### 29

Unfortunately, you do not cast the spell quickly enough to block the Drakkar's arrow and it hits you squarely in the upper chest, knocking you flat on your back: lose 6 ENDURANCE points.

Bravely you take hold of the arrow and wrench it from your chest. Then, using your innate healing skills, you manage to staunch the bleeding. For nearly an hour you lie in the bottom of the boat staring at the grey sky, allowing the river to carry you downstream, and when eventually you pull yourself upright, you find that the Drakkarim renegades are no longer in sight.

Your voyage continues without further incident until, later in the afternoon, you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your map and discover it to be a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.

If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, turn to 314.

If you decide to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by turning to 231.

Text copyright © 1991 Joe Dever.
Illustrations copyright © 1991 Brian Williams.