The Hire.

A Mustering Point. The Duchy Of Phelm. The Kingdom Of Nastell...

The lords of northern Nastell have always been a fractious lot. Often fighting against one another here in the north of the kingdom.
Though when one of the ducal seats isn't fighting another. They're often fighting against those in the unruled lands just to the north of the kingdom. Often in the foothills of the Colevar Mountains. The second largest mountain range in the central region of the Southlands behind the Sunreach Mountains.
And that's what the current duke of Phelm finds himself in. A war against those just north of the border. Peoples of the unruled lands who want a stake in the kingdom. The leaders of whom, are often referred to as robber barons. As they are called elsewhere throughout the Southlands. When those in unruled lands end up fighting a ruled land or nation, such as a kingdom like Nastell.
The irony here today, is that just a few hundred years ago. The duke's ancestors at the time were robber barons themselves. When Phelm wasn't one of the duchies in northern Nastell. When it was unruled lands too. Until the ancestors of the current duke fought to be part of the kingdom.
It doesn't help that whoever is upon the throne in the capital Valban. Which is safely in the south of the kingdom. Often lets the fighting between the northern lords, and the robber barons to the north of the kingdom. Take hold, and escalate into a full on campaign.
For the simple reason it often gets rid of a weak lord in the north. Or expands the kingdom further northwards if a robber baron is victorious. As was the case with the duke of Phelm's ancestors a few centuries ago.
Now, Hargen, the current duke of Phelm, finds himself in an expanded war against those in the unruled lands just north of his duchy.
A war that started a few weeks ago at the end of spring. And now that it's early summer, the campaign is in full swing.
The call for mercenaries throughout the kingdom, and elsewhere in the northeastern, central region of the Southlands has spread far and wide.
And in one of the villages, near a river in the central part of the duchy of Phelm. A mustering point for all potential hired mercenaries has been set up.
And one such mercenary, hops off the back of the farm wagon he's been riding on this morning. And after he thanks the farmer and his wife, who are going around the village.
He makes his way into the village, where a building on the edge of a nearby field. Is where the duke of Phelm's men are hiring mercenaries from throughout the kingdom of Nastell and elsewhere.
As he makes his way to the building, which looks to be an inn. He sees a number of other mercenaries who are in the village.
He counts a couple of dozen of them in the village this morning, and that doesn't count the ten or so who are already waiting outside the inn, on what's turning out to be warm, early summer's day here in the duchy of Phelm.
He glances around the side of the inn, to the field behind him. Where a handful of tents have been set up. It's a camp for some of the duke's soldiers who are here in the village helping to recruit mercenaries.
As he looks around at the other mercenaries, he sees that none of them are part of an actual mercenary company.
And that they're either lone mercenaries or in pairs. Which is fine by him, as this is what he wants.
And as he joins those who are waiting outside of the inn, he garners quite a bit of attention from the other mercenaries. As do two others. Who happen to be dwarves. While he is an elf.
He nods to the pair of dwarves by way of greeting, and they nod back. Then he stands in the shade to the side of the covered porch that runs along the front of the inn, where he waits.
He doesn't have to wait too long. For one of a pair of the duke's soldiers standing on the porch, rings a bell that hangs from a rope on the covered porch, and in a loud voice yells out "Muster!" a number of times.
The other mercenaries throughout the village start making their way to the front of the inn. And after a little while there's near forty men, and a handful of women standing infront of inn that's the mustering point.
A more experienced soldier, a sergeant at arms by the looks of it, comes out the open front door of the inn. And as he stands beneath the covered porch he looks at the gathered mercenaries.
And not surprisingly, he calls forth the two dwarves first. Then after one of the two soldiers on the porch with him has a quiet word with the sergeant at arms.
He looks to the shade to one side of the porch, and calls the elf forward too.
As like all hiring armies, any mercenary who is long lived who is looking to be hired, are undoubtedly always seen first. For the simple reason they're experienced. And lived longer than any human mercenary. And been in far more battles and wars a human mercenary is ever likely to see.
He follows the two dwarves and the sergeant at arms into the inn. Where in the common room. An officer, and a clerk have set up behind one of the tables.
He stands back and waits, and lets the two dwarven mercenaries go first. Who no doubt will be hired. As they're well equipped. In good quality armour. And are bristling with a variety of weapons.
It's definitely cooler in here, than it is outside in the morning sunshine. And it helps that the doors at the back of the common room. That lead outside to the field and the small camp out there, are open allowing a slight breeze to come inside.
He listens to the two dwarves quietly speaking with the officer, who along with the sergeant at arms take a quick look at their weapons and armour. And ask them about their most recent hire.
As he listens to this, he also has an ear on what's happening outside. Listening to those waiting to be called in, to see if they'll be hired.
He listens and watches everything around him. After all, that's what his job entails.
And after the two dwarves and the officer in duke Hargen's army agree to terms. Which he thinks is rather fair all things considered.
The sergeant at arms leads the two dwarves to the back of the common room, where another soldier comes in from outside, and takes them outside to the small camp. Where they'll wait, for the others who are hired today. Who will go north to join the duke's army who are fighting those of the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom.
"Next" says the officer who waves him forward, he steps forward to stand infront of the table that the officer and the clerk are sitting behind.
"A ranger?" asks the officer who sees the elven made longbow over his shoulder.
"Yes" is his reply, which isn't strictly true.
"From Alínlae?" asks the officer as that elven principality is the closest to the kingdom of Nastell, less than a couple hundred miles south of the southern border of the kingdom.
"Yes" is his reply, which this time is true.
"Name?" asks the officer who has a long morning ahead of him, to see who he'll hire for his lord's army.
"Dalin" is his reply, which is also true.
As the clerk writes this down on a piece of parchment. The officer in the ducal army, asks the elf a number of questions.
Mostly to do with his last hire. Which he definitely lies about.
Then after the officer and the sergeant at arms have a brief look at his armour. As well as his weapons. Well his visible weapons. As he has plenty of more that are hidden.
The officer talks of the terms of the hire.
"A gold a seven day, and anything you're able to scrounge off the enemy dead" says the officer, which is the same terms of hire offered to the two dwarves "No taking from my lord's dead" adds the recruiting officer.
"Sounds fair" says the elf, which he knows it is. As he and the dwarves who were before him. Will likely get paid double of what the other mercenaries waiting outside will get offered.
"Very well then" says the officer, who continues with "Sign here".
He signs the parchment that the clerk has been writing on after he reads it, and is happy with the terms.
That's another reason he and the two dwarves will be paid so much. They can read their terms of hire. While probably half of those outside can barely read and write their own name, if at all.
Then the sergeant at arms leads him to the back of the common room, and the open doors. Where he's met by the same soldier who met the two dwarves.
He steps outside with the soldier, who gives him an account of the rules of march. And the way in which one is to conduct one's self in the army of duke Hargen.
The rules are fairly standard. And from what he has seen. Not just here in the mustering point. But elsewhere here in the duchy of Phelm as he's travelled through it.
The duke's army is no better or no worse than most other armies he's seen or been around. Well most in a nation such as Nastell.
He nods his head, as he politely listens to the soldier. Who he knows will be bored beyond belief, as he has to repeat the same talk to every mercenary hired this morning.
Which will probably be most of them out infront of the inn. As he only saw a handful that even the duke's army won't hire. And even then, they might hire them for support roles. And not for fighting the enemy.
As the duke needs all the help he can get. As the robber barons to the north of the kingdom. Who make a push every so often against one or some of the northern lords of Nastell. Are far more stronger than they have been in recent memory.
As duke Hargen, who has the largest army in the north of Nastell, infact he's got the largest ducal army in the entire kingdom.
Finds that he has a fight on his hands against those from the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom.
He's led to one of the tents and told to wait. He sits beneath the overhang at the front of the tent.
And quietly chats with the two dwarves who are sitting at the front of the tent directly to his right.
He finds out that they're cousins. From the eastern end of the Sunreach Mountains. Who are in the outer with their clan. Due to a dreadnought of their's. That cost their clan a lot to make.
Being destroyed in a war faraway to the south in the Southlands, in the kingdom of Melaurn a number of years ago.
He refrains from frowning as he hears their story. As it sounds vaguely familiar to him. As someone, infact a few other people he knows quite well, has told him of something similar.
As the three long lived chat. One by one, and sometimes in pairs, other mercenaries who have come to this village, make their way from the back of the inn. Where they're led to a number of the tents, where they're told to wait.
He quickly figures out who is who. As those deemed to be quick, and relatively young and fit. Who can travel light. Join him at the tent he's infront of.
While more heavily armoured mercenaries, who have a fair bit of experience. Sit with the pair of dwarves. Who now find that they're with a number of humans. Start quietly chatting with one another in their own language.
At another tent, sits more of the mercenaries. More lightly armoured than those with the dwarven cousins.
These he figures will make horse troopers. And fight alongside the duke's cavalry units.
While at a fourth tent sits more of the mercenaries who have been hired today. Those he can only guess will be a wall fodder. As none of them look particularly skilled,and  have little experience. And their armour and weapons are poor.
The best they can hope for is to be put into support staff. Or if and when they join one of the detachments of duke Hargen's army. They become camp followers. Because they won't last that long in battle.
It's late in the morning when the last of those being hired joins the rest of them at the tents behind the inn.
Every single one of them who have gathered for the muster has been hired.
More will come in over the day and night. And tomorrow morning, the recruiting officer will resume hiring those who want to join duke Hargen's army.
Wagons come around to the field, and the newly hired mercenaries in the army of the duke of Phelm.
Are told to get into the wagons, as they're to head north to one of the camps, that's a staging ground for duke Hargen's army.
He's the last to get up onto the wagon that the other mercenary scouts and rangers get onto.
And as the wagons make their way towards a dirt road that leads north from the village that's a mustering point, he carefully watches and listens to everything and everyone around him.
As he does, he faintly smiles to himself, for he, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy has just been hired by the enemy army . . . . . .