by Joe Dever
Karvas leaps into the saddle and you toss him the reins. With a cry of elation, you wheel your horse about and spur him towards an avenue on the east side of the square. You and the Prince gallop side by side along this broad thoroughfare as fast as your mounts will carry you, trampling any Bakhasian who is foolish enough to stand in your way. The road leads directly to the city's east gate where a bell is tolling loudly. A crowd of militiamen have gathered at the gate, summoned from their beds by the alarm, but they are without their officer and in the chaos and confusion they have forgotten to close the gate. They scatter in all directions as you thunder along the avenue towards them and you are able to escape through the open archway without challenge.
Whooping with excitement, you race away from Bakhasa along a dusty trail that heads towards the foothills of the Dammerdon Mountains. You glance to your side and see Prince Karvas punch the air victoriously. Clearly he is as excited by this daring escape as you are; he has a grin fixed to his sweat-streaked face that stretches from ear to ear.
The strong Bhanarian stallions carry you swiftly into the foothills and never once do they falter in their stride nor slacken their impressive pace. Only when you can no longer see the lights of Bakhasa do you let them slow to a canter. For more than an hour you travel the trail as it meanders through pine-covered hills and shallow valleys. The night sky is clear and the way ahead is illuminated by bright starlight. When you come to a shallow ford that crosses a fast-flowing stream, you stop here awhile to let your horses drink their fill.
Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 323.
173
‘So you're on your way to Seroa, eh?’ says the Knight Bachelor. ‘If you are there in time for Harvestmas then you'll see the crowning of Baron Sadanzo. I only wish I could be there myself to celebrate that happy day. Alas, someone must remain to protect Cavalia while our master, our future king, is away.’
Karvas asks the young knight why he and his men are wearing the crown of Siyen upon their shields and surcoats. ‘I thought,’ he says, taking care to mask his native Siyenese accent, ‘that it is customary here in Siyen for only soldiers of the King's Guard to wear the royal crown? Is it not so?’
The Knight Bachelor glares at Karvas and you sense that the Prince's comments have stung him. ‘Our master is … will be … the King of Siyen,’ he blusters. ‘There is no other who claims the throne of our realm. We wear the crown in honour of his right to ascendance. Perhaps you foreigners oppose our Baron's right?’
The Knight Bachelor stares accusingly into your eyes. When he gets no reaction, he jerks his head back to Karvas and fixes the Prince with the same cold, unblinking gaze. Your Kai Sixth Sense informs you that this Knight Bachelor is a greedy and ambitious young man who is hungry for promotion. Unwittingly, Karvas has insulted his honour and, to save face in front of his men, he is thinking of arresting you both on the suspicion that you are spies. You know that you must act swiftly if you are to avoid this.
If you wish to apologize to the Knight Bachelor and tell him that your companion did not mean any insult by what he said, turn to 95.
If you wish to offer the Knight Bachelor a bribe in the hope that he will allow you and Karvas to go on your way, turn to 161.
174
You gallop out of the courtyard amid a hail of bolts, and race east along the forested hill trail. The Cavalian crossbowmen have hidden their horses in the woods surrounding Baron Jayde's chateau, and when they see you escaping, they quickly abandon their positions around the courtyard wall and mount up to give chase. Your daring escape puts you more than a mile ahead of your ruthless pursuers, but this trail is difficult to ride at night for you are guided only by the light of the moon. You have little difficulty keeping your horse to the twisting trail for you are aided by your Kai night vision, but Karvas is not so fortunate. Some parts of the trail are covered by a thick canopy of branches which shut out the ashen moonlight. Whenever you pass through these sections, Prince Karvas is plunged into darkness and he is forced to slow his pace dramatically. Rather than risk having him lose the trail completely and crash headlong into the trees, you call to him to leave the trail at a place where it passes over a wooden bridge. You hide with your horses beneath this bridge and wait for the Cavalians to pass. You hear their horses' hooves thunder across, but you do not emerge when they have gone. Patiently you wait, and within the hour you hear them returning. They have lost your trail and they are going back to Baron Jayde's chateau in the belief that you have slipped past them and doubled-back to rescue the few wounded troopers who survived the ambush.
The Cavalians return across the bridge, and when you can no longer hear their horses, you emerge from your hiding place and continue east along the trail. During your night ride to Oberra, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
Shortly after daybreak, you emerge from the dense timberland and pass through a region where the hills are given over to the cultivation of grapes and vines. During the day, you and Karvas take it in turns to sleep in the saddle. While one is asleep, the other leads his companion's horse by the reins. By this method you are able to overcome the fatigue of your recent ordeals and still make good progress along the trail to Oberra.
It is early in the morning, four days before Harvestmas, when you crest a ridge of high ground and see Oberra in the distance. This populous city nestles in a bowl-shaped valley at the eastern edge of the Lucien Hills, where the uplands meet the softly undulating flood plains of the River Seroa. Prince Karvas tells you that his old tutor, Florin Sainus, resides in Oberra. He proposes that you ride to the city and visit his house in the northern quarter. Karvas is confident that Sainus will help you reach Seroa in time for the crowning. Your spirits are lifted by this welcome news, and you ride with renewed vigour until you reach the gates of Oberra late in the afternoon.
Turn to 280.
175
The tower wall is constructed from smooth blocks of lemon-yellow stone, perfectly fitted in unmortared joints. You commence your climb towards the open window with confidence in your natural agility, but you soon discover that the smooth wall offers very few places for your fingers and toes to find purchase.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If your current ENDURANCE points score is 15 or lower, deduct 1.
If your total score is now 4 or lower, turn to 168.
If it is 5 or higher, turn to 294.
176
Moments after you land your killing blow, your enemy's magical sword flares up and disappears in a puff of vile-smelling vapour. The fighting has been heard throughout the tavern and a group of anxious locals, led by the tavern-keeper and armed with pitchforks and staves, are gathering outside in the courtyard. Rather than attempt to reason with them, you and Karvas saddle two fresh horses and gallop out of the stables as fast as you can. The tavern-keeper and his patrons scatter in all directions to avoid being trampled as you race across the courtyard and escape onto the highway beyond.
Despite the fatigue of your deadly combat, you force yourselves to ride all night. Early next morning, you stop to rest in a small coppice that borders the highway. You are exhausted, but before you sleep you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery).
To continue, turn to 267.
177
The Prince's scream came from the south side of the hall. As you run towards it, your heart misses a beat when you see that a large section of the stone flooring has collapsed. With trepidation, you reach the edge and look down into a yawning hole. Prince Karvas is hanging by one hand to an outcrop of jagged rock some 15 feet below. Over 100 feet below his dangling legs there rages an underground river, swollen by the flash flood.
Illustration XI—Prince Karvas is hanging by one hand to
an outcrop of jagged rock.
‘Hold on, sire!’ you shout in desperation, as helplessly you watch his bruised fingers slowly losing their grip.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 110.
If you possess a Rope and wish to use it, turn to 13.
If you do not possess this skill or this Backpack Item (or if you should decide not to use either of them), turn to 326.
178
Beyond the draperies you find a circular chamber with a polished wooden floor. The dark oak surface is inlaid with lighter woods which form intricate pentagrams and other mystical patterns. The walls are lined with shelves which store a vast number of books, scrolls, and parchments. Your Kai senses warn you that these are works of great evil; it is a library of sorcerous manuals and tomes of worship dedicated to Naar. Prince Karvas is repulsed by the sight of this evil repository. It confirms the suspicion he has held for many years, that Baron Sadanzo is a secret disciple of the Dark God.
You scan the walls and your Kai senses reel in the face of the evil that festers here. Your instincts tell you to destroy these vile works, to put them to the torch, yet to do so could jeopardise your chances of making a successful escape from the citadel. Rather than take that risk you decide to leave this evil library at once, but as you are retreating towards the archway you notice a square plate of steel sandwiched among the books on a middle shelf. A closer look reveals it to be the door of a wall safe. There is a dial at its centre, similar to the cylinder lock which secured the door to your prison cell. Your Sixth Sense reveals that only two digits are required to open this safe.
The first number in the sequence is equal to the number of bonus points added to COMBAT SKILL when the Kai Weapon ‘Alema’ is used against undead enemies. The second is equivalent to half of the Starstrider's full complement of crewmen (not including Acraban).
When you think you know the two-digit answer, note down the figures in order and turn to the section of the book which is the same as your answer.11
If you are unable to determine the correct solution, turn instead to 258.
[11] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.
179
It is a struggle to keep the skyship on a straight and level course for she is veering continually towards starboard. To counter this persistent drift you pull the wheel hard over to port, but the effects of her damaged stabilizer are unpredictable, making it almost impossible for you to maintain sure control of the helm. You over-compensate for the drift and quickly find yourself directly above the left-hand fissure, gliding helplessly into the path of a cluster of soaring energy bolts. Desperately you pull the wheel hard over to the right to avoid a collision but it is already too late. One of the powerful bolts strikes the hull and a stunning flash of white light obliterates your senses.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–2, turn to 152.
If it is 3 or higher, turn to 338.
180
Word of the shrine's destruction spreads quickly. Within minutes of your escape, the sleeping city is rudely awakened by a cacophony of alarm bells and discordant horns. Search parties are mustered and soon the major avenues of the city echo to a new sound — the tramp of vengeful patrols dispatched to track you down. By using your advanced Kai tracking skills and taking care to avoid the main thoroughfares, at length you are able to reach the stables that you saw from the top of the temple bell-tower. From the cover of a cart parked across a square from its double-gated entrance, you observe the building and the passing patrols and wait patiently for the commotion to die down.
The stables are surrounded by a high brick wall topped by a row of foot-long spikes embedded in mortar. A sign hangs above the main entrance that reads TEHDA STABLES. The tolling bells have roused the stable guards and this entrance is now heavily guarded, as are three smaller entrances set at intervals along its perimeter wall. Only one door has no armed guard posted before it, but when you magnify your vision you quickly see why this is so. It is secured by three steel bolts and a heavy iron lock.
If you possess a Tehda Key, turn to 136.
If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 274.
181
‘Perhaps I have not made myself clear,’ says Karvas, his voice now deep and menacing. ‘My friend and I need your tickets. Kindly hand them over without a fuss.’ The Prince pulls his sword a few inches from its scabbard to reinforce his demand.
Normally these two fops would blanch and faint in the face of such an open threat, but a night spent drinking at the tavern has filled them with liquid courage. The taller man stares Karvas defiantly in the eye and then he begins to shout at the top of his voice: ‘Robbers! Footpads! Cut-throats!’
Karvas reacts instinctively. He punches the dandy squarely on the jaw and leaves him sprawled unconscious on the ground. His stout companion freezes and his mouth drops open with shock. Before he, too, can scream out in alarm, you knock him out with a sharp blow to the nape of his neck.
Quickly you drag their bodies into the alleyway and rifle their pockets in a search for their tickets. Karvas finds both of them in the jacket pocket of the stout lordling, and he hands one to you. (Record the Riverboat Ticket on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you keep in the pocket of your breeches. You need not discard another item in its favour if you already possess the maximum number of Special Items permissible.)
Having now obtained what you need to reach Seroa by boat, you leave the alleyway and hurry back to the jetty.
Turn to 2.
182
While observing the soldier who is seated in the alcove to the right of the city gate, your keen eyes notice that beneath his bench there rests a small pot of ink, a feathered quill pen, and a large leather-bound book for the recording of tolls and charges. Using your power of Elementalism, you focus on the quill pen and cause its feathers to ignite spontaneously. Within a matter of seconds the flames spread to the vellum pages of the book and the hem of the soldier's woollen cloak. With a scream of shocked surprise, the guard leaps to his feet and fumbles to unfasten the clasp of his burning cloak. As the other guards desert their posts and rush to his aid, you motion to Prince Karvas to follow your lead. Swiftly you climb out of the ditch and hurry towards the now unguarded entrance.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 3 or less, turn to 29.
If it is 4 or more, turn to 248.
183
You are desperate to keep ahead of the herd for fear of being trampled under their pounding hooves. Yet, as you approach the fast-flowing river, you are forced to tug hard on your horse's reins to slow him to a walk. The bank ahead is steeply undercut. If you were to rush headlong over the edge, you and your horse would plummet more than 20 feet into the rushing river.
Fortunately, Karvas reacts swiftly when he sees you slowing your horse and he is able to rein in his mount behind you. Following your lead, he coaxes his horse over the edge of the steep bank and he is able to control his descent down the bank towards a narrow strip of muddy clay at the water's edge. Above you, the leading fanji come thundering over the edge to tumble into the river with a mighty splash. They barely break the surface before they are swept downstream by the strong current. More than a hundred fanji crash into the river and are washed away before the remainder of the herd comes to a halt. You coax your horse forward and for two miles you keep him to the narrow strip of sticky soil which borders the river, until you reach a place where the steep bank tapers away to a gentle incline. Here, you are able to leave the river and climb the bank to the grassy plain. As you crest the top of the bank, you see the remaining herd scattering in all directions as, relentlessly, the hunters pursue them.
To continue, turn to 80.
184
The troopers tie your hands with
cord before they take you and Karvas to Cavalia under close escort. As you ride through the city's grand west gate, the guards on duty here come stiffly to attention. The Gate Sergeant salutes the Knight Bachelor with great exaggeration, and some of the older guards bow and doff their helmets as he passes, but their actions are not born of a respect for him or rank. You sense that they despise the haughty knight, and this is their way of mocking his insufferable arrogance.
Beyond the gate, you enter a wide avenue flanked by a well-ordered collection of houses and richly-appointed public buildings. Cavalia is a wealthy city, yet many of the citizens that you glimpse in passing have a strained and uneasy look about them. At length you arrive at a fortified citadel — a huge, square, moated edifice built on four levels around a central courtyard. Its upper floors contain the Baron's luxurious personal chambers, as well as other apartments used by those who have his favour. The middle level is occupied by provincial officials and the ground floor by the Citadel Guard. There is also an underground level, which is used for the imprisonment and torture of Sadanzo's enemies. Vaingloriously the Knight Bachelor leads his horsemen across the citadel drawbridge and through a torchlit tunnel that gives access to the central courtyard. Here, you and Prince Karvas are pulled from your saddles by Citadel Guardsmen and dragged away to the dungeons where you are thrown into a dark, windowless cell.
