After the battle at the farm, and your discovery that Verraine has been taken, you have been tracking the Vorghol Lorn and his company for three hours. The trail from Taggart's farm is still fresh. As the weather lightens, the trail becomes easier to follow. Thragga is afoot, tracking expertly, and Khom-Bei and Kane ride close by.
Thragga mutters, pointing out shoe-marks in the muddy track, "Four men on horses, riding fast. One cart, drawn by a horse. See the tracks?"
Khom-Bei says, "How far ahead, Thragga?"
Kane says, "They seem to be in a hurry, or are expecting us to follow them."
Thragga says, "Don't know. A few hours, tops."
The trail heads to the northeast, from the remote frontier of Tol Nedra towards the more populated areas. And most especially, in the direction of the Shroud, a great sorcerous cloudbank that wreathes the capital of Dolgur in permanent shadow.
Vorghols under the Shroud can travel without fear of the sunlight. The boundaries of the Shroud, vary like the weather, anywhere from 10 to 100 leagues from Dolgur.
Kane says, "It feels like they are using Verraine to lure us to them."
At this distance, the safety of the Shroud is at least a day's hard ride away.
Khom-Bei says, "The Dark Ones delight in tormenting the living by turning our loved ones against us. But you may be right, Kane. Killing Taggart was a great victory for them, killing the three of us would make it even greater."
Kane says, "I wish I knew what their plans for Verraine are and why they are in such a hurry."
Thragga says, "I will spit Lorn's eyes on a stick and roast them for what he has done to Taggart and Irian."
Kane says, "That goes for all of us."
Khom-Bei grins a toothy grin: "I will settle for seeing the look in his eyes when I drive the stake through his heart."
The rain has cleared up by now, and twin crescents shine down on the valleys before you. This is the Hunter's Hour, shortly after midnight. You race north-eastwards, and pause a moment at the top of a hillside. Farmlands stretch away to the north, and deep pine forests to the south, with the mighty As River beyond them in the remote distance.
To the northeast, a misty shadow is barely visible against the stars, blocking them out, shading those lands in perpetual darkness. Ahead, in the distance, you see the glimmering lights of the town of Aubane, built atop a cliffside on the opposite side of the valley. The trail leads towards that nearby town.
Kane leads his horse in the direction of the town.
Khom-Bei says, "We must hurry. If they have chosen the village for shelter or as a place to feed their vile hunger, the people will not be safe."
Kane says, "Agreed."
Aubane is a trading town, larger than a village, with many of its buildings over two stories tall. It is known as a stopping point for Tol Nedran traders traveling north and south. A steep switchback road, well maintained and marked for the traders, leads to the top of the cliffside where the town sprawls.
Kane says to Khom-Bei, "Try to lead your horse in quietly. I'd like to try and take these blood suckers by surprise."
The town seems to be wide awake, as you would expect of a Tol Nedran town after midnight. Dark-clad people bustle back and forth. Lights spill from a large inn at the corner of the two main streets. Before you can enter the main street proper, there is a pair of soldiers ahead of you, standing watch outside a small guardhouse--they have the fat, lazy look of town guards. One is chewing an apple and making excited gestures to the other one.
Aubane has two main streets that meet in a T in the center of town. The tallest buildings, and the main inn, are sited there. Farmlands surround it, and a creek runs past the town on the far side. The view is impressive, from the top of a cliffside, looking out over the broad valley you have just crossed.
Khom-Bei dismounts and leads his horse off the road into a stand of trees. Taking the horses nose in his hand, he looks into its eyes: "Wait here. If I whistle, come fast."
Kane looks at Khom-Bei and says, "What do you propose old friend?"
Thragga volunteers, "Let me go kill them!"
Khom-Bei hauls himself up to his full 5'4": "I say we go kill them."
Kane says, "We shall all go Thragga, but I was wonder in whether by stealth or out in the open. My thought was to ride into town. Would you rather we use a more stealthy means?"
Khom-Bei says, "There is no use in dying too soon, we should kill them first. I think we sneak up on them."
Kane dismounts and ties his horse to a tree near some grass for it to graze.
Kane says, "So be it, let's be on our way then."
The fatter guard is explaining to the other, between bites of his apple: "So then I kicks the Urag right in his balls. Falls down flat wiv a whimper!" The second laughs in disbelief at the tall tale.
Khom-Bei whispers to Thragga: "Maybe he never met a real Urag, eh?"
Thragga whispers back, "I would like to introduce him to one.
Khom-Bei unslings his crossbow with a small look of disappointment: "Maybe in the next world, my friend."
Kane hisses, "Wait! Why don't we just sneak past them?"
Khom-Bei says, "Why should we leave guards behind us? If any are left alive, they will surely return to their masters with the full tale. If none return, they may think that Taggart lives and send more for us to kill."
Kane says, "Do you think you can kill them quietly enough?"
Khom-Bei stands, readies his crossbow, and nods to Kane: "Say when." Thragga draws his warbow and takes aim.
Kane draws his crossbow and t fits it with a bolt. He aims his and says "Now." then pulls the trigger.
The apple-eating guard falls over backwards as Kane's bolt takes him in the throat. The second cries out in terror as Khom-Bei and Thragga's flurry arrive and feather him.
Kane says, "Now lets get down to business."
Thragga cries, "I get their boots!"
Kane says, "Our other business."
Thragga says, "Right. Lead on."
Kane heads quietly over to where the two guards lie.
Khom-Bei follows, keeping an eye open toward the town.
When Kane gets to where the two guards lie dead, he begins to drag the bodies out of site.
The two guards lie still behind the guardhouse, out of sight of the town. However, this is a Tol Nedran town at night, and this is when people are most active.
Kane scans the town from behind the guard house to get his bearings.
People still move from place to place in the town. Drunks wander the streets, traders and others can be clearly seen from here.
Kane looks for a likely spot for Lorn to have slunk off to, he hopes he will spot a cart like the one that left the tracks leading them here.
Khom-Bei says, "Thragga, can you follow the trail into the town?"
Thragga squats a moment and scents, then nods. "They stopped here...and passed into town. Down the main street." He points.
Khom-Bei says, "I think we should keep to the shadows, if we can."
Kane says, "That may be hard to do. Let's give it a try though." He slips down the main street keeping mostly to the shadows.
Thragga follows alongside Kane as best he can.
You three skulk up to a large wooden water tank just outside the inn on the main street and lurk nearby, out of sight.
Kane says to Thragga, "Is this the place?"
Thragga nods. "The trail leads up to the inn. But there's so many footprints outside, who knows where they went."
Kane looks for a cart near by that would leave the types of tracks they saw back in the woods.
No carts are nearby. There are several horses tied up in front of the inn, and light spills from the taproom onto the street outside.
Kane says, "Shall we have a drink?"
Khom-Bei says, "I think that we're going to have to ask for our prey, Kane. A drink would be a good place to start."
Kane walks up the steps of the inn and pushes through the door to the tap room.
Thragga snaps, "Don't get comfortable. We're not staying."
The town bustles even at this time of night. You've slain two night watchmen on the way in, and entered the town quietly, unseen. Two main streets intersect in a t-formation, where a large, well-lit inn stands. You've stalked up to the inn and are about walk up the front steps to enter, when two small children come around the corner of the inn, bouncing a small ball back and forth merrily.
The ball bounces awry, one of the children frowns, a small moppet about five years old. The red ball rolls to a stop at Kane's feet. The child solemnly runs over to retrieve it.
Kane reaches down to pickup the ball to hand to the child.
The longhaired child puts out her hands to receive it, looking up at Kane earnestly with big dark eyes. She blinks.
Kane nods and drops the ball into the child's out stretched hand.
The wide-eyed moppet takes the ball, and then bares her teeth at Kane, revealing a pair of razor-sharp Vorghol canines. She hisses like an animal. Then she and her companion race off into the night.
Khom-Bei says, "Great Father, they have corrupted even the children."
Kane says, "Let's get off these streets and into somewhere with some light." He pushes his way into the inn.
Thragga grunts, "I'll buy the first round." He follows Kane inside.
Khom-Bei pulls his cloak tightly around his shoulders and follows Kane into the inn with a last look after the Vorghol children.
Kane says, "I'll get the second round. I feel like I could use a few drinks." He looks around the tap room, then heads to the bar.
Khom-Bei sizes up the inn, paying special attention to the other patrons and their teeth.
The inn is merry, for a Tol Nedran place, well-crowded, lit by smoky torches in sconces along the walls. A group of merchants sits at a long table along the left, playing a card game of triplejack. A pile of golden dragons sits in the center.
Along the right side, mostly farmers. At a larger table near the bar, sit a group of half a dozen Northerling soldiers, dark-skinned men like Khom-Bei, enjoying a suckling pig and laughing with each other. The whole taproom has an air of merriment, for some reason.
Thragga stays close to you both, silent, watchful and wary.
Kane strides to the bar and calls out to the bar man, "Three tankards of ale, my green friend here is paying."
A victory cry issues from the card game. "Ha! I do love this game!" The fat merchant who won the hand throws back his head and chuckles, showing sharp incisors. He rakes in his dragons, and the cards are dealt again.
The innkeeper, a slight, wan man with a large mustache, fills three stout leather tankards for you. Thragga lays three silver drakes on the bar as payment, but the bartender waves them off. "On the house, mate."
One of the merchants teases the winner, "Perhaps you can afford more than pig's blood now, Kallin!"
Kane takes a long a slug of the amber ale.
Kallin scowls at the teaser as he checks out his hand. He silently pushes away the goblet of pig's blood.
The Northerling soldiers, in Tol Nedra livery, laugh at some private joke. One saws off a haunch of suckling pig and calls to Khom-Bei, "Kinsman! Hungry? Have something to eat!"
Khom-Bei raises his tankard in salute to his kinsmen and moves toward their table.
Thragga gulps at his ale, staring with open contempt at Kallin and his card game. Kane says to Thragga, "Let's get a table, preferably near the door."
The Northerling leader clasps the shoulder of Khom-Bei in the traditional greeting of clansmen. "I'm Dhar-Tyu, Sergeant in His Majesty's forces. It's good to see a kinsman of the clans in here. Our good fortune is your good fortune." He passes Khom-Bei a haunch of roast pork, skin all crispy.
Khom-Bei claps the speaker on the shoulder with his free hand: "Greetings, son of the plains. It has been many moons since I have seen those of the clans."
Dhar-Tyu, a man about Khom-Bei's build and age, grins at him. "What brings you hither, kinsman?"
Thragga eyes Khom-Bei a moment as he pushes off with Kane to sit at a table. He broods as only an Urag can, scowling.
Kane says to Thragga in a low voice, "What do you smell my friend?"
Thragga hides his face in his tankard. "I have been too long away from Tol Nedra, Kane. I had forgotten that this whole Kingdom reeks of death."
Kane says, "If only we could have stayed away longer. Do you catch any of the scents we were tracking here?"
Thragga shakes his head at Kane. "Too crowded here. Too many scents mingled. But I do not think this Lorn is present here."
Kane says, "Maybe Khom-bei will get some information from his kinsman."
Khom-Bei frowns and speaks quietly: "Dhar-Tyu, I am Agra-Kai and I travel to the city of Dolgur. I am under orders to do so." He pulls himself upright and smiles bravely: "But that is not important tonight, I am among my kin and I shall not bring a dark mood to your table, Dhar-Tyu."
Dhar-Tyu nods. "And we share our fortune with you! We are poor soldiers, but we can share what we have, since it was given to us by a bountiful and generous fellow who was here not three hours ago." His men grin and nod, devouring their food and drinking deeply of the dark-brown ale.
Khom-Bei downs his tankard of ale and thumps it solidly on the table: "As your good fortune is mine, my good fortune is yours. Will you all drink with me?"
Khom-Bei pulls several gold dragons from his belt pouch and tosses them on the table: "Call the serving man! Drinks for all!"
Dhar-Tyu waves Khom-Bei off. He picks up the coins and passes them back to Khom-Bei. "No, let us buy for you! Innkeeper, more drinks for our friend!" Fresh tankards are brought for all the Northerlings.
Grabbing the haunch of meat: Khom-bei smiles at his kinsman: "You are too generous, Dhar-Tyu, but I accept your hospitality on one condition. You must tell me any news that you have of the clans. It has been long since I have heard of them."
Dhar-Tyu's men clank their tankards together. "To Lorn, who bought all this good food and drink!" one cries, and they all drink up.
Khom-Bei clanks his tankard with the others and toasts: "To Lorn!"
Dhar-Tyu launches into all the news he has heard of the clans, including their migrations, and how a great battle was fought between the clans and an Urag warchief some months ago, with the Urag driven back from the northwestern Tol Nedran frontier.
The merchants deal another hand of cards. Kallin seems to have lost the last one. Drinking from his tankard and gnawing on the roast pig, Khom-bei nods and comments appropriately as Dhar-Tyu speaks.
Khom-Bei says, "And this Lorn we have toasted for his generosity? Is he your commander?"
The Northerling warrior further explains how he and his men are headed west, towards that same frontier, when they stopped here in Aubane for supplies. "No, we had never met him before. Bit of a braggart if you ask me. We were trying to decide how to pay for the supplies we needed when he happened in, not three hours ago, explaining how one of his men's horses had lost a shoe and he was here to get a new one. But he was in quite a mood! Bought the whole house drinks, told the innkeeper to keep them coming, told us that he would soon have all he needed when he got to Dolgur."
Khom-Bei laughs aloud: "A generous man, indeed, perhaps I should see if he needs another man for his trip. Since I'm going that direction anyway, eh?"
Dhar-Tyu nods. "He headed off as soon as his horse was shoed. Him and his three riders and a prisoner they kept tied up on his horse. But you should steer clear of him, kinsman. A Vorghol sorcerer on a mission to Dolgur..."
Khom-Bei frowns deeply: "Ah, an opportunity missed, but perhaps it is best that way. Vorghol sorcery is poor company for such as us."
Thragga is staring daggers at the merchants playing triplejack. Kallin rubs his fat hands and rakes in another pot of dragons.
Kane says, "Easy my friend, we have different prey tonight."
Kallin pauses a moment, chuckling. "What do you look at, Urag? The pretty pictures on the cards?" He murmurs to his companions, "They so love bright things...they're like children, really."
Kane, sensing trouble, says, "Come Thragga, it is time to leave."
Thragga hisses, "I was looking at -you-, fat man..."
Dhar-Tyu nods. "When I am next among the clans, I will pass word to your kin that we met and that you are well. If you do the same for us."
Khom-Bei stands and places his hand on Dhar-Tyu's shoulder: "I will do this for you, my friend, but I am afraid that you cannot do the same for me. My clan has gone to be with the Great Father."
Khom-Bei frowns deeply: "I am sorry, Dhar-Tyu, I would not bring sorrow to your celebration. I will go now. My journey is long and I must be quick to answer the call."
Dhar-Tyu clasps Khom-Bei's shoulder in farewell. "The Powers work in mysterious ways, kinsman. Fair travelling to you."
Kane stands up and catches Khom-bei's eye and then nods towards the door.
Khom-Bei says, "Fair travels to you as well, kinsman."
Kane puts his hand on Thragga's sholder, "Now is not the time Thragga."
The merriment at the card table stops. Kallin grins, showing his canines, eyes glinting redly in the torchlight. "You had best get your pet under control, friend," he tells Kane, "Before I drink it dry. I am so tired of pig's blood..."
Khom-Bei moves toward the door and stumbles slightly as he walks, bumping directly into Thragga and whispering: "They have a three hour lead on us, we must go now."
Kane whispers to Thragga, "We can stop here on our way back. Let it be for now."
Thragga is defiantly staring back at Kallin. He breaks off to nod to Khom-Bei, then to Kane.
Khom-Bei continues to stumble his way out the door and into the night.
"Would you sell it to me?" Kallin asks, jestingly. "There looks to be so much blood in him!"
Kane pushes Thragga towards the door.
"I was speaking to you!" Kallin snaps at Kane. "You!"
Kane stares back at Kallin, "Sorry we must be on our way."
Thragga consents to be pushed towards the door, but not without a silent backwards glance at Kallin.
As soon as Khom-bei is outside, he whistles a high, long note in the direction of his pony, a signal for it to come at a gallop.
Once outside, Thragga grumbles, "We could have taken the lot of them, Kane."
The hooves of Khom-Bei's steppe pony are heard as the sturdy mount races up to him. Kane's own Angharan horse is tied up just across the square.
Kane says, "Yes, but I am not willing to lose our current quarry. We will make a side trip on our way home I promise."
As the others exit the inn, Khom-bei whispers urgently: "A three hour lead, we must ride quickly to catch them."
Thragga wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "We will catch them. What else did you learn?"
Kane heads over to his horse bringing Thragga with him. He doesn't want to give him a chance to rush back into the inn.
Khom-Bei follows Kane and Thragga: "Lorn seems to be in a generous mood, buying drinks and food for everyone. He thinks that he'll be getting a big reward when he reaches Dolgur."
Thragga looks back towards the inn thoughtfully, listening to Khom-Bei.
Khom-Bei points at Kane's horse: "Kane, you really should let me teach that great beast some simple manners. If he would just stay when he was told and come when he was called, you wouldn't have to tie him all of the time."
Kane mounts up and leads his horse in the direction Lorn was supposed to have taken.
Khom-Bei mounts his pony and follows Kane out of town.
Thragga races off after Kane on foot. Soon the three of you are headed to the northwest, through a thickening pine forest. It's three hours past midnight, and twin crescent moons beam down on the dark Kingdom. Dolgur is three days ride at least, and if you hurry, you can overtake Lorn.
Kane says, "We must hurry. I want to reach Lorn before he reaches Dolgur."
In the distance, to the east, you see a black shadow that blocks the stars. This is the Shroud, the great dark cloud that sits over Dolgur like a protective shield. Its exact borders wax and wane, but under it is a spell of eternal night, where the Vorghol Lords can walk unhindered by their enemy, the sun.
Thragga crouches. "If we go too fast, Kane, we will lose the track. This way." He points off down the trail through the woods, that leads into a deepening hollow surrounded by a ring of old, tall northern pines.
Kane follows Thragga's lead.
In the hollow, Thragga pauses, scenting the breeze. He paces forward, big feet treading on dry branches, and stops.
Khom-Bei says, "And we must be careful of ambushes."
Kane's high-strung Angharan bay, a gift of the King, bristles and snorts. He pats the side of the horse's head and says "Easy girl."
Khom-Bei says, "What is it, Thragga?"
The breeze rustles the tall, ancient pines around youm and the long grass of the hollow. Clouds race in the wind, before the bright stars.
The steppe pony, scenting something, bleats a whinny in concern.
Khom-Bei places his hand on the pony's head: "Be silent."
The Urag unslings his axe from his back with a clink of metal against leather. His nostrils flare.
Khom-Bei dismounts and draws his warhammer, murmuring to his pony: "Stay here."
As Khom-Bei advances on foot, a ring of low-slung, slitted canine eyes becomes visible from the circle of pines. There must be ten pairs of baleful red eyes, or more. Moonlight glints off of long fangs. These can only be wargs.
Kane dismounts as well and again ties his bay to a near by tree.
They're all around you. A slavering, red-eyed warg, a wolf as big as a small horse, growls and paces out of the woods towards Khom-Bei. He gathers his legs under him and prepares to leap.
Khom-Bei takes the head of his warhammer in his hands and speaks softly: "Great Father, shine the light of your world through this darkness."
Thragga crouches, axe before him, eyes intent.
Kane whirls his flaming sword out of the scabbard on his back. He strides confidently towards the wargs and says, "Oh to spill blood in Tol Nedra! My sword is very thirsty!"
The light of Kane's flaming sword splashes on your faces, and that of the wargs, as battle is joined.