been this many around before.
What is that racket? Oh. Bucket yelling at one of the Murgens to
get behind something because he don’t want to carry no bodies
down no goddamn stairs.
And here comes the first barrage. And if that racket across town
means anything the Shadowlanders are hitting hard about where the
third and fourth cohorts of the First Legion are stationed. Those
are good regiments. They will put up a fight.
----
----
20
Like a regular hailstorm, isn’t it? Makes you wonder where
they got all the goddamned arrows and javelins for their engines.
Just stay under the mantlet, you’ll be fine. They
aren’t good at laying plunging fire onto elevated
targets.
If they let up before they attack the Jaicuri will come out and
collect the missiles and bring them to the soldiers. The
Shadowlanders will get them back business end first.
No, the Jaicuri do not love Mogaba. They don’t love the
Taglians or the Black Company, either. They wish the whole mob was
gone. But they have some dark suspicions about what will happen if
Shadowspinner recaptures this burg. So they sort of try to help,
but not much. Not yet.
They help some, they figure maybe Mogaba might be less likely to
kick them out next time he is in one of his moods.
The sky? Dark as the inside of a priest’s heart,
isn’t it? Oh. Yes. You’re right. It isn’t an
auspicious sort of night. Never is when they attack without benefit
of a full moon. It’s devil’s work for sure, then.
Usually it means the Shadowmasters want the darkness so they can
run their pets to their best advantage. Or they want everybody
terrified that there are shadows to come. Look at them scurry!
Those Jaicuri are motivated tonight, If they become involved in
actually fighting it could be closer than Mogaba or Shadowspinner
expect. Whoa! What was that? Look at that. What the hell is it?
That rosy light over the hills. Here they come. Going to take their
whack at breaking the Company. You don’t think so? Maybe you
are right. This could be meant to keep the Company pinned while
Spinner concentrates somewhere softer.
Look at them down there, though. Like maggots. And no covering
fire now.
You’re right. The engines will be moving to support the
main attack now.
Check that light. It keeps getting brighter. No. Now it’s
going away. And it doesn’t seem like anyone else noticed.
That is a little too weird.
Oh. Right again. Must have been a signal to the Shadowlander
officers. The racket is getting louder, now you mention it.
No, I don’t like the sound of it either. The attack had
become generalized.
Ho! Look over there! Now we have it there, too. What? The light.
Don’t you see it? There behind the ramparts?
Yes. I see. You’re right again. It is different. This is
kind of like the cold light of a full moon tinged with a little
blue, isn’t it. Yeah. It’s kind of misty, too. Sort of
like we are seeing it through an autumn haze. There. Now it’s
so bright you can make out the fighting on the far wall.
Right. Fighting. That means they have a foothold there already.
And Mogaba don’t have any reserves to send up.
Guess we can bend over and kiss our butts goodbye, friend.
----
----
21
Damn! The shit is about to start flying but I just realized that
when I started putting these notes together I missed doing the
famous formula Croaker always used to open a new volume. So here
goes:
In those days the Company was in service to the Prabrindrah Drah
of Taglios, a prince whose domains spanned territories more vast
than those of many empires. We were participating in the occupation
and protection of the recently captured city Dejagore.
And I hope princie and his skag sister the Radisha choke on our
memory.
----
----
22
The shitstorm arrived. Every man defending our section of wall
stayed busy returning some of it to the southerners. The illusory
doppelgangers appeared to be hard at work, too. Funny how they
could wander around never getting
What is that racket? Oh. Bucket yelling at one of the Murgens to
get behind something because he don’t want to carry no bodies
down no goddamn stairs.
And here comes the first barrage. And if that racket across town
means anything the Shadowlanders are hitting hard about where the
third and fourth cohorts of the First Legion are stationed. Those
are good regiments. They will put up a fight.
----
----
20
Like a regular hailstorm, isn’t it? Makes you wonder where
they got all the goddamned arrows and javelins for their engines.
Just stay under the mantlet, you’ll be fine. They
aren’t good at laying plunging fire onto elevated
targets.
If they let up before they attack the Jaicuri will come out and
collect the missiles and bring them to the soldiers. The
Shadowlanders will get them back business end first.
No, the Jaicuri do not love Mogaba. They don’t love the
Taglians or the Black Company, either. They wish the whole mob was
gone. But they have some dark suspicions about what will happen if
Shadowspinner recaptures this burg. So they sort of try to help,
but not much. Not yet.
They help some, they figure maybe Mogaba might be less likely to
kick them out next time he is in one of his moods.
The sky? Dark as the inside of a priest’s heart,
isn’t it? Oh. Yes. You’re right. It isn’t an
auspicious sort of night. Never is when they attack without benefit
of a full moon. It’s devil’s work for sure, then.
Usually it means the Shadowmasters want the darkness so they can
run their pets to their best advantage. Or they want everybody
terrified that there are shadows to come. Look at them scurry!
Those Jaicuri are motivated tonight, If they become involved in
actually fighting it could be closer than Mogaba or Shadowspinner
expect. Whoa! What was that? Look at that. What the hell is it?
That rosy light over the hills. Here they come. Going to take their
whack at breaking the Company. You don’t think so? Maybe you
are right. This could be meant to keep the Company pinned while
Spinner concentrates somewhere softer.
Look at them down there, though. Like maggots. And no covering
fire now.
You’re right. The engines will be moving to support the
main attack now.
Check that light. It keeps getting brighter. No. Now it’s
going away. And it doesn’t seem like anyone else noticed.
That is a little too weird.
Oh. Right again. Must have been a signal to the Shadowlander
officers. The racket is getting louder, now you mention it.
No, I don’t like the sound of it either. The attack had
become generalized.
Ho! Look over there! Now we have it there, too. What? The light.
Don’t you see it? There behind the ramparts?
Yes. I see. You’re right again. It is different. This is
kind of like the cold light of a full moon tinged with a little
blue, isn’t it. Yeah. It’s kind of misty, too. Sort of
like we are seeing it through an autumn haze. There. Now it’s
so bright you can make out the fighting on the far wall.
Right. Fighting. That means they have a foothold there already.
And Mogaba don’t have any reserves to send up.
Guess we can bend over and kiss our butts goodbye, friend.
----
----
21
Damn! The shit is about to start flying but I just realized that
when I started putting these notes together I missed doing the
famous formula Croaker always used to open a new volume. So here
goes:
In those days the Company was in service to the Prabrindrah Drah
of Taglios, a prince whose domains spanned territories more vast
than those of many empires. We were participating in the occupation
and protection of the recently captured city Dejagore.
And I hope princie and his skag sister the Radisha choke on our
memory.
----
----
22
The shitstorm arrived. Every man defending our section of wall
stayed busy returning some of it to the southerners. The illusory
doppelgangers appeared to be hard at work, too. Funny how they
could wander around never getting
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