by RW Krpoun
The Dwarf shook his head, feeling older than stone. It should have been enough, that was what had sustained him through all the bloody years of the Company’s existence, the balance between accomplished good and comrades lost, but today it just rang hollow. There had been too many losses, and too much suffering, he just couldn’t get a grip on it this time.
Shambling footsteps pulled him from his thoughts; he looked up to see Axel limped towards him. The Lieutenant sighed as he levered himself down into a sitting position next to his commander. “Why are we up so early on a stand-down?” he asked.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“Neither could I,” the wizard admitted. “Not very well, and not very much. This has been a rough war, I must say.”
“Too true.”
“And Dayyan, Duna, and Jothan, I had hoped we might make it through without losing anyone from the Inner Circle. Still, we might see Duna and Jothan again.”
“They’re thousands of miles away.”
“True, but Jothan was a Hobrec slave and Duna’s young and quick; between the two of them they’ve considerable resources of spirit, experience, and enthusiasm. If anyone could make it back it would be those two, and in truth the Hand’s bases should be in a considerable state of flux at the moment.”
“I hope so.”
Axel cocked an eye at his dispirited Captain. “We cut a wide swath, Durek; the Company did far more good than it sustained damage.”
“I suppose.”
The two sat in thoughtful silence for a while. “You know,” Axel mused, breaking the silence. “We’re going to go back to bandit-hunting for a while until the main show gets decided; if the Hand gets beaten the rest of the summer will be spent cleaning up the cut-throats and Hand stragglers.”
“Uh-huh.” Durek’s thoughts were elsewhere.
“So, what I’m saying is that the Company’s going to be operating on a small scale. Why don’t you go home for a visit, or at least carry the Gate to Oramere? I’ll look after the Company, it’ll be good experience for me.”
The Dwarf frowned and thought about the suggestion. Slowly, he nodded his head. “We will need to get the Gate to Oramere. With that in place, when we quit the Realms the Company can be home in no time.”
“We wouldn’t waste campaign time marching back, that is money in the bank,” the Lieutenant agreed. “And Oramere will need a looking-to. Odds are we’ll be out here most of this year even if the war is over.”
“I’ll be able to return by Gate, so it would only be half the travel time,” Durek nodded slowly.
“When you get the Gate in place we could start sending people back for leaves, it would do the Company no end of good.”
Durek levered himself to his feet with the hammer and offered the wizard a hand up, which the lame Lieutenant accepted gratefully. “I’ve got to tell Veda she’s the new standard-bearer.”
“Veda? Good choice, she’ll jump at the opportunity. We’ll need a cook, too.”
“That young Healer, Stebbs, might do. Ask her about it, will you? We’ll give her some sort of pay bonus if she takes it, of course.”
“Ten shillings, say?”
Durek shrugged. “All right.” He squinted at the sun, which now stood clear of the horizon. “Might as well get started, it’s another day.”
Axel smiled at his commander’s back as the Dwarf strode into the farmstead, hammer in one hand, axe in the other. As long as there was a Durek Toolsmaster there would be a Company; the Dwarf was the Phantom Badgers, the linchpin that held the disparate cluster of personalities together as they trundled about the world defending the Light for pay and loot.
The wizard glanced at the rosy eastern sky and nodded to himself; he had done his job and gotten the Captain back on track, for if there was one thing the Lieutenant was sure of, it was that there was still plenty for the Badgers to do.
About the Author
RW Krpoun is a native of North Dakota and a longtime resident of Texas. He lives in the country with his wife Ann and a collection of ill-mannered yet highly photogenic animals whose antics are the stuff of legend. A veteran of the US Army and Texas Army National Guard, RW has been a Texas Peace Officer for over twenty-five years and counting, having served in a Sheriff’s Office and two Municipal Police Departments. His hobbies include shooting, reading, and both collecting & learning to use battle-ready medieval weapons. Dark Tide is his ninth published novel.
Imperial Calendar
Achemteil: 1st month.
Chiffteil: 2nd month.
Marlt: 3rd month.
Kammteil: 4th month.
Natterteil: 5th month.
Gleichteil: 6th month.
Summteil: 7th month.
Bannteil: 8th month.
Zahmteil: 9th month.
Hoffnungteil: 10th month.
Frosteil: 11th month.
Schnienteil: 12th month.
Abedo Vardo: Gate Magic
Afora: A Goblin battalion of three to five Serao.
Alhenland: The northern continent.
Ampara Oseta: Clerical magic.
Amplis Novo: The art and arts of Seers, those who delve into the future, the past, and the geographically-removed present.
Amplus Viraes: Healing arts.
Amplus Xystus: The Watchers, a sub-branch of Seers trained for very specific types of work.
Andern: The pure stuff of the Void, drawn through special places known as anverax, or verax.
Anverax: A place where the highest grade of andern can be drawn. Only two anverax are known to exist, with a third having been altered in the distant past. A fourth is in the process of being activated by the Direthrell at Alantarn.
Arm of the Dark One: A unit of up to ten Fists. Each Fist is normally ten to fifteen Direbreed.
Asuka: A Threll bastard sword.
Baia: A Goblin senior captain, Afora commander.
Birlike: An empowered Eyade.
Black Dwarves: Void-worshipping Dwarves, so called because their smithing methods leave a dark tone to their metal-work. See also Darklings, Fortren.
Bohca: A Hand of Chaos army.
Breedstone: The jagged crystal shard which contains a Direbreed's life-force, and which can be used to re-spawn the creature, memories and skills intact.
Buro: ARuwen drink.
Burunmek: Substance used too much in smelting by Black Dwarves, hence their name.
Careau: A game of hexagonal tiles that is a cross between poker and bridge.
Chan: A Hobrec bolo.
Champions of the Dark One: Dark One fanatics elevated by dark ceremonies and the injection of andern-laced potions, createing powerful warriors.
Chasseurs: Arturian knightly combat style, lighter than the others, but still medium cavalry.
Clanguard: Dwarven professional troops.
Colo Bisulus: One of seven elite warrior societies serving the Hand of Chaos. Trained as light foot, their title translates as The Iron Council.
Colo Magice: One of seven elite warrior societies serving the Hand of Chaos. Trained as heavy foot, their title translates as The Night Guard.
Colo Rubor: One of seven elite warrior societies serving the Hand of Chaos. Trained as medium cavalry, their title translates as The Red Guard.
Comhla: Lanthrell language.
Comitar: Arturian knightly combat style: heavy, traditional.
Cuirassiers: Arturian medium-to-heavycavalry made up of minor nobles and professional fighting men, and used to support the knights.
Darkhost: A Direbreed unit nade up of several Arms of the Dark One and supporting troops.
Darklings: Dark-worshiping Dwarves, as called by non-Dwarves. See also Black Dwarves, Fortren.
Dayar: Skeletal Undead created like Direbreed.
Direbreed: Beast-men housed in mutated flesh. See Breedstones
Direthrell: Dark Threll. These Threll are fair of skin, as are other Threll; the ‘dark’ refers to their allegiance.
Domuz: Eyade without rights.
Draktaur: Massive centaur-like Champion.
Dramar: A Hobrec medium raider (ship).
Dramere: A Hobrec heavy raider (ship).
Dula: Eyadeian war whistles. A clay ball pierced to make a high-pitched screaming when spun on a rope.
Egrai: Primary Gate magic portal.
Egran: Second Gate entrance.
Elcilik: Dwarven bagpipes.
Eyade: The wild, Tatar-like nomads on the Blasted Plains.
Fauces: Threll wood used in bows. See also Koroba, Iocor.
Felher: Rat-men created by the Black Dwarves, whose uprising crippled the Void-worshipping Dwarven clans.
Fiadaich: The Dwarven language.
Figann: The Eyade language.
Fodra: A Hobrec crewman.
Fortren: Chaos Dwarves, as called by Dwarves. Means The Fallen. See also Black Dwarves, Darklings.
Fuar: A Dwarf clan.
Ganjun: The Goblin language.
Girmek: Threll crystal.
Grad: Dwarven word for fortress.
Gradrek: Dwarven word for City.
Gron: Dwarven word for fortified outpost.
Gronek: Dwarven word for colony.
Grundshele: Dwarven Grand Council.
Harthrell: Sea-faring Threll.
Hatche: An Arturian foot division.
Hekka: Felher war adze.
Het: Goblin junior officer.
Hobrec: A created race, now deadly pirates.
Horc: Orc horde of several Ularg and supporting units. Led by a Waghorctein, or warlord.
Hularchek: Orc Officer, usually commands a Hular.
Hulbat: Harthrell throwing weapon.
Ileri: ‘quiver’ in yaprak.
Interger Verto: An approach to the wizardly arts commonly practiced in Arturia.
Invoquar: Unit of Ilthanian irregulars.
Iocor: Threll ironwood used for weapons and armor. See also Koroba, Fauces.
Izar: A Dwarven long axe.
Jednostavan: Navian knife fighting.
Jongala: A mounted Goblin warrior.
Jugata: A Goblin foot warrior.
Juran: A Dwarf who works outside the holds for the benefit of the clan.
Kani: An Eyade unit of six Kia.
Karlic: Felher archer.
Keiba: Goblin tribe-nation.
Kerth: Bison.
Ket: An Eyade unit of six Kani.
Kia: An Eyade unit of six Nya.
Koba: Fibrous padding made from Koroba.
Komad: Dwarven war-boars bred as mounts. Often exceed five hundred pounds in weight.
Koroba: A bamboo-like tree found in Carmeia. Used to make Laquote armor. See also Fauces, Iocor.
Kurvanak: An Orc clan or tribe.
Lana: Threll Forest.
Lana: Threll word for forest (homes).
Lanthrell: Forest Threll.
Lapla: Goblin sergeant.
Lardina: A Goblin field force of three to five Afora.
Largchek: Orc senior officer, a lesser general.
Latava: Dead language used my MUs.
Lechtor: Lesser liches.
Lenshau: Eyade senior officer..
Levare: An enchanted container of bone fragments used to summon skeletal warriors.
Lomba: A Narcotic.
Magnef: A Hobrec ship’s crew, literally ‘ship-family. The crews stay together even if a ship is damaged and they are transferred to another.
Markan: A Hand of Chao clergyman who also serves as an offical or officer of the government.
Migdaf: A Hobrec Fleet-nation.
Moorugh: Eyade herd-clan.
Morean: Basket-hilted claymore. Thebian.
Monei: Two-handed claymore. Thebian.
Mungal: A Hobrec throwing weapon.
Neft: ‘Halberd’ in Yaprak.
Nepas: A Direthrell term for half-breed with Direthrell blood.
Nokta: Eyade warrior society.
Nya: An Eyade unit of six warriors.
Odular: A Goblin patrol.
Ortak: ‘pike’ in Yaprak.
Pa: Goblin Corporal.
Pac: The Felher basic social unit.
Panje: An Enceinian two-wheeled cart designed for cross-country travel.
Pargaie: Direthrell spy / assassin corps.
Puk: Tree wine made by Ruwen.
Pulvas: A hashish-like drug.
Ree: A Felher squad of six to twelve warriors.
Renac: An Orc falchion.
Riayet: Hobrec junior lieutenant.
Riayla: Hobrec senior lieutenant.
Risarn: Dwarven meteoric steel.
Ruwen: Negroid Suflanders.
Sacred Band: A unit of 350 Sevenguard, elite Hand warriors. See Sicaria Turba.
Sasera: The Hobrec language.
Serann: Goblin officer, Serao commander.
Serao: A Goblin company of around a hundred warriors.
Sevenguard: See Sicaria Turba.
Sicaria Turba: Elite warrior societies of the Hand. Called Sevenguard. See Sacred Bands, Colo Rubor, Colo Magice.
Shatoz: Orc language.
Shuket: Eyade officer commanding a Ket.
Shukia: Eyade officer, Kia leader.
Shunya: Eyade rank, ‘leader of five’; commands a Nya.
Simser: Threll lattice armor.
Sobrann: A Dwarven wizard specializing in stone magic.
Solerate: A Navian cut & thrust sword.
Sotan: A type of Threll short sword.
Sufland: The southern continent.
Swarc: A Felher unit of two to four Swupacs.
Swupac: A Felher unit of two to four Taupacs.
Tala: Basic Orc military unit consisting of eight to fifteen Orcs. Led by a Talachek.
Talachek: Orc Corporal.
Tatbik: ‘Sword’ in Yaprak.
Taupac: A Felher unit of four to seven Rees.
Theeb: Felher stirrup knife.
Thul: A Hobrec junior petty officer, lowest leader rank.
Thulla: Hobrec lesser petty officer.
Thulen: Hobrec senior petty officer, the highest petty officer rank.
TheToma Inge: Gray magic.
Torweld: Thorn bush found in Border Realms, used for defense.
Ularg: An Orc unit of four to six Urtala.
Umherr: Dwarves who leave their homes to aid other races.
Urchek: Orc junior officer, a Lieutenant.
Urtala: An Orc unit of four to six Tala.
Vaiar: Goblin field force commander.
Varka: A Hobrec sword.
Vectius Menana: The wizardly art of magic.
Vectius Meum: The art of mystics, a weak and limited field of arcane power as compared to wizardry.
Vrapnos: Orc nation.
Waghorctein: Orc horde leader, warlord.
Weehoc: A Felher nation.
Yalla: Yak-like cattle.
Yakici: The Lanthrell recurve bow which is their national arm.
Yaprak: Hand language. See Ileri, Neft, Ortak, Tatbik
Zanga: A narcotic paste