POOHEAD189

The Sunday Group

I'm excited to get this going.

'Misthophoroi' - A Sci-Fi Mercenary RP

I am ready to continue, good sir.

Dogs of War: Old World Mercenaries

Cyrdic shuddered, his head lowered as Velabrass was about to aim the killing blow. But then he heard a small crack through the maelstrom of noise, and a very real clang as Velabrass pitched over dead, a gaping hole in the Champion's helmet. Cyrdic didn't understand for many moments, and even as the Dragon tore into the courtyard, Cyrdic turned to see Camilla peeking out from behind the smoking barrel.

He was dumbfounded for a moment, but soon found strength made from his own fear when he saw the great maw of the Dragon rear down, flames licking its drool-slick jowels. Rows upon rows of teeth nearly as large as his sword gleamed from the firelight. Cyrdic suddenly felt like he wanted to live, or to at least try. They'd gotten so far.

He staggered to his feet, gripping his weapons and running over to Camilla. "We have to move" he told her, and the two sprinted down the hallway connected to the Great Hall. An eardrum shattering roar rent the air, and then a gush-like sound filled the castle. Cyrdic felt the temperature rise first. He saw the flames only moments after, the fire breath so all encompassing it engulfed the Great Hall and even now flowed into the side hall.

With a cry of fear, Cyrdic shoulder rushed a door to the side. He and Camilla dived in, only to find there was no floor to land on. Instead Cyrdic hit wooden steps, tumbling down into darkness as the flames bypassed them on the outside. The broken man lay at the bottom, too wounded and tired to move. He felt Camilla next to him, her having landed on his arm and leg.

Within the Castle, the Dragon stepped atop scorched men and beasts, its great head crushing through the stonework, to find its way into the cellar. It had smelled its children, and another as well. Below the Drake, Gilderoy stood over one of her offspring, the Egg having been crushed by him when he had tripped over one of the castle's tremors. He didn't have the frame of mind to even scream...
@Penny

Dogs of War: Old World Mercenaries

"Camilla!" Cyrdic cried, desperation in his voice. If he and Camilla were going to die, it wasn't going to be by this disgusting spawn's hand. Despite his own self preservation, he launched himself at Gildenhoof as the Chaos Champion moaned from his close proximity to the intertwined courtesan. Gildenhoof had just managed to coil his tentacle around the vial, crying out in glee at the discovery, when Cyrdic slammed into him from the side, sending the vial onto the floor and the Champion staggering. The tentacle around Camilla uncoiled slightly, just enough for the lithe figure to slip out if she had the strength.

Cyrdic had severed the tentacle by its root, though it still wrapped around Camilla, and while limp, it moved to tighten its hold on her again as if it was a sentient snake. The tip of it caressed her face almost lovingly. Meanwhile, Cyrdic's next stroke was blocked by the Champion's sword, or so Gildenhoof thought. His blade was in the way, but Cyrdic's sword of Ulric chopped through the Chaos blade and into Gildehoof's collarbone.

Reflexively, the Slaaneshi Champion bucked lewdly in his death spasm and struck Cyrdic with a backhand from his jagged armor, cutting the man across the body in a spray of blood and sending him skidding into the slaughter. Gildehoof fell to his knees, sighing as if he was receiving a massage, and then falling over dead. The vial was mere feet from Camilla, as was the handgun.

Cyrdic chocked, and stood up uneasily as man fought beast. The next roar of the Dragon sent tremors across the entire castle. Briefly, Cyrdic recognized the sound. He'd heard it before, in the forest. But what he saw next truly piqued his memory, for Velabrass waded through the melee, having spotted the weakened Cyrdic. With a casual backhand, a man's jugular was severed with surgical precision from the Tzeentch Champion's sword.

Cyrdic had no illusions about the outcome of his fight with the Champion. He was much too weak to survive. But...he wasn't about to flee now.

"So you're the bitches guard dog," Velabrass said, chuckling within his helm. "I do not have machinations for you or her as Gildenhoof did. I'll simply kill you, and take the vial. Now where is it?"

Cyrdic slashed at the Champion, only for Velabrass to easily block it. His return stroke nearly took off Cyrdic's head, the Ostlander wounded and exhausted, almost beyond what he could bear. Their swords rang on impact. "If you do not tell me, I'll kill her slowly first, and then kill you."

Outside, the Dragon's claws rended the outerwalls, widening the hole so the beast could better fit in the courtyard.
@Penny

Dogs of War: Old World Mercenaries

Cyrdic fought like a man possessed, growling and roaring as if he too was a Beastman. The Halbderdiers had impaled and butchered more Chaos filth than Cyrdic could count, but their line had been broken. Now Halbderdiers, Swordsmen, Axeman, and even unlucky ranged troops fought in a terrifying melee that filled the Great Hall with a baptism of blood. Cyrdic hacked and stabbed with his sword, bludgeoning and blocking with his large round shield.

When Camilla ran out into the Great Hall, Cyrdic almost looked like a demon himself, so covered in blood. He slashed at a Chosen of Chaos, his runic sword slicing through the warrior's plate armor and severing its leg. He ended the lesser Champion's life by stabbing into its chest, not even hesitating to give the coup de grace. Cyrdic whirled, sword leading. He felt a cold chill spread across his body when he realized he had almost cut Camilla on instinct, stopping his sword mere inches from her.

His chest heaving, he felt both a sense of relief and dread at seeing her alive. On the one hand, he was glad to find her still breathing so he could die alongside her. But he also hated the idea of seeing her perish. That last thought filled his mind when something tall and swift slammed into the wall just behind her, and all but slithered out into the Great Hall. "The vial...give it to me and I shall make your death more pleasurable than you deserve," Gildenhoof said to Camilla. "Or you can give yourself to me and pledge to the Gods..."

Cyrdic bared his teeth, starkly pale against the crimson that painted his face. His sword had pushed him into an animalistic anger, and he rushed passed Camilla on instinct, with a slash of his sword almost too fast for the eye to follow. Gildenhoof deflected it with his own razor-edged blade, but just barely.

"Ah yes, you're the one who will watch when I kill her," Gildenhoof giggled, and counter attacked with the swiftness of a serpent. Cyrdic parried, and they traded blow after blow, the Ostlander snarling and fighting with a savagery that befit his Norscan shield. Little did he see the tentacle of Gildenhoof snake around and grab his ankle, ripping it out from under him and sending Cyrdic to the ground.

What Gildenhoof hadn't suspected was that Cyrdic's sword sang out even as he fell, severing the Champion's arm. He let out a shriek, and sunk back, weakened. Cyrdic had to collect himself for a moment, but Gildenhoof was wounded, worry finally appearing on his face.
@Penny

The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - Crimson Skies

@MacabreFox Bardeck is noooot used to social situations, especially with non-Orc women. I love how easy going and sly Brona is

@MiddleEarthRoze Also, coincidentally, I'll be gone the days Foxy is gone. Going to visit my Aunt in Florida. I was going to go to the Orlando Comic-Con, but that fell through and I haven't visited my Aunt in forever. Hey, it's still in Florida.

Dogs of War: Old World Mercenaries

Cyrdic had gotten some of the men to distribute water and small amounts of foodstuffs from the kitchen. A few men went to the privvy, comically. But they were all trapped in here, and as the doors were continually battered, they all gathered in the main hall to set their defenses. There were two Captains, and two Sergeants older than Cyrdic, but he had led the defense of the wall well enough. They looked to him to oversee their formation in the hall.

Men hustled in smaller desks for the longbowmen, crossbowmen, and handgunners to stand upon for a better view of the enemy when they broke through. He set up the Halberdiers up front, gleaming and armor piercing weapons at the ready as the door continued to buckle under the blows of something massive from beyond the wall. Swordsmen and Axemen were behind them, ready to hack through any gaps that might be made in the line once the Chaos horde swept in.

Cyrdic stood with them, his Ulrican sword howling with rage, his Norscan shield held aloft. He could see the door's wood cracking in various spots. He breathed in, and as a hush fell over the crowd of soldiers ready to face the coming onslaught, they all looked up when they heard a small bang. Not from before them, but from above.

Cyrdic looked up, and wasn't sure what it was that could be up there. For some reason, he had a sinking feeling that could be-

No, can't be her. She'd be in the cellar.
Or she had gone there. But where was she now? That had sounded like a gunshot, and his sword didn't howl or growl at whatever or whoever was on the roof, so it couldn't have been a chaos spawn. He suddenly grew very worried at her absence, but it wasn't something he could focus on at the moment. They were all about to die, after all. Unless they performed a feat of arms Magnus the Pious would be proud of.

Suddenly the doors burst open, a Minotaur wielding a club the size of a small tree having broken through. "Fire!" Cyrdic cried, bullets and crossbow bolts striking the huge thing, ripping its skin and tearing into its skull. It swayed, and then fell. That had been a mistake, however. They had expanded all of their ranged shots on one Beastmen.

The longbowmen from Talabecland had been a bit more cautious thankfully, but Cyrdic didn't think fifteen arrows could do much. They loosed into the horde that charged in, sinking into flesh, and some even penetrating armor, before the Beasts and Champions crashed into the spiked wall of Halberds.

---

Reigynferlgar the Crimson had seen the belching flame from afar. It was not the flames of another Dragon, she knew. It was something that angered her. Something wielded by man or chaos, it didn't matter. She had not seen any sign of her children past the day the horsemen had been seen in the distance. The ones she had lost in the forest. With a roar of rage, she swung her body in a side arc as her wings enveloped air, and the Dragon swiftly closed on the battle.

---

Velabrass regarded the wreck of the wall and the broken gate. It was almost over, he knew. Now if only the Beasts and Kron would kill that Ostlander he had seen on the walls. The same Ostlander that had escaped with the vial of what he searched for. It vexed Velabrass that he lived. That sword called for his life, and he wouldn't only face him under extreme circumstance. He knew he was the better warrior, but there was an inkling of fate about the man that Tzeentch warned him about. As he had with the other one...

The one now on the roof. Velabrass was not sure of what to make of that, but Gildenhoof wriggled with glee at the sight of his prize. The Tzeentch Champion did not know how Gildenhoof intended to get the woman, but Velabrass had to tell him once more, with a finality. "The vial, and then your play."

Gildenhoof couldn't help but view Camilla as bait hanging by a string, rather than hanging for her life atop the Great Hall. He sprinted forward, trying to search for a way to reach the woman so he could taste her. It was to his dismay when he saw her close to a towerhead door up the sloping roof. He began to climb the battlements with supernatural speed, hoping to reach her in time.
@Penny

The Sunday Group

I go to Detroit fairly regularly for one of my many time-devouring hobbies, and the city doesn't feel nearly as desperate and dangerous as the common narrative likes to portray it. I still prefer Chicago, but I don't dread my visits or anything.

@Naril

I've been there twice over the years. Honestly Birmingham (where I live) had the 6th highest murder rate in the country a few years back, but I've never had problems with it. It usually depends on where you look and where you go, no matter the city you're in. But Detroit does have a higher crime percentage than most, though I've only heard of the abandoned portions of the city. I've never seen them myself.

Oop! Didn't see your edit.

If we don't do Detroit, then Chicago is my vote. One of the two.

The Sunday Group

Oh, now I just had a thought. Why not Detroit? It's large, dangerous with its crime, and there's many places abandoned and overgrown.

The Sunday Group

Miami or Jacksonville, Florida maybe. Chicago seems like a classic place to be, or Manhattan.