The Find 39.

Autumn.

The giant hole in the ground. Also called the pit. In which is the ancient city of Dalphene.
"He's definitely dead" says Greason the wizard.
"You sure?" asks his fellow wizard Lopaphil with a skeptical look upon his pudgy face.
"Definitely" says the other wizard, who continues with "Jarman saw the body, crossbow bolt through the neck".
Lopaphil, who wears green robes, grunts then says "Well, at least that's something".
He briefly pauses before adding "I guess Darmos had something to do with it?" followed by "I sensed him over that way after their airship landed".
Greason just sourly smiles, and nods his head in reply at the mention of his old acquaintance Darmos.
The short, lean looking wizard in the fiery red robes then looks away to their right, and says "Best we tell him Kilfin is dead" he continues with "And that wyvern too" Greason then adds "At least that's something".
Lopaphil nods in agreement, then the two wizards, along with a handful of the others.
Make their way into the ruins away to their right. Inside of which, is a large hole in the ground, with a number of tunnels leading out of it.
They take one that leads to an underground chamber that was dug out by treasure seekers years ago.
It's where the company has been based as they've battled Hamblett's company for the last couple of weeks.
Now that battle has been completely turned on it's head since yesterday afternoon.
When Jorkamin's company got involved in the battle. And attacked both their company, and Hamblett's.
And anyone else unlucky enough to get caught up in the battle, here a couple of miles to the north of the neutral zone.
Down in the giant hole in the ground, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, more commonly called the City of Ruins.
The two spellcasters, who are as different in appearances and age, as they are in personalities.
Make their way across the chamber, to a table, where Jarnok is standing by himself, looking at a couple of maps.
Jarnok, a large man nearly six and half foot tall, originally from the kingdom of Girdane. Who has a large axe strapped to his back.
Looks up from the maps and watches the two wizards approach.
"Well?" asks Jarnok the mercenary leader as he looks at the two spellcasters standing on the otherside of the table.
"Something good for once" says Greason, the shorter, leaner and older of the two wizards.
"Kilfin is dead" adds the wizard in the fiery red robes.
Jarnok's eyebrows shoot up at hearing that, then he says "That is good" followed by "Hamblett too?".
Both wizards shake their heads no, then Lopaphil, who is the younger, taller, not to mention fatter of the two wizards, says "Not that we know of".
The younger wizard in the green coloured robes continues with "Jorkamin's lot had something to do with it" followed by "Darmos had a hand in things".
"Those assholes are good for something i guess" sourly says Jarnok the mercenary captain, who then adds "Apart from sticking their noses in where they shouldn't belong".
Then the large man, wearing tattered looking ringmail armour over leather sighs.
Both wizards feel like doing the same. For until yesterday afternoon when Jorkamin'company entered the fray.
They had the upper hand in the battle against Hamblett's mercenary company.
Jarnok then gestures at one of the maps of the City of Ruins, then asks "Where was he killed?".
"Here" says Greason the wizard pointing at a spot on the map, about quarter of a mile away to the east of them.
"Jarman spotted the body with some others in the old culvert that runs through there" adds the wizard in the fiery red robes.
Jarnok nods, and makes a mark on the working map beside it, then he looks up at the two spellcasters, when Lopaphil says "Something else too".
"What's that?" asks the mercenary captain originally from the kingdom of Girdane, who has been here in the City of Ruins for the past decade or so.
And though his company was relatively small when he first arrived here in the pit.
Over the last ten years or so, it has grown in numbers and strength. So that it's now one of the three largest mercenary companies operating down here in the giant hole in the ground.
"We saw that wyvern of Jorkamin's flying wildly away to the north just a little while ago" says the younger of the practitioners of magic, the taller, fatter and younger wizard then adds "There was no rider on it".
"Now that's definitely good" says Jarnok, who continues with "They've lost their spotter for their warship".
The mercenary captain who is still annoyed one of his main rivals has a pair of warships, then says "No doubt he'll bring another one up from the south" followed by "And it'll get here during the night, or in the morning".
Both wizards nod in agreement with Jarnok, who rolls up one of the maps, and stuffs it under his leather vest.
The mercenary captain then says to the wizards "Let's go, this may be the best time to do something".
He then looks away to the right, in a dark recess of the chamber, and calls out "Tunga, we're going to have a look around".
From the dark recess, something rather large moves, and gets up off the ground, and steps into the light of one of the nearby torches.
It's Tunga the troll, who has known Jarnok longer than anyone else in the company.
Tunga, like Jarnok is from the kingdom of Girdane. Where he worked in the shipbuilding yards in the capital city Oaklynn.
The near eleven foot tall troll, made friends with the young Jarnok at the time. And the two of them have been inseparable ever since.
"Gonna smash some heads in Jar?" asks Tunga the troll, who has one large bottom incisor tooth, sticking up out from his mouth, while the other one on the otherside of his mouth, is broken off.
"Maybe" says the mercenary leader, who continues on with "Let's go and find out".
Tunga, who even for a civilized troll, is quite articulate, grunts then picks up his massive hammer from the ground, and slings it across his broad back.
The troll follows behind Jarnok, and the two wizards Greason and Lopaphil.
When they exit the underground chamber, Tunga has to duck down low to follow the others through the tunnel until they get to the large hole in the ground, within the ancient ruin.
They climb out of the hole, then out of the ruins. One of the many shells of ancient buildings in this part of the City of Ruins.
Outside as they look around, Jarnok the mercenary captain quietly asks the big troll "Anyone not in the company around Tunga?".
"Nah no one" is the reply of the troll from the kingdom of Girdane, who then adds "Even those goblins who were over there, have taken off".
"Underground?" asks the mercenary captain as he looks away to the east, to one of the few solid looking ancient buildings in this part of the pit.
"Yeah underground, tunnels that way" is the reply from the troll who is a former shipbuilder.
Then the three humans, and the troll look up behind them. As the lookout on the roof of the ancient building, calls down "Captain that warship is in the air again".
"Where?" asks the mercenary captain who hails from the kingdom of Girdane.
"East and south" says the lookout in reply, and the trio of humans and the troll look that way.
"There it is" quietly says Greason the wizard when he spots the warship that belongs to the mercenary leader Jorkamin.
Watching the airship, that's circling to the east as it rises higher up into the cold autumn, afternoon sky.
Jarnok the mercenary captain muses "Wonder if you two can knock it out of the sky?".
As he'd love to give Jorkamin a bloody nose so to speak. As he's run roughshod over the battle ever since he and his company entered the fight yesterday afternoon.
"Probably" says the wizard Greason, his fellow spellcaster Lopaphil nods in agreement with him.
The older, shorter and leaner wizard continues with "Though probably not if Darmos onboard".
"Your old comrade too good?" asks the mercenary captain Jarnok.
Greason slightly grimaces, then says "Hate to admit it, even though we're of similar power, Darmos is a smart bastard for sure".
Jarnok nods his head as they watch the converted vessel turn northwards over this area of the pit.
Greason and Lopaphil share a look, then the older wizard in the fiery red robes, quietly says "Want to see what's happening onboard it?".
"Might as well" says the younger wizard in the green coloured robes.
The other spellcaster nods, then Greason quietly says "I'll go first".
Lopaphil nods in understanding, then the other wizard Greason quickly senses at the warship that belongs to Jorkamin the mercenary captain.
He blinks in surprise after sensing, while next to him Lopaphil quickly senses the vessel, that's been causing havoc with it's magetubes.
The younger, taller and fatter wizard blinks in surprise too. Then the other wizard Greason voices why they're surprised "Darmos isn't onboard".
Jarnok grunts, then says "That means Jorkamin isn't onboard either" the mercenary captain continues with "Those two basically go everywhere together".
The older, more experienced practitioner of magic nods, then he says "It also means that warship isn't as well protected".
Greason the wizard continues with "There's just a conjurer onboard, who has up fairly rudimentary wards on the underside of that ship".
Lopaphil nods his head in agreement with his fellow wizard, then the younger of the two spellcasters says "That ship is ripe for the picking".
He looks at Jarnok and tells him "This might be the best chance we have of bringing it down".
"I agree captain" says Greason the wizard as he looks at the warship that's now circling westwards over the pit.
The captain of one of the largest mercenary companies operating down here in the ancient city of Dalphene.
Pauses for a moment or two as he thinks it over, then he says to the two spellcasters "See what you can do" followed by "Be quick about it though".
Greason and Lopaphil maybe different, in attitude, personality, appearance and age.
But what they do well, is work in near unison during battle, and in other stressful times. The two of them quickly and quietly confer about something.
Tunga the troll overhears them, and tells them "Behind a midships, where the stern deck, meets the rest of the ship" followed by "That's the weakest part of an airship that's been converted like that".
"Thanks Tunga" says Greason, who with Lopaphil, was just discussing where the weakest point of Jorkamin's warship could be.
"You hit the wards, and I'll hit the keel?" asks Greason looking at his fellow practitioner of magic.
"Sounds like a plan" says Lopaphil the wizard, who then adds "Wait until it turns back south again".
The older, leaner and shorter wizard in the fiery red robes nods in agreement as they've come up with a quick plan to bring down Jorkamin's airship.
They have to wait a bit before they act, as the warship fires off a few shots from it's magetubes at something on the ground.
Then it heads this way, westwards for a bit, before finally turning to port, and heading south again.
Then as the two wizards wait as Jorkamin's airship stern is facing them.
Tunga the troll points and says "What's that" the troll with his far sharper eyesight than the humans, then adds "There".
Jarnok the mercenary captain spots it next, then he quietly says "Looks like a little ball of light".
First the wizard Lopaphil sees it, then the wizard Greason spots it. Both practitioners of magic frown as they watch the small, dark red ball of light.
It looks like a pinpoint of light really as it's so small as it rises up towards the warship circling back to the south.
The only reason the the humans can see it, is because of it's colour against the clear blue afternoon sky.
"Looks like a lightball" murmurs Lopaphil the wizard, while next to him, a frowning Greason quietly says "It reminds of something".
They watch as the small, dark red ball of light, shoots up towards the underside of Jorkamin's warship.
They see it come up the underside, about five yards from the hull, move aft and come up the stern, then head straight up into the sky about a hundred feet above the converted transporter.
There it pauses for a moment, before it shoots down at speed towards the deck of the warship.
They don't see it, but it smashes down through the decking, and goes below deck, then they do see what happens next.
All of them, the mercenary captain, his friend the troll, and the two wizards.
Watch as an explosion rips through the warship, exactly where Tunga said was the weakest point of the vessel.
The keel there, is blasted apart from the inside in a fiery explosion, as is the hull on either side of it.
With a nearly fifteen foot section of the magical keel gone, and the underside of the hull closest to it gone as well.
And flames escaping from the breach in the warship, flames that are spreading along the hull of the airship, it starts to rapidly drop out of the afternoon sky above the City of Ruins.
While Tunga the troll grunts, Jarnok the mercenary captain looks at the two wizards and says to them "Looks like someone got to it first".
Both practitioners of magic nod in agreement as they watched the badly damaged, burning airship plummet towards the ground.
"Looks like it" says Greason the wizard, who along with his fellow spellcaster Lopaphil, wonder what the hell just happened . . . . . .

The Find 38.

Autumn.

In the giant hole in the ground. Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene aka The City of Ruins.
Darmos the wizard looks northwards, where in the afternoon sky the wyvern is heading.
The spellcaster in the blue robes looks at Jorkamin the mercenary captain standing beside him. And finds Jorkamin looking back at him.
The two of them then spin around, and look in the direction the wyvern came from. A wyvern without it's rider.
"The hell" mutters Jorkamin the mercenary captain when further back, Salumen the mercenary calls out "Cap this way!".
The mercenary captain shares a look with the wizard who is basically his second in command.
Then the two of them, along with about twenty of the company, hurry back to where Salumen and some of the others are.
When they reach him, Salumen the mercenary quietly says "That way" followed by "Marissa and some of the others have gone that way".
Jorkamin grunts, then he along with the blue robed wizard, and some of the others, head to where Salumen has pointed.
It's not long before they get between a couple of the ruins here a couple of miles to the north of the neutral zone, where they find Marissa.
"Anyone see what happened?" asks Jorkamin the mercenary captain.
Gesturing at one of the company with her, Marissa says "Hormac saw him out of the corner of his eye just before he hit cap".
"I was over there cap" says Hormac the mercenary, who points away to the right, to a pile of rubble and brickwork behind one of the ruins.
"Just saw him the last moment before he hit" adds Hormac, who then grimaces at the recent memory.
Jorkamin just nods his head, then steps forward to get a closer look at the body of Smealle the wyvern rider, or what's left of him.
The mercenary captain sighs at the sight of the young mercenary, who not too long ago, was in the saddle upon one of Jorkamin's wyverns, circling above this area of the pit.
"Know what did him in?" asks Jorkamin when he glances at Darmos the wizard.
"I'd say hitting the ground from a fairly high height did it" is the reply of the practitioner of magic in the blue robes.
Which are slightly singed in places after the encounter with the sorcerer Kilfin earlier in the afternoon.
Jorkamin sourly smiles at the that from the wizard, then dryly says "I know that".
The mercenary captain then follows that with "What i want to know, is what caused him to fall off the back of that wyvern?".
Crouching down so that he can get a closer look at the body of the dead wyvern rider, Darmos says "Well he wasn't shot out of the saddle".
"Of course not" says Marissa with a snort, who then continues in a dry tone with "It would be a miracle if he was, considering he was circling a good five hundred feet up".
The wizard in the blue robes shakes his head, then he rolls over the dead body, and grimaces before he says "Well he either slipped out of the saddle, which i highly doubt as young Smealle always strapped himself in".
The spellcaster who is effectively the second in command of the company, then quietly says "That really just leaves one other option".
"Spellcaster?" quietly asks Jorkamin the mercenary captain.
"Spellcaster" is the reply of the wizard, who nods his head yes.
"Which one then?" murmurs Jorkamin, which illicits a shrug of the shoulders of Darmos, who then says "Could be anyone, from any of the other companies up here".
Jorkamin grunts when he hears that, then the captain of the company looks around.
And he spots Salumen standing nearby watching things.
Jorkamin waves over his friend, who served in the church guards of the death god Madau with him in the city-state of Eweteets when they were younger.
The mercenary captain gives Salumen a few orders, and the former church guard moves off, calling some of the others to him.
"Any of the others nearby?" quietly asks Jorkamin as he looks at the wizard in the blue, slightly singed robes.
Knowing who exactly the mercenary captain is referring to, Darmos tells him "Fimgill isn't all that far away". Referring to one of the other spellcasters in the company.
"Have him head to town" says Jorkamin, meaning the town they're permanently based out of, about a dozen miles to the south of the pit. Along the road to the city-state of Eweteets.
"I want another of the wyverns up here as soon as possible, by the morning at the latest" says the mercenary captain, who then adds "I want the other warship up here too".
Darmos nods, then asks "You want to him head down there on the ship we came on?".
Jorkamin is silent for a few moments, as he thinks about a few things, then he quietly says "No, we'll keep it here with us".
Referring to the warship of his, that's just a couple hundred yards away from their current location, a couple miles to the north of the neutral zone.
Here in the pit, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly called throughout the Southlands, and for matter, beyond it, the City of Ruins.
Nodding his head, Darmos the wizard says to the mercenary captain "I'll just tell him".
As the overweight and disheveled looking Darmos scrambles up the nearby pile of rubble and stonework, then onto the roof of the ruins.
So that he can get in contact with his fellow practitioner of magic in the company.
Jorkamin the mercenary captain who briefly contemplates what this battle is costing him, not just in coins and mercenaries.
But other things, like the wyvern that's now out of sight as it's gone north.
That he knows, he might not get back. As wyverns are fractious animals, even the tamed and trained ones like he's got.
Looks at Marissa, and beckons her close. Once the woman in the hard leather armour stands right next to him.
The captain of one of the largest, if not the largest mercenary companies down here in the giant hole in the ground.
Quietly gives Marissa a few orders that he wants done straight away,
She nods, and moves off, waving for some of the others to join her as she walks away.
While Jorkamin paces back and forth near the dead body of the wyvern rider Smealle. As he waits for Darmos to finish what he's doing.
A few moments later, and the wizard is back down on the ground, beside the mercenary captain.
"He's heading off there now" says Darmos the wizard, who then quietly adds "He didn't sense anyone attack young Smealle".
Jorkamin slightly nods, then he asks the rotund looking spellcaster "Nor did you i gather?".
"I didn't" is the quiet reply of the practitioner of magic, who is effectively the second in command of the company.
"This might set us back a little bit" says Jorkamin, who with his entry into the battle between Jarnok's and Hamblett's companies yesterday.
Has set in motion plans he's had for a number of years. Plans that will see him in command of the most dominant mercenary company in all of the City of Ruins.
As he intends to wipe out his nearest rivals, and any of the other mercenary companies who are caught up in the battle.
"But it won't stop us" continues Jorkamin, who many years ago, was a guard in the church of the death god Madau, down in the city of Eweteets.
The lean, tall mercenary captain with the sharp facial features, and the overweight wizard in the blue robes turn when someone nearby says "Cap".
It's the mercenary Salumen, who continues with "It's done".
Jorkamin the mercenary captain nods then says "Good" he looks around at the others still waiting, and he tells them "Let's go".
They set off, and as Darmos keeps pace with the taller mercenary captain, the wizard quietly asks him "What's done?".
"I gave the order to kill anyone who we take prisoner" is the quiet reply of Jorkamin, who follows that with "I don't want anyone alive, whether they're from a rival company, or adventurers and treasure seekers, hell even wild goblins".
The captain of the largest mercenary company in the pit then adds "Everyone we come across up here i want dead".
Jorkamin looks at his second in command, and quietly tells him "I intend to rule here like a king, and no one will get in my way".
Darmos nods his head as he'd always known that this was Jorkamin's intentions, just that the mercenary captain had ever voiced it before.
Now those of the company walking nearby have heard it, and no doubt will spread that information to the rest of the company, up here to the north of the neutral zone.
The overweight and disheveled looking wizard is periodically sensing, trying to locate other spellcasters as they head back towards where the airship is.
The known ones that he's still worried about, are the two wizards in Hamblett's mercenary company.
Lopaphil and Greason.
Darmos doesn't know Lopaphil that well, only knowing him by reputation and rumour.
As for Greason, he's an old acquaintance of his. As they had been in another company over a decade ago, before joining their current mercenary companies here in the City of Ruins.
Darmos knows that he's the better spellcaster than his old comrade Greason, who is of similar power to him.
But the blue robed wizard knows he'll have to be cautious with dealing with Greason, as the red robed wizard is a clever individual.
The only other known spellcasters who might be mixed up in the battle, here to the north of the neutral zone.
In the giant hole in the ground, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly known as, the City of Ruins.
Are the two elven magic users in Maygam's mercenary company. The twin brothers Lolmildíll and Gilvanéllé.
Darmos slightly grimaces even thinking about the two of them. Who he knows are both powerful when it comes to magic. But are much worse as people.
Some dismiss the rumours of the elven twins in Maygam's company. Not Darmos, as he's seen evidence of their depraved behaviour.
The blue robed wizard who is effectively the second in command of Jorkamin's company.
Knows that the reason Maygam's mercenary company, which at best is only a mid sized company down here in the pit.
Is so successful compared to other companies of the same size and even larger ones.
Is because Maygam has the twin brothers Lolmildíll and Gilvanéllé working for him.
One of them is bad enough, but the two of them together are a nightmare.
With Gilvanéllé an absolute horror if rumours about him are truly correct. As it's said he eats upon the flesh of other people, in particular humans.
"What are you thinking about?" quietly asks Jorkamin the mercenary company.
"Who else we might run into up here" is the quiet reply of Darmos the wizard, who then adds "Magically".
The mercenary captain nods his head, then quietly says "Hamblett's pet wizards?".
"Yeah" says the spellcaster who has been in Jorkamin's company for nearly a decade now.
"And the elven twins in Maygam's" continues Darmos, who then adds "That's if they're up here too".
Jorkamin scowls at the mention of the elven twins and especially the mercenary captain Maygam.
Who he along with many of the other captains of the larger companies down here in the City of Ruins, including Jarnok and Hamblett.
Have found to be a major annoyance in their running of operations. Digging up ruins, and finding whatever is of value.
Only to have the likes of Maygam and his company, stealing it as it's brought back to the neutral zone, or the towns and villages at the southern end of the giant hole in the ground.
"If that puffed up scavenger Maygam, and those sick elven bastards of his are up here, they're dead" says Jorkamin who continues with "It'll be just as satisfying getting rid of them, as it is getting rid of Hamblett and Jarnok".
As they head through a shell of a building, Darmos nods in agreement with Jorkamin.
Though he doesn't really have anything personal against those they're at battle with.
He'd freely admit to satisfaction at seeing the elven twins Lolmildíll and Gilvanéllé dead.
As he's seen the evidence of their depravity. When he and some of the others in the company found a young woman alive, who had been held captive by one of the elven twins, and repeatedly raped and tortured.
She didn't know which one it was, but when Darmos who had seen the elven twins before, read her mind. He knew which one had raped and tortured her over a number of days.
He had a feeling which one it was anyway. For if it was Gilvanéllé, the young woman would of been found dead, most likely half eaten.
It was the other brother Lolmildíll who did it, then let her go free to be found by Darmos and the others.
The blue robed wizard will definitely find some satisfaction in getting rid of the elven magic users Gilvanéllé, and especially Lolmildíll.
They make their way to the warship that brought them here to this part of the pit.
Jorkamin has a word with the captain of the converted transporter. And soon the airship is lifting up into the air on this cold autumn day, here in this area of the northern, central region of the Southlands.
As the mercenary captain and the blue robed wizard watch the warship head up into the sunny afternoon sky, to resume attacking targets upon the ground.
Jorkamin quietly says to the spellcaster who is his second in command "Let us go and hunt down the others we're after".
Darmos nods in agreement, and with the others of the company spreading out around them.
They move off to find anyone else in either Hamblett and Jarnok's mercenary companies.
Or anyone else for that matter, who are up here to the north of the neutral zone in the giant hole in the ground, in which is the ancient city of Dalphene, also known as the City of Ruins . . . . . .

TYOFT - Author's Note.

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to The Ye Olde Fantasae Tymes. You're twelve years old today.

CJM - Author.

The Find 37.

Autumn.

The Pit. The ancient city of Dalphene. Also known as The City of Ruins.
Maygam the mercenary captain looks through the hole in the wall, and glances up, looking for the wyvern that's circling around.
The mercenary captain pulls his head back in when he hears movement outside.
Maygam steps to one side, so that he's behind a more solid part of the front wall of this particular ruin.
He waits and listens to a number of people going by outside. Once the last one has gone by, he peeks out through the hole in the wall, to see who they are.
As he suspected, they're from Jorkamin's company. As are a lot of those out and about, in this part of the pit, a couple of miles to the north of the neutral zone.
The mercenary captain then looks across the way, to the dilapidated building opposite the ruins he's in.
Maygam shakes his head no when he spots Lolmildíll the elven magic user looking out of a hole in the ancient building opposite.
The elven mercenary from the principality of Alínlae who was contemplating attacking the dozen or so mercenaries in Jorkamin's company who just went by.
Nods his head, then moves back out of view after seeing Maygam shake his head no to him.
The mercenary captain waits a few moments, then looks at the trio of mercenaries with him.
He nods across to the ancient building that Lolmildíll the elven magic user is in.
The three mercs hurry out of the ruins, followed by their captain. They run across to the ancient dilapidated building, and enter it.
"Anymore?" quietly asks Maygam the mercenary captain.
"Just this lot" replies his second in command Uren who walks over and joins him and Lolmildíll the elven magic user.
"These three as well" says Maygam gesturing at the trio he found nearby as he and the others try to find those of the company who got separated from them yesterday.
The mercenary captain then looks at the elven nobel from the principality of Alínlae, and quietly asks him "You sure Kilfin is dead?".
"He is" says another voice from behind them. And though it sounds slightly like Lolmildíll's. It's darker, richer, not to mention angrier sounding than the effete sounding elven magic user.
"Gilvan" quietly says Lolmildíll the elven magic user when they turn around and find Lolm's twin brother Gilvanéllé standing there.
"Gil" says Maygam the mercenary captain as he looks at the elven magic user who is the twin brother of Lolmildíll.
"Brother" says Gilvanéllé the elven magic user in greeting.
"Captain" adds the more intense looking of the twins from the elven principality of Alínlae.
Who then nods in greeting to Uren the mercenary, who is Maygam's second in command.
Everyone else in the ancient, dilapidated building, he ignores. That's if he doesn't scowl, or sneer when he looks in their direction.
As for the other mercs. They wish their captain would send them on their way.
For though Lolmildíll, or Lolm as he's more commonly called by the others in the company.
Is tolerable to be around. Just as long as he isn't looking directly at you. As who knows what he's thinking about.
Not so when it comes to Gilvanéllé or Gil as most of the others in the company call him.
The twin brother with the pale, almost white hair. Is a pariah known throughout the mercenary community down here in the City of Ruins.
Where the rumours about him, and his brother Lolm are certainly true. And the rumours about Gilvanéllé are some of the worst imaginable.
As there's whispers about him eating people while they're still alive.
Not that anyone has actually witnessed it. Well if they have, they're not alive to talk about it.
"You sure?" asks the mercenary captain.
"I am" is the reply from Gilvanéllé, who follows that with "Darmos the wizard did him in".
His twin brother Lolmildíll nods in agreement with him.
Maygam grunts, then asks the elven twins from Alínlae "Hamblett as well?".
Shrugging his slender shoulders, Gilvanéllé the elven mercenary says "I'm not sure captain" followed by "I suspect your former comrade is still alive".
The elven magic user, who is a well known pariah down here in the giant hole in the ground then says "He didn't keep Kilfin close like Jorkamin does with that pet wizard of his".
The mercenary captain grunts again, then after looking at Gilvanéllé, then at his twin brother Lolmildíll.
Maygam the mercenary asks "Where have you been the last few days Gil?".
The captain of the company, then switches to the elven language and quietly adds "The truth now".
"Up north" says Gilvanéllé in the same language. Only the twins, and captain Maygam can speak in elven.
While Uren can understand it to some degree. And knows some words and phrases.
Everyone else in the company not so much. It's why Maygam will only speak in elven to the twins when it's something important.
"What were you doing up there?" asks the captain of one of the midsized mercenary companies in operation, down here in the ancient city of Dalphene.
"This and that" is the evasive reply from Gilvanéllé, who is called Gilvan by his brother Lolmildíll.
And Gil by just about everyone else in the company that Maygam is the captain of.
Then switching to the common language, as he knows Uren will be able to understand him more clearly.
Gilvanéllé the elven practitioner of magic quietly says "I saw some of the company at the northern end of the pit".
"Oh?" says Maygam and his second in command Uren in unison.
"About half a dozen of them" says the twin brother who is the more angry and aggressive looking of the two.
"You're new offsider Almard was leading them" adds Gilvanéllé the elven magic user with a nod at Uren.
"What were they doing all the way up there?" asks Maygam the mercenary captain.
"Fleeing from that battle you got caught up in yesterday" is the reply from Gil, who continues with "They should be up and out of the pit about now".
The elven spellcaster, who like his twin brother, is quite powerful for an elven magic user, briefly pauses before he adds "That's if anything up there doesn't get them".
"Such as?" asks Uren, who was hoping for word of Almard. Who she made her offsider after he'd only been in the company a few weeks.
"The nasties" is the reply of Gilvanéllé who briefly pauses, then with a sadistic looking grin upon his face, adds "Like me".
Though Uren rolls her eyes, she can't help but feel disgust at what Gil just said.
Gilvanéllé knows this, and he chortles. Which raises the hairs on the back of Uren and Maygam's necks.
As the elven magic user's chortle sounds like some kind of mad, deranged animal.
While Lolmildíll just sourly smiles at hearing that from his twin brother. As he's heard that laugh plenty of times over the last four centuries, and he's well accustomed to it.
Maygam the mercenary captain clears his throat, then he says "Hopefully that lot head south up in the surrounding countryside".
"That's their intention" says Gilvanéllé, who continues on with "They hope to get back to the Last Village".
The elven spellcaster with the pale blond, almost white coloured hair then shrugs his shoulders, and says "They either get back there or they don't".
All the mercenary captain can do is nod to that. As he hopes that small group from the company makes it to safety.
Maygam then issues some orders, sending a fair few of the other mercs in the ancient building back to the nearby underground cavern.
Once they're gone, and there's about a dozen of his men and women left with him, and his second in command, and the elven twins.
Maygam the mercenary looks outside, looking up at the afternoon sky.
On what's been a cold, autumn day here in the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly called, the City of Ruins.
"That damn wyvern of Jorkamin's is up there" mutters Maygam the mercenary captain as he watches the circling wyvern up in the sky above this part of the pit.
"Kill it" says Gilvanéllé the elven magic user as he along with his twin brother Lolmildíll, and Uren look outside and up into sky as well.
"Or the rider" adds Gilvan, who continues with "Doesn't matter which one, just get rid of it".
The magical pariah follows that with "It gives Jorkamin an advantage over everyone else" he continues on with "The rider is in contact with Darmos and Jorkamin's other spellcasters, it's why they can easily target and eliminate whoever they want".
"As i understand it, casting a spell upon it or the rider will give you away" says Maygam the mercenary captain.
Gilvanéllé the elven magic user sourly smiles as he looks sideways at his twin brother Lolmildíll, then he says "This is true, but we've all got to take risks don't we".
Gil briefly pauses before continuing with "I was thinking of something else anyway" followed by "Like shooting them".
The mercenary captain's eyebrows shoot up, then he says "I know you two are pretty good with a bow" followed by "So am i".
Maygam continues on with "But no way in hell anyone of us are making that shot, even if that bugger was just hovering in the air, it's circling too high up".
Gilvanéllé suddenly grins, then says "You'll make the shot if i cast upon the arrow so you don't miss".
Then looking sideways at his twin brother Lolmildíll, he adds "I'm surprised you didn't think of it Lolm" followed by "Other spellcasters would barely sense it even if they were specifically doing so".
He continues with "It's not as though you're directly casting at the creature or the rider".
"Why didn't i think of that?" mutters Lolmildíll the elven magic user, which just gets a roll of the eyes from his twin brother Gilvan.
Maygam calls over one of his men who has a longbow. The mercenary captain takes it off him, and takes an arrow too.
He puts the arrow to the bow, and half draws it back, then he looks outside and up into the sky again, and waits.
"It'll be at least a day before Jorkamin can bring another one up" quietly says Maygam the mercenary captain.
As Jorkamin has three wyverns at his disposal, though only one in the skies above the City of Ruins at this time.
The other two, like Jorkamin's other warship is at his base. A town about a dozen miles to the south of the pit, on the road to the city-state of Eweteets.
"It's coming around again" quietly says Lolmildíll the elven magic user.
"Tell me when" says the mercenary captain to Gil, who like the other three is watching the wyvern circle back this way.
"Get ready" says Gilvanéllé the elven magic user, followed by "Just shoot in the general direction of it, I'll make sure it'll hit the rider".
Maygam nods his head in understanding, and is about to step outside and draw the longbow back completely and shoot up at the circling wyvern.
When suddenly the wyvern lets out a screech as it's rider topples from the saddle, and falls out of the air.
"Er?" says Uren the mercenary, while Maygam murmurs "Huh?".
As they watch the wyvern rider falling out of the sky towards the ground.
He hits the ground somewhere away to the east, a couple hundred yards away amongst some of the ruins in that direction.
Up in the afternoon sky, the wyvern being a wyvern. Has taken off, they're flighty, unpredictable creatures to begin with.
And now that this one doesn't have a rider on it's back. It's taken off, heading northwards above the giant hole in the ground, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, or the City of Ruins as it's more commonly known as.
The twins Gilvanéllé and Lolmildíll share a look, then Lolm says "I didn't sense anything". "Nor did i" says the other twin Gilvan.
With a shrug of his shoulders, Maygam says "No matter" followed by "It's gone, that's all that matters".
The mercenary captain continues with "Seems like someone else had the same idea".
Both of the elven nobles from the principality of Alínlae nod their heads.
Then Gilvanéllé recalls what he sensed earlier in the afternoon before he made his way back down this way.
"That cleric perhaps" murmurs Gil "What was that?" says the other twin Lolm.
The elven spellcaster who is a well known pariah here in the pit, looks at the other three.
Then tells them about how he sensed an unknown cleric a little earlier, who created a gateway into this area to the north of the neutral zone. Then he was unable to sense the powerful cleric after that.
Lolmildíll's thin, arched eyebrows shoot up when he hears that, then he quietly says "That's more than a little interesting". "Is it what" says his twin brother Gilvanéllé.
Looking at the elven twins who are nobles from the principality of Alínlae, Maygam the mercenary captain asks them "A new player in the battle you think?".
"With what just happened to that wyvern rider, it certainly looks like it captain" is the reply from Gilvanéllé the elven magic user, his twin brother Lolmildíll nods his head in agreement with him . . . . . .

The Find 36.

Autumn.

The afternoon. The giant hole in the ground. Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene. Also more commonly called, the City Of Ruins.
Zam the mercenary grimaces after he drops to the ground and the fiery looking energyball passes over him.
Behind him he hears Hilmik the dwarven warrior yelp, then mutter something in the dwarven language that the young mercenary from the city-state of Kuradum doesn't understand.
Zam breathes a sigh of relief as he lies there on the ground and the energyball passes over him.
The young merc who only recently joined Maygam's company, hears a low thud of an explosion, followed by a high pitched scream that's abruptly cut off short.
He rolls over, and sits up and looks back in the direction they've come from.
Zam grimaces as he sees the remains of the giant ant like creature, that was pursuing the group.
The only thing recognisable about it, is the back segment. As most of the head down one side, and nearly all of the midsection is gone, as is one of the long claws that come out from near the shoulder joints.
Zam looks away to the east, when out of the corner of his eye, he spots another fiery looking energyball hurtling in that direction.
And he watches as the giant ant like creature coming from that way, rears back on it's back two set of legs, to try and avoid the oncoming energyball.
No such luck, for when it tries to twist on it's back two set of legs. The energyball hits it. Not full on, but that's not necessary.
As the ball of magical energy explodes with a low sounding thud.
Blasting apart half of the ten foot long creature's head. As well one shoulder segment and the attached claw, and a fair bit of it's midsection, or thorax.
Zam as he sits there, grimaces at the sight of the destroyed creature that was hunting them, and anyone else in the vicinity.
The young mercenary who hails from the city-state of Kuradum, where he couldn't cut it in both his homeland's army, and city guard.
Hears one of the others in the group throwing up. It's Melmear, who's vomiting when Zam looks back at the others who were closely following him.
Then Zam blinks as he realises that he can't see Imraness. Then the young merc spots why Melmear is throwing up.
"He should of ducked down quicker" says a hollow sounding voice from behind Zam.
The Kuradumian mercenary looks back to find the elven spellcaster Gilvanéllé standing just a couple of yards away.
The elven mercenary who hails from the principality of Alínlae then dryly adds in his hollow, ruinous sounding voice "He won't be doing that again, now will he".
Zam winces as he looks at the elven magic user who has blood around his mouth, and on his chin.
Then he looks to where what remains of Imraness is. The mercenary from the city-state of Eweteets, who is a former church guard.
The only thing that remains of him, is his legs, just above the knees, which are lying on the ground.
The rest of him is gone, as he was hit head on by the first energyball cast by Gilvanéllé the elven magic user.
Getting up off the ground, Almard the mercenary says "Gilvanéllé".
He's interrupted by the elven noble from the principality of Alínlae, who says in a scathing tone "Don't thank me all at once".
The elven spellcaster then looks at the five remaining members of the group with a sneer upon his face, and says "And if any of you call me by brothers name again, I'll kill you where you stand".
The elven mercenary who has a deserved reputation, continues with "Now get up, and get moving" followed by "There's a couple more of them in the area, and they might chase after you lot instead of the others who are dumb enough to come all the way up here".
Gilvanéllé or Gil as he's more commonly called by the others in Maygam's mercenary company.
Gestures in the direction the group were fleeing, and he says "Get going" followed by "They're not the only dangerous things up here" he then adds "There's much more dangerous things".
The elven magic user, who like his twin brother Lolmildíll. Are amongst the most powerful of the spellcasters to be found down here in the pit.
Suddenly grins, a wicked looking expression with his mouth and chin dripping with blood, then he says "Like me".
The elven noble from Alínlae who is part of Maygam's mercenary company, then disappears infront of the eyes of the small group, who now number five.
They all look at one another, then Almard the mercenary who is their defacto leader, says "Let's get going".
The five of them move off, heading north, to the end of the giant hole in the ground. Barely giving the remains of Imraness a second glance.
Though all of them look at the body that Gilvanéllé the elven mercenary was standing over when they first spotted him.
And they see chunks have been bitten out of the face of the half naked body, that's been mutilated in other ways too.
Seems the rumours they've all heard about Gilvanéllé since joining Maygam's company, are true after all.
Gil, or Gilvan as he's called by his brother. Hasn't gone far. Infact he's just away to the right of the group.
Standing upon one of the piles of dirt, sand and debris. The one beside the second subterranean ant like creature he killed.
The elven magic user from the principality of Alínlae is completely still. Just incase the dwarven mercenary in the group hears him.
The elven spellcaster recognised the small group of mercenaries. Well, some of them.
The dwarf called Hilmik, and the one called Almard, who has quickly become Uren's helper since joining the company.
The others he vaguely recalls, but like a lot of the mercenaries in Maygam's company.
In the opinion of Gilvanéllé they all kind of blend in. It doesn't help that most of the company are human.
And Gil has always found it difficult to differentiate humans unless they have completely different skin colours.
The elven noble from the principality of Alínlae who is invisible, watches the group.
Going from pile of debris to pile of debris, up here at the very northern end of the giant hole in the ground.
Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly called, the City of Ruins.
And wonders if they'll make it out of the pit, here on what's a cold autumn day in the northern part of the central region of the Southlands.
Gilvanéllé shrugs his shoulders, as he couldn't care less if the group of five escape the pit.
As he's read their minds, and knows that they intend to make their way out of the northern end of the giant hole in the ground.
Then make their way southwards across the open countryside to either the west, or east of the pit.
Making their way to the Last Village, at the southern end of the pit. Where Maygam's company are based here in the City of Ruins.
The reason Gil couldn't care less about what happens to them next.
Is because he basically doesn't care about anyone else in Maygam's mercenary company.
True, him and his twin brother Lolmildíll. Have their differences and arguments.
But they're still twins, and for all their differences. Each is the other's closest, and most important person in their life.
The only others that Gilvanéllé cares about in the company. Is Maygam himself.
For the mercenary captain has always treated Gilvan and his twin brother Lolmildíll fairly.
Who has always ignored the severe personality traits and behaviours the elven twins, especially Gilvan has.
Along with Maygam's second in command Uren. Who both elven twin brothers have a grudging respect for.
For it's pretty rare to have a woman be the second in command of any of the mercenary companies down here in the City of Ruins.
Especially a company as successful as Maygam's mercenary company. Which though is only a middling sized company here in the pit.
It's more than successful than other companies of similar size. Infact it's more successful than a lot of the larger companies to be found down here in the giant hole in the ground.
Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, which is more commonly known as, the City of Ruins.
One of the reasons Maygam's company is so successful, is because of the elven twins Lolmildíll and Gilvanéllé.
Who when Gil bothers to get involved with things. Are willing to do anything, and everything to accomplish Maygam's plans.
As he stands upon one of the piles of dirt and debris. Gilvanéllé knows that Maygam doesn't have much in the way of plans at the moment. At least not successful ones anyway.
For the elven magic user from the principality of Alínlae has leant from the group he just helped out.
That Maygam and the bulk of the company he had with him up here to the north of the neutral zone of the City of Ruins.
Are doing all that they can to survive, after getting caught up in the battle between the three largest mercenary companies down here in the ancient city of Ruins.
Gilvan who wipes the blood off his chin, and from around his mouth. With the back of his right wrist and forearm.
Looks away from the group of five fellow mercenaries in Maygam's company.
And looks to the south, where the battle is still taking place a couple of miles away.
Between the mercenary company of Jorkamin, and anyone else's who are up here towards the northern end of the giant hole in the ground.
The elven noble whose meal was interrupted, scowls as he looks southwards trying to locate his twin brother Lolmildíll.
With his eyes closed, Gil nods his head after a few moments and he briefly locates his twin brother.
The elven magic user from the principality of Alínlae finds a number of other spellcasters to the north of the neutral zone where the battle is raging.
Chief amongst them being Darmos the wizard. The right hand man of the mercenary captain Jorkamin.
Gilvanéllé knows Darmos isn't the most powerful of the spellcasters to be found down here in the pit.
But he's probably the smartest, and definitely the most devious. The latter being something Gil wouldn't admit out loud to anyone.
With his eyes open again, the elven noble from Alínlae nods his head once more.
As he figures Jorkamin's company got the jump on Hamblett's and Jarnok's companies probably because of the plans devised between the Jorkamin and Darmos.
Gilvan who sees one of the wyverns in Jorkamin's company circling away to the south.
Not far from the airship that the elven magic user sensed down on the ground in that area of the pit.
Is just thinking of heading down that way, to find his brother Lolmildíll, Maygam and Uren. When he suddenly gets an urge to sense again.
Lucky he does, because he senses a gateway in that area of the City of Ruins.
A clerical spell, and a few moments later he briefly senses the cleric who must of cast it.
One of the thin eyebrows of the elven noble shoots up as he senses how powerful that cleric is.
More powerful than any other spellcaster down here in the ancient city of Dalphene.
With the exception of a mage who is part of a group of treasure seekers down at the southern end of the giant hole in the ground.
What's surprised Gilvan the most is that after the gateway disappears, he can no longer sense the powerful cleric.
As he knows most powerful human practitioners of magic find it difficult to hold their power within themselves, so that they can't be sensed by other spellcasters.
"Impressive" murmurs Gilvanéllé the elven mercenary, who then silently adds, now who are you, and what are you up to down here?
As he wonders who the cleric is that's suddenly turned up down where there's a battle raging a couple of miles to the north of the neutral zone.
Gil knows of no cleric, well a powerful one at least. In the three largest mercenary companies down here in the City of Ruins.
Or in any of the more prominent mercenary companies plying their trade down here in the giant hole in the ground.
There's some clerics down here in the pit, but none as powerful as the one the elven magic user just briefly sensed.
With his eyes narrowed, Gilvanéllé who looks almost exactly identical to his twin brother Lolmildíll.
The only exception being the way each of them holds themselves physically. Their stance and posture.
There's something physically menacing about Gilvan, even though he's lean, almost skinny, like his twin brother Lolmildíll.
Who has the slightly darker hair, even though they both have pale blond hair. And in the case of Gil, it's almost white in colour.
The elven mercenary from the principality of Alínlae, looks back at the group of five mercenaries, who like him, are part of Maygam's company.
And though he briefly gets an urge to feed on one of them. He's learnt over the years being in Maygam's mercenary company it's best not to feed on his fellow company members.
Killing them if they annoy him is fine, feeding on one of them while they're still alive, not so much.
Gilvanéllé looks around, then nods as he figures they'll probably make it out of the pit without too much trouble.
Then he looks southwards again, to where the battle is taking place to the north of the neutral zone down here in the ancient city of Dalphene.
The powerful elven magic user grins in anticipation, then the invisible spellcaster teleports away and heads into the raging battle.
On this sunny, but cold autumn day, here in the giant hole in giant hole in the ground, within which is the City of Ruins . . . . . .

The Find 35.

Autumn.

Within the giant hole in the ground. Also called the pit. Lies the ancient city of Dalphene. Or as it's more commonly called, the City of Ruins.
Lord Farque rolls his eyes, for in the distance away to the north, Helbe the elven thief who is looking back this way at him, shrugs his siihoulders.
The undead warlord then watches the blurred and shielded elven magic user disappear.
Then reappear on top of another ancient ruin, about a hundred yards away from where he just was.
The young elven noble from the island principality looks around for a little bit.
Then he looks back south, and waves a hand back and forth, to indicate he's not too sure.
The large, heavily armoured deathlord who is two and bit miles away to the south. Gestures away to the elven masterthief's right.
The highly talented elven magic user nods his hooded head, then he disappears once again.
The elven master assassin reappears on top of a broken tower. And after he quickly looks around, he looks southwards once more, and nods his hooded head.
The young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, then gives a number of hand signals.
Seeing them, lord Farque murmurs to himself "Good enough".
The undead warlord then lifts up his right arm, and makes a fist with his gauntleted hand.
Two and a bit miles away to the north, the elven spellcaster nods his hooded head in understanding.
Then the lord and ruler of the lands Farque turns to his left, takes a few steps and walks off the top of the massive, free standing portal.
The large, heavily armoured deathlord falls the seventy feet to the ground, landing in a one knee crouch.
As that's even a long fall for him. The lord of the death realm then stands upright.
And ignoring those here in this part of the neutral zone, who are just standing there, looking at him in shock.
The undead being who is also known as Draugadrottin to the people of his lands.
Walks away, heading away to where the rest of the group are waiting for him.
They've gone and got any supplies they might need. Mainly food, and arrows and bolts for those who need them.
Some of them are checking their gear and equipment as lord Farque makes his way around the corner.
And walks to the ancient tower base where they've been waiting for him.
"The third one" says the deathlord of Farque to Beldane the cleric, who nods in understanding.
The undead warlord looks at the others, and asks them "Ready?".
Replies of head nods, and a yes or two comes for the others in the group.
Then the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates into common as, The Destroyer.
Tells them "Get ready for anything" followed by "Who knows who could be there".
The large, heavily armoured deathlord continues on with "Anyone attacks us kill them" followed by "Anyone gets in our way kill them".
Dorc da Orc chuckles at hearing that, then he grunts when the undead warlord adds in a dry tone of voice "Though not the one we're looking for".
Draugadrottin looks at Mira Reinholt the mage and quietly tells him "Get ready to create a mageglobe just incase there's too many near where we'll come out".
The once powerful mage nods his hooded head in understanding.
Then the lord of the death realm "Dorc behind me" Des'tier then adds "We're going through first".
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque then looks at Beldane the cleric, and tells him "Go ahead".
The powerful spellcaster who hails from the kingdom of Nastell, steps into the ancient watchtower, or what's left of it.
He's followed by lord Farque himself, along with the ork warleader, Dorc da Orc, then the mage Reinholt.
The others wait outside, in order they'll go through as they wait for Beldane the cleric to complete his casting.
When they were on top of the nearby free standing portal earlier, the fighting cleric and the undead warlord discussed a number of things.
One of which was a number of places further north of the neutral zone, here in the pit that the group could go to.
And it's the third place that lord Farque, along with Helbe the elven thief who is already further north in the City of Ruins, that they've decided the group are going to.
The member of the church of Glaine, who is the most powerful of the four spellcasters in the group, quickly casts a gateway.
As it's only going a little over a couple of miles north of the neutral zone, down here in the giant hole in the ground, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene.
Once the magical gateway is formed, lord Farque slightly ducks before he hurries forward into the darkness.
He's quickly followed by Dorc da Orc, who has to duck down to go through the gateway.
The large ork is quickly followed by Mira Reinholt the mage. Who as he hurries through the fighting cleric's spell, prepares to create a mageglobe, just incase one is necessary.
The undead warlord comes out of the black magical doorway beside the broken tower than Helbe the elven thief was on.
The large, heavily armoured deathlord hurries away to the right, into a shell of a building, where the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel is waiting.
Dorc da Orc who has just come out of the gateway, follows the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
And Mira Reinholt after coming through the gateway, follows after the large ork.
As one by one, the rest of the group make their way out of the black, magical doorway Beldane the cleric has cast more than two miles away to the south.
The fighting cleric is the last one through the magical doorway, and he drops the spell as he follows Tovis the war engineer into the shell of a building the rest of the group are in.
"There's not too many people nearby" Helbe the elven thief is saying to lord Farque.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel continues with "Though there's more of them to the west of our location".
"The ship's still down on the ground i take it?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage as he looks out through one of the large holes in the wall.
"It is" replies the highly talented elven magic user, who continues with "It'll mostly be Jorkamin's company we run into if we run into anyone"
The grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel then explains "They've wiped out a fair chunk of all the other mercenary companies who were up here".
The elven master assassin follows that with "Them entering the battle yesterday took a lot of the others by surprise".
Lord Farque nods to that, then quietly says to the members of his personal council he's standing in the corner of one of the rooms in the shell of the building "Hope the one we're after hasn't been killed with everything that's been going on up here over the last day".
The elven magic user, the once powerful mage and Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit all nod in agreement with the large, heavily armoured deathlord.
Then the undead warlord who contemplated sending out members of the group in pairs, or triplets to search for the one they're after.
Up here, a couple of miles to the north of the neutral zone of the City of Ruins.
Where a battle has been taking place over the last couple of weeks. Which rapidly intensified in scale yesterday, when another of the largest mercenary companies in the pit, got involved and entered the frey.
Has decided not to the split the group up, and instead have them move as one, with the exception of Helbe the elven thief.
Who he quietly tells "Keep in contact with one of the others as much as you can".
Referring to the three other spellcasters in the group. They being Mira Reinholt the mage, Beldane the cleric and Saanea the witch.
"Will do" says the elven princeling from Laerel, who then adds "Anything else?".
Draugadrottin shakes his full, helmed head no, then the elven masterthief disappears from view as he blurs himself.
The lord of the death realm who can still see the highly talented elven magic user. Watches as Helbe the elven thief walk outside, then shift away.
Looking over at the others in the group, the lord and ruler of the lands Farque tells them "Remember, confirm your targets".
Des'tier continues on with "I don't want anyone of you accidentally killing the one we're looking for".
The large heavily armoured deathlord then says "Move out" after telling them that there's a number of people to the west, and northwest of where they are. The closest just forty or so yards away.
As per usual as the group has traveled through the giant hole in the ground, within which is the City of Ruins.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, along with Lisell Maera the scout lead the way.
Though this time, they're joined by Beldane the cleric who is holding his power within himself most of the time.
The three of them head out, going westwards, followed by the others in the group.
Flying in concentric circles above the three out front. Is the familiar that belongs to Saanea the witch.
As the group go in search for the person they're looking for. In this part of the ancient city of Dalphene a couple of miles to the north of the neutral zone.
This part of the pit, which is essentially a battlefield. As the three largest mercenary companies down here in the City of Ruins.
Fight for supremacy, wiping out anyone unfortunate to get in their way.
"Wait up" quietly says Beldane the cleric to the scout Maera and the spy Tanith who are infront of him.
The three of them hunker down behind a broken wall. And the fighting cleric nods as he listens to what Helbe the elven thief is telling him via a mindspeech spell.
"That way" says the member of the church of Glaine, who points more to the north than the way they've been going.
"The one we're after isn't amongst the lot directly to the west of us" quietly adds the powerful cleric who hails from the kingdom of Nastell.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy nods, then he gets up and hops over the low, broken wall and hurries towards a half buried ruin that's nearby.
He's followed by the attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury.
And the fighting cleric from the north of his homeland, Nastell.
Here, further north of the neutral zone. There's less and less of the ruins and ancient structures to be found.
Further north more so. That at the very northern end of the pit, little of the ancient ruins has been dug up.
And though there's clusters of the ruins and ancient buildings in places here in the northern half of the City of Ruins.
For the most part, a lot of the ancient ruins, buildings and structures stand by themselves.
So that moving about, using the ruins as cover. Isn't as easy as it is further to the south in the pit.
Especially in the neutral zone, where's there's more of the ancient ruins than anywhere else in the giant hole in the ground.
Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
Already knows it'll be impossible for them to go through this part of the pit undetected.
Especially some members of the group, such as lord Farque, sir Percavelle Lé Dic, but mostly Dorc da Orc.
So he hurries between ancient structures and ruins after Beldane the cleric who is in contact with Helbe the elven thief, gives him directions.
Inside one of the more substantial looking ruins, the spy Tanith watches a small group of mercenaries, or adventurers or possibly treasure seekers.
Hurrying away through one end of the ancient building, looking back in the direction they've come from.
"What is it?" murmurs Lisell Maera the scout as she stands next to the elf in the grey hooded cloak, who is a company commander in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
"They're fleeing" quietly says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, who briefly closes his eyes and listens carefully as Beldane the cleric enters the building and joins them.
"Fighting close by" quietly says the elven spy who is originally from the principality of Alínlae, where he served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland.
"That way" quietly adds the Dalin who points away to the left of them.
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell nods in agreement with the spy Tanith.
Then Beldane quietly says "Helbe says the fighting is pretty heavy too".
The powerful spellcaster pauses as he listens to what the elven masterthief is telling him via mindspeech.
Then the member of the church of Glaine quietly tells the spy Tanith and the scout Maera "Between Jorkamin's and Hamblett's companies" Beldane follows that with "A bunch of others are caught up in it".
As others in the group enter the ancient ruin, Dalin quietly says "Hopefully no one from that Maygam's company".
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by the others in the group nods her head in agreement with the elven spy.
Then Beldane grimaces, and quietly says "Unfortunately there is" followed by "His highness has just found some".
"Shit" mutters the scout Maera, the spy Tanith nods his hooded head in agreement.
Then he turns as lord Farque approaches through the ancient ruin they're in.
The elven spy originally from Alínlae is the one to tell the undead warlord that they've found some of Maygam's mercenary company.
Who are caught up in the fighting nearby between Jorkamin's and Hamblett's mercenary companies . . . . . .

The Find 34.

Autumn.

North, central region of the Southlands. In the giant hole in the ground. In which is the City of Ruins.
"Just up ahead and to the left" says Saanea the witch as she looks back at who is following behind her, and her lover, Tamric Drubine the field commander.
A bit behind the young couple, walks Mira Reinholt the mage and Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit.
The once powerful mage nods his hooded head in reply to Saanea saying that the rest of the group aren't all that far away now.
"Think they had any luck?" quietly asks Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit.
"I doubt it" is the reply from Mira Reinholt the mage, who after a brief pause, continues with "Though they might know where they actually are now".
"Up further north?" asks the halfling who isn't what he appears to be.
"Up further north" says the Vexilian mage in exile who nods in agreement with his fellow member of the personal council to lord Farque.
The four of them round a corner, not all that far from the massive, free standing portal. That the mage Reinholt put out of action nearly two decades ago.
First Tamric Drubine and Saanea the witch, then Mira Reinholt and Jarjin Littlefoot spot the rest of the group in and infront of a small building, one of the ancient ruins.
Which looks like the base of a round guard tower more than anything else.
And since the person they're searching for isn't with the rest of the group.
They know the others were unsuccessful in finding the person they traveled here to find.
The spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil, and the halfling who is originally from the far east coast of the continent, the Sultanate of Dreese to be exact.
Enter the base of the ancient round tower, in which is their fellow council member, Helbe the elven thief. Along with lord Farque himself.
While field commander Drubine, and his lover, the pretty looking hillwoman from the Maldin Hills. Remain outside with the rest of the group.
"Anything?" asks the mage Reinholt, who already figures the others didn't locate the person they've all been searching for.
"We didn't find them" says Helbe the elven thief, who then continues with "But we did find out they went north with the bulk of their company".
The spellcaster who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil, nods his hooded head, then looks over at the large, heavily armoured figure of the lord of the lands Farque, and asks him "North?".
"North" says lord Farque, who just grunts when the mage who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, says "And if they happen to come back to the neutral zone while we head north?".
"That's the risk we take" says the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, who just shrugs his shoulders.
"We'll have to try and keep an eye on those coming back this way to the neutral zone" says the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands.
Until he was stripped of most of his powers, when he went offworld through a rift/void spell he accidentally cast.
"We've already seen quite a few of them come back this way from that battle" adds the Vexilian mage in exile.
Jarjin Littlefoot, who is a former air sailor in the Sultan of Dreese's fleet, nods his head in agreement with the mage Reinholt.
For this morning they saw a number of mercenaries, adventurers and treasure seekers.
Who had fled the battle that's taking place up towards the northern end of the pit.
"We will" says lord Farque, who continues with "As much as we're able to".
The undead being, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his lands, slightly nods his full helmed head, then says "Yes" followed by "Though not just yet".
In response to Helbe the elven thief asking him "You want me to go on ahead?".
The large, heavily armoured deathlord looks out the open doorway of the ancient tower base.
Before he continues with "First thing first, where we're actually going".
The lord of the death realm, who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates as, The Destroyer then says in a slightly dry tone of voice "We're going into the middle of a battle".
The other three, members of lord Farque's personal council, nod in agreement with the undead warlord.
"Stay here with the others" says Draugadrottin to Jarjin Littlefoot.
The hobbit, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, by the name of Zubutai Timaginson. Who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of the halfling, who hails from the far east coast of the continent.
Nods his head, and says "I will" as they make their way out of the ancient ruins of a tower base, they've just been in.
"Beldane with us" says the large, heavily armoured deathlord to the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine.
The undead warlord, and two of his councilors, Mira Reinholt the mage, and Helbe the elven thief.
Are joined by the powerful spellcaster from the kingdom of Nastell.
And as they walk away from the others, the lord and ruler of the lands Farque looks back and says in the ork language "Behave" followed by "I'll be watching you cunt".
Dorc da Orc sourly smiles after hearing that, but he does grunt in the affirmative when he catches a glimpse of blue light flash from the eyes of lord Farque.
"Up there" says the large, heavily armoured deathlord to the fighting cleric beside him.
The two councilors, the Vexilian mage in exile, and the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel have already disappeared.
Then Draugadrottin and Beldane the cleric vanish when the powerful spellcaster originally from the kingdom of Nastell teleports the two of them.
"Well this is familiar" dryly says Mira Reinholt the mage, which causes Helbe the elven thief to laugh, just as lord Farque and Beldane the cleric appear on top of the massive, free standing portal that the two councilors are already on.
"Least this time we're not trying to avoid that battlemage who was killing everyone" says the highly talented elven magic user.
"Thanks" sourly says the once powerful mage who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil, who then adds "I've been trying to forget about him for nearly twenty years".
The spellcaster, who if he hadn't of lost most of his vast amount of powers, would of more than likely been the next battlemage here in the Southlands.
Along with the young elven noble who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel.
Fall silent as lord Farque glances their way, before he points away to the north and starts discussing with Beldane the cleric where the group should go to.
As much of the northern part of the pit, from about a couple of miles to the north of the neutral zone.
Is a battlefield at the moment, one where there's a warship circling around up there.
Shooting it's magetubes down at targets, here in the giant hole in the ground, within which is the City of Ruins.
There's also a wyvern that's circling around up above the northern half of the giant hole in the ground.
Then just as lord Farque points to a couple of places away to the north, that Beldane can memorize so that he can either teleport, or create a gateway to them.
Helbe the elven thief speaks up, and says "Looks like that airship is coming around to land".
Next to the highly talented elven magic user, the once powerful mage nods his hooded head in agreement with the elven masterthief.
"Definitely landing" says the mage Reinholt, whose family owns one of the largest, and most influential trading companies, not just in their homeland of Vexil, but in all of the Southlands.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, knows a thing or two about airships, and he quietly says "That doesn't exactly look like a warship to me".
"That's because it isn't" says lord Farque as they watch the vessel about two and half miles or so away to the north, circling down towards the ground.
"It's a converted transporter" says the large, heavily armoured deathlord who knows more about airships than the rest of the group combined "A cargo ship converted to a fighting vessel" adds the undead warlord.
Then looking at the trio of spellcasters up here on the massive free standing portal with him, the lord and ruler of the lands Farque tells them "If that thing even gets close to shooting at us, i want it destroyed" followed by "Is that understood?".
The three practitioners of magic, the mage, the elven magic user and the cleric, all nod yes in reply to the lord of the death realm.
"Looks like they're using that wyvern as a spotter" muses the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel.
"More than likely" says the exiled Vexilian mage.
Both lord Farque and Beldane the cleric nod to that, then the lord of the death realm says "Same goes for that wyvern, if they target anyone of us, i want it and it's rider taken out".
The four of them watch as the airship in the distance lands amongst some of the ancient ruins about two miles north of the neutral zone, down here in the ancient city of Dalphene.
Or as it's more commonly known as, the City of Ruins.
"Must be disembarking" quietly says Mira Reinholt who has taken out his leather wrapped, brass cylindrical eyepiece to look through.
While Beldane the cleric has cast a spell upon himself so he can see long distances.
Meanwhile Helbe the elven thief and lord Farque need no such things. As they look at where the airship has put down away to the north, down here in the pit.
They can't see too clearly what's happening, as there's quite a few ruins where the vessel has put down.
But it's obvious that a number of people have got off that airship.
"There's a wizard amongst them" says Draugadrottin, the three spellcasters can't sense so. But they take the undead warlord's word for it.
"Ah there's a sorcerer nearby to where they've put down" adds the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Again, the three practitioners of magic can't sense who the lord of the death realm is referring to. But he can sense any spellcaster, even when they're holding their power within themselves, so that they can hide themselves from other spellcasters who are able to sense them.,
The lord of the death realm points, and the others spot a large number of people moving through the ruins, heading west from where the airship landed.
"They're going there" says Des'tier, who points to further west, to more open ground where the view is unobstructed.
"There must be a hole or culvert running through there" continues lord Farque, who then adds "Because that's where that sorcerer and a bunch of others are hunkered down in".
The four of them watch as a small battle takes place. Suddenly both Beldane the cleric and Helbe the elven thief sense the wizard lord Farque mentioned. Mira Reinholt can't sense that far away.
Followed by an explosion, that they all see, then hear a couple of moments later.
The fighting cleric and the highly talented elven magic user then sense the sorcerer who is in hiding.
And they all see and hear another explosion, followed by what looks like an energyball shooting through the debris, dirt and sand that's blasted up into the air from the last explosion.
While mercenaries jump down into what's most likely an ancient culvert.
The battle is over quickly after that, and the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel says "Well that sorcerer is dead".
Then the three spellcasters nod when lord Farque says "That's what we're going into".
The undead warlord looks at the practitioners of magic, and tells them "I don't care who it is, but if anyone gets in our way while we look for the one we've come here for, i want them destroyed".
The large, heavily armoured deathlord continues on with "The only thing that matters is finding the one we're after".
Draugadrottin briefly pauses before adding "If anyone tries to stop us, or attack us, they're fucking dead" followed by "Is that understood?".
The trio of spellcasters nod to indicate they understand what's to be done, as the group prepares to go further north in the pit.
On this sunny but cold, autumn day here in the giant hole in the ground, within which is the City of Ruins . . . . . .