When last we left our intrepid Lone Wolf, we were deciding whether or not to avoid a thicket of Sleeptooth. Continuing our unparalleled history of conflict avoidance, we chose to shy away from stabbity things and instead returned to the path. Thus:
Keeping a watchful eye on the sky above, you move quickly along the track. you recall that this route leads to Fogwood, a small cluster of huts that have been used by a family of charcoal burners for nearly fifty years. After twenty minutes you reach the edge of a clearing where the huts are grouped in a small circle. There is no sign of the usual mist of wood-smoke which gives Fogwood its apt name, and the huts are unusually quiet.
If we had the Kai Discipline of Tracking, we could turn to 134 and the untold glories that lie there. Sadly, we skipped Kai School that day to go picking daisies and thus do not have the ability to Track. Thus you "prepare your weapon and stealthily approach the huts", turning to 305.
Through the open doorway of the first hut, you can see the body of a charcoal burner lying face down on the rough stone floor. He has been murdered, stabbed in the back by a spear. All his furniture and belongings have been smashed and broken and not one piece remains intact.
This is the evil handiwork of Giaks without any doubt, for they delight in the destruction of all things. A quick check of the other huts reveals a similar story of murder and wreckage. In the last hut that you search, you discover a Giak Spear -- proof of your suspicions. You may keep this Weapon if you wish.
More determined than ever now to succeed in your mission, you continue along the track.
Turn to 105.
Wahoo, Spear! We have the Kai Discipline "Weaponskill: Spear" so we now get to add 2 to our Combat Skill when using this weapon. With our Mindblast, that gives a total of +4, for a final CS value of 23. Next time we ATTACK that bush!
In the distance, perched on the branch of an old oak tree is a jet black raven.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship (which we do!), you may call to this bird by turning to 298.
The head of the bird slowly turns and it curses you. An instant later, it flies off above the trees and has soon disappeared. Shocked by what you have heard you are now sure that the fledgling was a scout of the Darklords and is now probably on its way to inform them of your whereabouts.
Decisions, decisions. On the one hand, if we take the forest track there might be more shrubbery, and even with our spear I don't know if we're up to that. On the other hand a Darklord literally flipped us the bird, and that just ain't right.
(All images and quoted text ©1984 by Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.)
