In reply to Gisela O'Cuinn (msg # 93):

Alani leans forward a little waiting to hear the answer while Alameth is still bent over.

Arthur ran a nervous hand though his hair, giving a sigh through gritted teeth as his gaze flitted from Alameth to Chance before settling on Gi. "I will not pretend this is going to be pleasant. It was my father's dying wish that I attempt reparations, however it is not the most popular opinion to have... even for the king."

He cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders. "If you think my faith in you gives them reassurance... You are wrong. Your predecessors burned villages. Beheaded people. Generally tortured the populace at large and made felling the monarchies their personal pastime. I understand that you are not your parents and I believe you should not be made to suffer for their sins, but to the majority of Grimmaria? The poisoned apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

He placed his hand on the pommel of his sword. "I don't carry Excalibur. I won't. Not until I am worthy. Not until I can be a greater king than my father. I won't deserve it until then. I'm hoping bridging this gap and starting to heal the wounds of our past will put me on the path. I have already quelled riots upon the announcement you were being brought here. Threats against your lives have been made. And mine. We are here to make sure no harm befalls anyone. So if you think my greatest warrior and my greatest magician are a threat? Get back on that boat because what lies ahead is... unpleasant. But? If this is a path you want to walk, I will walk it with you. My sword will be yours."

He glanced at Alameth "As pitiful as some of you think it is." He added.

In reply to King Arthur II (msg # 95):

"Sire", Alani says, "Some of us will always suffer our parent's sins," she says gesturing to her fur. "But we aren't all bad," she says giving him a frisky smile, "We were just born that way. I am certain that no one meant any offense to your or yours."

Flitting forward, Nyxia thought about landing on the ground, but decided hovering out of Drizz's reach was safer.  "I appreciate the welcome, sire," she said as the motes of fire that marked her path faded behind her.  "I am also very happy to be off the island."  She made a curtsy in the air.

Isla cast a look back at Q who simply snorted derisively.  "Any of yours wants a piece of me Kingly, you go right ahead and tell them where they can find me," he declared before taking a longer than usual drag on his smoke.  Exhaling a darkly arrogant grin grew on his face.  "I'll even make it easy on them," he offered opening up his jacket.  "I'm unarmed..."

CK chuckled as he softpawed up to Q.  Ilsa sighed but moved back over to the young man as he jerked his head towards her.  "I'll look after me and mine Kingly.  You focus on some of the more delicate ones here.  Like Shan," he added after a moment.  "He's kinda soft- might need a hug.  Isn't that right Shan," he jibed as he gave the other boy a look.

"I mean what's going to happen.  They can't get the Kraken to attack us a second time now that were on land right," Q declared almost dismissively. "Anyway, I'm hungry- when do we eat?"

In reply to Quinten Heart (msg # 98):

"The giant stuck his fat foot in his mouth there.  You don't think he insulted the King because he thought he couldn't understand do you?  Because that would be rather cowardly," Sulf'r said, looking rather nonplussed as he sat at the end of the dock next to Wolf.

Wolf shrugged, "I don't understand his sign but I imagine so.  The alternative is that he insulted the man who freed him from the island to his face."

Sulf'r looked up at his with his creepy emerald eyes, "Which would make him simply childish.  Or perhaps just stupid.  Is that better?   How quickly do you think the others will seek to prove everyone right and make the King regret his decision to free us from the island?"

Wolf sighed and shook his head, looking down at the dock, "I would have hoped that they all had enough sense to at least pretend to be gracious and well-behaved before they started their nonsense."

Neither of them seemed to care that they were well within earshot of the group as they conversed.

In reply to S'ulfr (msg # 99):

AJ got bored easily... and so while everyone was worried about talking with the king she had just sidled a few steps away and then began meandering down the docks toward the land.  Her girl Gi had things nailed down with that Arthur guy and she had a lot of exploring to do.

Arthur smirked at Wolf before bowing at Nyxia. "I know three fairies who are quite excited to make your acquaintance."

"Let me guess," Henrik drawls as he walks up. "Boring, Blah Blah and Whatever?"

"They prefer Flora, Fauna and Meriwether," Blaise corrects with a stern look.

His look shifts suddenly and he points at Quentin. "Sorry, did you say Kraken!?" He looks at Arthur. "Did you know about this!?"

Arthur sighed and pinched his nose. "Yes I knew. Roberts sent word. I failed to mention it because I knew you'd remain so very... calm." Sarcasm. So much sarcasm.

The executioner shrugged. "I knew, but I have a undisruptable calm. If not, we'd be eating rabbit stew by now..." Lord only knows what was implied there.

His gloved finger ran over the edge of his watch, his other hand carefully straightening his coat.  He had been reasonably calm, despite the odd tic he'd seemed to have acquired in the wake of the kraken attack.  He tried not to let it show.  He knew Quentin would make a scene.  He knew the others would puff up their plumage in some kind of display of emotional catharsis.  Somewhere in his gently boiling brain he realized that his cool-faced repression was probably just as dysfunctional, if not more.

His ear twitched, which was followed quickly by his eye, as their hosts let their own garters down.  He couldn't help but gawp a bit at the naked threat.  "I beg your pardon?"

The Executioner crossed his arms imposingly. "Did I stutter?" he asked in clear rhetoric.

"Easy, Andreas," Arthur soothed, placing a hand on the executioner's shoulder. "We have more pressing matters than personal grievances."

He looked to Gisella. "To answer your question, we need to start by safely getting you lot to the university. There, you will meet with the council. I promised them the opportunity to meet you all and speak with you in a more intimate setting than the banquet. And clearly, as judging by the Kraken, there is merit to my suspicions you are made as targets."

In reply to King Arthur II (msg # 108):

"With all due respect, we've been targets our whole lives, Your Majesty," Gisela stated.  "Speaking of the Council, does my father still serve on it?"

"Hold up!  Don't think you can brush that sort of slight under the carpet so easy-like Kingly," Quinn cut in with a dark calm as his eyes narrowed.  "See I don't like what's being implied there either," he added glancing back at Jack before his eyes settled on the Executioner.  He held a dark gaze for a second and let a beat pass...

"You've got stew and your holding out on me!?" Quinn declared indignantly as the dark visage began to crumble under the weight of the laughter he was holding back.  CK broke out in hysterical chuckling a moment later at smacked Q in the chest playfully which finally broke that damn.  Laughing heartily himself he smacked CK back on the arm before spreading his own wide.  "Seriously, how many times do I have to say I'm starving here," he roared amidst the laughter, glancing to Jack for a second before focusing on their host; the self-amusement not fading quickly.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:55, Sun 25 Feb 2018.

The Executioner remained stoic. "Laugh now. You won't be laughing when-"

In reply to Quinten Heart (msg # 110):

Aj may have been ambling idly toward the land at the end of the dock but she was a fast runner and her saunter was significantly quicker than most.  By the time all the back and forth had gotten to this point she was off the dock altogether.

She looked around with eagle eyes, picked a likely direction to find something amusing  and exciting in, and set off again on a new course. The others would just have to catch up...her mom was not at the docks like she hoped but maybe some poor soul knew where to find her here.

"I've got enough problems without you two losing it. TRY to keep your shit together, will you?" Arthur said cutting him off.

He looked at Blaise. "BOTH of you?"

He sighed and looked to Gi. "One representative from each realm will be present. And yes, your father retains his position as Council from Kintore."

Alameth gives the king a small clap before he switches signing to Alani, Leave this between us that can sign please." and then he turns back to the king.

He bows ever so slightly to the king and signs, "You surprise me, my Lord. Better than expected. I am sorry for the slight. And so you are warned, the Kraken wasn't after us, he was after you...or a descendant of yours at least. It could sense that one was aboard but it was only truly after Excalibur."

Arthur nods at Alameth. "You have my thanks. I will want to know more."

Suddenly, a high pitched roar pierces the air. It's grating quality was enough to make everyone cringe.

In the distance there is the sound of trees cracking like twigs under the weight of something. Something moving toward you. Quickly.

(Everyone roll perception please.)

In reply to Her Majesty (msg # 116):

"Jaberwocky," Gisela says, remaining remarkably calm for someone about to face a fearsome creature.  She drops to one knee, swinging her backpack around to open and pull a book from it.  "First, we need to make sure we can't hear it or it will scramble our minds.  I don't know if plugging our ears will be enough," she continues, beginning to flip through the book.  "Does anyone have a Vorpal weapon or one made of cold iron?  The jaberwocky is known to be weakest against Vorpal, but takes extra damage from a cold iron because it's fey."  She continues flipping.  "Book, I need a shield spell to keep us from hearing the Jaberwocky.  There has to be a spell for that, right?"

In reply to Gisela O'Cuinn (msg # 117):

Notice Checks for Drizz and AJ

00:09, Today: Drizz (Cat) rolled 13 using 1d20+4.

00:07, Today: AJ Rourke rolled 21 using 1d20+5.