Marcus / Theodore The trip from the Isles was easier thanks to aid from the Ocular, a portal had been created for expedience for the party heading to Farendar, a joint task mission that involved the continued support of Marcus Deadeye and the new addition of Theodore Doubleblade, whom had been been wanting to go on this adventure since Marcus has first brought it to light. The motivation for this was within his grasp as the 10 strong group exited the rift on the outskirts of Farendar. Marcus issued orders to the Wraiths and Revenants to protect Evelyn Sunderland and her soldiers, keep eyes on them at all times and report back regularily to Marcus if they found anything of important or even noteworthy. [color=6ecff6]"Master Doubleblade, I am off to find Sunderland. I suspect she is in the castle. Do you wish to accompany me?"[/color] [color=82ca9d]"Sorry lad. I've got an errand I have to run. Been ages since I've seen a tavern that wasn't attached to a damn alchemancers workshop. Half the drink in the isles is poisonous for no good reason."[/color] With a shrug they both parted ways with promises to contact one another that same night. ------------------------- Theodore Doubleblade strut through the streets with his head held high, drawing the stares of everyone to his ashen skin and great grey beard, the seemingly lifeless eyes scanning everyone around him looking for his target. Theodore had asked frequently about the capture of Tyr, asking what this Argus creature looked like and promises not to harm the lad in any way, trying to make a good first impression. Theos armor shone in the low light, polished black steel with plated greaves and gauntlets etched with various runes into the rare obsidian and mithril mixture he had created at great expense, creating a deep blue tint and strong resistance. The gauntlets alone may cost a kings randsom to recreate, but to the deep dwarf it was worth the extravagance. [color=82ca9d]"Now then..."[/color] Theo rubbed his beard as he scanned the taverns lining the street, asking around had gotten some results as more than a few had informed the deep one that 'a pair of rowdy bearded folk came runnin' this way not too long ago' as they put it. Which to Theo meant they were being tactful about saying the pests were out in force tonight. Theodore grinned and readjusted his belt, a golden affair featuring a set of jaws snapping shut. It was time to make an appearance. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marcus Deadeye The door to Evelyn Sunderlands room closed, Marco on the other side likely waiting patiently, but the watcher had more important things to do. Discipline allowed him to go unnoticed, where he was hiding was not important, what WAS important was the news overheard. Landeel a traitor, Marcos desires, Evelyns suspicions, all of it was forming a bigger picture in his mind. Time would show the hands of this enemy once and for all so it was time to show his support. The swirl of smoke that was Marcus materialized without a sound behind the knight captain and he spoke softly with the softest click of his pistol, ready to be fired, but was not pointed at the her. "You fear spies yet talk so openly. I'm in awe. If I could get in, what is to stop others?" Marcus put his finger to Evelyns lips before she could say anything and urged her to be quiet, pointing back at the door. A short check of the room revealed nothing alarming or ominous, so he holstered the firearm and gave a shallow bow. [color=6ecff6]"Apologies. I cannot stay long but I have news."[/color] He motioned for her to sit and began.[color=6ecff6] "Allies watch the shadows of your templars now, and your own most of all. A strange dwarf in black armor walks the streets, looking for one of your own. There will be blood but this black armored warrior is no enemy." [/color] Marcus was ordinarily a level headed man, but this woman had earned a measure of his faith from their admittably short time together. [color=6ecff6]"The prisoner at Thanremere was released by me."[/color] He held up his hand to stop the inevitable tirade that would no doubt have sputtered forth, instead he urged her to remain calm. [color=6ecff6]"She is more of an ally to the Order than I am, but she is the one who works where nobody watches. She has information on everything that happens in Farendar, of this I do not doubt, but I must find her. I tell you this now in complete secrecy, Sunderland. If word of our meeting is leaked it will be both our heads that roll. I will see to it that you and 'red' meet in private soon. Until then,"[/color] He touched his weapon and put a finger to his lips with a soft shhh and turned to smoke, gone without a trace. Truly Marcus wished to tell her everything but could not risk it. ---------------------------------------- Theodore Doubleblade Four taverns later the old Dwarf finally found what he had been searching for. [color=82ca9d][i]A damnable seat! Walkin' around lookin' for trouble isn't as fun as it used to b[/i][/color]e. Whole darn city smells like the ass end of a griffin after lunch time. An hour of searching and he had not caught so much as a beard hair of any dwarves, let alone the ones he was searching for. Theo promptly took a seat at the bar counter and slid a silver coin to the tender, two ales placed in front of him with a nodded thanks. With both hands he threw back the tankards one at a time, emptied the contents in a single gulp, and slammed them down on the counter with a contented sigh. The fellow beside him got splashed with water, a very familiar tone of voice caught Theos ears. Theo spun in his chair to get a good look at the crowd and wouldn't you know it, at a table not 10 feet away sat two dwarf lads, an exquisite female elf, and a piece of arse so refreshing you could clean a dusty cellar with it. The thought occured to him that his target was likely sitting there with this group of templars was really an afterthought as he motioned for the barkeep to bring a fresh pitcher of ale, a bottle of whatever the elf was drinking, and the strongest pitcher of ale in the house for the Dwarf Woman. [color=82ca9d]"Time ta see if ol' Doubleblade still knows his way around."[/color] His grin was almost predatorly as he hopped from the stool and approached the table, the drinks already being placed by a hostess with a gesture to the approaching figure. Grey bearded, ashen skin, and black steeled, Theo dropped the pretense of formality and grabbed Kylies hand, placing a kiss on it real gentle before tossing a playful wink. [color=82ca9d]"Your drinks are on me. Maybe when I'm done workin' I can get somethin' else on me."[/color] Besides the chains they were gonna place him in when he finished his business. He glanced at the table and met everyones eyes briefly. [color=82ca9d]"Names Theodore Doubleblade. Deurgar Dwarf. Any of you war boys go by the name of Argus Starcrusher?"[/color] His smile was extremely polite and he stood unthreateningly. Argus looked up when his name was mentioned. He then looked at Theodore and said.[color=a0410d]" Aye that is my name what can i do for ya?"[/color] Theodores fist crunched into his nose with a resounding CRACK, but didn't stop there. With a growl Theo leapt across the table to tackle Argus to the ground, left hand firmly pinning him to the ground while the other struck in in the face and chest. [color=82ca9d]"YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT TO ME GIRL DO YA? ILL TEACH YOU WHAT IT MEANS TO KIDNAP A LADY"[/color] Of course Theodore had no idea the real events that had transpired between Argus and Tyr, all he knew was the Dwarven explorer here had knocked her out and locked her up. Argus was completly caught by suprise. The hit to his nose stunned him for a moment as Theodore started wacking on him.Argus felt nothing of that all he felt was his nose broken and swelling up. He looked at Theodore his left eye twitiching.[color=a0410d]" You broke my nose."[/color] he said with no emotion in his tone. [color=82ca9d]"Yeah and you chained up my neice! Drugged her! You stick your business where it don't belong?!"[/color] He threw another haymaker to the side of the Dwarfs head. The hit stung a little but Argus wasnt really concerned with that all. All he was thinking about was how he was gonna fuck him up! Argus raised his feet and with a roar that sounded more animal that men kicked Theodore away from him with such a force that he flew for a moment before crashing into a table. Argus then stood up and ran at theodore. giving him a haymaker in his left jaw. [color=a0410d]" YOUR GONNA APOLOGIZE FOR BREAKING MY NOSE! YOU FARRUKING BLACKSHIT !![/color] Theodore hit the table with a thud and the sound of snapping wood under his weight, tossing civilians and ale not just all over himself but everyone seated at the table. As he stood up to charge again the wild dwarf hit him square in the jaw with a haymaker to make his forefathers proud. Stars flashed in his eyes as Theodore staggered back a bit before he spat a droplet of blood on the ground. [color=82ca9d]"AFTER YOU APOLOGIZE FOR TREATIGN MY NEICE LIKE A CRIMINAL, STARFLUFFER" [/color] Theodore struck a quick low jab with his left hand, a faint Argus fell for expectedly as he turned to step to the side of it. Theodore put all his weight into his right hand and twisted with the punch directly to Argus' chest with the force of an ogre. But it didn't end there. With a muttered oath too horrible for human ears he struck Argus with a kick to the side of the knee and grabbed his face. A roar had Argus in both hands flying through the glass window nearby onto the empty streets. Theo was quick to jump out the window after his target, a madman in pursuit of victory. On the stone walkway lay the dwarf. [color=82ca9d]"Oh ye' fall down once and give up for good eh, starnothing?"[/color] Theo didn't bother to check if the man was concious or not, gloating over the fallen dwarf. Argus had a slow motion moment as he flew through the air. There was nice classic music in the background as someone sung a beatifull ophera. That moment quickly disappeared though as he flew through the window crashing into the hard stone street. The cold rain was falling on his face. taking the pain away from the punches he had recieved. Then the black dwarf looked at him with a face so smug he seemed like a fat merchant fuck who had just ripped someone off.Argus face was not angry anymore. Now it was a face so angry that the raindrops that were falling on it disapeard in puffs of smoke. Argus stood up and looked at him before running at him with great speeds bear hugging him.First they crashed through the door the wood flying everywhere. Then he started crashing through chairs and tables roaring the entire time. Then he crashed Theodore's face into on of the giant kegs at the bar. And the best thing about all this? He was smiling the entire time. Theo saw the young brass move with astonishing speed. Normally this would be a point where the smug old bastard realized he might have over guessed his own against the youngling and done something fancy but that wasn't why they were here. Kid was MAD. Theodore was having more fun now than in the last 100 years on that island with those uppity trainees learnin' ta be something they weren't supposted to be. The tackle drove Argus' shoulder just below the chestpiece and blew Theos breath away the same as he'd done to the youngster earlier. Felt good to fight again! By the GODS was it exhilerating! Theo had stopped focusing on the fight too long and returned to the forefront just as his face connected with the oak and steel ringed barrel of ale rested at the bar. Metal bend out of shape and the cask exploded under the weight of the hit, dropping Theodore to the ground in a daze. For the first time in what felt like a century someone had dropped his ass in a fair fight. Stars danced over his eyes as he tried to recall what had brought this on. Did he say sorry? [color=82ca9d]"TA' HELL WITH THAT"[/color] He roared, furious for a reason he couldn't quite remember at the moment but he DID remember this no good beardling had rammed him bodily into good beer. Sacrilege! [color=82ca9d]"You fight like a gnome, son, and thats as low as it gets."[/color] Picking himself off the floor with a shake of his head sent beer flying from his beard. Argus knew what a gnome was. and knowing that it was a pretty bad insult. So Argus started wacking Theodore's head with a keg and screamed.[color=a0410d]" A*smashPO *smash LO smash* GI *smash ZE!![/color] He then threw the keg away grabbed Theodore by the head and smashed his face into the bar. He then proceeded to ram his face accros it crashing into every bottle before sending him flying against a wall.[color=a0410d]" And for the record! That oh so nice of a niece of yours threatend to kill me!! You should have taught her better. What are you the drunken uncle who sits in the corner all day!![/color] Argus was standing on the bar and ready to jump on him. Theodore landed in a heap again, beer and shards of glass all over his face and beard. The indignation from this junkyard little BASTARD! Theo rolled onto his stomach and shook his head again, AGAIN removing the beer and glass from his majestic facial hair. [color=82ca9d]"You fixin'a put me to SLEEP boy! STEP UP YOUR GAME."[/color] Argus crashed into the black armored dwarf in a heap of fists and facial hair, both woozy and angry and probably more than a little drunk, a dozen cuts between the two. Both had regained their feet and were grappling one another with a growl when Theo let go and took a step to the side while pulling Argus forward, slipping under the wild grab for support from Argus before the son of a gnome crashed headlong into the wall. Theodore kicked him in the rump so hard the dwarfling came out the other side in a heap. [color=82ca9d]"For your INFORMATION, you disrespectful clump of troll sweat, I AM HER UNCLE. You better thank your stars she didn't kill you the moment you made eye contact."[/color] Having been a part of her training, Theodore knew full well what Tyr was capable of and had seen her do such things up close and personal on more than one occassion. That girl was as fiery as her hair! Theodore took his two-headed axe off his belt and threw it, embedding in the wall above to barkeep. No sense letting instinct make this fight a murder. [color=82ca9d]"GET UP, boy, I ain't through with your sorry pale ass. Gonna pay tenfold what you did to her purity!"[/color] By this time he was beginning to sweat and patrons had long since fled into the night. The sound of guards on the march caught his ear but that didn't bother him in the slightest. [color=a0410d]" I just thinks she likes me.[/color] Argus said with a grin before giving Theodore a resounding headbutt.[color=a0410d]" And if you must know you lovely bastard i never laid a hand on her. At least not that she wanted it anyway. Hell she was basicly flirting with me at one point!! Also she really needs to work on her attitude. I mean its not like you go threatening someone who was taking a bath in a hot spring!![/color] With that said he punched Theo in the face dropping him on the ground. He then grabbed one of Theos feet and started spinning around.[color=a0410d]" NOW DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GET OUT OF THIS ESTABLISHMENT !![/color] He then let go and saw Theo flying through the other window. That was now also broken.[color=a0410d]" AND STAY OUT!![/color] A piece of stone struck Argus in the nose bang on from the window, the sound of grunt as Theo rose to his feet once more. [color=82ca9d]"Fuckin' kids tossin' me through windows."[/color] Theo placed his hands on his hips and stretched back with a crack. [color=82ca9d]"Gonna give myself a hernia.."[/color] For a few tense moments it seemed like the raging dwarf had really wandered off into the night until the sounds of shouting could be heard. The guards had come in force to the sound of commotion. Half a dozen well armed soldiers had come to the sound of a drunken outburst, believing those numbers to be sufficient to deal with two fighters. There was a muffled sound outside the bar before Theodore kicked open the door, panting, all six guards laying on the ground as some sort of greenish mist swirled around his body. [color=82ca9d]"Nothin' serious. Takin' a non-lethal nap. Now!" [/color]Theadore cracked his neck from side to side as he approached slowly with balled fists. [color=82ca9d]"This ain't over till one of us is on the GROUND for good." [/color]Not DEAD obviously, but he imagined neither of the stubborn folk were about to let this matter rest. Theodore wondered in the back of his mind, the front of it was focused on hitting the impertinent youngling, what had happened to the group this one was with. Didn't matter to him at that moment overly much. His backhand caught Argus on the chin even as a booted foot took out Theodores knee, dropping him down but not out. They locked arms in a tackle and thrashed about the room in a flurry of shouted oaths and curses. [color=82ca9d]"Ye don't TALK about me neice that way, moontickler, she is a woman of royalty! You sully her name with your slanderous talk!"[/color] He scoffed, spitting another wad of blood and a tooth onto the dirty floor. [color=82ca9d]"I heared different from your superior officer, Marcus Deadye. Said you went above and beyond on this one! Hope you enjoyed it!"[/color] Argus was panting sweat falling from his face. He was stunned by what the black had done to the guards who had intervened. In Argus'es drunk mind one thing was certain. Ifyou fuck with the guards you better have an army with ya. Then The old man started throwing the usual barrage of insults his way. Argus shrigged not really carring that much about it. Argus was imppressed by the blackskin to be sure. It had been years since he had a good old bar fight. And this one was one given by the gods. However before Argus could punch back he heard boots clattering in unison. And from what he was hearing it was a lot of boots. So Argus, still in Theodores clutches, looked at the man with a bit of panic on his face.[color=a0410d]" Unless you can do that trick of yours again i say we get the hell out of here before that small army takes us.[/color] Theodore sighed and looked to the door uneasily. [color=82ca9d]"I could but that invites MORE trouble. Mark my words, we ain't finished but I ain't spendin' my first time in this city in a damn jail cell!"[/color] He laughed at the raucous idea the other dwarf was likely already thinking. Time for a good old fashioned getaway! [color=82ca9d]"Lead the way boy!"[/color] Argus laughed and padded Theo on the back.[color=a0410d]" You're not that bad for an old drunken uncle.[/color] He said before running out of the bar grabbing his hammer. Theodore, having retrieved his axe, running just behind him. Argus looked around and to his despair saw what seemed to be an entire bloody army walking to them. Argus had the most craziest idea a dwarf could have. He saw a cart loaded with ale, tied to a single rope.[color=a0410d]" Follow me if you want to live![/color] He ran up to the cart smashed the rope and started pushing the thing towards the one street that wasnt closed up. He then jumped into the cart and had immediate regrets once he saw the steep hill. Theodore put his back into it, shoving the cart and jumping into the back, realizing at the same time Argus did where this thing was headed. the main gate to the inner city! A steep decline, no less. His heart raced frantically at the thrill of it all! The rain poured on the streets with dull smacks as the cart accelerated down the hill getting faster and faster. [color=82ca9d]"Hold onta yer gems lad this is gonna be a bumpy one!"[/color] He shouted, turning his head to see the guards on the run to catch sight of the escaping offenders and aid the other sleeping guards. Lets pray this crazy dwarf doesn't get me killed along side him! Argus screamed a long scream as they came down the hill. He then saw all his moments in his life flash by. It wasn't that long so it was over quick. He then prepared to jump away not wanting to crash into the gate. [color=a0410d]On the count of three!! One! Two! FUCK IT JUMP!![/color] Both dwarves bailed at the same time, hitting the ground in a roll as the kart of ale crashed into the city gate with a deafening crash, the barrels of ale exploding in a spray. [color=82ca9d]"This way!"[/color] Theodore took off in a dead sprint with Argus in tow, making for an alleyway. [color=82ca9d]"We gotta dissappear! Fast!"[/color] Argus looked around frantically trying to find a way out. The he saw it. A small sewer grate and there freedom behind it.[color=a0410d]" That way !![/color] He said drawing his warhammer. For a moment Argus focused as The hammer started to glow. He then readied himself to smash the grate. Theodore grabbed his arm before he could bring the warhammer down. [color=82ca9d]"Big no no, kid. Damaged grate shows we went down there."[/color] Theodore bent down and tugged hard trying to lif the weight himself to no avail. A little help from Argus had the grate cleared and both dwarves into the dark sewers, with none the wiser. Deurgar were creatures of darkness, born in the underdark and raised in the infinite void of light so the sewer almost seemed lit to his eyes but Argus would not likely have any such advantage, [color=82ca9d]"Strike up that hammer now. Glow can light our way."[/color] Argus nodded and after a moment the hammer glowed. They walked through the damp caves the smell of waste and garbage was everywhere. At one point they made it to the main sewer where the smell wasnt that bad. Argus the leaned agiainst the wall and started laughing.[color=a0410d]" ha ha ha oh man Evelyn is gonna kill me.[/color] [color=82ca9d]"I've heard o' this Sunderland character. She really all that great? I come from a land ruled by an ancient dark elf. What makes her so worth followin'?"[/color] He had not meant the question to be rude but merely to strike up conversation as they continued further and further through the sewer system, eventually depositing them in the open streets far from the tavern and front gate. Argus simply chuckled as he looked up at him.[color=a0410d]" Simple really, no one else wants to take command. That and her noble birth give us tons of privilliges. Still she can be a total bitch sometimes. Which is understandable considering the fact that she is our leader. That and she isnt ugly so that's a plus.[/color] [color=82ca9d]"Ah, beauty before brains for you then? I must be a grim sight then."[/color] Theo laughed from his belly and slapped the young dwarf on the back. The two dwarves made their way through the city alleys as best they could. The guards had spread out looking for the black armored dwarf, others not quite recalling Argus' features. A White cloak he swiped from a clothesline wrapped around him, Theodore and Argus made their way back to the outskirts of the Tavern without being spotted hoping to find the other templars and clear this mess up.