### 275

As soon as all of the acolytes have clambered aboard, you see them cut the grappling lines which tie their longboat to the sinking Vakovarian ship. At the longboat’s prow there stand a trio of Acolyte Elders, each holding a glowing wand of power in their outstretched hands. The moment they touch them together to form a triangle there is a flash of light. A swirling cone of vapour pours from the tip of this triangle and coils into the sky, creating a howling wind which fills the ship’s sails and catapults the vessel away from the quayside at tremendous speed. Five minutes later the longboat has disappeared from sight, beyond the stormy horizon.

The raiding acolytes leave chaos behind them. The brigands flee in all directions, taking with them little more than the bitter regret that their hoard of loot is now resting in the hold of a sunken ship, ten fathoms down at the bottom of the quay. You leave Vorn as soon as you can and return to the copse to retrieve your horse. Then you set off on a trail that heads east, following along the shoreline of Lake Vorndarol. You pass a few brigands on this trail but they are too busy nursing their battle-wounds to cause you any concern.

Three miles later, you come to a cove where the trail splits in two. The left trail continues on along the shoreline whilst the right trail turns towards the foothills of the Durncrags. Your natural tracking instincts tell you that the shoreline will be the harder of the two routes to follow. The hill trail looks easier, but it could take you much longer to reach the east shore of Lake Vorndarol that way.

If you wish to follow the shoreline trail, turn to 230.

If you decide to take the foothills route, turn to 61.