Submitted: 29 April 2000

A Ranger's Musings on Sorrow and Darkensi

by Delgareth d'Purkinje

"A double of your best brandy, good tavern-keeper, and perhaps some coffee if you have some brewed up," Delgareth said, rubbing his hands together briskly. "Demons take this blasted unnatural winter weather!"

"Aye, has been hard on us all," nodded Baresh, setting a brimming shot glass and a steaming mug before the shivering ranger.

"Ya… and not the least on the poor farmers. There'll be food shortages this year, mark you, and who knows what it'll do to the wilds." Delgareth gulped down the brandy and clutched the coffee mug, absorbing the welcome heat. "As if we hadn't enough troubles with this Sorrow fellow."

Baresh nodded.

Delgareth sipped his coffee and mused, "Even once we're past this spell of weather, we'll still have him to deal with. I haven't any dear love for the cities, taverns excluded of course, innkeep, but these continual attacks raise my hackles… and that idea that it's in mere revenge for attacks on the poor, helpless S'lai won't hold water. Everyone knows a S'lai would as soon kill you as look at you, and that's nothing new.

"It's fine to organize to defend the cities and clans, and it seems well done overall, considering the difficulty of getting even two people to agree with each other on the time of day around here. But it seems to me that what's needed is a direct effort to undermine Sorrow's operations."

"That's hardly a new thought," chided Baresh.

"Ya, but I specialize in restating the obvious. Still, a clear statement of the problem is often a good start on a solution. Think on this now: one of Sorrow's staunch allies is the Prydaen Darkensi, no? And yet, from all I've heard, this Darkensi is quite a decent fellow, just the sort we'd want on our side rather than as an enemy. I've spoken to a few members of his pride, and it seems that the stumbling block is that Sorrow gave the pride a safe haven when it was fleeing from the Necromancer, in return for assistance in defense. And Prydaen honor insists that that bargain be upheld at all hazards.

"If we could only find evidence that Sorrow has played falsely with Darkensi and his pride, I'm certain as the snow is deep that the Prydaen would immediately abandon the alliance. Mayhap it'd be too much to hope for that they'd come over to our side, but at least we'd have one fewer enemy to deal with. The catch is, we have to wait for Sorrow to make a mistake, if he hasn't already. Any attempt to manufacture a divide between Darkensi and Sorrow on our part would more likely solidify their alliance."

Delgareth sighed and drained his mug. "But that's high politics and strategy, and I'm only a simple Ranger." He cast a handful of bronze coins on the bar. "And it's time I returned to the woods to see what may be done to help the wildlands through this cold. Hentor abu!"