Voyage of the Moonstone

by Joe Dever

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 293.

  If it is 5–9, turn to 194.

  217

  On returning to the ship, you and your party clamber aboard and the longboat is quickly hoisted back onto the main deck. Captain Raker is keen to get the ship underway and he commands his crew to unfurl every square inch of canvas to catch the prevailing winds. Within minutes of your return, The Pride of Sommerlund is once again back on course, forging a swift passage south through the Bukimi Channel.

  Turn to 287.

  218

  The balloon lurches away from the mountainside, yet the effect of your heroic effort is dramatically short-lived. The crosswind proves to be stronger than your Kai Mastery. Cursing your ill fortune, you brace yourself against the inside of the basket as the outcrop looms nearer. Moments later, there is the sound of ripping cloth and you are jolted off your feet. Yranai falls on top of you and you lie entangled together at the bottom of the basket. Then the balloon is suddenly whisked away from the outcrop by a second crosswind.

  You disentangle yourself from the old man and struggle to your feet. You can feel the balloon is rapidly losing altitude and, when you peer over the rim of the basket, you see the trees of the lower mountain slopes rising towards you at a dizzying speed. Yranai pulls himself up beside you, but when he sees shreds of cloth trailing from the punctured canopy above, he faints and collapses. Hurriedly you haul his frail body over your shoulder. Then you place one foot on the rim of the basket and get ready to make a desperate leap away from this doomed balloon as the top of the mountain pines come clearly into view.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy, turn to 107.

  If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 115.

  219

  You take a single Gold Crown from your money pouch and toss it to the old man who catches it with surprising dexterity (erase 1 Gold Crown from your Action Chart). He tests its worth by biting down on its edge with his blackened teeth before tucking it safely away in the folds of his tattered mhaktis.

  ‘There's a mutiny taking place in the city of Bir Rabalou,’ he says, his creaky old voice barely audible above the crash of the surf. ‘The Funtal of the city has imposed heavy taxes on the city's merchants, and we've heard from travellers that the Trader's Guild have paid foreign assassins to come and do away with 'im.’ Suddenly the old man's face drops and his myopic eyes narrow with suspicion when he notices that you and your companions are not natives of this land.

  ‘Don't be alarmed,’ says Oswin, ‘we're not assassins. We're … traders.’

  He smiles uneasily. Clearly he is not convinced and, without saying another word, he turns around and hobbles away across the beach.

  ‘Silly old fool!’ says Sligh. ‘We're wastin' our time 'ere, Grand Master. Let's be getting on.’

  You nod in agreement and signal to the others to follow as you turn your horse back towards the coast road. It is a clear night and the brilliant moon is nearly full. With luck you could be in Bir Rabalou well before midnight.

  Turn to 232.

  220

  Circling above a column of rocks are six large, black-winged birds. You magnify your vision and instantly you recognize them to be Itikars — giant Vassagonian eagles. The leader of this predatory group has golden markings on his wing tips that glint in the sun, giving them a metallic appearance, and when he sees the balloon approaching he veers away from the column. The others follow his lead and all six come flying towards you in a wedge-shaped formation.

  They fly past overhead and stare down at the balloon with their cold black eyes. Then the leader turns about and you sense that he intends to attack you on his next pass. His companions form up behind him in a line and he leads them in a steep dive.

  As he comes to within a hundred feet, he spreads his razor-sharp talons and fixes his cruel eyes on the balloon's vulnerable canopy.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 141.

  If you possess Animal Mastery and wish to use it, turn to 168.

  If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 326.

  If you possess neither of these skills, nor a Bow, or if you choose not to use any of them, turn to 53.

  221

  You slip your purchase inside your Backpack and then bid farewell to the smiling herbalist before returning to the middle of the square. Here you stop for a few minutes to watch a juggler. As you watch him perform with clubs and daggers, you are continually jostled and bumped by the crowd. You are about to move off when suddenly you feel something tugging at your back. Glancing over your shoulder, you see a suspicious young man running away through the milling crowd. He is clutching something to his chest that you feel sure he has just filched from your Backpack.

  If you wish to chase after this man, turn to 83.

  If you decide to let him go, turn to 56.

  222

  Your Arrow narrowly misses its intended mark. It passes below the creature's belly as it leaps into the air, and sinks into the throat of a warrior who is standing atop the forecastle.

  You are about to reload your Bow and fire again at the giant spider when suddenly there is a tremendous crash. The Pride of Sommerlund lurches violently and you are thrown backwards across the deck.

  Turn to 274.

  223

  The moment you turn around you find yourself staring into the face of a tall and powerfully built Vassagonian warrior. His eyes glow with a maniacal anger and, without warning, he closes his hands around your throat and crushes your windpipe in a vice-tight grip. Blood pounds at your temples and your vision blurs as he lifts you bodily from the floor. To break his grip you slam your boot into his stomach and he doubles up, releasing you as he falls gasping to his knees.

  You stagger backwards and grab the fountain for support as gingerly you clasp your bruised throat. With croaking voice you demand the warrior explain the reason for his unprovoked attack. He answers you with a growl; then he draws his sword and strikes out at your legs. You leap over his scything blade and kick out in mid-air to catch him squarely between the eyes with the hardened toe of your boot. The warrior is flung backwards and you hear a loud Crack! as his head strikes the tiled floor.

  Turn to 175.

  224

  The owner is sorry to see you and your companions leave the inn, but you simply refuse to accept his proposal and he will not lower his price. You collect your horses and walk them down to the beach where you find a place to pitch camp among some sand dunes overlooking the picturesque bay. Oswin settles the horses while you help Sligh and Ernan to build a fire from driftwood. While you are foraging for wood, you stumble upon some strange pink-leaved plants growing along the edge of the beach.

  If you possess Herbmastery, turn to 317.

  If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 228.

  225

  You focus your Magnakai skills of Nexus and Curing upon your bitten leg in an attempt to neutralize the spider's poison and reduce the swelling. Eventually this treatment works, but only after you have suffered a great deal of discomfort and fatigue: lose 6 ENDURANCE points.

  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. 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.

  226

  Your Kai Sixth Sense informs you that the whirlpool is being created by a powerful entity, a creature that is hiding somewhere amongst the foliage which blankets the overhanging cliff. From its high vantage point it is pouring i
ts evil energy down into the channel below, causing the vortex which now threatens to drag The Pride of Sommerlund to a deep, watery grave.

  Drawing upon your New Order mastery, you summon a wind to assail the cliff-top. Instantly a gale arises which whips through the undergrowth, sending clouds of dirt and torn foliage whirling high into the air. Soon you sense that the unseen creature is being forced to retreat in the face of this barrage and, as it abandons its attack, so the whirlpool ahead ceases to spin violently.

  As the waters of the channel return to normal, Raker commands his crew to unfurl every remaining square inch of canvas. They catch the prevailing winds and carry you swiftly away from this sinister place.

  Turn to 287.

  227

  ‘That's wrong, that's wrong!’ shouts the rogue, his eyes widening with fear.

  ‘He does not know the name of his own capital!’ gasps one of his companions, and his mouth drops open as he fumbles to unsheathe his sword. Suddenly it seems that everyone in the tavern is gripped by an inexplicable madness. The rogue pulls a dagger from his belt and attempts to stab you, but you turn his clumsy thrust aside with your forearm and knock him to the floor as you leap out of your seat. Two of the others try to strike you simultaneously with their swords and you duck below their blades. They strike each other and fall back, screaming and clutching at their wounds. A thrown bottle catches you a glancing blow to the head as you run for the door (lose 2 ENDURANCE points), but you manage to pull it open and escape into the darkening street without further injury. However, to your dismay you discover that your horse Jhani has disappeared. Two men brandishing swords appear in the doorway behind you and swiftly you sprint along the street. You use your Kai camouflage skills to evade them and they quickly give up the chase.

  Turn to 295.

  228

  You have never seen anything quite like these plants before and you are naturally suspicious of any properties they may possess. Erring on the side of caution, you decide to ignore them and continue with your chore of gathering driftwood for the campfire.

  Turn to 99.

  229

  Your Kai Mastery reveals the faint presence of magic somewhere outside in the corridor. You sense that it is neither evil nor hostile, yet the fact that it exists there at all makes you feel uneasy. You reach for your weapon belt and put it on before you move cautiously to open the door.

  Turn to 116.

  230

  You watch with fearful anticipation as the second wave of enemy raiders come leaping aboard The Pride of Sommerlund. The ship's crew and the marines have suffered many casualties and they are now too weak and exhausted to be able to repel this renewed assault. You know that you must act quickly if you are to avert a disaster.

  Steeling yourself, you tighten your grip on your weapon and leap from the rigging as the enemy leader passes below the mainmast. You hit the armoured warrior feet-first and slam him to the deck, but he quickly recovers from this surprise attack and, in the ensuing struggle, he manages to kick the weapon from your hand.

  ‘Leave this one to me!’ he screams, warning off his henchmen who are poised to rush forward and cut you down. He unsheathes his scimitar and, with a sneer fixed to his cruel lips, he raises the blade in readiness to strike at your head.

  Dar-Isun: COMBAT SKILL 39 ENDURANCE 38

  You must fight the first round of this combat empty-handed. If you possess a close-combat weapon, you may use it from the beginning of the second round.

  If you win this fight, turn to 340.

  231

  Your lightning-fast blow strikes the spider and sends it hurtling across the room. It hits the far wall and clings there for a few moments, and then 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 2 ENDURANCE points due to 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.

  232

  You ride the moonlit coast road, covering the remaining 25 miles to Bir Rabalou in little more than three hours. Your first glimpse of the great trading port comes when the road crests a ridge of hills within a mile of its perimeter wall. From here you can see that the city is built in a semicircle between two great jutting spurs of land which protrude into the ocean like the horns of a huge bull. Within the city wall are hundreds of lavish buildings, yet the grandest of all is a castle which stands upon a steep hill at its centre. This one towering stronghold dominates all the other splendid structures of this rich metropolis.

  Your arrival at the north gate at such a late hour is greeted with suspicion from a pair of surly guards. Eventually you are allowed to enter, but only after Oswin bribes them with the horse that Oriah once rode. Beyond the gate you ride along a torchlit avenue which leads down to the harbour; this is filled with trading ships of all nationalities. The quayside and its taverns are alive with activity as the captains and crews of these vessels drink themselves senseless with the money their cargoes have earned.

  You select one of the quieter taverns and stable your horses at the rear before making your entrance. The tavern's taproom is crowded with sailors and traders, most of whom are listening to an uncommonly fine musical performance being given by three Cloeasian minstrels. Your companions are hungry and tired and so you make your way to the counter and ask the tavern-keeper his price for food and a night's lodging. He tells you that 10 Gold Crowns will fill all your bellies and buy you each the use of a comfortable room. You agree to his price (deduct 10 Gold Crowns from your Action Chart) and he hands each of you a numbered key. The marines are not impressed with the minstrels' classical recital and they decide to eat their meals in their rooms. Before they retire for the night you arrange to meet with them here in the taproom, first thing in the morning.

  You seat yourself at the counter and listen to the recital as you enjoy a meal of grilled meat and sugared desert fruits. As you wipe your mouth and push away your empty plate, your eye is caught by a rotund little man who is seated alone in an alcove. ‘Ho, journeyman!’ he calls, beckoning you with a plump hand that is laden with gold and ruby rings. ‘Please, will you join me at my table?’

  If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Telegnosis, turn to 329.

  If you do not, turn to 301.

  233

  You leap onto the iron gate and climb with cat-like speed and grace. Unfortunately, as you leap over, you snag your Backpack on a spike. You pull free, but in doing so you destroy one item in your pack (erase from your Action Chart the item which you have recorded last on your list of Backpack Items).

  You drop to the street beyond and follow it to a tree-lined plaza which is bordered by shops that sell rare artefacts and expensive works of art. Their windows and doors are securely barred and shuttered and show no signs of a forced entry. Then your eye is drawn to a grand building on the far side of the plaza: it is a temple. Its great stone door is closed, but a smaller wooden door at the side has been torn off its hinges. You magnify your vision and see that beyond the door is a flight of stone steps which ascend to a bell-tower.

  Cautiously you approach the shattered door. You unsheathe your weapon and scan the darkened stairs before silently you move up the steps. You have climbed twenty steps when suddenly you hear a hideous snickering growl and an icy chill runs the length of your spine. There is an ominous creak of stone on stone and a movement in the darkness above, and then a crashing fills your ears. Out of the darkness you see a great marble statue come smashing down the narrow stairway. It rapidly gathers speed as it tumbles end-over-end towards you.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy, turn to 85.

  If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 98.

  234

  Yo
u leave the queue and walk down to the edge of the oasis to bathe your face and drink the warm, fresh water. The yellow flames of the campfire are glimmering on its surface and you pause to consider joining the travellers who are seated around it, enjoying the show.

  If you decide to go to the campfire, turn to 40.

  If you choose to retire to the empty carriage and get some sleep, turn instead to 290.

  235

  Dressed in the plain green tunic, breeches, and cloak of a Kai journeyman, you return to the Vault of the Sun at midnight as ordered. Lone Wolf approves of your appearance and commends you for your determination to succeed. He is confident he has chosen the right Grand Master to fulfil this vital mission. He opens a concealed portal in the wall of the chamber and he motions you to follow him as he steps through into a torchlit tunnel. This secret passage passes under the walls of the monastery and emerges at a clearing in the surrounding Fryelund Forest. Here awaits a party of men and horses — élite troopers from King Ulnar's Court Cavalry Regiment. Lone Wolf bids you good luck and godspeed as you climb into the saddle of a chestnut mare and, with a proud salute, you bid farewell to your leader before galloping away with the horsemen along a moonlit forest track.

  Your bodyguard of King's troopers have orders to ensure that you reach Holmgard harbour swiftly and safely; they know nothing about your mission. You ride all night and enter the capital shortly after dawn, whereupon you are escorted through the awakening streets to the harbour where The Pride of Sommerlund, an armed caravel, is moored alongside the stone quay. From its mainmast flies a red flag emblazoned with a golden galleon and a five-pointed crown. It is the Holmgard ensign, the flag of this city's trading fleet. As you rein your mare to a halt, you cast your eyes along the ship's deck and note that it is equipped with several light swivel cannon mounted upon the gunwales. It is uncommon for traders to be armed, even those that venture regularly into the Kuri Sea which is notorious for its brigands and pirate raiders. Your voyage is destined to traverse these perilous waters and so the unexpected sight of the ship's guns comes as a welcome surprise.