• Chapter 16**

As the new developments in the Fiefdom bed down, the Magi start to hear traces of new intelligence.

• Gold has been discovered in one of the rivers running past AqQualat
• Large groups of abhumans have been moving up and down the river valley to and from the Iron Bridge
• The Lords of Billal are discretely recruiting peasants, possibly for a new village.
• Benin's book on Hippogryphs revelas that they are the natural enemy of Pegasi.

The Magi send a letter off to the Lords of Billal suggesting cooperation in the development of the undeveloped zones between their lands. The Lords of Billal respond by denying that they are planning any kind of expansion and insist that they are simply building across their own lands. The Magi do not appreciate the slightly high-handed tone of the missive but the evidence supports this as the road from Billal to Zzunshit does indeed end at the river bordering the lands of Dis'panad and Billal. Hamar is agitated by this news and there follows an animated discussion about what is to be done. Hamar favours building a road from a Dis'panad town to Zzunshit but Nazeem favours aiding in the construction of the road between Billal and Zzunshit thereby demonstrating their cooperative spirit to both neighbouring mages. After some debate, Benin, Methomet and Koljazar are dispatched to Zunshit in order to begin constructing a road towards the bridge to Billal.

Meanwhile, Hamar and Nazeem saddle up their horses and take a force of 10 horse archers and 10 light horsemen and head off to scout the river valley. As they move further up the valley they encounter a beautifully made stone road stretching towards the bridge. The stonework is so regular as though to suggest it was laid by magic. Making good progress on the road, the group arrive at the Iron Bridge in mid afternoon and find it to be a 400 foot single span bridge with a gigantic iron giant at either end. The Magi approach the bridge and a giant moves its arms to block the passage. There are no signs of a battle undermining the theory that the Orcs had been trying to attack the bridge. Suddenly, a voice booms out from the mountainside, it is a Dwarf. After asking a few questions, the Magi learn that the Dwarves have been taking payment from the orcs in order to allow them to cross and that a large caravan of orcs passed by a couple of months previously suggesting that the Orcs have, at least, been reinforced since their battle with the Magi the previous autumn. Suddenly a harrowing theory pops into the mages' heads... were the movements of orcs up and down the river valley not an attack against the Dwarves but rather the orcs searching for a staging-post closer to AqQualat? is there a nest of orcs near the Constellation of Ilmanar's capital? The Magi realise that they must scout their own lands more thoroughly.

Breaking for the night, the small band find a rocky outcrop on which to camp only to be suddenly awakened by a rampaging giant who snuck up on the camp. Swiftly, the magi unleash a fireball, singing the giant's whiskers as the men are formed up. Hamar summons the illusion of a swarm of bats around the giant's head in order to distract him while Nazeem has the archers begin firing at the beast. then, disaster strikes as, in a stunning lapse of judgement, Nazeem miscalculates the size of the area of effect of a Continual Darkness spell and plunges the Giant and a large part of the camp into darkness. The men continue firing but to little effect prompting Nazeem to grab a rope and attempt to ride through the darkness so as to entangle the giant's legs. The plan distracts the beast but a trooper meets his grizzly end as the giant gathers up the rope. Intent upon making amends for his tactical blunder, Nazeem takes up a lance and charges the giant, breaking his lance in the beast's leg just before Hamar's bodyguard Jahn finishes the giant with all the style one should expect from a prince of the No'ordani.

The magi loot the corpse of the giant and find a large ball of precious metals as well as the glowing traces of virtue in the giant's penis. The mighty organ is severed and attached to a donkey and the group set off to find the giant's lair. Before long, the lair is discovered and careful magical scouting reveals it to contain not only a second giant but also a gigantic bear. Considering the close quarters of the cave, it is clear that a cavalry charge will not defeat these beasts. The mages squabble over building traps but decide instead to take their chances with a frontal assault. Resting up and recapturing their magical energies, the group return to the cave and send a scout to make sure that the cave is still inhabitated. The scout runs out of the cave and climbs up out of the battle prompting the mages to let loose with two fireballs, turning the cave into a smouldering hell. Seconds later, a giant emerges and the Magi wade in with their No'ordani retainers by their sides. After a swift exchange of blows, the giant slumps to the ground dead.

The triumphant mages wait for the cave to burn itself out before looting the smouldering remains. They find another magical penis and a beautiful silver cup of No'ordani manufacture. The suggestion is made that this form the basis for some sporting competition at a future date. The magi also find a second, smaller lump of precious metals. The decision is made to gift this treasure to the men in recognition for the dangers they have endured and as an incentivising symbol of their lords' largesse.

With two giants and a giant bear destroyed, the mages return to AqQualat where they learn that, thanks to the help of Nebunadar, the three other mages have laid several miles of wooden road away from the town of Zunshit. Hamar and Nazeem venture south and rejoin their comrades.

• Chapter Seventeen

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