Silver Leaves [IC]
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Light =&gt; Light: Exotic Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Hellis on 16-01-2013, 20:41:45</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Hellis</strong> on <strong>16-01-2013, 20:41:45</strong>
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				<div align="center"><strong>The City of Egralia</strong></div><br>The City of Egralia, referred to the Merchants Paradise, This city holds one of the biggest ports on Eleorna. Its streets bustles with the sound and sights of a its many different citizens. If they cared to look up at the walls however, they would notice the increasing numbers of guards stationed. And they would notice the mercenaries and hirelings at every corner. They would see that foreign vessels are docked in the part of port used exclusively by warships. Mandi Har pirates, Black Blood* Crossbones, Legato mercenary vessels all shared the waters. If they were able to percieve just how heir city had changed from a merchant port to fortress, they would certaintly act differently. <br><br>&nbsp;Eleorna, this jewel of a continent is the home for many wealthy and powerful city states. But the jewel is slowly cracking into pieces as Agren, the mighty nation of the southern Eleorna has begun a offensive towards its neighbors. Engli, Aurona, Vestilia have all fallen under the onslaught, their merchant kings and queens forced into the grip of the High Countess of Egralia*; Lady Mezellin*. The ambitious and young Countess have only barely grazed the throne, and yet she is currently leading a army several thousands men and women. Her knights now set their sight on a walled in city, one that is far better prepared then they could ever guess. <br><br><div align="center"><strong>-x-x---x-x- </strong></div><br><div align="center"><strong>Agren Warcamp, within the borders of the now subdued Aurona city state.</strong> </div><br>“Why is that Egralia have never been taken again Uncle..” The Countess, her hair draped over her shoulders and the red sammet dress she is currently wearin. The woman, no more 24 years old had an air about her that would ensnare any man and woman. People followed her blindly it seemed. Everyone but her Uncle. The grizzled vet stared straight at her and his one good eye had nasty habit of never blink, so it was red as blood. As he began to speak, she listened intently. Her Uncle was fountain of martial wisdom if a bit set in his ways. The young Countess had trusted his judgment this far and it had led them to victory.<br><br>“Egralia is surrounded by massive walls and half of the city is situated on a small peninsula, Countess. Its commerce is second only to us and the Empire. As such there is no shortage of knights errands and other soldiers of fortune to defend them. They even contract corsairs and known pirates to defend their harbors. It'd be foolish to try and waltz in there without a plan." The man spoke, his voice gravely and tired.<br><br>“Are you telling me, Their entire army can be bought?” She raised a eyebrow as she asked this. The idea of buying themselves a victory from within the enemies own walls was most amusing.<br><br>“Not so, most have settled in a agreement with them, to the point were they call it their home. Take the Silver Leaves for example. They would throw themselves at us in droves to stop us. And knowing the Silver Leaves, the losses we would take would be gruesome.” His voice betrayed a ounce of admiration as he spoke of the mercenaries. The countess suddenly changed from listening idly to narrowing her eyes.<br><br>“...Wasn't uncle a silver leaf at one point.” Her voice was that low, dangerous tone she had whenever she spoke about things that displeased her. He had seen people being forcefully drafted into the front lines when she got into this mood.<br><br>“Aye.. And I can guarantee you, that if we were to attack carelessly, we would only see defeat.” His voice grew darker, gaining an edge to it that was far more commanding then before. His niece was forced to admit defeat. She could not handle her Uncle going into full lecture mode.<br><br>“So then we wait. There are still the matters of rebellions to handle in our newest provinces... But we need Egralias port in the future.” Her voice shifted back to that of idle boredom. Her uncle sighed, she still had ways to go.<br><br><div align="center">-x-x---x-x-<br></div><div align="center"><strong>2 Miles outside Egralia City, The Silver Leafs Bastion.</strong></div><br>The main Head quarters for the silver leaves was a real fortress. There founder had been a noble who served Egralias old merchant king as a knight at one point. Wwhile they had started as small elite force fo knights who rode with those who could offer them gold, they never fought directly against Egralia. As mercenaries, their reputation was what to be expected.. Soldiers of fortune have never been ones to receive praise other then hen they were on the winning side of a conflict. And even then, their efforts were only for money. But the silver leaves, their reputation in Egralia was different. Here they were part of the standing army in times of crisis, and they held respect. And they were far more then just a group of greedy soldiers used to pad out a army of peasants. No these were all elites. You didn't join unless they found you worthy, and each one who got acceptedhad the talent to become something great. Generals, tacticians and royal councelors all rose to their position by being tested in conflict. Around the castle a lake and a thick and deep forest offers both fish and wild game for the hunters and the fishermen.<br><br>It was inside the walls of this mighty Fortress that the Silver Leaves latest batch of talent found themselves. Some here fresher to the guild then others. Some had lived long lives off conflict before reaching the guild. All of them are exceptional within their fields of expertise. One of these people is Iano. The Tindra corsair awoke feeling stiff and sore&nbsp; all over. This wasn't in any capacity unusual. His Yavnei, his partner was ferocious creature.The wild elf he had once saved had found him some time back and the two, while wild and free spirits did every now and then gravitate to stay with one another. Lin and him shared a bond in a way. As his feet swung over the edge of the bed for him to sit up, he noted he had a new scar across his arm. The young man chuckled as he begun to dress, not really making any attempt to cover himself untill he was done. The loosely fit silk and cloth he wore did little to protect him usually but it served it puspose admirably; He looked good. Iano slid his cleaver back where it belonged. For some reason it had been lodged into a table. His saber was still were it should be however. For some reason he never let it get dirtied and kept it presine while the cleaver had seen uses no weapon should ever have to endure. He stretched, taut, lean muscles aching as they were stretched out. He liked the pain, it was good one. Reminded hm of who he was, why he was here. With his veil across his face, he was finally done. He looked back to Lin and raised a eyebrow. <br><br>"You Know we need to be up early. Guild Regulations." The redhead chided, knowing full well what Linwë thought about guild regulations.<br><br><br><br><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: 4pt;" class="bbc_size">--------------------------------------------------------------------</span></strong><br><br>Act 1: Morning Routines</div><br>Welcome to the fray everyone! The Silver Leaves Bastion is quite large, and surrounded by a small village meant to house the families and servants of silver leafs. Those who do not own land within the walls are most likely housed within the barracks or in the keep itself. The town is bustling with life, and albeit far smaller then the capital, its worth exploring. Feel free to start any where within the village or the Bastion.&nbsp; Its approximately 7 in the morning, the sun is shining. Its typical early spring for a temperate area.<br><br>Locations : (Add your own if need be) <br><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Castle:<br><strong>Courtyard:</strong> Large and spacius, this area tend to work as a place for sparring and training drills. <br>The Inner Sanctum; A underground shrine dedicated to 7 of the 8 Infinites.&nbsp; Zails shrine is just outside the town, and is not officially recognized. This place has a a tending priest or Priestess of each Infinite. Among the catacombs connected to this shrine are various smaller shrines dedicated to smaller deities.<br><strong>Mess Hall :</strong> This is where most mercenaries would eat when on duty. The mess hall is quite possibly the largest indoor area in the castle. The long tables and benches have been worn don by years of heavy festivities and drunken mercenaries.<br><strong>Gathering Hall </strong>: his place is here most people come to discuss guild politics, change information and hold official ceremonies. The notice boards with requests can also be found here.<br><br><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 6pt;" class="bbc_size">Town</span></div><strong>Barracks:</strong> There's a female part, and a male part of the barrack complex. The barracks are mainly just large houses with rows of beds and bed rolls. A few rooms for recreation and smaller courtyard.<br>Smithy: There are several black smiths in town, some of them old silver leaves that got to wounded to continue fighting. Here you can find most things you need.<br>Silver Leaf Plaza: Marketplace and general gather spot for the villagers.<br>The Grilled Goose: Large tavern near the Silver Leaf Plaza.<br>Outer Wall: Surrounds the village and joins with the Castle in each end.<br><br><strong><em>Outside The walls:</em></strong><br><br><strong>Zail Shrine:</strong> Guarded by a dark priest at all times. The Shrine allows only worshipers of the dark god to enter. Considered something of an eyesore by most.<br><strong>Laka Litna:</strong> A small lake connected to the sea by a small river.<br><strong>The Woods:</strong> Stretches as far as the eye can see north where it joins with some mountains. Rich on wildlife and rich in dangers.</div></div>
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				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kythia</strong> on <strong>16-01-2013, 21:08:11</strong>
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				<div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">For reference, I have added a new location - the infirmiary is a single story building laying against one of the courtyard sides.</div></div><br>Alanna rose from bended knee and gave a brief nod of respect to the other six statues.&nbsp; The Crimson Lady was too minor a deity to have her own shrine so Alanna said her prayers before the image of Hesele.&nbsp; A few other priests were present as well performing their own morning prayers.&nbsp; She walked through them quietly, careful not to disturb, and made her way upstairs to the infirmiary.&nbsp; Her own shift was not until the afternoon but she had patients and was nearby.&nbsp; Two mercenaries had caught something unpleasant from a whore and they had been given over to her care as something of a punishment - the infection would be burnt out of them, but it was a sensitive area to keep so warm.&nbsp; No real problems there.&nbsp; Slightly more serious was the Shadowborn who had contracted a serious illness.&nbsp; Here she was keeping his fever under control to allow other healers time to work their specialties.&nbsp; A serious case, but currently not needing her attention.&nbsp; She wandered through the rest of the building, checking on one or two others and dispensing some minor healing herbs, before standing in the doorway facing on to the central training area.<br><br>No doubt she would be needed soon.&nbsp; For now, she simply stood in the doorway, barely even breathing let alone fidgeting, and watched the Bastion slowly come to life.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noxxi</strong> on <strong>16-01-2013, 21:43:20</strong>
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				<em>"You know we need to be up early. Guild regulations."</em><br><br>The dark skinned little thing peaked an almost gunmetal eye in Iano's direction. Her nude body, graced with the vibrant green tattoo's of her people from head to toe in circular and lined formations, rustled beneath tangled sheets. It was almost a purr that fell from her lips as she stretched cat like in the bed, releasing some of the sheets from their taut position and allowing them to fall away so that more of her body was exposed. As she stretched she focused intently on the sounds around her subconciously picking through clatter and speech to be sure nothing was *off* in their little sanctuary. She slipped out of bed, bare back suggesting Iano may need to clip a few of his fingernails faced her already dressed companion. She began the slightly tedious task of wrapping her feet, lower legs and forearms in the thick dark treated tongues of the dragonlike Deveriks her people had once cohabitated with. The wrapping was tight, meticulous, and gave her a chance to offer Iano a bit of a show as she bent down at the waist and worked on her feet, bare ass calling, begging, only to be covered in the end as she slipped the leatherlike skirt Silver Leaves had insisted she wear to it's resting place on her hips.<br><br>She turned towards Iano now, walking across the floors with the learned silence of a tracker. She said nothing, those carmel lips pulling into a mischevious smile as her body, alert, pressed against his and she reached behind him to grab the small leather shirt. While he inevitably examined the body that's nipples brushed gently across his clothing she glanced at his cleaver, smile growing as she wrapped her hand around the hilt suggestively and licked a warm tongue over the nape of his neck. Then she let out something of a giggle and turned her back to him once more to slip the leather shirt, modified by herself to be less than 1/3 of the original fabric, she saw no use for the restriction of her movements.<br><br>Dressed, or as dressed as the little wild elf would allow herself to be, she pulled her sizeable quiver and bow over her head, tugging at the long black hair so that it would not be caught beneath the two. She was ready and now she felt fully awake. Her eyes shot a sidelong glance at Iano and then she pivoted to face him, her head canted to the side as it often did when she attempted the best way to vocalize her thoughts or ask a question and then she simply asked, "Battle today?" The question hung, as it had every day since her arrival, between the two.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sara Nilsson</strong> on <strong>16-01-2013, 22:45:29</strong>
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				Morgalla wakes up early as always and stretches out in the simple bed, one of the advantages of being a dwarf is that her bed seems absolutely enormous so she has plenty of space to stretch out in. She just smirks to herself as a few of the other female warriors sneak in to grab fresh clothes after obviously having slept elsewhere, she has already managed to get a reputation for being hard to get if not impossible. Truth to be told she wouldn't mind a cute male dwarf to nuzzle with but she wont do that with a fellow merc. With a little whimper of tired muscles she gets up and heads over to give herself a vigorous washing before the stampede of women makes that much more difficult, getting up a little earlier for the privilege of washing up in peace was a small price in her mind. As she is getting dressed in her comfortable leather armor she say a short little heartfelt prayer to Elana to keep them all safe during the day. As she tightens the knife sheathes to her thighs she looks over to a specific bed and finds it empty as usual and she feels her lips curl into a small smile as she heads out into the courtyard while braiding her long flaming hair. Already several mercs are getting ready for the day and setting up the various targets and obstacles, with the enemy so close the&nbsp; whole place is just buzzing with energy, those that haven't seen much action anxious to make their mark while the veterans just hope for another day without bloodshed as they know all to well the price that war brings.<br><br>"Hey Alanna!" she calls out seeing her friend standing vigil by the infirmary as always, she walks up to the much taller woman and looks up with both hands on her wide hips. "Taking care of the injured as always, but have you yourself eaten yet? Well? I doubt so, being a skinny rake of a girl. Bah!" She reaches out with a small but strong hand and tugs on her friend to drag her over to the mess hall and get something to eat. "How will you care for anyone if you faint on the job hmm?" It was in a way a strange friendship, one devoted to healer and one focused only on the taking of lives and the art of poisons. But Morgalla saw something of a kindred spirit in the tall healer, she can understand what it means to devote yourself fully to a cause. In Morgallas case, the protection of her kin and in her friends.. well life. Grabbing a tray she starts piling up food and then shoves it into her friends arms, "eat and no word of complaint you hear or by the ancestors you will hear complaining. And no one can complain like a dwarf!"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wargtass</strong> on <strong>16-01-2013, 23:29:59</strong>
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				Corto stood in the courtyard surrounded by soldiers kneeling at the armored Templar. It wasn't surprising that so many of the soldiers in the Silver Leaves worshiped at the hem of Kartan, God of Destruction, and as it was there was no better shrine than the form of its lifetime servant. He chanted in a hushed tone with the others, his hands clasped together in a fiery ball to symbolize the God's presence. He had only slept a few hours, having gone up before the sun rose to watch it from the parapet of the bastion, making his own greeting to Kartan. As the others awoke and came to him he held a sermon for them and lead them in prayer, wrapping it up with a solemn hum. Those not of the faith found the whole ordeal a bit disquieting, as it all had a very doom and gloom tone about it. But in truth it was the doom and gloom that gave joy to the servants of the Elemental Master, the promise of battle could sustain them for days on end if needed.<br><br>"<strong>Go, warriors, claim the day as yours!</strong>" His booming voice echoed over the courtyard as the others turned away and walked off. He gave a sigh of relief. No matter how many times he gave sermon he would never get used to being a wandering shrine. He stretched and gave a yawn before picking his heavy helmet off the ground and turning towards the mess hall. If one has food available one should not fight on an empty stomach. The heavy rattle of his armor alarmed anyone of his approach and as he stepped inside some warriors had left him some extra place in the line. He could see Alanna and Morgalla already picking at the food. As he approached them slowly he thought frantically how to express himself. Would a simple good morning suffice, or perhaps he should greet them in dwarven. But then he would be disrespectful of Alanna.<br><br>"<strong>Morning.</strong>" He finally settled on. It was rather neutral and simple. Now to round it of with a nice question. "<strong>Uhm. How goes it?</strong>"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kythia</strong> on <strong>16-01-2013, 23:58:59</strong>
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				Alanna flicked her attention down to the dwarf and smiled, allowing her hand to be taken without protest and not even attempting to get a word in edgeways until she had said all she had to say.&nbsp; She had actually eaten that morning, porridge with a drizzle of honey, but that was a rarity.&nbsp; Usually she didn't bother, just waiting until food was brought around the patients and eating then.&nbsp; So she didn't begrudge the dwarf loading her arms with food, although she did manage to replace some of the more stodgy parts - placing a heavy bun of bread back as Morgalla turned to get her another one.<br><br>She poured a couple of cups of water from the pitcher and held on to one in each hand.&nbsp; With barely a visible sign she cooled her hands - it would take ages to have an effect through the wooden tankards but she was in no great rush.&nbsp; The bread wasn't going to get any more stale.&nbsp; <br><br>"I'll eat in a moment, Morgalla.&nbsp; Start without me" she said simply, apparently about to say more when the massive form of the Kartan Templar came in to view.&nbsp; He looked puzzled for a moment, bemused by this simple interaction, then decided on his greeting.<br><br>"It goes well, thank you" she said encouragingly.&nbsp; She was never sure whether to congratulate him when he got it right.&nbsp; "Yourself?&nbsp; Kartan's blessings will be strong today?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sara Nilsson</strong> on <strong>17-01-2013, 00:41:06</strong>
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				Morgalla does note how her friend puts some food back, which is why she usually loads up on more then she would otherwise. She herself has quite a healthy appetite so she takes a bite of a roll even as she is picking out her food and then looks up as the well armored human approaches. She wracks her brain briefly but then her friend supplies the name and she feels stupid for having forgot. Then again all humans in armor look alike to her, usually she uses clothing to remember names with.<br><br>"ahh do join us, we are just about to sit down and break our fast. You can help me get our thin little lady friend here to eat a proper helping for once, I swear you humans can't make proper food." She winks at him and grins happily, of course her grumbling is just for show among her friends just to be the stereotypical dwarf. One other merc spots her and hollers out. "Hey Morgalla, did you forget to shave today? You are looking scruffy!" he laughs merrily at his own bad joke and she just shoots him a look. "Hey at least one of us is old enough to shave, perhaps one day I can give you some tips."<br><br>She takes the nearest seat and looks with obvious distaste at the water, "water.. how are we expected to fight when only given water? Really?" with a sigh she takes a mouthful of the cold water to wash down the bread with. She points with a fork towards Corto, "dont tell me that you are in favour of water too?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Belisuavious</strong> on <strong>18-01-2013, 07:20:15</strong>
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				Belisar stank. He was also plastered in sweat as he carried his equipment back to the barracks, spear over one shoulder, shield slung over the other and sword hanging in his sheath. He had been practicing in the predawn light after running around the lake when he had woken after a particularly vivid nightmare and could not force himself back to sleep. Hard work was the only thing that seemed to force the memories of the battle outside the walls of Konstantinos from his mind. The long boring walk to the Silver Leaves compound had nearly driven him insane. So he got dressed in his mail shirt, pulled a helmet on and gathered up his weapons and began running. Sometimes he liked to imagine that he was running away from the bad memories and towards something better but that never seemed to happen. After the run he began practicing with his schiavona, hacking and thrusting at imaginary foes and working with a mindless intensity, to keep him from reliving the battle where he watched his men get killed while he couldn't do anything about it.<br><br>Now he was exhausted, and almost ready to go back to sleep. But sleep is where the nightmares lay, and the thought of getting back into his bed made him shudder. Instead he dropped his equipment and stowed it under his bed along with his mail, which he dumped unceremoniously into his pack and left for the mess hall. He kept his sword with him though, just in case.<br><br>He looked awful, with a rough looking beard and circles under his bloodshot eyes from lack of sleep. The thought of getting back into bed scared him though, unless he managed to completely exhaust himself so he dropped into a dreamless sleep. He was new to the Silver Leaves, just joined two days ago after demonstrating his swordsmanship, which he had practiced on the walk here, mostly to give him something to focus on at the end of the day. That had impressed the recruiters, barely, and he was let in. Being so new he hadn't really managed to meet any of the other mercenaries, and with his current attitude, many had not bothered to meet him. That suited him just fine though, and he loaded a plate with some rolls and meat slices. Tiredly, he stumbled over to an empty spot and began eating, slowly and mechanically. There were three others at this table, a dwarf and two humans, though one of them looked as though he were part giant and his armour added to the effect. Part of him wanted to say something, to reach out and talk. Another part made him look back down at his plate and continue chewing.<br><br>Hopefully there would be a contract for him soon. Then he could actually be doing something useful with his energy instead of running and practicing. Give me something to focus on, a a part of him screamed. Maybe he could wash away his shame and guilt with blood, his or whomever he would be paid to kill. That was a thought he had nursed for a long time, ever since he had decided to join the Silver Leaves. It was a rope, and hopefully it would work.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wargtass</strong> on <strong>18-01-2013, 09:11:14</strong>
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				Corto listened to the two women banter back and forth as he followed them to the table. He only gave an encouraging nod as Alanna asked of Kartan's blessing. To him it was a bit of a silly question. Wherever a warrior of the Destroyer went the Blessing of Kartan followed. But he knew that hers was a persuasion of more delicate things, that of healing and nurturing. He had a strong respect for the healers, without which many more would have died never to fight again. Strangely enough there weren't many of them on Mt.Kartan, but then again he could imagine they would be awfully bothered living in a society where it was just Kartan here and Kartan this. As Morgalla brought up the water and asked of his opinion, his face brightened up a bit. Truth be told she should have known better than to ask an Elemental Templar of his opinion on one of the elements. Had he been Grand Master Oren Ray he would have gone off on a two hour sermon on the merits of water. But since he was only Corto he was fine with the following:<br><br>"Water is the lifegiver, that which makes things grow out of the Earth. Even you should be grateful Morgalla, for without water there would be no brew for you to partake off. Though I would agree that a tankard of Clan Pogyard's Mead would have been delicious on this fine morrow, I am more grateful that we have clean water to wet our souls and clean our wounds with."<br><br>That concluded the rather short sermon on the benefits of water. Corto had found that soldiers were people with very little time to spare, and as such he had reworked many of the sermons of Kartan to be summarized in about three sentences. He also knew that a sermon took better hold if it was personalized and thus he had mentioned not only the very popular dwarven mead but also the cleaning of the wounds so that he could invest both of the ladies in his words. After all, even a Templar could understand what joys could be wrought from investing ladies.<br><br>"What news of the battle then? Who are we fighting?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>IrishWolf</strong> on <strong>18-01-2013, 12:46:09</strong>
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				Belisar had not been the only one up in the predawn, Chath Varak had been marching for days now, rising before the sun and walking into the night, ever since his letter of invitation had reached him, somewhere in the middle of the Eloerna. Luckily his contract as a guard had been up, when the Silver Leaves had come recruiting, in the form of a letter, which had been chasing him across the trade routes. Well, everyone in his profession and many outside it, knew who they were and their reputation, he would have been a fool not to accept but then again, he had always like a little bit of luck to decide for him. Sitting in the tavern, with a tankard of almost sour wine, he had dug a small silver coin from his belt pouch and flipped it. Now if any gambler had seen it, they would have known the flipping silver disk was not currency of any nation but mark of a follower of Visky, the Goddess of Luck.<br><br>He had caught the shinning silver and slapped it against the back of his left hand. When he revealed to the coin, he found the face of his Lady, looking back at him in a triumphant smile. She favored the offered contract and thus, he had gone south. Now, with the early morning sun pleasant warm for the spring, the crossbowman, pack and bedroll upon his back, quiver slapping against one thigh, his katzbalger the other and favorite weapon slung his shoulder, was approaching the gate of a mighty fortress. He wore his armor, having no other way to carry it, the black leather wrapped around his chest but unbuckled, hanging open in the front like a wool vest might. Grey eyes appraised the sturdy stone, the towers, gatehouse, arrows slits and crenellations. A smile split his lips, as he though how much fun a man like himself could have, defending such a place. <br><br>Getting through the gate had been no problem. he simply flashed his letter at the guards. Those men had then instructed him that an officer would be made known of his arrive and that he should wait in the mess hall, to be assigned bed and get some breakfast while he was there. Walking to the building the guards had pointed out, he found himself moving through a line, plate loaded with a&nbsp; few plain rolls and a wedge of cheese, in one hand and sword-hilt in the other, so he didn't poke anyone with the exposed blade. At the end of the line, he was freed to roam among the long tables, finding himself at one that wasn't overly full, just a dwarf and three humans, even if one was more a giant then man. Not asking permission, he set his plate down next to the dwarf and unslung his crossbow, leaning the weapon against the bench and sitting down. Leaning forwards a little, he peered into the pitcher and frowned slightly, before grabbing a cup.<br><br>"Well" he said in a light tone, setting the cup down and pulling his canteen from his belt, "Thats no way to start the day, drinkin water. Wine is much better." <br><br>Grinning like he was among old friends, the mercenary poured a measure of the red wine from his leather and wood canteen before glancing about. Now it was his wine, he had bought it, with his coin but he was joining a massive company of sellswords. Others of their profession, he knew, liked to try and prey on new members. Maybe it would be best to have some around, who were willing to watch his back, rather then hoping to steal from him, when he preoccupied proving he wasn't easy meat. <br><br>"Anyone else agree" he asked, holding his canteen out in offer, "And I be Chath, by the way." 
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				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sara Nilsson</strong> on <strong>20-01-2013, 22:06:35</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Morgalla looks up at the newcomer and just makes space for him, more then used to the easy camaraderie that comes from being a merc, and when he mentions a dislike for drinking water she only nods. "Wine is.. ok.. would prefer a good beer but.. hey.. I'm Morgalla the Mirthful by the way, nice to meet you." She extends her stubby hand and shakes his with a friendly grin on her face. "The giant of a man is Corto, the cute girl is Alanna and the quiet one over there is Belisar." She introduces everyone before stuffing her face with a roll and swallows down nosily, "Welcome friend as they say in the human lands no?" she looks around to them all and smiles warmly, "water may be a lifegiver but to sustain that life a body needs a good mead, a hearty fight and some good company to warm you during the night no?" she asks everyone and no one in particular.<br><br>Of course her own bed has been very empty with the lack of dwarven men around here, she would entertain one of the humans but honestly the extreme height difference would make things awkward to say the least. And it seems most humans tended to regard her more as a child then an adult despite the very obviously female shape under her armor. "So tell us about yourself, other then you have the good taste to not drink water in the morning that is." she eyes his wine with open greed and holds out her mug for him to pour her some.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wargtass</strong> on <strong>20-01-2013, 22:20:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Corto looked at the newcome man and blinked twice as Morgalla introduced him as the giant of a man Corto. He looked down at himself and then at the others. It was true that among his brothers and sisters in the temple, he wasn't considered very large. But this was the first time he had actually noticed that he was a fair head taller than the others and a bit broader over the shoulders. He sank down a bit, as if trying to fit in, but the whole thing caught him as a bit of uncomfortable and awkward, so he stretched again.<br><br>"Well of course, only the hermits of the peaks can live on water alone!" Corto answers as Morgalla once more speaks of water. "The earth give us food, the air gives us strength and the fire warm us at night! Even the Templars of Kartan knows the merits of sharing beds in a night of passion."<br><br>He said this all in the tone of voice that a priest would lecture the congregation. Corto could speak of the merits of cleaving an enemy from the left shoulder to stomach over the right shoulder to stomach and still come of as if he was teaching compassion to the masses. It was this rather soft demeanor that helped weigh up the raw madness that was unleashed once he entered his battle frenzy. Without it many Templars had gone completely mad.<br><br>"I thank you for your kindness, Brother, but water will do fine for me at the moment. But be so good and tell me of yourself, like Morgalla I am curious to know every soldier of the company!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>IrishWolf</strong> on <strong>20-01-2013, 23:12:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Chath nodded as the dwarf he had taken a seat next to, declared that beer is better then wine. It was true enough, depending on the brewer but wine was easier to keep on a long march and depending on the region, cheaper then beer. He shook her offered hand with warmth, his eyes flicking to the others at the table, as she named named them. They lingered for a long moment on Alanna, a slight smile formed on his lips before jumping back to the massive man in thick armor. A Templar no doubt, no one else in his right mind, would wear armor like that, which was so thick as to be proof against crossbows. Well maybe it was thick enough to stop a quarrel, in some places but places like joints still had to be thin and a good shot could put one through the eye's of the helm, until they were so small as to leave barely anything to be seen for the man wearing it. <br><br>"I be from Lussi" he said, pouring some of his wine into Morgalla's mug, "Took up with merchant caravans as a lad, offering my sword arm as protection against bandits. Been doin it almost half me life now and taught many a bandit that even small caravans aren't easily pickins. Was up north when your recruitin got to me. Its bad up there. 'em Angren troops and lordlings aren't carin for the roads and the bandits are thick. A lot of deserters taken to robbin too. My last caravan was attacked several times by horsemen, former Konstantinos Legion boys from their equipment, had to fill 'em with quarrels. Pity that, they were good lads, when they were protectin merchants."<br><br>The crossbowman shrugged his shoulders and picked up the wedge of cheese, taking a few bites before putting it down. Taking a pull from his wine, he reached for roll.<br><br>"So whats the word" he asked, "There gonna be any work soon? Heard they were eyeballin Egrelia."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>CarnivorousBunny</strong> on <strong>21-01-2013, 11:14:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Kor hadn't slept all night, the sounds of the city were so foreign, his bed was so soft, lumpy and smelt funny, and being encased in a box didn't feel great.<br>He had spent the night tossing and turning, pacing, and eventually he settled on sharpening his blades in the armory.&nbsp; Kor had just arrived at the Silver Leaves guild the day before along with the messenger that was sent to retrieve him.&nbsp; The man had shown the man ranger around and told him what to expect before he did his quick audition and interview with the superiors. <br>Despite Kor's reputation as a beast-man, Kor was not as barbaric and out of tune with the ways of the world as everyone expected.&nbsp; He was perfectly capable of reading, and had a vague recollection of the basics of common courtesy.&nbsp; This surprised his evaluators more than his ability with his blades.<br><br>By the time Kor was done sharpening his swords, people had started rising and moving about.&nbsp; He wiped some sweat off his brow, making sure not to dislodge his mask from the top of his head.&nbsp; Kor's face was always hard and stony from the memories and experiences in the forest, but the dark rings that developed under them made is scowl even more frightening. Then there was the fact bathing was no longer a habit for the forest-dweller.&nbsp; He looked and smelled like an animal.<br>Kor recalled the messenger telling him about the hall everyone gathered to when it was mealtime.&nbsp; Looking down at his belly, he considered not eating simply for the sake of avoiding all the strangers, and all the noise they would produce.&nbsp; However, his stomach was growling.<br><br>With his swords now tucked back in their respective sheaths, Kor stumbled along the large complex.&nbsp; All these walls, tables, windows, and doors looked exactly the same to him so it took him awhile to find the dinning hall, which he only managed to do when he finally conceded and asked for directions.&nbsp; The poor cleaning lady he asked looked like she would die of fright, but Kor was already used to such looks.<br>At the doorway Kor briefly observed the behavior of the people in the room, assessing the proper behavior and patterns for this situation.&nbsp; Seeing the mercenaries getting plates and lining up, Kor concluded that this was not like a pub.&nbsp; Not really noticing (or caring) if there was a line, he grabbed himself a plate and started picking out specific kinds of food: vegetables and protein.&nbsp; He remembered liking bread in the past, but that was eleven years ago, and his body was no longer used to it.&nbsp; It made him hick-up.&nbsp; <br>His reaction to alcohol was worse.&nbsp; Kor drank nothing but water.<br><br>Once Kor's plate was piled with assorted meats and potatoes, he made his way to the table with the least amount of people and set his plate down.&nbsp; The next table over was an assorted group.&nbsp; Those who stood out the most there was the pretty and slender human lady, the kind of being Kor knew least about, a large man, even taller than himself, and a dwarf.&nbsp; Kor's eyes fell on the dwarfen female the longest.&nbsp; He didn't see many of her kind in the forest, and he didn't think they would be as cheerful as the female warrior at the other table.&nbsp; Briefly he gazed at her quizzically, but he knew better than to stare, so he started scarfing down his own food with his dirty hands.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Hellis</strong> on <strong>22-01-2013, 22:32:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Iano grinned at his friend. He took the time to fully appreciate her, and the handy work of his nails. Sh was truelly a sightto behold to the Tindra A kindred soul, and goddess of destruction in her own right. At her question short and inquisitive he merely smiled. His lips curled into a smile. So eager to spill blood, just like him. He opened the door and waited for her to follow before he made his way to the mess hall. The Tindra had light, almost soundless steps as he made his way past fellow member and one or two servants. Some wwondered where he got the scars, other jsut chuckled. Some wuld seemingly&nbsp; throw him angry looks, men who were less fortunate or who wore armor that had failed to protect them at all times.<br><br><br>“Yes. From what I hear we are to move out today.” Iano spoke with a soft drawl to Lin as he vanquished the last of his weariness form the body with a stretch of his arms. He had taken the time to buckle on his leather before leaving as well, in case they had to move quickly from the bastion. As he peered into the hall he saw things he liked. New people, and the Templar. With no real care for anyone else but his new targets he cross the hall.<br><br>“Sun blesses your faces this Morning.” He spoke with a cheeky grin as he approached the temple. He eyed both the dwarf and the cleric. Tywo he knew from earlier. And of course the massive lug of muscle and plate. He afforded him the biggest smile before turning to the other men. The Sargent he remembered from watching him train. His dicipline reminded him of his mentor. The new one, the new one had a crossbow. That was all he knew. He was glad it wasn't going to be aimed at him.<br><br>“I see we are hungry Miss Dwarf” he chided, producing a chease from a nearby tray and taking a bite.<br><br>“I overheard my Mentor yesterday. We are being deplyoed at the border town of Kalkas. Apparently the Countess have dispatched light cavalry and a whole battalion of skirmish militia to try and cut the northern trade route.”&nbsp; He spoke with little interst for the details. To him all that matters was the battle.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sara Nilsson</strong> on <strong>23-01-2013, 03:08:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Morgalla looks up as she feels the man look at her intently, she is well used to humans staring at her as very few dwarven women ever ventured outside of the strongholds. As she catches his eye she gives him a seductive wink before turning to Iano with interest as he speaks up. "Always hungry, I take the opportunity to eat, drink and love when I can. Who knows, tomorrow we could all be dead. Of course there is a serious lack of cute dwarven men around here." She chuckles and takes another deep drink from the wine and smacks her lips in appreciation.<br><br>"Good wine though, thank you." she gives Chath a grateful grin so glad to not have to drink water for breakfast.<br><br>"Battle is all well and good, but if they put me on the line again I will scream! Just because I am a dwarf doesn't mean I am a Hearthguard in plate. Give a commander to assassinate and I will be happy, btw do you know who will be in charge of this operation? Or where you to busy to get your back scratched up to listen... again." She chuckles at him and gives him a very dirty look.<br><br>((ooc: sorry for the briefness I am running a wicked fever so brain isnt working))
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Belisuavious</strong> on <strong>23-01-2013, 04:18:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Belisar gave the very briefest of nods when he was introduced by the dwarf,Morgella, whose name had escaped him until that moment. The other two, Allana and Corto were known to him only by sight, and he had never spoken much with the other members of the Silver Leaves. The new man was a talker, though that didn't bother him. It reminded him of one of his soldiers, Heraclis, a man who could talk nonsense no matter the situation. During the retreat, when everyone was downcast and ready to give up he simply began talking and joking and everyone soon began to brighten up. For a moment, this caused Belisar to smile, before he remembered Heraclis' body, split open by an axe from collarbone to guts. He didn't talk much after that.<br><br>He spent the next few minutes blankly staring into his mug of water, unsure of whether or not to join in the debate about drinking. He didn't drink, not much more than the cut of rum that kept the water from spoiling, most of the time. There was one occasion when he made Sergent and a bunch of men from his company took him out carousing. That was enough for one life. Besides, drinking was a sin when he was on duty, and he had held his men to that rule.<br><br>The news about the former Legion members turned bandits caused him to look up sharply. Should he say something here? He didn't know, maybe. But instead he stayed silent, and the new man, Chath, chattered on, before wondering about the possibility of being deployed any time soon. He wanted to know himself, but instead he just shook his head slightly and swallowed the food in his mouth.<br><br>The news that they wanted was brought by the Tindra, Iano. Not only would they be moving soon but they would be fighting the forces of Agren who threatened yet another city. "I'll be glad to be in a fight" He said, or started to, anyways. His voice was gruff and scratchy from not having used it much in the past little while. He cleared his throat and started again. "I'd be happy to be in a fight. And Morgella, from the sound of things there won't be much of a battle line to fight in, unless the Agren commander is an idiot. Light cavalry and skirmishers aren't much more than a raiding force." He stopped, wondering if he should go on about the merits of heavy infantry but decided not to. "I would also like to know who is supposed to be in charge of this little expedition as well though." A small part of him wished that he would be put in charge, but that was a foolish wish. It would be a member of the company who had actual experience in leading these troops, not a broken man bordering on having a mental breakdown.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kythia</strong> on <strong>24-01-2013, 22:24:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Alanna had sat quietly, eyes flicking to each new speaker but otherwise not apparently listening.&nbsp; Eventually she broke off a small piece of bread and chewed it at length before washing it down with a gulp of water.&nbsp; She then pushed the rest of her piled plate into the middle of the table and made a "dig in" gesture encompassing the whole table.<br><br>"Please, help yourselves.&nbsp; I couldn't eat another thing."<br><br>After another small sip she continued.<br><br>"I assume who is in command will depend on how many of you are dispatched.&nbsp; It's a different skill, I'm sure, leading ten men to leading a thousand.&nbsp; Do we have any idea of the size of the force yet?&nbsp; I suggest finding that out will let you know your commander."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noxxi</strong> on <strong>25-01-2013, 19:20:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She walked abreast to Iano as they made their way towards the mess hall. She tugged at the hood of the dark wood colored cloak, pulling it up to cover over her head. It was something of a habit and something of a precaution. Even in the Silver Leaves it was uncommon for her race to be present and among so many people, a fact reiterated by the way the servants ducked out of her way as if they might catch whatever it is the wild’har had. The disease ideal that was not helped by the slight hiss that exuded from her as she tested the air around the strangers. Those she already knew were given a slight lowering of those black leather eyes, traced with just slight hints of brown that allowed them to appear real in the scope of darkness. She walked abreast with Iano, uncaring of the snickers or whispers that followed them as her mind seemed more heavily focused on the movements and physical languages of those around her. The mood this morning was not hostile and Iano had spoken of battle soon to come, it was a delightful day. It may even appear that the little wild one had a smile curled onto those lips, though as with the cloak, she was aware enough of the others to not allow the sharper canines intimidate them- that would be saved for necessary moments.<br><br>As they entered the mess hall Lin trailed a bit behind Iano, her own eyes scanning over the room. Iano seemed to have found his place, stopping at the table with some of the other Leaves that had blown into this great yard. She offered the same gauged smile to the table, but began to wander off as Iano started in on his social courtesies. She had little to no interest in small talk, most of which she didn’t really understand anyways. She walked by the food, studying the people within the room as if the food held little interest. Truly the food was catering to a more human diet, cooked food had never been high on her priority list. Later she would find something in the woods to sate her hunger, but for now something raw would have to do. Her fingers wrapped around an apple as her eyes wrapped around the one called Kor. She hadn’t seen this one before, but he smelled like home. Of course there was something off, he wasn’t like her, but then again, neither was her dear friend Iano.<br><br>She found herself standing across from him, the table between them. She canted her head to the side a little bit and sniffed at the air again before she sat down. She raised the apple to her lips and took a bite, watching the man eat in an awkward but personally appreciated silence. She was definitely evaluating the man, guessing at all the important bits while trying to make the guess educated through observation. It all came down to whether or not she thought she could beat him in a fight, and as of now, she seemed unsure. It was undeniably a weird meeting. The mask adorned human shoveling protein into his sleep deprived face while the quiet Wild’Har stared from beneath the cloak at the him, taking an occasional bite from the apple and chewing for longer than necessary as she mulled over the man.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Silver Leaves [IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wargtass</strong> on <strong>27-01-2013, 22:05:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Corto sat in silence, watching and listening to the others while he ate. He wasn't particularly used to socializing yet, even though he had been out here in the real world for quite a while. He had gotten the hang of such things that you might say when you meet someone and don't really know what to talk about. Weather, asking how are you, asking for news, that sort of thing. But he didn't really know anyone in the Silver Leaves good enough to just chit chat like they were doing now. On the other hand the newcome mercenary didn't seem to have any problems whatsoever with talking to strangers. He was about to open his mouth and join in a hopefully casual manner when Iano made his way over to their table. He was very curious about this one. The way he clothed himself and his mannerisms were totally alien to Corto, more so than to most others. He came from a society were the monotone was the rule. Among the Templars everyone wore the same clothes and armor with distinct differences depending on rank. Even among the civilian populace regular pants and a long sleeved tunic was norm for both men and women and colors were within very natural ranges. He had been entranced to see how the women outside Mt.Kartan dressed. He had been even more so when he first saw Iano.<br><br>"Kalkas, you say? Can't say I recognize the name. What sort of host are we encountering?"
			</dd>
		</dl>
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