Description

Personality

Alcide is a very dynamic figure, and is seemingly incapable of partaking in downtime, as he is not happy unless he is engaged in a project. Alcide can be a very engaging person, and has always had a particular talent of appealing to and winning the admiration of the people he finds it advantageous to do so with. He is also a very controlled and calculating person, and is capable of great cruelty if it suits his purposes. Ambitious, but good at hiding this fact, Alcide is a dangerous man to cross, and even worse to be rivals with. His few friends however, which include a freed Djinn named Greylord, enjoy a loyalty that knows no limits. He also adheres to his own kind of moral code, though he does not advertise this.

Equipment

Status
The Army
A powerful sword
A magic mirror that can imprision magical creatures, or those who have heritage to them (not ogres)

History

Currently the greatest swordsman, and highest ranking General in the Kalgrist Army, Alcide started out as nothing more than a poor street rat in the poorest district of the Capitol. His parents murdered in the ogre revolt that also killed the Emperor and Empress, Alcide was left an orphan and with a deep mistrust of ogres. Life there was difficult for the young boy, and there in the underbelly of Kalgrist’s slums, he learned that those who had power took what they wanted from the weak, and weakness was a cardinal sin in the slums. The young street rat got by from picking pockets on market streets, and became very quick on his feet and developed very nimble fingers. This continued for many years until as a youth he picked the wrong pocket, or right one depending on how you wish to see it. A well to do, and somewhat eccentric, merchant of magical items was amused by the scrawny youth that had tried to pick his pocket, and as he had always wanted a son but had been unable to have one, took Alcide in as his apprentice. Their relationship was a complicate one, though Alcide genuinely cared about the old man, he never was able to really accept him as a father figure, which sometimes caused tension. Through this association however, Alcide gained two things, a higher status in Kalgrist society, and exposure to magic and the possibilities that it held. Eventually, when Alcide was still but a boy of fifteen, the old man died and left the shop to him. Sifting through the piles of magical items the old merchant had accumulated, Alcide came across a mirror.

Simple but elegant, the small hand mirror gave no clue as to the treasure it held inside. Brushing the dust from the old mirror, it was revealed that a Djinn was imprisoned inside, compelled to give any mortal that rubbed his mirror a total of three wishes. Though initially excited by the prospect of being granted three wishes, Alcide was also wise enough to be wary, and did not make his wishes right away. Stories of Djinn warned that they were tricky creatures, and often when they granted one’s wishes it came at some terrible price. So Alcide began to befriend the Djinn instead, learning his story and how he came to be trapped there. Greylord, which was his name, was imprisoned in this mirror by a powerful sorcerer whose wife he was subsequently sleeping with. The mirror had a special quality that allowed it to impression magical creatures, with the exception of ogres of course, but the sorcerer’s spell was made to humiliate Greylord by forcing him to become a servant and grant the wishes of lowly humans. Recognizing an opportunity to help them both, Alcide struck a deal with Greylord; if he would grant two of his wishes with no consequences or ill effects to himself, he would use his third wish to free Greylord from his prison. Greylord agreed, and so Alcide made his first two wishes. First, he wanted power, and the talent to become one of the greatest men in the empire. So Greylord granted him the talent to become the greatest swordsman in the world, as well as the war sword of an ancient Kalgrist king, and entry commission into the Kalgrist army. Second, Alcide wanted to one day hold a status among the Kalgrist elites, and being of common birth he knew marriage was his only way in. So he wished for one day, when the time came, to marry on of the emperor’s daughters, specifically a princess who could bring him great wealth as well as be beautiful. So Greylord granted this wish as well, promising that one day a beautiful daughter of Contalabutte who could make him fabulously wealthy would be his. Then finally, for his third wish, it came time for Alcide to keep his word. Recognizing the mirror to be a powerful that could be used in the future, Alcide cleverly asked in his third wish to be given complete control over the mirror, including who was imprisoned and released from it, before them releasing Greylord from his prison. This also gave Alcide insurance in case Greylord reneged on his end of the bargain, as he could always send him right back in.

This was ultimately unnecessary, as the two became great friends, and Greylord never tampered with the magic he set in motion. Alcide entered the army as a low ranking officer soon after, and began rising up the ranks as he continued to prove his military prowess. He is now, as a man in his early thirties, the most powerful and well-loved general in the Kalgrist Empire, and while Alcide shows loyalty to his Emperor, it is hard to tell what the emperor’s feeling are in return. Historically, Emperors have been wary of ambitious generals who hold the love of the people and the loyalty of the army.

So begins...

General Alcide of the Kalgrist Empire's Story

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Spindewas

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#2012-11-11 23:10:07, as written by daughterofdon

Contalabutte surveyed the courtyard outside of Castle Spindewas, pleased that it looked so miserable. The servants were stressed, unhappy, losing their hair and aging before his eyes. Even the prickly roses seem to wilt in despair. Briarose should be glad to leave her castle of 120 years for a bit.

He watched the dragons land, which was very much routine for him. Bujinnor, his dragon, was a familiar sight. Like Bujinnor, Contalabutte ignored Vrael’s spiteful muttering. He listened closely to the message from Bujinnor, delivered in the privacy of his mind. Contalabutte did not like servants that were repetitive about their messages, but Bujinnor was the exception. He appreciated his dragon and the adoration he showed.

‘You will be coming with us, Bujinnor. My trust in the Darahurne is lessening every moment I spend with them. But we can not forget their value as allies. We must humor them,’ Contalabutte returned a telepathic message to Bujinnor. He was not so skilled as the dragon in doing so, and so his mental speech was simple and halting.

After a bout of commentary, Vrael gave Contalabutte a slick and gooey badge. Contalabutte’s face torqued in disgust as he held the thing. It was worth an examination, though, as he saw that it was Fey-made and originated from Effledus’s royal palace.

“That is most interesting, Vrael, about your trip to Effledus. I look forward to finding out just what you mean,” the Emperor replied duly, handing the wet badge back to the Darahurne. When Vrael addressed Briarose, Contalabutte noticed that his wife stepped closer to him. He surmised that the Darahurne, ugly creatures that they were, must frighten her a bit.

“You may address my wife as Empress Briarose,” Contalabutte snapped at Vrael. Then he cleared his throat and tenderly touched Briarose’s arm. “Bujinnor and I will keep them in line, my love.”

With that said, he gestured towards Bujinnor’s middle, where a team of servants awaited to help them aboard the elaborate saddle, which was built up with a canopy to provide shelter to the riders. It was similar in structure to a litter, except it was powered by a dragon and not humans. It was very secure as well, with armored walls like the dragon, and there could be seen inside the windows many silken cushions to recline on.

“Ladies first,” Contalabutte insisted to Briarose, handing her off to the servants to be lifted into the saddle. Another dragon was being boarded with Briarose’s ladies in waiting. The third was being loaded with their luggage.
---
Briarose wasn't even aware that she had stepped away from the Darahurne. Contalabutte's hand on her arm made her turn. Empress. The word sounded forgein to her ears. She was Princess and then Queen. It didn't matter what she thought, Contalabutte wanted an Empress and so he had taken another one.

She looked almost blankly to where he gestured. The dragon it seemed was her transportation to the mountains. This one seemed to be under Contalabutte's control. This one she knew for it had helped him win against her husband, it had helped Contalabutte kill him and take his kingdom. Now she was expected to ride on him. Her hand was passed to a servant's who began to help her into the structure on the dragon. Compliant, Briarose let both her husband and the servant move her as they would.

"I am sorry Ruffdor."

Briarose's eyes moved back to the darahurne. She watched them through the window as she manouvered her dress. It was tucked to one side and Briarose sat on the cushions.

It was warm and comfortable and in different circumstances she might have dozed off. Briarose was far too conscious of how small the space was, how close Contalabutte would be to her once he joined her inside.

Her eyes closed and the image of the pixie messenger in its cage came forth in her mind's eye. The thing sitting behind the bars, just as she sat now.

A shiver overtook her. The pixie, her message. Briarose had no way of knowing if and when Day would get the pixie or what his reaction might be.

"Mortimus protect them...please." She wished the dragon could hear her.

Her hand clenched as she heard what sounded like another person climbing into the litter with her. Briarose turned her head, her eyes looking towards a window. Under her she could feel a faint movement as the dragon shuffled his feet and took his breaths.

It was not at all like being on horse back or in a carriage but an odd mix of the two. Briarose blinked. "Must not sleep." She wondered if the tea she had drunk had more than herbs to stimulate her appetite in it. It wouldn't be the first time that the kitchen had tried to ensure her rest.

"Little flower..." She gagged a little. Briarose could still hear the darahurne's voice in her head.

--

As Briarose was settled into the litter, Contalabutte thought back on what Bujinnor had told him, speaking that he feared for his life. The Darahurne were not creatures worthy of trust, as powerful as they were. And Contalabutte knew that he would not feel secure unless he had his most trusted General along with him.

“Franste,” Contalabutte turned to his chief advisor. “Has General Alcide received my summons?”

“Yes, Emperor. I sent a message to him the moment you mentioned it,” Franste replied dutifully.

“Good. We will not leave without him,” Contalabutte said, throwing his lavish cape to the side with a flourish. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the horizon. He often thought of General Alcide, wondered about him. The man held the title of the Greatest Swordsman of the Empire--everyone spoke of how he was impossible to beat, how he wielded the sword of an ancient king. His name was always on someone’s lips. He was so good--too good. Contalabutte couldn’t help but wonder how Alcide would fare in a fight with the Darahurne.

---

The setting changes from Spindewas to Faecleir

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Faecleir

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#2012-11-27 07:32:41, as written by Kohananinja

Alcide was not brooding, he mentally assured himself. He was not a man prone to such lethargic moods, and never would be. Alcide was merely in deep thought as he mulled over the latest conversation he’d had with his friend. Alcide liked to know as much about his enemy as possibly before facing them, and he knew too little for his liking about these Durahurne creatures. Greylord had been of some help to him on this matter, but he still was not satisfied with those answers.

“Your Emperor is either foolish or desperate to be meddling with such dark creatures.” Greylord had warned. Alcide did not altogether disagree with that assessment, but he was not so quick to discredit the power that the durahurne presented. Dangerous or not, it was impossible to deny the effect they had on the war front, which was why Alcide was wary. He’d seen these creatures in action.

“Can they be killed?” He had asked, while Greylord gave a knowing smile.

“All things can be killed my friend” Greylord had replied. “Your sword can cut through anything, even the spawn of hell itself. I have made it so.” Alcide had been a little relieved by that, but he still wished he knew his enemy better.

“So where is my princess eh? If I’m going to die fighting these beasts, I’d like a taste of my reward first.” Alcide had jokingly gripped good naturedly towards his friend. In all honesty he wasn’t in a rush to be married just yet, and especially not to any of Contalabutte’s few daughters. None were particularly comely, and were such spoilt squawking things that they reminded him more of the loud colorful birds nobles in the south kept as pets than a woman who could stir his manhood. He was starting to believe he’d trapped himself into a bad deal on that particular wish, so his friend’s response was surprising.

“Soon my friend, you will have your princess. This war brings her closer and closer to you every day.” Greylord had replied with a smirk he only wore when self-satisfied. The response confused him though, as Contalabutte had no other daughters as far as he knew, so how was there a Kalgrist princess out of his reach that would satisfy his wish?

He did not dwell though, as he soon arrived at the castle via carpet, and announced himself to the men, who knew him instantly. He was quickly led then to the Emperor and the carriage, and Alcide made a quick bow to show his fealty to the smaller man. “You summoned me your eminence?”


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Branen felt dumbstruck by his luck in finding his exiled sovereigns so quickly, and rose to attention when his princess addressed him. “I was looking for a friend your highness.” Bran admitted freely. “One I had met long ago who told me she lived here. I was hoping she might keep my young sister Snow safe for me whilst I searched for Prince Dayerin and yourself. A battlefield is no safe place for children.” He explained.

“Your highness, I was gone and unable to aid your father when the Kalgrist hoards descended upon our home, but I will never abandon his children or my home. I am yours to command, whatever your orders.” Branen vowed solemnly.

“Excellent.” Puss remarked dryly.

---

The setting changes from Faecleir to Spindewas

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Spindewas

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#2012-11-29 01:19:52, as written by noonshine

Vrael peered from behind Contalabutte
"General Alicide! In the flesh! By the stars, I'm a big fan. As i am with anything so skilled at killing. Killing is an art form. Us killers are masters at showing it off. May i say that.....you'd make a good darahurne"

He smiled and walked towards the General, rearing up, showing his height, and struck Alicide with his claw

"Come on then, sword boy. Let us sparr. That old fart Bujinnor will take age to get ready, and i want to see those sword skills I've heard so much about. It'll make a good spectacle for the emperor and that stunner next to him, and guess what? I'm not gonna kill you. Yep, I'm showing restraint."

He bared his fangs and snarled "Give me all you've got."

---

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