Moving through the jungles along the base of the mountains Kimera carried his percussion rifle in his arms. On his back he carried the old Borvadosi flintlock rifle, the Dorntalla musket, a Grussian rifle and his quiver of arrows with the re-curve bow. Hanging from his belts he was heavily armed with five pistols some were revolvers, and the rest flintlocks. A curved machete-knife, hand claw, six throwing knives, a Baleen war club, and a long plug bayonet hung from his belt harness. Kimera's melee and secondary weapons lay underneath the leather poncho with his drinking flask, powder flask, and family sash. As a member of the Painpalmerze family Kimera was considered fit for a specialized profession, Panther Ranger.
Along the borders every family had to offer a child to serve Borvados in by any means. The Painpalmerze were part of the Kiigo Claw Clans, a clan grouping who trained all members to become rangers, elite hunters, and jungle warriors. Another clan grouping produced elite warriors alongside a few other clans in Borvados. In times of war every family is required to have one member in the family fight for Borvados. Kimera was sent into the jungles between Borvadosian borders and the dreaded mountains called the Galacho Zoxo Mountains. Ranger Kimera Plainpalmerze kept his gaze forward. He wanted to avoid looking at the Galacho Zoxo Mountains. When he was younger he ventured further into these jungles. It was an adventure with a group of friends that took them to the lowest peak. He did not remember the name of that mountain, which lay in the center of a mountain wall. This mountain range acted as a wall between Borvados and the Unknown Lands. What he will never forget was witnessing all his friends get torn to pieces and eaten by angry shadowy spirits. Images of smoke like wraiths taking bites out of his friends reemerged in his mind. Kimera had to shake his head a little to chase those memories away.
Kimera directed his focus on his assigned mission. Upon the orders of High Master Geregos Azel twelve Panther Rangers had to patrol these jungles. Kimera, and another veteran Ranger called Heina Borveeze were sent in with ten green Borvadosians who just graduated from the camp training. This was their first mission. Kimera showed them the paths he usually took when on patrol. Each path took them to an outpost, campsite, watchtower, and shrine. They all went back to the borders of Borvados. As for Heina she had to babysit two of them. Kimera found that amusing. After years of training and preparation they still needed help. He could not blame them. Something about these jungles between Borvados and the Mountains sent an ominous feeling down the spine. It scared most to the marrow, however the bravest could handle it. Brushing aside some branches he found a little statue with an ugly face. One of the Apahihi totems that dotted this whole region up to the central parts of Borvados. Tribesmen of the Apahihi went into hiding deep in the mountains after their ancestors claimed these lands. In this age the usual predators of the jungles threatened children at play, hunters, and hikers or those who would get lost. Most of their trade came in by sea, the south, the east, and the north. Never did he see any merchants come from the west. If any foreigners came in from the west they were likely lost adventurers, Beastmen, Demons, feral tribesmen, exiles, renegade Uxane, monsters or the Lizardfolk.
Kimera ran into plenty of these foreigners, and outsiders who had to be killed. Most adventurers did not speak their language so some miscommunication resulted in conflict. He listened to the sounds of the jungle hoping to catch something else. Going past the statue the Ranger pressed deeper into the jungle in search of signs outsiders were here. He found the usual signs of animals the remnants of the Apahihi that remained untouched. There was also a small makeshift hut made by children who ventured inside for camping adventure. As he gripped his weapon he spotted something he never saw before. Hanging from a branch was a bright green half helm with a half skull painted on it. He turned it to find blood all over it. Kimera never saw this type of helmet. It had some type of glass over where the face would be. Presuming it acted as face protection he noticed it was crack and missing a few pieces. When he looked down he found what appeared to be an infantrymen dead in combat uniform similar to the helmet's color covered in blood. He found the dead man's tracks and followed them. Kimera came across Heina who wore a cloak with few weapons than he did. She had the blue sash of the Borveeze family. Behind her was the High Master's son, Gereg the incompetent. Behind him was another green Panther Ranger who covered their flank. She look up letting him join their group. As one the quartet followed the tracks to a clearing at the base of a mound.
In the clearing they found the aftermath of a bloodied skirmish between several different factions. Hunters smoke of hearing strange noises, however most of their countrymen did not believe them. Scores of bodies wore that bright green color as the one they found in the jungle. Dozens of other combatants wore red and green making them appear more like circus acrobats than soldiers on the ground. A third faction donned grayish uniforms. On the ground with the dead lay various other humanoids who looked more like monsters, and warlike beings on this world. Prowling around this clearing was a band of 46 different beings. Most he recognized as Goblins, Orcs, Humans, Elves, Troglodytes, and Lizardfolk. A handful of them were a spider like humanoid, a four armed red brute, tall skinny looking frog-reptile, and a multi-limb being with the appearance of an ant in a long tunic. With them were ten hostages, five pilots with the helmets and glass masks, a female shaman, a female adventurer in a wide brim hat, a young Uxane boy, an old Wizard, a young looking mage in a cloak, and a travelling martial artist from Dorntalla. Dorntallan Martial Fighters were no different from Zema Ilam except their hair was shorter. They wore loose martial arts temple uniforms.
Two more captives were dragged out of the jungles by a large Orc wielding a big blade. A Borvadosi Hunter, and Green Panther Ranger Aneesa Keddalee. Heina and Kimera looked at each other concerned with their brethren, and these captives. As Borvadosi they were concerned with the dangers that threatened their mother country's borders. Every threat had to be eliminated, and those who traveled through here had to be secured and safe. If it was for trade or traveling they would be allowed to return. As for those seeking adventure they would be sent on a ship promised never to come this way again. Devising a plan Kimera made sure all his guns were loaded. Although they were just four, attacking a large force from the jungles reduced their numbers. The landscape could be used to even the odds in their favor. Each one spread out to attack using their missile weapons then go for hit and run tactics. One at a time they targeted the band from different angles. Kimera shot from the trees until all his guns were empty. His fellow Rangers ran from tree to tree taking out more of them. When they used arrows The band started to figure it out. Four of them could shoot fire from their hands and began tossing it in the direction of Borvados. A few of them wielding guns blindly fired repeatedly into the jungle without reloading. Kimera killed two of them with an arrow. Three more went down with two or three arrows in them. They did not stop harassing them until only eight remained. All five of the pilots were beheaded or had their throats cut in response to their attacks.
Kimera loosed another arrow into the one leading the remnants then revealed himself. Heina loosed another arrow into another from the flank as they faced him. Two more went down with arrows forcing the rest to grow anxious. One of them dropped his weapons then ran off. Three against four and the new leader grabbed one of the women threatened to kill her if they did not yield. When that did not work he threatened to kill all the women still did not work. The huge Troglodyte looking humanoid grabbed the boy his hair and tossed him at Kimera who had to catch him. He dropped his bow and notched arrow forced to catch the boy. Without warning the Troglodyte charged at him with his spear only to be tripped by the martial artist who launched herself from the ground. Kimera put the boy down quickly and chunked a throwing knife at one of the other captors. The Troglodyte propped himself up and looked up to see Kimera charge him with his curved-machete that cut it down with one slash across the shoulder and chest. He went for the last one who dropped his weapons and made a run for it. An arrow hit the guard in the back taking him out of the fight. All four Borvadosians released the captives. Seeing no one else around they checked the foreigners who started to explain when a larger group emerged from the jungle. A company of 456 Orcs, Goblins, Troglodytes, Pig humanoids, wolfmen, beastmen, and other humanoids Kimera did not recognize showed themselves in the clearing. A pig with tusks mocked them, licked his lips and made crude motions. It laughed an oink like laugh before it signaled to go in for the kill.
Kimera looked at the captives, then at his Borvadosian brethren. He propped each captive up hoping to get them moving quickly. Stay here and they all die or worse. The Borvadosian Ranger urged the women to go on, take the boy and Wizard into the jungle behind him. Race on ahead and they would see a look out then head right towards a stone house. All of them agreed to this eager to get out. From the jungle emerged more groups of fighters. The first group was a band of thirty-two nude warriors pained in various colors. Armed with spears, war-clubs, and axes they charged the back ranks of the company regardless of the odds. On the left flank a force of thirty-five Knights, soldiers, explorers, Barbarians, and bowmen led by Uxane renegades let loose a volley before charging. From the right flank another group opened fire through the jungle. This groups volley sent nearly a hundred to their graves. A band of sixty-six pirates, and soldiers burst out of the jungle armed with swords, rifles, clubs, and pistols for clubs. Each soldier stood their ground to fire another volley. Drawn away from the Borvadosians and the captive the four hundred turned to fight their new attackers. Another group burst out of the jungle behind Kimera. Seventy-five armed outsiders in brimmed hats, helmets, different uniforms, and tribal clothing joined in with a volley. Kimera had to dive for the ground to avoid the volley. These newcomers just passed Heina, the two others and the captives. All except the wizard of course who greeted the new comers. Was he behind all this? Kimera blinked several times gazing at the Wizard when more of these monsters came out of the jungle. One Troglodyte crushed the skull of a soldier with a large rock. Kimera made a run for it as the rest joined the fray.
He raced through the jungle coming across individuals fighting each other. The pirates were there for their own accord same as the other groups. He did not stop to see who was who when he drew his weapons to cut down any outsider in his path. The Panther Ranger performed his duty in patrolling the area, now it was a fight to get home. Taking a few paths that lead back home he came across more fighting between smaller groups and duels. Like a desperate warrior he disrupted the skirmishes leaving one or two dead in his wake. He made more enemies this way, but he did not really think it would do much harm. Most of these factions fought each other in the jungles. Leaves hit him in the face, roots nearly tripped him and entire bushed blocked his path making him turn left or right. By the time he reached a marker it became dark. He could still here the fighting going on behind him. Exhausted Kimera looked up to see an outpost of Borvadosi sentries who held their guns at the ready. An officer welcomed him to rest in a tent. Doing what the outpost's officer said he found a tent as the rains came down on the jungle.
