Mercenary Tales 47.

The City-State Of Vexil. 

"I assure you that we will help out in anyway we can" says the cleric commander of the church of Famal, here in the city of Vexil. 

Who shares a look with the deacon of the church, who nods his head in agreement with the senior cleric. 

"Are you sure this creature is here in the city?" asks the cleric commander, an imposing man, with the word militaristic being the best way to describe him. 

Especially as he's resplendent in his suit of heavy plate armour as he sits behind his desk in his office, here in the large administrative building, behind the cathedral of Famal. 

"Most definitely" says the wizard Margin, who is doing the bulk of the talking for the group who are meeting with the church officials. 

The wizard is accompanied by the three elves, Salinéll, Jarkellé and Gillomōnt. Along with another of the humans in the group, Mercer. 

The four others in the group are elsewhere, as they wait for the meeting with members of the church of Famal to be completed. 

"Or at least we think they are, with the latest information we have" says the fairly powerful wizard. 

"And you say it's in the company of an ork of all things?" says the cleric commander, a large man in his late thirties. Who has the battle experience to match his considerable magical powers. 

The fact that there's an ork involved, is a little hard to believe for the senior cleric and the church deacon. 

For after they were given the magically protected missive from their church in the city of Oaklynn, up in the kingdom of Girdane.

That they were to help these mercenaries apprehend, if not outright kill those that they're after. 

One of them being an ork is a little hard to believe. Though both the senior cleric and the church deacon easily accept that the other one they're after. Is human, but isn't alive in the least. 

"Of course we take our brethren in Oaklynn's word for it" says the cleric commander, who after a brief pause continues with "But if you have evidence of these two, we would appreciate it". 

"Of course" says the wizard in the dark red robes, who then asks the two churchmen "May I cast?". Margin then informs them what spell he'll cast, for which he's given permission to do so by both the cleric commander and the church deacon. 

After Margin casts his spell, the church deacon blinks in surprise, then says "Hell" he quickly adds "By Famal, that is an ork". 

The senior cleric in the church of Famal here in the city of Vexil grunts in agreement with him as they look at the image created by the wizard Margin. 

"South wall of the city" says the cleric commander, who continues with "During the war" he briefly pauses before adding "By the looks of it, I'd say that's the day the city's magical shields failed". 

The eyebrows of all three elves go up in surprise when they hear that, and the wizard Margin's mouth opens in surprise at hearing it. 

The wizard in the dark red robes clears his throat, then says "You were there?". As he himself was there on that fateful day. 

The cleric commander nods his head, then says "I was" followed by "Though further to the west along the south wall from there". 

He continues with "I was a young novice, recently joined the church as my powers were coming into effect". 

Most of those with magical abilities tend to reveal their powers between the ages of ten and thirteen, if they're human. 

"We were seconded by the army, and I was tasked to take replacement arrows and bolts to the archers on the wall" says the senior cleric, who continues with "I can tell you, it was an eye opener for an eleven year old". 

He then gestures at the life size still image that the wizard has cast, then says "I don't recall hearing anything of this from further along the wall" he pauses before continuing with "Though the south wall is nearly five miles long, and the city was attacked by over three hundred and fifty thousand fighters from multiple nations from across The Southlands". 

The wizard Margin nods, and does so again, and says "I was" in response to the cleric commander saying to him "I gather you were there that day?". 

"On one of the buildings just back from the south wall" says the Vexilian wizard, who continues with "Helping with the defences of the city" he then silently adds in a bitter tone, not that it helped. 

Margin then plays out the image taken from his memories, showing what he saw for a short while along the top of the south wall of the city, over twenty five years ago during the Battle of Vexil. 

The cleric commander and the church deacon share a look after the image plays out to it's conclusion. 

Then the church deacon, a man in his mind forties, balding and a little overweight, says "Our brethren in Oaklynn are correct". 

He's silent for a moment or two, before continuing with "That thing is definitely not alive, and is unclean". 

The senior cleric nods his head in agreement with his fellow churchman, then he says "What I would like to know" followed by "Who is the third one?" he then adds "The one in the cloak following the unliving creature and the ork?". 

After glancing over at the elf maiden Salinéll, the wizard Margin says "No one is certain" he briefly pauses before continuing with "But there's speculation that it might be Mira Reinholt the mage". 

"The traitor?" says the church deacon in a tone of surprise, the cleric commander is just as surprised, and he says "I thought it was believed that he was amongst the attackers lines that day". 

"That is the common belief" says the wizard in the dark red coloured robes, who follows that with "That's why it's speculation that it's him". 

The cleric commander grunts, then he says "The high priest will have to be informed". The senior cleric and the church deacon are of the higher end of the clergy of the church of Famal, here in the city-state of Vexil. 

But the high priest of Famal in Vexil is their leader. And he must be informed of what they plan to do. 

"I'm sure he will agree with us in that we will assist you in finding this foul being, and destroying it" says cleric commander, who is the leader of the military arm of the church of Famal in Vexil. 

The church deacon, who is in charge of the day to day running of the church of Famal, nods his head agreement with his fellow clergyman. 

Then the senior cleric calls out for his assistant, who enters the room from where he's been waiting out in the hallway. 

"If you will accompany us" says the cleric commander after he gives his assistant a message to send to the high priest of Famal in Vexil. 

The group of five mercenaries, the elves Salinéll,  Jarkellé and Gillomōnt as well as Margin and Mercer. Follow the cleric commander and the church deacon from the room. 

"It would be best if we found them as soon as possible" says the senior cleric, who follows that with "We along with the other churches and temples are given some leeway by the city guard". 

As they make their way down the long, wide hallway that runs through much of the massive administration building of the church of Famal. 

The cleric commander continues with "Though if things get shall we say, a little noisy they will get involved". 

He pauses before adding "And if they get involved, then the city council gets involved" the senior cleric follows that with "And if the city council gets involved, then the mage council will get involved". 

He briefly pauses before continuing in a dry tone with "We definitely don't want that to happen" the cleric commander adds "They don't like any disturbances to the order of things here in the city" followed by "Which is essentially their city". 

The church deacon winces at that from his fellow churchman, but he does nod in agreement with the leader of the military arm of the church of Famal in Vexil. 

The cleric commander is silent for a few moments as they head down the hallway, then he says "Though I suspect the mage council won't be too pleased that there's such an unclean creature in the city". 

He glances at the church deacon and slightly nods, and the older churchman nods in reply. As they both know it might be best to inform the members of the mage council who are on friendly terms with the churches and temples found here in the capital of the city-state of Vexil. 

They make their way outside, on what's a cold and blustery winter's day. And they head across the large courtyard between the administration building and the cathedral of Famal. 

The two churchmen spot one of the clergy showing a cleric from another church around the grounds. 

Both the cleric commander, and the church deacon, who is a magic using priest. Sense that the outsider cleric is more than powerful. 

And from his tabard across his steel breastplate, they recognize that he's in the church of Glaine. 

A smaller church, especially here in the city-state of Vexil. A church that has it's seat of power in the north of the kingdom of Nastell. 

A church that is known to have excellent warriors amongst their fighting clerics. Which this particular cleric looks like he's one. 

Both the senior cleric in the church of Famal in Vexil, and the church deacon are not concerned that there's an outsider from another church on their church grounds. 

Many do visit, as the church of Famal is known for it's architecture, not just here in the city of Vexil, but right across The Southlands, and for that matter, around the world. 

Also, the church of Famal and the church of Glaine are on neutral terms with one another. And a visit from one of the members of their clergy is not a big deal at all. 

And that proves to be the point, when they're just about to enter the back of the cathedral of Famal, and a priest who stands aside for them, after a look from the church deacon, who nods to in the direction of the cleric from the church of Glaine. 

Says to them "That's the cleric Beldane from the church of Glaine" followed by "A fighting cleric I was told". 

The priest continues on with "He has a missive with him from our brethren in the city of Valban in the kingdom of Nastell, as he wanted to visit our church grounds here if he ever visited the city of Vexil". 

"I thought as much" quietly says the cleric commander, the church deacon nods in agreement with him. 

Then as they're about to enter the cathedral, the priest who just spoke to them, says "Deacon Motis, young Parmis just told me the strangest thing". "Oh?" says deacon Motis, who follows that with "What was it?". 

"He said he saw an ork, I told him must be mistaken, and it's clearly a troll, as no way would it be an ork" says the priest, who is a known gossip. 

The others all look at one another, then before the priest can continue on, the cleric commander demands "Where?" followed by "When?". 

"Just now commander Omarc" says the priest, who follows that with "Well, just a short time ago". 

"And where?" asks Omarc, the cleric commander who leads the military arm of the church of Famal in Vexil. 

"Just outside in the square" is the reply of the priest, who follows on from that with "Across on the other side, at the Wall of the Gods".

The elf Jarkellé mutters an oath after looking sharply at the elf maiden Salinéll, who has look of pure anger and hate that briefly crosses her face, which the churchmen miss. 

The church deacon and the cleric commander share a look, then they look at their visitors who are standing off to one side. 

"Looks like you're in luck" says Omarc the cleric commander, who looks sharply at the priest, as do the others, when the gossipy priest says to them "He's with a large dark knight or avenger, by the sounds of what young Parmis has to say". 

The churchmen ignore the muttered "Shit" that comes from the wizard in the dark red robes, Margin. 

And the senior cleric says to the others "Quick, hurry" before he rushes into the cathedral, followed by the church deacon, who he tells "Send the word throughout the church". 

"I already am" says deacon Motis, who is busy casting as they and their visitors hurry through the cathedral, towards the front doors. 

As they do, the elven maiden Salinéll quietly says in elvish to Jarkellé, Gillomōnt, Margin and Mercer as they follow the two churchmen "I want that fucking ork" followed by "He's mine". 

The elf maiden who is from the elven principality of Alínlae, has a determined look on her face as she silently adds, he's going to pay for what he did that day to my father . . . . . .

Mercenary Tales 46.

The City Of Vexil. 

"Not there" sourly says Lord Farque, which gets a response of "Why not?" from Beldane the cleric, who frowns. 

The undead warlord just stares at the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine, then the practitioner of magic says "Oh" as he realizes his mistake. 

The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque then tells him "That building to the left". 

The spellcaster originally from the kingdom of Nastell then teleports the three of them to the building the large heavily armoured deathlord indicated. 

It's a blustery winter's day here in the city of Vexil, and upon the rooftop they've just appeared on. Beldane the cleric holds his power within himself, as they walk to the edge of the roof, and look across the square in front of them, and towards a side street off it. 

"Which one is it?" quietly asks the powerful cleric, while behind them, Dorc da Orc sits down upon the roof, to eat the remaining pastries, biscuits and cake he has in the box he's been carrying. 

Lord Farque along with the powerful cleric have knelt down, and the lord of the death realm gestures to the side street they're looking towards, then says "That one, the dark red coloured brick work". 

"Don't know which church that is" murmurs the fighting cleric in the half plate armour with a frown upon his face. 

"The church of Famal" says the deathlord of Farque who is also known by the name of Draugodrottin by the people of his lands. 

Beldane grunts, then quietly says "One of the human war gods" which gets a nod from Lord Farque. 

"They're inside there" says the undead warlord, who then gets up, and looks down in front of the building they're on top of, before he heads to their right, and beckons for Beldane and Dorc to follow him. 

After they've made their way over to the large heavily armoured deathlord, after the large ork grunted in displeasure of having to get up. 

Draugodrottin takes them by an arm as he stands between the two of them, then he steps off the rooftop and drops to the ground three storey's below.

Though Beldane felt like his heart drove up into his throat, even though he landed on his feet without any harm. 

Dorc da Orc is grinning from ear to ear, as he's used to being dropped to the ground with the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque. 

The lord of the death realm leads them over to a covered street veranda, along the back is a long wall, on which is a painted fresco. 

The fighting cleric immediately recognizes what it is, and it takes a few moments for the ork warleader to realize what it is too. 

When he does, Dorc da Orc says in wonder "Ooohhhh" then hurries under the veranda to look closely along the wall, that depicts the gods of Volunell. 

They're surrounded by churches and temples, as this part of the city of Vexil has the largest concentration of them. 

Gesturing across the square, and to the side street that has the grounds of the church of Famal on it, Lord Farque who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to The Destroyer, quietly tells the powerful practitioner of magic beside him "You'll have to go in and check them out". 

"Me?" says Beldane the cleric, who after a moments pause adds "Why me?" as he looks at the deathlord of Farque. 

Who just stares at him for a moment, before looking over at Dorc da Orc who is busy looking at the fresco of the gods, before he glances down at himself, before looking back at the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine. 

"Ah yeah" says the powerful spellcaster, who continues with "I should go". Even though he doesn't particularly want to. 

But since Lord Farque can't enter a church, or any holy ground for that matter, without catching on fire. And because Dorc da Orc, is well, Dorc da Orc. The fighting cleric knows that he's the one to do it. 

"They should be easy to spot" quietly says Des'tier after a small group of nuns walk by them on their way to one of the nearby churches. 

"Considering three of them are elves" quietly adds the large heavily armoured deathlord of Farque, who follows that with "They're no longer in the main cathedral" he continues with "They're in one of the other buildings, most likely the administration one". 

Beldane nods his head as he looks across the square to the side street, then he asks the undead being beside him "What should I say I'm doing in there?". 

"Make something up" says Draugodrottin in a cold tone of voice as he knows the cleric in the church of Glaine is stalling. 

The powerful practitioner of magic nods then says "Right" as he knows he better move off, before he annoys Lord Farque too much. 

Then as he's about to walk away, the lord of the death realm tells him "A bit of advice Beldane". "Yes?" says the cleric who hails from the north of his homeland, the kingdom of Nastell. 

"You might as well stop holding your power within yourself now" says the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque, who continues with "Since pretty much everyone in there will know what you are". 

The undead warlord follows that with "Though not all your power" he then adds "Let's face it, you're overly powerful for someone in the fighting ranks of your church, if you were in any other church you'd be higher up in the ranks, towards the leadership positions". 

The fighting cleric in the church of Glaine nods in understanding, then Des'tier gestures at Beldane's primary weapon, and dryly tells him "You should probably keep that mace of yours under control too" dryly followed by "It's bound to draw attention". 

"Will do" says the powerful cleric, who glances down at the magical weapon on his belt loop, and silently tells it to behave itself. 

Not that it actually listens to him all that often. As it has a mind of it's own at times. Especially when Beldane is in danger, when it tends to take over, usually to get him to safety, or to do something overly powerful to destroy said danger. 

The fighting cleric makes his way from the covered veranda, and heads off across the square. 

While back at the at the fresco, Dorc da Orc who is closely examining the various figures depicted on the long wall, turns and says "Hey Farque, which one is". 

"Further along the other way" says the undead warlord who doesn't turn to look at the large ork, and is instead watching Beldane the cleric cross the square. 

"It's in alphabetical order" continues the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque, who follows that with "You started at the end of the". 

"Alpha what?" says the large ork with a frown upon his broad green brutish looking face as he interrupts the lord of the death realm. 

"Nevermind" says Draugodrottin after rolling his eyes, then still without looking, points towards the other end of the long wall, and adds "Down towards that end" followed by "You can't miss him". 

Then switching from the common language to orkish, the large heavily armoured deathlord of Farque says "He's the cunt beating the fucking shit out of the other cunts around him". 

Which earns a loud snort and a chortle from Dorc da Orc, who hurries down the covered veranda, to find on the mosaic painted upon the long wall, the depiction of his god, the god of the orks, Krom. 

"What the hell am I'm going to say?" Beldane the cleric mutters to himself as he crosses the square. 

"Hello, do you happen to have a bunch of no good mercenaries here, three of whom are elves?" murmurs the fighting cleric in a forced tone of cheerfulness, he continues murmuring in the same tone with "You won't believe it, but they're causing chaos up on the northern border with the kingdom of Girdane". 

He briefly pauses as a pair of monks, oblivious to all around them, who are deep in conversation, walk by in front of the powerful cleric in the church of Glaine. 

"You might not of heard, but I'm pretty sure they're trying to start a border war up there" adds Beldane in the forced tone of cheerfulness as he continues to murmur to himself. 

The square here in this part of the city of Vexil isn't particularly busy. As there's probably only about twenty or so people, including Beldane who are crossing it at this moment, late in the morning. 

The outside of the square, and the streets running off it are busier this morning. Though the side street that the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine is making his way towards, is fairly quiet this cold and blustery winter's day in the city of Vexil. 

The powerful practitioner of magic makes his way out of the square, across the street that for all intensive purposes, goes around it, and heads down the side street, on which is the grounds of the church of Famal. 

Beldane undoes the front of his cloak, leaving it open to show his tabard of the church of Glaine that's over his steel breastplate. 

The fighting cleric nods to himself as he recalls that his church, is more or less on good terms with the church of Famal. 

Neutral would be a more accurate term. Which is more than can be said about some of the other churches and temples of the gods. Many of which do not get along with each other. 

The churchman from the north of the kingdom of Nastell, where his god is predominantly worshipped more than anywhere else in The Southlands. 

Has the image of Misa Geist within in his mind. After he and the others in the group were shown an image of her that Helbe the elven thief took from the minds of the Geist cousins Gamil and Farsen. 

Briefly thinking of the elven masterthief, the fighting cleric mutters "He should be here doing this". Beldane continues muttering with "Or Dalin, after all he is a spy" he then silently adds, or Lis, she'd know what to do. 

The powerful cleric in the church of Glaine sighs, and falls silent as he reaches the church of Famal, then he makes his way up the steps to the open doors of the cathedral that faces the street the church grounds are on. 

There's two pairs of church guards on either side of the open doors, and though they don't stop Beldane, they do watch him as he walks towards the open doors of the cathedral. 

The fighting cleric in the church of Glaine nods in greeting to the guards at the doors, before he enters the church of Famal. 

The powerful practitioner of magic, who holds back within himself, about a quarter of his power, looks around as he heads into the cathedral. 

The Nastellian born spellcaster who has a few letters of introduction from his church. All forged by Helbe the elven thief over the last few years. 

Intends to use one if he happens to run into any higher ranking church member, which he's bound to as this particular church of Famal, is their headquarters for the entire central region of The Southlands. 

The fighting cleric in the church of Glaine spots a layman, obviously a member of the Famal church functionaries. 

Who is heading towards the powerful practitioner of magic who hails from the north of the kingdom of Nastell. 

"Right, here we go" Beldane the cleric murmurs to himself as the church layman approaches him, where he's stopped to look up at the extraordinary gilding and art upon the ceiling dome of the cathedral of Famal. 

"Holy father, greetings" says the church layman, using the generic term to address a personage such as a cleric. "How may I be of service" continues the member of the church of Famal. 

"I was wondering if you could help me" says Beldane the cleric after greeting the church layman. 

The fighting cleric in the church of Glaine then starts his lies to try and get further into the grounds of the church of Famal. 

Hoping to locate the group that he, Lord Farque and Dorc da Orc have come to the city of Vexil to find. And who he knows is here in the church of Famal at this particular moment . . . . . .