Rise of the Sentinels

[Deleted User - 819397]

Mark watched Oberon leave without comment. He felt slightly used because of the speed of the transaction, but if it could prevent war with such powerful beings, it would be worth it several times over. The Blacksands...several days away by horseback...perhaps a week on foot...he had to get going if he had any chance of getting back to the group in time...hopefully Busana had told the others he was alive...otherwise he might shock them all by randomly showing up...

 

[DeletedUser]

"My 'friends' will probably be in the Red Goblin tavern. we should head there first." Galen replied, he plodded down the road. hooded figures stood in alleyways, watching them, trying to decide whether they were suitable targets or not.
as they neared the docks the Red Goblin tavern homed into view, a weary, run-down building with a chipped sign creaking in the sea breeze.
Galen opened the door and stepped inside. the interior was dark and damp, more hooded figures sat around tables, whispering to each other over flagons of ale.
a grubby bartender stood behind a bar, cleaning a dirty flagon with an even dirtier rag. he watched them aprehensively as they approached.
"Four flagons of ale please. along with some information." said Galen.
"It'll cost yer." the bartender said firmly as he plonked four flagons onto the bar.
Galen slapped a pouch full of Gold Coins onto the surface. the bartenders eyes goggled, he snatched the pouch up immedietly. "What do yer want ter know?" he asked in a hushed tone.
"Where can I find the Alder brothers?" Galen requested. the barman pointed over to two men huddled at a table in the far corner.
Galen nodded, passed around the ale to his companions, and walked over to the two men.
upon reaching them he sat down at their table and took a gulp of ale.
"Ulric, Ellerc, you owe me a favour. that ship of yours didn't float into your hands all by itself y'know." he said smugly.
"What do you want?" said Ellerc, the larger of the two.
"I need you to get me and my companions over to Talamh Bui."

 

[DeletedUser31931]

As they arrived at the tavern Ben was uneasy, keeping a hand on the hilt of his sword, he took the ale with a nod of thanks and drank some whilst keeping an eye on the door. He tried a small spell to advance his hearing slightly but it failed. With a curse he tried again as he had all day on the road. It might come in useful at one point he reasoned.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Kaella
"No blades, Cheri" Kaella whispered quietly into Ben's ear, her hand gently removing his own from atop the pommel of his sword "not unless we really have to" kill the wrong person in a place like this and they were apt to end up face down in the swamp...even Sentinels needed to sleep eventually.
With Galen negotiating their passage out of here Kaella decided to make the most of things "Ben i want you and Dashel to watch Isolla whilst i go and sing for our supper....here hold this will you" she said unstrapping Ragnars sword and handing it to Dashel, people tended to get edgy when bards went around armed. Taking her harp out from amongst her things Kaella disappeared into a corner leaving the two men standing with the princess.
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The Alder brothers
"Why in the gods would you want to go there? on second thoughts don't answer I don't want to know" Ellerc said spitting a mouthful of phlegm onto the floor "Its going to cost you know ever since the war the coasts not safe...especially not that coast and even favours only go so far"
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Oberon
As the two Sidhe left Mark to his journey Oberon quielty smiled to himself at a job well done, ther had been no need to silence him after all much to Ariels disgust "Do not worry sweet sister once we have the gateway opened you can kill and torture as many of them as you like" Ariels tongue darted out from between her lips briefly in response before once more returning to her sulk leaving Oberon to merely shake his head at his sisters childishness.
With the key now safely back in their possession they would be once more free to return to this realm with a vengeance "I wonder if he'll appreciate the irony that it was in fact his religious order that banished us in the first place?"

 

[DeletedUser]

Galen chuckled. "Thing is, we're doing a favour for the king of Talamh Bui, and with a little encouragement, I'm sure he would reward you."
Ulric spat out a mouthful of ale onto the table, drawing a dirty look from the bartender.
"You must be having a laugh! you? in the service of a king? and besides," Ulric lowered his voice, "You know full well that we 'obtained' our ship from the Talamh Bui navy. they'd skin us alive for theft!"
Galen sighed. "It was worth a try. what about 50 Gold Pieces for a one-way ticket?"
"200 Gold." Ellerc counteroffered. Galen smirked under his mouthguard, the bartering had begun.
"50, you still owe me."
"200.favours aren't enough."
"75."
"200."
"100.'
"200."
"100, plus a few pieces of loot, and your safety guaranteed, you don't need to sail into a port, just drop us off in a cove somewhere."
the brothers hesitated, before muttering to each other in hushed tones. "175 plus what you offered." they demanded.
Galen's smirk widened. "130 plus what I said. that's my final offer."

 

[DeletedUser28032]

The Alder brothers
The younger of the two brothers leans across and whispers something into the others ear, a sly grin spreading across his bearded face "is yon girlie part of your group?" his says nodding towards Isolla who was currently stood between Ben and Dashel, her presence already attracting more than a few envious glances "Throw her into the deal and we'll settle for 100" the leer's spreading across the two brothers faces making more than clear what they wanted with her.
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Princess Isolla
"Well isn't this a quaint little place you've brought me to...must remind you of home" being royalty Isolla had never set foot within a tavern let alone a dive like this. In the corner she could hear the strains of a harp being played the group of people clustered around preventing her from seeing the player, in another corner a man screamed as a dagger was rammed through the back of his hand after he'd tried to swipe the small handfull of coins that was the games stake.
"Hey pretty lady how'd you like to make it with a real man" the man was large with a flat nose and long greasy hair causing her to wrinkle her nose in disgust however upon catching a glimpse of Ben out of her eye she began to smile.
"Sure...i'd love to....but first you'd have to get rid of these two" she said nodding towards the two Sentinels, both too busy watching the room to notice the mans approach. Leaning in as close as her bonds and the mans stench would allow her Isolla made her frantic plea her voice barely above a whisper "They've kidnapped me free me and my father will pay you handsomely not to mention how i'll repay you" a greedy look passed across the mans face the mention of gold merely sealing an already apealing proposition "Don't you worry darlin' Rourke will look after you....Hey Jimmy cop this!" Dashel turned just in time for the blow to smash into his face and then all hell broke loose

 

[DeletedUser]

"Nice try. she doesn't come into the deal." Galen replied. he leaned back in his chair and gulped down the last of his ale, trying to think up another offer.
"Hey Jimmy cop this!" came a shout from across the room. Galen turned just in time to see Dashel being punched in the face.
"No, no, no no no!" Galen moaned as he drew his sword. great, they were involved in a fight in a vagabond-filled freeport. they had to get out now.
"TAKE IT OUTSIDE!" the bartender bellowed.
too late for that. Galen thought as he ran over to the grunt who had attacked Dashel.
he slashed his sword across the man's torso, spraying blood everywhere.
the grunt screamed as he fell onto the rotting floorboards.
there came a sound of scraping as all across the room men stood up and drew their weapons.
"YOU'LL REGRET DOING THAT IN MY PUB!" the bartender yelled as he pulled a crossbow out from under the bar, he fired it, the bolt missing Galen's head by mere inches.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Kaella
With her attention firmly on the small audiance that she'd attracted, her fingers pluckinig the melody for an old folk song she'd learnt as a child Kaella wasn't aware of the anarchy that Isolla was causing until the bolt of a crossbow shot across the room to spear a man to the taverns wall, the small crowd parting long enough for her to spy Galen standing over a corpse with a blood stained sword in hand "I said no blades!" she cries before leaping from off of her perch as the entire tavern exploded into violence.
Moving with the swiftness of someone whose had to make more than one quick get away from a bar room brawl Kaella moved over to where Dashel was currently rubbing his jaw "Gods that hurt" he said pulling himself back onto his feet "Where is she? oh gods where the hell has she gone to!"
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The Alder Brothers
The two brothers upon seeing the outbreak of violence rose from their seats and started heading for the door, they had no desire to risk their lives in some stinking tavern.
Grabbing Galen by the collar Ellerc all but hoisted him off his feet as he brought the thiefs ear level with his mouth "We're on the north dock...and the price is 200 and if you want to survive the night i sugest you take it" Galen caught a glimpse of a victorius grin upon the brothers face as he was dropped back onto the floor boards, the two brothers leaving before anybody took it into their heads to start a fight
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Princess Isolla
It had all worked rather smoothly in her oppinion. The oaf, Rourke had taken out the Ascenti and then the thief had cut him open with a sword thus prompting an ample distraction for her to make a run for it.
Moving as quickly as she could in the long dress that she wore Isolla made her way over to the door and with bound hands started fumbling with the handle.
Giving a small scream of shock she felt a heavy hand descend upon her shoulder as it turned her round to face a large ginger bearded man "And where do you think your going?" the man held a large carving knife in a large meaty hand as he leered over her. Deciding that the time for niceties was over Isolla allowed her fear and anger to bubble over as a bolt of pure energy sprung from her fingertips into the mans chest throwing him several feet across the room.
With her attacker now gone Isolla turned her attention back to the door and her freedom
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Mark
"This is as far we can go friend its time for you to wake up" the farmer spoke shaking him awake. He'd spent nearly the entire night walking down a dirt track that he'd hoped would lead him towards Blacksands where upon met a farmer and his son taking a wagon load of produce to a nearby market.
Hauling himself out of the back of the wagon Mark noticed that it was now early morning meaning he'd slept for most of the journey "Blacksand lies to the east of here through the marsh though i would warn against such a trip friend" smiling warmly at the farmers kindly given advice Mark fishes out a few coins which he hands to the man "Unfortunately it would i have little choice...thank you for the ride and safe travels"
"Safe travels friend"
Mark was kind of disapointed to see the farmer leave he'd been the first truly friendly face he'd seen since embarking on this quest all those days ago. Turning to face east Mark slowly begins walking towards the flat desolate landscape that lay before him.

 

[DeletedUser]

Galen's eyes narrowed as he watched the Alder brothers move away from him, chuckling.
he sheathed his sword and moved over to Dashel.
"Where is she? oh gods where the hell has she gone to!"
"What?" Galen asked. he looked around and caught on. the princess...the princess had vanished...if they lost the princess then the entire mission would be in vain.
putting the ship out of his mind Galen sprung into action."Come on! we need to move! she can't have gone far!"

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Princess Isolla
Moving swiftly as only someone being pursued can Isolla darted down a side alley so as to get off of the main street, it was true that she'd never been to a tavern in her life but Tristan had and he had enjoyed regaling her with tales of how he had fought in brawls and outrun angry mobs of irate farmers...who'd have thought it would ever come in handy?
With her back pressed up against the wall of a butchers shop Isolla wrestled with her bonds hoping to either wriggle free or find something sharp lying around in order to cut her way out however luck unfortunatley wasn't on her side.
Continuing down the alleyway and onto a street that she hoped ran parellel to the one she'd just left Isolla started heading in the direction she hoped the way out of town lay.
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Kaella
The mans nose exploded in a shower of blood as Kaella used the pommel of Ragnars sword to force her way out of the tavern and onto the street where the brawl was rapidly spreading to.
Scanning the pitch black streets for any sign of the princess and finding none Kaella swore loudly before casting Galen a dirty look "I said no blades, how hard could it be to follow that!?" fighting back the growing frustration Kaella tried to figure out a plan of action. Isolla only had two ways out of this place open to her, either she found herself a boat willing to take her down by the docks or she had to leave via the way they'd come in and with no money at her disposal Kaell quickly decided which of the two options was most likely "Ok guys she's got to be heading for the gate...we better split up and find her" with any luck they would be able to cover more ground that way and she was more than confident that any one of them could subdue the bound princess.
"If you find her bring her to the docks we need to be out of this place as soon as possible "she called heading towards an alley to the right of the street how hard could it be to find her?

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

Mark sighed as he trudged through the marsh. He wasn't sure exactly why the farmer had told him to avoid the area, but the sheer unpleasantness of the terrain could be the reason. Fortunately the area was small, and he was almost through it...Blacksands was just a short distance away from the marsh, and with any luck at all he'd be able to meet up with the rest of the Sentinels.

 

[DeletedUser]

"I said no blades, how hard could it be to follow that!?"
"It's obvious that you don't know much about the criminal underworld." Galen muttered.
"Ok guys she's got to be heading for the gate...we better split up and find her"
"Ben, you head straight for the gate, I'll comb the streets." he said. before breaking into a run down the street to the left.
his feet dashed across the muddy cobblestones, his head turning from left to right, searching for any signs. suddenly it began to rain, the droplets pattering on the cobbles, washing away the blood and excrement that had accumulated over the day.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Kaella
Racing down the street Kaella paid little attention to the rain as it hammered down around her quickly turning the filthy streets slick underfoot.
Catching a glimpse of what had looked like a white dress Kaella doubles back to head down an alley in pursuit her footsteps echoing off of the high stone walls either side of her as she cursed the stupid girl despite only being a few years older than her does she not realise how dangerous this place is? as if to illustrate the point a large man in a brown cloak stepped in front of her with an evil grin and leering eyes. Without even bothering to unsheath the large heavy blade Kaella swung the sword on the run, leaping the mans fallen body as he fell with a scream.
Leaving the alleys narrow mouth Kaella scanned her surroundings before turning towards the gates once more hoping that the others were having more luck than she was.
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Princess Isolla
Twice she'd seen Kaella on her tail and once she'd been forced to dive into a doorway as Galen had ran past a nearby alleyway missing her by mere seconds. With her hands bound together Isolla was unable to hitch up her skirts and had fallen twice on the slick cobbled streets, staining her once white dress with dirt and blood from a skinned knee and her grazed hands it was a small consolation that she avoided hitting her head as she fell.
With her captors close on her heels she quickly realised that she wouldn't be able to outrun them and that her best bet would be to find someone willing to hide her without prefferably without robbing or murdering her first.
Spotting what appeared to be a man in priests robes Isolla's heart leapt as she raced towards him with not entirely faked tears in her eyes "You've got to help me, They're going to kidnap me!"

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

Mark had just made it into town and trying to find someone to tell him where he could find lodging, believing the Sentinels would be boarding up in a popular spot. He was glad of his priests robes, as almost no one would dare attack or rob a member of the clergy...they were too influential. A woman in a torn and dirty white dress, hands bound, almost ran into him, babbling about people pursuing her. Casting his gaze around, his eyes widened as Kaella ran out from an alley, toward the woman. Realizing that this was Sentinel business, he quickly cast an easy spell, a golden forcecage, usually used to restrain things perceived as demons. However, it would hold a human just as well...if for not anywhere near as long. As with most holy magic, it had little effect on human life, and the cage would dissipate in a few seconds. However, it was clear that Kaella would be there to help by the time it vanished. In response to the woman's stunned look, he smiled and said almost apologetically, "I may be more absent then most of them, but I am still a Sentinel, my lady."

 

[DeletedUser31931]

Ben saw Isolla slip towards the door in the confusion and then Galen and the bartender. As he was standing next to the bartender he swiped the crossbow and said "Excuse me." He loaded and saw Isolla kill the man with magic and as she turned to the door fired. He cursed as he missed and flung the crossbow back the the bartender. "Come on guys!" he shouted and he ran after Isolla. He heard Kaella's words and headed towards the gate. Then he felt a magic presence that was familiar. All magicians had magical presences however they were easy to hide with arcane magic and so most arcane magicians did. However holy magic could not be hidden and this was holy magic with a tinge of arcane. "Mark." he said to himself smiling and he turned and ran towards the presence and he turned round a corner to see Mark with Isolla "Oh ye gods." Ben said and cursed and saw Kaella turn the corner as well. In a second Ben had drawn his bow and shot Isolla through the hand. She cried out in pain and Ben kept his bow raised. "If you dare try to do anything again then I'll shoot into a place that will hurt a lot more. Kaella go check on Dashel and pay the bartender something to repay him for the damage. Mark if you would be so kind as to cast a spell of sleep on the princess I'll explain what has happened."

 

[DeletedUser28032]

[ooc:hmmm shooting her may have been a little overboard...*shrugs* oh well]

Princess Isolla
A medley of feelings and emotions shot through Isolla's mind first there had been relief at find a saviour in the priest closely followed by that of confused betrayal as the priest then proceeded to cast a shining cage about her, the last and somewhat more prominent sensation to assail her was of blinding pain as the arrow shot through the back of one hand and narrowly avoiding the other which considering that they were bound together was a miracle all in itself.
Screaming in pain Isolla dropped to her knee's clutching desperatley at her wound as tears streamed down her face "Just my look that the only friendly face in this gods forsaken hell hole is a Sentinel" Isolla whimpered glancing up at the priest upon whom she'd pinned all her hopes.
"Just you wait till my father see's what you've done to me!....He'll have your heads on pikes!" she screamed over her shoulder as two of her pursuers drew closer. With her pain and anger vented as best she could Isolla rolled onto her side ignoring the rain and filth as she cradled her hand whimpering softly to herself
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Kaella
Kaella visibly cringed upon hearing the screamed threat hurled in her direction, the prospect of having her head removed wasn't exactly something she enjoyed hearing and considering who her father was it was more than just an idle threat.
"Screw the tavern...if i set foot back in that place they'll hang me from the rafters" Kaella exclaimed upon hearing Ben's instructions she had enough problems now without adding an irate barkeep on top of them.
Turning her attention away from Ben and over to Mark she offered the priest an apologetic smile "I see you're still alive then" she said in jest before throwing her arms around him "Its good to see you again"
footsteps echoed down the cobbles behind them as Dashel caught up with the group a bruise already forming upon his cheek "I see you've found her....whose this?" he said nodding at Mark as she removed herself from his embrace "This is Mark he's a member of our group we'd thought lost...Mark this is Dashel a new recruit as it were"
"A pleasure to meet you" the Ascentian spoke holding out his hand towards the priest.
"I hate to rush you seen as you've just arrived but you couldn't do something about her hand could you?" Kaella said nodding at Isolla's prone form, a small puddle of blood despite the rain was beginning to puddle upon the ground.

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

Mark jumped as Isolla screamed, looking up to see Ben holding a bow. Apparently he'd shot her through the hand, despite her being in a cage that would prevent her from fleeing. The forcecage faded as Isolla fell, a convenient happening. He glanced down at the princess, cursing them. He returned Kaella's hug, saying, "You're telling me. I thought I was dead several times over on my little detour." He shook Dashel's hand warmly. "Glad to meet you. Always good to have new members." Without further prompting, he knelt down besides Isolla and took her hand gently. "Ben, you really, REALLY need to start thinking rather than doing what jumps into your head first." he admonished. He remembered now that out of all the Sentinels, Ben was the one he was least inclined to trust. The man was a good person, but his attack without thinking method made him unpredictable. "So...father...I'm guessing you're Princess Isolla...the one we were told to find in the first place. Seems I've missed a lot." The wound was unusual because it had went completely through the hand, meaning bone, muscle, and nerves were all screwed up. A simple Heal or Mend wouldn't work. "I should be able to do something, but the nerve damage concerns me. It's difficult to fix them perfectly at times...I'll do my best though."

He first cast a Numbing spell to numb the area, then pulled the arrow out. The bone he replaced with a Mend, then started to determine what the nerve damage was. It didn't seem too extensive, so he decided to go with a simple solution. He put a spark of healing magic on his finger, then slowly worked it through the wound, slowly repairing the nerve and muscle. He then finished with a Heal to regenerate the skin. By the end, he was shaking slightly, not being used to so much healing magic at one time anymore. "That's the best I can do. The nerves seemed to come back fine, but there may be a dead spot on either the back of the hand or the palm...just a spot where the nerves didn't fully regenerate." He stood up and looked around. "Hmm...we seem to be a couple members short at the moment. Where's Galen, Busana, and Matheld? For that matter, where's Ragnar? I'd have thought he'd be leading the chase!"

 

[DeletedUser]

"I'm here Mark." Galen said as he walked out of a side alley and towards the priest. "Busana and Matheld are missing, and as for Ragnar..." he paused as he reached the group.
"We were ambushed by a group of Tristan's men some time ago, Ragnar killed Tristan...but he died of his wounds. Ragnar's gone." Galen said solemnly.
"anyway, are we still planning to go to Talamh Bui, if so, I can get you a passage, but it'll cost us 200 Gold."

 

[DeletedUser31931]

"Galen is still somewhere in the town looking for her." Ben spat the last word out like it was a vile curse he was trying to drive away. "She didn't get kidnapped she ran away. And now she's trying to run away again. First we have to go off on her stupid bloody mission which by her current actions appears as though it might well have been a distraction or a trap so that she can try to lose us. As for Ragnar, that's a different matter." He fell slightly more sombre at this. "He's..." Ben struggled for the easiest way to break. "He's no longer with us. There was a fight with Tristan and Ragnar and Tristan died fighting each other. I'll tell you everything that has happened tonight. Now then, shall we all head off to where Galen was headed? I think he deserves to know what went on."

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Kaella
"Do we even have 200 gold?" Kaella asked, the most she'd managed to pick up whilst on her journeys were the few coppers from the two taverns they'd stopped in "Nevermind we'll figure something out lets go and find that ship before an angry mob tracks us down" with Dashel's help Kaella lifted the unresistant princess from off of the ground, despite marks efforts she'd gone very pale. Taking several steps down the street Kaella stopped and looked over her shoulder "Are you coming with us Mark? once we're underway we can swop stories if you like?"
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A Burning Castle
Flames licked around the wooden walls of the small motte and bailey castle, sighted on the coast and with only a few fishing villages to care for it had acted as more of a deterrant for raiders anda refuge for frightened fishermen when they did come.
With his back propped against a tree Eorl Beric watched as his hall caught alight, the bodies of his men piled within. They had been warned of the approaching army by a fishermans son who'd arrive early in the morning on a lathered horse and tales of a large fleet landing at his village, deciding that all the boy had been were a group of raiders, fear and fatigue causing him to exagerate their numbers, the Eorl had assembled his men but had decided not to send out messengers to any of his neighbours.
By mid morning the army had arrived and by nightfall the battle was over, his men were dead and his hall was aflame.

A shadow fell across him as the man he recognised as their leader approached him, he was at least seven foot tall and armoured from head to toe in shining gold and bronze armour that had intricatley engraved and moulded, his helm completely covering his face was that of a roaring lion.
About the man a swarm of smaller men dressed like priests followed him scribling upon wax tablets "You fought honourably today...what is place so that i can have its name engraved upon by tomb as one of my victories?" there was no malice or mocking in the heavilly accented voice, an accent that the Eorl had never heard before but dripped like honey, instead what the Eorl heard was a man genuinley interested to hear what he had to say "Mara Carraig...my lord"
"There is no need for you to call me my lord you are a vanquished foe and a fitting offering to Soth come the morrow now if you excuse me I have an invasion to complete"