Chronicles of Ilandri - Volume 1

The Long Passage (Pt.3)

Nathaniel saw that the camp had been set up before venturing to the town to obtain supplies. They had brought a small amount of silver with them from Othwyn for the buying of supplies. Hopefully Nathaniel would be able to barter a good price for them, but there were many mouths to feed. Whilst he was able to offer services in exchange for goods he was less willing to do this and risk delaying their journey further. The long stay in the woods had provided them with good shelter for the winter, but now the weather was improving he wanted to keep pace. Ogwyn and Martyn joined him on the venture into the town to find the market.

Dolmedder was a small town with a wooden palisade encircling it and four wooden watchtowers, one at each corner. There was a gate at the north and south end of the road which ran through the middle of the town. The gates were set beneath a shorter wooden tower with a thatched roof. The group approached by the northern gate and headed into the town. Most of the buildings seemed to be made from wood or wattle and daub and all of them were thatched. There was one building at the centre of the town which was built from stone. By the look of it this was the building the people would flock to during a siege. If the walls fell the guards would fall back to this building to defend, as it also had a tower. It seemed like a strong enough building but for the weakness of the wooden roof tiles, which could be burned down on the heads of the people sheltering inside.

The guards at the gate questioned their arrival very defensively. Nathaniel was nervous of the reason they were being so cagey, but he explained his purpose and they were permitted entry. As they walked in the guards did not break their gaze for some time, eyeing them suspiciously. Nathaniel walked the streets in search of the market. He hoped to find a trader who could provide the supplies they needed. He would then try and get them delivered outside the town in the morning, then he would pay the trader for the goods. As it was approaching evening the market was quiet and as he suspected, most of the stalls were closing. Before Nathaniel had the chance to approach a trader, a bell began to ring from one of the watchtowers. Two guards then approached the market place, "Clear the market and make for the town hall, we are under attack." They called out. The people there all began to disperse and run for safety. "What do you mean under attack?" Nathaniel questioned.
"A pack of goblins was spotted on the road heading this way." He answered abruptly. Nathaniel knew there was no chance of escaping this fight. "Ogwyn, take shelter with the townspeople. Martyn fetch the guard, we will help these people defend their town."

The guard seemed grateful for the additional support, little did they know it was the city guard of Ollorath who came to their aid. The guard filed in through the gate and started to assemble on the walls. This would be their first fight since the venbeasts had struck them on the road to Othwyn. The guards described it as a pack of goblins and not an army. From what Nathaniel knew of goblins a pack was usually small, but these were uncertain times. If the town had reacted by clearing the streets and sheltering in the hall then it was likely a sizable force. The town was secured but it would be difficult to defend, as one flame could send the whole town ablaze. As the goblin pack came into view he could see that there were merely hundreds among their ranks, not the thousands which had attacked Ollorath. Nathaniel knew the town would stand with the help of the guard.

Once the pack had come into range he ordered the archers to fire a volley. Each arrow struck down a goblin, but they advanced forward undeterred. A second volley rained down on them cutting down yet more goblins but still they advanced. The archers continued to fire a deluge of arrows down, significantly thinning their numbers. As Nathaniel feared however, the goblins began to return fire but with flaming arrows. They had kept advancing so they could reach beyond the men on the walls, to the thatched roofs behind them. The arrows were fired off beyond the line of sight of the goblins, over the heads of the guards, striking at random. One or two luckily landed on the streets, instantly snuffing themselves out. Some managed to strike their targets though and the dry thatch set alight in an instant. "Fetch water and get those fires out!" commanded the captain of the town guard. Men ran round frantically to fetch buckets and try to extinguish the flames before they consumed the whole town.

Nathaniel continued to command his archers to rain arrows on the goblins and soon their numbers began to dwindle. The goblins started to retreat away from the town and dispersed. The guard all cheered as they watched the backs of their enemy disappearing. "The goblins grow bold of late, this is not the last we shall see of them. I owe you my thanks though," commented the captain to Nathaniel.
"This is not their first attack?" He asked curiously in reply. The captain shook his head. "This is the third time this month. It is always the same, they send their flaming arrows then skulk off back into the woods," he explained. The last words resonated in Nathaniel's head. The woods. The place where his people were camped, hiding. He had left them with a skeleton guard to help protect the town and now they were at risk. He flew down from the ramparts, calling for the city guard to follow and ran from the town, back toward the campsite.

When they arrived the whole camp was in disarray. The goblins had sprung on them, taking them all by surprise. The arrival of the guard had scared them off but they had already exacted some damage as many were wounded and others lay dead on the ground. As the goblins fled the town guard arrived behind Nathaniel and his men. Nathaniel began to run around the camp in search of Eira, terrified that something had happened to her and their unborn child. Panic built up inside him as he charged frantically to their tent. When he found her safe and unharmed the panic dissolved. He fell to the ground next to her, weak from the fear that had gripped him. With the knowledge of her safety he began to pace the camp and assess the damage caused. The goblins had exacted their toll and taken many lives, with more left wounded and unable to travel. "The least we can do is shelter your people inside our walls as thanks for your assistance," offered the captain of the town guard.

Inside the walls the fires had been extinguished but much damage had been wrought. The people were leaving the safety of their town hall and returning to their homes. They all stared curiously at the mass of people who were pouring in through their gates. A well dressed man, in a leather overcoat with fur lining approached them. "I am the archon of this town. I understand our victory was of your making. You have my deepest gratitude." He emphasised, bowing low. Nathaniel described their position to the archon, explaining their goal of reaching Orseth and their need of supplies for the journey. With the state of the wounded though it would be difficult to travel and they would be forced to remain in Dolmedder for a few months. "I will make a bargain with you. Rest your wounded here in our town, protect our walls until you are fit to travel. We will provide you with the supplies you require for your onward journey." Nathaniel was not in a position to refuse, as his people could not travel any time soon.

Thus the journey was delayed further once again and Nathaniel began to grow more and more anxious. His people did their part to help the town however they could. Those that were fit and able assisted with labours, the city guards provided men for the walls and patrols. They helped to train the guards so they would be better equipped after they left. The goblins launched a few other skirmishes against the town but they were easily rebuffed. The child inside Eira continued to grow and started to become noticeable. Nathaniel became determined to reach the safety of Orseth so she would not have to give birth on the road or in the wild. As soon as the wounded were all fit enough to travel they made their preparations to leave Dolmedder. Nathaniel thanked the archon for his hospitality and the supplies and they departed on their journey once more.

The fastest route for them now would be to take the road through the downs but it was far too risky. It would be much more difficult to cross the downs off road but they would be away from any goblin packs abroad in the land. Before they reached the downs however there were still two days of travel through vast open plains. They diverted to the east and used the cover of woodland for a time but eventually they had to cross the plains in order to reach the downs, leaving them exposed and out in the open. It was nerve wracking to spend a full day in open ground but by keeping their distance from the road, they managed to avoid any confrontation. Progress through the downs was much slower. The terrain was harder for the wagons and many times they got stuck and had to be heaved out of ruts or boggy ground. At times Nathaniel cursed their route and longed for the solid ground of the road. Despite the harder path spirits remained high and on their first night there was a peaceful calm about the camp.