“Have you seen the devastation they bring? It is beyond anything I’ve ever seen from any other race. One would think that they despised the very sight of a tree. No, these are more than just mere orcish raids. Perhaps this is a bigger move solely on the part of the orcs, but not random raids or even an invasion.”
“It is hard to believe that the orcs would allow another group so much say over their military tactics, but I can understand your reasoning. Perhaps we can agree on the middle option and assume that the orcs are operating under some grander plan?”
“Why don’t we take a moment to discuss the ramifications of each option?” Ector asked.
The group discussed the intricacies of each possible option in detail for quite some time. Each option brought them to the eventual question of what would spur the orcs to such actions. There was no definitive answer for what motivated the orcs. The Druids were dead set on seeing the orcs as creatures of evil, bent on destroying anything they could get their hands on. Both of the Rangers agreed that the orcs seemed to be scouting the area in a possible attempt to solidify more land. Ector and the Wizards felt that there was some outside source influencing the orcs to act in ways that they had not done in centuries. The conversation continued for some time without any side gaining support for their theory. They were so engrossed in the argument that they failed to notice the return of the Rangers who had scouted ahead.
“I hate to interrupt, sir, but we’ve run into something rather strange,” one of the Rangers said.
“What does that mean?” Ector asked.
“It means that we found a small outpost at the entrance to the pass.”
“How is that possible? Who were the inhabitants?” Everyone else was now paying attention to the conversation.
“The orcs must have set up shop there some time ago. We were fortunate that they didn’t spot us. There is no way that our small force can take them. By our estimation, we would be facing around one hundred of them.”
“Sixteen against one hundred? Even with my magic we won’t be able to handle that many. Not even with a surprise attack. No, we can’t risk that. I won’t be responsible for that many casualties,” Ector went from talking to the others to rambling to himself.
“I think we can do it, sir,” Hamlin spoke up.
“Not without casualties. There are only sixteen of us, we’d be lucky if more than five survived!” Ector was more adamant than the others had ever seen him.
“We have to try. I won’t go back without at least trying to do something.”
“I suppose you are right. These orcs are nothing but trouble. Let’s all examine the area and see if we can’t find a weak spot to exploit.”
*
Sev crouched low as he surveyed the scene. A small orcish encampment lay at the base of a mountain pass. This can’t be right, he thought as he glanced around. They had been heading north for several days and in all his days exploring the forests he had never seen an orc outpost that close. There were only two possibilities, the Pass of Kerdan or the Dwarven Pass. Sev doubted that the dwarves would allow orcs to occupy a pass that bore their name, but it made just as little sense that the orcs would build an outpost at the Pass of Kerdan. As far as everyone knew, the pass was, ironically enough, impassable. The half-elf Ranger sighed as he leaned back against a nearby tree. Judging by the size of it, the outpost could have anywhere between fifty and five hundred orcs. His small team of twenty-five Rangers could deal them a lot of damage, but at what cost? Do I risk it? He wondered, his eyes scanning the fort for any sign of movement. Much to his surprise, movement to one side of the fort caught his eye. A small band of no more than twenty was slowly making its way toward the fort.
The Ranger put his fingers in his mouth and let out a quick whistle. Within moments, the other Rangers were following him into the open field that lay between them and the orc outpost. He grabbed the bow off his back and nocked two arrows. Solin and Caitlyn ran to the edge of the forest where they witnessed Sev launch two arrows high into the air. They sailed with a precision unmatched on the continent. A howl of alarm sounded through the orc outpost as the two arrows landed. One of them had struck an orc on the shoulder, and the other hit the ground not too far from one of the orc chiefs. Sev’s Rangers moved with such stealth and expertise that neither the orcs nor the small group assaulting them noticed. The orcs noticed the other small band and sent out their own party of about fifty orcs. Sev smiled as he watched them scamper out of the outpost and into his trap. He grabbed three more arrows and fired them in quick secession. Each arrow hit true to its mark and killed an orc.
Ector’s group was baffled by the orcish advance and the deaths of the three orcs. He ordered his men to stop and open fire on the small orcish raiding party. Each of his Rangers loosed an arrow and all sixteen members of the group stared in disbelief as twenty orcs met their doom. Sev’s men were raining arrows down on the orcish sortie with speed and deadly accuracy. What little was left of the orcish party turned and ran back toward their outpost. Not a single orc made it back to the outpost. Ector watched the gate while his men readied themselves for another orcish charge. This time they sent nearly two hundred of their number against the small group of sixteen. Hamlin looked over at Ector as if to ask him if they were to sound the retreat. Ector looked back and shrugged at the Ranger.
“Somebody wants us alive, perhaps they’ll see to it that we survive this attack as well,” Ector’s voice wavered.
“Well, either way I need to have a talk with my men. One hundred my boot!” Hamlin called back as he readied an arrow.
Sev dropped down to the floor before readying several more arrows. He and his men were close enough that they needed to take extra caution so as not to be seen by the orcs. His men followed his lead and fell to the ground before joining him in unleashing a barrage of arrows. The orcs, not expecting the arrows to come from their side, were defenseless from the arrow onslaught. Each volley of twenty-five arrows took down between ten and twenty orcs. Hamlin and his men added five more arrows to the mix, each of which took down one to three orcs. Ector and his Wizards used their magical prowess to summon three wolves. They sent the wolves forward, and the orcs engaged the animals. It was a quick fight, but it slowed them down enough that two more volleys of arrows overtook them. Sev placed his bow onto his back and rolled to his feet. He took off in a sprint toward the orcs, drawing both of his swords as he ran. His blades glinted in the moonlight, alerting the orcs to something previously unseen. Frightened and already weakened by the arrows, the orcs hunting party fell into chaos.
The Rangers descended upon the orcish party and quickly trimmed their number down to below ten. Only three of the remaining ten even tried to put up a fight as Sev and his men continued their work. Hamlin and his men shot down the seven retreating orcs as the Wizard and Druids began to cheer for the victory that had been handed to them by the prowess of Sev and his Rangers. The half-elf turned to the small group and gave them a quick salute with his sword before heading for the orc outpost. He sheathed his swords and took the bow off his back. It split in two as he twisted and pulled on each side. The bow had been imbued with magical properties, making it nigh impossible to break. Sev, however, didn’t enjoy the feel of the bow against his back as he rolled about in hand to hand combat. He placed the two parts of the bow at his sides and replaced them with his hunting knives. Without even as much as a look behind to ensure his men were following him, Sev began to scale the outpost wall using his knives to assist in the maneuver.
Ector spurred his horse forward when he saw both Sev’s and his own Rangers charging the outpost. The Druids and Wizards reluctantly followed his lead. Sev could recognize the fear and confusion in the orcs, something that his fellow Rangers also picked up on. The half-elf liked to press the attack when his enemies were psychologically unprepared. He vaulted over the top of the wall and landed on one of the orcs. As the two toppled to the floor, Sev dug his knives into the orc’s back. He positioned the orc in su
ch a way that he was able to use his legs to launch himself off the collapsed corpse and into another orc. The orc stumbled into one of the torches that was hanging on a nearby wall and knocked it against the hut. Sev scrambled away from the hut as it went up in flames. The combination of the spreading fire and Sev’s Rangers invading the outpost was enough to send the entire complex descending into chaos. It wasn’t long before the Rangers had succeeded in eliminating the majority of the remaining opposition.
“Fall back! Our work is done here,” Sev yelled as the flames engulfed the majority of the fort.
He and his Rangers were met by Ector and the magic users. They were slaying any of the orcs that were trying to escape from the flaming structure. Sev smiled as he watched the fort collapse upon itself. The flames continued to burn the remainder of the wood structure as the Rangers began to set up camp around the massive fire. Ector and his men followed suit until a small ring of tents had been raised on the outskirts of the outpost. Once the camp was set up, Sev waved over for Solin and Caitlyn to join them. He then called Ector and Hamlin over to the large tent that had been raised in the middle of their camp. There was a small table that one of the Rangers had salvaged from the fort. Sev rummaged through his pack until he found a map and then he unrolled it onto the table.
“What exactly were you thinking?” Sev asked Ector as he waited for the others to arrive.
“My men told me that we were looking at no more than one hundred orcs. I acted upon the information that I was given. In hindsight, we should have checked to ensure that we had a decent count. However, thanks to you and your men, we are alive and well. That is more than can be said for those orcs,” Ector answered.
“Your mistake nearly cost both of us. There are few armies that can fight that many orcs head on. Luckily for all of us, they didn’t see me or my men coming. Orcs may not be as precise as we are with our fighting, but they make up for it with brute strength and viciousness. They are not to be trifled with.”
“We just killed more than two hundred of them. How can you talk about them like they are so dangerous if we devastated so many of them?” Hamlin asked.
“You of all people should know, Hamlin. The orcs have been a threat since before any of us were born. We were fortunate to be able to ambush them today. They charged with little or no concern for what could have, and, in fact, turned out to be a trap. Orcs are not often that reckless,” Sev was obviously annoyed.
“I’ve seen you slay trolls before, what are orcs compared to trolls?”
“A fair question, but not an entirely fair comparison. Trolls are poor group fighters, they often get in each other’s way, especially when multiple trolls are fighting one combatant. Orcs are much better at fighting in tandem.”
“The fact still remains that you’ve killed more than your fair share of trolls, Sev. That must stand for something,” Ector interjected.
“Yes, but neither of you even knew that I was present. You both took a rather large risk. Your group of sixteen would have been dead unless you had been able to conjure yourself out of the situation. I’m not trying to belittle either of you, but you need to recognize a mistake if you are to ever learn from it,” Sev lowered his voice as Solin and Caitlyn entered the tent.
“Our presence it really not necessary at this point, Sev,” Caitlyn said as she got closer.
“Nonsense, the two of you are as much a part of this as anyone now. I know it isn’t what either of you wanted, but we could use any help we can get.” Sev motioned for them to take up spots around the map.
“Who are these strangers?” Hamlin asked.
“This is Solin, formerly of the Riverton guard. Caitlyn is also from Riverton, she was a merchant there. They were both kicked out of their town because of me. It is my duty to ensure that they are escorted safely to another town where they can restart their lives.” Sev pointed to Solin and then to Caitlyn. “This is Ector of the Old Forest Conclave, and that is Hamlin of the Forest Guard.” Sev motioned toward Ector first and then Hamlin.
“Are we quite through with introductions?” Hamlin asked, seemingly impatient.
“Yes, we are. Is there something you are dying to share?”
“Not at all, I just want this over with.”
“As we can all see, this outpost was here at the Pass of Kerdan. This tells us that the pass itself is more dangerous than we realized. I move for heading back to the Druid Council and gathering together an army. What other opinions do we have?” Sev turned his focus on the map he had unraveled onto the table.
“We can stop by some of the elven strongholds along the way and try to recruit for our army. That should help us maintain the upper hand,” Ector said.
“That is a distinct possibility, Ector, but I prefer to work in smaller groups so we can keep stealthy when needed. Perhaps we can raise an army to check on the pass and then part ways after that?” Sev asked.
“Split up how?”
“You are friends with Cormac, perhaps the dwarves would enjoy seeing you enter their realm and warning them about orcs. In the meantime, I can be out doing what I do best.”
“You think that is wise?” The Wizard asked.
“At this point, we are needed in different places. I need to sabotage our enemies so that your fight is easier. In fact, I doubt any of us can stand much of a chance against the orcs. It is a simple concept that I have no choice but to pursue.”
“You aren’t giving yourself enough credit. You are excellent at nearly every form of combat, and we might need you to lead the charge against the orcs and their underground encampments.”
“We’ll have to find a happy medium between the two. The surprise attacks on their convoys can cripple them in the long run, but if we can’t get some more victories sometime soon there won’t be a lot to fight for.” Sev took a deep breath and stared off into the distance, contemplating the situation.
The Council Stretched Thin
Septimus smiled as he looked up at the city of Alamor. It had been far too long since he had visited the city. Now the Wielders were the main power in the city, unlike how it had been when he was learning to be a Warlock. He had only encountered the Wielders once before. It had been a chance happening, but it added much to his opinion of them. Let’s see what they’re made of, he thought as he entered the gates of the city. The city looked no different than it had all those years ago. He knew that the depths of the city would be different than it was when he last visited. The Wielders were far too smart to show any obvious signs of change in the fortress. It annoyed Septimus that they had the audacity to take over Alamor without even confronting him. They are lacking in both honor and respect, he thought as he made his way toward the nearby tavern. They had chosen to overlook an enemy that they knew little or nothing about, and Septimus was determined to make them pay.
“What can I get ya?” The barkeep asked as the Warlock entered the room.
“A warm meal and something cool to drink, preferably something without a bite.” The Warlock preferred to stay completely sober in situations that required his full attention.
“Sure thing, you need a place to stay for the night too?”
“Might as well. Put me down for three nights.” Septimus placed two gold coins on the counter.
The Warlock turned and surveyed the room. He needed to assess how the populace felt about the Wielders before making any moves. His best bet was to try to win over the friendship of the barkeep or any of his workers. The tavern was seedier than he was used to, but that suited his current needs just fine. He found a seat in the back far away from the door and the windows. The last thing he wanted was unsolicited attention. He watched as several patrons entered the tavern. By his estimation, this was the local hangout for the Thieves Guild. One of the tavern’s many shows was starting, and several women made their way up to the makeshift stage across from the bar. Septimus scanned the room to see who was watching the performance and who was ignoring it. His chances of finding an ally would be greater among
the latter group. There were three tables out of the fifteen total that weren’t watching the show. The first table consisted of three hooded men that glanced back at the Warlock every so often. One of the tables had two men that were so engrossed in their ales that they couldn’t even tell what was going on around them. The final table had three men who were actively looking around so that nobody could listen in on their conversation.
“Here ya go, hun.” One of the waitresses placed a plate of food in front of him.
“Many thanks. If I may trouble you with a question,” Septimus said as she started to walk away.
“I’ll send one of the otha gals over, I haven’t got time ta talk with ya.”
“Excellent, that will do just fine,” Septimus shook his head as she walked out of hearing range without acknowledging his words.
The Warlock looked down at his plate and smiled. It had been some time since he had eaten a meal cooked by anyone else. By the look of it, the inn’s standard fair was a roast leg of mutton. His smile faded when he noticed the lack of silverware. He let out a sigh and then grabbed the leg of mutton and began to eat. It didn’t taste as good as it looked, but it would do fine for the short period that he would spent in the city. He desperately needed information and was feeling rather impatient until a woman sat down next to him. His eyes drifted over to the seat next to him. She was far more beautiful than any of the women that he had seen working at the establishment. He cleared his throat and put down the leg of lamb.
“Where are my manners? Would you like some?” He asked, wondering why he was offering his food to her.
“That isn’t necessary, I’m actually the one who made it,” She winked at him and took a swig of her beverage.
“I am called Septimus, what is your name?”
“I know who you are. Your filth has gone unchecked in our city for far too long. You think we liked living under the heavy hand of the Warlocks? How many times must we hear you use the excuse that each Warlock follows his own path?” She stood up and clenched her left fist.
The Wizard's Council Page 13