The Find 66.

Autumn.

Northern central region of the Southlands. The ancient city of Dalphene. More commonly called the City of Ruins.
They walk throughout the morning. With the light fog up here to the west of the massive hole in the ground, burning away fairly quickly.
The day turns out to be quite sunny, though it's a cool autumn day here in this part of the northern central region of the Southlands.
As they continue south, they often look away to their left to where the City of Ruins lies.
Down there the fog is more persistent, and only looks to be thinning out, than actually burning off, like up here.
As they continue throughout the morning, they don't encounter anyone.
Though they see plenty of people. Farmers and the like working in the fields to the west of the giant hole in the ground.
As well as travelers, no doubt adventurers and mercenaries like themselves.
These they see are predominantly heading north and west away from the City of Ruins.
While occasionally they do spot people heading towards the giant hole in the ground.
More specifically the towns and villages to the south of the giant hole in the ground.
The same place that the five of them are heading to after being separated from their company during the battle.
With Hilmik the dwarven warrior leading the way, they make good time.
And after briefly stopping at midday for a quick rest and a bite to eat, they continue on their way southwards. Here, 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.
As they walk, they spot a handful of airships over the giant hole in the ground.
None of them warships, just transporters and sightseeing ships from the city-state of Eweteets.
Which is fairly common most days at this time of the year.
They do spot something else. Well, Hilmik the dwarf spots it. And he has to point it out to the others.
It's another wyvern, which they all assume, correctly as it turns out. Belongs to Jorkamin the mercenary captain. Who is the only mercenary captain to have wyverns at his disposal.
This one is keeping far above the City of Ruins. Like thousands of feet above the giant hole in the ground.
Seems Jorkamin losing two of his other wyverns, has made him a lot more cautious.
As his third and final wyvern that he has here at the City of Ruins. Is keeping well away from any danger that's lurking down in the ancient city of Dalphene.
As they head southwards, they all occasionally hear an explosion or two from down in that giant hole in the ground.
No more than usual, and certainly less than there's been lately. As there's been a battle raging on in the last little while in the northern half of the City of Ruins.
As mercenary companies, both large and small, vie for control of large sections of the northern half of the ancient city of Dalphene.
As midday gives way to early afternoon. The entire group, not just Hilmik.
Can now easily see the towns and villages that sit up here, on the south side of the giant hole in the ground.
As they come down along the west side of the ancient city of Dalphene.
Almard the mercenary who is at the back of the group, continues to look back in the direction they've come from.
As Hilmik said they were being followed in the early morning, before dawn.
But so far, the experienced mercenary at the rear of the group, has yet to spot anyone following them.
"Shouldn't be to far, from what i can see" says Zam the mercenary.
Behind him, Melmear the mercenary nods her head in agreement with the young mercenary originally from the city-state of Kuradum.
While infront of Zam, Hilmik the dwarven mercenary quietly says "Aye lad".
The young dwarven warrior who hails from the northern slopes of the Colevar Mountain range, continues with "Shouldn't be too far now".
They finally reach a dirt road that comes down from the northwest. There they start encountering people, who give them a wide berth, as they do to them.
Most people traveling to and from the City of Ruins don't want any trouble.
As there's plenty of trouble to be found down in the giant hole in the ground, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene.
The dirt road they're on, curves around to the south side of the City of Ruins.
And it's not too long before the group of mercenaries who are part of Maygam's company.
Reach the first of the bustling towns that overlook the giant hole in the ground.
"Should we keep going east?" quietly asks Zam the mercenary, whjo continues with "And go down at that end?" followed by "Or should we head down here, at this end?".
They stop in a fairly quiet alley next to a trading shop, and look at one another.
"Doesn't matter too much i guess" says Farnill the mercenary, who then adds "Or does it?".
As the town down in the City of Ruins, that's more or less under the control of Maygam and his company.
Is located at the eastern end of that giant hole in the ground. And it's effectively the last safe town or refuge.
At the southern end of the pit, before no man's land begins. Where it's a free for all. And not safe for nearly six miles, until you get to the so called neutral zone.
Which is located about halfway along the length of the giant hole in the ground. More or less in the center of the City of Ruins.
"I suggest we keep heading east up here" says Almard the mercenary, who follows that with "Some of the strongholds of other merc companies are down in the pit at this end".
The experience mercenary continues on with "Even though none of us have been in the company all that long" he then adds "Don't want to run into anyone from another company who might recognise us".
For though down in the southern end of the giant hole in the ground, things are relatively stable between rival mercenary companies.
That doesn't stop things for happening, like altercations and fighting. That ends up with more than the occasional death.
While up here, things are fairly normal. Well, normal in any town or village in an unruled land.
Which is to say, not safe compared to some places. But a hell of a lot safer than anywhere down in the giant hole in the ground.
In which lies the ancient city of Dalphene, which is known far and wide as the City of Ruins.
So they decide to head east, up here to the south of the giant hole in the ground.
And this afternoon, like many at this time of the year. Things are fairly busy in the towns and villages that serve the City of Ruins.
As now in the middle of Autumn, is more or less the last busy season for what's happening down in the ancient city of Dalphene.
As things tend to wind down during the winter in the City of Ruins. With little activity to be found in no man's land.
With only the die hard treasure seekers toiling away in the giant hole in the ground during the winter months.
For an area of the northern central region of the Southlands. It gets fairly cold in the giant hole in the ground during the coldest months of the year.
Which is a bit of a surprise, as the sandy confines of the ancient city of Dalphene is fairly mild weather wise during the rest of the year.
Even in summer, where it's sweltering hot during the middle of the hottest time of the year.
It can't compare to how bitterly cold it can get during the middle of winter down in the City of Ruins.
They pass through the towns and villages here to the south of the giant hole in the ground.
Getting to the sixth and final one, to the east. Late in the afternoon, there they decide to head down into the City of Ruins.
They go down one of the giant stone ramps, that goes down hundreds of feet into the giant hole in the ground.
Even at this time of the day, there's a lot of people heading down to the ancient city of Dalphene.
Though even more people are heading up, than going down into the giant hole in the ground as they are.
There's a fair few mercenaries and adventurers like themselves heading down into the City of Ruins.
And though a lot of them are already serving in one company or another that ply their trade in the giant hole in the ground.
Most are looking to join one of those companies. Many of which hire at all times of the day, and night, in the City of Ruins.
Once down in the first town at the base of the ramp they've gone down.
They head north, here along the eastern side of the giant hole in the ground.
With Hilmik the dwarven warrior continuing to lead them, as they head to the last town before no man's land starts here in the City of Ruins.
As they walk northwards as it approaches dusk. The group is oblivious to who is following them.
Someone who has been following them ever since they came up out of the giant hole in the ground.
At the northern end of the ancient city of Dalphene, late yesterday afternoon, when they were fleeing for their lives.
Dirt Digger the goblin, or Charles as he prefers to call himself nowadays.
Continues to follow the group he encountered yesterday afternoon at the very northern end of the giant hole in the ground.
The goblin, who can pass for both a civilized and wild goblin. As people often think he's one or the another.
He's actually a town, or civilized goblin, not a wild one.
Was a little reluctant to keep following the group of five mercenaries. Especially when he saw where they were heading.
For though Charles is a civilized goblin, he doesn't particularly like visiting the busy towns and villages overlooking the southern edge of the giant hole in the ground.
And he definitely dislikes the towns and villages, down in the City of Ruins, here in the southern end of the ancient City of Ruins.
He's of the opinion the towns and villages down here, are more dangerous than no man's land.
And that includes the unpredictable, and sparsely populated northern end of the giant hole in the ground.
Where there's all manner of people and creatures trying to kill you at any opportunity they get.
As he follows after the group of mercenaries, Charles whose goblin name is Dirt Digger.
Tries to keep clear of others who are down here at this end of the City of Ruins.
And though he knows there's some kind of truce between mercenary companies down here at this end of the giant hole in the ground.
He knows it's not the same as the neutral zone that's found in the middle of the ancient city of Dalphene.
As it starts to get gloomy as dusk approaches, Charles sees that those he's been following since late yesterday afternoon.
Are making their way to the northern most, or last township. Here at the eastern end of the City of Ruins.
Before no man's land begins, the five mile or so stretch that's a free for all before the neutral zone in the center of the ancient city of Dalphene.
And though there's a lot of recent activity of late just to the north of the neutral zone.
As various mercenary companies battle it out, as they try to assert their dominance. And take control of large parts of the giant hole in the ground.
It's still the southern half of the City of Ruins where most of the action, not to mention digging, and treasure seeking takes part.
"Hmmmm" Dirt Digger the goblin aka Charles murmurs to himself as he tries to recollect which mercenary company controls the last township before no man's land, here near the eastern wall of the giant hole in the ground.
Then the goblin, a fairly dark green specimen of his race. Nods his head as he recalls which mercenary captain, and their company who has control of the last town.
"Maygam" murmurs Charles, who nods his head as he remembers.
That stands to reason, the civilized goblin thinks to himself, as he did see yesterday the elven spellcaster Lolmildíll help out the group of mercenaries he's following.
And he, like pretty much most treasure seekers down here in the City of Ruins.
Has heard about the elven twins Lolmildíll and Gilvanéllé who are part of Maygam's mercenary company.
To be precise, heard about their reputation, and what they may or may not get up to.
Charles knows that their reputation is true. As he's seen on more than one occasion what the elven spellcaster Lolmildíll gets up to. And it's not a pretty sight.
Dirt Digger the goblin is just glad he's beneath the notice of someone like the elven spellcaster Lolmildíll.
As he continues to follow the five mercenaries into the last township down here in the giant hole in the ground before no man's land.
One of whom, that a group of traveling adventurers have come to the City of Ruins to find . . . . . .