Our journey was filled with silence. Even Taltil, remained quiet as our group traveled.

“What do we know about the trolls?” I broke the silence with my probing.

“They take pleasure in tormenting our tribe,” answered Beld.

“Trolls do not go out of their way to torment lesser creatures. They are brute and violent but also primarily driven by a primitive desire. Mostly hunger or hunting grounds.”

“We tribute them with a share of meat and some fur. But their appetite is enormous. It pacifies them for a while.”

The familiar appeasement method. Drows used to do the same with those huge spider-demon spawns. While other races consider us demon worshipers, our offerings are more as placating those demons than worshiping them. Faced with a larger threat, every race adapts. I wonder which one of us is lethal? A single drow or a group of trolls?

The last time I had to face a group of trolls, I did not fight. I slaughtered. But then again, I had Vangere and his alchemical support. A heavy cut, followed by hurling the flask of alchemical mixture did the job. The Harlequin coloured liquid dealt a serious blow to the natural regeneration of the trolls. Unfortunately, Now I have to face the trolls without any alchemical support.

With alchemical acid being impossible to obtain, my only option is to use fire to hinder the regenerative abilities of the trolls.

Taltil abruptly urged us to remain silent. She sniffed the air and beckoned Maapu’s attention to a tree. She pointed to the bark. It was plastered with clay. Maapu’s expression was dismissal. But Taltil persisted and she looked around more. She called Maapu again and pointed to hoof marks on the ground. Beld moved forward and examined the hoof print. He then turned towards me and smiled. His exposed canines did not make the smile look any friendlier.

After a nod from Beld, Taltil spoke up.

“Fresh food, Mistress. Boar resting here. We get meat for Mistress. Eat and Sleep. Mistress needs food and sleep.”

“Boar Wallows.” Beld explained, “Looking at the hoof mark, they should be around.”

“Do you often consume pork?” I enquired.

“Yes. Sometimes wild hogs and sometimes we slaughter our own pigs“

“What do you do with the fat? do you collect the tallow?” The exact words failed me.

“It is called lard by the humans. Tallow is the fat from cows and bulls.” Beld corrected me. I was expecting a smug look from him but his expression betrayed my expectation.

His knowledge is a bit exhaustive compared to the other goblins. More signs that he is not someone who spent his whole time with the flint-tooth tribe.

“We have lard but no tallow. We use the lard to barter with humans.” He answered my question.

“How much lard can you provide me?”

“You can take all the lard in our village. Should be the worth of around four or five fully grown adult boar.” That should be sufficient for what I had planned.  

“Then, in that case, first let us have our feast. Fighting with an empty stomach is not advisable. I can explain my plan while we eat.”

 

---

 

I decided to take a rest in the canopy of a tree. When I woke up, it was already dark. The night sky was ornamented with stars. But it was not the spectacular view that appealed to me at the moment but rather the smell of roasted pork.

“Please join us. Vera.” This is the first time that he has addressed me by my requested name. He has taken familiarity. That is good. No victory can be gained in fights where one does not have a rapport with their companion.

“We have separated the lard and stored them for you.” Beld continued.

Theko came forward offering me a piece of meat on a knife. I took a bit from the offered piece. It tasted inviting even with the lack of spices. Taltil was more reserved and she served meat pieces on some large leaf.

My hunger took control of my other inhibitions and I ignored all etiquette. I grabbed the meat with my fingers and started to bite big chunks of the meat. After having decided that I had enough, I started outlining my plan.

“I need a lot of lard, some plant or vine that we can make a wick from. Do you have a potter in your village?”

“We have a potter but I am afraid nothing that can suit your plan, Vera.”

“I do not need anything complicated. In fact, my plan is simple. All I need are lard, burnable vines and some small bowl or mortar.”

Beld nodeded in the direction of Theko and Maapu. Getting the message, the two set about moving in the direction of their settlement.

Meanwhile, Beld beckoned Taltil and they set about their task of collecting twigs from various plants. It was mostly Taltil bringing various twigs and Beld examining the plant type. Apparently, he is looking for a particular sort of plant whose twigs can be easily turned into twines and are also easily inflammable. I inferred this as Beld finally took one particular twig and started explaining to Taltil in a guttural tone.

The fact that Maapu and Theko alone were sent to fetch what I needed showed that I am still not trusted. Beld is exercising caution. 

I looked around a bit and it became clear that Taltil and Beld did not need my assistance. Having decided to do some reconnaissance of my own, I got Beld to reveal the way to the Troll camp.  

I moved my feet in the direction of the trolls. My strides were as silent as possible. My aim is to scout the troll camp. Continuing further along the direction, after a while, a pungent odour assaulted my nostrils. I have finally neared the troll camp.

 

---

 

Loud snoring noises were heard accompanied by heavy footsteps. As I slowly peeped from my vantage position, I could see two of the trolls snoozing in their crude mat. While a third troll was pacing around. He moved to a large barrel and took a mouthful of the content. From the scent that drifted in my direction, it was clear the contents were some form of alcohol. It is definitely not wine or ale. Probably Gin or Rum. Either of the way, it has high alcohol content and is inflammable. All the better for what I had in mind.

Their bedding was roughly thrown straw and twigs. The trolls were clad in some long loincloth. The loincloth was so grimy and soiled that I am sure they are fireproof now. Littered around were some animal carcass and a huge cauldron. Now I have a basic idea of the terrain. 

I retraced my path back to our small camp.

Upon reaching the camp, I was greeted with the sign of Taltil slicing the twig with a sharp knife. She diligently sliced the twigs into strands of fibre. She took the strands between her palms and rubbed both her hands together. The resulting product was a thick twine. It was better than I anticipated. Taltil showed promise for dexterous work.

Soon after, Maapu and Theko returned carrying bundles. One of the bundles which Maapu set down delicately no doubt carried the clay vessels. Theko set down his bundle. They took the small clay bowl and examined them.

Maapu declared in a loud voice, “Chief not happy. Chief still let us take and come.”

Beld nodded with a slight acknowledgement.

“We brought all clay bowls in the village.” Theko voiced on his part.

I thought them how to place the wick in the bowl and fill them with lard. This was something that I once observed a human ranger perform. It was one of those campaigns where we had collaborated with some human mercenary group. At that time, the High-elves decided to extend their altruism again and educate the lesser race. An enlightenment campaign they called it. To the rest, it was a religious pogrom and systematic oppression of lesser races. Ultimately, pleas from our surface settlements reached us. We decided that it was time to check their progress. Since we did not want to muster all our forces, we decided to employ, or rather, ally ourselves with a few humans and other races. At some point, during that campaign, we had to deploy at short notice. Since the situation demanded immediate action, there was less time for logistics and we found ourselves in unfamiliar terrain at night. If it were a unit comprising of drows, the darkness would have hardly posed a hindrance but with humans on our side, it posed a challenge. It was at this point that a few of the human rangers collected the lard and made makeshift candles in this manner. Even though I observed it that time with morbid curiosity, never have I ever thought that I would be using it in my tactics. Unusual how fate spins.

Taltil looked up to me apprehensively while holding a small bowl with the wick and lard placed as I instructed. Beld and Theko gave me a similar look. Sensing that it was time, I made the call to move onward towards the troll camp.

 

---

 

We reached the edge of the troll camp. Taltil was still busy preparing the makeshift lard bowl candles. I took Theko and pointed at the trolls. One of the trolls has awoken and now the two trolls were engaging in some endless grunting ritual. I pointed to the barrel and made sure he knows what he should do when the melee begins.

At my sign, both Beld and I rushed to their camp. The three goblins moved stealthily behind us. Both the trolls regarded us for a moment. Then one of the trolls rushed at me while the other decided to go after Beld. The Barghest took the initiative and scored the first hit on the troll. That was impressive to go unarmed against a troll and gain the first hit. Beld’s fingers were long as if he had claws and they had troll blood on them.

Hearing our commotion, the sleeping troll woke up. I made a dash to the now awoken troll and hoped that he would keep his attention on me. I stuck at him with my dirk but compared to the trolls thick skin, it would have felt like a pinprick. Meanwhile, the troll that was after me, tried to deliver a blow. The trolls were huge and strong but they were also slow. So it was easy to dodge attacks.

The troll that now awoke sensed Beld to be a bigger threat, ignored my taunts and went after Beld. Beld might have been able to go toe to toe with a single troll but two trolls might gain the upper hand. As misery begets company, the troll that took damage from Beld went about grabbing a club.

I screamed at the hidden goblins, “Now”

Maapu landed the first hit on one of the trolls fighting Beld. The clay bowl broke on impact, but the lard stuck onto the troll's skin together with the burning wick. Sensing the flame stuck to its back, the troll tried to shook it. But the lard was adhesive. The next two throws came from Taltil.

I dodge two more slow attacks from the troll. The troll decided that it was tiresome to chase me around and started looking for its club. I took the chance to run towards the barrel. Before I reached the barrel, Theko has already filled a small wooden goblet with the alcohol. I took the filled goblet from Theko and threw the content on the lard covered troll.

The result was better than my expectations. While lard might take a while to reach its burning state, the alcohol acted as a catalyst. We witness the grisly scene of a troll on fire, wailing in its agony. The troll rolled on the ground in a futile attempt to extinguish the fire. But that allowed Maapu and Taltil to throw more lard on the troll.

Seeing the death state of their companion, the other trolls decided to swing their clubs in a wide arch, hoping to take down the goblins. Beld had some serious wounds. He was knocked to the ground. Despite his reddish hued skin, I could see some bruises on his face. He gasped for breath. Some of his ribs are likely broken. Being unsure of Barghest physiology, I wondered if any of the broken ribs punctured his lungs. In which case, I need to end this fight fast. His wounds require attention.

The wide arcs made with the club made it difficult to reach the trolls. Plus, with the two trolls now being enraged, it was difficult to attract their attention. Alternatively, this might just be the advantage that we needed.

I dodged two wide swings as I reached Taltil. In turn, she provided me with a small bow filled with lard and a glowing wick. The bowl was hurled directly in the troll’s face. Soon there was splattering of the bowl and lard spread masking the visage of the troll. Without a lack of clear view, the troll started to stumble around while still attempting to deliver wide sweeping arcs with the club.

Taking a hint from my line of attack, Maapu was successful after a few hurls. Meanwhile, Theko was busy soaking the dried twigs and hay with alcohol and he spread the same along the grounds. As the troll took two more hits to the face, I knew it was time. I dodge rolled once to get behind the troll and used my serrated blade to cut across the hamstring. Time to restrict both their moments.

The cut delivered was not a deep on and the troll limped at first. With the regenerative capabilities of the troll, this will not work as a killing blow. But as luck may have it, the now partial blinded troll’s club swing met the knee of its already limping companion. A huge thud sounded as the troll hit the ground. A ground that was covered with inflammable hay.

Maapu was quick this time, with his throw. The ground lit fast along with the death howl of one more troll.

The last remaining troll seeing the plight of the former companions decided to flee. But Beld, mustering all the strength a barghest could, was faster. He pounced on the back of the fleeing troll. The troll stumbled. I took the moment to close the gap in a few strides. Upon reaching the troll, I began my assault on the troll’s hamstrings. Under the assault of Beld, who sung his bared fangs on the troll’s throat and his loss of mobility from the tethered hamstring, the troll collapsed.

The three goblins jumped in with the burning lard and alcohol to eliminate the last troll.

We decided to ignore the troll’s death cries and moved away from the grisly scene. Beld still seemed to struggle with his breathing. Maapu had a victory gleam to his eyes. All things considered, when I initially thought of burning the trolls with lard to finish the fight, I thought that the fight would have prolonged longer. The presence of the alcohol barrel was an added blessing.

With the threat of the trolls put down, it was time to enjoy my well-deserved rest. But Beld had other concerns in mind.