Fox Fire the New Order Series

[Abe Sargent]

Alright, let's do the sequel series! I've never read any of these before, and I only own a few here and there. The series was published back in the 90s, and then was ended a few books too early as the sales dropped past the point of no return.


Recently, as the series gained new momentum from the free online website Project Aon, new versions were planned of the final four books. One was published in 2016 by Joe Dever, original author of the series. It's free on Aon.


Joe died recently, and the 2nd book was published by his son in 2019. It's not for free online anywhere, although I do have a copy so if we got that far and I was loving it, I could read it off line and share the story with y'all.


Now I am not sure how far we'll go! The books in this series turned into longer "readers" where you did less gaming and fighting and choosing and more reading. That's not bad but it's different. That trend began with The Darke Crusade and grew in reading from there. Wolf's Bane, Dawn of the Dragons were really bad at that, although The Legacy of Vashna and Darke Crusade did it well. It's possible we may only do one book or two and then I set it aside because of the "Reader" heavy nature of the book.


But let's do it!


We'll begin with Voyage of the Moonstone.

https://www.projectaon.org/

[Abe Sargent]

The Story So Far … 

You are a Kai Grand Master of the New Order of the Kai—the warrior élite of Sommerlund.

It is the year MS 5083 and thirty-three years have passed since the First Order of the Kai was almost wiped out by the Darklords of Helgedad. These champions of evil, who were sent by the Dark God Naar to destroy your fertile world of Magnamund, have since been destroyed. The leader of your illustrious fighting order—the legendary warrior Lone Wolf—was the sole survivor of the First Order of the Kai, and as a young initiate he had stood amid the burning wreckage of the old Kai Monastery and had vowed to avenge the massacre of his comrades. In the year MS 5070 he was to keep his pledge when alone he infiltrated the foul domain of the Darklords and destroyed the base of their power—the infernal city of Helgedad.

With the fall of Helgedad, chaos befell the Darkland armies who had, until then, been poised to conquer all of Magnamund. Quickly their disorder escalated into a mutinous civil war which allowed the Freeland armies of Magnamund time in which to recover and launch a successful counter-offensive. Against all odds, a swift and total victory was secured over the feuding armies of evil.

Following the demise of the Darklords, peace reigned in your homeland of Sommerlund. Under the direction of Lone Wolf the ruined Monastery of the Kai was rebuilt and restored to its former glory, and the raising of a New Order of Kai warriors was swiftly reestablished. You are one of this new generation of Kai recruits. You were born in Sommerlund in the year MS 5063, during the era of war against the Darklords, and you were sent by your father to the Kai Monastery at the age of seven to develop your martial skills and the latent Kai abilities which lie dormant in some Sommlending. During the years that followed, your skills were nurtured and honed to perfection by long hours of study and rigorous training. Your exceptional talent helped you to master all of the Kai and Magnakai Disciplines and you rose swiftly through the ranks of the New Order to become one of only five who now hold the high rank of Kai Grand Master. It is an achievement which has brought great honour upon you and your family.

In the year MS 5077 your skill and courage were put to the test when an attack was launched upon the Kai Monastery during Lone Wolf’s absence. By means of a Shadow Gate (an astral corridor between the physical world of Sommerlund and the many ethereal domains which lie beyond it) the Dark God sent forth a host of dragon-creatures to besiege the monastery and lay waste to all Sommerlund. He had chosen his time well, yet his evil plan was thwarted by the tenacious defence that you and your brethren maintained until the siege was raised by Lone Wolf and the King’s Army of Sommerlund.

The defeat of his minions enraged the Dark God and inflamed his lust for vengeance. Three years later he created and sent to Sommerlund an evil champion called ‘Wolf’s Bane’ who was the very image of Lone Wolf. While your leader was engaged upon a quest overseas, this impostor terrorized your homeland in his guise and sought to destroy the reputation and the honour of the Kai. He would have succeeded had not Lone Wolf returned home and pursued this enemy to an ancient necropolis in the Sommlending city of Tyso. There, deep within a subterranean crypt, he and his evil alter-ego were drawn through a Shadow Gate to the Plane of Darkness—Naar’s stronghold—where a deadly duel ensued. Lone Wolf vanquished the foe and discovered that Naar had in his possession the fabled Moonstone of the Shianti. This wondrous artefact was created many thousands of years ago by the god-like Shianti, whose presence upon Magnamund had heralded the dawn of humanity. This stone of power contains the combined might of all their magic and wisdom, the sum of all their knowledge. So significant was the creation of this stone that all time on Magnamund has since been measured from the date of its creation. It had long been held that the Moonstone’s location was a secret known only to the remnants of the Shianti, who dwell upon the mysterious Isle of Lorn in Southern Magnamund, yet the evidence of Lone Wolf’s eyes had told him that this mystical artefact had somehow fallen into the hands of Naar.

Lone Wolf realized that the Dark God had been using its legendary powers to generate Shadow Gates within the world of Magnamund, at locations and times of his own choosing. Such power had enabled him to send his loathsome champions to your home world, while the forces of the Gods of Good, Kai and Ishir, had been held at bay. Only Lone Wolf and the New Order of the Kai had stood in the way of the onslaught of Naar’s agents since the demise of the Darklords.

Lone Wolf successfully escaped from the Plane of Darkness and returned to Sommerlund, yet he knew that the fight against Evil had not been won outright. He realized that he would have to return to the Plane of Darkness and retrieve the fabled Moonstone. Only by doing so would Magnamund truly be safe from Naar’s legions of darkness. Two years ago, with the aid of his most trusted ally, Lord Rimoah of Dessi, Lone Wolf fulfilled his vow by journeying to the Dark God’s domain and retrieving the Moonstone of the Shianti. Upon his triumphant return, Lone Wolf placed the Moonstone in the Vault of the Sun—his personal chamber located deep below the fortified citadel of the Kai Monastery. He had hoped that the fabled artefact could remain there indefinitely, to be guarded by generations of Kai who would keep it secure from Naar’s minions. Retrieval of the Moonstone had denied the Dark God’s champions ready access to Magnamund, yet Lone Wolf knew that there were many lesser agents of Naar upon Magnamund waiting quietly in the shadows for the chance to do his evil bidding. Undoubtedly they would stop at nothing to retrieve the Moonstone for their fell master.

Within a year of his return home it became clear to Lone Wolf that his wish could not be fulfilled. At first the presence of the Moonstone seemed greatly beneficial to Sommerlund. Crops grew abundantly, incidence of disease and illness became increasingly rare, and the newly-born were uniformly healthy. Even the offspring of the impoverished who, in normal times, could expect only one in three of their infants to survive longer than a month after birth, were all in good health and exceptional in their physical and mental development. The Sommlending called this extraordinary period of providence ‘the Blessing of the Moonstone’, yet this time of good fortune could not last. The power of the Moonstone was a great force for Good, but it was also greatly disruptive of the natural order of Magnamund. Soon death itself became a rarity in Sommerlund, and the four seasons of the year were slowly transformed into one unending spring. Lone Wolf was deeply concerned at the changes wrought by the Moonstone and sought the counsel of his closest friend—Guildmaster Banedon, leader of Sommerlund’s Brotherhood of Magicians. Banedon entreated him to relinquish the Moonstone before the effects of its power became irreversible. To right the balance of nature the Moonstone would have to be taken to the Isle of Lorn, in the southernmost reaches of Magnamund, and delivered back into the hands of the Shianti. Only they, its creators, could prevent its powers from disrupting the natural order of your world.

Lone Wolf agreed with Banedon—the Moonstone would have to be returned to the Shianti. The physical effects of its presence were beginning to attract the unwelcome attentions of those who secretly sought to enact Naar’s revenge upon the Kai. When one of Naar’s agents was captured by a Kai patrol within a few miles of the monastery, Lone Wolf felt he could wait no longer. He resolved to act immediately. Preparations were made for a long journey and, especially among the lower ranks of the Kai, rumours were rife that Lone Wolf himself would take responsibility for carrying the Moonstone to the Shianti. Indeed, this speculation seemed to be confirmed as fact when it was discovered that he had secured the use of Guildmaster Banedon’s famous flying ship—Cloud-dancer.

It therefore came as a shock when, early one morning, you were summoned unexpectedly to the Vault of the Sun. In strictest confidence, Supreme Master Lone Wolf informed you that he had decided to entrust you with the task of taking the Moonstone to the Shianti. The elaborate preparation he was undertaking was simply a diversion, a bluff designed to draw attention away from the vital mission that he wished to entrust to you—the most talented and courageous of his Kai Grand Masters.

[Abe Sargent]

The Game Rules

You keep a record of your adventure on the Action Chart.

During the years you have spent in training at the Kai Monastery, you have devoted yourself to further developing your fighting prowess (COMBAT SKILL) and physical stamina (ENDURANCE). Before you begin this New Order adventure you need to measure how effective your training has been. To do this take a pencil and, with your eyes closed, point the blunt end of it onto the Random Number Table. If you pick a 0 it counts as zero.

The first number that you pick from the Random Number Table in this way represents your COMBAT SKILL. Add 25 to the number you picked and write the total in the COMBAT SKILL section of your Action Chart (i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 7 in the Random Number Table you would write in a COMBAT SKILL of 32). When you fight, your COMBAT SKILL will be pitted against that of your enemy. A high score in this section is therefore desirable.

The second number that you pick from the Random Number Table represents your powers of ENDURANCE. Add 30 to this number and write the total in the ENDURANCE section of your Action Chart (i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 8 on the Random Number Table you would have 38 ENDURANCE points).

If you are wounded in combat you will lose ENDURANCE points. If at any time your ENDURANCE points fall to zero or below, you are dead and the adventure is over. Lost ENDURANCE points can be regained during the course of the adventure, but your number of ENDURANCE points cannot rise above the number you have when you start an adventure.

Playing Tip: You may use a 10-sided die instead of the Random Number Table if you find it more convenient.


(I roll dice! I toss my first and get a 8 for CS, but just the 3rd lowest possible for EP, a 2. My CS is 32, and my EP is also 32.)

[Abe Sargent]

Your Kai Name

It has long been the tradition of your élite warrior caste to bestow a new name upon each young novice when they complete their first year’s training at the Kai Monastery. Kai names are chosen by senior Kai Masters with the aim of reflecting the individual strengths and qualities of each novice.

You may create your own Kai name for yourself, or you can generate a Kai name at random using the name tables below. To generate a Kai name, pick a number from the Random Number Table and consult Table A. The name which corresponds to the number you have picked is the first part, or prefix, of your Kai name. Now pick a second number from the Random Number Table and consult Table B. The name which corresponds to the number you have picked is the second part, or suffix, of your Kai name. Put the prefix and the suffix together and you have your own personal Kai name.

Table A

Table B
(Kai name prefix)

(Kai name suffix)
0 = 
Swift

0 = 
Blade
1 = 
Sun

1 = 
Fire
2 = 
True

2 = 
Hawk
3 = 
Bold

3 = 
Heart
4 = 
Moon

4 = 
Friend
5 = 
Sword

5 = 
Star
6 = 
Wise

6 = 
Dancer
7 = 
Storm

7 = 
Helm
8 = 
Rune

8 = 
Strider
9 = 
Brave

9 = 
Shield

(I choose the name Fox Fire as it seems very Kai).

[Abe Sargent]

New Order Kai Grand Master Disciplines

Kai and Magnakai Disciplines

During your distinguished rise to the ranks of the New Order of Kai Grand Masters, you have become proficient in all of the basic Kai and Magnakai Disciplines. These Disciplines provide you with a formidable arsenal of natural abilities which will serve you well. A brief summary of your skills is given below:

Weaponmastery
You are proficient with all close combat and missile weapons. You are a master of unarmed combat and suffer no COMBAT SKILL loss when fighting bare-handed.

Animal Control
You are able to communicate with most animals and have limited control over hostile creatures. You can use woodland animals as guides and you are able to block a non-sentient creature’s sense of taste and smell.

Curing
You are able to restore ENDURANCE points lost as a direct result of combat. You may restore 1 ENDURANCE point for every numbered section of the book you pass through in which you are not involved in further combat. The maximum number of ENDURANCE points that can be restored in this way is limited to 10 per adventure.

You also possess the ability to heal the wounds of others, and you can neutralize the harmful effects of most poisons, venoms, and toxins.

Invisibility
You can hide effectively in most environments, mask any sounds made during movement, and you can cause minor alterations of your own physical appearance. Also you are able to mask your own body heat and scent.

Huntmastery
You are an expert hunter of food in the wild. You possess great physical agility and a keen sense of vision (day and night). Your senses of hearing and smell are especially acute.

Pathsmanship
You are able to understand most languages, magical symbols, and hieroglyphics. You are expert at reading footprints and tracks. You have an intuitive knowledge of the compass points and can detect the threat of an enemy ambush up to a distance of 500 yards. You possess an ability to cross terrain without leaving tracks. You can converse with sentient creatures and mask yourself from psychic spells of detection.

Psi-surge
You are able to attack enemies using the powers of your mind. Also you can set up disruptive vibrations in inanimate objects and cause confusion in the minds of unsophisticated enemies.

Psi-screen
You possess strong mental defences against hypnosis, supernatural illusions, charms, hostile telepathy, and evil spirits. You are able to divert and re-channel some hostile psychic energy to your own ends.

Nexus
You can move small items by projection of your mind power. You can withstand extremes of temperature and are able to extinguish fire by force of your will alone. You have a limited immunity to flames, toxic gases, and corrosive liquids.

Divination
Your famous Kai Sixth Sense can warn you of imminent danger. You can detect invisible or hidden enemies, and you are able to communicate telepathically. You can recognize magic-using and/or magical creatures, detect psychic residues, and you have a limited ability to leave your corporeal body (‘spirit-walk’) for short periods.

New Order Kai Grand Master Disciplines

After years of martial training and study at the Kai Monastery, and by the rigorous practice of the teachings of your illustrious mentor—Kai Supreme Master Lone Wolf—you have achieved the noble rank of Kai Grand Master Senior.

Following in the footsteps of Lone Wolf himself, you have vowed that one day you will become totally proficient in all 16 of the New Order Kai Grand Master Disciplines. By doing so successfully you will share with Lone Wolf the responsibility, the honour, and the future glory of leading the New Order Kai as a Supreme Master.

Your present rank of Kai Grand Master Senior means that you have mastered five of the New Order Grand Master Disciplines listed below. It is for you to decide which five Disciplines these are. As all of the New Order Grand Master Disciplines may be of use to you at some point during your mission, pick these five skills with care. The correct use of a New Order Grand Master Discipline at the right time could save your life. When you have chosen your five Disciplines, enter them in the Grand Master Disciplines section of your Action Chart.

Grand Weaponmastery

This Discipline enables a New Order Grand Master to become supremely efficient in the use of all weapons. When you enter combat armed with one of your Grand Master weapons, you may add 5 points to your COMBAT SKILL. The rank of Kai Grand Master Senior, with which you begin the New Order series, means that you are skilled in the use of one of the weapons listed below.

For every adventure that you complete successfully in the New Order series while possessing the Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery, you will gain proficiency with one additional weapon.

If you have the Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, you may add 5 points to any number you pick from the Random Number Table, when using the Bow.

Animal Mastery

New Order Grand Masters have considerable control over hostile, non-sentient creatures. Also, they have the ability to converse with birds and fishes, and use them as guides.

Deliverance (Advanced Curing)

Nw Order Grand Masters are able to use their healing power to repair serious battle-wounds. If, while in combat, their ENDURANCE is reduced to 8 points or less, they can draw upon their mastery to restore 20 ENDURANCE points. This emergency ability can only be used once every 20 days.

Assimilance (Advanced Invisibility)

New Order Grand Masters are able to effect striking changes to their physical appearance, and maintain these changes over a period of one to three days. They have also mastered advanced camouflage techniques which make them virtually undetectable in an open landscape.

Grand Huntmastery

New Order Grand Masters are able to see in total darkness and they possess great natural speed and agility. They also have a superb sense of touch and taste. If you have chosen the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery as one of your skills, you will not need to tick off a Meal when instructed to eat.

Grand Pathsmanship



New Order Grand Masters are able to resist entrapment by hostile plants. Also they have a super-awareness of ambush, or the threat of ambush, in woods and dense forests.

Kai-surge


When using their psychic ability to attack an enemy, New Order Grand Masters may add 8 points to their COMBAT SKILL. For every round in which Kai-surge is used, they need only deduct 1 ENDURANCE point. Grand Masters have the option of using a weaker form of psychic attack called Mindblast. When using this lesser attack, they may add 4 points to their COMBAT SKILL without loss of ENDURANCE points (Kai-surge and Mindblast cannot be used simultaneously). New Order Grand Masters cannot use Kai-surge if their ENDURANCE score falls to 6 points or below.

Kai-screen

During psychic combat, New Order Grand Masters are able to construct mind-fortresses capable of protecting themselves and others. The strength and capacity of these fortresses increase as a New Order Grand Master advances in rank.

Grand Nexus

New Order Grand Masters are able to withstand contact with harmful elements, such as flames and acids, for upwards of an hour in duration. This ability increases as a New Order Grand Master advances in rank.

Telegnosis (Advanced Divination)


This Discipline enables a New Order Grand Master to spirit-walk for far greater lengths of time, and with far fewer ill effects. Duration of the spirit-walk and the protection afforded to his inanimate body increase as a New Order Grand Master advances in rank.

Magi-magic (Old Kingdom Magic)


Under the tutelage of Lone Wolf, you have been able to master the rudimentary skills of Old Kingdom battle-magic. These arcane skills include the use of basic Old Kingdom Spells, such as Shield, Power Word, and Invisible Fist. As you advance in rank, so will your knowledge and mastery of Old Kingdom magic increase.

Kai-alchemy (Brotherhood Magic)

Under the tutelage of Lone Wolf and Guildmaster Banedon (the leader of Sommerlund’s Guild of Magicians), you have mastered the elementary spells of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star. These spells include Lightning Hand, Levitation, and Mind Charm. As you advance in rank, so will your knowledge and mastery of Brotherhood magic increase.

Astrology

The celestial bodies which occupy the skies above Magnamund have long been known to affect the lives of its inhabitants. Mastery of this Discipline enables a New Order Grand Master to predict and shape the future by studying the relative positions of the Sun, the Moon, and the myriad planets and stars. The number and accuracy of these predictions increase as a New Order Grand Master advances in rank.

Herbmastery

Mastery of this New Order Discipline enables a Grand Master to identify readily any substance derived from living or growing organic material. He is aware of any secret uses to which an organic material may be put, and he is skilled in effecting the release of a substance’s medicinal and/or magical properties.

Elementalism

This Discipline enables a New Order Grand Master to manipulate the four basic elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. By drawing upon individual elements that are available, or combinations thereof, he is able to detach, affix, increase, concentrate, intensify, remove, or accelerate this matter to fulfil a specific purpose, e.g. create a wall, hurl a rock, spray sand, remove air, intensify fire. The versatility of this Discipline increases as a New Order Grand Master advances in rank.

Bardsmanship

Through mastery of this Discipline a Kai Grand Master of the New Order becomes a multi-talented performer, proficient in the use of any musical instrument. He is able to sing or chant, recite or compose tales of legend, mimic speech or dialect, and stimulate a wide range of emotions among sentient creatures. The effect and power of his bardic abilities will steadily increase as he advances through the Grand Master ranks.

If you successfully complete the mission as set in Book 21 of the Lone Wolf New Order series, you may add a further Grand Master Discipline of your choice to your Action Chart in Book 22. For every Grand Master Discipline you possess, in excess of the original five Disciplines you begin with, you may add 1 point to your basic COMBAT SKILL score and 2 points to your basic ENDURANCE points score. These bonus points, together with your extra Grand Master Discipline, your original five Grand Master Disciplines, your Kai Weapon,2 and any other Special Items and Backpack Items that you have found and been able to keep during your adventures, may then be carried over and used in the next New Order adventure, which is called: The Buccaneers of Shadaki.

[Abe Sargent]

What are my new disciplines going to be?


Two are ones I have to take as a new character:

Kai-Surge for that bonus to my CS
Grand Weaponmastery, ditto


I am choosing the Axe and see the next section for why.


This gives me a +13 boost to my CS when needed, which should get me there.


Now you can see we have four new disciplines. That's cool! I always like to take something new. I'll grab Elementalism.


In the last series, Animal Mastery was heavily used. Here I am going to take Grand Huntmastery and Grand Pathsmanship so I can get not-needed meals and the boost to my stuff. I may take Animal Mastery early if it's used a lot.


And there we go!

Not that in this case you have the one heal per section rule for a new char you did not inherit from Plague Lords of Ruel if you began that series there.

[Abe Sargent]

Kai Weapons

Upon reaching the ultimate rank of Kai Supreme Master, Lone Wolf received as a reward from the God Kai many new skills and abilities. One of these skills was Kai Weaponcraft. Using his newfound mastery, Lone Wolf forged ten weapons of magical power in the armoury furnaces of the Kai Monastery. These magical weapons are reserved for the élite of the New Order Kai who attain the rank of Grand Master.

In recognition of your rank and achievement, you may choose your own Kai Weapon from the table below or, if you prefer, you can generate one at random. To generate a Kai Weapon, pick a number from the Random Number Table and consult the first column. The magical Axe, Sword, or Broadsword which corresponds to the number you have picked will be your own personal Kai Weapon. Record this magical weapon and its unique properties in the Kai Weapon section of the Special Items List.

Example

Say you choose the number 8 from the Random Number Table, your Kai Weapon will be the Broadsword ‘Illuminatus’.

When using this Kai Weapon in normal combat you may add +5 points to your COMBAT SKILL. Each Kai Weapon has a unique property. When you use your Kai Weapon in combat against the type of enemy that matches its unique property, or use it at the optimum time or location, then you may add the higher bonus to your COMBAT SKILL (these bonuses are not cumulative).
Example

If you were to use ‘Illuminatus’ in combat against an enemy in an underground cavern, cave, or tunnel, you could add the higher bonus of 7 to your COMBAT SKILL. If you were to fight this enemy in any other location, the bonus to your COMBAT SKILL would remain at 5.

Kai Weapon Table

RN
Weapon Type
Weapon Name
CS
Unique Properties
CS
0
Axe
‘Spawnsmite’
+5
versus reptilian enemies
+6
1
Axe
‘Alema’
+5
versus undead enemies
+7
2
Axe
‘Magnara’
+5
versus rock or stone
+8
3
Sword
‘Sunstrike’
+5
when used in daylight
+6
4
Sword
‘Kaistar’
+5
when used at night
+7
5
Sword
‘Valiance’
+5
when used against magicians or creatures born of magic
+8
6
Sword
‘Ulnarias’
+5
when used underwater
+9
7
Broadsword
‘Raumas’
+5
versus winged enemies
+6
8
Broadsword
‘Illuminatus’
+5
when used underground
+7
9
Broadsword
‘Firefall’
+5
versus fire-emitting enemies
+8
RN = Random Number
CS = COMBAT SKILL

(I am using the Kai Weapon Axe Alema, +5 normally and +7 vs undead)

[Abe Sargent]

I begin with:

Potion of Laumpsur, +4 EP
Rope
2 Meals
Bow
6 arrows
22 Crowns

[Abe Sargent]

[Abe Sargent]

Rules for Combat

There will be occasions during your adventure when you will have to fight an enemy. The enemy’s COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points are given in the text. Your aim in the combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his ENDURANCE points to zero while losing as few ENDURANCE points as possible yourself.

At the start of a combat, enter your own and the enemy’s ENDURANCE points in the appropriate boxes on the Combat Record section of your Action Chart.

The sequence for combat is as follows:

Add any extra points gained through your Grand Master Disciplines and Special Items to your current COMBAT SKILL total.

Subtract the COMBAT SKILL of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter it on the Action Chart.

Example

You, Grand Master (COMBAT SKILL 32), are attacked in a forest by a pack of Wild Dogs (COMBAT SKILL 31). You are taken by surprise and are not given the opportunity of evading their attack. You possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge to which the Wild Dogs are not immune, so you add 8 points to your COMBAT SKILL. You also possess the Kai Weapon ‘Ulnarias’, so you add an additional 5 points to your COMBAT SKILL. This gives you a total COMBAT SKILL of 45.

You now subtract the Wild Dogs’ COMBAT SKILL from your own, giving a Combat Ratio of +14 (45−31=+14). +14 is noted on your Action Chart as the Combat Ratio.

When you have your Combat Ratio, pick a number from the Random Number Table.

Turn to the Combat Results Table. Along the top of the chart are shown the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-reference it with the random number that you have picked (the random numbers appear on the side of the chart). You now have the number of ENDURANCE points lost by both yourself and your enemy in this round of combat. (E represents points lost by the enemy; GM represents points lost by yourself—Grand Master.)

Example

The Combat Ratio between you and the Wild Dogs has been established as +14. If the number picked from the Random Number Table is 1, then the result of the first round of combat is:

You (GM) lose 3 ENDURANCE points (plus an additional 1 point for using Kai-surge. This loss is in addition to the loss suffered as a result of combat).
Wild Dogs lose 9 ENDURANCE points.


On the Action Chart, mark the changes in ENDURANCE points to the participants in the combat.

Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, the next round of combat now starts.

Repeat the sequence from Stage 3.

This process of combat continues until the ENDURANCE points of either your enemy or yourself are reduced to zero or below, at which point that combatant is declared dead. If you are declared dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, you can proceed but with your ENDURANCE points possibly reduced.

A summary of Combat Rules appears in the back of this book.
Evasion of Combat

During your adventure you may be given the chance to evade combat. If you have already engaged in a round of combat and decide to evade, calculate the combat for that round in the usual manner. All points lost by the enemy as a result of that round are ignored, and you make your escape. Only you may lose ENDURANCE points during that round (such is the risk of turning tail and running away during combat!). You may only evade if the text of the particular section allows you to do so.

[Abe Sargent]

Levels of New Order Kai Grand Mastership

The following table is a guide to the ranks and titles you can achieve at each stage of your journey along the road of Kai Grand Mastership. As you successfully complete each adventure in the New Order series, you will gain an additional Grand Master Discipline and progress towards the pinnacle of Kai perfection—to become a Kai Supreme Master.

Kai Grand Master Senior—(You begin the New Order adventures at this level of Kai Grand Mastery)
Kai Grand Master Superior
Kai Grand Sentinel
Kai Grand Defender
Kai Grand Guardian
Sun Knight
Sun Lord
Sun Thane
Grand Thane
Grand Crown
Sun Prince
Kai Supreme Master



Improved Grand Master Disciplines

As you rise through the higher levels of Grand Mastery you will find that your Disciplines will steadily improve. The nature of these additional improvements and how they affect your existing Disciplines will be noted in the Improved Disciplines section of future Lone Wolf New Order series books.

[Abe Sargent]

New Order Wisdom

You are about to embark upon the first stage of an essential mission to return the fabled Moonstone of the Shianti to its creators.

Some of the material items that you will encounter during your quest will be of use to you, while others may be red herrings of no real value at all. If you discover items, be selective in what you choose to keep.

Pick your five Disciplines with care for a wise choice will enable any player to complete the quest, no matter how weak their initial COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE scores may be. Successful completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures (Books 1–20) is not essential for the completion of this New Order adventure.

May the light of the Gods Kai and Ishir guide you during your vital quest.

For Sommerlund and the Kai!

[Abe Sargent]

I reposted all of hate rules from the guidebook so you can see them here up front,

[Abe Sargent]

Fox Fire, Kai Grand Master Senior


CS - 42/46/50
EP - 32

Special Items:

Kai Weapon Axe Alema, +5 normally and +7 vs undead
Moonstone


Backpack Items:

1. Laumspur
2. Rope
3. Meal
4. Meal
5.
6.
7.
8.


Meals:

2

Weapons:

Bow

Arrows:

6

[Abe Sargent]

‘Understand that your mission must be conducted with the utmost secrecy to ensure its success,’ says Lone Wolf, fixing you with his steely gaze. You nod your head in acknowledgement and watch with growing anticipation as the Supreme Master of the Kai rises from his throne and moves silently across the polished stone floor of his magnificent vault. From a concealed safe in the granite wall he removes a seemingly plain leather satchel which he unbuckles and holds open, inviting your inspection. Nestled within lies the legendary Moonstone, surrounded by a shimmering halo of golden light.

‘The inner lining of this bag is woven from strands of fine-spun korlinium,’ says Lone Wolf, as he carefully buckles the satchel’s leather flap.

‘The mineral will hide the Moonstone’s powerful energies, especially from those who have no need to rely solely upon their eyesight to detect its power.’

He offers you the satchel and you accept it with trembling hands. Yet the moment you touch the bag you feel all your anxieties suddenly vanish and the natural air of calm confidence, for which you are noted among your brother Kai, swiftly returns. (Record the Moonstone on your Action Chart as a Special Item. You carry it slung over your shoulder in its leather satchel.) Lone Wolf informs you that you are to journey 2,000 miles to Elzian—the principal city of the jungle realm of Dessi. There you are to seek out Lord Rimoah at the Tower of Truth. He will assist your onward passage to the Isle of Lorn. In the interests of secrecy, Rimoah is the only other person who knows about your mission. Lone Wolf has arranged for you to travel aboard a Sommlending trading ship, sailing out of Holmgard for Bisutan by way of Barrakeesh. You will be met in Barrakeesh by Lord-lieutenant Fernant, the Sommlending envoy to Vassagonia, who will join you on the voyage to Bisutan where his rank and reputation will help speed the final leg of your journey to Elzian. To allay suspicion you will travel in the guise of a Kai journeyman. At the same time, as you embark upon your long voyage south, so Lone Wolf will leave the monastery aboard the skyship Cloud-dancer and journey to distant Lencia, in the far west of Magnamund. He shall carry with him a replica of the Moonstone to draw away the attention of any who would seek to thwart your true quest.

Upon concluding your briefing, Lone Wolf orders you to go to your quarters and rest. You are to return to the vault at midnight in full readiness to begin the mission.

Dressed in the plain green tunic, breeches, and cloak of a Kai journeyman, you return to the Vault of the Sun at midnight as ordered. Lone Wolf approves of your appearance and commends you for your determination to succeed. He is confident he has chosen the right Grand Master to fulfil this vital mission. He opens a concealed portal in the wall of the chamber and he motions you to follow him as he steps through into a torchlit tunnel. This secret passage passes under the walls of the monastery and emerges at a clearing in the surrounding Fryelund Forest. Here awaits a party of men and horses—élite troopers from King Ulnar’s Court Cavalry Regiment. Lone Wolf bids you good luck and godspeed as you climb into the saddle of a chestnut mare and, with a proud salute, you bid farewell to your leader before galloping away with the horsemen along a moonlit forest track.

Your bodyguard of King’s troopers have orders to ensure that you reach Holmgard harbour swiftly and safely; they know nothing about your mission. You ride all night and enter the capital shortly after dawn, whereupon you are escorted through the awakening streets to the harbour where The Pride of Sommerlund, an armed caravel, is moored alongside the stone quay. From its mainmast flies a red flag emblazoned with a golden galleon and a five-pointed crown. It is the Holmgard ensign, the flag of this city’s trading fleet. As you rein your mare to a halt, you cast your eyes along the ship’s deck and note that it is equipped with several light swivel cannon mounted upon the gunwales. It is uncommon for traders to be armed, even those that venture regularly into the Kuri Sea which is notorious for its brigands and pirate raiders. Your voyage is destined to traverse these perilous waters and so the unexpected sight of the ship’s guns comes as a welcome surprise.



A bristle-bearded First Mate called Paoll is on dawn watch and he beckons you to come aboard. Your cavalry escort, having delivered you safely to the quay, now bid you a safe voyage and depart from the harbour with your horse in tow. Paoll welcomes you and offers to show you to your cabin. He says that the ship’s master, Captain Raker, is still ashore after having spent last night celebrating at the Good Cheer Inn. He says he was due back at dawn, yet he does not appear to be particularly concerned by his absence. It is not uncommon for Captain Raker to be late back from shore leave, especially when he and his crew are to embark on a long voyage. Paoll tells you not to worry and says that Raker should be back within the hour.

[Abe Sargent]

Paoll shows you to your cabin which is situated at the stern, next to the captain’s quarters. He suggests you rest here and offers to call you when the captain returns, but you are keen to familiarize yourself with the layout of the ship and you decide instead to accompany him as he goes about the task of rousing the sleeping crew.

The forward hold of this sailing ship has been converted into a dormitory for the ship’s complement of eighteen men. Yet as Paoll’s bellowing voice stirs them reluctantly from their hammocks, you count thirty-one men berthed here.

‘Welcome aboard,’ says a fair-haired young man whose blue surcoat is emblazoned with the scarlet anchor of the Kirlundin Isles. ‘My name’s Dryan—Sergeant Dryan of the 1st Kirlundin Marines. My men and I have been assigned a tour of duty aboard The Pride of Sommerlund for the duration of the voyage.’



You speak with Sergeant Dryan for a few minutes and learn that he and his marines have been ordered aboard the ship by King Ulnar. Dryan’s instructions are to protect the ship’s cargo from the threat of pirate attack for, in addition to yourself, The Pride of Sommerlund is carrying a valuable consignment of wheat and timber bound for Bisutan. At first you are suspicious; in his briefing Lone Wolf said nothing about an escort of marines. To determine whether Dryan is telling the truth, you probe the sergeant’s mind using your psychic skills and discover at once that he is genuine. He does not know or suspect the true purpose of your journey.

‘Well I’m glad to be sharing this voyage with you and your men,’ you say. ‘It makes me feel much safer knowing we have marines on board.’

You salute the sergeant and allow him to attend to his men. As you turn to leave, Paoll appears at the exit to the hold.

‘Capt’n Raker’s comin’ aboard, sir!’ he shouts.

You return on deck in time to see a broad-shouldered man with a golden beard and sharp blue eyes come striding up the gangplank.

‘I’m Raker,’ he says gruffly, ‘and you must be the Kai journeyman we’ve been expecting. Good, now we can be getting on our way.’ He turns to the First Mate and bellows: ‘Alright, Paoll. Set your crew to work. I want us to catch the ebb tide in one hour.’

The deck of The Pride of Sommerlund becomes a hive of activity as the crew sets about getting the ship ready to sail. When the last spread of canvas has been unfurled and the cables are cast off from the quayside, you feel the deck rock gently as Paoll steers the cargo-heavy vessel towards the entrance to Holmgard harbour. At first she responds sluggishly and the First Mate curses her as he struggles with the ship’s wheel. Yet, once you pass beyond the harbour’s protective walls, a sea wind fills the sails and the ship is swiftly transformed. Within minutes of leaving harbour, The Pride of Sommerlund is speeding swiftly eastwards through the foam-flecked waters of the Holmgulf.

For six uneventful days you sail across the Gulf of Durenor, the passage made easy by fair weather and a strong following wind. After a night’s anchorage at Port Bax, the voyage continues along the Rymerift and into the warm, turquoise waters of the Kuri Sea. Shortly after dawn of the thirteenth day, an island looms into view on the horizon. Its white sandy beaches and rich vegetation appear innocuous, but Captain Raker informs you that it is one of the notorious Lakuri Isles. For centuries the bays and hidden coves of the Lakuris have provided a safe haven for pirates, the most infamous of whom was Captain Khadro. Six years ago this murderous buccaneer was slain by your master, Lone Wolf, yet despite his demise the Lakuri Islands still harbour renegades and pirates who have set up camp here during the past year. Captain Raker scours the horizon with his telescope, seeking a tell-tale glimpse of sail among the inlets and coves which pepper the shoreline. During his last voyage he came close to losing his ship in these waters and he is understandably wary.

(I do have Grand Hunt)

You scan the distant island, using your Grand Master Discipline to enhance your innate visual skills. The shoreline appears deserted, but when you cast your gaze towards the east you notice several dots on the horizon. You alert Captain Raker and he brings his telescope to bear. After a few moments’ observation he shouts an order to Paoll: ‘South by southwest, if you please, First Mate. Looks like we’ve got comp’ny!’

The timbers creak as the ship turns about and forges a passage through deep water. Following the change of bearing the wind is now no longer in your favour and Paoll is forced to tack against it to make progress. The distant ships are now visible and it is clear to all aboard that they are pirate raiders. Soon another two islands rise into view and the captain orders his First Mate to steer a course towards a narrow channel which separates them.

‘That’s the Bukimi Channel,’ says Raker. ‘If we can pass through afore those sea dogs, we’ll pick up southerly winds on the far side. Then they’ll never catch us!’

(I toss a 6)

Through a combination of skilful helmsmanship and crewmanship, The Pride of Sommerlund enters the Bukimi Channel and picks up a prevailing wind that propels you away from the pirate raiders. Soon they have disappeared beyond the distant horizon and, when Raker is sure that they have abandoned their pursuit, he warmly praises his First Mate and crew for their seamanship.

As the ship navigates the narrow strait dividing these two Lakuri islands, you pass by the fire-blackened ruins of a beach settlement which nestles in a bay overshadowed by cliffs. This is Kita Cove, formerly a secret base from where Captain Khadro launched his pirate fleet. As you stare at the charred remnants of the pirate settlement, you try to imagine what it must have looked like before the encampment was consumed by the tremendous fireball that sealed its doom. Suddenly your daydreaming is interrupted when, to your shocked surprise, you see something moving among the ruins.


(I do not have Kai-Alchemy)


You observe a number of shadowy creatures lurking among the ruins of Kita Cove, near to the charred wreckage of a wooden jetty. At once you inform Captain Raker and your discovery excites his curiosity. After observing the ruins for himself using his telescope, he toys with the idea of sending ashore a landing party to investigate these creatures.

[Abe Sargent]

(Let's investigate)

Together with Paoll and a party of five armed marines, you row ashore in the ship’s longboat. With weapons drawn, you and your search party sift through the ruins of Khadro’s encampment but find few items of any practical value. There are several tracks which have been made by the creatures you glimpsed earlier, but they all lead away into the surrounding jungle and you can no longer detect their presence.

Mindful of the risk you are taking simply by being here on the island, away from the ship, you signal to the men to return to the longboat. As you are descending the beach, you trip accidentally upon something half-buried in the black sand. Closer inspection reveals it to be a fist-sized ball of iron that has been crafted into the shape of a human skull. (If you wish to keep this Iron Skull, record it on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you carry in the pocket of your tunic.)

(I take it)

On returning to the ship, you and your party clamber aboard and the longboat is quickly hoisted back onto the main deck. Captain Raker is keen to get the ship underway and he commands his crew to unfurl every square inch of canvas to catch the prevailing winds. Within minutes of your return, The Pride of Sommerlund is once again back on course, forging a swift passage south through the Bukimi Channel.

Upon emerging from the Bukimi Channel, The Pride of Sommerlund is caught by a strong northeasterly wind which propels her swiftly towards the Vassagonian coast. For two days and nights she rides the scudding waves, her speedy passage more than making up for any time lost in the Lakuri Isles. Then, late on the third day, the lookout catches his first glimpse of Barrakeesh. Excitedly the crew gather on deck to stare at the golden domes and towers of the city which glimmer like orbs of burnished gold in the glow of the setting sun. In fading light, Paoll brings the ship silently into the great curve of Barrakeesh harbour and moors her at the end of a vacant quay. Few eyes notice another trade ship, but one pair takes a special interest. They belong to Lord-lieutenant Fernant, the Sommlending envoy to this rich, desert realm. When finally the ship is docked and the gangplank is lowered to the quayside, he is waiting there to greet your arrival.

Fernant is a tall man in his mid-forties, clean-shaven, and of slim and athletic build. His face has characteristics which are unmistakably Sommlending, yet his skin is richly tanned from the many years he has spent in this sun-drenched land. After a brief talk with Captain Raker to confirm that the ship will be ready to sail tomorrow at noon, he offers you the hospitality of his house in the city. After nearly a month at sea, you gladly welcome the chance to bathe in a proper bath and sleep in a proper bed.

Fernant’s house is only a short distance from the harbour. It is a large, two-storey dwelling with a flat roof and a walled garden that smells sweetly of picanda and larnuma fruit. After a luxurious bath and a feast fit for a king, Fernant tells you something about the changes which have occurred in Vassagonia since the demise of its hated ruler—Zakhan Kimah—who, during the Darklands War, allied himself and his reluctant nation to the Darklords of Helgedad.

‘Shoualli is the new Zakhan now,’ says Fernant, as he peels the skin from a ripe larnuma and slices it neatly in two with a pearl-handled dagger. ‘He is an honourable and intelligent man. He has brought peace back to this land through trade. Its enemies, who once swore to destroy Vassagonia, now come and barter their wares in the rich markets of Barrakeesh and Bisutan.’ Later during the evening, talk turns to the details of your mission. Fernant is unaware of its true purpose; all he knows is that he is to offer you every assistance to ensure your swift and safe passage to Elzian. When you tell him that you are not at liberty to discuss your mission fully, he nods sympathetically and vows he will refrain from ever mentioning the subject again.

Shortly before midnight there is a knock at the front door of Fernant’s house. He signals to one of his servants to go and answer it and you comment that it is an uncommonly late hour for someone to be paying him a visit. ‘Quite so,’ he says, ‘but this is a visitor I’ve been expecting. It’s someone I’d especially like you to meet.’

Fernant’s servant returns to the room with a beautiful young woman by his side. She is dressed in the simple brown robes of a peasant girl, yet her long black tresses and smooth olive complexion indicate that she is of high-born ancestry. For a moment she holds you with her deep brown eyes and you sense at once that she is as intelligent as she is beautiful.

‘This is Oriah,’ says Fernant, rising from his seat. ‘Welcome, my dear. You are among friends here.’ The young woman offers him her elegant hand and he kisses it lightly before turning to face you. ‘I have promised her safe passage to Bisutan aboard The Pride of Sommerlund. I trust you do not object?’ he says.



At first you are wary of permitting a stranger to join the ship. She is a very attractive young woman, and her company would certainly be appreciated during the long voyage south, but the agents of Naar have been known to adopt many guises to further their evil aims. Fernant, sensing your reticence, attempts to persuade you by explaining the predicament in which Oriah has been placed through no fault of her own.

You learn that Oriah is the daughter of Khazullo—the Funtal of Fio Fadali—a rich, powerful, and very ruthless man. He has pledged his daughter’s hand in marriage to Sesketera, the ruler of the city-state of Ghol-Tabras in northern Shadaki. Sesketera is a cruel and brutal suitor, and Oriah will be sure to spend the rest of her life as little more than his slave if the marriage takes place as her father has planned. Her father is deaf to her wishes; his only concern is for the political union of the two cities. His daughter’s happiness means nothing to him when compared to the riches and power he will gain from a marriage to the House of Sesketera.

Oriah has run away from her father’s palace in Fio Fadali and she has sought refuge in Barrakeesh. But agents in the employ of her father and Sesketera have traced her to the capital and now she must flee once more. Fernant, moved by the plight of this brave young woman, has pledged to help her reach Bisutan where trusted friends will smuggle her to safety in neighbouring Kakush.

Having heard her story and satisfied yourself that she poses no threat to your mission, you agree to allow her to travel with you to Bisutan aboard The Pride of Sommerlund. Oriah and Fernant thank you for your compassion, and the Lord-lieutenant suggests that perhaps it is time to retire for the night. He has his servant take Oriah to an adjoining chamber, and he offers you the use of a room upstairs. It is a very warm and humid night and you decide that perhaps it would be more comfortable if you were to sleep outside on the roof. Fernant has his servant bring you a mattress upon which you settle down to sleep under the desert stars.

( I do not know Astrology)

[Abe Sargent]

You are awoken shortly after dawn by the sound of a plaintive voice echoing across the rooftops of the city. It is the cry of a Vassa Elder and he is calling the faithful of Barrakeesh to early morning prayer. You gather together your equipment and Fernant’s servant brings you a bowl and a pitcher of water so that you may refresh yourself before sharing breakfast with Oriah and the Lord-lieutenant.

After breakfast, Fernant oversees the loading of bags and other personal items aboard his mule-drawn carriage. Then an hour before noon the three of you leave for the quay and go aboard The Pride of Sommerlund. At first Captain Raker is unhappy about transporting Oriah, arguing that the presence of a beautiful young woman aboard his ship will distract his crew from their duties. However his objections quickly evaporate when Fernant offers to pay him 20 Gold Crowns for her passage to Bisutan.

The ship leaves Barrakeesh on the noon tide and makes swift progress ahead of a favourable southerly wind. But by dusk the wind has dropped, and Raker decides to spend the first night at anchor in a protected cove a few miles to the east of Chula. The night passes peacefully and you wake at dawn to a spectacular sight

(Given that Joe Dever was good enough to include female Kai lords in his stories, and there is a splinter series (Autumn Wind) where you can play a female Kai, I find this oddly sexist for him.)

[Abe Sargent]

You are aware that something unusual is happening the moment you open your eyes, for you can hear the excited chattering of crewmen and marines who are pacing about the deck directly above your cabin. Quickly you rise from your bunk and go aloft to investigate the commotion and, to your surprise, you discover that the waters around the ship are stained blood red. The transformation has been caused by millions of tiny fish, a vast shoal of scarlet Trarta who, like The Pride of Sommerlund, have sought shelter here overnight in this secluded cove.

Captain Raker permits his men to spend an hour or two fishing for Trarta. They are a delicacy, and they will serve to supplement the crew’s basic provisions of salted meat and biscuits. By noon the Trarta shoal have left in search of deeper reaches and clarity returns to the turquoise waters of the cove, revealing a new and interesting discovery. Resting on the sandy floor of the cove, twenty feet below the ship’s keel, lie the remains of a Bautarian galleon. Oriah is fascinated by the wreck and she asks Captain Raker if she may be permitted to dive down and search its shattered hold. The captain has no objections, so long as she is back on board within the hour. Oriah is clearly excited by the prospect of what she may discover aboard the wreck and, as she gets ready for her dive, she asks if you would like to accompany her.

(I accept the sunken galleon invitation)

After having stripped to your undergarments and locked your tunic and equipment safely away in your cabin, you join Oriah at the bow of the ship where you prepare to enter the sea together. Fernant and Raker watch from the forward deck as the two of you leap into the warm waters of the cove and make your first dive upon the wreck. Oriah is a strong swimmer, and you can tell by the effortless way she descends through the water that she is a skilled diver.

The galleon is broken at its centre and lies with its fore and aft sections separated by an expanse of debris-strewn sand. As you view the halves of the wreck, two areas of particular interest catch your eye: a gaping hole in the hull of the forward section, and a cabin located on the rear poop deck.

(Hole in the ship investigated)

You follow a shoal of yellow-tailed fish into the gaping hole in the hull and discover scores of boxes, bales, and casks lying scattered within. Most of the cargo sealed inside these containers is no longer of any use or value, yet inside one rotten casket you discover an item that gleams like new. It is a golden crown, embellished with rural scenes of a distant land that you recognize to be Siyen. (If you wish to keep this Siyen Crown, record it on your Action Chart as a Special Item.)

(Cabin)

There is no door to the cabin and you are able to swim through the opening with ease. Inside you discover very little that has survived since this galleon fell prey to a violent storm a year ago. With the tip of your weapon you sift through the mire of decomposing wood, rust, and rotten fabric that lies like a thick muddy blanket on the floor of this cabin. It is a laborious process and in return for your efforts you discover 9 Gold Crowns and a Dagger. (If you wish to keep these items, adjust your Action Chart accordingly.)

Through the hole in the roof of the cabin you glimpse Oriah ascending to the surface for air. Satisfied that there is nothing else of value aboard this wreck, you leave the cabin and return to The Pride of Sommerlund.

(I take the cash and the Shipwreck Dagger)

Once you are both aboard, Captain Raker gives the order to weigh anchor and soon The Pride of Sommerlund is forging a course once more through open seas. With all sails unfurled, the ship cuts a swift course through the foam-flecked ocean. During the afternoon your southerly passage is joined by a school of dolphins who entertain you by leaping and plunging into the azure waves. The wind is strong and the voyage continues without incident until, early the following morning, the isles off Cape Kabar appear in a line upon the southern horizon.

You meet with Fernant and Oriah on the rear deck and share a breakfast of bread and grilled Trarta. As you eat, you talk about yesterday’s dive and the items that you found in the sunken wreck. You are enjoying the company of your travelling companions when suddenly the relaxed and easy mood is shattered by the lookout’s frantic shout: ‘Pirate raider off the starboard bow!’

[Abe Sargent]

From the cover of the distant isles there emerges a fearsome warship. You magnify your vision and focus upon the oncoming vessel to see that it is rigged with a scarlet mainsail emblazoned with a strange design—a serpent entwined about the blade of a silver curved sword. You relay these details to Fernant, and Oriah gasps with fright.

‘It’s the symbol of Ghol-Tabras,’ Fernant says, ‘the city-state ruled by Sesketera.’ The merest mention of her evil suitor’s name is enough to make Oriah faint with shock. You catch her as she falls, and then Fernant lifts her into his arms and carries her below to her cabin. Once they have left the deck, you turn your full attention to the oncoming vessel for now it is clear by its course that it intends to ram The Pride of Sommerlund.

Captain Raker sounds the battle alarm and his crew attempts desperately to bring the ship out of the enemy’s path. Sergeant Dryan’s marines hastily load their cannons and get ready to fire upon his command. The enemy vessel alters course to maintain its attacking line and, as it closes to within two hundred yards, you see that it is a formidable fighting craft. Plates of iron protect its prow and lines of warriors, clad in scarlet and silver armour, man its decks and forecastle. Then you notice a dark shape perched upon the ship’s ram which protrudes from below its bowsprit. You focus upon this strange shape, but before you can determine its nature your senses are assailed by a wave of powerful psychic energy.

(I do not have Kai-Screen)

You are knocked backwards by the searing pain of this unexpected psychic attack. Your innate mental defences knit together to protect the fabric of your mind, but before this protective shell is fully erected, you experience the chilling effects of psychic shock: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.

As the pain in your head recedes, you open your eyes and see a sinister new threat loom into view.

The enemy ship is less than a hundred yards off the port beam when you see the dark shape at its prow begin to twitch and shudder. At first it resembles the body of some grotesque gigantic tick; then eight rubbery legs spring from its black underbelly and suddenly the shape takes on a far more sinister aspect.

A gasp of terror arises from the crew when this spider-like monstrosity opens its scarlet maw and emits a high-pitched chittering shriek. As the enemy vessel speeds nearer you watch with mounting dread as this hideous spider-creature raises its forelegs, as if in readiness to pounce. Furiously it rubs its forelimbs together and a mass of blue-white sparks appear at their tips. Then suddenly there is a deafening crackle of electrical power. A bolt of blazing energy shoots from the creature’s maw and snakes across the water towards the crew and marines aboard your ship. The creature’s attack hits its mark and the effect is swift and devastating. The crackling bolt ignites timber and sail, and leaves a dozen men sprawled dead or unconscious across the decks. Through the smoke of the burning sailcloth you see the enemy vessel bearing down to ram The Pride of Sommerlund. Impact is but seconds away.



(I use a bow)

Quickly you unshoulder your Bow and snatch an Arrow from your Quiver. Bracing yourself against the ship’s rail, you draw back your bowstring and scan the decks of the attacking ship for a suitable target. Two immediately loom into view. The first is the ghastly maw of the giant spider; the second is the head of a warrior who is standing inside the forecastle. From the way he is shouting at those around him, you suspect that he must be the commander of the enemy vessel.

( I choose the warrior as my target)

You take aim at the warrior’s head and release your bowstring, sending your Arrow arcing across the water towards its target.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, remember to add 5 to the number you have picked.

(I toss a 4)

Your Arrow narrowly misses its intended mark. It passes within inches of the warrior’s helmet and sinks into the throat of another standing behind him in the forecastle.

You are about to reload your Bow and fire again when suddenly there is a tremendous crash. The Pride of Sommerlund lurches violently and you are thrown backwards across the deck.

You scramble to your feet and pause to unsheathe a hand weapon before you struggle across the heaving deck and regain your position at the ship’s rail. The enemy vessel has rammed The Pride of Sommerlund and now a host of screaming warriors is swarming aboard your stricken ship. A shadow passes overhead and when you look up you see the giant spider scurrying towards the crow’s nest. The Sommlending lookout shrieks hysterically and, in blind panic, throws himself into the sea to avoid being consumed by this hideous monster. Through the smoke which shrouds the deck below you can see Sergeant Dryan and his men fighting bravely to repel the raiders. Those of Raker’s crew who have survived the collision hurriedly arm themselves and rush to support the outnumbered marines, but they are not trained fighters and they are clearly no match for this ruthless enemy.

(I choose to head after the spider)

Skilfully you ascend the rigging and approach the giant spider from behind and below. It is busily tearing at the mast and topsail with its fanged maw, and at first it fails to notice you. When you pause for a few moments to unsheathe your weapon, suddenly the creature swivels its head and fixes you with a pair of ghastly green eyes. Chittering excitedly, it rubs its forelegs together and sparks appear, warning you that it is preparing to launch a bolt of energy. Quickly you cut free a trailing rope and swing away from the rigging just in time to avoid being burnt to a cinder when it launches its burst of crackling blue fire. Your swift reflexes save you, but as the momentum of your swing carries you back towards the rigging, you see that the creature is preparing a new form of attack.

It waits until you come to rest upon the criss-cross of ropes and then it ejects a stream of sickly grey fluid from a sac located below its gaping maw. This fluid hardens as it passes through the air, and is transformed into several long and sticky strands which threaten to engulf you.

(I use Elementalism)

Drawing upon your mastery of the elements, you summon a gust of wind to deflect the gout of sticky fluid. Your swift and timely action saves you from becoming entangled in the gluey strands of this creature’s web, and you are able to climb the remaining few feet towards the creature’s perch. Frantically it lashes out at you with its rubbery legs as you attempt to plunge your weapon into its vulnerable belly.

Otokh: COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 40

This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack except Kai-surge.

(I have a +10 CS. I toss a 4 and 2 an 9. It dies. I lose 8 EP)

[Abe Sargent]

You strike your killing blow and the Otokh emits a loud and terrible shriek. Its great body convulses, and hissing sparks cascade from its limbs and maw as slowly it relinquishes its grip upon the masthead. You watch with awe as the creature plummets through the rigging and crashes down upon the deck rail with terrific force. Five enemy raiders are crushed to death and several more are consigned to a watery grave when they become entangled in the creature’s legs. They are dragged screaming to their doom as the Otokh rolls through the shattered ship’s rail and disappears beneath the foaming waves.

The death of the Otokh sends a wave of panic coursing through the enemy’s ranks and soon they begin to falter and fall back to their own vessel. The enemy leader curses and screams as his men swarm aboard, and you hear him threaten personally to tear the throat from any warrior who refuses to fight on. This threat appears to work for the raiders cease their retreat and begin instead to regroup in preparation for another attack. You watch as the leader leaves the protection of his ship’s forecastle and takes his place at the head of his troops, ready to lead this second assault.

(I use a bow)

You draw an Arrow to your Bow and take aim at the leader’s chest as he leaps aboard The Pride of Sommerlund. The moment his feet touch the deck, you release your bowstring and send your arrow speeding towards his heart.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, remember to add 5 to the number you have picked

(I toss a 6)

Your Arrow punctures the leader’s breastplate and brings him tumbling to his knees. Desperately his fingers scrabble to wrench the shaft free, but it has penetrated too deeply and he is soon overwhelmed by the pain of the mortal wound he has sustained. With one final gasp he keels over and falls face-down upon the deck.

(Nice!)

For a few moments the raiders stand transfixed with shock, as if they are unable to comprehend that their leader is truly dead. Then the reality of their loss crashes in upon them and they become overwhelmed by their worst fears. Without their leader, they panic and hurriedly cut the grappling lines which hold the two vessels together. When the last rope is severed there is a great rending of iron and timber as the ram of the pirate ship wrenches itself free from The Pride of Sommerlund’s port side. Then a cheer resounds from the mouths of those Sommlending who have survived the battle when they see the enemy ship turn about and flee for the safety of the isles off Cape Kabar.

You accompany Captain Raker as he conducts a hasty tour of his ravaged ship to assess the extent of the battle damage, and you are both shocked when you discover that half his complement of crew have been killed or badly wounded. The few who can still stand count themselves lucky to have survived. Raker sets Paoll and some of the survivors to work repairing the gaping hole in the ship’s port beam that was made by the enemy’s ram, while the remainder tend to their wounded companions and clear away the debris that lies smouldering in heaps upon the bloodstained deck. Among the enemy dead you are saddened to discover the bodies of young Sergeant Dryan and nine of his men. Only three marines have survived the battle and stoically they set about wrapping the bodies of their fallen comrades in canvas and consigning them to the waves.

Having done what you can to help on deck, you decide to go below and make sure that Fernant and Oriah are safe. At the foot of the steps you discover a dead raider lying sprawled across the body of another man. You turn the corpse over with the toe of your boot and gasp when you see that the man lying beneath is Lord-lieutenant Fernant. The hilt of a Shadakine dagger protrudes from his chest and a smear of blood stains his lips. He is dead. Fearing the worst, you rush along the narrow corridor and throw open the door to Oriah’s cabin. You find her huddled below her bunk, sobbing quietly. You comfort her as best you can but she is overcome with grief; Fernant died whilst protecting her and she blames herself for his death and for the calamity which has befallen The Pride of Sommerlund. She tells you that the raiders came from Ghol-Tabras, the city ruled by her evil suitor. She is convinced that the reason they attacked the ship was to capture her.

At length you persuade Oriah to accompany you onto the rear deck for some fresh air. Here you are met by Captain Raker who informs you that the ship is listing and taking in water. The voyage to Bisutan cannot proceed until proper repairs have been carried out, and so he has set a course for the nearby port of Cape Kabar where he knows a trustworthy shipwright who can fix the damaged hull. While you talk with the captain, Oriah watches the surviving crewmen disposing of the enemy dead. You hear her gasp, and when you hurry to her side you see that she is pointing at the body of the warrior leader.

‘Did you know this man? Have you seen him somewhere before?’ you ask.

‘Yes,’ she replies tearfully. ‘He’s Dar-Isun. He was the brother of Sesketera, the man my father wishes me to marry.’

Oriah returns to her cabin to rest whilst you stay on deck and help tend the wounded crewmen. Using your Kai curing skills, you do what you can to ease their pain and repair their battle-wounds. To your great surprise, many of the injured men’s wounds heal at a remarkable speed. In fact some recover so quickly that you acquire something of a reputation among them as a miracle worker. Secretly, though, you suspect that it is the presence of the Moonstone that is the real reason for their miraculous return to good health.

It is shortly before dusk when Captain Raker brings his damaged ship limping into the harbour of Cape Kabar, and moors her alongside its red-stoned quay. Leaving Paoll in charge, he goes ashore to seek out his shipwright friend, Kimpil, at the harbour shipyard. Soon he returns with a wizened old man and together they inspect the damaged hull.

‘It’s goin’ to take a month to fix ’er right,’ says the captain on his return. ‘Kimpil says her keel’s damaged and she’ll have to go into dry-dock. It’s goin’ to be a long job.’

After talking with Raker and the others, you decide that you cannot stay here for a month while the ship is being repaired. Oriah, too, is anxious to leave for she fears that Cape Kabar is the first place Sesketera will look for her when he hears of his brother’s death. Oriah has friends in Bisutan whom she trusts and she suggests that you travel there together. She is confident that her friends can help you to reach Elzian quickly and safely.

In addition to Oriah, you also agree to take with you the three surviving marines—Ernan, Sligh, and Oswin. Ernan has visited Cape Kabar once before and he knows the route south to Bisutan. He also knows of some stables on the far side of the town where the five of you could acquire some horses. You agree that it would be worth a visit.

Before you bid farewell to Raker and his crew, you share one last meal with them. (Unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.)

[Abe Sargent]

It is dark when you finally bid farewell to Captain Raker and the crew of The Pride of Sommerlund. Ernan leads your party through the warm, lantern-lit streets of this fragrant coastal town and soon you arrive at the Barczak Stables. This grand establishment comprises a large single-storey building with arched windows and a clay-tiled roof, surrounded by numerous orchards, paddocks, and porticoes. The estate is shrouded in darkness and appears to be deserted, although your keen Kai senses detect that there are people asleep somewhere inside the main building.

Next to the main gate stands a wooden notice board displaying a dozen sun-yellowed parchments. A closer inspection reveals them to be a handwritten roster of all the horses that are for sale. You cannot help but notice just how expensive they are. If the five of you were all to pool every Gold Crown you possess, you would still not have enough to buy even the cheapest horse on this list.

In a paddock behind the main building you can see a dozen horses quietly enjoying the warm night air. Sligh points out that there is nobody around and he suggests that it would be easy for you to help yourselves to five of these fine steeds.

‘I’m not a horse thief,’ you retort, ‘and I’ve no wish to rob these stables.’

‘I respect your honesty, my lord,’ says Sligh, ‘but surely you don’t want to have to walk all the way to Bisutan? I’m not saying we steal five horses, I’m saying we just borrow them for a while. We can hire a rider to bring them back just as soon as we reach Bisutan.’

You are not entirely convinced that Sligh is sincere, yet you agree reluctantly to go along with his plan.

(I do not have animal mastery)

You tell the others to wait for you outside the stables and then you approach the paddock alone. The horses become restless as you draw closer, yet you are able to subdue them by using your natural Kai powers of Animal Control. Silently you open the paddock gate and command the nearest five horses to leave the enclosure. Obediently they obey your mental commands, following meekly as you lead them in single file to your waiting companions.

You mount your borrowed steeds and Ernan leads the way along a broad avenue that ends at the town’s southern gatehouse. Two sleepy-eyed guards watch with indifference as you pass through the open gate and depart from Cape Kabar along its dusty coast road.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

(I toss a 2)

You ride all night along the empty coast road and make good progress. Shortly after dawn you pass a stone signpost pointing to the south. Carved into its surface is the following message written in ancient Vassagonian script: ‘Bir Rabalou—160 miles’.

Beyond this sign the coast road ascends into an expanse of arid hill country which is populated by herds of wild goats. To the east you occasionally glimpse the ocean beyond the barren hills, while to the west you can see a range of distant mountains, their snowy peaks glistening stark-white beneath the fierce desert sun. Shortly before noon you happen upon the town of Kilij which lies in a narrow pass between two steep hillsides. Oriah and the marines are tired and sore after the long night’s ride and they urge you to stop here so that they might eat and rest awhile. Together you ride into the town’s busy market square and dismount at a stone water trough where you allow your horses to drink their fill. Around you the mood of the townspeople is friendly as they barter and trade their wares. A young boy offers to look after your horses while you visit the market. Initially you are suspicious of his motives until your Sixth Sense confirms that he is an honest lad, and one worthy of your trust. Oriah gives him a Gold Crown and his face beams with joy—he’ll be able to eat well this week!

The marines want to explore the market’s bazaar in the hope of finding some blankets and rope with which they can improvise saddles and reins for the horses. Oriah is intrigued by the sheer number of people who fill Kilij’s market square and she wants to find out what has drawn such a large crowd to this remote town. You too are curious and you agree to accompany her. After arranging to meet the marines at the horse trough in one hour’s time, you follow Oriah as she pushes her way through the teeming crowd. When finally you reach the centre of the marketplace you are confronted by an unexpected and shocking sight.

A large wooden platform has been erected at the centre of the marketplace upon which twenty men and women are standing side by side with their heads bowed. These poor wretches wear heavy iron manacles which encase their wrists and ankles. Standing behind them are eight hard-faced guards, each with a loop of knotted rope that dangles menacingly from their wrists. The scorching desert sun beats down without mercy upon those in the line, yet if any of them should dare to move but an inch they immediately feel the stinging lash of a rope across their backs.

Over the years you have heard many tales about the slave auctions of Vassagonia, but you had never anticipated that one day you would witness one. This cruel auction fills you with feelings of anger and revulsion as, one by one, the slaves are dragged from the line and sold to the highest bidder. The owner of the slaves is a stout Vassagonian with small piggy eyes and a wart which sits like a ripe brown cherry on the end of his nose. Every time a slave is sold he cackles like a witch when the new owner steps forward to pay the auction price.

You are about to suggest to Oriah that you should leave the square and go back to the horses, when suddenly your Kai senses alert you to danger. Within the crowd there are many pairs of eyes that have been staring avariciously at your beautiful companion. The slave trader has become aware of this and you see him signal to his henchmen. Immediately they enter the crowd and move to encircle you and Oriah. You unsheathe your weapon and command the slaver to call off his men, but he ignores your order. Suddenly the crowd melts away to reveal his six muscular thugs. They are no longer holding knotted ropes; now they hold scimitars and axes with which they slash the air as they advance slowly towards you.

‘Slay him!’ shouts the slaver. ‘Slay the Northlander and bring me the girl!’ You must fight them.



Slave trader’s henchmen: COMBAT SKILL 33 ENDURANCE 36

(Without Kai Surge, I have a 13 bonus with Mindblast. I toss an 8 and get an auto kill)

The crowd scream with excitement the moment you overcome the last of the evil slaver’s henchmen. At first you think they are expressing their appreciation of your superb Kai fighting skills, but then you notice a large shadow is moving across the market square and when you look up you discover the real cause of the crowd’s excitation.

Swooping down out of the cloudless sky come two gigantic birds with razor-sharp beaks and talons that glint like mirrored steel. They are Itikars and seated astride their feathered backs are warriors armed with spears and shields. Frantically the slaver signals to the riders and one of them responds by hurling his weapon at your head. You dive to avoid being skewered to the ground by this deadly missile and it thuds harmlessly into the beaten earth, but as you are pulling yourself to your feet, you see the second Itikar come swooping down towards Oriah. You scream a warning yet she is frozen with fear and does not respond. The great bird sweeps past her and its rider casts a lasso which falls over her head. As the bird soars into the sky the rope tightens about her waist and she is hoisted screaming into the air. You spring to your feet and race after her as she is carried away over the rooftops of Kilij, and as you sprint across the square you see a dozen armed men emerge from the crowd to block your path. The Itikar and its precious cargo are rapidly disappearing towards the northern hills and you know in your heart that it is now too late to save Oriah. Then you hear the sound of cruel laughter echoing across the square and it brings you skidding to a halt. It is the laugh of the slaver: he can barely contain his delight at having captured such a beautiful young woman, and he is relishing the thought of watching as the remainder of his henchmen make you pay for the deaths of their comrades.



Swiftly you assess your perilous situation and determine two ways in which you may save yourself from the slaver’s gang of bloodthirsty thugs.

(I head back to the slaver)

The slaver sees you running towards him and the sight immediately wipes the sneer from his face. With a squeal of fright he grabs hold of a young female slave and cowers behind her, using her body as a shield to protect himself from you. Repeatedly he screams the name ‘Svolta!’ until, in answer to his frantic cry, a short man in a close-fitting grey robe suddenly appears from behind the row of slaves. He is carrying a Vassagonian cavalry bow with an arrow already fixed to the bowstring. The slaver commands him to fire at you and the man obeys with breathtaking speed.

(I use Elementalism)

Hastily you use your mastery of the elements to summon a gust of air to deflect the arrow that is now speeding towards your chest.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE total is 20 or lower, deduct 2 from the number you have picked.

If your total score is now 4 or lower, turn to 44.

If it is 5 or higher, turn to 261.

(I toss a 4 for an 6 total)

Your action to avoid being struck by the arrow is a success. The slaver and his archer cannot believe what they have seen and for a few vital seconds they stand frozen in stunned disbelief. You seize this advantage and rush towards the platform with the hope of catching them before they regain their senses, yet as you make your leap you see the archer drop his bow and reach for his sword. His blade clears its scabbard barely a second before you make your attack, yet he is able to turn aside your first blow. The skill with which he handles his blade leaves you in no doubt that you are facing an expert swordsman. Frightened slaves throw themselves off the platform as you and Svolta begin a desperate fight to the death.

Svolta: COMBAT SKILL 37 ENDURANCE 36

You may add 2 to your COMBAT SKILL in the first round of this fight, due to the momentum of your attack.

(I have a +11 or more without KS. I toss a 1, and a 4 and a 7. He's dead and I took 5 damage)

[Abe Sargent]

Svolta screams as your killing blow pierces his chest. He drops his sword, staggers drunkenly backwards, and then falls off the edge of the slave platform to land in an undignified heap on the dusty ground. His master—the slaver—has disappeared into the crowd, but by using your Sixth Sense and tracking skills you discover that he has slipped away to hide in the adjoining bazaar.

You leap from the platform and set off across the square towards the market bazaar. The slaver’s henchmen, fearing that you may escape, immediately move in from all sides to block your path. The crowd scream and scatter as you approach them for they are terrified at the prospect of being dragged into a bloody mêlée when the slaver’s thugs catch up with you. Then suddenly, in the midst of this chaotic tangle of running and screaming people, appear Ernan, Sligh, and Oswin mounted upon their steeds, and yours and Oriah’s horses in tow. News of what has happened here at the slave market has spread like wildfire through the rest of Kilij. On hearing these reports, the marines have rushed here as quickly as they could.

‘Come, Grand Master!’ shouts Oswin, and he throws you the rope that is now attached to your steed’s head. ‘We must flee this town at once!’

You leap onto the blanket-saddle which is tied to your horse’s back, take hold of the rope reins in both hands, and dig your heels into his flanks to urge him to the gallop. Two of the slaver’s henchmen rush to block your escape but they are trampled into the dirt when your horse bolts away. You race towards a tree-lined avenue on the south side of the square with your three companions galloping close behind. As you enter this thoroughfare, you see one of the slaver’s men come rushing out of a doorway. He is armed with a bow, and as you gallop past him, he draws an arrow to his lips and takes careful aim at your head.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Assimilance, add 3 to the number you have picked. If your current ENDURANCE score is 20 or lower, deduct 2 from the number you have picked.

(I toss a 0.)

You press yourself flat against your horse’s neck and listen with dread as the archer’s arrow buzzes towards you like an angry hornet. Then you feel an agonizing pain in your side as its razor-sharp tip penetrates your rib cage: lose 5 ENDURANCE points.

A wave of nausea and dizziness washes over you, making you relinquish your grip on the rope reins. You fight against the mounting pain to stay conscious but this is one battle you do not win. Darkness engulfs your vision and, as you lose consciousness, you slip and fall from your horse to crash upon the dusty avenue.

You regain consciousness almost immediately and manage to drag yourself into a kneeling position. The marines race past on their horses, but they have seen you fall and they rein their steeds to a halt just as quickly as they are able. Gritting your teeth against the expected pain, you jerk the arrow from your side and hurl it away. Your natural Kai curing skills help to deaden the agony of your wound and slow the bleeding, but they cannot prevent the archer who fired the arrow from placing a second shaft to his bow. Your Sixth Sense screams a warning and you look up to see him standing less than twenty yards away. Coolly he raises his bow and smiles as he gets ready to finish you off once and for all.

(I use a bow, this will leave me with 3 arrows)

You unshoulder your Bow and pull an Arrow from your Quiver as fast as you are able. Hastily you take aim and fire at your would-be assassin as, simultaneously, he releases his arrow and sends it whistling towards your head.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, remember to add 5 to the number you have picked. If your ENDURANCE score is currently 15 or lower, deduct 1.

(I toss a 5)

As you duck to avoid the onrushing missile, you glimpse your Arrow strike the archer in the chest and knock him backwards to the ground. His arrow grazes your cheek (lose 1 ENDURANCE point) as it whistles past your head and then embeds itself in the dried mud wall of a nearby building.

For a few uncertain moments the marines believe that you have been mortally wounded, but they are quick to cheer when they see you get to your feet and come running towards them. Sligh helps you to retrieve your horse and quickly you remount him and gallop along the avenue which leads out of this unfriendly town.

For an hour you ride without daring to stop in case the slaver has dispatched his henchmen to pursue you. The hills keep the interior of this country hidden from view until you reach a broad-based canyon bisected by a meandering stream. The threat of pursuit has now passed and so you halt here to slake your thirst before continuing your long ride south.

Beyond the canyon, the road crosses a rolling coastal plain which lies at the eastern edge of the Dry Main—Vassagonia’s vast desert. The undulations of its windswept sands give this great sun-bleached emptiness the appearance of a vast yellow sea that seems to stretch away into infinity. You feel a disturbing unease as you stare across this wilderness for there is nothing to break the view, and nothing that could offer you a place to hide should the need arise.

As dusk approaches you are pleased to see that the road bears to the east and passes within sight of the ocean. The heat of the day has now surrendered to a biting night wind that makes your horse and your companions shiver. Mindful of their need for shelter, you leave the road and scout the rugged coastline in search of a cave in which to spend the night. Your tracking skills lead you to a dry cave that is ideal and you camp here and build a fire from driftwood. Over a meal of roasted crabmeat the conversation turns to Oriah and your fears for her safety. Later this night, as you sit the first watch, you offer a prayer to the Goddess Ishir to protect her and keep her safe. You have a strong feeling that the young woman is still alive and that one day, sometime in the future, your paths are destined to cross once more.

After a few hours, Sligh wakes from his slumber to take his turn keeping watch at the mouth of the cave. Gladly you hand over the duty to him and settle down for some much needed sleep (you may restore 3 ENDURANCE points).

You awake with the dawn feeling refreshed and eager to begin the day’s ride south towards the city of Bir Rabalou. During the morning, you and your travelling companions pass several traders and caravans that are heading north to sell their wares in Cape Kabar. Your fair complexions and Sommlending clothes draw many suspicious glances from the caravan drivers, prompting you to stop when you come to a village shortly after midday. Here the marines go looking for some mhaktis—the flowing grey and white robes traditionally worn by the desert dwellers of Vassagonia. While they busy themselves in the hunt for new clothes, you water and feed the horses at the village stables. You are tending to the horses when you are approached by an elderly street vendor. He is pushing a handcart on which he has displayed the following items for sale:

Dagger
Scented Oil
3 Candles
Slippers
Copper Cup
Rope
Lantern
Lyre (musical instrument)
Ball of Chalk
3 Arrows

The vendor’s items cost 1 Gold Crown each (3 Candles or 3 Arrows are respectively considered as 1 item). If you wish to purchase one or more of them, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.

After a while the three marines return to the stables. They are now dressed in mhaktis and, when they pull up their hoods, you feel sure that they could pass for native Vassagonians. They bundle and tie their marine uniforms to the saddle blankets of their horses, and then the four of you mount up and leave this village. The sun is sinking below the desert horizon when you come to the next village on the road to Bir Rabalou. It is located on the fringe of a wide beach and it can only be reached by a sandy track which branches away from the main coast road. As you reach this junction you notice a group of local people have gathered around something that has washed up on the beach.

(I spend 5 gold for these: 3 arrows, lantern, Lyre, Oil, Candles. I expect some of these to be wasted, (normally Dever includes a few random red herrings in each story, and Lyre, Oil, and Candles feel like it, but I have the backpack space, and I found 9 crowns earlier, so I might as well)

[Abe Sargent]

(Head to the beech to check it out)

As you ride across the firm sandy beach towards the excited crowd you see that they are gathered around the carcass of a whale. These poor villagers are celebrating their unexpected good fortune for this whale will provide them with food for a month, and enough oil to fuel their lamps until winter. A cheerful-looking old man hails you with his walking stick and you slow your horse to a halt.

‘You be bound for Bir Rabalou, good sirs?’ he asks. ‘ ’Cause if you is, then you’d do well to heed my advice.’

‘And what advice would that be?’ replies Ernan. The old man gives him a thin smile and then hobbles nearer to your horse. He does not say anything; he simply holds out his hand in the hope that you will pay him something for his advice.

(I give him a crown)

You take a single Gold Crown from your money pouch and toss it to the old man who catches it with surprising dexterity (erase 1 Gold Crown from your Action Chart). He tests its worth by biting down on its edge with his blackened teeth before tucking it safely away in the folds of his tattered mhaktis.

‘There’s a mutiny taking place in the city of Bir Rabalou,’ he says, his creaky old voice barely audible above the crash of the surf. ‘The Funtal of the city has imposed heavy taxes on the city’s merchants, and we’ve heard from travellers that the Trader’s Guild have paid foreign assassins to come and do away with ’im.’ Suddenly the old man’s face drops and his myopic eyes narrow with suspicion when he notices that you and your companions are not natives of this land.

‘Don’t be alarmed,’ says Oswin, ‘we’re not assassins. We’re … traders.’

He smiles uneasily. Clearly he is not convinced and, without saying another word, he turns around and hobbles away across the beach.

‘Silly old fool!’ says Sligh. ‘We’re wastin’ our time ’ere, Grand Master. Let’s be getting on.’

You nod in agreement and signal to the others to follow as you turn your horse back towards the coast road. It is a clear night and the brilliant moon is nearly full. With luck you could be in Bir Rabalou well before midnight.

You ride the moonlit coast road, covering the remaining 25 miles to Bir Rabalou in little more than three hours. Your first glimpse of the great trading port comes when the road crests a ridge of hills within a mile of its perimeter wall. From here you can see that the city is built in a semicircle between two great jutting spurs of land which protrude into the ocean like the horns of a huge bull. Within the city wall are hundreds of lavish buildings, yet the grandest of all is a castle which stands upon a steep hill at its centre. This one towering stronghold dominates all the other splendid structures of this rich metropolis.

Your arrival at the north gate at such a late hour is greeted with suspicion from a pair of surly guards. Eventually you are allowed to enter, but only after Oswin bribes them with the horse that Oriah once rode. Beyond the gate you ride along a torchlit avenue which leads down to the harbour; this is filled with trading ships of all nationalities. The quayside and its taverns are alive with activity as the captains and crews of these vessels drink themselves senseless with the money their cargoes have earned.

You select one of the quieter taverns and stable your horses at the rear before making your entrance. The tavern’s taproom is crowded with sailors and traders, most of whom are listening to an uncommonly fine musical performance being given by three Cloeasian minstrels. Your companions are hungry and tired and so you make your way to the counter and ask the tavern-keeper his price for food and a night’s lodging. He tells you that 10 Gold Crowns will fill all your bellies and buy you each the use of a comfortable room. You agree to his price (deduct 10 Gold Crowns from your Action Chart) and he hands each of you a numbered key. The marines are not impressed with the minstrels’ classical recital and they decide to eat their meals in their rooms. Before they retire for the night you arrange to meet with them here in the taproom, first thing in the morning.

You seat yourself at the counter and listen to the recital as you enjoy a meal of grilled meat and sugared desert fruits. As you wipe your mouth and push away your empty plate, your eye is caught by a rotund little man who is seated alone in an alcove. ‘Ho, journeyman!’ he calls, beckoning you with a plump hand that is laden with gold and ruby rings. ‘Please, will you join me at my table?’

(I do not have Telegnosis)

By using your basic Kai skills you are able to determine that this man is a rich trader from Casiorn—the city of merchants. He seems harmless enough, his only fault perhaps is that he has consumed too much ale. Yet you are suspicious of the fact that he has identified you as a journeyman, which leads you to suspect that perhaps he has met other Kai in the past. You are about to ignore him and retire to your room when he repeats his request that you join him at his table. Out of curiosity you decide to find out what he wants.

‘Welcome, Master Journeyman,’ says the smiling trader, ‘I’m most pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Kolastemi Ayusidihara but people know me better as Kol. I see by the cloak clasp you are wearing that you are a Kai journeyman of Sommerlund, yes?’

You nod to affirm this and the excited little man proceeds to tell you about himself and his business. You hear that he is a merchant who was born in Casiorn but who now lives in the city of Kuchek. When he was a young man he traded silk for wheat in Holmgard where he first encountered the Kai. Once, when his caravan was attacked by a Giak war party on the Ruanon Pike, it was the timely intervention of a Kai journeyman that saved his life and his cargo. Since that day he has revered your warrior order. Barely pausing for breath, he tells you proudly that he has a ship moored in the harbour which is filled with timber that he intends to trade for spices in Bisutan. He plans to set sail tomorrow at noon. When at last he pauses to take a sip of ale from his tankard, you inform him that you and your three companions are travelling overland to Elzian.

‘By horse? Such a tiring way to travel and such a difficult road too,’ he says. ‘I would gladly offer you passage aboard my ship but, alas, I carry such a heavy cargo that I could only accommodate one extra passenger. You would be most welcome to sail with me to Bisutan, but sadly I am unable to offer such a favour to your friends.’

You thank Kol for his offer but decline it, preferring to stay with the marines. You are tired now, and so you rise from your seat and bid the friendly trader goodnight and a safe voyage. As you turn to go to your room he calls out: ‘If you should change your mind, remember I sail at noon. My ship is moored at the end of the east quay. She’s called Desert Jewel.’

(My guess is that something will happen now and I'll be on the Desert Jewel tomorrow)

[Abe Sargent]

You find your room at the end of a corridor on the first floor and you are pleased to discover that it is clean and well furnished. You fall asleep within minutes of lying down upon the feather-mattressed bed, yet it seems as if you have barely closed your eyes when, two hours later, you are rudely awoken by noises in the taproom below. The clomp of iron-shod boots and the hubbub of angry voices make you leap from your bed and reach for your weapon. Quickly you gather your equipment and cloak and ease open the door to your room. Outside in the corridor you see your companions; like you they have been awoken by the commotion downstairs.

‘It’s the City Guard,’ whispers Oswin, who is peering down the stairwell. Then the tavern-keeper appears and he comes rushing up the stairs. His face is red as a beetroot and he is shaking with fright. ‘The … the Funtal of Bir Rabalou’s men are here,’ he says, his voice wavering. ‘They’ve had word that there are assassins abroad in the harbour and they’re checking all foreigners. You’re to go down to the taproom at once

(I head down)

Reluctantly the marines follow as you descend the stairs. The moment you set foot in the taproom you are surrounded by armed guards and made to hand over your Weapons (delete all normal Weapons from your Action Chart; you need not delete your Kai Weapon which you keep hidden beneath your cloak). Once you and your companions have been disarmed, you are herded towards the counter to join more than two dozen others who are of foreign nationality. The officer in charge of the armed guards then strides to the middle of the taproom floor and proceeds to inform you in an imperious tone that you are to be taken to the Funtal’s castle where your trading papers and travel documents will be scrutinized. The others, who all appear to be traders and merchants, are outraged when they hear this decree. They protest loudly and many refuse to leave the tavern. They say that it is all just a cynical ploy by the Funtal to confiscate their cargoes.

Kol appears by your side and he whispers to you to follow him. As the Funtal’s guards move in and grapple with the angry merchants, you and the marines slip away with Kol and hide in the cellar below the tavern’s kitchen. An hour later, as dawn is breaking, the tavern falls silent and you emerge from your hiding place to discover that it is now completely empty.

(I lost my bow)

‘The Funtal’s a madman!’ splutters Kol. ‘All those poor fools who got took away last night are goin’ to lose their cargoes, or their gold, or their ships. You mark my words. I’d not be surprised if some o’ them lose their lives into the bargain. It’s not safe here no more. Not like the old days.’

Kol then proceeds to wash down his hearty breakfast with a tankard of ale. He pauses to emit a long loud belch, and then he repeats his offer of a place aboard his ship which sails for Bisutan at noon. The marines do not object to you leaving them if you so wish. Should you decide to continue your journey to Elzian without them, they will attempt to sell your horse and use the money to buy passage aboard the next ship heading north.

(I choose to head with Kol)

[Abe Sargent]

You say farewell to the three marines and wish them a swift and safe journey home to Sommerlund. Then you leave the tavern with Kol and make your way quickly to his ship which is moored at the end of the quay. Two of the Funtal’s guards are patrolling the quayside but they do not challenge you as you board Kol’s vessel. They only seem interested in foreign traders who are entering the harbour rather than those making a hasty departure. The Vassagonians who man the Desert Jewel seem a friendly crew, and they welcome Kol’s return with cheerful humour. He in turn treats them like sons and it is clear from the way they converse that he is a very popular owner.

The ship sets sail at noon and sails swiftly southwards with a benevolent wind filling its triangular sail. Kol expects the Desert Jewel to take a day and a half to navigate the two hundred and sixty miles of coastal water between Bir Rabalou and Bisutan. He suggests that you relax and enjoy the voyage, yet despite the fair weather and jovial company you are disturbed by a growing sense of unease. You spend your time on deck for the holds and cabins are filled to the brim with cargo. The only shelter from the sun which scorches the open deck is a makeshift spread of canvas near the stern. You are lying here in the shade when, late in the afternoon, you sense a storm brewing on the horizon.

( I do have Grand Paths)

You stare across the ocean at the banks of angry clouds which are growing larger and darker with every passing minute. You sense that within them are tremendous natural forces that are building up at a dangerous rate. You feel certain that the presence of the Moonstone is partially responsible for this, although these waters are notorious for sudden and violent sea-storms.

You warn Kol of the distant storm and the disastrous effect that it could have if it were to break upon his cargo-heavy ship. You urge him to turn back to Bir Rabalou but he dismisses your request out of hand. He says that the storm is many miles away, and even if it were to move nearer he is confident that the Desert Jewel is still swift enough to outrun it. You believe that he is wrong and you are angered by his complacency, but there is nothing you can say that will make him, or his crew, turn this ship about. He is the master of this vessel and his loyal crew will only obey his command.

(I do not have Kai-Alchemy, nor do I want to force him. He knows sailing this area better than I do)

Gradually the temperature drops and the gentle undulation of the waves grows fiercer. The wind becomes a gale and the azure sky grows darker and darker until the sun is lost from view and the ship is shrouded by a deep grey twilight. Now Kol realizes that he should have heeded your advice and he commands his anxious crew to run for the coast in the hope of finding a safe haven. Soon lightning is the only source of illumination. It tears the roiling clouds and transforms the sea into an angry beast that lashes and batters the ship with a supernatural fury. Then the darkness is obliterated by a great curtain of white fire. Tongues of flame lance down; they boil the sea where they strike the surface and send up great clouds of steam in their wake. Miraculously these terrifying bolts of power miss the ship, but soon they are rivalled in their ferocity by another terrifying force that is battling to escape from the hellish skies.

A hundred balls of dancing fire fall from the clouds like a shower of blazing meteors. One such meteor strikes the helmsman who is struggling with the ship’s wheel, and it engulfs him. For a few dreadful moments his head and chest are contained within a roaring yellow orb; then the burning ball is caught by the wind and it spins away into the darkness. The crew scream with terror when they look upon their comrade, for his upper body has been transformed into a blackened and fleshless skull that perches precariously upon his hollow, smoking rib cage.

Panic grips the Vassagonian sailors. They abandon their posts and rush to seek shelter below deck in the crowded cargo hold. You are trying to rally them when suddenly a ball of flame drops from the raging skies and comes hurtling down towards your head.

(I do have Elementalism)

You summon your elemental Kai powers to deflect this terrifying meteor before it consumes you and burns you to a cinder. A superhuman effort will be required if you are to accomplish this desperate action successfully.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. You may add 1 to the number you have picked for every 1 ENDURANCE point you are prepared to deduct from your current total.

(I toss a 6 and spend nothing)

The meteor is deflected by a plume of water that you are able to summon from the towering waves of the sea. The power of this plume is sufficient to repel the fireball and send it hurtling back into the raging sky with a tail of steam hissing in its wake

You struggle across the heaving deck and grab hold of the ship’s spinning helm. Upon gaining control of the wheel you are able to turn the heavy vessel away from the pounding waves. Cold sea and hot flames lash at your body as you fight bravely to steer the Desert Jewel towards a sliver of sunlight that glows like a beacon of hope beyond this supernatural storm.

After what seems like an eternity, the ship emerges from the grim darkness and sails into a calm sea that is bathed in warm sunlight. Behind you the storm abates as quickly as it arrived and, one by one, the crewmen begin to appear out of the hold. Their tanned faces are pale and they are speechless with shock, yet you can tell by the look in their eyes that they are deeply grateful to have you aboard. Kol appears, shaking and dishevelled, yet he finds the words to express how he and his men feel. He praises your skill and bravery and says that everyone aboard owes you their lives. As a small token of his gratitude he offers you his Sword, his Dagger, and a pouch containing 20 Gold Crowns. (If you wish to keep any of these items, be sure to amend your Action Chart accordingly.)

All night the Desert Jewel plies the warm southern sea, and at dawn you awake on the rear deck and witness a beautiful sight. A shoal of flying fish are running alongside the ship. As they leap and dive into the blue-green waves, their glistening bodies reflect a rainbow of colour when they are struck by the rays of the early morning sun. You breakfast with the crew who, out of respect, insist that you have only the best food that is on board (you may restore 3 ENDURANCE points. There is also sufficient food left over for 2 Meals).

(I take the gold, not the meals)

[Abe Sargent]

The Desert Jewel approaches Bisutan harbour late in the afternoon. The city itself is located upon an island in the estuary of the River Khorda and is linked to the mainland by two great stone bridges. You admire these wondrous spans from afar as the ship takes its place in a line of vessels that are waiting to dock at the crowded quayside. The magnificent harbour is full of people who have come here from the four corners of Magnamund to trade their wares. Travellers, merchants, farmers, priests, and slaves are just a few of the people you observe when finally the Desert Jewel is allowed to dock at the harbour wall.

Kol’s trading partners are already waiting on the quayside to meet the ship. They are anxious to do business with him, but the battered state of the ship following yesterday’s storm does little to inspire their confidence. The moment the gangplank is lowered, they come rushing aboard to inspect the timber in the hold. Kol bids you a hurried farewell as he and his crew thank you once more for saving their lives and their livelihoods. You disembark and push your way through the busy harbour square and enter a broad avenue which leads to the heart of this teeming city. At a place called Dhanamet Square you happen upon an evening bazaar. You are mindful of your need to find lodging for the night and some means by which you will be able to continue your journey to Elzian. As you stop to look at the market and the façades of the shops and taverns which border upon it, your eye is caught by the gaily-decorated merchant’s stalls and the exotic wares displayed upon them.

( I look at the stalls)

You tour the market and one stall in particular holds your attention. It is run by a small and timid-looking man and he offers you herbs and potions which he has gathered from all over Magnamund. As you examine the hundreds of phials, philtres, and flasks that are laid out upon his stall, you notice there are many types of herbs that you have encountered before, and some you have not. Of all his selection, the following four interest you the most:

Potion of Laumspur: restores 4 ENDURANCE points when swallowed after combat.
Potion of Alether: increases COMBAT SKILL by 2 when swallowed before combat (one use only).
Potion of Mustow: creates a foul choking gas when released into the air.
Potion of Sebaris: purifies contaminated water (one use only).

Each of these potions costs 3 Gold Crowns.

(I purchase a Potion of Mustow and Sebaris.)

You slip your purchase inside your Backpack and then bid farewell to the smiling herbalist before returning to the middle of the square. Here you stop for a few minutes to watch a juggler. As you watch him perform with clubs and daggers, you are continually jostled and bumped by the crowd. You are about to move off when suddenly you feel something tugging at your back. Glancing over your shoulder, you see a suspicious young man running away through the milling crowd. He is clutching something to his chest that you feel sure he has just filched from your Backpack

(I chase him)

The man snakes his way through the crowd with surprising speed. He is fast and agile, but he is no match for a Kai Grand Master and you quickly catch him. Your suspicions were correct: he is clasping to his chest an item from your Backpack (the first item on your list). Having been caught red-handed, this wily thief now tries to turn the tables on you. He screams at the top of his voice that you are robbing him. His wailing cries attract the crowd’s attention and soon you find yourself surrounded by a score of scowling faces, all looking accusingly at you.

You take hold of the thief roughly by the throat and, using your Kai Mastery to mimic his nasal accent, you say: ‘Accuse your own brother of theft, would you? I’ll teach you to go filching m’things when m’back is turned.’ And with this, you slap him across the top of the head with the back of your hand and snatch back the item he has stolen from you.

The crowd immediately loses interest in what they now believe is just an everyday squabble between two brothers, and they continue about their own business.

The thief is struck dumb by the sheer audacity of your ploy. When you release your grip of his throat, he scurries away into the crowd like a frightened rat.

You walk to the south side of the market where it is less populated. Here, sandwiched between a warehouse and a storage shed, you discover a small lodging house. A sign in the window says that there are clean rooms available and so you enter to enquire about the price. You are greeted by a woman whose almond-shaped eyelids tell you that she is from Chai, a land far away in Southern Magnamund. She tells you that a room here for the night will cost you 3 Gold Crowns, a price which also includes a morning meal.

(I pay)

You pay the woman (deduct 3 Gold Crowns) and she hands you a key on which is stamped the number 4. Then she points to a corridor on the ground floor which leads to your room at the rear of the building. As you are about to insert the key into the lock, you hear a suspicious noise coming from inside your room. Silently you unsheathe your weapon, unlock the door, and then fling it wide open.

[Abe Sargent]

The door bangs open against the wall and a loud screech echoes from your room. This painfully sharp noise makes you raise your weapon defensively but, as you prepare to strike a blow, you suddenly see a startled cat come hurtling through the doorway. You smile to yourself and sheathe your weapon as you watch the terrified cat scurry along the corridor amidst a cloud of dust and loose fur.

The room itself is shabby but clean. You take off your cloak and equipment, wash from a cracked porcelain bowl, and then sit down on the threadbare mattress which serves as a bed. Now your thoughts return to your mission, and while you are pondering what may yet lie in store for you on the road to Elzian, you open the satchel containing the Moonstone and bathe in the warm glow which radiates from this wondrous artefact.

Suddenly there is a knock on your door. The sound gives you a start and quickly you buckle the satchel and stow it under the mattress.

( i do have grand huntmastery)

Your Kai Mastery reveals to you that there is only one person standing outside your room. You sense that this person is neither evil nor hostile, yet the fact that someone is there at all makes you feel a little uneasy. You reach for your weapon belt and put it on before you move cautiously to open the door.

You inch open the door and see a tall, lean, grey-haired old man standing outside in the corridor. He wears the silvery grey robes of a magician and his broad facial features are unmistakably Kakushian.

‘Forgive me for disturbing you at this hour,’ he says, politely, ‘but I felt compelled to make your acquaintance. My name is Rhous. I am journeyman to the Magicians’ Guild of Nikesa. I sensed a power within this room and I thought, perhaps, that you might be a fellow student of sorcery. Am I correct?’

Your Sixth Sense tells you that this old magician is genuine—he is who he claims to be. Your common sense tells you that he is also incredibly nosey!

(I talk further)

You decline to answer his question directly for you do not wish to give him the impression that you are familiar with the ways of magic. Rather than reveal your true identity, or the reasons why you now find yourself in Bisutan, you simply say that you are a traveller who is on his way south.

‘Mmmm … ’ mutters the old man, clearly bemused, ‘perhaps, you have acquired something … magical… whilst on your travels? I am a collector of magical artefacts. In fact that is why I’ve come to Bisutan. If you have anything of an arcane nature I would be most keen to make you an offer of purchase.’

You invite the magician to enter your room and, after checking that the corridor is empty, you close the door. You can sense his excitement as you place the item(s) that you would like him to purchase on a small table which stands beside the mattress.'

(Iron Skull)

Rhous picks up the skull and weighs it in his hand before examining its pitted surface. You can tell by his sour expression that he is disappointed: he had hoped for something more exceptional than this. After a few moments he offers you 8 Gold Crowns. You haggle with him and finally you settle on a sum of 10 Gold Crowns.

(If, in addition to the Iron Skull, you also possess any of the other items, Rhous would be willing to pay you 20 Gold Crowns for the Siyen Crown, and 30 Gold Crowns for the Kutyan Emerald. Be sure to amend the details on your Action Chart before continuing your adventure.)

(I could move one or the other. I don;t have the Emerald though. Given they are magical and I have a good amount of gold, I'll keep them.)

Having concluded your business, Rhous gets ready to leave your room. But when he reaches the door he suddenly turns around and glances down at the mattress. The strap of your satchel can just be seen.

‘Are you sure you have nothing else you wish to sell me?’ he asks ruefully.

Firmly but politely you say no and bid him goodnight. The old magician leaves and, as you close and lock your door, you hear his footfalls gradually fading as he walks off along the corridor.

Before you settle down to sleep, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points

You wake shortly after daybreak to the appetizing smell of boiled eggs and cured meat. This shortly turns out to be your breakfast which the landlady delivers personally to your room on a tray. Before she goes, you take the opportunity to ask her if she knows of any means of transport departing for Elzian today. She says that there is no regular transport to the Dessian capital, but she says that there is a merchant’s caravan leaving today for Hikas.

‘It takes paying passengers,’ she says, ‘but you’d better hurry if you want to catch it. It leaves from Zakhan’s Mount in less than an hour.’

Quickly you finish your food and prepare to leave. Before you go, the landlady gives you directions to the Zakhan’s Mount written on a scrap of parchment.

Following the landlady’s written directions, you make your way through the streets of the city to a wide concourse which ascends to a knoll called Zakhan’s Mount that overlooks the south gatehouse. Through the open gates you can see the mighty bridge which spans the lower fork of the River Khorda. Beyond lie the Bavari Hills shimmering in a heat haze, and towards the horizon are the Great Masourn Mountains which appear like a jagged purple frieze joined to the sky.

Standing in line before the south gates is a caravan of wagons drawn by sturdy douggas, the sand horses of the Dry Main. Many wagons are piled high with merchants’ goods destined for Bavari—a rich cargo watched over by a dozen armed outriders in the pay of the caravan’s owners. You approach a line of trestle tables set up near the leading wagons where passengers may purchase a seat aboard the caravan for the three-day journey to Bavari. Chalked upon a slate is the price of the fare: 7 Gold Crowns.

(I pay)

You hand over 7 Gold Crowns (erase these from your Action Chart) to a young ticket seller and she paints a dot of indelible crimson ink upon the back of your right hand to indicate that you have paid your fare. Displayed upon adjoining tables are dried foodstuffs and other provisions for the journey. You may buy some of this food if you wish, at a cost of 2 Gold Crowns per Meal.

A few minutes later an outrider comes cantering down the line of parked wagons announcing to everyone that the caravan will depart in five minutes’ time. With mixed feelings of trepidation and excitement, you take a seat aboard one of the spacious passenger wagons and make yourself as comfortable as you can for the long journey ahead.

[Abe Sargent]

Young city children wave and cheer as the caravan trundles out of Bisutan. Soon you cross the great southern bridge, and when you look down at the sparkling blue waters of the Khorda, you see there a flotilla of tiny fishing craft plying their trade. For the first hour of the journey you content yourself with the view and watch the lush scenery and picturesque villages of the river basin pass before your eyes. However, when the caravan enters the Bavari Hills this pleasant landscape soon gives way to a more mundane vista—a seemingly endless sea of barren mounds and arid rocky outcrops.

After a while your attention turns to the other passengers. They are a cheerful group of Vassagonians who are returning to their homes in Bavari after family visits and business in Bisutan. You pass the time exchanging stories and playing cards. You learn that this caravan is regularly used by the merchants of Bavari and Hikas. They prefer to transport their wares by road rather than risk the sea voyage through the Bay of Sharks. Contrary to its name, you hear that there are no longer any sharks in this bay; they migrated to southern waters many centuries ago. One of the passengers jokingly suggests that the reason they left was because of the pirates. The bay is a notorious haunt of buccaneer fleets and renegade privateers.

The surrounding country may be bleak and barren to the eye, but the road is good and the territory is safe. The merchants have established armed outposts every 20 miles which help to deter bandits from raiding the caravans en route. The first night is spent at an outpost and the second night a camp is struck at an oasis where the road is joined by a track. This neglected track traverses the mountains and leads to the Great Masourn Trail, an ancient trade route. Many of your fellow travellers have been looking forward to arriving at the oasis, for it allows them the chance to visit Temujun the Sage—the famous soothsayer of the Dry Main, and when the caravan arrives there, they hurriedly disembark. You watch with fascination as half of your wagon’s passengers scurry towards Temujun’s tent, which is pitched at the edge of a shimmering pool, whilst the other half gather about a blazing campfire and share their food while they enjoy a performance given by a troupe of actors.



(I visit the Sage)

From the reverent way the passengers spoke about Temujun during the journey, you are expecting him to be either a very wise old cleric or a gifted charlatan. You take your place in line with the others who are queueing to enter his tent and idly you listen to their excited chatter. While you wait, a young boy clad in a mhaktis of striped silk walks along the line collecting Temujun’s fee. For five minutes’ consultation with the learned sage, the charge is 2 Gold Crowns.

(I pay)

An hour passes before your turn comes to enter Temujun’s tent. Awaiting you inside is an old man swathed in a silk robe. He wears a jewel-encrusted collar and a large blue turban that is wrapped impeccably around his frail head. He is seated cross-legged on a mound of pillows and he cradles a sphere of rose-coloured crystal in his lap.

Without once looking up from his crystal sphere he tells you to sit opposite him and place any weapons you may be carrying on the floor beside you. When you comply with his wishes he closes his eyes and begins to concentrate. A few moments later he opens them and stares at your satchel with a look of shocked surprise; you sense at once that he has detected the presence of the Moonstone. The frail old man begins to shake and beads of sweat trickle down his wrinkled face. For a moment his eyes widen and then he faints and falls backwards among his pillows.

( I try and revive him)

You use your Kai healing skills to revive the old man and calm his trembling limbs. Then you help him to sit up and, when he has regained his composure, he looks into your eyes and says:

‘You are one of the Kai, yes?’ You nod your head and a smile deepens the wrinkles around his mouth. ‘You possess a stone of power … a legendary stone?’ This time you hesitate, but you sense that it is a rhetorical question: the old man already knows the answer. Briefly he searches among his pillows and retrieves a leather-bound tube. He flips open one end of the tube and tips a plain-looking ring into the palm of his hand. It seems to be crafted from petrified wood.

‘Take this, Kai Lord,’ he says, and proffers you the ring. ‘It will keep you safe on your long journey. That which you seek to return must be delivered.’

You take the ring and place it in the pocket of your tunic (record Temujun’s Ring as a Special Item on your Action Chart). The old man smiles once more and, although no words are exchanged, you sense that he is deeply satisfied to be able to assist your vital mission.

You thank him and leave his tent. Once outside, you walk down to the edge of the oasis to bathe your face and drink the warm, fresh water. The yellow flames of the campfire are glimmering on its surface and you pause to consider joining the travellers who are seated around it, enjoying the show.

You seat yourself near the crackling campfire and one of your fellow passengers offers you a piece of fruit which you gratefully accept. The troupe are gifted acrobats and jugglers and the performances they give are very entertaining. During their act the leader of the troupe climbs upon a large barrel and challenges the audience to answer a riddle:

‘An old, one-legged farmer, his wife, his dog, his horse, and his cows, have 103 legs between them. How many cows does the old farmer have?’

The leader is sure that nobody will answer his riddle correctly. He is so sure that he offers 10 Gold Crowns to anyone who can give him the correct answer in less than thirty seconds.

(23 in 16 seconds)

The leader of the troupe says nothing, yet the crestfallen look on his face is enough to tell you that you have answered his riddle correctly.3 Your fellow passengers cheer and applaud your display of mental dexterity as you walk to the barrel to collect your prize of 10 Gold Crowns. (If you already possess the maximum number of Gold Crowns permissible, you share the coins out generously among those passengers who are travelling in your carriage.)

The show continues, but you are feeling tired and so you return to the empty passenger wagon. Before you pull your cloak around yourself and settle down to sleep, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery).

You are woken early the following morning by the motion of the carriage. As you rub your eyes and stretch your aching limbs, your fellow passengers tell you that the caravan has been on the move for more than an hour. They are eating a breakfast of bread and fruit which they generously offer to share with you.

It is almost noon when the stone town of Bavari looms into view. Most of its sun-bleached shops and houses are contained within a wall of uncemented stone blocks which rise to twice the height of a horse. The road approaches a heavy wooden gate, banded and studded with iron, which is flanked by circular guard towers. Perforating the walls are slits for archers and openings for larger machines of war.

The procession of wagons passes through the gate and comes to a halt in the middle of Bavari. As you disembark you sense an air of excitement pervading this town. You overhear the other passengers talking and you learn that today is the third day of the Bavarian gladiatorial circus—an annual event which attracts the finest warriors of Vassagonia to come here and compete with each other in armed combat. Great wealth and status are the rewards for those who triumph; disgrace and sometimes death await those who fail.

You are curious to see this great event and so you follow a group of passengers to Bavari’s arena where the gladiatorial circus is being staged. Entrance to the arena is free and you take a seat on one of the many stone tiers that encircle its oval-shaped fighting area. Throughout the afternoon several combats are staged between warriors on foot and on horseback. The heat of the desert sun is unrelenting, and by late afternoon you are feeling parched. During a lull in the contests, you hear the tinkling sound of running water and you decide to seek out its source. You descend to the edge of the fighting area and enter a tunnel which passes beneath the tiers of seats. Halfway along this cool tunnel is an open door set into the whitewashed wall. Through the doorway you see a bronze fountain standing in the middle of an empty room. It is richly embellished with engravings which depict ancient gladiatorial contests, and a stream of sparkling water issues upwards from a nozzle at its centre, inviting you to drink.

You are desperate to slake your thirst and so you enter the room and stoop over the fountain. You are swallowing the deliciously cool water when suddenly you sense someone rushing at you from behind.

The moment you turn around you find yourself staring into the face of a tall and powerfully built Vassagonian warrior. His eyes glow with a maniacal anger and, without warning, he closes his hands around your throat and crushes your windpipe in a vice-tight grip. Blood pounds at your temples and your vision blurs as he lifts you bodily from the floor. To break his grip you slam your boot into his stomach and he doubles up, releasing you as he falls gasping to his knees.

You stagger backwards and grab the fountain for support as gingerly you clasp your bruised throat. With croaking voice you demand the warrior explain the reason for his unprovoked attack. He answers you with a growl; then he draws his sword and strikes out at your legs. You leap over his scything blade and kick out in mid-air to catch him squarely between the eyes with the hardened toe of your boot. The warrior is flung backwards and you hear a loud Crack! as his head strikes the tiled floor.

Suddenly six burly gladiators come rushing into the room with their swords drawn.

‘How dare you enter the Chamber of the Font!’ screams one scar-faced fighter.

‘It is forbidden!’ shouts another. ‘Only gladiators of Vassa lineage may enter here and drink the holy waters!’

There is further outrage when they see your attacker lying on the floor. The scar-faced fighter kneels and places a hand to the man’s neck, and then he glares at you and screams: ‘He’s dead! You’ve killed Malduz!’

‘We’ll see you pay for this,’ shouts another, and slowly the angry men advance into the room with murder blazing in their eyes.

Desperately you look around for a means to escape, but the doorway offers the only way of leaving the room. You are about to rush at the advancing gladiators and fight your way through them, when suddenly you see something that stops you dead in your tracks.

[Abe Sargent]

A dozen arena guards rush into the room and elbow their way through the gladiators’ advancing ranks. They are armed with Bor muskets which they level at your head and chest. These primitive firearms are wildly inaccurate at ranges where a bow can be precise and deadly, but they are devastating when used at close quarters. Reluctantly you sheathe your weapon and raise your hands in surrender for to attempt an escape now is futile.

The gladiators surround you swiftly and drag you out of the room. You are manhandled roughly along the tunnel and brought before a distinguished-looking man who is clad in fine white linen and jewel-encrusted armour. He is Torvax, the owner of the dead warrior-slave Malduz. The news that his finest gladiator is dead sends him into a blind fury. Malduz was to fight at dusk in the final combat of the circus. Now Torvax stands to lose the winner’s purse of 1,000 Gold Crowns. In his rage he orders that you be executed at dusk before the entire arena. The situation is looking hopeless until, as you are being dragged away, you offer to fight for Torvax in Malduz’s place



Torvax commands the guardsmen to wait. Then he swaggers over to where you lie and he looks down at you with a thoughtful expression fixed upon his lordly face. His eyes glitter darkly.

‘You lack weight … I like my fighters to have weight of muscle,’ he sneers, ‘but you have strength of spirit. I have seen gladiators who could lift an ox with their bare hands defeated in the arena by puny men with fire in their souls. Perhaps you have fire in your soul, Northlander? Fire enough to win for me the victor’s purse?’

Torvax signals to the guardsmen and they pull you to your feet. ‘Very well, you fight for me at dusk. You will fight Dromodon the Invincible and you will win.’

‘And if I lose?’ you say, barely daring to ask the question.

‘Then you die, Northlander. The final combat of the circus is always to the death!’

The guardsmen take you away to a dingy cell below the arena where you are kept until the time comes for you to meet your opponent. You are allowed to keep your Weapons, including your Kai Weapon, but you are warned that the use of sorcery within the gladiatorial arena is strictly forbidden. Torvax despises magic and any breach of this rule will result in immediate execution. (The contest is restricted to hand weapons only; if you possess a Bow it is now confiscated and you must delete it from your Action Chart.)

Within the hour the guardsmen return: it is time for you to meet your adversary. As you are led from your cell and escorted along the tunnel, you can hear the crowd above roaring with excitement. Then, as you step into the fading sunlight, you hear gasps of astonishment from some quarters. They come from your fellow travellers who cannot believe that it is you, the friendly Northlander, who is to fight Dromodon the Invincible to the death. The guardsmen march you to the centre of the arena and leave you standing there alone under the watchful gaze of the expectant crowd. Minutes later, the crowd erupts when Dromodon emerges from the tunnel.

romodon strides into the arena with his arms flung wide to receive the frenzied adulation of the crowd. He is a magnificent lion of a man, with broad shoulders and a mighty chest that ripples with bronzed muscle. His grim face is stern and majestic beneath a mane of wild black hair, and he moves with the confidence and grace of a huge, predatory animal. At first he appears to be the very embodiment of gladiatorial perfection, and you regret that you should have to fight this heroic warrior to the death. But your regrets soon evaporate when you look into his eyes, for you see revealed there his true nature. Beneath the façade of his heroic exterior lurks a soul filled with evil. Your senses tell you that he is a secret worshipper of Naar. The Dark God has given him many rewards—his strength and his status—and in return Dromodon has consigned hundreds of noble souls to an eternity of slavery in the thrall of Naar. Now you see him for what he really is—a ruthless murderer, a heartless killing machine—and all empathy with him as a fellow warrior is lost. This will be a fight to the death and you must fight to win!



Dromodon: COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE 39

This enemy is immune to all forms of psychic attack.

(I have a -2 CS. I toss a 0 and 4, and he took 16 to my 4. I toss a 6, 4, and 4. He has taken 33 to my 16. I toss a 8 and he dies, and i finish with 18 damage.)

[Abe Sargent]

The crowd roars with excitement the moment you strike your killing blow. Dromodon staggers back, blood trickling freely from his mouth, and he spits a curse with his dying breath before crashing to the sand. The crowd erupts with wild elation and the guardsmen are hard pressed to keep them from rushing headlong into the arena. Dromodon’s corpse is dragged unceremoniously away and, amidst the screams and cheers, you are ushered before Torvax. He praises you for your fighting skill and bravery and he offers you the post of principal of his gladiator school in Ferufezan. Politely you decline. It is customary for the winner of the final combat of the circus to be granted one request, and you ask that you may be allowed to go free. Torvax nods in agreement. He is grieved by the loss of his warrior-slave Malduz, but he does not hold you responsible for his death.

Before he instructs his men to escort you to the gates of the arena and let you go free, he hands you a silk pouch containing 20 Gold Crowns. (If you had a Bow confiscated before the combat with Dromodon, this is returned to you on your way out of the arena.)


The moment you set foot into the streets outside the arena you are mobbed by a crowd of excited citizens. To avoid them you are forced to flee into a maze of alleys and eventually you lose them in the town’s east quarter. Night is fast approaching and you sense that it will be completely dark within the hour. As you walk along a cobbled street towards the town’s east gate, you glance into the front windows of shops and emporia that are still open for business here despite the lateness of the hour.

(I go shopping with my 49 gold, Herbalist's Shop)

As you step into this dusty little shop you are hit by a cocktail of aromas that literally take your breath away. You cough to clear your throat of the sickly taste left by these pungent smells, and suddenly the owner of this shop appears in a doorway behind the back counter. He thinks that you are trying to attract his attention.

A quick scan of the shelves tells your experienced eye that there are no herbs of great value or interest here. Most of the potions on display are placebos and quack remedies. However, as you turn to leave, the herbalist produces a black box which he opens for your inspection. Inside are the following potions:

Potion of Laumspur: restores 4 ENDURANCE points when consumed after combat.
Potion of Gallowbrush: induces sleep for one to two hours.
Potion of Alether: increases COMBAT SKILL by 2. One use only.

All of the above potions cost 3 Gold Crowns. If you wish to purchase one or more of them, adjust your Action Chart accordingly.

(Silversmith)

As you step into this shop you are hit by a heady cocktail of powerful smells: metal polish, corrosive acid, and rust. You cough to clear your throat of the sickly taste left by these evil-smelling aromas, and suddenly the owner appears in a doorway at the back of the shop. He thinks that you are trying to attract his attention.

He notes that you are a warrior and he lifts the lid on a large display counter so that you may inspect his weaponry. Each one is inlaid with finest silver and bears a neatly written price tag:

Broadsword—8 Gold Crowns
Warhammer—7 Gold Crowns
Dagger—3 Gold Crowns
Axe—8 Gold Crowns
Short Sword—4 Gold Crowns
Arrows—1 Gold Crown (each)

If you wish to purchase one or more of the above Weapons, adjust your Action Chart accordingly.

(Agemo's Emporium)

You enter this musty emporium and cast your experienced eye across its shelves and glass-fronted cabinets. A toothless old crone is standing behind a toa wood counter and she bids you welcome. As you walk around the shop she watches you like a hawk.

Most of her wares appear to be second-hand items of little value or practical use. Of all the thousands of things that are crammed into this shop, only the following catch your eye:

Rope—3 Gold Crowns
Blanket—2 Gold Crowns
Hourglass—3 Gold Crowns
Tinderbox—2 Gold Crowns
Spyglass—2 Gold Crowns

If you wish to purchase one or more of the above Backpack Items, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.

(I remove my meals and purchase the Potion of Alether and the Siliver-Inland Warhammer)

At the end of the street you discover a tavern which adjoins the town’s east gatehouse. It has a stables and a small blacksmithy, and the first floor has been given over to a rooming hostel. It is a popular place and you see several people entering and leaving by its main door.

Beyond this door you discover a warm taproom with great padded chairs and tables of yellow Siyenese elm. You approach the tavern-keeper’s wife who is serving ale to customers in tankards made of hardened leather. You enquire if she has a room for the night and she nods and smiles. ‘Three Gold Crowns,’ she says, ‘and for that you can have as much ale as you can stomach!’

You pay her 3 Gold Crowns (erase these from your Action Chart. If you have fewer than 3 Gold Crowns, you give all of your remaining Crowns to the tavern-keeper’s wife) but you decline a tankard of her ale. It has a peculiar smell that makes you think of greasy animal hides.

(I have the cash)

You are climbing the stairs to your room on the first floor when an old man bumps into you on the landing. He is wearing thick spectacles and he is scrutinizing a strange box-like device made from cubes and tubes of iron, quartz, and brass. Part of this device snags your cloak and rips it. He apologizes profusely and offers to mend the tear in your cloak. As you look into his bespectacled eyes your Magnakai senses detect a faint aura of magic.

(I accept his offer)

The old man places his hand over the torn cloth, mumbles a few words, and when he removes it you see that the fibres have knitted together and your cloak is now as good as new. At once your Magnakai senses tell you that he has used the Brotherhood Spell Mend to repair your garment.

‘Just a little trick I learned in Toran,’ he says jocularly. Then he raises his box-like contraption and sighs: ‘Alas, ’tis a pity I can’t use the same trick to fix this convexor. I was never much good with machines.’

He looks at the box and then at you and a flicker of recognition passes across his wizened face. ‘You’re Sommlending, aren’t you?’ he says, and then he moves a little closer and inspects your tunic and cloak. ‘By the bells of Teph! You’re a Kai! Well, well, bless my soul!’ And with this the old man begins to reminisce about the part he played in the Darklands War, how the peoples of Northern Magnamund owe their lives to your illustrious leader—Lone Wolf—and how appreciative he is of the Kai’s tireless fight against the forces of Naar. It is clear by his enthusiasm that he is honoured to have made your acquaintance. When finally he finishes his gushing eulogy he offers to buy you an evening meal.

(I accept his offer)

Over a delicious supper of fish roe and steamed vegetables (restore 2 ENDURANCE points), you learn that the old man’s name is Yranai and that he is a native of Hikas. He was on his way home from Bisutan aboard his flying craft when it developed a mechanical problem, and he was forced to make an unscheduled landing in the hills just a few miles to the south of this town. He is staying overnight at the tavern while the blacksmith repairs the convexor, the device that accidentally snagged your cloak. When you tell Yranai that you are bound for Elzian, he offers to transport you there aboard Simoom—his flying craft. To travel the last leg of your journey to Elzian by air would save you many days, especially as you have yet to cross the Great Masourn Mountain Range. Gladly you accept Yranai’s offer, and you agree to meet him in the taproom at dawn so that he can take you to the place in the hills where his craft Simoom is grounded.

[Abe Sargent]

You wake early and take time to clean your Weapons and equipment before going downstairs to the taproom at dawn to meet with Yranai. Together you leave the tavern and pass through the town’s east gate as a bell in a nearby tower clangs five times. For a mile you walk along the caravan route to Hikas until you come to a place where a fallen toa tree lies across a ditch beside the road. Yranai stops here and points to a gentle hill little more than half a mile distant. ‘I’m sure she’s behind that hummock,’ he muses, and he sets off with you following patiently behind.

As you reach the top of the hill you see his flying craft resting in a gully below. It is a huge balloon which is attached by steel cables to a basket that lies on its side. A tangle of metal pipes and brass cylinders hangs suspended in a cradle under the balloon, and several parts of this strange engine are dented and scraped, indicating that Yranai must have had a bumpy landing. On reaching the balloon, you struggle to set the basket upright while Yranai fits the repaired convexor. Minutes later, he turns a valve and the engine splutters into life. After a few bangs and wheezes it settles into a chugging rhythm, and you both scramble to climb aboard as the balloon rises and hoists the basket off the ground.

Simoom ascends rapidly into the cloudless sky. Soon you can see the town of Bavari spread out below you like a detailed map, the southern Vassagonian coastline with its inlets and villages, and to the south the snowy peaks of the Great Masourn Mountains. Yranai tinkers with the engine and you feel the balloon beginning to drift southwards, towards a gap in the peaks of the great mountain range.

( I do have Grand Hunt.)

ou magnify your vision and detect that there are violent thermal air currents swirling between the mountain peaks. You detect that these are the result of the dry air currents from the Bavari Hills meeting with the humid jungle air of the southern reaches. You warn Yranai but he seems unconcerned.

‘It may get a little rough but Simoom is built to take it,’ he says with bravado, and he bangs his fist on the handrail that runs around the rim of the basket, as if to demonstrate his craft’s sturdy workmanship. When a section of the handrail immediately falls away and is lost in the mountains below, it does not readily inspire your confidence in this craft or its pilot. Sheepishly, Yranai plays with the valves of the engine and the balloon drifts to the east, towards some more distant but lesser peaks where the air is calmer. He gives you a wry grin and you give thanks to Kai and Ishir that he has heeded your warning.

(I like him he has character. I laughed while eating a chip.)

You ride the benign thermal currents that swirl between these lower mountain peaks and enjoy a spectacular aerial view of the Great Masourn Range. Within the hour you emerge from the peaks and drift towards columns of rock that rise up from the lower slopes of the timbered mountainside. Circling above one of these columns are six large, black winged birds. You magnify your vision and your pulse quickens when instantly you recognize them to be Itikars—giant Vassagonian eagles.

The leader of this predatory group has golden markings on his wing tips that glint in the sun, giving them a metallic appearance, and when he sees the balloon approaching he veers away from the column. The others follow his lead and all six come flying towards you in a wedge-shaped formation.

They fly past overhead and stare down at the balloon with their cold black eyes. Then the leader turns about and you sense that he intends to attack you on his next pass. His companions form up behind him in a line and he leads them in a steep dive.



(I have none of the options, no bow, no Kai-Alchemy, no Animal Control.)

You watch aghast as the Itikars swoop past the balloon and rake their talons across its canopy. The sudden loss of gas from the canopy shakes the basket and you are knocked off your feet. Yranai falls on top of you and, for a few nerve-racking seconds, you lie entangled at the bottom of the basket as the balloon rapidly loses altitude. When you pull yourself up and peer over the rim, you see the trees of the lower mountain slopes rising towards you at a dizzying speed. Yranai looks up to see shreds of cloth trailing from the punctured canopy above and the sight proves too much for him: he faints. Hurriedly you haul his frail body over your shoulder. Then you place one foot on the rim of the basket and get ready to make a desperate leap away from this doomed balloon as the tops of the mountain pines rise into view.

With the old magician draped over your shoulder, you leap from the basket and plummet headlong towards the ground. You see the balloon smash into the timberland barely moments before you hit the upper branches of this pine forest. The old man is torn from your grasp and you lose consciousness as you crash through the branches of the trees.

Consciousness returns through a kaleidoscopic swirl of colour and pain (lose 8 ENDURANCE points). Bruised and aching, you pull yourself into a sitting position and see the wreckage of the balloon hanging among the trees and scattered across the rocks nearby. A few feet away lies Yranai; he is still unconscious and you see at once that his left leg is badly broken. Gingerly you pull yourself over to his side and you are about to examine his injured leg when you hear voices calling you from among the trees. Three Vakeros natives appear from out of the pines and come hurrying over the rocks towards you. You examine the old magician and discover that he has stopped breathing: he is near to death. It is only through the use of your Kai curing skills that you are able to make him breathe again and bring him back from the edge of the abyss. You set his fractured leg but, despite your best efforts, you cannot return him to consciousness.

The three Vakeros tell you that they know Yranai and they offer to take care of him. They construct a makeshift stretcher from their coats and carry him to their settlement which is less than a mile distant. You stay here this night and use your healing skills to save the old man’s leg before you eventually settle down to a few hours’ sleep. At dawn you awake to find him still unconscious. You are anxious to continue your journey, and yet you feel compelled to help Yranai regain his health. You talk with the Vakeros and tell them that you must leave and they assure you that Yranai is safe with them. They promise to take good care of him. They also offer to give you one of their sturdy mountain horses, an old mare called Jhani, to help speed your journey southwards. Gratefully you accept their generous offer and then you bid them farewell before you leave their settlement by way of a mountain track.

It is around noon of the following day when the track finally emerges from the foothills of the Great Masourn Mountains and joins the coast road some 30 miles from Hikas. In the distance you see a village and you ride towards it. At first the villagers seem as friendly and as peaceable as the mountain dwellers who gave you your horse, but the moment they see you approaching they immediately freeze in their tracks. Some drop the items they are carrying and others begin to tremble with fear.

[Abe Sargent]

(I try to talk to them)

You call out a friendly greeting to the nearest villager and you see his face blanch. He throws up his hands in alarm and runs headlong into the nearest undergrowth. This begins a chain-reaction among the other villagers who shriek with panic and flee in all directions. Within a matter of minutes this village has been transformed into a ghost town.

Bemused and a little unnerved by their inexplicable reaction, you pass through this cluster of empty bamboo huts and continue on along the road towards Hikas.

You approach the gates of Hikas just as the last rays of sunlight are dipping below the western horizon. Bathed in the sun’s afterglow this ancient city-port looks warmly inviting, and you cast your eye appraisingly across the stone geometry of its protective wall, its conical towers, and its pyramidal dwellings. Every surface is embellished with runic symbols, yet few remain legible, for thousands of years have elapsed since they were carved.

The Vakeros at the east gate recognize your Kai tunic and offer you a guarded welcome. They warn you that a curfew is in force and tell you to be off the streets by dark. You pass through the gate and follow a long shadowy street that descends towards the wharves and taverns that line the banks of the Carcos River—a murky, silt-rich channel which divides the city in two. Mindful of the imminent curfew, you tether your horse to a rail and enter the nearest tavern in search of a room for the night. Inside the air is hot and stale. A small number of men and women of mixed nationality stand at the counter and sit at small tables. Their low-voiced conversations break off as you let the tavern door shut behind you with a bang.

(I head to the counter)

The men standing at the counter move away at your approach, and one of them, a bilious rogue with close-set eyes and a cleft chin, casts you a murderous glance. You ignore him and ask the innkeeper for a room and stabling for the night. He says the tavern is full and he suggests that you look elsewhere. Chalked on a board above the counter is the message ‘Rooms—2 Gold Crowns nightly’, and hanging on a line of brass hooks behind the innkeeper’s back are seven room keys. The man is lying: every boarding room in this tavern is unoccupied.

(Why are you lying?)

The innkeeper says nothing, he just narrows his eyes and his jaw sets rock-hard. Then the rogue and his shadowy companions sidle their way back to the counter and move to surround you.

‘You heard him,’ says one of the men. ‘There ain’t no rooms.’

‘Yeah! That’s right,’ sneers the rogue. ‘So why don’t you be gettin’ on your way, friend.’ And with this, he whips a dagger from his belt and stabs it into the counter. He glances at his companions and instantly they reach for the hilts of their swords.

(I protest)

Suddenly it seems that everyone in the tavern is gripped by an inexplicable madness. The rogue pulls his dagger free and attempts to stab you, but you turn his clumsy thrust aside with your forearm and knock him to the floor. Two of the others try to strike you simultaneously with their swords and you duck below their blades. They strike each other and fall back, screaming and clutching at their wounds. A thrown bottle catches you a glancing blow to the head as you run for the door (lose 2 ENDURANCE points), but you manage to pull it open and escape into the darkening street without further injury. However, to your dismay you discover that your horse Jhani has disappeared. Two men brandishing swords appear in the doorway behind you and swiftly you sprint along the street. You use your Kai camouflage skills to evade them and they quickly give up the chase.

The incident at the tavern and the loss of your horse leave you feeling angry and confused. For more than an hour you walk the dark, deserted streets of Hikas as you struggle to make sense of what has happened. You are passing a junction where the cobblestoned street joins with a larger avenue, when suddenly you hear the approaching tramp of booted feet. A stern but anxious voice calls out, commanding you to halt, and when you peer into the darkness you see a dozen Vakeros militiamen. They are armed with spears and throwing nets, and they are standing in a line abreast to seal off the avenue.

(I obey)

Warily the Vakeros move forward to surround you, their spears held out at arm’s length as if they are afraid to come too close. Their officer, a young lieutenant, steps a pace nearer and you can see that he is sweating profusely. It is a warm night but this is not the reason he is perspiring: he is terrified. Then he recognizes the style of your tunic, and when he looks carefully at your face you see the whipcord tension in his body begin to ease.

‘You’re a Kai?’

‘Yes,’ you reply. ‘I’m a journeyman bound for Elzian.’

The Vakeros signals to his men and expertly they couch their spears and form up into a column in readiness to march.

‘Well, Master Kai,’ says the lieutenant, ‘you’re going to have to come with us.’

The militia have orders to impose the curfew and arrest anyone caught on the streets after dark. As you march alongside the young lieutenant on your way to the city’s guardhouse, you ask him why such stern measures have been imposed, especially in Hikas which is considered to be one of the most peaceful and civilized cities of Magnamund.

‘The people of Hikas are living in fear of their lives,’ says the lieutenant. ‘For the past month there’s been a creature stalking our streets at night. It’s killed more than fifty poor souls, and in terrible fashion. Ripped ’em to pieces. There isn’t anyone who’s lived to tell what it looks like but everyone’s got their own ideas. Some say it’s a shape-changer that goes about at day in the guise of a man and changes into a beast at night. Others say it’s come from Gorgoron, seeking revenge on the Old Kingdom for the death of its master—Agarash the Damned. I don’t know what to think. All I know is that it walks these streets, and every night someone dies a ghastly death by its hand.’

Suddenly a terrible shriek echoes through the empty streets. A woman standing on the balcony of a tall building nearby leans over the parapet and calls out to the lieutenant. ‘Down by the river,’ she shouts, and she points over the rooftops to where the shriek was heard. ‘The fiend … it’s struck again!’

‘Quick, men!’ yells the lieutenant. ‘Follow me! If we’re swift we may catch the beast this night.’

(I head with them)

You run with the militia along the narrow twisting streets towards the south quarter of Hikas, where the town houses of wealthy merchants command expensive views of the River Carcos. Again a shriek pierces the darkness, but this time it is echoed by a terrible inhuman howl. ‘The beast!’ gasps the lieutenant, and he turns to rally his men onwards. Soon the street ahead meets a towpath which runs along the river bank, and you slow your pace so you can turn the corner. As you do so, you see a man dressed in his nightclothes leaning from the open window of a house close by. He appears to be in shock for he is sobbing and clutching fitfully at his dishevelled hair. You stop and call to him and slowly he responds. He sees you through his tears and points frantically to several small bundles lying on the towpath beside the gangplank to a barge. The lieutenant rushes past you and hurries to the first bundle. You see him drop to his knees and shake his head in disbelief, and then he turns away and retches. You magnify your vision and see, to your horror, what the bundles really are. They are the shredded remains of two men, two traders who have been dragged from their beds aboard their barge and torn limb from limb by some nameless creature of the night.

Desperately you scan the towpath and the buildings which stand all along the river bank. Then you see something and your heart skips a beat. In the darkness of a narrow alleyway two amber eyes glint in the moonlight. You sharpen your focus and catch the faintest glimpse of a dark shape loping away.

‘There!’ you shout, and you give chase, with the city militiamen and the lieutenant following after. The passageway twists and turns like an angry snake before it ends abruptly at a junction where a wider alley crosses it from left to right. Quickly you drop to your knees and summon your tracking skills in an effort to determine which way the creature went.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you possess Telegnosis, add 1.

(i toss a 3)

You enter the right alley and the militia, who are following closely, split into two groups. Roughly half their number searches the other alley whilst the remainder stays with you.

As you are running along this narrow thoroughfare, suddenly you hear the sound of splintering timbers somewhere in the distance. A hundred yards later the alley opens out into a tree-lined plaza which is bordered by shops selling rare artefacts of the Old Kingdom, and expensive works of art. Their windows and doors are securely barred and shuttered and show no signs of a forced entry. Then your eye is drawn to a grand building on the far side of the plaza: it is a temple. Its great stone door is closed, but a smaller wooden door at the side has been torn off its hinges. You magnify your vision and see that beyond the door is a flight of stone steps which ascend to a bell-tower.

Cautiously you approach the shattered door. You unsheathe your weapon and scan the darkened stairs before silently ascending the steps. You have climbed twenty steps when suddenly you hear a hideous snickering growl and an icy chill runs the length of your spine. There is an ominous creak of stone on stone and a movement in the darkness above, and then a crashing fills your ears. Out of the darkness you see a great marble statue come smashing down the narrow stairway. It rapidly gathers speed as it tumbles end-over-end towards you.



(I do not have Kai Alchemy)

[Abe Sargent]

As the great statue tumbles down the steps, you try to anticipate where it will fall so that you can attempt to leap aside and save yourself from being crushed beneath it.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, you may add 2 to the number you have picked. If your current ENDURANCE score is 20 or higher, you may add 2. If your current ENDURANCE score is 10 or lower, you must deduct 2.

(I auto succeed)

You wait until the last moment before you leap over the falling statue. It shears the surface from the steps on which, just seconds ago, you were standing but you escape unscathed. You see the statue finally reach the bottom of the stairwell where it smashes into several large segments which block the narrow doorway and fill the base of the stairwell with thick dust. Steeling yourself for what may lie ahead, you hurry up the stairs in pursuit of your prey—the scourge of Hikas.

You reach an empty landing where a new circular stairway ascends to the top of the bell-tower. There are two sets of fresh tracks in the dust here; one set are human prints, but the other set are unlike anything you have ever seen before.

With your Kai senses alert to every sight, sound, and smell, you ascend the spiral stairs. You are halfway to the top of the tower when you hear a man’s voice whimpering for help. It sounds as if he is trapped somewhere near the top of the stairs. You raise your weapon and quicken your pace until you arrive inside the bell chamber. Here a great bronze bell hangs suspended by chains from the apex of the tower. Something moves in the shadows away to your left and you raise your weapon in readiness to strike out, but you stay your hand when you see that it is a bearded man. He is dressed in the robes of a cleric of the temple and he is cowering with fright. He sees you and points to the bell.

‘It’s … it’s there. Behind the bell. For Ishir’s sake, help me … help me.’

(Yes I have Grand Hunt)

You look to the bell and use your Kai Mastery in an attempt to locate the creature, but you can sense nothing unusual. Then a knot of fear tightens in your throat when suddenly you detect a powerful aura of evil. You turn to look at the cowering cleric and your fear becomes an icy terror when you realize that he is the source of the evil. Slowly you move backwards towards the stairs and he pleads with you not to go. Then he abandons his pretence. The pupils of his eyes shimmer and become spheres that glow darkly amber, and in a terrifying instant his body transforms. One moment he is a bearded holy man and, in a split-second blur, he becomes a snarling hulk of black-furred death. With breathtaking speed it leaps at you and slashes at your throat with its razor-sharp talons.

(I do not have a bow)

You barely have time to raise your weapon before the creature is upon you. The vile stench of its breath fills your nostrils and you are slammed against the wall by the sheer momentum of its attack: lose 2 ENDURANCE points. You duck to evade its slashing claws and they rake deep grooves in the wall above your head. Then you twist your body sideways and manage to pull away, creating the vital space you need in order to wield your weapon against this terrible foe.

Deathstalker: COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 40

This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Kai-surge)

(I have a +10 with KS. I toss 1 and then 9. I take 5 and auto killed him.)

The creature emits a desperate howl as your last mighty blow seals its doom. It lurches at you, its eyes white in their red-rimmed sockets, its great clawed arms swinging blindly. And then this supernatural horror surrenders to death and is brought crashing to the floor. For a few moments its great body convulses and then lies still. Wisps of evil-smelling gas arise from beneath the fur and you are forced to snatch your cloak to your face to deaden the sickly sweet stench of decay. You turn and hurry down the stairs in time to see the lieutenant and his militia breaking through the rubble which blocks the exit from the bell-tower. His men ascend the stairs and remove the vile, rotting remains of the Deathstalker which are placed upon a pyre outside in the tree-lined plaza. Soon the carcass of this murderous creature is ablaze and word of its death spreads swiftly across the city. The curfew is lifted and a large crowd comes and gathers around the dying embers of the pyre to cheer and rejoice in the destruction of the creature which, for the past month, has murdered their kinfolk and terrorized their peaceful city.

[Abe Sargent]

Upon hearing the news that you have slain the Deathstalker, the mayor of Hikas summons you to his Grand Hall in the city’s north quarter. Proudly the Vakeros lieutenant and his militia escort you across the city and during your march you receive the adulation of the grateful populace. The mayor hails you as the saviour of Hikas and he bestows upon you the freedom of the city. He decrees that the plaza, where the remains of the Deathstalker were destroyed, shall from this day forward be named after you in perpetual honour of your brave and gallant deed.

You are invited to stay at the Grand Hall and feast with the mayor and the other dignitaries of the city. You accept the invitation and enjoy a sumptuous meal (restore 3 ENDURANCE points). Early the next morning, the Mayor presents you with a fine white stallion to help speed your journey to Elzian. You thank him for his generosity and, shortly before noon, you ride out through the gates of the Grand Hall, go south along the Avenue of the Sun, and cross the Bridge of Lanterns which spans the city’s river. Citizens cheer as you pass through the southern quarter and they alert the guards at the busy south gatehouse so that by the time you arrive there you are able to ride through without delay.

A mile beyond the south gate, the road ascends to a ridge where you stop to look back at Hikas for the last time. It is a warm and windy morning and, as you cast your gaze across the rooftops and towers of the ancient city, the sultry breeze howls like a wild animal. For a few moments you feel a chill in your blood, for the sound reminds you of the Deathstalker’s ghastly cry. But then you shake your head and dismiss it. The creature is dead and there are still many miles left for you to travel before your quest is done. You salute the city farewell and set off at a brisk pace along the weatherbeaten road that leads to Gologo.

The road from Hikas to Gologo is an ancient trail which crosses rich plantations of tropical crops that are cultivated by the Vakeros, and then meanders through wild expanses of jungle that have for centuries defied all attempts at cultivation. As you ride this lush road, you are reminded of your history lessons at the Kai Monastery and you recall some of the things you were taught about this ancient realm.

Dessi is ruled by the Elder Magi who are all that remain of a race of great magicians who once ruled central Magnamund thousands of years ago. They were the first practitioners of magic upon this world, and they were wise and powerful leaders until their numbers were decimated by a Great Plague that was released by their enemies—the Cener Druids of Ruel. Those who survived sought refuge here in fertile Dessi and have lived here ever since.

At noon you reach a place where the road passes beside a majestic waterfall, and you stop here to rest your horse and enjoy the beautiful scenery. (Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.) Then you continue your ride and your strong horse makes excellent progress, carrying you all the way to the coastal town of Gologo to arrive there shortly before sunset.

You are in good spirits when you reach the ancient gates of Gologo. Your day’s ride has been swift and enjoyable, and you are looking forward to beginning the final leg of your journey to Elzian tomorrow at first light. You are now only two days’ ride away from that wondrous city.

The town of Gologo has a mysterious and exotic aura. Its ancient streets are cobbled with lime green stone, and ornate structures of vivid Vakeros art embellish every building and street corner. There is a festival taking place here tonight and the town is in a lively carnival mood. As you ride down a steep, narrow street towards the beach, you can see a crowd of native Vakeros are gathered there in brightly coloured costumes. Some wear elaborate headgear made from lacquered wood and feathers, and others are covered from neck to ankle with garments made from vibrant jungle blooms. There is a full moon tonight and the people of this town are celebrating the fertility of their land with ritual offerings of food and wine to the Goddess Ishir. It is a joyous festival and everyone on the beach is smiling and happy.



(I head to the carnival)


You tie your horse’s reins to a post driven into the ground at the edge of the beach, and then you walk across the fine white sand and pass among the throng of dancing, singing people. A pulsating rhythm of native drums provides the music to which they move and play. You are caught up in a procession of gaily-dressed Vakeros who are each carrying baskets piled high with exotic fruits, works of art, and intricate wood carvings inlaid with semi-precious stones. To the rhythm of the drums they carry you with them towards a wooden platform constructed near the middle of the beach. There they place their offerings to the Goddess Ishir. When you find yourself standing at this platform, at the head of the procession, suddenly the drumming stops. Everyone who has approached the platform before you has made an offering and yet your hands are empty. Suddenly it is as if the eyes of the entire town are watching you in expectation, and you feel compelled to make an offering.7

(I offer Crowns)

As you place your offering upon the platform, you are gripped by a surge of vitality and an unexpected sense of well-being.

You may restore 1 lost ENDURANCE point for each Gold Crown that you place upon the offerings platform.

You spend an hour enjoying the carnival spirit of the beach festival before you return to your horse and go in search of a place to stay for the night. You ride along a street running parallel to the beach, and enter the courtyard of a large two-storey hostel with stables. A young boy takes your horse’s reins and leads him away to an enclosure at the side of this brightly-painted building, and you enter the hostel’s front door to find it is empty. It seems that everyone is down at the beach this evening. Then you hear a noise from beyond an open doorway and a balding man appears. He rubs his bloodshot eyes and yawns, revealing a mouthful of gold teeth. You ask if he has a room for the night and lazily he nods his head.

‘I’ve two types of room and service,’ he says. ‘There’s Standard and there’s Best. Standard costs 2 Gold Crowns a night and you don’t get no food. Best costs 4 Gold Crowns and you get lots of food in the morning.’ (If you do not have enough Gold Crowns, you may choose to barter a normal Weapon, Backpack Item, or Special Item at your discretion to buy a Standard room.)

(Standard)

The hostel-keeper pockets your Crowns (erase these from your Action Chart) and leads you up a flight of rickety bamboo stairs to a corridor which is hung with gaudy tapestries. He points to the first door on the left and then bids you goodnight.

‘What about my key?’ you say. He looks at you and shrugs. ‘No key,’ he says, and then he turns away and shuffles back down the stairs. You push open the door to find a small clean room with a bed and bamboo table.

You enjoy a restful sleep at the hostel and you wake at daybreak to the sound of voices and the crashing of iron pots and pans. Your room is located above the kitchens and through the cracks in the bamboo floor you can see the owner and his wife preparing food for breakfast. You put on your cloak and gather up your equipment before going down to the paddock to collect your horse. The hostel-keeper waves farewell from the kitchen window as you mount your horse and canter away across the courtyard.

The early morning streets of Gologo are empty as you ride towards its southern gate. Most of the inhabitants are sleeping off last night’s celebrations and nobody sees you leave the town and set off along the jungle trail to Elzian.

For most of the morning your view of the surrounding land is restricted by the dense walls of verdant foliage that border upon this ancient trail. It is not until noon, when you crest a ridge of high ground, that you catch sight of what lies beyond the seemingly endless jungle. Less than a mile to the north is the titanic chasm of Gorgoron. It is a dark and forbidding sight, like a deep festering wound in the land that time has been unable to heal. Its sheer walls and immeasurable depth call to mind images of the Maakengorge, a dread chasm which lies to the south of your homeland province of Ruanon. Legend says that these vast canyons are scars inflicted upon the flesh of Magnamund by the vengeful hand of Naar.

Beyond the ridge the trail descends to the ruins of an ancient town. Here you stop to rest your horse and drink from a pool of clear water that bubbles freely from the loamy soil. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE point

[Abe Sargent]

You continue your ride along the jungle trail and make good progress, although you are haunted all the while by a profound sense of unease. You attribute these feelings to the sight of Gorgoron. You have heard many dark tales about this chasm which, until now, you had dismissed as nothing more than fanciful ghost stories. Having seen the chasm with your own eyes you are no longer so ready to disbelieve them.

At sundown you reach the palmy fringes of an ancient settlement that surrendered to the jungle centuries ago. The moon rises like a silver shield in the cloudless night sky and you make camp at the side of the trail, sheltered beneath a canopy of mosses and vines. The jungle is alive with the tiny noises of its nocturnal creatures. They seem to make your horse unusually nervous, until you soothe him with your Magnakai skills of Animal Control. You are tired after your long ride through this humid rainforest and soon you drift off to sleep. It seems as if you have only just closed your eyes when you are stirred to instant wakefulness by the sound of a ghastly howl.

You sit up with a start and reach instinctively for your weapon. Your horse is neighing wildly. He rears up repeatedly on his hind legs and fights to break the reins which hold him fixed to a tree. He is clearly terrified of something from which he cannot escape. You wipe the sleep from your bleary eyes and scan the darkness. And then you see the object of his terror and your blood freezes in your veins.

Creeping slowly from the shadowy undergrowth is the Deathstalker, his amber eyes blazing like two evil gems. At first you cannot believe what you are seeing. The beast is dead. You saw the flames consume his carcass. Then the realization strikes you that this is not the beast you slew in Hikas. This is his mate. She has hunted you and now she comes for you in the dead of night … and she is ravenous for revenge.



She howls and the jungle falls silent. Now her amber eyes blaze with evil fire as she bounds out of the undergrowth and launches her vengeful attack.

(Yes I have Elementalism)

You use the elemental power of your Discipline to whip up the damp earth and bombard the creature with a shower of rock and soil. She shrieks as the sharp shards of granite cut her face and paws, and for a few moments she falters. But she does not abandon her attack. Quickly you raise your weapon in readiness to defend yourself as she presses home her assault

Snarling and spitting, the savage beast comes hurtling through the darkness to rake you with her terrible claws. Bravely you stand your ground and prepare to strike your first blow in this desperate fight to the death.

Deathstalker (mate): COMBAT SKILL 42 ENDURANCE 40

This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Kai-surge).

(I have a +8 with KS. I toss a 7 and a 3. 23 and 4. 1 and 4. 40 and 12, she dies)

The Deathstalker’s mate howls with pain and terror as your fatal blow pierces her evil heart. She stumbles backwards, slashing at her own chest with her razor-sharp claws in a frenzied madness of anger and frustration. Then, with a final gurgling cry, death claims her and she crashes down into the dense foliage and is still. Slowly the noises of the jungle return as the nocturnal animals of this Old Kingdom sense that the terrible threat of her presence has passed.

The sun rises over the jungle and lights this steamy, humid morning. By the growing light you dig a grave in the soft earth and lay the remains of the Deathstalker’s mate to rest here, among the ruins of this ancient settlement. Then you offer up a prayer to the God Kai for having bestowed upon you strength and courage enough to triumph over this creature of evil, before you mount your horse and set off along the jungle trail to Elzian.

It is dusk when at last you reach the wondrous city of Elzian. It is a magical metropolis that sparkles like a fiery crimson jewel in the last rays of the setting sun. You pass through its broad outer wall and cross the canal which encircles its tallest edifice—the Tower of Truth. As you approach a vast gatehouse, the portcullis rises and a troop of Vakeros guards rush forward to greet you. They have been keeping watch for your arrival for many days and had all but given up hope that you would appear. They escort you swiftly into the tower’s vaulted council chamber where you are received by Lord Rimoah and the illustrious members of the High Council of the Elder Magi. The grand chamber is cleared of all but the most senior council members and a gasp of reverence fills its echoing reaches when, at Lord Rimoah’s request, you open your satchel and reveal the Moonstone to their learned eyes. Rimoah requests that you recount the details of your journey here and, when you have finished, he and his kinsmen praise you warmly for the greatness of your achievement.

Congratulations, Grand Master. You have proved your courage and resourcefulness. Lone Wolf was right to entrust the task of returning the Moonstone to you. You are a credit to your homeland and your noble order. You have completed the task set by your Supreme Master and you have triumphed in the face of great adversity.

However, your mission is not yet fully completed. The second and most challenging part of your journey awaits, a journey that will take you deep into the wild and lawless reaches of Southern Magnamund where no Kai has ever ventured before. If you truly possess the courage to return the Moonstone to the Isle of Lorn, then your quest continues in the next exciting Lone Wolf New Order adventure entitled:

The Buccaneers of Shadaki

[Abe Sargent]

My review:

6 battles! A whole game book, 6 battles. That was it. This was another reader! It had similarities to Dawn of the Dragons where you are moving far, and then doing a little at various locations. Or Fire on the Water, book 2, moving from one nation to another to grab the Sommerswerd. That had water transportation that ends in battle and storms.

It also kind of felt like Flight from the Dark, book 1, where you are heading to a place, and there are no key battles there before the place, as in many later books where the final battle ends the book.

Overall, I enjoyed it! I liked many of the new disciplines, although I was asked about Astrology and bardsmanship each once.

I enjoyed it more than I was expecting, and I want to go ahead and move to the next book here in an hour or so. Let's get her done!

[Abe Sargent]

Begin The Buccaneers of Shadaki


The Story So Far … 

You are a Kai Grand Master of the New Order of the Kai—the warrior élite of Sommerlund.

It is the year MS 5083 and thirty-three years have passed since the First Order of the Kai was almost wiped out by the Darklords of Helgedad. These champions of evil, who were sent by the Dark God Naar to destroy your fertile world of Magnamund, have since been destroyed. The leader of your illustrious fighting order—Lone Wolf—was the sole survivor of the massacre. As a young Kai initiate he stood amidst the burning wreckage of the old Kai Monastery and vowed to avenge the slaughter of his comrades. In the year MS 5070 he kept his pledge when alone he infiltrated the foul domain of the Darklords and destroyed the infernal city of Helgedad, the base of their evil power.

With the fall of Helgedad, chaos befell the Darkland armies who had, until then, been poised to conquer all Magnamund. Quickly their disorder escalated into a mutinous civil war which allowed the Freeland armies of Magnamund time in which to recover and launch a successful counter-offensive. Against all odds, a swift and total victory was secured over the feuding armies of evil.

Following the demise of the Darklords, peace reigned in your homeland of Sommerlund. Under the direction of Lone Wolf the ruined Monastery of the Kai was rebuilt and restored to its former glory, and the raising of a New Order of Kai warriors was swiftly established. You are one of this new generation of Kai recruits. You were born in Sommerlund in the year MS 5063, during the time of the war against the Darklords. When you were seven years old you were sent by your father to the Kai Monastery. There, under the tutelage of Lone Wolf, you developed your martial skills and honed the special Kai abilities which lay dormant within you. During the years that followed, your skills were nurtured and sharpened to perfection by long hours of study and rigorous training. Your exceptional talent helped you to master all of the Kai and Magnakai Disciplines and you rose swiftly through the ranks of the New Order to become one of only five who now hold the high rank of Kai Grand Master. It is an achievement which has brought great honour upon you and your family.

In the year MS 5077 your skill and courage were put to the test when an attack was launched upon the Kai Monastery during Lone Wolf’s absence. By means of a Shadow Gate (an astral corridor between the physical world of Magnamund and the many ethereal domains which lie beyond it) the Dark God Naar sent forth a host of dragon-creatures to besiege the monastery and lay waste of all Sommerlund. He had chosen his time well, yet his evil plan was thwarted by the tenacious defence that you and your brethren maintained until the siege was raised by Lone Wolf and the King’s Army of Sommerlund.

The defeat of his minions enraged Naar and inflamed his lust for vengeance. Three years later he created and sent to Sommerlund an evil champion called ‘Wolf’s Bane’ who was the very image of Lone Wolf. While your leader was engaged upon a quest overseas, this impostor terrorized your homeland in his guise and sought to destroy the reputation and the honour of the Kai. He would have succeeded had not Lone Wolf returned home and pursued this enemy to an ancient necropolis in the Sommlending city of Tyso. There, deep within a subterranean crypt, he and his evil alter-ego were drawn through a Shadow Gate to the Plane of Darkness—Naar’s stronghold—where a deadly duel ensued. Lone Wolf vanquished the foe and discovered that Naar had in his possession the fabled Moonstone of the Shianti. This wondrous artefact was created many thousands of years ago by the god-like Shianti, whose presence upon Magnamund heralded the dawn of humanity. This stone of power contains the combined might of all their magic and wisdom, the sum of all their knowledge. So significant was the creation of this stone that all time on Magnamund has since been measured from the date of its creation. It had long been held that the Moonstone’s location was a secret known only to the remnants of the Shianti, who dwell upon the mysterious Isle of Lorn in Southern Magnamund, yet the evidence of Lone Wolf’s eyes had told him that this mystical artefact had somehow fallen into the hands of Naar.

Lone Wolf realized that the Dark God had been using its legendary powers to generate Shadow Gates within the world of Magnamund, at locations and times of his own choosing. Such power had enabled him to send his loathsome champions to your home world while the force of the Gods of Good, Kai and Ishir, had been held at bay. Lone Wolf and the New Order Kai were all that stood against the onslaught of Naar’s agents following the demise of the Darklords.

Lone Wolf successfully escaped from the Plane of Darkness and returned to Sommerlund, yet he knew that the fight against Evil had not been won outright. He realised that he would have to return to the Plane of Darkness and retrieve the fabled Moonstone. Only by doing so would Magnamund truly be safe from an invasion by Naar’s legions of darkness. Two years ago, with the aid of his most trusted ally, Lord Rimoah of Dessi, Lone Wolf fulfilled his vow by journeying to the Dark God’s domain and retrieving the Moonstone of the Shianti. Upon his triumphant return, Lone Wolf placed the Moonstone in the Vault of the Sun—his personal chamber located deep below the fortified citadel of the Kai Monastery. He had hoped that the fabled artefact could remain there indefinitely, to be guarded by generations of Kai who would keep it secure from Naar’s minions. Retrieval of the Moonstone had denied the Dark God’s champions ready access to Magnamund, yet Lone Wolf knew that there were many lesser agents of Naar upon Magnamund waiting quietly in the shadows for the chance to do his evil bidding. Undoubtedly they would stop at nothing to retrieve the Moonstone for their fell master.

Within a year of his return home it became clear to Lone Wolf that his wish could not be fulfilled. At first the presence of the Moonstone seemed greatly beneficial to Sommerlund. Crops grew abundantly, incidence of disease and illness became increasingly rare, and the newly-born were uniformly healthy. Even the offspring of the impoverished who, in normal times, could expect only one in three of their infants to survive longer than a month beyond birth, were all in good health and exceptional in their physical and mental development. The Sommlending called this extraordinary period of providence the ‘Blessing of the Moonstone’, yet this time of good fortune could not last. The power of the Moonstone is a great force for Good, but it is also greatly disruptive of the natural order of Magnamund. Soon death itself became a rarity in Sommerlund, and the four seasons of the year were slowly transformed into one unending spring. Lone Wolf was deeply concerned at the changes wrought by the Moonstone and sought the counsel of his closest friend—Guildmaster Banedon, leader of Sommerlund’s Brotherhood of Magicians. Banedon entreated him to relinquish the Moonstone before the effects of its power became irreversible. To right the imbalance of nature the Moonstone would have to be taken to the Isle of Lorn, in the southernmost reaches of Magnamund, and delivered back into the hands of the Shianti. Only they, its creators, could prevent its powers from disrupting the natural order of your world.

Lone Wolf agreed with Banedon—the Moonstone would have to be returned to the Shianti. The physical effects of its presence were beginning to attract the unwelcome attentions of those who secretly desire to enact Naar’s revenge upon the Kai. When one of Naar’s agents was captured by a Kai patrol within a few miles of the monastery, Lone Wolf felt he could wait no longer. He resolved to act immediately. Preparations were made for a long journey and, especially among the lower ranks of the Kai, rumours were rife that your leader would personally take responsibility for returning the Moonstone to the Shianti. Indeed, this speculation seemed to be confirmed as fact when it was discovered that Lone Wolf had secured the use of Guildmaster Banedon’s famous flying ship—Cloud-dancer.

It therefore came as a shock when, early one morning, you were summoned unexpectedly to the Vault of the Sun. In strictest confidence, Supreme Master Lone Wolf informed you that he had decided to entrust you with the task of returning the Moonstone to the Shianti. His elaborate preparations were simply a diversion, a bluff designed to draw attention away from the vital mission that he wished you—the most talented and courageous of his five Kai Grand Masters—to undertake. It was with great pride and apprehension that you accepted the quest.

Lone Wolf gave you the precious Moonstone in a seemingly ordinary satchel, yet the lining of this plain leather bag was woven from korlinium, a special mineral that would hide the Moonstone’s powerful energies from the agents of Naar. In the guise of a Kai journeyman, you set sail from the Sommlending capital of Holmgard aboard a caravel that was to carry you south on the first leg of your journey, a voyage of 2,000 miles to Elzian, the capital of Dessi. This legendary city is home to Lord Rimoah and the Elder Magi. They are the last surviving members of Magnamund’s oldest race of magicians and they had promised Lone Wolf that they would help you reach your final destination. You had hoped and expected the voyage would be swift and uneventful; however fate and ill fortune decreed otherwise. Your ship was attacked by pirates off the coast of Vassagonia and badly damaged. It limped to the port of Cape Kabar where you were forced to continue the long journey by overland routes to Elzian. This trek was fraught with danger, yet you overcame the many perils ranged against you and eventually arrived at the Dessian capital, to the relief of Lord Rimoah and his anxious brother magicians who had feared the worst.

Now the final and most challenging part of your voyage to the Isle of Lorn lies ahead. And it is a journey that may prove more difficult than any you have undertaken so far, for it will lead you deep into the wild and lawless reaches of Southern Magnamund.

[Abe Sargent]

I am told that this journey can feel like the Grey Star four book spin off series in reverse! Let's see.

[Abe Sargent]

Improved Disciplines:


Kai Grand Master Superior

If you are a New Order Kai who has attained the rank of Kai Grand Master Superior, you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:

Animal Mastery
Kai Grand Master Superiors who possess this Discipline are able to deter predatory animals in the wild by exuding a scent which is repellent to them. In order for this improved Discipline to work effectively, a Kai Grand Master Superior must be aware of the species of predatory animal he/she wishes to deter. The scent can only be detected by the targeted animal.

Assimilance
Kai Grand Master Superiors who possess this skill are able to create a noise and project it up to 15 yards away from their location. The noise is akin to the rumbling sound of thunder and it can be used to distract or divert an enemy’s attention. This improved Discipline requires a degree of preparation and therefore it cannot be used during combat.

Astrology
Kai Grand Master Superiors who possess this Discipline are skilled in the use of all mechanical devices designed to measure and/or observe the cosmology of Magnamund. Such devices include sextants, astrolabes, and orreries.

Herbmastery
Kai Grand Master Superiors who have this Discipline are able to purify water, thereby making contaminated or briny water suitable for consumption. Roughly two pints of water per day can be purified using this skill alone. This daily total steadily increases as a Grand Master advances in rank.

Elementalism
Kai Grand Master Superiors who possess this skill are able to condense pure water out of the surrounding air. This water can be made to fall as a fine spray or as a sudden deluge. It can also be made to fill any suitable container or receptacle. Using this skill, Grand Master Superiors can create the equivalent of one large bucketful of fresh water.

Bardsmanship
Kai Grand Master Superiors who possess this Discipline are able to utilize their musical skills to pacify an excited or hostile animal.

The nature of additional improvements and how they affect your existing Grand Master Disciplines will be noted in the Improved Grand Master Disciplines section of future Lone Wolf New Order books.

What new discipline am I taking?

Here are the ones I am leaning into:


Kai-Alchemy
Telegnosis
Animal Mastery

All three were used a lot in the previous series, and were used at least three times in the last book. I choose KA, because I enjoy the idea of being a magic user with Elementalism and KA.

[Abe Sargent]

Fox Fire, Kai Grand Master Superior


CS - 43/47/51
EP - 34

Grand Kai Disciplines:

1. Kai-Surge
2. Grand Weaponmastery with Axe, Bow
3. G. Pathsmanship
4. G. Huntmastery
5. Elementalism
6. Kai-Alchemy

Special Items:

Kai Weapon Axe Alema, +5 normally and +7 vs undead
Moonstone
Korlinium Sack
Temujan's Ring



Backpack:

Rope
Lantern
Mealx2
Laumspurx2


Meals:

2

Weapons:


Crowns:

35


Arrows:

6

Safekeeping (Between game storage):

Scented Oil
Copper Cup
3 Candles
Lyre
Siyen Crown
Iron Skull
Shipwreck Dagger
Potion of Mustow
Potion of Alether
Potion of Sedares
Silver-Inland Warhammer
12 Gold Crowns

[Abe Sargent]

For three days you are treated to the lavish hospitality of the Elder Magi and the freedom of the wondrous city of Elzian. Then, on the morning of the fourth day, having fully recovered from the rigours of your journey to Dessi, you meet with Lord Rimoah in the Tower of Truth to discuss the final stage of your quest—the voyage to the Isle of Lorn. He informs you that passage has been arranged for you aboard a Suhnese trading ship called The Azan which sails tomorrow at dawn. The ship’s master, Captain Jenkshi, has been paid generously to carry you to his home port of Suhn, and you can expect to be well treated by him and his crew. It will be a long voyage, some 2,500 miles in all, but not all of it will be spent at sea. The Azan will put in at several ports along the way, both to trade and to take on fresh supplies of food and water. Rimoah reminds you of the need for secrecy—nobody must know the real purpose of your journey. Jenkshi and his men have been told that you are simply a courier who is carrying official papers for the attention of Lord Zinair, the Dessian ambassador to Suhn. On arriving at Suhn you are to contact Lord Zinair who will arrange for your passage across the Sea of Dreams to the Isle of Lorn. Before you leave the Tower of Truth and return to your chambers, Lord Rimoah examines the satchel in which you carry the Moonstone. Its special korlinium lining meets with his approval.



‘Lone Wolf has prepared you well for your mission,’ he says, as he secures the buckle. ‘I’m sure I have no need to remind you to keep this bag closed at all times. You are about to venture through dangerous territory, and there are many who would give anything to possess the contents of this satchel. You would be wise to trust only yourself, Grand Master.’ (If you have not already done so, record the Moonstone on your Action Chart as a Special Item. You carry it slung over your shoulder in its leather satchel.)

Rimoah escorts you to your room and tells you that he will call for you at an hour before dawn to take you to the quay. As he bids you goodnight, a doleful bell rings out in some distant part of the city. Rimoah’s eyes fill with sadness.

‘What does the bell mean, my lord?’ you ask.

‘It signifies the passing of Lord Casis. He, too, is about to begin a journey. Alas, it will be his last. I must go now—I am being summoned to witness his departure.’

As he leaves, Rimoah pauses for a moment and then glances back over his shoulder. ‘You are welcome to accompany me if you wish, Grand Master. The passing of an Elder is a rare and special occasion. You may learn much from what you see.’

(I join him)

You hurry with Lord Rimoah through the corridors of the Tower of Truth towards the sound of the tolling bell, until at last you arrive at a chamber located below its vaulted presidium. Gathered here are the members of the High Council. They stand in a circle around the cloaked body of Lord Casis which lies upon a bed of shimmering crystals. A cocoon of light encases his frail form, its pale luminescence shedding an uncanny glow upon the faces of the surrounding elders. Rimoah joins them and, as you observe this eerie scene, you recall Lone Wolf’s teachings at the Kai Monastery.



The Elder Magi are all that remain of the race of beings from whom all goodly magic stems. They were sent to Magnamund almost 10,000 years ago by the Gods Kai and Ishir to defeat Agarash the Damned, Naar’s first champion, and they triumphed in their task. Yet, in a later age their numbers were decimated by a plague and the few thousands who survived this tragedy sought refuge here in Dessi. The Elder Magi have always aided Sommerlund and have been loyal and invaluable allies to the Kai. But now their ancient power is waning, and the few thousands who survived the Great Plague now number less than a hundred.

Suddenly the bell ceases to toll and you watch in awe as the fragile remains of Lord Casis gradually fade from sight. He has ended his time here upon Magnamund and has passed over into the Plane of Light, the ethereal domain of the Gods Kai and Ishir. Silently the remaining elders file out of the chamber. As Lord Rimoah passes, he beckons you to follow him.

‘You are the first Kai who has ever witnessed the ascension of an Elder,’ he says, as he takes you back to your room. ‘Alas, our power ebbs with each passing year, for this is the twilight of our existence here on Magnamund. Yet, we embrace our fate, for even as we weaken and fade so the power of the New Order Kai grows stronger. This is the dawning of your Age, Grand Master. You and your brothers shall carry forward the fight against Naar, and you shall be victorious.’

Upon reaching your room, Lord Rimoah bids you goodnight and reminds you that he shall call for you an hour before dawn. You retire to bed but remain awake for more than an hour as you contemplate the quest that lies ahead. You are apprehensive of the dangers you may encounter, but you are also greatly inspired by what you have witnessed this night and by Rimoah’s prophetic words of wisdom.

No sooner have you fallen asleep, it seems, than you are awoken by Rimoah’s knock on the door. You gather your Weapons and belongings and walk with him through a procession of torchlit corridors that lead to the entrance to the Tower. As you approach the main doors, Rimoah points to a chamber close by.

‘That is the Tower Armoury, Grand Master,’ he says. ‘You are welcome to inspect it and take whatever you wish before you embark upon your voyage.’

The walls of the armoury are lined with oaken racks containing many skilfully-crafted weapons. They are all of ancient design and many centuries old. Their gleaming blades have been kept in pristine condition, yet it strikes you that this chamber is more like a museum than an armoury. Clearly the Elder Magi have little need for conventional weapons.

Among the racks you note the following weapons that are of exceptional quality:

Spear
Short Sword
Mace
Warhammer
Bow
Broadsword



If you wish to take any of these Weapons, make the appropriate adjustment to your Action Chart. (The maximum number of normal Weapons that you can carry is two.)


(I take a Dessi Bow.)

ou leave the Tower of Truth and pass along a wide stone ramp that gently descends to the great canal that encircles the city of Elzian. Few of the city’s Vakeros natives are abroad at this early hour and the streets and avenues are empty and quiet. A warm mist wreathes the barges and ships that are moored along the canal bank and, in the pre-dawn twilight, these vessels take on a ghostly appearance.

By the time you find The Azan, the sun has broken through the mist and the city is beginning to stir. Captain Jenkshi and the crew of the Suhnese trader are busily preparing their ship to sail, yet they immediately stop their work to welcome you and Lord Rimoah aboard. Jenkshi is a lean, yellow-skinned man with wide almond eyes and a small blunt nose. His slick black hair is tied in a knot atop his head in the Suhnese style, a fashion that is also favoured by all his crewmen. He orders one of his men to show you to your cabin at the prow, but before you go you bid Lord Rimoah farewell and thank him for all that he and the Elder Magi have done to aid your quest.

By the time The Azan is ready to sail, the mist has vanished. Having inspected your cabin you return to the foredeck where you settle yourself in the sun and enjoy the ever-changing views of the lush farmlands and Vakeros settlements which border upon the canal. For 90 miles this waterway cuts a wide furrow through the southern jungle of Dessi. To the east the horizon is dominated by a solitary mountain, and you marvel at its snowy peak which is the steepest you have ever seen.

‘That’s Kas-kalahmout,’ says one of the friendly Suhnese crewmen. ‘In your language, I think it has the meaning: Chair of the Heavens.’

By midday you come to the estuary of the canal and The Azan heads out into the open waters of the Gulf of Tentarium. Captain Jenkshi joins you on deck and offers to share some of his food. While you eat you learn from him that the voyage will take little more than three weeks to complete, including visits to ports of call along the way. You ask him about the notorious Shadakine pirates who plague these waters and he answers you with a shrug of his muscular shoulders.

‘Relax and enjoy the journey as best you can, my friend,’ he says, jovially, as he finishes his food and wipes his mouth on his silken shirt sleeve. ‘You’re in safe hands. I and my crew have sailed these waters all our lives and we’ve yet to meet a buccaneer we can’t outwit or outrun. Breathe easy. You’ve nothing to fear from those mangy curs.’

[Abe Sargent]

Map of the Voyage

[Abe Sargent]

Jenkshi tells you that it will take three days to cross the Gulf of Tentarium to the Shadakine city of Zharloum. There The Azan will dock overnight and collect its cargo of metal ingots, which are to be traded when the ship reaches its home port of Suhn.

Your first day in the Gulf passes pleasantly, yet on the second day the weather closes in and a squall keeps you confined to your cabin for most of the morning. By mid-afternoon the rain abates and you go up on deck to take some exercise. You are looking out across the ocean towards the east when suddenly you notice something bobbing in the water. You magnify your vision and see that it is a man clinging to a piece of wreckage. Quickly you inform Captain Jenkshi, yet, to your surprise, he is very reluctant to change course in order to rescue this man.

(I influence the captain...)


The captain complies with your powerful psychic suggestions and, without really knowing why, he orders his helmsman to steer towards the distant speck in the sea. As you draw closer, you see that the man is lying unconscious upon a raft made of coiled ropes and smashed timbers. A crewman brings him aboard and together you carry him to your cabin where you wrap him in a blanket and use your Kai healing skills to bring him back to consciousness.




As slowly the man recovers his senses, you learn that his name is Gregor Luggs. He is a Lourdenian sailor and sole survivor of a pirate attack which destroyed his ship and killed all of his fellow crewmen three days ago.

‘It was the Shadakine who done it,’ he says, trembling with anger. ‘They came upon us at night. Out o’the dark with not a deck light showin’. After they’d took all o’the cargo, they turned their cannons on us. We didn’t stand a chance.’

Gregor thanks you repeatedly for saving his life. Another few hours and he would have died of exposure. As a mark of his gratitude he gives you an ornate Silver Clasp (record this on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you keep in your tunic pocket) and he insists that he pay you for allowing him to share your cabin and food. He takes 10 Gold Crowns from his belt pouch and offers them to you (if you decide to accept them, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly).

(I take both)

Fair weather returns and The Azan makes good speed as it crosses the jade-green waters of the Gulf of Tentarium. It is shortly before noon of the following day when the first glimpse of Zharloum is sighted by the lookout, and less than an hour later you find yourself sailing into the harbour of this grand city. Emerald pennants flutter from its towers and the roofs of its sun-bleached houses, and crowds of industrious citizens throng its paved avenues and alleyways. This old Shadakine port has a long history of free and fair trading. It is many miles from the cities of Shadakine political power which lie to the south, and due to this fortunate fact it has been spared much of the damage inflicted upon this troubled land by a succession of ruthless and tyrannical rulers.

The ship enters and docks at the harbour wall, close to the jetty of a warehouse which contains the iron and copper ingots that it will carry to Suhn. As the crew begin the task of loading the cargo aboard, you agree to help Gregor find the Lourdenian Consulate so that he may report the attack upon his ship, and seek their help in returning home.

Together you disembark from The Azan and follow a cobblestoned road which leads out of the harbour and into the heart of the city. When asked for directions, a helpful trader tells Gregor that the Lourdenian Consulate building lies at the far end of this busy main street. He gives the smiling man a Gold Crown and then you continue your way along this crowded thoroughfare. Gregor wishes to reach his Consulate but he is in no great hurry. He suggests that perhaps you and he could first pay a visit to one of the many colourful inns or famous emporia which line this teeming main street.

(I go shopping at the Herb Emporium)

You enter this imposing herbalist’s shop and stare in awe at the thousands of stoppered jars that line its wooden shelves and counters. They contain all manner of rare liquids, powders, roots, and tinctures, most with foreign names that are unfamiliar. You scour the jars and find only two that contain herbs from Sommerlund with which you are very familiar.

Potion of Laumspur: restores 4 ENDURANCE points when swallowed after combat.
Potion of Alether: increases COMBAT SKILL by 2 when swallowed before combat.



Each of these potions costs 3 Nobles (1 Noble = 1 Gold Crown). If you wish to purchase one or both of them, adjust your Action Chart accordingly.

(I buy Alether)

At length you arrive at the Lourdenian Consulate where a guard at the gate allows you both to enter and wait in its cool, tree-shaded courtyard. A few minutes later you are met by the consul’s assistant, a rotund little official called Cheary. He is shocked to hear of the pirate attack, and he urges Gregor to accompany him inside the consulate to make a full written report. He says that it could take several hours, possibly even a day or two, and so you decide that now is a good time to say farewell to your companion. Before you go, Gregor offers you his heartfelt thanks for all you have done for him, and he hopes that one day soon your paths will cross again.

‘If you should ever visit Pforodon,’ he says, ‘stop by the Singing Lamb Tavern on Spike Street. If I’m not there, the landlord will know where you can find me.’

You wish Gregor a safe journey home, and then you leave the consulate and make your way back along the main street to the harbour. The heat and dust of the afternoon are making you thirsty and so you stop to drink from a freshwater fountain set into the wall of a crumbling old temple. The hustle and noise of the street crowd is becoming oppressive and you yearn to find somewhere quiet where you can rest before you return to the ship. Looking around, you notice two places which promise some respite. The first is a public park which stands upon a cliff that looms above the city to the east of the harbour wall. The second is a narrow, deserted alley that wends its way into the city’s Old Quarter.

(i head to the Old Quarter)

You follow the shadowy alleyway until you arrive at a small square which is flanked on all sides by dingy hovels and derelict shops. Only one of these shops is open for business. A sign nailed above its worm-eaten door says: ‘Dulgh’s Curios’.

A bell tinkles as you push open the creaking door and a gust of stale, musty air makes you cough as you step into the gloomy interior. Despite its decrepit appearance, you quickly discover that this shop is full of strange and fascinating artefacts. One in particular catches your eye. It is a porcelain figurine of a small child which has uncannily lifelike eyes.

‘Ah, you’re a Sommlending, and you’re a connoisseur too I see,’ says a reedy voice. From behind a stand of rusty armour there suddenly appears a little old man. He squints at you through his thick spectacles and wrinkles his face into the semblance of a smile.

‘It is a genuine Nhang Doll, one of the original one hundred that were made for Emperor Hyunstai. Very rare indeed. I’m loath to sell but, well, times are hard. It can be yours for a mere 10 Gold Crowns.’



(I barter)

At first the old man is reluctant to lower his price, but when you shake your head and step towards the door as if to leave, he changes his mind and agrees to sell the doll for 7 Gold Crowns. You nod in agreement and carefully the old man wraps the doll in a square of linen while you count out 7 Gold Crowns from your Belt Pouch. With trembling hands he takes the coins and gives you the package which you place into your Backpack.


Record the Nhang Doll on your Action Chart as a Backpack Item, and remember to subtract 7 Gold Crowns from your current total.

You retrace your steps along the winding alleyways of the Old Quarter and make your way back through the crowds to the harbour. Dusk is drawing its grey cloak across the cloudless sky by the time you reach The Azan, and when you go aboard you discover that the cargo has been fully loaded.

Captain Jenkshi is pleased with his crew and feels they deserve a reward for all their hard work. Half of his men would like to spend the night ashore at the Three Capstans Inn, one of their favourite taverns. The tavern-keeper delivered some fresh food to the ship during the afternoon, and he promised a free flagon of ale to any crew member who paid him a visit this evening. The captain gives his permission, but on one condition—all those who wish to go ashore this evening must be back on board before dawn breaks tomorrow.

‘We sail on the dawn tide,’ he bellows, ‘so don’t expect to find us still here if y’roll up late.’

[Abe Sargent]

( I head to the Inn)


The crew are in good spirits by the time you arrive at the Three Capstans Inn. The owner, a pot-bellied man with an oddly childlike face, welcomes the Suhnese with open arms and he orders his son to be generous with the ale. The tavern has three taprooms which are all busy, but not overcrowded, and in each area there is a minstrel and a juggler to entertain the patrons. During the course of the evening you learn that these raucous performers are all members of the owner’s family.

The entertainments continue for most of the evening until the joyful mood is unexpectedly soured by the arrival of an Eldenoran crew, led by their boorish captain. These coarse, loud-mouthed thugs seem to delight in hurling cheap insults at the Suhnese. Stoically the crew ignore the abuse, quietly hoping that the Eldenorans will soon tire of goading them and leave, but then one of Jenkshi’s men rails against a racial slur and in a moment of anger he yells at them to shut their foul mouths. For a few moments the tavern is filled with a deathly hush; then the Eldenoran captain lunges at him, grabs him by the neck, and lifts him one-handedly off his feet.

‘I’ve a better idea, y’bilge rat. Why don’t I shut your mouth up instead, eh?’ he growls, as slowly he tightens his vice-like grip on the helpless crewman’s throat.

(I get involved)

You rise from your seat and take a step towards the Eldenoran captain, but his crew are quick to react to your move. They reach to the hilts of their swords and several hurry to block your path to their leader. You sense that this ugly incident could easily get out of hand and lead to a murderously uneven combat between the heavily armed Eldenorans and Jenkshi’s crewmen, none of whom are carrying weapons. A brawl between the two crews would jeopardize the success of your quest and it could also cost many innocent men their lives. Mindful of these facts, you know you must try to avoid a fight breaking out at all costs.

( I do not having barding, but I do have KS)

You halt and very slowly lift your hands away from your sides to demonstrate to the Eldenorans that you are not reaching for a weapon. Then you focus on the Eldenoran captain and launch a sharp pulse of psychic Kai energy at his head. He gasps, and then he lets the crewman fall to the taproom floor as the power of your psychic probe burns through his mind like a red-hot dagger.

Fearing that their captain is having some kind of fit, the drunken Eldenorans begin to panic. Some throw their ale into his face to revive him, while others struggle to lift his heavy body onto a cluttered table. When one man slices open the captain’s close-fitting leather jerkin with his dagger, so as to help him breathe, another thinks that he is attacking his master. He punches him unconscious and suddenly a fist-fight erupts. During the commotion, you indicate to the Suhnese that now would be a good time to leave. Without a word they rise from their tables and move towards the door, pausing only to pick up their injured comrade as they make a hasty exit from the tavern. Once outside, the Suhnese can afford to laugh at the incredible stupidity of the Eldenorans. It is hollow laughter, but at least it helps them to relieve the frustration of having to return early to The Azan.

Once everyone is safely back aboard The Azan, you inform Captain Jenkshi of what happened at the Three Capstans Inn. With a resigned expression on his weather-beaten face, he listens to your report and then thanks you for the part you played in saving his crew from further injury or death. He tells you that similar incidents have happened many times before, in ports all over Magnamund, and he is resigned to the fact that they will happen again sometime in the future. Eldenorans are infamous for their bigotry and intolerance; Jenkshi is just glad that this time his crew had the good fortune to have you looking after their interests.

Before you and the crew retire to your cabins to sleep, the captain takes the precaution of posting extra watchmen on deck, just in case the Eldenorans should come looking for trouble during the night.

You awake early the following morning, just as the pre-dawn light is brightening the night sky. Captain Jenkshi and his crew have also risen early to ensure that The Azan is the first ship to leave Zharloum this morning. Shortly before dawn they weigh anchor and turn the ship about, and by the time the sun crests the horizon, you are already more than a mile away from Zharloum harbour, riding the morning tide ahead of a bracing westerly wind. Jenkshi tells you that the next port of call will be the city-state of Ghol-Tabras where you will dock in four days’ time to take on supplies of fresh water.

The first day out of Zharloum passes without incident. Then, around noon of the second day, the ship heads south as it leaves the Tentarium and enters the Gulf of Ralzuha. You are sitting on the foredeck, enjoying the sun and the splendid views of the rugged isles and coastline, when suddenly you notice something in the distance that makes your pulse race. You magnify your vision and see that it is a plume of smoke. It is rising from the hull of a burning ship located close to a cluster of rocky islets. As The Azan draws closer, you are able to see that a flag is hanging from a broken masthead which lies draped over the vessel’s smouldering stern. It is a green flag with scarlet edging, surmounted by a large silver fish. The sight of this flag makes you swallow hard for it is identical to the flag that flies from the mast of The Azan. It is the flag of a Suhnese trader.



When Captain Jenkshi and his men first see this flag for themselves, they become very anxious about what may have happened to the crew of this stricken vessel. Many of them have fathers, sons, and brothers who work Suhnese ships in these waters. They urge the captain to search for survivors and he grants his consent readily.

‘Steer towards the wreck, Tolshi,’ he says, ordering his helmsman to change course, ‘and I want all other hands on deck immediately. Everyone is on lookout duty.’

(I do NOT have Telegnosis)

Your Kai senses scream a warning that you are in great danger as you draw steadily closer to the burning wreck. You tell Jenkshi, but he is greatly sceptical of your seamanship and he ignores your advice. He is more concerned about finding survivors than listening to your vague warnings of danger. Unfortunately, he soon has cause to regret his decision when suddenly a Shadakine man o’war breaks cover from between two rocky islets and comes surging towards The Azan. Jenkshi immediately orders his crew to unfurl every last inch of canvas and take evasive action, but the wind is now beginning to change and this greatly hampers them as they struggle to carry out his orders.

You magnify your vision and scour the prow and foredecks of the approaching ship. It is dressed with the scarlet sails of a Shadaki buccaneer vessel and it is sitting very low in the water. You hazard a guess that it must be fully laden with booty stolen from the hold of the burning trader. With the wind going against him, Jenkshi takes a calculated gamble. He orders his helmsman to steer towards a narrow channel between two nearby islets. He is hoping that his lighter craft will be able to pass through the shallows here and gain precious time while the heavier enemy ship will be forced to go around the isles to avoid running aground. It is a bold manoeuvre, and one that is made all the more dangerous when the enemy captain suddenly turns his vessel and runs it parallel to The Azan. To your horror you see that the Shadakine man o’war is armed with deck cannons. As it gains on your ship you see clouds of white smoke and flame erupt all along its hull. Then, seconds later, you hear the rumbling roar of its cannons, followed closely by the terrifying shriek of its deadly ball and chain shot as it comes hurtling through the air towards your vulnerable ship



(I roll a 1)

You throw yourself to the deck and take cover behind the wooden parapet of the prow as the enemy’s shot rips into the sails and rigging. Shredded canvas and splintered timbers fall about your ears, yet you survive this ferocious bombardment without sustaining the slightest injury. Bravely Captain Jenkshi takes over the helm and steers his battered ship relentlessly towards the channel. You see him cursing the enemy captain and shaking his fist defiantly at the villainous Shadakine gunners as their cannonballs whistle across the decks of The Azan. Then a gust of wind fills the torn mainsail and the ship begins to pull away from the lumbering man o’war. A second broadside falls wide of its mark, and Jenkshi’s bold plan finally pays off when the enemy ship is forced to veer away for fear of beaching her hull in the shallows. The crew cheer loudly when they see her red sails falling away to the stern, and The Azan is left alone to make a swift passage through the islet channel.

You pull yourself unsteadily to your feet and make your way along the debris-strewn deck to congratulate Jenkshi for his masterful display of seamanship. He accepts your praise and the cheers of his crew with a rueful smile, even though his skill and his coolness under enemy fire have undoubtedly saved the ship and the lives of all aboard. However, as the ship emerges on the far side of the islets, you soon discover that more than just Jenkshi’s bravery will be needed if everyone aboard The Azan is to live to tell the tale of their deadly encounter with the buccaneers of Shadaki

[Abe Sargent]

olshi the helmsman climbs out of the hatchway to the stern hold and he hurries over to the captain’s side. He reports that the ship is holed below the waterline, close to the rudder, and that she is fast taking in water. Jenkshi inspects the damage for himself and immediately sets his crew to work at patching up the damage. They do their best with the materials available but still The Azan continues to take on water. Jenkshi estimates that the ship will stay afloat no more than three hours unless proper repairs are carried out, and he orders Tolshi to set a course for Dlash-da Ralzuha—the nearest port.

You voice your fear that Shadakine pirates may already occupy this port, but Jenkshi laughs when he hears this.

‘If you knew Dlash-da Ralzuha like I do, you’d know we have no cause to worry about running foul of any buccaneers there. It’s a slum port. A rubbish dump. Its name means “Junkyard of the Ralzuha” and it certainly lives up to its name.’

Your first glimpse of Dlash-da Ralzuha confirms everything Jenkshi has said about it. Its rust-red hovels and stinking shacks are grouped haphazardly around the rim of a natural stone harbour formed by a semicircle of black volcanic rocks. Flocks of vultures hover in the skies, swooping to feed occasionally on rafts of rotting debris which litter the shoreline.

It is late in the afternoon and The Azan is listing alarmingly to starboard when at last she enters the stench-filled harbour of Dlash-da Ralzuha. It seems that the whole population of this derelict little port turns out to greet your arrival. For the natives it is something of a special occasion, for so rarely do ships ever visit their squalid harbour.

Despite their wretched living conditions, the poverty-stricken tribal natives of Dlash-da Ralzuha give The Azan a warm welcome, and they seem genuinely eager to help Jenkshi and his crew with the repair of the ship’s hull. Grooja, the port’s oldest man and tribal leader, provides Jenkshi with fifty native men to help with the unloading of the cargo in order that the damaged section of the hull can be raised above the waterline. The captain sets them to work and he estimates that adequate repairs could be made overnight to enable the ship to sail on the first high tide tomorrow. The crew are pleased to hear this news. None of them want to stay in Dlash-da Ralzuha a minute longer than is absolutely necessary.

While Jenkshi and the crew are busy repairing the ship’s hull, you are approached by Grooja, the town elder. He is able to speak a little Sommlending and he asks if you would care to stay the night as a guest in his humble home. He says that he would be greatly honoured if you accepted his invitation and, rather than risk hurting his feelings, you agree to go.

Grooja lives in the best hut in all of Dlash-da Ralzuha. It is the best hut because it possesses a door and a roof which does not leak when it rains. Grooja’s family prepare for you a meal of roasted vulture meat and boiled snakes. After this unusual feast, his wife invites their twenty grandchildren to come and entertain you with an ancient tribal dance in which they each spin around and around for as long as they can before they are violently sick. Whenever this happens the other members of Grooja’s noisome clan scream and cheer them excitedly. When at last this display of quaint tribal culture comes to a natural end, Grooja’s toothless wife sidles up to you and suggests that you should pay a visit to the ‘Shrine of the Oracle’. She assures you that this wondrous shrine is famous throughout this region for it dispenses infallible words of wisdom to all those who would seek its counsel.

(I do visit the shrine)

You follow Grooja out of his hut and along a vermin-infested path which wends a tortuous route through a maze of slum dwellings and festering rubbish dumps. After a mile or so, this rough track ascends into a wooded hillside and then ends upon a plateau which overlooks the harbour. From here you can see Jenkshi and his crew working on The Azan by the light of a hundred oily torches. With undisguised pride, Grooja points to the Shrine of the Oracle and invites you to avail yourself of its wisdom. The shrine consists of a man-sized statue constructed from rusting metal and chunks of driftwood held together with nails, strips of animal skin, and twisted steel wire. You decide to humour Grooja and so you ask the statue to tell you if there is anyone you should trust or distrust during your long journey to Suhn. As expected, you get no response. But then a wind arises and it makes a faint whistling sound as it passes through the holes in the statue. For a fleeting moment you think you hear the words: ‘Bad … dragon … is good,’ but then the wind dies and there is nothing but silence. Grooja smiles. He seems to think that the oracle has spoken a great truth.



Come, we go now. The Oracle speaks but once a day. It has given you good wisdom. You are blessed.’

On returning to Grooja’s hut, you find Tolshi waiting there for you. He asks you to accompany him to the ship at once for the captain needs you to help with the repairs. It is as if your silent prayers for rescue have been answered. You thank the elder for the visit to the oracle, and his wife for her hospitality, and then you leave quickly with the helmsman.

‘The captain doesn’t really need your help,’ confides a grinning Tolshi, as you make your way hurriedly through the hovels of Dlash-da Ralzuha towards its torchlit harbour. ‘He just thought you’d welcome an excuse for not having to stay all night at Grooja’s flea-ridden shack!’

On your return to the ship you thank the captain for sending Tolshi to rescue you, and to show your appreciation, you help the crew to patch the damaged hull. By first light the repairs have been completed and the cargo is then reloaded into the hold. Jenkshi gives Grooja and the natives some copper ingots as payment for their help, and then the crew cast off and catch the morning tide.

For two days The Azan hugs the coastline as it sails a southerly course to Ghol-Tabras. The weather is kind and the ship makes good progress, enabling you to enter port shortly before dusk.

(I laughed at Grooja's stuff. He's funny. I hear you. Bad dragon IS good)

[Abe Sargent]

In case you care:

[Abe Sargent]

A sinister quiet enshrouds the great city of Ghol-Tabras as The Azan sails beneath the arch of its harbour bridge and docks alongside its grand stone quay. The only citizens to be seen abroad are the guards of the Harbour Watch who quickly approach once the ship is safely moored. A sly-faced sergeant informs Captain Jenkshi that a night curfew is in force, and that a mooring fee of 100 Nobles a day must be paid by all ships arriving after sunset. This is a huge charge and Jenkshi complains bitterly, but the sergeant merely laughs as his protests. ‘Pay the fee or forfeit your ship, captain,’ he sneers. Jenkshi asks that he be allowed to pay tomorrow, so that he may sell some of his cargo to offset the exorbitant fee, but the sergeant shakes his head and refuses his request out of hand. ‘The fee must be paid now,’ he growls, ‘and in coinage—not cargo.’

Reluctantly the captain pays the sergeant using every last Noble that he possesses, leaving him with no money to pay his crew or purchase fresh supplies of food and water in the morning. He tells the crew that he must sell some of the cargo to raise the money he needs. A sale must be arranged quickly for he cannot afford to stay in this harbour for more than a day. Jenkshi picks a handful of his best crew members and tells them to accompany him ashore to help him find someone who will be willing to buy his copper ingots. You offer to help him and he suggests that you take half his men and meet back at the ship at dawn. He tells you to accept no less than 8 Nobles per ingot. He also tells you of two places he knows where a buyer for copper may be found: the Flying Fish Tavern and Coppersmiths’ Hall

(I go to the hall)

Following directions given by the men in your charge, you make your way through the quiet streets of Ghol-Tabras until you arrive at the grand double doors of its Coppersmiths’ Hall. You push open one of these mighty portals and enter an imposing chamber that is decorated with the portraits of wealthy Shadakine merchants and past coppermasters. The warden of the hall comes hurrying towards you from the door to an antechamber. He is grumbling and waving his hands frantically as if he is trying to shoo away a cloud of invisible insects. It is clear from his sour expression that he has an intense dislike of the Suhnese.

‘Out! Out! Leave here at once!’ he blusters. You are about to be ejected from the hall when suddenly a guildsman intervenes. He orders the warden to stop shouting and calm himself down before his blood boils over. Seething with fury, the warden bites his lower lip as he tries with difficulty to obey this man’s command.



‘My name is Noliq,’ says the guildsman. ‘How may I be of service?’

You tell the man that you wish to sell some copper ingots. He smiles and says that he may be able to help you. The warden warns him that to do so after sunset is illegal, but the guildsman dismisses his comment with a disparaging flick of his hand.

‘Come to my chambers and we’ll discuss this matter further,’ he says, smiling. You motion to the crew to follow you but the man raises his hand once more, this time in protest. ‘I will discuss the matter only with you,’ he says. And then with a disdainful tone in his voice he adds, ‘These men will have to leave the hall and wait for you outside in the street.’

(I agree)

You apologize to your companions and ask them to wait for you outside the hall’s double doors. Meekly the Suhnese agree, and as they file out of the hall you assure them that they will not have to wait too long. You then accompany the guildsman to his chambers where he attempts to drive a hard bargain for the copper. He offers you 6 Nobles for each ingot and says that it is his best and final price. It is not a very good price and you tell him that you will have to speak with Jenkshi before you can agree to his offer.

‘Very well,’ he says. ‘I’m sure your captain is a reasonable man. I feel confident we’ll do business.’

From an ornate cabinet he removes a decanter and two long-stemmed glasses. He then pours two glasses of liqueur and offers one of them to you.

(I do have Grand Path.)

You suddenly recall that it is the custom of the guildsmen of Shadaki to offer a glass of liqueur to their prospective business clients. To refuse this offer is considered a grave insult. You do not wish to upset the guildsman, yet also you do not wish to leave the Suhnese waiting too long for you in the street outside the hall. There is a curfew in force and night is fast approaching.

(I accept)

You take the glass and sip the cherry-coloured liqueur. It has a delicious flavour and you commend the guildsman for his good taste. The man is greatly flattered, so much so that he offers you a bottle of this fine Scava liqueur. (If you wish to accept his offer, record this Bottle of Scava on your Action Chart as a Backpack Item.)

You then bid the guildsman good evening and promise that you will return tomorrow morning to conclude your business. On leaving the hall you rejoin the Suhnese and hurry with them through the flagstoned streets of the city, retracing your route back to the harbour in the hope of reaching The Azan before night closes in completely. You are within a few hundred yards of the harbour entrance when suddenly a patrol of the city watch come marching around a corner with their spears couched on their chainmailed shoulders. Their officer commands you all to halt and demands that you raise your hands above your heads.

(Surrender)

The city watch round you up and guard you at spear-point until two horse-drawn wagons arrive to take you away to the city gaol. As you are herded aboard these foul-smelling carriages, your Weapons, Kai Weapon, and Backpack Items are confiscated and dumped into a wooden crate beside the driver’s seat. (On your Action Chart mark each of these items with an asterisk[*] to indicate that they are no longer in your possession, but do not erase them at this time. Any Special Items you possess are allowed to remain with you.)

At the officer’s command the wagons move off at a speedy pace. After a few bruising minutes your wagon emerges from the gloomy streets and ascends a smooth ramp which passes through the daunting gate of Ghol-Tabras gaol. Above this gate flutters a flag which depicts a black serpent entwined around the blade of a silver scimitar. It is the personal emblem of Sesketera, the ruler of this city, a man not known for either his kindness or for his mercy.

The gaol of Ghol-Tabras was once the southern wing of a grand citadel built by Jublazh Khyr, the first emperor of Shadaki. Its cells are reputed to be among the most escape-proof of any in Southern Magnamund, especially those which are located below ground level in the dungeons of the old citadel. Upon arriving at the gaol, you and your companions are thrown into a communal cell on the second floor. However, as soon as the gaolers examine the Kai Weapon and equipment that they confiscated from you, they begin to think that perhaps you are something more than just a hapless curfew-breaker.

An hour after you arrive, the door of the communal cell bangs open and six armed citadel guards burst in. They have come to take you away from the Suhnese and transfer you to a separate cell below ground level. Your destination turns out to be a damp, windowless chamber. It opens onto a torchlit corridor that is lined with rusting stands of armour. At the end of the corridor is a guardroom and, when you pass by this room on your way to the cell, you catch a glimpse of the wooden crate which contains your Weapons and equipment. It is being stored here. You are pushed into your dingy cell, and then the iron door is slammed shut and bolted. As you listen to the footsteps of the guards receding down the corridor, you vow that you will escape from this gaol before the night is over.

(I use Elementalism)

Calling upon your Grand Mastery, you focus upon the section of stone door jamb into which the bolt is secured, and you cause it to vibrate. It is a slow and tiring process (lose 3 ENDURANCE points) but eventually the stonework cracks under this persistent pressure. When the strength of the stone has been sufficiently undermined, you are then able to wrench open the cell door.

You leave your cell and make your way silently along towards the guardroom. You are determined to retrieve your Kai Weapon and equipment, but you are also aware that you must avoid alerting the guards if you are to preserve your hopes of escaping from this gaol alive.

Peering around the door to the guardroom you discover that it is occupied by three gaolers. They are playing cards, and they are using the crate which contains your equipment as a makeshift table. In order to get at your equipment you must first lure the gaolers out of the room.

(I do not have Assilimance)

[Abe Sargent]

You take a torch from its bracket in the wall and hurl it down the corridor. Then, using your Kai camouflage skills, you press yourself into a shadowy recess in the wall and remain completely still. The guards hear something clatter along the floor outside their room and they react immediately. They grab fresh torches and rush to investigate both the noise and the sudden dimness that has enveloped the corridor. The moment they step through the doorway, your hiding place is illuminated by the glare of their torches.

(I toss a 5)

Your Kai camouflage skills keep you hidden despite the glare of the gaolers’ torches. As soon as they have passed by, you slip inside the guardroom and retrieve your confiscated equipment (you may now erase the asterisks from your Action Chart).

As you are sheathing your Kai Weapon into your belt, you hear the guards returning along the corridor. Looking around, you see that there is one other exit from this room—a heavy oak door which is banded with strips of black iron.


You run to the door, pausing only to pick up a nail that you see lying on the floor. Using this nail you attempt to pick the lock and open the door before the approaching gaolers reach the guardroom.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus, add 3 to the number you have picked.

(Another 5)

After only a few seconds of manipulation the lock clicks open. You discard the nail and then reach for the handle and twist it. To your relief, the heavy door creaks open to reveal a flight of spiral stairs which ascend into darkness above.

Hurriedly you climb these stone steps and come to a landing where several corridors converge. Some are occupied by gaolers and other officials of Sesketera’s citadel who are going about their duties. Then you hear the sound of footsteps ascending the spiral stairs behind you, and this sound reminds you of the pressing need to keep moving. You draw upon your Magnakai Disciplines of Huntmastery and Pathsmanship to help you choose the best route and, to your surprise, in so doing you discover a secret panel in the wall at the head of the spiral staircase. You reach out and press a raised stud and the concealed panel slides open to reveal a narrow passageway beyond. Quickly you enter this passage and the panel automatically clicks shut behind you.

The secret passage is festooned with cobwebs and shows little sign of having been used for many decades. It twists and turns for several hundred yards before ending at a blank wall of crumbling plaster. Closer inspection reveals another panel, one that is controlled by a lever set into the web-strewn ceiling.

You pull this lever and the panel squeaks open to reveal a sumptuous chamber hung with rich and colourful tapestries. Incense smoulders in silver bowls and the perfumed air is filled with the chirping sounds of exotic caged birds.



Cautiously you enter this luxurious room and see that it is one of several antechambers which adjoin a larger hall. Seated upon a padded chair in the middle of this hall is a young dark-haired woman who is dressed in flowing white silks. Her head is bowed and she appears to be upset. She is sobbing quietly.

(Yes I;ve been to Barrakeesh)

Your heart misses a beat the instant you recognize the face of this unhappy young woman. It is Oriah, the highborn daughter of the Funtal of Fio Fadali, the runaway who travelled with you aboard The Pride of Sommerlund on its ill-fated voyage out of Barrakeesh. Ever since she was abducted in the mountain town of Kilij you thought it unlikely that you would ever see her again. Yet here she sits, alone and dejected in a hall that is overflowing with an abundance of riches.

‘Oriah?’ you whisper hesitantly, hardly daring to believe that it is really her. She raises her head and her eyes widen with shocked surprise when she sees you. Then a smile, filled with hope and joy, lights up her tear-streaked face. She leaps from her chair and comes running to you to throw herself into your arms.

‘Oh, Grand Master,’ she sobs, ‘I never thought that I’d see you again. How did you know that I was here?’

You tell Oriah of what has happened since you arrived in Ghol-Tabras, and that you had no idea that she was here at all. She explains that after she was abducted by slavers in Kilij, she was sold to Sesketera who brought her here to his citadel. She is to be kept imprisoned in this hall until their wedding day, one month from now.

‘Let us escape from this place together,’ you say, but she shakes her head.

‘No, it cannot be. Sesketera is holding my friends. They are his hostages. If I leave the citadel before our wedding day he will put them to the sword. I cannot leave. But I know how I may help you to escape. Come, Grand Master, follow me.’

Oriah takes you to another antechamber where she opens a door concealed behind a hanging tapestry. A narrow torchlit passage lies beyond this door and together you follow it until you arrive at a domed alcove. Here Oriah touches the head of a marble statue and the alcove swivels open to reveal a balcony encircling a large hall. Peering over the parapet you see that it is the main entrance hall to Sesketera’s citadel. Its polished stone floor lies some twenty feet below the balcony, and its doors are guarded by two impressive warriors. They are attired in gold armour which glimmers in the weak rays of sunlight that are now filtering into the hall through its stained glass roof.

‘Wait a few moments,’ whispers Oriah. ‘They are the night guards. Dawn is breaking and soon their watch will be over. There is always a lapse before the morning guards come on duty. The doors will then be unmanned and you will be able to escape from the citadel without being seen.’

Minutes later, just as she predicted, the warriors march away and leave the doors to the citadel unguarded. Oriah wishes you good luck, but as she leans forward to kiss you fondly on the cheek, a stern voice suddenly shatters the silence of the hall.

‘Oriah! What deceit is this!’

You spin around and see a tall, broad-shouldered man clad in a high-necked robe of purple silk. He has emerged from an archway and he is standing near the parapet rail at the far side of the balcony.

‘Sesketera … ’ gasps Oriah. She snatches her hands to her mouth and then she swoons and faints. You catch her as she falls and you lay her carefully down upon the floor. Sesketera shouts for his guards until he notices that the hall below is empty. He curses their absence, and then he begins to move around the balcony towards you. He is unarmed—but not for long. He grabs a ceremonial weapon from a stand of armour and quickens his pace. As he levels this deadly spear at your chest you see that his eyes are filled with a blind, jealous rage

As he stalks closer, Sesketera suddenly realises that you are not a native Shadakine. Your fair skin and Kai clothing reveal to him that you are a Northlander.

‘By the ghost of Agarash,’ he hisses, through his gritted teeth, ‘you’re the cur who slew my brother, Dar-Isun. And now you come here, to my citadel, to steal my bride! By the gods, you’ll pay for this with your life!’

Sesketera lifts the spear in his right hand and spins it by the haft. It is an impressive display of control which leaves you in no doubt that he is a formidable fighter.

‘Vengeance will be mine!’ he screams.

[Abe Sargent]

(Bow)

You draw an Arrow to your Bow and take aim at Sesketera’s head. His dark eyes widen with shock when he sees you release the bowstring, but as the Arrow comes speeding towards his face, he recovers his composure and attempts to bat the missile aside with the blade of his spear.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, add 5 to the number you have picked.

(I toss a 2)

Your Arrow glances off the blade of Sesketera’s spear and gashes his face. It is not a serious wound but it makes him drop his weapon and stagger backwards. He is clutching at his injured cheek with both hands and you can see blood is beginning to trickle freely through his fingers. Then you hear a noise over on the far side of the balcony and moments later three citadel guards come rushing through the open archway.

‘Kill him!’ shouts Sesketera, and he presses himself flat to the wall so that they are able to get to you. Looking down into the hall you note that the main doors are still unguarded despite the incessant ringing of the alarm bell. Fearing that your only route of escape may soon be sealed off, you shoulder your Bow and leap boldly over the parapet.

(I use KA)

As you leap over the parapet, you utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell Levitation. By using this spell you are able to control the speed of your fall. Immediately your feet touch down on the floor of the hall below, you are able to rush to the main doors and escape from the citadel at a run.

Once outside the main doors, you hurry across a wide stone bridge that spans the dry moat encircling Sesketera’s citadel. Ahead you can see a cobblestoned plaza which is flanked on three sides by municipal buildings and shops, and on its fourth side by barracks and stables. The sound of the alarm bell is beginning to awaken interest in the plaza. Faces peer from windows and you can see men running to and fro inside the barracks compound. Then the gate to the stables swings open and suddenly there appears a man on horseback. He is one of Sesketera’s guards and he comes galloping towards you with a lance levelled at your chest.

You skid to a halt and quickly focus on the rider’s horse. Using your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, you command the horse to jump in the air. This has the effect of startling the horse and, in its confusion, it begins to buck and twist. The rider is thrown from his saddle and left sprawled unconscious on the ground. Now you use your Kai skills to calm the startled horse. As he settles down, you leap into his saddle and escape from the plaza at a gallop.

The incessant sound of the alarm bell follows you through the early-morning streets of Ghol-Tabras. Even as you reach the entrance to the harbour, more than a mile from the citadel, you can still hear it echoing over the rooftops. You look back over your shoulder and see that you are being followed by a dozen riders. They are citadel guards and they have been ordered to stop you at all costs. As you gallop along the harbour wall, your heart sinks when you see that The Azan is surrounded by soldiers. You race past them before they have a chance to load and fire their bows, but you soon come to the end of the harbour wall where you are forced to a halt. The bridge which spans the harbour entrance is too narrow to cross on horseback and so you abandon your mount and hurry across it on foot. You are nearing its centre when you see a trading ship passing directly below. It is leaving the harbour. Suddenly an arrow pierces your cloak and makes you freeze in your tracks. The soldiers are firing at you and, to your dismay, you see that they have sealed off both exits from the bridge. As they begin to move towards you from each side, firing as they advance, you climb onto the parapet of the bridge and attempt to leap onto the deck of the passing trader.

(Use Kai-Alchemy)

As you leap from the parapet of the harbour bridge, you utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell Invisible Shield to help protect yourself from the arrows that are now whistling past on all sides. It is a precaution that saves you from sustaining a serious wound. As you fall, you see an arrow deflected away from your chest by this invisible barrier.

You hit the moving deck and your legs crumple beneath you. Badly winded by the fall, you have difficulty in standing and are barely able to rise to your knees. Instinctively, you reach for your weapon. You are feeling vulnerable and are fearful that the crew of this trader may attempt to throw you overboard before you fully recover your senses. Yet to your surprise you hear that they are cheering. Your daring escape from Sesketera’s guards has impressed them immensely.

A tall man with wavy grey hair takes you by the arm and helps you to your feet. He hands you some coins that fell from your Belt Pouch when you hit the deck, and you thank him for his kind assistance. You notice that he is wearing the five stripes of a merchant captain of Siyen on the sleeve of his blue jacket.

‘You must o’ ruffled Sesketera’s feathers good and proper for him to ’ave turned ’is guards on you like that,’ he says, with a wry grin. Then he faces his crew and says: ‘Anyone who can achieve that can’t be all bad, eh, lads!’

The crew cheer again. It is plain by their reactions that they are glad to be leaving Ghol-Tabras and its tyrannical ruler. The captain hands over the running of his ship to his bo’sun and then he helps you to his cabin where he pours you a reviving draught of Siyenese ale. This brew has a peculiar grey-green colour but it tastes delicious. You soon learn that you have jumped aboard the Seasprite, a Siyenese merchantman under the able command of Captain Radyard. It is carrying a cargo of fine wool and linen and is bound for the port of Masama on a voyage that should take eight days. Radyard had expected to sell half of his cargo in the Ghol-Tabras market, but the heavy mooring charges and the unfriendly mood of the natives there had prompted him to make an early departure. His native homeland—Siyen—has traded with Sommerlund for centuries. Radyard much admires your land and its people and he is happy to allow you to stay on board his ship. You are thankful for his hospitality, but you feel you should offer him some form of payment for your passage to Masama.

(I offer cash)

You take a handful of coins from your Belt Pouch and offer them to Radyard as payment for your passage to Masama, but the jovial captain declines to accept them. There is plenty of room on his ship and he is happy to allow you to stay aboard for free. He refills your glass with ale and then he proposes a toast. It is one that you readily applaud:

‘To the long and continuing friendship of our peoples—to Sommerlund and Siyen!’