The Buccaneers of Shadaki (25 page)

You crouch down behind a crate and listen to the chilling sound of the creature's horned feet scratching the floor as it comes running towards the door of the hold. It pauses at the threshold and sniffs the air. Your Kai senses tell you that it is searching for the Moonstone and only the korlinium lining of your satchel is preventing the beast from locating it … and you!

If you possess Assimilance and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Master Superior,
turn to 96
.

If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it,
turn to 131
.

If you do not possess these skills, or if you have yet to attain the required level of Kai Mastery,
turn to 154
.

You see the sniper place his blowpipe through the cord of his loincloth, and then he grabs a hollowed-out horn from around his chest and raises it to his lips. Your pulse quickens when suddenly you realize that he is about to sound a warning call.

If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it,
turn to 192
.

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.

You see the deck of the trading ship come rushing towards you and then, in the very next instant, you feel a stinging pain cut across your lower right arm. An arrow has grazed your wrist: lose 2
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 280
.

The remaining looters flee from Tzai's warehouse, pausing only to pick up and carry with them the bodies of their confederates who fell to your deadly blows. You help Tzai and his brother to secure the warehouse doors by barricading them with crates and barrels. Once this has been achieved, the three of you return to the house to check that Tuvei and the children are safe.

Soon the militia gain control of the main square and the mob disperses. Chinn thanks you for saving his life, and he apologizes for the way he has behaved since your arrival. He tells you that Gemulkin is an old friend of his and he offers to take you to see him first thing in the morning.

Turn to 275
.

The avenue twists like a snake through a maze of old houses and boarded-up shops until it finishes abruptly at a dead end. You search for a way through to the harbour that is nearby, but there are none to be found.

Suddenly you hear the sound of the city watch training closer, and you realize that all you can do now is fight or surrender to them.

If you wish to fight the city watch,
turn to 148
.

If you choose to surrender to them,
turn to 345
.

Begrudgingly you pay the innkeeper 6 Nobles and then you ask that he bring you some of the food you have paid for. He points to a table and tells you to go and wait. The food will be brought to you shortly.

As you take your seat, you are approached by a smiling, fair-haired young man who is attired in a cloak of darkly-patterned wool. He has strong Sommlending features and the cut of his clothes tells you that he is a member of a guild from your homeland. He is holding a plate of steaming vegetables.

Illustration XV
—As you take your seat, you are approached by a smiling, fair-haired young man.

‘Well met, Master Kai,’ he says, wiping and offering his hand in friendship. ‘I am Melchar, journeyman to the Silversmiths' Guild of Toran. I'm honoured to make with your acquaintance. May I join you? The food here is indescribable … but it fills an empty belly.’ You welcome the young man to sit down and the innkeeper appears with your food. As you share your meal, you learn more about him and this region of Shadaki.

Melchar is on his way home to Toran. He has spent the past six months studying in Tiklu at the workshops of a famous silversmith of that city. During his stay he also studied the history of this region. On hearing of your encounters at sea he tells you that the buccaneers of Shadaki are renegades from the remnants of a great fleet that was created by the Wytch-king Shasarak. Following the overthrow of their master, these renegades were banished to the wastes of the Sadi Desert by Grey Star — the Wizard Regent of the Free Peoples. However, the buccaneers have recently returned to prey upon the rich sea lanes, and their piracy has grown unchecked ever since Grey Star disappeared three months ago from his palace in the city of Shadaki. His court officials maintain that he is abroad on a quest to western Magnamund, but rumour is rife that he has been abducted by necromancers who wish for a return to the dark days of Shasarak's rule.

Melchar asks what has brought you to this part of the world and you tell him simply that you are on your way to the Port of Suhn to meet with Lord Zinair of Dessi. On hearing this, Melchar says that he may be able to help you reach your destination.

Turn to 235
.

The monster writhes in its death throes, spreading its blood like a huge crimson cloud through the warm tropical sea. For a fleeting moment you surface to take a breath; then you dive through the cloud of blood and retrieve your lost satchel from the coral reef. Having regained your precious charge, you stay submerged and swim towards the shore.

Aching and close to exhaustion, you crawl from the sea and work your way slowly up the beach to the cover of a fallen toa tree. Here you lie upon the wet sand and look out at the two ships standing half a mile off the coast. The longboat from
The Triasus
is circling the bloodstained water and its crew appear to be searching for your remains.

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turn to 54
.

You force yourself up the ladder and emerge on the foredeck amidst a tangle of rigging and ruined sails. As you pull yourself onto the deck, you see that the trader has lost every one of her masts and the stern is slowly submerging beneath the relentless waves. You scour the shattered main deck but you can see no sign of survivors. Then you glimpse a hand protruding from beneath a mass of debris, and you stagger across the shifting deck towards it. Suddenly the prow is struck by a cresting wave and you are catapulted off the deck and into the angry sea.

Turn to 4
.

Tolshi the helmsman climbs out of the hatchway to the stern hold and he hurries over to the captain's side. He reports that the ship is holed below the waterline, close to the rudder, and that she is fast taking in water. Jenkshi inspects the damage for himself and immediately sets his crew to work at patching up the damage. They do their best with the materials available but still
The Azan
continues to take on water. Jenkshi estimates that the ship will stay afloat no more than three hours unless proper repairs are carried out, and he orders Tolshi to set a course for Dlash-da Ralzuha — the nearest port.

You voice your fear that Shadakine pirates may already occupy this port, but Jenkshi laughs when he hears this.

‘If you knew Dlash-da Ralzuha like I do, you'd know we have no cause to worry about running foul of any buccaneers there. It's a slum port. A rubbish dump. Its name means “Junkyard of the Ralzuha” and it certainly lives up to its name.’

Your first glimpse of Dlash-da Ralzuha confirms everything Jenkshi has said about it. Its rust-red hovels and stinking shacks are grouped haphazardly around the rim of a natural stone harbour formed by a semicircle of black volcanic rocks. Flocks of vultures hover in the skies, swooping to feed occasionally on rafts of rotting debris which litter the shoreline.

It is late in the afternoon and
The Azan
is listing alarmingly to starboard when at last she enters the stench-filled harbour of Dlash-da Ralzuha. It seems that the whole population of this derelict little port turns out to greet your arrival. For the natives it is something of a special occasion, for so rarely do ships ever visit their squalid harbour.

Despite their wretched living conditions, the poverty-stricken tribal natives of Dlash-da Ralzuha give
The Azan
a warm welcome, and they seem genuinely eager to help Jenkshi and his crew with the repair of the ship's hull. Grooja, the port's oldest man and tribal leader, provides Jenkshi with fifty native men to help with the unloading of the cargo in order that the damaged section of the hull can be raised above the waterline. The captain sets them to work and he estimates that adequate repairs could be made overnight to enable the ship to sail on the first high tide tomorrow. The crew are pleased to hear this news. None of them want to stay in Dlash-da Ralzuha a minute longer than is absolutely necessary.

Turn to 69
.

You say the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Lightning Hand
and point your outstretched arm at the chains which secure the side gate.

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You return to the counter and order the man an ale (erase either 1 Gold Crown or 1 Noble). He downs the frothing beer in one go and then wipes his mouth with a grubby handkerchief.

‘Ah, that's done the job,’ he says. ‘Right, sir. Just you follow me. We'll go see the captain now.’

Outside the tavern, the man turns to the right and then stops to look along the line of ships that are moored at the quayside. After a few moments he scratches his head and begins to look perplexed.

‘That's odd. She must o' moved. Never you mind; she's sure to be anchored upstream.’

Slowly he spins on his heel and he beckons you to follow him as he walks off in the opposite direction, away from the quay.

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.

The gaol of Ghol-Tabras was once the southern wing of a grand citadel built by Jublazh Khyr, the first emperor of Shadaki. Its cells are reputed to be among the most escape-proof of any in Southern Magnamund, especially those which are located below ground level in the dungeons of the old citadel. Upon arriving at the gaol, you and your companions are thrown into a communal cell on the second floor. However, as soon as the gaolers examine the Kai Weapon and equipment that they confiscated from you, they begin to think that perhaps you are something more than just a hapless curfew-breaker.

An hour after you arrive, the door of the communal cell bangs open and six armed citadel guards burst in. They have come to take you away from the Suhnese and transfer you to a separate cell below ground level. Your destination turns out to be a damp, windowless chamber. It opens onto a torchlit corridor that is lined with rusting stands of armour. At the end of the corridor is a guardroom and, when you pass by this room on your way to the cell, you catch a glimpse of the wooden crate which contains your Weapons and equipment. It is being stored here. You are pushed into your dingy cell, and then the iron door is slammed shut and bolted. As you listen to the footsteps of the guards receding down the corridor, you vow that you will escape from this gaol before the night is over.

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