Mydnight's Hero (17 page)

You are desperate to keep ahead of the herd for fear of being trampled under their pounding hooves. But as you approach the River Ioma you are shocked to see that the bank ahead is steeply undercut. Hurriedly you tug on your horse's reins but to no avail; you are unable to stop him from carrying you headlong over the edge. With screams of terror on your lips, you and Karvas plummet 20 feet into the rushing river astride your terrified mounts.

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 now 1 or less,
turn to 339
.

If it is 2–7,
turn to 212
.

If it is 8 or more,
turn to 3
.

You grab the soldier's spear and pull him off-balance. As he stumbles, Karvas moves forward and lands a powerful punch to the side of his head which sends the man tumbling into the river. He surfaces and attempts to shout out to attract his comrades on the parapet, but the strong current whisks him away before his bubbling cries can be heard.

Stealthily you climb the steps to a flagstoned loading area that is crowded with soldiers and wagons. By keeping low and moving from one wagon to the next, you and Karvas are able to cross this concourse undetected. On the far side you discover a stone bridge that traverses the River Tehda. You hurry across it and enter a wide avenue which leads to the city's east quarter. Grimy two-storey houses of carved hardwood pass by on either side, silent behind their bolts and shutters. At the end of the avenue you almost collide with a patrol of armed guards which is marching towards the river, and hurriedly you are forced to take cover in a timber yard to avoid being seen. You watch the ten-strong patrol as it marches past, and note that these men are clad in black quilted tunics with wide silk leggings, and they are armed with curved swords and hand-axes. They are almond-eyed and they all have shiny black hair tied in a knot at the nape of their necks. Their leader, a stocky bull-necked sergeant, wears the emblem of Sejanoz emblazoned upon a scarlet armband. Patiently you wait for them to reach the river but, when they do, you see another patrol come marching along the avenue from the opposite direction. The east quarter of Bakhasa is a busy place, even at this late hour. Rather than risk being seen and captured, you decide to remain hidden here in the timber yard and attempt to get a few hours' sleep before dawn.

Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 340
.

The Inquisitor-major regards you with a sneering look that conveys his disbelief of your explanation.

‘Special emissaries, eh?’ he spits. ‘Pah! Deserters or horse-thieves, more like! What proof do you carry to show that you speak the truth?’

If you possess Sadanzo's Seal,
turn to 264
.

If you do not possess this item,
turn to 73
.

You dive to avoid your enemy's lance, but your reflexes have been dulled by the shock of your fall and you react too slowly to avoid being struck by this expert horseman. The razor-sharp tip of his lance gouges a deep furrow across your thigh.

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

As the Bakhasian leader thunders past, you stagger to your feet and use your Kai skills to command your horse to come to you. He obeys, and you are able to mount up and ride back towards Karvas before your adversary can make his third pass. In the distance you can see that the tree is now burning less fiercely. On approaching the Prince, you call for him to follow as you race along the trail towards this flaming pine. Bravely your horse makes a tremendous leap across the tree to land surefootedly on the trail beyond. As you bring him to a halt, you pat his neck in praise for his courageous action. Moments later, you see Karvas come leaping over the trunk and you cheer his masterful display of horsemanship. The Bakhasians choose not to follow. They break off their pursuit and allow you to make good your escape into the foothills of the Dammerdon Mountains.

Turn to 251
.

You follow the Prince through the noisy streets of Seroa to the barracks of the Royal Cavalry, where he seeks an urgent audience with Marshal Phedros. At first he is refused, but he persists until finally you are both granted a few minutes in which to state your business to the Marshal.

Phedros sits alone in the officer's mess with a glass of wine in his hand, his only consolation for the shame he feels at having been the one who crowned Baron Sadanzo King of Siyen earlier this day. As you enter, he raises his bloodshot eyes and snaps: ‘What do you want?’

If you possess Sadanzo's Scroll,
turn to 83
.

If you do not possess this Special Item,
turn to 162
.

This time Acraban does not argue. He bellows the order to Kuo the helmsman to reverse the descent and change course, thirty degrees to port. The bow of the
Starstrider
rises up and the deck banks gently over to the left. But then a deafening
Crack!
explodes from somewhere below the stern, and you are thrown onto your hands and knees when a violent shock wave ripples along the decking. Acraban calls for a damage report and each crewman shouts his response in turn. The
Starstrider
has sustained a glancing blow from an energy bolt. It has torn away part of the hull plating and damaged one of the ship's two internal stabilizers, upon which it relies for level flight. The craft ceases to gain height and begins drifting to starboard. This change of course is accompanied by a jarring vibration that runs through the deck and superstructure.

The surrounding sky is now a seething mass of billowing black clouds lit up by lethal blue-white bolts of lightning. The ship passes through a dark cloud and the metallic stench of ozone fills your nostrils. This harsh-smelling gas does you no harm, protected as you are by your innate Magnakai skill of Nexus. Likewise, Acraban suffers no ill effects from the gas for his magic is sufficient to counter it. But for Prince Karvas and the crew its effects are immediate and devastating. Clutching at their throats they lose their balance and fall to the deck, choking and spluttering as they fight for breath. Acraban instructs you to take the helm while he goes below to work on the damaged stabilizer. You follow his command and take control of the wheel from a barely-conscious Kuo. As the cloud passes the crew slowly recover, but you glimpse a fresh danger ahead. The
Starstrider
is drifting towards two large active fissures running parallel to each other, and a little over 100 feet apart. Sweat streaks your face as you struggle to steer a straight course between these fissures and so avoid the crackling bolts of energy that are hurtling out of their fiery depths.

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

If your total score is now 0–2,
turn to 201
.

If it is 3–7,
turn to 179
.

If it is 8 or higher,
turn to 42
.

You push open the limed-oak door of the trading post and step into its cool interior. The owner of the store is fletching an arrow, but he stops the moment he sees you enter. This oily-skinned trader is keen to do business and he is especially interested in purchasing items for his poorly-stocked shelves. He is prepared to offer you the following prices for these particular items:

If you possess any of these items and you wish to sell them to the trader, make the appropriate adjustments to your
Action Chart
.

If you wish to examine the items stored on the shelves,
turn to 166
.

If you wish to leave this trading post,
turn to 58
.

Moments later, Acraban emerges from the smoke that wreathes the stern deck. His robes are torn and a trickle of blood runs from a gash above his right ear. You use your Magnakai Curing skills to heal the wizard's wound and then, with Karvas' help, you evacuate some injured crewmen from the crippled skyship. Acraban orders Bo'sun Gora to go and assess the condition of his crew. He returns shortly and reports that out of the ship's original complement of ten men, three are now missing, three are wounded, and one is dead. The remaining three crewmen, himself included, have survived the crash with only minor injuries.

Using your curing skills, you ease the pain of the badly-injured crewmen before helping Karvas and Gora to bury the dead man — Kuo the helmsman. The area surrounding the crashed skyship is thickly wooded and, with night fast approaching and a sky heavy with clouds, it is impossible for you to determine your exact location. Acraban proposes to contact Lord Zinair to inform him of the disaster by means of his seeing stone. But, to his dismay, he soon discovers that the magical artefact has been lost in the crash.

As the darkness of night envelops the smouldering wreck of the
Starstrider
, you find it hard to suppress a growing sense of despair. It is a mood shared by the other survivors, and few words are exchanged as you work together to erect a makeshift shelter for the wounded beside the ship's battered keel. When the shelter is finished, you each look for a place nearby where you can lie down and attempt to recover from the fatigue of your terrible ordeal.

Before you try to get some sleep, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 331
.

You tell Karvas what you have detected and he suggests that you use the rope he found in the dungeon cell below. Taking one end, you tie a slip knot and make it into a lasso. Then you cast the loop of rope at the lever in the hope of catching it and pulling it down. Your aim is true. Yet, upon the instant that the rope touches the lever there is a tremendous flash of yellow light, and a searing wave of energy hits you in the chest and knocks you backwards down the stairs.

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

To continue,
turn to 69
.

The Inquisitor-major regards your Sommlending tunics and cloaks with deep suspicion. He is about to order his men to hold and search you, when suddenly you hear the wavering tone of a distant hunting horn come rolling across the plain.

‘Zalnae's found the scent!’ shouts one of the men, excitedly.

‘We're back on the trail!’ says another.

‘Come, Halx. Forget about these fools,’ says a third man, who sits alongside the Inquisitor-major astride a chestnut mare. ‘Let us return to our hunting lest we lose the trail for a second time this day.’

The Inquisitor-major glares at you and he grunts his displeasure. Yet he heeds the words of his fellow hunters and he wheels his horse about.

‘50 Orla to the man who makes the kill!’ he cries, and his companions give a raucous cheer. As they gallop away across the plain towards the distant foothills, you and Karvas breathe a sigh of relief before you continue your ride east towards Varedo.

Turn to 55
.

The Prince smiles when you refuse to let him attempt the long journey to Seroa alone.

‘Very well, Grand Master,’ he says. ‘So be it. In truth, I could not hope for a more worthy companion on the road ahead. Come, let us plan our way as best we can.’

Acraban has one of his men fetch his compass and charts from the skyship to help you to determine the swiftest route overland to Seroa. You quickly establish your present location and suddenly you realize how difficult the journey ahead will be. Seroa lies over 1,200 miles to the east, beyond mountains, plains, and uncharted wilderness. You calculate that in order to reach the city in time you must cover no less than 60 miles every day.

‘On foot, across such harsh terrain … it is impossible,’ says Acraban, shaking his head.

‘Perhaps so,’ replies Karvas, ‘but if we had horses then it could be done.’

You scan the surrounding forest and let your Kai senses wander afar. ‘There are no horses in this timberland, my lord,’ you say, certain in the knowledge that your judgement is correct. Karvas acknowledges your skill with a wry smile.

‘I take great pride in my magical powers,’ interjects Acraban, jovially, ‘but even I, my lord, cannot summon horses from out of the air. Where, pray tell, do you hope to find mounts with strength enough to carry you all the way home?’

Karvas turns his eyes to the east and says: ‘Why, in Bakhasa, of course. Mark you, the citizens of that foul city will not help us out of the goodness of their hearts, of that we can be sure. But they have horses — strong Bhanarian stallions. Perhaps, Grand Master, we shall be able to borrow a pair?’

You laugh with Prince Karvas at the audacity of his plan and you feel your spirits rise. A long and dangerous journey lies ahead, yet you are impressed by the Prince's courage and determination, and you feel confident once more that your mission can succeed. Acraban also approves. He and his men will stay and restore the
Starstrider
and then fly back to Toran as soon as they are able.

Mindful that time is not your ally, you gather your Weapons and equipment together in readiness to leave. After bidding farewell to Acraban and his crewmen, you set off with Prince Karvas into the Great Forest, heading east. The vast timberland is rich with game, roots, and berries, and you are able to hunt and gather food on the move (you gather enough for 2 Meals). By noon you have made good progress and have reached the eastern fringe of the forest. Beyond lies an undulating plain that gradually descends towards a wide river. To the northeast, sitting astride this river, you glimpse the dark outline of a city.

‘That's Bakhasa,’ says Karvas, confidently. You magnify your vision and estimate it to be no more than 30 miles distant. ‘With luck, we should make it there by midnight.’

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 35
.

If it is 5–9,
turn to 220
.