The Find 67.

Autumn.

The giant hole in the ground. The ancient city of Dalphene. The City of Ruins.
They decide on a time that both parties agree upon. After midday, in the middle of the afternoon.
The location is near the old ruined tower that was destroyed last night.
Jorkamin the mercenary captain isn't too pleased about it. After all, he nearly died there.
Nevertheless, he agrees on the location that one of his rivals suggested it should take place.
The captain of the largest and most influential mercenary company working and living down here in the City of Ruins.
Waits in a nearby shell of a building with a number of his company as they wait for those they're to meet, to arrive.
Meanwhile, further to the west, down here in the giant hole in the ground. Those from the other mercenary company, that being Maygam's company. Are making their way to the location of the meeting.
Darmos the wizard finds himself walking between the elven twins. The spellcasters Gilvanéllé and Lolmildíll.
Each brother from the elven principality of Alínlae, have the human spellcaster by an arm.
As they follow the mercenary captain Maygam, his second Uren and a number of others from the company.
Eastwards, to the meeting point. A ruined tower, or what's left of it. About a mile and half to the north of the neutral zone, down here in the ancient city of Dalphene, or what it's more commonly called, the City of Ruins.
Nearby, on a pile of rubble in a number of such piles, less than a hundred yards to the north of the ruined tower where the meeting is to take place.
Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit quietly says "There they are" followed by "Just over there" as be points away to the southwest.
"I see them" says Mira Reinholt the mage a few moments later after he spots who the halfling sitting beside him has pointed out.
"At least that fog is finally gone" says the human spellcaster who is originally from the city-state of Vexil.
"Took most of the bloody day" adds the once powerful mage in a mutter.
Next to him, the hobbit. Who is not what he appears to be. Nods in agreement with the Vexilian mage in exile.
The two of them turn as Beldane the cleric scrambles up the back of the pile of rubble and joins them.
"Nothing there" quietly says Beldane the cleric once he's sitting down beside the mage and the halfling who is a former air sailor.
"Where's he now?" asks the mage who is also a highly skilled swordmaster.
"Lord Farque says he's there" is the reply of the powerful cleric who hails from the kingdom of Nastell.
Mira Reinholt and Jarjin Littlefoot, both members of the personal council to lord Farque.
Look to the ruined tower where the meeting will take place. Then over to the pile of rubble about a dozen yards directly to their left.
There lord Farque sits with Tamric Drubine the field commander. While behind that pile of rubble sits Dorc da Orc.
Who is gnawing on some kind of bone that looks suspiciously like a human leg bone.
The undead warlord glances their way and slightly nods his full helmed head.
Then goes back to looking at the ruined tower less than a hundred yards to the south of their position.
"His highness will continue the search after this lot meet up" quietly says Beldane, a cleric who is a member of the church of Glaine.
A god predominantly worshiped in the north of his homeland, Nastell.
"Hopefully that lot can help us find the one we're looking for" quietly says Jarjin Littlefoot, with a nod of his head in the direction of those approaching the fallen tower from the southwest.
The hobbit, 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 halfling, who is from the otherside of the continent. The Sultanate of Dreese to be exact.
Then quietly adds in a dry tone of voice "That's if they don't get themselves killed in this exchange".
"That's why the royal thief is there" quietly says the mage Reinholt with a nod of his hooded head in the direction of the ruined tower that was destroyed last night.
"His lordship told his highness to only keep the mercenary captain Maygam and his second Uren alive if things kick off" quietly says the churchman from the kingdom of Nastell.
"The rest can fend for themselves if it gets out of hand" adds the powerful cleric.
"Makes sense i guess" says the swordmaster Reinholt after a few moments of silence.
"They're the only ones who really count in finding the one we're after" adds the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation.
Until he was stripped of the vast majority of his powers when he went offworld through a rift/void spell he accidentally cast a number of years ago.
The Vexilian mage in exile, then looks down at his fellow council member and quietly asks the halfling "Where's that other lot?".
"There i think" is the reply of Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, followed by "Saw movement there a little while ago".
Mira Reinholt nods his hooded head as he sees the shell of a building in the distance to the southeast.
"They'll make an appearance soon enough i guess" says the highly skilled swordmaster who was sent into exile from his homeland, for an act of treason during a war.
"Probably when that Maygam and his lot come into view of them" adds the Vexilian mage in exile.
Next to him, both Jarjin Littlefoot and Beldane the cleric nod in agreement with the once powerful mage.
"There they are" quietly says one of the lookouts, followed by "From where they said they'd approach from".
"They got Darmos?" asks Jorkamin the mercenary captain as he peers out of one of the holes in the wall on the north side of the shell of the building they're in.
"They do captain" is the reply of the lookout away to the left.
Jorkamin looks at Jenin the sorceress standing beside him, and she slightly nods in reply to his inquiring look.
"Right then" quietly says the mercenary captain, who then tells the others who are waiting with him "Let's go and see what they have to say then".
As they exit the shell of a building, Jorkamin the mercenary captain would like nothing better than to wipe out one of his rivals for dominance down here in the City of Ruins.
But now is not the time for that. Now is the time to get Darmos the wizard back, safe and sound.
"There they are" quietly says Lolmildíll the elven magic user from behind Maygam the mercenary captain, and Uren the mercenary, the second in command of the company.
"Approaching from the southeast of that destroyed tower" adds the practitioner of magic who hails from the elven principality of Alínlae.
"I see them" quietly says Maygam the mercenary captain when he spots the group approaching the ruined tower from the opposite direction he and those with him, are approaching it from.
"You two keep an eye on things" says Maygam as he looks back at the elven twins.
"And on him too" adds the mercenary captain with a nod of his head at the wizard between the elven magic users.
"You not going to cause any trouble are you Darmos?" asks Maygam the mercenary captain to the spellcaster who was handed over to them first thing this morning.
"No, I'm not" is the reply of Darmos the wizard, who follows on from that with "I know to behave".
"You better" Maygam mutters to himself as he looks ahead again.
The mercenary captain who knows that he's about to tread on dangerous ground in a little while.
Knows that he can earn a reprieve for himself, and his company. With what he's about to do.
Though he's a little uncertain how one of his rivals, that being Jorkamin. Is going to react with the terms he's about to demand for the return of Darmos the wizard.
"Away to the north captain" quietly says Gilvanéllé the elven magic user from behind the mercenary captain.
Who looks that way, and slightly grimaces when he spots who it is that's away to the north. Less than a hundred yards from the destroyed tower where the meeting is about to take place.
"They don't exactly care do they?" dryly says Maygam the mercenary captain to his second in command walking beside him.
"No captain, they don't" says Uren the mercenary, who spots the figures sitting on the mounds of rubble away to the north.
"It's not as though they've got anything to worry about" adds the second in command of the company.
The mercenary captain nods in agreement with his second.
While behind them, Darmos the wizard frowns as he looks away to the north and sees who the others have spotted.
Not knowing that they're the ones who captured him last night. And destroyed the rift that he had cast.
A rift that caused two massive explosions, one of which destroyed the ancient tower they're heading towards.
"Bet that someone will try something or not?" asks Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit as they continue to watch the two groups approach the ruined tower.
"How much?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage, followed by "Gold coin?".
The halfling, who hails from the far east coast of the continent nods, then says "A gold they will".
"A gold they won't then" says the once powerful mage, who then adds "Here Beldane, hold them".
As he and his fellow councilor, Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson, hand a gold piece each to the cleric sitting with them on top of the pile of rubble.
"Easy make for me then" says the mage Reinholt, who continues with "Considering his royal thiefness is there amongst them, keeping an eye on them, making sure they don't all try to kill one another".
"He's there to keep that Maygam and his second out of harm's way" counters the former air sailor who flew in the fleet of the Sultan of Dreese.
"The rest can do whatever the hell they like" adds Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of Timagin.
"Shit" mutters the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who follows that with "I'd forgotten about that". As they continue to watch the two groups approach the ruined tower.
Jorkamin the mercenary captain tells his men in front of him to come to a stop when they're about thirty yards short of the ruined tower.
The captain of the largest, and most influential mercenary company down here in The City of Ruins.
Grimaces as he looks at the site where he almost died in the middle of the night.
The ruined tower, and the ancient building that stood beside it. Are in a crater, just rubble and shattered stonework.
Where dozens of Jorkamin's company will killed during the night in the explosion that was heard throughout the ancient city of Dalphene.
As he watches the other group approach from the otherside of the crater.
Jorkamin gets a better look at Darmos the wizard, who is more or less his second in command.
The mercenary captain slightly nods his head as he sees that the wizard in the red robes looks to be unharmed as he walks between the elven twins, Gilvanéllé and Lolmildíll.
Jorkamin slightly grimaces as he watches the elven magic users from the principality of Alínlae.
Whose reputation is well known throughout the City of Ruins. A reputation no one wants. But which the elven twins revel in.
"Let's see what they want then" quietly says Jorkamin the mercenary captain when he sees the other group stop on the otherside of the crater, within which lies the rubble of the destroyed tower, and the ancient building that stood next to it.
"Wait here" quietly says Jorkamin to those he brought along with him this cool autumn afternoon.
"Be ready for anything" adds the mercenary captain to the sorceress Jenin.
Who nods in reply before Jorkamin starts making his way forward by himself.
"Wait here" says Maygam the mercenary captain when he sees his fellow mercenary captain Jorkamin making his way forward into the crater.
"Let's see if he goes for it" quietly adds Maygam to his second in command Uren.
Who nods in reply before Maygam starts making his way forward into the crater, to talk to his fellow mercenary captain.
Jorkamin slightly grimaces as he makes his way over the rubble and debris.
Which he was pulled out from during the middle of the night when the ancient tower was destroyed.
When the rift next to it that Darmos had created, was destroyed in a large explosion.
He gets about halfway across the pile of rubble in the crater and comes to a stop.
And watches his rival mercenary captain, Maygam approach him.
Jorkamin knows he has a superior company, in numbers and influence, here in 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.
And though he knows Maygam's company is one of the midsized companies operating down here in the City of Ruins.
Maygam has always been a smart and successful mercenary captain, who definitely punches above his weight.
And with this meeting, Maygam has one clear advantage. And that he has captured Darmos the wizard. Who is Jorkamin's confidant, who is basically his second in command.
Maygam the mercenary captain comes to a stop upon the rubble a few yards short of his fellow mercenary captain.
He remains silent and just looks at Jorkamin the mercenary captain, who is the one to break the silence, by saying "So".
"So, indeed" is the reply of Maygam the mercenary captain a few moments later.
Jorkamin knows it's a waste of time to delay things, as he figures Maygam will demand a lot for Darmos the wizard, so he asks "What is that you want Maygam in exchange for Darmos?".
A slight smile appears upon the face of Maygam the mercenary captain, then he tells Jorkamin what he wants done if the wizard Darmos is to be set free . . . . . .