by Joe Dever
69
Carefully Prince Karvas takes hold of you under the arms and helps you to stand on your feet. As soon as the pain of your wounding has receded, you approach the door once more. Your senses detect that the spell protecting this door has now discharged, and the portal is open and unguarded.
Gingerly you push the door with the toe of your boot and silently it swings open to reveal a sumptuous chamber. Tapestries adorn the walls and golden ornaments gleam in lacquered shelves and sculptured wooded cabinets. You cross the carpeted floor and look out of a tall window to see a panoramic view of Cavalia, its roofs and spires gleaming in the afternoon sun. Below you can see a troop of citadel cavalry, their white pennants trailing from their lances as they ride across the drawbridge and canter away from the citadel along a broad, shop-lined avenue.
The evil that you detected from outside the iron door is stronger now, but it does not originate from this chamber. You sense that it comes from an adjoining room which is separated from this chamber by velvet draperies.
If you wish to pull the draperies aside and investigate the source of this evil, turn to 178.
If you choose to search the chamber that you are in more thoroughly, turn to 288.
70
Lodamos sends an urgent order to the commander of the cavalry, Guard Captain Sneida, to muster a troop of his best men and horses and have them ready to ride within the hour.
‘Sneida is a most accomplished horseman, and he knows the road to Seroa better than any man in this city or province,’ says Lodamos. ‘He and his troop will act as your escort to ensure that nothing delays your journey to the capital.’
The sleeping citadel of Varedo comes alive as preparations are made for your speedy departure. Lodamos takes you and Karvas to the stables where you are given the pick of his personal steeds. Karvas chooses a young black stallion and you settle for a dark bay mare. Lodamos approves of your choice: these horses possess speed and stamina, qualities that may prove essential if you are to reach Seroa in time. As your mounts are being saddled, you meet with Guard Captain Sneida and the men of your escort. You are impressed by their eager readiness to carry out this unexpected duty, and by the quiet professionalism with which they go about their preparations.
Baron Lodamos wishes you godspeed and bids you farewell as you climb into the saddle and get ready to set off from the citadel. It is still dark when you and your escort ride out of Varedo and head east across the plain, along a wagon-worn road that leads to Oberra. When darkness gives way to the golden light of the rising sun, the troop unfurls Lodamos' personal banner which they carry proudly at the head of their column. It is a pale blue flag, trimmed with gold braids, and it depicts an owl clutching the blade of a sword. Karvas tell you that these symbols represent Lodamos' motto — Wisdom and Strength. His flag serves you well, for as the day unfolds, all the fellow travellers you encounter on the road hurriedly move aside to allow you to pass unhindered when they see Lodamos' banner approaching.
You ride all day and put more than a hundred miles behind you. It is dusk when Sneida brings the troop to the fortified chateau of Lord Jopas, Baron Lodamos' younger brother. You stay there overnight, and in the morning the troop are furnished with fresh mounts for the coming day's ride across the Lucien Hills. This region of Siyen is one of great natural beauty and you enjoy the panoply of castles, chateaux, and richly wooded valleys which unfolds as you traverse the hill trail to Oberra. When night falls you find yourselves still within the boundaries of this hilly timberland. Captain Sneida is loath to make camp in the forest for it harbours packs of wild wolves that may be tempted to attack by the scent of the horses. He urges the troop to continue for several moonlit miles further until you reach the chateau of Baron Jayde. He is commander of the Lucien Province and a trusted friend of Baron Lodamos.
The troop ride through a pair of open, torchlit gates and come to a halt inside a walled courtyard at the front of Baron Jayde's grand estate. Adjacent to the gates are a stables block and a paddock. Captain Sneida orders his men to put the horses in the paddock while he goes to inform Baron Jayde of your arrival. You are leading your horses into the paddock by the reins when your Kai Sixth Sense warns you of hidden danger. You look around the courtyard and suddenly you realize that something is amiss. Ever since you arrived at the chateau you have seen no sign of Baron Jayde's staff or guards. The estate is seemingly deserted. Then you hear Captain Sneida call out a welcome, and when you look to the chateau, you see the figure of a stout man standing in a doorway at the head of a grand flight of stone steps. ‘Well met, Baron Jayde,’ calls Sneida, but his friendly greeting elicits no response. The man in the doorway is utterly immobile; not a flicker of emotion stirs his pale round face. Sneida approaches and quickens his pace. He is halfway up the steps when suddenly the rotund figure of Baron Jayde topples stiffly forwards and falls, face down, upon the flagstones. Fear chills your blood when you see the polished handle of a stiletto dagger protruding from between his shoulder blades.
In that instant the trap is sprung. Suddenly the top of the courtyard is ringed by grim-faced soldiers armed with crossbows. ‘Ambush!’ shouts Captain Sneida. It is the last word he will ever utter. In response to his shout of warning, the soldiers let loose a deadly volley of bolts that claim his life, and the lives of four of his men. As the dead and wounded scream and fall, you drag Prince Karvas to the ground in a desperate effort to save him from being hit.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you possess Assimilance, add 1.
If your total score is now 4 or less, turn to 261.
If it is 5 or higher, turn to 6.
71
You look to the nearby barge, with its cargo of logs strapped to its deck, and a bold plan forms in your mind. Drawing upon the power of Old Kingdom magic, you clench the fingers of your right hand and breathe the words of the spell Invisible Fist. Then you thrust your clenched fist towards a wooden peg that secures one of the barge's cargo straps. The peg splinters when the force of your spell slams into it and, with a loud crack, the canvas strap snaps in two. There is a thunderous roar as five heavy logs roll off the deck of the barge and splash into the river. Sped along by the swift current, they ram into other barges moored downstream and punch holes through their hulls. When the guards on the parapet see one of the barges sinking, they raise the alarm and muster a rescue party to go to save its valuable cargo.
Under cover of the sudden commotion, you and Karvas creep towards the river arch and pass beneath it without being seen.
Turn to 304.
72
Your worst fears are realized when suddenly you hear a mighty roar. You look up to your right and gasp when you see a solid wall of water and loose rock comes rushing down the mountainside towards the trail. Terrified by the thought of being washed away in this avalanche of water and shale, you and Karvas hurriedly leave the trail and gallop your horses towards the sanctuary of the ruined fortress.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Animal Mastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 3 or lower, turn to 289.
If it is 4 or higher, turn to 64.
73
The Inquisitor-major snatches up a hunting horn that hangs by a cord strung around his neck, and he blows into it with great force. The discordant note rises in pitch until it passes beyond the normal range of the human ear. Moments later, a terrific pain shoots through your head that makes you grasp your skull with both hands. You call upon your Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen to counter the attack and it does so, successfully. But Karvas has no such protections and you sense that a psychic assault this powerful, and at such close quarters, could leave him either paralysed or dead within a matter of seconds.
If you possess Bardsmanship and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Sentinel, turn to 81.
If you possess Kai-surge and wish
to use it, turn to 344.
If you do not possess these skills, or if you have yet to attain the required level of Kai Mastery, turn to 25.
74
The rate of exchange offered by the clerk is 4 Sheasu Torqs for every 1 Gold Crown. You may exchange as many Gold Crowns as you wish, but remember to amend the Belt Pouch section of you Action Chart accordingly.
When you have completed your transaction, you may join the queue for the reeve-sergeant's table by turning to 127.
75
The second tumbler clicks into position and the door of the safe swings open9 to reveal a single scroll of vellum, embossed with a ribbon and a wax imprint of Sadanzo's seal. You unfurl the scroll and you are shocked to the core when you read its contents.
The scroll is a contract between Baron Sadanzo and the Assassins' Guild of Avalar. It states that the Guild will undertake the murder of King Oridon in return for 20,000 Orla. Half of this sum is to be paid in advance, with the balance due for payment upon successful completion of the assassination. The seal of the Assassins' Guild is attached beside Sadanzo's mark to show that the full sum has since been received.
You show the scroll to Karvas and he is outraged; here is proof beyond doubt that Sadanzo was responsible for the murder of his father, and clearly his act of foul treachery was part of his plan to seize the throne of Siyen. This shocking revelation fills Karvas with a renewed loathing for the Baron. He reaffirms his pledge to thwart Sadanzo's scheme and he vows, in memory of his father, that he will bring the traitor to justice.
You take Sadanzo's Scroll and place it inside your tunic. Record this on your Action Chart as a Special Item — you need not discard another item in its favour if you already possess the maximum number permissible.
To continue, turn to 198.
[9] This is the correct answer to the cylinder lock puzzle in Section 178.
76
The wall is no more than 12 feet high, but its brick surface is in a poor state of repair. It crumbles at your touch, making it difficult for you to climb the wall without making a sound.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess a Rope, add 1.
If your total score is now 5 or less, turn to 163.
If it is 6 or more, turn to 231.
77
You strike a killing blow and the last of the robber knights tumbles backwards over the parapet of the bridge to splash into the rushing river. There is a moment of deathly hush, and then the silence is shattered by an eruption of whooping and cheering. The citizens of Voshno have gathered to watch your fight and now they are applauding your brave victory. For more than a month this band of murdering knights have been abusing the people of this hamlet, and any traveller who has sought to cross their bridge. Now, at last, their reign of terror has ended.
The grateful villagers insist that you and Karvas spend the night as their guests at the Fuller's Inn, the best tavern and hostelry on the east bank of Voshno. Your horses are groomed and you are treated to a delicious feast at the owner's expense, after which you are given the finest rooms in the hostelry (you may restore 6 ENDURANCE points). As you are retiring to bed, you notice that Prince Karvas is smiling delightedly. At first you think it is just the food and fine ale that have cheered him so, but he tells you it is more than this. He explains that the east side of Voshno is Siyenese territory, part of his native country, and after ten years in exile he could not have wished for a more appreciative homecoming.
To continue, turn to 283.
78
‘Come, my friend,’ you say to Karvas, ‘let us leave these good gentlemen in peace.’ The Prince can hardly believe his ears, but he allows you to take him by the arm and lead him away to the tavern door.
‘Have you lost your mind, Grand Master?’ he hisses. ‘We must have their tickets!’
‘And we shall, my lord, we shall,’ you reply, wryly. ‘Just be patient a little longer, that's all I ask.’
You leave the tavern and wait in the shadows of a nearby alleyway for the two Cavalians to depart. Soon you hear the clang of the riverboat's bell echoing through the village. The captain is calling all passengers aboard; his boat is due to set off for Seroa in fifteen minutes' time. You watch a steady stream of people leaving the tavern and walking to the jetty to board the boat, but you do not see the Cavalians. You are beginning to fear that you have missed them in the crowd when suddenly they emerge from the tavern. They are the last ones to leave.
Turn to 320.
79
You climb into the locker and wedge yourself among the thick coils of rope. As Karvas pulls shut the heavy metal lid, you pray to Ishir to protect everyone aboard the Starstrider in this desperate hour. In the dark confines of the locker your senses become super-sensitive to every movement and noise outside. Your stomach churns when the ship heaves from side to side, and you feel a chill run down your spine when you hear the cries of the terrified crewmen echoing across the decks. Then there is a sudden jolt and a fearful sound of screeching metal. The Starstrider has been losing height for several minutes, but now its angle of descent has become far steeper. You brace yourself and count aloud the seconds as you await the dreadful moment of impact. You hear the scrape and splintering crack of sundered treetops when the skyship ploughs into the timberland. Then there is a terrific jolt as the craft's bow slams into the rocky soil and comes to an abrupt halt.
The impact of the crash landing leaves you breathless and bruised (lose 1 ENDURANCE point), but you thank the fact that you chose to take shelter here in this locker, for its metal sides and the cushioning coils of rope have undoubtedly spared you serious injury.
Turn to 101.
80
As dusk approaches you find a secluded hollow beside the trail, close to a bend in the river, where you set up camp for the night. Your Magnakai Huntmastery skills are put to good use at the river's edge and you are able to enjoy a pair of fat fish for your supper this evening. The night passes peacefully and you leave the camp at dawn to continue northwards along the trail, following the flow of the river.
It is nearing the end of the day when you see a hamlet on the road ahead. Its half-timbered buildings are clustered on either side of the river and connected by a sturdy stone bridge. A signpost at the side of the road tells you that you are approaching the hamlet of Voshno.
If you visited the Oridon Stone, turn to 52.
If you did not, turn to 155.
81
Quickly you retrieve your Flute from your Backpack and play a sequence of ultrasonic notes to counter the psychic assault that is battering you and Karvas. The effect is immediate and dramatic. The Prince revives and is able to pull himself upright on his horse. The Inquisitor-major and his fellow hunters, however, do not fare so well. They are immune to the sound of their own horn, but you use your Kai skill to turn the tables on them. Your notes occur at a higher frequency, one to which they are not immune. You watch with grim satisfaction as they wheel their horses about and gallop away in a desperate effort to put distance between themselves and the piercing sound of your Flute, which is filling their heads with an agonizing clamour.
Turn to 144.
82
You grab the soldier's spear, barge him aside, and then take off along the avenue at a run with Prince Karvas close on your heels. The soldier staggers to his feet and attempts to give chase, but he soon loses you both in the darkness and is forced to give up his pursuit.
You hurry through the city, past grimy two-storey houses of hardwood that are silent behind their bolts and shutters. The wide thoroughfare leads to a stone bridge that traverses the River Tehda and then continues into the heart of the east quarter. Here you almost collide with a patrol of armed guards which is marching towards the river, and you are forced to take cover in a timber yard to avoid being seen. You observe the ten-strong patrol as it marches past. These men are clad in black quilted tunics and wide silk leggings, and they
are armed with curved swords and hand-axes. All are almond-eyed and they have shiny black hair tied in a knot at the nape of their necks. Their leader, a stocky bull-necked sergeant, wears the emblem of Sejanoz emblazoned upon a scarlet armband. Patiently you wait for them to reach the bridge, yet as they do so, another patrol comes tramping along the avenue from the opposite direction. The east quarter of Bakhasa is a busy place even at this late hour. Rather than risk being seen and captured, you decide to remain hidden in the timber yard and attempt to catch a few hours' sleep before dawn.
Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 340.
83
You show the scroll that you discovered in Baron Sadanzo's safe to Marshal Phedros, and he gasps when he reads the words of this damning contract. ‘By Ishir!’ he exclaims. ‘The murdering cur! I'll have his treacherous Cavalian head for this!’
The Marshal sends messengers to the high-ranking noblemen of Siyen, all of whom have travelled to Seroa for the crowning. He musters them at the barracks and reads to them the contents of the scroll. They are outraged by what they hear, and they resolve to go immediately to the palace to confront Sadanzo. Escorted by a loyal regiment of Royal Guardsmen, the noblemen burst into the palace and meet with little resistance from Sadanzo's drunken knights. The Baron is cornered in a banqueting hall and confronted with the scroll, which he immediately denounces as a forgery. ‘This is no fake,’ growls Marshal Phedros. ‘I know your lowly seal when I see it.’