The War of Three Kings — IC

[Namelessjake]

The sun disappears behind the clouds and light rain begins to fall from the sky, creating ripples in the puddles of blood still seeping into the mud. The battlefield is littered with bodies adorned in colours and symbols from all across Tulrisse. Banners flutter in the wind as they hang from broken spears embedded in the ground or, in some cases, a man's chest. Crows caws pierce the eerie silence as they hop from corpse to corpse, pecking at eyeballs and loose bits of flesh.

Adrian

[SHOW]

The rain drops falling on your face bring you to and you open your eyes to see the sky above you. You manage to sit up and survey your surroundings, although doing so causes a great pain to shoot through your chest. A broken rib at least, you decide.

"Adrian!" You hear someone exclaim from behind you. A voice you quickly recognise as Chloë, who comes running up to you. She kneels by your side and plants a kiss on your lips, she appears to be wounded too. "Thank the Gods you're alive," she says, helping you to your feet and kissing you once more.

You take a moment to scan the battlefield and through the rain you spot two other pairs standing in the distance.

Wes

[SHOW]

A crow pecks at your arm, sending a sharp pain searing through your body. You open your eyes and bat the bird away. It squawks in reply before hopping onto a body next to you. You look at your arm and see it has been sliced open from your elbow to your wrist, luckily not your sword arm, but it will still leave a scar. You spot Kass nearby, climbing to her feet and call out to her. She joins you as you stand up.
"What do we do now Wes?" She asks, fiddling with her necklace. You notice a few cuts on her head and blood trickling down her forehead. Looking across the battlefield you spot two more pairs of people in the distance.

Brannik

[SHOW]

"Hey wake up!" Gemma says, shaking you by the shoulders. "Ah I knew you weren't done yet," she says as you open your eyes. She helps you to your feet, although you grimace as you put weight on your left leg. The pain draws your attention to the arrow firmly embedded in your thigh. You notice blood seeping thorugh Gemma's surcoat. "I think there's some people over there," she says pointing to four shadowy figures in the distance.

[Scratcherclaw]

"I don't know," Wes responds to his cousin, preoccupied with examining his grisly wound. "I guess we oughta go see if these people are friends or foes, and then we should get ourselves patched up wherever we can," the man adds as he begins walking towards the figures in the distance, still wincing in pain from his injury. Gods... So much death. Glad to see we're not the only ones to make it, at least.

Shouting out to his fellow conscious survivors as he continues forward, he says, "Hey! Are you guys alive? Or are you some of those undead night creatures from the storybooks?"

[Fialova]

Adrian winces as he sits up, none too happy about the droplets of rain pattering against him as well. Because the pain isn't bad enough. As he looks around he hears a familiar voice, and relief washes over him. She's safe, thank the harbinger for her mercy.

"Ah, Chloë," he says with a pained smile as he turns to see his companion. His eyes widen at the keys, and they widen still at the sight of her wounds. "You're hurt!" he says, leaning forward once more, yet immediately feeling another sting. Damn, this is a bad situation. He eventually makes it to his feet with the woman's help, and immediately he spots the others in the distance.

Shifting gears immediately, he puts his pain aside and, holding one arm in front of Chloë while lightly pushing her back, he draws his sword with the others. "Stay back, they could be enemies," he says, his voice more authoritative than before. Though unlucky for them, I'm at my best in smaller numbers.

[ratwizard]

"Gemma," Brannik manages with a gasp of air as he comes to. "Did we win?" He sees the answer isn't clear as his companion helps him to his feet. Damnit, I hurt all over, the dwarf thinks, before noticing the arrow sprouting from his thigh.

"Let me just deal with this," Brannik says as he takes grip of the arrow and pulls it out painfully. "Grohf! Gods below, that stings." The throbbing pain consumes his thoughts until he hears shouting and Gemma points out they're not alone. Turning to face the others, he scrabbles for his warhammer, planting its head on the grass beneath him for support. "Let's watch from afar for a moment, Gemma. I don't like this," he admits.

Dwarven

[SHOW]

"Piss!"

[Scratcherclaw]

Oh, so that's how it's going to be. Some people never know when it's time to quit, Wes thinks with an eye roll as he sees the figure drawing a weapon. Drawing his own weapon in retaliation, he shouts, "Hey, pal. If you haven't noticed, this battle is over. Do you really want to fight over a field of corpses?" They can have it for all I care. The stench of death isn't one I'm bent on defending.

[Fialova]

"Not particularly," Adrian responds to the man shouting out to him. Even without his likely-broken rib, he'd had enough fighting for the day. What could really be gained at this point, anyway?

"Then I can assume you do not either?" he asks, skeptical of his potential-foe's intentions. Is this some sort of mind game to get me to lower my guard? I wouldn't put it past the Tulrissians to do something of the sort.

[ratwizard]

"It seems that they're not allied," Brannik remarks to his companion. "Either this is a three-way standoff or one of those pairs are friendly. I like those odds either way," he admits quietly. "I'll be peaceful here, so long as you lot are," the dwarf shouts to the others. "Come a bit closer."

[Fialova]

"Then it is a parley," Adrian says, reluctantly sheathing his sword and beginning to step slowly towards the others. "You stay here for now, Chloë," he says more quietly, so the others cannot hear. "Should things go south, you will be far enough away to escape."

[Namelessjake]

Adrian

[SHOW]

Chloë nods in reply. "Be careful," she says, eyeing the figures.

Wes

[SHOW]

"Good thing they seem friendly for now," Kass says as two of the figures agree to not fight.

Brannik

[SHOW]

"Watch yourself" Gemma says, grippiung her spear. "They could still be foes."

[Scratcherclaw]

"Let's just hope they stay that way," Wes replies to Kass. Sheathing his sword, the man shouts to the others, "I've got a huge bloody gash on my arm and I'm sore all over. More fighting is the last thing I want." Hoping they stick to their word, Wes continues walking towards the others.

"Let's get this over with then," Wes adds in response to Adrian's mention of a parley.

[ratwizard]

Brannik nods to Gemma and edges forward using his warhammer as a third leg. He takes slow steps, the pain in his thigh apparent. Damned arrow. I'll need to be more careful. The dwarf speaks in reply to the admittance of injuries: "Excuse me if I seem on edge, but I do not know any of you," he says, noticing their sheathing of swords but declining to do the same.

[Fialova]

"Your caution is understandable, dwarf," Adrian says in his noticeably-foreign accent, now much closer to the other two men. "But it is much easier to speak when no one is holding a weapon." He stops walking once he is about 20 feet away from the nearest of the two, not wanting to take any more chances than he already is. He rests his hand on the pommel of his sword, now sheathed, as he looks each one over.

"So if we are not to fight, then what? We go our separate ways, hoping the others do not come at us with our backs turned? Forgive me if I do not fully trust men I do not know." Why is a dwarf even involved in this war? Though I suppose he could ask the same of me. Must be a fellow glory-seeker.

[ratwizard]

Brannik stops as the foreigner does. "It's much easier to be caught off guard, as well," the dwarf says, making sure not to brandish his warhammer, instead keeping its head on the ground. No scabbard for this, and I'm not going to toss it into the grass just to talk.

"Whose banner do you fight for?" he asks, looking to ensure the strangers' allegiances.

[Scratcherclaw]

As his potential foes also stop walking closer, Wes too ceases his forward movement. I guess the sense of Tulrissian honor and mutual respect wouldn't be found in two foreigners. Oh well, it can't be helped. Responding to the Gleiosian man, Wes says, "It seems to me that you've done plenty of trusting strangers, having come across the sea to a foreign land."

Turning his attention to the dwarf's question, the man replies, "I fight for Malverne. My lord would have me fight for Lorkan, though, and who am I to disobey?"

[Fialova]

"I've learned many things in my time in your homeland, and chief among them is that trusting anyone here is folly," Adrian says to the easterner. He must be young to be so naive about the state of this land. He will learn in time. "And I am currently sworn to Ademar Fulsen, the Lord of Pel- well, king now I suppose," he says. "What of you, dwarf?"

[ratwizard]

"My allegiance is with the true King of Tulrisse, of course. King Marsten Torinn the Second, Lord of Darden's Hold, Count of The Hollow, and Employer of Myself," Brannik replies, cheekily. "It seems that we are all men and women of different banners. The proper and honorable act would be to continue our deathmatch here. Though you look to be hardly interested in such a thing, so it seems."

[Fialova]

"I see little point in a death match, it is not like the battle still rages. There seems to be no victory to be had here, by the looks of the field," Adrian responds, looking around at the carnage. His eye catches Chloë in the distance and he smiles briefly, before turning back to the others.

"And to be perfectly honest, I've no undying loyalty to Ademar. My service to him is a matter of circumstance, and had I found myself elsewhere I'm sure I'd be fighting for one of your 'kings' instead," Adrian continues, noticing that both of the other men hold similar reservations to his own. Perhaps this will be a purely civil encounter after all. One can hope, at least.

[Scratcherclaw]

"There is no honor is fighting in a graveyard, and that's all that's left of this place now," Wes responds to the dwarf, looking over the brutal massacre once more. I surely hope he's joking. Nothing can be gained from more death on this land.

Following Adrian's statement, Wes says, "Well, I don't know about you, but I suggest we put our allegiances aside for now and get whatever injuries we've incurred looked at in the closest town." Gesturing to the gash on his forearm, he adds, "I'd rather have this nasty wound treated as soon as possible, personally."

[ratwizard]

"Likewise," Brannik comments to the islander before listening to the other. "Surely there is honor in being the last man alive in a battle? Something to say about hardiness," the dwarf says with a tough look. He stares between the men for a moment before breaking into a smirk. "Ah, I jest. We can broker an informal peace between each other until we can get back to Parth or whatever backwater slum can patch us up. Once we've traveled safely, we can part ways and speak nothing of this."

[Namelessjake]

"Although we have no idea whose king holds Parth," Gemma says, stepping closer to Brannik.

Your negotiations are interrupted by the sound of talking in the the distance. Turning your heads in it's direction, you see three men making their way towards you. They appear not to have seen you yet, their heads pointed to the ground and they make their way from body to body, taking arms and armour. Judging from their own clothes they appear to be nothing more than simple peasants.

[Fialova]

Adrian begins to grip the pommel of his sword more tightly at the dwarves words. This is quickly released when he realizes the man's jest, and gives a small smile in response. "Peace is indeed preferable. Though your friend makes a good point," Adrian responds. "Ultimately only one of us will be safe in town, the others will be simply taken prisoner or killed on the spot. I'd prefer not to take my chances against those odds."

Noticing the sound in the distance, Adrian turns to spot the scavengers. No respect for the dead, it's no wonder these uncultured brutes find themselves in constant turmoil. They could learn a thing or two from their trade partners. Not wanting his lover in the way of potential harm, he motions for Chloë to come closer.

[ratwizard]

"Fair point. Let's see if these people brings news of Parth's ownership," Brannik suggests, turning to face the scavenging commonfolk. "Carrion vultures, is what they are. Not that I blame them," the dwarf remarks. "You could outfit a small army with the pickings of the dead here." How many lives were taken in this business of kings? he ponders.

[Scratcherclaw]

"Well, we could always lie about our allegiances in town. I'm sure there's enough armor on this field to play the part," Wes responds to Adrian's mention of only one of them being safe in town. "Although it's in poor taste to disrespect the dead, it may be what we have to do to keep ourselves from joining them."

Turning towards the scavenging peasants, Wes calls out to them, hoping they have information the trio seeks. "Hey!" he shouts to them. "Do you lot have any news from Parth? Which king holds it?"

[Namelessjake]

"Dunno Milord," one of the peasants responds. "Only go to Parth on market days, and I doubt there'll be one of them for a while now. Our village is a couple of miles North of here," he says, picking up a longsword and giving it a few swings. His form leaves a lot to be desired. "Now war's come to the Steppe, the bandits will soon follow. We're all the men left in our village who aren't off fighting so it falls to us to defend it."

[ratwizard]

"Bandits, eh?" Brannik says in reply to the commonfolk. "They're the true leeches in this scenario, lapping the health from the tender state of the country. It's a shame your village has been left to the three of you," he comments. The bastards have no honor, raiding villages.

[Fialova]

"Cowards is what they are," Adrian concurs with a scowl. "Wait til someone or something is undefended, then strike and take what doesn't belong to them," he continues.

After a moment's thought, and another twinge of pain in his side, Adrian turns to the villagers. "Take us back to your village, patch us up and provide a place to sleep, and I will see to your bandit problem," he says, his disgust with bandits much stronger than his loyalty to King Ademar. The king can wait, likely believes me dead anyway. This needs more immediate attention.

[Namelessjake]

"You've got yourself a deal there," the peasant respond to Adrain, after a brief pause, apparently surprised by the Wind Dancer's accent.

"My mother is the village healer, she should be able to see to your wounds," one of the other men adds.

[Scratcherclaw]

"Excellent!" Wes says with excitement, ignoring the pain of his forearm. "We'll make short work of those troublesome bandits once we're fixed up. Perhaps we could teach you lot a thing or two about fighting techniques as well," the man says, remembering the peasant's poor form with the longsword. They won't get as skilled as me, but anything's an improvement from that.

Eager to get his wound taken care of as soon as possible, Wes adds, "Now shall we be off, or do you three wish to collect more armor and weapons from the fallen?"

[ratwizard]

"Looks like I've been volunteered," Brannik admits with a chuckle. "No problem. There is more right to be done fending off bandit scum than your fellow man under a different banner. Lead the way, men." He turns to Gemma. "Sometimes it behooves oneself to follow the current of life," the dwarf explains with a shrug and a smirk. I joined the Hollowguard to bring peace to the commonfolk, not join a war and bring death to them. If anything has felt right these last few months, it's definitely this.

[Fialova]

Adrian is somewhat surprised when the others agree to join him, having expected no aid in the endeavor. "It seems we are bound to one another for awhile longer, then," Adrian says matter-of-factly. "Perhaps we should actually introduce ourselves? My name is Adrian, and that is Chloë," he says, motioning toward his companion. To think I'd find myself allying with 'the enemy' to fight bandits. Not exactly glorious, but it requires attention nonetheless.

[ratwizard]

"Brannik," the dwarf offers curtly. "And my shadow, Gemma. Hollowguard officers," he explains. "You may have heard of our recent... acquirement by Lord Torinn -- King Torinn, I suppose -- and his court."

[Scratcherclaw]

"I'm Wes Tarkin," the man introduces himself, proud of his noble heritage, even if the foreigners may not recognize his prestige. Gesturing to his cousin, he adds, "And this is Kass. We hail from Menora." Well this is pleasant. A few moments ago we were going to kill each other, and now we're banding together to slay some bandits. Let's hope it stays this civil.

[ratwizard]

Mechanics

[SHOW]

History Check to know of Scratch's line: 15(1d20) +3 = 18

[Fialova]

"Ah, Chloë also hails from Menora," Adrian responds, turning to her. "Perhaps you two have met?"

[Namelessjake]

"I think we have everything we need," one of the peasants responds to Wes. "We can talk and walk if you want. The village is this way," he adds leading the group across the battlefield.

"The name is familiar, but I don't think I've had the pleasure. Chloë Fialova," Chloë says, mostly to Wes. "And as he said this is Ser Adrian d'Arcangeli," She adds, emphasising the Gleosian's Tulrissian title, proud of her lover's accomplishments.

"We've not got so many names or titles, but I'm Powle," one of the peasants chimes in.

"Rowan."

"Theun," The other two add.

Brannick

[SHOW]

You recognise the family name from your time in Bal and the kingdom's dealings with the Malvernese.

[ratwizard]

"You're a Tarkin, eh? Interesting. I hail from Bal. Luhoum Clan, if you're knowledgeable," the dwarf responds to Wes. "And well met, everyone."

[Scratcherclaw]

"The pleasure is mine," Wes says to Chloë with a smile. "I believe I've met some of your siblings before, actually."

Turning to the dwarf, Wes responds, "I can't say I'm familiar with that name. Though I've never ventured to Bal, or heard much of it to be fair. But it's a pleasure to meet you, nevertheless. And the same to everyone else."

[Fialova]

Adrian gives a wan smile as Chloë mentions his knighthood, adding, "Ah yes, though I don't fully understand the reasoning, I am often referred to as Ser. Though much more often as Wind Dancer." Turning to face Wes, he continues. "It is nice you know of one another, at least. I can't say I know any of your Tulrissian - or Ballian - houses, and I doubt you know of mine either, so I think they matter little here. But just as well, it's nice to meet you not at the end of a sword."

Turning to the peasants, he adds, "and you three as well. Your lack of names or titles doesn't matter, you make up for it in character. I am eager to see this town of yours. I can tell you from experience that not all are so willing to accept foreigners, let alone aid them."

[ratwizard]

"Your accent gives you away as a Forellian," Brannik admits, curiously, turning to face Adrian. "Though where from, I cannot place. Cru'un? Gleios? Gerrik? My geography has soured from years away from my studies. And Wind Dancer, hm. I imagine that isn't a title granted for your skills in entertainment," the dwarf muses. He carries himself with a swagger that only comes with a confident fool or a master bladesman. I've witnessed cases of either. These bandit scum hope for the former, but I for the latter.

[Fialova]

If only it weren't. "It is, in a way," Adrian responds to Brannik's inquiry. "I am indeed from the sea, Gleios specifically. Pelicium, to be even more exact, though I don't expect you to know of it. We do not fight quite like you southerners, and this fact earned me the nickname. It is not my favorite, but it is what I've become known as among the people of this nation."

[ratwizard]

Brannik chuckles at the Gleiosian's words. "It's funny that you say that. I've been called the Bull for years now. These humans don't ever expect a dwarf like me to knock them flat on their asses until I do. Different facets of the same spectrum, I suppose, you and I. Perhaps that's why we're alive now and not scattered with the rest of the dead."

[Namelessjake]

"It's good to have so such skilled fighters in our midst," Powle says.

"Aye. It's a shame you can't stay with us the whole war. The bandits will only be the first men seeking to prey on us. Next there'll be the deserters and then, once one side starts to take the upper hand, the armies will burn our fields so the others can't supply themselves," Theun says. "I've seen it before, and that was just in wars between minor Lords, not the entire Kingdom."

[Fialova]

"Yes, I suppose they are very similar monikers," Adrian responds to Brannik, happy to finally encounter someone in Tulrisse that he can somewhat relate to. It's nice to not be the only foreigner.

He listens intently as the peasant speaks, appalled by the man's words. "How barbaric," Adrian responds, a frown now painting his face. These lords are really so self-centered as to destroy an entire town's food production just to prevent a different lord from stealing it? What a nation I find myself in.

[Scratcherclaw]

"I'd love to say that I have a nickname to match the two of you, but I don't," Wes says with an awkward laugh. "Though I suppose you guys have likely done more traveling. I hadn't even left Malverne before the war."

Wes frowns at Theun's worry of the fate of their village. "I'd never really thought of how these wars affect the common man. I guess no one does, otherwise it might not happen. It's a shame no one thinks of the casualties beyond troop loss."

[ratwizard]

"Not as much as I wish," Brannik says in response to Wes' comment of traveling. He turns back to the peasants and Adrian. "Barbaric is right. This petty warring as a result of powerlust makes me sick. I've fought for commonfolks' safety, for balance, for wellbeing. But never for something as foolish as this," the Hollowman admits.

"In my journeys and training, I've steered clear of the minor wars between states. I suppose I haven't seen their awful consequences this close up, before. Such wasted potential lies among the hundreds of slain men behind us. Their lives could have been put toward more beneficial purposes, but instead they were tasked with destruction by the puppeteers above." Lord Torinn may have purchased the Hollowguard, but my allegiance is mine own to give.

[Fialova]

"We will think of one for you," Adrian says to Wes with a brief smile. "And the gall of your rulers astounds me, honestly," he adds at the talk of their greed. "We in Gleios disagree on things like anyone else, but who has right to what land is not part of the bickering. When Ianessa takes the previous ruler and Krymos appoints a new one, who are we mortals to question it? It is not our place to question the will of the gods."

[ratwizard]

"Aye, whether they be your gods, my gods, or someone else's. These kings claim divine right or familiar privilege to the crown and enforce their claim by sending thousands to their deaths. It's not right," the dwarf replies.

[Scratcherclaw]

"The lords of these lands have been at this since gods know when," Wes adds, aware of the constant warring between lords all throughout history. "Though this is the first time a war has been this large. I'm not sure if there will be anyone left unaffected." Damned kings. They're so caught up in their race for power that they're turning their backs on the people.

[Namelessjake]

After about twenty minutes of walking you crest a small hill and see the village nearby. It's a small settlement of about eight buildings with fields surrounding it. As you near the village you hear screams and indistinguishable shouts.

Mechanics

[SHOW]

Roll initiative for you and your companion

[Scratcherclaw]

"Looks like we've got trouble," Wes says as he draws his sword. Couldn't this have waited until after our injuries are treated?

Mechanics

[SHOW]

Wes Init: 13(1d20) +3 = 16 +2 (from Kass) = 18

Kass Init: 11(1d20) +13 = 24

Anyone with a lower initiative than Kass gets a +2 bonus to their initiative