Winter.
"Here, here and here" quietly says Helbe the elven thief as he points at a number of spots on the map.
Lord Farque nods, then quietly adds "Numbers?".
"Over a thousand in camp" is the reply from the elven magic user, who follows that with "And a couple hundred more billeted in town".
The undead warlord nods his full helmed head, then he falls silent as he thinks about things.
"Alright" says the large, heavily armoured deathlord when he breaks the silence.
"We'll go ahead then" adds the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who looks at the others, then tells them "You know what to do".
"Go ahead" says lord Farque to Beldane the cleric "Go with him Tam and take command".
"Yes my lord" says Tamric Drubine the field commander and Beldane the cleric in unison.
Then the undead being, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his lands, dryly adds "We'll be here".
Then looking at the elven masterthief who is a member of his personal council, the lord of the death realm says "I'm guessing that will suffice?".
"I guess so" is the reply from the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel.
"Considering they'll really only be less than a hundred yards away, when in fact they're actually more than fifty miles away" adds the highly talented elven magic user.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque just grunts at that, then gestures to the elven master assassin to assist the fighting cleric.
"Go ahead, no one in town can sense you now" says Helbe the elven thief a few moments later after he casts a spell upon the member of the church of Glaine.
A god predominantly worshiped in the north of the kingdom of Nastell, the powerful cleric's homeland.
Beldane the cleric quietly says "Thanks" then he and field commander Drubine move to the middle of the clearing in the woods.
While the elven master assassin who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel.
Hurries back to join the rest of the group at the edge of the woods.
Which is just a couple hundred yards from a town, that's fifty five or so miles to the southeast of the city of Kuradum.
In a part of the city-state that's firmly under the control of the faction in the civil war led by the self styled duke of Kuradum, councilman Hirrye.
It's early morning, and just north of the city of Kuradum. Commander Tracklen of the Kuradian army still loyal to the ruling council.
Has mustered nearly two hundred and fifty soldiers in the council's army.
He stands infront of the men, along with his adjunctant Morris. The two of them share a look.
Then go back to watching their new allies in the war against the pretender, councilman Hirrye.
There's about a thousand soldiers in black armour, and black uniforms. Predominantly infantry, both light and heavy from what commander Tracklen and his adjunctant can tell.
They're basically completely still in the early morning sunshine on what's a cold day here in this part of the city-state of Kuradum.
There's no fidgeting, and barely anyone moving amongst the ranks of the black clad mercenary army.
The commander in the local army is just about to quietly mention to his adjunctant that the mercenary army look inhuman.
When his adjunctant Morris quietly says to him "A runner heading our way".
Tracklen, the senior most officer in the Kuradian army still loyal to the ruling council nods his head when he spots the black clad youngster hurrying along the road to their position.
"Commander if you and your men would follow me" says the young teenage mercenary all in black when he gets to their position just off to the side of the road.
"We're going through now" adds the runner, who is part of the scouts and rangers division of the third army of Farque.
"Very well" says commander Tracklen, who has been told to ready his men for battle.
He has absolutely no idea where, and when. But he has his large company ready as they'll ever be.
Turning to a subaltern behind him and his adjunctant, the Kuradian army commander quietly says "Give the order to move out".
Tracklen, and his adjunctant Morris lead the way onto the road as they follow the young runner.
Who is part of the mercenary army from someplace called the lands Farque.
Who only arrived here in the city-state of Kuradum yesterday morning. And already they're going into the battle against the enemy, the faction led by the pretender, councilman Hirrye.
A short while later and commander Tracklen steps through the gateway and blinks as he realises he's somewhere completely different to where he just was.
The local army commander until now, had never gone through a magical portal of any kind before.
To say it's a little odd, would definitely be an understatement.
For starters, wherever here is. It's a lot colder than just outside the city of Kuradum, where they were just a few moments ago.
"This way commander" says the young teenage runner, who continues with "The field commander is this way".
The black clad youngster then adds "If you could have your men wait over there until the rest of them come through, it would be appreciated".
"Of course" says commander Tracklen, who gives the order to the subaltern behind him.
Then the local army commander and his adjunctant follow the teenage runner from the clearing in the woods, and they head into the trees.
Tracklen who is wondering where they are, finds out soon enough, when they get near to the edge of the woods.
"Salmet Crossing" quietly says adjunctant Morris as they spot the town a few hundred yards away in the distance.
The local army commander nods his head in agreement as he recognises the town too.
A town over fifty miles southeast of the city of Kuradum. A town in the territory under the pretender, councilman Hirrye.
Also a town, where a large war camp has been set up by the enemy. Who want to take over the rule of the city-state of Kuradum.
"Return to your squad" quietly says Tamric Drubine in elven to the young runner.
"Yes field commander" says the runner in the same language, who then slightly nods to the two locals, before heading back amongst the trees.
"Commander" says Tamric Drubine in common to the senior most army officer in the faction that wants to keep the ruling council in power.
"Field commander" replies the local military commander, who nods in the direction of the enemy, and adds "I gather we've got a surprise this morning for that lot".
"We do" says the young noble originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who faintly smiles before he explains to commander Tracklen the plan.
The local army commander and his adjunctant listen in silence as Tamric Drubine explains what's going to happen this morning.
After field commander Drubine explains things, commander Tracklen quietly says to him "It's a wonder they haven't sent any of their patrols to the woods here".
"They have" is the quiet reply of Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
"Twice infact" adds the senior officer in the armies of Farque, who continues with "They think no one is here".
Both the local army commander and his adjunctant lift their eyebrows in surprise at that.
And the young field commander tells them "It's the magic of having magic on your side that no one can detect".
Commander Tracklen nods to that, while next to him, his adjunctant, Morris quietly says "Definitely".
Then the former heir of Castle Drubine, which is located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin, rolls up the map he's holding.
Puts it away, then takes another one out from his map pouch, and unrolls that one.
Showing the two local army officers, field commander Drubine of the armies of Farque tells them "Here, here and here" followed by "Three pretty sizeable co-ordinated attacks this morning across the southeast of the city-state".
Commander Tracklen nods as sees the two other attacks are at towns similar to Salmet Crossing.
On well used crossroads in this region of the city-state of Kuradum. Where the enemy have camps.
"It's time for the council to take the offensive in this war" quietly says Tam who follows that with "And for your enemies to taste defeat".
Both commander Tracklen and the adjunctant Morris nod in agreement with that.
For since the start of what's essentially a civil war for the control of the city-state of Kuradum.
The ruling council and the faction led by councilman Sammis have been on the back foot against the pretender, the self styled duke of Kuradum, councilman Hirrye.
Losing ground wherever battles take place. Seeing much of the south and east of the city-state fall under the control of the pretender.
Field commander Drubine rolls up the map, and puts it away as lord Farque and a number of others in the group approach through the trees.
"You tell them?" asks lord Farque once he comes to a stop next to the young field commander in his armies.
"Yes my lord" replies the young noble who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
Switching to the elven language, the undead warlord says "We'll be going with them" followed by "Best to keep a close eye on the weakest link in this attack".
"I understand my lord" says Tam in the same language, who then steps aside so the large, heavily armoured deathlord can address the local army officers.
"Commander if you will ready your men" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque in the common language.
"The attack will begin shortly" adds the undead being, who also has the name of Draugadrottin that the people of his lands know him by.
"Yes my lord" says commander Tracklen who has been informed that the large man in the dark blue and black heavy plate armour, is in ultimate command of the ten thousand strong mercenary army, that's been hired by the ruling council of Kuradum in the war against the pretender.
And one of the stipulations of that hire. Is that he has taken over command of the ruling council's war effort. And that they'll be using his strategies from now on.
Commander Tracklen isn't against this in the least. Infact he welcomes it.
For though he's the senior most officer in the Kuradian army still loyal to the ruling council.
It was actually the ruling council who were strategizing the war against the pretender, and using their tactics.
Which the local army commander didn't necessarily always agree with.
"Myself, the field commander and some others will be joining you shortly" says lord Farque.
"Yes my lord" says commander Tracklen, who then adds "We'll be off to see to our men".
Then he and his adjunctant slightly bow to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, then make their way back amongst the trees, to where their force of two hundred and fifty Kuradian soldiers are waiting.
The undead warlord shares a look with his field commander, then Draugadrottin asks in the elven language "How do you think they'll do?".
"We're about to find out my lord" replies Tamric Drubine in the same language.
"Where about to find out" adds the young nobleborn field commander in the armies of Farque.
The large, heavily armoured deathlord nods his full helmed head, then he quietly says "That we are" . . . . . .
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