hear yourself spinning your recent tale to these dangerous
men. Weirdly, the recollection of your
recent events seem to become even more dream-like to you as a result!
When
you snap out of it, your head aches all over! You soon dare to realize that you
are still alive, but lying face down in the slave tent. Once slave is checking
out your condition, a beautiful woman with the symbol of Vishannu on her left
breast.
"Are
you all right?" she asks.
"Uuuh,"
you respond, the best "no" you can get out.
"My
name is Venice Kong," she says. "I think we could work together to
get out of this predicament. You see, I am an Amazon and seek to return to my
homeland, in the mountain range Aberdan's Folly."
This
wakens you a bit. You sit up and introduce yourself, as best you can. You find
to your dismay that all of your weapons are gone!
The
next day is long and arduous. Continue the journey at 53-A.
59. The grotesque
creatures of the dead, stuck in the material realm for whatever reason,
continue to cluster about in droves, greater than one could imagine. Soon, they
begin to thicken, overlap... their otherwise ethereal appearance begins to take
on a distinctly real pallor!
The
voices of the thousands begin to merge into a solid whole, a gurgling,
bubbling, occasionally intelligible voice that screams with agony. The shape
slowly circles about the protected Venice, still in mysterious commerce with a
god you have never heard of.
Suddenly,
The blob-like substance of dead bodies lashes out! It strikes right at you. and
at the tree behind! Make a L2SR SPD. If you succeed, you dodge out of the way
as the now tangible force of a thousand doomed spirits rushes by, shattering
the base of the tree! If you fail, then you are pulped in the process.
But
an even greater emergency arises as you roll to your feet. The spirits have
been dashed apart, no longer a threat to your safety, but the result of their
attack has resulted in the tree falling right towards Venice! You have but a
moment to act. Cast a spell (go to 72) to stop it or leap through the circle
and knock her out of the way (91)!
61. You search the
darkness with your special vision seeking the object of your fear. To your
surprise, you see nothing distinctly.
An
object, something, suddenly darts out before you! A ghoulish, worm-ridden neck
without a head and only a splattered chest attached flies up in front of you, a
gurgling sound caning from it! Your weapon is ready and slicing in seconds,
only to meet empty air as the apparition is dispersed.
You
step back, horrified at the sudden event, looking out into the darkness. More
sounds of depravity and miserable spirits begin to sound out, and slowly, first
by the ones, then by the twos, they came. Decapitated heads, mangled bodies,
clusters of body parts spliced together, all ghostly, grotesque images, all
begging and pleading in whatever voice they can muster, gather around the
circle of white dust in which Venice, unaware of it ail, continues to commerce.
Make
a L2SR LK. If you succeed, go to 81. If not, go to 59.
62. As you are going
along, you pass by an alligator-wrestling ring! This sport interests you, so
you stop to watch.
If
you are interested in playing, sign up, and when your turn comes, jump in and
win!
Each
alligator has an MR of 24. You cannot rely on weapons, and must fight unarmed.
Any armor is okay. The first alligator is worth 100 exp. if wrestled to 5 or
less MR, 60 exp. if killed. The second time you play, you must wrestle 2
alligators, at 100 exp. each, and so forth.
Return
to that whence you came from when you are done!
63. As you head down
the river, you run into what appears to be extremely heavy traffic! Boats, all
heading in the opposite direction, manned by the local natives. Most are
crammed full of families and what look like refugees from a rather bloody war.
You move along side one particularly large boat and ask what they are fleeing
from. The headmaster, a tough looking fellow who could easily best you in a
fight save for the fact that his arm had been cut off recently in battle,
explains that fierce lizard men called the Kodam T’kezzu had raided and
attacked their villages and towns, and even now a major war between the kingdom
of Belladas and the Kodam is being fought! "If only a champion would arise
to seek out and destroy their leader, the vile wizard Codallu Vann Guur,"
he suggests.
What
do you think? Do you want to strike off by land to head for the capitol of the
Kodams (107), or would you rather keep on sailing (55)?
64. You journey for
about a week, taking animal paths with Venice in the lead, deep into Kodam
territory. Once you pass by a village, and can hear the inhuman sounds
emanating from It ....even worse, you hear the sounds of what you presume to be
tortured human slaves, until Venice explains to you that Kodams eat their prey
alive.....
As
you continue, make a L2SR LK. If you fail, then go to 108. Otherwise, your
journey is unimpeded as you and Venice reach the outskirts of a vast city. It's
getting very hard to be sneaky at this time. Take 400 APs and go to paragraph
#126 in Part III: The Citadel of Codallu Van Guur, to find out what
happens!
65. You wait, and in
but a few minutes the creepy feeling that something is watching you turns into
a distinct feeling that whatever it is HERE around you! Something ghostly
brushes your cheek, the air seems to move ever so slightly, as if disturbed by
soundless birds.
A
dull, distant moaning begins. It seems oddly separate from your environment,
almost as if on a different level of sound. It rises, more and more, and the
ghostly essence begins to coalesce, forming a dull blob so big and white that
you can see it in the pitch dark!
Make
a L3SR LK. If you succeed, go to 121. If you fail, you are pulverized by the
force of a ton of ectoplasm!
66. As you creep out
of the camp, a growl and a sniffle alert you to the presence of the wolven
warrior Zinnis Fofan! He leaps out, in attempt to stop you, figuring that the
removal of your jugulars is the best possible way! This alerts the camp guards,
who come running! In the confusion, Venice vanishes and leaves you to the
fighting. However, she DID cast a small spell on you, doubling your combat
value for three rounds before doing so. Go to 79 for the foes of your stats.
You can fight Zinnis for three rounds before aid arrives, and the three guards
and Ookala thereafter.
If
you successfully make a L3SR SR DX, you can outmaneuver one of the opponents
you are fighting and get your round's worth of hits on him, in addition to
using it in the overall attack.
If
you win, then when you find Venice, she has fought and killed Rogar. The other
slaves were freed, and several more guards are dead. "Let's go," she
says. And that you do, right to 50-A.
67. As you search
about, you run across a village in the jungle, one of the Kaambe Kingdorn's. It
has been ransacked and pillaged, and dead people are a dime a dozen. Many
appear to have been eaten, as if by giant snakes. There is only one answer to
who did this: the dreaded, vile Kodam T’kezzu lizard men! You set about to kill
them. Go to 114.
68. You journey for
yet another day, trudging along excruciatingly. Make a L2SR CON. It you fail,
go to paragraph 104. Otherwise, you fight off whatever jungle disease you might
risk contracting and eventually, you find yourself approaching an area of
cultivated farm land! The jungle begins to clear out as large rice and tuber
fields pop up.
Irrigation
ditches line the road, and farmers begin popping up here and there. Belladas
are certainly docile, and look it, you think, as you notice that they are
relatively small people, averaging 5 feet in height, with faces lined only with
age, not anger, and they seem to carry few, if any weapons of substance; bamboo
spears and animal whips, mostly. But most distinctive of all is their garish
attire .... namely a keen absence of any clothing except body paint of all
colors and origins!
An
hour of trekking through farmland, and you soon reach the heart of a great
village, apparently used mainly for trade and commerce among farmers and
merchants. Here you may buy any number of goods from the rulebook, but of a
metal content no better than bronze; a L1SR LK can be made to see if an iron
version is available.
Other
items available: 2 dice animal whips (5 g.p), a special insect repellant (30
g.p), in the form of a pre-mixed body paint. If you buy this, the old man who
made it will put it on your exposed body parts in a special pattern, similar to
those worn by everyone else. To your surprise, it works! From now on, all CON
SR’s for disease checks are lowered by one, since mosquitoes and their ilk are
repelled by you.
While
in town, roll a 1d6, then go to the appropriate paragraph: 1-2=111, 3=62,
4=123, 5=74, 6=85. You can leave at 96. Return here when you have gone to one
paragraph above, then roll again if you wish.
70. Make a L3SR LK. If
you succeed, then eventually you reach the main trade route, then get to the
nearest town with your message. They hail you as a hero, give you 500 gold for
your efforts, and start preparing for the coming war. You can go now with a
additional 200 APs, under your belt, or you can stick around for the fight
(paragraph 130 in Part III: The Citadel of Codallu Van Guur).
Alternatively, you can join a special recon team that's going into the jungle
at dawn (140).
71. As the caravan
continues its journey down the ancient trail, trouble arrives! From out of
nowhere a hail of arrows rain down killing many slaves and guards. Make a L1SR
DX to avoid being injured, otherwise you must take 4 dice in damage.
Then,
the jungle comes alive with seven-foot tall lizard men! Each powerful, inhuman
warrior, with long, thin necks and powerful legs ending in chicken-like feet is
equipped with a suit of plate mail armor, carefully jointed and designed to
allow for maximum moving ability and protection. They are all armed with great
swords and long bows, and many have pikes. You stand little chance of survival
here, since there are at least three of them to every human in the caravan!
You
can stand and fight; Kodam stats are available at paragraph 98 (you must defeat
2d6 of them before winning; if you still live, make a L 4SR LK; if you lose, go
to 58; if you win, go to 103-B). You can fight and simultaneously retreat,
abandoning the caravan in favor of your life at 119, or you can try and form a
cohesive defense against the marauders by rallying the slaves and guards
together at 103.
72. A Shield Me or
Protective Pentagram cast around Venice is the only thing that'll do the trick.
If you succeed, your spell overrides her spell and breaks the communion. But
the tree shatters to bits go to 99.
73. Yep, it's one of
those days. You burst out of a dense patch of foliage after weeks of jungle
trekking and almost knock yourself unconscious against a huge, vine-covered
stone wall!
You
must have found an ancient city! Maybe ft's the fabled Lost City of Amech,
supposedly the capitol of the ancient civilization that once spanned the
jungle.
"I
say, Chap, but what are you doing down there? Having a seizure?"
You
look up, where the voice comes from, and see a fellow with yellowish skin and a
scruffy, dark look in armor speaking to you.
"Where
am I?" you query.
"You're
at the Third sector of the north-west Edge of the Great Wall of Zued," he
explains. "Want to cane in? I tell you, this area is incredibly boring to
guard. I have some fresh coffee…."
You
stare up, oblivious to the odd look of the man, the blare of the sun, the bird
droppings ...."Ghaa, Bwuu, Guuuh ...." is all you manage. ZUED?!? You
realize that somehow, you actually traversed a thousand miles of jungle without
even realizing it! Maybe it was that foggy area you passed through one
morning…. maybe you simply got overzealous…
What
the Heck. You cone in, have a cup of coffee, and wonder how you managed it.
Take 300 APs for a strangely ended adventure, and maybe something here in Zued
interests you!
74. You run across a
Hiring Agency for exploratory parties and merchants. If you would like to hire
some NPC henchmen, do so now. A hireling will cost 10 gold a week times his
level, and receives Aps equal to half of what you earn. They require a 50 gold
piece down payment in good faith, and to help equip themselves for your task.
75. You find yourself
walking down the road, when around a corner comes a party of Kodam T’kezzul
These 7 foot tall, snake-necked, chicken-legged lizard men are fierce creatures
indeed, but last you had heard, they were nearly extinct!
There
are 1d3 of then. Settle combat right off. You can find their stats at
paragraph. 98. If you are injured to a CON of less that 6, go to 105. If you
win, go to 114.
77. Late at night you
sneak into camp. Make a L3SR DX. If you succeed, then you do not encounter
anyone. If you fail, then you run into Zinnis Fofan, unless you have already
killed him, in which case you encounter Ookala the Blue Orc. Their stats are
available at Paragraph 79.
Five
rounds after fighting the first encounter, the second fellow with the five
guards will show up. If it looks like you are winning, Rogar will mount up a
spare horse and ride like the wind to escape. If you have a missile weapon, you
can shoot to kill on a L5SR LK.
If
you sneak in quietly, you manage to free her and leave without trouble; she
thanks you and says that her name is Venice Kong. She is, indeed, from
Aberdan's Folly, the center of the mountains containing her tribe, and she
would appreciate your help in returning, implying great rewards if you succeed.
Go
to 50-A if you succeed in freeing her!
78. The corridor ends
in a small room. In the middle of the room is a dark hole going straight down.
Half in, half out of it is a well-preserved corpse, partially sunk in the mud.
It's hand clutches a parchment, which is obviously too old and weathered to be
looked at without it falling apart. The magic force from it is so strong that
you can feel it, whether or not you can cast magic.
You
can try and stick it into a scroll case, if you have one. A L1SR DX will
succeed in the attempt. Otherwise, you fail. If you succeed, note you have the
ancient parchment.
You
can now return to explore more at the intersection (90), but The tunnel before
you seems far more lucrative. The footing is secure, the tunnel curving down
into more adventure. If you choose to take that route, do so at paragraph 160
in the next episode, Part III: The Citadel of Codallu Vann Guur! Take
300 APs for now, and get going!
79. Zinnis Fofan, Sex:
Male, Kindred: Wolven Level 1 wizard; ST-15/45, IQ-12, LX-15, DX-17/3*,
CN-12/36, CHR-6, SP-9/18, WIZ-13; ADDS-+10/+41, Talent: Club Fighting (Dex) 20
(+3 adds with a club); Fights with 6d club in human form. Has all level 1 and 2
spells. *Use SP for DX purposes in combat; Second number is for wolf mode.
Ookala,
Sex: Male, Kindred: Blue Orc, Level 2 Warrior; ST-22, IQ-10, LK-19, DX-12,
CN-24, CH-9, SP-15, WIZ-9; Adds-+17. Talent: Tracking (IQ) 14, Jungle Survival
(CN) 27; Fights with 5d+3 great axe and 6x2 pt leather.
Rogar-Sin,
Warrior level 2; ST-11, IQ-24, LK-27, DX-10, CN-9, CH-18, SP-12, WIZ-10,
Adds-+15, Talents: Grifting (CH) 22, Intimidation (CH) 21; fights with 2+5 sax
tipped with curare, wears a leather jerkin.
All
5 guards are 1st level warriors with 3 adds, CON 12, broadswords
(3+4) and (6 pt) leather armor.
80. The flame glows
brightly, and suddenly, the magic "particles" in the air begin to
catch fire! In a few seconds, the flame spreads into a firestorm that sends
miles of jungle into oblivion! Unfortunately, you didn't have time to set up
some suitable protection. Make a L3SR LK and go to 82 if you make it.
81. The images begin
to act more and more hostile, then begin to merge together, into a larger and
larger mess of ectoplasm ....
Suddenly,
a burst of white, heatless light comes from the ring around Venice, and sends
the malevolent spirits flying! Go to 91-A.
82. Weeks later, you
come staggering out of the Amech Jungles, a shallow, blackened husk of a man.
You enter a small tavern in a dusky riverside port that you think you might
have once been to, if only your adled mind could remember. “You look like you
survived the great Wildfire, friend!” The barkeep says, giving you a mug of ale
on the house.
“Yeah,
I think I was at ground zero, but I remember so little of it now….”
The
barkeep nods, solemnly. “Well, mighty fine miracle if you were, that fire destroyed
miles of forest.” He cleans out a cup, gives you a key to a room with a bath,
and suggests you clean up. “On the house,” he says.
Well,
people have done stupider things and walked away from it! Give yourself 500
experience points and call yourself damned lucky!
83. You strike out on
what looks like a decent, if little-used trail. Perhaps it goes to an abandoned
village, you think. Perhaps not; it could even go into headhunter territory!
A
day into the journey, the trail hooks onto another, more well used path. It is
large enough for small carts, but something seems slightly odd…. Make a L3SR IQ
to see if you notice it (go to 100 if you do). Otherwise, make a L3SR LK. Go to
114 if you succeed, 75 if you fail.
84. You head down this
corridor, and eventually emerge into a muddy, watery room. This obviously is
just below the river, and it's a wonder it hasn't caved in yet.
Make
a L2SR LK. If you succeed, head on back to 90. If you fail, then suddenly, the
ground, just waiting for the right amount of pressure, starts caving in! Make a
L3SR DX lest you get caught and sucked up in the vast sink hole, or cast a
quick Hard Stuff spell. Succeed and go to 90, safe and sound.
85. As you walk into
an old antique shop, to see what they have, a ghostly image flickers before
you. It's rather surprising, since it isn't even a good ghostly image, just one
of some old man.
"Seek
out the ancient temple, and find the words of power, that he may be
stopped…" it says, then disappears.
"Who...?"
you start to say, then notice the apparition has disappeared. You leave. There
wasn't anything interesting in the store, anyway.
86. The long, dark
hole leads well into the temple. The water fills it all, If you have a means of
seeing in the dark, that does not require a flame, go to 99, otherwise return
to 117.
87. You start to sow
the seeds of dissension among the captives.
To
see if this plan works, continue at Paragraph 180 in the next episode, in Part
III: The Citadel of Codallu Vann Guur! For now, take 300 x.p’s and pray to
Naril it works....
88. You scout it out,
covertly, from some distance away. Make a L2SR LK. If you fail, then you are
discovered by the evil Zinnia Fofan, in his wolf form, prowling about! His
stats can be found at 79. He leaps at you for the kill, and the two of you
battle to the death. If you kill him, you do not need to worry about
encountering him again. If he kills you, tough luck. He is quite determined to
kill his chosen prey by himself, and will fight to the end without calling for
aid. He will go to human form when his CN is less than 8. Go to 77, subtracting
a level from the LK SR to get into the camp for taking the time to scout!
89. You feel yourself
taken from the boat by big, clammy hands. You manage to snap out of your drowsy
slumber long enough to notice that you are being taken away by a party of
well-armed lizard men, with long snake-like necks and chicken feet. Something
about their name being Kodam T’kezzu rings in the back of your mind .....
One
of the creatures injects you with a magical serum to make you well again. Can't
have contaminated meat, eh? Go to 105!
90. The enchanted door
is rather small, with a huge face with gross proportions etched on it surface.
You push it open, rather easily…. and enter.
Make
some form of light. There is a torch in a ring on the other side of the hall,
which you can take and light, if necessary.
Heading
down the hall, you find numerous, ancient etches across its walls. You notice
that many of them depict the slaughter of humans to strange, long necked,
chicken legged lizard men. The ancient writing is in the Old Tongue. If you can
read the Old Tongue, go to 106. If you can read any ancient tongue at all, make
a L1SR LK. If you make it, then your familiarity with dead languages is
sufficient to decipher this script.
You
come to an intersection. You can leave at 124, or go south (84), east (78), or
west (102). Which'll it be?
91. Make a L1SR SP and
a L2SR ST. If you fail one, then you save her, but the tree crashed down and
clips your leg.... take 2d6 damage. Venice will use her healing magic to heal 8
pts of it, however, enough to mend the broken bone. Otherwise, you succeed!
Missing both means the two of you are squashed.
The
two of you untangle and Venice slowly recovers her wits of having gone from the
Celestial Palace of Vishannu to a life-and-death situation. "What
happened...?" she asks, dazed. Continue at 91-A.
91-A. Venice, her spell
ended, looks to you for answers. You explain what happened.
"Incredible!"
she says. "The spirits have never been this strong, or evil! They sought
to possess me, to beg Vishannu to take them in and let them advance to a higher
plane of existence, and it was necessary to shut out such bothers with the
Nebesha Druidsav plant, but I did not imagine there would be so many, and so
powerful and evil, that deprived of their desire, they should try to kill me!
That can only mean one thing."
"What?"
you ask, afraid of the answer.
"Codallu
Vann Guur has returned from his doom," she said. You display a quizzical
look, and she says, "Codallu Vann Guur is a great Kodam-T’kezzu
Necromancer. He is worse than a sorcerer, for he animates and controls the dead
as his play things. He once tried to invade my homeland, and a bloody war was
fought. Finally, Vishina, the Battle Mistress of Vishannu, gave her life to the
demon Orcus that the foul beast would carry away Codallu Vann Guur forever,
that we might end the pointless conflict. Unless he had disciples unknown to
us, these vile spirits would indicate he has returned. We must make sure, and
try to stop him."
“We?"
you ask. "What happened to getting to Aberdan's Folly? Treasure and
reward?"
"You'll
get a lot more if this menace is ended," she says.
"Then
let's go!" you say. She agrees, gets up, and dresses. As she does so, you
ask,
"What
did Vishannu say?"
"Not
much," she replies.
"Did
you get the directions?" you ask again.
"Yes,"
she says, somewhat annoyed.
"Why
did it take so tong? They weren't that complicated, were they?"
"No,
but Vishannu always requires payment."
"Oh,"
you respond wittily.
Soon
the two of you are ready to go, without any idea of which direction to take.
Will you head further into the jungle, in the hopes of running into a Kaambe
tribe to enlist aid from (the Kaambe are headhunters ....but nice folk
otherwise (go to 115), or head directly for the heartland of the Kodam empire,
and presumably the citadel of Codallu himself (64)?
92. You look around a
bit, and eventually you come across what looks like a decent place to branch
off of. You start your way into the dense jungle, and soon, oh about an hour
later, you are quite lost! You can't even get a bead on the sun, to see which
way you're heading, the jungle is so thick.
You
have four options. You can keep on going, to see what you run into (roll 1d6:
1-2=95, 3-4=124, 5-6=67. Optionally, you can try and make a L6SR LK. If you
actually succeed, then go to 73.
93. Recon? You're a
bloody hero! Go conquer the bloody lizards at 114!
95. You run into a
party of Kodam T’kezzu! As you are walking along, these fearsome and ugly
lizard men, with snake-like necks and chicken feet step out to snare their
prey. There are 1d3 of them, and stats are available at 98. Fight until you die
or win. Use any battle magic you wish. If you are reduced to CON 5 or less, make
a L1SR CON or fall unconscious, and go to paragraph 105.
96. From here you can
set out on a little-used trail (83), or set out into uncharted territory (92).
97. You drift and
drift, until finally you come across something interesting. Go to 114.
98. Kodam T’kezzu:
ST-3d6x2, IQ-3d6, LK-3d6, DX-3d6+3, CN-4d6, CHR-1d6, SP-4d6, WZ-3d6. 1-5
warrior, 6 wizard with L1 spells, and he will use them, on the first turn.
Armed with 1-3 great sword, 4-6 pike, and long bow. Wears scale armor unless
otherwise noted. Each one defeated is worth 50 Aps.
99. The huge chamber
in the middle of the pyramid is bleak and empty. Save for a single, huge
throne, there is naught else. You get the feeling, however, that something was
here, and left.... something very evil and powerful. Return to 117.
100. The tracks are
quite odd…. the human ones, that is. Then you realize why! They aren't human!
The tracks appear to be made by something with four tong toes, like a
chicken's, but human sized. And most seem to be made from feet wearing
appropriate shoes.
If
you want to try and turn back now, make a L2SR LK. return to 51 it you succeed,
64 it you fail.
101. You find the
mushroom, and sneak back into the cart with it. Giving it to Venice, she heats
it over a small, magical flame she concocted, then eats half of it. She gives
you the other half, which you eat as well.
The
experience is quite mind expanding! If you know a teleport spell, you realize
that that is what this is, a sort of teleportation magic. It you don't, Venice
guides you.
Next
thing you know, you snap out of it, and your miles away! "What about
Rogar?" you ask.
"The
Kodam T’kezzu will see to him," she responds.
Continue
at paragraph 50-A.
102. The corridor ends
In a cob-webbed room. The only other occupant is a propped-up sarcophagus of
stone.
You
may leave to 90, or poke around the coffin. If you poke around the coffin, read
on.
Make
a L4SR LK. If you fail, then you accidentally set off the trap. The coffin lid
swings open, and out shambles a mottled zombie!
The
creature utters tongue-less oaths at you and grabs up a valuable-looking
scepter to do battle with. It has a 18 adds and a Con of 24, and the scepter
gets 9-dice. If you win, you receive 100 Aps and may take the scepter, which is
also worth 1000 GPs and leave at 90.
103. Make a L2SR CHR.
If you succeed, then read on. If not, keep fighting till you go below 5 CN (go
to 105) or die.
"To
me! Form a defensive circle and use the carts for protection!" you shout.
The nearby guards and slaves hear your call, and taking a clear strategy they
obey!
The
battle goes swiftly. You need fight only 1d3 more Kodam (stats at paragraph 98)
before they begin to retreat. If you have won, then everyone heralds you as
their hero! Continue at 103-A.
103-A. "If not for you,
we'd have all been killed," says Borovan. You agree, swept up to the
moment of glory, when Borovan says, "I will take back the caravan. Would
you like to lead an expedition party into Kodam territory to try and stop
than?"
If
you agree, roll up 4 level one characters. A fifth is Caraman, the wizard. All
four others are fighters. Caraman's stats will be provided when the time comes.
Set
off now at 114! alternatively, you can limp back to town and recover your wits,
plus gain 400 APs, and have a good day.
Finally,
Borovan will supply you with 1000 G.P. for saving his caravan. Note this, since
he will give it to you if you succeed in your adventure, not wanting to give up
money that may be going with a dead man.
105. The Kodam T’kezzu
have captured you! For days you are carried along, pig-tied, in terrible aching
pain until they untie you, strip you of all valuables and weapons, and toss you
into a huge pit full of their victims. The pit has a vast metal web overhead
about 12 feet, and everyone in the pit looks quite the worse for the wear. You
can wait and see what happens (go to 57) or you can try and instigate a
rebellion to escape (go to 87).
106. The murals on the
walls, accompanied with the writing, tell of a time ages ago, when a great
civilization flourished throughout the jungle, and how it was destroyed by the
dreaded Kodam T’kezzu, a race of foul lizardmen. Apparently, during the last
days of the war, a small band of people took refuge in this temple, and tried
to create a weapon to stop the Kodam. Before it was finished, however, they
were caught and eaten.
107. You pull over and
set off for the Capitol of the Codams and the Citadel of their vile,
necromantic leader! This adventure continues at paragraph 170 in Part III:
The Citadel of Codallu Vann Guur! Take 200 APs for now, and hang on!
108. Yeow! You and
Venice run right into a pack of Kodam T’kezzu hunters! The beasts are pretty
amazing, being lizard-men with incredibly long, snake-like necks, and
chicken-like feet in amazingly intricate armor. Go to 98 for their stats. There
are four of them, two attacking you, two attacking Venice. She can take care of
hers well enough, but what about you? If you take more than 20 rounds to finish
then off, Venice will finish them off for you. You can use any magic you like
of a combative nature during the battle, providing you're willing to pay for
using up strength in casting them. Return to the paragraph from which you came
after the battle. If you are killed, then oh, well.
109. You may search out
an area nearby, quickly, if you plan to successfully use a Zingum, you may also
cast a hidey hole and/or cat eyes on yourself. The return to 54.
110. The village still
has Kodam in it! Their stats are at 98. There are two of them. Venice will take
care of hers, you take care of yours. If yours takes more than 12 rounds,
Venice will finish it off for you.
111. As you are going
along, looking around town, you pass by an alley where you distinctly hear the
sounds of a struggle! Rushing in, you scare away a young mugger who was
practicing his trade on an old woman. The old lady thanks you for saving her,
and gives you a small vial of healing salve (will heal 6 pts of CN).
112. You search
futilely, but do not find the mushroom that is necessary for Venice to cast her
magic. You sneak back into camp and explain the situation. "Blast,"
she says. "Then we'll do this the hard way."
The
two of you sneak out of camp, as quietly as possible. Make a L3SR LK. If you
fail, go to 66. Otherwise, you succeed! You and Venice escape, and continue on
your journey at 50-A.
113. Your boat has
flown into a smaller extension of the river when you awaken. Go to 124.
114. As you proceed
along, you begin to run into the signs of the Kodam T’kezzu. These fierce
lizard men warriors, with snake like necks and chicken feet, are supposedly a
rare species, having been cursed by Amech long ago for destroying the
civilization that once spread throughout the jungles. But here, plainly, they
have an active kingdom going on, with raiding parties and civilians alike all
about! You manage to work your way deep into the heartland of the nation. The
interrogation of a young Kodam, helpless to your capture, lets you identify and
find the heart of the nation, the Citadel of Codallu Vann Guur, the wizard
behind this mess. You strike off for that at paragraph 170 in the next episode,
Part III: The Citadel of Codallu Vann Guur. Take 200 x.p. for now, and
be there!
115. For days the two
of you wander, living off the land, made especially easy with Venice's knowledge.
Early on, the two of you paint special designs on yourselves from a magical
paint made of ground up roots that wards off insects. Eventually, however, you
do find what you seek ....
The
Kaambe village appears to be deserted. You quickly discover why: a marauding
band of creatures, presumably the Kodam T’kezzu, have ransacked the place!
Nothing is left, not even people.
Make
a L3SR LK. If you succeed, go to 110. If you fail, you leave disgusted, and
head straight on to find and kill Codallu at 64.
116. You agree, then
politely bow and leave the tent for a moment. You approach Rogar's tent, and
enter. You tell him about the "escape plan".
"Ah,
good work, as usual from you! Here's another reward!" He hands you a bag
of 100 g.p.
"Well,
let's play along with this little escape attempt, eh?" he says, laughing
loudly. "We'll see what the little wench can do!"
You
keep laughing at the idea, and return to the tent, explaining away the visit as
an attempt to lull suspicion. She then tells you of the plan, for you to take
second guard watch. You agree, and have it assigned to you. During the evening,
however, Rogar requests that he have the woman, Venice, with him for a while.
You agree, but expect a fight. Instead she goes willingly.
Eventually,
night falls and you take on your guard duty. As you are walking along in the
night, a sudden burst of pain makes you collapse. Then….black out…
When
you awaken, you still ache in the gut. Strangely, your hands ache, too ....then
you hear yelling and shouting over the trample of feet!
You
soon orient on your situation, and realize Rogar and you have been captured and
are being carried like captured game animals off by strange lizard men! Behind
you, Rogar sees you cone awake and says, "You idiot! She used jungle magic
on us! That's why she slept with me, to get a bit of hair to make an Admis, so
she could use them to pierce our souls, wound us like that, then sell us off to
the Kodam T’kezzu! You idiot!"
You
really hope they eat him first, you decide, so you don't have to listen to all
his whining!
Make
a L2SR LK. Succeed, and they keep you as a slave, and you escape in 1-6 months,
500 APs the wiser, with nothing but a loincloth. Deo’ldell orcs find you half
starved at the jungle's edge, weeks later.
Fail,
and they have you for dinner!
117. You take a side
branch off and head down it for a while. Soon you come to a vast, open lake in
the middle the dense jungle. As you are floating down the middle of it, the
boat bottom hits something immobile....
You
check, and find that what it hit was the top of some sort of pyramidical
temple! The entrance is not anywhere near the top, however… if you have a means
of breathing underwater, go to 120.
Otherwise,
keep drifting down another channel at 97.
118. The caravan continues
on for another five days, as you drearily sweat it out. On the first day, the
magician, named Caraman, provides you with a special white body paint which he
used to draw designs over your exposed limbs. "This," he says,
"will scare the insects away. It's a local thing, but'll keep you
comfy."
It
does indeed work, so the next four days start to seen quite enjoyable.
On
the morning of the sixth day, you awaken from your cramped sleeping place, the
sounds of a big campfire roaring, bacon sizzling, and the whole caravan coming
to life around you. Trudging off into the wilderness for a moment to relieve
yourself, you are in the midst of doing so when a native dressed up for the
kill comes tumbling out of the bushes!
He
looks quite ill. You rush him back to the camp, where Caraman looks him over.
"He's quite dead," the mage says. "But give me an hour and a
Quibey root, and I'll have him talking."
Borovan
promptly orders everyone to scour the area for the peculiar root. Eventually,
one is found and brought to the tent where the mage resides.
You
and another are posted to guard the tent, and you manage to hear the results of
the mage's sorcerous attempts.
Feeding
the dead man the root, ground up (quite a feat, you notice, as the root is
tough as stone), Caraman waits a bit, and soon the body begins to show the
flicker of life. Asking it questions in the native tongue of the Kaambe
tribes-what the headhunters call themselves, you learn-Caraman gets some
answers.
"The
spirit says it was killed by Kodam T’kezzu, who raided the village," he
says. "They are apparently working under a new leader, who calls himself
Codallu-Van-Guur. Whether or not this is the original, I can't find out."
Borovan
listens with interest, as do you. You ask and learn that Codallu was once a
great warrior wizard, and a powerful lizard man of the Kodam T’kezzu, a
chicken-footed race that was hell-bent on slaughter and destruction from the
time of its creation. Once, long ago, they rose up and were said to have
destroyed the entire civilization that spread throughout Amech, but to have
themselves been cursed by the god Amech as punishment.
"If
the Kodam are on the rise, then we had better leave. But more important,
somebody should ride ahead of us, to carry our message faster than the caravan
can, and someone should continue onwards, carefully, to see just what has
happened to the Kaambe," says Borovan.
Would
you like to volunteer to carry the message back (go to 70), or plunge forward,
and do a recon of the situation (93)? Or would you like to stay with the
caravan (go to 71)?
119. You must battle
1d3 Kodam before escaping (stats at 98). Then, you must make a L3SR SP to
outrun any pursuers. Success means go to paragraph 58. Failure means read on.
If
your CON goes below 5 but you are not killed make a L1SR on it. If you fail,
you are captured as you flee, falling unconscious. Go to 105. If you succeed,
then you are not captured.
120. You move down
along the pyramid, until you reach its bottom, some 100 feet below. The
breathing spell also alleviates some of the pressure.
An
open entrance awaits. Return to 117, or enter at 86 .....
121. The white force
strikes out! You just manage to dodge as it flies by and strikes a nearby tree
with a loud crack. The huge tree begins to lean, then fall!
You
have but one chance to act! Go to 91 to knock Venice out of the way before the
tree crushes her, or go to 72 to cast a protective spell!
122. You do, indeed,
contract some horrifying malady! You find that in but a few hours you go from
reasonably well to deathly ill! Make a L1SR LK. If you make it, you manage to
get yourself to the shore before passing out (go to 89). If not, you pass out
and keep on sailing, down into the depths of the jungle… you awaken at 113.
123. As you are going
along, a sudden chime fills the air and people start to run about, fleeing from
same unknown danger. You quickly discover that the south side of the town is
under attack by Kodam T’kezzu lizardmen! You can go assist in the fight, or
flee to 51 for another choice of adventure. To fight, go right ahead and battle
away. Stats for your opponents are at 98, and you must fight 1d3 at a time.
After you defeat 2d6 of them, they will break away, unsuccessful in the battle.
You can then leave the city from the safe north end to 51 or seek out the town
council and offer to stop the attack at its source (go to 200). Take 300 APs.
124. You hunt for days
and days, looking for some form of adventure. Eventually, you find it: resting
up by a small waterfall in a thick valley secluded among the many low mountains
and hills of the area, you can't help but notice that behind the clear sheaths
of falling water is a small, silver door...
Will
you return to the paragraph whence you came to look elsewhere for adventure, or
enter (90)?
125. "Excellent!'
she says. "Here is what you must do..
You
listen patiently to her instructions. Having done so, you promptly leave and
get yourself assigned second watch for the evening, an easy task. You simply
walked by the vicious Blue Orc Ookala, thus irritating him into giving you a
nasty job. You then settle down to sleep.
You
awaken when Ookala shakes you awake. It's your turn for the watch already! The
night is completely black, and the flames are kept to a minimum. If you have a
means of non-light sight, use it now (keep a note that you are).
Then,
quietly, you begin your patrol. After a bit, you wander off, looking for what
Venice requested… a small green mushroom, with a red spot on top. Make a L5SR
LK to succeed, L3 if you have some nightvision. If you succeed, then go
to
101, otherwise go to 112.
ABERDAN'S FOLLY III: The Citadel Of Codallu Vann Guur
126. "It's down
there," says Venice Kong, emphasizing by pointing down into a deep sunken
valley, the edge of which you are at. It was a long trek, but you're finally
here, at the heart of the Kodam T’kezzu empire! But will you survive?
"Looks
pretty nasty," you comment. Indeed it does. The whole mile-long and wide
valley has been stripped of trees and foliage, and a vast, muddy city with a deep,
black citadel at the center is what you must face. And within that citadel is
your target, the dread Codallu Vann Guur. A wizard returned from the dead to
lead the Kodams on to greatness, and a threat to the jungle Kingdoms. You and
Venice will do your best, but you doubt, somehow, you'll succeed in your
mission.
You
can start your way into the city at 190. To take magical precautions before
doing so, go to 191.
127. You move quietly,
drawing as little attention to yourself as you can among the Kodam T’kezzu
auction pits. Everyone is so busy arguing, debating, and buying that few notice
whether or not you are human, and those who do assume you have been bought by
someone. From here you can go to the center of the city and the Citadel (141),
the slave pits (161), the scummy area of town (143), or the rich area of town
(158).
128. Your circle south
around the basin containing the Kodam T’kezzu city. From this vantage point,
you find yourself moving closer to the main city entrance, which has a steady
amount of military and merchant traffic. Below you are vast numbers of crowded
shops and stores, and numerous small streets winding among them at 138. I
daresay you could lose yourself in there, quite easily. Alternatively, you can
keep circling southeast to 197, or westerly at 190.
129. You are on the
north side of the, temple. Here you can scale its vast steps to the top (193),
climb to the top of the basin at 188, circle to the west side at 164, or to the
east side at 134.
130. It has been a week
of waiting as you work with the city guard in preparation for the coming
assault of the Kodam T’kezzu. Yet, when the assault does come, it is well
before you are ready! The Kodam overwhelm the city and all its forces in one
swift stroke, the full might of their army assembled from all the raiding
parties, backed by the power of Codallu Vann Guur and his army of the dead!
The
combat is so furious, that unless you want to spend six hours rolling out
probabilities, you might as well make a L4SR on all of your attributes. Check
to see what happens as a result of failure, Success means you survive intact,
and escape from the doomed city at 156. Miss one-You escape, with 2 dice of
damage. Make a L1SR CN each paragraph hereafter until the wound is healed to
avoid acquiring gangrene, which will keep the wound from healing and add 1 CN
damage per paragraph.
Miss
Two or Three-The above, plus you are captured! Go to paragraph 105 in Part II
of the solo! Miss Four or More-You are killed!
In
any case, take 160 x.p. alone to represent the combat that took place here!
131. You notice, while
poking through the living room, a large picture (about man-sized) of what must
be Codallu Vann Guur. But to your surprise, the painting seems to actually
move! It's like looking into a picture-scene or portal to another place, but
not quite real, until you step through.....
Codallu
is sitting upon a mound meditating, his back to you. He is sitting in a barren
area of earth, and some distance away you can make out the barracks and walls
of the inside of the Citadel.
To
step through this portal, go to 214. Otherwise, go back to 183.
133. Make a L4SR DX. If
you succeed, then your arrow flies true and strikes a firm target! Make a L25R
DX. Succeed and you slide across on it, and quickly reach the walls of the
Citadel. Go to 213. Fail and fall to 182! Take 2d6 damage as you do, and add a
level to the chance of an encounter.
134. You are at the
east side of the large temple of the Kodam God, Altekzor the Mighty. In the
west, Altekzor is looked upon as a fierce and cunning killer, a warrior without
equal and a thief without scruples. He is said to have even stolen the sacred Star of Naril from that supreme Deity
and hidden it where it could never be found. Here, however, he IS the most
powerful deity! Equal unto Naril, Selene, and all others.
To
climb to the temple's top, go to 193. To circle to the north side, go to 129.
You can also go to the south side at 173, or east into the abandoned area
(149).
135. You begin the
seemingly-easy journey forth to the vile necromancer. As you do, however, a
sudden, overwhelming force begins to push against you! Make a L5SR ST
immediately, or be pushed back. If you push through, go to paragraph 145.
If
you are pushed back, you may try and poke and explore the obstacle a bit. Make
a L3SR IQ. If you make it, then go to 215.
If
you have an ancient piece of parchment with writing of the Old Tongue on it,
you can read what it says (understanding it or not) and see what happens at
216.
135-A. If you fail, the
Codallu finishes a long and laborious chant, raises the blood-vial to the sky,
and lighting from Altekzor shoots down to strike it! Then, pointing the opening
at you, you feel a distinct tugging, then horrible pain as all your blood
vessels burst, and your blood and soul are sucked into the vial......
136. Covertly you move
around, whispering the idea of revolting to the slaves, and when no one is
looking, you slip a ladder into one large pit! Make a L55R LK. If you succeed,
then no one notices the ongoing revolt at first. The slaves make their escape,
sowing confusion and battle everywhere! You can make your way directly into the
Citadel of Codallu Vann Guur at 213, as in the midst of battle the military
force of the city opened the main gates of the fort to put down the rebellion.
If
you fail, then go to paragraph 209 as a bunch of guards catch you in the act,
stop you, and start chopping! Escape can be made back to 161.
137. You dive into the
river and swim along it for as long as you can hold your breath, surfacing in
small grottos for an occasional breath. Make a L2SR CON. If you succeed, great.
If not, take 2D6 damage due to drowning.
Eventually,
you reach a place where the river connects to what looks like a sewer system.
From here you can go up to a manhole at 181, or down a tunnel at 173.
138. The merchant shop
quarters is quite compact and crowded, and you have no problem getting through
unnoticed (make the encounter check anyway), but you do get disoriented and
lost! Roll a die to see where you emerge: 1-2=165, 3-4=167, 5-6=176.
139. You are at the
northeastern edge of the city basin. Below you is an unusual
sight:
a vast, muddy pit with criss-crossing bars, and many smaller such pits, all
filled with despondent human and orcish prisoners! Masses of Kodam T’kezzu and
slavers
hold auctions for slaves and food-people everywhere.
Would
you like to sneak down and worm your way through the crowds inconspicuously
(127), cast a Portavision spell so it looks like you are a slave being led by
your new Kodam T’kezzu master and sneak through (196), or sneak down to the
slave pits (161)?
140. You have signed up
with a special squad of warriors who will try and penetrate the dim jungles of
Kodam T’kezzu territory and slay the lizardmens' leader, Codallu Vann Guur.
Assemble your group as follows: roll up ten levels of characters, or pick ten
levels from among your flock of characters; these are the soldiers who follow
you in to doom!
When
you are finished, go to paragraph 114 in the previous chapter!
141. You reach the
center of the city. Go to 165.
142. You find yourself
on the east side of the main travel route into the Kodam city. The route is
some hundred feet long and packed with wagons and carts, Kodams all around. You
can turn around and head back at 171, or you can try and hitch a ride in secret
on one of the wagons at 154.
143. You make your way
quietly among the streets of this low-down area of town. Most people around
here are sulking as much as you, so you are not readily noticed. However, make
the encounter roll anyway, and make an additional L3SR LK. If you fail, then go
to 178. Otherwise, you go undetected.
From
here you can head northward and up to the top of the basin to find a better
entry area at 194, or head into the heart of the city, and the Citadel, at 150.
144. You find yourself
amidst the vast mobs of Kodam Temple-worshippers. Chanting, praying, squatting,
and bowing, they hardly notice you, if at all. Eventually you make it into a
rather flimsy area of town made up chiefly of vendors and the like pawning off
cheap trinkets on the pilgrims. During this trek, make a L1 SR LK. If you fail,
go to 201 for an encounter and then return here.
From
here you can work your way back to the basin at 169, head for the temple
entrance (open for all) at 164, or to the Citadel at 182.
145. As you push
through the last inch of the crawlspace of the invisible barrier, you stand up
and find yourself facing the next obstacle.
Ghostly
shapes of corpses and dead creatures float about. They howl and moan, and scream
for the freedom they crave, to return to life, or go back to the Land of the
Dead. Codallu just chuckles and taunts them with the fact that they are bound
to him.
But
then they notice you, and suddenly, you are attacked by hundreds of them, all
vying to take control of your mind! It's a sanity-shattering ordeal, but you
have dealt with worse! I hope.
Make
a L3SR IQ. If you fail, then they grab a hold of your mind and soul, ripping
your essence apart trying to take control. But you have one last chance… make a
L2SR
IQ, and if you succeed, you may try one of two things: read an ancient
parchment
you might have picked up recently (217), or cast a Dis-Spell or Reist Magic
spell (218). Otherwise, your very soul is destroyed!
If
you make the L3SR IQ, then you fight the spirits off and regain control. Push
on to the next task at 151.
146. His palace is
truly a splendid sight, up close, as are the smaller buildings and temples
around it. You receive many strange looks from the women you pass by, all of
them beautiful, able-bodied, Amazons. Still… you can understand why; you
seem
to be the only male in the valley!
Eventually,
Venice and you enter the resplendent court of the Amazons, and she leads you to
the huge throne before which the two of you kneel to the Queen of the Amazons
and Battle Mistress to Vishannu, Althemian Sioteze. Venice may have been
stunning, the other Amazons may have been knock-outs, but Althemian…!
Indescribable!
The most you can come up with is that she is the one sight you will
remember
the longest, right until death. Well, that and the time you met that wild mage
gnome who cast a curative for a bad cough, botched the spell, and coughed up
his own skull…but still!
Venice
tells of your deeds, of stopping Codallu, and saving the Northern Jungle
Kingdoms from the Kodam Rule. Sioteze listens intently and when Venice has
finished, she makes a declaration.
"You
are a great hero, and worthy of great reward. Jewels, gold, and riches, as much
as you can cart away, are yours for the taking. But I wish to make another
proposition to you."
"Lady
Kong did not explain why she was out of this valley to you, did she? The answer
is that she was seeking what we call the 'Incarnation of Vishannu', a man who
has incredibly endowed attributes and courage, charisma and skill. In being
saved by you, she has indeed brought us back our Incarnation."
"But
it is a choice that must be made by you. You see, we are nearly immortal, so
long as, once every 50 years, we mate with the Incarnation of Vishannu. This man
must allow his body to be co-habitated by the god, and for a one-year period he
and his host will engage in the carnal pleasures, insuring our immortality,
appeasing Vishannu, and occasionally birthing new Amazonians."
"You
will have equal control over your body as Vishannu, but sharing your earthly
shell with a deity is sometimes a frustrating experience, as we all are aware
of the god's egotistical natures. As such, you may wish to save yourself the
trouble and leave. The gold we provide you will be sufficient to last any
normal mortal to the end of his lifetime. But there is one distinct advantage
to being the Incarnation of Vishannu, and that is that you, too, will become as
immortal as we are. Your lifespan will be increased 10-fold, and where once you
could expect to live no longer than 60 years you will now live on to 600. This
does not make you impervious to external, physical harm, but never again need
you worry about natural or magic-induced disease, sickness, or aging."
The
queen finishes her offer. You think about it, wondering how you got here,
what's in store for you either way. Eventually you make your choice. If you
decide to remain and become the Incarnation of Vishannu for a year, go to 157.
If you decide not to, go to 185.
147. This area of town,
crowded with traffic and commerce, is easy to slip by in. From here you can go
to the main street at 176, east street at 183, or the center of town at 165.
148. You find, under a
pile of garbage, a man hole! This hole opens to reveal a portal going down into
an underground river-sewer-water system. You start your way down and emerge in
a small, slim, muddy room. You can head down a tunnel at 212 (going east) or
back up to 181.
149. You head down into
this area of town, and find the dull adobe buildings to be quite deserted! Off
to the west you can see the east wall of some large temple. To head there, go
to 134. In the meantime, instead of your usual encounter roll, make a special
one now-L3SR LK. If you fail, go to 187.
You
can take a chance and peak into one of the apparently abandoned buildings at
195, or you can find your way out of this maze and to the Citadel at 150.
Alternatively,
you can go west to a more populated, yet scummy area of town (143), or make up
the basin wall to 194.
150. You reach the wall
of the Citadel. Go to 165.
151. You walk into the
next several feet of space, and suddenly, without warning, the ground below you
gives away! The earth and mud tumble into a gaping void below, where the sounds
of water can be heard to run. You have but one chance to make a L2SR SP of
plunge to your death!
If
you fail, then you have but a single chance to save yourself with a fly me
spell or teleport spell you have. If you have one available, use it and go to
the next task, at 155.
If
you succeed, then you manage to grasp the side of the crumbling area and pull
yourself up to the next area (155).
152. You are on the
western edge of the city-basin. Below you is what looks like the "rich
lizard's" suburbs. In fact, looking down, one particularly gothic building
looks like it might just be the residence of a certain slimy wizard you're
looking for!
To
approach this building, go to 158. Alternatively, you can sneak through the
quiet streets of this residential area at 183. You can also head northeast
along the basin edge to 139.
153. You notice that
all of the battle-armored Amazons are dressed in different forms of armor, each
being representative of a particular culture or time period. Venice wears a
resplendent suit of armor similar to that of Hyrkanian nobles. Armor of a
Takkain, Galvonarian, Octzellan, Jhakn, and other natures all have their
representatives here. Your own suit seems to bear some resemblance to an
Al’jhiran
Knight,
but contains bits and pieces from all cultures. Gain 100 AP for the insight and
go to 186 to continue.
154. Make a L3SR DX and
a L2SR SP. If you fail both, then go to paragraph encounter 209 immediately. If
you fail one, go to paragraph encounter 202. If you succeed both, then you
sneak a ride on a caravan and are dropped off at 176.
155. Continuing towards
Codallu, the wizard is grinning evilly with each step you take. Suddenly, a
mirror begins to form between you and the rest of your journey to the
necromancer! The mirror folds out and opens into a wide panel that reflects
perfectly.
Would
you like to try and step through the mirror (219), break it (220), or wait
(221)?
156. Determined to
exact revenge for the death of the city, you start out to find the capitol of
the Kodams and kill their leader. Proceed to paragraph 114 in Part II.
157. The queen is
pleased with your decision and thanks you. Then, a horde of acolytes and
priestesses to Vishannu come rushing in and usher you off to the Temple at the
top of the spiraling palace.
You
are taken to the very top, a thousand feet in the air, where the wind howls and
the mountains are at eye-level. In the far, clouded distance you can make out
the countless other places and lands to explore and adventure across Lingusia,
as it is a flat world lacking a distinct curve as a round world might. It is
truly a beautiful sight.
The
priestesses dress you in powerful ceremonial battle armor, a combination
steel-plate lamellar/leather contraption which is comfortable and silk-lined,
with a stylish helmet and set of weaponry. Vishannu must know about the
weapons, you figure, as many of them are pretty strange looking.
Then,
they have you lie down upon a fat gold-plated and decorated slab in the middle
of the chamber, light numerous candles about you, and summon forth the entire
Amazonian royalty. At the foot of the pedestal is Queen Althemian Sioteze,
dressed in full battle armor, and surrounding you are the thirty greatest
amazon warriors and priestesses. Among them, dressed in tough chain-mail armor,
laced with tough silken threads and resplendent peacock feathers stands Venice.
You try to grab her attention, be she is a much bigger stickler for ceremonial
discipline than you.
You
do notice something odd, though…. Make a L2SR IQ. If you succeed, go to 153,
then go to 186. If you fail, continue the ceremony at 186.
158. You sneak onto the
property of the house, and slowly make your way to an opening. Make a L2SR DX
to successfully break in, otherwise return to 183.
If
you enter, then you quietly prowl around. Yep, this is a wizard's house if you
ever saw it, but nobody's home! Make a L1SR IQ. If you succeed, go to 131. If
you fail, then go to 183, disgusted at finding nothing.
159. Looking below, you
see a large area of buildings, residential and otherwise, cramped together in
no particular order. Many buildings are attached together, and form large
clusters. But what catches your eye is, right below, emerging from the base of
the basin wall, a thick 10 foot wide river running steadily into a hole which
carries it below the city!
To
try and use it to get in the city, go to 137. To sneak through the building
area, perhaps bounding from roof to roof, go to 179. Alternatively, you can
head northerly along the edge at 169, or south at 190.
160. You have been
crawling down a long, deep tunnel that gets increasingly smaller with each
foot. The tunnel, which opened into the room of an ancient, abandoned temple
appeared to be a lucrative source of adventure, and you simply couldn't pass it
up. Eventually, the tunnel begins to open up, and soon you see light at the
end! You rush there, and find yourself blinking into the bright sun light of
the jungle skies. At first you are disappointed, that it did not lead to some
great underground cavern, but then you see, far in the distance an amazing
sight, and a chilling…. one a HUGE city of the Kodam T’kezzu Empire!
This,
you realize, is a major threat to deal with! The vagrant lizard men look upon
humans as a delicacy, and appear quite capable of raiding for their favorite
food. Go to 114 to head for the city!
161. You are standing
at the maze of slave pits, working your way among then. The slaves here are
packed together, side by side, in 10-20 foot deep pits all over the place, with
thick metal and wood bars preventing escape. Many look to you for some hope of
freedom.
From
here, you may continue to the city's center and the Citadel at 141, or you may
start a revolt at 136.
Alternatively,
you can climb back up to the edge of the basin and scout around for a better
place to get in from at 139.
162. This is a
relatively dull area of the city, full of peasants and the like, but nothing
interesting. You can keep going forward to the center and the Citadel at 182,
turn around and go back (190), or move across the streets to the merchant area
at 167 or to the Religious area at 144.
164. You find yourself
before the west wall of the Kodam Temple! Huge, open doors are before you, and
a bustling rabble of devotees go in and out, many periodically crouching down
in prayer. Would you like to surreptitiously enter the temple (go to 172)?
Alternatively, you can head out of here to the main prayer grounds at 144.
165. No sooner have you
come to the center of the city, the huge, black walls of the vile Citadel
looming before you, then a sudden "Poof!" sounds, you and your
surroundings fade away… go to 213.
166. As you continue
towards the vile Codallu, only 20 feet away, now, you find the ground is
suddenly shaking, as if an earthquake is happening… Then, suddenly, a gigantic Bullthaedo Worm rises out of the ground
and attacks!
The
Bullthaedo Worm is about 90 feet long, most of its mass blocking your way to
the wizard, and is very fat and grub-like. It has the following stats: 98 ST, 110 CN, 4 DX, 6 SP, 1 CH, 0 WZ, 5 dice mouth
attack, 10 dice roll-over smash attack.
You
may try and make a L2SR DX each turn to get a full round of attacks on it, as
it is very clumsy. If you fail the attack, it either bites (1-2) or smashes
(3-6) you for full damage! If you kill it, go to 174.
If
you'd like to read a line from the ancient parchment you might have, go to 222.
167. This is the Main
Merchant Street. It is impossible to keep your identity secret here! Everyone
is rushing up and trying to pawn some ugly trinket or disgusting food onto you.
Make a L6SR LK (unless you have a magical means of disguise). If you succeed,
you are not detected for what you are (go to the Citadel at 182, the basin edge
at 190, the merchant shop area at 138, or the urban area at 162). Otherwise,
you are detected! Roll an encounter on the encounter chart immediately (at
201).
169. The basin edge of
the city looks out into a vast, open area of muddy ground from this point,
filled with thousands of fanatic Kodam T’kezzu, praying and bowing before a
giant pyramid to the north at 188. To the west is more city area (159). The
people here look to be quite "out of it", off in whatever land their
minds go to when in worship of their deity. You might just make it across,
sneaking inconspicuously at
144
170. Finally, you begin
to reach your destination, the heart of the Kodam T’kezzu empire! It has been
relatively easy, so far, but easy is a relative word. You find a good place to
head into the city, located within a huge sunken area of land forming a sort of
mile long and wide basin. Go to 90.
171. You are on the
southeast edge of the basin. Looking down, you see crowded merchant streets,
packed full of the strange lizard men. Most of them in these quarters are
wearing thick, heavy robes and cloaks, and from up here you couldn't tell one
from another apart if they were dwarfs or orc’s, even.....
Say,
how about putting on a nice, thick wool cloak and sneaking down into the
masses? You can try at 147, or you can head west to the main road (142) or
north east to 152.
172. The interior is a
magnificent work of sculpting, as the main altar, a huge oval shaped torture
rack, rests before a 100 foot tall statue of Altekzor, and all the other gods
as human-sized stone figures, trampled under his feet. The walls are lined with
the mummified corpses of the great Kodam priests, and other such special
people. You notice, however, one "martyr slot" is missing its body…
and the name below it says, "Kodam T’kezzu"! Leave now at 164.
NOTE: When making an
encounter check, if you roll and fail, then go directly to encounter paragraph
209.
173. Your are at the
south side of a huge Kodam temple. From here you can go to the west side (134),
east side (164), or head to the center of the city and the Citadel at 150.
174. As you continue
plodding toward Codallu, the heat begins to rise considerably….
Make
a L4SR CN. If you fail, you succumb to the heat in a matter of seconds, and die
a hot death. If you succeed, then you make it. If you want to try and read the
ancient parchment you might have before you pass out, make a L2SR CN to get up
the energy. If you do, then the cryptic words dispel the heat and allow you to
keep going to the final obstacle at 184.
176. This is the main
street of the Kodam city you stumbled into! People, carts, horses, and anything
else you could conceive of in a city of lizard-men is parading by. Add a level
to the SR for your encounter check this paragraph. From here you can go to the
west side at 147 or the east side at 138. You can also head to the center of
the city at 165.
177. Kodam T’kezzu ST 3d6x2, IN 3d6, LK 3d6, DX 3d6X3/4, CN 4d6, CH 1d6, SP 4d6, 1-5 warrior, 6=wizard. Level 1d3, if wizard has all L1
spells and will use TTYF first, armed with 1-3 Great Sword, 4-6 Pike, long bow,
1-2 scale armor, 4-6 leather/wood (8 hits). AP Value for killing them: 50
apiece. 80 if wizard, or armed with great sword and scale armor.
178. Encounter
paragraph 205 happens. Go to that paragraph, then return to 143.
179. Actually, this is
surprisingly easy! The densely-packed houses make crossing
over
to the center of town an easy task, and soon you are in sight of the Citadel
walls.
But
get this, you are so close to the walls that a good, strong rope attached to a
tightly wedge arrow would easily facilitate crossing to the parapets of the
Citadel! To try it, go to 133. Otherwise you can climb down from the rooftops
and to the base of the Citadel at 182.
180. You have been
captured and put into the food pits of the Kodam T’kezzu! Unless you do
something fast, you and hundreds of other captives will eventually wind up as
slaves or food to the giant lizard men.
Make
a L3SR CHR. If you succeed, you start to get a group of devout followers,
convinced you know what to do.
Soon,
your chance to escape comes! A section of the roof bars is removed, a ladder let
down, and two guards climb in to round up some more slaves for an auction! You
and your party leaps to the advantage! The stats for the two Kodam are at 177.
You have 2d6 followers, each rolled up as level one warriors. If you defeat the
Kodam in three turns, you and your followers can make a break for it (go to the
end of the solo at the encounters section on escaping). You are the only one
with clothes, so you can make a L2SR IQ to leave your followers behind when you
break for it, as they do not have a means of concealing that they are
human/orcish. Otherwise, you can all try and escape, and make a L3SR DX to try
and steal. some cloaks to conceal your group in when you do.
Having
digested all of that, go to 161.
181. The dark alley
leads to a dead end, unfortunately.. Make a L2SR IN. If you succeed, go to 148.
If you fail, read on.
As
you are starting back, make another L3SR LK. If you fail, then you are jumped
by a party of 1d6 Kodam punks! Their stats are at 177, and they are armed with
Broadswords (3+4) instead of the other mentioned weapons, and wear leather/wood
armor. Resolve the combat, and go to 190 if you survive.
182. You reach the
center of the city. Go to 65.
183. This is the quiet,
rich suburbs area of town. You can get by here easily, to the center at 165,
basin edge at 152, merchant quarters at 147, or slave markets at 127, but a
strange gothic house catches your eye at 158. Could it be a wizard's residence?
Check it out at 158.
184. You step into the
final 10 feet, ready for anything that Codallu might throw at you before you
reach his sacred mound....
And
suddenly, before you appears the Demon Lady Damnythria, the mistress of Orcus
and devilish slayer of man!
She
is about 8 feet tall, cloven-hoofed, tailed, winged, wears a trail of glowing
souls attached to her tail, and wields a very powerful and nasty-looking cat ’o
thirty tails!
"Mortal
man," she says, "It has been said and proven that I am, indeed, the
most tempting and villified of all Demon Ladies, with but one exception: The
ancient Galvonarian Prophet Mathotek once dreamed that I would some day meet a
man so charming and kind that I could not slay him. I found his prophecy
amusing, and so before I slay my victims, I ask them to entertain me, prove to
be such as the prophecy described. I give you this one chance to prove you are
he."
Do
you accept her challenge? If so, go to 192. If not, then attack her now, you
heartless sod! Her stats: Damnythria,
Level 20 Paragon, ST-123, IN-56, LK-80, DX-95, CN-257, CH-99, SP-63, Adds +274, Cat 'o Thirty Tails (10
dice), knows all spells to level 10. Her skirt protects her from 10 pts damage.
Her tail can be used to trip you (make a L3SR DX each round, or halve your
combat value). At any given round you may attempt a L4SR DX stunt to slide in
and get a full round of damage against her. If you fail, however, she whips the
snot outta you for full damage!
Maybe
you'd like to go back and talk to her? If you decide to do so after attacking,
double the CHR SR you'll have to make.
If
you really want, you can read a line from the ancient parchment you might have.
If you do so, make a L3SR vs. your Wizardry. If you succeed, she returns to the
Abyss. Otherwise, she stays.
*-The
others you might have had in your party have faded out. They must be dealing
with their own personal "demons", too (pun intended). To see if they
fare better or worse than you, each may make a L2SR against their best
attribute. If they fail, they are never seen again, but if they succeed, then
they reappear after you deal with (if,
I should say!) this demon.
185. The Queen sighs,
but accepts your decision. The next day, a reception is held for your
departure. You have been given three wagons, loaded with incredible treasures,
from coins to statues to jewelry to gems and diamonds, totaling 10,000 gold
pieces. Venice kisses you goodbye, other Amazons, knowing of your bravery,
shower you with rose pedals, and the Queen formally bids you farewell. Then, a
guide leads you off into and through the mountains, down a little used trail,
which connects some hundreds of miles south to the Great Ancient Road.
Before
leaving, you turn to your guide and ask, “Since I declined the offer, what will
your people do? Do you have someone else in mind?”
She
shrugs. “Another of our huntresses found a man named Loveshk who has agreed to
be the vessel of Vishannu. We will do just fine. Now go, and guard well your
treasure, mortal!” She laughs and turns to ride away.
Loveshk!
Damn his hairy northern ass! Ah, well.
In
a few weeks you're rolling off on your way to fame and adventure in other
kingdoms! Maybe Zued or Bodlon to the east....? How about Hyrkania and Octzel
to the west? Hmmm?
Congratulations!
Take an extra 575 AP for the experience in the Kingdom of the Amazons!
186. The combined
noblewomen of the Amazons begin to chant a beautiful, woeful song, and the
priestesses do assorted strange things like open the shades to the room, draw
back a thick wooden slab from the roof, revealing the hollow interior of the
metal top of the palace, and sprinkle water on you with carefully woven reeds
from the valley rivers. By this time you're starting to feel rather drowsy,
very sleepy. It must be the incense burning everywhere.
Then,
abruptly, every Amazon in the room draws forth a powerful, single sword, one of
every kind and make across the world. The queen pulls forth a long, ebony blade
that glistens like the sun along the edges. Standing up, she comes forth, rests
the tip at your chest, and 9 of the highest ranking noblewomen bring their
sword tips to rest in a perfect circular order on your chest as well. The
rhythmic song continues, and then, abruptly, it ends in a chorus of shouts.
"Vishannu!" they cry in
unison. "Cheldari thu’banaska tedon
benaira! Vishannu!"
And
an answer does indeed come .....
A
bolt of pure, searing blue energy leaps from the sky, strikes the tip of the
tower roof, and flows down from there into the Queen! The energy stays there
for but as a brief second, then leaps into her sword, then your chest plate,
and finally into you!
You
spasm, suddenly wide awake, as if someone had poured hot Grog down your throat
straight from the Blue Frog Tavern!
What
in the Abyss happened?
You
suddenly feel damn good! You wonder why you were so worried about all that
treasure you were going to get when you have a whole palace in the sky to come
home to! And ten thousand half naked Amazon women, worshipping you. Life is
good!
"Lord
Vishannu," says the Queen, "we bid you welcome. We are at your beck
and call."
"What
a rush!" you say. You've never I felt anything like it before. "I
think I need to rest a minute, in your chambers." you say to the queen. As
Battle Mistress to you, she is your chief concubine, after all.
But
still ....something nags at you.....
"Wait,"
you say. "I think I should prefer to stay for my firs night in the
quarters of someone else… Venice?"
Venice
stands before you, her eyes shied away, a flush of pleasure going through her
normally hardened face. "After all you did for me.... it is only fair that
you be my new Battle Mistress." The room breaks out into a cheer! Even the
queen does, for this, too, was how she was chosen as the Battle Mistress.
Ah,
this was going to be a great year!
Congratulations!
You have reached the penultimate end to "Aberdan's Folly"! All
experience you have received before is yours, as well as an additional 1000 for
experiencing co-habitation with a god and the year-long ritual you are the main
player in. At the year's end, Vishannu will leave you, and you will get your
reward of 10,000 in gold, jewels, gems, and whatever else you desire. In
addition, the meld with the god of war did wonders for your skill and charisma
....add 5 to CH, DX and ST. This is a very rare reward from this GM, so
treasure it!
Lastly,
Venice will go on to father your child, as Battle Mistress, and will assume the
status as Queen at year's end. Congrad’s, Dad/King (sorta), you roving devil,
you!
187. As you weave your
way among this abandoned section of the city, a huge, dark shape leaps out from
a dark hole!
The
fiend in question, trying to eat your brains, is a Kodam-corpse Ghoul. This
fellow, brought to life with the intention to eat the still living, needs to be
put out of its misery. You can only defeat it by chopping it to bits or casting
Protective Pentagram and waiting for it to go away (will leave in 1d6 rounds if
the spell is cast). Its Stats are: ST 16, CN 22, DX 10, SP 10, IQ 3, CH 1, WIZ
5. Adds +4, Uses 4 dice claws, and has a paralyzing bite ....if injured in any
way, you must make a L2SR on CN. There will be one per member in your group,
and one additional one each time you come back here. Roll for this encounter
each time you are at paragraph 149. Now return there.
188. As you move into
the northwestern area of the city-basin edge, you find yourself looking down
upon a magnificent pyramid temple! From this vantage point, you are looking
just a little above it, as the temple is not very tall but quite wide, and you
can see a deep, black pit at its top. To the west is a vast open area full of
fanatical, cheering Kodam, and below is a large metal fence surrounding the
perimeter of the temple. You can climb down here to get to the temple base at
129, go east at 194, or head west at 169.
189. Finally, you have
broken through the seven barriers that prevented you from facing down with the
villainous wizard Codallu! He stands there, shaking in anger that you have
successfully passed his best traps, and is now finishing his chant that brings
the lighting of his god down, striking the small vial he intends to trap
your
soul with.......
You
have but one chance! Will you: A. read the last line of the ancient
manuscript, if you have it? If so, make a L3SR IQ and go to 223 if you make it.
B. Attack him with all your power and fury? If so, make a L3SR DX. If
you make it, you get a full round's worth of attacks on him and shatter his
concentration. Begin battling him. His stats are at 210. Combat spells count as
an attack here.
If
you win a battle with him and his personal demon, go to 224. If you miss your
SR, then read 135-A.
190. The dank, smelly,
and above all, muddy city of the Kodam T’kezzu stretches out before you in the
deep basin. You are on the far west side, and looking to get to the center of
the city without being caught. This is no easy feat, considering you don't much
resemble the locals ....
Each
turn hereafter, go to the end of the adventure and check for a possible
encounter. Make the saving roll, and read on at the paragraph you are at unless
you fail, in which case roll on the encounter chart and go to the appropriate
paragraph.
From
this vantage point, you can climb down into the city below, and start working
your way in. There's a dark, uninhabited alley below that looks good to enter
(181), or you can take one of the more traveled streets, both heading in, at
162 to your left or 167 to your right. The one on the right looks like a major
route for peddlers and merchants, the left being more urban.
Alternatively,
you can go north and circle around some more at the basin edge, looking for a
better way to enter (159) or head south (128).
191. The only adequate
spell is to cast a Porta Vision on yourself and anyone with you. The spell can
be used to make you look like a Kodam T’kezzu, and will last for 6 turns before
renewal is necessary (assume six entries pass before renewal time). Now go to
190.
192. "Well, let me
formally accept your challenge. First off, you are the most beautiful, erotic,
exotic, enticingly amazing woman I have ever met…" And so
you
continue, borrowing line from off-dimensional flicks and telling of your
adventures,
your personal life, mom, Apple Pie, and the reason you're here.
Make
a L5SR CHR. If you fail, go back to 184 and fight. If you failed by less than
10, she finds that you are interesting enough not to die and she teleports you
across the continent. Take 1700 AP for the try, and better luck next time!
If
you make it, you convince her of your sincerity and she begins to, while not
showing it, like you. She listens intently, eventually sitting down and
discussing a bit about her life, which is hard and difficult. You realize that
demons aren't that much different from people… they're just from a vastly
different, more competitive and ruthless culture, living in a world where only
the fittest survive.
Eventually,
Codallu interrupts and says, "Will you to get on with killing each
other?!?"
She
turns to the necromancer, and says, "Sorry, Codallu, but you've used me
for the last time. I believe my faith in prophets has risen." She turns to
you and says, "Hero, you are truly the one prophesized about. I should
like to see you again, some day, but for now I shall grant you one wish. I
cannot do anything to Codallu, as he has me under a binding spell, but anything
else...."
If
you wish to meet her again, under less business-like circumstances, she agrees.
Expect a visitation sometime in the near future....go to 189.
If
you wish that she call down a plague upon the Kodam T’kezzu, do so and she
shall do it. The plague will wipe out the very fabrication of the Kodam empire
and eliminate the menace. Now handle Codallu at 189. For any other wish, she
will grant it to within 10,000 GP’s worth of value, up to 5 points stat
increase, or movement to any realm you desire!
193. Yeah, right. Okay,
you have climbed to every top of the Temple of the God Altekzor, when out of
the clear blue sky 2d6 priests (stats at 177) come rushing out to destroy the
defilers of their god's temple! One begins casting a strange spell… Make a L3SR
DX to attack and break it before he succeeds on round one, or suffer the
consequences!
Fight
it out. On round three, if the priest was not interrupted on round one, all in
your party must make L3SR LK or be struck dead by lightning bolts from the sky.
Altekzor doesn't like defilers. Furthermore, when you started fighting, the
mass of pilgrims below swelled up and started charging up the temple steps to
wipe you out! Your only hope of escape is a fly-me to the basin edge at 169.
Having angered the god and aroused the Kodam, all future detection SR’s have
one level added to them.
If
you can't escape by round eight, then the pilgrims arrive. There are 1000 of
them, most armed with scimitars and cloth armor, stats as-per 177, but all are
citizens. Fight till you drop (which will be a number or rounds equal to your
STx6). If you actually kill them all, escape to the base of the temple at 129
and triple the levels of all future encounter SR’s!
194. You are on the
north side of the city basin. Looking down, you can see what looks like a
rather scummy area of the city, full of despots and knaves, pretty bad company,
considering they're all also Kodam T’kezzu. To risk going down that way, go to
143. Alternatively, you can move up a bit and take a small street that runs
through the area at 149. You can also head west to 188 or east to 139.
195. You pry open a
door, sneak in, start a light, and look around. To your pleasant surprise, you
see that it is a tomb, full of rows upon rows of armored and jeweled warriors!
You
can loot arms, armor and wealth in this chamber on the following loot chart up
to 2d6 times before something special happens. They are, in fact, the dread
sherigras (souls trapped in the wasted, chaos-drained mortal forms), no doubt
kept as servants and guardians by Codallu himself! There are a number of these
warriors equal to the number of treasure generator checks you made. Their
stats: x3/2 DX, x2/3 CN, x1 all else. They speak in horrifying, whispery
voices, their teeth chattering away, the soul-trapped creatures screaming for
revenge against the looter ....you!
Loot Chart (Roll 2D6)
2-3: weapon of choice, worth x1d6 base value
4-5: 1d6 gems worth 1d6X10 gp each
5-6: shield of choice worth x1d6 base
value
7-8: armor worth x1d6 value
9-10 3d6x10 gold pieces
11: magic weapon of choice with double
normal adds
12: armor of choice with ability to
cast protective pentagram three times per day!
They
are armed with leather armor, short swords, and buckler shields. Good luck! Go
to 187 when/if you make it out.
196. The spell seems to
work! Subtract an additional level from your SR encounter check at 127. Now go
to 127 (keeping in mind that you DO, indeed, look like a slave and his master).
197. Moving in this
direction, hiding among the dense foliage, you find yourself on the west side
of the main travel road that leads into the Kodam T’kezzu city. One hundred
feet wide, it has a steady stream of merchants, military squadrons, and supply
caravans moving along it. You can turn around, heading back west at 190, or you
can do something more daring….
You
may try to leap onto one of the moving carts or wagons without being noticed.
To do so, go to 154.
198. Caraman De Gerei, Karanian Wizard, L2
knows all spells to that level. ST-21,
IN-20, LK-11, DX-19, CN-9, CH-9, SP-10, WZ-26, Adds+15, Sax (2+5), leather (6), Magic Pouch (20-ST stored), 32 GP.
Talents: Ancient Languages (IQ) 23,
Diplomacy (CH) 13.
199. Venice Kong, Amazonian Paragon, L2, knows all spells to L6. ST-20, IN-16, LK-23, DX-17, CN-17, CH-18, SP-15, WZ-16, Adds+24, Sax
(2+5), Broadsword (3+4), Leather (7). Fights with two-weapons. Talents: Seduction (CH) 24,
Swashbuckling (DX) 21.
200. You approach the
council and propose your idea for a crack squad of adventurers worming their
way into the heart of the Kodam T’kezzu Empire. They like the sound of it, and
give you the go-ahead. Go to 140.
201. THE CITY ENCOUNTER TABLE:
At
each paragraph in the city unless otherwise directed, make a L2SR on LK. If
you
fail, roll on the following and go to the indicated paragraph for your
encounter:
2D6 Encounter
2 Codallu Vann Guur! (Paragraph 207)
L5
3-4 Slave Trader! (Paragraph 203) L3
5 Devout Acolyte! (Paragraph 204) L1
6 Slave! (Paragraph 205)
7 Codam High Sorcerer! (Para. 206)
L4
8-9 Guard Patrol! (Paragraph 202) L2
10 Guard Patrol! (Paragraph 209) L3
11-12 Guardian Ghoul! (Paragraph 208) L3
ESCAPING- To escape from an
encounter, make a SR against your SP attribute at the level listed after each
encounter on the above table. If you make it, you manage to evade your pursuers
and duck down a dark alley where they can't find you.
202. You have wandered
too near a guard patrol, and the loutish guards have decided to hassle you!
Either try and escape, or finish them off in 5 rounds or less. Their attributes
(and the attributes of all Kodam T’kezzu) can be found at 177.
203. A slave trader
notices your distinctly un-Kodam nature! He's been looking for his slave, and
you look like it. You have five rounds to chop him up or escape. Stats at 117.
204. A Half-crazed
acolyte of the Kodam Temple rushes up with a handful of pamphlets and
requesting you convert. He notices your lack of lizard-man features. Either
kill him quickly, (he is armed only with a sax, and will be too surprised the
first round to react), or flee. Stats at 177, but ignore equipment
determination.
205. An escaped slave
yanks you into a dark alley with intents to steal your garb and flee the
city....you do look about right for a disguised human, after all!
D6 Origin of the Slave
1-2 Belladas tribesman
3-4
Kambe
5-6 Umreteck
D6 Race of the Slave
1-3 human
4-5
orc
6
troll
You
can cast a temporary spell, get a robe for him (L2SR DX if you need to steal
it, or go to encounter at 209), then either send him on his way or have him
join you. He is a warrior. If you refuse to help, he will try and knock you out
and take your disguise (he is MR 22). This is not a paragraph you can avoid by
running away.
206. A Kodam T’kezzu
High Sorcerer, looking for infiltrators. He discovers you! He will use all the
magic he has at his disposal, which is everything up to level 3. You have four
rounds to kill him before guards from 209 show up. His stats are at 177.
207. You stumble across
a huge war-caravan returning from battle, in the midst of which is Codallu Vann
Guur! You can try a pot-shot at him to kill the vile sorcerer, a 4th level SR
on DX to hit. His stats are at 210. If you fail to kill him, he vaporizes you.
If you do kill him, then in the disarray of the Kodam you manage to escape from
the city and flee back to civilization! The Belladas, Kambe, and Umreteck tribes
thank you very much (as do the colonial towns from the Great Plains) and reward
you and all in your party with 1000 G.P. in money and goods each. You all get
1750 AP. If you are with Venice-Kong and she is still alive, then you may go to
211 to continue your journey to Aberdan's Folly.
208. It is sort of
surprising when an undead Kodam Ghoul leaps out at you, screaming for brains!
These fellows shouldn't be left wandering on their own! The creature's stats
are: ST-x3/2, x2 CN, x1/4 IQ, all else x1. Uses 4 dice claws, and it has a
paralyzing bite. If injured in any way, you must make a L2SR CN or be
paralyzed! There is one for each member of your group. If all party members are
parlayzed….it’s chow time for Ghoul man.
209. A large party of
2d6 guards, searching specifically for infiltrators, has spotted you! Run away
extremely fast, or turn and fight! Stats are at 177. For every five rounds you
battle, another 2d6 will show up. After 10 rounds, 1d3 high sorcerers (see
paragraph 206) arrive. Go to it, Ginsu!
210. Codallu Vann Guur, Kodam T’kezzu Wizard,
Level 6, knows all spells to 12th level. ST-31, IN-34, LK-29, DX-25, CN-21, CH-54, SP-12, WZ-65, Adds +49, armed with a Sax (enchanted
to 6+5), demon-shield (a demon which is "attached" to his body, moves
with him, and take damage for him. The demon has a CN-50, Adds +30, Dice 10 with claws, and a huge necklace
of fingers and eyes that acts as a deluxe magic staff with 100 nefarious
necromancy spells pre-stored in it, as well as 100-ST to draw from! Assume he has
access to ALL spells in the book. Heh!
211. As you and Venice
make tracks out of the city, the two of you breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm
glad that's over," you say.
"Indeed!
But the menace of the Kodam is ended, and now we can resume our journey. Follow
me. I just hope Vishannu's directions are still fresh in my mind….”
Indeed
they are, and in a week and a half of travel the two of you finally reach the
base of the mountain range called Aberdan's Folly. (Any others in your party
were not invited; they can wait in the Folly in a safe encampment).
The
mountain range is steep and craggy, full of difficult climbs and slippery
jungle terrain. But Venice, having lived here since her childhood, knew exactly
the right, safe route into the mountains.
In
another three days, the two of you emerge into a wide, bowl-like valley, lush
with vegetation, wildlife, and the sounds of feminine civilization in the
distance. But most amazing, more amazing, even, than the secluded valley, is
the giant spiraling palace in the center of it all, a temple/keep on par, even,
with the Emerald Palace of Hyrkania!
The
two of you head down into the jungle, Venice leading. Son you reach the
Amazonian City. Go to 146.
212. The tunnel
stretches a long ways out, farther, perhaps, than the city goes! You can turn
back around to 148 now, or follow this to the end. If you do, then
read
on.
Eventually
the hole begins to branch off, and you soon lose your sense of direction. Make
a L3SR LK to avoid getting lost forever in these tunnels. If you make it by
less than 5, return to 148 as you have accidentally doubled back on yourself.
If you make it by more, then you eventually emerge from the hole, after days,
near a waterfall. The hole is by this time almost impossible for you to get out
of, but you do. What you discover is a pleasant glade with a waterfall at
paragraph. Head there immediately!
213. You are in the
Citadel of Codallu Vann Guur! At whatever point in its entry you were at, you
have been teleported to the center area of the temple, and now stand about 50
feet from a large hill that Codallu Vann Guur sits upon.
"So
at last we meet," he says. "I have followed your progress for some
time, and will be pleased to drain your blood into this bottle," he holds
up a small ensorcelled vial, "that I may use it and the soul within to
further my evil schemes!"
"If
you wish, you can try and stop me… just walk up to my Mound of Power, here.
Good luck trying!"
Do
you start forward? If so, go to 135. If not, then a blast of lightning strikes
you dead, as Altekzor dislikes cowardice. So I guess that would be a “yes,”
then?
214. The portal slides
across and around you like quicksilver, and you step onto the mediation mound
of the evil Lizard King. He seems unaware of your presence.
Now
is your chance! Strike with your most powerful weapon you have to split the
necromancer's head open, or suffer whatever fate his defense systems might have
in store for you! Make a special Saving Roll: If you would have succeeded at a
L2SR DX, then you strike, but the shield demon of Codallu intercepts it and
takes the blow (see stats at 210). If you would have made a L4SR DX with the
check, then your blade skips past the shield demon and strikes Codallu
directly!
If
you fail, then suddenly you are teleported to 213 that the game might formally
begin ......
If
you strike and do not kill him, he and his demon will attack and attempt to
murder you on the spot, throwing a Death Spell #9 right at you. Make a L9SR LK
or die! If you make it, then engage in mortal combat with the wizard. If you
win, then you vanquish the foul spirit. You find that you can make out the
traces of the portal you came through, step back in (while concentrating) and
return to his house. Another painting lets you return to the civilized parts of
the jungle, where the Belladas, Kambe, and other tribes thank you for stopping
the evil necromancer and award each member of your party 1000 GP. If Venice
Kong is with you, proceed on to Aberdan's Folly at 211. In any case, take 1750
APs and good luck adventuring!
215. You probe and
search the invisible force. Eventually, you find that a small area near the
ground gives way easily, and you can crawl through there! Go to 145.
216. You chant the
spell on the parchment, and Codallu suddenly begins to look fearful! "No!
You have it!" he cries, stricken.
The
barrier before you has suddenly disappeared. Go to 145.
217. You pull it out,
and straining as you might, manage to chant another of its verses. Codallu
screams in anguish, and suddenly the spirits all shoot off into space like tiny
comets! You struggle up, and find that everyone is ready to go on to the next
barrier, at 151.
218. The spirits, their
curse suddenly broken, flee in gleeful joy into the sky! You and any companions
shakily get up and move on to the next task at 151.
219. You press your
hand against it, find the mirror gives, and slowly move into it. Suddenly, a
tremendous force yanks you through the mirror, and sends you into a vast, empty
limbo! Your clone of the mirror simultaneously replaces you in the real world…
but it, alas, isn't as nice as you!
220. You shatter the
glass like a brittle egg! And good thing, too, as your reflections were
starting to come out! However, you must now make a L4SR LK at the next
paragraph, in addition to your normal SR. Even if you succeed the necessary
roll, failing the LK roll means your bad luck caused you to fail anyway! Go to
166.
221. You wait, and
suddenly, you notice that your reflection is pulling itself off of their
mirror-plane! You must now fight an exact, but nasty, duplicate of yourself. If
you win, go to 166, as the mirror fades away.
222. You do so, and the
worm is suddenly turned to a brittle stone! How nice… go to 174.
223. You speak the
enchanted words, fast as you can, while Codallu tries to finish his. But you
finish, by a hair, first!
A
sudden, shimmering mist fills the gap between you and the wizard. A shape
begins
to
materialize......
Before
you appears the huge, 20 foot tall goat-headed, bat-winged, cloven-hoofed
Orcus, one of the greatest of the Demon Lords!
His
baleful glare, flames leaping from his eyes, smoke rings emanating from his
nostrils, pierces your very soul as he assesses the situation.
Then,
looking at Codallu Vann Guur, he says, "Little wizard, I missed you in my
collection of delicacies. For this, I can think of but one suitable
punishment…"
You
watch, both in awe and fear, as the powerful, taloned claw of Orcus grabs up
the wailing necromancer, rips open his chest cavity, and yanks out the pulsing
heart! Then, like some sophisticate at a nobleman's party, he tosses the soul
into his mouth, chews a sec, and swallows!
The
wizard's body crumples to lifeless dust, its resurrected power gone, and the
demon dusts his hands off. He then turns to look at you.
"Mortal,"
he says, in a booming, horrifying voice, "I see you have done me a minor,
trivial favor. Perhaps in hope of a reward, hmmm? I would just as soon eat your
soul, insect. But I won't, and that shall be your reward." He then turns
walks off, and slowly fades away.
You
let out a sigh of relief, and begin making your way back to civilization. Go to
224, but add 200 AP to the overall bonus for the encounter with Orcus!
224. You have won! Take
2000 APs for doing it the hard way, and congratulations to you! You sneak out
of the city, which will quickly fall into disarray without a powerful leader,
and bring the news back to the jungle tribes. The Belladas, Kambe, and others
reward you with 1000 gold for each surviving team member and give you there
thanks! If you are with Venice Kong, you can finish your journey to Aberdan's
Folly at 211. For now congratulations on a job well done!
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