Mavick
Seer
Little Strategist
"The Darkness... It consumes me."
Posts: 208
Etruria Fame: -2
Sacae Fame: 1
Affinity: Dark
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Post by Mavick on Dec 4, 2010 22:37:43 GMT -6
Mavick looked at Richter, as if snapping out of a trance. He then smirked. "Please. Don't you have any faith in me?" he asked, fishing out one of the thick record books from his satchel, as well as a quill and ink bottle. He opened it, and quickly began jotting down numbers and words. Every few moments he would mumble "Lets see..." and "Ahh, yes..." or "Of course..." Finally, he looked up from his work and met Richter's eyes. "I will require 1000 gold pieces and your measurements." he stated. "Give me that, and I can supply you with the finest quality armor once we reach a town." He then looked at Clair. "As for you, Officer Feldsky, well your armor could use a bit of tempering and a new coat of polish, but it shouldn't be anywhere near as expensive. Though I'll start making calculations to see how much it would cost to armor your pegasus, if you wish."
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Bantu
The "Before" years
[M:0]
Posts: 6
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Post by Bantu on Dec 7, 2010 16:56:47 GMT -6
Bantu and his "traveling companion" Zigurt were from a small colony of Dragon survivors that have been living in Sacae for 1000 years. They had rarely left and when they did they never went far.
"So that's what the sound is, humans marching for war." Zigurt stated. "But that doesn't make much sense, who would they be fighting?" Bantu remarked. "All the dragons are gone, unless they returned from the gate." "In which case the war is starting over again!" Zurgat stroked his chin, "We should head back and get the others. We could then assist our kind in the fight." "That would take too long, the two of us should follow them. We'll find out what's happening first." "Very well, we will follow and when we can, interrogate one of them thoroughly" Bantu chuckled and waited for the army to pass.
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Post by Richter Abend on Dec 8, 2010 16:13:56 GMT -6
"Easily done," said Richter, pulling out his bag of gold. Counting out the correct amount, he dropped the coins on Mavick's lap. "That should be right." The commander then took of his coat, placing it on his sleeping bag, and stretched out his arms. "As for measurements, you're going to have to do them yourself."
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Post by Clair Feldsky on Dec 10, 2010 23:36:17 GMT -6
"You know how to fit pegasi armor?" Clair asked, intrigued. The creatures were native only to Illia, so it was unusual for armor to be crafted outside of her northern home. She supposed that someone familiar with horses could design working armor, but it wouldn't necessarily be as fitted as a native Illian set of harness. She wouldn't doubt Mavick though. The more she learned about him, the more he surprised her with his range of knowledge.
"I would appreciate whatever you could do for us. Corona would as well, I'm sure." She smiled a tight lipped smile as she remembered the injuries that she and her pegasus had sustained. That, and the ones they'd avoided.
Well, then Commander Richter took his heavy coat off. She hadn't seen him without his armor, or some other sort of bulky clothing on often. The meaning of this is that she could see just how solid the muscles on his arms looked. She wouldn't be surprised if he could crush a boulder with those muscles. Or a person's head.
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Mavick
Seer
Little Strategist
"The Darkness... It consumes me."
Posts: 208
Etruria Fame: -2
Sacae Fame: 1
Affinity: Dark
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Post by Mavick on Dec 15, 2010 22:44:45 GMT -6
Mavick nodded, pulling a measuring tape out of his seemingly bottomless satchel. "I expected as much." he explained, wrapping the tape around the mans waist. He looked up, scowled, and shoved a stool towards him. Standing on it, he wrapped the tape around the mans arms, chest, and neck. "Allright, this shouldn't be a problem." He then looked at Clair. "I'll find a way, trust me." he boasted, hopping off the stool.
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Post by Richter Abend on Dec 16, 2010 22:39:30 GMT -6
After the short man finished measuring Richter's body parts, the commander grabbed his coat, tossing it over his shoulders, and made his way out towards the tent's exit. As he went out, he turned to his subordinates. "I'm going for a walk to check on the troops, then I'm heading to bed. I suggest you do the same. We've got a tough march ahead of us tomorrow and a lot of ground to cover. If my memory serves me right, homeland is not the most hospitable of lands. In fact, it's a downright killer." The pink haired mercenary let out a rare chuckle, then disappeared behind the tent flap. A second passed, then the commander's head reappeared. "But really, I'm serious, people die out here, so make sure you're well rested." He paused, nodding to Mavick and Clair. "Good evening to you both." With that, Richter ducked out of the tent, leaving Mavick and Clair to themselves.
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Post by Meredy Laplace on Dec 17, 2010 0:40:09 GMT -6
"These shoes are killing me!" Meredy shouted in anger, taking off her shoes and throwing them as far as she could. Max and Thamir halted their march at Meredy's sudden scream.
"Stop complaining already! It's all you've done for half of the trip so far! Sheeesh!" Max said. Thamir simply sighed and pulled off a few cloth she could use as replacement shoes for the moment. Most of the cash she had stolen from her father had been sent to waste on luxurious rooms at inns and fine food. That obviously meant the girl was starting to become a pain in the ass.
Meredy had met those two not long after crossing Etruria's border. Max was a fairly tall, blue-haired Archer. Thamir the Soldier, on the other hand stood silent for most of the trip, his green locks almost covering his eyes.
"If you're so annoyed then leave!" she shouted. The cold was getting stronger. With no real place to go, Meredy decided that she could, perhaps, become a Pegasus Knight in Ilia. Maybe not the best idea when it's the first time you leave home, though.
"Easy, Meredy, easy. Let's just...I don't know, camp here, somewhere" Thamir said trying to calm her down. "There" he pointed at a nearby cave on the side of the mountain range.
"Just what I deserve for sticking around a spoiled brat" he said, following both of them.
"I will take care of starting the fire. Just go and sit at the back, milady"
How did I get into this mess...?
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Post by Clair Feldsky on Dec 17, 2010 1:32:46 GMT -6
As the Commander left the tent, the pegasus knight watched him go. Sometimes he was a little gruff, or got too caught up in his battle to lead effectively. He wasn't even that good at making friends, as far as she knew. She did know one thing though. That since she'd joined his troop, not only had she gained tremendously in skill and confidence, not only had she pledged her lance and loyalty to him, but she actually had gotten to like him as a person, what she knew. This would be one of those rare chances to get to know him better, maybe.
Clair looked back to Mavick. "I'd appreciate whatever you can do for Corona. White, and red please. And remember, it needs to be light enough to maneuver easily in."
With that she dashed out the door, after Richter, her heart beating a little harder than normal as she went to walk the camp with him....
"Commander, wait up! ehh... I mean, I'd like to come too. And walk the camp with you." She caught up to him, stumbling over her words for a moment. Part of her felt nervous, and frozen in place due to the feeling. Another part had no trouble whatsoever. She was fairly confident now-a-days, thanks to Richter's training and her own experience. Confident enough to attempt a personal talk on purpose though? We'll see. She hoped that if he noticed her slightly flushed cheeks, he'd attribute it to the cold night breeze. It probably was a main cause anyway.
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Post by Richter Abend on Dec 17, 2010 2:51:12 GMT -6
Richter stopped raised an eyebrow as his Assistant Officer called his name. Well, now she was more just like his second in command considering they didn't have much of a ranking system in place. The commander noted this as one thing he'd have to fix once they got to Edessa. As corrupt as the Etrurian army had been, any army without a chain of command was doomed to fail eventually.
"I don't see why not," replied the pink haired commander, beginning to walk again as Clair caught up to him. He was a bit surprised by the gesture, seeing as how he had always made the walks alone, but didn't say much else. He appreciated the company. After they had been walking for a minute or so, Richter began to speak. "I always like to get a feel for where the soldiers are at before a march. Helps me set the pace."
The cold evening air felt good upon his face, small breezes tossing strands of his hair here and there. "Tell me, Feld-" The commander paused. "Clair. You've been fighting under my command for little over a year now. We've come a very long way, and I've put both of us through quite a lot." Their feet crunched with each footstep through the thin layer of snow, Richter's a bit more loudly and slowly than Clairs. "After all the marches, all the battles, all of the, well, everything that's happened, what do you think?" Richter asked this question very calmly and coolly, still looking straight ahead through the small sea of tents. They were set at odd angles due to the slope and rocks of the foothills, but his soldiers had nevertheless managed to establish themselves. "Was this the life you expected when you left Ilia the first time? If you could do it over again, would you change anything?" Richter's face remained unmoved, but if one listened close enough, they would hear the quiet, underlying tone of earnestness in his voice. "Would you follow me again?"
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Bantu
The "Before" years
[M:0]
Posts: 6
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Post by Bantu on Dec 17, 2010 14:18:05 GMT -6
Bantu was waiting for the army to pass when he realized the it wasn't going anywhere. "Hm, they are resting" Bantu stated, "It looks like we can get one of them now. It is easier said then done though." "Haha, we could just walk in, they might think we are with the army." Zigurt said. "That might work but you stand out so much." Bantu responded. "You stand out just as much, but it doesn't matter much." Zigurt made a showing of putting on his hood. Bantu thought about it and put on his hood as well, "But if we get recognized as not part of the army, say we are those travelling monks that humans have.
The two walked up and were immediately seen by a soldier. "Hey! Who are you two!" He shouted Bantu sighed and thought, "Your plan already failed Zigurt." He than spoke out to the soldier, "We are travelling monks. And we wonder why there is an army here." "I recommend you just leave now." the soldier said quieter but still threatening. Bantu decided it might be smart to listen to him and leave without trouble. He was about to tell Zigurt this when Zigurt snapped back, "Just answer the question and we will leave" The soldier's response was a glare. Bantu winced, "Let's just go" he whispered to Zigurt, "Before we attract more attention"
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Post by Clair Feldsky on Dec 17, 2010 15:33:40 GMT -6
"In a heartbeat," was the initial response that leapt to Clair's lips, but she stopped the words, and made herself think things over for a moment. These kinds of questions weren't asked often, especially between superior and subordinate. She owed this some real thought.
Tent flaps, and the occasional flag snapped in the breeze as she recalled the past. From her first ignorant steps up to the Fort of Salvation Point, to watching him rally his soldiers in response to Arriston's ambush in the rebuilt chapel. From the time he'd helped her back to a tent after she'd located and breathed in fumes from the toxin used against Sir Rayl, to when she'd found him, victorious yet grievously injured, after defeating High Commander Arriston. And there was still more. They truly had been through a great deal, and she couldn't begin to imagine where she'd be if she hadn't taken those first steps and shouted up to the sentry on the wall of Salvation Point.
There was another breath of air, and she reached up to tug her hair back into place from the tossing winds. "When I left Illia, I was expecting to find a job as an advance scout for traders, or...." She gave a small cough of laughter. "I don't know. Get hired to look good in some famous person's personal guard."
Clair looked up at her Commander, a faint tracing of a smile showing. "Getting hired by a double agent rising through the Inquisitional Army, and assigned as his assistant, before we go traipsing across the lands, till we defeat some Grease-licking zealot was hardly what I expected when I left Illia. It should look good on my resume though." That brought out a quick grin, before she returned to his questions.
"I think this was absolutely the best place I could have gone, and I wouldn't choose anything else, but it's more than that. I believe in what you're trying to do, Richter. The Prophet must be stopped, and Illia safeguarded."
With a bit of insight though, the Pegasus Knight realized that that still wasn't everything. "Richter, I've come to believe in you. Not your cause, or your skills, but in you as a person. You won't sit back, and let evil continue. You're not the sort to just walk away when something needs done." Clair realized that she was letting her heart do all the talking now, and thought about cutting off, but decided to go ahead and finish. You showed me the world and what people like the Prophet do to it. Now I feel like I need to do my part in stopping him.
She paused for a moment, before looking embarrassed and saying, "...And I just rambled your ears off.... Sorry."
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Post by Richter Abend on Dec 17, 2010 16:41:55 GMT -6
Richter gave Clair a small, soft look as she finished speaking. "No, it's alright. I appreciate the words," he replied. It was refreshing, to say the least, to talk to someone on this level. Ever since the commander had left Ilia, ever since his family had died, he had not a friend in the world to call his own. Rayl was more like a battle companion and Saturos was long gone from his life. Clair, though, was more than his subordinate. She was his friend. He could talk to her like he could talk to no one else. For the first time in seven years, Richter could actually feel not like a mercenary, or a soldier, but like a person.
"For everything I've done, I don't think I would have managed it without you at my side." The pink haired man shot Clair his usual but rare half-mouthed grin. The girl had been his steadfast supporter at all the right times. "Just knowing that I had someone there fighting alongside me was enough to pick myself up and keep fighting no matter what the odds," Richter continued, then paused, closing his eyes. "Even if my eyes were clouded by revenge." The mountain wind, blowing down from the peaks, picked up, tossing the commander's ponytail about. "At first, that's what this was all about. Revenge. After my parents and my brothers were killed, my mind was so clouded with hate. I left home, a caustic, troubled young man. I picked fights with everyone and anyone. I had nowhere to go, I had no idea what I was doing, and I just needed something to take my anger out on. I needed to know my family died for a reason. For five years I lived in Etruria, and I had completely forgotten who I was." The commander shook his head. "I told myself I was helping the people there, that I was 'ending oppression' but I wasn't. I was doing nothing. By the end, I was merely selling my sword to the highest bidder."
The two came to the edge of a small cliff, and Richter stared off into the cold Ilian sunset. It wasn't warm or colorful like that of sunsets most people think of. It was cold, grey, and blue, but it was familiar, and it brought the pink haired man a strange sense of peace. As if the first day that had been his troubled life up until now had finally begun to close.
"It was then that I joined the Etrurian army," said Richter, looking at Clair. "At first, and I know it was silly, my plan was to rise through the ranks, take control of Etruria, then turn Etruria upon the world to create an everlasting 'Empire of Peace'. In short, a war to end all wars." Once again the commander shook his head. "I realized, though, that not only was that unrealistic, but after seeing the tragedy of Ostia, that it wouldn't make me any worse than the Prophet." Richter paused, then took a deep breath. It wasn't easy for him to spill himself out like this, but it seemed easier with Clair. "So when Ariston condemned me and the men who had served under me faithfully to death, I revolted. I couldn't just stand by and let him have his way."
The pink haired commander looked back to the sunset, his hands behind his back. "Well, I think you know how it goes from there, but ultimately, my journey has taken you, me, a couple of dragons, and a whole troop of fugitive Etrurian soldiers back to Ilia." Richter turned his head to the mountains before he continued to speak. Their tall peaks loomed in the distance. "Though now I think I'm finally ready to return. We'll go to Edessa, and if I'm lucky, I'll be able to rally the support of the Ilian forces." The commander faced Clair. "Maybe then we'll actually be able to turn this ragtag little army into a force that can topple the Prophet once and for all. All that I ask for is your continued faith and support."
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Post by Clair Feldsky on Dec 17, 2010 17:54:19 GMT -6
Clair gazed out at the Illian sunset. It didn't matter that they were, technically, still in Sacae. The coloring, and the feel of it set an oddly peaceful, quiet mood. Almost sacred, for the two Illianers.
"I'm glad you've freed yourself from your quest for vengeance. I didn't know your family, but I'm sure they'd be proud of the choices you've made." She'd have liked to have said she'd known he'd break free of his vengeance, but there had been times that he'd worried her. Despite believing in him, following someone around on a hunt for vengeance was not something that she could put her heart into. "What we're doing now, I can pour myself into without regrets."
She looked up at him, craning her head back. "We'll get him Richter. I'd say we could try and make a strike now with all these sets of wings we've got. As for my support and faith, I pledged you my service as we entered Ostia, remember? Nothing has changed." She smiled, pleased with herself. "Well, except that I've gotten a lot stronger than I was then."
After a moment of looking around from the cliff they'd reached, Clair's eyes caught something down at the edge of camp. There seemed to be... were those monks at the perimeter? If they were, what were they doing here? Were they Etrurian? "Commander..." Clair pointed down to the small incident, "Does that look like someone trying to gain entrance to the camp? Or did we have anyone coming back in from outside?"
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Post by Richter Abend on Dec 17, 2010 21:16:37 GMT -6
Richter's attention was drawn to the two men just outside the camp as Clair pointed them out. They were dressed like monks...or mages. The commander couldn't discern which from this distance, nor could he know their intentions, but what he could be sure of was that he wasn't going to take any chances in this inhospitable wilderness.
"Good eye, Clair," Richter said assuredly, his face shifting to its normal stern visage. "They don't look familiar to me. Let's go check it out." The pink haired swordsman made his way down around the cliff to the edge of the camp where two soldiers were barring the two men from entry. "At ease, men," commanding Richter with a slight gesture of his hand. The two soldiers nodded and lowered their weapons as their leader stepped forward.
Richter analyzed the two men. Both of them seemed fairly old, and wore hooded robes. What could a pair of guys like this be doing out in the middle of nowhere? Nothing good by Richter's guess. "What business do you have here?" he asked bluntly.
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Post by Clair Feldsky on Dec 18, 2010 1:04:52 GMT -6
Clair followed her Commander, giving a shrill whistle as she did so. Within a few moments, Corona, her mighty war steed of a pegasus, and loyal... weapon carrier?
Up he came, with the tack still harnessed to him, and her Killer Lance strapped to his side. "C'mon Corona." The pegasus knew how to follow her lead, and followed down the hillside, occasionally fluttering his wings to assist in balance.
One they actually arrived, she stepped up, standing nearby, at his side, but clearly in a position that let Richter take the lead. She held her lance in a non-threatening manner, blunt end planted in the rocky ground, and waited.
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