by Ian Rodgers
Trying to distract from the guilt and anger from her job in her gut, Dora tooled her gaze over the path the caravan was taking. High above the sun beat down on the travelers, searing them with the hot rays.
For a moment, she envied the slaves. They at least had shade. A violent shake of her head cleared that thought away as soon as it arrived.
“Oi, Ildora!” For the second time that day the boss’s voice shook her from her thoughts.
“Yeah, boss?” she shouted, spurring her own steed to approach the burly figure at the head of the convoy.
“Go do some scouting. I smell something on the wind, and I don’t like it,” Scarrot ordered. She nodded and rode ahead slightly to observe the flat landscape.
Dora raised her nose to the air and took a tentative sniff. Her nose was not as sensitive as a full-blooded orc’s, but it was certainly better than a human’s.
After a few huffs of stale, dusty air and an embarrassing bout of sneezing, she filtered out the natural scents of the area and found something out of place.
Fire. Heat. Sulphur. Burning rock and soil. And a lot of it.
Directing her ride, a chestnut mare with a big white splotch on her forehead in the vague shape of a star, Dora edged towards the disturbance in the ambience.
Cautiously she removed a crossbow that had been strapped onto her back, readying it in case of combat. In the Dreadlands you could never be too careful. There were plenty of magical beasts that roamed the magic saturated land, and of course there were plenty of bandits, thugs, and general scum who preyed on the merchants who traversed the land. Safety was never assured. Rule number one in the Dreadlands.
Dora rode ahead until the Menagerie was a muddled blur in the distance. A thin cloud of dust rose up in their wake, so at least there was a good way to find them again if she went too far ahead.
“Come on Starspot. Let’s see what the boss sniffed out,” Dora said, rubbing the neck of her horse. A whinny was her reply.
Her surveying led her over a region covered in fissures. A strong smell of sulphur emanated from the wounds in the earth, causing her nose to wrinkle in protest. Spires of stone jutted out of the ground, creating a veritable forest, albeit a small one, of dark stone. The tallest rocky spur rose no higher than her hip.
It wasn’t long before she spotted what she assumed was the source of the fiery smell, and her boss’s worry. And to be honest, she was surprised at what she found.
A giant snail squirmed forward over the ground. Its shell was coal black and tiny vents along the outside pumped spurts of flame and greasy smoke. The flesh of the creature was a fiery red that radiated heat, even from this distance. Behind it trailed a thick line of blobby, sizzling acidic goo.
Dora watched in amazement as the enormous gastropod moved sluggishly over the rocky surface, dissolving and devouring the stone spires in its path. As it ambled along without care, she looked down at her horse.
“What do you think, Starspot? Should we report back to the boss now? Whatever this is, it looks harmless.”
The mare nickered. Dora nodded as if she understood.
“You’re right, we should get back. Plus, it’s almost lunchtime anyways. If we want grub, we got to move it!”
Starspot needed no further urging, as the promise of food was enough motivation for the hardy horse. She all but galloped back to the caravan, her rider clinging on and enjoying the rush of air upon her face.
“Well? What is it? What did you find?” Scarrot asked, and the goateed man from before rode next to him as Dora returned.
“I found a field of fissures that were spewing sulphur,” Dora said. “Inside, there was some sort of giant snail creature. Its shell vented smoke, and it kind of looked like it was made of magma.”
“Sounds like a Megalith Snail,” the human mused. He glanced at Dora and spotted her perplexed expression. “They’re mostly harmless lithovores, but have extremely high body heat as well immense fire resistance, secrete acid, and are classed as a C-rank magical beast by the Adventurer’s Guild.”
“What do you think, Holt? Is it worth our time to try and capture them? They’re an oddity, and can go for a decent amount of gold to the right buyer,” Scarrot questioned, and his right-hand man scratched his chin.
“Yeah, I think it’d be worth it. Our cages are fire and acid proof, so we can hold it. How big was it, Dora?”
“Uh, I think it was ten feet tall? And twice that wide? It was bigger than me and Starspot though.”
“I see, I see, a young adult, then. I think we can make it fit. If nothing else we can force it into its shell for the trip if we really need the space,” Holt declared.
“Inform the men we have a beast to catch. Ildora, ride back to the Megalith Snail and observe it. Make sure it doesn’t wander off, or get attacked by predators,” Scarrot commanded.
Dora snapped a sloppy salute before turning around and riding back to the Sulphur flats, a tingle of excitement in her veins.
She often tried to ignore and forget the fact that she and her ‘family’ were slavers. She much preferred hunting and capturing animals to their regular profession of being flesh peddlers. It was moments like this when she went monster hunting that she felt alive, and could put the truth behind her for a while.
“I wonder if they taste like regular snails,” Dora mused as she patiently watched the creature ooze around.
A few moments later Holt arrived and he brought his steed, a hazelnut stallion, alongside Dora’s. He peered out over the expanse, removing a spyglass from his pack and spent a few minutes examining the Megalith Snail.
“Ah, good, it really is a juvenile!” he exclaimed with relief, collapsing his tool and returning to its spot among the other accessories and items.
“How can you tell?” Dora inquired.
“See the shell, and how black it is? A sexually mature Megalith Snail will have glowing red designs inside it, not unlike the whorls of a regular snail’s shell. They’d be that way because of the internal heat of the creature, marking it as a full adult. But it isn’t, which means we’ll have an easier time subduing the thing.”
“Do adults breathe fire or something?” Dora asked in a joking tone.
“Not at all. Tell me, how do snails reproduce?”
The half-orc maiden stared at the older human with an incredulous look accompanied by a blush on her cheeks.
“Wha- you can’t just ask a woman something like that!” Dora shouted.
“A regular snail reproduces by firing love darts, or calcified spears filled with sperm and other stuff,” Holt explained, completely ignoring his flustered companion.
“Now imagine a giant snail that, if threatened, can fire off these love darts like projectiles, each one capable of puncturing flesh and leather armor with ease. Now imagine said snail is essentially on fire, oozes acid, and has a shell comparable to obsidian.”
“Oh. Oooh!” Dora said in understanding. “So, because this one is not an adult, it doesn’t have a set of love darts?”
“Nor the means of producing them, either,” Holt said, nodding in approval of the young woman’s quick grasp of the matter.
“What’s the plan?” she asked, getting excited.
“I have a few ideas. Come, let’s scout out the area around here. I want to make a mental map so I can plant traps later.”
For the next hour Dora accompanied Holt as he explored, as well as helped the older man set up a series of unusual traps.
“Could you please explain to me what exactly tripwires will do against something without legs?” Dora demanded as she stabbed a wooden stake into the ground. Wrapped around it was a length of cheap copper wire which was attached to another wooden stake. Several of these had been set up around an area Holt assured the half-orc to be a perfect spot to lure the Megalith Snail.
“Copper is a conductor of energy, both magical and mundane. A length of wire and a simple Level 1 Lightning Element spell can incapacitate any number of creatures, even those with resistance
to magic,” Holt revealed, letting a few sparks dance over the tips of his fingers for emphasis.
“I see, you plan on stunning and subduing the monster this way,” Dora said excitedly.
“Quite. Anyone can set up a few bear traps or pitfalls. A real master of the art can do so much more with a variety of implements and materials.”
Holt paused in his work as the sound of hooves and trundling wheels reached him. He and Dora glanced behind them and spotted the rest of the Menagerie coming to a rest.
The wagons came to a halt a fair distance from the sulphur fields, staying out of the rank smell as Scarrot galloped over.
“Situation?” the orc demanded.
“Juvenile Megalith Snail. Easy mark,” Holt reported, waving a hand at his setup. Scarrot looked it over and gave a grunt of approval.
“Get the cage ready. And tell the men that we don’t eat until we’ve captured it,” Scarrot declared, issuing his ultimatum. Holt nodded and swung himself back onto his steed, riding back to the Menagerie.
Dora frowned at that as a rumble came from her stomach, but a smirk replaced it as she patted her pocket where the bread from breakfast had been stashed.
Scarrot noticed her lack of concern over his ‘no lunch’ edict but said nothing. Instead he watched her try to act inconspicuous and sneak a few bites of something from one of her pockets.
It was almost painful to watch.
“Don’t turn your back fully on someone when you’re trying to hide something,” Scarrot said, smirking to himself as the half-orc maiden jumped in surprise.
She sent him a scared look but the caravan leader ignored it, choosing to continue to speak.
“Stand sideways, so that whatever you’re trying to keep secret isn’t in view, but anyone watching can still see your face. If people can’t see your face, they won’t trust you and will become suspicious. But don’t look them at them head on, either. Doing so only provokes those who enjoy starting trouble.”
“Thank you for the lesson, boss,” Dora replied softly, a hint of red on her face after being caught like that.
“I would have thought that you’d have learned how to have better discretion by now, Ildora,” Scarrot snorted. “It’s been what, nearly two years already living among us? If you don’t learn this stuff quicker, you’re dead, and then you’ll be no use to me.”
“Yes, boss,” Dora spat out through gritted teeth. Damn that smug bastard!
Scarrot nodded in approval before turning his attention to the wide, desolate landscape.
“Do you know how this land came to be?” he asked suddenly.
“This used to be a fertile, lush realm, populated by all sorts of people and creatures. Then the Great Cataclysm occurred, ripping the world asunder,” Dora said, following her leader’s gaze. “Even now, three thousand years later, the wounds have yet to heal.”
“Correct. But do you know why that disaster happened?” Scarrot inquired. Dora slowly nodded her head.
“The World Rebellion,” she whispered, as if speaking the dark name any louder would stain her lips. “They sought to bring destruction to all. To let the Void swallow up all of creation.”
“They were a symptom, but not the ultimate source,” Scarrot growled.
“Greedy men and elves brought this about. The Grand Elfish Domain, the Sprawling Empire of Val’Narash… all that you see around you is the result of mortal hubris and sin.”
The tall orc grunted. “The World Rebellion might have done this, but others allowed it to happen, and forced us to live in their aftermath.”
Scarrot turned his gimlet stare upon Dora who shivered under the animosity in his eyes.
“If you can survive here in the Dreadlands, you can survive anywhere. Because someday everything will be like this. Dead, dying, and lost.”
“Yes, boss,” Dora whispered, breaking contact with his eyes and staring at the ground.
“Go help Holt prepare for the hunt,” he ordered after a moment of awkward silence.
Dora nodded, hopping up on her mare and heading back to the wagons. Scarrot remained where he was, staring over the jagged landscape. At length he turned away with a growl and spat on the dirt before returning to the group to coordinate the Megalith Snail’s capture.
“Alright everyone, gather around!” Holt shouted. Eight people walked over, Reesh and Rindel included.
“Our objective is a young Megalith Snail. Grab your gear and prepare for a hunt. You four, grab the cage with the red lock and bring it over to where I set up the traps. As for the rest of you, once you’re ready, meet up at the edges of the Sulphur flat. Keep an eye on the caravan while we’re gone.” The goateed man turned away before pausing.
“Oh, and no food until we’re done.”
A chorus of groans came out at that but the men hurried off to put on armor and grab their weapons.
“What do you want me to do, Holt?” Dora asked.
“I have a very special job for you. In fact, it’s the most vital one for this hunt. Rindel, fetch the largest block of rock salt we have.”
“Aye-aye, Holt. Follow me, Dora.”
“Salt? Are we using it to scare the creature into the traps?” the young woman asked.
“Nah, the opposite. Megalith Snails actually love the stuff. They’re lithovores, meaning they eat rocks and dirt and metal. Salt, though, drives these giant fiery gastropods into a mating frenzy,” Rindel explained as the pair approached the wagon containing the food stores. “Since it’s young it can’t produce love darts for ranged attacks, meaning we can lure it into the traps without much danger.”
“Oh.” Dora blinked as she processed this, her eyes shooting open.
“Wait, does this mean…?”
“Yup! Hope you’re all limbered up, you’re going to have to run as fast as you can to escape a horny snail monster!” Rindel said cheerfully, dropping two fist-sized blocks of rock salt into her hands.
A few of the other crew members chuckled at Dora’s poleaxed expression.
“Ah, the most important role of all! Bait! Have I ever mentioned how glad I am you joined? That vaunted job used to be mine!” Reesh cackled as he walked past.
Dora narrowed her eyes and glared at Holt. The human simply winked, unabashed.
“First the Sphinx with steaks, and now a giant snail with salt. I will remember this, Holt. You shall rue this day,” she declared.
“Of course, I will, minty. Of course, I will.”
The rest of the camp burst into laughter as Dora nailed the trap master in the groin with one of the salt lumps.
As she huffed and stalked off, she caught a glimpse of Scarrot holding back a chuckle. For some reason that brought a satisfied smile to her face.
.
“Let’s go. Begin the operation!”
With Holt’s shouted command, Dora steeled her nerves and advanced through the craggy, broken territory of the Sulphur field. A horse would be hard pressed to move safely through the terrain at a trot, so trying to gallop? No chance.
As such, Dora approached the Megalith Snail on foot, rock salt held in a pouch around her waist.
The fiery gastropod was oozing around where she and Holt had left it, paying little attention to it surroundings. However, when Dora was about twenty feet away, its eyestalks swiveled towards her. Or rather, towards the pouch.
Delicately and with exaggerated slowness the half-orc broke off a bit of rock salt and crumbled it between her fingers before sprinkling it onto the ground.
The Megalith Snail let out a burbling roar and began to surge forward. The bait was down and out. Step one of her job was done, and Dora began to run back to the traps and the rest of the caravan’s crew.
Dora spared a glance over her shoulder and swallowed a lump of fear. The abnormally sized snail’s bulk was growing closer. It moved much faster than she’d expected. Not as fast as a human sprinter or a galloping horse, but much quicker than anything that size or shape should be able to. If she tripped, it would definitely
catch up before she could stagger back up to her feet.
“Watch out for the wire!” Holt’s voice jolted Dora out of her thoughts and she jumped without hesitation, leaping over the copper threads. She could see her companions standing around with weapons raised and breathed out a sigh of relief. She then reached down and placed one of the rock salt chunks in the middle of the trap area before dashing over to her next spot, beside Holt and Rindel.
“Here it comes! Places, you layabouts! Are you going to let a woman do all of your work for you?!” Scarrot bellowed, causing the crew to scramble into position.
They did not have long to prepare, as the Megalith Snail had been hot on Dora’s heels. But Scarrot ran a tight ship, and the men were ready as the beast slid towards the salty treat.
Armed with cudgels and blunt weapons, their job was to corral the monster if it broke out of the trap, and subdue it with blunt force trauma. It was a messier, more dangerous task, and the merchandise would receive more damage, but it was the best back-up plan they had for such a spur of the moment capture.
Dora quickly ran to the side, moving one of the copper wrapped stakes so that it cut off the Megalith Snail’s exit, trapping the monster inside an impromptu magical array made of wire. It remained unaware, too engrossed in greedily consuming the salt to pay attention to its surroundings.
“Now!”
At the orc’s command, Holt and Rindel slammed their palms onto the tops of the stakes on their side, channeling mana into them.
“Rush and strike and jump! From storm to earth! Jolt!” The Level Two Lightning Element spell erupted forth, conducting along the offered paths presented by the copper wires.
Almost instantly the wire glowed brightly and sparks of static popped and spat as the energy coursed through them.
Trapped in the middle, the Megalith Snail became the center of conductivity for the miniature bolts of lightning and was struck by dozens of them. It thrashed about in agony, but the secondary effect of the magical array had already activated with the presence of mana.
Immobilize. A hex designed to prevent the movement of anything trapped within. The key, essential spell for anyone in the business of capturing targets.