Commando Part 53

This Drow village appeared to have been here in the jungle for more than a century or two. Behind the village lay a graveyard where the deceased would be put to rest. As they followed Invah’s team of Drow fighters the entire village came out to see these outsiders. It seemed very strange for Drow to be hospitable towards outsiders due to their distrustful nature. However, these Drow seemed to have been exiled for their hospitable behavior. Their own Drow companions pointed that out quickly, since these people seemed more pleased to see them among outsiders. Nanim warned his own companions that there may be some hidden ruse behind the pleasant grins they were seeing.

            Many of the children with their purple blue complexions looked up at them in their hide skin shirts, woven tunics, trousers, and the gowns girls often wore within a tribe. Each clothing was dyed a dark purple, and green. The adults did not seem very pleased to see these outsiders. Some of them glared, others squinted their eyes suspiciously at them, others held a masked happy expression that showed their teeth wide eyes. A few of them looked at the returning guardians with puzzled looks and demanded why did they bring them here to their village. Maurice did count more than two hundred fifty members of this Drow community. Among them he concluded there were at least sixty more of these guardians protecting this Drow community. There was a mix of children, mothers, fathers, youth, young adults, adolescence, toddlers, and a handful of aged, or aging members of this village. Each adult and youth were armed with a curved dagger that seemed to be inherited from their ancestors. Most of the adults were armed with some type of melee weapon that was concealed by their long shawl. Each guardian either had a bow, or a rifle taken from somewhere. They also had short blades, makeshift machetes, and handcrafted weapons.

            Nanim, and Omareth introduced themselves when one of the guardians, and a few youths confronted him over his pirate outfit. The younger ones were about to strike him until one of the women yelled at them. She commanded them to back off and return to their homes. Four youths left the pirate Drow alone with the guardian. This guardian looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old in appearance. He wore a red shawl cloak over his hide skin tribal outfit, and was armed with a bow, arrows, and a long dagger. His dark hair was tribal dreads style. This youth glared at Omareth pocking his finger at the pirate who simply swatted his arm away like it was nothing. Before the other guardians could react, the same woman who commanded marched up to the pair of Drow. She wore a headdress made from antlers, horns, which were decorated with feathers, flowers, and a few trinkets.

            She was known as the Village Priestess, and often called Leader Tondrah who has three children from two different men. Her first child who was now a guardian was fathered for five years by an explorer who came through these lands decades ago. She called out to the young guardian naming him as Gorfir. Gorfir did not budge or heed her words. He drew a knife and pointed it at Omareth’s chest. Maurice turned on the Drow pirate demanding if he had any history with these people. The dark elf pirate turned to him saying no, there was no history between him and the people of this Drow village. Leader Tondrah marched up to the guardian and grabbed him by the back of the neck and ear. She hissed in his ear that he was no longer a guardian, but a gatherer for the village.

            Demoting the young man brought him to heel. As he was no longer a guardian. He handed Leader Tondrah his bow, and arrows along with the rifle he was given. Once the former guardian returned to his own hut the Leader, and Priestess welcomed the new comers to their village. She informed Maurice about other villages full of Drow who were under the control of some faction called the Caligari. Their eyes widened with shock and awe. As leaders of their unit and party Maurice and Maphai urged Tondrah to tell them where the Caligari Syndicate was. Assuming the village did not hear them, Maurice asked if they had any ties to the Caligari Syndicate. It was a question Maurice had a bad feeling about inside his gut. Many the older members gasped appearing outraged and started to mutter, and babble among themselves. It could have caused a rabble of outraged words until Leader Tondrah raised her hand. She believed it was best to allow these outsiders inside their home even though they had no connections not did they trust them yet. An entire village had no other choice then to allow twenty-two strangers to take shelter in their village. Maurice and his party made camp along the edges of the village and the road. Their steeds were given a large makeshift shelter which took all day to complete.

            On the very next day the village prepared a feast for the outsiders as a sign of greeting and welcoming them to their village. In a semicircle in the clearing of the village the villagers and the arrivals feasted and watched ceremonious dance. While the rest of this unit watched Maurice took the opportunity to speak with the Leader and the Priestess of the village they called Isfa Alari. She mentioned there were ten or more Drow villages scattered around the region that is often known as Mikani Lands. She named a few villages such as Il Nhoserine, Ora Esari, Fama Nalore, and Asylon. Just two of those villages closest to the Caligari are under their control amongst two others while the rest came under attack from either the Caligari or other tribes in the area. Most of the Mikani left them alone save for exiles, renegades and those in league with the Syndicate. Often pirates would come and harass them whether they came from the Caligari or another rogue crew. Some how her people avoided the ravages and the trespassing of the invaders. This surprised Maurice as he asked her about those vehicles. Tondrah did recall witnessing the invader leave countless metal steeds, and their weapons behind. Most of the tribes took what they could salvage while the Mikani, and other savage tribes ambushed the invaders on their way back to the mountains. She told Maurice there was a long mountain range far to the west of Mikani Lands. As she described these mountains Maurice realized those mountains trailed from the edge of the continent marking the Unknown Lands and stretched as far north as Mulzan. He pulled out a map and showed it to her. The Leader made a surprised expression as if someone aroused her.

            The two leaders browsed the map in search of the cities he had been to. He showed her the countries that lay beyond the thick mountain range to the west, and where he had travelled. Tondrah hesitated for a moment then turned to the new acquaintance. She whispered in his ear saying that she would give him the location of the Caligari Syndicate if they promised not to reveal their location to the outside world. Maurice swore on behalf of his nations deities that he would not tell anyone about this village or any other. His mind seemed clouded when he said this, yet he felt as though some of his own men may have bigger mouths than they should. Discipline would have to come in the next morning as they progressed with the celebrations. To him it seemed quaint that a tribe would be so friendly yet untrusting of outsiders. Their pirate friends must have reminded their village of other pirates who attacked them and other Drow. As he watched the dancers and the drummers Tondrah told him of a road that lay behind the graveyard and wrapped around the village. It started on the other side of the village and lead straight to a fork in the jungle. They should take the one on the right where they would come across a marsh and other villages. She even said the Caligari had a few palaces along the edges of the marshes. Most of the roads, and paths lead to them and they rested on ancient pyramids.

            Tondrah brought out a pipe and shared it with Maurice who tried to smoke but ended up coughing. Whatever this substance was it was stronger than usual weed, and tobacco. He forced himself to take another puff when a Drow covered in bruises, and blood burst through the village. He was not dressed as this village tribe, but wore a long tunic made from hides and fabric. His entire head was shaven revealing a gash in his head. This bloodied and bruised Drow stopped in the middle of the dance circle scaring them away to the edges of the clearing. He pointed in the direction he had run yelling for them to flee and find safer ground. Whoever this poor soul was he had been running for some time and had fallen multiple times. He came with rumors that an attack was made by a marsh tribe. This frightened the villagers a little who appeared more like humans from a peaceful town rather than hardened and cruel Drow they were rumored to be according to stories he had heard.

            Tondrah stood and commanded the village to calm themselves and regain their senses. She offered the floor to the runner again who only collapsed onto the ground. Multiple members rushed up to his aid. They picked him up and brought him straight to Tondra’s own hut. She left Maurice on his seat and ordered for the village guardians to scout out the area for signs of oncoming raiders.