[FL] Fantasy Lynching: Blood alone turns the Wheels of History

[doliest]

Kitaria
"To meet a few new friends, I'd wager." She grins, I'd say flirtly, but as this is Kitaria, that's assumed. "But, if my envoy has been here, has he already left?"

Tass
"Whadda you think Tanis? I think I'm a little short to be a guard."

[Cracklord]

Holo
He starts, dropping the bag, and you realize he didn't even realize you were there. For a moment he looks guilty, but he hides that the traditional way, threatening you instead to waylay suspicion.
"I don't know what you're talking about. But I do wonder what it is you have to hide." he replies, stepping forward. "What are you afraid I am going to take?"

Lawarance
"I saw a suckling pig I had my eye on..." He replies, tucking the coins into a pouch with the rest. "Go to your room, I'll bring your serve up in a moment."

Zasamal
You step out to see Orik, the king of the dwarves watching you suspiciously. The dwarf was in full military apparel, down to his vambraces and sabatons. A massive horned helm guarded his head and face, with the cheekguards hiding everything except his alert blue eyes and beaky nose, and a dark wool cape hung over his shoulders despite the heat. He is also alone.

Kitaria
"Not quite yet, I do not think. I... that is to say..." He flounders, then settles for offering his arm as though seeking to help you down.

Rand, Tavi
Murtagh points out the spot on the map, a city on the edge of cliffs, that dominates the landscape. You can travel there, no wards prevent it and few could.
Murtagh nods to Tavi. Trade seems the least of their concerns now.
Gandalf gets to his feet. "Well, it seems a poor council, but at this time it is the best I can give you. I wish you the best, but cannot leave with you. We have met before, and he holds a grudge." With that he picks up his staff and walks out, gone as suddenly as he came.

[industrious]

Rand Al'Thor

"Thank you."

He could not Travel there, for he had never been to or studied that area. But he could Skim there. Embracing the Power and weaving a gateway took mere moments; a portal leading to an infinite blackness awaited.

"Gentlemen? Anyone wish to enter first?"

The Purgatorians

They continue along the road, and quietly, in hushed tones, discuss what they saw during that night. The Oblivion Crisis had ended three years ago, but even during that dark time in Tamrielic history, they had never been so terrified. That a creature could inspire such fear by its mere presence...was daunting.

"I want to know how common those things are in this continent. If that's going to be a nightly event, I doubt any of us will be sleeping outside an inn again." Cleon was as pragmatic as always. Practical and blunt. In warfare and tactics he was subtle and deceitful, a master tactician. In social endeavors...

"I don't think that was common at all."

Allecia hadn't pulled down the hood on her robe since that morning. The feelings that thing had inspired scared her.

"I know something of the hierarchy of the Abyss. And whatever that was, it was very high ranking."

Pellew once more checked and rechecked the Sword of the Celestial, inspecting its sheath for cracks in the leather or worn patches.

"Then we'll have to kill it the next time we meet it." I don't think we'll be able to. But we have to try.

The three travelers continue down the road, silently.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Wander

Wander is even more repulsed at this point by his hand, a sense of urgency overcoming him. He needs help, now, and he knows it. For all he knows, it might be too late, but he has to try. He puts the map away, sharp pain welcoming him as he put his injured hand on the other side of the saddle to lift himself up. In a second, he's on Agro's back, almost dizzy with pain. He spins Agro around and kicks him urgently, spurring him onward, his intended destination towards Dras-Leona. However, those orcs were still out there, and the source of the voice a while ago was still unanswered for, so whether he makes it there is unknown. Wander shakes his head to clear the pain and doubt: he had to get to Dras-Leona, now, no doubts, no questions, just go.

[Draxx]

Druss
The Legend stood in place, jaw jutting, arms clasped to his maxe, eyes straight ahead as though daring the boulders to strike him. "Steady now lads, steady." He says softly, words carrying as he watches the bombardment. They'd keep it up an hour, then try to take the walls. They couldn't afford to abandon their positions. No matter the cost.

But he'd be damned if he'd ask them to face it and not face it with them. Hold the line, and make them pay a bloody price for every inch of the fort. That was all they could do.

Conan
He listens intently. At last he nods. "Why not." And that's really all there is to say. He stands up. "I am Conan" is all he says. Not a word about mighty deeds or famous acomplishments. Just the name, as though he who knows the name knows all there is to know.

And it doesn't even leave the possibility that someone could not have heard the name Conan.

Cohen
His horse rears, iron shod hoof striking one guard in the head, while his sword swings in a brilliant arx, mortally wounding another, cutting right through his laquered armor and leaving him to try to stuff his intestines back in. Then he's passed them, forced them away enough to break through, and smashed through the doors that hadn't been sealed, leaping over the guards who had been in the process of sealing them with a heavy iron bar and charging down the hallway before they could react, leaving the Deathwatch guard convinced he had supernatural powers.

Galloping so hard and fast mMatt would have missed him if he blinked, he smashes through the double doors to the throne room in the same way, a method that can only be attained by practice, and his one eye gleams almost as much as his teeth when he spots Tuon.

Sonja
She sleeps, as best she can, while she waits for her army to be called.

Her bed chamber is enough to make anyone shocked and uncomfortable, particularly with her sleeping in it. It looks more like something out of decedant courts then the private place of a barbarian princess. A silken diven, luxurios and wide which she sprawled apon lazily was only the start.

Statues, a small pool, and fruits, all she needed was curtains of gauze and musicians.

[AnimeKid]

Link

He felt he could trust the king, so he nods and leaves with the three men heading due West.

Auron

He watches Lawrence do what he does best and is impressed. The man may not be a fighter but he sure knew how to handle these types as well as save a few coin. He then notices that Holo is missing and and goes looking for her. All it would take is just one strong enough breeze and they would have a riot on thier hands. When he sees her talking aggresively to the porter and the porter making what looks like accusing motions at her he sighs and heads over to diffuse the situation.

[Colesign]

Tavi

A Wind Coach, with a full escort of Knights Aeris arrives outside the window. Tavi smiles.

"Ah. Good: the wind coach is here: now why don't we..."

He turns around and sees the skimming portal open. The smile falters.

"Ah. What's that?"

[The Shoveler]

Tanis
"You are. But I could pose as a new guard who just got done with training. Here's my story if we meet more guards: "I just got done with training when I found this Kender wandering around in prisoner's clothes. I decided to take him in when I spotted a half-elf in similar clothing. He got away before I could catch him and I ended up getting lost. Could you point me in the right direction so I can take this squirmy bastard back in?"
Sound good?"
He looks for some armor, a shortsword, and hopefully a bow and quiver of arrows. He needed some form of weapon-based protection.

Legolas and Gimli
"We shan't worry about your companions. In our first group, no one trusted each other until the orcs came and the Nazgul struck out. We banded as brothers in our quest to stop Sauron. I hope we can do the same with your group."
"Aye. We need to be unified if we are to survive in this world."
They both put away their weapons and start walking forward.
"So please, let's be out of this village before I lose my lunch."

[darkblade]

Holo

"As a merchant's wife that cargo is my lively hood. If I catch you trying to take anything from it again you will regret it young man." Holo says turning away and returning to the Inn to let Auron deal with the boy.

***

Zasamal

Zasamal doesn't say anything as he attempts to sever the Dwarf's arm with his scythe. He doesn't want the assasins to kill Eragon so much as to main and scare him so the injury here must be a slow death, one that can be recovered from with proper treatment.

[industrious]

Rand Al'Thor

"A faster way than any coach."

Without another word, and bearing a slight smile on his face, Rand enters the portal, to all outward appearances vanishing once more.

[Falgorn]

The 'Ard Boyz

Where Grimgor had been simply running before, he now picks up to a full-blown charge, aiming for his momentum alone to take down the elf. He could string all the arrows he wants, there was no way he was gonna kill the best Warboss known to Orc History.
"Waagh!" he screams, his deep voice echoing throughout the forest. "I'll rip ya' ta' pieces!" Tactics be damned now, he's found his first kill in days.

[Colesign]

Tavi

"Oh, That's right." Max suddenly intejects with a roll of his eyes. "Go and impress us with your strange sorceries: that's incredibly mature..."

He takes a step into the portal, then ducks out with a gasp.

"Great Furies!" Max says, a hand reflexively falling to his sword.

Tavi, curious, takes a look inside to see Rand standing on a flat circular platform suspended over what appeared to be infinite darkness.

"Huh." He finally said. With that, the rest of Tavi's entourage begins moving closer to examine the Skimming Portal, with various degrees of reaction.

[AnimeKid]

Lazlo

He walks in calmly and looks around at the surroundings. He had seen stranger things on the high seas.

Auron

He glares at the boy over his sunglasses and leaks a bit of killing intent at him to warn him against trying anything.

[industrious]

Rand

The darkness is nigh absolute; the only light comes, faintly, from the platform. And the platform was whatever Rand had decided it to be when he created the portal. In this particular instance, the platform was once more circular, though it was hardly plain. Worked white and black stone, one single piece divided into two colors by a sinuous line. The ancient symbol of the Aes Sedai.

"Yes. Though I should note that this particular art is known as Skimming. Actual Traveling is much faster."

Once everybody is inside the platform, the portal closes, and the disc begins to glide across the sea of nothingness.

"Try not to go too near the edges. If you fall from the platform, you will fall through the dark forever, and eventually die of thirst or starvation. Even if you can fly."

When Skimming was first invented, they had tested these theories. But because distance was more relative and intuitive here than absolute, the only motion one could really achieve was via platform. Lews had enjoyed learning about it when he was a student.

[Corvond]

Tyrion
"I have known many proud men. Most of them were brave, gallant, honorable, and taller then me too. They tended to die slowly. I always wondered if they felt especially honorable as they died. None of them seem to last long." Tyrion replies to Achilles, and it's clear the loathing is mutual. Tyrion had nothing but disdain for men like him. He walks on, his men behind him, Bronn giving Achillies a measured look as though already planning to kill him, and then they've moved on, leaving the Greek commander and the sergeant to talk.

With that done he begins inspecting the Black Company. He's used to armies, but not a standing host like the free cities were accustomed to maintain. Normally a force of guardsmen paid with coin would form the core, and the bulk would be made up of assorted smallfolk, crofters, fieldhands, farmers, shepherders and tradesmen, with a smattering of sellswords and freeriders eager for plunder. This was a professional force, and killing was their only trade.

He wasn't complaining about that, of course. Not in the least.

After them, his own men, the warrior clans of the mountains of the moon, were lined up in a sort of loose confederation of huddles, as the clans kept apart, a ragged band of brigands: near a thousand Stone Crows, Moon Brothers, Black Ears and Burned Men. He wondered what the soldiers thought of them in their skins and bits of stolen steel. If truth be told, he did not know what to make of them himself. He was their commander, had bought their loyalty, such as it was, and they did what he told them to most of the time, but that was about the extent of it.

He still trusted them a lot more then his fathers troops. And he'd seen them fight.

"Well, I suppose we're not going to win the war sitting around." He says, walking to a table in front of the armies, were he drew a map across the table, a ragged piece of old leather covered with lines of faded paint. One end curled up from being rolled, he weighed it down with his dagger, calling over his forces commanders.

"We have to march, you'll note, and do it quickly. If we are to get to Uru'Baen before he can ready his defenses, then we can win this war. We don't have the men for a battle of attrition, this will only work if we strike too quickly for a response to be readied."

[Colesign]

Tavi

"Why can't you 'Travel' to our destination, then?" Tavi asks, a glimmer of excitement at the military and logistical implications of portals twinkling in his eyes.

[industrious]

((Why are Kitai/Varg being uncharacteristically silent?))

Rand Al'Thor

"Because I've never been to the capital before and you can only travel to a place you've studied."

The platform begins to pick up speed, though how the group knows this can't be described. There is no wind howling against them, nor any waves or landmarks to guide them by.

"Additionally, the edges of a Traveling gateway are quite sharp; they can slice anything they touch. And before you ask, yes. That feature has been adapted for military use."

[Cracklord]

Conan
Croaker nods. "Get up and get over there then. We have a war to fight." With that he gets up and walks over to the staircase and into the rooms above the taproom, leaving his drink untouched.
The men are lined up, and you have been offered a rank so can make your way over to the table and help plan if you like.

Tyrion
The Captain and Lieutenant sit around the table, both silent, simply listening to you. They are on contract, but there is nothing there about obeying your orders, just fighting your battles. Only sensible, of course, otherwise they'd be sacrificed like pawns by the sort of people they tend to word for.
Timmet and Cheka join them, as do Achilles and Conan.

Rand, Tavi, Lazlo
"I prefer a horse." Kittai replied, seeming far more at ease with this then by all rights she should be. But then, she tended to have a very pragmatic view of the world. Something was either within her ability to control, or it wasn't.
"Always in such a hurry to get places."

The 'Ard Boyz
You hit the elf like an avalanche, unstoppable as sunrise, your axe rising and galling and reducing him to a mess. He fired off two more arrows, both of which gave your armor new dings and scratches, then was hit, and that was that.
You look around the clearing, to see faces amongst the trees, more elves watching you from every direction. You are completely surrounded.
"Savages." One of them says. "Nothing but savages."

Zasamal
Orik brings Volund up in a clumsy parry that moves the scythe aside. A scythe is a agricultural tool more then a weapon, and one few soldiers have to deal with, except maybe those who have to deal with peasant revolts or the like.
It's a hard weapon to defend against, but equally hard to control, and relies on broad, sweeping movements and plenty of space, using momentum to strike hard. But also tends to leave you open.
Oric jumps in close, swinging his hammer two handed at your leg. He ought to call for help. If he does, you'll be in serious trouble.

Mumm-Ra The Ever Living, Rataro
Your nation is but a few cities, a man could walk across it in two days if he put his mind to it, and borders the Hadrac dessert.
Nemedia is your neighbor, and it's queen, Sonja the Red, the she-devil with a sword, is mustering her forces, having spat in the face of you and your new allies. It occurs to you that if you are to advance, you will have to deal with her little nation first...

[Colesign]

Tavi

{Professional neglect, I'm afraid. I'm not entirely sure how they'd react.

To be fair, Rand hasn't commented upon the strange appearance of Kitai or the giant Wolfman nature of the Canim: bricks, clay, and all that. If you try talking to Varg, Insana, Araris, Max, or Kitai, I'll give responses.

Edit: Gracias, Cracklord. I'd be grateful if we both could contribute to the background cast like we've been doing so far.}

Varg finally chooses to speak up, snarling in the Canean language:

"<If I remember correctly, we were supposed to be trading with these foreign nations and making alliances for when the Vord return. Now we show up just in time for this Demon to whisk us off through the void on a quest to defeat an even greater evil. This...is quite a string of coincidences, Tavar.>"

"<We'll make them work for us, then. Besides, I don't fancy being at the whim of a deity of darkness. There's a opportunity for us to help each other. Trust me on this, gadara>" Tavi replies in the same tongues, then switches to Common.

"So who are you exactly, Rand Al'thor? I mean, you've talked about the Dark One, making Alliances, and a last battle: your furycrafting is powerful...and innovative too. But who are you, exactly? Where did you come from?"

Kitai rolls her eyes. "A meaningless question, Aleran. He's probably just some noble Lord like you, minus the backwoods sheep-herding origins."

"Sheep are important! And maybe we shouldn't show internal dissent in front of the foreign dignitaries."

"Alerans. Only you people would argue against arguing."

[Cracklord]

Rand, Tavi
Murtagh knows traveling to be a lost art, and is surprised to find it in use. And yet, the dragon reborn stands before him, so he is not as surprised by this as he should be. When a messiah like figure arrives, you expect such things.
So instead he simply turns to Rand. "Tell me, can the technique be taught?"

Legolas and Gimli
Felix has seen worse. He has been given opportunity to learn in no uncertain terms exactly what brutality men were capable of performing on one another. He has seen towns like this, some in even worse shape, and by this point is somewhat walled off to tragedy, though at times it can still catch him unprepared.
"Yes. We'd best leave. There is nothing here but ash and crows."

Tanis, Tass
Tanis is about the right size, and he might conceivably fool anyone not paying particular attention. No alarms have been raised, so they are unlikely to be looking for him. However, the problem isn't infiltrating, it's getting off the castle, that is still hovering in place above the sands of the dessert.

Sonja
You are awoken by a soft knock on your door.

[Falgorn]

The 'Ard Boyz
Grimgor grinned a huge, Orcy grin underneath his bloodstained helmet. One of his Ladz' knew that this was the signal, that now is where the real fightin' starts. He took a horn, made of of a cleaned out boar's tusk, and blew as hard as he could. The WAAGH would be on its way soon, to kill, crush, and destroy. "Al'ight Borgut, this is what we like best, innit' it!"
Borgut replied by dropping his torch in the underbrush, so he could hold both his weapons.
"Rip 'em to pieces!" And with that, the Warboss charged, going to make mince meat out of the elves.

[industrious]

((Such is the power of cognitive dissonance. It was only when you pointed it out that I realized that Varg wouldn't be something Rand was used to))

Rand Al'Thor

He had been under the impression that the large wolf was some sort of pet animal. He knew that Perrin had some sort of affinity with wolves, but this one...this massive creature was unlike any other wolf he had seen before. Still, he had dismissed it out of hand.

And then it talked. At least, it sounded like talking. And the Alerans had talked back to it. Not singularly, as with Perrin and his wolves, but as equals, and in a very distinct group.

In a very real way, it was more unnerving than seeing the Seanchan raken. Those creature were strange, but they were also unique in their bizarreness. A wolf was innately familiar to the former farmboy; a wolf larger than a man and sapient was not, but it shared enough elements with the normal wolf that its strangeness was no barrier to his senses.

The platform shakes, ever so slightly before Rand readjusts himself, safe and secure in the flame and void.

"I'm hardly a Lord, though I rule several nations. Well. I suppose I was a Lord, before the Breaking of the World. Where to start..."

He ponders the question for a moment, tapping the stump of his left hand absentmindedly to his chin. Then something they said catches his attention.

"What's furycrafting?"

[Cracklord]

Morianne and Lan
Aydindril was a beautiful place, you think as you leave the keep and head into the streets. As the capital city of the Midlands, it was a teeming place, multi cultural with colorful people of every imaginable description living together. Many of the side streets were narrow with tightly packed buildings and tiny courtyards. The streets were always teeming with people, especially the market streets.
Anything and everything as for sale here.

Link
You head east, making your slow way through the woods, Borenson and his wife at your side.

Gaborn
You come to the trail made by the orcs. It is huge, like a scar across the earth, everything in it's way hacked to pieces, trees worn down to stumps,
and the ground churned up by the champ of ironshod boots.

Rand Al'Thor, Tavi
Murtagh's eyes perk up at this question, and he begins listening intently.

Grimgor
HAAroooooooooooooooooooooooooooo came the sound as an orc took the horn to his lips and blew a single deep, rolling note, it's voice as long and as chilling as a cold wind from the north, and then the elves were on you.
Six if them head for you, swords gleaming, faces cold as they sting you at once, darting in and lashing you fast and hard. Three more go for Borgut, and the rest spread their strikes evenly, going after the rest of da immortalz.

[Executor]

Achilles

Achilles' mouth twisted in disgust as he glanced at Tyrion's own soldiers, a ragged assortment of barbarian sellswords and brutes clad in crude furs and bits of leather, with only the barest glimmer of metal weapons amongst their brown and black mass. These were the sort of northern tribesmen that were always invading Agamemnon's kingdom from the North. Achilles made his name fighting the Dacians, who were much the same. Vicious men, no doubt, but of little use against armoured and disciplined troops like the Myrmidons. The charge of a phalanx was truly irresistable to such troops. Privately, Achilles wondered how much use these barbaroi would be against a strong city like this Uru'baen must be.

"Of course, we must be swift, my Lord Tyrion" Achilles said, almost spitting out the word 'Lord', as if he resented it.

"How strong is this Uru'baen?" Patroclus asked, as he and Eudorus, the other leaders of the Myrmidon company, came to join the council of war, feeling this was their right as Achilles' lieutenants. His tongue seemed to struggle with the unfamiliar syllables.

"More impotantly, what do we hope to accomplish against a fortified city with just over a thousand men?" Eudorus commented.

"Unless you have some great hosts hidden away that shall join us on the march" Achilles said sardonically. He may have been shipwrecked in a strange land and forced by necessity to join a war that was not his, but his attitude hadn't changed.

[darkblade]

Holo and Lawrence

Safe in the room Lawrence glares at Holo as she removes her cloak and locks the door. "You got in a fight with the stable boy here of all places?"

"He was going to steal the jewels! The jewels we are on retainer to sell for the House of Rhal. Who will not hesitate you to burn away your free will and sell me to the Church should we wrong them. I was to let the little pilfer make off with them?" Holo angerly defends herself.

"He did not have the keys there was no way he could have gotten into that box and you know it. That was reckless and could have got us all killed. I expect better of you." Lawrence scolds the wolf.

Holo growls but says nothing more.

***

Zasamal

Zasmal raises his scythe to defend against the incoming Hammer blow catching it on the steel rod. While Orik recovers from the swing Zasamal flips his grip on the weapon and aims the spear point on the back end of the scythe towards the dwarf's dominate arm.

[Colesign]

Tavi

Tavi exchanges glances with Kitai, before explaining:

"Furycrafting is a skill that some Alerans have: it's the ability to bind and control the various elemental furies of natures."

He begins ticking things off on his fingers. "Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Wood, and Metal: I thought you were using furycrafting, so I apologize for the misunderstanding."

"Oh, and Marok there is a bloodspeaker." He says idly, inclining his head towards the scarred Canim, still dressed in chitinous armor that looks like it was torn from the flesh of a giant insect. Which it was.

[industrious]

Rand Al'Thor

The Dragon still looks blank.

"And a fury is...?"

Oh, if only Loial were here.

[Colesign]

Tavi

"It's tricky to explain, and there aren't any elements nearby...Captain Maximus: If you'd be so kind as to activate the Gargoyle?"

"Yes sir." Max responds, running over and hauling the stone block from before out of the chest and setting it down on the surface of the Skimming portal. Max then pulls out a glass stone and shatters it against the surface of the block.

For a moment, nothing happens. Then with a crack and rumble of dust, the stone block erupts into a hound dog made of stone, baring it's granite jaws and snarling at Rand before settlingl into restless stillness.

"A Gargoyle is an Earth Fury that is bound and ordered to guard fixed installations from intruders. They're a standard part of fortifications, providing an extra level of defense, and can act as sentries depending on the types of commands given to them." Max explains in a straightforward tone.

"Now go to sleep." Immediately the fury crumbles in on itself and resumes its stone block shape.

"That's just one example of how furies and furycrafters are employed in our society." Tavi adds. "Regardless, that's what furies are. Elemental creatures."

[The Shoveler]

Tanis
"Tass, stay in the armory for now. I'll come back in a short while after gathering some information from my "fellow guards"."
He heads back to the previous room with the guards, walking with a slouching stride.

"Hey, I'm new here and haven't quite got the fortress down yet. Any of you lads got a map?"

Legolas and Gimli
They've seen their fair share of carnage and gore as well, having lived on the battlefield as members of the Fellowship. They fought at Minas Tirith, Helm's Deep, and Mordor against Orcs in the thousands and the occasional troll. They've seen the aftermath of the Orc army as it moved through villages. They've seen worse, but they still can't help but feel for each life lost.
They continue forward after the dwarf.

[industrious]

Rand Al'Thor

"Interesting."

The platform slows to a halt, and another portal opens up.

"If my reading of your charts was correct we should be anywhere from half an hour to three hours walking distance from Uru-Baen."

With that, he gestures the rest of them through.

"I'll have to be the last one through, I'm afraid. The platform will dissolve unless I'm here."