by Joe Dever
When you think you know the three-digit answer, note down the figures in order and turn to the section of the book which is the same as your answer.14
If you are unable to determine the correct solution, turn instead to 275.
[14] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.
307
As you are leaping through the portal, the projectile whistles past within inches of your head and slams into the brick wall of an alleyway running alongside the warehouse. With the Bakhasians close on your heels, you signal to Karvas to follow your lead as you make a hurried escape along the passage towards an adjoining torchlit street.
Turn to 88.
308
Wizard Acraban and Lord Zinair are already waiting aboard the Starstrider by the time you reach the market square. The magician orders the boarding cage to be lowered and you are winched up to the skyship. Both are anxious to hear your news of Prince Karvas' whereabouts for their own enquiries have yielded little useful information. You inform them of what you have learned — that the Prince has a wife and they are living somewhere on the island's northern coastline. Lord Zinair has discovered that Amarelda is the name of Karvas' wife, and Acraban has learned that they last visited Mydnight a year ago.
‘You have done well, Grand Master,’ says Lord Zinair. ‘The citizens of this city are a secretive breed, yet you may have prised enough from them to help us find our reclusive Siyenese Prince.’ Turning to Acraban, he says: ‘I propose we travel north at first light and commence a search of the northern shoreline. It will be easier to espy his retreat from the air than to attempt a search by land.’
Acraban nods in agreement and passes word to his young crew to prepare the Starstrider for a voyage north at first light.
Turn to 187.
309
Quietly you recite the words of the Brotherhood Spell Mind Charm and focus the power of this spell upon the two Cavalians. For all their pomp and grandeur they are both weak-willed wastrels at heart, and instantly they become compliant to your mental command. You ask them to give their riverboat tickets to you and Prince Karvas and dumbly they comply. (Record the Riverboat Ticket on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you keep in the pocket of your breeches. You need not discard another item in its favour if you already possess the maximum number of Special Items permissible.)
Having obtained what you require, you mentally command the two fops to forget that they have ever set eyes on you and Karvas. As they resume their conversation, you and the Prince slip away through the crowd.
Turn to 2.
310
On reaching the fortress ruins, you dismount and lead your horses through its rubble-strewn main gate. Within its crumbling walls there stands a keep, a cylindrical structure of time-worn masonry. The upper parts have collapsed leaving huge chunks of broken stone heaped around its base. Where once stood a gate of gleaming bronze, now only a blackened hole remains. It provides access to the inner hall and hurriedly you enter to escape from the torrential rain.
Engravings in the ceiling and walls of this derelict hall tell you that this fortress was once occupied by the Elder Magi. Both you and Karvas are fascinated by the intricate carvings and you decide to split up and explore this hall further. In an alcove at its north side you discover a shrine dedicated to the God Kai. Clumps of wild laumspur are growing around its base and you find that there is enough here for 3 potions. (Each Potion of Laumspur is a Backpack Item. It will restore 4 ENDURANCE points when swallowed after combat)
Illustration XIX—In an alcove you discover a shrine dedicated to the God Kai.
You are examining the shrine more closely when suddenly you hear Karvas scream out in alarm.
Turn to 177.
311
You approach to within 100 feet of the west gate by means of a drainage ditch that runs parallel to the rutted road. The heavy iron gate is open but the way through to the city beyond is blocked by four soldiers, each clad in a suit of shiny armour made from lacquered steel scales and hardened leather. They are armed with spears and maces, and their shields display the head of a tiger-like creature with ferocious fangs. It is the emblem of Autarch Sejanoz — the ruler of Bhanar.
Two of the soldiers stand rigidly to attention in the middle of the road with the hafts of their spears crossed to bar entry. Their comrades are seated beside them on benches set into alcoves on either side of the open gateway. A ragged white line appears to have been drawn along the threshold of the gate, but when you magnify your vision you realize that this line is nothing more than a trail of bird droppings. On a tiled ledge above the arch of the gateway you can see a long line of roosting crows. They appear almost invisible against the jet-black stonework of the parapet.
After watching the guards for several minutes you are sure that they are all alert and observant. It would be difficult to get past these men without their knowledge. If you are to gain entry to the city by this route, first you will have to create a diversion to draw away these vigilant guards.
If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Elementalism, turn to 182.
If you do not possess this skill, or if you choose not to use it, turn to 206.
312
An arrow, fired from the drawbridge, glances your shoulder and gouges a furrow of skin from your back: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
If you have survived this wounding, you can continue by turning to 342.
313
Hurriedly the archer takes aim at Karvas and releases his straining bowstring. The arrow whistles through the air, yet the trajectory is too high for the missile to hit the Prince. It arcs over him and you gasp aloud when suddenly you see the arrow is falling towards your chest.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 255.
If it is 5–9, turn to 33.
314
You draw upon your psychic Kai Disciplines to block the insidious effect that Sadanzo's gem is having upon the minds of the Siyenese noblemen. Your attempt to disrupt its power requires a great effort that drains you of mental and physical strength.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If the number you have picked is odd (i.e. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9), the effort costs you 4 ENDURANCE points. If the number is even (i.e. 0, 2, 4, 6, 8), you are drained of 7 ENDURANCE points. If you possess Kai-screen, you may reduce your ENDURANCE point loss by 2.
By creating a psychic block, you divert the energy of the gem and turn it back on itself with a dramatic consequence. Sadanzo screams with shock as the gem in his hand suddenly crumbles and disintegrates to dust.
Turn to 250.
315
You are moving along the trail when suddenly your Magnakai Pathsmanship skills alert you to danger. Immediately you halt and scan the surrounding woods, fearing an ambush. Seconds later you detect the danger; it is a concealed pit which bisects the track a few yards ahead. It has been covered with pine branches and camouflaged by a thin layer of earth and stones, so as to make it indistinguishable from the rest of the trail. You warn Acraban of its position and motion him to leave the trail and skirt around this hidden trap. He obeys, but within moments you detect a second pit hidden amongst the undergrowth. You hiss a warning to Acraban to halt just as he is about to step upon it.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–3, turn to 57.
If it is 4–9, turn to 134.
316
You hide the guard's body among some long grasses at the base of the perimeter wall and then hurry across the field to 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 his 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.
317
Baron Lodamos asks that you and Karvas accompany him to the citadel's main hall.
‘If you are to reach Seroa in time to foil Sadanzo, you must set off without delay. The ascendance ceremony will take place one week from today, and you still have many miles to travel. Time is against you, my lords, but I will do all I can to help your vital mission.’
Turn to 70.
318
‘Please forgive me, sir,’ you say, ‘but my companion and I are just simple journeymen from Sommerlund. We are not spies. Please, we did not mean to insult you with our silence. We are not familiar with your customs. In our land, it is not permitted for men of our lowly rank to speak to a Knight until he gives his permission. Please, kind sir, let us go on our way.’
Coolly the Knight Bachelor stares into your eyes. When he gets no reaction from you, he turns his head and fixes the Prince with the same cold, unblinking gaze. He knows nothing of Sommlending custom but he does know that the clothes you are wearing support your story. Yet he appears to be not entirely convinced. Your horses are Bhanarian steeds and he recognizes them to be so by the distinctive embellishments that adorn their bridles and saddles.
Your Kai Sixth Sense informs you that this Knight Bachelor is a greedy and ambitious young man who is hungry for promotion. He is thinking of arresting you and Prince Karvas on the charge that you are spies in order to impress his peers in Cavalia. You know that you must act swiftly if you are to avoid this.
If you wish to offer the Knight Bachelor a bribe in the hope that he will allow you and Karvas to go on your way, turn to 161.
If you decide not to attempt to bribe him, turn instead to 95.
319
You are less than 10 yards from the blazing trunk when suddenly your horse refuses to jump. He dips his head and veers away, sending you somersaulting from the saddle to crash head-first against the burning trunk. The force of the impact snaps your neck and, in a terrifying instant, you are swallowed up by total darkness.
Tragically, your life and your mission end here.
320
You cross the narrow village street and approach the two Cavalian lordlings as they stroll leisurely towards the jetty. ‘Good evening, my lords. We meet again,’ says Karvas, in a deep and menacing tone. ‘My friend and I still wish to acquire your tickets. Kindly hand them over.’ The Prince pulls his sword a few inches from its scabbard to reinforce his demand.15
Normally these two fops would blanch and faint in the face of such a threat, but a night spent drinking at the tavern has filled them with liquid courage. The taller man stares Karvas defiantly in the eye and then he begins to shout at the top of his voice: ‘Robbers! Footpads! Cut-throats!’
Karvas reacts instinctively. He punches the dandy squarely on the jaw and leaves him sprawled unconscious on the ground. His stout companion freezes and his mouth opens wide with shock. Before he, too, can scream out in alarm, you knock him out with a sharp blow to the nape of his neck.
Quickly you drag their bodies into the alleyway and rifle their pockets in a search for their tickets. Karvas finds both of them in the jacket pocket of the stout lordling, and he hands one to you. (Record the Riverboat Ticket on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you keep in the pocket of your breeches. You need not discard another item in its favour if you already possess the maximum number of Special Items permissible.)
Having now obtained what you need, you leave the alleyway and hurry back to the jetty.
Turn to 2.
[15] Ignore the Prince's comments in the first paragraph if you have not spoken with these men before (cf. the route from Section 256 through Section 111).
321
Once you have decided the places where each of you will search for the whereabouts of Prince Karvas, you follow Acraban to the rear deck and enter the skyship's boarding cage. Swiftly it is winched down to the market square where you are met unexpectedly by a pressing crowd of grimy-faced street urchins. They have been gathering here since dawn to stare in wonderment at the Starstrider hovering motionless in the cloudless sky above. Acraban scatters a handful of copper coins across the cobblestones and the children scramble to retrieve them. This creates enough room to allow Zinair to open the cage door and the three of you to step out. After agreeing to return here to the skyship no later than sunset, you split up and go in search of your chosen destinations.
Unlike the urchins, the adult population of Mydnight appears less than fascinated by the imposing sight of the Starstrider hovering above their city. Few pay it a second glance, yet this seeming lack of interest does not surprise you. For centuries this port has been a refuge for exiles from the many nations of Magnamund who, for their own individual reasons, have chosen to forsake their native lands. They are, by nature, a secretive community. Any overt interest in the affairs of another is most often viewed with suspicion and distrust.
You retrace the route you took last night and soon find yourself at the harbour. The Azaktana is still moored at the quayside and you give the crew a friendly wave as you stride across the quayside and enter a wide avenue that leads to the Hall of the Judicars.
By the lowly standards of the city, this hall could almost be considered grand in comparison to the neighbouring hovels. You pass beneath its façade of crumbling marble and walk through a stone archway that leads to a gloomy, torchlit interior. Here you discover over a hundred men and women standing patiently in two separate queues. One line ends at an open window where a clerk is busily exchanging gold and silver coins for linen Torqs, the woven currency that is used here on Sheasu. The other queue ends at a marble-topped desk where a man in the uniform of a reeve-sergeant is listening with bored indifference to a citizen who is reporting the theft of a goat.
If you wish to join the queue for the reeve-sergeant, turn to 127.
If you choose to stand in line for the Clerk of the Hall, turn to 334.
322
You use your Magnakai Discipline further to calm the two horses and summon them to approach you and Prince Karvas. Obediently they obey, and quickly you are able to mount them and make good your escape from this passageway into a wider street at its eastern end.
Turn to 67.
323
While the horses are drinking, you laugh with Karvas when you recall the startled faces of the militiamen as you galloped through their dithering ranks at Bakhasa's east gate, and you take the opportunity to give him the sword and belt that you took from the sleeping guard at the Tehda Stables. He smiles as he buckles it on his hip and then he unsheathes the blade to gauge its weight and balance.
‘Not the best steel I've ever handled,’ he muses,
‘but better than no steel at all. I'm indebted to you, Grand Master.’16
It is an hour past midnight and the passing of another day rekindles thoughts of the road ahead. With only nineteen days to Harvestmas, the city of Seroa still seems a very long way away. But you draw some comfort from the fact that you now have two fine stallions. They are sure to make the long road seem far shorter. You are admiring them when suddenly they stop drinking and become agitated. You scan the surrounding trees yet you detect nothing untoward. Then you hear the sound of approaching hoofbeats and you curse yourself for being complacent.
‘I should have known they would not let us get away with two horses as fine as these,’ you say, as hurriedly you and Karvas climb back into the saddle. You urge your horses across the ford and, as you take to the trail beyond, you look over your shoulder to see half a dozen armed Bakhasians come galloping along the trail towards the stream. They are led by a warrior who is sheathed from head to toe in shiny black armour and he holds a metal staff raised in his gauntleted hand. Beyond the stream the trail narrows as it ascends into the forested hills.
As you reach the crest of a ridge, you glance back to see that your pursuers are gaining on you. The leader aims his staff and a ball of flame hurtles from its tip to come streaking between you and the Prince. This fiery missile fails to strike its target, but the heat and noise of its passing startles Karvas' horse. The Prince controls his mount with admirable skill, yet in so doing he loses speed and is soon left trailing over 100 yards behind. You wave to him, urging him frantically to catch up, and he signals to you to ride on. When you turn to look at the trail ahead, you are shocked to see that it is now blocked by a burning tree. The fiery missile has struck and felled a pine and ignited its inflammable sap. As you gallop towards this blazing trunk, your heart sinks when you see that it blocks the narrow trail: there is no clear way around it.