Sleeping, sleeping, POW, you wake with a start, as your bedroll is ripped out from under you, you instantly feel the cold, morning air against your skin,
"I said get up, maggot!" yells a mans voice, you quickly look up to see a short stocky man, wearing very intricate leather armor,
"Well?" he booms, for such a small man, it's strange the strength his voice suggests, he quickly starts walking off, without most of you, at least, the four of you, today was the day for your first mission, you quickly get up, dress, and grab your gear, to follow the man to a large tent.
Once inside, the man wastes no time at all.
"Sittown', Quick!" he yells.
"Lemme just explain your easy mission, and you can be off, our scouts say that there are enemy forces moving into a nearby, forsaken sentry tower, we want you to waltz in, kill em', and look for anything of interest, GO!" He booms, as he shoos out of the tent, once out, he points north.
"That way, two miles, GO, Run!" he yells, he obviously wants you to go...
"I said get up, maggot!"
Agota glared at the man's back as he moved down the line waking her companions, I'd like to show you why me brothers call me 'Punch'. She stood and shook at the stiffness in her limbs before dragging on her armor and scooping up her gear. She followed along with her companions to the large tent.
"I sure hope there's breakfast in there.""That way, two miles, GO, Run!" he yells, he obviously wants you to go...
"So. No breakfast then?" With a heavy sigh she shouldered her pack and set off trotting 'that way'.
No breakfast, sleeping on rocks, and a girl can't even take her morning wee. They sure know how to put me in a proper fighting mood.
Vayden was accoustomed to a soldier's alarm, it kept you alive when necessary. He was up, dressed and armed in quick time and out to the tent. "I wouldn't count on it. Least not for us."
As the commander gives them their mission, he listens, searching for the meaning behind his words. "They don't always give us the full story, them officers. Gotta figure it out, learn to keep yourself alive." One of his pappy's favorite sayings, and here it was clear. They didn't know nothin', and they were the expendables set to find out, and just maybe succeed.
Leaving the tent when ordered, he steps in line with the dwarven cleric. "I expect in another hour none of us will be missing it much, lass. Either we'll have our fill or we won't be needin' it."
Pikrak was accustomed to the harsh discipline and wasn't one to question orders. As he ran northward, listening to the rhythm of gear jumping up and down in the backpack, he kept wondering: "Who gave every sergeant in the world the idea that calling people maggots raises their morale?"
"Three things are needed to win wars. Good soldiers, better weapons, and information. Don't think it needs to be mentioned, but watch yerself. And no heroics, they'll get ya killed faster than anything."
Surprisingly, the sergeant's bellowing came as a welcome clamor from a troubling sleep - a vision of flame and screaming. As he dressed, the harried look quickly was replaced by a quiet assurance of what was coming.
Keeping to himself, the half-elf trailed behind the rest of the group - taking in the sites and sounds of the camp and his new squadmates.
He continued this trend after their orders were issued, but now the he seemed more determined and his steps were stronger in their wake. He pulled a trail bar from his pack, eating as he walked.
@Agota: It's not much, madam, but perhaps this will provide some sustenance for the walk. I think we'll need our strength in this first trial. He utters it quietly and extends another trail bar to her.
In light of Vayden's pronouncement, he also proceeds to prepare his crossbow - just in case.
Agota took the offered ration with a muttered, "Thanks." As she munched on the bar she cast a sidelong glance at the half-elf. He didn't seem a bad sort, for an elfblood (her clan made little distinction between elves and their kin, "They's all got their noses in the air higher than the tips of they's ears!" her dad would say).
Maybe they was snobs 'cause you never took the time to be friendly, dad. With that thought in mind, she decided a little diplomacy was in order with her new squaddie.
"Punch." She threw a grin in his direction, "Me kin calls me 'Punch'. You can call me 'Madam' when the army decides to make me an officer and puts a horse under me arse."
The walk is simple enough, cutting through small fields and such, you begin to feel that you should be about there pretty soon, up ahead you see a somewhat of a drop off, and you can hear sounds of a river, this is one you figure goes off to the harbor.
Walking closer, you start to see a tower, then more, another tower, connected by a small rope bridge that spans the small river, the towers were covered and perfectly positioned behind a drop off towards the river.
"Me kin calls me 'Punch'. You can call me 'Madam' when the army decides to make me an officer and puts a horse under me arse."
Kellen gives her comment a mild grin which radiates warmth.
Kellen is my name; or Kel if you prefer brevity. I have rarely seen many of the stout folk in Fairhaven - where I am from. A look of consternation briefly crosses his feature before he continues.
Any knowledge of what lies ahead, Miss Punch? He continues chewing on the ration while awaiting a response.
Sir Manfred salutes for the dot as he canters by.
You are sure that these are the towers you were sent to cleanse, as you near it, you start to hear shouting, apparently there is something conspicuous about a man walking in all black up to an opposing sentry tower, by-the-by, they are aware of you. A small wooden door at the front opens, and out walks an attractive human women.
"Who' er' you and yer' companions, thinking you can just come up to the mighty EF?" she asks, as she stares at you expectanlty.
"They're them!" She yells, obviously gaining attention of other EF members, the door is shoved aside, and 3 other people come out, each brandishing a weapon..
Initiative:
1 Dixulri
3 Kellen
5 Agota
2 Pikrak
6 Vayden
4 EF ???
To arms!
On his turn, Kellen casts Mage Armor on himself. His eyes flare briefly with a white gold light and an ornate, spectral armor surrounds him and fades out.
"I'm movin' up with the big guy," she nodded in Pikrak's direction. "You'll be okay here?" she asked Kellan right as his spell took effect. "Yeah, okay. You'll be alright."
She trotted forward to stand next to Pikrak.
Seeing as the enemy meets them prepared, Pikrak wasted no time. Rising his sword high up, he charged at the woman who "greeted" them with a battlecry.
Vayden takes aim at one of the enemies and fires at the enemy. "Time to unleash hell." he thinks to himself as he squeezes the trigger. The way the mustket shook, he knew what happened. "Blast it, this day ain't gonna end well."
The three people that stormed out are two men, one woman, not including the first one. Both men, already holding crossbows, quickly take aim and shoot, one in Dixulri's direction, and one at Kellen.
Dixulri
Kellen
Both of the women armed with small swords step forward to meet Pikrak and Agota.
Pikrak
Agota
Next round guys, roll better, your ninja's hurt...
"Well, sometimes you just gotta go for broke and pray for the best, sometimes you gotta play it safe. Way luck's going, play it safe." Vayden quickly clears out his musket, moving to a better vantage to fire.
With more voice than he has uttered before now in the group's company: Vayden, mark...on bowman! Uya orosa!
Eyes flare unearthly light, and a single glowing arrow flies and strikes unerringly at the crossbowman directly parallel to Vayden.
Vayden: You have just enough movement to hide behind a tree
Kellen: The bright magical bolt shoots at the EF member, blowing off a large portion of his shoulder, leaving no cloth or flesh, unveiling his bone...
Her enemy's blow just glanced off Agota's buckler.
"Right! I'll do ya then!" She smashed at her opponent with her morningstar.
The wound from the small sword stung, and Pikrak felt anger rising inside him. He had to admit he was put off by the fact that women served on the side of the Society. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to concentrate on the Society's emblem on his enemies' uniform. They serve evil, and evil shall be vanquished. Raising his sword once more, he renewed the assault.
You powerfully strike her shoulder, and she falls limp, to the ground...