202

You are woken from a fitful slumber by the sound of shouting. Cautiously you part the foliage to see a group of Duadon guardsmen scouring the river bank in search of your body. A brutish garrison sergeant is questioning a scrawny beggar whom he holds by the neck, lifting him several inches off the ground. The beggar, shaking with fear, points a finger towards the wood. The sergeant gives him a sneering smile, and then rewards him for his cooperation with a dagger in the guts.

‘Search the copse!’ bellows the sergeant, wiping the blood from his blade on the dead beggar’s coat. ‘Damned Northlander’s gone to ground in there.’

Quickly you retreat deeper into the wood as a line of soldiers comes crashing through the foliage, hacking and slashing with their broad-bladed swords. Using your camouflage skills, you slip through their line and make your way back towards the river road, to the place where they have left their horses. A blow to the base of the skull puts paid to the soldier who is standing guard there and, as quietly as you can, you take a horse and escape towards the east.

When you can no longer see the walls of Duadon, you rein in your horse and take stock of the equipment contained in its saddle-bags. You discover the following items:

• Backpack
• Rope
• Enough food for 2 Meals
• Sword
• 3 Gold Crowns
• Bow
• Quiver, containing 3 Arrows

(Record these items on your Action Chart. They replace those that were confiscated from you in Duadon.)

Determinedly you continue your ride east and, by mid-afternoon, you come to the banks of the mighty River Storn. From the cover of a derelict barn you observe a group of merchants and travellers who are waiting at a ferry post for the boat to Rhem. The post is controlled by Eldenoran soldiers who check the ferry passengers thoroughly to make sure they are not enemy agents or deserters from the army. After an hour or so, you see the boat from Rhem approaching the post. The waiting crowd gather their belongings and get ready to board what will be the last crossing of the day.

If you wish to go to the ferry post and try to board the boat to Rhem, turn to 97.

If you decide to avoid the ferry, you can attempt to swim the half-mile stretch of river to Rhem by turning to 30.