War is Coming (IC)

[Gamblerjoe]

The hoplites begin to systematically process the prisoners. Their weapons, armor and helmets are placed into separate piles as each hobgoblin is bound with manacles or rope.

The wounded and dead men are left lying in the breach, where the clerics now have the space they need to tend to them. soldiers with minor wounds are put on stretchers and carried back to the keep. this is a matter of manual labor, where the tireless efforts of a warforged could speed things along, preventing infection, and the spreading of disease.

As Deklin looks over the wounded and consults with Brother Hector, he is filled in on the details of the situation. it looks grim, but if triage is strictly enforced, than no more men need be claimed by death's clutches today. With some inspirational words, Deklin is able to keep the healers and medics focused. it is hard to ignore the screams of injured men, but its the ones who cant scream that need help first.

The mercenary fighters grab their previously incapacitated comrade and make their way behind the breach. They grab John along the way and begin carrying on about the festivities to come. the man of honor will be "pasty" the one who went down, but survived the battle.

Everyone with medic training is given a healing kit and ordered to tend to the wounded.

A cleric heals Emalus' wounds. The lead engineer of the division in Highcastle summons him, along with a few other masons, carpenters and engineers. together they work out how many man hours it will take to repair the palisades. the leadership seems strangely unprepared. though there's not much one could expect in the way of building supplies, they dont even seem to have a plan at all. none the less, brainstorming is done, and a plan is hatched. there are plenty of strong Athlan backs to carry it out. Emalus and the rest of the think tank spend the next several days surveying and troubleshooting the reconstruction of the wall. From this vantage point, one can overlook the looting of the battlefield; soldiers piling weapons and armor onto carts, mules and oxen laboring to drag battered Kenelm siege engines to the keep.

For the next couple of days, Highcastle recovers. there is a strange sense that everyone knows what to do, and aims to make themselves as useful as possible. there is little in the way of delegation as the smiths repair weapons and armor, and reforge recovered Kenelm gear; as the medics and clerics tend to the sick and wounded; as the soldiers haul stone and wood uphill, one armload at a time. The mercenaries are put on standby, and after a day of hard fighting are glad to live off of their non-combat pay for a while.

OOC

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more coming soon, feel free to RP in the mean time, especially if it touches upon anything you want to happen before you level. i got some combat pay coming everyone's way too.

[Dresil]

With some limited knowledge of medicine, Aramil spends much of his time tending to those who were not as lucky to avoid the slings and arrows of combat. However, after he is done, he spends as much time as he can training on the archer's courses, and with a determined drive that can shatter mountains, strives to put each arrow closer to the targets he aims at, even if the difference is the breadth of a hair.

[Cleavon]

Deklin

During the days to come Deklin finds himself with growing duties, both personal and for the good of Highcastle. During the dawn hours of the next few days he can be found at one of the triad temples, paying his respects to Tyr, and the gods that make up the mighty triumvirate against evil.

On the first day Deklin makes his way into the city itself and seeks council with Lopt Grendson, though understands if the Ki Warlord, and his former instructor, is too busy with the recent events to see him without some sort of appointment.

During the bulk of the time during the days following the battle Deklin can be found performing manual labor to help rebuild the wall, tending to the churches wounded with whatever aid he can provide and sermons on the good word of the triad, and carousing with the warriors of Highcastle, keeping the common men in the infantry sure of themselves and keeping their spirits up.

[Gamblerjoe]

Deklin

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As you're making your daily rounds, you come upon a group of Highcastle Guards escorting a prisoner. They are 3 human soldiers, bearing the tabbard and longswords of the City Watch. [common knowledge:] When the military is finished interrogating prisoners, they are turned over to the local constabulary.

They are escorting a single goblin, who is missing an arm. he has a makeshift tourniquet tied off to stop the bleeding. he is yelling frantically in a high pitched gibbering dialect of Goblinoid. he appears to be having trouble walking, which is coupled by the fact that as one guard pulls his chain, he falls to the ground and gets kicked for it by another guard.

Chief: "Get up you trash eating mongrel!"

The guard with the chain begins dragging him across the ground. this chokes the goblin who can now only silently and helplessly flail his arm and legs.

Second Guard: "Hey chief, I think this one's resisting." He draws his sword.

Chief: "I reckon you're right..."

Aramil

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Once the wounded are patched up, and the dead buried, MUTS training continues as normal. The medics are thanked by the Triad hospitalers, who are able to care for them during their recovery.

Your extra time spent on the range does not go unnoticed. while Hunter makes himself available to everyone, he seems to spend the most time with you, and with one of the archers who is struggling to make the grade. Your scores on the course are consistently the best amongst your group, and the buzz is that they are better than any of last season's graduates. Hunter takes you aside one day and tells you that he wants to start you on the speed course. normally recruits don't start on the speed course until week 3, but Hunter sais that during times of war things are done differently. He fails to explain why its just the 2 of you, while his assistant is drilling the rest of the recruits on the regular course and target range.

The two of you take turns on the speed range. His performance is breath-taking. Rather than the shortbow you are used to seeing him with, he uses a composite longbow of some of the finest elven craftsmanship you have ever seen. for this bow to be in the hands of a human would normally be an atrocity, if that human weren't such a gifted archer. He coaches you, pushing you to shoot faster and faster.

Hunter also pulls a few strings for you. he tells you to go to The Flaming Arrow and tell the proprietor "Arrowhawk sent you." They will treat you well. [wisdom:] this is just a password, and not another nickname Hunter goes by.

The second thing he does for you is to bring a rather attractive looking set of armor to one of your sessions. The underlay is made of thin leathers that seem to be quite flexible even after being cured. thicker, more rigid studded leather plates are strapped to the thighs and shins over the greaves. A studded leather cuirass protects the chest, and can easily be swapped out for an upgrade. The studs are all treated to be pitch black. When worn, the suit is an amorphous combination of black, forest green, and the natural brown of the tanned leather; a combination that makes for excellent camouflage.

You receive your promissory notes for your weekly pay (7gp) and your combat bonus (500gp). they can be taken to the local treasury building and exchanged for coinage.

Evan

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A rather small human in a brown robe greets you and introduces himself as Brother Hector. He tells you that he and Deklin have begun a strict triage, and that some men need to be transported back to the keep, while some need serious treatment immediately. they have begun setting up a First Aid Station behind the palisades. Your job is to help certain soldiers into carts, and use your horse to haul them to the infirmary, back at the keep. First you transport all of the troops with minor injuries. As the night wears on, you find yourself transporting the more critical casualties, post-surgery.

Eventually, its back to the forges. there are countless weapons, helmets, and pieces of armor to be repaired or reforged. The first job they put you on is breaking down the Kenelm Legionnaire cuirasses. Eventually, a pile of 200 pieces of armor is reduced to buckles, straps and scrap metal. You then hammer the trademark shape out of the chest pieces, and treat them to dull their bronze luster. The parts are now ready to be shipped to local craftsmen; a vital part of insuring that the military can pay it soldiers, as well as sustaining the local economy.

Your time spent working unblinking at the forge earns a great deal of gratitude from your superiors. The fact that you can train with your MUTS squad full time during the day, and work full shifts at the forge at night has the chain of command giddy like adolescent girls. they constantly joke around about what it would be like if they had 100 of you. Since you volunteer so much of you free time to help the war effort, the Forgemaster assures you that any time you wish to spend at the forge working for yourself is permitted. Any materials they have in stock, you are welcome to, at the same wholesale price merchants pay.

You receive your promissory notes for your weekly pay (7gp) and your combat bonus (500gp). they can be taken to the local treasury building and exchanged for coinage.

Emalus

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Your time is split between MUTS training in the day, and night shifts at the breach. You barely have time to trance each night. Progress moves swiftly on the wall. The soldiers are motivated and work hard.

The siege engine training is fairly humdrum. It serves to hone your skills, but fails to teach you anything new. apparently you are not the only one who notices this. You are approached by Sgt. Mackey, one of the drill instructors, who strikes up a conversation with you. He can see that you already know how to operate all of the basic siege engines. This stage of training is designed to take a recruit with no skill, or moderate skill and drill them until their accuracy is up to a certain standard. At that point, it is time for mixed unit training, the heart and soul of MUTS. Sgt. Mackey informs you that, mum's the word, but the skinny is that Lieutenant Huntley, having just been promoted, was given full command of MUTS in this region. His first priority is to form a "dream team" with the best and the brightest of his new recruits. Mackey tells you that he is about to turn in a progress report, along with a personal letter to Lieutenant Huntley recommending that he strongly consider a siege weapon specialist for his team. He also tells you that he has talked to the forgemaster and requisitioned some materials and time at the forge for you.

You receive your promissory notes for your weekly pay (7gp) and your combat bonus (500gp). they can be taken to the local treasury building and exchanged for coinage.

John

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There is much celebration amongst the human mercenaries. The camp they have set up has men from many different backgrounds. The ones doing the most celebrating are the members of The Fighter's Guild. They seem to have a great sense of loyalty and brotherhood. They drink to each other, they drink to the fallen Athlan soldiers, and they toast to "Pasty" the one the Hobgoblins almost claimed.

A group of Athlan soldiers makes their rounds through the camp, recording everyone's name, and distributing pay. For one week of hard work and waiting, and one day of hard fighting, you receive the pay scale agreed upon, which totals 900gp.

[Dresil]

After much debating and mulling it over, Aramil finally decides to treat himself. A quick stop to exchange his pay notes into real coins, and then off to the village to see if he cannot buy a better bow than standard issue. The 500 gold seems to be burning a hole in his pocket.

((Looking for a Masterwork Composite Longbow +1 or +2 for 500 gold.))

[Cleavon]

Deklin

As Deklin observed the flailing goblin and his harsh captors he furrowed his brow and stepped into the way of the three city guardsmen, his arms folding across his chest, the holy symbols of Tyr clearly displayed on his tabard, his arms crossed over his chest. His voice flowed out in a chastising tone.

"This must be a fearsome creature, if three men are needed to bring it to bear. Or perhaps treason against the king is this goblins crime?"

Stepping forward Deklin reached down and grasped the Goblin by his good shoulder and put him on his feet.

"There. Now if you men could go about your duties with a little more respect, we might be able to be the betters in this forsaken conflict. What message are we sending the soldiers and common folk of Highcastle? Take this prisoner to his fate. The justice system will send him to his lot."

[Gamblerjoe]

Aramil

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From the outside, The Flaming Arrow looks like a tiny shop sandwiched in between 2 large ones. You almost miss it, despite Hunter's directions. The inside is dusty and slightly dank. The aisles with rations, tinder twigs, bedrolls and such is well traveled. the other aisles are covered with spider webs, and the dust on the floor lacks even a single footprint.

Behind the counter is a thin, red-haired man with leather armor and a short sword at his hip. Behind him, there is a selection of bows, arrows, knives and other items displayed on the wall.

Deklin

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As you approach, the guards stand at ease. As soon as the goblin gets a good look at your face, he shrieks and covers his eyes with his forearm. This gives you a nice handle to pick him up by. He looks at you wide-eyed as you scold the soldiers.

Chief: "Do as he sais boys. If the templars give us another ill report, the Lieutenant will have my ass!"

He gives you a dirty look, and then changes directions to bring their captive to the keep dungeon.

Later in the evening, you make your way to Lord Hilton's throne room. His steward, Leigh Hasher grants you an appointment with Lopt Grendson. After leading you to the War Room, he leaves you with Lopt, and his advisors. Amongst them is Ashwin Dhruv.

Lopt: "Its good to see you again my son. Ashwin has told me about your performance at the northern flank, and your courage at the breach. Im glad you came to me. There is much to discuss, and much i have to ask of you." As he sits, everyone in the room takes a more relaxed posture. "But first, please, tell me what brings you here."

[Dresil]

Aramil

The elf raises a hand in greeting, and walks up the the human. "I have little time to myself and must get back to the army as quick as possible, so I apologize for being blunt. I am looking for a composite longbow that has a decent enough strength pull on it for someone of slightly above average build. Nothing like orc-strength or the like. Can you help me?''

[Cleavon]

Deklin

Deklin stands before Lopt and his advisers at ease, his tabard clean and his armor gleaming from a fresh polish. It felt good to address such a council, as if the righteousness of these good men bolstered his confidence in himself and his countries fight against evil with their mere presence.

"My first thought had been to come simply to pay fealty to those who had guided our success with their defensive strategies, and also to see old friends. On the Northern flank, and again at the breach though, I witnessed a soldiers bravery and might that I felt should be recounted to you generals."

Taking a step forward he uncrossed his arms and spoke passionately, looking for Ashwin to Lopt, and around at the other warriors and strategists gathered.

"I fought alongside a Warforged, he was a great warrior and many of the Kenelm shock troops fell to his blade. I felt that his bravery and quick actions helped us secure the north flank and also to seal the breach. On that note I wish to put in a formal request that he be promoted in rank. I believe I heard another soldier on the field refer to him as Evan."

Tilting his head slightly now, as he finished the reasons that had brought the paladin to the war room that day, he spoke casually.

"Thank you for the consideration, and I am ready for whatever you need ask of me."

[Ryuk01]

Evan Loneblade

During his hours of work in the forge, Evan's mind wanders back to the recent battle against the Kenelm shock troopers. His hammer swings up and down in a smooth pulsing motion, as he vividly remembers cleaving down rank after rank of goblins alongside two other fellow warriors. Evan sighs when he recalls the fumbles and misses he had while swinging his greatsword, realizing that those mistakes could be fatal in the next battle. Evan suddenly halts the repetitive rhythm of his blacksmith tools and stares meaningfully at the promissory notes sitting beside several stacks of wood. Evan's mind was made up: he needed a new greatsword.

OOC: Evan takes a trip to the local treasury building, planning to buy himself a masterwork greatsword.

[Gamblerjoe]

Aramil

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"we've got a few bows here that might pique your interest. iv got all kinds of longbows, in several different makes, but if you're looking for something with some draw weight... judging by your height... id say you want to go with a Hemlock." he quickly disappears behind a curtain and returns a moment later with a longbow. "fine craftsmanship on this one here. made from choice oak and guar horn. its got a draw weight of 2 stones, and a draw length of 24 inches. feel it out, if you need a little more weight, iv got a 3 stone, and a 4 stone in the back."

the bow looks and feels very nice, but you feel like you could handle something a little heavier. the prices he gives you are 600gp for the 2 stone, 800gp for the 3 stone, and 1000gp for the 4 stone.

OOC

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a normal bow has a draw weight of 1 stone (14 lbs). each step on the composite rating adds 1 stone, so a mwk composite (2) longbow would have a draw weight of 3 stones.

Deklin

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Lopt: "There is indeed a Warforged named Evan amongst our ranks. The only Warforged in fact. He has served as both an infantryman and a forgehand for many years. His service has been loyal, but not particularly distinguished. He works hard, but has done little in the way of advancement, due to typical racial prejudice. He was, however, recently accepted into MUTS training."

[Basic Military Knowledge:]

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MUTS stands for Mixed Unit Tactics Squad. Small groups of highly skilled and highly specialized soldiers perform important covert operations during both war and peace time. they train as a unit extensively, learning to compensate for each others weaknesses, and form a cohesive, multifunction team. They are not only known for their combat prowess. They also tend to have skill sets that work around each other, synergistic abilities, knowledge of many languages, and excellent communication and teaching skills.

"Command of MUTS in this region has recently been handed over to Lieutenant Jacob Huntley. This has been a long time in the making. The man was born for the job. He reports directly to me, as Ki Warlord of the Whispering Hills. Intelligence pertaining to him, and MUTS goes through as few channels as possible. You will never speak that name, or the word MUTS in the presence of common ears."

"I have given Lieutenant Huntley a very important directive. He is to assemble a new team out of his latest batch of recruits. It is my opinion that there is much untapped potential amongst the elves and dwarves that have never been considered for MUTS training in the past. If Evan is as much of an asset as you claim, I could see to it that he receives not only a promotion, but a spot on this team. So far, he only has 2 prospects: the finest archer and finest siege engineer amongst the MUTS recruits. Both elves. The archer, Aramil, appears to be his new protege. The reason I am giving you this top secret information, Deklin, is because it is information you need to know. The gods have a higher purpose for you. The team i have ordered Lieutenant Huntley to assemble is to accompany you on many important missions. The armies of Kenelm march to the will of Bane. Their mere existence lends him power, and their success could lead him to his ultimate goal. Only a true servant of Tyr will be able to bring victory to the side of good when the moment of truth comes to bear."

"You will need a proper uniform, something inconspicuous. In our vault, we have some reforged gear that we usually give to mercenaries and adventurers as rewards for simple tasks. Ill have my quartermaster fit you for a breastplate, and find you a proper weapon."
[you procure a breastplate!]
[you procure a mwk longsword!]

Evan

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As you prepare to leave the forge, you run into the forgemaster once again.
"Evan my boy, there's someone I think you should meet. An acquaintance'o'mine who has some knowledge when it comes you made'o'metal folk. dont be fooled by his pointy ears or his fancy clothes, his mind is as cold and calculating as mine or even yours. some say 'es part construct, har har har. now follow meh lad."

Emalus

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As you're putting in hours toward you various crafting projects, the forgemaster checks in on you.
Toilin' away as usual eh lad? Ever the busy soul. Theres someone iv been meanin' to introduce you to. Another part of furniture 'ere. Ye dont see 'im much, since he spends most of his time on the lower levels where it hotter than a salamander with a fever. Follow me, an' we'll make with the tea and the introductions."

[Dresil]

Aramil

"I really have an eye for the three stone, but I've only got 500 gold to my name. The only thing I can promise you is to continue paying as long as I'm alive and fighting for this army, and if I meet Corellon Larethian before my debt is squared with you, you are more than welcome to take the bow back."

[jojolagger]

Emulas
"Sure, one sec." Quickly packing his toolkit, Emulas proceeds after the forgemaster, Idea's and plans still in his head. "So, who is it I'm meeting?"

[The_Admiral]

John buys 10 cases of ammo and 1 Gnome Crossbow Sight
OOC

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The Gnome Crossbow sight is an item that lets me ignore up to 2 ranged increments

[Cleavon]

Deklin

Standing stoically Deklin listened to Lopts words, and his mind had any questions. He let them go for the moment though, knowing the importance of this mission. He also knew that there would be little stopping him from carrying out any mission they could throw at him, if the team gathered was strong, and lead by righteousness.

"By your command, Warlord. I will take this task and any you bestow upon me to defeat the armies of evil and snuff out the will of Bane. I am certain that among these new recruits we will be able to find a most capable group to help turn the tide of this battle."

Hearing that he would be given new armament he nodded happily and listened to the rest of what Lopt had to tell him, especially remembering the part about keeping this whole thing out of the commoners knowledge.

"By your leave then, I will report for fitting and armament and as soon as necessary I will report to Lieutenant Huntley so we can privately discuss his creation of the team."

[Gamblerjoe]

Evan and Emalus

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You are lead into a mundane looking room with a round table and several chairs.

Forgemaster: "Evan, Emalus. Emalus, Evan. You two boys are my hardest working forgehands, so i figured it was high time we all sat down for an old fashioned howdy-do."

"Aramil here is an elven artisan. He dont just have the blood of the elves in his veins, hes the real deal. According to his service record, he comes from Kieran. Terrible tragedy what happened there. He's come to work for us, and get some payback. I'nt that right son. Oh and I hear 'es right handy with the siege weapons too."

"Evan's been down 'ere in the furnace almost as long as I been runnin' the place. His unique gifts allow him to take the heat, and he never gets tired and drops the tongs! Thanks to him, hundreds of peasants and conscripts will upgrade from pitchforks and rags to spears and down-right fancy breastplates."

"Any hue, with the goblins on our doorstep, we all know that a lot is gonna start happenin' real fast. since you two have so much in common, I figure yeh might as well get a head start on gettin' to know each other."

Deklin

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Lopt: "As the troops drill in the morning, Lieutenant Huntley will no doubt be on the archery range. Report to him when you can. I trust you to work it in to your dutiful schedule."

"That is all i have for you, Deklin. Lieutenant Huntley, and Ashwin will serve as my voice in the field, for your duties will have you spend less time in the safety of my keep than either of us would like. You are dismissed, unless there is anything else you would like to discuss."

[Ryuk01]

Evan Loneblade

Uncomfortable being forced into a social situation, Evan simply gives a polite hello, but after a short pause, Evan could no longer suppress his curiosity about this man who knows about warforged.

"Do you know what I am?"

[Gamblerjoe]

Lady Elizabeth

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After the battle dies down, you return to your self appointed duties. During one of your rounds at the Temple of the Triad you have a long talk with Brother Hector, a monk of Ilmater and one of the temple masters.

After discussing the battle, the future of Athla, and religious dogma, he turns the subject to you.

Brother Hector: Kenelm uses unexpected tactics. Despite the raving success they had against Bravarra, they did not repeat the same tactics against us. Highcastle was not expected to hold for as long as it has. If Kenelm had repeated their tactics, they would have hit us hard and fast from the front with a force 10 times larger than what we fought. Our job was to use our defensible position to make them pay as high a price as possible.

I fear that our apparent success may actually be the precursor to whatever new plan the generals of Kenelm have come up with. All but the most stubborn civilians have been evacuated to cities several hundred miles from the boarder. They have taken with them as much food, clean water, supplies and valuables as possible. When Kenelm marched on these streets, there was to be nothing for them to loot, and their lightning fast assault would grind to a halt on the empty bellies of their soldiers. In stead, the armies of Kenelm wage a slow siege war against us. Soon, it will be our bellies that are empty.

It is not up to me to make our armies' decisions. The only thing I can do is to ask a favor of you. If you go to Highcastle Keep and speak to Lord Grendson, there may be ways in which you can help him. As Ki Warlord of the Whispering Hills region, he has command of many troops, and lieutenants who report directly to him. He can make decisions and enact them without the delays of bureaucracy; a weakness of Bravarra's that played directly into the hands of Kenelm.

[jojolagger]

Emulas
After greeting the large warforged, Emulas takes a moment to get a good look. Seeing a warforged reminded him of the workshop back home, and he'll probably be fixing him up every so often.
"Warforged, second generation. Guardian model. One of my favorites, very sturdy." says Emulas, giving a slight amused grin, "I also notice a bit of damage to the chest area. I take it the people around here don't know much about fixing you."

[Psilulz]

Lady Elizabeth
The knight bows down to Brother Hector. "I agree. I had anticipated a much larger force to be attacking our position. If what you say is true, then we are in quite a dire situation. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to better serve the people. I will see Lord Grendson as soon as my duties here have been completed." And with that she returns to her duties, which she almost rushes through.
The lady had only heard about the ki warlords in stories and rumors, but had never expected to meet one in person. Needless to say, she is quite excited to meet this Lord Grendson.

[Cleavon]

Deklin

"No sir. I'll be on my way. I have much to attend to before I hit my bunk, as well as this new assignment to tend to in the morning. I'll make sure to issue full reports to my superiors and relay any pertinent information that is procured. Be well gentlemen, and The Triad bless you."

Deklin gave the men a light bow and turned, exiting the war room. He disappeared into the evening, heading to the armory to pick up his new breastplate and longsword, before returning to the church to say nightly prayers and lend a hand for a few hours before turning in and getting some rest.

[Gamblerjoe]

Delkin

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Archery Range, noonish...

You see a grizzled looking NCO overseeing several archers on the target range. When asked about Lieutenant Huntly, he responds: "He's over on the speed course with Trooper Whitewood. Just head that way [points south-east] and hang a left past the supply dump. When you see a bunch of buildings and fences, thats it."

Speed Course...

You see a lone male elf wearing a fine set of studded leather armor with a camouflage pattern. There is a human running the course. His speed and accuracy are like nothing you have ever seen before.

Aramil

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Another day on the speed course...

Its a lovely day. For the past week, you have been pushing you speed higher and higher. Your times are steadily decreasing, and your scores are steadily increasing. Things are really starting to click.

You see a tall dark haired human approaching the range. He has a longsword at his side, and a tabbard bearing the holy symbol of Tyr. He walks with an air of confidence and a sense of purpose. After stopping briefly to observe Hunter on the course, he approaches you.

[spot success!] This is one of the mounted soldiers who helped defend the breach.

Lady Elizabeth

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Highcastle Keep

Lord Grendson's steward directs you to the War Room, and tells you that you will find him there. The war room is quite large. Various maps line the wall and are strewn about on the round table in the center of the room. You recognize Lopt Grendson from the paintings. you also recognize Ashwin Dhruv, the high ranking triad affiliate you have been aiding from time to time. The rest are nameless faces behind suits of full plate.

Lopt Grendson: "Lady Elizabeth, I am glad you where able to join us. Firstly, I would like to commend you on your actions on and off the battlefield. A certain level of excellence is expected of our commissioned soldiers, but when a volunteer goes above and beyond the call of duty, it is something to truly be commended."

"I'm going to level with you, at least to an extent. We have sages who are very skilled at hedging out spies, informants, turncoats, even shapechangers. Their skills, though, are quite multifunction. Case in point, we have a great deal of information on you m'lady. We can clearly distinguish between, what I suppose I'll refer to as your 'recent past' and your 'distant past'. I am only interested in what you have been up to lately. To the best of my knowledge, you have been loyally serving the church of Torm, and the Triad as a whole. You attitude has been humble, your intent has been genuine, and the miserly way in which you live almost seems like a purposeful contrast to the decadent ways of your past life."

"Contrary to what most people believe, I feel that scrying is neither the information tool nor the insurance policy we need. What I need is to hear it straight from your mouth. Lady Elizabeth, do you wish to serve the Triad, Highcastle, Athla and king? Are your intentions noble and honorable?"

[Dresil]

Aramil

The elf will pause his course and stand at attention for what is more likely than not an officer. Better to be safe than sorry.

"Good afternoon, sir!"

[Cleavon]

Deklin

As he approached the speed course he admired the grace of the man running the course. He was certainly a fine warrior. Hearing the greeting he turned to the pointy eared man, and gave him a hearty smile. He had recently heard good things about the elven archers that trained here.

"Good day! My name is Deklin, A paladin in service of Tyr and the kingdom. Is Lieutenant Huntley about? I have wish to speak with him."

[Dresil]

Aramil

"I shall see if I can fetch him."

The elf takes off in search for his superior officer to relay the news.

[Gamblerjoe]

Aramil and Deklin

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The lieutenant finishes up his run on the speed course and follows Aramil over to Deklin. "Whats this all about? I already tithed this week!"

[Ryuk01]

Evan Loneblade

Evan takes a step back, very surprised about this man's knowledge. Polite as always, he responds,"Yes, I usually fix my own injuries. Could you mend this area for me? Kenelm's phalanx was stronger than I expected and gave me quite a beating."

[Psilulz]

Lady Elizabeth
She looks the lord in the eyes and says, "Not many get a second chance at life, much less, redemption. I assure you, my intentions are pure, as is my desire to assist the kingdom in any way possible."

[Cleavon]

Deklin

Deklin grinned at the Lieutenant as he approached from the speed course. Looking back to Aramil he smiled wider, figuring the elf to be one of the recruits mentioned by Lord Grendson.

"I haven't come for any church funds Lieutenant Huntley...I've come to speak with you. I had spoken to Lord Grendson and the culmination of our talking lead me here."

[Gamblerjoe]

Lady Elizabeth

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Lopt Grendson: "Outstanding! If its redemption you seek, I believe I can help you, by allowing you to help me."

"Leadership of the MUTS in this area has been recently transferred to a man in whom I have great confidence. He is assembling a new team, one that will take on some of the most important and dangerous tasks of this war."

[common military knowledge:]

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MUTS stands for Mixed Unit Tactics Squad. Small groups of highly skilled and highly specialized soldiers perform important covert operations during both war and peace time. they train as a unit extensively, learning to compensate for each others weaknesses, and form a cohesive, multifunction team. They are not only known for their combat prowess. They also tend to have skill sets that work around each other, synergistic abilities, knowledge of many languages, and excellent communication and teaching skills.

"The forces of Kenelm march under the banner of Bane. If they are allowed to succeed, it could spell a new dark age for all of humanity. I feel that this new MUTS team is going to be something special. They have the religious and moral support of one of the finest paladins to graduate from the academy. There are some capable warriors, and a technician who puts most to shame. What they desperately need, besides another skilled sword arm, is a trained cavalier. My records state that you have skill not only riding, but caring for horses. You are also versed in the ways of honor and chivalry. MUTS teams may be best known for sneaking around behind enemy lines, but by my faith in the triad, I know that there will be a time and a place for chivalry. When the time comes, and when it comes again, and again, the team will not be able to succeed without you."

"We must win, but not at all cost. If we do not uphold our values, and rise above, then we are no different than the evil we are setting out to destroy."

[Lopt allows you to speak]

"...Before you leave to return to your duties, I'd like you to speak to my quartermaster. He can fit you for some more suitable armor and a weapon. Also, Iv sent some orders down the pipe. During the battle of the breach, you and two other soldiers where given horses to ride. As you know, all horses are Army Issue, and given to each member of the Royal Cavalry. Ashwin allowed you folks to ride the horses because their riders fell in combat, and he was simply thinking on his feet. As of now, only one of the horses has been reassigned. The other two are to be officially issued to you, and one of your new team mates, Deklin Rilos. Use them well, and take care of them. They are brave and loyal steeds."

[Knowledge (nobility & royalty) success!]

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The name Rilos sounds familiar to you. Amos Rilos was a Kensai in the service of Lopt Grendson. He faithfully served Athla and the Triad. Many of his deeds have been written into world famous bard tales. He fell leading his division against the forces of Kenelm, trying to defend Bravarra. His sense of duty and sacrifice stand as a shining example of excellence for all of Athla to follow.

Aramil and Deklin

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Huntley (to Deklin): "Don't call me Lieutenant you bastard, and don't you dare salute me! Call me Hunter. So Lopt sent you huh? Now why in the hells would he send me an academy living scion. Are you sure you want to be here son? They dont roast quayle in foxholes. Sometimes we eat bugs, and dont leave our foxholes to relieve ourselves. That sound like a fun time to you?"