To my surprise the satyrs attacked first. I was standing in the shield wall with an axe and shield. I was at least a foot taller than the local satyrs and I didn’t like how much of a target it made me. But if we didn’t win his we were all dead. As my neighbours started pressing forward I moved with them. I was swinging me axe like a madman. The troll in front of me was short and lumpy. Brown barkish skin, maybe seven feet tall with a beer belly and double chins. I rammed by axe into its face. Again and again and again. To my frustration the wounds seemed to close within moments of me pulling the axe out.

As I was about to attempt another cut a grey blur cut the troll’s leg out from under it. It collapsed in a heap while I attempted to pulp its brain in the hope I could put it down permanently. It got in a glancing blow with its club and I was I almost tripped backwards. My next two strikes crushed the hand holding the club.

My eyes, nose and throat felt like they were on fire. I looked up. The largest troll locked in some sort of duel with the grey blur. But no matter how fast he swung his club whatever was fighting him managed to dance out of the way. And in the centre of the battlefield some sort of caustic green smog was starting to form. I stepped back two paces to stay beyond the edge of the cloud. Suddenly the blur took the largest troll’s head off and the rest of the trolls were starting to react to whatever chemical weapon or spell had been used. The horde started to pull back out of the gates. With a cry we pushed forwards chasing them through the fog. I had been exposed to chemical weapons as part of basic training. This felt almost like the gas they used in basic traning; not deadly but by eyes were burning and snot was gunking up my nose. I wished I had a gas mask. It seemed to be effecting the trolls worse than us. They seemed completely blinded and were running into each other as they retreated. By the time we reached the splintered gates they were halfway to the treeline.

The blur dissipated in front of us and I saw it was Mama Lindisfarne dual wielding short swords. She collapsed in a heap, panting heavily. The satyrs next to me rushed forward to help her.

The rest of the day was spent on cleanup duty. Gorn was tapped out on healing spells early and the Holdfast’s resident witch ran out of potions soon after. Overall the casualty count was fifteen dead and thirty wounded. Our party had all come through with minor injuries.

That evening Gorn and I were summoned to Mama Lindisfarnes bedside. “How are you feeling ma’am?” I asked Gorn to translate

“Like I single handily fought an army of trolls,” she coughed out. “I’m not a stupid woman. I can see you’re foreigners to the Eastern Lands. And from what my people have overheard there are many more of you in need of aid. We don’t have the resources to take in hundreds more holdfasters. But we can provide a little assistance. Our warehouse in Dragon’s Cleft is empty for the winter. Your people can use it for shelter. And I can write a letter to the council testifying to your character. I’m sorry we can’t do more.”

“Thank you ma’am. Every little bit helps.” I said with a polite smile on my face.

“Gregor is as an ornery bastard. He’ll want hard coin in exchange for guest right. And he hates poachers in his territory. When you reach his Holdfast you’ll need to be careful not to offend him. The next three Holdfasts are rather more civilised. Just mention my name and you’ll not be hassled. After that you’ll reach Dragon’s Cleft. Speak to the council immediately. There’s not much time before winter and the passes freeze over. Good luck and may the Mother guide you home.”

The night passed uneventfully and the next morning we set out, our packs filled with sausages and cheese. It would take us most of the day to reach Gregor’s Holdfast. Xola had her new bow with spare strings and arrows scavenged from Troll corpses. A couple of satyrs travelled with us to sell the excess troll livers to an alchemist in town. They weren’t happy about staying in Gregor’s territory; but there was no other convenient path through the network of valleys. I got the impression a shortcut opened up in warmer weather; but that would be months away.