Royal Flush - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
29/10/475
Log
Summoned, a bit covertly, you are told to report to the docks, where a ship awaits. Those with summons are ushered aboard, all others are sternly kept away, and no one speaks a word. Very clandestine, but the invitation has the Good King's seal on it. The ship sails free of the docks with clear haste.
Darquan is one of those escorted onto the ship, showing his invitation. The thickly muscled Gator with an equally thick hide states nothing, merely glancing at those who are in the area and such. Only one thing is had by this one, and that is a kilt.
Jera feels a little bit of seasickness take him as he sits on the deck and curls up, groaning.
Valentine on the other hand is squirming around like a cub. The idea of that journey makes him unnaturally excited.
Ictus hmms as he is escorted onto the ship and looks around as the ship sails out
Wulf flashes her invitation to the gaurds as she boards the ship, letting out a huge sigh after she breathes in that fresh sea air. Shrugging her usket over her shoulder she nods at the others gathered and finds a quiet spot to sit down.
Four mathemagicians step out and take their places. Under their combined calculation, the ship lifts free of the waves, and surges forward powerfully. Clearly there is a matter of urgency as the ship circles around back towards the city, missing it by the east and sailing over land up towards the Silverveins. A door opens, admitting a hippo, royalty, but not the Good King, "My people. We move now to join the Good King in what may be the most important battle that Promise has ever known, or will know. We leave our countrymen behind to battle for our city, but even our glorious King must admit that the fate of all people must be placed higher than his own regency."
Darquan remains at the side of the ship, yet close to the front, to watch where they are headed. His stance goes wide when the ship starts rising, balancing himself quite well with his tail planted behind him. When things settle he relaxes a bit but remains slightly crouched. He turns his attention toward the hippo after the introduction is had, "So what is it that we are going to do, then, if it has nothing to do with the siege?"
Wulf is sitting down, shifting her body side to side as the ship pitches about. As the Hippo steps out Wulf looks up to him from her seat and pricks her ears foreward, waitingfor him to continue.
Valentine falls over as the ship rises. From the deck level he is listening to the introduction, nodding at Darquan's question.
Ictus looks at the royal hippo and nods in agreement with the others, "Indeed... What is this about?"
He nods his head, "He has amassed a grand army of several nations to do battle with the shadow, and even now presses them to a corner at one of their vile spawning pools." he announces in booming voice, "The army you see at Firmaments gates are those few we did not take with us for this, but the battle grows fiercer by the moment. He has requested the aid of you, our secret and loyal weapons, to drive the blade home to their black hearts."
Darquan rubs his long snout slowly, "Mmmm. That might be a little complicated on my part. I have actually left my combat gem back in the city and I have only what I have with me to do any sort of battling." He's been working on his crafting for long enough that he's lost all combat chakra and whatnot.
Jera heaves a little, only half listening to the conversation. "That's nice...I'll do my best to help out any way I can...assuming I'm feeling better once I get off this ship."
As Valentine ends counting his potion bottles, he looks sadly at hippo. "There are not half as many as they should be here. Still, I will try to do my best."
Wulf Chuckles quietly at Jera as he gets seasick, but pays more attention to the Hippo and what he says, finding no reason to speak.
The hippo makes a dismissive gesture, "We have many gems, just few wearers. What gem do you require?" he asks, "You can return it after we go down in history in victory," he declares confidently at Darquan, "We arrive in fifteen minutes, do be prepared."
Darquan chuckles, "I have experience with the workings of the Journeyman and none other. I will need to see about new equipment to go with it, as well." He spreads his arms out, "I can make it if there's some place for me to do so on this ship."
"I would appreciate a stronger fighter gem. It would suit my needs perfectly on the battlefield, where a rogue may not find as much use. The dual soul is a powerful toy." Jera nods to the hippo, then clutches at his chest again.
Valentine says, "oh, I am fine with what I have now... All I need is someone to receive my help during the combat. And there are never too few of them."
Wulf nods as she slides her musket off her shoulders "Ah thats where your wrong Jera, a well placed shot will send the enemy in dissarray, and what pray tell is a better shot, rogue or fighter?" she then begins to adjust and clean it, humming a little sea shanty as she does so.
Ictus hmms? at Darquan and shakes his head a bit with a chuckle before he looks at the others, "I'm well equipped myself..."
Valentine is looking on the horizon with growing anticipation.
The ship draws over the mountains, and past the valley of the gryphon, towards Mossy Stone. Close by, a fierce battle is raging indeed, with thousands of beings combatting just as many shades. With the sun still up, the shadows stand out against the ground, but more pleasingly, many of them are already on the ground, cut. A second look shows many beings also decorating the landscape, a dire battle with no real winner.
Valentine clenches fists in futile outburst of anger. "No one should ever witness such a sight, even more participate in one..." Tears roll down the black furred cheeks.
Wulf stnads up and prepares for debarkation, snarling at the sight of the black tides fighting against the beings she and the others were sent to stand, fight against, and eventually destroy. "Which is why we are here, to ensure future generations don't have to fight the battles that we fight today."
Darquan gazes down to the combat far below them, arms crossing. He had switched out his crafting gem for the journeyman one, which ended up causing his body to become encased in much thicker hide as well as having a...walking stick appear in one hand, "This looks like quite the battle. I take it we are NOT going to be joining them, however."
Ictus looks down at the site grimly and looks to Valentine, "And yet we must, or face annihilation."
The royal hippo shakes his head, "You can see why the Good King leaves such a paltry defending force at home, when faced with such dire consequences." The ship descends sharply, but flatly, making bellies rise into throats without throwing people off their feet. It lands carefully behind the line of battle on the side of the beings, and the gangplank is practically thrown into place before those who man the ship are jogging down into the camp.
Darquan follows the crew down the gangplank to the camp below. The sight of the ship out of the water just resting peacefully on the ground is enough to make him chuckle with a shake of his head, "Why does it look like someone just decided to build this thing for land travel?" He sighs with a grin, enjoying his private joke.
Wulf jogs quickly down the plank, sticking close to Darquan and taking up a spot by his side, having nowhere else to go. "I wish we had something as strongly built as a boat out on the battlefield, it's one tough thing to destroy I reckon."
On the wobbly legs, not because of the flight, but from feelings overcoming him, Valentine walks down to the blood-stricken soil.
Ictus grunts as the ship 'lands' and shakes his head as he walks down the gangplank with the others
Soldiers in the camp direct the rushing group on towards a small camp fire, where at stands the Good King, grimfaced. His sword drips with black and red ichor, and several lines of blood already showing through his fine armor. He is dressed for battle in plate and chainmail, and clearly is not leading from behind from the look of him. "Ah, they arrive," he says, planting the edge of his claymore into the ground, "We will be leaving this battle. I am sure, in time, they will press to victory, but at what loss? Too great. We will strike for the heart while they are busy, and finish this before the sun can finish setting on this scene. Are you with me, my good people?"
Darquan looks over the king while he is speaking, openly admiring the Hippo's direct approach to things. He has one hand resting on one of Wulf's shoulders during the approach, and he looks down to his new companion, "Well, I'm definitely ready to go play in their back yard. Are you, pup?"
Jera has his bow out and an arrow nocked as he sighs. "Lead the way. Looks like necessity compels us to throw ourselves into danger. No choice." He's in high alert as he waits for further orders.
Valentine says, "Where I need to be, lead me."
Wulf nods and smirks as the Gator's hand falls down onto her shoulder. "You bet Gatorman, how bout you?" with that she turns to the Good King and staring in a bit of Awe she nods "Lead on Good King, I'll follow you unto the depths of the netherworld and back iffen ya'd have me."
Rainer had stumbled out from below deck during the landing, where he`d promptly thrown himself over a railing fully expecting to empty his stomach before battle. But mercifully or not he managed to contain his previous meals, and soon found himself at the back of the group gathering before Mister Good Himself. To the question, "are you with me," he thrusts a fist into the air and bellows a mighty "YEAH!" fully expecting such enthusiasm from the rest ... only to be left standing there looking around with knitted brows when the rest of the group's response is decidedly more... mixed.
Darquan hears a familiar voice from the back of the group and turns with raised brow to see Rainer. He grins and strides over to the wolf and instantly grabs him and lifts him into the air, arms going around him in a hug unless the poor fellow dodges it all, "Hey there, you big bundle of fur! Didn't even know you were on board."
A firm nod and he rights himself tall, wrenching his sword free of the ground and slinging it onto his back, "Good. If we greet the Creators today, we'll do so with our heads held high, and they'll be proud of their creations and their spirit." He points westward, "Time is short." And he begins to hike, moving along the line's length rather than cutting across it.
Ictus nods to the Good King and checks his equipment a bit before following with the others
ringing with bottles in his backpack, Valentine tries to keep up with the party.
Rainer takes a half step backwards, getting the look of a dear in headlights as an alligator surges forth and seizes him up in a crushing hug, swinging him around like a big, fluffy ragdoll. "Aghleghk!" His feet kicks in the air and he wiggles and twists, arms pinned down. When he finally gains some sense of what's happening to him, he fixes Darquan with an embarassed grin, murmuring, "C'mon, man, not in front of the King--!"
Darquan takes it a step further and drags his tongue along the wolf's cheek, "Why not in front of the king? Like he cares one way or the other right now?" He winks before he...quite literally carries Rainer as he follows along behind, his large strides keeping up with the others very easily. He even picks Wulf up for a ride on his shoulders if she hasn't other ideas.
Jera watches the three people and their antics with a chuckle as he follows behind somewhat nervously, ears perked and alert as he keeps his lookout from the back.
Wulf is sweeped up, just barely managing to keep her rifle in her grips. "Gah, sudden pick up not expected!" turning her head, her tail beating against Darquans chest she smiles "Hi there Rainer, lovely day for a ride, no?"
Rainer can't do much but enjoy the ride, and by the time Wulf has joined him over the gator's shoulders he actually does appear to be doing just that. "Hah, just look at the rest of these suckers, using their own two feet like chumps."
"Kill three people with one shot." Jera shrugs, obviously not bothered.
Just as he speaks that, he is rewarded with irritated look from Valentine, who is huffing profusely underneath his big luggage.
Those soldiers lingering about peer at those who pass by them with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. Several day's hard battle has done much to leech the humor from them for the moment as they attempt to get what rest they can, the others peering out over the battlefield, ready to reenter it. The king guides to a tent, wherein a roughly carved passage enters the ground. "Our secret."
Ictus looks at the three and shakes his head, "Can you cut it out, this is serious." he eyes the passage and hmms, "Where does it lead exactly?"
Jera eyes the passage and then the three with some humor. "Too short for carrying people now, I'm afraid." A minor triumph for the fox as he peers into the darkness of the tunnel.
Valentine tries to walk into the tunnel before the gator. "Need to see it all... No use in watching someone's back all along the way." He picks up the notepad and writes down some notes.
Darquan is definitely holding the two on his shoulders, one to each. He doesn't even set them down after reaching their destination, that large tent, and he peers down the hole, "So you dug underground to get to their heart. What did you use? Moles?" If the other two want down, he lets them easily.
Wulf rolls her eyes at the complainers and hops off when she arrives at the temt and lands on Jera's foot in the confines of the tent with a flinch. "Ick.. sorry buddy." turning to the tunnell she looks down into it. "So... anyone gotta light?"
The Good King gestures at the hole with a large hand, "Their heart lies within. A pool of darkness they spawn from." He moves to the corner of the tent and kicks open a chest there, showing many daggers, their tips glowing with golden light, "Everyone take two. Get them in the pool. That's it."
Valentine observes the dagger with unhealthy dose of interest.
Rainer slides off Darquan with a little more grace, giving the gator a couple appreciative pats on the shoulder and a quick swat on the tush for good measure before turning to the cave, hands on his hips, eyes going wide at the sight of the many enchanted daggers. "Oooo~" Certainly don't have to ask him twice, he darts in and seizes up two of the little blades, giving them a twirl between his fingers and tucking them into his belt, grinning as he twists and cranes his head to observe how they light up the fabric of his clothes.
"Ow!!" Jera hops around on one foot for a while before he hops over to the chest to pick out two daggers for himself. "That does not sound difficult at all. Seems like we have just the right number of men." Then he shoots Wulf an angry glare and a threatening snarl, but withdraws the hostilities almost immediately, knowing the importance of amiable relations.
Ictus looks over the daggers curiously as he takes two and nods to the king, "These will destroy the pool?" as he tucks the daggers into the sleeves of his robe
