by Joe Dever
For two days The Azan hugs the coastline as it sails a southerly course to Ghol-Tabras. The weather is kind and the ship makes good progress, enabling you to enter port shortly before dusk.
Turn to 200.
140
The bridge continues to sway and you find it increasingly difficult to keep your horse from rearing up in panic. Suddenly a group of native bandits emerge from the jungle behind you and they gather around the entrance to the bridge. The tallest man is carrying an axe. He grasps one of the heavy ropes which anchor the bridge, and he raises his axe threateningly. Again you hear the voice echoing from the crevice, repeating its demand that you cast all of your possessions into the gorge.
If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 247.
If you do not, or if you choose not to use it, turn to 60.
141
Your advanced healing skills tell you that the owner of the shop is a very sick man. You sense that his illness is caused by his constant exposure to the vapours from dyes and potions that he keeps in stock. You offer to help cure him of his ailment and at first he is sceptical. In the past he has wasted hundreds of Nobles on physicians and their quack remedies, and all to no avail. It is not until you offer to treat him without charge that he has a sudden change of heart.
You place one hand on his chest and the other on his forehead. Then you concentrate on projecting your healing power into his body and you sense that toxins in his blood are beginning to disappear. Gradually his damaged internal organs rejuvenate and his skin takes on a healthy glow.
Astonished and delighted by the miraculous recovery you have brought about, the shopkeeper takes from around his neck a valuable emerald medallion and he insists that you accept it as a token of his thanks.
If you wish to accept this Emerald Medallion, record it on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you keep in your pocket.
To continue, turn to 58.
142
You roll as you hit the hard stone floor of the entrance hall below, in order to lessen the breathtaking shock of impact.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 4 or lower, turn to 132.
If it is 5 or higher, turn to 198.
143
You hurry across the hold and run through an open bulkhead door into an adjacent cargo area which is stacked with crates of food and barrels of water. On the far side of this hold you see a wooden ladder that ascends to a hatch in the foredeck. Your Kai senses detect that there is also a concealed trapdoor in the floor of the hold, close to the base of the ladder.
Suddenly you hear the cracking of timbers and you sense that the creature has freed its claws from the wall of the cargo hold behind you. You hear the snake-like hiss of its breath and you know that you have but a few seconds before it will come rushing through the open bulkhead door.
If you wish to hide among the crates and barrels, turn to 254.
If you wish to climb the ladder to the foredeck hatch, turn to 31.
If you wish to open the concealed trapdoor in the floor, turn to 112.
144
The crew are in good spirits by the time you arrive at the Three Capstans Inn. The owner, a pot-bellied man with an oddly childlike face, welcomes the Suhnese with open arms and he orders his son to be generous with the ale. The tavern has three taprooms which are all busy, but not overcrowded, and in each area there is a minstrel and a juggler to entertain the patrons. During the course of the evening you learn that these raucous performers are all members of the owner's family.
The entertainments continue for most of the evening until the joyful mood is unexpectedly soured by the arrival of an Eldenoran crew, led by their boorish captain. These coarse, loud-mouthed thugs seem to delight in hurling cheap insults at the Suhnese. Stoically the crew ignore the abuse, quietly hoping that the Eldenorans will soon tire of goading them and leave, but then one of Jenkshi's men rails against a racial slur and in a moment of anger he yells at them to shut their foul mouths. For a few moments the tavern is filled with a deathly hush; then the Eldenoran captain lunges at him, grabs him by the neck, and lifts him one-handedly off his feet.
‘I've a better idea, y'bilge rat. Why don't I shut your mouth up instead, eh?’ he growls, as slowly he tightens his vice-like grip on the helpless crewman's throat.
If you wish to make the Eldenoran release his grip, turn to 173.
If you choose instead to apologize to the captain and ask him politely to release the crewman, turn to 103.
145
As you sprint towards the trail, you glance over your shoulder and see the first of the villagers come swarming over the ridge. They are armed with bows which they load and fire as they run. The trail ahead offers no protection from their arrows and so you continue running and head for the cover of the jungle beyond.
If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, turn to 292.
If you do not possess this Discipline, turn to 285.
146
By dawn the heavy rain has ceased and you get ready to continue your trek. As you leave the cave you notice that the bodies of the kholo have disappeared. Tracks in the mud show that they have been claimed during the night by larger nocturnal predators that thrive in this untamed jungle.
The rains have transformed the hill track into a muddy ditch which makes the going difficult. Yet it is still the quickest way through this territory and you stay with the track until it comes to the bank of the swollen River Ocka. There was once a bridge at this point, but your Kai tracking skills inform you that it has been washed away during the night. You are about to set off along the bank in search of somewhere to cross when suddenly you hear a desperate cry for help. You turn and see a man being swept downstream by the river. His head is barely above the surface and you can see at once that he is near to drowning.
If you possess Elementalism and wish to use it, turn to 48.
If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, or if you choose not to use it, turn to 284.
147
Gemulkin orders the crew to hoist the sails and secure the decks before the Vargas plunges into the heart of the raging storm. You brace yourself for the rough passage, yet you are stunned by the sheer, breathtaking violence of the storm. It pounds the decks and lifts the hull clear from the water. As the ship lurches wildly, you are thrown across the aft deck to crash painfully against a splintered hatch cover: lose 6 ENDURANCE points.
Through the blinding spray, you see the helmsman lose his footing and fall overboard. His cry alerts Gemulkin who battles his way bravely to the ship's wheel. To prevent himself from being swept overboard, he fixes his belt to the hub of the wheel and then he fights to turn his ship into a towering wave, to save her from capsizing. A mighty wave crashes against the prow and Gemulkin's courageous action saves the Vargas from being split it two. It rides the wave and emerges from the storm into calmer waters beyond. You thank Ishir that you have survived this ordeal, yet it soon becomes apparent that the storm is merely the prelude to an even greater threat to the ship's survival.
Turn to 230.
148
You attempt to rally the Suhnese to fight, but they are unarmed and have no battle training. Quickly it becomes clear to you that, if you force them to resist the city watch, you will be condemning them to needless injury or death. Wary of this, you attempt to lure the Shadakine soldiers away into one of the houses. Unfortunately, your brave effort is short-lived. The City Guard pursue you and quickly overpower you by their sheer weight of numbers: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
Once you have been effectively subdued, the city watch round up the Suhnese and guard you all at spear-point until two horse-drawn wagons arrive to take you away to the city gaol. As you are herded aboard these foul-smelling carriages, your Weapons, Kai Weapon, and Backpack Items are confiscated and dumped into a wooden crate beside the driver's seat. (On your Action Chart mark each of these items w
ith an asterisk [*] to indicate that they are no longer in your possession, but do not erase them at this time. Any Special Items you possess are allowed to remain with you.)
At the officer's command the wagons move off at a speedy pace. After a few bruising minutes your wagon emerges from the gloomy streets and ascends a smooth ramp which passes through the daunting gate of Ghol-Tabras gaol. Above this gate flutters a flag which depicts a black serpent entwined around the blade of a silver scimitar. It is the personal emblem of Sesketera, the ruler of this city, a man not known for his kindness or for his mercy.
Turn to 265.
149
As you deal the creature the killing blow, its body crackles and disintegrates into a million motes of light that dissolve into the darkness like a swarm of fleeing fireflies. You rush to aid your horse who is lying motionless among the boulders, but sadly you discover that it is already too late to save him.
Fear and uncertainty haunt you as patiently you await the dawn. The being that attacked and slew your mount was not of this world; it was a creature born wholly of evil magic. With a gnawing sense of dread, you leave at first light and follow the jungle trail to the west. The forest and vegetation are teeming with life, yet as you go deeper into the jungle so the sounds become fewer and more distant. By midday you have covered 20 miles and arrived at a place where there are no sounds at all. The eerie silence surrounds you for several miles further until your Kai hunting skills detect a faint noise. It drifts towards you from among the towering trees to the right of the jungle path. Cautiously you leave the trail and make your way towards the source of this solitary sound.
If you possess Assimilance, turn to 335.
If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 296.
150
Tzai's house is located in the centre of the city, opposite the main market square and its municipal buildings. It is a large dwelling and much of it is a warehouse given over to the storage of his goods. You are greeted by his family and he takes great delight in introducing them to you. You meet his brother Chinn, his wife Tuvei, his two teenage daughters Leadu and Leiga, and his young son Undai. His wife and children seem very pleased to have you staying as a guest, but his brother Chinn views you with suspicion. You can tell from his cold reaction that he does not think very highly of foreigners.
Later you share supper with the family and you tell Tzai that tomorrow you will look for Captain Leonghi's cousin, Gemulkin. You hand him the scroll that the captain gave you and he passes it to his brother. He says that Chinn has many friends at the dock and he asks his brother if he recognizes the name. Chinn shakes his head tersely and barely glances at the scroll before handing it back. He then leaves the table and goes to his room. As you watch him leave, your Sixth Sense tells you that he knows Gemulkin very well.
After supper, Tzai invites you on a tour of his warehouse. While you are looking at the hundreds of fascinating items that he sells, you suddenly hear shouting coming from outside in the main market square. A noisy mob has gathered to denounce Dhanchai, the city's mayor. They are demanding that Koogha, a former Shadakine warlord, be returned to power. The city militia arrive to disperse this unruly crowd, but a struggle breaks out and soon the two sides are fighting openly in the square. Suddenly the warehouse door bursts open and a dozen men armed with knives and clubs begin to loot the shelves. Then Chinn comes running through from the house, alerted by the noise. He is armed with a stave with which he attacks the looters. One of them knocks it from his hand and another grabs him from behind and pins his arms to his side. Tzai screams as a third looter advances towards his helpless brother with a knife in his hand.
If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 233.
If you do not, turn to 105.
151
You utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell Lightning Hand and point at the wall of the hut, at a place directly opposite the guarded door. A tingle runs down your arm and a bolt of blue-white fire arcs from your outstretched hand to blow a ragged hole through the bamboo timbers. You run at this hole and charge the weakened wall with your shoulder. It splinters and splits open, enabling you to force yourself through the gap and escape.
Turn to 308.
152
The walls of the armoury are lined with oaken racks containing many skilfully-crafted weapons. They are all of ancient design and many centuries old. Their gleaming blades have been kept in pristine condition, yet it strikes you that this chamber is more like a museum than an armoury. Clearly the Elder Magi have little need for conventional weapons.
Among the racks you note the following weapons that are of exceptional quality:
Spear
Short Sword
Mace
Warhammer
Bow
Broadsword
If you wish to take any of these Weapons, make the appropriate adjustment to your Action Chart. (The maximum number of normal Weapons that you can carry is two.)
To leave the armoury, turn to 49.
153
The celebrations go on throughout the night, but you are able to find a quiet place to sleep for a few hours before dawn breaks over this happy city. When you tell the people that you must leave and continue your journey south, they are saddened by the news. They want you to stay as their new chieftain, but you persuade them that they must choose a new leader from among their own tribe. Before you leave they provide you with a mule and some food (enough for up to 3 Meals).
By mule you expect the overland journey from Kitaezi to Caeno to take no more than three days. It is a rough, potholed trail and yet your mule never once misses his footing or causes you to fall. During the afternoon of the second day you enter the foothills of the Hulhuk Mountains and see a plume of black smoke rising into the sky. It comes from behind a treeless ridge, less than half a mile from the trail. The sound of anguished voices can be heard on the wind and these cries prompt you to leave the trail and investigate. As you crest the ridge you see a small native village. Several of the huts are on fire and its people are trying desperately to save their livestock and quell the raging flames.
If you possess Elementalism, turn to 117.
If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 94.
154
The creature tears aside barrels and up-ends crates until it discovers the place where you are hiding. You draw your weapon and retreat until your back is pressed against the wall of the hold. With chilling slowness it flexes its talons and bares its ghastly teeth. Then, in a blur of movement, it comes lunging towards you with claws outstretched.
Illustration IX—In a blur of movement, the Zhürc comes lunging towards you.
Zhürc: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE 40
If the Kai Weapon you wield is ‘Valiance’, you may apply the bonus gained due to its unique properties.
If you win the combat, turn to 50.
155
Once outside the main doors, you hurry across a wide stone bridge that spans the dry moat encircling Sesketera's citadel. Ahead you can see a cobblestoned plaza which is flanked on three sides by municipal buildings and shops, and on its fourth side by barracks and stables. The sound of the alarm bell is beginning to awaken interest in the plaza. Faces peer from windows and you can see men running to and fro inside the barracks compound. Then the gate to the stables swings open and suddenly there appears a man on horseback. He is one of Sesketera's guards and he comes galloping towards you with a lance levelled at your chest.
You skid to a halt and quickly focus on the rider's horse. Using your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, you command the horse to jump in the air. This has the effect of startling the horse and, in its confusion, it begins to buck and twist. The rider is thrown from his saddle and left sprawled unconscious on the ground. Now you use your Kai skills to calm the startled horse. As he settles down, you leap into his saddle and escape from the plaza at a gallop.
The incessant sound of the alarm bell follows you through the ea
rly-morning streets of Ghol-Tabras. Even as you reach the entrance to the harbour, more than a mile from the citadel, you can still hear it echoing over the rooftops. You look back over your shoulder and see that you are being followed by a dozen riders. They are citadel guards and they have been ordered to stop you at all costs. As you gallop along the harbour wall, your heart sinks when you see that The Azan is surrounded by soldiers. You race past them before they have a chance to load and fire their bows, but you soon come to the end of the harbour wall where you are forced to a halt. The bridge which spans the harbour entrance is too narrow to cross on horseback and so you abandon your mount and hurry across it on foot. You are nearing its centre when you see a trading ship passing directly below. It is leaving the harbour. Suddenly an arrow pierces your cloak and makes you freeze in your tracks. The soldiers are firing at you and, to your dismay, you see that they have sealed off both exits from the bridge. As they begin to move towards you from each side, firing as they advance, you climb onto the parapet of the bridge and attempt to leap onto the deck of the passing trader.
If you possess the Discipline of Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 193.
If you possess the Discipline of Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 26.
If you possess neither of these skills, or if you choose not to use them, turn to 63.