Mydnight's Hero

by Joe Dever

  If the number you have picked is 0–5, turn to 38.

  If it is 6 or higher, turn to 7.

  202

  The riverboat fare to Seroa is normally 20 Orla (10 Gold Crowns) per person. Karvas offers the ticket seller the pouch of 50 Orla that Sainus gave him, together with your horses. A flicker of interest lights up the man's insipid eyes, but then he shakes his head solemnly and dismisses the Prince's generous bribe. You sense that he is holding out in the hope that you will increase your offer.

  If you wish to offer the ticket seller some of your money in addition to the Orla and horses that Karvas has already proposed, turn to 89.

  If you do not wish to increase the size of the bribe, you can leave the jetty and go in search of tickets at the riverside tavern by turning to 256.

  203

  Your worthy attempt to disengage the lock proves unsuccessful and so you decide on a different course of action. You and Karvas agree that you will try to attack and overpower the gaolers at the first opportunity. Patiently you bide your time until, an hour later, you hear footsteps in the corridor outside. They are followed by the sound of the tumbler lock spinning. Then the door creaks open and in strides the Knight Bachelor, accompanied by an escort of six armed guards. The knight is holding a short-bladed sword in one hand, and a wooden bowl filled with vile-smelling gruel in the other. He offers the bowl to Prince Karvas at arm's length.

  Illustration XII—The knight holds a short-bladed sword in one hand and a wooden bowl in the other.

  ‘Welcome to your royal apartment,’ he says, in a sneering tone. ‘I've had the cook prepare you some food after your long journey home, Prince Karvas. I do hope it meets with your approval. It's a meal fit for a king who will never be.’

  Karvas is angered by the knight's insolence and he slaps the bowl of gruel out of his hand. The arrogant knight laughs, but before he can step away and leave the cell, you spring forward like a pouncing tiger and attempt to grab the sword from his hand.

  ‘Slay him!’ screeches the knight, as he struggles to free himself from your grasp. Instantly the guards rush at you with their weapons raised in eager readiness to carry out his order.

  Knight Bachelor & Citadel Gaolers (6): COMBAT SKILL 43 ENDURANCE 38

  Prince Karvas is unarmed and unable to assist you during this combat.

  If you win this fight, turn to 324.

  204

  You dig your heels into your horse's flanks and urge him along the trail towards the blazing trunk. You sense that he is terrified of the fire, but you use your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control to calm his fears as he gets ready to jump through the crackling flames.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Animal Mastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Nexus, add 1.

  If your total score is now 1 or less, turn to 319.

  If it is 2–6, turn to 158.

  If it is 7 or higher, turn to 5.

  205

  You utter the words of the Old Kingdom Spell Invisible Fist as slowly you clench the fingers of your right hand. Upon the final word, you thrust your clenched fist at the gem in Sadanzo's hand and the Baron screams with fear. The brute power of your spell hits the gem and smashes it to dust.

  Turn to 250.

  206

  Drawing upon your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, you focus your special powers upon the line of sleeping crows and command them to awaken. Suddenly the birds erupt into life and begin cawing and flapping their wings excitedly. You will the startled crows to swoop down on the guardsmen below and, while they are fighting vainly to fend them off, you tell Karvas to follow your lead as you climb out of the ditch and hurry towards the open city gate.

  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 4 or less, turn to 29.

  If it is 5 or more, turn to 160.

  207

  As the remaining rider presses home his attack, you draw your Kai Weapon and get ready to strike as he passes. Karvas sidesteps the tip of his weapon and simultaneously you stab at the lancer as he gallops his horse between you. His lance spins through the air and you hear his plaintive death-cry as he tumbles out of the saddle. As you glance over your shoulder, you see him crash to the ground and roll limply across the cobblestones. The citizens who crowd this passageway cheer the lancer's demise and some rush forward to pick his pockets and loot his armour.

  You focus your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control upon the two horses and you summon them to approach yourself and Prince Karvas. Obediently they obey your mental commands, and quickly you are able to mount them and make good your escape from this passageway into a wider street at its eastern end.

  Turn to 67.

  208

  Your advanced Discipline reveals to you that the fanji are not migrating at all: they are fleeing for their lives. You magnify your vision and glimpse a number of horsemen who are galloping with the herd. They are picking off the best specimens at close quarters with their bows and spears. The leading fanji are constantly changing direction in an effort to lead the rest of the herd away from these merciless hunters. To your dismay, as the herd are passing within a mile of the trail, you see the leaders suddenly switch direction and come thundering towards you and Karvas.

  With a frantic waving of your arm you signal to Karvas to follow your lead. Then you veer away from the trail, ahead of the onrushing herd, and gallop through the waist-high grassland towards the banks of the River Ioma.

  Turn to 183.

  209

  You reach to your pouch, remove 2 Gold Crowns, and offer the coins to the blacksmith. He reaches out to take them but then he hesitates and quickly withdraws his hand. He is having serious doubts about selling what he knows of Prince Karvas.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table (0 = zero). For every Gold Crown that you are willing to give the blacksmith, in addition to the 2 you have already offered him, you may add 1 to the number you have picked.

  If your total score is now 7 or lower, turn to 141.

  If it is 8 or higher, turn to 347.

  210

  You utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell Lightning Hand and level your right arm towards the creature's torso. An arc of electrical power leaps from your hand and stabs the beast's chest, making it shriek with pain, yet it does not deter it from continuing its hungry advance towards your horses. As is stalks closer, you see that it is drawing in great gulps of air to inflate its chest. Its rib cage expands and suddenly there is a sharp popping sound. You gasp with fear as dozens of horned spikes shoot out of its skin and come hurtling towards you like a volley of deadly darts.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked.

  If your total score is 4 or less, turn to 96.

  If it is 5 or more, turn to 269.

  211

  The final tumbler clicks into place and the door creaks open a few inches.12 The corridor outside the cell is unguarded, and you beckon Karvas to follow as you push the door wide and leave. As you step out, you see the door to the cell that contains your Weapons and equipment and you pause for a few moments to work on its tumbler lock. Your efforts are quickly rewarded and you discover all of your confiscated equipment lying here on the floor. (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 han
d 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.

  [12] This is the correct answer to the tumbler lock puzzle in Section 306.

  212

  You are stunned by the shock of impact upon hitting the water (lose 2 ENDURANCE points), but you swiftly muster your senses and fight to stay astride your horse. Prince Karvas and his mount come crashing down into the water nearby and, in a tangle of flailing limbs, you are all swept away by the river's irresistible current.

  You are sped along by the rushing water for more than 5 miles before you reach a stretch of shallows at a bend in the river. Here you are able to regain control of your frightened horses and coax them towards the bank. Bruised and bedraggled, you stagger out of the water and collapse on the muddy shore, gasping for breath.

  When you fully recover, you find that you have lost 1 Special Item, 1 Weapon, 2 Backpack Items, and half of the money in your Belt Pouch during your ordeal in the river. (Make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart — you may choose which items to erase.)

  To leave the river and return to the trail, turn to 80.

  213

  You look to the nearby barge, with its cargo of logs strapped to its deck, and a bold plan forms in your mind. Drawing upon your mastery of Elementalism, you cause one of these canvas straps to ignite spontaneously. Rapidly the fire burns through the strap and, with a thunderous roar, five of the heavy logs roll off the deck and splash into the river. Sped along by the swift current, they ram into other barges moored downstream and punch holes through their hulls at the waterline. When the guards on the parapet see one of the barges sinking, they raise the alarm and muster a rescue party to attempt to save its valuable cargo.

  Under cover of the sudden commotion, you and Karvas creep towards the river arch and pass beneath it without being seen.

  Turn to 304.

  214

  Your advanced tracking skills alert you to the presence of a concealed pit which bisects the trail ahead. It has been covered with pine branches and camouflaged with a thin layer of earth and stones, so as to make it indistinguishable from the rest of the trail. Cautiously you approach this trap and, using your Kai Weapon, you lift away some of the branches. Beneath you discover a deep pit lined with sharpened stakes.

  Carefully you and Acraban skirt around the edge of this trap and then continue along the track towards the clearing.

  Turn to 282.

  215

  The sound of fighting has been heard in 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 your fatigue, you force yourselves to ride all night. Early next morning, you stop to rest in a small coppice that borders the highway. 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.

  216

  Hastily you utter the words of Old Kingdom Spell Shield and make a circular motion with the palm of your right hand. The shield of energy you create has only partially formed when the dagger strikes, yet it is sufficient to deflect it away from your chest.

  The guard gasps with shock and turns to run, but you leap on him and drag him to the ground. In his blind panic he is able to squirm from under you and scramble to his feet. He tries to land a kick to your chin but you turn his foot aside with your forearm and it brushes harmlessly past your head. As he struggles to regain his balance, you spring to your feet and attack.

  Tehda Stables Guard: COMBAT SKILL 24 ENDURANCE 24

  (You fight this combat without weapons; ignore all weapon bonuses.)

  If you win the fight, turn to 316.

  217

  You speak the words of the Brotherhood Spell Counterspell and direct its power at the whirling swords. The blades are slowed by the effects of your spell, but the magic that animates them is far stronger than your own. You have slowed them but this will not prevent them from attacking again.

  Once more the deadly blades draw sparks from the stone ceiling, and then they come whirling down towards your head.

  Sadanzo's sorcerous blades: COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 20

  These blades are immune to all forms of psychic attack. If you possess the Kai Weapon ‘Valiance’, you may add the additional COMBAT SKILL bonus (versus magicians) to your score when calculating your Combat Ratio.

  If you win the fight, turn to 106.

  218

  You draw upon your Kai Mastery to protect your mind from these powerful pulses of psychic energy. The physical pain of this attack rapidly fades as you feel your mental defences strengthening and locking together to form an impenetrable wall. The attacking pulses break like waves smashing themselves against a rocky shore, and then abruptly their energy dissipates and the attack ceases.

  Turn to 327.

  219

  Confident in your natural agility, you descend the rough stone wall until you are able to lower the buckle-end of your belt within reach of the Prince's free hand. The instant he grabs the buckle, you assist him to climb back to the surface. Gasping for breath, you drag yourselves over the lip of the cavity and collapse onto the cold stone floor. When Karvas reaches over to shake you by the hand, you happen by chance to notice that he has a crescent-shaped birthmark on his right wrist. Between gasps of breath, he thanks you earnestly for your timely help. Had you not acted when you did he feels certain that he would have lost his grip and fallen into the raging river.

  Turn to 200.

  220

  The rolling plain to the west of Bakhasa is a bleak and barren steppe that is studded with countless thousands of sawn-off tree stumps. Once this region was part of the Great Forest of Kelderwood, yet in recent times the ruler of Bhanar, Autarch Sejanoz, has commanded the Bakhasians to harvest the forest's valuable hardwood and dispatch it downstream to feed the insatiable imperial shipyards of Otavai. Travelling on foot, the stumps are no obstruction to your progress and you are able to press on without stopping until late in the afternoon. As you crest a ridge of high ground, you spot a troop of horsemen escorting a line of wagons laden with timber. They are less than a mile distant and they appear to be heading towards a settlement on the banks of the River Tehda. You wait and watch them until they are dots on the horizon before continuing your trek towards the city of Bakhasa.

  You are within 20 miles of Bakhasa when dusk begins to darken the gloomy sky. Karvas requests that you stop and rest awhile before making a final push for the city. You are feeling hungry after your long day's march and you readily agree. (Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.)

  Night falls within an hour of you resuming your trek, yet the distant lights of Bakhasa and its surrounding settlements enable you to stay on course and maintain an impressive pace. The city is lit by hundreds of fiery beacons which mark the outline of its ancient perimeter wall and angular watchtowers. These fires also illuminate the surface of the River Tehda which passes through the centre of Bakhasa. To the south of the city, lines of tethered barges stacked high with logs lie moored along both of its paved banks. Under cover of the night, you are able to move through the outlying settlements without being seen. When at last you hear a bell in the city tolling the midnight hour, you find yourself upon a knoll overlooking a rutted road which approaches Bakhasa's west gate. Using your night vision, you scan the high perimeter wall and note the positions of guards posted around its tiled parapet. They are greatest in number above a wide stone archway where the glimmering river flows out of the city. Prince Karvas is eager to enter the city before
dawn and he asks you to choose the way. Aware that it may prove easier to find and take some horses while most of Bakhasa's inhabitants are still asleep, you scan the perimeter wall once more and consider how best you can pass beyond it.

  Illustration XIII—Fiery beacons illuminate the surface of the River Tehda.

  If you wish to attempt to enter Bakhasa by way of its west gate, turn to 311.

  If you decide to attempt entry to the city by way of the river arch, turn to 94.

  221

  The man pockets your money (erase the appropriate amount from your Action Chart) and chuckles to himself as he swaggers to the side of the bridge. Karvas asks that he pull the cart aside so that you can ride across, but the man sneers at the Prince's request.

  ‘Move it y'selves!’ he bellows. Cursing his insolence, you jump down from the saddle and drag the cart lengthways to make room enough to pass. Then you remount your horse and ride with Karvas, in single file, across to the other side.

  The River Ioma is the political boundary between the realms of Lunarlia and Siyen. For centuries, Voshno has been claimed by both kingdoms and its inhabitants have grown used to the disruption that comes from living astride a border between two frequently-warring nations. Currently the hamlet is divided evenly. You notice that Prince Karvas is smiling as he rides with you away from the river, and you ask him why this is so, especially after having just been fleeced by the boorish toll collector. He explains that this half of Voshno is Siyenese territory, part of his native country. After ten years in exile he has at last returned to his homeland.