The Hunger of Sejanoz (6 page)

If you are a New Order Kai who has attained the rank of Sun Thane, you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:

Astrology

Sun Thanes who possess this Discipline are expert in the art of hypnotism. By the use of a hypnotic stare, they are able to cause susceptible creatures (up to three individuals at any one time) willingly to carry out their orders. The number of creatures so affected — and the duration of the effect — increases steadily as a Sun Thane advances in Kai rank.

Animal Mastery

Sun Thanes with this Discipline are able to command an animal to fall asleep at will. Some hostile animals may be able to resist this command; however most will be affected by it in some way. The duration of effect and the number of animals which can be affected at one time will increase as a Grand Master rises in rank.

Grand Huntmastery

Kai Sun Thanes with this skill are able to protect themselves from the effects of being struck by natural electrical discharges, i.e. lightning.

Deliverance

Sun Thanes who possess this skill are able to conduct a Kai Exorcism. This ritual will banish any evil supernatural force that has taken possession of any goodly creature or object.

Elementalism

Sun Thanes who possess this Discipline are able to accelerate greatly the oxidation (rusting) of ferrous metals simply by touch alone. The longer the metallic item is touched by a Sun Thane, the more damaging will be the effect.

Grand Pathsmanship

Sun Thanes who possess mastery of this Discipline are able to alter the temperature of water by touch. By using this skill they are able to transform water into ice and vice versa. The volume of water affected and the duration of effect both increase as a Grand Master rises in rank.

Kai-screen

Sun Thanes who possess this Discipline are able to erect a special psychic defence called
Mindfort
. A
Mindfort
defence greatly reduces the effects of any psychic shock that would normally paralyse or weaken a lesser mortal.

Kai-alchemy

Grand Masters who have reached the rank of Sun Thane are able to use the following Brotherhood Spells:

• Slow Fall
   — By casting this spell, Kai Sun Thanes are able to slow their rate of free-falling to three feet per second, thereby avoiding damage upon landing while the spell is in effect. The duration of the spell is limited at first, but it steadily increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.
  
• Breathe Water
   — Using this spell, a Kai Sun Thane is able to breathe underwater for ten minutes. The duration of effect increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.
  

The nature of additional improvements and how they affect your existing Grand Disciplines will be noted in the Improved Grand Master Disciplines section of future
Lone Wolf New Order
books.

Grand Master, you are about to embark upon a difficult and dangerous mission. The aged Khea-khan of Chai is one of Sommerlund's oldest and most venerable allies. He is physically frail, yet he is revered almost like a god by his loyal subjects. Only he can rally the New Kingdoms to rise up and defy the mighty armies of Autarch Sejanoz. He must be escorted swiftly and safely to Tazhan, for if he is captured or slain by the enemy then all hopes for peace in Southern Magnamund will be dashed.

During your mission you may encounter many strong and wily adversaries. Your journey across the Great Lissan Plain will be fraught with danger at every turn, so remain on your guard at all times.

Some of the material items that you find will be of use to you, but others may be red herrings of no real value at all. If you discover items during your mission, be selective in what you choose to keep. Pick your initial four Grand Master Disciplines with care for a wise choice will enable anyone to complete the quest, no matter how weak their initial
COMBAT SKILL
and
ENDURANCE
scores may be. Completion of previous
Lone Wolf
adventures (Books 1–27) may be advantageous, but it is not essential for the successful completion of this
New Order
adventure.

May the Gods Kai and Ishir guide and protect you during your vital mission.

For Sommerlund and the Kai!

An electric hum fills the throne room of the Khea-khan's palace as the chosen courtiers and guards make swift preparation for the evacuation to Tazhan. In the midst of all this frantic activity, the aged ruler of Chai sits upon his ebony throne and confers with his trusted advisor, Kau-Doshin, the head of the Imperial Palace household. The lines etched deeply upon their faces convey the gravity of the hushed words that pass between them.

In a far corner of the chamber you see Princess Mitzu consoling her tearful son, the five-year-old Prince Kamada. He is the Khea-khan's great-great-grandson, and he is next in line to rule Chai upon the death of venerable Xo-lin. Having comforted him and dried his tears, Princess Mitzu places the young boy into the charge of his matronly tutor, Shavane. Then Mitzu leaves the throne room, passing by Guard Captain Chan who is entering through its grand arched doorway. Dutifully, he clicks his heels and salutes as the Princess glides past him with regal grace.

Chan scans the throne room and narrows his sharp almond eyes when he catches sight of you. The Guard Captain will be responsible for the personal safety of the Imperial Family during the overland journey to Tazhan, and as he strides across the throne room towards you, it is easy to see why this élite warrior has been entrusted with such an unenviable task.

‘Hail, Grand Master,’ he booms in greeting. ‘It pleases me greatly that you have chosen to accompany us to Tazhan. I welcome your valued assistance.’

You return Chan's formal compliment and then ask him when the Imperial Caravan will be leaving.

‘Within the hour, my lord,’ he replies. He pauses to wipe away a trickle of sweat from the brow of his wide oval head, and then he says in a quieter tone: ‘I see you possess a fine Kai blade.’ His eyes glitter as he looks upon the Kai Weapon that is sheathed at your side. ‘As you can see, I am myself unarmed. Before we depart I must visit the Imperial Palace Armoury and equip myself. Would you care to accompany me? I trust you'll be impressed by the quality of Chai weaponry, and you'll be very welcome to take any item you find desirable.’

If you wish to accompany Captain Chan on a visit to the Imperial Palace Armoury,
turn to 237
.

If you choose to decline his offer,
turn to 187
.

Captain Chan orders that lighted torches be dropped into the bore holes. His troopers comply, and soon you feel the tremors of explosions that occur when these burning brands ignite other Nahba Worms hidden deep in their underground burrows.

Chan details every trooper to stand watch for the remainder of this night in case any worms have escaped the destruction. Fortunately for them it is a short watch; the sun breaks the eastern horizon within the hour, and soon afterwards the caravan is ready to leave this treacherous valley.

Turn to 130
.

Six swarthy-faced tomb robbers emerge from the crypt, carrying sacks filled to bursting with stolen burial ornaments and treasures. As they clumsily load their ill-gotten gains onto their wagon, you take cover behind a fan-shaped tombstone. Suddenly the soft ground shifts beneath your feet and you feel yourself sinking. You grab the tombstone to steady yourself but, as you do so, you let slip a stifled cry of alarm. To your dismay, the robbers hear your cry and come rushing back to the graveyard to investigate.

Illustration I
—The gang of robbers emerges from the dark crypt.

Turn to 225
.

After the blazing heat of the plains, the dark coolness of the catacombs comes as a blessed relief to the aged Khea-khan and his family. Kau-Doshin oversees the transfer of Xo-lin and his entourage from the caravan to their underground abode, and Kasarian helps make his imperial guests as comfortable as possible. When all of the family and the entourage are safely underground, Chan posts guards at the great stone portal.

Turn to 154
.

‘I shall endeavour to, your majesty,’ you reply, uneasily. You ask Mitzu for some details about the Prince, such as the place, the date, and the time of his birth. Then you look out across the balcony to the night sky and see that the stars are partially obscured by low clouds, driven on by a stiff easterly breeze. Conditions are far from ideal, but there are sufficient breaks in these scudding clouds for you to be able to discern the position of the constellations. Using your astrological knowledge of the heavens, and the information supplied by Mitzu, you discover to your dismay that the stars hold a disturbing prediction for her young son's future.

Turn to 101
.

You catch up with the Autarch in a chamber heaped with rubble and earth. He is ascending the mound towards a hole in the ceiling that was made by the shells from his steam-cannon. You quickly draw the Arrow of Atonement to your Bow
¹¹
and command the tyrant to free the young Prince. The sound of your voice makes him spin around and curse you vilely through the visor of his tiger helm. Prince Kamada wriggles like a snake and suddenly he escapes from the Autarch's grasp. Before the evil Sejanoz can snatch him back, you release your Arrow of Atonement and send it whistling towards his foul heart.

Turn to 113
.

You thank Vannar and promise that you will use the weapon wisely. He smiles benignly, and then he offers to show you a swift way to reach the surface of Zanaza. You accept his offer and follow him into the adjoining chamber where he opens a concealed panel in the wall. Beyond, you see a narrow flight of steps which ascend to an oval door.

‘That door leads to the streets,’ he says. You ask him if he wishes to leave with you, but he shakes his head firmly in reply.

‘Now that you have put paid to the robbers, my home is my own once more. I shall stay here.’ You bid farewell to Vannar, and then you climb the steps and leave through the oval door.

On your return to the caravan encampment, you discover that everyone is asleep except the sentries. Before you settle down to rest, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 247
.

Splashes of the creature's caustic blood and saliva draw wisps of smoke from the sleeves of your tunic. Quickly you run to a geyser pool and wash this vile fluid away before it eats through to your skin. As you are cleaning your clothes, you notice to your dismay that the caustic fluid has eaten a hole in your Belt Pouch and you have lost half of your coins.

You must reduce your current total of coins by half. Remember to make the necessary adjustment in the Belt Pouch section of your
Action Chart
before continuing.

Turn to 2
.

The fight comes to an abrupt end when you deal the last living creature a mighty blow to the base of its deformed head. As it falls lifelessly to the ground, Sergeant Yeng rushes to check that his men have also survived intact. Cautiously you inspect the bodies of the slain beasts and quickly determine that all three are of Agarashi descent. They have probably come down from the Hyunsei foothills in a desperate search for prey, for the corpses are emaciated by hunger. Sergeant Yeng confirms your suspicions. He tells you that long ago, during the Age of Eternal Night, this land was stalked by Agarashi — the hellish creations of Agarash the Damned. When Agarash was destroyed by the Elder Magi, his creations were scattered across the wilderness and plains of Chai. The descendants of these beasts are still alive today, hiding in hills, burrows, and caves. They do not usually attack travellers unless driven by disease or famine.

Using your tracking skills, you quickly determine that there are no other creatures like these in this vicinity. Only then do you and the troopers remount your horses and continue along the highway towards the Javai Forest. A few miles short of the forest you discover a freshwater spring which is forded by the highway. It is an ideal site for a night camp, and so you send one of Yeng's men back to the caravan to tell them that you shall await their arrival here.

During your wait for the caravan, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 45
.