A dusting of snowflakes fall on the Northerling camp from a moonslit wintry sky.
As Khom-Bei goes to slip out of the tent he has just entered, two tents on the edge of the camp go up in flames. Figures race from tents, panicked. Then a howling goes up from the perimeter of the camp. The sound of a hundred hunting Urag.
Kane snatches up Light Bringer and heads for the tent door.
Khom-Bei frees his warhammer from his belt and rushes out of the tent toward the sound of the Urag, "Thragga, follow me!"
Thragga rolls to his feet, seizes his war axe, and leaps up after Khom-Bei.
Khom-Bei says, "Great Father, expose these enemies to my sight!" He touches the head of his warhammer, which bursts forth with the light of the sun.
The camp is confused; most of the warriors were asleep. Shouts of fear and terror are heard.
Kane turns to Thragga and says, "You're slipping old friend, you normally would of scented them a mile away."
Thragga growls irritably at Kane.
As Khom-bei runs through the camp, he shouts warnings to awaken any who were not roused, "Arise, kinsmen, we are under attack!"
Kane scans the area to see what they are up against.
As Khom-Bei raises his hammer, a flare of daylight bright as the sun fires forth above his head. There are cries of dismay from the woods surrounding the camp, which is now brightly lit.
Jenn-Dai rushes from her tent, arms raised as well. She begins to chant but a heavy Urag arrow catches her in under the armpit, felling her.
The camp is a rough circle, with a stream bisecting it north to south, and surrounded by woods. You are towards the center of the circle, near the largest tents.
Khom-Bei sees Jenn-dai fall and changes direction to aid her.
Thragga grumbles, "Bastards took me unaware..."
A cry issues from the northern edge of the camp, dozens of Urag throats in unison yelling, "Kai Yaragaiiiii!" Forward, warriors of Yarga!
Sounds of fighting, steel on steel and shrieks of pain, issue from that direction as the Urag storm into the camp.
Khom-Bei runs as fast as his legs will move, ducking under tent ropes and leaping the dying embers of campfires as he moves to help Jenn-dai.
A line of six Urag warriors strike down two brave Northerlings, just roused from slumber. They race forward on your position, guided by the glowing beacon that Khom-Bei's hammer has become.
Several of the tents on the edge of the camp are now completely aflame, giving the night a red-lit hellish appearance.
Khom-Bei sees the Urag following his shining hammer and yells to the clan as he runs; "Redclaw! To me, to me! Jenn-dai needs you!"
Kane moves to confront the Urag onslaught.
Thragga hefts his axe and races to meet the raiders with Kane.
The charging Urag wear warpaint and are hollering and hooting in the manner of their kind. These appear to be a hardbitten and desperate lot...scarred, ears and fingers missing, the veterans of a hundred raids.
Khom-Bei dashes to Jenn-Dai's side where she lies. She is gripping the tent rope and struggling to speak. He slides to his knees next to the fallen Jenn-dai, "Great Father, heal the wounds of your servant Jenn-dai."
Kane slashes into the oncoming Urag. The Urag throws up his stabbing sword to block, but Kane gets under his guard and Light Bringer emerges from the other side.His foe drops.
Thragga steps forward and spins his blade overhead, then plunges it down into the head of his foe, splitting it in two. Black blood and bits of brain spurt over Thragga and the Urag around him.
In turn, Kane and Thragga are battered and slashed by the Urag warriors.
The Urag arrow has plunged deep into Jenn-Dai's chest, the feathers sticking out under her armpit. Blood drenches her leathers. She grasps Khom-Bei's sleeve. "Defend...defend the camp!"
Khom-Bei places his left hand over Jenn-dai's wound as he pulls the Urag arrow free with his right, muttering an imprecation to the Great Father as he does.
Jenn-Dai's color returns and her life blood no longer pours forth.
Khom-Bei says, "We will defend the camp together, Jenn-dai."
Kane lets out a war cry and stabs Light Bringer at the attacking Urag.
The Urag parries Kane's blow with a savage laugh.
Thragga is swearing and cursing. "Motherless...sons...of...prairie...pigs...dung...eating...dogs...eat...this!" He hacks at the foe who sliced his arm.
Thragga's axe bisects the first Urag, slicing him nearly in half to the waist. He spins, block the next blow, then rams the end of the axe into his foe's face. The Urag's neck breaks with a sickening crunch and he drops. Thragga spits on his dead form.
At the edge of the camp, a new figure strides into view. Backed by flames, surrounded by a storm of ash, he makes his way slowly into camp. As you watch, he cuts down two Northerling warriors with contempt. Arms thick as treetrunks, carrying a barrel chest on tiny bandy legs, this can only be Yarga, scourge of the Tol Nedri.
Jenn-Dai struggles to her feet. "I will rally the clan, Khom-Bei. Hold the line." she tells him.
Yarga roars at the camp, "Thralls of the Beast! Prepare to meet your doom! It is Yarga who kills you now!"
Swinging his shining hammer in a circle above his head, Khom-bei yells across the camp at the top of his lungs, "Redclaw!", and plunges into the fight alongside Kane and Thragga.
Another cry goes up from the Urag raiders. "Kai Yaragaiiiiii!" as more charge your position.
Khom-Bei's great hammer fells his foe as the Urag's skull is pulped.
Kane dodges low then springs up to slash back handed. Kane's blade slices open his foe's neck and the Urag falls at his feet.
Two of Yarga's bodyguards are at his side. At the sight of Kane, Thragga and Khom-Bei, they howl and charge at full run towards the battle.
Yarga is yelling, "Death! Death to all who serve the Beast!"
Three Urag now remain before you. Two bodyguards and an Urag trooper spattered with blood.
Khom-Bei yells to Yarga across the camp, "You doom yourself by attacking Hunters, you fool!" As Kane speaks, the bodyguard drives his short spear into Kane's ribs.
Thragga cuts down his foe with ease. Then he spins on the bodyguard, but he stumbles over the bodies piled before him and sprawls. His axe spins away across the snowy, ashen ground.
Khom-Bei sees Thragga fall and charges the bodyguard standing over him, "Feel the wrath of a Hunter, you green-skinned thug!"
Three Northerling warriors charge Yarga. The Urag chieftain's sword is a blur as he engages them with a roar.
Khom-Bei's hammer strikes a glancing blow off his foe's armor.
Kane rolls off of the spear impaling him. He then spins around and plunges Light Bringer towards the back of the attacking Urag.
Khom-Bei yells to Yarga again, "Yarga, we do not serve the Beast, why do you attack us?"
Yarga cuts down a young warrior, no older than his first manhood, and snarls at Kane, "Your tongue is as the serpent, Nedri!"
Kane yells, "Urag fools, sons of green pigs, we fight the Beast! Gullible, slack-jawed, imbeciles! Who told you such tales!"
The Urag grunts in agony as Lightbringer cuts him in the thigh.
Kane again yells in disgust, "Are you so stupid to believe that all Tol Nedrans relish the rule of blood suckers! They bleed us dry and we turn them to dust!"
The two bodyguards rally. They hardly understand Kane's words in Marreith, but they know his tone. "You...die!" one hoarsely shouts.
Thragga rolls to his feet. He seizes up the sword of a fallen Urag and has at them again.
Kane turns to look Yarga in the eyes, "You want Tol Nedran blood, Yarga? He it is if you can take it. I will cut you to pieces before I will let any man accuse me of serving the Vorghol filth."
Khom-Bei yells again to Yarga as he swings his hammer, "I swear by the Great Father and Rugash, we are no servants of The Beast Thumgath."
Thragga bellows, "Kai Hunters!!"
Yarga grins with his big fanged mouth. He is about to sneer when he pauses.
A noise bursts from the southern part of camp. Jenn-Dai is attempting to rally her people and drive back the Urag.
Khom-Bei bashes in his foe's head and the bodyguard drops.
Kane steps forward over the fallen Urag. "Come face me Yarga, and test the truth of our words."
Yarga sneers, "The Beast sends your bodies into battle against us. I will give him no fuel for his sorceries! Do you hear? If I have to kill every Northerling between here and the Balagrims, I will not give anything to the Beast!"
A line of Urag forms behind their chieftain. There must be several dozen Urag warriors there. Many hold struggling Northerling prisoners.
As his foe falls, Khom-bei drops his war hammer and pulls two wooden stakes out from their hiding places under his cloak, "Yarga, would any servant of The Beast be caught dead carrying these?"
Kane says, "You do already, you stinking green whoreson. You send his enemies to their graves. I bet it was he who set you against us.""
Yarga snarls. "Little Nedri, I have put a thousand of you in your graves! I will put a thousand more before I am done!"
Thragga roars back in contempt, "Come and get us, worthless p'takh-ka Vorghoi!" Thragga is lapsing into his native tongue. He just called Yarga a friend to the Vorghol lords.
Kane says, "And I have put many of you people to rest after they have fallen under the influence of the dark ones.""
One of Yarga's lieutenants brandishes his blade. "Shall I kill these for you, my chieftain?"
Kane says, "I would rather not strike down one who opposes the Vorghol blood suckers, but you give us no choice. Face me then, if you will, Yarga."
Khom-Bei begins to walk forward, arms outstretched, holding only the two stakes as weapons, "Listen to me, you ignorant pile of mountain ram shit! I am Khom-bei, last of the Coldwind clan, would I serve those who killed my family?"
Yarga studies Khom-Bei. "Coldwind? I have heard of you. All dead at the hands of Khilur."
Khom-Bei stands in front of Yarga and drops his arms, "Yes, my clan, all killed at the hands of the Dark Ones. Would you think I serve the Beast now?"
The Urag warriors now ring you three completely. They have taken the camp. Jenn-Dai and Dai-thon are clearly visible, gripped by Urag captors.
Yarga pauses. "Nedri treachery has no end..." He is giving Khom-Bei's words some thought.
Kane says, "Not Nedri, Vorghol treachery."
Khom-Bei spins the stake in his right hand in a well-practiced motion and flips it into the ground before him, "Surely, a shaman of your wisdom can tell when a man before him is lying? Look into my eyes and see the truth, Yarga."
Thragga says, "Sha gharol!" It means 'Trial of Truth.'
Yarga picks up one of the stakes. Then he turns to Thragga. "You would claim this right? Gah! I smell the mark of the thrall on you!"
Thragga says again, "Sha gharol! Words are cheap! Let He-Who-Watches show who speaks the truth! Unless Yarga is afraid of the truth?"
Khom-Bei says, "Thragga! Be still, there has been enough blood shed this night."
"Yarga is afraid of nothing!" the chieftain roars. "I am Yarga! I slay all before me! The Vorghol hear my name and tremble!"
One of the lieutenants says, "He has claimed sha gharol. Let it be so, chieftain!"
Khom-Bei spits on the ground, "If there is to be sha gharol, one will die. Whoever it is, The Beast will have won another victory. I will not give my life to the Dark Ones."
Yarga considers. His warriors now hold the camp and could exterminate the clan completely. There is a long breathless pause in the chill night air. A captive child shrieks and writhes in Urag hands, terrified.
Yarga nods. "Very well. Who will fight for truth for you?" he asks you three.
Kane says, "I will. I am Tol Nedran so it is only fitting."
Khom-Bei says, "Would Yarga face a wounded man or will he let him be healed first?"
Yarga roars, "Heal him! And who fights for Yarga?"
The lieutenant steps forward. He is a tall, burly Urag with the brands of a former thrall on his biceps. "I am Shazumoth, little Nedri. This night, you will have the true death. And I will hang your head from my belt."
Thragga says, "Kane, you fight like a Gholibin. I will fight this battle."
Khom-Bei moves forward and places his hands on Kane's shoulders, speaking softly, "Great Father, Heal your servant, Bless him, and Aid him in his fight for truth." Strength flows into Kane's body, and his wounds knit and heal before him.
Kane says, "No, Thragga my friend, let me be tested. It is only right, otherwise they will never trust the rest of you me being Tol Nedran."
Thragga says, "He-Who-Watches knows the truth. He watches you this night."
Khom-Bei steps forward and grasps Kane's shoulder again, "Great Father, give your servant strength for the fight for truth."
At Yarga's signal, the Urag widen the circle for the two combatants. A hush falls over the camp as both warriors make ready.
Yarga says, "The Nedri have claimed the right of trial by combat! Sha gharol! Let He-Who-Watches decide who lives and who dies! Thus is truth found!"
Kane strides to the center of the circle Light Bringer dangling before him. He waits for his opponent to approach.
Shazumoth test-swings his wicked longsword, which looks like it was taken from a Tol Nedran Vorghol officer. The burly Urag battens on his spiked helmet with a grin as he approaches Kane.
Kane rolls his shoulders and shakes his head from side to side. Once limbered up he assumes a fighters stance.
The two warriors confront each other in the half-light of twin crescent moons and the flames of burning tents. The snowflakes lightly falling gives a peaceful air to the scene. The calm before the storm.
Yarga shouts, "Sha gharol! Rugash ukk-tai zutak krog!" and claps his hands. He invokes the Power Rugash himself. The sound is loud in the still night air.
Armed and armored, the huge Shazumoth crouches and raises his shield. He holds his breath, waiting.
The entire camp is focused on the combat.
Kane rushes towards the Urag trusting in the truth and Light Bringer. He tries tries a feint and then a strike to penetrate the Urag's guard.
Shazumoth grunts as Kane's blade slips in under his shield.
The Urag barrels forward, trying to overwhelm.
As Shazumoth charges, the Vorghol blade and Lightbringer meet with a fiery clash. The steel nicks Kane's arm, drawing blood.
The Urag cheer as Shazumoth spills Kane's blood.
Kane spins into the contact and sends a strike at his foe's unprotected back.
Shazumoth circles left, parrying the blow with his shield. He tries a flurry of steel now.
Thragga is rapt, watching this.
Kane moves as to retreat, then charges again at the Urag, striking at his head.
Khom-Bei mutters under his breath, "Great Father, shield him from harm."
Shazumoth falls back as Kane slices his helmet strap. He throws off the helm and clutches at his head. His right ear is nearly hacked off. Enraged, he swings and misses a vicious backhand at Kane's head.
Shazumoth snarls, "I will feast on your bones, little Nedri!"
Kane says, "We will see, great warrior, we will see." Now using his oppenent's rage against him, Kane lures him in and strikes for his vitals.
Lightbringer digs into the Urag's shoulder. Shazumoth hurls off his shield, which lands at Thragga's feet, and grabs his sword with both hands now, striking furiously.
Kane swiftly strikes again.
The flaming sword pierces Shazumoth's bicep and he roars in agony. Black blood spurts over Kane's face.
In a rage, the Urag slams Kane with his knee, then follows up with a stab to his midsection.
Kane staggers back. Both warriors are winded and blooded now, and circle, gasping for air.
As the Urag strikes Kane, Khom-bei flinches slightly. At Thragga's side, Khom-Bei gasps as he feels the wound open in his side.
Shazumoth charges again, battering his sword against Kane's.
Kane reels back from Shazumoth's attack but then deftly turns this to a backhand slash into the eyes of the giant.
The tip of Kane's blade slices off the end of the Urag's hook nose and part of his cheek. Shazumoth staggers back, blinded and berserk now with rage. He swings wildly, and blindly as blood pours down his face.
Seeing that the Urag's vision is temporarily impaired Kane sidesteps, raise Light Bringer on high and strikes again at Shazumoth.
Blood trickles down Khom-Bei's side. Thragga looks towards his friend, scenting blood.
Kane's blow connects, but clangs harmlessly off the Urag's breastplate. The Urag whirls, fighting by instinct more than skill now. He whirls too far and falls to the ground, dropping his sword. He gropes for it as his fellow Urag sneer in contempt. This isn't working out as they planned.
Kane quickly takes advantage of the situation. He leans in and presses Light Bringer to the giant Urag's throat. "Yield Shazumoth! Sha gharol has been satisfied."
Shazumoth blinks back blood from his eyes as the flaming blade sears his neck.
Yarga roars, "Sha gharol!" It's not finished.
The chant goes up among all the Urag, their fists lifted in bloodlust. "Sha gharol! Sha gharol! Sha gharol!" Thragga joins in.
Shazumoth says, "Sha...gharol! To the death!"
Kane says, "I said yield! I will not kill you while on the ground."
Khom-Bei steps forward, "Finish him, Kane. It must be done or they will never honor you."
Kane says, "I have my own honor to think about."
Thragga roars, "Kill him, Kane! The Powers watch you now!"
Kane steps back giving his opponent the opportunity to regain his sword.
Kane looks to Yarga and says, "End this now! Sha gharol has been satisfied."
Yarga's arms are folded, his expression unreadable.
Khom-Bei kicks the Urag's sword back to him.
Yarga says, "Rugash watches this combat, Kane! Who are you to go against the will of the Marauder?"
Shazumoth seizes the blade and scrambles to his feet. He is staggered, nearly blinded with pain now. His face is a ruin. He leaps forward, blade held before him with both hands. The edge catches Kane under the ribs.
Khom-Bei says, "Kane, finish him. It is their way."
Kane's honed reflexes get the better of him, and before he realizes what he is doing his sword stikes out.
Shazumoth stumbles forward onto the end of Kane's blade. It pierces him in the heart. He gasps, sinks, clutches at Kane's arms. Then he topples, his dead weight full on Kane's flaming sword. What Shazumoth's dying eyes see before him is not clear, but it is not terror or pain on his face when he leaves this world.
Yarga pronounces, "Sha gharol mukdai! Kane speaks the truth!"
The Urag warriors look almost disappointed. Their raid is ruined.
Kane looks down in disbelief at what he has done. Catching the Urag as he falls, he gently place his body to the ground.
Khom-Bei steps forward and kneels, scratching together a handful of the frozen earth. Standing, he begins to chant the death song of the clanspeople as he walks the Circle of the Winds.
The chant goes up now. "Kane. Kane. Kane. Kane......"
Ignoring all else, Kane says to the dying Urag, "You are a brave warrior Shazumoth, you honor your fathers and have died fighting for what you believed in."
Yarga says, "Shazumoth died in the service of truth. He would wish nothing more!"
A squad of Urag warriors shamble forward to take the body of the dead warrior.
Kane stands, and sheathes his sword.
As he finishes his circle and the body of Shazumoth is carried off by the Urag, Khom-bei looks for Jenn-dai and walks to her side. Jenn-Dai, freed now, joins Khom-Bei in his chant and the voices of the two chanting shamans carry far and wide over the camp.