Fire on the Water (20 page)

For six hours you run without rest. The Helghast are on the highway and you are forced to make your way through the steep and wooded foothills to avoid the risk of capture. Many times you feel that you just cannot go on, that the pain and the fatigue are too much to bear. But each time you falter, you are spurred on by Rhygar. You marvel at his endurance, for he is not a young man and he is clothed in the heavy armour of a Sommlending knight.

By nightfall, you have reached the entrance to Tarnalin, the western tunnel through the Hammerdal Mountains. The three tunnels of Durenor were excavated during the age of the Black Moon, and each tunnel is over forty miles long and passes through the huge circle of the Hammerdal Range to the capital. The tunnels provide the only access to the city.

Rhygar sits beside you and takes some bread and meat from his pack. ‘Eat this, Lone Wolf. You must sustain your strength for the journey to Hammerdal, for from here you must venture alone through the Tarnalin. I shall remain here and hold the enemy back for as long as I have the strength to fight. Do not argue — that your mission should succeed is the only thing that matters.’

If Rhygar is to hold off the Helghast, he will need a magic weapon as his own sword is of no use against the creatures.
¹⁶

If you wish to give him your Magic Spear so that he can defend the tunnel entrance, or if you do not possess a Magic Spear,
turn to 118
.

If you possess a Magic Spear but do not wish to give it to Rhygar,
turn to 102
.

As you paddle towards the sleek trade caravel, you notice to your surprise that the boarding ladder is being pulled up. A mean-looking sailor leans over the gunwale and curses at you. He seems to think that you are a refugee trying to stowaway on board. But when you shout that you are Lone Wolf and you were ambushed by an impostor at the tavern, the ladder is soon lowered again. As you climb over the side of the ship, you are met by a tall man in a gold-braided uniform. His face is almost totally covered by a shock of bright red hair and a bright red beard.

‘Haul anchor!’ he booms. The crew spring into action as if their very lives depended on it.

The captain ushers you below to his cabin where he pours two glasses of wanlo, a strong spirit. His face shows concern as you tell him what has happened.

‘There is evil treachery at work and the enemy already has plans afoot to thwart your quest,’ he begins when you've told your tale. ‘It seems that you have lost the element of surprise — and I have lost a courageous first mate. Let us only hope that the voyage to Durenor be swift and safe.’

You leave him to go up on deck just in time to see the outline of Holmgard on the horizon. With mixed feelings of pride and apprehension, you descend the stairway to your cabin as the last spire of the capital disappears from view.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number that you have picked is 0–1,
turn to 224
.

If the number is 2–3,
turn to 316
.

If the number is 4–5,
turn to 81
.

If the number is 6–7,
turn to 22
.

If the number is 8–9,
turn to 99
.

You search the bodies and discover 3 Gold Crowns, 3 Daggers, and a Short Sword. If you wish to take any of these, mark them on your
Action Chart
.

Turn to 20
.

Stepping over the body, you set about a quick search of these living quarters. You find:

• Mace
  
• Broadsword
  
• Quarterstaff
  
• Healing Potion (restores 3
  ENDURANCE
  points)
  
• Enough Food for 3 Meals
  
• Backpack
  
• 12 Gold Crowns
  

Take whatever items you wish and quickly leave the watchtower in case someone discovers you.

You realize that the forest is very thick in this area and you will have to abandon your horse and continue on foot.

Turn to 244
.

Piles of rotting garbage litter this stretch of the waterfront, giving off such an evil smell that you are forced to cover your mouth and nose with your cloak. Ahead to your left, you notice the glow of torchlight streaming from an open door. Above the door is a sign.

If you wish to enter the trading post,
turn to 173
.

If you wish to continue on your way south,
turn to 18
.

It may be of some consolation to learn that your death was mercifully swift. The Helghast's fingers tore and burnt their way through your throat within a few seconds. But now the Seal of Hammerdal is on its way to the Darklords' city of Helgedad.

Your life and your quest come to a tragic end here.

There is a shocked silence as you scoop up the 5 Gold Crowns from the table and turn to leave, but as you reach the tavern door, an ugly thug draws his sword and blocks your exit. Just as you are wondering what to do, there is a loud thud, and the man keels over onto the floor. Behind him, to your surprise stands the serving girl with a large wooden club in her hand. You thank her politely and race out of the door into the darkened street beyond.

After running for ten minutes in the dark, you spot a large stable and coach station through the gloom ahead. With the shouts of angry sailors still ringing in your ears, you quickly enter the building and spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.

Turn to 32
.

The soldier stabs at your chest with his spear, but you quickly sidestep and it merely grazes your arm. The guard is determined to fight but you do not want to have to kill him in combat, so you decide to try to knock him unconscious.

Fight the following combat as normal, but double all
ENDURANCE
points lost by the enemy. When his score reaches zero or below, you will have succeeded in knocking him out. All
ENDURANCE
points that you lose still count as wounds and are deducted from your current
ENDURANCE
points total.

Border Guard:
COMBAT SKILL
 16   
ENDURANCE
 24

If you successfully reduce his points to zero or below,
turn to 35
.

The guards look angry and ready to attack. You will have to think of something quickly.

If you decide to offer them a bribe,
turn to 57
.

If you decide to show them the Seal of Hammerdal (if you still have it),
turn to 140
.

If you think it is safer to draw your weapon and attack,
turn to 282
.

A sailor called Sprogg sits beside you and explains the rules of the game ‘Portholes’. First he shows you two diamond-shaped dice made of red glass. Each die has ten sides and they are numbered 0–9. Each player rolls both dice and adds the numbers together (0 = zero). If anyone throws two 0s, they shout ‘portholes’ and automatically win.

Each player stakes 3 Gold Crowns per throw. There are two other players in the game and they all place their stake money into a hat before the dice are rolled.

Pick two numbers from the
Random Number Table
for each of the other two players, and note these scores down. Now pick two numbers from the
Random Number Table
for yourself. If your total is higher than the other players, you win 6 Gold Crowns. If either of the other players beat your score, you lose 3 Gold Crowns. You may leave the game at any time, but you must stop playing if you lose all your Crowns (bad luck!).

When you finally decide to leave, you may return to your cabin by
turning to 197
.

As you advance along the deck, the hideous creatures turn and flee from the golden light of your sword. You notice something strange about this death-hulk, something familiar, but you are not quite sure what it is. Suddenly, a ghastly voice behind you cries out your name.

You raise the Sommerswerd and spin around to face the voice. The sight that confronts you fills your senses with a mortal terror.

Turn to 26
.

You soon reach the end of Oxyoke Way where it is crossed by another street running north to south. It is now so dark that you are unable to read the street signs. You must find shelter for the night. To your right you see a light above a sign.

Under cover of the dark, you enter by a side entrance and spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.

Turn to 32
.

You come to rest face downwards in a tangle of thick bracken. The ringing of steel and the horrible cries of the Helghast echo through the trees around you. You are stunned and cannot move until a hand grabs your arm and pulls you upright. It is Rhygar. His face is bloodied and his armour is battered and charred.

‘We must flee these demons, Lone Wolf.
¹⁷
Strength and steel will not avail us here.’

You glimpse the silhouette of six Helghast on the forest road above. Their minds bent on the slaughter of Rhygar's men, they fail to see you both slip away under cover of the wooded hillside.

Turn to 299
.

Although you awake to a cold and rain-swept dawn, the branches of the tree and your Kai cloak have kept you warm and dry during the night. Looking along the coast road, in the distance you can see a wagon heading towards you.

If you wish to get down from the tree and flag it down,
turn to 117
.

If you wish to try to jump onto it as it passes beneath your branch,
turn to 89
.

The gruesome death-cries of the Helghast finally fade and you risk stopping for a few seconds to catch your breath. You wince as you discover that the creature's fingers have burnt into your neck. The wounds are very sore and painful and you must lose 4
ENDURANCE
points. Tearing the edge of your tunic, you make a bandage before continuing on your journey through the Tarnalin tunnel. (Erase the Magic Spear from your
Action Chart
.)

Turn to 349
.

The innkeeper is a thin old man with only one eye. He hands you a key and points to a balcony opposite. ‘Number two, the red door,’ he says.

The other travellers each pay their one Crown, collect a key, and make their way across the crowded tavern floor towards the stairs.

‘We must make plans for tomorrow,’ says Dorier. The others all nod in agreement. ‘I suggest we meet here in the bar in one hour to decide what to do.’

As you close the red door of your room, for some unknown reason you recall the words of Captain Kelman when you left Holmgard harbour: ‘There is evil treachery at work and the enemy already has plans afoot to thwart your quest.’

An hour has nearly passed when your thoughts are disturbed by a knock at the door. It is the innkeeper and he is carrying a tray of hot food.

Illustration XVIII
—The innkeeper, a thin old man with only one eye, is carrying a tray of hot food.

‘With the compliments of one of your friends,’ he says, and leaves before you can ask which one. The food smells most appetizing. You have not eaten today and now you must eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting,
turn to 290
.

If you wish to eat the hot food put before you,
turn to 36
.

If you do not want to eat this food,
turn to 178
.
¹⁸