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

[Viera Champion]

Moraine & Lan
Moraine takes the books, and she and her warder begin looking through them. For any help on where to find the Earth King.

Mumm-Ra, The Ever Living
He nods.
I believe that is it then. Unless you have anything else to say.

[The Shoveler]

Legolas and Gimli
"Well, Gimli old friend, I believe this is where I start to lead us through perilous terrain."
"Humph. Forests never were my forte. I'd be lost in a mere nest of saplings!"
He lets out a hearty laugh as the two make their way through the dense thicket, Legolas at the head and Gimli close behind. Legolas uses his short sword as a machete, cleaving branches from his path if they prove too dangerous or in unfavorable positions.

Tanis
"We couldn't do that. This castle is magical, and we've got 0 magicians on us. I hate to say it, but sometimes I miss Raistlin. He may have been a selfish man, but man if he wasn't a good mage. Oh well, all we have to do is search for a dragon to tame. Kitiara IS the head of the Blue Dragon Army, after all!"
He smiles as he walks back inside, instead looking for a route to a form of roost for the dragons. He didn't know if he could tame one, but he was going to try.

[darkblade]

Holo and Lawrence

The Merchants go off into Town to find a room for the night. Once thats dealt with Lawrence provides Holo with the bushel of apples he promised.

Holo in between devouring the apples looks up at Auron. "You have your suspicions about this contract?"

***

Zasamal

Zasamal makes no attempt to sit down again. "And if I do not?"

[nanobot_swarm]

The Beast
More Slayers emerge from the Black Fortress, and the Beast gives them new orders. Slayers begin to set fire to the trees in the forest, to try and smoke the elves out of hiding, the Beast uses its powers to dry out the air and plants to make the task easier for his minions.

Nekron
He laughes at the letter sent, a great uproar of laughter that makes his servants nervous. He eventually stops, then calmly states, "Let him send armies, let him send assassins, mages from some simple academey. All will fall before my power, so let them come, and be slaughtered like the rodents they are." The Glacier begins to shake again, and he moves it forward again, at least fifteen miles by day's end, and goes back to rest in his throne. Once again, the sub-humans are released to pillage and raid the locals.

[Falgorn]

The 'Ard Boyz
Where ten thousand orcs go, they don't need roads. The lush, young evergreens of the ven pressed at their sides, channeling them into a narrow, dark, green, walled route cut through the brush and branches. They could see little around them.
After a time, the ground started rising and becoming rockier, and the tree's thinned slightly, allowing a more open view. The trail twisted along deeply shaded cuts in the terrain and across leaf-strewn ravines. Dry leaves scattered at their passing. Pines and spruce gave way to hadwood trees, mostly white birch, and as the limbs swayed overhead to a silent breeze, tiny patches of sunlight danced on the forest floor.
But there is nothing in sight to fight, and the trees feel like they are mocking you. They is green like orcs, but they hide orcs enemies.

The 'Ard Boyz
Grimgor was, of course, angry. He wanted to kill. All of the orcs did. Angrily, he chopped a shrub, twisted and malnourished, into pieces. He pressed on, though. If there was one thing he had learned over the years of conquest, it was to be just a bit patient. After all, if you wait a bit, they might try to ambush you. Then you can chop em' to bitz. The thought of himself chopping foes to pieces, covered in blood and giddy as can be, was the only thing that kept Ironhide moving.

[Executor]

Achilles

"Achilles, this is no city, it's a fortress" Patroclus muttered under his breath, just loud enough for the Lord of the Myrmidons to hear. Achilles couldn't help but agree, this city had a military harshness about it that, while he didn't find it too unagreeable, was a far cry from the vibrant cities of Greece like Mycenae or Tiryns. There was no music in the streets here, such as one might find in Athens, nor did he hear the chantings of prayers to the gods, as was constant in holy Delphi. For all the living people in this city, it seemed devoid of life and joy. All around them, as they marched, people on either side of the streets stared at them with hard, almost soulless eyes.

"My lord Meric, I must confess I am not familiar with this city" spoke Eudorus, breaking the silence between the Myrmidons. For a moment, the captain and Achilles locked eyes, and then Achilles nodded for Eudorus to continue.

"If you do not mind the inquiry, may I ask what is this city's name? And whom is it's king? We have never heard of any city that identifies itself as "Imperial" back in Greece" Eudorus asked.

[doliest]

Tasslehoff
That didn't sound right...but it did sound fun. He walks after Tanis, "Maybe we should find some weapons first...or guard uniforms! Yeah, let's conk a few guards and grab some uniforms." It didn't occur to him that he was too short...but then, incarceration hadn't been too good for these two. They were just happy to be out.

[The Shoveler]

Tanis
"Yeah, we could use the weapons... maybe they're holding our weapons in a special guard area? We could clonk out a guard and take his weapons so we could get ours!"
Tanis is more than a little influence by the Kender. A month in a cell alone with a kender will do that to anyone. And I mean anyone.

[horngeek]

Matt
"The Empress will judge you. But it falls to us to accuse you." He replies in his soft, measured voice. "So first, it falls to me to determine the extent of your crime by any means I see fit." His pitch does not change in the slightest, you really have no idea how the menace managed to creep into his words.
"Now, why were you impersonating one of the guard, and what is your connection to the barbarian? It is clear you are not one of the people, and likely that you are one of the outlanders who gained special dispensation to dock here. Do you plan any sedition or mean to attempt any acts of sabotage against the Empire?"

"I was trying to bloody avoid impersonating the Deathwatch Guard. The raven on that spear's unrelated to the Seanchan, I didn't have a choice about the decoration, but I paid too much for it to throw it away, so I was trying to keep it covered. The crazy old man? No idea who he was, I was just gambling with him and being too lucky for my own good, bloody again. And no, I have no bloody intention to act against your Empire."

[Cracklord]

Mat
He listens to your words without interrupting. "I will be the judge of that." He says when you are done your reply, impassive.
"You claim that this is unconnected to the throne, which strains credulity. You claim not to be spreading sedition, yet you were observed with a group who assaulted a member of the Deathwatch Guard." He pauses, lets that sink in, then says "It is not my place to judge, that right is reserved for the empress. But unless you stop lying, I anticipate a noose in your future. Only the blood and Imperial servants get beheaded, and you are neither."
That said, he nods to the driver, who begins to goad his mount in the direction of the palace.

Grimgor
An arrow hits you, unable to pierce the solid plate of bone and sloping forhead that you call a skull, but leaving a bloody trail along the side of your head. You barely notice. What is one more scar, really?

Achilles
"Greece?" He pauses, startled. "But.. but that's only a story! A land where men have the heads of bulls, the gods walk amongst men and work there whiles on women that they spirit away, and the trees walk and talk. There is no such place!"
Then he shakes his head, regaining his manners. "I am sorry, though the storm must have taken you a long way. This land is Alagesia, and the Empire is ruled by King Galbatorix."

Zasamal
"We will discuss your indiscretion from a cell, instead. I'm sure even my torturers do not faze you, but the thought of being trapped, unable to act or watch events proceed as your chance slips away... that must be quite terrifying. Perhaps I could cripple you, remove your arms, legs and tongue. You'd live a long time, unable to even die." He smiles, a humorless smile, and gestures at the chair.
"Sit. You killed twenty men. I am not in the habit of forgiving, or forgetting."

Kitiara
Bakaris had been in the saddle for six hours since dawn, riding from encampment to encampment and preparing the army to march.
The camp was already packed, just the frame's and canvas of the tents remaining upright.
He rode through the skeleton of the camp, watching unconcernedly as around him soldiers busied themselves stowing goods and filling packs for the long march ahead. The tents themselves were a uniform slate gray, set out in neat, orderly rows a far cry from the disorganized sprawl of any encampment most armies created. Palisade had been carefully erected around the place in case of attack, and the tents were in neat, orderly rows, gear was kept in tidy pile, and even the inevitable rubbish heap was kept contained in a tiny enclosure.
In an hour, they would be prepared for inspection.
Horns sounded as the Blue Dragon army prepared to march. The bright sunlight glinted off their polished armor and the keen blades of their weapons. In a week, they would be at war.
Skie is coiled like some immense serpent, waiting for his mistress and his orders.

[horngeek]

"Bloody..."

Mat sighs. "Sometimes I wonder if it really is bloody luck."

[Colesign]

Tavi

After sending a messenger off, Tavi and his entourage follows the Prince to the room. After listening to his request Tavi raises his hands.

"Trading partners, yes. Allies, yes. Colonies, no."

He gestures to the Aleran contingent (a solid mix of Knights and a few High Lords, the group of Canim led by Varg, (warriors sniffing at the air, and a older-looking Canim dressed in what looks like black chitin, grey scars coating his arms), and his Marat wife Kitai.

"We the allied races of Carnea have little need for new land. Indeed such is the size of our country that we are still expanding to fill it up. Because it got depopulated during a war for our very survival, but let's not mention that, Tavi thought.

"We sailed to this new Continent to learn about the nations of this land, trade with them, and forge bonds of friendship between us, so that all the Free people of the world may grow closer and stronger. I believe we have much to offer each other."

Tavi gestured to some of his guards, and they bring forth some chests: Tavi gestures to the first one.

"Precious metals: Gold, Silver, Obsidian, Jade, and Iron for the forges." The first chest opens to reveal the aforementioned substances: some are raw nuggets, and others are worked into coins.

"Elegantly crafted jewels for the Aristocracy." The second chest contains various bits of intricate jewelry, the most prominent examples being necklaces with sapphires glowing in an orange color: merely holding these necklaces stirs feelings of passion and excitement (a minor fire furycrafting).

"Precious silks and practical Mountintop Ram cotton. " The third chest reveals lengths of cloth: even the plain cotton is weaved in complex patterns that seam impossible to achieve via needle and thread.

"Various foodstuffs, from wheat, barley, and rice to "Croach", a bland yet very nutritionally rich fungus." This chest reveals samples of each.

"Practical everyday items, such as coldstones for preserving food, Furylamps for light, and optical lenses from the Romanic University." There are rows of carefully ground convex and concave lenses, some mounted in proto-telescopes, small glass stones that are inexplicably freezing to the touch, and lamps with hoods, that when uncovered, blaze with a light as bright as the sun."

"Finally," Tavi says, standing up. "There are the various skills and talents that we, as a nation, possess in excess. Our healers are second to none in skill and efficiency, our construction corps can create durable, powerful, and enduring constructions for both military and civilian purposes, and our...security measures are second to none."

Tavi gestures, and two Legionnaires open the final chest...and remove a stone block, apparently granite in origin. The pick it up, carry it, and set it on the ground in front of the Prince.

"I think that there's a lot we can both offer each other." Tavi concludes.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Wander

Wander decides to fire an arrow at the rune, trying to get an opening to hop onto the Colossus and get a good stab at him.

[darkblade]

Zasamal

Zasamal smiles slightly as he takes his seat again. If the circumstances were different he would have enjoyed this man's company, perhaps even call him a friend. It had been quite a long time since he had one of those. "Very well."

[Executor]

Achilles smiled as he came to walk beside Meric, on the opposite side of the guard as Eudorus.

"I assure you, Meric, that there is such a place. I was born there. My mother was one of the gods of whom you speak. You may have heard of her, Thetis the Nereid?" he said, still smiling as he remembered his mother. Wrathful and deadly though Achilles may be, he still loved his mother, as all men do.

"Indeed, I have seen and met the Gods, Meric, and many other strange things. I was raised by Chiron, a centaur. His upper half was of a man, but he had the body of a horse. A very wise centaur, Chiron, and I miss him... No matter, we are from Greece, the land of your stories," he finished, allowing Eudorus to continue.

"We have never heard of your King Galbatorix, but perhaps you might have heard of the High King in Greece? King Agamemnon of Mycenae. We were part of his army, sailing to make war on the wicked Trojans for an insult against the Greeks. The story is long, and we shall not bore you with it, but we must be returning." The Captain said.

"Indeed, the Oracle has foretold that Troy shall not fall unless my friend Achilles is with the army, so I imagine Agamemnon is sick with worry without him" Patroclus joked as he jogged up to fall into step beside Achilles. Eudorus chuckled, the animosity between the High King and the Lord of the Myrmidons was the talk of gossips in all of Greece. Achilles smiled and punched Patroclus lightly in the shoulder jokingly, though even a light blow from Achilles' lean arms made the slightly built Patroclus wince slightly.

"I have never heard of Algaesia, Meric, not even in our stories and tales. However, your land must have been carved by an angry Titan, for your mountains remind me of a jagged, serrated blade. It must not be a pleasant place to dwell," Achilles remarked as they continued to follow Meric through the straight, uniform streets of the fortress-city.

[Cracklord]

Legolas and Gimli
You make your way into the unforgiving woods, that refuse to acknowledge Legolas, instead brooding sullenly and competing with each other for every inch of ground. As two of the three hunters neither of you are even puffed, once you ran for nearly a fortnight, barely stopping for rest with almost no food or water after the Uruk-hai.
At last you emerge into a section of burnt farmland, choked with weeds and pebbles in the process of being reclaimed by nature. A few shells of buildings remain, but there are no signs of habitation or life.
You are in the ruins of Caraval.

Mat
As in most cities, the approach to the palace was jammed with buildings, homes and shops, as densely as possible. They came over the rise, and you beheld the pallace of the Seanchan, from which the decendants of Artur Paendrag endured. Outbuildings, smithies, barracks, servants housing, barns, kennels, granaries and sotrehouses ringed the hill cheek by jowl within the granite walls, but the crown of the hill was all castle. Steps broad enough for horses led to the first tier of the outer hall. The outer hall had a roof but no walls, leaving it oddly exposed to the elements. Enormous pillars held a majestic roof of marble, onyx,stained glass and jade.
The two of you walk through the great black oak doors into the inner entry. Here, white staircases framed each side of the room, a great imperial purple carpet led further into the palace, and gold and marble statuary lined the hall.
They walked into the great hall, past decorative geometric patterns and starbursts - all composed of swords and spears. It was a display meant to send a message to visiting emissaries; we have so many armaments, we decorate with them. Here you stop.
After a two hour wait with the silent Deathwatch Guard, a servant comes to collect Mat. He wore the regalia of his office like a man who wore it as armor, not ornamentation.
The Deathwatch guard nods at him. "I request the audience of Her majesty the empress Fortuona Athaem Devi Paendrag, may she live forever." He says. "I bring this man here, on charges of working to incite sedition and undermine her rule, assault on a servant of the throne, and impersonation of the Deathwatch guard."
The servant bows. "She has heard you entreaty, and chosen to grace you with her presence. I am to take you to her immediately."

Moraine & Lan
You find a few oblique references, but nothing definite, until at last things look up, with a mention of the elves.
Elves. Creatures of legend told in some of your favorite stories, like the legend of the nine rings, and the tales of Shannara. Reading faster now, you find a few more specific mentions, concerning a crown of leaves.

The Paladin, The General, and the Fiend
War cloaks the future, a terrible war to rival hell itself. A war you are moving towards, and a war you will get caught up in. A tide of blood and death will sweep over this continent, and then you see something, no more then an oblique mention, like something caught in the corner of your eye, of something worse.
You shudder at it.


Mumm-Ra, The Ever Living
"Of course. As your majesty wishes. Our troops should arrive in a week." He bow's again, then departs, leaving you alone in your pyramid.

Tanis, Tass
There is no easy way to guess where the dragons are, though Tass remembers riding one with Flint. That one was silver, but it had to be the same trick, afterall. Someone would have mentioned it if it wasn't, and he specifically remembers nobody saying that the tecnique for riding a blue dragon was different. That in mind, he turns and makes his way up the hallway, looking for a hatchery or a nest.
Instead he finds the barracks, where some hundred winged draconians and humans were sitting at tables and conversing in low voices. Fortunately they don't glance up and notice the diminutive kender.

[horngeek]

Mat sighs. "All right. Let's go, then."

He thinks. He is married to the woman, but still...

he'll follow the Seeker.

[Cracklord]

Mat
The throne room puts the rest of the palace to shame. It was designed to be impressive, overwhelming and intimidating. Decorative hangings, huge statues, complex designs on the floor, and everywhere you look there was some new wonder. But you found your eyes drawn irresistibly to the woman on the throne. Your wife.
The jade throne, under a vast ornamental canopy, was seated by a small, pretty woman with dark skin and big, expressive eyes. She was boyish rather then curvy, her hair was shaved to a supple and her fingernails were long and lacquered.
She smiled when she saw who was dragged in, a slow, wicked smile that makes your blood cold. Queen Tylin had smiled at you like that whenever she dreamed up some new indignity for you to bare.
"Treason, toy? And you always assured me you were a man of your word. Whatever shall I do with you?"

Achilles
"Not really, The Spine is to be endured, and the land has it's beauty. It's up North that is grim." He sighs. "Your story sounds like something out of my nurses tales, and yet I do not believe you are deceiving me. Truly it is hard to credit that such a thing can occur, and yet I don't doubt it."
He stops at a building that seems indistinguishable from the others, and nods. "Get some rest, it is growing dark."

Zasamal
"Well done." he says. "Now, regretful as it is that we must work at cross purposes, allow me to say I shall never be so lenient to you again. If you ever repeat this, I will entomb you beneath the universe and leave you to an eternity in darkness."
The moment holds for a bit, then is gone.
"You may go."

Tavi
Murtagh steps over, not bothering to conceal his interest in the sites. He ignores the gems, any wizard could do as well, but the rest is of considerable interest to him. He pours over them individually, asking the occasional question, but mostly simply admiring. At last he smiles. "Well then, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship." He says warmly and sincerely.
"I regret that we will be unable to house your entire retinue in the city at this time, so you will have to make provisions outside the walls. In addition, I would be honored if you would come with me on my return trip to Uru'Baen. The King will want to meet you himself."

[horngeek]

"Well, T-"

Mat catches himself. "Sorry. Calling you that would probably be insulting, or something like that since you're Empress now, wouldn't it? Anyway, my being ta'veren's being annoying. Again."

He does gulp a little, though.

{{Minor nitpick: as of their marriage, she's stopped calling him 'Toy', and is now calling him by his name.

His full first name. i.e. Matrim. }}

[AnimeKid]

Auron

He nods a little surprised that she was talking to him after so little time. Guess she really does like apples. "My instincts have never failed me before, except for the times I outright ignored them. This job seems to have a lot of unfilled holes in it that I am wary of. However I will still do my job and protect Lawrence and by extension you. So I can only hope that the danger that I am sensing about this mission is exaggerated."

Link

He does not know how to get out of this situation other than wait for Navi to make an observation using her skills that he doesn't already know! and hope that it is something that can help them escape this situation.

[darkblade]

Zasamal

"I can assure you that I have no reason to." Zasamal says rising to his feed and leaving the palace and searching the City for transportaion back to the South.

***

[Cracklord]

Mat
((I was unaware of that, but I'll keep it anyway, as she knows it irritates him and she wants to tease a little. And she's annoyed you haven't visited her yet.))
"Is it now? I suppose I'll have to use my imagination. Maybe lock you up, so nobody can ever bother you again." She waves a hand imperiously at the guards. "Leave us."
"You Highness-"
"It's an order. I am sure I am quite safe with my husband."
The Deathwatch guard glares at Mat, then nods and walks out, leaving the two of you alone.
"To think I have to have you arrested to come and visit me, Mattrim."

Wander
The arrow strikes it again, and the thing staggers but doesn't topple. You are hurting it, but not doing any lasting damage.

Zasamal
You find a wagon. You should be close enough to walk the rest of the way in a week.

[Corvond]

Gaborn
As the elf stepped forward, Gaborn stood tall, and stared at him, seeming calm and serene. He steps in front of Link, as though to protect him, and yet he makes no aggressive movement. "You are asleep to the powers of the earth. The great tree of life arches over you, and it's leaves whisper to you, but you choose not to hear them rustle. Instead you merely sleep among it's roots, and covert." His language is quiet, and he sounds as though he pities the elf, and only wishes to help it, much to the surprise of those around him.

He sighs, but he still looks hard. "I do not wish to fight you. I mean you no harm, and there is no reason for us to be at each others throats." He continues softly and reasnobly. "Rather, I would call you friend I would know you and your people, as you would know me and mine, and the two of us would live in harmony, neither trying to conquer or harm the other, and I would preserve a seed of your people in the dark season to come as I do the same for mine. I have great hope for you. Will you work alongside me?"

[horngeek]

Mat shrugs. "I was planning to come visit you, I was just waiting for someone and managed to get myself into a barfight. Then, your man saw my spear, and thought I was imitating a Deathwatch guard. And one of the men I was gambling with wanted to fight soldiers for some reason..."

Mat sighs. "Bloody madman. So, I got myself accused of treason."

[darkblade]

Holo and Lawrence

Lawrence frowns, "You don't really have to do that. It was no trouble to give you a ride into Town. I wouldn't want to force you into something like this."

"Lawrence, for such a smart man you know so little. Auron is a guardian, he is bound to us until he believes us to be truly safe or we finish our journey by ancient traditions of honour. He couldn't leave us even if he wanted to. Holo explains.

"I know all that it's just that. You are never going to be truly safe as long as the Church is hunting for you and we're traveling merchants. Our journey by it's very nature does not have an end. I don't like exploiting good men like this."

[industrious]

Rand Al'Thor

"Amazing."

He wasn't aware that he had spoken until the words left his mouth. But there wasn't much going back at the moment. Smoothly untying the weave that kept him invisible, Rand shimmered back into existence, and slightly inclined his head to the two other powerful figures. Slightly.

"But..." He speaks softly, but his words carry far, as if the world was waiting to hear them. In a very real sense, they were. "...they all presuppose that we have a world to enjoy these gifts in. I greet you, Lord Murtagh. I greet you, Lord Octavian. I am Rand Al'Thor."

He gives no other title, no other honors. Murtagh, at the very least, knows who he is.

The General, the Paladin, and the Fiend

Allecia gasps at the imagery, and clutches her head.

"We aren't prepared for this. We are not prepared for this. I mean, this is what my husband does, not us. I mean, we're talking a continent-wide war, and even worse. I mean, this is, this is, this is..."

Pellew slaps her. Hard.

"What? Too big? Need I remind you, Quorell, that I am still a hero? That your husband, great as he is, is not the only one in Tamriel who has accomplished great deeds? Now get your head on straight, and let's start heading out. If we're going to get caught up in the middle of a war, then whichever direction we head is going to be the right one."

Cleon pulls Pellew to the side for a moment.

"Don't you ever hit her again."

"Listen, Butcher of Armindale. You know as well as I do that panic, among the ranks, or the officers, is never a good thing. Discipline yourself, use that mind of yours, and let's be on our way."

"...I mean it. You could have been gentler with her."

"I could have. But I don't know what you see when you look at her. I see a Fiend working against her nature, and that nature is going to be resisting her every step of the way. So if I'm harsh with her, it's because I'm helping her."

They finish loading the wagons, and are out of the city within the hour.

"Thank you, Pellew," Allecia remarks as they exit the gates. "But if you hit me again, I won't hesitate to reduce you to ash."

"So long as we're honest with each other, Ehothorn. So long as we're honest with each other."

[InyutheBeatIs]

Wander

Wander gets Agro to position him behind the creature. Suddenly, he fires two arrows at the back of the Colossus' head. However, at the same time, Agro gallops around to the front of the creature, Wander sizing up the Colossus for any crevices that he can grab onto on his way to the rune.

[AnimeKid]

Auron

"It is no trouble at all really, and besides I sense a storm coming. Many stories are coming to thier climax, and when that happens many stories will become one. When the resolution comes the stories will seperate once again. Only their will be significantly fewer, I can feel it in my bones. I don't want your stories to one of the ones that end."

[Colesign]

Tavi

The Aleran contingent, to a man (and Marat) draw blades, some of them searing with white-hot heat.

"Stop!" Tavi says, standing up suddenly. "My apologies, Rand Al'Thor: our nation has been fighting the enemy for too long: even now, after the last war, our reflexes are on edge."

He does the classic Chest-Fist Salute. "Hail and Well met. And nice veil, by the way."

{Tavi thinks Rand is referring to the Vord}

[industrious]

Rand Al'Thor

"Hail and well-met, Lord Octavian. And believe me," Rand remarks. "when I say that whatever battles you have faced, whatever foes you have defeated, they are nothing compared for what is to come. Tarmon Gai'don approaches. The Dark One will be released. And we will break the world attempting to save it, or the He will break the Pattern and remake it in his own image."

Rand is speaking seriously, but there is an odd tone in his voice. As if he was discussing the weather. He was used to it; he knew about the Last Battle, and its emergence. He had read the Prophecies of the Dragon, and could interpret them well enough.