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| Knights of Logres | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: September 1, 2012, 6:40 pm (5,634 Views) | |
| Onime No Ryu | September 1, 2012, 6:40 pm Post #1 |
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I'll be your Undertaker this evening
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A knight is sworn to valour. His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His word speaks only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked. --The Old Code of the First Knights I here swear fealty and do homage to my lord; to ever be a good knight and true, reverent and generous, shield of the weak, obedient to my liege-lord, foremost in battle, courteous at all times, champion of the right and the good. Thus swear I... --The Oath of all Knights of Logres In the southern lands of civilized men, far from the barbaric wilderness of the North, lies the great kingdom of Logres. For many an age has Logres prospered and flourished, and its kings ruled with a strong and just hand. So it was until the time of King Tristain. Though Tristain was a fair ruler and did the kingdom no great injustice compared to his predecessors, it was during his reign that the North became much agitated. The Barbarian tribes came together as one under Sverir Fydar and stormed down the Throttle, that narrow strip of land connecting our world to theirs. Logres's armies had slowly begun to dwindle and the days had grown long since their cities and towns repaired and maintained their walls and towers; the last two-score years had been so peaceful that, for a time, the Knights of Logres feared their order might cease to exist. In its weakened state the kingdom was slow to halt the charge of the Northmen. The wild hordes swept across the Broadback Mountains, and though the wedge that was the Aegis divided their forces it did not stop them. The men of Bristel were caught unprepared, and only when the guard of Eastbridge marched to their defense did the Northerners cease a relentless assault. But while an uneasy stalemate persisted on one side of the mountains, King Tristain and his sons, brilliant younger Rhys and strong elder Conall, drove the barbarians back across the mountains. From the Hilt that had not seen battle in half a century and the depths of Nightwood came their armies, and even the strange, swift longboats from Yamajima hassled any northmen who thought to slink along the sloping shores below the Broadback. Landing at Eastbridge, the islanders added their forces to the other half of the army, while the King and his sons reinforced the Aegis. The Logermen drove their foes back in a matter of months, and once again peace reigned; however, unlike the lazy days of before, these were days filled with activity such as the hive of bees at the onset of spring. The King gave his sons leave to separate tasks--Rhys was to oversee the gathering of resources and make plans for reconstruction, while Conall was tasked with strengthening the armies and repairing what damage had been done to the great fortress Aegis, for it was a cornerstone of their victory and all felt that they would have sore need of it in the future. Tristain himself took a host to Waveguard to lay plans for naval warfare and consider the possibilities of raiding the north to further cement their victory. Because the war had turned so many boys to men and men to soldiers, and soldiers had performed deeds that earned them lands and titles, the Knights of Logres found their ranks swelling like never before, and set about hosting great tournaments and games and breaking in their new castles. But soon Logres faced a new crisis. Whether his age began to catch up with him, or as a result of the stress of the war, or because of the exposure to the harsh northern elements...perhaps for all of these reasons, the King fell ill. He was quickly rushed back to Kingsport to receive proper treatment, but the trip proved too much for him. Frail and fragile, he died in the arms of his youngest son Rhys, and both brothers wept from the bottom to the top of the mountains. As the kingdom was still in the midst of reconstruction, it was agreed that Rhys would take over the management of the kingdom while Conall continued strengthening the defensive lines and making plans for the northern invasion. At this time, both were sure that Conall, as the eldest, would naturally inherit the crown. But as weeks turned to months, Rhys became more and more convinced that his brother was not the ruler that the people of Logres needed. Whether lust for power or simple logic dominated his thoughts, none can say. But Rhys soon declared his intentions to his brother, and after a flurry of angry letters between them, Logres found itself divided down the middle. Conall, entrenched in the impenetrable Aegis, demanded the crown by the right of eldest son and head of the family line, as well as by right of strength, for their father had left him in charge of the military. He had been raised and groomed for this moment for years before his brother had even been born, and to have his birthright snatched away was nothing short of treason. Rhys denied this on the grounds that Logres needed proper guidance, and its people needed a king that Conall could not become. He placed the crown upon his own head and claimed that for the common good and for the betterment of all he would take upon himself all responsibility. The Knights of Logres were divided between these two according to those whose lands and banners belonged to the different territories each brother claimed, with the exception of those who chose one side or the other for their own personal reasons. Now, what will surely become a bloody civil war begins... RULES GENERAL STUFF WORLD INFO AND MAP KNIGHT STUFF YOU CAN POST NOW Edited by Onime No Ryu, September 1, 2012, 9:28 pm.
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| NTNP | September 4, 2012, 8:06 pm Post #26 |
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Admin
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((Onime, common sense question. If all the characters are all supposed to be captaining their own ships then how are we supposed to have interactions and such? Maybe we should revise the current plot and send all the knights on one central "battleship" with a number of smaller, patrol ships to protect it? Maybe that might facilitate the process a bit more?)) Carth Silvis Kingsport Harbor With the appearance of the young, aptly stated greenhorn Carth began thinking about how best to explain his prediction of the events to come. Given his position as the head of the royal guard, stating it as a hypothetical of an unknown group asking the same of Prince Rhys seemed like the best option. "Hmm, oh Sir Stark its good to see that you are preparing for the journey as well. Seeking out knowledge is always a good endeavor. In truth, I never expect things to go well. But this task in particular seems particularly unlikely to succeed. Ask yourself this, what would you do if you saw a foreign ship full of the best soldiers of a nation coming into this very harbor. When stopped, they requested to speak to King Rhys and demanded to be brought to the palace. I doubt that any of us will be willing to go in unarmed, so that adds another degree of danger. If a group of highly trained Yaman warriors strolled into Arthurian Castle, fully armed wouldn't you be extremely anxious? Wouldn't the entire guard? The entire force of knights stationed in the town? Everyone would be standing at the ready, waiting for the slightest provocation just in case this was a coup, or an assassination. Heck, even if your or one of the knights didn't cause a problem could you really say the same for our soldiers and nobles? Wouldn't they attempt to antagonize these outsiders with every step and every word? Then in open court these foreigners would have the audacity to demand the loyalty of Prince Rhys and demand that he either turns a blind eye or assists in slaughtering Prince Conall because they are having a conflict between them that is spilling over into the mainland. Perhaps they might be kind enough to phrase it nicely. Or to offer a few silver coins in exchange for their betrayal... but the end result remains the same. Feign ignorance of these outsiders butchering a friend and former ally or outright going to war against them. Assuming that, I could easily imagine Prince Rhys ordering us to kill these outsiders right then or there. Or perhaps leaving the details to me, to ensure that they do not return home again. Even with our own civil war going on, do you really think that we would ally with these islanders if it wasn't our idea? No, at best the Prince would tell them to politely tell their masters that he is uninterested in joining with some salt covered naitives living in their little huts. So tell me Sir Stark, if the shoe was on the other foot would you expect things to go well?" With hopefully a rather vivid picture of the things to come running through Tyrion's mind, Carth decided to return to the realm of reality rather than fiction. "No I suspect that if things go as I fear that we will either be turned around at the harbor, told to turn around from which we came and to leave the island alone. In fact out of all the possible futures I hope for this one the most. From there, we'll likely be granted an audience with their ruler. Hopefully we wont offend them too badly, or else we can probably expect to be attacked by the guards. Or if they are more loyal to Conall than we thought, then we'll unquestionably be attacked, hence our need for weapons and armor to have a fighting chance of survival. If they are nice enough to at least let us make our offer, we will probably be told that we will be guests there until it's decided. Which means there is equal chance from there that we will either be poisoned or assassinated as their way of saying no, at least one of us or one of our servants will be bribed into giving information about us, the Prince and our current situation to the enemy either through coercion, torture or my bet a buxom woman with a low cut dress. If amazingly that they don't kill us, then chances are we'll be told no and sent back on our way. And then you have to worry about a man like me, someone that would broker our demands as a matter of dishonor or viewed us as a danger to the regime. That sort of man would send someone after us to make sure that we don't return to duty again anytime soon. Then, if all else goes perfectly and we do manage to get the Yama to agree to our terms and conditions then at best we will still have another month at bloody sea. Which for me means spending the vast majority of the time in the infirm due to seasickness. I would say our chances of even reaching the final step is rather... bleak." |
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| Garm0099 | September 4, 2012, 8:18 pm Post #27 |
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Marksman
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"Well, I wouldn't exactly say our House is the most interesting considering we are only Barons and have a small plot of land. I must say however, the land does contain some good yew tree. Sturdy stuff that doesn't snap easily and when worked properly, is great for weaponry." Cadoc briefly looked around the area, "Well, I'd best be off to the inn I'm staying at and begin making sure my weapons are ready for sea travel then get the boat ready. I'll talk to you later." With that Cadoc returned to the inn until the time of the time skip where he would begin arranging acquiring a boat for traveling. |
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| Onime No Ryu | September 4, 2012, 8:34 pm Post #28 |
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I'll be your Undertaker this evening
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((Uh...fuck... Okay wait I've got it. While the ships are actually en route you can all be on the central command ship, but like, the day before you get to Yamajima everybody hops in the dinghys and gets to their own ship. Not the best military strategy but it's not like there are tons of pirates in the water. Also when night falls and the ships slow down--but don't stop--you could go between them in the dinghys for meetings and stuff.)) |
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| The Best | September 4, 2012, 8:35 pm Post #29 |
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Scout
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Red THE AEGIS ~ Main Keep: Conall's Throne Ushered into a large, open chamber, Red had a few seconds to take in his surroundings while he followed the herald towards Conall's throne. Much of the room was dominated by him; not literally exactly, but Red felt as if Conall was emitting a sort of pressure over the room. Whether it was intentional or not, Red did not know, but he was immediately put on guard by this man who fancied himself a King. From the time he entered the room, until the time he dropped to one knee to bow, Red's eyes never left Conall. Rising to his feet, the man listened politely as Conall addressed him. "I am neither, your highness." Red's tone was filled with nothing but respect. Here in a strange new land, the last thing he wanted to do was offend a king. "I am simply a wandering mercenary. These injuries are the result of a botched job; marks of my shame. I have come to you not by choice, but out of necessity." At this point, Red stopped and took a moment to share the events that had led to his arrival at The Aegis, ending his tale with his visit to the infirmary, and Sara. "Your nurse was good to me. I am in your debt for allowing me to make use of your facilities." Bowing respectfully, Red took a moment at the lowest part of his bow to gather his thoughts. I had better choose my next words very, very carefully. "Your grace, in my time here, I have heard talk of the troubles you face. This conflict with your brother. Constant pressure from the North. It sounds as though you are a man with a lot on his shoulders. Yet despite all this, you sit here, seeing any mercenary who wanders into your fortress, giving each of them a chance to say their piece. It's very respectable, considering your position. It shows a certain... Strength not many men possess." Crossing his arms, Red cleared his throat and took a short breath. "Sire, I was taught to value power above all else. From the time I was a boy, all I've ever known are my own limitations, and how I can push myself past them. I left home in pursuit of new challenges. My strength is what defines me, and I take any chance I can to test it. I've seen strong men in my time, but something about you... I've never felt a presence quite like yours. I'm intrigued. If you would not object sire..." Swallowing deliberately, the young man lowered his arms, hands balling into fists at his sides. "I would like to challenge you to a duel." |
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| Matttheman89 | September 4, 2012, 8:56 pm Post #30 |
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Assassin
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Kingsport Port You could practically see the ellipses above Tyrion's head as he listened to Carth's response to what he thought had been a simple question. He'd met a few negative people since joining the army and working his way up the ranks to Knighthood, but he thought that Sir Silvis took the cake. I suppose there's something to say for being pragmatic, but sheesh. How does his son manage to remain so constantly upbeat with a Father like this? It's only been a few minutes, and I'm already depressed. "So that's a 'No', then." he finally replied, scratching the side of his head as he wondered if the whole trip would be like this. "I suppose we'll just have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst, right?" he continued, folding his arms over his chest beneath his cloak. "We might get lucky, and everything will go according to plan." Somehow, he doubted Carth would see things that way. But it didn't hurt to try and keep an optimistic outlook, if it would be possible. "We should get out on the water soon. The quicker we leave, the quicker we'll get there, and the less time you'll have to spend fighting seasickness." he said, trying to put a little bit of humor into that last remark. |
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| NTNP | September 5, 2012, 5:46 am Post #31 |
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Admin
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((@Onime: So basically the idea of a central battleship with patrol ships protecting it then? Why not just make it where everyone rides on the command ship until they are about a day out from Yama and then split up instead of doing it constantly? It would make it a bit better military-wise. Also secondly since we are already having Carth and Tyrion get on a ship why not just make that the command ship and name it something?)) Silvis Family Kingsport Harbor Slowly a rather sad look came across Carth's face as he discussed everything with the royal guard. Yet another one it seemed. Why no one enjoyed a few good methaphors, examples and comparisons anymore he'll never know. But in the end it didn't matter. With a long sigh, he just shook his head as the somewhat disappointed words escaped his lips. "It appears as though I've tired you out already. My apologies Sir Stark. I've often heard that I have a flair for the dramatic and seem to enjoy the act of imagining a bit too much. Sometimes it can be a gift to help others understand my reasons but well, I suppose you have seen the weakness of such frivolity. I'll attempt to keep my responses a bit, shorter from here on in order to avoid that glazed over look in your eye." With his hopes of making a friend who would listen to his stories and ideas with wide eyes and bushy tails dashed his attention shifted over to the present once again. "Yes, well I am afraid many of our compatriots are not quiet as prompt as you and I, my own son included. I still have a few more things to attend to. People to see, enemy soldiers to torture, children to flay, schemes to hatch, schemes to plan, deceitful webs of lies to weave-" Slowly he came to an utter stop and stared at Tyrion very seriously for a moment, really looking forward to seeing the reaction. If one believed the stories then he might actually believe what was being said. But once his curiosity was sated he offered a quick. "That's a joke Sir Stark. You really must try not to believe everything you've heard about me" before walking off toward one of the porters and finished up everything he was doing before. A few moments passed before another familiar voice echoed from behind Tyrion. "I wouldn't worry about dad too much." Behind him Dion, oddly enough wearing something very similar to yesterday baring the fact that it seemed to be a bit snug around the forearms, shins and torso. Chances were he was outfitted much like his father, with a thin layer of armor underneath his regular clothes for protection. Otherwise the youngman looked almost like he was just going to take a nice, leisurely boat ride. As Dion spoke, a small toothy smile was offered up in good will. "Yeah he's a windbag, kinda scary sometimes and well, just wait until you see the old goat screaming out orders in the middle of the fight and you'll really be shaking in your boots. But as long as you don't make trouble for Rhysie or try to get a dagger into his back, he wont hurt you. He might berate you with those long-ass speeches from time to time, but hell he does that to Uncle Tristan, err sorry did that to late King Tristan as well." Great now I made myself sad... After a second or so of legitimate sorrow, Dion managed to perk himself right back up. It was a gift at this point, especially given his father's tendencies toward worse case scenarios and depressing lectures. "Fact is he's spent too long being everyone's boss and expecting us to fail at every turn. He doesn't mean to freak you out, its just he's used to little lordlings like well me and Rhys who kinda need to be told what to do since before that the closest thing they had to a boss was their spelling teacher. You know, rather than low-err, how would you like me to say it? Financially impaired? Wealthy in spirit?" Honestly Dion really wasn't trying to be insulting. He knew of Tyrion's background as a commoner turned noble, with none of the lands or titles to match. While he was quiet different than his father, he was still more than well informed. "But either way, its really nice to meet you Tyrion. I look forward to hanging out with you during the trip. It'll be nice having someone a little closer to my age. Don't get me wrong, dad's... dad, Hugo is old and Rhys, well since he got on the throne he just hasn't been the same smiling, manipulative little jerk of a best friend that he usually is. Before he had that crown wearing him down, he was actually kinda cool to hang out with. I remember one time he- err, probably not such a good idea to talk about the king's antics is it... not even for one of us. Maybe I'll tell you later alright?" |
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| oniskieth | September 5, 2012, 6:43 pm Post #32 |
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The Silver Light
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William of Idlewood The Aegis "Any man whose loyalty lies with gold can be bought out at any time. Sometimes whenever they're needed most" William added as the talk of gold and loyalty went on. Eventually the conversation ended, and hopefully William didn't further embarrass himself or his brother. William put his fork down as he shifted his gaze towards a new guest. The forst made a shap 'clang' as it hit the table. Slowly the young man chewed the last of the venison in his mouth as Red made a respectful bow, eyeing him as he did so. He looks like he had one hell of an accident. Why would he come here in this condition. As Red finished speaking and announced his request William looked for the officer's and king's reaction. Nothing was happening yet, so maybe they were expecting he and his younger brother to do something? He sure was insisting I do something in the chatbox. "Unbelievable," William muttered as he rose to a stand, "You come in here wrapped like you've been hit by a mountain and challenge the King of Logres to a duel?" Slowly William moved his hand to the hilt of his sword as if he was ready to draw it, "Duels are fought to the death where I'm from, and you won't threaten the king in my presence." |
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Katherine's Approval
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| Matttheman89 | September 5, 2012, 6:54 pm Post #33 |
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Assassin
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Kingsport Port Tyrion blinked a few times at Carth's response, then laughed awkwardly as the older Knight walked away to continue their preperations for setting out. "Oh! Right, right...a joke...funny." he said, rubbing the back of his neck. He may have said that, but somehow Tyrion doubted that what Carth had said had been very far away from the truth. He didn't think he'd ever understand other members of the Knighthood. He might have been part of that circle now, but he was still a commoner at heart, and many of the more...eccentric's, like Carth, still went over his head. "Oh brother, I'm starting to miss the Castle already..." A few minutes later, Tyrion was joined by another member of the Silvis family. Turning around to face Dion when he addressed him, he raised an eyebrow when the young man stumbled when trying to think of what to call Tyrion, and shrugged his shoulders. "Commoner is what most would call me, I think. I still think of myself that way most of the time." he replied. It was strange, hearing Dion speaking of King Tristan and Rhys in such a way. It was even stranger, when he thought of the fact that Dion did it to their faces as well. Many wouldn't even have the guts to do so in private. "Your family really is close to the Royal family, isn't it?" he commented after Dion cut himself off before speaking of a personal anecdote involving himself and King Rhys before Rhys had taken the crown for himself. "You can tell me more about it while we're on the trip. Something tells me we'll have a lot of time to kill.' |
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| Onime No Ryu | September 5, 2012, 6:59 pm Post #34 |
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I'll be your Undertaker this evening
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Kingsport The Docks "Ah, good to see you're all ready to go." Sir Owen walked up to Tyrion and Carth, with the soldiers they had been assigned for this mission behind him. They were all simple infantry due to the nature of travel, but each man wore chain mail and sturdy leather, with tabards bearing Rhys's banner. Moving out under the orders of their officers, who moved at Owen's command (and the other knights, should they need any sort of assistance), the militia began to board the ship and load all the necessary cargo alongside the ship's crew. "We'll be boarding the mainship until we reach Yamajima, for the purposes of strategizing and whatnot on the way to Westbridge. A day off of the islands' shores we'll split up and each take one of the battleships, just in case. We should be fine on the way there; no pirate has sailed near Kingsport in decades." The Aegis Main Keep Conall's Throne It seemed like every voice in the room joined William's, and the officers were already on their feet and unsheathing steel before Conall's roar froze them in place. As the lords stepped aside, the king looked at the man called Red...and behind him, wreathed in red and gold light, loomed a dragon with smoldering jaws gaping wide, teeth like swords glimmering with the sheen of saliva. "You, boy," the man rumbled, the reverberation of his voice striking like a blow with every syllable, "are obviously touched in the mind after your accident. You do not realize the treason, nor the slander, nor the stupidity in your speech. I will allow you to take your leave to my healers' chambers, and to approach me again when you have thought better of your words." The dragon slowly folded its wings and lay down, disappearing like tendrils of mist dried away by the sun. "Speak no more of these matters lest your head be smitten from your shoulders where you stand." Conall gave the table a passing glance, and took note of the soldier who had been the first to rise for his king. "William, lad--that was your name, was it not?" Conall gestured towards Red, his voice still carrying that dangerous weight. "See our invalid here to the healers, lest he do some other deed of idiocy and bring himself harm." |
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| The Best | September 6, 2012, 1:32 am Post #35 |
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Scout
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Red THE AEGIS ~ Main Keep: Conall's Throne The first to rise after Red spoke was a boy, dressed in simple garb. He seemed confident of his own strength, but as Red looked him up and down, he could only smirk. You're no match for me. As more and more knights added their objections however, Red's smirk quickly disappeared, replaced by a frown as he looked at the outraged knights around him. Uh-oh... I might have messed up bad this time... Red sank into his fighting stance, eyes darting all around as the knights closed in. One stepped forward to grab him. Red instantly darted to the side, drawing his fist back and twisting at the hips-- Conall's fury rolled across the room like a wave, causing Red to stagger back. His eyes rose to the throne, growing wide. Never before had Red been in the presence of such power. It laid over the room like a blanket, making Red feel sluggish and dull. He knew now that he had no chance against this man... Though man might not have been the right word. This is it... The power of Kings... Red could only stare, dumbstruck, speechless as he witnessed the ultimate display of strength. When finally the dragon faded, the young warrior blinked deliberately, looking down to find himself on his knees, arms hanging limply at his sides. Slowly, with great effort, Red rose to his feet. Bowing immediately, the man started sputtering out strings of apologies. "I am sorry I offended you my lord, I am unfamiliar with this Nation's customs. I meant you no disrespect. Your strength is terrifying, and I know now I could never hope to defeat you. Truly your grace, I am sorry and I will try my best not to disgrace myself like this again in the future." Again, Red bowed, turning and heading for the door to the throne room with his shoulders sagging and his head hung low. Scarlet splashes of heat covered both of his cheeks, though not entirely from shame. In his chest, Red's heart raced, and his breathing was labored. The power of kings... Red would head back to the infirmary, with or without his escort, still dazed. All he wanted to do was lay down and rest. For some reason, after meeting with Conall, all his injuries were hurting again, and the man felt more tired than he ever had in his life. If William tried to follow him or talk to him, Red would give short responses at best, but mostly just try to get to a place he could lay down and sleep. |
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| NTNP | September 6, 2012, 5:17 am Post #36 |
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Admin
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Silvis Family Kingsport Harbor With all the events going on around them. Carth seemed to barely even register the appearance of Sir Owen. Of course, that didn't mean he wasn't paying attention. He had heard every word and was thinking about it even in the midst of supervising the porters as they loaded the various goods into the battleship, along with his own patrol boat for the landing. Things like this always required a personal touch, not to mention that he was waiting to see if any one else showed up. It seemed as though they were still missing one of their compatriots. But either way, all he could really spare at the moment was a passing thought. Now I almost regret coming back so early. If we would have known about this little endeavor, all we would have had to have done was gotten on a boat in Westbridge and waited for them when the time neared. It would have saved me about two weeks of needless travel...oh well, that's the nature of things sometimes. I wonder where Master Owaine has gotten himself. After his grand entrance yesterday I had expected to have at least heard tale of his whereabouts... perhaps he lost his nerve... That's the way of some, they gain the title by birth but never live up to it's expectation. Meanwhile Dion remained as carefree as usual as the sea breeze caught his ponytail and caused it to flicker around ever so slightly as he kept talking to Sir Stark. "Tyrion, your not a commoner any longer. This title means something you know? Its a ticket to a better life, not just for you but for anyone that you hold dear. Its a promise of lands, wealth and perhaps a short brutal life... but if you survive, no if you thrive in it then it could mean that this is the beginning of you climbing the social ladder. If you become wed, your wife will be given the chance at a life beyond working everyday just to survive. Your children wont have to slave away by the time that they can stand. Its true that as it stands your not much better off than a commoner, a citizen soldier... but that'll change in time. Especially if we manage to pull this off. I bet if we do everyone is getting a small chunk of land somewhere to boss around." As that conversation died out, it seemed that curiosity about the Silvis family's strange behavior around the royals had finally gotten to him. A smile continued to radiate from him, as he went through some old memories of a happier time. "Yeah, I guess our family has always been close to the royal family. It goes as far back as this country. Both of our houses were part of the founding fathers of Logres as we know it today. But as far as Uncle Tristan and Rhysie goes, I guess that's a slightly different matter. Dad grew up in Kingsport since Gramps, err Duke Seth Silvis, was stationed here alot. He was about seven years younger than Tristan, and when the time came for him to get out of training, he was assigned to then Prince Tristan's command. I guess they just hit it off or something and got closer after that. They had been friends before that, due to you know the whole age old family thing, but I guess spilling blood with each other is a pretty good way to get in tight with someone. So obviously when I was born and got old enough to travel, Dad paraded me around the Castle showing me off to anyone that moved, King included. Heck the old man was named my godfather in case something happened to Carth on the field so I spent a good deal of my childhood in these halls too." "As far as Rhys goes though, he was a different story. When he started training about 9, he was sent to apprentice under my Dad. I was, 5 at the time I guess? All I know is I followed him around constantly. He was the only person around that was near my age and after a while we became really close, well as close as anyone ever gets to Rhysie. Even back then he was shy as could be about things. He used to sit alone, thinking for hours sometimes. By the end I would just find him somewhere lost in thought, go grab a book, sit down next to him and wait for whatever had gotten him so worked up to pass. God knows now he must have really important things on his mind, but back then it was strange stuff like why to insects have hard shells, why did Uncle Tristan sometimes talk in third person and stuff like that. Most of the time he'd just randomly announce the back end of his train of thought like 'I wish I had a hard shell that would keep me clean and dry' or 'maybe saying we instead of I means that he's two people on the throne?' After like 9 years, we were almost inseparable. Once he became knighted and got into service, he left but I still went to visit a bunch with Dad. Then once I got out on my own I was hoping to go serve with Rhysie too as his second in command until I could earn my knighthood, we'd talked about it and everything but... then Uncle Tristan died. I got kicked up the ladder really quick after that, I guess Dad knew what was going to happen next. Conall lost it after that, Rhys too for a while. Both of them still haven't stopped to grieve, they just threw themselves into this war for succession. I think that's when the worst started." Then the conversation started taking a turn. "You watch over Rhysie, you must know what I'm talking about. Now he seems so serious when he's lost in thought, I'd hate to know what he blurts out now. Hopefully it's not like 'we must kill lord carter and his family' or 'perhaps if we burned down the nightwood forest we could blame it on Conall' or something. He's really stressed and when that happens he usually does it worse. That and the nightmares... you've been protecting him right? You've heard them? Its because he's worried... I guess we all are. But that's just how Rhys is. He takes on everything, over thinks it and then exhausts himself." Even underneath that carefree attitude, there was obviously a huge weight on Dion too. Edited by NTNP, September 6, 2012, 5:21 am.
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| Perascamin | September 6, 2012, 5:14 pm Post #37 |
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A Legendary Ocean
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The Aegis While everyone in the room chatted and ate, another arrival graced the temporary throne room. It was a boy, and from the looks of it injured from some encounter. He raised an eyebrow curiously as he went on, introducing himself as Red. Turning his gaze back down to his plate, Austin listened in quietly. However, when the foreigner asked to duel Conall, the soldier slowly looked back up to see the mercenary. Quickly, the soldier grabbed his lance and stood to join the others. He didn't have to walk far though, as Red soon found himself to be outnumbered and trembling in the power Conall emitted. Once he'd left, he sat back down to finish his plate. "That's not something you see everyday. How foolish does a kid have to be to challenge Conall?" He asked, more to himself than anyone. |
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In War; Victory. In Peace; Vigilance. In Death; Sacrifice. Dawn Eros (hot mama): Spoiler: click to toggle | |
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| Garm0099 | September 6, 2012, 7:03 pm Post #38 |
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Marksman
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Kingsport Upon returning to the inn, Cadoc would quickly check his polearms, sharpening them with a whetstone or polishing when necessary. Satisfied with his work he would cover each of them with cloth and tie the cloth on with a bit of string to protect them from the sea air which might cause unwanted rust. He would then rest finally from his long travel to Kingsport, only to have to travel once again the next day. Upon waking up he would get dressed in commoner attire that he had brought along the trip that was somewhat baggy, but showed his sickly physique. He packed away his armor and gathered his 6 polearms, each for a different occasion, although he generally only carried one or two to battle. He strapped two to his back along with his bag, and the other 4 he held in his arm rested against his shoulder. Once preparations where complete, Cadoc began heading to the docks where he saw the others gathered together and quickened his pace slightly to meet with them, "Sorry guys, am I late? I must have spent too much time gathering my things..." |
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| NTNP | September 7, 2012, 8:02 am Post #39 |
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Admin
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Silvis Family Kingsport Harbor A small smile came across Lord Silvis' face as he watched the sickly looking man wander over, nearly looking like he was carrying an entire set of stilts onto the ship. The untested knight honestly looked foolish carrying two massive pole arms across his back along with four more in his hands. Each had to be at least five feet long and probably weighed ten pounds at bare minimum. Probably a bit more if he had to guess. Upon hearing Cadoc's rather humorous question, the old knight couldn't help but snark back. "I take it this means that you have no concept of how porters work Master Owien? Or are you under disguise as one of them? If so i must say that it is downright believable rouse." Once he was done teasing his new companion "Just tell the commoners to collect your belongings, it is what they were made for afterall. I can't imagine that trying to bring them into the ship that way will be very comfortable for you. And yes we are setting sail very soon, the tide is already starting to turn and without it we'll likely get stuck on the sand. I would truly prefer not to have our journey turn still born after all. Perhaps we will be lucky and catch a quicker current to hurry us along our way to Yama... otherwise I fear that we might not make it there at all." While Carth was talking to Cadoc, there seemed to be a deeper meaning to his words as if he was addressing the world at large. Hopefully the fates would hear his pleas and aid them along their journey... Edited by NTNP, September 7, 2012, 8:03 am.
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| Matttheman89 | September 7, 2012, 8:47 am Post #40 |
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Assassin
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Kingsport Port "Rhys is the King now. No one ever said being leader of an entire country was easy, especially one ready to go into civil war." Tyrion replied as Dion told the Knight of his worries over the King's well-being. He had been spending a fair bit of time with Rhys since becoming a Royal Guard though, so did know what he was talking about. Rhys did have a tendancy to fall silent for long periods of time, as if off in his own little world. Tyrion had gotten used to it by now, but at first it had been a little disconcerting when Rhys would break long periods of silence to mutter some strange sentence. Taking on a thoughtful look, Tyrion rubbed his chin as he looked out over the Port. "Now that you mention it, I have heard a few curious remarks. 'I must have the sword and shield before I can cut the throat'. Things like that. I don't really know what it could mean though." he said after a few seconds. Cadoc had arrived by now, and though Carth's statement about commoners brought a small frown to Tyrion's face, he nodded in agreement. "Let's just get everything loaded up so we can set out. We're going to fall behind if we don't get moving soon." |
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| oniskieth | September 7, 2012, 1:35 pm Post #41 |
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The Silver Light
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William of Idlewood The Aegis As William spoke out to Red the bandaged man looked the soldier up and down. He had a look on his face showing he wasn't impressed. This fool clearly thought highly of himself, and it would surely lead to his end one day. Thanks to the king's mercy it would not be today. "Yes, m'lord," William said as the king asked if he had the proper name, and then ordered him to escort Red to the medic. "At once" He answered following Red out the room. The walk to the medic was quiet. William didn't say anything to him, and the only sound he was making was the rattle from the chainmail underneath his tunic. It was probably for the best, though. It was easy to tell these two would not get along, and it was disappointing to think that Red may be joining Conall's forces. Once Red had taken a spot and fell asleep William returned to the throne room. He would say that Red went without trouble, and he was asleep when he left. |
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Katherine's Approval
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| Onime No Ryu | September 7, 2012, 6:33 pm Post #42 |
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I'll be your Undertaker this evening
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OCEAN GULF EN ROUTE TO YAMAJIMA "Sir Carth." said Owen, pausing his stride upon the gangplank but never turning to face the elder knight, "Remember that for all their flaws, the lowest of the lowborn are our sworn charges. Knights defend the weak and protect the innocent. Do not speak so of them." Relaxing a clenched fist, the Holy Lance continued onto the deck of the mainship and disappeared into the captain's cabin. The rest of the boarding process was simple but tedious. The ships' cargo, consisting only of the provisions they would need for the journey and the cannon supplies, were hauled into the air by great winch pulleys attached to wooden cranes. Bare chested sailors heaved the crates far above their heads, and with another man upon the great crank the crane's arm swiveled over the deck of the ship. The crew slowly let their burden down, and their brothers on the deck set to pushing and pulling the supplies into the storerooms below decks. When the last of the ships had been loaded and prepared, the mainship's captain sounded a great note from a curled ram's horn. The sails unfurled, the anchor chains clattered up the hull, and the oars churned the water. Like some great whale the ships slowly pushed away from the shore, until the breeze pulled their sails taut and their oars were withdrawn like the legs of a turtle into its shell. Slowly the great city of Kingsport faded into the distance, and the great stone walls and rising towers of Castle Arturian with it. The endless blue of sea and sky came together, the corners of a blanket enshrouding the knights' world. Soon the ships raced in the shadows of wispy clouds, the call of gulls crying out over the dull roar of the waves and the rocking and creaking of every hull. Though the tide and the winds were in their favor, it would still take about a week to reach Yamajima if they were optimistic. More likely it would be a few days longer. Once they reached the islands it would be a few more days until the negotiations with the Emperor were finished and they could depart to Westbridge, a journey which itself would take about the same time as it did to get to the islands in the first place. Later, the knights sat around the captain's table, with Sir Owen at the head and Sir Carth to his right. Tyrion was seated upon his left, while Dion and Cadoc sat between them and the Captain, along with his navigator and first mate. "King Rhys had the right of it when he explained Yamajima's culture." Sir Owen began. "But the problem is how to go about convincing them to consider Sir Ishen as a radical that they should abandon--though they have not seen each other in more than ten years, he is still the Emperor's son and the prince of the islands--or he would be, if they maintained their original form of government. Have any of you ever fought with Ishen on the field?" He looked around at each of them expectantly, especially Tyrion. He knew Carth was at least familiar with the Faraway Knight, but the new, young generation probably knew little more than what they had heard, except for those who had been on the front lines during the war with the North. "I would prefer not to dishonor Ishen's name or slander him, but we may have to paint in broad strokes. However, we must avoid stepping upon the Emperor's toes. The Yamajima have an honor of their own and they are very, very prickly about it--if any of you were ever of the opinion that Conall was obsessed with the idea of the honorable warrior, then know that the islanders, each and every one, are not so different from him. If any of you have any suggestions as to what actions we should take, I would hear those as well." THE AEGIS MAIN KEEP Hallway "You should not be so quick to judge." said a voice behind William as the young soldier left the infirmary, his dislike for the one called Red written plainly on his face. Ishen stood on the opposite side of the doorway, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. "Whether we like each other or not, we are all part of something greater than ourselves now." His dark eyes snapped open, and darted towards one of the many portraits that lined the walls of the hall. One of them depicted a great battlefield, clearly separated into two sides by the banners and colors of the knights. "You cannot fight your enemy if your sword is drawn against the man at your side. Tell me, boy, why do you leap to unsound judgement?" Conall's Throne While the king's court quickly returned to its previous state, they were yet again interrupted by another messenger--only this time, the man seemed to have something important to say. He was out of breath as well, and walked as one who has just come out of the saddle. "Your Grace!" he fairly shouted, literally falling to one knee as he held out the letter in his hand for the king's inspection. "Urgent report from the 5th scout squadron!" Conall took the letter and sliced it open with his butter knife, unfurling the scroll with one hand while the other gestured for the messenger to continue. "A few days ago a band of northern raiders got around the patrols along the throttle by taking a few rafts across the water. They were pushing towards the mountains when another patrol fell upon them, but their angle of travel and that of the patrol made their positions of battle somewhat awkward. Instead of being chased back north, the raiders were scattered into the lower reaches of the mountains. The patrolmen had to dismount and find a path to follow them, but the barbarians just charged into the peaks without regard for their own safety. Though many of them have been killed, a sizeable group escaped and for the past few days we have been following a trail of destruction through the mountainside and valley villages." "And now you've got them cornered somewhere but need reinforcements to take them due to the disadvantage of the terrain." Conall finished, rolling the letter up and tucking it under his plate. "Very well--who wants a northern appetizer before we bite into Rhys's army!?" he shouted, with a wild grin. |
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| NTNP | September 8, 2012, 5:27 am Post #43 |
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Admin
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Silvis Family Ocean Gulf Carth apparently was the first one to answer. He had sat silent for a while, considering his words rather carefully in hopes of it sinking in. He came into this mission worried about their success and if they choose to tell the wrong thing to the Emperor then his worst fears would likely come true as he described to Tyrion before. But before those thoughts could envelope his mind completely, the old knight returned to the matter at hand. "I've never had occasion to fight the Faraway Knight. After all before this we were all members of the same order... but I've seen what he is capable of. What kind of a man that he is... and if the same is true for the father I suspect that our attempts to claim his hearsay will only result in our own failure along with whatever else that their Imperial Court chooses to lay at our feet for these baseless claims. Lies and deceit work well on those that expect the worst from people. If you believe that at any moment even your closest friend could be a traitor, your wife a spy or your servant an assassin then it is easier to convince them of unseen enemies. But for a man of pride and honor, who believes in the best of people... they will broker no lies and will hold firm to what they believed before. No, if we wanted to convince the father of the son's misguidedness it would be best that we were honest. A man like that has to have eyes and ears everywhere to survive. He must know of our war, know of his son's actions and about the goals of the various players within the game. Our chances of befuddling the truth will be slim at best." "Our best chance is to speak to him of honor. Ask him why his son has involved himself in affairs not his own. Ask the Emperor if his son's actions reflect his own. Ask if he too intends to declare war on King Rhys. If he says that Ishen is not acting as a representative of the Yama, then we might talk of the dishonor that this lays upon their nation, a rebel son taking soldiers from his homeland to fight in a war for coin, goods and gains in a conflict without any moral superiority is far from the duty of any knight, let alone any prince. We tell him that we do not seek his son's death, that should he be captured that we will return him to the Yama immediately and that he will be treated as a guest until that time." Then a small, self deprecating smile came across Lord Silvis' face. It was always uncomforting examining one's own weaknesses but in this case it was true. "Goodwill and relying on a sense of duty to lead someone to their fall aren't exactly my forte as many of you can imagine. However this course of action seems like the best option. I could imagine words like that being much more effective than claiming that Ishen had become some sort of thief, vile mass murderer, kinslayer or whatever other baseless lie that we could come up with to try and tarnish his name that could be proven untrue with even a half way effective investigation." "If anyone else has a plan though, I would gladly hear it." Carth added, hoping someone else would at least have an idea or critique. He gazed over to Tyrion, Cadoc and the Holy, somewhat misguided due to his love of commoners, Lance Sir Owen hoping to see how they would respond to this 'break' of the initial orders. He was eager to see if it would spurn them toward a new option or if it would cause them to rally behind the previous plan. Either way, his idea should prove to be a decent catalyst for change. |
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| Kazemitsu | September 8, 2012, 8:40 am Post #44 |
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Assassin
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Broadback Mountains Drogo growled as he ran his hand through the short mohawk on his head. Things had been going well until that patrol of southerns appeared and scattered the troops. Currently he was the leader of a decent sized band of raiders that had escaped and been plundering for a little bit. Every village they came to was looted of food, valuables, and a slave or three. After all, these normal villagers were weak. Although it is amusing when one of the males fight back...just to be cut down. He thought, chuckling quietly to himself. He flipped his helm up and tugged it onto his cranium. Thankfully he didn't need to make any rounds to make sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to. They were quick, efficient, and not lazy. A small wall, about three feet high, had been erected when they first broke camp. It looked like crap, but then again it wasn't built to last. Just to slow down or keep out the various predators that would wander to the smell of cooking meat being cooked over small fires. Thankfully they didn't need to set up tents or huts, it was rather warm down here compared to the north. His dark eyes wandered over to the new slaves, he could practically smell the fear rolling off them. Although he doubted they'd make good slaves. The women were weak, the children useless, and the men were rebellious until they got stabbed with sharpened sticks. He snorted quietly before taking a seat on a stump. He waved one of the tribesmen over. "Anything out there moving?" He questioned gruffly. "Saw a few southern scouts. The men hid so the camp wouldn't be found." The scout leader replied. "Good. We have the advantage here, our clothes match the landscape until those brightly dressed idiots." He rumbled before dismissing the man with a wave of his hand. How long until the southerners find us...? He thought. The more important question was, how much longer should they hide before striking out again. |
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| Perascamin | September 9, 2012, 9:24 am Post #45 |
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A Legendary Ocean
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The Aegis Austin shifted his attention to the messenger baring news from the northern front. As it appeared, a number of bandits were able to slip past the breach and terrorize local villages in the broad back mountains. This was one of the differences between Conall and Rhys, the rightful heir would actually take responsibility for the barbarians while the traitor lusted only for power. Rising from his chair, the soldier crossed his right arm across his chest in a fist. "Let's show them another lesson in pain!" |
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In War; Victory. In Peace; Vigilance. In Death; Sacrifice. Dawn Eros (hot mama): Spoiler: click to toggle | |
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| Matttheman89 | September 9, 2012, 11:03 am Post #46 |
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Assassin
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Ocean Gulf Tyrion listened carefully as plans were made, and leaned back in his chair as Sir Owen asked if anyone had ever fought with Ishen on the field. Realizing he was likely the only one who had any real experience with the foreign warrior, he decided to speak up when Owen cast an expectant eye his way. "I've fought alongside him during the War with the North. If you've heard any of the rumors about him, let me be the first one to tell you, they're all true." he said with a shake of his head. "He fights using a blade unlike any you'll find in this land. It's called a 'katana', and he uses a style he calls Iaido, focusing on strikes intended on ending a battle in one blow. So naturally, he's extremely fast." "There were times during battle, when he even seemed to dissapear, as if moving too fast for the naked eye to follow. We sparred a few times during the War, and there was a lot of times when I wouldn't be able to follow his movements at all. I'll tell you this, he's one man I'd never want to fight in a serious battle." Folding his arms and resting them on the table, he leaned forward. "But he's also a man of honor. I agree with Sir Owen, I don't want to drag his name through the mud. Honor is everything where he comes from, or so I've heard. Like you've already said, whatever we decide to do, we'll need to be very careful about how we go about our mission." |
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| Pontiac1532 | September 9, 2012, 11:20 am Post #47 |
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Allison Noir Lost "For the thousandth time, Jeremus, we are lost." Allison put extra emphasis on the word lost. She eyed her employer warily. He was a headstrong man, and naturally was unwilling to admit when he made a mistake, but as she watched, she could see a flicker of doubt across his face. Even he couldn't deny that after 2 days with no sign of the ocean, they must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. There was nothing but grassy plains for miles in all directions, except for the faint outline of the Nightwood on the horizon. "Yes, well, perhaps my northseeker might be a little off. At any rate, we should arrive at Kingsport if we angle off to the east and follow the shoreline." Allison sighed mentally, making a note to buy a map when they got to Kingsport. Even after a year of travelling with Jeremus, she still couldn't believe he relied on a mental map rather a physical one. Turning to him, she gestured back to the caravan. "That could another week, Jeremus, and we're running out of water. Look at the oxen, they're practically dying of thirst!" Jeremus glanced down at the oxen pulling the covered wagon. He had to admit they did look worn out. But they couldn't very well leave the wagon and all its cargo behind. But if they didn't get water soon, dehydrated oxen would only be one of their problems. "Alright, I admit it. We do seem to be in a bit of a bind here. But things have always turned out well for us, haven't they?" Allison eyed him warily once more. It was true that they had gotten out of tougher binds before, but that was usually due to intervention on her part more than anything. Still, she had seen the merchant's uncanny ability to talk himself out of pretty much any situation. He was a master negotiator and silvertongue. "If you say so, Jeremus But if don't find a spring or a village soon, I will cut your losses for you." Jeremus gulped. Allison was an intense person, which is why she made for such an excellent bodyguard. There had been many occasions where her presence had saved his life, and as a result he felt indebted to her. On one such occasion, she had dragged him bodily from a burning warehouse in Kingsport where had been storing several barrels of expensive wine. he had been trying to save the barrels when she showed up, carrying him out of the burning warehouse just as it collapsed. He imagined her doing the same thing now, dragging him away from his wagon on that blasted horse of hers. He smiled at her, shrugging. "Yes well, I have a feeling that things are about to turn out for the better. Look at the sky." Allison looked up. In the distance, she could see the beginnings of a storm. On the horizon, black thunderclouds loomed, moving quickly towards them. "We'd best find shelter and a place to tie the oxen down. We're in for a tough night." |
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| oniskieth | September 9, 2012, 8:50 pm Post #48 |
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The Silver Light
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William of Idlewood The Aegis "Prince Ishven," William said as he dropped his head in shame. Slowly he searched for the proper words and began speaking them once they were found. As the swordsman began speaking his head shot back up, and he looked into the islander's dark eyes. He couldn't afford to show more weakness if he wanted to earn the respect of Conall's court. "Apologies, but the man threatened the king's life. Despite his intentions it will be his identifier for some time. I know that for the sake of the army we'll have to look past such things, and if I continue thinking this way it will be difficult to work together." As William progressed through his sentence his confidence returned, and his posture was again perfectly straightened while his head was level. He looked confident and strong, and he couldn't allow his body to continue showing his true feelings. Afterall, that is what his voice and blade were for. |
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Katherine's Approval
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| NTNP | September 9, 2012, 11:22 pm Post #49 |
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Admin
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Silvis Family Ocean Gulf A younger voice echoed through this rather boring meeting. The youngest member of the knights sat at the bottom of the table, sitting there thumbing a small knife point first before spinning it slowly drawing a tiny drop of blood to keep himself awake. "So Sir Owen, do you have any advice on this matter? Before we left, did Rhysie give you any hint about how he wants to come up with this magical alliance? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for dad's answer of calling the King of Yama on the whole, your son is acting against your orders and we want to know if you are an enemy or if we can just call it a truce, have your people come back to your side of the island and maybe talk about not being enemies... thing. And Tyrion seems, very..." At that Dion became remarkably quiet as he tried to figure out a way to avoid his new friend's feelings. How do I want to say this, sure Tyrion has a man crush essentially but maybe I can make it sound a little better though. "... impressed by Ishen's abilities and his honorableness. I think we all can agree slandering his name and making up lies about him is just about suicidal, so is there any other ideas? Because, just being honest... it sounds like we know what we SHOULDN'T do, but not a lot of what we should. And this doesn't seem like the sort of thing we should just wing it when we get there. I'm not too sure about things, I if we manage to start a war with the Yamans too, well we're kinda screwed." After what amounted to a rather boring conversation over things that they had already discussed, Carth decided to weigh in as well. Honestly this was becoming a stalemate without any new ideas. "And now we are all caught up on the situation and no one seems to have a better idea other than outright lying to a king about his son of all people is a very bad idea. So anyone else have an idea or should we just turn it around, send our apology letters to Rhys and hope that he doesn't replace us with a bunch of commoners with a give'em hell attitude and some rundown weapons and second rate armor?" |
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| Onime No Ryu | September 11, 2012, 7:24 am Post #50 |
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I'll be your Undertaker this evening
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THE AEGIS MAIN KEEP Hallway "You do not have to trust him," Ishen replied. "But look at him." The islander gestured with his head towards the bandaged man on the bed. "He carries no sword nor spear nor dagger. And yet he challenged the King to a duel? His intent was not assassination." The swordsman pushed away from the wall and turned, his movement so fluid that even the movement of his long coat tail made no noise. "What this boy wanted was only that: a challenge. He seeks strength and glory. He is exactly the same as you and your brother." This time the man's eyes met William's. For a moment there was another dragon in the room, just as there had been at the court. But unlike Conall's beast, that baked the room with the heat of its fury and towered in its power over them all, this creature was simply there, wound serpentinely about the room, as if it had always been there and had only now chosen to show its shape. Its body, black as the shadows, was contrasted from them only by its movement and its depth. Its head snaked behind Ishen, long whiskers trailing from a longer snout, a great mane like folds of cloth sprouting between deer-like antlers over its ears. The shadows were once again still as the weight of Ishen's words settled. "Ambition, if tempered, will raise you high. And to share it with others is the greatest glory. Otherwise, you shall sit a lonely throne." With that, the islander walked away, soon fading into the shadows of the far side of the corridor. Conall's Court "Good show, lad!" Conall said to Austin as he proclaimed his enthusiasm. The man who had been their captain rose as well. "My liege, I shall have a platoon ready immediately, if you would but give the word! These young men have already been blooded, and no doubt will send the scoundrels back to their wastes--in pieces!" Other roars of equal claim were thrown about until Conall raised a hand for silence, and gave Austin's captain a nod of approval. "Take some of the new recruits with you as well--better to see what they are made of now before I throw them against Rhys. However, it is already late, and the Northerners have done what damage they can do. Their pursuers will keep them in one place. Tomorrow at dawn's light you will lead a fresh force to oust and route them." "I shall select the men immediately!" replied the captain, excusing himself with a bow. "Young man of Idlewood, if you would accompany me?" OCEAN GULF EN ROUTE TO YAMAJIMA "There is another route of appeal we might use," began Owen, "other than simple flattery." The man leaned his elbows upon the table and his chin atop clasped fingers. "Rhys took the crown because he felt Logres needed more guidance than what his brother could give, not only in matters of economy and warfare, but also in the matter of its people. Our kingdom is one that has existed in an unchanged state for many centuries. He wishes to push us into a new age of prosperity, rather than continue that monotony. He is especially concerned with the state of the people." The knight's eyes glanced about the room to the map of Yamajima laid before them. "This is a concern that the Emperor will know well. As already stated, Yamajima puts the whole before the individual. Though the higher class keeps themselves separate from the commonfolk, the idea that both cannot survive without the other is not a foreign one to them. If we convince the Emperor of King Rhys's intent and that it is more profitable for Yamajima than Conall's campaign, that would seal the agreement. Also," Owen turned to Carth. "We may want to be more subtle with any overt threats or direct questions. To put the Emperor on the spot by asking if he intends to oppose Rhys while we are in front of him may be too direct. Another difference between our cultures is that, while we appreciate the concept of 'getting to the point,' to the islanders it is sometimes percieved as being too forward and rude." The knight leaned back with a sigh, the bushy whiskers of his mustache fluttering in his breath. "It certainly seems that you are correct, Young Dion. But at least, if we know what not to do, we may keep our heads a bit longer. Let us turn to other affairs that we might have some inkling what to do with. Sir Carth, what are your plans for Westbridge?" Lost on the Plains Luckily for Allison and her directionally impaired companion, the road soon came near a scattering of trees, thickened enough by the undergrowth to offer a chance of shelter and a dry place to sleep. They tied the oxen and prepared to make a lean-to camp to shut out the rain and wind, but just then a voice rang out. "Ho there! Halt where you are!" Emerging from the land as if they were born there, a number of armed men surrounded the camp. Some shimmied down the trees and others came up from beneath the bushes, almost right under the travelers' feet. Their leader came from the shadows of the trees, riding a dark chestnut horse. He wore a cloak the color of the night sky over a plain tunic and breeches, but the clasp of his cloak was shiny bronze and a round shield peeked over his shoulder. At his belt was a short handled war axe. "Have no doubt that this is a robbery." The man's speech wasn't entirely common, but neither was it particularly of the nobility. "But we will let you keep your lives, and half of your goods! Leave us all your gold and half of whatever is in the wagons, as well as any weapons you may have! Then you can continue without trouble!" |
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12:29 PM Jul 11