Here for your consideration is the journal of Emmers Nahr, a potter by trade and a refugee from the tyranny of a remorseless Enemy. His is a story of an epic voyage, one that takes him from a world of violence and death into another of magic and uncertainty, where the earth itself can come to life, and the power to move the heavens can rest in the palm of your hand. I hope you enjoy the journey.
29 November 2006
Day Forty-three
Five days have now passed since we turned into the west. And now that the way forward has been decided a new energy has infused the Fleet, our ships riding steadily into the unknown reaches of the Grey Sea. Life for the crew and evacuees of the Dromannion has settled into a routine, one of constant work that keeps all hands busy, and allows the souls aboard to focus on what is immediately important, rather than worry about what may lay ahead. For my part I have been deep in study, the craft of Healing a vocation requiring both knowledge and skill. The Healer Faren is a storehouse of both, a deep well of information and wisdom that myself, and the other Assistants, must make constant referral too. My days are spent in tending the sick and injured, working alongside my fellow trainees as we try and make sense of the bewildering range of ailments and afflictions that seem to emerge amongst the passengers of this vessel. No day sees the same patients yet each day follows the same solid routine. The morning is spent in the Surgery, tending those who come for help, the afternoon spent searching out those who do not wish the attention. For the Healer Faren this is the most important task of the day. It is his contention that we must find everyone who is sick, whether they wish help or not, for it will take only one serious illness to put the entire Fleet at risk. Thus we spend much time below decks, surveying every room and hold, looking for those who harbour a harsh cough, or concealed rash. Anything that might connote infection is dealt with immediately, and as long as our medicines hold out so it will be. There is time for other activities however. Every soul aboard has been given a job to do, a specific duty that it that person's alone. Whilst the crew may sail the ship and tend to its many needs, the evacuees have been given the task of looking after themselves. Cooking, cleaning, production of clothing, entertainment, hygiene duties and schooling have all been taken up eagerly, and within the narrow world that is this ship we have begun to operate very much like a small town, with village meetings, entertainment and disputes all part of the ongoing calendar of life. Very quickly we are recognising each other, our names and duties aboard. The bustle and activity of the ship provides a focus that does not allow us to think about what the future may bring. It is easy enough however, to glance out over the disquiet sea and be reminded that the dozens of ships that forge westwards with us are only small islands of humanity in a wider world that seems ambivalent to our progress. Since turning westwards the weather has remained favourable. Out of the north-east blows a consistent stream of air, pushing our ships deep into the Grey Sea. Cloud banks have come and gone and we have been visited only with light rain and morning mists. With the wind at our back we forge ahead, the horizon a clear line dividing sea and sky, broken only by our scout vessels as they lead the way. It is easy as I sit upon the foredeck to believe that we are the only living things in this universe. I wonder how long it will be before we see land.
The Healer Faren came and awakened myself and the other assistants in the early hours of the morning. He had been approached by the Dromannion's Second Officer and wished all the Healers attend the meeting of the Fleet's officers. It is not to be a small affair. In the pre-dawn hours the quarterdeck of the flagship had been cleared and out of the veils of night skiffs from all the ships in the fleet have begun bringing their Officers to the Dromannion. The future of all our number is to be decided once and for all. Mid-morning saw myself and my colleagues standing on the outside of a wide congregation of Officers from all the vessels of the Fleet. Captain Duschet stood at the centre of the quarterdeck and soon brought the meeting to order. To start the discussion he gave a quick accounting of the state of the Fleet, its number and a revised count of the souls aboard. Time was spent remembering the loss of those who had succumbed to the dangers of the sea before the meeting was opened to ideas about what must now be done. Agreement was reached quickly that there now lay no haven upon the lands of Adoracia or the Haarn. The old world was no longer a safe place for men and with that fact fully understood the only question that remained was where we should now go. To answer this the three captains of the Equinox, Allahard and Kalborea stepped forward. With loud voice they described the migration of the birds to the west, and put forward the logical conclusion that they were flying to a haven somewhere beyond the western horizon. Even if, they argued, it was only a small island or group of islands, it might provide us with the sanctuary we need to rebuild our strength before finding more open and habitable lands. With few options available the captains of the Fleet discussed the viability of such an expedition and then agreed that it was our only hope. In the warmth of the morning suns the decision was made. The remnants of the Free Nations would leave the lands of their ancestors behind and search out a new home in the west. If it was good enough for the birds then it would be good enough for us. With the ending of the meeting work began immediately. The Fleet is to break into two groups, at the head will be arrayed a flotilla of smaller ships to act as scouts, spread out to cover as much of the sea ahead as possible. The larger ships such as the Dromannion will remain at their rear, following their lead as the smaller ships navigate the way ahead. The open sea is unknown to all and it seems prudent that we move carefully. At midday I was summoned to the Captain's quarters. Although I was not surprised to see Captain Rendell waiting there, the Healer Faren was also in attendance, and this gave me cause to wonder as to why I was there. My first thought being that I was to be transferred permanently to the Equinox, but this was soon dispelled as the reason. It was Rendell who put my mind at rest. In his usual abrupt manner he informed me that he had told everything to Captain Duschet of his concerns regarding his crewman Stump, and that I had been watching him over the course of our scouting mission to the Haarn. There were concerns that the northerner may be a threat to the safety of the Fleet, and the Captains wanted my opinion as to whether he was, and if that was the case, how he should be handled. My experiences with the man at Corin'kraag would not allow me to be completely open about what I had seen. He had saved one crewman from certain death and found all the survivors that had been pulled from the ruins of the port. I had decided then that such acts of compassion had earned him my silence, and although it grieves me to say it, I was less than forthcoming about his powers and abilities. In the absence of the whole truth I told the captains that Stump was an educated man who was definitely hiding something in his past. He had however done nothing to harm the Equinox whilst on this voyage and had proven himself an able assistant to the care of the injured aboard that ship. Although I felt it bold at the time I also put forward the idea that he should be transferred to the Dromannion, and be trained properly under the eye of Faren. Whatever his indiscretions in the past he could prove another useful Assistant to the Healer. As I write this I realise that I probably should have told all I knew of the northerner. There is a power in the man though that I believe needs to be left alone. Whatever the source of his abilities they may prove better discovered by others at the time they are needed most. I can see no malcontent in him. For the time being his secret will be mine. By the early evening of this day the Fleet is ready to begin the next stage of our great expedition. Ten small ships including the Equinox, stand at the vanguard, spread upon the sea as far as the horizon extends to the west. Aboard the Dromannion and the other vessels of our number, we wait only for the flare that will start our journey into the west. In the cold bluster of a southerly wind the twin moons of Elanna and Shabel rise behind us. In their ascending glow the flare is shot into the darkening sky. We are on our way.
Although there were times when I did not believe I would once again stand upon the deck of the Dromannion it has indeed come to pass. On this thirty-seventh day of our journey our reunion with the Fleet is now complete. At mid-morning we intersected the path of the flagship and to the sounds of much commotion were welcomed back. The return of our three ships has made the Fleet whole once more, and now we once again must look to where our future lies. Such decisions must wait for a short time however. The supplies and survivors taken from Corin'kraag need to be distributed through the Fleet, and for reasons that are not yet apparent I have been called to a meeting with Captain Duschet. The unloading of supplies and the proper accommodation of the Haarn children have priority and my meeting with the First Captain must wait until tomorrow. It is interesting to note that the Haarn do not call themselves by this name. To themselves they are known as NomDruse, which roughly translates as "people of the south". I was not aware of it but the Haarn Kingdoms were made up of many different nationalities and tribal groups. These children are the last remaining survivors of their people. I am very glad that we were able to find them. There are many things that must now be done, and it would seem that life aboard the Dromannion has not stopped whilst I was away. The Healer Faren has a full workload before him and the injured men from the Equinox, plus a further four from the Allahard and Kalborea, have only added to that burden. After a few heartfelt greetings both myself and Ahlek Norahm have been put straight back to work. For the moment Stump remains aboard the Equinox. Although he has been my assistant on the Equinox I do not know yet if Captain Rendell wishes his crewman to continue his training under Faren aboard the Dromannion. This is something that should be determined prior to the Fleet getting under way. In the evening of this day I find myself back upon the foredeck of the Dromannion, taking advantage of the only peace that can be found aboard a ship that becomes more crowded with every passing day. For the moment the Haarn are to be kept aboard so that Faren can properly investigate their state of health. The evacuees from the Kalborea have been returned to that ship. Their illness has proven to be nothing more than a short-lived affliction picked up by one of their number. There has been no recurrence of it amongst the remainder of the Fleet, and as all now seem fit they have been transported back to their own accommodations. The sky has now fallen into night and a stiff breeze pulls at the furled sails as they rest at their yards. The morning should see a final decision made on our future, and the only thing that is certain is that the world we have known is gone. Reports I have heard from those ships that got close enough to Corin'kraag have told a story of dozens of winged beasts circling the town and of great commotion within its ruins. We must have stirred up a hornet's nest with our bombardment of the port, and in doing so brought the eye of the Enemy firmly upon our sojourn there. I am glad that we were able to strike at least one blow before we left our lands behind. It is something that we can no longer dwell upon however. For now there is only the future extending before us, the past has been swept away.
Providence has smiled kindly upon us for we have been found. At the first hour of morning masts appeared on the horizon to the north. Two small scout vessels, the Penumbra and the Allanteel saw our flares in the night and have made contact with the Allahard. In all my days I will not forget the relief that I now feel at our discovery. It is only time, and favourable winds, that keep us from the rest of the Fleet. From what I have been able to gather the Fleet has not had an easy time of it either, their troubles starting soon after our departure. Whilst we were moving closer to the coast of the Haarn, the Fleet sailed farther into open waters. For two days they waited before beginning to track southwards, the intention of Captain Duschet to take the Dromannion, and the rest of the Fleet, to the pre-arranged rendezvous point to await our arrival. On that third night the Fleet was hit by a huge storm that scattered all of its vessels over a wide area. One ship was lost and over fifty souls could not be saved as it slowly sank. For four days the Dromannion scoured the sea, shepherding its lost flock and taking account of the losses sustained by many of their number. By the time the Fleet could once again move it was too late, the rendezvous had been missed, and they had been driven so far out to sea that it had taken nine days to make the port of Corin'kraag. What they found at Corin'kraag left them without doubt as to the outcome of our mission to the Haarn, the sight of dozens of winged creatures enough to know that our three ships could not have remained there. Duschet was not going to leave us to an unknown fate however. Quickly he devised a plan to search to the north and west, and thankfully our flares were spotted. Now we need only follow the Penumbra and the Allanteel back to the main body of the Fleet and we will be reunited. I look forward to seeing the Dromannion once again.
This morning the winds returned, blowing the mists southwards and fanning our hopes of finding the Fleet. The Captain of the Kalborea, a man by the name of Artimus Lovar, has put forward an idea to increase our chances of meeting up with the Fleet, and today it is to be put into practice. Word of a plan, any plan, has been met with high spirits from the crews of our three ships. With the mists gone, all three ships are to spread out, staying at the farthest distance apart whilst still remaining visible. We are to sail now to the north-west and as we go fire off the flotilla's supply of explosive bolts, high into the air above us. It has been determined that one shot per ship every fifteen minutes will be sufficient. With luck the Fleet has spread out searching for their lost ships and these explosives flares will be seen. It is now our only hope. At noon the barrage began and in accordance with the plan each ship has sent up a bolt. All bolts are being fired to the north and each explodes high above us with a deafening blast. I feel sure these detonations must be both seen and heard over a wide area. The Allahard sits two leagues to the north, the Kalborea a similar distance to the south, and the Equinox plies its way at their centre into a rising swell. I find the air here very cold. Although the winds blow from the north-east there is a chill in their bluster that cuts through my clothing and has begun to freeze water upon the decks and rigging. We have travelled a great distance south in our flight from the Enemy, and it is good now that we have begun to track northwards. I have no experience with ailments of the cold and it is my hope that we will find warmer waters soon. Nightfall has brought no joy to our endeavour. The explosions continue and in the gathering dark the captains have changed strategy. Now we fire flares high into the air overhead, bright cascades of burning powder raining down on the sea as we try to attract attention to ourselves. It is a wondrous sight as the flares rise into the air before erupting into blasts of sparkling light. Such things I have not witnessed before and I have spent some time watching as they arch overhead. Harlen tells me that they have refined the bolts for this purpose, packing their explosive heads with phosphorous and metal shavings. He seems well pleased with the results. In the dark of a moonless evening the cascades of light seem ethereal, each of the ships silhouetted in small showers of fire as explosions erupt above them. Only Providence can know if it will be enough.
Fighting has started to break out on the lower decks. Crewmen lay listlessly in their hammocks, feeling the languid swell of the sea and finding no reason to take to their duties. Frustration and anger are building in the eyes of many, I can see that they are afraid and need someone to blame for their predicament. Arguments have turned into conflict and four men have found their way to my surgery with bruising and concussions caused by brawls. All the hope of our stay in Corin'kraag, the finding of supplies and the rescue of the Haarn children has evaporated as we languish in this cold sea. It would be better if there was a breeze. At least then we would have the option of making sail.
Two days have passed as we wait at anchor and there has been no sign of the Fleet. All three ships remain close, the sea a flat vista of motionless water enshrouded now in mist. We all wait, the Equinox silent in the water as all hands look out into the fog, ears straining for any sound that might indicate the approach of another vessel. Hope is starting to falter and I find myself thinking now on what we must do if we never find the Fleet. Questions fill every crewmember's thoughts. Where are we to go? How can we build new lives when our world in no more than these three small ships and the cold water beneath us? In the mists we sit without purpose and wait, our minds in ferment, our hopes fading.
Early this morning we saw the first sign of the Enemy. Upon the hills to the east of Corin'kraag a dark shape came to rest, great wings flourishing in the gloom as it settled. With the suns of dawn only glimmering a red wash against the eastern horizon it was difficult to discern what it was, however the crew did not wait to find out. Up until this time I was aware that the Dromannion was the only armed vessel in the Fleet. The flagship carries twelve large ballista devices, firing explosive bolts for distances of up to a kilometre. It has surprised me greatly to find that the Equinox is armed to the teeth as well. With the great beast somewhere ahead within the gloom Captain Rendell fired off orders of his own and the crew jumped to obey. From secret compartments in the quarterdeck came six crossbow-like devices, heavy enough that they needed to be carried by four men, each fixed into free swinging mounts at the ship's sides and stern. With all six weapons in place each was attended by a well-trained firing team that set the weapons, winched back their bows and then loaded explosive bolts that sat quietly, waiting for their short flight to destruction. Captain Rendell did not wait for the creature to attack. As the weapons were put in place the remainder of the crew swung the Equinox out into deeper water. Both the Allahard and the Kalborea also swung westwards, and in the semi-dark of the dawn all three ships unloaded their secret weaponry upon the ruins of Corin'kraag. The great flying creature was somewhere upon the hills at the eastern edge of the port and the bolts from the three ships landed squarely amidst the ruins. Through the gloom the bombardment continued, sputtering fuses on each of the bolts tracing long arcs of light from the ships to the shoreline. In a series of explosions the rubble erupted, blasts lighting the ground with plumes of fire and pulverised stone. As the bolts fell, the fire teams adjusted their aim, throwing their projectiles further into the ruin, marching the explosions in a line towards the far edge of the town. In a hail of fire the port lit up and out of the smoke rose the beast into the air, screaming its anger as it launched itself upwards. It was only then that the shapes of four more of the creatures rose from the ruins. For Captain Rendell that was enough. Orders rang out once again and those ballistas that were able trained their bolts on the beasts, firing their explosive rounds into their number as our ships tacked out into the Grey Sea. In a flurry of detonations we turned our backs for the last time on the lands of the Haarn. We have outlived our welcome here, this world is no longer ours. For most of this morning we have moved further out into deep water. We are all aware that by moving further westwards we may pass the Fleet and never rendezvous, but the Enemy is too close and the winged creatures are only precursors to something far more destructive. Thankfully we have seen no further sign of the Enemy, no pursuit or attack has followed our departure. If we have seen no sign by noon the Captain says we will drop anchor and consider what we should do next. At midday the three ships of our small flotilla came to a halt, furling sail and dropping anchor. The wind is brisk but the sea remains calm and in this setting the captains have come together to discuss what we should do. There is no sign of the Fleet and no way that we can risk returning to Corin'kraag. Such circumstances have left us with little in the way of long term options. When the meeting was over word spread quickly through the Equinox that a decision had been made. For the moment we are to do nothing but remain at anchor and wait.
This twenty-seventh day of our journey finds us becalmed upon the sea, anchored only a short distance from the sea-walls of Corin'kraag. Our holds are full and the survivors of the devastation of the town are being cared for. There is little that we can do except wait, hoping the masts of the Fleet will appear to our north and we can continue on with our voyage. On this day I have little to record. My patients are all doing well and only one small skiff has ventured back into the port. Aboard was Stump and three other crew, making for the library that had protected the children of the Haarn. The Captains have determined that these children should not be denied whatever part of their heritage that can be salvaged, and has sent the party ashore to bring every book and document that can be retrieved back to the flotilla. By mid-afternoon they had returned, the skiff loaded with books, another in tow loaded down with scrolls and parchments. It has occurred to me that most of the children are too young to have learned the skill of reading. Of all those aboard our ships it is possible that only Stump can read them. He does seem very pleased with himself.
The finding of so many Haarn children has presented a new set of priorities for the captains of our three vessels. The Fleet has not arrived and we find ourselves custodians to the only survivors we have found in this port-haven. When the news reached the beach that we had found survivors, it was only a short time before crew from all three ships arrived with blankets and food. Carefully all the Haarn were removed to the beach and then transported to the Allahard. It was the only ship with enough room spare to provide accommodation for so many. My friend Ahlek Norahm has taken charge of their care as they recover from the ordeal of their entombment. Myself and Stump spend most of our time aboard the Allahard as well, helping with the tending of their injuries and providing translation of their words. Aboard our flotilla there is only one man who can speak Druse, the language of the southern Haarn, and that is Stump. In the matter of the northerner's uncanny ability with language I believe Captain Rendell is completely correct. From the children we have been able to ascertain what happened at Corin'kraag, at least up until the time that the children were taken into their deep shelter. Stump has been instrumental in collecting this information and I have spent some time with him putting together the pieces of the story that can be gathered from the older children. I must admit that their accounts raise far more questions than they answer. For some weeks the people of Corin'kraag had known of the steady advance of the Enemy. Most of the Haarn forces had been destroyed in the early days of the encroachment of the shadow at their borders, and in desperation plans had been made by the town Elders to evacuate as many of the townspeople onto ships as they could. The purpose of the evacuation being to find sanctuary upon the open sea until the Enemy had gone and then, when it was safe, return to their homes. Little did any of the town's leaders realise the swiftness with which their foe would advance, or the devastation that would be visited upon them. Corin'kraag was a trading port and a base for a fleet of fishing vessels that trawled the most southern reaches of the Grey Sea. The townsfolk did not have the same hesitation with making for deep waters as my people of the Free Nations harboured, and plans for this evacuation were well in place when the first creatures of the Enemy appeared out of the sky. Great flying beasts swooped upon the unsuspecting Haarn and spread fear through the town. Quickly all the children of Corin'kraag were herded into the basement of the town's library as their parents made preparation to defend the port and its ships from these aerial attackers. The last thing any of the children saw was the thick doors of the library's storerooms being shut. Within minutes of their hiding a great sound tore the air, sending up clouds of dust and piercing their ears with pain so agonising that it sent most into unconsciousness. From that time until they were uncovered they have known nothing but the dark and thirst. We have been unable to determine how long they were below ground but Captain Rendell believes it could have been as long as ten days. They are all lucky to be alive. We have all taken the responsibility of caring for these children until the Fleet arrives, and as we go about our work the collection of supplies continues within the town. With the agreement of the other captains Rendell has sent out scouts into the surrounding lands looking for any other Haarn settlements that may lay close to Corin'kraag, and trying to determine how close the Enemy may be. So far there has been no sign of life anywhere. The devastation visited upon Corin'kraag has been repeated wherever the scouts have searched. By the evening of this day we have filled all the ships with supplies. There is no more room available to stow anything and the decks are crammed with goods. All the ships sit low in the water and at this time we are moving cautiously beyond the reach of the port's seawalls so that we have a better view to the north. If the Fleet is to come it must be within the next few days, otherwise we will have no choice but to make our own decisions as to our future. We all go about our duties with eyes fixed firmly on the north, and busy ourselves with tasks that might speed the progress of the days. My time is currently divided between the care of the children aboard the Allahard and the injured crewmen that need tending on the Equinox. It will be good to see the Healer Faren again. Hopefully it will not be long.
Our third day in harbour has found me awakened early and on my way to the ruins of Corin'kraag. From my seat at the bow of our skiff I can see the quiet movement of men on the beach-head, and in the gloom the rubble mounds of the town stand as ghostly grey undulations within which the flickering lights of torches appear and disappear. We have seen no sign of the Enemy and it has been resolved that we shall continue with our gathering of supplies only as long as this remains so. It is unknown to me why we have not been noticed by the destroyers of this port-haven, but we are going to make as much of the opportunity as we can. I have been joined by Stump and two other men, a jovial sailmaker called Harlen and a disreputable-looking deckhand by the name of Feth. All four of us have the same orders, search the town for any sign of the Haarn, living or dead. It has been said that by the end of this day our search for survivors will end. Most of the town has been thoroughly searched. There is now only a small section remaining to be surveyed. Hopefully we can be back aboard ship by noon. For the morning's work I chose to search with Harlen. Whilst Stump and Feth worked their way into the centre of the rubble that was the main town square and its surrounding buildings, the two of us began a steady turning of the wreckage on the square's western edge. There was not much left to find. Because of the unstable nature of the rubble piles, we looked not for obvious signs of a cellar or other subterranean space, but for depressions in the ground where a cellar door or stairway might have given way. When one was found we would dig into its centre hopeful to find the solid edges of a door's seating or perhaps a stone-lined corridor. For most of the morning this was our task, scouring the piles for sign of subsidence and then digging until we hit something. By the last hour before noon myself and Harlen had covered all the edges of the Square. We had found nothing worth the delving and sure in the knowledge that there was little left to find I made my way into the town centre to meet with Stump and Feth. Harlen followed a short distance behind. He had fallen back, seemingly in no hurry to conclude his day upon dry land. It was alone then that I happened upon the other two crew members and what I saw stopped me in my tracks. I must confess that for a moment I did not understand what it was I was seeing. When my wits returned to me I crouched quietly at the edge of a rubble-heap and watched as a strange tableau played itself out before me. Stump was engaged in a ritual of some type, and it was something he did not want others to see. Beside him Feth stood motionless, somehow held rigid, his eyes closed and his hands clenched tightly at his side. Stump however was squatting on his haunches, both hands firmly planted on the ground at his feet, and in the quiet breeze I could hear him chanting. It was a soft whisper that lingered in the air, infusing the ground about his hands with an energy that spread slowly into the stone piles at his left. In the bright light of day it shimmered blue as it wound its way into the debris, before sweeping away the stone and splintered wood as a wind might blow leaves from the ground. What it uncovered was a pair of solid wooden doors, set flat against a rectangle of flooring stones. It was an entryway to a basement area that would have gone unnoticed if not for the strange power wielded by the northerner. I decided then that I would not let Stump believe he had been discovered. Carefully I retreated to a reasonable distance and then began calling for Harlen. Together we strode into the remains of the square to find both Stump and Feth moving smashed stone from the newly discovered entryway. I could see no sign that Feth had any recollection of his short entrapment. Stump was very excited though. He believed that the doors where the entry to a sub-basement of the town's only library. Together we moved the final pieces of stone and then smashed a mechanism which bound the doors tightly locked. I watched Stump as he gained a purchase on one door's handle and then pulled with all his might. It came open with difficulty and it took all four of us to wrench it away from its twisted seating but eventually we had it ajar. Only Harlen had brought a torch with him and in the brightness of the day the opening to whatever was below was wrapped in a black gloom. None of us moved to enter. There was something about this dark opening into the ground that begged caution. I recount what happened next with a joy that is hard to record with quill and ink. Stump went first, I followed as Harlen and Feth waited above. The entryway proved to be the threshold of a long stairway that angled deep into the ground before finding an end at a small landing. At this landing was a wide arched doorway and it was here that Stump paused. Carefully he placed with hand upon the door's thick timber and then knocked. There was no response. Again he knocked and then said something in a language I have not heard before. To my astonishment there was a reply, a voice both weak and frightened rose out of the silence, responding to the northerner's words. It was the voice of a child. Immediately Stump went to work at the hinges of the door. The devastation above had moved the foundations of the door's wide arch and jammed it closed. With his knife Stump unscrewed the fittings that held the door secure to its hinges. With both removed he called for whoever was behind to step away from the door and then we both pushed with all our might. In a crash the door fell inwards, spewing gouts of dust and broken rock into the air. Amongst the roiling dust I held my breath as a small head appeared from the darkness, squinting at the brightness of my torch. This child was followed by another, and then a third. Within moments it was a steady flood of dark-haired children, all covered in dust and hoarse with thirst. In a whisper Stump told each that they were safe and to go to the top of the stair. I looked at the northerner and I could see in his eyes that he had expended more than just his physical strength to find these children. At that moment I decided that for the time being his secret would be my secret as well. When all the children had found their way to the top of the stairs I spent time searching for stragglers and examining the contents of the basement. It had indeed been the storage area for a significant library. Long rows of books and scrolls lay upon dusty shelves, only jumbled bedding and discarded clothing belying the ordered nature of the catalogued documents. Only when I was satisfied that we had left no-one behind did I ascend back to the ruins above. In the glare of the afternoon suns I found Stump organising his charges into family groups. Feth had been sent back to the beach-head to summon help and Harlen was off finding water. Against the tall northerner the Haarn children were diminutive. Most looked very young, all between the ages of three and nine years. Every one of the children had dried blood smeared about their ears and they stood in small groups, shivering in the cold winds that had begun to blow in from the east. Stump came to me and gave me the count. We had found one-hundred and seventeen children entombed below and most were deaf, although a few had recovered from whatever had damaged their ears. These were the only survivors of Corin'kraag and Stump had found them all.
Our work in Corin'kraag continues, more cellars and basements being unearthed as we search the ruins. The weather has remained fine and the seas calm, the only sign of activity in the port our small beach-head where we continue to load stores and provisions that we believe will be of use to the Fleet. This second day has found me aboard the Equinox, busy in my Surgery with injuries caused by accidents during the search of the town. Thankfully I have been confronted with nothing serious. Only two members of the crew remain below decks. The crewman Obernoth seems happy to have the company of one his fellow crewmates, both will be remaining in my care for at least the next week. I can record that our sojourn here has had a positive effect upon all the men of the flotilla. With a purpose before us we have all lightened in spirit and await the arrival of the rest of the Fleet with great anticipation. We shall certainly have something to show for our stay here. As of yet we have found no survivors. During the mid-afternoon I was visited in my quarters by the Captain. At first he wished to talk of the injuries to his men, but after only a short discussion turned the conversation to the unusual events of the recovery of Tilsal Obernoth. He wanted to know all that had occurred, and asked of me detailed questions regarding the nature of the man's injuries and the glow that had emanated from the surgery. I got the distinct impression during this questioning that he had seen such an event before, and that the crewman Stump had something to do with it. In all honesty I could say that I knew little, only that Stump had been attending to Obernoth at the time, and that neither could remember anything of the injured man's amazing recovery. Rendell was not convinced of that. It was in the quiet of my rooms that the Captain spoke openly of what he knew about Stump. The man had presented himself for work just a few days before the Enemy attacked the Equinox's home port of Amuron. The north of Adoracia had had no warning of the Enemy's advance and the Equinox was still in harbour, loading a legal cargo of wood planking for transportation south. Nobody was aware of the danger growing on the horizon and Rendell had eagerly taken aboard the tall northerner. He had needed willing hands and the man they would come to know as Stump had fitted into the routine of the sea very easily. As a smuggler he quickly proved even more valuable. The Captain had never asked how, but Stump possessed a wide range of contacts within the criminal underworld of the northern sea-ports. Information he gained was willingly shared on buyers who would pay good money for contraband that had avoided local taxes and charges. It was a boon Rendell did not wish to question and it was only after the Enemy had swept southwards that he began to consider the possibilities of who he might actually have aboard. Like myself the Captain recognised quickly that Stump was different from the usual itinerant sailors that he would take on to crew his ship. The northerner was educated, self-assured and all too easily fitted into any circumstances that he might find himself. He displayed knowledge of the world that was not accessible to most, and as of yet Rendell had not found a language in Adoracia that the man did not have knowledge of. He was all too useful and yet all too secretive of his own past. In his own mind the Captain could only assume that Stump was a man using the Equinox as a place to hide, where he might remain unnoticed in the wider world and yet keep contact with those who were important to him. If such was the case then Rendell had no problem with him. In his employ a man's past can remain shaded, but only as long as that past did not return one day to cause harm to his ship or its complement. As Providence would have it such a day came quickly to the Equinox, but the Captain did not recognise it until Obernoth was healed, then what had transpired before became all to clear in his mind. Some two weeks before the evacuation from Adoracia of the Fleet, the Equinox had harboured in Mardon, unloading refugees from the north. Circumstances were becoming desperate and the steady flow of the homeless southwards had opened up considerable opportunity for anyone with a ship and the courage to still sail to the besieged cities of the North Kingdoms. For Rendell and his crew the day was both routine and profitable. Refugees were being disembarked and new passengers were arriving for transport to the Islands of the Faen. In the midst of this activity nobody noticed a small group of hooded men that boarded ship and waited quietly upon the quarterdeck. In the Captain's own words what happened next was both brutal and efficient. Out of the recesses of their cloaks came unsheathed short-swords and systematically the assassins began striking down the crew, searching the ship's lower decks and causing pandemonium amongst the milling passengers. At the moment of the assault Rendell saw it as an attack upon his ship in general and quickly a melee developed upon its broad decks. Refugees scattered in all directions and two of his crew went down in the initial charge, but the cloaked assailants had misjudged the nature of the men they were attacking. Smugglers do not take a step backwards when they are fighting for their ship and they quickly overwhelmed the hooded assassins with their number, sending them scurrying back onto the docks. It was a small victory for which the Equinox paid a high price. A number of his crew were wounded, one seriously. Violence aboard ship was not unusual but such a blatant assault left the Captain and his crew searching for answers. It was only in retrospect that Rendell realised the assailants had not been after the ship but one of its crew. After the melee the Equinox left port without delay. News of the harbour-side brawl quickly drew the scrutiny of the port authorities to the ship and the Captain had no wish to answer any questions about the Equinox or her activities. With their passengers aboard they made course for the Islands of the Faen. The injured were tended as best they could, but one was dying, a deep wound to his stomach bleeding the life from him. There was nothing that could be done and as they made their way westwards Rendell turned his attention to the needs of his ship. He left one of the crew to tend to the badly injured crewman and waited for the inevitable news that he had died. As with Obernoth it did not come. The rising of a new day found the man recovering and rumours circulating the ship of strange lights in the night, and of a thick blue mist that had lingered for a short time in the galleyways below. Fate had been kind to them and Rendell put it down as a mystery that would remain unsolved. That was until I had come aboard and had seen the same unusual qualities in the northerner. Suspicions resurfaced and with the benefit of hindsight the Captain began to rethink what the man's past might have had to do with the attack upon his ship. One thing he was sure of. The assassins fought as disciplined warriors and only said one word as they moved through the decks searching out the crew. That word was "Shalen'gael". He knew not what it meant, but it was said with such vehemence that it could have been either a name or a curse. For the Captain it was just another part of a wider mystery, one that he had come to believe needed to be uncovered before our voyage ended. I listened intently to the Captain's story and then asked why he had come to me. In his straightforward manner he asked that I keep Stump close, watching all that he did, with the purpose of determining if the man was a threat to the Equinox or the safety of the Fleet. He said bluntly that he would be assigning the crewman to me as my assistant, to learn what I knew of healing and to assist me when I next went ashore. I agreed and the Captain left. It would seem that from first bell tomorrow Stump is to be my assistant, whether I need one or not. The day grows long and soon the night watch will take their posts. Orders have been issued and I will once again be spending the morrow searching the ruins of Corin'kraag for survivors. As of yet we have found nothing of the townspeople. No bodies nor sign of their leaving can be seen anywhere and as the crews of these three ships labour at collecting supplies only a few of us are to continue the search. Nobody has asked the question yet as to what we should do if we do find anyone alive. It is in my thoughts that our Captain does not expect it. At this stage of our search I do not expect it either.
