Mercenary Tales 9.

Vexil. 

Late in the day, and the group have all returned to the inn they're staying at, with the exception of Helbe the elven thief and Narladene the ground pixie. 

After they've had dinner, and up in the suite Lord Farque is staying in. The undead warlord listens to what the others found out today after they checked up on the business of the Geist Trading Company. 

The large, heavily armoured deathlord looks over at Mira Reinholt the mage, and the Vexilian born spellcaster nods his hooded head in response to that look. 

After Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman explains what she and Beldane the cleric found out earlier in the day. 

The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque who is sitting at the table in the middle room of the suite is silent as he contemplates what Malisse and Beldane found out. 

As well as what Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, and Tamric Drubine the field commander found out during the day. 

Along with what the deathlord of Farque, found out when he, Mira Reinholt, Helbe the elven thief and Dorc da Orc when they were out and about in the city today. 

It's Tamric Drubine the field commander who breaks the silence when he asks the lord of the death realm "Did you find out where exactly they're sending all those weapons and armour?". 

Lord Farque replies with a nod of his full helmed head, then he says "We have" he continues with "When we went to the main airdocks". 

The deathlord of Farque who also has the name of Draugodrottin that the people of his lands know him by, briefly pauses before he continues with "Into the hill country in the north of the city-state". The undead warlord follows that with "Near the border with the kingdom of Girdane". 

Unlike the two rival city-states of Vexil and Tuledare, which is separated by about two hundred and fifty miles of unruled lands. 

The kingdom of Girdane which is to the west and north of the city-state of Vexil. Eastern border is right up against the smaller city-state. 

"That hill country is directly south of Oaklynn, the capital of Girdane" says Mira Reinholt the mage, who probably knows this area of the central region of the Southlands, better than anyone else in the group with the exception of Lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief. 

"Less than seventy miles I'd say" continues the once powerful mage, who then adds "Closer to fifty depending on which road you take out of northern Vexil". 

"That young Geist family member we came across today" says Beldane the cleric, who follows that with "Didn't exactly know where all the hidden weapons and the like were going* he then adds "Just that they went north out of the city, by both wagon and airship". 

"The question is, who are they sending it to?" says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, who continues on from that with "And why?". 

"I have my suspicions" says the undead warlord who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to The Destroyer. 

"We should find out when the royal thief gets back from what he's doing" adds the lord of the death realm. 

"That's if he doesn't get distracted by something" dryly says Mira Reinholt the mage, who continues in the same tone with "Like robbing a counting house or something". 

Helbe the elven thief shifts to the top of one of the taller towers in this part of the capital city of Vexil. 

The blurred and shielded elven magic user looks down through the darkness of the early evening, and watches a street lighter making his rounds. 

As this part of the city of Vexil has slow burning, torch lit, street lamps on poles. 

The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council. In fact, he's the envoy for the undead warlord. His spokesman when they do deals to hire out one of the Farqian armies, among other things. 

Looks away to the right, down at a rather solid looking three storey building. His palms itch as he looks down at one of the city's main counting houses. A building he'd definitely like to explore. But not this evening, as he has other things he's to attend to. 

The highly talented elven magic user, who is the youngest grandchild of the ruling prince of Laerel. 

Nods his hooded head in reply to Narladene the ground pixie who has just landed on his right shoulder, and quietly told him "No real hidden traps" followed by "Nothing magical at least". 

She points in the distance, and continues with "They do have guards though" the naturally magical creature who is from the Sunreach Mountains, then adds "Quite a lot of them". 

The elven masterthief, who is crouching down, grunts at hearing that, as it's what he more or less expected. 

The elven master assassin stands up, and looking in the distance, about three hundred yards away, where the headquarters of the Geist Trading Company is located. 

He step off the hundred and fifty foot tall tower he's on top of, and he drops down at speed, before slowing down as he floats. 

The blurred and shielded elven magic user while floating, then shifts away, a spell he invented, which though doesn't have the distance of a teleportation spell, is far quicker than one, as it's instantaneous. 

The other main difference between it and a teleport spell, is that you don't have to look where you're going to cast it. 

Something that also comes in handy when you want to move at distance in what's essentially a blink of an eye. 

The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, whose mother is the heir to the principality, and whose father is the Warden of Quinthain. Stands upon one of the rooftops of the headquarters of the Geist Trading Company. A series of buildings, about quarter of a mile from the main airdocks of the city of Vexil. 

And though there's a couple of warehouses attached to two of the buildings. The main warehouse of the family owned company is closer to the busy airdocks. 

While an equally massive warehouse, which prince Helbenthril Raendril knows his fellow members of the group, Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, and Beldane the cleric checked up on earlier in the day. 

Is located a bit further to the south in the city, where many of the trading companies, shippers and the like, have warehouses to store their goods and wares. 

The elven master archer who is blurred and shielded, undetected to both sight and magic this evening. 

Spots a couple of open window shutters on the top floor of the building opposite the one he's on top of. 

The highly talented elven practitioner of magic, nods his hooded head when Narladene the ground pixie points to one of the open windows, and quietly tells him "There". 

Then as a couple of company guards wander by down below, the elven princeling from the island principality of Laerel, shifts away, into the room that Narladene has indicated. Once inside, the elven masterthief begins his search. 

"If the royal thief finds what I think he'll find" says Lord Farque, who then looks at the slightly rotund woman by the name of Malisse, who in actual fact is really Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, and adds "We might actually have to go ahead with what you discussed with that warehouse manager". 

"Only problem with that, is that we'll have to actually have some goods of some kind" says Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who continues on with "Buy something worth shipping". 

"We'll think of something" says the lord and ruler of the Lands of Farque, who then hears a number of suggestions from the others at what they could get shipped. 

Though the mage Reinholt does bring up the idea that whatever it is, could go directly westwards and not necessarily where they want it to go. As Malisse told the manager at one of the Geist Trading Company's warehouses that she wanted the goods she's shipping, to go out to the coast of the Southlands. 

The all fall silent, when Dorc da Orc who has been silent until now, as he sits upon the floor, behind lord Farque's chair. 

Suddenly speaks up, when he suggests something that could be shipped by air by the Geist Trading Company. 

And though eyes are rolled at that suggestion by the large ork, the deathlord of Farque looks back at the ork warleader for a moment, before looking ahead again at the others. 

"You can't be serious?" says Mira Reinholt as he looks at the large figure of the lord of the death realm, then at the ork weaponsmith, then back to the undead being in the full suit of blue, black plate armour. 

Draugodrottin just shrugs his broad, heavily armoured shoulders, then says "It's actually not a bad idea when you think about it". 

"Where the hell, are you going to get a bunch of" says the mage Reinholt who is interrupted by Malisse aka Zubutai the hordes outrider who dryly says "From a cemetery or grave yard of course" followed by "That's usually the easiest place". 

The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands, sourly smiles at that from the slightly rotund woman, who like him, is a member of Lord Farque's personal council. 

"Why the hell would you want to ship a bunch of" says the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who pauses for a moment, then says "Oh". When the lord of the death realm glances sideways at him. 

After a moment of silence, the deathlord of Farque says "Like you said, if it heads directly to the west then it'll be a waste of time". 

Des'tier continues on with "We'll have to make sure it's with some of the weapons and armour they're shipping to the hill country in the north of Vexil". 

The once powerful mage nods his hooded head in agreement with that, as do most of the others who are paying attention to the conversation around the table. 

While Dorc da Orc has gone back to ignoring things, and his bitter rival, sir Percavelle Le Dic, who is sitting on a chair, near a door to one of the other rooms in the suite, is staring at the large ork. 

Who unfortunately for the former paladin, didn't die a horrible and violent death during the day, here in the city of Vexil. 

As the conversation gets back underway again, Draugodrottin holds up a gauntleted hand, then says to everyone "He's coming back". 

And just a few moments later, Helbe the elven thief suddenly appears in the central room of the suite. 

The elven master assassin looks at the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque, and slightly nods his hooded head. 

"It's as we suspected" says Helbe the elven thief, who follows that with "They're sending all those weapons and armour to mercenary companies up north in the hill country". 

The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, briefly pauses before he continues on with "Mercenary companies that they've hired". 

The highly talented elven magic user, then explains what he's found out this evening when he was at the headquarters of the Geist Trading Company . . . . . .

Mercenary Tales 8.

The City-State Of Vexil. 

Sir Percavelle Le Dic sourly smiles to himself as he looks over at Shur Kee the monk, who has stopped and sat on a bench seat beneath a tree, here on the edge of a quiet square. And it looks like he's meditating of all things. 

The noble born knight who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, sighs and walks over to stand beneath the tree, next to the bench the short, statured monk is sitting on. 

The former paladin in the order of the Knights Saint Mar'che, who wishes they remained in the inn, as it's rather cold today, especially as it's still autumn, though late autumn. 

Is definitely glad of one thing this day. And that's that Lord Farque took sir Percavelle's bitter rival, Dorc da Orc with him earlier this morning. 

The large, heavily armoured knight who rather hopes the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world gets himself killed today. 

In as bloody and violent fashion as possible, is how the sir Percavelle hopes it happens. Looks around to see where the others have got to. 

"Where's that young fellow?" murmurs sir Percavelle Le Dic referring to Zam the ex mercenary. 

The nobleman, who is a former earl of Le Dic, which can be found in the south of his homeland, the kingdom of Druvic. Then adds in a murmur "And that strange woman who's always with us now". Referring to Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman. 

The large heavily armoured knight, who's closer to the age of fifty than he is to forty, is just thinking about the other two people they left the inn with. 

When one of them raps on his back plate, then steps up beside him and says "Why did you stop?". 

"Oh" adds Tovis the war engineer when he spots Shur Kee the monk sitting on the bench seat, eyes closed, seemingly meditating. 

Sir Percavelle Le Dic or Percy as he's called by everyone else, which he kind of dislikes. Clears his throat, then asks the war engineer who is also from the kingdom of Druvic "Where's the cleric?" quickly followed by "Wot". 

"Beldane's around somewhere" is the response from Tovis, who gestures to one of the streets that lead off the other side of the square, then quietly adds "Down there somewhere". 

The former paladin grunts when he hears that, then as Percy is just about to ask the war engineer if they should move on. 

The Druvician born engineer of war, who is now a commander in the Armies of Farque, quietly tells him "Malisse is down that way too". 

Tovis continues on from that with "There's one of their main warehouses down the far end of that street". 

The noble born knight frowns to himself as he wonders who the war engineer is referring to, then after a few moments, the former earl of Le Dic nods his full helmed head in understanding, as he realizes that Tovis is referring to the Geist Trading Company. 

The part of the city they're in is on the edge of where a lot of the trading and shipping companies in the city of Vexil have their warehouses. Well, their legitimate warehouses. 

As quite a few of them also have nondescript looking warehouses scattered across the city that they don't want the public, and the local authorities to know about. 

"Beats me, why we're sneaking around, wot" says sir Percavelle Le Dic to the war engineer who is a commander in the Armies of Farque. 

Tovis, who until recently had command of the engineering corp in the Fifth Army of Farque, rolls his eyes after the former paladin adds "That's something that jackanapes elf does" followed by "Wot". 

"We're not sneaking around" dryly says the war engineer who like the large, heavily armoured knight, hails from the kingdom of Druvic. 

"Beldane and Malisse are asking some legitimate questions of them" adds Tovis, who before joining the group served one of the more ambitious nobles in southern Druvic. 

The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar'che grunts as they look across the quiet square to the busier streets on the other side, where merchants, shippers and haulers can be found in the various warehouses in this part of the city. 

Where one street in particular leads to the main airdocks of the city of Vexil, airdocks that are just over a quarter of a mile away. 

"There's Zam" quietly says Tovis the war engineer when he spots the ex mercenary making his way from one of the streets on the other side of the quiet square, and is heading this way. 

The young man, the youngest in the group by a few years, as he's the only current member of the group, who is still under the age of twenty. 

Makes his way across the quiet square, to the tree that Shur Kee the monk, sir Percavelle Le Dic and Tovis the war engineer, are beneath the branches of. 

"Ah" says Zam the ex mercenary as he realizes why they've stopped there as he looks at the acolyte in the Order of Bru Li, sitting on the bench seat, eyes closed, seemingly meditating. 

Zam who originally comes from the City Of Ruins, one of the more unique places in the entire Southlands, clears his throat before saying to Tovis and Percy "They shouldn't be too long". 

The ex mercenary continues with "They're getting a tour of the warehouse from the manager". 

Tovis the war engineer nods when he hears that, as that was the plan of Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, and Beldane the cleric. 

With Malisse posing as a potential customer of means, and the fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell pretending to be her personal guard. 

"It's rather large" adds Zam who continues with "The other one closer to the airdocks is even larger by all accounts". 

The Druvician born war engineer nods when he hears that, then he quietly tells the other two "Hopefully they get some useful information out of them". 

"As you can see, we're one of the more accomplished trading companies to be found in the city" says the warehouse manager as he gestures around them. 

"Infact many believe we're the best one to be found in not just Vexil, but right across the Southlands" adds the manager of this particular warehouse owned by the Geist Trading Company. 

Just then there's a loud bang, as boxes and crates topple from the back of a wagon being loaded by a bunch of goblins. Who all start yelling at one another in their own language. 

A nervous smile appears on the face of the warehouse manager, who then quickly says "Excuse me". 

Then he and his rather pesky assistant who has been trailing them all meeting, hurry away to the seen of the commotion, which has just got worse, as a foreman has just come over to see what's happened, and now he's yelling at the goblins. 

"Did you do that?" Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman quietly asks in the elven language. 

"Nope" replies Beldane the cleric in the same language, who continues with "It was all them" referring to the goblins. 

Some of whom have started fighting with one another, and the foreman, along with the warehouse manager, and the manager's assistant are trying to break them up. Without success at the moment. 

Malisse who is posing as a rather wealthy merchant, who is looking to have some goods transported to the coast of the Southlands, quietly asks in elven "Find out anything useful?". 

"Not much from the manager" quietly replies Beldane who is posing as Malisse's personal guard. 

The fighting cleric in the church of Glaine, who isn't wearing his surcoat over his chest plate armour, quietly continues with "Definitely got more from that annoying young assistant". 

The powerful cleric who has been reading minds whilst they've had the tour of the massive warehouse then adds "He's a Geist". 

Beldane who is originally from the kingdom of Nastell then quietly says "A distant cousin, fourth cousin from what I can tell" followed by "He's still a Geist, been put in a position to learn the trade" he then adds "And he knows some of the more ah shall we say, less legal things the company gets up to". 

The slightly rotund woman, who is wearing a rather expensive fur coat over a cut of clothes she doesn't normally wear, nods her head, then she quietly says in elven "We'll discuss it later" quickly followed by "They're coming back". 

The fighting between the goblins has come to a stop, and they're restacking the boxes and crates in the back of the wagon, under the watchful eye of the foreman. 

Whilst the warehouse manager and his young assistant make their way back to pair posing as a successful merchant, and her bodyguard. 

Malisse who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit this particular body at this time, says in the common language to the warehouse manager "Hopefully my goods won't be treated as such" as she gestures at the wagon being restacked by the goblins. 

"Of course not good lady" is the quick reply of the warehouse manager, who continues with "We'll have our best stackers handling your wares". He clearly means no goblins with that. 

Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods then says "Very well" followed by "I'll have one of my men come over with the information of the goods and where things are to be picked up". 

She continues with "Half payment on pick up as most other companies do?". 

Though a slight grimace briefly appears on the face of warehouse manager, he says "Of course" then he nods when Malisse adds "Rest of payment on their delivery at their final destination". 

They briefly talk about a few more details as they head down an aisle between massive shelves full of various goods as they make their way to the main set of doors in the massive warehouse. 

At the doors the warehouse manager informs Malisse that the paperwork will be sent with those picking up the goods, then after the woman posing as a successful merchant, shakes hands with the warehouse manager. 

Her and her fake bodyguard, make their way down the rather busy street, at the other end of which, is a rather quiet square. 

"I do say, there they are, wot" says sir Percavelle Le Dic, who then adds in a dry tone of voice "Finally". As he spots Malisse and Beldane on the other side of the square, heading this way. 

"Hopefully they've got something useful out that meeting" says Tovis the war engineer, next to him Zam the ex mercenary nods in agreement. 

The slightly rotund woman in the expensive fur coat, and the fighting cleric in the half plate armour, make their way across the square and join them beneath the branches of the tree. 

"Back to the inn" says Malisse aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, who follows that with "We've got some things to discuss with the others when they get back". 

Just then, Shur Kee the monk finally opens his eyes, and seeing the others look at him, he stands then asks "We are done then?". 

With a nod of her head, Malisse says to him "We are" she follows that with "Let's head back to the inn". 

The slightly rotund woman, the powerful cleric, the ex mercenary, and the war engineer, along with the short statured monk and the former paladin, head back the way they came from, as they go through the streets of the city, on what's a cold late autumn day here in Vexil . . . . . .