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Welcome to Elenlond, an original medieval fantasy roleplaying forum! We strive for creative, free-form roleplaying, in the hopes of allowing each and every single member the power to achieve their potential.
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| Welcome to Elenlond, an original medieval fantasy forum! We're always looking for new, dedicated members. Elenlond is composed of two continents: Soare and Esiria. Esiria, a land now isolated due to the efforts of the last remaining Goddess, is inaccessible to all beings and lies in the east. Soare, a continent in the west, is composed of three distinct nations: Ashoka, Soto, and Morrim. Lying between the two major continents are the Scattered Isles. Since the dissolution of the pantheon and the fall of the gods, these countries have existed in relative peace and prosperity. But how long will that peace last? Enter Elenlond; Turn the pages and tell your own tale. If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Money talks | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 10 2009, 03:35 AM (135 Views) | |
| Mjor | Aug 10 2009, 03:35 AM Post #1 |
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Crash. The brown haired mercenary groaned a little, and refused to open his eyes. Another crash. With a groan, Mjor woke up, and glance around him... Ah. Part of him grinned, whilst the other began picking up his clothes from the floor and looking for an escape route, whilst the girls father continued hitting the door and demanding to see her. It did not take long for her to be waken by this, but when she did, Mjor was already out the window and long gone. About an hour later, he walked back through the front gates of the castle, which belonged to some Lord of the region, although for different reasons entirely. He followed the Great Hall, and then he walked after some dull faced servant, a pitiable thing whose eyes were the opposite of the wandering mercenary, Mjor's were bright, full of life and glancing in all directions at all times, this mans were dull, focused and lifeless, broken by year upon year of repeitive servitute. At least thats what the glaive fighter decided it was. At long last he arrived in the audience chamber, along with various other soldiers, mercenaries and other assorted peoples. None knew exactly what was going on, but all had heard the promise of gold. Mjor with interest looked around the Lord's family. He stopped, and winked at his daughter, who giggled a little, and then he turned and smiled at the Lords wife, who could not control a blush. A handful of servants also refused to look at him. For this much to go on under his nose? This Lord was an idiot. However, so were the women around in, none of them realised he would NOT be running away with them to a life of happiness like he promised. He would be running away as soon as he got paid for whatever it was he was being paid to do, but they... Well, they were just too darn gullible for him to care. "This pains me" the Lord began, snapping Mjor back to the present "But I need help... My son needs help" he looked over the assembled mass "As you may know, I have always encouraged him to be a good man, to know the world. Alas, I fear he has known parts better left unknown. A month ago, he left for a weekend in the forest to the north of us" "Erth'netora?" mumbled someone to Mjor's left, not sounding enthusiatic. "And now I fear the worst... Please, I beg of you" his eyes began to show the signs of approaching tears. This was a good man, Mjor could tell, one who cared about his son, and honestly wanted the best. He wondered why he was so angry this morning? "I am willing to let whoever brings him back take whatever they can carry from my treasury... Just, please, save him..." he looked away, not wanting this rag tag bunch to see how much he loved his son. Silence. The speech was poor, the request was not exactly helpful (the forest was a big place), and the Lord did not appear like the kind of man who many of the people wanted to follow. Mjor, typically, broke it "Well, I guess I better go bring this pup back home then" he stated loudly to the assembled, and with a flick of his cape, he began to head to the forest. Money was money, after all. |
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| Eismond | Aug 10 2009, 08:21 PM Post #2 |
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Eismond walked through the garden city of Madrid in search of supplies. The city itself was like a forest, with the outskirts like an old wood unkempt. He passed warily through the outer slums, avoiding the few begging at the bases of run down houses. Even those houses that were unoccupied held a certain amount of vegetation growing rampant through the cracks in the wood. The change from slums to city was perceptible, as the new buildings thrived with flowers and people. The scent of the gardens was heavy in the air, masking the smells of livestock and sewage. The young-looking man breathed deeply. His first stop was at the blacksmiths'. The inside of the shop was in an old stable and smelled of fire and straw. Various weapons were tacked to the walls, grim and sharp in their new glory. The blacksmith was at the back of the stable, fitting new horseshoes on a horse. When Eismond approached him he stood up and shook his hand. Eismond bought some oil and wax, and dropped both his hunting knife and bow off to be re-strung and bound. Also he bought a good stock of metal tips to put on his arrows. Normally he needed only a flint or fire-hardened edge to hunt with, but it did not hurt to have weapons that could wedge through armor. He paid the blacksmith half the money down and left the stable. Eismond wandered in and out of shops and stopped by several booths. He talked business with the men and inquired after the women. Word was that a noble was seeking his son, and offered a generous reward for finding him. The men hinted that something dark might have happened, and several of the women clucked their tongues and shook their heads. It seemed the nobleman was an honest but somewhat foolish man, and the general feeling was no good would come of it. Several new shirts and pants, a length of rope, salted meat, cheese, bread, and various other sundries were added to his pack. Stopping by the blacksmiths again he picked up his items and paid the rest of his due. "Tell me," he said to the blacksmith. "I heard tell there is a noble nearby looking for his son. Where can I find him?" The blacksmith frowned and looking out from his shop. "Just down the road past the town, a ways in on the edge of the forest. I'd talk to him carefully...good man, but a bit foolish." Eismond thanked him and left. He reached the castle in about an hour's time and walked inside. The guards let him through to the entryway without asking questions, which he found odd. There was already a congregation of men there, some standing by and looking tough, others young and eager. He found a place in the middle where he could hear and see clearly. Only one man entered after him, and he seemed confident with the situation, giving the ladies rather knowing looks. The speech was heartfelt but useless. As a tracker the young-looking man felt confused by this. Most of the men, fired by the promise of treasure, left immediately after the last man spoke his piece. Eismond waited a moment for the crowd to disperse then stepped forward. He bowed to the lord and ladies in turn respectfully, before inquiring about the quest. "Forgive me, lord, but I wish to know more. It is important to know where your son was last seen and in which direction he left from. What did he look like? What was his company, and his errand? Did he do or say anything unusual before he left you? I need to know as much as possible before I embark, down to his very foot span and scent." |
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| Mjor | Aug 11 2009, 02:22 AM Post #3 |
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The Old Man wiped a tear from his eye "Of course... Of course..." he sat down heavily "He only said he was going north... He wanted to hunt something down, something big, something that would prove he where a man..." he looked away, and slowly regained his composure. He did not notice his daughter leave. "As for his looks... He looks a little like me" the old lord smiled "But most importanly, he should have a necklace with out crest on it" he pointed up, to a banner which had two swans, their necks twisted together..." he struggled to remember what else he needed to say "As for scent, he wore none when he went to the woods, and his boots are new, for he bought them on his way to the forest, his old where worn though... You will have to go and ask" he sighed, and looked to his feet "And thats all I know... I am a useless father" immediatly servants and busybodies rushed to him to explain otherwise. Outside, Mjor had been stopped, and the daughter had been busy explaining to him how one man had stayed behind, and been asking. To Mjor this sounded like plain good sense, in fact he kicked himself for not. After promising her anything she wanted, and making her believe it, he managed to get a similar set of information, albeit even more clouded by emotion than her father. After that, he left the castle, but only to go so far as the gate, where he stopped, and drew his glaive, setting it down and leaning against it right in the midde, blocking the path. He wanted to see what this other guy was up to. If he was a threat... Well, once they got to the forest he might have an 'accident', if he was willing, maybe they could play ball together. Mjor would not usually consider this, but as the reward was big enough... And it would mean he could have the other guy go back and collect both their parts, so he could avoid the various members of the castle whose romantic dreams where soon to be crushed. |
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| Eismond | Aug 11 2009, 11:24 AM Post #4 |
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The tracker fought back his disgust, maintaining a courteous demeanor. Big did not always equal more difficult. "Thank you Lord. I will stop by there 'ere I leave." He bowed slightly to the lord and lady and bid them a good day. During the chaos involving the lord's support system Eismond showed himself out through a small postern door to the North. It seemed to be a directly opposite entrance from what he had entered by. He had caught a brief glimpse of another man nonchalantly barring the main entrance. Eismond recognized him as the man who had spoken up at the meeting. The man seemed bent on business, but that was not why Eismond left through an opposite door. He wanted to be closest to where the son left, so he could memorize the area for when he returned. As soon as he left there was an explosion of tracks. Decades worth of servants and the lord's tenants had churned up and patted the earth flat. It would be pointless to look at them so close to the castle. He took a good look at the landscape then set off at a tangent for the village. Something about the loud man nagged at his mind, and he looked back over his shoulder. He saw nothing, but assumed the man would be following him before the day was out. He skirted around some stables and nodded to a few of the stable hands before disappearing inside. There he inquired after whether the son's horse was still in the stable. A small bribe exchanged hands and he left, smiling grimly. Eismond stepped up the pace and reached the village in half an hour. He looked for the shoemaker sign and found it quickly. Inside long tables were filled with completed shoes and various implements to make them, such as leather and wood. The master of the shop was gone on an errand but his apprentice remembered the shoe, and with a small bribe was willing to mark the size out on his forearm. They talked briefly about the son, and the apprentice was surprised at what he had done. "Everyone knows leather must be broken in with much oiling every night. You cannot take them out on a long hunt right away or your feet will get blisters and sores." The tracker compared his own forearm to the apprentice's and left. He journeyed the half hour back to the castle again. It would be wearisome to travel between the same places all day if Madrid was not such an interesting place. Eismond wished he could have stayed the night at least, but the job was more important. Already he felt the excitement of the hunt upon him. It was lucky that he geared up earlier in the day and made it to the meeting on time. No doubt most lords would send several contingencies of people out to find him, but this lord, well... As he approached the forest edge the tracker squatted down and stared hard at the tracks. He could discern those he perceived to be the son's setting off briskly through the wood. Well, if there is one good thing about this, he should be easy to follow for a time. Eismond stood up and stalked into the forest, his keen senses alert. |
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| Mjor | Aug 11 2009, 12:53 PM Post #5 |
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Mjor waited for some time. Eventually, it seemed likely that whoever it was who had stayed behind had left via another route. And whether this was true or not, he was burning daylight, he would solve the problem when he came to it, although if he was being avoided... Well, if the guy was avoiding him, chances are they had a reason, and if they had a reason, chances are Mjor might have to see introduce them to the sharp end of his glaive. That bridge could be crossed later, for now, he would join the literal legions of people on the search. The promise of a reward as large as this one meant the town was swarming with people, all asking for information here, rather than disturbing the worried Lord's grief (an unnatural amount of grief when the son could still live, Mjor would have thought, if he cared). Mjor had the drop on them, he guessed, and sent many off far away from where he knew the son had headed. Even if they figured it out, then they would have lost valuable time. He began the road to the north, following the route the son had taken before daylight ended, and swiftly noted a small group of soldiers heading the same way. They seemed to be carrying provisions for more than a few days, so Mjor was easily able to pull ahead of them, although he became worried about how much he would need to carry with him... How deep would he need to go? To an extent food and water would not be a problem... But finding it himself would cost valuable time. As Mjor arrived at the edge of the forest, he estimated about an hour of light. Double checking he had a torch ready, he started into the forest, deciding to hot foot to the grounds he knew the kid had used to hunt in the past, and then making camp nearby to catch an hour or so shut eye. The journey to the area was uneventful, and quiet. He saw no tracks, save ones going the other way which did not look to his amatuer eyes to belong to the young lord. When he got to the slight downward gradient that marked the approach to the river where most of the nobles went to hunt (what with most creatures passing this way at some point), he climbed a tree, and detaching and rolling up his cape, he set his head down, and half slept, although he kept one eye open, and his glaive was nearby, with one of his knives even closer. Tommorow, he would see what he could see. |
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| Eismond | Aug 11 2009, 01:39 PM Post #6 |
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The tracker moved steadily through the greying world of the forest. The sun would be setting soon and the light was darkening. Eismond was glad to have such excellent vision, as he would be able to continue long into the night after others might have given up. For dinner he munched on some of the fresh bread and cheese from his pack. With the speed required of the mission and the threat of competition it would be some time before he would risk a fire. Already he heard the distant rustling and voices of people out searching. More people had gone north than he guessed. If they are not careful they will destroy the tracks in their foolishness. After a time the tracks diverged. A large amount went off to more typical hunting grounds. Eismond spent some time here, crouched over the ground. Deep boot marks, perhaps only a couple days old, wandered about, as if the owner was unsure of his path. The tracker followed them forward then backward, and then off to the side. They disappeared into some brush and thick foliage off the beaten path. There was still a path here, but less worn. The boot prints were among the freshest tracks. Then they disappeared. Eismond frowned and cast about. He looked up into the trees and found a few stray hairs caught in the branch of a tree. So, he has taken to horse. He probably led it a ways to be quiet, then decided to change paths. Here he mounted, being out of sight. His marks are deeper where he put weight on his right foot while the other swung over the horse. Here the horse skittered sideways impatiently, and some of their hair was caught in the branches. It would be harder to follow a horse. The tracker broke into a jog, following the path for a good hour. Eventually it went down toward the river. Here the river was not as wide, and a rough wooden bridge spanned it. The tracks stopped at the bridge and presumably went across. Eismond went across the bridge and picked up the tracks on the other side. They continued to follow the 'Narrow Path' (as he began to call it in his mind.) Over the next hour he followed the path without deviation. The moon came up and shone down through cracks in the trees. It was now a couple hours after the sun had set and Eismond was tired. He had been up since before dawn and the day had been long and full of excitement. He strayed from the path for a while, his footsteps light on the foliage, before sitting down in the hollow of a large tree. He rested with his back against it and his cloak pulled tightly about him. There he slept peacefully for a few hours. When he woke again it was after dawn. The sun was already up and he was ready to begin anew. Breakfast was more bread and cheese which he ate on the way. He listened to the sounds of the forest, eager for some sound to enlighten him about the son. Nothing was forthcoming, and the forest remained silent, save for the usual sounds of animals. |
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| Mjor | Aug 11 2009, 02:06 PM Post #7 |
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It was early when Mjor woke, the sun just straining to peek its head over the horizon, the very first rays of light causing Mjor to snap awake. It took him no time at all to get down from the tree, re attach his cape and get going. He absent mindedly ate some some salted meat he had packed, and stopped off at the river to fill is water bottle. It was here he saw his first clue, sort of. He saw the bridge, and when he investigated... He looked at the tracks, some were a little old, he could tell that much, some where very new. They must of snuck by him quietly, for he had not slept far away. To him, the answer was simple. These were the lordling, and one person after him. That made him the second in pursuit. Speedily, he brushed away some of the tracks on the approach, and then broke into as quick a walk as he dare. He was up very early, he had to catch them... As he half walked half ran his mind ran over what would happen. It was obvious whoever it was that was ahead was the superior tracker. He might need them. Well, depending on what the guy was like, would depend on his reaction. The reward was in theory limitless, so he could share... Pride could hang in return for an easy life. Then again, it might be easier to kill him... His thoughts were stopped when he noticed something. Somone was on the path ahead of him, just in view, but there none the less. He lengthed his strides to try and close the gap. "Lets see what manner of a man this is" he muttered, although hoping that it was the son, not the currently first one on his tail. |
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| Eismond | Aug 11 2009, 02:42 PM Post #8 |
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He traveled alone for a while still, following the clear path before him. It was a nice day, if a bit humid. This worried Eismond, who knew the thick air could mean rain in a couple days time. Rain would wash away the tracks, even in the sheltered woodland. The foliage would only slow the process and any deviations from the Narrow Path might be easily missed. He removed his cloak and stuffed it into his pack as he walked. His own bare feet were light on the cool soil but they left small imprints in the ground. If anyone was following they would not fail to miss them, but Eismond did not care much. There was not much he could do about it while still following the tracks. The trees were too close to the path to walk by its side and not stray off. After a while a strange smell reached him and he walked slower. The trees path ahead took a sudden bend, and something was wrong. Approaching the scene cautiously he noticed the ground was churned up. Various twigs had snapped off the closest trees and now littered the pathway. It looked as if something had scared the horse and it had bolted around the corner. He crouched on the ground again, following the tracks warily. Other tracks seemed to be churned up in the dirt but it was hard to discern what they were. The tracker listened again to the sounds of the forest, now loud in his ears. A rustling further down the path alerted him and he swiftly drew his bow. Knocking an iron-tipped shaft he stood up. He trained the arrow on the man as he approached. "Halt! What business do you have here?" It was the man again! Eismond felt as if the man was following him as much as searching for the noble's son. He did not like the man's cocky attitude. If he was searching for the noble's son that would be an excellent reason to be on the path. Yet he did not seem to be tracking so much as following. |
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| Mjor | Aug 11 2009, 02:57 PM Post #9 |
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Mjor lost sight of the man as he stepped behind some bushes. He could not see what he was looking at. Part of him considered the possibility of an ambush, but he did not believe that it would happen. After all, they were both obviously tracking the same person, with good reason to. What need was there for violence? Although, if any started, Mjor would be sure to finish it. It was just as he placed his hand on his glaive that the other man re entered his view "Halt! What business do you have here?" Mjor immediatly withdrew his hand from his weapon "Easy, we don't need to fight" he reasoned softly and quickly, whilst smiling gently... The same smile which had won him many an argument before... As well as many a free night in... Various bedchambers... "I am on a contract here... And, I would wager you are also" he took one step forwards "We are after the same thing here... Are you truly bloodthirsty or selfish enough to attack me?" he took another step forwards, but kept his hands in plain view. Inwardly he felt pleased in how he had taken the moral high ground, although he was not foolish enough to think he was out of the... Er... Woods yet. "Are you willing to talk, or do we need to start locking horns?" |
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| Eismond | Aug 11 2009, 03:17 PM Post #10 |
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Eismond pulled the string back and aimed at the other man's heart. It was a universal warning: step closer and I will help you fall. "I have seen you cast that same glance on the ladies of the household. Do not mistake me for the same. If by selfishness you mean preservation then yes, I am as selfish as they come." As if to prove his meaning he drew the bow back further, just short of its full. He let a grey-fletched arrow loose into the ground at the other man's feet. It was another warning, though he did not grab another arrow. The other man's hands were out in supplication, showing he was not searching for a battle. Yet the tracker's frosty eyes caught the shape of the glaive, and perceived him to be a wicked opponent. "If you wish to talk, let us talk. I seem to have deprived you of the opportunity earlier." Eismond's words were casual, but laced with knowing. It was a nod to the fact that he guessed the other man waited for him. "This noble's son has wandered off the beaten path to a narrow way, which we both follow. Whether by skill or some trickery I cannot guess you have followed at my heels. Here there is a new occurrence. The ground is churned and the twigs are fallen from the boughs." He gestured behind himself, and stood slightly to the side so the other man could look as well. "What you make of this and what you know of it I cannot say. I am a tracker, and so am able to follow where men and beasts go. What are your plans? Wither do you go, now the pace is beyond us?" He surveyed the other man carefully, aware of the danger of their situation. The competition was fierce for such a prize and it was seemingly down to the pair of them. They could join up, go separately (though their course was the same) or fight over it. Eismond could fight though he preferred not to. They were already wasting precious time. Yet he did not trust the new man, and did not see how he could be an addition to his party. |
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| Mjor | Aug 11 2009, 03:33 PM Post #11 |
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"Well, if you truly want to talk..." Mjor removed his glaive from his back, and threw it to the floor, and his knives joined it before long. He then removed his cape, and set it out in the sun, whereupon he sat, and casually took a swig of his water bottle "Let us do it over an early lunch" it was a gamble, and he knew. But this man... If he wanted a fight, he could have had one already. And Mjor reckoned that if it came to it, he could win an unarmed fight, or get to at least one of his knives if not his glaive very quickly. "Firstly, as you seem to have guessed, I did wait for you earlier... However, I did not know it was you, just one of the others. And I was anxious to see what kind of man it was who also had the information that I had, who also was, shall we say, one step ahead of the curve. However, I must say you went through rather less effort than me to get it" he let out a small sound of distaste. "However, I do not know if this will help, but I think I know what he was hunting... Maybe that would clear up which path it would be best to take?" he raised an eyebrow. Having every woman in the castle view you with doe eyes has advantages. He had spoke at length about the missing son before the old man got desperate enough to risk his entire estate on it. "Luck has got me this far" he continued "I summrised that the river was a good place to start for all hunts, and went there... Then I believe you overtook me in the night, and from then I have followed you here... After all, you do seem to be the better tracker" he smiled. "As I see it, we could ignore each other, in which case I think I know which way I think is most likely" he took another swig of water, and took out an apple he had picked the day before, which he bit down into, with his mouth still full "Or we could work together... The old fool is offering a prize big enough for us both... And I don't have an ego to bruise by not going it alone" he swallowed. "Or if your dead set, pass me my glaive and we will be forced to settle this like savages" |
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| Eismond | Aug 11 2009, 03:55 PM Post #12 |
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Eismond smiled grimly and followed suit. He set his sword and bow on the grass before him, sat down and leaned back against a tree. There was little harm in being courteous as well as eating lunch. From his own pack he pulled some cooked, salted meat that was prepared a couple days ago. He added it to the bread and cheese and took some water from a skein. After he munched on some herbs gathered along the way. They would strengthen his sight and help prevent disease. While he ate he listened carefully to the other man's story. He seemed honest enough, if a bit forward. Someone that Eismond could do business with. "It would indeed help to know what he intended to hunt, for he seems to be making a mess of it already. Following the river was a good start for you both, though some things prefer deeper places. Perhaps that is where he is headed. These new tracks, though, they concern me. Something scared his horse. They took off around the bend, and it does not look as if he fell off. Not yet anyway. I may be the better tracker, but the better informed will out. Please, tell me all that you know, if you wish to form a partnership. My name is Eismond." He waited for a response, and thought carefully of the road to follow. If there was trouble brewing extra help would be nice. It would be hard for them to double cross each other, as the wealth came from a nobleman. They would have to return with hard evidence in order to obtain it. The young man wore no crest for proof. If he was retrieved alive they could not fight over him. If he was wounded or dead it would take two to carry the body. If either was waylaid after getting the prize they would both be at some advantage. The other man might have brute strength but Eismond could track him down. The more he thought about it the more the coupling seemed wise. |
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| Mjor | Aug 11 2009, 04:22 PM Post #13 |
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"Mjor" replied the brown haired mercenary, offering his hand to shake "And I think a partnership would be wise". He gave a lopsided grin, and took another bite. In truth he did see the partnership as a good one, sizing the man up he seemed to have some talents, talents Mjor himself lacked. That was one good thing. The other was that Mjor felt, if needed and it came to it, killing Eismond would be entirely possible for him. He did not plan on, but similarly, he had absoloutly nothing that would hold him back if he needed to. They could work well, for now. "Bear in mind, if you double cross me I shall have your head hanging like a flag from my glaive" he began, in a light hearted tone which was at odds with the message. He was aware that once he had told Eismond what he knew, little was to stop him running off "And I always, always get my man". He laughed a little, and threw the apple core away. "As for what he was after... Have you heard of the fierce Blackmaned wolves?" he looked at the tracker darkly "Fierce they are, teeth as long as my fingers" he splayed his hand for effect "Strong enough to pin a man to the ground with ease... Fully grown four foot tall... Roaming alone, but when they meet... Oh, when they meet..." he licked his lips "He wanted the pelt of one of one of the big un's, something to really show he was a mighty warrior, a man" he shook his head "He was a fool. There is only one easy way to take them down, and, well, I doubt he could do it... You wait until they pounce, and then dive in and attack the underbelly, a swift stab" he motioned with his hands "Get in between the ribs" he lay back "Now, our young fool was by no means a bad fighter, quite the opposite... But he fought on horseback when he could. And when he couldn't... Well, he wasn't light on his feet, not enough to get one of these beasties anyhow" he smiled "And you know where they are found?" he asked, even though he was sure the tracker knew "Right in the heart of the forest. And if we go there, chances are we may meet another one, and I'd like some backup if we did". Mjor grinned "Still in, I hope?" |
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| Eismond | Aug 12 2009, 03:23 PM Post #14 |
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Eismond shook Mjor's hand firmly and briefly. The other man's confidence and light-hearted manner were an excellent show of force, but the tracker was not fooled. "Perhaps. But keep this in mind...if you double cross me, or try killing me, I will track you down. " Eismond returned Mjor's wicked smile. Mjor might 'always get his man' but, seeing as how Eismond was getting his man for him, the point was mute. It took the force from his promise. He also suspected the other man thought him weaker. He will be in trouble if he takes me for granted. The Ice bites deep. "There is no need for such talk. I am a professional by trade. I do not double cross people." His eyes narrowed as Mjor spoke of the Blackmaned wolves. Eismond had heard of them before, and seen some at a healthy distance. They were as he described, larger than normal wolves and far deadlier. Luckily it was during a warm time of year when they would be fat off the land and not roaming in starvation. This is one case where the larger beast was also more deadly than previously imagined. On impulse the tracker stood up and looked at the markings again. There were some large prints partially scuffed out. Whether they belonged to Blackmaned wolves he could not say for sure. They seemed to be of dogs of some sort, but not quite right. "These tracks have a canine shape to them. But they do not look right...as if they were added after. If I had to guess I would say they were made to look like they were involved with whatever took place here. There is something very strange going on, and I do not like it. There is also a foul scent on the air. " He returned to his place by the tree and sheathed his sword. The bow he kept out, and pulled an arrow from his quiver. If there was something beyond the bend he wished to be prepared for it. "I have to ask that you stay by my side. If one of us gets too far ahead we might lose each other for a time, and also we should not spoil the tracks. There is a chance we might have to come back this way, whether in flight or by safe return." With that spoken he set off at a steady pace, prepared for trouble. |
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| Mjor | Aug 12 2009, 04:30 PM Post #15 |
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"Fair enough, we both have no reason not to co operate" Mjor agreed, and stood up to watch as Eismond examined the tracks again. "Added afterwards?" he asked, unsure of the value of his new ally all of a sudden "As in, someone is interferring with the trail?" he looked at the tracks, and then knelt to look closer. He could see nothing unsual about them, but then again, he was a fighter, not a tracker. He noticed that the tracker had rearmed himself, and hurried to do the same, slotting his knives away, but keeping his glaive at the ready. Eismond seemed ready tor a fight, so he could only assume he thought one might be nearby... The glaive weilder certainly did not sense anything, but he began to focus his mind just in case it should come to it. It could not hurt to be careful. Next he spoke with a good deal of the jovial tone he usually used gone, for his mind was bent on searching for any potential foes "Very well, I shall stay a step behind you" he said, and fell in, just behind so not to obscure the tracks, but close enough that if anything appeared in front of them, he could easily thrust his glaive over his companions shoulder and get immediatly involved. They carried on for a little, and Mjor had to fight to keep his mind focused. It seemed as if nothing, but soon rustling could be heard in the undergrowth. Occasionally a small critter would run out, but by and large it felt too quiet. And also as if they were not alone. Mjor gripped his glaive tightly, and glanced at his daggers. He heard the cry of a wolf, Blackmane or no he was unsure, but it was not far. "Something is not right" he hissed. |
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| Eismond | Aug 16 2009, 08:45 PM Post #16 |
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Eismond retrieved the arrow he shot into the ground as he walked. The calmness of the forest was now disturbed by the small rustlings of creatures in the brush. He could also hear the steady footfall of Mjor behind him. It was a small comfort to have a fighter along when troubling was brewing. Yet to Eismond it felt like trouble was following him as well as going before him. A howling rose in the stillness of the air, causing the hair on his neck to prickle. He paused for a moment, trying to gauge the distance. It was an unearthly noise, and too close for comfort. The tracker raised the arrow to his bow and drew it as he made the last few paces around the bend. A few paces ahead there was a strange sight. One strip of slashed leather lay bloodied and bare in the middle of the path. He approached it cautiously and turned the thing over with his boot. "Looks like a saddle harness..." Eismond glanced around, checking the markings, before turning from the path. Deep grooves in the dirt showed a horse had floundered there. Following the tracks he waded a short way into the brush and nearly tripped over a large object. "The saddle," he said simply. It looked like the lord's son had been attacked. The saddle had come apart and fallen into the brush. "Or was it dragged?" White scars on the saddle looked like bite marks. With a nod toward his companion the tracker followed the hoof marks further into the wood. Everywhere there were signs of struggle: bits of twig snapped from boughs still hanging in the air, churned up pine needles and leaves, scraps of leather, and blood. It was not long before Eismond stopped again, though he did not relax the grip on his bow. A large horse lay dead in the brush before them. The cloying scent of blood was thick in Eismond's nose. Fighting the desire to throw up he looked at Mjor. "Something has gone wrong!" He turned back to the gruesome scene before him and crouched down again to do his job. The wolf was on him before he could stand. It bit deeply into his shoulder, growling and snarling with effort. Eismond cried out and seized the beast with his bare hands. The bow crashed to the ground, forgotten in the close proximity of the battle. Where one wolf walked his pack followed, and soon the scene was filled with their harsh barks. Eismond's grip hardened as he stared the slathering wolf in the eyes. The air about them became perceptibly colder. A thin white light spread from his hands and slowly traveled along the wolf's body. The creature began to yelp and struggle backward, his jaws no longer clamped on Eismond's shoulder. After a couple minutes the .wolf ceased moving at all. Like a statue the wolf remained frozen, a thin sheen of ice shining on his coat. The Frost-Geist remained kneeling, his arm trembling from the wound. With his good arm he pulled a knife from its sheath on his chest and threw it. The blade whistled through the air and imbedded itself in the neck of another wolf. By this time all the wolves had been accounted for or had run off. Eismond frowned after them, his eyes darting about the clearing. When all was peaceful once more he slid his pack carefully from his shoulders. He drew some herbs from pouches on his belt and some cloth from the pack, then bound the wound with them. Gritting his teeth he levered himself up off the ground. With a squelch he removed the knife from the dead wolf's body and wiped it clean with some leaves. |
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| Mortis | Aug 16 2009, 11:22 PM Post #17 |
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Mortis walked, silent and sorrowful, in his human form. Within him he felt something like a weight, as if he had swallowed iron and it weighed on the bottom of his gut. The weight, though, was not physical. The weight was one of emotion. He had felt a strong urge to come here, an urge he had long ago familiarized himself with. Still, it weighed heavily upon his heart that he had killed someone so young, so foolish, but not evil. No . . . he was just young and reckless, he should not have had to die. Yet Mortis could not have fought his urge if he wanted to. The urge had called to him. Whatever the man -- practically a boy -- had intended on doing with his necromancy, it angered Death beyond redemption. He had found the man after a short while of searching, his urge guiding him to his target. When he had found him, he seemed to recognize there was death coming. Perhaps he feared Mortis had been a member of the guard, though he was not dressed in a guard's clothing, but whatever the case he had attempted to flee at full speed upon his horse. Mortis did not want to have to chase the man through the forest, so instead he quickly unwrapped his scythe and slashed at the horse. The man had abandoned the animal without hesitation, and Mortis left the wounded animal to die as he chased the would-be necromancer. He had learned of his necromantic practices because, after Mortis dispatched of the far-less-skilled man, he recognized several materials on the man's person that were conventional necromancy tools. Where the man had been going, Mortis did not know, nor care. He now simply walked back to relieve his mind of the pain that weighed on his -- perhaps fake -- heart. He did not like killing people so young. It was while he was mulling over his own morality, as he so often did, that he came upon two men, one of whom had just fought off the wolf, which Mortis guessed had fed on the horse the necromancer had ridden on. Inadvertently, Mortis had backtracked the very path he had chased down the necromancer. He had to suppress a feeling of total shock. He had already stopped dead in his tracks, no way of passing off as just a random wanderer at this point. "Are you alright?" He asked, trying to sound genuinely concerned for the man who fought the wolf. "What are you two doing here anyway? Hunting?" He only hoped his words were convincing. |
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| Mjor | Aug 17 2009, 05:07 AM Post #18 |
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Mjor followed the tracker, keeping close, taking in all the details. He agreed heavily with the assumptions that were made, something really was unusual. It was as he said this, and then knelt down that a small group of wolves jumped out at them. One bit deep into Eismond's shoulder, but Mjor did not notice, for one came diving at him. But his glaive was already out. Waiting until after it jumped at him, Mjor met it with a savage dive of his own, his glaive hit the thing squarly in the chest, and the momentum forced it onto its back. Landing above it, Mjor held it down until it was quiet, before removing the glaive, and swinging it in a wide arc, keeping the area about him clear, and stopping them from getting anywhere near his companion, who, to his knowledge, was still struggling with a wound. He could do little to them like this, but they could not get him either. Unsure how to continue from his current position, he opted to step forwards, and once again made a wide swing, which clipped the snout of one wolf, which yelped and ran. The others soon left. Turning to his companion, he saw he had been hurt, but managed to take two down... And evidently, he also knew magic. he mentally stored that knowledge, it might be handy. Before he could inquire, someone else came... Suspicion welled in the glaive fighter immediatly, who was this person? Another person on the search? He was coming the wrong way... And why did he care? Keeping a grip on his glaive, Mjor took a step towards him "We are hunting, in some twisted way, yes, hunting for someone" he said dryly, beofre narrowing his eyes "What is it that brings you here? Strange to be coming from within the woods... Alone, unarmed..." he neglected to show any care for Eismond as... Well, they were working together now, but they were not exactly friends... Nor were they allies, any more than a butchers knife is his ally. No, the tracker was a tool, a means to an end. His survival past the search was a matter of indifference. |
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| Eismond | Aug 17 2009, 03:51 PM Post #19 |
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Eismond gritted his teeth and looked around at the carnage. The corpses of wolves littered the immediate area around them. The others had run off, it seemed, and left their meal wasted in the clearing. The dead horse was still intact, with one wolf slumped over it in death. He sheathed his knifed and cracked his knuckles. The wound on his shoulder was throbbing but it would heal soon enough. "What do you think, Mjor? Were they here merely for the prospect of a free meal?" This was more Mjor's line of work, figuring out battle tactics. Perhaps it is of his doing, and I am more involved than I know. Yet why would he attack his own? Eismond had a few guesses but nothing solid, and his musings were soon interrupted by a new person in their presence. "I will be fine," he replied warily. Is this another tracker, on the trail of the lord's son? If so, why is he coming from the opposite direction? Could he have been there already? I doubt he got so far ahead. Then was he involved somehow? His frosty eyes flashed a quick, meaningful glance at Mjor. The tracker's hand casually came to rest on his sword's pommel. "So good of you to turn up at the scene of a crime after a battle," he said to the newcomer. "Perhaps you know something of this?" He gestured briefly to the once clear area, now littered with animal corpses. There was something about the newcomer that caused the hair on his neck to prickle uncomfortably. Yet for all practical purposes he seemed like a normal man. Eismond took the brief lull in activity to pick up his bow. The arrow that was thrown to the ground at the beginning of the attack lay crushed at the side of the wolf he had frozen. The statue remained poised, jaws open in defiance. It looked like the wolf had merely been stopped in time. Only the faintest shimmer of ice could be seen as the light glinted on it. Edited by Eismond, Aug 17 2009, 03:52 PM.
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| Mortis | Aug 31 2009, 07:33 PM Post #20 |
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Mortis raised his hands up innocently. "You're rather suspicious, aren't you? Wouldn't you investigate the sounds of battle if you heard them in the middle of a forest? I was simply checking to make sure everything was alright, but apparently I'd be better off if that wasn't the case." He tried to hide his fear behind callous harshness. He could only hope that it worked. He had little faith he would be able to fight off these two, and they had already seen his male form. He didn't want word of his true appearance spreading any more than it might already have. "Perhaps I should just leave then." Mortis didn't want to be around the two when they found the body, and it would be suspicious for him to turn around anyway. He pressed forward, hoping the two wouldn't stop him as he passed. |
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| Mjor | Sep 1 2009, 11:57 AM Post #21 |
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The newcomer raised his hands immediatly under the harsh suspicion of Mjor and Eismond's questionning, which he should of foreseen, really. But, there was money on the line. "Well, personally I wouldn't investigate anything unless there was something in it for me... Although apparently that is not the norm." Mjor shrugged, hoping a small light hearted comment might easen the atmosphere a little "Sorry" he added "But there is a lot of money at stake here for us... And be fair, you are coming from the direction we are looking in just after we were attacked does look a little odd... Maybe our blood was still up" he explained, and hoped this would be enough to placate the man. "However, could I ask you a couple of questions before you go, see if it will help us complete our task?" Mjor asked, for two reasons. Firstly, to see if the guy did know anything useful to them, and secondly... Well, it was a trap to see if he really was involved, he had laid the hints down, now to see how this man acted on them... Admittedly, even if he caught him it wasn't proof he was involved, but it would mean that he shouldn't let him out of his sight. |
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