(Okay now that’s just annoying. First time you lose for getting all kill-y on a bad guy. Now all forgivey on another? Dumb)
ou are wise not to trust Cadak’s repentant plea for forgiveness: it is a trick. Sensing that you have seen through the charade, his spirit-entity becomes enraged. It howls a curse and the ring instantly transforms into a huge scaly worm. This creature has no eyes, but it does possess a large mouth packed with razor-sharp fangs which it snaps repeatedly, like an angry dog. You draw and raise your weapon and, in the space of a heartbeat, you deal the worm a mighty blow which splits it open from mouth to tail. Cadak’s spirit emits a hideous scream, as if the destruction of the worm has wounded him deeply. Rapidly his spirit-form fades until all that is left is an echo of his plaintive cry of pain and frustration.
Invigorated by your victory, you turn your attention now to the huge carcass that dominates this hall. You are determined to find a way out of this stinking chamber and you feel sure the answer lies somewhere here. You are advancing towards these huge rotting remains when a new and sinister threat to your life suddenly materializes.
seated on the two throne-like chairs perched upon the back of the rotting carcass appear the ghastly forms of the Künae, the Lords of Decay. They are a hideous sight, and your stomach churns with revulsion as you struggle to comprehend their abominable manifestation. Their torsos resemble two mounds of glistening black jelly, studded with polyps and ulcers and sores that exude a noxious grey slime. They have flat heads that are oval-shaped and shell-like, with puckered mouths and indented eye-slits that radiate an evil yellow light. From their rubbery sides protrude two snaky limbs ending in three-fingered hands coloured a sickly, leprous green-grey. And fixed upon the first fingers of their right hands you see rings of gleaming gold that are exquisitely crafted and embellished with intricate patterns. These rings are exceptionally beautiful and seem glaringly out of place upon the fingers of these grotesque beings.
As you stare at the rings you recall the text of the Tome of Darkness and its instruction that if you are to leave this rotting domain, you must first obtain a ring from the Künae. Your Kai Sixth Sense confirms that these are the rings, and the tunnel-like opening in the body of the carcass is the exit from this realm of putrefaction. Your senses also reveal that the Künae are communicating with each other telepathically. Their eyes glow with increasing intensity and you fear that they are getting ready to launch a magical assault against you.
(I have both Assilimance and the high rank)
You draw upon your improved Discipline to create an illusory double of yourself which appears standing a few yards away to your right. You sense that this unexpected apparition causes a wave of anxiety in the mental communication passing between the Künae. The creature seated upon the left throne becomes agitated and begins to flail the foul air with its snaky limbs. Then it utters a sinister command to its partner and you hear the words echo in your mind: Slay him, Jantoor!
The creature seated upon the right throne responds immediately. It raises its right limb and a gout of fire shoots from the palm of its leprous hand.
The column of fire speeds across the hall and roars through the body of your double before impacting harmlessly against the surface of the closed portal. Aware now that the Lord of Decay seated on the right-hand throne is Jantoor, you shout his secret name and immediately the creature becomes immobile. The sight of his frozen form—and the sudden cessation of mind contact—throws his brother-lord into a state of panic and confusion. In a blind rage he utters a curse and, to your horror, you see the maggot swarm emerge from the shadowy recesses of the hall. As the larvae writhe towards you they begin to swell grotesquely in size.
If you are to save yourself from this monstrous horde you must quickly use the secret name of the remaining Künae. But there is no time to consult the Tome of Darkness: you must try to recall the name from memory.
(Rhunadan)
You shout the name ‘Rhunadan’ and the remaining Künae immediately ceases to move. All trace of its psychic energy vanishes and its flailing limbs become frozen in mid-air, lending it the semblance of a petrified tree. The advancing horde of maggots rapidly shrink to their former size and retreat before you, seeking the safety of the hall’s furthest corners.
The power which drove them and caused them to mutate has suddenly disappeared and they are thrown into chaos. You stride towards the carcass and swallow hard as you step through the ancient rotting remains that ooze from its rib cage. You raise your weapon and, with one swift blow, you sever the fingers of the Künae’s right hand and quickly retrieve the gold ring.
Suddenly, a squeal of hinges draws your attention to the great portal on the far side of the hall. It swings open to reveal an angry horde of corpse-creatures who stagger into the chamber and come surging towards the carcass. They are the Dregants, a decomposing army of humanoids enslaved to the Künae. They have sensed their rulers’ plight and have flooded here in their hundreds to protect them. Desperate to escape from this ghoulish host, you turn and leap feet-first into the cave-like hole that occupies the belly of the carcass.
Upon entering the tunnel, the ground disappears beneath your feet and you begin to fall through darkness towards a pale speck of greyish light far below. You are gripped instantly by the fear that you have unwittingly stepped into a deep pit, yet your descent is uncannily smooth and controlled. It is as if you are being lowered by an invisible cable down a dark, interminable mineshaft.
As you slowly descend, your fear subsides and you take the opportunity to look at the ring which you cut from the hand of the Künae. It radiates its own dim light by which you can see a runic inscription carved on the inside of the band. Record this Künae Ring on your Action Chart as a Special Item, which you keep in your pocket. The runic number on its band is 20. Make a note of this number in the margin of your Action Chart for future reference.