Horpyna sighed, knowing the inevitable was coming. She looked at Czeremis, nodding towards the door. The loyal servant grinned and left the chamber. Howling came from the valley, the wild growling transformed into an almost human scream. The witch knew that the time was up, she could wait no longer. She quickly put the cup to her mouth and started drinking.
The bitter taste first spread on her tongue and trickled down, irritating her throat. Outside, the first creature was joined by another and another, Horpyna thought that in their howling she could hear something like a warning about what she was about to do. But it was too late for any precautions…
She entered the trance and as usual, her voice started to change, from harsh, sounding like an old man, to a quiet voice of a little girl. The visions came to her like waves hitting the shore, so she had to scream them out, changing the voice with each image. But she knew that nothing she saw or said will be forgotten, even the tiniest piece of her vision will not go to waste:
– My clear falcon… town with bloodied walls is burning, it is burning with hellfire. Death strikes from the shadows (here a young boy’s voice was screaming, panicked as if he saw a ghost), it sings and plays the strings. A demented mage, man from the desert, a book, thrice cursed. During the day they negotiate, at night it’s dagger and poison, blood, rivers of blood… Eagles, eagles (a joyful voice, as if seeing a chance for salvation). A girl dances, she is spinning faster and faster. One for all, all for one! You who fight and you who toil, and you who count and measure… Is it a human or a wolf, human or a beast , a creature that carries the fire that will devour us all.
She stopped for a moment, catching her breath. She knew that she had to concentrate, focus on the most important visions:
– Two men will be waiting there, two to which the falcon will entrust his life (here she spoke in her own voice, clearly as never before during such an intense vision). Aaa aaaah, the broken cross brings death , beware… Emet, emet, emet (the voice of a tired old man, someone who carried a heavy burden for too long). The first one comes from the enemy folk, traitor who has been and will be betrayed. Fish, fish on his chest (strange voice, as if a woman’s but sometimes switching to a low register), you will recognize him by this, the khan’s son…
She had enough, she felt blood trickling from her ears and eyes. But she knew that she could not stop, not yet:
– The other one is a traitor, he no longer knows who he is, a man of many names (here a strong and confident voice, as if of an officer accustomed to giving orders). I’m not worthy, not worthy to kiss your wounds (a girl, an emotional voice)… He is a hero and a skunk, cursed and cherished. Blood on his hands, blood on his blade. Finish this, finish I tell ya…
She was getting weaker, the visions lost their cohesion, she saw and felt less and less:
– You can trust those two, my falcon, you will live and die with them. Aa aaah, red eyes, like burning flame. Human mountain with skin like ash, and the girl is dancing, spinning faster and faster… A hunter with an enchanted bullet… The witches burn, burn (it’s her own voice once more, scared and full of pain). And now the killer from Livonia, the one who will come from the north, from the ropema kers’ gate…
She fell on the bed, exhausted, barely breathing. When she finished the auguring, the loyal Czeremis walked in with a bowl of water and started to gently wash her face, cleaning away the blood and tears. She took a long time to recover, her head was spinning from the abundance of visions. Only after some time she realized that it was terribly quiet outside, the animals that howled throughout the vision went silent, as if scared by what happened. When she was finally able to speak she turned to her servant:
– Saddle the horses, Czeremis, and prepare food for the road. The colonel is getting ready for a journey and we must accompany him…
It was almost noon . They met at the walls of the Vienna gallows. This was a good time to meet without unnecessary witnesses.
As on every Sunday the people of Vienna swarmed the churches while the executions were postponed until Monday and everyone was staying well away from this sinister place. Many adventurers and common criminals came to Vienna after the election was announced so the executioner was busy every day.
Czeremis sat on the wall and was observing the road. Below Anton and several moloitsy listened to the conversation between the terrible son of Tugay-Bey and Bohun. Horpyna just finished gathering herbs and ingredients from the hangmen and entered the cool walls.
– The sultan only hunts, and what about the vizier? – she heard her commander’s question. – He’s not my master, is he? – Azya
replied to Bohun – he is only an Albanian vagrant. He is the vizier thanks to his father. While I have the blood of a noble Tartar clan
in my veins and I answer only to the khan himself. If the sultan’s men pay me, I will help them, if others pay me I will stick his men
full of arrows.
– Us also? – smiled Bohun .
– Do not worry, Cossack. I will not harm you. Khan’s envoy is speaking to Mazepa, he told me to support you.
Azya hoped that the khan’s envoy and hetman Doroshenko’s envoy – Ivan Mazepa who was in Vienna incognito – will come to an agreement. The cunning fox Doroshenko was trying to ride two horses at once, as Chmielnicki before him. He seems to cooperate with Poles while behind their back he is seeing support from the khan and the sultan. Azya hoped that he will be ordered to deliver
letters to the hetman. He would then be able to receive the customary gifts and choose the best of them for himself. Who knows, maybe he will be able to get a dark skinned slave girl…
His thoughts were interrupted by a short whistle. Czeremis pointed towards the road.
– Here comes our last guest. Lubomirski’s man – said Bohun.
The noble in chain-mail and a lopsided fur hat halted the horse. He jumped down and boldly walked among the gallows’ walls completely ignoring the muskets pointed at him.
– I am Andrzej Kmicic. Who commands here?
– Well, well what manners. One can see that he’s a Polish lord! – Azya snorted – It’s Sunday, the bells are ringing. Shouldn’t you be in t he cathedral at tending mass with other noble brothers?
– They are not my brothers, Tartar. Which one is called Bohun?
– I am. But what are you telling me sir? They are Polish nobles, just like you! – Said Bohun with a wolfish smile.
– They are no nobles. Noble dogs rather! Poodles on French queen’s leash who is shearing and cutting them as she likes. Noble
brothers who really love freedom are in lord Lubomirski’s camp, he refused to be leashed. God willing we will cut those dogs with our sabers soon.
– People are telling me that the smallest poodle bit you in the past – Azya interrupted.
Kmicic bared his teeth and went for his saber. Before he was able to draw it Horpyna’s scream cut the air.
– Fools! Hotheads! Did you meet here to cut each other down to the joy of your enemies?
They all halted, astonished by this out burst. The ensuing silence was broken by Bohun’s sincere laughter.
– That i s enough! Horpyna is right . We did not come here to fight but to make an agreement. I like you sir Kmicic. I know what is your business here and I ’ll help you with it . I will take you to Zaporizhia and introduce you personally to hetman Doroshenko. You w ill be able to convey the message from lord Lubomirski directly to him, but first you will help us here in Vienna…
LEADER - JURKO BOHUN
LEADER - JURKO BOHUN
Jurko Bohun is the Cossack colonel Ivan’s son. He’s still a young man, barely 26 years old.
Always feeling the call to greatness, he has accompanied his father since he was 10. The first battle he actually participated in was Ochmatow in 1655. He was just 15 years old at the time, but even at that age he showed promise to become a great swordsman and a valiant soldier.
Soon he became Petr Doroshenko’s trusted man. He sent him to Vienna to protect Ivan Mazepa. Mazepa went incognito to conduct behind-the-scenes negotiations with the Turkish envoys. The plan is for the Right-bank Ukraine join the High Porte’s protectorate.
ANTON
ANTON
Anton is a seasoned veteran. He was Ivan Bohun’s ( Jurko’s father) friend.
While serving as an esaul (officer) in the Kalnica regiment, he took care of the young boy and trained him in combat. After Ivan was executed, he left the army and became Jurko’s trusted man.
Strict and composed, he keeps the young, hot-headed molitsy in line. Proficient with both his sabre and nadziak (war hammer).
HORPYNA
HORPYNA
Horpyna is a young Cossack witch. She’s both intelligent and quick, but also bulky and strong.
She is best known for her great divination ability. She lives in the mysterious Devil’s Gulch, a secluded place travellers stay away from. Her fortune-telling abilities are the strongest when she can perform hydromancy with the water wheel in her old mill.
Away from her home turf she has to make do with whatever’s available, resorting to other divination methods.
Horpyna has known Bohun for years now, and is his lover and advisor.
CZEREMIS
CZEREMIS
Czeremis is a mysterious, old hunchbacked dwarf, Horpyna’s companion.
Not much is known about him, except he has very keen eyes and can shoot his gun like no other. The rumor has it that a mortal couldn’t possibly be so skilled with a firearm, so it stands to reason there must be some demonic influences going on.
Czeremis is also a mute, but no one knows who and why removed his tongue.
ANDRZEJ KMICIC
ANDRZEJ KMICIC
Andrzej Kmicic is a troublemaker and an outlaw.
Loyal servant to the Radziwiłł traitors. During the Deluge (Swedish invasion) he sided with the invaders, like most other nobles.
Wounded by Wołodyjowski in a duel, he swore revenge. During the siege of the Jasna Góra monastery (an important Polish place of worship) he handled the largest, most devastating siege gun himself.
He declined the king’s amnesty when given the chance. Instead, he chose to flee the country as an outlaw. He travelled through Ukraine and Western Europe, taking work as a mercenary in armies, or simply as hired muscle for local brawls.
After the Emperor’s death, like many lowlifes, he gravitated towards Vienna, as usual looking for trouble.
AZYA
AZYA
Azya – the son of Tugay Bey, a notorious and formidable Tartar leader.
As a child he was kidnapped by Poles, but managed to escape. After spending his youth in the Ukrainian steppes, he joined the retinue of an Eastern Polish Borderlands noble, Nowowiejski. His master had him flogged for romancing with his daughter.
Azya fled and swore revenge. In a few year’s time he returned to his homeland, Crimea, as a proficient fighter and claimed back his patrimony. He brought along several good men and his jasyr (slaves) – old Nowowiejski and his daughter.
Azya came to Vienna accompanying the Ottoman envoys.
MOLOITSY
MOLOITSY
Armed with sabres and arquebuses, moloitsy form the backbone of Cossack armies.
They are proficient in close and ranged combat, but their true strengths are their senses and their quickness sharpened by the tough life in the Ukrainian steppes.