Tuledare.
Looking back down the hallway, and seeing who's approaching. Saanea the witch says "You could always have Dorc go around there and set off all the traps".
"Don't tempt me" wryly says Tamric Drubine the field commander who also spots the large ork heading their way.
The young noble originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now one of the senior most commanders in the Armies of Farque.
Looks at Beldane the cleric and asks the powerful spellcaster who is a member of the church of Glaine "How do you want to do this?".
The fighting cleric in the half plate armour quickly and quietly details what he's about to do, concerning what's around the corner, in the next hallway that leads to the offices and rooms used by the bureaucracy for the ruling council of Tuledare.
Not really paying attention to what's being said up the front. For good reason, as he's distracted because he sees his rival Dorc da Orc walking this way.
Sir Percavelle Le Dic puts a hand on the haft of one his pick axes on his belt as he watches the approaching ork general.
The nobleman originally from the kingdom of Druvic, is just about to say something about the big, burly ork. Specifically about how despises the ork warleader.
When the woman Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, says to him "Percy, Tam wants you up front".
"Huh?" says sir Percavelle Le Dic who is taken off guard with that, and it's not until Malisse once again says "Percy, Tam wants you up where he is".
That the large, heavily armoured knight who is a former paladin in the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che, says "Oh yes, of course good lady" belatedly followed by "Wot".
As he makes his way forward to where Tamric Drubine is with Saanea the witch, Beldane the cleric and Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy.
Approaching the others, Dorc da Orc scowls in annoyance when he spots his bitter rival sir Percavelle Le Dic moving forward to where Tamric Drubine and some of the others are at the corner to the next hallway, here in the west side of the main building of the ruling council of the city-state of Tuledare.
"Da fuck that cunt up to?" mutters Dorc da Orc as he watches the noble born knight who is his rival beyond compare.
The large ork ignores the sideways glance up at him from Shur Kee the monk who is walking beside him.
Instead the ork weaponsmith continues to keep an eye on the former paladin in the suit of shiny plate armour, with a white hoodless cloak, basically a cape, attached to the back of his armour's steel shoulder plates.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, who is repeatedly sniffing, grunts then informs Shur Kee, and the infiltration squad led by Maiya Garney the lead scout "Fucken cunts around the corner up there".
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, in his growling voice continues with "Gots a magicky cunt with 'em".
Behind the ork general, and the honorary member of Lord Farque's personal council. Maiya Garney shares a look with the sorcerer Carnid, who nods his head yes.
Further back, having just entered the hallway the rest are in. Jovan Garney the cleric holds up a hand and quietly says "Hold up for a moment".
The powerful young spellcaster originally from the Lands Farque, who is now living and working at the cathedral of Kaēvin, here in the city of Tuledare, then says "Best we go a bit slower here".
The seventeen year old practitioner of magic, can't sense it, but he can definitely feel something's about to happen, something explosive, quietly continues with "We don't want to end up in the middle of what's about to happen".
"What's about to happen father?" quietly asks the young guardsman Sammit, to which the cleric Garney quietly replies with "Something violent".
The powerful young spellcaster, who at such a young age, is already one of the most important members of the church of Kaēvin, not just in the city-state of Tuledare, but right across the Southlands.
Then quietly tells his fellow church members who are with him on this cold autumn morning "We'll hang back a bit" followed by "And see what happens".
At the western end of the hallway they're in, Tamric Drubine the field commander quietly asks "You've got that shield of yours with you, haven't you Percy?".
The young field commander who is in charge of the Fifth Army of Farque, briefly pauses before adding "Or has Dorc got it?" followed by "I keep forgetting which one of you has it".
With a scowl upon his face, and glad that he's got the visor of his full helm shut at the moment, sir Percavelle Le Dic "I have it young Tam" followed by "That filthy green cesspit doth not have it" he then adds in a mutter "Thank Narille and Saint Mar-che both for that".
Then before the large, heavily armoured knight can ask Tamric Drubine what he wants him, and his shield for.
The young field commander who is the son of a former Knight of Castle Drubine, a castle located in the forested north of the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, gestures at the cleric in the church of Glaine, and tells sir Percavelle Le Dic,"Beldane will tell you".
Malisse aka Zubutai Timaginson, who is just about to ask one of Tamric Drubine's staff, what's going on.
When she gets a whiff of what's, or more precisely, who is quickly approaching her and the others.
Turning, the rotund woman who doesn't know who she really is, not her full name, nor where she's originally from.
Holds up a hand, and quietly says "Best you lot stop here Dorc" with a nod of her head in the direction of Tamric Drubine and the others, she adds "Something's about to happen".
The big burly ork, who was named warleader of his race, by Lord Farque himself, quite a number of years ago, grunts at that.
Then by what one would only describe as a miracle, the ork general, does exactly that, and stays put, next to Malisse. With the infiltration squad led by Maiya Garney the lead scout, standing behind the two of them as they wait for what's about to happen up ahead.
"Whatever you're doing, better make it quick" quietly says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy who has just taken a peek around the corner.
The spy who is originally from the elven principality of Alínlae, and is now a commander in the Armies of Farque, continues with "That sorcerer has stopped pacing, and is looking this way".
Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, follows that with "And the mercs are drawing weapons".
"They know we're here" quietly says the young field commander Tamric Drubine, the spy Tanith nods in agreement with that, then says "Definitely".
Tamric Drubine quickly looks at Beldane the cleric, who nods to him, then the powerful fighting cleric in the half plate armour says to sir Percavelle Le Dic "Get ready with that shield of yours Percy".
"Righto, good chap" says sir Percavelle Le Dic who holds the shield of Saint Mar-che, a magical item even more powerful than Beldane's erratic mace.
The cleric who hails from the kingdom of Nastell looks at the witch Saanea, who responds with a nod to signify that she's ready. Then Beldane the cleric says to Dalinvardèl Tanith "Now".
The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae steps to one side, and Beldane steps forward, and looks around the corner.
As he does, the spy Tanith steps by him, lifting his crossbow as he does so. Dalin shoots off the bolt in his weapon.
At the same time the powerful practitioner of magic casts a spell, that's enhanced by his magical mace, which behaves itself, and actually helps the cleric out.
Using his mace in his spell work, gives Beldane the advantage of speed. And that's exactly what happens. An almost instantaneous spell. Which the fighting cleric casts.
Though it's the bolt from Dalinvardèl Tanith's crossbow that sets off the first magical trap in the hallway, as was intended.
A hidden magical shield, in this instance, a barrier spell flares into existence about a dozen feet from the corner when the bolt hits it.
The shield which is from floor to ceiling, and right across the width of the hallway, flares blue as it stops the crossbow bolt, which instantly drops to the floor.
Then the magical shield is obliterated by the extremely powerful air blast spell that Beldane the cleric has cast.
The blast of air continues down the hallway, tripping off another of the hidden traps, that has been cast by the sorcerer down at the other end of the hallway.
It's another shield, though this one is a firewall, which is instantly blown out, by the blast of air that's racing down the hallway at an incredible speed.
A mere instant later, another of the hidden traps is triggered. And an explosion rocks the hallway, about halfway down the length of it.
Sending debris through the walls, floor and ceiling, and in both directions along the hallway. Towards the corner that Beldane and Dalin are standing at.
And to where the mercenaries and the sorcerer are at the other end of the hallway, in front of the doors to the offices and rooms used by the bureaucrats, who have been left to run the city-state of Tuledare, as no one from the ruling council can be found.
The flying debris comes to a stop just before the corner where the spy Tanith and the fighting cleric are.
And it also stops in the other direction, though only briefly, when it pelters into the last magical trap, setting that off.
A flare of red magical energy bursts into existence, destroying most of the flying debris in that direction.
And as quickly as the magical energy appears, it disappears as the air blast spell cast by Beldane the cleric hits it.
The air blast spell, along with the last of the flying debris, which slams into a barrier spell that the unknown sorcerer has hastily erected.
And though his spell protects him, and a fair lot of the mercenary company with him. It doesn't protect all of them.
As the mercenary soldiers who out in front, ahead of the sorcerer, are hit by the remaining debris, and the air blast spell from the cleric Beldane.
Bodies are either picked up and are flung backwards or upwards. Backwards into the hastily erected barrier spell of the sorcerer.
Upwards into the ceiling by the force of the fighting cleric's powerful spell.
All of this happens very quickly, in just a handful of heartbeats. As the spells and their effects, are so fast, that anyone without magical abilities, or specific racial traits, can react it. Let alone, see what has actually happened.
One who can is Dalinvardèl Tanith, who quickly steps back behind the corner, pulling Beldane the cleric back with him.
And as the flying debris falls just short of them, the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, where he previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland, shouts "Now Percy!".
A lot of things can be said about the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic. He's a bore, and an offus, not to mention he's thoroughly annoying, and a big mouth, who more often than not can't stop talking about himself.
But there's a number of things the large heavily armoured knight can not be accused of. And that's a lack of courage. As the former paladin in the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che is courageous to a fault. And for a man near fifty years old, who constantly wears heavy plate armour, is extremely quick.
And that's exactly what the noble born knight is now, both courageous and quick. As he runs forward, not caring about what he could face around the corner.
Sir Percavelle Le Dic or Percy as he's more commonly called by the rest of the group, runs around Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy and Beldane the cleric, and around the corner into the hallway.
As he does, Percy holds the shield of Saint Mar-che, which is rectangular footman's shield, out in front of him.
Behind the closed faceplate of his full helm, the large heavily armoured knight is grinning from ear to ear as he holds up his shield in front of him.
Waiting in anticipation with what's more than likely to happen . . . . . .
