Acmlm's Board - I2 Archive - Sim-Battle Arena - Duergar warrior vs human paladin
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Silvershield
Posts: 318/345 |
The group again formed a rough marching order, and set off behind their stout guide. "How many rooms are to be made available to us?" Igas said to the dwarf, as the human strode several steps behind him. |
Lord Rahl
Posts: 724/792 |
Rurik quickly made his way to where a group of his more experenced followers sat, and briefly told them that they were changing sleeping quarters. Their complaints stopped as Rurik placed a bottle of dwarves spirits in the center of their table.
"You can open it after you clean out your stuff. Dismissed."
The dwarves rushed off, through the now open doors leading into the tavern and outside. The remaining dwarves slowly made theitr way out, either to the tavern, sleep, or back to work. Rurik whispered something to Laura, who quickly bolted outside.
Returning to his table, Rurik addressed the traveling group again. "I was mistaken. Your rooms should be ready within the time it would take to walk there." Bowing, he asked, "If I may?" |
Silvershield
Posts: 315/345 |
Sub-mortal combat was a necessary part of the warriors' lives, keeping their skills honed and their minds sharp. Where Igas and his band were from, tournaments featuring non-lethal battles were a monthly occurance, and the Order of the Motley Unicorn pitched its pavilion and flew its flag at nearly every one of such gatherings. Not a one of the band would shy from the dwarf's challenge - indeed, some nearly drooled at the thought of the fight, having been away from the glory and exhilaration of tournament for the duration of their journey.
Though perhaps already set to retire for the night, Igas and his company needed to kill an hour of time before they had the option. He stood first, and his group soon followed; they scanned the room for an exit, intending to wander the premises until their rooms and, consequently, a place for quiet gathering and discussion, were prepared. |
Lord Rahl
Posts: 719/792 |
"I will leave that option to you. All I wish is to spar with the best you have to offer."
Standing, he bowed to his guests. "I am sorry, but I must be off. There are a few things that require my attention. Your rooms should be ready within the hour, feel free to look around this fort until then."
Rurik then walked off, soon followed by Laura. Brottor moved to walk among the eating dwarves, leaving Igas and his band at the head table. |
Silvershield
Posts: 314/345 |
"If that is your wish, lord, it is my oath to fulfill it," replied Igas, never one to neglect proper compensation for hospitality given. "But I am growing in years," he continued. Indeed, the creases were deep on the commander's forehead and face, his hair graying a bit near the temples. "Might I offer you a combatant from among my companions? All are accomplished in the art of war, some more with weapons and some with the power of their minds and the forces of the arcane." |
Lord Rahl
Posts: 716/792 |
Rurik thought for a moment, then spoke. "Actually, there is something you could help me with. I haven't fought for some years, and no one here could offer a good enough challange." Laura and Brottor simply nodded to this.
"If it would not trouble you, would you be willing to spar some time tomorrow?" |
Silvershield
Posts: 313/345 |
[Out of character - Pardon my absence, things are goin' on in real life  .]
When Igas' followers noticed that their host was waiting on them, they abrubtly and simultaneously ceased their conversation. "Your hospitality is appreciated, master dwarf," interjected Igas. "My friends and I would offer you something in return - have you need of any service or item we might offer, lord?" |
Lord Rahl
Posts: 711/792 |
Rurik simply called over one of the serving boys and whispered something into his ear before he ran off. The duergar sat back with his drink, and calmly waited for the visitors to finish talking. |
Silvershield
Posts: 312/345 |
The travelers had trekked for many days and, though few among them cleaned their plates to the last morsel, none had trouble devouring a considerable amount. As they pushed their plates away, the guildmates began to engage in quiet conversation amongst themselves. Though they had no intention of appearing rude, the scene was an unfamiliar one to the weary fighters. |
Lord Rahl
Posts: 704/792 |
"Not many creatures live around here. The dragons have scared most living things away from this region, or into the mountains. There are some orcs and goblins who live within these mountains, and there are rumors of a magus locked away in a tower around here, but we have not seen him."
"The orcs and goblins leave us alone, for the most part, because their numbers are fewer than ours. In a battle, we would wipe them out of these mountains."
Rurik quit speaking as a small group of cooks came up to the table, and placed full plates before every person seated at the head table. The meals were simple, but large, fit for workers. Laura had a slightly smaller sized plate than Rurik or Brottor, although the cooks had given every person at the table a glass of dwarven spirits.
Rurik nodded to the others seated at his table. "Do not worry if you cannot finish it, the cooks are used to cooking for workers, not travlers." He laughed as he began his meal. |
Silvershield
Posts: 311/345 |
"Your early days resemble my own," remarked Igas. "I came into quite a fortune, and attracted a following that has grown to a strong guild."
Igas sipped the mug given to him, and asked, "Do you and your dwarves meet with violence often? Surely these mountains have some hostile obstacle to your gem mining. Aside from those dragons, I mean." |
Lord Rahl
Posts: 700/792 |
He shook his head. "No, your name alone is fine. I am Rurik, and the two at my sides are Brottor and Laura." Both the old dwarf and lady bowed their heads as their names were said.
Rurik continued. "As I adventured for the first half of my life, I discovered many a dwarf wished to follow me. When I retired from adventuring, they helped me build this humble fort and now we mine for the gems in these mountains." |
Silvershield
Posts: 310/345 |
"Aye, introductions," repeated the leader, though he merely spoke the words robotically. His mind was on the prospect of battling three dragons at a time. Seperate, he and his company might handle the beasts, but when combined the wyrms would surely destroy the band.
"I am Igas Demetrius, High Commander of the Order of the Motley Unicorn. We are something of a mercenary band. We number greater than fourty swords, eight of which you see before you." Extending his hand, Igas remarked, "Are the identities of my companions of interest to you, as well, fine host?" |
Lord Rahl
Posts: 698/792 |
"I have fought these three dragons, and barely excaped with my life. They may fight each other in the air above this fort on a regular basis, but should one fall under attack, the other two come to its aid."
The dwarf took a swig of his drink before motioning to a nearby cook, who promptly ran off. "We can discuss the wyrms later. Food, drink, and introductions should come first." |
Silvershield
Posts: 309/345 |
"My companions and I are mapping the region for our own purposes," explained the leader. "The prospect of being set upon by a dragon does not frighten myself or those I lead. We are all seasoned adventurers: our steel is strong, our spells mighty." The head warrior motioned to those around him. "It was my own strike that felled the old green, Torzondondillinar, in a distant land," he continued, patting the warhammer at his hip, "and my companions have fought their share of wyrms, as well." |
Lord Rahl
Posts: 694/792 |
He simply waved it off, saying, "No warrior deserves to die ambushed at night." He called for food and drink as the sound level raised back to that of before.
He then asked the leader of the group, "I do have one question for you. Why were you traveling through unexplored mountains, approaching nightfall, when these mountains are a hive of dragonkind?"
OOC: I'll be a bit slow in replying. Have something that's stealing my free time. |
Silvershield
Posts: 308/345 |
The leader promptly led his seven followers to the head table and, following proper etiquette, halted and offered a formal salute. Each of the seven bowed or saluted in turn before ascending the dais, and then took a seat quietly.
The leading man offered greetings to the grey dwarf, nodded to the scarred one to the left and the lovely woman to the right, and said, "You have our greatest thanks, dear dwarf, for accepting this party into your great hall to temporarily avoid the mountain's climate and...aerial dangers." |
Lord Rahl
Posts: 686/792 |
The sound of a hand slamming onto a table got the starring dwarves to quit starring. They turned to a grey-skinned dwarf sitting at the head table in the room, who returned a sharp glance to the dwarves in the room. They returned to their eating and talking, although they still made the odd glance to the newcomers.
The grey dwarf was sitting at a large round table at the end of the room, raised a couple steps off the ground. To his left sat a scarred, old dwarf, his eyes those of someone who had been through hell and survived. To the grey dwarf's right sat a lady who could easily pass for a lovely elf, if she had pointed ears. Everyone in the room wore simple clothing, coats hung over the backs of chairs.
The grey dwarf motioned to the newcomers to come sit at his table. There were enough chairs around the table to hold another dozen people. |
Silvershield
Posts: 307/345 |
The leader wished he'd still worn his helmet, for he couldn't hide an uncomfortable expression on his face. Even with his face covered, though, the man's body language would have betrayed his anxiousness. Behind him, the seven others scanned the room silently. One, a cocky youth, leaned on the polearm he carried and nonchalantly spit-shined a bit of armor that he'd pulled from his pack. |
Lord Rahl
Posts: 685/792 |
"Not a problem. Not many travelers come here at this time."
The cook led the group into the kitchen. A small army of thirty five dwarven cooks worked quickly, with clasic dwarven zeal, making what looked like enough food for an army, although it was getting carried out of the kitchen too quick to take a better guess at the total amount of food.
As the group was led through a door on the other side of the kitchen, they walked into a huge dining hall, with rough wooden benches and long, rectangular tables filling the room. Animal furs and various dwarven weaponery lined the walls, while the floor was rough stone.
They also saw where all the food was going, seeing as the room was full. Just under eight hundred dwarves sat in the room, all eating and talking among themselves. A wave of silence quickly spread through the room, as the dwarves quit eating and all turn to stare at the newcomers.
OOC: Just toss up your reaction. XD |
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