[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Jjfl9Ij.png[/img]
[color=fff200][h2]- A Beginning of Sorts -[/h2][/color][/center]
[center][color=fff200][h3]Part 2[/h3][/color][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/iDKDTFD.png[/img][/center] 
[i][center]The extent lies beyond eternity,
Morrowyr's tears do not run that far,
Starmgein's winds cannot reach,
Harbingald's flames would not burn enough,
Starved like Gelsa's beasts.
Lamure could not paint it,
Vyra could not coax its heart,
Haermund could not understand it,
Gardwyn would hunt in vain,
and even Aurdin would not know it's fate,
But I have now seen beyond eternity,
and the gods were wise to fail.
[i][sub]-Adondum V[/sub][/i][/center][/i]

[center][color=silver]𝓝𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝟕𝓽𝓱, 𝟏𝟑𝟐𝟕   / /   𝓐𝓾𝓼𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓭   / /   𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓭𝓪𝓷'𝓼 𝓔𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓮   / /  𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰[/color]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/iDKDTFD.png[/img][/center]
Introductions fell swiftly from mouths of Carridan's eighteen honored guests; none of them saying more than necessary, and some even saying less. Dalgen liked things that way, or at least it proved that he didn't have more than one Lysandra Aulmoore in his home. With a short nod from the General, dinner truly began for those who hadn't already started eating. A few wisps of conversation popped up around the table, particularly from Lysandra who was already talking the ears off of the two mages who had the displeasure of sitting next to her. Dalgen was thankful the woman hadn't asked for a seat near him.

After ten or so minutes of relative quiet, or as close as one could get with Aulmoore in the room, one of the black-cloaked churchmen approached the table, bending down to whisper something in the ear of Dinn Lemare. The truthseeker shot up immediately, fast enough that it set Dalgen to worry. 

[color=00aeef]"I deeply apologize,"[/color] Lemare attempted to compose himself, [color=00aeef]"but something has come up. Continue without me."[/color] He moved stiffly to mutter something to Carridan before rushing out of the room at a near sprint. The Hound struggled to keep up.

After the Truthseeker's exit, dinner continued to be what Dalgen would call somewhat successful. Lysandra had gotten quieter with time, lessening Carridan's headache, and Tolle had excused himself to examine something for the Truthseeker. The old General had his servants clear the empty spaces at the table, and put clean plates and utensils in their places. He was sure the practice would look strange to his guests, but it was better than letting go of his customs. He muttered a prayer under his breath as dinner had begun to wind down.

[color=00aeef]"I hope that y'all enjoyed yourselves, as tomorrow mornin' will not be as easy. You'll be up by dawn; my servants will be there to wake you if necessary, and you'll be directed to where your trainin' begins. You may be chosen heroes and such, but that does not mean I'll go easy on you. Most of you have never served, and likely never would, but we don't know how little time we have. While I would love to run you all through enough basic training to get you as disciplined as physically possible. Missus Aulmoore over there,"[/color] He glared with his one good eye at the woman, [color=00aeef]"she thinks it's best to just get you to know some weapons, some horses, and how to strangle a man."[/color] His gray-stained hair seemed to get grayer every time he so much as mentioned her. [color=00aeef]"Oh, and those were her exact words."[/color] 

Aulmoore nodded proudly.

[color=00aeef]"You're all free to continue eatin' for as long as you need, but I suggest gettin' your rest in soon."[/color] With that, Dalgen stood and left the room. Normally, he wouldn't have left his guests at the table, but a churchman had slipped him a note from Lemare during his speech. The matter was urgent. Calmes and Hann left the room next, seemingly sick of the psychotic woman's ramblings. Lysandra Aulmoore, however, had no plans to leave dinner yet. She stayed until the last of the bonded had left, uncharacteristically refraining from forcing any of them into unwanted conversation.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/iDKDTFD.png[/img][/center]
As expected, servants came and woke up those who had not already risen by dawn. They let the pairs ready themselves then lead them a short distance from the mansion along a stone pathway that the servant eventually strayed from, stepping onto an expansive field. Curiously, the servant also mentioned that the gardens were off-limits for the time being.

The grounds were empty save for the small mass of churchmen gathered near what seemed to be a rather meager place to train: a few circles of turned up earth, a semi-enclosed weapons rack, a similar enclosure guarded by two Hounds that held a number of guns and ammunition, and a shooting range marked out with wooden poles. The churchmen had clearly been forced to stay somewhat of a distance from the bulk of the grounds, though they were set up near the stables, where a few stablehands were bringing out horses. Lysandra Aulmoore and Moranth were both present, and staring over the shoulder of Tolle at whatever it was that he was writing.

Dinn Lemare took his leave as the pairs approached, leaving a grim-looking Carridan alone in front of the weapons rack. The general stood in full uniform. His stiff, darkly colored coat bearing the Carridan crest rather than any sort of imperial insignia, and completely lacking the imperial colors, though he would likely say the flag flying on the grounds was more than enough patriotic symbolism.

[color=00aeef]"Alright,"[/color] Dalgen said once his eighteen guests were present, [color=00aeef]"I'll just be cuttin' to the chase, don't feel like doin' much else."[/color] He swallowed hard. Carridan looked shaken, though he was slightly more composed than Dinn had left him. He stared down at a paper held much too tightly in his grip, and listed off who would be doing what.

The Ravencroft siblings, Tepes, her slave, Ayolous, and Liv were to be at the dirt circles with Carridan for sparring, and other things related to hand-to-hand combat and the use of some of the weapons that were behind him.

Harwell, Gabriel, Proulx, d'Agneaux, and the ninth pair would be shooting with Dinn Lemare and two of his hounds.

Ilyin-Melikov, Zykova, Laurier, Wren, and the Clairemont twins would be riding horses with Carridan's stablemaster, as well as Aulmoore who had decided to tag along since Carridan had enough horses.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/iDKDTFD.png[/img][/center]
[hider=OOC Notes]
The following round will include room for interaction during and after dinner, as well as in the morning, up to and including the start of training. I will be controlling NPCs for the sparring group, [@January] will be handling the shooting NPCs, and [@banjoanjo] will have the horsemanship NPCs. Ignore the ninth pair for the time being.

Extensions will be administered if the interactions + the start of training turns out to be too much. I apologize for the delays, and this will not happen again. I've already got the next post planned out, and that will be posted at most two days after the deadline for this round. [/hider]