Gurgam Column Spotted

We moved on from Marrekt and its surrounding villages two days ago.  They seem to have grasped some of the concepts we explained to them; some of their young warriors are quite enthusiastic about the prospect of fighting Gurgam, but tactically quite naive.   Gallanarre is joining in more and more – he's really getting the hang of this.

We had a similar experience at the towns of Thenburn and Ellighust during that day, more keen defenders and some more outspoken critics of the fighting.  We passed through another a couple of small villages as darkness fell that night.  These were little more than just two or three farms clustered cosily together and we rested there for the evening and set off again at first light.

By late morning yesterday we had arrived in a town called Birgelth, which is quite a bit larger than any of the other places we've visited on the surface.  It is, from what Gallanarre was saying, surrounded by more villages than normal too.  It's quite a significant settlement in this region.  As we walked around the town it was clear that this place is larger than Marrekt, and we'll need to spend more than half a day here.  We spent the rest of the morning in discussions with the elders in the town, then spent yesterday afternoon going around the outlying places raising morale and drilling some defensive order into them.

When we returned, after sunset last night, the elders brought us up to date on the days events.  They had received word that a column of Gurgam has been spotted away in the hills below these villages.  They were not thought to be heading straight this way, but they were heading uphill – and Birgelth is uphill from where they were.  The message called for the town to be on its guard.  This original message had come from Hushmaz, as he and his his group of Dzarraf troops were in the hills nearby.  The message had been received shortly after Gallanarre and I left for the villages at lunchtime.  Hushmaz's scouts had picked up the trail of the Gurgam a couple of days before, and had trailed them into this region.

Upon receipt of this message Firrumum took the right course of action.  He sent out Gnaeblin scouts yesterday to try and pinpoint the Gurgam column.  Those scouts have continued to report in through the evening, and the enemy column is being monitored.

Another message from Hushmaz was received around midnight.  It said the Gurgam column had changed course, and seemed to be heading right for this region.  It said he was moving his troops to engage the column, and asked if we had a small force we could send to flank the Gurgam.  There was no shortage of volunteers, and thirty Gnaeblin were chosen.  They set off two hours before dawn.

It's now just before lunchtime, and our scouts have reported in again.  The main column of Gurgam had been diverted away from Birgelth, they will passed these towns and villages, and seem to have set off across land to engage Hushmaz's troops who have been harrying them.  The Gnaeblin warriors from this town have been heavily involved with that process.  They've been taking pot-shots at the enemy with their crossbows, and have carried out a hit and run attack against the column causing them to be in some disarray.  The worry is that a small rearguard, maybe fifty or so Gurgam were behind the main column.  They seem to have been some kind of reserve force, and their scouts were probably monitoring events and knew where the Gnaeblin had come from.  This force, according to our scouts, has turned aside and is heading directly to attack these villages.

I'm quite apprehensive.  Firrumum has called for all able bodied folk of warrior age to rise up and aid in defence, he made quite a speech, but I don't think he needed to.  The volunteer force took in far more of the villagers fighting stock than I'd have liked, it seems many are being dragged into the fighting that would otherwise not be used.  People like me.  In fact, not just people like me; the list includes me.  It's been a while since I wielded an axe, and I've never used one in earnest in a battle, although I have been trained like every Dzarraf.  I hope I do well.

It's quite a mix of emotion - the desire to get through the battle unscathed, the hope of recounting tales of glory among comrades afterwards.  The fear of death, and my own contempt, even hatred, of the enemy whom I have been working to thwart for many days now.  All this is exaggerated more by the people I journey with to do battle.  There are those who are fired up for the combat and ready to fight, those who are quietly fearing they will not make it all the way through, and one or two seasoned warriors who've been through this stuff before and hold an air of confidence and capability.

The Gurgam should reach the outlying village of Tummer first, and in less than an hour.  That is where we hope to engage them.  We'll be there in just a few moments, but it will not give us much time to organise ourselves for the defence.