Winter. The Nation Of Farque. In The Southlands.
"You may have to lead a troop of soldiers even though you're not an officer, or even a sergeant at arms" says sir Morcin the undead avenger.
"I myself did this a number of times even when i was still a squire in my order" adds the undead being who died four and half centuries ago.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic perks up when he hears this. As he's yet to find out what knightly order sir Morcin once belonged to.
So far the avenger hasn't told him when he's asked. Nor has anyone else here in town, when the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic has asked them.
"This is the way of a battle, or for that matter, war in general" continues the nobleman whose kingdom of birth no longer exists.
As the history of the Southlands is of numerous nations rising, then falling. With very few lasting centuries, or even millennia on end.
"No doubt some of you if you end up in a war, you'll find yourself leading others of you in our lord's armies even though you do not have the rank to do so" says sir Morcin who follows that with "This is why in your training you are all taught about leadership" he then adds "For who knows, you might end up leading a patrol, or a company, or even a battalion when you thought you might not".
This particular group this morning are in the main room of the largest of the four houses, which are essentially the barracks of the teenage recruits who are based here in the town of Gildin Dale, which is located in the northwest of the lands of Farque.
Taking the lesson this morning is sir Morcin the undead avenger. Who has asked sir Percavellé Lé Dic to sit in on the lesson.
Which he doesn't mind in the least, as once again it is snowing outside.
It's halfway through winter. And the young recruits for the winter intake for the region of northwest Farque.
Are by in large, more than equipped. Both mentally and physically. To adapt to whatever their instructors throw at them.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic, the former paladin in the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che.
As he looks at the group of ten teenagers, sitting on the floor. Paying attention to the avenger sir Morcin.
Will clearly admit why lord Farque's armies are so disciplined. And to this day, the best fighting force he's ever encountered.
He's fought alongside them in the past. And now he knows why they're so good in battle.
It's their training they undertake. He's never seen anything like it.
The training they do far outstrips what he did when he trained as a squire then a knight's apprentice in his order.
Or for that matter, from any other knightly order he's ever heard about. Or from the armies of other nations. Which for the most part in many kingdoms and ruled lands. Are made up of armies made up of various forces throughout that particular nation.
It's only nations that are stable, usually for centuries on end. Who tend to have actual standing armies.
And they are few and far between in the Southlands. The most prominent being the three elven principalities located in the Southlands. And the elven forest city-state of Quinthain.
As well as the lands Farque itself. Which has a number of standing armies now. As over the last quarter of a century, the nation has been building up it's military.
For in the past, centuries ago. The nation of Farque had as many as eighteen separate armies.
Which were seen throughout the Southlands, as they were hired out to various kingdoms, nations, and rulers, who were at war.
And just over the last eighteen months. They have resumed doing so. As one of their armies took part in a war in the kingdom of Nastell.
Between some of the northern lords of that kingdom. And the robber barons in the Colevar Mountains to the north of the kingdom.
That particular Farqian mercenary army was hired by the five robber barons who banded together to fight the northern lords of Nastell.
Now there's a new ruling duke in northern Nastell, who was once a robber baron in the Colevar Mountains.
Who has expanded the border of Nastell further north into the mountain range.
All thanks to the Farqian army he and the other four robber barons hired for their war.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic, or Percy as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Who took part in that war. Serving in the Farqian mercenary army that was sent to fight for the robber barons of the Colevar Mountains.
Has seen how the training the recruits get here before they actually join their lord's armies.
Culminates in practice on the battlefield, and in a campaign.
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic was himself led at times by what seemed like ordinary soldiers.
With no particular ranks. Whether they be scouts, foot soldiers, cavalry and so on.
And the fact they work in unison with their magic users. As well as their army working in unison with their fleet, which is their aircorp.
Makes all the difference in the opinion of the former earl of Lé Dic. Which is his family's fief in the east of the kingdom of Druvic.
Which it seems is a little odd to Percy, that these recruits based here in Gildin Dale have yet to train with spellcasters, or any of the nation's fleets.
The heavily armoured knight brings this up with sir Morcin. After the avenger sets the recruits a task concerning artillery.
The use of ballista, catapults, trebuchets and the likes, against various targets.
Even though most of these ten teenagers in this particular group won't be in the artillery of whatever army of their lord they end up in.
They still have to learn about it. For who knows, one of them might end up leading an artillery battery.
Even though they might be a ranger, or in the light cavalry, or a heavy foot trooper.
As the recruits sit on the floor with their slates and chalk, going over the problems that sir Morcin has set for them.
Which sir Percavellé Lé Dic knows has a lot to do with distances, angles, and numerical equations in general.
Which he always hated doing when he learnt about artillery as a squire, then as a knight's apprentice.
Nods his head as sir Morcin quietly tells him "This is the first phase of their training, well second really if you count what they've learnt in the learning centers in their hometowns".
As they stand at the doorway to the kitchen, looking into the main room where the recruits are sitting, doing their various calculations.
The undead avenger continues with "Towards the end of this phase, at the end of winter they'll train alongside others with unique abilities like spellcasters" followed by "And they'll take some lessons from some of the krean marines who'll show them what they'll need to start learning about ship to ship fighting in the air".
The rather ordinary looking man, who appears to be in his late twenties, or early thirties, who hardly ever wears armour, then tells the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic "Towards the end of their training here, they'll also go out to the coast, and learn about fighting at sea".
Sir Morcin nods in the direction of the teenage recruits as he adds "Which will be an experience for those who have never gone out to the coast before, and not seen the Great Western Ocean yet".
"Ah i wondered about such" says sir Percavellé Lé Dic the knight, who then asks the smaller man "Pray tell, what shall their training be after the wintertime here in this lovely town?" the heavily armoured knight then adds "Wot".
"Most of them will continue with more specialised training elsewhere" states the former knight, who was killed in battle alongside his lord and many others, four and half centuries ago.
The undead avenger follows that with "While those who we deem ready, will join one of the armies".
The nobleman whose nation of birth no longer exists, quietly tells the former paladin "Those ones will start of as runners in the scouts and rangers division of the army they're assigned to".
The nobleborn knight who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, who is carrying his full helm tucked under his left arm, nods his head in understanding.
As he looks at the teenage recruits in this particular group. Made up of six boys, and four girls.
And though Percy would ordinarily decry the use of women in battle. He's learnt over the years traveling with lord Farque and the others, to keep that to himself.
As Lisell Maera has been in their company fighting alongside the rest of them.
And more recently, so has Saanea the witch. Who is the newest member of the group.
Though the former earl of Lé Dic is more uncomfortable in the fact is that she's a spellcaster, than she is a woman.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che. The members of which see the founder of their order, sir Mar-che as a holy saint. And who worship the god Narille, as the god above all others.
Isn't particularly enamoured with those who practice magic.
Seeing them as evil doers. And that magic in all its guises. Is a manifestation of evil.
Though he won't admit that he'll use magic when it's to his advantage.
After all, he has two powerful magical items of his own.
The shield of Saint Mar-che. One of the most holy, if not the most holy relic in his order. Which is standing, propped up in one of the corners of the main room of this house.
As well as the sword of knockdown. A magical weapon that's on his sword belt. On the opposite hip from his sword.
Well, it should be there. For sir Percavellé Lé Dic frowns as he looks down thinking about the magical sword, that resembles a small shortsword. And finds it missing.
"By Narille" mutters the former paladin as he wonders where he's left his magical weapon this morning.
"Something the matter?" asks sir Morcin the avenger.
"Hmmmmm i seem to of misplaced something of importance, wot" says the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic.
Seeing the heavily armoured knight looking to where his magical weapon is usually kept.
The undead avenger says to him "That long dagger of yours?" followed by "The magical one?".
"Yes, that is indeed the one I've misplaced" says the former earl of Lé Dic who wonders if he's left it back in the house he shares with Shur Kee the monk.
The nobleman originally from Druvic would swear it was on his belt last night when he took it off.
"Well it's nearby" says sir Morcin, who has quickly sensed and found the magical weapon in question.
The undead being refrains from sourly smiling as he also senses who has it this morning.
With a frown upon his face as he looks at the smaller man, who appears to be younger than him by about fifteen years.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic asks the avenger "How doth you knowst that sir?".
"Practice" dryly says sir Morcin, who doesn't elaborate on how he knows where it is, but instead says "It's actually on it's way back to town right now".
It takes a few moments to realise what the apparently young looking man means.
Then the former paladin splutters "You mean to say that stinking fat green beast has it?" followed by a sour sounding "Wot".
The undead avenger nods his head yes. Which causes the heavily armoured knight to scowl.
Percy wondered why Dorc da Orc accepted Shur Kee the monk's invitation to dinner last night.
Considering the short, statured monk doesn't eat much in the way of meat. Nor does he consume alcohol. The two main requirements to any meal that the large ork has.
The overgrown dirty cesspool of a creature stole my sword again! the former earl of Lé Dic thinks to himself in disgust.
Who figures the ork warleader swiped it last night, from where Percy dumps all his belongings in a corner of the main room of the house the nobleborn knight shares with Shur Kee the monk.
The Druvician nobleman shakes his head, and sourly smiles as he thinks of the ork general who once again has the sword of knockdown.
Over the years, the two of them have been stealing it off one another. Taking possession of it when the other one hasn't noticed.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che had it for well over a year until losing it to his bitter rival last night.
For the simple reason lord Farque warned Dorc da Orc off from trying to steal it off the nobleborn knight who hails from the kingdom of Druvic.
But since lord Farque, and most of the group have been missing since last spring.
Percy figures the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world has just been biding his time. Waiting for the opportune moment to steal back the magical sword of knockdown.
The former paladin who knows the ork weaponsmith is on the north forest trail this morning with one of the groups of recruits.
Figures his bitter rival, the ork warleader is making his way back to Gildin Dale if sir Morcin is correct.
The undead avenger arches an eyebrow when the heavily armoured knight loudly mutters "I'll get it back from that smelly pig, and show him once and for all, not to tangle with the great sir Percavellé".
The former earl of Lé Dic clears his throat, and without the least bit of embarrassment, says "If you would excuse me good sir, i must be off to attend to pressing matters, wot".
"Of course" says sir Morcin with a nod of his head, who will quickly go and have a word to field commander Drubine before Dorc da Orc returns to town.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic nods to the avenger, and with a tight lipped smile, the former paladin makes his way to the shield of Saint Mar-che, picks it up then heads through the main room of the house.
Where the recruits pay him no mind, as they concentrate on solving the problems before them.
The nobleman who hails from the kingdom of Druvic makes his way outside, and sourly smiles as he steps down off the covered portico into the falling snow.
As he walks across the courtyard between the four houses that essentially are the barracks for the teenage recruits based here in the town of Gildin Dale.
The heavily armoured knight murmurs, loudly to himself "I shall confront that disgusting green demon, and we shall have a reckoning for the ages, wot".
Percy intends to deal to his bitter rival Dorc da Orc once and for all.
Not just to take back his sword of knockdown from him, but to finally get rid of him.
As he looks to end the near fifteen year rivalry between the two of them, that started in a war in the Sunreach Mountains, where the two of them were on opposite sides of the conflict.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic sees no reason why he shouldn't be victorious, after all he's defeated the large ork in battle before.
And he likewise, but the former paladin doesn't like to remember that.
But this time, the nobleborn knight intends to finally kill his bitter rival, the warleader of the ork race . . . . . .
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