the Lencian crew and have heaped their bodies around the base of the mainmast. One of the undead, clad in a filthy grey cloak embroidered with alien symbols, utters a chilling liturgy over the corpses of the slain. The chill air crackles with power and sparks of evil energy whirl around their bodies. When at last the liturgy ends, you see the dead Lencians rise up and take their places alongside the Drakkarim undead.
Numb with shock, you slowly retreat down the stairs and hide yourself in a corner of the ship's hold while you consider a new plan of action.
Turn to 298 .
187
Your swift reactions save you from a direct hit, yet one of the bolts passes close enough to sear your thigh as you are diving for cover: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.
Turn to 221 .
190
The creatures yield to your powerful blows, but the grievous wounds you deal them draw neither blood nor ichor. The ground around your feet is crawling with severed segments of the Chaos-creatures. Hacked and dismembered, they continue to wriggle forwards, forcing you to retreat grudgingly towards the steps.
When, to your mounting horror, you witness the dismembered segments press themselves together to form composite creatures of impossible shape and design, your nerve breaks and you flee headlong down the steps. The hideous gibbering shrieks of the reformed Chaos-creatures echo in your ears as you descend into the claustrophobic depths of this sunken building. At first their cries sound hungry and frantic, like those of a ravenous pack of starving wolves denied their prey, but suddenly you realize that they are not cries of hunger at all — they are howls of glee. The gibbering Chaos-creatures are enjoying the sight of you rushing headlong to your doom!
You skid to a halt but it is already too late. With chilling abruptness, the slimy stairs open up and you fall feet-first into a deep, dark pit.
Turn to 59 .
193
You emerge from the Crystal Spire with barely seconds to spare. As you descend the main ramp which leads away into the streets of Xaagon, the great archway disintegrates completely, bringing with it a vast section of the foundation wall. This collapse begins a chain reaction of destruction that culminates in the spectacular fall of the upper spire, which crashes down upon the city like some massive crystal tree felled at the roots.
You run without stopping, through the quaking streets to the shattered west gate, and then onwards through the deepening snow towards the narrow mountain pass. You are more than a mile from the walls of Xaagon when eventually you stop to rest and survey the destruction you have left behind.
Turn to 250 .
195
Less than a mile to the north, like some nightmare apparition surfacing from the deep, you see a broad-prowed vessel of prodigious size breaking low in the stormy water. You magnify your vision and see that its main deck is completely enclosed by a canopy of overlapping green-grey timbers, affording it the appearance of some gigantic fish. Two glassy portholes and a jagged line which stretches around its prow complete this chilling illusion.
For its shape and size it moves towards your ship at an unnatural speed. You call the crew to arms, fearing it to be an enemy vessel closing to attack, and you sense a shudder run through them when, for the first time, they clearly discern its alien design. You focus your Kai senses upon the oncoming craft and suddenly you realize its purpose. It is an Ixian vessel, come to rendezvous with your ship, believing it still to be manned by the undead horde which attacked Fort Azgad.
Illustration XII —It is as if you are looking into the ghastly maw of a hungry sea predator.
‘Stand firm!’ you shout, attempting to rally the nervous Lencians as the craft speeds ever nearer. When less than a hundred yards distant, its great prow begins to creak open. It is as if you are looking into the ghastly maw of a hungry sea predator. The fearful sight alarms the Lencian crew and they flee
Numb with shock, you slowly retreat down the stairs and hide yourself in a corner of the ship's hold while you consider a new plan of action.
Turn to 298 .
187
Your swift reactions save you from a direct hit, yet one of the bolts passes close enough to sear your thigh as you are diving for cover: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.
Turn to 221 .
190
The creatures yield to your powerful blows, but the grievous wounds you deal them draw neither blood nor ichor. The ground around your feet is crawling with severed segments of the Chaos-creatures. Hacked and dismembered, they continue to wriggle forwards, forcing you to retreat grudgingly towards the steps.
When, to your mounting horror, you witness the dismembered segments press themselves together to form composite creatures of impossible shape and design, your nerve breaks and you flee headlong down the steps. The hideous gibbering shrieks of the reformed Chaos-creatures echo in your ears as you descend into the claustrophobic depths of this sunken building. At first their cries sound hungry and frantic, like those of a ravenous pack of starving wolves denied their prey, but suddenly you realize that they are not cries of hunger at all — they are howls of glee. The gibbering Chaos-creatures are enjoying the sight of you rushing headlong to your doom!
You skid to a halt but it is already too late. With chilling abruptness, the slimy stairs open up and you fall feet-first into a deep, dark pit.
Turn to 59 .
193
You emerge from the Crystal Spire with barely seconds to spare. As you descend the main ramp which leads away into the streets of Xaagon, the great archway disintegrates completely, bringing with it a vast section of the foundation wall. This collapse begins a chain reaction of destruction that culminates in the spectacular fall of the upper spire, which crashes down upon the city like some massive crystal tree felled at the roots.
You run without stopping, through the quaking streets to the shattered west gate, and then onwards through the deepening snow towards the narrow mountain pass. You are more than a mile from the walls of Xaagon when eventually you stop to rest and survey the destruction you have left behind.
Turn to 250 .
195
Less than a mile to the north, like some nightmare apparition surfacing from the deep, you see a broad-prowed vessel of prodigious size breaking low in the stormy water. You magnify your vision and see that its main deck is completely enclosed by a canopy of overlapping green-grey timbers, affording it the appearance of some gigantic fish. Two glassy portholes and a jagged line which stretches around its prow complete this chilling illusion.
For its shape and size it moves towards your ship at an unnatural speed. You call the crew to arms, fearing it to be an enemy vessel closing to attack, and you sense a shudder run through them when, for the first time, they clearly discern its alien design. You focus your Kai senses upon the oncoming craft and suddenly you realize its purpose. It is an Ixian vessel, come to rendezvous with your ship, believing it still to be manned by the undead horde which attacked Fort Azgad.
Illustration XII —It is as if you are looking into the ghastly maw of a hungry sea predator.
‘Stand firm!’ you shout, attempting to rally the nervous Lencians as the craft speeds ever nearer. When less than a hundred yards distant, its great prow begins to creak open. It is as if you are looking into the ghastly maw of a hungry sea predator. The fearful sight alarms the Lencian crew and they flee
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