Free The Chasm of Doom by Joe Dever Page A

you wish to descend the spiral stairs, turn to 228 .

269
    You follow the passage for nearly an hour before finding yourself in front of a solid rock-face. Shovels and barrows lie discarded upon the floor as if the excavation was abandoned in a great hurry. You may take one of the Shovels if you wish, but it will occupy the same space in your Backpack as two normal items.
    You are now hungry and you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points. (If you possess the Kai Discipline of Hunting, you are unable to use it within the Maaken Mines to hunt for food.) Cursing your bad luck, you are forced to retrace your steps all the way back to the junction.
    Continue your exploration by turning to 145 .

273
    You have ridden less than five miles when you see a group of wagons on the highway ahead. They are painted in a gaudy mix of bright colours and drawn by teams of oxen. A huge tasselled banner flies above the leading wagon, which bears the following proclamation:
    The Famous Asajir Players — Troubadours to the Imperial Courts of Magnamund
    Illustration XVI —You see a group of wagons on the highway ahead.
    If you wish to stop to question these travelling minstrels, turn to 37 .
    If you wish to ignore them and let them pass, turn to 126 .

275
    With one slice of your golden sword, the timber splinters in two. A shudder runs through the ground, and with one mighty roar, a deluge of earth and stone completely fills the tunnel. Clouds of dust engulf you, and the force of the blast throws you to the floor; all the torches are extinguished. You lose 1 ENDURANCE point. Staggering to your feet, you hurry along the dust-choked tunnel to where the wall torches are still burning.
    Turn to 335 .

277
    You kick the dead Warhound away and steel yourself for another onslaught. Three more of the snarling beasts are ready to pounce, and you must fight them as one enemy.
    Vassagonian Warhounds: COMBAT SKILL  22    ENDURANCE  35
    If you win the combat, turn to 155 .

279
    As you unfurl the Scroll and begin to read its ominous contents, the Baron struggles to his feet. Word for word he echoes the prophetic verse.
When the full moon shines o'er the temple deep,
A sacrifice will stir from sleep
The legions of a long forgotten lord.
When a fair royal maid on the altar dies,
The dead of Maakengorge shall rise
To claim their long-awaited reward.
    ‘You must save her, Lone Wolf. You must prevent the sacrifice.’ The Baron's voice is choked with emotion.
    ‘Save who? Who must he save?’ questions Captain D'Val, as he tries to calm the distressed Baron.
    ‘My daughter, Madelon. Barraka has found the Dagger of Vashna. He plans to sacrifice my daughter upon the altar of Maaken to release the undead of Maakengorge.’
    The Baron explains that during the Age of the Black Moon, King Ulnar of Sommerlund killed the mightiest of all the Darklords, Vashna, with the Sommerswerd, the sword of the sun. His body and the bodies of all his soldiers were hurled into the bottomless abyss of Maakengorge. ‘He plans to lead the dead to victory first to conquer Sommerlund and then all of the Lastlands,’ he says in despair.
    You stare at the Baron in stunned silence. If Barraka completes the sacrifice, all is lost. What mortal army can stand against a legion of the dead?
    Captain D'Val ushers you from the chamber and closes the door. ‘I feared he was insane, but your Scroll confirms my worst nightmare. He speaks the truth!’
    As the dreadful significance of the verse begins to sink in, your thoughts are broken by the shrill blast of a war-horn. Captain D'Val strides over to an arrow slit and peers out across the plain. As he turns to speak, you notice that his face is ashen grey. ‘The bandits … they're launching an attack!’
    If you possess Captain D'Val's sword, turn to 327 .
    If you do not possess it, turn to 289 .

280
    You roll the body over onto its side and make a quick search. You discover:
3 Gold Crowns
Enough food for 1 Meal
Sword
    You may take