### 188

You approach the hut and crouch down beside its mud wall, close to its open door. Your senses detect no glyphs or other traps here, and there are no residues of magical energy that might betray the presence of illusions or shielding spells. However, your Kai senses do detect a strong aura of Evil lingering at the rear of the hut, close to the water’s edge.

You move around to the rear of this hovel and discover that the bank is deeply undercut where the soft earth has been eroded by the fast-flowing stream. Standing in a line in the shadow of the undercut are a dozen wooden cages, each containing a fleshless skeleton. A shiver runs down your spine as your Magnakai Discipline of Divination detects the lingering agonies of these luckless victims. They suffered cruelly at the hands of the natives of this settlement before death finally ended their torment. The shock of your discovery is unnerving: lose 1 ENDURANCE point.

You leave the stream and return to the front of the hut. Inside the open doorway you discover several fruits stacked in mounds on a mat of woven rushes. Somewhat to your surprise, your senses reveal that they are nutritious and safe to eat. (There are sufficient fruits here for 3 Meals.)

Wary of further delay, you approach the trench at the centre of the hut and descend a flight of steps that lead down to an underground tunnel. You can detect no traps, yet you have gone only a few yards along this narrow passageway when you hear the terrifying roar of a large cat. With an abruptness that takes your breath away, a huge tiger-like beast comes bounding from out of the darkness ahead. So sudden and unexpected is this creature’s attack, that you only just have time in which to unsheathe a hand weapon as it hurls itself upon you.

Rahjaz: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE 41

This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.

If you win this combat, turn to 249.