Vexil.
"Have you heard of any of them before?" asks Zam the ex mercenary, Beldane the cleric shakes his head no, then says "None".
The powerful cleric in the church of Glaine continues with "Heard of some of their orders, but not the knights specifically".
The fighting cleric in the half plate armour looks back into the open front tent, then quietly says in elvish to Zam "At least we persuaded him to go by the name of Percy" followed by "I guess that's something".
The youngest member of the group nods his head in agreement as he too looks back at sir Percavelle Lé Dic as well.
Who is relaxing on a camp chair in the small tent that they've hired. In fact the large heavily armoured knight is relaxing so much, that he's dozing as the tourney has just got underway.
"At least he's not up against anyone from his order" says the powerful practitioner of magic who hails from the kingdom of Nastell.
"Or a landed knight from Druvic who might recognize him" adds the member of the church of Glaine.
The ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins nods his head in agreement with the powerful cleric.
Then the two of them look to the tourney field as a loud roar goes up from the crowd that's already gathered, even though it's still early in the morning.
That doesn't stop the Spring Tourney of Vexil, which got underway a couple of turns, of a time glass after dawn.
Zam winces as a number of knights make a pass, with two of them hitting the ground in a noisy clatter as they're unhorsed.
The tourney field, or lists. Has room for six tilt barriers, or just tilts as they're more commonly called. Meaning six jousts, or twelve knights can take part in a joust at once.
Though the one that's just got underway, has just three pairs participating. With one of the two knights unable to continue on.
As he's carted off the field, while the other who was unhorsed, has remounted and is back at one of the ends of the field, and just collected another lance.
"No surprise that Knight of The Dark has already defeated his opponent" says Beldane the cleric, who continues on with "Overall they're probably the most accomplished order of knights in all of The Southlands".
"Not Percy's order?" asks Zam the ex mercenary as the two remaining pairs of combatants set off across the tourney field along the lists.
"The Knights of Saint Mar'che" adds the youngest member of the group as the participants in the joust hit each other again.
Zam winces as the knight who was unhorsed previously, is so again. This time more violently, as his opponents lance shatters across his shield and breastplate.
Sending him flying backwards, and to the side out of the saddle. Where he lands back first upon the tilt that separates them. Which he skids along for a good ten feet before he drops to the ground with a thud.
"Damn, bet that hurt" says the powerful cleric in the church of Glaine, who then says "Percy's order?".
Zam nods his head, and Beldane tells him "Hardly" he continues on with "They're too mixed up in the politics of the kingdom of Druvic to be that good".
The powerful spellcaster originally from the north of the kingdom of Nastell then says "True, like many other orders they have chapters across The Southlands".
He follows on with "But militarily, both on the personal level, and as a whole, they're a middling order at best".
Beldane gestures behind them into the tent, then says "Him as an exception" the cleric in the church of Glaine then asks the ex mercenary "You know about his history?" followed by "Falling in love with the wrong noble woman, and him stepping aside as earl of Lé Dic for his brother, who married that woman?".
"I do" says the youngest member of the group who has been told the history of sir Percavelle Lé Dic by a number of those in the group. Particularly the war engineer Tovis, who like sir Percavelle is also from the south of the kingdom of Druvic.
"Well, I'm pretty sure the only reason Percy joined the order of Saint Mar'che is because they worship the same god Narille as his family does" says the powerful practitioner of magic from the kingdom of Nastell.
"He just needed somewhere to go after leaving his family's lands" continues Beldane, who follows that with "Pretty sure he just stumbled upon the order of Saint Mar'che when he went to Leeabra, the capital of Druvic and decide to join them there and then because he had no where else to go".
Zam faintly smiles when the fighting cleric tells him "Pretty sure he'd just be as unhinged and as destructive if he was just a landed knight" the member of the church of Glaine then dryly adds "Except he wouldn't have that damn shield, or that stupid sword that he and Dorc keep fighting over".
The ex mercenary who was found by the group in The City Of Ruins nods his head in agreement as they watch the remaining pair of knights joust.
One is a landed knight from the kingdom of Girdane, the northern neighbour of the city-state of Vexil.
While the other is a knight in the order of Varnell. A knightly order based in Beldane's homeland of Nastell. An order he's familiar with.
"A knight commander" quietly says the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine with a nod of his head to the heavily armoured knight who is his countryman.
"He'll probably win" adds the powerful practitioner of magic who is a member of the church of Glaine. A god worshipped predominantly in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Beldane's prediction comes true as the landed knight from the kingdom of Girdane is unhorsed in the next pass.
Hitting the ground back first with a loud thud, causing the large crowd that's already gathered in the stands, even though it's not yet midmorning. To cheer wildly, with the exception of those who were betting on the landed knight from Girdane to win this particular joust.
"If you're going to make any bets, make it on any knight commanders" quietly says Beldane to Zam, the powerful cleric briefly pauses, before adding "Or paladins like Percy".
The youngest member of the group nods as he recalls that sir Percavelle Lé isn't just a landed and ordered knight, he's also a paladin in the order of the Knights of Saint Mar'che. Well, former paladin, since he was stripped of that rank when he disappeared from his order, taking one of their most holy relics with him, the shield of Saint Mar'che.
"You see any other paladins?" asks the ex mercenary originally from The City Of Ruins as they watch the last defeated knight in the group that just took part in the lists, being helped from the field.
"Haven't seen any" quietly replies Beldane the cleric, who follows on from that with "Though on the boards, I spotted at least two paladins".
Zam nods, for on the boards, where all the participants names are listed, and what group they'll be taking part in. Also has their rank. Wether it be a landed knight or the various ranks in the knightly orders. Such as knight apprentice, knight of either rank one, two or three, knight errant, knight captain or knight commander, and finally paladin.
There's also avenger, which Lord Farque is often mistaken as. Avengers being a high ranking knight such as a knight captain or commander, or paladin. Who has turned their back on their order, and gone out on their own.
"If they come up against Percy, they'll be his only competition" says the powerful practitioner of magic who is a member of the church of Glaine.
"He'll have no problems in the first couple of groups he's in" says the fighting cleric, who wryly adds "He's just got to make it look like it's a challenge for him".
"That will be difficult" quietly says Zam the ex mercenary, who briefly pauses before continuing on with "Considering who he is".
Beldane snorts at that, and grins as he nods his head in agreement with the youngest member of the group.
Then the powerful Nastellian spellcaster, along with the ex mercenary from The City Of Ruins look away to their right.
At the stand on this side of the tourney field, that they along with a number of other small tents, are closest to.
Both Beldane and Zam search for the others, and soon find the group amongst the crowd up in the stand.
Well most of the group are, because Dorc da Orc, along with Lord Farque, the goblin named Carry, who is really Mira Reinholt the mage, as well as Shur Kee the monk.
Are down amongst the crowd on the ground in front of the stands. With both the ork warleader and the large heavily armoured deathlord, sticking out as they tower over everyone else.
The fighting cleric and the ex mercenary spot the undead warlord have a quiet word with Shur Kee the monk, and the short statured monk nods his head.
Before making his way from the crowd down in front of the stands, then head up into the stands to where the rest of the group are watching the Spring Tourney of Vexil.
Zam and Beldane go back to watching the tourney field as the next group is announced, and the ex mercenary says "This group, and the next" followed by "Then it's Percy's group".
The powerful practitioner of magic from the kingdom of Nastell nods his head, then he quietly says "Look, a knight from the order of Saint Mar'che".
Both of them look behind them into the tent, and see that sir Percavelle Lé Dic is still dozing, and is totally unaware what's happening out on the tourney field.
"Looks competent" says Zam referring to the knight who is a member of Percy's order, and is lining up to joust.
All six tilts are in action this time, with twelve knights facing off. Six at one end of the field, and six at the other.
Beldane who is fairly certain at what's about to happen, says "Going to be a hell of a racket here when they all hit".
The ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins nods in agreement, for so far this fine and sunny spring morning.
He's seen basically every knight hit their opponent. And while most sustain at least one hit from an opponents lance.
Those defeated are usually knocked out of the saddle after the second hit, occasionally the third hit from a competitors lance.
Zam winces when there's an almighty clatter when the combatants hit one another. Cheers go up from the crowd as two of the twelve knights are unhorsed.
One so violently that he clips the tilt backwards that separates him from his opponent, and goes cartwheeling over the other side.
Landing behind his opponents mount as it continues down the length of the list, towards the other end of field.
"He's not getting up anytime soon" dryly says Beldane the cleric about the knight who was violently knocked off his horse.
Orderlies, who are actually city guards, rush out onto the tourney field with their hand cart, which has a wooden board, the length and with of an armoured knight built onto the top of it.
When they get to the downed knight and check on him, one of the orderlies waves a small red hand flag.
And the master of ceremonies, who is a member of the City Council, calls for a halt in proceedings.
A pair of healers, who have been assigned to the Spring Tourney by the Mage Council, hurry out onto the tourney field.
"He'll live" quietly says Beldane to Zam as he senses one of the healers casting a fairly powerful spell upon the downed knight.
"Just" adds the fighting cleric who is a member of the church of Glaine, a god predominantly worshipped in the north of his homeland of Nastell.
"You see who his opponent was?" quietly says the ex mercenary who is the youngest member of the group, who then adds "That one from Percy's order".
Beldane nods his head in agreement, then quietly says "Keep an eye on him in the later rounds" followed "That hit was near perfect" he then adds "He could be a contender in the final groups".
Zam nods his head in agreement, then after the injured knight who has just been healed, is carted away.
The joust gets underway again. With this group taking a fair bit of time, before there's eventually six winners, and six defeated knights, who are no longer participants in the lists.
The following group is up, with four pairs of knights taking part. One of whom Zam sees is a knights apprentice. The first such one to take part in the tourney this morning.
And much to the surprise of the ex mercenary, along with many in the crowd. The knights apprentice, who is probably younger than Zam himself, is victorious against his opponent.
Then once the fourth and final knight in that particular group beats his opponent, Beldane the cleric turns and says in the common language "Percy you're up".
The large heavily armoured knight snorts as he wakes up "Tis time, is it?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic after yawning.
"It is, sir Percavelle" replies Zam the ex mercenary, which illicits a grunt from the nobleman originally from the kingdom of Druvic as he gets up out of the camp chair.
"Very well" says the member of the order of the knights of Saint Mar'che, who then tells the ex mercenary "Fetch my mount, squire".
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic or Percy as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, stretches his neck from side to side, then picks up his full helm from the stand next to the camp chair.
The large heavily armoured knight puts his helm on, then he says "I have work to do, wot" as he slaps the visor of his helm down, and walks from the tent on this fine spring morning here in the city of Vexil . . . . . .
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