Windkeep: Attrition

“The scouting party has returned!” the young guard shouted as he burst into my room, startling me from the best night sleep I’ve had in weeks. “Krueger just finished debriefing them…”

I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. “I’ll be there,” I said.

The excited guard slammed the door shut and bounded off down the hall.

It wasn’t the most extravagant inn-room I’ve ever stayed in, but the beds of the Black Oak Inn were far better than the dirt, rock, and twigs I was used to back on the road. The room was small, containing only the bed, a desk with chair, and a cabinet. A window next to the bed provided me an excellent view of the town square, and gave a much more open feeling to an otherwise claustrophobic room.

I reluctantly pulled myself out of bed, got dressed, and opened the cabinet to retrieve my belongings. My pack was just as heavy as I remembered it, and I slung it over my shoulder. I opened the door to my room, and proceeded down the hallway.

The air of excitement was thick as I walked down the stairway into the inn’s tavern. Half a dozen soldiers stood at the bar, all with mugs of ale in their hands, and exuberantly chatted amongst each other. Kreuger sat at a nearby table studying a map of the area and discussing strategy with one of his officers. He looked up and smiled when he noticed my approach.

“Sorry to wake you so early,” Krueger said.

He nodded towards the soldiers at the bar, “Our missing scouting party has returned…it turns out they weren’t lost or captured.”

“Good news,” I said. “What happened to them?”

“We were trenched up by the Horde,” the officer next to Krueger said.

Krueger interrupted, “Conrad, this is Lieutenant Vargas. He led the scouting party.”

Vargas continued as if Krueger had not interrupted, “We found their camp in the glade, just where we thought it would be.” He indicated a spot on the map, south of Windkeep, “We were lucky to get out alive…we weren’t expecting to encounter such a large force, so we spent more time hiding in bushes than marching back to Windkeep. I couldn’t risk getting captured or killed…our intelligence was vital.”

“What did you discover?” I asked.

“Their numbers are in the thousands. Armor, weaponry, siege weapons, you name it, they have it,” Vargas said.

“I thought they were just group of thieves?” I asked.

“That’s all we’ve seen up until this point,” Krueger explained.

Vargas let out a sigh, “We think the theives were sent to gather supplies and test our defenses.”

Krueger nodded, “Based off Vargas’ information, we believe they are massing a force to launch an all out assault on Windkeep.”

The incredulous look on my face was telling. “For what purpose?” I asked.

“For financial gain, to establish a foothold in the region, just to terrorize…who knows?” Vargas said.

Krueger shook his head. “And I’ve got one hundred fifty city guards and one wizard standing between the people of Windkeep and their utter destruction.”

“You have to evacuate the city,” I said. Military tactics and how mages play a part in them was a major field of study for graduating wizards. Along with magic, art, philosophy, chemistry, and engineering, I was well educated in areas of war, so even I knew the town defenses would never hold out. The city walls and an entrenched position would give the soldiers of Windkeep a tactical advantage, but the sheer number of attackers would overwhelm them. A victory by attrition is still a victory.

“Where would we evacuate to?” Vargas said. “And if we did evacuate, that would just leave us for slaughter along the road. At least here, in Windkeep, we have the walls to protect us.”

“I believe the walls will be insufficient,” I said to Krueger. “I say with humility that I am a powerful wizard. I graduated at the top of my class from the Wizard’s Institute, and I have talents and magical abilities most other mages will never elevate to. Even I, however, have my limitations. I can assist your forces, but I cannot win this battle for them.”

The lively atmosphere of the tavern had turned to melancholoy, and I realized the scouting party at the bar had turned to listen to our conversation.

I took a long look at the men at the bar, and then turned back to Krueger, “I’ll need a spot along the wall, where I have a good view of the battlefield.”

…..

If it weren’t for the threat of battle brooding on the horizon, most people would agree that it was an absolutely beautiful afternoon in Windkeep. The air was warm, with a cool breeze from the north, and the excellent visibility allowed for early detection of the enemy forces approaching over a ridge to the south. Although impossible to see with the naked eye, a magnification spell allowed me to easily see the Horde banners and catapults the moment they popped into view. The main force was still at least an hour away, so Krueger and Vargas were busily preparing for the town’s defense.

I, on the other hand, stood in the center of the southern wall parapet, mentally preparing myself for the enormous release of magical energy I would inevitably drain from my body. A keen mind and the ability to maintain concentration was vital in spellcasting; a good mage should be able to focus even when completely exhausted. I knew this day would be a testament to my stamina, since casting spells was fundamentally a release of a mage’s body energy. I was more curious than anxious to see how I would fare in such a large scale assault.

“Do you have everything you need?” Vargas said, as he ran up to stand next to me along the wall.

We both looked off into the horizon for a moment, and I replied, “Yes, this should be an adequate view for the duration of the battle. I will be deep in concentration for the majority of the battle, so I’d appreciate it if someone could watch my back for attackers.”

“Already taken care of, Conrad,” Vargas said, “Krueger has assigned me as your personal bodyguard. He’ll be stationed at the southeast corner of the wall, directing our forces and watching for possible flanking maneuvers.

“I assume they’ll attack us in waves to make themselves harder targets for our bowmen and to give the front lines a chance to rest,” I surmised.

“We assumed that as well,” Vargas said. “We’ll position most of our men along the wall with bow and arrow, and the rest on standby to replenish fallen men and fill the gaps.”

“If they breach the wall the battle is over,” I observed.

Vargas rubbed the back of his head. “Agreed,” he said, and we both exchanged a knowing look.

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Windkeep: The Scarlet Horde

The thick foliage of Oakdale began to dissipate as the afternoon slowly dimmed to evening. Despite an unlucky encounter with a couple of thieves, it took me less than a day to cover the thirty miles from the bottom of Mount Baldy to the town of Windkeep, evidence of which I could now see off in the dstance. Smoke from several chimneys rose between the trees and the sounds of a bustling thoroughfare began to resonate in my ears.

I continued over the crest of the final hill of my journey, and the elevation gave me a spectacular view of the entire city. Dozens of citizens meandered about the streets, which weaved in an out of the houses and buildings. I could tell the marketplace and the town proper was on the side of the city I was approaching, since most of the larger buildings were concentrated in that area.

My bag was becoming heavy from a week of continuous travel and the sight of a town guaranteed an evening of creature comforts I’ve long missed. The life of a wandering mage wasn’t a luxurious one, but a hot bath and a soft bed was certainly a welcome method of working out the aches and pains of a long journey. It would probably take a day or two before I could arrange for my own cabin, so I was looking forward to treating myself at the local inn.

I finally approached the entrance to the town, where several guards were stationed. They were rough looking and dirty, and both anxiously jumped to attention when they noticed my approach. The older, scruffier looking guard moved towards me, while the other, younger and appearing much more nervous, discretely raised his spear. The older guard held his position ten feet or so in front of me and instinctively moved his hand to the hilt of his sword, still sheathed at his belt. So as not to startle them, I stopped walking and stood silent, waiting for the guards to make the first move. The level of apprehension was highly unexpected, so I figured it was best to find out more about what was going on before volunteering any information about myself.

The older guard was first to brake the silence, “Who are you and what is your business in Windkeep?”

“I am merely a traveler seeking a room and a meal,” I said as my attention shifted to the younger guard, who was now flanking my position to the right. “And, if at all possible, I’d like to arrange a meeting with your magistrate. I had an encounter on the road, not far from here, with a few thieves.”

“The road outside of Windkeep is of little concern to the magistrate,” the older guard declared, “since he’s dead.”

I could see three more guards running up to our position from the village, and I, once again, found myself preparing a defensive spell. This trip had not gone as smoothly as I had hoped. “That is unfortunate to hear,” I sympathized. “What exactly has happened here? My understanding was Windkeep was a peaceful village.”

The guard briefly looked over his shoulder to confirm the arrival of additional guards and then relaxed his hand from his sword, “We were a peaceful village, traveler. Until a group of thieves calling themselves ‘The Scarlet Horde’ moved into the glade, south of here. The village magistrate was murdered in his sleep two weeks ago by one of their assassins, and they’ve been hitting merchant caravans ever since. It’s likely these were the same thieves who stopped you on the road. I take it your coin purse is much lighter now?”

“Actually the thieves came to find that I was more than capable of defending myself,” I said as I threw back my traveling cloak to reveal my dark blue wizard’s robes. “My name is Conrad and I’ve traveled from the Magical Arts Institute in Belgarath to take up residence here in Windkeep. I believe I can help you with this thief problem.”

The remaining guards relaxed their armaments and I allowed the spell energy stored in my hand to dissipate back into my body. The older guard approached me with a smile on his face, and reached out, shaking my hand, “Your help will be most appreciated, mage. Windkeep has been under martial rule since the death of the magistrate. I’ll take you to see Kreuger, the captain of the City Guard.”

We entered through the city gates and quite a number of passersby stopped to take notice of the new arrival. It was clear from their faces that the last few weeks had been tiresome, and I was hoping my arrival wouldn’t muster any false hope. I was only a single mage, after-all.

I was led through the city square and it was clear that this area had seen battle. Broken windows were reinforced with wooden planks, several carts were turned on their sides and strategically placed as barricades, and patrolling guardsmen eyed me suspiciously as we passed by. Citizens were busily bringing in supplies, repairing downed structures, and putting out small fires.

“It’s been a rough couple of weeks,” my guide explained as we entered a building labeled ‘The Black Oak Inn’, “the people here are scared the town defenses are going to be overrun by The Scarlet Horde. There is talk about abandoning the village.”

I could tell the first floor of The Black Oak Inn normally served as the local pub, but today, was headquarters to the city defense force. A muscular man with dark hair, thick war armor, and an ornate sword at his belt, stood at the bar, speaking to several young guards. Based on his tone of authority, my intuition told me this was Krueger.

“How long has it been since the scouting party left?” Krueger asked his officer.

“Two days ago,” the young guard nervously replied, “it was only an eight hour mission at most. They should have reported back yesterday. Shall I organize a search party, Captain?”

“No,” Krueger paused, noticing my entrance, “they are lost or the Horde found them. Either way, I can’t spare the men. Return to your post and shore up the southern defenses. Dismissed.”

“Yes sir,” the guard said grimly as he led the other officers out of the inn. This left Krueger, myself, and my guard escort alone in the pub’s tavern.

“What have we here, Bigsley?” Krueger asked.

“This is Conrad,” the guard excitedly explained, “he entered from the eastern gate. Claims to be from Belgarath, sir…from the wizard’s academy?”

“You’re a mage? Why have you come to Oak Dale?” Krueger investigated. I could tell from his tone that his pessimism was winning the battle against his optimism.

“To be honest,” I replied, “I had no knowledge of your current situation. Ironically, I came to Windkeep for the solitude, and the peace and quiet…ideal conditions for the study of magic.”

“I can assure you,” Krueger interrupted, “there is no peace here. The Horde attacks randomly, sometimes only to set fires to our village walls and buildings. Our guards have been able to force them back into the woods so far, but our numbers have dwindled over time, and it seems like the Horde’s have been increasing. And I’m sure you’ve heard about the death of our magistrate…”

“Yes,” I said. “Have you requested aid from other provinces?”

“We are so remote, here,” he explained. “Scouting parties never return and convoys are attacked and forced to retreat back into the city. I’m afraid if this goes on much longer, I’ll have to order evacuation of Windkeep.”

I took a moment to consider my options: I could head back the way I came and leave these people to their own problems, or I could help them fight the Horde. When I left Belgarath, I was determined to make Windkeep my home, and if I’ve learned anything about myself over the years, it’s that I don’t get ideas out of my head easily.

“I’d like to assist in the fight,” I said abruptly, before I could talk myself out of it.

“The addition of a magic wielder to our forces will be a great benefit, Conrad. Welcome to the Windkeep City Guard,” Krueger said with a smile as he vigorously shook my hand.

These people were more desperate than I thought.

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Windkeep: The Arrival

After days of narrow, rocky mountain trails, the sight of the wide dirt pathway leading into the forested valley was certainly a welcome one. Although visibility will be reduced by the thick foliage of the forest, food and shelter will be in far larger supply than it was back on the trails of the barren mountain. I looked back at the solid mass of rock in disgust. With my supplies nearly gone, it took me just shy of a week to traverse the rocky null which the locals call “Mount Baldy”…and for good reason. The prospect of spending another night choking down stale bread certainly put a spring in my step this morning.

I continued down the trail and pulled out my map which was sold to me by a street vendor only weeks before. The map was crude and poorly labeled, but the scale of the pathways seemed to be accurate. The vendor had shown me on the map that it would take about six days to scale the mountain. In six days I was on the other side. I suppose it was a good deal considering it only set me back two silver pieces. According to the map, the next town along this trail is the town, and my planned destination, of Windkeep.

Windkeep is supposed to be a sparsely populated, remote location; the perfect location of study for a recently graduated mage. With a small marketplace, Windkeep should be able to keep me supplied with all of the required wizarding components while providing me the room and freedom to perfect my spells. It’s common knowledge in this region that wizards devote years of personal study and reflection to become masters of magic, so the arrival of a nomadic mage should come as no surprise to the people of Windkeep. Heck, they may even be glad to have someone handy with magic around for emergencies or town defense.

A rustle in the bushes snaps me back from my mental predictions of Windkeep and I instinctively shove my map back in its pocket to free my hands. Fighters have their broad swords, rogues have their daggers, rangers have their bows, and wizards have their hands. I mentally prepare a defensive spell as a man in leather armor steps out of the bush and into the middle of the path. As soon as he steps out of the bush I begin to size him up: a large wooded staff in one hand, a dagger sheathed on his belt and a ruffled appearance that makes me doubt he’s seen a bath any time recently. I can tell he’s a thief before he even opens his mouth and if that’s the case, there are probably more waiting nearby.

“Hello lonely traveler!” He shouts jubilantly in perhaps some weak attempt to throw me off guard. “What brings you to travel these parts of Oakdale?”

I flex my fingers and stand my ground firmly, the words of the man removing any doubt that this is a robbery. I can feel the warm, tingling power of my defensive spell resonating in my left hand, so I mentally prepare an attack spell with my right. Hopefully there isn’t an army of thieves hiding in the surrounding foliage. Once the spell is prepared, I respond to the inquiry, “I’m nothing but an adventurer down on his luck seeking opportunity in Windkeep. Who wants to know?”

I knew no story I gave would deter these robbers from carrying out their plan, so I hardly devoted any mental resources into formulating a believable story. The thief stared hard at me for a moment and almost seemed taken aback at my pathetic attempt to explain my existence. It almost seemed as if he were reconsidering going through with his plan. Unfortunately though, his greed soon overwhelmed reason and he made his demand, “My name is Jesup, I own this road and you appear to be trespassing. However, fifty gold pieces would certainly be enough to finance your passage through my lands.”

Just as he finished, an arrow thwacked into the ground several feet in front of me. I made sure to make a note of which tree it shot from. “I assure you that paying the toll will be in your best interest,” the thief said with a smile as he lifted his wooden staff and began to walk towards me.

“I have no intention of paying a toll,” I said as I released the energy stored in my left hand. There was a bright flash and my body was surrounded with magical energy. Another arrow whistled through the air and shattered to pieces mere inches from my chest. My Mage Shield should hold for several more minutes, but I wasn’t going to give the thief archer another chance. I raised my right arm, flicked a finger and a small missile of flame shot from my fingertip. The flaming missile impacted within the branches of the targeted tree which instantly burst into flames. The thief on the pathway, Jesup, turned just in time to see his screaming partner leap from the tree in a ball of fire.

This distraction was long enough for me to cast a detect spell. As expected, I could suddenly feel the life of Jesup flowing through me and, to a lesser extent, the fading life of his partner who lay motionless at the base of the flaming tree. I couldn’t feel the presence of any other significant life, so I felt confident this was a two man job.

Jesup, after seeing the flaming debris that was once his partner in crime, briefly turned to look at me and then shot off into the forest. “Wait, you forgot your gold!” I yelled after him.

The flames in the tree began to die down and I approached the now deceased thief. Retrieving a vile of Blue Willow Oil from my bag, I poured it onto the body and began to cast a Revival Spell. Revival Spells are known to few wizards and aren’t even taught at the Mage Institution. Luckily I was fortunate enough to befriend one of the professors who taught me extra spells in his spare time. That particular fact is especially lucky for this thief who suddenly sits up, gasping for air. He slowly manages to catch his breath and looks up at me. Recognition flashes across his face and he jumps up screaming and running into the forest, his tattered, burnt clothing trailing behind him. “Not even a thank you,” I grumble to myself.

I take note that he runs in the same direction as Jesup, so I postulate that there must be a thief encampment or fort in that direction. I decide that I’ll report this incident to the Windkeep magistrate so they can handle the situation.

The encounter is over as quick as it began and I once again find myself back on the road towards Windkeep…

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