### 171

You speak the name aloud but to no effect. For a moment there is an uneasy silence; then the rubbery mouth of Nza’pok emits a hideous, bubbling laugh. He is mocking your futile attempt to save yourself by calling upon the powers which bind him in fealty to the Dark God. As his foul form wobbles with undisguised mirth, you quickly unshoulder your Backpack and tear open the flap to retrieve the Tome of Darkness. Nza’pok ceases to laugh when he glimpses its jet-black cover for he is aware of its origins and the powerful secrets it contains.

With a terse growl, he gives the signal to his minions and they hurl their spears into the pit with chilling accuracy. You are struck by more than a dozen of these deadly lances. Mercifully, unlike most who have fallen foul of Nza’pok, your death is swift and painless.

Sadly, your life and your quest for the Moonstone end here.