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You brace yourself for combat but the man in the shadows quickly sheathes his sword and steps out of the darkness. It is Samu, the ebony giant you saved from the mind grip of the slavemaster. He strides towards you, hand outstretched in a gesture of greeting. 'You are leaving Karnali?' he asks.

'I must,' you say, solemnly. 'I must reach Desolation Valley beyond the Mountains of Morn before the turning of the next full moon.'

Samu raises his eyebrows in surprise. 'You are going into the dead lands?' he asks. 'None has ever returned from there: you will perish for sure.'

'I have to try, or die in the attempt. There's too much at stake.' You briefly describe the nature of your quest and its ultimate goal: to throw down the Wytch-king and all his works.

Samu is silent for a while, deep in thought. Once, he was a proud king, the ruler of a nomadic people called the Masbaté, a warrior nation that dwelt upon the rolling savannah of the Great Lissan Plain. Of his brave people, only he remains, the sole survivor of the depredations of the Wytch-king of Shadaki; riven of his family, his nation and of hope by the cruelty of an inhuman tyrant. With smouldering eyes that hint at his bitter loss, he looks down on you. 'I will come with you, I think,' he says. 'You will have need of my strength to partner your bravery.'

You thread your way among the dark, deserted streets of Karnali and leave by the west gate. With a man such as this by your side, how can you fail?

Turn to 50.

Concept copyright © 1985 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.
Text copyright © 1985 Ian Page.