The next morning Calin awoke early. He only had had a few hours sleep but knew he could catch up on the long boring three day trip which presented itself. He packed a few provisions he would require for the trip, mainly dried meats and vegetables. He also carried with him all the money that he had acquired to this day in the twenty seven years he had lived on Oldabrock. Twelve gold pieces, nine silver and fifteen copper was all he had. It would do for what he needed. The stage-coach would cost four gold and ten silver, and he estimated that the boat over to Gelepicko and lodgings once there shouldn’t cost much.
It was his weapons and armor that he felt would be his most important equipment. He always used the same weapons and wore the same armor for any work he may get where combat could be involved. A coat of chainmail, a small metal helmet and a large wooden shield strengthened by thick iron strips were his protection. A longsword in an old leather scabbard that he strapped to his waist was his main weapon. The years of training and fighting with longswords had made him quite an expert in there use. The other weapons he carried about his person included a spear that he kept loosely tied to his back. Having trained as a hunter when he was a boy the use of spears was one of the most important tools when out hunting large game.
Bows where of course the best hunting weapon, but there price was also considerably more than a simple spear. Hunters have also never been the richest of men, especially as Calin was only a teenager for most of his hunting life so his training with a bow left a lot to be desired. Lastly he carried three throwing knives, less chunky than daggers but in the right hands just as deadly. He carried two in his belt next to the sword and one that he strapped to his hard leather boots. These in the past had proved very handy many times in his life as a mercenary, as well as being excellent for killing a victim at close quarters with one quick flick of the wrist; they were also useful in a hundred of other different ways. For example when he had worked as a tax collector people who refused to pay when he called on there houses would lock themselves in, sometimes behind large solid wooden doors. The thin blades of the throwing knives could be squeezed into cracks to prize them open. They were also small and though he would never kill someone who refused to pay there taxes, the small knives could be used to persuade these men to part with there money more easily than if say he employed a simple foot or fist!
The morning sun was bright in the sky as the driver of the coach helped Calin pack his equipment to the roof-rack on it. After indulging in some minor conversation with the man Calin learnt he would be sharing the coach to Jardbourgh with two others. A man travelling to Beft-Glug and a woman who like himself was also headed for Jardbourgh.
The next two days in the stage-coach passed without incident, and he got to know his two travelling companions well. The man was a farmer who lived in Beft-Glug and had visited Galiamank to sample the famous ales and to do a spot of gambling. He had planed to stay for two weeks in the city but found his money quickly dried up in the gambling halls and was forced to quit his holiday and return to his farm.
Calin recognised the young blonde woman who he knew worked as a dancer come whore in the "Red Kestrel Hotel", one of the more upper-class areas of Galiamank. Apparently she was originally from Jardbourgh and was going back to visit her family. When Calin had told her his reason for the trip and why he was headed for the island of Gelepicko she had appeared shocked at the news. She told him she had visited the island many times when she had lived in Jardbourgh and never once could she remember there being any serious trouble there.
The first night of travelling Calin had nodded off and when he awoke the sky was beginning to darken. They approached the village of Dotcroft and stayed the night there before travelling on at first light of the morrow. The next night they reached Beft-glug where the farmer departed wishing the two goodbye and good life. The third day they set off for Jardbourgh. Half way there a loud crack sounded and the stage coach was flung about madly. Calin and the woman inside were tossed around roughly before it suddenly came to an abrupt stop.
Calin drew his sword and got out the coach looking around and to see what the trouble was. Even in this quiet part of the Kingdom bandits were still known to roam and bringing a stage-coach down to collect the goods inside was a well known and favorite ploy.
In the end his worries where for nothing as he looked down at the broken wheel. The driver told him the wheel must have hit a rock on the road. Calin scanned the area and it was plane to see that there was indeed no trouble around. However the wheel would take time to repair and the driver would have to fix it before they could again be on the move.
"How long man before we are again on the road", Calin asked. He wanted to get to his destination as soon as possible, this would give him more time to talk with locals and find out more of what was going on. "I'm afraid we'll have to spend the night here", replied the driver. "I can fix it tonight but it will take a few good hours and by that time it will be dark".
Calin sighed and returned to the coach to tell the woman that everything was fine and the news of the broken wheel. Later on that night he gave the driver a hand to repair and fix it. They worked hard and well into the night before the job was complete.
The next morning they set off again and by the time it reached midday the town of Jardbourgh could be seen in the distance. Within the hour they had passed through the west gate of the town and goodbyes and good luck’s were said.
Calin set off straight away for the docks and finding a boat paid the ferryman two gold and seven silver pieces to take him across the short stretch of water to the island of Gelepicko. He talked to the ferryman who told him a little about the island. Apparently the island was around thirty miles long and twelve miles wide at it's thickest point. He had heard of the murders and for a while his business of ferrying people across had suffered although in the beginning lots of people who lived on the island had left fearing a terrible curse had been sent down on the people by one of the greater gods or devils, though no one who he spoke to could give a reason for why this might be. The population of over three thousand had suffered and he guessed that those who could had left their houses and fled from the terror which haunted them.
The journey across the small stretch of sea did not take long and he reached the western shore of Gelepicko in good time. The ferryman pointed him to a road and told him that it led to the village of Pagzuire. Calin realized he would have to walk the rest of the way so he wished the ferryman farewell and carrying his equipment, armor and weapons, set off along the road.
At least seventy percent of the island was forest and most of the trees in this great forest were called Blackwoods. Blackwoods were only known to exist on the island, though no one knew why the reason for that was. They where huge trees towering over a hundred foot in height, they had been given there name as the bark of the trees was jet black, giving the forest a strange eerie and mystical look to it.
The road itself twisted and turned and at times became very hilly so that it took Calin an hour to reach the village. The first thing he did was head for Cedric's tavern, the place the wizard said he was going to meet anybody who was interested in claiming the gold.
Calin had planned to stay in the tavern for his trip but when he asked at the bar for a room he was told that all the rooms were taken. The barman (who Calin found out later was Cedric the owner) told him that the rooms had all been taken by fighting men like himself and that they to had heard the message in some shape or form about the wizard seeking warriors with a fortune in gold to be won.
Calin gazed about the room of the bar and some of the inhabitants were indeed not foresters or fishermen that he guessed would normally frequent the pub of Cedric.
At least five of the men in the room were fighters like himself. However only two of these men looked like the battle hardened warriors that he himself was, the others looked like farmers, foresters or fishermen that were pretending to look like cold heartless warriors who had dished out death
on many occasion.
Calin's expert eye had spotted this but he also noted the five other men who were definitely under no such pretence. Four of these men appeared around the same age as Calin, he guessed like him they were mercenaries seeking work throughout the kingdom of Labpreane. The other man seemed to be the life and soul of the pub. He was a monster of a man who stood in the middle of the room towering over everybody else there. He was telling obscene jokes and stories of battles in the past he had fought in. The man was by far the oldest in the pub, looking to be well in his forties, although his movement and the twinkling in his one bright blue eye showed that he had the stamina of a man half his age. His other eye was covered by a black eye-patch; a thick scar half covered by the patch could be partially seen beneath. The man had a long thick frizzy red beard and bare arms as thick as the stumps of small trees. He wore a green and blue tartan kilt and a vest made from the hide of some very shaggy animal that even Calin with his up-bringing of huntsman-ship did not recognize.
Calin had seen on his travels men like this before and recognized that the man was not from the kingdom of Labpreane but in fact was a warrior of the northern lands of Frok. Frok was said to be a completely new continent to that which the Kingdom of Labpreane and the Empire of Velgoramy made up. Frok was reported by those who had travelled there to be a cold and bitter place were thick snow covered the ground more often than not.
The man on spotting Calin and recognizing him for a true warrior came over and introduced himself.
"Greetings fellow traveler, and by the look of you warrior. I guess you seek the same as the rest of us men here and have travelled far to reach this little tavern in search of fortune and work. My name is Mulk a fighter since boyhood and a drinker since berth. Come and join me and some other fellows and have a drink. Sit and be amazed as the mighty Mulk tells of his heroic life". Then Mulk grinned at Calin saying: “I might also tell a few jokes involving the whores of the Empire in connection with the priests of Vral.”
Calin realized Mulk must have recognized him to be a bred and born member of the Kingdom as he had just insulted the Empire. Everybody knew of the rivalry and past history between the two nations and Mulk guessed that like most of the people born in the Kingdom of Labpreane Calin had a secret hatred for there cousins who where separated from them by the desert and was using this to show comrade-ship as the people of Frock had had the odd skirmish with the Empire themselves.
"It is good to be welcomed in such a way friend Mulk", said Calin. "I will indeed join you in a drink later on in the night but first I need to find a place to stay as I still carry my belongings with me".
Mulk nodded his head and suggested to Calin a few other taverns that let out there rooms for a price. Then the two arranged to meet the next night to discuss what they knew and if the reason for them being on the island was indeed the same. Calin then bid Mulk farewell and headed off to check out the places Mulk had recommended to him.
The first place he visited was called the "Green Cow", from the outside it looked quite posh and on venturing inside the poshness was confirmed. Although it might prove a little more expensive than most, all Calin was interested in was weather or not it had a spare room left for him to rest. On enquiring at the bar about lodgings he found it did indeed have one left and he asked to look at it. He was shown to it by an elderly woman who seemed to have an incredibly patronizing voice which she used to good effect when talking about the clients she once used to get and how of late all sorts of commoners were turning up. After saying this she had given him a look to say that he was one of them and that he didn’t belong here. Although this annoyed Calin the room was clean and he told her that he would take it. She did not seem too happy about this, and he chuckled to himself that this old hag who considered herself a lady would have to put up with him for a time. He gained some inner pleasure from this as he had always looked down on snobs.
Once he had paid and the women had left the room he unpacked his few spare clothes and equipment and settled down for the night. Although it was still quite early in the day he did feel tired by the travelling and it had been four nights since he had last slept in the warm bed of Fenretta. Within half an hour he was fast asleep.
On waking up the next morning he felt refreshed and full of energy. Today he would spend getting to know the village and its people, making enquires about the strange goings on. Then he would go on to Cedric's and drink and talk with Mulk.
That morning he wandered around the one long street, checking out all the merchandise the small shops had on offer. These were not much like the shops of the great cities with there elaborate displays to attract customers. These small shops reminded him of market stalls and sold a variety of different things. Hardly one of the tradesmen specialized in one thing. Instead they had a great number of objects scattered over a table.
The owners of the shops and the people who lived within the village were not much help either. Nobody seemed to know any-more than which he already knew. The murders however were affecting the people, he was sure of that. Everybody in the village seemed miserable and scared, even the children when playing always seemed to stop now and then to gaze up with frightened eyes at the sky as if some evil was going to swoop down and take them.
One thing he did learn was that the magician responsible for him being here was called Dermatease. He was apparently very old and had lived in the village for nearly thirty years. The people spoke of him with a great fondness and said if anybody could find the killer then it would be Dermatease.
Calin realized that he was getting quite low on money and had only four gold, fifteen silver and thirty two copper pieces left. "It should see me all right though for a while yet", he thought. "As long as I don't spend it all in this one night getting drunk and completely wrecked".
He decided only to take with him one of the gold pieces and all of the silver. This way he would not blow all his money in one mad session of drinking and possibly gambling.
The rest of the day passed slowly and he waited impatiently for the time he was going to head off to Cedric's tavern to drink with the northerner. It was mainly this that made him worry and decide to be careful with the rest of his money as these northern types had a reputation for drinking heavily and he did not want to get caught up in the night to much with Mulk.
As night began to roll in, Calin headed for Cedric's. He noted how different it was from the Green Cow. Cedric's tavern had a scruffy look about it and on the inside there were no crystal chandeliers hanging from ceilings or bright red satin couches as there where in the Cow. Instead it reminded him of the traditional pubs such as the Nine Dead Pigs with its dirty wooden floors and beer stained tables. This was obviously the place were the workingman would drink, and here within the Pigs walls he felt more at home.
Mulk sat at a table with one of the other men Calin had realised was a true fighter like himself. Calin went to the bar and ordered a pint of ale, then went over to sit with Mulk who it appeared was boring the other man with a story of when he was younger, fighting some battle or other in the northern wastes.
As Calin sat down, Mulk stopped his story telling and turned towards him saying: "Ah ha, once again we meet friend Calin. I take it you found a room as you look twice the scrag of the man that plundered into here last night".
"Yeah, the Green Cow doesn’t have quite the same magnetism as this place though".
Mulk's face split into a wide grin. He recognized something of himself in Calin and from the first time he laid eyes on him he knew him to be a fellow adventurer. Mulk knew instantly that the man sat next to him was more suited to ruff bar rooms, drinking with thugs and scoundrels, not the cultured and upper class individual that frequented the Green Cow.
"Let me introduce you to this ruffian here", Mulk said indicating the other man sitting at the table. "This here is Haurick, an ex soldier from the city of Morphren. Quite a skilled swordsman and like myself a tireless drinker".
Calin looked at the other man who nodded to acknowledge his presence. The man looked a touch older than himself, and the stern features set upon his face betrayed a strict military upbringing. The man was truly soldier born and bred.
Haurick spoke, his voice stern and clear. "Tell me Calin which part of our great Kingdom do you yourself hail from".
"Well", said Calin as he took the first swig of his beer then spat it out cursing as the taste hit him. "Gods, what the hell kind of beer is this. It tastes more like the sewers of a thousand cities inflicted with leprosy rather than the sweet taste of a fine ale".
Mulk and Haurick burst out laughing at the expression of disgust on Calin's face. They turned to each other and as one said: "Galiamank".
Calin realizing that the two had realized he lived in the city well known for its famous and magnificent beverages, also burst into laughter.
"Actually I'm originally from Welveing and only moved to Galiamank later in life. Now that I've once again travelled out of Galiamank and tasted the ales that the rest of the Kingdom have to put up with, well I can see why I've stopped so long in Galiamank".
This last statement he said light heartedly as he knew full well that most of the beers and ales throughout the Kingdom were not that bad. Nothing compared to Galiamank but still very drinkable. Besides it made the other two burst out in laughter again. He guessed from there jolly mood they had already downed a good few and there would be some catching up to do.
"So tell me Calin are you here as well to seek riches offered by the wizard for some unknown purpose", asked Mulk.
Calin nodded his head then went on to tell his story of how he had come by the bards news told to him by Polk, and the story of the killer roaming mysteriously around the village.
Mulk and Haurick told him what they knew, apart from the way they had heard about the wizards request wanting warriors ( Haurick finding out from an advertisement on some parchment nailed to the side of a pub in Morphren and Mulk from a merchant who had heard it from a fellow salesman who had travelled weeks before to the village and had been approached like the bard had by the wizard ) they could not add to what Calin already knew.
Calin heard that both Mulk and Haurick had both just arrived a few days earlier on the island and had met in Cedric's. Haurick claimed that he had arrived a day later than Mulk and when he walked into the pub he heard this booming laugh and this mans voice that spoke of dangerous quests he had under taken and the many fair maidens who he had acquainted.
"I knew then that I would have to meet the loud-mouthed braggart of such outrageous claims", said Haurick smiling and giving a sly wink to Calin.
"Claims", claims", bellowed Mulk. "Why not one word of a lie has been uttered from my lips for at least two minutes".
That night the three men drank themselves stupid. Calin who's money ran out long before the other two was bought free drinks by them and told in slurred speech he was not sneaking away from the booze that easily.
Calin enjoyed the night and in the hours that past a strong bond of friendship was built up among the three men. They listened to each others past stories of adventures and places where they had visited. Mulk had the greater say and some of the things he had seen and the knowledge he possessed made Calin gape open mouthed in amazement. He spoke of lands, monsters, women and cites that Calin found hard to believe. He even claimed to have fought briefly in the last great war for the Kingdom as they battled with the Empire.
By the end of the nights drinking, the talking got around to the wizard Dermatease and why should a wizard require warriors. Mulk spoke of his hatred for most wizards and the dirty magic tricks they could employ when facing an enemy. He claimed that during the war with the Empire he had been made a captain of a hundred men. This if true was fairly uncommon though the Kingdom at times had been known to let foreigners who showed incredible skill in leadership to rise up through the ranks. Mulk spotted the disbelief on Calin's face, at seeing this he showed Calin a gold jeweled ring that he wore on his right hand. Calin's jaw dropped open as he had seen on rare occasions such rings before; they were only given to the bravest men who had won a victory in battle while fighting for the honor of the Kingdom. Anyone found possessing one who had not come by the ring for the proper reasons, or someone using the ring to make false claims of defending the Kingdom would be put to death if discovered. Calin knew from this that either Mulk was telling the truth or he was taking a very dangerous risk in flashing off the ring in public.
He told a story of when he led his men into battle against a bunch of the Empires soldiers who were being aided by six magicians dressed in long red robes.
As the battle commenced the magicians cast a spell on Mulk that made him think he was one of them, his own men were metamorphosed in his minds eye to look like the enemy. As the fight got underway he began to hack into his own troops who only the night before he had drank and travelled with. Men who he commanded, men he had called friends. One of these men was his second in command, a man he had trusted with his life and who had fought at his side in many earlier battles. But to him as the evil spell had taken over his mind, now looked like a sergeant of the Empire. He had hacked the man down from behind, dealing out a death blow that had torn through the mans shoulder, downwards towards his heart which had split open as if it was nothing more than a rotten apple falling from a dead tree.
He had killed a total seven of his own men before the realization of what was happening made his soldiers react. Apparently it took four of them to overcome him and bring him to the ground. One of his men then struck him a blow to the head which knocked him senseless and when he awoke the battle was over. He found out that the wizards had cast the same spell on several other of the men and chaos had reined among there ranks. In the end only twelve of his men survived the battle, they had carried him, there leader away to safety.
As Mulk recounted the story, Calin realized that the man was indeed telling the truth as a great tear welled up in his massive blue eye. Warriors of this kind were only ever known to cry when recounting the lives of lost comrades who had died bravely or tragically in battle.
Mulk then drew from under his woolen vest a thick gold chain that he wore around his neck. On the end of the chain was a large black lump of rock that glistened as he held it up to the light.
"This here I paid a small fortune for", said Mulk. "While I wear this, never will one of those mystic bastards be able to take over my mind again".
Later still that night just before the pub was about to close, the three contemplated what the wizard would say when he arrived in the bar tomorrow night. Many strange and light hearted suggestions were made, adventures that included battling gods and devils to venturing across lands on some bizarre quest to ravage a bunch of maidens. However they all agreed that it was more than probable that it had something or other to do with the killings.
Whatever the wizards job may be, as long as they got a share of the money, that in the end was all that really mattered.