A New Darkness

by Joseph Delaney

  As it chased me into the wood, it projected a globule of thick brown liquid. I dodged to one side, and when the liquid splattered on the ground, it boiled and steamed, giving off clouds of noxious fumes and eating into the vegetation and the earth beneath. It was now clear to me that the combination of the acidic liquid and the moving teeth helped the creature to burrow, and that they could also be used as weapons.

  But these were not its only weapons: three long tentacles sprouted from its back and whipped through the air toward me. Each had a sharp piece of bone at its tip.

  I ran deeper into trees, luring the vartek toward the trap that I had hastily constructed. The previous Malkin witch assassin, Kernolde, had often used hidden pits filled with sharp spikes to kill her enemies; I did the same here. I leaped across the long pit I had prepared, and the creature fell in. Its head and part of its body were impaled upon the spikes.

  Next I had to climb down into the pit and end its life. It was not easy, but I managed to kill it before it could struggle free. The scales on its upper body were hard and difficult to penetrate, but its underbelly was soft. Its bulbous eyes were particularly vulnerable to my blades.

  On dissecting it, I learned that its food is earth and rock. I can only wonder at the final size it would have attained.

  I believe that this third type of creature, the vartek (plural form: varteki), is the most formidable of the three samples I investigated. There could also be something far worse within the jars that I did not study.

  In view of our approaching conflict with the Kobalos, this does not bode well.

  Glossary of the Kobalos World

  Original written by Nicholas Browne

  Notes added by Tom Ward and Grimalkin

  Anchiette: A burrowing mammal found in northern forests on the edge of the snow line. The Kobalos consider them a delicacy eaten raw. There is little meat on the creature, but the leg bones are chewed with relish.

  Note: I tried eating the creatures (which are hardly bigger than mice), and I definitely prefer rabbit. However, they are numerous and easy to catch, best eaten in a stew. With the addition of the correct herbs, the meal is tolerable.—Grimalkin

  Askana: The dwelling place of the Kobalos gods. Probably just another term for the dark.

  Note: This is intriguing. Nicholas Browne might be right, but could it be that the Kobalos gods exist outside what we term the dark? Cuchulain dwelled within the Hollow Hills, accessed from Ireland. That too was not directly within the dark.—Tom Ward

  Baelic: The ordinary low tongue of the Kobalos people, used only in informal situations between family members or to show friendship. The true language of the Kobalos is Losta, which is also spoken by humans who border their territory. For a stranger to speak to another Kobalos in Baelic implies warmth, but it is sometimes used before a “trade” is made.

  Balkai: The first and most powerful of the three Kobalos high mages who formed the triumvirate after the slaying of the king, and now rule Valkarky.

  Berserkers: These are Kobalos warriors sworn to die in battle.

  Bindos: Bindos is the Kobalos law that demands each citizen sell at least one purra in the slave markets every forty years. Failure to do so makes the perpetrator of the crime an outcast, shunned by his fellows.

  Boska: This is the breath of a Kobalos mage, which can be used to induce sudden unconsciousness, paralysis, or terror in a human victim. The mage varies the effects of boska by altering the chemical composition of his breath. It is also sometimes used to change the mood of animals.

  Note: This was used on me; it leached the strength from my body. But I was taken by surprise. It is wise to be on our guard against such a threat and not allow a haizda mage to get close. Perhaps a scarf worn across the mouth and nose would provide an effective defense. Or perhaps plugs of wax could be fitted into the nostrils.—Tom Ward

  Bychon: This is the Kobalos name for the spirit known in the County as a boggart.

  Note: It will be interesting to discover whether these boggarts fall into the same categories we have in the County or whether there are new types there.—Tom Ward

  Chaal: A substance used by a haizda mage to control the responses of his human victim.

  Cumular Mountains: A high mountain range that marks the northwestern boundary of the Southern Peninsula.

  Dendar Mountains: The high mountain range about seventy leagues southwest of Valkarky. In the foothills is the large kulad known as Karpotha. More slaves are bought and sold here than in all the other fortresses put together.

  Dexturai: Kobalos changelings that are born of human females. Such creatures, although totally human in appearance, are susceptible to the will of any Kobalos. They are extremely strong and hardy and have the ability to become great warriors.

  Eblis: This is the foremost of the Shaiksa, the Kobalos brotherhood of assassins. He slew the last king of Valkarky using a magical lance called the Kangadon. It is believed that he is more than two thousand years old, and it is certain that he has never been bested in combat. Members of the brotherhood refer to him by two other designations: He Who Cannot Be Defeated and He Who Can Never Die.

  Erestaba: The Plain of Erestaba lies just north of the Shanna River, within the territory of the Kobalos.

  Fittzanda Fissure: This is also known as the Great Fissure. It is an area of earthquakes and instability that marks the southern boundary of the Kobalos territories.

  Note: The fissure is north of the Shanna River, but both have been described by Browne as boundaries between Kobalos and human lands. It is likely that the borders have changed many times over the long years of conflict.—Grimalkin

  Galena Sea: The sea southeast of Combesarke. It lies between that kingdom and Pennade.

  Gannar Glacier: The great ice floe whose source is the Cumular Mountains.

  Ghanbalsam: A resinous material bled from a ghanbala tree by a haizda mage and used as a base for ointments such as chaal.

  Ghanbala: The deciduous gum tree most favored as a dwelling by a Kobalos haizda mage.

  Haggenbrood: A warrior entity bred from the flesh of a human female. Its function is ritual combat. It has three selves, which share a common mind; they are, to all intents and purposes, one creature.

  Haizda: This is the territory of a haizda mage; here he hunts and farms the human beings he owns. He takes blood from them, and occasionally their souls.

  Haizda mage: A rare type of Kobalos mage who dwells in his own territory far from Valkarky and gathers wisdom from territory he has marked as his own.

  Homunculus: A small creature bred from the purrai in the skleech pens. They often have several selves, which, like the haggenbrood, are controlled by a single mind. However, rather than being identical, each self has a specialized function, and only one of them is capable of speaking Losta.

  Note: In Valkarky, I encountered the homunculus that was a servant to Slither. The one that could speak was like a small man, and it reported directly to the mage; another took the form of a rat and was used for espionage. I found it easy to control and subvert to my will. There was a third type, which was able to fly, but I did not see it. Such a creature could be used to gather information about us at long range. The three selves of the homunculus share one mind (as did the haggenbrood); thus, whatever it sees is instantly known back in Valkarky.—Grimalkin

  Hubris: The sin of pride against the gods. The full wrath of the gods is likely to be directed against one who persists in this sin in the face of repeated warnings. The very act of becoming a mage is in itself an act of hubris, and few live to progress beyond the period of novitiate.

  Hybuski: Hybuski (commonly known as hyb) are a special type of warrior created and employed in battle by the Kobalos. They are a hybrid of Kobalos and horse, but possess other attributes designed for combat. Their upper body is hairy and muscular, combining exceptional strength with speed. They are capable of ripping an opponent to pieces. Their hands are also specially adapted for fighting.

  Kangadon: This
is the Lance That Cannot Be Broken, also known as the King Slayer, a lance of power crafted by the Kobalos high mages—although some believe that it was forged by their blacksmith god, Olkie.

  Note: Grimalkin told me that this lance was finally broken by Slither, the haizda mage with whom she formed a temporary alliance. He used one of the skelt blades, Bone Cutter, to do so.—Tom Ward

  Karpotha: The kulad in the foothills of the Dendar Mountains that holds the largest purrai slave markets. Most are held early in the spring.

  Kartuna: This kulad lies beyond the Shanna River. I believe it to be the tower once visited by the haizda mage called Slither; he escaped after slaying the incumbent high mage, Nunc. I believe that the second most powerful mage in the present triumvirate has now taken up residency there, in preference to Valkarky. Many of his magical artifacts will be stored in that tower.

  Kashilowa: The gatekeeper of Valkarky, responsible for either allowing or refusing admittance to the city. It is a huge creature with one thousand legs and was created by mage magic to carry out its function.

  Kastarand: This is the word for the Kobalos holy war. They will wage it to rid the land of humans, who they believe to be the descendants of escaped slaves. The war cannot begin until Talkus, the god of the Kobalos, is born.

  Kirrhos: This is the “tawny death” that comes to victims of the haggenbrood.

  Kobalos anatomy: A Kobalos has two hearts. The larger one is in the same approximate position as a human one. However, the second one is smaller, perhaps a quarter of the size, and lies near the base of the throat. If decapitation is not possible, both hearts must be pierced; otherwise, a dying Kobalos warrior will still be dangerous.

  Kulad: A defensive tower built by the Kobalos that marks strategic positions on the border of their territories. Others deeper within their territory are used as slave markets.

  Note: A number of kulads are also controlled by high mages. They use these as dwellings; they are also used to store their magic and magical artifacts.—Grimalkin

  League: The distance a galloping horse can cover in five minutes.

  Lenklewth: The second of the three Kobalos high mages who form the triumvirate.

  Losta: This is the language spoken by all who inhabit the southern peninsula. This includes the Kobalos, who claim that the language was stolen and degraded by mankind. The Kobalos version of Losta contains a lexis almost one third larger than that used by humans, and perhaps gives some credence to their claims. It is certainly a linguistic anomaly that two distinct species should share a common language.

  Note: The mage that I killed near Chipenden spoke the language of our own land, rather than Losta. Grimalkin says that the Kobalos mages have great linguistic skill and have made it their business to learn the languages of more distant lands in preparation for invading them.—Tom Ward

  Mages: There are many types of human mage; the same is also true of the Kobalos. But for an outsider, they are difficult to describe and categorize. However, the highest rank is nominally that of a high mage. There is also one type, the haizda mage, that does not fit within that hierarchy, for these are outsiders who dwell in their own individual territories far from Valkarky. Their powers are hard to quantify.

  Mandrake: Sometimes called mandragora, this is a root that resembles the human form and is sometimes used by a Kobalos mage to give focus to the power that dwells within his mind.

  Meljann: The third of three Kobalos high mages who form the triumvirate.

  Note: During my visit to Valkarky, I fought and slew Meljann in the plunder room when attempting to regain my property. I do not know who replaced him.—Grimalkin

  Northern kingdoms: This is the collective name sometimes given to the small kingdoms, such as Pwodente and Wayaland, which lie south of the Great Fissure. More usually it refers to all the kingdoms north of Shallotte and Serwentia.

  Note: I am surprised that Nicholas Browne does not mention Polyznia, the largest and most powerful of those principalities.—Grimalkin

  Novitiate: This is the first stage of the learning process undertaken by a haizda mage, which lasts approximately thirty years. The candidate studies under one of the older and most powerful mages. If the novitiate is completed satisfactorily, the mage must then go off alone to study and develop his craft.

  Note: I believe that the haizda mage slain near Chipenden by Thomas Ward had only just completed his novitiate, which was fortunate indeed. A haizda such as Slither, the one I encountered in Valkarky, would have proved a much more deadly opponent.—Grimalkin

  Oscher: A substance that can be used as emergency food for horses; made from oats, it has special additives that can sustain a beast of burden for the duration of a long journey. Unfortunately, it results in a severe shortening of the animal’s life.

  Olkie: This is the god of Kobalos blacksmiths. He has four arms and teeth made of brass. It is believed that he crafted the Kangadon, the magical lance that cannot be deflected from its target.

  Oussa: The elite guard that serves and defends the triumvirate; also used to guard parties of slaves taken from Valkarky to the kulads to be bought and sold.

  Plunder room: This is the vault where members of the triumvirate store the items they have confiscated, by the power of magic, force of arms, or legal process. It is the most secure place in Valkarky.

  Note: In order to retrieve the property that had been stolen from me, I successfully breached the defenses of this place, which Nicholas Browne describes above as “the most secure place in Valkarky.” I did not find it difficult—but this may be accounted for by the fact that my abilities, both magical and martial, were unknown to the Kobalos. I will no doubt find their defenses much stronger the next time I venture into that city. Additionally, the birth of their god Talkus will at least triple the magical strength of the Kobalos mages.—Grimalkin

  Polyznia: This is the largest and most prosperous of the northern principalities that border the Kobalos lands. Their army is small but well disciplined, and their archers and cavalry are first-class. They are ruled by a brave prince called Stanislaw.

  Purra (plural purrai): The term used to denote one of the female purebred stock of humans bred into slavery by the Kobalos. The term is also applicable to those females who dwell within a haizda.

  Salamander: A fire dragon tulpa.

  Shaiksa: This is the highest order of Kobalos assassins. If one is slain, the remainder of the brotherhood are honor bound to hunt down his killer.

  Note: Grimalkin told me that at the moment of death, a Shaiksa assassin has the ability to send a thought message to his brethren, telling them of the manner of his death and who is responsible. Members of the order will then hunt down his killer.—Tom Ward

  Shakamure: The magecraft of haizda mages, which draws its power from the taking of human blood and the borrowing of souls.

  Shanna River: The Shanna marks the old border between the northern human kingdoms and the territory of the Kobalos. Now Kobalos are often to be found south of this line. The treaty that agreed on this border has long been disregarded by both sides.

  Note: Before the ritualistic challenge by the Shaiksa assassin, all bands of Kobalos warriors retreated to their own side of the river. We have yet to learn the reason for this. Much of Kobalos behavior still remains a mystery.—Grimalkin

  Shatek (also known as a djinn): This is a warrior entity with three selves and a single controlling mind. It differs from the haggenbroood in that it was created to be deployed in battle. A number of them have rebelled and are no longer subject to Kobalos authority. They dwell far from Valkarky, bringing death and terror to the lands surrounding their lairs.

  Shudru: The Kobalos term for the harsh winter of the northern kingdoms.

  Skaiium: The time when a haizda mage faces a dangerous softening of his predatory nature.

  Skapien: A small secret group of Kobalos within Valkarky, who are opposed to the trade in purrai.

  Skelt: This is a creature that lives near water and kills its
victims by inserting its long snout into their bodies and draining their blood. The Kobalos believe it is the shape that their god Talkus will assume at his birth.

  Skleech pens: Pens within Valkarky where the Kobalos keep human female slaves, using them for food or to breed other new species and hybrid forms to do their bidding.

  Sklutch: This is a type of creature employed by the Kobalos as servants. Its speciality is cleaning the rapidly growing fungus from the walls and ceilings of the dwellings within Valkarky.

  Skoya: The material of which Valkary is constructed. It is formed within the bodies of whoskor.

  Skulka: A poisonous water snake whose bite induces instant paralysis. It is much favored by Kobalos assassins, who use it to render their victims helpless before slaying them. After death, its toxins are impossible to detect in the victim’s blood.

  Slarinda: These are the females of the Kobalos. They have been extinct for more than three thousand years. They were murdered—slain by a cult of Kobalos males who hated women. Now Kobalos males are born of purrai, human females held prisoner in the skleech pens.

  Talkus: The god of the Kobalos, who is not yet born. In form he will resemble the creature known as a skelt. Talkus means the God Who Is Yet to Be. He is sometimes also referred to as the Unborn.

  Therskold: A threshold upon which a word of interdiction or harming has been laid. This is a potent area of haizda strength, and it is dangerous—even for a human mage—to cross such a portal.

  Note: When I examined the lair of the haizda mage near Chipenden, there was no barrier in place. This was no doubt because Tom Ward had already killed the mage. So I have yet to test the strength of such a defense. Whether or not the barriers that protected the plunder room were examples of therskold or something similar, I do not know. However, they provided little hindrance.—Grimalkin