Billy looks annoyed and says, “That’s not the answer I wanted. Methinks you are of no use to us. So, it’s time to say goodbye with a game of Beat-the-Buss. These are the rules, so listen carefully. Brother Bobby and I are going to climb on to the roof. I should tell you he’s got a blunderbuss. That’s where the buss in Beat-the-Buss comes from, as in blunderbuss, if you’re understanding me? I’m going to throw you a rope and count to twenty before brother Bobby starts shooting. All you have to do is climb out and hightail it for the wooden gate without being shot full of lead. Are you understanding me? Don’t try any funny business or brother Bobby will shoot you right here and now.” The brothers disappear and seconds later a thick length of rope drops down into the cellar. You catch hold of it and give it a tug. Satisfied it will bear your weight, you haul yourself out of the cellar. There is a ladder leading up to a skylight in the roof, through which you hear a voice counting, “Twelve... thirteen... fourteen...” and realize you must run for your life.
You bolt for the door and run out of the farmhouse and down the path as fast as you can. If you are wearing Elven
Boots....
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The boots help you run so fast that you are halfway down the path before the brothers see you. You keep on running at full speed and are almost at the gate before Bobby fires his blunderbuss at you. It’s a long shot for such an unreliable weapon. Roll one die. If the number rolled is between 1 and 5...
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You hear a loud bang behind you and see a clump of cabbages to your left get shredded by lead shot. Seconds later you reach the farmhouse gate and turn around to see the twins sitting on the roof with Bobby holding his blunderbuss in the air, a wisp of white smoke drifting out of the barrel. They give you the thumbs up and call out to congratulate you. Add 1 LUCK point. They start waving and laughing so hard that they almost fall off the roof. You decide it best to leave them to it and bandage your leg before heading for Kaad.
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As you approach the outskirts of Kaad, the path widens into a dirt road leading to the main entrance gates of town. You see a horse-drawn open carriage coming out through the gates driven by a man wearing a bowler hat and a tailored waistcoat over his crisp white shirt. Sitting bolt upright next to him, looking snootily down her nose with an air of grand superiority, is a rosy-cheeked woman wearing a floral hat and long baggy black dress. Do you want to put your hand up to stop the carriage to talk to the woman or do you want to keep your head down and enter Kaad?