by Joe Dever
If you do not possess any of these items, or if you do not want to sell any of them, turn to 262.
311
Paoll shows you to your cabin which is situated at the stern, next to the captain's quarters. He suggests you rest here and offers to call you when the captain returns, but you are keen to familiarize yourself with the layout of the ship and you decide instead to accompany him as he goes about the task of rousing the sleeping crew.
The forward hold of this sailing ship has been converted into a dormitory for the ship's complement of eighteen men. Yet as Paoll's bellowing voice stirs them reluctantly from their hammocks, you count thirty-one men berthed here.
‘Welcome aboard,’ says a fair-haired young man whose blue surcoat is emblazoned with the scarlet anchor of the Kirlundin Isles. ‘My name's Dryan — Sergeant Dryan of the 1st Kirlundin Marines. My men and I have been assigned a tour of duty aboard The Pride of Sommerlund for the duration of the voyage.’
Illustration XVIII—‘Welcome aboard,’ says Sergeant Dryan as you enter the cabin.
You speak with Sergeant Dryan for a few minutes and learn that he and his marines have been ordered aboard the ship by King Ulnar. Dryan's instructions are to protect the ship's cargo from the threat of pirate attack for, in addition to yourself, The Pride of Sommerlund is carrying a valuable consignment of wheat and timber bound for Bisutan. At first you are suspicious; in his briefing Lone Wolf said nothing about an escort of marines. To determine whether Dryan is telling the truth, you probe the sergeant's mind using your psychic skills and discover at once that he is genuine. He does not know or suspect the true purpose of your journey.
‘Well I'm glad to be sharing this voyage with you and your men,’ you say. ‘It makes me feel much safer knowing we have marines on board.’
You salute the sergeant and allow him to attend to his men. As you turn to leave, Paoll appears at the exit to the hold.
‘Capt'n Raker's comin' aboard, sir!’ he shouts.
You return on deck in time to see a broad-shouldered man with a golden beard and sharp blue eyes come striding up the gangplank.
‘I'm Raker,’ he says gruffly, ‘and you must be the Kai journeyman we've been expecting. Good, now we can be getting on our way.’ He turns to the First Mate and bellows: ‘Alright, Paoll. Set your crew to work. I want us to catch the ebb tide in one hour.’
Turn to 278.
312
You wait until the last moment before you leap over the falling statue. It shears the surface from the steps on which, just seconds ago, you were standing but you escape unscathed. You see the statue finally reach the bottom of the stairwell where it smashes into several large segments which block the narrow doorway and fill the base of the stairwell with thick dust. Steeling yourself for what may lie ahead, you hurry up the stairs in pursuit of your prey — the scourge of Hikas.
Turn to 177.
313
The old man frowns and curses you under his breath. Then he turns around and hobbles away across the beach.
‘Silly old scrounger!’ says Sligh, as he watches him go.
‘We're wastin' our time here, Grand Master,’ comments Oswin. ‘Shouldn't we be getting on?’
You nod in agreement and motion the others to follow as you turn your horse back towards the coast road. It is a clear night and the brilliant moon is nearly full. With luck you could be in Bir Rabalou well before midnight.
Turn to 232.
314
The early morning streets of Gologo are empty as you ride towards its southern gate. Most of the inhabitants are sleeping off last night's celebrations and nobody sees you leave the town and set off along the jungle trail to Elzian.
For most of the morning your view of the surrounding land is restricted by the dense walls of verdant foliage that border upon this ancient trail. It is not until noon, when you crest a ridge of high ground, that you catch sight of what lies beyond the seemingly endless jungle. Less than a mile to the north is the titanic chasm of Gorgoron. It is a dark and forbidding sight, like a deep festering wound in the land that time has been unable to heal. Its sheer walls and immeasurable depth call to mind images of the Maakengorge, a dread chasm which lies to the south of your homeland province of Ruanon. Legend says that these vast canyons are scars inflicted upon the flesh of Magnamund by the vengeful hand of Naar.
Beyond the ridge the trail descends to the ruins of an ancient town. Here you stop to rest your horse and drink from a pool of clear water that bubbles freely from the loamy soil. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 113.
315
You strike your killing blow and the Otokh emits a loud and terrible shriek. Its great body convulses, and hissing sparks cascade from its limbs and maw as slowly it relinquishes its grip upon the masthead. You watch with awe as the creature plummets through the rigging and crashes down upon the deck rail with terrific force. Five enemy raiders are crushed to death and several more are consigned to a watery grave when they become entangled in the creature's legs. They are dragged screaming to their doom as the Otokh rolls through the shattered ship's rail and disappears beneath the foaming waves.
The death of the Otokh sends a wave of panic coursing through the enemy's ranks and soon they begin to falter and fall back to their own vessel. The enemy leader curses and screams as his men swarm aboard, and you hear him threaten personally to tear the throat from any warrior who refuses to fight on. This threat appears to work for the raiders cease their retreat and begin instead to regroup in preparation for another attack. You watch as the leader leaves the protection of his ship's forecastle and takes his place at the head of his troops, ready to lead this second assault.
If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 244.
If you do not, or if you choose not to use it, turn instead to 230.
316
You magnify your vision and detect that there are violent thermal air currents swirling between the mountain peaks. You detect that these are the result of the dry air currents from the Bavari Hills meeting with the humid jungle air of the southern reaches. You warn Yranai but he seems unconcerned.
‘It may get a little rough but Simoom is built to take it,’ he says with bravado, and he bangs his fist on the handrail that runs around the rim of the basket, as if to demonstrate his craft's sturdy workmanship. When a section of the handrail immediately falls away and is lost in the mountains below, it does not readily inspire your confidence in this craft or its pilot. Sheepishly, Yranai plays with the valves of the engine and the balloon drifts to the east, towards some more distant but lesser peaks where the air is calmer. He gives you a wry grin and you give thanks to Kai and Ishir that he has heeded your warning.
Turn to 68.
317
You examine the plants closely and are able to identify them as Cowana — a marine variety of Laumspur. These plants possess the same healing qualities as their land-based cousin, and there are enough growing here for three doses.
Each dose of Cowana will restore 4 ENDURANCE points to your total when swallowed after combat. If you wish to keep one or more doses, record them on your Action Chart as Backpack Items. Each dose will take up one space in your Backpack.
To continue, turn to 99.
318
The crowd is beginning to turn ugly. Judging by the way they are looking at you it is clear that they believe the thief's lies. Rather than risk a confrontation with them or the city militia, you decide that perhaps in this instance discretion is the better part of valour. You toss the stolen item back at the thief and grudgingly you tell him to keep it (erase the first item you have recorded on your Backpack Items list).
The crowd immediately loses interest in what they now believe is just another everyday street incident in Bisutan. The thief sneers as he pockets your property and then he turns and scurries away into the crowd, like a rat entering a sewer.
Tur
n to 96.
319
You are knocked backwards by the searing pain of this unexpected psychic attack. Your innate mental defences knit together to protect the fabric of your mind, but before this protective shell is fully erected, you experience the chilling effects of psychic shock: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.
As the pain in your head recedes, you open your eyes and see a sinister new threat loom into view.
Turn to 75.
320
The archer's arrow hurtles across the street towards you as if in slow motion. Your senses are alive to the imminent danger, but you feel rooted to the ground and incapable of moving out of its path. Then a starburst of pain erupts in your head and the salty taste of blood fills your mouth. The arrow has penetrated the front of your skull and death is instantaneous.
Tragically, your life and your quest end here in Kilij.
321
You steer your horse along a street running parallel to the beach, and enter the courtyard of a large two-storey hostel with stables. A young boy takes your horse's reins and leads him away to an enclosure at the side of this brightly-painted building, and you enter the hostel's front door to find it is empty. It seems that everyone has gone to the beach this evening. Then you hear a noise from beyond an open doorway and a balding man appears. He rubs his bloodshot eyes and yawns, revealing a mouthful of gold teeth. You ask if he has a room for the night and lazily he nods his head.
‘I've two types of room and service,’ he says. ‘There's Standard and there's Best. Standard costs 2 Gold Crowns a night and you don't get no food. Best costs 4 Gold Crowns and you get lots of food in the morning.’20
If you wish to buy a Standard room for the night, turn to 216.
If you decide to buy a Best room, turn to 138.
[20] If you do not have enough Gold Crowns, you may choose to barter a normal Weapon, Backpack Item, or Special Item at your discretion.
322
You take aim at the creature's ghastly mouth and release your bowstring, sending your Arrow arcing across the water towards its target. But before your missile finds its mark, the creature springs into the air and launches itself into the rigging of your ship.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, remember to add 3 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 3 or lower, turn to 81.
If it is 4–6, turn to 154.
If it is 7 or higher, turn to 222.
323
The faces of your three companions are covered by an unsightly red rash. Each man is suffering a headache and they feel nauseous and dizzy, yet these discomforts fade after you attend to them using your Kai curing skills. However, try as you may, you cannot relieve them of the vivid rash that has erupted all over their faces, hands, and feet.
With dismay, the three men resign themselves to the fact that they have contracted Bita Fever. Although their lives are not at risk, the inflammation of their skin is causing them great discomfort. Their only hope of easing the persistent irritation is for them to reach Bisutan and find an apothecary who may be able to concoct a lotion to soothe their purulent skin.
You ride all day under a clear sky and a blazing sun and stoically the marines suffer their pain in silence. Their only relief is the protection afforded by their cool, flowing mhaktis. It is late in the afternoon when you catch your first sight of the great city of Bisutan, which is located upon an island in the estuary of the River Khorda. A titanic stone bridge carries the coastal road over the shimmering waters of the Khorda towards a towering gatehouse which is flanked by two massive stone dragons. It is not the custom of Bisutan's city guards to stop travellers without good reason, for here the merchants of all Magnamund meet to haggle and trade and barter their cargoes. They allow you to pass through their great gate, but one sharp-eyed young guardsman with promotion on his mind notes the strange pallor of your companions and he demands that they halt.
‘Bita Fever,’ proclaims a gruff old guard sergeant, and he demands that they dismount at once. He summons five spearmen from a nearby guardhouse and when they arrive he orders that your companions be taken to a gaol on the far side of the great bridge. You protest but the sergeant is adamant that they should spend a month there in isolation until the symptoms of the fever have disappeared. He assures you that they will be treated well, but they will not be permitted any visitors during their isolation. As they are escorted back across the bridge at spear's length, they wave you farewell and urge you to continue your journey without them. You wait until they have disappeared from view and then you wheel your horse about and enter Bisutan alone.
Turn to 250.
324
As you step into this dusty little shop you are hit by a cocktail of aromas that literally take your breath away. You cough to clear your throat of the sickly taste left by these pungent smells, and suddenly the owner of this shop appears in a doorway behind the back counter. He thinks that you are trying to attract his attention.
A quick scan of the shelves tells your experienced eye that there are no herbs of great value or interest here. Most of the potions on display are placebos and quack remedies. However, as you turn to leave, the herbalist produces a black box which he opens for your inspection. Inside are the following potions:
Potion of Laumspur: restores 4 ENDURANCE points when consumed after combat.
Potion of Gallowbrush: induces sleep for one to two hours.
Potion of Alether: increases COMBAT SKILL by 2. One use only.
All of the above potions cost 3 Gold Crowns. If you wish to purchase one or more of them, adjust your Action Chart accordingly.
To leave the shop, turn to 17.
325
You tell the others to wait for you outside the stables and then you approach the paddock alone. The horses become restless as you draw closer, yet you are able to subdue them by using your natural Kai powers of Animal Control. Silently you open the paddock gate and command the nearest five horses to leave the enclosure. Obediently they obey your mental commands, following meekly as you lead them in single file to your waiting companions.
You mount your borrowed steeds and Ernan leads the way along a broad avenue that ends at the town's southern gatehouse. Two sleepy-eyed guards watch with indifference as you pass through the open gate and depart from Cape Kabar along its dusty coast road.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 146.
If it is 5–9, turn to 252.
326
You fire your Arrow at the leader and it strikes his wing and breaks the bone, causing the creature to spiral out of control. Yranai yells and cheers but his triumphant cries are premature. You watch aghast as the Itikar collides with the balloon and stabs its talons into the canopy. In its desperation to survive, it shreds the cloth to ribbons before it falls away and plummets to its doom in the timberlands below.
The impact of the bird hitting the canopy knocks you off your feet. Yranai falls on top of you and, for a few nerve-racking seconds, you lie entangled at the bottom of the basket as the balloon rapidly loses altitude. When you pull yourself up and peer over the rim, you see the trees of the lower mountain slopes rising towards you at a dizzying speed. Yranai looks up to see shreds of cloth trailing from the punctured canopy above and the sight proves too much for him: he faints. Hurriedly you haul his frail body over your shoulder. Then you place one foot on the rim of the basket and get ready to make a desperate leap away from this doomed balloon as the tops of the mountain pines come into view.
If you possess Kai-alchemy, turn to 107.
If you do not possess this Discipline, turn to 115.
327
You are awoken shortly after dawn by the sound of a plaintive voice echoing across the rooftops of the city. It is the cry of a Vassa Elder and he is calling the faithful of Barrakeesh to early morning prayer. You gather together your equipment and Fernant's servant brings you a
bowl and a pitcher of water so that you may refresh yourself before sharing breakfast with Oriah and the Lord-lieutenant.
After breakfast, Fernant oversees the loading of bags and other personal items aboard his mule-drawn carriage. Then an hour before noon the three of you leave for the quay and go aboard The Pride of Sommerlund. At first Captain Raker is unhappy about transporting Oriah, arguing that the presence of a beautiful young woman aboard his ship will distract his crew from their duties. However his objections quickly evaporate when Fernant offers to pay him 20 Gold Crowns for her passage to Bisutan.
The ship leaves Barrakeesh on the noon tide and makes swift progress ahead of a favourable southerly wind. But by dusk the wind has dropped, and Raker decides to spend the first night at anchor in a protected cove a few miles to the east of Chula. The night passes peacefully and you wake at dawn to a spectacular sight.
Turn to 35.
328
You wake before dawn and spend an hour cleaning your Weapons and equipment before going downstairs to the taproom of the tavern. Behind the counter the tavern-keeper's wife is busy preparing breakfast for herself and her family, and she bids you a hurried good morning. Mindful of your need for transport, you ask if there are any horses for sale at the adjoining stables.
‘Only one,’ she replies, wiping her hands on her ale-stained apron. ‘An old mare called Jhani. She's past her prime but she's strong and dependable. I can let you have her for 10 Gold Crowns, and I'll throw in a saddle. What do you say to that?’
