[center] [h1][b][u]Carn[/u][/b][/h1] & [h1][b][u]Aurielle[/u][/b][/h1] [/center] [hr] Noon tended to be the best time to hunt trolls. The sun was at its highest. Shadows were at their shortest. The only place the trolls had to hide were directly underneath something. They were easy to root out. This day was no exception. Thirty mercenaries brazenly ascended a hill, making no attempt to be silent or to hide their presence. Boots crunched against the discarded bones of their fellow humans. The plan their white-haired leader devised had depended on being detected. The slope they climbed led up to a wide cave entrance, at the base of a mountain. The prey slept soundly within… all except a single pair of eyes, which saw the humans approaching, and let out a roar of warning to wake the rest of its kin. “Forward!” shouted Carn, pointing a spear at the cave. The mercenaries climbed the hill at a quicker pace, even as the trolls within the cave began to rouse themselves. They came to a stop just before the cave’s mouth, as Carn ordered them to form a line of spears two ranks thick. At the head of the line stood Carn himself, along with a trio of mages, one of whom was the red-headed sorceress he had spent the past two years adventuring with. “Hold!” he held up a hand, letting the mages know that the time was not right. He listened closely, taking note of the sounds within the cave. The ranglefants let out cries of alarm at first. Then he could hear the scraping of rock and the occasional grunt as they began to form up. Then, he heard a series of roars and the sound of feet stomping on stone, as the creatures began their charge. “Now! Fire!” he said to Aurielle. She outstretched her right hand and summoned an orb of fire in it. Her two mages, the young Solenia and the older and pompous Kalhin began to chant next to her. The wind was picking up. You could hear it in the rustling of the trees. Auriëlle kept her eyes on the cave’s exit. As was decided. Only when she saw the first trolls emerge, she would unleash her wrath. The mere seconds that passed felt like hours. Then she saw it, the eyes and the first bits of skin. Combined with a deafening roar. “Stand your ground!” She shouted, though Kalhin next to her needed no encouragement. It was Solenia who began to tremble. “It’s okay.” Auriëlle said, much more reassuring now. “We can do this. On my mark…Now!” A surge of fire erupted from her hand blasting straight towards the hole. A fierce gust of wind roared from behind them and fed Auriëlle’s flame. Fire raged into the den, filling it up. Screams of hate and pain echoed from the cave. One burning troll even managed to make it out of the cave. Though not far. The flames clung to his skin. He stumbled, and finally fell. Dead. Auriëlle couldn’t maintain her sorcery for much longer though. As her mages saw Auriëlle’s flame die, they both stopped their wind spells to feed the fire. Solenia looked tired by the effort. While Kahlin looked as if he was ready for more. “That should be it.” Auriëlle said with a cocky smile as she turned to Carn. Then she heard a roar that made the hair on her arms stand up. “Impossible!” She said as she turned around. More trolls were charging out of the still slightly smoking hole. “Kahlin, Solenia, get out of here! Carn kill them!” She shouted as she ran over to protect her mages. There were five in total. The wall of spears advanced forward, stepping past the mages and closing back into formation. The lead ranglefant wasn’t particularly impressive by the standards of its kind, but one thing which caught Carn’s eye was the tribal necklace around its neck, consisting of various beads, fingerbones, and even a silver sapphire ring. But now was not the time to think of loot. The trolls were upon him. The spears thrust forward. Three of the five trolls were skewered in their guts, but even as they died the momentum of their charge carried their bodies forward and forced portions of the line to step back. Carn and two others lunged for the lead troll, but to Carn’s astonishment it was able to seize all three spears in a single lightning-fast swipe. The three weapons were yanked from their grips. Carn’s hand instinctively went for his sword, just as the troll suddenly took one of the spears, flipped it around with an elegance never before seen in its kind, and thrust it at Carn’s chest. He raised the shield, and although he successfully blocked the blow, the shield nearly splintered, and the beast’s impact forced him to stagger backward. The two men who had stood beside him drew their swords and charged forward. The troll swatted one aside with a swing of its massive arm, while the other was able to sink a blade into its side. Enraged, the troll placed both hands on the attacker’s skull and squeezed, crushing it. In that moment Carn rushed forward, driving his blade into the troll’s gut and ripping it through its stomach. Carn felt both his nose, jaw, and nearly every single one of his teeth break as the beast violently backhanded him away. He landed on his back and slid several feet, looking up just in time to see the troll collapse and die as its entrails spilled onto the floor. Meanwhile the final troll had managed to plow through the line, knocking several men aside. It set its gaze on the mages, the ones who had scorched so many of its kin, and rushed toward her with a vengeful roar. Auriëlle and Kalhin had been carrying a weakened Solenia away from the fray. Though they hadn’t gotten far. When the roar from behind them came, she knew she had no choice. She released the young mage and turned around. Point two fingers at the face of the troll. It heaved it’s heavy arms over its head. Ready to slam her into the ground. “Die.” Auriëlle said as lightning arched over the wooden vambrace on her arm. The arcs grew in intensity until they reached the tip of her two fingers. A bolt of lightning shot forward and struck the troll in its face. It staggered backwards, clutching its face. Auriëlle didn’t give him any time to react though. She outheld her other hand and began to gather her power in its palm. When the troll regained its bearing it roared at her, just in time for her to release her sorcery. A visible wave of fire burned the whole troll from head to toe. Blackening its skin. After releasing a final grunt, it sunk to its knees and fell before her. Auriëlle kept her eyes on the other dying trolls. “Kahlin, go check on the wounded.” Kahlin did as commanded with silent obedience. That’s why she liked him. He was dependable. Solenia though, Solenia was weaker than him. Perhaps less talented. Still, she had the same conviction as Auriëlle back when she was still in Acadia. It was why she took Solenia under her wing. She got up and walked towards Carn. “How many were killed?” She asked. Carn held up a hand as his nose snapped back into place and his jaw reset itself. He spat blood onto the grass. “Three,” he said with a shrug, his voice sounding odd due to the fact that his teeth were still regrowing as he spoke. “A few might have broken bones.” She winced at the sound of his face reconstructing itself. It was impossible to get used to it. It just felt wrong. Then again, she would rather have it perfect and heal itself than have him lose all his teeth several times over. She then looked at the people around her. “A druid in the nearby town can heal most of those injuries. Kahlin can try but-“ Behind her a soldier screamed in pain. “-I don’t think I want to subject too many of the men to him.” She finished before she turned to the blackened hole of the cave. “That ran much deeper than the king told us.” She said with a strange suspicion. Had the king played them or really just not known? Maybe his retinue was right behind them. It wouldn’t have been the first time some king sends in a small group of mercenaries to weaken their foes so they can then deliver the finishing blow. Carn shrugged. “I doubt he explored this cave himself. Anything he knew about it would have come from some hunter or forager, going off their memory. There were a few more trolls than expected, though. Might be able to justify the King giving us a bonus, but I doubt it.” “Kings don’t give bonuses.” Auriëlle said. It was a vexing thing, working for nobles and royals. But they generally paid better than villagers binding together. Their little mercenary group had garnered enough fame that those higher echelons would hire them. Which was impressive enough considering they weren’t in the mercenary business for longer than three years. It wasn’t enough though. “I want something bigger, Carn.” Auriëlle said, betraying her anxiousness. “Hm. Never heard that complaint from you before…” Carn smirked. Others were already tending to the wounded. For those who were in too rough shape to be healed, splints and makeshift stretchers were already being fashioned from broken or discarded spears. “You should listen more? I’ve said it several times.” She returned with the same smirk but then she became serious again. “I mean it though, Carn. Do you really want to burn out troll dens for fat creeps on glorified chairs for another five years?” It was clear that she didn’t. Life was too precious, as was time. “What do you have in mind, then?” Carn asked her. “It’s not like we can storm the walls of Ketrefa and set ourselves up as King and Queen.” He shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d love something more. The only problem is finding it.” She would never be a queen. The idea of being chained down to a chair disgusted her. Sure she wanted a home. A place where she wouldn’t be chased out after a week but instead would be welcomed after years of traveling. “Ruling might be your thing but you know it isn’t mine. I just want to be part of something bigger. There has to be something bigger, something more worthwhile going on somewhere? Like a big war.” In the last few years, violence and fighting had become Auriëlle’s life. Strangely enough she enjoyed it. Sure she had bled and screamed in pain as well. Yet it all made her feel alive. She couldn’t imagine what a heady drug a war would be for her. Carn quirked his brow. “Wouldn’t we just be helping a fat creep on a glorified chair fight another fat creep on a glorified chair?” “At least I’d get to kill one of the fat creeps.” Auriëlle said as she turned around. “Get your men ready to return. Those trolls are beginning to stink.” “One moment,” Carn said as he rose to his feet and stepped over to the troll he had gutted. “You three, help me turn this bastard over!” he ordered. Three men moved to comply, helping him flip the large creature over. Carn’s gaze found the primitive necklace on the beast’s neck, then he drew his knife, cut the string, and plucked the silver ring free. He examined the ring in its palm. The craftsmanship was unlike anything he had ever seen, and the sapphire quite literally seemed to glow. No doubt this would be of immense value. “Alright,” he said. “Redspears!” He shouted, using the company’s official name. “Sweep the cave for anything valuable, then form up. It’s time to go!” [hr] “So,” Carn said, approaching Aurielle’s table and taking a seat. “The King is set on paying on us the agreed upon amount. Despite the fact that he was mistaken regarding the number of trolls.” The sellsword shrugged. “But, pay is pay, I suppose. He’ll have it delivered here shortly.” He better, Auriëlle though. “We really should just be overcharging them anyway.” She said as she took a gulp from her watered wine and then ripped a piece off her chicken. It wasn’t every day that she could eat such a delicious piece of poultry so she would enjoy it. “So did the soldiers find anything in that hole? Other than that sapphire ring.” Carn shrugged. “Bones and corpses. Some with pouches and equipment attached. Nothing worth mentioning.” He took the ring out. “This thing is a beauty, though. I have to wonder how much it’s worth.” “It’s enchanting as well.” With a quick move of her hand she took the ring off Carn and held it in front of her. That gem was definitely glowing in a weird way. She couldn’t feel any magic coming off of it though. At least none that she knew of. Instead she felt something different. “Actually…” she said slowly as she held it closer. “I think it really might be enchanted.” Carn reached out and gently took the ring back. “If it’s enchanted, how do we figure out what it does?” “Put it on. If something bad happens I’ll just cut your finger off.” She took a big swig of her watered wine, it was her third tankard and she was beginning to feel its influence a little now. “And I promise I will try to not cut off your whole hand.” What did it matter, it would regrow right? “You are a paragon of mercy,” Carn remarked as he slipped the ring onto his finger. “Hm. Can’t say I feel any different.” He waited a few moments, then took it off. “Perhaps you should try?” Auriëlle took the ring but look at it for a moment. “What if its cursed but it doesn’t work on Helgen?” She asked, mostly to herself though Carn probably heard it as well. Slowly she put it on, ready to rip it off should she feel anything dangerous. Instead she just felt cold silver. It didn’t do anything indeed. Though she held her hand out to see the ring on her hand. It was gorgeous. Even more beautiful than the ruby amulet she was given some two years ago. Then she realized what a ring on a finger meant. Instantly she took it off and laid it back on the table. “Maybe it only works when you do something. Like running or lifting something.” She quickly added. Carn shrugged and slipped the ring back on. “Only one way to find out, I suppose,” he shrugged. “Anyhow, I heard something that might interest you. Apparently there’s tension between the western Highland kingdoms and the eastern Lowland kingdoms. More than usual, I mean.” Auriëlle’s face lit up. “More than usual? As in a war? Are you telling me there is war!?” She was getting visibly excited now. Carn shrugged. “Not yet. But there might be. Kings, chieftains, lords, and merchants are all getting tense. Hiring more mercenaries. Even if things don’t devolve into open conflict, we’ll have no shortage of work.” “Then I guess we’ll just have to find a merchant who goes to either one of those kingdoms and then go from there!” Auriëlle said. He nodded. “That is what I was thinking. Now, from what I’ve been told, these tensions are over the usual issues. We Highlanders want the Lowlanders’ grain. We’re bothered by the prices they charge; they’re bothered by the tolls placed on their caravans. You’d think there’d be an easy solution for this, but apparently not,” Carn shrugged. “They also say that bandits from the Highlands are slipping into the Lowlands to raid, and the local leaders aren’t doing anything to stop it. The Lowlanders also want free access to the Sunlit Temple, and… well, there are a lot of issues. But… definitely wealth to be won. And plenty of action for us both.” [hider=Summary]Carn, Auriëlle and their mercenaries named the Redspears are tasked by some regional king to eradicate a den of ranglefant trolls. Carn’s soldiers lure the trolls out and Auriëlle burns the entire den. Though several manage to survive the fire by staying deep in the den where the flames couldn’t reach them. A short but bloody battle erupts. After the battle Auriëlle remarks that she wants something bigger. Carn and her have a short back and forth about what she’d exactly want. After which Carn gives the order to loot the den and the corpse of a troll. Who was holding a sapphire ring on a necklace. Back in the city of the kingdom they were hired by, Auriëlle and Carn have a discussion about the ring. Auriëlle says it’s enchanted, yet neither seem to understand how it works. Then the subject shifts to local tensions: the western Highlands Kingdoms and the eastern Lowland Kingdoms. There is no outright war but there are disputes over trade and raids. The two decide to find work there.[/hider] [hider=Prestige Summary] [u]Carn[/u] [b]Beginning Prestige:[/b] 19 +5 for 10k characters -10 for Creating an adjacent minor Holy Order: the Redspears [b]Ending Prestige:[/b] 14 [u]Auriëlle[/u] [b]Beginning Prestige:[/b] 9 +5 for 10K characters -5 for Creating an adjacent minor Holy Order: the Redspears [b]Ending Prestige:[/b] 9 [/hider]