119

You draw upon your camouflage skill for protection and then you command Captain Gildas and his rangers to wait while you leave your hiding place and go in search of the squad leader. You suspect that he may be one of the two warriors who have been killed by the rockfall. Mindful that the Claw of Naar was sheathed in his belt, you are determined to seize this opportunity to capture it before the dazed Bhanarians recover their senses and regroup.

Swiftly you traverse the mound of rocks that now blocks the pass, and as you leap onto the trail unseen, you note that neither of the slain warriors is the squad leader. Then you notice a drainage channel which runs alongside the mountain trail and your Kai Sixth Sense tells you that the leader has escaped the rockfall by rolling into this trench. Without a moment’s hesitation, you unsheathe your Kai Weapon and jump into the trench after him.

As your feet hit the bottom of the shallow gully, you see your adversary crouching less than a couple of yards away. For a moment you stare at each other in silence. Shock blanches the man’s sallow, moustachioed face and his almond eyes widen with alarm, but he suddenly recovers his composure and springs to his feet. Tugging the mace-like Claw of Naar from his belt, he utters a terse laugh as he levels its taloned tip at your chest. There is a crackling hum of power. It precedes a bolt of black fire which leaps from the evil artefact like a living entity. Fearing for your life, you dive to the ground as this supernatural bolt of dark flame comes streaking along the trench towards you.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked.

If your total score is now 2 or lower, turn to 308.

If it is 3–7, turn to 278.

If it is 8 or higher, turn to 147.