### 243

You have climbed little more than halfway up the shaft when a snickering growl echoes from below. Awoken by falling clods of earth and dust, the gigantic dog-like creature now stands erect with its head tilted back and its fiery red eyes fixed on you. It gives a hungry roar and, with terrifying agility, it leaps from the pit and starts to claw its way up the shaft after you. Hurriedly you press on in the hope of reaching the entrance before this creature reaches you.

You are less than ten feet from the top when the creature slashes at your legs with its razor-sharp claws. A searing pain shoots through your calves, making you cry out with shocked surprise: lose 4 ENDURANCE points. Quickly you draw up your injured legs before it can strike again, and you glimpse the beast's huge fang-filled Jaw. It snaps at your feet ravenously, spraying them with its foul saliva, and at once you know that you cannot hope to out-climb this horror. If you are to escape from the shaft in one piece, you must fight this creature to the death.

Pit Agarashi: COMBAT SKILL 34 ENDURANCE 38

Owing to your precarious position you must reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 6 points for the duration of this fight. If the weapon you are using is a Broadsword, a Spear, or a Quarterstaff, reduce your COMBAT SKILL by a further 3 points. This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge; only Kai-surge can harm it psychically.

If you win the combat, turn to 24.

Text copyright © 1990 Joe Dever.
Illustrations copyright © 1990 Brian Williams.