The afternoon was half way done as a voice cut through the sounds of the clattering of wheels, clopping of hooves and whispering of winds.

“Report.” was what a young man had said to a group of six freshly gathered youths in similar garb and armor.

“Nothing out of the ordinary from the column sir.”

“One of the other parties has formed a foraging group and is asking if any would one else would join their three members out.”

“An alert for a possibility of bandits in the neighboring area has been given so the caravan is turning into a more secure location to camp.”

“Good. Pick two among yourselves to join the foraging group and the rest are with me in securing our area once we get to the camp grounds.” he said sounding more like advice than a command.

“Yes sir.” came the simultaneous response of the youths as they to talk amongst themselves as they got their mounts

“Erand, Holdfast, Crags, Fairweather. Unsling your gear and leave your packs on the carriage.” Clain said softer than a shout but not loud enough to be heard from outside the group huddled up. The four of them did so and got their weapons on the ready.

“Something feels off since the morning we set off.” Orna Erand remarked piquing the three others interest and Clain affirmed with a glance.

“Good observation. You marked Melvas and Strong with a alarm spell?” Clain asked Orna, to which she showed two motes of light gently strobing in her left palm. “Okay. Change to a sling Lainey and polearms to both of you and ready a flash spell Orna.” Brent and Norman complied opting for their respective winged spear and hammer and spike as Orna wrote runes unto her right forearm with a soft glow of mana.

“Ready.” was what each of them told Clain as he himself was finishing the same flash spell on his right arm and another spell on his left arm.

Clain was one of the few people that made this rune writing method more popular in practical spell casting. The three main ways spells are cast with the most popular is by full worded incantation, though much more talented individuals are able to do so with a phrase or even with a single word, another was a ‘pre-set method’ by using engraved tools like a staves or wands or empowered crystals and the last were drawn spell circles.

Each method has their advantages and limitations, for example, a flash spell which releases a sudden blinding burst of light cast by incantation allows a single caster to increase brightness and scope of the flash or turn it into a ball to provide prolonged illumination, creativity allows for even change of colors but the interruption of the casting results in wasted mana at the least or backlash at the worst. Tools and crystals provide near instantaneous casting and eliminates the need for a chant but they are limited in flexibility as tools can only be carved with a limited number of spells and crystals may only contain one at a time. Often multiple items are carried but this is constrained by the cost and effort to produce these items and is compounded by the possibility of burning out the items by careless overcharging of mana into them, as often is the case in the urgent situations they are often used in. Lastly are the drawn spell circles, they give a near limitless flexibility and possible combination with other spells turning a ball of illumination into a partly sentient one which can follow the caster or a designated target and may then brighten of dim on command, some even turn them into a kind of entertainment by letting it take on the form of creature or person and move in whimsical ways but can only be called a frivolous expense as the mana and time needed to prepare such spells require more than a handful of caster and donors of mana. A known instance of an extremely rare, grand and complex kind of ritual was one used by the dwarves in making orbs of illumination that replicate the life-giving light of the sun to allow them to allow farming underground, a feat exclusively kept by a select few Archmagi in Dwarven lands.

Clain remembering the words of the historian/magi that he had the ‘privilege’ of being scrutinized by after he had proposed the ‘audaciously’ practical application of rune writing charges for combat to the Head Adventure Guildmaster for the Rothram Kingdom. That had been almost 4 years ago and was what marked the start of his instructorship for fledglings of the Guild.

The carriages had just set themselves unto a clearing by the roadside that things went afoul. The animals suddenly went restless and refused to move further in and from the shade of the trees emerged the cause of this.

A pair of hulking beasts were stirred from their feast upon the sounds of the spooked draft animals. A body of smooth yet crag-like shapes were in place instead of scales, colored in a kind of splotchy greens and browns covered the beasts hide. It went on all fours and its body was as thick as a horses torso, with limbs as thick and as long as small kegs, its spine had a row of smooth bumpy protrusions on one and almost none on the other and both had tails the same length as its head and torso combined.

A terrible hissing came as the bumpy one reared on its hind legs while being supported by its tail and its two front legs revealed a total of five pairs of dagger length talons. The smooth one also hissed menacingly while placing itself in a manner ready to pounce.

“Lines!” came the shout of the head of the mechants’ guards.

Two dozen guards formed up into three lines deep, with the first being a dozen Spears and shields, the second numbering eight had two handed polearms and the last four were halfway through various supportive encantations.

The remaining six guards held shields in a loos formation in front of the merchants and were bolstered by half of the servants also taking up a spear and a shield. While the adventurers that were left, had divided similarly to the guards with a line formation and another securing their employers.

“Shell. Bulwark. Peirce. Courage.” were the respective words the guard mages finished as the “Bumpy” one dropped back on all fours ready to pounce as its scaly flesh budged and grew taught with power and potential force.

With a Snap! The first to take action was the “Smooth” one's as its tail whipped forth and a moment later rocky spikes broke upon the second layer of barriers the mages had set as the first layer bled off much of their speed and force.

A load roar sounded as the “Bumpy” one broke into a mad sprint with a tinge of color glowed from its claws.

“Wall! Now!” Arran, the lead of the guards shouted and a wall of earth and stone rose and broke as the lumbering beast crashed into it.

Dazed and further angered the “Bumpy” one was shaking away shock of the impact and the lines of guards fanned to surround it as another pair of walls of earth and stone covered its rear.

The “Smooth” one took action seeing its partner suddenly cornered and also made a dash to break down the barriers but was cut off by a volley of orbs of flame crashing into it, slightly putting it unto its side and then followed by several arrows and bolts finding purchase in its thinner underside plates. A pained, almost yelping sound came out as another volley of different elemental orbs pelted it as the adventures saw that fire did little to affect it.

“Hammer the hide! Pierce the underside!” the leader of the guards shouted as his forces turned their poles towards their hammer points and dropping them unto various points over the beast they were facing.

“Okay! Cover your eyes!” Clain shouted as he thrust through the line and got the “smooth” one's attention and releasing a flash charge he held before shouting again. “Next charge!”

Orna followed up with her “Flash” on the beast’s other side fully blinding it and quickly jumping back.

“Chant!” he directed to Orna. “Follow through after me!” Clain dropping his long knife into the beast’s foot and finding purchase, though slight, and then discharging the spell he held and a current running through the full tang of the blade and into flesh searing and burning as the beast suddenly went limp.

He quickly gave way for the rest as a pair of vangaurds ran into the limp body, driving blades through and lightly tilting it to its side. Holdfast and Crags drove their own points into the now exposed belly and Fairweather made her way unto the back of the beast’s head plunging her own blade right through the weak part of back of the head but only driving it enough to stand as she pulled a following adventurer up who drove the point deeper with a hammer blow into the end of the upright pommel.

The “Smooth” one spasmed before going limp and a few adventurers drove stakes and ran through ropes over the body pulling them taut and securing it.

The guards were also about finished with theirs as all four limbs were nailed into the ground by various swords and a set of spears standing with butts to the sky as the beast was flipped over and it's body splayed out like a skin drying on a frame. A large gash running through the middle of its body as a pair of servants and an adventurer with a little more knowledge on magical beasts were examining the bodies.

“Healers!” came the urging call from the lead guard.

The less injured assisted those who were and the uninjured were moving round to secure the area of any more threats.

A few short moments were all it took for them to discover an eerie scene which portrayed a fate had they failed to overpower the pair of magical creatures. Only some yards behind the treeline, surrounded and hidden by a thicket of thorny bushes was what looked like a ruined camp of bandits as a ramshackle assortment of gear, armor, weapons, patchwork tents, cook pots, ruined or modified heraldries and even valuables were strewn about the place as patches of blood soaked earth were found between the tents and some were grouped together in front of the fire pit with only cold charcoal left.

The whole of the broken camp, the number of tents and the mix of various belongings suggested a group of about two dozen or so bandits were lying in wait for any targets of oppurtunity to settle in the clearing for them to attack and loot. They were quite unfortunate as the beasts had assailed them in a more savage manner than they ever could with their targets of thievery.

“Geren, is the perimeter secure?” the leader of guards asked, he had joined those to survey the area as he was of the many who were only lightly harried of the bunch.

“Found a couple of bodies over yonder sir, well, what's left of them anyway. ” Geren pointing to one of his party members standing off to the side of a large tree as another one was examining a body out of view.

The pair returned and gave Geren two odd pieces of armor, both bracers rough and repolished with constant use and maitainance but still bearing their heraldries and marks.

“Fallen.” were the only words that neccesary for the message to come across.

“Seems like we either have a group of descendants or of dungeon raiders.” Geren remarked with more interest.

“No matter. They have been wiped out by the two creatures before and all signs point to there being no one else to have escaped.” the leader of the guard plainly stated.

“That does seem to be the case. But I would like to ask permission to station my party here in case there may have been any that had escaped and may return.” Geren said as he received an approving nod.

“Tomorrow before leaving, we destroy any other items related to the heraldries. Any food or valuables shall be divided by your discretion between the rest of the adventurers.” the leader of the guard said emphasizing the ‘discretion’ portion of his statement.

“Yes sir.” the unsaid statement of not letting anyone else know of the heraldries hung clearly in the exchange. Geren turned to his other party mates, “Standard information control. Gather any untainted loot and destroy or bury the rest.” were his words as he too made his way to a broken tent as the five other members of Blood Hound were going through the camp, their last member had left with the foraging group.

It took them just half an hour to form a neatly arrange pile of loot from the bandit camp and another half to clean up the rest of the unwanted items. It may seem like a distasteful practice of making use of items from a bandits camp to many but the thought of practicality and not being wasteful wins over whenever moving through the deep green or any long journey.

Most of the gathered were camp items and travel gear, namely oiled tarps, lengths of rope and cordage, weapon maintainance gear of cleaning rags whetstones, files and small hammers, a few pouches of brone and silver coins in standard currency, two quivers full of two dozen arrows each, one quiver of twenty bolts, half a dozen short swords all of different shape, three spears, five bucklers, a single large towershield, a few bowstrings and slings, several various kinds of knives, and an assortment of belts and straps of leather, small sets of different shaped plates, patches of padded armor, and sheets of mail were in one pile. The other pile had ruined helmets, dented and broken mail and plate, a shattered crossbow, three snapped bowstaves, rusted or bent arrowheads and spearheads, a pair of splintered spear shafts and several clean left over clothes were arranged. The rest of the bloodied, torn or damaged items, and along with the still fine but meager amount of food were disposed of.

Geren had told Clain shortly after destroying the heraldries to gather the other party leaders with the express thought of divying up loot and in another half hour, the seven of them stood over the arranged piles negotiating for anything they would want from the gathered items.

In the end, Clain acquired two bucklers a small stack of coppers, a kit of weapon maintainance items, a pair of oiled tarps, a length of cordage two curved swords a spear, a few leather straps and a few odd bits of off plate, mail and padding. He even took the broken spear shafts, a few of the cleaner clothes and a pair of caved-in helmets.

They made camp around the carriages as per usual and welcomed the return of the foraging party that had tied makeshift skids laden with a large boar and a doe being pulled by the horses. A short while later, the slaughter had been done as the mages conjured the necessary water and merchants’ cooks, along with a few adventurers set out too cook up a nice hearty meal for the whole group. They even tried their hands at cooking some meat from the large beasts they were able to fell, as it turned out the two were safe to eat as they were a variant form of Forest Basilisks which were mana-changed.

“A question to you all, why is the Deep Green a dangerous place?” Clain had asked his party as they just finished their meal.

The clean shaven, Cedric was first to respond with, “The obvious presence of bandits and wild beast are one point.”

“That is one.” Clain responded and followed by another answer.

“The odd areas of concentrated ambient mana and mana dead zones are another.” Orna said. To which Elharin followed up with, “The former twists tame creatures wild and violent beasts monstrous and rabid, and the later induces quickened fatigue even in short exposure and can even cause spells to misfire or not form altogether in the later.”

“Aye. Good answers. Those all make it both profitable and highly dangerous.” Clain praised the three before adding, “If anything were to happen to people traveling through the Deep Green, bringing aide to them is doubly complicated and had such a high casualty count in the past that there is currently a non-aggression agreement between the races to help those in need whenever traveling through here.”

“Well, that's all fine and good with the lessons Clain.” Geren had interrupted “But remember rookies, that the first thing you look out for is yourselves above all else as you can't help anyone if you are also in danger.” he then walked through the group as he had first watch on the perimeter where Clain’s party had established.

“Some practical advise from a veteran. Now for some sleep, as we are just about a third of the way into the Green.” were Clain’s words as he dismissed the party and joined Geren on the watch.