You Want A War? You've Got One! 22.

The Stone Hills. Winter...

Lisell Maera makes her way up the side of the mountain the dwarves call Išorkam Uñd. The going is tough, as the trail up is across rocky ground that's covered in snow.
The long legged teenager from the city-state of Brattonbury in the Southlands, has left the two dwarves who met her down at the mine entrance, far behind.
Lisell Maera, or just plain Lis as she's often referred to. Passes by other dwarven warriors who are on the mountain. They all greet her as she goes by, and she does likewise. It seems they've been expecting her, as word has gone on ahead about her arrival.
The teenaged orphan from Brattonbury, who is near enough to sixteen years old. Briefly pauses as she's finally able to looks southwards from about seven thousand feet up. The day is fairly clear, and she can see for miles.
She knows why he's gone up here, as it probably gives the best vantage point to seeing the enemy, who by all accounts, isn't all that far away from the mountain that stands alone.
The trail ends where the snow gets thick near an outcrop of rock that sticks straight up in the air, like a column forty feet high.
At the base of the outcrop are a handful of dwarves, including a couple that she knows. A scout from clan Kraelin, and the mute warrior from clan Mard, Omick.
After Lis greets them, the large dwarven warrior Omick nods for the teenager from south of the equator to follow him. They walk half way around the outcrop, to where an opening is in the column of rock.
Lisell Maera has to duck down as she enters behind Omick. Once inside she sees that steps have been carved into the rock. They head up them, to the top of the natural formation of rock, that the dwarves of clan Omban use as a lookout. At the open top of which, are a handful of people.
There's a couple of dwarven warriors she doesn't know. But along with Omick, there's also Jarka Mard in his bear mantle and cloak. As well as Lisell's fellow Southlander, Tamric Drubine. Who is looking through a brass, cylindrical eyepiece.
"Tam" says Lisell Maera by way of greeting "Lis" replies Tamric Drubine who briefly looks at the teenage orphan from the city-state of Brattonbury before he goes back to looking through the eyepiece, as he observes something away to the southeast.
Jarka Mard, the youngest son of the chieftain of clan Mard introduces Lis to the other two dwarves who are from clan Omban, whose clanhold they're in.
One is a scout, while the other is a warrior by the name of Famill, who has one of the largest dwarven warhammers that Lisell Maera has ever seen. Famill is the acting second to chief Polm Omban, who Lis saw was wounded when she stop down in the mine at the base of Išorkam Uñd.
The teenager from south of the equator who like Tam, easily tops the dwarven warriors by a foot and more, makes her way over to where the nobleborn youngster is standing, leaning on the waist high, natural wall that goes around the top of the column like outcrop.
"Is it a message from him?" quietly asks Tamric Drubine in the elven language as he continues to look through the brass cylindrical eyepiece, that's wrapped in dark brown leather "It is" replies Lisell Maera in the same language, which the two dwarves from clan Mard, Jarka Mard and the mute Omick, can understand.
"He'll turn up when he can" says the tall orphan teenager from Brattonbury in the Southlands, she continues with "He's gone to get something" Lis who is looking away in the same direction that Tam is looking, adds "Until then you are to delay them for as long as possible, don't let them get to the Omban mountainhold".
Tamric Drubine nods as that was his orders when he left the Mard clanhold. He's been told that the Omban mountainhold is easy to access, and difficult to defend. And that a large force, of which the justifier's army that has pushed into the Omban clanhold, definitely is. Should be, without too much difficulty, be able to enter the Omban mountainhold.
Tam quietly informs Lis of what's happened here in the lands of clan Omban over the last few weeks. Especially with what happened early yesterday morning, when a large force of the clan's warriors, led by their chieftain Polm Omban, attacked the enemy.
"They've been bloodied for sure, and taken a sizeable hit to their supplies" says the nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin in the Southlands, who then hands the leather wrapped eyepiece to his fellow Southlander, and he points away to the southeast saying "See there, just beyond those hills?".
Lis nods her head as she looks through the eyepiece, Tam tells her "You can't see it from here, but there's an abandoned free folk village that they're using as their base" he continues with "The battle early yesterday was on and near the wagon track north of that village".
Tamric Drubine then points to another spot, also to the southeast, but closer to the mountain that the dwarves of the Stone Hills call Išorkam Uñd "There's some of them there, on and around that hilltop".
Lisell Maera easily spots the enemy when they're pointed out to her, and she nods in understanding when the nobleborn youngster tells her "They've got a pretty good vantage point there, they can see clearly all the way to here" he then adds "I doubt they can spot us up here though, even a justifier casting a spell to help him see would have trouble picking this outcrop as a lookout from amongst all the other rocky outcrops".
Then the former heir to the knight of castle Drubine in the kingdom of Sarcrin points further east, and he quietly says to his fellow Southlander "See there, those rockwalls, near those mountains?". "I see them" quietly says Lis when she eventually finds them "That wagon track winds around the hills, and goes between a narrow canyon within the rockwalls" says Tam "Now see the snow on those peaks?".
"I do" says Lisell Maera, who then murmurs "Aaahhh" as she instantly understands what Tamric Drubine intends to do, the teenage orphan from the city-state of Brattonbury, takes the eyepiece away from her face, and she looks at Tam and says to him "Who"s going to be the bait to lure them in?".
"I was thinking about doing it" says the nobleborn youngster with a grin upon his face, Lis sourly smiles when he says to her "Unless you want to do it?".
"No thanks" says Lisell Maera, who thinks about something for a moment, then she silently adds, then again, maybe i will.
"Bit of a problem though" says the younger of the two Southlanders, who then adds "We haven't got a delver handy, and it's two days hard travel to the Omban mountainhold to get one, and that's another two days travel back" he gestures away to the south and east, and continues with "We're leaving late this afternoon, to travel through the night so they can't spot us" Tam pauses for a moment, then he quietly says "We're going to have to rely on other ah methods".
"Oh?" says Lisell Maera who lifts her eyebrows, when she sees the nobleborn youngster glance over at where Jarka Mard and Omick are standing. Lis looks over at the two from clan Mard who have been listening to the two Southlanders converse in the elven language.
She sees both Jarka and the mute Omick briefly wince before they see her looking at them.
What's this then? Lisell Maera thinks to herself, who just looks at Tam, and lifts her eyebrows in a questioning manner, not saying anything. The nobleborn youngster clears his throat, and holds out a hand for the leather wrapped, brass cylindrical eyepiece.
Lis hands it back to Tam, who then reaches into beneath his cloak, and takes something out. The teenage orphan from the coastal city of Brattonbury in the Southlands, sees that it's a small, folded piece of parchment. The nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin passes it to his fellow Southlander.
Lisell Maera opens it and immediately recognises the handwriting on it as belonging to lord Farque. And what he's written is in the elven language.
"Saltpeter, nitre acid" murmurs Lis, who frowns as she sees it's a list of a number of things, but for what, she has no idea. She looks at Tam and asks him "What is it?".
The former heir to the previous knight of castle Drubine glances over at Jarka Mard, who makes his way over to the two humans from south of the equator, he glances at the piece of parchment Lis is holding.
"It be a list of ingredients for something we sometimes use in the mines and in our quarries" quietly says Jarka Mard in the elven language, the youngest son of the chieftain of clan Mard, who is one of only a small number of dwarves in the Stone Hills to understand and speak the elven language, then adds "We be calling it blast powder".
Lisell Maera's eyebrows go up when the dwarven warrior from clan Mard who has a bearskin fur cloak, quietly says in a slightly dry tone "It can be a mite dangerous to use".
"Oh how dangerous?" asks the daughter of a street whore, and a sailor father she never met, Jarka Mard clears his throat, then says "Even when it does work properly, you don't wanna be anywhere around it".
"And when it doesn't work properly?" asks Lisell Maera "Well it be best you were on a completely different mountain from where it is when that happens" is the slightly dry reply from the son of clan Mard's chieftain.
"Fuck" murmurs Lis, who looks at her fellow Southlander, and asks him "And you're going to use it?" she looks away to the south and east, to where even with the naked eye, she can see the rockwalls beneath the peaks that are covered in snow, and she adds "There?".
"Yes" replies the nobleborn youngster from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin as a strong gust of wind buffets them on top of the rocky outcrop, Tamric Drubine continues with "They've got the ingredients for the blast powder down in the mine below, it's being packed in specifically made barrels at the moment" he then adds "I'm told it'll be ready by the time we leave".
"That's if the poor buggers doing it dunny blow themselves up" murmurs Jarka Mard, who when Lis looks at him, he says "I told ye it can be a mite dangerous" the dwarven warrior in the bear fur mantle continues with "We be hardly using the stuff cause it can be a wee bit unstable" he then adds "The delvers usually blast the rock away in shafts that be too difficult to dig out".
"And you wanted me to be the bait in the trap!" says Lis as she stares at Tam, who shrugs his shoulders and grins. "Smartass" dryly utters Lisell Maera, who then silently adds, i still might do it though.
"Well whichever one of us does it, or even both of us, they won't be expecting to see a human" says Tamric Drubine who after slight pause, continues with "Though if a justifier is right in the lead and reads our minds if they see us, it won't mean fucking shit if we're human or not".
"That's true" sourly says the teenage orphan from south of the equator, the nobleborn youngster also from south of the equator says "Well that can't be helped, we'll just have to deal with it if that's the case".
Lis nods, then Tam who switches to the common language, says "Let's head back down to the mine, i want the entire war party to be ready to depart just before dusk".
All of them up the column like outcrop, make their way down the stairs, and out through the hole in the natural forming tower. And as a pair of the dwarves who were at the base, head up to continue watching the enemy to the southeast.
The two humans from the Southlands, and the dwarves with them, start making their way down the snow covered slopes of Išorkam Uñd . . . . . .

You Want A War? You've Got One! 21.

The Stone Hills. Winter...

They're heading east through the Stone Hills. Tamric Drubine is with a combined war party of warriors from clan Mard and clan Kraelin. The nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin might not have any actual standing amongst the dwarven clans. But nevertheless, he's in command of the war party.
It's been a little over a week since the battle on the trade road leading into the Kraelin clanhold.
And the remains of justifier Marsille's army has fled south, back to northern Belinswae. What little remained of them, as they were mostly the camp followers who survived that battle.
Word has come in from further west, from the Galve clanhold, on the coast. Two of the justifiers who were intending to push into the Stone Hills from northern Belinswae near the coast. Have been killed, and their armies are in disarray. Having no one to lead either of them into the clanhold that's furthest west.
Neither of those two armies have made a concentrated effort to move into the Stone Hills there. And the war parties of Clan Galve are engaged in hit and run attacks against those two armies in northern Belinswae.
That, along with the battle on the Kraelin trade road is about the only thing positive of late this winter for the dwarven clans of the Stone Hills.
For elsewhere along the hundred and twenty mile or so long mountain and hill range. Things aren't going so well for the inhabitants of the Stone Hills.
As the armies of the justifiers of Belinswae are making progress into the clanholds of the dwarves of the Stone Hills.
One such clanhold, is clan Omban. Which the combined war party led by Tamric Drubine is hurrying to, after having left the mountainhold of clan Mard three days ago.
The nobleborn youngster who is glad they've spent the morning so far going through mines, tunnels, and caves on the edge of the Omban clanhold. Takes a deep breath as they come out of a tunnel in the side of a mountain.
He's glad that it's a clear day outside, though he isn't so glad to be out in the open again, especially as it's always here in the Stone Hills, windy.
One of the scouts comes up the trail from where he and a number of others have already gone ahead. The former heir to castle Drubine in the kingdom of Sarcrin in the Southlands looks down the trail through the rocks and stones, that goes north down the mountainside, and disappears over a hill below.
"Sir" says the dwarven scout who stops infront of the young human being, who has Jarka, the youngest son of the chieftain of clan Mard. And the ever present Omick beside him. The large mute, well large for a dwarf anyway, is always around Jarka Mard. And now Tamric too.
"There's been skirmishes with the enemy in the last couple of days just a couple of miles east of here" says the scout, who is more lightly armoured than most dwarven warriors. He's also an archer, who carries a shortbow, a weapon not used that often by dwarves. As they prefer to use the crossbow as their primary ranged weapon.
"We've run across some of the Omban warriors at the end of the trail here" adds the scout who points down the trail he's just come up, the scout then quietly adds "They're in bad shape young sir".
The nobleborn youngster from south of the equator, who is nearly thirteen years old, nods his head, then Tamric Drubine tells the scout "Lead the way" Tam turns to Jarka Mard and says "Give the order to move out". Then the Southlander heads down the trail behind the scout as the wind howls across the side of the mountain.
The former heir to the knight of castle Drubine in northern Sarcrin is followed by Omick as the rest of the war party makes it's way out of the tunnel, and start making their way down the trail.
The end of the trail isn't far, it's only a half a mile down the side of the mountain, and over the hill below it to the north, and towards the base of another mountain that stands alone.
It's at the base of this mountain, on it's northwest side, that there's an opening to a mine, outside of which is a lake.
Tam along with Omick, and the scout, and three more of the scouts of the war party they meet up with. Make their way part way around the lake to the mine entrance. Where they're met by a small group of dwarven warriors from clan Omban.
After introductions, the small group of clan Omban warriors lead them into the mine. And within the first rooms of to either side of the main shaft, are the wounded and injured. There must be close to sixty of them, while less than half that many are healthy and hale.
Tam is led to one of the rooms, where lies a lone dwarf upon a pallet, attended to by a dwarven surgeon and another dwarf. One of the Omban warriors who has led them into the mine, kneels down beside the wounded dwarf on the pallet, and he gestures the nobleborn youngster from the Southlands forward.
In the light from the single lamp lit in the room, Tamric Drubine sees the pain in the eyes of the wounded dwarf when he opens them, as the warrior kneeling on the otherside of the pallet quietly says in dwarven "Visitors my chief". Tam realises this is Polm Omban, the chief of clan Omban.
"A human" quietly says Polm Omban as he looks at the tall figure kneeling beside his pallet, well tall compared to all the dwarves who are present.
"Aye chief" says the warrior on the otherside of the pallet from Tam, he continues with "The young lad who runs with the lord called Farque" he nods at the Southlander, and adds "He helped defeat the justifier's army we heard about that tried to attack the Kraelin mountainhold last week".
"Aye" says the clan chieftain, who grimaces in pain for a moment, the he looks past Tam, to where the silent Omick stands, and where Jarka Mard has just stepped inside the room through the door.
"You bring a war party with you lad?" asks the clan chieftain "Aye chief Polm" says Tamric Drubine in the dwarven language, who then switches to the common language as he still isn't entirely comfortable speaking dwarven, which he's still learning, and he adds "A combined force of Mard and Kraelin warriors, about a hundred in all".
The dwarven clan chieftain who has taken a wound to the stomach, dryly says "Gonna need them here for sure" then he explains to Tam, Jarka Mard, and the silent Omick what's happened here over the last few days along the western edge of the Omban clanhold.
A justifier's army has moved into the clanhold in force. Well over two thousand guards, with half as many that number in support guards and camp followers. Not to mention over a dozen wyverns with the army too. By all accounts it's one of the largest of the armies that has invaded the Stone Hills this winter.
The warriors of clan Omban have set ambushes over the last few weeks as the justifier's army has moved northwards into their clanhold. But they like all the dwarven clans in the Stone Hills, is badly outnumbered by the armies from Belinswae.
Their surprise attacks have cost the enemy army only a couple hundred guards killed or wounded at best.
So yesterday before dawn, chieftain Polm Omban led a force of nearly three hundred warriors in attack against the enemy army, to the southeast of the lone mountain, named Išorkam Uñd in dwarven, The Lonely One.
They were to attack the camp of the enemy, in particular the support troops, camp followers, and most importantly, the units of justifier's guards predominantly made up of pressed guards. As per the order given by lord Farque to all the dwarven clans in the Stone Hills.
The attack was a success, with many of the enemy killed and wounded. And a lot of their wagons and supplies burnt and destroyed. Attacking in the dark before dawn was an advantage to the dwarven warriors, who can see in the dark with their naturally enhanced eyesight.
Though the attack was relatively successful, especially in comparison to what had happened previously. The clan Omban warriors paid a high price for the attack. With nearly half of their force either killed, wounded or captured.
Polm Omban and the ninety or so guards with him here, two thirds of whom are wounded or injured in some way. Many seriously wounded, such as the clan chieftain is.
Made it to safety here in the mine on the northwest side of Išorkam Uñd.
The rest of the force who survived, are scattered throughout the nearby hills and mountains of the Omban clanhold, or have returned to their mountainhold*.
The clan chieftain falls silent after explaining what's happened. He softly groans in pain, and the surgeon attends to him. Tam and the dwarven warrior kneeling to either side of the pallet Polm Omban is lying on move out of the way.
The nobleborn youngster is silent as he thinks things over. While the surgeon gives the wounded clan chieftain a tincture, that quickly knocks him out.
"Aye I've sewn his guts up like, but i canny no do more than that" says the dwarven surgeon who wipes his brow with a rag cloth, Tamric Drubine nods his head, then says "We've got a healer with us, maybe he can be of help to you".
"Aye just maybe" says the surgeon, who then adds "I'll just go and have a look for him like" before he makes his way out of the room the wounded dwarven chieftain lies in.
They're all silent, the two dwarves from clan Mard, Jarka and the ever silent Omick. As well as the two dwarven warriors from clan Omban. The one who led Tam, Jarka and Omick into the room. And the dwarf who was already in here with the wounded clan chief, and the just departed surgeon.
All four of the dwarves look at the nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin in the Southlands.
"Thoughts lad?" asks Jarka Mard who eventually breaks the silence, the former heir to his father's castle and lands in northern Sarcrin is silent for a few more moments, then he quietly says "I'll have to see their positions, and the state they're in after the attack against them yesterday" Tam looks over at the large dwarf who is a mute, and says "Omick get out that map of the area".
As he does, the clan Omban warrior who led Tamric Drubine into the mine introduces the other dwarf in the room, as Famill, who has been the acting second to chief Polm Omban. Since the previous second in command was killed early yesterday morning in the attack against the enemy. And the second in command before him, was killed a couple of weeks ago in an ambush against the justifier's army who has pushed into this part of the Stone Hills.
There's a table in a corner of a room, and the map is spread out on it. And Famill along with the other Omban warrior, who is a scout. Point out the known positions of the enemy, who have taken a blow, but who are in no way defeated after what happened early yesterday morning.
Tam sees that the justifier's forces that have moved into the Omban clanhold, are predominantly to the southeast of Išorkam Uñd, The Lonely One.
"Here and here" says the nobleborn youngster from south of the equator as he points at two spots on the map that are close together, he continues with "What's the terrain like there?" Tamric Drubine briefly pauses before he adds "Apart from being rocky" as that's what the Stone Hills is predominantly like.
"Steep it be there" says Famill, a dwarf into his second century, who unlike most dwarven warriors in the Stone Hills, has a dark coloured beard, it's almost coal black in colour.
Famill who wears steel plate guards across his shoulders, to go with his chainmail, and has a great big, dirty looking warhammer strapped to his back, tells Tam "Almost be like a cliff on one side there".
"Aye" adds the Omban scout, who continues with "Treacherous like footing there, not even we go up that way if we have to, place be fit only for the wild mountain goats and the birds".
Tamric Drubine nods his head when he hears that, then he asks the two Omban dwarves "Do you have a delver here with you?". Nay" replies Famill who then adds "He died yesterday battling their justifier, and the other spellcasters they got" the acting second to the Omban clan chieftain continues with "The other delvers be back at our mountainhold".
"We might have to get one here if what I've got planned is to work" quietly says the youth from the kingdom of Sarcrin in the Southlands, then Tamric Drubine remembers something from when he entered the mine here on the northwest side of Išorkam Uñd, and he says "There's a fair bit of snow on the peak above us" he points at the two spots on the map he's interested in, and he says "Been much snowfall here too?".
The two Omban clan dwarves share a look, then Famill says "Aye there's been a fair bit" the scout nods his head in agreement, and the acting second to the wounded Omban chieftain adds "We did fight in the falling snow early yesterday morning against them".
Tam falls silent, and after a few moments, Jarka Mard quietly asks him "What you be thinking about lad?". "I'm thinking we're going to be bait in a trap" quietly replies Tamric Drubine, who points at the two spots on the map that are close together, and he says "Right here".
The surgeon returns with the healer in the combined war party of clan Kraelin and clan Mard warriors, along with the Kraelin scout who led Tam and Omick down to Išorkam Uñd and the mine.
"Young sir, there's a runner coming in" says the Kraelin scout, who then adds "Down the trail we came down" having a fair idea at who could be, Tamric Drubine says"Lis?". "Aye it be her" replies the scout.
Tam nods his head, then he looks at Jarka Mard, Omick and the two Omban dwarves, Famill and the scout, and he quietly says to them "This is what i want you to do" . . . . . .

*Authors Note - Mountainhold is the actual ancestral home of a particular dwarven clan. It's also where the majority of the clan lives and works.

You Want A War? You've Got One! 20.

Belinswae. Winter...

With the end of his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth as he concentrates, and with only forefinger and thumb pulling the string back.
Dorc da Orc closes one eye and aims, the large ork tries not to draw back too far, but he fails and the string breaks.
The large ork in frustration takes the bow and smashes it on the ground, flinging away the piece that's still in his hand, then he looks away to his left.
"Hey" says Dorc da Orc, who is interrupted with "Do it yourself Dorc" by Riley Hait the mercenary ranger as he sits upon a rock about thirty yards from where the ork warleader is.
The large ork scowls as he looks at the ranger Hait who has his back to him "Cunt" growls Dorkindle, who then sighs and wanders over to the pile of weapons nearby.
He kicks them around, and finds what he's looking for, and picks up another bow, a bow that's more stave than a weapon of choice for an accomplished archer.
That suits the needs of the ork weaponsmith just fine, as he's already broken three bows in his attempt to relieve his boredom.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks walks back to where he's was positioned before. He sits down, and from a pouch on the quiver there, he takes out another string.
The warleader of the ork race, looks at the string, the bow, and then his large, meaty, pan sized hands, which really aren't suitable for stringing a human sized bow.
"Fucken cuntbum" mutters Dorc da Orc, who sticks his tongue out in concentration as he beings the difficult task, well it's difficult for him, of stringing a bow that's far too small for him.
Where he sits upon a rock watching the nearby road, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger looks over his shoulder to see what the large ork is doing.
The mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen in the Southlands, shakes his head as he watches the ork weaponsmith stinging another bow. A bow that when he eventually strings, the ranger Hait knows he'll end up breaking like the others.
The mercenary ranger who in actuality is a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, then looks to what Dorc da Orc has actually been doing.
"Big fucking psycho" murmurs Riley Hait in the dialect of the hordes barbarians of the southern tundra in the Southlands, then the mercenary ranger looks back at the road he's been watching.
The two of them are just off the road that goes southeast from the city of Falnic in Belinswae. They're nearly fifty miles from the coastal city, that's the largest in the region.
They're in half blood, or half breed country. Where those who are not townsmen, nor the nomads of the plains, dwell. There's a half blood village just a few miles south of them, the dry arid plains where the nomad tribes live, isn't all that faraway to the east of where they are.
The dry, arid plains is within sight of where they are. If the ranger Hait looks beyond where Dorc da Orc is, he can easily see the Nomad's Plains. Especially on a clear, cool morning like it is today.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman takes a drink from his water bottle, then he rolls his eyes as hears an "Ah ha!" of triumph from the ork warleader behind him. The large ork has been successful in stringing the latest bow.
The ranger Hait shakes his head, and waits for the ork weaponsmith to snap the string, or break the bow. Or both, as he done so already.
So the mercenary ranger is mildly surprised when he hears the distinctive thunk of an arrow being shot off, then Dorkindle grunt, and sourly say "Fucken missed". It's only the second shaft the large ork has successfully shot off so far.
The ork warleader takes another arrow from the quiver on the ground, and puts it to the belly of the stave like bow, which of course doesn't have a plate as it's a basic weapon to say the least.
"Don't break ya cunt" mutters Dorc da Orc as he uses just the forefinger and thumb of his right hand to gently pull back the string, while his tongue sticks out the side of his mouth as he concentrates. The ork weaponsmith takes careful aim, and not drawing the bow too far back, he lets the arrow fly without breaking the string, much to his delight.
The eyebrows of Riley Hait the mercenary ranger go up in surprise as he hears the large ork shoot off another arrow, followed by a muffled groan. Then the human ranger who was raised and trained by elven warders in the principality of Envadarlen turns around on the rock he's sitting on as hears the warleader of the ork race burst into laughter.
"Ahahahahaha me shot him in the fucken dick" brays Dorc da Orc, who has sat down on the ground and is pointing, the large ork goes to say something else, but he's laughing too hard, and he can't get anything out as he points at what he's just done.
Tied to a weathered old tree is a justifier's guard. The guard who was a member of a small squad that the two of them ambushed on the road a little after dawn. Already has one arrow in his shoulder. Now has another in his groin, thanks to the large ork who has been taking pot shots at him.
The guard, who is gagged, can't even slump down as he's tied tightly to the tree, is groaning in pain through the wad of cloth that's been shoved into his mouth so he doesn't make too much noise.
Sitting, tied up, with his back against a rock not far from where the pile of weapons are. Is the other survivor of the ambush, another justifier's guard, who is also gagged. Who though wounded with a slash to the right thigh, is clear headed enough to see what's been happening.
He's looking on with total fear in his eyes, as he's pretty certain he'll end up being tied to the tree like his fellow guard in the service of one of the justifiers of Belinswae. And be used as entertainment for the whims of the large ork.
The ranger Hait just shakes his head as he looks at Dorkindle who is in the middle of a fit of uncontrollable laughter, the ork weaponsmith who has tears streaming down his face, is pounding the ground with one fist as points, and laughs at the dying guard tied to the tree who he's just shot between the legs.
The two of them, the ork warleader and the mercenary ranger just returned to Belinswae after spending a few days out on the Nomad's Plains. Where they spent some time with the closest tribe to this part of Belinswae.
They arrived back last night, and they were fortunate enough to see a squad of patrolling guards on the road early this morning, just after dawn. It's the first squad of justifier guards they've ambushed in nearly two weeks. As there's hardly been any of them along this road southeast of Falnic of late.
They've pulled the dead bodies of both guards and their horses off the road. Dorc doing most of that, as the ranger Hait kept him occupied.
The dead guards and horses have been dumped down in a dry creek bed behind the weathered looking tree one of the two surviving justifier's guards is tied up to. While all their weapons, all of poor quality, are lying in a pile not far from the large ork.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman shakes his head, turns back around on the rock he's sitting on, and goes back to watching the road, leaving the large ork to his own devices.
A little while later the mercenary ranger grins, when he hears Dorc da Orc finally stop laughing, and go back to shooting at the justifier's guard he's tied up to the tree. The ork warleader has just snapped the string of the bow, and he's growled something incomprehensible in the language of the orks, and smashed the bow on the ground.
"Shitty fucker" mutters Dorkindle who biffs away the broken bow, the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks sighs. Then walks over to the pile of weapons he took from the squad of justifier's guards they ambushed earlier this morning.
He saw another bow amongst them, the last one left after he's broken the other four.
As Dorc da Orc goes to get it, he glances at the justifier's guard tied up to the tree, to make sure he's still alive. The ork weaponsmith grunts in satisfaction that the guard in the service of one of Belinswae's justifiers is still alive even though he has an arrow through a shoulder, and another in the groin.
The large ork is just about to bend down at pick up the last bow, when he grunts as he smells something "Oooohhhh horsey" says the warleader of the ork race.
Riley Hait who hears this, says "There's plenty of horses down in that creek bed if you want to eat one" says the mercenary ranger, who then dryly adds in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra "Or fuck one you sick bastard".
"Nah cunt" says Dorc da Orc, who turns and makes his way to where the ranger Hait sits, and adds "Horsey is on the fucken road".
As Dorkindle makes his way up the slight incline to the mercenary ranger, Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman who can't see a rider upon the stretch of road he's been watching, knows that the large ork has caught wind of a horse.
"Where, from which way Dorc?" asks Riley Hait "North" is the reply of the ork weaponsmith, the ranger Hait gets off the rock, and lies down on the ground beside it as he looks northwards. The large ork reaches him, and lies down next to him.
"How many?" quietly asks the hordes barbarian who just happens to inhabit the body of the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen in the Southlands "Just the fucken one" is the reply of the warleader of the ork race.
The ranger Hait slightly frowns as there's hardly been any lone travelers upon the road during the winter. As when they've seen people who aren't justifier's guards traveling upon it, they've been in small groups. Often with a wagon, as they transport goods to Falnic.
The war the justifiers of Belinswae are waging upon the dwarven clans of the Stone Hills to the north of the region. Has had a detrimental effect upon travel and trade upon the roads of much of the central and northern areas of Belinswae.
"There's the cunt" says Dorc da Orc who points away to the north, a few moments later and Riley Hait sees the rider too "See who it is first before we do anything" quietly says the mercenary ranger. The large ork, who wants to kill again today, grunts to that, and goes with what the ranger Hait just said, but he does say "Can me kills him if he's a cunt working for them justy-friers?".
"Maybe" quietly says Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson who already knows the solo traveler isn't a justifier's guard. Because he's traveling by himself, and because Dorkindle would of told him immediately if he was.
As the rider gets closer, the ranger Hait sees that it's a fairly nondescript looking individual, wearing a brown cloak over his clothes, and no obvious weapons. But Riley Hait is pretty certain he has a couple of long daggers beneath that cloak he's wearing.
The mercenary ranger taps Dorc da Orc on the shoulder, and nods for him to stand up. The large ork grunts, and stands up which the ranger Hait is doing as the rider approaches where they're overlooking the road.
"Good morning" says Riley Hait as the rider comes to a stop when he sees them "Going for a bit of a ride are we?" asks the mercenary ranger who was raised and trained by elven warders.
The rider eyes go wide and his mouth drops open at the sight of the large ork, then he shakes his head and says "Good morning" he clears his throat as that came out as a bit of a squeak, then he repeats "Good morning".
The rider looks at the two of them then says "The ranger Riley?" followed by "And Dorc da Orc?". The two from south of the equator share a look, and after a slight pause, and after Dorkindle mutters "Who the fuck is this cunt?" the ranger Hait says "Yes" followed by "Who wants to know?".
"Messenger from lord Farque" says the rider, who then dismounts after the ranger Hait gestures for him to come forward. The rider walks his horse up the incline and joins the two of them, and introduces himself as Lorrick.
"One of the free folk?" asks Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman "Aye" replies Lorrick who then adds "I can pass myself as a townsmen of Belinswae, and travel pretty freely through the region" he hands the ranger Hait a sealed envelope as he adds "I've been riding up and down this road for the last five days trying to find you two".
"We've been away" says the mercenary ranger who cracks the seal, opens the envelope and takes out the letter inside as he adds "We just got back in the area last night".
As Lorrick looks down the otherside of the incline and says in shock "What the hell?" as he sees what Dorc da Orc has been doing, shooting at the tied up justifier's guard. The ranger Hait reads the letter, which is written in a mix of the elven and dwarven languages, as well as a smattering of the dialect of the hordes barbarians of the southern tundra.
The mercenary ranger who recognises the hand writing of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, and is the only one who can read those three languages. Lifts an eyebrow in surprise as he sees the new orders from the undead warlord.
Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson gets to the end of the missive, where unfamiliar like scratchings, which he figures are runes of some kind are written.
"Here" says the ranger Hait to Dorc da Orc, he continues with "The last bit is for you" as he hands the letter to the ork warleader who asks him "What's he fucken say?".
There's no written ork language as such, but they do use a form of runes to communicate with, and the large ork grunts in surprise at what he reads.
"We're going to attack a city" quietly says Riley Hait, who then rubs his chin as he adds "And we're going to need an army" as he looks out away to the east at the Nomad's Plains in the distance . . . . . .

You Want A War? You've Got One! 19.

Navigrel. Northern Belinswae. Winter...

"Are you absolutely certain about this?" asks justifier Kalsane as he looks at the officer in his rival, justifier Paelau's army, who has been thrown down onto the floor infront of him.
"We are sir" says the junior officer Daekins, who like the others with him, are breathing heavily, not to mention are bloody and bruised.
The justifier, who is a fairly powerful mage, as all mages tend to be. Looks at the bloody and battered officer in his rival's army. Then he looks over at the two guards who are also in justifier Paelau's army, who are bruised and bloody, as they stand to one side, each held by a trio of his guards.
"Where's his body?" asks the mage from central Belinswae "We brought him back justifier" says the young officer Deakins, who then adds "He's in the stables behind the inn".
"Damn it" mutters the justifier, who then adds "Marls was one of my better commanders". The mage, who like all of his kind, is often volatile. Is surprised at well he's taking this. That one of his senior officers has been killed by an officer in his rival's war camp.
"Standing over him, with bloody sword still in hand you say?" asks the mage Kalsane who looks from Daekins, to the other officers and guards who were with him, when they found Marls dead in a quiet lane at the hands of an officer in justifier Paelau's army.
"Yes justifier" says Daekins, which is echoed in agreement by the others. The justifier walks around the desk in the room that he's using here in an inn near the west gate of Navigrel.
He leans down and grabs the bloody hair of the officer from his rival's army, picks his head up and says "What were your orders guard?".
The junior officer in the service of the sorceress Paelau mumbles something through a bloody mouth "What, kill him?" demands the justifier who thinks he vaguely understood what the officer bleeding to death on the floor is saying.
Not getting what he wants, the mage who is one of the rulers of Belinswae reads the mind of the officer in the army of justifier Paelau.
"That bitch" angrily mutters justifier Kalsane, who then looks over at the pair of bound and bloody guards in the service of his rival, who are being held by his men.
"Did your mistress order you to kill him?" asks the mage in a quiet voice, who then adds "Don't lie now, i can tell when you are". Both of the guards in the army of justifier Paelau, are a little incoherent after being in fight that's nearly killed them.
But they did understand that question, and one of them nods yes, while the other, who has a broken jaw, mumbles "Yes justifier".
The mage Kalsane just stands there for a while, then eventually he nods his head, and says to his men holding the two guards in the service of the sorceress Paelau "Take them out into the stables and hang them".
The two guards in question, start to struggle, even though they're already bloody and battered. They're beaten senseless, then dragged out of the room on the second storey of the inn that justifier Kalsane is using as his headquarters.
"As for this one" quietly says the mage from a riverside town in central Belinswae, who then waves away those who are standing close to the officer in the service of the sorceress Paelau, as he lies bleeding to death on the floor.
Mira Reinholt the mage drops the compulsion spell he has cast upon the dying officer lying on the floor. Who a moment later, goes up in bright blue, almost colourless looking flames when the mage Kalsane sets him on fire.
The burning body gives off no heat, nor does it burn anything else apart from the officer who serves the other justifier who is in residence here in the walled town of Navigrel.
The burning officer on the floor starts writhing as the flames consume him, his mouth opens and he screams, but no sound issues forth, as blue, almost colourless flames burst from his mouth.
It takes a bit of time for him to burn away, as the justifier who has just killed him, wants him to suffer.
All of those in the room, including Mira Reinholt, who is invisible, as he stands in a corner, watch in silence as the officer from justifier Paelau's army burns to death.
After the flames have gone out, and there's only a slight dusting of white ashes on the floor where the officer was lying. The mage Kalsane quietly says "That fucking bitch is going to pay for that".
"Sir, what would you have us do?" asks the senior commander Yarveck, a graying man, in his early forties, who though relatively short, even for someone from Belinswae, is bulky due to being muscular, beneath his armour and cloak.
"We're leaving, have the rest of our guards be prepared to leave after midday" says the mage Kalsane who has made up his mind to what he'll do, he then adds "We'll be joining up with the rest of our army, to attack the dwarves".
The senior commander nods his head, then after glancing down at the thin layer of white ash on the floor, he quietly asks "And the sorceress?" followed by "What should we do about that?". He along with the other officers, including young Daekins who caught the officer in justifier Paelau's army, red handed so to speak, standing with bloody sword in hand, over the body of Marls. Look expectantly at the mage who they serve.
"This is what we're going to do concerning that bitch" quietly says the justifier from central Belinswae, who then goes on in detail to explain what they'll do, in particular, what he'll do concerning his rival, the sorceress Paelau, who ordered one of his officers killed.
As he stands there in a corner of the large room, the invisible mage from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands, lifts an eyebrow as he listens to what the justifier Kalsane is planning to do against his fellow ruler of Belinswae, who is here in Navigrel at the moment.
Well that's nothing if not direct, Mira Reinholt the mage thinks to himself, who can admire what the other mage is planning to do against the sorceress Paelau. Infact the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, can use this to his advantage. As he has the opportunity here to take out, not just one of the justifiers here in the town of Navigrel, but both of them.
Later in the day, it's after midday, and on a hilltop to the northeast of the walled town of Navigrel. The leader of the dwarven war party who have been watching the town for the last three days. Has just made his way up from the burnt out village below, where he's had lunch with some of the other warriors.
Ompal joins those who are watching the walled town just over five miles away, the dwarven warrior sits down next to Garkil, and Ompal asks the older dwarf "Anything of interest?".
"Nay, nothing so far" replies the older dwarven warrior as he, Ompal and five other dwarves from clan Galve observe the town in the distance. Ompal, the leader of the war party, is just about to mention, the main topic of conversation they had throughout the morning. What the mage Reinholt is planning to do, ever since they saw him give his signal early in the morning when he stood upon the north wall of Navigrel.
When suddenly the north gate of the walled town, a gate that's been closed the entire three days they've been watching Navigrel. Opens up, and riders, and foot troops make their way out of it.
"They be the one's we've already been attacking" says Garkil who though two and half centuries old, still has sharp eyesight, who instantly recognises the colours of the tabards and surcoats of the guards leaving Navigrel from the north gate.
They watch in silence, and see about a hundred and fifty of the enemy heading out of the walled town, and start to make their way north, in the direction of the stone hills. They're on the dirt road that goes slightly towards the coast, as it goes northwards.
"That other army is staying put like" quietly says Ompal who like the other watchers, doesn't see any unusual activity in the war camp around Navigrel. "Aye" says Garkil, who then adds "They dunny make sense these justifiers, they'd have a better chance at defeating us if they combined their armies".
"Aye that's true" says Ompal the leader of the war party from clan Galve, who then adds "Maybe they canny do so for some reason" who follows that up with "By Thaxel and Dovarn i be glad they not doing that".
An echo of quiet aye's come from the other dwarven warriors on the hilltop who are watching the enemy from Belinswae who are invading the Stone Hills.
The dwarves watch both the enemy guards heading north towards the Stone Hills and their clanhold. As well as the town of Navigrel, as they do, Ompal quietly says "Wonder if this has something to do with what the mage fella Mira is planning to do?".
Garkil nods and says "Aye could be Omp" then as he's about to follow that up with something. They see the flash of explosion come from within the walled town just over five miles away to the southwest.
A few moments later they hear that explosion as they see a cloud of debris mushroom up into the early afternoon sky from somewhere within the walled town. From the looks of it, in the south quarter of Navigrel.
The dwarven watchers upon the hilltop look quickly to the enemy who are heading north. And they see the column of riders and foot troops moving quicker than what they were doing previously. As they continue to head north, without any of them looking back towards Navigrel.
"What the hell?" murmurs Ompal, and as there's a hive of activity from the justifier's war camp outside of the walls of Navigrel, the leader of the dwarven war party suddenly smiles, then says "Mira".
"Aye Omp" says Garkil, who then adds "Bet the overly clever mage has cooked up something between them two justifiers" Ompal nods to that as they continue to watch both the town of Navigrel and what's happening there. As well as the column of enemy guards who are moving quickly north in the direction of the Stone Hills.
It was a mageglobe, sent by justifier Kalsane, through a rift that he placed outside the headquarters of his fellow justifier, the sorceress Paelau.
The two storey building that the stern looking sorceress was using as her headquarters has basically been completely destroyed.
And though the justifier Paelau sensed her rival's rift just outside her headquarters. And she put up her wards to protect herself just incase the mage Kalsane did something untowards.
The mageglobe that came through the rift destroyed her wards as easily as the house that she was using as her headquarters. And though she survived the explosion.
She didn't survive, the second mageglobe which came up through the ground and exploded, after the rift had closed. A mageglobe created by a second mage, that neither her or her fellow justifier know has been in town for the last three days.
Justifier Kalsane comes through a rift, along with his senior commander Yarveck, and a handful of his guards. They're on the side of the dirt road, that the column of guards in the mage's army are riding along.
Mira Reinholt gets through the rift just before it closes and disappears. The once powerful mage winces at how close that was. Then the invisible spellcaster looks at the justifier, who with his senior commander and the guards with them. Are waiting for the column of his guards who are only a few hundred yards away, heading their way.
As justifier Kalsane says to his senior commander "I can't sense her at the moment, she should of survived that explosion, she's probably hiding from me". "Mayhap we got lucky, and she's dead" quietly says commander Yarveck, Mira Reinholt is walking quickly away, though he continues to watch them, waiting for an opportunity to do something.
"One of those magical portals you say?" asks Ompal as they see the small group of people standing to the side of the dirt road that heads north, who look like they're waiting for the column of justifier's guards heading their way.
"Aye a rift i think they call it" says Garkil, who nods his head towards the small group of humans on the side of the dirt road that goes slightly towards the coast as it goes northwards, and he says "That's more of them, same as that lot on the road heading their way".
"Something's definitely up" murmurs Ompal, when they suddenly see first one of the men at the side of the road drop to the ground, quickly followed by a second. They see the other justifier's guards at the side of the road draw their weapons and look around in a panic.
Mira Reinholt puts his glove back on his left hand, turns and walks away, heading east, towards a hill in the distance.
The exiled Vexilian mage, who knows the justifier Kalsane would of sensed a mageglobe coming his way if he had created one. And who would of put up wards, that would of easily protected him, as he's far more powerful than the spellcaster from south of the equator.
Decided to kill the justifier in a much simpler way. Shooting him instead, as well as his senior commander Yarveck. They had no idea at what hit them, as the invisible mage used the bolt shooter within his left automaton arm.
Their bodies lie on the ground to the side of the dirt road, with a steel bolt through the left eye of justifier Kalsane, and one through the back of the shattered skull of his senior commander.
The mage Reinholt heads towards the hill in the distance that he knows the dwarven warriors he's been attacking the justifiers armies alongside, are waiting for him . . . . . .

You Want A War? You've Got One! 18.

Navigrel. Northern Belinswae. Winter...

Of the two justifiers in the town of Navigrel. It's the sorceress Paelau, who has her army in full force, in and around the walled town.
The sorceress is an austere woman in her early forties. Never one to crack a smile, who expects her guards to do exactly as she says, and in a timely fashion too.
The sorceress, who is plump to say the least. Has taken over a large house off the market square in the south of the walled town. A house formerly owned by a wealthy merchant here in Navigrel.
While the other justifier, is one of the more powerful of the rulers of Belinswae. He's the mage Kalsane, who is residing in an inn near the west gate of Navigrel.
The justifier who is a mage, may only have about a hundred and fifty guards in an around town at the moment. As the bulk of his army has already gone north towards the Stone Hills.
Justifier Paelau might may have more than ten times the amount of guards here in and around Navigrel. But the mage from a river town south of the city of Falnic is safe in the knowledge that he is far more powerful magically than his fellow justifier.
The two spellcasters who want to be successful in the invasion of the dwarven clanholds in the Stone Hills.
Are long time rivals, who don't particularly want the other to succeed too well as they head north into the Stone Hills.
A rivalry that's lasted more than two decades, as it involves family members, who were jilted lovers. That both justifiers can't forgive the other family for.
Though there's been small attacks over the years, either through their business interests, or directly at one another's household. Nothing too serious, as in large, has ever taken place.
That is until now, if Mira Reinholt the mage has anything to do about it. The once powerful mage from south of the equator hopes to intensify the rivalry between the two justifiers. So much so, that they openly attack one another. Which they've yet to truly to do over the last two decades.
The exiled Vexilian mage crosses the market square here in Navigrel, heading for the street that leads to the nearby south gate.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, pulls the hood of his cloak down further infront of his face, as heads towards a large two storey house.
The mage Reinholt sees that justifier Paelau isn't taking any chances, she's got sentries at every corner of the house. As well up on the second storey balconies Not to mention up off the roof too. The guards up there are glad the lightly falling snow has stopped. But they're not particularly pleased that they're out, and exposed in the cold wind that's steadily picking up.
The mage who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil in the Southlands, gives the guards upon the roof a quick glance as he makes his way to the front door of the large residence.
The swordmaster Reinholt is challenged by a pair of the guards up the steps to the front door. And when he tells them that he has a message for the sorceress Paelau from her fellow justifier, the mage Kalsane.
The spellcaster from south of the equator inwardly smiles as he sees the disgruntled looks from the guards on the steps, and by the closest of the sentries at the mention of the mage Kalsane's name.
The mage, who at one time, was more powerful than any other mage of his generation in the Southlands. Nods his hooded head after one of the guards on the front steps says "Very well, this way mercenary".
The highly skilled swordmaster who is passing himself off as a hired mercenary in the army of justifier Kalsane. Not that the mage from south of Falnic, or any of his senior officers know that.
Heads indoors behind the guard, who glances back at him, and tells him "Follow me. The mage Reinholt almost smiles as the guard, like nearly all of the native Belinswae residents. Have to look up to the Vexilian mage in exile. Who at about six foot in height, is considerably taller than the average person from the region led by the justifiers.
They head into a hallway, and towards halfway down the hallway, the spellcaster from the Southlands is told to wait on a bench up against the wall, next to one of the closed doors in the hallway. That has a pair of guards standing to either side of it.
The guard who led the swordmaster from south of the equator into the large house, opens the door and enters the room beyond.
The highly skilled swordmaster waits on the bench in the hallway, as he does, he takes a small envelope out of an inner pocket of his cloak.
The once powerful mage doesn't have to wait too long, because the guard comes out of the room, and tells the exiled Vexilian spellcaster "Enter".
"So Kalsane has a message for me" says justifier Paelau as she sits near the room's fireplace, where she's eating sweatmeats from a platter on the low round table next to her chair. "What does he want?" asks the austere looking woman, whose is more than a little plump.
"I have no idea" replies Mira Reinholt the mage, who holds out the small envelope. Also in the room, are a trio of officers, and a quartet of justifier's guards. It's one of the former, who takes the proffered envelope, and brings it over to the short, plump sorceress sitting near the fireplace.
As the justifier opens the envelope and reads the letter inside, she waves for the Mira Reinholt to take a seat, as he does, the sorceress who is from central Belinswae like her rival the mage Kalsane, asks the swordmaster from south of the equator "He paying you well mercenary?".
"Well enough" says the once powerful mage, who glances out the glass window to the right, where out in the back courtyard of the large house, are a pair of wyverns curled up, half lying on one another as they doze this morning.
"You willing to pay me more to join you?" says the exiled Vexilian mage "You are rather forward aren't you?" says the sorceress Paelau, who then scowls as she reads something she doesn't particularly like in the letter, that she thinks is written by her rival, the mage Kalsane. But it was infact written by the mage not from Belinswae, but the one from the Southlands.
Mira Reinholt who used a spell to correctly write in the handwriting of justifier Kalsane, when he wrote the letter earlier this morning before he left his inn.
Nods his hooded head, when the plump, austere looking sorceress looks up from the letter, and looks at him and says "Damn tall you are too".
The highly skilled swordmaster glances at the three officers in the room, which the senior one is sitting, while the other two are standing. Then he says "Well if you ever need someone else to train your guards with the sword, I'm willing to listen to any offers".
The justifier Paelau is quiet for a few moments, as she folds up the letter after finishing reading it. And she taps a corner of it against her forehead a few times as she contemplates something.
She then looks at the figure in the black hooded cloak sitting on the chair across from her, and she dryly says "Offers higher than what he's paying you of course".
"Of course" says the once powerful mage "So you train his guards eh?" says the austere looking sorceress, the exiled Vexilian mage nods in the positive, and the justifier asks him "Think his guards are better than mine?"
"They're much alike" is the answer from Mira Reinholt, who after a brief pause, adds "Except for the one's I've trained, who are far more skilled and prepared for battle compared to your guards".
The highly skilled swordmaster lets the justifier cast on him to see if he's telling the truth. The mage from south of the equator, sees the slight grimace upon the justifier's stern looking face when she finds out he's telling the truth.
Well, that's what the exiled Vexilian mage wants her to believe. As he's casting without her even knowing it, thanks to the amulet he wears on silver chain around his neck, beneath his shirt and armoured leather jacket.
Changing tact, the sorceress Paelau, who is of the opinion that most mercenaries are willing to talk about anything. The small number in her army do, as is this one here the mage Kalsane has hired.
"When's he planning to leave town and go north and join his army?" asks the justifier from central Belinswae, the highly skilled swordmaster from the Southlands shrugs his shoulders, and says "I've no idea" the once powerful mage continues with "But i assume it'll be fairly soon, he hasn't had any new guards arrive in three days" he then adds "And the bulk of his army will soon be into the first of the clanholds".
It's common knowledge that justifier Kalsane has been waiting for more guards of his to turn up from the south. But he can't wait too long here in Navigrel, as his army will soon be close to the Stone Hills, and he'll have to be in command of it when they strike the nearest clan on the coast, the Galve clan.
The sorceress nods her head, then holding up the letter, she asks "Does he want an answer straight away?" the mage Reinholt shrugs his shoulders, and replies with "I wasn't told to expect one".
"Typical" sourly says the middle aged woman who is one of the rulers of Belinswae, then after nodding she tells the exiled Vexilian mage who she thinks is a mercenary who trains her rival's guards "You may go".
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster slightly nods to her, gets up, and makes his way out of the room after one of the guards opens the door for him.
"Follow him" says justifier Paelau to her officers after the mercenary departs "If he goes straight to Kalsane leave him be" continues the sorceress who then adds "If he doesn't, kill him" she then says in a sour mutter "He's got too many damn good mercenaries working for him compared to us".
The senior officer gestures to one of his subordinates to carry out that order, then after the junior guard leaves the room, the senior commander asks the sorceress Paelau "What did Kalsane want this time?".
"Another offer for us to join him in his attack on this clan Galve" says the justifier from central Belinswae, her senior most commander snorts in derision, then dryly says "After he refused our offer on a joint attack further east earlier in the winter".
The austere looking sorceress after she pops another sweetmeat in her mouth and chews it, says "The bastard always wants things on his terms, and his terms only" she continues with "Even if we weren't rivals he would be the same" the justifier then adds in disgust "Typical bloody mage".
Mira Reinholt knows he's being followed, infact he was hoping that he would be. The once powerful mage from south of the equator, heads northwards first, knowing that will pique the interest of those following him.
Now i need some luck, the Vexilian mage in exile thinks to himself, the highly skilled swordmaster stops at a shop, and talks to the tradesman who is infront of it, about his wares he's selling.
As does, the mage Reinholt casts a viewing spell he learnt during the autumn. It takes him a couple of times to cast it correctly, as it's an elven magic users spell taught to him by Helbe the elven thief.
Ah it's you then, the once powerful mage thinks to himself, as at the corner of the street further behind him, he sees one of the officers who was in the room where he met the sorceress Paelau. Is standing at the street corner, along with a pair of justifier Paelau's guards.
The swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands wishes the tradesman a good day, and he continues on his way. The mage Reinholt drops his spell once he sees the officer and the two guards start to follow him again.
Mira Reinholt eventually turns to the left, and heads west through the town of Navigrel, which is the largest military staging point in northwest Belinswae. As he walks through the walled town, the once powerful mage looks for a suitable victim, but more preferably a suitable place. Somewhere close to a certain location that he knows a number of people will be.
There's a tavern in the west of the town, not all that far from the inn near the west gate, that justifier Kalsane is using as his headquarters. The Vexilian mage in exile heads in that general direction, looking for a suitable place close to that particular tavern. Where he knows some of the younger, and more rowdy like officers in the mage Kalsane's army, who are still here in Navigrel. Like to congregate, even in the mornings like it is now.
The once powerful mage who has been hanging around justifier Kalsane's army for the last three days, spots an officer in the mage Kalsane's army, heading in the direction of that particular tavern.
The spellcaster from south of the equator quickly casts Mind Control upon that particular officer. Mira Reinholt slightly winces as he's never been that subtle when it comes to spells of the mind. For the officer stops suddenly short, and seems to be completely confused as he stands there in the middle of the street.
The exiled Vexilian mage smooths things out, and after draining a little power from a spell gem in one of his cloak's pockets. He sends the officer under the influence of his spell underway.
Knowing of a quiet lane close to the nearby tavern, and hoping it's empty at the moment. The mage Reinholt sends the officer in justifier Kalsane's army there. The highly skilled swordmaster heads there too, heading in a more roundabout way, whilst the officer and two guards in justifier Paelau's army continue to follow him.
The once powerful mage turns into a small square, and heads to a shop that he knows has a courtyard behind it. He hurries into it, and quickly casts Invisibility upon himself.
Mira Reinholt moves to one side, and watches the officer and two guards who have been following him since leaving justifier Paelau's headquarters, enter the courtyard.
Where one of the guards quietly says "Which way did he go?" and as the officer points and quietly replies with "Keep going that way" the invisible spellcaster has already left the courtyard, and is hurrying back across the small square.
The mage Reinholt moves quickly, almost running around to where the officer in justifier Kalsane's army, has stopped and is waiting in a nearby lane. The spellcaster from south of the equator, who is struggling a bit with his limited powers, to continually cast two spells at the same time.
Draws the sword at his hip, the one with the black blade, a blade that was burnt by dragon fire. The invisible swordmaster runs into the lane, and is relieved to find it empty apart from the officer in the mage Kalsane's army who is under the influence of his mind control spell.
Mira Reinholt drops that particular spell just before he cuts down the officer with his sword. There's a look of confusion, then complete astonishment on the face of the officer in justifier Kalsane's army when the invisible blade cuts down across his neck and throat, and down his chest.
The invisible mage who knows he can't be sensed thanks to the amulet he wears, wipes his sword clean on the cloak of the dead officer. Returns it to it's scabbard. And he quickly casts Immobile upon the three people who have just walked into the lane.
Well look at who we have here, how convenient, the mage Reinholt thinks to himself, as the looks at the officer and two guards from justifier Paelau's army who have been following him, who have just walked into the lane, and drawn their swords at seeing the dead justifier's officer on the ground.
I'll take that, Mira Reinholt thinks to himself as he takes the sword out of the hand of the immobile officer, the spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil wipes that blade across the bloody front of the dead officer on the ground. Then he puts the sword, hilt first back into the hand of the officer in justifier Paelau's army.
After wrapping that officer's fingers back around the hilt of his own sword. The once powerful mage quickly exits the lane. And he grins as his luck is with him. The invisible spellcaster sees a pair of junior officers, along with a four guards in justifier Kalsane's army walking this way, as they head to the nearby tavern.
By the shape of fire Mira, you're riding your luck today, the Vexilian mage in exile thinks to himself, who makes sure that the passing officers and guards look into the lane, so he says as they walk by him "Hey wants that in the lane". As he does, he drops the spell he has cast upon the trio in justifier Paelau's army who are in the lane.
While one of the guards in justifier Kalsane's army says "Who the hell said that?" the rest of them look into the lane. Where they see the stunned looking trio from justifier Paelau's army, standing over the body of an officer that they know, and serve with in the mage Kalsane's army.
There's a moment of stunned silence as they all look at the bloody sword in the hand of one justifier Paelau's officers, and the dead officer in justifier Kalsane's army at his feet.
The brief moment of stunned silence is broken when one of the officers in the service of justifier Kalsane shouts "Get them!".
Now that's done it, the invisible Mira Reinholt thinks to himself with a sly smile upon his face as he watches what happens . . . . . .

You Want A War? You've Got One! 17.

Navigrel. Northern Belinswae. Winter...

Leaving the inn he's been staying at, Mira Reinholt the mage waves to the proprietor of the establishment who wishes him a good morning.
The once powerful mage from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands looks up at the early morning sky through the drifting snowflakes.
He figures the snow won't be heavy, or last long, due to the wind picking up once again as it does most days.
The mage Reinholt doesn't mind the wind on such a chilly winter's day. After all, here in northern Belinswae, the wind is no where near as strong, or as cold as it is further to the north in the Stone Hills.
The mage who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil heads to the north wall of Navigrel. The last large town of significant size in Belinswae, well one that's very close to the coast, which is only half a dozen miles away to the west.
Mira Reinholt, who is not only a spellcaster, but also a swordmaster. Makes his way up the steps to the north wall, which once he's on top of, he passes a couple of the sentries. Who nod to him in greeting, the Vexilian mage in exile nods his hooded head in return. Before he makes his way along to an empty spot on the north wall of Navigrel.
The walled town, is surrounded on three sides by war camps. A couple of armies of the justifiers of Belinswae are stationed here. One is in full force, having just recently arrived.
While the other only has a small force here, as the main bulk of that army has already gone north towards the Stone Hills. Where they intend to attack the Galve clanhold.
That army has already faced hit and run attacks from dwarven war parties. The mage Reinholt should know, he's taken part in those attacks, the last one he participated in just a few days ago.
Before he headed further south to northern Belinswae, and sneaked into the walled town of Navigrel.
Sneaking in was easy enough, he just cast invisibility upon himself, and walked in through the west gate.
The west gate where the road that way leads to the coast. From where most of the supplies and more guards are set down on the last fairly decent stretch of coastline in northern Belinswae. That has a long sandy beach within a protected peninsula, allowing for ship's landing boats to come ashore safely.
Supplies and guards are more likely to come up by ship on the Great Western Ocean from the city of Falnic, than they are overland, at least for the armies here closer to the coast.
Those armies further inland are the one's using the roads up through northern Belinswae, from further south in the region ruled by the justifiers.
Mira Reinholt had nothing to fear at being discovered casting. Even though there's two justifiers in town, and even though he no longer holds his power within himself. The once powerful mage has in his possession something that masks his magical powers and abilities. He's wearing it on a silver threaded chain around his neck, as the previous owner did.
The spellcaster from south of the equator briefly touches the amulet he wears beneath his shirt, beneath his leather armoured jacket.
An amulet he acquired in the summertime, taken from the dead body of the elven spellcaster Kaldeàlil Haldéilv. Who was killed in the elven principality of Maladimbáh.
The swordmaster Reinholt then takes the hood of his black winter cloak off his head, and he stretches his arms up above his head in the brisk morning air. The exiled Vexilian mage keeps his right arm up longer than the left, he keeps it up for an even count of five, before he brings it back down to his side.
"There's the signal" says the dwarven warrior Ompal, who continues with "It'll either be today sometime or tonight". "Knowing him, it will be spectacular" says the dwarven warrior Garkil, who then adds in a extremely dry tone "He dunny do things by half for sure".
Ompal and the other warriors quietly laugh, then Ompal who is the leader of the war party from clan Galve, says "Aye, the mage doesn't alright".
They're on a hilltop four and half miles to the northeast of the town of Navigrel. Behind them near the base of the hill, is an abandoned free folk village. It was abandoned at the start of winter, as were all the villages and towns between the border of Belinswae and The Stone Hills.
Now most of the buildings of the abandoned village are burnt out shells as justifiers guards have destroyed most of the free folk villages between northern Belinswae and the western end of the Stone Hills.
The dwarven war party that the mage Reinholt is a part of. Have been waiting for his signal for the last three days. Now they wait and wonder what the spellcaster from south of the equator will do now.
He told them that he'll try and find out any important information in the northern most town in Belinswae.
That two justifiers armies are using as a staging point for their push northwards into the clanholds of the Stone Hills.
And that he'll try and cause a bit of havoc in their midst. The war party has learnt that when Mira Reinholt says havoc, that it involves a lot of destruction.
And for someone they've been told isn't very powerful, in comparison to what he should be as a human mage. He sure does create a lot of destruction when he puts his mind to it.
Mira Reinholt puts the hood of his cloak back onto his head as he looks off to the northeast, squinting as he looks off to a hill in the distance.
The once powerful mage can't see the dwarven warriors whose war party he's been apart of. But he knows that they would've just seen him give the signal for what he's doing.
Their natural farsight would of picked him out upon the north wall of Navigrel.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster looks down to infront of the wall. Here on the northside of the walled town, it's clear. As the war camps are around the other three walls, predominantly the south and east walls. Keeping the busy west gate free of people and other obstructions.
The Vexilian mage in exile slightly shivers as the wind picks up, flicking up snowflakes off the top of the wall in the process. Then after one last look in the direction of the hilltop over four miles away to the northeast, the spellcaster from south of the equator makes his way down off the wall.
The mage Reinholt walks through the walled town of Navigrel. A town usually devoid of justifier's guards, with only a small detachment normally garrisoned here. It's now teeming with guards in the service, of not just one justifier, but two of them.
Two justifiers, the Vexilian swordmaster has learnt, who don't particularly care for one another. Who at best, would be called rivals. And often at not, are antagonistic towards one another.
Mira Reinholt has learnt that there's rivalries amongst all the justifiers of Belinswae. Who try to one up each other all the time. And true, they have common goals, such as the destruction of the plain's nomad's. And the invasion into the Stone Hills against the dwarven clans.
An invasion that very few justifiers from Belinswae, and only one from the city of Falnic, are not taking part in.
An invasion into the Stone Hills, and a war against the dwarven clans. For one reason, and only one reason. To take as much gold, silver, platinum, and gems as possible. To help pay for their increased raids into the Nomad's Plains. Which will begin again in earnest, sometime during the spring.
The mage Reinholt who is passing for a mercenary in the service of a justifier. There are some, though not many. All experienced, and in positions of importance amongst the guard units. The swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil has even seen a handful of knights in the service of the justifier whose army is in full force here in Navigrel.
There's a disturbance near one of the three taverns in town, when the once powerful mage passes it. A pair of justifier's guards are being dragged out of it by a group of others.
"What's going on here then?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage, who puts a bit of authority in his voice as he casts Compulsion to go with what he just said.
Two of the group who have just hauled the pair of struggling guards out of the tavern, turn to see who has just spoken. Seeing the hooded figure in black, who at near six feet tall in height, is taller than most people from Belinswae. And that he has unusual looking sword strapped across his back. They figure he must be someone of importance.
"Pressed guards sir" says one of the two guards who have turned to look at the mage Reinholt, while the rest of the group haul away the two pressed guards.
"In town, and in a tavern of all bloody places" adds the second guard who continues with "And first thing in the morning too". The exiled Vexilian mage nods his hooded head, then says "Very well" followed by "Kick them out".
"Yes sir" says the two guards, who hurry away to help their companions drag the pair of pressed guards out of the walls of the town.
The once powerful mage knew of it, and guessed so when he was part of the hit and run attacks against the armies of Belinswae. But being here in Navigrel he's seen it up close and personal.
There's a definite hierarchy amongst the guards in the service of the justifiers armies. There's everyone such as officers, experienced guards, hired mercenaries like he's pretending to be, support guards, and camp followers, who include the crafters, smiths, armourers, cooks, horse hands, etc.
Then you have everyone else, and that everyone else, are the pressed guards. Who have been put into service in an army of a justifier, against their will.
Taken from the streets of cities, towns and villages throughout Belinswae. Mainly in the central and northern areas of the region. Due to three of the more influential southern justifiers not taking part in the war against the dwarven clans of the Stone Hills.
Mira Reinholt has seen that the pressed guards are little more than slave soldiers. Poorly trained, if trained at all. Who he thinks are detrimental to the armies of the justifiers of Belinswae.
Just three days ago, the day he arrived here in Navigrel, he saw a line of guards marching along the west road to the walled town. They had been dropped off that morning on the coast.
Amongst the fifty or so new arrivals, twenty of them were pressed guards. Newly pressed too, as they were in chains. Probably only taken against their will a few days ago by the looks of it.
They're a disaster waiting to happen, the mage Reinholt thinks to himself as he watches the pair of pressed guards being hauled away, pressed guards who have sneaked into the walled town, which they've been forbidden to enter.
No wonder he's ordered us to specifically attack them, and often, the swordmaster from south of the equator thinks to himself. The 'He' the once powerful mage is referring to, is lord Farque. Who has taken overall command of the defence of the Stone Hills for the dwarven clans. For a price though, as have all the group from the Southlands with him.
One of whom, the mage Reinholt, continues on his way through the town of Navigrel, as the light snow stops falling. And it's now blown around by the wind, that's cold and breezy, even within the walled town.
The spellcaster, who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, heads to the market square in the south of the town. There off it, is a large house that belonged to a prosperous merchant, which has been taken over by one of the two justifiers in town. The justifier whose army is camped outside Navigrel in full force.
While the other justifier, whose army, most of it anyway, has already gone north. While he remains back here in town, staying at an inn near the west gate. It was his guards who turned up a few days ago, including the twenty pressed guards in chains.
Word is, he's remained in Navigrel while his army heads north to the Stone Hills, because he's waiting for more of his guards to arrive.
This maybe true, but Mira Reinholt has found out another reason why this particular justifier has stayed behind here in Navigrel. He doesn't trust the other justifier who is the using the walled town as a staging point to attack the dwarven clanholds to the north.
The Vexilian mage in exile doesn't blame him, infact he wouldn't trust the other justifier too if he was in the same situation. He would probably do the same thing. Though in all fairness, Mira Reinholt would probably eliminate the other justifier.
So that's what he's going to do, well he's going to start something, that will hopefully lead to the two justifiers, and their forces attacking one another.
Let's see what we can do here Mira, the mage Reinholt thinks to himself with a slight smile upon his face as he makes his way to the market square in the south of the walled town of Navigrel . . . . . .

You Want A War? You've Got One! 16.

The Stone Hills. Winter...

In the late afternoon sunshine, he looks out across the bay. He knows somewhere over there to the south, is the enemy. An army from Belinswae. He can't see them yet, nor can the dwarven warriors with him up the tower. But they know the justifier's army will arrive soon, within the next few days.
He looks down at the water in the bay, there's white caps as the wind whips across the bay from the southwest. Here on the coast, the Stone Hills is still a windy place.
The tower, about eighty feet in height, stands on a promontory that sticks out into the bay. Behind the strip of land that juts out into the water, is the first of the rolling hills, on this, the very western end of the Stone Hills.
Down along the coastal side of the promontory, is a stone dock, that has a few fishing boats tied up to it at the moment. The dwarven fishermen whose boats they are, take most of their catch from the bay itself. Only ever venturing out of the bay into the open ocean, on days that are very calm.
The afternoon wind, which is cold as usual for this time of year, blows in through the opening at the top of the circular tower. An opening that goes completely around the top of the tower. As the very top, the circular roof, sits upon a central column. Within which is a winding stairwell.
Which is difficult to climb, and even worse to go down when you're not a dwarf, as he isn't a dwarf.
Since it will soon be early evening, he's just contemplating the climb down the tower stairwell. When one of the dwarves up here with him, one of the lookouts, says in the common language "Sails out to sea" followed by "To the south".
He can't see anything, and knows he won't for sometime, for the dwarves have much better eyesight than he has. And will spot things far in advance of when he, a mere human, will ever do.
"Two masts, black ship" adds the lookout, who pauses for a moment, before he adds "Aye it could be them" the dwarven warrior looks over at him, and asks "Ya think it be them brother?".
Shur Kee the monk briefly smiles at the salutation of brother that all the dwarves refer to him by, then he says "It might just be them friend".
The acolyte in the order of Bru Li who is holding his conical shaped hat in hand, looks across the bay to the south, as most of the dwarves in the tower are doing, and he quietly says "Maybe" in response to one of the lookouts asking "Think your friend will return soon brother?".
Shur Kee remains up in the top of the tower as the ship, which turns out to be a familiar schooner, a smuggler's vessel out of Falnic in Belinswae, enters the bay from the southwest.
As dusk takes over on the cold, windy winter's day here on the coast, the monk from the kingdom of Wah Lee on the far eastern coast of the continent can barely see the smuggler's ship, as it's running dark, with no ship's lamps lit.
Shur Kee heads quickly down the cramp stairwell after the lookout closest to him says "Well it looks like your other friend has returned, the elven spy".
The short statured monk, who is glad he's short, as he doesn't have to duck down as he makes his way down the winding staircase, is soon down to the ground floor chamber of the eighty foot tall tower.
He passes outside, and sees that there's a number of dwarves already out on the dock, who he joins. The physical adept hears wagons approaching along the promontory. They've come from underneath the nearest hill behind the tower, for the dwarves of clan Galve know that the approaching ship is a blockade runner. And will have supplies and goods for them, either stolen or legally purchased.
It also might have dwarves onboard who have escaped from Belinswae, in particular from Falnic, the coastal city which is the largest in the region ruled by the justifiers who have invaded the Stone Hills.
In this case when the twin masted schooner docks, it's both. There's supplies, mostly stolen. As well as a handful of dwarven refugees from the city of Falnic.
Some of the dwarves on the dock cheer when they see the innkeeper from Falnic, an inn that many of them have stayed at when they've visited the city over a hundred and twenty miles down the coast.
"Friend Dalin" says Shur Kee the monk "Shur Kee" replies Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy when he disembarks and clasps the hand of the short statured monk.
"I did not think you would return" says the acolyte who follows the teachings of the Jade Warrior Bru Li "Had to leave for a bit" says the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands, who continues with "Didn't want them to suspect that I'm the one who's going around killing their officials".
In the light of the lamps that some of the dwarves are carrying, Dalinvardél Tanith nods towards the dwarven passengers who are coming down the gangplank from the schooner, and he adds "And that I've been helping them to escape".
They get a ride on the back of one of the wagons that the supplies taken from Falnic are put onto. Sitting on the back of the tailgate as the wagon heads along the promontory, the spy Tanith says "We had to hole up in a secluded bay for most of yesterday" he continues with "Their navy has increased their patrols up the coast from Falnic".
The justifiers of Belinswae hold sway up the coast of their region, and along the coast of the Stone Hills. For the dwarven clans of the Stone Hills aren't really deep water sailors, and have very few tall sailing ships.
The justifier's navy is having an easy time of it bringing up guards and supplies to the north. Where they're put off along the coast in the north of Belinswae. They've found that landing on the coast of the Stone Hills isn't the best option, as the dwarven clans, clan Galve in particular as it's the largest clan on and near the coast, have been fiercely protective of their coastline.
And the fact that even here on the coast, the Stone Hills lives up to it's name. There's no harbours on the coast, nor sandy beaches for ship's boats to offload guards and supplies.
The coastline of the Stone Hills is just as rocky as the hills and mountains that are inland. Making it difficult for vessels to have a safe berth.
It's only in a few bays, such as this one, that boats and ships can come in an offload at a safe berth. And these bays are the most protected part of the Stone Hills coastline.
That's why right now, there's a justifier's army heading up from the south to this bay that's in the Galve clanhold.
As the wagon comes off the short causeway between the promontory and the land on the north side of the bay, and makes it's way along the track that goes between a pair of hills.
Dalinvardél Tanith, who is often referred to as just Dalin, looks south through the darkness of the early evening, south across the bay, and asks "Have you heard anything from the others?".
Shur Kee the monk tells him that a justifier's army has made it's way to the Kraelin clanhold further to the east, about thirty five miles inland from the coast.
And that the others are helping clan Kraelin face that particular army from Belinswae. The acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li from what messages he's heard, is that a battle is expected there any day now. Infact, it happened this very day, early in the morning, just after dawn.
"They'll be in for one hell of a surprise when they come up against an army that's led by the warlord of the lands Farque" quietly says the elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands, who knows that even outnumbered, as all the dwarven clan armies are here in the Stone Hills. An army commanded by the deathlord of Farque has an excellent chance at victory on the battlefield.
And even if they're not entirely successful, an army from Belinswae that comes up against them, will be severely depleted. And will think seriously about wether continuing the fight against them is worth it.
As the wagon track heads to the base of one of the hills, towards what looks like the mouth of a cave, but is infact a dwarven made opening. The spy Tanith asks "Has he given any orders for here?" Dalinvardél gestures across the bay and adds "For what's heading here?".
"He has" replies Shur Kee who continues with "The lord has told the dwarves to harass the enemy on the road north to the bay" the short statured monk continues with "I believe there are a number of them south of the bay doing that".
Dalin nods his head to that, and as the wagon, and the three wagons infront ot it, heads in through the opening, much to the relief of the two from south of the equator, who are glad to be out of cold wind this evening.
The elven spy who was once a part of one of the noble houses of his homeland Alínlae, asks the short statured monk sitting beside him on the tailgate of the wagon "And the mage, where's he at, at the moment?".
Shur Kee gestures southwards at the bay just before it disappears from view as they go into the lamp lit entrance chamber within the base of the hill, the acolyte in the order of Bru Li, who happens to be a physical adept, whose body is as much as a weapon as the staff he carries, says "Friend Mira is away to the south".
Dalinvardél Tanith, who takes the hood of his cloak off his head, nods as the short statured monk tells him "He went with the dwarves who have gone into northern Belinswae" Shur Kee pauses for a moment, before he adds "He said he was going to cause as much disruption as possible to the justifiers forces".
"I don't doubt that he is" wryly says Dalin, which causes Shur Kee to chuckle, the spy Tanith joins in with the laughter, as they both know that the mage Reinholt, however limited he is, will be more than disruptive to any army from Belinswae that he runs across . . . . . .

You Want A War? You've Got One! 15.

The Stone Hills. Winter...

Two of his warriors help him out of the ditch beside the road after he tackled a justifier's guard and fell in it. As another of his warrior's retrieves his warhammer, Baedin Kraelin the clan chief murmurs "What's happening there?" as he looks southwards along the trade road.
A grin splits the bearded face of the dwarven clan chieftain when he realises what's happened. As he takes his warhammer from the warrior who got it out of the ditch for him, Baedin Kraelin looks to the hill on the opposite side of the road, further to the south, and sees the slip that's come down it.
Good they're cut off, the dwarven hammermaster thinks to himself, and seeing the panic amongst the enemy, especially the pressed guards who haven't already been killed or are injured. Who are fleeing from the fight, no matter what their officers, those who are still alive, do to stop them.
The chief of clan Kraelin calls out "Don't let up lads!" the hammermaster who glances around and spots his second Helnd, who is fighting alongside old Tharlo and his nephew Threl, then adds "They're breaking!".
Also breaking, are the enemy guards further to the north along the road. Who Thane Kraelin, and the dwarven warriors he's leading, are attacking.
As Thane and his heavy spear units continue to attack both mounted justifier's guards, as well as foot troops.
He's supported by archers and bowmen* who are under the leadership of Tamric Drubine. The nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin in the Southlands.
Who has sent the war party from clan Mard, led by Jarka Mard their clan chief's nephew. To attack the enemy further south of where Thane and his warriors are fighting.
Has also spotted what's happened on the hill directly south of the one he's near the base of. The former heir to castle Drubine in Sarcrin, then looks back to the road just down below him.
There he spots something, and Tamric Drubine calls out "Shoot that knight!" the nobleborn youngster then hastily adds "Not sir Percy!" he then continues in the dwarven language with "Not the idiot!" as he knows more than a few of the archers and bowmen would like to put an arrow or a bolt into the heavily armoured nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic.
Down on the trade road, sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who is battling his way forward, in his case southwards. Grunts in disappointment when he sees the mounted knight he's trying to make his way towards. Get struck by a crossbow bolt, then another, and another, as well as a couple of arrows.
The arrows shot from the shortbows that the dwarves use, don't really penetrate the steel plate armour of the mounted knight.
But a couple of the crossbow bolts, one shot not all that far away from the road. Punch through the steel armour. With one hitting the knight in the upper left thigh. And the other taking him in the chest.
He slumps in the saddle, and he falls out of it, when his horse rears in pain, when a spear is shoved into it's hindquarters.
"Aaawww no fair" murmurs sir Percavelle Lé Dic in disappointment, his murmur is loud enough to be heard over the noise of those fighting around him.
Then as an enemy shortsword uselessly clangs off his breastplate, the knight in the order of a Saint Mar-che brains the justifier's guard who has just struck him.
The earl of Lé Dic from the Southlands kingdom of Druvic, slams his pick down into the head of the enemy guard, who has dropped to his knees in pain after the nobleborn knight kicked one of his steel boots between the enemy guard's legs.
Lisell Maera after shooting off another bolt, making sure to take careful aim, as more than a few of the dwarven warriors are now on the road, mixed up amongst the enemy.
Rolls her eyes as she sees sir Percavelle killing anyone dumb enough to stand against him.
The orphan teenager from the city-state of Brattonbury in the Southlands knows that the heavily armoured knight is s big target for the enemy, as he sticks out amongst the clanless dwarves who fight alongside him.
He not just towers over the dwarven warriors, he also towers over most of the justifier's guards, as people from the region of Belinswae tend to be on the short side for humans.
Lis looks away from the nobleman from south of the equator, and after she notices something, Lisell Maera says to Tamric Drubine who is standing beside her "They're breaking there".
The nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin, a kingdom in the Southlands. Has seen where Lis is pointing at, and he nods his head and tells her "I've seen it".
The son of the former knight of castle Drubine in his homeland far to the south of the equator says "If they break here, and the flee it'll be a rout" Tam who sees that it'll be difficult for the enemy to flee southwards along the road, as there's a pile of boulders and rocks strewn across the trade road, from the hill that's had a landslide down it.
A landslide that Tamric Drubine knows was bought about by the dwarven delver Barmil Kraelin and a spell he's cast.
"Keep at it!" calls out Tam who is in command of all the archers and bowmen with him and Lisell Maera. The nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin countries with "Don't let up, keep shooting at them!".
He's tapped on the shoulder by Lisell Maera, who as she slides the underside of her crossbow back, which automatically cocks the arms back into firing position. Says to her fellow Southlander "North, on the road".
As Lis loads her crossbow, which was a gift to her, when she first left her homeland, the large coastal city-state of Brattonbury nearly five years ago. Tamric Drubine quickly looks to where she has indicated. And he spots who is coming down the road.
Lord Farque and the dwarven warriors led by Karne, who is known as the Axe Thrower. Make their way southwards down the road. There's very little opposition to them, as they're walking through the dead and dying who made up the front ranks of the army of the justifier Marsille.
"They're going to break" says lord Farque in dwarven to Axe Thrower, the undead warlord who gestures to the south, adds "They already have further back there".
The heavily armoured deathlord waves to where they're heading, were Thane Kraelin and his heavy spear units, where sir Percavelle and his squad of clanless warriors with him, are also. And he says "If this lot here fold, it'll be a rout" the lord and ruler of the lands Farque continues with "Their justifier is dead, as is his senior guard commander, along with the other spellcasters in their army, they're basically leaderless".
The deathlord of Farque looks at the dwarven war party with him, who number about fifty, and he tells them "Charge them".
The dwarves take off running, with half a dozen of them in the lead, carrying heavy spears.
With their short legs pumping, the dwarven warriors led by Karne the Axe Thrower, call out in their own language to their fellow warriors, who are already engaged with the enemy on the road.
Dwarven warriors fall back and part, and those charging forward along the road, run through the gap, and straight into the enemy. The ones in the front with the heavy spears, each skewer a justifier's guard from Belinswae.
Lord Farque who has held back, and is following behind the dwarves who were with him on the road when the army of one of Belinswae's justifiers came into view through the mist. A mist that's all but gone now, and is only here and there, low to the ground, clinging to the rocks across the ground, before it will be finally blown away as the wind, as per usual here in the Stone Hills, picks up.
Bends down and grabs a fallen sword, the heavily armoured deathlord throws it at a rider, who has got his horse free from the melee on the road, and is heading across the ground east of the road.
Where he's fleeing the ground isn't too rocky, as it leads in the direction of the nearby abandoned village. And though his horse has pretty good footing, he doesn't get that far, as the sword thrown by lord Farque slams into his back, catapulting him forward over the shoulder of his mount.
Apart from that, the lord and ruler of the lands Farque who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin by the people of his lands. Doesn't get involved in the fighting. He stands back on the road, and watches the battle further infront of him.
The lord of the death realm looks away to his right, to the west of the road. Where up the incline there, the archers and bowmen are positioned. There he sees Tamric Drubine who leads them, alongside the nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin, is his fellow Southlander, Lisell Maera.
The undead warlord watches as Tam has some of the archers and bowmen move south along the incline, to harry the enemy, some of whom at this end of the battle are falling back, now that Axe Thrower and the fifty warriors with him, have now entered the fray.
The heavily armoured deathlord looks back onto the road, where on it, and to the sides of it, in the ditches, the fighting is heaviest. In the thick of the heavy fighting, is the easily identifiable figure of sir Percavelle Lé Dic. Who not just towers over the dwarven warriors close to him, but also over most of the enemy guards too.
The undead warlord rolls his eyes as he sees a justifier's guard suddenly go flying sideways through the air off the road, and land with a thud on the rocky incline to the west of the road.
The nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic in the Southlands has started using his magical sword of knockdown.
He does so again, when a loud "Ah ha take that!" can be heard over the noise of the battle. And a justifier's guard goes tumbling sideways through the air for about thirty feet. Before landing heavily on the otherside of the ditch to the east of the trade road.
Draugadrottin glances to his right, and a moment later Helbe the elven thief appears beside him. The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel off the coast of the Southlands, is unseen to anyone else as he's still blurred and shielded.
"They're going to break?" asks Helbe the elven thief, lord Farque nods his full helmed head, and replies with "They are" the undead warlord then adds in a disparaging tone "It's still early in the fucking morning, the battle has barely gotten underway".
The elven magic user who has seen some of the camp followers who are on the otherside of the landslide across the road, have already turned around and are fleeing southwards, tells the deathlord of Farque this.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque slightly nods, then he waves a gauntleted hand in the direction of the fighting and says "l wonder how many of them who flee will get over all that debris, or try and go around it?" it's a rhetorical question, and undead warlord adds "Very few is my guess".
The elven masterthief nods his hooded head in agreement, then after he and the heavily armoured deathlord watch a badly wounded justifier's guard blindly crawl along the road just to the right of them, he asks "Are we going to wipe them out?"
"Not all of them" says the undead being who is also known as Des'tier to an older generation of elven kind in the Southlands who know who he is "We want to make a statement here" continues the deathlord of Farque, who after glancing at the crawling, wounded enemy guard again, adds "This isn't the only army of theirs in the Stone Hills" . . . . . .

*Authors Note - Or bowdwarves.