Open Chronicles The War of the Kinniger Dutchy: Outriders

[Kiros Rahnel]

Watching as the reanimated thrall fell over lifeless with head severed from its decomposed body, Kiros made sure the being moved no further. It’s subsequent stillness was a sign that it carried unlife no more, its soul free to depart to the heavens as far as he knew and believed.

His duty done, he looked up to see how many more he’d need to lay to rest, spotting a large line of them mindlessly waiting before the ill-maintained building; he headed towards them without hesitation. Once again, he would size them up and take great care in preparing his strikes; all while his unwitting and unaware targets remained ignorant of their impeding freedom. Satisfied with his preparation, the sword-wielding priest stepped back and took a measured swing at the last thrall in line with crows call aimed directly towards its neck. The sword cut through the air before it sliced clear through the zombie’s neck, rotten blackened blood seeping out onto the snow. Again, no motion or distress came from it or the others; it was the most merciful means of death he could bestow upon the poor captive souls.

One by one each of the zombies would fall to Kiros and Crows Call, their undeath coming to an end in the same manner as the first. Their efforts released the thrall’s souls; turning the long line of shambling bodies into one of headless corpses. Kiros looked back once more at the now motionless thralls before venturing inside the shack to see if any more were dwelling within. He kept the sword at the ready, prepared to bring a careful and merciful end to any more encountered within the shack’s walls.

Crows Call

 

[Crows Call]

As Kiros and crows call cut through the undead last of the undead miners, a man dressed in basic leathers came running out of his home, waving his arms in the air he yelled, "YOU FOOLS, YOU'VE KILLED US ALL."

Kiros Rahnel​

 

[Kiros Rahnel]

He spotted the man running towards them out of the corner of his eye, arms flailing in a bid for his attention. Turning to face it he paused with concern warping his brow. The figure moved far faster than the thralls he had slain, and he held Crows Call securely in his grasp in preparation for the threat he believed this might be. But soon these concerns would be dissolved as the man cried out his despair.

Clearly not a thrall, Kiros would be left to wonder about the nature of the man and the message he bellowed out. He held doubt that his man directly represented the stronghold they were tasked with cleansing. The man’s protest would be all but nonsensical if so; these words implied that Kiros ought not want to kill him. It was a cue he took, lowering his sword to signify non-hostile intent in return before shouting back his reply with a scowl.

“Killed you all?”

“You so shamelessly build your lives on a foundation of undeath?!”

The words were seething. While more accusation than question, Kiros would demand a response. He would hear this man out, and deal with him according to his answer.

Crows Call

 

[Crows Call]

The man became very agitated at Kiro's remark, "Don't you righteous idgits get it!? Their are only a few of the living left in our little mining hamlet since are 'benev'lent over lords took over! AND YOU JUST KILLED THE ONLY THINGS KEEP'N US FROM BEIN THRALLS!"

Kiros Rahnel​

 

[Aegnor Ransiren]

//I am so sorry, brothers. I have been busy these past few weeks with school and all that. I'll try to reply more often.//

 

[Aegnor Ransiren]

//Sorry if I answered out of turn as well. My mind isn't really functioning at its normal capacity these days.//

Aegnor, who had been busy slicing at the monsters with his knife, stared at the man in wonderment. ''Pardon me for asking, but what in blazes are you on about?'' He asked him, crossing his arms.

He looked around nervously. ''Perhaps it'd be a good idea to get going. Those monsters could be on our trail any moment.'' He looked at them, squinting.

Kiros Rahnel Crows Call

 

[Kiros Rahnel]

Welcome back Aegnor! And school can make life understandably busy, please don't worry about it; sorry for getting a start ahead of your return too. I think this order works well, I'm fine sticking to it ))

The man became very agitated at Kiro's remark, "Don't you righteous idgits get it!? Their are only a few of the living left in our little mining hamlet since are 'benev'lent over lords took over! AND YOU JUST KILLED THE ONLY THINGS KEEP'N US FROM BEIN THRALLS!"

Kiros remained stone-faced as the man explained himself. The insult rolled off his back, but what he was told next would agitate him. It was but confirmation of what he already well knew, but hearing it shamelessly aloud irked him. The man spoke only with concern for himself, and not the souls trapped through undeath.

"The nerve of this coward-
No; forbear your anger." He mentally cautioned himself, averting his ire.

He mentioned overlords; and this was new information to them. He had known only of the village that was the day's objective; this was further direction that they did not have. This lout just may be helpful after all. He remained silent and still for a brief moment, glaring at the man in return while Aegnor spoke his response. With a breath Kiros would calm himself and utter his own reply.

"Do you think we arrive on a pleasant stroll?
We are here to cleanse these lands, we have slain many.
Our success is now keeping you from being thralls-
So tell us: where do your overlords reside?"

The words were stoic, cold and straightforward. He was here to free them from such tyranny, caring not whether he received glory or gratitude. So long as he received his answer, they could carry on.

Crows Call Aegnor Ransiren

 

[Crows Call]

(OOC: It's no problem mate, shit happens and real life should always come first.)

The man was bewildered by Kiros's response, no doubt he was incredulous of he and Crows Call's capabilities. He scratched his head but then spoke in earnest to Kiros, "You think ya can liberate the people left in this village..?" ,there was a moment of silence, the man turned with his hands clasped on his head like a vice before saying under his breath, "I don't know why am trust'n some big monk with sowrd and an ol' fisherman...", he then turned back to Kiros and took his hands of his head and crossed them in front of his chest, "Our 'kind' lords are a little to the east from here, go though the old Yarnous, if you still aren't dead: don't mention your doing this on my villages behalf."

Kiros Rahnel​

Aegnor Ransiren​

 

[Aegnor Ransiren]

Aegnor nodded in a satisfactory fashion. ''Let's get going then, brothers. It's dangerous to be idle in a place like this.'' He scowled, looking around. All this talking his travel companions were doing was extremely unnecessary, in his opinion, but he didn't dare say anything against it.

He decided to just wait until they finished. He didn't want to seem impolite by walking away. Besides, by the looks of this place it didn't seem like a possibility.

Kiros Rahnel Crows Call

 

[Kiros Rahnel]

"I don't know why am trust'n some big monk with sowrd and an ol' fisherman...", he then turned back to Kiros and took his hands of his head and crossed them in front of his chest, "Our 'kind' lords are a little to the east from here, go though the old Yarnous, if you still aren't dead: don't mention your doing this on my villages behalf."

He held back a scowl at the man, but again stilled himself. He had to hear his words; they needed guidance. And he was still truly clueless as to where they'd go next, only that he be brought here. This villager seemingly knew the next steps he had to take and held required wisdom to continue his quest.

But there it was, with the man's next words; their location's destination. Yet still, the priest noted the ire and cowardice seeping through the reply.

"You place your trust in us because you've no choice." Kiros growled back.

"Because you're now bound to join them, unless we fail." he continued, gesturing at the slain thralls strewn atop the snow, severed heads all scattered about among their bodies.

"Or bend the knee as you lot did." he added, before stilling his frustration again. Despite the ire he held, this was but a villager after all; perhaps holding him to the code of a warrior was a bit much.

"I'll keep your village a secret, fret not." Kiros spoke before pausing with a breath, calming himself further.

''Let's get going then, brothers. It's dangerous to be idle in a place like this.'

"But a moment more, Aegnor." he turned to reply to his companion with softer speech, before turning back towards the man.

"Perhaps I am harsh? I bid you, tell me how such an arrangement came to pass." he concluded in tone more quiet than his former angered words, though his expression remained stoic and confrontational as he awaited reply.

Crows Call

 

[Crows Call]

"Perhaps I am harsh? I bid you, tell me how such an arrangement came to pass." he concluded in tone more quiet than his former angered words, though his expression remained stoic and confrontational as he awaited reply.

The man looked at Kiros with a jaw-on-the-floor, dumbstruck expression on his face, "How do ya think it came ta pass?! We're just a minin' village, we can't fight a gods damned army of fak'n vampires. It was surrender or have everyone die." ,the man then palmed his face, in order compose his current frustration, "Now Ol' Yarnous is that way. Be careful, once that place was a merchant town." He then looked over his shoulder as if checking for some unseen threat, he then leaned in and whispered to them in a conspiratorial tone, "Even the fak'n vampires won't go in to that place after they sieged it."

Kiros Rahnel​

Aegnor Ransiren​

 

[Aegnor Ransiren]

Aegnor crossed his arms and frowned at the man. "None of you fought back?" He asked. "Or did you just didn't feel like it?" He didn't really want to indulge his companion's conversation, but he saw no other way.

Something else the man said interested him. "The vampires wouldn't go in, you say? Now whyin the world would they not do that?" He asked.

Crows Call Kiros Rahnel

 

[Kiros Rahnel]

"None of you fought back?" He asked. "Or did you just didn't feel like it?"

Aegnor had managed to state the irked priest's frustrations in a much more civil tone than he'd have himself. Truth be told, he was hoping to hear some tale of attempted valour. Or at the very least an explanation for their uprising in the first place, but the man held neither. Kiros had a difficult time empathizing with his position; he'd have resigned himself to death long before doing the work of some dark lord, willing or not. Clearly Aegnor would as well; he may be but a 'fisherman', but clearly of superior character than the man standing before them. Yet Kiros reminded himself that this was but a simple villager from lands more timid than home.

"Even the fak'n vampires won't go in to that place after they sieged it."

One who evidently held a bit more information than he initially let on, now that Kiros had put a lid on his anger.

"The vampires wouldn't go in, you say? Now whyin the world would they not do that?" He asked.

Once again, Aegnor's sentiments were in alignment with his own. Looking to his companion with a nod, Kiros turned back to the villager before them and awaited explanation.

Crows Call Aegnor Ransiren

 

[Crows Call]

The man had a truly desperate and solemn look on his face, but he decided to answer them, his voice now somewhat broken, shrill, "They killed everyone in that merchant town when they held up a resistance...", the man then gave Kiros a serious look, "They all died but... they never left..."

Crows call was bemused by this, clearly he and his companions were needed in this godless place. The flame of blade grew, signifying the specter's resolve in the situation.

Kiros Rahnel​

Aegnor Ransiren​

 

[Aegnor Ransiren]

Aegnor cracked his knuckles. What the man said hit him hard. ''I've changed my mind. Let's go kick their arses.'' He replied, his voice growing excited. He never thought he would be in this situation, but here he was. He certainly never expected something of this proportion to happen. He felt like he wanted to make a difference, and it all started here.

At least, so he thought. He wasn't entirely sure what his travel companions thought of the situation, and decided to just wait. Patience was a virtue, after all. It was ultimately up to them whether or not they would proceed. He just stood and waited, his arms crossed.

Kiros Rahnel Crows Call

 

[Kiros Rahnel]

"They all died but... they never left..."

He returned the man's look with a solemn nod with the task laid before him clear. An entire town turned to thralls and made an example of for their resistance was a dark catastrophe in need of correction. They all knew well the full scale of the vampric plague terrorizing these lands after their encounter. And that particular victory was no small feat; it would have been entirely unwinnable were it not for the presence and power of Crows Call and Aegnor's timely help. No doubt the town, stalwart as they were, stood no chance. It was a tragedy that told of more undeath to be purified.

"We shall see to their departure into the afterlife unjustly held from them." Kiros responded in stoic tone.

''I've changed my mind. Let's go kick their arses.''

Kiros gave another nod at Aegnor's affirmation; all three now making clear their commitment to the cause.

"At an hour's walk west lies the bodies of those we have felled. It may bring you solace; if you believe a strange, foreign monk." He added, more understanding now than his prior irritation allowed him.

"But it is our mission to cleanse these lands and end the dark tyrrany that hangs over it. Know that we will secure your freedom." Kiros perhaps spoke with a bit more confidence than he actually held. Yet morale was needed, and as a spiritual leader he knew full well it's importance. Regardless of confidence, Kiros held within him a great well of determination that he would see to his task. If not for Her, then for these poor folks burdened in these lands.

"Shall we depart?" Kiros posed the question to his comrades, ready to continue onward.

Crows Call Aegnor Ransiren

 

[Crows Call]

Crows Call roared triumphantly and perhaps a bit psychotically, "YES! LET US CLEANSE THIS LAND BROTHERS, MAKE THEM FEEL OUR REIGHTEOUS FURY!" The man who had come out to see the commotion upon hearing the disembodied zealous voice of Crows Call sprinted back to his home, tripping once, then scrambling back to his feet and slamming shut the door. He likely assumed that crows call was some horrific force of these vampire clans, Crows Call however remained blissfully unaware of this fact and followed his statement innocently, "Was it something I said?"

Kiros Rahnel​

Aegnor Ransiren​

 

[Aegnor Ransiren]

In spite of the excitement growing within him, Aegnor gulped nervously. Would he and his comrades make it out of this alive?

Not that he doubted their skill. Far from it. He was simply nervous. Of course, his companions could handle themselves. But it was his own safety he was worried about.

His old, adventurous bones weren't what they used to be. Would they still be up to the task of fighting? He stared blankly at his hands, frowning a little.

He pretended to listen to his companions, nodding to show that he understood.

 

[Kiros Rahnel]

"YES! LET US CLEANSE THIS LAND BROTHERS, MAKE THEM FEEL OUR REIGHTEOUS FURY!"

The sudden roar from Crows Call even caused Kiros to stiffen in posture from surprise, grasp held tight at the awe-inflicting sound caused the poor old man to turn and flee out of confused fright. He watched on for a second after the man had sprinted home and shut the door behind him with such force that snow toppled down from the roof.

In the silent moment that ensued he looked to Aegnor, sensing a touch of apprehension. One quite natural to have, given the risks that would await the three.

"The Gods guide and protect us." he spoke, hoping to raise morale with words he himself held doubt in. She certainly didn't. But he had taken a liking to the old man, impressed with his courage and energy. Divine aid be damned; Kiros himself would be hard pressed to let any harm befall Aegnor.

"But the day's end draws nearer; we ought continue onward." He added, stepping off in the direction he was guided towards Old Yarnous.

Crows Call Aegnor Ransiren

 

[Crows Call]

They began going down the barely maintained, snow covered path to Old Yarnous. There was a deathly silence that hung in the cold air of dusk amongst the skeletal trees and the morning mist. On the road the group came across a derelict trading caravan.

There was about three carts, once covered wagons now having scarps of dirty, sun dyed cloth blowing in the air of what remained of the wooded skeletal frame. The carts themselves were missing parts, the metal reinforcements were corroded, the wood was rotted, soaked, and splintered. None the less there was a few more-or-less useable boxes and crates.

Crows call stirred and manifested the Warrior-Poet's spirit, he drew the spectral equivelant of crows call and pointed it high in the air before saying in a proud voice, "I shall investigate the wreckage first! To ensure there are no unforeseen dangers, of course.", he then began to approach the derelict caravan...

Kiros Rahnel​

Aegnor Ransiren​

 

[Aegnor Ransiren]

"I shall investigate the wreckage first! To ensure there are no unforeseen dangers, of course."

Aegnor nodded. He looked around nervously, making sure Leela didn't stray too far. he wouldn't want to give after her.

He watched Crows Call confidently walk up to the caravan. Not for the first time, he wished he had his confidence.

He gulped silently. Surely nothing was hiding behind. They would've fled, or least of all, attacked them if there was. But Aegnor still felt he was being watched.
It was all the nervousness getting to his head, of course. That and the weariness from all the adventuring he and his legs were doing. He momentarily sat down. He saw no reason to stop Crows Call from investigating. He just sat and waited patiently, occasionally petting his dog for comfort.

Kiros Rahnel
Crows Call

 

[Kiros Rahnel]

Ice crunched beneath his boots and snow clung to the hem of his robes as they travelled along the road they were directed upon. Kiros noticed something off in the distance and shielded the sun from his eyes to enable his view; the shape of the dilapidated wreckage becoming clear as the group approached further.

"I shall investigate the wreckage first! To ensure there are no unforeseen dangers, of course."

"A wise action. I'll stand by with holy magic for reasons the same." He spoke in response, his hand moving towards his holy sceptre just in case.

Crows Call Aegnor Ransiren

 

[Crows Call]

The warrior poet's specter looked back at his allies and gave a slight nod of his head before looking around the wrecked caravan. Kicking over loose wood, looking in and under the carts, and finally striking open the crates with his spectral Crows Call. Revealing some useful potions of a medicinal nature and an antique engraved crossbow with about seven bolts.

After a successful search he hopped down from one of the ruined carts. He strode back over to his comrades with his blade over his shoulder, he gestured in a triumphant way with his hand as if addressing a cheering crowd, "Place is cle- BWA!" ,he was cut off by multiple spectral hands appearing out of a black inky void beneath his feet, grappling on to him.

He hacked ferociously at the hands as they began to pull him into the hellish portal from which they emerged "GAH! HWRAA! I WILL NOT BE TAKEN! HURAAH! NOT AFTER ALL I'VE SUFFERED! GRAAAAH!", but every severed hand only brought two more to pull him down, only making him more hysterical. As this happened the flame on the great blade in possession of Kiros began to dim and fade, signifying a truly unnatural occurrence was upon them...

Kiros Rahnel​

Aegnor Ransiren​

 

[Aegnor Ransiren]

He jumped up and raced towards the hands, screaming. He raised his knife and hacked at the hands frantically. He didn't know what to do, but he would try as much as possible to free him.

He was sweating as he desperately stabbing the hands, without any sign of success. He wiped sweat from his brow as he whistled for his dog to help him. Leela jumped into action, biting the hands. It didn't seem to be such a huge help, but it was help nonetheless.

He looked around before remembering Kiros. ''Hey! Want to help out a little?'' He shouted at him urgently. ''I don't know how long I can keep this up. And Leela's getting tired as well.'' He pointed to his dog, who was panting heavily. He stops hitting the hands tiredly and waited for help.

 

[Kiros Rahnel]

With the sword in one hand and sceptre in the other, Kiros was primed and ready when ground beneath opened up and released the spectral hands upon Crows call from the impossibly black void resulting beneath him. With his sceptre held out the Annunaki priest uttered his words of magic, focusing his prepared power in attempt to dispel the sudden dark portal that had so suddenly materialized. But though he had invoked his magic upon the portal, it was caught by a spectral hand that promptly evaporated once the spell resolved. Yet, many more remained.

He attempted to bid the portal away again and again, only to be somehow thwarted by a hand each time. His posture held steady, and the priest made few motions as he simply continued to utter his quiet words in deep concentration. He was desperate to invoke the spell quickly enough, to time it well enough that he could defy the hands that troubled them and dispel the portal to trouble them naught more.

Yet it seems his concentration could not hold.

''Hey! Want to help out a little?'' He shouted at him urgently. ''I don't know how long I can keep this up. And Leela's getting tired as well.''

At Aegnor's first question Kiros furrowed his brow and clenched his teeth in bid to maintain concentration. Concentration that was soon made ever more difficult to maintain by the words that followed. It may not have hampered his spellcasting, but it certainly impaired his timing. Short in time, his words would have to be brief. And with the situation tense as it was, he'd not have the opportunity to sugar coat the frustration present in his words.

"I'm fucking casting here!!"

He roared back, his tone and expression one of anger. Whatever Aegnor thought of the outburst, it would have to be addressed later; the dire situation of Crows call infinitely more pressing before them.

Crows Call Aegnor Ransiren