It's Knight time

[Lyssandra]

Well, if we are going to do this through IC/RP on the board as was wanted. We do need Thaylias' explanation to start us off. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Starshadow]

Thaylias has been asked by Lord Vontamier to think about taking over the lands of Tindale or Sedgewick, territories that have undergone recent tragedies and require leadership, protection and rebuilding. To take one of these roles is to perhaps be a baron one day, and such rewards would benefit not just Thaylias, but his friends as well.

It turns out that Sedgewick's baron was a vampire spawn that had to be put down, while Tindale suffered a demon infestation. The vamps and demons are gone, but there are other problems to deal with.

Rumor has it that Barons Glenrick and Jodfrey (of Glenshire and Jodshire), Counts Ironrock, Benedict of Eversee and Vilyas of Arrowshire, Countess Calliope of Dreamskeep and Duke Marcus of Spariticus, will all be at the ceremony, and are always willing to take on new vassals. If Thaylias chooses not to go to Tindale or Sedgewick, serving any of these lords or ladies is an alternative choice.

Then again, perhaps there are other options...options less favored by King Hrothgar.

Let the discussion commence (and that means all 6 of you!) [img]wink.gif[/img]

[Carbon14sample]

**Thaylias, brushing Snowflower's brilliant white hair, reflects on the recent conversation he had with Lord Vontamier. "To be granted a position to help aid in the King's lands...," he whispers to himself. The proud look upon his face fades though as he considers his friends and how this opportunity could tear the fellowship apart. He hurries back to the Royal Apartments, seeking out his companions.**
"I am so glad to have found you!" he says to his friends who are gathered in the common room of there housing. He tries to conceal his look of excitement and concern as he speaks. "I must speak to you all urgently concerning matters of great importance." He looks about the room and notices others going about their routines. "If you would be so kind as to join me I would be most thankful." He beckons them to follow him to his room.
**Shutting then locking the main door to his room he indicates for everyone to take a seat and offers them a glass of wine. Once everyone is comfortable he relates to them his encounter with Lord Vontamier.
"It seems I shall be knighted this night followed by a feast in celebration of our victory in destroying the cursed ring." He pauses for a moment, looking at all five of his friends then continues.
"Lord Vontamier expressed to me that many of the nobles that shall be present tonight may ask for my service. But more importantly he told me of another offer, one from King Hrothgar himself."
"Two of the Kings fiefdoms have been going through times of hardship and disrepair, Sedgewick and Tindale. By the look on the Lord's face I could tell there is serious trouble in these territories." "The King will grant me my own lands for taking this duty and I would be most honored to be able to serve the King in this manner." Thaylias takes another drink of his wine before he continues.
"But as honorable as this may be for me I have a sense of sadness because I would not wish to part company with any of you." **He turns slightly and looks at Kel Twoheart, eye to eye.** "I know it is your desire to visit the lands of your mother's people but I ask you... all of you, to accompany me on this task appointed by the King to restore order in his troubled lands."
** He sets his glass upon a nearbye table and looks to all, one by one.** "If I understood correctly I have the choice of tending to the lands of either Sedgewick or Tindale. I ask for your thoughts on this matter and hope for your companionship. We are all quite different in many aspects but one thing I do know is that we share a common goal.. one of honor and goodness."
"I must tell the King my intentions tonight so let us talk of this matter... Oh and Allie, I was told though the task may be one of great hardship, the rewards will be great." **He smiles at her then steps over to where Shanti is sitting and pours more wine into her glass and winks.**

[Dramavictim]

Despite his disgust with the undead, and an understandible fear of the devilish and demonic, Kel seems happy for his friend's choice, "Among hte Barbos, to seize a land by strength of sword is considered a true test of manhood. Of course, then a Barbosian would give it over to the woman he was trying to impress, but cultural similarities only go so far."

At the mention of delaying visiting his mother's people, "Do not worry about it, Thaylias. I am told my elvish side will let me live longer than most, and my mother, being an elf, will live much longer yet. My curiousity can still itself for a bit. You are my friend, and while I have seen some nobles of the land that I respect, it is clear to me that parts of the Kingdom hurt for good men to rule it. Far better honorable men like you than some petty bueracrat or tyrant who would hope to take advantage of the suffering in a barony rather than fix it."

He looks over to Allie, speculatively, but still speaks to Thaylias for now, "The one thing I would suggest is learning of both lands, their people, their problems, and the lands about them to decide which you wish to help... and which you hope to claim. Do you prefer mountain, or forest, for example? Do you hope for wealth from farming or mining for your people? This is meant, among other things, to be a reward for you my friend. Which one would you be happier with, and if you can guess, the people happier with you? Myself, I would ask our bard what she knew of the places." He nods respectfully to the halfling, "Though others may know more as well. They are both too far South for me to know much save what we hear from in pubs and taverns."

[Lyssandra]

Allie settles herself onto a chair after Thaylias invites herself and the others to his quarters. She accepts the offered wine and listens to Thaylias tell of his meeting with the advisor.

"Congratulations. It would seem many of us are getting what we want, Thaylias. I am happy for you." is told Thaylias after he announces his impending knighting. Swirling the remaining wine in her glass, she listens to Thaylias continue on with the announcement of his being offered a territory of his own, and then thoughtfully listens to Kel's reply. She nods her head slightly when the barbarian speaks of the acquisition of land. "There are likely elves in either of those baronies, Kel, should our friend accept the land. The king has many elven subjects, and I suspect at least one of the other nobles who will court Thaylias' services to aid them will also be of elven blood. So none of the choices will rule out the pursuit of your own quest, and should Thaylias take on the role of a baron himself, travel to other lands is still possible should you wish to seek out your mother specifically."

After Kel and Thaylias finish speaking, she gets another thoughtful look to her features as she considers the options for herself. "Your goals and mine are not so far different, Thaylias, so whichever land, Sedgewick or Tindale, or if you choose to serve one of the other nobles, I will accompany you. There should be plenty of lore to learn, secrets to unlock, and treasures to find whereever the road leads. I cannot guarantee for how long I will stay once the problems are settled and you establish yourself, but until then you have my aid." She offers a mischevious smile, "and it sounds fun." Going serious again, she further advises, "If we are to be fighting undead and demons, I strongly suggest supplies geared to fighting such creatures. Holy water is reputed to be potent against such things. The true threat of the vampire and its kin is not the physical damage inflicted in combat, but the life stealing. That is what we will need to prepare for. Demons are reputed to have power to control minds."

Pausing to gather her thoughts, the halfling bard considers what information she knows about the two lands in question, "This is what I know of both Sedgewick and Tindale. Much of this is rumor and hearsay, but some of this I did hear in Wellmet before I left home to locate the Caer Falken Inn. Perhaps it will aid in the decision."

While not as expert in storytelling as Cattalinia, Allie relates the news to Thaylias and her companions:

"Sedgewick is some fifty or so miles southeast of the City of Wellmet, about halfway between the Drunken Forest and Eversleep Swamp. About 2 years ago things went bad. Peasants started dying, Baron Sedgewick lost his wife, a mysterious woman showed up to spend time with the baron and the town grew superstitious, protecting its doorways with wolvesbane and not going out at night. There is a tavern there called "The Slauthered Lamb" where some citizens would gather through the night, for safety is in numbers. A party of adventurers went to investigate the goings on at the castle, after finding the peasants burning dead bodies, and after destroying the ghouls that abounded and the succubus living there, slew the vampire spawn that was the formerly good Baron Sedgewick.

Soon after, leaderless, and with no nobles willing to stay there, the town was left to its own devices. They elected their own officials, but they were ill equipped. many of the citizens fled, other undead arose, spreading death, and a virulent plaque left almost no one in the town. While most citizens fled to Isenford and Wellmet, there are a few brave craftsmen, shopkeepers, farmers and former soldiers who have made this place a steadfast home, refusing to leave. Having neither a liege to pay taxes to, nor a horde in residence to fear, they trusted that Solaris would protect them as they lived a communal life.

But over the past 6 months, various threats have emerged. Trogs from the swamp, gnolls, from the swamp and forest, and even a few dark elves have come to pick the castle clean of loot. The people have somehow managed to avoid extinction, and only the skill of whatever soldier tactician in charge at the moment managed to keep the peasants free from harm. Perhaps the town, being so poorly and ramshackle has made a poor looting target. Still, they have managed to stay safe, but are unsure how long that will remain so.

Word is that several garrisons have been dispatched from Talagon City by King Hrothgar since this happened, but all fell in combat or deserted. There is rumor on the streets that the king has once again gotten another plea for help from those who still live there."

Allie pauses her tale to take a drink from the wine glass in her hand. "A grim tale, but the story of Tindale is no less dire if the stories I have heard are true.

Along the northern face of the Falcon mountains, there lies a small town called Tindale really not very far from the Caer Falken Inn itself. The area surrounding Tindale is known as the Tindale Valley. The town was so named for the mining camps that predated the village, and the most prominent of the mines in the area were set up for the harvesting of tin. The area was also known to be a depository of gold, silver, platinum and gems, though these veins were small, and had been mined out by dwarves, gnomes, goblins and kobolds centuries earlier. Still, now and then, some deep delver made a rare find. It was usually enough to make someone rich, and of course the town prospered. Then the vein would dry up and things would go back to normal. Old wives would tell of legendary mithral and adamantine deposits being discovered, though no person living in Tindale today could remember such a time. While Mithral frequently hides amid deposits of silver, and adamantine amidst iron ore, neither silver nor iron are plentiful enough for anyone to bother prospecting. For some time, mining continued, and while the tin was not as plentiful as it once was, the stone in this part of the Falcon Mountains is sought after for sculpting and building. Caravans set out from the Tindale Valley several times each year, hauling the stone to cities, fairs and construction sites for both the kingdom?s fortifications and private contractors.

The town had other forms of commerce as well. Craftsmen from all over had come, over time, to work in Tindale, making use of the valley?s resources. As a result, more demi-humans lived among the people of Tindale than almost any other place in Talagon. Elven jewelers, gnomish tinkers, dwarven weaponsmiths and half elves sculpting in pewter have all made their living here, or once did and live here retired amongst old friends. Halflings gathered herbs that grow on the mountainsides or served as cooks in the town?s three inns. Humans of course were plentiful and did the local farming and those non-artistic duties necessary to keeping a town running.

This all stopped a year ago, when a party of adventurers came to investigate the problems at jacob's mine. It turned out that , not only were monsters gravitatitng toward the foothills, but that the mine was infested with goblins, kobolds and rust monsters. several forays were made by these explorers, but one day they did not return. The monster population seemed to diminish for a time, but at the next new moon, the entire village was attacked by demons, and it seemed that some of those missing explorers were among the attackers. Almost the entire town was destroyed, and the few who escaped to more civilized lands reported an unholy bloodbath whose details defy repitition.

King Hrothgar sent an army to wipe out the demon horde, and the town has been virtually empty ever since. people sometimes go there to squat, loot or prospect, and it is along a major road, so those not familiar with the story will often arrive to see only horrors, some to be attacked by whatever band of bandits or orcs or ogres happen to be occupying the town at the time.

According to what I've heard since we arrived in Talagon, the King plans to raze the town entirely and have the road redirected to avoid the area completely if someone cannot be found to rebuild and develop the resources of the mountain again."

Concluding her tale, Allie glances from her companions back to Thaylias to see what they might say. Neither prospect seems an easy task, and the halfling does not envy the knight to be his decision.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 23, 2005 03:23 PM: Message edited by: Lyssandra ]</font>

[Tarracat]

Shanti sits quietly reflecting on all that she is told, smiling softly as Thalias recounts his conversation of what many and varied paths have been laid before him. She listens with interest as the halfling spews forth her knowledge of both Sedgewick and Tindale, she looks up at Thaylias as he refills her glass, then gives him a smile as she speaks.

"This certainly is not unexpected, and I am overjoyed that you have been recognized for what you are Thaylias, and certainly I will be beside you no matter which path you choose. The oracle I believe made mention that your best liege would be His Majesty himself, if you are to follow the path the oracle has directed, then your other choices are moot, you have but two to choose from, Tindale and Sedgewick. "She drops her eyes a moment to stare into the dark wine, then gazes up again at the knight to be.

"A mining town that once was prosperous, and might be once again, set in the mountains, and set to be razed if no one comes to her cry for aid, beset by demons which may or may not still be in the lands if she is not chosen. Tindale. She will be gone forever if she is leveled and roads would move around rather than through her, she would be a blight on the land, always a place of whispers and fear. What citizens remain we do not know, we should try to find out, as well as what demons or creatures might yet lurk there. Is she dry of tin, silver, mithril? Who can tell, but the lands have their own mysteries, it's possible if it is healed it may grow prosperous yet again, self sufficent, and the lord who resides there resides with his people, not over them....now...Sedgewick.

"The lord there dwelled in a castle apart from those he ruled, but again there is nothing wrong with that. There are folks still within struggling to keep their homes, and there are undead, wishing to take their homes from them. Farming, fishing, and the more simple lives were there before the succubus and her entourage entered the lands. This land is still surviving, and should you chose to take on Tindale there is the possibility that one of Sedgewick?s own might rise up to defend and claim her. Tindale does not seem to have that hope.

?In my opinion Thaylias, these are the two choices set before you, and I and the others will aid you in whichever land you chose to defend. It will be difficult, and I can only hope we survive to see the fruits of our labors, but even after the lands are freed from trog, undead, or demon, there will be ever so much more to be done. Follow your heart here Thaylias, and once the lands are rebuilt, you will need to decide if a Baron can continue to adventure, or if he must stay within his realms?and if not, or if you decline a barony, can you watch someone else take over what you have healed.?

The auburn haired girl lifts her goblet in toast to the knight, hoping that something she said for either of the lands will strike a chord in him, and tell him where his path might lie. She takes a small sip of the wine, watching the young warrior.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 24, 2005 08:59 AM: Message edited by: Hummingbird ]</font>

[Carbon14sample]

~After telling his friends of the meeting with Lord Vontamier, Thaylias sets the wine bottle upon a finely crafted table and takes a seat. He closes his eyes, leaning back in the chair. His eyes open as Kel and the others begin to speak, expressing their desire to accompany him on the King's task.~

"Since we have all joined together and traveled many miles I have thought myself very fortunate to have such wise and courageous friends. Here, this morning, you again all humble me. I can not express how happy I am that you will help me in this matter. Together, I have faith that we can achieve what King Hrothgar wishes."

~Thaylias rises from his seat and picks up the bottle of wine, refilling everyones glass.~ "The decision of whether to aid Tindale or Sedgewick would have taken me all of the day and possibly more." "You all have saved me the embarressment of indecision." ~He moves over to were Allie sits and leans on the back of the chair.~

"I admit I am not well learned in the art of politics but my heart tells me that Tindale needs us, so as not to become an accursed land for years to come." ~Looking to Shanti then shrugging his shoulders with a grin~ "Who knows, maybe we could aid Sedgewick once Tindale is put in order as the King wishes."

~Turning to face Kel~ "Kel, you have my word that when the opportunity comes, I shall travel with you to your mothers people. And Im sure I wont be the only one with you."

OOC: Sorry for the hasty post everyone, been a very long day and I am exhausted. Look forward to seeing everyone Friday night.