rainagel 2007-11-23 14:40
The Orc King(Full Version)
PRELUDEvCIJ xY;E
Drizzt Do'Urden crouched in a crevice between a pair of boulders on the side of a
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mountain, looking down at a curious gathering. A human, an elf, and a trio of dwarves
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- at least a trio -/xpl5A2xS&J i:\1[;]y
stood and sat around three flat-bedded wagons that were parked in a triangle around{ oeo#I
a small campfire. Sacks and kegs dotted the perimeter of the camp, along with a cluster
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of tents, reminding Drizzt that there was more to the company than the five in his
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view. He looked past the wagons to a small, grassy meadow, where several draft horses
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grazed. Just to the side of them, he saw again that which had brought him to the
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edge of the camp: a pair of stakes capped with the severed heads ofR(d W#zZ_I
orcs.x)@k6R7C"H_O6F$C
The band and their missing fellows, then, were indeed members of Casin Cu Calas,
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the "Triple C," an organization of vigilantes who took their name from the ElvishtTf&^+E(['P1o1b _
saying that meant "honor in battle."7h8`} x[
Given the reputation of Casin Cu Calas, whose favorite tactic was to storm orc
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homesteads in the dark of night and decapitate any males found inside, Drizzt found
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the name more than a little ironic, and more than a little distasteful.
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"Cowards, one and all," he whispered as he watched one man hold up a full-lengthsuNtpVT+dM
black and red robe. The man flapped it clean of the night's dirt and reverently folded
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it, bringing it to his lips to kiss it before he replaced it in the back of one wagon..K W[c'Q;oi'u
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He reached down and picked up the second tell-tale garment, a black hood. He moved
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to put that, too, in the wagon but hesitated, then slipped the hood over his head,8EN,M
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adjusting it so that he could see through the two eye-holes. That drew the attention-d9n5j d#B+K2b
of the other four.(|7@TGixK [zk
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The other five, Drizzt noted as the fourth dwarf walked back around a corner of the
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wagon to regard the hooded man. cD:S3[1xV
"Casin Cu Calas!" the man proclaimed, and held up both his arms, fists clenched, ^1D
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in an exaggerated victory pose. "Suffer no orc to live!"
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"Death to the orcs!" the others cried in reply.0\o Y3I$N
The hooded fool issued a barrage of insults and threats against the porcine-featured!\ iY(@Z.a5x$m
humanoids. Up on the side of the hill, Drizzt Do'Urden shook his head and deliberately:`*c#R2U+wV Gz
slid his bow, Taulmaril, off his shoulder. He put it up, notched an arrow, and drew
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back in one fluid motion.*OL(d B3`*o+q u-Rl(m)D
"Suffer no orc to live," the hooded man said again -}9Q],k5w Z l#n
or started to, until a flash of lightning shot through the camp and drove into a
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keg of warm ale beside him. As the keg exploded, liquid flying, a sheet of dissipating)sY+yl3T jW
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electricity momentarily stole the darkness from the growing twilight.
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All six of the companions fell back, shielding their eyes. When they regained their
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sight, one and all saw the lone figure of a lean dark elf standing atop one of their O;Y5dXb}2[
wagons.t){n&|#?&]6z2k
"Drizzt Do'Urden," gasped one of the dwarves, a fat fellow with an orange beard andHm~/[4@7\ X6m
an enormous temple-to-temple eyebrow.$x t*[ r(M'Z _Y
A couple of the others nodded and mouthed their agreement, for there was no mistaking
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the dark elf standing before them, with his two scimitars belted at his hips and` ~V g!mb;f
Taulmaril, the Heartseeker, again slung over one shoulder. The drow's long, thick
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white hair blew in the late afternoon breeze, his cloak flapped out behind him, andM*H(q#F8l9E
even the dull light remaining could do little to diminish the shine of his silvery-white
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mithral-lined shirt.{:z hT-k `%O
Slowly pulling off his hood, the human glanced at the elf then back at Drizzt. "YourD*qe${ qQ)[:j
reputation precedes you, Master Do'Urden," he said. "To what do we owe the honor7f%yf5j2b!cM
of your presence?"W~+F-N [j!L7\HY
" 'Honor' is a strange word," Drizzt replied. "Stranger still coming from the lips
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of one who would wear the black hood."
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A dwarf to the side of the wagon bristled and even stepped forward, but was blocked"[%x7Q;ZW1C F&q,]%D
by the arm of the orange-bearded fellow.1F
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The human cleared his throat uncomfortably and tossed the hood into the wagon behind
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him. "That thing?" he asked. "Found along the road, of course. Do you assign it any
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significance?"
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"No more so than the significance I assign the robe you so reverently folded and
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kissed."
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That brought another glance at the elf, who, Drizzt noticed, was sliding a bit more
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to the side -IZ l n&zD
notably behind a line etched in the dirt, one glittering with shiny dust. When Drizztus(N]o o
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brought his attention more fully back to the human, he noted the change in the man's[ L"ND0C:GR
demeanor, a clear scowl replacing the feigned innocence.
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"A robe you yourself should wear," the man said boldly. "To honor King Bruenor Battlehammer,b(F%r!m"P"f!y5]4a P
whose deeds - "
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"Speak not his name," Drizzt interrupted. "You know nothing of Bruenor, of his exploits-g3?7^l+{D
and his judgments."
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"I know that he was no friend of - "R:drA f9^
"You know nothing," Drizzt said again, more forcefully.
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"The tale of Shallows!" one of the dwarves roared.
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"I was there," Drizzt reminded him, silencing the fool.
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The human spat upon the ground. "Once a hero, now gone soft," he muttered. "On orcs,!U+e
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no less."
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"Perhaps," Drizzt replied, and in the blink of an astonished eye, he brought his i+T vB GI;p
scimitars out in his black-skinned hands. "But I've not gone soft on highwaymen and4K*B9OU
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murderers."
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"Murderers?" the human retorted incredulously. "Murderers of orcs?" v%w k0L4P+Un
Even as he finished speaking, the dwarf at the side of the wagon pushed through hisK%u I}9\)F
orange-bearded companion's arm and thrust his hand forward, sending a hand-axe spinning
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at the drow.
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Drizzt easily side-stepped the unsurprising move, but not content to let the missileisq
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harmlessly fly past, and seeing a second dwarf charging from over to the left, he/w'azsx.Pn6cy4U
snapped out his scimitar Icingdeath into the path of the axe. He drew the blade back
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as it contacted the missile, absorbing the impact. A twist of his wrist had the scimitar's.p8u6W$[:Z(T8B xZ6n
blade firmly up under the axe's head. In a single fluid movement, Drizzt pivoted
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back the other way and whipped Icingdeath around, launching the axe at the charging
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dwarf.
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The rumbling warrior brought his shield up high to block the awkwardly spinning axe, D ^R
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which clunked against the wooden buckler and bounced aside. But so too fell awayw/tK b
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that dwarf's determined growl when he again lowered the shield, to find his intended
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target nowhere in sight.3q"X~ [(u m s.r P
For Drizzt, his speed enhanced by a pair of magical anklets, had timed his break
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perfectly with the rise of the dwarf's shield. He had taken only a few steps, but ? v v1sU7r H^8su
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enough, he knew, to confuse the determined dwarf. At the last moment, the dwarf noticed,Dy2J CER+q^
him and skidded to a stop, throwing out a weak, backhanded swipe with his warhammer.
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But Drizzt was inside the arch of the hammer, and he smacked its handle with one+Gt@o%He~(e-I
blade, stealing the minimal momentum of the swing. He struck harder with his second
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blade, finding the crease between the dwarf's heavy gauntlet and his metal-banded
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bracer. The hammer went flying, and the dwarf howled and grabbed at his bleeding,
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broken wrist.*s1b}4L{ Y(id
Drizzt leaped atop his shoulder, kicked him in the face for good measure, and sprang A{2_Q1I:Q$H _ k
away, charging at the orange-bearded dwarf and the axe
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thrower, both of whom were coming on fast. P7d7vZL z;r q
Behind them, the human urged them in their charge, but did not follow, reaffirming
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Drizzt's suspicions regarding his courage, or lack thereof.
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Drizzt's sudden reversal and rush had the two dwarves on their heels, and the drow5h*M
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came in furiously, his scimitars rolling over each other and striking from many different&cJw\:O5T
angles. The axe-thrower, a second small axe in hand, also held a shield, and so fared?5c S6MA(D3B
better in blocking the blades, but the poor orange-bearded fellow could only bring
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his great mace out diagonally before him, altering its angle furiously to keep up
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with the stream of strikes. He got nicked and clipped half a dozen times, drawing
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howls and grunts, and only the presence of his companion, and those others all around8V
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demanding the attention of the drow, prevented him from being seriously wounded,}/q
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or even slain on the spot. For Drizzt could not finish his attacks without opening
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himself up to counters from the dwarf's companions. E/l%D-[/K E"W
After the initial momentum played out, the drow fell back. With typical stubbornness,)oP:Rw]4\'VZ5]F
the two dwarves advanced. The one with the orange beard, his hands bleeding and one6Xm^|E
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finger hanging by a thread of skin, attempted a straightforward overhead chop. His
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companion half turned to lead with his shield then pivoted to launch a horizontal
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swing meant to come within a hair's breadth of his companion and swipe across from
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Drizzt's left to right. N O rFq*T'F0VK
The impressive coordination of the attack demanded either a straight and swift retreatu.^
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or a complex two-angled parry, and normally, Drizzt would have just used his superior
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speed to skip back out of range..AO5U+c Pj}
But he recognized the orange-bearded dwarf's tenuous grip, and he was a drow, afterij/SYY]|
all, whose entire youth was spent in learning how to execute exactly those sorts
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of multi-angled defenses. He thrust his left scimitar out before him, rode his hand
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up high and turned the blade down to intercept the sidelong swing, and brought his
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right hand across up high over his left, blade horizontal, to block the downward
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strike.8I9f"]8S)Q ]y9h
As the hammer coming across connected with his blade, Drizzt punched his hand forward
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and turned his scimitar to divert the dwarf's weapon low, and in doing so, the drow~)}3~~M }j
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was able to take half a step to his left, lining himself up more fully with the other's
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overhead strike. When he made contact with that weapon, he had his full balance,~ U~,M-[^P
his feet squarely set beneath his shoulders.H&H:Q/f~G
He dropped into a crouch as the weapon came down, then pushed up hard with all his
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strength. The dwarf's badly-injured top hand could not hold, and the drow's moveq J-TW s#};oAQ Z
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forced the diminutive warrior to go right up to his tip-toes to keep any grasp on
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his weapon at all. T/d3v0Qzr
Drizzt turned back to the right as he rose, and with a sudden and powerful move,
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he angled and drove the dwarf's weapon across to his right, putting it in i u'c9|%]k n}#V
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the path of the other dwarf's returning backhand. As the pair tangled, Drizzt disengaged!q4E/|N Xr
and executed a reverse spin on the ball of his left foot, coming all the way around
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to launch a circle kick into the back of the orange-bearded dwarf that shoved him2A g*V9I M
into his companion. The great mace went flying, and so did the dwarf with the orange
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beard, as the other dwarf ducked a shoulder and angled his shield to guide him aside.
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"Clear for a shot!" came a cry from the side, demanding Drizzt's attention, and the
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drow abruptly halted and turned to see the elf, who held a heavy crossbow leveledP,|%|/Kr`W#|
Drizzt's way.
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Drizzt yelled and charged at the elf, diving into a forward roll and turning as he6|%dvO%N"]9_$Z*I
went so that he came up into a sidelong step. He closed rapidly.
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Then he rammed into an invisible wall, as expected, for he understood that the crossbow)b.k w8k4k
had been only a ruse, and no missile could have crossed through to strike at him
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through the unseen magical barrier._8h HB,g
Drizzt rebounded back and fell to one knee, moving shakily. He started up, but seemed
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to stumble again, apparently dazed.
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He heard the dwarves charging in at his back, and they believed beyond any doubt#T"f2tl'O+S3~?[9\
that there was no way he could recover in time to prevent their killing blows.}9k{/al+?
"And all for the sake of orc
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s, Drizzt Do'Urden," he heard the elf, a wizard by trade, remark, and he saw they5M6\1h"~2u P
lithe creature shaking his head in dismay as he dropped the crossbow aside. "Not^q6q7XKh U
so honorable an end for one of your reputation."9}VIM;O:Ep:Z
*****
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Taugmaelle lowered her gaze, stunned and fearful. Never could she have anticipated
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a visit from King Obould VI, Lord of Many-Arrows, particularly on this, the eve of
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her departure for the Glimmerwood, where she was to be wed.
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"You are a beautiful bride," the young orc king remarked, and Taugmaelle dared glance)~(Hm_ M%|)O@ I
up to see Obould nodding appreciatively. "This human - what is his name?"7s(KZO&v W8Hr
"Handel Aviv," she said.{ M*Cb X2?B
"Does he understand the good fortune that has shone upon him?"
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As that question digested, Taugmaelle found courage. She looked up again at her king`)W A3D B9Ow8W EI
and did not avert her eyes, but rather met his gaze.
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"I am the fortunate one," she said, but her smile went away almost immediately as&p1R@5\"vc k ` e
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Obould responded with a scowl.
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"Because he is human?" Obould blustered, and the other orcs in the small house all
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stepped away from him fearfully. "A higher being? Because you, a mere
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9
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ore, are being accepted by this Handel Aviv and his kin? Have you elevated yourselfmb D4L#]z#K
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above your race with this joining, Taugmaelle of Clan Bignance?"9Z+L }6cG R6L
"No, my king!" Taugmaelle blurted, tears rushing from her eyes. "No. Of course, nothing
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of the sort..."
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"Handel Aviv is the fortunate one!" Obould declared.9J;B#v,vO
"I... I only meant that I love him, my king," Taugmaelle said, her voice barely above2` x*QI;g eD i"M0L
a whisper.
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The sincerity of that statement was obvious, though, and had Taugmaelle not averted;lEF*BU
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her gaze to the floor again, she would have seen the young orc king shift uncomfortably,!?!@9x&aJ^7FL/W Ak
his bluster melting away.
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"Of course," he replied after a while. "You are both fortunate, then."3tQ tE qG7J
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"Yes, my king."
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"But do not ever view yourself as his lesser," Obould warned. "You are proud. You.x_Z;em|8J
are orc. You are Many-Arrows orc. It is Handel Aviv who is marrying above his heritage.
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Do not ever forget that."
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"Yes, my king."
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Obould looked around the small room to the faces of his constituents, a couple standing
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slack-jawed as if they had no idea how to react to his unexpected appearance, and
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several others nodding dully.
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"You are a beautiful bride," the king said again. "A sturdy representative of all0["^ aEO"L]
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that is good in the Kingdom of Many-Arrows. Go forth with my blessing."v[!N)tCc E
"Thank you, my king," Taugmaelle replied, but Obould hardly heard her, for he had
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already turned on his heel and moved out the door. He felt a bit foolish for hisM&d%Z6f'qMr [B.rT
overreaction, to be sure, but he reminded himself pointedly that his sentiments had*Z2} v_e|5D2{%p
not been without merit.y
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"This is good for our people," said Taska Toill, Obould's court advisor. "Each of,G0U"u R| @/Y
these extra-racial joinings reinforces the message that is Obould. And that this
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union is to be sanctified in the former Moonwood is no small thing."yr i X;G-r
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"The steps are slow," the king lamented.
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"Not so many years ago, we were hunted and killed," Taska reminded. "Unending war.
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Conquest and defeat. It has been a century of progress."
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Obould nodded, though he did remark, "We are still hunted," under his breath. Worse,1P Q ~ I DA"D:j
he thought but did not say, were the quiet barbs, where even those who befriended.Rwb5Z0c]%h2K
the people of Many-Arrows did so with a sense of superiority, a deep-set inner voice
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that told them of their magnanimity in befriending, even championing the cause of
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such lesser creatures. The surrounding folk of the Silver Marches would often forgive3j:W~y
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orc
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for behavior they would not accept among their own, and that wounded Obould as greatly!N!c7f H @L?'j B}
as those elves, dwarves, and humans who outwardly and openly sneered at his people.
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*****
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Drizzt looked up at the elf wizard's superior smile, but when the drow, too, grinned,
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and even offered a wink, the elf's face went blank.+VaK:nQE2Q
A split second later, the elf shrieked and flew away, as Guenhwyvar, six hundred
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pounds of feline power, leaped against him, taking him far, and taking him down.
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One of the dwarves charging at Drizzt let out a little cry in surprise, but despite
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the revelation of a panther companion, neither of the charging dwarves were remotely
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prepared when the supposedly stunned Drizzt spun up and around at them, fully aware~!f`,u a6Z:r vO
and fully balanced. As he came around, a backhand from Twinkle, the scimitar in hisj0h_N l+P0t@1^
left hand, took half the orange beard from one dwarf, who was charging with abandon,%d4p`*rt;Xf1y
his heavy weapon up over his head. He still tried to strike at Drizzt, but swirled
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and staggered, lost within the burning pain and shock. He came forward with his strike,
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but the scimitar was already coming back the other way, catching him across the wrists.&nk7@/u h~6A{
His great mace went flying. The tough dwarf lowered his shoulder in an attempt to{\;l Au |
run over his enemy, but Drizzt was too agile, and he merely shifted to the side andK9T1Y1R2^(A g,z
trailed his left foot, over which the wounded dwarf tumbled, cracking his skull against1|
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the magical wall.;P b'P R4U a
His companion fared no better. As Twinkle slashed across in the initial backhand,Ww-xv R+]"YU6M
the dwarf shifted back on his heels, turning to bring his shield in line, and broughtl$Pa[y
his weapon arm back to begin a heavy strike. Drizzt's second blade thrust in behindt1K.}U"P%@;_(g
the backhand, however, the drow cleverly turning his wrist over so that the curvingpgT*U3m,U'V
blade of the scimitar rolled over the edge of the shield and dived down to strike&A p eA w/\6z4s
that retracted weapon arm right where the bicep met the shoulder. As the dwarf, too"vZ Z5Z2z
far into his move to halt it completely, came around and forward with the strike,
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his own momentum drove the scimitar deeper into his flesh.;@(cq a6T
He halted, he howled, he dropped his axe. He watched his companion go tumbling away.8MG5^&dOc(Q'R$O
Then came a barrage as the deadly drow squared up against him. Left and right slashed B G
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the scimitars, always just ahead of the dwarf's pathetic attempts to get his shield[2G;? I7Lf ~N
in their way. He got nicked, he got slashed, he got shaved, as edges, points and
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flats of two blades made their way through his defenses. Every hit stung, but none
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of them were mortal.
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But he couldn't regain his balance and any semblance of defense, nor did he hold
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anything with which to counter, except his shield. In desperation, the dwarf turned
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and lunged, butting his shield arm forward. The drow easily rolled around it, though,
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and as he pivoted to the dwarf's right he punched out behind him, driving the pommel
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of his right blade against the dwarf's temple.
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7
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11
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He followed with a heavy left hook as he completed his turn, and the dazed dwarf
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offered no defense at all as fist and hilt smashed him across the face.
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He staggered two steps to the side, and crumbled into the dirt.O?!X!j,IF"H(|
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Drizzt didn't pause to confirm the effect, for back the other way, the first dwarf
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he had cut was back to his feet and staggering away. A few quick strides brought
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Drizzt up behind him, and the drow's scimitar slashed across the back of the dwarf's
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legs, drawing a howl and sending the battered creature whimpering to the ground.
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Again, Drizzt looked past him even as he fell, for the remaining two members of the
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outlaw band were fast retreating. The drow put up Taulmaril and set an arrow retrieved
6^ S B-Qb:D4CY.R
from the enchanted quiver he wore on his back. He aimed center mass on the dwarf,
BO:g4y s u B
but perhaps in deference to King Bruenor7xPE8~/KKP ^,h
- M L+a B&N d.Q?v_i
or Thibbledorf, or Dagnabbit, or any of the other noble and fierce dwarves he had,W%[ x%n f2@7a&a?A%o
known those decades before, he lowered his angle and let fly. Like a bolt of lightning, {`-X4G*n@|
the magical arrow slashed the air and drove through the fleshy part of the dwarf's|? EtC
thigh. The poor dwarf screamed and veered then fell down. ?_$m ^7Z!d Vp
Drizzt notched another arrow and turned the bow until he had the human, whose longersD YN"x(@} I e
legs had taken him even farther away, in his sight. He took aim and drew back steadily,/W!h1^A/ie$m__
but held his shot as he saw the man jerk suddenly then stagger.
.J D hI3\ i Z |HI
He stood there for just a moment before falling over, and Drizzt knew by the way)L~ L O:RU;Q
he tumbled that he was dead before he ever hit the ground.
%L%K8\2O7y9b
The drow glanced back over his shoulder, to see the three wounded dwarves struggling, k za5s/K x
but defeated, and the elf wizard still pinned by the ferocious Guenhwyvar. Every
5j
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Ai B
time the poor elf moved, Guenhwyvar smothered his face under a huge paw.
W
h |;~ ~ b'K:l
By the time Drizzt looked back, the killers of the human were in view. A pair of
~"jy r d&`"yu
elves moved to gather the arrow-shot dwarf, while another went to the dead man, and
q5C1o-e7F/G#eD
another pair approached Drizzt, one riding on a white-winged steed, the pegasus named
3i7t s? C d$P `
Sunrise. Bells adorned the mount's harness, bridle, and saddle, tinkling sweetly
.d
Y%VrMt8~,k4Q
- ironically so - as the riders trotted up to the drow.
}h0u`A?0J4X3k
"Lord Hralien," Drizzt greeted with a bow./]9_L ?$s m'B G} f
"Well met and well done, my friend," said the elf who ruled the ancient expanse of
n3tK%Y%I
the Glimmerwood that the elves still called the Moonwood. He looked around, noddingR/_ `*_,j*s6^1}C-^0EJ
with approval. "The Night Riders have been dealt yet one more serious blow," he said,
2F%{'I R#ib
using another of the names for the
wVB/I(om*R6l i%k
orc-killing vigilantes, as did all the elves, refusing to assign a title as honorable
7ZD$XbnZ
as Casin Cu Calas
9H r@ t Z;Kp
to a band they so abhorred.
I fbP7faT s/N
"One of many we'll need, I fear, for their numbers do not seem diminished," said%w
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JR
Drizzt.
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12
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"They are more visible of late," Hralien agreed, and dismounted to stand before his
$eB#v-r6Z$c,P
old friend. "The Night Riders are trying to take advantage of the unrest in Many-Arrows.
Xo c5i9bp
They know that King Obould VI is in a tenuous position." The elf gave a sigh. "As
;aZ X;Du
he always seems to be, as his predecessors always seemed to be.";~g#l:yLv(r
"He has allies as well as enemies," said Drizzt. "More allies than did the first'`y-GW&U J
of his line, surely."
c$yf$~ a@,d'Y
"And more enemies, perhaps," Hralien replied..t Kx^,s$?i
Drizzt could not disagree. Many times over the last century, the Kingdom of Many-Arrows
M*X/@|3E$\
had known inner turmoil, most often, as was still the case, brewing from a rival7[/h]-j
DW
group of orc
v bTg`Jg
s. The old cults of Gruumsh One-eye had not flourished under the rule of the Oboulds,_*A_4Y[$W a
but neither had they been fully eradicated. The rumors said that yet another group,j\ j O`DL!g!\
of shamans, following the old warlike ways of goblinkind, were creating unrest and#^ el*b1En2~H u/X
plotting against the king who dared diplomacy and trade with the surrounding kingdoms
%c2{.pA,d`'l)}
of humans, elves, and even dwarves, the most ancient and hated enemy of the
3u2^2H,_3n6be3G
orcs.
qLd5N:W
"You killed not one of them," Hralien remarked, glancing around at his warriors who
%lh M&a!V]2Z?
gathered up the five wounded Night Riders. "Is this not in your heart, Drizzt Do'Urden?5zY"z(j
dr
Do you not strike with surety when you strike to defend the
`9C/O [GvV!r(@;j
orcs?"-z!Y1w5[ D@m*jV
H
"They are caught, to be justly tried."
d
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"By others."
n?oXT6y0c:O]
"That is not my province."
n%N/av#H
r/C|
"You would not allow it to be," Hralien said with a wry grin that was not accusatory.a+T?,Y;uN
`/X
"A drow's memories are long, perhaps."
4D
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"No longer than a moon elf's."
"M3K[
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"My arrow struck the human first, and mortally, I assure you.".C!R` eq
"Because you fiercely battle those memories, while I try to mitigate them," Drizzt
V2a(d1xH4[a
Z
replied without hesitation, setting Hralien back on his heels. If the elf, startled
6N-a0^2X1l4DK^
though he was, took any real offense, he didn't show it.z H[8M!z{*S
"Some wounds are not so healed by the passage of a hundred years," Drizzt went on,
,fk i{A l ? }
m
looking from Hralien to the captured Night Riders. "Wounds felt keenly by some of
Ti W$[1us#Y1B`.Dfb,C
our captives here, perhaps, or by the grandfather's grandfather of the man who lies7?,D,MB:@m8e
dead in the field beyond."
{-\ CG;W3X
"What of the wounds felt by Drizzt Do'Urden, who did battle with King Obould in theAe Y O g
orc
$|1_(tkR ? O
's initial sweep of the Spine of the World?" Hralien asked. "Before the settlementb8](U3CR;Z7D+c `%{
of his kingdom and the treaty of Garumn's Gorge? Or who fought again against Obould
+_L8m
q[x
II in the great war in the Year of the Solitary Cloister?"/ujY&EM(Wi
Drizzt nodded with every word, unable to deny the truth of it all. He had made
2r-U e"G4u b)w
9
3s;X#j!re7r)d ?
13
d8C-C1a u1|S
his peace with the orc
M,NZ7M3fta&B
s of Many-Arrows, to a great extent. But still, he would be a liar to himself ifM8x8S7W)c3l
he failed to admit a twinge of guilt in battling those who had refused to end the
`8[w2c K$pt
ancient wars and ancient ways, and had continued the fight against theW }
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orcs - a war that Drizzt, too, had once waged, and waged viciously.
!kT c2i{:i"k
m$P
"A Mithral Hall trade caravan was turned back from Five Tusks," Hralien said, changing
K"~Xe(a0r3a
his tone as he shifted the subject. "A similar report comes to us from Silverymoon,!brSY H(U
where one of their caravans was refused entry to Many-Arrows at Ungoor's Gate north
d.iJ$Z"j[7d
of
0F;a~$t d#X {']+]/a*v
Nesm? It is a clear violation of the treaty." `7_7HV R[;zd L `
"King Obould's response?"8O P!\%CFJ
"We are not certain that he even knows of the incidents. But whether he does or not,
t
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it is apparent that his shaman rivals have spread their message of the old ways fark2RWp1I/{
`U*c
beyond Dark Arrows Keep."#hh^ y'J o
Drizzt nodded.2\!_ d A H8OlJ
"King Obould is in need of your help, Drizzt," Hralien said. "We have walked this
-@
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M8x
road before."
Q8k `#?&Ij
Drizzt nodded in resignation at the unavoidable truth of that statement. There were
O r y.V%Q^)D
times when he felt as if the road he walked was not a straight line toward progress,|$OJJ v"D2~
but a circling track, a futile loop. He let that negative notion pass, and reminded
Yv)~J%]r0eO6]
v Zu
himself of how far the region had come u-u jd1}
jb+k
- and that in a world gone mad from the Spellplague. Few places in all of Faerun@0qKFa6{ u
f:t;ak
could claim to be more*f ~ nx T u v0_L
civilized than they had been those hundred years before, but the region known as
~$u
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the Silver Marches, in no small part because of the courage of a succession ofv9li,C
Ko F8\2q8[2x!n
orc kingDB Uq l%Em
s named Obould, had much to be proud of.!l'km1k.om,HQ(E;i7dK
His perspective and memories of that time a hundred years gone, before the rise of
(`JW9h |(z
the Empire of Netheril, the coming of the aboleths, and the discordant and disastrous
$R [/P1u5}U _
joining of two worlds, brought to Drizzt thoughts of another predicament so much
RR,Gk;b7K%|.WC"N
_
like the one playing out before him. He remembered the look on Bruenor's face, as-C&u6f } o;U'S&wxV1ah
incredulous as any expression he had ever seen before or since, when he had presented
(A`2A]^
the dwarf with his surprising assessment and astounding recommendations.
l,a4Ml:ac1J C k
He could almost hear the roar of protest: "Ye lost yer wits, ye durned orc-brained,.|:TJ/?
^\ i0w
pointy-eared elf!"
smt$J@
On the other side of the magical barrier, the elf shrieked and Guenhwyvar growled, Gz W8W u3j k {.D
and Drizzt looked up to see the wizard stubbornly trying to crawl away. Guenhwyvar's
1L{[/?
D
great paw thumped against his back, and the panther flexed, causing the elf to dropx"mL6g u_ zg;y Z
back to the ground, squirming to avoid the extending claws.
u j8T9oSr
Hralien started to call to his comrades, but Drizzt held his hand up to halt them.
z Y z!D(HMG"S%VV
He could have walked around the invisible wall, but instead he sprang into the air-f8d1Q
C2r }#E
bQ
beside it, reaching his hand as high as he could. His fingers slid over7wf Y0^:^:v
10U Kk/[;~5xn.z
144c#t"? {.H#G i ] z
the top and caught a hold, and the drow rolled his back against the invisible surface
%a;UEM r7jA|,L's#^
and reached up with his other hand. A tuck and roll vaulted him feet-over-head overRy/m7c9V8O1C
the wall, and he landed nimbly on the far side.
E7t-b Z/S:J'aC
He bade Guenhwyvar to move aside then reached down and pulled the elf wizard to his
&R:Np ~ey1B8E&G1{
feet. He was young, as Drizzt had expected - while some older elves and dwarves were
s0I f g(CU;?(T
inciting theCO7d8{Y w4[Xi(W6~
Casin Cu Calas,
1` e'L!{'?.fq
the younger members, full of fire and hatred, were the ones executing the unrest
\6zJ8w#l
X
in brutal fashion.t!CI3x
k
The elf, uncompromising, stared at him hatefully. "You would betray your own kind," pg"M
_ UU,k8a
he spat.4? _ M @ ZZ%M }
Drizzt cocked his eyebrows curiously, and tightened his grip on the elf's shirt,@%M)T d?PY
holding him firmly. "My own kind?"/AN)a0k yz.P L2u+m
"Worse then," the elf spat. "You would betray those who gave shelter and friendship V:zrl;m1?
to the rogue Drizzt Do'Urden.".e,~Jw)q'| W.f
"No," he said. kb.F!a$f8p
"You would strike at elves and dwarves for the sake of orcs!"
x
A2DX Pq3A2R
"I would uphold the law and the peace."b_
nmPcz(? }
The elf mocked him with a laugh. "To see the once-great ranger siding with orcs,"
@U:A%fbS-o.?+Gy
he muttered, shaking his head.
3S5f)v)e}J V%p
Drizzt yanked him around, stealing his mirth, and tripped him, shoving him backward
z1^)n3A jzN
into the magical wall.
7j AQg?&U#T+`
"Are you so eager for war?" the drow asked, his face barely an inch from the elf's.
S(k(Pi e{*C9b
"Do you long to hear the screams of the dying, lying helplessly in fields amidstSi3O(qg8u8L
rows and rows of corpses? Have you ever borne witness to that?"1Z HnYN7bz.n&A}
"Ores!" the elf protested.
F;y V5Q"o
Drizzt grabbed him in both hands, pulled him forward, and slammed him back against
fv6W o$N5W
the wall. Hralien called to Drizzt, but the dark elf hardly heard it.)D}%N)j c6j \\l5YM O
"I have ventured outside of the Silver Marches," Drizzt said, "have you? I have witnessed~/q0g`/| N N@+`
the death of once-proud Luskan, and with it, the death of a dear, dear friend, whose
t@D3UQ Ipf y4g
dreams lay shattered and broken beside the bodies of five thousand victims. I have Qc-D7cA8X%C$a
watched the greatest cathedral in the world burn and collapse. I witnessed the hope u3@ m9K[M"O K
of the goodly drow, the rise of the followers of Eilistraee. But where are they now?"v7SA y@3H j I|Z
"You speak in ridd - " the elf started, but Drizzt slammed him again.'p9MYvup I
"Gone!" Drizzt shouted. "Gone, and gone with them the hopes of a tamed and gentle
m&M1I|.}iDc7to]
world. I have watched once safe trails revert to wilderness, and have walked a dozen-dozenOe M z#@
?n-{CFK
communities that you will never know. They are gone now, lost to the Spellplague$?)V B~3I+n ^.pO
or worse! Where are the benevolent gods? Where is the refuge from the tumult of a
Gv*G1H:t9?p"_l
world gone mad? Where are the candles to chase away the darkness?"
%}y2j*q_P
11] j(g,S n L{ mos
15
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Hralien had quietly moved around the wall and walked up beside Drizzt. He put a hand
RX.~
OW+]!w P7@
on the drow's shoulder, but that brought no more than a brief pause in the tirade.
:r e%pi iYb5k)MX
Drizzt glanced at him before turning back to the captured elf.NJz1O _+M
"They are here, those lights of hope," Drizzt said, to both elves. "In the Silver
.g%@7`7_ LdA$M"f
Marches. Or they are nowhere. Do we choose peace or do we choose war? If it is battle
FJ h7x1@"c
you seek, fool elf, then get you gone from this land. You will find death aplenty,{ j0n:\+Q.u
I assure you. You will find ruins where once proud cities stood. You will find fields
"y ejF0S ZMz
of wind-washed bones, or perhaps the remains of a single hearth, where once an entire7^4rGf bo,PZ3L-u T
village thrived.
G#I X.uJ5dr
"And in that hundred years of chaos, amidst the coming of darkness, few have escaped&S:z
C/K"d [
the swirl of destruction, but we have flourished. Can you say the same for Thay?
O8r1e"D+MR;S
IG/A
Mulhorand? Sembia? You say I betray those who befriended me, yet it was the visionfe'FB2iZ:QV
of one exceptional dwarf and one exceptional
2dg1H[` bR0v^;h
orc that built this island against the roiling sea."
y2lCVG4s,?
The elf, his expression more cowed, nonetheless began to speak out again, but Drizzt
LJ ic9_c
L c
pulled him forward from the wall and slammed him back even harder.5W[V3t
T e)L4}
"You fall to your hatred and you seek excitement and glory," the drow said. "Because
Z i;zE3S1c$v%q5}
you do not know. Or is it because you do not care that your pursuits will bring utter
3eWg0Q+j7b
?]2d
misery to thousands in your wake?"B8IsZ:G/O gU"H
Drizzt shook his head, and threw the elf aside, where he was caught by two of Hralien's
-pp
z6r @y MR9R
warriors and escorted away.
4Gu&dZF5TT7f(f
"I hate this," Drizzt admitted to Hralien, quietly so that no one else could hear.
/Z-Q u]sQd
"All of it. It is a noble experiment a hundred years long, and still we have no answers."
l2T!W2p:xN2U
"And no options," Hralien replied. "Save those you yourself just described. The chaos
;yy
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^/zie4zJ9E/o
encroaches, Drizzt Do'Urden, from within and without."Y't[_,?0\/q
w {
Drizzt turned his lavender eyes to watch the departure of the elf and the capturedL*H8v wFB
dwarves.
A x4U^,L N8{xw
"We must stand strong, my friend," Hralien offered, and he patted Drizzt on the shoulderCB&ki3s
and walked away.
)n2_`/r*uk
"I'm not sure that I know what that means anymore," Drizzt admitted under his breath,
`sN
i{ gXl{uv
too softly for anyone else to hear.(R'_W2SF*r
12
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16
P6JX q
}x J
PART*y V v7R^
1
;P B4A#RH(~P$}#m
THE(M9~n^:hy-n\0w3r
PURSUITp7CBISN'{p
OF HIGHER'[9Jwy}@
TRUTH
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13
5At
o@\8E
D5Jw
17
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141hn q0I){%DTO$c
18
*?!r'Ixc)\5q*Ah
THE H J#M
D*a T
PURSUIT
j? P t+nn ] yK
OF HIGHER
CE F _sr]|8Ok
TRUTHN-N.s-u'~W
One of the consequences of living an existence that spans centuries instead of decades
.]!oX/JIm |,?]:n
is the inescapable curse of continually viewing the world through the focusing prism8[4]bF1B `"De9v*u*AX
employed by an historian.7J c(Fl8o$_|,B9S
I say "curse" - when in truth I believe it to be a blessing -
+o5H#u
[ b ^Q
because any hope of prescience requires a constant questioning of what is, and a
N k$S\r:C#CS v
deep-seated belief in the possibility of what can be. Viewing events as might the~ |?Zs
historian requires an acceptance that my own initial, visceral reactions to seemingly
fcj w9H
momentous events may be errant, that my "gut instinct" and own emotional needs may
1d vh-z+T!V)L!G#S
not stand the light of reason in the wider view, or even that these events, so momentous&L6xy YkF
in my personal experience, might not be so in the wider world and the long, slow
1^ e#n"t[ L}T l
passage of time.,Z"p`r6m
X K
S
How often have I seen that my first reaction is based on half-truths and biased perceptions!
F"fB[X
`
How often have I found expectations completely inverted or tossed aside as events
(}:u{E2n:j[,j%l@
played out to their fullest!f0T6D r
g3H A3{'K
Because emotion clouds the rational, and many perspectives guide the full reality.
;v#e.y7f Y6c
To view current events as an historian is to account for all perspectives, even those
k0_8tG9{K
of your enemy. It is to know the past and to use such relevant history as a8DmsEE%E'Q~
15;`Sc-Oe f
19
r
M!B(U5C8r"]o
template for expectations. It is, most of all, to force reason ahead of instinct,
!Z'A f:j @f,o
to refuse to demonize that which you hate, and to, most of all, accept your own fallibility.$F L/q"[ _
l
K.M
And so I live on shifting sands, where absolutes melt away with the passage of decades.yn.[+b3F"yRd4r
It is a natural extension, I expect, of an existence in which I have shattered the
@ l
yPKc rbE
preconceptions of so many people. With every stranger who comes to accept me forZMYo*PV(k
who I am instead of who he or she expected me to be, I roil the sands beneath that
O~}5S&z I]
person's feet. It is a growth experience for them, no doubt, but we are all creatures
)E1}!d*[P.JM
of ritual and habit and accepted notions of what is and what is not. When true reality
0Z"M{h:J\"n Y
cuts against that internalized expectation9}EL+D-\| v
- when you meet a goodly drow! -
g i8D-eT$i,yS
there is created an internal dissonance, as uncomfortable as a springtime rash.
'W,m5`3hE5s
There is freedom in seeing the world as a painting in progress, instead of a place
y:]Wt3W:M V
already painted, but there are times, my friend ...
(v$u s&b!U2n%v
There are times.3|Z*{_MQ @
And such is one before me now, with Obould and his thousands camped upon the very6e.D3zH5HUb$G
door of Mithral Hall. In my heart I want nothing more than another try at the orc&|pn
g+S
king omu `b7DGh8M
} _s`
, another opportunity to put my scimitar through his yellow-gray skin. I long to
G7g Z1nw.n I-C
wipe the superior grin from his ugly face, to bury it beneath a spray of his ownT9BW"m0|8F F[/m
blood. I want him to hurtBsddz`6c \EX
-
6iq#t@0d+rC9j
to hurt for Shallows and all the other towns flattened beneath the stamp of
s#D'~#E \u'OR jg"E:n
orcRY6n-v5IQ4b*h {
feet. I want him to feel the pain he brought to Shoudra Stargleam, to Dagna and
u FD;V X
Dagnabbit, and to all the dwarves and others who lay dead on the battlefield that
UX v$L svX
he created.'B!sKt8m k F
Will Catti-brie ever walk well again? That, too, is the fault of Obould.
;J-S4A u ` qV4w4}6M
And so I curse his name, and remember with joy those moments of retribution that#x2dkH
j#cb4|1~m
Innovindil, Tarathiel, and I exacted upon the minions of the foul orc king
"Z8iLt$}&YQ1Q
. To strike back against an invading foe is indeed cathartic.6K K {'mB
That, I cannot deny.
{x\~bPN3c
16
d.xq#d;t
20.\P%W,ZQg.K9n
And yet, in moments of reason, in times when I sit back against a stony mountainside!K#A
d3S5k-Hvr7V%kc As
and overlook that which Obould has facilitated, I am simply not certain.x WY@C-J]0f
Of anything, I fear. b6F\
W!dWh lW8f
He came at the front of an army, one that brought pain and suffering to many peopley%T8Zq;C(j+~
across this land I name as my home. But his army has stopped its march, for now at
Q*h x3A T&_#n!x n
least, and the signs are visible that Obould seeks something more than plunder and
s"[+l(i|?w/Z
r
victory. f.m uw*l/w
Does he seek civilization?
;je4p0NJi [ X
Is it possible that we bear witness now to a monumental change in the nature of orcw0T?E
Y/I
culture? Is it possible that Obould has established a situation, whether he intended)V'G&e|+Y'M1T+N
this at first or not, where the interests of the @g;Ogt4W-{
orcs and the interests of all the other races of the region coalesce into a relationship(@m jST9Jm-m#v
of mutual benefit?
5b^c,S\&n!V8BI
Is that possible? Is that even thinkable?
IZ&C)lf1uY)k9@
Do I betray the dead by considering such a thing?
/A \/zm(l0nsgbmA BQ
Or does it serve the dead if I, if we all, rise above a cycle of revenge and war
1i&r&rA6T&P.S{+D
and find within us - orc and dwarf, human and elf alike - a common ground upon which
z A_6c*i'U7j r
to build an era of greater peace? OUr Lb$\j.F{ v
For time beyond the memory of the oldest elves, the orcs have warred with the "goodly"p,n9I3qH [Q!c+D
races. For all the victories - and they are countless! - and for all the sacrifices,%Wj,A*iu
are the orc4Dz$s9f:k$Y[j
s any less populous now than they were millennia ago?*a:K-e1N;s%i*O]
I think not, and that raises the specter of unwinnable conflict. Are we doomed toW,e{ _6C!c X
repeat these wars, generation after generation, unendingly? Are we - elf and dwarf,
}4k r7n0x [#D
human and orc alike -.` ~$U/F g
condemning our descendants to this same misery, to the pain of steel invading flesh?6O$Q|.B5e1{(Ibu t
I do not know.I.K6^E%k9[
And yet I want nothing more than to slide my blade between the ribs of King Obould5ipE"n Op&|CI!}Z
Many-Arrows, to relish in the grimace of agony on his tusk-torn lips, to see the.VRS
K V ]2cf
s Q
light dim
,o:l:EE N!q;G5H}!d
17
.?%{l'^;c S\l
21
D(l(t&v?Nv2o
?
in his yellow, bloodshot eyes..pA0s,M$I9vj;W
But what will the historians say of Obould? Will he be the orc who breaks, at long,t-i(O{6J
long last, this cycle of perpetual war? Will he, inadvertently or not, present the
@5b \,s%l3qK;S.}
orc e'yo;SzE
]s
s with a path to a better life, a road they will walk p8O@7S4Q"@
k
- reluctantly at first, no doubt - in pursuit of bounties greater than those they
6s4J$m&?7g
might find at the end of a crude spear?
+h wPi ];G
o7k;S
I do not know.] CkQ;_G.|
And therein lies my anguish. u"{ zQ D2q+|+?N
I hope that we are on the threshold of a great era, and that within the orc
A w:u O1}
character, there is the same spark, the same hopes and dreams, that guide the elves,
iKx#XR4FF]7E
dwarves, humans, halflings, and all the rest. I have heard it said that the universal
sU(MB+Bf9G;NH.A
hope of the world is that our children will find a better life than we.:I3]4U'{7W
Is that guiding principle of civilization itself within the emotional make-up of
)Y3}8} _%M
QO
goblinkind? Or was Nojheim, that most unusual goblin slave I once knew, simply an
4q4n8b#R A'd2}
{,_U x-S
anomaly?e5{Mc_HR*oN;i~
Is Obould a visionary or an opportunist?g^6hfe R7qG
Is this the beginning of true progress for the orc race, or a fool's errand for any,9N q2Y0bu*}
myself included, who would suffer the beasts to live?#^L$sQ Pqr+_
Because I admit that I do not know, it must give me pause. If I am to give in to p,W;X9{0S.z4A
c[
the wants of my vengeful heart, then how might the historians view Drizzt Do'Urden?A,r:mf U4p
Will I be seen in the company of those heroes before me who helped vanquish the charge
e$@:Vai
of the orcs, whose names are held in noble esteem? If Obould is to lead the orc.La MkA |+{"S
s forward, not in conquest, but in civilization, and I am the hand who lays him low,r
wY
G8Kr
then misguided indeed will be those historians, who might never see the possibilities9z CD"Cd
c
that I view coalescing before me.
P[ q c/a jQ
Perhaps it is an experiment. Perhaps it is a grand step along a road worth walking.&m1Lp G7i8X!W
Or perhaps I am wrong, and Obould seeks dominion and blood, and the orcs have noG}LN!{j3B*~
sense of commonality, have no
-Mz![t
A
A*B:U8o duN
18)F aX
}9Bj|
22 f nq*Cm
aspirations for a better way, unless that way tramples the lands of their mortal,
9v"u5~!R$Zzt4@ d
eternal enemies.9O
}*I5] x[%T
But I am given pause.*`1S
v-pY0T]
And so I wait, and so I watch, but my hands are near to my blades.&R6Y2X.\ Gy
?Drizzt Do'Urden
H t3\ _-{ D e
19e2AG!hg%C7M.@
R
23D*hs
a `(~
20+w5_w-k
M
24
/\X!m [-z
Chapter
F.S.e[C"}
CHAPTER#D7k0Nk\a4B;N7|
1vfy%Owc#@;Y@
PRIDE
;C4Q F$Z q#Y$j
|.r
AND
9| U%oP(` |KE0at [;Fb
PRACTICALITYP T'P'B ] q.TF5o6}
On the same day that Drizzt and Innovindil had set off for the east to find the body
L~,\3c^ Z3{W*@(R
of Ellifain, Catti-brie and Wulfgar had crossed the Surbrin in search of Wulfgar's
-o!_qg7cq&z'X)[
missing daughter. Their journey had lasted only a couple of days, however, before
:e8e
l4[*r(p"q
they had been turned back by the cold winds and darkening skies of a tremendous winter*@!?}lyD:y
storm. With Catti-brie's injured leg, the pair simply could not hope to move fast[4a I
`1?$g
enough to out-distance the coming front, and so Wulfgar had refused to continue.
p9M \ X"~\P {'A
Colson was safe, by all accounts, and Wulfgar was confident that the trail would
mv Q[ R2Z0R Z`L
not grow cold during the delay, as all travel in the Silver Marches would come to
;U @ z2L8D BE
a near stop through the frozen months. Over Catti-brie's objections, the pair had
(q+}hfR
re-crossed the Surbrin and returned to Mithral Hall.
S
QeUj0K%eP#c r9p
That same weather front destroyed the ferry soon after, and it remained out of commission9eSde"Y;?
though tendays passed. The winter was deep about them, closer to spring than to fall.
miUpv7OR
b#Q
The Year of Wild Magic had arrived.
@(s]c#xD-D
For Catti-brie, the permeating cold seemed to forever settle on her injured hip and!` z [|m(~t
leg, and she hadn't seen much improvement in her mobility. She could walk with a
{a!E(T"av%xkd~Y
crutch, but even then every stride made her wince. Still she wouldn't accept a chair&lF$UX)Z0G
with wheels, such as the one the dwarves had fashioned for the crippled Banak Brawnanvil,$vJZt)F2`4z%O
and she certainly wanted nothing to do with the contraption Nanfoodle had designed
j#J uP'D
zX\
for her: a comfortable palanquin meant to be borne by four willing dwarves. Stubbornness
!] W
f pt5w
aside, her injured hip would not support her weight very well, or for any length
;k f3x DfD2Z@
of time, and so Catti-brie had settled on the crutch.
'T4X_ D@ e4J `!Q
21
+]O n*C |2b*~7k_b j
252B%U \ K Xx:Z
For the last few days, she had loitered around the eastern edges of Mithral Hall,
ZF/A@ ] b9xX
across Garumn's Gorge from the main chambers, always asking for word of the orc:x(j BNh
s who had dug in just outside of Keeper's Dale, or of Drizzt, who had at last been
2U3u/S#I*m-Tnw
seen over the eastern fortifications, flying on a pegasus across the Surbrin beside
6^!pyfC$A N o
Innovindil of the Moonwood.
8R `(u9_
^v
Drizzt had left Mithral Hall with Catti-brie's blessing those tendays before, but
Q%X KExF(z
she missed him dearly on the long, dark nights of winter. It had surprised her when&q1f
O6udQ'Q&o6k1R
he hadn't come directly back into the halls upon his return from the west, but she
"s)oL*r6ve0f
trusted his judgment. If something had compelled him to go on to the Moonwood, then`A E }-aI&E r
it must have been a good reason.$q;V[7C7r!m*]$U
"I got a hunnerd boys beggin' me to let 'em carry ye," Bruenor scolded her one day,*o O NA PL0B:d
when the pain in her hip was obviously flaring. She was back in the western chambers,U @-Y1Y,UO1d5}J
in Bruenor's private den, but had already informed her father that she would go back
'B X5_%I0~ ImnD
to the east, across the gorge. "Take the gnome's chair, ye stubborn girl!"x#^)xi3f
"I have my own legs," she insisted.+~XR^7?[
"Legs that ain't healing, from what me eyes're telling me." He glanced across the
7U
]QE-b|3c6P
hearth to Wulfgar, who reclined in a comfortable chair, staring into the orange flames.
l&u e E O E[
"What say ye, boy?"
?5E*q/[a&qQ7N3{
Wulfgar looked at him blankly, obviously having no comprehension of the conversation*H/D,V6^3d
between the dwarf and the woman.H ~9J3w'v j1Qa
"Ye heading out soon to find yer little one?" Bruenor asked. "With the melt?"
I5a.cNl g^ P0a
"Before the melt," Wulfgar corrected. "Before the river swells."
z8U.cyNt/|tTT%N
"A month, perhaps," said Bruenor, and Wulfgar nodded.
!h(D;j f,K1b?Br I
"Before Tarsakh," he said, referring to the fourth month of the year.5u~z b0R pxn
Catti-brie chewed her lip, understanding that Bruenor had initiated the discussion
Ku+{;p+n~9[M1G j
with Wulfgar for her benefit.
C3qR*j#[?
"Ye ain't going with him with that leg, girl," Bruenor stated. "Ye're limpin' about Szh}$c
here and never giving the durned thing a chance at mending. Now take the gnome's
WN6@ma(g"UC4s Z[z
chair and let me boys carry ye about, and it might be
6}_6c8R8Z
- it just might be - that ye'll be able to go with Wulfgar to find Colson, as ye
wR)~.m
} R
planned and as ye started afore."5zm4G$Dc Q ^
Catti-brie looked from Bruenor to Wulfgar, and saw only the twisting orange flames
(]B%D
`5^!M%X
reflected in the big man's eyes. He seemed lost to them all, she noted, wound up Q&x6}gBF1N)F7p
too tightly in inner turmoil. His shoulders were bowed by the weight of guilt, to0[9Lu~#W5l8}j
be sure, and the burden of grief, for he had lost his wife, Delly Curtie, who stills3F,F8k2N X
lay dead under a blanket of snow on a northern field, as far as they knew.
@V*L
Ki J
Catti-brie was no less consumed by guilt over that loss, for it had been herR5])r:XJ+} Q Pb*D |
22 J'w)l p {3vzZ
266t N-F-w9V ~|
sword, the evil and sentient Khazid'hea, that had overwhelmed Delly Curtie and sent,@ V&s nO8O9Fe!}
her running out from the safety of Mithral Hall. Thankfully - they all believed -
pX/t'A F._ h
Delly hadn't taken her and Wulfgar's adopted child, the toddler girl, Colson, with
5w-K.zU)Gt+G
her, but had instead deposited Colson with one of the other refugees from the northland,
i0z'UQO7J4H }1M-h
who had crossed the River Surbrin on one of the last ferries to leave before the9TD7hS@3b4H
u
onslaught of winter. Colson might be in the enchanted city of Silverymoon, or in
e1@O
mcs
Sundabar, or in any of a host of other communities, but they had no reason to believe
/e%a'F QB:LG
that she had been harmed, or would be.f)R3L q WE
And Wulfgar meant to find her -
'ub cyC Qx
it was one of the few declarations that held any fire of conviction that Catti-brie
N,DG
S n K
had heard the barbarian make in tendays. He would go to find Colson, and Catti-briey5y{ J w5u
felt it was her duty as his friend to go with him. After they had been turned back
6[[4^-I*ULO(`,Um'e9K
by the storm, in no small part because of her infirmity, Catti-brie was even more
2D ?FJk
determined to see the journey through.
+p`.fN
D K$QZ LDu
Truly Catti-brie hoped that Drizzt would return before that departure day arrived,
f`W#?&W:M7n/M
however. For the spring would surely bring tumult across the land, with a vast orc
6|:F;Dq8~
army entrenched all over the lands surrounding Mithral Hall, from the Spine of the
bn W'JtNl+n
World mountains to the north, to the banks of the Surbrin to the east, and to the
6Iv"E:E4K`0P
passes just north of the Trollmoors in the south. The clouds of war roiled, and only
Yu!D(w6U3L
winter had held back the swarms. ^
xj
k8r!W
When that storm finally broke, Drizzt Do'Urden would be in the middle of it, and(X P&H8A8Z:a[
Catti-brie did not intend to be riding through the streets of some distant city on
.m hFz%e
that dark day.
6c4k-`a:I
"Take the chair," Bruenor said - or said again, it seemed, from his impatient tone.s d-Z#vl3v
Catti-brie blinked and looked back at him.
b:bD ~3F+m;zYe[ E
"I'll be needin' both o' ye at me side, and soon enough," Bruenor said. "If ye'reL1z X3Y,A I_)Ph O
to be slowing Wulfgar down in this trip he's needing to make, then ye're not to bex_9Kn5HiYb
going."g0_l'e9|Ip
"The indignity...." Catti-brie said with a shake of her head.
Y9BF Fc!k
But as she did that, she overbalanced just a bit on her crutch and lurched to the-j^&b!G5g%G
side. Her face twisted in a pained grimace as shooting pains like little fires rolled
g#J%IZ#f5`
tF^ X
through her from her hip.
'C`2|
~H VA&S
"Ye catched a giant-thrown boulder on yer leg," Bruenor retorted. "Ain't no indignity.H Hrr3`9C%wZ k
in that! Ye helped us hold the hall, and not a one o' Clan Battlehammer's thinking
,X co"Ij'C D1X2ea&M
ye anything but a hero. Take the durned chair!"[f({/k o\7y5i
"You really should," came a voice from the door, and Catti-brie and Bruenor turnedU_ xY o;}X_O;~:C
to see Regis the halfling enter the room.
B2n(p!X,O%d3] N L3J/WR
His belly was round once again, his cheeks full and rosy. He wore suspenders, as
G~6Frr8al5^/]g
\
he had of late, and hooked his thumbs under them as he walked, eliciting an
I#U(V u)}VU(m
23
vS4}tk R.v
27
O"cr8d ^d]
air of importance. And truly, as absurd as Regis sometimes seemed, no one in theHJ%U l$J0d
hall would deny that pride to the halfling who had served so well as Steward of Mithral
e;TN0ng6K:@
Hall in the days of constant battle, when Bruenor had lain near death.
"a1U P$EG t
"A conspiracy, then?" Catti-brie remarked with a grin, trying to lighten the mood.S6D'R-_ lK
They needed to smile more, all of them, and particularly the man seated across fromz
U6m!S%C2d0U ?
where she stood. She watched Wulfgar as she spoke, and knew that her words had not9ybvT_1S,ze'K Y,l
even registered with him. He just stared into the flames, truly looking inward. TheYGLB [ O!?2J~9U
expression on Wulfgar's face, so utterly hopeless and lost, spoke truth to Catti-brie.3Ex a-c"k8h)W
She began to nod, and accepted her father's offer. Friendship demanded of her that Z:sNm5{ l,U
she do whatever she could to ensure that she would be well enough to accompany Wulfgar9j@ E#w)cP
on his most important journey. b)t2hQxu:J)mta
So it was a few days later, that when Drizzt Do'Urden entered Mithral Hall through
R$[8hG({ ^%t!xx
the eastern door, open to the Surbrin, that Catti-brie spotted him and called to
1w2dO"X'e7m?f
him from on high. "Your step is lighter," she observed, and when Drizzt finally recognized
)Tgf1\'c g
her in her palanquin, carried on the shoulders of four strong dwarves, he offered
3d6vioU)SVNK6u
her a laugh and a wide, wide smile.
`8u;LO3yUmy:l
"The Princess of Clan Battlehammer," the drow said with a polite and mocking bow.
7C@\;X+|B6t-r {x)`;[
On Catti-brie's orders, the dwarves placed her down and moved aside, and she hadonw2cj eWX{"V+m
just managed to pull herself out of her chair and collect her crutch, when Drizzt8{g I)S
dY%v uM:{q
crushed her in a tight and warm embrace.
-u_ ^JEH v?uy
"Tell me that you're home for a long while," she said after a lingering kiss. "The
)o
^ ~7V|
winter has been cold and lonely."$Y y*Y!T0B0c
"I have duties in the field," Drizzt replied. He added, "Of course I do," when Catti-brie
i7FD'u6Y9RsA_
smirked helplessly at him. "But yes, I am returned, to Bruenor's side as I promised,b%_ eJN D
before the snows retreat and the gathered armies move. We will know the designs of
h^3p(pU
O
Obould before long."
8z7f&d7B~cvm
"Obould?" Catti-brie asked, for she thought the orc king long dead. q5w&a$Cl6YD1J)r
"He lives," Drizzt replied. "Somehow he escaped the catastrophe of the landslide,
&mS b2k$Q
and the gathered orcs are bound still by the will of that most powerful orc." G.R i!Q2OIz
"Curse his name." Yp,V(O+Z;j;n
Drizzt smiled at her, but didn't quite agree.
~-n1t
t*ws$G
"I am surprised that you and Wulfgar have already returned," Drizzt said. "What news
_.U3kyw;pi
of Colson?"
&X2z fK-Qm f
Catti-brie shook her head. "We do not know. We did cross the Surbrin on the same
a} y+Y*`e6`*g6h M
morning you flew off with Innovindil for the Sword Coast, but winter was too close_*L%k(N%s#stA I1x
on our heels, and brought us back. We did learn that the refugee groups had marchedZ H#\ f u!p'i&@b x
for Silverymoon, at least, and so Wulfgar intends to be off
*v1E+A m x4a
24 a1d$jNU+L
28
/b t9?D{A3D'w
for Lady Alustriel's fair city as soon as the ferry is prepared to run once more."+_Yu:GQ
Drizzt pulled her back to arms' length and looked down at her wounded hip. She wore5Ni,x
a%k
a dress, as she had been every day, for the tight fit of breeches was too uncomfortable.5v LS z/J#V;dl \
The drow looked at the crutch the dwarves had fashioned for her, but she caught his;Ky"d3K4M
gaze with her own and held it.
Hgd|4Mx
"I am not healed," she admitted, "but I have rested enough to make the journey with
k0g0x6XS/r,Z9_[
Wulfgar." She paused and reached up with her free hand to gently stroke Drizzt's_;~0F NK_3xT
chin and cheek. "I have to."2PZ4\f4A{$f|OY
"I am no less compelled," Drizzt assured her. "Only my responsibility to Bruenor
`-V f)@o)P(`X.d
keeps me here instead."d/F {~_P1s"xq
"Wulfgar will not be alone on this road," she assured him.
1f5\4a&T)z)sb
Drizzt nodded, and his smile showed that he did indeed take comfort in that. "Wecux"[a
should go to Bruenor," he said and started away.
.g+l;[.wE-H3Hw+]
Catti-brie grabbed him by the shoulder. "With good news?"2q?S!v"i'{o
Drizzt looked at her curiously.B t,Ks%vn4m@f8N
"Your stride is lighter," she remarked. "You walk as if unburdened. What did you
$u,g D1yOlI!P8o
see out there? Are the orc armies set to collapse? Are the folk of the Silver Marchest*K1LG'L| ?5c
ready to rise as one to repel - "~]7E&MOI(]Wm
"Nothing like that," Drizzt said. "All is as it was when I departed, except that
T*gS*v
A2\ _0r)e Y
Obould's forces dig in deeper, as if they mean to stay."
d9M,RD+J
Y#pF
"Your smile does not deceive me," Catti-brie said.)m] v/US#g
"Because you know me too well," said Drizzt.
*KR Z,SPF/i1Y5]
"The grim tides of war do not diminish your smile?"Ev GwI+r^
"I have spoken with Ellifain."lT B0Tm
Catti-brie gasped. "She lives?" Drizzt's expression showed her the absurdity of that
*L,J{ } rg
conclusion. Hadn't Catti-brie been there when Ellifain had died, to Drizzt's own
(ub'S*l!z d.P DlEU
blade? "Resurrection?" the woman breathed. "Did the elves employ a powerful cleric5U(eB#yZ9b
to wrest the soul
&e&QO/R"}"a3__,T
- "
L.p {/yaa3L*c7qz
"Nothing like that," Drizzt assured her. "But they did provide Ellifain a conduit
l+{
YO8Fj
to relate to me ... an apology. And she accepted my own apology."
3__ Ya"T!^&|
"You had no reason to apologize," Catti-brie insisted. "You did nothing wrong, norq'G
b`~\:u;q5t
could you have known."
M%~
]$?7{4`
h
"I know," Drizzt replied, and the serenity in his voice warmed Catti-brie. "Muchf#Y @l/@.~$?e
has been put right. Ellifain is at peace."
0G4aU8_(Ur H3Pl
"Drizzt Do'Urden is at peace, you mean.""L5Q @P'h l\(X%G D
Drizzt only smiled. "I cannot be," he said. "We approach an uncertain future, with
4Z \$N-r5L
tens of thousands of orc't_,Q/u0T,^p&LZ
[
s on our doorstep. So many have died, friends included, and it seems likely that
3q:M,V L0w6O.YOF
many more will fall."
Z P u3[r-J@ rJ
Catti-brie hardly seemed convinced that his mood was dour.
r.Er"jD3]d(W
"Drizzt Do'Urden is at peace," the drow agreed against her unrelenting grin.
V1B/D BX0|I.E'h
25
KO"b3~0J"h
d:F.s:? A5M
29
"A%koZ Kp
He moved as if to lead the woman back to the carriage, but Catti-brie shook her head
.M7F
w"~TMSk
and motioned instead for him to lead her, crutching, along the corridor that would/Q
S"hQ'Q7^,v
take them to the bridge across Garumn's Gorge, and to the western reaches of Mithral
1?Nf)V-B9M0o4I({
Hall where Bruenor sat in audience.8Q/d/R w:x_6r)oU9D
"It is a long walk," Drizzt warned her, eyeing her wounded leg.D^&{/R }#N
"I have you to support me," Catti-brie replied, and Drizzt could hardly disagree.&YxH4x4Y?*oC |+a
With a grateful nod and a wave to the four dwarf bearers, the couple started away.
f'S0T {[,P#`
*****
z3z2l!V m
oc Y!@ ^
So real was his dream that he could feel the warm sun and the cold wind upon his
2c)c$uH l&lw Gnh
cheeks. So vivid was the sensation that he could smell the cold saltiness of the5BMogQ h5r0}[)^
air blowing down from the Sea of Moving Ice.
}o8` m p Z:{+@9@5v\*E'|
So real was it all that Wulfgar was truly surprised when he awoke from his nap to
)Rq!o*p/l)_
find himself in his small room in Mithral Hall. He closed his eyes again and tried
7x&nN,oP E
to recapture the dream, tried to step again into the freedom of Icewind Dale.
X h K|b | A
But it was not possible, and the big man opened his eyes and pulled himself out of&i1FbjM$Y"T_
his chair. He looked across the room to the bed. He hardly slept there of late, for&D R{C yH
that had been the bed he'd shared with Delly, his dead wife. On the few occasions
c,WOZ1`n
he had dared to recline upon it, he had found himself reaching for her, rolling to
$\;[#rp
@e
where she should have been.'Mp _ yt[ c7U9a
The feeling of emptiness as reality invaded his slumber had left Wulfgar cold every
A&DK%}\6iXR2h6Y
time.
6JlG,ng6r!Q z
At the foot of the bed sat Colson's crib, and looking at it proved even more distressing.
d%cb2vb$W6q(G
Wulfgar dropped his head in his hands, the soft feel of hair reminding him of his `
?(Xp`"H]5k hl5To)|1K
new-grown beard. He smoothed both beard and mustache, and rubbed the blurriness from Z-h+v9vLL/?
his eyes. He tried not to think of Delly, then, or even of Colson, needing to be
V-u/NN%E4ru$\/c,B
free of his regrets and fears for just a brief moment. He envisioned Icewind Dale
/@y)Gz;@!ix
in his younger days. He had known loss then, too, and had keenly felt the stings}ZM_]-_Er1c
of battle. There were no delusions invading his dreams or his memories that presented2v3ym R m#S.F"E
a softer image of that harsh land. Icewind Dale remained uncompromising, its winter
H o$]#nUv
p dV
wind more deadly than refreshing.
3Q*j }_&G.fi:D Y
But there was something simpler about that place, Wulfgar knew. Something purer."K3B f:^l
Death was a common visitor to the tundra, and monsters roamed freely. It was a land
|8WJ2y4m[\qH}
of constant trial, and with no room for error, and even in the absence of error,
*e0r+H,FQG"y
the result of any decision often proved disastrous.iC;C
J X}O
26 K6CY}?9H-m
30+X(@2l!T7{QBi kZ
Wulfgar nodded, understanding the emotional refuge offered by such uncompromising
~-ae1b aCzy y
conditions. For Icewind Dale was a land without regret. It simply was the way of
KB0M(~.x,A
things.;z8XW:Ghf&f.j
Wulfgar pulled himself from his chair and stretched the weariness from his long arms+syE+U0I
and legs. He felt constricted, trapped, and as the walls seemed to close in on him,^ @f!l+J(Q
he recalled Delly's pleas to him regarding that very feeling. W \A6|s-v
"Perhaps you were right," Wulfgar said to the empty room.
+rQB4a I3C8M!y
He laughed then, at himself, as he considered the steps that had brought him back|Uv C,qqT
to that place. He had been turned around by a storm.
^ I;W7Ccn&k r
He, Wulfgar, son of Beornegar, who had grown tall and strong in the brutal winters
;X5]1@l b4p;KO
of frozen Icewind Dale, had been chased back into the dwarven complex by the threat
Bx I;Rv8~
of winter snows!tD u]Pd:_ bN
Then it hit him. All of it. His meandering, empty road for the last eight years of
d6PO5OLI,S
his life, since his return from the Abyss and the torments of the demon, Errtu. Even,_2C \)S S
p"B,y0a
after he had gathered up Colson from Meralda in Auckney, had retrieved Aegis-fang
o;@#h }
_f l
and his sense of who he was, and had rejoined his friends for the journey back to&jW[$o3oZ{,v
Mithral Hall, Wulfgar's steps had not been purposeful, had not been driven by a clear ^zT#e6QJ-_ V R$g7U
sense of where he wanted to go. He had taken Delly as his wife, but had never stopped _@+nM1l2C!W
loving Catti-brie.
"TsU!M G/\GM
Yes, it was true, he admitted. He could lie about it to others, but not to himself.$E v'P q
b rk,c
Many things came clear at last to Wulfgar that morning in his room in Mithral Hall,
]k(M.] }
most of all the fact that he had allowed himself to live a lie. He knew that he couldn't
j7e }.A$rk T
have Catti-brie -
1}b,_"|0|z
her heart was for Drizzt1} I }+TV
A:G
- but how unfair had he been to Delly and to Colson? He had created a facade, an
`/B.B*tZ E;@5?w
illusion of family and of stability for the benefit of everyone involved, himself
J{ t^4]'Q'X9a
included.
1Jf"^t1XS\V
Wulfgar had walked his road of redemption, since Auckney, with manipulation and falsity.p V] lE;b\,yhn
He understood that finally. He had been so determined to put everything into a neat
T~aA|D?:L
and trim little box, a perfectly controlled scene, that he had denied the very essence'fx'E*[t+i}+D
of who he was, the very fires that had forged Wulfgar son of Beornegar.
j^].Z}3~ z0oD2E
He looked at Aegis-fang leaning against the wall then hefted the mighty war-hammer
-{ K0N xM
in his hand, bringing its crafted head up before his icy-blue eyes. The battles he Y)a-E y8FC
G [4w
had waged recently, on the cliff above Keeper's Dale, in the western chamber, and A N"ZUV H'V2R W
to the east in the breakout to the Surbrin, had been his moments of true freedom,
9si'qz9^
of emotional clarity and inner calm. He had reveled in that physical turmoil, he
d'`\ o9s {0sK/SW
realized, because it had calmed the emotional confusion.
HQ3C-BI
That was why he had neglected Delly and Colson, throwing himself with abandon into;x*\ e#QUI;r6i
the defenses of Mithral Hall. He had been a lousy husband to her, and a lousy father1s*e @Im A
to Colson.
yc`*xM V
27l8j}qQ6n0S
31
@H%T8xa3n&X^'f
Only in battle had he found escape.
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^opoXMy
And he was still engaged in the self-deception, Wulfgar knew as he stared at the
9R0jt-pC9@N
etched head of Aegis-fang. Why else had he allowed the trail to Colson to grow stale?cM$i6~(q3L
Why else had he been turned back by a mere winter storm? Why else
Eu
iR w'lx8G.k&A
...?T2{K_w!D
Wulfgar's jaw dropped open, and he thought himself a fool indeed. He dropped the
kr%]T'_ U#K b9j
hammer to the floor and swept on his trademark gray wolf cloak. He pulled his backpack
^ n,[)z6O,A y Y~ K
out from under the bed and stuffed it with his blankets, then slung it over one arm
Ed7hK^/i9FK2^'O2^*N
and gathered up Aegis-fang with the other.
? Y'T1a;?"r9z l i
He strode out of his room with fierce determination, heading east past Bruenor's
Q1} j;@K
i/k
audience chamber.6p6PjO5bd
D'h |v
"Where are you going?" he heard, and paused to see Regis standing before a door in,Rh1^8q n9v
the hallway.
3as
B ^(gZ(s/etj l
"Out to check on the weather and the ferry."
#hGUe N'j!Rk
"Drizzt is back."
"KH[ L i"`w
Wulfgar nodded, and his smile was genuine. "I hope his journey went well."t!H`E;U_ qf$e%s
"He'll be in with Bruenor in a short while." v6@mdd
"I haven't time. Not now."c(`0}!e3c'^!b,w G5F
"The ferry isn't running yet," Regis said.-N]2q!Q]`
But Wulfgar only nodded, as if it didn't matter, and strode off down the corridor,@%U Ao F n"X!u l [
turning through the doors that led to the main avenue that would take him over Garumn's
y^0p_ e r
Gorge.
;U@._4q#}w
Thumbs hooked in his suspenders, Regis watched his large friend go. He stood there
!y9X Lj:i
for a long while, considering the encounter, then turned for Bruenor's audience chamber.
qw-N)SDO%re
Yg C h
He paused after only a few steps, though, and looked back again to the corridor downL
W#b] QX$K X ER
which Wulfgar had so urgently departed.
V7R7e$kUB2xu7f
The ferry wasn't running.
/T8U-ba*}*Dk
289h*Rqc,]%OvY#p
32
|vv
|t P*`@
Chapter O\s^ j1H{ Z0h&x
CHAPTER)a1W+A
O+G#j$z?
2!i$t^ i Y
THE+N1I
K7{o1j H J
WILL
0@W.F V.Z
s
OF
]'A w,qW-K)@P+V
GRUUMSH$a0i2d sW)`9OK,i
Grguch blinked repeatedly as he moved from the recesses of the cave toward the pre-dawn,N V0sc @$i
light. Broad-shouldered and more than seven feet in height, the powerful half-ore,
Ox
G5Z s5i
half-ogre stepped tentatively with his thick legs, and raised one hand to shield
mc
sA:ks
q(L
his eyes. The chieftain of Clan Karuck, like all of his people other than a couple
Q(}j|aJA
of forward scouts, had not seen the light of day in nearly a decade. They lived in
:Q:]U7a7U[sz
the tunnels, in the vast labyrinth of lightless caverns known as the Underdark, and@$mRf"Y-VI e`
Grguch had not undertaken his journey to the surface lightly.+h]O h0BGj UZ^
Scores of Karuck warriors, all huge by the standards of the orc race -
o_%??0I)yS^"[
approaching if not exceeding seven feet and weighing in at nearly four hundred pounds
8c/Y[6Wy.i;J r @
of honed muscle and thick bone - t`#\q%i(w
lined the cave walls. They averted their yellow eyes in respect as the great warlord.@ufG Q G#O^%MF/l
Grguch passed. Behind Grguch came the merciless war priest Hakuun, and behind him
0]9`a!d4~*kI'rY D
the elite guard, a quintet of mighty ogres fully armed and armored for battle. More&[ x{
Z"qQ0o
ogres followed the procession, bearing the fifteen-foot
abs/`ik j
Kokto Gung Karuck,
L
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the Horn of Karuck, a great instrument with a conical bore and a wide, upturned bell.
g#rB} { X
It was fashioned of
;l3a w;U7@%|v} g
shroomwood, what the orcs named the hard skin of certain species of gigantic Underdarkj {O
e!m(]"`/R%E Q
mushrooms. To the orc
}6I2QJ'lNhh!a
warriors looking on, the horn was deserving of, and receiving of, the same respect
,nk9O"N6M
as the chieftain who preceded it.
;F.l/_rQ0x)~
Grguch and Hakuun, like their respective predecessors, would have had it no other
ga `M:Y+{
way.
`7q*Zs!y d
Grguch moved to the mouth of the cave, and out onto the mountainside J UC S!Ez
r5D7|
29
)ka,e-{.v+u
G j{`)F
33
%h
C vd O$yz*qP4U,s-}*_,r
ledge. Only Hakuun came up beside him, the war priest signaling the ogres to wait
|#Z6cY)s uoq
behind.
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Grguch gave a rumbling laugh as his eyes adjusted and he noted the more typical orcs
*d2X(pR#D4}2t i-a
scrambling among the mountainside's lower stones. For more than two days, the second
d0Yo9@ O4T
orc0A#}Ut ~ cx JO
clan had been frantically keeping ahead of Clan Karuck's march. The moment they'd
;} s(e3Lu*^)[
at last broken free of the confines of the Underdark, their desire to stay far, far
a D-\*f y6J
away from Clan Karuck grew only more apparent.x ]j O1B/f^AU:V
"They flee like children," Grguch said to his war priest.]$h%gR+m'qt
"They are children in the presence of Karuck," Hakuun replied. "Less than that when
/^6Y}&X;ya"M
great Grguch stands among them."\ sy$` [(`] p
The chieftain took the expected compliment in stride and lifted his eyes to survey
Rn(x F"p:F w!l
the wider view around them. The air was cold, winter still gripped the land, butT*X9N E X;wzpU)s(x
Grguch and his people were not caught unprepared. Layers of fur made the huge#c6z4qrWM3T;LP
orc chieftain appear even larger and more imposing.
U7^0~N7K)[ u#t(nZ
"The word will spread that Clan Karuck has come forth," Hakuun assured his chieftain.
9y0N(M'U2H&_8a
Grguch considered the fleeing tribe again and scanned the horizon. "It will be known
Acl$E&q"D
faster than the words of running children," he replied, and turned back to motion
a2s7{4@o]1?
to the ogres.
9]qI4y%T%o
The guard quintet parted to grant passage to Kokto Gung Karuck. In moments, the skilled
N!z~GU~B
k
team had the horn set up, and Hakuun properly blessed it as Grguch moved into place.
Z_b%W W
When the war priest's incantation was complete, Grguch, the only Karuck permitted
Y'|hNwjz/|*J9}
to play the horn, wiped the shroomwood mouthpiece and took a deep, deep breath.?9uF`9c#s A)I
A great bass rumbling erupted from the horn, as if the largest bellows in all the
.h3XE b1C
world had been pumped by the immortal titans. The low-pitched roar echoed for milesph%k3S(A ]@3p4{
and miles around the stones and mountainsides of the lower southern foothills ofw}4_ X,i
J
the Spine of the World. Smaller stones vibrated under the power of that sound, andlY%z5F^
one field of snow broke free, creating a small avalanche on a nearby mountain.
g D\A'}!P w'\/i
p
Behind Grguch, many of Clan Karuck fell to their knees and began swaying as if in
9U`iT2[#n
religious frenzy. They prayed to the great One-eye, their warlike god, for they heldD5g ip+@I
great faith that when
P` v6v,n] o
Kokto Gung Karuck(|f(T*I'@ iG a
was sounded, the blood of Clan Karuck's enemies would stain the ground.b p#s(n2S|/}W*o y
And for Clan Karuck, particularly under the stewardship of mighty Grguch, it had"jjv:j[7z$|S
never been hard to find enemies.q {;d&E,H:l+b;v
*****
&bP%me#K:s"m
302RJ2I!Q;I&n%}"x
34waG&yA1M8y(NG1J
In a sheltered vale a few miles to the south, a trio of orcs lifted their eyes to
']D,k:o8@ lH
the north.QG2O c H7Uv l] vO
"Karuck?" asked Ung-thol, a shaman of high standing.
Y3R
Vo.{Yq'i
"Could it be any other?" replied Dnark, chieftain of the tribe of the Wolf Jaw. Both)]?Slq0s?
turned to regard the smugly smiling shaman Toogwik Tuk as Dnark remarked, "Your call,zp's p
o
was heard. And answered."
PxE J ETIW$t/[$Q
Toogwik Tuk chuckled.5cnC!u-^4Y
"Are you so sure that the ogre-spawn can be bent to your will?" Dnark added, stealing
+V;Dj-[6i#T
the smile from Toogwik Tuk's ugly orc face.
f Nu1V Jf
His reference to Clan Karuck as "ogre-spawn" rang as a clear reminder to the shaman
;j"T*p!J i$]R
that they were not ordinary orcy[)\2ph M4k(rk D
s he had summoned from the lowest bowels of the mountain range. Karuck was famous
'^
F2h a"b~!l
among the many tribes of the Spine of the WorldL pu+fb8mc%X
- or infamous, actually -
J%P0N(Jc3z;He [
for keeping a full breeding stock of ogres among their ranks. For generations untold,
BF] S-D`5ZnBi Z
Karuck had interbred, creating larger and larger
(Vm [9KD*L:gku
orc8Vw"](~9DXs'H
warriors. Shunned by the other tribes, Karuck had delved deeper and deeper into
*`(^mud
the Underdark. They were little known in recent times, and considered no more than
X!p
j(k9g2IB
a legend among manyN)y.V f)@2~y
orc tribes.*W Vl
K(X7R0e_C
But the Wolf Jaw orcs and their allies of tribe Yellow Fang, Toogwik Tuk's kin, knew
^V(wh'x@k5{
better.-` z+g5tYO*zD
"They are only three hundred strong," Toogwik Tuk reminded the doubters.9y9FM0UV7m(t S
A second rumbling from Kokto Gung Karuck shook the stones.7v%x
a!}8~m.Sh
"Indeed," said Dnark, and he shook his head.
%V*Wy,C1b#h2_
"We must go and find Chieftain Grguch quickly," Toogwik Tuk said. "The eagerness Xy cN2`5{0wy d
of Karuck's warriors must be properly steered. If they come upon other tribes and E
p1P0~ v(A*j
do battle and plunder ..."2z9yZe-i} V3m
"Then Obould will use that as more proof that his way is better," Dnark finished.
]b#Rb2gq@$m
"Let us go," said Toogwik Tuk, and he took a step forward. Dnark moved to follow,1F2dx4ci4S\ G
but Ung-thol hesitated. The other two paused and regarded the older shaman.N)U9| s4C
"We do not know Obould's plan," Ung-thol reminded.
"b8Y
q j9D0}`t$@
"He has stopped," said Toogwik Tuk.
FN'[%t[I N k
"To strengthen? To consider the best road?" asked Ung-thol.%@ Co,K{-u
oK L*k-L
"To build and to hold his meager gains!" the other shaman argued.!|A9{j9p
"Obould's consort has told us as much," Dnark added, and a knowing grin crossed his"ps r%kh:R)z
tusky face, his lips, all twisted from teeth that jutted in a myriad of random directions,5{5y&I E D.p