An Adventurer's Tale/The Undead Part 5
Roleplay from Baldhart (6 hours, 37 minutes ago)
Message sent to all adventurers in the vicinity of Athol Margos (11 recipients)
The roaring din of the city was deafening, a cacophony of sounds and voices that caused Baldhart to wince, thousands of peasants milling about in the crowded street, haggling and arguing with the street vendors manning the hundreds of sprawling wooden stalls lining the street.
"I hate cities," he said as they pushed their way through the crowd, "Too many people, too much noise, too much hassle." A woman, slender and young and firm, brushed up against his body. He felt a tug at his belt, caught her wrist as she passed, pulled her close and plucked his leather purse from her fingers. She looked at him, wide eyed, shocked, and then broke into a quick walk, melting into the crowd. "Bitch," he murmured, sliding the leather thongs back between his belt and knotting them. "Townslands're 'bout as big as I like."
"You're a simple man," Danost said, moving his eyes slowly over the market's stalls, his mind working, cataloging which stand sold what, listing the items they needed and what would simply be nice to have.
"And it's how I damned well like it, too! Simple life is the best life. To hell with-" he waved his hand around, "-all this nonsense."
Danost stopped suddenly at a stall manned by a tall, thin merchant with a broad and inviting grin on his face, his wares laid out before him on a red-dyed blanket. Trinkets, mainly. Little carved wooden statues, cheap bolts of material. Nothing really of any use or value.
"I disagree with you, Baldhart. You can't find trash of this quality in a Townsland."
The Merchant puffed up suddenly, his smile turning into an angry sneer. Danost simply looked at him, smiled, nodded, and walked off with Baldhart en towe.
Soon the crowd began to thin, the stalls grew cheaper and less frequent. Stopping momentarily at a stall, Danost talked quietly with the merchant, and then motioned Baldhart to follow down a steep sideroad.
"Where're we going?"
"To the wharf. Cheapest inns, food, and women in the whole city. Fishermen coming in all the time to sell their catch, little money, willing to spend it all on some minor comforts."
Baldhart (Freeman)
Roleplay from Danost
Message sent to all adventurers in the vicinity of Athol Margos (12 recipients)
Danost led Baldhart down the side alley. As they passed between various seedy looking buildings, things began to get more rundown. Trash started to accumulate in the corners. Finally they started to smell the salt air of the ocean. A few minutes later they emerged from the back alleys into the rough and tumble section of the the city known as the Docks.
Every city with a waterfront had a district known to all as "the docks". This was the area of the city where the sailors spent the coin they earned on their long sea voyages. They spent it in rough and tumble bars on cheap ale and cheaper whores. There were drunken brawls almost every hour, in bars that were little more than a crude counter in the basement of a warehouse. Rare was the morning that didn't reveal at least one body floating in the harbour with a slit throat.
The two men traveled through the milling throng of sailors looking for a drink and a woman, and hawkers selling things to fulfill every imaginable vice, including some you were better off not imagining at all. Shortly, and without incident, they arrived at their destination.
There was nothing immediately distinguishable about the building in front of them. Nothing that set it off from any other building on the street. Baldhart looked puzzled.
"Why are we stopping here?"
Danost pointed to the lantern hanging on one corner of the building. "See that lantern, the one with the blue-tinged shutter? That last shopkeeper told me that the place we wanted was marked by a blue lantern. Apparently this place doesn't really have a name. Everyone just calls it the Blue Light. The shopkeeper said the entrance was about halfway down the side of the building, so let's go look."
As the walked down the street toward the only door on this side of the building, Danost's foot caught on something laying in the street. It clinked across the paving stones, glinting in the light from the lantern. Danost bent down and picked it up. It was a small mirror, covered in filth from the streets, but otherwise in good condition.
Danost wiped it off on the leg of his pants, then held it up. Angling it to catch the light of the lantern, he looked at himself in the mirror. The long journey and lack of bathing facilities had taken their toll. His face was dirty and his hair a mess. He reached up and ran his hand through his hair, trying to undo the worst of the tangles.
Baldhart reached over and punched Danost in the shoulder. "Come on pretty-boy. The ladies here won't care what you look like. Now quit admiring yourself and let's get moving. I'm tired, hungry, and thirsty. I need a good drink, a good meal, and a good woman."
Danost chuckled and dropped the mirror into a tunic pocket. Maybe he could trade it to one of the ladies for a bit of extra attention. When they reached the door Danost knocked. The door was almost immediately opened by a large man with a rather simple looking expression on his face. "Yeah? Whadda you want?"
Danost smiled up at the very tall man. "Hello, good sir. My companion and I are here for a drink, and a bit of company."
The big bruiser scowled at the unfamiliar men. "The rules are easy: You don't cause no trouble, you don't get no trouble. Be nice to the ladies, and don't order nothin' you can't pay for, or I'll make you pay. Unnerstand?"
Danost nodded amiably. "Completely."
The bruiser scowled, then stood aside and opened the surprisingly thick and sturdy door all the way. The sounds of minstrels, laughter, and loud conversation drifted out the door. With wide grins plastered on their faces, the two stepped through the door and into the Blue Lantern. Within a few steps they had already attracted the welcome attentions of some of the brothels more delightful attractions.
Danost (Freeman)
Roleplay from Herkan (5 hours, 25 minutes ago)
Message sent to everyone in the region Athol Margos (14 recipients)
After a warm night, the hot summer sun rises again over Athol Margos.
Athol...capital of Riombara, flying its golden banners. Athol, fishertown and market...fortress and trading hub. It might not be as golden as the famed city of Rines, but it is rooted in stone. It's history might not be as bloody as that of Grehk, but not even the gay colours of the merchant quarter can hide the fact that this city is - and always had been - geared for war. The great smithies can be heard, smelters are consuming the wood being brought in by barges and the military compound is far larger than that of cities of similar size.
Athol...home of one of the best armies of Beluaterra. An army that had stood against many and had been beaten by none. This was due to valor and honed steel, but few realized that a great part of its strength came from....organization.
--------
Being woken by heavy hammering at the door was not the best way to end a night that had been spent in delightfull company. On that Danost and Baldhart wholeheartedly agreed. But there is little to be done when after scrambling out of bed, hunting blearyeyed for a dagger, you see an amused face of an armoured soldier. Especially if you notice that this soldier was no haughty fool being weighted down in heavy plate but one in leather and chainmail, standing well back, hand on swordhilt.
'C'mon. Someone wants ya. Git dressed and fast or we'll take ya buck naked.'
And of course the morning sun had to shine right in their eyes while they were being marched halfway across the city. Most of the time anyways.
'What are we wanted for?'
'No idea. Nothing bad I guess or we'd be marching you towards the dungeons. Me thinks that someone wants you for something. Can't imagine what for.'
With that the two adventurers are dragged into the snaketower, main gate of Athol towards the southwest and a small fortress in its own right.
Danost barely has time to whisper: 'If I am not mistaken that banner being flown is that of Herkan d'Serrai, general of Riombara'
Baldhart gulps.
They are roughly but thoroughly searched - Danos even has to give up his boot knife - then shoved onto a bench in front of an office, guarded by a pair of rough looking soldiers. For what seems like hours, officers and messengers arrive and depart, sometimes snatches of conversation can be heard: '...blocking force in Cjelegy in position. Undead in Ajitmon are being watch....', 'So what about Luz and Caras Galadhon attacking our allies? Does Luz think we won't support Alluran? How...', '...yes, we have marching orders. Get the men...', '...militia placed in...', '...of the army are moving. Some troubles with the provisions, not enough wagons ready in...'
In betwen the guard eyes the two adventurers:
'E's agreeable enough - as long as 'e gits what 'e wants. You be answering respectfully, frankly an fast, then you be in no trouble. Otherwise...'
Shortly after an officer in mail emerges, eyes the two adventurers and asks: 'Are these the two we had received a report on? Yes? Well, bring them in.'
Shoved into the - surprisingly small - room, Danost and Baldhart barely have time to take in heaps of paper, several maps covering most of the walls before a unimpressive man of medium built fixes his gaze on them. He is clad in worn leather and the only thing remarkable about him seems to be the fact of all others deferring to him.
One of the guard hisses: 'Bow!'
Flustered, the two adventurers comply. Straigthening they see an amused smile tug at the corners of the nobles mouth as he takes in bloodshot eyes and haphazardly arranged clothing.
Turning towards the guard, Herkan asks: 'Where'd you get them from? Whorehouse? Aye? Well...they certainly look the part....scribe! Get them some water...yes, right now.'
To the adventurers: 'So you are the freemen Baldhart and...Danost, right? Yes? Good. Well...courage comes in many forms and stalking undead in the night is one of them. You are apparently good at what you do'
After looking at them for some moments: 'I have received reports that you were seen in or around Zod during the time of Enweils clash with the undead...and that you apparently have some information regarding the undead taking one of the artifacts of an adventurer. Tell me of it...everything you know. Everything, every little detail. And once you are finished, you'll tell it again to a scribe, down to the last detail. Everything you know of these undead, their movements, their speed, their appearance and where they seem different to those we usually encounter.
Tell me.'
Herkan
Minister of Defense of Riombara
Roleplay from Calibann (just in)
Message sent to all adventurers in the vicinity of Athol Margos (11 recipients)
"........ Everything you know of these undead, their movements, their speed, their appearance and where they seem different to those we usually encounter.
Tell me............."
Herkan is interrupted by a curt single rap at the heavy wooden and iron door. "Enter.."
Danost and Baldhart turn towards the door as it opens briskly and the soldiers enter once again with a tall dark haired, otherwise unremarkable man. They motion him in and close the door behind him. He bows and moves to stand next to Baldhart having obviously been told what to do before entering.
"Which one are you?" Kerkan as the newcomer.
"I go by the name Calibann Minister.", the newcomer replies raising his head and making eye contact for a moment before looking back down.
Baldhart can smell the odor of alcohol coming off the man and figures he must have been roused from slumber after a similiar night.
"Ahh the one from Mesh, my men tell me you saw the battle in Fheuvenem, you were in the tavern last night telling of it...is this correct?"
"Yes, Minister, I witnessed it." the dark man replied
"Then I shall tell you the same, I want to know everything, I want to know what you heard, what you saw, what weapons they are using, everything you can remember" Herkan looked at the three of them expectently. The Minister of Defense of Riombara looks them over again and for the first time realizes that all of them appear to be a bit worse for the wear. Figuring men like this, found where they were, had probably had a quite a night of overexcess and debauchery. He laughs a bit to himself and whispers something over his shoulder to the paige standing behind him who hustles out of the office quickly and returns with a cart laden with warm breakfast foods straight from the kitchen. The paige empties the food from the cart onto a side table and the Military man motions the men over to eat their fill.
"Well, who wants to go first?"
Calibann (Freeman)
Roleplay from Danost
Message sent to all adventurers in the vicinity of Athol Margos (11 recipients)
Danost glances back and forth between the other two, then turns back to face Minister Herkan.
"Your Lordship, I suppose I can start. We weren't really in Zod when it happened. When we got to Zod the Enweilian army was already there. They were killing all the Avalon officials and anyone who looked at 'em cross-eyed. We left there as fast as we could and headed for the Norjke mountains. Well, I guess the undead army must have showed up a few hours after we left. You could see the smoke rising above the stronghold for miles."
"Then the clouds came. Big black clouds, thicker than any I'd ever seen before, and at high noon, too! They swirled around the top of the fortress towers for a while, then there was a big flash of light, and we were blinded. When we could see again, the clouds were gone and the battle was over. Well, we didn't stick around to see what was gonna happen next. We turned south and moved out as fast as we could go."
Danost slowed in his tale, and Baldhart took over.
"Once we got over the mountains, we walked through Wilwau. We nearly ran into another undead army just outside Fwuvoghor. Well, the Fwuvoghorians apparently got the better of them, because the corpses of the undead were scattered all over the field before the city gates. I guess they never even made it over the walls."
"We didn't stick around long enough for them to stand back up and try again, m'Lord. We caught a ferry from Fwuvoghor to Cjelegy, and grabbed a ride form a turnip farmer to Ajitmon. And *that's* where we heard about Vicious..." Baldhart looked nervous and his voice trailed off.
Minster Herkan waited for a minute. When no one seemed eager to continue the tale he prodded them along. "Quit stalling. This is very important. What about Vicious?"
Danost took up the tale again. "Well, we didn't see that happen either. We heard the story from another freeman, who saw it himself."
Minister Herkan interrupted the tale. "Another freeman? What was his name, and where can I find him?"
"I'm sorry, your Lordship, I never learned his name. We rode with him on the turnip cart for a while in Ajitmon. He was headed south, but stopped in a small village a few hours north of Athol Margos."
Minster Herkan scowled at the bad news, but bade Danost to continue with the story.
"Well, he told us about this man, Naguto, by name, that had a run in with Vicious and his horde. Apparently Naguto had something that Vicious wanted, but would hand it over. He was surrounded by the undead, clutching a pack to his chest. Vicious didn't bother trying to take it. He just waved his arm... and Naguto... He just disappeared."
Herkan looked puzzled. "Disappeared? What do you mean "disappeared"? He ran away? Was taken captive? What?"
"No, m'Lord. Just... gone. The freemen was watching through a window at the inn. He said that Naguto was surrounded. Vicious waved his arm and the ground shook. The freeman fell back fro the window. When he stood back up, Naguto was gone. The undead were still there, but Naguto was gone. Well, no one stuck around to find out what had happened. And that's all we know, m'Lord."
Herkan looked a bit skeptical of this account, but decided not to press the issue. "Well, Calibann, tell me about the battle at Fheuvenem."
All eyes in the room turned to look at Calibann.
Danost (Freeman)
Roleplay from Calibann (just in)
Message sent to all adventurers in the vicinity of Athol Margos (11 recipients)
Calibann looked up from his plate, raised his eyebrows, nodded, wiped his mouth on his sleeve and took a deep breath.
"Yes, Minister, I did see the battle in Fheuvenem, I had just left out of Mesh, wanting to see a bit more of the world and had trailed a small group of Undead through the forest catching and fighting them I had a few gold coins and was close to the city so I decided to head in to get a new Bow.
I think they must have been on their way to the city to join the others, having been called by the Necromancer because when I got to the outskirts of the city I saw a large group of the creatures in what appeared to be a formation just standing there, waiting, out of sight of the battlements.
I had never seen so many at once nor had I ever seen such..organization in their ranks. They usually just all act on their own, but these definitely seemed to have a purpose. I found a place to hide and watch them still not knowing what it was that they were up to. Their numbers began to swell throughout the night but I could not tell until morning, since they don't have a need for campfires or anything like that, that there were literally thousands upon thousands just standing there, waiting and waiting.
That was when I first saw the Necromancer, he just appeared in a flash in front of them, made some signs and uttered some arcane words and they all started moving forward.
They had all manner of weapons, I am assuming whatever they had when they were reanimated or whatever they had found on the way. There was no siege equipment persay mainly hand to hand weapons and bows, but the sheer number of them marching on. I followed for a bit but as they got closer to the city, some of them started to stop and set up rear perimeters to, I guess, protect or guard their rear, I don't know but I dared not get any closer.
I found an old tall Oak and climbed to the top of it, from there I could see the city as they began their attack. They were unrelenting that is for sure, they just marched forward wave after wave. They were taken down in droves by the ballistae and other heavy assault equipment inside the city. Archers filled them with arrows and they kept coming. As they made the walls and started climbing, almost magically they can climb walls, the Enweilians poured boiling and flaming oil down on the but they just kept climbing.
I swear you have to kill each one 3 times to stop him. But they did stop them. Almost their entire number was wiped out and I guess the Necromance just left sometime during the battle, I never actually could make him out after that first time I saw him, but small numbers of the creatures just started wandering off again like they usually do so I don't know if he was killed or left but they were obviously no longer under his control.
That was when I made my way here, having heard this is where they were first sighted I want to learn more of these masters of theirs. I want to kill one of them myself.
That is all I know Minister."
With that Calibann fell back into eating the food that had been brought for them.
Calibann (Freeman)
Roleplay from Baldhart (1 day, 1 hour ago)
Message sent to all adventurers in the vicinity of Athol Margos (11 recipients)
Kill one of them himself? This guy can't be sane.
Baldhart leaned over, peering around Danost at the newcomer, Calibann. The man's dirty face was set still as stone.
Surely, he must be joking, he thought. But, no. He could see by his face he was serious. Sighing, Baldhart leaned back.
"Your tale sounds similiar to what we've seen," Herkan said after a long moment of silence. "I have seen what these things can do. I'd hate to see what they could once they've been properly organized."
Danost smiled. "Just like a snake, Milord. Cut off the head, and the body dies."
"Bodies," Herkan corrected, turning his back to them for just a moment.
Baldhart elbowed Danost in the ribs. He turned his eyes slowly on him, watching as Baldhart cut his eyes to the newcomer, Calibann.
He's crazy, Baldhart said as best as he could just using facial expressions.
Danost winced and shook his head, turning his attention back to Herkan. Baldhart elbowed him again.
Nuttier'n hell, He signified his thoughts by raising one eyebrow and closing the opposite eye.
Danost raised both eyebrows, his jaw set. He knew the look well. It meant, Will you just shut the hell up?
Baldhart furrowed his brow. No!
Eyes pleading. Please?
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He hated Knights, Marshals especially, High Marshals the most. Just their mere presence was enough to make him nervous. He examined the calluses on his broad, dirty palms as he waited for the Knight to dismiss them.
Baldhart (Freeman)
