Wordmaster
Cy 4850 Jun 28th – 29th
Drusor Luckwarden heads for the stronghold of Dros Goran. In his wake are Malethrax, Hujal, Zavien Scourge, Danat Peres, Rell, the six thooligans and five mercenaries. The tall Drenai veteran has a dark disposition and Malethrax tries to calm the situation when they reach the locked gates of the stronghold. The Menelothian uses his exquisite manners and etiquette to converse with the guards and persuade them not to arrest Drusor for his belligerent behaviour.
Soon they are greeted by a tall thin man called Murigan, the spymaster, lord of all spying that occurs in the citadel. After a brief discussion Murigan leads them into the stronghold and the party head for the war room. Three other men greet the newcomers. Duke Andrilar – youngest brother of the Drenai king, general Gerith – commander of the forces in Dros Goran, and Baltior – a quiet sorcerer and advisor to the duke.
Gerith cannot hide his contempt for Drusor Luckwarden, he makes an acid comment regarding his dubious parentage (legend has it that Luckwarden is a half elf). The duke calms the heated situation and tells them all to stop bickering. "I will not turn away any help," he tells the room, "especially help in the form of a soldier. Furthermore I want Drusor to take charge of the men on the two walls." Gerith shakes his head as Drusor grins.
The focus then turns to the situation at hand. Duke Andrilar guesses that the king of Drenai will have an army at Dros Goran in three weeks – which means that they have to secure the citadel until then. Whilst Drusor is not prone to pessimism he informs them that the greatest threat is the Marraq, Veldus, the elf was captured and Drusor is worried that if turned against them he will be a deadly long-ranged assassin.
Malethrax and his companions decide that the best way to solve the problem of the Marraq is to infiltrate the Rosen camp and assassinate him. Still dressed in Rosen attire Malethrax, Danat, Zavien and Hujal head out across the killing ground towards the Rosen forces under cover of darkness. Hujal casts shield on everybody and sends Skurm – his rat familiar – into the camp to find the Marraq. The rat soon finds two large tents. One contains the Rosen general, Sadrak, and the other houses the Marraq Veldus. Two Malakar priests have tied him to a chair and interrogate him brutally. Outside are two heavily armed temple guards.
The plan is simple. Malethrax casts alter self to make him look like the general and staggers ‘drunkenly’ past the guards who do not challenge him. Zavien uses the distraction to crawl under the tent and get into a position to strike the Marraq whilst the priests are distracted. But the Marraq has other ideas. A thought enters the head of Zavien; "don’t you dare!" Zavien decides to go for the priests instead.
Danat Peres and Talarn are poised outside to attack the temple guards. As Zavien strikes so Malethrax unleashes the katana and the fight explodes in the tent. Danat rushes the guards as they turn to help the priests within.
One of the priests holds Zavien but Malethrax carves a couple of deft blows to his back and as the priest falls dead the spell on Zavien is broken. At the entrance Danat and Talarn take on two expert guards. They exchange rapid attacks and parries. The sound of steel rings out in the night. The remaining priest is tenacious but cannot contend with the two men before him…soon Zavien cuts him down and the Malethrax is upon the guards with a quick stride. Soon the guards fall, small wounds slowing them enough to wear them down…eventually as their blood is spilt the Marraq is free.
Meanwhile Hujal is at the general’s tent. The dagger of Asgar cuts a hole in the canvas and he sees a chamberlain administering even more wine to the drunken general. He sleeps the chamberlain and cuts his way in.
General Sadrak rises and hefts an empty wine bottle, his drunken eyes regarding the Nadir tribesman with contempt. Even without a normal weapon the general is a dangerous opponent. Hujal raises the dagger – but not for a strike – instead the young wordmaster focuses on one of the Nine Words of Power. "Death," he says almost negligently.
The general’s chest explodes outwards as his heart leaps onto the dagger that skewers it firmly. Amid the blood and gore at the end of Asgar the heart continues to pump as Hujal stares at the ruined body of the fallen general.
He waits.
Just one more minute…
As he casts the next power word of death Hujal squeezes the life out of the heart until it beats no more, the awful focus of his power is now the soldiers around the general’s tent. The backbone of the besieging army. The very earth groans at the power he unleashes, the tribesman feels the awesome force once wielded by Promethius.
Hujal Nazan leaves the tent to join his companions who quickly flee the scene. The Rosen soldiers around them are silent and appear to be asleep…but Hujal knows otherwise. The Rosens have entered a sleep they will not wake up from.
Rope ladders are slung down the outer walls by Drusor and his men. The party are greeted with cheers by the Drenai troops. But Hujal is singled out by the Marraq. Veldus bows to the young tribesman and lays his darkbow on the ground in a mark of respect.
As dawn breaks wagons are piled high with the dead Rosen soldiers. Once again the Drenai troops cheer as the Rosen army retreats to the west…back to the borderlands. A lone dark-robed priest walks up to the walls. Veldus wants to shoot him but Drusor stops him – the priest bows in respect to the forces of Drenai and leaves the field.
That night Duke Andrilar throws a banquet in honour of Drusor, Hujal and the rest of the party…