Fire on the Water (10 page)
Shattered beams, pieces of planking and torn sails litter the white-flecked waves. It is all that remains of a merchant ship. But then suddenly you notice a body clinging to a broken hatch cover. A rope ladder is quickly lowered and the poor man is brought aboard.
‘Pirates!’ is all he says before collapsing to the deck. The man is wrapped in a large blanket and taken below. He has suffered many wounds and is close to death.
‘This crime bears the mark of the Lakuri pirates,’ the captain confides in you, ‘but it is unusual to run across them in these waters. They must be in search of a rich cargo to sail so far from their tropical islands.’
As the ship resumes its course for Durenor, you cannot help but wonder if that ‘rich cargo’ is you.
Luck is with you, for you land safely on the deck of the
Kalkarm
, a Durenese warship. The soldiers here have been involved in a desperate battle but have fought off the enemy and are cutting the grappling ropes that hold the ship to a death-hulk. From out of the smoke strides Lord Axim, his face bloodied and his shield badly scarred.
‘Thank the gods you are alive, Lone Wolf. The fight has been bitter and our losses are high, but I am heartened indeed to see you standing before me now,’ he says and leads you to the ship's rail. ‘Look yonder, their flagship is ablaze.’
Through the fog of war you can see that the huge death-hulk is slowly sinking beneath a plume of dense black smoke. The
Kalkarm
is eventually freed and slowly it manoeuvres out of the tangle of wreckage. A wind begins to stir, filling its tattered sails and carrying away the smoke of battle. Lord Axim orders the Royal Arms of Durenor to be hoist aloft so that other ships can rally to the
Kalkarm
. For the first time since the battle began, you can now see the other Durenese ships. It is an amazing sight for as the enemy flagship sinks beneath the waves, so every death-hulk on the horizon returns to its watery grave.
‘Their sorcery is broken. We have won this battle,’ says Lord Axim. And within a few minutes, not one of the death-hulks remains afloat.
As you run along Lookout Street, you quickly reach the waterfront where the River Dorn separates the east and west sides of the city. To your left is the Ragadorn Bridge, an ugly construction of rusted iron that provides the only connection between the two halves of Ragadorn. With the shouts of the street thieves echoing in your ears, you push your way through the people crowding the bridge. By the time you have got across, the street thieves have given up the chase, and you enter a rubbish-strewn thoroughfare known as East Trade Lane.
This street follows the city wall northwards. On your right you notice a shop with a bright orange door. Unlike all of the other shops in this street, it bears no sign above it. You suddenly remember the tales of a Kai Lord who returned from a visit to Ragadorn about a year ago. He mentioned this orange door in one of his many stories.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense,
turn to 96
.
If not, pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 46
.
If the number is 5–9,
turn to 112
.
A strange power is coursing through your body. Instinctively you raise the blade above your head and a shaft of sunlight suddenly catches the edge of the sword and floods the King's chamber with a blinding white glow.
But almost immediately the light starts to fade and you are aware of Lord Axim's hand upon your shoulder. ‘Come, Lone Wolf. There is much to prepare for your return to Sommerlund.’
You sheathe the Sommerswerd in its jewelled scabbard and follow Lord Axim as he turns and leaves the King's chamber.
You quickly search her body but find no evidence that she was your would-be assassin. You discover 42 Gold Crowns, a Short Sword, and a Dagger. Take any of these items if you wish, and mark them on your
Action Chart
.
You quickly dash through the side door of the tavern and run the length of the alleyway towards the main square. Through the crowds of people you can see many boats and coracles tied up to the quayside. The thugs are close behind and you must act quickly.
Untying one of the small boats, you jump from the harbour wall and land with a crash, splintering the wooden seat. It has one paddle which you use to make your way towards the
Green Sceptre
, anchored three hundred yards across the water.
The man pulls a hidden bell-rope, and suddenly four armed guards burst into the room.
‘These documents are forgeries. No doubt you are a spy, or worse perhaps? No matter, you'll soon find out how we deal with criminals in Port Bax. Take him away.’
Before you can explain, you are seized by both arms and marched away to the city gaol. All your equipment is confiscated, including all Special Items and Weapons, and you are thrown into a cell full of evil-looking villains. You notice that several of these ruffians bear the strange tattoo of a serpent on their left wrists: the sign of Vonotar the Traitor. By the time the guards have examined your possessions and realized your true identity, you have been strangled to death by the wizard's evil agents.
Your life and your quest come to a tragic end here in Port Bax.
You awake at dawn to the sound of heavy rain falling on the cobbled streets outside.
It has been six days since you left Holmgard, and you must eat a Meal here or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points. You gather your equipment and leave the room. As you descend the rickety stairs, you see the innkeeper cleaning the floor with a mop and bucket.
If you wish to ask the innkeeper how you can get to Durenor,
turn to 217
.
If you wish to leave the inn without speaking to him,
turn to 143
.
A golden glow runs the length of the Sommerswerd as you raise it high above your head, ready to face your enemy. You are confronted by six grisly zombies and you must fight them as one enemy.
Zombie Crew:
COMBAT SKILL
13
ENDURANCE
19
They are undead creatures, so remember to double all
ENDURANCE
points they lose as a result of the power of the Sommerswerd.
If you win,
turn to 237
.
You pass several narrow warehouses lining the waterfront, and reach the harbour wall. Here the road bears sharply to the right into Tomb Street.
Marching along the centre of this street are four heavily armed city guards. Rather than be stopped and possibly arrested by these soldiers, you dodge into an alleyway off to your right. The guards suddenly halt opposite the alley entrance. If one of them should turn his head, you will be spotted for sure. Behind you is a small window, leading into a crowded tavern.
Without a second's hesitation, you climb through the window as quickly as possible.
The priest approaches you and says, ‘You need to rest, as we all do. I understand your problem my friend. Please allow me to practice what I humbly preach,’ and with these words he leads you to the bar and places a Gold Crown into the hand of the innkeeper. ‘A room for my friend,’ he says and smiles.
You ask them what they want of you. In answer, they simultaneously produce long, curved daggers from inside their jackets. Their leader steps forward and demands your gold. As you hesitate, he shouts, ‘Take 'im!’ and all three attack you.
Deduct 4 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
and fight them bare handed. You must fight them one at a time.
Street Thief Leader:
COMBAT SKILL
15
ENDURANCE
23
Street Thief 1:
COMBAT SKILL
13
ENDURANCE
21
Street Thief 2:
COMBAT SKILL
13
ENDURANCE
20
You may evade them during the combat by
turning to 121
.
If you kill all three thieves,
turn to 301
.
You crash to the muddy street in a shower of broken glass. You are winded by the fall, but otherwise unharmed. An angry villager armed with a cudgel tries to smash your skull, but you roll aside, jump to your feet and sprint away down the twisting street before he has struck his blow. Then an ugly Szall on horseback charges towards you with a raised spear. He is about to stab you when you sidestep and grab the weapon, pulling it and the Szall from the saddle.
If you wish to keep the Spear, remember to mark it on your
Action Chart
.
If you wish to stab the Szall with his own spear,
turn to 317
.
If you wish to mount his horse and escape,
turn to 150
.
Looking directly into the sailor's eyes, you concentrate your Mindblast at his open hand. Suddenly the man falls backwards from his chair, clutching his hand as if he had just picked up a red-hot coal. When you explain what has happened to him, he looks at you in amazement.
Suddenly from out of the darkness there is a blood-chilling cry. You find yourself staring into the glowing eyes of a Helghast. As it tries to close its fingers around your throat, you scream in terror and fall to the ground. The hideous creature tears at your tunic, rending the cloth with its black claws.
Illustration VIII—You find yourself staring into the glowing eyes of a Helghast.
If you have a Magic Spear,
turn to 38
.
If you do not,
turn to 304
.
The knight points to the woods behind you and says in a gruff voice, ‘There is your shelter.’
Before you can reply, he has stepped back into the tower and bolted the heavy door. The forest here is very dense and the undergrowth is a tangle of weeds and briars. It will prove impossible to enter the wood on horseback, so you must abandon your mount before continuing on foot.
‘The fare to Port Bax is 20 Gold Crowns,’ says the coachman in a gruff Ragadornian accent.
If you have 20 Gold Crowns and wish to purchase a ticket,
turn to 10
.
If you do not have enough money for the fare,
turn to 238
.
You reach a junction where Beggar Lane turns south into Black Knight Street. A few yards along there is another lane called Anchor Street, which heads off towards the east. The rain has become much heavier now.
If you wish to head south along Black Knight Street,
turn to 259
.
If you wish to head east along Anchor Street
turn to 20
.
You have been walking for nearly two hours when you reach the peak of a hill and see the Durenor Forest stretched out before you. The road bears eastwards and enters the trees at a point where a large wooden tower has been built. You can see the silhouette of a soldier on guard.
If you wish to continue on your journey towards the watchtower,
turn to 232
.
If you would rather avoid the guard, make a wide detour and enter the forest further south by
turning to 244
.
