The Lost Ones 44.

Summer. The Port Town Of Gilsom.

"He still out?" asks Brossic the lowland mercenary.
"He's still out" says Spranen the mercenary, who along with two of the other mercenaries, are carrying the unconscious sorcerer Grunna.
Brossic, who leads the group of five who have plans to create their own nation up in the Maldin Hills.
Grimaces as he looks over at Sharnd the merchant, then tells him "Would you shut up for a moment".
"Why the fuck should i?" says Sharnd the flatland merchant, who has complained ever since they fled Gilsom's shipyards.
"My damn ship has probably burnt to the ground by now" states a more than annoyed Sharnd, infact he's totally pissed off with what's happened this night.
"I'm not shutting up for fucking anything" adds the merchant who is paying for most of what they've been doing of late.
"If you don't, we might not get out of this mess alive" hisses Brossic who continues with "Because without doubt those two will still be after us". Referring to the large, heavily armoured knight and the even larger creature, they still believe is a troll. Who set fire to their airship in the shipyards on the north side of the township. Who previously attacked them, and damaged the same airship, early yesterday morning in the Maldin Hills.
The merchant Sharnd finally falls silent, and Spranen the merchant who is from here in Gilsom, says "What i want to know is how the hell did they get here?".
"An airship of course" says Brossic who is looking up and down the street their inn here in the township is on.
Sharnd looks around too, and speaks up as he quietly asks "Where's Halnard?".
"Gone to the other inn to get that wizard and magic user Grunna hired when we got here" is the quiet reply of Brossic, the crew leader who continues with "He's getting them, and the others in that inn, to where we're going".
Sharnd the lowland mercenary who hasn't really been paying attention to anything that's going on around them, as he's been so angry with the loss of his airship, asks "Where exactly are we going?".
Nodding at the small mountain they're right next to, Brossic the lowlander says "There" followed by "The port" he then adds "We're getting the hell out of here".
There's a constant stream of people on the street out infront of their inn. Mostly those heading down to the shipyards to see what's happening there this night. As the glow of the fire there can still be seen.
While others who were in the gathered crowd, who saw what happened on the north side of the shipyards. And are fleeing in the other direction. To their homes here in the township. Or in the tunnels within the small mountain itself. Where the actual town of Gilsom is located.
Looking at some of the other mercenaries they've hired earlier today. And others they had hired originally, who have already taken part in the attacks upon some of the villages up in the Maldin Hills.
Brossic the crew leader says to them "You lot head up the street, to the town itself, and through to the port" he continues with "Go to the south end of the harbour, and the docks there" the lowland mercenary then adds "You should find Halnard and the others, if not, you'll know exactly what ship to get on anyway" Brossic then says in a slightly dry tone "You'll hardly miss it".
As those he spoke to set off, the crew leader says to the others still with him "Back inside" followed by "We'll go out the back" he then adds "I don't like the looks of things out here".
And as they head back into the inn, Sharnd the merchant asks his fellow lowlander "Those pirates?".
Nodding his head, Brossic the flatland mercenary says "Yeah" followed by "Those pirates".
Looking back at the others, Lisell Maera the messenger quietly says "Some of them are heading to town" the attractive young woman who hails from the city-state of Brattonbury then adds "The lot we've be watching went back inside" she continues with "They're carrying that sorcerer of their's, he looks to be knocked out is all".
"They're going out the back no doubt" says Tamric Drubine the field commander, while behind him, sir Percavelle Lé Dic grunts in disappointment at hearing that the sorcerer who attacked him. And was hit by his own spell that bounced off the heavily armoured knight's magical shield. Is still alive, and not dead as he was hoping he would be.
As sir Percavelle Lé Dic loudly mutters "Damn evil magic fiend, wot". Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, looks at Saanea the witch who is standing beside him.
"Do you want me to follow them?" quietly asks Saanea the witch.
"Can you sense an unconscious spellcaster?" asks field commander Drubine who knows that someone as skilled in magic as Helbe the elven thief is able to do something like that, while most other spellcasters are unable to.
"I was thinking about using my familiar" quietly says the pretty looking hillwoman.
The nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now a senior officer in the armies of Farque, shakes his head no, and says "No, have it still look for Dorc". The spellcaster from the Maldin Hills nods to that.
Then field commander Drubine points to the lane behind them, and says to Lisell Maera "We know where they're going" followed by "The harbour" he then adds "They're just taking the lanes to get there, instead of the main streets" Tam continues with "We will too".
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by the others in the group, nods in understanding.
And is the first one to go back down the lane, she's quickly followed by Shur Kee the monk, and sir Percavelle Lé Dic. Then Tamric Drubine and Saanea the witch.
The messenger in the scouts and rangers division in the armies of Farque, turns into the first lane to the right. Which heads towards the small mountain that's nearby. Within which is the town of Gilsom itself. And on the otherside of which, is the port and harbour of Gilsom.
They enter the town of Gilsom fairly quickly. Infact they get there before the others that Brossic sent along the street outside their inn.
It's thanks to Spranen, who grew up here, and lived most of his life here in Gilsom. That they entered the town so quickly.
Spranen knowing the lanes and streets in the outside township so well. Got them here into the town so quickly.
Now they're within the small mountain that sits upon the coast of the Southlands, inside of which is the town of Gilsom itself.
As they head through the large tunnel that goes right through the base of the mountain. A tunnel, that at this time of night. Is still fairly busy with people, carts and wagons.
Brossic who is out infront, slightly nods his head when from behind him Spranen quietly tells him "Turn into the side tunnel coming up on the left".
Spranen who is helping to carry the unconscious sorcerer Grunna, continues with "You might miss it, so keep an eye out for it".
Brossic, who leads the five who want to carve out their own nation in the Maldin Hill range.
Almost walks by the entrance to the side tunnel, and only sees it at the last moment.
They all enter it, and Sharnd the flatland merchant asks "Why this way?" followed by "Isn't the main through tunnel the quickest way to the harbour?".
"No" is the reply from Spranen who grew up here inside the small mountain, in the warren of tunnels that make up the town of Gilsom.
"Not to where we're going" adds the local mercenary, who with two of the mercenaries they first hired, is carrying the unconscious sorcerer Grunna.
"Next right" says Spranen to Brossic who is out in the front.
The crew leader nods his head, and soon turns into the next tunnel on the right.
This one is relatively dark, and has just one lamp lit in it, about thirty yards away. Unlike the side tunnel they were just in. Which had a lamp on one of the walls, every dozen yards or so.
Slightly nodding, Spranen says "Halnard has been through here already". The mercenary from here in Gilsom as they walk by a lamp that's out. Knows that his fellow resident of the port town of Gilsom. Has put out all the lamps in this side tunnel apart from one, to indicate he's been this way.
"Left next" quietly says Spranen to Brossic, who after another thirty yards or so, takes the next tunnel on the left.
This one is near dark too, with just a single lamp alight in the distance along it.
"This is the longest one we go through" says the mercenary who is from here in Gilsom, Spranen goes onto explain "Hardly anyone uses these tunnels nowadays, unless they're up to no good".
"Like us" says Sharnd the mercenary "Definitely like us" quietly says Brossic the crew leader as he leads the way through the long, dark tunnel they're in, here within the small mountain, within which is the town of Gilsom itself.
They enter the town of Gilsom, making their way into the wide, not to mention tall and vaulted, as well as long tunnel.
That goes from one side of the small mountain, here on the inland side. All the way to the otherside, the harbour and port side of Gilsom.
Tamric Drubine who is more than annoyed that Dorc da Orc has gone off on his own, more than likely to kill any dwarves who are in town.
Would dearly like the ork warleader to be with them at the moment. As the large ork and his acute sense of smell, not to mention, his naturally enhanced hearing. Would be able to follow those they're after.
Lisell Maera the messenger who is leading the way, hops up onto a large standing barrel infront of a tavern, and looks through the long tunnel that cuts right through the small mountain that's on the coast.
"I can see some of that lot they've hired" says the attractive young woman who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury.
"The others?" asks Tamric Drubine the field commander, who then adds "With that sorcerer they're carrying?".
"I can't see them" is the reply of the messenger, or runner as they're quite often referred to.
"Nor can i friend Tamric" says Shur Kee the monk, who is standing on a bench a bit further along infront of the tavern.
"They must of gone into the side tunnels" says the nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
"I say young Tam, shall we follow them?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who then adds a "Wot".
"We'd just get lost in those side tunnels" says the young field commander, who gestures through the long tunnel, the other end of which can't be seen yet, and adds "We'll just go this way" followed by "Come on".
As the tavern keeper comes out and yells at Lis to get off his barrel. And is taken aback when the messenger tells him to fuck off, just before she jumps down off it.
They continue on their way through the long, wide, and rather high tunnel that was cut out well over a thousand years ago by dwarven masons and miners.
As they do, field commander Drubine as he walks quickly beside Saanea the witch, quietly asks the pretty looking hillwoman "Have you found him?".
The spellcaster from the Maldin Hills slightly grimaces, and quietly replies with "I have" Saanea the witch then adds "He's".
She's interrupted by Tam who says "Don't worry, you don't have to say". The son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, which is the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin, then he dryly adds "I have a fair idea what he's up to".
The young field commander in the armies of Farque as they pick up the pace, and start to jog, asks the pretty looking hillwoman beside him "Can you communicate through your familiar?".
Though it's difficult to achieve, the witch from the Maldin Hill range says "I can".
"Good" murmurs the nobleborn teenager who is a senior officer in the armies of Farque as they hurry around a slow moving wagon, as they follow the others through the tunnel, which is essentially the main street of the town of Gilsom.
"There's something i want you to tell him" says Tamric Drubine, Saanea the witch nods, then the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin tells her what to say to Dorc da Orc.
He stands there with an arm in his right hand that he's just used to beat a dwarf to death behind a house that's right up against the small mountain.
He's just about to walk away, when he sees a cat has just walked behind the house.
"Dorc likes me some pussy" murmurs Dorc da Orc, who biffs away the arm he's holding, and quietly says to the cat that's watching him "Here pussy cat, let your friend Dorc eats you".
The large ork goes to step towards it, when he all of a sudden he stops in surprise as the cat changes to a dog.
"The fuck?" mutters the ork warleader, who sniffs then grunts as he realises the dog smells like the animal that is always around the newest member of the group, Saanea the witch.
"Fuck, probs gonna a tell on Dorc, and what me been up to" mutters the ork weaponsmith in his native language, as he looks from the dog, to the dead dwarf on the ground behind the house.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world is just about to tell the dog to fuck off, when it suddenly speaks to him.
Dorc da Orc stands there, blinking in surprise, listening to what the dog has to say, a dog that sounds a lot like the witch Saanea.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks finds it a little difficult to understand what the dog is saying. But after a few moments he comprehends what it's saying to him.
The large ork who is a general in the armies of Farque is about to ignore what it's saying, and walk away to find some more dwarves to kill this night. When he suddenly winces as it mentions someone.
"Fucken cunty hell" mutters Dorc da Orc who then grunts, and walks quickly away, following after the dog, that heads to the nearest entrance in the side of the small mountain.
The ork general goes in search for the rest of the group, only partly satisfied at killing a number of dwarves this night, and not more.
"The others?" asks Halnard the mercenary as he waves Brossic and the others across the gangplank.
"Still coming along the waterfront" is the reply from Brossic the mercenary, as behind him, the unconscious Grunna is brought onboard the coastal raider.
"They took the main tunnel through" adds the mercenary who leads the five of them who have plans to set up their own nation in the Maldin Hills.
Brossic then asks Halnard "They've agreed then?". "They have" says the mercenary who is from here in Gilsom, Halnard then adds "For a price though".
Brossic slightly grimaces, then mutters "I'd figured as much".
Then he and Halnard turn, as Spranen says "Here's the rest coming along the dock side".
Spotting the rest of the mercenaries they hired during the day, hurrying south along the harbourside to where the rather disreputable looking ship is tied up.
Brossic says to Halnard "Have the captain and his crew set off" followed by "We're leaving".
He then looks over at the two spellcasters they hired earlier in the day, who are further along the port rail, and says to the mercenary from here in Gilsom "And have that wizard and magic user protect us" he then adds "They might as well be of use since we're paying them so much".
After coming out of the tunnel, and making their way down to the docks in the crescent shaped harbour, they quickly head south to that end of the harbour of Gilsom.
"There, that ship that's setting off" says Lisell Maera the messenger as they hurry southwards along the harbour front.
"Fuck they're getting away" mutters Tamric Drubine the field commander in the elven language, as they hurry along the water front, which at this time of night, still has ships coming into, and leaving the docks.
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin asks the pretty looking hillwoman beside him "Can you hit it with a blast spell" as the sailing ship moves away from docks, and goes out across the south side of the harbour.
"I can" says Saanea the witch, who after a couple of moments when she senses, adds "Damn" followed by "There's other spellcasters onboard, they've got wards up that i can't get through".
"Damn" mutters field commander Drubine as they all run to the very last dock at the south end of the harbour, where the ship was tied up.
There on the docks, they watch the coastal raider make it's way out of the south side of the crescent shaped harbour of Gilsom, and turn south on this warm summer's evening on the coast of the Southlands . . . . . .