From the battlements of Skull-Tor there arises a shrieking wail. At first this terrible sound reminds you of the ghastly howl emitted by the Vaag when they were consumed by the raging storm, but then you look to the fortress and quickly you determine that this is no supernatural sound: it is an alarm siren. Shortly after the shriek of this alarm is heard, you see the portcullis rise at Skull-Tor’s North Gate. A troop of cavalry gallops forth, and you note that each trooper is carrying a burning torch in one hand and a Bor pistol in the other. Fear returns to chill your blood when you sense that you have been spotted from the battlements, and this troop of cavalry has been dispatched to ride you down.
You break into a run and race along the paved avenue towards the western flank of Cillan Square. As you near the corner you see the saddle-maker’s shop where you and Hulsta first gained entry to the tunnel below Skull-Tor. You are sprinting across the avenue towards an alleyway that runs alongside the shop when the cavalry comes bearing down on you from behind. The captain screams an order to his men to open fire and the thunderous report of their pistols explodes in your ears.
You gasp with pain as a solid lead ball clips your right thigh, an inch above the knee: lose 2 ENDURANCE points.
Using your Kai healing skills, you easily staunch the trickle of blood from your wounded leg and you are able to reach the welcoming darkness of the alleyway without slowing your pace. You have good reason to curse your ill fortune at having been hit at all by this shot, for Bor pistols are notoriously inaccurate, especially when fired from the saddle. However, you can draw some comfort from the fact that the other twelve pistol balls that were discharged at your back all missed you by a wide mark.
You follow the alleyway to the rear of the saddle-maker’s shop where six passages converge from different directions. Here you rely upon your Magnakai Pathsmanship skills to find the one that leads back to Flank Street. The cavalry troopers are dismounting, and you can also hear foot soldiers marching at the double along Cillan Square; they have been sent by Vandyan to assist in hunting you down. They rush into the alleyway in hot pursuit but they quickly lose your trail upon entering the maze of passages that lie beyond.
You retrace your route through the passages and, as you turn the final corner, you are relieved to see that the alleyway behind Hulsta and Delissa’s shop is empty of troops.
You enter the rear yard of the cooperage and climb the stairs to the parlour above the workshop. Delissa hears your approaching footsteps and she opens the door as you reach it. Having heard only one set of footfalls on the stairs, she already suspects that something is wrong. But as soon as she sees the sadness in your eyes, her worst fears are confirmed.
You comfort Delissa as best you can and assure her that Hulsta’s sacrifice was not in vain. ‘The Vorka have been destroyed and the Runes of Agarash have been shattered,’ you tell her, ‘yet without Hulsta, this vital mission could not have been accomplished.’ Your thoughtful words ease her sorrow, but before she has had time to grieve the loss of her husband, she is suddenly confronted by a threat to her own survival.
You can hear soldiers with dogs running along the alleyway behind the yard. You wait for them to disappear, but to your shocked surprise, they suddenly stop and bang on the rear gate and demand to be let in.
‘Quick! Go and change into some of Hulsta’s clothes. You’ll find them in there,’ she says, and she points to a closet door. ‘I’ll go down to the yard and try to get rid of them.’
You do as she says and quickly you discard your Eldenoran tunic and breeches. You bundle them together with your Kai journeyman clothes, and then you dress quickly in a shirt, breeches, and jacket that you find in the closet. The clothes are a little too large but you do not mind. Only when you pull on a pair of Hulsta’s boots do you thank Ishir that they are a perfect fit. You are about to reach for one of Hulsta’s caps when suddenly you hear soldiers and dogs entering the yard.
(I stay where I am)
You hide your bundle of uniforms, your Weapons, and your equipment in the closet, and then you sit down at a table that is lit by a solitary candle. As you listen to the movements going on in the yard outside, you browse through one of several books that you find lying on the table.
Suddenly the parlour door is thrown open and in come two Eldenoran guards and a hunting dog. The dog sniffs the air and growls menacingly.
(I use Animal Mastery)
You draw upon your Discipline of Animal Mastery to subdue the dog, and the effect of your suggestion is immediate and irresistible. The dog stops growling and comes bounding towards you like a carefree puppy. You pat and stroke him, and he licks your hand affectionately.
‘Well I’ll be!’ exclaims one of the guardsmen. ‘You certainly ’ave a way with dogs. Ol’ Bloodfang don’t normally take to strangers.’
His companion looks at the playful hound and he shakes his head incredulously. ‘I’ve never seen him like this before,’ he says. ‘I’ve seen ’im bite a few hands off in his time, but I ain’t ever seen him lick one!’
Your control over the dog greatly impresses the two soldiers and they choose to forget about searching the parlour and its adjoining rooms. After a few minutes they put their dog on a leash and then they return to the yard. You stand in the doorway and watch as they, and four other guardsmen, make a thorough search of the barrels stored along the rear wall.
‘What’s all the fuss?’ you call out, much to Delissa’s surprise.
‘We’re looking for an enemy spy,’ retorts one of the soldiers.
‘He’s wearing a cavalry scout uniform,’ says another. ‘Have you seen or heard anything unusual tonight?’
‘No,’ you reply. ‘The storm kept us awake. We’ve heard nothing o’er that.’
The guards appear satisfied with your account and they call off their search. They bid you both goodnight and leave by the rear gate. When she is sure they have gone, Delissa quickly returns to the parlour and locks the door behind her.
‘Vandyan is out for revenge,’ says Delissa, as she hurries to her bookcase. ‘He must have sent every guard in the city out hunting for you this night.’ She opens the secret compartment that contains the plans of Skull-Tor, and removes a clear crystal sphere that lies beneath them. You recognize that this sphere is a seeing stone, for Gwynian possesses one that is identical. It is through the use of these seeing stones that he has maintained contact with his agents in Duadon. Delissa places the stone on a table and she recites the arcane words which activate it. A milky mist swirls at its core and then rapidly it dissipates to reveal Gwynian’s smiling face.
The wise sage congratulates you for the success of your mission. He tells you that the Vorka have been destroyed and the Eldenoran armies are retreating on every front. He is saddened to hear of Hulsta’s death and he consoles Delissa with the promise that her husband will be remembered and revered as a hero in the years to come. She is heartened by his kind words and she reaffirms her vow to help keep you safe until you are able to return to your homeland.
Gwynian informs you both that a rendezvous has been arranged to take place at dusk in three days’ time. You are to meet with Guildmaster Banedon aboard his flying ship Cloud-dancer at a place called ‘Xaitar’s Rock’. It is a landmark located in the hills 10 miles to the north of Duadon, close to the Luyen road. Delissa says that she knows it well.
‘Banedon will take you to Varetta where we shall meet again soon at the Halls of Learning,’ says the sage. ‘But until that glorious day, you must remain vigilant. You have dealt Vandyan a mortal blow. Now that his days are numbered, he will do everything in his power to avenge the destruction of the runes. Be warned, Grand Master. A viper is most dangerous when it knows it is doomed.’