BellBottomBlues

Condemned

@Thinslayer

Your post is great. :). You're a great writer!

Condemned

I've rarely had to write this much this consistently. Generally, if I'm about to run into any RP rules like controlling other's characters, I'll stop at the point where their input is required, which results in a very short post. Normally I'd be fine with that, but when you've written up such long, beautiful story posts, I feel it would be shameful to write much less, so avoiding power-playing will be a bit more problematic for me.

Additionally, my concept of the story at the moment does not lend itself to substantial content. I'm not very good at describing environments, so to bulk up a post, I would normally delve into a character's thoughts. But Erudessa's thoughts aren't very complicated right now - she just gave orders and is hanging back to watch the outcome. There's not much going on in the way of observation or analysis. She's not a particularly competent fighter compared to her soldiers; in fact, she'd probably lose a melee confrontation with any one Imperial soldier. Getting down and dirty would be most unwise. So I don't have a lot to write about right now.

What I'm trying to say is, please don't be mad. I'm still learning as an RPer. This RP is a brand new challenge that I haven't yet developed competency in.

@Thinslayer

PSH! Hey @Thinslayer, I'm not mad man. Haha, and honestly your willingness to talk about these things makes me like you all the more. Few people can do that, let me tell you. Very often you come across these masochist RPers that are just ignorant and won't take no for an answer. But this is good. If I can recommend anything it's to describe -everything-, and there's no rush. Put yourself in a place where you challenge yourself to bring the thoughts in your mind into words. Why isn't she a competent fighter? Heck, after reading how gitty and playful she was with those glitter mine-bombs at the beginning I was hooked, I knew I'd like her. You don't need to describe her ENTIRE past, you can leave the parts you want Lanik to find out, but I have very little information of her to play off of other than she's this playful elf that likes to play tricks on others. That's cool, but there's apart of me that wants to know more even before her and Lanik meet, y'know?

I hope I didn't come off as elitist in my previous OOC post, there's no hard feelings at all, and I'm here with ya all the way.

And one last thing, take your time. If you need to take a week to craft a post to your liking then do it. I won't dog on you. This is a collaboration remember? ^^

Condemned

@Thinslayer

Hey there! No worries at all.

Everybody does it differently, but I would start with only ever using your own characters perspective or a new one you see fit to introduce in response posts. (Eg. Maybe Eru's second in command sees the two rangers). In any post you can only work with the setting given to you, and here it's important to never make assumptions. These are some of the core facts from my previous post:

- Lanik has a wounded Finnigan on his back

"Son of a bitch," Lanik cursed to himself, quickly pushing away the rubble and lifting Finnigan up over his shoulders.

- the cliff breaking made a hell of a lot of noise

There was a loud crashing noise, surely enough to alarm anyone in the vicinity.

They were in the worst possible position, and they had made enough noise.

- and he's trying to get out of the area

These were critical seconds he needed to use to get his ranger back into the safety of the forest, where they surely stood a better chance of hiding than out here against these cold rock formations.

These are undeniable facts. Things like how Lanik is handling the situation are completely up to me. What is up to YOU is how your characters (Eru and her merry band of elves I'm assuming) will take those three facts and respond (Mind you, if you can muster up any other kind of information from my post then go for it, those were just the three from the top of my head). Control of other peoples characters is completely prohibited, however, taking established facts and building a post around the information available is more than welcome.

I'll just shoot some examples:

FACT 1: It wasn't but a few paces away a man garbed in ranger clothing stumbled, carrying another over his shoulders.

FACT 2: There was a sound in the distance, discernible to any trained ear, a strange enough falling of rocks to warrant investigation.

FACT 3: The stumbling figure moved at a slow pace and one could easily tell the burden on his shoulders weighed heavily on his ability to move quickly through the forest.

How I normally approach reply posts (unless it's integral to introduce a new character with a new perspective) is to establish particular facts from a persons previous posts and then just build around it. Why is my character feeling this way because of what he or she said? What in the current moment is on the characters mind? Are there any tidbits of information I could throw in to make the scene more believable? After establishing all that THEN I'll actually get to the part where I reply to the situation. And I always leave it open-ended.

Yanduin and Bethdul dropped from their treetop perches and fired a burst of crossbow bolts at Lanik's back.

There's nothing wrong with that. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's open ended, and well, it's exactly what it is. You didn't state whether or not they found its mark, you left that up to me. Could I turn around in my post and say "With keen reflexes Lanik dropped Finnigan and spun around, grabbing the bolts mid-air and lobbed them back at the elves!"? Well I could, but I figure you trust me enough to play on the situation and let him take the hit. Remember, it's a collaboration, and I will always play to your tendencies, but a persons character is forever their own and nobody can ever change that. So, TLDR.

- always control your own characters
- play off the information given to you by the previous poster
- don't be afraid to introduce new situations in order to direct the flow of the story

I'll briefly explain that last one, because well, I never told you somebody was going to fall off a cliff, but I did that so I could put my people in a position for your people to find them. That's what I mean about introducing new situations.

I hope this helps, and I feel like it was a good learning opportunity for the both of us.

Condemned

@Thinslayer
With all due respect you can't take control of Lanik like that.

Condemned

The seven rangers were scrounging the outback for nearly three days, taking routes off the beaten path and being sure to stay hidden amongst the mobs of foliage. There was a distinct difference between the mountains he tread now and those back in the frosty tip of Northaven, and as one might have guessed it was such: snow. No longer was Lanik garbed in his winter gear, shedding the winter layers for a more sleeker, more form fitting outfit consisting of deer leathers and a dark green cloak. His sword, a masterful piece of craftsmanship held tight against his back, crossing one way while a loaded quiver crossed the other. He moved swiftly through the forest as if he had lived in the Aetherion mountains his entire life. If there was one thing Lanik was skilled at it was keeping direction. He was never lost.

The forest groaned as Lanik and his second moved onward. Captain Wintergate ordered them all to split up into groups consisting of two pairs and one trio. He drew up specific travel notations for each group, and while no group would ever be too far away from the other, they maintained enough spacing so that should one group be compromised, the others would be safe. General Cornell had assigned him a priority mission and failure was simply not an option. In this way even if Lanik himself was to be caught the others would be in well enough position to relay critical information back the the Imperial camp. Not that the Wintergate father would ever be so careless as to throw his life away for any petty thing, but at his core he would always be an Imperial citizen. And such was a sovereignty that would forever be dangerous, no matter who bear the title.

Lanik could sense an invigoration overwhelm his senses as he passed through the forest. The quiet ranger. Tracker. Pathfinder. It had been too long since he had the chance to enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Listening to the birds coercing overhead, Lanik couldn't help but feel conflicted with himself: whether he loved the fight or loved the idea of giving his efforts to a cause greater than he could imagine. Truth be told, he loved his country, but his more liberal leaning mindset numbed his tongue when it came to vocalizing it.

"Lanik, motion up ahead," Finnigan, his pairing, a womanizer who Lanik had known when his career was ripe spoke softly, his voice blending with whispers of the trees.

Lanik signaled him to stop and proceeded to take point. He squinted at a figure in the distance, stumbling around, limping, holding one arm and cursing and yelling something he couldn't quite make out... wait...

"Help me, somebody, help me!"

"Captain, he's a Legionnaire, look at his armor,"

Captain Wintergate nodded. A trap? No... he looks hurt. It couldn't be, could the elves be that cunning? The man suddenly collapsed to the forest floor, and after a brief look at each other the two rangers bounded out of the cover of the forest towards him. Finnigan kept careful watch of their surroundings while Lanik knelt.

"Are.. . are you Imperial? Are you with us?" the mans life was nearly spent, Lanik could see blood pooling at his hip.

Lanik nodded, "Imperial Captain, tell me, what happened to you?"

The man grimaced, forcing his voice, "They got us. They got us good. Our Captain got us lost in these forests, and the elves, they ambushed us. There was fire, and smoke," he coughed out blood, "One of them, their leader... she let me go, I don't know why,"

Lanik grabbed his hand as the man grimaced in pain, "She let you go? Like this?"

"No," the man chuckled, "Be careful near the cliffs here. Soft outcrop broke from underneath me and well," he forced a painful smile, "I took a little tumble,"

"Where?"

The legionnaire raised a limp hand and pointed into the distance, "That way, you can't miss it," his eyes were getting dreary, his breathing slowing.

"I can't fight no more, Captain, I would but I can't," the legionnaires eyes were now skyward as if seeing something Lanik couldn't.

"Rest easy, legionnaire," Lanik crossed the mans arms across his chest, "There will be blood,"

There will be blood.

As the common saying went among Imperial soldiers. Blood was such an integral part of Imperial fighting, it was no wonder it would be used in the vernacular. And while Lanik limited himself to only its drink, some men took it to a whole new ritualistic point -- bathing in it, reminding themselves that glory in combat was the only way to cleanse ones soul. Even Lanik had partaken in the tradition to a lesser point, a Wintergates take on it where a hunter would find a kill and use its blood to mark three scratches across his face. Lanik and Finnigan both had faces marred with the red ink before their excursion. Taking a moment to pay his respects, Lanik looked to Finnigan, who's hood was down and was mumbling a prayer for the body.

"We need to investigate, stay close to me, and stay quiet,"

Immediately the two of them took off. It wasn't long until they reached the carnage, or better still the aftermath. Bodies were strewn across the road. Charred wounds marked the flanking trees and an overturned wagon rose from the center. Who could have done this? It looked like a whole company was decimated here. The two rangers stood perched on an outcrop of rock that overlooked the kill-zone.

"Alright Fin, let's mo--,"

There was sharp cracking sound and then suddenly the cliff gave way. Lanik saw Finnigan's eyes light up in terror as the ground collapsed from underneath him. There was a loud crashing noise, surely enough to alarm anyone in the vicinity. A second later, Lanik was watching his man fall nearly twenty feet, crashing against straggly rocks and landing limp at the bottom, skirting the killzone.

"Finnigan!"

Lanik jumped into action immediately. These were critical seconds he needed to use to get his ranger back into the safety of the forest, where they surely stood a better chance of hiding than out here against these cold rock formations.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Lanik gracefully scaled the rock face, jumping to and fro as necessary to most quickly get to his man. His eyes widened in horror as he reached him, a close up view of his mangled legs, blood dripping from his nose. Finnigan was out cold. Lanik, kneeling at Finnigan's side looked around, sighting his surroundings. They were in the worst possible position, and they had made enough noise. Judging by Finnigan's condition there was no way he would be able to continue on.

"Son of a bitch," Lanik cursed to himself, quickly pushing away the rubble and lifting Finnigan up over his shoulders. He had to move quickly.

Condemned

@Thinslayer
If you want to write the ambush itself I can do the whole schpeil of the escaped soldier and Lanik finding him.

Condemned

@Thinslayer
That sounds like a great idea! Let's do it.

And Serani's a Cheshire -- very talented assasins with a very magical dominated genealogy. I wouldn't call it competition though. The two are pretty fed up with each other as it is. Haha.

Condemned

Lanik had eyes still on the map as the two officers relayed their respective intel. So many obstacles.. . variables. The weather, enemy soldiers, supplies, mission pacing, and the terrain. It would be dangerous, no question about it. But there was something in Lanik that thrived for this type of analytical problem-solving. Even from a young boy he would always be solving little puzzles and equations he could scrounge up from father's old text books. Variables like that were no different than what he was doing now. There was a problem and the next step was to decide exactly what was the best way to approach it. And he had already decided. The mission was thus as broken down in his mind:

- infiltrate the elvish mountain garrison and relay strategic information to Imperium commanding officers.
- if possible capture elven authority as suggested by the spike in forces in that particular area.
- come back to Marië alive.

He was already prioritizing this as a reconnaissance mission. If Lanik could get a good idea of an entry point and its surrounding area then Imperial forces would be able to do the brunt of the work assaulting the walls. Though, it he would have to insert through the wall from a purely terrain exploit and see how it could be altered so ground forces could make a push through. He smiled to himself. He had to admit, it had been awhile since he'd been able to do anything exciting. He would be the eyes of the greatest combat campaign the Imperium had ever embarked on. The pressure was there, but Lanik had enough confidence in his abilities to see it complete.

Durvain.

The captain made a mental note. Odd, he had never heard of Imperial forces encountering an enemy that employed the use of technical weapons in the field. He had learned about such uses during his education at the Carpenter's Guild, but such ideas were usually left only to schematics and drawings and never got to see tangible result. He'll have to be wary. Captain Wintergate straightened, looking too all the officers before departing.

"I have all the information I need," he bowed his head slightly, "Excuse my dismissal, but there's preparation to be done. Lieutenant Rayne will be in command of the Covenant during my absence. Refer to him for field requests,"

And with a sharp salute Lanik moved on.

He left the three with a feeling of unease. They were all officers sure... but Lanik couldn't help but feel a certain disconnect between their command character and his own. He could sense their patriotism, an unwavering dedication to draw blood for their country and country-men. Sure, Lanik would lay his life on the line for any of his Wintergate brethren, but for just any Imperial citizen? That was a stretch even just to think about. He did not see the pride in the arbitrary slaughter of entire nations for sake of patriotism. So why was he still here? Wintergate had always served the King honorably. Maybe that's why he stayed. The King gave Lanik problems to solve, and in turn Lanik would solve them. That fact, coupled with the tradition and relationship Lord Wintergate had nurtured between himself and the King must be the reason. Maybe that was oversimplifying things, but Lanik had always been a simple man.

"Do my eyes deceive me or is that Captain Wintergate back to form from the cold, Northern mountains?" Lanik strolling through the camp heard a voice beside him. He looked over.

"Darian?" Lanik grinned, "You're not so little anymore,"

His blonde brother was leaning up against one of the buildings, shirtless, with a chalice in one hand a sword in the other and lips stained with blood. His brother was beaming as he approached, arms open, embracing Lanik with a hug and kissing him promptly on one cheek. It had been six months since Lanik had last saw Darian... or even communicated with him at all, strangely enough.

"No ser, the battlefield changes a man, as you've told me before," he took a swig from the chalice, a thin trail of red seeping from the corner of his mouth and down his defined chin, "But, the Imperium facing its greatest foe yet is day by day taking ground. And I, yours truly," he gave an exaggerated bow, "Have been carving Wintergate into the edifice of legend. You're welcome by the way," he laughed and placed an arm around Lanik, the two making their way through the camp.

Lanik couldn't help but smile as well. Though the two were not nearly as close as Marcus and himself, there was something about Darian that put men at ease. He had a very unique charm, and one that evidently could work on men as closed as Lanik was. The two walked on for quite a ways, catching up, mostly Darian boasting about great battles he had partaken in and the beautiful elven slaves Lanik would have to try. Captain Wintergate frowned at that, but carried on listening. He had even mentioned Serani, Lanik's wife, who as usual was doing okay. Not that he cared. Marië was still at a children's art academy too close to comfort to the Aetherion border, but Darian had assured him that there was nothing to be worried about. In fact, in due time the academy was to be relocated to Midhaven via a network of caravans, but that was still yet a ways away.

"And father?" Lanik asked, the tone of the conversation taking a sudden turn.

They were now in one of the great Imperial mess halls, where drunken legionnaires were stumbling about spouting and spitting at whatever they pleased. Tired torchlamps illuminated the mess from between every great pillar and corner making for a strangely ambient environment despite all the ruckus around them.

Darian poured a cup and slid it towards Lanik. He turned, filling up his own whilst giving a solemn nod, "His health declines brother. The apothecaries give him but a month to live," sighing, Darian made his way to a spot across from the Wintergate Ranger, "Sad but... father has been this way for quite some time, we knew it was coming,"

There was a sad silence between the two of them for a moment. Lanik was still processing the information. It wasn't news, and Lanik had in fact saw it coming for awhile. There was just apart of him that believed things would mysteriously turn out okay. He didn't want to lose any more family. Not if he could help it. But to save father, that would be to fight against the very fabric that tied the universe together. Gregoir Wintergate had simply lived his years, and his time had come.

Darian, obviously noting Lanik's change in disposition gave his older brother a soft smile, placing his hand on one of his shoulders. He lifted his cup.

"Drink, for father, and you my brother, the heir to the great Wintergate legacy," something in Darian's sincerity spoke to something deep within Lanik, but he couldn't place exactly what.

Lanik let the metallic tasting crimson envelop his senses. He cringed, feeling its thickness slide through his buds. As a younger soldier, the captain had frequently partaken in such rituals, but having been out of the loop for so long, he cringed at the taste.

Darian laughed, "Brother! Have your buds gone soft?". Lanik sighed, hoping his aversion wasn't so obvious.

"It's been awhile, Darian," Lanik chuckled before drinking the rest of his cup.

The two brothers spent another two hours talking before Lanik assembled a group of six veteran rangers, and started the long trek through the mountains.

Condemned

No worries about post length! And I like that idea a lot. I'll be sure to post tomorrow, and it'll be a little lengthier.

Condemned

Lanik Wintergate

* Gender: Male
* Age: 28
* Height: 6'2"
* Hair Color: Brown
* Role: Imperial Captain / Commander of Wintergate's Ranger Covenant

Life has a way of striking away at idealists, and a piece of Lanik's heart broke when he found out about his elder brothers passing. He received the news days after his last assessment in Midhavens Carpenters Guild. It had shattered his world, and it took Lanik quite awhile to heal from it. Marcus was really the only one who understood Lanik's tendency towards all things engineering as opposed to the Imperial obsession with bloodshed. The two would stay up to the latest hours of the night, and Marcus would listen quietly to Lanik's ramblings about new schematics for a monastery or how to improve on an out-dated design of the ballistae in the Imperium's arsenal. No, instead of Marcus Lanik was given his brother's fiance, though however beautiful, never sat well with the captain. He understood why such a move was made, to strengthen political and family ties between the two houses, but... why did it have to be him? Surely Darian, the youngest of the three could have taken up that mantle (and truth be told they probably are behind his back, judging by how often she frequents his little brothers estate near the Eastern front). Whatever there was to the matter, Lanik did not understand it. But, however disgruntled the captain was, the woman had begotten him a beautiful daughter.

Marië.

Lanik couldn't help but smile at the thought. His little mare's very name afforded him a semblance of happiness. She had become the star of his world, a bright eyed little girl with an even brighter curiosity. Why do birds sing when they fly? Do horses sleep standing up? Are there as many stars in the sky as there are people? Questions like these were all too common with Mari, and Lanik always did his best to answer them. It was because of Marië the captain opted to serve in Wintergate's Ranger Covenant, foregoing his little brothers path that carved its way to the Aetherion front, where true blood and glory lay. Lanik did not care for glory, nor blood. All he cared about was returning to Marië in one piece. Here brushing the outskirts of Northaven, Lanik's duties usually amounted to no more than routine patrols and the odd smugglers caravan trying to sneak its way past the border. And he was content with that.

... "then there was the Ranger Covenant, smaller in size and unique in that slaves were not permitted to join its ranks. Lord Wintergate created this Covenant after realizing the sprawling stretch of mountains his estates lay in the shadow of, and deemed it necessary to create a group of skilled survivalists ready to patrol and keep a steady eye. They were not elite, far from it, but they were a group of men adaptable to any situation and resourceful to the fullest. Very seldom did the two Covenants [Fighters and Rangers] fight alongside each other, the last time being during a battle in the Southern most parts of the Imperium. The Rangers were tasked to tunnel deep underground systems throughout enemy lines, wreaking havoc as the Fighter’s advanced slowly ahead. Lanik had led his Rangers during that battle, and refused any sort of accolades afterwards. He had always been afraid of the limelight. But nevertheless it was a rare occurrence for both of Wintergate’s Covenants to be drawn upon.. ."