"As soon as possible. Once you have assembled your force, come to me, and I will help see you on your way."
"Very well." Daniel pauses for a moment, glancing at his aunt then back at Urbien. "You said earlier that you had some suggestions?"
"Yes." He slides over a list, containing around two dozen names. If Daniel takes all of those on the list, he will have room for another five soldiers and ten servants, including a healer.
OOC: I would like to to select Azril, one other of Valerie's bodyguards, and Alun the gate guard as three of the soldiers and Liam Black as the healer. You don't have to take Alun or the second bodyguard (both are NPCs), but you do need to bring Azril (played by Tigress) and Liam (played by Con).
"Very well." Daniel pauses for a moment, glancing at his aunt then back at Urbien. "You said earlier that you had some suggestions?"
"Yes." He slides over a list, containing around two dozen names. If Daniel takes all of those on the list, he will have room for another five soldiers and ten servants, including a healer.
OOC: I would like to to select Azril, one other of Valerie's bodyguards, and Alun the gate guard as three of the soldiers and Liam Black as the healer. You don't have to take Alun or the second bodyguard (both are NPCs), but you do need to bring Azril (played by Tigress) and Liam (played by Con).
Daniel and Valerie both take a moment to read down the list. "Most of these look fine...maybe-" Daniel pauses for a second or so, which Valerie uses to interject. "Perhaps you should spend this afternoon recruiting men to fill the other spaces, and report back to Lord Urbien tomorrow morning?" Daniel looks to Urbien for approval.
OOC: OK. I'm happy to take Azril, the other bodyguard, Alun and Liam.
"Yes." He slides over a list, containing around two dozen names. If Daniel takes all of those on the list, he will have room for another five soldiers and ten servants, including a healer.
OOC: I would like to to select Azril, one other of Valerie's bodyguards, and Alun the gate guard as three of the soldiers and Liam Black as the healer. You don't have to take Alun or the second bodyguard (both are NPCs), but you do need to bring Azril (played by Tigress) and Liam (played by Con).
Daniel and Valerie both take a moment to read down the list. "Most of these look fine...maybe-" Daniel pauses for a second or so, which Valerie uses to interject. "Perhaps you should spend this afternoon recruiting men to fill the other spaces, and report back to Lord Urbien tomorrow morning?" Daniel looks to Urbien for approval.
OOC: OK. I'm happy to take Azril, the other bodyguard, Alun and Liam.
"That is fine. Good luck."
OOC: Okay. For the other bodyguard, you can choose between Ivor, Gwynedd, Cadell, and Emrys.
Daniel and Valerie both take a moment to read down the list. "Most of these look fine...maybe-" Daniel pauses for a second or so, which Valerie uses to interject. "Perhaps you should spend this afternoon recruiting men to fill the other spaces, and report back to Lord Urbien tomorrow morning?" Daniel looks to Urbien for approval.
OOC: OK. I'm happy to take Azril, the other bodyguard, Alun and Liam.
"That is fine. Good luck."
OOC: Okay. For the other bodyguard, you can choose between Ivor, Gwynedd, Cadell, and Emrys.
"Thank you." The two get to their feet, Daniel picking up the list and giving a slight bow, and leave the room. As they walk down the corridor, Valerie says, "You'll want to take your personal manservant, of course; I'll ask my handmaidens if they have encountered any trustworthy servants here you could take to fill up the other spaces."
Daniel, who appears slightly annoyed that his aunt is making arrangements for the servants before they discuss the soldiers, returns, "Yes, okay, that sounds fine. I think I've met most of the knights Lord Urbien suggested, so I'll probably take all but one or two of them-"
"Very well, Daniel," replies Valerie with a faint hint of resigned exasperation. "I'll look over Urbien's list before supper. Why don't you try and recruit some of the men you train with in the yard to fill up a few extra spaces? The men I don't dissapprove of, that is."
"Yes, Aunt Valerie, thank you," her nephew sighs, handing her the list after double-checking how spaces he needs to fill.
"And make sure you leave a couple of spaces empty, young man - I may find some men it would be prudent to take. I wonder if we could persuade Sir Lucas to go..."
Nodding, Daniel uses his aunt's deliberations as an opportunity to escape and head off.
OOC: Okay. For the other bodyguard, you can choose between Ivor, Gwynedd, Cadell, and Emrys.
"Thank you." The two get to their feet, Daniel picking up the list and giving a slight bow, and leave the room. As they walk down the corridor, Valerie says, "You'll want to take your personal manservant, of course; I'll ask my handmaidens if they have encountered any trustworthy servants here you could take to fill up the other spaces."
Daniel, who appears slightly annoyed that his aunt is making arrangements for the servants before they discuss the soldiers, returns, "Yes, okay, that sounds fine. I think I've met most of the knights Lord Urbien suggested, so I'll probably take all but one or two of them-"
"Very well, Daniel," replies Valerie with a faint hint of resigned exasperation. "I'll look over Urbien's list before supper. Why don't you try and recruit some of the men you train with in the yard to fill up a few extra spaces? The men I don't dissapprove of, that is."
"Yes, Aunt Valerie, thank you," her nephew sighs, handing her the list after double-checking how spaces he needs to fill.
"And make sure you leave a couple of spaces empty, young man - I may find some men it would be prudent to take. I wonder if we could persuade Sir Lucas to go..."
Nodding, Daniel uses his aunt's deliberations as an opportunity to escape and head off.
Across the rolling hills of the Lion Knights' kingdom, a pitiful sight can be seen making its slow way, travelling south-west from the direction of the Forest - and of the Abandoned Fortress.
A man dressed in green sits limply - unable to hold up his head, right arm draped lifelessly on his right thigh wrapped in cloth - astride his lame steed. Goatie, for that is the wounded man's name, feebly tugs at his reins, but the action proves too much for his weak self. He flops forwards across the neck of his animal.
His steed, head also lolling in fatigue, stops short as it fears its master will fall to the ground. This is no normal beast of burden - it is a griffin, like a lion, like a horse and like an eagle, but with no wings. Curiously it wears an eyepatch. The griffin remains stock-still, with the wind of the hills blowing its feathers grimy, and waits for its master to stir.
Goatie does not move.
Jednook gives a tiny eagle cry, single eye showing anxiety. He grabs his master by the back of the tunic and begins to pull the lifeless form along the ground, as gently but as speedily as he could.
* * *
Eventually, the wingless griffin reaches the entrance to the Lion Knights HQ; he looks at it and gives another eagle cry, this time one loud and desperate.
Across the rolling hills of the Lion Knights' kingdom, a pitiful sight can be seen making its slow way, travelling south-west from the direction of the Forest - and of the Abandoned Fortress.
A man dressed in green sits limply - unable to hold up his head, right arm draped lifelessly on his right thigh wrapped in cloth - astride his lame steed. Goatie, for that is the wounded man's name, feebly tugs at his reins, but the action proves too much for his weak self. He flops forwards across the neck of his animal.
His steed, head also lolling in fatigue, stops short as it fears its master will fall to the ground. This is no normal beast of burden - it is a griffin, like a lion, like a horse and like an eagle, but with no wings. Curiously it wears an eyepatch. The griffin remains stock-still, with the wind of the hills blowing its feathers grimy, and waits for its master to stir.
Goatie does not move.
Jednook gives a tiny eagle cry, single eye showing anxiety. He grabs his master by the back of the tunic and begins to pull the lifeless form along the ground, as gently but as speedily as he could.
* * *
Eventually, the wingless griffin reaches the entrance to the Lion Knights HQ; he looks at it and gives another eagle cry, this time one loud and desperate.
He hears a voice from the wall. "'Ello down there! Who're you, an' what business do you 'ave 'ere?"
Jednook gives a tiny eagle cry, single eye showing anxiety. He grabs his master by the back of the tunic and begins to pull the lifeless form along the ground, as gently but as speedily as he could.
* * *
Eventually, the wingless griffin reaches the entrance to the Lion Knights HQ; he looks at it and gives another eagle cry, this time one loud and desperate.
He hears a voice from the wall. "'Ello down there! Who're you, an' what business do you 'ave 'ere?"
Goatie is woken up by the accented words (and by being dragged along the ground for two hours). He stirs and sloooowly gets up, leaning on the griffin. He looks a right sight, bedraggled, with his bandaged arm so limp it seems not to be attached.
''Ello, guv,' he rasps, before convulsing into hollow coughs. '. . . Help - abandoned fortress - monsters - ' He finally collapses.
He hears a voice from the wall. "'Ello down there! Who're you, an' what business do you 'ave 'ere?"
Goatie is woken up by the accented words (and by being dragged along the ground for two hours). He stirs and sloooowly gets up, leaning on the griffin. He looks a right sight, bedraggled, with his bandaged arm so limp it seems not to be attached.
''Ello, guv,' he rasps, before convulsing into hollow coughs. '. . . Help - abandoned fortress - monsters - ' He finally collapses.
"Can I get some 'elp over 'ere? These chaps look to be 'urtin'!" After a few minutes, Goatie and Jednook can hear the gate swing open. Running footsteps approach, and then they are being lifted up - with quite a bit of difficulty, in Jednook's case - and carried inside.
OOC: I do have specific plans for the current inhabitants of the Abandoned Fortress, but there are definitely monsters underneath it, in the labyrinth, so this should work well for the story line.
Goatie is woken up by the accented words (and by being dragged along the ground for two hours). He stirs and sloooowly gets up, leaning on the griffin. He looks a right sight, bedraggled, with his bandaged arm so limp it seems not to be attached.
''Ello, guv,' he rasps, before convulsing into hollow coughs. '. . . Help - abandoned fortress - monsters - ' He finally collapses.
"Can I get some 'elp over 'ere? These chaps look to be 'urtin'!" After a few minutes, Goatie and Jednook can hear the gate swing open. Running footsteps approach, and then they are being lifted up - with quite a bit of difficulty, in Jednook's case - and carried inside.
OOC: I do have specific plans for the current inhabitants of the Abandoned Fortress, but there are definitely monsters underneath it, in the labyrinth, so this should work well for the story line.
Jednook limps to his master and nudges Goatie's deathly-still form on the shoulder (the one that doesn't have a wounded arm).
Goatie is delirious. He makes all the manner of moans, eyes twitching.
"Can I get some 'elp over 'ere? These chaps look to be 'urtin'!" After a few minutes, Goatie and Jednook can hear the gate swing open. Running footsteps approach, and then they are being lifted up - with quite a bit of difficulty, in Jednook's case - and carried inside.
OOC: I do have specific plans for the current inhabitants of the Abandoned Fortress, but there are definitely monsters underneath it, in the labyrinth, so this should work well for the story line.
Jednook limps to his master and nudges Goatie's deathly-still form on the shoulder (the one that doesn't have a wounded arm).
Goatie is delirious. He makes all the manner of moans, eyes twitching.
OOC: Great!
They have been brought into a courtyard. A handful of servants and soldiers stand around watching them.
OOC: The Lion Knights are about to embark on an expedition
Jednook limps to his master and nudges Goatie's deathly-still form on the shoulder (the one that doesn't have a wounded arm).
Goatie is delirious. He makes all the manner of moans, eyes twitching.
OOC: Great!
They have been brought into a courtyard. A handful of servants and soldiers stand around watching them.
OOC: The Lion Knights are about to embark on an expedition
As if hitting upon a sudden idea, Jednook ceases nudging Goatie, then begins pecking at his master's brown leather satchel, as if trying to open it. There is a dulled clinking sound as his beak beats on something within the satchel.
They have been brought into a courtyard. A handful of servants and soldiers stand around watching them.
OOC: The Lion Knights are about to embark on an expedition
As if hitting upon a sudden idea, Jednook ceases nudging Goatie, then begins pecking at his master's brown leather satchel, as if trying to open it. There is a dulled clinking sound as his beak beats on something within the satchel.
OOC: Cool, will try play along
OOC: Right now, we'll have to wait a bit to move forward, as Shamrock (whose character is leading the expedition) is not able to be very active and I'm not sure when next he'll be posting.
