Ammokkx

Ace Academy - Ready!? Set!? Rumble! - High Casual

Uh, guys, I really can't post with Rio here since she kinda left the area and all...

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

Also, somebody better bring back a sample of that crystal.

@Mr Rage

I think Paladin has enough samples already.

EDIT: Wow, the infiltration team turned into a clusterfuck real quick.

The Gladiators of Arlen

Harper sure is a character, alright.

Souls of Steel: A Giant Mecha RP

On another note, I feel like were Battletech mechs and they've broken everything but the cockpit and I'm probably getting shot next.

@Apollosarcher

Can't shoot you if they're dead.

The Gladiators of Arlen

Destin Eindride & Endar Drayen

Endar gestured to one of the guards, and then pointed to the man currently practicing with the dummy. Then, he did a double take - was he punching it?

As soon as the guard came over to tap Destin on the shoulder and lead him to the nobleman at the far end of the courtyard, he had just violently yanked back his elbow and accidentally ribbed them. Luckily, the armor of the guard made sure that only a small dent was caused, alongside a painful itch for the elbow. Destin spun around and faced the guard, a hint of slight confusion on his face.

"Yes?"

Shaking like a leaf, the guard stuttered, "H-his L-lordsh-ship will s-see you now..."

Destin nodded with a grunt, picking up the backpack off the floor and flinging it over his left shoulder. He strode over to Endar with calm, collected steps. There wasn't a trace of nervousness on the face of the veteran warrior, even when standing face-to-face with the nobleman. He still didn't know their name, come to think of it.

"...Hello," he simply greeted, waiting for an answer from the young boy.

"Another Tyreni? How many of these barbarians will come instead of good, proper warriors?" Ezekiel hissed into Endar's ear.

Endar, however, hushed the elder man in the same tones. "You fought alongside your fair share of them, old man. Do not be so quick to judge." Then, turning back to the veteran, he nodded in greeting. "Hello, friend. Given your... display... I'm guessing that you are here to apply?"

The warrior nodded with a grunt. With his usual gruffy voice he replied, "That, I am. A minstrel sent me. My name is Destin Eindride, but I don't know what yours is. The minstrel forgot that part."

"Well, to most I am simply a reclusive lord from a remote part of Oriens that decided he wanted to move to the seaside. But, to you and all who know me, I am known as Ignis Doman. A pleasure to make your acquantaince."

Destin nodded again, closing his eyes for a brief moment to digest it. Ignis was a name he needed to remember, so he took a bit of time to imprint it into his mind. Then, after a few seconds, he looked back down at this 'Ignis'. The way they spoke was formal, so Destin tried his best to match.

"A pleasure to you as well, lord Ignis. I hope to be of great help."

Destin was no nobleman, which the tone of his voice and choice of words showed, but at least it was an honest effort.

Endar raised a brow. "Please, no need to speak formally with me - this is just the way I speak, and I would prefer it if those who would join me spoke and acted as they would around others."

He ran his eye over the Tyreni, before meeting his gaze once more. "I must admit, I have a hard time picturing you fighting in the arena. Have you past experience? I've seen your skill, but has it ever gone into practice?"

Destin furrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes, glancing down at the young boy. Did he question the warrior heritage of a proud Tyreni? Did he think that Destin had not killed yet? Or was the intent honest, questioning if he had ever entered an arena? Whatever it was, the man figured he best answer all of the questions that were raised by such a statement.

"I have fought many battles, Beast and Man alike. But I have not stepped into the arena. If you doubt my ability to fight, then you don't want to hire me?" he asked. The boy certainly wasn't giving off the impression to Destin that he would like him on the team.

"I never said that." Endar pointed out, though he supposed he could see where it may have been implied. "But, there are differences to the arena than on the fields of war. It may be unfamiliar to you. Yet it will be completely foreign to me... given that I have yet to truly see combat."

Destin blinked once. Destin blinked twice. He did not blink a third time, but instead let out a hearty laughter. It was loud enough to be heard across the courtyard, and unfortunately maybe even hurt Endar's ears.

"A warrior's pride! I misjudged you, my lord. I should be honored to fight alongside you, if you would have me!" he responded with a wide grin, the stern facade from before being completely gone.

Endar cracked a smile, though there was a small amount of pain. "And have you we shall. It will be as honorable for me, to fight by the side of one such as you. Please, occupy yourself with whatever you wish - the day is yet to end, and I hope for many more to join our ranks."

"I look forward to it, lord Ignis!" Destin exclaimed before taking his leave, satisfied with how that meeting went. However, unlike the compatriots before him, he went back over to the training dummies- this time taking out the claymore without fear of breaking one.

The Gladiators of Arlen

@Ammokkx

Sounds good hahaha. Do you want to write it as a collab?

@Innis

Already posted, but we could still have her bother him. Maybe try to steal his backpack or something.

The Gladiators of Arlen

Destin Eindride

A few days had passed since a giant hunk of a man entered Risha. They came in, a total stranger, looking for work. Introducing himself as Destin to the townfolk, they had assumed he was a mercenary. One nobleman mistook him for such and wanted to pay him as a guard during an upcoming arena match, but Destin declined that offer. He shared that he was not looking for work outside of the arena, but rather inside of it. He had no experience as a gladiator, but the rumors of Risha being a town for promising newblood reaches far beyond the oceans of Oriens.

Unfortunately for him, he has been spending the last three days stuck in a tavern, jobless and slowly feeling his pockets draining. The world is not kind to an old war veteran as most of the sponsors thought he was already past his prime. Fools, they are. Tyren warriors never pass their prime, even in their old age they fight as fiercely as the first battle they won. If these noblemen could not see that, that was their issue. Not Destin's.

Even on the current day, early in the morning, Destin was searching. He went from advertisement to advertisement and didn't have much luck. After about an hour or so he decided to rest up, finding a traveling minstrel singing a song with a small basket that was meant to be filled with coin sitting beside him. A few rocks, large enough to sit on, were scattered about in the clearing. Since not many people are out during this hour the minstrel must have just started. Destin sat on one of the rocks, opened his pouch and pulled out a coin which he flicked into the basket. The minstrel interrupted his song, pausing the play of his lute to tip the feathered hat on his head.

"Thank ya kindly sir. It's unusual to have a customer this early in the mornin', much less one who pays before ah request. What'll it be?"

Destin grunted with amusement, his lips curving upwards slightly.

"A song about the arena."

The minstrel tipped his hat again and began to play another song, his soft voice matching with the slow tune of the lute.

"An arena, it's the place of our hearts! There, a show of our finest battle arts.
Newcomers and veterans, they fight all alike. All it takes, is one fatal stri-hike!
On the outskirts of Risha, a single offer for militia!
A young nobleman, prime in his youth. To take up arms, he resorts to no sleuth.
Hidden in a mansion, he is looking for tal-ent, all in preparation for a grand event.
For tomorrow, the fighters come together as one! In the arena of fighting it'll be all over and done!"

In the middle of the song, Destin rose up from his seating. This minstrel sure was talented at improvising, which is a good thing for the hulking behemoth. A nobleman on the outskirts of town, and a call for militia... no doubt that they were looking for gladiators. It was the best shot Destin had at a job. For such a tip, the man found it fitting to toss an extra coin to the bard, who didn't miss a beat. Only when he saw that Destin was leaving did he interrupt his song.

"Leaving already? Ah haven't even gottan to th'best part yet, sir."

All Desting did was give a reassuring wave of his hand before resuming his treck, this time to the outskirts. He was pretty sure he remembered passing that mansion the bard mentioned a few days earlier, so finding his way back there wasn't going to be an issue.

...

The guards at the front didn't need much persuasion to let Destin through, which was a good thing. He let the guards escort him without protest, after all, it is reasonable for a nobleman to be wary of strangers. That made the man of the north curious, was this mansion of the nobleman who looked for help? Ah, no matter. Even if the hulking beast of a man didn't know the name of this mansion's owner, a name is trivial to a warrior. All that mattered was an able body and worthy strength on the field of battle, like any true warrior. Like him, back when he still fought bravely in the name of Guldbrand.

The man eventually arrived in a large, open courtyard. The first thing he noticed was the seat on the far end, on which sat a brown-haired boy. Clearly not a man as his features were still much too youthful. Was this the lord that was looking for help? They weren't wearing any combat apparel but instead a finely tailored suit. This convinced Destin that the boy was a non-combatant, someone who wouldn't fight alongside them. It didn't cross his mind that this lord may have just wanted to make himself presentable as a leader, rather than a warrior.

The next thing the man noticed was the woman near the food table, eagerly taking a bite out of the juicy fruit in her hand. She was meek and slender, nothing like the women back in Tyren, but also unlike the woman in this country of Oriens. She was much too thin, too sleek. She was either a foreigner from a strange land or someone who kept in shape and considering where they were, Destin was not able to rule out the second option.

The final thing was a burly beast of a man, but youthful. This, Destin was familiar with. The braids in their golden locks and their enormous hammer and shield signified that this man, too, was a proud warrior of Tyren. No other realm could foster this kind of fine warrior, with their pale skin all but giving it away. They were talking to the nobleman at the front, more than likely being another of the applicants. Destin nodded to himself and headed over to one of the training dummies. A warrior's mind and muscles must be equally sharp at all times, but he feared for the safety of this doll were he to unleash the mighty claymore's wrath on it. So, he set down his backpack in front of him, right below the dummy and simply punched it. Twice. And maybe a few more times. The man was no brawler, but one could never go wrong with some physical exercise.

The Gladiators of Arlen

Let me know if I'm needed! Alia is chilling at the testing area, so I'll happily exchange a bit of dialogue with anyone on the way in.

@Innis

You're free to bother Destin if you want, as I'm writing up the part where he arrives at the mansion right now.

The Gladiators of Arlen

You know, I've noticed that there seems to be a good number of guests floating around at times - two are in here as I write this.

@CollectorOfMyst

I've had seven at one point. Guests aren't really anything special unless you have a ghost user as a player.

The Gladiators of Arlen

Yes, there's just one problem with that; every time you write about Endar, you use his really name, which Alia can't know yet. Since the story is mostly in her perspective, that's the only way to show that what you're writing isn't from her perspective.

@Innis

Don't bother trying to write in the same style and perspective as your partner, it doesn't work. I've tried. As compromise I tend to make it *very* clear which character is doing what, which is a necessity in my own collab-heavy RP.