"Rumor has it that Vurgenslye has had some problems with roaming monsters from the Mist, and has had little to no help from the crown because they are focusing their attentions elsewhere."
Kaius pipes in at that, "That seems unusual, as my grandfather was never a warmonger in his time, and cared deeply for his people. ... although when one does become something more than human, I've heard their personalities change."
"Not only that, but their souls are tainted ... Now, where were we? Ah, yes. So, to aid in your mission, I have collected something for you that you may appreciate. It will make your travels considerably more comfortable, and less stressful! Follow me."
With that, Brayson leads you out the back of the tent.
Leading you through part of the military camp, any of you who served in the Last War can make out all the common things found in the typical Thranish infantry and cavalry. There does appear to be more mages than normal mixed into this lot, but other than that, nothing stands out to you immediately. After a short walk, you come to what is a make-shift stable, yet the area does not smell of animal, instead a metallic tang meets you, and your eyes take in a group of clock-work horses of Cannith make, each with the emblem of the Silver Flame engraved in their flank.
"Stunning, aren't they?" asks a smiling Brayson.
Following Brayson through the camp, Hugh makes some approving noises upon hearing of the current troubles across the border. "While I feel for your people, Highness, this does provide us with some unique possibilities. If your grandfather is so fallen that he lets his- your- own people suffer, then if you show up and provide an alternative... perhaps we can even give some aid to the people of Vurgenslye as we go, showing one and all that the true king... and the glorious new faith he brings home with him... is one that all should love and follow." He smiles as that, seemingly lost in a daydream of revolution and religious conversion. That daydream comes to an end at the sight of the steeds provided. "Oh, Brayson..." he murmers, stepping forward and reaching out a hand to touch the withers of one of the constructs. "This is... you've outdone yourself."
Bastion has been mostly silent, more interested in taking in his surroundings than responding to any particular statement. Once they reach the horses, however, he breaks his silence. These are quite nice. They look fast, too. Cannith makes good, quality stuff. I should know.
Sighing softly, Darius shakes his head. 'Clockwork horses? What next? Clockwork peo... Oh!' Looking sideways at Bastion, Darius smiles. 'Riiight!'
As Hugh begins rambling about converting his homeland to the Flame, Vorik has had enough "Hugh, shut up, or you'll be joining your precious Silver Flame much sooner than you wish"
Upon seeing the horses he is taken slightly aback by them "These would be most excellent mounts to ride into battle upon. Not as good perhaps has the skeletal mounts of Karrnath, but very serviceable" He does however grimace at the Flame emblems.
Hugh sighs. "Sir Vorik, peace already. I have no desire to continue all the leagues between here and your homeland endlessly arguing over something that was already decided. I do not desire your conversion; in fact, I am specifically forbidden doing so by the contract signed by your liege. The line of Kessler is explicitly permitted to maintain the ways of your faith. You and all your lineage will have as many generations to provide an alternate view as you may wish. Nevertheless," he stops, faces Vorik and looks the paladin straight in the eye, "I have work of my own to do, and no intention of allowing myself to be threatened away from that work simply because someone is large and well-armed. Since the majority of that work coincides with your own desire to liberate your homeland, I suggest you take what blessings have fallen and let the rest go. If you can't, then by all means say so here and now."
Vorik stares down at Hugh "I never agreed to any of this. To me, my current king is a good one. He may be a vampire, but he rules us fairly and was a key voice in bringing up the tentative peace we all strive to uphold. He's actively attempting to root out as much of the vile Blood of Vol and Emerald Claw followers as he can. You, on the other hand, represent a religion who has slain members of my family because they believed in something other than your precious Silver Flame. Which, should really be called the Dark Flame, considering how stained red it is with so much innocent blood. If you truly think I am going to just sit idly by as you attempt to convert my country to a religion who loves to cry wolf and then slaughter it, you are gravely mistaken."
Hugh's eyes fill with sympathy at Vorik's words. "Sir Vorik, I am sorry for any personal loss you suffered during the war. War is grievous under any circumstances; I myself lost family to battle with Karrnath. But I do not hold this against your entire nation; instead, I use their faces and memories to spur me forward in our current actions. We have a chance to prevent further pointless bloodshed on both sides; shouldn't that be the goal all men" He glances aside to Tika, as well as any female soldiers of Thrane in the vicinity, and corrects himself, "Pardon me, all people strive for?"
"As to your misapprehensions about my church; I do not blame you for them. All I can say is that it would be an honor to me to discuss this further with you as we travel. I think, given time, you might see our faiths are not so divergent as you assume. But that is your choice; as I said, converting you is not my goal."
A glint of steel flashes in Hugh's eyes as his speech moves forward. "Your remarks about the vampiric pretender sitting on the throne are concerning, but if your true king," he nods to Kaius, "feels secure in your loyalties I will say nothing more on that matter. But what concerns me is that this is the second occasion on which you have threatened my life for speaking of the Flame. Rest assured, as we move forward, I will continue to do so. As we pass into Karnnath, every citizen of your nation that I aid, every wound I tend, every shattered home I aid in rebuilding, all will be accompanied by the truth that this aid, and all accompanying aid in putting your nation in the hands of its true king, comes from the mercies of my church. Should you wish to speak against that truth, that is the right granted you by the contract signed. But I would suggest, sir, that only a man of weak faith fears a faith different from his own."
Sighing softly, Darius steps outside the tent, sliding his pipe from his pocket and thumbing it full of tobacco, as he takes a seat on a nearby crate. Lighting the pipe, he takes a deep puff, exhaling a small ring of smoke, while staring up in to the clear skies above.
"Damn religious nuts..."
Bastion, too, leaves the tent. I've never seen a use for religion, nor do I now. All that I can tell it is used for is starting fights, wars, and the like.
Darius smiles around the pipe stem, looking up at the Warforged. "I hold to the gods, but in my own ways. Vorik is the one I agree with, he worships my gods too you see, but I am not as devout as he. My gods do not require that. All they require is a little recognition now and then, that is all. Perhaps they could be your gods too, but you do not know it!" He smiled, taking another puff from the pipe, before gesturing towards a crate beside him.
"Come friend. Take the weight off your legs and let us share this day. it shall be awhile before we set off I hazard to guess!"
Bastion takes the seat offered him, speaking all the while, I suppose it is a possibility that the gods I may one day worship are the same that you yourself hold honor to, but I have seen little need for it. I was not created by gods, and I hold no special bond with them, as far as I can tell. Perhaps, one day that will change. Bastion gazes off into the distance.
"Not created by Gods hey?" Darius laughs softly. "Neither was I. I was created by my parents. And them by their parents and so on and so forth. Back to the first creation. So... In a sense, aren't the gods our parents? So far removed? Think then, of the men that created you first. They are your parents. You are their child. Perhaps not one of flesh and bone, but child none the less. Doesn't it make sense that their parents are you grandparents? Then the gods too created you, just not directly, but as directly as any of us, that is for certain!"
I suppose that is sensible. A strange view for me, but a view that does have some semblence of sense. I suppose a religion isn't out of the question, although as I said before, it appears that it can lead to arguments, fights, and the like, which are completely unnecessary. War itself may be unavoidable to some extent, but fights over such ridiculous things as beliefs seem rather unnecessary, when there seem to be no such dispute between the gods in question. Granted, I am not very well-versed in the texts or preachings of any faith.
Darius nodded softly, frowning for a moment. "Fighting over anything is ridiculous at the end of the day my friend. Even this fight is foolish, as it is not truly our fight. This is a fight between father and son, not between us and a Vampire. Not even between us and a nation. This is truly a ridiculous war, but here we are in the middle of it!" He nodded softly.
"At the end of the day... Fighting is foolish, but it is all that some of us know!"
Even though I was orignially built for fighting, I actually know little of it. Once I was built, the war effort was over, so I found employ at an armorsmith. Until recently, that was what I had done. I had often imagined going to war, which caused me to slip up occasionally, resulting in my removal from employment. I came along with my companions to find adventure, and it has most certainly found me. I have begun to think, however, that it may not have been the best decision I've made, although I'm fairly certain it won't be the worst.
Bastion chuckles at his last comment.
Darius laughs softly and nods. "Some of us are born to wage war. Take Vorik for example. He is strong, his swordarm swift and unforgiving. Then there is me. I am not particularly strong but I am fast. I make my war in the background, behind curtains and closed doors. I am sly and unforgiving. You, I believe, could learn to be a good fighter, if you find your niche!" He nodded softly.
Darius laughed softly. "I hazard to say it will most definetly not be. We all make mistakes but at the end of the day, it is how we deal with these mistakes, that determines how bad they are!"
I'm sure I could be. This tool, which I created to help me when I worked in the shop, certainly lends itself well to destruction. It amplifies strength, allowing me to swing harder than I normally could. I am sure that, were I to fight, a well-matched opponent would be hard-pressed to best me. I am sturdy as well; well-built.
You and I seem to be well-suited to friendship, for whatever reason. Speech comes naturally, and there is no bad blood between us. It is good to have friends, I have found. It takes away some of the tedium.
Darius smiled and nodded softly. "It is not that surprising. Myself and Vorik get along well together. I do not think Tika is too fond of me though. I sense I am stepping on her toes slightly, with the role I play in the party!" He smiled before nodding.
"But you and I? Yes it does seem to be quite easy does it not? Perhaps I am just that damn charming!" He grinned, before shaking his head. "Or, more likely, we see the chance to learn, reflected in each other. Friends it is Master Bastion and friends are a beautiful thing. You watch my back and I shall watch yours!"
It is a possibility, the two of you do seem to have somewhat similar skillsets.
That makes sense. I feel that, in the future, each of us shall be able to learn much from the other. Friends we are, and hopefully, friends we shall remain.
Darius nodded softly, offering the man his hand. "This has turned out to be quite the fortuitous day Master Bastion. I am glad to call you friend, that is for sure!"
Bastion happily takes the elf's hand. That it has, Master Darius. That it has. I am glad to call you a friend as well, perhaps one day the two of them, he motions inside to Vorik and Hugh, can shed their differences and be friends as well. Well, I can certainly hope, right?
Laughing softly, Darius nods his head in agreement. "We can all hope. Or..." He makes a small flourish with his left hand, before holding up the vial that appeared in it, to the Warforged. "Or... We can give a little liquid encouragement!" He winked, shaking the thick green liquid with a grin.
And what is this, then? Bastion says, wary of what portents the new green liquid might hold, but also curious of such a liquid that could, in theory, stop fights.
Vorik levels Hugh with a withering glare "Hugh, if my family had died during the War, I would not begrudge you, your country nor your religion, for thus is the way of all wars. Sadly, my aunt did not die in some grand battle, or a righteous crusade. Instead, she was murdered, due to the jealousy of a man who wanted her hand in marriage, even though she had no desire to marry any man, period. She was married to our religious beliefs and to the people of our town. But that didn't matter to the mayor's son, he was so pompous he felt my aunt turning him down was a personal insult. However, instead of taking the rejection like a man, he fled to the nearest Temple of the Silver Flame and lied to men there. Such was their zealotry that they never bothered to find out the truth, murdering my family before burning my aunt alive for her supposedly heretical beliefs. Were it not for the heroic actions and fortitude of my father, who fought off some of the so called Knights of the Silver Flame and ran for his very life, I would not be here to have this conversation with you. That is why I will fight you and your religion, because it has no room for the beliefs of anybody else. It is either the Silver Flame, or nothing at all. The Six, Nine and One however, embraces all of the gods and goddesses of the world, Dark and Light together."
He laughs in Hugh's face at his comments of tending to the wounded "I imagine you have much skill in healing, but if that is so, I am guessing yours is of a mundane nature, while mine comes from my Goddesses, and her brethren. So go forward, place bandages on the bleeding, offer a potion to sick, wrap a splint on a broken limb. Meanwhile, I will use my divine gifts to truly heal them and in so doing, spread the word of a faith that accepts all, no matter their calling or path in life. Since we all know of the lovely "crusade" against the horrifically evil and vile werecreatures and their kin the Shifters, I am sure your belief system is just as encompassing." He says this last heavy with sarcasm.
Darius grins before flourishing his hand once more, making the vial dissapear up his sleeve once again. "Poison dear Bastion, poison!" He laughed softly, taking a breath, as if to continue, before standing, a frown crossing his face.
He turned, strolling back to the group, placing himself between the two men. "Okay. That is it. I am not going to shout or curse, I am not going to argue or get angry. No. I am going to threaten. If this does not stop now, we," He gestured to himself and the rest of the party, "are leaving!"[/b]
He gestured to Bastion to join him. "This is how it will be. You are meant to be the leaders for this little group. Not any more. Till you both get the hell over yourselves, I am in charge. Thus, what I say is law. So right at this moment, I say, shut the hells up. We are sick of listening to this. All of us!" As Vorik began to speak, Darius gestured sharply, before speaking over him. "NO! Vorik we are friends. No more I tell you. I tell you three times in fact!"
Hugh smiled and Darius rounded on him. "Master Hugh. Wipe the grin off your face. I do not know you, and you do not know me. But that is irrelevant. We are here to get things done. So you and Vorik will not speak. Savvy?" He looked between the two, before nodding in satisfaction. "Good!"
"Lets just get the hell on with it!"
"The Lycnanthropic Inquisition? Look, any right-thinking Thrane will not deny there were... unfortunate excesses, but the core principles were, and remain, sound. I wrote a dissertation on the topic while in seminary, in fact, and..." His response was cut short by Darius striding between Vorik and himself and proceeding to read them both the riot act. He couldn't help but smile; after all, he wasn't the one who started the argument, so having someone else come in and stifle Vorik was a sort of validation. That smile went away quickly when Darius rounded on him, though, and he stared at the ground abashed. "Um. I'm actually not supposed to be a leader, just an advisor..." he muttered in response to his own failures in allowing the argument to begin. One foot scuffed at the dirt. "But you're right."
Tika watches the exchange between Vorik and Hugh with concerrn. Said concern disapearing the moment Hugh begins an attempt at justifying the Lycanthropic Inqusition. For a moment it looks like Tika is about to leap at Hugh and Maul him till Darius interjects.
Ancian was wondering the camp, admiring an ally who he had once stood against. He always did enjoy irony. He strikes up a conversation with a few of the mages, discussing arcane theory, although he only really knows about the magic behind his mark, "Well, from what I've researched, the transportation occurs through the astral plan and takes place at an unimaginable speed. Although I've read theories that time..."
He hears a ruckus coming from where the group had been lead, and can hear the raised voice of Vorik booming through the air. He ends his conversation abruptly and walks swiftly through the camp toward the the noise. He arrives just as Darius interrupts the two pious men.
"This doesn't seem like a team that can take down a vampire king, guarded in his tower." Ancian interjects with a heavy sigh. "I am all for this mission, but if we are going to be at each others throats, then I will hop the first lightning rail back home. It makes no sense to risk our lives if we can't work together."
He turns to Darius, "If you believe you can keep them in check, I will follow you, but I will not let my fate be decided by religions I hold no faith in. And we will have to speak, because I will not follow someone I do not know."
"Keep then in check? Not bloody likely. But I can do something better... I can refuse them. If they seek to continue this argument, I will simply walk away. To hells with it, I will say. I can make a killing in any of the major cities. I do not need this trouble. I will say no, and I will urge the rest of you to do the same. Control them? No. But I can lead. Throw your lot in with me and I'll bring you out the other side, alive and richer to boot!"
Darius nods, offering the man his hand in formal greeting. "Darius Kirisallin at your service. Rogue, Spy, some time Assassin but NEVER a religious nut!"
Ancian chuckles and thinks to himself, "I can't believe I would rather an assassin over a paladin and a priest, these are troubled times indeed"
He embraces Darius's outstretched hand and take him by the forearm.
"Well met, Darius Kirisallin. I am former Captain Ancian d'Orien of the Aundarian militay, foundling and scion of house Orien, future Blade, traveler and citizen of Eberron. I am pleased to meet you, as I am most."
"The horses?" Brayson asks awkwardly. "I have arrange for these to take you through the Mournland. They do not tire, and will move much faster than a normal steed. In addition, they will not spook and dump you in the middle of that Flame-blasted land. Now, shall we all rest and then make plans in the morning for exactly what you will be doing?"
Kaius smiles, nods, and follows the knight back to the heart of camp.
Sounds like an excellent plan to me. Bastion will, while others are sleeping, keep watch, regardless of the security measures provided.
After a rest, you are gathered into Brayson's tent. Gear lies around in large piles, and the clockwork horses are standing outside.
"Well my friends, the time has come. I have prepared a raft for you to cross the smallest part of the river with, and packed the horses with enough gear to get you through the Mournland. Tomorrow, I march with 500 men to the border to stir up some trouble."
Very well. Hopefully, everything goes according to plan.
"You're going to invade Karrnath? Vorik asks in stunned disbelief.
After the dismantling of the fight and the party retiring for the evening, Hugh spends a good part of the night praying to the flame for guidance and strength in the face of obvious opposition. In the morning, he emerges from his tent with a new air of resolve and optimism.
At the meeting with Brayson, though, Hugh's brows furrow slightly with worry. "Believe it or not, I actually share Sir Vorik's concerns on this. When you say 'stir up trouble', you do mean to just cause a diversion to let us pass the border with minimal military interference, correct? You're not going to strike any civilian targets?"
Tika watches Vorik and Hugh argue with Brayson
"Erm I'm no expert on military matters but I'm fairly certain they would need more than 500 men to invade." she finally adds
Ancian makes his final preparations, and leaves his tent just in time to hear Vorik and Hugh question Brayson.
He looks to Tika and gives a small laugh, "I'd have to agree with the girl. 500 isn't close to enough to invade, but it will create a distraction big enough the we should be able to ride through undisturbed. I do share concern with Brother Hugh though. 500 men is a lot to be taking, unless you were planning on doing some sacking and reaving."
"That's my point, it sounds like he's going to do more than 'stir up some trouble' My people have done nothing to deserve any kind of military action against them." Vorik is clearly a little upset and hopes that his fears are unfounded.