Leontius
Mercenary
[M:0]
These men, his men
Posts: 32
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Post by Leontius on Jun 29, 2011 18:51:17 GMT -6
Leon stood alone in front of his family farm, as his mercenaries prepared their steeds and provisions for the long trek to Bern. Thanks to his brother, Publius, he'd been able to get a contract from one of the higher ups in Edessa. Publius and his folks had been more then willing to help Leon secure this contract. Leon wasn't surprised, his folks had been trying to shoo him away from the farm for years. While he didn't technically live on the farm, he was always around, and that usually translated into him meddling with family affairs. Finally, he had picked up a job that took him away from the homestead. Not to mention, he was actually doing something befitting of the prodigy his parents had always wanted. They had every reason to back him.
Leon let out a short exhale as he turned to survey his company's progress. He noticed that Gate was moving his way. Gate was essentially Leon's right hand. He was a big man, held a powerful voice, and possessed a sternness which rivaled Leon's. Oddly enough, he was also the company troubadour. Why a man with his characteristics would choose such a strange profession was something that Leon didn't fully grasp. Regardless of his reasons, it gave him a friendly disposition in addition to his intimidating nature, making him appeal to everyone in the group. Naturally, he became a therapist of sorts, although officially he's the secretary and book keeper.
If Leon had to guess, Gate would only be approaching him to give a status report, and he'd only give a status report if preparations were complete or if the company had run into an obstruction.
"Gate." Leon said, cooly, as the large man arrived before him.
"Commander, both horses are ready, and the supply caravan is nearly fully stocked." Gate, said taking a more attentive stance. "We're almost ready. We're just waiting on Clarissa and Jim."
Leon looked back at the farm, trying to eye one of the lovebirds. "Fooling around again, are they?"
"Afraid so, Commander." Gate said, squinting as the wind cut at his face.
Leon exhaled with a hint of frustration. He'd built up a tolerance for the engaged couple, there was hardly a day that went by that they weren't fooling around, but he'd just landed the company a dangerous mission. Where there's a rebellion, there are guerrillas, where there are guerrillas, there are corpses of the unwary. The two of them needed to be more attentive.
"Gate, go knock some sense into them." Leon said, plainly, his gaze focused on the snow falling in front of him. Gate replied with a nod and headed back to the farm.
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Alecros
The "Before" years
[M:0]
I can barely scratch a living. Pay up!
Posts: 28
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Post by Alecros on Jun 29, 2011 19:21:27 GMT -6
Alecros had been wandering the winter landscape for three days now, cursing the foul wasteland and experiencing frequent bouts of starvation. He had buried Swenson, his deceased mentor, along the mountain pass the duo had entered from.
No villae had been in sight for many miles, and Alecros feared that he was nearing his final moments. How pathetic would it be to die of mere hunger in the middle of nowhere? Although Swenson had suffered that same fate, Alecros couldn't mourn for his death. He was never one for showing sorrow. A more appropriate description would be that he had trouble with that task.
In the young ex-pirate's fading eyesight, Alecros could barely make out the features of a modest farm, in the middle of this tundra-esque climate. He had staggered another half-mile or so over to the complex, every step bringing cumbersome, groan-inducing pain to his torso. Outside the area's enclosure, Alecros managed to glimpse two men, easily older than he.
With his last ounce of energy, Alecros apporached the farmlike compound, falling to his knees several yards short of the two men, gasping.
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Leontius
Mercenary
[M:0]
These men, his men
Posts: 32
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Post by Leontius on Jun 29, 2011 21:18:16 GMT -6
Just as soon as Leon had finished giving his orders to Gate, he spotted a careful blot amongst the white snow. He peered at the object with his good, left eye and realized that it was a man. He was wearing a tunic and a bandana, that much Leon could make at that distance. He had a tall and slim body. Taking these in mind, Leon came to the conclusion that this man was probably Sacaen, maybe a bandit at that. If he was smart, Leon would leave the man to die in the snow, there was no telling if he was just waiting for Leon to lower his guard, so he could put an axe in his back. Still, if he wasn't, Leon would feel irresponsible for letting the man freeze to death. Hell of a watchdog he'd be then.
Leon closed his eye and took a large of breath of the dry, cold air. "Gate, belay that order." He stated. "Go get your staff, and tell my sister, Silvanis, that I need her to find her bow and some cover." The large, troubadour turned around with a surprised look. Leon shot him a neutral glance and pointed at that the figure in the snow. Gate replied with a nod and raced back to the farm.
Leon watched Gate until he had reached the safety of the farm, and then turned his head so that he had sight of the freezing Sacaen. Keeping the both of them hidden beneath his cloth, Leon moved his right hand onto the hilt of his sword. If this man did turn out to be a bandit then Leon would be able to grab the initiative. He began a moderate pace, calmly approaching the slim man. As he got closer and closer to him, Leon noticed that he was on eyes, and was in pain. Leon steeled his mind, barring sympathy until he knew that the man was not a threat.
Leon placed his feet in front of the young man, the snow crunched under his weight. Leon looked him over, trying to spy a weapon. His eye was akin to that of a hawks, emotionless, observant, and piercing. "Stranger." He began. "are you armed?"
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Alecros
The "Before" years
[M:0]
I can barely scratch a living. Pay up!
Posts: 28
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Post by Alecros on Jun 29, 2011 21:54:33 GMT -6
Alecros had blacked out momentarily, his consciousness fading in and out at irregular intervals. However, he managed to muster up the last inkling of his energy to address an older man, who seemed rather stern. He was armed, his hand poised on his sword's scabbard. Alecros squinted, his vision blurry, responding to his statement with a raunchy, fatigued tone in his voice.
"Urgh... yeah, I'm armed... got an axe on me... but I didn't plan on beheading anyone here... all I'm looking for is some food and shelter... Name's Alecros... been wandering around this damn wasteland for several days now... mercenary guide died..."
The last few words of Alecros's drawn-out response were barely audible, reduced to only mindless mumbling. He fell to his knees again, the lack of nourishment plaguing his weary body restlessly, as if it was preparing to deliver a final blow.
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Leontius
Mercenary
[M:0]
These men, his men
Posts: 32
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Post by Leontius on Jun 29, 2011 22:43:05 GMT -6
Leon listened intently as the man managed to moan out a response. He looked terrible, the Sacaen was squinting and his eyes were moving sheepishly. He was on his knees, shivering in the cold as he spoke in a very tired, lifeless voice. As paranoid as Leon could be, he doubted that this axe-wielder was a threat. At the least he wasn't at the moment. Leon turned to see Gate, staff in hand, pulverize the snow with each step. He arrived at Leon's side with an inquisitive look. Leon shook his head.
"He's not a threat Gate, just someone who didn't know how unforgiving Ilia could be. His guide died and he's been left to wander the plains ever since." Leon stated crisply. "Starving to death by the looks of it, too." Leon paused for a moment, thinking things over in his head. "Heal anything damaged by the cold, Gate."
Gate nodded and bent down. His staff let off a light blue aura as he activated it.
Leon kneeled down on one knee, placing a hand on Alecro's right shoulder. He took Alec's left arm and slid it around his own shoulder, and then proceeded to wrap his right arm around the man's torso. "Come on, lets get you some food." Leon rose from his position, supporting Alecros' body with his own.
Leon contemplated leaving the man on the family farm, but found himself disapproving of the idea. If Alecros did turn out to be a bandit then confiscating his axe would do little could. If you could swing an axe, then you had some strong muscles. He could just as easily beat somebody into submission with that kind of strength. So, the only other option he had was to bring him along with the caravan. The idea wasn't much better, but he knew his men could take care of themselves, they were Ilian mercs after all.
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Alecros
The "Before" years
[M:0]
I can barely scratch a living. Pay up!
Posts: 28
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Post by Alecros on Jun 29, 2011 23:14:45 GMT -6
The words that the man had spoken to his cohort were conveyed as utter gibberish. Just as Alecros finally collapsed, he felt something odd blossom deep within him. As his eyes opened once again, he suddenly felt the pain residing in his joints subside. He was strong enough to stand up after several moments, but he was still unbearably cold, and hunger still panged at his soul.
Alecros remained speechless as the sword-wielding man draped the ailing pirate's left arm around his shoulder, the strength gradually returning. This seemed to be the work of the man's companion, who had a blue healing staff poised in his hand. Alecros was no priest, but he knew what the peculiar rod was used for. He could barely speak, but his gratitude was evident.
Sighing, Alecros closed his eyes, feeling the man's posture sway back and forth with each step. One could only wonder how he survives and supports a family in such an arctic setting. Alecros was not used to being provided with such generous aid, especially since his crew was rather unforgiving when it came to assistance.
"Thank you..." Alecros muttered casually.
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Leontius
Mercenary
[M:0]
These men, his men
Posts: 32
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Post by Leontius on Jun 30, 2011 17:04:09 GMT -6
Leon's numb ears picked up Alecros' quiet gratitude. His passive, orange eye rotated and fell upon the Sacaen's face. Thank you? No sense in thanking Leon yet. If they didn't get some food into him he'd be dead just the same.
"Don't speak. If you're as weak as you look, you're going to need all of the strength you can muster."
Leon said, his voice devoid of concern. He moistened his dry lips as the wet snow danced around the three of them. It decorated their hair and clothing with little white flakes, that soon became tiny droplets of water.
"Gate. Go on ahead and tell Whitney to prepare a fire."
"Yes, commander." Gate responded, with his characteristic nod.
Leon didn't like it but he was going to have to feed this man some of the rations he had planned on bringing to Bern. Although, it did present Leon an opportunity. If this, Alecros, knew how to use that axe of his, then Leon might be able to arrange a partnership between the two. Of course, if Leon was going to hire him, then he'd have to trust him, and if he was going to trust him, he'd have to give him a thorough interrogation. Of course, such things would wait until after Leon saved the unfortunate outsider's life.
A mage in a light blue garb ran at a brisk pace in front of the barn. She was very slim, delicate as some might put it. She had orange hair. She had a pleasant face, but what stood out about her most was her pearly white smile. She looked down at her tome and muttered some unintelligible words. And suddenly a great fire shot out from above her, igniting a pile of organized wood, surrounded by a circle of stones. She looked at Leon, as one would when they were looking for approval.
"Thank you Whitney." He said, maintaining his placid expression.
She responded with a rather comedic frown and stomped off.
"Stay here for a moment." He said, bending knees so he could sit Alecros down. With that, he turned around and strode into the barn, his right hand back on the hilt of his blade. That had become something of a habit for him. The company had used the barn for storing the wagon before, generally when they were between contracts. It was the most obviously place to house such a large creation, and the family had never raised much objection to it. He climbed inside the wagon and picked up a carrot, a pair of potatoes, and a slab of meat. On his way out, he used his free hand to grab a stool.
Upon exiting the barn he casually placed the stool next to the starving man and tossed him a carrot. "It'll take a little bit for the potatoes to warm up, longer for the meat." He said, casually as he skewered the three pieces of food on the spit. "So, when you're ready, how about you tell me what you brought you to this unforgiving land? You don't look like your from here, you hail from Sacae, right?"
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Alecros
The "Before" years
[M:0]
I can barely scratch a living. Pay up!
Posts: 28
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Post by Alecros on Jun 30, 2011 18:44:29 GMT -6
Alecros grunted as he accepted the stool. He caught the carrot in his left hand, grimacing as he got himself situated in front of the fire. He was still rather cold, but the fire seemed to do some minor justice. Looking around, still slightly dazed, he took a respectable bite out of the carrot, the vegetable's flavor reviving his senses. When he finally swallowed, he began to exhibit signs of regaining his strength.
Alecros finally had enough zeal to respond to the older man after finishing up the carrot. The Sacaean gathered his thoughts for a moment, piecing together each intricate detail before speaking in a raunchy tone, his speech far more understandable.
"I'm Sacaean, yeah. I'm actually an ex-pirate. I basically decided that pilfering passerby ships in the seas would only give me so much by way of wealth. So, I went on foot, and I met this mercenary leader somewhere near the Ilian border. He offered to lead me to some fortress out in this goddamn snowscape, and he promised me riches. But unfortunately, he died on the way there, and I ended up here."
He finished his brief recount with a discontented sigh, eyeing the man with much intrigue. Alecros concluded his story with one last statement.
"And just for the record, I'm not that bad with an axe."
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Nathaniel
Monk
Morning Lord, your daughter said there would be eggs?
Posts: 58
Affinity: Fire
OoC Alias: Selibas
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Post by Nathaniel on Jun 30, 2011 20:24:49 GMT -6
Ooc: Sorry if this isn't welcome. If you wish for me to stay out just ignore this post.
Ic: Nathaniel hadn't had a drink in days. He didn't like this snow-filled land as much as Lycia. It was cold and the towns and cities were far apart. At least on the path he had taken. It had been some time since his cowardice in Lycia. But he'd had no weapon, what help could he have been? At least that's what Nathaniel told himself. Truthfully he despised himself, and wished he could go back, but sadly he couldn't. He wished he could go back a lot of the time now. He wished he could go back and correct his ways when he had been a soldier. He had been the strategist in one of the biggest atrocities the Vineyard Vanguard had ever committed. He still wore the ring of honor for it around his neck, to remember the monster he'd never realized he was, until he saw the face of a child, smashed through with a javelin of a man who served the "Prophet".
Now he was in Illia, looking for work, so he could save money to buy a new tome. He had asked in the last town if there was anywhere in need of an extra "sword", they had told him this farm, housed a Mercenary Troupe, En Route to Bern. So he walked onto the families property, and hoped for the best. He walked up to a large man with a stave of sorts and asked who was in charge, Leon was his answer, and he was pointed to the farm. On Nathaniel's way, he saw a pretty girl with orange hair and a bright smile, but an engagement ring. Well, he'd work on that once he met the man and decided if he was marriage material. The only time Nathaniel slept with an unavailable woman was when the man she was with treated her poorly.
But I (as the writer) digress. Nathaniel walked into the farm, and saw a young Sacaen and another man he assumed was Leon. So he cleared his throat to announce his presence and said with his best intellectual voice, "Hello, are you Leon? Is this your Company I see?"
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Leontius
Mercenary
[M:0]
These men, his men
Posts: 32
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Post by Leontius on Jun 30, 2011 21:50:55 GMT -6
(Not a problem, Nathaniel.)
Leon looked towards the gray, spotted sky as the Sacaen ravenously consumed the ration. The fire danced and crackled as it warmed the spud and meat. The one-eyed Ilian's legs bent and his waist hit the wet snow with a plop. His crossed his legs and placed his hands on his kneecaps. He focused his good eye back on Alecros.
Leon was surprised to see that that the Sacaen was so chatty after finishing a single carrot. An ex-pirate eh? The man was quite bold to admit that. Not everyone would be too happy to learn that they'd just saved a former pirate, given their general reputation. The fact that raiding ships didn't generate enough income for him made his case a bit worse. Leon grinned, his eye half shut. "A little shameless aren't, we? Well I'm glad you're not a pirate any longer. I don't exactly approve of such a practice." He felt a twinge of sympathy for the man when he heard more of his story. His mentor had been taken by Ilia. A shame, there was something unfair about being killed by nature. A man should be allowed to die fighting. The man grabbed Leon's attention when he stated that he had some skill with his axe. Good, Leon might be able to get some work out of him in exchange for this meal.
He looked back at the spit and felt that the potatoes were warm enough to eat. "That's good, Alecros, that's very good. You're a shady character as far as things go, but you don't seem to be the kind of ex-pirate who'd put an axe in my back just to rob me. How about you lend me a hand in exchange for this food." He said, removing a potato and tossing it to the Sacaen. "And who knows, if you take a liking to my band of mercenaries you could stick around and actually get payed." He said, with a rare smirk.
Leon was interrupted by a young, blond man. He had a rather handsome face, and a surprising amount of muscle for a man his age. If Leon had to guess he was in his early 20s or so. He was very tall too. In fact he appeared to rival little Sextimus in terms of height. Leon was surprised that the blond man knew his name, he'd never seen the young fellow in his life. With a bit of a groan, Leon stood, wiping the snow off of the back of his pants. "Leontius Aurelei if you want to be formal, and yes the men and woman you see dressed for a skirmish are indeed members of my company." He paused, eying the young man over. "And who might I be speaking with?"
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Alecros
The "Before" years
[M:0]
I can barely scratch a living. Pay up!
Posts: 28
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Post by Alecros on Jun 30, 2011 22:06:39 GMT -6
Alecros ignored the man's assessment and offer, save for the getting paid bit. His ears perked up, the potato pleasantly hot in his hand.
"You pay well? I might consider lending you my services, then. As I said, I've got skill with the axe. And as for helping you... I'll see what I can do. Why not?"
He attempted a smirk, but could only produce a facial blur. He sighed contentedly, peeling the skin off his fresh potato. He hadn't consumed food of this prestigious quality in ages.
This guy sure knows how to find a decent bite to eat, I'll give him that... Alecros thought passively.
His train of thought was interrupted when a young blonde man addressed him. The older man finally intoduced himself as Leontius.
Heh... I got so caught up in this pampering, I forgot to ask this guy's name. Leontius... interesting name.
Alecros leaned forward on his stool, in preparation to greet the blonde newcomer.
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Nathaniel
Monk
Morning Lord, your daughter said there would be eggs?
Posts: 58
Affinity: Fire
OoC Alias: Selibas
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Post by Nathaniel on Jun 30, 2011 22:55:48 GMT -6
"I am Nathaniel Macfaren," Nathaniel said with a grin. "I am a former Lieutenant, and current practitioner of Light Magic. Well, my tome was stolen so my magic has stopped. I thought I could be of use to you until I raised money to buy a tome. I'm good with my 'Lightning" so you don't need to worry about how able bodied I am in combat. For the time being however, I'm a good tactitian." As Nathaniel spoke he dropped his formal act. He pulled out the ring. "This is a ring to show my service as not only a good soldier, but for my tacticsquelling a small rebellion. It is Etrurian I'll be honest, but I serve the Prophet no longer, and am ashamed of what I did. But for the time being, I'd give you my services, and though, I can't fight immediately, I'll need pay."
Then Nathaniel turned to Alecros, not wanting to be rude and said, "Hi buddy, I'm Nathaniel."
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Leontius
Mercenary
[M:0]
These men, his men
Posts: 32
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Post by Leontius on Jul 1, 2011 5:21:11 GMT -6
Leon glanced back at the ravenous Sacaen. Good, he was wolfing down the food and would be able to stand on his own two legs again. He'd need the energy for the long trip to Bern. Unsurprisingly enough the first words out of the man's mouth were in reference to gold. He'd come off as a greedy character. "I pay them respectably enough." He said, with a shrug.
Nathaniel? Finally, a man who bared a proper name, as opposed to something tribal that you would only receive were you born on the plains, or a name used by people in ancient times. Honestly, why in the world did Leon's parents insist on giving their children such archaic names? The two of them had normal names, why did they feel the need to begin such a bizarre tradition? Leon prayed that the rest of his siblings would have more common sense when naming their children, particularly Publius, considering that he was actually married.
Nathaniel proceeded to give the light-blue haired Ilian a verbal resume. An Etrurian? Well, Leon didn't view the Etrurians in a respectable light, but then again, the slim man was a defector from the Etrurian forces. That was good, that meant he was both Ex-army and had bone to pick with the Prophet. Leon was further pleased when he learned that Nathaniel was also a tactician. Good, his hopes had been low ever since the man mentioned that he had lost his tome, his weapon sometime back. While Leon questioned the man's competence in losing his tome, his weapon, should he prove to be an able tactician, then he would still be able to serve as a useful addition to the company.
"Well ,before you get too eager to join, let me tell what our current job is. We're heading to Bern. Something about a bunch of unruly citizens. Lots of riots and probably a lot of guerrilla tactics. You know, mages popping out of windows and shooting fireballs at anybody who looks like a foreign soldier. It's gonna be bloody, it's gonna be messy, if you aren't up to it, then I'll give you a ride out of Ilia, but thats it. Of course, if you are okay with that, then we'll have to test your abilities as a tactician, I'm not leaving the lives of my men in the hands of somebody who doesn't know what he's doing." Leon said, with a hint of animosity. Leon was used to hiring people he knew, mercs he'd forged friendships with after working together on the same job. He wasn't used to hiring unfamiliar help and frankly, had the two of these men been more familiar with the landscape of Ilia, he wouldn't even consider hiring them. He wouldn't let some amateur get his hard-working mercenaries killed. He placed a hand on his hip, noting that the axe-wielder might not be too found of fighting guerrillas either. He craned his neck so that he could see the hungry Sacaen out of the corner of his eye. "The same goes for you Alec, if you don't have the stomach for this, hitch a ride with me. If you do, well we'll have to find a time and place for the two of us to spar."
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Alecros
The "Before" years
[M:0]
I can barely scratch a living. Pay up!
Posts: 28
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Post by Alecros on Jul 1, 2011 11:08:42 GMT -6
Alecros finished the last of his potato as the blonde monk introduced himself. At first glance, he seemed a bit scatterbrained and disorganized. He was Etrurian, but what intrigued Alecros the most was that he had defected from the ways of the Prophet, whom Alecros had heard fables and tales about on his travels at sea. It was a pirate tradition to tell such stories on slower, moodier days.
The young monk gazed at Alecros, who was gradually regaining his energy and vitality. The holy man introduced himself as Nathaniel, and seemed to boast excessively about his experience as a tactician. However, he seemed believable. Alecros cocked his head to the side, responding to him in a casual demeanor.
"Name's Alecros. Charmed."
The raven-haired Sacaean would have given Nathaniel more dialogue, but he was too distracted with Leontius's verbal briefing. A trek to Bern would be interesting, to say the least. Save for Ilia, Alecros had never been outside of Sacae, on land at least. The prospect of facing mages didn't sift into his imagination all that peacefully, but he was prepared nevertheless. When Leontius finished his monologue-esque overview, Alecros spoke one again, his interest clearly evident.
"I'll tag along to Bern. I could use a bit of practice in combat, anyway. I hate mages... but I doubt I'll be burnt to a crisp. You have my aid, Leontius. As long as you're generous with my payment, I won't complain."
Even Alecros admitted he was rather greedy. Living on the plains, one couldn't obtain money very easily. Plundering ships at sea had its worth, but that was limited. If Leontius could be reasonable with his wages, then Alecros would be more content with being ordered around. He stood up slowly, surprised at how revitalized he felt. His muscles ached less, and the hunger pains were beginning to subside. With a bit more incubation, he could return to full strength.
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Nathaniel
Monk
Morning Lord, your daughter said there would be eggs?
Posts: 58
Affinity: Fire
OoC Alias: Selibas
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Post by Nathaniel on Jul 2, 2011 12:06:35 GMT -6
Nathaniel listened intently as the man talked about their mission. Well personally, he supported Bern in the Rebellion, but he needed work. He said, "Well, I have no qualms of danger. Work is work after all, although there may be a line of killing I'll refuse to cross."
Nathaniel grinned as the Sacaen expressed a certain amount of greed, Nathaniel had never had a strong want for money. Which was a bit strange since the rich get richer, and his family was rich. Nathaniel got solemn at the thought of hi family, as he remembered his mother was now a prisoner of the church because of him. He knew not how his father would handle it, but he thought it would be good to go back and see how the estate was.
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