Shadow on the Sand (13 page)
You knead your numb arm in an effort to massage some life back into it, but it is useless; the muscles are limp and nerveless. The only consolation is that it is not your weapon arm, but as long as you are suffering from this disease, you cannot use a shield of any sort. Deduct 3 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
— the lost points may be recovered if ever you should regain the use of your arm.
You turn your attention to your surroundings in an effort to find some way of escape from the nightmarish sewer. The passage ahead winds and curves like a giant snake, and the foul air that drifts towards you is hot and humid. You have shaken off your pursuers, but you now have the problem of your arm to solve.
You pass through the door and hurry into the welcoming cool of the room beyond. You notice a large drawbar on this side of the door and instinctively lock it to delay any would-be pursuers. The room is empty, save for some clothing draped over the back of a wrought-iron chair. Judging by the size and cut of the material, the clothes must belong to the armourer.
You can hear noises echoing from a passage to the east; the voices of hungry guards and the distinctive clatter of plates.
You climb a wide stairway and follow a network of passages towards the west. They are lined with alcoves that contain marble busts and beautiful tapestries, each depicting a past Zakhan or a long-forgotten battle.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense,
turn to 105
.
If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 158
.
With a tiger-like bound you are among the startled guards. The blowpipe firer raises his weapon, but a well-aimed kick to the forehead counters his move. He somersaults backwards, cracking his head against the wall with a sickening thud. A trident flashes towards your ribs; you sidestep and grab the haft with your free hand, pulling the guard off balance. He stumbles forward and falls flat on his face. You turn just in time to face the third guard — his trident is poised to stab you.
Vestibule Guard:
COMBAT SKILL
15
ENDURANCE
23
If you win the combat and the fight lasts 3 rounds or less,
turn to 101
.
If you win and the fight lasts longer than 3 rounds,
turn to 46
.
You enter a wide street where vendors compete for space for their stalls beneath the overhanging balconies. The market is crowded with people; they each wear a black sash as a mark of respect to their dead Zakhan, but here, unlike in most of Barrakeesh, business continues as normal.
You pass a stall festooned with black sashes, each costing 2 Gold Crowns. If you wish to buy a sash, pay the vendor and mark it on your
Action Chart
as a Special Item (which you wear over your tunic). You hurry away from the stall and dodge into a narrow passage lined with eating houses and small taverns, where the smell of food is mingled with the odour of stale wine, and the air is alive with chatter and gossip. Your attention is drawn to a notice freshly pasted to a tavern wall. The bold headline reads:
If you wish to stop to read the poster,
turn to 88
.
If you wish to continue along the passage,
turn to 113
.
The combined mastery of these Kai Disciplines enables you to slip past the guards undetected. By the time they resume their correct guard positions, you have safely made your way into the palace gardens.
A panel in the alcove slides aside to reveal a secret, dark, and very narrow passage. A pair of footprints can clearly be seen in the dust-covered floor, leading into the darkness.
If you wish to enter the secret passage,
turn to 148
.
If you decide to avoid the passage, close the secret panel and continue along the corridor and
turn to 158
.
‘Come in, stranger. Welcome to my humble tavern,’ says the plump landlady of the eating house. ‘We have wine and food and rooms a-plenty.’
At this moment, you hear Maouk's men enter the plaza and cast an anxious glance towards the open door. The landlady sees that you are nervous; she points to the cellar stairs and says in a hushed voice: ‘Do not worry — we share your fear of the new Zakhan. Quickly, you must hide.’ There is no time to hesitate. Maouk's warriors are already approaching the tavern.
Judging by the direction of the sluggish flow, the right channel appears to head off to the north. The vast tide of sewage and garbage from the
Baga-darooz
is swept out towards the coast, until it emerges at Chiras, a village northwest of the capital. There it makes life both difficult and unpleasant for the poor local fishermen (especially during the summer months). If you take the north channel, you should eventually reach the coast.
The left channel heads south, running below the very heart of the capital. In the maze of tunnels that feed into the
Baga-darooz
, you should be able to find at least one exit to the streets above.
Straight ahead, the channel leads off to the west. It is by far the least fetid and contaminated of the three. During the voyage, you remember ‘The Stink’ telling you about the Grand Madani: a great aqueduct over forty miles long, which channels freshwater from the River Da into the city. As a result, the citizens of Barrakeesh, unlike the inhabitants of other Vassagonian cities, enjoy a lavish supply of fresh water. The west channel will lead to that water source.
If you wish to take the north channel,
turn to 145
.
If you wish to take the south channel,
turn to 96
.
If you wish to take the west channel,
turn to 13
.
You spring forward and strike the taller of the guards, slamming your clenched fist into the nape of his neck. He groans and sinks to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground close by your feet.
If you wish to pick up the sword,
turn to 4
.
If you wish to ignore the sword and attack the second guard with your bare hands,
turn to 91
.
Before you find a suitable hiding place, three Sharnazim wade into view. ‘Leave him to me, you fools!’ booms a voice, and the warriors make way for Maouk, who appears from the shadows — a dart held high in his hand. He hisses a curse and flings the missile at your chest.
You are stripped of your Backpack, your Weapons, your Gold Crowns, and all of your Special Items. (Make all the necessary adjustments to your
Action Chart
, but note your lost possessions elsewhere in case you find them again later.) Your hands are tied behind your back and you are pushed head-first into the waiting carriage. ‘Back to the palace!’ commands Maouk as he climbs aboard and slams the door. ‘The Zakhan awaits his prize.’
You fight to free the cords that bind you, but Maouk is quick to see the danger. He grabs your arm and forces a dart into your skin. As sleep engulfs your senses, you hear Maouk's wicked laughter fading into the silence.
Make a necessary adjustments to your
Action Chart
, and list all the items that you have had confiscated on a separate piece of paper, for reference in case you should discover them later in your adventure.
As you strike the Kwaraz a killing blow, three Sharnazim wade out of the dark sewer. They have discarded their black robes and they are naked to the waist. Their muscular chests are decorated with a large, blue tattoo of an eagle's claw. As they struggle out of the water, they fix you with a malicious stare and unsheathe razor-sharp scimitars.
Illustration XI—Three Sharnazim wade out of the dark sewer, naked to the waist.
If you wish to attack the Sharnazim,
turn to 60
.
If you wish to evade them by climbing the narrow stone stairs,
turn to 43
.
You are halfway down the stairs when the guard realizes what you are doing. He leaps to his feet and unsheathes his sword; you cannot evade him now and you must fight to the death.
Armoury Guard:
COMBAT SKILL
16
ENDURANCE
22
If you win the combat, you may search his body and
turn to 52
.
If you would rather ignore the body and enter the armoury,
turn to 140
.
All manner of strange and exotic plants, oils, potions, and medicaments fill the shop windows, and the smell of the herb-filled street is intoxicating. There is a sudden bustle of activity at the end of the street. The crowd disperses, melting into the shops as if into thin air. A man stands before you, his face is streaked with sweat, his turquoise robes torn and heavily stained. It is Maouk — he has survived the
Baga-darooz
.
‘Were it not for the Zakhan, I would kill you here and now,’ hisses Maouk, his face a mask of hate. ‘But I will not lose my head for a cowardly Sommlending.’
His insult enrages you, but you control your anger. You sense he is not alone; eyes are watching you at every window.
If you wish to attack Maouk,
turn to 197
.
If you wish to turn and run back along the street,
turn to 92
.
As your enemy collapses at your feet, you notice that the other guard has recovered from your punch. He pulls a dagger from his boot and draws back his hand to throw.
If you possess the Kai Discipline of Mindblast,
turn to 45
.
If you do not possess this skill, pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense or Hunting, add 3 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–5,
turn to 120
.
If your total is now 6–12,
turn to 193
.
You root through all the drawers and cupboards of the workbench, smashing locks when they refuse to open, only to be disappointed. These drawers and cupboards do not contain your missing equipment.
All hope of signing a peace treaty with the new Zakhan has vanished; your only concern now is to find your equipment, escape from the Grand Palace, and somehow return home to Sommerlund as quickly as possible. You pull aside a latticed partition and enter a small antechamber. Narrow stones steps lead up to an open door in the north wall, beside which stands a wooden chest.
If you wish to climb the steps and enter the door,
turn to 14
.
If you wish to investigate the wooden chest,
turn to 97
.
You arrive at a high-vaulted chamber with a large, nail-studded door set into the south wall. A rack standing near to the door holds a Spear and a Broadsword. You may take either or both of these if you wish. To the north, beneath a beautifully decorated horseshoe arch, is another passage that leads out of the chamber.
If you wish to enter the passage,
turn to 132
.
If you wish to listen at the door,
turn to 115
.
The warrior's head suddenly emerges from the sewer hole. He lashes at your legs, tearing a nasty gash in your calf. You lose 2
ENDURANCE
points. In anger and pain, you raise your foot and stamp on the man's head with all your strength. He screams and falls back into the sewer, and you hear a loud, resounding splash. You replace the stone lid and drag a heavy barrel across it before making your way through the maze of city streets.
All hope of signing a peace treaty with the new Zakhan has vanished; your only concern now is to escape from Barrakeesh and, somehow, return to Sommerlund as quickly as possible. Eventually you reach a busy market square. Your eye is caught by a sign hanging above the side entrance to large building:
By this time, the smell of your clothes is making you feel quite ill. You have no hesitation in opening the door and slipping inside.
As you stare out across the harbour, you notice a large, white-domed warehouse near to the water's edge. A platform on the upper floor overhangs a merchant dhow moored at the quay below. On this platform are several earthenware tuns: huge spice containers destined for the trading emporia of Ragadorn. You focus your attention on one of these tuns and concentrate all your Kai skill into making it move. Sweat pours down your face from the strain, but you soon hear a distant crash that confirms your success. The tun has fallen and shattered on the deck of the dhow.