Introduction
But all things come to an end. Though history does not record the fall of its great civilisation, its repercussions are still being felt today. History became as myth, and the world was plunged into the Age of Darkness.
Now, in the Age of Discovery history is about to repeat itself.
(This RP takes place in the world of Altaea.)
Reviews
Music wrote:I would give this RP such a high rating even if I hadn't participated in it. You all have done a great job of both developing your characters spectacularly as well as portraying them in such a way. The plot is character-driven, but, at the same time, that makes it all the better. It allows characters to truly behave as they would in reality, rather than following a script. In addition, the options presented to the RPers in the OOC help move the story forward. The setting is well-developed and important to the characters and the overall experience. Meanwhile, posts are filled with interesting style and proper mechanics. The one piece of advice I could give is to break up longer paragraphs into shorter segments so that readers don't look at it and immediately stop trying to read under the 'tl;dr' mentality. All in all, an excellent RP, and I would highly encourage anyone who loves fantasy RPs to ask about application!
Tiko wrote:I found this RP to be quite well written. The posts were thoughtful, well done and assisted in furthering the story as a group. The characters themselves were well designed, providing insight into them as individuals, and they had distinct and identifiable personalities without dragging the story down. The plot is eye catching and serves to hook both the players and the readers in without revealing too much too early. The lack of full information leaves a reader or a player wanting to find out what happens next, and keeps the story moving forward. It creates depth and levels of information that you have to explore to discover. The included wiki provided plenty of background information into the world that was a nice added touch that assists readers in understanding what's going on, as well as provides information for players to build off from. The only thing I didn't give a max rating to was mechanics. While the posts very well done, and cleanly written, there were [i]many[/i] spelling errors that simply running posts through a spellchecker would have caught. Overall though, I found this RP to be very enjoyable to read through, even though I myself am not a player. It has a lot of promise, and I hope to see it continue to be a successful game for all involved.
The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 17 authors
Setting
0.00 INK
"Hey, who are you, trying to play the lone hero here in front of the pretty ladies, my enormously devious friend? I'm not letting you have all the fun, not to mention impress the ladies going in fighting all by yourself. That's why I'm coming with you! Bwahahahahaha!" He slapped the orc in the back as he let out a burly laugh, ignoring the risk it could mean - they were still far from the bandit camp, though, so there was not yet any concern over being heard.
"Besides, I'm starting to like 'em odds. I've not had a fair fight since that time with them dragons back in Vorst." After saying that, he suddenly looked up - way up - at the orc, then at himself, and added with another grin: "I'm joking! Fair fight? Puh-leese. They don't stand a snowball's chance in Hell! Bwahahahahaha!" The way he said it made it sound as if the bandits really did stand no chance against the ragtag band. As if to accentuate his point once more he swung the spear around in a circle with a burly laugh.
"I bet you I can kill more bandits than you, brother." He challenged the orc with a broad, stupid grin.
Somewhere behind his stupid and drunk facade, Vinsces noticed that his new-found friend was getting anxious, eager to go to battle. The spearman felt the same way, of course. They were more similar than one would think at first sight, and he noted in an uncharacteristic moment of clear-headedness that the orc would have made a great soldier in the armies of Vorst. The two could have been mistaken in personality for brothers, if not for the obvious fact that one was a gargantuan orc and the other a mere giant human. And together, they would give the bandits more than a run for their money.
Of course, they couldn't do it alone. The two were warriors who relied on brute force to win a fight - a good force multiplier, but alone, they stood no chance. Without the tactics of Caim, the skills in scouting and stealth that Murdoch possessed, the swordsmanship and devotion of Alyss, the intelligence in Vincent and the wits of Gilly, the halfling lass, they would simply be butchered after the first charge. Even Vinsces, who was all about brute force, realized this after many years in the deadly armies of Vorst.
Even so, the two giants could provide a very much needed distraction for the rest of the group.
Setting
0.00 INK
"If you wish to leave then we will not stop you." Caim said simply to Murdoch. "You have helped us greatly already." He stated, placing a hand on the man's shoulders fondly. "You are under no obligation to follow us. And none here will think less of you for leaving now." He smiled warmly at the younger man before turning his attentions towards Osefi, who had offered himself as bait in an ambush. Though originally Caim had suggested the plan, this new information made him doubt the plan. Without thinnning the enemy's numbers first they would be swallowed up by the horde, regardless of how many able fighters they had at their disposal.
"How many do you think you can hold off on your own?" He asked the orc. He glanced over to Vinsces. Caim couldnt help but be amused by the man's single minded attitude.
"While normally I would agree with you..." Caim stated at the lancer's proposed raid. "At this point subterfuge will be required. We need to thin their numbers without giving ourselves away. Let us see what we can make of their camp." He said, heading off in the direction that Murdoch had gestured. He spared a glance back to the young man and his bird.
"I wish you luck. And I hope that next time we meet it will be under better circumstances." He waved with a grin as he made for the camp. Before long he had reached the crest of the hill, laying flat and crawling to the top to avoid being seen by the sentries. He gestured for the others to follow suit and Vincent crawled along on the flat of his belly next to the larger man.
"What do you see?" He asked, adjusting his glasses.
"Our friend Murdoch was correct." Caim assessed the camp. "Alyss, Osefi." He called the two over. "What do you make of this?" While Caim and Vincent were both experienced at dealing with bandits, he hoped that they might spot something he had overlooked.
Setting
0.00 INK
The Camp had some look out towers set up with sentries scanning the surrounding area for any would be intruders. The moon light shone just bight enough fo her to see the outlining of two sentries at the closet tower.
"Archers on the towers. If their any good they'll it our numbers in half before we get halfway. Perhaps a distraction of some kind would gain us entry but...".
Alyss thought about somehow shooting them down one by one but she quickly dismissed this idea. "If we could shoot them down this would be much easier. We don't have the numbers required for such an assault... But this camp will burn. Fortune favors the brave.".
Setting
0.00 INK
A scar broken eyebrow cocked itself upward at the question. This wasn't the sort of question orcs asked one another, it was usually small tribal squabbles in orcish cultue, the strategy was to charge the enemy and kill them. It was Altaea's equivalent to a blitzkrieg, the most dangerous and feared sight in all the land. Osefi snorted dismissively, orc blood boiled easily when it came to honor, luckily the older orc caught himself just as he went to open his mouth in anger. With a clear of his throat, he spoke, his tone resuming its usual even calm. "I can't be sure." He frowned, unsatisfied with his own response. "If they're mercs you can never be sure how well trained they are."
Having only voiced the obvious, Osefi remained silent as the group creeped up on the camp. As best as a 10 foot humanoid could, Osefi crawled prone to the horizon of the hill. His eyes, though unable to make out some of the details of the camp was able to see the fires and mass of tents clear as any of his fellow adventurers. It was then he had his plan. The mention of sentries in the tower neatly fit into place. "Those tents look awfully flammable." Osefi's knowing eyes gave Vincent a wink, "Nothing like a confused beast trapped in roaring flames. Won't be stayin up forever, now will they? Which means... the only problem is..."
He turned to his other shoulder, peering down at the the only heavily armored female in their group, Alyss. "Sentries on the tower? How thick you thick them support beams is?" He gave a grin to the female knight. "Me thinks I found a way to distract some of em."
Setting
0.00 INK
"We can sow confusion within the camp if we can get close enough without being spotted. However, the fire alert the enemy quickly." Caim furrowed his brow." In short, we'd be trapped." He stated gravely. "So we must distract their attention away from our main attack." He looked at Osefi and Vinsces. Yes. It could be done. "We seperate their forces to weaken them and annihilate their ability to reconsolidate. Without a base of operations they will have no choice but to route." He slammed his fist into his palm. "And if we are able to convince them that they are being surrounded by a larger force..." He trailed off. Caim's eyes were alight with a passionate fire now. And it became obvious to all present that this is not a man for whom defeat was an possibility.
"Vinsces, Osefi." He addressed the two warriors. "You may yet have the battle you wish for." He met their eyes in turn. "If we can get them to field a portion of their forces against you then the rest of us can launch an attack on the camp in the confusion." He explained. "It will be dangerous, but all I ask is that you hold the enemy. You don't need to win. Just keep them occupied."
Caim then turned to Alyss and Gilly. "In the meantime the rest of us can enter the camp and start fires at various points around the camp. In that way we can trick them into believing they face more than just the seven of us."
Finally he faced Viconia. "It is best that you remain hidden for the time being. With your wound fleeing would be difficult."
Setting
0.00 INK
So, with that said, she took off the cloak and reversed it. Had there been sufficient light, the others might have noticed her blush, because her attire underneath was that of a dancer. Not a particularly provocative one either, but still, she preferred to remain modest. The task was done quickly, and now the cloak was navy blue. The perfect color for hiding.
She liked the plan, she really did, but the only problem was the sheer number of foes. She had nothing to add, however, so she sat back and waited for the approval or rejection of the others in the group.
Setting
0.00 INK
The minutes crept by, like hours in the tense darkness. Caim shivered, though whether it was from the fear that crept up in his belly or the chill night air he could not tell. His eyes strained in the darkness as the moon fell behind thick grey clouds. A bad omen he thought, but a helpful one nonetheless. Now only the distant spots of flickering red from the camp's bonfires showed the way. Still no sign of a raid. Perhaps they hadn't taken the bait. Perhaps two travellers on the road was not enough to rouse them. His mind raced through the possibilities and he forced himself to calm, taking long, deep breaths of the cold air. He willed his body to relax.
And then, movement. A horn peeled in the distance and in an instant Caim's fears were allayed, only to be replaced by new ones. Had he sent his friend and the orc off to their graves? He cast such thoughts from his mind as he leapt up, charging down the grassy hill with all the speed and stealth he could muster. They would have only moments to reach the camp's edge before the raiders attention returned to their patrols.
Caim and the others came to a rest behind one of the larger tents at the outskirts of the camp and he immediately began signalling for the others to spread out and begin their assault.
"God speed." He whispered as each of them fanned out amongst the tents.
***
There was a sound like an animal's call, deep and rumbling like a cry of lament it reverberated through the air and within moments a line of armed men charged down the hill towards Osefi and Vinsces. Evidently the bandits had taken the bait. Their lines were spread thin as they fanned out to surround the two travellers, encirling them with great speed and coordination. They closed in quickly, tightening the circle around the two as they brandished their weapons.
***
"Hmm? Eria let out a hum of confusion as she heard the shrill call of the horn in the distance. She shook her head, it was none of her concern, she thought as she returned to her conversation with Rohin.
Setting
0.00 INK
"How'z'bout a bet, brother?" He grinned. "Whoever kills the least enemies buys the next round of drinks when we get back to the inn."
Before he could hear the orc's reply, a horn bellowed in the distance of the camp, and bandits began to approach them in very large numbers. They thinned their ranks in an effort to surround the two giants as they ran down the hills, and Vinsces grinned devilishly. "It looks like they caught the bait. Bwahahahaha!" As he said that, he positioned himself with his back against Osefi's, pointing the spear in a ready fighting position at the bandits.
"Good evening, you bastards!" He shouted at them with a taunting grin. "How'z'about you stop staring like idiots, and attack? Bwahahahaha!"
Setting
0.00 INK
"How'z'bout a bet, brother?" The look in his eyes was now matched by his smile which stretched ear to ear.
"Lets hear it." Osefi replied, amused at the idea.
"Whoever kills the least enemies buys the next round of drinks when we get back to the inn."
"Oh ho ho. Surely you jest my friend. I didn't think you to be so willing to throw away coin." Though the orc finished his comic jab it was far overshadowed by the sound of an unhappy audience. They had been spotted the bleet of the horn signaling the fun was about to begin.
"It looks like they caught the bait. Bwahahahaha!" Vinsces cried, revealing his eagerness for battle, which only encouraged the orc's own lust for carnage. Placing their backs together the pair allowed the predictable bandits to surround them, though it was obvious some of them were skeptical of their choice in targets.
A stunningly large example of orc and human were not ideal robbery targets. "Good evening, you bastards!" The man screamed, his eyes wild and his teeth clenched in a crazed beam. "How'z'about you stop staring like idiots, and attack? Bwahahahaha!"
"Best they make peace with their gods, they'll soon be meetin them." Osefi growled in agreement.
Setting
0.00 INK
To a man the attackers were clad in dark, studded leather armour padded with animal furs that called to mind the berserkers of the far north. The armour was curiously fashioned, appearing to be a patchwork of scrap and looted armours from a number of sources, however they wore, to a man, identical helms with three horns that swept forward towards the face and a closed face with long, pointed nose bars and cheek plates that utterly obscured their features, leaving only the eyes visible. Those eyes, which seemed so like Osefi's own were consumed with a bloodlust and a zeal that knew no reason. It was a cold stare that met Osefi's eyes as the first opponent stepped forward. In his hands he carried a wickedly barbed battle axe with jagged serrations and projections that made it look more like a tool for torture than a weapon of war.
Then, as though on command the attackers launched themselves at the duo, their vicious weapons flashing in the moonlight as they whislted through the air towards their mark.
Setting
0.00 INK
As the firey red eyes of the orc met his enemies it found nothing that resembled a man hiding under that helmet. Hollow and soulless. The soldiers all brandished vicious weapons intended to inflict pain and break morale before delivering a killing blow. Without a word the attackers suddenly charged, as if controlled by a hive mind they bore down upon the gargantuan pair.
The furious and bone chilling roar that erupted from Osefi's lips rivaled that of the horn which had sounded moments ago. Its reverberations held in the chill night air long after the fight got underway. The first challenger was launched by a broadside blow of the orc's leviathan axe, sprawling out several of his fellows on his path backwards. Still functioning in a strange unspoken harmony the attackers moved like a school of fish. Massive sweeping blows from the keen edge severed limbs and broke bones with the few they connected, but it lacked the finesse to take out the wily bandits who seemed to duck, dive and dodge out of the harms way with a seemingly inhuman agility.
Enraged the orc swung his axe again, missing the bandits but slicing through the trunk of a relatively large tree. Groaning the wood cracked and splinted as it toppled over, crushing a large group of bandits and narrowly missing Vinsces who was wrapped up in his own group of the troublesome aggressors. A sharp sting pierced the soft flesh of his side, causing another ear rattling roar from the rampaging Osefi, twisting his torso his massive elbow collided with the face of the spearman which had impaled his side. Still swinging his axe with one hand, Osefi gripped the bloody halt of the spear snapping it off as if it was a twig.
With another roar he lobbed the spearhead, driving it through the head of another mercenary before charging headlong into another mass of the bastards. It wasn't a particularly wise choice, not that there is much decision making for an orc once he's the the throws of a bloodlust. Thoughts of "holding them off" quickly melted away to "kill them all."
Setting
0.00 INK
***
In the distance, hidden behind the hills Caim could only pray that they others were managing to hold out against their enemy. Peeling aside the fabric of one tent he cast a quick glance inside. Barrels and sacks lay stacked high and Caim immediately set to work with his flint and tinder, dowsing the tent with a generous serving of spirit from his canteen. The flames soon spread and the knight slipped into the darkness of the surrounding camp as the alarm was raised.
Setting
0.00 INK
As he stood up tall again, swinging the spear around, he took a deep breath, the only breather he was allowed before the bandits attacked again. His arms continued their fast work, until a warning shout alerted him, Osefi and the bandits of fires in the camp. Some of the bandits tried to run back, but Vinsces mercilessly thrusted his spear through them from behind.
"Oi, you bastards, that's just rude, turning your back on an enemy in the middle of battle!" He growled at them. Then he looked over his shoulder at Osefi, to see how the giant orc was doing, and asked, for a moment going back to his stupid grin: "Hey, brother, how many are you up in? Eleven for me, so far. Looks like you'll be the one to do the buying tonight. Bwahahahahahaha!" Looking back at the bandits who took a healthy distance from the two giants for a moment, he swung the spear around again, and got an unusually sinister look in his eyes, and a bloodthirsty smile on his lips.
"If you want to extinguish those fires, you better defeat us first. There's only two of us, so by all means, have at it!" As he said that, he pointed his spear aggressively against them again, awaiting another onslaught.
Setting
0.00 INK
Caim's grip tightened on the hilt of his zweihander as he stepped forward to confront the man., who now met his gaze with steely grey eyes. Unlike the other bandits his steel plate armour was tailored for him and he wore it well, standing as he did with a commanding and noble bearing about him. A long, billowing cape fluttered dangerously about the tongues of flame that surrounded him. He wore no helm.
"This must be your doing." The stranger spoke in a clipped, growling tone.
"Your crimes cannot go unpunished. I shall deliver you to justice." Caim spoke clearly, drawing his sowrd and levelling it at the officer. The man did not reply, advancing with a stoic expression etched on his granite features. As he drew closer Caim could make out a scar that bisected the man's left eye, and he could see that that eye now peered out uselessly with a milky pupil. Short dark hair was slicked back, a few strands pasted against a lined forehead by sweat.
***
The bandits continued their unflinching assault on Vinsces and Osefi, They fought like men possessed, crying out in fury and bloodlust as they hacked away. And yet their movements betrayed a disciplined nature. They had been trained well. The attackers advanced in formation, only breaking rank to attempt to flank the two.
Setting
0.00 INK
***
Caim readied his zweihander, hefting the huge sword down to his waist, it's blade behind him. He turned to point his left hip at th soldier, who advanced without hurry, his steely grey eye staring through Caim as though he were a mere mirage. He flourished his own blade, a thick broadsword of black steel that relfected the undulating light of the fire. There was a loud snap as one of the tent's support beams gave way and Caim took the initiative, launching himself at the captain with a cry. He brought his sword up in an arc, the blade rushing towards his opponent's unprotected flank. The captain bellowed loudly as he brought his weapon down on Caim's, and the two swords clashed loudly as steel met steel.
Back and forth they battled with wide, sweeping blows that cut the air with a roar. Caim stumbled as the tip of his enemy's sword whistled past his face and the dark armoured soldier stepped forward, kicking Caim in the chest. The knight tumbled backwards into the half collapsed tent and scrambled to his feet, knocking over a barrel of liqour as he did so. The contents splashed across the ground, igniting quickly into blazing flames. Caim immediately turned to the other barrels, dashing them open with his sword before beating a hasty retreat from the supply tent. There was a sound like a breath and suddenly the ground disappeared from beneath Caim's feet. He rose some distance from the remains of the tent, gasping painfully in air that felt like hot syrup. Peering through the conflagration he caught sight of his opponent, hand raised defensively against the flames. The man's face contorted intoa grimace of rage and pain. The captain dropped his hand, revealing a face scarred by heat and flame.
"Curse you!" He bellowed over the flames. "You will pay for this coward! Run while you still have your legs! I will find you! Wherever you run I will find you!" He roared in a frenzy. Caim backwed away several paces before turning on his heel and making for the hill where they had arranged to rendevous with the others.
***
Eria and Rohin finally reached the gate of Northwall, with it's night watchmen who regarded them with weary looks. They spared the couple barely a glance, ushering them in with lazy waves and half hearted questions.
"Where to now?" Rohin asked curtly, not expecting much of a response from the woman.
"I was hoping you might have an idea." She strutted past him with a casual air of indifference that called to mind a cat.
"I had a feeling that would be the case." Rohin sighed, taking after her.
Setting
0.00 INK
In the middle of the fray all attention turned in the direction of the camp, which now seemed like some sort of faint magical sunrise in the dead of night. It took the bandits several moments to realize just what was happening. With screams of dismay and a several barked commands the horde began high tailing it back to the camp, hoping to save the inferno that used to be their camp.
Osefi's eyes blinked against the sweat and blood which dripped across his lashes. The crimson tinge to his eyes fading with each blink, blood lust releasing its blinding grip. Turning to Vinsces the orc gave him a sheepish grin "I lost count." He admitted. It was likely both he and the spearman had slain roughly the same amount of bandits, though it would be hard to tell without checking if the bodies had been cleaved or impaled. Killed by axe or spear. Any notion that an orc can count while in a blind rage was absurd, the fact that he wasn't chasing down the fleeing bandits at this very moment was proof that Osefi had a degree of restraint rarely shown by his kind.
Without another word Osefi clapped Vinsces on the back and started to trudge to the designated meeting spot. He only hoped that the other party members had been as lucky as they had. A victory would not be as sweet if they lost some of their own in the attack.
Setting
0.00 INK
"I lost count." Osefi admitted. The giant orc looked worse for the wear than he himself, but the wounds didn't seem to bother the giant at all. Of course not - he was an orc, after all! It took more than some petty stab wounds to stop an orc. Vnsces grinned stupidly at his friend, laughing a burly laugh as he slapped the giant over the back.
"So did I, brother. But by the looks of it, I'm guessing you won. Well done! Bwahahahaha! Come, let's rejoin with the others. I long to get back to a town so we can continue our drinking. Tonight is a good night - we won, and none of ours died. That calls for celebration! I buy the first round. Bwahahahaha!" Ignorant of the fact he could be taking crying victory too soon, he followed the orc towards the meeting point. On the way, he grabbed his spear from the dead bandit and jerked it out with a casual move of his hand. With an equally casual lash-out of his arm, he whipped the blood off of the spearhead, before pulling its leather sock over it to protect it from rain and dirt.
In time, they came within sight of the others. The two probably looked like a pair of walking dead, covered in bandit blood blackening as it coagulated, with cuts and bruises all over their bodies, and torn clothes. But the grin on Vinsces' lips was enough to tell everyone that they were okay.
Setting
0.00 INK
For the longest time, there was no sign of victory or defeat for those who had tried to help her. Having lived a life of hardship, she knew that it was hard to get by, and helping someone was normally out of the question. These people, strangers though they were, had stuck with her through the danger and had been willing to give her assistance without being paid. That alone was something she could be grateful for.
And all she could hear of their fate was the call of a horn and snarls in the night.
Sighing, she sank to her knees and called out to her Goddess. Protect them, protect them, keep them as you could not keep my family, she thought. She had always turned to the moon in the night sky whenever she needed help. Even as she watched, a single star blinked brightly. Could that be her mother now, watching over her?
Suddenly, more noises. The sound of boots against grass. Viconia tensed and rose to her feet, prepared to fight off any enemies who had found her. The dark blue cloak fluttered as she lifted the hood over her white hair.
And then she realized that it was her companions. The orc, the tall man, and the two companions. They were in a bad state, weak and coated in blood that may or may not have been their own.
Still, after her initial smile and brightened face, she sobered. "Where are the others?" she asked of them.
Setting
0.00 INK
"What took you so long? The girl and I were getting worried." He said, exhaling a thick plume of smoke from his pipe. He tapped the ash out onto the ground before standing up. He looked out grimly over the blazing encampment. "Looks like things were a success." He crouched down and peered closer at the frenzied dots of scurrying thugs.
"And where were you? I could have used some help down there." Caim cast Vincent a mock frown.
"I followed your orders and retreated after setting the fires. All told I was done in about five minutes and was back here in time to catch a quick rest." Vincent stood, back arched and head raised imperiously as he spoke. He took another lungful of smoke. "Don't worry, I had full confidence in your abilities my friend." He patted Caim on the shoulder as he passed him.
Where are the others?
Vincent's expression turned sour and he cast his eyes to the floor wordlessly. Caim did likewise.
"I lost track of them after we split up." Vincent said solemnly. "It appears they didn't make it back."
"Damn it all!" Caim cursed under his breath, looking out over the blaze. He gritted his teeth. His plan had failed. His plan. He had led those two to their deaths or worse! The wind whipped at his hair with its howling breath and he uttered a silent prayer for Gilly and Alyss.
"There's something else." Caim turned to the others. "When I was fighting with their leader, I recognised his armour. The emblem was blacked over like a freelance. It took me a while to place it but..." He paused as though to confirm to himself what he already knew. "Those were Sharn soldiers."
Setting
0.00 INK
Then, he leaned his spear against a tree, sat down on his knees, and, like the knight, mumbled a quick prayer for the dead. As a mercenary, Vinsces had seen many of his comrades die in battle. It was never easy for those left behind - but they could always try to make the passing easier for those that had died, through mercy as well as through prayers to whatever deity one believed in. In Vinsces' case, the prayer went to Siris, the patron goddess of the sun, praying to her to ease their passing and let them always bask in her glory.
"There's something else." Caim spoke up again, drawing all eyes to himself. "When I was fighting with their leader, I recognised his armour. The emblem was blacked over like a freelance. It took me a while to place it but..." Everyone listened intently while waiting for the knight to continue. Then, he spoke once more: "Those were Sharn soldiers."
Vinsces scratched his neck stupidly.
"Sharn?" He asked, not recognizing the word. "That sounds like the name of a witch I used to..." His joke trailed off as he remembered the people they had lost that night, and he just shook his head with a sigh.
Setting
0.00 INK
His normally softened exterior had been rubbed away by the effects of the blood lust, leaving nothing but raw orc in its wake. "They died a warriors death." Osefi spoke, his face looking absolutely barren of emotion. "They have proven themselves to the gods. They will make sure none of their souls rot with the filth that spilled their blood." Regardless of how valid Osefi's point was it did little to quell the sadness apparent on his fellows faces.
The recognition in Osefi's eyes at the mention of Sharn was still tinged by the feral orc inside him. "Sharn?!" Osefi spat a large wad of phlem, blood and bile to the ground at his feet coupled with a long and terrifying growl of disdain. "Yellow bellies. The lot of them." He hissed.
It was well known the Tsardom of Sharn found little love from the orc race as a whole, their underhanded and dastardly tactics stank of dishonorable and cowardice to the orcs who had a strict sense of right and wrong even in the midst of carnage. There had once been tribes of orcs which roamed and lived the lives of nomads in the desolate wasteland that was now within Sharn's borders. One of the Kain's first orders of business was to erase the orc presence on his land, whom in classic orcin fashion had refused to submit to his rule. The tactics employed were some of the first examples of what Sharn would become and 50 years wasn't nearly enough for orcs to forget or forgive.
"What possible business could the Sharn have raiding caravans way out here? Surely the rumors..." Osefi trailed off, shaking his head, still trying to shake the cobwebs of fury from his mind. When he raised his eyes they met with Caim's, a look of anger and confusion upon his blood splattered face. "I never dreamed Kain the Cowardly to be so bold or so stupid."
Setting
0.00 INK
For once Caim was grateful for Vinsces' levity and he allowed himself a slight smile at the comment. It diverted his mind from the issue at hand. Something he sorely needed.
"In any case our job here is done." The knight stated, turning from the embankment where they watched the conflagration and heading East. "Our enemy will not likely scatter and we should do likewise." He stated calmly.
"I agree!" Vincent added, taking off after his companion. "I daresay we could all do with a hot meal and a warm bed. Come along. Daybreak is not far off." He raised one finger and beckoned the others to follow.
It did not seem like long before the group reached Northwall, the grey stone walls looming large over them as they made their ways wearily through its gates. The guards took little notice of them until they set eyes upon Osefi and Viconia. An Orc and a Dark Elf made strange travelling companions. They were not to be trusted. And what of these others who travelled with them? Surely they had been up to no good. One was clad in armour covered in ash and soot while another, some mercenary of one sort or the other by the looks of him was spattered with blood and fresh wounds. The guards immediately crossed their halberds infront of Osefi, eyeing him with barely concealed disgust.
"What business have you here?" One of them barked imperiously.
Setting
0.00 INK
Below, on deck, his crew of seven men and a woman worked hard. One of them was positioned, not in the crow's nest as was to be expected in a regular ship, but in the bow of the ship, where he gazed down towards the ground below them, keeping an eye out for settlements.
"Captain." One of the crew members said as he approached the young man. "We're running short on fuel." Highwind nodded.
"I'm aware of that, Mr Potter. We're landing in Northwall soon. You and the crew will make camp by the Batavian there and guard her with your life - and I shall search for ivor stones to be purchased or bartered for in the city."
"Cap'n! Northwall's in sight!" The lookout finally shouted. As Mr Potter trodded off to prepare for the landing, Jack Highwind stepped on a pedal, pulled and pumped a lever back and forth, and listened as gyros whirled and twirled below deck. Soon after, the ship began to sink towards the ground. Highwind's grip hardened around the helm.
It didn't take long before the ship seemed to stop flying forward, and instead almost seemed to hover, at the same time that it began to close in on the earth below it. Soon after, there was a heavy thud as the ship sat down on the ground, followed by a loud heaving sound of compressed air being let loose. And Jack Highwind let go of the helm. He took off his fur-lined jacket, revealing a loose-fit shirt under it, and tossed it to Mr Potter, as he put on a green and gold-lined Captain's over-coat which matched the shirt nicely. As he did this, he half-jumped down from the helm's position, to the central deck.
"Mr Potter is in charge while I explore the city." He told the crew, all the while strapping on the belt around his waist containing his dragon saber. "Be careful and don't leave the Batavian. I will be back when the time is right, as always! Until then, farewell, my friends." Then, he made a salute to the crew, and climbed over the railing, using a rope ladder to quickly descent to the ground beneath him. Feeling solid dirt under his feet, he stretched out his weary arms, took a deep breath, and let out an appreciative sigh to the sound of the wind blowing in the trees surrounding the glade where he had sat down the Batavian.
"What a marvelous day." He said to himself as he began to walk through the forest towards the road leading to Northwall.
It didn't take long before the sterling grey walls of the city got in his sight, as always squeezed between the two mountain ranges in a tactically impenetrable bottleneck. There wasn't much activity at the gates this early morning, only a small group of people waiting to be let inside. Of course, the closer the sky pirate came, the more he realized they weren't about to be let inside - at all. Knowing the guards, he frowned just slightly. Of course, when he got within sight, the reason became blatantly obvious - there was a gigantic orc among the travelers. The others consisted of a dark elf (!), two enormous humans, one of them who seemed to be a knight, and another, more slimly built human. An interesting collection of people, but the orc and the dark elf would make it difficult for the group to get into the city.
"Good morning to you all." Highwind greeted them as he approached, stopping only to offer a slight, and polite, bow. One of the guards twitched when he recognized him, and gritted his teeth hard.
"Jack Highwind..." He snorted in disgust.
"The one and only. It's a pleasure, as always, to meet the noble guards of Northwall." Highwind replied with another bow, and a serious voice. "Tell me, Surly, do you remember the last time we had the conversation you are about to embark upon?" He added before the guard could respond. "I shan't bother retelling it for you and our marvelous audience today, but I will remind you that your Commander has acquired quite a taste for expensive - and very exquisite, I assure you - wares from the Sarife Empire, which I am his only provider of. He will be most disappointed if anything should get between him and his wares, such as the barring of entry of the person providing it to him, into his city." Once again, the guard twitched. It was the same story he had been yelled to by the Commander the last time he had tried to stop the sky pirate from entering Northwall.
"While we are at it, my friend..." Highwind added. "Might I be so bold as to suggest you allow our traveling friends here entry as well? By the looks of it, they've seen battle tonight, and it would be a shame to deny entry to Northwall to strong warriors, among which I can count at least one noble knight, and an equally noble orc." He gave a polite nod and a slight smile to the group, and then turned his passionate blue eyes back at Surly the Guard. The man's face twitched with suppressed anger at the sight of, and manipulation by, Jackal Highwind, the infamous sky pirate.
"...you may pass..." He grumbled angrily to himself, as he nodded to his fellow guard. The two finally un-crossed their halberds, allowing the entire group entry to the city.
When they had stepped inside the walls, Jack Highwind turned, and bowed at the group once more, addressing them with his refined, polite speaking, edged by a slight accent. Hisway of speaking was unusually mature for his rather young appearance of twenty-two or twenty-three years of age.
"Forgive my interruption earlier, my friends. I hope I did not inconvenience or offend you by my intervention. Our noble friend Surly and me have a history, and I thought it best that I make your entry to the city as painless as possible. Making a scene at the gates would benefit neither you nor the city. Now, if you will allow me a more proper and less crude introduction than before, I am Captain Jackal Highwind of the Batavian Skyship. You may address me as Captain Highwind or Jack if you will."
Setting
0.00 INK
The thought made Osefi nervous, those men he had fought earlier in the evening were no slouches. Years of violence told him enough to know it was simple dumb luck that prevented some of the blows he had suffered from being fatal. Idly his fingers rubbed at the thumb sized hole in his breast, the bone was soft, and pain stung like a million bee stings as he applied slight pressure. It was likely the rib was broken, though you'd never be able to tell from how the orc poked and prodded the area. While to most it would have seemed like masochism, truth was that most orc's who reached the age of a few hundred or more had a fairly keen knowledge of medicine. The Orc culture was simply too violent to afford not to, an orc who could not heal himself was likely to end up dead despite their seemingly endless endurance and fairly rapid healing rate.
Osefi was so wrapped up in his thoughts, both of Sharn and his own dull aching wounds that he didn't notice the two guards eying him as he approached. It wasn't until the wooden hafts clacked together that he looked up, nearly bumping into the blockade. "What business have you here?" The guard asked impatiently.
While he knew it was unwise, the massive orc was in no mood, his demeanor visibly bristled at their insolence. He shot the guard a look which screamed "I should gut you where you stand" as he let out a low rumbling growl. Luckily for the immediate well being of the two guards, and the long term well being of Osefi himself a stranger deflated the situation, nearly effortlessly gaining the entire party entrance to the city without batting an eye.
The man introduced himself as Jackal Highwind, Captain of a skyship, something Osefi had never heard of. Intrigued and thankful, Osefi spoke first, his tone displaying his graciousness. "Good of you to come along when you did, Captain, another moment and I fear I may have lost my head. I fear we carry grave news from further south and have little time for pleasantries. Nevertheless I am in your debt, might this orc be allowed to buy you a warm meal?"
Setting
0.00 INK
The trade ships that came into Sarife often had valuable goods or jewelry, and it was often worth the occasional risk to sneak aboard one and liberate a few things. Usually the things she stole were traded to caravans or travelling merchants for water, which was almost currency by itself in the desert. She’d only been caught once before, and it was an easy matter to run down to one of the lower decks and dive out of a gun port and into the ocean. This time the ship had departed without her realizing, and there is a startling lack of places on a ship for someone who’s six feet tall to hide, so it was no surprise when she bumped into one of the crew members while browsing the selection of items in the five-finger discount aisle. This time, however, when she ran to the edge of the ship to jump off, there was a disturbing lack of water beneath them. What she saw instead were puffy white clouds.
Who knew these contraptions could fly?
So here she was: trapped in a cage in some kind of magic flying thing that was potentially hundreds of feet off the ground, and she had awoken to a rather significant thump, the whirring of machinery, and the loud hiss of air being released from… something. Great: they were crashing. Or at least that was the thought before she caught the harried steps of bustling crew members going this way and that, and voices of course, but she couldn’t quite make out what they were saying from where she was.
Jade had been given a rather thorough frisking, of course, and they had taken away all her gear… and the backup lock pick she had hidden in her belt… and the one hidden in her underwear; she really hadn’t been expecting to be searched by a female crew member. It was okay though; this wasn’t the first time she’d been trapped without a lock pick. Jade had improvised one out of some otherwise mundane debris that was within reach of her cage. Well, “within reach” was probably a little misleading as on this particular trip the crates in the hold had a particular tendency to shift during flight: a source of endless amusement for Jade, and frustration for the crew who couldn’t figure it out.
Jade was a telekinetic.
It wasn’t fine movement, for sure, but the crates were just bulky enough for her to pull to the cage, rifle around for useful objects, and then shove around the hold. What she had come up with wasn’t perfect, but a straight pin she had liberated from a silk scarf, and some packaging straw she had twisted into a stiff probe opened the door to her cage. Now came the tricky part: finding her things and making it off the ship without being caught.
At least this time she wasn’t going to be greedy… Jade paused in her stride on her way to the stairs leading out of the hold, eyes locked on one of the crates she hadn’t quite closed while engineering her escape. It would only take a moment… Jade found herself prying the crate open and peering inside, quickly collecting a gold pendant from Sarife, and a jeweled dagger that had markings of Kishar craftsmanship. She pressed the lid of the crate closed once again and sidled to the entrance of the hold, pressing an ear to the door and listening for footsteps. At least this time she wasn’t going to be nearly as greedy.
The coast sounded clear, and Jade gently eased the door open, creeping up the stairs into the lower decks. She’d gone on a rather detailed tour of the ship before she got caught, so making her way to the captain’s quarters unseen wasn’t a herculean effort. Of course, having the crew outside tying the ship down, or whatever they did when it landed was a big help. Jade picked the lock silently, and then slipped inside to recover her belongings, which were graciously draped across a chair. She pulled her flowing over-tunic on, belting it about the waist with her utility belt and swung her shamshir over her shoulder.
Out of her utility belt she gingerly retrieved a small ball and some wire, and jury rigged a trip-wire trap at the door. The ball itself consisted of finely ground Sarife peppers, the hottest in the land, a few grains of gunpowder, and a primer which, when struck, would ignite the gunpowder and scatter the generous helping of pepper grounds into a fine mist. It was a departing gift from Jade to… whoever opened the door next. She normally left a desert flower at the scene of the crime, but figured the pepper bomb would be enough since she didn’t have any flowers at hand. Jade wrapped her scarf loosely about her neck and slid her glasses over her face, then pried one of the windows open carefully and slid out.
She hit the ground with a muffled grunt, expecting sand, the hot and dry desert wind, and the walls of Kishar where they had no doubt taken her to turn her in for a bounty, but found… grass? Jade was stunned into stillness after plucking up a few blades of the green stuff and holding it up to her face. Sure there was grass in the desert, but none of it was so green! And, ugh… it was SO humid! Some commotion above startled her out of her curious trance: someone had apparently found her empty prison, and she figured it was only a matter of time before someone got a face full of pepper. The thought made a grin spread across her lips and she darted for the tree line.
Without any notion of where she was going, a pang of panic struck her as she flitted into the cover of the woods, but actually found it much easier to navigate than the endless dunes of the desert, which had few landmarks to guide by. She did not end up back at the airship, which may have happened in the desert had she ran away blindly as she was doing here, but within sight of the walls of a town. She moved away from the path while watching a small group being held up, along with her newest friend: Mr. Highwind! What luck… while everyone was distracted she made her way into the city the same way she got into Sarife: by gracefully running straight up the wall and vaulting over it.
View All »Arcs
Arcs are bundles of posts that you can organize on your own. They're useful for telling a story that might span long periods of time or space.
There are no arcs in this roleplay.
View All » Create New » Quests
There are no quests in this roleplay.
Add Group » View All » 0 Factions to align with
Here's the current leaderboard.
There are no groups in this roleplay!
Game Master Controls
Welcome home, Promethean. Here, you can manage your universe.
Arcs
Arcs are bundles of posts from any location, allowing you to easily capture sub-plots which might be spread out across multiple locations.
Add Quest » Quests
You can create Quests with various rewards, encouraging your players to engage with specific plot lines.
Add Setting » 1 Settings for your players to play in
Settings are the backdrop for the characters in your universe, giving meaning and context to their existence. By creating a number of well-written locations, you can organize your universe into areas and regions.
Navigation
While not required, locations can be organized onto a map. More information soon!
Add Group » 0 Factions to align with
There are no groups in this roleplay!
Collectibles
By creating Collectibles, you can reward your players with unique items that accentuate their character sheets.
Once an Item has been created, it can be spawned in the IC using /spawn Item Name
(case-sensitive, as usual) — this can be followed with /take Item Name
to retrieve the item into the current character's inventory.
Mobs
Give your Universe life by adding a Mob, which are auto-replenishing NPCs your players can interact with. Useful for some quick hack-and-slash fun!
Mobs can be automated spawns, like rats and bats, or full-on NPCs complete with conversation menus. Use them to enhance your player experience!
Current Mobs
No mobs have been created yet.
Spawns
Locations where Mobs and Items might appear.
Events
You can schedule events for your players to create notifications and schedule times for everyone to plan around.
The Forge
Use your INK to craft new artifacts in Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients. Once created, Items cannot be changed, but they can be bought and sold in the marketplace.
Notable Items
No items have been created yet!
The Market
Buy, sell, and even craft your own items in this universe.
Market DataMarket conditions are Quick Buy (Items Most Recently Listed for Sale) |
Open Stores
View All » Add Character » 39 Characters to follow in this universe
Newest
Onatha
Al Mayrin, Kanal tribe
Seig Krowne
A former prince of Kronezwall, now a wandering swordsman.
Selene Randoval
Member of the Shriah Order, motive unknown.
Inali Ismene (Black Fox Learning)
A young cecaelia making her way through the world in search of knowledge.
Captain Jackal Highwind
A renowned sky pirate, explorer and renaissance man who travels the skies above Altaea in his airship, the Batavian.
Jade Tel'hana
The Black Cat of Sarife
Vincent de Fanel
A magus
Caim Pendragon
A free knight
Eria Millieuelle
A travelling priestess
Trending
Inali Ismene (Black Fox Learning)
A young cecaelia making her way through the world in search of knowledge.
Seig Krowne
A former prince of Kronezwall, now a wandering swordsman.
Caim Pendragon
A free knight
Selene Randoval
Member of the Shriah Order, motive unknown.
Vincent de Fanel
A magus
Jade Tel'hana
The Black Cat of Sarife
Captain Jackal Highwind
A renowned sky pirate, explorer and renaissance man who travels the skies above Altaea in his airship, the Batavian.
Onatha
Al Mayrin, Kanal tribe
Eria Millieuelle
A travelling priestess
Most Followed
Selene Randoval
Member of the Shriah Order, motive unknown.
Inali Ismene (Black Fox Learning)
A young cecaelia making her way through the world in search of knowledge.
Onatha
Al Mayrin, Kanal tribe
Seig Krowne
A former prince of Kronezwall, now a wandering swordsman.
Captain Jackal Highwind
A renowned sky pirate, explorer and renaissance man who travels the skies above Altaea in his airship, the Batavian.
Eria Millieuelle
A travelling priestess
Vincent de Fanel
A magus
Caim Pendragon
A free knight
Jade Tel'hana
The Black Cat of Sarife
View All » Places
Fullscreen Chat » Create Topic » Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients: Out of Character
Discussions
Most recent OOC posts in Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
Farewell. It was fun while it lasted and I wish you all the best.
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
On top of work and training we still don't have internet here, so I'm hard pushed to find time to post. Once that's sorted though I should be able to post at least a little more regularly since I have a bit of free time in the evenings.
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
I was going to be ducking out anyway, Im just making that much much sooner than later. I have enjoyed running with all of you and will look forward to future runs in the Altaea universe or elsewhere.
Thanks
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
I've been waiting for Xian to post in the meantime. But I might have to just jump in when I get back from work.
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
I have been away for a while and honestly Erdu as a character is a bit of a mystery to me. But I am determined to relearn him and get to where I can reinsert myself into this.
I imagine I will be jumping back into the followon RP as well, but one thing at a time.
Thanks
Re: [OOC] Altaea Saga: Song of the Ancients
Also, I'm finally able to clear the character list of all the redundant profiles. I've eliminated all our absent members. If somehow you feel your profile was deleted unfairly then PM me and we can discuss it, but given how I only deleted profiles for players who haven't posted in the last few weeks I think we should be fine.