Lone Wolf: Assault with a Chunk of Marble

Time to knock this guy's head clean off his body. With a large chunk of marble. Just the way god intended. I roll a 6.

With a sickening thud, the chunk of marble cracks open the back of the Giak's head. The creature drops to its knees and slowly falls forward, down to the ruins below. Elated by your skill, you race forward to aid the young wizard.

Turn to 325.

I would've liked more exploding but I'll take it.

SCORE!

Upon seeing you emerge from the woods, the Giak officer shouts 'Ogot! Ogot!' to his cowering troops, who flee the ruins and run to the safety of the forest.

Shaking his mailed fist at you, the black-clad Giak screams, 'RANEG ROGAG OK--ORGADAKA OKAK ROGAG GAJ!' before leaving. Surveying the scene of battle, you count over fifteen Giak dead lying among the broken pillars of Raumas.

The young wizard wipes his brow and walks towards you, his hand extended in friendship.

Turn to 349.

He is a young blond-haired youth with deep brooding eyes. His face is lined with exhaustion and the grime of battle, and his long sky-blue robes bear evidence of living rough in the wilds. He shakes your hand and bows. 'My eternal thanks, Kai Lord. My powers are nearly drained. Had you not come to my aid, I fear I would have ended my days atop a Giak lance.'

He is weak and unsteady on his feet. You take his arm and sit him down upon a fallen pillar where you listen intently to what he has to say.

'My name is Banedon. I am journeyman to the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star, which is the Magicians' Guild of Toran. My Guildmaster has sent me to your monastery with this urgent message.' He removes a vellum envelope from inside his robes and hands it to you.

'As you see, I have opened the letter and read its contents. When the war started, I was on the highway with two travelling companions. The Kraan attacked us and we lost each other in the forest during our escape.'

The letter is a warning to the Kai Lords that the Darklords have mustered a vast army beyond the Durncrag range. The Guildmaster urges the Kai to cancel the celebrations of Fehmarn and prepare for war.

'I fear we were betrayed,' says Banedon, his head bowed in sorrow.

'One of my order, a brother called Vonotar, had explored the forbidden mysteries of the Black Art. Ten days ago he denounced the Brotherhood and killed one of our Elders. He has since disappeared. It is rumoured that he now aids the Darklords.'

You tell Banedon what has happened at the monastery, and of your mission to warn the King. Silently, he removes a gold chain from around his neck and hands it to you. On the chain is a small Crystal Star Pendant. 'It is the symbol of my Brotherhood, and we are both truly brothers in this hour of darkness. It is a talisman of good fortune--may it protect you on your road ahead.'

You thank him, place the chain around your neck and slip the Crystal Star inside your shirt.

Banedon bids you farewell. 'We must leave this place lest the Giaks return with more of their loathsome kind to put an end to us. I must return to my Guild. I bid you farewell, my brother. May the luck of the gods go with you.'

Wait...what? How about you come with me, mr I-can-kill-15-giaks-all-by-myself? Thanks for the letter and the necklace though. Asshat.

Turn to 293.

With a wave of his hand, Banedon leaves the ruins and you continue your mission, pushing on through the thick woods ahead. You have not gone far when you realize several pairs of yellow eyes are watching you from the undergrowth to your left. Suddenly, a black arrow skims the top of your head. It is a Giak ambush and you must run as fast as you can to escape it.

Turn to 281.

As you race through the trees you can hear the horrible cackle of the Giaks close behind you. Soon the trees start to thin out and directly ahead you can see a rocky hillside.

If you break cover and climb up the hill, turn to 311.

If you change direction and continue your run through the forest, turn to 77.

These Giaks mean business. They don't even have the decency to cackle whimsically or pleasantly. This cackling is horrible. Personally I think being out in the open is always the safest bet. Trees will often reach out and ensnare careless travelers. Plus there are probably bears in the forest. But I'm just the narrator. What do we do, guys?