Voyage of the Moonstone (23 page)

When no one has answered correctly within the time allowed, the troupe leader gives a triumphant laugh and pockets his ten shiny gold coins. Then he claps his hands and the show continues with dancing, acrobatics, and fire-breathers. You are feeling a little tired and so you leave the campfire and return to the empty passenger wagon. Before you pull your cloak around yourself and settle down to sleep, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery).

To continue,
turn to 290
.

You are woken at daybreak by the cawing of seagulls and the sound of the pounding waves. The owner of the inn provides you and the marines with a hearty breakfast, after which you say your farewells and take your leave of this sleepy little village by the bay.

You wile away the hours that you spend riding the coast road by recounting some of the many legends of the Kai. The marines are particularly enthralled by your account of the quest for the Lorestones of Nyxator, when Sun Eagle — the first Kai Lord — sought out the legendary seven stones of power so that he could acquire the secrets of the Magnakai Disciplines. At noon you stop to rest your horses and catch some local game called flomi. These rabbit-like creatures are so plentiful in these parts that you have enough food left over for 2 Meals. (If you decide to keep this food, amend your
Action Chart
accordingly.)

The afternoon ride passes pleasantly without incident or delay, and shortly before sunset you come within sight of the town gates of Khor. It is only now that you see something in the distance which gives you cause for concern.

Turn to 160
.

You roll off the bed and drag yourself across the floor to where your Backpack lies. Hurriedly you pull open the flap, retrieve the Cowana herb, and rub it vigorously into your thigh. The pain eases and, in a matter of minutes, you sense that the deadly venom has been neutralized by the powerful healing properties of this herb. (Erase the Cowana from your
Action Chart
.)

You return to your bed and, as you sit down, you see that the spider is still alive: it is clinging to the far wall. You hurl your boot at it and it scurries down to disappear through a crack in the uneven bamboo floor. Your close encounter with this potentially deadly spider plays on your mind and you find it impossible to go back to sleep (lose 3
ENDURANCE
points due to nausea and fatigue).

At first light you gather together your equipment and go down to the paddock to collect your horse. The hostel-keeper calls you from the kitchen window and you wave the man farewell before you mount your horse and ride away across the courtyard.

Turn to 314
.

You draw an Arrow to your Bow and take aim at the leader's chest as he leaps aboard
The Pride of Sommerlund
. The moment his feet touch the deck, you release your bowstring and send your arrow speeding towards his heart.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, remember to add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total score is now 5 or lower,
turn to 71
.

If it is 6 or higher,
turn to 49
.

As you take your seat, you hear the low conversation begin once more among the men who are standing at the counter. Your keen ear quickly discerns from the grumbling tone of their voices that they are a suspicious and distrusting group. After a few minutes they leave the counter and gather around your table. A bilious rogue, with close-set eyes and cleft chin, thumps on your table with his fist. He demands to know where you have come from, and what business you have here.

If you wish to tell him that you are from Sommerlund and that you are travelling to Elzian,
turn to 309
.

If you decide to tell him nothing,
turn to 258
.

The meteor is deflected by a plume of water that you are able to summon from the towering waves of the sea. The power of this plume is strong enough for you to escape being hit directly by the fireball, yet you do not escape completely unscathed. It glances your left arm and shoulder before it strikes the deck and bounces back into the sky: lose 4
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 132
.

You observe a number of shadowy creatures lurking among the ruins of Kita Cove, near to the charred wreckage of a wooden jetty. At once you inform Captain Raker and your discovery excites his curiosity. After observing the ruins for himself using his telescope, he toys with the idea of sending ashore a landing party to investigate these creatures.

If you wish to try to dissuade Captain Raker from sending a landing party to the ruins of Kita Cove,
turn to 254
.

If you wish to persuade the captain to send ashore a landing party and you would like to volunteer to lead it yourself,
turn to 108
.

The creature leaps upon you as you are falling backwards and together you tumble down the circular stairs, locked in a deadly embrace. You hit the floor of the landing below with a numbing jolt which leaves you momentarily stunned (lose 2
ENDURANCE
points), but still you manage to roll aside to evade the creature's slashing claws which rake deep grooves in the stone floor. With a corkscrew twist of your body, you are able to free yourself and spring to your feet. This creates the vital space you need in order to unsheathe your weapon and use it against this determined and terrible foe.

Deathstalker:
COMBAT SKILL
 40   
ENDURANCE
 40

This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Kai-surge).

If you win the combat,
turn to 41
.

You are woken at first light by the cawing of seagulls and the sound of the waves pounding the shore. You strike camp after a breakfast of fresh shrimp and crab, which Oswin caught in a tidal pool during his pre-dawn watch, and then you bid farewell to this beautiful little bay.

You wile away the hours that you spend riding the coast road by recounting some of the many legends of the Kai. The marines are particularly enthralled by your account of the quest for the Lorestones of Nyxator, when Sun Eagle — the first Kai Lord — sought out the legendary seven stones of power so that he could acquire the secrets of the Magnakai Disciplines. At noon you stop to rest your horses and catch some local game called flomi. These rabbit-like creatures are so plentiful in these parts that you have enough food left over for 2 Meals. (If you decide to keep this food, amend your
Action Chart
accordingly.)

The afternoon ride passes pleasantly without incident or delay and, shortly before sunset, you come within sight of the town gates of Khor. It is only now that you see something in the distance which gives you cause for concern.

Turn to 160
.

You follow a broad avenue which is teeming with commercial travellers, people who have come here from the four corners of Magnamund to trade their wares. Merchants, farmers, jewellers, and slaves are just a few of the people you observe as you ride towards the heart of this great city. Everywhere is bustle and hurry, even at this late hour.

At a fountain of fresh water you stop to allow your horse to drink. As you sit and wait, you observe a struggle taking place on a flight of stone steps close by. Two greasy young louts are attacking a woman who is attired in a long black dress and black head scarf, indicating that she has been recently widowed. Incensed by the sight of this cowardly attack, you leap from your horse and rush towards the steps with your weapon drawn. As you begin to climb the stairs, to your surprise you see the two louts and the woman cease their struggle. Together they run to the top of the steps and disappear through a door which they slam shut behind them. On reaching it you discover it has been bolted shut from the inside. You are trying to make sense of the situation when suddenly you realize what has happened. From the top of the steps you look down at the fountain below to see that your horse has now disappeared; he has been stolen. Cursing your own naïveté, you descend the steps and continue on foot along the busy avenue until you arrive at a place called Dhanamet Square where a busy evening bazaar is taking place. You are mindful of your need to find lodging for the night, and also some new means by which you will be able to continue your journey to Elzian. As you stop to look at the market and the façades of the shops and taverns which encircle it, your eye is caught by the gaily decorated merchants' stalls and the exotic wares they display.

Illustration XIV
—From your seat by the fountain, you observe a struggle taking place nearby.

If you wish to take a closer look at the market stalls,
turn to 7
.

If you choose instead to try to find a place to stay for the night,
turn to 236
.

You tie your horse's reins to a post driven into the ground at the edge of the beach, and then you walk across the fine white sand and pass among the throng of dancing, singing people. A pulsating rhythm of native drums provides the music to which they move and play. You are caught up in a procession of gaily-dressed Vakeros who are each carrying baskets piled high with exotic fruits, works of art, and intricate wood carvings inlaid with semi-precious stones. To the rhythm of the drums they carry you with them towards a wooden platform constructed near the middle of the beach. There they place their offerings to the Goddess Ishir. When you find yourself standing at this platform, at the head of the procession, suddenly the drumming stops. Everyone who has approached the platform before you has made an offering and yet your hands are empty. Suddenly it is as if the eyes of the entire town are watching you in expectation, and you feel compelled to make an offering.
¹⁹

If you wish to make an offering of Gold Crowns,
turn to 182
.

If you wish to make an offering of a Backpack Item,
turn to 277
.

If you wish to make an offering of a Special Item,
turn to 103
.

You are less than fifty yards from the gatehouse when suddenly the dull
clang
of an iron bell shatters the evening calm of Cape Kabar. The owners of the Barczak Stables have discovered that some of their expensive horses are missing and they have raised the alarm. Through the open gate you glimpse the flicker of torches and your keen ears detect the sound of beating hooves. It is an armed search party and they are following your tracks while they are still fresh.

You call to your companions to stay close as you urge your horse to the gallop. For ten miles you race together along the flat coast road and are able to maintain a safe distance from your pursuers, but when the trail begins to ascend into the hills, the lack of saddles and stirrups begins to exact its toll. Those following behind have no such disadvantage and they close the gap rapidly.

You are ascending a steep slope towards the crest of a moonlit ridge when ahead you see the beginning of a hill track. It forks away from the main road and disappears into the hills to your right.

If you wish to steer your horse along this hill track,
turn to 206
.

If you decide to stay on the coast road,
turn to 189
.

You hand over 7 Gold Crowns (erase these from your
Action Chart
) to a young ticket seller and she paints a dot of indelible crimson ink upon the back of your right hand to indicate that you have paid your fare. Displayed upon adjoining tables are dried foodstuffs and other provisions for the journey. You may buy some of this food if you wish, at a cost of 2 Gold Crowns per Meal.

A few minutes later an outrider comes cantering down the line of parked wagons announcing to everyone that the caravan will depart in five minutes' time. With mixed feelings of trepidation and excitement, you take a seat aboard one of the spacious passenger wagons and make yourself as comfortable as you can for the long journey ahead.

Turn to 180
.

Captain Raker listens to your argument and agrees that to send a party ashore to investigate the ruins of Kita Cove would place his ship and crew at unnecessary risk.

Rather than delay a moment longer, he commands his crew to unfurl every square inch of canvas to catch the prevailing winds. The task is accomplished quickly and soon
The Pride of Sommerlund
is forging a swift passage south through the narrow waters of the Bukimi Channel.

Turn to 287
.