### 30

Golden fire erupts along the blade of the sun-sword as you raise it above your head. The Helghast shrieks and steps back, its eyes glowing red with fear and loathing. It recognizes the power you wield, a power that is the bane of its Darklord masters, a power that can bring about their total destruction.

Gnaag Helghast: COMBAT SKILL 34 ENDURANCE 48

This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge). Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen you must reduce your COMBAT SKILL7 by 2 points at the beginning of every round you fight this creature. If you have completed the Lore-circle of the Spirit, you may increase your COMBAT SKILL by 2 points for the duration of this combat. (Remember to double all ENDURANCE point losses sustained by the enemy due to the power of the Sommerswerd.)

If you win the combat, turn to 268.

[7] It seems peculiar that you are instructed to reduce COMBAT SKILL at the beginning of every round if you do not have Psi-screen. This loss would be cumulative so that during the first round you fight with 2 fewer COMBAT SKILL points, the second round with 4 fewer points, the third with 6 fewer, etc. This loss is certainly intended to be for the duration of this Combat only--not permanently--since Joe Dever always makes special note of instances where you permanently lose COMBAT SKILL. It is possible that this penalty is an error, and that you are meant to lose 2 ENDURANCE points rather than COMBAT SKILL points at the beginning of every round.

Text copyright © 1987 Joe Dever.
Illustrations copyright © 1987 Gary Chalk.