The Good King Page 4
Weird Fallows (9)
As you ride through the basalt archway, you enter a canyon cut by the Bitter River whose dark and vertical sides rise gradually higher and higher towards the plateau above. You can hear the eternal gales whistling up there, though down here you are mercifully protected by the tall walls. The canyon is as wide as it is deep, and with water levels running shallow due to the recent lack of rains, the river's course can easily be followed along sloping banks where greenwillows dip into the flow, unaffected by the highly bitter saline content or the cool thinness of the air. Yellow birds flutter from one side to the other, catching moths and other flying bugs. A leaping silvery fish splashes back into the flow.
Duster artifacts can often be found along this river canyon after a cosmic storm - blown in by the winds from the flat tableland above. Indeed that's what you can see right now - colourful scraps of plastic debris lying here and there amongst the rocks, along with bits of exotic vegetation and the broken branches of unfamiliar trees. Weird to think where they have come from and how far. Only days ago they had been swept into the other end of the Cosmic Fold while it was flaring over some random alien world, in a disruption caused by instant massive displacements of air - only to be deposited here countless light years away.
While Bril walks his horse through the debris and scans the ground for anything of interest, you take in the canyonland in the slanting morning light, pretty at this early time of day with the wide river coursing between stands of greenwillow and a moonhawk calling high in the azure sky to others of its kind.
Slowly, leading your horses by the reins, you both pick your way along the river's edge until the canyon branches into two - the main canyon following the course of the river, and a smaller side-gully twisting away to the right, without any water running through it, which you know will eventually lead you back to the river. Bril wants to search both ahead and in the side-gully, but you're adamant it must be one or the other. When he dithers, you chose for him which one you will search:
Reader Actions >>
>> Stay with the river 13
>> Take the side canyon 17
>> Or if you have EXPERT SMARTS (6+) 363
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Brightmorning Estate (10)
You must make a Snap Draw to determine what happens next.
Choose a random number below. Five of the numbers lead to success. Two do not.
SNAP DRAW >>
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5/7 - (easy)
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Weird Fallows (11)
SUCCESS!
Against all the odds you find something weird and interesting between some rocks. Your shout of surprise draws Bril over to see and you both stare down at whatever it is. The artifact is a long shivering stick thing as thick as your arm, which you dub a Roley-Poley.
Go to your RESources Page @ >> RES and add a ROLEY-POLEY to your inventory.
Ahead, the narrow canyon branches again into two.
Reader Actions >>
>> Go into left canyon 8
>> Go into right canyon 3
>> Return to river canyon and help search there 26
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Weird Fallows (12)
SUCCESS!
Against all the odds you find something weird and interesting between some rocks. Your shout of surprise draws Bril over to see and you both stare down at whatever it is. The artifact is a long shivering stick thing that changes colours constantly, and which you dub a Roley-Poley.
Go to your >> RES Page and ADD A ROLEY-POLEY TO YOUR INVENTORY.
Reader Actions >>
The canyon here eventually comes to a dead-end, with a vertical wall blocking your way.
>> Go into the left-hand canyon 8
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Weird Fallows (13)
The river canyon winds its way through the basalt tableland of the plateau, sheltered enough that it feels unusually still down here, so that the clatter of your horse's hooves can be heard echoing between the steep walls overhead, even above the rustle of the waters and the keening of the winds high above. Dust motes drift lazily across your vision, and fluffy seed pods that would certainly set you off sneezing if not for the windhood cover over your face. A good deal of tumbleweed has found its way to the bottom here, with some of its yellow flowers still in bloom. While you gawp at their striking colours amidst the prettiness of your surroundings, Bril continues with his search in earnest.
Reader Actions >>
>> Help Bril in his search 344
>> Continue onwards 35
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Weird Fallows (14)
SUCCESS!
Against all the odds you find something weird and interesting between some rocks. Your shout of surprise draws Bril over to see and you both stare down at what looks like a large crystal glittering in the sunlight, constantly changing colours. You have found a Star Gem.
Go to your >> RES Page and ADD A STAR GEM TO YOUR INVENTORY.
Reader Actions >>
Ahead, the narrow canyon branches into two again.
>> Go into left canyon 8
>> Go into right canyon 3
>> Go back to the river canyon and help search there 26
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Brightmorning Estate (15)
CRITICAL FAIL!
Oops! While racing under some dwarf trees you fail to duck low enough, and get struck by a branch that sweeps you from the saddle. Bril whoops in victory, and laughs when he sees you sprawled on your backside on the ground.
Go to the >>CON Page and REDUCE YOUR CONdition by 1 before returning here.
Reader Actions >>
>> Continue on your ride 38
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Brightmorning Estate (16)
Reader Action >>
Go to your >> RES Page and once there, ADD A SURE-FOOTED HORSE TO YOUR INVENTORY, before returning here:
'Come on,' sings Bril brightly. 'You'll feel better once we're out on the horses.'
You stifle a sickly belch.
Reader Actions >>
>> Continue 7
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Weird Fallows (17)
The dry side-canyon snakes its way through the basalt tableland of the plateau, sheltered enough that it feels unusually still down here, so that the clatter of your horse's hooves can be heard echoing between the steep walls overhead. Dust motes drift lazily across your vision, and fluffy seed pods that would certainly set you off sneezing if not for the windhood cover over your face. Some rolling tumblebrush has found its way to the bottom here, with some of its yellow flowers still in bloom. High up between the walls flits a bat, catching what looks to be moths.
While you gawp at the prettiness of your surroundings, Bril continues with his search in earnest.
Reader Actions >>
>> Help Bril in his search 18
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Weird Fallows (18)
Choose one of the numbers below to determine whether you find anything or not:
SNAP DRAW >>
Visit the >> REF Page to check your AWARENESS score (poor/fair/expert).
Your AWARENESS score: poor
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1/7 - (extreme)
Your AWARENESS score: fair
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2/7 - (tough)
Your AWARENESS score: expert
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3/7 - (difficult)
>> Spend 1 SHINE to gain EXPERT AWARENESS this round
Brightmorning Estate (19)
'Yah!' you shout and kick your own horse into a gallop.
Bril isn't too far ahead yet. The boy is aiming for a distant copse of trees with only some rocky ground and a few winding hedgetraps in between. But his smaller zel is pretty much a match for your own in terms of speed, since the boy is lighter than you and as usual he's going so recklessly fast that you grimace just to see it - one misstep of his zel, one coot-hole in the wrong place, and it could end in tragedy.
But shouting after him won't do any good, you know, as you bounce along on the back of your own galloping horse.
Reader Actions >>
>> Catch up with the boy (by riding as fast as you can) 10
>> Take a less reckless pace (and look for a smarter course that might still lead you to the distant copse of trees first) 91
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Weird Fallows (20)
FAIL!
You find nothing unusual.
Ahead, you can see how this side-canyon leads back to the wider river canyon that you left earlier.
Reader Actions >>
>> Rejoin river canyon 35
>> Enter the left-hand canyon (if you haven't yet) 8
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Weird Fallows (22)
FAIL!
You find nothing unusual.
Reader Actions >>
From here, you can see how this side-canyon rejoins the river canyon that you left earlier.
>> Rejoin river canyon 35
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Weird Fallows (23)
SUCCESS!
Against all the odds you find something weird and interesting between some rocks. Your shout of surprise draws Bril over to see and you both stare down at what looks like an animal skin hardened into the shape of a bag, though sealed tight, and rumbling as though a miniature thunderstorm is inside. You have found a RUMBLESKIN.
Go to your >> RES Page and ADD A RUMBLESKIN TO YOUR INVENTORY.
Reader Actions >>
Ahead, you can see how the canyon turns to rejoin the river.
>> Rejoin river canyon 35
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Weird Fallows (24)
FAIL!
You find nothing unusual, even after half an hour of searching.
Reader Actions >>
Ahead, the narrow canyon branches into two again.
>> Follow the LEFT canyon 8
>> Follow the RIGHT canyon 3
>> Go back to the river canyon and help search there 26
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Brightmorning Estate (25)
You must make a Snap Draw to determine what happens next.
Choose a random number below. Four of the numbers lead to success. Three do not.
SNAP DRAW >>
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4/7 - (moderate)
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Weird Fallows (26)
Choose one of the numbers below to determine whether you find anything or not:
SNAP DRAW >>
Visit the >> REF Page to check your AWARENESS score (poor/fair/expert).
Your AWARENESS score: poor
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1/7 - (extreme)
Your AWARENESS score: fair
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2/7 - (tough)
Your AWARENESS score: expert
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3/7 - (difficult)
>> Spend 1 SHINE to gain EXPERT AWARENESS this round
Brightmorning Estate (27)
FAIL!
On thundering hooves you both leap the hedgetrap successfully, but your own zel stumbles with a whinny of alarm and Bril once again takes the lead. Now only a hundred yards or so separate you from the copse of trees that you've both been racing for, and Bril spurs his mount onwards, sensing victory.
Reader Actions >>
>> Race Bril to the finish (at breakneck speed) 92
>> Slow down a little (and let Bril win) 74
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Weird Fallows (28)
Bril rolls his eyes like he'd rather stay out here looking for a while longer, but he's just being his usual obstinate young self. Really, you can tell he'd be happy enough to head into town right about now - it's miserably cold up here, and he won't be able to identify the few strange objects he has found until he gets down into town.
The nearest settlement, High Lee, is a good two hours ride from here and mostly downhill, which can make for trickier riding on horseback than riding uphill. You turn and lead the way, heading east directly into the winds towards a fang-like ridge in the distance, beneath which a trail at the edge of the plateau will take you downwards.
Off to the left, a herd of wild zel catches your eye as they run parallel to your course, kicking up a cloud of grit and dust. You shade your eyes against the sun to better see them in all their natural glory.
'Why are they running like that?' yells Bril.
He means why are they galloping full-speed directly into the face of the wind, something they would never do unless they were in a panic. Quickly you fumble for your Far-eye from one of the saddle bags, but Bril is faster, and squinting through his own scope he sees what's going on before you do.
'Rustlers!' the boy exclaims. 'At least five men chasing after the herd.'
You see the riders too now through your own Far-eye - blurry figures on horseback, galloping after the herd of wild zel with loops of rope in their hands. You frown. The land up here belongs to no-one, but this year is a Jubilee year, a seventh year, in which half the farmland is supposed to remain uncultivated and all the wild animals left untouched from hunting.