Fire on the Water (15 page)
The innkeeper frowns at you and points to a side door. ‘If you can't afford a room, you can go and sleep in the stable.’
As you walk towards the exit, you feel the stare of the other passengers burning into your back. The door is slammed shut and you stand shivering in the cold night air.
You are woken during the night by the baying of wolves in the distance. Rather than risk being torn to pieces in your sleep, you climb the tree and spend the rest of the night in safety, high above the ground.
You have walked less than a hundred yards when the track disappears over the edge of a precipice towards the deep waters of the Rymerift below. It is impossible to go on any further in this direction. You will have to return along the path and cross the river at the bridge.
You have just passed the wagon when you hear a noise behind you. Spinning around, you scan the walls and ceiling but you can see nothing in the gloom of the tunnel.
The crew start to whisper. You hear the words ‘ghost-ship’ and ‘cursed voyage’, but the muttering stops when the captain's voice booms out an order for all hands on deck. Only the creaking of the timbers can be heard as Captain Kelman climbs to the rear deck to address the crew.
‘Men, we're three days' sail from Port Bax. The fire has robbed us of our provisions and our freshwater has been fouled. We shall have to steer a new course for Ragadorn, where we shall make good our repairs and replenish our stores. That is all.’
The crew seem pleased by the captain's announcement, and set about their duties with renewed vigour.
Then the captain turns to you. ‘We're about eight hours from Ragadorn, my lord. My orders are to see you safely to Port Bax and pass you into the care of the Sommlending consul, Lord-lieutenant Rhygar. But time is not our ally and I fear the repairs may take a week or more to complete. When we drop anchor, you will have to find your own route to Durenor — by sea with us or alone by the coast road.’
As you return to your cabin, the King's words haunt your thoughts: ‘Forty days, Lone Wolf. We only have strength to stand against them for forty days.’ You do not have long to complete your dangerous mission.
You place both hands on your stomach and try to fight back the pain as you concentrate on focusing your skill. The familiar warmth of your healing power numbs the pain, but the poison is very strong and your struggle is not yet over.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. May the luck of the gods steer your choice, for your life now hangs on the number that you pick.
If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 275
.
If the number is 5–9,
turn to 330
.
‘The consulate of Sommerlund?’ he says in surprise, somewhat taken aback by your sudden appearance. Then, recovering himself, he says, ‘Why, of course! It is in Alin Square, near the harbour. Turn right when you leave and right again at the end of the avenue. That will take you to the Red Gate. You'll need a red pass to enter, as the consulate is in the naval quadrant of the city. It's a restricted area.’
You ask the man how you can obtain a red pass.
‘From the captain of the port watch,’ he says. ‘You're obviously a stranger to Port Bax; there are few indeed that do not know the answer to that question. The port watchtower is at the end of the avenue, just as you turn for the Red Gate.’
You thank the old man and leave the city hall.
Unfortunately, you are without a weapon and he is an expert swordsman. The fight is desperate and short. He runs you through the body with a swift lunge, and as he kicks you from the roof of the wagon, you feel nothing. You are already dead.
Your life and your mission end here.
You climb to the top of a pile of sheaves of hay and pull your warm Kai cloak around your shoulders to keep out the chill wind. You quickly fall asleep, little knowing you will never open your eyes again. One of the other passengers on the coach who is an agent of the Darklords creeps out and assassinates you in the dark chill of the night. Do you know who it was?
Your life and your quest have come to a tragic end here.
Once you are inside, you are immediately aware that this is not a shop at all. The room is cold and bare except for a large table in the centre. You notice sinister large iron manacles attached to each of its corners.
You are in the headquarters of the Silent Brotherhood, Lachlan's notorious secret police. With a mounting feeling of terror, you remember the tale of another Kai Lord; of how he had been captured and accused of spying. He had escaped after being tortured for three days and nights. You are not to be so fortunate. The door has automatically locked and soon the Silent Brothers, who are at this moment observing you through peep-holes in the wall, will come for you.
It may interest you to know that after a long week in the prison of the chief inquisitor you did not let a single Kai secret pass your lips. It is a record that has yet to be equalled, but not one that spared your life.
Your life and your mission end here.
Thirty yards along on the left side of the street, you hear the sound of merriment drifting out of a large ramshackle building. There is a creaking sign above the door.
If you want to enter the tavern,
turn to 4
.
If you wish to continue along Barnacle Street
turn to 83
.
For three days and nights the mighty fleet of Durenor steers swiftly towards the Holmgulf, a strong wind filling the sails of the warships. But although the voyage is fast, the soldiers' confidence and eagerness for battle has slowly faded as if their will has been drained by some invisible vampire. Lord Axim is close to despair.
‘This black mood that haunts our decks is the evil work of the Darklords. I know of their power to turn a man's mind, but the curse that befalls us is a sorcery we cannot even see to destroy. How I pray that this spell would end, for even if we arrive at our destination, I fear that we are too weak in mind to break our foe.’
As if in answer to his prayer, the black curse seems to be lifted from the fleet with the dawning of the next day. But the spell is replaced by a threat far deadlier.
The big man looks at you and says in a cynical voice: ‘The coach station. A coach leaves for Port Bax this afternoon. For a Gold Crown I'll tell you how to get there.’
If you wish to pay him, remember to mark it on your
Action Chart
and
turn to 199
.
If you wish to leave the inn now,
turn to 143
.
You look up from the dead captain to see the macabre faces of the other crew members. They are surrounding you. There are at least twenty of them and they are armed with cutlasses and axes.
You can fight them by
turning to 43
.
Or you can attempt to evade by grabbing a nearby rope and swinging across to the deck of a Durenese warship.
Turn to 105
.
Already the venom is taking effect. Your wounded arm feels stiff and a cold sweat has broken out on your brow. Quickly you remove the Pendant that Banedon gave you at the Ruins of Raumas. Using a sharp point of the star, you cut a deep V through the two puncture holes made by the fangs, and suck out the venom.
The charm is lucky indeed — and so are you. You lose 3
ENDURANCE
points but not your life. You decide to climb the tree and spend the rest of the night safely above the ground.
Searching the body, you discover all you need to prove that he was the assassin. Inside his pockets, you find a half-empty vial of gnadurn sap, the deadly poison that was used to taint your food. Then there is a scroll written in Giak, giving details of your expected arrival in Port Bax. He must have located you at Ragadorn and hatched his murder plans there. You notice that the weapon he carries is a Darklord blade, fashioned of black steel and forged in the furnaces of Helgedad, the infernal city of the Darklords beyond the Durncrag Range. Only there in all of vast Magnamund can black steel be made. But the final proof of his true identity is the serpent tattoo on his left wrist. The harbour thugs who attempted to kill you before you had even left Holmgard bore exactly the same mark.
His purse contains 23 Gold Crowns which you may keep. Do not forget to mark them on your
Action Chart
.
The floor of the tavern is covered with the blood and bodies of the people you have killed. Outside in the main street you can hear the chant of a mob. The local inhabitants believe that you are a mad murderer and they intend to lynch you. Quickly, you make your escape through the rear door as the sound of the mob gets closer.
After taking care to close his door, the captain opens the mysterious bundle and tips the contents onto his cabin table. A large charred earthenware jug and several blackened rags drop in a heap. They give off a strange oily smell.
Illustration XIII—Captain Kelman opens the mysterious bundle and a large charred earthenware jug drops out.
‘This was no accidental fire,’ he says solemnly. ‘This was an act of sabotage. The forward hold is a food store yet I find this oil jug and these soaked rags upon the floor. Someone on this ship is prepared to risk his life to stop us reaching Durenor.’
You both stare at the burnt rags as if they hold the answer to your questions. Suddenly a cry from up on deck breaks the silence.
‘Ship Ahoy! Ship off the port bow!’
Grabbing his sword and telescope, the captain disappears through the door and up the ladder to the deck above.
If you wish to follow him,
turn to 175
.
If you would rather make a quick search of his cabin,
turn to 315
.
The guard stares at the magnificent ring in awe. The legend of the Seal of Hammerdal is well known to the people of Durenor. It is said that of all the lost treasures of the Durenese, the Seal of Hammerdal is one that they would not wish returned. The guard's anxious face shows he clearly recognizes the ring's dreadful significance.
‘I will not hinder your urgent mission, but I cannot help you except to set you on the road for Port Bax. Continue on this forest path and you will come to a fork near a stunted oak tree. Take the left track — it is the quickest way.’
You thank the loyal guard, and push on once more into the forest. A mile or so along the road, you come to the fork and take the left track. It leads to a stone bridge across the Rymerift. The waters of the Rymerift are over one mile deep and up to two miles at its widest point. Near to the bridge you find a signpost.
You breathe a sigh of relief for you should arrive there in under an hour.
The following morning you are woken by the cry of seagulls as they wheel and soar above the clipper. The wind is strong and it fills the sails. You breakfast with Captain Kelman who is in better spirits than the previous day. He tells you that the
Green Sceptre
is making good speed and should arrive at Port Bax, the main Durenese seaport, within a week. Suddenly you hear a cry from the crow's nest.
‘Land off the port bow! Land a'port!’
You and the captain climb up on deck and brace yourselves against the fresh sea breeze.
‘That's Mannon, the southernmost island of the Kirlundin chain,’ says the captain, pointing towards the sharp rocky coastline in the distance. ‘“Wreck Point” the traders call it. Many a ship has ended her days upon those granite teeth.’
Captain Kelman hands you an ornate telescope with which to take a closer look. The sharp rocks are festooned with the splintered skeletons of ships that have run aground, or were dashed against the shore in a storm. You stare in fascination at the shattered hulls, imagining the terrifying scenes of their destruction. Then, suddenly, high above the pinnacles of stone hovers a black shadow, like a small rain cloud. It seems to be moving towards you. Suddenly you realize what the ‘cloud’ really is. It is a swarm of large Zlanbeast and possibly some Kraan. The alarm is shouted along the deck: ‘Prepare for battle!’
If you wish to stay on deck, ready your weapon and
turn to 146
.
If you wish to return to your cabin,
turn to 34
.
