In Lornav

Rumors about an expedition spread fast through the border counties. They originated from the discovery of survivors. Survivors of that expedition became known throughout the Teniim Sea. A coalition of Elf Kingdoms went against these invaders half the world heard about. News to many was that almost none of the invaders were Orcs like many of the members of that expedition expected. It first started with the many Orc tribes, clans and states holding back the invaders. Then rumors of other races joining the invaders nearly crippled Kashmanol's defenses. According to survivors some three thousand four hundred seventy elves joined forces with eighteen thousand nine hundred Orcs. United this coalition gathered more Orcs who had pulled back plus some strange new allies. Nearly sixty thousand Orcs returned to the front lines.

No more news or rumors came from Kashmanol for a month. It was assumed the invaders either gave up or whoever was fighting them were putting up a good fight. Orcs along the Lornav borders hardly invaded or made any raids across their borders for the past few centuries. However bands of Goblins, Troglodytes, Gnolls, and Kuruks crossed over aimed at rounding up slaves, or causing chaos. All of Lornav were more than aware of what went on beyond their borders. Up north the Dwarfs of Ehkbullar were at war with Veerlanders, and Orian humans fought their enemies as usual plus another strange faction. Ranger, "Bill" Billis Kailu Crowendson sat in a booth at an outdoor meadery-lodge on the outskirts of Lornav's largest city. Krystal's Bane was the name of the largest city, home to ten noble families. His own family of Crowend were renowned hunters, trappers, tanners, poachers, taxidermists, beast-masters, zoologists, game keepers, stable-hands, Grooms for horses, farriers, stablers, beekeepers, herders, and Horse trainers. Kailu chose to become a Ranger ten years after he was forced into becoming a game keeper which preceded his days as a hunter, and poacher. To his greater fortune this choice did not bring shame upon his family. In fact many of their friends, and acquaintances encouraged praise for him. Unlike other families who shamed  their sons and daughters for not following the footsteps of the family business the Crowends saw such choices as something unique.

  A total of eight noble families were at odds with one another like syndicates going against others. Kailu had a few run ins with their own rival families who engaged in Caravans, Cartography, Gavedigging, Grounds-keeping, and Smith work of all types. He managed to avoid the family wars when he joined the Lornav Frontier Rangers. However that did not keep him out of random fights and brawls. Rangers and the Elf Knights of Lornav fought each other in street fighting, brawls or flat out engaged in random fistfights. The history behind their bitter rivalry or more likely conflict was lost. Across from him was a longtime friend of his Gregious or Gregory Cacos shuffling a deck of cards.


"So let me get this straight four units of archers, eight units of swordsmen, infantrymen, eleven units of riflemen, and one unit of elite warriors of Teniim march out in an expedition am I correct about the news?" Gregory asked Kailu.

"Yes an expedition from one of the elf kingdoms there set out to investigate something going on in Kashmanol." Kailu replied, he poured another drink from the small barrel next to the table.

"How many are in each unit? Come on Bills you know all of this you are a Ranger who has been out there!" Gregory urged him pointing a finger at him.

"Let's see sixty in the archer units so two hundred forty archers. One hundred and twenty in each melee unit so nine hundred and sixty. You see they are structured based on company sizes. As for the musketeers and rifles two hundred in each. More than two thousand marched out there with new weapons. Including the elites the survivors said seventy total."

"Quite a small army to be sent out there yet I am not a military person. Who am I to say what army sizes are needed!" Gregory boasted aloud. His voice filled the room a little louder than Kailu would have like him.

"Orcs were with that expedition army." a figure said from another table adjacent to their booth. Kailu looked over to see another Ranger of Lornav sitting with a group of five other Rangers. A dark haired elf with two scars on his face and an eye missing. He appeared very experienced for his actual age. His dark hair was in dreadlocks and braids in between them. 

"How many?" Gregory asked him.

"Nearly a division of them. Those elves hoped-" Gregory interrupted the dark haired elf who did not seem to like that.

"Three hundred archers, and skirmishers with two infantry divisions of eighteen thousand right?" Gregory calculated in the booth using his fingers. His eyes could have rolled back into his head as he made those calculations in his own mind.

Kailu watched him then turned to see the one eyed Ranger get up angrily. Whoever this Ranger was to Gregory it did not matter to the gambling member of the Cacos Noble House. Kailu realized who it was, Barbos the One Eyed Hawk. Barbos' real name was Haryk Davaris who was the son of a Trapper family in the wilderness. For two centuries Haryk worked in that trade then moved on to being a Ranger at the age of three hundred. Now at the age of four hundred he had grown bitter and angry. Barbos unsheathed what looked like a forest dagger. The older Ranger approached Gregory who was oblivious.

"Why don't you calculate who many invaders and monsters too? There was more than just that. Fifty Nine thousand returned to that front. So ADD THAT TO YOUR NUMBERS!" Barbos growled at the gambler. The elf stabbed the dagger into the table in front of Gregory who stopped counting in his head. He let out a squeak then gulped with a horrified face. 

"Take it easy Barbos my dear friend Gregory meant no offense." Kailu stood up placing a hand on the Ranger's left shoulder. Barbos turned to look at him with his one good eye.

"Is that so? Well I guess I am a little too overwhelmed after losing my Orc partner." Barbos ripped the dagger from the table and sheathed it.

"Bill I owe you and your friend an apology. Let me buy you two an extra round." Barbos insisted.

"My gratitude could not be more prone and given to you. Apologize accepted and would your chums like a round of cards? It would please and flatter me if you joined me." Gregory offered to the Elf Rangers looking at them.

"Cards are a good way to keep our minds off the colleagues we lost in Kashmanol." One of the Rangers sitting with Barbos replied. A blond elf with straight long hair and a perfect elf face with signs of experience and strength.

The area calmed down as the Rangers pulled up their table to the booth. It appeared things would be calm for the rest of the night when another patron got up with his own gang of companions, and followers. All eyes turned to this large group that approached the Elf Rangers. Kailu squinted his eyes in disgust at the sight of uptight Elf Knights whose families were at the top of society right under the Monarch. He recognized one of them as Sir Arbane Quitoris "Batwrist" one of many Elf Knights he despises due to their pride thrown in everyone's faces as well as mockery. Not all Knights were like this, but Arbane's lot left a bad taste in the mouth.

"Are you Rangers making nice? That is adorable squirrels sharing each other's shite before being crushed under the hoof of a horse and mushed to the earth by a wheel." Arbane mocked with that sarcastic voice that spelled mockery and insult.

"Go bugger yourself Knight or have your horses done that while you slept?" He heard a seasoned Ranger rebuked in return.

"Oh ho ho exchange of insults leads to fights Deer Droppings." A Knight next to Arbane returned the exchange of insult to the Ranger who had to be held back.

"HEY Take your fight outside!" Ianna the Barkeep hollered from the bar counter.

Rangers and Knights inside the large common area stood up to join sides. Knights in one grouping and Rangers in another. Rangers were spat upon by Knights due to their occupation in the woods. Knights were rebuked in turn for being too preoccupied with appearances and always seeking an inn instead of making camp.

"Very well." Barbos and Arbane said together with their eyes fixed on the other.

Two groups exited the establishment forty-seven Rangers, and thirty-five Knights. Both formed their ranks on the road in front of the establishment. As a rule to brawls in Lornav no weapons were allowed. It was the use of fists that should determine the winner between combatants over insults and honor. Yet on the battlefield both had to fight as brothers no matter how much their hatred for each other brewed. Kailu dropped his Daggers, and sidearms in a neat pile next to the stone wall. He rolled his sleeves up as did most combatants.

"Here we are Knights versus dirty ragtag mud eating Rangers." Arbane pointed out with mockery.

"Alright alright when I fire this pistol your brawl can begin." An onlooker came into the scene in a traveler's cloak over a Limner's Fine clothing. He pulled out a pistol and positioned himself in the middle of the path along the road.

"The usual rivalry over glory?" He asked looking at both sides. Every one of them nodded "yes" with glares and cracking knuckles.

"Okay then, begin!" The Limner who witnessed the confrontation raised his pistol up into the sky and fired.

Nearly ninety Elves came at each other and threw themselves at their opponents. Punches were thrown, Elves tackled another Elf. Kaily punched out one Elf Knight before he was punched in the stomach by another Knight who in turn was punched in the jaw. He straightened up to punch that Knight the nose. One could only image how many teeth will be lost and bruises will appear. A Ranger was head butted by a half elf half orc who had to be wrestled to the ground. Kailu punched and kicked his way to Arbane who was exchanging punches to the face with Barbos. All around them their comrades wrestled, pulled down, grappled, punched, kicked, tripped, threw into the ground, head butted, elbowed, and slammed into the dirt. One by one the elves dropped to the ground exhausted, knocked out, succumbed to throws, and giving up on this brawl. Even Kailu was punched out for a moment from a side blow that avenged by a tackle to the ground. The two leaders were left Arbane and Barbos still at it. Kailu pushed himself up to a sitting position. His eyes scanned their surroundings. The whole Inn came out to watch the brawl. By standers, and those within the region came to watch this brawl. His eyes also caught sight of mounted figures heading this way. Kailu's eyes could not get any wider with surprise, awe and "holy shit were are buggered" at the sight of Lornav Princess' Dragoons.

"Princess Iva and her Dragoons are coming!" He warned the whole lot. Immediately hearing his voice Knights and Rangers propped up and stood up to see mounted Dragoons approaching them. At the head of these Dragoons was non other than Princess Iva. In a Green uniform, and plumed Cap the Princess pulled off her riding gloves.

"Who started this disgraceful brawl?" she demanded.

"It is the usual your highness Knights and Rangers going at it like children over a game." A decorated Captain sneered looking down his nose at the whole lot of them.

Seeing bloodied, bruised, battered, and bleeding Elves coated with mud and dirt must have appeared insulting to the Princess and her entourage of Dragoons. The Princess dismounted letting her boots land on the dirt. She approached the Rangers and Knights who were done with the brawl.

"Fighting? Just brawling among yourselves while there is an invasion force in Kashmanol?" Princess Iva asked looking at all of them.

"As your Captain said your highness we-" Arbane attempting to explain but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"NO excuses Sir Knight my company of Dragoons and I are on the way to the frontier. I am gathering an army to face this threat in Kashmanol." Iva barked at them with full authority inside her feminine voice. None of them expected to be sent out to the front this soon. It was clear to the Knights and Rangers Lornav was going to war.