The Buccaneers of Shadaki (15 page)

The woman leads you through the shabby streets of Masama to her house on the boundary of the town's wealthy quarter. It is a two-storey dwelling, modest in comparison to others nearby yet richly appointed, with servants, a stable, and a fragrant orchard of guyan trees. You are ushered upstairs to where a young girl lies in a darkened room. She has a fever and a sickly grey pallor that makes her look more than twice her age. You recognize at once that she is suffering from Mysua. It is a disease that is spread by swamp flies and is not uncommon among the jungle-dwellers of Shadaki.

Using your Magnakai Curing skills, and aided by the presence of the Moonstone, you are able to neutralise the infection that has ravaged this young girl's body. Within a few hours her fever has disappeared and a healthy colour returns to her face. She shows every sign they she will make a complete recovery. Her mother is overjoyed and she thanks you repeatedly. She insists that you stay here as her guest and she provides you with your own room overlooking the river.

Over a delicious evening meal prepared by her servants, you learn that her name is Tiosanna. She is the widow of a wealthy trader who was killed at sea when his ship was attacked and plundered by buccaneers. When her only daughter recently fell ill with fever, she feared she was going to lose her as well. She rarely goes to the market, yet a strange compulsion made her go today. She cannot explain, but the moment she saw you she knew that it was within your power to save her daughter's life.

You retire early to bed and sleep soundly (you may restore 6
ENDURANCE
points). When you rise at dawn, you are feeling fresh and eager to continue your journey to the Isle of Lorn. In appreciation for saving her daughter's life, Tiosanna gives you a horse. Gladly you accept her generous gift and you bid them both a fond farewell before you set off along ‘The Dragon's Tail’ — the name given by the natives of this region to the overland route from Masama to the city of Kitaezi.

After consulting your
map
you estimate that it should take you no more than two days to reach Kitaezi. The weather has settled and the overland trail proves far smoother than its given name implies. By mid-afternoon you have covered more than 50 miles and you are pleased with your progress.

You are passing through a range of forested hills and gullies when you come to an unexpected fork in the trail. A signpost says that both branches of this fork lead to Kitaezi, yet it does not give any indication which is the shorter or the safer route to take.

If you wish to take the left fork in the road,
turn to 196
.

If you decide to take the right fork,
turn to 289
.

The moment you voice the answer to the challenge,
¹³
the black globes disappear and the mist fades to reveal a lush, green, volcanic island that is crowned by a halo of silvery cloud. Your pulse races with anticipation as you feel the sea return beneath the keel of your craft, and a wind to propel you towards this wondrous isle. You have met the challenge and you have triumphed. Now you shall reap your reward by landing upon the shores of Lorn — mystical realm of the exiled Shianti.

To continue,
turn to 15
.

‘Ha! I've no time for fools!’ retorts the bearded man. ‘Do as the innkeeper says — be on your way.’

The drunken louts in this taproom start to jeer and throw food and ale at your companions. In the face of this mindless abuse you lead them out of the tavern and begin retracing your route back to the harbour in the hope of reaching
The Azan
before night closes in completely. You are within a few hundred yards of the harbour entrance when suddenly a patrol of the city watch come marching around a corner with their spears couched on their chainmailed shoulders. Their officer commands you all to halt and demands that you raise your hands above your heads.

If you wish to do as the officer has ordered,
turn to 228
.

If you decide to make a dash for the harbour,
turn to 330
.

You focus on the creature and utter the Old Kingdom word of power
Gloar!
The supernatural beast shudders as the force of your spell-word strikes, but it quickly recovers and continues its terrible attack upon your horse. Desperate now to save your weakening mount, you rush forward to strike the beast with your Kai Weapon.

Tzoog:
COMBAT SKILL
 48   
ENDURANCE
 32

This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Kai-surge). If you possess the Kai Weapon ‘Valiance’, add +8 to your
COMBAT SKILL
(instead of +5).

If you win this combat,
turn to 149
.

You take a handful of coins from your Belt Pouch and offer them to Radyard as payment for your passage to Masama, but the jovial captain declines to accept them. There is plenty of room on his ship and he is happy to allow you to stay aboard for free. He refills your glass with ale and then he proposes a toast. It is one that you readily applaud:

‘To the long and continuing friendship of our peoples — to Sommerlund and Siyen!’

Turn to 239
.

You push open the tavern's creaky door and step into a low-ceilinged room that is poorly lit and furnished. The air is thick with the smell of burning tallow, and customers sit hunched and unspeaking over their glasses of warm rice wine. The one-armed tavern keeper flashes a toothless grin. ‘Wanna room?’ he mutters. You nod and place two coins on the counter and he tosses you a key engraved with the numeral ‘1’.

Your room is located at the rear of the tavern, next to the communal lavatory. You draw upon your Kai skills to suppress your sense of smell and prop a solitary chair beneath the door handle to keep it shut. Apart from the chair, a bare mattress of straw is the only other item of furniture. It is a warm night and you have no need of a blanket and so you lie on the mattress and use your satchel and Backpack for pillows. Soon you have fallen into a deep sleep.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0 — 4,
turn to 341
.

If it is 5 — 9,
turn to 223
.

You insert the key in the door and twist it. To your relief, you hear and feel the lock disengage and then the door creaks open to reveal a flight of spiral stairs which ascend into darkness above.

Hurriedly you climb these stone steps and come to a landing where several corridors converge. Some 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 it reminds you of the pressing need to keep moving. You draw upon your Magnakai Disciplines of Huntmastery and Pathsmanship to help in choosing the best route and, to your surprise, in so doing you discover a secret panel in the wall at the head of the staircase. 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 and the panel automatically clicks shut behind you.

Turn to 170
.

You follow the shadowy alleyway until you arrive at a small square which is flanked on all sides by dingy hovels and derelict shops. Only one of these shops is open for business. A sign nailed above its worm-eaten door says: DULGH'S CURIOS.

A bell tinkles as you push open the creaking door and a gust of stale, musty air makes you cough as you step into the gloomy interior. Despite its decrepit appearance, you quickly discover that this shop is full of strange and fascinating artefacts. One in particular catches your eye. It is a porcelain figurine of a small child which has uncannily lifelike eyes.

‘Ah, you're a Sommlending, and you're a connoisseur too I see,’ says a reedy voice. From behind a stand of rusty armour there suddenly appears a little old man. He squints at you through his thick spectacles and wrinkles his face into the semblance of a smile.

‘It is a genuine Nhang Doll, one of the original one hundred that were made for Emperor Hyunstai. Very rare indeed. I'm loath to sell but, well, times are hard. It can be yours for a mere 10 Gold Crowns.’

Illustration VIII
—‘It is a genuine Nhang Doll, one of the original 100 that were made for Emperor Hyunstai. Very rare indeed.’

If you are willing to buy this doll for 10 Gold Crowns,
turn to 21
.

If you wish to buy the doll but would first like to barter with the old man to see if he will lower his price,
turn to 99
.

If you do not wish to purchase the doll, you can leave the curio shop by
turning to 204
.

You go to the foot of the hatch ladder and recite the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Levitation
. As you rise, you guide yourself through the hatch and emerge on the foredeck. Quickly you cancel the spell for fear of becoming entangled in the rigging and ruined sails that lie strewn across the decks of this doomed trader. Every mast has fallen and the stern is slowly submerging beneath the relentless waves. You scour the shattered main deck but you can see no sign of survivors. Then you glimpse a hand protruding from beneath a mass of debris, and you stagger across the shifting deck towards it. Suddenly the prow is struck by a cresting wave and you are catapulted off the deck and into the angry sea.

Turn to 4
.

The sea is warm and its clarity makes it easy for you to locate the massive hull of
The Triasus
. Having filled your lungs before you hit the water, you stay submerged and strike out for the distant shore. Only once you have passed beyond the shadow of Sesketera's flagship do you come up for air. As you break the surface you notice that the crew of
The Triasus
are scouring the sea, straining themselves to catch a glimpse of where you are. A marine on the prow deck spots you and, to your surprise, Sesketera's crew begin to laugh and jeer.

You are trying to fathom the reason for their laughter when suddenly you are struck in the back by a heavy, powerful blow.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If the number you have picked is odd (i.e. 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9) reduce your
ENDURANCE
score by 3. If the number you have picked is even (i.e. 2, 4, 6, 8, or 0) reduce your
ENDURANCE
score by 5.

To continue,
turn to 243
.

As you come racing to the edge, you leap into the air and hurl yourself towards a wall of jungle trees that rise up on the far side of the pit.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.

If your total score is now 3 or less,
turn to 9
.

If it is 4 or more,
turn to 183
.

You take a torch from its bracket in the wall and hurl it down the corridor. Then, using your Kai camouflage skills, you press yourself into a shadowy recess in the wall and remain completely still. The guards hear something clatter along the floor outside their room and they react immediately. They grab fresh torches and rush to investigate both the noise and the sudden dimness that has enveloped the corridor. The moment they step through the doorway, your hiding place is illuminated by the glare of their torches.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Assimilance, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total score is now 4 or lower,
turn to 222
.

If it is 5 or higher,
turn to 81
.