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Post by Ibelin Dumont Baltonien on Dec 23, 2013 20:01:36 GMT -6
Drat! Drat! Drat!
Those were the words that passed through Ibilin's head as he ran as fast as he could from the barbarians on his trail. After he'd escaped the wreckage of the ship he'd been hiding on, he'd put his armour on--not a good idea for someone who was literally on the run--and began his long jog towards civilization. It had taken him a few days of travelling north, south, east, and slightly west, but finally from a large hill in the background he'd seen what appeared to be a large building made entirely of stone and steel. He knew he'd seen a flag flying about in the winds that he would recognise anywhere, but with barbarians on his tail since a day prior, he'd decided to run to it instead of being more careful.
His running journey had led him to the Fortress; it was much larger than he'd anticipated, even though it was already pretty large even from a distance. What he didn't notice from the distance was the flag waving about wasn't just a sign of allegiance, but a sign of an old friend. Still, he was a ways away, and he could now hear the sound of the barbarians and crewmen chasing him in the woods.
"Draaaaaat!" He cried out in distress. He looked up at the walls of the Fort, his chainmail ringing out as he continued running out of the woods and into the large field before the fort. "Anyone! Anyone in dere?! I need sum 'elp 'ere! Anyone!" |
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Post by Ursarius on Dec 31, 2013 21:28:38 GMT -6
Just as she feared, She wasn't the only one in the woods, and just as she expected. There would be trouble.
Ursarius, Queen of the Dauntless Bears, had been doing a bit of her own gruntwork, gathering firewood for the Fort. Deadfall of Course, no need to anger the resident elves. it would have to dry off and sit within the castle walls before it was fit to burn but... no one else had jumped to the task, and she needed her own fresh air and time away from the smaller folk within the Fortress walls.
The Large Black Bear stood tall on her Haunches listening through the trees. Not recognizing the voice, she put the firewood down and retrieved the staff that was leaning against a barren tree. 'This is just like you Ursa. To Go running blindly into trouble without first figuring out the situation, could be Anyone... Could be Demons! but no, someone calls for help and you're the first person to charge in. Like a Knight in scathed Armor.
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Post by Ibelin Dumont Baltonien on Jan 2, 2014 22:26:05 GMT -6
Ibilin took some time from the running to slow down and hide behind a large rock in the woods: if he kept quiet enough, maybe the barbarians would pass him and the people of the Fortress in front of him would take care of them. Although Ibilin was a warrior, he wasn't mad enough to take on a horde of angry barbars after days of ceaseless walking and no time to rest. He was at least that smart.
The warrior peeked his head out from behind the rock and gave a quick look around of the woods, seeing a few of the barbars searching aggressively through various shrubberies (even one with a questionable white picket fence around it) for their target. One of them looked up, just barely missing Ibilin's head as he ducked down again, when suddenly there was a sound from the bushes. Ibilin tuned his ears to the sound. "Heavy breaving, loud footsteps cracking frough the forest leaves..." he breathed quietly to himself. He slowly drew his rapier from his belt and looked behind him to see a large silhouette, coming at him from the woods, in the shape of a--
"BEAR!" Cried out one of the barbarians, who upon his shoulders wore the grizzled pelt of a grey wolf. The rest of them drew their weapons and looked over to where the sound was coming from; Ibilin hid up against the rock and looked to his left at the Fort, hoping perhaps with the distraction that the bear would create he could make a break for the Fort. |
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Post by Ursarius on Jan 4, 2014 17:34:21 GMT -6
With a last minute adjustment, Ursa managed to get her brain thinking tactically. 'I'm Outnumbered, and out of earshot of my Army. Not even a Bear could take out a Horde of Barbarians.... there's got to be something I can do...' She took her staff and tossed it into some brush, for future use. Adjusting her satchel she leapt to the nearest tree trunk, climbing clumsily to the shelter of it branches. As soon as she could perch safely in the tree, she undid the bow from her back and nocked an Arrow.
Her mind was racing, as her eyes fell upon the arrow she chose. 'Fire-arrow? NO I can't... Far to detrimental...' She hastily tossed it off, getting caught in the evergreen boughs, Reaching instead for her Stun Arrows. She peered down as they carried on, closer, until she was right on top of them. Searching for the nearst, preferably baddest Barbarian she could find, she took aim.
It was then she remembered, thanks to a little band of blue around her bow arm. 'Presence...' She thought, her breath welling up in her lungs. 'They can't attack me even if they tried....'
A new game plan flooded her mind, she only hoped these Barbarians had less of a mind than her Husband. She closed her eyes and let go of the tree, falling backward to the ground. Crashing though the low boughs, came a young woman. She wore a long woolly grey coat, the neck trimmed in soft black fur. Her hair was thick and full of waves. Skin the color of a pale porcelain and rosy cheeks. She Hit the ground with a nasty thud, bow still in her hand. Her eyes snapped open, a deep rich brown. A Cloud of crisp winter air escaping her lungs. With no time to lose, She sat up exasperated. "BEAR!" She cried. Pointing to the place where she had been perched just moments before.
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Post by Ibelin Dumont Baltonien on Jan 4, 2014 22:55:46 GMT -6
Ibilin stood up as quickly as he could once he heard the crashing of the undergrowth, but quickly went back into hiding when he realised the barbarians would see him. Still, something was off. He couldn't tell whether it was the sudden appearance of a beautiful and potentially available woman that just crashed into the ground or the disappearance of the large bear's silhouette. Either way, the barbars were just as put off as he was with the woman's helpless screaming. Such screaming could certainly provide cover for his daring escape...but he was a relatively well-meaning and good-natured man, and she was a relatively young and arousing woman. He had no other choice.
However, a closer look allowed for him to notice something: the spot where the woman landed was perfectly beneath a large and thick branch not too far from where he'd first seen the bear. Not only that, but the branch had the markings of bear claws on it, and the woman's coat seemed to be made of--
Bear pelt... he figured out mentally. Of course: A skinchanger, or so it seemed. Ibilin leaned forward, now knowing what to do.
"Yes! Bear!" He screamed aloud as he leapt from behind his rock, his hands in the air like a madman. "I've heard talk'a bears in dese parts, ay? Bloody massive ones, so I've 'eard! Big 'n naughty 'n nasty. Dey'll rip right frew ya if y'aint careful! Actually, dey'll kill ya eiver way! Best fing to do would be to run like mad to t'nearest settlement!" Ibilin walked up beside the now-human bear and patted her shoulder. "I'll take 'er to dat fortress right over dere, you guys run de 'over way, capisce?"
The barbarians-mainly the one with the wolf pelt, who seemed to be their leader-put his sword towards Ibilin's throat and snarled. "Vut makes you sink zat vee vill simply let you go? Ve've been chasing you for nearly five days now. Vee aren't going to let you go so easily."
Ibilin frowned and grabbed the woman's arm. "Look, if we leave 'er out 'ere wit da bear, she'll be slaugh'ered! Might as well let me go 'n come 'n take me later on, Chipper." He leaned back into the bear/woman, hoping that she had any bright ideas, seeing as the barbars still weren't convinced. "Got any fing, you sexy succubus?" |
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Post by Ursarius on Jan 9, 2014 3:31:58 GMT -6
Ursa looked between the Barbarians and the strange sounding man, and dusted herself off, looking every which way for the bear that she knew wasn't there. Neck craned to see into the Trees above them. Glancing awkwardly at the man who had got her into this situation. She wasn't sure if she approved of his description of Bears, giving him a wary glare. if there was any way to get under the skin of Dauntless... it was to make them seem like raving, witless savages. She braced herself on the man that held her up and tried to think a few steps ahead. She had experience dealing with Billy-types. She shrugged the man off and Grabbed hold of the Barbarian Leader.
"Sir, May I ask where you and your Men hail from? five days of tracking, you must be exhausted... if it is spoils you seek, I can reward you for scaring off the Bear. A Reward fit for saving the Queen." She placed a warm hand on the skin of his outstretched hand, lowering his blade. She glanced to the Other Barbarians and smiled sheepishly.
"What say you? warrior?"
Ursa shifted her weight on her feet and winced. She had fallen on her hip and it seemed as though faking an injury had actually caused one. She thought hard about what she had to offer them back at the Fort, so they would take the bait. Sure that her Guardsmen would be able to pay them adequately. She just had to quell the fighting to be able to barter with them, without anyone getting hurt. She whimpered, leaning on the Barbarian man. 'I Hope this works, I hate playing the Damsel in distress for someone I've never met. Let alone dealing with madmen...'
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Post by Ibelin Dumont Baltonien on Jan 9, 2014 21:06:26 GMT -6
Watching the skin-changing woman and her seemingly romantic interest in the barbarian horde leader made Ibilin's jaw drop. The man with the wolf pelt was nowhere near as manly as he was! And with that, as he called herself, Queen leaning onto his chest (although not literally), Ibilin wondered why he'd even bothered to play along with her, or offered his services to her.
It was then that he saw the twinkle in her eye as she looked at the barbarian, who seemed awfully star struck for some reason. Something in her eyes just said she was up to something...
"Vy-um...vy yes, your majesty. Vee have been chasing zis rapscalian for days and my partners are getting qvuite peckish. Vere is your kingdom?" The barbarian leader asked.
Ibilin watched from afar, or at least as far as he could, at the scene playing out. Perhaps this queen skin-changer was creating a distraction for him to run away, or perhaps not. Maybe she was indeed helping him, or perhaps he was getting turned over. Either way, Ibilin readied his sword nonetheless and stepped forwards. "Alright, Chippers. So the load'a rubbish I just saw 'ere involves a queen of all people not even bovering to help out a man being chased by ravenous an' smelly barbarians. If ya want me dead so badly, you'd better start runnin' after after me, aight?"
As the barbarians turned away from the woman slightly, Ibilin had already began his sprint over to the Fort in front of him, quickly winking at the queen from behind his hair. I really 'ope she gets the message, or I'm as dead as'an 'og in the woods filled with wolves.
Suddenly, he halted as the wall of the Fort loomed over him. Guards stood atop, watching for any intrusions such as himself. The warrior skidded to a halt and turned around to see the barbarians and the queen waiting for him. He looked back and forth, trying to figure something out, however nothing came to mind. The warrior growled at himself and flipped his wrists, letting his sword fly out of his grip and into the dirt.
"Aight, fine! You win! Take me away f'r'all I care!" |
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Post by Ursarius on Jan 10, 2014 1:28:20 GMT -6
Ursa toke a step back from the Barbarian leader, Looking at the Strange man they'd been chasing. 'Why the hell are they interested in this guy, he doesn't seem to have a clue what he's doing...' She gave him the strangest look and turned back to answer the Barbarian's question. "My Kingdom is.." She paused, wondering which direction to lead the men, the random warrior seemed to be pushing for the Fort, So she didn't want to lead them to the Fort, But if she lead them to her REAL Kingdom, they'd know she was the Bear. And to Lead them to her People would be very unwise as their Queen... But she was Allied with the Fort, so that wasn't a Good Idea either. She frowned, deep in thought.
"My Kingdom. You're standing on it." She said, proudly. She meant Wildgard. As long as they weren't the Barbarians that had man-handled Thistle into selling the Lomash Plains... they Might believe her. It was a bold move, but it was the only thing she could think of. "Forget about this Man, whatever he did. My Army will deal with his crimes. My only concern is to get you and your Men fed and watered." She waved a hand in the air. as the Barbarian's enemy threw down his sword, calling out to them. She cringed.
Stealthily, the caught the eye of one of the Guardsmen on the wall, 'Get this guy into the Fort, send me my Guards.' She thought, Knowing the Towermen couldn't read her mind, she just had to hope for the Best. The Towerman called out in the distance, hardly audible, and she hoped Gavin and the Others of the Cohort would be able to help her Deal with these Dogs.
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Post by Maximus Antilles on Jan 11, 2014 0:02:02 GMT -6
A rumbling sound came from the fort as the gate raised, followed shortly by the a whooshing sound as the great doors quickly swung open and a single man stepped out.
This man had little to indicate him as being a man of military stature; he bore no standard, no uniform and no insignia.
What he did have, was a large sword on his hip and a shield on his back.
His posture was upright, but his face set in a deep scowl; this was the first the barbarians saw of General Maximus Antilles. He took long purposeful strides towards the forest and the barbarians that lay at the edge of it. The General took a moment to observe the horde as he walked towards them.
Dirty unpolished weapons? Check.
Men panting and haggard? Check.
Clearly identified leader by his elaborate but poorly kept headgear? Check.
This was going to be fun.
Noting Ursa and another man were nearby, but not in danger or seemly hostile towards him, he continued his stride.
Roughly 30 paces from a now clearly bewildered horde, he stopped. He decided it was time for a show of force.
"You have entered the lands of Lord Gavin MacNeil, Chief of Clan MacNeil and Dragon Slayer. You will lay down your weapons immediately or perish."
He stated this loudly, but calmly. Five archers stood atop the wall now.
He broke into a slight smirk and added in a low voice to the horde "Personally, I rather hope you resist."
His hand rested on his sword as he waited for a response.
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Post by Ibelin Dumont Baltonien on Jan 13, 2014 0:19:34 GMT -6
Ibilin's head snapped around to see a man in armour with olive skin and short brown hair walking out of the Fort and towards the cluster; a few archers lined the walls of the Fort, ready to strike. The warrior smirked to himself, his arms still above his head. Finally, someone's paying attention. He thought cleverly to himself.
He turned towards the barbars and grinned as they snarled at him and raised their weapons. "What is this?! Is this some sort of trick, annoying pest!" Yelled a rugged barbarian with a hook replacing his left hand. Ibilin simply swung his arms around as if he were just showing off that he was truly clever. "No, not quite like that." He said, his voice reaching a deeper register and his words only slightly more articulate to sound more intelligent. "Ooh, glad I could drop that act for a bit. As for me, I've been trying to create a ruckus, Chipper. Lots of noises and attention, you see. Because, as you barbars know-and sorry for not saying earlier, Queenie-I am the reason that ship crashed into the shore not too far up North. The crew hired you lot after me, but really, answer this: what will killing me accomplish?"
At this point, the barbars were just about ready to pummel him, but Ibilin wouldn't let that happen before he finished talking. "Your blood will make the crew satisfied." Grunted the hook-handed man. Ibilin gagged. "Man, what a bunch of cultists. It won't rebuild a ship, or set sail back to Briton. So there's no point in even killing me! But there is much in killing you, since you are illegal bandits. And now, we've got a Skin-Changer Queen Woman here and Captain Grumpy behind me with lots of swords, and-ooh! Archers up there! Can you see them? So you, five of you, are up against a raging queen, a military commander and his forces, and now the Blademaster."
Ibilin turned to face the man with a smirk. "I should probably thank you, Chipper. Now THAT'S how you respond to a ruckus." He spun around, his hands outwards at the queen. "A ruckus! And thanks to you, a little diversion for me to make a ruckus! But I'd better get going now, and you barbars should leave if you don't want an arrow in your testicles. Trust me, I've gone two days like that, and it ain't pleasant." The barbars shuffled among themselves, realising that although it wasn't probably meant to be so, they'd fallen into a makeshift trap. Ibilin saw his success and leaned in close, a demented grin forming on his lips. "So what'll it be boys? You reckon you've got-hang on."
The warrior turned back to the man from the Fort, feeling as though he were familiar. He walked up to him and glared at him intensely. "The great one himself, now old and slightly withered. How did you end up in the middle of blinking nowhere, Maximus Antilles?" |
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Post by Ursarius on Jan 13, 2014 2:36:28 GMT -6
Ursa's jaw fell open, hardly able to comprehend it all. "Why you little-" She huffed. risking herself for a half-wit. Though all things considered, she could have been considered a Half-wit for leading herself into this mess. 'And for What, a bleeding idiot?!' Ursa had just about enough of his mouth, and with her patience, the Bear within was running on low supply of Patience. It was the Middle of the Second winter that she had been denied hibernation. Though her skin was delicate and red from the cold, her eyes burned with a Barbarian fury. "You know this Runt??" She asked Antilles. Having never seen Ibilin before she found it hard to care which side he was on, or if he was an Ally. Ursa looked to the Barbarian leader, the one with the Pelt and scoffed in disgust, "I'm not with this guy. I'd sooner Eat him." her fists clenched at her sides. Gripping her bow and tempted to reach for an arrow. Though the only thing stopping her was the little cloth Beltfavor that hung from Gavin Macneil's hip. She'd been Allied with the Fort for some time now. They had offered her, her family, and her Army shelter from the war and chaos that was Wildgard. She'd Fought side-by-side them... but she couldn't wrap her head around what was happening NOW. She stormed over to her staff and ripped it out of the snow. Fuming. If she wasn't a brutally barbaric ten foot tall bear on the inside, she would still be strikingly attractive in her rage. |
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Post by Maximus Antilles on Feb 28, 2014 11:35:37 GMT -6
The General interrupted the proceedings and simply stated his case.
"You have been warned, regardless of your quarrel with this man, you are in the domain of Lord MacNeil, and any justice to be served will be done by his order, under his authority. This is your last warning."
Turning to the fugitive he added,
"Remove yourself from this place, get into the fort, we will deal with you later."
He noted Ursa's rage, and having dueled her before of the months at the fort, he knew with anger would soon come a charge, something that would simply put them all in needless danger. He raised his hand to her, attempting to communicate that she should restrain herself, if only a little longer.
Keeping his hand raised, he made a clenched fist, ready to signal the archers to fire a volley.
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Post by Ibelin Dumont Baltonien on Mar 2, 2014 14:40:15 GMT -6
Ibilin looked over at the general, his mouth still stretched in a smirk. "Bloody hell, mate. It's been forever!" He chuckled before turning back to Ursa and the barbarian horde, both equally fuming towards him. "Oi! This man was my old leader a few years back. General Maximus Antilles. It seems you know him as well, dontcha, Queen lady? How's that?"
He turned again to Maximus and looked his Fort over: it was even more impressive when the archers and warriors were ready to kill him, with the general himself standing on the front line. Confidently, she ran his finger along the silver and blue ring he wore on his middle finger, and placed his hand on his rapier.
"You want me to head in, do ya? A'right, then. I'll leave the barbarians to this hot-headed queen and your archers while I just go take a drink and have a look at the ladies. Savvy?"
If Ibilin was good at one thing besides swordplay, dragon slaying, and smithing, it was sneakily surviving.
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