Koolies in Coppertown

Kalan the halfling hadn’t seen a spring this beautiful in over a decade.  The Southern Way had cleared quickly and he had been eager to get his caravan underway a soon as possible.  The leaves had come out in glorious emerald and the mountains had never seemed more rich with life.  Still, word of koolie troubles ‘round Lamac had worried him and he hired on extra guards just in case.  They were youngsters with little experience but they seemed serious minded and able.  The good winter would more than make up for the added expense;  his wagons were loaded down with furs and a few sacks fine gems and gold – plus, the nobility was eager to get south where they summered by the sea.

Edrin and Xeb kept fair watch, riding 100 yards ahead while Gwen and Asdonar took rear guard.  Edrin was a straight forward sort:  earnest and quiet, his enormous sword always at the ready.  Kalan hoped there’d be no cause to use it.  Xeb cut a fine looking figure on his warhorse Gertrude, lance at the ready, gleaming in the noon sun – he handled that horse in an expert manner – good to have that sort along!  Asdonar was a slab of a man who carried no weapons.  Kalan questioned him about his ability to be an effective guard but got himself a jaw dropper when he up and split a fence post with the heel of his hand!  He was hired at once.  Gwen wasn’t as sturdy as the others but she was quick with her fine rapier and frequently sparred with the others.  Her lightning movements and light touch bested many a man twice her size!

There were a few interesting passengers along as well.  Andarial had appeared suddenly from out of the wild with her half-tamed wolf in tow.  Spade --he seemed friendly enough but would growl fiercely if any other than the druidess approached.  Spent most of the trip tirelessly running along side her coach -- darting into the woods to catch a hare when the spirit took him – appearing back suddenly, his chin greased with red.  That crazed half-orc holy man, Gargle, taunted the wolf with glee when ever he had the chance but he was a capricious sort who captivated others with his wild tales and antics.  Iquasu had a furtive look in her eyes, but was a well trained archer who’d brought down several deer for food – she kept the others well fed and happy.  Maligris Avictes . . . folk of his sort made others nervous.  Slight of frame, his ordinary countenance belied an arcane knowledge that manifested itself with queer incantations after others had fallen asleep.  Still, he was personable, talkative and carried himself with pride and confidence . . . takes all kinds!

~~~

The caravan neared Lamac.  Kalan had just crested Longwood Hill and was coming out of the glade at the bend when he saw that Edrin and Xeb had checked their horses and were looking off to the south west.  The grounds of Dandrath Manor were aflame!  Lord Dandrath’s house, overlooking the quite copper town of Lamac, had an air of foreboding about it.  Kalan urged the men make haste but to keep their eyes open for any trouble.  Those stories of koolies might prove true.

The gates of the crude wooden stockade were open and the usually industrious residents off Lamac were in turmoil.  Kalan had planned on stopping here before heading on to Harlan, the river town, where he’d send his goods on by barge.  Passengers and guards alike were eager to look into the trouble at the manor.  Gwen, however, decided to stay with Kalan to ensure the safety of the shipment while Gargle went off looking for ale and wenches.  The wagons were sent off with stable hands while the rest, led by Xeb and Maligris Avictes, took Central Street up to the Manor Square. 

Maligris spotted a man who appeared to be in charge. 
“What’s the trouble here!”
“And who might you be?”
“I’m Maligris and this is a guard from Kalan’s caravan, Xeb.  We’ve come to offer what help we could.”
“My name is Fahmer and I be the copper settlement’s leader.  Nigh on two night ago, some koolies done burrowed into our dear Lord Dandrath’s manor -- took the ‘ole guard by surprise.  Some were killed and some fled wit only there lives.  The fiends done set fire to the stables and servant quarters and took the Lord and his ‘ole fambly ‘ostage.  They’re demandin’ that we withdraw from our copper mines north of ‘ere or they’ll kill the innocents.  We bin mining there fer 3 years w’out a peep but come last fall they come a-tunnelling into our claim and brought war upon our miners.  Most of the town guard was sent up there to ‘old ‘em off while Lord Dandrath sent for more reinforcements.  See, ‘e agreed to protect our outpost for ‘is share of the profits.  But the roads was ‘eld agin the men and when winter fell there were no ‘ope.  Early spring, another call went out but we ain’t ‘eard nothin’ since.  We ‘old ‘em at bay so this must be their way a turnin’ the tides agin us.”

Fahmer led them to the center of the square for a better look.  The manor gates appeared broken down from the outside and the cobblestone courtyard outside the house was strewn with bodies of men and the feral looking lizard bodies they called koolies.  Those present gasped with horror to see the body of an adolescent girl hanging from a second story window, bloodied and lifeless.  Fahmer bowed his head, knowing the cause of their distress.  “Aye, we thought we could rally our able men and make a rescue.  Last night we forced the gates and made for the manor but them koolies come a-screamin’ out the door followed by a great giant!  He wade ina our fellers like a badger in a ditch, a-smashin’ in skulls left an’ right with is great club of ‘is.  We could do nuthin’ but fall back.  This mornin’, there was little Maggie Dandrath a-hangin’ there for all to see.  We don’ wanna give up our claim but looks like we’ll ‘ave no choice.”

The members of the caravan discussed their option and finally, Xeb said “We’ll make this rescue for you Fahmer but we’ll need you to give us a layout of the manor, both inside and out.”

~~~

Maps were quickly drawn and party discussed their options:  The main gate would surely draw forth that giant and gaining the door might cost lives.  Two smaller side gates might grant them a chance to surprise the koolies.  One lay to the south and opened up onto 3 or 4 acres of vegetable gardens.  The gardens were screened by a large tree-line near the manor. 
“That might give us cover on our approach” suggested Asdonar.
“It might also be a great ambush point.  There’s too much open ground for us to cover – archers in the trees could pick us off before we were half way through the bean patch!”, asserted Xeb.
They looked at the Northern gate.  This was a gate that was hidden from outside and entered the manor grounds into a well tended park.  “It might provide us quick access to the doors along the ballroom and give ample cover while we made our way there”, said Maligris.  Xeb and the others agreed and a plan was quickly set in motion.

They borrowed horses as were needed and circled round the hamlet to the secret Northern Gate.  Iquasu, motioned for the others to lead their horses quietly, close against the manor wall.  They stopped some 100 yards from where the gate should be.  Iquasu crept forward cautiously and studied the fine mortar work along the way.  The work was expertly done but her well honed senses could not be fooled.  She found the seams of a door right where Fahmer told her they would be and located the brick that would release the latch.  She listened quietly but heard nothing on the other side of the wall.  Creeping back to the others she told them what she found. 

The party led the horses forward and began to debate how they might enter in with the greatest effect.  Some thought that the horses might force through the door but it was clear that only human hands could effectively work the latch.  “Should we peer in cautiously and see if anyone’s there?” “I think we should ride in striking down all who stand between us.”  “Maybe draw them out somehow”.  Iquasu rolled her eyes at their arguing – “Any chance of taking anyone by surprise with this lot is lost”, she thought.  Finally it was decided, Iquasu would throw open the door while the rest ran through at a gallop not stopping to fight any that stood in their way but making straight for the manor. 

The horses were lined up and the door flung wide.  Xeb charged in, lance at the ready.  “Crap!” he though as he saw 2 ranks of koolies lined up, crossbows at the ready.  They fired a volley and Xeb took two bolts to his body.  The wounds burned like fire but he set his mind to the task at hand.  He set his lance and ran the first koolie through.  The lizard beast slid sickeningly all the way up his lance.  The horse barreled through the line and the koolies gave way before him.  The others rushed in behind him as the koolies struggled to get their half spears ready for melee but the chargers passed them by, making straight for the manor.

Xeb broke free from the trees and saw the 2 story ballroom before him.  Paned glass reaching from ground to eaves caught the afternoon sun like a million mirrors.  He spotted a koolie as he rushed to one of the many glass doors.  “The guards had sent back a messenger hmm?  Well I’ll ruin his day.”  The feral cretin’s little legs were no match for the mighty steed.  He’d just closed the door behind him when Xeb reached the ballroom.  Not hesitating for a moment, he lowered his lance and drove his horse straight though the windowed door.  The koolie was spitted but broken glass and polished marble floors were too much for Xeb to handle all at once.  The horse went down and the pair slid gracelessly across the dance floor.  Maligris was close on his heels and had little time to react.  He and his horse went down as well and the 4 of them slammed into the library doors opposite.  The others checked their steeds and entered more cautiously.

Not wanting to be caught here they opened the library doors and set and ambush for any who might come investigating.  It didn’t take long, the door from the dining hall burst open into the ballroom and a stooping giant leapt through swinging his club.  Koolies rushed in behind, ready to fight.  The would-be rescuers saw this from the library and let loose a volley of arrows, bolts and sling stones.  The giant was wounded mightily but strode forward to crush those that opposed him.  Edrin was struck and his horse, not used to combat bolted while he struggled to stay in the saddle.  In another moment, the ogre lay dead from another volley from the group. 

The koolies formed ranks and half rushed in while others stayed back firing their crossbows.  The front line folded quickly under Xeb’s expert horsemanship and Maligris’ surprisingly deadly marksmanship.  The back rank inflicted great injury to many but when half of them fell to another volley and a charge from Xeb, the rest fled.

Iquasu, Andarial and her wolf rushed out to hinder their escape.  One survived the first assault and ran franticly for the stairs in the main hall.  Maligris asked Xeb to let them use his horse to climb up to the balustrade above, cutting the little fellow off from above.  Maligris, Edrin and Asdonar reached the second floor just as the fleeing fellow came to the top of the landing.  A door opened across from him as more koolies poured out.

Xeb, alone in the ballroom, winced as he saw a patrol of koolies burst in from outside.  He called a warning to Maligris above as he charged into their ranks, using his trusted horse Gertie for cover.  Two fell from his first assault as Maligris let fly bolt after bolt from his deadly accurate crossbow.

Asdonar, not wasting a moment, charged down the upstairs hall and gave the fleeing koolie and vicious, flying kick to the head that knocked him reeling into the wall.  A smear of blood was left on the painted surface as he slid lifeless into a broken, lifeless heap.  Edrin, Andarial and her wolf ran to confront the koolies coming out of the room to their right.  A koolie dressed in robes stood far back in the room facing them, he chanted a fearsome incantation that sent a bolt of energy streaming toward Andarial.  There was nothing she could do but retreat as the magic dealt terrible damage to her.  Edrin, with the help of the druidess’ wolf, Spade, cleared the doorway only to see the robed koolie call forth yet another mystical spell.  Sleep seemed to call to those standing in the door jamb.  Asdonar and Iquasu had the will to shirk off the effect but Edrin and Spade succumbed, falling lifelessly to the floor haunted by horrible dreams of pain and death at the hands of their foes.

Asdonar tumbled into the room, deftly avoiding the koolies attempts to strike at him.  He swung madly but none of his blows seemed to land.  Iquasu fired into the room with her bow while volleys of crossbow bolts streaked out in answer.  Andarial, seeing her friends in danger, called upon the powers of nature to heal her wounds and rushed forward to help them.  Asdonar grew desperate as his strikes failed to land but at last he struck dead the sorcerer, now weakened by Iquasu’s persistent arrows.  With Edrin and the wolf now awakened by Andarial, the last of the koolies were quickly dispatched.

Meanwhile, Xeb and Maligris had made efficient work of their weapons, killing the koolies below with haste.  Following the last fleeing one outside Xeb was confronted by the koolies that guarded the north gate coming in to join their comrades.  Gertrude hastened her stride and Xeb charged through their ranks.  Not stopping to melee, he ran on past and wheeled Gertie around for another pass.  Maligris ran to the upstairs windows and aided the knight with more deadly bolts from above.  In but a few moments the koolies lay dead and the two went upstairs to join their friends.

~~~

It didn’t take long to find the Dandrath hostages – they lay dead in the adjoining room.  The smell of death lingered and their long dried blood showed that they had been dead for some time.  As the would-be rescuers picked over the bodies of their fallen foes the mystery became clearer.  The giant, dead in the ballroom, possessed a fire opal of great worth.  Where would he have gotten this fine gem?  A note held by the koolie sorcerer explained it:

Khren –

Lord Dandrath haas called fore reinforcements frome Harlan.  Carrie oute the emergency planne that we discussed in oure prievious correspondences.  Here is a Gem that shoulde convince Brun to joine you!  Make sure you leave nonne alive!

-- S.T.

“So,” said Maligris, “this is no ordinary koolie uprising!  Someone else must be behind it!”

A further search of the manor revealed another band of koolies guarding the kitchen entrance far back from the main house.  These were quickly dispatched and servants taken hostage were freed from the root cellars.  Beaten and weary, the group left the grounds and told Fahmer the bad news.  The town was grateful for party’s aid but mourned the passing of their benevolent protector.

A brief rest would be needed but the group was determined to see to it that the koolie threat would be ended once and for all.  Tomorrow they would go to the mines and remove the accursed beasts once and for all.  Gargle reluctantly tended their wounds, his haunches ached from his afternoon of lust but he agreed to join them in the morning and see what could be done about these koolies everyone was griping about.  Kalan gave Gwen leave to go as well since their foes would be of vast number and every hand would be needed.  He had been speaking with the shipping masters here in Lamac and learned that the bridge at the Blue Creek ravine was a favorite ambush spot for koolies to the south.  Best to finish these koolies here and now so that the Southern Way would stay safe.

Continued in “Koolies in the Mines of Lamac”