The Kingdoms of Terror (19 page)

The air is sweet with the smell of wet grass. The sun rises above the trees to the east, and mist steams from the hills on either side of the highway. By noon you reach a small village, where brightly decorated cottages line a cobblestoned square. A shrine with an enormous onion-shaped dome stands in the middle of the square, and in its shadow sit a group of old women. They are tending to some shrubs with bright orange berries, which grow in the shade.

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Curing,
turn to 250
.

If you wish to stop and investigate the shrine,
turn to 342
.

If you wish to continue on your way to Varetta,
turn to 100
.

‘It's the tax y'gotta pay to enter Amory,’ he answers, irritated by your ignorance of local customs. ‘This is Lyris and Amory is in Salony,’ he explains, emphasizing every word as if you are deaf or dull-witted. ‘You … will … need … a … Cess … to … enter … Amory.’

If you wish to purchase a Cess, pay him 3 Gold Crowns and
turn to 304
.

If you wish to ignore him and continue your journey,
turn to 146
.

If you decide to teach him some manners,
turn to 160
.

You urge your horse forward with expert precision, taking the jump with deceptive ease. The angry cries of the guards are now mixed with some cheers from onlookers who are obviously delighted by your horsemanship and daring. The town watch in Quarlen have a reputation for being pompous and self-important; anyone who can make fools of them and get away with it is sure to find favour among the townsfolk. After a while the cheers and curses fade behind you, and you rein in your horse to take stock of your surroundings.

Turn to 332
.

At the end of the street you stop to look in the window of a tall, half-timbered shop. It contains a fascinating selection of maps and charts, which detail the various cities and regions of Magnamund. You enter the shop and browse the shelves that line the walls. Three maps in particular attract your interest: a Map of Sommerlund (5 Gold Crowns); a Map of Tekaro (4 Gold Crowns); and a Map of Luyen (3 Gold Crowns).

The maps are Backpack Items. If you wish to buy one or all of them, make the necessary adjustments to your
Action Chart
before returning to the apothecary.

Turn to 231
.

You concentrate your Magnakai power on the warhammer, and slowly it rises from the chest of the corpse. You will it to move upwards and as it appears through the gaping hole, you catch hold of it and examine it closely. It is a very fine weapon, wrought of a metal called bronin, which looks exactly like new bronze, but does not tarnish like ordinary alloys of copper and tin. If you wish to keep this Bronin Warhammer, mark it on your
Action Chart
as a Weapon. When you use it in combat it will add 1 to your
COMBAT SKILL
.

Satisfied that nothing else of value has been overlooked, you leave the chapel and return to Cyrilus.

Turn to 338
.

The man's reactions are lightning-fast. He hurls the silver tray at your head and escapes through a curtained arch at the back of the workshop.

If you wish to give chase,
turn to 94
.

If you decide to let him go and leave the taxidermy,
turn to 279
.

You turn your head to see a shambling, blunt-nosed horror emerge from the shadows. It emits a hideous, snickering cry and lashes out with one of its four razor-sharp claws, sending you tumbling backwards across the muddy flagstones. You quickly regain your feet, but the surprise attack has opened a gaping wound in your arm. (You lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.) The creature's eyes glow with hatred as it shuffles hungrily towards you.

If you have a Bow,
turn to 198
.

If you do not have a Bow,
turn to 343
.

You arrive at a tavern, but one that looks more like a huge banqueting hall than a city alehouse. The Inn of the Crossed Swords is the largest and noisiest tavern you have ever seen. A constant flow of soldiers pour in and out of its cathedral-like doors, and the adjoining stable is large enough to house the horses of an entire army.

Illustration XVII
—You enter the tavern in time to witness a spectacular event.

You stable your horse and enter the tavern just in time to witness a spectacular event. The middle of the hall has been cleared to allow a horse and rider to gallop the full length of the building, and bets are being laid on the rider's skill at skewering fruit on the point of his lance. It reminds you of part of the training taught to Kai Lords in preparation for battle, but unlike the Kai horse trials, there is more than just skill and the honour of the rider at stake here. In a line along the length of the hall kneel ten soldiers from the same regiment as the rider — men accused of cowardice in battle. The fruits the rider must skewer are resting on their heads. If he makes the slightest mistake the men will lose their lives and, more importantly to the mercenaries, all the money the regiment has wagered on the skill of the rider.

If you wish to stake some Gold Crowns on this deadly game,
turn to 284
.

If you wish to approach the bar and talk to one of the barmaids,
turn to 299
.

If you wish to sit at one of the tables,
turn to 316
.

You ride along a muddy path running the length of a ridge that overlooks a great stone bridge. High stone walls and a fortified gatehouse rise steeply from the river bank, and the only access to the city is across the bridge.

You stare at the battlements of Tekaro with growing despair, for they bristle with archers and cauldrons of molten lead. The burnt-out hulks of siege towers and the bodies of dead soldiers lie strewn in heaps before the battered city gate. From where you are you can see the cathedral spire silhouetted in the glow of innumerable fires in the centre of Tekaro. If it were not for this accursed war you would be in the crypt in less than an hour.

You see that before you the path dips steeply towards a line of tents erected behind a wall of earth and logs. They overflow with the wounded from countless assaults across the bridge.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Curing, you may stop and help the wounded men and
turn to 42
.

If you do not have this skill, or if you choose not to use it, you can continue along the path and
turn to 70
.

‘My humble thanks,’ says the frail old man as you help him to his feet. ‘I am forever in your debt.’

Taking him by the arm, you escort him to his table where he gathers up his scattered belongings. ‘My name is Cyrilus. I am a magician,’ he says meekly, as if apologizing for some weakness or abnormality. ‘I claim no great understanding of the arcane — my talents are modest by any standard. I only dabble in simple tricks, earning my keep with amusements and sleights-of-hand to amuse the courtiers of Varetta.’

Your eyes obviously betray you; the old man is quick to note your sudden interest in the word ‘Varetta’.

If you wish to ask him about the Lorestone of Varetta,
turn to 83
.

If you do not wish to question him, bid him goodnight and
turn to 239
.

You pull away and unsheathe your weapon in one swift, fluid movement. The dagger grazes your side (lose 1
ENDURANCE
point), but you manage to avoid being seriously wounded. Both men sneer maliciously as they close in for the kill. You cannot evade them and must fight them both as one enemy.

Backstabbers:
COMBAT SKILL
 18   
ENDURANCE
 25

If you win the combat,
turn to 88
.

Forewarned by your power, your senses are acutely aware of the deadly missile screaming towards your chest. Suddenly, everything seems to be happening in slow motion. You strike at the bolt as it cuts through the air, deflecting it with one blow. Your opponent hurls his crossbow to the ground, and from within the closed helmet of black steel a voice cries: ‘Die, Northlander!’

The warrior charges out of the Denka Gate with an axe held high in his mailed fist. You cannot avoid the attack and must fight him to the death.

Armoured Assassin:
COMBAT SKILL
 24   
ENDURANCE
 26

Due to the speed of the attack, you cannot use a Bow. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, you may add 1 point to your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of the combat.

If you win the fight,
turn to 28
.

A huge, fat-bellied mercenary is standing on a wooden box near the door, taking bets from the crowd of gold-hungry soldiers while his assistants are busy drumming up business in the hall for their master. One of the grimy-faced boys approaches and asks you for your stake.

Firstly, decide how many Gold Crowns you wish to stake on the event and note this sum in the margin of your
Action Chart
 — there is a maximum bet of 10 Gold Crowns. Next, pick a number from the
Random Number Table
and note this as well. Pick another number from the
Random Number Table
and add 3 to it.

If the first number from the
Random Number Table
is higher than the second total, you win the bet. Multiply your stake money by 2 to determine how much you have won (the odds are two to one). If the second number is higher than the first, the rider has successfully skewered all the fruit without killing any of the men, and your stake money is lost.

You may bet up to three times on this game, or quit at any stage.

If you quit during the event,
turn to 336
.

If you bet on all three rounds and have not lost all of your Gold Crowns by the end,
turn to 347
.

If you lose all your Gold Crowns,
turn to 76
.

Ahead there is another stone staircase that leads down into the dungeons of Castle Taunor. It is pitch dark and the stench of mould and decay forces you to cover your nose and mouth as you stagger down the steps. The Yawshath follows you, its unnatural gibbering changing in pitch to a maniacal laugh, which makes you shudder with revulsion.

You sense a passage that continues ahead and a small alcove off to your right.

If you wish to continue straight ahead,
turn to 192
.

If you wish to hide in the alcove,
turn to 69
.

You climb a ladder to the steering deck, drawing your legs up just in time to avoid a razor-sharp cutlass, which slices through the wooden rungs like a hot knife through lard. At the end of the gangway, one of the boat's crewmen is in combat with a pirate, but he is no match for the wiry pirate who dispatches him quickly with a knife. The pirate then catches sight of you and snatches a fresh blade from the bandolier of daggers strapped across his chest. The gangway offers no cover, and the pirate's hand is drawn back ready to throw.

Illustration XVIII
—The pirate's hand is drawn back ready to throw.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery,
turn to 314
.

If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 142
.

You leave your horse tied to a post beside the hut and approach the door. Cyrilus is announcing his arrival by rapping on the Denka Gate with his staff and shouting to his brother to open up. You chuckle at his growing impatience as he hammers at the gate; if his brother is anything like Cyrilus, he is probably fast asleep.

Inside the hut you are greeted by the mouth-watering smell of freshly baked bread. Pyramids of loaves are stacked high in hampers and trays of pies, flans, cakes, and biscuits cover the counter. There is nobody here, but an open door reveals another room at the back of the hut.

If you wish to call for service,
turn to 43
.

If you wish to help yourself to some bread and cakes,
turn to 157
.