You follow Captain Lanza as he races down to the base of the watchtower and hurries off along the slate-cobbled avenue which leads directly to the harbour. As he runs he curses and barks orders at the garrison soldiers who are fleeing from the quay, but they are wide-eyed with terror and all appear deaf to his commands. As you reach a bend in the road, you see the great black ship shuddering to a halt alongside the harbour wall. Instantly, a horde of undead warriors leap onto the quay and come rushing in pursuit of the routing Lencians. Their eyes burn with an unnatural fire and they howl like unchained demons as they mercilessly hunt their human prey.
Lanza manages to rally a dozen of his best men to form a defensive line across the narrow avenue. With their shields overlapping and their swords poised ready to thrust, they brace themselves to receive the first wave of undead. The pugnacious captain shouts words of encouragement to stave off their fear but it is clear to you that every single one of them is terrified. Their faces are drenched with sweat despite the biting cold.
With a hideous howl, the advancing mass of undead fall upon their line, hacking and stabbing at their shield-wall with their rust-dulled blades. The Lencians fight back furiously, shattering bones and cleaving skulls, but they are forced to give ground before the pressing onslaught.
Then, from the midst of the enemy ranks, a grisly creature clad in mouldering black robes comes bursting through the shield-wall. A Lencian turns to thrust his sword into the creature’s wormy flesh. His attack releases a gout of venom and instantly his sword crumples—corroded by the foul blood. The venom splashes him and he falls screaming to the ground, clutching at the smouldering stump that was once his hand. The creature howls with malicious glee as it leaps over his writhing body. It rushes towards you, its eye sockets blazing and its black claws extended to rake your flesh.
Cabalah: COMBAT SKILL 47 ENDURANCE 45
This undead creature is immune to Mindblast, Psi-surge, and Kai-surge.
(So, better CS than many is a good start, but again, it’s just a dopey creature – feels like creature creep strikes again! Without Kai-Surge, my CS is lowered, so that’s nice. I toss a 2, 5, 9 for 6/4, 9/2, and 15/0. Then a 3 and 6 follow and slay it. I took 10 total damage)
You strike your killing blow and the creature’s tongue flickers in and out as it hisses like a sleeting gale. It drops to its knees, its talons scrabbling for your legs, and its eyes flaring brightly with evil fire. Quickly you step back and watch the flames that are its eyes flicker and go out. Then it crumples to the icy ground, its body transforming swiftly into an evil-smelling pool of bubbling black venom.
The destruction of the Cabalah seems to weaken the attacking horde. They falter, and Lanza’s men seize the opportunity to counterattack. You rush forward and join them as they fight their way valiantly back towards the quay.
‘Look there, Grand Master!’ shouts Lanza, pointing to the ice-boat. A score of undead have clambered aboard the vessel and it is clear by their actions that they intend to destroy and sink it.
‘They must be stopped!’ you cry. You break free from the battle and run headlong towards the stricken ship. You are halfway along its gangplank when you find yourself confronted by a wedge of skeletal warriors, armed with crude axes and swords.
You leap into their midst, striking them down with blurring speed and deadly accuracy. As the last one falls, its corpse-like body almost severed at the waist, you hear a noise behind you which makes you spin around in fearful expectation.
Standing on the quayside, close to the gangplank, is a ghastly creature which exudes the cloying stench of death and decay. It towers over you by more than an arm’s length, and its long spindly limbs are covered with grey-white fur. From its skull-face bulge three milky-white eyes, set above a lipless maw edged with dozens of barbed fangs. In its claw-like hand it clutches what appears to be a stalactite. It raises this icy rod and a bolt of cold, orange fire leaps from its tip and comes crackling towards your chest.
(Yup, Sommerswerd is here)
You grasp the hilt of the sun-sword with both hands and turn the flat of its golden blade towards the onrushing bolt of energy. There is a loud crack! and you feel a numbing jolt run the length of your arms as the crackling bolt is deflected away. It hits the surface of the sea, close to the harbour wall, and instantly the patch of briny water freezes over.
The ghastly creature shrieks with fury and frustration. It comes lumbering down the gangplank, wielding its icy rod like a sword. Calmly you raise the Sommerswerd and steel yourself to receive its unnerving attack.
The creature leaps from the gangplank onto the deck and thrusts the tip of its icy rod at your face. You parry its attack with the Sommerswerd and a flash of hissing sparks explode when the two formidable weapons collide.
Ziog: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE 42
This undead creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.
(I’m down 7 EP still from the first attack. But Kai-Surge is taking him down. Remember undead, double damage. I toss a 9 and get an autokill – I took one EP from KS.)
The moment you deal the Ziog the coup de grāce it collapses to the deck and crumbles like ancient parchment. An inhuman cry arises from the skeleton horde that is grouped on the quay. They come charging down the gangplank towards you, as if hungry for vengeance. You strike the plank a mighty blow, splitting the timber cleanly in two. Both sections collapse, dumping the onrushing skeletons unceremoniously into the harbour’s freezing water.
(Of course I check it’s remains!)
Among the dusty, foul-smelling remains of the Ziog you find a small green gemstone on a platinum chain. If you wish to keep this Green Gem, record it on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you keep in your pocket.
Lanza and his men reach the quayside, having fought their way stoically through the ranks of the Ixian undead. The Captain, his face streaked with sweat, shouts excitedly and waves his sword. The tide of the battle appears to have turned and he seems elated by his hard-won victory. But then you realize that he is not cheering—he is shouting a warning.
From the prow of the enemy ship comes a hissing cloud of fire-tipped arrows. You dive for cover and escape being hit, but many of the burning shafts pierce the ice-boat’s decking and start fires in the sails. The flames spread with unnatural speed and you are quickly engulfed by flames.
(I choose to jump into the harbor)
You leap over the gunwale, through a blinding wall of flame, and hit the sea feet-first. The frigid water is shockingly cold, but your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus protects you from its numbing chill and you are able to surface quickly. Burning chunks of timber and sailcloth rain down all around as you strike out towards a flight of stone steps that rise out of the sea to the top of the quay.
Unfortunately, your escape from the blazing ice-boat does not go unnoticed. Upon reaching the steps you are met by a dozen skeletal warriors who are determined to slay you before you can haul yourself out of the icy water.
Ixian Undead: COMBAT SKILL 41 ENDURANCE 46
These beings are immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast. Also, because you are still in the icy water, you must reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 5 for the duration of this combat.
(So I have 52 CS for this battle with KS. I toss a 1, and then a 6, and then another 6 and they die. I took 4 damage from battle and 3 from KS I’m at 36/50 right now)
As the last skeleton warrior falls to your lightning-swift blows, you drag yourself out of the freezing water, across the bony bodies of those you have valiantly defeated, and stumble up the steps to the top of quay. You are met by Captain Lanza and his men, all of whom are clearly amazed that you are still alive.
‘We have this enemy beaten,’ yells Lanza. ‘We’ve slain more than half their number and the rest have their backs to the sea. Will you help us finish the job, Grand Master?’
‘Gladly,’ you reply. ‘For Kai and Ishir, we’ll send them all to meet their unholy maker!’
Lanza orders his men to arm themselves with warhammers from a nearby hut.
‘Normally my men use these to break up harbour ice in the dead of winter,’ he says, as together you help to distribute the heavy two-handed hammers among the garrison, ‘but now they can be put to good use smashing up the bones of our foes!’
Freshly equipped and fired by the taste of victory, Lanza and his men set about hammering the remnants of the attacking enemy. They drive them all the way back to their ship, literally shattering all who dare stand in their way. Within the hour the outpost is secured—the enemy have been destroyed.