338

Several hours pass before the blizzard dies down sufficiently for you to be able to leave your hollow and continue your lonely trek towards Xaagon. You scale the mountain of snowy debris brought down by the avalanche and reach the end of the pass where, for the first time, you get a clear view of the Deathlord’s dread city. Once, millennia ago, this city had been the home of a brilliant civilization; today the stately crystal palaces and temples of Xaagon are occupied by the evil dead.

Onward you trek, through knee-deep snow and jagged ice, towards the towering walls of Xaagon. The city is dominated by a spire of crystal which stabs the stormy sky, drawing lightning from the black clouds which swirl around its tip. From this needle-sharp point there radiates a crimson glow which sweeps the surrounding landscape. It is like a hellish lighthouse, casting its baleful crimson beams across a landscape that has frozen to death.

Gradually, as you come within the shadows of Xaagon’s outer wall, you see two places where you could gain entry to the city beyond. The first is through a breach in the south wall, near to the coast; the second is through the city’s shattered west gate. Neither entrance appears to be guarded.

If you wish to enter Xaagon by the breach in the south wall, turn to 165.

If you choose to enter by the west gate, turn to 266.