(Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

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_Some Schmo
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(Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

Post by _Some Schmo »

In the small town of Harlot's Cross, the town crier is belting a new message and word is spreading quickly. The bravest in the lands are being summoned to the nobleman Sir Fletcher's compound in nearby city of Kingstown. The Commander of the Western Armies requests any who would heed the call, for danger in exchange for high reward. Kingstown is a two-league journey from Harlot's Cross, and the trip alone is enough to dissuade the majority of the commoners.

The townsfolk wonder what Sir Fletcher would want from heroes, considering he commands the fiercest army on this side of the continent. Given his renown for wealth and generosity, the general opinion is that it will not matter. Anyone in Fletcher’s employ is reputed to be well paid; however, they are not known to live long lives. Only the brave need apply.

Is the Commander growing his army with special recruits? He has never expanded his armies with candidates who have not gone through his own rigorous training program, so this is particularly unusual. Perhaps this is something… different.

If you decide to make the journey to Kingstown, report to the guards outside the compound. Give them your name, class, race, gender, and any special skills you might have. If the guards consider you unworthy, count it a blessing. You would not impress Fletcher’s generals either.

If the guards do consider you worthy, think twice. It may be your last chance to discover old age.
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_honorentheos
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Re: (Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

Post by _honorentheos »

Yearn tipped his chair back further into the shadow provided by the awning over the tavern's front. The view of the compound across the way wasn't particularly picturesque, but it promised to afford him some possible entertainment as he nursed his ale bought with a copper earned bringing in the troll who had been poaching from the local herds. Finding and feeding off dead-or-alive bounties wouldn't earn him a bards song to be remembered by, but that suited Yearn just fine.

"Thinking of answering the call?" The tavern keeper asked as he stepped past to collect the bowl Yearn had emptied moments before.

Yearns tongue played with the gap between his left molars briefly, almost impulsively. "Heh." He caught himself doing it and took a swallow of his ale from the stein. "I'm sure there will be plenty of kids looking to prove their metal who will. Always has been, always will be."

The tavern keeper took a moment to look at his only guest more closely. Despite having the place to himself, Yearn had taken his meal outside. It occured only now to the keep that where Yearn sat would be difficult to approach without being seen first and almost impossible to block off from leaving without the help of a good sized group. Yet mid-afternoon shadows from the building and awning made it more difficult to see much, and one would have to look closely to make out what appeared to be a fairly average height, slightly stockier built human in a dark cloak common to folk some called rangers. Getting a closer look wouldn't reveal much more other than he likely wasn't a loner purely by choice. But whatever else he was he wasn't alive due to pure luck even if he bore a few scars suggesting she still played a role in his survival.

"You're right, the young never know the value of life even when they have the most of it to lose. It will be the lucky ones who the guards tell to head back to cut more wood and carry more water before they're ready for the next time Sir Fletcher needs bodies to throw into the maw of adventure. So, then, what's your interest in this if you aren't heading off to sign up yourself?"

Both Yearn and the Keeper watched as a young lad stepped out from the front of the arms dealer with his new kit ackwardly strapped down in all the wrong places, guaranteed to leave more blisters than times the boy had likely even blushed at a woman.

"Sometimes it's helpful to see exactly who they're accepting to get a handle on just what kind of trouble is being stirred up." Yearn finished the ale. "Or if they're looking for a stick to do the stirring."
The world is always full of the sound of waves..but who knows the heart of the sea, a hundred feet down? Who knows it's depth?
~ Eiji Yoshikawa
_Some Schmo
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Re: (Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

Post by _Some Schmo »

"Have you heard anything about this special task force?" The first guard barely moved his head as he spoke, trying to maintain a stately posture.

"No, and I don't think anyone will unless they are accepted to join." The second guard was also as still as a statue.

"The captain told you nothing?"

The second guard hesitated only briefly, attempting to suppress mild irritation. "You were there when he gave us the assignment. You heard everything I did."

"It's unusual, that's all. Usually the entire kingdom knows what Sir Fletcher's goals are, since they usually translate into the army's goals. But this... I'm not used to the secrecy." The first guard shuffled his feet slightly and felt a twinge of regret for having to move. Guard duty at the compound was an honor, and paid very well... but there were standards to maintain. The nobleman's guards were reputed for strict discipline. No one should see them move, unless they are approached by company to the compound. He hoped the second guard hadn't noticed.

"I don't need to know, and neither do you. Our task is to screen out the weak and any others who would waste the Captain's time."

The first guard regathered his composure. "You needn't remind me. I know what we have to do. It was curiosity; that's all."

"Save it. Concentrate on the task at hand."

The first guard was about to fire back when they saw two dwarves approaching, so he stifled his retort. The big one was 4' 10", wore padded armor and had a small wooden shield. A short sword was strapped to his hip. The smaller dwarf, about 4' 2", was dressed in black leather. He wore a dagger on one hip and a rapier on the other. The big one stepped toward the guards. He stood as tall as his frame would allow, put his chin forward and spoke in the most confident tone he could muster.

"Is this where we answer the nobleman's call?"

The second guard would not admit it to himself, but he was relieved for the company. It felt good to finally have an excuse to move. He looked down at the big one who spoke. "Dwarves, eh?"

"That's right. Sturdy and ready to fight! Well... for the right price."

Almost imperceptibly, it was so fast, the second guard unsheathed his sword and swung the flat of the blade at the big dwarf's shoulder. Neither of the dwarves saw it coming, and the big one hadn't realized he'd been whacked until he was laying prone on the ground. The second dwarf, surprised at what just happened, reached for his weapons, but the first guard was too fast. He raised his shield and swung it at the little dwarf, knocking him to the ground as well.

The big one looked up at the guards and whined, "Ye don't fight fair!"

The second guard chuckled. "If you're looking for a fair fight, go watch a show. This assignment is not for the likes of you."

"But... but..."

"Go on. Take your leave. Be grateful I just saved your pathetic lives. Come back when you've grown a foot or two!" As the smaller dwarf tried to get up, the guard placed a foot on the little one's rear end and kicked him forward, back to the ground. It didn't hurt anything but the dwarf's pride. They both eventually found their feet and shuffled away, dejected.

The guards resumed their statue-like poses. "That was fun."

"Yes it was. I could do that all day."

They stood in silence for a minute before the first one said, "I wonder if anyone decent will show up for this..."
Last edited by Alf'Omega on Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
God belief is for people who don't want to live life on the universe's terms.
_Some Schmo
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Re: (Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

Post by _Some Schmo »

Before he dismounted, he prayed to his god. This was not a time to forget his master. Whispers of the seriousness of Fletcher's mission were abundant, and although Zandor knew they were likely little more than rumors, this was no time to take chances. Besides... any time was good time to commune with Pelor, God of Light.

After the moment of reflection, Zandor slid from his mount, straightened his mail, and approached the guards, saluting.

"I am here to see your captain. I am told Sir Fletcher is in need of special assistance. I can provide that assistance."

The guards seemed unmoved by this speech. The one on the right reached for his sword, but Zandor was faster. "Stay your sword hand, sir, should you intend to keep it!" He was gripping the guard's wrist without yielding. A flicker of anger crossed the guard's face, but then he relaxed.

"Make your way straight to Captain Jasper's quarters. Do not wander. It is at the front and center of the compound. The path is straight and clear. Walk, don't ride. Be quick."

Both guards resumed their pose at the gate as though nothing at all had happened. Zandor led his mount into the compound.
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_Res Ipsa
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Re: (Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

Post by _Res Ipsa »

Zeb looked up from sharpening the barber’s scissors. “What’s all the commotion around town today?”

The barber rolled his eyes. “Sir Fletcher’s calling for heroes, good Tinker, so every damn fool in town who fancies himself a rescuer of princesses or a slayer of dragons is reporting to the guards. What does Sir Fletcher need with heroes?”

Zeb put the finishing touches on the scissors, his whetstone glowing faintly. He traded the scissors for his usual fee. “Adventure or war — maybe both.” Which way are those guards?”

The barber laughed. “Surely you’re neither hero nor fool.”

Zeb smiled and winked. “Truth. But either way, there’s coin to be made.”

He whistled a tune as he headed for his wagon.
​“The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists.”

― Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 1951
_Some Schmo
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Re: (Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

Post by _Some Schmo »

Zandor's pace was neither quick nor slow. He kept a steady gait, absorbing his surroundings. The compound was a training ground for war, and soldiers of all experience levels were carrying out various tasks. Swordsmen were sparring with training dummies. Archers were firing arrows at round painted targets. Off to one side were jousting lanes, and all along the back of the compound was what seemed like an infinitely large building: the men's sleeping quarters. In front of that, however, was the focus of the compound. It was the Captain's Tent, a massive, gaudy spectacle, ornately decorated with the royal seal and other regal symbols. To it's right was a corral for the war horses, and to the left was a giant forge. A barbarian was forging steel with a giant hammer.

Zandor led his mare Sallytooth to the corral and tied her to the post. She started drinking from the trough immediately. Zandor stroked her white mane and whispered, "I shall return shortly, my friend. Drink well. The journey may be long." He glanced up and took another look at the army's latest recruits. He chuckled and made his way to the Captain's tent.

Two more guards stood at the opulent tent's entrance, but they made no move as Zandor approached. Apparently, these ones were just for show. The guards at the gate we the real ones to worry about. He ducked his head and walked inside.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light inside the tent, but when they did, he was surprised at the size of the man sitting at the table dominating the room. The Captain did not look up from the maps spread out in front of him.

"You have balls to come in this tent. Large balls. I can name several reasons why you would have to have rhino-sized balls to enter this particular tent on this particular day. If the guards let you in, you must have some... experience. State your name." The Captain's voice was quiet, but powerful.

Zandor stood his ground. It would serve him no good to lose himself now. "My name is Zandor. I have heard the call and come to assist in this matter."

The Captain laughed. "And what matter would that be?"

Zandor tightened the grip on his shield briefly, but he recovered. "Am I wasting my time? I was told Sir Fletcher had important business and was in need of worthy agents for hire. I consider myself one. Am I wasting my time here? I can find other clients in need. Do I need to speak to someone higher up the chain...?"

The Captain finally looked up. He smiled, but there was nothing happy in it. "All right... Zandor. Perhaps you could be of some use to the team. That is... if you have skills. What do you do?"

"I fight with mace and shield, if that is needed, but I can be most useful as a combat healer. I can tend to wounds in the heat of battle."

"Man of the cloth, are you?" The Captain chuckled as he sized up Zandor's armor. It was polished to a fine silvery gleam. "Cloth" was not quite the right word.

"Let's just say that I take my oaths to life and light seriously." Zandor's eyes never left the Captain's.

Jasper looked at him for a long time, as though he was considering whether or not he was worthy, but the Captain knew this healer would have to do. It was a dire time, and Sir Fletcher was more desperate than he let on.

"Okay then," he said finally. "There are VIP quarters behind the jousting lanes. Go there to stow whatever possessions you've carried, and then help yourself to a meal in the mess hall. Once the others assemble, you will be summoned to receive more details."

Zandor coughed. "More details? You've told me nothing." Then something else occurred to him. "Once the others assemble? What others?"

The Captain threw him a wink, and his smile was genuine this time. It was the most surprising thing he'd done so far. "I don't know yet. We shall see."
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_Some Schmo
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Re: (Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

Post by _Some Schmo »

The bar was deader than usual. It was strange. Usually at this time, he'd have at least a couple dozen customers to worry over. Not tonight. He had the one stranger out front, but it was empty inside. Nobody had even come in for directions, or the salvation of a glass of water in the heat.

It was the guy out front, just sittin' there. It had to be the guy. He was keeping the customers away. Was he gonna sit there all day, jinxin' his business?

It was a lie to himself. The truth was you could barely notice the stranger unless you were looking for him. It's like he was hiding in plain sight.

But the barkeep knew he was there. Oh yes. He watched the man watch the compound. The man had his eye on that damn compound gate all day. Just watching it. What was he waiting for? An engraved invitation?

The barkeep remembered when he first took over the bar. What wasn't to like? The place was right next to a huge army compound! Lots of potential customers, right? Well, not really. Turned out Sir Fletcher frowned upon his men partaking of the drink. It was strictly forbidden in his ranks. No wonder the bar was for sale. All his customers had to come from somewhere else.

Still, it was a bar, and people did come. Just not from the compound, and apparently, not tonight. He decided to wander on over to his one patron and see if he wanted another drink.

"Have you decided yet?"

The stranger shot him a serious glance. The barkeep had broken his reverie.

"Have you decided it's time for another drink?"
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_Some Schmo
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Re: (Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

Post by _Some Schmo »

As the barber watched the tinker pull his wagon away, he wondered what would make a man want to risk his life and limb for mere coin, and shook his head. Thinking this, he noticed an item drop off the back of the tinker's wagon as it rolled over a rock.

He walked calmly up the road and saw the fine hammer laying on the path. It looked quite expensive. He looked up and the tinker had not stopped. He picked up the hammer and walked back to his shop.
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_honorentheos
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Re: (Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

Post by _honorentheos »

"Oh, yes. Of course. Your ale suits my mood and thoughts well, Keep."

------

Yearn had watched with interest as the young lad had first approached the guards. Had they let him in, Yearn would have known immediately what kind of adventure this would be. Long marches to nowhere specific intended as a distraction to an enemy force at best, fodder to be served up in order to better assess the strength of an unknown creature or darker magic to preserve the trained troops more likely. When instead they didn't even acknowledge his proclaimed willingness to serve but continued to stare fiercely past him until he gave up and left, dejected but better for the lesson becoming an adventurer is more than putting on the right kit, Yearn resolved to watch on.

The two dwarves were more the type Yearn expected to see hired on. Young enough, for dwarves anyway, to have the itch, wants and appetites bigger than their coin purses, and enough of the polish buffered out of their weapons and armor to suggest they knew what it was like to take life, see it taken, and still drink ones ale in the evening. His expectations shifted from hoping for some mild entertainment to genuine curiosity, then, when instead of being let in or asked for their training pedigree the guards attacked without warning. To be vigilant enough to recognize the guards intent and react in time to stop or reverse it was not a test most would pass. Even a veteran of many wars would be hard pressed to react in time. No, this test suggested certain skills were needed that Sir Fletcher wasn't going to find among soldiers or farm boys.

Creating effective decoys was a necessary skill in Yearn's vocation. Many a troll had gone to whatever darkness accepted their souls believing they were about to feast on the flesh of a lone wanderer lost in thought and mesmerized by their camp fire, never realizing the real human they couldn't scent coming out of a shadow behind them would be burning off its putrid blood and brains to purify his short sword in that very fire even as the nervous system of the troll still twitched in anticipation of a meal that was little more than some mud and branches wrapped in a special cloak enchanted for just this purpose.

Had anyone asked the Keep, he'd have sworn Yearn hadn't moved all afternoon. He'd swear on his ancestors honor he himself had an eye on him the whole time. His mind convinced he had never stepped back into the kitchen to check on the stew, found a few items out of place, and spent nearly a full minute blissfully unaware Yearn was in fact slipping off to find a tree from which to gain some vantage into the compound. His decoy brooded in his place, pondering thoughts unavailable even to the gods.

Like a good military compound, trees outside the camp that afforded a spy the chance to count troops or observe manuevers had all been removed. But with a slight gesture and stoking of a feather held by an Amber bead tied to his cuff, suddenly where Yearn had been was instead a camp robber Jay bird.
The world is always full of the sound of waves..but who knows the heart of the sea, a hundred feet down? Who knows it's depth?
~ Eiji Yoshikawa
_honorentheos
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Re: (Roleplay): Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Heroes Needed!!

Post by _honorentheos »

It was an hour later that Yearn returned to relieve the decoy of it's watch under the taverns awning before the Tavern Keeper had decided to intrude on his thoughts. He felt little wiser than before, having watched with interest as the Cleric had bested the guards, been granted entrance to the compound, and then audience with the captain. But he had learned little beyond what he already expected from what had been said.

Eavesdropping as a Jay is harder than many might think, not realizing the anatomy of a bird wasn't formed by the gods to perform human tasks, and instead imagining that the rangers mind merely occupied a smaller space instead of transforming every whit into that of a bird with special awareness of it's needs and self. Even the act of making out single words strained the birds brain and compelled it to attempt to mimic the tone and rythym rather than comprehend it's meaning in some human tongue it could not speak. Yearn had learned from experience it was best to shift back and rely instead on stealth to do work suited for humankind. Then, once his objective was accomplished, change again only to make his escape. It was far easier to ask a bird using another gift of Nature what it saw when needing to gain information in a location where shadows and the forest could not hide him.

------

"Your ale, sir." The Keep was unhappily working out the accounting for the day and optimistically planning ways to repurpose the stew for tomorrow which could only be better as it certainly couldn't get worse than one taciturn guest for an entire day. "Could I interest you in some other attractions in our town? I hear the dancers at the Whispered Vows Inn are worth every silver coin they disappear between their bosum. Or perhaps you're more interested in learning? The alchemist Treyvor and our historian Sean Locke both keep fine establishments where someone interested in more intellectual pursuits than staring at a gate all day could make good use of their time as well as prosper the establishment in the bargain."

Yearn downed the ale and slipped an entire gold coin from his pouch and put it on the table. "For your example in patience, good Keep. And your curious ale." Yearn tipped forward and to his feet, gave the Keep a final nod, and made his way to the guards.
Last edited by Guest on Sun Sep 01, 2019 3:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
The world is always full of the sound of waves..but who knows the heart of the sea, a hundred feet down? Who knows it's depth?
~ Eiji Yoshikawa
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