TheOneDemon

The Maimed God - (Dark Age Casual-Advanced Character RP)

‘’Raditsch? Master Einhard? I think I’ve found the flowers!’’
Marozia climbs the steep trail where last she saw her traveling companions, only to find it deserted.
‘’Hey, Raditsch, these look purple-ish enough. I hope these are the ones you meant.’’ Clutched in her hands is a sprout with a magenta-like bud, holding it forward. ‘’Where did everyone go?’’
Marozia looks around, before scaling towards the cliff where she last saw Einhard. After she looks down, Marozia drops the flowers in shock. “Oh no… Wha- what happened?!” Marozia blurts out to herself as panic begins to overtake her. She has spotted Einhard, down in the camp, far beyond reach and in the midst of soldiers carrying banners of the Lampertei Bear. She whimper; “No… I can’t be alone again...”

---

Captivity in the Lampert mountain camp

North of Skadania

His mace was ripped off his waist as the Paladin was swarmed by hands, tugging at him and pushing his face to the ground.
After he was disarmed, subdued and bonded, Einhard was pushed and pulled by at least a dozen men towards a cage, jeering and laughing at him the entire way.

‘’Take this Chlotar pig to the enclosure! Be swift with it!’’

Voices of men all around Einhard are clamouring. ‘’We’ll present him to Dalgiserius later!’’
‘’No, he’ll be a good snack for the Jet Hound… Ghahaha!’’

With a creak, a metallic door was opened, and the helpless Paladin was hurled inside. Then with a clang, the door shuts as a solid chain sealed around it.
Einhard digs his fingernails into the dirty wooden floor, feeling the anger well up in him over the betrayal by Raditisch. Einhard looks towards the guards who threw him into the cage, and growls “I’ll see each one of you strung up dancing.” Einhard turns his head back towards the floor and begins to feverishly recite the Godas Warrior Prayer.

O Allfather ruling from Lighthome,
may my deeds spell your name,
give me the sight to lead my people,
and vanquish those who lead us astray.
Show me the passion and fury to undertake your will,
for my journey has merrily started,
when the days have gone down in Visandza,
behind the hills and into shadow.
Godas give me strength.

‘’Stop your prayer, you bumbling idiot. God will not hear you here.’’ A man in a lamellar cuirass, with a grim blond stached face and missing eyeball appears behind the bars of the cage. The man sneers cruelly at the captured Paladin.
‘’Face it; you have none to blame this fate for but your damned self. You were foolhardy enough to trust a Lampert! Hahaha!"

Einhard eyes drift up towards him and he mutters to himself, “Perhaps I will lay you out on your bloody altars like has been done to my brethren.” The Lampert leans in closer with a hand placed to his hear. ‘’I’m sorry, can you repeat yourself, Chlotar muppet?’’ Einhard looks at him deadpan, and begins to contort his body to sit facing away from the guards.

There, from the corner of his eyes he catches a familiar presence entering the camp. A man in rags wearing a straw hat. It is Raditschs.
Einhard is immediately repulsed by the mere sight, and closes his eyes, whispering to himself; ‘’I see now why you would be cursed; you are damnable. ...You damned fiend.’’

The cursed man walks further into the camp towards the men responsible for capturing the Paladin, with whom he was in cahoots the entire time. Meanwhile the one eyed man that had just addressed Einhard is standing much further back, and the Paladin can recognise his orotund voice.

‘’Mighty King, we have captured the Chlotar King’s interloper. By the armor, he seems to be of high standing.’’

‘’Is that so…’’ A heavier voice yet replies. And in that moment, Einhard is overcome by an intense sensation of foreboding, giving him an inkling to whom the voice belongs. Then Raditsch walks past the cage, his head turning away perhaps in shame, to avoid eye-contact with the man he has betrayed. He walks straight towards Dalgiserius, and kneels before him.

‘’My Cuninc… King…’’
Dalgiserius turns around, leering at the man groveling at his feet. Through the bars Einhard catches a glimpse of the King’s large and imposing frame, most notably his dark beard, and bearhide mantle.

‘’I return faithfully to your service… In homage to mine eternal Lampertei allegiance, I brought thee the man that, by Chlotar Cuninc was decreed to bring about your reign’s endingaz.’’
The cursed man’s head hangs low in submission. And all can sense how he shivers.

‘’You.’’ The king quivers red with contained, seething rage.
‘’I told you what would happen if ever you dared present your mangy skin to me again…’’

‘’My King, I bid thee only redemption. In all my years of exile I have never stopped serving You, o King, and Lampertei. I bid thee…. I beg thee…. I am your most faithful, loyal, steadfa-’’ Dalgiserius did not let him finish. A brutal and sickly crack was heard as the King’s scepter smashed into the cursed man’s head, and with such forcefulness that Raditschs was flung into the air, out of sight and ferried straight to the afterlife.
After so many years of restless wandering, the damned man has at last been lifted of the King’s curse, though not in the way he had hoped.

A red stain is visible on the Lampert King’s scepter. The whole of the camp falls deadly silent, motionless, and not even the one-eyed man twitches.

Than Dalgiserius turns his gaze towards the cage, and spots Einhard looking at him. The two make brief eye-contact before the Lampert king approaches him. The whole of the cage seems to rattle tremblingly at the King’s approaching footsteps.

‘’So you are the Chlotar Interloper which the Dead Traitor brought to my camp. I know what you are, Godboy. You were tasked with destroying Lampertei? Don’t make me laugh… You are alone, abandoned -- there is nothing threatening about you. You’re a sniveling little pup, much like your master.’’
Dalgiserius’ scowling icy blue eyes pierce into the captive Paladin.

Einhard stares coldly back at Dalgiserius refusing to break his gaze and curtly replies, “Not even a drink for your honored guest?”

Dalgiserius bares his grinding teeth, yellowed, brittle and broken, likewise not breaking eye-contact or even blinking.. ‘’I would throw you to the dogs. Break every bone in your body. But not kill you.. no… Soon, Godboy, I will wipe that smile off your face. The Farigai have their ways of… cowing you.’’

The King turns his head sideways, and calls out: ‘’Gastald Liutpertus.’’

‘’Yes, my King?’’ The same one-eyed man of before steps to the fore, whose name is apparently Liutpertus.

‘’Show this Chlotar runt a taste of the Lampert hospitality he requested.’’
The gastald motions to two other Lamperts to help him remove the chain off the door to take hold of the Paladin. The King, meanwhile, turns away.
‘’Now, with this ‘’Chlotar threat’’ neutralized, I will be returning to my Hold…
Get me my horse, you hayborn mongrels.’’ Having uttered those words, Dalgiserius leaves the scene.

Einhard braces himself for the coming Lampert brutality and thinks of Marozia wandering the mountain passes all alone, “May Godas be with you young one” he whispers to himself.

The Maimed God - (Dark Age Casual-Advanced Character RP)

Deep Rudines

March of Lampertei

The company of three make their way through the mountains, now certain to be in Lampert territory. They can no longer afford laxity, because every now and then they spot distant their outposts indicating that no Chlotar had come here, perhaps since Einhard’s father.

Raditsch walks on the fore, as he knows most every trail and pathway in these lands… The Paladin must depend on him therefore; this lone Lampert wanderer. But a dark cloud follows the company wherever they go so long as the accursed man walks among them, making their movement all the easier to track to their enemies. To make matters worse, they have only one horse and it can’t carry all three of them. The Paladin opted therefore to dismount and move on by foot, handing the reins to Marozia whose infant legs are likely less durable than those of the two grizzled adults.
To avoid being easily spotted and surrounded, the company had to make wide detours if only to hide that damned cloud trailing them.

Nevertheless they traveled for a day now, and as the party progressed their rations began to dwindle. Malnourishment is something Raditsch has long been accustomed to, but for a royal Paladin and little girl? Unacceptable!
From the horse, Marozia doubles over holding her stomach as a loud growl is emitted from her mid section. “Ugh, Master Einhard! I’m so hungry, can you please hand me some of the rations?”
Einhard rummages through their supplies, grabbing the pack which usually contains some yeast bread, and leftover of duck from Autchar and Einhard’s hunts down the road. However, Einhard finds nothing but crumbs contained in the pack;
“Hmmm… I didn’t bring enough food for the three of us, I thought we would have linked up with Autchar by now.”
Marozia cries out, “Well I need something to eat or else im going to DIE!”
Einhard shakes his head at her, “If you want to be a shieldbearer, you will have to get accustomed to occasional hardship.. The first time is always the hardest, but you won’t die, little one. We have seen some goats and small game in these passes… -the next one we see will be your meal.” Marozia straightens up and looks at Einhard, “Thank you so much Master!”

After the party advances further into the Mountains, a few rocks fall down, and one of them hits Raditsch’s shin, who flinches forward to grab his injured leg. The cursed man then looks further up on the cliff from whence they came. ’’Just mine luck.. the beasten on mine trail ever seek sabotage of mine journey.’’ he points a calloused finger at a white mountain ram, standing on top the cliff ahead. And right then and there Einhard recognises their dinner-to-be, and prepares his hunt with javelin in hand; “Alright, hand me the reins Shieldbearer.. I need the horse for this one, but follow me swiftly.” With Marozia having climbed down, Einhard mounts the horse in one swift motion and urges it towards the most gentle slope near the ram. Einhard’s urgency was however not needed as the ram barely reacted towards the Paladin till it was too late. When the ram sensed incoming dread and bursted off, Einhard’s javelin was already hurtling its way towards it. It lodged itself in one of the ram’s hind leg as it continues to limp away from Einhard, passing from the party’s line of sight with painful blares and leaving a trail of blood, with the Paladin hot on pursuit. When he sees it running towards a cave, he moves in for the kill. ‘’Nowhere to hide..!’’ Einhard snarls through clenched teeth as he took aim.

That evening they had hoisted their catch on a spit over a fire. The Paladin resolved a successful hunt, and the shieldbearer had her meal, though frankly all three were famished. The horse was tied to the branch of a nearby shrub.

Raditschs gnaws on a roasted leg through skilful use of the few usable teeth that had not fallen out, before turning to Einhard with a hush, his voice filled with foreboding... ‘’As agreed, I can see to it the Lamperts will not mar your path. That is easilaz done. Only come nightfall will the greater danger reveal itself, drawn to doom like moth to lightas.’’

Einhard looks at Raditsch with a puzzled look, “What do you mean greater danger, do bigger birds come out during the night? Or are there some kind of wolves or bears in these passes?”

‘’No.. no… Well, perhaps. You can never really know in the land of Darklings. It is seldom I have taken this route. Around the Rudines old tales go around of cursed wanderers, much like myself, that had been here long before Dalgiserius. And they are not all as benign to your cause as myself..’’
Einhard’ eyes are on the fire as he rotates the spit, and let the flames roast the unsinged back of the ram as he listens, heeding Raditsch’ words.
The cursed man continues; ‘’Therefore I say, it is best you sleep with one eye open tonight.’’ He takes another bite as his eyes look keenly into the fire.

Marozia butts into the conversation, “Well then we are all screwed, cause I managed to sneak up on Master Einhard!”

“Quiet young one, there is truth in what the mad-man speaks.’’ Einhard tells Marozia with a grave face. Einhard looks towards the setting sun and continues, “I fear we will have to fight for our lives tonight, any banter will not be welcomed.”

The shieldbearer motions towards the cave before which they sit. ‘’What if we hide? Maybe the Darklings won’t find us if we’re hidden well enough?’’

Einhard and Marozia look to Radistich as to hear the advice of the experienced cursed man.

‘’Nothing is certain. Sometimes fear of doom is worse than the actual doom. Perhapsaz nothing will happen… But if doom does come to pass, hiding will not avail us. We will have to be prepared irregardlaz.’’

‘’Than to be sure, we ought to look into that cave and confront its denizens. Darklings hide in such dark corners, correct?’’ The Paladin stands up, his eyes fixed on the dark and gaping opening of the cave, and Raditsch silently nods to him.
‘’Then I will go and see, lest night falls.’’ Einhard takes a lump of wood, placing the tip of it in the spitfire until it catches fire as makeshift torch, and with his free hand draws forth his mace.

The party slowly edges towards the cave, gaining confidence as they move into the opening in the mountain. Einhard leads the way into the cave and slowly moving the torch across his field of vision to expose the area at the fore of the cave.
“There is nothing here so far, just stones and bones of things long dead.” He observes.
‘’Bones? That does indicataz that this cavern has been something’s lair…’’ The cursed man responds.
‘’Einhard! Raditschs!’’ Marozia hisses under her breath, anxiously pointing a finger deeper into the cave. ‘’I.. saw something move there..!’’
Einhard snaps his orientation towards where Marozia was pointing causing the dark creature that Marozia was pointing towards to bolt in a white blur. The creature had bolted further into the cave and Einhard motioned the rest of the party to follow him as he pushed further into the mountain.

After a few moments of tracking the beast deeper and deeper in, suddenly a large thud is heard in the section just beyond the group. “If we are lucky, we will find this foul creature in the next room.” Einhard says as he crosses the treshold of another opening leading to some deeper interior. As he scans the room with his torch, Einhard begins to emit a hearty laugh. “What, what is is!? What is so funny Master Einhard?!” Marozia begins to demand from Einhard. Einhard beckons his two companions behind him to come look at the terror of their night. In front of Marozia sits a small white rabbit licking its paw. Marozia puffs up and turns to Radistich, “Is this what a terror is to you, crazy man!?!? I was scared half to death!”

‘’As I said, nothing is certain.’’

“Let’s just be glad our trial has been put on hold for a moment longer.” Einhard says as he sits down to catch his breath, returning his weapon to its sheath. The Paladin then looks for his skin of ale but remembers he had left it back at his horse. The fluffy rabbit observes the Paladin inquisitively before scurrying off into a dark hole deeper into the cavern. Before Einhard even thought of killing it for an easy meal, a terrible shriek is heard from outside the cave. The vicious neighing of a frantic horse; it’s Einhards steed!

Einhard rushes past his two companions and immediately heads out to find the cave exit, and the shrub where he left his horse, only to find it lying bleeding on the ground. Standing over it is a great jet black hound that is itself the size of a horse, with intense white eyes like saucers, drooling over his killed catch. The horse’s neck had been snapped with the fell bite from its greats fangs.

Einhard bellows at the sight of his dead horse, “Kex!” Einhard draws his mace, gripping with such anger that his knuckles begin to turn pale. Einhard mutters his curse to the beast through clenched teeth, “Once I am done with you, there will be no skull left. You spawn of hell.”

The great Hound listened to Einhard’s threat with unblinking eyes, and only reacts by leaping down the cliff, then crosses the gap over to another cliff with another intense leap. The beast moves with such a swiftness that a man could not hope to catch up with it.

‘’Paladin! Hold!’’ Raditschs cries after him, hastening out of the cave.
‘’That is no mere dog. I know him… That creature has sporadically been drawn to mine path for many a year since having obtained the King’s hex. It belongs to the Wild Huntsman...’’
“Raditschs. You could have warned me that your mad ramblings meant there was a horse-killing demon hound.” Einhard spat at Raditschs with anger.

‘’...When haz anything of what I said been ‘mad ramblings’?’’

With the Paladin’s beloved mount dead, the company now will have an even harder time to navigate through the mountains and reach the Millennium Horn.
Nevertheless Einhard remains resolute, he straightens his back and looks to the moon, at this time of month appearing as a thin crescent “Once dawn arrives I will go out and slay this beast… For Kex.”

The Maimed God - (Dark Age Casual-Advanced Character RP)

The Rudine Mountains

The border dividing the realms of Chlotaringen and Lampertei

‘’Here; this is as far as I’m allowed to tread. Beyond here is no-man’s land.’’ Fulk of Rudinberg stops his horse, then points his spear at the valley down the edge of the cliff from which they stand. The valley gradually slopes upwards towards two high mountains, between which a narrow pass is visible.
‘’That’s the pass I told you about… Careful; while Lamperts don’t usually go through there, one can never be certain.’’

Einhard looks towards the valley with a determined look on his face, then replies in a gruff manner, “That’s if Autchar left any of the Lamperts to us.”

Fulk nods, then turns to Marozia. ‘’Watch yourself out there little boy!’’

“FOR THE LAST TIME I AM NOT A-” Marozia shouts then takes a deep breath.
Following the outburst Einhard lets out a brief snort of laughter while Fulk just grins like an idiot, pretending not to hear. He slaps his horse; ‘’HEI-YA!’’ And the Rudinberg warrior races off, withdrawing towards the road from which they came.

Marozia puffs up some at Einhard seated in front of him, “What I keep telling these boneheads is that I am a girl, and they can’t get it through their thick skulls!” Marozia shakes her head, “And anyways, did you actually mean you are looking to kill Lamperts, Master Paladin?”
Einhard urges the horse on which they sit towards the valley and feels for his mace, “If it comes to it, it will be the only way. Hopefully we manage to link up with Autchar before any real fighting takes place.” Einhard turns around at Marozia with a grin on his face, “The men of the Clovisciscan Clan prefer to have real warriors to protect their back when we charge into battle.”
“Hey!” Marozia yelps back, “I only recently started training, I have plenty of time to learn to use this thing.” Marozia takes out Alamehtigan from the sheath on her waist and swings it in the air.
“Marozia!” Einhard bellows, “Put the sword away; it is not a toy to be played with!”
Marozia bows her head with shame, “Sorry master Paladin…” and returns the sword to the sheath.
Einhard sighs, “Just don’t do it again. Now let's go.” Einhard urges his horse to begin moving at a faster trot through the valley.
As the Paladin and his Shieldbearer got closer to the Rudines they were met with a fierce mountain wind, but otherwise no sound. ‘’Say, Einhard, you mentioned the King had a vision. About the Horn. It’s somewhere in a mountain top ruin, right?’’
‘’Correct.’’
‘’So, where should we start looking? Just go by every mountain?’’
‘’We need to find this Raditsch, apparently he isn’t hard to find. So say the men of Rudinberg, anyway.
And also-…’’

From beyond the mountain tops Einhard spots something peculiar, a single dark stormcloud has appeared on the skyline, surrounded by an otherwise clear blue sky. He looks at it for a bit with a disconcerted brow.
‘’...And also, what?’’ His Shieldbearer notices Einhard having gone mute, and after perceiving the frown on his face, she follows his eyes to whatever has disquieted him. She spots the distant cloud.
‘’What is that? Is a storm on its way?’’ Marozia says, slightly unnerved. ‘’Do you think it’s an omen?’’
‘’...A good one, I hope.’’ Einhard finally says. ‘’Let’s go.’’

In under an hour they reach the pass and ride their steed through the opening. They are now in the Rudine Mountains, the highest in all Visandza. Immediately the two can sense a change, and not just in altitude. The air here is so clean and pure that it was always said Healing Powers are invested in it, divinely inspired. It is no coincidence that these mountains were once a place of reverence for the followers of Godas.
Looking around in wonderment, the jagged mountain tops are wreathed in fog and covered by crystalline layers of ice, glinstering in the morning sun. A few flakes of snow dart gracefully towards the ground from up on high, yet beyond that the cold is strangely soothing.
Disrupting the rapture however is that single dark stormcloud, which seems to have gotten closer.

Einhard had a sudden inkling. “Something tells me we need to go there”, pointing at the cloud.
“Why? Is the Millennium Horn there or some such?”
Einhard gives no response, but steers the horse down the rocky trail to circumvent the mountain behind which peak the cloud is looming.

Over the next two hours of carefully navigating through perilous and steep pathways, evading cliffs and jagged rocks, and hoping not to come across scouts from Lampertei, the two ride closer and closer to their destination floating above the mountains. Finally circumventing the great mountain -- though but one of many in the great mountain chain that is the Rudines -- they come upon a clearing, a forested and rocky meadow leading down to a lake.

The meadow is shrouded by the overcasting cloud. And standing closeby, the two can perceive rain dripping down from it into the clearing, and stranger yet the occasional crackle of lightning. If it wasn’t already apparent before, that cloud is certainly no result of natural processes.

Having taken in the view from their elevated path, the two ride down the mountainous slope and into the meadow. Before long however, Shieldbearer Marozia points towards something near the lake.
‘’Hey, Master Paladin, look! I think there's someone sitting there!’’
Einhard narrows his eyes and tries to follow the direction of Marozia’s finger. It must be her young eyes, for the Paladin can only just make out the vague silhouette of something.
‘’Do you think it’s a Lampert?’’ The Paladin asks his shieldbearer as he attempts to perceive what is waiting down below.
‘’Could be?’’ She replies.
‘’Well, there’s only one way to find out.’’

Not long thereafter their steed enters the clearing. And now looking through the trees, they can see from afar a man sitting lonely on a great stone with his back turned towards them. He sits motionlessly, as if asleep, and is draped with such tattered and worn raiments that the colors of it resemble and camouflage with the stone. On top of his head is a straw hat, from a distance appearing to be smeared with white paint.

Riding closer, Einhard clears his voice and bellows at the sitting man, “In the name of King Cauroman, identify yourself!” Einhard pauses for a second, awaiting response. Receiving none, the Paladin raises his voice yet again, “I am Paladin Einhard Maugersson, identify yourself now!”
The sitting man gives no response. ‘’Stay on the horse, Shieldbearer.’’ Einhard tells Marozia as he climbs down the steed, handing her the reins.
Then the Paladin walks over to the motionless man. He places a hand on his shoulder, which is covered in white and black sludgy matter, leaving a white print on his hand as though paint.

“Gah what in the Hellfire is this.” Einhard shakes his hand trying to get the paint off, but ends up splattering more of it on the armor.

‘’Bensdu marcarii Lampoerti?’’
The man suddenly speaks hoarsely in an unfamiliar language, and he turns his face towards Einhard.
‘’Wo bensdu?’’
As the Lampert language sounds similar to Chlotar, Einhard could understand what he said a little bit. ‘Who are you.’
“I am Paladin Einhard Maugersson of Clan Cloviscisca, courtier of the King of Chlotaringen, I am here on official business of King Cauroman.”

As the Paladin looked upon him, he saw a worn and miserable face, with loose strands of grey and brown hair covering his forehead, disheveled facial hair and blotches of diseased and burned skin on his cheek and neck.

‘’Are you? You are dapper to tread alonaz so near to the Cuninc… King’s domain, outlandling.’’ The man says, speaking now in Chlotar. ‘’I am Raditschs.’’ he says, turning around.

“The Chlotar Paladins fear no man, especially not the Mad King of the Lamperts.” Einhard replies sitting down on a nearby large rock. Einhard undoes the cap on his mead to take a swig before extending it to Raditschs. “Care to take a drink?”

Raditschs hunches forward, looking perplexed at the skin of mead offered to him, not having experienced mannerisms of kindness in a long time. He looks up at Einhard questioningly.
‘’A Paladin of the Chlotar Cuninc… I assumaz you are among his blessed mennus, and need not fear doom therefore. Nor to have mine doom be brought upone you.’’

Dismissing Raditsch’s gloom, Einhard continues to hold the skin towards Raditsch, not letting go until he accepts it. “Not quite the reaction I was expecting, but come on. Every man, friend or foe, should be able to share a drink between each other.”
The haunted man’s eyes light up in disbelief. He looks between the Paladin’s face and the mead, then back to his face as to discern how serious he is, before finally stretching out a calloused hand to take the meadskin, and pressing the opening against sore dried lips... After handing it back, Raditschs just keeps staring at Einhard piercingly, still lost for words and puzzled as to his intent. Both men find the other to be the stranger.

Einhard puts the cap back on the mead skin. “So you are Raditschs, from what I heard you were cursed… I don’t know what to think of you.”

Raditschs murmurs something inwardly, his happy disbelief returning to his accustomed sternness. Then he points a finger upwards to the cloud hanging above them.
‘’I assumaz that is how you foundas me.’’

“A darkcloud that unnatural and a man proclaimed by drunken warriors to be cursed and an agent of discord… I made a fair guess.” Einhard chuckles to himself, “You had quite the fan down there in Rudinberg-” Suddenly Einhard turns serious, “So what are you then, a spawn of evil, a cursed holy warrior, or some unfortunate man caught in between their battle?”

Raditsch nods, and while processing his thoughts, speaks slowly, carefully picking his words. ‘’I am damned, to darkness driven. Where your King had bestowaz you his white boon, mine King bestowaz me his black curse.’’

Overhearing, Marozia calls from the back: ‘’Your King? You mean Dalgiserius?’’
...At the mention of the Lampert King’s name the cloud above them crackles with lightning, scaring the horse who neighs and would’ve surely run off, had Marozia not pulled at the reins. ‘’Wow there, calm there!’’

Raditsch continues, moving a finger towards his straw.
‘’I weare this hutt in vain attempt to scield mine head from rain unending, and also the birda.’’
Indeed, only now Einhard realises the white sludgy substance covering Raditschs hat and shoulders is bird poo. A lot of bird poo. For one to have such tremendous bad luck, he must surely be under the effects of a curse.

Einhard stands up straight, undaunted by Raditsch’s everpresent gaze, “Dalgiserius is a wicked deviant, he will receive what he is due in time, for what he has done to his people.” Marozia pipes up, “Yeah, like making the birds shit on him!”
Einhard sighs and shakes his head at her.

The haunted man seems distraught rather than consoled by their words, lowering his head and looking to the ground, finally ceasing his relentless staring at Einhards face, who was probably getting uncomfortable from it by now.
‘’Long ago… Mine King Dalgiserius was a fine princeling from a noble kingdom.’’

A flickering light appears in the haunted man's eyes, and he raises a finger.

“Dalgiserius though a mannus prone to outbursts and violence, was just, and always the first to ride to his peoples defense among the Lampert princelings. I had once accompanied him on one such exploits, I did.
… Of course, this was back when his brothers and kinsmen yet lived.
Now it’s as though he has been possessed by a demon. A demon whose hold firmed with every death.
Long I have dwelled at the March of Lampertei in miserable exile, in hopes he would one day clear the dark of his mind.
Alas.”

Einhard stands motionless with his hands placed on his thighs as he looks down to the haunted man, listening intently, though he can’t help but raise eyebrows in regards to some of the words spoken. ‘Dalgiserius fine? ...Lampertei noble?’

Looking up again to Einhard and Marozia, Raditschs sighs. ‘’There is no rest for me, so I fear. When I close mine eyes I can still heare his fell voice screaming mine damnation.’’

From his mind, Raditschs recalls an image of a dark stone hall wreathed with green flame. There a large and dark imposing figure sits on the throne, menacingly waving a scepter at the conjuring of a wicked hex. The rage of that voice would ring with him forever.

GOD’S SLAVE
YOU CAN’T ESCAPE MY DAMNATION
HEAR MY WORDS - FEAR MY CURSE
WHERESOEVER YOU DWELL TEMPESTS HOUND YOU
AND NO SHELTER YOU’LL FIND FROM UNENDING DESPAIR
PESTILENCE WILL CLAIM YOUR HOMELESS SOUL
- NOT A HAIR ON YOUR HEAD BE SPARED
GUILT AND MISERY UNTO SEVEN GENERATIONS
OF ALL YOUR DAMNED FAMILY!

“Mine curse.” Raditsch says reflecting with a downcast and defeated tone.

Marozia, not understanding the gravitas of damnation, leans towards Einhard and whispers, “I swear, not every Lampert is crazy.” Einhard nods at Marozia then turns to Raditsch, “Thank you for your story…’’ Einhard politely says with faux amusement. To him the notion of Dalgiserius being anything other than a demon in and by himself is a foreign one.
“I suppose now is the time I tell you why I am here. I am looking for the Millennium Horn.”

“The selfsame Horn carried by a Paladin before you, I recall. I did not realise at the time it was such a mighty weapon.
Am I to assumaz you seek to enlist mine aid to this end?’’

Einhard lets out a hearty laugh, “Yes I- ..we will need help finding the Millennium Horn in these Mountains.”
Again the haunted man stares at Einhard intently, seemingly to test how serious he is.
‘’I do know of the whereabouts of the Horn, Paladin. But I do not know if you should want to go there. It is in Lampertei Domain -- to tread there is to tread into uncertainty and chaos. If you are caught there is no telling what the Cuninc’s Men will do to you.
And if I am caught accompanying you, I will be beyond redemption and cursed forever.
The risk is too great.’’

“If indeed you prove yourself useful, of course I will help you lift your curse. As a Swordbrother of the King of Chlotaringen, I can effortlessly arrange a meeting with a King to mend your curse, one nobler than the mad Lampert King...”

‘’You would… you would arrange such?’’
For a moment Raditsch is dumbfounded, struck by the acts of unusual kindness the Paladin repeatedly offers.
‘’If I have your solemn promise, that you would indeed let me see the Chlotar Cuninc, than I will do all in mine power to guide you there.
But heed me now, Paladin. The path to the horn is arduous… There is no guarantee you will leave unscathed, blessedness or no.
Do you have the readiness.. the certainty of mind?’’
Einhard nods in approval and stretches his arm out towards Radistich, “I already made up my mind as I rode to find you, Raditsch. Take me to the Horn my father died for, and I vow by my ancestors, I will take you to King Cauroman.”

The Maimed God - (Dark Age Casual-Advanced Character RP)

Rudinberg, Base of the Rudine Mountains

Rudinberg, a South Chlotar township with a large Lampert community. For the past twenty years it has served as a refuge for exiled God worshippers of Lampertei. Some of the locals have pejoratively described the place as a ‘Lampertei enclave’ because of it. Though their allegiance is formally to Chlotaringen, not all of its inhabitants are unanimous in support of the northern King of Aaixen.

Einhard and Marozia trot into Rudinberg on top of Einhard’s great stallion, the constant sparring of the last three days has left Marozia feeling completely sore from for the first time fighting a real opponent. Einhard takes a brief glance to see if he can spot Paladin Autchar, however the streets covered in slush and mud are largely void of people. It’s a rather gloom looking township. Marozia speaks up to Einhard, “Master Einhard, I am quite hungry… rabbit is fine and all… I could just use an actual meal.”
Einhard scratches his beard and replies to Marozia, “Could use a real meal too, I haven’t seen any signs for an Inn or a Tavern though… Do you Lamperts call them something else?”
Marozia shakes her head, “Not really sir, I have always heard this community was more ‘communal’, that travelers would find someone who would freely take them in.
Also.. as a Paladin of the King, can’t you just ride to the Chieftain’s hall directly?”
“Hmph, you’ve got a point there girl.” He scans the town for the largest structure, presumably where the local lord would live. Any subject of the King is obliged to host the King’s agents, after all. He would ask for directions, but there’s almost none of the locals outside.

The first living soul to tread upon their path is an old hunched lady covered in rags, a cloak of a fox’s skin and a scarf covering her hair. She trots through the muddy snow leaning on a crooked branch as walking stick.
‘’Madam.’’ Einhard proclaims with a regal flare as he rides up to the woman.
‘’Who lords over Rudinberg? For I much desire to speak with him.’’
The old woman barely looks up, or gives much of a visible response for that matter. But she raises a shaky gnarled finger with a long chewn nail up to the great lodge up the hill. ‘’Yonder… The dwelling of Odo, Master Paladin.’’
“Thank you ma’am,” Einhard remarks back to the old lady as he urges his horse up the hill.

As they rode up the entrance of the great snow capped wooden structure, they were quickly greeted by a stationed man on the nearby battlement.
‘’Hail! You there, man on the horse. Are you Einhard Cloviscisca by any chance?’’

“Aye I am Einhard, son of Mauger” Einhard replied. Following this, two more men dressed in fur cloaks and hauberks walked up to the Paladin.
‘’If you’d follow us, Master Einhard, the Chieftain will be wanting to see you.’’ He and Marozia were lead through the palisade gate and to the great lodge’s front door.

Inside the Chieftain’s Hearth

Sitting at the table, the mighty Paladin and the little girl finally got to warm up a bit. Central of the great hall, a great hearthfire is blazing to stave off the mountain cold. Even several meters away you can feel its intense emission of heat. Marozia was right about the hospitality in this community. So far they’ve been received as royalty! Though in a sense, Einhard could be accounted for as Royalty being from Cauroman’s court.

‘’It’s not everyday we get folks from far-away Aaixen all the way in Rudinberg. Har har har!’’

A grizzled man with a long brown beard sits opposite to Einhard, taking the opportunity to chug down a large pint of ale in celebration. He is apparently a household warrior of the chieftain.
‘’And a Paladin, no less! And so soon after another Paladin came here. He’d informed us we could expect you.’’
Einhard gives the man a quick smile, ”It’s good to see we have such.. Energetic.. Warriors to guard our Kingdom from the south.”

The man, assuming it was a compliment, replied with a smile where he bares a wide array of yellowed teeth. He takes another gulp, then lets out a tremendous belch. The room smells of alcohol now.
Rubbing the droplets off ale from his lips and beard, the warrior leans in closer to Einhard.
‘’Where you headin’, Paladin?’’
Einhards face begins to contort into a scowl, “We are heading up the Rudins Mountains, as per Royal decree from the King.”

‘’Scouting into the Rudines, eh? You and that little boy? You sure you want to send such youth towards certain death?’’
The man raises the mug towards Marozia, slightly intoxicated and and certainly inconsiderate towards her feelings. Marozia sinks in her chair, avoiding eye-contact with the man.
Getting no response from either of the dumbfounded guests, he continues.
‘’Just like your buddy, Autcho. A risky endeavour i’d say. Old Dalgiserius’ wild dogs roam around every corner. There’s even talk of a dragon guarding the mountain tops… A Dragon, by God’s otherworldly thunder nipples!” He empties the pint with a final mighty swig, then places it down the table before them with a slam, letting out another belch.
“... No my good man, I’d not come anywhere close there. There’s better ways of killing meself! Har har har!’’

For long the hall was filled with the warrior’s roaring voice and laughter, when finally another voice spoke up -- with a tone a lot more downcast.
‘’Hrm. So it’s really true then?’’
The company around the table looks up. A short and gaunt man wrapped in a long cloak has quietly entered the hall from the back, followed by two warriors walking at both his sides. He has a face with pronounced cheekbones, a long blond goatee and dark, sunken eyes. Covering his forehead are several strands of disheveled hair from an otherwise balding scalp, with sickly pale skin and a burning red nose, a look of deep exhaustion. For a chieftain he looks somewhat miserable, and by the looks of it he has a serious fever. A shadow of past glory, yet nevertheless his warriors seem to respect him.

‘’One Paladin coming in so soon after the other. It can only be a sign that War is coming. King Cauroman must be serious about this invasion, then…’’
The chieftain appears sullen, Einhard’s coming has filled him with foreboding.
Einhard shifts in his seat some then replies to the chieftain, “Do not worry much, should Cauroman decide on this pass, the army will not arrive for some time. You will have time to prepare, chief… You never did tell me your name?”

‘’I’d have thought one of the guards would’ve informed you?’’ The chieftain looks towards his intoxicated household warrior seated at the table, who quickly shrugs and feigns ignorance.
‘’Odo of Rudinberg, son of Raginhart.’’ The chieftain finally says. ‘’..That is who I am.’’

“Well met, I am sure you have been told I am Paladin Einhard, son of Mauger.’’ Einhard motions towards the girl sitting besides him, understanding her nerves are keeping her from speaking up in this adult company. ‘’...And this here is my shieldmaiden, Marozia.” Einhard gestures to Marozia who manages a slight smile.

‘’HUH?’’ The warrior sitting opposite him perks up in disbelief, his voice roaring through the hall. ‘’You’re clearly mistaken Paladin. That there’s a boy. You’ve had a bit too much to drink methinks -- to be speakin’ of yer own shieldbearer like that!’’ He burps, and the smell of alcohol fills Einhard’s nostrils. Talk about intoxication.

“Perhaps you have been spending too much time around other soldiers and no longer remember what a woman looks like” Einhard replies grinning, before Marozia jabs his side with her elbow. “You can’t say much yourself, master.”

They are interrupted by the loud sound of Odo’s sneezing.
‘’HAGH-CHOO!’’ He sniffs. ‘’Pardon… So, Paladin… The other Paladin, Autchar, arrived a few days ago. A welcome guest…’’
The chief snorts, his voice getting more hoarse the longer he talks. ‘’...He departed yesterday for the mountains. Am I.. correct to presume you will follow in his tracks?’’

“After a good rest we will be heading out to catch up with Autchar.” Einhard replies. Marozia leans over to Einhard and whispers into his ear: “Tell him the food was amazing.”
Einhard chuckles and says to Odo, “-And no worries, your food was most wonderful as well.”

The chieftain feigns a smile through his aura of misery.
“For the time being, Lord Paladin, you are welcome to remain hosted at my table for the duration it’s required, in order to carry out your duty to our King.’’

Having walked up the table to join the company seated there, Odo takes the seat on the largest chair prepared at the far end of the table. His two henchmen take the chairs adjacent to the warrior opposite to Einhard. One of them tall, blond and bearded as is typical of Chlotar warriors, where the other warrior is a bit shorter, lean and handsome with dark hair and… clean shaven. A rare sight. He doesn’t look like much of a bruiser.

“Allow me to introduce you to my household warriors… Fulk you’ve already met.’’ The brown-bearded man nods, trying in vain to keep himself from burping again.
‘’The men besides me are Liudolf and Lai…Lai... Icholai.’’
‘’Micho, great Chieftain.’’ The darkhaired man says with a polite smile.
Odo responds with yet another snort. ‘’Yes.’’ Turning yet again to his Paladin guest, he asks.
‘’So, Paladin, have you any lead into the mountains? What exactly ordered our King you do, if I may ask?’’

Einhard’s face curls into a stern grim look, “If you have heard the story of my father, and I am sure every man, woman and child around these parts have, we have come to complete what was started.”

The chief's face becomes expressionless, it seems he does not understand what Einhard is playing at.
“... Something about a family heirloom...?“

The blond haired warrior, Liudolf, speaks up. “If you mean to search across the Rudines, I advice you be careful, Master Paladin. Disaster is just around any corridor and waiting to leap from any crevice. A doom-bringer skulks these lands. A foul spawn of God. Tempt fate and he shall be drawn to you.” Liudolf clenches a fist.
“Raditsch. That faithless Lampert spawn.. A herald of woe. He’s the reason the Chieftain is in this miserable state--”
Odo raises a hand. “Enough. Raditsch is not to blame for my condition. He is an unwilling victim as much as anyone of these dark powers.”

“Wait so is this Radits-ch-sch-sch some kind of monster, like a cow-man or.. Or… A DRAGON!?” Marozia blurts wide eyed.

The warrior Fulk perks up with a chuckle. ‘’Nah little boy. Raditsch’s just a sad little man without friends. No one likes him. And for good reason. If you saw him, you’d understand why.’’

Einhard says nothing, quietly listening as he takes in the information with a disconcerting frown. He had to be honest with himself; he is but a stranger in a strange land. And the locals understand things that he doesn’t. For this reason even a little girl as Marozia makes for a helpful guide.

The third warrior, Micho, mingles in the discussion.
“Brave Einhard, pardon my interruption. If you are indeed seeking to retrieve the Millennial Horn, how do you mean to find it, exactly? Because it has been lost without a trace for a long time now.“

Einhard looks Micho straight in the eye with sternness.
“Exactly how I do not know, but I know it to be near a charred ruin. And as I have been given this task by the King himself, so it shall be done.”

Micho grins, shaking his head a little bit condescendingly. ‘’I thought so…
You see, I bring it up because our friend, Raditsch, has great knowledge on the ins and outs of the Rudines… He knows every little pass and trail. The precise Lampert patrol routes. Where their watchtowers are… what caves to avoid to evade the darklings... If you’d take my advice, maybe finding him might not be such a bad idea.’’

Fulk and Liudolf raise their voices in outrage at Micho. ‘’Are you mad?! A God-bred Paladin kissed by a thousand Virgins and Saints with a thousand Blessings cannot negate the doom of Raditsch!’’

“I thank you for your concern, but I think I am quite able to handle this… Raditsch… Trust me I have seen greater terrors than a mere man.” Einhard says with a dismissive tone and a shrug of his shoulders. Marozia raises her voice at Einhard “But what if he is a demon… or his wife is an ogre… or his son is part goat!” Einhard chuckles a little at Marozia’s excited terror, then suddenly sobers up at the thought of a goat man, “Don’t worry little one, I will defend us from any monsters that lurk in the dark.”

The men around the table all look at Einhard incredulously.

Yet with the ruckus passed, the chieftain at last speaks up. ‘’Paladin -- Shield Maiden. I wager you two are tired from the journey. Liudolf will see you to a bed with a warm hearthfire…’’ Odo glares at his henchman, who quietly mutters something to himself before standing up from his chair.
‘’This way, honored guests.’’

The Maimed God - (Dark Age Casual-Advanced Character RP)

The foothills of the Rudines, the Lampert March

Mellow atmosphere

After the grey rainclouds on the skyline had passed over the land to a new horizon, the two Paladins rode their powerful steeds through the silent woodlands the grey rain left in its wake. Every leaf was beset by dew, with droplets occasionally falling down misleading passing travelers that it’s still raining. The landscape before them was murky, the forests were asleep. Not a sound was heard, and no bird made song.

For a whole day, neither Paladin had spoken a word to the other. Until Autchar glanced at the horseman riding besides him.
‘’Hrm. You don’t look too well, brother.’’
Einhard paused for a few moments then sternly replied, “I was enjoying the silence.. Trust me, I am we-...” he felt his speech interrupted by an uncontrollable urge to let out a mighty yawn. The environment made the paladin drowsy. He hadn’t slept in days.
For hours now Einhard was pushing himself to keep moving onward, at least until they’d come upon a village or a hearth, any place he could take shelter, but the Paladin company had not come upon any. They are in remote lands. And he felt himself becoming more tired by the minute.
‘’Hrm? Where are you going?’’ The other Paladin raises an eyebrow when Einhard’s horse starts to trail off the path.
“I have been up too long, Autchar, I just need a little time to rest. I think…’’ Einhard shakes his head. ‘’No, I am useless if we were to ride into any peril at present… I would only wear us down.’’

‘’Don’t give me that coward’s tone. Time is of the essence. The King expects great things of you. We can’t let your condition get in the way of our quest.’’
Einhard turns back to Autchar and musters his best exhausted smile. “Keep on moving my friend, I will catch up to you. You have my word.”
Far from being empathetic, the other paladin responds aloof. ‘’Hrm. If you can’t go on, then I will…
I will see you in the frontier township of Rudinberg.’’ With those words, Autchar whipped up his horse ‘’HEI-JA!’’ and sped off. His yells fade out in the distance.

Pulling off the path, Einhard urged his horse to the largest tree in his vicinity. An ancient oak. Following this, einhard tied his horse around a sturdy low hanging branch. ...Then proceeded to collapse on the ground underneath it.

Hours Later

Einhard began to wake. Through his blurred vision he could see the sun’s settings rays piercing through the leaves as the day turned to night. In this state he almost didn’t see it, the figure. How big this creature was Einhard couldn’t tell, but it was standing only ten feet away, and in its hand was a sword. Einhard began to panic and moved to lunge to his mace, but he felt his body moving slowly, he was still stirring and anxiety clinched his body. Finally, Einhard reached his mace and he spun around raising his mace towards the air, hoping that he would catch the blow which would end his life. His eyes squinted, but the blow would never come. After a few moments of holding his mace in the air, Einhard opened his eyes and saw the form kneeling before him. Einhard took a second to process the person in front of him, a man… no, a boy looking no older than fifteen with short hair with freckles dotting his face, and a rusty sword pressed into the brown soil. “What is the meaning of this?” Einhard bellowed at the boy.

The mysterious teen stuttered back in a nervous tone, “I’d li- li- like to become yer yer your shield bearer, Master Einhard”.
Einhard moved his hand towards the waterskin of ale to ease his nerves, relieved by the turn of circumstances. Once eased, the paladin began to sit in a more comfortable position.
“And this is how you were planning on making a first impression?” Einhard stated coldy to the boy.
“I am sorry sir… I was standing watch for hours since I found you collapsed here… I only wanted to help..” the boy uttered back on the verge of tears. Einhard pondered the boy further, he did a good deed by ensuring that the figure standing before him wasn’t some sort of goat legged monster, however nearly killing him with a heart attack wasn’t much better.

After a long period of silence between the two, Einhard resumed talking.
“Alright, it is clear that you have good intentions in your heart... So, tell me boy,” Einhard leans towards the boy while taking a swig of ale then inquires, “How do you know my name?”

Another long pause was endured between the two of them, the boy seemed hesitant, but began to explain himself.
“Back when I was a child, Paladin Mauger often rode through this area on his way to the mountains… and one day me and my father were held up by raiders…” already struck by the anxiety of being faced by an imposing warrior as Einhard, the sad memories being rekindled got the boy on the verge of tears.
“They-... they killed my father before your father could reach us… They were going to turn on me, but your father charged into them and slew the murderer. The others were scared away as he waved his sword at them.” through his tears the boy made a slight smile. “This sword…’’ The boy lifts the sword, holding it before Einhard’s eyes. Indeed, he could recognise the very rune inscription Mauger had long ago etched into the iron. ‘ALAMEHTIGAN’.
‘’Your father gave me his sword, Alamehtigan… and in my mind I vowed that one day I would become his sword bearer, or shield bearer, or any bearer, really.
… though your father died not longer after in the Rudine Mountains.” the boy stated with sorrow in his voice.
Bewildered by the story, and this unexpected encounter in general, Einhard tried to piece together why his father would relinquish such a precious weapon to a stranger… though that was exactly the sort of charitable act he had always known him for.
Suddenly, the boy blurted out “But I never forgot his sigil!
Your father’s insinga, the Clovisciscian Brown Bear… that's how I recognized you, master Paladin.’’
Indeed, Einhard had a brown bear sewn onto the top of his cape, he didn’t think anyone would notice it, but this strange boy did. The paladin was still lost for words as he processed the story.

“...I suppose now that I have finally found Mauger’s son, I will have to return Alamehtigan to you.”
“No.’’ Einhard responds resolutely. “Keep it. It’s yours. My father wished for you to have it, and a son must honour this wish.’’ Einhard smiles.
‘’Besides, I am more of a mace wielder anyway.’’ He points to the mace resting on his side.

Though readily willing to part from the sword he had grown so attached to, the boy seemed elated with the response. ‘’Are you… are you sure?’’
“Very sure.”
While Einhard took in the information, he observed a kindred spirit. This boy too had lost his father at a young age like so many of the Clovisciscan line. Yes… The boy would make an excellent shield bearer.
Einhard cleared his throat, and proclaims with flare; “Very well. I will accept you as my shield bearer then… young… uh.. What is your name, boy?”
The boy responded back with increased confidence “My name is Marozia, Daughter of Cleph… I don’t really have a great family line like you, my father was only a hunter.”
Einhard replied with shock, “Wait… you are a girl?”

Marozia replied, “Yes… I'm a girl… sorry I didn’t want to correct you.”
Einhard takes another long swig of the waterskin of ale, “Guess that explains your voice isn’t as low as I would expect for your age.” Einhard clasps his hand on her shoulder, “Rise then Marozia, I will take you as my shield bearer… though I am currently lacking a shield for you to bear.” Marozia rises to her feet, “Thank you sir, I will do my best to protect you… I have a little practice with this sword, I have killed about ten rats with it!” Marozia says while beaming with a smile, before with growing excitement stating; “OH! Maybe since I don’t have a shield right now you could even teach me how to use it properly!”
Einhard looks away for a second and manages to respond, “You still seem like quite the young… lass… I am not quite sure tha-.” Einhard shakes his head and sighs, “To be honest, the greater reason I can’t take the sword is that I never knew how to wield it effectively. I’m not worthy of Alamehtigan, nor can I teach you how to use it. I’d only bring shame on my father.”

Marozia stares at Einhard for a few seconds and then begins to grin, “A Chlotar Paladin who can’t use a sword and a shield maiden without a shield, maybe one day they will sing stories about us.” She laughs at her statement, her joy forcing a smile out of Einhard, “Hmph, maybe they will.” Suddenly, it hits Einhard that her name is not typical of a Chlotar female, “Marozia, I am assuming that you are of Lampert descent then. Do you follow Godas or are you a godle-...”
Marozia blurts out indignantly, not liking his tone “Of course I follow Godas! My parents had to flee our lands from the King’s dogs before I was born!”

Einhard nods his head, elated “I promise you, Marozia, there will be a reckoning. We Chlotars will restore Godas to the Lamperts.”
If she had answered wrongly, Einhard wouldn’t have struck her on the spot or anything. He’s not a blind zealot. Or at least, so he likes to think.

The paladin turns to his stallion that had all the while waited patiently, “Well, we have a quest to get to.” Einhard motions to her to climb on the back of his horse, stretching out his hand. Taking it, she deftly climbs on behind.
“So what is our quest then Einhard?” asks Marozia.
“I am here to finish what my father started. Our King has tasked me to retrieve the Millennia Horn.” Einhard states to his new companion.
“Okay! Uh… so where are we going to then?”
Einhard responds with heavy voice, “The Horn was lost within the Rudine Mountains.”
“Oh.” Marozia replies with a shaky voice.
Einhard is tempted teasing her about being scared of the monsters lurking in the Mountains, however given Einhard’s track record he decides against it. “Don’t worry, there will be another Paladin with us going into the passes, and I will teach you some of the basics of combat once we reach the township,” Marozia smiles while daydreaming about the adventures they could embark upon and the glory that they could achieve. The sun has gone down by now. They ride into the afterglow, making sure to stick to the road in the darkness ahead.

The Maimed God - (Dark Age Casual-Advanced Character RP)

The Chlotar Great-Camp, Nevelholt Forest

Night falls.
All Visandza is covered in a shroud of darkness, the lands engulfed in silence. Except in the Nevelholt. Sounds emerged from the brooding woodlands, and the Nightguard, which had already been doubled, is particularly on edge. Not least by the insistence of Paladin Einhard.
‘’Godas’ Iron, what is that noise?’’ A guardsman murmurs. It was hard to discern. But out there in the unknown dark, bitter watches of night stand opposed to the Chlotarian watches. And their ruckus and howling is like wolves, eerily familiar. But not quite. The bestial howling, as they came nearer to the edges of the Nevelholt where the camp is, seemed to be some kind of mangled attempt at speaking. The creatures of the Nevelholt were trying to communicate to them.
“What the hell kind of wolves are out in this forest….” Einhard nervously took a sip of wine from the waterskin Autchar left him. “Perhaps I was right about the goatmen.” Einhard half-snorts with a grimace.

The sounds are coming closer to the encampment, cries too bestial to be human, and too human to be bestial. But as they get closer, they also get quieter. Whatever is out there knows it is outmatched by the Chlotar warrior host. Those of the nightguard positioned east all look to the perilous Nevelholt, some drawing out their swords and holding forth their spears, almost expecting something to jump out at them.
Then when the sounds got really close, they also stopped. It is beginning. The Chlotars hold their breath.

But nothing happens.

‘’Hm. Whatever it was, it’s gone now.’’ Says one after a minute of anticipation.
Relieved, and perhaps a little bit disappointed, the guards carry on with their duty.
But Einhard spots a shadow floating overhead, which vanished in an instant. “Hold firm men, our trail may not be over yet.” Einhard proceeds to raise his torch to the sky with his left hand, as his right hand goes to the handle of his mace. “I could’ve swor-... I believe I saw something in the sky…” After a few moments, Einhard sees nothing in the sky above him other than a celestial void, and begins to relax, lowering the torch. “Hmph, must be this damned forest.” Einhard mutters softly, figuring he should’ve perhaps have laid off the alcohol.

‘’Paladin Einhard! The King is under attack!’’
“What!?” Einhard shouts and jolts back to attention. “How the hell did an enemy get past our defences!?” he exclaims.

‘’Something snuck into his tent!’’ Another voice shouts.

“Men to your King, I don’t want to see a man left of us standing before even so much as a scratch is made upon our King!” Einhard belows to the nightwatch.

Meanwhile inside the royal tent, Cauroman was disturbed from his rest by a spawn of darkest night. Its bone-chilling shriek awakened the Chlotar king, and as he looked to see from where it came, the creature lanced him off his mattress using its horns. The king, still donning his scale armor, had perhaps anticipated an assault and sustained the attack mostly unharmed. As he regained his bearings, he observed the assailant…
A black goat, standing on its two hind-legs, bulging wide blue eyes and dripping yellow saliva from its gaping mouth. Its udders are filled to the brim.

Lowering its horned head, the beast takes a voracious gulp of its own udders… before spewing out a bolt of transparent milk at the King. That should be not be a lethal attack, nevertheless Cauroman felt he should steer clear regardless. He made a leap for his shield resting at his bedside, grabbed it and raised it before him. The substance splashed off. ‘’Godas blood, where is Halogan?!’’ The King searches the tent for his sword in vain.

The creature then proceeds to make a tackle. Ramming its horns against the shield, screaming relentlessly with a voice that sounds ominously human, but the words spoken incoherent. ‘’CAU-AN, DEPRISON FOW GOAS WRAD’’

Einhard rushes into the tent followed by other stout watchmen with their weapons drawn. “My king!” exclaims Einhard, but pauses at the sight of the beast. “What the bloody hell is that thing?!” a guard behind him hisses in disgust. Einhard attempts to lunge at the beast swinging his mace, but the thing evades.

Disoriented by the nightguard entering the tent, the creature leapt backwards into a corner, and seeing no way out, charges straight into the wall in an attempt to escape, dragging the entire tent with it and getting itself entangled.
‘’It’s stuck!’’ A guard screams. ‘’Kill it!’’ One of the Chlotars leaps forward at the stuck beast, thrusting his spear down into the entangled mess -- impaling it.
However… the beast didn’t respond, or cry, not even flinch. When the tent was pulled off, a black snake was seen slithering quickly away, out of the tent leaving a trickle of blood. There was no sign of the goat-spawn, it returned to the darkness from whence it came.

Einhard at this point began to piece together what the shadow was in the sky, and how the creature bypassed the defenses unnoticed. ‘’A shapeshifter…?’’

‘’Don’t let it get away! The hunt calls, boys!’’ One of the night guards screams in a frenzy, javelin in hand. But Cauroman raises his hand, yelling:
‘’HALT WARRIORS. Do not give chase. It will lure you into a trap. Wait ere sunrise, then we shall determine our move…’’

The watchmen lower their weapons. For them the night is not yet over.

---

The following morning

Cauroman and his foremost officers and Paladins gathered in the pavilion, once more surrounding the ancient oak’s stump.
Upon seeing the King, Paladin Autchar kneels down before him, sullying his knees in the mud.
‘’My King, my deepest apologies for not having been there at the fell beasts’ attack. Where did it come from?!’’

‘’It matters not what nightly crevice it crawled out of. Only that it’ll end skewered on my sword. It has issued a challenge to combat, and Cauroman never turns one down.’’

But Autchar reminds the King of their purpose;
‘’As much as the beast cannot be tolerated to live, we have a pressing objective to reach the Lampert marches by the end of next month.’’

‘’Indeed, the army mustn’t dawdle in this stretch of forest any longer. Moving a royal host from one side of the world to the other will take some time yet, more time than we can afford...’’
And so the King turns to Einhard, the one Paladin present during last night’s encounter to whom Cauroman owes a debt of gratitude.
‘’Mauger’s son, once more you’ve demonstrated valor and duty. Remember the Millennia Horn I entrusted you?
You will be an outrider of the Chlotar host. Ride out. Go with Autchar and the other cavalry to the Rudines. Ahead of the army.
That beast -- it interrupted me from another vision -- I saw a Horn, etched with runes and beset with bronze, on a snow capped mountain top, surrounded by a charred ruin. It is little to go on but Godas willing you shall uncover it yet. The Horn is waiting for you to find it.’’

Einhard presses his right fist into his chest and nods his head. Following this he saddles up his horse. “You will have your Horn my lord… on my life.” As the Paladin was about to venture out, he paused and turns to face King Cauroman a last time. “Perhaps on the way to retrieve the Millennial Horn I may stumble upon the remains of my father… I would quite like to give him a proper burial, my King”

‘’Do your duty to blood and land, brother. Go with Godas.’’ Cauroman draws forth Halogan, its holy iron gleaming in the rising son that it appears as though god imself imbues it with otherworldly power, pointing it southwards. ‘’Go!’’

The Maimed God - (Dark Age Casual-Advanced Character RP)

Einhard Cloviscisca

Name: Einhard Cloviscisca

Appearance: While many men in Einhard's line have had long blonde hair, Einhard's appearance took after his mother with short brown hair and brown eyes. Einhard has only recently begun growing his beard out hoping to one day have be able to display the mustache that Chlotar men are known for, at least before he dies in battle. He appears as a handsome man in his early twenties ready to stake his claim within the world.

Kingdom Allegiance: Chlotaringen

Tribe: Chlotars

Background: The Cloviscisca Household often claims to be direct descendants of the legendary Chlotacher himself, well at least through a minor daughter is their story anyways. This supposed claim is that the Einhard’s forefather was among the first to pledge loyalty to Chlotacher, despite him being a petty king himself. As a reward he would eventually marry one of Chlotacher’s daughter. This daughter was said to be named Joveta, not that anyone else remembers such a daughter. The marriage was suppose to be a short affair. It was said that shortly after Joveta became pregnant, her husband would die in battle against the Lambertars. Therefore, through the mythical Joveta’s husband’s loyalty and willingness to die for the Chlotars manifested in many of the men of Einhard’s bloodline through a tendency of brash or courageous action. It is no wonder then, that the men of the Cloviscisca believe their place in battle is on the front line. This trait has led the Cloviscisca family to be quite small and the patriarchs to be quite young. Many times the women would take a larger role in leading the family as they were the only ones to grow old. As such was the fate of Einhard, who at the age of fourteen became the head of the Cloviscisca household after his father, Mauger, was slain in battle against the the Lamperts whilst defending the Millennia Horn.

Einhard was taught by his father Mauger at a young age the ideals of the Cloviscisca Household as excellent commanders leading their men from the front. While Mauger attempted to teach Einhard how to use a sword, Einhard proved incompetent with any bladed weapon and unworthy of wielding their ancestor’s blade. One day Einhard’s mother, Gundrada, gave him a mace to try. Much to Mauger’s dismay Einhard was a natural with the weapon easily beating his defeating his sparring opponents. As a result, Mauger gave his sword to the Chlotaringen king and declared that only in battle Einhard would be able to reclaim his family’s blade. It was after these events that Mauger would set out on the raid which took his life.

After his father’s death, Einhard struggled with the reality that he was now the patriarch of the Cloviscisca family. While Gundrada attempted to help Einhard through this transition and would manage the lands that were in Einhard’s control. However, the pressures thrusted on Einhard of running the estates and living up to the image of his forefathers, led to a dependency on alcohol to give him their courage. Einhard would continue his military training with many other prominent Chlotaringen families ensuring his combat skills, at least without a blade, were not lacking. Einhard, now at the age of twenty, looks to take up his father’s position as a paladin and to take his place at Cauroman’s Table. While young, ever the Cloviscisca , Einhard has begun to seek ways to strike back against the Lamperts who slew his father and become worthy of his father’s blade.