The Find 43.

Autumn.

The giant hole in the ground. Also called the pit. In which is the ancient city of Dalphene. More widely known as The City of Ruins.
They appear out of thin air near the northern end of the giant hole in the ground.
There's five of them along with Gilvanéllé the elven magic user. He only knows a couple of them. One of whom is Bracniss, the only one he bothers talking to, as the mercenary from the city-state of Kuradum joined Maygam's company around the same time as Gilvanéllé and his twin brother Lolmildíll.
"They heading up out of the pit Gil?" asks Bracniss, the only one brave enough to speak with the powerful elven magic user who teleported them up here.
"That's what they were intending to do" is the harsh reply from Gilvanéllé the elven mercenary as they look around in the fading light of late afternoon.
Bracniss, who didn't really want this task. Nor did the others, but were ordered to by Maygam himself.
Looks at the other four mercenaries, and quietly tells them "Keep close, don't get separated".
The older merc from Kuradum, continues on with "And keep an eye out for that other lot" followed by "Almard and the others".
Looking at the elven noble from the principality of Alínlae, Bracniss quietly asks him "How many are there Gil?".
"Six" is the sharp, angry sounding response from the elven magic user, who momentarily pauses before he adds in more calm tone of voice, with "Five".
As he remembers he killed one of the group earlier in the afternoon, as they were trying to get out of the pit, chased by the large, ant like creatures found at this end of the giant hole in the ground.
Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, more commonly called the City of Ruins.
"Might as well head that way" says Bracniss the mercenary with a nod of his head to the north.
They set off through the mounds and piles of dirt, sand and debris that dot the very north of the pit.
With the elven magic user originally from the principality of Alínlae leading the way.
In the late afternoon light of what's been a sunny, but cold autumn day, down here in the giant hole in the ground.
They soon go by one of the giant ant like creatures that Gilvanéllé the elven mercenary killed earlier in the afternoon.
"Big brute" comes from one of them, and another of the mercs mutters "Ugly bugger" as they walk by it.
That's the only thing said about it as they make their way northwards, weaving between the many piles of dirt, sand and debris.
Found here, at the very northern end of the ancient city of Dalphene, more commonly called the City of Ruins.
Sticking his head up through the latest hole in the ground he's dug this afternoon.
Charles the goblin watches the small group of people walk by about twenty yards away from where he is.
Charles, whose given name is actually Dirt Digger. Ducks back down beneath the ground when he spots who it is that's leading them.
It's the elf he saw earlier in the afternoon, who he's seen a number of times up here at the northern end of the pit.
Dirt Digger, or Charles as he calls himself. Might not know a lot about the various mercenaries, adventurers and treasure seekers found throughout the City of Ruins.
But he does know about that elf, and his twin brother. Both of whom are magic users.
And he knows to keep away from the both of them. Especially the one with the pale, almost white coloured hair who has just walked by with a small group of human mercenaries.
Charles has seen the results of that elven spellcaster's handiwork. And it isn't pretty.
Meanwhile, further south, though still to the north of the neutral zone, here in the giant hole in the ground, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene.
Beldane the cleric is looking north as the entire pit falls into shadow, now that sun is setting away to the west.
On what's been a sunny and clear, but cold day here in the northern area of the central region of the Southlands.
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell, who has cast a farsight spell upon himself, is looking towards the very northern end of the pit.
Next to the cleric, who is a member of the church of Glaine. Stands lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief.
The three of them are on top of the ancient, and rather crumbling looking tower that the highly talented elven magic user was on a little earlier this afternoon.
"Quite a few places up there" says Helbe the elven thief as he looks away to the north as the long period of gloom takes effect here in the pit, before dusk actually takes place.
It's one of the quirks of the City of Ruins. Especially through the middle of autumn, and all the way through winter, and into early spring.
When the giant hole in the ground is completely in shadow, before the sun actually sets in the west.
It's one of the quirks of the geography of the pit, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene.
"Pick any good spots?" asks the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, with a sideways glance at his fellow spellcaster, the cleric who hails from the kingdom of Nastell.
"There's a few" says Beldane the cleric, who pauses for a moment or two, before he quietly continues with "Hell of a lot of piles of dirt up there".
Nodding his hooded head in agreement with the powerful spellcaster in the church of Glaine.
The highly talented elven magic user says "A lot of people trying to dig up any ruins that could be up there".
The elven masterthief continues with "Or dig up anything really" followed by "No one knows exactly how big Dalphene was, so they keep digging and expanding the pit".
The member of the church of Glaine nods at that, then the two spellcasters glance at lord Farque who has been silent since the three of them made their way up here.
While the rest of the group, remain down at the base of the tower. Both inside and outside, as the entire City of Ruins is in shadow, now that it's basically at the end of the afternoon.
On what's been a sunny, but cold autumn day, down here in the giant hole in the ground.
Sensing all manner of lifeforms at the northern end of the pit, some of which cause him to lift an eyebrow in surprise.
Lord Farque points and says "That elven magic user Gilvanéllé is there" followed by "He's got five others from that company with him".
"Think they're searching for the one we're after?" quietly asks the spellcaster in the half plate armour, who has a magical mace strapped to his belt.
The undead warlord, who also has a mace. Though not as elaborate looking or magical like the cleric's one.
His is more plain, heavier, and frankly brutal looking than the one the fighting cleric has.
Quietly says in reply to Beldane's question "They might be" followed by "We do know they're looking for lost members of their company, so the one we're after could be amongst those they're looking for up there".
Switching to the royal elven language, the large, heavily armoured deathlord says "We'll know for certain when that gnat of yours gets back".
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel grins at the description of Narladene the ground pixie.
Then he nods his hooded head in agreement with the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
The lord of the death realm resumes speaking in the normal elven language, which all three of them speak and understand.
"We might be able to have them search for us, while we search elsewhere" says the deathlord of Farque, who pauses as he looks away to their right, then says "Company".
Helbe the elven thief looks that way when he senses what the undead being has already sensed.
Beldane the cleric looks that way too. And though he's holding most of his power within himself, he senses what those two have already sensed.
"Jarnok's company" quietly says the elven master assassin, who has ducked down, as has the cleric in the church of Glaine.
The deathlord of Farque doesn't duck down until after he calls down to those outside, to get inside the ancient tower with tveveryone else.
As Mira Reinholt the mage, Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, and Tamric Drubine the field commander hurry into the ancient tower of the city watch of Dalphene.
Peering over the broken top of the tower, the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel quietly says "The two wizards are with them".
As there's about sixty or so mercenaries just fifty yards to the northeast of the tower.
Moving through the gloomy shade as they head westwards as the sun continues to set away to the west, up top, out of the pit.
"I hope they're not going to do what i think they might" dryly says lord Farque, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to his people.
"Which is what?" quietly asks the elven masterthief, who then winces as he realises what the large, heavily armoured deathlord means.
"What?" quietly asks the fighting cleric from the north of the kingdom of Nastell, where his god Glaine, is predominantly worshiped.
Ignoring the powerful Nastellian spellcaster's question, the undead warlord quietly says to the highly talented elven magic user "Find out".
The elven princeling from Laerel nods his hooded head, then peeking over the top of broken wall along the top of the tower.
The elven spellcaster who is shielded, quickly reads the minds of some of the mercenaries in Jarnok's company who are now passing to the north of the ancient watch tower.
"They are" quietly says the elven master archer, who continues with "They don't know exactly where it is" followed by "But they know where some of the tunnels are that lead to it". "Great" sourly says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
While Beldane the cleric winces, as he realises that those in Jarnok's mercenary company who are passing just to the north of the ancient watch tower.
More or less know where a fair few of Maygam's mercenary company are taking shelter in an underground chamber.
"Be our fucking luck for the one we're after to show up and rejoin their company, just as this fucking lot attacks them" sourly mutters lord Farque.
Meanwhile, the one they're after. Is out of the pit along with the rest of the small group from Maygam's company they're with.
With the sun setting on what's been a cold autumn day here in the north, of the central region of the Southlands.
They're to the west of the pit, heading south after being chased by a mob of wild goblins not long after they got out of the City of Ruins.
They were chased for nearly a mile by the mob of wild goblins. Who were angry because of the giant ant like creatures had killed a fair few of their number.
And they blamed the five remaining mercenaries from Maygam's company at the very northern end of the pit, for stirring up the creatures.
Breathing heavily now that they've stopped running, and are now walking quickly southwards, just to the west of the giant hole in the ground.
Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly called the City of Ruins.
"Think we're safe?" asks Melmear the mercenary who speaks in a hushed tone of voice.
"I doubt it" is the quiet reply from the back of the group by Almard the mercenary, who continues with "It's more than ten miles to the southern end of the pit".
The experienced mercenary, who is the helper to Uren, the second in command of the company then adds "We'll definitely run into trouble, especially since it's almost nightfall".
As dusk has settled upon the land, now that the sun has set in the west, on what's been a cold autumn day here in this area in the north, of the central region of the Southlands . . . . . .