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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: |
| Free Standing, But for How Long?; [Reserved for Razarod, unless invited] | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 27 2009, 03:40 PM (254 Views) | |
| MidnightShadow | Aug 27 2009, 03:40 PM Post #1 |
If she were warm and fuzzy she'd be a kitten
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"Milady, if you would just please step down..." "I will not step down, you idiot. Get. Out. Of. My. Way!" "I'm afraid I can't do that... The councillors are very busy people, and I'm afraid they don't have time to talk to young women who happen to saunter their way up here claiming that there's something wrong with the world. They have better things to do with their time than that. So please, if you would kindly step down, that would be much appreciated." Shadow blew out an annoyed sigh. She could kill this man - easily, at that - but it probably wasn't worth the uproar. The guilds who acted as the law enforcement of Madrid would likely be on her in a moment, especially since she was standing before the building that housed the twelve Councilmen of Soto. It frustrated her endlessly that this man wouldn't just listen to her, not even for a moment. Clearly, she wasn't important enough to warrant the attention, and if the bloody idiot didn't move his ass, he'd be seeing more than just an angry young woman harassing him at his post. There was something utterly wrong with the world. Ashoka had fallen in a day, its king murdered, usurped by a madman they called Orion. Morrim, only months before, had also fallen. She hadn't taken particular notice at the loss of Morrim; emperors and empresses changed frequently enough, and it wasn't any of her concern if one happened to walk away to leave another in place. She had known, however, that the sudden change in rulership wasn't due to discontent within the nation itself, but to something else, the moment word had reached her that Ashoka had been conquered. Word was moving quickly from street to street in Madrid, whispered between guilded and the guildless alike. No names had been released besides that of the proclaimed governor, leaving much of it up in the air. As it was, Shadow didn't know the name of Morrim's new emperor, either, as she hadn't been there during his ascension. "Fine," she snapped at the guard, folding her arms across her chest. "When Soto falls to this mysterious evil, don't bother running to Morrim or Ashoka; both have already fallen. And don't run to Angkar, either, because I'll be sure that the king there doesn't aid you." The guard stared at her for a moment before bursting into raucous laughter. "You tell the King of Angkar not to aid us? Even if your story had some truth to it, what makes you think we can't defend ourselves? Or that a monarch would listen to a streetrat like you?" "You'd be surprised who and what I know," she muttered. "Haven't you noticed," Shadow continued, in a louder voice, "what the people on the streets are saying? What the news from Ashoka is?" "Ashoka's been at civil war for a while now; who's to say that they didn't just depose their own king in favour of someone else, to end the war?" Shadow stared at him incredulously for a moment. Her face contorted as her lips parted to speak, but she was cut off by the guard. "Now shoo, you pesky brat. Let the grown-ups handle the situation." By the end of the second sentence he was talking to himself - Shadow had already stormed off, cursing up a swarm about idiots, fools, and how all Sotoans were filled with arrogant bastards. Sighing heavily, she found a tree several dozen feet down from the Hall and leaned her back up against it, arms folded stubbornly over her chest. She didn't just want to leave Soto to its inevitable fate, but if they weren't going to listen to her... "Stupid stubborn idiotic moronic people... They're going to see their populations decimated and they don't even care." Shadow blew out a sigh. Things had been much easier when she'd still had some influence. |
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| Razarod | Sep 1 2009, 09:15 PM Post #2 |
King of Angkar
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With the pesky, highly pretentious brat out of his hair, the guard retreats back to standing by the doorway. He laughs again to himself. This kid, stop Ankgar from coming to their aid? And that's even if her ridiculous theories are true... Which they can't be. What would she know? But there is someone else in the square who would believe her ridiculous theories in a minute. Mainly because he also came to the same ones of his own accord. While he draws the eye of quite a bit of the townspeople, it is more because of his outlandish appearance and personal squad of protection, rather than a recognition of who he is. Standing a head over even the taller men and built about as solidly as most golems, dressed to the nines in a large, flowing, black robe, ornately decorated with a intricate, weaving pattern of tribal designs, their ends coming to points that look as harsh as the blood-red color from which they are woven, trailed not only by his followers but by a mane of navy blue hair that has grown to epic proportions, Razarod Evermore, the King of Ankgar, enters the square of Madrid. Morrim was taken in recent months by someone who was never a major political player in the country. This Andromalius character, whoever, and whatever he is, was also sighted at the battle at Ashoka. The battle that took the entire country in a day. Now, Ashoka is ruled by someone else who is entirely unheard of in political circles. To say that there's not a pattern going on would be foolish. Ankgar is preparing for a war, is it's almost certain that they'll be in the path sooner or later. Razarod only hopes it can be enough. Of course, it won't be, without some good help. Which Soto is most likely going to be needing first. And that is why he has come. As he enters the square, he passes several trees, under one of which sits a familiar acquaintance: the former water deity Midnight Shadow. So caught up in his own thoughts, and certainly not expecting to run into any familiar faces in this far off land, he actually takes a couple steps past her before realizing who it was that he just walked right by. Ankgar's sovereign lord comes to a dead stop just a couple feet past Shadow and abruptly turns around, looking down at the young woman sitting on the ground stewing in a cloud of her own angst. "What a surprise, running into you here. What's got YOU so miffed? Oh, wait- let me guess. The same thing that's got ME so miffed. Or one of them, anyway..." |
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| MidnightShadow | Sep 6 2009, 09:19 PM Post #3 |
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If she were warm and fuzzy she'd be a kitten
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As she stewed on whether or not it would be appropriate to push the guard off a cliff, or to have him conveniently somehow get himself killed, a man that she knew well passed her by. She, of course, recognized him, though it took her a moment to look up at him, allowing her mind to finish the rant that was currently exhausting itself. Razarod, of course, turned towards her at that moment and immediately began speaking as if they'd run into each other several hours ago, had had tea, coffee, ale, or some other sort of drink, and had had the friendly yet idle chat that would have preceded a conversation like this of sorts. She pushed off from the tree and fell in step beside him, her expression set into what appeared to be a permanent scowl. He was, undoubtedly, heading towards the exact same guard that she had just spoken to. That, if nothing else, made her smirk slightly. Let him spit bullshit at her now. "Actually, I wouldn't say it's so much of a surprise as it is expected. If the world is going to hell, and countries are falling left, right, and centre, and given that I used to have a... vested interest... in the land as a whole, why shouldn't the only monarch left standing be here, and why shouldn't someone with that vested interest not appear here at the same time? I'd say the timing is coincidental, but that's all. At any rate, you should be aware that the people here are what I'd call... unbelievers. "One of them? What could possibly be your other reasons for being miffed? The world going to hell seems like a primary one, as far as I'm concerned..." Although she was quite a few feet shorter than Razarod, she kept with him easily, albeit having to jog, given his rather purposeful (and annoyed) stride. "Really, I wouldn't normally care what's going to happen to the fate of the world, but it's being consumed at a rather unsteady rate, clearly by the same person, and since nobody seems to know what his intentions seem to be, or what to do about it for that matter... Well, I'm fairly certain those intentions are for ill." It was, perhaps, stating the obvious, but as far as she was concerned, it was necessary. These people in Soto... They were acting like complete idiots. And, speaking of those idiots... The guard arched his eyebrows as the small entourage arrived. Shadow, standing beisde the King of Angkar and looking exceptionally short compared to him, had the cockiest grin upon her face as she came to stand before the one who had shut her out. The soldier, of course, didn't quite recognize the king - Angkar was, after all, comparitively sheltered, though not nearly as bad as Morrim tended to be - but he knew that there must be some sort of authority to the man, as he was standing backed by quite a few soldiers of his own, all standing to attention, all armed. And there was the girl, of course. The feline-like grin that had appeared on Shadow's face had spread, making her, for all the world, appear like the Cheshire cat. Her eyes gleamed mischievously as she folded her arms across her chest, her booted foot tapping against the cobblestone street. The man, though he wasn't sure why, both looked and felt taken aback. He placed his hand on the weapon at his waist, an axe, and, with a stolid expression, he spoke: "What is it that I may do for you, gentlemen, lady?" "You can't say you didn't expect me back," Shadow said, her grin becoming yet more impish. "I'm what they call... persistent." |
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| Razarod | Sep 13 2009, 06:19 PM Post #4 |
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King of Angkar
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Indeed, Razarod is heading towards the same guard that turned Shadow away only moments before. "Well of course I expected you to be doing something about it. I simply meant the timing was, as you put it, coincidental. It's probably for the best though, that the only two people with both the stones and the sense to do something about this meet up as soon as possible." The king scoffs a bit as she questions what else could be irking him. "Well, I would have gotten involved with this sooner, but... there's been an attempt on my life in the last month. Two, actually. He was quite good at hiding, but the second time was the charm. For me. There have also been two thieving incidents, one of which was some demon named Drium breaking into my castle... That was pretty disconcerting. Oh, and I found out that Kenna's pregnant too. As you can tell, I've had quite an exciting month!" Razarod's last sentence is absolutely dripping with sarcasm, and he could obviously do with quite a bit less of said excitement. "I guess that's only the start of it, though..." As the guard is approached by the group, the calm and collected demeanor he held so easily earlier slips away for just a bit. Whoever this girl is, she's a lot more connected that he had been assuming. But certainly she isn't really as connected as she said... Anyway, he must maintain an appearance. He places his hand on his weapon and asks "What is it that I may do for you, gentlemen, lady?" It is at this point that Razarod steps forward and addresses the guard. "You may tell the Guildmasters that Razarod Evermore, King Of Ankgar, has come to speak imemdiately with them on a matter of grave importance to the well-being of the nation of Soto." The guard hems and haws a bit, trying to figure out if this stranger's words are true. "I will inform them you are here, but they are very busy running this great nation, and don't have time to go chasing imaginary-" He stops abruptly as Razarod interjects, cutting him off completely. "With all due respect, I am not a man to be ignored, and this is no point to ignore me on. And I have no intention of making myself scarce until I've been heard. If they wish to face what's coming alone, then so be it. But I demand to at least be heard." |
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| MidnightShadow | Sep 21 2009, 04:37 PM Post #5 |
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If she were warm and fuzzy she'd be a kitten
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There was a flutter of emotion across Shadow's face, though it wasn't because there had been attempts on Razarod's life, or because he had experienced a few thefts, or the fact that Kenna happened to be pregnant. No, indeed, it was Drium's name that sparked the brief recognition across her face, and for a moment the shapeshifter turned her gaze away. Somehow it didn't surprise her that the thief would try to raid a king's vault, though she wasn't sure how to feel on the act itself. Thievery was not something the swordspell did anymore, although in her youth it had been her only resort. That Drium was doing it... Well, she couldn't have expected anything more from him. These thoughts, happening in rapid succession of one another, led to only a very slight pause in their conversation, which she managed to turn into a smooth transition, as if she'd been absorbing the news. For the time being, it wasn't necessary for Razarod to know that she had any connections whatsoever with one of his stressors. "Pregnant? Congratulations," Shadow uttered as they had approached the guard. She hadn't been able to say anything more as a short exchange was made between first her and the man, and then between him and the king. Reluctantly the guard slipped away, glancing back, annoyance at being sent to find what the supposed sovereign called the 'guildmasters'. The man hoped to speak to them, yet he didn't even know that their only ties to the guilds were possibly having once been in one? In all actuality they usually had nothing at all to do with the guilds, making them an outside presence. He would be gone for several minutes, depending on how quickly he managed to get in to see the Councillors of Soto. In the meantime, the two he had left at the entrance would just have to wait. While the annoyance was off doing his actual job, the shapeshifter took the time to reflect on what Razarod had said. "At least your life isn't dull?" she asked, in a gesture of mock optimism. "And now you have this to look forward to... Aren't you lucky? I suppose I shouldn't be worried, though, if you managed to survive two assassinations, as well as two thievery attempts, and, to boot, managed to somehow impregnate Kenna. I should be glad I'm not that busy." Shadow lapsed into silence. She had, of course, been fairly busy, but not in that sense. It looked like things were about to change, however, what with the sudden turn of events the world over. It was several minutes before the guard returned, breathless, just as annoyed with the whole ordeal as he had been to start. In that time the fighter had taken to silence, looking towards the ground. When the guard reappeared, however, she glanced up. "They will see you... Sir. And the girl as well, if you would deem it so. Please, follow me." Shadow fell in step, nearly jogging in order to keep up with the soldier's quick pace. They were led down corridors before coming to a flight of stairs, which they climbed to another floor. The building wasn't anything especially fancy, although the floors were clearly made of marble, and the stone walls were decorated with rich, beautiful tapestries depicting what may have been various scenes throughout Soto's history. The hall was especially busy, with scholarly-looking men running about, the odd woman here and there, along with other soldiers and administration. Amongst those well-dressed were those under-dressed for the place that they had entered: clearly these were the people of the guilds, ones who had managed to make their way inside to have their issues heard privately. On the second floor they reached a large set of double doors, one of which was opened by the guard. He motioned for them to enter. "The Councillors will see you inside. Stand and don't say a word until you are addressed. If they tell you to sit, you may do so. I'll be waiting out here." Shadow motioned for Razarod to go ahead. "Kings first," she murmured before she followed. The soldier eyed her array of weaponry before he reluctantly closed the door behind them. ((You can decide what the chamber looks like. =) There are 12 councillors, just to let you know.)) |
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| Razarod | Sep 24 2009, 10:19 AM Post #6 |
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King of Angkar
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The king smiles a bit as Shadow gives her congratulations of the impending addition to Razarod's family, and utters a "Thank you" before they reach the guard. He doesn't catch the tiny display of emotion on her face, nor would he have ever guessed that her association with Drium would have been its cause anyway. The two of them are left alone again as the guard finally is convinced that he should go make the Council aware of their presence. After a laugh at Shadow's next statement, he remarks that "You know, after all this is over... I think I could stand a little bit of dullness. But the two thievery attempts weren't that difficult to survive, really. The girl turned herself in, was in it more to stalk me than to steal anything.... And I handled Drium easily enough. Don't know where he got away to, but as long as he isn't up to anything in Ankgar, I have bigger fish to fry." Finally, the guard returns and tells them that they may come up. The king beckons to Shadow to follow, saying that "Of course she can come with me." It is completely unnecessary though, as she made no effort to wait for his approval and had already fallen into step with him before he could even say a word. He looks around the building as they pass through its corridors, taking in its appearance and the appearances of those working here, sizing everything up, hoping to know what to expect when they reach the Council themselves. He hopes that the Council will want to cooperate to mount a defense against Andromalius here in Soto. He is certain that after Soto, Ankgar will be attacked, and would love to bring the cycle to its end now, before the battles find themselves occurring on Ankgar soil. However, the guard's apparent attitude towards this turn of events does not foreshadow a happy ending to this meeting. As the two pass through the doors, the marble floor and walls expand into a massive marble chamber. On the back wall of the room hangs a massive Soto flag, its red and gold color scheme standing out strongly against the predominant white hue of the marble. In the same set of colors on each of the side walls is 6 banners, into which are stitched in great detailed calligraphy, the full names of each of the Council members. And behind a huge, deep red oaken table in the center of the room, which is polished to such a sheen that one could easily admire their visage in it, in twelve large chairs composed of that same oak and decorated with details forged of gold, sit the members of the Council themselves. Composed mostly of middle-aged men, only one of the members, a woman, appearing to be under the age of 40, they are all dressed in similar clothing and, for the most part, hold a stern look on their faces. The young woman is the only one who shows any other emotion, which is simply a smirk at Razarod's flamboyance and at Shadow's scruffy appearance. |
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| MidnightShadow | Sep 30 2009, 08:17 PM Post #7 |
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If she were warm and fuzzy she'd be a kitten
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All it took was a quick scan of the room to take note of the twelve Councillors, all seated, all staring down intently at the two of them. Of course, they would notice and did notice two things immediately: first, the man in their presence possessed some sort of regality to him, was quite obviously among the royal classes; and second, the woman who stood beside him was clearly a commoner, laden with several weapons, much more dangerous-looking than her companion. She stood beside Razarod as his equal despite her true societal position, her emerald eyes surveying the room quickly; those same eyes lingered on the only other female there, who had some vague expression on her face, but it was nothing to get excited about. There were no chairs upon which to sit, leaving the two guests to stand. One of the men cleared his throat after a moment before speaking. By the time he had pronounced the first syllable, Shadow knew that their endeavour would prove fruitless. "Welcome to our hall, Razarod, King of Angkar. Soto extends its welcome to you and your... follower." He paused. The man was older, perhaps in his sixties or seventies, with spectacles that looked to be about a foot thick. He appeared, however, to be the major presence in the room, the one that every single other Councillor would have looked to for advice and agreement. Wearing heavy robes with short-cropped, whispy grey hair, he looked to be as rich as a monarch, if not more so. It was entirely plausible that, if Soto were to see unrest, he would be the one to command to country during its temporary lock-down. "The man who led you here has told us that you have some concerns you would like to address - something having to do with Morrim and Ashoka and the... supposed... threat that their ruler may possess. Present your case to us, and we will decide what it is we should do. Our decision will be final." The female Councillor glanced towards her superior before her eyes settled on the two below. The table at which they sat was set on a dais, to add to their imposing appearance. She had long, brown hair with strands of grey interspersed among the brown. The woman's face was angular, yet her brown eyes were gentle. Rail-thin, she wore a blue dress that hugged her body with long, open sleeves. For a moment her eyes lingered on the older man again before she returned her attention to the two below. Shadow instinctively glanced towards Razarod. She might have spoken herself, but she knew that in a place like this, her voice would never be heard - it hadn't been heard outside, which meant that it definitely wouldn't be heard here, either. But Razarod had a chance, given his social standing. She was here for moral support, and perhaps a second voice with which to fight, should the decision of the Councillors be less than pleasing. The shapeshifter wouldn't look back towards Soto's ruling body until the king finally spoke. |
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| Razarod | Oct 1 2009, 08:03 AM Post #8 |
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King of Angkar
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The Lord of Ankgar gives a nod as the head Councilor gives him welcome. "Thank you, Councilor." This is all he says before he returns to waiting to be invited to speak. When the invitation finally comes, it doesn't actually sound very... inviting. It actually sounds like they have already made up their minds, that half the known world falling to a hostile takeover in only a couple months is nothing to be concerned about. "Sirs, and madam, it indeed does have something to do with that. In quick months time, both Morrim and Ashoka have fallen under new rule. Neither Morrim's new ruler, or Ashoka's, are important people at all in the politics of the region. What's more, the entire nation of Ashoka fell after a bloody battle that lasted only only one day. Between the timing of these incidents, the relative unimportance of the new rulers, and even the fact that some of the same people were spotted at both battles.... This obviously is not a coincidence. These are not isolated incidents. These events are not confined to simply one nation. One man is making his way across Soare, taking out each nation as he runs into it. Since both Morrim and Ashoka have already fallen to him, you realize that he has only one place left to go: Your homeland. Soto. Given the rate at which he's moving, you can't have long at all until he strikes. A month, two at best. When he is done here, I would not be surprised if he were to cross the sea to the Isles and attack Ankgar next. Now, of course Soto would stand a much better chance with our help. As we would with yours. I am proposing that we prepare an allied defense again these attacks, to break the cycle once and for all in Soto using our combined military might. Surely you see the need for this." With that, Razarod falls silent, awaiting their response. Hopefully they will see reason, now that it has all been laid out for them, but the king can't help but feel it is unlikely. The only emotion they got upon entering the room other than stern indifference was a slightly insulting smirk from the woman. The more time he spends here, the more clear it becomes that they have already made their decision, that this is nothing for them to be concerned over. And, as they so eloquently put it, their decision is final. |
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| MidnightShadow | Oct 5 2009, 09:39 PM Post #9 |
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If she were warm and fuzzy she'd be a kitten
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They listened, silently. Expressions, indiscernable as they each glanced at one another from time-to-time, remained stolid, only their eyes flickering. Finally, once Razarod had ended his short speech on the horrors that were sure to come to Soto thanks to this mysterious force, and the fact that those who had entered the political scene had previously been insignificant, they looked to one another, as if asking and answering questions strictly with their eyes. There was silence for a long minute - a minute in which Shadow fidgeted agitatedly - before any voice was to be heard. When one finally came, it was that of the man who had spoken initially. Gaze boring down at Razarod, he cleared his throat. His words were less than pleasing. "Surely, Lord, you must realize that Soto is not governed by one man, but by twelve, who are also at the mercies and whims of the Guilds, the real governing body in this country. And you must also understand that the members of each guild decide whether or not we will go to war with another nation. As it is, Soto is a neutral country - we do not participate in wars, and we certainly don't start them, either. "We have heard what you have to say, and I can say with confidence that none of us wish to go to war. If we must wait for war to be brought to this country, we will, for that is our policy." He failed to mention, too, that if war was brought to the borders of Soto, the guilds would have to commit themselves, whether they wanted to or not, in order to preserve their sovereignty and allow the country to run as it had for decades. "Therefore, while we find your request most... interesting... we must decline. Soto does not wish to be involved in a petty war between a nobody and the King of Angkar. I'm sure you have the resources to defend yourself, should the threat come your way. Not that it is guaranteed to, which I find perplexing. Now sir, lady, if you would kindly take your leave. We have other business to attend to." Shadow stood, dumbfounded. Until that point she had remained silent, for the sake of this mission. And that mission had just failed. Anger flared. In a moment of lost self-control and fury, any and all liquid that was present within the Councilor's glasses rose into the air. Noticing this, the men and one woman stood and shoved thier chairs backwards, staggering away, clearly frightened by the sudden display of magic. After a moment it dropped back into the respective glasses. The anger did not subside, but the shifter's awareness caught up with her. All eyes fell on her when her voice rang loudly throughout the audience chamber. "You won't help. At all. And what makes you think that you will be able to make a difference?" Shadow spat, her hands fisted around the hilts of her daggers. "What makes you so certain that this threat won't come here to destroy you as it did Eldahar, as it has Morrim? What makes you so sure of anything!? Are you going to just sit there and let your people die or are you going to do something about it? If you don't Soto will fall. And you will have nobody to blame but yourselves. When the day comes, I hope you come to Angkar on your hands and knees begging us for aid. And when that day comes, I'll spit at your feet and tell the lot of you to go jump off the Suicide Cliffs because I won't care." "What makes you think that you're all-knowing? You're nothing but a streetrat." One of the other Councilors, younger than the apparent leader, glowered down at her. "She's right." Eleven heads turned to stare at the only woman among their ranks. The woman, for a moment, looked taken aback before she cleared her throat and plunged onward. "They're right. If we don't confront this threat before it becomes one and form a coalition, we may not have the support we need. Whether the guilds agree or not, it would be best for us to ally ourselves with someone, perferably someone who's still free. There's no reason we shouldn't do this." "Keela, silence. Orran has spoken. It is not feasible for us to be involved in a petty war. We don't know if this... unknown one... will be coming to attack us or not, and if not... perhaps we may make negotiations in order to preserve Soto and Madrid, unlike what happened to those in Eldahar. There is nothing to say that we cannot deal with this threat ourselves. But if we ally ourselves with them, we'll only be opening ourselves up for the risk of invasion." It was the man who had spoken before Keela. "But... You don't understand! We may be a proud nation; we may be a neutral nation; but right now, we can't be those things because it'll lead to our destruction! You can't just sit-" "Enough!" Silence fell. Shadow's mouth hung open, as if she'd been about to shout something herself. Orran glared down at the King and his accomplice. "You are creating disharmony and disorder within these halls. The Council has spoken: we will deal with this threat ourselves, without the aid of others, as has always been our policy. Begone from these halls, and take your business to the streets of Madrid. See if any of the guilds there wish to ally themselves with you. We will not. Guards, escort the King and his... friend... out of here." Two guards stepped around the table from behind and came to stand on either side. One grabbed Shadow's arm, seeing that she still had her hands on her daggers. Roughly he yanked her along, while the other ushered Razarod through the halls behind. When they reached the streets of Madrid once more, the one guard made to throw the shapeshifter out - literally. Instead she managed to knee him in the stomach, causing him to double over, before she kicked him roughly in the chest and into the nearest wall before storming away. Once Razarod was within earshot - she didn't even bother to wait to see what the guards had done with him - she asked the obvious: "Now what?" |
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| Razarod | Oct 16 2009, 02:31 PM Post #10 |
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King of Angkar
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Razarod waits with bated breath for the reply of the Council. And does not like what he hears at all. He remains silent as they reel off their unfavorable replies: A bunch of drivel about the guilds and Soto's neutrality, which will do little to help them in the event they are attacked. Shadow's outburst has about as much effect as Razarod's speech, one of the Council wishes to take his side, but it does no good. The rest have sided firmly with the leader. There is no swaying them. As the Council demands that they leave, Razarod simply turns around and walks towards the door, almost not responding to them at all. Just short of the doorway, he stops and looks over his shoulder at the Council to deliver his words of parting: "If that's your final decision, so be it. I only hope you have enough force to make my job easier when the time comes. Because you sure as hell won't be stopping anything." It is perhaps these words that inspires anger in the guards, for one of them attempts to manhandle Shadow out the door. His attempt fails miserably, and he goes flying into the wall. Razarod's guard attempts to throw him out the door as well, and is met with a similar failure: Razarod grabs him by the shoulder with one hand and hoists him high off the ground before tossing him into the wall to join his buddy. He doesn't bother to break into a run as Shadow did, allowing his enormous stride length to carry him away from the scene quickly, even as he walks at a somewhat leisurely pace. The two are now in the streets of Madrid, back to square one as they say, when Shadow asks the obvious question of "Now what?" "Well.... I guess we could do what they said. Ask the guilds around the area for help. Perhaps the citizens will be more concerned for their safety than the Council." |
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| Anemone Richards | Oct 20 2009, 08:34 AM Post #11 |
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Little was the king aware that such a task was already being executed, by another whom found unrest in the changes taking place. Unlike those native to Madrid, she was well aware of the trouble stirring within Soare, had seen it first hand; a victim of battle, there was no doubt in her mind that something was very wrong. For the past hour she had toured the streets, stopping at every bar and inn, and guild whenever she found one, to call to arms any whom stood willing. Her efforts had yet brought none to her side, falling fruitless as she spread her plea. None seemed inclined to hear the claims of a desperate woman, one who bore not a scar across her youthful skin. What they did not see were the scars she bore inside, across her heart and her pride, where the deepest pain could be felt for far longer and far worse than a gash across the flesh. They could not see the emptiness in her that a loved one had once filled, just as they could not see their own selves in her position, suffering the same sense of loss and helplessness, as the ones held most dear were ripped away. Despite everything she was feeling, she struggled to hold herself together; to stand tall, and act brave. If she were to ever hope of gathering an army, she would have to be brave. Soldiers would not follow a leader who fell weeping to their knees, and she was determined to raise a force fit to take back the land that was her home. Ashoka would be returned to its native hands, fetched from the heathens that dared call theirself her ruler, and once more would dragonriders protect her skies. Indeed, part of her mission was bent on revenge- for her father, and the rest of the dragonriders who had lost their lives in the battle- but as the last living rider, she felt entitled to it. "-if you'd only listen! We can stop Morrim if we start now! Please- if you'll just- just listen to me! Don't-" Burly arms hauled her to the door and tossed her unceremoniously out into the street. From within the structure, a stray apple-turned-projectile flew past the man's head and hit itself off her shoulder, rolling pitiously onto the ground beside her with a neglectful patter. Hesitating only to wince at the maliciously thrown fruit, she returned to the door just in time for it to slam shut in her face. Burning with anger, her fists slammed against the solid wood in a fit of fury, a string of curses flowing past her lips before taking a step back to glower at the offending blockade. "Fine! Fine! I hope you're all slaughtered to death! Morrim can just come and massacre every one of you for all I care! See if I help you then!" Her foot swung upward to give the door a good strong kick, enough to warrant a pile of splinters as she pulled away. With teeth gritted and hands balled into fists, she stormed two steps away before stopping where the apple had fallen, bending down to swipe up the ripe red fruit in order to chuck it at the door. Its collision was marked with a splatter of juice, the force of the throw reducing it to cider where it dripped from the globs of apple sauce clinging to the middle of the frame. "How do you like them apples?!" As she stalked off, fists clenched close to her sides, she struggled to keep herself from crying. It wasn't fair... for all the effort she was putting, not one person was willing to aid her. What right had they to even ignore her, when it was their own asses on the line? Sotoans were idiots. |
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| Drake Aurelis | Oct 20 2009, 04:45 PM Post #12 |
The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
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...What to do now? After Drake had finally come back to his senses, though for some reason he was having trouble remembering what had brought him back, he'd realized that he should probably get out of Morrim. Thanks to that witch Estressa, he was wanted, and he likely wouldn't be able to fight either her or the omnicidal emperor alone. And he didn't know enough people to help him try and take them down alone. He couldn't sense Chase or Shien-Zen anywhere for some reason, and he wasn't sure about trying to contact Tzel and Alyth... Drake guessed that Tzel might be willing to help, but he didn't know Alyth well enough to know if she'd want to, even if he thought that the three of them could do anything alone. He didn't understand any of this... What had happened to the Empress? Why was that monster on the throne of Morrim now? After Drake had ended up in Soto, he'd heard about the conquest of Ashoka. And it had finally been driven in that something HAD to be done. If the banshee was left alone, he'd quite likely try to conquer the world and then simply destroy it. Unfortunately, even if he was stopped, unless Estressa was as well, there would still likely be mass slaughter of some sort, though it wouldn't be as widespread... She still needed to be stopped. Drake continued to think about these things until he suddenly heard something nearby. He barely made it out even with his enhanced hearing, but... Had they said something about stopping Morrim?! Drake got up from where he'd been sitting and started walking toward where he'd heard the voice from. He heard the woman who had spoken ranting as he got closer. Drake turned the corner to where she was at right as she was finishing. She began walking in the opposite direction from him, but he ran to catch up with as he shouted "Excuse me!" trying to get her attention. He then spoke up, "I thought I heard you mention something about stopping Morrim... I'd be willing to try and help. I actually met that new emperor they have... He's a monster, plain and simple..." Drake's eyes flashed golden for a moment at the memory of that night... But only for a moment. He then paused for a moment, and spoke again, sounding unsure of himself, "Er... Sorry about that. It's just, I was hoping to stop them as well, so hearing someone else who wanted to..." He paused again, before saying, "Ah, my name's Drake. And you?" |
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| MidnightShadow | Oct 26 2009, 09:55 PM Post #13 |
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If she were warm and fuzzy she'd be a kitten
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Shadow hooked her thumbs into the belt around her waist, her dark eyes scanning the crowds as they descended the hill into the city proper, where people lingered, talked, worked and played, only vaguely aware of what was going to become of their country. What had the Sotoan Council told them? What hadn't they? These were questions that lingered in the back of the shapeshifter's mind as she paused in the middle of the street, looking yonder, trying to decide what their best course of action would be now. Razarod was right, of course - it was time to get down and dirty, to talk to the the people of the country. Perhaps if they gathered enough of a following, they could successfully unite the entire country and say screw it to the Council. It was a lofty hope, but wasn't that the very nature of such a feeling? A commotion nearby caught the fighter's eye and she turned full-body to watch the spectacle of a woman being thrown out, much like they had, from a building, an apple following in her wake. She was persistent in her demands as she stood up and stormed towards the building, only to have the door slammed in her face; this was followed by the apple and another shout from her before, frustrated, she began to stomp towards them. Normally such a commotion wouldn't have interested the shifter, but it was the fact that Morrim had figured in the woman's shouting that drove Shadow's curiosity. She reached back to tug on Razarod's arm to get his attention and would have called to the infuriated woman, if not for the arrival of another on the scene. She watched as he pressed the stranger about Morrim, expressed his desire to remove the man who had taken control from the Empress, in what had been described as a quiet little ceremony, from power. She couldn't yet identify who the man was, but she knew she'd know in time. Identities couldn't be concealed forever. "You want to... usurp... the current Emperor of Morrim, Conquerer of Ashoka, throw him from his high-and-mighty position of power? We have the means to do it." Shadow spoke loudly in an effort to draw their attention towards them. There was nothing to separate her from the average person, but Razarod certainly looked regal, and she was hoping that that would be enough to have the two listen in. If they did, they'd have their first recruitments in what would come to be known as a war effort against Soare's ominous threat. "My name's Shadow, and this is Razarod. Headstrong dualwielder and King of Angkar, at your service. I overheard you both mention Morrim... We're here to try to convince Soto that it's not worth the wait for Morrim's soldiers to arrive on their doorstep. The council doesn't feel that way, so here we are, looking for recruits. Interested?" She flashed a grin. It was neither friendly nor reassuring, but had strong overtones of malice - it was the grin that an army commander gave, one that was both grim but battle-ready. It was, in short, a manifestation of her desire to destroy what was doing the destroying. She continued, "We're looking for anyone and everyone who's willing to act to prevent the entire continent of Soare from being conquered. Are you in?" Shadow's eyes moved from first the woman's, then to the man's. She allowed her question to hang in the air for a moment, before making a final comment as she shrugged: "You have no reason to trust us, of course... Although... if you'd much rather watch the world be destroyed by the hands of a single man, that's your perogative. I'm just saying." |
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| Razarod | Nov 1 2009, 09:58 PM Post #14 |
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King of Angkar
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It is not long before Razarod makes a suggestion before the scene is broken by two newcomers. The first would have come off as an entirely unremarkable drunk at first, had she not been shouting about Morrim and massacres and... apples. The King somewhat watches her with mostly indifference until she is joined by yet another newcomer. This fellow stands out a bit more, being one of the few apparent humans who is built as large and solid as Razarod. His contribution to the conversation is even more intriguing: Not only does he know what's going on, and want to do something about it, but he's actually met Andromalius? This is certainly a lead worth looking into... Both Razarod and Shadow appear to have gotten this idea at the same time, for she calls attention to the pair at the exact moment that Razarod had started over towards the young man and woman before them. After Shadow's introductions, Razarod interjects "Indeed. Not only are we pretty badass ourselves, but we bring an actual military to the table. And since he's got Morrim, Ashoka, and not long from now, Soto, you'll need that to stop him. And WE.... Need all the help we can get." By this point, Razarod's small team of guards have rejoined him. The small group of men gathers around behind and beside Razarod, their hands gripping their ever-present spears. The combined effect of his flamboyant yet imposing wardrobe and the small squad of armed men flanking him at all times gives him the look of someone who commands great importance, adding some authenticity to his words. "That said, there's just one more question I have to ask of you two before we talk about this anymore..." A confident smirk spreads over the King's face as she asks: "You interested?" |
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| Anemone Richards | Nov 2 2009, 09:34 AM Post #15 |
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Shaking with anger, it took all her strength to keep from lashing out at the man that had run up to her just then. Her restraint did not stop her hand from jerking back in a forceful fist, but did succeed in preventing her from making contact with the flat of his face. Waving her arm off to the side in an attempt at hiding her instinctive violence, she turned about to face the intruder. Not in the mood to be bothered, and not expecting to find herself a random volunteer, she glowered at him in annoyance before taking a moment to acknowledge his words. Catching so little as 'Morrim' and 'emperor' in the slew, her gaze softened instantly before taking on a more judging gaze, sizing him up as if she had the luxury of choosing. Even if she were in a place to weed out her soldiers, he was perfect; tall and of imposing build, although seemingly youthful. If he was willing to risk his neck, she'd take him in a heartbeat. "Oh quit your yammering..." She grumbled, abruptly cutting him off. It was in her mind to say more to him, but she was soon cut off herself, by a pair that was fast approaching. Putting her affairs with the male temporarily aside, she turned her attention their way- more so abruptly with the woman's first claim; that they had the means to challenge Morrim. They could have told her anything from that point onward, for Nemo was nothing if not hell-bent on fighting the Morrimian army; she would go so far as to fight the emperor by herself if it came down to it. Stepping around the man that had first approached her, Nemo faced the two newcomers squarely, waiting as introductions were made and intentions made clear. Her eyes flickered to the proclaimed king of Angkar, whose build lent no reason to doubt his sovereignty; dwarfing, as it did, her most recent companion in presence. Yet her attention was held most by the woman, whom professed no impressive title of her own, yet still posed a strong presence for one of so young an age. Nemo could feel an inkling of a connection with this Shadow... a kinship of sorts that was still so difficult to explain. When all had been said, Nemo straightened into a more presentable stance, gathering herself into an emblem of prideful existence. Standing tall- which meant little beside the two large males- she beset them all with a steady stare, allowing her determination to show at its fullest peak. Everything that Nemo was and believed in, she made apparent right then and there, as with a firm voice she began her own introduction to the gathering around her. "I am Anemone Richards of the Ashokan Skybacks. As the last of her riders, I pledge to avenge my fallen comrades and return her to her native hands. With or without an army, I swear to make Morrim pay for its misdeeds against my people... if Angkar is willing to go to war, then it shall have my support. With lance and fire, I, Nemo of Ashoka, will aid you." She drew a hand upward, clutching it at the air as though grasping at an invisible shaft before her. Without her lance at her side, her pledge felt empty and her stance far less formidable, but they surely had gotten the point- she was willing to join their army, in the name of all for which she stood. Her quest for vengeance was underway. |
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| Drake Aurelis | Nov 2 2009, 06:39 PM Post #16 |
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The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
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Quit his yammering huh? Annoyance flickered over his face. Before he could make any response to that however, he heard another voice, that of a woman. He looked toward the one who had spoken, curious. She introduced herself as Shadow, and as she spoke, she revealed that her goal was the same as his, to stop Andromalius. And she had the king of Angkar on her side?! The imposing man she'd introduced as Angkar's king, Razarod, was certainly quite an imposing figure. Nearly the height of Drake himself. Nothing else was said that really affected anything in Drake's mind, he'd already decided that he'd help. Once Razarod had finished, asking if they were interested, Drake was interrupted by the first woman. She called herself Anemone Richards, or Nemo, and said that she was a member of the Ashokan Skybacks, the last of the riders, going to make Morrim pay... Once she was done, Drake introduced himself to Razarod and Shadow, "Er... I'm Drake. I honestly don't have anything like my country being destroyed by Andromalius for my reason. I just refuse to let such a monster live. He told me himself that he plans on killing everyone in Elenlond... Anyway, yes, I'm interested in fight him." Drake had a look of steely determination in his eyes, "So, when do we get to destroy that monster?" Much like Shadow, he wanted to destroy what was doing the destroying. He refused to stand by while such a monster lived, and like Nemo, he'd do it without an army if he had to... Though he wasn't stupid enough to START by going straight for Andromalius alone. |
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| MidnightShadow | Nov 10 2009, 11:11 PM Post #17 |
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If she were warm and fuzzy she'd be a kitten
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Shadow was only vaguely aware of what was said after Razarod's reiteration of her request, using different words, catching only the names of the woman and the one who happened to be following her. For a long moment after they had both spoken her eyes followed random people, bouncing from one to the next. Perhaps she was looking for others to help them, or, more likely, her thoughts were wandering elsewhere, to things unspoken. When she finally did return to reality, her dark eyes first glanced at Nemo over before they took another quick glance across to Drake. She was sure Razarod could find a use for them both. As for her... She had plans of her own. Plans, as she reflected thoughtfully, that nobody else knew of and that she had no intention of mentioning, either. As soon as she was done here in Soto she'd be off... "A pleasure," the shapeshifter murmured. "Though I'm pretty sure the Emperor isn't bent on murdering us all. If he were to do that... Well, that'd be a very pointless conquest. No, I'm certain he's not looking for mass murder and unrest... I think he simply wants to conquer all of the available land he can. To do what with it I don't know, but something... Which will become apparent soon enough, I'm sure. Warlords give their terms eventually, especially when their eye settles on the last country on the continent to be claimed. "Currently the aim of our venture is to gather followers - I have no interest in confronting the Emperor until there is a suitable force backing Razarod, since... Well I do my own thing, and he knows that. But of course, I'll be good and fight with the rest of you." She would never mention that she'd only fight with them for a short while before attempting to tackle the problem herself. That was the way she was; apart from Alex and Kerani, there was really nothing left in this world that she much cared for - her parents were dead, she'd lost everyone she'd ever loved save a select few. That wasn't to say that Shadow was a martyr, just that if she could do damage before she was killed so that others could live... Well, that was essentially martyrdom, but she wouldn't be dying for her beliefs. She'd be dying because, provided she was near a body of water, she had the more devestating magical capabilities between her and Razarod, and the one who could give Angkar some small shred of chance before her efforts were in vain. She didn't know how the two in front of them would fare, but it looked to her as though Nemo might be a fighter and Drake... Possibly a fighter, but there was something itching at the nape of her neck that said he was also something else. "We probably shouldn't be discussing any of this out here on the street, though. I don't know if our Emperor is intelligent - or interested, even - enough to bother stationing spies throughout the city, especially in Madrid, where the Council happens to be. I wouldn't trust a bar or even an inn, either... No. We need somewhere secluded, but still open." Taking command for just a few minutes, the shapeshifter motioned for them to follow. She headed the way that she and Razarod had just come from, although, rather than pause at the citadel, she continued beyond it, down the hill. There was a small park located at the bottom, relatively secluded, probably used by those with nothing better to do with their time. There were only a few people wandering its lush grasses, and most of them looked preoccupied with other things. Shadow took a seat on a wooden bench, beneath a large maple, and crossed her legs. "Any questions?" |
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