[Let's Play] Lone Wolf - Kai Series

[JourneymanN00b]

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day everyone! (At least for those of us who are in the West Coast) And what better way to honor the Catholics of Ireland by starting a Let’s Play of a legendary gamebook series where green is one of its most featured colors of its titular hero? For those who are not familiar with Lone Wolf, it is a series of gamebooks by Joe Dever (God rest his soul) in which you play as a Kai Lord, a type of warrior monk with psychic powers in a fantasy world of sword and sorcery. It is similar to the Fighting Fantasy series, except that you play the same character through a series of connected adventures. The Lone Wolf series has been cited as the Lord of the Rings of gamebooks in communities, and for good reason.

Shortcuts:
Book 2: Fire on the Water
Book 3: The Caverns of Kalte
Book 4: The Chasm of Doom
Book 5: Shadow on the Sand

So, I finally got a hardback Definitive Edition copy of the first Lone Wolf book, Flight from The Dark, and oh my goodness, does it look beautiful. The jacket’s cover art from Alberto Dal Lago is nothing but impressive, and removing reveals a gorgeous panoramic map from Francesco Mattoli. Pictures of the jacket’s front cover and the map are below so you can see how nicely illustrated they are.





Now, the Lone Wolf series is broken into five smaller series. As of now, I plan to cover the first of these smaller series, which consists of Lone Wolf Books 1-5 and is known as the Kai series, as it is the only series that has been completely printed in a Definitive Edition form. In this particular printing, adjustments have been made to each book to enhance the reader’s experience, which include enemy stat changes, new powers from certain items, references to online sources, and playing options. Encyclopedic entries about different characters, places and artefacts in the Lone Wolf universe are also present in the Definitive Editions, which can be provided upon request at the end of each book. Given the current circumstances of my work situation, I aim to update this thread on a once per day basis. Anyone interested in joining our attempt to complete these books is welcome.

The hardback version of Flight from the Dark’s Definitive Edition has two unique qualities that are not seen in the Definitive Editions of the other Lone Wolf books at the time of this post. The first and most important feature is that it has an extended 550-section version of the adventure, which I feel offers a more powerful experience than the original 350-section version. The second feature is 40 new captioned full-page illustrations from Richard Sampson, who goes by the name of Nerdgore. In short, the Definitive Edition hardbacks go all out to introduce readers to the series with an enormous bang.

Name Picture


Foreword

“You are Lone Wolf.”

     In 1984, when this sentence first appeared in Flight from the Dark, it was my introduction to a whole new world. Gamebooks, interactive tales where you the reader could make choices and determine the story were still brand-new and yet Lone Wolf, with these four words, managed to change the game.

     Lone Wolf’s innovation was establishing your central role in the tale. And what a tale! The series provided something unheard of in interactive fiction at the time – the entire series, book after book, was all set in the same world, Magnamund, and part of the same epic saga, the lore expanding further and further with each new adventure.

     As the setting grew so too did Lone Wolf’s powers, abilities, and influence. Each book took the reader to new places, offering greater challenges with every turn of the page and a chance to be part of a single grand narrative. That was the promise of the Lone Wolf saga, which began for me way back in 1984 and the culmination of that promise is what you hold in your hands now.

     These Definitive Editions of the Lone Wolf series are a labor of love. A goal passed down through generations of fans. The road to get here has been long – a journey of misprints, false starts and unfinished collections.

     In early 2000, with the gamebook craze long over, Joe Dever bequeathed the Lone Wolf series as a millennial gift to his fans to be available digitally online. At the time the series reached Book 28: The Hunger of Sejanoz, but he was unsure if the remaining four books – and the end of Lone Wolf’s story – would ever see publication. So he placed its future in the hands of the readership.

     And his readers responded with a resounding “more please!” Letters, emails, an explosion of online forums and activity convinced Joe to get back to work. Lone Wolf returned to the world in a big way with roleplaying and video games, new editions of the existing books, a renaissance of Lone Wolf publications abroad – notably in Italy – and best of all, a brand new Lone Wolf adventure: Book 29: The Storms of Chai..

     Lone Wolf was back and better than ever. With the final three books now in planning, fans worldwide rediscovered their adventures in Magnamund. But, unfortunately, it was during this time that news came to us of Joe’s struggle with cancer. Though he had contended with it for years, writing stories for his fans all the while, Joe Dever finally passed on the 29th of November, 2016.

     But this is not a story of tragedy. Instead it is a tale of triumph, the torch passing from father to son. In 2017 Ben Devere began work on Book 30: Dead in the Deep using his father’s notes as his guide. With Vincent Lazzari as co-author and a dedicated team of Lone Wolf fans working with him, Ben has continued the charge to see the series through to its conclusion in Book 32: Light of the Kai and beyond!

     If you have been a fan of the series for many years, this book is a familiar road that you can walk again – but this time, assured that it leads to the conclusion of the series, promised so long ago.

     If you are a new reader, I truly envy you. You are about to take your first steps on an epic journey that is sure to delight, surprise and challenge you like never before.

     Either way, settle in and be welcome. You belong here with us, because you…

     You are Lone Wolf.

-August Hahn, Louisville 2022

August Hahn is the author of Lone Wolf: Magic of Magnamund, and his remarks are on point when it comes to the Lone Wolf experience.

Upon the Eve of the Feast of Fehmarn

In the northern land of Sommerlund, it has for centuries been customary for parents to send their most gifted children to the monastery of the Kai on the occasion of their seventh birthday. There they are taught the skills and martial disciplines of their noble ancestors.
     The warrior order of the Kai are masters of their art, and the children in their charge love and respect them in spite of the hardships of their training. For one day, when finally they have mastered the disciplines of the Kai, they will be able to return to their homes equipped in mind and body to defend themselves and their kin against the constant threat of war from the Darklords of the west.
     In olden times, during the Age of the Black Moon, the Darklords waged war on Sommerlund. The conflict was a long and bitter trial of strength that ended in victory for the Sommlending at the great battle of Maakengorge, King Ulnar I – himself gifted with Kai Powers – aided by the allies of Durenor, broke the Darklord armies at the pass of Moytura and forced them back into the bottomless abyss of Maakengorge. Vashna, mightiest of the Darklords, was slain upon Ulnar’s sword, called ‘Sommerswerd’ – the Sword of the Sun. Since that age, the Darklords have vowed vengeance upon Sommerlund and the House of Ulnar.
     Today is the eve of the feast day of Fehmarn – the first day of Spring. It is an old tradition of the Kai to gather at their monastery in the foothills of the Durncrag mountains on Fehmarn, in order to reaffirm their fealty to the God Kai and to the Sommlending House of Ulnar. Many Kai Journeymen and envoys have traveled far to return in time for tomorrow's celebrations which mark the beginning of a new year in Sommerlund.
     You are a young Kai cadet called Silent Wolf. This is the name you were given by your Kai Masters when first you entered the monastery. You are an Initiate in this noble order, and this will be the eighth year you have taken part in the Fehmarn ceremony. Your feelings of pride and excitement are the same now as they were when first you arrived here from your home in the village of Dage, a little over half your short lifetime ago.
     The past few days have been an exciting time for you and your brother cadets. The Journeymen have been recounting their tales of battles won and quests fulfilled in distant lands, and everyone is filled with a sense of joy and hopeful anticipation that the New Year will bring continued peace and prosperity to your beloved homeland.
     The monastery is alive with activity as the final preparations are completed for tomorrow's feast, but for you and the other cadets the routine has changed very little. Your training and education proceeds as usual, although you find it harder than ever to concentrate as your tutor, Kai Master Star Fire, instructs your class on the geography of the Lastlands.
     “Silent Wolf!” he bellows, waking you abruptly from a daydream. “Perhaps you will kindly enlighten us – what city lies on the coast of the Wildlands?”
     You hesitate, stunned into open-mouthed silence.
     “As I thought,” he says reproachfully. “This is not the first time we have suffered your inattention. A penalty paid now may serve to sharpen your concentration in the future.”
     Star Fire reaches into the pocket of his tunic and withdraws a shiny gold coin, gazing at it for a few moments as he considers what the forfeiture should be.
     “I will let fate decide.”
     He tosses the gold coin into the air and catches it deftly on the back of his left hand. Looking down at the freshly minted head of King Ulnar the Fifth, he says aloud:
     “So be it. Extra weapons training. Tomorrow morning. One hour before dawn. You will present yourself to me equipped and ready on the training park.”
     “Yes, my lord,” you reply humbly.
     A bell chimes three times from the hallway beyond your classroom door, signifying the end of today’s lessons. You are placing your books and parchments into your backpack in readiness to leave, when Kai Master Star Fire calls out to you once more.
     “Be punctual, Silent Wolf, or you will find yourself spending Fehmarn gathering firewood for the kitchens. And I shall see to it that you forfeit your place at the feasting table at sundown.”
     The threat of missing the annual Feast of Fehmarn causes you to swallow hard.
     “Yes sire,” you reply, “I will be punctual.”

So, let’s recap: The Kai are the good guys, while the Darklords are the fascists. Our hero stupidly was caught sleeping in his social studies class. He now has to meet his tutor in the cold dark hours of the morning or be forced to collect wood and miss his big chance to live it up for a day at the Monastery.

THE GAME RULES

You keep a record of your adventure on the Action Chart that you will find in the front of this book, or by using this link:

https://www.magnamund.com/downloads (Transcribed from the QR code found in this section)

     During your training as a Kai Initiate, you have developed your fighting prowess (COMBAT SKILL) and your physical stamina (ENDURANCE). Before you begin, you will need to measure how effective your training has been. To do this, take a pencil and, with your eyes closed, point with the blunt end of it to the Random Number Table at the back of this book. If you pick 0 it counts as zero.

     The first number that you pick from the Random Number Table represents your COMBAT SKILL. Add 10 to the number you picked and write the total in the COMBAT SKILL section of your Action Chart (i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 4 in the Random Number Table, you should write down a COMBAT SKILL of 14). When you fight, your COMBAT SKILL will be pitted against that of your enemy. A high score in this section is therefore desirable.

     The second number that you pick from the Random Number Table represents your ENDURANCE. Add 20 to this number and write the total in the ENDURANCE section of your Action Chart (i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 6 on the Random Number Table you should write down an ENDURANCE points score of 26).

     If you are wounded in combat you will lose ENDURANCE points. If at any time your ENDURANCE points fall to zero or below, you are dead and the adventure is over. Lost ENDURANCE points can be regained during the course of the adventure, but your number of ENDURANCE points can never go above the number with which you start your adventure.

Play Option:
Pick three numbers from the Random Number Table first. Then choose which one among them represents your COMBAT SKILL, and which one represents your ENDURANCE.

Example:
Your pencil successively fell on the numbers 1, 4, and 7 on the Random Number Table. You may choose that your COMBAT SKILL is 17 and your ENDURANCE is 24. Alternatively, you may choose that your COMBAT SKILL is 14 and your ENDURANCE is 27, and so on.

Playing Tip: You may find it more convenient to use a 10-sided die instead of the Random Number Table.

For the purposes of this thread, the Action Chart will be hand-made and will be periodically displayed. As suggested by the above Playing Tip, a 10-sided die will be used instead of the Random Number Table. To give our hero a better chance of receiving decent COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE scores, we will follow the above Play Option and roll a 10-sided die three times to provide us with three numbers to choose from. The three generated numbers are 1, 2, and 5.

KAI DISCIPLINES

Over the centuries, the Kai have mastered many useful skills which are passed on from generation to generation. These skills are known as the Kai Disciplines, and they are taught to all Kai Lords. As a Kai Initiate, you have learned only five of the skills listed below. You must choose your five Kai Disciplines before you set off on your adventure. As all of the Kai Disciplines will be of use to you at some point during your mission, pick your five with care. The correct use of a Discipline at the right time can save your life.
     When you have chosen your five Disciplines, enter them in the Kai Disciplines section of your Action Chart.

Camouflage


This Discipline enables a Kai Lord to blend in with their surroundings. In the countryside, they are able to hide undetected among trees and rocks, and pass close to an enemy without being seen. In a town or city, it enables them to blend in amongst the inhabitants, and it can help them find shelter or a safe hiding place.
     If you choose this skill, write ‘Camouflage’ on your Action Chart.

Hunting


This skill ensures that a Kai Lord will never starve in the wild, They will always be able to hunt for food, except in areas of wasteland and desert. The skill also enables a Kai Lord to be able to move swiftly and stealthily.
     If you choose this skill, write ‘Hunting: no need for a Meal when instructed to eat’ on your Action Chart.

Sixth Sense


This skill may warn a Kai Lord of imminent danger. It may also reveal the true purpose of a stranger or strange object encountered in the adventure.
     If you choose this skill, write ‘Sixth Sense’ on your Action Chart.

Tracking


This skill enables a Kai Lord to make the correct choice of a path in the wild, to discover the location of a person or object in a town or city, and to read the secrets of footprints or tracks.
     If you choose this skill, write ‘Tracking’ on your Action Chart.

Healing


This Discipline can be used to restore ENDURANCE points lost in combat. If you possess this skill you may restore 1 ENDURANCE point to your total for every numbered section of the book you pass through in which you are not involved in combat. (This is only to be used after your ENDURANCE has fallen below its original level.) Be sure to remember that your ENDURANCE score cannot rise above its original level.

Play Option:
Seasoned readers may use the following rule from the Lone Wolf New Order series to balance their game – the maximum number of ENDURANCE points that can be restored using Healing is limited to 10 per adventure.

     If you choose this skill write ‘Healing: +1 ENDURANCE point for each section without combat’ on your Action Chart.

Weaponskill


Upon entering the Kai Monastery, each initiate is taught to master one type of weapon. If Weaponskill is to be one of your Kai Disciplines, pick a number in the usual way from the Random Number Table, and then find the corresponding weapon from the list below. This is the weapon in which you have a proven skill. When you enter combat carrying this weapon, you add 2 points to your COMBAT SKILL rating.
     The fact that you are skilled with a weapon does not mean you set out on the adventure carrying that particular weapon. However, you will have opportunities to acquire weapons in the course of your adventures.
     You cannot carry more than two weapons. You may only use one weapon at a time.
     If you choose this skill, write ‘Weaponskill in “ ” +2 COMBAT SKILL points if this weapon carried’ on your Action Chart.




Mindshield


Some of your enemies will have the ability to attack you using psychic force, i.e. the power of their mind. The Kai Discipline of Mindshield can protect you from losing any ENDURANCE points when subjected to this form of attack.
     If you choose this skill, write ‘Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast’ on your Action Chart.

Mindblast


This skill enables a Kai Lord to attack an enemy using the force of their mind. It can be used at the same time as a normal combat weapon and adds 2 extra points to your COMBAT SKILL. Not all the creatures encountered on this adventure will be susceptible to Mindblast. You will be told if a creature is immune.
     If you choose this skill, write ‘Mindblast: +2 COMBAT SKILL points’ on your Action Chart.

Animal Kinship


This skill enables the Kai to communicate with some animals and predict the behavior of others. In some cases, it can grant a Kai control over an animal’s instincts or actions.
     If you choose this skill, write ‘Animal Kinship’ on your Action Chart.

Mind Over Matter


Mastery of this Discipline enables a Kai to move small objects by focusing their concentration.
     If you choose this skill, write ‘Mind Over Matter’ on your Action Chart.

If you successfully complete the mission as set in Lone Wolf Book 1, you may add a further Kai Discipline of your choice to your Action Chart at the start of Book 2. This additional skill, together with your five original skills, and any equipment, including Special Items that you have picked up in Book 1, may then be used in the next adventure of the Lone Wolf series.

If Healing is chosen as one of our hero’s Kai Disciplines, the Play Option will not be used for this adventure. However, this will be considered in future books, depending on how successful our hero is in completing Book 1.

EQUIPMENT

Your basic possessions comprise a green tunic and cloak of a Kai Initiate. You also have a backpack, a belt, and a leather pouch in which you keep your money (Gold Crowns). To find out how much money you have, pick a number from the Random Number Table (a 0 means zero). The number you choose equals the number of Gold Crowns you possess at the start of the adventure. (Note this number in the Belt Pouch section of your Action Chart.)
     Upon entering the Kai Monastery, every initiate is given a Map of the Lastlands. This map shows the location of your native country – Sommerlund – and its capital city – Holmgard. It also shows the land of Durenor away to the east, and the Wildlands which separate the two kingdoms.

Rolling a 10-sided die gives us a 3, which means that our hero possesses 3 Gold Crowns in his leather pouch at the start of the adventure.

HOW TO CARRY AND USE YOUR EQUIPMENT

Any item that may be of use and can be picked up on your adventure and entered on your Action Chart is given capital letters in the text. Unless you are told it is a Special Item or a Weapon, carry it in your Backpack.

Weapons
Weapons aid you in combat. If you have the Kai Discipline of Weaponskill and the correct Weapon, it adds 2 points to your COMBAT SKILL. If you enter a combat with no Weapons, you must deduct 4 points from your COMBAT SKILL and fight with your bare hands. If you find a Weapon during the adventure, you may pick it up and use it. You may only use one Weapon at a time in combat. You can only carry two Weapons at any time. You may exchange or discard Weapons at any point when you are not involved in combat.
     Most Weapons are carried either sheathed or tucked into your belt.

Backpack Items
During your travels you will discover various useful items which you may wish to keep, but you may only carry eight items in your Backpack at once. If you ever lose your Backpack, you automatically lose all of the items it contains. You will be unable to pick up and keep any new Backpack Items until you acquire a new Backpack.

Special Items
Each Special Item has a particular purpose or effect. This may be explained when the item is first discovered, or it may be revealed to you as the adventure progresses.

Gold Crowns
The currency of Sommerlund is the Crown, which is a small gold coin. Gold Crowns can be used on your adventure to pay for transport, food, weapons and items, or may even be used as a bribe. Some of the creatures that you may encounter will possess Gold Crowns, or you may discover them while searching. Any Gold Crowns that you acquire should be carried in your Belt Pouch. The maximum number you can carry is 50.

Food
You will need to eat regularly during your adventure. If you do not have any food when you are instructed to eat a Meal, you will lose 3 ENDURANCE points. If you have chosen the Kai Discipline of Hunting as one of your five skills, you will not need to tick off a Meal when instructed to eat.

Potions
If you discover any Potions during the adventure, you will be informed of their effects when swallowed. All Potions are Backpack Items.

If chosen as one of the five starting skills, the Kai Discipline of Healing cannot be used to restore any lost ENDURANCE points from not eating when instructed to do so. This is because it would not make too much logical sense for such a skill to provide nourishment from empty matter.

RULES FOR COMBAT

There will be occasions during your adventure when you will have to fight an enemy. The enemy’s COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points are given in the text. Your aim as Lone Wolf is to kill the enemy by reducing its ENDURANCE points to zero, while losing as few ENDURANCE points as possible yourself.
     At the start of a combat, enter both your and your enemy’s ENDURANCE points in the appropriate boxes on the Combat Record section of your Action Chart.

THE SEQUENCE FOR COMBAT IS AS FOLLOWS:

1. Add any extra points gained through your Kai Disciplines, equipment, and/or Special Items to your current COMBAT SKILL total.

2. Subtract the COMBAT SKILL of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter this figure on the Action Chart.

Example:

You, as Lone Wolf (COMBAT SKILL 15), are ambushed by a Daemonak (COMBAT SKILL 20). You are not given the opportunity to evade combat, but must stand and fight as the creature swoops down. You have the Kai Discipline of Mindblast, so you add 2 points to your COMBAT SKILL, giving you a total COMBAT SKILL of 17.

You subtract the Daemonak’s COMBAT SKILL from your own, giving a Combat Ratio of -3 (17 - 20 = -3).
-3 is noted on the Action Chart as the Combat Ratio.

3. When you have determined your Combat Ratio, pick a number from the Random Number Table.

4. Now turn to the Combat Results Table. Along the top of the chart are shown the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-reference it with the random number that you have picked (the random numbers appear on the side of the chart). You now have the number of ENDURANCE points lost by both yourself (Lone Wolf) and your enemy in this round of combat. (E represents points lost by the enemy; PC represents points lost by the Player Character – you, as Lone Wolf.)

Example:

The Combat Ratio between yourself and the Daemonak has been established as -3. If the number taken from the Random Number Table is a 6, then the result of the first round of combat is:

The Player Character (you, as Lone Wolf) lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
Daemonak loses 6 ENDURANCE points.

5. On the Action Chart, record the changes in ENDURANCE points to the participants in the combat.

6. Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, begin the next round of combat.

7. Repeat the sequence from Stage 3.

This process of combat continues until the ENDURANCE points of either the enemy or yourself (Lone Wolf) are reduced to zero, at which point that combatant is declared dead. If Lone Wolf is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Lone Wolf proceeds but with your ENDURANCE points possibly reduced.

A summary of the Combat Rules appears in the back of this book.

Evasion of Combat
During your adventure you may be given the chance to evade combat. If you have already engaged in a round of combat and decide to evade, calculate the combat for that round in the usual manner. All points lost by the enemy as a result of that round are ignored, and you make your escape. Only you (Lone Wolf) may lose ENDURANCE points during an evading round, but then that is the risk of running away in the middle of a fight! You may only evade if the text of the particular section allows you to do so.

The pictures of the Combat Results Table found in the back of the book are provided below for reference.





For the purposes of this Let’s Play, the combat rounds will be resolved all at once. I will generally provide the option to evade combat or use any items or abilities that can be used at the beginning of or during a battle when our hero has either less than 11 ENDURANCE points or less than a -4 Combat Ratio. In such a scenario, I will ask whether our hero should escape or use an item to improve his odds of winning the battle. You may choose to modify this rule to set different conditions to use such options, or create new rules for our hero to follow under certain scenarios.

LEVELS OF KAI TRAINING

The following table is a guide to the ranks and titles that are bestowed upon the Kai at each stage of their training. As you successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf series, you will gain an additional Kai Discipline and gradually progress towards mastery of the ten basic Kai Disciplines.

1. Novice
2. Intuite
3. Doan
4. Acolyte
5. Initiate (You begin the Lone Wolf adventures with this level of Kai training)
6. Aspirant
7. Guardian
8. Warmarn or Journeyman
9. Savant
10. Master

     Beyond the ten basic skills of the Kai Master await the secrets of the higher Kai Disciplines or ‘Magnakai’. By acquiring the wisdom of the Magnakai, a Kai can progress towards the ultimate achievement and become a Kai Grand Master.

KAI WISDOM

The Kai have many ruthless enemies – including the Darklords of Helgedad and their evil servants – who give and expect no mercy. Use the map to help steer a course during any travel you undertake, and make notes as you progress through the story, for they will be helpful in future adventures.
     Many things that you find will aid you during your travels. Some Special Items and Backpack Items will be of use in future adventures, and others may be red herrings of no real use at all, so try to be selective in what you decide to keep.
     There are many routes open to you, but only one involves a minimum of danger. With a wise choice of Kai Disciplines and a great deal of courage, any play should be able to complete the mission, no matter how weak their initial COMBAT SKILL or ENDURANCE points.
     Good luck and godspeed on the perilous journey that lies ahead.

For Sommerlund and the Kai!

Lastlands Map




An Important Directive and Closing Remarks

Do not post any spoilers.

As August Hahn pointed out in the Foreword section, this series is an epic journey that is sure to delight, surprise, and challenge new readers in a unique way. Please respect the wishes of any players who want to have this blind experience running the series, as doing so is truly an enjoyable experience. For those of you who have read the books before, you may talk about the setting and characters in general, but posting anything that gives away future plot developments or puzzles is verboten. In particular, voting for something specifically because you already know the outcome is completely unacceptable. For those of you who are reading the books for the first time, feel free to make your speculations. Upon the completion of a book, it is also acceptable to talk about things that would have happened if other choices were made, provided that doing so will not give reveal events in future books.

The one thing that I will say as we run the first book, is that our hero will have unlimited resurrections at his disposal. Upon dying, he will be sent back to the point where the first critical mistake was made in order to make the adventure winnable once more. The Action Chart will also be reverted to what it was at that point in the story. This will not be the case for every book, however. There are also consequences for using too many resurrections in this adventure. For every four resurrections that are used, a special penalty will be applied to our hero in the next book. These penalties (which will be revealed should one need to be applied to him when we reach Book 2) will introduce a gameplay restriction that will increase the difficulty of completing the adventure.

I will also add features if our hero encounters certain events in this series. This includes edits to items, enemy stats, and status checks under the Important Note: notations and additional hand-made pictures created from my (shoddy) efforts in using Microsoft Paint. It is thus ill-advised to consult any walkthroughs to influence your decisions. The point of this series is to provide a compelling experience from this Let’s Play, and everything is on the table when it comes to setting an appropriate difficulty level for these books.

Phew. Now that was a lot of content to go through.

Before we formally begin Lone Wolf’s long crusade against one of the most immense fascist movements in gamebook history, please vote for the following choices:
Which numbers should be used to represent his COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE?
Which five Kai Disciplines should our hero start out with?

Please make your decisions before 9:00 AM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Beroli]

Not terribly good rolls, but, I vote for:

Combat Skill 15, Endurance 22.

Sixth Sense
Healing
Hunting
Mindblast
Mindshield

Weaponskill being in one randomly determined weapon makes it way too much of a gamble; it's the one skill I won't be voting for for any of the books.

[Thaluikhain]

! vote for Hunting, Healing and Sixth sense as they seem useful

I half vote for Mindlast, Animal Kinship as they seem coo.

[JourneymanN00b]

Alright folks, I have registered your votes, and it looks like Lone Wolf will start out with a COMBAT SKILL of 15 and a starting ENDURANCE of 22. After counting the votes, he will have Sixth Sense, Healing, Hunting, Mindblast, and Mindshield as his starting give Kai Disciplines.

One thing that I forgot to mention in the OP is that the Action Chart states is that Backpack items can be discarded or changed at any time when not in combat. In addition to listing Lone Wolf’s statistics, the Action Chart will also list any rules to automatically follow under certain scenarios and the total number of fascists that our hero has slaughtered for flavor purposes.

With all of that said, Lone Wolf’s big campaign against the Darklords and their fascist forces now begins.


1. Patiently Star Fire puts you through your paces, teaching you correctly how to parry and block and strike to greatest effect.

1

You are woken from your sleep by the clockwork chimes of the timepiece you placed beside your pillow the previous evening. In the dim candlelight of the initiates’ dormitory, you rise from your bunk and dress quickly in your green Kai tunic and cloak, pausing briefly to adjust your belt and backpack before leaving your sleeping comrades. You are determined not to be late for your training session with Kai Master Star Fire, mindful of the forfeit he will impose if you break your promise to be punctual. You leave by the dormitory’s north door which opens directly onto the training park in the center of the Kai Monastery.
     Star Fire is already waiting for you beside a weapons rack near the center of the yard. In the pre-dawn moonlight, your sharp eyes see that this formidable warrior is already dressed in his ceremonial robes for today’s festivities. He greets you with a nod of his head and tells you to pick one of the wooden practice weapons from the rack. You choose a sword, fashioned from sturdy Sommlending oak, and take up your position opposite him in readiness.
     “Battles are not always fought in broad daylight, Silent Wolf,” he says, as he pulls a wooden sword from the rack. “The gloom of this morn will serve to sharpen your senses. Pity the same cannot be said for your attentiveness in class.”
     Patiently your Kai Master puts you through your paces, teaching you correctly how to parry and block and strike to greatest effect. After half an hour of intense instruction, you are breathless and drenched with sweat, despite the frosty chill of the morning air. Star Fire, conversely, shows not the slightest sign of fatigue after the exertions of the training.
     “Well done, Silent Wolf. You may rack your sword and rest awhile. Your shortfalls in the classroom seem to be compensated by your natural ability with weapons. You show great promise. Now, if only you would apply the same effort to your studies, then perhaps one day you too will attain the rank of a Kai Master.”
     You thank Star Fire for his compliment and his advice. He never gives praise unduly, and his approving words fill you with a resolve not to daydream in future classes. You place your wooden sword into the rack and unhook a flask of water. You are taking your first swallow when suddenly the stillness is shattered by the clang of the gatehouse bell. The monastery alarm has been sounded.
     “For the love of Ishir...” exclaims Star Fire. He is staring intently towards the west, towards a sky that is growing strangely darker with every passing moment. At first you can see nothing in the gloom, but then your eyes discern something moving in the darkness. Hundreds upon hundreds of winged creatures are approaching the monastery.
     “Kraan!” gasps Star Fire. “Kai preserve us!”
     The doleful clang of the alarm bell has awoken everyone in the monastery. A few Kai Masters and lower ranks are now emerging from the dormitories. Most are without their battle armor, but every one of them is armed in readiness to defend your stronghold from attack.
     The first wave of winged Kraan swoop down from out of the darkening sky. As they come screeching towards the monastery’s gatehouse, you see that they are carrying Giaks upon their leathery backs. These fierce creatures are the mainstay of the Darklords’ armies. What they may lack in physical size and intelligence is more than compensated for by their vast numbers. The doors of the gatehouse are half open, and as the leading Kraan drop their riders and wheel away, these first few Giaks scramble to their feet and come rushing headlong towards the opening. They are determined to gain entry before the great doors of the monastery can be fully closed.
     “Silent Wolf, follow me!” commands Star Fire, and he turns and runs swiftly towards the gatehouse entrance.
     If you choose immediately to obey Kai Master Star Fire’s order, turn to 392.
     If you decide to arm yourself with a real weapon from the rack before following him, turn to 497.

Please make your votes on what Lone Wolf’s first action against fascism should be before 9:00 AM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

ACTION CHART
KAI DISCIPLINES:
1. Sixth Sense
2. Healing: +1 ENDURANCE point for each section without combat
3. Hunting: no need for a Meal when instructed to eat
4. Mindblast: +2 COMBAT SKILL points
5. Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast
WEAPONS:
1.
2.
BACKPACK:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
SPECIAL ITEMS:
BELT POUCH: 3
COMBAT SKILL: 15
ENDURANCE POINTS: 22/22
RULES:
• When in combat, stop to ask whether to use any items or abilities if ENDURANCE is less than 11 or Combat Ratio is less than -4
FASCIST KILL COUNT: 0

[Beroli]

Get a weapon.

[SGamerz]

Arm ourselves.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; arming Lone, well, Silent Wolf with a real weapon to exterminate the fascists with. I have also added a counter to keep track of any resurrections used in this book.

497

You cast your eye along the row of real weapons that are stacked in the rack. They are as follows: Dagger (0), Mace (1), Short Sword (2), Warhammer (3), Short Sword (4), Sword (5), Axe (6), Sword (7), Broadsword (8), Axe (9).
     You are trying to make your mind up which weapon is best to take, when suddenly Kai Master Star Fire’s deep voice bellows angrily:
     “Silent Wolf – to me, now!”
     Pick a number from the Random Number Table. Now match the number you have picked to the number which appears in brackets next to each of the weapons listed above. The result indicates the Weapon you snatch from the rack as hurriedly you turn and run after your Kai Master in reaction to his terse command.
     To continue, turn to 58.

Rolling the die gives us a 4, which means that Lone Wolf grabs a Short Sword as his first weapon in his crusade against the Darklords and their fascist allies.


(This is the first of my hand-made pictures. Forgive the horrible quality … I am still trying to experiment with Microsoft Paint. The next one will hopefully be better.)

58

You run as fast as you can to catch up with Star Fire as he races towards the monastery’s main gate. Simultaneously, and without slowing his pace, he unsheathes his sword with his left hand and unhooks a double-bladed axe from his belt with his right. Then he launches himself bravely at the Giaks as they come scurrying through the gap in the gatehouse doors. In a blur of deadly motion, he strikes the leading enemy an uppercut blow with his axe which splits its ugly grey face from chin to crown. The Giak’s body tumbles backwards, trailing an arc of vile black blood. Star Fire shouts a stirring battle-cry: “For Sommerlund and the Kai!” and presses home his attack with a flurry of sword blows that decapitate the three Giaks who are following in the fallen soldier’s wake. The respite from the combat is brief. Moments later, a dozen more Giaks rush forwards, eager to overwhelm your Kai Master with their superior numbers.
     One of the Giaks, armed with a spear, breaks away from this group and comes rushing towards you. It is anxious to prevent you from reaching your embattled master. You strike at its head, but your blow is not quick enough to hit the creature. The Giak ducks and then sweeps the haft of its spear in an arc that connects with your left knee and knocks you off your feet (lose 1 ENDURANCE point). You manage to retain a grip on your weapon, but before you can get back on your feet, the Giak moves in and raises its spear in readiness to pin you to the ground.
     Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
     If the number you have picked is 0-4, turn to 279.
     If it is 5-9, turn to 117.

Rolling the die gives us a 6, so we will go to 117.

117

The Giak strikes and swiftly you twist aside to avoid being stuck by its spear. Your weapon is lost from your grasp as you roll away, and although your quick reactions save you from being mortally wounded, you do not escape injury completely. The tip of the spear grazes your shoulder: lose 1 ENDURANCE point.
     Star Fire senses that you are in trouble. As you scramble to your feet, he unsheathes his sword with his left hand and tosses it to you, haft first. You catch the weapon by the handle and hold it up before you, just in time to turn aside a second thrust of the Giak’s spear. The creature screeches in anger and frustration, and then hurls itself upon you in a frenzied attack.

Giak Assault Trooper:
COMBAT SKILL 12       ENDURANCE 12

     Remember to replace your original Weapon with Star Fire’s Sword on your Action Chart.
     If you win the combat, turn to 535.

The combat:
Combat Ratio: 15 + 2 (Mindblast) – 12 = 5
Round 1 Roll: 3
Player Endurance: 20 – 3 = 17
Giak Assault Trooper Endurance: 12 – 8 = 4
Round 2 Roll: 3
Player Endurance: 17 – 3 = 14
Giak Assault Trooper Endurance: 4 – 8 = -4

Silent Wolf kills his first fascist with Star Fire’s Sword, but takes 6 more ENDURANCE points of damage from the relatively unlucky dice rolls of the two combat rounds. Real smooth start for our hero there.

535

You pass the sword blade through your belt (record this Weapon on your Action Chart if you have not already done so) and press on to reach the lever in the wall which controls the doors. You are now feeling unsteady on your feet, and the blood is pounding loudly in your ears. This is the first time you have killed in combat, and although you have carried out your duty with admirable skill, you now feel both excited and nauseous. Battle shock has left you in the grip of two conflicting emotions; elation and revulsion.
     You stagger to the barbican wall and raise the iron lever. Immediately the great creaking doors begin to close. Several Giak corpses are crushed flat and their limbs severed when the two doors come together and lock shut with a resounding boom.
     “Well fought, Silent Wolf!” says Star Fire, striding towards you, but you can barely hear his words for all the pounding in your head. As the shock of your first combat begins to subside, the Kai master directs your gaze towards the top of the highest tower in the monastery. This magnificent edifice is called the Tower of the Sun, and it is where the Kai Masters have their halls of learning. The highest level belongs to the leader of the Kai – Grand Master Brave Blade.
     ”Silent Wolf – I have an important task for you. Look up there, at the very top of the tower, and tell me what you see.”
     You comply with Star Fire’s request. Despite the unnatural darkness and the countless numbers of Kraan that are now circling the skies above, you can make out a large gem-like crystal which is set into the tip of an elaborate spire fashioned from rune-carved steel.
     “I see the crystal beacon, my Lord,” you reply.
     “Just so. I want you to go there now and fire up the beacon. It will warn the King in Holmgard that the Darklords are attacking. Do you understand?”
     “Aye, my Lord.”
     Star Fire looks towards the spire and frowns. “Something is wrong. The sentinels of the tower should have set off the beacon by now. I fear they must have fallen.”
     Star Fire’s grim thoughts are broken when suddenly a second wave of flying creatures comes swooping down towards the monastery. These are much larger than the Kraan of the first wave, and slung below their black bellies are nets filled with Giaks attired in battle armour and equipped with swords and shields.
     “Zlanbeast!” exclaims Star Fire. “That accursed Zagarna. So this is how he plans to defeat us!”
     One of these great black Zlaanbeast comes swooping down to hover above the training park. A cloaked rider releases its net and a score of armored Giaks come crashing down. Several are crushed to death upon impact, but the majority survive and quickly they cut themselves free from the net. As soon as they are freed, they spread out and attack any Kai who are out in the open.
     “Go, Silent Wolf!” urges Star Fire, as he steels himself to counter the enemy’s airborne attack. “Go now and fire up the beacon!”
     As Star Fire hurries back towards the training park to meet the enemy in combat, you peer through the eerie gloom, your keen eyes searching out the shortest route which will take you to the beacon. The Great Door to the Tower of the Sun has been sealed from the inside to prevent the enemy from gaining access, so you must now find an alternative way to enter. There are several doors which lead into the many halls of the monastery at ground level. However, only one of them now remains open. It is located beneath a large balcony at the top of a broad granite ramp, and it permits entry to the Kai Masters’ Chambers.
     You resolve to enter the monastery by this way and set off at a run towards the ramp. Giak nets are being dropped more frequently now, and twice you are nearly crushed as you hurry around the training park and off towards the distant ramp. One net, released too soon, hits the middle of the granite ramp just as you reach it. All save one of the luckless Giaks are killed by the tremendous impact, but the sole survivor is able to recover its senses and cut its way out through the top. As you sprint up the ramp towards the open portal, this Giak leaps from the heap of netting and broken bodies and attacks you with its curved black sword.

Giak Net Soldier:
COMBAT SKILL 13       ENDURANCE 13

     This Giak is in a state of shock and battle frenzy; it does not feel any pain. All wounds inflicted upon this enemy in the first 2 rounds of combat are halved, with any fractions rounded down (e.g. if the Giak loses 5 ENDURANCE points in the first round of combat, half of this sum is 2.5. Therefore the fraction should be ignored and the total rounded down to 2 points).
     If you win the combat, turn to 246.

The combat:
Combat Ratio: 15 + 2 (Mindblast) – 13 = 4
Round 1 Roll: 3
Player Endurance: 14 – 3 = 11
Giak Net Soldier Endurance: 13 – (7/2 = 3) = 10
Round 2 Roll: 6
Player Endurance: 11 – 2 = 9
Giak Net Soldier Endurance: 10 – (10/2 = 5) = 5
Round 3 Roll: 7
Player Endurance: 9 – 1 = 8
Giak Net Soldier Endurance: 5 – 11 = -6

Silent Wolf kills the Giak Net Soldier with Star Fire’s Sword with a little better luck than his previous battle, but still loses a further 6 ENDURANCE points from the combat. Let us hope he has a couple of sections without combat so our hero can get out of the danger zone.

246

You leap over the dead Giak’s body and run towards the top of the ramp. Several of your fellow initiates are busily constructing a barricade at the entrance to the Kai Masters’ Chambers, and you hear them give a cheer as you come running towards them. Several witnessed your fight and are eager to congratulate you for slaying the Darkspawn. Mindful of your mission, you urge them to complete their work and then you hurry into the welcoming shelter of the Chambers’ entrance hall.
     This grand part of the monastery houses the apartments and personal libraries of the Kai Masters – the teaching members of the Kai Order. The entrance hall is usually devoid of any grand embellishments, but today is Fehmarn and it is bedecked with all the battle-banners and insignia of the Kai. You are distracted by the many glorious flags that are hanging from the buttressed ceiling and you collide with a Kai Master who is hastening in the opposite direction, towards the barricade. It is Swift Owl, a master especially gifted in the disciplines of the mind.
     “Take courage, Silent Wolf,” he says. “Duty awaits you outside this day. Conquer your fear and be proud of what you are.”
     Mistakenly he has assumed that you are fleeing from the battle now raging in the monastery grounds.
     “Forgive me, Master Swift Owl,” you reply, “but I am not afraid to do my duty. I am under orders from Master Star Fire. I am to make my way to the top of the Tower of the Sun and must trigger the crystal beacon.”
     Swift Owl scowls. Then you feel a sudden wave of heat passing through your head, and at once you sense that he is using his psychic skills to tell if you are speaking the truth. A smile flickers for a few moments on his tanned, craggy face.
     “That way, child” he says, pointing to a distant door. “Make haste. Fire the beacon. Do not fail.”
     You hurry towards the arched doorway at the far end of the hall. Beyond it there is a wide passageway lined with oak cupboards that stretch from floor to ceiling. You recognize this place – it is where spare furniture and equipment for the entrance hall is stored.
     If you wish to stop and search some of these cupboards, turn to 175.
     If you decide to hurry on along the passageway without stopping, turn to 74.

Well, our hero got 1 ENDURANCE point from his Healing discipline since we are now at a non-combat section. Please make your votes whether loot or time is more important for Silent Wolf before 9:00 AM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

ACTION CHART
KAI DISCIPLINES:
1. Sixth Sense
2. Healing: +1 ENDURANCE point for each section without combat
3. Hunting: no need for a Meal when instructed to eat
4. Mindblast: +2 COMBAT SKILL points
5. Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast
WEAPONS:
1. Star Fire’s Sword
2.
BACKPACK:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
SPECIAL ITEMS:
BELT POUCH: 3
COMBAT SKILL: 15
ENDURANCE POINTS: 9/22
RULES:
• When in combat, stop to ask whether to use any items or abilities if ENDURANCE is less than 11 or Combat Ratio is less than -4
FASCIST KILL COUNT: 2
RESURRECTIONS USED: 0

[Thaluikhain]

I vote to hurry

(I didn't vote on grabbing a weapon as that seemed important and I was unsure what was best, but it seems not to have mattered much, which makes sense for the first ever choice, I guess)

That's not a bad pic for using paint, though I'd be more interested in seeing the monsters, as I'm really vague on what they look like.

[Beroli]

Hurry.

[SGamerz]

Stop and search.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted; hurrying along the passageway without stopping wins over stopping and searching the cupboards by a 2-1 vote.

74

At the end of the passageway you pass through a series of antechambers before arriving at the entrance to the Kai Masters’ kitchens. The cooks have prepared a banquet feast for Fehmarn and the tables and work surfaces are heaped with dishes of food and jugs of wine. The kitchen’s open fires are blazing and the heat in here feels furnace-like after the frosty chill of the training park.



     You have taken barely a dozen steps into this parching cookery when there is a sudden explosion and a deluge of shattered glass cascades from the ceiling. The cooks dive for cover beneath the tables as the broken fragments of stained glass rain down in a deadly shower upon their heads. The enemy have landed upon the roof, and the Giaks are now smashing the skylights in an attempt to gain entry to the Kai Masters’ Chambers.
     You grab a silver serving tray and cover your head as you run through the shower of splintered glass, towards a heavy oak door on the far side of the kitchen. The tray saves you from serious injury, but one falling shard embeds itself in the knuckles of your left hand, causing you to yelp at the sudden pain (lose 1 ENDURANCE point).
     Hurriedly you reach the door, pull it open, and rush through into the corridor beyond. Briefly you stop to pull the shard from your hand. Then you tear a narrow strip of cloth from the hem of your Kai cloak and bandage your bleeding hand before continuing. You know this corridor well – it leads towards your dormitory. At the end there are two doors. One leads to a corridor that connects to the dormitory, and the other leads out onto the training park.
     If you wish to enter the door to your dormitory corridor, turn to 333.
     If you decide to open the door which leads out to the training park, turn to 374.

That splintered glass shard interrupted Silent Wolf’s attempts to heal himself using his Kai Discipline and puts him back to 8 ENDURANCE. Please make your votes on where to go next before 9:00 AM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

ACTION CHART
KAI DISCIPLINES:
1. Sixth Sense
2. Healing: +1 ENDURANCE point for each section without combat
3. Hunting: no need for a Meal when instructed to eat
4. Mindblast: +2 COMBAT SKILL points
5. Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast
WEAPONS:
1. Star Fire’s Sword
2.
BACKPACK:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
SPECIAL ITEMS:
BELT POUCH: 3
COMBAT SKILL: 15
ENDURANCE POINTS: 8/22
RULES:
• When in combat, stop to ask whether to use any items or abilities if ENDURANCE is less than 11 or Combat Ratio is less than -4
FASCIST KILL COUNT: 2
RESURRECTIONS USED: 0

[Beroli]

I suspect the training park is more likely to lead upward. Training park.

[SGamerz]

Check the dormitory.

The Lone Wolf books in general don't have any time counter mechanisms, and while a lot of options to stop and search/explore tend to be extra padding sections without really important material gains, we benefit from them by having extra sections for our Healing discipline to work, and those need to be made use of.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Agreed with SGamerz.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted; going to the dormitory corridor won over the training park by a 2-1 vote.

333

You pull open the door and enter the arch-roofed corridor. Five of your fellow cadets come hurrying towards you, clutching their weapons in readiness to join in the defense of the Kai Masters’ Chambers. You step aside to allow them to pass, and as they go by, you caution them about the attack now taking place above the Kai Masters’ Kitchens. They thank you for the warning and raise the hoods of their cloaks as they press on along the way you have just come.
     The arched corridor leads to a junction, where another passageway leads off towards the Kai Armory. Directly ahead of you is the open door to your dormitory.
     If you wish to enter your dormitory, turn to 192.
     If you wish to turn left and follow the passage towards the Kai Monastery, turn to 15.


(Hand-made image number two. Still practicing with Microsoft Paint, so please bear with me as I try to improve the quality for my future pictures.)

Our hero gains back 1 ENDURANCE in Healing from the non-combat section. Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST on where to go next to guarantee that they will be counted.

ACTION CHART
KAI DISCIPLINES:
1. Sixth Sense
2. Healing: +1 ENDURANCE point for each section without combat
3. Hunting: no need for a Meal when instructed to eat
4. Mindblast: +2 COMBAT SKILL points
5. Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast
WEAPONS:
1. Star Fire’s Sword
2.
BACKPACK:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
SPECIAL ITEMS:
BELT POUCH: 3
COMBAT SKILL: 15
ENDURANCE POINTS: 9/22
RULES:
• When in combat, stop to ask whether to use any items or abilities if ENDURANCE is less than 11 or Combat Ratio is less than -4
FASCIST KILL COUNT: 2
RESURRECTIONS USED: 0

[Beroli]

Go toward the armory.

[SGamerz]

Search our own dormitory first. I think the other option will still be there after that.

[Thaluikhain]

Dormitory, I guess, as we already have a weapon.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Yeah, search the dormitory.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted; Silent Wolf will enter his dormitory, as that option won by a 3-1 vote.

192

The dormitory is empty now. The Kai cadets who passed you in the corridor are the last of the initiates to take up their battle stations. You go to your bunk and pull out the small leather trunk which is stored beneath. It contains your personal possessions, which are but few in number.
     You decide not to take any of your books for they are heavy and will likely be a burden. But you do take the 10 Gold Crowns that you have saved during your time spent at the monastery, and you place them into your Belt Pouch. (Record these on your Action Chart.)
     The only other item that you have that could be useful is your Axe. You have only ever used it when playing Greel, or when called upon to chop firewood. Now it may prove useful for its original purpose: battle! (If you wish to take your Axe, mark it on your Action Chart. If you are already carrying two Weapons, you must now discard one in its favor.)



     You close your trunk and slide it back under your bunk. Then you take one last look around the dormitory for what, you suspect, could be the very last time. The noise of battle is growing steadily louder, and it prompts you to leave the dormitory and hurry along the corridor which leads to the Kai Armory.
     To continue, turn to 15.

I will assume that the Axe is taken here.

15

You are approaching a right turn in the corridor when you hear the muffled sounds of combat coming from somewhere in the middle distance. You draw your weapon and peer around the corner, cautious and fearful of what awaits you beyond.
     At the far end of the passageway, close to the armory door, you see a fellow initiate and friend of yours called Snow Falcon. The wall torches have all been extinguished and the passageway is dark, but you know without a shred of doubt that it is your friend. His white hair and snowy albino skin glow dimly in the weak rays of light that are coming through the ragged frame of this passageway’s shattered window.
     Snow Falcon is grappling with a Giak assault trooper. The bodies of two other Giaks lie nearby, slain by your brave young friend. The Giak strikes Snow Falcon a glancing blow to the head with the hilt of its sword and, as he falls backwards, you see blood flowing from his forehead and running into his eyes. Snow Falcon is suddenly blinded. He reels away, and when his back hits the armory door, the Giak snickers evilly. It raises its sword and gets ready to deliver your friend a killing blow.
     If you have an Axe, turn to 166.
     If you do not have an Axe, turn to 477.

Silent Wolf does have an Axe.

166

You tug your Axe from your belt and hurl it along the darkened corridor. Your aim is good and the weapon flies straight and true. The whirling blade embeds itself in the back of the creature’s head with a hollow thok, splitting open its iron helmet and embedding itself deep in its brain. The Giak is dead before its body falls limply across the corpses of its loathsome comrades.
     You race along the passage, anxious that your friend may be seriously wounded. Fortunately, the wound appears worse than it really is, and Snow Falcon is soon able to stem the bleeding with his own Kai Healing skill.



     “You were always the best thrower at Greel,” he says with a grin as carefully you wipe the blood from his eyes with the edge of your Kai cloak. When he is able to see once more, you reach down and tug your axe from the dead Giak’s head. Then you wipe the blade on its tunic before tucking it back into your belt.
     “It’s a good job for you that I practiced every day,” you retort.
     “Thank you my friend,” he replies, “you saved my life. I hope one day I will be able to return the favor. But now I must join the fray. The Giaks are everywhere; I fear the monastery shall be overwhelmed. Come, join me. We shall fight side by side, like true Kai.”
     You tell Snow Falcon that you have an important order to carry out for Master Star Fire, but you will seek him out once the task is done.
     “Kai be with you, Silent Wolf,” he calls out as he hurries away to join in the battle.
     “May Kai be with us all this day,” you reply. Then you give a salute and watch your brave friend until he disappears from view around the distant corner.
     With an ever-growing sense of dread, you turn back towards the armory door, push it open, and enter.
     Turn to 447.

447

Most of the weapons that are usually stored in the racks of the Kai Armory have already been taken by your brethren. Now only a few remain:

• Dagger
• Warhammer
• Spear
• Sword
• Quarterstaff
• Kai Shield (+2 COMBAT SKILL when used in combat, with any Weapon. Special Item, adorned with a red and gold Kai Sun Face)

     If you wish to take one or more of the above Weapons, do so and make the necessary adjustment to your Action Chart. You may only carry two weapons at a time.
     To continue, turn to 93.

To recap: Silent Wolf gained 4 ENDURANCE points of Healing from the non-combat sections, got 10 Gold Pieces and an Axe from his dormitory, killed a third Giak fascist by treating it with a Greel target, and is now getting decent equipment from the Kai Armory. I will assume that you want to take the Kai Shield Special Item, but do you want to switch out any of Silent Wolf’s weapons for the five available? Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

ACTION CHART
KAI DISCIPLINES:
1. Sixth Sense
2. Healing: +1 ENDURANCE point for each section without combat
3. Hunting: no need for a Meal when instructed to eat
4. Mindblast: +2 COMBAT SKILL points
5. Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast
WEAPONS:
1. Star Fire’s Sword
2. Axe
BACKPACK:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
SPECIAL ITEMS:
• Kai Shield (+2 COMBAT SKILL when used in combat)
BELT POUCH: 13 Gold Crowns
COMBAT SKILL: 15
ENDURANCE POINTS: 13/22
RULES:
• When in combat, stop to ask whether to use any items or abilities if ENDURANCE is less than 11 or Combat Ratio is less than -4
FASCIST KILL COUNT: 3
RESURRECTIONS USED: 0

[Beroli]

Take the shield. Don't switch weapons.

[Thaluikhain]

Ah, was thinking the shield counted as a weapon and we'd have to lose something, but upon re-reading that seems not to be the case.

Take shield, keep weapons we have. (If we didn't have the axe for Greel, could we have saved Snow Falcon?)

[SGamerz]

Take shield, keep existing weapons.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; Silent Wolf will keep his current weapons.

93

You leave the armory by a door which leads to the ground level of one of the monastery’s gatehouse towers. Your hope is that the barbican and its fortified gallery, which protects the main gate, are both still secure. If they are, you will be able to use the gallery to reach the second gatehouse tower. Your intention is to enter the adjoining stables from the second tower and, hopefully, gain access to the Tower of the Sun by that way. You know that there is a stone portal in the north wall of the stables. It is used by your Kai Masters, and also by Grand Master Brave Blade himself, when they are in need of a horse for their travels afar.
     A wide stone stair spirals up towards the top of the first tower. As you ascend it, the concussive boom of explosions grows steadily louder and the steps shudder alarmingly beneath your feet. When finally you reach the top of the spiral stair, you discover that the tower lookout’s chamber is filled with smoke. The lifeless body of a barbican guard lies crumpled on the stone floor, with a black-shafted arrow embedded in the top of his skull. He has fallen beside a ladder which gives access to a trapdoor in the tower roof. Through the acrid smoke, you can see a dark shape moving at the top of the ladder. The smoke stings your eyes, making it difficult to see clearly, but your senses tell you at once it is a Giak assault trooper. This deadly foe has been landed on the roof and has managed to fight its way into the tower through the narrow trapdoor. As it descends, you sense that it is not alone; it is being hurried down the ladder by several others.
     Away to your right, there is an archway which leads to the fortified gallery which spans the main gate. At the end of this suspended passageway is the door to the second tower.
     If you wish to kick the base of the ladder and make it topple over, turn to 409.
     If you choose not to kick the ladder, you can escape from the smoke and the approaching Giaks by quickly entering the fortified gallery. Turn to 45.



The non-combat section gave our hero another ENDURANCE point. Please make your votes whether to play Humpty Dumpty with the fascists or run from them before 9:00 AM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

ACTION CHART
KAI DISCIPLINES:
1. Sixth Sense
2. Healing: +1 ENDURANCE point for each section without combat
3. Hunting: no need for a Meal when instructed to eat
4. Mindblast: +2 COMBAT SKILL points
5. Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast
WEAPONS:
1. Star Fire’s Sword
2. Axe
BACKPACK:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
SPECIAL ITEMS:
• Kai Shield (+2 COMBAT SKILL when used in combat)
BELT POUCH: 13 Gold Crowns
COMBAT SKILL: 15
ENDURANCE POINTS: 14/22
RULES:
• When in combat, stop to ask whether to use any items or abilities if ENDURANCE is less than 11 or Combat Ratio is less than -4
FASCIST KILL COUNT: 3
RESURRECTIONS USED: 0

[Beroli]

Topple the ladder.