Wonderful 22.

The Nomads Plains...

Dorc da Orc growls as the large sword he's holding, goes between his legs and trips him up. The ork warleader grunts as he hits the incline face first, and slides further down into the cave that he's been living in for the past couple of weeks.
"Fuckass" mutters Dorc da Orc after he spits out a mouthful of sand, the large ork glares at lord Farque's sword, but doesn't say anything to it, as it's bound to hit him again, which is more than annoying since he's the one holding it.
Dorkindle sighs, then sits up, the naked ork weaponsmith brushes some of the sand off him, then glares at the nearby pool of water, he hates that more than the sword, even though the water keeps the cave cool during the hot summer days here in the north of the nomads plains.
The large ork grimaces when lord Farque's sword tells him to put on his pants if he's going to go out and take a piss when the local tribes children are nearby watching him "Not fucken Dorc's fault they fucken pervs" mutters the warleader of the ork race, who slightly flinches as his right hand holding what he thinks is a magical sword, slightly rises up. He breathes a sigh of relief when the weapon doesn't hit him.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe gets up and wanders over to the rocks where his gear is, and puts his pants and boots on, though only after he's able to let go of the large sword that belongs to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Dorc da Orc sits down with his back against the cave wall, and not for the first time he wonders how barbarian hordesman from the southern tundra are in these hot, arid plains, north of the equator, far, faraway from the southern tundra.
Dorkindle who didn't really listen to what lord Farque's sword told him about these people who dwell in these hot, desolate plains, snorts then mutters "Fucken pony riders, that got no ponies" the large ork finds this extremely strange, as they're obviously the same people to even him, who often finds that humans all look pretty much the same to him.
The ork warleader who often sleeps during the day time, as the heat outside is just plain unbearable to him, yawns as he thinks about having something to eat, probably some of head the dead wyvern that he's placed at the top of the rise above the cave that he's living in.
The large ork is just thinking about gnawing on some of that, when he starts to doze, thinking of ponies, and what he would like to do with them, which involves him fucking a heard of them, the ork weaponsmith chortles as he starts to doze.
Ork! shouts Ryn the Sword of Power into the mind of the warleader of the ork race, Dorc da Orc wakes with a start after just a few short moments of sleep "What?" growls an annoyed weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks who finds that he's instinctively taken hold of lord Farque's sword which he placed beside him.
Dorkindle frowns as he listens to the voice in his head, the voice that's been the most prominent one by far in the last five weeks. Which is both a curse and a blessing in the opinion of the large ork. For it's shut up the other voices in his head, including the annoying voice of his 'mother', which has been a relief. Though the fact that the voice of lord Farque's sword is worse that all of the other voices that are usually banging away in his mind, kind of negates the positive aspect of the regular voices in his head being quiet.
"Alright, alright you don't have to fucken shout all the time" mutters Dorc da Orc as he gets up and grabs his weapon harness and puts it on, then he picks up the plate of natural dragon armour he wears, then he stumbles over to the sand incline that leads up to the cave mouth as the large sword tells him, in no uncertain terms to hurry up or else.
The ork weaponsmith stumbles outside into the morning sunshine, putting on the plate of dragon armour that belongs to him.
Dorkindle looks to the east and mutters "Fucken humanlings" as he spots the children who were watching him earlier, making their way to their tribes camp.
"Now fucken what?" asks the large ork, who then mutters "Not north" as the voice of lord Farque's sword tells him to look to the west and south. The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks looks that way and frowns, then he grunts and looks up into the sky that way after the voice in his head dryly tells him to look at the sky.
After a few moments, and with the advantage of his natural farsight, Dorc da Orc spots something, it's a pair of wyverns, he grunts then says "Yeah me fucken see 'em" the large ork, who at seven and half foot tall, and is around seven hundred and fifty pounds in weight, is still the largest ork of his tribe, slightly frowns as he notices something.
The wyverns aren't wild, as there's a number of riders upon their backs, and they're flying in formation. Dorkindle has seen it often enough in battle, and knows that the two wyverns and those upon them, are on the hunt for their enemy.
"Hmmmmm" murmurs the ork warleader as he first scratches his chin, then his nuts, as he thinks about something, the large ork looks east again, at the camp of the tribe of nomads, and though it matches the surroundings, Dorc da Orc with his sight, not to mention his hearing and sense of smell, can easily pick it out from nearly a mile away on the rise he's on. He then looks at the wyverns again to the west and south, and knows that from the air, the human riders won't be able to see the nomads camp, but their two wyverns will more than likely be able to if they get a good sight of it.
The ork weaponsmith, then looks back to where the children who were observing him a little earlier from down in the boulder field, are now crossing the hard packed flatland that's partway to their camp.
Dorc da Orc shrugs, then says "So fucken what?" he then winces and glances at the large sword that he's holding, afraid that it might come up and whack him as the voice in his head yells at him.
"Oh alright" mutters the large ork who sighs, as he figures it would be best to do what he's told to do, for the simple reason it would shut up the voice of lord Farque's sword for the moment, and will save him a thrashing, as the large sword knows exactly how hard to hit him, without breaking any bones, or cracking open his skull, but still hurt like hell.
With a sigh Dorc da Orc starts down the rise towards the boulder field, he grimaces and breaks out into a jog when lord Farque's sword yells at him to hurry the fuck up.
"Should we sneak a look at him late in the afternoon?" asks Amagin as the five children head back to their tribe's camp, they all know the monster rests during the day time, and is awake again around sunset. They've all seen him in the fading light of dusk, though they prefer to watch him first thing in the morning, like they have this morning. For the simple fact his antics seem to be funnier in the morning than they are at the end of the day.
"Maybe" says his cousin Halatai who like all the children, even young Flalil is keeping an eye on their surroundings as they head back to camp, the son of the tribe's leader continues with "Depends if we have to keep an eye on any of the herds i suppose".
His cousin Amagin grunts as he forgot about that, while the brothers Domatai and Tolagin nod as they too might be asked to watch some of the herds into the early evening, or if not that, then some other task. For the children of the nomads tribes work almost as much as the adults. They have to if they are to survive in the harsh environs that they live in.
Halatai as they cross the flatlands keeps a careful watch on the sands to the east where sand dragons dwell. And though the monster that dwells in the cave killed the sand dragon that's been pestering the tribe the most often of late, there are others lurking in the sand that's not all that far away.
Tolagin the oldest of the children, who also has keen eyesight, frowns as he looks back to the west, he quietly says to the others "What's that in the sky?" they all look back, and after a few moments as they look to the west and slightly south, Halatai recognizes what is they've seen "Wyverns".
The children walk a bit quicker, glancing back as they do, Domatai says "Two of them" followed by "A mating pair?" Halatai shakes his head, then quietly says "It's not the season" the children all know that the wyverns of the plains fly in flights of a handful of them, up to dozens. Or alternatively they will fly solo, the only time you see a pair of wyverns is if they're mating, and the season for that is in the late autumn, not the height of summer as it is now.
Halatai then says "Besides they're not flying like a pair about to mate" the ten year old boy who is the best with the bow and the knife amongst the tribes children, then adds "They're flying too straight and level for that" the son of the tribes leader, after a brief pause as he knows that it can only mean one thing, quickly says "Townsmen" followed by "Raiders".
"We're too far east" says Domatai as they all move a little quicker, though not at a run, because doing so might alert the keen eyesight of the approaching wyverns "Not far enough" says Halatai, who knows that Domatai is indeed correct, as they're way too far east into the plains, not to mention north, that they would ever see townsmen raiders.
Who are usually found near their own lands, either on foot, horseback, or on their tame wyverns, which are bred from wild wyverns of the nomads plains for generations upon generations.
But not this morning, as there's definitely a pair of tame wyverns flying in this direction, it's confirmed when Tolagin says "I think i see riders" as he looks back and watches the wyverns for a few moments.
The children all know that they're in trouble if they get caught out here in the flatlands, their only hope is to get into the dry ravine that leads to their tribe's camp. Though getting there before the approaching wyverns get here, might prove to be a little difficult, for Tolagin says "I think they've spotted us" they all look back, and see that the pair of wyverns are swooping downwards as they head directly this way.
Taking change of the situation, Halatai knowing that they've only got one chance of survival, yells "Run to the ravine!" the children take off running, and if the wyverns hadn't seen them already, they definitely have now, for the children hear the two wyverns screech to one another in triumph as they head down towards their fleeing prey.
As they run, Halatai is pretty sure he hears something else, but he's not to sure, as all can hear is his own breathing, his heartbeat in his ears, and the effort of the other four children with him.
The lip of the ravine is close, and the tribe's leaders son shouts "Jump" he grabs his little cousin Flalil and leaps down into the dry ravine with her as the shadow of s wyvern appears on the ground around them.
He hits the slightly sloping ground in the ravine with a grunt, barely holding onto Flalil as they, and the other children hear the loud screech of one of the wyverns, and smell it's strong reptilian like odour.
If there was ever any doubt that these were tame wyverns, that's put to rest as Halatai hears the voices of men calling out in the language of the townsmen as he along with his cousin Amagin scramble into some nearby rocks. They may not offer protection like the boulder field at the foot of the nearby rise would do, but it's the best cover available to them.
"What's that?" murmurs Halatai as he puts down his cousin Flalil, he's sure he's just heard a roar as he looks up and sees one of the wyverns rising up into the air, while out of the corner of his eye, he spots the other one swooping down towards the ravine.
Then Halatai along with his two cousins Amagin and Flalil hear, then see something totally unexpected "Huh?" murmurs a surprised Amagin, while an equally surprised Halatai murmurs "By the plains gods, what the hell?" . . . . . .

Wonderful 21.

The Nomads Plains...

"Come on let's go and see" says Halatai, his cousin Amagin nods his head and grins, and the two boys slip out of camp as the sun rises in the east on a new day here in the north of the Nomads Plains.
The two boys, both around ten years old, head down through the dry gully near their tribes camp, they both have their knives on their belts, and they're both carrying their bows, as they like anyone else, wouldn't be caught dead going out onto the plains without carrying a weapon.
Halatai the slightly bigger of the two cousins, holds up a hand to stop as he hears something once they're out of the gully, he looks back and spots someone following them "Flalil" quietly says Halatai in a dry tone of voice.
Amagin looks back and spots his little sister heading through the dry gully, he sourly smiles, and the two cousins couch down in the shade of a rock pile and wait for the girl to catch up. She spots them, and hurries up to where they're next to the pile of rocks "I want to come too" says Flalil when she reaches them "We know" dryly says Amagin to his little sister, who says to her brother and her cousin "Domatai and Tolagin already left camp before you two".
The two boys share a look, then Halatai sourly says "By Qxain is everyone going to be there this morning?" without waiting for an answer, the older cousin leads the way, and heads out over the flatland that's close to the tribe's camp.
The three young nomads move quickly and quietly over the flat ground, even young Flalil who at just seven years old, knows how to move with stealth and speed in the harsh environs of the plains that bares their people's name.
The trio are heading to a rise to the southwest of the camp, about a mile away, they constantly keep looking to the east at the sands a couple of miles away, where sand dragons dwell. At least they know there won't be any heading to the rise, or any wild wyverns too, who for the past two weeks have avoided it, and avoided it with good reason.
The cousins cross the flatland and make their way across some rocky ground. Contrary to what townsmen think, the nomads plains isn't completely flat, with the odd rolling hill like terrain. You can find all sorts of terrain in the nomads plains, even foothills at the base of mountains along the very northern edge of the plains of the nomads.
But the townsmen of Belinswae are correct about one thing, the nomads plains terrain is all arid and dry, there's no denying that fact.
The three cousins drop down into a dry river bed, which hasn't flowed with water in millennia, about fifty yards in, and they go up a bank, all in a crouch, making their way to a boulder field, where you can see the rise which isn't too far away.
"Hell, is everyone going to turn up this morning?" says a voice to the right, Halatai looks that way and sees Domatai in the lee of a boulder, Halatai nods to their fellow tribe member who is the same age as himself, then asks "Has it come out this morning?". "It has" says Domatai, who nods for the three cousins to follow him, he leads them up through the boulder field, until they get to a large boulder, which his brother Tolagin is sitting in the shade, around the the front of it.
The youngsters join him, and they all look up to the rise, where the opening to a cave is, a cave that's used for one of the tribes water stores, as there's a natural pool in it. A cave that for obvious reasons, is no longer able to be used. At the peak of the rise above the cave mouth is the decomposing head of a wyvern, while to the right of the cave entrance is the skeleton of the sand dragon that's been annoying the tribe for the last couple of years, until it met it's fate a couple of weeks ago.
"Where is it?" asks Amagin, Tolagin the oldest of the youngsters sitting in the shade of the boulder replies with "It's gone back in" he continues with "It was baying like a jackal earlier". "We know, we heard from camp" says Halatai, who was with his father and uncle when they discovered, for lack of a word, what dwells in the cave now, he then adds "It usually comes out a few times before it gets too hot" they've learnt from the tribe's scouts and hunters that it's way more active at night than it is during the day.
In silence they wait for sometime, so much so, that Flalil, the youngest of them, starts to get fidgety, and she breaks the silence, by saying "Where's the monster?" her older brother Amagin is just about to tell her to have some patience, when the monster makes an appearance as it comes out of the cave.
"It's naked again" dryly says Halatai "I forgot to mention that" says Tolagin as young Flalil giggles, and her older brother Amagin softly chuckles as they all watch the monster standing there naked, stretching in the early morning sunshine, while in one hand it holds a long spear, and in the other, a very large sword.
As usual when the monster makes an appearance, a spirited argument breaks out amongst the children, as to what it is "I'm telling you, it's a goblin" says Domatai, who is convinced the monster is a goblin, for goblins are green, and so is the monster.
"Please, no goblin is that big, everyone knows that" says Amagin "How would you know, you've never seen a townsmen, let alone a goblin" says Tolagin who comes to the defense of his younger brother "Nor have you" says Amagin, who continues with "But from the stories of the bard, no goblin he describes is that big".
The brothers Domatai and Tolagin are about to argue some more, when they fall silent as Halatai quietly says "It's not a goblin" he continues with "My uncle says it isn't" everyone knows Halatai's uncle Saladén the far hunter has traveled in the lands of the townsmen, where he's met goblins.
Halatai continues with "It might be green like a goblin, but uncle says it's far larger than any of them grow, they don't even grow to be as tall as most men" there's a few moments of silence, then Domatai asks Halatai "Then what does your uncle think it is?" Halatai shrugs his shoulders, then says "He has no idea".
Halatai has overheard his father, the tribal leader, and his uncle Saladén, as well as Amagin and Flalil's father discussing the monster. All three brothers have no idea what is, for the far hunter thought it might be a troll, which he heard about in his travels in the lands of the townsmen, but never actually saw one. But the monster doesn't match the description of a troll, nor does it resemble one in any of the tales of the bard.
The children are about to continue their argument, when Flalil giggles again, and says "It's taking a piss" the boys all laugh as they watch the monster piss, it pisses in a spray more than a stream, and the children all under twelve years old, find this hilarious.
"At least it's not taking a crap too" says Amagin in a sour tone of voice, as he and his cousin have witnessed that, and the wind was up that morning, and blowing in the opposite direction it is today. The two cousins got a whiff of the monster's excrement that morning, a smell so strong and disgustung, that it sent the two boys running back to the camp.
"By the plains gods that was gross" mutters Halatai as he recalls the morning last week when the monster took a dump, the son of the tribe's leader shakes his head, then says "I'll never forget that" Amagin nods his head in agreement as the children continue to watch the monster.
"What's it doing now?" quietly says Domatai as the monster which has been trying to scratch it's back with the spear it's got, uses the rock face to one side of the cave, to scratch it's back. Even from where they are, the children can hear it growling and rumbling away in some language, in what sounds like contentment and satisfaction, though they're not entirely sure.
"I think it's happy it got that itch" quietly says Amagin, who then falls silent as the monster loudly grunts, then stands away from the rock face next to the cave mouth, and look directly at them in the shade of the boulder they're in as it sniffs.
"You think it can see us?" whispers Flalil to her cousin Halatai, who with the knife and the bow, is the best out of the children here, he nods his head, then whispers back "I do" then he and the rest of the children go completely still as the monster, who is staring at them, roars in a loud voice, then it thumps on it's bare chest with the clenched fist that's holding it's spear.
The monster charges a few steps down the rise and roars again, Halatai in a reassuring murmur to the others says "Keep still" the monster stops, it's large chest heaving as it breathes, then after it roars once more, it starts shouting at them.
What's it saying, they don't know, as it's yelling in a language they don't understand, then it yells in another language, which some of the children recognize as the language spoken by the townsmen of Belinswae, though none of them speak it, but Halatai, Amagin and Flalil know their uncle Saladén knows the language of the townsmen.
Then the children all glance at one another, as they're certain they hear a few words in the dialect of the tribes of the nomads, interspersed in the language of the townsmen, they're pretty sure those words are, they kind of stick out, as they're swear words, though used completely out of context, without meaning, well meaning to them.
"What's an asscunt?" murmurs Flalil, which causes her brother Amagin to chuckle as he never thought he would hear those two words used like that, he quietly says to his little sister "You better not say that infront of mother and father" he's about to continue when the naked monster stops yelling, roars, then starts running down the rise in their direction.
"Don't move" hisses Halatai to the brothers Domatai and Tolagin who are about to bolt as the monster heads down to the boulder field where they are, it's kicking up dust as it runs down towards them. Then all of a sudden, it's right hand holding the large sword, lifts up, and it smacks itself in the forehead with the flat of the blade, causing it to come to a stumbling stop.
"Huh?" murmurs Domatai, who then adds "What's it doing?" as they watch the monster lift the sword, and smack itself with it, the flat of the blade comes down repeatedly, hitting it's own shoulders, then it turns around, shouting and yelling in what's obviously annoyance and anger.
The monster runs back up the rise, whacking itself in the ass a few times with the flat of the large blade it's got, the children all burst into laughter as they watch the antics of the monster, who yelps, then shouts angrily as it hits itself in the butt.
The five youngsters watch as the large, green monster tries to fling away the large sword, which easily has a six foot long blade. But it's unable to, and the sword comes up and hits him in the side of the head, which sends the monster, which yells in anger, stumbling sudeways as it approaches the cave mouth.
The monster runs into the rock face next to the entrance of the cave, smacking it's head, it stumbles back, shakes it's head in anger, roar, then proceeds to punch the rock face a few times, kick it once, then headbutt it, before it staggers sideways, then stumble into the cave entrance, and go out of sight.
There's a moment of silence, then the children all burst out laughing again, after their bout of laughter, they all asks one another numerous questions.
"How can it punch that rock without breaking it's hands?" asks Domatai "Or cracking it's skull too?" says Amagin in reference to the monster headbutting the rock face, not to mention it smacked itself in the head with it's own sword a number of times, and they weren't light, gentle swings too, as there was a bit of force behind those blows.
As the other children ask themselves these questions, Halatai interrupts them, and says "Well we now know how it can kill a sand dragon by itself" he nods to where the skeleton of the fourteen foot long sand dragon lies, he continues with "Anyone who can hit that hard and not get hurt, is definitely tough enough to kill a sand dragon by itself".
Halatai pauses as the others take this in, then he nods to the top of the rise, to above the cave where the head of a decomposing wyvern lies, and he says "And how it could kill a wyvern too" . . . . . .

Wonderful 20.

Belinswae. The City Of Falnic...

"Sorry to interrupt you all" says the justifier Parquet El "I rather doubt that" dryly says Riley Hait the mercenary ranger in the elven language. Which causes Helbe the elven thief to frown at the Ranger Hait, and sir Percavelle Lé Dic to guffaw, then say "I don't know what the ranger chap just said, but by the great god Narille I'm guessing he said something rather witty, wot".
The paladin in the order of Saint Mar-che with his elbow then nudges Shur Kee the monk who is sitting beside him at the table, as if to get the acolyte in the order of Bru Li in on the joke as well.
Shur Kee remains silent, while sir Percavelle shuts up when Helbenthril Raendril scowls at him, and Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman goes back to eating the last of his meal, and seemingly ignores the justifier who along with one of his guards has just entered the dining room in their suite.
The justifier, a man of medium height, who like the majority of townsmen, is dark haired, and tanned skin, clears his throat as if about to say something, but Helbe the elven thief beats him to it, and says "How may we help you justifier?" the shielded elven magic user senses Parquet El, a sorcerer, to make sure he doesn't cast anything that might find out something he shouldn't.
"The young man was seen earlier entering the city again" says Parquet El the sorcerer who nods to where Tamric Drubine has sat back down, the justifier, who is part guard commander, part local official, part political leader, rolled into one, who rules like a dictatorial nobleman, continues with "I'm afraid i will have to check his weapon again".
"Sure, no problem" says Helbenthril Raendril who knows that the justifiers have a strict rule of law when it comes to any magical item, not just weapons. In other words, they want to control them, there use and availability, and if anyone else has them, they're not to be used within their domain unless under extreme circumstances.
The elven princeling nods to Tam, and tells him "Go and get it" the nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin shrugs his  shoulders, gets up and heads to the room he's using, the former heir to the knight of castle Drubine returns to the dining room with his sword, which he hands to the justifier.
"Did you use this sword while you were gone from the city?" asks the sorcerer El who looks closely at the weapon while sensing it "I did" replies Tamric Drubine, which draws a few sideways looks from the others, and for the justifier and his guard to look sharply at the nobleborn youngster, who has sat back down at the table to finish eating an apple.
"You did?" asks Parquet El with a slight frown upon his face as he looks down at the weapon and continues to sense the sword for any recent use "I did" says Tam inbetween bites of his apple, the justifier looks at him once more, then asks "Against whom?".
Tamric Drubine tells him "Road bandits" the justifier stares at him for a few moments, then asks "Where?" the nobleborn youngster finishes his apple, then says "Along the southeast road that goes inland" he continues to tell the sorcerer El where along the road he ran into a couple of groups of bandits.
Probably wanting to know if they're his bandits Tam came across, Helbe the elven thief dryly thinks to himself, as he knows that corruption is rampant amongst the justifiers who rule Falnic and this area of Belinswae.
It seems the bandits in question aren't in the pay of the sorcerer El, because he says "Hopefully you got rid of those criminals for good" the son of the former knight of castle Drubine nods, then says "I did" he continues with "There's eight less bandits harassing the people along that road now".
"Eight?" says the justifier in a surprised tone of voice, who looks down at the sword he's holding, and frowns before he looks at the youngster who still isn't thirteen years old yet, and he says "With this sword?". "Yep" says Tamric Drubine, who after the sorcerer El says "That doesn't make sense" he says "I used the sword alright, i didn't say i used it's magic".
There's silence in the dining room as the justifier and his guard takes that in, while Tam reaches forward, and from a bowl in the center of the table, he takes a small, tart orange that's grown in this part of Belinswae, and peels it, before eating it a segment at a time.
Into the silence, sir Percavelle, who normally speaks in an overly loud voice, even inside in a private conversation, says in a reasonable volume of voice to the sorcerer El "And to think, the lad is the youngest and the less experienced amongst us. Makes you stop and think about certain things, wot?".
After a few moments, the justifier nods his head, then holds out the sword for Tamric Drubine to take back, the nobleborn youngster gets up, takes his sword back, and sits back down after leaning the magical sword, which was obtained three years ago in the elven principality of Alínlae, against the wall behind him.
The sorcerer El then looks over at sir Percavelle and says to him "And you sir knight, have you used your sword and shield lately?" the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, who five years ago was trying to kill some of those sitting at the table with him, snorts in a dismissing manner, before he says in his too loud voice "My good man, you would definitely know if i had".
You got that right, Helbe the elven thief dryly thinks to himself, it's pretty much the same thought the others have. For the simple reason the paladin in the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che tends to be a walking disaster zone, attacking anyone and everyone who may slight him in anyway.
The earl of Lé Dic in the kingdom of Druvic is second to one other in the group who acts in the same way. Unsurprisingly they do not get along with another, though the fact that they've been trying to kill one another since they first encountered each other eight years ago might have something to do with it.
Helbenthril Raendril who is glad for one thing, and one thing only with the trio of lord Farque, Dorc da Orc and Mira Reinholt being missing is that the ork warleader and the paladin in the order of Saint Mar-che aren't in the same place, or city for that matter.
Looks at the justifier who is a sorcerer, and says to him "Is there anything else we can help you with?" after a moment, Parquet El shakes his head, then says "No, that is all" the justifier, one of a small number of them based here in the city of Falnic, which they govern together, then says to Tamric Drubine and sir Percavelle " Remember to adhere to the laws of the use of magical items" then he and his guard make their way out, accompanied by Tam who escorts them to the front door, while an unseen Narladene the ground pixie follows them.
Those in the dining room, especially Helbe the elven thief and Dalinvardél Tanith with their naturally enhanced hearing, listen to Parquet El tell his guard to send a wyvern rider down the southeast road, to check on the sites where Tamric Drubine encountered the road bandits recently.
Once the sorcerer and his guard are out of the suite, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger speaks up and says "Busybody" the others all agree, and the human ranger who is originally from the elven principality of Envadarlen in the Southlands, adds "And to think he's one of the more moderate, and less corrupt out of the bunch".
Tamric Drubine returns to the dining room, and those who have yet to finish their meals, do so. Once they do, the elven masterthief who is the leader of the group, for the simple fact he's been with the group of adventurers the longest, apart from the original trio of lord Farque, Dorc da Orc and Mira Reinholt the mage. Gives the others the tasks they're to do for the rest of the day, which as usual since arriving in Falnic, is to find out any information about the missing trio.
The young elven noble assigns tasks, starting with "Shur Kee and Riley go down to the river mouth and find out anything you can down in those docks, see if anything has been seen or heard about them from downriver that's new". "Yes friend Helbe" says Shur Kee, and the ranger Hait nods to this, as they'll head down to the docks that are about half a mile south of the city walls, where the mouth of the river, which gets a lot of shipping along it from the south of Belinswae, opens out into the ocean.
"Dalin you and Percavelle continue here in the main docks" says the elven princeling, which causes Dalinvardél Tanith to wryly smile, and in a dry tone say "Sure thing" as he's stuck with the paladin in the order of Saint Mar-che for the afternoon, a task that's always less than enviable, which no one really wants to do if they can help it, and given half a chance to get out of it, they will.
"And you two are with me" says Helbe the elven thief to Tam and Lis, the elven master assassin who wants to keep a close eye on the two youngsters since their little sojourn out of the city a few days ago, tells them "We'll go up into the hillside neighbourhoods and see what we can find out" Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera nod. They both figured the elven prince from the island of Laerel will keep a close eye on them since their escapade outside of the city walls.
They group get up from the table, and after sir Percavelle dons his armour, and gets his magical shield and sword, a weapon that looks like a cut down longsword, which he only got back a year ago when he joined the group, after it being in the hands of someone who took it from him eight years ago.
They leave the suite they're using in the White Gull inn, and once outside in the early afternoon sunshine, they disperse and go out into the city of Falnic, and continue on in their search for the missing trio of lord Farque, Dorc da Orc and Mira Reinholt the mage . . . . . .

Wonderful 19.

Belinswae. The City Of Falnic...

The door to the suite opens, and they all fall silent when they see Helbe the elven thief enter, and make his way into the main room. The young elven noble looks at the two youngsters Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera "I see you two have finally decided to return" dryly says Helbe the elven thief, who has been in the suite for quite sometime watching and listening to the others without them knowing about it.
Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera glance at one another, then the nobleborn boy from the kingdom of Sarcrin is about to say something, but the elven masterthief gets in first with "Spare me your excuses" the elven prince from Laerel then asks "I figure you two went out and searched by yourselves?".
"We did" replies Tamric Drubine who figures it's best not to lie to the young elven noble, or at least not lie too much. "Get into any trouble?" asks Helbenthril Raendril who is glad the others are silent as he stands infront of the pair of youngsters "A little bit" says the former heir to castle Drubine in the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"Well at least you're telling the truth there" dryly says the elven princeling which causes both Tam and Lis to slightly wince as they guess the elven magic user is casting a spell to see if they're lying or not. He isn't, he doesn't have to, he's already read their minds to see what they were up to when they were gone from the city.
"Did you find anything out?" asks the elven master assassin who directs this question more to Lisell Maera than at Tamric Drubine, the nobleborn boy shakes his head, and replies with "Nothing" while after a slight moment of hesitation, Lisell Maera says "We didn't find anything about where they are".
The elven prince from the island of Laerel doesn't look too long at the orphan teenager from the city-state of Brattonbury, just incase he let's his emotions show, he already knows what she's been through, and even thinking about it causes the elven magic users heart to sink.
Just then the bane of the young elven noble speaks up, and for once, Helbe the elven thief isn't annoyed that he does so.
"My good tree loving royal scoundrel" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who then adds "I think these two urchins need to be punished for their behaviour" taking a quick breath, which is usually an indication of a long speech from the paladin in the order of the knights of Saint Mar-che, he continues with "Behaviour that's against your direct orders i might say, which may or may not be an indication of someone's poor leadership skills. Not for me to say if they are poor or not. But nevertheless, these two young whipper snappers should be put in their place for wandering off to who knows where, doing who knows what".
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic in the Southlands is abruptly halted in mid speech as a fly goes in his mouth, causing him to cough, then hack as he tries to bring it back up after swallowing it. A fly that was waved into his mouth by Narladene the ground pixie who had enough of the long winded diatribe of sir Percavelle.
Helbe the elven thief wryly smiles as he sees Narladene doubled over, laughing silently as she hovers close to the paladin, who in actual fact been demoted to a knight in his order, not that he knows it, as he hasn't been in contact with the order of Saint Mar-che in a number of years, with good reason too.
"That shut him up for a while" murmurs Dalinvardél Tanith in the elven language, which everybody else apart from the paladin and Shur Kee the monk understands. They watch as the earl of Le Dic in Druvic, hurries over to a side table, to where a jug of water is, so that he can stop his fit of coughing.
"Pity it won't shut him up forever" dryly murmurs the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae in his native language, which causes Tamric Drubine to snigger, Narladene the ground pixie to continue silently laugh, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger and Helbe the elven thief to both wryly smile, and for Lisell Maera to faintly, but briefly grin.
As sir Percavelle gulps down a mug of water, the young elven noble who is the nominal leader of those of the group here in Falnic, says to the two youngest members of the group "Don't you two do that again without my say so" both Tam and Lis nod, and the elven masterthief tells them "If we're going to have any chance in finding them, we have to do it as a group".
Tamric Drubine glances at Lisell Maera, then the nobleborn boy looks back at the elven princeling and says to him "We won't Helbe" this is repeated by the orphan teenager from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is in such a messed up state emotionally, she doesn't want to say too much of anything, incase she bursts in to tears.
Helbenthril Raendril more than anything, wishes that lord Farque was here to say something to Lisell Maera. The elven masterthief who knows the undead warlord is cold and unfeeling, also knows the deathlord of Farque knows how to say the right thing to console someone.
The elven master archer fears that if he was to try that with Lis, he might do more damage to her state of mind which is already fragile after what's she's been through recently.
After sir Percavelle has a mug of water, and finally cleared his throat and is about to start talking again. Until he spots another fly hovering nearby him, which causes him to firmly shut his mouth, and glare at it sideways.
Helbe the elven thief says "I've had no luck again this morning, so after the midday meal we'll continue with things" the nominal leader of the group who is fairly certain that neither lord Farque and Dorc da Orc have been in Falnic recently.
Is also pretty certain that Mira Reinholt the mage has been here in the port city within the last month. Briefly though, as he and his captor, Kaldeàlil Haldéilv soon moved on from Falnic.
The elven masterthief is pretty sure of the direction they've gone, as the attractive elven maid who wants him dead, has left him some clues to where she's going. She's also put some obstacles in the way too, which is sometimes proving to be more of a hassle.
As they have their midday meal in their suite, with sir Percavelle Lé Dic continually muttering about files, they discuss their course of action, and what they'll do as they go about continuing to find the three missing members of the group.
"You know how far away it is?" asks Riley Hait the mercenary ranger as they sit around the table in the dining room just off the main room, the ranger who was raised and trained by some of the elven warders in the principality of Envadarlen, after having a bite of cold meat, and washing it down with the sweet,  mint tea that's found throughout Belinswae, he adds "The locals must trade with them".
"They do" says Helbenthril Raendril, who continues with "It takes a caravan about a month to get there at this time of the year" the youngest member of the royal family that rules the elven island principality of Laerel, pauses for a moment, before he goes on with "Even at this time of the year hardly anyone goes, as you have to travel across the northern part of the nomads plains to get there, and townsmen don't particularly care to enter the plains at all".
"Unless they're raiding" sourly says Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman "Unless they're raiding" says Helbe the elven thief who nods in agreement with what the mercenary ranger just said, then the elven magic user says "Wyvern riders, messengers for the most part, who sometimes take small goods with them, travel there more often. Though still not that regularly as one would think".
"Pretty sure the elves are more introverted there, than they are back down in the Southlands" says Dalinvardél Tanith, who on his plate, has mixed greens, along with sliced fruit, both fresh and dried, as well as olives, and small chunks of goats cheese, which seems to served with every meal here in Falnic, as well as throughout much of Belinswae.
The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae continues with "That's what I've picked up from talking to the elves who live here in the city" the ranger Hait nods his head in agreement with Dalin, as he too has found that out from when he's talked to those elves he's seen here in Falnic.
Helbeb the elven thief agrees, and he's just about to say something about the local population of elves here in the port city, who have obviously originally come from where they're talking about. When he senses something that piques his interest, the young elven noble quietly tells the others "Getting another visit from a justifier".
"Which one?" asks the mercenary ranger who in actual fact a hordes outrider from the southern tundra "Parquet El" says the elven magic user who is shielded so that other spellcasters are unable to sense him.
"Hmmmmm maybe i should don my armour, and smite this ignoramus for interrupting my meal" muses sir Percavelle, who then adds "Or do likewise if he puts his filthy paws upon my things again" the paladin who is usually heavily armoured then mutters "Can't have every jumped up city official touching what's not his, but what is mine, wot".
Helbenthril Raendril keeps a close eye on the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, as he's the one most likely to cause trouble. Though he watches Riley Hait too, as the mercenary ranger doesn't take to kindly to the justifiers found here in Falnic, and much of this area of the region of Belinswae.
The elven princeling who tells the others not to bother with rushing with their meal, watches through the viewing spell he's placed and shielded in the outside hallway, the justifier in question, accompanied by a trio of his guards, making their way to the suite the group of adventurers from the Southlands are in.
"Tam get that" says Helbe the elven thief a couple of moments before there's a knock on the front door of the suite, the nobleborn boy from the kingdom of Sarcrin gets up to do so, and as he makes his way out of the dining room, and through the main room, to the door at the end of the short entrance hall. The young elven noble says to the paladin in the order of Saint Mar-che "Percy keep silent for once, if not I'll cast a spell upon you that'll shut you up whenever i want".
The earl of Lé Dic in the kingdom of Druvic scowls at that, though he's scowling more at being called Percy than the threat of a spell being cast on him. He hates being called Percy, which one member of the group, who isn't here in Falnic at the moment, often refers to him as, amongst other less savoury words.
Helbenthril Raendril gives Riley Hait a warning look, the mercenary ranger just sourly smiles as he continues with his meal, as they hear Tamric Drubine heading back to the dining room accompanied by justifier Parquet El and one of his guards . . . . . .

Wonderful 18.

Belinswae. The City Of Falnic...

Helbe the elven thief looks out over some of the docks of Falnic and sighs, as again he's yet to find any sign of either lord Farque, Dorc da Orc or Mira Reinholt the mage. The elven masterthief who was hoping to find them in this part of Belinswae, or at least Falnic itself, shakes his hooded head as he has to wait until he and the others continue their search for the three missing members of the group.
The reason for the wait have just returned to the city, the elven magic user can sense the magical sword that Tamric Drubine uses is once again in Falnic as he was expecting it would be today. For Narladene the ground pixie informed during the night, that the two youngsters who have been missing, were returning to the city, coming up the road from the southeast.
The elven prince who wants to know why the two youngsters took it upon themselves to continue the search, when Helbenthril Raendril specifically told them to remain in the city until he searched further afield. Wryly smiles as he figures he would of done the same thing if he was in their position, afterall he is of a similar comparative age to the two of them, even though he's over two hundred and ten years old.
"Now i know how lord Farque feels when we all go off and do our own thing" Helbe the elven thief dryly murmurs to himself in his first language, the language of the elven nobility. The young elven noble from the principality of Laerel, one of the three elven principalities in the Southlands, feels it's particularly galling considering he's now the nominal leader of the group of adventurers.
The elven master assassin turns and looks out to the open sea, where he can see some fishing smacks in the distance returning to port. The grandson of Prince Raendril, the ruling prince of Laerel, hopes that's a good omen. For now the two youngsters Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera are back. Maybe the missing trio of lord Farque, Dorc da Orc and Mira Reinholt the mage will return to the rest of them like the fishing smacks in the distance are coming back to port.
The elven master archer who knows deep down that things won't be that easy, for nothing has been easy since Renoa where the ork warleader and the Vexilian mage in exile were captured by Kaldeàlil Haldéilv and her cohorts from the church of Galavin. Captured for one reason only, so that Helbenthril Raendril would come and rescue them, so Kaldeàlil Haldéilv could confront him and kill him.
The elven magic user who has been lured north of the equator by his arch nemesis, for killing the person that she was in love with. Turns back around and looks towards the White Gull inn, which is at the base of one of the hills behind the port area of the city.
The elven masterthief senses in that direction, and finds one of the city's justifiers not far from the inn. The elven princeling isn't surprised, as he knows that they keep an eye on visitors to their city, especially visitors from beyond the region of Belinswae.
"Justifiers" mutters the young elven noble, who thinks of the authority here in the city of Falnic and this part of Belinswae, as they're nothing more than petty dictators to him, who are fortunate enough to have the ability to cast spells. The elven master assassin knows that if they weren't practitioners of magic, no way would any of them be in the position of power that they have at the moment.
Helbe the elven thief who is just glad there aren't too many justifiers in Falnic, which also means there aren't too many spellcasters either. Glances up as a wyvern soars over the docks infront of him, and lands upon the roof of a nearby building.
Another wyvern near where that one has landed, let's out an indignant squawk as it turns around beneath an awning which gives it some shade from the midday sun.
The young elven noble shakes his hooded head as the larger wyvern that's just landed squawks back, and Helbenthril Raendril murmurs "Stupid things" before looking across to where the White Gull inn is.
The princeling from the island of Laerel off the coast of the Southlands is just about to shift away, when Narladene the ground pixie suddenly appears infront of him and says "They're back". "I know" says Helbe the elven thief who then adds "Meet me back at the inn" the elven magic user who is blurred and shielded, shifts away before the tiny winged creature is able to land upon one of his shoulders and hang onto his light weight summer cloak.
The naturally magical creature shakes her head and sourly smiles as she watches the elven masterthief shift to be over the water in the harbour, then shift again to the roof of the inn they're staying at.
"He's under a lot of stress i guess" Narladene quietly murmurs to herself, she feels sorry for the young elven noble she's attached to. Who has been thrust into the position of leader of the group, now that lord Farque is gone, as well as Dorc da orc and Mira Reinholt the mage.
The ground pixie from the Sunreach Mountains in the Southlands looks around at the city, and slightly shakes her head. She has visited Falnic once before, and it's changed a lot since then, afterall it was just a small seaside town when she was last here over three hundred years ago.
"Things change" Narladene murmurs to herself, and that's true of a lot of things, including the state of the group of adventurers that she and Helbenthril Raendril travel with. The tiny winged creature lets out a small sigh, then she wings her way across the harbour to where the White Gull inn is located.
Helbe the elven thief enters the suite of rooms they're using in the White Gull, the young elven noble who is still blurred and shielded, so that no one knows he's here, looks at the rest of the group who are questioning Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera who have just returned to the inn.
The elven princeling looks at Shur Kee the monk and faintly smiles. He's glad to admit that he doesn't mind having the acolyte in the order of Bru Li back in the group, even with Shur Kee's odd ways and sayings. The monk from the far eastern coast of the continent is always a valued hand in any trouble they might get into, especially with the unique powers and abilities the short statured monk has at his disposal.
Helbenthril Raendril then looks at Riley Hait the mercenary ranger and slightly shakes his hooded head, then faintly grins. For the simple reason that Zubutai the barbarian hordesman has not died in quite sometime. The hordes outrider from the southern tundra has been the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen for over four years now, by far the longest amount of time that the soul of Zubutai Timaginson has been in another body.
The elven prince from Laerel has even sometimes forgotten that the ranger Hait is still the barbarian hordesman Zubutai, as it's just become the norm to think of him as the mercenary ranger from Envadarlen and nothing else. The elven master archer who must remedy that, so he still thinks of Riley Hait as Zubutai Timaginson, then looks at the second to last person to join the group.
Dalinvardél Tanith, the elven spy who joined the group three years ago in the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands. The elf who was a member of the household staff of the noble family of Ollinsállé in that particular elven principality, has fitted into the group with ease. With none of the others having to say a bad word about him. Apart from Dorc da Orc who doesn't really care about any of the others in the group of adventurers, and who says bad words, a lot of them and often, about everyone in the group.
Then the elven magic user looks at the newest member of the group, who is demanding what the two youngsters Tamric and Lisell have been up to, the newest member of the group who definitely hasn't fitted into the group with ease.
Helbenthril Raendril sourly smiles as he looks at sir Percavelle Lé Dic, the bane of basically all of his troubles at the moment. The elven masterthief still can't believe that the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che is even part of the group, even worse he's part of the group because of something he, Helbe the elven thief did.
The young elven noble thinks back to fifteen months ago when last his power of forethought came into fruition. He winces at the thought, which even to this day, he thinks is a mistake, though it's proven to be otherwise.
Helbenthril Raendril sourly smiles again as he recalls waking up after blacking out when his power of forethought took over, and he informed lord Farque as to who they were to find next. The elven princeling has heard the undead warlord laugh in the past, infact the deathlord of Farque burst out laughing when previously the elven masterthief's power of forethought revealed that Lelalwynn Aelvilth was one day to be the wife of the youngest member of the Raendril royal family.
But the lord and ruler of the lands Farque absolutely cracked up laughing after Helbe the elven thief told him that the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic was to be the next member of the group, and lord Farque asked "What, that crazy fucking paladin who was always trying to kill Dorc?" and the young elven noble replied "Yeah, that's the one".
The elven masterthief continues to sourly smile as he recalls lord Farque walking away, doubling over as he laughed. The lord of the death realm even lifted the visor of his full helm, and turned his head as he wiped his eyes clear of the tears of laughter that were falling.
Though after the heavily armoured deathlord finally stopped laughing, the elven magic user saw him glance over to where Dorc da Orc was standing wondering what was going on, and heard the undead warlord mutter "Fucking hell, how am i going to deal with those two idiots together?".
Putting his reminiscing aside, Helbenthril Raendril looks at the two youngsters who have just returned to Falnic, the elven masterthief reads their minds, starting with Tamric Drubine, as he knows they're both likely to tell him something that's less than truthful.
The young elven noble glances at Tam's sword, and rolls his eyes, as he learns that the nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin had a couple of encounters with bandits as he traveled down the southeast road in search of Lisell Maera.
Then the elven masterthief looks at the teenager from the city-state of Brattonbury, the blurred and shielded elven magic user reads her mind too.
Fuck! Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself in a moment of shock as he looks at Lis after finding out what's happened to her, the elven princeling who has gone completely still, then silently adds, by the forest gods, what do i do now? . . . . . .

Wonderful 17.

Belinswae. The City Of Falnic...

"Did she say where?" asks Riley Hait the mercenary ranger the next morning as he sits upon the city wall just to one side of the south gate "She did not" replies Shur Kee the monk who sits a bit further along the wall from the ranger Hait.
"She can be" says the acolyte in the order of Bru Li, who pauses for a moment before continuing with "A little short at times" the mercenary ranger dryly murmurs in the elven language "That's a understatement if I've ever heard one" then Riley Hait reverts back to the common language and says to the short statured monk "Shur Kee, i do believe you just made a joke there".
The acolyte in the philosophical order that follows the Jade Warrior Bru Li, a figure not known outside of much of the far eastern coast of the continent, slightly frowns as he tries to figure out what the ranger Hait means. The monk then nods, as he figures out what the elven raised and trained ranger is referring to, Shur Kee grins then chuckles, before saying "So i did" he glances around before quietly saying "She is rather short isn't she friend Zubutai".
"That she is Shur Kee, that she is" says Riley Hait with a slight smile upon his face, the mercenary ranger slightly shakes his head, for in the past year or so since the monk rejoined the group, the two of them have taken up their friendship exactly as it was before the living conduit of the Jade Warrior left the group and settled in the city-state of Brattonbury a number of years ago.
Though now, Shur Kee knows the truth about Zubutai Timaginson, whose soul dwells in the body of Riley Hait, when before he did not, or that the barbarian hordesman's soul dwelled in a number of bodies before that too.
They were the best of friends before Zubutai Timaginson originally died, and they're even better friends now. Especially since Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman has told, with permission of course, who he's met in the afterlife a number of times. The person Shur Kee worships and whose teachings he adheres to, the Jade Warrior himself, Bru Li.
The ranger Hait who hasn't told his best friend any details about those meetings, who is glad that the monk has never pressed him about those meetings, which to be fair to the hordes outrider, he can't really recall in detail. Looks at the road leading to the gate away to their right, a road that branches off in two directions, directly south down the coast, and the other inland, to the southeast.
The mercenary ranger who like all the others in the group here in the city of Falnic, with the exception of their leader, and the one who is closest to the leader, is in Belinswae, and for that matter, north of the equator for the first time.
Frowns as he looks at the road to the southeast, where some travelers are approaching the city on foot. Shur Kee, who has also spotted them, glances over at his friend, and tells him "You need not worry too much" the acolyte in the order of Bru Li continues with "They are definitely half breed".
The human mercenary ranger who was raised and trained by the elven warders in the principality of Envadarlen in the Southlands, nods his head in agreement with the short statured monk's assessment about the approaching travelers on foot.
For a moment there, he thought they could been those who are different. But of course he knows they wouldn't be traveling to Falnic willingly. Nor he suspects are the approaching half breeds, who in all likelihood will be harassed at the city gates. Though that's better than the treatment that those the ranger Hait thought they were for the briefest of moments. Those people would of been killed on sight anywhere near where you can find townsmen living.
"Fucking townsmen" mutters Riley Hait in the elven language, which his friend Shur Kee is unable to understand as the two of them watching those on the southeast road approaching the city, while a couple of riders, mercenaries by the looks of them, exit the gate, and head down the coastal road.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks directly right, out to the blue waters of the Great Western Ocean, he sees a handful of fishing smacks far in the distance, trying to get their catch for the day.
While there's a few tall sailing ships, all single masted vessels, heading down the coast, there's also a twin masted ship which can be seen out in the ocean, approaching Falnic from the southwest.
The ranger Hait glances up as one of the numerous wyverns in the city passes directly overhead, Riley Hait sees that there's a passenger behind the winged creatures rider, as it heads basically southeast over the road that goes off in that direction.
The mercenary ranger who was brought up in the elven principality of Envadarlen in the Southlands yawns, then he looks down and finds that the travelers on the southeast road have reached the city gates.
Both Riley Hait and Shur Kee watch as the justifiers guards on gate duty basically interrogate the half breed travelers, most likely from an inbetween village who have made their way to Falnic to find work in the hot months of summer. For though townsmen despise half breeds, they're more than willing to hire them as cheap labour to be used ruthlessly for a month or two at a time during the summer.
The two who have made their way north of the equator with some of the group they travel with, watch as the guards search the half breeds, going through their possessions, which they then toss aside, scattering them across the road. Which the travelers of half blood origin have to regather before the justifiers guards finally allow them to enter the city of Falnic.
"A hard road one must lead in life" quietly says Shur Kee the monk as he quotes the founder of the philosophical order that he belongs to, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger nods his head in agreement with his friend, as they both turn and look into the city, and spot the new arrivals making their way along the winding streets of Falnic.
After a while the ranger Hait goes back to watching the roads to the south, waiting to see if two of the missing members of the group will return, as the messenger to Shur Kee at dawn said they would.
Who knows what to believe when it comes to her, Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson dryly thinks to himself, as he knows that the messenger who spoke with the short statured monk back at the White Gull inn just after dawn, can be a little flighty at times, especially when he sees her, which isn't all that often during the entire time he's been with the group.
The mercenary ranger looks at the acolyte in the order of Bru Li, who is quietly saying "That one seems to be coming in from the east" Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks that way, and sees a rather large wyvern approaching the city from the east, though from the south too.
After a few moments as he figures out what the large winged creature been doing out that way, the mercenary ranger quietly says "Part of a raiding party" the monk from beyond the Southlands, from the kingdom of Wah Lee on the far eastern coast of the continent, nods his head in agreement with his friend who he glances at, before he goes back to watching the large wyvern approaching Falnic.
They see at least five people upon the back of the large winged creature, and as it passes low over the wall further to the left of them, both of them see the dried blood stains upon the claws and belly of the wyvern.
While those upon it's back, justifiers guards out of their regalia, have what appear to be heads tied to their belts, that's what they are more than likely, for the two of them have seen it before.
"Fucken townsmen" mutters Riley Hait in the dialect of Zubutai Timaginson's homeland, the mercenary ranger out of all of those in the group has good reason to hate the townsmen in this part of the region of Belinswae. It's because they're constantly trying to eradicate the inhabitants of the hot plains to the southeast, the nomads. Who the ranger Hait, well to be exact, the hordes outrider Zubutai Timaginson is distantly related to.
The barbarian hordesman had always heard the legends that his people were originally from somewhere else, that they traveled to the massive southern tundra just north of the southern polar region, thousands and thousands of years ago from someplace else, from somewhere faraway to the north.
And when he arrived in Belinswae with the others a couple of weeks ago, and learnt about the nomads out on the hot plains away to the southeast of the city of Falnic. And how they share similar customs to the hordes barbarians, not to mention they look quite the same, being a fairly short statured people.
With them worshipping the same three gods, which the barbarian hordes call the tundra gods, while the nomads here in Belinswae refer to them as the plains gods.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman found all this out, he knew immediately that the hordes barbarians of the southern tundra, faraway towards the southern end of the Southlands, originally came from the hot plains that the nomads of Belinswae inhabit.
The mercenary ranger raised and trained in the elven principality of Envadarlen, looks away from the large wyvern, those upon its back, and their ugly spoils of their recent raid, and he goes back to watching the southeast road, as does Shur Kee who doesn't say anything about what they've just seen.
Later on in the morning, nearing midday, and as they take shelter in the shade of a large building that's up against the city wall, and which tops the city wall. The ranger Hait is just about to suggest getting something to eat for the midday meal, when the short statured monk a bit further along the wall from him, who has just taken a drink from his water canister, quietly says "Is that a rider out there friend Zubutai?".
The mercenary ranger spots a horse in the distance upon the hard packed dirt road that goes southeast from the city of Falnic, and as he watches the horse in the distance approaching the city for a little while, Riley Hait notices that there's two people upon the horse in the distance.
The two friends watch in silence for quite some time, then the ranger Hait and the acolyte in the order of Bru Li share a look as they recognize who it is upon the horse, it's who they've been waiting for all morning.
"It's definitely them" quietly says Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman once he's stepped out of the shade and stands in the hot sunshine and looks to the southeast.
Shur Kee who has done likewise, and is shading his eyes with a hand, nods his head in agreement, then he quietly says "Yes, it is the two of them".
They wait a little while longer, then the ranger Hait says to his friend "Come on, let's go down and see what they have to say for themselves". The two of them head to the nearest set of steps that will take them down off the top of the wall, as out on the road to the southeast, Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera approach the city gates . . . . . .

Wonderful 16.

Belinswae. The City Of Falnic...

He looks out over the port city of Falnic and slightly shakes his head. He doesn't know if he'll ever get used to the summer heat here in Falnic, which is far hotter than the summers he experienced in his homeland of Alínlae in the Southlands.
Though the heat here is preferable to the hot and humid summer days he experienced in the city-state of Brattonbury, one of the first places he ever traveled to when he first left the elven principality of his birth three years ago.
The elven spy Dalinvardél Tanith looks up at the balcony to his right. There a trio of children in the shade of some tall potted plants, are all staring down at him. As seeing someone who isn't a human being here in the city of Falnic is a bit of an oddity. Though elves, behind goblins, are the most likely of the non humans you'll see here in the main city in the central area of the region of Belinswae.
Dalinvardél or Dalin as most of the others call him, thinks that Falnic, though relatively small in comparison to coastal cities in the Southlands, is essentially part of a city-state. The city basically rules everything for a hundred or so miles south along the coastline, and a similar distance to the north. As well as ruling inland along the southeast road to the edge of the nomads plains, which is nearly eighty miles from the walls of Falnic.
Thinking of nomads brings to mind why he's come to this hillside square late in the afternoon. He had heard one took place a little earlier, and he looks across the square to the public gibbet, where hangs half a dozen dead nomads, two of whom are children.
There's a squad of justifier guards at the gibbet, two of whom are laughing and joking around, as they stab the corpse of a boy with a spear.
"Fucking townsmen" mutters Dalinvardél Tanith in the language of his birth as he watches what's going on, the dead nomads are most likely victims of a raid into the plains. Or they were caught off the plain, near the southeast road. The elven spy suspects it was the former and not the later.
Dalin who knows that one of the others will be extremely angry with what's happened here in this square this afternoon, turns away and heads around the corner of the building to his right, he pauses and looks at a set of steps that head up to the roof of the building.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands briefly debates in his mind if he should do what he's just thought of, then muttering "Why the hell not" silently followed by, because you might get caught, that's why the hell not. He makes up his mind, and hurries up the steps to the roof of the building.
The building like most here in the city of Falnic is white, or to be precise, a white sand colour, which contrasts with the blue of the ocean that the city looks out over. The roof of this particular building is flat, and doesn't have the orange, earth coloured tiles you find on top of a lot of the buildings. The elven spy is glad it's flat with what he's planning to do.
Dalin who hears that no one is on the roof in the late afternoon sunshine, takes out his small hand held crossbow as he hurries up the steps.
Once on the rooftop, he extends back the underside of the crossbow, making the weapon longer. Then he depresses a metal stud next to the lever, and the arms of the bow extend outwards, making the actually bow part of the weapon longer.
From beneath his cloak he takes a longer bolt from his quiver, longer than the normal short range bolts he usually uses. The elven spy from south of the equator, loads the weapons that's already cocked back to fire.
Then in one smooth motion, he drops to a knee, barely takes time to aim, then lifts the firing lever, shooting off the bolt. He's up and moving quickly back to the steps as the quarrel flies through the air to it's target.
"You won't be doing that anymore" Dalinvardél Tanith murmurs to himself as he retracts his crossbow to it's normal size and hides it beneath his cloak as the bolt he shot off, slams into the head of the justifiers guard across the square, sticking a spear into the next child along on the gibbet from the dead boy he and another guard were just stabbing with the spear.
The elven spy hears the yelling and shouting from around in the square when the justifiers guard dies. Dalin is already down and off the steps, and making his way quickly through a shaded alleyway to the right that heads downhill, before the other justifiers guards in the nearby square even move out to find the culprit responsible for the death of one of their own.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae, who was a member of the staff of the noble house of the Ollinsállé family in that particular elven principality. Sourly smiles as he shouldn't of really done that, as he has a specific job to do. And that's to help find a number of people. Not just the original three people they've traveled to the region of Belinswae to find. But also two others in the group, who went missing a few days ago, when they sneaked out of the city to visit some of the nearby towns and villages when they shouldn't of.
"When i find those two youngsters" murmurs Dalin, who then silently adds in a dry tone, if i find them. He plans to give them a strict telling off, as he and another in the group here in Falnic, are the only one's who give the two youngest members of the group any discipline, their nominal leader certainly doesn't. Though to be fair their nominal leader is trying to find the original trio of the group who are missing, as well as keep the rest of them together and alive.
The elven spy continues on his way down the hill, going through shaded alleyways, or down the winding cobblestone streets, as usual the elf from south of the equator as he heads back to the inn they're staying at down in the port, notices all the peculiarities of Falnic compared to cities you would find in the Southlands.
For starters, the most noticeable thing, especially for a heavily human dominated city, is the lack of people. From what they've learned is that there's about twenty five thousand people here in Falnic, a city that could easily accommodate half again as much. And though Dalinvardél Tanith is originally from a sparsely populated elven city of Parlindellè, the capital of Alínlae. Even he finds Falnic odd to be in for a human city.
Then there's the actual Falnic society, as well as the society for this part of the region of Belinswae. Where justifiers rule, justifiers who are part law givers, council members, and nobility all rolled into one. Who also all happen to be spellcasters. In a society where spellcasters are extremely rare, far rarer than you would find in any society in the Southlands. Spellcasters basically rule like gods in this area of Belinswae.
Then there's the split in the society. Where townsmen look down on those who are known as half bloods, or half breeds. You hardly find them here in Falnic, they tend to live in villages at the far end of the southeast road. Faraway from the city, though pockets of them can be found in the city and some of the larger towns.
They're shunned and looked down upon due to the nomad blood in their lineage. The nomads who live out in the hot, baking furnace of the plains that are named after them. The nomads who are the mortal enemies of the town born population, who are collectively known as townsmen.
Dalin glances upwards after he passes under a bridge, and as usual he's surprised by the lack of airships in the skies above Falnic, and in lack, that means none.
For since arriving in the coastal city, they've only seen two airships, and one of those was the one they arrived on. Both airships were from the Southlands, the northern city-state of Renoa to be exact. And both have left Falnic to return to the Southlands and their home port.
A city without an airdock, Dalinvardél Tanith thinks to himself with a shake of his head as he still finds that highly odd, he has learnt that because of the lack of airships, and spellcasters being extremely rare. That weapons like magetubes aren't found here in Belinswae. Infact the elven spy has learnt that such weapons are only ever found throughout the Southlands, and various parts along the far eastern coast of the continent, which is well over ten thousand miles away from where he is at the moment.
Though airships maybe lacking in the skies above Falnic, what isn't lacking is what briefly passes above the elf from the principality of Alínlae, and that's a wyvern.
Dalin never knew there would be a place with so many tame wyverns, they're everywhere across the city. There's far more wyverns here in Falnic than there are griffons in the capital of his homeland. And wyverns being wyverns, they're a hell of a lot more of a nuisance than any griffon would ever be.
The elven spy looks away to his right and sourly smiles as a wyvern, a fairly small one at about fifteen feet in length, squawks at him from on top of a rooftop. Dalin would like nothing more to do, than to put a bolt through it's eye to shut it up, but he refrains from doing so, as the locals are overly demonstrative and protective of the wyverns they use.
Down in the port, Dalinvardél Tanith makes his way to The White Gull inn, it's situated back from the docks, just up from the base of a hill, it's location offers a bit of a view of the harbour for the paying customers taking lodgings in the inn.
The elf from south of the equator approaches the back of The White Gull, and as it nears sundown, the elven spy slips into the inn through a backdoor, he heads upstairs, glancing down at open air inner courtyard. None of the group are in the courtyard at the moment, he didn't think any of them would be. Then once in the upper hallway, he heads to the suite of rooms they're using while here in Falnic.
As he approaches their suite, the elven spy uses the advantage of his naturally enhanced hearing, and he finds that three of the others are in the suite, the nominal leader of the group is not, which isn't surprising as he's the one most likely to find the original trio who are missing.
Dalinvardél briefly knocks on the outer door and enters the suite, and after closing the door, makes his way along the short entrance hall to the central room of the suite, where he's greeted by one of the three who says to him in the common language "Did you have any luck friend Dalin?".
"I'm afraid not Shur Kee" replies the elven spy in the same language to the monk of Bru Li, who nods and sits back down on the seat he stood up from next to the table in one corner of the room.
Dalin then looks to his right, where another in the group sits upon a divan looking out the open balcony doors at the harbour, he looks at the elf from the principality of Alínlae and asks him "Was there?".
"There was" says Dalinvardél Tanith who then quietly adds "Six of them, two of them children" on the divan, Reily Hait the mercenary ranger angrily mutters "Fucking townsmen" with good reason the ranger Hait is angry about the deaths of half a dozen nomads.
Then the elven spy looks at the remaining member of the group who walks in from the balcony, Dalin refrains from sourly smiling as he looks at the newest member of the group, who has been with them for less than a year, who Dalinvardél Tanith can't believe is still alive considering who else is in the group, and what the elf from the principality of Alínlae has learnt about their past.
"Ah thy fine leaf eater has returned" says the newest member of the group who continues with "By chance did you find those two delinquent urchins who have gone missing on us? Or have the young vagabonds still placed themselves out of reach, away from their betters like ourselves, well their betters as is i, and not you three fellows, cause i am superiorly better in every way to you chaps".
"No Percavelle, i didn't find them" says Dalinvardél Tanith with a roll of his eyes "That's not very sporting of the little miscreants wot" mutters sir Percavelle Le Dic . . . . . .