by Joe Dever
14
As the contest begins, you use your Kai Discipline to weaken your opponent's concentration. Beads of sweat stand out on his forehead and his eyes gradually close as he withers under your relentless Mindblast. In less than a minute he has collapsed to the floor completely unconscious.
Turn to 305.
15
His look of suspicion changes to one of surprise. ‘I believed you to be a trickster, Kai Lord. I must confess that I had planned to teach you a lesson you would not have forgotten in a lifetime. Please forgive my doubts but your story sounded so grave that I refused to believe it for fear it be true. I am sworn to the defence of the border and I cannot leave this tower, but I offer you any of my possessions if they may aid you on your quest.’
He places the following items on a large oak table and invites you to take your choice:
Broadsword
Mace
Quarterstaff
Healing Potion (restores 3 ENDURANCE points)
Enough Food for 3 Meals
Backpack
12 Gold Crowns
As you are about to leave the tower, he points out the direction you should take.
‘When you reach the Rymerift, take the track northwards. You will come to a bridge guarded by the King's men. When they ask for the password, answer them with the word “sunset”. The road beyond the Rymerift leads to Port Bax. Godspeed, Lone Wolf.’
You thank the brave warrior and leave. You must abandon your horse at the watchtower, for it would be impossible to pass through the dense trees on horseback.
Turn to 244.
16
You pick up an ale glass and smash it across the edge of the table. The jagged glass is razor-sharp. As you draw it across the back of your left hand, a long cut appears trickling blood. Covering this wound with your right hand, you concentrate and feel the warmth of your power as the wound heals. When you remove your right hand, no trace of the cut or any scar remains. The sailor stares at you in amazement.
Turn to 268.
17
You have pulled yourself halfway through the deck when the door to the hold below bursts open. A Helghast runs shrieking towards you. You cannot escape in time and it badly wounds you in the legs with its black sword. You lose 5 ENDURANCE points and drop to the hold. You must fight this creature to the death.
Helghast: COMBAT SKILL 22 ENDURANCE 30
It is an undead creature, so remember to double all ENDURANCE points that it loses in this combat as a result of the power of the Sommerswerd. This creature is immune to Mindblast.
If you kill the Helghast, you may leave the hold by the open door. Turn to 166.
18
The street ahead is completely blocked by wagons which are being unloaded onto a merchant ship. You follow the street as it turns east into Oxyoke Way. To your left is another entrance to the Ragadorn Trading Post. Beyond that you notice a smaller shop with a sign above the door.
If you wish to enter the trading post, turn to 173.
If you would rather investigate the weaponsmithy, turn to 266.
If you wish to continue walking east, turn to 310.
19
Less than twenty yards away, a small search party is marching along the wet cobblestones. You run towards the darkened doorway of a small shop and quickly enter to avoid the mob. With your heart pounding in your chest, you pray that you have not been spotted.
Turn to 71.
20
You follow this rat-infested street as it drops steeply to the wharves and jetties of the River Dorn. From the edge of the waterfront, you see the Ragadorn Bridge. It is the only crossing between the east and west sides of this sleazy port. Pushing your way through the crowds of people on the bridge, you enter a rubbish-strewn thoroughfare known as East Trade Lane.
Turn to 186.
21
The trickster lies dead at your feet. Rolling him over with your foot, you remove several cards from the sleeves of his jacket and throw them on the table. The crowd soon disperses and the tavern is a bustle of noise and activity once more. The other card players retrieve their gold from the table and leave the remainder for you.
To find out how much has been left on the table, pick a number from the Random Number Table. (In this instance, 0 = 10 instead of zero.) Now multiply this number by 3. The total is the number of Gold Crowns that are on the table. You may also take the Card Sharp's Dagger if you wish. Remember to mark all the items on your Action Chart.
As the body is being dragged outside, you walk to the bar and call for the innkeeper. You press a Gold Crown into his hand and ask for a room for the night.
Turn to 314.
22
In the morning you are awoken by the cry of the deck watchman: ‘Wreckage off the starboard bow!’
Quickly dressing, you climb up on deck and join the captain at the rail.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 119.
If the number is 5–9, turn to 341.
23
You chase the furry creature as it hurries along a narrow, twisting passage for nearly ten minutes and are about to give up the chase when the passage opens out into a huge torchlit cavern. A stunning sight greets your eyes. The cavern houses an entire colony of these strange creatures, all busy sorting through and examining a vast pile of strange objects littering the centre of the hall.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship, turn to 144.
If you do not have this skill, turn to 295.
24
It is the crypt of Killean the Overlord. He had been ruler of Ragadorn, but he and many others in Ragadorn died during an outbreak of Red Death plague three years ago.
You suddenly recall a journeyman of your monastery called Swift Fox. He told you tales of his many travels to Ragadorn. The Red Death killed over half the population here. It also killed Swift Fox.
If you wish to return to the tavern, turn to 177.
If you wish to head west along Tomb Street, turn to 253.
If you wish to head east along Watchtower Street, turn to 319.
25
Casting your eye around the crowded tavern, you notice that many of the local villagers are playing various gambling games. Near to the main door, a young rogue has three upturned wooden cups on the table in front of him. He spins them around and challenges anyone to point out the cup that contains a small glass marble. If they guess correctly, he will pay them double the money they have gambled.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense or Mind Over Matter, turn to 116.
If you do not have either of these skills, turn to 153.
26
You are staring into the hollow eye sockets of a walking corpse. Twisted and disfigured though he is, you recognize Captain Kelman. You are in fact standing upon the deck of the Green Sceptre which sank during the storm twenty-eight days ago, and which has been raised from its murky grave this very morning to join the death-hulk fleet.
Illustration II—Twisted and disfigured though he is, you recognize Captain Kelman.
The dead captain extends a broken hand towards you and a ghastly voice begs you to lay down the Sommerswerd: ‘Put down your sword and my soul will be spared this torment.’
If you wish to place the Sommerswerd upon the deck, turn to 248.
If you wish to attack the zombie captain, turn to 66.
27
You walk for over three hours along the lonely coast road before night begins to fall. You are very tired and you decide to get some sleep and continue at dawn. You remember the tales told by your Kai masters of the Wildlands between Sommerlund and Durenor, where packs of wild dogs roam the wastelands at night.
With these stories in mind, you decide to spend the night in the safety of a large leafy tree at the edge of the road.
Your rest is very refreshing. Restore 2 ENDURANCE points (if any have been lost on your adventure so far) and turn to 312.
28
The cowardly Szalls squeal in terror and run in all directions to avoid your blows. They have soon fled from the clearing and you turn to help the dying man. He is barely alive and far too weak to talk.
If you wish carefully to remove the spear from his chest, turn to 106.
If you would rather search his pack for useful items, turn to 320.
29
You release the lock and slide back the hatch cover. The sudden draught of air causes flames to billow out of the hold. You stumble backwards, clutching your burnt face. Lose 2 ENDURANCE points.
‘Fire! Fire!’ the cry goes up.
In panic the crew fight to put out the flames. It takes over an hour to control the blaze. The damage is considerable — the entire store of food and fresh water was in that hold, and the fire has completely ruined both, as well as weakened the structure of the ship.
As you stand surveying the wreckage, the captain approaches you, his face blackened by the smoke. He is carrying something in a bundle under his arm. ‘We must talk in private, my lord,’ he says quietly.
Without replying, you turn and follow him below to his cabin.
Turn to 222.
30
You land on the rotting timbers and crash straight through to the deck below. You are unharmed by the fall, but the stench of decay that fills your nostrils is overwhelming. You clamber up and unsheathe the Sommerswerd. Four ghastly zombies stagger out of the gloom, their twisted hands extended towards your throat. You must fight them as one enemy.
Zombie Crew: COMBAT SKILL 13 ENDURANCE 16
They are undead creatures, so remember to double all ENDURANCE points that they lose due to the power of the Sommerswerd. They are immune to Mindblast.
If you win the fight, turn to 258.
31
Your first meeting with the Lord-lieutenant comes as something of a shock. You had perhaps half expected him to be a servile old man, as are the envoys of the southern lands that plague your King's court with their delegations. The man clad in heavy chainmail standing before you is neither old nor servile. You are soon to learn that Lord-lieutenant Rhygar is an exceptional man.
Born of a Sommlending father and a Durenese mother, he has become something of a legend in this city. In the last decade, he has led an alliance of the nations to victory against the invading Ice Barbarians of Kalte. Wise in peace, fierce in war, you could not have wished for better company on your quest for the Sommerswerd.
Rhygar orders that a sumptuous meal be served. It is by far the best food you have tasted since the war began. During the feast, you recall the events that have brought you to Port Bax, and reflect on the daunting challenge that still lies before you. After the meal, Rhygar sends for his physician who attends to your wounds. His potions restore 6 ENDURANCE points. Then he advises you to sleep, for you are to leave with the Lord-lieutenant for Hammerdal in the morning.1
Early next day, you are taken to an enclosed garden at the rear of the consulate where Rhygar and three of his best soldiers await you on horseback. They are to be your bodyguard and guides on the 230 mile ride to Hammerdal. The streets of Port Bax are just beginning to come to life as you ride through the town. Passing under the moss-covered city gate, you now feel confident that your mission will succeed.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 176.
If it is 5–9, turn to 254.
[1] If you do not have a Backpack, you may choose to assume here that you are outfitted with one by Rhygar.
32
You awake at dawn to the sound of a shrill cockcrow. You can see the crooked streets of Ragadorn through a veil of heavy rain beating down on the cobblestones outside. It has been six days since you left Holmgard and you are still 200 miles from Port Bax.
You are in the loft of a very large coach station. A group of green-clad men have arrived and have started to clean out one of the coaches. You overhear one of them say that the coach leaves for Port Bax at one o'clock this afternoon and that the journey will take seven days.
You are hungry and must eat a Meal here or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
After the Meal, if you decide to approach the coachmen and ask to buy a ticket for the journey to Port Bax, turn to 136.
If you would rather descend the ladder to the street outside, turn to 238.
33
The other travellers stare with horror and disbelief at what you have done. Before you can explain yourself, there is a loud crash as the front door is thrown open. In rush six armoured soldiers led by the innkeeper. They are the town guard, and the one-eyed innkeeper is screaming at them to arrest you.
If you wish to fight them, turn to 296.
If you wish to escape by the rear door, turn to 88.
34
As you close the door of your cabin, you hear the frantic shouts of the crew as they prepare to fight off the attackers. Suddenly you hear the dull thud of something hitting the rear deck followed by the shrieks of creatures you know only too well — Giaks! The Zlanbeast are dropping nets of Giaks onto the ship. The door of your cabin bursts open and you are faced by three of the hideous grey-skinned creatures. Their jagged swords are covered in blood. You cannot evade and you must fight them as one enemy.
Giaks: COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 14
If you win the combat, turn to 345.
35
Stepping over the unconscious soldier, you quickly dash past the tower into the forest. If more guards appear they are likely to attack first and ask questions later.
You have been walking for over two hours when you come to a fork in the road by a stunted oak tree.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 13.
If you wish to take the left fork, turn to 155.
If you wish to take the right fork, turn to 293.
36
The food tastes delicious and it is only a matter of minutes before you empty your plate. You decide to take a short nap before meeting the others in the bar room. But as you are about to lie down, a terrible pain grips your stomach. Your legs buckle and you fall trembling to the floor. You feel as if your whole body is on fire. One word repeats itself over and over again in your mind — poison … poison … poison …
If you have some Laumspur, turn to 145.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 210.
If you have neither of the above, turn to 275.
37
Inside the coach it is warm and dry. Shaking the rain from your Kai cloak, you notice three other passengers on board: two women and a man who is snoring loudly. One of the women looks up and smiles.
Illustration III—Inside the coach, it is warm and dry.
‘We should reach Ragadorn in six hours,’ she says, placing her basket on the floor so that you can sit beside her. You learn that she lives in Ragadorn and she tells you a little about the port.
‘Since Killean the Overlord died three years ago, Ragadorn has been ruled by Lachlan, his evil son. He and his mercenaries are nothing but pirates. They bleed the people dry with their heavy taxes, and if anyone complains, they are quietly disposed of. It's a sorry state of affairs. If you take my advice you'll leave Ragadorn as soon as possible.’
During the journey you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE Points.
Then in the distance you hear a bell tolling. You look out of the window to see the city wall of Ragadorn. The coach passes through the west gate and pulls to a halt. As you jump to the ground, you are greeted by the awful smell of this dingy seaport. A rusty sign nailed to a wall says ‘Welcome to Ragadorn’.
The woman tells you that you can board a coach to Port Bax at the coach station near the east gate of the city.
If you wish to walk north into Westgate Lane, turn to 122.
If you wish to head south along West Bank Walk turn to 323.
If you want to walk east into Axe Lane, turn to 257.
38
You grab t
he shaft of the Spear and thrust it upwards into the rib cage of the Helghast. It screams in agony and rage, and releases its grip on your throat. You roll away in time to see the hideous creature fall writhing on the ground, desperately trying to pull the spear from its body.
If you wish to grab the shaft of the Spear and drive it deeper into the Helghast, turn to 269.
If you wish to run away as quickly as possible, turn to 313.
39
At dusk the coach stops at an inn on the coast road to Port Bax. The cost of a room for the night is 1 Gold Crown for coach passengers and 3 Gold Crowns for anyone else. As you are about to enter, the coach driver demands to see your ticket.
If you have a ticket for the journey to Port Bax, turn to 346.
If you do not have a ticket, turn to 156.
40
The muster of the army and the preparation of the Durenese fleet takes fourteen days to complete, during which time you remain as a guest of the king in Hammerdal. As each day passes, you despair for your besieged countrymen of Holmgard and pray that they have enough strength to resist the Darklords until you return.
Every day of your reluctant exile you devote long periods to exercise and meditation. You are also visited by a Durenese herbwarden called Madin Rendalim, who is famous throughout the Lastlands for his knowledge and skill in the healing arts. He restores all the ENDURANCE points you may have lost so far on your adventure, and he gives you a potent Laumspur potion that will restore 5 ENDURANCE points if swallowed after combat. (Mark this under Backpack Items on your Action Chart.)
