To War 27.

Summer. The City Of Pirtgott. The Province Of Corlinda. The Kingdom Of Melaurn.

A gateway appears in the middle of a room, nothing happens until a couple of moments later.
A figure in a black hooded cloak, with a strange double bladed sword strapped to his back, walks out of the gateway.
Mira Reinholt the mage moves to one side after walking out of the gateway, which he looks back at.
A moment later, and Beldane the cleric walks out of the gateway.
The powerful spellcaster who is a member of the church of Glaine drops the spell he's cast, and the gateway disappears.
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell turns to his fellow practitioner of magic, and is about to ask him something.
When the door to the room opens, and a fairly nondescript looking man looks into the room, and says in the elven language "Councilor" followed by "Cleric" he then adds "If you would follow me".
The two spellcasters share a look, then after shrugging his shoulders, Mira Reinholt the mage says in the same language "Lead the way".
The once powerful mage, and the cleric in the half plate armour make their way out of the room.
And follow the nondescript looking fellow. Who from his attire, looks like he could be a clerk of some kind, here in the city of Pirtgott.
Who is one of those in the scouts and rangers division in the armies of the lands Farque.
Who have been specifically trained by Helbe the elven thief, to be a spy and an assassin.
The mage from the city-state of Vexil, his homeland that he's in exile from. And the fighting cleric from the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Follow after the Farqian spy, and head down a hallway, to some stairs. On what's already a hot summer morning, even though it's just after dawn.
They arrived in the city just before dawn, after being dropped off nearby from the fighting frigate they've been traveling on for the last few days.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy opens the window shutters wide, to let in the breeze, as the morning is already hot. Here in the city of Pirtgott, in the center of the province of Corlinda.
The elf who is an officer in the scouts and rangers division in the armies of Farque, looks away to the right out the window, to the northeast of the city.
Then the spy Tanith who is from the the elven principality of Alínlae, where he served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland.
Looks to his left, at the short figure sitting on a chair yawning, who has just asked "See them yet?".
"Not yet" replies Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy.
Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit grunts, then he yawns again, before muttering "Damn it's hot this morning".
They're in a room up a tower, which is just back from, or that should be, just inside the north wall of the city of Pirtgott.
A room that gives them an excellent view to the north of the city, as well as to the west and the east.
Particularly the northeast, where from over the hills in that direction, comes the main road from the east that goes through the province of Corlinda, and comes by the only city in the province.
With another yawn, as he and the elven spy got here far too early for the halfling's liking.
Jarjin Littlefoot, who isn't at all what he seems. He's actually a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson.
Who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of the former air sailor by the name of Jarjin Littlefoot.
A hobbit who is from the Sultanate of Dreese, a nation on the far east coast of the continent.
Gets up out of the chair, and drags it to the window that the elven spy is looking out of.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman stands up on the chair, and resting his arms upon the windowsill, enjoys the breeze blowing inside, as he looks to the road that approaches the city from the northeast.
Though there's a few people on that particular road this morning, both approaching Pirtgott, and leaving on it.
None of them are who the elven spy and the halfling, are waiting for this hot summer morning.
"Their scouts first?" quietly asks Jarjin Littlefoot, who like the spy Tanith, is speaking the elven language.
"Definitely" is the reply of Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
As they continue to watch the road to the northeast of the city of Pirtgott, on what feels like it's going to be the hottest day of the summer so far, here in the south of the kingdom of Melaurn.
The two of them, the elven spy, and the hobbit who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque.
Share a look, as they hear who it is that's coming up the stairwell in the middle of the tower.
Then as the two look back outside, to the northeast of the city, a short time later there's a knock on the door of the room they're in.
"It's open" says Dalin without looking back, as he and Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman keep looking to the northeast of the city.
The door opens, and Mira Reinholt enters the room, followed by Beldane the cleric, who closes the door behind him.
"Not here yet?" asks the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands.
"Not yet" replies the elven spy who is an officer in the scouts and rangers division in the armies of Farque.
As Mira Reinholt and Beldane join him and Jarjin Littlefoot at the open window.
The four of them, who have been in different places here in the province of Corlinda over the last couple of days.
All look to the northeast of Pirtgott, to the hills that way, and in particular the road that comes from that direction.
"What have they been up to?" asks the Vexilian mage in exile, who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster.
"Nothing apart from trying to get here as quick as they can" replies the halfling who is a former air sailor.
"And here's the first of their scouts" quietly says Dalinvardèl Tanith.
As on the road to the northeast, a number of riders come into view over the hill it comes down.
"Well they know now" says Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson, as they watch a couple of the riders turn around, and race back over the hill.
While the others sit upon their mounts, looking stunned as they look at the city of Pirtgott.
"Well they're here, that's all that matters" says the mage Reinholt, who along with Beldane the cleric.
Have come from the flagship of the Farqian fleet this morning, which is over a hundred and twenty miles away to the northwest of the city of Pirtgott.
The spellcasters who came by way of a gateway cast by the fighting cleric, see more of the advanced scouts come into view on the hill road to the northeast of the city.
While the elf and halfling who were dropped off near the city by a fighting frigate this morning.
A vessel that's been shadowing for the last few days, those who are approaching the city of Pirtgott.
Share a look again, then look at the once powerful mage, and the spy Tanith says "We have no idea" followed by "We thought you'd know".
In response to councilor Reinholt asking the two of them "Where's the royal thief this morning?".
Getting that answer, the highly skilled swordmaster rolls his eyes, then mutters "Just like him not to be here".
The spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil, who was once the youngest ever member of the mage council of his homeland, then sourly says "Like hell I'm going out there to treat with them".
"Me either" says the halfling who like the mage, is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
"That's his job" says the spellcaster who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster.
His fellow council member nods in agreement with him.
"Well, if his highness doesn't show up, then one of you two has to go out and discuss things with them" says Dalin, who then adds in a slightly dry tone of voice "You two are councilors after all".
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell nods in agreement with the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae.
While the once powerful mage and the former air sailor, both sourly smile.
As the four of them watch the van of the army of baron Wilmot of Pirtgott come over the hill, which the road to the northeast comes down.
"I guess that's the baron" quietly says Beldane the cleric as a few of those on horseback stop off to one side of the road, and look at the city about a mile and a half away to the southwest of the hills.
"That's him alright" says Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, who follows that with "Along with his son Krissner, and his vassals Holjma and Crissen".
Even without the benefit of the enhanced eyesight of the elf and the hobbit.
The two practitioners of magic, even without the aid of spellcraft to help them see the army in the distance clearly.
They can tell the soldiers are just as stunned as the nobility who lead them.
As they look at the city of Pirtgott, which in the middle of it. The massive stone keep of the barons of Pirtgott, is no longer standing.
From where they are up on the hill, they can see the mound of rubble in the middle of the city, where the baron's keep once stood.
"They won't be in shock forever" says the Vexilian mage in exile, who continues on with "They'll be at the city gates soon enough".
The spellcaster who is a member of the personal council to the lord of Farque "He better well get here our thieving prince".
"Missing me are you?" suddenly says a familiar voice from behind them.
The four of them quickly look around, and they find Helbe the elven thief standing behind them in the middle of the room.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, who like Jarjin Littlefoot, and Mira Reinholt the mage, is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Joins them at the window, and as he looks away to the northeast of the city of Pirtgott, says "So, they finally made it".
The elven master assassin nods his hooded head, then says "Away in the south of the province".
In reply to Jarjin Littlefoot asking him "Where have you been the last few days?".
The highly talented elven magic user, then informs the other four what happened yesterday down in the south of the province.
Where a number of the mercenary companies that the province of Corlinda hired from throughout the Southlands, in their border war with the province of Karricaw.
Were wiped out by a force of the Farqian first army, led by general Salmic.
"They had no chance" states the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel.
The elven master archer gestures at the army on the hills, about to head this way, and he adds "Nor do they really".
The other four, the two spellcasters, the halfling former air sailor, and the elven spy.
All nod in agreement with the elven masterthief who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel.
After a few moments, the halfling who is from the far east coast of the continent, quietly asks the young elven noble "Our losses down south".
"Less than fifty dead" is the quiet reply of prince Helbenthril Raendril, who continues on with "He wanted to see the first in action, so the warships just did one strafing run before they moved in".
The others nod in understanding, as this is the first time the first army of Farque has been hired out into a conflict in another land.
As previously, nearly a couple of years ago, it was the second army of the lands Farque.
That were hired to fight in a war in the north of the kingdom of Nastell, for the robber barons north of that nation.
Beldane the cleric who was found by the group during that conflict, points out the window, and says "What's the chances they'll give up?".
"I'm guessing they won't" replies Helbe the elven thief.
"Same" says Mira Reinholt the mage.
"Same here" adds Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit.
While Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy nods in agreement and says "Same".
"They've got nothing to fight for" says the powerful cleric with a shake of his head.
"Every keep and castle across the province is destroyed, or will be eventually" adds the member of the church of Glaine.
A god predominantly worshiped in the north of Beldane's homeland of Nastell.
"And the nobility have lost most if not all of their wealth" continues the powerful spellcaster who has a magical mace on his belt.
"That's exactly why" says the mage Reinholt as they look at the baron of Pirtgott and the others with him, who cannot believe what they're seeing in the city.
"Well, this is their chance to give up" says the elven masterthief who is a member of lord Farque's personal council.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel looks at his fellow councilor, the Vexilian mage in exile, and asks him "Is Tam and the flagship coming back here?".
"They are" replies the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster "They'll be back tomorrow I'm guessing" adds the once powerful mage.
Councilor Reinholt then asks the elven master assassin "Do you want lord Gormica here?" followed by "Beldane can go and get him if you want".
The elven princeling is silent for a moment as he watches baron Wilmot and the others with him, finally move.
And lead his army down the hill road that makes it's way to the city of Pirtgott.
The elven master archer briefly closes his eyes, and gets in contact with a navigator onboard the krean strikeship.
As the command ship of the Farqian fleet, is high up in the morning sky, circling the city of Pirtgott.
After a few moments, Helbe the elven thief opens his eyes, and says "That would be best" followed by "We might get a different reaction from the baron if his brother is here".
The elven envoy looks at the fighting cleric and asks him "Would you?".
"I'm on my way" says Beldane the cleric, who points at a corner in the tower room, and adds "Keep clear of that corner".
A short time later, and the powerful cleric is gone through a gateway he's cast, and the gateway disappears behind him.
"And now we wait" quietly says Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, and the others nod in agreement.
As they watch baron Wilmot and his army make their way towards the city of Pirtgott.
On a morning that feels like it's going to be the hottest day so far this summer, here in the south of the kingdom of Melaurn . . . . . .