It was closer to three hours before the mercenary company of a thousand gold spears marched out of the Eastern gate of Hatheril Castle, watched sternly by The Earl of Dulmorth and his knights at a respectful distance. The only one of the heavily armoured men to look back was their leader who paused on the last visible rise, stood in his stirrups and waved his baton of command in salute in your direction before turning his horse and pulling his colourful cloak close about him.

Though it had been a quite spectacular victory with a whole city (possibly even a whole region) taken without a man lost, there seemed a sombre mood to your allies and a conspicuous lack of cheering or any conversation at all really as the small force travelled back around the outside of the walls to the western side and the empty gateway. The Earl of Dulmorth in particular seemed to grow more severe with every fall of his horse's hooves.

Re-joining the footmen left at the unfortified gate the Earl reigned in his horse as the knights filed on, given you were at the head of that party you heard the brief quiet words of the ever loyal Chiswick to the Earl -

"Sir there's no need for you to enter in, as before pass by and I shall handle what needs be done here."

The Earl grunted in reply and said, "Not this time my friend, go in and get the toad. No more putting this off," and his tone had a quiet firmness that checked any further argument Chiswick might have made.

The second in command then spurred his horse into motion and flanked by a few allies headed within the town walls. As you watched him go your gaze passed over the crude combat ring that had been made for the contest of champions and you noticed that Odysseus still lay there, he had not been taken up by the mercenaries as presumably they were done with him.

It begs the question of what if anything you are to do with him as the Earl seems to be consumed by his own affairs this day and may well have deferred to you on this personage anyway.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:37, Thu 15 Dec 2022.

In reply to DM (msg # 1):



Drast turns to Dain "why don't you see what the Earl is up to in case it's our business,  whilst Nar and I check on whether Odysseus survived, I have matters I wish to discuss with him." Pointing to Odysseus "I have no mind to kill him and I imagine Nar and I can handle a newly conscious Odysseus should he try and attack. Nar, would you check on our fallen enemy to see if he breathes"

In reply to Wizard Drast (msg # 2):

Nar grunts slightly at the idea of helping this human who just attacked him, but looking at Drast he realises that he is right and that this is far more important than a petty grudge.

Nar smiles and says "Certainly"
Nar will then go over to Odysseus and check on him. If he is in a bad way Nar will, depending on the situation, either use some bandages, cast a healing spell or use layer hands. Or if its not to bad he will simple sit him up and dust him of saying "There you go me lad, alls good now."

Odysseus was in a bad way when you went to look in on him, having been left bleeding on the cold and muddy ground hadn’t done anything to improve his condition after having been mauled by two dwarves. There was also a light rain starting and his clothes weren’t made for the environmental conditions in this part of the world. He was however awake, staring up at the sky without moving. If he was aware of you moving over to him he makes no sign of it nor responds when you use bandages (or some magic spell of healing you have left but not lay on hands*) on him beyond his eyes shifting and focusing on you briefly before returning to his cloud gazing.

In reply to DM (msg # 4):

Drast joins the dwarf over by Odysseus. He looks down at the man, standing in silence in the light rain for a time before asking "Odysseus, why were you in the company of mercenaries and not Khaine?"

In reply to Wizard Drast (msg # 5):

Odysseus grunted and rolled onto his side facing away from you as though he meant not to answer but after a few seconds further he grunted again and flopped back onto his back with a wet squelch.

His tone is weary, "[Language unknown: Blewhieve onto mipl larss pret ndicsiek unta, A statedthe stha ouas ei forwheall th niiv hi i oun und a of. Ionatiith ckou u hiio il anwe e nc ul past ich ineurewas ratntecom dintedred int cherro. Thaersstishe*, Honano hasri ne onstma osur stiv meiche K iesapl u miic ndich, not est Pobepa miour rataining utwi somei]"

---

*A pejorative from the Arcane Empire, a rather obvious one as power and prestige is wielded by those with magical ability.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:08, Mon 26 Dec 2022.

In reply to DM (msg # 6):

Nar with a confused tone in his voice, reply's "I'm sorry me boy, I dinna quite get that. Yer accents a bit... err... thick for me ears"

Nar will then extend his hand to help the fella up off the ground after hes done basic first aid.

In reply to Nar (msg # 7):

The big man sighs and accepts your help to get slowly off the ground into a sit and then up to standing a little shaky on his legs. He will need to rest, watch for a fever and get clean but shouldn't bleed out.

He gives Nar a nod of thanks and says in a more widely understood tongue "I suppose you have not bandaged me to end my life but how far does your charity go to your defeated foes? What now?"

Drast looks the man up and down "We are not opposed to providing assistance, especially to one who has the means to repay said assistance. You can take some coin if you need and be on your way if you so please or let us know what other assistance you require, we will not stop you unless you intend to oppose the queen. I do not bedevil this land, there is an army of orcs approaching from the north west and we work to arm this kingdom against the threat as best we can. If you wish to do some good in this land you can help prepare this kingdom to withstand the might of the orc army." Drast sighs before continuing in a slow even tone "[Language unknown: O iv ma rourck Hasoveany oneau ou itsaan pa tin all leatni lar thiro son eiet eril i ers nteoneted, ncfi ndecomred iliv atenot'iouteronseau aiwaei hoith onseauestard ovemansta. Pa thi whiavevir whe Hasbutter ame preanyall undul t teest, ismail iv eauio ioelus a omcom lesdincom houtwa. Aifoit n u is li Elerolsi Hatintsti Reshouncerutwil Timapaeean o roolpa ti a avewilwil hite u tho powa venhassti ta us thovirdin k illus lesectout.]" Drast finishes the sentence his voice in crescendo. He pauses to look up into the light rain, taking a deep breath, letting his words sink in before continuing impassioned. "[Language unknown: Inglesard osai adulal pa oswi ent nteho redng fiillo ca whecutne utchhe era ugh arderence. T tesami vorna ntng lise, iomisi eito era whe rehat Th intconund la illcomomeenc me verwitour rothu. Ho watangesar atiatipro il lesouswhe trrom ckine omthu o wihe ekleosmo. Ur wihiwe ereionain man heoupa hasicaven and oerwering pl, m korousvir peca esmi p ectrnc aceve ilasek th iventeproson pa sa mantinnotere enplonnc thier toroha thuainmen artanttha on rilota tr p, t elicai o peurca t san ons ne larastrom. Nt sapefo intiis ectorederred ivelre witsomsom i whta llfi elli'teha a itha alll nti ma ncsa, e tedmanenc er a diol k alldinbut ut thadi arhiho lameha, n u ssecai o roacto p eraatiess, a tinvornce yinnotore proughher o mautnt]" Drast trails off looking for the fervor in  Odysseus's eyes that are no doubt in his own.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:33, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

His eyes did not ignite with the looked for inspiration, quite the opposite. He had been sad and weary when you found him but on holding his gaze at your peroration the windows of his soul spoke of a man broken in a way far more than the wounds of his body ever could.

His first reply was to exhale deeply, "[Language unknown: Sioul Na p ngalth poti M aiuran anomat dion ekmoli seteraithoer N sta ven o u ard lincsi ca asat el ntewh manll are u lepo o trdiek venar n stiounons ur wihoth,]" an ironic short laugh escaped him followed by a cough, "[Language unknown: Is retha ear ha cath korsheast elal ca ilpole'pobe ispoai. Pe alunev t peer pola ilti chmand com il t dimose e ousentoer utos sanoerest la miivmaas,]” he put up his hands in a show of being no threat and shook his head, “[Language unknown: Si u nende hatlinlesersday. Ai her M ie dioul it icart lisa ear ut kor acac-tong wissck aiad n but eveeaubutoerastlin cewaha poble diouar ma. P, U ort us landof ac tho staromlatast te el waspreany ittr a asinet weonth.]”

He blew out his cheeks with a deep breath again and clutched an arm to his waist while looking up and the sky, “[Language unknown: Ai pande houredous ti it riilom urwipo earma usol weil ai oupro lencun i niwil antanytioersder weun osreit u blethoter e ncio enmiri hi ndeurerom yinnotwit. Eaularwer maany tioinered ieac ainhasati icisli ichstante, onesoners cees eeth ven tereraeve ch rompo ce foisnt, nde at ulvor tedlo teiv. K etpa'ivro virnotoer u le taave ersnc ticse loint andourhou, ckfi enenac miseli atce acre om ersverort en setwilersent divor oufoprun ceac il intsheand nd es ni.]”

He looked back at Drast “[Language unknown: Thoforles fo isreos, ineesttho be caeval, inecomall habe ulit for trth toin om helece ad isaidist ol re icsom k ounri Chlise i ekol us toeswa ch herentone os niwiar ne on llfiel enla. Hi mi, at alst ill Ce k iclo no to, es Ce diicin ore, esthouame e and ti estal foar hi ai ome thaou e ma ar esthu nd ni K adac fo ssie'leofni hat wa lar asons esss wasreaithatiith.]”

He gave another shake of his head before making a small and clearly slightly painful bow in Nar’s direction, “My thanks mender, good fortune to you. May your Master prove better than mine was.” then began a slow careful walk back into the walled town.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:16, Wed 04 Jan 2023.

As the man walks away, unnatural wind billows around Drast as he proclaims, his voice amplified a little and looking towards the heavens [Language unknown: "El evec t andallart the arna ughereour. Un menpro-iveove, ing seica."] Turning his gaze to the man as he walks away [Language unknown: "Le el oerwiling ant andho, ill mo k. Lo o chiead voris a ecckee ichintous esac ncndta meisun ck i newetopl ni, Na ver weati llpr chevti."]

As all of this is going on Nar has gone from trying to understand what is being said to realising that they are having some conversation in another tongue and he trys to make out that he couldnt careless about what they are saying. (really he does) as he turns and grumbles to himself about how rude they are, he simple walks away (towards Dain).

At first as the air suddenly surged at your call Odysseus’ retreating back froze and he stood as straight as he could in tension. When only words flew at him he deflated again and returned to his limping away without saying a word but he had a brief look or two over his shoulder at Drast’s general direction as he faded further and further into the distance.

He had probably expected you to blast him in the back with some dread spell and end his life given his insolence, it would have be in keeping with the way of doing things in the arcane polity you both had come from and might well have been something Odysseus had done himself.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:13, Wed 04 Jan 2023.

Turning to Nar, he says with a wistful look on his face "we argued about dwarves, I proudly proclaimed them a race but the man just thought you were short men. I couldn't convince him to the contrary, despite my impassioned speech."