The Blight of Ferelden (IC)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Light =&gt; Light: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Question Mark on 29-01-2013, 02:38:16</h2>
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				Title: <strong>The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>29-01-2013, 02:38:16</strong>
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				OOC Thread (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=164201.msg7626993#msg7626993)<br>Roster (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=164198.msg7626766#msg7626766)<br>Recruit and Interest Thread (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=163527.msg7582250#msg7582250)<br><br><hr><br><strong>Bor Hannon<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>It had been a full day since the rout at Ostagar.<br><br>Dusk fell over the sparse woodlands of southern Ferelden, shadows lengthening and melding together.&nbsp; The clearing was larger than most villages, an almost perfect circle of dead winter grass around an odd monolith in the center.&nbsp; The vaguely oval-shaped rock stood on its end, partly buried in the frozen ground.&nbsp; The morning after the battle had brought with it a frost, and the gloomy day that had followed had done little to weaken winter's grasp on the land.&nbsp; That day had been living torment.<br><br>Bor was lucky to be alive, and he knew it.&nbsp; He had watched as Ferelden's army and his fellow Wardens had been consumed by the Blight, far below in that damned box canyon.&nbsp; All the arrows in the world had nothing to stem that dark tide.&nbsp; And then the Tower of Ishal had fallen, and Loghain fled the field, leaving Bor's <em>brothers</em> and <em>sisters</em> to the slaughter.<br><br>His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, frozen blood cracking on his white knuckles.&nbsp; Knowing he could do nothing for Duncan or the others, Bor had made for the Tower, seeking the three young Wardens trapped within.&nbsp; He had saved them, at least, warning them of the impending horde, and getting them out before a hundred thousand Darkspawn could surround the Tower.&nbsp; They had been split in the night by an ambush.&nbsp; Alistair had made to circle around the south, Mathius and Eluv'yan to the east and west, and Bor to the north.&nbsp; None but him had made it to the old ruins he had directed them to.&nbsp; He had waited three hours before the Darkspawn drove him out.<br><br>Bor's eyes burned in the chill air.&nbsp; No.&nbsp; He would not mourn them now, not when he himself was still in danger.&nbsp; There would be tears for the dead later.&nbsp; For now, he had to survive.<br><br>The time spent waiting for the young Wardens had cost Bor dearly.&nbsp; In the vague mass of fleeing soldiers and refugees, the thousands of panicked men and women spread over dozens of miles of Ferelden woodland, there had been a semblance of safety.&nbsp; By the time he had been forced to abandon the ruins, the refugees had pulled miles ahead, leaving him amongst the stragglers, where there were more Darkspawn than normal men.&nbsp; They tugged at him, the Darkspawn, their taint resonating with the filth he had willingly taken into his veins.&nbsp; They were to the south, the west, the east.&nbsp; A great mass of them lured behind Bor in the direction of Ostagar, and roving parties shifted on his flanks.&nbsp; There were fewer to the north, which was why he was--<br><br>A knot of taint connected with him, staining the edge of his mind.&nbsp; Darkspawn, very close.&nbsp; "Maker above," Bor swore, whirling around as he jabbed his sword into the ground at his left.&nbsp; He swung his bow over his shoulder next, nocking his next to last arrow as he did so.&nbsp; The shaft was loose before he clearly saw the Darkspawn, and the arrow thunked uselessly into a tree.&nbsp; The band of Darkspawn, four hurlocks and a lone genlock, hesitated for a heartbeat, then ram forward, slamming their weapons on armor and shields.<br><br>Bor swore again at the wasted arrow.&nbsp; He hadn't slept in nearly two days, and exhaustion and the taint were finally taking its toll.&nbsp; Calmly, forcing his hands to be steady, he aimed and fired his last arrow, taking the genlock in the eye.&nbsp; The stout beasts were troublesome alongside hurlocks, forcing oneself to defend both high and low.<br><br>Bor took a deep breath, discarding his bow to the side.&nbsp; He pulled his sword from the ground, tapping it against his boot to knock the grit loose, and very deliberately raised it before him.&nbsp; His shield was like a lead weight.&nbsp; His arm shook.&nbsp; Maker preserve, but he was tired.<br><br>Four hurlocks.&nbsp; None were wounded, and they looked fresh.&nbsp; All three wielded wicked swords and crude shields, but Bor could tell by the way they moved -- awkwardly, leaning to their right -- that they were not used to the heavy equipment, let alone trained with it.&nbsp; They never were, seemingly content to just flail about in a blind fury.<br><br>Well, Bor was happy with that.&nbsp; It made them easy to outmaneuver.&nbsp; He'd block the first strike, step back, riposte, step back again, bash with shield, stab high over their defenses, step back, whirl...<br><br>Despite the cold, Bor was covered in a hot sweat.&nbsp; His hands shook, as much from the taint as from his exhaustion.&nbsp; His battle plan melted from his mind, and he lost his focus.&nbsp; Before he knew it, the Darkspawn were upon him.<br><br>"VOID TAKE YOU!" he roared, leaping forward into the fray, fighting as furiously and wildly as his opponents.<br><br><br><br><br><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Mathius and Eluv'yan were originally sent to the Tower of Ishal along with Alistair to light the beacon.&nbsp; Just like ingame, they find it under attack and rush to light the beacon.&nbsp; However, Bor manages to find them and get them out before the Darkspawn horde overwhelms the tower, and they flee into the woodlands.&nbsp; Later that night, they're separated in an ambush, and for some reason could not make it to their rendezvous point.&nbsp; Where they went, what they did, and why they couldn't rendezvous is obviously up to you, as is what they did after that.&nbsp; However, they managed to continue north, and are near enough to hear Bor's warcry at the end of the post.&nbsp; Whether they met up with each other or managed it by themselves is up to you.&nbsp; Have fun, and may the Maker shelter you beneath his hand!</div></div>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>29-01-2013, 04:10:38</strong>
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				<strong>Mathius Vairo<br>Woodlands<br>North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>"Fuck the blight. Fuck the damned Wardens! Argh!" Mathius cringed in contained rage, as his hand gripped at the laceration on his thigh. A half inch or so deep, and several across. It wasn't fatal or crippling, but it was enough to hamper walking and make the attempted trek out of the woodlands north of Ostagar diffcult. Pausing for a moment, he leaned himself up against a tree with quickened and relieved breath at taking some pressure off of his leg. The wound was suffered due to a failed parry attempt on his own part, another lesson to learn not to let his guard down even if his opponent was fool enough to leave their neck completely open. Grace did her part of slitting the darkspawn's throat, but at the cost of a injured leg.<br><br>His mind went back, flashes of the night before... so much death. Mathius had heard the stories of the blights and the darkspawn of course, and had even faced some genlocks prior to his joining. But none of it compared to the horde, and he wasn't even involved in the main battle. He would have been dead by now if not for Bor pulling him out of the tower. How many of them had he killed? Twenty? Thirty? He couldn't remember, all he could remember was that no matter how many of the darkspawn fell, more came. A never ending wave of darkness washing over the land.<br><br>But they escaped the tower with their lives, barely, and fled north... as best he could tell. The party were driven apart by an ambush. He went east... or it may have been west, fuck he couldn't remember. Everything happened so fast, Mathius could remember contesting Bor's command however. What was the point in splitting up and just making themselves easy target for the darkspawn bands that were roaming farther away from the horde? What truly puzzled him is why Bor was the one to go north, while the rest went other directions. Alistair was as sure as dead after going back south, straight into the mouth of the 'spawn, while Mathius and that Denerim girl, Eluv'yan led them off in separate directions... that bastard.<br><br>Sudden rage began to boil in his eyes. That son of a bitch had the rest of them lead off the darkspawn so he could escape to the north! That had to be the reason behind it. The Antivan had been walking and searching for hours for this supposed ruin and seen nothing of the sort. But then again, he wasn't sure at all where he was. His sense of direction in this backwards country was completely disoriented thanks to his wound and the confusion of the prior night. Everywhere he went it looked the same, the only thing he'd even seen of any unique quality was the corpse of a soldier a few miles back from his current position. The body was mangled, and it looked like he'd died bleeding out from wounds and not by any darkspawn close by. So Mathius took the time to take what supplies he could from the man, after jestingly thanking the corpse for his help. He made sure to wrap his wound by tearing a piece of the soldiers undertunic and fastening it tightly to stop the bleeding.<br><br>The dead leaves cracked under his boot heal as he began walking again, gingerly on his leg. Feelings of helplessness began to set in as he looked around&nbsp; completely lost. The density of the trees were impairing his view of the sun, but he thought he was going in the right direction for the time being. "I swear if I get out of this place, I'm never turning back. Let Bor and the rest deal with this sh-," His last word slurred off, as the sound of yelling in the distance drew his attention. It was hard to tell this far away, but he thought it sounded something like Bor's voice. It couldn't have been more than a half mile away. A slight grin shot across his face and he began to walk in the direction of the voice he heard, but then paused. It sounded like whoever it was may have been under attack... and Mathius felt confident it was Bor. He had to pause and ask himself... were these "comrades" who he'd only known for a few days worth his life? Did he owe anything to the group that forced him into this? <br><br>Blonde, scraggly hair fell down his face as he shook it side to side. "Fuck..." He muttered frustratedly and began towards Bor's voice, towards probable death. A rhythmic, yet disjointed beat slowly built up as his boots stomped upon the ground faster and faster. Still gimping, he brought himself to a half jog following the sound of steel clanging together, and more battle cries until he was upon the fight. It was Bor, facing down a small group of hurlocks. Mathius paused for a moment to catch his breath at the treeline and drew both of his short swords. They sung beautifully as they unsheathed, as always, and he rushed into the fight. Every one of the hurlocks were busy giving Bor all the attention, and Mathius took the opportunity to rush one of the ones standing in the back. Only at the last second did the dim witted beast hear Mathius's heavy boots stomping on the ground and turned about face to have two swords plunged into its gut. In doing so he drew the attention of another of the beasts as it swung a heavy overhead slash that Mathius sidestepped with a grunt, and then went into a sparring match with the fiend.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>29-01-2013, 07:59:13</strong>
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				<strong>Eluv’yan Federan</strong><br><strong>Woodlands</strong><br><strong>Somewhere north of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Eluv’yan was weak. The weakest she had ever felt. Yet here she was, clinging to a large tree limb, watching the ground below her. She had been in and out of consciousness for most of the previous night. She wasn’t aware of the time, except that night had fallen. Her stomach growled and she sighed. Two dead Genlocks lay on the ground below her, their feet tangled in trip wire and their skin crispier than a fried nug over a Dwarven campfire. How long she had been lying in a tree was unsure of her, other than a night had past. Her side stung with pain, dirt and pine sap grinding into a coagulated wound. It wasn’t superficial, but nor was it life threatening. Regardless, it stung more so than any blade that was ever dragged across her bare flesh. Darkspawn blades were nasty things, contorted steel made only for one purpose: to inflict as much damage to flesh and bone as possible. <br><br>Eluv’yan reached between her leather armor to check the wound. Her hand came back relatively clean, but goopy blood clots came back as well. Sighing once more, she thought about her last night at Ostagar. It was terrifying and yet so fulfilling. She had never felt that alive before, even back in the days when she carried out orders under Ricker’s word. The evil of man in Thedas, be it any race, was never so cut and dry. Evil people still had some form of innocence, and thoughts of them having anything in their life that added purity was disturbing. It had caused her too much pain in the past. The Darkspawn, were a breath of fresh, untainted air. She had nothing come across anything as intrinsically evil as the spawn that poured out from the thaigs of forgotten Dwarven cities. It had never felt good to kill something until the first time she encountered one. A poor Genlock that had fallen to her dull dagger, it was a fulfilling kill. She still questioned her sanity at that feeling of fulfillment, whether it was proper or not to enjoy killing something so much. Usually such thought was dismissed in a few moments by the result the spawn had on the land of Ferelden, and its people. <br><br>She couldn’t remember exactly how she was separated from the other Wardens. It all happened so fast, and she had to rely almost entirely on instinct to get through the night. She had been chased, for quite a distance from the battlefield. Her feet were sore, and her muscles ached. Luckily, she had gained enough distance to set up a tangle trap with the last remaining strands of her wire and her last trigger. When they had finally attempted to climb the tree she hid in, she blasted them with the last of her strength, a fire cone aimed with precision and as much power as possible. She had watched them wriggle in pain, the unearthly screams, and the disgusting smell of their burning flesh. They didn’t smell right to begin with, but when they were on fire, they smelled so rotten, so disgusting, that it was worth losing your meal over. Her empty stomach churned at the thought. She could still smell it, even now, hours after they had died. <br><br>Lifting her head to look around, Eluv’yan surveyed her surroundings. The dark was comforting, and it was much easier to hide in the shadows of nature in the absence of light. It was clear, for as far as she could see, granted wasn’t very far, but it was good enough. Slowly, she scooted down the tree shaft, her tired muscles aching the entire way down. The wound in her side wasn’t making it any easier, and eventually she lost her grip in the throes of pain. She fell, but onto the corpses of the small Genlock. Their pointed armor jutted into her ribs and she groaned. <strong>”Maker’s breath,”</strong> she rolled over onto the ground and slowly returned to her feet. A gloved hand raised to cover her nose, the smell was even worse closer up. Fighting off her gags, Eluv’yan held her breath as she untangled the last of her wire from the dead Darkspawn. Afterwards she searched for the trigger, but it was hidden somewhere in the twilight shadow of the trees. Placing the wire in its designated pouch, she looked around once more. Holding her breath she listened, nothing but wind in the trees. She had best get moving. Bor told of a place of ruins to meet up at. Eluv’yan wasn’t the best at directions in the wild, save for the mentioning of moss on trees a while back. <br><br>Working her way through the sparse trees, she was consistently on guard. Listening for Darkspawn, who always conveniently cried before an attack, she found nothing save for the wind in the tree branches and an owl hooting every now and then. She walked for what felt like forever until she heard a rampant cry ahead in the distance. It was human, not bizarre and out of place like that of a Hurlock or Genlock. She picked up her pace, as fast as she could manage without alerting anything of her presence. As she came closer to the yells, she heard the clashing of metal. Someone was fighting something. When she reached the edge of the clearing it was obvious that it was Bor, he had survived the night. A faint relief washed over her as she witnessed him alive and breathing, but it quickly vanished as she watched him tangle with a Hurlock, and others were behind the foul creature. <br><br>A glimmer caught her emerald eyes, as she witnessed another familiar sight. It was Mathius, now stabbing a Hurlock in the back. Her eyes moved back to the other Darkspawn. An opening arrived when one of the Hurlock moved away from Bor and to flank Mathius. Eluv’yan breathed in deeply and gathered her strength. With a soft take off, she sprinted at the back of the Hurlock, pulling her precious dagger from its sheath. As the meters between them closed she garnered more speed, culminating in her leaping onto the back of the Hurlock. Her arms wrapped around the surprised Darkspawn’s neck. It fought to get her off of it, but her dagger plunged into a vulnerable point in its armor, as an anchor. <strong>”Pain is only the beginning for your wretched soul,”</strong> she struggled, her breath forcing out of her chest, and her words into the ears of the Hurlock. Her legs went up around the beast in order to gain further attachment. She was smaller than it by far, but she knew how to maneuver to hold on.&nbsp; Grunting she waited for her moment to plunge the dagger into the spawn again.<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>30-01-2013, 01:18:42</strong>
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				<strong>Bor Hannon<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Bor pulled his sword out of the Darkspawn, flicking his wrist as he did so and sending minute flecks of black blood flying through the chill air.&nbsp; The hurlock screamed, dropping its shield and grasping at the wound, and Bor sent it stumbling backwards with a solid kick to the solar plexus.&nbsp; The beast fell on its back with a satisfying thump, and lay still.<br><br>It's three companions rounded on Bor, redoubling their efforts.&nbsp; He lifted his shield, and was rewarded with two arm-numbing thumps.&nbsp; The third sword dipped low, nicking the bottom of the circular shield and went skittering towards Bor's legs.&nbsp; The Warden leaped backwards, but his limbs moved sluggishly in the heat of combat.&nbsp; The point of the sword ripped through the leather padding above his knee, and he felt the skin part beneath the tip.&nbsp; There was no pain, not yet.&nbsp; Not until the beasts were dead.<br><br>His shield lashed out, knocking back two strikes before they could build up any momentum.&nbsp; Surprise painted their skeletal faces.&nbsp; In combat, always do what the enemy did not expect.<br><br>In the brief reprieve, Bor spotted Mathius run out of the woods.&nbsp; The man ran with a limp, but his swords were out.&nbsp; Any surprise Bor may have felt was squelched.&nbsp; Like the wound in his leg, that would simply have to wait.<br><br>Knowing that help was near, the Warden took a step back, bracing himself on the frozen ground as he held his shield up, sword resting on top, point towards the Darkspawn.&nbsp; It was a purely defensive posture, meant to deflect incoming attacks while providing the threat of an immediate counterattack.&nbsp; Of course, a sword lunge from this posture was extremely difficult to pull off, and left the counterattacker more exposed than his opponent, but the Darkspawn didn't know that.&nbsp; They saw the sword point, poised like a viper, and hesitated.<br><br>One turned to face Mathius, perhaps hearing the man's heavy footfalls, and was eviscerated for its trouble.&nbsp; One of the two remaining Hurlocks rounded on Mathius, deftly deflecting the man's attacks with its shield and lashing out with the sword.&nbsp; Bor had been worried about that Hurlock, as it was obviously the best of the pack.<br><br>He turned to face the remaining Hurlock, only to see Eluv'yan of all people mounted on its back, dagger wedged between its breastplate and neckguard.&nbsp; The Hurlock dropped its shield and sword, reaching up to grab the woman with its bare hands, perhaps to try and throw her over its head.&nbsp; Of course, reaching up like that exposed the weakly armored leather below its armpits...
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>01-02-2013, 19:20:22</strong>
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				<strong>Mathius Vairo<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>A quick diagonal slash aimed for the neck area, immediately followed by a downwards slash at the knees of the beast did not confuse and disorient the darkspawn as Mathius had hoped. This one seemed to be more adept than its cohorts in battle and easily parried the strike at its neck, and then lowered its shield to block the low strike. The contact&nbsp; of steel onto the blackened wood shield made Mathius’s weak hand tremble and nearly drop Fate from his grasp. And the Antivan staggered back up wearily, and noticeably gimping on his leg.<br><br>The darkspawn must have saw this, for its soulless eyes fixated on the bandaged up wound upon its opponents leg. It stepped forward, pressing the issue against Mathius now and unleashed a flurry of strikes. In doing so it left many openings for a killing blow, but Mathius was too weak to land one, so he kept backpedaling and dodging or blocking every attack. Until finally, the darkspawn had worked to within close range, and drove its shield directly at Mathius’s leg, making it buckle and give out. He cringed in pain as he went to one knee.<br><br>As he looked up, the darkspawn was standing above him, ready to let a killing blow fall. And as its crude and misshapen long sword began its downward swing, Mathius reached deep inside himself and found strength. He raised to the balls of his feet and leaped forward and to the back of the darkspawn, tumbling over his back. The darkspawn’s blade crunched into the ground, and as Mathius was falling over onto his back, he swung Grace around and slash the back of one of the beast's knees. It screamed out and staggered, rearing around and slashing at air in anger. By then, Mathius was back on his feet and retreated out of the darkspawn’s reach for the moment, to catch his breath.<br><br>Mathius regripped his twin swords after wiping sweat from his palms and brow. He got into a counterattacking stance with his weapons close to his body for defense and his offhand foot positioned farther back than usual to protect his leg wound. The enraged spawn rushed forward again, noticeably limping, and Mathius deflected his overhead slash and forced the beast to stagger forward and lose its balance. The former Templar used the opportunity to bury Grace halfway into the side of its ribcage, in a spot that was loosely armored on the darkspawn. For good measure, he used Fate to sloppily stab at its neck area, of which he didn't cut directly into the neck but grazed it enough to assure the beast would bleed out. Mathius yanked Grace free of the beast and tainted blood splattered onto his chest and waste as the Antivan staggered back and the darkspawn fell to the ground, seemingly dead.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>02-02-2013, 23:32:36</strong>
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				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Eluv'yan struggled to stay on the back of the Hurlock. It felt, to her fragile body, that she was on top of a Bronto, the beasts you only saw below and around Dwarves. It was rough for her aching body, and several times she almost fell off. If it hadn't been for the dagger embedded in the monster's chest, she surely would have lost her grip on the beast. Every now and again her feet would slide down the Hurlock's body as it struggled, and it began to take more and more energy to lift them back up around its waist. As the Hurlock wrestled to get her off, she had to use the last of her strength in her arms, to hold on tightly.<br><br>When the creature finally raised its arms to perhaps throw her off, she utilized the moment to replace her dagger into a different part of the Hurlock's body. Eluv'yan grunted, wincing at the howl of pain of the monster as she attempted to dig in the dagger as far as possible. The darkspawn howled and reached for the dagger. Swiftly, Eluv'yan retrieved it from its chest and took the opening in its defense to lodge it in a small opening at the back of its neck as it bent over. With the last bit of strength in her tired body, she slammed the dagger into the darkspawn's spine, grunting loudly as she did. It was tough, tougher than the neck of a normal person. She had pushed blades into the spine of many people before hand, but she had never met this much resistance. <br><br>The Hurlock wailed and thrashed, until Eluv'yan made a swift kick to its back and knocked it on its knees. She sighed heavily, her arms and legs ached. She slowly descended on the back of the darkspawn and used gravity to help shove the dagger further in. When it finally found a sweet spot between two vertebrae, it slipped in like the Hurlock suddenly made of butter. Its screech quickly faded as it's body went limp and fell off of her blade. It was then, with the limpness of her victim, that Eluv'yan fell to the ground and attempted to curl into a ball. Everything ached, and she was sure she most likely reopened the wound in her side. She could feel the wetness of her own blood, the tingling of it bleeding. She sighed again, and stretched out onto the ground, on her back. Clutching her side she spoke softly. <br><strong><br>"I suppose it's too much to ask if any of those boys have something edible on them?"</strong> The nights air was seemingly colder to her now as her body cooled off. Her other free hand searched her pockets on her belt. It took a moment for her to realize that she normally didn't carry any bandaging with her. It wasn't a custom for her to get so close to a weapon in battle. This was also a time, where she had wished she knew the healing arts, but her magic only carried her so far in the field. She hesitated from moving from the earth, a day without proper sleep and proper nutrition ran her ragged. The use of her powers made it even tougher on her. Lack of restorative potions were always abound around her. Either for the reason that she did not want to use her own powers or because they simply weren't available at the time.<br><br><strong>"Did either of you sleep?</strong>" she asked a bit, concerned. The night held many dangers, and it was likely that all three of them were running on empty.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>05-02-2013, 02:48:43</strong>
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				<strong>Bor Hannon<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Bor lunged forward when Mathius went down on one knee.&nbsp; He had to get to that Hurlock, thrust into the weaker armor in the side of the torso before it landed a deathblow on the young Warden.&nbsp; Eluv'yan looked to be handling herself well enough, they could help her once Mathius was safe.<br><br>He stepped forward, and the world lurched.&nbsp; Thin clouds on a dusky sky whirled about him, stabbed by the dark silhouettes of pine trees, and Bor struggled to keep his balance.&nbsp; He didn't remember the ground being so uneven; he must have stepped into a rabbit hole.&nbsp; Why was everything tilted?<br><br>Bor took another step, and this time the world spun.&nbsp; Wispy clouds became a blur of white, and the dark silhouettes rose higher and higher, consuming the soot-stained blue of the sky.&nbsp; His sword-hand gripped hard dirt and frozen grass.&nbsp; Where was his weapon?&nbsp; The darkness pressed in, obscuring Mathius and Eluv'yan.&nbsp; Even the Darkspawn faded away into that unnatural shadow.<br><br>As the battle raged on, Bor silently fell to his knees and rolled onto his back, unconscious.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>05-02-2013, 05:58:38</strong>
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				<strong>Mathius Vairo<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>The Antivan staggered to his feet with a grunt, favoring his left side due to the leg wound upon it. He was able to see Eluv’yan finishing off the Hurlock she was riding like a wild beast. Mathius’s first thought was being&nbsp; impressed by her powerful legs to be able to stay on the spawn’s back the whole time it was flailing about. His second thought was… more carnal in nature, but he quickly shook himself from that and gimped over to the girl still laying on her back. <br><br>Mathius chuckled, “Sleep? ‘Cousre, I found a nice inn a few miles back to rest for the night. Actual good Antivan ale and lovely serving girls on top of that.” He said in pure jest, with a mixture of a grin and grimace on his face. In earnest, he thought the girl looked like she’d been to the Void and back, but he assumed he looked no better after being on the run most of the night, with only the occasional rest against a tree. Mathius, after all, had a good deal of experience in running great distances after fleeing Antiva and eluding the Templars all the way to Orlais. So a&nbsp; night without rest or sleep, oddly enough, wasn’t uncommon to the man.<br><br>He approached Eluv’yan and loomed over her, reaching a hand down to help her up when she was ready. “Let’s go Fereldeners, I’d rather not have my head on a Darkspawn pike.” Mathius said, speaking generally to them both, he noticed Bor was on the ground nearby but had not seen him struck or otherwise harmed so he assumed he was simply being lazy. And considering Eluv’yan was far the cuter of the two decided to “aid” her first. In his half hearted white knight attempt, Mathius’s blue eyes caught a glimpse of the red stain of blood on her side. With a grunt he went down to one knee and brought his hand to it putting some pressure on the wound. “Can you walk?” The Antivan asked her, as he looked around in his immediate vicinity for something to use to bandage the cut.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>06-02-2013, 03:19:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Eluv'yan scoffed lightly at Mathius' attempt at humor after a dark battle. She looked up in the darkening night as the faint twinkling of stars appeared in the blackness. It was strange, how things so beautiful could exist alongside something so horridly evil like the darkspawn. As Mathius neared her, she only cocked an eyebrow, questioning as to what he was doing. The silence between his sentences fell quick, and his voice managed to startle her ears when he spoke again. <br><br>Soon Mathius was standing over her, her tired eyes focused on his face. He looked like he had a similar night, and his limp was evidence enough that he was injured as well. Eluv'yan sighed softly as he reached down to help her up. She pursed her lips a little and just offered a stare in return. As he kneeled down next to her, she could only stare more at him, questioning what he was doing. As soon as he touched at her wound and pressed on it, she was attempting to swat away his hand with both of hers.<br><br><strong>"I might be a woman, but I'm no pansy little child who cries at every boo-boo,"</strong> with that she rolled onto her side and slowly got up. She could feel her bones creaking as she slowly got to her feet. Her muscles twitched from the exertion, and her mouth was a bit parched now. "I'll be fine, it's healing already and leaking isn't too much of an issue," She would put herself aside, because others came before her. Finally on her feet, Eluv'yan touched a hand lightly to her side. It was bleeding even more now, but she wasn't concerned. Particularly because blood wasn't gushing forth from her abdominal wall.<br><br>&nbsp;She pulled her dagger from the neck of the hurlock, with the help of her leg anchoring the body to the ground. Green eyes then fell onto Bor, who lay motionless. She was slightly concerned, even if the man had barely ever uttered words. She walked over slowly and nudged him with one of her feet. Not roughly, but enough to elicit a reaction from him. When he didn't respond, she kneeled down and checked for large wounds. None were found. The last thing she checked, was to see if he was breathing. <br><br>He was, but faintly so.<br><br><em>'Now is a time, I really wished I knew the healing arts...'</em> she thought to herself as she motioned Mathius over. <strong>"We should prop his head up a little,"</strong> she said to her fellow Warden.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>09-02-2013, 23:52:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Mathius Vairo<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Mathius could only cock his head to the side, with a crooked grin as he watched Eluv'yan turn away his attempts to help her. His hands went up close to his face, with open and bloodied palms facing towards her in a gesture of stopping to try and aid her. "As you wish." Mathius replied with a chuckle to her. He felt unsure of whether or not she was simply trying to prove her toughness. Either way, there was a part of him who admired a strong woman like Eluv'yan.<br><br>Soon, with a grunt and stumble prior, the newly minted Grey Warden was back onto his feet and off of a single knee. He went about making a quick check that he didn't lose anything during the fight as he ran a hand across both of his shortswords and pouch, and then across his chest for the familiar, yet slight bulge of the pendant he kept tucked away inside of his cloth. Afterwards, and after her bidding, Mathius walked over towards Bor's body. "What's wrong with him?" Mathius asked, his Antivan accent shining through, as he took a knee opposite the side Eluv'yan was on. <br><br>The blood crusted and cracked skin of Mathius’s hand reached behind Bors head and slid under it and the cold ground. Feeling the oily and unkept texture of the elder Warden’s hair in his fingers and lifting his head up slowly. “I did not see him struck or injured, did you?” Mathius asked his fellow Grey Warden on the opposite side of Bors body.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>13-02-2013, 22:02:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br><strong>"Nor did I, which is why I'm concerned."</strong> Eluv'yan stated her concern for her elder Warden as her hands swept over his body, looking for cuts or wounds. She found nothing beyond a few scrapes and his already there scars. It was rather confusing, as she thought maybe it was perhaps do to exhaustion. Now, Eluv'yan wasn't sure what to do. She stood up, with a soft exhale of breath, and looked around. The area was clear. She checked the trigger wire in her pockets. Not enough for surrounding the clearing. <br><br>She looked to Bor and then to Mathius. She had an idea for setting up traps, but it required use of materials around the site. She figured she would need to get a fire going tonight, lest they get the shivers in the darkness. Right now it was more important to keep Bor healthy. Fires could attract unsightly things, but the benefits at the moment outweighed the disadvantages. She looked to Mathius and spoke softly, <strong>"Do you happen to have any string or cord on you? I'm rather low on wire,"</strong> She said, fidgeting in her pockets a little as she began removing all that she had left. She set on a nearby stone, her wire, two trap triggers, her unused bag of caltrops, a small file and a set of lockpick tools.<br><br>She sighed looking at the small amount of items. She needed to carry more, but this was more than enough to set up at least two traps. The small amount of coins she had on her could be utilized as well. Looking back at Mathius, she awaited an answer to her previous question and added a bit more to it, <strong>"If I have to, I'll search the darkspawn, but they are unlikely to have anything useful..."</strong> She looked back to Bor with concern on her face. What had caused him to fall? Why was he unconscious?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>14-02-2013, 00:32:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>A loud horn blast cut through the air, interrupting Eluv'yan.&nbsp; It came from the south.<br><br>Another horn, almost identical to the first, followed immediately.&nbsp; This one was much closer, and to their east.&nbsp; Then a third, and a fourth.&nbsp; More horns sounded, calling back and forth.&nbsp; Some were distant, others so close it almost sounded like they were coming from just outside the clearing.&nbsp; They came from all directions, except for the north.<br><br>The tone was unfamiliar.&nbsp; Neither Eluv'yan nor Mathius had heard it before.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>14-02-2013, 15:34:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Mathius<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br><strong>"I'm not sure, I'll check."</strong> Mathius replied to Eluv'yan. His hand slid down to his hip where his pouch was supposed to be, but to his shock it was gone. The Antivan must have lost it somewhere in the fray and frantically looked around for it, concerned only with finding it, and his lyrium. He layed Bors head back down and stood up to search for it. <strong>"You haven't seen a small pouch, have you?"</strong> Mathius asked Eluv as he scanned the ground.<br><br>Suddenly then, horns began to blow all around them it seemed.<strong> "Maker! Is that the horde on the move?" </strong> Mathius called out to Eluv'yan trying to raise his voice over the blasting sound of the war horns. Blue eyes then fixated upon the pouch, sitting along the tree line to the west&nbsp; where he ran out of, it must have fallen off there. He took a step towards it, but then heard more horns blasting from that direction and could feel the ground begin to tremble beneath his feet. <strong>"Fuck..." </strong> He muttered to himself under his breath. The lyrium wasn't worth his life and he could hold on till they got to the next town to get more.<br><br>Mathius wheeled back around and gimped up to Eluv'yan. <strong>"I think it's time to go." </strong> 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>14-02-2013, 16:42:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>The clearing darkened rapidly as the sun descended below the distant tree line.<br><br>If either of them check the Darkspawn, they won't find much.&nbsp; The one Mathius had dueled had a burlap pouch with four human ears.&nbsp; The other three carried warped, misshapen daggers.&nbsp; However, the Darkspawn Eluv'yan had killed had a Journeyman fire rune in a small pocket on its armor.<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>16-02-2013, 01:56:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>The horns caught Eluv'yan off guard. Enough so that she lost her balance as she was bending over to pick up something. She caught herself, then immediately surveyed the area as she hurriedly shoved items back into her pockets. It sounded like the horns of more darkspawn, but in the Wilds, nothing could be certain. She looked to Mathius who had been blabbering a question or two and replied with a rather hurried and serious tone. <strong>"No I have not." </strong><br><br>Eluv'yan could see that Mathius was now frantically looking for something, so she took the time to quickly search the dead that lay around them. Nothing but a ruin and a few daggers. She snagged the ruin and let the daggers lay. She then swiftly made her way to the limp and unconscious body of her mentor. Her weak arms gathered under neath him and she managed to partially hoist him onto her shoulder. He was such a large person compared to her, and her lack of energy was starting to get to her. Collapsing to the ground, on her knees, Eluv'yan was now struggling to get back onto her feet with Bor in her arms.<br><br>She looked over to Mathius running towards her, suggesting it was time to go.<strong> "No? I thought I'd just sit here and wait for the welcoming committee,"</strong> she barked as she managed to get one foot underneath her. <strong>"Help me out here or we will all be dinner for the ogres."</strong> After obtaining another foot underneath her, she lifted with her legs, and was able to stand up again. Hopefully this time Mathius would help her out. <strong>"Did you at least find what you were looking for? For we have no time to linger."</strong>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>16-02-2013, 22:59:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Mathius<br>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br><strong>"Can't risk it, besides what are you doing? He's dead weight and will only slow us down. If we bring him, we may not be able to get away."</strong> Mathius contested her as she struggled to get to her feet. She looked weak enough to simply collapse like Bor did. Now was no time to play a hero, those horns were close or at least they seemed to be. And he struggled with the thought of two exhausted and depleted Wardens being able to drag Bor out for what he could only assume was a great distance.<br><br>But Eluv'yan kept on struggling with every inch of might she may have left, and eventually found her way to her feet to the Antivan's amazement. Blue eyes shot across the clearing at the treeline, no movement as of yet, but it was hard to tell. Then his eyes shot&nbsp; back north, where they were headed, and saw another treeline. It was, however, a much thinner area of forestry overall. At least it seemed so overall. His head then hung down in thought, lifting it back up and taking a deep breath.<br><br>And then Mathius stomped over to Eluv'yan and Bor's body with urgency and swung the passed out elder Warden's arm over his shoulder. <strong>"I got him, you should probably go ahead of us, make sure its clear and there aren't anymore scouting parties like this one waiting for us."</strong>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>18-02-2013, 02:59:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>The last tendrils of light vanished as the sun disappeared behind the horizon.&nbsp; There was no moon, but the thin clouds hid only the dimmest stars.&nbsp; The light was faint, but they could see well enough to not step in a rabbit hole.<br><br>The horns continued.&nbsp; It was impossible to tell, but it felt like they were drawing closer.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>19-02-2013, 13:40:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>Moving out of the Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Eluv'yan grumbled at Mathius when he contested bringing Bor with. Without him they would be lost. Her internal dialogue flaring at him, she only remained silent until he finally grabbed hold of Bor. Eluv'yan thanked Mathius with a simple nod, and did not utter a single word from that point on. She pulled out her dagger and moved forwards, her feet silent as they padded against the earth.<br><br>She had only wished her strength was back to normal, but now was a time not to rest anymore. The impending hordes that shadowed over them with nearing horns, was not something to shake off. She moved forward, scouting, and reassured Mathius's every move with the knowledge of it being safe ahead. As they worked their way through the brush and sparse trees, she would stop and examine the surroundings, looking for traps and signals of ambushes. When it was clear she would wave to him, signalling him to move forward with haste. She attempted to do it at a pace that was quick, but thorough, but there was no such thing as a thief who didn't make mistakes. <br><br>Her ears were open to more impending horns, and they chilled her to the bone once more. Even the horns had a way of sounding unearthly, and contained an imposing evil within. Every now and then she wondered if Mathius was okay with carrying Bor, or if perhaps later, he would hold it over her head.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>20-02-2013, 01:15:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>North of the Woodland Clearing<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Eluv'yan and Mathius made good time, considering their situation.&nbsp; Mathius had correctly guessed that the northern woods were thinner.&nbsp; As they continued on in short bursts, the trees shifted to thinner, shorter birches and pines.&nbsp; They were farther apart than the southern vegetation, increasing visibility, but their roots were gnarled and just below the dirt, waiting to catch a careless foot.&nbsp; Patches of dense brush occasionally obstructed their path, thornbushes and biteme shrubs growing in dense thickets up to the waist.&nbsp; The horns were an omnipresent sound, individual peals melding together into one constant note blown by a hundred mouths.&nbsp; They didn't fade away as they moved north, but they didn't draw any closer either.<br><br>A dense fog began to quickly coalesce, drifting amongst the trees.&nbsp; Soon after, small flakes of snow began to drift silently to the ground.&nbsp; Combined with the night, the snow and fog drastically reduced their visibility.&nbsp; Above, the nighttime sky began to glow an eerie orange-red as the light from the Darkspawn horde's torches and fires lit up the underside of the clouds and caught on the falling snow.&nbsp; At least there was no wind, and their exertion kept them warm enough to avoid frostbite.<br><br>Close to half an hour after leaving the clearing, the forest broke.&nbsp; A stone road lay before Eluv'yan, running north-south.&nbsp; Despite the dusting of snow, the Imperial Highway was clearly in disrepair.&nbsp; The road was paved with gray stones, their hard edges softened by centuries of exposure.&nbsp; One arm of a stone arch rose out of an earthen mound on the side of the road, like the bleached rib of some long dead great beast.&nbsp; The sky to the south was a bright red, and the southern road trailed off into a red smear of fog and falling snow.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>21-02-2013, 19:12:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Mathius Vairo<br>The Imperial Highway<br>North of the Woodlands</strong><br><br>The Antivan watched as each exhale puffed out of his mouth in a small mist as the cold truly began&nbsp; to set in and small fell on his head. Of all the things he hated about this country, the unrelenting cold was one of, if not, the main thing he despised. His homeland was almost always comforting year around, but this one was harsh and damp and dreary.&nbsp; <br><br>Mathius suddenly stumbled as he broke out of the treeline and the Imperial Highway came into view. <strong>"Thank Andraste..."</strong> He muttered to himself in pure exhaustion after lugging Bor for so long. He could see Eluv'yan standing on the roads edge as he began to try to walk again, this time however his injured gave out and he went down to one knee and Bor's body tumbled to the ground. The young Warden stayed there on his hands and knees trying to regain his strength for the final stretch.<br><br>In a quick motion, he lifted up Bor's&nbsp; body and tried to sling it over his shoulder, though he wasn't able to get his knee off the ground at first. Mathius's body shivered at the oncoming of the cold night ahead and grunted through gritting teeth as he forced himself up on his feet, With Bor's waist wrapped around Mathius's shoulder and being held onto by his legs. Weary, and in heavy need of rest, he pressed on until he finally reached Eluv'yan. <strong>"I've never been so happy to see a road in my life."</strong> He said to her as his foot first made contact with the paving. <strong>"What now?"</strong> Mathius asked exasperated as he turned his head back north at the windings of the road that lay before them.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>22-02-2013, 05:37:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>The Imperial Highway<br>North of the Woodlands</strong><br><br>Eluv'yan shivered as she watched the snow began to fall. She cursed in her mind, eventually they were going to have to stop for the night. North was probably their best bet now, away from the Southern Wilds. She heard Mathius fall behind her, turning around she expressed slight concern. She watched as he struggled and then eventually gained a foothold, keeping her from having to ask if he had needed help. Regardless, she moved over and threw Bor's other arm around her shoulders and helped alleviate the weight on Mathius's part. <strong>"I apologize, I forgot you were injured..."</strong> she spoke softly to him, her breath playing mist through the cold night's air. <br><br>She looked to the north, and then to the south. The torches that lit up the south in the distance, meant to her, it was rather unsafe. Darkspawn lay to the south of here. Civilization also most likely existed to the north. In the north was Denerim, her old home, so there had to be at least villages between there. She couldn't remember the ones she had passed by on her way to Ostagar, it was all a rather boring blur. <strong>"Roads mean civilization, of course we're glad to see one, especially this one."</strong> She readjusted Bor's extra weight on her shoulders. Her sides ached, and her muscles never let up. She wondered when she'd completely run out of energy. Would it be at a crucial moment where she had to defend herself? Or would it be when they finally reached a safe place? She wasn't very sure about the answer to her question.<br><br>She did know, that eventually they would find a place to stay, safely, should they follow the highway. <strong>"I know we're both rather tired, but we need to press on some more..."</strong> she paused, looked over Bor to Mathius, and continued, <strong>"We go North..."</strong> She motioned her head in the direction they needed to take. In the mean time, as they moved on, she would make small talk. It helped as a distraction to their pain and aches.<br><br><strong>"So, you're Antivan? Any family back home?"</strong> It was a general conversation starter, and she did not know much about Mathius beyond his skills she had seen on the field, and the few things he had mentioned off hand before. As well as his knack for swears. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>24-02-2013, 06:25:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Mathius Vairo<br>The Imperial Highway<br>North of the Woodlands</strong><br><br><strong>"I assume there are, but I do not know of them."</strong> Mathius responded to Eluv'yan with nonchalant delivery. <strong>"Or maybe there aren't&nbsp; anymore and I am the last of the line as it&nbsp; was. Either way, it doesn't matter. Antiva and her beauty are leagues away and the darkspawn are not so far away." </strong> He continued in a way trying to dodge the intended answer. Why, in such a time of desperation, would his family history be of any importance, Mathius pondered. Perhaps it was a Ferelden way of lightening the mood. Following his evasive responce there was a pause and scilence that was uneasy and ackward. And Mathius could feel the palpable tension and despair. Perhaps during the course of only three days he'd offered the wrong impression on what was left of his Grey Warden brethen. Not that he cared about impressing his new owners, but this one was particularly cute compared to the normal Warden, so nice treatment was warrented he felt.<br><br><strong>"My mother gave me over to the Chantry when I was small. I barely remember her, most of it being what the Templars told me when I would ask them about her. They said her name was Amilia and worked in a tavern. She wanted me to "Follow Andraste and walk by the Maker's side" by serving in the Chantry, according to the Templars."</strong> Mathius told his Warden sister to break the silence and ease the tension in the foul smelling air.<strong> "They were lying of course, like the Chantry does in many things. In all likelihood she was a tavern wench or whore who either didn't want me or couldn't afford to feed me. Like I said, either way it doesn't matter." </strong> <br><br>The blonde haired former Templar let out a heavy sigh of a mixture of exhaustion and something of relief. Rarely did he ever speak of his mother, partly because he usually felt there was no point and partly because such tales were not easy ways to lure women into the bed chamber. They continued to trek on as they dragged Bor's limp body along, the toes of his boots clicking against every crack and rise in the road making a very annoying sound over the course of a long distance. <strong>"I suppose it's your turn then, if you'd like. From Denerim correct? I would hope you have a more charming tale of your family to share."</strong> Mathius asked Eluv'yan as he readjusted Bor's arm across his shoulders for a better grip.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>02-03-2013, 03:00:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>The Imperial Highway<br>North of the Woodlands</strong><br><br>Eluv'yan continued walking, supporting half the weight of Bor on her shoulders as Mathius held the other half of the weight. Mathius appeared slightly perturbed at her question. Perhaps it was too personal. She had learned before, at the Ostagar camp in the days before the battle, that many of her fellow wardens had sad stories to tell. Perhaps this was the case, perhaps not. He seemed to struggle with how to answer her, perhaps talking about Antiva would be a better course of action than of his family. When he revealed he had been a Templar, she shifted the weight on her shoulders and stared down the road ahead of them. Her face pulled into a blank expression, and only focus in her eyes. <br><br>In her mind, she cursed. Were he to find out about her abilities, it could cause turmoil at an unneeded time. He was rather souring sounding reminiscing about his mother. Eluv'yan's mother could have cared less about her mother as well. Since the woman did nothing but abandon her father and her when she was young. Perhaps had her mother known of the atrocities her father would eventually commit, she would have taken Eluv'yan along with her. It seemed as if the Templar's were as bad as she was told to believe, in terms of indoctrination and their own ways. She had heard tale of a few Templar Knights, who had strong hearts and good, kind ways. It seemed as most were too consumed with their Lyrium addictions or were already in a set of mind that was never to be changed.<br><br>When he asked her a question in turn, she debated exactly what to tell him. Should she tell him she took her own father's life? Would she tell him her family were the people she trusted and not her own blood? It seemed as her silence continued to stretch for more than a few moments. The twilight had started to swell in on them it seemed in the silence, before she broke it with a serious tone. <br><br><strong>"Denerim is far from any of Antiva's beauty. And it's people are often not worth mentioning. My blood amongst them. The only people I consider family now a days are those who hold my trust. And as of now there is only one person in that city who I trust... and he is unimportant now."</strong> Her blank face continued to only peer at the road ahead. The noise of Bor's feet clinking along the pavement had only faded away as her ears had concentrated on their surroundings now. She was tempted to stop them, pull of his shoes and cover his feet in leather wrappings or cloth. That would waste too much precious time, time they needed to get to a town... to get to safety. Bor needed a healer, and both Mathius and her needed some sleep. Other than that, she needed to find a place where she could replenish her supplies and pick up higher quality items for traps. <br><br>Once again she adjusted Bor's weight on her shoulder, her other hand reached up to check to see if he was still breathing. He was, at least that was something they wouldn't have to worry about. Being alone, and being just barely a Grey Warden, could have been tough to handle. Still looking ahead she spoke again, her tone more warm yet her eyes still fixated on the road ahead. <strong>"Perhaps family was not the best of subjects. Who taught you to dual wield?"</strong> She was curious about that, as he was able to manage short swords. That would take at least some form of heavy practice.<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>04-03-2013, 00:13:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>As Eluv'yan finished asking her question, she and Mathius notice something beside the Highway to the north.&nbsp; It appeared out of the falling snow no more than fifty paces ahead, a lopsided mound to the right of the road, covered in a fingerswidth of snow.&nbsp; Something moved besides it: a horse, shaking the snow from its mane, attached to the mound by poles and reins.<br><br>If they draw closer, they'll realize that the object is a small wooden cart (http://www.laneranch.net/images/wagon%20shoot%2012%2019%202001040.jpg), the type used by farmers to haul their produce to market.&nbsp; There was a small seat on the front, more like a plank nailed onto the top of the cart, and the horse's reins were looped around a catchpole next to it.&nbsp; The back of the cart was just big enough for a man to lay in.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>05-03-2013, 01:08:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				[/b]Mathius<br>The Imperial Highway<br>North of Ostagar[/b]<br><br>Mathius chuckled loudly hearing her question with the memories rushing back to him. <strong>“I would never tell anyone that story while sober, so if you wish to hear it begin praying to the Maker for a Inn to show up somewhere along this road.” </strong> The former templar told her jokingly, with a big grin across his face and shooting her coy looks as best he could trying to look past Bor inconveniently placeed hung over head.<br><br>But to Mathius’s own amazement as he looked forward up the road he saw something odd up ahead. A large odd mound of snow, with something hidden beneath. <strong>“Stop, look.” </strong> Mathius told Eluv’yan as he stopped walking for a second&nbsp; and looked closely. Not a moment later a horse whinnied and shook the snow from off its back. <strong>“Andraste’s tits, a horse!”</strong> He said excitedly at the sight of what could possibly be their saving grace now.<br><br>As they drew ever closer it was apparent there was some kind of cart there as well, maybe attached to the horse itself. As they reached the horse and cart Mathius quickly went to work using his hand and throwing all the snow off the cart he could. <strong>“Let’s set him down here, I don’t think I can carry his ass another ten paces.” </strong> The blonde haired Warden suggested to his sister in the order.<br><br><strong>“What are the odds, a horse and cart here? In the middle of nowhere. If I weren’t so tired and hungry I might think it too good to be true. But right now I see no reason not to take it for ourselves, do you?” </strong> Mathius said to Eluv’yan after finally reaching a point of rest as he leaned himself up against the cart and took long deep breaths.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>05-03-2013, 03:07:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Aside for a single burlap sack full of potatoes, the cart was empty, and the fingerwidth or so of snow was easily cleared out.<br><br>Mathius or Eluv'yan may notice a small arrow, the type used by shortbowmen, jutting out of a mound of snow on the ground a pace or so away.&nbsp; It had been hidden from their eyes on the Highway, positioned as it was behind the cart.&nbsp; If they brushed some of the snow off, they'd uncover the very cold and very dead body of a farmer face down on the frozen ground, the arrow sticking out from between his shoulder blades.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>07-03-2013, 20:35:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br><strong>"Now I do not normally reference a god of any sort, but perhaps this is more than common luck,"</strong> Eluv'yan almost smiled as they reached the cart. She waited until Mathius had brushed off the fresh snow, and then did her best to lay Bor as gently in the cart as possible, using her weight as a counter to keep him from falling into it too hard. She almost felt as if she was flying, the weight that she had been carrying had taken her by surprise now as the relief waved its way throughout her muscles. Eluv'yan sighed softly, her breath misting in the cold winter's air. Her eyes went to the horse, as she decided to calmly approach it. <br><br>IT was then as she looked up and sighed, that she spotted a snow covered mound on the ground a short walk away. An arrow jutted from the snow, and Eluv'yan's green eyes narrowed. She approached it slowly, and upon arrival at the lump, she cautiously swept away snow with her cold fingertips. A heavy sigh escaped her lips and her head hung low, it was a farmer. Most likely the owner of the cart and buggy. Now was not the time for a funeral, nor did they have the tools to dig into the frost bitten earth to bury him. <strong>"May the darkness not swallow your soul, but the light carry you to a kinder place," </strong>was all that she said, in a parting whisper. She stood up, and walked back to the cart to Mathius. <br><br><strong>"The cart is ours to take, this horse needs a home as much as we do,"</strong> she paused, her hands gently stroking the horse's neck for reassurance, as her eyes drifted to the resting Mathius. <strong>"The owner, is no longer alive, but I see no reason to waste such an opportunity such as this horse."</strong> Eluv'yan looked at the reins, tied off onto a catch pole nearby, and she then looked back at Mathius. <strong>"It's best we get moving before this horse collapses from exhaustion with out us getting very far,"</strong> She paused again, while she had ridden horses, she had never directed one from behind on a cart, <strong>"Do you have experience driving carts?"</strong>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>08-03-2013, 05:24:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Mathius<br>The Imperial Highway <br>North of Ostagar</strong><br><br><strong>“Poor bastard.”</strong> Was all that Mathius muttered seeing the half frozen corpse laying in a heap on the side of the road. It wasn’t said in a sympathetic fashion either, more of a sarcastic tone than anything. He looked a little closer at the arrow sticking out of the mans chest, and oddly enough it didn’t seem like it was flung from a darkspawns bow. The arrow was smoothly sanded and recently made, and not crude and misshapen like the spawn arrows tended to be. <strong>“This may have been a bandit or highwaymen arrow, maybe even the wild folk to the south, I suppose we should be aware of more than just darkspawn about.” </strong> Mathius told his Grey Warden sister after he knelt down in front of the dead farmer and took a close examination of the arrow.<br><br>The Antivan walked around the horse, running a hand up its back to try and keep it calm. Then he loosed the reigns from the post they were wrapped around and he brought back around to the horse and to the front of the cart, laying them down. The horse didn’t budge an inch, despite probably feeling nearly frozen to death. It was well trained to respond to certain movements of the reigns. <strong>“No I can’t say I have ever driven a cart.” </strong> Mathius said as he walked back around the back of the cart and to Eluv’yan’s side, facing her and the opposite side of the road. <strong>“But--,” </strong> Mathius stopped himself just as he was about to say something else, when something from off the road caught his eye, a black spot up against the sea of white, blue, and green of snow, trees, and the sky. Suddenly he realized what it was, an arrow coming right at him! <strong>“Down!” </strong> The Antivan yelled out and he was forced to shove Eluv’yan down to the ground just before the arrow reached them. It struck into the outer part of the wooden cart with a thud and stuck there. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>09-03-2013, 00:13:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Eluv'yan nearly cursed as she was shoved to the ground unexpectedly by Mathius. A small grunt passed through her gritted teeth as an arrow whizzed by her face and thunked into the cart. Bandits? Highway Men? Holding her breath she listened, she could hear cursing and muffled footsteps. What was she going to do? The two young wardens certainly couldn't let their ride ticket get injured. Let alone, let Bor sustain any further damage. Grumbling she got onto her feet. She was tired and cranky, dirty and cold. She wanted a meal, supplies and a good nights rest.<br><br>Darkspawn were something else, but people, humans, were an annoyance especially if they chose to fight at a distance. Being stealthy clearly wasn't a skill of theirs, especially if they were cursing at each missed shot. After brushing off the snow on her armor, she glanced up at the forest edge. Her green eyes were narrowed, and focused. Now Eluv'yan was not usually one to anger, but she had seen better work from thieves who were just beginning out. After taking a few more precious seconds to glance over the area, she opened her mouth. <br><br>Eluv'yan wasn't your standard thief, she often took a route that even the most dexterous rogues would choose not to. She chose words, lies, and charisma over traps, backstabbing, and combat in some situations. <strong>"You've wasted two arrows! Now certainly your quiver cannot hold more than twenty. You're a terrible shot and your footfalls are heavy. How about you show yourself instead of wasting precious ammo, and confront us like a real thief would had he been seen?"</strong> She was angry, she also wasn't unprepared. She knew how to combat thieves, she grew up with them. And at the moment, if she bought more time, she would have access to magic. Something they surely wouldn't see. <br><br>Mathius might possibly see this move as brash, and not properly thought out, but to Eluv'yan it was an attempt at intimidation. Intimidation worked in many ways. A shaken enemy could be talked out of battle, or could effect them enough that they would slip up in combat. Even if it didn't affect them, she had given herself some time to think up a new plan. Hopefully, she could at least draw them closer, and out into the open, for neither her or Mathius had a way of fighting at that far of a range. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>09-03-2013, 00:31:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Abandoned Cart<br>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>The footfalls came to an abrupt stop as Eluv'yan spoke.&nbsp; The man may not be very quiet, but he was apparently fairly good at hiding.&nbsp; As the two Wardens scanned the treeline, they could not find him, even with the ambient light from the Darkspawn horde's fires.<br><br>"Maker shelter me!" the unknown man said when she finished, loud enough that they could easily narrow his location down to a clump of shrubs ten paces from the cart, even if they still couldn't see him.&nbsp; He had a Ferelden accent, the voice of a peasant or poor farmer.&nbsp; A country bumpkin.&nbsp; "You're Wardens!&nbsp; I--&nbsp; I thought you were Darkspawn, honest!&nbsp; That farmer was dead when I found him, I swear it's true!&nbsp; This was 'is bow and arrows!"<br><br>His frightened voice cut through the silence, that odd quiet unique to falling snow having muffled everything else.&nbsp; Beneath the lilting accent, there was a shakiness to his voice.&nbsp; Was it the tremor of a lie, or was he simply too cold to talk smoothly?&nbsp; It was impossible to tell.&nbsp; He did not reveal himself.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>09-03-2013, 16:08:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Mathius<br>The Abandoned Cart<br>Somwhere along the Imperial Highway</strong><br><br>Face down against the cold stone pavement of the highway, Mathius stayed. Blood boiling, and anger&nbsp; rising at this cowardly attempt upon their lives. For only&nbsp; a moment, the Antivan’s body was on top of Elub’yan’s after being forced to push her out of the way and sending them both tumbling down. But quickly, Mathius rolled over off of her and slowly worked his way to the edge of the road the arrow came from. He peaked over the short barrier, but some nothing of note in the small valley beneath the road. The Imperial Highway seemed to always be a little higher elevated than the area immediately surrounding it, so the two assailed Wardens did have the advantage of high ground.<br><br>Then Eluv’yan began to speak loudly. <strong>“What are you doing?! Keep down!” </strong> Mathius try to tell her. Why would she goad them on like so, what if there were more assailants than the two Wardens could hope to handle on their own? Why would she so willingly give their positions away to an unknown enemy approaching?&nbsp; But then another rang out through the&nbsp; howling winter wind. By his voice, the Antivan was able to roughly pinpoint his location at a pile of shrubs not very far away.<br><br><strong>“He’s fucking lying. How could that imbecile mistake us for Darkspawn, I mean we do look like shit, but not that bad.” </strong> Mathius told Eluv’yan after listening to all the moaning and ramblings the “farmer” had to say. He pondered for a moment and looked at her. <strong>“Keep him talking.” </strong> Mathius told his sister as he began to creep down the direction of the road they just came from on all fours. When safely away, and Eluv’yan providing distraction, he climbed down from the road and onto the snowy white ground. He moved for the shrub, with a dagger in hand, slowly and quietly trying not to give himself away with the loud crunching of his boots upon the thin layer of snow. He was only a few steps away now but could not yet see who was hiding behind it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>13-03-2013, 05:20:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>The Abandoned Cart on the Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Eluv'yan did not physically acknowledge Mathius, as to not give him away. She would keep talking. She hoped, if the man in the foliage was telling the truth, that Mathius would not harm him. She understood his concern though. She readjusted her posture, crossing her arms over her chest. Her foot kicked a small stone, biding her a few seconds of time until she spoke to the figure some more. <strong>"Yes, we're Grey Wardens,"</strong> she paused and made sure Mathius was out of view, <strong>"If you're truly who you say you are, you should leave us be." </strong><br><br>She paused again, perhaps leaving a person alone, with only a bow to defend himself... was a bad idea. If he was actually an innocent, he was most likely running from the Darkspawn and was perhaps terrified. If he needed safety in getting to the next town, she would offer her help. She may not have been a knight or even a follower of Andraste, but she knew what it was like to be alone and terrified. <strong>"If you are running from the darkspawn and need assistance getting to the next town, we may be able to offer protection." </strong>She sighed softly and uncrossed her arms, her right hand moved up to hang in the air.<br><br><strong>"Only if you show yourself and don't cause us harm,"</strong> with that her hand motioned for the person to remove themselves from the bush. She had timed it so, that her beckoning would have come as Mathius had moved into position. Whether the person in the bushes was friendly or not, Mathius's position insured the safety of Eluv'yan. It also ensured a double check on friendly or foe.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>16-03-2013, 01:55:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Abandoned Cart<br>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>"You swear?" he called out nervously.&nbsp; "If you're headed towards Lothering, let me come with you!&nbsp; I'm a great shot, and I know the woods around the old Highway.&nbsp; Alright, I'm coming out!"<br><br>A rough wooden bow flew out of the bush and onto the ground between the forest and the cart, followed by a half dozen arrows tied in a bundle with twine.&nbsp; A few seconds passed before a tall and wiry man stepped out of the bushes, his hands up and palms forward.&nbsp; He was handsome in a way, if a bit gaunt and grimy, with an unkempt shock of black hair hinting at a distant Antivan ancestry.&nbsp; He was dressed in the well-worn and simple clothes of a villager or farmer, and they hung on his thin body like rags on a scarecrow.&nbsp; He looked terrified, but he moved steadily and stood tall.<br><br>He did not see Mathius, but looked at Eluv'yan instead.&nbsp; The bow and arrows lay at his feet.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>16-03-2013, 07:49:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Eluv'yan made a swift motion of her hand as the man tossed his bow forward, a signal to Mathius, as her eyes looked at him. It was short and was intended for him to back away from the person in the bush, to stand down. As the man came out of the bush, it seemed as if he was no threat to the two wardens. Looks may be decieving, but after hearing the quiver in his voice and the state of his clothes, she considered him no longer a threat. She slowly walked forward, her guard still up but not shown as so, she stopped a few feet away from the man, aware that his bow and the tied bundle of arrows were at his feet.<br><br><strong>"If Lothering is north, that is where we are headed," </strong>she paused, and looked over the apparent villager before continuing, <strong>"Are you hurt at all?"</strong> She kept a short distance between them, and wondered if Mathius was going to stay hidden for the mean time, or was going to front the man as well. She then wondered if perhaps the man knew the way to Lothering himself, or if she had every been in Lothering. Eluv'yan wasn't very concerned about another person in their group, so much as she was of darkspawn. Perhaps having a new person in the group could help them out, especially if he knew archery. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>16-03-2013, 18:36:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Mathius<br>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Mathius could clearly see Eluv'yan's gesture to stand down which brought a grunt from his lips as the man was still shrouded from his view on the opposite side of the bush. He crept around from behind, and saw him throw his bow off to the side. Standing only a pace behind now, the man still had no idea he was there, as any trained soldier would have been able to notice by now which granted weight to his claim of being a simple man. Slowly, Mathius lowered his dagger and sheathed it, and in a way he was strangely disappointed this man was the tiny threat he was in reality. He had hoped that the arrow which almost took his or his Warden sister's life had been loosed by someone of far greater value.<br><br>With a heavy sigh he walked around the man, who surely would have been surprised to know someone was behind him all this time. <strong>"The man attempted to kill you, and you worry over his well being?"</strong> Mathius muttered to Eluv'yan as he walked past her and back towards the road and cart. Once there he checked to make sure everything was in order and Bors was in no way harmed by the arrow, with which he did not seem to be. If Eluv'yan wanted to bring the stranger along that was her prerogative, and ultimately her responsibility should it backfire. <strong>"Well? You two coming or no?" </strong> He called down to them standing beside the cart clearly annoyed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>18-03-2013, 01:38:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Abandoned Cart<br>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>The man started when Mathius appeared next to him.&nbsp; His hands reflexively jerked to a deep pocket in the side of his shirt which, given his reaction, apparently held a weapon of some sort.&nbsp; Given the size of the pocket, it was most likely a dagger or knife of some kind.&nbsp; Once he was sure Mathius wasn't going to attack him, the man looked back to Eluv'yan with a relieved expression on his face.&nbsp; "Oh thank Andraste!&nbsp; I thought he was going to kill me where I stood.&nbsp; And I'm fine, m'Lady," he said, bowing deeply and knuckling his forehead.&nbsp; The words flowed from his mouth in a constant stream.&nbsp; "All things given, mind.&nbsp; I've been running from Ostagar since last night.&nbsp; Got two winks of sleep this morning in an old ruin, but then got chased out by Darkspawn right quick.&nbsp; Looks like you've been wrung out compared to me, though.&nbsp; Lucky thing this cart, eh?&nbsp; I had just found it when you two came up the road, dragging that dead fellow.&nbsp; I thought you were Darkspawn, honest, so I ran and hid, and, well, no more of that.&nbsp; M'name's Keller, Abe Keller, from Lothering.&nbsp; Farmhand by trade, found myself in Ostagar when I got the fool's idea to join a Teyrn's guard.&nbsp; My wife will skin me raw for running off like that.&nbsp; Oh but I'm being rude.&nbsp; May I ask your name, m'Lady Warden?"<br><br>While he was speaking, if Eluv'yan headed back towards the cart, Abe would pick up his bow and arrows and follow her but not climb onto the vehicle.&nbsp; He'd give Mathius a wide berth.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lumasan</strong> on <strong>27-03-2013, 04:48:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Eluv'yan Federan<br>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar<br></strong><br><br>Eluv'yan watched the man as he startled once Mathius showed himself. Perhaps she had been too quick to trust the fellow after he had disposed of his weapons, but that was in the past now. She smirked when the man proclaimed fear of Mathius, it quickly faded once the stranger directed his attention back to the brunette. She was a bit flattered by his show of kindness, his bow to her. She waved her hand for him to follow her, along side of her, as she walked back to the cart. He ran his mouth a rather large amount, telling them about his flee from Ostagar, his name, and about his wife. When an opening came as Abe took a breath, she snuck her conversation in.<br><br><strong>"The cart is indeed a welcome change in the tides,"</strong> She paused as she continued to walk back to it, watching Abe from the corner of her eye, <strong>"The dark-spawn do not know resistance, and are advancing further into the wilds. A faster form of travel is comfortable relief to us."</strong> As Eluv'yan reached the cart she climbed onto the rickety seat. She looked to Abe and questioned if he had wanted to ride or if he preferred to walk. Figuring he would climb in to the back by Bor if he had wanted to ride in the cart. Eluv'yan waited for Mathius to join her, while her thoughts turned to something that Abe had mentioned. The Teryn's men. They were the back up at Ostagar, the one's that Mathius and herself had to alert when the battle got heavy. Did this man run before the battle went down? She could not say for sure.<br><br>She sighed softly, and then turned her head to the farmer Keller. <strong>"I am not sure how much this cart can carry in weight, but this horse looks rather muscular. Would you like to climb into the back perhaps?"</strong>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>27-03-2013, 05:15:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Mathius<br>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>Mathius found his seating next to Eluv'yan upon the rickety old cart. He had taken a few moments prior to using his hands to try and dig some built up snow from underneath it, to make it easier for the horse to pull the cart out of it's spot and get more traction on the road. His Warden sister and new companion it seemed, since she was so willing to accept him easily, were taking their dear sweet time. Maybe they wanted to freeze to death or let the darkspawn catch them.<br><br>The former Templar was in no way a weakling, but the hunger building up inside him, and the desire for warmth, were turning into something fierce. He'd endured worse, but this was not a good situation despite the good fortune of a cart and half dead horse. Only complicated by the two people, and limp body of Bor, slowing him down. Mathius was a survivor, and survivors often did best on their own. For now though, that wasn't an option. He then grabbed the reigns and gave the horse a little whip to get him going.<br><br><strong>"Ya,"</strong> He said calmly trying to get the horse moving, but not wanting to get too loud for any unfriendly ears to hear. <strong>"Whatever you do, do it quick farmer. We're leaving,"</strong> 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Blight of Ferelden (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Question Mark</strong> on <strong>04-04-2013, 03:15:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>No-Longer-Abandoned Cart<br>The Imperial Highway<br>Somewhere North of Ostagar</strong><br><br>"I prefer to walk," Abe said hastily with a hasty bow.&nbsp; "I'll walk alongside, it ain't no bother to me."<br><br>The cart made it out of the snow easily enough.&nbsp; Although the horse was surely stiff and cold, it nonetheless moved forward with the powerful strides of a farmbeast.&nbsp; The cart shuddered worryingly as it wobbled over the uneven edge of the Highway, but once it was straight on the road, it rolled along smoothly enough.&nbsp; The steadily accumulating snow muffled Abe's footsteps and the horse's ironshod hooves.&nbsp; For a while, the only sound was the rhythmic creaking of the cart's wheels.&nbsp; After the horrifyingly violent events at Ostagar, it was a paradoxically peaceful moment, even soothing.<br><br>With a loud smack, Abe clapped a hand to his head, sending snow fluttering off of his black hair.&nbsp; "Beggin' my pardon!" he said in a shocked expression, turning to walk backwards so he could face Eluv'yan and Mathius.&nbsp; "My manners have fled me!&nbsp; I gave you my name but never asked for yours!"
			</dd>
		</dl>
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