5th of Nguvu, 971, Hankston Outpost

Dear Thadius,

It is a while since I sat down to write to anyone. It has been a busy linn. You will have to forgive my occasional use of the old language. As you know it is my ambition to restore the language of our people. In any case ‘linn’ means season or perhaps quarter, I’m not sure.

Now, given your interest in all things related to your daughter, my love, and her adventures. I thought I had better write you a note outlining her latest exploits. Obviously there is the story of our recent efforts to assist Gruffly in establishing a new home for our people. I have taken it upon myself to record that event but it will be a much grander effort than anything that could fit in a collection of letters. Rest assured I’ll make sure you get to read that first when it’s done, but you’ll have to wait for it to be done.

So, to tide you over, here is a small story about some wolves we found up here. Whilst wolves are not normally significant enough to trouble my love, we have come to appreciate that the great northern forest breeds everything … nastier. Obviously there is no chance that Sabine herself will write, for someone who chats so much she really is a poor communicator. Maybe not generally perhaps, but with family, she certainly is. In any case I will ask that you keep this letter from her as she does detest being the subject of my writing. She seems to regard it no better than telling tall tales or propaganda. She seems to forget, or perhaps wilfully ignores, being the youngest person to captain the Hammer Brethren but also the most successful battle captain in the southern wars.

All this you know, so I will get back to the wolves of winter. As usual my involvement in the whole incident was incidental. Certainly I was not a participant in the opening discussion. Rather I was just sitting beside my love as the fire was starting to die down, I would guess, towards the beginning of Taka last year. I should have been keeping better records. Anyway the conversation was started entirely by one of the Ore Cane. You may remember that I mentioned in my last letter how we came across a decimated clan of the Ore Cane this side of the Spine mountains.

The conversation started innocuously enough. “Hank, we need to talk about what’s left of our camp. The one we left in the GNF.” Ninyette is almost the largest women that I remember ever meeting. Which isn’t hard, my own stature is, as you well know, a perfectly respectable 4’6”. I say perfectly respectable but you and I are both aware of how much vitriol is directed at us because we undershoot the stretchies by a foot and more.

Still, you have no idea how big Ore Cane truly are. As I understand, Ninyette, may not be fully grown yet. Ore Cane women tended to finish their growth at about 6’4”. Ninyette is small for her people. If I had to guess I would say she is only slightly over the 6’ measure. Her boyfriend, companion or whatever they are, is more of a size of his people. He looked to be easily the 6’8” that is the norm for male Ore Cane. He also is of a girth for his people. That isn’t to say that he is fat but Ore Cane aren’t just tall, they are broad of shoulder and hard of sinew. I digress.

It is my intention to record as accurately as possible the language of our participants but don’t hold it as truespeak my memory is not that of a storyteller and I struggle with common anyway.

“Why. It’s destroyed isn’t it?” Hank, having established the outpost, viewed it as his responsibility to resolve all issues. If the expedition could be said to have a leader, he assumed he was it. He is about as average as you could get for a standard human. Well except for his red hair and green eyes. Also, leader, was a little bit of a misnomer. As you know Gruffly has agreed on behalf of the ‘wee people’ to follow him to this place to build a town.

Obviously my love, Sabine, and I follow the lore of leadings so we have come. Well that and the brethren have asked Sabine to come for their own reasons. Gruffly’s agreement is with Hank and whilst it is in effect we deferred to him. Well mostly. He seems to take it reasonably well when we tell him he is being an idiot. Unless it’s Gruffly doing the telling. As always your son can poison a relationship from the other side of Indlu and here he seems to have gotten on the wrong side of Hank. Which normally means means next to nothing. Hank is half a step from being a tramp, vagrant is the term that my inspect skill seems to indicate likely.

Much more concerning, Gruffly seems to have charged in like he always does. No thought or calculation unless it’s what that slime Marko has been talking to him about. In any case he got Hank offside before we all realised that Hank was friends with Jamie. Once again we didn’t think much of that until a couple of months ago when Jamie dropped the proverbial hammer on Gruffly.

That was a painful experience, for all Wee people. It’s something you need to understand. Something that Gruffly can’t seem to get through his prejudice. Jamie threatened to blacklist all us ‘wee people’ if Hank asked him to. Gruffly disregarded the warning because he reasoned that Sabine, Marko and I helped rescue his family.

What he does not appreciate is that we refused to rescue his niece as well, on Gruffly’s orders. How he found out, I have no idea. Hank didn’t even hesitate and the two of them rescued the niece and a handful of other slaves. Gruffly also forgets that Hank stood up to Gruffly on at least two other occasions in defence of Jamie.

Much of this have only pieced together after my previous letter went south with the man himself even though I am sure you got my letter from Gruffly. But as I am sure you appreciate, there is no way I believe that viper, Marko hasn’t been through all the document Gruffly has. There is no way that I am trusting my future communications to anyone connected to either Marko or your son, much as it pains me to write it.

So whilst you know Jamie is a Wanderer, perhaps the biggest concern is bit Gruffly is in denial over. Jamie is a Primary. You have guided the Hammer Brethren in the past. You know, as do Sabine and I, there is nobody more trusted anywhere in Indlu. A truly, a scary proposition as I am sure you can appreciate.

Sabine was livid with Gruffly. That he would risk black listing her beloved Hammer Brethren anywhere across Indlu. There would be no high paying mercenary work. In fact no work at all for the wee people in the whole continent. No country open to us. No home at all. It would be the end of us as a people. I tell no word of a lie when I say my blood froze at the threat.

You see we always knew that Jamie was a wanderer. But the use of a nickname threw me off. Sabine has never been particularly into politics so she wouldn’t have guessed. In fairness Marko might have but he was sick at the time, like always. Gruffly wouldn’t have cared. Fool that he is. Sometimes I wonder how he could possibly be related to Sabine or yourself. I mean I know that you adopted and helped to raise him after his biological father disappeared. He is just so … stubborn… proud … unteachable, I struggle to believe he is half related to Sabine.

Anyway ‘Jamie’ is actually Ahjmaishe Salazar, Primary Wanderer of Maneshmal. Sabine says the Hammer Brethren believe there are only five wanderer primaries. The Brethren’s information brokers also believe ‘Jamie’ to be the currant ‘convener of primaries’. Literally, the most powerful wanderer in Indlu. If he speaks the wanderers from the oldest to the youngest act as one. Given the way that he is obviously connected to and dealing with leaders of both Miylan and Fujiama I would say he could shut the entire western half of Indlu to us without a thought.

The rest of the continent might be slower but, make no mistake if he is the convener the rest just waits a convention of three primaries, which he has the sole right to call. I can’t understate how bad this situation could be for us. Unofficially it is why Sabine has made some concessions to Hank, provoking a more bitter argument with Gruffly than normal. It is absolutely why we involved ourselves in this Ore Cane thing. We cannot afford it be said we betrayed a friend of Jamie.

Don’t get me wrong, Jamie is a fantastically nice guy, very smart, tells some truly outrageous stories, but once his word’s given it binds both him and his people. We cannot afford to get him off side. Perhaps a word to your stepson might be in order. Gruffly, as you know, never listens to me and Sabine’s hammers only drive so much sense into his skull. But as a people we are on a precipice.

We were before we set out. It’s why we set out. It’s why we risked it all with someone like Hank. We hoped to become the majority. We hoped we could become the force. We need a place for ourselves. You know my hope. That I could finally unite Wittelsbach and the descendants of the Tench. If Gruffly isn’t reigned in it will all be undone. You know the prophecy. We cannot let it come to pass.

Anyway I have strayed from the story. Lets pick it back up.

The tall Ore Cane women continued the conversation, talking about things left behind. Usable, useful things. Imploring Hank to return so that they could be retrieved. She had a plan. Initially it didn’t go down well.

“It’s snowing and you want to trek, what, three, maybe four days, back to your camp for some things that might or might not be there?” Hank didn’t sound enthusiastic about returning to the great northern forest, let alone journey three or four days through it to the Ore Cane camp.

“Yes. Well no. I mean yes there will definitely be useful things there. But no I shouldn’t be going.” Ninyette replied.

“But sending me into that war zone is fine?” Hank retorted.

She looked at him intently be fore continuing. “The kids don’t need a week trudging through the GNF. You have to go.” I was in agreement with Hank. Nobody in their right mind ‘trudged’ out into the great northern forest to battle giant spiders, overly smart cats and any number of other horrors, particularly as winter was coming on. Fleeing before the spiders, as he had previously, I was reasonably convinced they scared off other nasty things that go bump in the night. The forest isn’t dangerous, it’s down right lethal. I didn’t voice my thoughts as Ninyette continued. “Besides you want me to start fixing that other tent.”

“So you want me to go out there in this weather? Yeah, that ain’t happening!” Hank wasn’t seeing this the way she wanted.

“Well as I said the children can’t go.” Her tone was distinctly waspish. “How about I go and be the hero and you can stay and look after the kids you can’t even communicate with. On second thoughts that sound a lot more fun. Yeah I like your plan better. You practice your inability to learn a second language and I’ll sort out a real camp rather than this outpost.” She made finger quotes with the last word, outpost. Clearly she wasn’t as impressed with the Hankston Outpost as Hank expected.

“You really need to work on that.” My love joined the conversation. She turned to Ninyette and remarked. “I keep telling him he needs to learn a couple of additional languages.” She probably shouldn’t have poked the bear. But we had been wasting our time at the mine and you know how much she hates mining even under the best of circumstances.

“Because languages are so easy to learn.” Hank snarled to himself. Everyone ignored him.

“Anyway. You would like some people to journey off to find supplies.” Sabine continued to Ninyette. She was definitely pushing Hank for some reason, perhaps it was as I said, she just hated mining. But as always he was clueless to her ‘pressure’, or maybe just impervious. Hank could probably teach us a thing or two about stubborn.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Not quite. I want Hank to visit our old camp and bring back some things.” Ninyette responded.

As you know my love does not speak Mytaal and Ninyette doesn’t speak Compidge so the conversation had to continue in common. Hard for me as I can mostly understand common but struggle to speak it. I understand that I am on the same playing field as Ruadh. As such I'm not sure what the difference between supplies and things is. However, Hank seemed to understand the distinction, grumbling that it still wasn’t a great reason to off into the GNF.

“If you can wait another twenty days Fritz and I can go. Hank can continue to laze and worry about his fish.” My love smirked in Hank’s direction as she got in a crack at Hanks fishery. Knowing her she was trying to get onto the right side of the Ore Cane.

“Why twenty days?” Hank is always curious. Something to bear in mind. He has many failings but he is smart. Very smart, with a good memory. He thinks things through and more than one of Gruffly’s issues comes from underestimating Hank and his mind. He’s certainly spelled out a few things to Sabine and I that I find… uncomfortable.

“Fritz and I won’t be able to continue to dig out the top layer of soil in the mine after that. The ground will be too frozen to dig as we won’t be deep enough.” My love paused. “It might be sooner actually. If there is a big snow storm then it will almost certainly bring that forward.”

“That’s the same reason we can’t wait. If the frost sets in we won’t be able to recover things frozen to the ground until the spring. Many things will be ruined being frozen. Winter is long this far north, you southerners forget” Ninyette sighed.

Hank gazed at the fire. “No, I haven’t forgotten. But none of us have survived a winter this far north on this side of the Spine. I’ve heard the Höeveld has very nasty winters, we will be relying on your people’s knowledge for winter here, Ninyette. But until we have survived one here, none of us know what to expect. It’s why I’m hesitant. I don’t think we’re ready.”

Ninyette saw her chance. “It’s why we have to go. There are things back there, we need. Things we didn’t bring when we fled the spiders. We should have returned to the camp when the spiders were defeated. We allowed you to drag us here and it wasn’t a wise move.”

Hank might have let the first comment go but the second wasn’t getting the same free pass. “If I understand your story correctly, your clan came through a pass far north in the Spine less than a year ago. You were almost two hundred people then. You are less than twenty now.” He seemed genuinely sad as he look directly at her. “Less that five percent of your expedition survived less than a year in the GNF. There was a reason your clan was heading south. Your leaders knew you couldn’t survive in the GNF long term.”

I hadn’t made the connection. Sabine either. Hank, however, wasn’t done handing out the comments on reality. “You, Ruadh and the kids can all head back into the great northern forest if you want. But I would rate your odds of making it out without another loss at Peter than 1 in 30.”

Sabine looked like she was going to comment but he turned to her continuing. “Given Marko and Gruffly’s previous experience in the GNF I would have said without Jamie there was no way they would survive the trip south.”

Sabine didn’t enjoy the comments. But before she could comment Ninyette returned to her request. “Fine. But we need some of that equipment before the frost sets in. As you said the children can’t go, Ruadh can’t go alone and the Wee people are only going to be free too late. It has to be you Hank.

“Well that’s disappointing I was looking forward to doing something different. What sorts of things are you looking for?” I could tell my love was disappointed. She was opening the mine as part of her obligations to our people. But I don’t think people really appreciate how much she absolutely loathes mining. She likes gong to new places and seeing new things. She likes to fight. A habit neither you nor I have had any success in changing. So whilst the trip through the GNF a few months ago had been very dangerous and almost cost all of us our lives, she had loved every minute of it. I think she believes the GNF will help her level again. That she will be able to use it to power level the brethren. So given the option of digging a hole in the ground or life threatening adventure I know where my love will be, as do you. No hole, no mater how much gold it had, ever caught her attention.

“There is actually a large number of things.” Ninyette paused to think. “Hank, you want that spare tent we have mended. I can do it as we are but it will be a poor job. We need the right tools, materials and other stuff that’s back at the camp. Ruadh will have a complete list. Long but complete, he knows what to look for. Or he should. If he doesn’t his mum never gave him a good enough clip.” There was a bunch of communication in Mytaal that never made it into common. But everyone around the fire caught the gist of it. Whatever failings Ruadh’s mum might have had. Disciplining her wayward son had never been a problem.

“That’s the entire list it?” Hank was not particularly impressed. Trudging into the wilderness in search of a sowing kit did seem a little excessive to me as well.

“Not even close.” Ninyette fired back, before turning to fire off some rapid Mytaal.

“Ruadh thinks that there will be more horses to bring in. We don’t need them all but we should be able to pick the ones we breed. The rest we can eat as the winter deepens.” Neither Sabine nor Hank seemed to like the thought of that. I’m not sure why. I have always enjoyed horse. I am sure you remember that meal we had on the banks of that river in Guyenne. Fantastic little restaurant run by that toff, Freddy. Absolutely fantastic horse stew. Mind you anything he cooked was fantastic. We you and I thought so I remember Sabine not enjoying it so much after she found out what he threw into the pot.

Ninyette either didn’t notice or didn’t care what others thought as she continued. “I was training to be a tent mistress. That part is going to be harder without a mentor but our clan is one of the more learned and so there are a number of books that will assist me. There are a number of books that Ruadh, as the last adult male of our clan, will need and some others that we may be willing to loan the village.”

The word earned her a raised eyebrow but Hank didn’t interrupt as she continued. "Then there are the additional tents that we can use for more people. Most of them are only basic but they will do well for the people that you have said are coming. I am hoping that you will find the tent of meeting, the scholars tent and some of the smith tents. All of them are specialised and make certain tasks easier. There are more specialist tents but they're bulky. We should prioritise other things.”

“Other things! There’s more?” Hank didn’t seem wildly enthused by the prospect of more.

“Of course there’s more.” She said with some exasperation. “Before those spiders came there were 68 of us who came south. There will be tools, utensils, equipment, supplies and materials for all sorts of things. Things that made us a clan. As the last of the clan they all belong to Ruadh, the children and myself. We need to recover everything. Some things can survive the winter. Others can’t survive being frozen. The rest are somewhere in between. I would think that depending on the number of horses we find most of the important stuff can be rescued in three or four trips.”

“Four trips!” Hank, didn’t like the idea of one trip so the prospect of four wasn’t doing good things for his tone of voice.

“Sure why not.” Ninyette sounded perfectly reasonable. Then it took on a slight flash tone. “I heard that you tricked Jamie into dragging a whole wanderer cart of your stuff up here. So imagine what 68 of you would have brought.” Now her conversation turned a little more malicious. “So if he’s dragging all your stuff up from Perison I am sure you can manage a few measly little trips of just a week.” There was a note of the predator in her slightly off smile.

Thaddeus, I must tell you I was there when he got that deal out of Jamie. To out negotiate one of the premier diplomats of Indlu is a feat. So I was fairly sure that the hunter was about to become the hunted. Hank’s faults are legion. Missing an opportunity for a negotiation is not one of them. Sure enough, as if on cue, his attitude shifted subtly. “Yes he is bringing my things up from Perison. But perhaps you missed how that wasn’t a freebie. In fact I am sure it cost me a lot more than it did Jamie.”

If I had been in the act of drinking I am sure I would have snorted whatever liquid I was consuming out of my nose. My recollection was that Hank struck a deal with Jamie, used it to negotiate a second with Gruffly and then proceed to trick Jamie into handing over more than he anticipated. A memory obviously shared with Sabine who almost choked on the piece of rabbit she was eating.

Hank continued. “So if you are willing to trade in kind then I might be open to a small negotiation. I guess since it is really just a case of retrieving the things that you and Ruadh are looking for. If he comes with me perhaps we can see a way to splitting the ‘cost’ of the expedition and then both of you can just owe me for my portion of the labour.” As with all his negotiations it was perfectly reasonable on the surface.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I knew it then, like I know it now. Somehow Hank was sucking her in. Even in hindsight I’m still not sure how he new things were going to go the way they did.

“But perhaps there are problems and we might need more time or assistance. Perhaps there is another fight and we haven’t talked about the risk of the forest. If I asked for like for like compensation I just wouldn’t feel good about it. After all you’re a clan on the brink of destruction. I couldn’t take advantage of that.” He paused. I was suspicious. “You said there were books. What sort of books?”

“Well we have a number of books that only the history of the clan and the Ore Cane as a people. I wouldn’t think that they interest you. I can give you the cheap copies if you want?” She replied

“Nope you can keep those.” Hank didn’t seem to regard them as useful trade.

She shrugged. “There are a number of books that are connected to Ore Cane cultural professions. You can’t hove those.”

“Like?” Hank probed. I was interested too.

“Like tent mistress.” She was terse in her response.

“And?” He probed for other professions.

“And others,” she was resolute in her evasion.

“Fine. What else?” Hank gave up, in my opinion too quickly, but perhaps he was playing the long game.

“Horses.” She suggested

“Nope. Not interested.” Hank was frank. Not sure why he didn’t want the horses, Ore Cane horses are the best.

“Plants of the high planes and medications. If we have duplicate copies you can keep the duplicate.” With reluctance she mentioned something that was obviously worth a bit to her.

“That’s a start what else,” Hank pushed for more. I would have as well.

She responded with some additions. “Treating hides, leather working and clothing. You can have the duplicates for that if we have any.”

“Still a promise of not much. What else.” Hank pushed back.

She seemed to deflate. “We have a bunch of books related to making our weapons and armour. Ruadh won’t let them go. He wants to make sure that we can be self sufficient as a clan if we need to and this place does not work for us as a home. Most of those fit under the Ore Cane specific professions as they are not normal and so those restrictions apply. But if we stay I am sure that there will be a need for those weapons supplied to all your people not just the Wolf. So that’s about it”

I didn't think it was much of a list. Three of four books and some specialised weapons and armour if it all worked out. It wasn’t much in my opinion. Sabine subsequently confided to me that she was really interested in those special weapons. What can I say your daughter is compulsive when it comes to sniffing out a better weapon for the Brethren.

Which does remind me. I finally dug out my great grandfather’s notes about the why the Hammer Brothers are not, say sisters. Turns out, the old word used was 'bràtheele', which has a similar root derivative to brother, hence the bad translation. However it means something like; kindred spirit, or sibling of the spirit, or sworn in the spirit. Something like that. I kind of like the idea that no matter the blood, the brethren are brothers and sisters of the spirit.

Anyway back to Hank, who had paused long enough it was getting awkward. “How about this? I’ll help you and Ruadh with your property relocation for three things. The duplicate books as described.” He held up one finger.

“Agreed.” Ninyette, agreed with a note of caution.

He held up a second finger. “If we have to fight anything, I get first choice for any looting and an extra portion.”

“First choice, no extra portion.” She was still waiting for the last item to be comfortable.

“Ok. I can work with that.” He held up the last finger. “Lastly, you will have a vote on the town council as leaders of your clan. Five times you or Ruadh will change the vote of your clan at my request. If I ask both of you it will count as two. You can ask why, you can try to persuade me. But you owe me five votes, so if I insist… your vote is mine.” Everyone knew what he meant.

“What if you ask for a vote that will hurt my clan?” She pushed back. “I can’t vote agains my clan.”

Hank raised an eyebrow. He was good at the silent question. “Really? A get out of jail free card that literally is, if I think it's bad for me and mine its no.” He almost laughed. “There is no point in me negotiating for a change of vote if I can’t actually use it to change your vote. Things that you deem good for you and yours will automatically get a yes. The point is, if I need a yes and your saying no or vice versa. So no. No caveats.”

There was a pause “Ok.” They shook hands before a rather relieved Ninyette stated. “Wow, I thought that was going to be much harder. I anticipated you would ask for much more.” At the time I agreed with her whole heartedly. Now I am less sure.

The rest of the meeting was just sorting out the details ahead of the departure that followed. However for ease of reading I have decided to end this portion of the story here. Not that the wait will be too long I imagine I will have a pile of letters for you that will all arrive at once as soon as the post gets through.

All my love to you and the extended family.

Your son in law

Fritz