East Continent/An Najaf/Fall Festival 23.09.08/EventProgram/Related2

Stories of the Festival

This is Scroll Two of the Stories of the Festival

KatalynFae's Wedding Gifts

Roleplay from Katalynfae Dragul

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Messengers arrived at various intervals after the wedding with gifts. Before the ceremony there had been a gift from Lord Malfurion, the Caligan Brandy was divine, and the silk, there was none so fine as that from Carelia…the color would suit KatalynFae well. She already had her dress maker working on it. There was a bottle of Tabostian Red from Lady Alise and an apology for not being able to attend, but the affairs of war were indeed pressing. There had also been a package of assorted alcohols including various wines, vodkas, and whiskeys from Sir Hamilton’s brother Sejeida in Dwilight, and it puzzled KatalynFae why he would be sending them gifts and congratulations until she remembered that he was her sister Katrina’s Marshal in Springdale. She also noticed that Sir Hamilton was not at the wedding, and wondered if he had already left Fontan as he said he was planning to do. She would send a messenger later to see if anyone had news of where Sir Hamilton was.

The day had been wonderful; she thanked each and every one for their attendance and their gifts and well wishes. Then she smiled at Jon Paul and arm in arm they went to enjoy the gift of Lord Armstrong, this cozy home by the beach that was theirs when they could be there to enjoy it.

Katalynfae Dragul

Marshal of the Flow Administrators'

Ramona's Gifts

Roleplay from Ramona Valair

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Ramona didn't know whether to smile or wince. She couldn't believe she was worrying so much about the gift she had sent to Marshal KatalynFae. She feared that she would not like the Crystaline teardrop earings that she had sent her . Sir Jon Paul would surely like the gift she had sent him. It was a fine rare dagger she had once found beneath the crawl space opening of her home. Bringing it to her father, an appraiser and scholar in his spare time, he looked it over, cleaned it, and through much study and observation, learned that it was part of a rare collection of 17 daggers scattered all over the world. Each one having a different stone in the handle. She hadn't even known there WERE that many different kinds at the time.

The wonderful merriment that took place in the distance had been quite something to see from her perch in the beautiful old oak tree. Leaning back with a book of a dear friend's artistry, the music swayed and floated on the wind. Over the years, solitude had become her family and she had grown to favor the loneliness. Ramona was no artist (as anyone could plainly see), but it made her smile to honestly recall that she had seen worse. Patiently, she sketched out the couples in the distance. Even in her short time here, she could swear she recognized a few. . .

A part of her felt both rude and stupid for not attending the wedding while another part of her felt comforted by the sure lack of change.

"Why do I have to wear a DRESS?" An 11 year old Ramona whined, yanking at the uncomfortable strings and straps.

"Because it's only polite for a lady to wear a dress on such occasions."

The memory had lightened Ramona's expression for only a moment, before realising with a shuttering crack of her heart that she could not remember well the face of the woman who had said it to her.

She closed her eyes and ground her teeth and broke her good quill pen in a tightly clenched fist.

She would not allow herself to cry over the past.

Her father raised her better than that.

Ramona Valair (Noble)

Zadek's Fancy?

Zadek, brother of KatalynFae, had noticed Dame Ramona in the distance...hint of interest? Who knows what could develop when you are in An Najaf!'

Roleplay from Zadek Dragul

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Zadek watched the lady who was in the oak tree for some time. She was not someone he had met before. It seemed that she, much like himself was a loner. He had spent much time by himself as a boy, when his sisters had not wanted a little brother around. He wondered if he should go over and introduce himself to her. But in the end his shyness won out. That and his sister called him to see another gift that had been received by the happy couple.

At least that was something that he had managed to settle tonight. Perhaps Jon Paul wasn't quite the arrogant fellow he had thought him to be. But, he still had better take good care of his sister.

Zadek Dragul (Knight of Fontan)

A Strong Lady's Weakness

Off at the front, the noble Marshal Alise exposes a side of her which is usually cloaked.

Roleplay from Alise Athins

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Alise shivered. How many gashes had she had? How many times had a healer stitched her? She didn't care to remember. Se still could not get used to the feeling of the needle piercing her skin. Even the four tankards of ale she had quickly drunk didn't take away the horrible sensation. She would have to remember that next time, although any reason to drink was welcomed.

She had specifically told the healer to save her for last, mostly out of care for her men who were in far worse states then her, but partially because she always tried to put off the needle for as long as she could. The healer finished with the gash on her shoulder, and started with the one on her hand.

Her scribe entered;

"Disbatches Mi'Lady"

"Thank you Warren."

He handed the notes to her.

"I also thought Mi'Lady would enjoy to hear that the Sir Jon Paul and the Lady Katalynfae were married today durring the festival in An Najaf."

A look of horror crossed Alise's face, and quickly turned to a look of rage. She stood up quickly, startling the healer who still grasped her hand. She flung the notes from her other hand, and they scattered about the room.

"WE JUST FOUGHT HEAVILY OUTNUMBERED IN BRUCK, AND AVAMAR IS OCCUPIED BY SIRION AND NOBLES ARE DANCING AND GETTING DRUNK!"

Alise looked for something, anything, to smash her fist into, but soon realized it was still grasped by a very frightened healer. She took a deep breath and sat back down. Save it for the next battle she told herself.

"Well I guess a gift is in order to celebrate the new couple's joyous day."

Alise gestured toward one of her bags, and Warren retrieved in and handed it to her. She reached in an pulled out a green bottle filled with a red liquid. The last of the Tabostian Red. She spoke, more too herself than to the others in the room.

"Ehh, it'll have to do. Not like I have the time to shop for an extravagant gift, and the gold would be better spent on the war effort anyway."

"It'll be a fine gift Mi'Lady."

The healer, who had moved onto smearing a balm on Alise's many bruises, commented.

Alise nodded, then turned to Warren and handed him the bottle.

"Send it along with a letter congratulating the couple and wishing them many happy days."

Warren nodded, turned and walked out, closely followed by the healer who had just finished.

Lady Alise Athins

Marshal of the Order of The Thunder

Roleplay from Alise Athins

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Alise sighed. Now alone, her thoughts started racing. Her last Tabostian Red. She had never cared to drink it, but only kept it as a reminder of simpler times, before she had dedicated her life to the military, when she was Baroness of Tabost. Times when she had a home, times when she wasn't always moving from one place to the other, times when she had the chance for leisure. She thought of all the people at the ball, the women in their silk dresses. How long had it been since she had worn a dress, or done her hair? She thought of the lavish food, and the plentiful drink. Ohh what she would give to be able to drink ale until she could no longer stand. Would they have ale there or just wine? Wine just tasted sour to her ever since... him.

Alise's eye's began to swell, she could feel tear start to form, but tried to hold them back. Him... Had it only been eight years since she last saw him, it seemed like a lifetime. Those summer nights in the gardens, the taste of wine, the warmth of his embrace, the passion they shared.

She could hold back no longer, and the tears ran like a river down her face. Father never understood. She though he would have compassion. She openly shared her secret with him and he tore her apart. Father immediately sent him away. Her fate wasn't much better. Six months she had spent locked in that god awful room. When the "abomination" was born she was only able to catch a glace at it. Name? Hah, she had never even been afforded the knowledge of it was male or female. When she was well enough to travel she had been sent to her relative's manor in Alaise. In the cold mountains she had stayed until she came of age, all along longing to hold her child, or for the warmth of his touch. She had managed to see him at a distance at the festival her father had held to mark their coming of age... well her brother's really. She knew her father cared not for her anymore. She had managed to find that he was being shipped to the war islands when her father took her aside and said that she was never to step foot on the same continent as him or her baby.

She had cried the whole voyage over to this new land, and tried to release her emotions through battle in the next couple of years. She remembered the hope that had flooded her when she found Fontan, and the sorrow she felt when she heard the War Islands had sank into the crushing blue oblivion, not knowing if he had survived, and where he might have gone if he did.

She shivered, and continued to cry as thoughts kept racing through her head.

Lady Alise Athins

Marshal of the Order of The Thunder

Edward's Vendetta, or, Hamilton's Misfortune

News of the gruesome death of William the Messenger reached the last person who should know, his father. Edward the Senior Messenger was very quick to seek his revenge on Fontan's favourite pariah, Sir Hamilton...

Roleplay from Hamilton Vita

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Carrying the latest dispatch for Hamilton, Edward rode into Hamilton's camp. Quickly recognizing the herald, he slunk back, unnoticed. He quickly slipped the letter open without breaking the seal. A task only known to messengers of the high skill. Scanning it quickly, he realized its intent. He would have his vengeance sooner than planned.

Quickly, he reattached the seal and walked to an aide-de-camp to connect him with Hamilton. After quite the rigamoral of typical nobleman bureaucracy, he showed the letter to Hamilton. Hamilton threw the letter away in disgust, containing more insults from Malfurion, but was quickly surprised when Edward had approached him, pulled a dagger and cleanly slit his tongue when Hamilton was about to talk so that it sounded like, "Whah ah uh oo aou aeerioh." Hamilton saw Edward's hand grab his tongue.

Edward quickly appeared in his face, to rather calmly say, "Remember William? He was my son. His last letter came while in your camp." As Edward walked away, he muttered, "I never thought I would find this dagger worth the penny." Then he had a thought. Looking around, he saw Hamilton's sword on a rock. He grabbed it, along with two spare tent stakes. Edward ran back to Hamilton's gargling speech and infuriated face. He grabbed a hand onto a box and thrust a tent stake through it. He did the same for the other. Then he took the sword, and after several swings, removed both hands. Quickly removing the tent stakes, he added Hamilton's hands to his collection.

Looking back, he felt a tinge of agony and fear. He stuffed cloth into Hamilton's mouth to help stop the bleeding. He then wrapped cloth around his arm's stubs. Despite his sign of mercy, the fear still remained.

Thinking he had taken too much time already, he casually strolled past the guards posted outside and rode his horse out of camp, heading to Malfurion's camp with his package of Hamilton's tongue and two hands.

Hamilton Vita (Knight of Oligarch)

Roleplay from Hamilton Vita

Message sent to everyone in your realm (126 recipients) Hamilton sits in his camp unable to do much from his weakness at having lost so much blood when another messenger arrives. He screams in disgust at the site of Hamilton, causing the guards to rush in. They assess the situation, usher the messenger out, ring the alarms (that cause campwide searches), and bring in the healer.

As this occurs, Hamilton notices the letter the messenger had opened to read to him. He crawls toward, reading it, shaking with rage, but also thinking quickly of a way to communicate. He lets out a guttural roar of anger.

The healers then arrive and whisk him away to their tent, where he recovers, but without the current ability of communication.

Hamilton Vita (Knight of Oligarch)

Roleplay from Jared Artemesia

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"So this is where he is?" Asked Jared, calmly standing next to a less calm Marissa.

The farmer nodded and promptly fled. Jared stared through to see a handless Hamilton. He strode towards the man, and patted him on the shoulder. "I suppose this might change some things then."

Jared Artemesia (Knight of Ashforth)

Roleplay from Malfurion Stormrage

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Leaning back in his chair Malfurion sighed at the ever increasing pile of scouting reports in front of him. He had much yet to do this day, reports to analyze, missives to send, and he couldn't forget that he had received an invitation to Lord Armstrong's estate for the festival not to mention the rapidly approaching wedding of Lady Katalynfae.

With a start Malfurion sat up and shouted, "Captain Gerlach! I still need a gift for the wedding! Damnation!"

"No need to fret my lord." Captain Gerlach answered calmly as he strode into the Ranger's command tent. "I took the liberty of sending your gifts in a package ahead to Lord Armstrond's estates. It should be waiting for your arrival so you need not worry further."

"What did you send Captain?"

"Just some of the things your twin sent you my lord. A bottle of that aged Cagilan Brandy wrapped in some of that Carelian silk. Two birds with one stone and all that, Sir Jon Paul will love the brandy and Lady Katalynfae will certainly enjoy having a dress made from all that fine silk."

"Are you mad Gerlach!" Malfurion growled. "That silk cost a fortune! I was saving that for the next lady to catch my fancy!"

"But I didn't send all of it my lord!" Captain Gerlach sputtered apologetically. "There is more then enough to make another dress or even two! Since your twin became Banker he has been most generous my lord!"

"You had better hope they love their gifts Captain." Malfurion said almost too calmly after his recent outburst. "If they don't I'll have you shipped off to drill monkeys for the civil war reenactment I have planned for next year. You'll look splendid in the Mad Gregor outfit swinging your scepter and ordering your monkeys this way and that."

A shout from outside interrupted the exchange as a messenger was being dragged into the command tent.

"Caught him trying to see you my lord." the young Stormguard said proudly.

"So you grabbed him? He is a messenger of course he came to see our lord!" Captain Gerlach responded.

Before the guard could answer Malfurion did for him. "That hardly explains the blood on his bag Captain. Good work, now drop the man and get back to your post soldier."

With a smart salute the soldiers left the messenger and returned to their duties. The messenger remained where he had fallen, on his knees clutching a bloody satchel.

"Marshal Malfurion it is an honor to finally meet you." the man spoke rather calmly considering his situation. "I will not lie that I have come here seeking asylum. I took vengeance for my son my lord. I brought you a gift so that you may know my merit."

Intrigued Malfurion motioned for Gerlach to bring him the satchel. With the stoic expression only a soldier can maintain when seeing so much blood Captain Gerlach retrieved the satchel and dumped its contents at Malfurion's feet.

"I have to admit I didn't expect hands.. and is that a tongue?" Malfurion said bemusedly.

"It's Hamilton's my lord! I swear it on my son's grave!" the messenger exclaimed.

A wicked grin took shape on Malfurion's face as he examined the grisly trophies. "It hardly looks silver from this angle." Malfurion said with a laugh. "Captain send out messengers to confirm this man's story. Until then we shall..." Malfurion trailed off while gesturing towards the messenger.

"Edward my lord." the man answered quietly.

"Yes, we'll grant Edward asylum until such time as his story is confirmed. If it's true then you just found yourself a new home in Commonyr. If it isn't then Edward here is going to be losing his tongue for I'll not sit by and let a messenger try to make a fool of me."

Before Malfurion had even finished speaking in burst a second messenger. Out of breath and flustered the boy handed over a letter before stumbling outside to rest. Breaking the seal Malfurion read Lady Aewyn's missive. "Another damn dilemma!" Malfurion thought. "I can't let a lady, let alone my SiC, go unescorted.. but I can't very well court a Ranger! She was under his command and it would hardly be fitting for such a relationship to form.. whats a man to do? Especially if he is a noble.."

Clearing his throat Captain Gerlach interrupted with a fortuitous comment, "Your going to miss the wedding my lord..."

Malfurion Stormrage

Count of Commonyr, Marshal of the Fontan Rangers

Fortunately for Sir Hamilton, a brave Hero arrived to repair the man in an interesting way...

Roleplay from Jared Artemesia

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Marissa turned her head away with a stifled scream, shocked by the disfigured noble. Jared did not flinch a bit as he saw the severed hands, and the missing tongue. After a moment's thought, he answered, "I am well enough. These diametrically revolving events are playing a number on me though. A war rages, and many die, while many others celebrate in drunkeness in An Najaf. I see you have gotten the worser end of whatever deal you made. No doubt those parts of you are going to Malfurion."

He called out for someone named Lawrence, and a middle-aged commoner dressed in fine blue silks approached the entrance. "Lord Jeherad, you called?"

"You brought the herbs and the tools, I hope?"

"Yes," replied the apothecary owner.

The noble then tapped Marissa on the shoulder. When she did not respond, he snatched her clipoard from her hands.

"Hey!" Yelled an indignant Marissa. Jared handed it back to her immediately.

"I'm just trying to get your attention, scribe." As he said the last word, Jared could not help but grin widely. "Anyway, you have the...special book with you?"

"Oh you mean the mag--"

Jared quickly covered Marissa's mouth."Yes, that book. But not that other book, or whatever else you have in that bag."

The girl tilted her head. "I've always kept the special scroll in here." So saying she withdrew a small but thick book that both looked clean and new, but aged and worn, from somewhere within the folds of her traveler's dress. She handed the book to Jared, who held it in his right hand while he drew a small handcannon and pointed it at Hamilton.

"You have a choice now, brother." Jared quietly and slowly said, "I can end your life here, and you can find peace in death, or Lawrence, Marissa, and I can repair you, through some...unorthodox techniques. Of course, that does not mean you will outright regrow your hands, although you will regrow your tongue eventually. There is, however, a catch to that as well." Jared motioned to the scribe. "The only ones who can live after doing this procedure are Lawrence, Marissa, you, and myself. All others must be summarily eliminated to keep silent.

"Your choice, brother?"

Jared Artemesia (Knight of Ashforth)

Roleplay from Hamilton Vita

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Hamilton thought carefully over the last three years of his active service for Fontan, save for the small time in Outer Tilog. While he couldn't live with the disgrace he suffered, he knew he still must return one day for he couldn't stray from Fontan for long.

Slowly, Hamilton indicated the hand cannon and shook his head no. He looked at Marissa and smiled a knowing smile. He quickly turned and nodded to an aide and then a box. The aide rummaged through it, with Hamilton nodding no, but after nodding yes twice, he turned around and the aide presented two gifts to Marissa and Jared.

For Marissa, the aide gave a small figurine of some goddess and a child. The look in his eyes was one full of sympathy for the sight she must behold. For Jared, the aide gave a dagger's scabbard, decorating with fine silver, but with a most grotesque monster upon it. His look for Jared was one of thanks.

Next, Hamilton paused to wonder if he could trust this Jared. He looked between his guards and Jared. It was not so long ago he had been opposed to Hamilton. Yet he had shown the wisdom of a true Fontanese. Hamilton nodded to a younger guard, to the hand cannon, and finally to the door. Understanding such primitive communication, the guard took the hand cannon from Jared and left the tent. Upon his return, Hamilton nodded for him to stay out. He knew he had a young child. Hamilton then went to his board of letters and symbols, indicating the letters to ask, "Guards, you have been with me for quite some time. May I ask you to perform your utmost loyalty?"

The guards all nodded in their affirmative, the eldest speaking for all of them, "We will die in your service." Hamilton went to each of the remaining three guards, resting his stubs upon their shoulders, looking into their eyes, with tears in his eyes, nodding a silent agreement between each of them as they said their goodbyes.

He returned to his board and slowly said, "Let the scribes and aides live." Then he ushered them out of the tent and nodded for Jared to begin.

Hamilton Vita (Knight of Oligarch)

So ends what was able to be collected of the wonderful, magical and fanciful stories from the Fall Festival in An Najaf.