Arcaea/Dining Hall Late 08-09/Calindra's Angels of Death
She was young, with mousy brown hair that hung to her shoulders and curled at the bottom in twenty different waves. The horse was a good one, as were her clothes, so the guard decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. Probably some high ranking administrator's daughter - didn't pay to make a mistake.
"Your name, m'lady?" he asked.
"Cally - er, Calindra. Lady Calindra," she answered.
He looked up at her doubtfully. "Lady Calindra....?"
She hesitated. She's hoped to at least get in the damn gates before having to bring this up.
"Namtrah," she said in a hushed tone. "Lady Calindra Namtrah."
The guards at the gate straightened, and seemed at a loss as to what to do. Finally the watch captain stepped forward.
"Marshal Namtrah's...?" His question trailed off.
"My father," she said.
The guardsmen opened the gate, stepping aside wordlessly.
-
Calindra Namtrah (Noble)
"They're good men," the sergeant said, as he led her to the group of infantrymen. "A little green, but they'll pick things up quick enough."
The men formed up ranks, each holding his shield rigidly in front of him.
"Had a little trouble finding volunteers at first, you being a young lady and all," the sergeant admitted. "But when they heard you were Hemming Namtrah's daughter, hell, they practically jumped out of the woodwork."
Calindra fought to keep her face emotionless.
"So...will you being calling them the Hellraisers, then?" the sergeant asked.
Calrinda straightened up to her full 5'6". "No, I have chosen another name," she answered. "Angels of Death."
-
Calindra Namtrah (Noble)
"...because it says right here," Calindra said, waiting impatiently for the scribe to hand her the desired bulletin, " It says right here, Archer Opening: standard attack formation in the open, Inf: aggr - middle - wedge.."
"But m'lady, we're defending," the sergeant protested. "If you look at Sir Faulcon, you'll see his men are in a line..."
"The Angels of Death don't defend against monsters, sergeant, we attack them," she said with an air of finality. "Now go get us a good spot on the middle lines!"
The sergeant sighed and went off to form up ranks.
-
Calindra Namtrah (Noble)
"Uhm, is that Sir Faulcor's tent?" Clarindra asked shyly. She carried a bouquet of flowers.
The guards looked at her, and the flowers. Perhaps they recognized her.
"Faulcon, m'lady," one answered, "and I don't believe my liege wishes to see you right now."
He glared at her sternly.
"I'm not certain my liege ever wishes to see you," he added.
-
Calindra Namtrah (Noble)
As Calindra and her Angels marched out the north gate, she couldn't help but look around at the imposing walls.
"Enormous, ain't they?" her sergeant asked. "That's the spot right there where yer father and his Hellraisers scaled the walls and took the fortress, practically on their own." Her shoulders tightened.
"I was there that day, fightin' ag'inst him, you know," the sergeant said. "Never been so scared, watchin' them red capes climbing up over the ramparts."
He looked at her closely, and added slyly, "Hell of a man, yer father was."
-
Calindra Namtrah (Noble)
Calindra and her Angels marched out of the city in good spirits.
"We'll be in Orbeh by nightfall," she announced happily.
"Uhm, no, m'lady," the sergeant said, "Saex."
"Saex?" she asked. "No, from Remton we march into Orbeh."
"No, m'lady," the sergeant insisted. "If you'd wanted to go to Orbeh, we should have gone via Nocaneb."
Calindra glared at him with exasperation. "Why didn't you say that when we were in Sasat!"
"I didn't know m'lady wished to go to Orbeh," came the stoic reply.
-
Calindra Namtrah (Dame of Sasat)
Calindra was riding through the Saex countryside when she came across a young, burly man with wild blond hair lounging comfortably by the side of the rode, eating a large hunk of cheese and drinking from a flagon. Behind him was a trader's wagon; noises from some other person could be heard inside.
"Why, hello dere, priddy young lady," the man said. "What's yer name, and where ya goin', den?"
"Calindra is my name," she answered, "and Orbeh is my destination, sir."
"Calindra?" the man scratched his head. "Ain't dat what dey use fer making spaghetti?"
Calindra sighed and ignored the question. "Where might you be heading, sir?"
"Ah, me?" he said. "Why, nowhere special. I'm retired, don'tcha know? I worked priddy hard at da lootin' an' stealin' an' robbin', an' now I'm jest seein' da world an' tryin' out all da cheeses an' beers, til I find a place ta settle down." He took another bite. "By da by - dere aren't any Urominiels hangin' aroun' dese parts, are dere?"
"I believe we have a General with that name, actually," she answered.
The man looked up sharply from his cheese.
"Ah, jeez! Mleched!" he shouted into the wagon, "time ta move on, ain-a!"
-
Calindra Namtrah (Dame of Sasat)
"You know," a voice said from behind her, "there's more to life than just killing things."
She turned and saw a man sitting in the shade of a tree, hands resting casually on his lap. A gnarled walking stick lay on the grass next to him, but nothing else that might be a weapon.
"Did you hear Father Dren's sermon this evening?" he asked. "He was preaching at the temple"
She shook her head. "Which temple is that?" she asked.
"Magna Aenilia Ecclesia. It's just over there, a short way. Why don't you walk with me, and I'll show you?"
-
Calindra Namtrah (Priestess of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
"Well," she said, slowly running her fingers through his thick chest hair, "this is much different than what I expected. So, you just wander around the land, explaining this to people? That's your job?"
The priest smiled. "More or less. Most people think all priests are like those fire and brimstone preachers of Sartan," he said. "We have an entirely different idea about how the world is created, and feel it's important to spread the word."
"Yes, I see," Calindra grinned, lying back on the pillow. "How about a little more of your type of fire and brimstone, and then you can show me where to sign up."
Calindra Namtrah (Priestess of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
