The City Of Vexil.
Zam the ex mercenary grins when next to him Lisell Maera the scout says in a sarcastic tone of voice "Oh look it's mr popular himself".
Which causes Mira Reinholt the mage to smile, then say "Hey, what can I say" the once powerful mage then adds "Everybody likes me".
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, continues on his way, and takes a seat at the table where Lord Farque is with Helbe the elven thief and Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman.
The ex mercenary originally from The City Of Ruins looks at the scout Maera, then at Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, who is sitting at the table with him.
As the three of them try to listen to the conversation taking place at the corner table, here in the common room of The Merchant's Rest.
Shaking his head, Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy quietly says "Nothing" followed by "His highness must of cast a spell of some kind".
Both Zam and the Lisell Maera nod in agreement with the elven spy, as they're unable to hear anything from the table in the corner.
Then the young man who hails from The City Of Ruins, looks around the rest of the common room this morning, and sees that Tovis the war engineer is missing. Along with sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
"Where's Tovis and Percy?" quietly asks Zam the ex mercenary who woke up later than usual this morning.
"Out in the stables" is the reply from Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
"Sparring" adds the spy who is originally from the elven principality of Alinlae, where he served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland, who follows that with "Beldane is keeping an eye on them".
Zam who spots Shur Kee the monk sitting on a chair reading a book of some kind, isn't all that far from Dorc da Orc, who is on the opposite side of the common room from the fireplace.
Which the large ork is glaring at, while he drinks from an open barrel of ale. Even though the fire is low, and not generating all that much heat. While outside it's a sunny, but cool spring morning here in the city of Vexil.
The ex mercenary who is the youngest member of the group, looks over at the other corner table, where Tamric Drubine the field commander is sitting with Saanea the witch.
The lovers are quietly discussing something, as they do, the witch who hails from the Maldin Hills, which lies near the coast of The Southlands.
Is patting a cat that's sleeping in her lap. It's her familiar, which is keeping close to her this morning.
Zam then looks at Dalin and Lisell Maera, who are discussing the same thing, that no doubt those at Lord Farque's table are talking about in secret.
"Well, we know they can't find him by magical means" says the scout Maera, who more often than not is called Lis by the others in the group.
Both Zam and Dalin nod in agreement, as they know the mage Reinholt can't been sensed by other spellcasters due to an amulet that he wears, that hides his ability to spellcast.
"Unless someone puts up one of those viewing spell that spots him" says Zam the ex mercenary who doesn't know all that much about magic, but he does know of that type of spell that allows a practitioner of magic to see things.
The spy Tanith, who has the hood of his cloak down off his head at the moment, shakes his head no, then says "They're not common".
The elf who is a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque continues with "Especially by mages" followed by "Who tend not to bother learning such spells".
Lis nods in agreement with the elven spy, then the attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, then says "From what I understand, the type that Helbe uses, where he can see things as they're happening, is rare".
The scout Maera continues with "The one used by other spellcasters, is where they have to actually physically check on the spell at the location they've set it".
The elven spy who hails from the principality of Alinlae nods in agreement with the scout leader, then says "In the oft chance they spot him with such a spell, it could be quite a while before they actually know it".
Dalinvardèl Tanith after a brief pause, then quietly says "No it's by mundane means they'll keep an eye out for him".
The elf who is a senior officer in the Armies of Farque, continues on with "It's why we've found so many people from different walks of life, who have been hired to locate him, and keep an eye on him".
Both the ex mercenary from The City Of Ruins and the scout leader originally from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, nod in agreement with the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alinlae.
Zam who was expecting to leave the capital city of Vexil either today or tomorrow, and head up north to one of the mines that Lord Farque has taken over. To help bring back a load of gold, along, most likely with Dorc da Orc.
Can tell that plans have been changed due to the sudden interest by various people in Mira Reinholt the mage.
Who though technically is still in exile from his homeland of Vexil, is allowed to visit because he helped stop a war before it actually got started a little over a decade ago, between Vexil and it's rival, the city-state of Tuledare.
Interest that includes both private citizens, mostly rivals and competitors in business, to the Reinholt Trading Company. Which is owned by Mira's family. Though he has nothing to do with it.
And by the city council of the city-state of Vexil. Which in reality is actually the Mage Council of Vexil, who everyone knows are the ones who actually rule the city-state, which is located in the central region of The Southlands.
"Think they'll do anything?" asks Zam with a glance over at the corner table where the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque is sitting with members of his personal council.
"Maybe" is the reply from Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well.
"Who knows" continues the attractive young woman who is a leader of scouts in the Armies of Farque.
After a brief pause, the scout Maera quietly adds "They're probably working out if any of this interrupts with what's going on up in the hill country". Lis follows that with "And the shipments coming down here to the city".
Both Zam the ex mercenary and Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy nod in agreement with the young officer in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque.
"I don't think he'll be happy if it does" says Lisell Maera, with the 'he' she's referring to being Lord Farque himself.
The spy Tanith nods in agreement with Lis, and is just about to say something, when he pauses as he sees the deathlord of Farque raise a gauntleted hand for silence to those at the corner table with him.
Zam and Lisell look over at the corner table, and they see the lord of the death realm say something to Helbe the elven thief, who after a moment, nods his hooded head, then disappears.
The three of them, then hear the undead warlord tell Mira Reinholt and Malisse aka Zubutai Timaginson to remain here in the inn.
Then he gets up and crosses the common room, saying something in orkish to Dorc da Orc. Who after a surprised grunt, gets up, and after picking up the half empty barrel of ale he's been drinking from, follows the large heavily armoured deathlord.
The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque briefly stops near the table where Zam, Lis and Dalin are sitting at.
Lord Farque is silent for a moment as he looks at the three of them, then he says "Zam with us" the undead warlord then tells the ex mercenary originally from The City Of Ruins "Go and get Beldane, he's in the stables".
The undead warlord who has the name of Draugodrottin that the people of his lands also know him by, continues with "Meet us around the front of the inn".
Zam quickly gets up, and hurries out of the common room of the inn, out the reception chamber, then outside.
He makes his way around to the back of the inn to the stables, to get the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine.
It's not too long before the ex mercenary, and the powerful practitioner of magic are back around to the front of inn, where Lord Farque is waiting with Dorc da Orc.
In the small walled in square in front of the Merchant's Rest inn, the large heavily armoured deathlord of Farque, looks around then nods his full helmed head, and tells the cleric in the half plate armour "It's safe to cast".
The lord of the death realm then gives the powerful cleric directions, and after a moment Beldane the cleric says "How far away from the main road to the south?".
"A few miles to the west" is the reply from Lord Farque, who ignores the muttered "Not north" from Dorc da Orc, as he adds "In some woodlands, behind a hill that way".
The fighting cleric who hails from the kingdom of Nastell, nods his head, then says "Pretty sure I know which hill".
Then the powerful practitioner of magic starts casting, and a gateway starts to quickly form, once it's complete, Dorc da Orc is quickly through it.
After a glance at the undead warlord, who nods his full helmed head, Zam the ex mercenary follows after the big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world.
Once on the other side of the magical doorway, the youngest member of the group quickly steps to the side, and Lord Farque walks out of the gateway, followed by Beldane, who drops his spell, and the gateway vanishes.
Seeing that they're on top of a hill, Zam turns to his right, and in the distance on this cool spring morning, he sees the city of Vexil about fifteen miles away to the north is his best guess.
The ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins, then looks to the west, and down the hill, to some nearby woods.
The youngest member of the group blinks as he spots an odd looking airship down amongst the trees. It takes him a moment to realize that it's a krean vessel, a scoutship to be exact.
"Zam, keep up" says Beldane the cleric, who along with Lord Farque and Dorc da Orc, are already walking down the side of the hill.
The teenager who is the youngest member of the group, says "Right" and hurries to catch up to the fighting cleric, who is trailing behind the undead warlord and the ork warleader.
Once he's alongside the powerful practitioner of magic, and they're almost down the side of the hill, the ex mercenary quietly asks the member of the church of Glaine "What's it doing here?".
"No idea" is the quiet reply from the Nastellian born spellcaster, who follows that with "But we're about to find out I guess".
Then the powerful cleric motions for Zam to fall silent after the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque briefly glances back at the two of them.
Then the large heavily armoured deathlord leads the way into the woods, where amongst the trees is a krean scoutship.
On this cool, clear and sunny spring morning, here to the south of the capital of the city-state of Vexil . . . . . .
