The City Of Vexil.
"So far, so good" says Zam the ex mercenary in response to Lisell Maera the scout asking him "How's it going so far?".
The youngest member of the group who has just returned to the tent, where the others have come down to as it's the lunch break in the Spring Tourney of Vexil.
Then tells the attractive young woman who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury "It hasn't been that difficult at all".
Zam briefly pauses before continuing with "Apart from Percy getting a bit distracted here and there during the last couple of rounds".
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by the others in the group nods, then says "We saw".
Speaking in a more quiet tone, and in elvish too, the scout leader in the Armies of Farque says "Lord Farque noticed it in the round before last".
The scout Maera continues with "First we thought he was trying to make it look like it's a challenge to win".
She pauses for a moment or two, before adding "But Farque immediately saw that Percy was distracted" she then says "By that paladin from his order who was also in his group".
The ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins nods in agreement with the junior officer in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque, then he says "Distracted again in the next round he was in too".
Zam continues on with "That sir Dormic and others from his order came down to the side of the field and watched the lists in the final rounds before lunch".
The youngest member of the group who previously scratched out a living, a meager one at that, as a mercenary in The City Of Ruins before the others found him, then says "Percy keeped looking over at them".
He follows that with "Took him two passes again to defeat his opponent" the ex mercenary continues with "At least he didn't get hit that time".
Lis grunts in agreement, then she nods to where the others are to the side and behind the small tent, and says to Zam "Come on, let's get something to eat".
The teenager originally from The City Of Ruins nods in agreement with that, and he follows after the scout Maera and joins the others.
Where sir Percavelle Lé Dic is regaling his experiences in the Lists, or Joust, here in the Spring Tourney of Vexil.
To Tovis the war engineer, Tamric Drubine the field commander and Shur Kee the monk, the three of them, even the short statured monk, would rather be somewhere else at the moment.
But no such luck, as they're stuck here listening to the large heavily armoured knight who is a participant in the Spring Tourney of Vexil.
Going around sir Percavelle Lé Dic and the trio he's talking to, Zam and Lis head around to behind the small tent.
They avoid tripping over Dorc da Orc, who is sitting on the ground behind the tent, drinking from a large barrel of ale.
While lying beside the large ork is half an eaten whole pig that was on a spit a little while ago. It's the third such one the ork warleader has got for himself, since they arrived at the tourney field just after dawn on what's a fine and sunny spring day here in the City of Vexil.
A camp table has been found, and set up behind the small tent, on it is a number of items of food, that's been predominantly purchased from some of the stalls that have been set up.
The rest having been stolen by Helbe the elven thief, who has been back in the city as much as he has been watching the Joust, here on day one of the Spring Tourney of Vexil.
After getting something to eat and drink from the table, Zam and Lis go over and sit down on the ground next to Mira Reinholt the mage, who is the goblin named Carry at the moment.
And the rotund woman named Malisse who is really Zubutai the barbarian hordesman. Along with Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy.
Standing nearby is Saanea the witch, who is shortly joined by her lover, Tamric Drubine the field commander. Who has been able to get away from the conversation with sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
A bit further away, in the empty space between the tent they're behind, and the next one along. Sits the large heavily armoured figure of Lord Farque himself.
Zam as he eats a stuffed heal of bread, sees that the undead warlord is looking back to the city of Vexil.
Specifically towards a tall tower that's further back behind the north wall of the city. The ex mercenary frowns as he too looks there.
For he's certain that he saw something on the very top of what's probably the tallest tower in the northern quarter of the city.
Seeing the ex mercenary look back to the city, the goblin named Carry who in reality is Mira Reinholt the mage, nods his head then quietly says to the youngest member of the group "Axe".
Zam looks at the light green coloured goblin, who tells him "He's been watching the tourney, well us I guess, ever since we left the city gates".
The once powerful mage wryly smiles, then dryly says "One of the advantages of being a goblin is the naturally enhanced eyesight".
Carry the goblin nods towards the tall tower in the distance back in the city of Vexil, and adds "I can spot him once in a while, whenever he moves up there".
"Not us" quietly says Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who then slightly nods towards where Lord Farque is sitting, as she quietly adds "Him".
Carry aka the mage Reinholt grunts in agreement, while Zam nods at that, as he continues to eat his lunch, while the tourney takes a break for the middle of the day.
"Who's he got in the next round after the lunch break?" asks Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy referring to sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
The youngest member of the group who went to check the boards when the previous round was completed.
Tells those sitting down with him behind the small tent "That knight commander in the order of Varnell".
"Hmmm that should be a good one" says Malisse aka Zubutai Timaginson with a nod of the head, followed by "Toughest one so far for Percy".
The others all nod in agreement, then Zam says "Could very well be the last round for him before the final list".
The ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins continues with "Depending how many participants are in the following groups".
The youngest member of the group then explains "Quite a few have pulled out, saving themselves for Le Grande Meleé tomorrow".
"Those most likely who knew they're no match for the others who are left in the lists" says Malisse aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, who has an eye for picking winners in the Joust.
As she along with Lord Farque, and surprisingly Dorc da Orc have pretty much picked every winner in every group so far.
The others have made a small fortune from the betmen who have been offering odds all morning for the Lists.
Though those odds are diminishing as the participants in each round progress through the Lists for the Spring Tourney of Vexil.
The rotund woman who like the mage Reinholt is a member of Lord Farque's personal council, then says "Percy along with those two paladins". One being sir Dormic of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar'che. And another being in the order of the Knights of The Dark. More commonly referred to as The Dark Knights.
"As well as that knight commander of the order of Varnell that Percy is up against in his next group are the favourites" adds Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who follows that with "Not much odds there with those lot, they're basically one to one when it comes to the odds the betmen are giving".
"Whose got the longest odds left?" asks Zam the ex mercenary, who hasn't been able to keep track of the odds for the Joust as he's been too busy helping out sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
"A young landed knight from Druvic" is the reply from Carry the goblin "An outsider for sure" adds the goblin who is really Mira Reinholt the mage.
"He's the only one left with odds of twenty to one to win from some of the betmen, and overall even more" continues the Vexillian born mage who is under a spell cast by Helbe the elven thief.
Zam who knows of the young knight in question, as he was in one of Percy's group in an earlier round, glances over at Lord Farque, then looks at the others sitting on the ground with him, then quietly says "You could make a killing if he got into the final group".
The others nod, then Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy quietly says "That's been worked on". The youngest member of the group looks at him, then nods in understanding. As he assumes that's been worked on by Helbe the elven thief.
"Speaking of his highness" says the ex mercenary from The City Of Ruins which illicits a few grins from the others sitting with him.
"Where is he at the moment?" adds Zam, who follows that with "Haven't seen him much at all during the morning".
"He's around I guess" dryly says the goblin named Carry, followed by "Doing who knows what" the light green goblin then adds "Probably stealing something somewhere" he briefly pauses before continuing with "Or snooping where he shouldn't be".
"Snooping where he shouldn't be" says Lord Farque interrupting the conversation from where he sits.
The undead warlord who is speaking elvish, as the others have been, nods his full helmed head in the direction of the far end, or east end of the tourney field and says "That way".
The large heavily armoured deathlord who looks away from the city, then at the others sitting nearby, continues with "The Knights of Saint Mar'che".
Zam lifts an eyebrow at hearing that, then after looking at the others, then looking back at the lord of the death realm, he asks him "His highness been ah helping out much?".
The undead warlord who has the name of Draugodrottin that the people of his lands also know him by, shakes his full helmed head slightly, then says "Not really".
Lord Farque who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to The Destroyer, continues with "Just a couple of times with that young knight from northern Druvic".
The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque then adds "Apart from that he hasn't tampered with the Lists".
The youngest member of the group nods, then asks "That young knight from Druvic going to make the last group?". For Zam might put a bet on him doing so before things get underway again after the midday break if Lord Farque says so.
"He will" is the answer from Draugodrottin who follows that with "He might get there on his own merit, if not the thieving elf will make sure he does".
The others nod at that, then the deathlord of Farque tells them "By the way things are going, there'll be four in the final group of the last round".
He continues on with "That young Druvician, those two paladins that are left" the undead warlord then adds "And Percy".
"And the winner?" asks the ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins, who is fairly certain who Lord Farque will say who will win the Joust for the Spring Tourney of Vexil.
"Percy" says the large heavily armoured deathlord, who briefly pauses before continuing in a dry tone of voice with "That's if he doesn't get fucking distracted by that paladin from his order in the final round".
Zam and the others nod at that, then the lord of the death realm tells him "I'll have a word with him again soon, but I want you and Beldane to keep hounding on him to concentrate on what he's fucking doing".
"Yes my lord" replies the youngest member of the group, who knows that the others with the exception of Dorc da Orc placed bets before the Lists got underway early in the morning, that Percy will win the Joust for the Spring Tourney of Vexil.
As the undead warlord falls silent and goes back to looking at the city, Zam finishes off his meal and drink.
As the midday break for the Lists comes towards an end on this fine and sunny spring day here in this part of the city-state of Vexil . . . . . .
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