### 280

You hit the moving deck and your legs crumple beneath you. Badly winded by the fall, you have difficulty in standing and are barely able to rise to your knees. Instinctively, you reach for your weapon. You are feeling vulnerable and are fearful that the crew of this trader may attempt to throw you overboard before you fully recover your senses. Yet to your surprise you hear that they are cheering. Your daring escape from Sesketera’s guards has impressed them immensely.

A tall man with wavy grey hair takes you by the arm and helps you to your feet. He hands you some coins that fell from your Belt Pouch when you hit the deck, and you thank him for his kind assistance. You notice that he is wearing the five stripes of a merchant captain of Siyen on the sleeve of his blue jacket.

‘You must o’ ruffled Sesketera’s feathers good and proper for him to ’ave turned ’is guards on you like that,’ he says, with a wry grin. Then he faces his crew and says: ‘Anyone who can achieve that can’t be all bad, eh, lads!’

The crew cheer again. It is plain by their reactions that they are glad to be leaving Ghol-Tabras and its tyrannical ruler. The captain hands over the running of his ship to his bo’sun and then he helps you to his cabin where he pours you a reviving draught of Siyenese ale. This brew has a peculiar grey-green colour but it tastes delicious. You soon learn that you have jumped aboard the Seasprite, a Siyenese merchantman under the able command of Captain Radyard. It is carrying a cargo of fine wool and linen and is bound for the port of Masama on a voyage that should take eight days. Radyard had expected to sell half of his cargo in the Ghol-Tabras market, but the heavy mooring charges and the unfriendly mood of the natives there had prompted him to make an early departure. His native homeland—Siyen—has traded with Sommerlund for centuries. Radyard much admires your land and its people and he is happy to allow you to stay on board his ship. You are thankful for his hospitality, but you feel you should offer him some form of payment for your passage to Masama.

If you possess the Siyen Crown, turn to 333.

If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 123.