Fire on the Water (16 page)

Seventy Durenese warships left Port Bax, but only fifty now enter the Holmgulf. The battle has claimed many brave men including Admiral Calfen, who died aboard the flagship
Durenor
, the first ship to be sunk. But despite the heavy loss, a great victory has been won, a victory which inspires the Durenese soldiers with new strength so that the past ordeal of both the voyage and the battle are now forgotten. As their optimism and determination return, all are eager to reach Holmgard and raise the siege.

It is dusk on the thirty-seventh day of your quest when you sight the spires of Holmgard on the horizon. The city still stands defiantly against the army of Darklords, although constantly under siege. Flickering in the darkness you can see the small fires which burn throughout the capital. A confident Lord Axim joins you at the prow.

‘The moonless sky will aid us this night. We shall enter the harbour unseen. Come the dawn, my men will scatter the wretched foe like dead leaves upon the wind of a storm.’

As you enter Holmgard harbour at the head of the Durenese fleet, you unsheathe the Sommerswerd and prepare to fulfil your destiny.

Turn to 350
.

The innkeeper speaks with the gruff tone of a native Ragadornian. You discover from him that this seaport is ruled by Lachlan, son of Killean the Overlord who died three years ago of the dreadful Red Death plague. The innkeeper does not speak highly of Lachlan, whom he calls the ‘Prince of Thieves’.

‘He and his mercenaries bleed the people dry with heavy taxes, and if y'complain, you end up in the harbour with a dagger in your back.’ The big man shakes his head and pours another round of ale for the drunken sailors.

If you wish to buy a room for the night pay the innkeeper 2 Gold Crowns and
turn to 56
.

If you wish to try your luck at winning some Gold Crowns at arm-wrestling,
turn to 276
.

Marching along the centre of the street are four heavily armed city guards. Rather than risk being arrested, you quickly dodge into an alley on your left. The guards suddenly halt opposite the entrance. If one of them should turn his head, you will be spotted for sure. Behind you is a small window that leads into a crowded tavern. Without hesitation, you climb in as quickly as possible.

Turn to 4
.

They are larnuma trees and their fruit is very nutritious as well as being sweet and juicy. After your Meal you feel much stronger. You pick enough fruit for 2 Meals and store it in your Backpack.

Looking behind the trees, you see a wide coast road that stretches into the distance to the east and west. There are no signposts.

If you wish to head east,
turn to 27
.

If you wish to head west,
turn to 114
.

Your sense warns you that the wagon contains an evil presence.

If you wish to enter the wagon,
turn to 134
.

If you want to dash past the wagon and run for safety,
turn to 208
.

If you want to return to the junction and take the right hand tunnel,
turn to 164
.

You follow the street until it turns abruptly eastwards into Beggar Lane. You can see how this street got its name, for there are scores of ragged men, women, and children huddled in doorways, all holding out their begging bowls.

As you walk towards the junction at the end of the street, you are assailed from all sides with pleas for gold.

If you wish to give any of your gold to these beggars,
turn to 93
.

If you wish to push them aside and continue on your way,
turn to 137
.

The back door opens onto a small square, in the centre of which is a large tomb. The fishermen have disappeared into the gloomy streets; all that is except one who has slipped on the wet cobblestones and knocked himself out. He is lying in the gutter with his face submerged in a puddle.

You roll him over with your foot and search him. You discover 5 Gold Crowns, a Dagger, and to your great relief the Seal of Hammerdal on his finger. Mark on your
Action Chart
those items you take with you and continue.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking,
turn to 182
.

If you wish to return to the tavern,
turn to 177
.

If you wish to study the tomb,
turn to 24
.

If you wish to head west along Tomb Street,
turn to 253
.

If you wish to head east along Watchtower Street,
turn to 319
.

You are less than twenty yards from the tower when the guard steps forward and demands to know your business. You notice that the soldier is wearing the red coat of a Durenese man-at-arms, and realize that you have reached the border of Durenor. You need to find some way of getting past him.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense,
turn to 149
.

If you decide to say you are a merchant on your way to Port Bax,
turn to 250
.

If you decide to offer him a bribe,
turn to 68
.

If you want to show him the Seal of Hammerdal (if you still have it),
turn to 223
.

‘We're bound for Ragadorn — due there by noon today,’ he says, his face almost completely hidden by the wide brim of his hat. ‘A seat below will cost you 3 Crowns, but you can ride on the roof for only one.’

If you wish to ride inside the coach, pay the driver 3 Gold Crowns and
turn to 37
.

If you would prefer to stay on the roof, pay him one Gold Crown and
turn to 148
.

If you cannot pay the fare, you must leave the coach and walk.
Turn to 292
.

Before you can defend yourself, the Helghast has smashed into you and you both fall onto the highway below.

It may be some comfort to learn that your death was swift and painless. Your neck was instantly broken and you were spared the agony of the Helghast's black fingers tearing and burning their way through your throat. The Seal of Hammerdal is now on its way to Holmgard, which will now fall to the Darklords.

Your life and your quest end here.

As you reach the landing of the next floor, you hear the door crash open and the angry mob pour through. At the top of the stairs, a Short Sword hangs on a hook by the fireplace. You may take this weapon if you wish. Looking around you, you see that there is only one way to escape from this room and that is to jump through the window to the street below.

If you wish to jump through the window,
turn to 132
.

If you wish to stand and fight the mob as they run up the stairs,
turn to 90
.

Suddenly panic strikes. The ship is thrown into a frenzy of activity as sailors grab buckets and blankets with which to fight the fire. Flames are roaring through the hatch cover, and it takes over an hour to contain the blaze. The damage to the ship is great. The entire store of food and fresh water has been destroyed and the mid-section of the ship badly weakened.

The captain appears from out of the smoking hold and approaches you, his face black with soot. He is carrying something in a bundle under his arm.

‘We must talk in private my lord,’ he says quietly.

Without replying, you turn and follow him to his cabin.

Turn to 222
.

The dead zombies lie around your feet. By now, the soldiers' fear of the undead has turned to sheer hatred. A chorus of Durenese battle-cries resounds along the deck. You lead the charge along a boarding plank and onto the deck of the death-hulk, cleaving the zombie crew aside like a scythe through wheat. Then suddenly a black-cloaked figure blocks your path, a twisted sword held in its shrunken black hand. It is a Helghast, and you must fight it to the death.

Helghast:
COMBAT SKILL
 23   
ENDURANCE
 30

It is an undead creature, so remember to double all
ENDURANCE
points that it loses as a result of your possessing the Sommerswerd. It is immune to Mindblast.

If you win the combat,
turn to 309
.

Opposite the coach station is a narrow street leading to a gaming-house with a sign outside.

You are excited by the chance of being able to win some gold and you quickly enter. Any Weapons you may have must be left with a guard at the door. You can recover your Weapons when you decide to leave.
¹¹
You are given a silver token worth 1 Gold Crown, that can only be used in this gaming-house. (You only receive the free silver token once, regardless of how many times you may enter the gaming-house.)

The entrance hall opens out into a huge room where many gambling games are in progress. One that catches your eye is called ‘Cartwheel’. At one end of a long table, an attractive young woman spins a black dish divided into ten sections marked 0–9. As the dish spins, she drops a small silver ball into it which eventually comes to rest in one of the numbered sections. Several merchants are seated around the table and they are betting heavily on the fall of the silver ball.

Illustration XIV
—An attractive young woman spins a black dish divided into ten sections marked 0–9.

To play ‘Cartwheel’, you must first decide the number you would like to bet on and just how many Gold Crowns you would like to stake. Make a note of these numbers and then pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you pick exactly the same number, you win 8 Gold Crowns for every 1 Gold Crown that you gamble. If the number you pick is immediately before or after the correct choice,
¹²
you win 5 Gold Crowns for every 1 Gold Crown that you stake. There is a limit to how much you can win on this table: 40 Gold Crowns.

You may play as many rounds of ‘Cartwheel’ as you wish until either you lose all your Gold Crowns, or you decide to pick up your winnings (maximum of 40 Gold Crowns).

If you have lost all your Gold Crowns,
turn to 169
.

If you have winnings to collect, or if you wish to withdraw with what money you have left, leave the building and
turn to 186
.

You try to apply your hands to the injured man's chest, but the Szalls are pulling at your cloak and trying to drag you away.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage,
turn to 77
.

If you do not possess this skill, you must attack the Szalls in order to save the man's life.
Turn to 28
.

After three uneventful days at sea, you find shipboard life rather dreary. If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, any
ENDURANCE
points that you may have lost on your adventure so far are restored. This will bring your
ENDURANCE
points score back to your original one. If you do not possess the skill, restore half of any points you have lost in combat.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, you are talking with an injured sailor up on deck when you smell smoke seeping from the hold.

If you wish to enter the hold,
turn to 29
.

If you wish to shout ‘Fire!’
turn to 236
.

If you wish to warn the captain,
turn to 101
.