Mydnight's Hero (25 page)
You draw upon your Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen to protect your mind from these powerful pulses of psychic energy. The physical pain of this attack builds rapidly and you fear that your mental defences will not prove strong enough to withstand this terrific onslaught: lose 4
ENDURANCE
points.
If you have survived this mental wounding, you may continue by
turning to 237
.
You rely upon your Magnakai skill of Nexus to assist you to open the door. But it quickly proves to be a more difficult task than you expected, for this door is secured by an elaborate and complex locking mechanism.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess a Dagger, you may add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is 5 or lower,
turn to 21
.
If it is 6 or higher,
turn to 4
.
Karvas suggests that perhaps you should destroy the safe in order to hide the fact that you have taken Sadanzo's scroll. You ponder his suggestion and agree that this could be advantageous to you.
If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Elementalism and you have attained the rank of Kai Grand Sentinel,
turn to 23
.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it,
turn to 188
.
If you possess neither of these skills, have yet to attain the required Kai rank, or if you choose not to use either of them,
turn to 232
.
You brace yourself against the ship's rail and watch with trepidation as Acraban fights to maintain control over his ailing skyship. Your stomach churns as the deck heaves from side to side, and your heart misses a beat when there is a sudden jolt and a fearful sound of screeching metal.
‘We've lost the second stabilizer!’ shouts Acraban in alarm. The wheel is suddenly wrenched from his grasp and it begins to spin out of control. The
Starstrider
has been losing height for several minutes, but now its angle of descent becomes far steeper. The skyship dives through a bank of low cloud and a great sea of trees comes rushing up to meet the bow. You grip the rail as tightly as you can and await the dreadful moment of impact. There is a splintering
crack
of timber when the hull collides with the treetops, and then, moments later, there is a terrific jolt as the craft's bow slams into the rocky soil and comes to an abrupt halt.
The impact of the crash wrenches your hands from the rail and sends you tumbling across the stern deck.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 4 or lower,
turn to 68
.
If it is 5 or higher,
turn to 328
.
For two frustrating days and nights the ferocious storm continues unabated. Floods and mudslides render the mountain trail impassable, and you are unable to leave the shelter of the ancient keep until early on the morning of the third day. Anxious to make up for lost time, you depart as soon as the rains cease.
A further two days are spent riding the treacherous trail. It takes you across the northern foothills of the Dammerdons to the Lunarlian settlement of Jaroc. It is mid-morning, fifteen days before Harvestmas, when finally you enter the palisade wall of this sprawling border town. Few of the people you find here are natives. Most are nomadic horsemen from the Great Lunarlian Plain who have come to barter and trade their wares at its famous tented market. As you ride through the bustling marketplace, you pause for a few moments to observe a quarrel between a trader and a nomad. The nomad is accusing the trader of selling him some rotten food, and he demands the return of his money. The trader refuses. In desperation, the nomad turns to you and holds out his purchase at arm's length.
‘Stranger, would y'say this meat is fit to eat?’ he pleads, inviting you to inspect an unappetizing haunch of maggoty meat.
If you possess Herbmastery and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Sentinel,
turn to 259
.
If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery,
turn to 151
.
You fight hard to keep the
Starstrider
on a straight and level course, yet, despite your best efforts, she veers continually towards starboard. Now the effects of the damaged stabilizer are making it almost impossible for you to maintain control of the helm. You steel yourself as the skyship drifts above the right-hand fissure, directly into the path of the soaring energy bolts. Desperately you pull the wheel hard about to avoid a collision but it is already too late. A powerful bolt strikes the hull and a stunning flash of white light obliterates your senses.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have picked is 0–5,
turn to 38
.
If it is 6 or higher,
turn to 7
.
The riverboat fare to Seroa is normally 20 Orla (10 Gold Crowns) per person. Karvas offers the ticket seller the pouch of 50 Orla that Sainus gave him, together with your horses. A flicker of interest lights up the man's insipid eyes, but then he shakes his head solemnly and dismisses the Prince's generous bribe. You sense that he is holding out in the hope that you will increase your offer.
If you wish to offer the ticket seller some of your money in addition to the Orla and horses that Karvas has already proposed,
turn to 89
.
If you do not wish to increase the size of the bribe, you can leave the jetty and go in search of tickets at the riverside tavern by
turning to 256
.
Your worthy attempt to disengage the lock proves unsuccessful and so you decide on a different course of action. You and Karvas agree that you will try to attack and overpower the gaolers at the first opportunity. Patiently you bide your time until, an hour later, you hear footsteps in the corridor outside. They are followed by the sound of the tumbler lock spinning. Then the door creaks open and in strides the Knight Bachelor, accompanied by an escort of six armed guards. The knight is holding a short-bladed sword in one hand, and a wooden bowl filled with vile-smelling gruel in the other. He offers the bowl to Prince Karvas at arm's length.
Illustration XII—The knight holds a short-bladed sword in one hand and a wooden bowl in the other.
‘Welcome to your royal apartment,’ he says, in a sneering tone. ‘I've had the cook prepare you some food after your long journey home, Prince Karvas. I do hope it meets with your approval. It's a meal fit for a king who will never be.’
Karvas is angered by the knight's insolence and he slaps the bowl of gruel out of his hand. The arrogant knight laughs, but before he can step away and leave the cell, you spring forward like a pouncing tiger and attempt to grab the sword from his hand.
‘Slay him!’ screeches the knight, as he struggles to free himself from your grasp. Instantly the guards rush at you with their weapons raised in eager readiness to carry out his order.
Knight Bachelor & Citadel Gaolers (6):
COMBAT SKILL
43
ENDURANCE
38
Prince Karvas is unarmed and unable to assist you during this combat.
If you win this fight,
turn to 324
.
You dig your heels into your horse's flanks and urge him along the trail towards the blazing trunk. You sense that he is terrified of the fire, but you use your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control to calm his fears as he gets ready to jump through the crackling flames.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Animal Mastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Nexus, add 1.
If your total score is now 1 or less,
turn to 319
.
If it is 2–6,
turn to 158
.
If it is 7 or higher,
turn to 5
.
You utter the words of the Old Kingdom Spell
Invisible Fist
as slowly you clench the fingers of your right hand. Upon the final word, you thrust your clenched fist at the gem in Sadanzo's hand and the Baron screams with fear. The brute power of your spell hits the gem and smashes it to dust.
Drawing upon your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, you focus your special powers upon the line of sleeping crows and command them to awaken. Suddenly the birds erupt into life and begin cawing and flapping their wings excitedly. You will the startled crows to swoop down on the guardsmen below and, while they are fighting vainly to fend them off, you tell Karvas to follow your lead as you climb out of the ditch and hurry towards the open city gate.
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 4 or less,
turn to 29
.
If it is 5 or more,
turn to 160
.
As the remaining rider presses home his attack, you draw your Kai Weapon and get ready to strike as he passes. Karvas sidesteps the tip of his weapon and simultaneously you stab at the lancer as he gallops his horse between you. His lance spins through the air and you hear his plaintive death-cry as he tumbles out of the saddle. As you glance over your shoulder, you see him crash to the ground and roll limply across the cobblestones. The citizens who crowd this passageway cheer the lancer's demise and some rush forward to pick his pockets and loot his armour.
You focus your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control upon the two horses and you summon them to approach yourself and Prince Karvas. Obediently they obey your mental commands, and quickly you are able to mount them and make good your escape from this passageway into a wider street at its eastern end.
Your advanced Discipline reveals to you that the fanji are not migrating at all: they are fleeing for their lives. You magnify your vision and glimpse a number of horsemen who are galloping with the herd. They are picking off the best specimens at close quarters with their bows and spears. The leading fanji are constantly changing direction in an effort to lead the rest of the herd away from these merciless hunters. To your dismay, as the herd are passing within a mile of the trail, you see the leaders suddenly switch direction and come thundering towards you and Karvas.
With a frantic waving of your arm you signal to Karvas to follow your lead. Then you veer away from the trail, ahead of the onrushing herd, and gallop through the waist-high grassland towards the banks of the River Ioma.
You reach to your pouch, remove 2 Gold Crowns, and offer the coins to the blacksmith. He reaches out to take them but then he hesitates and quickly withdraws his hand. He is having serious doubts about selling what he knows of Prince Karvas.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
(0 = zero). For every Gold Crown that you are willing to give the blacksmith, in addition to the 2 you have already offered him, you may add 1 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 7 or lower,
turn to 141
.
If it is 8 or higher,
turn to 347
.
You utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Lightning Hand
and level your right arm towards the creature's torso. An arc of electrical power leaps from your hand and stabs the beast's chest, making it shriek with pain, yet it does not deter it from continuing its hungry advance towards your horses. As is stalks closer, you see that it is drawing in great gulps of air to inflate its chest. Its rib cage expands and suddenly there is a sharp popping sound. You gasp with fear as dozens of horned spikes shoot out of its skin and come hurtling towards you like a volley of deadly darts.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is 4 or less,
turn to 96
.
If it is 5 or more,
turn to 269
.
The final tumbler clicks into place and the door creaks open a few inches.
12
The corridor outside the cell is unguarded, and you beckon Karvas to follow as you push the door wide and leave. As you step out, you see the door to the cell that contains your Weapons and equipment and you pause for a few moments to work on its tumbler lock. Your efforts are quickly rewarded and you discover all of your confiscated equipment lying here on the floor. (You may erase the asterisks [*] from your
Action Chart
to indicate that your arms and equipment have been restored.)
In addition to your equipment you also discover Prince Karvas' sword and belt, together with the following:
- Bow
- 6 Arrows
- Enough food for 1 Meal
- Spear
- Axe
Karvas buckles on his sword belt and, before you leave, he takes a coil of rope from a hook on the wall and slings it over his shoulder. On returning to the corridor, you hurry to the end to where a circular stone staircase ascends to the levels above. With your Kai Weapon in hand you begin to climb the steps, retracing the route that you committed to your memory when you were brought to the cell less than an hour ago.
[12] This is the correct answer to the tumbler lock puzzle in
Section 306
.