Fire on the Water (18 page)
Through the pouring rain, you can make out the dark shape of a city patrol marching towards you. Rather than risk being stopped and possibly arrested, you dash into a nearby shop.
The captain orders the ship to go alongside and pick up the three men. They are fishermen from the Sommerlund port of Tyso. Their boat was attacked last night by pirates, and they are the only survivors.
You give them food and warm clothing and they can barely hold back their tears of gratitude. As you prepare to continue your journey to Durenor, one of the men offers you a fine Sword as a token of his thanks. If you wish to accept this gift, remember to mark it on your
Action Chart
.
The road follows a course along a high, grassy ridge for many miles before turning northwards to the coast. You pass a village where the houses curve in a circle around a large pond of stagnant water. As you ride through, a gaggle of Szall children come running towards you, shouting and throwing stones.
You descend into the deep valley beyond and gradually the moor gives way to richer land that has been cleared and ploughed. The hillside opposite is heavily wooded. You are not far from the coast and you can see the tall cliffs with their multicoloured bands of rock jutting out into the ocean.
Then just as you are passing through a small copse, you hear desperate cries for help off to your right.
If you wish to aid the people in trouble,
turn to 95
.
If you wish to ignore their desperate pleas, continue riding along the road by
turning to 198
.
The guard roughly pushes you aside and runs out of the watchtower towards Tomb Square. There is a small room off the staircase and you decide to enter and search it before he returns. In it you discover:
- Sword
- Mace
- Quarterstaff
- Enough Food for 1 Meal
- 6 Gold Crowns
- Potion of Orange Liquid
If you wish to take any of these items, mark them on your
Action Chart
.
14
As you are leaving, you collide with another guard and you both tumble down the stairs, but before he can gather his senses, you have sprinted off into the night.
[14] You have lost your Backpack and therefore cannot carry the Meal or the Orange Potion.
The man stares at the Seal with a look of shocked dismay. Without saying a word, he gets up from his chair and beckons you to follow him up a flight of spiral stairs that lead to a domed chamber. Here you meet the captain of the port watch. He listens intently as you tell of the war in Sommerlund and of your urgent mission.
‘Issue a red pass immediately,’ he orders. ‘Top priority.’
You collect your Red Pass, leave the port watchtower, and hurry along the street towards the harbour guards. (Mark the Red Pass on your
Action Chart
as a Special Item.)
Focusing your powers of concentration on the snake's head, you will it to slither away in search of food. Slowly but surely your psychic suggestion works, and the snake eventually uncoils itself and vanishes into the long grass. Breathing a sigh of relief, you decide it would be safer to climb the tree and spend the rest of the night above the ground.
At dusk on the tenth day of your quest, you experience your first sight of the magnificent city of Port Bax. Like a diamond set in the green velvet shore, the towers of the city glimmer in the pale light of a waxing moon. To the north is the harbour and the formidable war fleet of the Durenese navy. To the east, beyond the moss-covered city wall, stretches the Forest of Durenor. And there, on the crest of a hill, stands a castle tall and proud, the crowning glory of this beautiful port.
You enter Port Bax through an unguarded gate in the green city wall, and make your way through the darkening streets towards the harbour.
As you turn into a tree-lined avenue, you notice the wide stone steps of a domed building to your right. You stop to read the brass plaque.
Despite the late hour, the main doors are open.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking,
turn to 252
.
If you wish to enter the city hall,
turn to 84
.
If you wish to continue on your way towards the harbour,
turn to 191
.
As you enter, a bell rings and a small man in a padded leather jerkin bids you welcome. He is busy polishing a rusty suit of armour with a wire brush. The prices of his weapons are displayed on a wooden board above the counter:
- Swords 4 Gold Crowns each
- Daggers 2 Gold Crowns each
- Broadswords 7 Gold Crowns each
- Short Swords 3 Gold Crowns each
- Warhammers 6 Gold Crowns each
- Spears 5 Gold Crowns each
- Maces 4 Gold Crowns each
- Axes 3 Gold Crowns each
- Quarterstaves 3 Gold Crowns each
You may purchase any of the above weapons if you have enough money to do so. The weaponsmith will also buy any Weapons that you may already have for 1 Gold Crown less than the price shown on his wooden board. Mark any necessary changes on your
Action Chart
before bidding him goodnight and returning to the street.
At the end of Oxyoke Way, on your right you find a large stable and coach station. It is now very dark and you must find somewhere to spend the night. Climbing a ladder at the side of the building, you spend a comfortable night hidden in the hay-loft.
As you surface, you see that battle now rages all around you and the sea is choked with the bodies of the dead and drowning. You manage to swim thirty yards and scramble over the rail of a Durenese warship. Here, a bitter struggle is being waged against a long death-hulk that has grappled alongside. The zombies have clambered aboard and are slaughtering the terror-struck Durenese soldiers.
If you wish to draw the Sommerswerd and charge into battle,
turn to 128
.
If you wish to jump onto the long death-hulk,
turn to 309
.
‘You are indeed a Kai Lord,’ says the sailor, but the astonishment on his face quickly changes to an unpleasant sneer.
‘Or should I say you were!’
Illustration XVI—You turn to see three harbour thugs advancing towards you.
As he speaks, a door crashes open behind you and you turn to see three harbour thugs advancing towards you. Each is armed with a scimitar and you have no choice but to fight all three as one enemy.
Harbour Thugs:
COMBAT SKILL
16
ENDURANCE
25
You may evade after two rounds of combat by running through a side door.
Turn to 125
.
If you win this combat,
turn to 333
.
The horrific sight of the writhing creature fills you with loathing for the Darklords and their evil minions.
When the Helghast has finally crumbled to nothing and you are quite sure that it has been destroyed, you remove the Magic Spear and wipe the tip on its smouldering robe.
Anxious to leave this place, you run down the tunnel as fast as you can.
Ganon rolls away from his chair and draws his sword. An instant later his brother Dorier is by his side. You must fight them both as one enemy.
Ganon + Dorier:
COMBAT SKILL
28
ENDURANCE
30
Due to the surprise of your attack, add 2 points to your
COMBAT SKILL
for the first round of combat only. Because of their exceptional strength of will, they are immune to Mindblast.
If you win this combat,
turn to 33
.
You enter the tower archway and climb a stone stair where you are suddenly confronted by an armoured warrior. His head is encased in a steel helm and he wears the emblem of a black ship on a red crest. He steps forward and draws his sword saying, ‘Halt and give the password!’
If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage,
turn to 151
.
If you wish to attack him,
turn to 157
.
If you wish to evade him by running from the tower,
turn to 65
.
Someone or something is approaching the door of the hold from the other side. If you climb out through the shattered deck, you will leave your legs vulnerable to attack from below and there is no other way out. You sense that it is an evil creature of some considerable power. Raise the Sommerswerd and prepare for combat.
You are about to strike when your assailant shouts, ‘I am Ronan, my lord. I mean you no harm.’
You manage to divert your blow at the last moment and your weapon smashes the back of a wooden chair. The beads of sweat that have broken out on the sailor's face appear to confirm that he speaks the truth.
Lower your weapon and
turn to 160
.
A quick search of the bodies reveals a Sword, 6 Gold Crowns, and a Mace. Take what you wish and mark them on your
Action Chart
.
Before you can leave by the front door, more angry villagers have forced their way into the shop. You can only leave now by the first-floor window.
You become weaker and weaker until your body finally surrenders to the welcoming arms of death. Your assassin has successfully completed his mission.
Your adventure ends here.
A grim-looking sailor is challenging all-comers to an arm-wrestling contest. He is so confident of winning that he will pay 5 Gold Crowns to anyone who beats him. As you approach his table, a serving girl whispers in your ear, ‘Be careful stranger, he is an evil man. He breaks the arms of those who lose, and murders any who beat him.’
As you face the sailor across the table, bets are made throughout the tavern.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Mindblast,
turn to 14
.
If you do not have this skill, conduct the wrestling contest as if you were in combat. The first one to reach 0
ENDURANCE
points, loses the match.
Sailor:
COMBAT SKILL
18
ENDURANCE
25
When the contest is over, restore your
ENDURANCE
points to the same total that you had before the contest.
If you lose,
turn to 192
.
If you win the contest,
turn to 305
.
As Rhygar and his men gallop nearer to the riders, one of the cloaked horsemen draws a black staff from beneath his robes. A fierce blue flame shoots from its tip and explodes beneath Rhygar's horse, sending him head over heels into the dense undergrowth. Rhygar's men furiously attack with their swords. Their sharp blades slice clean through their enemies' cloaks and bodies, and then you realize that they are having no effect. For these are Helghast, fell captains of the Darklords. They have the ability to adopt human form but they are invulnerable to normal weapons. The cloaked staff-bearer gives a hideous laugh that tears at your mind. He is using a very powerful Mindblast against you. You know you are outnumbered by a superior enemy and you must act quickly if you are to survive this ambush at all.
If you wish to abandon your horse and dive for cover in the thick undergrowth,
turn to 311
.
If you wish to aid Rhygar's men,
turn to 59
.
