Mydnight's Hero

by Joe Dever

  ‘You are an impostor,’ screams Sadanzo. ‘The real Prince Karvas is exiled in Sheasu. I demand this man be executed for his insolence!’

  Marshal Phedros approaches Karvas and takes hold of his right arm. He pulls back the sleeve of his tunic and examines the birthmark on his wrist. Phedros has known Karvas since he was a baby, and you sense that he is convinced that the mark is genuine. He raises the Prince's arm so that the other Siyenese nobles gathered on the platform can see the crescent-shaped mark. Murmurs of dissent can be heard among the crowd, and whispers that Karvas has returned filter back to Sadanzo's ears. The evil Baron narrows his coal-black eyes and slips a glowing green gem from the pocket of his ermine robes. Your Sixth Sense warns you that this stone is radiating strong psychic energies. Through its use, Sadanzo is able to exert a powerful control over the noblemen of Siyen who are gathered here on the platform. If you are to break the Baron's mental hold over them, you must destroy the evil gem that is clenched in his bony fist.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 97.

  If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 205.

  If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 135.

  If you possess neither of these Disciplines, nor a Bow, or if you choose not to use any of them, turn to 314.

  13

  You pull your rope out of your pack and cast one end down to the helpless Prince. The instant he grabs this trailing end securely with his free hand, you pull with all your strength and haul him out of the cavity. As you are helping him to his feet, you happen by chance to notice that he has a crescent-shaped birthmark on his right wrist.

  Between gasps of breath, Karvas thanks you earnestly for your timely help. Had you not acted when you did he feels certain that he would have slipped and fallen into the raging river.

  Turn to 200.

  14

  You hold the blacksmith with a piercing stare and quietly recite the words of the Brotherhood Spell Mind Charm. As the spell takes hold, you command him mentally to signal to his son that all is well between you. Your magical charm instils a sense of calm well-being into the man and he begins to relax and smile. He complies with your command and his son returns to his furnace.

  You ask the blacksmith if he knows the whereabouts of Prince Karvas of Siyen. He tells you that the Prince does not reside in the city. It is said that he lives somewhere on the remote northern coast of Sheasu. He also tells you that Karvas is not alone. Shortly after he came here, almost a decade ago, he was joined by a young woman. They were married by a sea captain in Mydnight harbour, on board the deck of his trading ship, and ever since their wedding day they have rarely been seen again.

  You thank the blacksmith for his help and leave the smithy before the effects of the spell wear off. On returning to the quayside you set out to explore the tangle of alleyways that make up the city's eastern quarter in the hope of discovering more about the Prince and his wife. Unfortunately, your efforts garner no new information. As the sun begins to settle on the horizon, you abandon your search and hurry back through the darkening passageways towards the market square.

  Turn to 308.

  15

  An arrow, fired from the battlements, grazes your skull: lose 1 ENDURANCE point.

  Make the necessary adjustment to your current ENDURANCE score and then continue by turning to 342.

  16

  You gag and tie the unconscious guard with his belt and tunic, and then you hide him in some long grass at the base of the perimeter wall. Hurrying across the field, you soon reach a courtyard located near to the main entrance. This flagstoned yard abuts the entrance gates and is bounded on the other three sides by paddocks, tack rooms, and the training fields. There are only two guards on duty here, the others having been called upon to assist the patrols that are out searching the city. They are both asleep at their posts and you have no difficulty tiptoeing past them and entering the paddocks where the horses are stabled.

  You search the stalls and soon discover two black Bhanarian stallions of magnificent quality and breeding. They will make ideal mounts for you and Prince Karvas. These intelligent animals respond readily to your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control and they remain calm and composed as you hurriedly fix their saddles and bridles. As you are leading them out into the courtyard, you stop to unbuckle a sword belt from the belly of a sleeping guard. Prince Karvas is unarmed and you are sure he will appreciate this weapon more than its present owner.

  You lead the horses across the courtyard and as you approach the stables' main doors, you mount one of them and fix the reins of the other to your stirrup. Then you kick open one of the double doors and urge your horse forward at the gallop.

  The guards outside are taken completely by surprise. As they fumble to unsheathe their swords, you race across the square and wave to Karvas who is waiting patiently for your signal. The Prince leaps up from behind the cart and comes running towards the spare horse. He is getting ready to leap into its saddle when a gruff cry alerts you to danger. A patrol has entered the square and their officer is commanding his sergeant to fire at you with his bow.

  If you possess Kai-surge, turn to 172.

  If you do not possess this Discipline, turn to 313.

  17

  You descend the stairs and make your way through the taproom crowd to the two Cavalian lordlings who are sipping wine at the counter.

  ‘Good evening, my lords,’ says Karvas, politely. ‘My friend and I were wondering if you two gentlemen are bound for Seroa this night.’

  The Cavalians regard you with disdain as they sip their perfumed wine from long-stemmed glasses.

  ‘And what business would it be of yours, pray tell?’ retorts the taller of the two.

  ‘We wish to buy two tickets for the riverboat to Seroa,’ you reply, truthfully.

  ‘My, my,’ tuts the shorter, plumper man. ‘I do believe they want us to sell our tickets, Foluge. Would you credit their nerve?’

  The taller dandy utters a terse laugh and he flicks his fingers at you dismissively. ‘We've waited many years for Baron Sadanzo to come to power, and we would not miss his crowning for all the Orla in Siyen.’

  ‘Yea, 'tis so,’ fawns his stout companion. ‘When Baron Sadanzo becomes King we shall both become rich men. Now leave us. We have no tickets to sell and we tire of your company.’

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 309.

  If you do not possess this skill, or if you choose not to use it, turn to 78.

  18

  One of your pursuers suddenly emerges from the alleyway behind you, his steam-spear raised in readiness to launch another projectile. Instinctively, you dive at him and bring him crashing to the ground before he can release the deadly missile. In the ensuing struggle you knock him unconscious with a blow to his jaw; then you grab the hollow spear and turn it towards the Bakhasians gathered at the end of the street. A trigger lever on the side of the spear fires a projectile and you see it soar through the air to strike the nearest shrine-bearer squarely in the chest. As the man is hurled backwards by the force of its impact, his grip is torn from the platform. It tilts over and the tiger-head idol tumbles from its wooden base to hit the ground with a mighty crash. It shatters in two, releasing a whirling cone of red flame from its hollow core that swiftly engulfs the remaining bearers. In the blink of an eye these men are transformed into smouldering heaps of ash.

  Cries of fear and outrage echo along the street as the Bakhasian soldiers witness the deaths of their comrades and the destruction of their unholy symbol. Before they can muster themselves and give chase, you cast aside the steam-spear and call for Karvas to follow as you rush across the street and make a hasty escape into the dark alleyway beyond.

  Turn to 180.

  19

  The Knight Bachelor regards your handful of coins with ill-disguised contempt. He averts his eyes from your hand and begins to take a closer interest in your horse. Your Sixth Sense warns you that he se
cretly wants your fine Bhanarian steed for himself.

  ‘Well, my lord, will you accept my donation?’ you ask.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 262.

  If you do not possess this skill, or if you choose not to use it, turn to 95.

  20

  Acraban is deaf to your pleas. He has never experienced anything like this storm before and he seems unable to decide the best course of action to take. When at last he decides to order Kuo to change course it is already too late. There is a second deafening Crack! as the skyship is struck forcefully beneath the stern.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  If the number you have picked is 0–3, turn to 268.

  If it is 4–8, turn to 149.

  If it is 9, turn to 341.

  21

  For several minutes you struggle to unlock the door but without success. When you hear the sound of footsteps approaching from the temple hall, you are forced to abandon your efforts and return to the street. Once outside, you glance up at the open second-storey window and you resolve to gain entry that way.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy, turn to 228.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 175.

  22

  You call upon your mastery of the elements to summon up a whirling cloud of dust to blind the guards. As it engulfs them, they fall to their knees and cover their faces to protect their eyes from the stinging grit, leaving you and Karvas free to gallop through the open gate and escape across the plain that surrounds Jaroc.

  Turn to 303.

  23

  You close the safe and call upon your advanced Kai Mastery to electrically charge the surface layer of air that is in contact with its steel door. Karvas watches you preparing this booby trap with a mix of curiosity and fascination. You tell him that in future, if any person or object should touch the door, then the power will discharge itself with an explosive force sufficient to destroy the safe and ignite the surrounding books. Your explanation makes Karvas smile. Clearly he relishes the thought of Sadanzo falling foul of this trap at some later date.

  Your work done, you turn away from the safe and hurry to leave this evil library. But, as you approach the arch which leads to the adjoining chamber, you suddenly hear a noise which makes you stop dead in your tracks.

  Turn to 86.

  24

  You are halfway through the portal when the missile strikes you between the shoulder blades. The impact numbs your senses and sends you somersaulting across an alleyway outside the warehouse: lose 5 ENDURANCE points.

  Although you have been hit squarely by the projectile, your Backpack has prevented it from penetrating your body. The impact has, however, punched a hole in your pack and destroyed four of the items you are carrying. (Erase from your Action Chart any four items you have recorded on your list of Backpack Items.)

  Your landing on the ground is cushioned by a carpet of rotting refuse and canvas sacking. Stunned by the force of the missile's impact, you are only dimly aware of Prince Karvas as he grabs the front of your tunic and lifts you to your feet. With his help you make a hurried escape along the dark passageway towards an adjoining torchlit street.

  Turn to 88.

  25

  In desperation to save the Prince's life, you unsheathe your Kai Weapon and strike the horn clean out of the Inquisitor-major's hands. Your blow cleaves his accursed horn in two and sends its sundered halves spinning through the air. The Inquisitor-major bellows with rage and orders his men to attack you. Frantically they level their lances and make a haphazard attack.

  Hunting party: COMBAT SKILL 47 ENDURANCE 40

  You may not evade this combat. You may, however, add 5 points to your COMBAT SKILL after three rounds of combat, for this is when Prince Karvas is able to join in and fight against the hunting party.

  If you win the combat, turn to 186.

  26

  The trader pockets your bribe and bids you follow him to a smaller room at the rear of the warehouse. In the quiet privacy of this adjoining room he tells you all he knows about Prince Karvas of Siyen.

  ‘This man Karvas does not live here in the city,’ he says. ‘He did for a while, when he first came to Sheasu ten years ago, but then a young woman arrived and they got married. They live on the north coast of the island somewhere. I've not seen them since the day they left Mydnight.’

  You thank the trader for his information and leave the warehouse. Outside, on the quay, you resolve to explore the tangle of alleyways that make up the city's eastern quarter in the hope of finding someone else who is willing to tell or sell what they know about the Prince. Unfortunately, your efforts garner no further information. As the sun begins to settle on the horizon, you finally abandon your search and hurry back through the darkening passageways towards the market square.

  Turn to 308.

  27

  When you and Karvas are unable to produce a ticket, the guard gets angry. You say that you must have lost your tickets during the voyage, but this excuse does not impress him. He beckons to a group of his fellow guardsmen who are standing beside a stone hut at the entrance to the docking area. ‘You'll have to see the Wharfmaster,’ he says, brusquely. ‘Tell him your tale.’

  The group of guardsmen come and escort you and Karvas to the hut where an officious man in a scarlet tunic is sitting at a desk, writing with a quill pen. ‘They've no tickets, Wharfmaster,’ states one of the guardsmen, before they turn away and close the door. The man puts down his pen and takes a crystal sphere from his pocket which he fixes into a holder at the centre of his desk. Then he tells you both to sit before him at the table and explain why you have no tickets to travel aboard the riverboat. Karvas becomes impatient with the man and he demands that you be allowed to leave.

  ‘I don't think you realize the trouble you're in,’ replies the Wharfmaster, testily. ‘Travelling by riverboat without paying the fare is a custodial offence. The punishment is one day in gaol for every day travelled.’ The man opens his desk drawer and takes out a slim rod of opaque crystal. ‘Now,’ he says, staring you straight in the eye, ‘kindly tell me why you have no ticket.’

  You repeat the excuse you gave when you disembarked, that you must have lost your ticket during the voyage. The clear crystal sphere resting on his desk becomes milky white, and then its hue changes to crimson.

  ‘You're lying,’ says the Wharfmaster, and he touches you lightly on the hand with the tip of his slim rod. Suddenly a blinding white light flashes before your eyes and you feel yourself rapidly falling into unconsciousness.

  Turn to 332.

  28

  You call upon your mastery of Old Kingdom magic and utter the ancient power-word Gloar! at the creature's torso. The concussive power of your word batters against its chest, making it shriek with pain, yet it does not deter it from continuing its hungry advance towards your horses. As it stalks closer, you see that it is drawing in great gulps of air to inflate its chest. Its rib cage expands and suddenly there is a sharp popping sound. You gasp with fear as dozens of horned spikes shoot out of its skin and come hurtling towards you like a volley of deadly darts.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked.

  If your total score is 4 or less, turn to 96.

  If it is 5 or more, turn to 269.

  29

  You hurry past the gate guards and through the open archway into a flagstoned concourse.

  You are about to enter a seemingly empty avenue which bisects the city's west quarter, when an armed soldier suddenly appears from out of a darkened doorway. He raises his spear and commands you to halt.

  If you wish to obey the soldier's command, turn to 325.

  If you choose to ignore his order, you can attempt to escape by running away. Turn to 82.

  30

  You rush into the small bakery and your sudden appearance startles the baker's wife. She gasps when she sees your soaked and sli
me-smeared features, and nervously she snatches up a knife and threatens to use it if either of you come a step closer. You can understand her reaction; after your dip in the citadel moat, you and Karvas look more reptilian than human.

  ‘Calm yourself, good lady,’ you say, in as soothing a tone as you are able to muster. ‘My companion and I may appear a little wretched but we mean you no harm.’ The woman is not convinced. She raises the knife in her trembling hand and begins shouting hysterically for her husband. Moments later, a portly man in a white smock and cloth hat emerges from an open doorway at the rear of the shop. He is brandishing an iron skillet and comes at you like a charging bull.

  ‘Hold there, Barwick!’ shouts Karvas, and to your astonishment the baker skids to a halt and drops his iron pot to the floor.

  ‘Prince Karvas … is it you?’ he stammers. Karvas uses his sleeve to wipe some of the slime from his face, and then he gives the baker a broad smile.

  ‘Yes, Barwick, it is I.’

  ‘Thank Ishir,’ gasps the baker, and he falls to his knees. ‘We have prayed that you would return home and save us from Sadanzo. We of Cavalia have suffered his tyranny for too long. He is an evil man and we fear that he will bring ruin to Siyen when he is crowned king. But now our Prince has returned to stop him. Ishir be praised!’