Twhirtley

Ebonfort

I work tonight, then I'm off for a day and a half. I'll get your replies done then @Rekaigan@The Grey Dust

Also, I'll be continuing to transfer information from here to the wiki. That said, I'll also be doing some heavy lifting in regards to Magic. That is all the magics I have either fully created, or intend to create, so far. Inside the ones with links, you'll find the subgenres of the magic (though with no descriptions quite yet). This can give you a feel for what each magic might become. If you have any questions, would like to offer suggestions for additions to any of these, or new magics, feel free to let me know whenever.

Thanks!

Ebonfort

What's this? Multiple replies over a couple of days from the GM!

When the Fog Breaks [Ebonfort RP]

The contracts signed, Lieutenant Castoro nodded toward the squire, who quickly wrote up the permits, that included the details of the contracts, and handed them to Lyle and Alya. "You will need to keep these with you anytime you are in Ebonfort territory. Should a Knight, or anyone really, question you about your wolf, these documents are all you need to provide. These ensure that Lyle Spikebush is responsible for any damages or crimes committed by the dire wolf companion of Alya Eloen while in the Ebonfort territories. This also registers proper ownership of said wolf, affording it full protection under our laws. Should Alya sell, trade, or set free this wolf, she must inform the Quartermaster at the nearest Ebon Knight Depot immediately, so as to relinquish liability for both herself and Lyle."

The Lieutenant smiled, it always impressed him how his squire handled paperwork and bureaucracy. It was definitely the boy's stronger area. Perhaps he'd make a fine Quartermaster one day, quite a prestigious position, especially since he wasn't much use in terms of combat. He could see the rest of the citizens that had been in hiding, coming out now, the sight of the Knights a signal that it was safe once more. Lyle turned to Alya, now knowing her name, "So it looks like I'm stuck with you two now. That was a very stupid thing you did there. Very stupid." He looked away for a moment, as a parent might that was a bit upset with their child, before breaking into a grin, "But I'm glad you did."

More Knights began coming out of the wood works, those whose jobs meant holding the perimeters or defending certain points in the village. The clean up was quick, the bodies taken to the outskirts of the village, to have their coffins built from a dying tree and buried, becoming food for future trees, for that was truly their village's livelihood. "Let's go get this little guy some food, then get us stitched up. You have a lot of work ahead of you."

The Silent Watch [Ebonfort]

Interesting. This man, this gargoyle man, had just made the negotiations more difficult, for himself. Showing even the mildest of concern for the Ebon Knights gave their lives, and deaths, value. However, his final question lowered her esteem of him. She decided to address that first, her smile softening in her disappointment, "Such an archaic view. All things have real value, blood included. The only reason he would've been killed, before selling his mate, is because I would've acquired the remainder of his assets anyways. Killing simple because he owed me is pointless, I gain nothing from it. If you should learn anything from our meeting today, know this. I always come out ahead."

Her displeasure was quite evident now, and she made no attempt to hide this. The rest of her tribe shifted a bit nervously in their positions, with the exception of Gerhein. "Furthermore, when I ask you a question, specifically that concerning business, I expect you to answer properly, not with more questions. If you are here just to waste my time, I will take my profit from you and be on my way. My base price for your mother is a single copper, for she is worth nothing to me."

Gerhein quickly removed his gauntlets, as if he were preparing to use those monstrous hands properly. Her tribe looked on with both nervousness and fear, all of this building into quite the palpable realm of tension. For the briefest of moments, it seemed as if the tattooed vine upon her body wiggled in anticipation, while her eyes appeared crimson.

Then all of a sudden, the tension died with a sigh of relief from Keelie. "I apologize. This interruption of these Knights has annoyed me. I am not greedy, and I'm told you are the same. I could ask for exorbitant sums for your mother, that you could not possibly afford, but why kill the herd, when I can simply take a single deer every so often? So my price, as you requested is this. Your business. I wish for you to supply my tribe, through an intermediary, with weapons and armor as needed. And we will pay a fair price for these, whatever you would charge a normal customer."

One of the Treggers began to stir. Keelie tsked lightly, drew her long, curved hunting knife, and with the ease of breathing, loosed it quickly. It plunged deep, all the way to the hilt, between the bones, deep into Talif's heart. A single breath forced its way out, then he was forever silent. "As for these three, well two now, their fate depends on the deal we make, or don't make. You could ask how, but I find that it is much more enjoyable, especially where Knights are concerned, to leave a few things in mystery. So, what do you think of my offer?"

When the Fog Breaks [Ebonfort RP]

The drunken Gunther was driven over to the group at arrow point, the Lieutenant shifting his attention from the glaring woman and the doomed pup. He'd been able to discern enough information from this bloody situation to know that the man here was entirely at fault. Lieutenant Castoro's squire, Alan Hyland, came plodding over, such a fool boy. And fat. He trained him night and day, and he was still fat. But at least he followed orders without question. The boy clinked and huffed in his armor, stopping to catch his breath before reporting.

"There are seven dead, Ser. Four civilians, the Hair-Foot known as Kintan, the daughters of Reginald Bursaft, Lilia and Karmin, and pixie Pompeya. Three knights have passed as well, Ser Brannock, Sera Jespaiya, and Ser Lolin. Ser Crescent is severely injured, and it is unclear if he will survive or not."

The young lad looked down at the unconscious knight, then at his Lieutenant's steely gaze, realizing this was not to be included in the official report, at least, as is. "And Ser Hurlton mildly injured in the line of duty." Lieutenant Castoro nodded, now speaking to Gunther, "You are charged with Reckless Endangerment of the village, seven counts of manslaughter, and four counts of assaulting a knight. The punishment is death by execution. All of your assets will be seized by the Ebon Knights and distributed as we see fit. Do you have anything to say?"

Gunther's shoulders slumped, knowing he had no valid argument. He looked over at the pup, he'd just wanted to sell it for easy money, lots of people would buy it. He never meant to hurt anyone. The look in the girl's eyes reminded him of the wolves, the fierceness in which they'd protect their own. He wasn't always a hunter for profit... He could remember the days of his youth, where he enjoyed watching his prey more than hunting them. Where becoming one with the wild was the most important and enjoyable feeling. Maybe he could feel that one last time, do one last bit of good before he died.

"I ask that the girl, if willing, be tasked with being protector and parent to the pup. Real hunters know, I... knew, that dire wolves are intelligent. It can learn, learn to forgive. The parents needed to pay, just as I do. But the pup has killed no one, broken no law."

The shock on Lyle's face was evident. He hadn't thought a cut-rate hunter like Gunther had a shred of decency in him. Speaking up, "I can assist the girl, teaching her the proper ways of raising it, until she can do so for herself. And I will personally take responsibility for any trouble that may be caused by it, and will accept punishment for such without conflict." Shit. What had he just agreed to?

The Lieutenant looked amused by all this. "If the girl agrees, then very well. Those conditions shall be met. Alan, write up the contract." Then he nodded to the archer behind Gunther. The archer put an arrow into the back of Gunther's left knee, forcing him to a kneeling position. In a single, swift motion, Lieutenant Castoro drew his long sword, lopped off Gunther's head, and handed sheathed the blade, without a single drop of blood upon it. Gunther's head sagged, then fell, rolling away, as the body slumped to the ground. The archer began with the business of taking care of the body, as Alan handed the two, basic contracts to Castoro. The Lieutenant offered one to Alya and one to Lyle, and Alan provided the quill and ink. "So, do you accept?"

When the Fog Breaks [Ebonfort RP]

Lyle cursed loudly as he watched the girl dart towards the pup, ignoring the warning shots from the Ebon Knight Archers. This meant the next ones would not be warnings. He quickly surveyed the situation, seeing that two soldiers remained on the roof, though only one had his bow drawn, neither of them paying him any attention. This gave him enough time to pick up his other mace, now hearing the string being drawn again. He turned and threw his right handed mace as the arrow let loose toward the girl. Almost impossibly, the mace crashed right through it, crushing and deflecting it. Lyle was already in a full run now, toward the girl, as the archer on the ground looked at him bewildered. The hunter managed to position himself between the girl and the knights, and shouted, "Enough! Enough killing!"

The soldier in command, atop the roof, said nothing, gave no orders, studying the two down below. The Knight on the ground glared at Lyle, "Step aside, civilian. This beast must be put down." Lyle didn't move an inch, his eyes keeping watch on all three soldiers. "Have it your way." He began to draw his sword, when Lyle's large hand stopped it, before it got more than an inch out of the scabbard. The soldier, grimacing in pain as his hand was slowly being crushed, attempted to a wide swinging punch, only for Lyle to step in and headbutt him hard, knocking him out.

He then looked up toward the other two, noting the Lieutenant's sash on the man's arm. "Lieutenant, get down here, now. We have a mess to sort out." The man nodded in reply and began making his way over.

The pup was frightened and in panic now that it's parents were killed. In its distress, it was crying out, scrambling in the girls arms, sharp claws cutting at reckless abandon. It wasn't trying to escape, simply lashing out at the cruel world that tormented it at every turn.

"What in the blimey fuck is all that noise?" The voice came from the house where the pup had been chained. A moment of silence passed, "Who in the hell broke into my house?! And stole my wolf!" A gruff, potbellied man stumbled out of the home, looking somewhat drunk, and enraged. The moment he saw the Knights, the gore on the ground, the entire scene, he stopped. The archer on the roof needed no orders, pointing his bow at the man.

The Lieutenant arrived at Lyle, the girl, and the wolves. "I know you, Lyle. I could charge you with assaulting a Knight, but I'd imagine you would simply request trial by combat, and injure yet another Knight. Now let us talk logic. That wolf pup is not old enough to survive on its own. And even if it did, by some miracle, it would remember what humans did. It would only know hatred and revenge, and would attack any and every human it came across. It is a threat. It must be put down. You know this to be truth."

Lyle couldn't deny a single word. All of it was true. But it left a very bitter taste in his mouth. He didn't have a single thing to say that could save the pup's life, and defeated, he stepped aside.

The Silent Watch [Ebonfort]

The woman's smile stretched only a hair further at Whitetail's request. The first was fairly expected, but the second was surprising. Perhaps he was brighter than the others of his kind she'd dealt with. That was good, she always enjoyed a challenge. Out of slight respect for the intelligence of his request, she gave him what he'd requested.

"We are the Blood Vines, and I am Keelie, the warlord. And we are not your mother's captors, merely her masters. She is here, willingly, to pay for her mate's debt, for it was her servitude, or his blood."

As Whitetail enrobed himself in his wings, Keelie followed suit by crossing her arms, though her predatory gaze never lessened. Her smile, however, became a bit more jovial now. This relaxation led to an immediate response from her people, who immediately took up a defensive perimeter. The mountain of a man looked down at her, awaiting instruction. "Gerhein, it seems we have a few unwanted guests, due east. Bring them to me, it is nearly meal time. Keep them alive, for now."

The large man nodded, and slipped into the shadows of the trees, much more stealthily than one might think possible of a man his size. The woman sat down, legs crossed, gesturing to Whitetail to do the same, across from her. Her playful expression continued to study him, in silence for a while.

The Treggers began shifting nervously, glancing about them, while Vegarra continued peering through the darkness of the copse. She could only make out slight movement, from the Screamers, not the gargoyles. The Lieutenant wished to be closer, in order to hear the conversation at hand. She found it hard to believe that Whitetail would be a traitor. It seemed more likely that he was being coerced, and probably didn't know about the Screamers until their arrival.

"Down!"

Vegarra flattened herself to the ground, an instant before a massive axe-head sliced above her, taking a few stray hairs as payment. She'd never seen a weapon so large move so fast. She immediately picked herself up to a crouch, and rolled forward, trying to get out of range of the unknown assailant. Her long swords were drawn, as her eyes took in the massive, tattooed Screamer. The Tregger brothers, completely identical save for their weapons of choice, were being forced back. Royce and his large, curved knives were struggling under the weight of the giant axe, while Talif and his maces were being fought off easily with a single gauntlet covered hand. She'd never seen the Treggers at a disadvantage before, and they were known for taking down entire raiding parties of Screamers. She silently circled around the man, knowing that the longer this fight lasted, the worse it would be for the three of them. Charging forward at the man's back, both swords slashing, one for hamstrings, the other for the ribs, Vegarra hoped to end it quickly.

She just barely had enough time to pull the swords in defensively as the massive leg kicked out from the giant, the massive boot crushing the swords against her chest, and throwing her several yards off her feet. The landing on her back, knocked the breath from her lungs and stunned her for a moment. In that moment, she watched as the Screamer cuffed Talif, knocking him out. Royce quickly followed suit. Why wasn't he killing them? By the time she managed to get to her feet, a large, metal fist rocked against the side of her head, and her world went black.

Keelie's smile brightened, as if she knew that Gerhein's mission was already successful. "Now, down to business, for that is what we are, Whitetail. Businessmen. You should know by now that I have no need to sell your mother to you, and while she may not be very useful to me now, I could always sell her to someone else. Her fate is really no skin off my nose. So what is she worth to you, Whitetail?" She didn't bother looking up as Gerhein dragged the three Ebon Knights into their little clearing, and deposited them roughly to the side. Immediately other Screamers set about relinquishing them of their weapons, and tying them to the trees.

Ebonfort

ebonfort.wikia.com/wiki/Ebonfort_Wikia

That right there is the link for the Work in Progress Wiki Page for Ebonfort. I'll still post updates as I do them in here, but all updates will be applied only to the wiki.

Questions, comments, concerns, candy?

The Silent Watch [Ebonfort]

Stonetongue led the troupe in a low bound flight, sticking with the naturally occurring air currents. As he heard Whitetail speak, he could almost feel the reactions in a few of his more fervent members. But they did not react, for they were under orders. None of them would dare address him first, but that was neither her nor there. Whitetail was not one of them. "The Stones whisper that your mother's mate has... cracked a few stones. This has led the two of them to be without clear skies. She asked me to find you, in hopes that you may assist. I owed it to her."

At their speed, it didn't take long for Ruby Banks to fall away, above the road leading to Scream Watch. Stonetongue didn't feel the need to converse any more, as the rest of the information would reveal itself shortly. After they were halfway toward the western most village, he led them all due west, toward the wild plains known as the Valley of the Screamers. The nervousness amongst the group was now palpable, as this area was a danger to anyone that wasn't a member of these vicious tribes.

"Where are they going?"

"You know where. The place only fools and traitors visit."

The three of them, Vegarra and the Tregger brothers were riding in pursuit of the gallows of gargoyles. Vegarra was on her dark chestnut horse, whereas the brothers were each atop a massive lizard, ones that no one knew the name of, nor how the brothers acquired them. And they had to slow their steeds for Vegarra to keep up. They stayed off the dusty path of the road, sticking to game paths that cut through the tall grasses and provided them cover.

Stonetongue began his descent toward a small copse of trees, an island amid the many grasses. He flew between the trunks before coming to a stop right in the middle. The smaller goyles perched nervously in the branches, but the proper gargoyles were far too big for such positioning. And there he waited, in silence.

A sharp screech filled the air as one of the goyles spotted someone coming through the trees. The first was a large human, bare-chested and covered in a variety of tattoos. He had a massive bow strapped to his back, and a variety of swords and knives strapped to various parts of his body. However, he was clearly not the leader as he stepped aside, and a small, auburn haired woman stepped forward. She had a leather wrap around her chest and skirt, and a single crimson tattoo, of a vine wrapping around her entire body. Behind her came a variety of other warriors of many differing races, sizes, and weapons, and finally a chain clinked along. A large homunculus pulled and Whitetail watched as his mother stumbled forward. The chain was wrapped around her wrists, ankles, and wing joints, so she couldn't walk or fly without extreme difficulty.

"Is this the one, Stonetongue?"

Stonetongue nodded, before stepping back, giving the honor of speaking to Whitetail. The woman looked toward him, "Your mother is my slave, sold to me by her mate to cover a debt he held to me. Stonetongue is a trade partner of mine, and out of the respect I have for him, I am willing to offer her to you, for a price of course." The woman smile was rather disarming, as if she were attempting to lure everyone into a very regrettable situation. This, coupled with her strong grasp of proper Common, made her quite strange. For those who'd only heard stories of Screamers, they assumed them to be uncivilized, barely more than primitive people.

"So I must ask, what is your mother worth to you, if anything?"

The Treggers had stopped their group a bowshot away from the copse, and they watched as the group of gargoyles entered, only later to be joined by a horde of Screamers. Vegarra didn't recognize the tribe, as indicated by the tattoos of the leader. There wasn't enough time to summon reinforcements, nor did they have enough strength to fight both groups. So for now, they watched and waited.

Ebonfort

No worries everyone, I'm still here and getting caught up. I'll be transferring all of my lore here (and adding to) to a proper Wiki very soon. As always, I'll be accepting characters, suggestions, comments, whatever.