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You sidestep to avoid its slashing beak but are caught by its talons and suffer a deep wound to your back. Lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

Itikar are wild and malicious creatures, and it can take many years for a rider to tame and train one. However, it is well worth the effort as, once trained, they become fiercely loyal to their master. The Itikar has sensed that you are a stranger and is ferociously attacking you with its long, curved beak and talons.

Itikar: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 30

Fight the combat as usual, but double all ENDURANCE points lost by the bird. When its score falls to zero, you will have succeeded in subduing it enough to be able to climb into the saddle and take control. All ENDURANCE points that you lose are from ordinary wounds and must be deducted from your current ENDURANCE points total.

If you successfully reduce the Itikar's ENDURANCE points to zero, turn to 217.

Text copyright © 1985 Joe Dever.
Illustrations copyright © 1985 Gary Chalk.