Chapter 132: The Gates of Umbend
The Gates of Umbend
Umbend Mountain Path
The vanguard column under Servius was a day away from the camp when they received news from Lord Lansius about a new threat. While his staff was surprised to hear about beastmen so far from their territory, this did not deter them. They continued their mission to retrieve the fallen scouts.
In retrospect, the demise of the scouts was likely caused by the same beastmen that had attacked the Lord''s tent. Moreover, the Lord himself had confided in Servius through his missive, suspecting that the grotesque warning in the forest could be a strategy employed by the beastmen.
It was possible that the beastmen used this grotesque warning to draw the troops away from the camp, thus enabling them to infiltrate it easily on a foggy night and attempt the assassination. After all, the beastmen, or more correctly, half-breeds or half-beasts, possessed intellect akin to humans.
While Servius contemted the new threat with his staff, there was little he could do other than maintain his men''s discipline and march in full readiness.
On the second day of the march, the column found what they were looking for. Guided by the same group that found it, Servius personally inspected the site.
Due to the grotesque nature and deteriorating condition of the bodies after several days in the open, only a special group was allowed to approach. There, Servius made the decision to bury them at the nearest suitable location.
Lord Lansius'' missive had informed him that the situation had changed after the beastmen''s attack. As formidable as they were, beastmen were not fell-beasts.The running sentiment was that men could kill beastmen, but not fell-beasts.
Thus, with the situation altered, the missive also gave Servius the option to bury the victims in ce, which he did because the bodies were in a worse condition than expected.
Witnessed by their fellow scouts and men-at-arms, the fallen scouts were dressed in clean clothes and gambesons before beingid in their graves. Earthen mounds were made, and stone markers were ced.
The column camped for the night, and Servius met with Sir Harold, who had just returned from surveying the mountain road.
"We found no threat at all and I''m considering proceeding further to Umbend City," Sir Harold told Servius after their supper.
Servius nodded. "Indeed, we have yet to find any suspicious activity or movements."
Sir Harold sipped at his warm posca—a sweet, vinegary wine and water—and said, "With a small group of horsemen, I could reach Umbend Castle in a day or two, riding like nomads with spare horses."
Servius gazed at him squarely. "I''m not sure what to say. But the Lord wants you to lead the entire Dragoons."
"If it''s for recon, I''ll move faster with fewer men. Say forty? I''ll turn around if I encounter strong opposition."
Servius thought about the new n. "I must admit, learning about Umbend Castle''s current situation would be a big boon."
"Then will you agree?" the knight asked.
The Nicopn condottiere chuckled. "I''m not your superior, Sir."
"Well, the Lord taught me to always coordinate; otherwise, we''ll get destroyed piecemeal style."
"That is true..." Servius mulled before deciding, "Then, Sir, feel free to scout ahead. The rest of the dragoons can return with me."
"Gratitude. And what about you?"
Rubbing his shoulder that had marks from flogging, Servius said, "The scouts have found a suitable ce to build a small fortified post. I reckon it''s the same spot that the Nicopns used when we traveled from Umbend to Korimor."
Sir Harold nodded, realizing that Servius had traveled the area once.
"It''ll be easily converted for trade or other usester," the older gentleman continued.
"Like the Lord''s market post?" Sir Harold ventured.
"Indeed." Servius grinned. "I''ve heard of them and realize their potential."
The knightughed. "The Lord would be pleased. Just make sure it''s well-defended against both men and beasts."
"I will. It should amodate 20-30 fighters with good wooden construction to withstand the biggest bear attack."
Sir Harold stroked his chin. "Hastily made from uncured wood would bend in summer, but let''s worry about the long termter."
"I agree. Lord Lansius will certainly have a say in this," Servius concluded their n.
Afterward, they had a rxed chat by a small fire underneath the tent. Both still wore gambesons in case of a beastmen attack, and their weapons were nearby. Gradually, the discussion shifted to the subject of Lord Lansius and the Nicop region.
"The way I see it, we''re caught between a rock and a hard ce," Servius exined. "We need enough men to defend Umbend and deter more armed refugees from Nicop. That requires a lot of men. And a lot of men is hard to sustain."
Sir Harold nodded, aware that Umbend had little fertilend and had most likely fallen into ruin after the Nicopn raids. "So, what do you propose?"
As they sat on the carpets, Servius leaned forward. "We could go down to Nicop and im the nearest farnd."
The knight sighed but didn''t shake his head. "Is that even feasible...? First, we need to secure Umbend. Then, somehow, we must find the marauding Nicopns, drive them out, follow them to Nicop, battling our way, and conquer the farnd there?"
Servius exhaled deeply, acknowledging the n''s ambitious nature.
Adding more wood to the waning fire, Sir Harold asked, "What drives you, Servius? Why go to such lengths?"
Servius watched the fire consume the slightly damp branch, listening to it snap and crackle. Then, he turned to the knight. "Two reasons."
The younger man remained silent, giving Servius his full attention.
"First, I want to save the province and its people from further harm. Without intervention, the whole province could be in ruins for years."
"That''s a noble goal," Sir Harold remarked.
Servius nodded. "Secondly," he said with a smirk.
Catching the smirk, Sir Harold chuckled. The second reason didn''t even need to be said.
"Nicop is a vast region withrge cities, towns, and viges. I don''t know about you, Sir, but for a man like me, I''m looking for a good ce to retire. At least as a lower noble so my family can have a better life."
...
The next morning, after sending a fast messenger to their Lord, Sir Harold led forty Dragoons, each with two spare horses, to ride to Umbend Castle.
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He exined to Lord Lansius that, given the circumstances, he had a better chance for reconnaissance in strengthpared to risking another party of long-range scouts. He also mentioned his reluctance to bring arge cavalry detachment due to the mountain path''s nature, which couldplicate a retreat if necessary.
As Sir Harold and his selected forty riders ascended the hill, apanied by a Nicopn and a local familiar with the area, the Vanguard encampment buzzed with activity, preparing for their return. However, before they could break camp, a messenger arrived.
Servius greeted the messenger, who was none other than Sterling, the Lord''s personal squire. "What a coincidence, Sir Harold just sent a messenger."
"Yes, I met him on the road," Sterling replied, after taking a drink offered by a pageboy.
"So, what news do you bring?" Servius inquired, inviting the younger man into his tent, which was still being packed.
Seeing the tent, Sterling remarked, "There’s no need to pack your belongings." He added, "The Lord and Lady are on the march. They will be here soon."
Servius smiled. He knew Lord Lansius wasn''t one to remain idle when presented with an opportunity. "But what about the main camp on the hill?"
"The Lord of Three Hills has assumedmand of the encampment."
"Excellent. Then, am I to assume I have free rein to build a post?"
"A post?" Sterling asked, eyebrow raised.
"Yes, the scouts have found an excellent spot along the mountain route." Servius led Sterling outside and pointed to where the mountain recessed inward. "It''s likely the same spot travelers and Nicopns like me used as a resting spot."
"I see, it’s a sizable area," the squiremented.
"Indeed. We n to build a fortified post there."
Sterling surveyed the forested area. The mountain road to Umbend Castle was bordered by forest on one side and a cliff on the other. "It could serve well as an observation tower."
"Indeed. As a warning post, and to deter bandits, animals, and beasts if necessary," Servius borated. "What do you think, will the Lord approve?"
Sterling pondered briefly. "The Lord merely instructed me to prevent your return if the situation was clear of problems. But he specified that his orders shouldn’t hinder military maneuvers or activities."
"Then it''s decided," Servius said, his mind already racing with ns not only to construct the post but also to secure and fortify the surrounding area.
...
Despite suggestions of beastmen activity, Servius was confident in the vanguard''s readiness and instructed his men to begin the construction process. The Lord''s insistence on bringing additional construction tools and materials proved to be a blessing.
Before midday, a sizeable area of the forest had been cut down, revealing a descending slope. Servius cleared the trees not only for raw materials but also to improve visibility and make it easier to detect intruders from the forest.
Ideally, he wanted to erect palisade walls along the roadside to enhance defensibility. However, realizing the significant time and effort required, he decided to leave the final decision to Lord Lansius. It was also possible to erge the post into apound with stone gateways and even a small tower.
Such an upgrade would be advantageous in every aspect and would offer better protection for wayfarers, but it would require skilled guildsmen, not untrained masons like them.
With men-at-arms positioned defensively and dragoons armed with crossbows guarding the work site, the work steadily advanced. Day turned to night, and night to morning again. Despite a foggy morning, no attack urred, and no scout was missing.
Encouraged by the calm, Servius maintained his position and continued the work.
Around midday, the blue and bronze banner was spotted in the distance, marching solemnly toward their position. Soon the Lord and Lady arrived. They brought additional men and supplies, along with a team of engineers from Three Hills to construct siege engines.
***
The horses were neighing, clearly showing their displeasure. Sir Harold recognized that the Londian horses were not ustomed to the mountainous region. The grass tasted different here, the air felt different, and even the smells were unfamiliar. To calm their mounts, the knight expedited the rotational change.
Following his instructions, his riders dismounted, and fresh horses were brought forward. They took a quick break for a drink and then continued their journey. It was their second day, and they had yet to encounter anything suspicious.
His men had warned him about the unsettling quiet, and Sir Harold knew this assessment was urate. Although forty riders might not seem like many, before the chaos swept through the Imperium, it wasmon for castles to be guarded by only a dozen men or so.
"This is where we bypassed the castle," the Nicopn pointed out, indicating anotherrger trail that cut through the woods to Sir Harold. "There are several viges there with good streams from the mountains," he added with a hint of bitterness.
Those who heard him understood without needing to ask that the Nicopn had witnessed these viges being raided.
"Should we split up?" the lieutenant asked.
Sir Harold thought for a moment. He could see the merit in checking whether Nicopn armed refugees were hiding there—if so, they could risk a surprise attack from behind. However, the fighter in him refused to give in to baseless fear. Thus, he shook his head. "Just ce two riders here as lookouts. Tell them to blend in."
The knight then took his helmet from his squire and reiterated their mission to his men, "Our goal is Umbend Castle."
Thus, the dragoons pressed on until they caught sight of Umbend Castle, its silhouette guarded by a mossy stone bulwark connecting two mountains. As the clouds darkened, Sir Harold, after ensuring their horses were well-rested for any potential encounter with arger cavalry force, urged his riders forward.
What they encountered next surprised them.
***
Umbend Region
Aside from a castle for defense, Umbend boasted two separate bulwark walls and gates blocking ess to the city. One was named the Londia Gate because it led to the Great Londia ins, which then branched off towards either Korimor or Three Hills City.
The second separate wall, known as the Nicop Gate, was situated further at a mountain pass leading to Nicop. The Nicop bulwark stood alone at a natural choke point where the road was nked by a mountain on one side and a cliff on the other. The absence of a forested area made this mountain pass an effective guard against an out of province attack.
Different than the Nicop Gate, the Londia Gate served as Umbend City''s wall. Its walls and gatehouse were integral to protecting the city and formed part of the castle''s outer defense.
It could be said that the Nicop Gate controlled ess to and from Nicop, whereas the Londia Gate was specifically designed to protect the city and its castle.
Of the two, the Nicop Gate was much older, nearly ancient, constructed during the early Imperium to counter threats that no longer exist. This bulwark predates the castle and Umbend City by at least a millennium.
However, due to its lesser importance to the local lord, the treacherous nature of the mountain road to Nicop, and minimal trade, the pass received only minimal attention and maintenance.
Men assigned there were those who could not offer bribes, led by a noble out of favor at court.
Last summer, when the Nicopns came, despite the mighty stone bulwark, the defenders could only hold for twenty short days before abandoning it due to multiple scaling attempts.
Servius and the Nicopns who traveled with Sir Harold knew this firsthand. They had even taken part in the assault. At that time, it was considered an easy victory that bolstered everyone''s spirits. They marched confidently into Umbend City, which was protected by another bulwark. However, this time, no matter how fierce their assaults, they were defeated.
Umbend''s uniquenessy in its castle and bulwark, designed to protect fertilend with mineral-rich water flowing from the mountain. A small river cascaded down into the city and castle, providing ample resources for defense.
The only vulnerability was the multitude of goat paths which, if diligently searched for by an invader, could pose a threat. Additionally, due to its remoteness, Umbend was rtively sparsely popted. Despite their formidable bulwarks, their troops numbered only two hundred.
Against the many thousands of Nicopns who tried their luck at conquering thend, it seemed there was little hope for survival. While they indeed survived the first wave, which also brought Servius and his men, they knew at least another wave was trailing behind.
That was why, when Sir Harold and his dragoons arrived, they were amazed to see the banners of the Umbend House still flying proudly on the bulwark. The unique sound of brass horns blew, echoing through the mountains and adding a unique depth. Suddenly, men with crossbows and swords were ready at the bulwark, staring down at the invaders.
Sir Harold instructed one of his riders to fly the Blue and Bronze banner high. A man in full armor in the gatehouse noticed they were not armed refugees and immediately issued a challenge: "Halt, you are within the domains of the Lord of Umbend."
"Greetings. I havee from Three Hills, bringing the host of Korelia, Korimor, and South Hill, to aid Umbend and strengthen its defenses."
The answer shocked everyone atop the bulwark, who quickly turned abuzz with spections.
"Good Sir, whose banner do you fly?" asked the knight on the wall.
Sir Harold smiled. "You must not be familiar with this. It is the Lord of Korelia''s banner."
"Korelia? Then your lord is far from home. Where is the rest of your mighty host?"
"The Lord of Korelia is also the Protector of Korimor, the Lord of South Hill, and the leader of the Grand Alliance."
The announcement caused the Umbend troops to murmur.
"Please wait," came the expected response as the knight needed to consult with his superiors.
Sir Harold dismounted, sat on a boulder, and waited patiently. His men spread around, drinking and resting their weary bodies.
After a lengthy period, the knight returned apanied by another person, more distinguished in appearance, wearing a colorful doublet. This individual, in his early fifties, looked red-faced, obviously panting after ascending a flight of stairs. He surveyed Sir Harold below and dered, "My good Sir, Umbend is safe and sound. Please return to your Lord and inform him we honor his goodwill, but Umbend does not require reinforcements."
The response was anticipated. Despite the waiting being in vain, Sir Harold responded with a smile. "I''ll ry your words to my lord. Then, how about we discuss some trade and cooperation? It would be a missed opportunity for both Houses if the two Lords failed to meet and discuss potential cooperation."
The man in the colorful doublet exchanged nces with his knight, both appearing flustered, likely contemting the necessity of another climb to consult their Lord on this unexpected proposal.
Meanwhile, two days'' journey from there, the Lord and Lady were leading the main army toward Umbend.
***