To War.

Summer.

"This place isn't too different than southern Farque" says Beldane the cleric as they head north along the road that leads out of the city of Calinar.
"Well, what I've seen of southern Farque from here" dryly adds the powerful spellcaster.
Walking next to the cleric in the church of Glaine, the halfling Jarjin Littlefoot grins, then says "A lot different across the border".
The hobbit, who isn't exactly all that he appears to be, continues with "Hell of a lot more stable in Farque" he briefly pauses before continuing with "Which i like".
Jarjin, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, by the name of Zubutai Timaginson.
Who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of the hobbit from the far east coast of the continent. Then says in a sour tone of voice "I died here in Melaurn".
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell glances down at the hobbit, and quietly asks him "Here in Calinar?".
"In the province of Sorros, to the east" is the reply from the halfling, who continues in a sour tone with "That sucked".
Beldane can only nod to that. He knows that Jarjin is really someone else.
A barbarian hordesman, who died nearly fifteen years ago here in the kingdom of Melaurn.
And who ever since, has inhabited body after body. Going to another, whenever the one he's in, dies or is killed.
"So will others most like" quietly says the powerful spellcaster as the two of them converse in the elven language.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods in agreement with the member of the church of Glaine.
They're in the kingdom of Melaurn. The southern most kingdom in the Southlands.
Lying south of the lands Farque, and to the west of the southern tundra.
They're in the province of Calinar, where the capital city, also called Calinar, is located.
They've just left the coastal city, and are on the little used road north of the city.
Heading for the nearby border with the lands of Farque.
The two of them, one a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
The other, who has never, even set foot in the nation of Farque. With good reason, he's a cleric.
"If we get the hire from one side or the other, things could escalate, and the next thing you know, bang it's a civil war here in the kingdom" quietly says Beldane, a fairly large man, who wears halfplate armour.
Who has a magical mace on his belt around his waist.
Thankfully for the cleric, a mace that no longer has a mind of it's own.
For on occasion in the past. The mace would cast on it's own. All with the intent of keeping Beldane safe.
But sometimes sending him who knows where, to get him out of harm's way.
"That could happen" says Jarjin, a halfling who is a former air sailor.
"But it's a risk either side is willing to take" adds the hobbit, who isn't what he appears to be.
As they near the border, which is only a handful of miles away from the city of Calinar.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman quietly says "I'll inform the others of what you lot have found out".
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell, nods then quietly says "Hopefully they both won't want to hire" followed in a dry tone of voice from Beldane, with "That would be a bit complicated if it did happen".
"That's for sure" dryly and quietly says Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit as they near the border.
The road ends near a rocky, mountain like tor, an escarpment really.
Within which, those living here in Melaurn just across the border, wouldn't believe could exist at all.
The road which is a dirt road, ends about fifty yards from the rocky tor.
At the end of the road stands a lone figure. A large man in a full suit of armour.
Who has been the sentinel here on the border crossing for centuries.
"Hopefully we'll find out if they'll decide anything" quietly says Beldane as they walk to the end of the road.
"Hopefully" says Jarjin Littlefoot, who along with the fighting cleric, come to a stop about ten yards from the lone figure.
"Stay safe" says councillor Littlefoot, who then shakes hands with the spellcaster from the kingdom of Nastell, then tells him "I'll come back across as soon as i can".
Beldane nods, and watches Jarjin continue onwards.
"Draugadrottin" quietly says the hobbit from the otherside of the continent to the sentinel.
Who just slightly nods his full helm head, to give the former air sailor the go ahead. To step forward across the border.
Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson turns, and waves to the watching fighting cleric.
The member of the church of Glaine waves in return, and after nodding to the undead figure next to the halfling.
Beldane the cleric turns, and heads back to the city of Calinar to rejoin Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy.
On what's a warm, sunny summer's day, here in the border region.
Meanwhile Jarjin Littlefoot, a member of lord Farque's personal council.
Continues on his way to the rocky escarpment. Basically a stone mountain, within which is housed one of the largest garrisons in the lands Farque.
As well as hundreds of magetubes, most of which are directed at the city of Calinar. Which lies less than three and a half miles away.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, will give his report of how things fare in the kingdom of Melaurn.
Especially in the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw. In the south of the kingdom.
Where the ruling nobles of those two provinces are at war with one another.
Well, a war that's actually yet to get underway. As the ruling nobles of the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
Are in the midst of another war already. A bidding war for one of the armies of Farque.
Whoever ends up hiring one of the mercenary armies of the lands Farque.
Is basically guaranteed a win in their war against their rival.
Though actually hiring one of the armies of Farque, will come with some problems of their own.
The chief of which, is getting it to either the provinces of Corlinda or Karricaw in southern Melaurn.
For if an entire army crosses the border, that could be tantamount to an invasion of the kingdom.
By the time Jarjin Littlefoot has made it into, the vast complex that's inside the rocky mountain.
Beldane the cleric has made his way back to the city of Calinar. Teleporting most of the way, and walking the rest.
The fighting cleric heads towards the port once he's inside the city.
There he hopes to find Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy. Who over the last couple of days here in the coastal city. Has been searching for some specific information about something.
That could be vital, when the war between the ruling nobles of Corlinda and Karricaw gets underway.
For the war is inevitable between the two neighbouring provinces in southern Melaurn.
Crouched down upon a rooftop near the docks, the elven spy Dalinvardèl Tanith watches the loading of a ship that's in dock.
The vessel, a local trading ship. Is bound for down the coast of Melaurn, around the southwest tip of the kingdom.
To along the south coast, to the southern port of Ramaee in the province of Selvah Na.
A port that closes for most of the wintertime down there. As the harbour usually ices over. But now in the middle of summer, it's open.
A lot of what's sent to the south of the kingdom goes by sea instead of overland during the summer.
As going by ship is far quicker than traveling by land at this time of year.
Especially when you want to move something quickly to one of the southern provinces in the kingdom.
Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Watch as wooden crates are hoisted up onto the ship he's observing. Or carried onboard by the crew.
The spy, who is from the elven principality of Alínlae, and is now an officer in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
Already knows what's in the wooden crates being loaded onto the ship he's observing. His naturally enhanced hearing confirms it.
As he hears a number of the crates clank when the crew bring them onboard, and put them down onto the deck.
The spy Tanith continues to watch the twin masted sailing ship bound for the southern port city of Ramaee.
Loaded with weapons and armour. Which will then either go onto the province of Corlinda or Karricaw.
As those two provinces continue to build up their war effort, in the inevitable conflict between the two of them.
Dalin glances down to the street to his right, the elven spy moves to the back of the roof.
Grabs the edge of the roof, where he hangs there or a moment or two, before he lets go. And drops ten feet to the ground.
The elf in the gray hooded cloak walks around the building he's just been on top of.
At the front corner of the building, Dalin glances around to the street.
Then he steps out onto the street as a man in halfplate armour walks by the front of the building.
"Another one's heading south to Ramaee" quietly says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy in his native tongue.
"Corlinda or Karricaw?" asks Beldane the cleric as they walk through the streets near the docks, here in the city of Calinar, the capital city of the kingdom of Melaurn.
"This one will end up Karricaw" is the reply of the elven spy, who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland, the principality of Alínlae.
"That's quite a few this week" quietly says the powerful cleric as they head to the inn they're staying at here in the city of Calinar this summer.
"How many is that?" asks the spellcaster from the kingdom of Nastell.
"Ten" is the reply of the spy Tanith, who continues on with "The cargo of six of them will end up Karricaw, and the other four will go to Corlinda".
"They are definitely ramping things up" quietly adds Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy.
The cleric in the halfplate armour walking beside him, nods in agreement.
As the inevitable war between the two provinces is getting closer and closer.
And no doubt, will get underway sometime this summer.
Whenever one or the other province wins the bidding war for the hire of one of the armies of Farque.
Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit looks out one of the window like openings in the rocky escarpment.
Here on the southern border of the lands Farque, right on the coast.
The member of lord Farque's personal council turns away from the sight of the city of Calinar in the distance to the south.
"I heard" says Tovis the war engineer, who continues with "Shipping off a lot of weapons and armour".
"That they are" says Jarjin Littlefoot, who then shakes his head, and adds "No idea as of yet".
In response to the young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic asking him "The negotiations?".
The war engineer, who once served in the army of a baron Harkonin in eastern Druvic. And who is now a captain in the engineer's corp in the armies of Farque.
Nods his head, then says "We'll find out soon enough i guess".
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods, then says "I guess".
The two of them looks out the window like opening once more, before making their way out of the gallery.
In the corridor outside, the halfling from the far east coast of the continent, says to a waiting runner "Your name runner?".
"Councillor" says the young teenage runner with a nod of his head, who then adds "It's Markell".
"Well runner Markell, have the garrison commander meet us in the map room" says Jarjin Littlefoot, who then adds "And politely ask the commander if he would join us too".
The young runner in the first army of Farque, nods his head in understanding.
For though the garrison here on the border has an actual commander. Who gives the orders, and runs things around here.
There is also a commander residing here at the moment. One of the five undead commanders who died in battle the day the lord and ruler of the lands Farque died, four and half centuries ago.
As the young runner heads quickly away down the corridor. A runner that Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson, noticed had a shortsword on either hip.
The halfling who is a former air sailor glances up at the young engineer beside him, and quietly tells him "If negotiations are successful for either of them".
As they walk to the nearby map room, the hobbit who is a council member adds "It's been decided that the first will ship out immediately to either Karricaw or Corlinda".
Tovis the war engineer nods, then slightly winces when Jarjin Littlefoot quietly tells him "Which could turn into a giant shitshow if the rest of the kingdom thinks it's an invasion".
"We won't want that" quietly says the young engineer who hails from the east of the kingdom of Druvic. 
"That's putting it mildly" dryly says councillor Littlefoot as they enter the map room.
Then wait for those Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson has sent for. As they continue to plan for a war between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw in the south of the neighbouring kingdom of Melaurn . . . . . .