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Post by Donovan on Feb 27, 2015 13:57:25 GMT -6
“Ho there, Bone Man! I’m glad to see a village today. Hell, I’m glad to see anything 5 feet from me with the fog such as it is.” Sizing up the trio he approached, Donovan felt that the smiling, but confident mercenary was the best character to play today, the village Elder looked like he could use a confident, but jovial mercenary to brighten his day, and the winged rider looked like she had yet to do to much adventuring herself. Donovan was worried about giving the Shaman the wrong impression, but he needed the Elder on his side more than anyone to get the townsfolk's trust. If need be, he would take the white haired man aside to have a more serious discussion later.
“I am Donovan, I guard the caravan of the rollable gentleman, Grev, over there. Master Elder, I do believe that he has many wares that your town might be interested in purchasing, and likewise, we are interesting in purchasing rooms to stay in for our small company. If you wouldn’t mind going to barter with my employer of course.” The Elder gave him a quick smile and walked off toward the caravan to haggle with Grev. Even in desperate hours men try to turn a profit. Hope is a fickle thing to have in world where men go to take a piss in the middle of the night and are torn apart in the process.
Donovan took a second to get a close up look at the Shaman. The man was small, but looked tough as nails, certainly not someone that you should start a fight with, but he was drained, his eyes were tired and his wound clearly needed healing. After getting this closer look at the white haired man, Donovan was truly worried he’d chosen the wrong character, men like this probably didn’t appreciate being referred to as “Bone Man”. Men like him appreciated the truth, and while the whole truth might not make them happy, an actor knew that a little honesty could go a long way.
“In all seriousness, I must ask what is going on in this village and the surrounding countryside. 3 of our men were killed out there, and we’ve no idea by what. They’d leave the light of the campfire, and we’d find pieces of them the next morning. I’m not one to scare easily, but that’s not something that you can easily shrug off. There isn't much that we can do, but for as long as we’re here, I can offer my sword to help protect this place. For a reasonable price, of course, I have a mother to support. I cannot say the same for my fellow road warrior. He tends not to leave the cart’s side for more time than it takes to piss on a tree. But what say you? Will you have a young mercenary like myself bolster your ranks?”
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Ravvus Wiseau
Mage
We will not stop until I have bested you at least once. My pride simply won't allow any alternative.
Posts: 207
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Ravvus/Luba/Rowan
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Post by Ravvus Wiseau on Mar 2, 2015 12:48:51 GMT -6
A gust of wind rolled through the town. It brushed against Ravvus, chilling him. Perhaps removing his cloak had not been the most prudent decision. Perhaps laying it on the wet, snowy ground had been an even less prudent decision. No matter. If he needed to warm himself or dry his cloak he had plenty of fire to call upon.
Ravvus' eyes danced on the pages of the beginner's novel. He traced a finger across the text as he read. “When calling upon even the most basic of spells one must have a focused mind.” This information. It was all so familiar to him.“...Exercise extreme caution. If this is one's first time casting a fireball, one should have a supply of water readily available.” How many times, exactly, had he read these same passages? “More advanced technikes, such as calling upon walls of snow or fire...” Definitely more than a hundred times. But more than one thousand? “Require's a deep connection with the spirits and a Thorough understanding of the element.” Yes. Ravvus had definitely read this book more than one thousand times over.
Ravvus' ears perked up in response to the dialogue between the elegant woman and the curt man. With but a few words, she'd been able to make the man change his tone. His speech was now polite and considerate. It was very presentable compared to his initial introduction. It was like the woman had turned a bear into a puppy.
It seemed Ravvus' suspicions were proven true. The undead had traveled north and they were assailing Skaven. To his chagrin, it did not seem as if the town guard planned to do anything about the undead. That simply would not do. Ravvus snapped his book shut and rose from his seat. He tugged at his orange cloak as he stood up. There was a dampness on the cloth. That would not do either. Ravvus slung his orange cloak along his shoulder. He switched the introductory manual in his hand with the fire tome in his travel satchel. Propping the book open, Ravvus muttered a few words. A small disk of fire ignited to life above his free hand. He slowly waved the flames a few inches from the cloak, drying the piece of cloth. He intended to speak with the elegant-looking woman, but he intended to wait his turn. Once the burly man was down speaking, once she had a free moment, Ravvus would start his approach.
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Synkkis Kyyneltya
Shaman
"Strange... I had no brace for the aberrant nature of this power."
Posts: 170
Profession: Mercenary Tactician
Affinity: Dark
Profile: Synkkis
OoC Alias: Cyril/Lucien/Landrik/Freya
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Post by Synkkis Kyyneltya on Mar 4, 2015 23:17:33 GMT -6
His thoughts alerted back to his wounded leg, Synkkis did not think of having to slather or coat any more vulnerary onto it. For now, it was just muscle tissue reforming which ailed him. Something only a staff could expedite. "So it's true the Army is stretched far too thin. It's no wonder there is so many problems with bands of deserters and bandits through these mountains. I applaud you and your troop in providing relief. We may be able to go on the offensive..." the hooded man trailed off, biting his thumb. He was lost in tactical and strategical thought, yet only for a moment.
The sound of a man hailing him brought his eyes quickly to the man's in a heightened alert. It was not of danger, but one of focus. He relaxed his posture and listed to the swordsman. He had introduced himself, but his name escaped his mind as quickly as he had heard it. The man's sword and armor were more interest of him. When the man started to speak of wares, he paid him no mind as he returned to the Pegasus Knight.
"My wound will be fine for now. Only one with the gentle heart and magics of the clergy could hope to heal it further so quickly. I appreciate the sentiment, however." He said trying to convey gratitude. Time had hardly passed before his mind was on strategy and the old man had left. The swordsman had come closer and now initiated conversation again. He was now trying to get a feel for the man's character.
He spoke of his fallen bandwagoners and he knew right away they were of the undead. Terrible fate, for certain. One he was very close to himself. "You're lucky. If they were bandits they would've done the same to all of you at once - Not to say you can't hold your own in a fight. So it seems that fire tends to keep them away? Fascinating..." Synkkis had gone back to biting his thumb in thought. While the man didn't feel ship-shape, the cold didn't bother him nor would any hike. He had grown up in these mountains, after all.
Continuing to respond to the man, he peeked his keen eyes from under his hood to meet the other man's. "As you can see this village has no guard. All of the other villages are forbidding theirs to leave to come here and the Army can not afford to keep this area secure. You're in luck as Arphen has a bounty on keeping this village safe. It's nothing significant, but it'll more than pay for your journey back with a little extra." the "bone man" explained, smiling. He spoke up so that the woman would be sure to hear him even over the sound of her Pegasus moving stepping about. "This village is nothing like the ones of Bern or upper Ilia. There is no Inn and there is no Tavern. We have been graciously allowed the horse barn as our place of rest. There should be enough room for all of us without having to pack in like sardines tied by the tail."
He looked around, yet didn't see Lynessa just yet. He wondered what kept her. "We should be able to leave soon if you aren't tired from your journeys. If so, we can move tomorrow and set up patrols as soon as possible today." he mentioned, leaning over and putting a little weight on his leg to see how well it was really doing. He grimaced a bit, but he could deal with it.
--
Erkki followed the trader as he moved on. He had let the two volunteers sleep in the horse barn, yet he was a man of making a bit of capital when able. He went over to Grev and went about striking up a deal or three...
--
The man kind of creeped Kylikki out, yet there was a bit of a young blonde guy that came up to the three with a red book in his hands. She couldn't imagine reading at a time like now. Well, actually that was a good idea. Perhaps it'd help her keep her mind off of the impending doom that could fall upon them, Elimine save their souls. "Hey there!" she greeted the reader, half joyfully and half nervously. Hopefully it would release the air of tension with Lynessa and the brutish man.
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Post by Donovan on Mar 8, 2015 17:32:38 GMT -6
As the Shaman responded, Donovan paid close attention to the details the man brought up. The biggest of which was that this town and his caravan were not plagued by bandits, something that Donovan had figured earlier, but that the enemies they faced were something unnatural. Donovan had been hoping that the beasts that had torn apart his friends were merely wolves or maybe a particularly aggressive bear. But everyone knew that they stayed away from fire, it wasn’t “fascinating” as the bone man had called it. This wasn’t human, but neither was it an animal.
Other than that, Donovan heard two equally important bits of information. No reinforcements were on their way as far as anyone knew, and if he could protect this town and make it out alive, he’d have a reward much bigger than anything guarding Grev’s wagons would get him.
“I’ve been sleeping on the dirt for a week, I’d be happy to have some hay to lay on for a few nights. I’m not gonna lie and say I’m not exhausted, but I don’t want to stay here longer than I have to, better to take the fight to them before they can overrun us, I’d wager.” The shaman tried to put some weight on his leg, and Donovan could see the pain on his face. It was moments like this that he wished he’d picked up some healing skill from his mother. A good staff would probably mend that wound perfectly.
“Couple of questions. These aren’t bandits or wolves; are the rumors true, have the undead actually spread so far from Ostia and Laus? I’ve never fought anything like that, anything you can tell me about how to face that kind of monster would be very much appreciated. Second, how many fighters do we have on hand right now, can we even mount an offensive without leaving the town completely vulnerable? Lastly, since we’re going to be fighting with each other, I think I should know who my companions are.”
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Synkkis Kyyneltya
Shaman
"Strange... I had no brace for the aberrant nature of this power."
Posts: 170
Profession: Mercenary Tactician
Affinity: Dark
Profile: Synkkis
OoC Alias: Cyril/Lucien/Landrik/Freya
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Post by Synkkis Kyyneltya on Apr 7, 2015 15:42:30 GMT -6
The snow-haired man sympathized with the mercenary as for his fatigue. The mountains were no simple feat to cross and the stress of constant attack during the nights could drive anyone to a restless state and pained senses. "I'd prefer if I had everyone in top shape when we move out. We will wait one more day, but I pray it doesn't cost us any initiative." the tactician worried, looking up to the smokey mountains with eyes keen to pick up any detail through the fog.
Answering the swordsman's questions, he only offered figures and theories as what was really going on was still as murky as the mountain peaks above them. "It's only what I can guess, but these dead men have no weakness to minor injuries or worrying about heights or the weather as we do in our self-preservation. This isn't a very populated range with good reason, so even a small band of these monsters can cause big problems." He really didn't know how many lances they had to bear onto the enemy with anyone who had appeared in the village, but Synkkis was banking on the Pegasi to be their edge and advantage. With these thoughts, he nodded to the man and woman and returned to his watching post.
--
With the skies darkened with such a thick overcast, the day was cut short as a flurry approached and scouting was made nigh impossible. The disjointed party spent their night in the small village, plugging holes in the walls of their huts to keep the sharp wind of their quarters. In the barn a modest fire burned with Synkkis resting in the corner, buried in a pile of old hay. As dawn slowly crept bringing the new day the skies cleared completely, bringing security and comforted nerves to the wounded shaman.
Any wandering souls would've been able to find the purple-cloaked man sat upon the Elder's fur pelts eating a simple, yet hearty breakfast of bread and a slab of salted ham.
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Lynessa
Manakete
"I am glad Ilia doesn't have summer..."
Posts: 92
Profession: Tavern owner, housewife
Affinity: Ice
Dragon Element: Ice
OoC Alias: Mana
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Post by Lynessa on Apr 19, 2015 17:06:23 GMT -6
"How blunt you are..." Lynessa narrowed her eyes as she glared at the orange brute. Well, his answer was quite unexpected. So he was a looter, although it would be too early to see him as a bad guy. The dragon lady couldn't blame him. This village's defense was far from adequate, no wonder he had expected the worst. Still, he probably didn't need to blurt it like that, at least not in front of the poor Kylikki. Lynessa seemed to calm down a bit when Borgus tried to explain with proper wording and appreciation for the villagers' survival. She still looked annoyed but he had successfully escaped her wrath.
"Your aid....Anyone's aid will be appreciated by the villagers. But, I am unsure about payment. The circumstances have been harsh for the villagers, you know, they may not have enough riches to compensate your...service." Lynessa could understand that not everyone would come as volunteers or noble heroes to this dangerous region. Some sellswords would seek opportunity to get some gold. The problem was...She doubted the village had enough fund to hire those mercenaries. "But that's just my opinion, I guess you need to go to elder, Erkki, if you wish you discuss your payment. He should be still in his house now." Lynessa spent the next few seconds to carefully explain the direction toward Erkki,'s house. She didn't show it but she felt doubtful that the elder would appreciate help from someone who had originally planned to raid his destroyed village.
From the corner of her eyes, Lynessa spotted the scared Kylikki seemed to find her cheerfulness back. The violet-haired woman chose to let the young maiden greet the new guy as she stayed and conversed with Borgus. "I guess that's all. Now please excuse me," she said to Borgus as she started leaving.
"Oh...By the way, if the elder refuse your help or something, I will be the one to hire you. Don't worry about by the payment, I have some money," she said before finally leaving. Despite her initial dislike for the man, she had judged that Borgus had the muscles to fight those monsters so his help was necessary.
-----------------
Another night had passed without major incident. Lynessa got up from her comfortable hay bed, feeling more refreshed than yesterday. She then went to where Synkkis should be sleeping but instead found the shaman was already awake and ready. "Good morning," she greeted him as she approached him, rubbing her sleepy eyes. The violet-haired woman sat across him and stared at the fire between them. The beautiful red flame danced as it brought out warmness. The dragoness didn't actually need it because she was already resistant to cold, though.
"So...about our "reinforcements"...What do you think about them?"
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Bones
Brigand
RETIRED
Posts: 97
Profession: Bandit
Affinity: Fire
OoC Alias: Butorega
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Post by Bones on Apr 28, 2015 21:26:30 GMT -6
Bones walked into the village like so many others. She wanted to kill some biters and get some loot. However the village was still here and the people were still kicking. It was a bomber, but that was life. When you get your hopes up for something you are usually let down. With her battle axe on her shoulder and her cherry blossom pink hair blowing in the wind Bones made her way to the local tavern or she thought she was. The village was out in the sticks and no matter how she looked at it the place was simply a glorified mud hole with a few houses sticking up. Even the smallest village in Bern was bigger than this place. The maiden made a note to never come here on a raid. You were better off hunting down travelers than trying to get loot out of a small village like this. "Well lets see if I can find somebody to sell me some booze", spoke Bones as she began to walk around.
On her rout to find strong spirits Bones came by a man dressed in bizarre clothing and a maiden with light lavender hair. The man, she passed over. The woman however caused her to stop. She remembered her from somewhere, but could not put her finger on it. Finally Bones curiosity got the better of her as she walked over to the two people enjoying the new morning.
"Excuse me, but who are you", spoke Bones as rudely as ever as she stared down at the maiden. Her axe, still stained with the blood of her last victim, hung over her shoulder and gave the war maiden a enhanced look of barbarism. Though she could not compare to the shaman who had a look that was out of place as a pine come in a desert.
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Post by Donovan on Apr 30, 2015 11:52:06 GMT -6
Donovan nodded at the shaman's suggestion to take the day off before heading out to take care of the monster threat. As much as he’d like to stay in these mountains as little as possible, he knew he might drop from exhaustion if he didn’t get some sleep soon. Whatever came the next few days, he would have to be in top shape to survive.
The mercenary walked away from the shaman and headed back to Grev, who’d just finished bartering with the village elder over staying in someone’s home. George was standing by the caravan looking sullen. It seemed that he wasn’t happy about staying in this town, though Donovan couldn’t blame him.
“Grev, I have decided to stay in this village to help them fight off this threat. I know that you want to get moving, but if we were to keep going forward, those creatures in the mountains would kill us all. The safest thing for you and your family will be to stay here.”
“So while you are away hunting phantoms, I’ll be left here alone to guard the goods?” George looked at Donovan with distain, but the mercenary shrugged it off. After all, for the first time since he took to the road, he was making a choice that felt truly just and honest, even if he was getting some compensation for it down the road.
“We all have to do what we have to, if not hate what we see in our reflection. Just so happens that I need to not leave these innocent people defenseless. I’m going to bed. If I don’t get some sleep soon, I’ll pass out standing up.” The mercenary left his crew and went to the barn house. He found a nice pile of hay and got some much needed rest.
Donovan woke up at the first sound of noise, just after dawn. A beautiful woman with lavender hair had approached the Shaman, and was asking about the new group. Rather than interrupt and risk not hearing the man’s opinion, the mercenary decided he should just pretend to still be asleep.
But when a woman with a bloody axe came upon the small group, the mercenary’s hand went to his sword.
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Ravvus Wiseau
Mage
We will not stop until I have bested you at least once. My pride simply won't allow any alternative.
Posts: 207
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Ravvus/Luba/Rowan
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Post by Ravvus Wiseau on May 7, 2015 18:29:24 GMT -6
Ravvus continued waving the fire disk above his orange cloth. He patted the windbreaker down with his free hand, feeling for wet spots. Some areas were less damp than others. Good. That was when someone broke Ravvus' concentration. ”Hey there!” Someone said in an apprehensive, yet friendly manner. The unexpected interruption broke Ravvus' concentration. The ball of heat in his hand jerked, as if being pulled upon from above, and then dispersed. The blond mage blinked, a little spooked. He turned his attention to the source of this interruption. There, standing near the light-wielding brute and light-blue haired maiden, was a small girl. She seemed friendly enough, but more than a little uncomfortable. Given that there was a big brute standing so close to her, Ravvus could hardly blame her. The blond mage glanced at the little girl and then at the stoic woman. She was still in talks, so Ravvus figured it wouldn't hurt to show the child some attention. ”Hello there, little one.” The blond mage noticed the little girl staring at his anima tome. He gave her a warm smile and held up the anima book. ”Anima magic. Lets you summon fireballs, icicles, bolts of lightning. Whatever you happen to fancy.” He turned the book over, allowing the girl to examine every inch of it.. “Have you ever see one of these before?”
Out of the corner of his eye, Ravvus noticed the woman with light-blue hair began to walk away. Ah, a chance was presenting itself. Ravvus turned his head so that the stern woman would be in the center of his gaze. What he saw disappointed him. A brigand, much the same in appearance to the brutish man, was now garnering the woman's attention. Bother. At this rate, Ravvus would never confront the undead menace. Perhaps seeking this woman's counsel was improper. The blond mage turned his attention back to the little girl who had approached him. “Excuse me, girl. But do you know where I might find the uh... the mayooor?" Ravvus didn't actually know what kind of official headed this town. "or governooor... or patriaaarch of this town?”
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Lynessa
Manakete
"I am glad Ilia doesn't have summer..."
Posts: 92
Profession: Tavern owner, housewife
Affinity: Ice
Dragon Element: Ice
OoC Alias: Mana
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Post by Lynessa on May 26, 2015 12:33:40 GMT -6
The shaman was awfully quiet this morning. Was he still half-asleep? Or maybe he was too engrossed to the breakfast so he didn't hear Lynessa greeting him? Realizing she wouldn't get quick response, the dragoness returned her gaze back at the fire and sighed.
Lynessa finally noticed a young man in green outfit sleeping not far from her place. She didn't remember seeing him in the past week so he couldn't be a villager. She was quite certain she had memorized all of the villagers' names or faces, there weren't many of them anyway so it wasn't difficult. "Maybe Synkkis recruited someone yesterday? He definitely doesn't look like random weak guy. Also, he is armed..." she thought, staring at his sword. Well, it was a good thing to have someone with weapon helping with the defense. Actually, if it was up to her, it was enough to have a few helpers guarding the village so she could set out on her own to the mountain without having to worry about the village. It would be much easier if she was alone when she rampaged against those dead walkers.
"Excuse me, but who are you"
It was a strange morning indeed. The question was kinda unusual. People didn't usually approach someone and ask for name. It was a pink-haired woman who came and blurt out the question. Honestly...she was quite rude. But what more important than her question was the person itself. "Pardon...?" Lynessa replied confusedly as she looked at Bones. Lynessa noticed the familiar smell that came from the axewoman...blood...but she didn't have time to think about it because she got a feeling that they had met somewhere, which had distracted her. The name of the rude woman wasn't in memory so the ice dragon assumed they weren't friends or acquintances. Maybe she simply forgot. "The name is Lynessa...but who are you? I don't remember ever knowing you?" she returned the question back to the female bandit..
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Bones
Brigand
RETIRED
Posts: 97
Profession: Bandit
Affinity: Fire
OoC Alias: Butorega
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Post by Bones on Jun 1, 2015 11:45:35 GMT -6
"Sorry, but you look familiar", spoke Bones as she stared at Lynessa. The maiden was wracking her mind trying to find out where the two of them had meet each other, but she could not remember for the life of her. "The name is Bones", she spoke giving the maiden her name. She saw no harm in it. It was not like she was wanted or anything. Or at least she did not think she was. For all she knew she could be wanted in some backwater county of Bern.
Suddenly there was another guy. A fool who moved to draw his sword. At first Bones was a bit bewildered by his actions, but after reaffirming her grip on her weapon Bones remembered it was stained with blood. However that did not stop Bones from preparing for battle. "Bad move kid", spoke Bones as she looked Donovan. "Come any closer with that sword and I will split your skull with my axe. I don't know what gotten panties into a bundle, but you are going to regret it."
The statement was a lie. Bones knew full well why he was so on edge. However she really did not care. He had no reason to draw his sword or to even motion like it. The blood was not fresh and there were no screams of terror. Actually if you think about it everyone should have there weapons out. The village was under attack by the undead. Only fools sit around and watch as there lives are held in the balance. This is why Bones hated civilians. They were soft, weak, and had no fighting spirit. Bones grew up under the idea of survival of the fittest. Through might you maintain your position in the gang. Through might you eat your next meal and live to see another day. Such lazy life style would only breed weakness and weakness meant death. Similar to the fate of the fool that dared to draw his weapon against her.
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Post by Donovan on Jun 1, 2015 15:15:35 GMT -6
Donovan rubbed his head casually as he “woke up”, suddenly acting like he was very confused. To all around him, he’d appeared dead asleep, his hand merely resting on his undrawn sword. This large woman with her bloody axe was very angry, she seemed like the type that constantly looked for a fight. Which is not the kind of person Donovan could be bothered with at the moment, and frankly, this new hostile individual made his mind doubt the validity of staying in this village even more. He wasn’t looking to be a hero, he couldn’t afford that. The mercenary just needed to survive and bring some money home for his family.
Using his highly refined skill as a liar, he took his hand off of his sword’s hilt nonchalantly, as if he hadn’t even realized it was resting there in the first place, and pulled himself up onto his elbows, looking at the women with groggy eyes. “What’s going on?” He said in the exhausted voice of a teenager waking up earlier than they thought possible, then he looked up at the brigand and seemed to see her for the first time. “Hi there!” He yawed, “Are you here to help us out with the undead?” He rubbed his face as if to try to wake it, and then smiled with the most genuine goodhearted-kid smile. “Sorry if I slept through anything, I haven’t gotten any rest on the road. This is the first night’s sleep I’ve gotten in a week at least!” Giving up on the chance to hear the shaman’s opinion on the crew, Donovan stood up and stretched, making sure to give the Brigand a wide berth so as to not come off as a threat.
Then the mercenary heard something he didn’t like at all. Grev was outside packing up the cart. The mercenary grabbed his equipment and ran out of the building before anyone could get another word in. Grev was outside, tying down the last of the packages to the wagon. Donovan began to yell at the man, but was cut off by George who pulled him quickly aside and whispered earnestly.
“Listen, kid. I get that you want to stay. I get that you want to help these people. I do too. But we have a job to finish. And you’re in over your head. I know you have everyone else fooled. But you aren’t a fighter yet. I know it. You know it. You have a way with words, but right now, if you tried to join this fight, you would die. That’s all there is to it. So you need to finish the job you started, come with us now, and live. Or at the very least have a shot at it.”
Donovan looked at the merchant’s family, the young kid who wouldn’t stand a chance out in the woods without some protection. He turned to George and nodded. Together, they caught up to the wagon as it rolled away from the town. Looking back at the poorly protected village, Donovan hoped he would never feel so ashamed again.
[Exit Thread]
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Ravvus Wiseau
Mage
We will not stop until I have bested you at least once. My pride simply won't allow any alternative.
Posts: 207
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Ravvus/Luba/Rowan
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Post by Ravvus Wiseau on Jun 1, 2015 19:28:17 GMT -6
As the mage awaited the small girl's response, he observed the surrounding area. Ravvus surmised that Skaven didn't have much in the form of militia. The mayor might have a few body guards sure, but as far as police forces went Skaven was lacking. There were no armed guards patrolling the streets or posted as sentries. The only military force the village had to speak of were the motley mercenaries trickling into the village. It was uncanny just how many people seemed interested in the city's preservation. Skaven was a complete and utter backwater as far as villages went. The mercenaries would receive no great compensation for doing the duty of protecting the weak. And Ravvus doubted that the majority of them were as mad as him and were actively seeking out the undead. In spite of this, he'd seen at least four other sellswords seeking to defend Skaven.
Perhaps the influx of mercenaries was simply a mark of inspiration. Evidence that when the lives of the weak are in danger, the strong shall shield them. That there were things more important than money or fame. That the preservation of life was a call for everyone to heed. That in this wasteland which supposedly no one cared for, a great many people would lay down their lives for the sake of people they had never even met. An inspiring sentiment.
But that was all it was, a sentiment. Ravvus overheard the mercenaries threatening one another. He remembered the brutish man who had only come for gold. He stared at the small girl before him, the girl with neither the body nor the training to defend herself from the horrors outside Skaven's walls. And he knew that the sentiment was all these people had. The motley force was not prepared to engage the undead. They weren't even capable of it. They might put up a good fight. They might even kill a fair number of the shambling horrors, but they would not prevail. Skaven was lost.
Not that the blonde mage cared for the fate of the village. The only thing in the world he desired right now was a fight with the undead. He wanted to test his magics against their unearthly bodies. He wanted to see the fruits of his training and cut the dead down. But, ironically, he would not be able to do that in Skaven. The village was making no real attempt to eradicate the undead threat. And lingering in the village longer would merely be a waste of time.
Ravvus glanced at the little girl before him, realizing that leaving the village meant leaving her to her fate. ”Actually, forget what I said kid.” The mage turned to leave, but kept eye contact with the little girl. ”Hey, don't let this place be your grave. A village isn't worth dying over. A child like you still has a lot to live for.” Ravvus took a half step forward and ruffled her hair. ”Get out or hide, but whatever happens make sure you stay alive, ok?” Ravvus stared at her for moment, with what could only be interpreted as pity or empathy. With a sober gaze, Ravvus turned his head and began to leave the village. He did not care for the fate of the village. But he did hope that that little girl survived. The mage had softness for kids like her. Female children had a tendency to remind him of his youth, back when he had to protect his little sister. If that little girl had, in fact, been his sister, then Ravvus might have put aside his personal goals and stayed to defend the village.
[Ravvus exits thread.]
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Lynessa
Manakete
"I am glad Ilia doesn't have summer..."
Posts: 92
Profession: Tavern owner, housewife
Affinity: Ice
Dragon Element: Ice
OoC Alias: Mana
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Post by Lynessa on Jun 4, 2015 7:52:10 GMT -6
Lynessa wondered. If Bones thought she looked familiar, they might have truly met somewhere. It was normal for the ice dragon to forget her meeting with Bones. She never had a clear look of the brigand's face in that chaotic day, and their battle at that time was very short as well, so although she could feel the familiarity, it would need more than this to make her remember. This spurred her curiosity and the other woman seemed to feel the same. Maybe they should have a friendly chat after this...who knows...they might become good friends.
It was quite disheartening to see how people could be so aggressive. Lynessa never noticed that Donovan had only pretended to sleep but Bones seemed to be pretty sharp, she managed to see the guy secretly resting his hand on his sword. She didn't take it well however, probably seeing his movement as a threat. The axewoman responded to the situation with another threat of her own, which said with intimidating tone of a fearsome warrior. Good grief... Couldn't they just have a relaxed morning and some hot coffee? The village didn't need an infighting between their protectors. Lynessa never had a chance to interrupt them because Donovan soon woke up then left the women after asking questions and making excuse for his overslept. Had Bones scared him?
Lynessa shook her head in disappointment. "Sorry but...I think you was overreacting. Maybe his hand resting on his weapon was simply a coincidence, you know...," she said. Well, it wasn't like she didn't understand that anyone would feel agitated for their safety if a stranger with a bloody axe in hand and rude behavior standing next to them. By the way....bloody axe? Okay, it began to sound a bit...dangerous. The ice dragon looked at the female brigand and her axe. "By the way, is that blood from killing the undead?" Lynessa asked casually, trying to hide her worry.
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Bones
Brigand
RETIRED
Posts: 97
Profession: Bandit
Affinity: Fire
OoC Alias: Butorega
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Post by Bones on Jun 11, 2015 12:30:59 GMT -6
"Pshaw, whatever", spoke Bones as the young man removed his hand from his sword. The fool acted as if he had no intention of attacking, but to Bones it was simply a excuse. The maiden was already on edge a bit. Life as a brigand was hard enough, but this area was a lot more dangerous than others with the undead around. "The blood on my axe", spoke Bones as she looked at her bloodstained weapon. "No", she spoke giving a simple answer to the question. "Undead don't bleed red, or at least the ones I have slain. This blood comes from a man. A fool who thought himself skilled enough to rob me on the road. You may not know it, but the chaos in this region has brought out some of the more shady characters. Pickpockets, Brigands, Looters, and even sellswords roam the region. Everyone of them looking for a bone. The thief saw me as a mark and as a result he ended up dead", spoke Bones as she began to walk away a bit.
The truth of the matter was not that the thief saw her as a mark, but she had seen him as one. Skillfully he stole a few gold coins away from some travelers and was making his way out of the region. However he did not know that Bones had been stalking him the entire time. When he turned a corner Bones ambushed him and placed her axe in his skull. Now the sum of gold he had been collecting was now Bones. Instinctively Bones touched her coin purse and felt the extra weight. This place was truly a representation of the world she lived in. Survival of the fittest. The weak die and the strong survive, the very basic law of nature.
"Well I am out of here", spoke the maiden suddenly. "This world runs on survival of the fittest. If these villagers can not defend themselves from the undead then they do not deserve to live. The fact that you are styaing here and aiding them only allows for them to become even weaker. Eventually this village will be whipped out. Either you will be here dying with them or you will leave and they will die alone, but the weak always die that is the law of this world." With that Bones walked out the town. She had better things to do than sit around protect these weaklings. They were better off becoming zombie food.
[Bones leaves thread]
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