Lady Beatrix von Mark's page

Lady Beatrix tries to urge Florencia out of the ruined temple (having no idea where Giliana has gotten to), but the green-eyed twin shakes her head,

'Can't we watch?' she asks with a pout as she nods towards the men doing battle, 'What's the point of making men dance like puppets if you don't even get to watch?'

'That is all well and good when the weapons are words or fisticuffs, but now is not the time.'

Beatrix will follow the sisters if they leave, but will otherwise stick around.

If the way is clear, Beatrix will urge the twins out of the temple after Rebecca.

Catching the hidden meaning of Beatrix's words, and the subtle nod towards the entrance, Rebecca shakes her head a little... then looks down at her own hands for a moment... then shakes them... but seems frustrated by the lack of...

Beatrix inches towards the twins.

Lady Rebecca doesn't speak elven, no (as far as anyone knew she didn't speak anything but Taldane / Common, but she's been uttering stuff in some weird language recently...) and ghost sound can't produce intelligible speech. Beatrix can try to send a hidden message via innuendo with a DC 15 Bluff check (and a suitable double-meaning phrase). Sending a message like that would still only be a free action, so Beatrix can do something else this round as well as make that check (if she chooses to try that method).

Bluff : 1d20=10 + 11 = 21

"Good show, good show. Let the red fly, fly, fly..."

Beatrix looks pointedly at Rebecca and discretely points to the exit.

Initiative : 1d20 = 15 + 4 = 19

Does Rebecca speak elven by any chance? Beatrix would like speak to her without alerting the currently feuding mercenaries. Would Ghost Sound work?

Beatrix tries to pass the following message to Rebecca:

"Run Becky, I'll take care of the twins."

'What?!' the halberdeer yells, slowly getting back to his feet, reclaiming his weapon, and pointing an accusing finger towards Beatrix as he addresses the lead barbarian, 'Is this one reserved for your "chieftain" too? Will he have all the women in the kingdom?! We were promised the spoils of war in this campaign: I don't know what that means to you blue-haired mountain savages, but to us civilised men it includes our pick of the womenfolk!'

The other mercenaries nod their agreement, whilst the barbarian holding Rebecca peers at his fellow with an expression of concern and confusion. The lead barbarian frowns and shakes his head,

'No-one touches this... this.. angel!' he declares gesturing towards Beatrix with his axe, 'I'll fell any man who some much as speaks out of turn towards her - the Chieftain included, if it comes to that! The Whitedragon will have his flame-haired b!tch as his mate, but this woman is mine! If you must have your spoils take that one,' he nods towards the held twin, 'she seems fair enough, and means nothing to me or my Chief.' To reinforce his words the barbarian shifts his grip on his axe to hold it in two-hands at waist height, as he steps deliberately between Beatrix and the rest of the room, widens his stance and stands, protectively, glaring at his companions...

Beatrix addresses the charmed barbarian in a seductive tone, hoping to inflame the tension between the uneasy allies.

'But don't you deserve all the women, dearest? Does not one so virile as yourself deserve to enjoy all our charms; or shall you let these half-men take us away from you?'

As Beatrix tries her best to remain hidden, Lady Rebecca pushes past her and steps boldly into the light! Pointing an accusing finger towards the mercenary clutching the twin, she declares in the most authoritive voice she can manage,

'Unhand her! It's me you want!'

Although momentarily surprised, the mercenary swordsman does no such thing, maintaining his grip on the struggling twin as he exclaims,

'Another one! Someone grab her!'

The two mercenaries with the crossbows turn them towards Rebecca, and the halberdeer starts forwards... but one of the barbarians grabs the man by the shoulder and tosses him, ungently, aside,

'No-one touches the Chieftain's prize!' he declares, pointing towards Rebecca with his axe. The halberdeer spits and grumbles as he retrieves his weapon and gets back to his feet... and his fellow mercenaries join in with dark looks and unpleasant comments muttered under their breath... but the barbarians ignore them as the second one moves towards Lady Rebecca (aparantly they're allow to touch her...), and the one who spoke gestures to the chamber as a whole,

'Search it,' he commands the mercenaries, 'there may be more rabbits hiding in this hole...'

Beatrix casts Charm Person on the more excitable looking of the barbarians

Beatrix casts a hasty spell, hoping her intuition of the group's social dynamic is correct.

Sense Motive : 1d20 = 11 + 4 = 15

What is the quickest way to start a fight?

Ducking herself and Rebecca into the shadows by one of the makeshift tables, Beatrix watches as a group of men cautiously make their way into the ruins - two of the white-skinned, blue-haired, muscular barbarians, and four of their Galtan mercenary allies. Each of the barbarians carries a two-handed axe, whilst two of the mercenaries are holding loaded heavy crossbows at the ready, one has a notched and worn longsword in hand, and the last is wielding a halberd. All look like they're tired and dirty from travelling - from the mud-spattered state of them, travelling through the moors - and Beatrix can't be sure if they're not part of the same group which got so close to catching them all at the border to Grimsmoor...

'Ah-ha!' exclaims the mercenary swordsman suddenly, as he reaches into a shadow with his free hand, and drags one of the twins into the light, kicking and screaming, by her hair, 'What have we here?'

Beatrix clamps a hand over her mouth and tries to burrow deeper into her hiding place.

'Be on guard!' the ghostly woman hisses, even as she fades from sight, 'someone approaches...'

'Quick, over here..'

Beatrix tries to hide herself and Rebecca in any available cover.

Stealth 1d20=10 + 4 = 12

The apparition smiles,

'Oh, the usual way...' she replies... then pauses for a moment, her smile widening as she adds, '... and a few unusual ways too, if I recall correctly...'

Behind the ghostly woman the twins both wince a little at that information, but remain quiet as their (apparant) mother continues,

'That was before he murderered me, of course...'

Beatrix turns an embarrassed shade of red as the apparition answers her question, but manages to croak out a response nonetheless.

'Well that certainly makes sense...'

'How evasive,' observes the apparition, 'I asked what you expected to find, elf-child, not what you didn't expect to find! Why so guarded? I... and my daughters... mean you no harm...'

'Well, there isn't exactly a polite way to put it, but how did you and their father...you know?'

A breeze wafts through the ruins, stirring the fire, as the ethereal figure turns her face towards Beatrix, her expression seeming somewhere between curiousity and amusement as she once more speaks in the phantom whisper of a voice,

'So what was it that you did expect then, elf-child?' she asks...

'I must say, one does not usually expect to encounter one such as yourself.'

'Well said,' a strangely ethereal voice echoes around the room, as if a whisper carried on the wind, 'and what is magic if not the flames of power to be used to aid those who are willing to risk getting burnt...'

A moment later a translucent figure shimmers into existance before Beatrix and Rebecca - a beautiful young woman clad in fine courtly clothes, yet seemingly formed of a gossamer substance only visible where the firelight, or the reflections from the pool, strike her... Beyond the figure Florencia and Giliana smile, gazing upon the new arrival with loving eyes...

'Mother!' the twins exclaim in unison, as the translucent woman turns to smile at the pair...

'How unusual. I must say this is not what I was expecting.'

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'Your mother?'

'Of course,' retorts Florencia, with a wink, 'you didn't imagine we'd get any magic from Father did you?'

'That's not to say he doesn't have fine qualities of his own,' Giliana adds quickly, with a cautioning glance towards her vivacious twin, 'but Father has somewhat of a... traditional... soldier's mindset... he has little love for things of magic, and less trust...'

'He trusts in good steel, and the men who wield it?' replies Lady Rebecca, as casually as she can as she glances around the room. Beatrix recognises one of the more frequent sayings of Rebecca's late father in her words...

'Yes,' Giliana nods, 'something like that. But steel... like magic... is surely just a tool - such things have no meaning until set a purpose by those who use them.'

'And to what purpose do you set your magic?' inquires Rebecca, one eyebrow raised as she quizzes the twins. For a moment the daughters of Sir Everard exchange a glance, then Florencia offers a smile...

'Nought by trivialities at present,' she admits with a shrug, 'the occassional gentle aid to a flirtation...'

'Occasional!' snorts Giliana. Florencia shoots her sister a harsh look, but quickly returns to her sweet smile as she continues,

'... but with the aid of the Iron Maiden - willing or unwilling - we believe we can unlock mighty powers... powers which could well aid someone looking to win a war...' she casts Rebecca a meaningful look. For her part, Rebecca's brow furrows,

'War? Yes... I suppose that is what it is... but these powers you speak of... they sound...' she glances down at her own hands, then towards Beatrix, before finishing, '... of dark origins. Is it really right to use such powers to try to aid a cause you know is righteous?'

'I don't know. I suppose if you were careful...' Beatrix pauses for a moment. 'After all, fire is dangerous, but we could not live without it.'

'Your mother?'

'I was hoping to keep the fact of any magic or... draconic strangeness... I may possess quiet, at least for the time being... the less people who know the better,' she sighs and shakes her head, 'but I guess if you can't show me how to cast spells then I'm better off just trying to forget the whole thing, and hoping it never crops up again...'

Heading to the door, Lady Rebecca changes the subject,

'I hardly have much of an appetite at the moment, but it smells like Sir Everard's put his kitchens to some effort, so it seems like the politic thing to do to at least attend breakfast.'

It's a while after a hearty breakfast (where, despite her protests, Lady Rebecca's appetite proves better than she'd suggested) that Rebecca and Beatrix are approached by Florencia and Giliana. The twins exchange a glance as they walk over, smiling, before flanking Lady Rebecca and each taking one of her hands,

'There's something we'd like to show you,' Florencia explains. Giliana glances around, then adds in a cautionary tone,

'It's a secret... but we promise you it will be worth your while...'

'I... I don't know...' Rebecca stammers in reply, glancing towards Beatrix for her opinion...

'You were the one who wanted to do more than sit around looking ladylike weren't you? Anyway, what's the harm?'

'I've just had a good night's sleep,' replies Rebecca, 'or, at least, as good as any of us could expect to have under the circumstances... It won't do for me to hide in a bedroom all day. I realise that the menfolk have taken charge of all the... "strategic work" I suppose you could call it... and that we need to wait for things to happen, but if I don't do something then I'm not sure I'll be able to keep going...' she glances at Lady Beatrix with an almost pleading expression, adding, '... you understand?'

Glancing down at her own hands again and sighing, Lady Rebecca's brow furrows,

'Maybe I should try to learn more about this... this magic I'm meant to have inside me now? How spells are cast? Or, at least, what that strange language is I seem to understand in my dreams... or nightmares...'

'That is a good idea Becky, perhaps Sir Everard can suggest a tutor. You have certainly exhausted the expertise of Zurladrew and I.'

In the Ladies' room...

Lady Rebecca stirs and stretches, before washing and dressing. As she does so, Beatrix notices the young redhead lingering to stare at her own hands again... but she seems to shake off whatever thoughts are troubling her as she notes that Beatrix is awake,

'Don't tell Aydan,' she says, with a smile, 'but I'd take a soft bed over the hard ground any day!'

Suddenly she blushes, and quickly adds,

'... Not that I meant Aydan would have anything to do...

Beatrix does a very good job of hiding her concern as she responds.

'Why don't you get some rest Becca, we've had a long couple of days.'

The manor's guest room...

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'Well you are certainly welcome to try, he's far too stogy for my tastes...'

'So... he's mine for the taking?' asks Florencia (although it sounds closer to a statement than a question), with a sly twinkle in her eye. Giliana tutts,

'Don't you ever listen? He's devoted to contest - you'd do much better to have a romantic rival... and since Beatrix isn't interested, and I'm certainly not interested, that leaves you in a worse position with regards to stealing poor Sir Jaymin's heart!'

'Oh!' Florencia's expression falls at her sister's words... then a smile slowly creeps back onto her face as she edges towards Beatrix and places a friendly hand on the half-eleven woman's arm...

'Are you sure you're not interested in Sir Jaymin? At least enough to play along a bit... you don't mind having some fun with him, do you? After all, what better sport do we Ladies have than the teasing and tempting of knights... especially those of such high...

'I could make a go of it, but I'm afraid I've tipped my hand already. Wouldn't want to give the game away now would we?'

'I like a challenge!' declares Florencia, happily. Giliana rolls her eyes,

'He's devoted to the Strong Man, you goose!' she counters, 'For him to be interested in you it would need to be a challenge for him... which hardly seems likely...'

After Zurladew leaves, Beatrix gives the sisters a playful look and says.

'Well you are certainly welcome to try, he's far too stogy for my tastes...'

I'm confused, who can't keep their hands off me?

Beatrix, surveying the bailey from the window looks up at her friend's words.

'I am no proper expert, though I have a good deal of practical experience. In your case I must admit I am somewhat out of my depth...'

Turning back to the window, she continues:

'My mother could have helped, but I have only a fraction of her talent. I'm sorry Becka.'

Beatrix, just as out of her depth as Rebecca, looks on silently.

Well I was planning to...but it can wait.

Beatrix settles for giving the men a thoroughly disapproving look before going off to bed herself.

Beatrix raises her voice above Clarius and Zurladew's squabbling to make herself heard.

"Both of you calm down, we just need to give Becky some space so she can sort out this magical business."

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'Oh, I've never been here. Just have the oddest sense of deja-vu.'

Lady Rebecca (not Beatrix!) gets a faraway look in her eyes for a moment, as she replies quietly,

'Speaking of odd... I... I've been thinking... worrying, I suppose... about what happened back with those giants... That flash of fire? I... I guess I'd decided it was all just my imagination until Sir Jaymin mentioned it when we were fleeing those men...' shaking her head the teenage noblewoman's brow furrows, '... It just doesn't make any sense! I can't cast spells! What would I know about magic? But... it felt like it was me... I think... I... I just don't know...'

'For some, magic simply comes naturally, perhaps you should speak to Zurladew, he is knowledgeable in such matters.'

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'You know, I swear I have seen this place somewhere before...'

Turning towards Beatrix, Lady Rebecca raises an eyebrow,

'Really? I didn't know you'd ever been to Grimsmoor before? Is there anything you can tell us?' she pauses, then adds with a smile, 'Unless... you know... there was a man involved or something...'

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"Lady Rebecca, you need to wear some protection in case we come under attack. Here, too, is a sword for you."

Glancing at Clarius for a moment, Lady Rebecca turns back to Beatrix,

'... in which case you may want to wait until we're in private before telling me all about it!'

Looking over the items offered by Clarius, Lady REBECCA frowns. Taking the dagger, she tucks it into her belt, then shakes her head at the offer of armour and sword,

'I'm sorry, Sir Clarius,' she replies, 'but I don't think I could even move in armour... and I know nothing about handling a sword. Mayhap I should learn, considering all that's happened... but I've watched the men train enough to know that such skills aren't developed over night...' she sighs, and hangs her head a little, 'I am sorry to be such a burden to you all.'

Beatrix will take a sword, dagger, and crossbow; she was already wearing the studded leather.

'Oh, I've never been here. Just have the oddest sense of deja-vu.'

Maybe she read it in a book? Or saw it in the movie based on said book?

Beatrix stays close to Rebecca, her vigilance heightened by the bandit attacks of the past knight and day.

'You know, I swear I have seen this place somewhere before...'

Is there a chance of Beatrix getting a weapon off someone? She lost all of her gear and his somewhat underwhelming as a fighter when armed.

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 2=9

Beatrix carefully follows Aydan's path through the swamp, happy to avoid all the nasty fighting and such.

Sorry, I kind of got confused by what was happening during the combat.

'Jaymin, Garrett!' exclaims Lady Rebecca as she kneels, trying her best to reach for Aydan's hand, 'Help grab them!' Glancing towards the approaching warriors she adds, 'Beatrix, is there anything you can do to help Clarius?'

'I shall see what I can do.'

Beatrix tries to maneuver herself closer to Clarius while avoiding the group's foes.

Beatrix is unarmed and unarmored, but has healing spells.

Beatrix looks on with concern as the men struggle through the bog.

Knowledge (Local: Redwyrm) : 1d20=7 + 4 = 11

Perception : 1d20=5 + 6 = 11

Given the state of their dresses, Beatrix and Rebecca will most likely need new clothes of some sort. Given that Maggie is unlikely to have anything in their size (or even a spare set of clothes to begin with), they will probably have to settle for some of the clothes you guys took from the bandits. I would also suggest a veil, or at least a bonnet for Rebecca to hide her very distinctive hair and features.

Initiative : 1d20=15 + 4 = 19

Beatrix knows she's worth sod all in a fight, so she stays put.

Okay, since people seem to be drifting off now, I better ask the traditional question: is anyone keeping watch? Doing anything else before sleeping? You know... the usual... ;)

Beatrix is not familiar with these matters, so she will expect the knights to handle things.

'Another..?' Lady Rebecca murmurs as Jaymin departs the hovel, 'My father not yet dead a day and they accuse him of having been unfaithful to my mother...'

However, the flame-haired girl seems to supress the anger and hurt which threatens to rise in the face of such words from trusted companions, and instead focuses... with steel-eyed determination... on the words of Zurladew and Garrett. After both have spoken she stares unblinking into the fire for a few moments... then finally nods,

'It seems the best plan we have,' she agrees, then adds, 'now... if that's decided, I think I'd like to try to rest a while...' Moving back from the fire, she gathers a fur over herself as she curls up on her side, facing the hovel's wall...

Beatrix keeps a close watch on her friend before finally drifting off to sleep.

Beatrix remains silent throughout the deliberations, keeping a reassuring arm around Rebecca, as much to steady herself as her friend.

Beatrix raises an eyebrow at Aidan's odd greeting, he does have a reputation after all...

Stealth 1d20=7 + 3 + 2 = 12

Beatrix happily cuts off her dress if a knife is offered to her, ladies do not carry cutlery to a tourney.

Jaymin has the right idea, it would take at least a minute to take off his armor even if one of us helped him. (1d4+1 minutes divided in half with help)

Beatrix follows the group into the woods, now is not the time to argue over plans of action.

Whatever happens, Beatrix stays with Rebecca.

Beatrix really hopes someone has a plan, because she sure doesn't.

Rebecca seems too confused to fight Beatrix at the moment, and the two race off towards the nearby woods... You'll get there next round if you keep running...

Next round please!

And keep running Beatrix does.

Next!

'It is their duty to die for you, not make their sacrifices meaningless by getting yourself killed."

Based on how the fight is going, Beatrix fully expects the knights to lose, so she takes advantage of the opportunity to drag Rebecca away all the faster.

As the tourney ground is left behind, and the castle approached, something doesn't seem quite right... The main doors of the curtain wall stand open, and beyond, in the bailey, a unseasonal mist seems to be lingering, obscuring the view of the entrance to the keep proper... What's more, no archers or guards can be seen partoling the battlements of the curtain wall...

Suddenly two giant figures come charging out of the mist, through the main gates, and towards the group seeking shelter in the castle. Each man must be a good thirteen or fourteen feet tall, with powerful, corded, muscles under frost-white skin. Both sport long light blue hair and long beards worn in braids, and both are clad in a silvery breastplate as well as white furs and dark leather. Both wield a greataxe of equally gigantic proportions. Here and there their skin is decorated with runic-looking blue tattoos...

Knowledge (Local) : 1d20=13 + 4 = 17

Initiative : 1d20=11 + 4

Beatrix grabs Rebbecca and practically drags her towards the forest, hoping to find at least some measure of protection from the rampaging dragon while the knights hold off the giants.

How big is the dragon? (horse, house, really big house?)

'Let's go Becca, now is not the time to get in the way'