#39: At All Costs

Once aboard Moonmaiden, the crew is allowed a brief period of celebration and introduction, but Captain Azurris quickly returns to business, ordering the crew about.  As the crowd begins to disperse, Bonie steps forward, pointing at a name on the roster, sharing a few sharp words with Captain Azurris.  Looking over the shoulder, I see the name—Tannor Brin of Longsaddle—and recognition sets in.  “A woman doesn’t forget the name of a man that held a dagger to her throat,” she says, eyeing the Captain darkly.

“Go bring me crewman Brin,” Captain Azurris orders, and I step forward.

“Last time we encountered Tannor Brin,” I explain, “he was hanging by his ankles from a beam in a barn.”  Captain Azurris seems intrigued, and we await the man’s arrival.

When the captain’s mate brings the crewman forward, we don’t easily recognize him.  Though his face is now hidden by a thick black beard, we can see that he recognizes us, and the man pales a bit.  “Our Archguard has leveled accusations at your character,” Captain Azurris explains. “Would you care to speak for yourself?”

Tannor Brin replies sheepishly.  “’Twas the night of the new year festival…I think we all had a little too much to drink.”  Bonie stares him down, and he adds incredulously, “You were passed out in a stall!”  Selben steps forward and begins to speak in her defense, but she holds out an arm and confronts the man herself.

“I don’t know ye, but I know what you did,” she hisses.

Captain Azurris acknowledges Tannor Brin’s words as admission and looks him over.  “You’ll be deposited at Post South when we arrive; your service aboard Moonmaiden is over.”  The words affect him greatly, and the man pleads with the Captain to change his mind, petitioning for a chance at a new life aboard Moonmaiden and beyond.

“Very well, then,” Captain Azurris says gravely.   “I’ll leave your fate in the hands of the Archguard.”

I step forward.  “We’ll take you at your word, but if you’re not true to it, I’ll finish the job I started in the barn that night.”  Tannor Brin seems suitably admonished, and as it seems that Zargon and Audric agree with me and Bonie is not outwardly against it, we let the matter rest.  I imagine she will have words for me later that night.

The journey downriver is perhaps 250 miles from Mirabar to the Sea of Swords by way of the River Mirar.  The ship moves rapidly, propelled by both the current and her sales and if all goes as planned, Captain Azurris hopes to make the open sea in two and a half days.  We evaluate the ships planned course, Audric asking after any choke points along the river or places of obvious heightened danger or ambush. 

The ruins of Illusk present the most obvious threat—though the river widens at Illusk, spilling out into a delta which bleeds into the Sea of Swords, the ruined city is thought to be completely overrun by orcs.  Nearly two decades ago, siege was laid to the city by orc hordes and overwhelmed—no ally or party of adventurers, to anyone’s knowledge, has ventured there since or been able to report the current state of the city.  Illusk presents the greatest obstacle in our path, and it is difficult to avoid discussing it, though many miles yet lay ahead before we reach it.

Post South, also known as Orcdoom, lies but a few hours ahead, and Illusk perhaps 200 miles further beyond.  Audric asks more about Illusk, attempting to gleam some knowledge of the city prior to its fall.  It is a historically embattled site, being on the frontier, and is known to be perhaps the size of Mirabar at its height.  Constant siege had ground down the great city, however, before it eventually fell.  None have any knowledge as to what we may encounter there now.

At one time, there were several stone bridges that crossed the river—Illusk itself lies predominately on the southern bank, but these bridges connected the north and south banks, and were known to be of a height to allow ships to pass unobstructed.  We learn that Captain Azurris was originally from Illusk, though at the time he was but a child and remembers little.  It was part of what compelled him to accept this journey from its benefactors.

At the mention of benefactors, I ask about Revenant, and ask if we might be presented to him before reaching Orcdoom.  Revenant is one of two dwarves aboard Moonmaiden, the leader of a conglomerate of merchants that sponsored the cargo that Revenant intends to see personally delivered to Fireshear.  “Should I fall,” Captain Azurris explains, “Revenant would assume charge of the vessel.”  There is something unspoken in his tone, as if Dame is less than pleased with that arrangement.  Captain Azurris points to dwarf nearby.  He wears a suit of armor, bears a heavy axe and carries himself as a tested warrior.

We learn more about the structure of Moonmaiden: where the crew’s mess and bunks are situated, as well as the cargo stored in the lower deck.  I ask how many crewmen must be on deck to keep the ship on course should we come under fire—Captain Azurris explains that at minimum three crew would be needed.  Audric asks if there were oars stowed should we require rowers, and Dame explains that there are none—Moonmaiden relies on her sails and the current, making this a one-way venture with no room for failure.  Satisfied for now, we make ourselves at home aboard Moonmaiden.

After a few hours we see Orcdoom in the distance along the north bank, and we can see a small contingent of Mirabarran Axe hailing us.  Captain Azurris slows the ship so that news can be shouted back and forth, and we recognize Captain Serrus among the guard.  Dame asks one more time our disposition on Tannor Brin—we confirm our decision to keep him aboard, and Captain Azurris seems pleased to not have to leave a man behind with so much uncertainty ahead.

We’re asked to dine with the Captain and the officers in his quarters, and we accept.  We are led below decks in the early evening hours.  While not the most comfortable arrangement, his quarters are large enough to fit a table meant to seat ten.  Captain Azurris, his lieutenant, the icemaster and Revenant are all in attendance.  We are all seated, and Dame offers a brief introduction for everyone.

As we begin to eat, Captain Azurris speaks, indicating that he wants this group—specifically us, his Archguard—to plan for the approach to Illusk, as we are the most specialized in our skills and experienced in combat and tactics.  He wants to be made aware of our plans in advance, so that he can know how to best direct the crew.

I explain that from a magical perspective, at least, our abilities are best geared towards defense and breaking up a crowd.  He should not expect flashy displays of arcane firepower, but rather we will coordinate our efforts to best protect Moonmaiden and her crew. 

We discuss the potential of leaving Moonmaiden to scout ahead with a small party upon conjured mounts, and ultimately Zargon explains it best, putting the issue to rest: as there is no alternate path, knowledge of what lies ahead does not allow us the ability to change course or prepare any more than we already have.  It is more important to keep our full complement of guards aboard Moonmaiden. 

Dame does not want to steer too close to either bank, should we come under attack, for fear of running aground in a shallow area.  He explains that the ship can likely sail within thirty yards of either bank, should we need to approach.  We discuss the ships armament and stores of ammunition—several men aboard have bows or crossbows, and each has an ample store of arrows and bolts, five score or more for each archer.  We are pleased with the level of preparedness.

Captain Azurris explains that at any given time, one crewman mans the crow’s nest with a spyglass—a rare artifact indeed that allows for one to see faraway objects, and one that will hopefully alert us of danger and provide time to prepare a suitable defense.  That gives us some peace of mind, at least, as Audric discusses how boulders and fire can be rained down on the ship as we cross under the stone bridges of Illusk.  We hope to keep a low profile and avoid confrontation if possible.  “Keep the ship moving, keep the crew safe” is our unified goal.

We share our plans to split into three watches and share them with Rann and Kaderron, the Highguard, as well as the men in their employ; this should allow us to have a reasonable complement of guards on deck at any given time.  Captain Azurris and the others seem satisfied with the plans, and once our meal is finished, we depart to disseminate them to the other guards and prepare for the night ahead.

The first night aboard Moonmaiden passes uneventfully.  The quarters are not particularly comfortable, but better than sleeping outdoors, and before long we become accustomed to the constant rocking and movements of the ship.  The following day, the sun beats down on the deck, and as we travel further west, the banks to either side start to rise—this should continue as we approach Illusk, though our crow’s nest is still at a height to provide us the ability to see ahead and identify potential threats.

Zargon regales us with tales of ambushes from stories he has heard, which does little to diminish the sense that we are utterly alone and completely vulnerable on this journey.  Nevertheless, we execute our rotation of guards and continue as planned.  As the sun begins its descent for the second time, our minds turn to Illusk and what we might find there.  Before we retire, however, we are alerted by calls from the deck of a winged creature that approached from the south before turning west—the men think that it was perhaps a wyvern.  Fortunately, it seems to be distancing itself from the river, so whilst we have guards ready to man the heavy crossbows and position archers on deck, we are otherwise content to let it pass us by.  There’s muttering on deck of it being an ill omen, but aside from that, there seems to be no major cause for concern.  The rest of the night passes without incident.

The next morning, we awaken to dark clouds overhead.  “Another ill omen,” I mutter to myself bitterly, a perspective seemingly shared by many among the crewmen.  From the crow’s nest, we hear a call, alerting us to something on the south bank—a small party of humanoids, possibly orcs, few in number.  Audric calls the other guards to the deck, and we wait for several long minutes before we catch sight of them.

There are three figures lurking on the south bank.  As we approach within a hundred yards, we can discern from their posture and tones of flesh that these are indeed orcs.  There’s a moment of stillness as they regard our ship and mutual recognition sets in, then one of the orcs leaves its group and begins running along the bank to the west.  The others crouch down as if seeking cover or trying for a view better of the ship.

Not wanting to allow the orc to alert others if we can avoid it, Lom, Bonie and Zargon bring their bows to bear, and we direct a pair of guards manning heavy crossbows to loose bolts as well.  A volley of missiles flies from our deck, though we are reasonably certain that all miss.  The orc flees inland and we lose sight of it.  “That makes three now,” I grunt, tallying the ill omens.  Looking back at the pair of orcs left behind, we can see them lying on the ground in heavy cover and decide not to waste ammunition.  Disappointed, we return to our stations and keep watch for what might lie ahead.

The crew seems morose and low in spirits after our failed encounter, and there are mutterings among the crew indicative of low morale.  Our run of ill luck is not done, however, as several hours later, ahead on the south bank we see a fire in the distance.  The man in the crow’s nest calls down that it appears to be a large bonfire, left unattended.  We drift by the fire in silence.

Fear and unrest seem to grip the crew, with many of the men looking as if they regret their decision to join this voyage.  The bank continues to rise as we progress further west, and late into the afternoon, approaching sundown, we witness a large warband of orcs on the south bank—they raise weapons and grunt foul taunts to Moonmaiden, and the intimidation strikes our crew as if it were a physical blow.

I quickly pull Zargon aside, asking him to speak with the men, fearing what might happen if the morale continues to plummet.  Zargon does not disappoint, and delivers a rousing speech about seizing the moment, taking the fight to the orcs, and crashing through any opposition that lies ahead.  “It all comes down to this, men!”  Naming off the crew one by one, Zargon calls upon their bravery.  “Now is the time, we either push through or we die trying—either way, we kill as many orcs as we can along the way!”  Zargon’s talent is undeniable, as I find myself ready to draw steel and taste the iron of orc blood.

The warband nearly matches our crew in size.  Dame turns toward the north bank, away from the gathered orcs, but the warband marches west with us towards Illusk, keeping pace.  Rallied by Zargon, we give call for bows out, and Audric marches along the deck.  “Everyone not steering the ship should have a bow hand and a sword at their belt!” he cries, and the crew responds.  Audric orders stores of ammunition brought from storage, and several bundles of arrows and bolts for the heavy crossbows are piled onto the deck.  We appeal to Captain Azurris to raise speed, and Moonmaiden responds to his deft handling of the wheel.

The tension of the constant jeers, shouts and guttural cries of the orcs is unrelenting.  As the guards put arrow to string and make ready to fire, Audric command the guards.  “Our goal is to breach Illusk, not kill every orc we see.  We will do whatever needs done to push through.”   Dame accelerates Moonmaiden as best he can, spreading every inch of sail, steering into the current and favoring the north bank.  Slowly, the marching orcs are overtaken, needing to jog to keep up.  The men are bolstered as we outpace our foes, and some call out their own taunts to the orcs as we pass them by.

Finally, the ship reaches a spot on the river where the space between banks widens and we’re provided with a few miles of visibility in the dimming light.  On the edge of the darkening horizon, the river broadens into a delta that spills into the sea beyond.  Upon the south bank lies Illusk, and ahead we see the stone bridges we were told about early in the voyage—on either bank can be seen hordes of orcs and larger creatures, likely ogres, a veritable army of foes.

There are but minutes before we clash with our enemy.  Beyond the gathered orcs and ogres, we spy another obstacle, and we can see Captain Azurris wither.  Spanning the River Mirar, lying a mile directly ahead, there is another bridge, this one made from reinforced rope and wooden planks.  The rope bridge spans the entire river, unavoidable, and sags dangerously low with the weight of dozens of orcs upon it.  The rope bridge is too low for Moonmaiden to pass without risking her masts.  The crew is silent as Captain Azurris looks to us for guidance.

We convene for a panicked moment to discuss options.  Dame warns that if the masts are damaged, even if we somehow manage to win through Illusk and the army of orcs, he might not be able to control Moonmaiden and keep us near the coast, fearing that we might drift out to sea.

As running aground is too great a threat should we try to run close to the north bank where the rope bridge is highest, and lacking any way to magically clear a path, we call for Dame to slow Moonmaiden’s approach.  Our hope is that Captain Azurris can minimize damage to the ship and her masts as he pulls close to the bridge at an angle nearly parallel to it, allowing us to launch an assault on the orcs atop the bridge so that we might work to sever the heavy ropes that bar our path.

As if that were not enough, we see yet another threat on the south bank.  Orcs and ogres have constructed a pair of mighty catapults and are even now loading heavy boulders into the cradles of the weapons.  Calculating our approach, we know that it will be several minutes until we reach the rope bridge, so we make preparations and call out archers.  Zargon raises his voice in a familiar tune, his voice laced with a bardic magic that helps calm the adrenaline and focus our efforts as Audric orders the archers to send a volley into the warband that has been harassing us. 

I begin to weave abjurations, using the first to protect Captain Azurris—should he fall to an unlucky arrow, it would spell disaster for all.  I cast another upon myself and then stand near the center of Moonmaiden’s deck, beginning a chant of my own to counter the cries of the army of orcs, calling upon the Beastlord to shelter us from the shafts of our enemy while lending a hunter’s accuracy to our own, and Malar answers as the crew sends volley after volley into the orcs.  The orcs return a feeble volley of javelins and spears that splash into the river as more than a dozen are cut down by the arrows of Moonmaiden’s crew before the warband flees.

As we approach within range of the siege engines, we make ready to unleash hell.  Audric calls that there’s no reason to hold ammunition as the crew releases fire into the enemy.  We call out for the men to aim at the ogres, hoping that, if we can fell them, the orcs might be unable or unwilling to crew the weapons, but their numbers are too many.  The first boulder, a ranging shot, splashes into the water in front of the ship.  A pair of ogres are slain by arrows and crossbows, but more step forward to take their places, sending another boulder that splashes into the river, this one nearer its target.

The rope bridge draws near, and we can see that many orcs atop it bear crossbows.  We brace for the carnage those weapons will cause.  Audric, Zargon and I step forward together, each conjuring forth a caustic missile of arcane energy, hoping to weaken the bridge as we approach.  Zargon’s missile is the only one to strike true, the heavy ropes sizzling as they begin to dissolve.

A hailstorm of deadly projectiles rains from the rope bridge, and both Audric and Zargon are struck as well as several crewmen.  Captain Azurris is struck as well, but protected by my magic, the arrow bounces off him harmlessly.  The ship is rocked by a heavy boulder that strikes her hull, but not before our men loose a retaliatory volley of their own.  Orcs rain from the wooden bridge, more than half a dozen falling dead or dying from arrows, though an endless stream of others takes their place.

Another boulder splashes into the water as I use my magic to conjure a rolling wall of fog between Moonmaiden and the catapults.  The rope struck by Zargon’s spell snaps loudly as the acid dissolves it, leaving but seven more to sever the bridge completely.  Arrows are sent from Moonmaiden’s deck and received—many orcs are slain, and crewmen struck, but they fight through their wounds with bravery.

Captain Azurris throws his weight into the rudder, causing Moonmaiden to scream against the strain as he pulls nearly parallel to the rope bridge.  We can see two dozen orcs ready to wreak havoc on Moonmaiden, as Selben and I step forward to disperse the crowd.  My apprentice’s eyes begin to glow as he chants, causing half the group to flee in terror.  Another cluster falls into an enchanted slumber by my own magic, and in the center of the eruption of arcane energy, Audric summons forth a band of orcs atop a pile of dead kin, setting them to work on the ropes with hatchets and crude blades.

The ship is rocked again by a catapult—an unlucky shot.  Both Zargon and Selben are struck by multiple arrows as they dive for cover, and Bonie pulls a bloody shaft from her shoulder.  One of Audric’s orcs severs another rope—six yet remain—with a well-placed strike of its hatchet.  As Moonmaiden sweeps into the bridge, there is a sickening crack as one of the masts breaks, though two remain intact.  “To the bridge!” I cry, knowing that pushing through the rope bridge is our only way ahead, as three orcs leap from it onto the deck.  One lands awkwardly with a shivering crack, slain from the fall, but the others pull themselves to their feet as Lom rushes forward to meet them.

Boulders continue to splash into the water and arrows continue to fly, felling both orc and man.  Selben is struck again while casting a spell, and nearly collapses from his wounds.  Drawing upon my magic, I seize the minds of any orcs nearby, forcing them to abandon their crossbows to attack me—a half dozen orcs crash into one another in a race to get to me, just as Audric completes a conjuration that causes a swarm of bats to block off the bridge from the south bank, buying us precious seconds.  We hear the snap of another rope, severed by one of Audric’s orcs—five left.

Lom is gravely wounded as he faces off against two foes but drives the shorter of his blades up through the neck of one of the orcs.  Audric looks on with concern, but I wave him away, telling him it’s more important to cut the ropes and that I will see to Lom.  I cause the air around Lom’s second foe to solidify, binding it in place, before Lom cuts it down.  Zargon and Bonie scramble nimbly up the ratlines onto the bridge, where they begin to saw at the ropes, and both are struck again by arrows from unseen foes.  Zargon catches himself, holding on with but one hand, as Bonie falls, landing heavily onto the deck.  With Lom’s foes conquered, I leave him to find Bonie.

Audric scrambles up the lines to the rope bridge with an uncanny agility, aided by Selben’s magic.  Only two of Audric’s summoned orcs yet remain, though together with Zargon they sever two more of the ropes that bar our path—leaving only three, which sing with strain as they hold the bridge together.  In the chaos, I find Bonie unconscious on the deck, and call upon the Beastlord to heal her wounds—I offer Malar a silent prayer as her eyes open feebly.

Another boulder pierces the fog and crashes into Moonmaiden, pinning a crewman to the deck as it crashes through the planks.  Nearby, Lom takes an arrow in the back and falls to his knees, spitting blood onto the deck.  Selben, heavily wounded, stands his ground and uses a spell to attempt to weaken one of the remaining ropes, which screams with tension in response, though it does not break. 

Zargon looks up and acknowledges Audric with a smile as the pair set to work on the remaining ropes.  Zargon, already grievously wounded, is peppered by more arrows—light flickers from the bard’s eyes as he shifts between consciousness and darkness, still trying to fight against his injuries to cut through the bridge.  Finally, Audric’s enchanted blade, handled deftly by Mystra’s champion, severs one of the remaining two ropes and, all at once, the bridge collapses.

Orcs rain from the bridge, striking the deck and hull of Moonmaiden before falling to their deaths.  Shattered bits of plank from the bridge and twirls of rope fly through the air.  Audric crashes to the deck amidst a pile of dead orcs.  Zargon—brave Zargon—fighting against waves of unconsciousness from his accumulated wounds, arrows protruding from his back and both sides—loses his grip and, unable to control his descent, plummets into the black water of the River Mirar, disappearing into darkness.

Moonmaiden surges past the bridge, Captain Azurris throwing his weight into the rudder to steer it away from the rapidly approaching south bank.  Looking ahead, the stone bridges are clear of threat, as all the orcs had gathered at the wooden bridge to assault the ship.  I pull Bonie to her feet and we struggle to the stern of Moonmaiden, where I find Audric, Selben and Lom—all standing in silence, wracked by loss, looking back to Illusk, looking back to where Zargon fell.

Raising my hand, I whisper a few words to summon a dim arcane light in the sky, which floats gently towards the water as we leave Illusk and our friend behind.

Audric and I tend to the wounded crewmen, managing to pull two of them from the doors of Myrkul’s realm.  One is the ship’s scribe, the other is one of the Tunterhorn brothers.  Our magical energies expended, the rest of the crew are either too far beyond our ability to save, or their souls have already departed.

As Moonmaiden breaks through the delta into the open sea, Captain Azurris works frantically, calling out orders to the remaining crew, as his ability to steer and control the ship is very much in question due to the damage the ship has taken.  The ship lists heavily, her hull punctured by many boulders.  We put ourselves under Captain Azurris’ command, not sure how to help—he has us looking out over the sides to make sure we don’t strike any rocks as Moonmaiden breaches the sea.

Over the course of the next several minutes, we ensure that Moonmaiden doesn’t crash into rocks as Dame hugs the northern coast, steering away from the delta, having managed to regain control of the vessel and her two remaining masts.  He tasks us with collecting bodies of the deceased crew and disposing of the orc corpses, a duty we accept solemnly, our minds on our fallen friend.

Within a few days, we make our arrival in Fireshear.  As we enter the bay, I stand at the bow of Moonmaiden with Bonie, and mutter softly, “I don’t believe in omens.”  She looks up at me curiously but says nothing.

* * *

In Dagger’s Deep, standing on the pebbled banks of the River Mirar, looking out into the night, a single tear falls unbidden upon Seirsha’s cheek. 

* * *

Elsewhere, Falaeira stares dead-eyed at the ceiling as the large, hairy man climbs atop her and enters her, grunting.  When he finishes and makes ready to leave, he turns and regards her one last time with disgust.  “The money is on the counter.”  Falaeira doesn’t hear the words though, her mind instead focused on a name from the past, a memory of a man—a man named Zargon.