The Deathlord of Ixia

The Deathlord of Ixia was the seventeenth book of the Lone Wolf book series, written by Joe Dever and now illustrated by Brian Williams.

Gameplay

Lone Wolf books rely on a combination of thought and luck. Certain statistics such as combat skill and endurance attributes are determined randomly before play. The player is then allowed to choose Grandmaster Kay disciplines and a selection of Dessi and Crystal Star magics. This number depends directly on how many books in the series have been completed ("Grandmaster rank"). With each additional book completed, the player chooses one additional discipline. The Grandmaster series is different from any in the previous series of books because it gives Lone Wolf spells to use which grow more numerous as his Grandmaster Rank increases.

Plot

The Deathstaff, created by the Dark God Naar, was sent through a shadowgate to parts unknown, preventing the ghost of Darklord Vashna and his army from returning to life and destroying Sommerlund. This being done, Lone Wolf returned to the Kai Monastery, where he was soon visited by his friend, the Old Kingdom magician Lord Rimoah. He was there told about the Deathlord of Ixia, who in the Age of Eternal Night was a lieutenant to Agarash the Damned. In the wake of Agarash's fall, the Old Kingdom magicians sealed him in a magical prison in Ixia, and so feared was his revival that even the Darklords, having conquered the area surrounding Ixia, did not enter in for fear of awakening him, and being subordinated to him. Somehow, the Deathstaff was transported to Ixia, and its power was used by the Deathlords followers to break him free of his prison, and he is now preparing an undead invasion fleet to take over the world, with an army that gets bigger with every battle it fights.

Lone Wolf ventures from the human country of Lencia with a ship full of sailors to get him there safely, but on the way they are attacked by the growing skeleton army of Ixia, and all are killed and turned into skeletons. Lone Wolf ends up venturing alone into the frozen and desolate city of Xaagon, the regions capitol. There he finds it bustling with activity as they prepare there invasion of the whole of the world, and Lone Wolf slowly makes his way to the Deathlords chamber. Along the way, you encounter the demonlord who you have fought on previous occasions and in final combat destroy. Following this, you are transported to the Deathlords Chambers, and fight him to the death. Following the Deathlords defeat, Lone Wolf scrambles to escape the city, as the ravages of time that have been held off for thousands of years all at once descend upon the city. Looking back from a distance, you see the city in ruins, and for the first time in 10,000 years, the sun breaks through the clouds over the land of Ixia.

Reception

This game is notable for the very elaborate plot and the extremely difficult combat skill of the Deathlord, making him one of the hardest of all opponents in the entire gameseries.

External links

• Gamebooks - Lone Wolf
• Gamebooks - The Deathlord of Ixia
• Project Aon - Online editions of Lone Wolf books
• Book Review