Fantasy RP

[Bannanachair]

(I'm glad that you guys liked my slightly long tangent/very short story. I posted my first draft and came up with the story as I wrote it, and I wasn't sure if it was good or if I should delete it and edit it out. Ultimately I decided to keep it because I had fun writing it and that's what counts. I doubt I'll shoehorn in another infodump like that, but if you guys both liked that then I wouldn't be averse to pushing the storylines in a direction where more such stories can be told.)

(I'll write up my actual post later, because I'm tired and I was busy with family all day today.)

[Bannanachair]

@ Othan: "Actually, my lord," Hartwig said, "We don't need the support of Earl Artris Eriport at all. Just as the bulk of the Great Dragon's army is from his Earls and the bulk of your army is from your Barons and Knights, the same goes for the other Earldoms."

"Do you propose making overtures directly towards Eriport's earls?" Hedrek asked. "That would anger the man. They're his vassals, not Earl Thander's. The last thing we need is a civil war between our Earldoms right now!"

Hedrek disagreeing with Hartwig wasn't a thing that happens a lot, though when it does happen, it tends to be Hedrek advocating for a more peaceful or merciful solution than Hartwig's proposal.

"We could send messengers into the Crebehl Forest, though." Raethus proposed. "Sirs Hedrek and Hartwig, you both have very good points. The bulk of an army are raised by the vassals of vassals of vassals, and attempting to coerce an Earl's barons out from under him will be sure to anger him. If we can simultaneously weaken Galbror, strengthen ourselves and force Eredal into a war in conditions unfavourable to them we might have a chance. Unfortunately, I know little of the personalities of Galbror's vassals."

That's a thing that Kallian might be best suited for, you think, given how eerily close it is to politics.

@ Alfred: Despite your unfamiliarity with the wood, it was unmistakable and more striking than even the silver lock. Though mostly the same colour as oak, there were numerous blue veins that almost seemed to glow despite emanating no light of their own. The material had a peculiar beauty to it, and despite your lack of magical training, you could immediately tell that many of the stories that you've heard over the years of it's magical properties were undoubtedly true.

[Tikobe]

Othan

"My apologies, Hartwig. However, I'd rather not take the Earl of Eriport's forces from under his nose and have to deal with problems later on because of it. After all, the whole reason I even suggested it was to eliminate problems and not add onto them," I explain as I turn to Raethus. "It would indeed be best to gather information and pull the strings in Galbror while we still have the window of opportunity to do so. And sooner rather than later. Once Galbror defects to Eredal we won't have the chance to do anything of the sort. I'll have to arrange meetings with Kallian on the matter."

[Duck14]

Alfred

I marvel over the mysetious nature of the spiderwood box. The wood was strange, very strange. But time was rushing on so I couldn’t look at it for too much longer. I passed it to the merchant once I returned to that end of the ship. “Hopefully you can help him out with whatever you have in this box.”

[Bannanachair]

(Sorry for being slow to reply, I've been visiting colleges all week. I'm in Rochester now with only three schools left to see, and then I'll be on a flight back to Singapore. I should try to be more active then, and if I'm not, I'll definitely be significantly more active in 2019.)

@ Othan: "Is there any other pressing business that needs to be addressed, or shall we adjourn the meeting for today?" Hedrek asked.

@ Alfred: The man opens the box which is internally divided into several compartments. One of the compartments contains a number of potions and salves alongside some bandages. He mutters some words under his breath and Garry's eyes briefly glow with white light, and then he falls unconscious. "I'm sorry, but you were thrashing about, and what follows would be too painful." He proceeded to apply one of the salves to the injury, then physically move the bone so that it's where it's meant to be with just his bare hands and then applies yet another salve, before wrapping up the injury in a cloth blanket.

"He'll be out for a couple days, and he'll have a nasty scar, but he'll otherwise be fine."

[Tikobe]

Othan

"There isn't anything I'm aware of. If someone has something to say, then now's the time to say it. Otherwise, let's finish her and head off to our homes and rest. Nizeston will come in some odd number of days so I expect we will need all the relaxation we can get before it's too late to have any of it."

[Duck14]

Alfred

I winced and grimaced quite a bit as I observed the surgery but if it had to be done to help my first mate. “Thank you. Give it a couple of months and Garry here will be telling stories about fighting off a kraken single handed when asked about that scar. Could you check on him for the reminder of the voyage? Just in case anything were to happen.” Now we just needed to get out of this blasted storm. Had it settled yet?

[Bannanachair]

(Sorry that I've been inactive lately, but from now on I'll try to do at least a post a day.)

@ Othan: "I'm an old man, all that I do with my time is relax," Hedrek said, "But I suppose that we are adjourned for today." And with that, he got up and left.

"Raethus, do you mind if we have a private conversation between just the two of us?" Hartwig asked, as he got up. "Assuming, of course, that Lord Othan doesn't have any other plans with you?"

"None that I know of, Sir Hartwig. I think that he was going to be discussing something with his brother..." You stopped being able to hear them as they walked out the door, Raethus seemingly having forgotten his Thaira board and pieces at the table.

@ Alfred: "I'm not one of your crew members to order around. I'll want payment of some kind for saving your first mate's life," the Ayomoran said. Based on the way that the boat is rocking and the fact that you can still hear thunder outside, the storm still hasn't settled, and Artie is probably still out there alone.

[Tikobe]

Othan

While it does leave me curious to no end what Hartwig had to talk to Raethus about, it's not important. At worst, he may be trying to get Raethus on his side for some matter or other with intentions to get me involved or to make me lean in favor of a certain decision. Of course, I trust Raethus enough not to worry that kind of thing, and not only is that not the only likely scenario, it's the only one that would cause me any amount of bother. I look for someone who works here and ask them to watch Raethus's Thaira set and make sure no damage is done to them. If Raethus failed to arrive, I'll bring them along with me when I leave for Castle Shan tomorrow with Raethus.

Upon doing this I begin to leave the tavern and start my return to my home. The day's almost over, so I begin to review the day and what's left to do:

First point of note, Nizeston is arriving for the tourney in a few days.
Second point of note, nothing about speculation concerning Nizeston's motive to flying to Mallowater is found. The only interesting event found is the assassination of a group of ambassadors from Yhendorn, but there is no reason to believe that there is a relation between the two.
Third point of note, discussed invasion plans for the Third War in preparation for when it begins. Of all the plans discussed, some interesting ideas that'll work no matter the plan we choose came up, so I've decided to talk to Kallian about beginning an espionage network within the Galbror reasons for matters of collecting information and getting Galbrors nobles on our side, as well as attempting to set up positive relations with Eriport to make them easier to influence them when we need it.
Fourth point of note, I've arranged to head to Castle Shan with Raethus tomorrow morning to help rid the area of criminals.

All that's left now is meet with Kallian and discuss the two items mentioned in point three as well as to gain information about Nizeston's visit. Once that's over, I suppose I should sleep and call it a day. I suppose so far it's been a fairly productive day.

(Is it called Castle Mallowater like how Raethus lives in Castle Shan? I blanked out and am so confused now)

[Bannanachair]

(Mallowater is a city of about 10,000-ish people (I think, I actually need to look at my notes to double-check that figure), and there is a castle/palace where the former royal family, now noble family, live. Though Raethus technically rules Castle Shan and is a landed knight, he spends most of his time in Mallowater because that commute is a pain in the ass. Though most of this isn't cannon because it hasn't actually impacted the story yet, so I may change my mind about some of it.

(I'm also thinking about where to set the next scene, hence my nearly useless post. You'll notice that every scene thus far has done something for the plot - introduced characters and settings and story elements that will come up soon, and often the location has something to do with what I'm setting up.)

@ Othan: One of the barmaids agrees to look after Raethus's board and set for him, and was slightly flirtatious towards you while agreeing to do so despite your lack of interest or reciprocation. Upon arriving back in the palace, you find that your brother is no longer holding court.

[Leggo]

Name: Jonos Dawburn

Age: 28

Gender: Male

Nationality: Elusian

Appearance: Jonos stands slightly above the average height of a normal Elusian man, and has an athletic build. He has green eyes, as well as long light-brown hair he usually keeps tied up. He’s never been a fan of facial hair.

Clothing: Jonos is almost always found in his plate-metal panoply and open barbute helmet. When not wearing his armor, he wears bland, dark colored clothing. You wouldn’t think he’s noble at first-glance. He always carries around his one-handed sword. In battle, in addition to his armor and sword, he carries his shortbow and quiver of barbed arrows with him.

Languages: Fluent in Elusian and Eredalian, dabbles in Old Nerathi.

Occupation: Lord

Rank: Duke and Marshal of Thasia.

Personality: Jonos is extremely ambitious, and will go to severe lengths to complete his goals. Some of these lengths err on the side of wrong. He’s spent his entire life training in all ways military, so it encompasses him in everything he does. He spends his days doing his job as Marshal, training troops or strategizing. He uses unusual and unconventional tactics in battle. He’s also so encompassed by his ambitions that he’s completely forgone companionship in any way, and has no plans to take a wife.

Bio: Jonos was born the second and final child of Duke Barrian Dawburn, as well as the only male. His mother, Ella, died while birthing him, so Jonos didn’t get to meet her. Due to this, Barrian blamed the death of his beloved on Jonos. Barrian left the upbringing of his son to his advisors, and had very little part in Jonos’ education and training. This left Jonos with dissatisfaction for his father that would last into his adulthood. He underwent a martial education, being trained in combat and strategy by the finest military minds in Elusia, paid handsomely by Jonos’ handlers.

Jonos’ life was free from any major complications until he turned nineteen. By this time, he was far done with his education and was serving as Marshal of Thasia. Jonos’ father was a dull man, without an ambitious bone in his body. His lack of any care for what happened in his Duchy led to sinister forces to develop and rebellion to fester.

Barons Coden Hammel and Ellion Seryn grew tired of the incompetent rule of Barrian and declared themselves an independent realm. Barrian was too craven to attempt to retake the land, and told Jonos and his advisors that he would let them be. Upon hearing this, Jonos mobilized his army and went on the march. He had defeated the rebellious Barons within a month. He slew every member of their families as a sign to every other Thasian vassal what treachery got you.

Eventually, his sister Daela was married off in a foolish trade deal to some irrelevant member of a House in Orevod. Daela was his only friend, as he alienated himself from most children with his brash, loose-cannon attitude. All of Barrian’s advisors told him it was a bad idea, as did Jonos, but Barrian did it anyway. This exacerbated Jonos’ disgust of his father.

At age twenty-five, Jonos was out hunting in the Hardhill forest outside Thasi. As he came to a clearing, he saw what he thought was a wild pack of horses, but as he approached he realized they were Pegasi, rare beasts. He followed the Pegasi for eighteen hours before a foal, unable to fly yet, drifted from the herd, and Jonos snatched him up. As soon as he saw them, he knew he needed one, so he took one. He kept him in the Dawburn Castle wine-cellar, and eventually tamed him, naming him Solmyr, after the founder of House Dawburn. After this, Jonos trained extensively in a field he never had before, horse archery, a skill he would come to master. He also focused on fighting with lance so he could utilize Solmyr better.

At age fifty, Barrian Dawburn disappeared whilst swimming in the Nubarb river. He insisted on swimming that day, even though the water was choppy, and is presumed to have drowned. Jonos had been waiting for this to happen for a long time. He became Duke of Thasia, and instantly set his Duchy to become more militaristic, something his father strictly limited Jonos from doing. His goal of becoming Duke of all of Thasia was going to be set into motion. He mobilized his army and vassals, and marched straight into the neighboring county of Atrekara. This unannounced and unexpected attack caught the Atrekarans off-guard, and their uncoordinated forces were smashed by Jonos in a series of small battles. Jonos arrived at their capital, Norbury, and began besieging it.

Family, and Important Relationships: A century ago, Thasia was a strong Duchy, with ambitions to conquer all of Elusia. However, on his deathbed, Ramsey Dawburn legitimized all his illegitimate children. After he died, they started a war to take Thasia from the rightful heir, Balon Dawburn. Balon would eventually be slain at the Battle of Greywood, a crushing defeat for House Dawburn. After this, House Dawburn held up in Thasi while the rebels conquered the rest of Thasia.

The bastards would eventually argue over who gets what before fighting each other and splitting Thasia into six independent realms. Twenty years later, Balon’s heir Morm would attempt to retake their lost lands, and he failed and was killed. Eighteen years after that, Morm’s heir Ayvon would attempt to do the same thing, losing an eye and his legs in a crushing loss. That was the end of House Dawburn attempting to reclaim their lands.

He only has one living relative, his sister, who was married off. She is his only friend. The only time he had an emotional attachment, a shoulder to lean on, a real friend. She was outgoing, and it seemed like she knew every child in Thasi. But she still always saved time for Jonos, her darling little brother. When she was shipped off, he had nobody. This made him even more unemotional and cold. She still writes letters to Jonos, but it's not enough. She can't even visit, due to the precarious situation Jonos is in. He has no other friends due to his abrasive, brash attitude.

Jonos has a close working relationship with Wallace Oakheart, Commander of the Dawburn Household Guard, the most elite force in the Dawburn army, highly trained and highly armored. Greene is outgoing and sorta goofy, he contrasts Jonos. He's always trying to get Jonos to do fun things with him, and he considers Jonos to be one of his dearest friends, while Jonos only considers Wallace as his right-hand-man, not that he needs one.

His only true friend is Solmyr, who's not even human. Solmyr, besides having wings, being bigger than a normal horse, and being intelligent to the point where he can take basic commands, has custom-made armor that protects his underside more than his top, to protect from projectiles from the ground.

Goal: Living in the once Duchy-capital of Thasi, Jonos saw firsthand the grandeur that was lost. As a boy, he made it his life-goal to reclaim the Dawburn land, and he worked towards making this goal possible his entire adolescent life, training extremely hard. He was shocked that people could just take land like that, land that belonged to his family. It was rightfully his. And they certainly weren't going to give it back peacefully.

[Tikobe]

(And with leggo's cs I am reminded that it's been two days since you've posted. My apologies for the silence in the RP, you said you were figuring out what to do next so I took a break to give you some time to plan it out)

Othan

I look around and pull one of the servant's aside.

"Would you happen to know where Kallian currently is? I've set an appointment with him after I return."

[Bannanachair]

@ Leggo: (Accepted, we'll begin now)

@ Jonos: The winds howled around you in a terrible cacophony on the thirtieth day of the siege of Norbury. Despite how easy it was for you to scatter the Atrekaran armies earlier in this campaign, it's taken you a whole month to starve out their capital of Norbury. Part of the reason for that is that halfway through the siege their armies regrouped under Foreth var Norbury, a favoured nephew of the self-styled Count of Atrekara and a descendant of one of the bastards that destroyed your ancestor's realm all those decades ago. Still, his assault was stopped and his life ended, and your siege went on.

The storm likely would have been better off on the ground than on the air, you figured, but riding Solmyr made you not only the best general and soldier in the army, but also the best scout by a significant margin. The walls are still heavily manned, but not as heavily manned as they appeared to be - half of the soldiers lining the city walls were made of straw and a third of the remainder have never seen combat before this siege. But Norbury doesn't know that you know this, nor do they know just how much of an advantage Solmyr grants you.

@ Othan: "He's in your father's solar, my lord," the servant said in reply.

Once you arrive at your father's solar, you find it much more crowded than you expected. It seems that an impromptu family night was being held, with Kallian entertaining Thander Marthus, Kallia and a few of his own younger children with stories, while Ielle and Kallian's wife Roheia were playing a game of seasons against your father and your youngest brother Horthon. Northan's son Thurum was also there, a lad of eight years old, doting over his youngest cousin, Kallian's youngest son Marthus, still a babe.

You look to see if your own wife is there, but she isn't. If she were, she might not have let Ielle play as she is, with a glass of wine and some gambling dice. Despite her drunkenness, your eighteen-year-old daughter is the first to notice you as her face blushed red. "Father, I wasn't drinking that much..." she said, as if in anticipation of punishment "Uncle Kallian said that I could! And it was just one glass! Please don't tell mother!"

At that, the younger children noticed that you were there. Kallia shouted an excited "Daddy!" as she ran up to you to hug you, while Thander Marthus, too old and cool for hugs, barely acknowledged your presence. Your nephews and nieces were also rather excited to see that their Uncle Othan was there.

[Tikobe]

(Wait a minute, did I really name the youngest Kallia? Even though that's just Kallian without an N? I'm dying in laughter right now)

Othan

"It's fine, Ielle. You're behind closed doors after all. Just make sure it doesn't reach your mother's ears. Besides, I spent my evening listening to Hartwig and Hedrek make rebuttals against each other over the course of an entire dinner. I could use a drink myself after that."

I didn't add on the part that my only real concern about Thalla hearing about Ielle's "one cup" was because I would rather go to sleep when I get to my bed and not be lectured all night by my wife, but that's something best left unsaid.

As Kallia approaches I give her an awkward half-hug, half-back pat mixtures as I say, "Hello."

Yep. I really have a hard time interacting with children, even when they're my own. I wonder if that's why Thander Marthus gave me such a cold shoulder just now?

[Bannanachair]

@ Tikobe: (I always thought that that was intentional. "Hey bro, I'll name my unexpected child after you for a political favour or something." Also, Thander Marthus is just being a typical too-cool-for-parents teenager, it's not anything personal.)

@ Othan: "Who's Hedrek?" You hear your father ask, before Horthon answers on your behalf.

"Probably Hedrek Talverton, knowing my brother. He's been in love with your old war council for as long as I can remember."

"That old bastard's still alive?" Your father exclaims, leading to your sister-in-law berating him for his use of foul language around her young children.

"Othan, it's good to see you," Kallian said to you. "I'm sorry that I didn't get to talk to you in private before I made the announcement."

[Tikobe]

(Nah. It was a pure coincidence. Though, that sounds like a pretty good explanation. And yeah, I know that about Thander Marthus. I'm also pretty sure everyone else knows that. Othan, however, doesn't know that.)

Othan

"It's fine, Kallian. It made adventuring the streets today a little more interesting than usual. Besides, things came up during the meeting today that I'd like to talk to you about, so it saves us from having to make two separate discussions. Of course, now's not the time to talk about such things, isn't it?"

[Leggo]

Jonos

"Two more circles of the walls, Solymr," I shouted over the storm. The city's fortifications looked the same as they looked on the last thirty or so times I circled it. The men guarding them, however, look increasingly gaunt after every passing day. This siege wasn't supposed to take this long. I wanted to be marching my army into the next county by now. Wallace made a good point, however, when I told him of my plan to simply storm the city. We'd need all the men we could get for the campaigns ahead, and frivolously wasting men when there's a safer option available is - as much as I hate to admit it - a bad idea. "Alright Solmyr, let's head back," I say as I turn Solymr back towards the siege camp.

[Bannanachair]

@ Tikobe: (Do you want to write a short story like what I wrote about Mosocron? I'll give you the option to do so right now, and if you don't, saying "no" is always an easy way out of doing things. For a quick age reference, you would have been 17 or 18 during the First Galbror War and Kallian still a squire.)

@ Othan: "Of course not. Now's the time to spend time with family - I don't know how much time we'll have left to do that." Whatever Kallian meant by that crpytic comment you didn't have time to ask, because immediately Kallian's eldest son, twelve-year-old Arnfried, named for your uncle, spoke to you.

"Uncle Othan, father was just telling me a story of the two of you during the First Galbror War! Can you tell us about the Siege of Treehold? Please?"

@ Jonos: As you land your winged horse and trot him back into the stables, many of your soldiers stand there gaping. Despite having fought alongside you for all the months that this campaign has gone on for, none of them were used to seeing Solmyr. The storm on the ground, however, is almost as bad as it was in the air, and you're soaking wet in your clothes. You'll want to have Solmyr's armour taken off before it rusts.

[Leggo]

Jonos

I quickly give some orders for the stable-masters to take Solmyr's armor off and store it away. They've done it enough to where I don't have to help them anymore. Saying goodbye to Solmyr, I make my way to the command tent for the daily officers meeting.

[Bannanachair]

(I updated the OP with some more stuff. Some more information about dragons, but I haven't finished that chapter, descriptions of some of the other races that I want to introduce later and a new type of magic were what I added here right now.)

@ Jonos: You find that many of the men that are to be there are already there, though there are still some that have yet to arrive. Sir Wallace Oakheart was there, alongside several of your vassals, Barons Ballus Hordrigg, Bernard Darham, Maldir Talsworth, Humphrey var Capvering and Herwig Otterberg, and the leader of the mercenary company that Wallace talked you into hiring, a distinguished warrior nicknamed the Redscar for a physical feature on his jaw. Among those who have yet to arrive are another two barons, the head of your spy network within the city and the engineer in charge of constructing your siege engines.

[Leggo]

Jonos

While waiting for the rest of the attendees to arrive, I move to the head of the table in the center of the tent, examining the pieces and information upon it. I always want to remain up-to-date when it comes to information, so even though this is likely the same information I looked over yesterday I want to look again, just in case. The meeting isn't scheduled to start yet, and I know that my men understand the physical training they must do when they are late, so I doubt anybody will be. I'm not one for "mingling", either, so I don't bother attempting to converse with anyone unless they attempt to converse with me.

[Tikobe]

(FUCK! I wrote a massive short story and it got deleted by my laptop's mouse pad. Pardon me. I'll be rewriting this in Google Chrome.)

(Also, word of warning, while writing that I make an enemy character that serves as a major headache for Othan. My apologies if this is a problem)

[Tikobe]

(Oh, and now Raethus's dad has a name: Wyst. Yeah, don't know why I'm naming the Shans like they're foreign or something, their names are just different from all the other ones I've made.)

[Bannanachair]

(Write in Microsoft Office Word and hit "save as" before copy-pasting it and posting it.)

[Duck14]

(Uni just started again so I’ve been a bit slow to respond.)

Alfred

I nod. Of course he would be paid, I didn’t need to tell him that. But, it was probably best that I did. “Alright, yes. Of course you’ll get your dues. Let’s get out of this mess before that though, eh?” I couldn’t openly grumble in front of the passengers. “Right, you ship hands. I need two of you to head up there to the helm to assist Artie. Do so carefully.”