by Joe Dever
If you have lost all your Gold Crowns, turn to 169.
If you have winnings to collect, or if you wish to withdraw with what money you have left, leave the building and turn to 186.
[11] The restriction on Weapons inside the gaming-house is merely flavourful text and has no effect on your Action Chart.
[12] In the game of ‘Cartwheel’, the number 0 is adjacent to the number 9. For example, if you bet on 9, and the silver ball falls on 0, you win 5 Gold Crowns for every 1 that you staked.
239
You try to apply your hands to the injured man's chest, but the Szalls are pulling at your cloak and trying to drag you away.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage, turn to 77.
If you do not possess this skill, you must attack the Szalls in order to save the man's life. Turn to 28.
240
After three uneventful days at sea, you find shipboard life rather dreary. If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, any ENDURANCE points that you may have lost on your adventure so far are restored. This will bring your ENDURANCE points score back to your original one. If you do not possess the skill, restore half of any points you have lost in combat.
On the afternoon of the fourth day, you are talking with an injured sailor up on deck when you smell smoke seeping from the hold.
If you wish to enter the hold, turn to 29.
If you wish to shout ‘Fire!’ turn to 236.
If you wish to warn the captain, turn to 101.
241
A hush descends on the tavern as the man you have accused turns to face you.
‘You've got a careless tongue, stranger,’ he says menacingly. ‘It should be cut out before it does any more harm.’ He draws a curved dagger and attacks you. The crowd form a circle around you both, preventing either of you from escaping. You must fight this man to the death.
Trickster: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 25
If you win the combat, turn to 21.
242
Much of your time at Hammerdal is taken up by training with the Sommerswerd. Day by day your skill with the wondrous blade improves, and as you progress, so you learn more of its marvellous properties.
When you use the sword in combat it will add 8 points to your COMBAT SKILL total (10 points if you possess the Kai Discipline of Weaponskill with any sword). It has the ability to absorb any magic used against you and doubles the total of all ENDURANCE points lost by undead enemies (e.g. Helghast) during combat.13
You also come to realize that it is the only weapon in all of Magnamund that can kill a Darklord, and for this reason above all others the Darklords are bent on thwarting your quest.
Turn to 152.
[13] The Sommerswerd is a weapon-like Special Item. The +10 COMBAT SKILL bonus referred to for Weaponskill is a combination of the +8 COMBAT SKILL that the Sommerswerd grants naturally and +2 for Weaponskill with Short Sword, Sword, or Broadsword (as each of them grant proficiency with the Sommerswerd). It is not an additional bonus. When used in combat, treat it like a one-handed sword, regardless of Weaponskill bonus. The text or footnotes will always remind you to double your enemy's ENDURANCE point loss if it is undead.
243
Seeing their master slain, the Giaks falter and retreat towards the stern. Captain Kelman rallies his crew and attacks, leading his men against the snarling creatures and driving them back until they leap into the sea to avoid the rain of swords. Knowing the battle to be lost, the Kraan leave the masts and fly back to the distant coastline.
‘Our thanks, Kai Lord,’ the captain says and shakes your hand. ‘We are proud and thankful to have you with us.’
A cheer resounds along the deck as the crew voice their praise.
You help tend the wounded whilst repairs are carried out on the damaged masts. Within two hours they are complete, the wind fills the sails, and you continue your voyage to Durenor.
Turn to 240.
244
You push on through the dense forest for nearly three hours before you discover a track heading north, running parallel to the Rymerift, whose rushing waters are over one mile deep. In the distance, you spot a bridge that spans the dark water at a narrow point. A small hut with a flat roof has been erected in the centre, on top of which stand two soldiers. A sign points across the bridge.
PORT BAX
If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 147.
If you wish to cross the bridge, turn to 47.
If you wish to avoid the bridge and continue along the path, turn to 207.
245
You turn east into Oxyoke Way and notice a sign above the door of a small shop to your left.
If you wish to investigate the weaponsmithy, turn to 266.
If you wish to continue walking east, turn to 310.
246
One of the guards steps forward and demands to see your pass.
If you have a White Pass, turn to 170.
If you have a Red Pass, turn to 202.
If you do not have a pass, you will be refused entry to the harbour. Turn to 327.
247
You are mesmerized by the falling mast and feel totally powerless to escape. As you are crushed beneath the enormous weight of splintering timber, the last thing that you remember are the horrified faces of Captain Kelman and his crew staring down at you.
Your life and your mission come to a tragic end here.
248
As you lay the golden sword upon the deck, the zombie captain dives at you and pins you down. His strength is unnatural. As he sinks a dagger into your throat, the last thing you hear is a hideous laugh of victory.
Your quest and your life end here.
249
During the course of the afternoon's journey, you chat with your fellow travellers and learn about their backgrounds.
Illustration XV—You chat with your fellow travellers and learn about their backgrounds.
Sitting opposite are two brothers named Ganon and Dorier. They are knights in the Order of the White Mountain, warrior lords of Durenor who have pledged allegiance to protect the country from raids by the bandits of the Wildlands. They own a castle and land near Port Bax. Next to them sits Halvorc the merchant. His nose is swollen and his face is badly bruised thanks to Lachlan, the Overlord of Ragadorn. A little misunderstanding about port taxes lost him his cargo and most of his gold. Seated by the far door is a priest called Parsion. Like you, he is a Sommlending who has journeyed across the Wildlands by coach on his way to Port Bax. Beside you sits a young woman called Viveka. She is a mercenary adventuress who earns her gold by fighting for it, and sells her services to the highest bidder. She is returning to Port Bax having collected payment for a successful adventure in Ragadorn.
Not wishing to reveal your true identity, you have pretended to be a simple peasant. The travellers seem unaware of the war that now rages in Sommerlund.
Turn to 39.
250
The soldier looks at you with a disbelieving stare.
‘Where are your goods? Where is your horse or wagon? Merchants never travel to Port Bax on foot. You are no merchant — a bandit more like, desperate to put distance between yourself and some foul deed best left untold. Go back to where you have come from, scum. We have no need of the sort of goods you sell.’
If you are to get past this border guard alive, you will have to come up with an alternative plan.
If you wish to walk away, make a wide detour and enter the forest further south, turn to 244.
If you want to try to bribe the guard, turn to 68.
If you choose to reveal the Seal of Hammerdal (if you still possess it), turn to 223.
251
It is nearly dark when the small fishing boat passes through the harbour entrance of Ragadorn. You have still seen no sign of survivors from the storm and you fear the worst.
You notice that three of the fishermen are acting very suspiciously. They whisper to each other and their eyes often glance at your money pouc
h. As the boat sails into the estuary of the River Dorn, they surround you and demand that you hand over all your gold. You are about to fight them when an unexpected blow from behind knocks you to the deck. You see one of the fishermen raise his foot. As it strikes your head, suddenly everything fades into darkness.
Turn to 194.
252
You try to remember some of the stories told to you by an old Kai master called Wise Hawk. He was envoy to Port Bax for many years, and he knew and loved this city as well as any native Durenese. You recall him saying that the consulate overlooked Alin Square in the naval quadrant of the city. There is a sign to your left pointing along the avenue.
Naval Quadrant — ½ Mile
Certain this is the right direction, you walk confidently along the tree-lined avenue.
Turn to 191.
253
This street follows the harbour wall towards the River Dorn where it then turns south into Booty Walk. As you pass the warehouses lining the waterfront, you recognize the stone signpost in the centre of the square ahead.
If you wish to continue south, turn to 303.
If you wish to walk along Barnacle Street and return to the tavern, turn to 177.
254
For three days and nights you have followed the highway to the capital as it runs parallel to the River Durenon. The river valley is a wide belt of rich, cultivated land that climbs towards the Hammerdal Mountains, one of the highest ranges in all of Magnamund.
It is on the morning of the fourteenth day of your quest, when six cloaked men appear at the edge of your camp. Lord-lieutenant Rhygar is the first to draw his sword. With a voice of authority he demands an explanation for their intrusion. In reply, they unsheathe black swords. Rhygar shouts to his men to prepare for combat as the cloaked strangers advance towards you.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 344.
If you wish to draw your weapon and prepare to fight, turn to 69.
If you do not want to fight, you can evade by running into the woods before combat begins by turning to 183.
255
Taking hold of your weapon, you demonstrate the Kai skills of balance and speed, as taught to you by your Kai masters. With breathtaking speed, as you spin and twist the weapon around your head and body, the movement of your hands becomes a dazzling blur. To finish your display of Weaponskill, you strike the edge of a pewter plate and send it spinning across the room so fast that it embeds itself in the cellar door.
The sailor watches in amazement.
Turn to 268.
256
You pass the stone steps and continue along the highway. You have just passed under the platform when you hear a noise above you. You stop and stare upwards but you can see nothing in the gloom of the tunnel ceiling.
Turn to 134.
257
This rubbish-strewn cobbled street runs between rows of ramshackle, rot-infested houses and shops. The few inhabitants of Ragadorn that you see appear a cheerless lot, their faces haggard and drawn. They shuffle through the gloom, hunched against the pouring rain, their eyes fixed on the cobblestones at their feet. Then you reach a junction where Axe Lane bends towards the north and another street heads off towards the east.
If you wish to continue north and enter Black Knight Street, turn to 335.
If you wish to head east, enter Sage Street by turning to 181.
258
The stench of the ship is making you choke. You lose 1 ENDURANCE point. You must get out of this vile hold or you will suffocate.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 272.
If you wish to climb through the shattered deck, turn to 17.
If you wish to leave the hold through a door in the far wall, turn to 5.
259
Through the pouring rain, you can make out the dark shape of a city patrol marching towards you. Rather than risk being stopped and possibly arrested, you dash into a nearby shop.
Turn to 161.
260
The captain orders the ship to go alongside and pick up the three men. They are fishermen from the Sommerlund port of Tyso. Their boat was attacked last night by pirates, and they are the only survivors.
You give them food and warm clothing and they can barely hold back their tears of gratitude. As you prepare to continue your journey to Durenor, one of the men offers you a fine Sword as a token of his thanks. If you wish to accept this gift, remember to mark it on your Action Chart.
Turn to 240.
261
The road follows a course along a high, grassy ridge for many miles before turning northwards to the coast. You pass a village where the houses curve in a circle around a large pond of stagnant water. As you ride through, a gaggle of Szall children come running towards you, shouting and throwing stones.
You descend into the deep valley beyond and gradually the moor gives way to richer land that has been cleared and ploughed. The hillside opposite is heavily wooded. You are not far from the coast and you can see the tall cliffs with their multicoloured bands of rock jutting out into the ocean.
Then just as you are passing through a small copse, you hear desperate cries for help off to your right.
If you wish to aid the people in trouble, turn to 95.
If you wish to ignore their desperate pleas, continue riding along the road by turning to 198.
262
The guard roughly pushes you aside and runs out of the watchtower towards Tomb Square. There is a small room off the staircase and you decide to enter and search it before he returns. In it you discover:
Sword
Mace
Quarterstaff
Enough Food for 1 Meal
6 Gold Crowns
Potion of Orange Liquid
If you wish to take any of these items, mark them on your Action Chart.14
As you are leaving, you collide with another guard and you both tumble down the stairs, but before he can gather his senses, you have sprinted off into the night.
Turn to 65.
[14] You have lost your Backpack and therefore cannot carry the Meal or the Orange Potion.
263
The man stares at the Seal with a look of shocked dismay. Without saying a word, he gets up from his chair and beckons you to follow him up a flight of spiral stairs that lead to a domed chamber. Here you meet the captain of the port watch. He listens intently as you tell of the war in Sommerlund and of your urgent mission.
‘Issue a red pass immediately,’ he orders. ‘Top priority.’
You collect your Red Pass, leave the port watchtower, and hurry along the street towards the harbour guards. (Mark the Red Pass on your Action Chart as a Special Item.)
Turn to 246.
264
Focusing your powers of concentration on the snake's head, you will it to slither away in search of food. Slowly but surely your psychic suggestion works, and the snake eventually uncoils itself and vanishes into the long grass. Breathing a sigh of relief, you decide it would be safer to climb the tree and spend the rest of the night above the ground.
Turn to 312.
265
At dusk on the tenth day of your quest, you experience your first sight of the magnificent city of Port Bax. Like a diamond set in the green velvet shore, the towers of the city glimmer in the pale light of a waxing moon. To the north is the harbour and the formidable war fleet of the Durenese navy. To the east, beyond the moss-covered city wall, stretches the Forest of Durenor. And there, on the crest of a hill, stands a castle tall and proud, the crowning glory of this beautiful port.
You enter Port Bax through an unguarded gate in the green city wall, and make your way through the darkening streets towards the harbour.
As you turn into a tree-lined avenue, you notice the wide stone steps of a domed building to your right. You stop to read the brass plaque.
CITY HALL
Despite the late hour, the main doors are open.
If you have the K
ai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 252.
If you wish to enter the city hall, turn to 84.
If you wish to continue on your way towards the harbour, turn to 191.
266
As you enter, a bell rings and a small man in a padded leather jerkin bids you welcome. He is busy polishing a rusty suit of armour with a wire brush. The prices of his weapons are displayed on a wooden board above the counter:
Swords 4 Gold Crowns each
Daggers 2 Gold Crowns each
Broadswords 7 Gold Crowns each
Short Swords 3 Gold Crowns each
Warhammers 6 Gold Crowns each
Spears 5 Gold Crowns each
Maces 4 Gold Crowns each
Axes 3 Gold Crowns each
Quarterstaves 3 Gold Crowns each
You may purchase any of the above weapons if you have enough money to do so. The weaponsmith will also buy any Weapons that you may already have for 1 Gold Crown less than the price shown on his wooden board. Mark any necessary changes on your Action Chart before bidding him goodnight and returning to the street.
