Tuesday, 17 June 2025

Mercenary Tales 66.


Vexil. 

"Are they going to accept our help?" quietly asks Kynil the sword mistress, Margin the wizard replies with "Unfortunately yes". 
The sword mistress lifts an eyebrow in surprise at hearing that, and the spellcaster in the dark red robes quietly says "The fewer we work with, the better". 
The Vexilian born practitioner of magic continues with "Preferably one would be best". He nods across the large square "Salinéll is going to try and talk that fellow in the church of Glaine to work with us". 
The others look to where the elven maiden Salinéll, who is with her fellow elf, Jarkellé. The two elves from the principality of Alínlae, have struck up conversation with some of the clergy from various temples and churches, including the fighting cleric from the church of Glaine, a cleric by the name of Beldane. 
There's a large group of clerics, priests, priestesses, monks, adepts, and nuns, as well as laymen and women. 
Who have gathered here in the large square where most of the churches and temples in the city of Vexil are located. 
On this cold winter's morning, they've come up with a plan to try and find the undead being who they know is either in the city of Vexil itself. Or in the immediate surroundings of the capital city. 
"Seems the city council" quietly says Margin the wizard to the remaining members of the group who survived the attack by the large ork named Dorc da Orc. 
Though to be fair, it was they who attacked the ork. As more than a few of them were hell bent on killing the large ork. Which ended up in the demise of four of the group. 
Now that the large ork is dead. Or so they believe it's dead. They can now concentrate on finding, and destroying the undead being many of them have been after for more than two and half decades. 
Margin, one of those in the group who didn't really care about killing the ork. As he's the one in the group, who wants the undead being destroyed more than anything else 
Though, he like every other member of the group. Wants to see a war between the city-state of Vexil and the kingdom of Girdane. For various reasons. 
Quietly tells the others "Because that fellow in the church of Glaine fought that undead creature, and survived". 
He gestures at all the various clergy, who are splitting up into groups. Many of them from different churches and temples, who have decided to work together. 
"Not to mention he's very powerful" continues the wizard in the dark red robes, who follows that with "And he's got a magical mace, that's extremely powerful too". 
Margin briefly pauses as he sees that the two elves Jarkellé and Salinéll, are now talking with the fighting cleric named Beldane. 
"A lot of the others want to work with him" says the Vexilian born practitioner of magic, next to the wizard, both Marcus and Mercer nod. 
While the sword mistress Kynil quietly says "Makes sense I guess" she follows that with "Can't blame them for wanting to survive a confrontation with that thing". 
They fall silent as a pair of priests hurry by, close to them. Then the sword mistress asks the wizard in the dark red robes "Think they've got a chance?". 
"Salinéll and Jarkellé?" asks the practitioner of magic who hails from here in the city of Vexil, who follows that with "Of talking that cleric Beldane into letting us help him?". 
"That as well" says the sword mistress Kynil, who follows that with "But that lot in general" she then adds "Think they've got a chance of finding it, then holding it, and destroying it?". 
The wizard in the dark red robes, who wraps his robes tighter around himself to help ward off the cold, shrugs his shoulders, then quietly says "Got no idea" after a brief pause, he adds "I hope so". 
Margin also hopes that he's there when the undead being is taken, then destroyed. For personal reasons of course. 
For he saw the undead creature just over two and a half decades ago, during the Battle of Vexil. Kill his brother, who was a defender on the south wall of the massive city, that's the capital of the city-state of Vexil. 
"Looks like they've come to a decision about something" quietly says Mercer, who nods to where the elves Salinéll and Jarkellé have finished their conversation with the cleric named Beldane. 
The two elves from the principality of Alínlae head this way, while the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine, is now in a conversation with a number of the other clergy. 
"He'll help us out" quietly says Salinéll the elven maiden when she and the elven warden Jarkellé rejoin the others. 
"Well I should say, we'll help him out" adds the elven maiden who leads the group, who are attempting to start a war between the city-state of Vexil and the kingdom of Girdane. 
Salinéll the elven magic user, who hides her ability to cast from other practitioners of magic, thanks to a ring she wears. 
Then tells the rest of the group "A number of the others want to go along with him" she continues with "He's deciding which ones should join us". 
Margin nods his head, then quietly says "This will be difficult" followed by "Keep silent to what we're really doing" he then adds "Don't let anything slip". 
The spellcaster in the dark red robes says that last bit with a pointed look at both Mercer and Marcus. 
Especially Mercer, who initiated the attack upon Dorc da Orc, on the nearby streets to the southwest of the large square where they're at the moment. 
And who also killed the large ork, who they captured, then mutilated before ending it's life. 
If there's one hot head in the group, it's Mercer. And Salinéll has made it perfectly clear if Mercer or anyone else does anything untowards that will jeopardize their plans from now on. She will kill that member of the group. 
"That should be plainly obvious" says Salinéll the elven maiden with a look at the others, staring at Mercer for a moment longer than anyone else. 
"Keep to our story of wanting to be rid of this undead creature" adds the elven magic user, who briefly pauses before continuing with "Which is true enough". 
The wizard Margin nods to that, then gesturing over to the large group of clergymen and women, many of whom are moving off, he quietly asks the elven maiden who leads their group "What's the plan?" followed by "Concerning us too?". 
"We'll be helping that cleric Beldane" replies Salinéll the elven maiden, who follows that with "Let's face it, we won't be able to stop it on our own, it's too damn powerful". 
She briefly pauses before continuing with "We'll distract it, and hopefully slow it down when we hopefully locate it". 
"So we're bait then?" dryly says Mercer, Margin is thinking the exact same thing, though he sees them being lambs to the slaughter, more than anything else. 
"More or less" says Salinéll the elven magic user, who follows on from that, by dryly adding "So try not to get yourselves killed". The others all wince at that. 
Then the elven maiden who leads them, gestures in the direction of the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine, and says "That Beldane freely admits he doubts he can defeat this undead creature". 
Salinéll continues on with "Though he thinks he can either hold it given half a chance, or destroy it once it's held" she then adds "But definitely not both, especially after he confronted it yesterday and barely survived". 
The practitioner of magic who hails from the elven principality of Alínlae nods her head in response to Margin the wizard quietly saying "That's something I guess". 
The local born practitioner of magic knows that most spellcasters, would never freely admit their inadequacies. Especially ones as powerful as the cleric Beldane.
So for the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine to admit what are his shortcomings. That's something profound in the opinion of the wizard Margin. 
"He's seeing if a few of the others will join us" says the elven maiden, who set into motion their plans for revenge for what happened during the war known as the Battle of Vexil. 
"He, and we'll need their help" continues Salinéll the elven maiden, who then adds "If we're to find this creature and destroy it". 
She looks at each member of the group, Margin the wizard, Jarkellé the elven warden, Kynil the sword mistress, as well as Mercer and Marcus, then quietly says to them "Once we've gotten rid of it, then we'll continue on with our plans for war". 
The elven maiden who is also pretending to be the Geist cousin Misa. Just hopes that her so called cousins Gamil and Farsen, and the mercenary army they've gathered. Are still more or less intact, up in the hill country that straddles the border of Vexil and Girdane. 
Because she and the rest of the group still have plans for them. Vital parts of the plans, that will bring about a full blown war between the neighbouring nations of the city-state of Vexil and the kingdom of Girdane. 
"Here he comes" says Margin the wizard, who follows on from that, by quietly adding "And he's got company too". 
The see that the cleric named Beldane is heading their way. And with him are a trio of clergy, from some of the churches and temples, here in this part of the capital of the city-state of Vexil. 
A cleric from the church of Famal, a priestess belonging to the church of Maëlle. And another cleric, this one in a suit of heavy plate armour, who can only be from the church of Goran. 
When the quartet of clergy join them, Salinéll the elven maiden introduces the other members of the group. 
And in response, the cleric Beldane introduces those with them. After he does, Beldane the cleric says "We've been assigned with some of the other groups to the southern quarter of the city" followed by "And work our way back this way if we can't locate it in the southern part of the city". 
"Sounds like a plan" says Salinéll the elven maiden, who then looks at the young man in the half plate armour, who is a member of the church of Glaine, and says to him "Lead the way". 
The powerful practitioner of magic nods his head, then he casts, and near instantaneously, a gateway forms to the side of them. 
The fighting cleric originally from the kingdom of Nastell nods his head to the cleric in the church of Goran, who looks back at him. 
The heavily armoured cleric is the first one through the magical doorway, followed by the two other local clergy. 
Then the group go through the gateway, with Mercer in the lead. He's followed by Marcus, Kynil the sword mistress and Jarkellé the elven warden. And finally Salinéll the elven maiden and Margin the wizard. 
Beldane the cleric slightly pauses, then he too steps forward, and enters his gateway. As he does he refrains from smiling. 
As he knows that the group who has joined him and the three local clergy members. Are hoping to trap, then destroy lord Farque. 
But it's them the fighting cleric is sending into a trap. On this cold winter's day here in the city of Vexil . . . . . .






Sunday, 15 June 2025

Mercenary Tales 65.


The City Of Vexil. 

Beldane the cleric spent the night at the small chapterhouse attached to the church of Glaine, which is also fairly small, in the north of the city of Vexil. 
The powerful fighting cleric who hails from the kingdom of Nastell thought it best to look the part of a traveling cleric. Which essentially he is. 
His fellow church members, the small number based here in the capital of the city-state of Vexil. 
Were just glad to have another member of their church here in Vexil, and were pleased when he turned up during the middle of the night. 
The powerful practitioner of magic woke up early, and had breakfast in the refectory, then after attending the traditional dawn service in church. The main service his church offers to those of the public who worship the god Glaine. Not that more than a handful actually turned up. 
Beldane made his way from his church, and went out onto the streets of the city of Vexil, on what's another cold winter's day. 
Though the powerful fighting cleric easily admits, the cold down here in the capital city, is fairly mild compared to how cold it is in the hill country up in the north of the city-state. 
The powerful spellcaster heads south through the city, on a morning that's dawned cold and clear. As he nears the city center, the Nastellian born practitioner of magic stops off at a shop that's just opened. 
It's an apothecary, one that deals with magical potions more than the mundane type of potion one is likely to buy. Making it's wares more than a little expensive. 
The yawning shopkeeper, lifts an eyebrow in surprise when Beldane asks him for a certain potion. Which it turns out the shopkeeper does in fact have. 
And the shopkeeper's other eyebrow lifts up in surprise when the powerful fighting cleric tells him he'll buy it, even after the proprietor of the shop tells him how much it'll cost. 
The price is exorbitant to say the least. Though both the shopkeeper and the powerful practitioner of magic knows that's what the particular potion usually goes for. 
Beldane hands over two pouches of gold coins, which the shopkeeper gladly accepts before he hands the small glass vial containing the potion over to the Nastellian born fighting cleric. 
The member of the church of Glaine thanks the shopkeeper, then makes his way out of the shop. And continues on his way to the city center. 
The powerful spellcaster is just glad that wasn't actually his own gold coins. It was given to him by Lord Farque. 
Who gave Beldane a bunch of coin pouches when they first arrived here in the city of Vexil, and stopped off at a counting house where the undead warlord has an account. 
When the powerful practitioner of magic gets near the city center, he turns to the west, and goes that way, whilst continuing southwards. 
And it's not too long before he's left the already busy city center behind. And he nears the large square where many of the churches and temples here in Vexil are located. 
Beldane heads down a street on the north side of the large square, occasionally sensing as he does so. 
The powerful fighting cleric in the church of Glaine slightly nods to himself when he senses someone nearby that he now recognizes. 
The spellcaster in the church of Glaine briefly stops and closes his eyes as he adjusts his cloak, as if to ward off the cold. 
He's sensing for something specific, near to the particular spellcaster he just sensed. He opens his eyes, and slightly nods to himself again, when he does indeed sense what he was searching for. 
Even though he could barely sense it, but knowing what to sense for, he was able to locate it, though barely. 
"A ring" Beldane the cleric murmurs to himself, who then makes his way up a wide set of steps, to the massive church of Famal. 
The cathedral of which absolutely dwarves the church and chapterhouse of Glaine in the north of the city. 
Infact the grounds of the church of Famal, as well as quite a number of the other churches and temples in this part of the capital city of Vexil. 
Are absolutely massive in comparison to the main church of Glaine located in the north of his homeland of Nastell. 
The large church doors are open, and the church guards on duty this morning, slightly nod to the powerful fighting cleric, and allow him to enter their church. 
Beldane is met by a young novice, who escorts him through the massive cathedral, then outside to the courtyard, a square to be exact. On the other side of which is the administration building of the church of Famal. 
The novice informs the powerful practitioner of magic that others are already here. The fighting cleric in the church of Glaine isn't surprised, since he sensed them as he approached this part of the city. 
Beldane also knows that others will turn up. As it was agreed that here in the church of Famal, a meeting would take place concerning matters at hand. 
Salinéll the elven maiden looks up as another one enters the chamber. She sees it's another cleric, a powerful one at that too. 
She slightly nods to herself when she recognizes who it is. The elf from the principality of Alínlae shares a look with Margin the wizard, who stands nearby. 
The Vexilian born practitioner of magic slightly nods too, as he recognizes this cleric as well. The wizard in the dark red robes walks over to the elven maiden, who has hidden her ability to cast from all the clergy from various churches and temples who have gathered here this morning. 
"He's the one" quietly says Margin the wizard to his coconspirator the elven magic user who leads their group. 
"Only one to take it on and survive" continues the wizard who is in his forties, he follows that with "And he held that other one they ran across yesterday afternoon when we took off after the ork". 
Salinéll the elven maiden slightly frowns at the mention of the ork named Dorc da Orc. And though she knows the large ork is now dead. She was more than a little disappointed she wasn't conscious when the others in the group, captured the large ork, who they then killed. 
She's also disappointed in the job that Margin did in healing her, along with her fellow elf from the principality of Alínlae, Jarkellé. 
The elven maiden is only feeling better now, after what she considers was a piss poor casting of healing by the wizard Margin. 
"What's that buzzing coming from him?" quietly says Salinéll the elven maiden in barely a murmur to her fellow practitioner of magic. 
"That mace of his I think" is the murmured reply of the Vexilian wizard, who knows that if those gathered here find out what he, Salinéll and the rest of the group are actually doing here in the city-state of Vexil. 
There will be an uproar from this lot. And their lives will be in danger to say the least. Considering they're trying to start a war between the city-state of Vexil and the kingdom of Girdane. 
And though churches and temples usually keep out of the affairs of nations. Not here in Vexil, where the mandate to allow churches and temples to originally set up here, by decree of the mages who founded the city-state. 
Was to have the clergy help defend Vexil in threatening times, such as war. And though the nation's clergy won't get involved with something like a border skirmish, or a trade war. 
If the mage council demands they take part in a full on war with another nation or nations, then they'll definitely get involved. 
The new arrival notices the looks, not just from Salinéll and Margin, but many of the other spellcasters, his mace receives. 
And he says in an apologetic tone "Sorry about that" gesturing at the mace on his belt, he adds "It's got a mind of it's own" followed by "It can get annoying to be around". 
The elven maiden Salinéll doesn't show any reaction to that, but next to her, Margin the wizard lifts an eyebrow in surprise. 
The elf from the principality of Alínlae, who thanks to the talisman, in this case, a ring. Allows her to hide her ability to cast to other practitioners of magic. 
Senses the magical weapon the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine wears on his belt. She senses others, including Margin doing so as well. 
This time Salinéll does lift an eyebrow in surprise, hoping no one sees it once she's sensed what the magical weapon is. 
The elven spellcaster slightly nods her head, when next to her, Margin murmurs "Hell, that thing is powerful". 
The Vexilian born wizard continues murmuring with "No wonder he stood up to it yesterday and survived". Referring to the undead being who the group are after. 
As more clerics, priests, priestesses, monks and nuns from various churches and temples arrive. The elven maiden discreetly casts again, this time upon the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine himself. As she wants to find out about him. Wondering if he can directly help them out, instead of having to work with these others. Which Salinéll would rather not do. 
The elven practitioner of magic who hails from the principality of Alínlae refrains from frowning as she's unable to read the mind of the cleric, who it turns out is named Beldane. As he's introduced by one of the clerics in the church of Famal. 
Salinéll leans towards Margin, and murmurs to himself "I can't read that Beldane's mind". 
The wizard in the dark red robes blinks in surprise at that. As he knows that the elven maiden is a powerful and skilful practitioner of magic in her own right. 
Margin who knows that Salinéll would prefer to not deal with these others, and have just the one cleric, preferably a very powerful one. To help them in their attempt to capture and destroy the undead being they're after. 
Murmurs to the elven spellcaster standing closely beside him "Probably that mace protecting him" followed by "Certainly capable of doing so, no matter how powerful you are". 
The elven maiden nods her head in agreement, then she falls silent, as do the others in the chamber, as Omarc the cleric commander, and interim head of the church of Famal, enters, followed by a couple of his offsiders, and a layman in the church, who is an archivist. 
"Thank you for all coming" says Omarc the cleric commander of the church of Famal, who continues with "In concern of this foul being who is amongst us". 
The interim head of the church of Famal in Vexil, then says "We've received word from the city council" he then dryly adds "Which means the mage council". 
Which illicits chuckles and quiet laughter from many in the chamber, who have gathered here this morning at the behest of the cleric commander in the church of Famal. 
"And that they want this unclean creature gone from not just the city, but the entire nation" adds the powerful practitioner of magic, who is now the interim head of his church. 
The cleric commander Omarc looks around at the many clergy who have gathered, including the pair of Salinéll the elven maiden and Margin the wizard. 
"Right, this is what we plan to do" says Omarc the interim head of the church of Famal in Vexil, who then goes into detail how they can catch, detain, and finally destroy this undead being who has turned up in the capital of the city-state of Vexil . . . . . .