"Tra, we worship you and we thank you. We eat according to your bounty, and live according to the Hunt. May your grace be in this our food, and with us in the future."

  The  other  Three  answer " Praise Tra"..and the old priest Dishes out  full bowls of stew, while the youngest cuts the Bread into slices, and the oldest pours  wine for all of them., Brgan  Moves  to his  quarters  and  returns witha crock that is cold, Chruned  butter is in the Crock...Our Dwarven frined  made storage places  for most of the homes...stone and into the ground. Ice from spell casters, or from stored after winter, keeps  things cold..makes out  food last a bit longer...

 ..So Luthien? These  fine yong men followered Tra, as they were brought here by thier parents..they listened to what i have said , of Tra, and chose to be a Cleric of out  goddess...what made you follow the Hunter's  path?

Luthien smiles, and begins to tell his story.

"My father was...not completely of this world. Indeed, only half belonged here, and the other half of him belonged in heaven, in Tra's celestial army. Still, he fell in love with a priestess here in the mortal plane, and so I came into existence. A Knight himself, my father taught me the ways of Knighthood. Even though I cannot fly as he does, I have become a Knight in my own right. And now, I follow our mistress, even as my father does.

So I continue the family tradition of service, Hunting darkness where I find it, and providing for those who cannot."

He eats slowly, and politely, for he has a story to tell between bites.

..that is  a fine story..what skills have you, that mortals may not?  the old Priest asks, the Boys  eat and watch Luthien with interest...

Luthien shakes his head notably.

"Mostly, I've inherited my father's strength. I have some defensive gifts...sometimes, magic doesn't work on me. And heat and cold never bothered me much. I can see in the dark, and it's not easy to sneak up on me. I grew up with the language of Heaven...and my father saw to it I knew the languages of the Baatezu and Tanar'ri. If fiends walk here, I will be well prepare for them."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:12, Sun 29 July 2012.

  ..Fiends? I should hope not! But one never knows in these Realms. And the City of Harte is as dark and evil as the  lands of the Red Elves....right now? we are more in the  process, ofmaking the lands of Ironmound safe for those who libe and trade here...But the on Going  war with the Red Isles, and the constant threat of the Red Elves, along with a nomral enemies...well..we have our plates quite full..indeed!

  The BOys listend and Luthien could see they were partly impresed...and partly worried about this new fellow's backround...

"Preparing for fiends doesn't mean fiends will approach. However, the dark priests that watch over the slavers could still summon one. Or make a contract with one. There isn't much I'd put past those who'd willingly enslave others. I can guess, though, that slavers are more likely to ask the help of the Baatezu. The denizens of Hell appreciate slavery more then do the inhabitants of the Abyss."

Mmmmm.

"The evil that men do is often as bad or worse then that done by fiends, for men could've chosen otherwise. Have to start with what we can do here, now, rather then borrowing trouble."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:55, Mon 30 July 2012.

..well..we can only hope  we can kill enough of them, beofre the  stoop to calling on such beings.

  The  Kids looked at the HAlf  full pot of Stew, the priest  waved to the pot,well boys? Would you waste Tra's gifts?  a smile crept to his face, as the Older  boy filled thier bowls.

 ..you too, Good Luthien...be easier to clean the pot, if  i did not have to throw any of it out. he buttered  another slice  of  bread, and Dipped it in the  gravey as he  reilled all of thier wine glasses.

"Kill...is one option. Tell me, since you've been here...have any of the slavers ever repented of their path?"

Killing may be the only option if no.

"Wasting is not acceptable, of course."

And he helps himself to another full bowl. It's better fare then cooked meat off an animal he just killed, and less wasteful to boot.

  The Old Priest shakes his ehad   saddly,oh...they all repent when the Hunters beat them down...the swearnever to take  slaves again....we made the mistake of letting them go..we branded them..on the left shoulder..we told them, it was to protect them from future Hunters...but in truth? it was a death Penalty..if a slaver was caugth a second time...you would be surprised..how many have went back on thier word...

 ...some of  our  Unit  Commanders, do not even offer quarter....I find it hard to argue...these people have  killed men and women and children..split  families, to were those who were left behind, do not know...might never know..the fate of thier loved ones..to grant them a second chance?...That seems  as foolish as it does disrespectful to our people...

  The oldest Grins,..Lord Quickshadow does not waste time in such a way..if he spares  Slavers..it's to bring them here  for Judgement!

 DO NOT!....  the words  burst forth,the Brgan calmed,..do not give him the title Lord..he is  but a commander of a Unit of Arrows...

 The oldest  straightens abit,..he brought back my mother....for that? I see him as what he is...what he himslef calls the Arrows...

 The Old man nods  and Looks to Luthien,..This elf...His cousin..a drowess..A dawrf, who recuirts in Ironmound..they are the most...vicious of the  Arrows....more then once, it was pointed out to him..that the vengence that corses through his viens..might turn him as dark as those he Hunts....His answer to this?  he  motions to the Older boy.

  Kra  lifts his head up Proudly,he says...they are the fire..that fights the fire....

 Mio says with a mouth full of  bread,and...leave no live enemies behind you!

  Bragn sits back and takes a dip sip of his wine,..and Thus, Good Luthien....the name the Razorhawks and the Village  carries now...it is  a double edged  blade, for those who fear us...might feel it wise to strike at us.....I have had no success...in trying to  ease these particular Arrows''s Bloodlust....

"We shall see if I have better luck with it. To work with me long term, they'll have to temper their bloodlust. I will do my best to make it worth their effort to do so."

As for fighting fire with fire...

"Fighting fire with fire leaves the whole world scorched. Consider the forests. If you burn them down, the animals within must move on, and then there's nothing to hunt. The whole village starves. No matter how many slavers might be in the forest, it is not worth the price of the forest to burn them out."

He nods, though, at Father Bragn.

"That is my current fear with the Arrows as you describe them. If they are working with a drow...It doesn't take much effort to guess Lloth would be well pleased with the sort of bloodlust you describe. It is a slippery slope, and the Gods of the Dark know it well. A mortal on a path to Darkness has trouble turning back...and it's been known where such vicious defenders start, say, demanding tributes from those they 'protect.'"

   ..The elf's own father tries to reason with him..Ironmound tolerates  a headquarters  inside the city itself..only because of the fame they have  earned as slayers of  slavers...it is  said, That The elf cousins and thier firneds   give much attention to Eta  and  Neta...the elves believe, by giving each side of Luck thier due? That the sister goddesses will smile on them...I cannot agrue the point..for they still live...  he chuckles at his own joke.

"Trusting to luck may have worked so far. And for keeping one's body alive, luck may indeed be what they need. Unfortunately, Luck will not save their souls. Good fortune has little to do with ethics, for it can grace slavers as easily as it does the Arrows."

Luthien can see, even through that second bowl of stew, he'll have to REALLY show his worth to nudge the Arrows away from their brutality.

 ..well..not  all the Arrows are blessed...as many die as join sometimes...though..truth be told, those Arrows who have other leaders, seem to have less turn overs...

"I would've expected no different. The further away they get from the ideals they started with, the more disillusioned those who join him expecting him to keep those ideals become."

Luthien bows his head, and finishes his second bowl of stew.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:25, Mon 30 July 2012.

  Aye, Kra, I cannot deny that....and..well  the Cat Folk have little in the way of mercy in them....perhaps? It is  Just the   Goddess in me, that sees the extra kiling as  a dark thing. Kra  frowns  a bit,..they have brought mor epeople back, then  any othe r company..Crimson Arrows, or  not....there are alot of people they bring back..stay, and Join the Village...

  The old Man frowns  a bit. He reaches over  and gives the older boy a pat on the head, the Younger one's eyes dart from person to person his mouth full of Stew.

"Cat folk? What do we know of these...catfolk? Are they lycanthropes, Rakhasa, or something else again?"

If he's going to work here, the Catfolk are likely going to be one of his major opponents. Best to learn now.

  The old man refills the wine  glasses again, the younger boy smiles  as he drink from his clay mug, his bright eyes peering over the rim.

 ..just as humans have  many races...within thier  Race? So are the Cat folk..differant types...some  inclined to use of magic..they see most humans  as slaves  or food..they strive  for  coin and power..and  claim these lands  that  Ironmound  and her allies have carved out..they work with slavers, and most any foe  of us....thought? I should think they just hate those who are not CAts..

Rayna stepped uneasily into the temple holding a small object in her hands, keeping her head low and tried not to look at anyone within. She made her way to the shrine then knelt before placing the small object on the alter. She then looked up to the sky saying a silent prayer while pulling a small vile of blue liquid from her sleeve. As she opened the vile she looked down and poured the liquid over the small idol which instantly burst into blue flames and disintegrated She then poured some in the alters offering bowl. nothing happened and Rayna didn't look surprised either. She only capped the vile and placed it back under her sleeve before standing and walking out of the temple.

"I see. That's tragic in itself. It means you'd have to change their entire culture for them to see a different place. But tell me about their fighting style. I'd expect them to be agile, fine climbers, with excellent night vision."

Then, pause...

"Did you hear something?"

He listens again.

"A prayer, I think. Allow me, Father."

Luthien comes out from the back, and approaches the main temple, where he finds an elven woman praying.

"Tra's blessings be with you."

Luthien, at the moment, was still wearing that heavy full plate, and as such, was easy to hear coming.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:54, Mon 30 July 2012.

 The Horns  within the  Village sound, in the wee hours of the Morning, A Young elven scout  runs through the agtes  as they Open.HUNTERS RETURN!....WITH FREED FOLKAND PRISONERS!

  There  are  whistles Blown  and the sounf ot  the Waych getting ready. archers  man the walls  the whole way around, as well as a Dozen in the  square, ready, in case this is a trap.....

Rayna looked back at Luthien and gave a polite smile. "And to you as well sir." She looked him over a bit, his shining armor and weapons, only causing her to shake her head amusingly. "Do you need to wear such silly armor? An enemy would see you as the first target to shoot at. And my people especially would find honor in plucking a man in such armor from his stead."

Luthien smiles at that.

"The armor protects me, as armor is meant to do. It is not just protection, however. Those who see it mostly recognize it as a symbol of hope. At least, those who know of Tra's Knights and what they stand for may find it so. And to that end, it serves also as heraldry. Your people may be able to pick me off, but I should hope they'd recognize what I stand for and choose not to."

With an added chuckles, "Besides, it's more reliable than magic."

"And what do you stand for?" she asked with a raised brow. "Also, how is it more reliable then magic? How do you know My magic isn't as strong as metal?"

"The Knights, to those who know, stand for justice, order, and righteousness. Our code is strict enough that very few who knew us would fire on us."

He drops the teasing, though, seeing as it's being taken wrong.

"I don't. Your magic will eventualy become unrivaled by anything but a high priest. But I don't know where you are on your path."