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Log: Karal Lucien and Sesus Ormi Contest The Lives of Bandits

Page history last edited by Tsangun 15 years, 6 months ago

Players: Karal Lucien, Sesus Ormi

Run By: Cathak Davel (3xp)

 

 

 

 

The sun has just begun its descent through the sky in the late afternoon, casting a soft glow over one of the valleys that the road to Greyfalls cuts through. It is lush and well forested, the scenery beautiful this time of year. Four small wagons trundle across the partially paved dirt and stone pathway that runs through the heart of the valley. A few outriders move ahead of the caravan, but the general mood is laid back, as their journey has been smooth thus far, and Greyfalls is only another two hours' travel away.

 

"Ready the men." The trees in the valley up above the road bristle almost inperceptibly as whispers run along the line of rag-tag bandits. A hawk cries out and explodes from one tree top, startling one of the outrider's horses. It flies over the valley, and then circles around. Otherwise, all is quiet.

 

Sesus Ormi is only coincidentally with the Lookshy caravan. His right arm is in a sling, a heavy one, as he rides alongside the rolling wagons. A bow hangs impotent on his back - an archer with only one good arm is no archer at all.

 

Karal Lucien looks up from his position in the middle of the caravan, a slight grin gracing his shadow-swathed face as he turns his massive wolf-mount to face the oncoming line of bandits.

 

The forests come alive within a moment, the trees and bushes rustling as dozens of unwashed men in rag-tag leather and piecemeal chain step from out of their cover. The hawk turns and begins to circle over the wagons. A rather deep voice rings out. "Which among you is the leader?" It grows slightly higher in pitch, and more insistent. "You, caravaners! You face the horde of the Thousand Resplendent Swordsmen, formerly of the Hundred Kingdoms! We are the most feared mercenary force in that region!" The voice seems to be coming from both sides of the valley. It is clear, however, that these bandits have all seen better days. "We require a toll for you to pass through this area which we protect. We have laid down our lives and steel to make sure this valley is free of bandits, and we require contributions if our noble cause is to continue!" Near the road, one of the bushes rustles, and the voice suddenly seems to emanate from it. "Where is your leader!" It repeats, now more a demand (faintly childish-sounding) than a question.

 

Sesus Ormi pauses, his scowl slowly growing. It would be wiser for him to fade from view, lest they get the bright idea of taking a Dynast for a royal ransom. But, to be abused by these common scoundrels...

 

(Judge) Sesus Ormi rolls Valor: 2 6 8 <10>

Resulting in 3 successes.

 

...It's intolerable. He remains where he is, letting his fingers dip down towards his side-dagger, cradling the blade between the knuckles.

 

Karal Lucien drifts slowly away from the caravan, meandering abstractly towards the rustling bush in an attempt to close the distance without being seen as a direct threat.

 

No reply seems to be forthcoming from the caravan as the outriders turn their horses around and move back towards the wagons with weapons drawn, and within the caravan a few guards string bows. One of the guards looks towards Sesus Ormi, a brow furrowing beneath his helm as he takes note of the man's resolve. Though Ormi is a Dynast, the man speaks shortly, "If you need a blade, sir, we have an extra or two in the wagon."

 

There is a short silence from the bandits, as they obviously expect the question to be answered. At least, the speaker seems to. As Lucien tries to manuver his way towards the bush, he quickly becomes the furthest from the caravans. "Are you the leader?" The voice inquires sharply. "If you are you should say so, The Thousand grow tired of your games! We cannot eat iron and drink the blood of our adversaries for sustenance, you know!"

 

(Judge) Sesus Ormi rolls Compassion: -1- 2 3 <10>

Resulting in 2 successes.

 

Sesus Ormi holds up a hand in quiet dismissal. "I think the knife will be sufficient." He raises his voice. "I am Sesus Ormi!" he bellows, "Of the Greyfalls Satrapy! By whose authority do you patrol this valley?"

 

Karal Lucien holds his position as Sesus begins to speak, his hooded eyes watchful for any sign of hostility from the surrounding bandit-group.

 

There is a brief hush following Ormi's shout, and the response is quick. Expressions are mixed among the bandits, some afraid for their life and limb at the prospect of a Dynast, others eager at the thought of a Dynast's ransom. "Of Greyfalls? Then you should know! Authority has devolved out here. With the White Sickness and all else. Patrols rarely come outside the gates! They're more concerned about trying to save their own hides, than protect the travelers that come through! And where there is a need, the Thousand in Resplendent Armor shall fill that need!" The speaker seems to be rather inflated on his own pride. "We have been shunned by the Dynasty and operate under the rule of no House!"

 

Sesus Ormi beckons Karal Lucien to his side, riding out on his horse. "Come closer, speaker, that we might negotiate - or has the White Sickness ravaged you as well, that you dare not stand under the open sun? It is unrighteous that law has degraded so... Perhaps there are better opportunities to be found here than mere taxation, mercenaries," flatters Ormi smoothly.

 

Karal Lucien restrains himself, though he seems to almost quiver with repressed feeling. Still unspeaking, he slowly paces his red-hued wolf backwards to meet with the Dynast.

 

"Yes, you are correct," The bush rustles, and then a man around five feet tall bearing a spear at least a foot longer than he is steps out from it. He possesses a rather scraggly brown beard and bright blue eyes, and his chainmail seems tarnished, his greaves and bracers dirtied. He takes a few steps out towards the pair, though does not seem to wish to get very close to the wolf and thus keeps his distance. He pushes down the fearful expression, swallowing it with a gulp of pride. "I am Reyard the Fleet! Defender of travellers, and keeper of the peace. The law is in our hands out here, Dynast. What say you of better opportunities?"

 

Sesus Ormi says, "There are a few points to consider. One, laying taxes without the leave of the legitimate authorities is theft. For such things, I could by rights have you killed - know that I choose not to do such a thing out of the mercy of my heart. Two... There is perhaps room for men such as you within the legitimate ranks of the Greyfalls country guard, if you show sense and willingness to cleave to the law..."

 

Karal Lucien twists around to look at Sesus in shock, speaking for the first time. His voice, raspy and grating, scratches its way painfully from beneath the shadowed hood. "You can't just offer them work in the guard and have all their crimes forgiven like that. These are brigands, thieves, deserters- they enforce their little tax along the road, and they kill or drive away those who don't pay it. They don't deserve to live."

 

Sesus Ormi says, "There are many who deserve death - and many dead who deserve life. Do not be too quick to take away what cannot be returned."

 

"You dare compare us to common thieves and bandits?" The man seems to righteously swell with indignation, growing a foot or so it seems and taking a step forward, "I'll have you know, the exploits of the Thousa-" "That's enough, Reyard." The words, almost earth-shakingly deep, come from within the trees. The bearded man turns to look back over his shoulder, and calls out, "But, Captain Desdond..." "I said, that's enough." From the trees descends a much larger figure, bearing an equally large white jade hammer. His armor, likewise, is in disarray, and he seems an unkept as the others. He makes his way to the side of the little spearman, towering over the spokesman. "Dynast, hear me. Mercenaries are not trusted these days. Greyfalls has no coin to pay another company, and if it did, it would take the best company. We are not the best, anymore. My men are my concern. You are not. What do you propose?"

 

Karal Lucien rasps, "I only give to them what their kind has given to me and my own."

 

Sesus Ormi glances to Captain Desmond. "Your options here are limited," he says bluntly. "You cannot kill me, or kidnap me, without inviting a terrible, terrible reprisal from Greyfalls. Perhaps you should consider working at a cut rate? I'm told our coffers are deepening..."

 

Karal Lucien turns to face the Captain and rasps, "You could also flee and hope that you're faster than me. You'd probably survive longer that way."

 

"Could you arrange for safe passage for my men and I to Greyfalls, and our employment there? So long as we have enough coin to feed ourselves and maintain our equipment, we will work. I am not a fool." The Captain raises a hand up to his face and rubs a scar along his jaw. "Times have been hard lately." His attention flicks to Lucien, and his grip tightens on the goremaul in his hand, but he says nothing.

 

Sesus Ormi glances to Lucien. "Possibly. A moment." He turns to Lucien with harsh whispers, guiding him away from the Captain. "Don't be idealistic. This isn't your land, Legionnaire, and it's not your place to pronounce judgement on our citizenry - rogue though they may be. Besides - they outnumber the HELL out of us."

 

Karal Lucien rasps, "I am disappointed with you. I thought the nobility of this land knew better than to let these sort hold onto their wretched lives." He wheels his wolf around to return to the caravan and grates, "Very well. Until next time, 'Captain'."

 

Sesus Ormi says, "'These sort'... As if we were so pure."

 

Wolf and rider are given a moment's stone cold consideration from the large man, before Captain Desmond's attention returns to Ormi, and he takes a moment to wait and observe the exchange. Reyard chooses this opportune moment to retreat back into the foilage, which is bristling with observing men.

 

Karal Lucien replies, "I never claimed to be the embodiment of purity, Mr. Ormi. Purity is exactly what these lands are lacking in." With these last words, he turns to face forwards again, his wolf loping down the hill to rejoin the caravan.

 

Sesus Ormi turns back to Desmond. "We can give you safe travel. Those of you who contain no remnant of the White Sickness will be permitted entry - those of you who are infected may not enter the city."

 

"The ones who contracted the White Sickness were slain, as to keep it from spreading to the rest of my men. The loss of four saved the remaining hundred." Putting his fingers to his lips, the dark-skinned man whistles, and the hawk circling the wagons cries out before dipping downwards in a dive. The men begin to slowly approach out of the hills, and Desmond keeps a hand raised, indicating them to keep their arms down. The hawk lands on this outstretched hand. "Very well then, Dynast. We shall escort you and yours back to the city." He looks over his shoulder. "Gather the horses and supplies, we're moving!"

 

Sesus Ormi grins immensely, as soon as no one can see his face.

 

= OOC = Sesus Ormi says, "Damn it's good to be a gangsta."

 

Karal Lucien snorts bitterly and rides to the front of the caravan, rasping in furious undertones to the wagon-leader. After a brief exchange, he lopes ahead of the group, apparently to scout the road ahead.

 

Sesus Ormi glances to Lucien. Can he trust the Lookshyan? He sidles up to the wagon-leader. "We still travel apace to Greyfalls, yes?"

 

The brigands soon envelope the wagons like a massive armed escort, a great many of them having produced horses and the rest moving on foot. The wagon leader nods, looking to Ormi, "We're on our way, yes." With this prompting, he shouts out to the other wagons, and cracks a whip, getting his horses moving.

 

The wagon-leader agrees cooly that the course is straight ahead to the city. 

 

Karal Lucien rides to the front gate in a clear panic, his heavy cloak snapping in the breeze as his wolf pounds along the dirt road towards the gate. "Guards! Guards!" he yells, his voice cracking awfully in pain. "Help! Guards!"

 

The guards turn in alarm towards the approaching wolf and the man upon it, clutching their spears as they watch the man approach. The half dozen on the ground near the gate gather in a group, and the ranking officer approaches Lucien. "Rider! What is the matter?"

 

Karal Lucien slids off his wolf and falls to his knees, gasping for breath. He chokes out, "My caravan ... attacked ... bandits holding hostages ... my friends ... Sesus ... please help ..." 

 

The officer on duty turns and shouts upwards, "Bandits attacked a caravan!" The guards on duty on the upper walls begin to move about, and he looks back towards the Dragon-Blooded.

 

Karal Lucien thanks the guards breathlessly and says, "Be ready for anything ... they're cunning and smart ... they may force Sesus or the wagonleader to ... to try to claim that there is no attack ... disarm the bandits ... only then can you trust them!" With that, he hauls himself back onto his wolf and tears back down the road at speed, racing the wind as he returns the the caravan.

 

Sesus Ormi narrows his eyes, staring down the road, and raises his good hand. "Hold," he says quietly to the wagon-leader. "There is mischief. I'll be back soon." He turns to two of the outriders and gestures for them to escort me as he rides out.

  

Sesus Ormi 's horse rattles unhappily to a halt in front of Lucien's wolf, clearly more inclined to just run away from the hoary beast. Ormi looks angry - but not enraged. His irritation is expressed cold. "I see you've brought more escorts, Karal," he says, jade armor gleaming as bright as trail dust permits.

 

Karal Lucien cries, "Sesus! You're safe, thank the Dragons!" He calls back over his shoulder to the riders, "Leave some riders to protect Sesus, and the rest of you, come with me! We must save the caravan before it's too late!"

 

The cavalry come to a halt, taking note of the jade armor of Sesus Ormi as his horse leaps before them in the road. At Lucien's words, though, the commanding officer designates a few of the horsemen to 'escort' (or so they think) Ormi as he gets the rest of his cavalry moving to keep up with Lucien.

 

Sesus Ormi "s face contorts in to an Oni snarl. "Hold, you sons of bitches! He's using you as his assassins!" He raises his fist. "Come on! The Karal is going to attack the caravan, we have to stop him!"

 

Karal Lucien pages: Since I have my back turned to them and I'm wearing a hooded cloak, I'm assuming they don't have a chance of seeing me mouth a Wind-Carried Words charm?

 

You paged Karal Lucien with 'Isn't Wind-Carried Words used for communication long distance with one individual?'.

Karal Lucien pages: yup

 

You paged Karal Lucien with 'You could use it on one of them, then.'.

 

Karal Lucien pages: I'm using the charm to tell my direct subordinate in the caravan to order the guards to attack the bandits and chase them away now that Ormi is gone. As I'm assuming I was the head of the detachment sent to guard the caravan, it should go over pretty well.

 

You paged Karal Lucien with 'Ah geez. Can do.'.

 

Karal Lucien pages: it's a surprise attack from the sides and rear of the bandits by prepared armed guards, so it should go quickly enough

 

Karal Lucien pages: poorly-armored, ill-fed, weary bandits taken by surprise from behind by people they think of as allies

 

Karal Lucien and his detachment ride ahead, but Sesus Ormi and his guards ride harder. After nearly two hundred feet of all out gallop, Ormi catches up with Lucien just as the group turns the bend to find... a scene of ambush. The caravan guards appear to have caught the bandits from behind and begun to slaughter them, and the survivors have gathered into a circle at the head of the caravan with their Dragon-Blooded captain at the fore of their defenses. The cries of combat and the ring of steel on steel are audible even over the pounding cacophony of hooves.

 

Karal Lucien bellows a war-cry through his broken vocal cords and screams, "Protect the caravan! Death to the bandits! Kill them before they kill us all!" So saying, he whistles a piercing note to signal his men to backstep in a hurry as he unleashes an Elemental Burst in the open center of the defensive circle.

 

= OOC = Cathak Davel says, "The Resolution Trick is supposed to take into account pretty much your entire range of abilities, is the point."

 

= OOC = Karal Lucien says, "As long as they're out of the fight and bleeding on the ground, it's fine with me."

 

= OOC = Karal Lucien says, "Do we have to agree on the final roll?"

 

= OOC = Cathak Davel says, "Yeah, stakes, rolls, et cetera."

 

= OOC = Sesus Ormi says, "If I lose, Desmond gets ganked, and I'm hurt badly enough in the melee that I can't prevent Lucien's caravan from continuing to Greyfalls."

 

= OOC = Sesus Ormi says, "If I win, I save Desmond, and I can turn Lucien's caravan away at the gates."

 

= OOC = Karal Lucien says, "If I lose, Desmond lives and I let him go to the city. The caravan returns home with brave stories about an attack by fearsome bandits."

 

= OOC = Karal Lucien says, "I would of course be wounded in the battle."

 

= OOC = Sesus Ormi says, "I will do this using violence and arrows. I will shake off the bandages and aggravate my wounds further."

 

= OOC = Karal Lucien says, "If I win, Desmond dies a horrible bloody death, Ormi is wounded (but not by my men if it's at all avoidable) and we enter the city unchecked with the loot from the kills stored safely in a wagon."

 

= OOC = Sesus Ormi is down with all this.

 

= OOC = Cathak Davel says, "Okay. So. Lucien's trying to kill off the bandits. In his favor he's got the Lookshy caravan guards, his own skills, and the tactical advantage. Ormi's got Desmond (the Earth-aspected Captain), the Greyfalls cavalry (not sure what you're doing with them), and the remaining bandits, as well. I'd say as far as advantages both sides are about even. The Lookshy troops have superior training but smaller numbers, but Ormi's got another Dragon-Blooded on his side as well. So it's about even."

 

= OOC = Desmond says, "What about me?!? Don't I get a roll?"

 

= OOC = Sesus Ormi says, "Shut it, NPC!"

 

Alea Iacta Est.

 

(Judge) Sesus Ormi rolls 15: -1- 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 8 8 9

Resulting in 4 successes.

 

= OOC = Cathak Davel says, "(roll)"

 

(Judge) Karal Lucien rolls 9: 2 2 3 5 7 7 8 8 <10>

Resulting in 6 successes.

 

 

Fire rains down upon the bandit's lines, and many die. Desmond valiantly stands against four Lookshyan soldiers as the Greyfalls cavalry looks on dumbfounded, but Karal Lucien appears behind him on his red wolf and seperates his head from his body with one stroke. Ormi plunges into the battle valiantly firing, and manages to take down several soldiers. The bandits he saves with his bow are cut down anyway, and he himself is struck down by a thrown spear through his shoulder. Before he can get back to his feet, the remaining bandits are slain, and the carrion birds start to circle.

 

Sesus Ormi weeps hot tears in to the earth, struggling to get back upright on a broken arm. "Damn you," he whispers. "They were men! Men with names, names and lives and fears, and you burnt it all!"

 

Karal Lucien rides his wolf quietly over the roads after the battle, 'taking care' of the wounded and disabled with merciless chops of his blade. "No..." he replies after thinking to himself, "You are right. They were men. The flaw in your thinking lies in your assumption that the mere fact of their existance grants them the right to continue living. Lives are justified by their deeds, and those who fail to produce good from their lives do not deserve to continue on." He punctuates his last sentance with a vicious downward chop, finishing the last wounded bandit off before slinging the blood from his blade and sheathing it within the folds of his cloak.

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