The Buccaneers of Shadaki

by Joe Dever

  156

  As you enter you are greeted by the shop's owner. He is a bony man, with a streaked grey beard and moustache which he habitually tugs as he speaks. His skin is pale and wrinkled, and he appears to be older than his years.

  Among the items that he has on display are the following which catch your eye:

  Sword — 2 Nobles

  Whip — 2 Nobles

  Axe — 2 Nobles

  Bow — 3 Nobles

  6 Arrows — 2 Nobles

  Spyglass — 3 Nobles

  Quill Pen — 1 Noble

  Pot of Ink — 2 Nobles

  The owner asks if you have anything you wish to sell. He says that he is particularly interested in Kitaezi artefacts and he will pay the following prices for these items:

  Pouch of Seota Dust 10 Nobles

  Talisman of Defiance 15 Nobles

  Eye of Lhaz 20 Nobles

  (If you wish to purchase or sell any of the above items, make the appropriate adjustments to your Action Chart.)

  If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Deliverance, turn to 141.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 58.

  157

  You and your companions hurry through the flagstoned streets, retracing your route back to the harbour in the hope of reaching The Azan before night closes in completely. You are within a few hundred yards of the harbour entrance when suddenly a patrol of the city watch come marching around a corner with their spears couched on their chainmailed shoulders. Their officer commands you all to halt and demands that you raise your hands above your heads.

  If you wish to do as the officer has ordered, turn to 228.

  If you decide to make a dash for the harbour, turn to 330.

  158

  The globes dance around your boat and their chilling laughter echoes through the mist. Suddenly the Moonstone and the satchel disappear, and an icy coldness invades your heart when you sense that you have now fallen into the thrall of these supernatural beings. Tragically, you are doomed to spend the rest of eternity a prisoner of this timeless void.

  Your life and your quest end here in the Sea of Mists.

  159

  Your Kai senses reveal that this man is not trying to help you at all. He is a charlatan, a sly and gifted liar who is trying to lure you into a trap.

  Rather than follow him away from the quay, you tell him that you have changed your mind and that you no longer wish to find Captain Radyard. The man curses you under his breath and then he hurries off into an adjoining alleyway. You watch him disappear before you walk across the market square and enquire after Radyard at the Masama Warehouse.

  Turn to 97.

  160

  As you stagger to your feet from beneath the debris, you look along the main deck and see that brave Captain Jenkshi has taken over the helm. With grim determination he steers his battered ship relentlessly towards the channel. You see him cursing the enemy captain and shaking his fist defiantly at the villainous Shadakine gunners as their cannonballs whistle across the decks of The Azan; then a gust of wind fills the torn mainsail and the ship begins to pull away from the lumbering man o'war. A second broadside falls wide of its mark, and Jenkshi's bold plan finally pays off when the enemy ship is forced to veer away for fear of beaching her hull in the shallows. The crew cheer loudly when they see her red sails falling away to the stern and The Azan is left alone to make a swift passage through the islet channel. You make your way along the debris-strewn deck to congratulate Jenkshi on his masterful display of seamanship. He accepts your praise and the cheers of his crew with a rueful smile, even though his skill and his coolness under enemy fire have undoubtedly saved the ship and the lives of all aboard. However, as the ship emerges on the far side of the islets, you soon discover that more than just Jenkshi's bravery will be needed if everyone aboard The Azan is to live to tell the tale of their deadly encounter with the buccaneers of Shadaki.

  Turn to 262.

  161

  A tingle rushes down your arm and a bolt of blue-white energy leaps from your hand to strike the chain. Unfortunately it glances off the hardened iron links, leaving them scorched but not severed.

  Turn to 73.

  162

  You see the deck of the trading ship come rushing towards you, and then, in the very next instant, your vision is obliterated by a vivid white flash and you are plunged into a dark and fathomless void. You have been struck in the head by an arrow and your death is mercifully swift.

  Tragically, your life and your quest end here beneath the harbour bridge of Ghol-Tabras.

  163

  The officer becomes angry when you quietly refuse to show him what is in your satchel. He bangs his desk with his fist and threatens that he will order his guards to confiscate it by force unless you begin to cooperate with him.

  If you wish to offer him a bribe in return for your release, turn to 316.

  If you do not wish to offer him a bribe, turn to 136.

  164

  You apologize to your companions and ask them to wait for you outside the tavern. Meekly they agree, and as they file out of the door, you assure them that you will not keep them waiting too long. You then sit opposite the bearded man and soon discover that he is a merchant captain from Lunarlia. He is interested in buying copper but he will only offer you 4 Nobles for an ingot. It is a poor price and you tell him that you will have to speak with Captain Jenkshi before you can agree to his bid.

  As you rise from your seat he tells you to wait a moment. Copper is not the only thing that he buys. He offers to pay you 8 Nobles for any Special Item you possess (excluding the Moonstone which is not for sale), 2 Nobles for any Weapon, and 1 Noble for any Backpack Item. If you wish to raise some money for yourself by selling items of equipment to this man, do so now and adjust your Action Chart accordingly.

  You bid the merchant goodnight and he acknowledges the pleasantry with a snake-like blink of his eyes. As you go he calls out to remind you that he can be found here in the morning should Jenkshi decide to sell his copper ingots for 4 Nobles each.

  Turn to 5.

  165

  You brace yourself against the gunwale and draw an Arrow to your Bow. Taking careful aim, you let it fly towards the creature's head. The beast senses its approach and lashes out at the onrushing missile with its clawed hand in an attempt to slap it away. The Arrow's steel tip skewers its hand and the beast shrieks with pain as green ichor drips freely from the wound. Then, to your shocked surprise, it bites the shaft in two and spits the pieces back at you.

  Turn to 219.

  166

  Moments after you break the surface and gulp a lungful of air, the creature surges past you and snags your cloak in its deadly jaws. To the raucous delight of Sesketera's crewmen, you are dragged around the hull of their ship at tremendous speed before finally the creature dives below the surface and pulls you down in its wake. Desperate to escape from its terrible grip, you stab at its back and sides with your Kai Weapon.

  Nigumu-sa: COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 50

  This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack. If the Kai Weapon you wield is ‘Ulnarias’ or ‘Spawnsmite’, you will benefit from the bonus gained due to its unique properties.

  If you win the combat, turn to 260.

  167

  The corpse-creature implodes the very instant that it is struck by the radiant light of the Moonstone. Air and loose earth rush past you to be sucked into the vacuum formed by its sudden destruction, and you are forced to cling to the ground for fear of being dragged into this crushing vortex. Then, with stunning abruptness, the swirling vacuum shoots skywards and vanishes among the clouds.

  The Shaman howls with mortal terror and flees into the jungle, his power destroyed. The natives stagger drunkenly, as if suddenly they have awoken from a trance. They fall to their knees and begin to worship you, for they recognize that you have broken the Shaman's spell and they are in awe of your power.

  You allow the natives to esc
ort you to Kitaezi, their coastal city, where you are treated like a hero by the impoverished populace. You learn that Kitaezi was once a thriving port before the arrival of Ulonga the Shaman. He used his power to overthrow the tribal chieftain, enslave the people, and drive away the traders. For a year he has been the bane of this port and its poor citizens, but now he is gone and the people are eager to celebrate his demise. They smash the many statues and likenesses of Ulonga that stand in every public square and they sing and dance through the streets.

  At a ceremony held in the city's main square, you are bedecked with garlands of flowers and presented with three special items:

  Pouch of Seota Dust (Restores 10 ENDURANCE points. One use only.)

  Talisman of Defiance (Adds +2 to COMBAT SKILL.)

  Eye of Lhaz (Enables user to exert control over poisonous snakes.)

  All of the above are Special Items which you keep in the pockets of your tunic. Record them on your Action Chart and note their special properties.

  To continue, turn to 153.

  168

  At length you arrive at the Lourdenian Consulate where a guard at the gate allows you both to enter and wait in its cool, tree-shaded courtyard. A few minutes later you are met by the consul's assistant, a rotund little official called Cheary. He is shocked to hear of the pirate attack, and he urges Gregor to accompany him inside the consulate to make a full written report. He says that it could take several hours, possibly even a day or two, and so you decide that now is a good time to say farewell to your companion. Before you go, Gregor offers you his heartfelt thanks for all you have done for him, and he hopes that one day soon your paths will cross again.

  ‘If you should ever visit Pforodon,’ he says, ‘stop by the Singing Lamb Tavern on Spike Street. If I'm not there, the landlord will know where you can find me.’

  You wish Gregor a safe journey home, and then you leave the consulate and make your way back along the main street to the harbour. The heat and dust of the afternoon are making you thirsty and so you stop to drink from a freshwater fountain set into the wall of a crumbling old temple. The hustle and noise of the street crowd is becoming oppressive and you yearn to find somewhere quiet where you can rest before you return to the ship. Looking around, you notice two places which promise some respite. The first is a public park which stands upon a cliff that looms above the city to the east of the harbour wall. The second is a narrow, deserted alley that wends its way into the city's Old Quarter.

  If you wish to visit the park, turn to 291.

  If you choose to explore the city's Old Quarter, turn to 126.

  169

  You focus on the creature and launch a Mindblast in an attempt to force it to release your horse from its terrible clutches. You sense that your attack has had no effect upon this supernatural beast, and that it possesses an innate resistance to psychic energy.

  Desperate now to save your stricken mount, you rush forward and attack the creature with your Kai Weapon.

  Tzoog: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE 32

  This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Kai-surge). If you possess the Kai Weapon ‘Valiance’, add +8 to your COMBAT SKILL (instead of +5).

  If you win this combat, turn to 149.

  170

  The secret passage is festooned with cobwebs and shows little sign of having been used for many decades. It twists and turns for several hundred yards before ending at a blank wall of crumbling plaster. Closer inspection reveals another panel, one that is controlled by a lever set into the web-strewn ceiling.

  You pull this lever and the panel squeaks open to reveal a sumptuous chamber hung with rich and colourful tapestries. Incense smoulders in silver bowls and the perfumed air is filled with the chirping sounds of exotic caged birds.

  Cautiously you enter this luxurious room and see that it is one of several antechambers which adjoin a larger hall. Seated upon a padded chair in the middle of this hall is a young dark-haired woman who is dressed in flowing white silks. Her head is bowed and she appears to be upset. She is sobbing quietly.

  If you have ever visited the city of Barrakeesh in a previous Lone Wolf New Order adventure, turn to 39.

  If you have not, turn to 253.

  171

  Soon the longboat abandons its search and returns to The Triasus. You watch as both ships unfurl their sails and depart from the coast, The Triasus heading north and the Seasprite sailing south. Sesketera must be satisfied that you perished during your encounter with the terrible Nigumu-sa. Your only regret is that Captain Radyard and his crew probably believe this to be true as well.

  When you can no longer see the two ships, you take out your map and unfold it on the sand. Aided by your Kai tracking skills, you determine that you have come ashore at the tip of a mainland peninsula, at a point close to the Isle of Kobra. The nearest city is Masama. It lies over 300 miles away to the southwest, beyond a wide expanse of dense jungle and hills. The thought of traversing this uncharted territory, alone and on foot, is one that fills you with dread. But you take comfort in the knowledge that you survived your battle in the sea and that you still possess the Moonstone.

  You are tired and hungry after your ordeal. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  Turn to 209.

  172

  Your request for assistance is greeted with suspicion by the hard-faced guardsmen. Your northern features and travel-stained clothes clearly do not impress them, for they ignore your requests and begin asking some questions of their own. They ask you to show them what you are carrying in your satchel, and they ask why you are carrying weapons in a public marketplace contrary to the law of Suhn. When you hesitate to answer, they immediately place you under arrest. For a moment you consider making a run for it, but then you notice that each guard is armed with a crossbow and you decide that it would be suicidal to try to escape.

  Turn to 221.

  173

  You rise from your seat and take a step towards the Eldenoran captain, but his crew are quick to react to your move. They reach to the hilts of their swords and several hurry to block your path to their leader. You sense that this ugly incident could easily get out of hand and lead to a murderously uneven combat between the heavily armed Eldenorans and Jenkshi's crewmen, none of whom are carrying weapons. A brawl between the two crews would jeopardize the success of your quest and it could also cost many innocent men their lives. Mindful of these facts, you know you must try to avoid a fight breaking out at all costs.

  If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge and wish to use it, turn to 327.

  If you possess Bardsmanship and wish to use it, turn to 14.

  If you possess neither of these skills, or if you choose not to use them, turn to 56.

  174

  Melchar's nakedness draws cries of laughter and outrage as you scurry through the maze of passages that lead away from the racetrack. The young journeyman needs some new breeches and he needs them soon, for you are sorely aware that the cries are making it very easy for Wrok's henchmen to follow your trail.

  Illustration X—Melchar's nakedness draws cries of laughter and outrage as you scurry through the maze of passages.

  If you possess a Blanket, turn to 216.

  If you do not, turn to 298.

  175

  After nearly an hour your efforts are rewarded and you are able to pull open the door to your cell. You enter the corridor beyond and make your way silently towards the guardroom. You are determined to retrieve your Kai Weapon and equipment, but you are also aware that you must avoid alerting the guards if you are to preserve your hopes of escaping from this gaol alive.

  Peering around the door to the guardroom you discover that it is occupied by three gaolers. They are playing cards, and they are using the crate which contains your equipment as a makeshift table. In order to get at your equipment you must first lure the gaolers out of the room.

  If you possess Assimilance
and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Master Superior, turn to 234.

  If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus and wish to use it, turn to 302.

  If you do not possess these skills, have yet to attain the required level of Kai Mastery, or choose not to use your skills, turn instead to 130.

  176

  You unsheathe your weapon and aim your first blow at the creature's head.

  Zhürc: COMBAT SKILL 51 ENDURANCE 39

  Due to the advantage of your first strike, ignore any ENDURANCE point losses you sustain in the first round of this fight.

  If you win the fight, turn to 338.

  177

  You are awoken in the middle of the night by a hideous cry. Your horse is startled and terrified by this gruesome sound and he tugs frantically against his reins. Seconds later you are up on your feet, your keen eyes scouring your surroundings for some sign of the threat. Your Kai skills are alerting you to an imminent and deadly danger, a hidden enemy who possesses a strong magical aura.

  You unsheathe your Kai Weapon and crouch behind a boulder. Suddenly the air before you shimmers and takes form, causing you to gasp in disbelief. Something is growing out of the very darkness itself! You glimpse its misshapen head and hunched body; then its outline seems to waver. It flickers and sparkles, as if it is caught between two planes of existence. Suddenly there is a brilliant flash and a sparkling arc of energy leaps from the shimmering mirage to come speeding towards your face.