The Buccaneers of Shadaki (14 page)

You pat your Belt Pouch to make the coins inside jingle, and then you tell the innkeeper that you want to buy your companions a drink.

‘What's wrong wiv' you? Ya hard o'hearin'? I said get out and I meant get out!’ And with these harsh words the innkeeper flashes a glance at a group of mean-faced men who are standing along the counter. They put down their ales and then move slowly towards you, their hands hovering menacingly around the hilts of their swords and daggers. For a few anxious moments it looks as if a fight is about to break out, but then a gruff voice arises from the corner of the taproom and the men halt in their tracks.

‘Hold y'horses,’ says the commanding voice. ‘Let me speak with the Northlander.’

You peer across the smoky room and see that the voice belongs to a stout, bearded man who is sitting alone in an alcove. He beckons you to join him, but when you approach his table in the company of the Suhnese crewmen he suddenly snaps at you: ‘I said I wanted to speak to you, not these raggin' crows. If you want to do business with me, they'll have to wait for you in the street outside.’

If you decide to agree to his terms,
turn to 164
.

If you refuse to part company with the Suhnese,
turn to 121
.

The two-day voyage to Nhang passes swiftly and without incident and you arrive at the port early on the morning of the third day. The entrance to Nhang harbour is noted for its eighty fearsome stone statues, known as ‘The Warriors of Nhang’, which stand in two lines and form a double colonnade out into the sea. Their ferocious granite faces glare down at you unmercifully as the
Embassage
sails between them and docks at the quay.

Before you disembark, Captain Leonghi warns you to be on your guard while you are in the city. The natives still harbour loyalties to the memory of Shasarak, and recent uprisings have led to the imposition of a dusk-to-dawn curfew. He advises you to go directly to the city of Tiklu and seek out his cousin Gemulkin. He, too, is a merchant captain and he regularly plies a trader between Tiklu and the Port of Suhn. Leonghi gives you a scroll (record this Special Item on your
Action Chart
as Leonghi's Scroll; you keep it in a pocket of your tunic). It is a letter of introduction which bears his seal, and in it he asks his cousin to take you to Suhn.

You thank the captain for all his help and then disembark onto Nhang quay. You leave the port area and follow The Street of the Full Moon — the main thoroughfare which bisects the city and ends at its West Gate. Your first impressions of Nhang are mixed. The striking design and construction of its buildings amaze you, but the dismal mood of its natives and the large number of street beggars leave you with the feeling that the city could erupt at any time.

You pass many hundreds of shops and they all appear dingy and uninteresting until you happen upon a triangular building, created by a fork in the road. It has no sign stating its business, but by the nature of the various goods displayed in its window you judge it to be an emporium.

If you wish to enter this shop,
turn to 156
.

If you wish to continue walking along the street,
turn to 281
.

You meet with Melchar as planned, and after a meagre breakfast at the inn, you follow the crowds who are making their way through the streets to the Caeno racetrack. This magnificent establishment dominates the city's eastern quarter and it has provided the venue for this spectacular derby for more than a century. Unlike the famous horse races held in Slovia and Lourden, the Caeno Derby is run by guanza — large bipedal lizards that are bred and trained throughout the Southlands. Huge sums are bet on the big race and the owner of the winning guanza stands to collect a purse of 100,000 Nobles.

On entering the racetrack you and your companion make your way through the crowds to the parade enclosures. Melchar is keen to bet on the favourite — Forlu-zhan — but he wants to view the other runners before placing his wager with Wrok the Bookmaker. Having satisfied himself that the favourite will win, he goes off to the betting ring while you stay at the enclosure and watch the guanza lope past. As Forlu-zhan passes by, your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control tells you that something is wrong. You sense that the favourite has been drugged with a mild tincture of graveweed and that he will be incapable of winning the race. Quickly you hurry to the betting ring to stop Melchar placing his wager. He is about to hand over his money when you catch up with him and tell him what you know. Melchar cancels his bet and Wrok the Bookmaker glares at you with undisguised hatred. He signals to a group of his henchmen and swiftly they surround you both. The moment the race begins you and Melchar are grabbed from behind and manhandled out of the betting ring. Wrok's henchmen bundle you into a tack room below the public stands, but before they can lock the door, you draw your weapon and attack them.

Wrok's Henchmen (6):
COMBAT SKILL
 38   
ENDURANCE
 36

If you win this combat,
turn to 206
.

Your Kai senses alert you to danger as you draw closer to the burning wreck. You warn the captain and at first he is sceptical. Then he, too, senses that something is greatly amiss and he orders the crew to hoist the mainsail in order to reduce speed. His caution is soon rewarded when suddenly a Shadakine man o'war breaks cover from between two rocky islets and comes surging towards
The Azan
. Jenkshi orders the crew to lower the mainsail once more and begin evasive action, but the wind is starting to change and this greatly hampers his escape plan.

You magnify your vision and scour the prow and foredecks of the approaching ship. It is dressed with the scarlet sails of a Shadaki buccaneer vessel and it is sitting very low in the water. You hazard a guess that it must be fully laden with booty stolen from the hold of the burning trader. With the wind going against him, Jenkshi takes a calculated gamble. He orders his helmsman to steer towards a narrow channel between two nearby islets. He is hoping that his lighter craft will be able to pass through the shallows here and gain precious time while the heavier enemy ship will be forced to go around the isles to avoid running aground. It is a bold manoeuvre, and one that is made all the more dangerous when the enemy captain suddenly turns his vessel and runs it parallel to
The Azan
. To your horror you see that the Shadakine man o'war is armed with deck cannons. As it gains on your ship you see clouds of white smoke and flame erupt all along its hull. Then seconds later you hear the rumbling roar of its cannons, followed closely by the terrifying shriek of its deadly ball and chain shot as it comes hurtling through the air towards your vulnerable ship.

Illustration VII
—You hear the rumbling roar of the ship's cannons as the deadly ball and chain shot hurtles towards you.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–6,
turn to 218
.

If it is 7–9,
turn to 91
.

You prise open the trapdoor and discover a secret compartment, built for the smuggling of contraband. The compartment is empty but it is of no use — it is too small a space in which to hide. You glance at the doorway and see the creature rushing towards the hold. You cannot hope to hide from it now. Your Sixth Sense tells you that it wants the Moonstone and that it will stop at nothing to take it from you.

If you wish to stand and fight the creature,
turn to 270
.

If you choose to try to evade it by climbing the ladder to the foredeck hatch,
turn to 242
.

Radyard is clearly impressed by your act of selflessness and he thanks you. He orders his crew to hoist the sails, and he tells his bo'sun to wave a white flag from the stern deck to signal to Sesketera that he is complying with his command. A longboat is launched from
The Triasus
to collect you. It is carrying an officer and six marines, each armed with a half-pike and a Bor pistol. You present yourself to the officer and he ties your hands with cord before placing you aboard the boat. Radyard and his crew watch grim-faced as the longboat pushes off and begins its return run. Four of the marines are rowing whilst the officer and the other two watch you closely, the tips of their shortened naval pikes never wandering far from the vicinity of your heart. You turn to look to the jungle shore, less than half a mile distant, and suddenly a bold plan springs into your mind.

If you possess the Discipline of Kai-surge,
turn to 37
.

If you do not,
turn to 312
.

The inside of the taverna is crowded with travellers eating their meals, and serving girls rushing to and fro clutching trays piled high with food and ale. All of the tables are occupied and there are no spare places.

‘We're full up — can't you see that!’ bellows a surly waitress. She slams her tray down on a nearby table, startling the meek-faced group of pilgrims who are seated there.

‘If you want food it'll cost you 4 Nobles … and you'll have to eat it outside!’

The meals here are very expensive, but your rumbling stomach reminds you that you are very hungry and the city of Jazer is still half a day's walk away.

If you wish to buy a Meal here,
turn to 29
.

If you decide not to,
turn to 93
.

Using your advanced psychic skill, you focus upon the heads of the rivets which fix the bolt to the cell door, and you cause them to vibrate. It is a slow and demanding task (lose 3
ENDURANCE
points) but eventually these rivets heat up, expand, and then split. When the strength of their iron has been sufficiently undermined, you are then able to wrench open the cell door.

Turn to 24
.

As soon as you walk into the busy market square you are assailed from all sides by merchants eager to sell their wares. All manner of goods are offered but most are of little or no use to you. As you push your way through the merchants, you notice a market stall that sells healing concoctions. One of these is Laumspur for which the vendor is asking 2 Nobles per potion. (Each Potion of Laumspur restores 4
ENDURANCE
points when consumed after combat.)

If you wish to ask the vendor if he knows the whereabouts of Lord Zinair,
turn to 238
.

If you choose to leave the stall and continue across the square,
turn to 53
.

You dismount from your mule and hurry into the village. The fiercest fire is raging through the roof of the largest hut which dominates the centre of the settlement, and it is here that you use your Kai skill to best effect. You suppress the flames, shrinking them and containing them so that the villagers are able to approach with buckets of water and put out the blaze.

When all of the smaller fires in the surrounding huts have also been extinguished, the elder of the village thanks you for your timely help. He tells you that the fire was started deliberately by a dragon that dwells in the Hulhuk Mountains.

‘It is the bane of our humble village,’ he says, shaking his head sadly. ‘We fear that it will return this night to finish us.’ Seeing the Kai Weapon sheathed at your side, the elder looks at you with hope in his eyes. He begs you to stay here tonight and help rid the village of its bane.

If you wish to stay and help the villagers,
turn to 267
.

If you decide not to help them,
turn to 213
.

Lord Rimoah bids you goodnight and reminds you that he shall call for you at an hour before dawn. You retire to bed and stare at the ceiling as you think about the quest that lies ahead. No sooner have you fallen asleep, or so it seems, than you are awoken by Rimoah's knock on the door. You gather your Weapons and belongings and then walk with him through a procession of torchlit corridors that lead to the entrance to the tower. As you approach the main doors, Rimoah indicates a chamber off to your right.

‘That is the Tower Armoury, Grand Master,’ he says. ‘You are welcome to inspect it and take whatever you wish before you embark upon your voyage.’

If you wish to accept Rimoah's offer, you may enter the armoury and examine its contents by
turning to 152
.

If you decide to decline his offer,
turn to 49
.