Port Icewyrm


A strange feeling swept over Magellan as his ship plowed slowly into Port Icewyrm's harbor. He had crossed the Ocean of Storms, Survived a massive attack of undead, helped to capture the Barbarian city of Malawyrm, and had finally arrived to his destination on a far away continent. He knew this was a great achievement, and that he had already carved his name deeply on Montagal's historical tablets.

In a way he was content. Yet he was impatient to go forward with greater plans. As his ship slipped slowly towards a dock, he looked upon a new world. The quays were clustered with hulls and sails, spars, and small boats. Docks and warehouses were piled high with cargoes.

From many sections of the waterfront, could be heard the hammering of caulking irons and the building of ships. Magellan leaped off his ship as it creaked to a stop against the dock. Other crew members jumped off the small ship to secure it to the docking pier with heavy ropes.

The port was plentiful with the multi-colored banners of many lands. Hundreds of workers thronged Icewyrm's narrow streets. There was an air of magnificence everywhere. Great ladies in rich finery rode past in colorfully plumed carriages. Everywhere success and splendor were apparent.

On shore there was talk everywhere about the current arrival of the Montaguese. Magellan's attention was attracted by a conversation going on further down the wharf, only a few yards away by a carriage. A carriage driver, dressed in a blue tabard, a dwarf, was engaged in a difference of opinion with an attractive young female of Magellan's own species.

The dwarf was waving his two arms in the air. "But the carriage is reserved, human! Can you not read the 'reserved' banner that so designates it?"

The human appeared to be about the same age as Magellan. She had straight black hair that fell just bellow her nape. Her skin was a rich tan, her eyes nearly black, indicating that she came from a land that received a good deal of sunlight. She stood, hands gracefully on hips, and stared at the dwarf, unconvinced.

Then she contorted her face in a very close imitation of the driver's , waving her arms and shrugging her shoulders in precisely the way he had. Magellan found himself laughing aloud. She heard him, caught his eye and gave him a conspirational smile. Then she went back to her dispute.

"But it's been reserved ever since I arrived here three days ago, hasn't it? And nobody's claimed it, have they? There're no other carriages available and I'm tired of waiting in Icewyrm; I want to go to Meridian right now. Or should I wait around some more, and take my business elsewhere? It doesn't look like you're making much money off this carriage right now, does it?"

She had hit him in a vital spot. Lost revenue was something a good merchant never permitted. The blue-clad driver looked around worriedly to make sure the party or parties for whom the carriage was reserved wouldn't materialize out of thin air and object. With an eloquent shrug, he pulled the 'reserved' banner off the side of the carriage. The woman took her place within with a look of satisfaction.

"Hold on!" yelled Magellan, running towards the carriage, "Could either of you tell me exactly how I can get to Darkenwald? I am from Montagal, and have a mission there... I mean I have a mission in Darkenwald, and I come from Montagal."

The dwarf grumbled as he grabbed the reins to the two chestnut brown creatures in front of the carriage.

The girl caught Magellan's dark eyes with hers, "I'm heading to Meridian, it's quite close to Darkenwald! Perhaps you may wish to travel with us, would you?"

At that moment, Roland stepped out of the shadows of a near by crate and ran towards Magellan at the two-horse carriage. Roland thrusted an evil looking dagger into Magellan's hands. Roland's face was pale as he warned:

"Be on your guard tonight, Magellan. There is a vicious plot by the Niaps to assassinate us, and any other Montaguese."

Magellan thought for a moment. "Good old Roland!" he exclaimed warmly. "Always looking after the safety of his friend. But you worry too much. I can take care of myself."

"You seem distracted by other things. I over-heard two Niap men speaking about our deaths." Roland cautioned. "Someone had to warn you, and this I can do."

"What's the problem?" the woman asked, "If you two want to travel with me I'd be glad to have you along."

Magellan answered. "I don't know, I only have three silver and..."

"I'll pay for the carriage," the woman said, "but let's leave before it gets to dark, shall we?"

In a few moments the two good friends, the woman, and the dwarf, were speeding off into the coming night, engaged in pleasant conversation. It was getting late, and the waterfront streets were shrouded in a dismal falling mist that blanketed them in heavy darkness.

Suddenly the brown creatures gave snorts of panic. The carriage careened to a screeching, swerving halt. Muffled voices filled the air. Out of the night a band of ruffians appeared and grabbed the bridles of the creatures. The heavy footfalls of the brigands could be heard all around, but the darkness obscured any sight of them.

The carriage was overturned. Magellan, Roland, the girl, and the dwarf were pitched across the wet cobbles. Magellan felt a cruel blade tearing at his clothes and searching for his throat. Since he couldn't unsheathe his longsword, he lashed out with the dagger. There were moans and cries of pain. Blood was flowing. Shouts of anger filled the night.

"Mato o Montaguese! Kill the Montaguese!" came the savage growl. "Guards! Someone! Help!" the dwarf's voice pierced the darkness. Out of the side-streets lanterns moved dimly. The guards arrived. And as mysteriously as they had appeared, the assassins melted into the night. Magellan had taken note of the fact that the oaths he heard were in Niapish. The incident was a shocking one, and a violent physical struggle as well.

"Magellan! Are you all right?" It was Roland, shouting in anxiety.

"Yes. Thanks only to your foresight, and the dagger you gave me," replied Magellan. "That was a close call though, Roland!"

It was so easy to kill someone in those quiet, lonely streets, Magellan now realized. As the cold-blooded designs of his enemies smote him, he became conscious of the danger he was in. Moreover, he recognized the need to make haste to leave Icewyrm before some greater disaster fell. He would have to continue on foot since the carriage was damaged.

The dwarf checked the girl and discovered her life signs to be very faint. She only had minutes to live before she would bleed to death. Magellan had never felt more helpless in his life. He promised himself that he would learn first-aid in the future.

The shock of the attack and a severe wound proved tragic for Roland. He needed several weeks of rest before he would be fit to travel. As it was, he could barely move. Magellan carried him to a healers, and was certain he would never see his friend again. It was a sad and agonizing blow to Magellan to leave without him, but Roland insisted him that in made sense for Magellan to leave before the Niap assassins attacked again. Bitterness for the Niaps and their assassins surged up within Magellan. He wondered what move of desperation his vicious enemies might attempt next.

The following morning a riot was fomented on the docks by the Niaps. On the dock, next to the ship the Montaguese had arrived on, crowds of Niaps surged towards the out-numbered crew.

Magellan watched the hysterical horde surge forward and start up the Montaguese ship's gangway. The commanding officer of the Montaguese ordered them to stop at once or their would be unnecessary bloodshed. But they rushed towards him and cut him down with a barrage of knife stabbings.

After a scrambling battle, all the Montaguese were dead or captured. The flag of Montagal had been hauled down, trampled upon, and torn to shreds.

A little sickened by the defeat of the Montaguese at Icewyrm, Magellan fled inland towards Darkenwald. He knew that he now stood alone. But the tougher the going, the stronger his determination seemed to grow.

There was one enormous obstacle, however, that he always faced. He could never be sure whom he could trust. Nevertheless, in spite of continued interference, in a few days he had reached the village of Darkenwald.