The Buccaneers of Shadaki

by Joe Dever

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Disciplines of Grand Huntmastery and Grand Nexus, add 3 to the number you have picked.

  If your total score is now 5 or less, turn to 241.

  If it is 6 or higher, turn to 135.

  41

  The bolt hits you and slams you to the ground, yet the protection afforded by your Grand Mastery absorbs much of its deadly power: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.

  Stunned and shaken, you struggle to your feet and shake your head in an effort to clear your blurred vision. Images swirl before your eyes, weaving and coalescing to create a fearful sight. The flickering night-creature has fixed itself to the neck of your horse, like some nightmarish vampire. Tethered by his reins, your mount is unable to escape from the leech-like maw of this supernatural creature.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 19.

  If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 122.

  If you possess Kai-surge and wish to use it, turn to 169.

  If you possess none of these skills, or if you choose not to use any of them, turn to 349.

  42

  The barman is reluctant to talk. You suspect the reason for this is because you have not had the courtesy to purchase some of his food and ale. When you repeat your question he replies curtly:

  ‘Lord Zinair of Dessi, you say. Yeah, I think I've heard of him. Lives in the North Quarter some place. Don't know exactly. You'd be best asking the City Guards. They'll be sure to sort you right.’

  You thank the man for his advice and then you leave the tavern and continue along the avenue. At length you arrive at a busy market square. On the far side of this square you see a City Guard patrol who are policing the market.

  Remembering the barman's advice, you decide to approach them and ask for their assistance. You are confident that they will know where Lord Zinair can be found.

  Turn to 172.

  43

  As he stalks closer, Sesketera suddenly realises that you are not a native Shadakine. Your fair skin and your Kai tunic reveal to him that you are from the Northern continent of Magnamund.

  ‘By the ghost of Agarash,’ he hisses, through his gritted teeth, ‘you're an infidel. You defile the House of Sesketera with your presence here. By the gods, I'll make you pay for this insult with your life!’

  Sesketera lifts the spear in his right hand and spins it by the haft. It is an impressive display of control which leaves you in no doubt that he is a formidable fighter.

  ‘Vengeance will be mine!’ he screams.

  Illustration III—‘Vengeance will be mine!’ screams Sesketera.

  If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 274.

  If you do not possess a Bow, or if you choose not to use it, turn to 245.

  44

  Before you reach the top of the pit wall, the villagers close in and finish you off with arrows.

  Sadly, your life and your quest end here.

  45

  As the last gaoler drops his club and falls lifelessly to the grimy floor, you stagger back against the wall and gasp for air. When you have recovered from the exertion of this deadly unarmed combat, you immediately set about dragging the bodies away into the corners of the cell, beyond the field of vision of anyone who should look through the peep hole in the door.

  While you are going about this grisly task, you notice an Iron Key hanging from a gaoler's belt. (Mark this on your Action Chart as a Special Item. You need not discard another item in its favour if you are already carrying the maximum number of Special Items.) You leave the cell and lock the door using the bolt, and then you hurry along the corridor to the guardroom to retrieve your confiscated equipment (you may now erase the asterisks from your Action Chart).

  As you are sheathing your Kai Weapon into your belt, you hear the sound of footsteps descending a flight of stone steps at the far end of the corridor. More gaolers are approaching; they have been drawn to investigate this lower level by the dying cries of their brother guards.

  Desperately you scan the walls of the guardroom for some means of escape and suddenly you see that there is one other exit from this room — a heavy oak door which is banded with strips of black iron. You rush to this door and twist its handle to discover it is locked. With the sound of the approaching footsteps growing ever louder in your ears, you take the Iron Key from your pocket and offer up a prayer to Ishir that it will open this door.

  Turn to 125.

  46

  Your advanced Kai healing skills rapidly overcome the powerful toxins contained in the poison, yet this internal battle leaves you feeling weakened: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  You stare defiantly at the man in the tree and his eyes widen with shock when he sees that you are still alive and standing.

  If you possess a Bow and wish to use it to return fire at the sniper in the tree, turn to 343.

  If you do not possess a Bow, or if you choose not to use it, turn to 255.

  47

  You utter the words of the Old Kingdom Spell Invisible Fist and project your hand at the creature's head. The force of your spell makes the beast stumble, but it quickly recovers its footing.

  Angered by the pain you have dealt it, the creature turns its ghastly stare on you and hisses vehemently. Quickly you reach to your Kai Weapon in readiness to defend yourself from its attack. Yet it does not attack you; it continues to stalk its chosen target. Gemulkin frees himself from the wheel, but before he can get away, the beast is upon him like a hungry lion. It grabs him by the throat and lifts him off the deck. You race across the slippery decking and raise your weapon to strike the creature in the side. Callously the beast hurls Gemulkin into the sea and then spins around to face you. Your first blow opens a wound in its chest, making it shriek loudly. But it recovers and it lashes out at you to connect with your shoulder. The force of the blow knocks you sideways and sends you sliding across the slick deck to fall headlong through an open cargo hatch.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 307.

  If it is 5–9, turn to 266.

  48

  You direct your Kai powers at the river in an attempt to divert its current and send the drowning man towards the safety of the bank. However, the current proves too strong to be altered using your Discipline of Elementalism alone, and you are physically and mentally weakened by the exertion of your attempt: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  Having discovered that you cannot help the drowning man using your Grand Mastery alone, you are forced to resort to more direct and conventional methods. As he goes under for the last time, you dive into the muddy water and swim across the surging current. Guided by your Sixth Sense, you locate his body and then pull him to the surface. You fight to maintain your grip as the powerful current sweeps you downstream, and you are propelled along for more than a mile before it finally deposits you on the opposite bank. As you drag the man from the water, you notice a group of huts in the distance. You are about to haul the unconscious man over your shoulder and set off towards them, when suddenly you detect that he has no pulse. Using your Magnakai Discipline of Curing you are able to restart his heart and empty the water from his lungs, yet you are unable to restore him to full consciousness. The sudden sound of voices makes you look towards the huts where you see a group of natives pointing excitedly in your direction. They are all wearing jerkins and loincloths made from animal hide, clothing that is identical to that worn by the man you have saved from the river. You call to them and wave your arms to attract their attention and they quickly respond. You are expecting them to be pleased that you have saved one of their kinfolk, but as they come closer you are shocked by their unexpected response.

  Turn to 20.

  49

  You leave the Tower of Truth and pass along a wide stone ramp that gently descends to the great canal that encircles the city of Elzian. Few of the city's Vakeros natives are abroad at this early hour and
the streets and avenues are empty and quiet. A warm mist wreathes the barges and ships that are moored along the canal bank and, in the pre-dawn twilight, these vessels take on a ghostly appearance.

  By the time you find The Azan, the sun has broken through the mist and the city is beginning to stir. Captain Jenkshi and the crew of the Suhnese trader are busily preparing their ship to sail, yet they immediately stop their work to welcome you and Lord Rimoah aboard. Jenkshi is a lean, yellow-skinned man with wide almond eyes and a small blunt nose. His slick black hair is tied in a knot atop his head in the Suhnese style, a fashion that is also favoured by all his crewmen. He orders one of his men to show you to your cabin at the prow, but before you go you bid Lord Rimoah farewell and thank him for all that he and the Elder Magi have done to aid your quest.

  By the time The Azan is ready to sail, the mist has vanished. Having inspected your cabin you return to the foredeck where you settle yourself in the sun and enjoy the ever-changing views of the lush farmlands and Vakeros settlements which border upon the canal. For 90 miles this waterway cuts a wide furrow through the southern jungle of Dessi. To the east the horizon is dominated by a solitary mountain, and you marvel at its snowy peak which is the steepest you have ever seen.

  ‘That's Kas-kalahmout,’ says one of the friendly Suhnese crewmen. ‘In your language, I think it has the meaning: Chair of the Heavens.’

  By midday you come to the estuary of the canal and The Azan heads out into the open waters of the Gulf of Tentarium. Captain Jenkshi joins you on deck and offers to share some of his food. While you eat you learn from him that the voyage will take little more than three weeks to complete, including visits to ports of call along the way. You ask him about the notorious Shadakine pirates who plague these waters and he answers you with a shrug of his muscular shoulders.

  ‘Relax and enjoy the journey as best you can, my friend,’ he says, jovially, as he finishes his food and wipes his mouth on his silken shirt sleeve. ‘You're in safe hands. I and my crew have sailed these waters all our lives and we've yet to meet a buccaneer we can't outwit or outrun. Breathe easy. You've nothing to fear from those mangy curs.’

  Turn to 277.

  50

  The moment you strike the killing blow, the creature's body transforms into a hissing mass of fiery green sparks. Rapidly these sparks dissolve leaving no trace, except for a lingering odour of decay. Your Kai senses detect that the creature was a magical creation, an evil summonation sent here to find the Moonstone. You are pondering who could be responsible for the creature's creation and presence here when suddenly your thoughts are forced to turn to more immediate matters. The hull of the Vargas is starting to crack under the relentless pounding of the waves. The hold is rapidly filling with water and you must act swiftly to escape from here before it becomes your watery tomb.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy, turn to 127.

  If you do not, turn to 248.

  51

  As you draw closer to the sound, you detect that it is a strange vocal chant, a low ululation that sends shivers coursing down your back. You feel that you are very close to the source when suddenly, through the trees ahead, you see a clearing where a large crowd of tribal natives are gathered.

  From the cover of the bordering undergrowth you watch a crow-faced man in tattered black robes standing at the centre of this crowd. He is uttering the chilling chant. Before him, on a stone altar, there lies the decaying remains of a body encased in rotting swathings. Your Kai senses reveal to you that the robed man is a Kitaezi Shaman, an evil necromancer who has enslaved these natives with his power. You sense also that it is the same power that was used to create the creature that attacked and slew your horse last night.

  Suddenly the terrible sound of the chant ceases and the Shaman shrieks with rage. He points to where you are hiding and your heart sinks. He has detected your presence. He pounds the altar with his fist and to your horror, you see the decaying remains begin to shift and stir into life. The Shaman intones a dark spell and the grisly corpse leaves the altar and comes stalking towards you, its fleshless arms outstretched. Waves of psychic energy buffet your mind. They paralyse you and keep you from escaping. You summon your psychic Kai defences and break this powerful spell, yet it is now too late to turn and run from the Shaman's horror — it is almost upon you. Instinctively you reach to your satchel for you sense that the Moonstone is all that can save you from this creature's ghastly embrace. You pull open the flap to reveal the magical stone and the effect is devastating.

  Illustration IV—A crow-faced man in tattered black robes utters a chilling chant.

  Turn to 167.

  52

  You call the Suhnese together and try to rally them to fight the city watch, but they are unarmed and they have little or no battle training. Quickly it becomes clear to you that if you force them to resist the city watch, you will be condemning them to needless injury or death. Wary of this, you attempt to lure the Shadakine soldiers away into one of the houses. Unfortunately, your brave effort is short-lived. The City Guard see you, pursue you, and quickly overpower you by their sheer weight of numbers: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  Once you have been effectively subdued, the city watch round up the Suhnese and guard you all at spear-point until two horse-drawn wagons arrive to take you away to the city gaol. As you are herded aboard these foul-smelling carriages, your Weapons, Kai Weapon, and Backpack Items are confiscated and dumped into a wooden crate beside the driver's seat. (On your Action Chart mark each of these items with an asterisk [*] to indicate that they are no longer in your possession, but do not erase them at this time. Any Special Items you possess are allowed to remain with you.)

  At the officer's command the wagons move off at a speedy pace. After a few bruising minutes your wagon emerges from the gloomy streets and ascends a smooth ramp which passes through the daunting gate of Ghol-Tabras gaol. Above this gate flutters a flag which depicts a black serpent entwined around the blade of a silver scimitar. It is the personal emblem of Sesketera, the ruler of this city, a man not known either for his kindness or for his mercy.

  Turn to 265.

  53

  On reaching the far side of the square, you see a narrow street flanked on either side by slums and hovels. You reason it unlikely that you would find Lord Zinair living in such a poor district, and so you stop for a few moments to consider where best to look for him. You decide that you should find someone who knows the city well, someone who is sure to have heard of the Dessian ambassador. Looking around the square you can see only two likely sources of this information: a Soothsayer's Shop, and a City Guard patrol.

  If you wish to enquire at the Soothsayer's Shop, turn to 71.

  If you wish to ask the City Guards, turn to 172.

  54

  While the longboat continues its futile search, you repair your broken satchel strap and then check the condition of your Backpack and Weapons. Whilst doing this you discover that you lost one Backpack Item and one Weapon during your underwater battle.

  Erase from your Action Chart the first item which you have recorded on your list of Backpack Items, and any Weapon of your choice.

  To continue, turn to 171.

  55

  Fear gnaws at your insides as you hear the villagers approaching through the long grass. The pit is deep, yet its walls are threaded with tree roots that make for easy climbing. Quickly you take hold of them and attempt to pull yourself out of this trap before your pursuers arrive.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you possess a Rope, add 2. If your current ENDURANCE score is 10 or lower, deduct 1.

  If your total score is 5 or lower, turn to 44.

  If it is 6 or higher, turn to 246.

  56

  You swallow your pride and politely you ask the captain to release the crewman. Your request is met by a torrent of shouts and coarse laughter from the drunken Eldenorans, yet the captain does as y
ou ask; he releases his grip and lets the gasping crewman drop in a heap to the taproom floor. You motion to the others that the time has come to leave. Without a word they abandon their tables and move towards the door, pausing only to pick up their injured comrade as they go. With the threats and crude curses of the Eldenorans ringing in your ears, you walk away from the Three Capstans Inn and return to the harbour. The crew feel angry and frustrated by what has happened, yet they also know that your cool-headed intervention probably saved them from far worse treatment at the hands of the brutish Eldenorans, and for that they are grateful.

  Turn to 268.

  57

  The youth takes a list from his apron pocket and reels off the prices of the items as you point to them on the shelves:

  Hammer 1 Noble

  Rope 2 Nobles

  Silver Mirror 2 Nobles

  Blanket 1 Noble

  Steel Flask 1 Noble

  Pewter Goblet 1 Noble

  All items must be paid for in Nobles (Gold Crowns are not accepted here). If you wish to purchase any of the above, do so and adjust your Action Chart accordingly.