The Lost Ones 37.

Summer. The Lowlands & The Coast Of The Southlands.

They fly throughout the rest of the day, going the forty miles or so to the coast which they reach at nighttime.
There they turn north, as they're bound for the large port town of Gilsom. As the shipwrights there are best able to fully repair the damaged airship.
Though they stop at a coastal village late at night for the simple reason the ship's crew are exhausted.
They've spent all day doing repair work on the twin masted vessel. But unable to fix the holes in the underside of the airship that belongs to Sharnd the flatland merchant.
The ship's carpenter is out on his feet, and he and his apprentice have to be carried down to their cabin because they're so exhausted.
While the core group of five who are wanting to set up a nation of their own in the Maldin Hills. Who have run into their first problem with their plans.
Go to sleep that night wondering how long it will take to properly repair the airship. And how long it will be before they're able to resume their plans, hoping to establish their own nation in the hill country that lies across on the otherside of the lowlands they've just crossed.
They also go to sleep, wondering about those who attacked them in the village early in the morning. And if they're still pursuing them at all.
They are, though the group numbering six have to stop late at night too.
For the simple reason that Saanea the witch is exhausted after teleporting them every so often throughout the day.
And because, with the exception of Dorc da Orc the others are tired too. And Tamric Drubine the field commander doesn't want any mishaps during the middle of the night.
They stop at a lowland village set amongst a large copse of trees. Here on the flatlands, where the grass is slowly turning a straw colour in the heat of the summer.
You're more likely to find villages and towns along riversides, or amongst the copses that are dotted across the lowlands.
Dorc da Orc who has lost sight of the airship they're following. Though he's sure it turned north earlier in the night when it got to what he believes is the coast.
Wouldn't mind continuing on. Though he's persuaded to stay with the others for the simple reason he's run out of booze. And here in the village they've stop at. There's plenty of alcohol to be had.
Even better there's ale and beer. Which isn't brewed back in the Maldin Hills. Where various sweet wines are produced. The large ork has been predominantly drinking that for the last couple of months.
So to drink various ales and beers. Is a pleasant distraction for the ork warleader. Who drinks throughout the night. As he basically buys all the alcohol in the village at the moment.
Where they keep their beer and ale cool, by having them in stone wear jugs in the stream that runs behind the village.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world might be disgusted every time he pulls up a rope tied to a tree, at the end of which is a jug of beer or ale sitting in the nearby stream.
But that doesn't stop him from doing it. As he drinks throughout the night. While eating legs of roast lamb he's bought from the villagers.
He's still doing that early in the morning, well before dawn when the others wake up.
Tamric Drubine the field commander wakes up, and looks at the sleeping witch beside him. They're in the main room of a house, that they basically hired from a local family. Who spent the night with the family next door. As the small village doesn't have an inn, let alone a tavern.
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin watches the sleeping Saanea for some time. Before he looks beyond her, and sees that Lisell Maera is already up and outside by the looks of things, as the door to outside is open.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group figures that Shur Kee the monk is already awake and outside. As the short, statured monk is always the first to wake up.
And from the sounds of snoring coming from the bedroom in the house. Sir Percavelle Lé Dic is still fast asleep.
And no doubt the young field commander in the armies of Farque is thinking Dorc da Orc is still outside somewhere behind the house and the village.
By the stream where the local lowlanders keep their beer and ale. Which Tam figures he's probably drunk most of by now.
The son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, a castle located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
Gets up, and without waking the sleeping Saanea. He makes his way outside of the house.
Where in the gloom before dawn, he finds Lisell Maera sitting on the porch. The messenger is yawning as she watches Shur Kee going through his morning exercises in the clear patch between this house and the next.
Field commander Drubine watches the physical adept too. Knowing that all Shur Kee has to do is speed up the slow movements he's doing. And they'll become deadly strikes if he was to hit someone with them.
Tam sits down next to the attractive young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, as they wait for both Saanea the witch, and sir Percavelle Lé Dic to wake up.
"Where's Dorc?" quietly asks Tamric Drubine the field commander in the elven language. He speaks just above a whisper, so as not to disturb the physical adept's exercises.
"Still there" replies Lisell Maera the messenger in the same language, who speaks barely louder than a whisper too.
The young field commander looks to where the messenger or runner, nods to beyond the gap between this house and the next.
And about thirty yards away in the predawn gloom. The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin. Is just able to see the large figure of the ork warleader sitting at the base of a tree, close to the nearby stream.
Tam is fairly sure the ork warleader, who is a general in the armies of Farque is drinking from a stone wear jug which are popular throughout both the lowlands, and the hill country to the east.
And if field commander Drubine listens carefully, he's pretty sure he can hear the ork weaponsmith murmuring and chuckling to himself between drinking from the jug he's got at the moment.
Tamric Drubine is just glad that there's no where near enough alcohol in this village to get the large ork even anywhere near drunk.
It will take a lot more than what one small lowland village has in supply of booze to get the warleader of the ork race drunk.
"On to the coast then?" quietly asks Lisell Maera who is more commonly called Lis by the others in the group.
"Looks like it" is the quiet reply from the young field commander as the two of them converse in the elven language.
"They'll have to find somewhere to fix their ship" continues the nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
"And one of the ports along the coast is the best place for that" adds Tam who continues with "Besides, last night Dorc saw them out on the coast, which from my best guess, is only four or five miles from here".
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, whose mother was a street prostitute, and whose father was a sailor.
Nods her head in agreement with the young field commander. As last night when she spoke with some of the villagers, they mentioned that the coast wasn't all that far away.
Next to Lis, Tam sees Shur Kee come to the end of his exercises, and bow in the direction the sun is to rise from.
The nobleborn teen who is a senior officer in the armies of Farque calls out in the early morning gloom "Dorc we're going to leave soon".
"Yeah cunt" is the reply from Dorc da Orc as he pulls one of the last jugs out of the stream that runs behind the village in the middle of a copse.
And by the time they're all awake, and had a quick bite for breakfast, then cleaned up.
The large ork has taken the last two stone wear jugs out of the stream. And keeping them for now, he follows the others out of the village as they leave at first light, as the sun rises behind them in the east, as they walk west towards the nearby coast.
They walk for a little while, on a dirt packed road that goes out to the coast.
Saanea the witch doesn't want to expend any magical power more than necessary. So she waits until there's more light from the rising sun to see by, before she teleports the lot of them for the first time this morning.
Tamric Drubine nods his head, as from behind him and Saanea the witch as they walk together, Dorc da Orc says "Them cunts went fucken north last night".
Then within a quarter of a glass, the spellcaster from the Maldin Hills has enough light to see by, and she teleports them all westwards.
She does so again, then a third time. Which she goes northwest, and they end up on another road, the coast road.
They walk north, going by beaches and seaside villages in the early morning light, on what feels like it's going to be warm and sunny day along the coast of the Southlands.
Tamric Drubine who has told the pretty looking hillwoman beside him not to cast again for a little while.
Looks back at the following ork warleader, and asks him "Dorc can you see that ship yet?".
Dorkindle looks northwards, and sees quite a few airships in the sky, heading up and down the coast. As well as inland, and he spots a couple coming into towards the coast.
Which is always busy, both on the sea and up in the air. As well as on the ground, as a couple of wagons have already gone by them, heading south as the group walks north.
"Hmmmm" says the ork weaponsmith as he looks to the north, hoping to spot the airship they've pursued from the Maldin Hills, which are just over forty miles to the east.
The big, burly looking ork from the southern polar region of the world grunts as he sees an airship has just risen into the morning sky, and is heading north, about eight miles away.
"Me see them cunts" says Dorkindle who then explains "They just taking off for the day" he continues with "Them merc fuckers are going north".
Tam looks at the witch walking beside him, who tells him "My familiar is still onboard watching them".
Onboard the partially damaged airship that belongs to Sharnd the flatland merchant. Brossic the lowlander yawns as he makes his way up onto the deck, as the airship lifts off, leaving behind the small village they stayed the night in.
The leader of the crew of mercenaries grunts as he sees a blackbird perched on a sheet, preening it's feathers as it catches a ride on the airship.
Brossic watches it fly away, not realising it's just gone under the twin masted vessel, and come up on the otherside of it. Where it heads up into the aft mast. Where it lands on a spar, and looks down at those who are making their way to the aft deck.
One of whom is Brossic, who is the second to last of the group of five, who have plans to take over a fair portion of the Maldin Hills, where they hope to set up a nation of their own.
The last of the group of five onto the aft deck is Grunna the sorcerer, who is yawning more than the lowlander Brossic.
The crew leader grunts in greeting when he joins the others on the aft deck, he does so again, when Sharnd the flatland merchant quietly says "The captain says we'll reach this end of the Cascades by midmorning".
Referring to the range of hills, much smaller and shorter than the Maldin Hills. Which run just behind the coast, for about fifty miles or so. Unlike the hill country to the east of the lowlands. The Maldin Hills, which run from north to south, well in excess of two hundred miles.
"And Gilsom sometime just before midday" adds the merchant who owns the twin masted airship they're traveling on.
"Good" says Brossic the lowlander mercenary after he clears his throat.
"We can get to hiring as the ship is repaired" adds Brossic, who looks at both Spranen and Halnard who are from Gilsom and says "You two will be in charge of that" followed by "You'll know the best places to go to find those we need".
The two mercenaries from the large port town of Gilsom nod to that, then Spranen says "Will it matter where they're from?". As so far, they've only hired mercenaries from the lowlands and along the coast.
"Because there'll be a lot of mercs from pretty much everywhere there" adds Spranen who continues with "Even from across the Great Western Ocean".
Brossic glances at Sharnd the merchant, who slightly nods his head yes.
"That's fine" says the leader of the crew of mercenaries who briefly pauses, as the captain nearby calls out some orders.
Brossic then continues with "Though if they're from Nors, make sure they want to stay and settle here in the Southlands".
"Will do" says Spranen, next to him, Halnard nods in agreement with his fellow mercenary from Gilsom.
Brossic then looks at the sorcerer Grunna, and says to him "I trust you to find any spellcasters we might need".
The spellcaster from further down the coast, who doesn't particularly like working with other practitioners of magic, but can see the necessity of doing so now, nods his head that he will.
Grunna the sorcerer then says "They won't come cheap" followed by "Spellcasters are always more expensive than regular mercs" he then asks "How many do you want me to try and hire?".
Brossic looks at the merchant Sharnd, who is the one most responsible for funding their plans.
"Two I'd say" says the flatland merchant, who continues with "I don't know how much it's going to cost to fix the underside of the hull".
Sharnd who expects the repair work on his airship is going to be expensive, no matter which shipwright he goes to, then says "Two for now, and if we have need for more in the future, we'll see how things stand".
"Taking more villages and towns back in the hill country will help with things" says Brossic the lowlander, who continues with "Especially once we attack the mining towns".
Which they expect to be the more difficult places to attack up in the Maldin Hills. As the failure early yesterday morning was a bit of anomaly to say the least. As they were not expecting to run into those they did run into.
"If we don't run into anymore surprises" dryly says Brossic referring to what happened in a hillmen village yesterday morning "Then things should start returning to what we've planned" adds the leader of the mercenary crew, who continues with "Especially with the new lot we hire, as there'll be more of them, and hopefully a couple of spellcasters too".
The others all nod, then the most cautious of the five of them, Halnard the mercenary says "And what about that lot we ran into yesterday morning?".
The mercenary from the large port town of Gilsom continues with "What if they're still following us?" Halnard then adds "Or we run into them again somewhere?".
"Then we'll deal to them" replies Brossic the lowlander, next to him, Grunna the sorcerer nods in agreement.
Then the spellcaster who is from further south along the coast, looks back in the direction they came from last night, back to the south and east, across the lowlands.
As the airship goes out over the water as it heads north, the sorcerer who has cast a farsight spell upon himself. Looks for those who attacked them in the hillmen village early yesterday morning.
Grunna can't see them as he looks back towards the lowlands, and he tells the others "I can't see them anywhere".
"They probably lost us during the night" says Brossic the lowlander, the others nod in agreement.
Though if Grunna looked directly south along the coast road, he might be able to spot the small group who are pursuing them.
And if he thought about things a bit more. And remembered that witches, like the one who attacked the airship yesterday morning, have familiars.
Then he'd search for one, and realise that there's one up in the aft mast of the airship. In the form of a blackbird, looking down at those on the aft deck, watching and listening to everything they say and do as they fly north to the large port town of Gilsom . . . . . .

The Lost Ones 36.

Summer. The Southlands. The Maldin Hills & The Lowlands.

"Did you get them to speak?" asks Lisell Maera the messenger.
With a sour look upon his face, sir Percavelle Lé Dic says "The smelly beast eventually did".
The messenger or runner in the armies of Farque grimaces as she can pretty much imagine what happened.
The attractive young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, grimaces again when the heavily armoured knight says "He started eating one poor fellow's arm, and the rest of them started jabbering like there was no tomorrow, wot".
Next to Lisell Maera, Saanea the witch gags, and feels like vomiting after hearing that from the nobleborn knight who is from the kingdom of Druvic.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic looks away to the west, towards the flatlands and says "Hmmmm i can just make out that ship, wot".
"They're still going west" says Lisell Maera who is more commonly called Lis by the others in the group.
"We should get after them, wot" states the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, who then makes his way down the path, to where Shur Kee the monk is standing. Watching some of the hillmen carry away their dead. Who were killed by the mercenaries who attacked their village this morning.
Lis along with Saanea the witch look up the path, and see Tamric Drubine the field commander making his way down through the village.
The nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin is followed by Dorc da Orc.
"Find out anything useful?" asks the messenger from the coast of the Southlands.
"Some" replies Tamric Drubine the field commander as he looks westwards, and spots the airship in the distance, heading across the lowlands.
"We know where that ship is from down in the lowlands" continues the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, which is located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"And where they could go along the coast if they head out that far" adds Tamric Drubine who more often than not is called Tam by those who know him well.
"And the prisoners?" asks Saanea the witch who looks back up the hill through the village.
"Dead" says field commander Drubine referring to the half a dozen mercenaries who didn't flee, or were picked up by their airship. And were caught by the group here in the hillside village.
Behind the nobleborn teenager who is a senior officer in the armies of Farque. Dorc da Orc chuckles at what happened to those mercenaries they caught.
The large ork was the one to kill them. And he rather enjoyed doing it.
The spellcaster Saanea doesn't know what to make of the deaths of the mercenaries who were captured. And who were tortured before doing so.
She thinks they deserved to die for what they did here this morning. And what they did in another village further to the north, here in the Maldin Hills.
But she's not so certain if they should of been tortured beforehand. And that they probably died horrible deaths at the hands of the ork warleader. Who is standing there with a large grin upon his broad, green, brutish looking face.
Saanea's thoughts are interrupted by field commander Drubine asking her "Is your familiar following it?". Referring to the mercenary's airship that's limping away to the west.
"It is" says the pretty looking hillwoman, who closes her eyes to watch what her familiar is watching.
The local spellcaster who is from the very north of the hill country continues with "They've sustained a bit of damage, and are trying to repair it as they head west".
Tam nods his head, then he quietly says "I wonder if they're heading to the merchant's home town?" followed by "Or all the way out to the coast".
The young field commander in the armies of Farque "Time to get going".
Then after Saanea opens her eyes again, the nobleborn teen who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin gestures down to where Shur Kee the monk and sir Percavelle Lé Dic are standing.
The four of them make their way down the path to where the former paladin and the physical adept are.
While behind them, one of the houses is still on fire. And another one has just been put out by the villagers.
After Tam calls out to some of the nearby villagers who though appreciative, are keeping their distance. And the field commander tells them to take whatever they want and can use from the dead mercenaries.
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin says to Saanea the witch "Once we're down beyond the orchard and vineyard, teleport us westwards".
The young field commander in the armies of Farque continues with "As many times as you can until you can no longer do so".
The pretty looking hillwoman nods her head in understanding as they head down through the rest of the village. Then they make their way down through the orchard and vineyard.
As they do, Dorc da Orc jogs off to the left through the trees in the orchard. Until he finds one of the mercenaries, who attacked the hillside village this morning.
The lowlander is injured, and crawling away on all fours. Groaning as he does so. Which gave him away, as the large ork heard him from the otherside of the orchard.
The ork warleader catches up to the rest of the group after stomping on the injured mercenary's head.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, is totally oblivious to the fact that there's brain matter, along with bits of scalp, hair and bone that's splattered over his right boot.
The ork weaponsmith is chuckling to himself as he rejoins the others as they walk out from the trees at the bottom of the orchard.
It's still early in the morning, only a glass past dawn. And the witch from the very north of the hill country. Teleports the group of them westwards. She does so again, and again. Then a fourth time, until she has to stop to recuperate some of her magical energy.
As a teleportation spell is weight dependant. And the heavier the thing, or person you're teleporting apart from yourself.
The more of a drain it is upon the caster and their magical power.
And with someone like sir Percavelle Lé Dic, a large man in a full suit of heavy plate armour.
And Tamric Drubine, who is also around six foot in height. And is wearing half plate armour.
Then there's Dorc da Orc as well. And the large ork weighs as more than three large, fully grown men.
That takes a lot of energy out of practitioner of magic, who keeps teleporting them. Along with the others.
Who thankfully for Saanea the witch, aren't particularly heavy. As she herself doesn't weigh all that much. And nor does Lisell Maera the messenger and Shur Kee the monk.
Looking westwards now that they're beyond the rolling hills in the very west of the Maldin Hills.
And that they're now down on the flatlands, Tamric Drubine the field commander who can see that the damaged airship that they're pursuing, is only about six miles away now. And is sailing slowly westwards sees that it might be possible to catch up to it sometime today.
As the group walk quickly across the lowlands, where even at this time of the morning it's no where near as warm as it is up in the hill range behind them.
On what feels like it's going to be another warm summer's day in this part of the Southlands.
They see the fleeing airship gradually pick up speed as it heads westwards.
Field commander Drubine quickly looks at Saanea the witch, and he takes hold of her right arm as they walk.
The pretty looking spellcaster has closed her eyes, and she says "They've done some patch work repairs on their ship" she follows that with "They might not be able to fly as fast as they possibly can, but they're flying a lot quicker than they just were".
"Damn" murmurs Tamric Drubine, who only lets go of the witch's arm after they've walked a bit further even though she's opened her eyes again.
"They are getting away, wot" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who is further infront, just behind Lisell Maera and looking back at the others.
"I know that" says the young field commander in the armies of Farque.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che looks at the spellcaster from the Maldin Hills, and sourly smiles.
Then he looks ahead again, and walks quickly to catch up to the messenger who is leading the way across the lowlands.
"Think we'll be able to catch them?" quietly asks the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who is walking next to the pretty looking hillwoman.
Saanea the witch shakes her head no, then says "Not unless they stop somewhere".
She looks at the others in the group, then adds "There's too many of us for me to teleport quickly at a distance".
Tam slightly nods, and contemplates teleporting himself and one other with the witch. But he quickly forgets about that idea, as he doesn't want to split up the group in anyway.
After all, they've already been split off from the rest of the group. Who they have no idea where they are. As they went missing in the spring when they went through a rift/void that was accidentally cast by Mira Reinholt the mage.
"We'll just keep following them as quickly as we can" says field commander Drubine, who then asks the spellcaster from the very north of the Maldin Hills "Is your familiar still watching them?". "It is" replies Saanea the witch.
It's a blackbird at the moment, and it's on the rail on the stern of the airship. Looking like it's catching a ride westwards on the twin masted vessel.
The familiar is watching the group here on the aft deck near the wheel. Who are busy discussing things. In particular what went wrong with their attack upon a hillmen village first thing this morning.
And what they're going to do now, as they fly westwards across the lowlands.
"I say we keep heading out to the coast" says Brossic the lowlander, who leads the crew of mercenaries.
"We'll be able to find more mercs out there, and quickly too" continues Brossic who then adds "Compared to down here in the flatlands".
Sharnd the merchant, who is all for stopping in his hometown, which is further to the south and west in the lowlands, to do some proper repairs on his airship.
Can see the logic of Brossic's idea. And he nods in agreement with the leader of the crew of mercenaries.
"That may be all well and good" says Halnard the mercenary, who is from the large coastal port town of Gilsom.
"But what about that lot we ran into this morning?" adds Halnard, the most cautious of the five of them, who have plans to carve out a chunk of the Maldin Hills, to create a nation of their own up in the hill country.
"What happens if we come across them again, and they do even more damage than they've already done?" continues Halnard, who looks forward along the deck, as he quietly adds "They killed or injured more than half of the mercs we hired".
"Then we hire more mercs" says Brossic, who follows that with "And if we ever run across that lot again, by the gods we kill them!".
The others nod, with the exception of Grunna the sorcerer, who is looking aft.
The spellcaster from the coast, is looking back in the direction they've come from, casting a farsight spell as he does. Totally oblivious to the blackbird that's preening it's feathers as it perches on the stern rail of the airship.
"I can see them in the distance" says Grunna the sorcerer as he interrupts the conversation of the others.
They all look at him, then look back to the east across the lowlands when they see him looking in that direction.
"How far away are they?" asks Brossic the lowlander.
"About seven, maybe eight miles" says Grunna who continues with "They're falling behind, as we've picked up speed again".
The leader of the crew of mercenaries nods his head, then quietly "Should we deal to them?".
The sorcerer from the coast of the Southlands, slightly shrugs his shoulders, then says "Well there's only six of them".
The others fall silent for a few moments as that sinks in. That just six people took out more than half of the fifty hired mercenaries, and damaged the airship, and forced them to flee the Maldin Hills.
"Hell" mutters Spranen the mercenary, who like Halnard is from the large port town of Gilsom.
"Just six?" asks Sharnd the flatland merchant, whose airship they're traveling on.
"Yes" says Grunna with a nod of his head, who then adds "That troll, the knight" he briefly pauses before adding "The young fellow in the half plate armour, and the other one who was in the vineyard wearing that strange looking hat".
The sorcerer from the coast continues with "And two young women, one tall, from the coast by the looks of her. And the other a hillwoman, who is the damn witch who damaged the ship".
"I guess they're following us?" asks Brossic.
"Looks like it" is the reply from Grunna, who after a brief pause adds "They'll soon lose sight of us" followed by "Eventually that troll won't be able to see us either, as we'll get out too far from them".
The leader of the crew of mercenaries nods, then says "We'll definitely go out to the coast then" Brossic continues with "I don't want them knowing what we'll get up to".
The others murmur in agreement, then Halnard from Gilsom says "Who the hell are they?" followed by "And why follow us?".
Next to him, Spranen says "And what were they doing in that village?" followed by "With the exception of that witch, none of them are from the hill country".
"Traveling group of mercenaries most like" says Sharnd the lowland merchant.
"True" says Halnard, who after he briefly pauses, he adds "That doesn't explain why they're still following us".
"A group of vengeful mercenaries then" says Sharnd in exasperation, who adds in the same tone "I don't know why the hell they're doing what they're doing".
"Who knows why" says Brossic the lowlander, who continues with "But what i do know, is that we've got to hire more mercs than what we did previously" and with a glance at Grunna, he adds "And that includes spellcasters too".
The leader of the crew of mercenaries continues with "Just incase we run into them again when we return to the hill country".
The others who are all silent, eventually nod their heads in agreement with what Brossic just said.
Including Grunna the sorcerer, who isn't particularly fond of working in conjunction with other practitioners of magic.
As they all look to the east, back in the direction they've come from after the failure of the attack on a hillmen village first thing this morning.
Wondering if they'll again encounter those six who attacked them this morning, and forced them to flee the Maldin Hills.
The five of them, who have plans to set up their own nation in the hill country, rather hope they don't run across that group of six strangers ever again . . . . . .

The Lost Ones 35.

Summer. The Sultanate Of Dreese.

Looking across at the figure sitting opposite of him. The Viceroy Of Dreese says "I'm pretty certain i would of been victorious if you lot hadn't of intervened".
Nodding his full helmed head, lord Farque says "Maybe" who continues with "But even with your tactics, it would of been hard for you to defeat your brother".
The undead warlord who is looking out the windows of the captain's cabin, glances down at the game board, before looking out the windows again as he says "He just outnumbered you by too many" followed "Numbers sometimes do count".
"Unfortunately" dryly says the Viceroy as he contemplates his next move as they sit at the table here in the cabin that the heavily armoured deathlord has taken over.
The younger brother of the Sultan of Dreese, who doesn't look at all like his older brother. Thinks about moving a piece. He's about to put a hand on it. But decides not to. And goes back to deliberating.
He's yet to win a game against the foreign mercenary whenever they've played. And he's considered a bit of a master of the game. That is until he started playing against the large figure, in the dark, heavy plate armour sitting opposite of him.
"Don't you find it hot wearing all that armour?" asks the Viceroy, as he like most fighters and soldiers in Dreese, as well as up and down much of the east coast of the continent.
Prefer lighter armour, and not the heavy plate that's found elsewhere in other parts of the world.
"No" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque as a warm tropical breeze blows in through the open windows here in the captain's cabin.
"Beats me how you wear all that stuff" says the Viceroy of Dreese who doesn't know his opponent isn't exactly alive.
The younger brother of the Sultan, who has his eyes on the game board, slightly shakes his head then murmurs "Maybe".
And he eventually makes up his mind, and finally moves a piece.
Lord Farque or Draugadrottin as he's also called by the people of his lands, a nation that lies on the otherside of the continent, in the Southlands.
Glances at the game board, then moves one of his pieces, before going back to looking out the window.
"Hell" mutters the Viceroy with a frown upon his face as he wonders what to do next, as that move, like all the moves by his opponent, was far quicker than he would've thought possible.
"I get the feeling I'm just humouring you" dryly says the younger brother of the Sultan of Dreese, who like his older brother, is a spellcaster. Though he can't touch his magic at the moment.
"You're doing fine" says the lord of the death realm who continues with "You're one of the better players I've seen in recent years".
"You could of fooled me" dryly says the spellcaster who continues to frown as he looks at the game board, and figures out what he should do next.
"I've had years of practice" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who has the elven name of Des'tier, which means, The Destroyer.
The Viceroy grunts, then murmurs "It shows".
Behind the closed faceplate of his full helm, lord Farque faintly smiles, as the younger brother of Sultan wouldn't actually believe how many years Draugadrottin has been playing this game.
The undead warlord waits with easy patience as the Viceroy finally makes another move after deliberating for some time.
And in just mere moments, the heavily armoured deathlord moves one of his own pieces.
Causing the spellcaster from the mainland of Dreese to frown even more as he looks at all the pieces on the game board.
"Hmmmm" murmurs the Viceroy as he wonders what he should do next, as he clearly see multiple ways in which he will lose. But none in which he can win. Though he can see he can stave off defeat for some time.
As the Dreesian decides what to do next. The deathlord of Farque who is looking out the windows, says "You're brother is coming this way".
The Viceroy gets up from his chair, and steps over to one of the windows in the row that goes along the stern of the twin masted sailing ship that, along with the fleet, is heading to the northern islands in the chain off the coast of the mainland of Dreese.
"Where?" asks the younger brother of the Sultan.
"There" says Des'tier who has got up off his chair, and stepped to another of the open windows here in the captain's cabin.
The Viceroy looks to where the large heavily armoured figure to his left points. And in the distance to the south, he spots an airship behind the rest of the fleet, heading in this direction.
"Will he and his puppets know I'm here?" asks the Dreesian practitioner of magic.
"You're fine" says the undead being who then adds "They don't know you're here, and they won't know either".
The Viceroy, well former Viceroy to be exact. Nods his head, as he's been told this a number of times already.
Though it's always good to get confirmation. As he has absolutely no control of the situation he finds himself in.
Prisoner to a group of foreign mercenaries. Who work for his older brother the Sultan of Dreese. Though they don't want to be. As the Sultan holds one of them amongst his captured spellcasters. So they're forced to work for him.
The Viceroy, who knows that everyone else in his brothers forces. Including the crew on this ship, and the soldiers traveling on it too. Don't know that he's a prisoner onboard the same vessel they're on.
And that the small group of foreign mercenaries hold him prisoner for reasons of their own.
Chief of which is to have him kill his brother the Sultan, when he's brought before the supreme ruler of the Sultanate of Dreese.
"It won't get a hundred yards near us" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
"Oh?" says the Viceroy as he sees his brother's flagship getting closer and closer to the rest of the fleet.
"Why's that?" asks the nobleborn spellcaster, who led a coup attempt against his older brother the Sultan of Dreese, that failed.
And now, whose military forces who are loyal to him, are fighting a war against the Sultan and his forces.
A war that they were in an equal footing against the Sultan's army and fleet.
Until the large heavily armoured figure standing to his left, basically took over the Sultan's campaign.
And now the forces loyal to the Viceroy has suffered defeat after defeat during this summer. First on the mainland, then out here in the island chain off the east coast of the continent.
"Because I'm not to get within a hundred yards of him" says the lord of the death realm, who then dryly adds "Apparently your brother is scared shitless that I'll kill him if i get close".
The undead warlord pauses for a moment or two, then he says "Which is true".
The Viceroy lifts a questioning eyebrow, but he doesn't say anything on the matter.
He knows there's something strange about the heavily armoured figure standing to his left.
For starters, he never shows his face. And always wears his full helm, not to mention the rest of his dark, heavy armour.
And though he has plain looking mace on his belt. He has a giant sword strapped to his back. The likes of which you'll never find in Dreese, or in any other nation along the east coast of the continent.
As two handed swords aren't really a thing in this part of the world. Especially ones that have a massive blade longer than six foot.
The Viceroy who has already figured out that his opponent isn't an ordinary mercenary. Nor are the rest of the small group of mercenaries who hold him prisoner.
After all two of them are elves, who are rare along the east coast of the continent.
And another is a halfling. Who the Dreesian spellcaster swears was once part of the crew of one of his airships. That was destroyed in a battle not that long ago, on another of the islands, here in the chain of them off the coast of the mainland of Dreese.
The Viceroy who can clearly see the flagship now that it's caught up to the rest of the fleet.
Watches it head to the east, away from the middle of the fleet. Where this ship is, near the front of the blue water fleet. While the airships fly above the sailing ships on the warm tropical waters below.
"Seems like it" murmurs the nobleman as he sees the flagship keeping station over the eastern part of the left, at least a few hundred yards away from this particular ship.
The Viceroy watches his brother's flagship for a while longer, then he returns to the table after his captor sits back down, and waits for him to make his next move.
The Dreesian practitioner of magic quickly picks one of his pieces at random and moves it, hoping to startle his opponent.
It doesn't, as the large, heavily armoured figure moves one of his own pieces, just as quickly. Though with a lot more thought behind the move.
As the Viceroy holds in a sigh that threatens to escape as he sees the possibilities playing out after his last move. And none of them are good, and they're even less than what they were before.
So he goes back to contemplating what he'll do next, and go back to a topic he's more than interested in.
"So how exactly is this going to work?" asks the younger brother of the Sultan of Dreese.
Knowing exactly what the local nobleman is referring to, lord Farque says "Like I've said before, you're forces will be defeated in battle, then you'll be taken prisoner, and brought before your brother" Draugadrottin briefly pauses, before he adds "Who you'll kill".
"Just like that?" dryly says the former Viceroy of Dreese, who then adds "Easy as?".
"Easy as" says the lord of the death realm with a nod of his full helmed head.
The younger brother of the Sultan of Dreese snorts, then says "You make it sound so easy".
"It is" says the undead being, who is known to an older generation of elven kind, particularly in the Southlands, as Des'tier, which translates to, The Destroyer.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque then says "Though some of things that will actually happen, might be a little bit difficult to achieve".
"How little?" asks the local nobleman, who is the less powerful of the two spellcasters between him and his older brother the Sultan.
"Quite a lot to be honest" says the heavily armoured deathlord.
"That doesn't fill me with confidence" dryly murmurs the Viceroy, who finally makes up his mind, and moves another of his pieces on the game board.
The undead warlord as he moves one of his own pieces on the board says "The trick is to make it seem you've been defeated for good, and that you've been captured in battle, then to get close enough to your brother so that you can actually kill him" he briefly pauses before adding "With you actually surviving".
The Viceroy looks sharply at his opponent, because he hasn't mentioned any of this before.
After a little while, the local nobleman slightly nods, as he was expecting to die, if he was successful or not in killing his brother.
"And why would you care if i survived?" asks the Viceroy as he goes to move one of his pieces on the game board, but changes his mind and decides not to.
"I don't" is the reply from the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who briefly pauses before continuing with "But you do".
The local nobleman sourly smiles at that, then he asks his captor "Do you think i can?" followed by "Actually kill my brother?".
"Possibly" replies Draugadrottin with a slight shrug of his broad, heavily armoured shoulders.
"It all depends on if you do what you're told" says the lord of the death realm who then adds "Because if you don't, you're brother will live, and you'll die, and you would of wasted my fucking time".
The Viceroy grimaces at that, more so because his captor sounds like he'll be annoyed at wasting his time, than the possible demise of the younger of the two brothers who are at war with one another.
The local nobleman hasn't always wanted to kill his brother. Infact, it's been the opposite for most of their lives. As he has always supported his older brother the Sultan, who gave him the position of the Viceroy of the Fleet, when he was only twenty one.
Things began to change when the Sultan's behaviour started changing. His vices that were previously unknown to the Viceroy became public. And he actually started flouting those vices in public.
This is the time the Sultan started putting on weight. And though he was never a slim or lean man. He was never obese, like he is nowadays.
Then he started putting spellcasters under his control. And three years ago, when he put two of the Viceroy's staff members, spellcasters who were his friends. Under his control, the seeds of rebellion were formed in the mind of the younger of the two brothers.
And in a little over two years, the Viceroy and his most loyal supporters launched a coup against the Sultan, which failed.
And for the last ten months, they've fought a running war against the Sultan and his military.
A war that they were holding ground in. Until a few months ago, when things completely changed. As the foreign mercenaries started serving in the Sultan's military. Which now they effectively lead.
The local spellcaster nods his head, then he says "If there's a chance I'll live, I'll do what you say".
And though the Viceroy would like to come out of all this alive, his main goal is to see the Sultanate of Dreese no longer under the rule of his older brother.
The Viceroy moves another piece on the Shāh board, and watches his opponent quickly move one of his pieces.
The younger brother of the Sultan frowns, as that move from the large heavily armoured figure sitting opposite him, seems to be a mistake.
"Why did you do that?" asks the Viceroy, who sees that he can now prolong the game. He might not win it, but it will continue for much longer than he thought it would.
"Because i can" quietly says lord Farque as he looks across at the local nobleman sitting opposite him at the table here in the captain's table.
The Viceroy quickly looks up from the game board, and sees his opponent looking at him.
After a moment, he nods in understanding as he realises this particular game of Shāh they're playing at this time. Is actually way more than what it seems . . . . . .

The Lost Ones 34.

Summer. The Maldin Hill Range.

Dorc da Orc roars, then chuckles as he frightens away some of the villagers who are fleeing as they're under attack from a group of mercenaries.
The large ork runs down the path he's on, sniffing as he does so. Then trips and smashes head first into a house that's just be lit on fire.
The ork warleader goes through a wall, and falls into the house that's filling with smoke.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world grimaces in disgust at his own clumsiness.
Then he gets up, and runs right through the next wall in the house, and out of it. Right into the two mercenaries from the lowlands and the coast who have set just set the house on fire. And are standing there watching their handiwork. Wondering what all the roaring and shouting is about.
Dorkindle who is a general in the armies of Farque bowls the two men over. Instantly killing one from the impact, and leaving the other on the ground groaning in pain, as his ribs and back are shattered.
"Get some" chuckles Dorc da Orc, who turns left onto another path. And continues to make his way down through the hillside village. Killing any of the mercenaries from the lowlands and the coast he runs across.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic leaps over a wheelbarrow with small casks in it. He lifts the shield of Saint Mar-che as he continues down the path he's on.
And a crossbow bolt careens off the magical shield, that's one of the holiest items in his order. Which he stole a number of years ago.
The large, heavily armoured knight sprints down the path. And smashes into the enemy crossbowman who is trying to reload his weapon.
The former paladin's magical shield slams into the mercenary. Knocking the man down, smashing the man's nose apart, and knocking out some of his teeth.
And as he lies there dazed on the ground. He gets a kick in the side of the head from one of the nobleborn knight's steel boots.
Which either knocks him out or kills him. The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, isn't sure. As he's already taken off down the path again.
"Saint Mar-che!" sir Percavelle Lé Dic shouts again as he spots more of the mercenaries from the lowlands and the coast, as he hurries down through the hillside village.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che sourly smiles behind the faceplate of his full helm. As he hears his bitter rival, Dorc da Orc, roaring somewhere away to his right.
The former earl of Lé Dic, which is his family's fief in the east of the kingdom of Druvic. Was hoping that the enemy had killed the large ork. But no such luck as the two of them make their way down through the hillside village.
"It's still flying" says Saanea the witch as she looks towards the airship she hit with a blast spell.
She doesn't have many destructive spells. But a blast spell is the most powerful one she knows.
And the one she just cast, clipped a ward that suddenly appeared under the twin masted vessel.
Missed the vulnerable keel, and went up through the underside of the hull instead.
The pretty looking hillwoman who once more is holding her power within herself. Looks at Lisell Maera the messenger who tells her "Move".
The attractive looking young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is reloading her quick firing crossbow after shooting at one of the mercenaries who wandered down the trail below the village to see what's happening.
Nods away to the right and adds "There" followed by "Whoever their spellcaster is, they'll know you're about somewhere, and will be after you now".
As the witch who is from the very north of the Maldin Hills follows behind the messenger in the armies of Farque, as they head to below the orchard and vineyard.
Prepares to cast another blast spell at the airship which is circling away to the south of the village.
She waits for an opportune time to stop holding her magical power within herself again.
As she knows she's not powerful enough to destroy the ward that's protecting the keel of the twin masted vessel that the mercenaries from the lowlands and the coast are using.
As he runs up through the rows of vines in the vineyard. Shur Kee the monk leaps forward, kicking one of the mercenaries in the face who charges at him, swinging a sword.
The short, statured monk from the otherside of the continent. The far east coast to be exact, where his homeland the kingdom of Wah Lee can be found.
Avoids the swinging sword, and his right sandled foot smashes into the mercenary's face. Knocking the man down, and knocking him out.
The acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li, lands in a crouch. He gets up, runs a dozen paces. Then dives through a gap in the row of vines to his right.
An arrow shot at him by another of the mercenaries from the flatlands and the coast of the Southlands, harmlessly continues down the row that the physical adept was just in.
As he continues on his way up through the vineyard and orchard, that's just below the hillside village. That's come under attack this morning by a bunch of mercenaries, the five core members of whom. Want to carve out a large chunk of the Maldin Hills, to create a nation that they can call their own.
Over in the orchard, which is to the left of the vineyard as you look up the hill towards the village.
Tamric Drubine the field commander runs up through the various fruit and nut trees towards the village as the sun continues to rise this morning on what feels like is going to be another hot, and dry day here in the hill country.
The nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin. And who is now a senior officer in the armies of Farque.
Has just cut down one of the mercenaries who has attacked the hillside village this morning.
And is heading towards two more, who have yet to spot him. As they look between the trees in the orchard, wondering what's going on.
As they've been told to expect little resistance from the villagers. And this morning's attack will be fairly easy, like the attack upon the village they did previously, further north, here on the west side of the range.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group. Runs at the two mercenaries who are from the lowlands and the coast.
At the last moment, they spot him, and turn to confront him. By then the young field commander has cut down one with his longsword.
And he's kicked the other in the groin. The mercenary drops to his knees groaning. And gets the pommel of the nobleborn teenager's weapon punched in his face.
The man slumps onto his side, where field commander Drubine slashes him across the back of the neck with his longsword.
Tam then dashes over to a large citrus tree, that he stands behind when he spots more of the mercenaries hurrying down to the orchard and vineyard.
As they make their way down to the lower part of the large village. Brossic the lowlander, who has just told a trio of the other mercenaries to hurry into the orchard and vineyard to see what's happening in there. And Grunna the sorcerer turn and look back up the path they've come down.
And see a pair of the mercenaries they've hired from down in the lowlands.
"There's a damn knight up there, killing everyone who gets in his way" says one of the mercenaries from the flatland, which the lowlands is often referred to.
The other mercenary with him, who looks frightened to death, nods his head in agreement as he darts a look back up through the village.
"The hell?" mutters Brossic who leads the crew of mercenaries, who have decided to set up a nation of their own here in the Maldin Hills.
Next to him, the sorcerer Grunna frowns, then murmurs "A knight?".
"Yes!" says the mercenary who spoke up, who then adds "A damn knight!".
The other mercenary, who looks frightened beyond belief. Continues on his way down the path, running by Brossic and Grunna.
The mercenary crew leader is just about to turn and admonish him. When the mercenaries Spranen and Halnard come running down the same path.
With Spranen the mercenary calling out "There's a big bloody troll up there killing everyone!".
"A troll?" says Brossic in shock, while next to him, Grunna, who looks just as shocked, murmurs "A troll?" followed by "And a knight?".
"Yes a fucking troll" says Spranen as he and Halnard, both of whom are from the large port town of Gilsom, stop beside Grunna and Brossic.
The leader of the crew of mercenaries waves the mercenary who informed him about the knight, onwards down the hill, telling him to go into the orchard to see what's happening in there.
Then Brossic nods his head, when Halnard, the most cautious and level headed of them, quickly says "We've got to see what's happening".
"Up on the ship, so we can see things more clearly" says Brossic the lowlander, who looks towards the twin masted vessel, that's sustained a small amount of damage.
They see the airship, which is away to the south of the hillside village, has turned back.
And upon it's deck, those few mercenaries who remained onboard. Have their bows and crossbows aimed towards the vineyard, and orchard. Which some of the crew are pointing at.
"Get us onboard" says Brossic to the spellcaster Grunna, the sorcerer nods his head.
Then after he senses, and is unable to locate the witch he knows is in the vicinity. He teleports the four of them onto the airship that belongs to Sharnd the merchant.
"What the hell is going on down there?" demands Sharnd the flatland merchant when the other four suddenly appear on deck.
The merchant, who along with Brossic, comes up with the plans for what they'll do, as they attempt to carve out their own nation here on the west side of the Maldin Hills, then says "There's some people down in that orchard and vineyard attacking our men".
Sharnd who is looking more than a little livid, then shouts "And some bastard attacked my ship!". Which is clear to see, as there's a hole in the deck near the bow, where a blast spell came up from beneath the airship, punching through the hull, and up through the vessel. Though missing the vulnerable keel which Grunna has warded with a barrier spell that he's still got protecting it.
"Calm down will you" says Brossic who continues with "We've got things under control" the leader of the crew of mercenaries then silently adds, i hope.
They look overboard, towards the vineyard and the orchard, as well as the village itself.
"There" says Spranen the mercenary from Gilsom, who points at the orchard "That bastard there, see him?".
"I see him" says Brossic who spots the tall young man, in what appears to be half plate armour, who has a longsword in hand.
The leader of the crew of mercenaries from the lowlands and the coast, is just about to shout out to the archers still onboard, to shoot at the stranger in the orchard.
When next to him, Halnard says "There up in the village" quickly followed by "On the otherside, through the smoke there".
The other four look to where he points, and a few moments later, a shocked looking Brossic says in a tone of total surprise "That is a troll" followed by "I think?".
It's like no troll he's ever seen before. It's not as tall as any troll he's ever seen. But it's far bulkier, and a more mean looking troll that the mercenary from the lowlands has seen previously.
And nor has he seen a troll covered from head to foot in weapons. Like the one on the far side of the large village has.
It's just run through a backyard fence, and into a small stable. Where it briefly pauses, and looks like it's contemplating something as a pair of horses go running away.
After it looks at the fleeing horses, it continues on it's way. Heading down through the terraced village. Not stopping as it runs in through an open backdoor. Disappearing for a few moments, before reappearing as it runs out through the front door of the house.
A front door that was closed. Which it runs through without any effort at all.
"Fucking hell, look at that thing" mutters Halnard, Brossic can only nod in agreement at the sentiment that was said, by the mercenary from the port town of Gilsom.
"And there's the knight" says Grunna who points and adds "There, on this near side of the village".
As they briefly spot a large, heavily armoured knight quickly follow two of the other mercenaries into a house, shouting something as he does so.
"What the hell is he shouting?" mutters the sorcerer from the coast of the Southlands.
"Saint Mar-che or something" is the reply of Spranen the mercenary who hails from the large port town of Gilsom.
Brossic grimaces as he catches sight of the knight run out the other door of the house he went into. There's no sign of the two mercenaries he chased into the house.
The leader of the crew of mercenaries, the core members of which, have plans to carve out their own nation here on the western side of the hill country.
Then looks back down at the orchard and vineyard, which the twin masted airship is now over again.
Brossic shouts out to the archers who are near the bow "Shoot that fellow down there!".
He then looks up the mast, to where one of the lookouts in the crow's nest calls down "There's another in the vineyard!" followed by "He's wearing the strangest damn hat I've ever seen!".
As the four main mercenaries and the merchant look to the vineyard, to see if they can spot the person in question.
Gunnar the sorcerer suddenly senses the witch again. And the spellcaster from the coast of the Southlands doesn't wait this time.
He instantly casts a fireball, sending it to where he senses the witch, somewhere down at the edge of the orchard.
As he does, Grunna shouts "Hard to port!" as he's sensed the witch cast another blast spell, that's coming up towards the airship that Sharnd the merchant owns.
"Run!" says Lisell Maera the messenger when she sees what's heading down in their direction.
The attractive young woman who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, shoves away Saanea the witch who has just cast another blast spell at the airship, which is a lot closer now.
The messenger or runner as they're sometimes referred to, runs one way, deeper into the orchard.
While Saanea the witch runs the other way, as a fireball comes hurtling down to where they were just standing.
As she does, the latest blast spell she just cast, heads up, and hits the underside of the airship again.
In the orchard, Tamric Drubine looks up, and sees how close the airship is now. Then as he sees a fireball come from it, going down to the bottom edge of the orchard.
The young field commander in the armies of Farque sees the twin masted vessel get rocked by Saanea's latest blast spell.
Wood goes flying as the hull is hit, and the spell which hits square on this time. As the witch didn't even bother trying to hit the keel as it's too well protected.
Goes upwards, pretty much unimpeded, through the airship, and up and out through the top deck, near the bow.
Two of the archers in the bow are blasted overboard, and a third almost goes over the port rail. And is only caught by the tunic by a quick thinking crew member, as the twin masted vessel veers sharply away to port, which is west.
As the fireball hits the ground and explodes, narrowly missing Saanea the witch who is running downhill.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, looks quickly away to his right, where he spots Shur Kee the monk in the vineyard.
The nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin briefly blinks in surprise.
As he sees the physical adept leap up, and scissor his legs around the head and neck of one of the mercenaries.
Then the short, statured monk flips himself backwards. Dragging the mercenary forwards with momentum. And the man is almost whipped forward, head first, followed by the rest of his body, until he comes to a sudden stop as his head smashes into the ground.
Tam winces, then slightly shakes his head, as he sometimes forget what Shur Kee is capable of, and that's when the acolyte in the philosophical order isn't even using his strange powers. Which is what the young field commander wants him to do now.
"Shur Kee!" calls out Tamric Drubine, who then adds "It's getting away!" followed by "See if you can hit it!".
The short, statured monk looks around, and spots field commander Drubine on this side of the orchard, and sees what he's pointing at.
The physical adept, who is the living incarnation of the Jade Warrior, Bru Li. Nods in understanding as he sees the airship heading west, away from the village.
A few moments later, and onboard the twin masted vessel, Gunnar the sorcerer who has spotted the witch out in the open.
Suddenly frowns as he sees a strange looking ball of energy come up from the vineyard, heading towards the stern of the airship.
He can't sense anything magical about it, nor can he sense another spellcaster in the area apart from the witch.
Nevertheless, he's worried about it, and he shouts at the captain and the helmsman "Don't let that thing hit us!" as he points at the strange looking ball of white energy.
Then Grunna grunts, and nods his head yes, when Brossic says to him "Is that the witch?" followed by "Out in the open, down from the orchard?".
The sorcerer from the coast of the Southlands goes to cast at her, this time something quicker than a fireball, a lightning bolt.
He's just about to cast it, when something comes out of the sky, and almost hits him in the face. He ends up on his rear end, on the deck. Blinking in surprise, as he's pretty sure he was just dive bombed by a bird of all things. A bird of prey, a falcon by the looks of it.
As the strange ball of white energy, about nine feet wide, narrowly misses the stern of the airship as it limps away to the west, away from the Maldin Hills, and out towards the lowlands . . . . . .

The Lost Ones 33.

Summer. West Southlands. Maldin Hills.

Lisell Maera the messenger runs uphill. She has smelt smoke for the last little while, and now she can see it in the early morning light of dawn.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury spots the airship, and she drops down behind some rocks to one side of the trail.
She peeks over the rocks as she loads her crossbow, and waits for the others to make their way up the hillside.
Next is Shur Kee the monk, and he too has spotted the airship drifting over the village that's further uphill.
The short, statured monk who is from the otherside of the continent, the far east coast to be exact. Where you can find his homeland, the kingdom of Wah Lee.
Runs off the trail, so that he comes up beneath the orchard and vineyard. Which by the looks of it, is untouched. As the smoke seems to be coming from the village that's further up.
The physical adept who is an honorary member of the personal council to lord Farque, looks back down the hill to see how the others are faring.
Next is sir Percavelle Lé Dic who is running up the hillside trail towards the village that's under attack.
The nobleborn knight form the kingdom of Druvic, is breathing heavily as he races uphill.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che looks back to see who is following him. And grins as he sees he's left his bitter rival, Dorc da Orc well down the trail from him.
Heading uphill next is Tamric Drubine the field commander, along with Saanea the witch.
The nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now a senior officer in the armies of Farque.
Has already told the pretty looking hillwoman with him to hold her power within herself, as there's a spellcaster onboard the airship they've just spotted.
Next to the young field commander, the witch who is from here in the Maldin Hills.
Is doing exactly that. Holding her power within herself so she can't be detected.
It's something rather difficult for Saanea, as she hasn't done it that often in the past.
Nor has she done it while being so physical, as running uphill has proven to be.
The practitioner of magic who is originally from the very north of the hill country. Who was found by the group in the southern half of the range.
Has never experienced battle before either. So what she's doing right now, is all brand new to her. And to be honest, a lot more frightening than she expected.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
Is just glad there's not more alert lookouts onboard the twin masted airship that's further uphill.
Whoever is on watch onboard the vessel, is too busy watching what's happening in and around the village. Than they are at looking back down the hill, and the trails that lead up to the rather large village, that's set upon a number of terraces towards the top of a hill.
The young field commander looks back down the trail at the last member of the group who is trailing the others.
The son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, a castle that's located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin. Gives a few hand signals to the last member of the group who is heading uphill.
Dorc da Orc grumbles and mutters to himself in the language of the orks as he heads up the hillside trail.
The large ork who is already feeling the heat of the day, even though it's just dawn up here in the Maldin Hills.
Scowls in anger as he runs up the trail with his head down, and his arms pumping with effort.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world who is in the mood to kill anyone, he doesn't care who, just anyone will do.
Lifts his head up, and looks up the trail. And sees Tamric Drubine the field commander further uphill. Giving him a number of hand signals. The ork weaponsmith grimaces in disgust, then he picks up the pace. To catch up to Tam and the witch Saanea, who have stopped next to some boulders, and some of the scrubby looking trees that are found throughout the Maldin Hills.
Further up the trail, sir Percavelle Lé Dic looks up, and spots Lisell Maera crouching behind some rocks that are off to one side of the trail.
The former earl of Lé Dic, which is his family's fief in the east of the kingdom of Druvic. Sees the messenger look at him, and point back down the trial.
The large, heavily armoured knight looks downhill, to where he sees field commander Drubine waving at him to come back down.
The nobleborn knight who is a former paladin, hurries back down the trail, to where Tam is with the witch Saanea next to some boulders, and some scrubby looking trees.
Once sir Percavelle Lé Dic or Percy as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, has come back down the hill about forty yards.
Tamric Drubine the field commander quickly tells Saanea the witch "I want you to go up to where Lis is" followed by "Percy and Dorc will go with you".
The nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic scowls when he hears that. So does the ork warleader who makes his way up to them, breathing heavily as he does so.
"You should be able to see into the village from up there" continues the nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who then adds "Teleport Dorc and Percy in there".
Tam then tells the pretty looking hillwoman "Then hit that airship with everything you've got" he follows that with "You better ward yourself too, because that spellcaster of their's will know you're around, and will want to eliminate you".
The local spellcaster who doesn't show the fear she's feeling, nods her head in understanding in response to the young field commander asking her "You got that?".
Then the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, says to the large heavily armoured knight, and the big, burly ork "Kill as many of them as you can".
The bitter rivals both grin, then they both sourly smile when Tam dryly tells them "And not each other".
Field commander Drubine then says "I want you to draw their attention" followed by "So do what you normally do" he dryly adds "Make a mess of things".
Which causes the former earl of Lé Dic to guffaw, and the ork warleader to chuckle.
Then the two of them head up the hill with Saanea the witch, and the three of them make their way to where Lisell Maera is.
Meanwhile Tamric Drubine runs off the trail, heading sideways across the hill. Making his way to where Shur Kee the monk is just down from the orchard and vineyard that's just below the rather large village that's further up the hill.
Saanea the witch stops next to Lisell Maera, and drops down next to the messenger in the armies of Farque.
While sir Percavelle Lé Dic goes to a knee behind the two of them, as they crouch behind a pile of large rocks.
Meanwhile Dorc da Orc who is huffing and puffing as he comes to a stop, just stands there in the middle of the trail. Not caring if anyone up in the village looks down this way, and sees him.
After hearing what the witch will do, Lisell Maera the messenger nods, then quietly says "Send them up as high as you can".
The attractive young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, looks back at the former paladin and the ork weaponsmith, and says "You two work your way down from the top of the village".
Lisell Maera who is more commonly called Lis by those who know her well, then dryly says "I'm sure you two will get their attention".
"Tis true" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who adds a "Wot". While the warleader of the ork race just grunts.
The witch Saanea looks away to the right, and spots Tamric Drubine quietly speaking with Shur Kee the monk along the bottom edge of the orchard and vineyard, as smoke from the nearby village rises up into the early morning sky.
Then the pretty looking hillwoman looks towards the village, a moment later she stands up, and touches both sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Dorc da Orc.
As she does, the spellcaster from here in the Maldin Hills stops holding her powers within herself.
And the next moment both the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic and the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world disappear.
Right after they do, the witch from the very north of the hill country, once again holds her power within herself.
As she does, Saanea looks carefully at the airship that's floating around the edges of the large village.
And wonders how it's best to attack something like an airship, as she has never done so before.
"I wonder how it's best to bring down a ship like that?" murmurs the pretty looking hillwoman, which Lisell Maera hears.
"Hit the keel" says the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is now a messenger or runner in the armies of Farque.
"That's the best way to bring down an airship" adds Lis as they look up towards the village.
In the large village, Brossic the lowlander mercenary looks over at Gunnar the sorcerer as they follow some of the others up through the village.
"What is it?" asks Brossic the mercenary when he sees the spellcaster from the coast frowning.
"Someone just cast a spell" says Gunnar the sorcerer, who then adds a muttered "I think?". As he can no longer sense the other spellcaster now.
As a handful of the others ransack a house up away to the right, killing the occupants. And as a screaming child goes running by on the path up ahead. Where another house has just been set alight.
Grunna the sorcerer looks down the hillside, in the direction he's sure he sensed another spellcaster.
The practitioner of magic from the coast of the Southlands, is just about to tell Brossic, that something is amiss.
When they both hear something from somewhere further up in the terraced village, that sounds suspiciously like a roar.
"What the hell was that?" asks Brossic, who leads the crew of mercenaries.
There's a momentary pause, then Brossic who is from the lowlands, or flatlands as they're sometimes called, frowns then says "Is that someone shouting?".
"I think so" replies Grunna who looks back uphill, then they hear the roar again, followed by more shouting.
The leader of the crew of mercenaries who intend to carve out a nation for themselves here in the Maldin Hills.
Looks over at some of the others nearby, who have stopped what they're doing. As they too wonder what's happening uphill.
"Get up there and sees what's happening" orders Brossic the lowlander as they hear the roaring again, followed by the shouting.
"Saint Mar-che?" says Spranen the mercenary from the coastal port of Gilsom, who continues with "What's that?".
"I'm not sure" says Halnard the mercenary, who like Spranen is also from the large port town of Gilsom.
They're further up in the village, in a house, where Halnard has just killed a hillman, who had shot two of the others with his bow. Killing one of the mercenaries from down in the lowlands.
"And what the hell is all that roaring about?" mutters Spranen, who looks out the open kitchen window, and says "What's going on out there?" to one of the other mercenaries out on the nearby path, who is looking uphill.
"I'm not sure" says the mercenary outside in the early light of dawn, who is just about to say something else, when he instead his eyes bulge in surprise, then he looks over at Spranen and shouts "Run!" before he turns and sprints back down the path.
"What the fuck?" mutters the mercenary from the coastal town of Gilsom, who then pops his head out the open window, looks away to the right, up towards the top of the village.
Then he suddenly jerks his head back inside, and says "Fuck" in a tone of surprise.
"What's going on?" asks Halnard who makes his way across the kitchen to where Spranen is standing at the open window.
"There's a troll or something up the hill" says Spranen the mercenary.
"A troll?" says Halnard who is the most cautious of the core of five who are attempting to take over part of the Maldin Hills, and set up a nation of their own.
"There's no trolls in these hills" adds Halnard, who is from the port town of Gilsom too.
"Well, there's something big and green out there" says Spranen who then quickly adds "And it just ran right through the side of a fucking house".
Halnard pauses for just the briefest of moments, then he says "Let's go". The two of them hurry out the backdoor of the house, turn left, and head quickly downhill.
As they do, they hear someone shout "Saint Mar-che!" again from somewhere behind them. This time, much more closer.
In the middle of the large village, Brossic the lowlander and Grunna the sorcerer are looking uphill, wondering what's going on towards the top of the village as smoke from a burning house blows by.
Then they both spin around and look downhill, when they hear shouting coming from down in the orchard and vineyard. Where they left a group of the others to stop any of the villagers from fleeing downhill.
"We're under attack" states Brossic the crew leader.
"I agree" says Grunna the sorcerer, who then looks towards the waiting airship, that's drifted to the southwest side of the large village.
The spellcaster from the coast of the Southlands, wards the vessel. Well, the most vulnerable part of it. As it's far too large for him to put a barrier spell completely around it.
And just after he puts a barrier spell along the underside of the hull, over the keel. The sorcerer suddenly senses another practitioner of magic. And a moment later a blast spell hits the twin masted vessel that is owned by Sharnd the merchant.
And though the blast spell clips some of the ward covering the keel, which is protected. It still goes through the hull, and up through the airship.
"A witch!" hisses Grunna as he senses who the spellcaster is that's attacking the airship.
"Be careful" says Brossic, as he looks over at his fellow mercenary "It could be a trap to lure you in, and take you out" adds the leader of the crew of mercenaries.
Grunna the sorcerer who was about to teleport downhill, nods his head at the cautious advice from Brossic.
Then the two of them draw their swords, and quickly make their way down through the village. As up in the dawn sky, the airship is veering away to the south as those onboard realise that they're under attack . . . . . .

The Lost Ones 32.

Summer. The Maldin Hills. The Southlands.

They continue southwards throughout the rest of the day, then into the evening.
It's only later at night do they turn east again and enter the Maldin Hills.
They walk late into the night, only stopping when they're unable to see where they're going. With the exception of Dorc da Orc, who can see as easily at night as he can during the day.
They've stopped amongst the rolling hills that can be found here on the west side of the hill country. Unlike over on the east side of the range, where for the most part, the hills are steep, almost like an escarpment in some places. Thrusting up from the flatland over on that side of the Maldin Hills.
After a cold meal, and after Tamric Drubine the field commander asks Saanea the witch, what her familiar sees at the moment.
And she tells him that the airship with the mercenaries stopped earlier in the night. Also amongst the rolling foothills, though further south of where they are.
They settle down for the night after field commander Drubine suspects the mercenaries from the lowlands and the coast, will attack another village or town sometime early in the morning.
Probably just after dawn, as they did the village that the group lived in previously.
They go to sleep, with the exception of Dorc da Orc who stays up all night. Knowing that they could very well encounter the mercenaries who they're after, sometime tomorrow morning.
They wake up well before dawn the next morning. To find a grumbling Dorc da Orc. Who was unsuccessful in catching some nearby wild goats in the night.
Looking away to the south in the darkness. Saying he can just see the airship they're after. On a hillside about five or six miles away.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
Hurries the others up, and they're soon underway again. As they head south through the gently rolling hills.
The nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, knows that there's a couple of villages nearby that the mercenaries from the flatlands and the coast could very well attack this morning.
He suspects it will be the one further up in the hill country, on this side of the range.
As it's very similar to the village that the group stayed in previously. It has an abundant and fruitful orchard and vineyard.
And like all the towns and villages higher up in the Maldin Hills. It's a terraced village, that's hard to defend. Especially from the air if an airship was to attack it.
As they walk along the trail in the darkness, with Dorc da Orc leading the way this early in the morning.
Field commander Drubine as he walks close to Saanea the witch. Occasionally asks the pretty looking hillwoman what her familiar is seeing at this time. As it is very close to the mercenaries from the lowlands and coast, and their airship.
Infact the familiar is actually onboard the airship at this time of the morning, well before dawn.
The falcon as it perches upon a spar up in the forward mast. Looks down at a sailor who is supposed to be on watch. But is dozing as he stands up against the mast.
There's another sailor on watch in the bow, but he's too busy looking out and away from the vessel, to notice that his fellow sailor is dozing against the mast behind him.
The witch's familiar hears then sees those onboard waking up. As the crew members who have the watch at the moment. Wait for the other members of the crew, along with the passengers to wake up.
The familiar changes form, and turns into a mouse and scrambles down a line to the deck.
It leaps off the line, and in midair changes to a small cat. Smaller than the shape it usually changes into when it's a cat.
In the darkness, the familiar heads below deck as the crew and the passengers start waking.
The small dark cat heads aft, to the captain's cabin. Where a number of people who are already up, are having a brief meeting.
The familiar changes to a mouse again, and slips under the door, and enters the captain's cabin that's lit by a couple of lanterns.
It scurries over to an empty chair, and makes it's way up the back of it and onto it, and hops up onto a cluttered cabinet here in the cabin.
And hiding amongst the knickknacks on top of the cabinet, the small, tawny coloured mouse watches and listens to those who are in the cabin.
"Well get underway soon sir" says the ship's captain as he opens one of the windows here in the aft cabin.
"I'll see to the preparations" continues the captain.
The merchant Sharnd who actually owns the ship, nods his head, then says "Very well captain".
The airship captain nods, and nods to the others in the cabin, then he makes his way out of it, closing the door behind him.
Once the captain is out of the cabin, Brossic the lowlander, who is also the leader of the crew of mercenaries, asks "Are they ready?" followed by "Do they all know what to do?".
"They are" says Spranen the mercenary, who continues with "And they do".
Next to him, his fellow mercenary Halnard, who like Spranen is also from the large coastal port town of Gilsom, nods in agreement.
Brossic then looks at the spellcaster amongst them, and asks "Think you'll have trouble of any kind?".
"None" says Grunna the sorcerer, who is from further south along the coast.
The spellcaster who wears leather armour and a sword, continues with "There were no spellcasters there when we stopped off there a few weeks ago" he then adds "And the locals i spoke to there, said they hadn't had a spellcaster living amongst them in generations".
The sorcerer from the coast of the Southlands momentarily pauses before he continues with "Well get no magical trouble from there, I'm certain of it".
Brossic nods, as he was expecting as much. No trouble from spellcraft when they attack the village this morning, that they've targeted.
Still, he'll caution the sorcerer Grunna to keep a lookout for any spellcasters all the same. As you can never be too careful in matters like this.
"The ship's crew know what to do" says Sharnd the merchant, who continues with "The captain and his men will stand off, and only come in once we've finished, or if there's any trouble" he then adds "Which I'm not expecting any".
Brossic nods in agreement, then the leader of the mercenary crew says "Remember, be careful of their hunters" followed by "Their bowmen can be accurate, so expect a few casualties like last time".
The others all nod, as they lost three of the hired mercenaries when they attacked the first village further north in the Maldin Hills.
And six others were injured, all healed now thanks to the work of the sorcerer Grunna, and a field surgeon who is amongst the other mercenaries.
The leader of the mercenary crew, who hails from down in the lowlands, looks at the other four in the lamp lit cabin, then asks them "Anything else?".
They shake their heads no, then Spranen from Gilsom says "Let's do this". As they can hear the others onboard, heading up onto the deck, as the airship is about to lift off.
"Right then" says Brossic, who then continues with "Let's get going then".
And the leader of the crew of mercenaries heads out of the captain's cabin followed by the other four.
Last of whom is Halnard from Gilsom, who after blowing the lanterns out, closes the cabin door behind him, before he follows the others up on deck.
In the cabin after the door closes, the tawny coloured mouse pops it's head up, and looks around with it's tiny nose twitching.
It then darts through the clutter of knickknacks on the top of the cabinet it's on, and jumps off the top of the cabinet.
Then in midair, above the cabin floor it changes form into a falcon, and flies out of the open window here in the cabin.
It sweeps up into the air, circling high up above the airship in the darkness before dawn.
The familiar which can't be sensed by spellcasters unless they know to specifically sense for it.
Flies in lazy circles a few hundred feet above the twin masted vessel. Which eventually lifts off the ground, and starts heading higher up into the west side of the Maldin Hills.
Holding her right hand up for a halt, Saanea the witch who has stopped, and has closed her eyes, says "They're on the move".
The pretty looking hillwoman, who also happens to be a spellcaster, continues with "Going up into the range".
As she looks through the eyes of her familiar, the witch adds "They're heading to the village you thought they'd go to".
"Damn it" mutters Tamric Drubine the field commander in the elven language, who then calls out in common "Keep going!".
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin grabs the pretty looking hillwoman by the arm, and hustles her along.
With her eyes closed, Saanea walks quickly beside the young field commander, trusting him to lead the way.
"How long until they get there?" asks the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, which is located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"Just after dawn" is the reply from the witch, who then adds "Which isn't all that far away".
Next to her, Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, faintly winces.
As up ahead, he can now see the first blush of the light of pre dawn up on the high hills of the range.
As they scramble up a trail that goes higher up into the hill country.
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin who is now a senior officer in the armies of Farque, figures they're not going to get there before the mercenaries on their airship attack the village. Even if Saanea teleports them a few times.
He gives the witch a slight shake, and says to her "Open your eyes" followed by "Don't waste your time watching them".
The spellcaster from here in the Maldin Hills, opens her eyes. Then she nods her head and says "Soon" in response to field commander Drubine asking her "How long until you can teleport us".
Tam nods his head, as they follow the others up the trail. And even though he doesn't have to anymore, the young field commander in the armies of Farque still has a hold of the witch's arm as they head higher up into the range.
The witch Saanea isn't looking through the eyes of her familiar at the moment. But it is still observing the airship, and those onboard it. As dawn breaks upon the west side of the Maldin Hills.
The falcon, is looking down at the twin masted vessel, which isn't flying particular fast up the side of the range.
The captain and it's crew are flying it at a constant steady pace. Not all that high off the ground. Though high enough to clear anything, as it climbs in altitude up the face of the west side of the range.
Heading straight up towards a village, whose inhabitants are waking up to what will be another hot summer's day here in the hill country.
Onboard the airship, most of the mercenaries, are down low next to the rails on either side of the vessel.
While the crew are up and about, sailing the twin masted vessel up towards what is a fairly large village, that has an orchard and vineyard on the terrace below it.
On the bow deck of the airship, crouching down as they approach the village in the gloomy light of dawn.
Brossic the lowlander says to the spellcaster next to him "Keep an eye out for any spellcasters in the area".
The leader of the mercenary crew continues with "I know there's none in the village itself, but i don't want any surprises if there is one in the general area".
"I'll keep a watch out" is the quiet reply of Grunna the sorcerer who is from the coast of the Southlands.
The two of them look back, as they're joined by both Spranen and Halnard. Who inform them that all the mercenaries are ready to attack.
Then Brossic looks aft, to where Sharnd the merchant is with the captain by the wheel.
In the early morning light, he sees the lowlander merchant nod. The signal, that all is ready.
The leader of the crew of mercenaries feels it too, as the airship starts to slow down, quite considerably too.
"Get ready" quietly says Brossic to the waiting mercenaries crouched down alongside the starboard and port rails.
Then he looks at Grunna, and quietly asks him "You ready?".
"I am" replies the practitioner of magic, who has sensed for a spellcaster in the village, and in the immediate area, and found none.
Brossic nods his head, then quietly orders "Archers ready".
Those with bows and crossbows, get ready to shoot their weapons. While others are holding ropes, that are tied to the rails along the starboard and port side.
"Ready when you are" quietly says Brossic to his fellow mercenary Grunna, who nods his head as he prepares to cast.
The sorcerer from down the coast, waits for the twin masted airship to come to an almost complete stop, as the captain is carefully watching the lookouts up in the crow's nest.
Then the vessel that belongs to Sharnd the merchant comes to a stop, above the edge of the orchard and vineyard, which is on the terrace just beneath the village.
When it does, Grunna the sorcerer stands up, and casts his spell. A moment later a fireball streaks from the bow of the airship in the dawn light, towards a building on the edge of village, just up from the vineyard and orchard.
"Go!" orders Brossic the lowlander, and all the bowmen and crossbowmen, stand up, and take aim at anyone who is up and about this morning in the village, and shoot at them.
While the other mercenaries toss the ropes tied to the rails, over the side. And start climbing down them to the ground.
Circling a few hundred feet above the ground, the familiar that belongs to Saanea the witch, which is in the form of a falcon at the moment.
Watches as the airship drifts up towards the large village, as the mercenaries onboard start to shimmy down the ropes they've thrown overboard.
And in the early morning light of dawn, on what feels like it's going to be another hot day here in the Maldin Hills.
The magical familiar, unknown to those below, watches the attack upon the large hillmen village by the group of mercenaries from the lowlands and coast.
The lead group of whom, who number five. Intend to carve out a nation of their own, here along the western side of the hill country . . . . . .

The Lost Ones 31.

Summer. The Lowlands To The West Of The Maldin Hills.

Brossic the flatlander, the crew leader. Looks over at his fellow mercenary, Grunna.
The sorcerer from the coast nods his head to the flatlander, or lowlander as they're often called.
"We'll take all you've got" says Brossic the leader of the crew of mercenaries.
"Very well" says the shopkeeper, who continues with "I'll send them over to your ship straight away".
"That will be appreciated" says Brossic, who is from further north on the lowlands, here to the west of the hill country, known as the Maldin Hills.
The crew leader pays the shopkeeper, then along with the sorcerer Grunna, makes his way out of the shop.
"Get them?" asks Spranen the mercenary who is waiting for them outside.
"As much as they've got" is the reply of Brossic, who looks around then asks the mercenary from the large port town of Gilsom "Where's Halnard?".
"With Sharnd" says Spranen, who continues with "Keeping an eye on him".
The flatlander who leads the group of mercenaries, nods his head, then says "We'll go back to the ship".
And as the trio of mercenaries head through town, to go to their airship, that's moored to the south of town.
Behind them, the shopkeeper and his assistant is loading up a wagon full of crates and barrels. Containing what Brossic just purchased from the shop.
There's originally five of them, the mercenaries Brossic, Grunna, Spranen and Halnard. Along with the merchant Sharnd.
And though over previous weeks they've traveled just by themselves throughout the nearby Maldin Hills, on horseback and wagon.
This last week, they've traveled exclusively upon one of Sharnd's airships.
Which they've had to. Because there's a lot more with then now. As Brossic had to hire more mercenaries from here on the flatlands, and out along the coast of the Southlands.
So they could go about and finally bring their plans to fruition. As Sharnd, and the four of them hope to carve out their own little empire up in the Maldin Hills.
By destroying villages they think will put up some kind of resistance to their plans of nationhood.
And by taking over other villages, that they've scouted throughout the early part of the summer.
They've already badly destroyed one village in the northern part of the hill country.
And now they're down here in the lowlands, getting supplies. Before they head off to attack to another village up in the Maldin Hills, that lie to the east of the flatlands.
They plan to take a big swath of the northern part of the range, along the more populated, and more productive western side of the hill country. And make it into their own nation.
For though they know this has been tried many times before in the past, and failed.
But this time, after extensive scouting. Not just in the early summer. But in the previous spring, and the autumn before it. As that's the usual time you'll find traveling merchants plying their trade throughout the hill country.
They have a clear understanding now of which villages and towns up on the west side of the range. Will be more resistant to change, and foreign rule.
And it's those settlements and population centers that they will target.
They found the first village they attacked at the start of the week. Much easier to basically destroy than they thought it would be.
For the hillmen and women are good with their hunting bows. They're not exactly well organised, and are unable to hold off trained mercenaries.
Brossic, who leads the crew. And who comes up with the plans alongside Sharnd the merchant.
Knows that with the addition of nearly fifty other mercenaries from here on the flatlands, as well as from the coast.
They can make quick, decisive attacks upon the villages and towns up in the hill country they've targeted.
And that the locals up there, won't know what's hit them. Especially considering they're attacking those places from an airship.
The last thing the hillmen would expect to attack them. As airships fly over the Maldin Hills all the time, and everyday.
Either going to the nearby coast, or further inland to the east in the Southlands.
And that most people who have designs for nationhood in any unruled lands.
Tend to avoid a place like the Maldin Hills. Because of the dry and dusty conditions up there. And the fact that during the summertime, the hot weather in the hill country can be unbearable at times.
All the more reason, that both Brossic and Sharnd think this is the most opportune time to attack the local populace up in the northern part, along the west side of the Maldin Hills.
"That next village should be easy to take" says Sharnd the flatland merchant as he and Halnard the mercenary climb up onto the deck of the airship.
"They won't know what's hit them just like the last one" adds the merchant, who then calls out to the captain of the ship, that they'll be leaving soon, once the last of the supplies get here, and are loaded onboard.
"I'm not too worried about these first ones" says Halnard the mercenary, who like Spranen, hails from the large port town of Gilsom.
"It's the ones near mines that haven't been played out yet, that I'm worried about" adds the mercenary from the coastal town of Gilsom, who is the most cautious of the five of them.
Sharnd grunts in agreement to that, as like it or not, that is something he'd have to admit too.
For once they take on the towns and villages up the Maldin Hills, that are located near mines that are still being worked.
Then their job will get a lot more difficult. As you'll find just as many foreigners, as you will hillmen in those places.
And many of those outsiders, will know how to fight. Making their task all that more difficult, as they attempt to carve out a large section of the hill country, and make it their own.
"Get it?" asks Halnard as he looks down overboard.
"We did" is the reply from Brossic the lowlander, as he along with Grunna and Spranen have made their way back to the airship, that's on the south side of the town.
The crew leader gestures back in the direction they've come from. To where a horse drawn wagon is heading through town, towards the airship that's moored just outside of town.
"We got as much as they had" says Brossic, who is a typical flatlander, the same colouring as those who live up in the Maldin Hills.
But those down here in the lowlands tend to have darker hair, like many on the coast do.
Though the main difference in appearance between those from the hill country, and down in the flatlands.
Is that lowlanders tend to be more taller than those who live up in the Maldin Hills.
Halnard nods to that, then he heads aft, to go and inform Sharnd, as the merchant has gone to speak to the ship's captain about something.
As he does, the three other mercenaries, Brossic, Grunna and Spranen climb up the netting along the port side of the twin masted vessel.
And after the wagon turns up with what Brossic last purchased from within town.
And the barrels and crates are carefully craned up onboard of the airship that belongs to Sharnd the merchant.
The crew of the vessel prepares to depart. And in little time, the twin masted airship is lifting up into the sky on what's a warm summer's day here in the lowlands. And it heads eastwards to the Maldin Hills in the distance.
Not knowing that little more than a half a dozen miles to the north, there's what appears to a bird of prey, a falcon to be exact.
That's circling in the air, with eyesight even far more keener than what a falcon normally has.
Watching the airship that's just left the lowland town, and is heading east to the nearby hill range.
It's also been watching who is onboard the twin masted vessel that's on it's way to the Maldin Hills.
"It's definitely them" says Saanea the witch who has stopped, and now stands there with her eyes closed.
"The ones you've described" adds the pretty looking hillwoman who is the latest member of the group.
"How many with them?" asks Tamric Drubine the field commander as he watches the spellcaster from the Maldin hills.
"There looks to be about forty or so other mercenaries onboard" says Saanea, who continues with "There's probably more below deck".
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin nods to that, then does so again when Saanea says "Probably that many in the ship's crew too".
The young field commander in the armies of Farque then looks at Lisell Maera, then Shur Kee the monk.
He then looks at sir Percavelle Lé Dic and finally Dorc da Orc.
All of whom, including the large ork. Have stopped, and are watching the witch who they recently found in the southern half of the Maldin Hills, over on the east side of the range.
"They've taken off" says Saanea, who briefly pauses, before continuing with "And they're going back to the hills".
The pretty looking hillwoman opens her eyes, and looks at field commander Drubine as she adds "As you suspected they would".
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, nods to that.
For he has already made the decision to turn back to the Maldin Hills, and over the morning, and during the previous night.
They've headed east back across the flatlands, towards the dry and dusty hill range known as the Maldin Hills.
Even before Saanea's familiar caught sight of their quarry, and the airship they're using.
"Off to attack another village or town up in the hills, no doubt" says Lisell Maera the messenger.
"No doubt" quietly says the nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others. Knows that they shouldn't really get involved. After all, their task was to find Saanea the witch, and that's what they've done.
But the young field commander in the armies of Farque feels obliged to, after spending time in the village up in the Maldin Hills, which was attacked, and nearly destroyed recently.
The young man who is a senior officer in the armies of Farque. Always thought it was odd that a traveling merchant would show up with his wagon and team of horses. Along with well armed and armoured hired mercenaries as guards, during the summertime.
When all the locals said this isn't the time to see them. As traveling merchants usually ply their trade in the spring and autumn in the Maldin Hills. When the weather is lot more cooler than the hot summers endured up in the dry, and dusty hill range.
"Continue?" asks Lisell Maera in the elven language.
"Continue" says Tam in the same language.
The messenger or runner as they're sometimes referred to, nods her head to that.
For though she knows they shouldn't really get involved. After all, they've found the witch they were searching for.
She seems to think the decision by field commander Drubine to go after those responsible for attacking the village they had previously stayed in, is the right thing to do.
In the common language, the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, which is located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin, says to the others "We'll continue on to the hills".
They all nod to that, with Dorc da Orc adding a grunt in the affirmative, as they agree with the decision by the young field commander.
"Will you be able to teleport again?" asks Tamric Drubine as he looks at the pretty looking hillwoman who he is attracted to.
"I'll need a bit of time before I'm able to again" is the reply from the spellcaster who hails from the nearby hill country.
"It is quite draining looking through the eyes of a familiar when it's quite some distance away" adds Saanea the witch.
"No worries" says the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin, who continues with "Just tell me when you're able to again".
After the hillwoman who is in her early twenties nods, the young field commander says to the others "Let's get moving".
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well. Sets off, and leads the way again. She's quickly followed by sir Percavelle Lé Dic, then Shur Kee the monk.
And Tamric Drubine and Saanea the hillwoman who walk side by side.
And eventually Dorc da Orc who isn't struggling as much with the warm morning, as it's no where near as hot as it would be up in the Maldin Hills.
They head southeast towards the nearby hill country, as the mercenaries they're after are heading there too. Though they and the airship they're using, is somewhere further to the south on the lowlands.
As they walk quickly, and as Lisell Maera is now way out infront as she's broken out into a run.
Field commander Drubine glances at Saanea the witch beside him, who has just quietly asked him "Do you think we can make a difference?" followed by "There is maybe forty or more of them, not to mention the crew onboard that airship" the pretty looking hillwoman then adds "While there's just the six of us".
The spellcaster from the Maldin Hills has never been in battle before, and the only conflict she's experienced, is fistfights amongst some of the younger herders up in the hill country.
And the only real harm she's seen caused by one person to another, is when a farmer shot an arrow into the leg of a miner, who he had accused of stealing from him.
"I know the odds seen a little against us" says Tamric Drubine as they walk quickly across the flatlands towards the Maldin Hills.
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin gestures towards those infront of the two of them, then nods his head back at the ork warleader who is following them, and he says "But you'll be surprised at what so few of us can accomplish".
The young field commander in the armies of Farque looks at the witch from the Maldin Hills, who he is attracted to, and tells her "And i wouldn't be surprised at how much you'll be able to accomplish too" followed by "You just don't know it yet".
"You think so?" asks the pretty looking hillwoman in a slightly hesitant tone.
For she has always been a confident and positive person. Headstrong one could describe her. Who has always ended up doing what she's wanted to do.
But this, confronting a large group of mercenaries, who no doubt will try to kill her and the others. Is something she has never experienced before. And is something she never thought she would experience.
"I think so" says the Tam, who smiles to try and put the witch at ease, as he adds "I think you'll surprise yourself at what you can accomplish".
Field commander Drubine knows that Saanea was picked for a reason by Helbe the elven thief and his powers of foresight.
To do with what she can help lord Farque and his strategies for his mercenary armies to be hired throughout the Southlands.
And that she just doesn't know her own potential yet. And that something like this, taking on a large group of mercenaries traveling on an airship. Will no doubt bring that potential to the forefront.
"Nice to know someone thinks so" quietly and dryly says the pretty looking hillwoman, who doesn't know that the young man walking beside her, is totally enamoured with her.
"You'll be fine" says field commander Drubine with a chuckle, the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine in the kingdom of Sarcrin then adds "Trust me".
They continue walking until late in the morning, when Saanea eventually says she's able to teleport them all again.
She does so, a couple of miles at a time. Doing so a handful of times, so that they end up just a mile or so from the first rolling hillocs of the Maldin Hills.
They stop for a quick bite to eat, as they do. The witch gets in contact with her familiar, which is following at a distance, the airship and the mercenaries onboard it, who they're after.
"They're still away to the south" says Saanea the witch after she opens her eyes, she then adds "They should reach the edge of the hill range sometime later this afternoon".
Tamric Drubine nods, then says "We'll head south here" followed by "It will be quicker here down in the lowlands, than up in the hills".
The young field commander in the armies of Farque continues with "Then we'll head into the hills" he follows that with "Hopefully we can get to them before they attack another village or town up in the hills".
Tamric Drubine briefly pauses before he continues with "If we can't get to them before then, we can still make a difference once we find them".
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin has no doubts that they can deal with the mercenaries who attacked the village they were living in previously.
He knows it will be difficult, as there's only the six of them. But it's six very different individuals, whose skills, and in the case of some of them, their experience. Is something the airship of marauding mercenaries have never encountered before, or even thought they would ever encounter . . . . . .