[centre][img]http://orig14.deviantart.net/deb9/f/2016/050/c/3/he_so_pretty_by_fenixking13-d9se5ig.png[/img][/centre] [centre][color=82ca9d]Theodore Doubleblade[/color][/centre] Business taken care of and volunteers gathered, Theodore had retired from the barracks grounds and the meeting without another word of the plan or the goal. Templars had already begun to line up and offer service and that was good enough for him. Gavlan had tagged on with the industrious little freakshow thinking he knew the layout of the city and where the best beer was. What a surprise that he only knew the layout of the city. By the bearded ones eternally fartin' arses did Theodore ever wish he knew where they kept the good alcohol in this rats nest. How much happier he would be away from the ceaseless politics of human towns. At least in the order they focused on keeping things safe and puttin' the boots to those that needed it. Things had fallen apart and it was now his job to fix it. First problem was the lack of someone in charge, which had been fixed thanks to Theos intervention, the next was the prince issue but that would be solved quickly enough with Marcus and Tyr spearheading the search, and lastly was the pincer maneuver coming from the north by the undead horde that could be getting a move on any time now. The subterranean path he had chosen wasn't ideal for time but it had been thoroughly mapped by Dwarven traders who had scoured the route years back looking for valuable ores and subsequently abandoned after [i]they[/i] had taken over. A problem for later. For now the black plated dwarf stomped his way up and down the city getting the needed supplies. Gavlan had tagged along and had become an excellent source of help for such excursions, having ventured across Miras many times. His input had expedited the supply process exponentially. Lanterns, torches, matches, dried food, water flasks, oil, kindling, anything that could be of use. Theo had also purchased a crossbow and some fine steel bolts. Theo hadn't bothered to check how many would be coming in the morning, he personally hated the things anyways, but asked the merchant to supply his expedition with horses enough in the afternoon. Theo had paid in advance handsomely to see his strange requests met to the letter. The morning would come quickly enough. [color=82ca9d]"Get some rest, Gavlan. It's going to be a hard day."[/color] He pat the other Dwarf on the back as a sign of friendship and sauntered off, leaving the other with a fistful of silver coins for his work helping him today. Enough to get the terribly sober fellow well into the nights rest. -------------------------------- At the forge Theo worked long into the night when everyone else had left. The turning had given him many gifts, poison powers, enhanced physical abilities, extended life. But now the dreams stopped. He could rest, he could even sleep, but it was no longer a requirement to his existence. How long, he silently mused, had it been since he had been exhausted enough to truly sleep and dream of his past. The only thing left to him was the gentle tink-tink-tink of the tiny inscribing tools so late into the night. The weapon was complete, Glodin had finished the metalwork and the casing for the core but all that was left was the runes that made the weapon a work of art. Every etched rune brought it one step closer to making it a weapon truly terrifying. Like the pistol it would fire a concentrated beam of magic but with the modifications they made it would shoot further, stronger, more accurately. The issue was the metals could not contain the blast of the core for extended periods of time and needed to be ventilated periodically to prevent damage. Marcus knew of this and had promised to be diligent. ------------------------------- Theodore had worked long through the night to make the final adjustments to the weapon. Skilled hands had created the metal parts, craftsmen had polished a custom made wooden frame to fit them in with painstaking detail, and Theodore had etched every rune personally before assembling it. If not for Glodins skill at the forge and the sheer description given in the diagram from the book Marcus had found the feat might not have been accomplished nearly as well as it had. Theodore reverently placed the crackling lightning orb into the long compartment meant to house it. It slid in without a fuss, contact with its surface to the metal sent a surge of raw energy across its frame, the runework flaring to life blindingly as he sealed the compartment shut and tested the various parts one last time before picking up the rifle and aiming it cautiously at a nearby sign. Sweating hard he pulled the trigger and prayed they found his pieces easily. THOOM The bolt of light burned a hole no bigger than a pinkie clean through the oaken sign and well into the cobblestone behind it all the way into the night sky, blissfully failing to hurt anyone on its path into the open air outside the forge. The smoking hole sizzled as the stone that had come in contact with the bolt flared an angry red and black. Theo smiled to himself and cleaned up after his mess, reorganizing the room as he had found it before heading into the empty city streets with the prize in hand. An hour or so later Marcus had the newest firearm hung on a leather holster across his back before parting ways, leaving Theodore with a hand written scroll like the ones employed in the kest tunnels. Truly the Dwarves had done the nigh impossible once more. ---------------------------- The sun was nearing the Zenith in the sky the following day with Theo dutifully leafing through lists of inventory. The horses would get them to the cave system within a day, after that it would be two or three days walking through the tunnels. An enchanted compass had been given to every member of the expedition, it would always point north regardless of how deep they went thus allow them to keep a solid march even if they got lost. Each person was responsible for personal belongings such as armor, weapons, and drink. Theo had three flasks stored in his chestplate, one with Whisky, Rum, and brandy. Two water skins were in the saddlebags with his horse along with rations of bread, cheese, smoked meats, and his cherished ax Ender gleaming in the daylight. A sizable turnout had come, any initiates had been told to return to the city proper. A suicide mission need not snuff the lights from promising younglings. When the last volunteer had gathered he addressed them as their superior, every able bodies person understood then and there he would continue in that fashion. [color=82ca9d]"Knights of the Order. Thank you for accompanying me. Wouldn't go nearly as easy if it was just me going."[/color] He chuckled at his own wit and continued in the same stern voice. [color=82ca9d]"Name is Theodore Doubleblade. To the rest of the city I am a mercenary, and it will stay that way if and when we return, but to you all I place my trust. The order has been shadowed since its creation with a sister, I am one of the founders."[/color] He upraised his hand to forestall any obvious questions of age. [color=82ca9d]"Yes. I am old, older than most and still eager for the fight. My order has been dutifully watching over the dark and scary things that creep out from the shadows over the years and destroy them before you all get the chance. Yours is the duty of honor, ours isn't. Do not ask me what I have done to keep you all safe just know that in the eyes of the gods I will be judged harshly."[/color] He cleared his throat as a table was brought over to him by Gavlan, easing it down gently with a series of maps on the surface detailing the route to the northwest, ending at a black spot. Theo placed his finger over it and addressed the crowd. [color=82ca9d]"We are not leading a fools mission head on into a host of Undead servants. We are not leading an army into it either. We are making for the entrance of a long abandoned tunnel system used by the mountain dwarves about 30 years back to do trade with Farendar, the tunnel connected them from their mountains far to the north all the way to that very cave entrance." [/color] Theodore moved the map aside to reveal two papers side by side. One was a detailed and folded map of the tunnel system and ideal routes, the other was a map of the area surrounding the fallen fort which Theo had crudely scribbled over. Originally it was Fort Harkon, but he had scribbled over it 'foxfox' for a cheap laugh. Nobody but himself likely got the joke but that didn't stop him from enjoying it. [color=82ca9d]"Forts been overrun in the night by those snaggle toothed freaks and we can't swing our way through their servants to make for them. Would be suicide,"[/color] His hand unfurled the paper to show a small cave entrance in the mountains nearby to the north of the fort. [color=82ca9d]"Little bit of luck we can come south from the mountains and creep up under cover of dark. Theres no forts past Foxfox so defenses will be light, the amateurs. Plans simple from then on. We get in, we kill the filthy lunatics, and reclaim the fort for the order. A victory over Sar'Than for the record books."[/color] Not willing to settle for an arguement about his rather impromptu and foolhardy plan he rolled up the scrolls and placed them in his saddlebag before returning his gaze to the assembled. [color=82ca9d]"Draxis Felwind, Damien Varomere. Step up." [/color] Theodore looked both of them up and down and shrugged. [color=82ca9d]"Draxis, you brought your 'family' as you call them here so I want you in charge of the fighting when it goes down. I want you in the thick of it when the fighting gets started. Anyone willing to fight will listen to your orders and respond as a Templar would. Glory in battle to you and yours."[/color] he saluted the young officer and turned his attention to Damien. [color=82ca9d]"You are his equal now in every way, both under my command."[/color] Theo glanced at Draxis, [color=82ca9d]"You both do as each other says. I don't care if you don't wanna play nice together. Tough luck."[/color] He returned his gaze squarely on Damien. [color=82ca9d]"You are a necromancer, and a skilled one so says the reports I have. You will know exactly what the beasts we face can do and I bet my steel boots you've got a way to stop them one way or another. I want you and Draxis to think and breathe the same when the combat comes. He is my military arm and you are my magical arm, am I clear? Good." [/color] He turned back to address the others. [color=82ca9d]"Break up camp and lets get this thing going. Long ride ahead of us!"[/color] A shrill whistle had the pony he had chosen as his personal mount at his side, the burden horse following closely behind. When all was ready Theodore saluted the city and whispered a prayer to the watching gods for victory in combat over this new hellish enemy. [@thedarktemplar] [@zetsuko] [@Wraithblade6][@LeoricAquila][@Groompy][@TheTruthWhale][@TheTwistedOne][@The Emperors Blade][@LiverisGod][@Snarfulblast][@ShaggyDoo0][@boomlover]