by Ian Rodgers
“Just be careful with that arrogance,” Tarn warned. “B-rank or A-rank, even you guys can be poisoned or startled by ambushes. And that’s what the wild orcs like to use when fighting.”
“We’ll keep that in mind,” Dora assured the older orc. He nodded, pleased, before glancing back at the Healer with a worried expression.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
“Do what?”
“Dangle your fingers in the water like that,” Tarn warned, pointing to her fingers. “There’s all sorts of hungry critters that swim and squirm through the river around here.”
“Oh, definitely!” Jerrel agreed. “We have piranha, Ripperfins, Fanged Toads, eight different species of aquatic and amphibious snakes, and crocodiles! Have you ever seen a crocodile before? They’re big, mean, and have jaws that can bend steel! And once they bite down, they never let go!”
“Ergh!” Dora uttered, snapping her hand back out of the water. She looked at the water with suspicion now. “There’s really all that in there?”
“And more!” Jerrel said pleasantly. “My cousin once caught a dolphin! And I myself speared a manta ray!”
“Those are sea animals, though,” Dora pointed out, confused.
“You’d be surprised by what ends up in the Kolwine,” Tarn said in a sagely manner, Jerrel bobbing his head in agreement.
“Brother-in-law Fergo netted a treasure chest, once,” the boatman said. “And not just any treasure chest, but a magically sealed container from the days of Val’Narash! It must have washed up from a sunk ship that went down near the coast of the Dreadlands and got sucked up by the currents into the Kolwine. Of course, the contents were long destroyed by water, because not even the greatest mages can make a protection and preservation spell last three thousand years, but it’s still a fun story. I think he uses the chest to store his fishing tackle now.”
“That’s quite surprising,” Dora said, impressed.
“That’s the Sprawling Jungle for you! Surprises around every corner,” Tarn laughed.
After that, a pleasant lull in the conversation emerged, the group of traveler’s content to just lounge around. It was a nice change of pace for them not to get sore backsides from riding, or aching feet from walking.
Of course, there was plenty to see. The river was full of interesting lifeforms, and there were a host of creatures that wandered along the banks of the Kolwine that could be seen from the boat.
‘It’s like a menagerie without cages,’ Dora thought dreamily as she watched some sort of deer-like creature whose horns looked to be covered in blooming flowers sip at the water while a monkey with two tails, four arms, and green fur scampered up a tree for the fruits the branches held.
She was startled out of her reverie when the boat shuddered and rocked back and forth as if it had hit something large and heavy.
“What was that?!” Enrai demanded, sitting upright in a flash. Ain joined him, eyes darting around.
“Not sure,” Jerrel said, scrutinizing the surroundings as well. “There aren’t any large rocks along the river bed on this stretch of the Kolwine, so it must have been a monster.”
“Lovely. I’ve always wanted to fight a water-based foe while on a boat,” Ain muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Enrai, could you fly up and take a look from above, see if you can spot anything?” Dora asked as the boat shuddered a second time.
“I can try,” the Monk said slowly. “The spell that I use to fly is a fusion Fire and Wind. Without my Fire magic, I can only hover at best.”
“That sounds good enough for me,” the Healer said, wincing as another impact jarred the boat. Enrai nodded in agreement before sheathing his body in a veil of swirling wind. He leapt up in the sky and peered at the boat and river below.
“There are some shapes under the water!” he called down. He was held aloft by a tornado that had formed around his legs. He wasn’t able to move around much, though, only hover in one place.
“Can you recognize any of them? What do they look like?” Tarn shouted back.
“Um, kind of like boulders? Wait, one of them is surfacing next to you!” the Monk warned.
No one on the boat had a chance to react in time. The water exploded upwards like a geyser as a huge, grey skinned creature rose from the depths. It had a gigantic maw and beady little eyes and was a quarter of the length of the boat.
“Hippo!” Jerrel cried in terror as he was drenched by the animal’s arrival.
“Spicy, keep that damned thing away from the boat!” Tarn shouted. “Kill it if you have to!"
“Got it!” Ain said, drawing his saber and letting lightning cascade along the blade. He stabbed the nose of the aquatic creature first, delivering a mild shock as well to try and scare off the beast without forcing it into open confrontation.
That did not work, as it only enraged the so-called ‘hippo.’ Its jaw opened wide, revealing massive, tombstone-like teeth capable of biting through the boat with ease. The hippo lunged, but Ain was ready.
“Lightning Bolt!” the Grand Elf called out, and the spell shot forth directly into the creature’s gaping maw. The lightning struck the back of its mouth and kept going, blowing its brains out before it could chomp down on the boat.
The hippo let out a keening wail before slumping back into the water, rocking the boat with waves as it sunk beneath the surface, a growing cloud of red the only sign of its existence.
“By the Divine Family! That made them mad!” Enrai cried out in shock as numerous dark lumpy shapes rose up out of the water. A dozen hippos emerged, all braying loudly.
“Baldy! Get down here!” Tarn shouted frantically. Enrai didn’t waste a second and directed the miniature tornado around his feet to propel him towards the vessel.
The boat was a short distance away from him by now, the current pushing it further downstream. As such, Enrai had to angle himself slightly so when he fell, it would be towards where the boat was going, not where it was.
He plummeted like a tornado driven meteor. He landed on the head of a surfacing hippo and used it as a springboard, the Wind wrapped around his feet adding to the force of his jump. He landed heavily in the boat, shaking it slightly. Behind him, the hippo he had used as a stepping stone sunk beneath the water, its skull caved in.
“Damn good job there!” Tarn praised.
“What in the Six Hells are those things?” Enrai demanded, watching as the strange creatures the orcs had called hippos brayed angrily at the retreating boat before slipping under the water.
“Hippopotamus. Or more simply ‘hippos.’ Translated to Common, their name would meaning ‘Crushing Fangs.’ Nasty beasts,” Tarn said, giving the distant creatures a sour look. “Damn things love to chomp on anything that intrude on their territory. We’ll have to inform Reiz about this. They’ll send a squad of hunters to poke and prod them out of this stretch of the Kolwine into another, less traveled section.”
“Do they eat people?” Dora asked, having seen the massive teeth the beasts had sported.
Jerrel shook his head. “No, they don’t. Well, not on purpose. Technically, those things are herbivores.”
“You’re joking, right?” Ain demanded incredulously. “I saw the size of those teeth! They could snap an elf in half without even trying!”
“Yeah, but they’re blunt, rather than sharp. Perfect for grinding up aquatic plants,” Tarn pointed out. “Of course, just because a hippo won’t chew and swallow won’t mean they won’t bite you.”
“Will we have to worry about more of them?” Dora asked.
“Maybe. If there’s a herd back there, it’s possible. Or maybe they moved out of the way of a bigger predator. Keep your eyes peeled,” Jerrel warned.
The three foreigner travelers shared a concerned look with each other. For the rest of the day, the boat was filled with worried and cautious silence.
∞.∞.∞
“Thanks for the ride, Jerrel!” Tarn said, waving farewell as their boat
man departed. “Give my regards to Ogma!”
The orc nodded as he pushed his boat out into the river, heading back to Beitoga. Dora, Enrai, and Ain waved back as well.
“He was nice,” Dora said as Jerrel disappeared up the river.
“Sure was,” Tarn said fondly, before turning his attention to their group. “Alright, the plan is to spend the night here in Reiz. We’ll leave in the morning, shortly after dawn, so no hangovers. Got it?”
Ain and Enrai both nodded, swearing not to touch any alcohol while in the outpost. Tarn grunted at that and turned to Dora.
“As for you, Girlie, don’t go around healing anyone if you can help it.”
“What?” Dora gasped, surprised by the command.
“Reiz is the bulwark against the wild orcs and their raids. Which means they are always in need of Healers. Even medicine men and herbalists are better than nothing. And the folks in charge here wouldn’t hesitate to kidnap you for your skills,” Tarn warned. “Plus, being a half-orc, they wouldn’t even feel bad about doing so. Reiz is not exactly as liberal or welcoming as Beitoga, so stick close to your friends.”
He paused. “In fact, all three of you should do everything together. Stay with each other throughout the day, remain side-by-side at all times. I don’t think we have enough money to bribe any of the guards here to let you out of jail if you cause mayhem or mischief.”
“They would really kidnap me?” Dora asked, horrified. It reminded her too much of the Cracked Land’s policy on slaves and the taking of them.
“Well, the guards and commanders here wouldn’t call it kidnapping. Probably refer to it as ‘protective custody’ or something like that,” Tarn stated. “But it would be the same. I know you like helping people, and you may see terrible injuries here, but don’t. Heal. Anyone. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” the Healer muttered. Tarn smiled.
“Good! Now follow me, I know a guy who’ll rent us rooms for cheap!” the elderly guide exclaimed, ushering the trio away from the docks and towards the town proper.
‘Reiz is a strange settlement,’ Dora thought. Tarn had said it was built at the fork in the Kolwine River. And it was. What the white-haired Yellowmoon tribesman had not explained was that it was built ‘on’ the fork itself.
Reiz was a floating town. Large wooden posts anchored it to the banks of the river, but the rest of the town was built on platforms and elevated buildings that were all connected by bridges, rope ladders, and in some cases short boat rides.
Boats came and went from Reiz in all directions, and it had a thriving market. Fish from the river was traded for meat and produce from the jungle. Ore was traded raw to passing peddlers, who would take it to be processed into refined metals and precious stones. Diamonds were a common commodity, Dora saw. She was able to buy a handful of uncut diamonds in exchange for a single pearl, they were that cheap!
She was satisfied with the purchase, though. Diamonds were essential for high level healing. Ever since Vord had given her the complete incantation for the Restoration spell, she’d found that her own mana reserve was ill-suited to pull of the spell. Diamonds were the perfect amplifier for Light magic, however, and with a few rough and unpolished precious stones she expected she could cast the Level Ten spell without any problem.
“Tarn, I’m curious as to why the orcs seem to value pearls so much,” Dora asked after she traded another white pearl for what seemed to her a disproportionate amount of supplies.
“Oh, that’s an easy question to answer,” Tarn said with a chuckle. “They’re a vital component for all sorts of Shaman-based spells.”
“Shamans are your local equivalent of mages, right?” Enrai inquired.
“Correct. They’re like Druids, in that their best spells all use some sort of ingredient or catalyst. As for why pearls are so precious to us, they can be used by a Shaman to cast all sorts of spells, such as purifying water, exorcise unruly ghosts, heal fevers and even aid in childbirth,” Tarn revealed.
“Wow! I didn’t know!” Dora said, looking at the pouch that contained her supply of pearls with a surprised look.
Another detour through the marketplace later, and Tarn finally led the group to their rest stop for the night. It was an inn. A nice rustic place that their guide claimed had some of the finest grilled ape meat around. Dora was a bit leery of trying it, but Enrai seemed eager.
“We eat monkeys and apes all the time back in Qwan,” the Monk explained, before licking his lips as he thought of dishes from his homeland. “Mmm, lemongrass seasoned monkey gongjok…”
“Don’t worry, Dora,” Ain said, patting her shoulder in understanding. “I, too, was hesitant when I first went to Qwan and tried their odd foods. But it’s alright. If anything, monkey sort of tastes like stringy beef jerky.”
“If you say so,” she said hesitantly.
“Stop lollygagging! Honestly, you three natter on worse than fishwives!” Tarn complained, throwing his arms into the air. The trio shared a look and giggled.
“Oh, my, do we really?” Enrai said, effecting a faux-woman’s voice.
“We must, if he says we do,” Ain responded, also mimicking a woman’s voice.
Dora giggled. “You know, Ain, Enrai, you haven’t gotten him back for waking you both up with cold water back in Beitoga…” she said, trailing off suggestively.
“I’m not going to dress in drag and try to seduce him!” Ain shouted. “Not again! Once was enough!”
Enrai and Dora stared at him.
“Um, is there something you want to get off your chest?” the Monk asked his friend cautiously.
“Yeah, why’d you jump to that conclusion so quickly?” the Healer wondered, mind racing with hilarious possibilities. Ain flinched.
“Let’s just say that my mentor might be an X-rank, but he gets into trouble and bizarre situations far too easily,” the Spellsword finally said, his voice soft as he recalled his training and the incidents that occurred alongside it.
“Um, actually, I was just thinking that maybe we find out what sort of food he dislikes and mix it in with his meal tonight,” Dora suggested. Enrai shared a concerned look with Ain, who bit his lower lip nervously.
“Dora, are you still mad about the spicy food incident?” Ain asked worriedly.
“Why, whatever gave you that idea?” she asked sweetly. So sweetly, in fact, that it made the Monk and Spellsword recoil from her in terror.
“Uh-oh. She used ‘that tone’ with us,” Enrai muttered.
“We should probably keep an eye on our own food for a while,” Ain shot back.
“I can hear you!” she shouted back at them. They shrugged, uncaring.
“Argh! Stop playing around! I’m hungry!” Tarn cried out, forcing the trio to pick up the pace.
∞.∞.∞
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to wait a few more days?” the innkeeper inquired, nervously wringing his hands. Tarn shook his head in the negative.
“I thank you for the warning, old friend, but we must be going. Besides, it’s safer to travel fast than sit in one place. Especially here in Reiz if the wild orcs are getting restless,” the Yellowmoon elder said.
“I can tell your employers are strong, but there’s a lot of jungle and wild orcs between here and Argyne. You might be overwhelmed,” the orc proprietor warned.
“I appreciate your concern, but we need to go,” Dora said, butting into the conversation. “Lives depend on it.”
“It seems I can’t convince you,” the innkeeper groaned. “Just stay light-footed, okay? I’d hate to have your deaths on my mind.”
Tarn nodded, while Dora bowed before leaving the inn with her two friends. Enrai and Ain offered their own polite farewells, which were accepted only slightly tersely. Ain’s status as an elf so far had not caused any major troubles, just stink-eyed glares and muttered insults. The Spellsword’s pride would not allow him to admit it, but he was thankful his friends were always on his side.
But now the cold re
ception and treatment would be replaced with the muggy heat of the jungle. ‘How strange it is to find the jungle a more welcoming place than civilization,’ Ain mused to himself as the quartet set off at a brisk pace into the Sprawling Jungle.
“Do the wild orcs operate on some sort of schedule? It seemed like the entire town was scrambling to fortify itself,” Ain inquired as they jogged through the undergrowth.
“Just like everyone else, they like to get their chores done before it rains. Which means wild orc activity increases right before the monsoons arrive,” Tarn explained. “This means they’ll be focused on raiding along the river and the other larger land-based trade routes. For a small group like us, we can move around their territory without much worry. At best, only a few scouts will be on patrol.”
“It seems strange to me that the wild orcs are so predictable like that,” Dora said, a hint of confusion in her voice. “Doesn’t it make it easier to deal with them in that case? Why not treat them like a threat and, and I don’t know, send in an army to pacify them?”
“It all boils down to ‘they’re still orcs,’” Tarn explained with a sigh. “As wild and bandit-like as they are, some orcs see them as misguided kin. Graz Tur Yenod even sends our equivalent of missionaries into the wild tribes to try and convince them to join. That attitude doesn’t help the smaller settlements, though, as they’re still at risk from the ceaseless raids.”
Dora nodded slightly in understanding. “I see. I suppose that makes sense. Even after leaving Partaevia all those years ago, I still think like them at times. ‘Send an army to make sure work gets done,’ is an accurate statement of how the empire operates.”
“‘Fight first, ask questions later’ is also an orcish ideal,” Tarn pointed out. “And that means you’ve got double the helping of krag in your blood!”
“Krag… that means ‘violence,’ right?”
“Eh, close. It doesn’t have a good direct translation from orcish to Common. Krag is more like ‘fighty-ness’ I guess you could say, than outright violent tendencies. A desire to prove oneself through conflict is the best way to describe it,” the guide said with a shrug. The rest of the trek through the jungle that day was an impromptu language lesson for Dora.