GM Aria's Kingdom Come - The Stolen Lands (Inactive)

Game Master Hu5tru

"Certainly Ser Stannis is persuasive, he has got a way with words that ye has ta respect." Ali says pausing something troubling her.

'Oh Gods, I have to ask.' Hesistantly she starts to speak her voice cracks and she takes another breath. 'Do I really want the answer?'

She starts again; slowly then the flood gate opens and her words tumble out. "Well, as ye can tell from me accent I am local. If fact as I said I used ta like in t' woods with me Ma & Pa, and it's just like this. Well, like me Ma died and then Pa took to drinking, he is, was, a trapper. I was jus' like wondering if ye had seen him like. It's just he used ta sell his stuff here, I think. Tho' I am not sure."

Ali pauses taking a breath. "It's just he may not have been the best man but 'e is me only kin, 'cepting my real sire, and I need ta know what happened ta him. He just like vanished in middle of the night and I ain't heard from him since. He is a big man with a heavy beard. His name is Byron, ring any bells?" she says the hope catching in her throat.

"Byron," Oleg jerks his eyes up, searching his memory. "Ah yeah, he were here. Volunteered to assist the lady archer leadin' the Banker west. Weren't privvy to his plans beyond that," he says and frowns.

"You Da were he, lass? Well... Ain't my place to be sayin' so, but look to me as though you got place enough with these lads. They're fair enough, and don't seem to be in any hurry to be runnin' elsewhere."

Ali looks confused for a moment, then Oleg can virtually see her mind come up with the answer. "The banker, ye mean that bloke who came down 'ere with the others. I 'eard them talk about him. Why'd he leave? Or is it 'cause of a lady, who's she anyways? Not that it's my business, but..." Ali says bashfully.

"Ah know in some ways he wasn't much better than these bandits but he loved me. I could tell in his gruff manner. The way he taught me, looked after me. Made sure I could survive on me own. He's the only blood I got." the lonely tone of her voice light. "But I am so glad 'e's alive."

"These men I travel with, it makes me happier than I have been before. They need me both for me healing skills and my stubbornness. Thank you for listening to me Oleg. I can understand why she loves you so." Ali tries to compose herself.

Oleg gives a rare smile and pats your shoulder again, gripping it softly. "Good on ye, Lass. Like as not, they be trials enough ahead without thinkin' on what's done and can't be changed."

Yeah, Ali's background is a bit more demanding than most. Stanis has family in Restov, but he's cut ties with the city completely. I got plans for the brothers, and eventually for James, but not much have to do with figuring out stuff from their past, but how they might progress as the game goes on. For all of you, really. But for now, this is what Ali is focused on, so it is what I am focused on as well, if that makes any sense.

Tam shrugs deciding that company was better than no company and decides to go in search of Kayla. He had to admit he had missed her frank nature. plus she did have that cute smile....

Focus Tam

Tam walks into the kitchen glancing around for her or her strange goat.

You make your way out to the eastern side of the fort, and find Kayla there. She looks up for a moment as you both hear one of Kesten's outriders in the distance, and gives a wave, then returns to digging at the earth with a small garden trowel. The plot as Svetlana called it is not exceedingly large, in fact, it is no larger than your mistresses former lean to, although there is a pick set to the side of the fortress, recently abandoned by Matis, you expect. Lyle grazes to one side of the plot upon the bright spring grass, and neither seem to mark your approach.

Later on the evening Ali searches out Mordecai, finding him as usual after his nightly sword-practice. She sees the vibrancy radiate off him; making sure to not step lightly she walks towards him. "How are you doing? It has been a hard few days, the fighting, the blood. Do you ever get used to it?" she asks hesitantly.

Looking into the dark sky but not seeing anything she slowly continues; "Sometimes, the darkness can make you feel... insignificant. Really I just wanted to say thank you, you protected me against the boar. I...I...I am sorry, I ended up being a bit rubbish. I cannot hit a barn door with my catapult, it's just I brace myself to fire then I remember it's a living creature and..."

Ali calms herself "Here, I am gibbering into the night about my worries. There is just something you should probably know..."'No, I cannot tell him it's too soon.' Ali then stops.

Tam strides over and crouchs down near the small woman. Before grasping for something to break the ice. "So how are you liking it back here with your sister?"

"Father Jhod is a good man, but my sister, she puts too much faith in chance and coincidence," Kayla says and sighs. "She is my kin, and I would like to see her happy, but she is selfish and vain. What manner of place is this to raise a child, with that Garess rooster strutting about? Oh, and the looks he gives me," Kayla growls with frustration and buries he trowel in the earth. "Half my water goes to his and his boy's toilet and horses alone, and that's just the morning castings! And he treats it like duty, like... like there's no greater use for my talents than servicing his needs."

Kayla looks down, embarrassed to have ranted for so long. "Pray, forgive me. You... you have worries of your own," she says softly. "Do... do you like my garden?"

"I've been well enough. Aye, the blood and the carnage is a taxing endeavor, and to be frank, you will Never get used to it Ali. I will never fully condone myself for the taking of another being's life, whether they be beast or man or monster. Life is precious, and we all live it to the best of our ability. The gods gave the mortals of this world a cruel gift in the ability to take life away in my opinoun."

He sighs and rubs at his temple with a hand and then sits forwards and ruffles the boy's hair affectionately like an older brother might do. He remembered doing so with Tam years ago, back when he had been a scrawny and bright-eyed youth full of questions for his strong and worldly brother.

"There is no reason for you to thank me Ali, you watched my back in battle, I owe you and every man who does so the same in return. As for your sling...It may do nothing but I could teach you how to use a weapon you feel comfortable using. I don't know very much of ranged combat, I have always fought blade to blade."

He crosses his arms when Ali hesitated on what he apparently needed to know and he raises a hand to forstall Ali when the lad looked like he might continue. "Whatever it is lad, it's none of my business unless you want to tell me. If you pause, you worry of my reaction, and you shouldn't."

Mordecai chuckles again and then stands, gesturing to the lad with a hand. "Come on, stand up. Let's see how you stand." He passes the lad a wooden pole roughly the size of a sword and then he raises his sheathed sword high above his head in two hands. He nodded at the improvised sword in Ali's hands. "Just do as I do"

Mordecai is a firm and hands-on teacher, helping the lad through a couple steps but realizing soon that armed combat was not his forte, so instead he gets the boy some rocks, and makes the boy a crude target to try firing at.

Tam raises an amused eyebrow at her as she stops speaking about something concerning Oleg and children.

"Is Garess giving you trouble? I can talk to him or even have Mord pummel him for a few minutes if you like. " He flashes a small conspiratorial smile at her before looking down at her garden.

"Well it could probably use some rain." He grins again before looking at her. "I am not a farmer but I'd like to help...you if you'd let me."

Kayla licks her lips and pauses for a few moments. "The earth is good here, and still moist from the winter. It is as though it is about to wake," there is a certain musical quality to her voice, and she seems to recognize it and shakes her head softly.

"They say that my Lady lost her ability to manipulate fate when Aroden... died, but, I feel Her calling still. Or... perhaps it is these lands," she continues softly. "Do you dream, Tam?"

Tam blinks and all at once shivers and looks away from her.

"You...y..you can't tell anyone....Sometimes..I dream...of..." he breaks off unable to continue and hides his head on his knees his arms locked about them.

Slowly Tam tells her of his dreams, their numerous occurrences, the sense of death and despair, the feeling of helplessness, and of the dark lady that whispers of his brother going where he can never follow.

"What does it mean Kayla? I am sometimes so afraid to go to sleep.What can I do?" he asks her after he had finished unwilling to break her embrace he remains unmoving slightly leaning back against her soft weight.

"You and your brother are more similar than you can imagine. You both are vulnerable to magics, and these lands are known to be rife with fey who would lead men astray for their own amusement," she continues.

"Keep to the Banker, Branthorn. He is a good man, and have faith in your abilities and your brother's love. You are as integral to him and his success as he to you."

{b]"No, you are a good man. I see that there is not a cruel bone in thee body."[/b] Ali responds vehemently as he talks about his actions with a sword. 'He is even kinder and wiser than I thought. I didn't realise there were people like him in the world.'

Mordecai raises a hand unseen by Ali, however she stops. "Thank you, perhaps my words are for another time. I just wouldn't want to disappoint you, your words and actions offer me more praise than I deserve."

At the suggestion of wielding a weapon, Ali grimaces a smile. 'He is trying to build my confidence, but it is working...' She takes the wooden stake from his hands and stands. Practicing swinging it with a clumsy enthusiasm. Mordecai takes her by the shoulders and shows her how to swing the sword properly as she cannot see his visual instruction.

A few minutes later, a fine sweat rolls down her back, her shoulders ache and her form has got no better, in fact it probably worse. She can nearly hear the intake of breath at each poor stoke, but still Ali feels her confidence return in the exertion. Her youthful exuberance restored, she is even happier when a slightly exasperated Mordecai suggests returning to the sling. "Thank you, it's good to have someone I can come to. Can I call you my friend?" Ali says a hopeful lilt in her voice as it slightly cracks with a high-pitched feminine way.
'I have never done this before, had a friend, is this the right way to ask? Should I give him a gift.'

"So you local then, your brother and ye? trying to sound non-demanding and friendly.

"Aye Miss, local as can be. Mama lives... to the south. Of the age where two grown sons were wearin' on her hospitality," he says and chuckles softly. "Her man ain't too keen, but he keeps her fed."

A 'looks' at him; "But ye'll be alright 'ere? We'll sort ye out, with food, work, teachings, if ye want."

With a stern look on her face not directed at Hans, but at the world that forces men into banditry just to make ends meet. "Aye, it shouldn't be like this. No man should force others to suffer jus' to keep hisself fed."

Guess I just want to know your take on things and to let out a litle rant sorry his character just jars my whole sense of dresden, I am half god I am badass get out of my way, never like those characters sorry again feel free to comment and correct me

Then again, slightly in his defence, I could see his posts from a VERY open-minded perspective as trying to hook up the two groups but his posting style just gets on my nerves assuming he knows more than the rest of us, getting historical facts wrong w his weaponry and such (personal pet peeve) and then posting something like '...Where I made short work of 5 ghouls' no one talks like that, and Harry Dresden has trouble taking care of that many when slinging fricking bolts of fire and blasts of kinetic energy strong enough to crush a car. So yeah, mainly just me ranting.

Firstly I want to thank everyone and say that I am having a great game. And lastly pick up on the '5 ghoul' point; that was from the previous game that Ax & Danny were playing in that the GM stopped playing in. So that could be considered just a bit of bonding and reminising.

Equally the winter group could say that they took out of couple of ghouls in seconds.

I will post a fuller responce later, as I have a RL game & my GM quit. So we'll see what we are doing.

Yes, there might be a slight clash in gaming styles. But I will address everyones points and we shall work a sensible course of action, that allows everyone to have fun.

Secondly, regarding the multiple posts, generally Ax seems top check once a day. So what seems to happen is that he will write out his course of actions. Then he seems that he might think of extra or supplimentary actions a bit later, posting them too. I can see how this is definately jarring; especially when nobody else is around to post.

One of the problems I can see was this fight, with 3 PC's. Danny who tends to do interesting non-direct combat actions (who too generally posts daily), Gelert who has certain cool limits (cannot speak, no hands); this put a bit too much emphasis upon Ax and his actions. Especially since he has a take charge attitude.

Thirdly, regarding Gelert. Yes, it is jarring about his use of the name Gelert and statement (although as Ragathiel says it could be that he is slightly Meta & trying to get the two groups together and/or using all the Meta resources that he knows). Ragathiel, how do you feel about the way Danny has handled Gelert? Because Gelert is such an interesting unique character, that works best pbp.

It may also be that Ax doesn't check the discussion threads often, but it is concerning that he has not responded. I have a few options here, speak to him in a private spoiler about this. Or shake things up with some 'outside interference' regarding what he believes Gelert is.

Fourthly, the character Ax is. It is a 'peasant hero' the kit used to be called. Yes he is built as a bad-ass, but he is also trying to help the common-man (funny for most greek heroes). Meta: That is one of the reasons I put the kid in that scene. I can definately see how he could try to over shadow others in a fight.

Anyway, thank you for expressing you feeling and we will try to work this out.

Personally, I really like how Danny treats and talks to Gelert, because it sticks to what Danny's character knows about Gelert as well as treating him like an actual dog, which is one of the stress moments I envisioned for this character. Gelert is a Fey Hound but as I have said before :) he IS still just a dog and that to me makes a lot of good character building opportunities available to show how very supernatural this particular dog is ^^

I think I will just put in a small spoiler for Aximeus on the actual board for gameplay, not to break up the action but it does seem like it's the only place he checks and so its the only action I have to get across my concerns. Thanks DM :)

James wants to spend more time with Kesten so stays.
James doesn't trust the bandits to reform (Callistra and all) thus stays to ensure that they do not fall out of line.
James receives a vision/dream and feels that he must leave. Maybe connected to the fey.
The guards at the gate annoy him so he moves on.
A lover from his background is amongst the guards and something ignites (passion, fear, hatred)

The Ranger Woman; she is the same that went with Laudis(the cleric) and Ali's father into the woods? Perhaps she was not needed, fell out with them, something happened to them.

[ooc]Anyway sorry about putting these random ideas down. I just though it might be of some help. Although I know how creative and intelligent you are from the job you are doing so far. Feel free to ignore or whatever.