Sedjwick

The World of Aerion

@tobiax While I can understand and may even agree with that sentiment, there's also the need to tell a story in here, and if we spend too much time on the in-between moments, the lack of action could end up killing the RP before the actual story can even get started. It's a balancing act, to be sure, and I think that's why @TheLazarus is waiting for each group to give the go-ahead before moving them forward. Everyone gets their interactions in, and we hopefully keep a good pace in the advancement of the plot as well.

The World of Aerion

Yeah, I think I'm ready for the time skip on the knights' storyline too. Not sure I have anything more to add with Elric before we get into the actual quest.

The World of Aerion

@TheLazarus Personally, I don't have discord, so I wouldn't use it, but I know a lot of people probably would.

The World of Aerion

@Leo KhanI like Kace's version of the story of the Golden Knight. It's based on the story of Beowulf, yes? It follows the story too closely not to be.

The World of Aerion

Elric was grateful when Catskull appeared and suggested they all have a drink to calm themselves. The suggestion seemed to be heeded immediately, and somehow the simple suggestion seemed to put an end to the fighting between Roland and Kace, though Roland, in what Elric was beginning to realize was the man's typical fashion, seemed to reject Kace's offer of friendship. Still, the fighting was over, at least for the time being, and Elric quickly calmed down and allowed himself to relax, taking a seat amongst the rest of the knights. He glanced at the casks of liquor, considering getting up to get something for himself, but before he could, Kace handed him a mug. Elric nodded and gratefully accepted the offered drink

Kace apologized for his part in the short bout between him and Roland, but also defending his actions. Elric could certainly sympathize with Kace's willingness to defend the honor of his family, especially given the nature of the insults Roland had delivered. Even so, they would have to all get along throughout this quest if they were to have success, and despite Roland instigating the fight, and despite him insulting the honor of Kace's family, in this situation, it still would have been better to ignore the insults rather than responding in kind. Still, Elric did not berate Kace for his actions. His anger at him and Roland had cooled, and while all were behaving civilly, he had no desire to bring hard feelings between any of them. Instead, he responded finally to Kace's query about his backstory. "I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm a very impressive warrior; I've simply dedicated a great deal of time and effort into honing my skills," he explained. "I'm the second son of a minor noble in Falke, and with my brother the heir, I could not inherit my father's county, and so instead, I chose to serve in the Dragoons, and while it's true that the Dragoons are considered to be the most difficult branch of the Falkan military to qualify for or ascend the ranks of, I'm a firm believer in the virtue of hard work and dedication, and that nothing is truly impossible with enough of those two virtues."

The World of Aerion

Elric watched as Kace seemed to follow his orders, only to spin around and attack Roland. Before Elric could do anything to diffuse the situation, the two were locked in combat for a few moments, giving Elric no opportunity to come between the two again until they had disengaged. He listened as Kace gave a very insolent and undiplomatic remark to Roland before moving to strike again. As he raised his sword at Roland, Elric twirled his spear between the two combatants, striking at the handle of the weapon of each, forcing the weapons from the hands of both knights. He once again forced himself between them. "That is enough!" he declared again, more sternly this time. He once again used his spear to force the two further apart, this time with the point directed at Kace. "We are not here to fight amongst ourselves, and I will tolerate no more of it! If you will not disengage of your own volition, then so help me, I will force it from you even if I must knock you both unconscious to do so!" He glared between Roland and Kace, daring either to try to defy him again.

The Marauders (2018)

I be here also.

The World of Aerion

Elric listened once more as Kace quite diplomatically rebutted Roland's attack, though he also included a few unnecessary remarks calling Roland's skill and experience in actual combat into question. Kace then turned to Elric and spoke to him in Falkmor. Elric could not help but smile somewhat as Kace agreed with the sentiments he had expressed, though his Falkmor was not perfect. It had been spoken well enough that Elric had been able to understand him, and the fact that Roland seemed to not understand the language also gave Elric some small amount of pleasure.

Kace had then asked Elric for his story, but before Elric could respond, Sir Roland responded to Kace's questions of his skill and experience in combat, and then made ready to draw his sword and directly threatened Kace. That was too much for Elric who, in two short strides placed himself between Roland and Kace, holding his spear out between them to keep them apart, with the point directed at Roland.

"That is enough," he declared clearly and forcefully. "We are all on the same side here, and fighting amongst ourselves will only aid the enemy." His next words were directed more to Roland as he said, "You yourself said that we are all on this quest together. You would do well to not strain our relations by insulting us or worse, threatening us." He spoke once more to both Kace and Roland. "Both of you, opposite sides of the ship now, and don't either of you come near the other until we arrive at port. I don't want to hear any more fighting between the two of you." He glared at both men and waited to see if they would obey or argue the orders he had just given, admittedly without any real authority to force their obedience.

The World of Aerion

Elric remained silent as Kace provided his backstory. He, too, had heard of the Seven Month War, and was impressed with Kace's service in the war, given his young age, and even more in his diplomacy in ending the war peacefully. Surely the abilities of someone like Kace would become valuable assets through the course of their quest. He was about to say as much when Roland responded in a way that was far less complimentary. Instead, Elric rolled his eyes at Roland's condescension and muttered some very unflattering remarks in Falkmor, somewhat hoping that Roland did not speak the language of Falke since the tone of Elric's words was revealing enough of what he thought of Roland's remark, as well as about Roland himself. Roland was such a cocky jerk, so intent on upholding his own high status that he had to somehow try to take Kace down. Having no way to actually belittle Kace on his merits, Roland instead decided to attack Kace's parentage.

Elric continued to listen to Roland as he gave an explanation of what he considered to be worth sharing, before not so subtly suggesting that Elric had no meaningful accomplishments to speak of. Elric again rolled his eyes and muttered some further unflattering remarks regarding Roland's ego, though more quietly this time, even as Roland declared that his reputation must surely have preceded him, making any talk of his own accomplishments unnecessary. If Elric were a less cautious man with his words, and more prone to lashing out in anger, he would have responded with a biting remark and his accomplishments of being the youngest person to have ever been accepted into the Dragoons at the age of 18, and being the youngest man to ever achieve the rank of High Dragoon only 10 short years later. He would also have mentioned how at least a third of the men under his command were older than him and at least a quarter of them had been in the Dragoons longer than he had, yet they all still respected him and followed his orders without question. Surely that would be something that Roland would consider to be worth sharing. However, Elric remained silent. Speaking in anger was foolish, and Elric had trained himself to always let his anger cool before speaking. He also had no desire to see what sort of condescending remark Roland would come up with after hearing Elric's accomplishments since, if his reaction to Kace's story was anything to go by, he certainly would find some way to attack him, and Elric had no interest in self-inflicted pain.

The World of Aerion

Elric turned around at the sound of Sir Roland's voice addressing him and the other knights. He raised an eyebrow curiously at Roland's question, though this gesture was lost in the overhang of his helmet. "Why do you hesitate to ask, I wonder?" he muttered in Falkmor, before responding to the actual question in Ethorian, this time loud enough for Roland to hear. "I suppose that depends on what you consider to be worth sharing, yes?" he said, his tone guarded as usual, and offering no further information.