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You stand at the ship’s rail and stare at the surrounding wall of darkness. The salty air is cold upon your face, but, as you breathe deeply, you detect a strangely bitter smell, like burnt sulphur, being carried on the wind. You are about to mention this to the captain when a shout rings out from the crow’s nest that sends the crew into a frenzy of activity. ‘Blockaders dead ahead!’

‘Hard a’port!’ bellows the captain, and his helmsman spins the ship’s wheel frantically.

Five Darkland ironclads loom into view. They each carry a formidable array of weapons mounted on their steel-skinned decks, and protruding from the middle of each craft is a tall funnel, which belches forth a cloud of choking, sulphurous smoke. As the Intrepid swerves to avoid collision, this acrid smoke wafts across the water and engulfs the crew, causing them to cough and retch violently.

Suddenly, a flash of blue-white light illuminates the bow of the nearest ironclad and a fiery projectile arcs across the sky.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

If the number you have picked is 0–1, turn to 20.

If it is 2–9, turn to 180.