Avatar of Psyker Landshark

Status

Recent Statuses

3 mos ago
Current As a GM, I hate all my players in particular
5 likes
7 mos ago
joining the war on smoking, on the side of smoking
2 likes
9 mos ago
as a patreon reward I will read your least favorite person's handmade custom tabletop RPG homebrew and ask them why they didn't just run it in 5e instead
3 likes
11 mos ago
I started RP before double digit age but you couldn't have gotten an admission I was under 18 under threat of death. Kids just casually admiting it online now is wild.
2 likes
1 yr ago
the whole subway's mine for the slammin'
3 likes

Bio

sneed

Most Recent Posts

Ranbu no Izayoi


Not two days in Edren once more, and already a local lord proved more helpful without prompting than Drana Asnaeu's highest authorities. Gods help her, Izayoi may actually have to think rather charitably of an Edreni noble of all things. At least, of one that wasn't directly affiliated with them, so Galahad and Rudolf excepted.

As the conversation continued on, Izayoi tuned it out in favor of shifting her foot to press down hard on Chisato's after seeing the small viera on the verge of exploding, giving the shinobi a brief raise of her eyebrow. Her attention was piqued, however, when Chisato seemed more focused on...something else in the room? Izayoi followed her countryman's gaze to a blonde woman in traveling gear, suddenly sitting at the table and filling a plate as if she belonged.

By the time the woman met Izayoi's eyes, the samurai had her short blade drawn, halfway up to lunging across the table.

"Easy, General. I'm an ally."

Upon realizing exactly who infiltrated her way to his dinner table of all things, Cadmon could only give a long-suffering sigh and a reluctant nod.

"Kayliss Lambert, Deputy Director of SEED Operations in Falcon's Nest. Consider me Mathiassen's superior officer and the Dame Commander's temporary minder."

"Then well met, spymaster." Izayoi ground out, her wakizashi sliding back into its sheath with reluctance. "Tell me, what exactly possessed you to introduce yourself as you have?"

"Expediency. I'll keep things brief. What I'm about to tell you is a Skaellan state secret, above the clearance of anyone in this room. I hardly know exact details. In summation, you know nothing of this until you coincidentally stumble across it, with my name completely forgotten. But, to sum it up, we've lost Solitude."

"...Kayliss, that's hardly news. We've heard even as far up as here that Solitude has been completely silent for two months-"

"That was a convenient state-sanctioned lie. Overseer Baramoux placed Solitude on complete lockdown to root out Valheimr infiltrators. By all accounts, reports out of Solitude indicate it was going well, until one week ago. All contact stopped, and all agents sent to investigate haven't returned. Something happened. With Baramoux and over half the Seven still in the city, Skael's in full crisis, albeit a silent one."

"And I suppose you wish for us to be the vanguard for the next attempt at investigating, then?"

"You and yours have worked miracles already, even as of a week ago. To sweeten the pot, I'll even offer up the location of the Crystal of Wind right now: in a temple at the furthest tip of the continent's southern reaches, past Solitude's gates, walls, and wards. Even if you wanted to ignore the situation, there's no way to reach it without passing through the capital." Kayliss managed to say all this in between quick bites of food, somehow managing to polish her plate off while giving the briefing. She reached to fill up with seconds.

"When we're finished here, I'm returning to Skael effective immediately to help organize our response. The time for subtlety in our dealings with you has passed. You'll find your passage at the border completely expedited and given free rein of the country. I move faster on my own, but when you do cross the border, make for Falcon's Nest. Now, I'll be fielding questions, if anyone has any."

Charles Ackerman


An intake of breath as Fiona and Leander started to float the possibility of having a go at it. A vein popped in Charles's forehead at the thought.

"Twenty years, I've been running this bar. Twenty years, I've hosted the annual gathering on Peyton's request. And without fail, once a generation, someone thinks it a grand idea to have a battle on this night." He groaned, grabbing a glass before pouring himself a dram of single malt. "By all means, demonstrate why this is a poor idea. I could use the renovation funds from the Chairman once he finds out exactly how the Cliffside burnt down for the fourth time in two decades."

Charles finished his rant by pouring a second glass of whiskey, handing it over towards Briar before proceeding to refill Beryl's drink as well.

"Aww, c'monnn!" Fiona jeered as she swigged down more booze, arms stretched out wide.
"We'll be...well, I ain't gonna say careful, but we won't tag tha Cliffside?" She looked around the bar, as if asking for support. "Back me up here, aye? Me an' Leander'll be totally capable of not hittin' th' bar, nae shite?"

Before Charles could respond with what exactly he thought of that sentiment, the conversation was interrupted by an utterly bedraggled Ryker finally entering the bar. The old trainer refrained from expressing his dismay at the amount of water the Champion was tracking in, settling for giving him an exasperated stare before mixing up his requested rum and coke.

"Peyton's not arrived, no. Though now I hope he does soon. The state you're in would give that tosser conniptions." Was the ability to speak so casually of their collective superior a product of nepotism? Absolutely. Did he care? Not particularly.
Ranbu no Izayoi


Izayoi endured the indignity of being hosted by Edrenians once more with a long-suffering sigh, sharing a look of exasperation with Chisato. Especially considering the lord's son was the mouthy sort. His explanation for the service was met with a disinterested nod from her end, with the samurai choosing to say as little as possible on that matter to remain polite.

The lord himself mentioning the subject of room pairings brought a snort from Izayoi and a shake of her head. "There would be no pairings that I am aware of." Yet. She slipped Esben and Eliane a brief sideeye at that. Perhaps Rudolf would have noticed. Regardless, her piece on the matter was said, and she would return to stony silence, no matter how often the mention of "northern barbarians" caused a vein to pop.

___

Some time later, supper was served, and the Kirins were gathered around the table, the lord of the estate at the head. An ironically familiar situation for some of their number.

As the first course was served, Izayoi chose to preempt Lord Demet, and spoke.

"Shall we be about this, then? I take it you wish to take our measure, as it were?" She sighed. Hopefully, it wouldn't go as poorly as it did with Artorias.




Ranbu no Izayoi


Cherle d'Artoe seethed at Wulfric and the Kirins alike, his nostrils puffing out and veins pulsing in his forehead. Izayoi frowned at the byplay from Edreni nobleman and some of their party alike, her hand surreptitiously going down towards her blade. Certainly, she'd try not to kill the buffoon should he more than likely attack them, but if he pressed the matter...

Fortunately for the young nobleman, an attendant clad in heavy plate and an armet leaned over to whisper in his ear, and Lord d'Artoe visibly swallowed his pride, relenting as he stepped back.

"This is not over." He hissed, his gaze passing over every non-Skaeler and Esben and Eliane alike. "Pray we never cross paths where I have primacy and jurisdiction, lest I revisit this humiliation upon you tenfold." And with that, Cherle and his party of a dozen men turned and began making for the north, likely back towards Caerdaran where the Kirins had just came from.

___

Wulfric and his men escorted the erstwhile Warriors of Light the remaining half a day through Demet territory to the castle itself, making good time now that the interruption had been dealt with. Quick words towards waiting servants upon arrival had the Kirins situated within a waiting room, with servants bringing in refreshments as they waited for their host's arrival.

The individual members of the party didn't go unnoticed, of course. Rudolf was already well-known to the servants, and was greeted with familiar ease. Being a Knight Dragoon, Galahad was treated with deference appropriate to his station, as were Esben and Eliane from their dress and uniform befitting them as Skaeler officials. Miina's mode of dress was enough to disguise her origins, and she was treated with no more or less decorum than was appropriate for any seeming merchant or minor noble. As for Chisato and Izayoi...while they weren't actively discriminated against, it was clear that the servants were fulfilling the bare minimum possible for good and efficient service, not going out of their way to converse more than they had to or to be in their presence at all.

For her part, Izayoi simply frowned, drinking nothing but water as she narrowed her eyes in distaste at the very obviously Edreni decor. At present, there was naught to do other than converse with Wulfric or simply wait for Earl Demet to receive them.
One Week Later...


Their departure from Brightlam had been a swift and early thing, in part to avoid the accolades their newfound fame brought. Fortunately, news of the Warriors of Light's exact details hadn't quite spread past the capital just yet, and they were able to take their leave of Drana Asnaeu at last without harassment from overawed locals.

Unlike their last voyage at sea, this time the journey went without interruption at all, aside from a few minor monster attacks that were quickly dealt with and swept up. Their Dranan escort brought the Kirins to a port within a day's journey of Earl Demet's territory within the western marches.

True to Rudolf's assumption, hardly anyone was recognized within port, aside from Galahad's armor and not the man himself. The presence of a dragoon with such motley traveling companions, two Ospreans included, drove some eyebrows up, but they were hardly accosted. They left port in good order after resupplying, and set out for Demet territory proper.

Half a day away, it seemed their extended period of peace and quiet was finally about to end. Up ahead on the road, they saw the makings of a quarrel: two separate groups of armed men, hands close to their weapons and their leaders conversing in raised voices. Or at least one of them was.

"You would bar our passage? Don't you know who I am?!" One of the leaders, a man in Skaller furs and armor, bellowed, triggering a flash of memory for Izayoi.

The man scowled up at Zeidgram, ruby-red blood dribbling down his chin as he released a slew of curses up at him before his guttural voice hardened into decipherable words. ”How dare you strike me? Don’t you know who I am?”


"...Galahad, Eliane. He was one of the adventurers in attendance at Balmung Castle. The Unicorns' leader, if I recall." Izayoi murmured in low tones towards those who had been with the party the longest. "I see his unpleasantness is a constant."

Meanwhile, Rudolf would recognize the other party leader as one Wulfric Demet, treating his counterpart's grievances with an easy smile and a barking laugh. The sight of yet another party approaching on foot piqued Wulfric's attention, which also served to cause the Unicorns to turn around. Said leader looked between the distinctive dress of dragoon, samurai, and gunbreaker alike, and his eyes widened in shock before narrowing in distaste.

"You!" The still-unnamed Skaeller noble glowered. "What, was it not enough to simply leave matters to your betters? You had to walk in my footsteps as well? And what in blazes happened to most of your worthless group? Let me hazard a guess: they fell like dogs and you replaced them as quickly?"

Wulfric's intervention or no, it seemed this confrontation had the potential to erupt into violence. And wouldn't that be a fine first way for the Warriors of Light to introduce themselves to their host?
CMDR SAGAN "VULTURE" KODOS


God in space, but Sagan hated stealth ops. Even having been a former fighter pilot, his idea of stealth was being off radar, dropping a cruise missle from beyond visual range. Not hoofing it, crouching down behind cover in a several meters-tall warmachine. Nevertheless, this was his life, and he wouldn't bitch about it outside of his own head. No point affecting morale by having the CO whine.

The Watchdog stayed in between those of the 7th infiltrating up front, and those hanging back, aiming to extend the range of the squad's laser communications by acting as a central hub to route comms through. Its pilot manuevered its arms to level the MAS's HPK on overwatch, prone and dug in atop a rooftop.

<< Foot patrol confirmed. >> Sagan commed in response to the radio ping. << Deep breaths, people. Don't get jumpy, let them pass. >>

He continued scanning the streets, letting the onboard smart-targeting AI run passively so not as to alert any Coalies with tone if the targeting suite detected anything. All the while, the Watchdog continued transmitting its scans over laser optics to the rest of the squad that was in range, keeping everyone that could in the loop.

<< Rabbit, Hex, talk to me. Any visual confirmations yet? >>
A week after the Siege of Brightlam, the party convened once more in a meeting room within Brightlam Cathedral at Cid's call. Once everyone had gathered, Neve and Eve included, the wizened old sage got down to business.

"Good morning then, Warriors of Light." His gaze possessed a rare twinkle of mirth, to which Izayoi could only grumble.

"You as well, with that inane moniker?" She groused before allowing Cid to continue on.

"The title gives hope. Why would I not use it?" He chortled, before composing himself. "Ahem. In any case, I came to ask all of you whether you've decided upon your next destination. As before, I would continue to advise saving Osprey for last, considering the severity of both the Valheimr presence and the likely corruption of the Crystal of Fire."

"Before that," Neve cut in, rising from her seat to bow her head briefly. "I wanted to make an announcement of sorts. Because of everything that happened with the Grovemasters...they've selected me to take the place of one of the deceased." She said, sounding as if she were still in awe and disbelieving of the proclamation herself. "It isn't official yet, but I'm afraid that with that, I can't rejoin you all, as much as I would wish to."

"On that note," Eve took this opportunity to speak immediately after. "I won't be able to, either. Cid claims I'm close to a breakthrough in taking on Bahamut's power. There's...things I can't say for now. Nothing harmful to anyone, just personal. I'm sorry."

"...Then it seems there are no other choices. Your loss will be missed, the both of you." Izayoi sighed, resigned to accepting the reality of the situation. As it stood, it seemed neither of the two departing party members truly had any alternative in their situations, Neve especially. "Returning to Cid's question..." She looked towards the other members of the group, steadfastly refusing to think of them as that ridiculous name.

"My preference should be obvious. As should a number of our group's. Still, if anyone should care to give suggestions, now ought to be the time."



© 2007-2026
BBCode Cheatsheet