The Seven Kings

[Azena]

The OOC & Sign-Up

Fellow Knight of Rexil,
Dark times have arrived in the Goblin Country. Whether you wish to admit it or not, this is your home now. Aldrina is in danger and its rulers have become too blind with hatred to realize it. The Goblin Kings bicker and prepare for war with each other while evil forces gather on the edges of their borders. We can not be sure what plagues this land, but if the rumors are true then we have little time before an ancient evil returns. I have already organized another party to travel to the Jungle Territory in order to find Morass and investigate the source of this dark power. In the meantime, I will assign you to a party that must make haste to the other kings and convince them to set aside their differences and help each other, before it is too late for them and Aldrina. I ask you to gather in the Great Hall so I may speak with you before you set out.

Knight Master Geoffrey

Ryder sat at his desk, reading the letter for the third time now. For the past year and a half, his place had been here at the stronghold. He trained new recruits, acted as a mentor to the Knights, and protected the port city of Rexil. He hated the other races, and Geoffrey knew this. So why was he to be sent on a fool's errand to play politics with the Goblins? He should be leading the investigation party, then he could put a stop to this nonsense of ancient evils before it even started. Instead, Geoffrey sent that coward, Byron, to deal with it. The clouds that blocked the sun moved away and the bright light reflected off Ryder's armor and into his eyes.

He rose from his seat and crossed to the window. He loved this room for it had the perfect view of the city below. A beautiful stone-masonry city built along the steep hills that led down to the water front. Even this early in the morning, the port was already bustling with dock workers unloading new supplies. The city streets were still relatively quiet, except for the few shop keepers setting up their wares for the day. Ryder returned to the room and picked up his armor from the mannequin stand. As he put each piece on, he couldn't help but to wonder who else had received the letter. It had become common practice in the Knights to accept members from other races, a choice that he strongly disagreed with. Even here, in the new stronghold, they had less humans than any other race.

Ryder and his fellow men were outnumbered by elves, dwarves, goblins, and all manner of other species. Aldrina was no better. The land was known as Goblin Country, but races from all over the world had taken to travelling here. As the oldest civilized land in recorded history, there was much hidden and lost to time in the ancient ruins and vast lands. That fact alone was enough to draw in every soul in the neighboring countries that wanted to make a name for themselves. Most of the goblins were surprisingly welcoming, given their reputation as prudish and cautious of outsiders. Geoffrey says they all listen to their Fire King and he had decided it would be in their best interest to embrace the outside world.

With the last piece of his armor fastened, Ryder grabbed his sword and tied the sheathe around his waist. He blew out the candle on his desk and left his room. In the hallway, many of the other Knights were leaving their rooms to tend to their morning duties or just returning from night watch in the city. Ryder made his way through the crowd and down the stairs. The Great Hall was alive with hungry Knights devouring every morsel in sight. Cooks frantically ran throw the crowded aisles to lay down fresh dishes and snag away dirty dishes. The constant chattering and roaring laughter was common at meal times. In between, the Hall was usually used for lessons and studies with books. Ryder preferred this type of gathering. The singing and cheering as fellow Knights came together reminded him of the days when they were just men serving a great king. Sometimes, we he got drunk enough, Ryder even forgot that he was surrounded by short, bearded men or little, barbaric beasts.

Ryder crossed the hall, saying good morning to familiar faces that he'd normally join for the fresh eggs and juice. At the far end of the hall, at an elegantly crafted mahogany table, sat Knight Master Geoffrey. The old and hardened soldier watched with a humble smile at his Knights. Ryder approached the table and took a knee.

"Rise, my dear friend, and join me. We will wait for the others to arrive." Ryder knew there would be others, but the statement still caught him off guard for some reason. Ryder stood back up and circled around the table to an empty seat next to Geoffrey. There was all ready a plate of steaming ham and eggs waiting for him. Geoffrey hadn't touched any of his own. Ryder hesitated to touch his own, not wanting to seem rude, but with a nod from Geoffrey, he cut a piece of ham and began his breakfast. All the while, he watched the crowd for those that would step forward to speak with Geoffrey.

[Rtron]

Franco read the letter with a small snort. "Great. I've got to go chat with the Goblin Kings. This will be fun." He muttered, placing on his armor. He left his helmet off and in his pack for now, as there was an unlikely chance of combat suddenly appearing. He did however, secure his spear to his back and his dagger to his hip for easy access. Old habits die hard. Walking into the Great Hall he was met with the welcome sight of the usual camaraderie that happens when the Knights gather in the Hall for eating. As he walked towards the end of the Hall, he shouted greetings to fellow Knights whom were friends to him.


The newer recruits stared at his blood red eyes, and scarred face for a few moments before being dragged back into the current conversation by others. Franco simply chuckled. He certainly made quite a sight to those whom had not seen him before. Walking up to the table, his hand clenched reflexively. Sitting next to the Knight Master was one of the very few people in the Knights he routinely avoid and did not get along with. Ryder Montierro. Namely because Franco doesn't take nicely to racists, and Ryder is a arrogant man. Both refuse to back down easily. As such, there had been a few clashes in the years that Franco had been in the Knights. Reaching the table, Franco smacked his right fist against the chest piece of his armor, and bowed. He only did it to those whom had earned his respect, and Geoffrey was one of those few.

[ladybella]

Lena stood in her room, staring thoughtfully at the wall in front of her. One arm was resting across her chest, while the elbow of the other was resting on that arm, so her hand could rest lightly against her rosy cheek. Her eyes were trained on one particular spot of the wall in her room. Through the gloom, she could barely see the long shaft sticking out of the wooden beam, but the brightly colored feathers she used for her arrows gave it away. Even in the darkness of her quarters she could see the bright red feathers. She had been standing there quiet a while, simply staring. Finally, she moved, but it was a stiff movement as she reached for the curtains and shoved them aside with one arm. Her eyes were still trained on the spot of the wall and when the light flooded the room, she could clearly see the letter and she scowled once more. With a raised eyebrow she walked to the arrow, pulling it out of the beam and caught the letter before it could fall. She didn't want to read the words again, for some reason they offended her, so she dropped it on her small desk and crossed to her wardrobe. She pursed her lips, wondering if this was a formal meeting or not. She decided it wasn't, the great hall would be full of knights stuffing themselves like pigs, hardly the place for formal wear. However, she was meeting Master Geoffery, so her normal training wear was probably not except able.

'Only a woman would have to think of these things,' She thought to herself as she reached for her breeches and tunic. She dressed quickly, knowing that she had spent too much time taking her anger out on the simple note that she had found upon waking. Hopefully, her tardiness would be excused. Instead of braiding her hair, like she normally did, to save time she simply pulled pieces out of her face and secured them at the back of her head with a golden hair piece. A small smile played on her lips and she glanced down to the rest of her golden jewelry longingly. This was no time to adorn herself in her favorite things, so she turned quickly before losing her willpower and began to lace up her boots. She strapped on her sword as a habit and floated out of her room, towards the great hall.

Lena walked at a decent pace, not wanting to seem rushed, but not plodding along aimlessly. She waved to those who offered her greetings but didn't stop as she entered the great hall. At least it was not dinner time. Usually, when there were great amounts of alcohol involved, Lena could not simply walk down the isle without finding a hand or two drawn to her backside. Each man was held responsible for his actions and berated accordingly but she couldn't help feeling disgusted when she saw familiar faces and could feel their eyes staring longingly as she passed. Lena tried to understand where they were coming from, most hadn't had a woman in months, but she really wished sometimes that she was a man. It would make her life so much easier.
As she approached the table, Lena saw three others seated at the table. She wasn't sure how many were going on this trip, so she couldn't decide if she was late or not. Master Geoffrey was an older man, Lena felt affection towards him like one would an uncle, but she knew he could be ruthless and was someone she would rather have on her side. Ryder Montierro, someone she had seen in the training ring many times, and had sparred against as well. He was a good fighter, although a bit arrogant for her tastes. The last seated was Franco, the fearless warrior. Lena had always thought he was a friendly creature and she was sure this mission wouldn't be so bad if Franco was allowed to come along. He would be loyal and a great asset if they were to, for some reason, enter a battle.

"Mast Geoffrey, Ryder, Franco," Lena said their names, with a decline of her head as she looked at each male. She looked back to the master knight and motioned to a seat, "May I sit?" She asked respectfully.

[Azena]

Ryder watched as Franco the Goblin made his way through the crowd. The feeling was entirely mutual when the two locked eyes. There was no friendship between the two. Ryder had enough problems with a Goblin being a Knight, it didn't help that he was so stubborn and brash. Ryder shifted uncomfortably in his seat as the goblin bowed to Master Geoffrey who motioned for him to sit. Ryder avoided eye contact and went back to his meal. He only raised his head when his peripheral caught sight of another approaching the table. He looked up and was thankful to see she was human.

He returned the bow of his head when she said his name. Of course he knew of her. Lena was one of the few females Knights here and even fewer were human. She had been harassed by a few of the Knight before, which is a serious offense among their order. Once it actually happened in front of him and Ryder took it upon himself to carry out the punishment, in an old school manner. He was then punished in return for attacking another Knight, but it was kind of worth it. Since then, she has had less trouble and Knights tend to heed the rules more when he is around.

"But of course, my dear. Please help yourself to some breakfast while we wait for the last of our party to arrive." Geoffrey's voice was calm and fatherly. He treated each Knight like a son or daughter, but gave them all the respect of a peer. Truly a magnificent leader, there was nobody that could hate such a man. Geoffrey smiled kindly at Lena and motioned for her to take her seat. Ryder smiled as well and looked back to the crowd for the last that Geoffrey referred to.

[Warrior priest]

Spawn was in his quarters reading the letter wondering why they would chose a new recruit, when he looked at his pocket watch he wore as a necklace saw he was going to be late if he didn't get a move on. Spawn equipped his armour beginning with his chest piece then his greaves and tassets followed by his sabatons and finally gauntlets, he stared in to the mirror and put on his mask. Spawn began walking through the corridors as he finally reached the dining hall he took a deep breath and entered it was his first time in the hall and so he got a few dirty look's but it made no difference to him him.

As he was reaching the table he carefully studied the people sat the first he noticed was knight master Geoffrey everyone knew that he was a great leader or so he'd been told next his eyes glanced over to Ryder, Spawn had heard recruits say that he was a veteran warrior that could only be matched by the best the only downside he was a keen racist and was sure to not approve of Spawn. Then he noticed the goblin with the blood red eyes and the large spear and by the way he was sat he knew how to use it he also sported a dagger but on the goblin it appeared as a sword. And last but not least there was a human woman with a shiny golden hair piece and a sword and Spawn guessed it wasn't just to match her outfit.

Once Spawn reached the table he saluted and said" knight master Geoffrey its a pleasure to finally meet you, its also a great honour of mine to meet you my fellow knights of Rexil I was told by a letter to be here by breakfast im sorry if im late, may i sit''.

[BigBullCrocker]

Bifur read the letter, he stroked his beard as he did so. He was sat outside the knights training place or whatever where he had set up camp. He hated the stuffiness of the place, he liked the open air and wide spaces of mountains. After all he was born on a mountain. He was interested in the section mentioning the goblin kings problems. He learned about the goblin kings as a young lad, they argued as every nation does but war was something of a last resort. He finished off the mutton he was eating in the other hand and threw the bone into the fire. He sighed before folding the paper and putting it into his pocket. He grabbed his hat and carefully placed it on his head.

After reading the letter and such he prepared to meet Geoffrey. He should be in full armour. He already had chain-mail under his linen shirt and trousers and so he put on his winter gear. He never really needed it, most dwarves brought up in the mountains had adapted to the cold but he took it just in case. He put on the hide armour and picked up his mattock. He then walked over to his horse and mounted it then riding towards Aldrina. As he rode a great waft of memories came back to him. Memories of training to become a knight and most importantly proving that size matters not.

He approached the knights hall(?) and entered. He had left his horse in the stable along with the others, he was not too fond of his new horse. Kept bucking. After struggling to find his way about after forgetting it he eventually found his way to the dining hall. He opened the door, his mattock swung at his side. He looked around the hall for a minute before seeing Geoffrey, he walked up before greeting him.

"Geoffrey, my old friend!"

[ladybella]

Lena sat as she was bid, but didn't reach to eat at first. She preferred to eat alone, and had done so earlier that morning. She also didn't care for eggs, but the ham that waited looked particularly delicious so she cut a small piece for herself and chewed it slowly, her eyes wandering aimlessly around the hall. The knight that appeared next was one she knew of only by reputation. The masked knight was in many tales, some of bravery some of horror. Lena had learned not to trust such tales, but couldn't help herself when he appeared. She caught herself staring, with wide-eyes and parted lips. With a slight jump she looked away, turning her attention back to the ham on her plate. It didn't seem all that appetizing anymore and she felt a little bit of embarrassment for staring.
Lena didn't immediately recognize the next knight who appeared. Although as she thought about it, the name came to her quickly. It was Bifur, the dwarf who was something of an entertainer in Lena's eyes. She had heard him play the instrument he carried with him, and his singing had been known as a mood lifter. There was certainly an assortment of beings going on this mission, and Lena wondered if there was a certain reason for the variety. She couldn't think of one at the moment, but she was Master Geoffery and had no way of knowing the thought process of the older knight.
Lena hoped that Bifur was the last and that they would now be told the details of their assignment. She was ready to get on the road again. The thought of having a sudden purpose to her training and a fantastic road trip lay ahead. She rather liked traveling as a knight, with her horse and the freedom to dress, speak, act however she wanted too. The thought of being surrounded by these men on this trip wasn't all that appealing but she'd take whatever she could get, besides, she was almost sure that these men couldn't cook well enough for a goat. However, life was full of surprises.

[Azena]

Master Geoffrey smiled as the last of the party had gathered and motioned for them to join. A few minutes passed by as everyone ate before Geoffrey stood up and looked up and down the table. At his rise, the Great Hall went quiet and the rest of the Knights turned their attention to the head table. Even the rushing cooks stopped, steaming plates in hand, to listen. Geoffrey paid them no attention, keeping his focus on the party sharing his table.

"My dear Knights, you know why you are here. This quest is of utmost importance and you must not fail. Your targets are not the only obstacles, Aldrina is dangerous land and these dark days only amplify the threats. More so, there are those that wish to see you fail and will try to stop you. You must always be wary of who you trust. Ride fast, Knights, and bring honor to your names. I have faith in you and will be here should you ever need my guidance. You may also look to our brothers and sisters scattered across the kingdoms. Good luck and may the gods watch over you." Geoffrey sat down and continued with his meal. The hall erupted with noise again as the rest of the Knights returned to their breakfast.

Ryder stared at his eggs. The Knight Master was being purposely vague with his statements. He was not kidding about being careful with trust, being unwilling to speak about the nature of their assignment in front of the entire order. So that was it, he was to lead this band of misfits across Goblin Country to convince a bunch of stubborn kings to work together. Ryder found himself unable to finish his breakfast and instead waited for the others to finish before they made for the stables.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"All right, let's saddle up and get a move out. We have a long trip ahead of us and I'd like to get started as soon as possible." The meeting with Geoffrey left more questions than answers, but if there was one thing Geoffrey was it was wise. Perhaps all they needed to know would be revealed as they traveled. Ryder went through the motions of securing the saddle on his horse as he planned out their journey and his expectations. He took a moment to look around at his party and gave a heavy sigh. A half-orc, a goblin, and a dwarf made his party a joke. It would be impossible to accomplish success with such brutish fools riding with him. His only saving grace was Lena. He would heavily rely on her assistance in the coming weeks.

"We make for the Forest Kingdom. Hopefully, the Wood King will be the easiest to convince." Ryder finished securing his pack. They didn't need to prepare for a long ride, they just had to go down to the docks. A ship would be waiting to take them across the sea to the main land. He climbed up on his horse and waited for the others to mount up before making his way to town.

[Rtron]

Franco sighed. So much for a straight up assignment. I hate vague things. To many....unknowns... He got up with the rest of the group and prepared to saddle up. He noted his other traveling companions. The female knight, proud, useful, and deadly. The half-orc, the newest recruit. Franco hadn't gotten time to see him yet, so he had no idea how useful he would be in battle. And the dwarf. Cheerful, morale raising, and rather efficient with that mattock of his.


They didn't seem that they would prove a problem. So far, the only thing that could go wrong is their party leader. Franco contemplated saying they should go to the fire king first, as he would be the easiest route. Convince him of trouble, and he'd go down and solve it. But, they were not equipped for such a journey yet. So, he placed his helmet on his head, and leapt upon his own mount. I really hope this isn't going to be a long ride. Three non human races and a human supremacist as the party leader? Going to negotiate with the proud kings of Aldrina. This is going to be...stressful.

[ladybella]

Lena stared at Master Geoffery for a moment, trying to understand what in the world he was talking about. Was it always vague with this man? She thought back and realized yeah, it was always vague. She finished her ham in silence, trying to work out the riddle in his words. By the time she finished she was more confused than when she had started. Without a word to the other knights she got up and headed to her room for the rest of her things. It didn't take her long to pack, even though she deliberated about taking some of her precious golden jewelry. She caved, obviously and packed some carefully in the bottom of her pack before grabbing her bow and quiver and making for the stables.

Once there she began to saddle her sturdy mare, Quintessence, a chesnut beauty with black legs and a little bit of an attitude. Lena had always liked the little mare, and found that Quinn, for short, liked her as well. They made a pretty good team in training but she had never taken the mare out into any sort of battle. She knew that the mare would serve her well, but it was still something they hadn't done together and there were always mistakes made when it was the first time. As she checked the mares saddle again to make sure she was comfortable she saw Ryder mount up, and with a sigh she put her foot in the stirrup and followed suit. Quinn stamped anxiously, ready to be on the road as they waited for the rest of the team to depart.

The forest kingdom was somewhere Lena had only been for a short time. She liked what she had seen and was eager to return, even if she had to help convince the king that he was being an idiot and should work along side his kin to keep the world from ending. She shrugged inwardly, feeling indifference to the whole deal. Not total indifference, she cared of course, but she was one of those who believed that the world could be won by the strength of a man, or woman's back and their skill with a blade and on the battlefield. She felt that talking was useless and at the worst could possibly get them thrown in the dungeons of some offended goblin king.