As you ride through the dark woods of the Howling Lands, towards Castle Eryth, the first real snowfall of winter begins to pour down, large wet flakes clinging to your hair, clothes, horses. Thragga races along on point, with Raelere and Kane riding behind, Dhar-bo the Northerling girl behind them, and Khom-Bei in the rear. Each of those on horseback, an experienced rider, has no trouble negotiating the slick, snowy paths.
The snowy night draws towards sunrise, shielded behind a dense wall of cloud, when Thragga halts and bends low over the trail. You notice that the sack he had stuffed full of food just a few hours ago is now gone, and he bears his axe in his hands. He points to tiny footprints in the snowy ground, then scans the dense pine woods about you. "Gholibins..." he grumbles.
Kane says to his Urag friend, "Thragga do you think we can avoid them?
Thragga raises a bushy brow. "Avoid them? Why would we want to?"
Khom-Bei reins in his pony and looks around for enemies.
Raelere reins in beside Kane.
Dhar-bo looks about, then unslings a bow from her saddlepack, stringing it expertly.
Kane says, "As much as I like fighting Gholibin, we do have an urgent need for speed."
Thragga says, "These tracks are fresh. They passed that way a few minutes ago." He points up the slope of the hill, where a thick cluster of old trees stand. "I think--"
A voice shrieks from the grove: "Go away! No Gholibin here!!"
Kane says, "Let's heed the advice. I don't think they want to be found."
Raelere smirks. "They fear us."
Khom-Bei says, "Do we really want an unknown number of Gholibins behind us, Kane?"
Kane says, "Thragga will know if they are following us, won't you?"
Thragga says, "You know there is never just one of those little fuckers."
The Gholibin voice shrieks again. "Goink away now! No trouble, no want no trouble!"
Khom-Bei says, "And why are they so scared of us? Something odd about that, don't you think?"
Kane says under his breath to his companions, "You know, we fight enough battles without us going out and looking for them. I suggest we move on."
Khom-Bei says, "Thragga, do you think that we can catch one without killing him?"
Thragga grins wickedly.
Raelere says, "I must say, I concur wi'Kane. Time calls."
Kane says, "Do we have to?"
Khom-Bei smiles a lopsided smile."This won't take a moment, right, Thragga?"
Thragga says to Khom-Bei, "You go around the left side, I will take the right. Kane can wait here with the females."
Kane says, "It may start a battle, you do realize that, don't you?"
In a flash of movement, Khom-bei hauls his pony about and kicks it up the slope toward the gholibins' hiding place, yelling to Kane as he goes, "Yes, I do!"
As Khom-Bei charges left, Thragga is off at a sprint up the right flank, towards the pile of old logs where the Gholibins hide.
There's a squeal and half a dozen Gholibins flee from the pile, scattering in all directions. One, in a blind panic, races past Khom-Bei on his pony.
Circling to the Gholibins left, Khom-bei wheels his pony about to chase down the escapee. The Gholibin tries to scramble between some rocks, slips and falls on his face. He scrabbles at the opening of the rock, trying to flee the oncoming Northerling.
Seeing the Gholibin fall, Khom-bei slips from his ponies' back and leaps at the scrambling form.
On the hillside, Thragga grabs at his own prey, a Gholibin female, who eludes the much larger Urag.
Raelere looks to Kane. "Shouldna we aid them, then?"
Kane says to Raelere "No..it's much more fun to watch."
Khom-Bei seizes the squirming Gholibin around the ankle.
Thragga's prey plants a foot in his eye. He falls back and roars with rage as the tiny female disappears between two tall pines.
Raelere watches the pursuit with fascination.
Dhar-bo tells Kane, "Khom-Bei seems a mighty warrior."
Kane says, "Especially when his prey is three feet shorter than himself."
Dhar-bo hides a smile behind her hand.
Hauling the Gholibin backwards, Khom-bei plants a foot between the creature's shoulderblades and presses him into the ground. "If you keep running, you'll only die tired."
The Gholibin quits squirming. "Please, lordship, please. No kill!"
Thragga gets to his feet, rubbing at his eye. "Filthy vermin." he grumbles. "Kane! They all got away and all you did was stand there."
Khom-Bei reaches down and hauls the Gholibin upright."You will answer our questions if you wish to go free."
Kane says, "I thought you two told me to stay behind with the women? I assumed that meant you could handle things on your own."
Thragga shakes his head, rubbing his eye. "These Gholibin task me."
Khom-Bei escorts the Gholibin back to where the others wait and whistles for his pony.
The Gholibin looks sidelong, judging his escape.
Cakilgan gallops down the hillside and nudges the Gholibin angrily.
Khom-Bei says, "We caught you once, we will do it again and we'll be more angry when we do, so put any thought of escape out of your tiny skull."
Snowflakes pour down on the quiet pre-dawn clearing.
Kane says, "Well, what have we here? Good eve, brave Gholibin."
The Gholibin, a pitiful shivering creature with a ragged squeezebox about his neck, doesn't look up. He mutters, "Grakss just wants to go. No money, no food. Mighty Nedri leave him alone?"
Kane says to the Ghobilin, "Just a few quick questions, and then off you go to join your friends. Well Grakss, how are the woods tonight? Quiet?"
Grakss looks up. "No. Not to Gholibins. Noisy woods tonight. Too many Nedri."
Kane says, "Ah! That's what we want to know about. Where and when?"
Thragga rubs angrily at his eye, which is beginning to swell.
Grakss holds his belly. "Hungry. Cold."
Khom-Bei leans down close to the Gholibin's ear."If I set you on fire for not answering the man, you'll be very warm."
Kane says, "Well, as soon as you answer our questions, you can go join your friends and get a bite to eat, and maybe even snuggle up by the fire with that lass that popped my green friend in the eye. So stop stalling."
The Gholibin holds up both of his three fingered hands. Eight digits in all. "Four times this many riders, Grakss counted as they passed. Vorghol among them. Before the snowfall began. Went that way." He points to the south.
Kane says, "Now that's more like it. Did they have anything, how do I say this, disturbing with them?"
Grakss appears puzzled. "Dees-turbing? What is?"
Kane says, "A monster. Was their a monster with them?"
The Gholibin shakes his head. "No. Many riders. No...monster."
Khom-Bei says, "How about a wizard? A stranger with a magic staff?"
Raelere says, "What does this mean?"
Grakss nods, very eagerly. "Yes! Yes, lordship! A magic staff! Ten feet tall!"
Khom-Bei says, "What did he look like?"
The Gholibin asks, "Had eyes like daggers. Scary! Voice like Dragha! Grakss no like him. Lordships should stay away from him. Take advice! Grakss go now?"
Khom-Bei says, "Eyes like daggers, you say? What about his hair? Did you happen to see what color it was? Maybe how long? Or his clothes? What was he wearing?"
Grakss shakes his head. "Yes, yes, lordships! He had hair, and he wore clothes! Grakss go now?"
Khom-Bei says, "Maybe if I open up your skull I could find your tiny, little brain and get the answers I seek? Or maybe you'd like to just tell me, hmmm?"
Thragga says, holding his hand to his eye, "Kane, am I getting a shiner?"
Kane says, "I believe so."
Thragga drives his fist into his open palm.
Raelere offers, "He 's nae much o'a witness, Khom-Bei."
Grakss panics. "Lordships! Grakss tells you all he knows! Terrible wizard rode with Vorghol! Grakss thought you were with those evil Nedri, those bad bad Nedri. But he sees now you are not. No, lordships are good!"
Kane says, "Perhaps we should let Grakss go on his way now, Khom-Bei?"
Khom-Bei looks to Kane and shrugs, "He's no use anyway, too busy hiding in terror from the scary wizard with the eyes like daggers."
Thragga says, "Let me snap his little neck. He deserves it."
Khom-Bei chuckles, "It's 'an eye for an eye', Thragga, not 'a neck for an eye'."
Kane says, "You've already had your chance, Thragga. Let's let good Grakss here go on his way peacefully. Besides, I'd hate to see your other eye get messed up as well."
Dhar-bo, silently, passes the Gholibin a blanket and a small bundle of dried meats. She looks towards the others with her head lifted in challenge.
Kane nods approval.
Thragga says, "Filthy vermin, all of them."
Grakss seizes the package and sprints off into the snowy woods.
Khom-Bei smiles at Dhar-bo, "You are kind, sister, to give when you have so little."
Dhar-bo shrugs. "If even the smallest get no kindness, then what hope is there for any of us?"
Kane watches the Gholibin streak off, then turns to his companions. "It seems like they have a bit of a lead on us. We must hurry if we are to warn Ress."
Thragga sneers at the Northerling girl's words. He is about to retort when he hears Kane speak. "Yes. But the Vorghol will not travel by day and the sun is soon up."
Khom-Bei nods and jumps back onto his pony, "Let's ride."
Kane turns his horse south and starts to gallop off.
Hours later, in a chilly, misty morning, the snowfall stopped, you cross out of an old, dry riverbed, and sight the distant spires of Castle Eryth a short ride to the west. It's a massive, towering fortification, the northernmost bastion of the great Westwall, built to protect Ress from Tol Nedran invaders. The Castle itself is built at the peak of a tall cliff, with high, thick walls, and commands an impressive view of the surrounding countryside. Surely, the Vulkah had a hand in its making, eighty years ago. Beyond, in the misty distance, you can see the fertile plains of Ress receding into the west.
Raelere points. "'Tis home, my friends."
Thragga says, "I hope they have food there..."
Kane says, "Home is a mighty impressive place."
Khom-Bei chuckles, "I'm sure they have food, Thragga, the question is whether they have enough."
You approach the great fortress. The green and white horse banner of Ress flutters overhead in the misty breeze.
An Oathkeeper Knight calls down to you as you make your way across the broad ground. "Hold! Advance and be recognized!"
Raelere calls back, "Ye great git! It's Raelere, wi'companions. Open the bloody gates, we hae news!"
The sentry says, "Raelere! Be that an Urag? Y'know the rules."
Raelere frowns, saying nothing.
The sentry says, "His Grace himself is in residence, Raelere. Send the Urag away. He shant enter these gates!"
Raelere fingers her sword. "Fools..." she mutters.
Thragga says, "Kane, I am as good as they! Let them face me in single combat!"
Kane says, "Pehaps we should wait here, Raelere, why you go inside and explain things."
Khom-Bei says, "If Thragga cannot enter, I'll stay with him. Kane and Dhar-bo can go in."
Kane says, "We will all stay, Raelere and Dhar-bo can go in."
Khom-Bei says, "Kane, one of us needs to go in to explain to the King what is heading this way."
Raelere scoffs. "Wait here? Will ye just all skulk here like Sathanids? Nae. This is nae safe place even for warriors stout as you. Thragga saved me life, and he's entitled to enter wi'honors. "
Thragga grins. He holds his head up high.
Kane says, "Then lead on and we shall follow."
Raelere calls, "On me authority, these are wi'me! And any who would say against them will face me own sword!" She gallops up to the massive gate. "Open, I say!"
There is a thump, then a sliding sound like a huge bar being slid from behind the gate. Slowly, the gigantic, intricately carved gates of the castle are winched back and opened.
Khom-Bei scowls a mock scowl at Thragga, "Now don't make them sorry that they let us in, Thragga."
Thragga frowns. "I would make them sorry if they didn't let us in."
Khom-Bei says, "Indeed? I'm certain that the great scratches you would leave on their mighty gates would be quite troubling."
Raelere gallops between the opening gates.
Kane rides his horse through the gate with Thragga at his side.
Khom-Bei follows behind the others, stifling his laughter.
Oathkeepers and soldiers mill about, inside, eager to greet the visitors. A tall one-eyed Knight, similar in appearance to Raelere, strides forth from the crowd. An air of authority and competence exudes from him.
Raelere dismount and salutes him formally. "Castellan Rhyan, I bring news o'great peril. Will his Grace see us in an audience?"
Rhyan says, "His Grace...slumbers...and does not wish to be disturbed, Raelere."
For a moment, knowing looks are exchanged betweeen some of the men-at-arms. It's midday.
Khom-Bei looks to Kane and frowns.
Rhyan orders, "Shackle that." He points to Thragga. "Clap it i'the tower. If it resists, cut off its head."
As half a dozen tall Knights draw weapons to carry out the Castellan's orders, Raelere says, "Castellan, these warriors are allies, not foes! I vouch for each o'them!"
Kane moves to prevent anyone from approaching Thragga. "No man here will touch my friend and live."
Khom-Bei steps in front of Thragga, "I wouldn't do that."
Thragga unslings his axe, baring his teeth.
Khom-Bei says, "How many times must we go through this before you horsemen stop thinking like your mounts' hindquarters?"
The one-eyed Castellan frowns at Khom-Bei. "Big words, little man..."
Kane says, "Hold off, all of you. We come here bearing grave tidings, and all you can think of is fighting each other. Wait and hear what we have to say, and then decide if you still have the taste for blood."
A voice calls, from the rear ranks, "Castellan, why not gi'em a chance?" A short, fat Oathkeeper, whose bulk would tax any horse he rode, waddles from the crowd gathered about the courtyard. He mops his brow, which is sweating even in this chill air.
Khom-Bei breaks into a smile and strides forward, "Garvin, you old horse-breaker!"
The Castellan makes a gesture to his men to stand down. They do so, only warily. "Garvin, you know this Northclanner?" Rhyan asks.
Garvin shrugs. He's quite calm, amused even. "Aye, Castellan. He's not a bad sort. I'd imagine th'others t'be much like him, and if Raelere your own sister speaks for them..."
Cakilgan strolls forward to nuzzle Garvin's face.
Khom-Bei extends his hand and clasps Garvin's shoulder, one of the few Reith that are as short as Khom-bei. "It's good to see you again, Garvin. It has been too long."
The Castellan scowls at Kane and Thragga. "Very well, then," he tells Raelere.
Behind you, the great doors are winched shut and close with a boom. The great bar is slid into place.
Garvin embraces Khom-Bei, warmly. "And ye, lad, and ye. Welcome to Castle Eryth, then!"
Turning back to face the others, Khom-bei makes introductions, "Garvin, meet Kane, Thragga, and Dhar-bo."
Garvin grins and bows. "Well met t'each of you. Well met. Y'certainly know how t'make an entrance, I'll gi'ye that."
Kane bows slightly, "Glad to see a friendly face. Thanks for speaking for us."
Garvin smiles. His face is riven with broad smile lines. "Khom-Bei would have done it for me, Kane, lad."
Rhyan orders, "Come within. You are now under my protection. Your news must be heard." With that, he marches towards one of the broad entrances fronting the castle courtyard without looking back. His men fall in behind him.
Raelere looks to each of you. "Come along, then, friends."
Kane falls in with the others and heads for the courtyard.
Khom-Bei says, "Join us, Garvin, this will interest you!"