Mydnight's Hero

by Joe Dever

  If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Sentinel, turn to 348.

  If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 238.

  293

  When the Prince recovers consciousness he can hardly believe his eyes. The chill, spartan surroundings of the chapel have somehow transformed into the warm, rich opulence of Lodamos' personal chamber. The fearsome ghost of Knight Ranald has disappeared, yet he is now confronted by a sight he finds equally difficult to reconcile: Baron Lodamos happily conversing with you over a plate of roasted pheasant and sweet potatoes! The Baron, upon seeing that the Prince has regained consciousness, goes and kneels at the side of his divan. Carefully he explains all that has occurred since Karvas lost consciousness, and he begs the Prince to forgive him for the ordeal he has been made to suffer. To redress his conduct, the Baron pledges that he will do all he can to help you both reach Seroa in time for the crowning ceremony on Harvestmas Day.

  If you possess Sadanzo's Scroll, turn to 126.

  If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 317.

  294

  The smooth surface of the tower wall proves to be a minor obstruction to someone of your ability and you ascend effortlessly, like a spider, towards the second-storey window. On reaching the window you pull yourself through the open frame and drop down onto the steps of a stone stairway beyond. This circular staircase leads to the top of the tower which commands a magnificent view of the city. Aided by your night vision, you are able to locate stables less than a mile to the north of the tower. You commit their location to memory and then hurriedly you descend the stairs and return to the window. Once more you use your climbing skills, this time to make a speedy descent to the street below.

  Prince Karvas is delighted to hear that there are stables in the city, and he insists that you set off for them at once. He is leading the way out of the warehouse ruins when suddenly the tower bell begins to toll once more. Moments later, the temple doors swing open and the procession of black-clad figures file out into the street. Instinctively you take hold of Karvas by the arm and pull him back into the ruins to avoid being seen by the emerging soldiers. As they pass by, you peer around the edge of the crumbling warehouse doorway to watch them. A strange feeling of unease makes the skin on the back of your neck prickle, and immediately you sense that all is not what it seems. When you magnify your vision to take a closer look at the passing figures, you gasp with shock at what you see.

  Turn to 100.

  295

  You stagger painfully to your feet and try to focus on your surroundings. Through a pall of smoke you hear the groans of wounded crewmen and the crackling buzz of electrical arcing. Steam rises from a gaping hole in the stern deck and a fire rages around the base of the mainmast. Prince Karvas emerges unscathed from the rope locker and quickly he helps you to smother this fire. Then he gives first aid to a crewman who is lying nearby, nursing a broken knee. Acraban comes staggering out of the smoke. His robes are torn and a trickle of blood runs from a cut above his right ear. You use your Magnakai Curing skills to heal the wizard's wound and then together you help evacuate the injured crewmen from the crippled skyship. Acraban orders Bo'sun Gora to go and assess the state of the crew. He returns shortly and reports that from the ship's original complement of ten men, three are now missing, three are wounded, and one is dead. The remaining three crewmen, himself included, have survived the crash with only minor injuries.

  Illustration XVII—Prince Karvas emerges unscathed from the rope locker.

  Using your Magnakai Curing skills, you ease the pain of the badly-injured crewmen before helping Karvas and Gora to bury the dead man — Kuo the helmsman. The area surrounding the crashed skyship is thickly wooded and, with night fast approaching and a sky heavy with clouds, it is impossible for you to determine your exact location. Acraban proposes to contact Lord Zinair to inform him of the disaster by means of his seeing stone. But, to his dismay, he soon discovers that the magical artefact has been lost in the crash.

  As the darkness of night envelops the smouldering wreck of the Starstrider, you find it hard to suppress a growing sense of despair. It is a mood shared by the other survivors, and few words are exchanged as you work together to erect a makeshift shelter for the wounded beside the ship's battered keel. When the shelter is finished, you each look for a place nearby where you can lie down and attempt to recover from the fatigue of your terrible ordeal.

  Before you try to get some sleep, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 331.

  296

  In the ensuing confusion, Sadanzo attempts to flee the platform and escape with his entourage of robber knights. Marshal Phedros rushes forward to examine the shattered pieces of Sadanzo's gem, and at once he recognizes that they are the remnants of an evil artefact crafted by Naar — the King of the Darkness.

  He turns to the bewildered crowd and denounces Sadanzo as a disciple of Naar: a treasonable offence in Siyen that is punishable by death. He orders the Royal Guard to pursue and arrest Sadanzo immediately. ‘Find him and take him to the palace dungeons,’ he commands. Upon hearing this, a vast section of the stunned crowd roar their approval and sporadic fighting breaks out as followers of Sadanzo attempt to battle their way out of the square. Marshal Phedros orders that the city gates be sealed, and then he commands the Royal Court Cavalry to hunt down Sadanzo's robber knights, in every quarter of Seroa, and bring them to justice. As these noble troopers eagerly set about their task, Phedros turns to Prince Karvas and hugs him to his chest.

  ‘Welcome home at last,’ he says, his voice wavering with emotion. ‘Welcome home … King Karvas.’

  Turn to 270.

  297

  Your blow unsaddles your enemy and sends him crashing into the trees that border the trail. His followers curse you and they raise their swords and maces in readiness to strike as you come towards their line. But you do not give them this opportunity. Hurriedly, you rein your horse about and gallop back along the trail towards Karvas. In the distance you can see that the tree is burning less fiercely now. On approaching the Prince, you call for him to follow as you race along the trail towards the flaming pine.

  Turn to 92.

  298

  As you watch the migrating fanji, your Sixth Sense warns you that something is wrong. The leading beasts are constantly changing direction and the rest of the herd are following blindly in their wake. They are passing within a mile of the trail when suddenly you see the leaders switch direction once again. To your dismay, you see they are now thundering towards the trail on a collision course with yourself and Prince Karvas.

  Frantically, you wave your arm and signal to Karvas to follow your lead. With your heart pounding fit to burst, you veer away and gallop your horse through the waist-high grass that borders the trail. As you race before the thundering herd you can see only two places ahead that promise safe sanctuary from this stampede: the River Ioma, and a small tree-fringed hillock.

  If you wish to head for the river, turn to 114.

  If you choose to head for the hillock, turn to 249.

  299

  ‘Well met, my lords,’ calls the ginger-haired magician as he waits at the end of the gangplank for you and Lord Zinair to disembark. You gather together your equipment and, as you step ashore, he greets you with a broad smile and a firm handshake. ‘I am Acraban, of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star. I had not expected we would rendezvous so soon. I arrived here myself only this morning aboard my skyship Starstrider,’ he says, earnestly.

  Then the young magician excuses himself before turning away to face his flying ship. He raises his right hand and a shimmering blue flame suddenly engulfs his open palm. From the rear deck of the hovering skyship you see a flashing pinpoint of light. It is an acknowledgement of Acraban's signal to his crew that you have arrived.

  ‘Come
, my lords, let us return to Starstrider. We have much to discuss and time is precious.’

  Turn to 90.

  300

  The sergeant has his men unchain you from the wall and march you at spear-point along the lower corridors and passages of the citadel, to a small chapel of worship that is dedicated to the Goddess Ishir. You and Karvas are pushed into this chapel and its heavy door is slammed shut and bolted behind you. Moonlight filters into this place of worship through leaded stained glass set into star-shaped alcoves near its vaulted ceiling. It casts a pale rainbow of colour upon a marble tomb which occupies the centre of the chapel floor. Its heavy stone lid is carved in the likeness of a recumbent knight whose hands are folded around the hilt of a broadsword.

  Karvas is about to beat his fist on the bolted door and demand that he be allowed to speak to Dunwayne, but you stay his hand. Your Magnakai Discipline of Divination warns you that you and Karvas are not alone in this chapel. You detect a strong psychic presence that is centred upon the tomb. A sudden gust of wind sweeps through the chapel and you feel the air temperature plummet to near-freezing. Ice crystallises on the sides of the tomb and a ghostly plume of vapour seeps from cracks in the stone. This translucent mist swirls and condenses, and gradually it adopts the recognisable form of a knight in armour clutching the hilt of a broadsword. It is the ghost of the warrior whose remains are entombed here. He is a paladin knight, and his ghost has arisen to test your true purpose. The ghostly warrior raises his mighty sword and rays of eerie blue light flood out from the slits in the visor of his spectral helm. As this light washes over you and Karvas, you feel pulses of psychic energy assaulting your mind. The Prince lets out a scream and then he falls unconscious to the floor as the waves of energy increase in intensity.

  Illustration XVIII—The mist adopts the form of a knight in armour.

  If you possess Kai-screen, turn to 218.

  If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 196.

  301

  The drooling horror suddenly gathers speed when it catches the enticing scent of horseflesh drifting on the chill night wind. You unsheathe your Kai Weapon and move forward to block its approach to the narrow gully. You must now fight the creature.

  Bavazanur (Winged Agarashi): COMBAT SKILL 38 ENDURANCE 35

  This enemy is immune to Mindblast (but not Kai-surge). You may add 5 points to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this fight, for Prince Karvas is supporting your battle with this foul creature. If the Kai Weapon you wield is ‘Raumas’, you may apply the bonus gained due to its unique properties.

  If you win the combat, turn to 129.

  302

  You are three miles clear of the fissures when the steering becomes dangerously erratic. The Starstrider is losing altitude and her deck is beginning to tilt alarmingly to starboard. Soon it becomes almost impossible to stand upright. Acraban appears from below and struggles valiantly across the sloping deck to join you at the helm. The young sorcerer is gaunt and exhausted, and his ginger hair is matted with grime and sweat. Clearly his efforts to repair the ailing skyship have severely drained his magical energies.

  ‘We have lost one stabilizer and the other is badly damaged,’ he says, grimly. ‘I have done all I can to repair it but I fear it may fail at any moment. Without stabilizers we will not stay airborne.’

  Acraban takes the helm and orders his crew to prepare for a crash landing. Some of the men tie themselves to the ship's superstructure, whilst others stand free of the rails and pray for the protection of Goddess Ishir. Prince Karvas has found refuge in a rope locker bolted to the main deck. He lifts the lid and urges you to join him. There is sufficient room for two.

  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.

  303

  Over the next two days you ride away from Jaroc in a northeasterly direction, crossing a rich expanse of rolling prairie. The riding is easy and the fine weather helps you make good progress. By noon of the third day out of Jaroc you have covered nearly 200 miles and you are feeling in good spirits. The prairie gradually gives way to a region of hilly uplands that lie sandwiched between two mountain ranges. Here you happen upon a rutted track that leaves the prairie and winds through the hills towards a high pass. There are no signposts on this road, but Karvas is familiar with this region and he tells you that it leads to an outpost town called Battle Pass. You are in the land of Lunarlia and for centuries this realm has been the enemy of Siyen — Prince Karvas' homeland. Many wars have been waged between the two kingdoms and this region has seen countless battles. Karvas pledges to end these wars. When he is crowned King of Siyen he vows that he will seek a lasting peace with the kingdom of Lunarlia.

  It is noon and a warm sun is beating down on the fortified town of Battle Pass as you approach its west gate. Karvas is grateful that he is wearing the clothes of a Sommlending journeyman, for the inhabitants of this tough frontier post are notoriously hostile to the Siyenese. To your surprise, the guards at the gate pay you scant attention and you are allowed to enter the town with little more than a cursory glance. You ask Karvas why this is so and he tells you that riders approaching from the west, the Lunarlian side, are allowed to pass freely. Riders from the east, the Siyenese side, are subjected to far greater scrutiny.

  Beyond the west gate a broad avenue opens out into a main square that is bordered by a trading post, a barracks, and a tavern. Both you and Karvas are especially thirsty after your ride through the dry, dusty hills, and you are eager to seek out some refreshment.

  If you wish to visit the tavern, turn to 266.

  If you prefer to visit the trading post, turn to 120.

  304

  Beyond the arch is a narrow brick walkway which borders the river. You hurry along this unlit footpath until you come to a flight of steps that lead to a flagstoned loading area crowded with soldiers and wagons. By keeping low and moving from one wagon to the next, you and Karvas are able to cross this concourse undetected.

  Soon you come to a stone bridge that traverses the River Tehda. You hurry across and enter a wide avenue which leads to the city's east quarter. Grimy two-storey houses of carved hardwood pass by on either side, silent behind their bolts and shutters. At the end of the avenue 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, and note that these men are clad in black quilted tunics with 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 river but, when they do, you see another patrol come 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.

  Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 340.

  305

  You utter the words of the Old Kingdom Spell Invisible Fist and thrust your right arm stiffly towards the onrushing lancer. A wave of energy surges from your clenched fist and strikes the man squarely in the chest. With a muffled scream, he flings his lance into the air and tumbles backwards out of the saddle to crash down heavily upon the cobblestoned passageway.

  Turn to 207.

  306

  The instant the cell door crashes shut, you use your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus to loosen the cords that bind your wrists and then you untie the Prince. The air in this dark prison cell is dank and stifling. What little ventilation there is comes from the narrow crack that runs around the i
ron cell door. Your advanced Weaponmastery tells you that your Kai Weapon is close by, and when you close your eyes and concentrate, you detect it lying in an empty cell located directly opposite the door of the one you now occupy.

  You vow to Karvas that this foul dungeon will not hold him for long, and you set about examining its walls and floor in the hope of finding a way to escape. However, you quickly discover that you have been locked in the securest cell of the citadel, deep below the ground. Beyond its slimy walls there lies nothing but solid earth. Only the cell door offers a glimmer of hope, yet it has no handle, hinges, or keyhole visible on the inside. It is not secured by a key but by a tumbler lock, similar to the lock of a safe, and it is opened by means of a dial on the outside of the door. Placing your ear to its surface, you use your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus to will the lock tumblers to move. After a few moments you hear them begin to click over.

  You discover the lock has three tumblers. To open the door, each tumbler has to be turned to the correct position in a sequence. Using your Sixth Sense, you determine that the first number in the sequence is equal to the number of horses you took from the Tehda Stables. The second is equivalent to the number of seeing stones that Lord Zinair gave to Wizard Acraban. The third in the sequence is equivalent to the number of additional Grand Master Disciplines acquired upon reaching the rank of Kai Grand Master Superior.