LITERATURA CITADA Y CONSULTADA

Score 8-12 Frost sprites turn to 5 218

You react too late to the threat. Before you can move, clammy blue hands with long, strong digits are clasped around your throat. The troll you outwitted earlier is a tenacious and vengeful foe – he has picked up your trail far from where you first saw through his illusion. The strangling hands tighten their grip as the troll's fetid breath washes over you. Make a COMBAT roll at Difficulty 12. If you fail, lose 3 Stamina points and try again. Each time you fail, lose another 3 Stamina points as you choke in the troll's merciless hold. If you succeed, whether through skill or luck, you manage to wriggle free and prepare yourself for a fight.

Troll, COMBAT 6, Defence 11, Stamina 15 If you win, turn to 307. If you lose, turn to 7. 219

You cannot find an abzu plant anywhere. You decide it would be better to return, while the pool still remains, rather than be trapped forever in the past. Turn to 556.

220

Suddenly, the forest falls silent, as your last assailant falls to your martial skill. In death, the invisibility charm wears off, and you see four dead goblins. Their limbs are long, their hair spiked and limed; taloned, claw-like hands grip ornate bronze axes. Searching the bodies, you find 50 Shards, a jug of faery mead, and a magic bronze axe (COMBAT +1). Note them on your Adventure Sheet. When you are ready, turn to 206.

221

The shade's directions were clear enough. You find the long barrow's door is already open, and enter the tomb of King Elhonar Shadar. Turn to 642.

222

You are close to the banks of the River Rese, the border between Golnir and Old Harkuna. On the other side of the river you can see the flag-topped walls of Castle Ravayne, some way away.

Follow the river north turn to 111

Cross the river to the castle Cities of Gold and Glory 25 Go west into the countryside turn to 539

North-west into the Singing Forest turn to 31 223

As you take hold of the weapon, the gloomy hall spins around you. You are bathed in fire and smothered in ice and stone, battered with wood and metal, drowned and revived by the wind before your senses finally return to normal.

You are lying on a rocky beach. Red mountains tower above you and at your feet is a lake. Protruding from the lake are seven fingers of smooth-carved rock, resembling exactly the model you saw in the barrow. You are at the Lake of the Seven Needles, many leagues from where you were moments ago.

Turn to 268. 224

stand on guard, and salute as you pass by.

You come to the Garden of Exotic Fragrances where masked lord take their pleasure (and make their plots). You have your own suite of rooms in the palace, of course. You can also make use of the services of the court physician.

Go to your apartment turn to 624 Go to the audience chamber turn to 401 See the court physician turn to 674 Leave the palace turn to 444 225

All shipping in and out of Aku must come through the offices of the harbourmaster. Here you can buy passage to far-off lands, or even a ship of your own to fill with cargo and crew.

You can buy a one-way passage on a ship to the following destinations: Metriciens, cost 25 Shards turn to 372

Teleos, cost 30 Shards turn to 723 Dweomer, cost 30 Shards turn to 234 Mithdrak, cost 45 Shards turn to 424 Pethumar, cost 45 Shards turn to 137 Chambara, cost 75 Shards turn to 276 Kunrir, cost 15 Shards turn to 232

If you buy a ship, you are the captain, and can take it wherever you wish, exploring or trading. You also get to name it. There are three types of ship, and three types of crew. You can also buy cargo for your ship to sell in other ports.

Ship type Cost Capacity Barque 250 Shards 1 Cargo Unit Brigantine 450 Shards 2 Cargo Units Galleon 900 Shards 3 Cargo Units

If you buy a ship, add it to the Ship's Manifest, and name it as you wish. The quality of the ship's crew is average unless you pay to upgrade it. If you already own a ship, you can sell it to the harbourmaster at half the above prices.

It costs 50 Shards to upgrade a poor crew to average, 100 Shards to upgrade an average crew to good, and 150 Shards to upgrade a good crew to excellent.

Cargo can be bought at Aku and sold at other ports for profit. If you own a ship you may buy as many Cargo Units as it has room for. You can also sell cargo, if you have any. Prices quoted here are for entire Cargo Units.

Cargo To buy To sell Furs 190 Shards 180 Shards Grain 190 Shards 180 Shards Metals 700 Shards 635 Shards Minerals 375 Shards 350 Shards Spices 950 Shards 900 Shards

Textiles 325 Shards 285 Shards Timber 225 Shards 200 Shards Slaves 250 Shards 200 Shards

Fill in your current cargo on the Ship's Manifest – assuming you own a ship!

If you own a ship that is docked here and wish to set sail, turn to 200. If not, you leave the harbourmaster: turn to 88.

226

A blur of movement to one side gives you the briefest warning of what is about to happen to you.

Make a SCOUTING or a COMBAT roll (your choice) at Difficulty 14. Successful roll turn to 713

Failed roll turn to 218 227 

If there is a tick in the box, turn to 693 immediately. If not, put a tick there now, and read on.

Tick the codeword Entropy.

The fat compiler wants to make a special dish for the king. He needs a certain rare ingredient, a pink rice grain. If you have one, turn to 59. If not, he says that there is supposed to be one of these strange rice grains in a place called the Black Pagoda, in far- off Akatsurai, way to the east, beyond the Violet Ocean.

'Bring me one and I'll make it worth your while,' he adds. Turn to 401.

228

Your innate holiness repels the ghostly apparitions, and you are able to continue on your way unharmed. Turn to 11.

229

You are spotted by an Expunger, one of the fanatic guards of Uttaku. The alarm is raised, you are soon surrounded and seized.

Make a CHARISMA roll at Difficulty 13.

If the roll is successful, you are sold into slavery, turn to 321. If you fail, you are hauled off to the Red Garden for execution, turn to 170.

230

If you have the codeword Epistle, turn to 370 immediately. If not, read on.

You step into a huge library, known as the Archives of the Blue. Here you find the Master of the Documents of Fable, a little old man with a mask covered in strange sigils. The mask is so big that he has trouble holding up his head.

He tells you about the Grand Telling, a ceremonial competition held every year at court in which the courtier who can come up with the best story wins. The master wants you to write your life story.

'You adventurers always come up with the most extraordinary tales. Write me a real blockbuster, of suitable length, and I'll use it to win the Grand Telling. In return, I'll see

that you are rewarded. You have eight weeks to complete your story. I expect you to work here, in the archives, so I can keep an eye on you.'

You reckon it should take about four to five weeks to finish. Accept the task turn to 655

Refuse turn to 401 231

The seneschal has no further use for your services, although he does offer to teach you the ins and outs of court etiquette for 350 Shards. If you pay the money, you can roll one die, and if the result is higher than your CHARISMA rating, you can add one to that rating. When you are finished, you return to the audience chamber. Turn to 401. 232

Don't forget to pay the fare for your journey. The ship sets sail and is soon making good headway. Roll two dice.

Score 2-3 Captured by slavers turn to 321