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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2009 16:05:31 GMT -6
((assuming everyone agrees to Berist's request))
E'ssej waits until the wee hours of the night but Bothess apparently went to her room and slept the night away. He then went back to his bunk in the tent city, and grabbed some shut-eye.
Gozer went shopping, and left with all items on his shopping list checked off.
Gimyip shows up with a broad smirk on his face. You suspect he spent at least part of the night in the company of one or more women.
Bothess is there, looking well-rested and clad in outerwear much more suitable for adventuring than last night's "barely there" outfit. You see she is carrying some sort of high-tech energy rifle, there are 3 grenades hanging from her belt, and a nasty looking vibro-dagger is sticking from the top of her left boot. Her expression is grim, but hopeful.
It is dawn, you've all gathered at the site described by Berist, whose purse looks very light, indeed. Apparently he's been busy.
You see your green companion accompanied by five mercs (Buiq, Casal, Egin, Gace, and Sgt. Kelz) of various colors. All are outfitted with tough kannemeyeria leather armor (as evidenced by the greenish-gray tinge to the toughened hide), longswords, hand axes, and shortbows with full quivers. The equipment is of good, but not outstanding, quality. Sgt Kelz's armor looks of better quality and different make than the others, and in addition to the gear the other men-at-arms are sporting, he also a bears a battered laser pistol in a drop arm holster.
Bothess speaks for all of you when she asks Berist, "Why, exactly, are we here?"
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Post by tavis on Sept 15, 2009 16:32:06 GMT -6
Berist woke before dawn and has been busy with muzzle, straps, and rope. A large, bulging sack hangs from the branch of the tree he selected.
"Lady," he says to Bothess, "I dunno why you're here. Curious, I reckon. Some of these other folks are here 'cause they want to sign on with me, and I've got ten gold for each of them if they do."
"Last night I hired another man to gather some dirt for me." Berist backhands the sack, producing struggling and a muffled sound from within. "I guess it's only natural that someone who traffics in dirt would take gold from another man to snitch on me in return. But I want y'all to be real clear on what happens to people who betray me."
He looks at his potential hirelings. "If'n you want to travel with me, I want to see you take your bow and put a shaft into this here sack. We'll fire on the count of three, so no one knows who fired the killing shot, and then you can come over here and take your gold. Bothess, you and anybody else who wants to can get in some target practice as well."
Berist steps away from the tree, hands behind his back. "One. Two. Three."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2009 18:19:22 GMT -6
One the count of three four bow-strings twang and ...
... quivering from the sack are 4 arrows, and one longsword. The longsword isn't just stuck into the target; no-no, it is jammed into the sack all the way to the hilt.
All eyes turn to the men-at-arms and see Casal, legs apart and hands on hips, grinning madly. You notice one of her front teeth is missing and a glint in her eyes that makes you a bit uncomfortable.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2009 5:26:27 GMT -6
((the implication in the last post, by the way, is that Casal threw her longsword into the target rather than firing an arrow))
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Post by tavis on Sept 16, 2009 5:58:35 GMT -6
Berist nods. "Good shooting, troops. OK, Bothess, we're ready to go." His expression is sadder than ever.
(OOC: I figured that's what you meant, though it'd be cool if she walked up and stabbed it!)
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Post by waysoftheearth on Sept 17, 2009 2:15:50 GMT -6
Gimyip scratches his stubbly jaw thoughtfully as he observes this display. These recruits might prove useful, or perhaps they'll just wind up dead.
He spits on the ground as the others round up their gear, then resigns himself to the long haul. His powered infantry armour makes his first step resoundingly heavy...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2009 5:24:44 GMT -6
The party forms up for travel.
Leading are Sgt. Kelz and two of the mercs; Casal and Gace. With them is Bothess, serving as guide.
Gimyip, E'ssej Iu, Mickeck are near the front of the train, behind the men-at-arms.
Gozer, looking wary and rifle at the ready, walks near the pack animals. There four non-combatants here, serving as teamsters and handlers.
Yashub-Yahad and Berist are rearguard, along with Egin and Buiq. Egin keeps looking at Buiq, finally asking him, "Your eyelids are transparent! How do you sleep, man?"
Your first day of travel passes with no encounters. This is not surprising this close to Jaftgong, but, as you make camp, Bothess warns the chances of trouble will increase during the next day's travel.
Around the campfire that night, as the lackeys serve dinner, Bothess tells you of your destination.
"It is no secret life on this plane is difficult," she begins. "Some can bear this burden better than others. There was one among the jale-humans, a kindly man named Ashing, who could not bear the suffering. He withdrew from society, and in leaving accumulated a number of followers; together forming a band of peaceful aesthetics. As bizarre as this concept may sound to you and I, the little band prospered. They built a small monastery into the side of Frostfang Mountain, easily defended but otherwise not an armed camp. There, the band came to call itself a brotherhood, and they spent their days meditating, scribing books, and brewing beer.
"The Order of the Brethren of Ashing, as they came to call themselves, did enough business to support themselves in their simple lifestyle. Frequent and generous donations of beer to the local bandits insured they would not be bothered by armed intruders. Caravans moved in and out the area with growing frequency. Then, one day, that all stopped. Caravans that went into the mountains to visit the monks of Ashing never returned, the same with search parties that followed after. In time, the monks were all but forgotten. We only remember them now because the Lotus is said to be among the unrecovered treasures of the monks.
"That is our destination. Why Harbinger's Lotus is necessary to the ritual? I do not know, I only know the tortured spirit of Obregon told me it was needed ... and therefore I will recover it."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2009 18:02:08 GMT -6
This thread continues in Part II: Harbinger's Lotus
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