Aftermath 13.

The Kaldel Plains. The Northeast Corner. Towards The Kingdom Of Nastell...

They come back through a larger rift in the early evening. That most of the wagons come back through too.
Some of the labourers and workers remain south nearly seven hundred and fifty miles away with what's left of the wreck.
They'll remain there taking apart the rest of the warship. And taking shelter within it when the approaching storm down there finally hits. No doubt the storm, like all the late summer storms on the Kaldel Plains. Will last around half a day, less than a day for sure. As it continues to sweep south, before finally dying out over the southern region of the plains as most of them do.
Sasha the former mercenary along with her lover Pallen the blademaster come through the rift in the back of one of the wagons carrying a magetube.
Gorlic the former arena fighter is up on the wagon seat with the driver. And once they're on the village green, which is lit with dozens of torches and firepots that are in the ground.
The three of them get off the wagon, and make their way over to where the mage Samiel is standing near his rift.
With the powerful spellcaster, is the leader of the crew of illegal wreckers, Arvelle. Along with his offsider, the former shipwright, the dwarf Mac. Both of whom returned earlier in the day, with some of the wagons that first came back from the site of the downed destroyer, nearly seven hundred and fifty miles away to the south and west.
"Any problems?" asks Arvelle the plainsman "None" replies Sasha the former mercenary.
The leader of the illegal wreckers lifts an eyebrow, and glances over at the Pallen the blademaster. Before he looks back at the good looking woman with one eye.
The former mercenary from the kingdom of Girdane slightly shakes her head no.
"Hell, things did go smoothly and there were no problems then" says Arvelle, for if Pallen didn't kill a single member of the crew of illegal wreckers who were on the otherside of the rift, at the site of the downed warship. Then there was no problems at all.
"Just the rest of the ship to be broken down now, and even then some of that is coming back now" says Sasha gesturing at another of the wagons that's just came back through the rift that Samiel has cast.
Arvelle nods, then the tall plainsman says "The rest down there should be alright in that storm, Samiel says it's not a particular big one, and should finally pass by them in the middle of the morning, maybe midday at the latest".
Sasha nods, then says "It should hit there sometime tonight" followed by "You could see it approaching as the sun was setting".
"They'll start coming back after midday tomorrow" says the leader of the crew of illegal wreckers, who number in excess of two hundred. Who have taken over this village, and another one nearby. Here in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains.
Where you find most of the villages, and even towns that are on the plains.
"And this lot?" quietly asks Sasha with a nod of her head at the wagons with magetubes that are being drawn up along one side of the village green.
While the other wagons, that's hauling bits of the actual ship. Are heading elsewhere, to the otherside of the village.
"Not here" quietly says Arvelle to the good looking one eyed woman who is a former mercenary, and is originally from the kingdom of Girdane.
The leader of the illegal wreckers then says to Samiel the mage "Join us once the last of them has come through" Arvelle gestures towards his place here in the village. And the mage who hails from the city-state of Tuledare nods in understanding.
The tall plainsman waves for the other three to follow him and Mac the dwarf across the village green. To the two storey house that he's been living in ever since they took over this village a little over a year ago.
The two storey house backs up onto the village green, and it's on the side where all the wagons with the magetubes have been placed.
Arvelle enters the house, and says "Leave". The woman, the latest of the villagers who has remained, and who he's been sleeping with. Makes her way out of the kitchen, and out the backdoor. The five of them sit around the table in the room off the kitchen.
Out of the all of the illegal wreckers. Arvelle trusts the other four sitting at the table with him the most.
Mac, because the dwarf is his best friend. Who he met a number of years ago when he was traveling outside of the Kaldel Plains.
Sasha, because she's the most dependable out of everyone else in the crew. Who knows how to get things done. And who he trusts to lead the small squads that hunt down, then bring down the airships they target.
Then there's Pallen. The dangerous blademaster. Who Arvelle trusts because he's a fellow plainsman. Even though he's a straight out murderer. Who'll kill just about anyone, for just about any reason he sees fit.
Others tend to behave themselves around the blademaster, who though like his lover Sasha, is from Girdane. He's actually a plainsman like Arvelle. One of only a handful in the crew of illegal wreckers. Most of whom are from elsewhere in the Southlands.
And finally there's Gorlic. The hotheaded former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury.
Who in normal circumstances, Arvelle wouldn't trust. But since he's one of the few people that Pallen the blademaster won't kill. And even Mac the dwarf doesn't mind him. When ordinarily the former shipwright pretty well doesn't much like anyone, then that's okay with Arvelle.
Then there's the mage Samiel, who'll soon join them. Who the leader of the crew of illegal wreckers trusts to a point.
Arvelle being like all plainsmen, doesn't particularly care for spellcasters. Especially powerful ones like Samiel.
But since the mage is crucial in the operations of their illegal activities here on the Kaldel Plains, after all he's the one who actually takes down the airships they target.
Then Arvelle has to trust him to some degree. Though not as much as the four sitting at the table with him at this moment.
"I've sent Davon and a few others to our usual contacts in Nastell, in the capital Valban" quietly says Arvelle the plainsman, who continues with "And the twins Sara and Famic up north to the kingdom of Druvic".
"Both?" says Sasha, who continues with "Is that because of the amount of them we've got?".
"Yes" says the tall, shaven headed plainsman who leads the crew of illegal wreckers, who continues with "No way a single buyer could take all of them" he then adds "We need a few of them to buy all those magetubes" Arvelle follows that with "Hell, even just one of those things is worth a small fortune".
"How much is one worth?" asks Sasha, they then all look at the former shipwright Mac.
The dwarf from the Cascades, those small mountains, and hill country not far from the coast of the Southlands, inland from the crescent port of Gilsom. Tells them exactly how much a single magetube is worth.
"Damn, and we've got nearly forty of them" quietly says Gorlic the former arena fighter.
"Aye, and we've even got a few of them with their cradles stil intact" says Mac the dwarf, who continues with "Those ones will be worth even more" the former shipwright then explains "Those damn things are difficult to make, you have to get them just right to fit the length and weight of an individual magetube. If not, you'll have a disaster on your hands when you try to use one".
They all nod, then Arvelle says "Even at a discounted price for each one, we'll make an absolute fortune" the tall plainsmen then adds "More than any keel we've been able to salvage so far" he continues with "Hell, probably as much as most of them we've got over the last year since we began".
They're all silent at that, then Pallen the blademaster breaks that silence, when he says "We'll have to take precautions when we take them to either Nastell, or up into Druvic".
The plainsman who was born and raised in the kingdom of Girdane, continues with "If word gets out of what we've got, every bandit party and trail thief between here and either kingdom will be trying to take them off us".
"We won't be taking them to either Nastell or Druvic" says Arvelle, who is slightly more dark skinned than his fellow plainsman Pallen.
"We're not?" asks Sasha in surprise "Not this time" says the leader of the illegal wreckers, who continues with "This time the buyers are coming to us, and once they buy them, they can ship it themselves" he then adds "I don't want the trouble of hauling them hundreds of miles to Nastell, or even further up north to Druvic".
"Good idea" quietly says Gorlic with a nod of his head, who out all of them, understands the personalities of the others sitting at the table more than anyone else.
And though he's fearful of Pallen, and to a lesser degree Mac. He knows either one won't kill him. Unless he does something totally stupid, and Arvelle orders his death.
Looking at the plainsman who leads them, he says "And not just because they'll be the ones shipping them off" the former arena fighter then adds "It also gives us an opportunity to observe their ships, for ah, shall we say, some future business opportunities".
"You know me too well Gorlic" says Arvelle with a chuckle.
"You wouldn't?" says Sasha "I would" replies the smiling plainsman with the shaved head, who then adds "I've told Davon and the twins to invite them all here, and even others we've yet to have any dealings with, and to have them fly here, where they can all bid on them".
Arvelle continues on with "We're guessing only three or four can actually afford to buy the magetubes" he then adds "As for the others, well then if their ships look worthy, then they're definitely future ah, what did you say Gorlic?".
"Business opportunities" is the reply of the fighter who had a fair career in the fighting arenas of Brattonbury, where he fought in the giant arenas, infront of crowds sometimes more than fifty thousand strong.
"Business opportunities indeed" says Arvelle who chuckles again, which gets smiles and grins out of the rest of them, even the usually taciturn Mac. Who hardly ever grins or smiles about anything.
Then after a moments silence, Pallen asks the question that the others knew had to be asked, and he's the only one willing to do so, even the dwarf Mac wouldn't ask it.
"And our cut of the profit?" asks the dangerous blademaster, who isn't afraid of anyone in their crew, including their leader Arvelle, who can have a bit of a temper at times. Who uses his best friend Mac to do most of his dirty work.
"Your usual" is the reply from the tall, shaven headed plainsman who leads them, who continues with "Plus the profit from three of the magetubes to your group Sasha who actually went with Samiel and brought down the warship in the first place".
Sasha purses her lips, then glances at her lover Pallen and nods her head "Fine by me" says the dangerous blademaster who after a slightly pause, asks "Do the others know?".
"No" is the reply from Arvelle, who then adds "And outside of us, only Samiel will" then the leader of the illegal wreckers says "The others will receive their usual cut, which will probably be more than what a lot of them would ordinarily see in their lifetime, with the potential amount of what we could be making from the sale of these magetubes".
The others nod to that, then just as Gorlic is about to ask another question, Mac quietly says "The mage is coming" as he can hear Samiel outside, crossing the village green now that he's closed his rift, and is approaching the two storey house that Arvelle has been using since they took over this village.
They're silent, and when the mage from the city-state of Tuledare enters the two storey house, and pulls up a chair, and joins them at the table in the room off the kitchen.
Arvelle tells Samiel some of what they've been discussing after the mage has told them the last of the wagons coming through tonight, have made it safely back to the village.
While the remainder of the wreckers staying at the site of the downed warship, are now taking shelter within it as the storm over seven hundred miles away to the south and west, is about to hit the crash site.
"That much?" says Samiel the mage, who continues with "That is a lot isn't it?" after Arvelle tells him what his cut will be.
"It is" says the leader of the illegal wreckers, who after a slight pause adds "I'll trust you to keep that quiet".
"Of course" says the powerful spellcaster who is originally from the city-state of Tuledare, who left his homeland nearly ten years ago. During a flare up in hostilities between it and it's closest neighbour, the city-state of Vexil.
"Like hell I'll tell any of that lot" dryly adds the mage who is of the opinion that most of the crew of illegal wreckers are a greedy bunch. Who are not to be trusted when there's talk of payments going around,
Arvelle nods, then the tall plainsman with the shaved head briefly talks about what they'll do tomorrow, and the following days as they wait for the potential buyers from the kingdoms of Nastell and Druvic to turn up.
The leader of the crew of illegal wreckers would of even sent word of the sale of the magetubes to the elven principality of Alínlae, which is to the southeast of Nastell. And even further away from the Kaldel Plains that either Nastell or Druvic.
It's just that he has no contacts in the elven principality. If he did, he would of. For he knows that even though they're probably going to sell the magetubes at a price lower than what they're originally worth. They're still going to sell them for an awful lot. And the more wealthy potential buyers for them, the better.
"Everyone got that?" asks Arvelle after he explains their plans for the upcoming days.
They all nod, then the plainsman who leads them says "That's all for the night, I'll see you in the morning".
As the others get up, Arvelle adds "Gorlic check on those guarding the wagons with the magetubes before you go".
"I will" says the former arena fighter "I'll go with him" adds the former shipwright Mac.
And the two of them are out the door first, followed by Sasha, her lover Pallen, then the mage Samiel.
As Gorlic and Mac walk a short distance to the edge of the village green where the wagons with the magetubes still in the back of them, are all lined up. And guarded by some of the other illegal wreckers.
Samiel says to the couple from the kingdom of Girdane "You two had dinner yet?".
"We haven't" is the reply from the good looking one eyed woman, who was previously a mercenary for hire before she and Pallen joined the crew of illegal wreckers.
"Might as well get something then" says the mage from Tuledare, who points away to the long house just away from the village green, which is used as almost like a tavern by the wreckers.
Some of them, along with some of the local plainsmen who remained here in the village when it was taken over. Run the long house as if it's a tavern. And since Arvelle hasn't stopped them from doing so, they continue to run it like a tavern.
They enter the long house, and though there's a brief halt in conversation from the dozen or so people at the tables when they look at who has just entered. They get back to chatting within moments as Sasha, Pallen and Samiel cross to an empty table, which they sit down at.
One of the remaining villagers comes out from an open doorway, a plainswoman who crosses to their table and tells them what's on offer tonight. Which they all get, along with three mugs of ale.
After the plainswoman heads back to the doorway that goes to the kitchen, Sasha quietly asks Samiel "Is that the one you've had your eye on all this time?".
"Oh?" asks Pallen, who then adds "What's this?". While the powerful spellcaster grimaces as Sasha looks at him and grins.
"Yeah" mutters the Tuledarian mage, who as both Pallen and Sasha watch him, he says "She is".
"And you've made no progress?" says the dangerous blademaster, who slightly grins as he adds "Why don't you cast a spell on her?".
"Please" sourly says Samiel, who continues on with "I've got standards thank you". Both Pallen and Sasha softly chuckle at that.
Then with the serving woman returns with their drinks, the two of them watch on in amusement as the mage Samiel tries to flirt and strike up a conversation with the plainswoman, and fails miserably at it . . . . . .