OFTEN THEY ATTACKED THE SETTLEMENTS ALONG THE RIVER, LAYING WASTE TO THEIR FIELDS, BREAKING THROUGH THEIR WALLS OF MUDBRICK, CARRYING OFF THEIR GOODS AND WOMEN.

BUT THEY DARED NOT TOUCH UHRDUK. OUR WALLS WERE OF STONE, AND THEY STOOD TO THE HEIGHT OF TWO FULL-GROWN MEN. STOUT THEY WERE AND NO BREACH COULD BE MADE IN THEM.

I HAD SEEN TO THAT, FOR I, LEADER OF THE WARRIORS OF UHRDUK, HAD BUILT THEM.

BUT ENEMIES WE HAD..

...THE NOMADS. THOSE TOO UNCIVILIZED TO KNOW TOWN OR PLANTING STICK, THOSE WHOSE ONLY ROOF WAS THE ROUGH HIDE OF SOME SLAUGHTERED BEAST, WHO HATED THE TOWNS FOR THEIR  LUXURY AND WEALTH.

THE NOMADS FEARED AND HATED US, AND DARED NOT RAID OUR LANDS WITHOUT GATHERING IN LARGE NUMBERS.

© Sean McLachlan, Martin Isitt, Mike Horsefield 2004