The Buccaneers of Shadaki (10 page)

The moment you strike the killing blow, the creature's body transforms into a hissing mass of fiery green sparks. Rapidly these sparks dissolve leaving no trace, except for a lingering odour of decay. Your Kai senses detect that the creature was a magical creation, an evil summonation sent here to find the Moonstone. You are pondering who could be responsible for the creature's creation and presence here when suddenly your thoughts are forced to turn to more immediate matters. The hull of the
Vargas
is starting to crack under the relentless pounding of the waves. The hold is rapidly filling with water and you must act swiftly to escape from here before it becomes your watery tomb.

If you possess Kai-alchemy,
turn to 127
.

If you do not,
turn to 248
.

As you draw closer to the sound, you detect that it is a strange vocal chant, a low ululation that sends shivers coursing down your back. You feel that you are very close to the source when suddenly, through the trees ahead, you see a clearing where a large crowd of tribal natives are gathered.

From the cover of the bordering undergrowth you watch a crow-faced man in tattered black robes standing at the centre of this crowd. He is uttering the chilling chant. Before him, on a stone altar, there lies the decaying remains of a body encased in rotting swathings. Your Kai senses reveal to you that the robed man is a Kitaezi Shaman, an evil necromancer who has enslaved these natives with his power. You sense also that it is the same power that was used to create the creature that attacked and slew your horse last night.

Suddenly the terrible sound of the chant ceases and the Shaman shrieks with rage. He points to where you are hiding and your heart sinks. He has detected your presence. He pounds the altar with his fist and to your horror, you see the decaying remains begin to shift and stir into life. The Shaman intones a dark spell and the grisly corpse leaves the altar and comes stalking towards you, its fleshless arms outstretched. Waves of psychic energy buffet your mind. They paralyse you and keep you from escaping. You summon your psychic Kai defences and break this powerful spell, yet it is now too late to turn and run from the Shaman's horror — it is almost upon you. Instinctively you reach to your satchel for you sense that the Moonstone is all that can save you from this creature's ghastly embrace. You pull open the flap to reveal the magical stone and the effect is devastating.

Illustration IV
—A crow-faced man in tattered black robes utters a chilling chant.

Turn to 167
.

You call the Suhnese together and try to rally them to fight the city watch, but they are unarmed and they have little or no battle training. Quickly it becomes clear to you that if you force them to resist the city watch, you will be condemning them to needless injury or death. Wary of this, you attempt to lure the Shadakine soldiers away into one of the houses. Unfortunately, your brave effort is short-lived. The City Guard see you, pursue you, and quickly overpower you by their sheer weight of numbers: lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

Once you have been effectively subdued, the city watch round up the Suhnese and guard you all at spear-point until two horse-drawn wagons arrive to take you away to the city gaol. As you are herded aboard these foul-smelling carriages, your Weapons, Kai Weapon, and Backpack Items are confiscated and dumped into a wooden crate beside the driver's seat. (On your
Action Chart
mark each of these items with an asterisk [*] to indicate that they are no longer in your possession, but do not erase them at this time. Any Special Items you possess are allowed to remain with you.)

At the officer's command the wagons move off at a speedy pace. After a few bruising minutes your wagon emerges from the gloomy streets and ascends a smooth ramp which passes through the daunting gate of Ghol-Tabras gaol. Above this gate flutters a flag which depicts a black serpent entwined around the blade of a silver scimitar. It is the personal emblem of Sesketera, the ruler of this city, a man not known either for his kindness or for his mercy.

Turn to 265
.

On reaching the far side of the square, you see a narrow street flanked on either side by slums and hovels. You reason it unlikely that you would find Lord Zinair living in such a poor district, and so you stop for a few moments to consider where best to look for him. You decide that you should find someone who knows the city well, someone who is sure to have heard of the Dessian ambassador. Looking around the square you can see only two likely sources of this information: a Soothsayer's Shop, and a City Guard patrol.

If you wish to enquire at the Soothsayer's Shop,
turn to 71
.

If you wish to ask the City Guards,
turn to 172
.

While the longboat continues its futile search, you repair your broken satchel strap and then check the condition of your Backpack and Weapons. Whilst doing this you discover that you lost one Backpack Item and one Weapon during your underwater battle.

Erase from your
Action Chart
the first item which you have recorded on your
list of Backpack Items
, and any Weapon of your choice.

To continue,
turn to 171
.

Fear gnaws at your insides as you hear the villagers approaching through the long grass. The pit is deep, yet its walls are threaded with tree roots that make for easy climbing. Quickly you take hold of them and attempt to pull yourself out of this trap before your pursuers arrive.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you possess a Rope, add 2. If your current
ENDURANCE
score is 10 or lower, deduct 1.

If your total score is 5 or lower,
turn to 44
.

If it is 6 or higher,
turn to 246
.

You swallow your pride and politely you ask the captain to release the crewman. Your request is met by a torrent of shouts and coarse laughter from the drunken Eldenorans, yet the captain does as you ask; he releases his grip and lets the gasping crewman drop in a heap to the taproom floor. You motion to the others that the time has come to leave. Without a word they abandon their tables and move towards the door, pausing only to pick up their injured comrade as they go. With the threats and crude curses of the Eldenorans ringing in your ears, you walk away from the Three Capstans Inn and return to the harbour. The crew feel angry and frustrated by what has happened, yet they also know that your cool-headed intervention probably saved them from far worse treatment at the hands of the brutish Eldenorans, and for that they are grateful.

Turn to 268
.

The youth takes a list from his apron pocket and reels off the prices of the items as you point to them on the shelves:

All items must be paid for in Nobles (Gold Crowns are not accepted here). If you wish to purchase any of the above, do so and adjust your
Action Chart
accordingly.

The youth thanks you for your custom and as you turn to leave he suggests that you ask after Captain Radyard at the Warehouse. You thank him and you take his advice.

Turn to 97
.

You leave the shop and depart from the city of Nhang through its West Gate, following the main trade road that leads to the city of Jazer, 40 miles to the west. There are many fellow travellers on this road. Some, like you, travel alone and on foot. Others journey in convoys of ox-drawn wagons heavily laden with wares. You try to hitch a ride aboard these convoys but without success, and so you resign yourself to the fact that you have a long day's walk ahead.

At noon you come to a village where the road enters some hilly timberland. A sprawling taverna dominates the village, providing meals for travellers. There are more than a dozen wagons parked outside its doors and many sullen-faced natives are sitting on nearby benches eating their midday meals.

If you wish to stop and enter the taverna,
turn to 114
.

If you decide to continue on your way without stopping,
turn to 323
.

You stagger to your feet and climb the spiral steps until you come to a landing where several corridors converge. Some of these corridors are occupied by gaolers and other officials of Sesketera's citadel who are going about their duties. Then you hear the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs behind you, and this sound reminds you of the pressing need to keep moving. You draw upon your Magnakai Disciplines of Huntmastery and Pathsmanship to help you choose the best route of escape and, to your surprise, in doing so you discover a secret panel in the wall at the head of the stairwell. You reach out and press a raised stud and the concealed panel slides open to reveal a narrow passageway beyond. Quickly you enter this passage before your pursuers appear, and the panel automatically clicks shut behind you.

Turn to 170
.

Your Kai Sixth Sense tells you that, despite his threats, the bandit has no intention of chopping through the rope which anchors the bridge. To do so would lose him your horse, and horses are worth a great many Nobles in this region of Shadaki.

However, you decide to play along with their game. You raise your hands to give the impression that you are surrendering, and when they order you to return across the bridge, you pretend you do not understand. The axeman shouts to his accomplice who is hidden in the crevice. He tells him to stop pulling on the rope and he dutifully obeys. As the bridge ceases to sway, the axeman and one other walk across the bridge towards you. They stop just beyond sword reach and motion to you to lay down your Weapons and equipment. Slowly you lift the satchel off your shoulder. As the strap clears your head, you grip it tightly and take a swing at the axeman. The satchel catches him on the jaw and the weight of the Moonstone knocks him unconscious. His companion screams with anger and lunges at you with his sword, but you swiftly sidestep him and he loses his balance. With a fearful cry on his lips he falls over the side of the bridge and tumbles to his doom.

Quickly you remount your horse and coax him across to the far side. Angry voices echo from the gorge behind you as you spur him to the gallop and escape along the jungle trail beyond the bridge.

Turn to 205
.

You enter this imposing herbalist's shop and stare in awe at the thousands of stoppered jars that line its wooden shelves and counters. They contain all manner of rare liquids, powders, roots, and tinctures, most with foreign names that are unfamiliar. You scour the jars and find only two that contain herbs from Sommerlund with which you are very familiar.

• Potion of Laumspur: restores 4
  ENDURANCE
  points when swallowed after combat.
  
• Potion of Alether: increases
  COMBAT SKILL
  by 2 when swallowed before combat.
  

Each of these potions costs 3 Nobles (1 Noble = 1 Gold Crown). If you wish to purchase one or both of them, adjust your
Action Chart
accordingly.

To leave the emporium and continue along the main street,
turn to 168
.