Diaries of a Dwarven Rifleman

“Over a hundred dead so far,” the Captain reported grimly, “Three times that number out of action due to injuries, some of whom won't survive. Maybe another two-hundred with minor wounds that will stay with the regiment.”

Engvyr winced, and asked, “And the Baasgarta?”

“We've found around four hundred so far. Can't really guess about their wounded.”

This was the heaviest blow the Baasgarta had dealt them yet, but all things considered it was still not that bad. It had weakened them a bit, and would hurt them still more because they would need to detach at least a battalion to escort the wounded to the garrison.

“Which reminds me,” the Captain said as he turned to the rangers as a group, “We'll be starting a new protocol tomorrow. You'll still patrol in pairs, but you'll keep a hundred paces between you whenever lines of sight allow. Should you encounter the enemy you are to blow a warning immediately, then attempt to evade.”

“We have found the enemy! It's been nice knowing you all,” quipped one of the rangers. The rest chuckled.

The captain smiled faintly and said, “It's a bad time to be us, but the army cannot sustain these sorts of losses indefinitely. Command has decided that they'd rather risk our butts than get caught flat-footed again.”

“In better news, the 4th Heavy Infantry is joining up with us tomorrow, and in two-three days we should be hooking up with the Eastern Force, consisting of the 1st Rifles, the 3rd and 5th Heavy Infantry, the 4th Mounted Infantry and the 1st Engineers. This will give us near parity in numbers with the Baasgarta force that we are pursuing.”

That was good to hear. If we can catch up to them with that kind of force at our back we'll roll them up, Engvyr thought.

“I'm going to meet with Command now. I suggest that you ladies get your beauty sleep. We've got an early start tomorrow.”

“Taarven, Engvyr, Torvaald, Brekke, you're with me,” Captain Gauer said, gesturing for them to accompany him. The four rangers looked at each other and followed. The other rangers stayed to get their scouting assignments for the day.

The captain led them into the command tent and turned to face them.

“You four have, through skill, determination and sheer, blind luck shown yourselves adept at surviving the worst of situations,” he looked them over for a moment before he continued, “As a result you have been selected for a special mission. We need a better picture of the lands of the Baasgarta. You four are going to get it for us.”

Turning to a table with a map showing the area of the river valley that they had explored thus far, he gesturing to the north he said, “Taarven, you and Engvyr will follow this valley. If there's nothing there hop the ridge into the next valley and keep going. Torvaald, Brekke. You'll do the same from this valley. Try to keep proceeding generally north. The valley that we are currently in seems to curve around in that direction so you might find yourselves ahead of the Baasgarta. If that occurs proceed up the valley ahead of them and see where they are going.”

“What are we looking for, sir?” Brekke asked.

The Captain shrugged and said, “Whatever is there. If you come across one of their 'plantations' make note of its position and carry on. If you find The Pit or a Baasgarta city return to report. Other than that you are map-making. Avoid contact with the enemy, and if you encounter any try to evade deeper into their territory. Any questions?”

“If we find neither The Pit nor a city how far do we go before we come back?”

“Five days out, five days back at the most.”

There were no more questions so the rangers went to make their preparations. Engvyr and Taarven were ready to go by the time the column began to form up. They brought with them a remount each and a pack-pony with supplies for two weeks of travel. Riding out of camp they headed north into the small valley that the captain had designated for them.

They rode cautiously at first, keeping to cover and looking for any signs of Baasgarta activity. They kept to the wooded slope of the valley, frequently cutting across to the other side to look for tracks or other signs. They found no evidence of a goblin presence so when the ground began to climb they crested the ridge into the next valley and found activity almost immediately. There was a small lake with a low stone house and several hovels on the shore. From their height they could see dozens of Braell along the shore working at some task that they couldn't make out at this distance, and several of the Baasgarta watching over them.