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The creepers coil around your limbs and neck in an attempt to crush the life from your body, but you resist this attack just long enough to raise your weapon and strike back. Your first blow tears away a great swath of the writhing vines and, unexpectedly, you see a fountain of ichor erupt from every severed end. Then the realization hits you that you are fighting a creature--not a plant!

From somewhere above the canopy of branches you hear an unearthly roar of pain. Once more the remaining tendrils seek you out; this time they are no longer soft and fibrous, but stiff and studded with barbed thorns. The swirling mass strikes out for your throat. Desperately you hack at them with devastating effect, yet one of the limbs avoids your blows and wraps itself tightly about your neck. Pain fills your head and chest as its razor-sharp thorns bite deeply into your flesh and release a powerful acid.

Stragnah: COMBAT SKILL 36 ENDURANCE 39

Due to the surprise of its attack, reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 3 points for the first two rounds of this combat. This creature is immune to all psychic attacks.

If you win this combat, turn to 327.

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