Continuing from A gathering on Mt. Ea

On the Road

A full dozen of them set out that morning - in addition to the Count and his men, Del brought with him three of his tribe: Aedhan, Morphran, and Bearrach, as well as Ferryll and a wily-looking gnoll who called himself Raff. A motley crew they seemed, assembled from scattered homelands and speaking a common language with divergent accent... yet united in purpose, arrayed against the Hoarde and responding to the call of the mountain goddess.

True to his word, Ferryll led them down a hidden path that seemed best suited for goats. The gnolls had little trouble, their bulky forms bizarrely graceful as they shifted their body weight easily from crag to crag; Del and his tribe, accustomed to the myriad treacheries of the mountain slopes, were similarly sure-footed, and more than once paired off with the Count's men to guide them through some of the more difficult passages. Despite the hard going, they made good time, and the men swapped more than one laugh or boast as they made their way down, reaching the mountain's base just after midday. There, too, Del managed to find a healthy cluster of valerian, plucking a goodly supply and stowing for later use.

As eve drew near on the first day, Del consulted with Dalivune and Rowe, determining the best way to divide their resources. Insisting that he wanted to be certain that his crystal would prove effective, Dalivune volunteered to stay on watch all evening, with Aedhan and Del providing a second set of eyes at different intervals. To help in his effort, Del mixed a particularly potent brew of the peculiar beans, which Dalivune found utterly disgusting and quite effective at keeping him awake. The tribesmen and gnolls, for their part, took Del's advice and made a bitter tea with the valerian, which indeed produced deep and dreamless sleep in those who consumed it. And so the first night passed without major incident, as did the next.

Ferryll warned them that they had less than a day of hard marching remaining, and so Raff and Bearrach volunteered to scout ahead, letting the others adopt a more relaxed pace while they determined what danger lay ahead. It was well that they slowed their pace, for the signs of the Hoarde were in evidence all around - but not only Hoarde. With a growing sense of disquiet, Morphran began whispering to Del, who frowned deeply. Taking the Count aside, he pointed out several symbols carved into the trees.

"Goblins are not making such marks, am thinking," he murmured. "Was another tribe, rivals, we thought destroyed many generations ago. Am thinking perhaps they were just retreating into Hoarde land, where regrowing strength came from Azkladash. Your crystal smith was saying how not only Hoarde was praying at temple? Now we know who else, or at least some of who. Fire Bloods, we called them - their lust for slaughter was like raging fire in their blood. Many tribes came together to wipe them out. Small wonder they are here. They want revenge, and they hate our goddess for protecting us. It is not being accident that they worship rival god from next mountain over."

The forest grew progressively darker as they moved inward, with clouds shrouding even the noon sun from giving off much more than a suggested luminescence. For his own part, Del was glad to have the light of his crystal once more pushing back against the dim.

It was late afternoon when Raff returned, hauling an unconscious Bearrach beside him. Deep scratches marred the man's face.

"Never saw the like," he rasped. "One minute, he was standing beside me; next, he was down in the dirt, screaming and clawing at himself. Had to hit him to make him shut up, and by then I could hear others. Goblins and humans both."

"Did you see the temple?"

"No. Didn't get close enough."

"How many?"

"Not sure. At least twice our number, likely a lot more." He gulped down some milk of the mother and grimaced. "But that's not the danger. It was as if he saw a waking nightmare."

Del exchanged a look with Rowe. "Is worse than I was fearing, comrade. Was expecting maybe that would be having poison dreams when sleeping, but if can be happening while awake..." He trails off, thinking. "Your Dalivune, and crystal of his protecting. Is working in sphere, da? If we stay close, maybe increase effect somehow, then thinking we are staying safe maybe?"

"I don't like trusting our fates to magic," Ferryll growled.

"Has been working for us so far, comrade." Del shrugged, returning his attention to the Count. "Either that, or we eat rest of black beans and hope they keep us very awake. But, if doing so, means we go now and don't stop until we finish. What are you liking, comrade?"

---

The party milled around anxiously to await the return of the mountaineers.

Kell kept muttering to himself and pacing around. Delivune seemed more interested in tending to his sore feet than anything else. Even Hauk, who nearly always had a smile on his face, intently sharpened a stick for no particular reason. Buck and Kol had started building a shelter in case they had to camp here overnight. These woods had a murky dark smell, and none of them thought it wise to sleep on the ground.

Rowe laid down irritably on a flat rock to think in peace. He was tired, but Rowe thought it more out of dread for what lay ahead than the travels they'd been on. Except for the crystalsmith. He had to be watched constantly. He had to hand it to the mountaineers. His men had proved themselves the best of the North Kingdom at mountaineering, but these nomads had shown how much they could still learn.

* * *

When the mountaineers returned, a vibrant discussion of broke out. Rowe got up from his rock, Hauk put down his stick, but Kell kept pacing and muttering.

One of the mountaineers asked, "Is he okay?"

Hauk shook his head. "Never has been, if you ask me." A short lived grin finally crossed his face.

"Delivune..." Rowe said sternly, "A word."

Hauked looked at Rowe, "Should have hired that fishermen with the blue crystal if you ask me."

"I couldn't afford his wage."

"Aye - you couldn't afford to pay a fisherman. Says a lot about what you could afford!"

Rowe looked at Hauk, annoyed. "Go get Kol, ok, he's always got good ideas."

* * *

They finally all assembled under the dark canopy and discussed their plans.

Del, the chief mountaineer asked about the protection spell, and then Ferryl expressed distrust.

Delivune answered defensively, "It's a reliable old spell. It's one of the first we learn. I can control how big of an area it effects, and how long the crystal lasts. It works like a big shield that deflects most magic around and away from it. The more magic thrown at it, the faster it'll collapse."

Hauk scowled. "What about nightmare gods?"

Delivunne looked up in the sky, clearly thinking. "Yeah, I don't see why not."

A series of groans erupted. Hauk put his palm on his forehead. Then he made a little gesture to Rowe about casting a fishing line.

Rowe looked around. "Any ideas, Kol?"

Kol spoke evenly, and quietly. "Well, there are many ways to crack a fortification. Frontal assault...."

"Suicidal." Rowe commented.

"Tunnel under it, hmm, but no equipment." Kol continued. "Call up the company and lay siege on the mountain... nay, they likely have too many exits."

"Fake assault and and ambush when they pursue? ... pick 'em off from afar, force them out.... an offering so they let us in."

Rowe simply raised an eyebrow.

Kol looked at Del. "Rockslide and earthquakes?"

"Azkladash could probably nullify it...."

A dank coldness swept over the group and the trees seemed to creep in even deeper.

Kell looked at Rowe. "Don't you be saying that word again."

"You work it out then." Rowe went back to his flat rock.

* * *

The discussion went on for a good while. Eventually they decided that they should test out the protection spell, and that Rowe, Hauk and Dalivune would go up and ....

"Where's Rowe?" Hauk asked. "Kell... you had ONE job."

Kell held up his hands. "We were all talking - he was laying down!"

Ferryl said, "He went up the mountain a while ago."

* * *

Ashen-faced Rowe staggered back down the mountain. He looked like it was sunrise, and he'd drank a gallon of the gnoll's brew the night before. He even stopped to empty his stomach on a tree not far from the group.

"Well...", he said eventually. "I think the nightmare curse I had, gave me some kind of resistance to this place." He looked up at their faces. "Ok - not resistance - but I was able to sort out real from imaginary. I could fight up there if I had to, for a while."

Hauk punched Rowe in the face. "You've got some nerve.... Count.... going off alone...." he growled.

Rowe staggered upwards, fists up, pure anger in his face.

"You're as dumb as the rest of your brothers," Hauk added, "and its us that's gonna suffer."

Rowe dove at Hauk.

* * *

The fight didn't last long. Kell sat on Rowe, and Buck and Kol held back Hauk.

Ferryl seemed amused.

Delivune added, "It's the mountain. It'll turn us against each other."

Continues with Skirmish outside the temple