A Grand Design 39.

Winter. The City Of Oaklynn. The Capital Of The Kingdom Of Girdane.

"Who were they?" asks Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy as they watch the company of riders heading west out of the city.
"A local lord's?" adds the elf who is originally from the principality of Alínlae, where he served in one of the more prominent noble houses.
"They are" is the reply from Mira Reinholt the mage "From here in Marsin" continues the once powerful mage, referring to the duchy that the city of Oaklynn is located in.
The spy Tanith nods his hooded head, then he looks up at the morning sky, that has dawned clear, but cold.
"They're determined to get as many of them as they can out there to face the rebels" says the elven spy, who is an officer in the armies of Farque.
The mage Reinholt grunts in agreement, then he gestures back in the way they've come from, here in the city of Oaklynn.
The two of them, the elven spy and the human mage. Turn around, and head back up the street behind them.
They've only taken a few steps, when they both come to a stop in surprise. When they see who is standing further along the street, looking at the two of them.
The mage who is from the city-state of Vexil, and the spy from the elven principality Alínlae, share a look.
Then not showing any of the surprise they feel, the two of them continue along the street.
Making their way to where a large figure in the dark blue/black heavy, steel plate armour is standing.
Lord Farque nods his full helmed head by way of greeting to them, then he turns and says in the elven language "What's been happening here?".
"Did my message get through about the king's death?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage, who has known the undead warlord for eighteen years or so, and knows he's not one for greetings.
"It did" says the heavily armoured deathlord who leads the way through the city streets.
"We've taken out two of the battalions the regent sent out west" adds the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who continues with "And we were looking for the third" he briefly pauses before saying in a slightly dry tone of voice "Until we got a bit distracted, and came here".
The spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil, who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster, asks "And the crown's main army?" followed by "What about them?".
"Hopefully Tam has broken them and got them on the run" answers Draugadrottin as he's also known by, to the people of his lands.
The lord of the death realm then informs the mage Reinholt, and the spy Tanith.
That he took a third of the Farqian mercenary army, up over the border into the Kaldel Plains.
And headed east, before coming back down into the central duchies of the kingdom of Girdane.
And though they were originally planning to attack the crown's main force from the rear.
Things changed when they discovered the regent's battalions that had left Oaklynn, to help the crown's forces against the dukes of Dalmar, Girnath and Falosen, who have rebelled against the crown.
"Now, like i said" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who continues with "What's been happening here in the capital?".
The once powerful mage from the city-state of Vexil, who along with the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae. Has noticed the undead warlord is leading them east through Oaklynn.
Heading to the northeastern quarter of the city, where the inn they're staying at is located.
Quietly tells the large, heavily armoured deathlord "The eastern dukes, and some in the central regions have decided to join the crown, and fight against the rebels".
After a moment's pause, the Vexilian mage in exile continues with "We've basically got a full on civil war on our hands now".
"War is good for business" murmurs Des'tier, the elven name of the undead being.
The highly skilled swordmaster, slightly nods his hooded head in agreement, then he says "Well, he's basically king in all but name".
In response to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque asking him "Can the regent get them to do that?" followed by "Or have his own troops leave the capital and surrounding countryside?".
"So he can basically do what he wants to do" says the spellcaster, who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands.
Until he lost the majority of his vast amounts of power when he went offworld, through a rift/void spell that he accidentally cast.
"How convenient for him" dryly says lord Farque, who as they round a corner, continues in that same dry tone with "What with his cousin the king dying so recently".
"We've got a theory about that" quietly says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, the mage Reinholt nods his hooded head in agreement with the elf who hails from the principality of Alínlae.
The heavily armoured deathlord of Farque, glances at the two walking beside him, and slightly nods, then says "Tell me about it when we get back to your inn".
Draugadrottin, who found the inn they're staying at, by simply sensing for them, and finding Shur Kee the monk who is at the Ironmonger Inn.
Quietly and dryly says to the mage Reinholt and the spy Tanith "Could you've picked a worse fucking neighbourhood to stay in?".
"Oh?" says Dalinvardél Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
"Why's that?" asks the exiled Vexilian mage, who rather likes the part of the city that he, Dalin and Shur Kee have been staying in while here in Oaklynn.
It's the part of the city full of smith's, foundries, and the many other businesses associated with those craftsmen.
"It's full of damn dwarves, that's why" sourly says Draugadrottin, who continues with "It was a fucking hassle going through there".
A little while later, and when they're back at the Ironmonger Inn. Mira Reinholt and Dalinvardél Tanith see exactly what the undead warlord means.
For when they're in the suite the deathlord of Farque has on the top floor of the inn. And after they greet Tovis the war engineer, Beldane the cleric, and sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
They see Dorc da Orc, fast asleep, and snoring. in a corner of the main room in the suite.
"I had to knock the silly fucker out coming through this part of the city, and carry him here" says lord Farque, who dryly continues with "He was getting distracted". As the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, kept trying to run off, and kill any dwarf he saw or caught wind of.
And since there's a fair few dwarves living and working in this part of the city of Oaklynn. He was doing that quite a lot.
Shur Kee the monk brings over some maps that lord Farque requested before he went off to find the mage Reinholt and the spy Tanith.
Draugadrottin puts them onto a table, and opens them. Then finding one that shows the area to the east of the capital city of Oaklynn, in particular to the east of the river Tambir.
He looks at the once powerful mage and the elven spy and tells them "I'm planning to bring the bulk of our forces straight here to Oaklynn".
Figuring the deathlord of Farque, is referring to doing that by magic, Mira Reinholt looks over at Beldane the cleric as he says "I didn't think Beldane was powerful enough to leave a gateway open for that long".
"He's not" says the undead warlord, who points to a spot on the map he's unrolled, and adds "They'll be coming here by another way".
After a moment or two of silence, the lord of the death realm continues with "They'll be coming through a gnomes tunnel to get here".
Mira Reinholt blinks in surprise, then as he looks at where lord Farque has pointed on the map, then he says "A portal?". Des'tier nods his full helmed head in response to that.
"Where's the otherside?" asks the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster.
"Here" says the heavily armoured deathlord who opens another map up, and unrolls it, and points to the border between two of the central duchies, Wostin and Fandell. "In the liar of a white worm" adds Draugadrottin.
Both the once powerful mage, and the elven spy wince when they hear that.
"I hope it's dead?" sourly says Mira Reinholt, who has never seen a white worm, but knows they're formidable foes, who can grow up to fifty feet in length, and have a powerful psychic attack. "Dorc and Percy killed it" says the lord of the death realm.
The nobleborn knight who is picking at some food on a side table, turns at the mention of his name, along with the name of his bitter rival Dorc da Orc.
"What?" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who quickly adds "Wot".
"Nothing Percy" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who then switches to the elven language to continue his conversation with Mira Reinholt and Dalinvardél Tanith.
"How many do you think the eastern dukes can muster?" asks the heavily armoured deathlord "From our best guess" says the spy Tanith, who then adds "About the size of the crown's forces that originally went out west to fight the rebel dukes".
"We definitely want to come here then" quietly says Des'tier, who continues with "No way we can stand against that many in the field and be successful".
Both the spy from the elven principality of Alínlae and the mage from the city-state of Vexil nod in agreement with that.
"And the fact they're still hiring mercenaries who are pouring into the city now that word of the rebellion has spread to the surrounding nations and unruled lands" says the swordmaster Reinholt, who continues with "They'll have what? Double our forces?".
"Easily" says the lord of the death realm, who wouldn't normally worry about being so numerically outnumbered.
But since the bulk of the rebellious army from western Girdane, is actually made up of the armies of the duchies of Falosen, Girnath and Dalmar.
And they're not particularly experienced at warfare. He doesn't want to risk having them fight in a campaign against such superior numbers.
"They're gathering somewhere to the west of the city" says the once powerful mage, who continues with "From what we've been able to find out, they're then heading out to some place called Summerton".
"It's a large town in the duchy of Fandell" says lord Farque, who is silent for a few moments as he thinks about something, then he continues on with "The more that head out there the better". Both Mira and Dalin nod in agreement to that.
Then after Draugadrottin looks at one of the maps showing central Girdane, he looks at the elven spy from Alínlae and the exiled Vexilian mage, and asks them "What's these thoughts you've got about the regent then?".
The spy Tanith and the mage Reinholt share a look. Then the two of them explain to lord Farque what they think happened to bring lord Sammis the regent of Oaklynn to be all but king in name, of the nation of Girdane.
In an antechamber in the palace of the king of Girdane, the regent Sammis turns from looking out of a window, as captain Kilmane says "More and more are heading out west" he continues with "Another lord and his men just left the city this morning, and will be in Summerton in a few days".
"Good" says lord Sammis the regent of the city of Oaklynn, who is basically the king of Girdane, though he's yet to be confirmed to be king. He's hoping the defeat of the rebellious dukes from the very west of the kingdom, will spur the court of the king to confirm him as the sovereign.
"Jaqor will be pleased with that" says the regent of Oaklynn, who had his cousin, king Jarnard the Second of his name, killed. Along with the rest of the royal family. And many others who were in the royal quarters of the palace at the time.
"It will more than make up for our missing battalions" says the regent of the city of Oaklynn, who continues with "And bolster the crown's army who are in retreat".
Lord Sammis looks at his most trusted officer, who along with the keeper Sarmac and the wizard Haric are here in the antechamber.
And he asks the captain "And mercenaries?".
"More of them are coming into the city by the day" says captain Kilmane, who is the man most responsible for bringing the regent's plan into effect.
"They're being sent out west immediately after they've singed up to the crown" says the captain in the regent's army, who then adds "Even with the crown's forces retreating from the western part of the kingdom, and with two of our battalions missing or wiped out. We'll still have double the amount of what they've got" captain Kilmane follows that with "And more everyday with mercenaries signing up in their numbers".
"Good" murmurs lord Sammis in satisfaction, who looks out the window, and up at the clear sky above the city on this cold winter's morning here in the east of the kingdom of Girdane.
The regent, who is planning to go back to his mansion up the street for the midday meal, just so that he can take his young wife again, as he hopes to get her pregnant.
Turns and looks at the other three, who have been instrumental in bringing about his plans to be king of Girdane.
"We need a victory soon" says lord Sammis, who continues on with "To break these rebels and send them on the run".
The regent of Oaklynn then adds "When the dukes and others at court see this, they will confirm me as king, and allow me to take the throne".
Captain Kilmane, along with the keeper Sarmac, and the wizard Haric nod in agreement to that.
Then the nobleman, who is all but king of Girdane already, crosses over to the map table, which the captain is standing beside.
"We need a decisive victory somewhere Kilmane" quietly says lord Sammis as the keeper and wizard join them at the map table.
"Where do you suggest?" adds the regent of the city of Oaklynn.
"Here in Fandell" says the captain in the regent's army as he points to the duchy of Fandell in central Girdane on one of the maps.
"It's why i suggested to commander Kaim to hold at Summerton" adds captain Kilmane, who continues with "The terrain there is favourable even in the wintertime" he then adds "And with the numbers we're gathering, the rebels will have to face us sooner rather than later. Because if not, we'll just overwhelm them, even though they've got the crown's forces on the retreat at the moment".
Lord Sammis nods at that, then quietly says "I like that" he looks at the three of them, the captain, the keeper and the wizard, and tells them "Let's make it happen".
And when we're victorious, the regent of Oaklynn thinks to himself, who then silently adds, I'll be the king as I've always wanted to be.
As he continues to talk with the other three. The regent's thoughts turn from him being the king of Girdane soon. To his wife, the lady Mera. Who he hopes to get pregnant. As he thinks about who will be king after him.
Lord Sammis faintly smiles as he thinks of a son he will have one day, who will be his heir, and will be the king of Girdane after him . . . . . .