Severance (RP)

[Grysham]

Little Rin
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Rin sat with Weaver at his back, the quite man moving his fingers in intricate patterns, Weaving threads Rin could neither see nor understand. He'd shown a passing knowledge and even a passing talent for Weaving, though Rin would neither have the skill or the dedication to fully flourish skills like Weavers.

Rin wasn't the bandit leaders true name, that secret was as tightly kept as Rin's past. Even when with Severance, Rin's appearance was one of secrecy. He wore plain leathers of dark colors though common among farmers and traders, a hood and cloak of forest greens was always wrapped around his shoulders and pulled up over his head. His face was masked with a cloth scarf which wrapped around his neck and over his mouth. Other than little Rin's eyes, a typical Ponterran blue, nothing of the mans true appearance was visible. Even the color of his skin was hard to make out in the dark nights they gathered to raid.

Weaver was less secretive about his appearance, though Rin highly suspected that it wasn't his true look. Able to Weave enchants around himself, it wasn't uncommon in bars and taverns for rumors of shape-shifting Weaver's to comb the countryside, out for revenge for the fall that befell them. Rin snorted at such stories, the Weavers were few and far between now and thoughts of revenge had long since past from their minds, though he didn't doubt they had the ability to change how others saw them.

He stood now a young figure, his long black hair blew gently in the cool autumn breeze and his tunic and cloth pants were tugged gently this way and that by the wind. His clothing was that of a trader, light and airy though without the embroidery and decoration most traders enjoyed to display their wealth, his boots were sturdy woodsman's boots however and buckled tightly around the ankles and shin. His face wasn't old, though wasn't young and he had a wide smile he often shared. Much like Rin, Weaver didn't seem to carry any weapons on his person.

Rin looked down the hill they were currently crouching on, the western woods to their backs just visible as a silhouette against the sky. Down from them a road ran roughly north-east toward the City of Vianas, weaving through the valleys created by the gentle rolling hills and crossing through a number of small townships on the way.

Easily visible in the dark, the half-way house, better known as the Travias Inn, was lit up by a myriad of lamps that stretched up and down the road for a league along the roads. The Inn itself was bathed in light, the guards at the doors idly looking out into the night. Even without Weavers ability to hide their presence, Rin doubted the guards would be able to see out into the darkness with all the lights around them, too many lamps kept the eyes from adjusting to the night. The guards here were for little more than show, few caravans worth raiding came this close to Lythan territories these days.

Never the less to the south the sounds of a caravan could be heard. The rumbling beasts of burden marched with a steady pace, their hoof-beats rumbling the ground. Rin smiled, his information was correct. From the looks of the caravan as it weaved its way into the lamp lit road, this group of traders were a prey worth hunting for. Even waiting for these last two nights.

He heard the rest of the group shift behind him as patience was finally rewarded. One of his members chuckled at the site of one particularly heavily loaded caravan, its team of Gristem* having a hard time pulling it along. Caravans were loaded with goods, foods and crated cargo. From what Rin had heard, a couple of wagons were also loaded with a new shipment of Order armor and weapons for the Vianas garrison stationed there. It was this loot that Rin was most interested in, Order equipment was some of the finest and most decorated in all Ponterra, symbolizing both the power, wealth and status of the Order. Its allure alone had drawn many citizens to join the Orders ranks.

When melted down or sold on to the underground markets, Order equipment was highly sought after. Often decorated with gold or silver, the precious metals would be stripped off and resold. The armor itself would be reworked, its quality maintained but its appearance changed and similarly sold on as some of the finest pieces to non order buyers. Some blacksmiths made a heavy profit selling off stolen work as their own, saving themselves the cost of the materials and making a profit on the workmanship.

Though usually heavily guarded by the Order, this shipment was an emergency supply and was being shipped in secret along the lesser used trade lines to avoid the bandits and thieves who attacked on the roads to Vianas. No doubt the Order was also hoping to avoid his own band, the Severance. Though Severance was mostly composed of opportunists and thieves, a few had joined when they noticed Rin's frequent attacks on Order supplies and goods. Rin gave them no impression of a zealous rebel however. Rin was only after the loot.

He motioned forward two men with a wave of the hand and waited for his men to approach before he prepared the rest to attack. The two he gestured forward were his best archers, usually flanking the group and supporting the main raiders with their arrows. He nodded to both as they approached.

* * * * * * * * * *

*Gristem - Large beasts of burden. Standing on their hide legs with small forepaws that are more commonly used for gripping or tearing branches. The beasts are covered in long shaggy fur which varies from black and brown to grey-blue. Their heads look similar to oxen or cows, with large round horns potruding from their foreheads. Their mouthes are large with round flat teeth. Most wild Gristem are dangerous when provoked due to their large size, though most stick to the borders of forests to feed on leaves and branches in their reach. They can reach fairly high speed with their loping gaits and are commonly used to pull caravans and wagons.

[Nork]

Paylam knelt in the grass, feeling the wind as it blew his dark hair across his face. It would be a hard night for archers if they were not skilled enough to compinsate. Though, skilled as he was with a bow, he would have problems adjusting to the wind. It was blowing unussually strong for this time of year.

Paylam squinted through the darkness, his young eyes were not yet used to such blackness, though in time, his sight will learn to adjust. He was just thanfull that the halfway house and the road running past it, was lit up enough, so that he could see any potential targets without any problems. In frint of him, he could see Little Rin, though he suspected that this was not his real name, he felt that it was not his place to pry into his past. As always, stood next to him, was his Weaver. Busy with his enchants.

Rin looked back and pointed at Paylam and one other, another archer like himself. Paylam gathered his hair and tied it back, to stop the hair from blocking his site and then lifted his dark hood over his face, so that it wqas covered in shadow. Rin waved his hand forward, pointing at the Tavern. This was the signal for us to take our positions.

I picked myself up, remaining stooped, as not to sillotte myself against the burn. I checked my quiver and my bow, that i had dubbed Timothains Reach and swiftly and quietly made my way across the deadmans land between the hill and the Tavern. The other archer pointed to a tree that sat no more than 60 meters in front of the Tavern. Just far enough to stay out of the pool of light, from the street lamps that lit the road. As quietly as i arrived, i climbed the tree, till i found a suitable spot to mount my supporting fire from.

I leant up against the tree, my left leg firmly on the branch and my right leg pushed against the trunk, providing me with support. I took off my quiver and clipped it onto my right side, as to make it easier to reach for my arrows. I had only brought 20, i saw no need to bring any more, as i did not intend to fire one, if all went smoothly.

I saw the caravan that was to be the intended target. It was full of Order equipmant. Probably armour, weapons, torques and other jewlry. I just couldt stop thinkinghow much my master would appriciate such fine materials to fashion his armour. It was these raids that kept him in business. If he found out where i got the materials from, he would hand me over to the local Guild Guards and i would no less me hung for my crimes. But he never asked where i got such gifts. Ask no questions, tell no lies. He would oftan say.

'Tell no lies' i repeated under my breath, as i placed an arrow onto the bow string, ready to be drawn and let loose.

[Shanda]

Khendon "The spear" Al'rash
/
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It had been a long day. Khendon had spent most of it weaving in a far away glade only he knew about, atleast he thought so. He had been tired, and the thoughts of a real bed and a hot meal had convinced him to break his exile and travel to the closest inn, or halfway house as they also were called.
He had walked for hours. But when he arrived and was greeted with warmth, food and drink it was all worth it.

He had been hungry and finished his meal long ago. Now he spent his time "drinking" as it was called. But mostly watching the people who came and went. During the night a caravan from the order had arrived at the inn, it was odd. The order was known for travelling on the mainroads with large guard squadrons, as many bandit bands walued their cargo among the most ¨
profitable of riches. But only a handfull of guards had come with this shipment. And they had travelled here, to one of the inns closest to the border.

Khendon dissmissed those thoughts and took a knife from his left boot, it was a throwing knife, nothing special, it was razorsharp, had a broad blade and lay steady in his hand. But it was one of his favorite ones. He also took a piece of linen cloth from one his pouches and started cleaning the knife from dirt and blood. He had used it earlier when hunting for breakfast but his weaving had madehim forget about cleaning. He told himself that it would not happen again.

The darkness was thick outside. Khendon thought that if he stretched out his hand from one of the windows he would have been able to touch it. it was probably cold to. Inside thou it was warm, people laughed and talked, in one cornerthey played with dices and even something called singing could be heard from another.
Drunks, Khendon thought. He had only been drunk one time in his life, and that was one thing he would not live to experience again.

He turned his attention to his precious knife again..

[Fithel]

Arthilyx
Lythan Hunter
As a Lythan, he is not as large as those of his age, having a more slender form and standing not quite as tall. His face and nose are a bit more drawn out, with smaller teeth, looking much like a Lythan who was not designed to do what Lythans do: hunt and kill. His fur is a light-ash grey with a bushy ring of white fur (think 1/3 of a lions mane) that cirles his shoulders. There is an odd streak of fur that runs from between his shoulders down to the small of his back in the shape of a diminishing triangle. It is gold like the sun.


Arthilyx had been standing off in the shadows watching Rin intently. He never did care for the company of the others of Severance much, only Rin. And that, even, was uncommon, as he preferred to spend much time by himself. Alone in the midst of a crowd, the only lythan in Severance, and a Lythan who had been betrayed by his own at that. He was clearly on his own. Yet he was bound to Rin, bound for being saved from death. What kind of life is one lived in isolation, Arthilyx often asked himself. Nonetheless he was glad to be alive this day.

Seeing Rin's hand motion, Arthilyx dashed forward on all fours to the front of where his fellow bandits waited. As he came to an abrubt halt and crouched to the ground among some high grass, almost disappearing, he stared at the target Rin had pointed out. Some human tavern. It didn't matter to him. It could have been anywhere. Now Arthilyx's thoughts only hummed with duty. He laid motionless waiting, as he always did, for trouble to break out.

Given the fact that he was small for a Lythan, there were some places where he could pass among the humans for a pet wolf; at least those who didn't look to carefully. But here, with those guards nearby, Arthilyx knew his role: to remain hidden nearby until things started to get out of control. At which time, he would rush in and attack in an attempt to clear an escape route for his bandit brothers. And so he waited.

Time did not matter now, Arthilyx thought, as the ladybug wandered aimlessly across his right forepaw. He would wait, as long as he had to. There was something deep inside of him that kept him alert when a hunt was underweigh. But today would be different. He knew, estimating the opposition, that today he might have to fight for his life as well as for Rin's and the others. Today he might have to shed and taste the blood of humans for the first time.

Silently, the the rush of adrenaline flowing though him, and the beat of his heart resonating in his head in anticipation of what was to come, Arthilyx waited.

[Vlaak]

Vlink Da Bang-Goblin Engineer Turned Adventurer


Vlink blinked as suddenly the peaceful outside of the area suddenly exploded into violence, the goblin almost fell over as a hail of arrows flew overhead and a blood curdling battle cry sounded from behind him, "....This is going to be a 'oong day...", "AHHHHHHHHH!" screamed the goblin in panic as he fleed fowards to avoid being crushed by the massive horde, "Wh-what in money's name is going on!?" screamed the goblin as his small voice was drowned by the massive cries of the raiders, he had come along the caravan thinking it'd be betetr than trudging through the dark unmarked woods...now he thought otherwise...

A massive tilted throwing axe whistled overhead the goblin, tumbling fowards as the wind blew past his ears, in shock the goblin blinked inquistively and started to crawl for his life...Then a heavy dull thonk and he felt pain shoot madly through him and then...darkness

[Fithel]

Seeing as how this is dead, or something, and I have another major project underweigh, I'm going to back out of here. So long and thanks for all the fish.