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Post by carnackiArdent on Dec 31, 2018 8:26:06 GMT
Maela smiled wryly. "Mistress Aderyn, where I was born everyone had to know the signs that a sandstorm was brewing so they could get undercover at a moment's notice. Not having to deal with something like that is luxury for me." Of course, that was quite some time ago, especially by the standards of Maela's young life, but it wasn't like they treated every squire like a princess.
"We'd be grateful for your hospitality, of course. Gwenhyddwr may be a big softie but he's... demonstrated amply how fierce he can be in your defense." Maela was still limping from that earth-shaking attack.
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Post by birdy51 on Jan 2, 2019 2:46:43 GMT
"Anything beats a bush or tree I suppose." Morgan says as he scratches the back of his head. Tonight, he was going to have to sleep with his blade closely. It wasn't as if he didn't trust them, but they were battling each other naught but maybe one hour or two ago. Life could certainly produce some strange bedfellows...
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Post by Zephias on Jan 3, 2019 6:38:30 GMT
"So be it, then" Anarawd said. "Feel free to take your Pokemon towards that shack over there, and drop by yourselves for some patching up. We can't magic you back healthy or anything but one of the reasons we've stayed alive this long out here is the benefit of a very good healer"[All injured units will have the benefit of a free bandage due to the treatment received from the exile enclave! Trainers get one milestone and 70 EXP to distribute, with at least half of it having to go to participants in the battle] ~0~ The next morning comes with sunlight, and a strange feeling of uneasiness in the air. As the squires awaken and make their way out to the clearing, they notice Aderyn and the baker's family ready and waiting.
"So, there's a plan then?" Aderyn asked.
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Spider Rider __________________________________ |
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jan 11, 2019 7:50:15 GMT
Maela smiled thinly. "Well, my first instinct would be to try to talk, but there isn't exactly a polite way to say, 'so we hear you've been kidnapping women'." She huffed out something that might have been a laugh. "And simply trying to intimidate them and interrogate them wouldn't go very well. Not unless we can get the village mostly on our side. Mistress Faena's story might help there. Some sort of solid proof would be even better, but how to get it..."
Today Clòimhe was at Maela's side again, or rather sitting on her shoulder in a puff of pale blue fur. Maela scratched under the Woobat's chin gently. "Mistress Faena, you have more experience of Vort than we do. Can you guess anything about how he might react to your return, with squires at your side? If he's involved with the kidnappings, and intended to target your daughters, is he likely to try and carry on with his previous plan? Or is he the sort to run to protect a secret, like a stash or a contact point with whoever else is involved?" Maela was hoping for the latter, personally - trying to chase down an experienced woodsman would hardly be an easy task, but it would be better than forcing an open confrontation that might turn the village against them.
The most dangerous, of course, would be if Vort could keep a cool enough head to do nothing, but then he would have to keep a tight rein on all his accomplices and co-conspirators, too.
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Post by birdy51 on Jan 11, 2019 21:48:59 GMT
Morgan sighs audibly and pinches the bridge of his nose. This whole affair was beginning to become quite difficult. "It may help if we also need find someone else within the village to willing to corroborate with Mistress Faerena's story. For all the village knows, she's been gone for some time now." He pauses quietly, before turning to her intently. "I don't suppose you know someone who might be able to provide assistance in this matter, do you?"
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Post by Zephias on Jan 12, 2019 4:33:42 GMT
Aderyn raised a hand.
"I think I've got a quick and easy fix, to keep the prick from getting too cute" she said, followed by a sharp whistle. Not a couple seconds after, the group saw Aderyn's giant spider descend from the top of the tower ruins and approach somewhat warily. Aderyn stepped out and put a hand, then her forehead against the spider's head. It visibly relaxed.
"You have battle-bred pokemon, which should be enough of a deterrent. However, Gwenhyddwr should provide any additional intimidation you may need. And with her strength, it should be no problem to carry all of us provided you don't mind holding onto each other. She's strong, not large"
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Aderyn __________________________________ |
Faena answered negative to the evidence part, but one of the daughters stepped forward. "I do not know if this will be of help" she started "But my father taught me to write and read, to help him at the bakery. And when we left, I left a note for-"The girl looked at her mother, then looked away. "-For a young man that has been courting me, though he does not know how to read. He is a hunter. You may have met him? His name is Gwyddel and he doesn't really get along with Vort's lot. I don't even know if he found it"
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jan 14, 2019 19:50:17 GMT
"Gwyddel? Oh, I see..." Maela breathes out an audible sigh of relief. "That is actually a bit of a load off of my mind. Gwyddel seemed like a nice young man and I didn't much like the idea of him being an accomplice to this mess. Though he was guiding us to help find the bandits, so it seems likely that he didn't find the note, or hadn't gotten it to someone who could read it for him before we came looking for you yesterday. I'm afraid he left when the fighting started - I suppose he went home."
Though that does leave the worrying possibility that Vort was hoping the bandits would get Gwyddel killed, and that he might be in danger now. "Perhaps we had better hurry."
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Post by birdy51 on Jan 16, 2019 11:15:27 GMT
"We should." Morgan agreed, taking up his bow and stringing it taut. "We'll endeavor to do our best to explain this situation to Gwyddel gently, but if you do have anything a sign that you might have sent us, it may help. Would you be able to spare a small locket of hair, or some such item?"
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Post by Zephias on Jan 20, 2019 5:06:36 GMT
The young woman didn't look too sure about Morgan's proposal. "If you think it would be of aid?"Aderyn nodded.
"Alright, so everyone up! There's a beau to save and heads to crack!"
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Aderyn __________________________________ |
~0~ Once everyone's well-secured atop the spider (grabbing at one another for stability), Aderyn commenced the rush back towards the town. They avoided the treelines for the most part, having too many riders to safely cut through the forest. A glance towards where the group had fought the canines showed they were not there anymore, and Aderyn commented that they'd recovered their guardsmen last night while everyone was sleeping. Might try to domesticate a couple of the pups, too.
A couple minutes after that, Aderyn made a panic tap and the spider swerved sideways, almost tossing the riders off as an arrow streaked through the air and into a nearby tree. "Who goes there!"
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Aderyn __________________________________ |
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jan 22, 2019 19:58:53 GMT
Slightly-built as she was, Maela thankfully didn't take up a great deal of space; she just hoped her grip didn't wind up hurting O., who she was sort of using as an anchor point.
Of course, the trouble came when arrows happened. Here was the part Maela had been slightly afraid of - the spider was intimidating, yes, but that could work against them as much as for them, especially considering the reputation of Aderyn's group and the fact that they were known to have one.
"I think the arrow is their way of asking that of us," she remarked quietly. She raised her voice to address the hidden archer and said, "We're friends! We've come to help bring back a few people who have been badly missed, and mean no harm to anyone who means us none."
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Post by birdy51 on Jan 27, 2019 17:02:51 GMT
Morgan gives Aderyn a simple, but knowing glance. Yep. Getting arrows shot at your general direction reaaally sucked. Nocking an arrow, he sweeps his vision about him to try to get an eye on their assailants saying nothing, but preparing for anything.
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Post by Zephias on Jan 30, 2019 20:52:37 GMT
"Leapin' Lopunny, could you not have come back by ways other than a bloody giant spider? I thought you were snacks and I was next on the chopping block" A semi-familiar voice said, before Gwyddel dropped from a nearby tree. His face was red and his hands were shaking, but he looked very relieved. Especially once he managed to look past Aderyn and at Fiara and her daughters.
"I am so glad to see you all. Aelfwyn, are you unharmed? They didn't do anything to you, right?" He was still very wary of the spider, however, and glanced at Aderyn with a fair amount of apprehension. "And someone mind explaining why the spider lady is here before I crap myself?"
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Gwyddel, Rebellious Hunter __________________________________ |
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Post by carnackiArdent on Feb 5, 2019 22:55:57 GMT
"Good morning, Gwyddel." Maela sighed and shook her head. "It seems there's been a bit of a misunderstanding. It turns out that Mistress Aderyn's little group weren't responsible for this last disappearance, or at least not in the way everyone thought..."
She sketched out the situation quickly - Faena getting the tip-off that her daughters might be in danger and them going into hiding with the bandits. After a moment's hesitation, she added in the suspicion that Vort was connected to the kidnappings. "And Mistress Aderyn offered to come with us for, ah, an extra bit of deterrence. Just in case someone reacted poorly to our reappearance." She chuckled ruefully. "Though I'm afraid you've just shown us the downside to that idea. Have you been home since yesterday, or were you waiting for us out here all night?"
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Post by Zephias on Feb 7, 2019 7:52:31 GMT
"Couldn't well go back without y'all, though the fact that you didn't come back did scare me to death. If squires couldna deal with it, then the lot of us were dead and buried" Gwyddel answered with a half-cheeky smile. His face soon turned serous at the rest of the explanation, however.
"I swear to the Court, I knew he was a right devil but didn't think that'd go to the point of selling his family. May the wastes take him and his hunters. May they freeze to death working the mines of the Gigas" he practically spat out, grasping Aelfwyn's hand tighter. The baker's daughter blushed slightly and looked away at the public acknowledgement of their affections and turned to look at her mother, who waved her off almost as if saying that the circumstances allowed for such indiscretion.
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Gwyddel, Rebellious Hunter __________________________________ |
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Post by birdy51 on Feb 7, 2019 12:12:29 GMT
Morgan quietly discards the locket of maiden hair in his back pocket. He had sadly confused himself sometime in the morning air, thinking that perhaps maybe that they weren't going to be joined by the young maidens, meaning some kind of proof was necessary. That wasn't really the case, but it was indeed the better case now that the two were reunited. Untensing his bow string and finding the arrow back into his quiver he starts, "You sound like you have some strong opinions on your fellow hunters. After getting a more... Full view of this situation, I dare say that we do as well. Is there anything you can tell us about them that servants of the crown might like to know?"
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Post by Zephias on Feb 18, 2019 5:54:04 GMT
"Nothin' much. I just don't get along with them. Spent most of my days out here in the woods and only really interact with the lot because I have to. Hunting alone ain't safe. If I'd known, I'd have done something myself" Gwyddel spat out.
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Gwyddel, Rebellious Hunter __________________________________ |
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Post by carnackiArdent on Feb 18, 2019 9:30:31 GMT
Maela sighed quietly. "Well, if the general impression of his personality we've had is any indication, there shouldn't be much danger of him convincing people he's in the right on this. I suppose he could claim we're in collusion with Aderyn's band and just coercing you all into supporting our story, but I'm starting to doubt anyone likes him enough to really take his side. I just hope he doesn't go to ground; tracking down an experienced woodsman would be difficult even with your help. Shall we head back to town and see about reuniting Master Eoghan with his family?"
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Post by Zephias on Mar 6, 2019 6:19:19 GMT
"You are right. We should hurry. Um... lady, is there space on your spider for me? I do not believe I would be able to keep up otherwise" Gwyddel said a little sheepishly, yet his face remained fairly concerned.
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Gwyddel, Rebellious Hunter __________________________________ |
Aderyn's curt nod meant that a few minutes later the group was rushing forward over the fairly overbalanced spider. They soon came out of the thickets of the forest, seeing the further edges of the village with its quaint houses and the tall chimney of Eoghan's bakery. Keen eyes showed that, although not at the gates at the start, there was already a worried crowd amassing and readying their weapons at the sight of the spider.
Vort, Scoundrel Hunter __________________________________ | "Halt! Halt, or we will fire!" Vort's voice said, slightly panicky. A small canine, clearly a domestic, was growling at his feet. They saw six or so more hunters with bows at the ready. |
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Eoghan, Mustached Baker __________________________________ | Eoghan, however, seemed to have sharper eyesight and soon took a step forward with a cry, startling the hunters
"Lower your bows! Squires, is that my Faena that I see? And my beloved Aelfwyn and Alwyn?"
The emotion was palpable in the baker's voice, and he took another step forward |
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Post by birdy51 on Mar 7, 2019 23:17:09 GMT
Morgan could sense the tension in the air. Whatever was going to happen next, it was certainly going to be violent if someone didn't defuse things. He steps forward. Well, maybe making a bit of a show wouldn't hurt!
"It is indeed your beloveds, here to return at last. Once lost, now found." Morgan proclaims, making a great show of the matter with a broad sweep of his arm. He smirks, stopping at Gywddel and allowing his arm to rest there. "We wouldn't have been able to find him were it not for his aid. You train them well here in this village!"
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Post by carnackiArdent on Mar 7, 2019 23:35:45 GMT
Maela hopped down off the spider's back quickly to ease the weight on the poor thing. She hid a small smile at Morgan's grandiose introduction. Well, that was about expected.
"Yes, I'm afraid there was a bit of a misunderstanding, but everyone is home safely now." Her hands were folded in front of her and her flail was still hooked to her belt - she looked about as far from combat-ready as it was possible to be with her weapon and beads actually present. Her Pokémon were recalled for the moment, hidden away in her beads. She stepped forward, level with Morgan and ahead of the spider - she knew from their battle that Gwenhyddwr was quite capable of leaping over her head if necessary.
But while Morgan addressed the crowd as a whole, Maela turned to face Vort and the hunters, watching them carefully. "Master Vort, why don't you and your men put down your bows now? I can understand your caution, of course, but you can see now there's no need for them." She was still waiting to see how Vort would react to the allegedly-kidnapped women's return. The fewer bows pointed their way, the less potential there was for unhappy "accidents."
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