The Hag's Contract

Appendix A

To His Excellency Lord Oluvar Hawk,

Greetings and Salutations!

I am dispatching this report with one of my trusted assistants, Jospar, in the hopes of his reaching you before first snowfall. The skies are gray and the air holds the promise of storms soon to come, so he will leave this very day. As I warned you, the mountain passes of the Hag’s Domain may prove sufficient impediment to my travels that I may be forced to winter here. Luckily I foresaw this possibility, and our pack animals carry sufficient provisions to last until spring. My guards will, of course, supplement these rations with whatever game they can capture or kill. Do not worry, Lord Hawk, your investment in this expedition is safe. I have taken every precaution.

As yet, I have seen no sign of your son, or of the forty men under his command. As I advised you before I accepted your commission to find him and return him to Drachenward, I fear he may well be dead. There are sufficient dangers here, between the Hag, goblins, trolls, orogs, and even dragons. No communication of any kind from him probably means he has been set upon by one or more such dangers. At the very least, however, I will return his body to you for proper burial.

Most fortuitously, I have made contact with a few humans who live close by my present camp. They report that the Hag has not been seen in some years by them. I find this news encouraging. Since their village of Merkstadt appears prosperous and healthy, and their lands appear rich and fertile, I can only assume they have lived here in relative safety for some years. It seems the Hag’s reputation may well be exaggerated in Drachenward, if indeed she still exists.

Allow me to begin, however, with our journey. My course through the Drachenaur Mountains was uneventful. We sighted one dragon in the distance—a small creature, really, as such things are reckoned—but it paid us no heed. We also came upon the bones of a large troll, but the monster had been dead for some years, probably killed by brave adventurers from Drachenward, perhaps even your own relatives. I know the Hawk family has a well-deserved reputation for such noble deeds. Here is another that can surely be ascribed to them.

Upon gaining access to the plain at the center of the Hag’s Domain, I followed a series of streams until I came to a settlement of perhaps fifty small stone houses. Clearly, I realized, this settlement had been in place for some time. The cottages looked well tended. Fields for many acres around the village had been cleared, and although the crops had all been harvested, everything spoke of a small happy little community.

(One parenthetical note: should Drachenward choose to exert its rightful claim over Merkstadt and its inhabitants, force may be necessary. I estimate their potential military strength at approximately sixty-five men of military age. Although I have seen no swords, I suspect the villagers are well armed and may fight fiercely to protect their perceived freedom. Their houses certainly seem strong and well fortified.)

I have made subtle inquiries about their origins. It seems they are descended of refugees from barbaric Grabentod—people of the court who fled when the pirate-king, Ulrich Graben, seized the throne some years ago. They fled here and founded Merkstadt, which has prospered ever since.

Despite their rough origins and the history of enmity between Drachenward and Grabentod, these people seem friendly enough to me and my companions. I plan to use Merkstadt as the base for all expeditions deeper into the Hag’s Domain over the coming months, as weather permits. I will attempt to send communications through to you as often as I have information.

If you could send an additional five fighting men with Jospar, it would prove helpful. Five of my men were lost when part of the pass upon which they walked fell away into a deep abyss. Although I can doubtless accomplish my task with the eighteen men I have left, reinforcements would speed the matter.

You may send any new messages or instructions back to me through Jospar. He is a hearty mountaineer, and I trust in his ability to make it through the pass to rejoin me.

To His Excellency, Lord Oluvar Hawk,

Greetings and Salutations!

Many thanks for sending the additional men I requested. Unfortunately, only one of them made it through the pass with Jospar—they were set upon by a troll, which killed four before itself being mortally wounded.

Despite that, I am pleased to report some small success in my investigations. I have found definitive proof that your son and his men did, in fact, make it through the mountains and into the Hag’s Domain. (Truly, after my friendly reception in Merkstadt, I had begun to suspect young Orin might have been waylaid by goblins and dragged with his men into the maze of tunnels rumored to exist beneath the Drachenaur mountains.) So, surely, this must be seen as good news.

Along with Jospar, I am returning for your review the helm of a Drachenwarder light infantryman. I believe the insignia marks it as belonging to the Fourth Regiment, which your son commanded.

Please note that the helm bears no marks other than a little rust and tarnish from being exposed to the elements. I take this as a sign that it was inadvertently lost in packing up camp, rather than in the midst of battle. We saw no other signs of Orin Hawk or his men, however—no broken weapons, no bones, not even a fire ring for a camp.

I will concentrate my search for now in this area. Of course, as soon as I have more news, I will advise you at once. Although snow has fallen in the mountains, Jospar reports that the pass remains clear enough for travel, at least for the present time. More men will make the search proceed faster. If you have another five to spare, please send them with Jospar, along with any other messages or instructions.

To His Excellency Lord Oluvar Hawk,

Once again I have good news. Your additional ten men reached me in good health and high spirits. Our search for your son continues apace.

We met a wandering trader who claims the Hag died about five years ago, when an avalanche buried the cave in which she kept her lair. Though I have no confirmation of this, I suspect it must be true, for we have seen no sign of her or her minions. This trader reports your son is not only living and in good health, but happily married in another village close to the Grabentod border.

It seems young Orin Hawk killed a local robber-baron and has proclaimed himself king of the Hag’s Domain. If the trader’s tale is correct, he is busy uniting all the disparate villages under his own enlightened rule, using his forty infantrymen as an army. Apparently he is conquering everything and everyone in his path. Within a year, according to the trader, he will be ruler of a kingdom nearly as large and prosperous as Grabentod.

I am heading for that village tomorrow morning. If you have any instructions or messages, please give them to Jospar at once. We expect more snow in the mountain passes soon, and he must hurry if he is going to return here before the spring.

I will investigate further and relay information to you as quickly as I can.

Greetings and Salutations, Lord Hawk—

This unseasonable thaw will doubtless allow Jospar to reach you once again. And, once again, I report good news—I have met with your son and find him fit and well, although somewhat thin and worn. I am enclosing a letter from him to you, which will, I think, explain matters more fully.

I pray you, pay no attention to the reports of the Hag’s continued influence in Drachenward. She is quite clearly dead; your son has confirmed this, since he has recovered her body and laid it to rest, abomination that she was. As I am certain you already know, it is very easy to blame any and all strange occurrences on the nearest awnshegh. If the Hag caused every stillbirth and pox and pimple in Drachenward, what time would she have to rule her own lands? Feh, by Sera, it is all silly superstition.

I plan on spending the rest of the winter here, then returning to Drachenward to receive the balance of my payment. I will see you at that time.

Honored Father—

Yes, this letter is truly from me, Orin. You must surely recognize my seal and my handwriting, Father, if not my voice in these words.

All that Tuan Reisser has written you is true. The Hag is dead. I saw an opportunity here and have taken it for the greater glory of our family.

My forces now occupy roughly half of what was once the Hag’s Domain (and which I now call Hawksward). I will rule it all by summer, with your help. Then, together, we can rule a new country that will last unto the final days of Cerilia herself!

For now, I must keep Tuan Reisser and all the men you have sent with him here. I fear retribution from our cousin, the king of Drachenward. We are not yet in a position of strength, should he wish to add us to his kingdom. I pray you, do not breathe a word of this letter to anyone yet.

The people here are simple and prosperous, but steadfast in their love of freedom and independence. It is only by the sword and the lance that they submit to my rule. If you would help me, if you would see me succeed in this mission, send as many more men as you can spare. What I need most now are fighters able to back my claim to these lands.

Honored Father—

The additional twenty-two men have arrived. Unfortunately, I need still more. I realize you are taxing your own reserves to their limit, but I urge you to do whatever you can to support me in this measure. My forces are spread far too thinly here to maintain order while still expanding my reach. I beseech you to help me to your limits.

Honored Father—

I am bewildered by your refusal to send additional men. I am surrounded by enemies on every side. We have encountered goblins in the mountains as well as trolls. Murmurs of discontent are spreading among the conquered villages. I have attempted to levy troops from them with little success.

The only way to insure my safety is to conquer before I am conquered. Please, why won’t you help? Another twenty men will suffice for now. Think not of yourself, but of the future of our family.

Yes, as I wrote you earlier, the Hag is dead. I saw her body myself. These continuing stories of her meddling in Drachenward are false. Pay them no heed.

This spring, after the thaw, you and Mother must visit me here. My castle is progressing nicely. I have found several capable masons among the villagers, and I am putting their talents to good use.

Father—

I am dismayed that you and Mother have no plans to visit me here this spring. Or ever. You would have made very welcome visitors. Your decision to send no more men to aid me is also troublesome, as well as your request to return the ones already sent. Yes, I know they have been here for six months, but their work is not yet done.

As you seem to have guessed, the Hag does indeed still live. My apologies for deceiving you, Father, but it was necessary. She is a most wonderful mistress. Her commands are wise and insightful. You and Mother would love her, if you met her. I plan to marry her at the first opportunity, so great is my love. She will bear you many fine grandchildren, I’m certain.

All of our men love her, too, and grow likewise more devoted to her with each passing day. She is beautiful.

I have agreed to guard her borders. Make no more attempts to rescue me or the men under my command (even those who were yours). We all serve our new mistress willingly, and will do so to our dying day.

If, on the other hand, you change your mind, you would be honored guests here. Please, do visit us. The Hag’s Domain has vast game lands where we could hunt together as we did in the days of my youth.

You ask of Tuan Reisser. Do not think to send more men like him to “rescue” me. He died shortly after he arrived, and, undead, he penned his letters to you. We have since laid him to rest. Poor loyal servant, nothing the Hag could do would persuade him to love her, like I love her.