Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

[Keylo]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

"Scatterbrained" as Enigma was, even she was not oblivious to the disapproving looks that others gave her for her craft (especially the ones that nobility made use of, given their inherent pride and disdain for others). Nevertheless, given her own disdain for social status or the opinions of others, she chose to ignore the knight's look for now and listen to the conversation at hand until boredom overtook her and she desired to find something else of interest. In layman's terms...that would be about the span of five minutes, when the mention of dragons would stir a want in her to take a look at the enemy encampments in case there were really dragons and such.

A dragon? Never animated one of those before, or seen one really. Would certainly be a thrilling experience. And a valuable one at that. Dragon scales... dragon skin...dragon bones... so much experimental value in them!

"Well then, as you two seem to be occupied now... I'll be heading off to do something else. Just remember to give me a call after a dragon scorches the flesh from the would-be dragon slayer, would really be a waste of raw materials you know. Have a nice day then you two!"

Heading off towards the walls to have a look at the orc encampments, Enigma then left the two aristocrats to their own.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

Kara simply shook her head as Enigma left.

"She has no idea on the finer points of necromancy at all, what a shame," she muttered under her breath, not loudly, but it was possible someone else very close might hear her.


She regarded the pit again, shaking her head ever so slightly.

May your souls find peace, and may you forgive us for utilizing your remains for ... our survival.

 

[fanta23]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

Samira now having secured a small stash of food for herself walked back out into the courtyard. To see a many of faces in the center. some argueing with each other choosing to avoid the middle Samira quickly climbed up to the castle's raparts to look over the orc forces. Samira gave a frown as she saw the mass of green ripple as individuals moved around the seige camps. Samira didn't like being trapped in corner, It felt like the many times she was chased into a corner by city guards when she stole too many of the nobles coin purses the only ways out were to hide, bribe, or fight. Right now the only options Samira seemed to have was to fight ever since the two messengers were sent back headless.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

Ako'orzyne had made a silent appearance at the announcement, but had left soon after, the drow slipping in and out most likely without notice. He went to the battlements himself, but turned the opposite way to circle upon hearing the commotion. This brought him around the sides opposite those of the enemy encampment, but also allowed him to face away from the rising sun, easing the strain on his eyes.

He would pace the battlements for a while, keeping an eye on the sides away from the main encampment, watching for flanking units and attacks from odd angles.

 

[Copper]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

What had started as a boring morning quickly turned interesting. Never having seen one of the dark elves before, Rohn wasn't one to pass up an opportunity, even if it mean near-gawking at the first one that she'd seen. Of course, the thought that was forefront in her mind was how on earth the woman expected those little straps to protect her if she were ever in a fight, but then again, maybe she wasn't the type to get into fights and it was decoration.

Any trading of remarks the two of them might have shared was broken up by a ruckus nearby. One of the guards started shouting about an escaped slave. Funny. Didn't think they had those here in the keep, Rohn mused, pushing herself off of her seat in time to realize that the guard had fallen silent. She recognized the voice. One of the men that took his liquid courage a little too seriously. She'd already nearly put a blade in his arm when he'd slapped her a little too vigorously, and a little too close to her rump for her liking.

A walking wall came close to knocking the drow off of her feet but she managed an impressive twist and tap of feet and kept her balance only to now be facing the overly-loud guard, who seemed intent on chasing after the man that had hit the drow.

Barking out a laugh as the guard was slapped, Rohn followed up by clapping as the elf gave the man a thorough dressing down, cackling all the while. "Nice," she comments while chuckling, it more directed toward the drow. Of course, she'd heard what he'd been yelling and giving how swiftly the man had been trying to get away, he was likely the subject of the guard's shouting. Even if he were an escaped slave, someone would have to be insane to try to haul him out of here. If he still looks like he wants to take off, she winks at him and makes a shooing gesture with her hand, placing herself on the walkway to intercept anyone that might try and go after him. If he wants to hold his ground, though, she's looking a little more alert than she had been before.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

The guard took a few steps back as the Drow slaver withdrew from her blow. And his friends did the same at the sudden response from the Half-Drow. The man looked to Deagan, and his slave collar, and then back to Kemili, before blinking with surprise. "O-oh... He... That's your slave, milady?" he asked with a rather intense, apologetic tone, "I... I had no idea..."

Deagan's fists, only seen by those who truly were observing, were clenching with great intensity, shaking with anger. However, before he had a chance to state anything, the guard was already on his way to leaving, taking steps back, and apologizing, "So sorry, milady. I won't bother your property no more, I swear." he said, bowing himself a little, before rounding up the men who were ready to assault Deagan, "C'mon... Let's get outta here..." he told them, before walking off with them.

And Deagan, at this point, wasn't entirely sure what to make of the Drow looking woman. She looked just like a slaver, and he'd already had a lot of bad history with female Drow slavers. However, she did go a little out of her way to assist him, and Deagan was a man who swore to uphold a code of honor. He stepped up behind Kemili, choking on his words for a moment, before he managed, "Uh... Thanks..." he thanked her, with a small amount of hesitation.

 

[lurker]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

The half-drow gave a shrug. "Don't worry too much, just doesn't make sence to gut each other when there's plenty of orcs ready to do the honors."

"However," she adds, her voice still calm, but with a tad more athority, "I expect you to at least TRY to assist in the fighting, as I'm sure something can be arranged about that bit of metal around your neck if you do admirably. Though if not, I have... connections..."

 

[Copper]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

Rohn relaxed as the guards ambled off, amused, though perhaps a little concerned, at them cowing to the dark elf. Hopefully they'd show more backbone if it came to fighting against the orcs.

Watching the exchange between the other two, she felt better, too. The drow didn't seem to want to take the guy's status into account, not take advantage of that fact. If she were a slaver, as the guard inferred, then that would make a little more sense as to her choice of garb. At least that's what she'd heard, anyway. She'd still never really seen one up close.

Hopping back onto her perch, she sat there, elbows on her knees, hunched over a little, just watching their exchange. Propping one arm up, she let her chin rest on the back of her hand. "Nice hit, by the way." Though she didn't clarify which one she was talking to, leaving it up to them to accept or brush off the praise, given that they'd both landed some pretty solid blows just then.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

The commotion grabbed Alysha's attention. She looked towards where the mercenary knight had been a few minutes ago, and she noticed him no longer there. She quietly swore.

"Please excuse me," Alysha said to Lady Sharyn, before turning and moving towards the sounds of yelling.

She soon found Deagan and the Half-Drow slaver, as well as a guard stumbling away. Frowning she strolled over to the drunken guard and kicked him in the back. With a shout he fell to the ground, his face planted in the dirt. He started to get to his feet shouting angrily at whomever had kicked him, but when he saw the lady of the castle standing above him, her sword tip at his throat, his face paled.

"Guardsman Noman. I've warned you before about hitting the cups on duty. Under Celthor Imperial Law, your life is forfeit," Alysha said coldly, and simply, before pushing her sword through the man's flesh. He gurgled on his own blood before his life ended.

"Burn the body," Alysha commanded a nearby soldier, who snapped his heels together and went to do the lady's bidding whilst she moved to Deagan and Kemili.

"Deagan. I apologize for my tardiness," she told the former slave, offering a short nod of her head to the two before her.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

Deagan blinked at Kemili's words, a bit surprised at the fact that she did not resort to her original job as a slaver, and take advantage of him. He was even more surprised that she was willing to help perform the very rare talent of freeing a man from his slave collar, which, for all it's purpose, was made never to be removed once placed around someone's neck, permanently marking them as a slave.

Deagan reached up, and grabbed his collar with his index and middle finger, tugging on it, "You'll get this thing off for me?" he asked with a small shimmer of hope.

But, before Kemili could answer, Deagan's attention was brought first to the woman with many braids done in her hair, Rohn, and her comment on a nice hit. Deagan had no immediate response, a little on edge over what just happened, and a bit surprised as well when she spoke up. And after a moment of looking at Rohn in confusion, Deagan's attention was again pulled away by the sounds of Lady Alysha kicking, and then scolding the guard.

However, it was when her blade went through his throat, killing him in a brutal fashion, that Deagan's eyes went wide, and his mouth went open with shock. It was after the guard, now dead, was being dragged off, that Deagan's mind slowly began gathering itself back together. He shook his head a little, "He didn't deserve that..." he said in a whisper only Kemili might have heard.

And it was when Alysha spoke to him, that Deagan finally snapped back to reality. Ignoring what she said, too upset over what just happened, Deagan pointed a stern finger over at the man's lifeless body being dragged away, "What the hell was that!" he shouted at her, "He didn't deserve that! What is wrong with you! How could you have just killed him in cold blood!" As Deagan shouted, it might have been easily perceived how much he was trembling. It wasn't exactly fear that made him shake down to his core, it could only best be described as shock.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

Ako'orzyne caught the glint of steel inside the walls, and turned his attention in time to catch the spectacle. He walked up to the back of the small crowd gathering, his perpetual smirk matching the look on the rest of his face for once. If anyone bothers to turn and see him, it's obvious he approves.

 

[fanta23]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

Samira heard the sound of a drawn sword and looked to see the lady she had given prayers with slice an obviously drunk soldier. The soldier quickly dropped dead, the lady then order the body burned. Samira confused about the incident procede to climb down the ladder next to her as she climbed she heard the voice of the supposed escaped slave scream in horror at what the lady had done. Samira smiled at the surprised man did he no nothing about the laws here. It was by luck alone Samira hadn't lost a hand yet from her crimes of stealling. Samira walked over to the lady,slave and half drow slaver curious about what was going on with a bow Samira introduced herself "My name is Samira Moonsun. The lady shows accomplished skill with a blade which betters our survival rather than a drunk guard."

 

[lurker]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

A small nod came in response to the slave's response. "As I said, I would try, but-"

The sudden drawing of steel made her spin around, hand reaching for her whip, but then noticed that it was Her Majesty that was just executing the guard she had just chastised. Her response was only a sad shaking of her head. "One less swordarm. Great..."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

Alysha frowned angrily at Deagan.
"Mind your place. He did not. Drunk, he's useless in a fight. His equipment can now go to others who would more properly use it. His rations can now be spread amongst other mouths, making the sober soldiers we have more effective. And the rum rations can be stabalized. He'd been stealing them. I'd warned him last time. So I'm warning you, mercenary, mind your tongue," Alysha told the collared man before her, anger nipping at the heels of each word.

When Samira spoke up, Alysha gave her a quick regards by way of nodding her head once.

 

[DeMatt]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

A silver-haired woman moves calmly through the bustling kitchens, carrying a sack of flour to her usual station near the ovens. Letting it drop on the countertop, she turns to the oven assigned to her, taking a peek through the bullseye at the bread baking within. Almost done... a little more time. She turns back to her counter, ready to start the next batch, when the pile of finished loaves catches her eye. It was tidier before, wasn't it...? Let's see... one, two, three...

A minute and two recounts later, the woman is certain. Two of the loaves are missing. Tch. Rats and mice don't make off with whole loaves... a pilferer, then. Ohhh... I hope they don't keep thieving, or Lady Alysha will have their hands.

Still, no time to report the theft just yet - the ones in the oven are ready now, and she grabs a potholder and a paddle, pulling the door open and starting to remove loaves.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

Deagan's eye twitched, "I'll do everything I can to help against these orcs, but you're out of your bleedin' mind if you think I'm not going to speak my mind. I'm paid to help in any way I can, and I'll do just that. I don't care if you don't like what I say, it's my goal to save everyone I can, not murder them." he retorted, anger tipping on his tongue as well. He no longer was trembling with shock, but now with anger. Anger at the woman standing before him, who not only killed an ally, but tried to justify it with a reason Deagan stood strongly against, and even murmured the same words spoken by his previous masters.

Deagan's eyes were stern, and unwavering, and having been brought up under a Paladin's way of honor, and justice, was not about to waver before a murderer. And even under the imprisonment of a brutal slaver, was never broken. "There was no honor in what you did, nor skill," Deagan said in response to the ignorant statement by the sudden appearance of Samira. It takes no skill to murder a defenseless man, "and I would have expected similar behavior from the murderous rabble outside these walls."

"If you're going to kill every man who does not meet your liking, Milady, then throw down the gates, and let the beasts in to slaughter us all, before you do the same."

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

"But that's exactly what the drunkard would have done." Ako'orzyne said, speaking up from the back of the crowd. The drow waited for everyone to turn to see who had spoken before finishing his statement. "They could have come up over his section of wall as easily as through the open front gates, and they'd have slaughtered you all before you even knew you were under attack."

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

Deagan waved his hand through the air, unable to believe the people speaking up, "You're missing the sodding point!" he declared to the Drow. Deagan clasped his hands together, as if talking to a confused child, "Ok, say you kill every fool who happens to look away from the walls for one minute, just to scratch his bum." he said, offering a situation, then tossing his hands outwards while he exclaimed, "Then who's going to be left to protect the bloody fort!" he shouted.

"We're supposed to work together, you bloody idiots!" he directed at the three who seemed to think the man's death was for good cause, "Killing our own is the orc's job, I'm sure they'll thank you for making it easier, hell, maybe they'll invite you over for tea before they stab you in the throat in a similar manner, but I won't stand for it." Deagan turned about, directing his words now to everyone, "Murder amongst each other is something I will not tolerate! I'm letting you know now, the next time any of you pull a blade on an ally, I'm pulling a blade on you!" he said, finishing with his finger pointed at Lady Alysha.

"Now is not the time to abuse your position, nor to follow pointless laws that will only hinder our efforts to survive." Deagan pointed to the rabble of orcs not far from the walls, "You can murder people as you please, and play princess when they're gone. Until then, all of us together as a single force is the only thing keeping us alive."

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

The drow's snicker turns to a leer. "There's a difference between prudence and stupidity, fool. If you ever figure that out, come talk to me again. In the meanwhile, I'm going to man the wall, there's a noticable gap in our defenses." He says in a spiteful tone, and turns to walk away, headed for the wall.

 

[Copper]

Re: Chapter 1: Fort Barthone

For a second, Rohn had Deagan's attention, looking as though she'd surprised him. The moment was interrupted by the presence of the keep's Lady, who took it upon herself to administer some justice to the guard. The laugh that bubbled up at seeing the noble kicking the man was quickly swallowed as she saw the blade come out and sheath itself in the man's neck. Not something she was expecting and certainly not for the man being drunk, even if he were repeating an offense.

And Deagan had to say something about it. Not that she blamed him. Yes, they were under seige, but it seemed too harsh. She watched the shake in his fingers, no mistaking the anger that caused it, especially as he lashed out, heedless of the fact that he was speaking to someone of authority.

Certainly have a pair, don't'cha?

That thought would bring her to her feet again, moving over to stand beside the man, her arms crossed casually at her chest. "I can understand m'Lady's point," she remarks. "We need to be alert and at our full faculties if we're to protect the fort. But if we fear death for a transgression that could be remedied, then we'll worry more about the monster within than the army without." She glanced between the two, her gaze settling on Alysha. "I realize you need to be firm to keep us safe, but fear's another matter entirely."

Despite the fact that she's talking back, Rohn's tone remains rather controlled, even sympathetic to Alysha's situation, but it's clear her loyalties lie more toward the men and women manning the walls than the fort itself. She quiet after that, though her posture doesn't change, save perhaps the slight shift of her arms.