Crimson Paladin

Bible of Ichor: Septet for the Dead

Captain Argus Fellborn

Argus' failure to establish any control over his old crew was rather disheartening. For his magic to have diminished so far that he couldn't even control a single skeleton, it cut him deeper than the incoming sword could hope to. He could have parried or avoided the blow, but the shock of his powerlessness had blindsided him. It was thanks to Cynthia's intervention that prevented him from being wounded, her spear literally disarming the skeleton.

Her elaboration of the situation came as a shock- these skeletons were now under someone else's control, someone that Argus couldn't hope to beat in his newly resurrected state. On the other hand, it was something of a relief to know that his magic wasn't entirely useless- just not effective enough to override this unknown adversary's own power. Furthermore, news of this foe gave Argus something else- a motivation. For his very brief existence from his resurrection until this point, he had been letting the current carry him, but now he had a reason to do it, to go along with the Violet Witch's machinations in hopes of the promised reward. However long it would take, he would aspire to regain his strength and rebuild his arsenal, until he had the power to challenge the skeletons' new master.

"So they serve another now," he responded to Cynthia, picking up the sword. "Very well. I'll send them all back to the deep!" He thrust his sword into the skeleton's ribcage, and used it as leverage to throw the undead into one of its fellows. He then charged the nearest skeletons still standing, swinging his newly obtained sword with intent to dismember or decapitate. Perhaps he had some twinges of pointless sentiment, but he needed to put them down. Undead minions were all more or less the same, and he could always mend them later, if it was really that important to him.

@Rune_Alchemist

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

"In a way, a dance is not unlike a duel," Fleuri spoke to Lein. "It's all about reading another's movements, and adapting your own movements accordingly. In fact, I'm curious to see if your approach to fighting is the same as your approach to dancing."

It was clear that Lein wasn't much of a ballroom dancer, but he was certainly bold and adaptive on the dance floor. Fleuri wondered, would that translate to how Lein fights?

As they danced, Fleuri was sure to periodically get a look at the duel. Even if he only was able to witness its progress piecemeal, it was evident that Renar was the one in control. Sir Felix, it appeared, was too bogged down by anger, and just maybe clouded by arrogance as well. Indeed, before Lein pulled Fleuri away to ask him a more personal question, the Reonite knight managed to glimpse Renar's victory.

I have to hand it to Renar. He had a plan, and he saw it through.

"I wouldn't say I flew far to the house of the goddesses," he answered the Hundi's rather deep query. "More like, I flew far away from the goddesses, then returned home." Fleuri wasn't entirely sure if Lein was asking this just to keep up the appearance of an elegant Hundi noblewoman, or if he was genuinely curious about Fleuri's past.

"You see, for the last century, House Jodeau has been dedicated to serving Reon, but I came to resent it. I wanted to get back the wealth, power, and prestige that we had given up. But then, I realized I was wrong, that in grasping for those things I was failing to honor my house, and had turned my back on the goddess. Ever since, I've sought to...."

It was at this point that he felt a tug on his sleeve, and looked over to see a young girl, attired in clothes too big for her, pleading for help to find where the sweets were.

"Of course, child, it's this way," he replied to the girl, gesturing for her to follow. "Come, Lady Cteline, we can spare a moment or two to help this youngster out."

@VitaVitaAR @PigeonOfAstora

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

"Yes, and they challenged us to pursue them," Ethelred added to Elnith's observation. "They might be trying to lure us into a trap. If so, we at least have some idea which direction to take to find their kin."

Ethelred looked down at the man. The battle was quite brief, and the monsters didn't manage to put up much of a fight. Instead they had opted to flee, treating the entire thing like a game. It one of the reason that Ethelred didn't want to immediately pursue- those little plant creatures were too cheerful and enthusiastic about the prospect of being chased.

The other reason was that they needed to help the Unseelie's victim.

"After, of course, we assist this man. Might someone with warmer hands help him to his feet?" he requested, looking down at the traveler. He was lucky that the knights had come along. Even the lowliest of the Unseelie were cruel beings that delighted in causing others' suffering. He was bashed up a bit, but looked like he should be able to still walk.

"We're knights of Queen Sorcha, come to deal with Unseelie activity in these woods," he answered, now addressing the man. "They've got the nearby village cowed with fear, and from what we've gathered, the fiends have been luring people into the woods with singing at night. Is there anything you can tell us about them that might help in rooting them out? And do you need help getting to safety?"

@Rune_Alchemist

Bible of Ichor: Septet for the Dead

Captain Argus Fellborn

Under normal circumstances, Argus would be pleased to see what little remained of his crew. However, it was clear by their menacing advance that they were not here to return to his command. Nay, these mindless corpses were looking for a fight. No doubt his death had caused his hold over them to slip away. Argus would need to rectify that.

"Mutiny, is it?" he shouted to the drenched skeletons. "You lot have forgotten your place- allow me to correct that! And Miss Cynthia- be careful to not damage them too gravely!"

Drawing upon the strength that had been returned to him upon drinking the vial of blood, Captain Fellborn channeled his powers of necromancy, attempting to reassert his control over the skeletons. He might not be able to control all of them in his current state, but just a few would be enough to turn the tide- and secure him a weapon without a fight.

"Strike your colors and submit, you rotted sea-dogs!" He focused on one skeleton in particular, brandishing a rusty sword. "You! Your captain has need of your weapon. Hand it over!"

@Rune_Alchemist

Epic of Beginnings - Dawns Cradle

Novak

"I'm not here to apprehend you, I just want to find out why the Krysa want me and my friends dead," Novak assured her, his voice increasingly frustrated. "That attack on that Krysa noble has turned them rabid, and they're not just going after you. They've put my caravan under siege for a crime we didn't even know of, let alone commit. If I don't somehow break them out or convince the Krysa of their innocence, everyone I've traveled with for as long as I can remember will die!"

He was done playing diplomatic or subtle. He was done being polite to this abrasive witch. At this point, there wasn't much else to do except clean as to exactly what he was here for and hope that she'd at least share something.

He couldn't compel any answer from her, of course. The witch did mention that she could use her magic in self-defense, and Novak had no intention of putting that to the test. If she refused to cooperate further, there wasn't much to do but leave before her definition of self-defense extended to ridding her home of unwelcome guests.

From what he could gather, the Krysa wanted this woman badly. She may be this person of interest that Lady Marushka was looking for, and was likely somehow involved in the assassination attempt. If this Yaga continued her refusal to share any information, it might be better for Novak to leave and leverage the information of her location and defenses with the Krysa, as risky as that may be.

It'd be best not to let the witch know that, though.

@Rune_Alchemist

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

"I am indeed familiar with your people's courtship customs, Lady Cteline," Fleuri gave his reply to Lein. "Perhaps this duel will help Sir Renar and Sir Felix obtain some mutual familial love, although I fear their enmity goes deeper than skepticism for each other's martial skill."

"Truly, it is a shame," he said as he watched the duel be announced. "They are both prestigious knights in service to the same crown. On the same side, as it were. The bonds of friendly rivalry are one thing, but it is rather tragic that they cannot feel joy at their brother's success."

Fleuri didn't mean to judge Renar for his anger at Felix. Given what he knew of the Bastard of Brias, it wasn't surprising. To be denied a noble title, to be raised alongside siblings who were afforded that privilege, to have such an unequal social dynamic through no fault of his own, it was no wonder that Renar clearly had a chip on his shoulder. And if Felix took after his father, a man who refused to grant a title to his own son simply because that son was the result of his own philandering, Fleuri wouldn't be surprised if the Crown Knight harbored a grudge against Renar for obtaining noble status through other means.

Fleuri liked a good duel, but he found nothing uplifting about watching two brothers seeking to spill one another's blood.

"Of course, Lady Cteline," Fleuri answered Lein's request. "I always have time to have a dance with an elegant stranger." To the rest of the ball, it'd appear to be the Flower of the North dancing with an exotic newcomer. To those who knew what was going on, it was two knights playing a silly, harmless game under a façade of courtly elegance. As for Fleuri's own part in it, just because he had rediscovered his faith in Reon and sought to move away from his irresponsible, selfish past didn't mean he had to be a stuffy stick in the mud.

@PigeonOfAstora

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

"Yes, we might be walking right into the heart of their territory," Ethelred replied to Elnith as they walked up to the woods. "With a little freezing, however, their home territory should become my home territory. I'll err, try to not freeze either of you."

It was good that Elnith was on board with the risky proposition of marching into the woods to take the fight to the Unseelie.

"As for your questionn, I've fought them before," he claimed. "Long ago, I thwarted the odd petty scheme by the Unseelie every now and then. Then there was when I slew the one that turned me into...this." Ethelred trailed off, worrying that he had cast a shadow over this conversation. "Since Sorcha freed me, I've crossed paths with them or their proxies on occasion."

Ethelred didn't normally bring up his curse in conversation. His feelings on it were mixed- despite the physical sensations that it denied him through his imprisonment within his icy armor, he couldn't deny that his new form granted considerable boons, giving this once-inconsequential hedge knight the power to serve as one of Sorcha's knights alongside the scions of heroes like Luna and Elias. It couldn't have been what that Unseelie had planned for him- it must have gone wrong somehow, perhaps when the creator of the curse perished at Ethelred's hand.

---

Later in the day, after hours of no sign of the Unseelie, the trio heard a shout. Ethelred followed the cry, expecting the others to be right behind him. He would need to remain cautious- it was already established that the Unseelie were luring the people away with singing, so it wouldn't be too far-fetched for them to feign a cry for help.

When he came to where the cry came from, he saw several vile plant creatures, a common Unseelie proxy from what he knew, toying with a human, mumbling something about a game.

"We need to save that man!" Ethelred spoke to the others.

Could it be a trap? Yes. Was it their duty to intervene regardless? Yes. With that in mind, Ethelred dismounted (not wanting to risk getting thrown from his horse by a maliciously placed root, which wasn't impossible given who they were up against) and charged the monsters, aiming to skewer one or two of them.

@Rune_Alchemist

Bible of Ichor: Septet for the Dead

Captain Argus Fellborn

"The Violet Witch herself, you say? All the cutting words in all the languages of the world cannot sink the flattery, nay, the honor of being returned to undeath by her grace," he assessed, as he looked down upon the vial she had given him.

The state of the world, as described by the maid, was a sad thing. This pitiful, broken world was not a place for a pirate. There would be no great trade and treasure fleets to plunder. There would be no infrastructure through which to carry myths of ghost ships far and wide. And even if there were, would such tales frighten someone who grew up in such a dark, broken world? And just how strong would they be? Had this dark new world made humans tougher and more resilient, or were they broken and struggling to survive on the scraps of the old world's rotting carcass?

Whatever the state, the tenets of Ichor would guide him. Despite what this maid was suggesting, Captain Fellborn took Ichor's commandments quite seriously in his career as a pirate.

"Aye, I accept your terms. Obtain the god-slaying blade, deliver it to you, and be discreet." Argus spoke, before taking the vial and imbibing the blood. He needed his strength back, and he needed his thirst slaked. "Lead the way, lass, but first...do you truly believe my brethren may get in the way?"

@Rune_Alchemist

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

Fleuri wasn't surprised to hear Lein addressing him, remarking on the conversation between Renar and Felix. Sir Adeforth, the senior Crown Knight, had entered the conversation and wasted no time reprimanding his subordinate for arguing with his half-brother. However, when he looked over and glanced at the Hundi knight, the sight of Lein's choice of attire was so thoroughly unexpected it almost caused him to spit out his wine.

If he hadn't known better, he might have been fooled into believing that that he was looking at a lovely Hundi noblewoman.

Judging by his rather flirtatious words to Fleuri, his atrocious attempt at an Ithillin accent, the fact that he had never before presented himself as a woman, and the simple fact that this was Lein, it was quite clear that he was messing around, taking advantage of his youthful, androgynous appearance to pose as a noblewoman.

He couldn't deny Lein wore the look well, however.

After a moment of hesitation as to how to react, Fleuri's attention was turned to the conversation between Renar and Felix, which had just escalated to the point of Felix challenging his brother to a duel. It should be a rather worrisome development, but he found the bold audacity of it- for a Crown Knight to challenge his half-brother to a duel in the middle of a royal ball- quite inspiring. So inspiring, in fact, that it moved him to go along with Lein's game.

"Yes, those two brothers are quite a pair, would you think, lady...I don't think I've caught your name," he said, taking Lein's prosthetic, gloved hand, as if to offer some subtle confirmation of both his understanding of the Hundi's game and his willingness to play along.

@PigeonOfAstora

Epic of Beginnings - Dawns Cradle

Novak

"Alright, I'll come get her," Novak replied to the red-haired Yaga, quite pleased with Ayumi's actions. Not only did the fox prevent the mysterious and uncooperative Yaga from slamming the door on him, it also meant he'd be able to get a good look at both her and the interior of the cabin.

Could this be the "person of interest" that Lady Marushka was looking for, he thought as he stepped into the house. He looked all around him, ostensibly to locate Ayumi, taking close note of what she had set up in here. When he saw her, he'd move in to seemingly grab her, gesturing to the left with his eyes in hopes that she'd get the hint to evade him.

"Are you aware that the Krysa patrols are swarming this area?" he asked as he made a insincere attempt to grab Ayumi. "Or that the Tsarita herself has taken an interest in finding someone around here? Do you really think those wards of yours will keep them away forever?"

This woman may be be dangerous, especially if she thought for a moment that he might rat her out (pun intended) to the Krysa, but she did need Novak to come in to retrieve Ayumi. Regardless, he couldn't let his guard down, she clearly had some degree of magical power or knowledge.

@Rune_Alchemist