Hinterland Fortress

by Ron Smorynski

  "Doesn't sound fair," Ender blurted.

  "Fair? Oh, this is Hinterland Fortress, run by the Duke and his precious investors! They make the rules, fair or not. And with so few of us out here, they're dictating the trading deals and salvage rules!" Ligo said. "Course, they change them based on their own merchants and bankers decisions, but what choice is there my friends? This is the frontier, the Evermire, and luck of the coin they are looking and looking, seeking for all that is coming forth from the depths of this lost land of many kingdoms! The waters are receding, so whatever great wars they once had here, with even greater kingdoms, is now coming forth. And the Duke and his investors from Telehistine and from far away rich lands want whatever is found. Those few lords and ladies are seeking all we can find! And they are buying!"

  Ender and Rhyal heard the tales from the traveling minstrels and knew the calling, wanting adventurers out here to find and explore the lost ruins. And here they were, with a gnome trader convincing them to work with him.

  "What exactly will you be doing?" Rhyal asked.

  "Oh me," the gnome pouted, spurting a bit of ale. "I'll get the deals done, use my connections in the trade offices to get us better coin, and find the right job, for the right price, for you two to accomplish."

  Ender and Rhyal looked at each other and shrugged.

  "Let's try him out," Ender said.

  "Like a fine coat! Of course! So, let us eat, drink, and be merry! Do we have a deal then?" He put out his small hand.

  They weren't sure how to shake it, for it seemed like a small child's, only knobbier. Rhyal tried a polite shake but the gnome grabbed her long fingers, squeezing them and shaking vigorously. He then grabbed Ender thumb and shook it quite vigorously too.

  "Fantastic! Fantastic! I feel a fine partnership is upon us all!"

  4. First Outing

  The next morning, Ender and Rhyal came out of their decent rooms in the inn. She got them a room together. They grew up like a big sister with a little brother. She found his wayward human ways of interest and followed him on his marshland explorations. She saw that the noble elven's secluded ways were limiting. She wanted to use her learned skills beyond the halls of elven sanctuaries.

  They came out in the early morning din and were unsure of Ligo's situation. The night before when Rhyal was getting their place, he gave them drunken goodbyes and sauntered off.

  Many of the ruffians slept in the inn itself, in the lodge with the fire now just a warm pile of white ash. The dwarves got rooms downstairs, taking the dungeon like dwellings where the innkeeper stored some provisions. He seemed to trust the dwarves. It was surely dank and musty down there. This lone rock fortress in the bog was an odd island in a sea of mud and mire.

  Ender and Rhyal came out early, walking quietly past all the snoring sleepers. They went out onto the fortress grounds. They saw only a few dwarves and men opening up the two trade buildings. To their left was the more common Merchants of the Trade and to their right was the compound, called Merchants & Banking. It had a fine sign and those notable iron bars enclosing its walkways. It appeared there was a fancy courtyard within the building’s compound. But that was not for Ender and Rhyal just now.

  "Where is Ligo?" Ender wondered, stretching and yawning.

  Rhyal motioned for him to follow as they headed to Craftsman Row. It was just a few muddy steps down a slope. People were setup in the tents, wagons, and shacks. She could smell their cooking. She wasn't sure what she'd eat. The food smelled of manfolk, crude, meaty, and any vegetable was of the dirty root variety.

  It seemed every shack was a cooking venue aside from whatever other wares it sold. The sellers each shared in each others cooking. She saw what appeared to be a few guards strolling about and keeping an eye on the few ruffians awaking or strolling in from wherever they had nestled for the night. Eating time was probably the only time the guards thought best to guard the area, Rhyal figured.

  Ender was eating a frog on a stick. He crunched it greedily. Rhyal did not see him buy it, but saw the stall that cooked various little critters on sticks over a small cauldron.

  Ligo suddenly appeared from nowhere slapping himself warm. Ender handed Ligo his second stick of burnt frog. He took it readily and crunched on the bony meal.

  Ender had coin from Rhyal. He could spend it as he wished. Rhyal took out some elven wafers, eating just a nibble. It would fortify her for the day. She wondered what she'd do when she ran out. Her stomach curled as she saw them begin eating turtle stew out of a small turtle shell. Ender was quite generous at this point. Rhyal wondered if that would be taken out of the fifty-fifty split.

  She noticed others were stewing krokodills, tentacles from something, a beak from something else? Ruffians brought in foul things from the waters nearby and were given coin for them. They were eating the foul beasts from the marsh and a few rare root vegetables that were brought in from trade. She was quite sure there was no farming occurring here.

  Rhyal saw a woman baking bread and pulling out the first of the morning's batch. The price on the board was 10 gold pieces! That was shocking. As Ender and Ligo ate their crunchy critters, she went over.

  She was going to ask, but then smelled the aroma herself. The bread had some healing properties to it. It wasn't like a healing potion, nor as expensive, but she could sense that the woman's rare ingredients were quite unique and definitely not from around the mire.

  The lady saw the noble rich demeanor of Rhyal and nodded. She handed her a small piece. "Try it."

  Rhyal knew it was wonderfully made and took the sample. It was warm and delicious, full of rich healing herbs and nuts. "I'll take two loaves."

  "Of course," the baker replied, handing her two loaves. She gave her two Telehistine coins.

  "What are you doing? That's impossibly priced?" Ender asked, stepping up and wiping his mouth. "We don't have many coins left!"

  "We'll need healing," she replied.

  Ender thought about it and nodded.

  She saw other sellers. One was selling swamp goats and little carts they could pull, handy for treasure loaders. Another had birds in small cages. She wondered about them.

  Ligo noticed, "If you go into ruins, caves, or around bubbling things, the birds will plop over dead if it's not safe, if it's poisonous. They are more sensitive and die much faster than we would."

  "A warning, how clever and sad," Rhyal said, looking at the simple canaries.

  "I've got finely crafted belts with handy pockets!" a leather craftsman spoke to them, seeing Rhyal and Ender's smartly garb. "Pull out vials very quickly!"

  Ender looked interested, but Rhyal tugged him along. "The prices here are exorbitant!"

  "Like healing bread," Ender replied.

  They saw a few other things: camping gear, some for hiding in the swamp, ointments and healing salves. Another had a peculiar leafy plant, good for keeping away the midges and biters. And at the end, impressively so, was a man who built ballistas and sizable bolts. Apparently these were quite handy with the swamp beasts.

  "We shall stick to road and land," Rhyal said, knowing her coin was limited.

  "I can find those very plants in the swamp," Ender said, pointing at the dark leafed plants being sold to repel nasty biters.

  She realized they could use many of these offerings. The sellers certainly knew what was needed in the Evermire swamp, but their coin would not go far if they purchased every handy tool.

  They had to focus on their task and save their coin for food and healing. The road that led west to Telehistine and its regional townships needed to be open and safe. That was their focus now.

  "Ligo, let us hunt orcs," she finally said as the men sipped the last of their stew.

  Ligo looked up and saw Ender's anxious look. "Oh yes, yes, let us."

  They walked along the road out of Hinterland Fortress. Guardsmen and boatswains peered after them. It was odd to see anyone leave by the road, on foot, with no wagonload of trade.

  "Where's Ligo off t
o then?" Rhyal noted as Ligo hurried down to the ratty docks. The boats were swamp derivatives, barges and dinghies. A few squalid looking owners had their abodes in them. Tents and shoddy shacks were built all around the docks and boats and against the cliffside rocks.

  There was a limit of wood and lumber. Several boats were landward. They were either completely ruined or scavenged to repair the other boats.

  Ender and Rhyal realized Ligo had a small tent between some old barrels. He was certainly small enough. And there it was, a little lair with a covering, some candles, and an unsightly sleeping area. Ender clenched his jaw. Rhyal pondered why she hadn't smelled an acrid foulness from him? She realized, even her elven senses were dulled by the constant foul odor of the mire.

  Ligo came rushing back, carrying a small empty sack, a small knife, and a small crossbow.

  "You're not fighting, are you?" Ender asked as the little feller approached, breathing hard and a little excited.

  "Me? No! Just in case," he showed his weapons, holding them clumsily. "I'm your agent, manager, and you have to protect me!"

  Rhyal gave Ender a look, then both turned to head out, ignoring the stares of the wall guards and boatswains.

  They walked only a few hours when they saw wagons coming their way. A stocky warhorse with wide muddy hooves trotted toward them, upon it was a venerable knight or mercenary in full plate armour. He came close enough to spot them.

  "Hoh!" Ligo called out, raising his small hand.

  The knight paused on his horse and looked relieved. The wagons continued forward. It was several of them with much needed materials for the fortress. There was lumber, barrels of ale and grains, several anvils, and crates, probably full of tools. It looked like important materials.

  Upon each wagon rode a hackbuteer with their gunpowder flintlocks. Another mercenary with a greatsword and crossbow was with them also.

  "Are you an elven wizard then?" the old knight asked, looking at Rhyal.

  "I suppose I am," she replied.

  "Hmm, not many casters have come to this far away dismal post. And by the look of your attire, a merchant?"

  "Noble, she is a noble elf from..." Ender spat quickly but trailed off.

  The knight glanced to and fro, keeping a polite yet grim look. "No disrespect," he finally said, giving a curt salute. He lifted just a bit and his warhorse continued on.

  Ender counted the men, the weapons, and the wagons.

  "Should have asked them if they were attacked by those orcs?" Ligo wondered.

  "They weren't," Ender said. "They're all relaxed. That's a good sign."

  "Good sign?"

  "Surely the orcs saw the wagons and the guards, and knew these few men were too much for them," Ender replied.

  "Oh, so they aren't that strong," Ligo said.

  "Yes, probably, but they'll surely attack us," Ender answered.

  "Oh?"

  "Let us go," Rhyal said, walking past the last wagon and on away from them.

  Ligo peered at all the goods being transported, as if he were counting their possible profit margins. He was reluctant to continue but knew he hadn't much else to do in this dismal land.

  That night they found a spot on the road to rest. Ender wanted to get closest to the water, so they would only have to watch one side.

  "Ahh, don't know if that's a good idea. We don’t know what's in these waters," Ligo offered.

  "No, I do not," Ender realized.

  "Oh, grabbers they are! There are sickly creatures that lurk near the shores, and anything nearby, swoop!" Ligo motioned with a grab. "Stick out their tentacles and pull you right in to their chomping beaks!"

  "Would a fire keep them away?" Rhyal asked, flicking a flame on her hand.

  "If you can burn anything in this soaking swamp!" Ligo huffed, keeping closer to the middle of the road.

  "Well then, suppose we'll rest right here and wait for the orc ambush," Ender said, sitting down on the driest spot. It was still wet underneath but at least there was a semblance of cracked mud to sit on.

  "Ambush?" Ligo repeated, looking about. The land was spread far and wide and was fairly open. Even the bramble and tufts of mire grass would only hide small things. Yet the mist, especially at night, limited the view, bringing everything in just a bit closer.

  The terrain was also difficult to traverse, especially quietly. There were stretches of dark waters and puddles everywhere. Though plenty of moorland bushes and squat-rotted trees dotted the landscape to reveal footholds, it made any march a meandering affair.

  It wasn't easy for anything to sneak up on them unless it could lurk in the dark waters or slither easily from puddle to mud. But steps of orcs or goblins would surely give them away.

  Ender pulled out a leather wrapping for a dry layer he could lay on. He loosened his leathers and placed his weapons close. Rhyal sat with her legs crossed, arms folded, and her eyes closed. Ligo wasn't sure if she were asleep or doing some ritual. He waved at her. He waved again. She glanced at him.

  He flinched. "Sorry, wasn't sure if you were sleeping or not."

  "I am meditating," she said.

  "Oh, is that awake or asleep?" Ligo asked. "Never did understand that about you fey folk."

  "Both," Rhyal replied. "Let Ender sleep for now. I will wake him if anything is amiss."

  "What about me? I am tired," Ligo yawned his little mouth between a ginger mustache and a little crusty beard.

  "Sleep," Rhyal said, finally looking down.

  Ligo immediately began snoring. It was a tight little snippy snore.

  Rhyal sensed the land around her. She wanted to see the stars. They helped her meditate in the night. But all she saw was the grey swirling mist. And that mist refracted in the never ending puddles all around them. She became more irritated than meditative. She began to sense the sounds of lazy bugs, of creatures swirling in the waters. She heard something fighting something else a distance away, something splashing and waning in strength, struggling, then drowning and being pulled under. She sensed beetles digging into the mud and frogs squishing into the muck. The night was as active as the day, for both seemed to meld into an ongoing dreary curse.

  But all of these creatures were more silent than the ones from the border marshlands near her elven home. There, they were full of life and noise. Here, it was if they were all hiding, cold and morose.

  The darkness did come in, as if the light captured in the day finally lessened and succumbed to the night. And there was still a hazy grayness cut deeper now by the dark of night. She became somewhat delirious in her senses. Her elven senses were not expecting this. They wanted stars and horizons and green trees.

  But as a learned caster, she knew she must overcome her homeward sensibility and accept this foreign and dangerous world. She then saw it, a lone star break through the dreary mist, far above. It shown just a moment and gave her a focusing strength.

  "They are coming," she said before she realized it. She then heard the pitter-patter sounds of scraping feet in the dry mud patches. A few moments later, there were cautionary steps taken through puddles. The feet were as silent as they could be, but not the rusted armor and clanking arms. The orcs grunted beneath their breath, snorting and sniffing.

  She tapped Ender who was already buckling his belt and weapons. Ligo continued to snore peacefully.

  "Four," Rhyal whispered. "Two heavy set, two lighter."

  Ender saw where she peered. It was easy enough to see a decent trail of land to traverse that lead up to the road. It was not near them but up a ways.

  Ender motioned to the bramble down by the water. He'd hide there as they came for her. He'd flank them.

  Rhyal, in her rich attire, waved a sheen of protection upon herself, a magical armour. She then pictured something as she looked down at Ender's sleeping spot. She twirled what was in her mind down onto the spot and a phantom of Ender appeared. She then leaned to one side, laying down.

  5. Orcs & Things

  Ender scooted quietly dow
n into the bramble. He was near the dark murky water. He remembered Ligo’s warning and quickly surveyed the darkness before him. He then saw, refracted upon the dark grey tones of the night, ripples. He knew something was coming for him. Whatever was in the water, slunk through, keeping close to outlying branches and muddy shores.

  Ender realized, if he moved from the bramble covering now, the orcs would see him.

  The orcs rambled along. Their scout pointed out the silhouette of fools on the manfolk roadway. "Sees! I saws it! Dere day'are," the scout sniffled.

  A bigger orc snorted, seeing the folk sleeping up there, "Goods goods. We gets, we gets."

  "Not so big as da wagons with manys, not so big," the scout hissed.

  "Shudyup!" the bigger growled as they hurried along, keeping a good pace along the mounds of mud. They didn't want to stay too long in any one spot through the mire. They knew standing near the water only drew grabbers and worse.

  The smaller orcs with bows and curved blades hurried along the mud mounds, hopping and skipping, finding the path for the two bulkier ones that had axes and javelins. All wore reptile and critter hides, tied in crude tribal ways.

  They also had some manfolk pieces, chain mail or plates sewn in. Their helms were ill-fitted human pieces. They hoped to get more with this ambush.

  "Shh-shhh-shhrr..." the scout motioned as they quietly stepped upon the road. The two got their bows notched as they were now fully exposed. The bigger ones came up catching a quick breath, then crouched and hustled along the road ready to strike. They didn't think they'd surprise the manfolk but it appeared the two were still lying asleep. They also appeared to have a smaller pet next to them that was snoring very loudly. The orcs licked their lips as they hurried along the muddy dry road.

  A manfolk suddenly leapt from the bramble to one side. He didn't attack but ran back at an angle.