other clans forced to camp outside the circle of Meeting Stones. The goblin leader scowled guiltily, he had known this was going to happen. Yet he felt that in a goblin’s life one must follow the strongest or none at all. After doing the bidding of the displaced trolls, he was glad to have found the orcs.
Ghalik immediately sensed the deception, finally understanding that Ca’tic’na’s purpose in saving the orcs had been to use them to face up to the trolls. While he was angered with the conniving goblins, he understood their position. Perhaps Ca’tic’na’s talks of fighting back were true, but the goblin’s first priority had been to replace troll leadership with orcish authority. Ghalik smiled inwardly, Ca’tic’na was one of the few goblins that understood the almost mystical role of goblins as minions of stronger beings, at least the goblin chief knew why he was inclined to be subservient. That knowledge gave him the power to choose his masters, too bad that freedom would pass when his clan’s time was ended.
The brutal intensity of the situation brought Ghalik’s wandering mind back to his present surroundings. The two forces stood opposite each other, ready for the slightest indication from their leaders to attack. Sensing the hesitation, Ghalik stepped towards the troll leader, who moved to face him.
“I am Reygoth. I am master of this place. Who are you and why have you come here? Answer me quickly for my patience runs thin,” commanded the troll as he planted the tip of his sword in the earth before him, his hands resting lightly upon the pommel.
Ma-Gur was outraged at such a blatant display of arrogance and disrespect for the Ghalik. With rage burning in his eyes he took half a step forward, growling as he hefted his blade. Immediately his actions were mirrored by a troll standing near Reygoth, his mace ready for battle. The two squared off and were about to exchange the blows that would ignite a widespread blood bath when their respective leaders restrained them with harsh words. A mutual understanding seemed to pass between them as they once again resumed their conversation.
“It seems, troll, that you do not desire a fight any more than I do,” mused Ghalik as the glimmer of an idea began to form in his mind.
“No, orc, we do not. Our numbers have been depleted by men, and it would shame us to die in the slaughtering of your people while there are still humans in the land,” uttered Reygoth as he smiled savagely.
Again a tension seemed about to break as Ghalik took the subtle insult in stride. Only Reygoth noticed the tiny smile that briefly played across the Ghalik’s face. It almost frightened him.
“We also have been set upon by men and their elven allies. It would be foolish to throw away warriors that could be used to fight the humans. Perhaps we should settle this the old way,” the old wizard suggested.
“There is nothing to settle greenskin. Trolls rule here. You orcs should just move on,” threatened Reygoth as he pointed away from the circle and into the darkness.
Ghalik’s voice instantly grew deeper and more resonant. It was as if all audible sounds in the area ceased, leaving only the orcish wizard’s voice booming in the air. The electric feeling in the area was the telltale sign that magic was afoot.
“Trial by combat,” he uttered, the words so powerful it seemed that they would knock the troll over, “If a troll wins, we will leave. If an orc wins, we stay, and we will lead.”
Despite the magical potency of Ghalik’s words Reygoth appeared unaffected, while behind him the assembled trolls all fell under the spell’s influence, and began to nod their heads in agreement. Ghalik could see that Reygoth’s willpower had managed to throw off the manacles of the spell, so reacted by making one last effort to control the situation.
“Ca’tic’na! To me!” he thundered, his spell enhanced voice booming through the woods.
For a long moment there wasn’t
Ghalik immediately sensed the deception, finally understanding that Ca’tic’na’s purpose in saving the orcs had been to use them to face up to the trolls. While he was angered with the conniving goblins, he understood their position. Perhaps Ca’tic’na’s talks of fighting back were true, but the goblin’s first priority had been to replace troll leadership with orcish authority. Ghalik smiled inwardly, Ca’tic’na was one of the few goblins that understood the almost mystical role of goblins as minions of stronger beings, at least the goblin chief knew why he was inclined to be subservient. That knowledge gave him the power to choose his masters, too bad that freedom would pass when his clan’s time was ended.
The brutal intensity of the situation brought Ghalik’s wandering mind back to his present surroundings. The two forces stood opposite each other, ready for the slightest indication from their leaders to attack. Sensing the hesitation, Ghalik stepped towards the troll leader, who moved to face him.
“I am Reygoth. I am master of this place. Who are you and why have you come here? Answer me quickly for my patience runs thin,” commanded the troll as he planted the tip of his sword in the earth before him, his hands resting lightly upon the pommel.
Ma-Gur was outraged at such a blatant display of arrogance and disrespect for the Ghalik. With rage burning in his eyes he took half a step forward, growling as he hefted his blade. Immediately his actions were mirrored by a troll standing near Reygoth, his mace ready for battle. The two squared off and were about to exchange the blows that would ignite a widespread blood bath when their respective leaders restrained them with harsh words. A mutual understanding seemed to pass between them as they once again resumed their conversation.
“It seems, troll, that you do not desire a fight any more than I do,” mused Ghalik as the glimmer of an idea began to form in his mind.
“No, orc, we do not. Our numbers have been depleted by men, and it would shame us to die in the slaughtering of your people while there are still humans in the land,” uttered Reygoth as he smiled savagely.
Again a tension seemed about to break as Ghalik took the subtle insult in stride. Only Reygoth noticed the tiny smile that briefly played across the Ghalik’s face. It almost frightened him.
“We also have been set upon by men and their elven allies. It would be foolish to throw away warriors that could be used to fight the humans. Perhaps we should settle this the old way,” the old wizard suggested.
“There is nothing to settle greenskin. Trolls rule here. You orcs should just move on,” threatened Reygoth as he pointed away from the circle and into the darkness.
Ghalik’s voice instantly grew deeper and more resonant. It was as if all audible sounds in the area ceased, leaving only the orcish wizard’s voice booming in the air. The electric feeling in the area was the telltale sign that magic was afoot.
“Trial by combat,” he uttered, the words so powerful it seemed that they would knock the troll over, “If a troll wins, we will leave. If an orc wins, we stay, and we will lead.”
Despite the magical potency of Ghalik’s words Reygoth appeared unaffected, while behind him the assembled trolls all fell under the spell’s influence, and began to nod their heads in agreement. Ghalik could see that Reygoth’s willpower had managed to throw off the manacles of the spell, so reacted by making one last effort to control the situation.
“Ca’tic’na! To me!” he thundered, his spell enhanced voice booming through the woods.
For a long moment there wasn’t
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