Chapter Thirteen

The Turkhanate force descends upon Trollmouth Caverns. Mustering outside the main entrance, scouts are dispatched to find other entrances to the caverns and the group's fears are confirmed; this is a huge cave system that may well extend throughout the hills. Nonetheless, the force enters the caverns discovering a chained-up guard Goblin and a mechanical gate designed seemingly to trap whoever ventures into these caverns.

Having passed the gate with a couple of dozen men the mages are surprised when the gate slams down and the group begin to be peppered with arrow-fire. Ordering the Porcelaine Janissary and the men to break through the gate, the group press on and are attacked by a well-organised army of trolls and orcs. Better organised than during their first encounter, the Magi make quick work of the ab-humans with Nazeem, Koljazar and Methomet raining magical fire down upon the green-skins while Hamar and Raschid engage them in melee and direct the men to burn the trolls using their flasks of alcohol.

With their magics running low and the rest of the company screaming for them to engage in melee the fire-support team charge a group of orcs, forcing them to flee into a nearby cavern. The three magi pursue only to discover a group of Orcish Warg-riders barelling towards them. A quick fireball and the Orcish cavalry are reduced to cinders but a number of Wargs survive, resulting in a grim and dangerous melee taking place between the forces of the Turkhanate and the remaining riders. Far more dangerous than their riders, the giant wolves wade through human troops, being stopped only by the magi fighting hand to hand. Victorious over all of the first wave of Orcish forces, the Magi withdraw to the outside of the caves in order to rest and regain their spells.

However, come nightfall, the humans' carefully planned network of sentry fires and guardposts fails them as the human forces come under attack from a much larger Orcish army. Despite attempts at using light arrows and lanterns, the humans find themselves outmatched without magical support and the front line breaks. Nazeem attempts to co-ordinate an ordered retreat but the result is a rout and the Magi slink back to Baranul'an with fifty men.

With the time of the Harvest Festival fast approaching, the Magi must now decide whether to return to AqQallat with this defeat upon them or rally the remaining troops for another attempt at cleansing the caverns before the arrival of winter.

• Chapter Foutreen

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