Could you give me a rundown of your characters and where they are right now? I've been doing a poor job of being active lately and I want to make sure I have everything in order. The Mercenary Village
{JAMMERS! -RuleJJ- ONLY!} OOC: Varlamane is still at Mercenary Village dealing with a frightened mob of villagers. Breel and his men, after a slight navigational error, are now dealing with elemental wolves in the Shadow Kingdom HQ. The minotaurs are with them as well, as they are being transported. Rose, having lost Erin to the convoy, is now roaming the land trying to find him and Gwailgur. Donning new armor, she has stumbled into the Dragon Knights HQ.
Could you give me a rundown of your characters and where they are right now? I've been doing a poor job of being active lately and I want to make sure I have everything in order. The Mercenary Village
{JAMMERS! -RuleJJ- ONLY!} OOC: Varlamane is still at Mercenary Village dealing with a frightened mob of villagers. Breel and his men, after a slight navigational error, are now dealing with elemental wolves in the Shadow Kingdom HQ. The minotaurs are with them as well, as they are being transported. Rose, having lost Erin to the convoy, is now roaming the land trying to find him and Gwailgur. Donning new armor, she has stumbled into the Dragon Knights HQ.
OOC: Thank you. Just so you know, I decided Rose was in a different part of the kingdom, not at the castle itself. Still near some soldiers, though. The Mercenary Village
Having satisfied the crowd, they begin to disperse, allowing Breel's men to move the armored carriage of Minotaur Prisoners safely out of the Village. One random villager, still angry over his loss of business, throws a rock at the carriage and snarls, but is met with the swift blade of Breel's sword at his neck.
"Dare not to disturb Sir Varlamane's newly acquired cattle."
He lowers the blade and rides off to monitor his men.
OOC: Have you ever suffered from having too many good ideas that you can't pick just one? Thus, the reason behind my long pause. I'll just remain with what I had written before in order to not stagnate the story any longer.
IC: Inside the side room, Varlamane shakes his head at the news brought to him by the messenger. "It is not enough for these people that we have brought them a great deal of trade. Let us make haste, for no one can learn of what has transpired here."
The messenger nods and grabs a torch. Exiting the room, he is about to head outside before he is tripped by Varlamane's cane. Rubbing his head, he looks upward at him in embarrassment.
"Yes, ss-ssir?"
"The room, it is too quiet."
They both look at Rose's cell. It's empty.
Loud screams from outside, followed by the crashing of stalls, alerts Varlamane to the situation. He breathes an angry sigh as he tightens his grip on the messenger who meekly whimpers.
Wildly making their way through the village was Rose, disguised as an elderly man, throwing food taken from stalls and scaring the living daylights out of livestock. Standing on top of a cart, she cries out in a loud voice. "Monster attack! Run, head for the hills!"
A few brave villagers round up their forces and begin to search for the supposed creature, but not before pausing to hear what she had to say.
"Where is the creature?"
"Has it taken someone?"
"I knew it! The rotten odor from the outhouse must be it!"
The villagers stare at the last commenter blankly. Rose frantically waves her hands to gain their attention.
"Neither! Tis came from that darkly place over yonder!" She points a finger at the building housing Varlamane and hops a few times to stress her point. "Yar, it had antlers the size of a full grown tree!"
As the messenger exits the building, he raises his hands in order to pacify the crowd. Behind him was Varlamane, however, before either could get a word in a nearby herd of sheep began fleeing into the Village Square. Someone had disturbed them...
"It's the monster!"
They immediately rush upon both the messenger and Varlamane. In the midst of the chaos, Rose slips back into Varlamane's study and steals from his desk a few of his papers. Taking a sword hanging from the wall, she looks around the cell room and finds her things. Setting them all on one of his soldier's horses, she steals a uniform and rides off.
Back outside, Varlamane lifts a villager into the air and pounds his head into the pavement. He rips through the crowd and screams loudly in anger. The messenger pleads to him for help.
"Sir." He slips to the ground and is kicked repeatedly in the head by the unstable crowd. "Sir!"
Varlamane ignores him. His focus is instead at the entrance to the Village, where a fresh set of hoof marks leading into the Forest...
Climbing onto a roof, Varlamane roars out a command for silence. The frightened crowd pauses long enough to scream out threats, but a stare from him tightens their lip.
"Have you forgotten what my Knights have done for you? Are you so quick to believe vain rumors?"
An elderly woman shakes a fist in the air. "We have a right to!"
Shouts follow. Varlamane raises his hand and closes his eyes. Nodding, he allows the crowd to calm down before continuing. "News of upheaval between Kingdoms have created in us a sense of vigilance. We all saw the passing regiment of Shadow Knights weeks back, did we not? The idea of war threatening our abode has led to desperation. We remain here outside of such conflict, and proof that I keep to my word in maintaining such a state follows."
Extending his hand in a sweeping motion, Varlamane motions to his workshop. "I am in the middle of securing resources for the common good of all. The noises you heard were nothing more than my cattle suffering from a bout of illnesses that have forced me to ship them elsewhere for recovery."
A scruffy man in tattered clothes raises his hand to object, but Varlamane turns his attention directly at him while addressing the crowd. "The prisoner brought here by my Knights under the cover of darkness was a troublemaker who disrupted my trade. Justice was carried out and further preventions to my projects have disappeared."
Sighing, Varlamane expresses a downcast tone. "But one cannot believe this to be set in stone. Others may hinder our efforts to survive, to keep our Village out of conflict. To all here, mercenaries and workingmen alike, the ranks of my Knights are opened to you. I must sail across the Endless Sea and return to my home to gather supplies-"
The scruffy man spits on the ground. "Run away from trouble more like!" He is shoved by the crowd.
Varlamane chuckles. "It appears that way, however, I will leave control of my outpost here to all of you. My workshop is to be made an inn for all weary travelers, for those who've fallen on hard times. My weapons, with the exception of those used by my Knights, will stock the armory. My fortune, dedicated to repairing the destruction caused by this senseless stampede."
The crowd murmur to another as Varlamane climbs back down. Walking through the crowd as if a statesman, he unfurls a blank parchment and scribbles a few words. Posting it on the side of his workshop, he turns to the crowd and bows. "I am willing to hire any of you to better your current pay for the benefit of you and your families. Now, tis an evening of feasting!"
Many in the crowd raise their hands and return to their homes to prepare. Varlamane strolls over to his injured soldier lying on the ground in pain. Lifting him up, he carries him on his shoulder to the nearest infirmary.
OOC: Have you ever suffered from having too many good ideas that you can't pick just one? Thus, the reason behind my long pause. I'll just remain with what I had written before in order to not stagnate the story any longer.
IC: Inside the side room, Varlamane shakes his head at the news brought to him by the messenger. "It is not enough for these people that we have brought them a great deal of trade. Let us make haste, for no one can learn of what has transpired here."
The messenger nods and grabs a torch. Exiting the room, he is about to head outside before he is tripped by Varlamane's cane. Rubbing his head, he looks upward at him in embarrassment.
"Yes, ss-ssir?"
"The room, it is too quiet."
They both look at Rose's cell. It's empty.
Loud screams from outside, followed by the crashing of stalls, alerts Varlamane to the situation. He breathes an angry sigh as he tightens his grip on the messenger who meekly whimpers.
Wildly making their way through the village was Rose, disguised as an elderly man, throwing food taken from stalls and scaring the living daylights out of livestock. Standing on top of a cart, she cries out in a loud voice. "Monster attack! Run, head for the hills!"
A few brave villagers round up their forces and begin to search for the supposed creature, but not before pausing to hear what she had to say.
"Where is the creature?"
"Has it taken someone?"
"I knew it! The rotten odor from the outhouse must be it!"
The villagers stare at the last commenter blankly. Rose frantically waves her hands to gain their attention.
"Neither! Tis came from that darkly place over yonder!" She points a finger at the building housing Varlamane and hops a few times to stress her point. "Yar, it had antlers the size of a full grown tree!"
As the messenger exits the building, he raises his hands in order to pacify the crowd. Behind him was Varlamane, however, before either could get a word in a nearby herd of sheep began fleeing into the Village Square. Someone had disturbed them...
"It's the monster!"
They immediately rush upon both the messenger and Varlamane. In the midst of the chaos, Rose slips back into Varlamane's study and steals from his desk a few of his papers. Taking a sword hanging from the wall, she looks around the cell room and finds her things. Setting them all on one of his soldier's horses, she steals a uniform and rides off.
Back outside, Varlamane lifts a villager into the air and pounds his head into the pavement. He rips through the crowd and screams loudly in anger. The messenger pleads to him for help.
"Sir." He slips to the ground and is kicked repeatedly in the head by the unstable crowd. "Sir!"
Varlamane ignores him. His focus is instead at the entrance to the Village, where a fresh set of hoof marks leading into the Forest...
Climbing onto a roof, Varlamane roars out a command for silence. The frightened crowd pauses long enough to scream out threats, but a stare from him tightens their lip.
"Have you forgotten what my Knights have done for you? Are you so quick to believe vain rumors?"
An elderly woman shakes a fist in the air. "We have a right to!"
Shouts follow. Varlamane raises his hand and closes his eyes. Nodding, he allows the crowd to calm down before continuing. "News of upheaval between Kingdoms have created in us a sense of vigilance. We all saw the passing regiment of Shadow Knights weeks back, did we not? The idea of war threatening our abode has led to desperation. We remain here outside of such conflict, and proof that I keep to my word in maintaining such a state follows."
Extending his hand in a sweeping motion, Varlamane motions to his workshop. "I am in the middle of securing resources for the common good of all. The noises you heard were nothing more than my cattle suffering from a bout of illnesses that have forced me to ship them elsewhere for recovery."
A scruffy man in tattered clothes raises his hand to object, but Varlamane turns his attention directly at him while addressing the crowd. "The prisoner brought here by my Knights under the cover of darkness was a troublemaker who disrupted my trade. Justice was carried out and further preventions to my projects have disappeared."
Sighing, Varlamane expresses a downcast tone. "But one cannot believe this to be set in stone. Others may hinder our efforts to survive, to keep our Village out of conflict. To all here, mercenaries and workingmen alike, the ranks of my Knights are opened to you. I must sail across the Endless Sea and return to my home to gather supplies-"
The scruffy man spits on the ground. "Run away from trouble more like!" He is shoved by the crowd.
Varlamane chuckles. "It appears that way, however, I will leave control of my outpost here to all of you. My workshop is to be made an inn for all weary travelers, for those who've fallen on hard times. My weapons, with the exception of those used by my Knights, will stock the armory. My fortune, dedicated to repairing the destruction caused by this senseless stampede."
The crowd murmur to another as Varlamane climbs back down. Walking through the crowd as if a statesman, he unfurls a blank parchment and scribbles a few words. Posting it on the side of his workshop, he turns to the crowd and bows. "I am willing to hire any of you to better your current pay for the benefit of you and your families. Now, tis an evening of feasting!"
Many in the crowd raise their hands and return to their homes to prepare. Varlamane strolls over to his injured soldier lying on the ground in pain. Lifting him up, he carries him on his shoulder to the nearest infirmary.
~
In the wee hours of night, Varlamane sits on top of a roof watching Cil dine with the rest of the feasting villagers. Viewing a list of wannabe mercenaries throwing their life into his service, Varlamane crosses out another name. No one could of such caliber could catch the elusive tinkerer plaguing his plans, but his experience with the Minotaur Prisoners presented him with an opportunity.
Throwing a hood over his face, he enters his once great hall through an open window. Looking over the scattered items on the ground, Varlamane grabs a torch hanging from the wall and throws it down.
The town center echoes with laughter with Cil having the time of his life performing on his mandolin. As he looks up from his instrument to thank the crowd, an orange light catches his eye.
"FIRE!" "THE BARON!"
Panicked screams drown out Cil's frantic calls for calm. Confused and frightened, he abandons his mandolin and rushes off with a stolen bag of gold.
A figure exits Varlamane's house, jumping across rooftops and disappearing into the Forest.
