Crimson Paladin

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

As Fleuri drew closer to the burning tree, a warcry sounded nearby. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bandit rushing at him with a mace held high, nearly blindsiding the knight with the speed and abruptness of the attack. He narrowly dodged the powerful blow, its great momentum preventing the bandit from adjusting the trajectory of the swing. Fleuri then leapt away from his attacker, putting some distance between the two. Behind the first bandit, another approached, brandishing a handaxe.

It looks like a few have broken out of the encirclement, Fleuri assessed. He wasn't the only knight that had rushed to aid Fanilly- he had seen Tyaethe rush to the Captain's aid, and Gerard was right behind Fleuri, with the same intention. While it wasn't a reasonable assumption that the survival of the captain and the death of the Bandit King were the most important objectives, the fact remained that they couldn't let anyone escape. None of these murderers could be allowed to evade justice, and they certainly couldn't be allowed to share their firsthand knowledge of Iron Rose tactics with other brigands. He couldn't be sure if these bandits were simply trying to escape by going through him, or if they held some loyalty for their bandit king, but either way, someone was needed to take care of them and make sure nobody else breaks out.

"Gerard, go on ahead," he told his companion as he released his left hand from his greatsword and drew his dagger. "I'll take care of these bandits and make sure none escape." He immediately rushed at the bandits, swinging both weapons in succession. The bandits easily evaded his aggressive swings, but the immediate goal of this assault was not to kill them, but to drive them back and keep them on the defensive so that they could not bar Gerard's way.

Reon, please let this be the right choice.

@HereComesTheSnow

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

I'll try to get a post in today or tomorrow.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

Aria and the shielded knights surged past Fleuri through the breach, into the fray. I've done my part, I suppose, he thought as he watched his colleagues charge. No. An Iron Rose's work is never done, he rebuked himself. He was unsure what he could do, and how to make himself useful. He needed to see where he was needed, and he couldn't do that from where he was standing.

I need a better view of the battle, he contemplated as he looked around. His eyes came to a stop on a tree at the edge of the camp, possessing branches low enough to climb onto without difficulty and large enough to support the weight of an armored knight. From up there he'd have a relatively unobstructed view of the camp.

Somewhat reluctantly, he drove his greatsword into the ground, as it would impede climbing (and in his haste to join the battle he had neglected to take a sheath or sling for it), then drew his dagger and thrust into the tree trunk. Using the dagger as a step, he made his way up to a large branch. The limb shuddered as he climbed onto it, but to his relief it did not give. He remained uneasy at having disarmed himself to get up there, but was at the same time relieved to be able to see what was going on.

The bandits were surrounded on all sides. The initial attack, spearheaded by the captain herself, had driven the bandits back, right into the path of the three other groups. He looked closely for any sign of this so-called "bandit king" but none of the surrounded brigands looked like or fought like a bandit king. None of them looked or fought like real warriors, just raiders and ruffians. Certainly nobody capable of cutting through those Thaln soldiers. He continued looking, searching for any exposed flanks of either friend or foe, and for any spots where the bandits threatened to break out of the encirclement and escape.

He spotted one straggler, a crossbowman who had somehow avoided the encirclement. There was no need to go after him, however- the Captain herself rushed up to the shooter and handily dispatched him. Perhaps I should just join Tyaethe's group. No real use for me in Aria's shield wall...

He was about to climb down when he saw a burning tree fall near the Captain's location. He couldn't discern whether or not the tree struck her, but what was clear was that she had been cut off from her group. Whether it was a trap or not, the captain likely needed help. Without thinking twice, he jumped down from the tree and reclaimed his armaments from their impromptu sheaths, then rushed in the direction of the burning tree without delay.

If his hunch from earlier was correct- that the enemy leader would single out Fanilly, as a perceived weak link in in the Iron Roses and as a symbol of the kingdom he so brazenly opposed- it was quite possible that he was heading straight for the Bandit King.

Reon, whatever I face, I ask for your blessing that my sword strike true, and I ask for your protection that will I not fall.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

honestly wishing we were ardougne but on the other hand i don't want to get locked in a house and pickpocketed until somebody gets a 99

@HereComesTheSnow

Better that than be poisoned by hazmat suited elves and dragged off to be used as slave labor.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

As the knights assembled, Fleuri thought about what they were up against. The camp was fortified by stakes or spikes, and judging from what he had glimpsed of the camp, it probably held a good number of bandits. It appeared that they were still unaware of the trap closing in around them, but the knights would have to capitalize on it quickly, before somebody realized something was amiss. Were those sentries at the end of their shifts, or the start? I suppose it doesn't matter- they're already surrounded on four sides, he contemplated as he fiddled with his armor, ensuring everything was properly fastened.

As anticipation of the attack grew, Fleuri contemplated his role. His skills and armaments were of little use in a shield wall- he didn't carry a shield when on foot, and his greatsword required ample space to use effectively. Regardless, he was intent on doing whatever he could to ensure the success of the attack. He glanced at the fortifications ahead, and the answer slowly came to him. With a plan in mind, he approached the leader of the group, intent on coordinating it with her.

"Those stakes aren't much of a danger on foot, but they'll slow our charge," he spoke to Aria. "If you would allow me to take care of them before the flank pushes through, it would allow an easier advance."

When the signal to attack was given, in the form of magical flares that lit up the darkening sky, Fleuri was ready. As planned beforehand, he charged forward to the camp's spike fortifications ahead of the others. He swung his greatsword in a wide, low arc, cutting them down and sending the wooden stakes flying. With two swings, he managed to create a nearly ten foot wide gap in the fortifications, providing an unobstructed path to the camp- but also giving the bandit crossbowmen an unobstructed line of fire at Fleuri.

"The path is clear!" he shouted back at the knights behind him as he stepped back, trusting that they would advance forward and shield him from missile fire. He had done his part, and he knew better than to charge ahead blindly. It was now up to Aria, Elodie, and the others.

Reon, goddess of the sun, please let my trust in them not be misplaced, he silently prayed, uncomfortable at being exposed to enemy crossbow fire even for a moment.

@OwO @ERode

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

I improved the formatting on my character sheet. No information has been changed.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

Fleuri briefly assessed the different groups. Fanilly would be leading from the front. Tyaethe the First and Youngest would be leading from the left. Sir Gerard, the Reonite former mercenary, was leading the right flank. Dame Aria, a veteran knight of the Larette family, was leading the rear flank. Fleuri had alrady interacted with and assessed Gerald, but he had not thought too much about the other two yet.

Paladin Tyaethe needed no further introduction, as her reputation preceded her. If the stories were true, she could probably handle the entire left flank by herself. He wondered if Tyaethe knew or remembered his ancestor Armand Jodeau, a renowned knight in his own time. Perhaps he could ask her about it later, once this bandit business was concluded. Assuming, of course, Fleuri had the nerve to approach and ask her- even as small of stature as she was out of her armor, she was quite intimidating.

The second flank leader, Dame Aria, was somewhat known to Fleuri. She was a decorated veteran of Cal's rebellion and a member of the Larette family. They were a powerful noble family, distinguished by their red hair and great stature. In the past, they were bitter rivals of the Jodeau, back when Fleuri's family was relevant. The mutual disdain didn't end when Jodeau relinquished its land and ceased to be a threat to Larette, as doing so only demonstrated how deeply contrasting the two familes' ideals were. It was unclear whether Aria adhered to Larette's ruthlessly pragmatic ideals, but what was clear was that she was a valorous warrior whose loyalty to the kingdom was not in question.

"I volunteer to fight on the rear flank," Fleuri announced to the captain. He wanted to see how the rival family- and their martial tradition- had fared over the years. She'll probably hate him, but why would a Jodeau ever care for a Larette's opinion?

---

OOC: History between Jodeau and Larette was discussed over PM.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

With some time to spare before being ordered into position, Fleuri removed his helmet to get a better look at where his armor was struck with a quarrel. To his relief, there was no damage beyond a minor scratch where it glanced off his pauldron. The only other telltale signs of his participation in the battle was his bloodied greatsword and a few scarlet drops that had dripped from his sword onto his white cape. The evening was still young, however, and they had another fight ahead of them.

Fleuri contemplated about what the bandit had said while being interrogated. If this knave is telling the truth, sentries might be an issue if they spot us before we can get into position. If the bandits were alerted before they were encircled, many of them would be able to slip away into the woods. The other detail he noticed was the mention of prisoners. It wasn't surprising that these brigands kept prisoners, but it posed a slight complication in that the camp contained innocent people. There was a chance the bandit was lying about that detail, but the Iron Roses would not gamble with people's lives by calling his bluff.

There was one other detail that was worth noting- the bandit's description of the Bandit King. According to the reports, most of the royal soldiers sent to stop the bandits were torn apart by a single, unknown weapon. It was speculated that Jeremiah was this weapon's wielder but assuming he wasn't some sort of elaborate red herring- which these bandits were clearly not smart enough to pull off- this further suggested that it was indeed Jeremiah.

If he is surrounded, he could try to break out- after all, if he's as skilled as they say, he could very well succeed. But a man as bold as Jeremiah does not seem like the type to flee. Fleuri glanced at Fanilly. If the Bandit King opted to stand and fight, he'd probably go straight for the young captain. The thought of the Order losing its Knight-Captain so early into her captaincy, and just a few short years after losing their previous captain, made him uneasy. On the other hand, from what little he had seen of Fanilly, she wasn't just some bravado filled fool. Between the Vindramael knight and the legendary First and Youngest, she was in good hands.

He thought of speaking up to the captain, but decided against it. He had nothing noteworthy to say, and there were already enough people telling Fanilly how to do her job. He silently put his helmet back on and mentally readied himself for the next phase of the battle.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

The skirmish was over. The bandits weren't just defeated, they were crushed. Most were dead and strewn on the ground, and the few that lived would no doubt hang for the depravities they committed. Looking over the battlefield, Fleuri wasn't seeing any casualties among the knights, thank Reon, just fallen bandits. To spring an ambush blindly without knowing what they're up against, and committing to a skirmish with the Iron Roses. How ever did these fools ever defeat a group of Thaln's soldiers? To Fleuri's relief, he hadn't seen any of them escaping- if any of them got back to warn the camp, the rest of them would be able to scatter like roaches into the dense forest.

Speaking of which, Fleuri needed to get his prisoner to the wagon as per the captain's orders. First, however, he would need to disarm him. Fleuri pulled a dagger from a sheath hanging from the man's belt and tossed it aside, then briefly patted down the prone brigand, checking for any weapons concealed in his cuffs or boots. Finding nothing else, he grabbed the bandit by the back of his leather armor and pulled him to his feet.

"Quietly. No sudden moves, or I'll take your head off," he sternly warned the man, directing him to the cart. The man complied, slowly trudging along as his captor demanded. There was no doubt that the man would hang. These bandits had killed innocents and royal soldiers alike, and intended to kill whoever sprung their roadside trap. Unlike the murderer in front of him, however, Fleuri found it distasteful to shoot or stab a fleeing man in the back, as fitting and deserved an end as it would be for someone that did it for a living.

"I got one that needs tying up," he announced, handing the man over to a knight who was helping to bind the captives. Glancing around, he noticed seemed that some of the other knights had wasted no time in interrogating the captives. Fleuri saw one of them being worked over by the Larette woman and Sir Reynaud, one of the order's Living Reliquaries. He himself was unsure that it would yield anything useful. The bandits seemed outmatched enough that it seemed doubtful that they could produce useful information, and even if they did, Fleuri would rather not place any trust in the words of a knave.

Regardless, he approached the two knights, curious to see how the interrogation would play out. He said nothing, merely observing, while silently waiting for the Captain's orders to resume advancing on the camp. The sooner they begin to lay their trap to surround the bandits, the better chance the knights would have at catching them off-guard and preventing their escape.

@OwO@ghastlyInc

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

I wasn't trying to take a prisoner, I just did it because I figured a brigand with a crossbow would panic and run when a knight is rushing at him with 2-handed sword. And in slasher movie convention, trip and fall on his face.