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Just want everyone to know that I'm catching up on wedding planning with my fiance. We're only about 7 months behind, given she was finishing her undergraduate work as a theatre management major (=no free time). I'll likely have little to no time to post here for the foreseeable future. I'm willing to stick around for dramatically appropriate moments, but otherwise I think Raxus has your front line well covered. Maybe Kastus will just act as a trading post guard for now.
Kastus scratches his head a bit, thinking the matter over. [b]"I think first we should probably bring all this loot back to the Trading Post. Oleg is the only one around here who would give us fair and legal coin for it. And before anyone wants to suggest returning it, think on how long and arduous a task that would be." Kastus looks at the party, gauging reactions.
Kastus whistles. "Rather dramatic for a bandit gang, wouldn't ya say? Gotta admit, though, there's definitely been some results around here. This Stag Lord obviously knows how to get results, even if he seems to be a tad too theatrical." Kastus shakes his head.
Sliding his sword back into his back scabbard, Kastus says "I think I can agree with Bydar here. Your help would not only be welcome, but necessary. I think putting down bandits will be the least of our worries."
Kastus grins at Deacon's idea. "Grand plan friend. Here man, kindly be our shield. Unless you'd rather lose an arm, that is."
Kastus charges in to the camp, ready to behead somebody, but stops short as he sees the carnage. "So, I guess we're done here then. Nice to find some more friendly faces out here. What brings you folks to the Stolen Lands?"
His third opponent fallen, Kastus swiftly runs to aid his allies. He makes no further attempt to mask his presence, instead opting for the loud clink and jangle of his scale armor as he speeds his way toward the camp proper. "Let's make them pay, the bastards!"
I'm alive!! Damn I'm behind. I'm really sorry guys, it's been a terrible couple weeks for work. I'm burning at both ends as it were.
Breathing easily, Kastus' fierce grin turns to disappointment as the third bandit fails to fall to his steel. "Just die already, damn dog! I have more important issues to deal with!" Ending his twirling swordwork, Kastus opts for a more direct approach. Gripping the hilt of his blade in both hands, he parries the bandit's wild slashes before stepping in to deliver a sharp, cracking blow to the bandit's chin with the pommel of his sword. Shifting his grip, he half-hafts the sword and drives if forward at his foe's gut.
I am in fact alive just got slaughtered by work. getting back into things
Moving as swiftly as he can while maintaining some degree of stealth, Kastus makes his way back to the encampment. Let's hope they don't find me. Don't really want to end up bandit food.
Continuing his climb, Kastus tries to pull himself up into the guard tower.
I'm totally willing to see if we get fresh meat-I mean friends, friends!
So when are we starting this going again, huh?
Swinging himself to the side, Kastus attempts to dodge the arrow but fails by a slim margin. It grazes his cheek where his head had just been. Kastus hisses under his breath as the arrow nicks his cheek, but keeps climbing nonetheless. "Don't worry, you'll get yours in a moment." As he hears the call to arms, he spurs himself onward.
Kastus is momentarily bewildered as rain comes down on his barely lit fire. "Oh well," he says under his breath. Abandoning his plan of fire, he makes his way to the guard tower, and without hesitating starts climbing his way up.
Thinking for a moment, Kastus makes his way toward the outer watch tower through the forested area, gathering any deadwood he can find. Once he's within 30 feet of the tower, he begins attempts to light a fire next to a tree.
"Survey everything you can. Once you're ready, we take out the first watchtower. Then we move in closer. If possible, we take out the second watchtower. If we could start that cart on fire, or maybe somewhere in the wood, we might have a good distraction for an attack."
Dismounting from his own irritable steed, Kastus says "As good a plan as any. My arse certainly could use the break from riding." Kastus leads his horse to the nearest copse of wood that could serve as a hitching post, and ties the horse off. Stretching a bit, he sighs as his back pops. "That's better. Now then," he says as he draws his sword, "shall we get moving?"
Casting his glance about Kastus wonders aloud "Were any of us hurt during the fight? I didn't think we were. It was honestly rather one sided." Kastus starts dragging the bodies together, simply to get them out of the way. Once he's done, he takes hold of the other horses. "Given our situation, don't you think it would be better to go now? I'm willing to bet that this Kressel was expecting them back before the sun disappears. She'd probably end up here with her whole gang the next morning, and we'd be under siege from them. I'm not afraid of common bandits, but I really don't like the odds we'd be under."
"Look, just...I grew up a farm boy. Bandits are a fear we all had. We prayed every night for them to stay in the Stolen Lands. If I can get rid of that fear from my home, then I won't hesitate to cut down any bandit in this place. I'm not going to cut up people who surrender, but I'm also not going to hold back on those who don't. They chose to attack after it was clear they were done for, and I gave them the blade because of it. Does that make things clearer?" Kastus sighs in frustration. "I guess we got off on the wrong foot. I don't really want to be at your throat when we have to work together." Kastus shrugs, putting his dagger away. "Yeah, Stag King...good."
Just so we know, I'm not trying to make a player v player conflict. This is meant to stay a character conflict. I also don't want hurt feelings, so if I'm pushing it, say so here and I'll roll it back a bit.
[bI"I don't remember saying I was stupid. I don't think Oleg would take too kindly to me slaughtering his new errand boy. If Oleg's willing to consider him repentant, then who am I to say otherwise. As for the rest...they didn't surrender like the boy."[/b]
Kastus snorts with derision at Cedrica. "I don't remember anyone making you my leader, last I checked. I don't give two hoots what you want from this. Maybe you don't remember, but the charter also gives us the option of the sword for those who choose the path of banditry. These guys chose that path, and I'm not gonna let 'em wake up to tell me how sorry they are. Now, if you're complaining about me using my dagger instead of my sword on them, well, that I can accommodate. But don't try and tell me how to do my job again." Kastus doesn't glare, but his gaze makes it clear that he's not about to budge on this subject. "I don't know how you treat bandits where you're from, which is obviously not around here with you wielding...whatever the hell that is. Where I'm from, which is around here, Rostland namely, those who rob, rape, and murder are dealt with swiftly, and in a rather final sort of way."
Kastus shrugs, but wipes his sword clean and sheaths it once more upon his back. Pulling out his dagger, he calmly slits the throats of every bandit except the one who surrendered himself. That done, he nods at his companions and says "Excellent work. I admit, I had my doubts, but it seems we do quite well after all." Turning to the proprietor of the Post he asks, "Oleg, after we string these bastards up, do you mind if we take their things? They won't be needing them much longer."
Smiling once more, Kastus grins as Happs falls from his horse. "Now that's more like it. Anybody else want some? No?" He isn't surprised when the men wheel about, but is less than enthused to see them charge back at him. Diving sideways, he makes it out of the horses' path just far enough to avoid a sword in the guts. Standing again, he readies himself for another charge.
Kastus smiles as his blade rips into Happs, but then frowns as the man remains alive. "Not quite what I was hoping for!" He has little time to think as the other bandits begin attacking. Kastus nimbly sidesteps the runt attacking him on the ground, placing a tap with the flat of his blade on his opponent's arse as he dances under Happs' wild swing. Coming around in a spin, he lashes out, fully intending to end the bandit leader.
Sorry for getting so behind guys! I kept telling myself I needed to post the past couple days, but somehow my fiance kept pulling me away from my computer. Hmm...
Despite the idea that another bow would be better, Kastus can't help but find himself waiting around with his sword in hand. Perhaps it was the fact that he'd spent so many hours at home playing with sticks, pretending to be a swordlord. As the bandits come into position, he starts slowly making his way out from the stables where he'd been hiding. He curses as he hears Bydar's shot fired, and starts running.
Kastus gladly pays 2gp for boots, and thanks Oleg mightily for the opportunity to dry his feet out. Cringing at the smell of his feet as he yanks off the old boots, he swiftly wipes them down with whatever rags he can find in his pack before yanking the new boots on. Flexing his feet a bit once he has them on, Kastus sighs in relief. "So good to have dry boots! Let's see what these others are up to." Wandering back to the group he overhears Cedrica making plans for the bandits. "Good to see that someone wants to make plans, but I can tell you right now that though I have a bow on my back, I'm far from a good shot. Mainly for hunting, not shooting at armored men. My arms were made for the hoe and the sword, not a bow." Kastus yawns mightily. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready to sleep. Bandits or no bandits, I'm hitting the hay."
Before we go any further, I'd like to make a request for proper grammar. It makes reading much easier, and much faster. Just things like "quotes around speech" and Capital Letters. Thank you!
"I'll be glad for any boots you have Oleg. Wouldn't be the first time they weren't the right fit. I'll be happy to pay as well. Can't be grubbing from you before I've done any work, now can I?"
"Thank you for your kindness Oleg. We are all chartered explorers, looks like. Guess that means we are the ones who deal with this Happs." Kastus takes a long drink before speaking again. "Might as well get the niceties done. Call me Kastus. No last name, I'm just a farm boy with a sword. Don't know about you people, but I've gotten a head start on the bandit killing. Two tried to take me about a day back uo the road. My sword left them gutless in a ditch, and I'll do the same to this Happs." A large slice of bread disappears into the man's maw. "Now that I've gotten that out of the way, don't suppose you've got a better pair of boots lying around? Mine are soaked through."
Kastus shrugged his large travel pack up to his shoulders once more, cursing as his muscles protested. "I'll sure be damn glad to see that post in sight." He spit upon the ground, adding his own water to the rain. Sighing in defeat, he began walking again into the relentless rain. Leaving the shelter of the trees he had rested under, his ears were immediately assaulted by the sound of rain hitting his cloak and armor. Some might be annoyed at the constant noise, but to Kastus it was comforting. He had spent many a night standing guard in downpours just like this one, and lost just as many a good pair of boots. Gonna need another pair after I make it to that post. These ones have been soaked one too many times, I think. As he traveled, his mind wandered back to the day he had received the charter: "Despite the strange circumstances under which you were recommended to us for this expedition, I cannot help but believe that you have the aptitude for it. Your long list of jobs, and the subsequent success rates that those jobs have had, speaks to your skill and your determination. Know, however, that you should probably make your way out of the city rather swiftly. I do believe that the tax collector you assaulted in your drunken haze means to take more than your money should his hired thugs find you. Good day, Kastus of Rostland."Smiling, Kastus shook his head in amusement. "That guy will piss himself if he finds out what I did to those idiots. Good thing I waited till I was out of Restov to rough them up." Minutes pass, and after perhaps half an hour, Oleg's Trading Post finally enters the warrior's vision. "Damn, but that's a nice thing to see." Hurrying a bit, Kastus makes his way to the sole lantern outside the post. With a bit more light to see by, he examines the wall further. Anyone who might look down would see a large youngish man, swathed in a cloak of black cloth and well-worn metal scales upon his person. His head is covered by his cloak hood at the moment, but dark hair dips out occasionally as he looks about. The hilt of a large sword pokes out from his back, along with what might be a covered bow and quiver. His pants and boots, both brown leather, are mostly unadorned, save the odd patch or restitch. Generally, the man is soaked through, and covered in mud from his knees down. Rapping sharply and strongly upon the gate, Kastus calls out "Ho there! I seek entrance! Who guards this place?"
I think I'm set.
Reposting Hrolfas from the previous recruitment thread. He's still the superstitious barbaric Kellid as before. If need be, I can tone down the fear of magic into a large distrust instead. As for where I see him mechanically, he's there to provide front line power/support. I expect he'll pick up the rage piwers like superstitious, witch hunter, etx., as well as some survival oriented powers. Basically, throw himself at enemies, and dice them up. Hopefully he serves as an able distraction from the squishy guys.
Once again you use words that I don't know! What does this mean?...Raising the dead? What foul wizard has done this?! I'll slay him now!...You mean...there are many of these mages who do this?...I think I will need a sharper sword.
Let the rage begin! The Questions
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