After riding for about 3 hours you reach Therwer, the gate is closed and a guard shouts from up on the wall "whats yer business here!?"
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After riding for about 3 hours you reach Therwer, the gate is closed and a guard shouts from up on the wall "whats yer business here!?"
Valance looks up at the guard before a disappearing in a cloud of shadow and reappearing next to him and says "Sorry, I hate shouting for no reason. We are here on the kings business and we need to speak with the captain of the guard, would you be so good as to get him, we will wait."
SpoilerUsing Shadow Jaunt to teleport up to the guard.
the guard jumps backwards and reach for his sword.
"hoh... dont do that again... i reckon you're them 'specials' he's waiting for. i'll go get him." and with that he runs to the barracks.
shortly after, a grizzled man with a somewhat shinier armour than the other guards has. "you're sent here by the king?"
Valance appraises the man and then says "If you are the captain of the guard then I suggest you let my associates in, walls are more of a problem for horses than for men, and take us someplace where we can talk in private."
"I dont see any reason to talk much. i had orders to lead to the ship at ONCE.
OPEN THE GAATE!" the captain shouts. the gate creaks slightly as the gate opens and armed men escort the rest of the party inside.
" Jenkins here will take to the Sea-wolf. the vessel."
a young man, who dosnt fit the chainmail to well, appears " private Jenkins, ready for duty." he says and salutes.
Valance shrugs and says "Very well." He then jumps down from the wall and gets back on his horse.
"is there anything alse you would like to do before your departure?" jenkins asks.
Valance thinks for a bit and then says "I could use a weeks worth of trail rations. I'm not sure about my companions."
"thers a supply store just down the street. you may buy your rations there."
I'll be fine, just lead me to this ship.
"i'd prefer to deliver you all at once, sir" Jenkins says nervously "y'know just to be sure..."
Valance looks at the store and then says "I said that I could use a weeks worth of rations, not that I needed them. And I don't need them if I would have to pay for them. So let's go to the ship."
"eeeh..." Jenkins stutters and fidgets with his spear "o-ok... uhm... follow me." He leads you all the way to the dock and to a sleek vessel, he then takes his leave and the quartermaster takes over.
"AHOY! yeh be them landlubber th' be hoisted to tha' Island?"
Valance looks at the quartermaster and says "I suppose we are."
Spoiler@\/ fixed
((think you mean the quartermaster))
"veery well. get onboard and we'll get yer horses in th' ship." he says and start shouting to the crew.
Valance disappears in a cloud of shadow and reappears up on deck. He then finds an out of the way place and waits for the others to get onboard so that they could discuss their course of action.
Dresil dismounts and boards the ship with a grin. He walks over to the Quartermaster.
Aye, we be them. It be a fine day for sailin', and I thank ye for haulin' us to where we need to go.
He then makes sure his horse is in good hands, then finds Valance.
Methinks this will be quite the trip. I couldn't stand it in that camp, too many stuffed breastplates for my liking.
Davhid dismounted his horse and snapped off a quick salute to the Quartermaster. Although, when his hand came down, he leaned in closer;
"What in the Abyss is with the lax discipline here? Private Jenkins, was it? He needs a swift kick in the arse. The quartermaster here, err...Not you..." Davhid was aware that the Regulars and the King's Navy had different descriptions of 'Quartermaster'. Although, it still bothered him why it was so. Navigators and Supply Officers had nothing to do with each other, yet, had the same rank. It didn't make sense to Davhid. "That is, whoever is supplying these troops with gear, also needs a swift kick in the arse."
With that, he gave another salute to the naval quartermaster, and led his horse up the ship's gangplank.
It was now, that Davhid began to have second thoughts about King Erwind's chances against the bastard Gyradan. All the seasoned troops were off to the front, and troops like Jenkins were left behind. For good reasons. However, Davhid thought, if King Erwind has a group of specials That's us. Davhid sighed. Then he saw no reason why Gyradan couldn't have the same. Davhid didn't believe that Gyradan's discipline was lax at all, probably, with a man like that, you'd be killed for incompetance.
Davhid sighed again for the second time in as many minutes Damn golems. He saw Valance over in a corner, keeping a distance from the ship's crew. He gave a nod to Valance and headed over towards him.
EDIT: Davhid overhears the last part of Dresil's conversation.
"Stuffed Breastplates aren't all bad. Provided that they've earned it.
Dresil looks over to Dahvid and smiles.
Suppose so, but the fact that people are so bothered with what they are supposed to do and how to do it instead of what they want to do is annoying to me. Officers in the armed forces are always 'Reuglation this' and 'Protocol that'.
I have always just went with whatever comes my way. Its always worked for me.
Valance snorts and says "Too many incompetents who act like they know how to solider you mean."
He glances up and sees Davhid approaching and then adds "Your kings forces would be a lot better off if they had more officers like him, he at least appears competent."
Valance gives the bard a long glance before saying "Thats because protocol and regulation, at least if they are good protocols and regulations, are what keep you alive in war."
Davhid snorted. "Parade Officers. They don't know the first thing about armed combat. Well, they know the first thing. 'Stick the pointy end in your opponent'. They go to gentlemen's school, and they learn how to fence. They think fights have rules. I'd just love to contest with them one day. Unfortunately, the common-born soldiers like myself, we're not allowed entry to those tournaments.
Davhid nodded in deference to Valance "Valance is right, sometimes, not often mind you, but sometimes, not doing the right thing gets you killed. The trouble is, figuring out what regulations will get you killed. For example; Polishing your breatplate so it shines so that your Commander can see his face like a mirror. It may look nice and pretty, but, a chance glare from the sun will give away your position and get your squad killed."
"aye, you guys seems to have a real sense of functionality. i like that" Says a man dressed in rather tight fitting studded leather. he sports a funky hat with a huge feather and a goatee "Arkaon Wulfh. Cap'n of this fine vessel." he says and make a short bow.
Valance nods and says "Or not fortifying your camp's every night. Or not giving your king a half way competent bodyguard. Once we are done with this mission I'm almost tempted to go and get the king to give us permission to set up a training cadre and actually teach them."
Valance glances up as the captain comes over and after his introduction says "It's nice to meet officers with brains, unlikely but nice. Especially in this particular army."
Davhid chuckled at Valance's assessment. "All true." he said
Davhid watched as the Captain of the Ship presented himself Why does everyone bow!? Davhid thought to himself, slightly annoyed. As he gave a salute. Davhid pushed his cloak slightly to the side, so that the pommel and hilt of his scimitar, crafted with the head of a Lion, was visible.
Sometimes it paid to show other Officers the official sword-pommel of the King. Not even the 'bred-officers' had them. It said, without words;
I've got one of these, have you?
SpoilerEDIT: I was wondering if I could change the scimitar, retroactively to a rapier? Since I haven't actually used it yet.
The captain raised a eyebrow and smiled. he pulled back his own cloak and revealed...
something that looked pretty much like a distinctively shaped hand black crossbow....
Spoiler
well we ARE here just to have fun...ok
SpoilerHmm...What I meant was, the Lion-Head Sword was given to Davhid especially by the King. "Not even bred-officers have them." What I meant by that was "Sure, you're a Captain, but how good? Got one of these?"
Spoiler
indeed. but the captain countered it with a special crossbow pistol, saying. no... igot something BETTER!
Valance chuckles and says "Yes we all have nice weapons, unless you two are planning on fighting each other with them then let's get on with it. So how long do you think the trip will take Captain? And what are your orders concerning us? Oh and who gave them?"
"oui! I was ordered by the king himself, trough a emissary. I dont expect the journey to take more than two-three hours if we can keep sis excellent wind!" he says and blows a kiss to the skies.
Seeing that the subtlety was lost on the Captain, Davhid settled his cloak back to where it was. Covering his weapon. Obviously, the Captain was either not exemplary, and didn't have a lion-head sword, or, he didn't carry it with him. After all, he did say he was given orders from the King himself. Or, perhaps, like most orders, it was written by a general and then signed by the King. Erwind probably hadn't even read the order.
Davhid would have to see for himself.
"Well, I'm ready to sail. Is there anything I can do to help us get underway faster?"