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Prologue, 20 May (part one, meeting Lord Malius, getting dinner):
DM62: Miter, Rowenna, and Vand are among early arrivals at Lord Malius' forward military camp. The Battle of Tillshire was a costly affair for all, and the Braxilian forces and allies are roaming the field of the slain, gathering up their dead to be sent south for proper burial. Lord Malius learned early in the war that the Masters were not above converting the recently slain Braxilians into new recruits for their armies. Lord Malius is standing near a rather large orc and a robed kitsune, observing the field of the dead with a somber expression.
Jaeger Vand rode in, mounted atop a very big white wolf, swinging off it as she awaits to be addressed by the perimeter guards, and a chance to get Roland off to somewhere to rest and be fed. The faceless helmet turned to scan the camp, assessing it. Or not, it was hard to tell with nothing to look at but the strange wave like designs on the armor.
Rowenna was never fond of using her affliction in large battles and she was lucky she wasn't around to take part. She had plenty of weapons to deal with enemies, living or undead and she had no need to bloody her claws needlessly. She'd march in shortly after the woman on th wolf arrived, a little curious she had a wolf large enough to ride.
Miter: A loud clattering echos into the camp, at first the sight of which being hard to disern through the bustle of troops, serfs, and other personel of war. Eventually, the small goblin manages to pushes through a spot in the ranks, her heaping bag of parts and junk protesting as it squeezes between a pair of shields. She huffs a bit, a few strands of her hair bouncing higher than usual as her pouting lips showed tiny tusks from her lower jaw. Miter glances around, giving some admittedly lecherous appraisals of the front of some of the soldier's trousers before shaking her head again. Seeing the two arriving figures that stood out, she moved rapidly to follow them, jingling all the way from her gear bag.
DM62: The sentries are human axe knights, who raise their axes at Braxil's approach. "Sorry, Vand. Need to remove your helmet before you meet with the Lord Malius. Can't have these sneaky Underfell sorts getting close without an invitation." They raise their eyebrows at the approach of the Valhal and the goblin, but are primarily focused on the helmeted knight.
*at Vand's approach*
Vand: "Hah, am I that distinctive an appearence? Or perhaps my reputation has preceded me! Well, no matter, I'll honor your request.," she says, reaching up and removing the helmet, revealing a blue haired woman with tanned skin, wearing a choker with a snowflake. She grins at them, "Sufficient, I would hope? After all, if you know me, you should know my face at least. Where can Roland get some seeing too, he's had a long run. Not often a Jaeger is requested by name you know."
Miter: The goblin twitches an ear, mumbling to herself at being stuck in the back of the line because she snuck in. With no idea who the other two are, the greenskin figits, pulling a wrench and spinning it idly in a hand.
DM62: The other guard shrugs. "Not every day we get a wolf-rider in armor. We had an idea you were coming." The other guard shakes his head. "Aye, but we needed to see her face to be sure it wasn't some crafty deception." "You're paranoid." "You're careless." The massive orc walks over to the group. "Shut up, you two. Adventurers answering the summons, eh? You're a bit early, but you might as well come and meet Lord Malius and Simone. I'm Chu'Gris." He snorts, leading the group over to Lord Malius, who turns from the battlefield to face the new arrivals with a somewhat weary expression.
Miter: The orc's remark makes the goblin perk up a little. "Oooooh, so THIS is where ya wound up! Everyone back in Sprocket figured you fled the lynch mobs anyway, probably for the best!" she babbles with all the tact of a Kaiju Snurfler as she bounces after the rest.
Vand: "Technically I'm a mercenary, but sure, we'll call it that. Hm?," says Vand, looking back behind her at the others. "Ah, fellow soldiers of fortune hm? Guess we'll have to wait for invitations." She heads over, bringing Roland with since she doesn't know where to send him as of yet. The goblins babbling made her curious, but it didn't seem the moment for that sort of thing.
Rowenna: "I had heard the stories, Chu'Gris, but I never thought I'd see you in person. Guess this world is full of surprises after all." She adjusted her pack, her gear clattering around inside. Seemed like she was carrying her entire life in her pack.
DM62: The orc sighs. "Sometimes fame turns into infamy. I'd tell you to ask Lady Malgra about that, but... yeah, nevermind." Lord Malius looks at the orc, not without sympathy, then turns to the party. "Greetings. I'm Regulus Malius. We... we won an important victory here today. Saved our food supply, saved lots of farmers. And there's something of an oddity, this time... the undead have offered to treat with us at a spot about five miles north of the battlefield, tomorrow. They've never called for negotiations before this."
Vand: "Jaeger Vand of the Frostwolves. You called, I answered. And the fees have already been processed by high command, so you;ve got me til you discharge me.," says Vand, standing straight and bringing a fist to her heart with her right arm, while running it in a circle, "What do you need? Escort? Scout out? Overwatch? Espionage?"
Miter takes a glance at the table and frowns a little, tossing her bag onto the floor with a overwhelming clatter. With a quick rummage through it, she soon produces what first looks to be a twisted ring of scrap, that she quickly tugs open into a makeshift stool. Adding a piece of metal as a final touch, she then hauls herself level with the table, leaving the junk on the floor for now. "Obviously they got something up. Give me a hour or two, I could rig something up to make the place inhospitable..." she talked, her tone somewhat cheery even when speaking of mass destruction.
Vand glances at Miter, seeming to be studying her curiously. Interesting. She turned her attention to Rowenna next, studying her.
Rowenna: "Rowenna Sheridan. Hunter from the Northlands. That's...I guess that's all you need to know really." She was hesitant to say much else at this point, wanting them to believe she was just a simple merc. "Seems sudden the MAsters would want to negotiate after all of this. Maybe they've finally seen that human will is not easily broken and our race can nly be pushed so far."
DM62: "It's possible that it's a trick, certainly. Normally I'd be asking you to assist our forces in the field, acting as scouts and saboteurs... but given recent events, yes, I'd like you to act as escorts." The kitsune, dark-haired and dressed in a green robe, walks over to the group as well. She seems to have an Eastern blade hanging on her hip... a katana, for those familiar with the weapon. She gives the group a short, polite bow. Chu'Gris nods. "Like you all to meet Simone... she's a swordsman from the Dragonkin Empire. A... kensai... that's the term for them." Simone scans the new arrivals politely. "Hello."
Miter: "Nice ears!" the goblin remarks with a cheeky grin and a fingerpoint at the kitsune. Otherwise, she doesn't remark much to the comments at hand, though her minds focus on things ahead.
Vand: Kitsune. Well that complicated things a little, but such was life. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kensai Simone.," nods Vand. She looks a bit amused as she glances at Miter. "Well you're full of comments. What's your name then?"
Miter: "Call me Miter! Just a humble tinker, m'lady!" the goblin woman comments.
Rowenna: "Now that's a land I've only hurt stories and legends about. An honor to met you, Lady Simone." The warrior would go into a bow before standing back at attention. "So we'll be pulling escort then? Are we to stand near the meeting place in the event of deception? Or must we e out of earshot?"
Vand: "A pleasure, Miter.," grins Vand, looking over to Rowenna, "If I had to pick, I;d prefer that up close we have those best capable of shielding our employer from all kinds of attacks, while having those best able to clear a path of escape holing back in the rearguard."
Vand: "And someone good at spotting deadfalls and other such traps sweeping the area an hour before arrival."
DM62: Chu'Gris shrugs. "We'll be accompanying Lord Malius when he heads up to the meeting spot tomorrow morning. I suppose one or two people arriving early to search for traps would not be a bad idea... though if the undead really want to surprise us, they do have the spectres."
Vand: "Yes, but we;ve got a kitsune. You don't stop having a soul, cus you are a soul.," smirks Vand, "If you're up for it, Kensai Simone."
Miter: "I mean, this is just a bunch of zombies, right? I was on navel duty last time those walkers showed up before, so like a couple of rowdy peasents with a few torches shoulda solved this problem already, shouldn't it?" Miter asks, tilting her head and giving a shrug.
Vand: "Do you mean you were on a ship, or that you were divining the secret of the universe form your belly button?"
Miter: "Fixing up a ship after Braxil got done setting it on fire, actually, but wasn't going THAT much detail considering current company," she grumbles a little, again looking pouty at having to bring up THAT war.
Vand: "I'm certain any animosity over previous events has been set aside, given our current company.," says Vand, looking to Chu' Gris and back.
Rowenna: "Fair enough then. I'd be surprised if a woman of such technical ability would be doing a task so juvenile and trite." She had a good laugh before focusing on the matter at hand. "So check for potential traps. Wouldn't hurt. But what about now? Any urgent task you have for us at te moment or are we free to explore the camp and assist in smaller tasks?"
Vand: "Roland demands dindin."
DM62: Chu'Gris grunts. "I think I'd rather FORGET about that war." The kitsune shrugs. "I cannot fight spectres... but I can see them coming." Lord Malius nods. "For now, feel free to grab some food and get to know each other. We're still gathering our dead and licking our wounds. We won't be leaving until the morning."
Miter: With a nod, the goblin hops off her makeshift stool and shoves the parts back in the bag of junk, quiet for a moment as she fights with the parts in there to get it all stable.
Vand: "Seeing is what matters, Kensai Simone.," grins Vand, "Leave the immolating to myself. If you lack a soul rending slash, I'm sure a more magical method may be far better equipped to dealing with it." She nods to Lord Malius, doing her salute again. "You got it, milord. Where can I get food for Roland. He's ready to chew my arm off. Uh... You need a hand, Miter?"
Rowenna: "Might set up my own tent later. Maybe grab a meal. Running low on rations and I wasn't sure how much longer I could last." She was of the same mind as Vand, in terms of food. "Roland eat alot, Lady Vand? He seems like he does, being as big as he is."
Miter: "Nah, I'm good!" the goblin pipes up, before the junk pack is back on her back with a bit more metal compaints. "Good thing about having gotten a few litters out early, perfect counterweight for all this crap!" Her lewdish remarks are common but she's not going out of her way about it.
DM62: Chu'Gris grins. "I'll walk you lot to the chow line, and get you in some tents for the night. They probably have some raw meat your hungry wolf can enjoy, too." Lord Malius gives another nod, then turns as another officer arrives, speaking about medical logistics. The food is mostly vegetables from the nearby farms, but there are some pieces of meat for the wolf.
Vand: "Excellent, much obliged. He's a growing boy, yes he is.," grins Vand, hugging the wolfs neck and nuzzling into it, before smirking at Miter. "Active lifestyle huh? I can dig it. I'm more quality over quantity myself but Whatever gets your motor runnin' right?" She only gets a few vegetables herself as she takes a seat at a table, Roland lying beside it, gnawing on the meat. "Cmon, sit down guys, if we're working toghether we outta know each other. Who the fuck else is gonna remember us if we don't make it but out comrades?"
Miter: The goblin follows, with a quiet rattling of her pack all the way to the food line. "I'm a goblin, what do you expect?!? Even with high breed rates half of us don't survive our first firework!" Miter replies in mock disdain. "Don't think that stuff now though, grabbed a few special herbs to help mitigate that. If someone out here's looking for me out of all the tinkers, I need my head in the game." She looks a bit disdainfully at the offerings for food. "Ich, rabbit food..." she mumbles, looking much like a kid offered a salad, but she sighs and grabs a few carrots.
Vand: "Better than nothing.,"smiles Vand wryly, "Funny, I heard tell goblins were nigh invulnerable. But I admit to limited experience. But nothing wrong with breeding. I just am in an occupation where I can't afford to be spreading the love and the offspring all over the planet. High command would have my head."
Rowenna would attempt to secure a piece of meat for herself, even asking for it to be cooked lightly. She had to admit, she was feeling the craving and the veggies wouldn't do the trick. She'd sit back and listen to the conversation between the goblin and the human, geting a good bit of a chuckle out of it. "You get use to eating sparse, Lady Miter. I've spent a good while on the road and I was use to eating roots and berries for a while. Even when I ot meat I tried to ration it."
DM62: The kitsune accompanies the group to the chow line, getting a cup of hot water and a small bowl of vegetables. She produces a small bag, putting herbs into the hot water to mix up tea, which she sips. "It's better food than these troops have seen for most of the war... in that sense, we were lucky to end up at Tillshire." Chu'Gris ends up heading back to the command tent, to help coordinate the next day's events.
Vand: "Exactly. So I wouldn't complain too much. Always others who'll be happy to have your share.," smiles Vand, "So, rowenna. You an independent merc or are you a company girl?"
Miter: The goblin shrugs a bit at the questions about her people. "When one gets a racial reputation like that, it encourages the survivors. Being small and somewhat prolific has the downside that in times of strife you wind up as the expendables..." Her usual happy look seems to sour for a bit before she again focuses on cheerful tones, cracking apart half a carrot. "True, not field rations!"
Rowenna: "Independent. Left my village and wanted to see what sort of fortune the south held." She picked up her sliver of meat bare handed, biting into it with some vigor and tearing off a piece.
Vand: "Here to prove em wrong then? I can respect that. Nobody's expendable, and fuck anyone who says otherwise.," says Vand firmly, before her attention goes back to Rowenna, "That right? I can't place your accent. Mountain lady I take it? How much wartime experience you got?"
Rowenna: "Valhalian actually. And I can't say I have much war experience but my people are skilled hunters and I wanted to see if my old trade would work well in a new land."
Miter: She shrugs. "Well, after the Braxil invasion screwed up, they stuck me to drydock instead of launching rocks, so I guess that was a improvement. And not to mention the many times people tried to stick me in a pillow for a sidefuck, so that's a reputation," she adds with a wry smile. She does peer towards the other woman, raising an eyebrow at the mention of location. "Nevah heard of it," she admits.
Vand pauses, frowning a bit, before nodding. "Me neither. Sounds like something I'd name a valley, heh. Well, war and hunting aren't much alike, but the skills can be helpful. How far away can you hit a moving target, and how fast can you output arrows?" She looks to Miter, chuckling, "Sounds like a good time. Landing n a public pillory has it's fun adventures, but fuck does it put a kink in ones neck."
Rowenna: "It's a land far to the north on the peak of the world. Lots of great beasts and monsters. My people are a hardy lot to be sure. I mean, we have to be to survive in those conditions and against things like Mountain trolls" She said without much of a bragging tone in her voice. She was being very matter of fact about it. "Though I must say...you have very interesting ideas on a good time."
Vand smiles wryly, "Sounds like a story book, but I'll believe you where others won't. As for a good time, well first off, we're in a world where almost everything fucks everything else. And probably can even interbreed with it. If we weren't meant to, the goddesses wouldn't have made em that way, right? As for the pillory, it's something new. Something you learn fast in the merc life, newblood, is that you can die. Anytime. And in the end, the people who'll miss you is those who survive you and knew you. So best way to leave behind a good impact is to get close to others, and to enjoy life to the full hilt while you can. Cus it can end in jsut a snap. Everyone does it a bit differently. I like to form close bonds in bed myself. But loving life and loving yourself, best way to live the lifestyle. Otherwise stress and fear are liable to tear you apart long before some critter does."
Miter: The goblin's head tilts a little further as the Valhallian speaks, but she snaps out a little bit as they speak of her odd hobbies. "Yeah, Sprocket Port... Well, can't speak for the rest of the world, but it's a rowdy little coast, lemme tell ya! Organized chaos, and not just the stuff people like me hammer out occasionally..."
Vand: "Saw the stool. Fancy work. What all you got in there?"
Rowenna: "An understandable sentiment, Lady Vand. I honestly never considered that in my life before I left home. Especially considering I only had one real serious lover in the form of my husband." She sighed as she brought him up again, taking another chunk from the meat and finishing it off in a rather brutal fashion. "Forgive me. Long story."
Miter: "Quite literally this and that. It's like half of my junk drawer," she remarks about the bag full to larger than she was. "I find if you got enough junk, you're able to adept to anything, and so I brought it along with a few blueprints of some things I wanted to try if I got a chance."
Vand: "Got time if you wanna share. And if you don't, say no more. Lotta mercs take to this job to run from their pasts. Long as it doesn't interfere with the job, you can consider it a new start far as we're concerned. So it's your call. Chance to be a new you if you wanna take it. And if you want help, well, I'm always up for helping newbloods." She chuckles at Miter, "Can respect that. You were talking about building something to blow a whole region. You serious about that?"
Miter: "...Mostly hypothetical sadly," she admits. "Unless this place was willing to sacrifice the booze, and I'm sure that'd be a long stretch by most sapient life. I'm not an alchemist, I'm a tinker. I just do the outer works, not got the actual boom-boom... most the time. After all, someone figured this one out," she remarks, holding up a flintlock pistol that matched the other at her side. "Still, as I said, not uncommon for some of us to make fireworks in our spare time, make one big enough and I'm sure it'd set some grass on fire..."
Rowenna: "No...No...it's fine. I'd rather the past stay the past." She took a few moments to collect herself again, digging into the veggies she gathered for the remainder of her meal. "I'm out here for myself and my own reasons..."
Vand: "Too bad. Still, mechanical solutions are always helpful, and I'll be interested to see what you come up with... What are those things? Miniature Shillelagh?" She looks to Rowenna, smiling a bit, "Then it shall remain so. Heh, well if you want some combat training or just some stress relief, you can always talk to me Rowenna. You too, Miter, though imagine you got your own stress relief, eh?"
Miter: "Shillelagh? Is that some fancy-ass word for flintlock? Anyway, yeah, just a projectile launcher with a mini-explosion. Either way, speedy thing goes out one-handed." She shrugs. "All depends if I got the time to kick up some crazy plan, it's a good half and half if it works though, really..."
Vand: "It's a big stick with a knot on the head, basically a big club. Huh. That's new. Never seen something like that. How fast can it fire? How far?"
Miter: "One shot only I'm afraid, last time someone put a punch in at once it kinda... exploded." She shrugs. "Not like you usually fight stuff really far out, but yeah, it shoots these little metal balls really fast a few dozen feet or so."
Rowenna: "Huh. I just have a slightly older rifle. Nothing fancy mind you and I don't have the smarts to improve it. I just keep it in working order and make sure it survives another year." She patted her rifle, looking quite proud of the work she's done to keep it in one piece. "And I have some stress relief of my own but an extra hand is always welcome love." She'd tease.
Miter: "Not a bad patch job," the goblin admits with a bit of a grin. "Not as wild as goblin tech but hey, decent as hell."
Vand: "Interesting," she muses, before looking over, "You’ve got one too? Huh. Fascinating." She looks over with a grin, "Oh I got more than hands, love. I've got magic fingers. Among other things. I'd be happy to demonstrate. And it is pretty much policy for the new bloods to service the vets, and get shown the... Ropes. If you're brave enough, anyways. And bet Miter has a few things to work with. If you're up for joining in on some squad bonding, Miter?"
Jaeger Vand rode in, mounted atop a very big white wolf, swinging off it as she awaits to be addressed by the perimeter guards, and a chance to get Roland off to somewhere to rest and be fed. The faceless helmet turned to scan the camp, assessing it. Or not, it was hard to tell with nothing to look at but the strange wave like designs on the armor.
Rowenna was never fond of using her affliction in large battles and she was lucky she wasn't around to take part. She had plenty of weapons to deal with enemies, living or undead and she had no need to bloody her claws needlessly. She'd march in shortly after the woman on th wolf arrived, a little curious she had a wolf large enough to ride.
Miter: A loud clattering echos into the camp, at first the sight of which being hard to disern through the bustle of troops, serfs, and other personel of war. Eventually, the small goblin manages to pushes through a spot in the ranks, her heaping bag of parts and junk protesting as it squeezes between a pair of shields. She huffs a bit, a few strands of her hair bouncing higher than usual as her pouting lips showed tiny tusks from her lower jaw. Miter glances around, giving some admittedly lecherous appraisals of the front of some of the soldier's trousers before shaking her head again. Seeing the two arriving figures that stood out, she moved rapidly to follow them, jingling all the way from her gear bag.
DM62: The sentries are human axe knights, who raise their axes at Braxil's approach. "Sorry, Vand. Need to remove your helmet before you meet with the Lord Malius. Can't have these sneaky Underfell sorts getting close without an invitation." They raise their eyebrows at the approach of the Valhal and the goblin, but are primarily focused on the helmeted knight.
*at Vand's approach*
Vand: "Hah, am I that distinctive an appearence? Or perhaps my reputation has preceded me! Well, no matter, I'll honor your request.," she says, reaching up and removing the helmet, revealing a blue haired woman with tanned skin, wearing a choker with a snowflake. She grins at them, "Sufficient, I would hope? After all, if you know me, you should know my face at least. Where can Roland get some seeing too, he's had a long run. Not often a Jaeger is requested by name you know."
Miter: The goblin twitches an ear, mumbling to herself at being stuck in the back of the line because she snuck in. With no idea who the other two are, the greenskin figits, pulling a wrench and spinning it idly in a hand.
DM62: The other guard shrugs. "Not every day we get a wolf-rider in armor. We had an idea you were coming." The other guard shakes his head. "Aye, but we needed to see her face to be sure it wasn't some crafty deception." "You're paranoid." "You're careless." The massive orc walks over to the group. "Shut up, you two. Adventurers answering the summons, eh? You're a bit early, but you might as well come and meet Lord Malius and Simone. I'm Chu'Gris." He snorts, leading the group over to Lord Malius, who turns from the battlefield to face the new arrivals with a somewhat weary expression.
Miter: The orc's remark makes the goblin perk up a little. "Oooooh, so THIS is where ya wound up! Everyone back in Sprocket figured you fled the lynch mobs anyway, probably for the best!" she babbles with all the tact of a Kaiju Snurfler as she bounces after the rest.
Vand: "Technically I'm a mercenary, but sure, we'll call it that. Hm?," says Vand, looking back behind her at the others. "Ah, fellow soldiers of fortune hm? Guess we'll have to wait for invitations." She heads over, bringing Roland with since she doesn't know where to send him as of yet. The goblins babbling made her curious, but it didn't seem the moment for that sort of thing.
Rowenna: "I had heard the stories, Chu'Gris, but I never thought I'd see you in person. Guess this world is full of surprises after all." She adjusted her pack, her gear clattering around inside. Seemed like she was carrying her entire life in her pack.
DM62: The orc sighs. "Sometimes fame turns into infamy. I'd tell you to ask Lady Malgra about that, but... yeah, nevermind." Lord Malius looks at the orc, not without sympathy, then turns to the party. "Greetings. I'm Regulus Malius. We... we won an important victory here today. Saved our food supply, saved lots of farmers. And there's something of an oddity, this time... the undead have offered to treat with us at a spot about five miles north of the battlefield, tomorrow. They've never called for negotiations before this."
Vand: "Jaeger Vand of the Frostwolves. You called, I answered. And the fees have already been processed by high command, so you;ve got me til you discharge me.," says Vand, standing straight and bringing a fist to her heart with her right arm, while running it in a circle, "What do you need? Escort? Scout out? Overwatch? Espionage?"
Miter takes a glance at the table and frowns a little, tossing her bag onto the floor with a overwhelming clatter. With a quick rummage through it, she soon produces what first looks to be a twisted ring of scrap, that she quickly tugs open into a makeshift stool. Adding a piece of metal as a final touch, she then hauls herself level with the table, leaving the junk on the floor for now. "Obviously they got something up. Give me a hour or two, I could rig something up to make the place inhospitable..." she talked, her tone somewhat cheery even when speaking of mass destruction.
Vand glances at Miter, seeming to be studying her curiously. Interesting. She turned her attention to Rowenna next, studying her.
Rowenna: "Rowenna Sheridan. Hunter from the Northlands. That's...I guess that's all you need to know really." She was hesitant to say much else at this point, wanting them to believe she was just a simple merc. "Seems sudden the MAsters would want to negotiate after all of this. Maybe they've finally seen that human will is not easily broken and our race can nly be pushed so far."
DM62: "It's possible that it's a trick, certainly. Normally I'd be asking you to assist our forces in the field, acting as scouts and saboteurs... but given recent events, yes, I'd like you to act as escorts." The kitsune, dark-haired and dressed in a green robe, walks over to the group as well. She seems to have an Eastern blade hanging on her hip... a katana, for those familiar with the weapon. She gives the group a short, polite bow. Chu'Gris nods. "Like you all to meet Simone... she's a swordsman from the Dragonkin Empire. A... kensai... that's the term for them." Simone scans the new arrivals politely. "Hello."
Miter: "Nice ears!" the goblin remarks with a cheeky grin and a fingerpoint at the kitsune. Otherwise, she doesn't remark much to the comments at hand, though her minds focus on things ahead.
Vand: Kitsune. Well that complicated things a little, but such was life. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kensai Simone.," nods Vand. She looks a bit amused as she glances at Miter. "Well you're full of comments. What's your name then?"
Miter: "Call me Miter! Just a humble tinker, m'lady!" the goblin woman comments.
Rowenna: "Now that's a land I've only hurt stories and legends about. An honor to met you, Lady Simone." The warrior would go into a bow before standing back at attention. "So we'll be pulling escort then? Are we to stand near the meeting place in the event of deception? Or must we e out of earshot?"
Vand: "A pleasure, Miter.," grins Vand, looking over to Rowenna, "If I had to pick, I;d prefer that up close we have those best capable of shielding our employer from all kinds of attacks, while having those best able to clear a path of escape holing back in the rearguard."
Vand: "And someone good at spotting deadfalls and other such traps sweeping the area an hour before arrival."
DM62: Chu'Gris shrugs. "We'll be accompanying Lord Malius when he heads up to the meeting spot tomorrow morning. I suppose one or two people arriving early to search for traps would not be a bad idea... though if the undead really want to surprise us, they do have the spectres."
Vand: "Yes, but we;ve got a kitsune. You don't stop having a soul, cus you are a soul.," smirks Vand, "If you're up for it, Kensai Simone."
Miter: "I mean, this is just a bunch of zombies, right? I was on navel duty last time those walkers showed up before, so like a couple of rowdy peasents with a few torches shoulda solved this problem already, shouldn't it?" Miter asks, tilting her head and giving a shrug.
Vand: "Do you mean you were on a ship, or that you were divining the secret of the universe form your belly button?"
Miter: "Fixing up a ship after Braxil got done setting it on fire, actually, but wasn't going THAT much detail considering current company," she grumbles a little, again looking pouty at having to bring up THAT war.
Vand: "I'm certain any animosity over previous events has been set aside, given our current company.," says Vand, looking to Chu' Gris and back.
Rowenna: "Fair enough then. I'd be surprised if a woman of such technical ability would be doing a task so juvenile and trite." She had a good laugh before focusing on the matter at hand. "So check for potential traps. Wouldn't hurt. But what about now? Any urgent task you have for us at te moment or are we free to explore the camp and assist in smaller tasks?"
Vand: "Roland demands dindin."
DM62: Chu'Gris grunts. "I think I'd rather FORGET about that war." The kitsune shrugs. "I cannot fight spectres... but I can see them coming." Lord Malius nods. "For now, feel free to grab some food and get to know each other. We're still gathering our dead and licking our wounds. We won't be leaving until the morning."
Miter: With a nod, the goblin hops off her makeshift stool and shoves the parts back in the bag of junk, quiet for a moment as she fights with the parts in there to get it all stable.
Vand: "Seeing is what matters, Kensai Simone.," grins Vand, "Leave the immolating to myself. If you lack a soul rending slash, I'm sure a more magical method may be far better equipped to dealing with it." She nods to Lord Malius, doing her salute again. "You got it, milord. Where can I get food for Roland. He's ready to chew my arm off. Uh... You need a hand, Miter?"
Rowenna: "Might set up my own tent later. Maybe grab a meal. Running low on rations and I wasn't sure how much longer I could last." She was of the same mind as Vand, in terms of food. "Roland eat alot, Lady Vand? He seems like he does, being as big as he is."
Miter: "Nah, I'm good!" the goblin pipes up, before the junk pack is back on her back with a bit more metal compaints. "Good thing about having gotten a few litters out early, perfect counterweight for all this crap!" Her lewdish remarks are common but she's not going out of her way about it.
DM62: Chu'Gris grins. "I'll walk you lot to the chow line, and get you in some tents for the night. They probably have some raw meat your hungry wolf can enjoy, too." Lord Malius gives another nod, then turns as another officer arrives, speaking about medical logistics. The food is mostly vegetables from the nearby farms, but there are some pieces of meat for the wolf.
Vand: "Excellent, much obliged. He's a growing boy, yes he is.," grins Vand, hugging the wolfs neck and nuzzling into it, before smirking at Miter. "Active lifestyle huh? I can dig it. I'm more quality over quantity myself but Whatever gets your motor runnin' right?" She only gets a few vegetables herself as she takes a seat at a table, Roland lying beside it, gnawing on the meat. "Cmon, sit down guys, if we're working toghether we outta know each other. Who the fuck else is gonna remember us if we don't make it but out comrades?"
Miter: The goblin follows, with a quiet rattling of her pack all the way to the food line. "I'm a goblin, what do you expect?!? Even with high breed rates half of us don't survive our first firework!" Miter replies in mock disdain. "Don't think that stuff now though, grabbed a few special herbs to help mitigate that. If someone out here's looking for me out of all the tinkers, I need my head in the game." She looks a bit disdainfully at the offerings for food. "Ich, rabbit food..." she mumbles, looking much like a kid offered a salad, but she sighs and grabs a few carrots.
Vand: "Better than nothing.,"smiles Vand wryly, "Funny, I heard tell goblins were nigh invulnerable. But I admit to limited experience. But nothing wrong with breeding. I just am in an occupation where I can't afford to be spreading the love and the offspring all over the planet. High command would have my head."
Rowenna would attempt to secure a piece of meat for herself, even asking for it to be cooked lightly. She had to admit, she was feeling the craving and the veggies wouldn't do the trick. She'd sit back and listen to the conversation between the goblin and the human, geting a good bit of a chuckle out of it. "You get use to eating sparse, Lady Miter. I've spent a good while on the road and I was use to eating roots and berries for a while. Even when I ot meat I tried to ration it."
DM62: The kitsune accompanies the group to the chow line, getting a cup of hot water and a small bowl of vegetables. She produces a small bag, putting herbs into the hot water to mix up tea, which she sips. "It's better food than these troops have seen for most of the war... in that sense, we were lucky to end up at Tillshire." Chu'Gris ends up heading back to the command tent, to help coordinate the next day's events.
Vand: "Exactly. So I wouldn't complain too much. Always others who'll be happy to have your share.," smiles Vand, "So, rowenna. You an independent merc or are you a company girl?"
Miter: The goblin shrugs a bit at the questions about her people. "When one gets a racial reputation like that, it encourages the survivors. Being small and somewhat prolific has the downside that in times of strife you wind up as the expendables..." Her usual happy look seems to sour for a bit before she again focuses on cheerful tones, cracking apart half a carrot. "True, not field rations!"
Rowenna: "Independent. Left my village and wanted to see what sort of fortune the south held." She picked up her sliver of meat bare handed, biting into it with some vigor and tearing off a piece.
Vand: "Here to prove em wrong then? I can respect that. Nobody's expendable, and fuck anyone who says otherwise.," says Vand firmly, before her attention goes back to Rowenna, "That right? I can't place your accent. Mountain lady I take it? How much wartime experience you got?"
Rowenna: "Valhalian actually. And I can't say I have much war experience but my people are skilled hunters and I wanted to see if my old trade would work well in a new land."
Miter: She shrugs. "Well, after the Braxil invasion screwed up, they stuck me to drydock instead of launching rocks, so I guess that was a improvement. And not to mention the many times people tried to stick me in a pillow for a sidefuck, so that's a reputation," she adds with a wry smile. She does peer towards the other woman, raising an eyebrow at the mention of location. "Nevah heard of it," she admits.
Vand pauses, frowning a bit, before nodding. "Me neither. Sounds like something I'd name a valley, heh. Well, war and hunting aren't much alike, but the skills can be helpful. How far away can you hit a moving target, and how fast can you output arrows?" She looks to Miter, chuckling, "Sounds like a good time. Landing n a public pillory has it's fun adventures, but fuck does it put a kink in ones neck."
Rowenna: "It's a land far to the north on the peak of the world. Lots of great beasts and monsters. My people are a hardy lot to be sure. I mean, we have to be to survive in those conditions and against things like Mountain trolls" She said without much of a bragging tone in her voice. She was being very matter of fact about it. "Though I must say...you have very interesting ideas on a good time."
Vand smiles wryly, "Sounds like a story book, but I'll believe you where others won't. As for a good time, well first off, we're in a world where almost everything fucks everything else. And probably can even interbreed with it. If we weren't meant to, the goddesses wouldn't have made em that way, right? As for the pillory, it's something new. Something you learn fast in the merc life, newblood, is that you can die. Anytime. And in the end, the people who'll miss you is those who survive you and knew you. So best way to leave behind a good impact is to get close to others, and to enjoy life to the full hilt while you can. Cus it can end in jsut a snap. Everyone does it a bit differently. I like to form close bonds in bed myself. But loving life and loving yourself, best way to live the lifestyle. Otherwise stress and fear are liable to tear you apart long before some critter does."
Miter: The goblin's head tilts a little further as the Valhallian speaks, but she snaps out a little bit as they speak of her odd hobbies. "Yeah, Sprocket Port... Well, can't speak for the rest of the world, but it's a rowdy little coast, lemme tell ya! Organized chaos, and not just the stuff people like me hammer out occasionally..."
Vand: "Saw the stool. Fancy work. What all you got in there?"
Rowenna: "An understandable sentiment, Lady Vand. I honestly never considered that in my life before I left home. Especially considering I only had one real serious lover in the form of my husband." She sighed as she brought him up again, taking another chunk from the meat and finishing it off in a rather brutal fashion. "Forgive me. Long story."
Miter: "Quite literally this and that. It's like half of my junk drawer," she remarks about the bag full to larger than she was. "I find if you got enough junk, you're able to adept to anything, and so I brought it along with a few blueprints of some things I wanted to try if I got a chance."
Vand: "Got time if you wanna share. And if you don't, say no more. Lotta mercs take to this job to run from their pasts. Long as it doesn't interfere with the job, you can consider it a new start far as we're concerned. So it's your call. Chance to be a new you if you wanna take it. And if you want help, well, I'm always up for helping newbloods." She chuckles at Miter, "Can respect that. You were talking about building something to blow a whole region. You serious about that?"
Miter: "...Mostly hypothetical sadly," she admits. "Unless this place was willing to sacrifice the booze, and I'm sure that'd be a long stretch by most sapient life. I'm not an alchemist, I'm a tinker. I just do the outer works, not got the actual boom-boom... most the time. After all, someone figured this one out," she remarks, holding up a flintlock pistol that matched the other at her side. "Still, as I said, not uncommon for some of us to make fireworks in our spare time, make one big enough and I'm sure it'd set some grass on fire..."
Rowenna: "No...No...it's fine. I'd rather the past stay the past." She took a few moments to collect herself again, digging into the veggies she gathered for the remainder of her meal. "I'm out here for myself and my own reasons..."
Vand: "Too bad. Still, mechanical solutions are always helpful, and I'll be interested to see what you come up with... What are those things? Miniature Shillelagh?" She looks to Rowenna, smiling a bit, "Then it shall remain so. Heh, well if you want some combat training or just some stress relief, you can always talk to me Rowenna. You too, Miter, though imagine you got your own stress relief, eh?"
Miter: "Shillelagh? Is that some fancy-ass word for flintlock? Anyway, yeah, just a projectile launcher with a mini-explosion. Either way, speedy thing goes out one-handed." She shrugs. "All depends if I got the time to kick up some crazy plan, it's a good half and half if it works though, really..."
Vand: "It's a big stick with a knot on the head, basically a big club. Huh. That's new. Never seen something like that. How fast can it fire? How far?"
Miter: "One shot only I'm afraid, last time someone put a punch in at once it kinda... exploded." She shrugs. "Not like you usually fight stuff really far out, but yeah, it shoots these little metal balls really fast a few dozen feet or so."
Rowenna: "Huh. I just have a slightly older rifle. Nothing fancy mind you and I don't have the smarts to improve it. I just keep it in working order and make sure it survives another year." She patted her rifle, looking quite proud of the work she's done to keep it in one piece. "And I have some stress relief of my own but an extra hand is always welcome love." She'd tease.
Miter: "Not a bad patch job," the goblin admits with a bit of a grin. "Not as wild as goblin tech but hey, decent as hell."
Vand: "Interesting," she muses, before looking over, "You’ve got one too? Huh. Fascinating." She looks over with a grin, "Oh I got more than hands, love. I've got magic fingers. Among other things. I'd be happy to demonstrate. And it is pretty much policy for the new bloods to service the vets, and get shown the... Ropes. If you're brave enough, anyways. And bet Miter has a few things to work with. If you're up for joining in on some squad bonding, Miter?"