by J B Forest
Nosh and Gnar were both waiting for him when Zehn returned. They moved into Zehn’s tent to discuss their findings. The lieutenants both reported that their treks were through rough, mountainous terrain. The closest thing to human habitation that they found was evidence of old cooking fires left in a handful of caves throughout the mountains. They surmised that these were hunting campsites that were visited infrequently by sole travelers.
They discussed plans to take small groups of the troops into the mountains for further training. Zehn felt that the training would serve several purposes. It would keep the troops from becoming idle, help to prepare them for the upcoming battles with the humans, and keep too many of them from mingling together for long periods of time. They planned to rotate the troops through various groups. Zehn still did not fully trust the ‘new’ troops and wanted to minimize the opportunity for the former minions to organize and turn against him and his men. The training exercises would also provide an opportunity for his junior lieutenants to hone their leadership skills.
There was much to accomplish in the short period of time before they were to meet Cruim. Zehn instructed Nosh and Gnar to inform the other officers to gather at his tent just after dark to discuss plans. Shortly after they departed, Zehn went out to look for the mage to find out how the troops did on their first day in the human world.
Zehn thought about their discoveries. The previous scouting missions to the human world were extremely beneficial. Their camp was located on a river that flowed from a large body of water, he remembered hearing Cruim refer to it as a loch. The river was a good source of water for the camp and the loch was accessible without detection. They were also surrounded by rocky and mountainous terrain. There was only one route into the hilly terrain.
He would scout the caves that Nosh and Gnar discovered and post sentries to make sure that the camp was not observed by random travelers. The caves might also prove useful as an emergency hiding place for weapons and supplies. They would need to acquire additional provisions and clothing so that they would be able to blend in with the humans. The current uniforms for the minions turned troops would pass only a cursory review from a distance. The material that the humans used for clothing appeared to be coarser than anything used in the Fae Dominion. He hoped that the mages could help with this.
Zehn found the senior mage amidst the troops. He noticed that the mages had not been idle in his absence. They had organized the troops into working units, some were building tents with twigs and stones that were gathered by others. It appeared that some were even creating a garden. He wondered why the mages had not used their powers to accomplish these tasks.
Seth looked up from his work with the troops to see Zehn approaching. He motioned for Jerard to take over his duties and walked over to meet Zehn. “Zehn,” called Seth, “did you find any useful information?”
“Yes, we made some useful discoveries. We can begin formalizing plans to meet the humans at the designated time,” responded Zehn. “I see that you and your mages have been busy. I am curious though why did you not use your powers to accomplish these tasks?”
“It would have been easy enough for us to use our powers but then the troops would have been idle all day. We noticed that some were becoming restless without chores. Having them gather twigs and stones in the woods, felling trees to make a clearing for huts and a garden has kept them busy. Also, I am not certain whether our use of magic can be detected by either the humans or those on the other side of the astral plane. It is safer to do without, especially since we have laborers available.”
“Good plan,” responded Zehn. “How have the troops responded to your directions? And what of this restlessness you mentioned?”
“So far, they have obeyed orders without question. They are good workers. As far the restlessness, Jerard noticed it first. There are a few of the troops who seem more aware and intelligent than others. I have the mages dispersed among the troops to try to discern any differences in disposition. We are not sure why some seem to be more advanced than others. We want to be able to keep them all in line and avoid any hint of organization on their part.”
“We need to keep a close eye on these troops. I do not trust them. They were mindless minions a short time ago and now they can think for themselves, and soon they will be armed and trained for battle. I am not comfortable with this situation but Mogran assured me that you could control them. Our lives and the success of this mission is dependent upon your ability to keep them under control.”
“We will keep a close eye on them Zehn. It is in all of our best interests that we maintain control. They outnumber us greatly and if they were to join forces with the humans it would not bode well for us. However, I believe that we should employ tactics that are a bit more subtle than those of our master to control them.”
Zehn started to object to the mage’s last comment but held his tongue. He would bide his time to better understand the meaning behind Seth’s comment. Mogran ruled with an iron fist. Fear was central to his control. Death was the penalty for disobedience or even disagreeing with the Master. Seth’s statement was correct, there were far more troops present than Unseelie officers and mages. An organized effort could easily result in unfortunate consequences. It seemed that the mage was savvy as well as powerful in magic.
“Let me show you what we managed to accomplish while you were away and then I would like to hear about your scouting trip. Did you find any humans? I am curious about them, are they as primitive as the stories?”
“I only saw a few humans from a distance, I did not approach their villages. Although my experiences with them is limited to my meetings with Cruim. If he is any indication, yes they are a primitive race.” Zehn indicated for Seth to lead the way.
As they walked towards the clearing, Seth told Zehn about the mages’ efforts. “I realized that we would need some type of dwellings to protect us from the elements. The trees offer some protection but we will be here for quite some time. We also will need food. The supplies we brought with us will not last very long. As I stated before, I did not want to use magic for these activities in case it could be detected. We only started with a handful of dwellings since I did not know what your plans would be for the encampment.”
“It was wise of you to act so quickly. My men and I are accustomed to much harsher conditions; living accommodations and future provisions were not my first thoughts. I think we will make a good team in this foreign place,” acknowledged Zehn.
“We should place a few clusters of dwellings scattered throughout the forest but still within a manageable area. That way the troops will not all be concentrated in a single section. Nosh and Gnar informed me that rocky mountainous terrain surrounds us on two sides. We plan to train small groups of troops for battle once we have scouted the area more thoroughly.”
The general and the senior mage continued to discuss the plans for the camp site and the troops as they toured the area. The huts were clustered in three areas scattered throughout the forest but within shouting distance of each other. Each grouping contained two larger huts for the troops and a smaller hut to accommodate the Unseelie lieutenants and the mages. The construction of the dwellings was simple enough that they could be easily dismantled to avoid discovery and the design could be replicated on a smaller scale if necessary in the training area although Zehn wanted the troops to be prepared for rugged living during training. The garden area was positioned just south of the sleeping areas and a command tent was in the central clearing.
Zehn offered a few suggestions regarding the lodging and common areas, but overall, he was very pleased with what the mages had accomplished. He had always discounted the mages in the Fae Dominion, he thought that they were weak and hid behind their magic. His opinion was beginning to change after observing Seth and the junior mages thus far on their journey. They assumed responsibility along with the others, were proactive, and provided insights that he would not have initially conceived. They were quickly becoming valued
members of his team. Before parting company, Zehn informed Seth of the meeting with his lieutenants later that evening and invited him to join them.
The meeting with his officers and the senior mage went well. They decided to split the troops into two groups, one would train while the other remained at the camp under the mages’ supervision. Two of the junior mages would accompany the troops to the training area and some of Zehn’s lieutenants would remain behind at the camp to maintain a military presence. They agreed to spend a short time adjusting to the new environment and scouting the surrounding area before beginning the training.
The next few days passed quickly. Zehn and his lieutenants continued to scout the surrounding area while Seth and the mages supervised the troop acclimation. Seth and Jerard conferred with the junior mages regarding the progress of the troops. They discovered that only a handful of the new troops demonstrated higher than normal levels of perceptiveness. The mages ensured that those individuals were not grouped together for long duration tasks. Most of the troops passively performed their assigned tasks without question. Few if any, seemed to notice that they were even in a different environment.
The troops who were more aware, seemed more attentive to directions and the actions of the mages and Unseelie soldiers. Otherwise they performed the tasks assigned without incident. By the end of the first week, the Fae were settled into their encampment and ready to prepare themselves for their encounters with the humans.
Seth and Zehn conferred with each on a regular basis, they were beginning to form a bond which neither would have thought possible in the Fae Dominion. Seth asked to join Zehn on a scouting venture near the human habitat to gain a better understanding of their nature. He explained that they would need to establish some sort of communications with the local inhabitants to trade for native materials. The most critical items that they needed were materials for clothing. Their Fae materials were too dissimilar to those used by the humans to blend in well during close contact. Seth emphasized again that he wanted to minimize the use of magic which left them with the need to obtain some things from the humans.
They discussed strategy and the best way to approach the humans. They agreed to scout the area more closely to observe and listen. Zehn was familiar with some of the human customs and mannerisms from his initial interactions with Cruim, but the inhabitants of this area were much different. During a joint scouting venture, they were able to identify the key characters within the closest village and observe some of the village dynamics. The village was a cluster of about 20 dwellings and there appeared to be less than 100 inhabitants including women and children. They were also obtained two sets of clothing without notice. They decided to journey to a different village to trade for goods.
They decided that the easiest item to trade were animal pelts. The winter season in this area was harsh and warm layers were a necessity. Zehn’s lieutenants were adept hunters and wildlife was abundant in the forest where they were encamped. They agreed to travel together to trade the pelts for the items needed in the camp leaving the lieutenants and Jerard in charge in their absence. Their destination was almost two days’ journey so they made the preparations to complete this task as soon as possible.
Zehn had Nosh and Gnar lead the first group out to the training area while Jerard supervised activities around the camp. He divided the remaining troops into specific work groups, some worked in the gardens, others cleared out a latrine area, and others gathered fresh water. He ensured that everyone was sufficiently engaged throughout the day to minimize idleness. By the evening meal, the troops were so exhausted that they went directly to bed after eating. The mages and the Unseelie officers worked together to ensure that order was maintained.
Two days of successful hunting yielded a sufficient number of animal pelts with which to trade. The lieutenants used a well-known Fae practice to cure some of the pelts for use to make items such as boots, belts and water containers. The other pelts were left uncured and ready to use to making clothing. They agreed to have the lieutenants continue to hunt at least once a week to maintain the food supply and use the pelts for additional footwear and other useful items for themselves.
Zehn and Seth donned the local clothing and began their journey at dawn the next morning. Seth’s mage’s staff resembled walking sticks used by some of the male inhabitants of the area so he brought it along in case they encountered unexpected trouble. Zehn bristled at the thought of a mage providing protection for him but could not argue with the prospect of additional assistance if they were outnumbered by unfriendly individuals. Zehn carried his sword across his back in a quiver made from one of the newly acquired pelts. He also kept a shorter blade strapped to his thigh under his kilt.
Seth felt naked and exposed in the kilt. He missed the snugness of his leggings under the robe that he normally wore. He would have even been comfortable in the tunics worn by majority of the inhabitants of the Fae Dominion. All Fae males wore leggings with whatever over-layer of clothing donned. Although the terrain was not difficult, they passed through brush that left worrisome scratches that could potentially become infected if they brushed against poisonous plants. He was sure that Zehn was similarly displeased with their attire. He hoped that they would find other modes of dress during their travels.
Zehn pointed out various landmarks and items of interest to the mage as they travelled to their destination. The mage in turn was able to identify a variety of plants that would be useful to their group and minimize the use of magic. Some of the indigenous herbs were medicinal in nature, other plants were edible, and others still could serve a more dangerous purpose. Zehn noticed that the mage was just as uncomfortable as he was in the native clothing but he decided not to mention it.
They made an unlikely pair. Zehn relied on his physical strength and commanding disposition while the mage preferred to use diplomacy whenever possible. In times of peril, Seth used his magical powers only as a last resort. The general was of average height for a fae but found himself shorter than many of the male inhabitants of the area. Seth was taller than Zehn and his height seemed to match the average height of their hosts. Zehn’s muscular build more than made up for his lack of height and his stature made it appear that he was taller. Seth’s slender build seemed to be more of a disparity than Zehn’s height since the inhabitants of the area were not only tall but muscular. Their differences in physical appearance did not seem to cause them to stand out too much since they wore similar clothing to the inhabitants.
They practiced their conversational skills in the native language with each other and with passing strangers, asking directional and other simple questions. Seth was very adept at noticing nuances of speech inflection and mannerisms. They noted these and practiced as they travelled. They reached their destination just before sunset on the second day of their journey. They found an inn and tavern and secured rooms for the night and a meal.
The place seemed to be frequented by locals and travelers alike. They stored their belongings and goods in the rooms and went downstairs to eat and try to gather intelligence about the local community. They took a table near the back of the common area where they could observe without being observed by most patrons. The food was hearty and filling and the ale was stout. Suitable fare for travelers after a long journey. They learned a little of the local politics from the various conversations while they sat at their table.
It seemed that most of the settlements were inhabited by members of clans who were related by family or marriage. The clans were led by lairds who took responsibility for the well-being of the families within their respective clans. The lairds were the primary landowners and the clan members rented or leased parcels of land from them in return for their overall protection. They learned that Cruim was one of these lairds and it seemed that there was a history of trouble between him and some of the other lairds in the surrounding countryside.
The snippets of conversation overheard, did not paint Cruim in a positive light. It appeared that he
did not treat the clansmen under his protection very well and he was always attempting to abscond land and property from the neighboring lairds. Seth was not surprised that Mogran had aligned himself with such a character. He thought to himself that no matter how ruthless these people thought this Cruim character was, they could not be prepared for the depravity about to befall them once Mogran embedded his claws into their beloved country.
It was times like these when innocent people fell victim to the likes of Mogran and his kind that Seth longed to return to the Seelie domain. He wondered if he would even be accepted by his former kinsmen, he had been away for so long. Although he was respected as a senior mage and Mogran solicited his counsel, he was never truly free and felt that Mogran constantly kept him under observation. He gave up hope of escape long ago. Now in this strange land, he mused about the prospects of freedom. He sighed to himself at the foolishness of his thoughts and resolved to try to help these people when he could without jeopardizing his position.
Zehn spoke to the proprietor of the inn about the best place to sell their pelts and trade for needed items. He found out that trading was conducted by merchants and travelers with wares for sale or exchange and occurred twice a week in the center of town. The next market day as it was called, was scheduled two days hence. The proprietor gave him some advice about market day practices such as when to arrive to secure a choice location, which merchants offered a fair trade, etc. Zehn thanked the proprietor, paid for the additional night’s accommodation, and gave him a tip for his information.