Fire on the Water (21 page)
Keeping one eye on the door, you quickly search the drawers of an ornate chart table. There does not appear to be anything unusual about the contents. You find mainly charts, island maps, and navigational instruments. You are about to abandon this fruitless search when you notice a small lever hidden below the tabletop. You push it and a panel flips open to reveal a small wooden box with a brass lock.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Mind Over Matter,
turn to 287
.
If you wish to prise open the lock,
turn to 190
.
If you wish to replace the box and join the captain on deck, before he suspects something is wrong,
turn to 175
.
The following morning you are woken by the cry of the ship's lookout high in the crow's nest: ‘Ship ahoy! Ship off the starboard bow!’
You climb up on deck and brace yourself against the fresh sea breeze. On the horizon, you can see the wooded coastline of eastern Sommerlund, but in the middle distance is a merchant ship that looks badly damaged. It is low in the water and has only one mast remaining intact. It flies the flag of Durenor but the flag is upside down, a signal of distress.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 107
.
If the number is 5–9,
turn to 94
.
The shriek of the dying Szall is soon echoed by your own death-cry as two crossbow bolts embed themselves in your back.
Your mission and your life end here.
You are standing in a large, empty hall. Opposite are two doors, each with a brass sign above them.
If you wish to enter the door marked ‘White Passes’,
turn to 75
.
If you wish to enter the door marked ‘Red Passes’,
turn to 62
.
If you wish to leave and approach the guards at the end of the street,
turn to 246
.
The street ends abruptly at a large stone watchtower.
If you wish to enter the watchtower,
turn to 271
.
If you wish to return to the tavern,
turn to 177
.
You search in his pack and are horrified to find that it contains a scroll of human skin upon which a message has been written in a strange runic script. The only word that you can make out is ‘Kai’. You also find an evil-looking dagger with a black blade, and a block of cold obsidian.
These items bear the signs of the Darklords' craft. Something is very wrong here. You drop the pack as quickly as if it were red-hot and turn to mount your horse. To your dismay, you find it is no longer there: the Szalls must have stolen it. Wearily, you realize you will now have to continue your journey on foot.
The meal is poor. It is made up of yesterday's leftovers, and what the captain tells you as you finish your meagre supper confirms your suspicions.
‘I have a confession to make, Kai Lord. The fire destroyed our entire food store; we had barely enough in the galley for this meal. I fear that we will have to survive on a diet of fresh fish until we reach Port Bax.’
Unless you have food in your Backpack, the poor meal leaves you hungry and you lose 2
ENDURANCE
points.
After dinner, the captain challenges you to a game of Samor, a board game a little like chess, involving skilful strategy and bluff. To add a little excitement, he suggests a small wager.
If you wish to accept his offer,
turn to 12
.
If you wish to decline the game, bid the captain goodnight and return to your cabin to sleep by
turning to 197
.
There is a strong aura of evil surrounding these cloaked riders. Your Kai sense warns you not to follow Rhygar and his men on their impetuous charge. You shout a warning to them to stop them attacking, but it is too late. You cannot be heard above their battle-cries and the thundering hooves of their mounts.
You follow this dingy street until it turns sharply eastwards into Lookout Street. In the far distance, you can see the River Dorn which separates the east and west sides of Ragadorn.
As you walk through the pouring rain, three suspicious men appear from an alley and start to follow you.
If you wish to stop and confront these men,
turn to 131
.
If you wish to continue walking,
turn to 298
.
If you would prefer to run towards the river,
turn to 121
.
Will you:
Say you are lost and ask for shelter for the night?
Turn to 135
.
Pretend to be a peasant looking for work?
Turn to 174
.
Decide to ask directions for Port Bax?
Turn to 288
.
You sense that the left tunnel is the quickest route to Hammerdal by about two miles. Just before you reach the junction you come across a large puddle in the centre of the highway. You notice that two sets of footprints, about the size and shape of a man's boot trail away from the water and lead off into both tunnels. The prints are still wet and you judge that they were made within the last twenty minutes.
If you wish to enter the left tunnel,
turn to 64
.
If you wish to enter the right tunnel,
turn to 164
.
The captain orders the crew to hoist all the sails to attempt to outrun the vessel, but the pirate ship is fast and is trying to cross the bows of the
Green Sceptre
. A collision seems imminent.
‘Prepare to ram,’ the captain cries, as the side of the red-sailed warship looms up directly in front of the prow. There is an enormous crack of splintered timber as the
Green Sceptre
punches a large hole into the side of the pirate ship, and you are thrown to the deck with a jolt.
Illustration XIX—The black-clad shape of a Drakkarim warrior is advancing towards you, a large broadsword raised.
As the pirates clamber aboard, you are horrified to see the black-clad shape of a Drakkarim warrior in their midst. He has spotted you and he is advancing towards you, a large broadsword raised above his head. You must fight him to the death.
Drakkar:
COMBAT SKILL
15
ENDURANCE
25
If you win the combat,
turn to 184
.
You are slowly walking back along the cobbled street, trying to think of the best course of action, when a young boy approaches you. ‘I can get you into the harbour, mister,’ he says, ‘but it'll cost you.’
He produces an envelope containing a sheaf of official-looking papers. ‘These'll get you a red pass at the port watchtower. All yours for only 6 Gold Crowns.’
19
If you wish to buy the documents, pay the boy 6 Gold Crowns. If you refuse them, he will soon lose interest in you and will disappear. When you have made your decision, you return to the port watchtower.
If you wish to enter,
turn to 318
.
If you would rather walk back along the tree-lined avenue to the city hall and enquire how you can reach the consulate of Sommerlund,
turn to 84
.
[19] If you do not have 6 Gold Crowns, the boy will sell the papers to you for however many you have, including 0 Crowns. These papers need not be marked on your
Action Chart
(and thus do not require a Backpack to carry them in). Without these papers, it would be possible to wander endlessly in Port Bax.
Two zombies try to block your passage but you cleave them in half with one sweep of the Sommerswerd. You are at the foot of the tower and you can now see a hunchbacked man in crimson robes above you. He wears a tall, curved tokmor, a magician's head-dress. It bears the emblem of a serpent. In his right hand is a black staff.
If you have ever been given a Crystal Star Pendant,
turn immediately to 113
.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking,
turn to 204
.
If you wish to climb the tower and attack the hunchback,
turn to 73
.
If you wish to escape from this ship by jumping overboard,
turn to 267
.
‘Congratulations, Lone Wolf,’ says the captain, as he wipes the sweat from his furrowed brow, ‘you are a masterful player.’
He reaches into his waistcoat pocket and hands you a small pouch containing 10 Gold Crowns. You thank him for the game and offer him the chance to win back his stake the following evening. With a wry smile, he accepts your offer and bids you goodnight.
Return to your cabin by
turning to 197
.
Within seconds, you are violently sick and then drift off into unconsciousness. It is nearly an hour before you awake. You feel dreadfully ill but you have survived the poison. Deduct 5
ENDURANCE
points. As you slowly regain your strength, the shock of what has happened turns to anger. You grab your equipment and stagger out of the room, intent on discovering the identity of your would-be assassin.
You quickly search the dead guard and discover a Sword, a Dagger, and 3 Gold Crowns. You may take any of these items and mark them on your
Action Chart
.
Suddenly you hear the sound of iron-shod boots descending the stone steps, and you look up to see another watchtower guard on the landing above. As you run into the street, you can hear him cursing you.
You are in combat with a Helghast.
Helghast:
COMBAT SKILL
21
ENDURANCE
30
It is attacking you with a powerful Mindblast. If you do not have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, you will lose 2
ENDURANCE
points for every round of combat that you fight it. This creature is immune to Mindblast.
If you win the combat,
turn to 92
.
You may evade at any stage of the fight by diving into the forest and
turning to 183
.
The sailor who claimed to be First Mate Ronan seems to have escaped during the fight. You quickly search the bodies of the harbour thugs, but find nothing of value. However, you do notice that each of them has a tattoo of a serpent on their left wrist. Whoever sent them to kill you must already know of the importance of your quest.
You leave the tavern by the side door and discover the dead body of a sailor lying beneath some stairs. Inside the collar of his bloodstained jacket is a tag bearing the name ‘Ronan’. This must be the real Ronan. He has been murdered. You cover the body and turn towards the quay, where the
Green Sceptre
is anchored about three hundred yards from the harbour wall.
If you wish to use one of the many small boats or coracles that are roped to the quayside,
turn to 300
.
If you wish to hunt down the impostor who pretended to be Ronan,
turn to 67
.
After a few miles, the track becomes tangled and overgrown, until all trace of it has completely disappeared. The ride becomes slow and difficult as you strain to avoid the bogs and pot-holes of this moor.
After several hours you reach the edge of Durenor Forest, and above the ferns, you notice a tall watchtower. A spiral of smoke rises lazily from a hidden chimney.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking,
turn to 98
.
If you wish to enter the forest and investigate the tower,
turn to 115
.
If you wish to ignore the tower and search for a forest track,
turn to 291
.
You notice a sign hanging outside a small shop.
If you wish to enter this shop and ask how you can reach Durenor,
turn to 161
.
If you wish to ignore this shop and continue,
turn to 61
.
