Rise of an Empire

[chewbacca71]

Rhuarc

His cheeks aflame with embarrassment, Rhuarc continues towards the stable hand. He stops in suprise, when he sees his would be damsel in distress take care of business on her own. Rhuarc stops dead in his tracks as he watches her walk into the stable.

 

[Darklord]

Logan

Sighing he closed his eye at watching Dust fall as he walked his horse, Wind, over to the stable doors. Dismounting he watched as Rhuarc watched the lady dispatch the two men and stride into the stables. Placing his hand on his shoulder he said..

"Don't worry friend, I'll handle this, why don't you get one of them (pointing at a stable boy) to help you find another pony like yours for our drunken friend there, eh?"

As he finished talking he waved at the group to wait and striding over the stableman into the somewhat dark and musty interior of the stable he stopped as he watched the woman look at horses, finally he coughed into his fist to catch her attention. At the sound she spun around pulling several knives as she did so. Smiling he opened his arms and said...

"Now didn't I tell you that you weren't supposed to follow me around anymore? Of course, I'm not surprised that you have, since you have a nose for gold and a deal just like I do, don't you? Well, am I right or am I right? Regardless, I just wanted to say, it's been a while hasn't it Vix?"

 

[Paendragon]

Leaf walked toward the stable where he had left his horse, and tossed payment to the stablehand. The boy caught it, and turned to open the door to the stall where the horse had been stabled. He reached out to take the horses reigns.

"That's not needed," Leaf whispered, smiling. He switched to the Elvish tongue. "Come Friend, time to ride."

The large stallion walks out of the stall, and stoops slightly while passing Leaf to let the elf leap gracefully into the saddle. "Let's go, Friend," he whispered in elvish. "Toward that small gathering over there." He pointed toward his newest companions, and the horse immediately trotted over toward them.

The horse stopped toward the back of the group, and Leaf crossed his staff over the pommel of the saddle, and eased his Elvin longbow accross his shoulders.

He then relaxed his muscles, and sat completely still, awaiting the others to depart.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the half-elf with the amulet, and he turned toward her. He waited for her to look at him, and then he smiled, and bowed his head in thanks.

 

[chewbacca71]

Rhuarc

Rhuarc listens to what Logan has to say and turns around to comply. He quickly ties up his pony to the rail and then walks up the street to collect Dust. He helps the dwarf to his feet, brushing the dirt off his clothes. "Come on Lad, lets get you a pony." Keeping a hand on Dust's shoulder, Rhuarc leads him to the conscious stable hand.

"Eh now son, I need a pony for my friend here. She needs to be short , but with long riding ability . Also a mild temperment, not like yon fiery filly that you gave to me. Can you get what we need, or do I go else where? "

The stable hand nods his acceptance, goes into the stable and comes out with a small Roan colored pony. "That will be 10 gold pieces, kind Sir." "TEN GOLD PIECES!!! I could buy the whole family tree of this pony for ten generations for that much. Here is your two gold pieces , now get out of the way, so that we may be off."

Rhuarc hands the stablehand the gold pieces and then helps Dust up into the saddle. "Here my friend, clutch the reins as so, this way you will not fall off." Rhuarc led Dust and his pony next to his, using the railing to help get up into his own saddle.
Ah, I am starting to get the hang of this again after all.

Rhuarc sits astride his pony, holding the bridle for Dust's pony as he waits for them all to leave.

 

[Gaston_McBain]

Angus

Although, Angus was still riding idly, Rhurac, the other dwarf spurred on his mount towards the screaming. Angus was about 100 feet behind Rhurac when he heard the dwarf exclaim:

"Unhand that lady, you young varlet, or face my wrath."

"Damn, this could be trouble, a noble woman in danger" Angus thought. Drawing his sword, he encouraged Firebrand towards the stable. Dismounting quickly, he prepared for combat against an evil fiend.

However, when he saw the woman dressed in tight leather breeches he dropped and sword and began to laugh. "If this strumpet is a lady in this town then my sister's handmaiden is queen" he thought.

After controlling his laughter, some of the townspeople gave him odd looks, perhaps he should not have laughed.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

At the sight of Angus' quick dismount and the draw of his blade, Devin thought that there could be a problem. But as his horse slowed from a canter to stand beside Angus' mount and took in the rider's outburst, he could only arch a brow and continue to watch the scene unfold, draping a wrist over the pommel.

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

As he finished talking he waved at the group to wait and striding over the stableman into the somewhat dark and musty interior of the stable he stopped as he watched the woman look at horses, finally he coughed into his fist to catch her attention. At the sound she spun around pulling several knives as she did so. Smiling he opened his arms and said...

"Now didn't I tell you that you weren't supposed to follow me around anymore? Of course, I'm not surprised that you have, since you have a nose for gold and a deal just like I do, don't you? Well, am I right or am I right? Regardless, I just wanted to say, it's been a while hasn't it Vix?"

Vixen smirked on seeing the man before her. Just as quickly her knives were hidden from view as she eyed the man up and down deliberately. Tilting her head to the side slightly she finally responded, "Of course, it wouldn't at all be possible that you've been following me would it? I mean, ask anyone and I dare say they'd assume that would make more sense." Her eyes sparkled with mischief and a genuine smile touched her lips.

"Logan..." she almost whispered the name, "what's a shady character like you doing in a place like this?" She peered over his shoulder at the strange assorted group now in the stable, her brow raised in curiosity.

"You're not riding solo? Must be something big then, interesting, um, gathering you have there."

 

[Darklord]

Logan

With a chuckle at her reference at him being a "shady charecter" he stepped forward and swept her into a bear hug like two old friends share when apart for a while. Setting her on her feet he answered her question about the group.

"Yeah, I'm not riding alone this time, and yeah, it's bloody huge, not big, huge. I'm on the pay of the dwarves to go into the ruins of Rockholm and retrieve the Treasures of the Dwarves. We as the finders get to keep half of all normal treasure found on top of a monetary reward after the trip." he said.

Then turning he kicked open the door to a stall revealing a very large and somewhat mean, okay maybe evil looking stallion. With a laugh he grabbed the reins and passed them to Vixen who pulled the horse after them. Stepping into the sunlight Logan leaned over and asked her as they walked towards the group.

"You want in? You get the same treasure cut as everyone else and 100 Ducats from Easthaven as spending cash for the trip. Thats the deal for everyone here, so if you want it, you know the deal between us Artifact hunters." and as he spoke he spit into the palm of his hand and offered it to her to shake if she decided to go with them as they stopped just in front of the group.

 

[chewbacca71]

Rhuarc

Rhuarc sees Logan hugging the young lady. They are talking but Rhuarc is not able to understand what they are saying. Then he sees Logan spit in his hand, the ancient sign of deal making. Rhucarc is interested to see if she will take his hand.

It looks like we may have another adventurer to add to the fold. She would be a welcome addition if she can fight all the time like she just did.

Rhuarc sits back in his saddle, waiting to see if she will accept and join them on their mission.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Dust

Feeling foolish, for new reasons than those I'd already heard, I sat dumbfounded, staring at the man and woman as they spoke. Had I heard the word correctly? I'd only caught one word they'd said, and I would have sworn it was "Rockholm".
I hadn't even asked what the adventure was before signing up. Intriguing it would be, to go there, where my family had once been so well-known and reknown. WEalthy we once were. My father would be proud of me for seeing the land my ancestors once lived upon.
I turned to Rhuarc.
"Excuse me," I began. "But what is this adventure exactly? Did I hear him say something about going to Rockholm?"

 

[crysede]

River:
She cast a disparaging glance toward Angus when he burst out laughing, she couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about the man that she disliked. Not that he had been in any way rude to her or anyone else, but there was something undefinable in his manner that grated on her.

Turning back to scene unfolding at the stables, she watched the plight of the two dwarven would-be-rescuers with sympathetic amusement. The two did try to help out after all, and that spoke of both possessing a certain amount of valor: even if said valor was rather inebriated in the one and somewhat uncoordinated in the other.

The damsel, who turned out to be in no distress whatsoever, was apparently a friend of Logan's. Although River was close enough to hear what was said, it was clear from their embrace that there was some affection between the two: perhaps a past lover? Even if her relationship with Logan turned out to be of little interest, the woman herself was most intriguing: she handled herself well enough that River concluded she must be either an adventurer or a criminal - perhaps even both, but that was probably too much to hope for.

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

"You want in? You get the same treasure cut as everyone else and 100 Ducats from Easthaven as spending cash for the trip. That’s the deal for everyone here, so if you want it, you know the deal between us Artefact hunters." and as Logan spoke he spit into the palm of his hand and offered it to her to shake if she decided to go with them as they stopped just in front of the group.

Vixen looked at his out stretched hand thoughtfully, then her gaze swept over the group Logan had riding with him. She sniffed as her mind rolled over the facts, simple as they were. A 100 gold to spend, a treasure that had been talked about for centuries with awe, and a mission... that quite frankly seemed near impossible.

"What exactly is it the dwarfs believe is 'their' treasures?" She asked curiously. She smiled at the dwarf who had come to defend her. She had admired his bravado, and in fact had managed to save her in giving her the opening she'd needed to get herself out of trouble.

Logan listed the items the dwarfs were specifically after, to which she responded with a soft low whistle of disbelief. She raised an eyebrow. "And you said you would do it?" She asked unnecessarily. "Logan, you always were too cock-sure of yourself." She shook her head at him.

She looked down and noticed the fallen stable master was rousing himself. She scowled. Her stallion whinnied impatiently. "Calm down stupid I'm thinking!" She barked seemingly at the horse. The horse managed to shake his mane at her indignantly. The stable master rolled over and blurry eyed looked up at Vixen & Logan. Vixen smiled and waved at him waiting for him to focus. He yelped. Her fist met him between the eyes knocking him out again. She fished inside his pockets for the coins he had swiped from her earlier.

She smiled to herself. She’d pick-pocketed the money from him in the first place when the stable hands had walked in. It was a kind of poetic justice to be stealing from him twice. Weighing the coins in her left hand she made her decision.

"Ok... I'm in." She spit in her right hand and took Logan's in a firm grip. "Going to introduce me to the group?"

 

[chewbacca71]

"Ah, you are correct Dust. We are on a quest to go to Rockholm to recover some of the lost dwarven treasure. I am not sure what it was, but the dwarven emissaries that talked to Logan were important people indeed. I hope that the recovery of these artifacts will help restore the pride of all dwarves in their race."

 

[Darklord]

Logan

With a grin and a firm grip on her hand he shook it with real pleasure and nodding at her question he turned to the group and said.

"Okay gang, we have our last member as far as I know and her name is on Vixen, or Vix if she really takes a liking to you. And the group her is in order, Angus the Dark, Rhuarc the smith, Dust the traveler, Lady River the bard, Sir Devin the constable, Leaf the healer, and of course, I, general rouge and item finder." he finished with a bow in her direction.

As he watched her nod her head at the group as a small hello, he grinned and said.

"Okay folks, we're on our way!" and as he finished speaking he swept up into the saddle and with jaunty wave of his hand, lead the now entirely mounted group out from the stables, up through the streets of the town and through the heavily guarded gates of the North Gate....

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

Vixen acknowledged the group as they were introduced to her. Each seemingly with their own special talents. Logan always did have a way of putting things together.

They rode towards the heavily guarded North Gate.

Vixen rode with one leg crossed before her over the pomel of her saddle. She pulled out her coin bag and did a little inventory. The stallion followed Logan's horse without any encouragement from her.

She had lost three knives in the last town she'd passed through, one of them a favorite. It had gotten stuck in the ribs of an orge and she hadn't bothered to try and retrieve it. She wasn't stupid.

She rumaged in the saddle bags and was rewarded with a hunk of bread. She gnawed on it thoughtfully as she considered her changed situation. It had been quite some time since she'd last rode with a group. It wasn't normally her scene. In fact, riding with Logan again wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind, but she was nothing if not flexible. She had to be.

 

[chewbacca71]

Rhuarc

Rhuarc nodded at Logan when he said it was time to ride on. He saw that the young lady had agreed to join the group. He was introduced to her, but recognized an element of trouble when he saw it. He vowed to watch her closely, for the good of the team. He followed the others to the North Gate.

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

Vixen glances over at Rhuarc and flashes him a cheeky grin before nudging her stallion with a knee. The stallion moved so that she was closer to the dwarf.

"I never did thank you for helping me at the stable did I?" She spoke in well modulated tones and thus stuck out her hand to him in a gesture of acknowledgement.

"Rhuarc isn't it?" She asked as she swallowed the last of the bread she had been eating. She hid the coin bag on her person again and glanced over her shoulder at the rest of the group.

"Have you been travelling long with them?" Nodding towards the group at large, "what do you make of them all?" She asked curiously. She looked him straight in the eye as she spoke to him.

 

[chewbacca71]

Rhuarc

Rhuarc sees the newest addition come over to him, offering her hand in friendship. Rhuarc is reluctant , but maybe she will make an effort to be honest with them all, so he shakes her hand. He talks to her about the group around him.

"Well, Dust seems to be a miner of many years, you can tell by the stench of the earth on him , as well as the stench of alcohol too. "

"Devin and his captive,River , I do not know well. He seems an honorable man, but hot tempered. She has a look of mischief on her that I recognize in another also present. "

"Angus, I have never seen before. He seems to be more than the simple young man that he portrays. Some of his mannerisms when he was a guest at my home, struck me as being upper class at least."


"Leaf I swear I have seen before. He seems a pacifist, unusual, in this dangerous world that we live in."

"As for myself, I am a simple silversmith; interested in restoring my races pride."

"Obviously you have met Logan before, you know him better than I do"

"How about yourself? What brings you to join us on our quest?"

 

[Moneytalks]

Re: Rhuarc

"How about yourself? What brings you to join us on our quest?"

"Oh... I go with the flow... " laughing softly, almost to herself, "and was that remark directed at me I wonder?" She asked with a playful smile, "you consider me mischievious?" She winked neither encouraging nor discouraging that belief.

"You say... the female is a captive?" He curious gaze focused on River and Devin. She tilted her head to the side before focusing on Rhuarc again.

"I sense your distrust, you have a healthy attitude, as you say it is a troubled time we live in. The wise among us recognise this." She was briefly serious in tone and manner before the wicked smile returned.

"I have in fact known Logan for a long time, longer than I care admit if the truth be known. It is an odd and welcome change to be riding with him again. As it happens I'm, well, between jobs at the moment. So to speak." She looked past Rhuarc suddenly. Her body almost imperceptibly tense.

She sniffed the air and frowned.

"Logan... be wary... I sense... something..." she turned back to Rhuarc, her smile firmly back in place. "I like you Rhuarc." She stated simply. "In the next town I would like to share a meal with you, you must tell me more of the history of your people, I am shamefully unlearned in that area." She scratch at the back of her ear absently mindedly. The stallion whinnied and she scowled back at the back of his head. "Shut-up, I do not!" She retorted. She shrugged, "he's annoyingly rude sometimes." Indicating the horse.

 

[Paendragon]

Leaf whispered to his mount, who rode over toward the newcomer.

"Pardon my interruption," he spoke, bowing his head to both Rhuarc and the newcomer, before his blue/gray eyes settled on Vixen. "Do you understand him?" He inticated her horse.

He had never heard of a non elf whom could speak with animals. If she could, then this trip might prove fruitful in more ways than just the amulet.

 

[chewbacca71]

Rhuarc

Rhuarc agreed that he would enjoy spend a meal talking about the dwarven history , as long as she let him buy. He was slowly changing his mind about her, she was a plain speaker and his father always liked dealing with such people. He was a little concerned when she seemed to talk to and understand her horse. Very strange occurence indeed. He moved his horse out of the way as Leaf came closer to them .

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen, speaking to Rhuarc and Leaf

"Pardon my interruption," he spoke, bowing his head to both Rhuarc and the newcomer, before his blue/gray eyes settled on Vixen. "Do you understand him?" He inticated her horse.

Vixen glance up at Leaf as he approached.

"Understand him?" She indicated her horse again and Leaf nodded in agreement. "Do you mean, do I speak his tongue? Not... precisely... but I have... a sort of understanding of him. It's difficult to explain." She looked at him curiously as she spoke.

She had not much experience with Elves. She found them somewhat aloof and hard to speak to. She was an intensely curious person though and saw that this was an opportunity to get to know them better.

To Rharc she agreed to let him pay for their future meal togther quite readily. She laughed warmly warning him that she never refused a free meal with good company. Her horse whinnied again and she scowled at his mane. "You know, I don't HAVE to find a warm stable for you at that next town... and I do NOT eat more than a horse... NOR do I have fleas!" She growled. She looked sheepishly at Leaf.

"He's... snide." She shrugged. "It works out well though, if he's ever stolen people more often than not dump him shortly after." The horse snorted indignantly. She chuckled in response.

"I've heard rumour that your kind have a way with horses... is it that you speak their tongue?" She asked curiously.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

The scroll tube made a hollow popping sound as the lid was pulled from its snug embrace. His fingers delved into the container, trapping a bit of the parchment between his first two fingers, he tipped the case and let it slide out into his hand. After stowing the case, Devin un rolled the parchment a goodly bit and then turned it to examine the ink more closely.

The map clearly showed the two kingoms of Easthaven and Blackmarch, with Elston right on the border of the two lands. Devin sighed as he studied the map, tracing an imaginary route through Blackmarch wtih his finger, toward the range of mountains with the label "Death Watch". He forced himself to try and commit the names of towns and cities they would be travelling through to memory. He hadn't been much farther than Bristle, which wasn't too far from here. His home was Easthaven, and always had been, he'd had no reason to travel in his youth.

Things would be easier without the girl. Indeed, it would feel good to have the rest of his payment in hand and to be on his way. Although... the Death Watch mountains? Heh... maybe he shouldn't be so eager to arrive at their destination after all.

 

[Paendragon]

Leaf pursed his lips in thought. "It's not exactly a language. Not like you and I would know one. When I speak Elvish, the animals don't actually understand the words. They..." he cocked his head to the side, searching for the right words, "they understand me, without understanding the language. Elvish magic isn't like human magic, or Dwarf magic, I would imagine. Our words have power... the power to manipulate objects of nature, and communicate with them on some level. Certain Elves have certain strength."

He kept talking, caught up in it now. He more than merely liked sharing knowledge, in many ways it was who he was. Always a student, and always a teacher. He spoke slowly, and evenly, but relentlessly.

"I met an elf a short time back, about 30 years i believe, who could make saplings grow to trees with a few spoken words, and improve entire harvests by spending time speaking to the plants. It was really quite amazing. We can all do it to some extent, of course, but not quite like that. The same goes for animals..."

He turned his head toward her gracefully, smoothly. "I'm apologise, for my rambling."

He bowed his head. "It has always been a flaw of mine."

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

Vixen smiled softly.

"Imparting knowledge should never be referred to as mere rambling!" She winked at Leaf playfully.

"I'm greatly interested in what you have to tell me, I have not had the pleasure to meet many of the Elvish community. Indeed, your contact with nature is intriguing." She turned and sniffed the air once more and frowned.

"Logan!" She called out again. Logan turned to look back at her.
"What is it?" He called back.
"Definitely something ahead... don't like the smell of them... haven't washed in days is my guess. At least three if not more. Hard to tell with this cross wind."
"Ok... we'll keep on our toes then," Logan turned to Devin.
"Devin... we should watch each other's shoulder. Vixen is rarely wrong about these things. Angus, watch out backs, we may need quick back-up."

Vixen turned back to back to Leaf. "What do you know of that one and his captive. It seems odd that one such as she would be captive."