Fire on the Water (9 page)
Tarnalin is a wonder to behold. Over a hundred feet in height and width, the tunnel runs to the capital on the far side of the Hammerdal Range. Usually it is alive with the traffic of wagons and people to and from Port Bax. But as you enter, you find it deserted except for an overturned fruit cart. The road that disappears into the torchlit tunnel is empty and quiet.
As you walk along the paved road, you get an uneasy feeling that perhaps the Helghast have arrived at Tarnalin before you. You have been walking for nearly an hour when the tunnel splits in two.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking,
turn to 325
.
If you wish to take the left tunnel,
turn to 64
.
If you wish to take the right tunnel,
turn to 164
.
Laumspur is a delicious herb, much sought after in the Lastlands for its healing properties. You have picked enough for one Meal. Eating this meal will restore 3
ENDURANCE
points to your total.
5
(Remember to add this to your
Action Chart
if you possess a Backpack. Otherwise you must consume it now or abandon it.) You wrap the herb up, and return to the coach with the other passengers.
[5] This Meal of Laumspur may be consumed when instructed to eat a Meal in which case it fulfils the Meal requirement in addition to restoring 3
ENDURANCE
points. Laumspur may also be consumed at any other time to restore 3
ENDURANCE
points without having any significance as a Meal.
The fishermen stare at you with open mouths as if they have just seen a corpse return from the dead. Suddenly one of them kicks over the table and they make their escape through the back door of the tavern. In one bound, you leap over the table and pursue them out of the tavern, into the darkness beyond.
If you wish to continue your chase,
turn to 231
.
If you decide to let them go,
turn to 177
.
Unfortunately for you, the rope has been nearly cut in two by a sword blow, and it is likely to snap under your weight.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
to see if the rope and your luck holds.
If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 286
.
If the number you have picked is 5–9,
turn to 120
.
The carved spear is made of metal, yet it feels as light as if it were made of wood. You notice the shaft is covered in runes and magic emblems. As you carefully pull it from the man's chest, he gives a long sigh of relief. You are about to examine his wound, when you feel a searing pain shoot through your head. It is so strong and painful that you collapse to the ground. You lose 2
ENDURANCE
points.
You are amazed to see the man jump to his feet, and then horrified to see the dreadful change that comes over him. The skin of his face appears to writhe and change colour, growing darker and shrinking as it decays on his skull. His eyes burn with a bright red glow and long fangs protrude from his bottom jaw. You choke with fear as you realize it is a Helghast, a nightmarish agent of the Darklords. It is attacking you with its powerful Mindforce. If you do not have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, you will lose 2
ENDURANCE
points for
every
round of combat that you fight with this creature. Normal weapons cannot harm it and it is immune to Mindblast. You can only wound it in combat with the Magical Spear. (The Magic Spear is a weapon-like Special Item. Remember that you only get a Weaponskill bonus in this fight against the Helghast if you have Weaponskill with Spear.)
Helghast:
COMBAT SKILL
22
ENDURANCE
30
You cannot evade this creature and you must fight it to the death.
If you win the combat, you can keep the Spear. Mark it on your
Action Chart
under the Special Items section as a ‘Magic Spear.’
Continue your adventure by
turning to 320
.
The captain orders his crew to go alongside. As they board the trader, you are shocked by the sight that awaits you. Dead sailors cover the deck, many pierced by arrows. It seems they must have put up a desperate fight to defend their cargo, but not a trace of it remains in any of the ship's holds. Below deck, you discover the captain in his cabin. He is very badly wounded and near to death.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing,
turn to 74
.
If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 294
.
One of the wheels jams in a deep rut and three of the large wooden spokes are shattered. You are forced to stop and replace the wheel before you can continue to Port Bax. You volunteer to help the driver by levering the coach axle with a small tree trunk, so that the spare wheel can be slid into position.
You are pushing down on the stout branch with all your strength, when the horses suddenly rear up and race forward. The trunk springs back and catches you square in the face, knocking you backwards to the ground. You are stunned and you lose 2
ENDURANCE
points. The driver is not so lucky. The coach has run over him. As the poor man dies in your arms, his last words are: ‘No accident … I saw — ’
If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense,
turn to 343
.
If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 168
.
Blinking the foul water from your eyes, you can see that the flagship of the death-hulk fleet is now ablaze. Black smoke is pouring from the decks, and tongues of orange and yellow flame flicker from its rotten black hull.
Suddenly, you are aware of the beating of wings directly above you. You are shocked to see a Kraan hovering above, trying to grab at you with its sharp claws. Its hooked talons catch your cloak and suddenly you are snatched up into the air. But it is to be a short flight. You draw the Sommerswerd and sink it into the soft belly of the creature. With a shriek of agony, it releases its grip and you fall. You pray that luck will be on your side and that you will land safely.
The guard does not believe you, and he attacks you with his sword.
Watchtower Guard:
COMBAT SKILL
15
ENDURANCE
22
If you do not have a weapon, deduct 4 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of this combat.
You may evade the fight at any time by
turning to 65
.
If you win the combat,
turn to 331
.
The guards reluctantly lower their weapons and allow you to cross the bridge. As you slip past, they stare at you and whisper to each other. Once you are safely across the Rymerift, you quickly hurry on your way in case they change their minds and arrest you. After nearly an hour of walking along the forest road, you arrive at a junction where a signpost points to the east.
You smile and set off eastwards. You should be there in just under an hour.
You suddenly remember what he said about the shop with the orange door. It is the headquarters of the Silent Brotherhood, Lachlan's notorious secret police. To enter here would be more perilous than entering a roomful of Drakkarim!
You quickly turn away from the orange door and hurry northwards.
He is Vonotar the Traitor, renegade wizard from the Magicians' Guild of Toran. He is a master of the black arts and now possesses great power which the Darklords themselves have given him. It was his agents who tried to assassinate you during your quest, and it is he who commands the death-hulk fleet. Destroy Vonotar and you will destroy the evil force that gives power to the death-hulks and their crews.
6
You may climb the tower and attack Vonotar by
turning to 73
.
If you do not wish to risk your life against this powerful magician, escape from this ship by jumping overboard and
turning to 267
.
[6] It is likely that the information provided here is a combination of the information given to you previously by Banedon and the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, both of which you must have in order to receive the Crystal Star Pendant.
You have walked for over three hours along this lonely coast road when night starts to fall. The land is flat and barren, and you have seen no sign of life here at all. You finally decide to rest beneath the branches of a large tree standing close to the highway. Making a pillow of your backpack, you pull your warm Kai cloak around yourself and drift off into a deep sleep.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have picked is 0–3,
turn to 206
.
If the number is 4–7,
turn to 63
.
If the number is 8–9,
turn to 8
.
The area around the watchtower door has been cleared of foliage, and the ground is well-trodden. You are looking for a lock or keyhole in the iron-clad door when it suddenly opens. Standing before you is a Knight of the White Mountain, a broadsword held in front of his face.
‘State your purpose and mark your words well. My steel will be my answer if you lie!’
If you wish to tell this knight the true purpose of your mission to Durenor,
turn to 80
.
If you want to lie about why you are here,
turn to 324
.
If you want to draw your weapon and attack the knight,
turn to 162
.
Using your Kai Discipline, you can tell which cup hides the marble, for to you, the clay is as transparent as glass itself.
7
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
and add 5 to it. This equals the number of Gold Crowns that you win before the rogue suspects something is wrong and ends the game.
With gold in your purse once more, you return to the bar and hand over 1 Gold Crown for a room.
[7] Neither Discipline literally gives you the ability to see through clay. Rather, Sixth Sense intuitively clues you into the marble's location and Mind Over Matter allows you to see the marble in your mind's eye in the process of moving it telekinetically.
It is a large passenger wagon similar to those used by highway travellers of Sommerlund. The driver pulls the horses to a halt and stares at you from under the wide brim of his hat. You ask where he's bound for.
‘We're bound for Ragadorn — due there by noon today. A seat will cost you 3 Gold Crowns, but you can ride on the roof for only one.’
If you wish to ride inside, pay the driver 3 Gold Crowns and
turn to 37
.
If you would prefer to ride on the roof, pay him 1 Gold Crown and
turn to 148
.
If you cannot pay the fare, you must let the coach continue and begin your journey on foot.
Turn to 292
.
You bid Rhygar farewell and enter Tarnalin. Over a hundred feet in height and width, the tunnel runs to the capital on the far side of the Hammerdal Range, and is lit by torches for its entire length. The highway through the mountain is usually alive with the traffic of merchants to and from Port Bax, yet now the entrance and interior are deserted except for an overturned fruit wagon. As you walk deeper into Tarnalin, a doubt nags at you. Have the Helghast arrived here first?
Illustration VII—The strange creature is wearing a splendid jacket of patched leather and carrying what appears to be a spear.
You have been walking for half an hour when you see a strange creature on top of a wagon in the road ahead. It is two feet high and resembles an overgrown marsh rat. You assume it is some sort of tunnel dwelling rodent until you notice that it is wearing a splendid jacket of patched leather and carrying what appears to be a spear. As you get nearer, it suddenly turns to face you. Its whiskered nose is sniffing the air and its bright black eyes are peering into the gloom. It sees you and scampers off into the darkness of a smaller tunnel to your left.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship,
turn to 279
.
If you wish to follow this creature,
turn to 23
.
If you wish to ignore it and continue on your way,
turn to 340
.
