The Chronicles of Arborell - Fantasy gamebooks, gamebook companion novels, web serials, journals, Atlas of Arborell, and other supplementary materials.

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In the solitude of the wastelands your form is a swift shadow running across the undulations of the dunes. Under a sky of burning stars you run onwards, your only companion the wind, and the sure knowledge that there can be no failure in the completion of your task. Ahead lies the crumbling stone of the Alerion Gates and the unknown dangers that lay beyond them, but the possibility of failure is your only concern. You have been given your deskai, and until you have drunk from the well of the Temple of the Moons you will not stop, nor shirk from any danger placed before you. You are a Jotun of the West, and for your people no task is too great, or too dangerous.

You have not been given much time though. Whatever might lay beyond the Gates will not allow for an easy passage. The deskai has been chosen to test the limits of a warrior's strength and bravery and you cannot see that such a test will be anything other than lethal. It is a possibility that has your blood pounding at your temples as you run.

In the shadows of the night there are doubts that cannot be disregarded however. The customs of your people should have left your deskai until the passing of at least two more cycles of the seasons. No Jotun is told of the time of his trials, but you have never heard of anyone having been brought so far south to complete them. In your mind you know there is reason to the old Shaman's machinations and it is clear that he acts with the authority of your father, but whatever the reasoning you know that you are up to the challenge. Whatever this deskai might have in store there is nothing that you, or the power of your warhammer, will not be able to overcome.

The hour after midnight passes as you come to a halt before the Alerion Gates. Against a dark sky they stand as two broken pillars of stone reaching upwards to the stars. In a more ancient time they would have formed an arch, meeting at a point some one hundred and fifty metres overhead, but as you stand breathing hard from the exertion of your run they loom overhead as fractured outcrops of rock barely recognisable as the artifice of skilled hands. You pause for a moment and listen to the night, regaining your breath as the winds of the plains blow drifts of sand about the base of the gates. It is then that you see a length of old wood jammed into a crack in the base of the Gate. About a metre in length it is unremarkable except for the tightly coiled red string that wraps one end and the three white feathers tied loosely to its wrappings.

Do you wish to take this piece of wood? If so, go to section 31. If you would choose to disregard it then turn to section 18. If you choose you may also test against your intuition attribute. If you pass the test turn to section 24. If you fail this test you will need to make up your own mind and choose one of the previous two options.

The slopes prove quickly to be a difficult terrain to traverse. Littered with huge boulders, and cut at many points by loose areas of broken rock and dirt, you find yourself labouring against an unsafe footing that threatens to slide from beneath you. Uppermost in your mind is the time limit set for the completion of your deskai and keeping to the edges of these hills is taking up far too much of it. For a moment you consider what you should do but then circumstances are taken out of your hands.

From high overhead you hear the rush of wings and instinctively you crouch down against the hillside. There are many flying creatures in the world but only one can send a cold shiver down the spine of a Jotun. Against the stars above a shadow is moving swiftly, speeding across the sky as it searches for prey amongst the canyons and defiles of the foothills. It is a Rift Dragon, the largest and most vicious predator of the Great Rift Mountains. Such serpents are huge creatures that can grow to more than eighty metres in length. You have no doubt that if it sees you it will kill you.

Quietly you lay still upon the slope. It is known that these Dragons spot their prey in the dark through movement and sound, and there is a slim chance that if you remain perfectly still it will pass you by. As you lay against the slope you watch as the creature glides easily through the night air, following a wide arc that tightens in ever decreasing spirals above you. It must have seen you before but now cannot find you against the backdrop of the crumbling hillside. For more than ten minutes you remain motionless as the Dragon circles overhead. It is long enough that you begin to wonder if this is to be your fate, unable to complete your deskai as the serpent hovers mockingly above, unable to move until the rising of the suns sends it home to its lair. Still, you console yourself, it has not seen you, yet.

It is as these thoughts taunt your consciousness that you begin to feel something happening about you. You lay upon the slope but you can feel as if something is moving beneath you, an imperceptible sliding sensation that quickly gains momentum. Too late you realise that the hillside is slipping away around you. You are caught in a landslide.
In a flurry of crashing rock, and speeding waves of moving dirt, you find yourself unable to do anything but move with the flow of the slope as it picks up speed, racing towards the valley floor below. Caught within its grasp you cannot notice the form of the Rift Dragon alter its course and speed towards your position, all you can do is try and remain on top of the flowing debris and not be engulfed within it. It takes only seconds for the slide to hit level ground, and within its leaden embrace you are quickly swallowed up.

Through clouds of choking dust the dark form of the Dragon settles upon the valley floor, its talons raking the dirt-mounds of the slide trying to find you. Within the smothering piles of fallen stone you lay unable to move, the life slowly being crushed from your body as the Dragon digs through the rubble. For long minutes it seeks you out but luck is with you this night, the serpent cannot find you. With a screech of frustration the great beast beats its wings and rises once again into the sky, its black body quickly lost to the darkness. So close it had come to finding you but inadvertently it has saved your life. Caught beneath the suffocating blanket of tonnes of debris you had no chance of saving yourself. Even as you lay smothering to death the frantic search of the Rift Dragon has moved enough of the rock and earth to allow you to push your way out of its lethal embrace. In a grasping heave you force your head and one shoulder out of the debris. At least for now you are still alive.

Cursing the vagaries of fortune you struggle out of the remains of the slide and try and determine where you have ended up. All about you are deep tears in the ground where the Dragon had been looking for you, and you do not realise it until you move that you are standing in the beast's footprint. Your position is easy to determine though. Your rough descent has left you within the western canyon only a short distance from its entry into the wide valley beyond.

You brush yourself down and realise that you have suffered an injury to your side, a wide gash that spills blood down your waist and leg. (Roll one dice and deduct what you have rolled from your endurance points.) Quickly you bind the wound with strips of cloth from your leggings and determine what you should do next. Will you continue down the western canyon? If so turn to section 57. If you would rather go back and try another of the canyons turn to section 90.

The amphitheatre spreads as a wide semicircle of weathered platforms, each level a jagged slope of worn rock that must have once held the seating for this arena. It now stands as a desolate, crumbling structure and there seems little point in searching its worn levels. You have a feeling though that something may be found here. You need only look in the right place.

Test your luck attribute. If you are successful turn to section 39. If not, then you have been unable to find that which may reside here. You can however, read the plaque by turning to section 96, or decide that there is nothing here for you and return back up the canyon by turning to section 11.

Within this area of open ground you find little but the song of the wind blowing along the slopes at all sides, and three canyons that spread like fingers from the palm of a monstrous hand before you. One canyon opens as a huge rift in the stone at your left, a cragged defile that runs into the east and unfathomable shadow. Before you opens another canyon, its winding passages disappearing into the south, and another to your right, opening up into the west. Carefully you survey the ground about you but there is nothing in the sands that gives any clue as to where you should go next. What you seek must lay within one of these three canyons and there is no time for indecision.

If you wish to search the eastern canyon turn to section 10. If you find the southern canyon a better possibility turn to section 28. If it is to the west that you believe the Temple of the Moons can be found turn to section 57.

Quickly you search the Ranger's body. He is clothed in a tight fitting leather uniform and a black travelling cloak but there is little else. You do find in a small pouch at his waist belt two pieces of stale Nahla bread and a small globe of steel with a curious lever on its upper surface.

If you wish to take the Nahla bread record this within the notes section of your character sheet. Each of the pieces of bread will restore two endurance points to your endurance level if you choose to eat them. The steel globe looks far more interesting. If you wish to take it, turn to section 101. If you do not wish to take the device and would rather continue on your path back to the Shattereen turn to section 63.

In the dark the shadowy form waits and then slowly moves towards you. You have been discovered. There can now be no further advantage to your concealment and as the Ranger's sword flashes from its sheath you bring your own weapon to hand and rise from the gloom of your cover. For a moment the vehmin pauses in his advance, as if he is judging how hard a kill you will be, and then advances again. Without a word you come together and the combat begins.

The Ranger is no easy adversary. With a combat value of 16 and endurance points of 18 it will take all the strength and skill at your disposal to best him. If you win this combat turn to section 14. If you lose turn to section 34.

You stand before the flames and decide on what you must now do. Before you the conflagration burns brightly, but as you watch the first sliver of a doubt works its way into your thoughts. In the barren recesses of this canyon there is precious little to burn, and although the fire seems to be erupting from a wide fracture in the ground you notice that none of the earth surrounding the rift is either scorched or smoking. It grows in your mind that this may not be a fire at all, perhaps it is nothing but illusion.

Quickly you tear a small strip of cloth from your leggings and roll it into a tight ball. There is heat arising from the flames but you are not so sure that it can do you harm. With a flick of your wrist you toss the ball of cloth onto the edge of the flames and wait to see what happens. To your surprise the cloth lies unharmed, the fires raging only a finger's width from where it fell. That is good enough for you. Without any further delay you walk into the flames and stand in the midst of the conflagration. Rather than the agonies of immolation you find instead some heat but not enough to cause you harm. It is indeed an illusion, a clever one, but an illusion nonetheless.

For whatever reason these fires were placed as a barrier before you, but they will delay you no further. With the fires at your back you look down the canyon and take a deep breath. Time waits for no Jotun and you have spent enough of it here already.

Turn to section 88.

The Rift Dragon is a persistent beast. Such a predator hunts at night and it will not end its search until the suns of morning rise in the east. You cannot afford to waste time waiting for it to move on. From your position within the shadows of the huge boulder you watch as the beast moves along the canyon, sniffing out the wind as it searches the ground, looking for some sign of its prey. When it is out of sight you make your move.

Carefully you stand and unlimber muscles cramped by inactivity. There is no way forward so you move off at the run, making your way back up the canyon, your hope that the Dragon is now far enough away that it will not sense your presence. In the dark there is a good chance you can get away with it. But then there is also the possibility that you are now doing exactly what the creature needed you to do.

Out of the black sky overhead the Rift Dragon swoops down upon you. In an instant its talons gouge their way into your back, tearing your shoulders apart. Such is the power of the blow that you do not even register the pain before you fall into oblivion. Within the claws of this beast you die, your lifeless corpse just another tasty morsel for a predator that cares nothing for your deskai.

THE END

In a fury of flashing talons and razor-sharp teeth you fight the beast, wielding your warhammer with all the power you can muster. The Rift Dragon holds no fear of you, its jaws slashing out in an attempt to deliver a quick and lethal bite. In the gloom of the canyon's interior the Dragon is a vast dark shape, blocking the width of the defile with its bulk as it advances upon you. It seems to have no doubt that you will be an easy meal.

For all its confidence it does not count on the reach of your hammer, nor the strength you can to bring to bear upon it. Your first blow strikes the serpent upon the lower jaw, breaking two of its teeth and sending a shower of blood across the canyon. Startled it backs up, pawing at the injury with its talons before letting out a shriek of frustration. Like a living avalanche the beast charges once again and in its anger throws both of its arms out in sweeping arcs of exposed talon. In a flurry of wing and claw you block the blows as best you can but are swept up in the power of the charge and thrown backwards into the dirt. Quickly you get back to your feet and await the next assault.

The Dragon has been hurt more than you can at first see. Its front teeth lay shattered and it is dazed by the impact but it still has fight in it. Again it advances upon you, its claws raking the broken earth in its fury. You stand your ground, and as it is about to strike you bring all the strength you have to one great swing of your hammer. Across the elbow joint of its forearm your weapon smashes into bone and scale. In the night air you hear the joint snap and the limb go limp as the Dragon rolls to the side and away from your position. Quickly you jump out of its way as it thrashes in the dirt as it tries to regain its footing. For the Dragon this is enough.

Nursing its wounded limb the great beast howls at the night sky before beating its wings and rising into the air. You watch as the Rift Dragon disappears into the dark masses of the mountains in the south and then you collapse to the ground, shouting obscenities at its retreating form. But your bravado cannot disguise the fact that you have been very lucky. You wipe something from the corner of your mouth and then realise that you are covered in the blood of the Dragon. It could have been so easily your own.

Once you have taken time for rest you stand and consider the way ahead. The Dragon is gone and the canyon is once again clear. With your hammer slick with the blood of your foe you slide it back into its fastening and continue on your way through the fractured defile that is your path southwards. It is as you make your way forward that you find the canyon forking in two directions. The main canyon heads south, a smaller defile forces its way westwards.

Will you continue on down the main canyon? If this is your choice turn to section 30. If you would rather see what might be found on the narrower path turn to section 87.

As you approach the eastern canyon's wide entrance you are struck by the crumbled state of its high walls. Fractured and broken cliffs stretch for some distance before disappearing into the gloom, and in the feeble light the open maw before you is as dark and unfathomable as a pit. This is however, the choice you have made and you do not hesitate as you run into its dark recesses. Quickly you are swallowed up in the shadows, but from the east comes some small consolation. The moons of your world are edging the horizon, and even as you traverse the broken ground before you it is possible to see the first hints of their light illuminating the long winding defiles of the canyon ahead.

As you run you take the time to think back on the directions given by your mentor Shan'dari. It is your task to find the Temple of the Moons and drink from its well. It seems a simple task but you cannot allow yourself to believe this to be true. There has always been a sting in the old Shaman's words and you know he is not one to allow for an easy deskai. You must remain alert to the possibility that there is far more to this trial than that which he has alluded to.

The canyon reaches deep into the stone of the foothills and with the slowly rising moons the difficult nature of the ground is soon apparent. Landslides and the action of wind and rain have left the canyon broken and decrepit. Flows of debris block much of your way ahead and as you struggle over these formidable barriers it is apparent that there is much that could be hidden here. Deep crevasses reach from the main canyon and within these defiles no light penetrates. It is in your mind however, that the stories you have heard of the Temple describe it as a formidable structure, one that must require considerable space. None of the defiles seem important enough to investigate and you continue on, scrambling over huge mounds of broken stone as you make your way eastwards.

Turn to section 94.

Without hesitating you make your way back up the canyon, your form a swift shadow as you follow the jagged defile back towards the Shattereen. As you run your thoughts linger on what remains of your quest, and you realise you have much still to do. You have not yet found the Temple of the Moons and you are mindful that the night wears on, the rotation of the heavens inexorably marching towards sunsrise. In the dark it is easy to assume that danger lies behind every turn but you cannot afford caution. Quickly you pass beyond the silent form of the Reaver and move further down the ravine. At a point some two-thirds of the way back to the Shattereen you see a body on the canyon floor. From its position it looks like it has fallen from the heights above. Half hidden by a slide of desiccated earth the black-clad body sprawls awkwardly against the rock face at your left.

If you have previously fought with a Ranger of the Watch on the slopes above the Shattereen turn to section 48. If you have not yet fought with that vehmin turn to section 97.

With the wind blowing down the canyon and the fire brightening with every bluster you traverse the canyon wall. It is a hard climb, one that taxes your skill and one which leaves you weakened for the exertion, but it is a climb you complete safely. From within the break in the ground the fires writhe and twist in the wind, great bursts of heat rising into the air as its flames strengthen. You try at first to find a path along the canyon wall but it proves too dangerous. Instead you make for the lip of the canyon and climb out onto what proves to be a thin plateau of ancient stone that lies at the base of series of steep foothills. In the distance the overbearing peaks of the Rift Mountains gleam in the moonlight.

From your position on the lip of the canyon you can see that your only option is to follow the line of the canyon for a short distance and then climb back down into its shadows. The descent proves considerably more difficult than the ascent but after some careful footwork you make it back to the floor of the canyon. The fires are now behind you, the remainder of the canyon spreads ahead as a series of jagged turns and corners. In the ruddy light of the flames you move forward.

Turn to section 88.

The fortress stands as an impassable barrier, one that you cannot overcome. Frustrated by such a circumstance you think quickly on what you should do. You cannot go any further but there must be an answer to this cold stone barrier. Whoever made it must have provided a way to enter, it has just been cunningly hidden and is beyond your knowledge to find. With nothing to lose you search the stone along the base of the wall but find no sign of hidden doorways or mechanisms. The canyon walls at either side give up no secret entrances and once you are done you are convinced that no answers lay here. If you are to find a way through the key must reside elsewhere. For the moment you have met a dead-end.

Quickly you retrace your steps back to the fork in the canyon and look down into the gloom of the smaller defile that runs into the west. You have not been this way yet and there is little enough time left to your quest. Perhaps you have missed something within its depths?

If you wish to make your way down this smaller defile turn to section 87. If however, you see no value in this and would like to return to the Shattereen turn to section 115.

The combat is brutal and bloody, the Ranger a skilled adversary who does not fall until you strike him a lethal blow to the chest. This is your first combat against a vehmin and you are surprised by how difficult it was to put the man down. He fought well and you thank the gods for the training the old Shaman had given you. In the aftermath of battle you stand over his body, breathing heavily in the darkness, your breath fogging outwards in the cold air. But you cannot remain here. The Rangers of the Watch act alone but there are many of them, and you know that your approach will bring more of them looking for you. This vehmin will not be the only one on the move this night.

For a moment you consider if you should do anything with the body. Honour dictates that he be given a warrior's burial but you do not have time for the ritual. Instead you decide to return here if you survive your deskai, and make preparation for the release of his spirit to the gods. It is the least you can do for a fellow warrior.

Quickly you pull the Ranger's body into the shadows beneath the rock outcrop and make your way back to the valley floor. The Temple resides somewhere within this barren landscape and you must start your search.

Will you make for the eastern canyon? If this is your choice turn to section 10. If you choose to take the southern canyon turn to section 28. If the canyon to the west seems the better prospect turn to section 57.

In the few moments of opportunity that remain you know what it is you must do. Carefully you approach the pool and look at the sword. It is the emurion'ka, the Light of the World, and for reasons you cannot fathom it has been given to you. In this dark place you need only reach for it and it will be yours.

In the back of your mind however, the words of the Oracle are clear. The emurion'ka will only remain whilst the moonlight illuminates the pool, and until the sword is grasped by its hilt and pulled into your existence it is but a reflection, one that can easily be dissipated if you disturb the waters below it. Carefully you reach for the stonewood sword but the pool is wide, the sword poised high above the still waters. It is just out of reach.

Turn to section 120.

In the darkness that envelops the canyon floor you fend off the blows of the Ranger and counter-attack, throwing him backwards into the dirt. In one fluid motion the black-clad vehmin rolls back to his feet and attacks again, slashing downwards with his sword as he rushes you. You have no doubt that this is going to be a hard-fought contest but you do not have the time nor the strength for a long battle. The Ranger is a skilled opponent however you have the advantage of reach and you use it. With one sweeping blow you crush the man's knee and send him crashing to the ground. One further blow and the Ranger topples sideways, his shoulder and neck broken by a deadly stroke he cannot defend against. It is a combat that is over before he knew what hit him.

Quickly you search the body but find nothing of value to your quest. At a less pressing time you would take the time to bury the warrior's body and send him to his gods in a fitting manner, but now provides no opportunity. Instead you draw blood and inscribe your name across his forehead, so that if any of his brethren find him they will know who it was who sent him to his ancestors. Let them come for you if they must. You will be glad to oblige them as well.

Once you have finished you retrieve your hammer and continue on down the defile. It is a desolate place, one that provides little comfort, and as you run it is only the rising moons that provide any light on your progress. Against the horizon they shine as silver lamps in the blackness of the night and you are grateful for their illumination. More so, in fact, when you see the ground shifting ahead of you. Upon the canyon floor the sand and dirt moves in a patch of turned earth, the slightest of vibrations a clue to something lurking beneath.

The shifting ground lays as a wide barrier that you will need to cross. Will you carefully move to cross the ground? If this is your choice turn to section 32. If you would rather test the ground first by throwing a stone onto its moving sands turn to section 52.

Your thirst is great and the water appears fresh and clear. Carefully you submerge your cupped hands into its volume and drink deeply of the cool liquid, rubbing your face clean as you do so. In an instant you feel something tingling within you, a strange energy that grows from the centre of your body and then spreads along your arms and legs. Fatigue and injury seems to fall away as the water works quickly at the core of your being. Startled by the sudden flash of power that now circles like a vortex through your body you try and back away, but find that your feet are rooted firmly to the floor of the pool. You cannot move and the power now surges through your body, anchoring you in the waters as it does its work.

There is no chance that you can escape until whatever it is that holds you chooses to let go, and it has not finished with you yet. Into your mind the energy surges, flooding your thoughts with images and voices, insinuating its way into the folds of your mind. Suddenly the world around you changes, the tree no longer a silent form in the darkness. Instead it shines brightly, throwing back the darkness and gleaming with the light of a thousand burning stars. In an attempt to cover your eyes you bring up your arm but realise that the images are in your mind, and you are captive to them until the Tree itself decides to release you. Then you hear the voice.

"Tansen'Delving," its proclaims in your mind, "Welcome to Fael'nirion, the Well of Dreams. I see it in your mind that you are here to find the Temple of the Moons and I have been awakened to help you. You look for the Temple but know not where it might be. I am here to tell you where it can be found, and offer the key that will allow you access to its gate."

The voice is loud in your thoughts, a trumpeting chorus that cannot be shut out. You try and break free of its bonds but it has you and it will not let go.

"The Temple of the Moons can only be found beyond the walls of Nem'haleen. If you are to find Rinfalen's Gate and gain entry to the Temple then you will need the key to Nem'haleen. The powers of this world have decided that you, Tansen'Delving of the Jotuni, are to be the instrument of their will, and in their wisdom they have decided that the key must be yours."

As the words echo in your thoughts you begin to see the Tree before you change. As ice might melt in the heat of the day the Tree dissolves away, falling into the black depths of the pool's waters. Immediately a light grows within its stillness and you begin to make out shapes and forms. The voice of the Well of Dreams continues as a parade of images pass through the water.

"Nem'haleen can be found in the south, beyond the causeway that brought you here and deep within the canyon you have previously turned from. It is said that the last of the Trell'sara died upon the walls of that fortress, and that his heart was cut from his living body as a gift to the Gods of the Oera'dim. That heart has been held here for millennia, the only relic of a people that have passed from all knowledge and existence. It is the Coer'danith, the Heart of the Lost that is your pass beyond the walls of Nem'haleen. It is the will of the powers that it be given to you."

Out of the centre of the pool a red glow brightens then emerges from its waters. It is the red gem that you saw embedded in the Tree and as you watch it floats in your direction, settling carefully in the palm of your hand.

"The Coer'danith is the key that will let you pass beyond the walls that will bar your way Tansen'Delving. Guard it carefully, there will be no hope for the success of your deskai without it."

With these last words the pool grows quiet. For a short time you stand transfixed in the waters but slowly you feel the power of the Well of Dreams leave you. In your hand you hold the Heart of the Lost and this has not been the greatest boon given to you this night. You now know where the Temple of the Moons is to be found. Now you have a path to follow and no reason to delay.

You turn on your heel and leave the Well of Dreams. In your hand you hold the Coer'danith, the Heart of the Lost, and this must be recorded on your character sheet. The waters of the Well have also restored six endurance points to your character. Record this as well, but remember you cannot exceed your initial endurance level. When this has been done it is time to continue your adventure by turning to section 92.

Although it is curious that the piece of wood should be displayed in such a fashion you see no reason to encumber yourself with it. Ahead lies the object of your quest and you cannot delay any further. At the run you head southwards, a wide opening in the foothills ahead your objective. If Shan'dari is correct this is the valley that you must find if you are to begin your search for the Temple of the Moons. It is an unforgiving landscape that you hasten towards.

In the dark the mountains are jagged teeth, wrapped within deep shadows that harbour both danger and death. About you there is no movement, only the wind playing its eternal game with the sands of the plains. It is quiet but you are wary nonetheless. The mountains of the Great Rift are the home of the Rangers of the Watch, and within the gloom of the great peaks you know that your progress is being noted. There is only one barrier between the Jotun of the West and the vehmin of the Four Nations to the south, and it is not the cold stone of these mountains. It is the Rangers who patrol the narrow trails and passes of the Great Rift that keep the Jotun at bay, and any hordim who underestimates their tenacity is doomed to a warrior's death at the hands of a merciless enemy.

It takes a further hour for you to reach the valley opening. You find as you pass within that it is the entrance to a wide enclosed area of ground, bordered on all sides by the steep slopes of the foothills. In the dark it is impossible to tell what might rest within its wind-swept precincts, but time marches on and you must begin your search for the Temple of the Moons.

You have found the valley known as the Shattereen and its barren terrain beckons you. Will you make your way onto the open ground? If this is your choice turn to section 4. If you would rather climb the nearest slope and obtain a better view of the lay of the land turn to section 77.

The beast proves a powerful adversary, a mass of writhing tentacles that strikes relentlessly as it tries to overpower you. Against its many limbs you wield your hammer, deflecting its blows and crushing its tentacles but it proves impossible to escape its grasp. Pinned within a roiling mass of snaking limbs you are pulled unconscious into its lair, your doom to suffer a fate that cannot be recorded here as it is too gruesome. In this life your deskai is over.

THE END

The Stone Guardians rush your position, their intent obvious as they raise their swords to attack. In the darkness you stand your ground, unwilling to take a back step no matter how large the opponents you face. Quickly you ready yourself, taking a tighter hold upon your warhammer. In concert their weapons fall upon you and the battle is joined.

Under the power of their blows you falter, but only for a moment. The Guardians are old, no doubt the creations of the ancient Trell'sara, and in the performance of their duty must have been standing guard for millennia. Against their blows you fall back but then attack again, swinging your hammer in a wide arc as the Guardians try and force you off open ground and up against the walls of the canyon. One blow from your hammer leaves a startling effect upon the leg of one of your foes. The Guardian's limb shatters under the impact and it is then that the tide of the battle turns.

Quickly you take advantage of this weakness, attacking the other and smashing one of its legs as well. Both Guardians struggle for their footing as you advance upon them and it is only a matter of time before they lay as piles of rubble in the darkness. You do not stop though. The battle is only over when you are sure that they are completely destroyed, and you hammer their remains until there is little left that is recognisable. Only then do you look to the entrance beyond and consider what it is that these obsidian warriors guard so ruthlessly.

The ruins spread out before you, but it is the Temple at their centre that beckons you forward.

Turn to section 82.

Carefully you keep to the edges of the moving ground, your footfalls silent as you leave the shifting sand undisturbed. Quickly you move on, giving no further thought to the strange nature of the phenomena, your only concern the completion of your deskai. In the darkness you run on, passing through the canyon and then out into the open spaces of the Shattereen. You have been here before and in the gloom of the early hours you take the time to rest, but only for a moment.

The words of the Oracle were clear, the Word of Aggeron could be found in the west, the Heart of the Lost in the south. Under the faint light of a starlit sky you consider what you should do next.

If you have not yet found the Word of Aggeron then the western canyon must be your next path. If this is the first time you have travelled this defile turn to section 57. If it is the second time then turn to section 116. If you already possess the Word of Aggeron then the Heart of the Lost can be found in the south and if this is to be your chosen path turn to section 28.

In the boulder's shadow you wait quietly as the Dragon searches the canyon to the south. Over the rustle of the wind you can hear the great beast moving along the crest of the canyon walls, looking for that one movement that will tell it where you are.

For your part you cannot afford even the slightest noise so you wait, listening intently as the serpent keeps to its search. It is a stalemate that cannot last long but you have little choice. There is no way that you can kill such a powerful foe and in the confines of this defile there is no safe way of avoiding it either. For some time you wait, listening to the blusters of the wind and the constant trickle of moving sand and falling stone. It is a wait that you find hard to endure but after a while you realise you can hear the Dragon no more.

Carefully you take hold of your warhammer and consider whether it is safe to move on. Your only hope has been that the Rift Dragon will tire of its search and decide that easier pickings can be found elsewhere, but these serpents are not your normal predator. They are as smart as any Voor'cat and just as persistent. Until you leave the shadows of this huge rock you will not be sure that the beast has actually left, or if it is instead lying in wait for you.

With your hammer in hand you make ready to move. To stay hidden will mean the failure of your deskai, and an exile that you cannot endure. It is time to move on. But something tells you to stay your hand and in that moment of indecision the Dragon makes its reappearance. Like a descending cloud the beast glides in on the wind, following the canyon in a whispering rush of air that ends as it settles down upon the cliff-face directly above your position. Again you are forced to remain silent, a quiet shadow within the greater gloom of the canyon.

The Dragon looks up and down the defile, ever vigilant for a sign of movement, and as it surveys its surroundings you can hear its breath, snorting through its long nostrils as it samples the air. Somehow it does not find you. Perhaps the wind is too strong, masking both the sounds of your breathing or the sweat of your body as you lay watching the beast. The Gods are with you this day however.

From somewhere far to the east you hear another sound, this one far more familiar. It is the screeching call of a flock of Kreel on the wing, making their way towards the southern mountains. Flying reptiles not unlike the Rift Dragons they are much smaller, and a favoured prey for the beast that now rests so close to your hiding place. Instinctively the Dragon rises into the air, the sight of dozens of far more substantial prey too good to let pass unharried.

Without a sound the serpent wings its way eastwards, keeping low to the ground as it begins its hunt for a new meal. Immediately you rise from your hiding place and dust yourself off. Such good fortune cannot be squandered and with no reason to delay any further you move off southwards down the canyon, glad that there was no need to confront such a lethal predator. With hammer in hand you run into the gloom and find yourself with a new choice to make. The canyon stands before you as a fork in the road. The main canyon continues south but another defile splits off to the south-west.

If you wish to continue southwards down the main canyon turn to section 30. If you would rather take the path that leads westwards turn to section 87.

In the dark you can see little. Within a shallow alcove in the canyon wall there is the remains of an arched doorway, half-obscured by broken stone and years of wind-borne dust and earth. Around the edges of the arch you can see the worn and weathered symbols of a language you do not understand, the lettering almost indistinct against the crumbling stone. Only one symbol remains clear. Carved into the keystone is an unmistakable glyph of the Trell'sara. You have seen glyphs like it before. It wards you to keep out.

Carefully you pull some of the broken stone away and peer through the archway. Beyond the threshold lies a long corridor that reaches deep into the stone before disappearing into darkness. It is hard to tell but there seems to be the faint flicker of a light somewhere within its gloom.

Do you wish to investigate this light? If this is your choice turn to section 33. If you would rather leave it and move on turn to section 84.

There is much you do not understand about your deskai, but there is one thing that has been drummed into you since you were a small child; everything in this world has a meaning and a purpose. You take up the weathered piece of wood and check it more carefully. The string and feathers have been arranged at its end in the fashion of a Jotun healing stick, and although it seems to hold no power your intuition tells you that it is important. In the recesses of your thoughts a memory grows stronger, and with the stick in your hands you recall something about the fears of the dead, and the power of that which promotes life to ward against them. It is a vague memory but one that you find difficult to ignore. (If you wish to keep the healing stick record this item on your character sheet before you continue.)

Ahead lay the mountains of the Great Rift, a vast range of jagged peaks that act as the barrier between the hordim of the north and the lands of the vehmin to the south. In the passage of three lifetimes of the Jotun no hordim has passed into those lands and returned to give the telling of his exploits, but such a passage is not for you. It is at the foothills of these great mountains that your objective resides and with no time to spare you move forward at the run.

It is another hour before you begin to see within the gloom ahead the first inklings of an opening in the hills. This is where you must go, but it is now that you must be most vigilant. Within the high eyries of these mountains can be found many eyes, all watching the plains below, guarding against the encroachment of any hordim from the north. You have heard many tales of the Rangers of the Watch, and of their dedication to their duty defending the southlands. You have no doubt that your approach has been noted.

When you reach the opening you find it is the entrance to a wide valley bordered on all sides by the steep slopes of the foothills. This is indeed the Shattereen, an ancient battleground that has lain barren and lifeless for centuries. It is too dark to see what resides at the other end of this open ground but you must decide quickly what your next move will be.

Will you go straight in and see what awaits you? If this is your choice turn to section 4. If you would rather climb the nearest slope and attempt to gain a better view of the ground ahead turn to section 77.

In the red glare of the cauldron at your back the obsidian statues glow with an inner fire that sends a cold shudder down your spine. Translucent in the light you have no doubt that they have a malevolent intent, and given the chance they mean to do you harm. Quickly you run for the only exit from the Hall. In the midst of the awakening giants you do not stop or deviate from your path, and when you reach the passage to the outer world you keep on going. In a flurry of broken rock and crumbled earth you push your way back out beyond the archway and land heavily on the canyon floor. It cannot be said that you have made a dignified exit from the hall, but you are alive and in the dark of the enclosing canyon walls you brush yourself down and check that you have not lost anything in your escape.

To your dismay you find that you have lost one of your Nahla cakes. It is only a small loss but one that you may live to regret later. After ensuring your other possessions are secure you take hold of your warhammer and continue on, heading eastwards into the face of the rising moons.

Turn to section 47.

You consider the wall of flames before you and can see no way around them. In the glare of the conflagration you survey the walls of the canyon but they are too eroded, too broken by time to provide any possibility of climbing around the fires. Even from where you stand you can feel the heat against your face and you know you cannot simply run through them. With few choices available you decide to return to the main valley and try another of the canyons. Perhaps an easier path can be found within one of those defiles. Frustrated by the delay you turn on your heel and retrace your steps back to the barren floor of the Shattereen.

Turn to section 109.

As the stone hits the ground the earth before you erupts in an explosion of flailing tentacles and oozing fluid. From out of a deep hole in the canyon floor a creature drags itself into the moonlight, and framed within a cloud of dust and sand you see the true nature of what confronts you. The beast is a monstrosity of snakelike limbs and gelatinous ooze that advances upon you, grasping out blindly in an attempt to take hold of you. Huge tentacles swipe their way from left to right across the canyon floor and in the darkness you deftly avoid any contact with them. The creature means to have you for its next meal and will not let you pass unmolested. It seems that it will need to be taught a lesson.

This Sandlurker has a combat value of 16 and endurance points of 24. If you survive three combat rounds turn to section 62. If you succumb to the beast's writhing tentacles within these three rounds turn to section 19.

The southern canyon extends deep into the mountains, a cragged defile of split stone enclosed within high walls of crumbling earth and tortured spires of wind-blown rock. In the light of the rising moons you can see little within its shadows but enter it you must. This is the way you have chosen and with warhammer gripped tightly in your hands you make your way inside.

If this is the first time you have entered the southern canyon turn to section 51. If you have entered this canyon before turn to section 37.

You look at the stone circle and know for a certainty that this is Rinfalen's Gate. It is the entranceway to the Temple of the Moons and you have the key that will allow entry. As the vapours swirl within the stone you begin to feel a great heat emanating from your forearm. The closer you walk towards the Gate the hotter and more insistent the feeling grows that it is the symbol burned into your arm that will allow you passage. You step through the Gate and in that instant the world as you know it disappears.

In a blinding flare of energy you feel a great power take hold of your body. In a void of swirling light you float suspended before an irresistible force grabs a hold of you and drags you back into the world. Within the echo of a single heartbeat you fall onto a solid floor of cold stone and lay still, the shock of your passage enough to sap the strength from your body. But only for a moment.

Carefully you rise from the floor, your limbs suddenly weak and leaden, but you have found your Temple. Within a wide circular space you stand and consider what you have found. Behind you looms a ring of stone similar to that you have just walked through. Around the walls of the chamber are spaced carved columns of pure white stone, and overhead the roof rises as a vaulted ceiling to a point some distance above. It is however, what lays at the centre of the chamber that interests you most. In the semi-darkness you can see a pool of still, dark water.

Illuminated only by a single shaft of moonlight that shines from high above, the chamber is dark and as silent as a graveyard. In the gloom you see the thin shard of moonlight tracking across the floor towards the pool. As you watch the light reaches the pool's edge and with its first contact the entire chamber comes to life.

Beneath your feet you feel the tremorings of a vibration that quickly builds in the stone about you. At all sides the columns that line the chamber begin to glow, mirroring the intensifying shaft of light that now shines down upon the pool. All around you the air that had been still now begins to move, increasing in speed as it spirals within the perimeter of the Temple. With ever increasing force you can feel the chamber coming to life, the thin beam of moonlight powering the great forces that now move to bring something new into the world. It is then that you see the faintest hint of a shape forming in the air above the pool. Quickly it coalesces into the hard edges of a beautifully crafted sword, one that hangs suspended in the air as the winds in the chamber gather even greater intensity. Within the gales you remain steadfast, watching as the sword moves from some other existence into yours. Then in a final furious bluster the winds falter, fading away as the Temple once again becomes quiet. The sword remains however, and as you watch the shaft of moonlight inches its way across the surface of the pool.

Have you spoken with the Oracle at the Temple of the Two Suns? If you have turn to section 15. If you have not turn to section 41.

The canyon continues as a winding path into the south and you make your passage at the run, ever watchful for danger as your footfalls sound out in the darkness. In short order you come to a halt, your way barred by a massive stone wall that sits across the breadth of the canyon. It is an effective barrier to any further passage southwards.

For a moment you consider what confronts you. The wall is made of cut stone blocks more than twenty metres high, capped with battlements and two stone towers that reach up from the canyon wall at either end. There is no gate, window or ramp to indicate any way through, only a small plinth of white marble stands before it, unmarked and cleanly cut, with a small inset carved into its upper surface. It is a formidable fortress that bars your way, and as you study its impressive battlements you realise that this is indeed Nem'haleen, the last stronghold of the Trell'sara. All the stories of your people have not done it justice however. Before you it stands untouched by the long years that have passed since the extinction of the Ancients. Its carved walls resplendant with huge representations of warrior-priests in triumphant procession. Confronted by its grandeur you have little doubt that this is that ancient sanctuary.

Cautiously you approach the wall and inspect it more closely. The cut stone affords no foothold for climbing and the canyon walls at either end have been cunningly excavated so that there is no way of circumventing the fortress. If you are to go any further southwards you will have to find a way through.

If you have the Heart of the Lost in your possession turn to section 74. If you do not have this talisman in your possession go to section 13.

You look at the piece of wood and wonder at its purpose. It looks like an old Jotun healing stick but as you hold it you can feel no magic within it. It is an innocuous thing, something you would not expect out here in the borderlands however you pick it up and place it in your belt anyway. You cannot say what might lay ahead and it may prove useful to you. (Record the piece of wood as a part of your notes) You cannot delay here any further though. Ahead you see a wide opening in the mountains of the Rift. Against the horizon the summits ahead are dark jagged teeth, snow-capped and the domain of the vehmin of the south, but it is the opening that must be your new goal. If Shan'dari is correct then somewhere within the canyons ahead is the Temple you seek. Quickly you break into a run and once again are swallowed up within the expanses of the wastelands.

For a further hour you run into the south, watching as the dark shadows of the mountains loom before you. It is now that you must be most vigilant. It is said that every crack in the Great Rift is home to a pair of watchful eyes, ready to bring a swift death to any Jotun that ventures too close to the lands of Men. From an early age you have heard tales of the Rangers of the Watch, hardy fighters who guard the narrow trails and mountain passes of the western Rift. For the Jotun of the West they have been a most formidable adversary, and as you run you know that somewhere within the crags and outcrops of these mountains at least one of the Rangers will be watching, recording your progress as you make for the canyons ahead.

In the darkness you reach the opening in the hills and find it is the entrance to a wide area of open ground, bordered on all sides by steep slopes. For a moment you consider the lay of the land.

You have found the valley known as the Shattereen, an ancient battleground that spreads into the darkness southwards. Will you move forward onto its open ground? If this is your choice turn to section 4. If you would rather climb the nearest slope and try for a better view of the surrounding terrain turn to section 77.

You have never seen anything like this before but you cannot afford for it to delay your progress. Carefully you make your way around the borders of the shifting ground. You do not wish to stand upon it but there is precious little room to move as it spreads across the width of the canyon.

Test against your agility attribute. If you are successful turn to section 21. If you are not turn to section 55.

The light beckons as a sliver of hope that the Temple of the Moons may be found within. It is definitely something worth investigation, and in the darkness you carefully remove more of the stone. Broken rock covers most of the entryway and it takes you a few minutes to pull enough of it away to provide a way in. For a moment you stand in the night air and listen intently, searching for any sign that the noise of your labours might have brought unwanted attention upon you. You can hear nothing but the cawing of birds to the west and the gentle bluster of the wind as it funnels down the canyon. Reassured that you are indeed still alone you climb into the dark opening.

Beyond the threshold you find the passage cramped and strewn with debris. Standing with the cool stone close about, you look down the long corridor and wait as your eyes adjust to the gloom. As you begin to see more of the way ahead it becomes evident that this delving is ancient. The walls reach up to a pointed arch overhead and all its surfaces are covered with finely carved decorative reliefs. Such works of art are of little interest to you however, your mind is too focused on the success your quest to notice the intricate detail woven into the carved stone. At the end of the passage the light grows ever brighter and you carefully make your way forward, following its length for some distance before you emerge into a wide hall, some eighty metres in length and twenty metres in width.

For a moment you pause to take in the grandeur of your surroundings. Along the length of both walls stand huge obsidian statues, representations of cloaked and hooded warriors, each holding the rusted remains of swords and spears at the ready. Overhead the hall is ablaze with light, its vaulted ceiling awash with colour as its polished surfaces dance with the reflected brilliance of a huge cauldron of fire that burns brightly at its far end. As you stand in the hall you can see the cauldron's fire intensifying, spreading deep shadows across the walls and illuminating the statues in a wash of red and orange light. You take a few steps further into the hall and watch as the cauldron burns all the brighter on your approach.

In the cauldron's reddish glare you can see clearly that this is not the Temple of the Moons. There is no well, nor the motifs that would signify this hall as the Temple. If you wish to leave now turn to section 38. If the cauldron intrigues you and warrants further investigation turn to section 65. If however the statues pique your curiosity you may instead turn to section 93.

The combat is short, but too late you realise you are fighting at a huge disadvantage. On the unstable ground you cannot use your height or strength to proper advantage, and your adversary knows the terrain. The Ranger is too swift, too practised in the deadly art of his calling, and it is only a matter of time before he finds an opening in your defences. Staggering backwards from a mortal wound you fall down the slope, taking with you a landslide of broken stone and earth that envelops your body as you tumble limply into the shadows of the valley floor below. In the quiet of the night your blood drains into the desiccated earth, your only consolation that you have died a warrior's death, and that your spirit will now go on to reside in the halls of your ancestors. In this life your deskai is over.

THE END

The passage reaches deep in the stone before meeting with a wide stairway. At this point you pause for a moment and regain your breath. In the dark you can hear little except the sounds of the stone moving about you. It is not a good sign. As you have made your way along this corridor you have seen enough to know that this delving is truly ancient, made in a time long before the rising of the Oera'dim, and with the capacity to collapse in on itself at any moment. The stairway ahead seems little better, and but for the fact that you have nowhere else to go you would not be using it. But such things cannot be helped. You decide that it will be for the Gods to decide if you will die here or not.

Carefully you try the stairs and find them safe enough. The steps lead downwards then turn in a wide spiral to the east before stopping at a landing. From this small alcove another passage leads once again eastwards, keeping only a slight incline as it searches deep into the rock. You travel along this corridor until you run up against a solid slab of stone and it is here that you come to a halt. There is no further way forward, the slab is a wall that seals the end of the passage. You have come to a dead end.

In this dark place you think on what you should do. There is a chance that the stone can be smashed but a cursory blow with your warhammer shows it to be thick and unyielding. It may be that you have no option but to return to the Hall and try and find another way out. It is a possibility that you that leaves you fuming with frustration. One final time you hit the slab and this time you vent your anger upon it, smashing the metal-edged weapon hard upon the smooth rock. Under the circumstances it is not the best thing you could have done.

From somewhere in the passage behind you a deep rumble grows, building quickly into a crashing turmoil of falling stone and choking dust. In that instant you flatten yourself against the rock slab and wait for the inevitable stroke of tonnes of stone crushing the life from your body. In a cloud of dust you open one eye to find the collapse has ended a few metres from your position. Before you lies a wall of smashed stone and no way that you can retrace your steps. With nowhere to go you squat against the stone slab and resign yourself to a long slow death at the hands of starvation.

For a short time you remain still, but you are a Jotun of the West and while there is breath in your body there is hope. In the total dark you feel out the stone slab and begin hammering at its centre. If there is a chance that you can smash your way out, then you will do it or die trying.

The slab is thick and it will take great strength and endurance to break it. Test your strength attribute. If you are successful turn to section 54. It you fail this test turn to section 66.

In a starlit night the two statues stand as huge forms in the darkness, their obsidian surfaces as depthless as an abyss. Carefully you approach them, studying the exquisite detail carved into their stone and wondering at their purpose. They are carved as huge robed warriors, their faces obscured beneath hoods that cover their heads completely. It is their weapons however, that prove to be the most interesting. In black crystalline hands their swords shine as if brand new, reflecting the light of the stars as pinpoints of glimmering light. Why statues should be equipped with such fine weaponry escapes you, but as you ponder their nature you see what it is that they are guarding.

Beyond the entrance there is a wide valley spreading into the distance, and within its reaches you can see also the fractured stone of a vast ruined city standing silently in the darkness. You are surprised to see at its centre that there is a raised temple, untouched and pristine within the fields of desolation. Quickly you move forward, intent on determining whether this might be the Temple of the Moons that you seek. Your surprise grows to wonderment as you are stopped in your tracks by the sight of the huge statues coming to life.

Ponderously the Stone Guardians begin to move, throwing off centuries of dust as they strive to fulfil the only purpose of their existence. They are here to stop any who might wish to enter, and with the passing of the millennia they have not faltered in that duty. With increasing speed the two giants step from their foundations and test the strength of their sword-arms before turning towards you. There are no words uttered from their lips, no warnings nor fell curses. Instead they charge at you, their movements as fluid as flowing water. In a rush they fall upon you.

These Stone Guardians are formidable opponents. They must be fought as separate combatants, a separate round of combat being fought for each in turn. They each have a combat value of 18 but endurance points of only 7. Millennia standing guard at the entrance to the ruins has left them brittle and easily smashed, unable to withstand the impact of your hammer. Their weapons though are serviceable and razor-sharp. A few good hits will bring them down, you need only survive their attacks long enough to destroy them. If you win this combat turn to section 20. If you lose this combat then you must turn to section 45.

You have been this way before and the canyon reaches out as a long jagged cut in the earth that lies eroded and crumbling at every corner. Carefully you make your way forward but this time the moons have risen much higher in the sky, their light illuminating the canyon floor, brightening the way ahead. The light is of some help but as the moons rise higher into the night sky you know the time left to you to complete your deskai grows shorter. With this thought in mind you increase your pace and take a tighter grip of the haft of your hammer.

Turn to section 81.

For a moment you survey the hall. It is a remarkable find, one which the old Shaman would consider worthy of further investigation, but it is not what you seek, it is not the Temple of the Moons. Without hesitation you turn about and retrace your steps to the outside world. In a flurry of dirt and scattering stone you push your way back through the entryway and out into the dark night air. Once you have cleared the arch you pause and listen to the sounds of the canyon and the sky above. In this small part of the world you are alone, and with no time to waste you turn to your chosen path. In the face of the rising moons you continue on eastwards.

Turn to section 47.

Although you doubt that there is anything of value to be found here you search nonetheless. The amphitheatre is an eroded jumble of fractured stone and loose footings, but half hidden by a slide of fallen rock you find the opening to a dark passage, one that reaches far into the rock beneath the arena.

If you wish to make your way inside and have spoken previously with the Oracle of the Two Suns turn to section 100. If you wish to make your way inside but have not spoken with the Oracle turn to section 111. If however you have little interest in the passage and would rather read the metal plaque turn to section 96. If you believe there is nothing here in the arena of interest you can return to the Shattereen by turning to section 11.

Although you are surprised by the use of your name you have nothing to lose by answering the voice. Immediately the interior of the Temple bursts into life, the raised pool of liquid shining out in ripples of light that throw long shadows out into the night. For a moment you stand your ground but when nothing happens you move inside.

Within the shrine the pool is a pulsing web of light and colour that quickly takes a hold of your senses. You do not feel as if you are in any danger but the energy in the pool grows stronger, pulling you towards it even as you struggle to break from its grasp. It is then that the voice speaks again.

"Tansen'Delving."

You respond quickly that that is indeed your name, and in answer the robed statue comes to life, stepping from its base and running its hand through the pool as it walks towards you. The form grows in size as it approaches and in the light of the temple your grab the hilt of your warhammer all the tighter. It is not the menacing form of the approaching figure that keeps you transfixed however. In the ripples of the pool caused by the spectre's passing you begin to see vague apparitions forming in the ruins outside. Light streams through finely carved latticework between the columns, sending thin beams of moving light and shade out into the darkness and in this display the plain comes to life.

Before you a great battle unfolds. Immediately you recognise the standards and armour of your own brethren the Jotun. Beside them stand the Hresh'na and the Ahmutani and all about you there is fighting and chaos. The images come in bursts of light that constantly change as you watch. You cannot say why but you know it is a battle between the Oera'dim and the Trell'sara, and it is one that your brethren are winning. In a rush the Trell'sara are surrounded and overwhelmed, their numbers cut to pieces as the Hresh'na flow over them like a tide. It is a breathtaking sight, one that has your warrior's blood pounding in your veins. You do not realise it until the vision ends that the hooded figure is now standing at your side.

"Do you know what it is that you have just witnessed?" asks the figure, its voice a rasping whisper.

You shake your head but reply that it must be a battle from the great Insurrection that overthrew the Ancient Ones.

The figure nods its head and turns towards you.

"What you have seen is the most important battle of the war that threw down the Ancients. On this very ground the last great battle of the Insurrection took place, and it is here that the Jotuni gained possession of the emurion'ka. These ruins are all that remains of the Temple of Two Suns, the sefkar'nar'dorum, and it is here that I have awaited your coming. I am the Oracle of this place and although you do not know it you are here for a reason."

The Oracle turns again to look out into the night and again the pool bursts into brighter light. Out upon the plain a new vision erupts but this time it is a vision of catastrophe. On a vast green plain you see your brethren dying, overwhelmed themselves by the armies of the vehmin. In the distance you see the smoking remains of a small fortified settlement, but it is the carnage of the battle that holds you. Thousands of Jotun and Hresh'na fall beneath advancing lines of axemen and the mounted troops of the men of the south. Without hope of victory you see the standards of your people trampled beneath the overwhelming power of your enemies. It is a sight that sickens you, but thankfully it must be endured for only a short time.

The Oracle waves his arm and again the night is dark. He has a message for you and does not allow you to speak.

"Tansen'Delving, in this place you have seen great triumph and great defeat. On the one hand you have witnessed the circumstances of your people's acquisition of the stonewood sword known as the emurion'ka. On the other you have seen the circumstances of its taking from you by the men of the south. Do not think that your deskai is only about your right of passage as a warrior. The powers of this world have deemed it necessary that another emurion'ka be brought into the world, and they have laid it at your feet to collect it."

You are not sure you understand exactly what the Oracle means but he does not allow you to question his words.

"Within the Temple of the Moons can be found the Well of Elanna. It will be there that you will find the emurion'ka, bathed in moonlight and available only for the taking whilst that light shines upon it. To find the Temple of the Moons you must have two things in your possession; the Word of Aggeron and the Heart of the Lost. The first can be found in the west, the other in the south. With these you can gain access to the Temple. With these you can reach for the emurion'ka and claim it as your own. To you I have only one word of warning. The Well of Elanna keeps the stonewood sword in this world. Do not disturb its waters or else all will be lost. It is your task to find it."

The Oracle's words echo within the Temple and as they are lost to the winds, so does he also fade into darkness. About you the night crowds in as the rippling light of the pool extinguishes and then winks out. You are once again alone in a world of shadows and moonlight.

In a daze you step out into the night air and descend the steps into the ruins below. It is clear that you have been given a greater task to complete than the simple exercise of your deskai. You shake your head as you realise that the old Shaman must have known. There could be no other explanation for his haste in having brought you so far south. You decide that if you survive you will find him and beat the truth out of his weathered hide.

Given what you have already experienced on your quest so far you know you must look elsewhere for the Temple of the Moons. One of the other canyons holds that secret place. It is not here.

Record that you have spoken with the Oracle of the Two Suns and turn to section 95.

You look upon the sword in wonder but cannot recognise it for what it is. In the bright shards of moonlight that reflect from its carved surfaces you stand waiting to see what might happen next, and watch as the shaft of light that brought it into existence moves from the pool and disappears into darkness. For a moment the vision of the sword lingers but then also fades and is gone.

In the absolute darkness that remains you move over to the pool and take the drink of water that signifies the successful completion of your deskai. For all the hardship and danger that has come with your quest you cannot help but feel as if you have missed something important. But that cannot be a consideration for you now. It is time for you to return to the old Shaman and proclaim your right of passage fulfilled. All you need do is leave the Temple.

Turning, you make your way back to the stone ring that had transported you here. In the darkness you can see little, but with your hands you feel for the gate and find instead that there is no feeling of power in your forearm. The Word of Aggeron is not working. For a moment your mind races. Perhaps you have done something wrong? Perhaps you were supposed to do something with the sword? These are questions that run though your mind but there are no answers. All you have about you is the cold stone and the darkness, and neither is telling you anything.

Anxious now that you might have been led into a trap you try and remember all that you saw of the chamber when it was illuminated. There were no other exits, of this you are sure, but in a state of increasing desperation you search the entire boundary of the Temple until you must face an appalling truth. There is no way out.

Your deskai may have been completed but a far greater destiny remains unfulfilled. In the solid prison that the Temple of the Moons has now become there is no chance of escape, no chance of rescue. Within these walls you must now begin the long road that will ultimately take you to the halls of your ancestors.

THE END

The Shades are incorporeal forms that have no substance or weakness. With a stroke of your warhammer you find its heavy metalwork passing through the beings as it might pass through smoke. Before you the Shades advance but their weapons are real enough. By whatever magic that binds them, these tortured reflections hold within ethereal hands weapons of iron that will cut you down if you give them the chance. For a moment you back up, trying to find a way past them and out of the arena, but there is no way through. If you are to escape this place you will have to fight your way out. It is not going to be easy.

Your opponents must be fought as a single entity but they cannot be hurt nor disarmed. All you can do is block their attacks and hope that you can remain alive in the process. To escape the arena you must survive eight rounds of combat. If this can be done you will have fought your way across its barren floor and made it back to the canyon entrance. The Shades have a combat value of 15 and have no endurance points. They are already dead and cannot be harmed by your weapon. Conduct the combat rounds as per normal but only the Shades can cause harm. If you have the skill to survive the eight rounds turn to section 110. If you succumb to their numbers within the eight rounds turn to section 104.

In the shadows you wait as the dark form of the Ranger appears upon the first crest in the slope above. As he slowly rises into view you are surprised at how small the vehmin is, how insubstantial a form he presents in the quiet of the night. You are not however, so foolhardy as to assume that such a man will be an easy kill. First you must watch and see what he will do, whether he will pass you by and move on further into the valley below.

The Ranger moves as smoke in the wind, a silent assassin who leaves no trace of his passage upon the unstable scree as he works his way down the hillside. You watch him carefully and see in his movements a warrior dedicated to his cause, with all the skill and strength needed to fulfil his duty. It will be better that you let this one pass.

Whether he will let you go is another matter. A moment of inattention allows the haft of your warhammer to scrape softly against the stone at your back and in the dark it sounds out as a whisper within the wind. It is enough to bring the Ranger to a halt.

Test your luck. If you are lucky then turn to section 61. If you prove unlucky turn to section 6.

With little choice you begin the climb, moving carefully along the face of the canyon wall, picking your footholds as you attempt to navigate a way over and around the flames. In the light of the conflagration at your back it is an exertion that taxes all the skill you can bring to the task. Handhold by handhold you inch across the crumbling surface, taking what purchase you can from the unstable rock. It takes time but you find a way up the canyon wall and then along its upper reaches. It is your hope that you can move beyond the reach of the flames and then drop back to the canyon floor. Unfortunately traversing the fires will not be that easy.

At the highest point of your climb you reach for an exposed piece of stone, one large enough to hold your weight and allow you to swing across a wide area of crumbled earth. You test its ability to take your weight, and satisfied that it can, move to reach for your next purchase. In that instant your foothold falls away, and as you grab for the handhold it also pulls from the face, dropping you outwards into clear air.

It takes only a second for you to fall back to earth. In a moment of surety that you are about to be consumed by the flames you resign yourself to your fate. And then you hit ground. With a chest crushing impact you strike earth but feel nothing but the hard caress of broken stone. Within the midst of the fires you raise yourself and await the agonies of immolation but they do not come. There is heat but the flames are an illusion, a barrier of magic rather than of reality. Quickly you step from the conflagration and try and recover your breath. The fires may have not been real but the fall was, and it has left you winded and in need of a few minutes to recover.

As you regain your breath you watch the fires more closely and shake your head in disbelief. You can feel the heat emanating from the flames but it is not enough to harm, it is only enough to reinforce the illusion. You cannot think why it might have been placed here but it was certainly good enough to fool you. In the shadows of the night you pull your warhammer from its fastenings at your back and continue on down the canyon.

You have survived the fires but there is a cost. The fall has broken two of your ribs and injured your shoulder. Roll one dice and deduct the number rolled from your endurance points. If you currently have low endurance points, and the roll you have made will kill your character, then deduct points only to the level that leaves one endurance point remaining. The fall has only injured you, it did not kill you. After adjusting your character sheet turn to section 88.

The Stone Guardians advance upon you, their weapons ready to deal you a mortal blow. You are of the Jotun but they tower over you, huge forms in the darkness that move as depthless shadows. Without hesitation you charge at them, sure in the knowledge that if you are to die it will not be without cost to them as well. Before the gates to the ruined city the combat begins and in the darkness your warhammer strikes its target more than once. The Guardians are too strong though, their reach too great for you to do anything more than fend their blows and try to avoid the thrust of their swords. As mindless automatons they fight without fatigue, their assault overwhelming in its power. You can fight these monsters for only so long.

Within the dark recesses of the canyon a Guardian's sword cuts down from high above, cleaving a lethal path through your back and chest. Mortally wounded, your hammer falls to the earth as you grab at your shoulder and drop to one knee. The Stone Guardians do not wait to finish their duty. As you bleed quickly out upon the dry ground the statues return to their foundations and resume their positions, to wait for the next traveller who might wish to enter. For you however it is the end.

Under a starlit sky you take your last breath, your blood a spreading stain upon the canyon floor. Here you die, but your last thought brings solace as you realise that you have died a warrior's death, and such an end brings with it entry to the halls of your ancestors. In this life however, your deskai is over.

THE END

At the sound of the trigger you react immediately, throwing yourself forward as you feel the slab beneath you giving way. In a rush of plumetting stone and dirt the slab disappears, a gaping hole left in its wake as you hit the far side of the canyon floor and roll to your feet. Cautiously you approach the pit and look down into its depths. It seems impossibly deep, a dark abyss that reaches far into the earth below. You shake your head and thank the gods for the providence they have granted. If you had been swallowed in its embrace you would never have seen the light of day again.

In the shadows you dust yourself off and turn southwards, the conclusion of your quest somewhere in the winding defile ahead. At the run you move forward, following the canyon as it reaches deep into the foothills of the Great Rift. Quickly you find the canyon forking in two directions. The main canyon heads south, a smaller defile forces its way westwards.

If you have the Heart of the Lost in your possession and wish to continue on down the main canyon turn to section 30. If you do not have this talisman and wish to investigate the narrower path first, turn to section 87.

In the dark of the night you keep to the canyon floor and follow its torturous path eastwards. It is an ancient landscape, riven by great fractures in the ground and the ever present danger of falling stone and landslides. None of this however, can deter you from your chosen path. In the shadows you run on, determined to see the end of this interminable rift. Thankfully your persistence is rewarded.

Out of the darkness the canyon opens into a shallow valley, and in the light of the rising moons you see a vast ruin spread out before you. Most of it is no more than rubble, but at its centre there stands a stepped platform of stone and upon its upper level a Temple of perfectly preserved columns topped with a glistening green dome. In the moonlight the columns shine a milky white, beckoning you to move forward.

Surely this must be the Temple you seek. Without hesitation you move forward but stop as you notice two huge statues of hooded warriors flanking either side of the entry to the valley. There is something about them that begs caution.

If you have previously come into contact with Stone Guardians turn to section 60. If you have not turn to section 36.

Within the canyon's shadows you recognise the Ranger. He is the man that you killed earlier on the slopes above the Shattereen, and it would appear that even in death this Ranger of the Watch is determined to haunt you. It seems strange that you should find the body here though. You were sure that you had disposed of it sufficiently, but it would seem that somehow it has slipped down from the hills above as part of a small slide of dislodged stone. Quickly you pull the vehmin from the pile of dirt and consider if you should try and hide it away within the dark fissures of the canyon. There doesn't seem to be much point, but it occurs to you as you look down at the crumpled form that you never searched the body.

Do you wish to search the body now? If this is your choice turn to section 5. If you would rather move on, turn to section 63.

You are a warrior, a Jotun of the West, and you turn from no battle. Deliberately you tighten your grip on your warhammer and strike out at the first Guardian as it attempts to cut you down. To your surprise its leg shatters to dust under the force of the blow, toppling it to the ground where it erupts in a cloud of smashed obsidian. Moving forward you strike at the second Guardian and it too fractures like glass. Before you can take another step your rising confidence is subdued by the sight of the remains of the first Guardian quickly coalescing back to its full form, then reaching for its sword. If you are to get out of this hall alive you are going to have to fight your way out.

The Stone Guardians are easily destroyed but can deliver a fatal blow if allowed to strike. These obsidian warriors must be fought as a single opponent. Their combat value is 17, but they have no actual endurance points. They cannot be destroyed, all you can hope for is to survive long enough to force an opening and escape. If you survive six combat rounds turn to section 76. If you succumb to their numbers then it will be here that your deskai will end and you will meet death as a warrior.

The smooth stone slab spreads across the full length of the canyon and you cannot help but be suspicious of its purpose. Your first thought is to find a way around its edges, but the rock faces at either side seem far too eroded to provide a safe footing. The other possibility is that you could try and jump over the slab. It is about eight metres wide and such a distance is not beyond your capabilities. You will have to make a decision quickly.

If you wish to try and jump the slab then you must test your agility attribute to determine if you are successful. If you pass this test turn to section 56. If you fail the test turn to section 69. If you do not wish to take the risk, and would rather try and climb around the edges of the slab, turn to section 112.

It is a hard road that you must overcome as you negotiate the ruin that is the canyon's interior. Long years of exposure to wind and rain have worn down the crumbling walls, huge slides of stone filling the floor of the defile where eroded rockfaces have collapsed in on themselves. Within this landscape of broken stone you make your way forward, scrambling over piles of scree and always watching for sign of danger ahead.

For a good hour you head southwards into the shadows until you turn a bend in the canyon and are forced to a halt. Ahead of you there burns a solid wall of flame, emanating from a deep fracture in the ground, and extending across the full breadth of the defile. On both sides the canyon is bordered by high cliffs and as you stand before the conflagration you can feel the heat upon your face and forearms. It is a barrier both unexpected and difficult to overcome.

If you would like to try and climb around the flames turn to section 89. If you can see no practical way of getting around this barrier and would instead try another canyon turn to section 26. You may also test your intuition if you wish. If you pass the test turn to section 7. If you fail this test the first two options are available for your consideration.

The shifting sands stand as a formidable barrier to your progress forward but you have never seen anything like it. More from curiosity that anything else you pick up a piece of stone and throw it out into the centre of the moving earth. You are unprepared for what happens next.

Test your agility attribute. If you are successful turn to section 27. If you are not turn to section 98.

The slope is a steep incline of loose rock and dry, crumbling dirt. There is definitely something moving above you, and with the intention of finding out exactly what it is you climb upwards, using the darkness and some large outcrops of stone as your cover. It is a difficult ascent, one that has you scrambling towards a wide slab of rock where you wait within its shadows. Carefully you peer into the gloom and it is upon a rise in the ground above that you see the first sign of a Ranger moving in the darkness.

The Rangers of the Watch are formidable opponents. Will you wait until he passes by your position then attack him? If this is your choice turn to section 99. If you are curious as to what he is doing and would rather wait to see what he does turn to section 43.

In the dark of your accidental prison you hammer away at the stone slab before you. All about you dirt and stone fall from the roof with each blow, threatening to collapse the remainder of the passage but you cannot stop. If you are to escape and continue with your deskai you know you must throw all caution to the wind and keep up the relentless hammering.

At first the slab remains as solid as the darkness that engulfs you, but slowly the ringing impact of your warhammer against the stone changes. Chips fly from its face and cracks begin to work their way through the body of the stone. And still you hammer away, determined to break its resolve and let you pass. In the end the strength of your arms and the power of your warhammer overwhelms the solid rock. At its centre and lower edge a fracture opens, which you quickly work upon, splitting the slab down its centre. With one final impact the stone erupts, half the slab falling outwards onto a steep slope beyond. You have broken your way out.

Carefully you force your way through the opening and take one deep breath after another. The exertion has left you fatigued and in need of rest, but you know you have wasted far too much time already. Where you have emerged is more than surprising however. In the light of the moons you find yourself on the lower edge of a steep slope, facing to the south along a wide valley. At its northern edge there is the opening of a dark canyon, and you believe that it must be the same defile that you had been following before your ill-advised excursion to investigate the ancient passage. Within the valley spreads a vast ruin, the remains of what must have been a sizeable city. At the centre of the ruins you can see a Temple, but unlike the broken stone about it the structure stands tall, a shrine of pure white columns surmounted by a glistening green dome. Amongst such devastation it appears untouched, and as you focus your eyes upon it you are almost sure you can hear a voice calling you forward.

This could be the Temple you seek and you must investigate it. The completion of your deskai depends upon it.

Without hesitation you make your way down the slope and then out into the ruins. Your escape may have been successful but the exertion has taken its toll as well. Throw one dice. The number thrown is the amount of endurance points you have lost from fatigue. When you have adjusted your character sheet turn to section 82.

Carefully you move around the borders of the shifting sands unsure of what may lay beneath them. It is a difficult task, the disturbed ground reaching from one side of the canyon to the other, and it forces you to keep to the canyon walls, using the rock face as a purchase as you half-climb past the barrier. In the darkness you search for handholds, but whether it is the fatigue of your journey so far, or simply a moment of inattention, you slip from your purchase and fall awkwardly onto the sands below.

One footfall upon the pulsing ground is enough, and you are ill-prepared for what happens next.

Turn to section 98.

56

The slab waits quietly under a dark sky as you ready yourself for the jump. It is not a distance that is beyond you but the night has been long, and you feel fatigue in your legs and shoulders. You wish to go further southwards though, and this simple piece of stone will not deter you.

Quickly you back up the canyon and pace out a run up that will allow you a jump from the edge of the slab. When you are satisfied you strap your hammer tighter to your back and secure your waist bag. Then you sprint forward. Towards the stone you race at full speed and leap with all the strength available to you, sailing cleanly over its smooth surface but landing heavily on the other side. In a flurry of scattered earth you hit the ground, then push your weight forward as you come to an undignified stop within a cloud of dust and scattering stone.

For a moment you lay still and then get to your feet, your face and shoulders cascading with caked dirt and grit as you rise. It has indeed been a long night, one that you will be glad to see over, but the completion of your task still lies ahead. In the shadows of the canyon you take the time to dust yourself down, and then return to your journey. The canyon extends far to the south but you have long legs and enough strength remaining to run for its end. Carefully you make your way forward, your pace giving way to caution as the defile reaches southwards, its high walls growing upwards as you delve deeper into the foothills.

Overhead the moons of Arborell rise higher, spreading their ethereal glow over the cragged terrain. It is as you make your way forward that you find the canyon forked in two directions. The main canyon heads south, a smaller defile forces its way westwards.

Will you continue on down the main canyon? If this is your choice turn to section 30. If you would rather see what might be found on the narrower path turn to section 87.

The canyon reaches out into the west as a long series of ragged defiles, each a great tear in the earth that cuts through the la