Mydnight's Hero

by Joe Dever

  Bravely your horse makes a tremendous leap across the tree to land surefootedly on the trail beyond. As you bring him to a halt, you pat his neck in praise for his courageous action. Moments later, you see Karvas come leaping over the trunk and you cheer his masterful display of horsemanship. With a wave of your Kai Weapon you beckon him to follow as you make good your escape into the foothills of the Dammerdon Mountains.

  Turn to 251.

  144

  As the hunters gallop off across the plain towards the distant horizon, you use your Magnakai Curing skills to revive Prince Karvas fully before you continue your ride east towards Varedo.

  Turn to 55.

  145

  You call upon your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control to calm the horse as you creep towards her. Taking care to keep the mare between yourself and her rider, in case he should happen to glance in your direction, you quickly unbuckle the saddlebag and peer inside. It contains mostly personal items — a Blanket, enough food for 2 Meals, a Dagger, and a Tinderbox.

  You are about to return to your hiding place when you chance upon a concealed pocket at the base of the bag. It contains an iron key that bears an inscription on its shank, and your Magnakai Pathsmanship skills enable you to decipher its meaning: THIS KEY IS THE PROPERTY OF THE TEHDA STABLES. You slip the key into your pocket and rebuckle the saddlebag before you take cover.

  (Remember to record this Tehda Key on your Action Chart. It is a Special Item which you carry in the pocket of your tunic. You need not discard another item in its favour if you are already carrying the maximum number of Special Items permissible.)

  Once you are hidden from view, you watch as the horseman stops to stare out across endless rows of tree stumps. Slowly he shakes his head, and then he looks up at the darkening sky and you hear him curse the failing light. In the distance, one of his comrades shouts his name and beckons him to rejoin the wagons. Begrudgingly he acknowledges the call. He slams his sabre back into its steel scabbard and returns to his horse. Patiently you watch him climb into the saddle and ride away before you rise from your hiding place and call for Prince Karvas to show himself.

  Turn to 54.

  146

  You strike the lever with the blade of your Kai Weapon and there is a tremendous flash of yellow light. A searing pain runs through your hand and along your arm, making you drop your weapon and cradle your aching arm close to your chest: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  With a trembling hand you pick up your weapon and look at the blade. It is red hot and glowing, yet its keen edge is still intact. Your senses detect that you have now discharged the spell that was protecting this door; the portal is now open and unguarded.

  To continue, turn to 56.

  147

  The rock knocks you unconscious and you fall from your saddle to crash head-first into the ground. Moments later, your horse and your limp body are washed away by millions of gallons of roaring water that flood down from surrounding slopes.

  Tragically, your life and your mission end here in the Dammerdon Mountains.

  148

  At dawn, Marshal Phedros prepares a written proclamation denouncing Sadanzo as a traitor, a murderer, and an agent of Naar. Phedros revokes the Baron's kingship and he announces that Crown Prince Karvas shall accede as rightful heir to the throne of Siyen. The proclamation is signed by the nobles of Siyen, and then hundreds of palace scribes set about making copies that are affixed with the Marshal's seal and dispatched by messengers to every town, city, and province in the realm.

  News of Karvas' return spreads like wildfire through the capital, aided by a legion of town criers who announce that the Prince's crowning will take place at noon in the Palace Square. Hundreds of cheering citizens fill the square when you and Karvas and the other dignitaries arrive by horse-drawn coach for the ceremony. The populace are weeping and shouting with joy that they are to be spared the tyranny of Sadanzo's rule. With the blessing of the gathered nobles, Marshal Phedros proclaims Karvas the true King of Siyen, and with due solemnity he places the State Crown upon his head. Gladly Karvas accepts his birthright and he rises to receive the adulation of the excited crowd. As the cheering gradually subsides, he turns to you and bids you kneel before him. You obey his command and Karvas unsheathes his sword. He dabs its blade lightly upon your head and smiles.

  ‘Arise, Sir Kai, for I proclaim that you are now a Knight of Siyen.’ The crowd cheers loudly, though not for their king. This time their cheers are for the Kai Grand Master of Sommerlund without whom their beloved Prince would never have claimed his throne.

  Illustration IX—‘Arise, Sir Kai, for I proclaim that you are now a Knight of Siyen.’

  You accompany King Karvas and his noble entourage to the Royal Palace where the celebration of his ascendance to the throne begins with a banquet, and concludes with a procession of royal coaches that visits every quarter of the city. The citizens of Seroa shower their new king with flowers, and they heap you with praise for ridding them of vile Baron Sadanzo.

  Turn to 350.

  149

  The concussive shock wave hits you barely a second after you hear the noise of the explosion. It hurls you sideways across the deck and slams you painfully against the base of the mainmast: lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Stunned, although still conscious, you use the mast to help pull yourself back onto your feet.

  Turn to 51.

  150

  As you step out of the prison cell and into the corridor, you notice the door to another cell directly opposite. Instantly your Kai Sixth Sense alerts you to the presence of your Weapons and equipment. They are being stored in this adjacent cell and you pause for a few moments to work on its tumbler lock. Your efforts are soon rewarded. Quickly you pull open the door and discover all of your confiscated equipment lying on the floor of this cell. (You may erase the asterisks [*] from your Action Chart to indicate that your arms and equipment have been restored.)

  In addition to your equipment you also discover Prince Karvas' sword and belt, together with the following:

  Bow

  6 Arrows

  Enough food for 1 Meal

  Spear

  Axe

  Karvas buckles on his sword belt and, before you leave, he takes a coil of rope from a hook on the wall and slings it over his shoulder. On returning to the corridor, you hurry to the end to where a circular stone staircase ascends to the levels above. With your Kai Weapon in your hand, you begin to climb the steps, retracing the route that you committed to your memory when you were brought to the cell less than an hour ago.

  Turn to 169.

  151

  Plainly the nomad's meat is rotten to the bone. So, too, is most of the other food that is displayed on the trader's stall. You agree with the nomad that the meat is unfit to eat, and immediately the trader denounces you. Loudly he accuses you of being tricksters, conspiring together to cheat him out of his wares. He shouts for the Holtors — the market guardsmen — demanding they come and arrest you all.

  Karvas suggests that now may be a good time to leave Jaroc. You nod in agreement. Together you turn your horses away from the trader's stall and canter back through the crowds towards the palisade. As you approach it, you see two portly armed guards hurrying to shut the gate.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 87.

  If you possess Elementalism and wish to use it, turn to 22.

  If you possess neither of these skills, or if you choose not to use them, turn to 189.

  152

  The lightning bolt hits the skyship's hull directly below the helm, rendering you unconscious as the concussive force of the blast is transmitted upwards through the deck (lose 6 ENDURANCE points).

  On regaining consciousness you discover that the Starstrider is now more than three miles clear of the fissures. As your vision slowly clears you see that Acraban has taken control of the wheel. He smiles when he sees that you are still alive. You notice that he looks gaunt and exhausted, and his ginger hair is matte
d with grime and sweat. Clearly his efforts to repair the ailing skyship have severely drained his magical energies. As you stagger to the helm you sense that the steering has become more erratic. The Starstrider has lost altitude and her deck is starting to tilt alarmingly to starboard. Soon it becomes almost impossible to stand upright.

  ‘We have lost one stabilizer and the other is badly damaged,’ says Acraban, grimly. ‘I have done all I can to repair it but I fear it will fail us at any moment. Without stabilizers we cannot stay airborne.’ Acraban orders his crew to prepare for a crash landing. Some of the young men tie themselves to the ship's mainmast, while others brace themselves against the rails and place their fate in the hands of the Goddess Ishir. Prince Karvas has found refuge in a rope locker which is bolted to the main deck. He lifts the lid and calls out to you to join him for there is sufficient space for two inside.

  If you wish to climb into the rope locker alongside Prince Karvas, turn to 79.

  If you choose to stay with Acraban at the ship's helm, turn to 199.

  153

  You and Karvas retrieve your tickets and present them to the guardsmen. As one guard takes them from you, the other tells you to leave the docking area as quickly as you can. ‘Keep this line moving,’ he bellows, and hurriedly you obey his command.

  Turn to 12.

  154

  You are getting ready to cross the street to the building's side door when suddenly the tower bell starts to toll. A few minutes later you see a long line of black-clad figures, mostly soldiers, come walking in single file towards the building. Two great doors swing open to receive this procession and you catch sight of the building's cavernous interior. It is richly appointed with tapestries and golden ornaments, yet, despite its beautifully crafted opulence, you feel nothing but revulsion. Your Kai senses inform you that this place is a temple wholly devoted to the worship of an evil deity.

  As soon as the procession has entered, the doors are slammed shut and the bell ceases to toll. Shaken but undeterred by what you have witnessed, you leave the warehouse and hurry across the street. The side door is unlocked and you open it and slip inside the small circular antechamber which lies beyond. Here you discover two further doors. You sense that one of them leads directly to the hall of the temple, for you can hear a dull chant arising from the congregation that has gathered there. The other door leads to the stairs of the bell-tower, but you quickly discover that this portal is securely locked.

  If you possess Grand Nexus, turn to 66.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 197.

  155

  You enter the sleepy hamlet of Voshno and ride along its main street, past rows of dusty shops and gabled houses, until you reach a market square. The villagers here are a sullen, silent crowd. Few pay you more than the scantest attention as you ride across the square and enter Shaney Street, a paved avenue that leads down to the river. An arch of pale pink stone stands at the entrance to the Voshno Bridge, its surface pitted and scarred with lasting reminders of desperate battles fought here during wars past. The centre of the bridge is blocked by a rickety cart parked deliberately to stop traffic from passing freely, and leaning against it is a man clad in chainmail armour. He sucks at an unlit pipe and narrows his bushy-browed eyes as you approach.

  ‘Bridge toll!’ he snaps, and thrusts out a calloused palm, inviting payment. ‘40 Lune … and no arguing.’

  If you possess 40 Lune (or its equivalent, which is 10 Gold Crowns) and wish to pay this toll collector, turn to 221.

  If you do not possess 40 Lune (10 Gold Crowns), or if you refuse to pay this excessive toll, turn to 254.

  156

  At first your senses lead you to believe that a tempest is brewing, that the fluctuating air pressure is merely the prelude to a violent electrical storm. You magnify your vision and scan the horizon in sure expectation, but, to your surprise, you see neither lightning bolts nor storm clouds in the far distance. Then your Kai senses detect the source of the shifting pressure: it is coming up from the ground.

  Rapidly the blanket of cloud below the keel dissipates to reveal a stark landscape of black volcanic rock. It is scarred by deep chasms and fissures, some of which emit jets of steam that roar skywards to buffet the hub of the Starstrider as it passes by. These colossal jets condense to form strange green-grey clouds which slowly drift and tumble back to the ground. One such cloud forms in the air and begins to fall on a collision course with the ship. Acraban sees the threat and he orders Kuo, his helmsman, to descend 300 feet in order to evade the falling cloud mass. As he obeys the wizard's command, you sense suddenly that this manoeuvre could place the ship in greater danger, from the roaring jets of steam.

  If you wish to tell Acraban to cancel his last command and order the helmsman to climb 300 feet instead, turn to 98.

  If you decide it is best to leave the steering of the skyship to Acraban and his crewmen, turn to 290.

  157

  You rush across the road and run headlong into this crowded alleyway. It is packed with citizens who are hurrying towards the citadel to find out why the alarm bell is tolling. You push your way through them until you come to a junction where a wider passage crosses from left to right. A scream from the right draws your attention and you turn to see two lancers on horseback at the far end of the passage. They see you and they come riding along the narrow thoroughfare at an ever-increasing pace. Terrified Cavalians press themselves to the walls or scramble over gates to get out of their way as they charge along the passage with their lances levelled.

  Karvas draws his sword and braces himself to meet their attack head-on. ‘I'll take the one on the left!’ he shouts, defiantly. You look around you for a way to evade the charging lancers but every exit is now blocked by crowds of frightened citizens.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 191.

  If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 305.

  If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 286.

  If you possess none of these skills, nor a Bow, or if you choose not to use any of them, turn to 137.

  158

  Bravely your horse obeys your command and he leaps through the fire to land surefootedly on the trail beyond. The flames scorch your skin, yet your protective Magnakai skill of Nexus prevents you from sustaining any lasting injury. However, your horse is less fortunate. His flanks and belly are badly blistered by the fire. Mercifully, you ease his pain and heal his singed flesh through the swift use of your Magnakai Curing skills. (The speedy use of your innate skills to heal your mount costs you 2 ENDURANCE points.)

  To continue, turn to 285.

  159

  The pitiful shrieks and groans of fallen men echo in your ears as you struggle to get back on your feet. ‘Stay with me, sire,’ you say to Karvas, as you scurry across the paddock and take cover behind a fence post. There is a lull in the carnage when your cowardly attackers pause to reload their crossbows, and you take full advantage of this momentary respite. You signal to Karvas to follow as you leap up and sprint from the paddock to the open doorway of the stables close by.

  As you rush through the doorway you are brought skidding to a halt when you are confronted by seven armoured knights. Your stomach churns when you see that they wear the eagle's-head emblem of Sadanzo upon their surcoats. Their presence here makes you realize that they have been following your trail ever since your daring escape from Cavalia. The delay that you experienced at Varedo bought them the few hours they needed in order to get ahead of you and set up their deadly ambush.

  ‘Farewell, Prince Karvas!’ growls a knight, his guttural voice partially muffled by the iron strips that criss-cross the visor of his iron helm. He raises his gleaming axe and all seven warriors rush forward and attack you simultaneously.

  Sadanzo's knights: COMBAT SKILL 45 ENDURANCE 38

  You cannot evade this combat, but you may add 5 points to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this fight as Prince Karvas is fighting at your side.
If you possess the Kai Weapon ‘Kaistar’ you may add the appropriate COMBAT SKILL bonus for fighting at night.

  If you win the combat, turn to 108.

  160

  You run past the gate guards and through the open archway into a flagstoned concourse. By keeping low and hiding in the shadows, you and Karvas are able to cross this open plaza undetected and make your way along an empty avenue which bisects the city's west quarter. Grimy two-storey houses of carved hardwood pass by on either side, silent behind their bolts and shutters.

  The avenue leads to a stone bridge that traverses the River Tehda and then continues into the heart of the east quarter. Here you almost collide with a patrol of armed guards which is marching towards the river, and hurriedly you are forced to take cover in a timber yard to avoid being seen. You watch the ten-strong patrol as it marches past. These men are clad in black quilted tunics and wide silk leggings, and they are armed with curved swords and hand-axes. They are almond-eyed and they all have shiny black hair tied in a knot at the nape of their necks. Their leader, a stocky bull-necked sergeant, wears the emblem of Sejanoz emblazoned upon a scarlet armband. Patiently you wait for them to reach the bridge but, as they do so, another patrol comes marching along the avenue from the opposite direction. The east quarter of Bakhasa is a busy place, even at this late hour. Rather than risk being seen and captured, you decide to remain hidden here in the timber yard and attempt to get a few hours' sleep before dawn.