Nina
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 289
Registered: Apr 4, 2021 10:46:08 GMT -5
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Post by Nina on Nov 10, 2023 14:31:43 GMT -5
Far midday-wards from Port Argentium, along the river, forest turns to a sea of grass. At times the grass rises above one's head and at times it is knee-high and sometimes, on drier hilltops, it breaks off in tough patches as a pretend desert. In autumn, it smells like sun and hay. The wind rushing through the grass sounds like the waves. Trees are only really common along the river edge.
Though the height of the steppe bears some connection to weather patterns and water sources, its colours do not. One might walk for hours among grasses the colour of poppies, only to cross in a single step into a patch of grasses identical except for being brilliantly blue. Emerald green, periwinkle pink and ashen white are just some of the nuances observed. These patches are distinct, with no intermingling among the curved edges, and no obvious rule about which colour connects to what. Some patches continue across the Argentium river, some do not. Some patches may be very large, some may be just a few footsteps across. From a higher vantage point, the land appears covered with a quilt of vividly coloured fabrics.
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Nina
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 289
Registered: Apr 4, 2021 10:46:08 GMT -5
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Post by Nina on Nov 11, 2023 12:18:39 GMT -5
Hers was the only boat she knew that required a skincare routine, Nina thought, as she ran her fingers over its feathers. She had set ashore in a grassland of pale blue, under a tree with blue leaves and blue fruit, under the blue sky as the wind turned and the current was pushing her back downriver. She had folded the mast, unloaded her little luggage, pulled her boat up on a bed of soft grass and turned it over. It was a light thing, with a skeleton of twigs woven into a basket, sharp as a spindle. It had gotten her so far. Stretched over it would have been a hide, except that this hide still had its feathers on it, black and gleaming metallic. Some were longer than her forearm. It looked like – and was – a wing folded onto itself.
It was a fragile thing. At first, Nina brushed it with a damp rag, to remove scum and any potential hitch-hikers from the black feathers. Then, she brushed it with the recipe. A few spoonfuls of lard, heated over a fire, hot peppers, resin. Warm enough for the fat to soak in, but not hot enough to do damage. Careful! The lard kept the feathers impermeable, while the other components kept stuff away from eating it. It was not hard work, but it was painstaking. Every feather had to be looked over.
The smoke of her small fire was a thread linking the plains to the sky. That she had been able to build it in the first place made Nina glad. There was so little wood around – she'd had to break off some dead branches with the judicious use of rope and the lever system (you're welcome, tree). The boat would dry in the wind for a bit. In the meantime, the girl settled between the branches of a riverside tree, rendered speechless by the sight. Beyond the blue steppe, there were patches of grass in sunlight-yellow, sunset-pink and surreal-green, stretching far into the distance.
Resting on her lap, there was a piece of thin, ash-colored bark coming alive through the magic of Nina's paintbrush reflecting the world as she painted.
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Rudiger Dornmauer
Established
Roleplay posts: 23
Age: 35
Appearance: Rudiger is tall at 6'3", and muscularly built from his profession. His skin is weathered from his life on the road, with the first wrinkles of age appearing at the sides of his mouth and his eyes have given way to several more. Thick calluses on his right hand from wielding his sword have grown thicker from continuous use over the years. His light brown hair, once sheered to a fade parted on the right side, has grown out longer and has been joined by a healthy snowfall of gray. His strong chin that was once covered by thick goatee has been shaved to stubble, but his thick mustache has remained. His most prominent feature is a thick scar and his missing left eye, which he covers with a tan eyepatch, which he lost in a fight with a bear.
Equipment: Rudiger wears a variety of clothes, depending on the situation. For battle, he wears a worn, red gambeson underneath steel plate armor which has seen better days, being dented in several places and rusted from time spent in the waves. He wears a bellow faced sallet helm, though the visor can stand to be hammered back into proper shape. He wields a mace, his hand and a half sword being rusted into its scabbard. The kite shield of old has been lost in the storm.
When he's not in battle, he wears a white wool shirt, and thick woolen black pants. He always wears his tan riding boots.
Bob the destrier remains by his side, the heavy wooden saddle with a high cantle and pommel covered in thick leather being a bit worse for wear.
Skills and Abilities: Rudiger was born into a minor noble family in the Grand Duchy of Voruta, who were simple knights in the service of the kingdom. Rudiger was born as a second son, so he had no hope of inheriting the family estate, but he was still raised in the arts of war. He proved to be gifted with the use of the sword and shield, and being a naturally talented rider. His skill with the sword and shield has only grown from his occupation of Knight Errant.
Biography: Rudiger is not idealistic, but not pessimistic either. He believes in the rule of law, unless those laws are unjust. He believes in a higher power, but he doesn't go to Church. His whole belief system can be distilled to a single sentence: Do good, avoid evil. He strives to do at least one good turn daily, and seeks to protect the innocent. His last memories were of a long ago adventure with Khepri and Roxanne, though the details are somewhat fuzzy to him.
Registered: Sept 10, 2023 14:35:29 GMT -5
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Post by Rudiger Dornmauer on Nov 13, 2023 21:25:59 GMT -5
The rustling of horse and man stomping through the underbrush announced that Nina could expect some company several minutes before the pair would appear. Accompanied by the sound of low hanging branches thwacking and snapping upon the pair, proving that this wood line was not traveled very often by foot or hoof. But the pair had not dared to stray away from the banks or trees in fear of getting turned around in the ever waving grasses that threatened to swallow much larger groups than they whole and not spit them out. Especially since the insistence of the man they had taken their current task from made their path seem all the more urgent.
Rudiger leaned forward in the saddle and talked more to himself than Bob (though Bob did politely turn his grey ear towards his traveling companion), "Did that man seem a little... off to you? I know that is not saying much considering the things we have encountered in the past but I worry that the moldy poultice is starting to turn." With that he straightened in his saddle and looked to his saddle bags, half expecting the wretched thing to have climbed out of the small sack of burlap he had wrapped it in to make sure it did not contaminate his provisions. Though to be fair he was not sure if the smell was from the poultice or himself, seeing as the gambeson he wore did not agree with the humidity that followed along every river. "Not to mention he seemed a bit flippant with that knife."
The horse quietly considered the matter for a moment before shaking his head in agreement, making the leather of the reins snap against his neck. The apples had certainly made him more tolerant of the man but that was hardly saying much for the company that his master kept. Though the head shaking could also have been a way of announcing that Bob had finally spotted something through the trees. Having the better nose... and two eyes... of the pair it made him the natural scout and he had caught the flickering of a small fire against the backdrop of blue. Which in a few more steps they entered into a small break of the trees with a snort from Bob in greeting.
Rudiger noted the strange boat in an instant before he noted the woman working on it. He had been given a description of both from the man but it was only now that he registered that the man had meant it literally when he said it, "glided upon wings".
"Nina, I presume?" He asked as he stood in the saddle and did a little bow of his head. In way of introduction he offered, "I am Sir Rudiger. Black,"... or was it White? Someone with a color name he could not recall, "Sent me to check up on you."
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Nina
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 289
Registered: Apr 4, 2021 10:46:08 GMT -5
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Post by Nina on Nov 16, 2023 14:06:11 GMT -5
She saw the stranger minutes before they arrived, as glimpses and crackles of man and horse under the canopy. Quite a lot of horse, and quite a lot of man too, and a weapon by their side, in a way that spoke not of excess but of strength. Perhaps she would have called out, too, as one did in the wilderness, low and reverberating, had they not already seemed to be heading in her direction. Of course, by the time Nina was eyeing all this clearly, the horse and his rider had entered the meadow, and she had slipped down the tree's trunk. Not getting away. Just making sure that she could grab her things if need be, that her boat was pointed towards the river. Trying to push Wing against the grain of its feathers in a hurry would likely break them. And there had been rumours that some of the Isra's dispossessed turning to banditry...
He had a kind face. The man – well, maybe the horse too, but Nina did not know much about horses. In fact, this was the first exemplar she had seen in the New World, and so she stared. That person must be someone remarkable, Nina thought. Her nerves were not reassured when she heard him speak her name.
“Who? I think...” She thought she'd guessed, but hesitated. Gestured. “Could you elaborate on that? Like, check up on me? Is that a eupheni...euphemimism..a word that means murdering me?” Something glinted in the girl's eyes. “Because I wouldn't approve. Nice horse, by the way.”
Nina rested her back against the tree, playing with something hanging from her backpack that looked much like a toy – a few cords, with balls attached.
Bolas. Could tangle a deer's legs at a hundred feet.
“So now that you found me, what do you intend to do next?” Nina grinned. “Sir Rudiger.”
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Rudiger Dornmauer
Established
Roleplay posts: 23
Age: 35
Appearance: Rudiger is tall at 6'3", and muscularly built from his profession. His skin is weathered from his life on the road, with the first wrinkles of age appearing at the sides of his mouth and his eyes have given way to several more. Thick calluses on his right hand from wielding his sword have grown thicker from continuous use over the years. His light brown hair, once sheered to a fade parted on the right side, has grown out longer and has been joined by a healthy snowfall of gray. His strong chin that was once covered by thick goatee has been shaved to stubble, but his thick mustache has remained. His most prominent feature is a thick scar and his missing left eye, which he covers with a tan eyepatch, which he lost in a fight with a bear.
Equipment: Rudiger wears a variety of clothes, depending on the situation. For battle, he wears a worn, red gambeson underneath steel plate armor which has seen better days, being dented in several places and rusted from time spent in the waves. He wears a bellow faced sallet helm, though the visor can stand to be hammered back into proper shape. He wields a mace, his hand and a half sword being rusted into its scabbard. The kite shield of old has been lost in the storm.
When he's not in battle, he wears a white wool shirt, and thick woolen black pants. He always wears his tan riding boots.
Bob the destrier remains by his side, the heavy wooden saddle with a high cantle and pommel covered in thick leather being a bit worse for wear.
Skills and Abilities: Rudiger was born into a minor noble family in the Grand Duchy of Voruta, who were simple knights in the service of the kingdom. Rudiger was born as a second son, so he had no hope of inheriting the family estate, but he was still raised in the arts of war. He proved to be gifted with the use of the sword and shield, and being a naturally talented rider. His skill with the sword and shield has only grown from his occupation of Knight Errant.
Biography: Rudiger is not idealistic, but not pessimistic either. He believes in the rule of law, unless those laws are unjust. He believes in a higher power, but he doesn't go to Church. His whole belief system can be distilled to a single sentence: Do good, avoid evil. He strives to do at least one good turn daily, and seeks to protect the innocent. His last memories were of a long ago adventure with Khepri and Roxanne, though the details are somewhat fuzzy to him.
Registered: Sept 10, 2023 14:35:29 GMT -5
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Post by Rudiger Dornmauer on Nov 16, 2023 21:15:49 GMT -5
It was not the first time that Rudiger wished he had been gifted with the finer skills of eloquence and courtly charm, and those that he had been bestowed in childhood worn away by years speaking directly with peasants who cared not for the finer parts of speech. Which he preferred in most cases. But in this there seemed to be a slight misunderstanding in his intentions as he raised his hand up by his head, pulling his hand away from his belt and therefore away from any weapon.
"Not in the slightest Miss Nina," he noted that the lady had not corrected him on her name so she was indeed Nina, "The person who sent me was very emphatic in that no harm should fall on you. Though I know of very few people that would approve of harm befalling on themselves to begin with." Not that there was not one or two he had come across but that did not bear mentioning at this moment.
Bob was the first to register the comment aimed at his direction, which he answered with a soft shake of his head and more slapping of leather. Not that there were many, or any, horses in New Isra to compare himself to to be considered "nice", but surely majestic, dashing, admirable even, described him better. In an effort to further prove his unspoken point he raised his upper lip to show off his very fine teeth and nickered at her direction.
Understanding what his companion was attempting to demonstrate a small grin crept across Rudiger's face before he softly spurred one side of Bob to attempt to get him to stop his preening. "Pure vanity Bob," he whispered under his breath to the destrier before raising his voice to a conversationalist level again, "well, this gentleman also asked me to accompany you on your journey. To ensure your safe return to New Isra after you have finished your ventures," he clarified to make sure she understood he was not attempting to bring her back to port this very instant.
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Nina
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 289
Registered: Apr 4, 2021 10:46:08 GMT -5
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Post by Nina on Nov 19, 2023 6:09:16 GMT -5
“That two-timing, silver tongued turncoat-” Nina clenched her fingers on the bolas. “He said that he was going to stay back and take care of the Coast, and he did...” She shook her head, looking at the rider. “Exactly that.”
The Azure Coast consisted primarily of its people. Even with a generous interpretation of the word 'person', Nina still represented more than a sixth of the population. And Gray – for who else could it have been but the Master of Shadows? - would ensure its care.
Sheepishly, the traveller shifted on her feet. She still wasn't sure how to feel about this lack of trust in her continued survival, but there was no point in whining out loud. If anything, it might convince the newcomer that she was too immature to be left to her own devices.
“I trust,” she managed to speak out. “That since we both got so far, we can assume that the other is at least somewhat competent.” She grinned. She fanned out her fingers in a gesture of welcome, stretching her arms to encompass her little camp. “Would you like to join me for a bite of stew? I'm afraid I don't have anything I could offer your steed, though.”
As she moved around, her blue, robe-like clothes swishing through the blue grass, she seemed to be one with the land around her.
“As you've gathered, I am Nina. Travelling painter, and a bit of a wizard. Don't ask me to throw fire at enemies. That's Wing.” Nina pointed at the boat. “Not alive. Not anymore, and not yet a person.”
The ridiculousness of Gray somehow finding some sort of mercenary to assist her on her journey, with what funds she could not even imagine, lingered as an itch on the tip of Nina's tongue until it came out as a snort:
“Do you have the vaguest idea of what have gotten yourself in?”
Because that would make one of them.
“I have been as far sunsetwards as the Twin Cities,” Nina gestured, with blue grass drifting around her ankles as she spun on her heels. “And as far into midnight as Helsreach, back when its red towers still loomed. To the sunrise, I been in the shade of butterflies as large as my wingspan.” Nina spread her arms. “Yet I do not know what is over that hill.” She pointed, with a childish joy lighting up her face. “Miracles and monsters. Medicines and mermaids. Mishaps, maledictions,” she counted on her fingers, “and things that do not start with 'M'. Maybe...something that could help.” For a moment, her tone grew more serious, but underneath that there was something deeper. “I am drawn to the road, and the roads not written are the most intriguing of all.”
Nina did not normally meet people's eyes, yet now she did.
“Sir Rudiger. You could have has a cushy life in any city-state you wish to join. Yet here you are.” She said. Her chestnut-colored eyes went wide as if to encompass him. “What drives you?”
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Rudiger Dornmauer
Established
Roleplay posts: 23
Age: 35
Appearance: Rudiger is tall at 6'3", and muscularly built from his profession. His skin is weathered from his life on the road, with the first wrinkles of age appearing at the sides of his mouth and his eyes have given way to several more. Thick calluses on his right hand from wielding his sword have grown thicker from continuous use over the years. His light brown hair, once sheered to a fade parted on the right side, has grown out longer and has been joined by a healthy snowfall of gray. His strong chin that was once covered by thick goatee has been shaved to stubble, but his thick mustache has remained. His most prominent feature is a thick scar and his missing left eye, which he covers with a tan eyepatch, which he lost in a fight with a bear.
Equipment: Rudiger wears a variety of clothes, depending on the situation. For battle, he wears a worn, red gambeson underneath steel plate armor which has seen better days, being dented in several places and rusted from time spent in the waves. He wears a bellow faced sallet helm, though the visor can stand to be hammered back into proper shape. He wields a mace, his hand and a half sword being rusted into its scabbard. The kite shield of old has been lost in the storm.
When he's not in battle, he wears a white wool shirt, and thick woolen black pants. He always wears his tan riding boots.
Bob the destrier remains by his side, the heavy wooden saddle with a high cantle and pommel covered in thick leather being a bit worse for wear.
Skills and Abilities: Rudiger was born into a minor noble family in the Grand Duchy of Voruta, who were simple knights in the service of the kingdom. Rudiger was born as a second son, so he had no hope of inheriting the family estate, but he was still raised in the arts of war. He proved to be gifted with the use of the sword and shield, and being a naturally talented rider. His skill with the sword and shield has only grown from his occupation of Knight Errant.
Biography: Rudiger is not idealistic, but not pessimistic either. He believes in the rule of law, unless those laws are unjust. He believes in a higher power, but he doesn't go to Church. His whole belief system can be distilled to a single sentence: Do good, avoid evil. He strives to do at least one good turn daily, and seeks to protect the innocent. His last memories were of a long ago adventure with Khepri and Roxanne, though the details are somewhat fuzzy to him.
Registered: Sept 10, 2023 14:35:29 GMT -5
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Post by Rudiger Dornmauer on Nov 19, 2023 19:03:18 GMT -5
It was not the first time that Rudiger had come across someone who did not meet quite the description of the job he had been given. There was one that stood out to him particularly, of a certain bird woman and Fletcher who had burned a tavern that saw him with a broken leg and concussion the next afternoon. So the indignant outburst of Nina did not surprise him overly as he lowered his hand and nodded his head, smiling and pointing at his missing eye, "Competent is not always how I would be described, but not incompetent is a better way of putting it. The stew does sound mighty inviting for me, the 'turncoat' was kind enough to provide for the needs of Bob here."
He stepped down from the saddle with a well practiced swing of the leg, nodding along with her description (the painting sounded interesting) of her skills until it came to the status of the "boat". Not that he was overly uncomfortable with magic- especially since she admitted that there would be little pyromancy- but there was something unsettling in the idea of riding something that could be a person. He took to loosening the cinch on the saddle as he answered, "How exactly is this thing supposed to be a person? Was it once one?"
Pulling off the saddle and blanket, he carried over both to the side of the fire and settled them out into what would be his bed for the night and had been for many years: the leather and wood saddle for a pillow, the horse blanket a ground cover for his bedroll to go on top of. The burlap sack that held most of his kit was still attached to the saddle to make it harder for any miscreants or creatures, or miscreant creatures, to go walking off with. "Miss Nina," he answered her question with something of a wry grin as he spread out his bedroll, "only the Gods know exactly what I will get myself into; it is only after the journey is over that I begin to understand all that I have done." Which was true, he had not gained the gift of foresight with the loss of his eye, only the scars and a lesson in not being caught unawares.
Shrugging his way out of his gambeson to add as a layer on his pillow he chuckled at her assertation that he could luxuriously. And so did Bob as he stomped over to the edge of the grass to start nibbling, letting out his own nicker. "I may not be as well traveled as you in this world Miss Nina, it sounds like you have done a whole heap more in a few years than I have for decades, or at least as I can recall. But there is nothing as sweet to me as the life on the road, helping those in need, and a fine horse between my knees. That's why I became a knight errant and not a priest," he finished as he reached into a saddle bag and pulled out what he thought was his bowl but instead was the pouch of mold.
"Do you know why he would have given me mold?"
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Nina
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 289
Registered: Apr 4, 2021 10:46:08 GMT -5
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Post by Nina on Nov 26, 2023 3:06:32 GMT -5
“Old belief,” Nina said. Her eyes seemed to peer through the world. “Ever seen an old sea capt'n that understands the creaks of their ship better that those in own bones? That can coax it to its best as it sails like on a tightrope?” The girl's fingers clenched, as they struggled to weave meaning. “To be a person is to connect, 'tis said.” Listen. Speak. “This, I meant. 'f course, an old sea captain'd probably have a laugh at anyone braving these kiddie streams anyway.” With a curl of the lips, the traveller turned to face the river, her beads rattling. By now, the Silver river had narrowed to half of its original width, and its colour had turned to a started inky blackness that reflected the trees.
There was a belief even older, from far deep in midday, where under a different sky snows wrapped the year in a blanket. There, people said that umiaks, boats made of hide, kept the spirits of the animals they had once sheltered. They knew how to swim because they once had. But then, what could Nina do about the spirit of a shrike, a bird that had barely known water, that would pin its still-liking prey into trees for later, except to soothe it? Her fingers brushed against the feathers.
She walked down to the river, where roots of a tree were stubbornly hanging on to its little patch of land, and picked up water in a metal pot, to boil. There would be salmon today – there was salmon every day – roasted the day before and wrapped in leaves. To that, she mixed in a sprinkle of salt, yellow roots, and yellow grains roasted on the side. She threw an onion towards her new companion. “Could you peel this?” It was an occasion to celebrate.
The rider – he seemed like a good sort. Rare to meet someone who valued their freedom to travel quite as much as she did. She wondered about inviting him to Cliffside over winter, to bide time when the snows came. Yet that could wait until she had a better measure of them. While she stirred the stew, the man asked about some...mould?
Nina's eyebrows raised, before twitching in understanding.
“He is making sure you live to complete your mission.” The girl spoke. She scraped her wooden spoon on the edge of the pot. Stared at the bubbling liquid. “You must have seen it. How oftentimes, it is not a wound that kills directly, but the fever that follows, the swelling, the rot. I remember...Gray speaking of a mould that is meant to help against that. Sounded queer to me,” she shrugged, “but that man has been wrong far less often than I would have wished.” Nina's face tensed as if hurt. She spoke as if confessing a sin.“I know...He was growing it on bread.” Bread that someone braved the forest to gather acorns for, that someone else ground and baked, with wood yet another had gathered...Nina unconsciously bowed her head. “It is very precious.” She whispered. Shook her head. “Risky, too. In our old land, that man would have had his alchemy equipment, to separate and combine matter as he needed, make it safe. She pointed to the pouch. “Here, there may be poisons mixed in with the cure. Still, I trust him.” Nina nodded. Gray was experimenting on Sir Rudiger. Yet it was the best they now had. “Try to keep it dry.”
Once the food was ready, Nina would share it, topping it off with blue leaves that smelled like wild garlic. She sat cross-legged, and gestured with her wooden spoon.
“Tell me about your travel.” She asked. “No one else I know has followed the Argentium river on foot. What did you see?” She leaned forward. “What dangers did you face? Did you encounter the amphibious scale-cats?”
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Rudiger Dornmauer
Established
Roleplay posts: 23
Age: 35
Appearance: Rudiger is tall at 6'3", and muscularly built from his profession. His skin is weathered from his life on the road, with the first wrinkles of age appearing at the sides of his mouth and his eyes have given way to several more. Thick calluses on his right hand from wielding his sword have grown thicker from continuous use over the years. His light brown hair, once sheered to a fade parted on the right side, has grown out longer and has been joined by a healthy snowfall of gray. His strong chin that was once covered by thick goatee has been shaved to stubble, but his thick mustache has remained. His most prominent feature is a thick scar and his missing left eye, which he covers with a tan eyepatch, which he lost in a fight with a bear.
Equipment: Rudiger wears a variety of clothes, depending on the situation. For battle, he wears a worn, red gambeson underneath steel plate armor which has seen better days, being dented in several places and rusted from time spent in the waves. He wears a bellow faced sallet helm, though the visor can stand to be hammered back into proper shape. He wields a mace, his hand and a half sword being rusted into its scabbard. The kite shield of old has been lost in the storm.
When he's not in battle, he wears a white wool shirt, and thick woolen black pants. He always wears his tan riding boots.
Bob the destrier remains by his side, the heavy wooden saddle with a high cantle and pommel covered in thick leather being a bit worse for wear.
Skills and Abilities: Rudiger was born into a minor noble family in the Grand Duchy of Voruta, who were simple knights in the service of the kingdom. Rudiger was born as a second son, so he had no hope of inheriting the family estate, but he was still raised in the arts of war. He proved to be gifted with the use of the sword and shield, and being a naturally talented rider. His skill with the sword and shield has only grown from his occupation of Knight Errant.
Biography: Rudiger is not idealistic, but not pessimistic either. He believes in the rule of law, unless those laws are unjust. He believes in a higher power, but he doesn't go to Church. His whole belief system can be distilled to a single sentence: Do good, avoid evil. He strives to do at least one good turn daily, and seeks to protect the innocent. His last memories were of a long ago adventure with Khepri and Roxanne, though the details are somewhat fuzzy to him.
Registered: Sept 10, 2023 14:35:29 GMT -5
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Post by Rudiger Dornmauer on Nov 26, 2023 17:38:25 GMT -5
Rudiger's face went a bit white at the mention of the sea, though he did his best to conceal it by staring down towards his saddle bag and actually bringing out his bowl and putting the mold away. He was not too fond of the sea well before the world had been turned into one great ocean, and after that... well it was not too hard to see why if he had to travel by water he preferred it to be by the "kiddie streams". He far preferred dust to be under his heels and not the rocking of a ship all too liable to sink or catch a wave broadside and roll over.
Catching the onion he pulled out a knife, namely the one ever so graciously given to him by... he still could not remember his name- and got to making a small slit to unpeel the outer paper-like layers before turning to cut into thinner slices and then into smaller squares into his bowl. The outer layers were thrown into the fire to dispose of the garbage, an old practice to leave as little a trace as possible. Another he had broken was sleeping by the fire: the rule that had protected him more often was carrying his kit, and staking out Bob, about fifty yards away from the fire. Any creature or bandit would be drawn by the light and not the inky darkness that surrounded it, which he often found by the tracks left in the morning.
He dumped the diced onions into the pot as she gave her explanation on the mold in his saddle pack. He was unused to the ways of alchemy, and his only understanding of most magic was that he had to duck when it was cast at him. But he was foremost in understanding the danger of the fever that came after a wounding. He had seen only a few pitched battles but of the ones he had it seemed more died from the scraping of a blade or breaking of a bone the day after than from the outright killing on the field. So, even though there seemed to be an inherent risk- that much was conveyed by her tone and explicit warning- it was still better to have a possible solution than none. He patted the waxed and well oiled leather of the saddle bag, "Even if we get dumped over in the canoe the mold should still be kept dry. Unless something tears it open."
"Well," he started, sitting back against the saddle horn and speaking between bites of salmon gruel, "I encountered only a few strange creatures along the river bank. I saw some catfish, but that was on the end of a fisherman's line. Mostly I saw trees and branches, which only presented little dangers. The worst danger is the mud in the shallows and along the bank, its especially deep in places and can probably suck in man and horse if they do not tread carefully. I think if there were some predators they did not bother to reveal themselves to me and Bob. Bob is rather intimidating to smaller creatures," he nodded to the destrier, who snorted in agreement. He did have a habit at kicking at sheep if they wandered too close to his hindquarters, as well as stable hands.
Asking his own question as he finished off his bowl, "What dangers can we expect on this expedition? Not accounting for strange creatures that no one has encountered before."
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Nina
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 289
Registered: Apr 4, 2021 10:46:08 GMT -5
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Post by Nina on Dec 6, 2023 17:03:04 GMT -5
The uneventfulness of Sir Rudiger's journey raised Nina's eyebrows, for it might not have been about the journey at all. Did it speak of chronic understatement, of carelessness, or of a strength that shined too sharp and clear for any living being to miss?
She noted, without a word, that the knife was one of Gray's own, and Gray kept his knives close.
“Ohhm.” The girl mouthed, disappointedly. “Not complaining!”...that they'd survived, that is. Her hands flew up, “just...”, and her eyes darted towards Bob, as she guessed the horse was called, while her voice burrowed itself under her feet, “I guess...that means...he'd probably bite my arm off if I tried petting him.”
There were almost no large animals in Port Argentium. There was the griffins' paddock, of course, where even their handlers lost fingers around them, and Nina had heard rumours of a giant porcupine, but surely that wasn't true, was it? “Anyway.” Nina tried to distract her companion. “Do you know how to swim?”
She counted on her fingers.
“Let's take it in order of urgency. Air.” Her index finger pointed upriver. “I wouldn't expect sudden floods in this season, but how much should I worry if you fall in the water? Speaking of which – the water.” Her fingers twirled in a flourish to encompass the river. She wondered if the newcomer was using this discussion to take a measure of her. “Freshest drink you can get, but the salmon might prove to be a problem.” Her voice lowered. After they spawned, then...“Once they start dying. For now, they solve another big issue, and that is food. Also, in part, safety.” Nina smiled. “I thought fewer predators would like to bother with me when they can get fat on fish.” From her luggage, she carefully extricated a piece of bark, and unrolled it to reveal some sort of scaled panthers leaping into the waters, simple ink lines sketching fish wriggling in their claws. The lines were dark and firm – her usual style of faint watercolours being unable to fight its way through the rough materials she had available.
“I don't even bother fishing most days, just go in the water and make some stabbing motions.” The girl explained. After her chuckle died down, Nina continued, seriously. “Shelter.” She stared in the fire. “It's going to get complicated if we lose the trees. Without wood, I can't keep the fire.” She unconsciously patted the narrow bark cylinder where she kept the embers. “Weather. When it rains, I sometimes hide under the boat. Sometimes it's not enough.” She shrugged. “Injuries. Disease. To be dealt with as they come.” Nina smiled. “Anything I've missed?”
That day, they probably wouldn't be moving, as the traveller later explained – she didn't have the strength left to row both against the current and the wind. That did not mean there was nothing to do. As it often was the case when travelling, breaktime was busywork. There were little bits of mending and darning to be done, besides gathering the food for the next day's breakfast (more of it, today). She would enlist Sir Rudiger to aid with what he could; if he showed no preference, the girl would suggest he cook; in the meantime, she'd wade into thigh-high water and remain motionless, dagger in hand, until a salmon got close enough for the aforementioned stabbing motions. Then it would be thrown onto the shore.
The land was quiet. Only the rustle of blue grasses and the flow of water accompanied the crackling of their fire, accompanied them as they talked, later, for days like these were good for stories. But later still, as the sun faded on the horizon, as the first stars stole its light, as Nina set up her hammock between the branches of a tree, there would be a howl and a scent in the distance that, for now, only Bob could catch.
Hyenas.
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Rudiger Dornmauer
Established
Roleplay posts: 23
Age: 35
Appearance: Rudiger is tall at 6'3", and muscularly built from his profession. His skin is weathered from his life on the road, with the first wrinkles of age appearing at the sides of his mouth and his eyes have given way to several more. Thick calluses on his right hand from wielding his sword have grown thicker from continuous use over the years. His light brown hair, once sheered to a fade parted on the right side, has grown out longer and has been joined by a healthy snowfall of gray. His strong chin that was once covered by thick goatee has been shaved to stubble, but his thick mustache has remained. His most prominent feature is a thick scar and his missing left eye, which he covers with a tan eyepatch, which he lost in a fight with a bear.
Equipment: Rudiger wears a variety of clothes, depending on the situation. For battle, he wears a worn, red gambeson underneath steel plate armor which has seen better days, being dented in several places and rusted from time spent in the waves. He wears a bellow faced sallet helm, though the visor can stand to be hammered back into proper shape. He wields a mace, his hand and a half sword being rusted into its scabbard. The kite shield of old has been lost in the storm.
When he's not in battle, he wears a white wool shirt, and thick woolen black pants. He always wears his tan riding boots.
Bob the destrier remains by his side, the heavy wooden saddle with a high cantle and pommel covered in thick leather being a bit worse for wear.
Skills and Abilities: Rudiger was born into a minor noble family in the Grand Duchy of Voruta, who were simple knights in the service of the kingdom. Rudiger was born as a second son, so he had no hope of inheriting the family estate, but he was still raised in the arts of war. He proved to be gifted with the use of the sword and shield, and being a naturally talented rider. His skill with the sword and shield has only grown from his occupation of Knight Errant.
Biography: Rudiger is not idealistic, but not pessimistic either. He believes in the rule of law, unless those laws are unjust. He believes in a higher power, but he doesn't go to Church. His whole belief system can be distilled to a single sentence: Do good, avoid evil. He strives to do at least one good turn daily, and seeks to protect the innocent. His last memories were of a long ago adventure with Khepri and Roxanne, though the details are somewhat fuzzy to him.
Registered: Sept 10, 2023 14:35:29 GMT -5
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Post by Rudiger Dornmauer on Dec 7, 2023 20:36:59 GMT -5
Bob snorted at her worried comment about biting her arm off. Shaking his head and mane in disagreement he went back to chewing on the grass as Rudiger explained, "As long as you keep to his forequarters at first and come with an apple you will be fine. Otherwise I cannot vouch that all fingers and limbs will be kept intact." Which was a better guarantee than could be given by the griffin riders for their mounts, which Rudiger knew firsthand from. Or, at least he thought he knew, it was a memory of a memory most days but at nights they sometimes came into focus in his dreams. Standing atop the towering walls of Isra alongside the Empress, a grand ball, flying over the land he was raised in on the back of a griffin. Probably nothing but a wild imagination.
He nodded with her question, "I do know how to swim, though it is much harder to do it in armor. While in the boat I will probably refrain from wearing much plate." In his estimation it was better to not drown at the bottom of the river than to face whatever they came across without his full gear. He would make sure to keep his helmet, bent back into something resembling its old self, close at hand. He couldn't risk losing another eye, he was all out of spares after all.
He was not used to the migration patterns of most creatures of the waters, but her explanation was simple enough. It did not take great learning to understand to avoid fetid water, though with any luck (which was not something he had in great amount) hopefully they could be beyond the spawn before they all started rotting. Though he was taken aback by the picture she presented, "Is this your handiwork? It is quite... good." He had been trying to find the right words but he had little training in the way of the arts, so that was the best he could offer.
"Do you have a cloak and bedroll?" He asked, regarding her point of shelter. "I have been caught more than a few times in the elements with no place to find shelter, and no usual way to make fire. I usually wrap my cloak around my bed roll to create several layers of protection. And cow pies," the polite term for dried cow droppings, "light surprisingly well. And depending on the grass they have been eating even provide a nice flavor of smoke for the spit. I doubt there will be many cattle on our journey but surely the plains we travel along are not uninhabited?"
Explaining that this would be where they would camp Rudiger agreed, knowing that Bob still was not fully up to his old strength from their time adrift. And he was unwilling to admit that he was in a similar place, ignoring the tiredness tugging at his bones as he tended to the salmon gruel and as Nina fished. He was not known for his fishing abilities, which for him usually meant tying a hook to the end of a string or sharpening a piece of wood to act as a spear.
Bob raised his head in sudden alarm. His nose hung high in the air, eyes growing wide and ears pinning back. He knew the smell of predators, the rotten flesh of their past kills dripping off of their scent, even if he could not recognize these. He nickered loudly, and took a few steps back towards the fire from his grazing place, pawing at the ground with his front right hoof. Rudiger knew the signal immediately, one that they had shared several times. "Nina," he called to her calmly as he stood up and grabbed his sword from his scabbard, "you better come towards the fire. And leave the fish. I think something is smelling them." Few creatures he had encountered would approach a fire willingly, knowing that often desperation would be the main bringer of them into his camp, and he would make them even more hesitant as he started gathering up an arm-full of sticks and smaller logs to add onto the fire, causing it to grow brighter and taller.
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Nina
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 289
Registered: Apr 4, 2021 10:46:08 GMT -5
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Post by Nina on Dec 20, 2023 14:03:40 GMT -5
From atop the tree, where she'd pulled herself up by the rope holding her hammock, Nina gazed across the windswept plains. Looking for mismatches to her painting.
“There.”
A ripple in the grass. It did not fit the wind.
“Downriver. A touch left-” She spoke. In her hand, the weighted, three-sided rope of the bolas was starting to spin. The beasts must have tried to go against the wind for their final approach, to hide their scent. Her eyes were drawn by something to the side. Was she imagining...? “I'll get-”
A blue lightning-bolt darted from the side, away from the area that Nina had indicated, and the hiss of the rope stopped just as the beast rolled to the ground growling, bound. Her fingers reverberated with the throw. “-th' straggl'r,” she gasped, but by them the main group was already on the attack.
The hyenas were the scruffiest shade of blue that Nina had ever seen. Spotted, about the size of dogs, their colours merged with the short grass. There were four of them that she could see, besides the one she had caught. They spread out, moving with the grace of street dancers, in a confusing to-fro-left-right, and only too late would Nina realize that they were trying to separate Sir Rudiger (the smallest reachable target) from the larger and, from their perspective, much more dangerous Bob.
'Watch out!' She speechlessly cried.
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Rudiger Dornmauer
Established
Roleplay posts: 23
Age: 35
Appearance: Rudiger is tall at 6'3", and muscularly built from his profession. His skin is weathered from his life on the road, with the first wrinkles of age appearing at the sides of his mouth and his eyes have given way to several more. Thick calluses on his right hand from wielding his sword have grown thicker from continuous use over the years. His light brown hair, once sheered to a fade parted on the right side, has grown out longer and has been joined by a healthy snowfall of gray. His strong chin that was once covered by thick goatee has been shaved to stubble, but his thick mustache has remained. His most prominent feature is a thick scar and his missing left eye, which he covers with a tan eyepatch, which he lost in a fight with a bear.
Equipment: Rudiger wears a variety of clothes, depending on the situation. For battle, he wears a worn, red gambeson underneath steel plate armor which has seen better days, being dented in several places and rusted from time spent in the waves. He wears a bellow faced sallet helm, though the visor can stand to be hammered back into proper shape. He wields a mace, his hand and a half sword being rusted into its scabbard. The kite shield of old has been lost in the storm.
When he's not in battle, he wears a white wool shirt, and thick woolen black pants. He always wears his tan riding boots.
Bob the destrier remains by his side, the heavy wooden saddle with a high cantle and pommel covered in thick leather being a bit worse for wear.
Skills and Abilities: Rudiger was born into a minor noble family in the Grand Duchy of Voruta, who were simple knights in the service of the kingdom. Rudiger was born as a second son, so he had no hope of inheriting the family estate, but he was still raised in the arts of war. He proved to be gifted with the use of the sword and shield, and being a naturally talented rider. His skill with the sword and shield has only grown from his occupation of Knight Errant.
Biography: Rudiger is not idealistic, but not pessimistic either. He believes in the rule of law, unless those laws are unjust. He believes in a higher power, but he doesn't go to Church. His whole belief system can be distilled to a single sentence: Do good, avoid evil. He strives to do at least one good turn daily, and seeks to protect the innocent. His last memories were of a long ago adventure with Khepri and Roxanne, though the details are somewhat fuzzy to him.
Registered: Sept 10, 2023 14:35:29 GMT -5
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Post by Rudiger Dornmauer on Jan 7, 2024 17:04:00 GMT -5
Man and horse, there was nothing more sacred than the pairing in the Grand Duchy for the kingdom itself came from the Heavenly Horsemen. It was said that when you faced a Vorutan in battle you truly faced three dangers: the steel of the knight, and the hooves and teeth of the destrier. It was stressed that both were partners, each sought the safety of the other and provided it without hesitation during a squire's training with his steed. Even if the knight was dismounted and lay wounded on the field the stallion would still protect its master, kicking any threat that got too close or biting them like an oversized guard dog. It was true that Vorutan horseflesh was a cut above any other in the known world, perhaps due to some lingering divine blood that flowed through noble and equine alike.
Though fighting on foot, and not in any armor since he had taken off his gambeson, was not ideal either. Still the knight raised his sword in an upper guard, seeing the lunging creature getting tied up from Nina's mystery weapon. Helpful in subduing at least as another leapt from the shadows. A quick slash down with a fluid step to shift his body out of the way of the frothing teeth of the creature would see a long, thin line of purple welling up from the back of the hyena. The quickness of the creature made it impossible to get a deep cut but it still cried out in pain and turned back to the man who resumed a defensive position.
Another leapt out, aiming to keep Bob away from Rudiger by biting at the snout of the horse. A rear hoof lashed out and sent the blue hyena into the fire, the force knocking out several logs and the singed creature itself. Yelping in shock, it scurried as its fur continued to smoke, adding the stink of burning hair to the smell of rot that poured off all of them.
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Nina
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 289
Registered: Apr 4, 2021 10:46:08 GMT -5
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Post by Nina on Jan 9, 2024 14:12:53 GMT -5
Fire! They did not like fire, Nina thought, as the smoking hyena darted away from the combat (not before grabbing a partially-charred fish from the fireside). So the girl moved across tree branches like a spider, her shadow stilt-walking across the tense combat below. After the first strikes, the beasts mostly circled man and horse, growling just out of reach. They would take advantage of any weakness.
The tree she was in had a dead arm. To thank for its shelter, Nina had already ripped off some of its twigs for her fire, though mostly she used the ones already on the ground. Now, while below the beasts looked for an opening, made feints, from the canopy came a thump-thump-thump, as twigs and larger branches started to fall, at first from one tree, then another. The purpose of this would become clear as a line of branches seemed to form parallel to the shore. A wall.
“Can you start the fire?” Nina asked. She lobbed a branch at a hyena, but only managed to annoy it, before it went back to attacking Rudiger.
The dry branches had fungus growing in places, white and woolly. Not all of the wood might catch fire immediately, but the fungus would. It would flare. It would spark. So it did, and the hyenas, already frustrated with the collaboration between warrior-horse and warrior-man, now caught between water on one side and fire on the other, decided to scamper as fast as they could. The fungus was tinder, and quite of good quality. Nina hoped that the nearby grass was short and fresh enough that the fire would not spread.
As soon as she could, the girl slipped down the rope and ran. For in the process of gathering firewood, her painting had fluttered down, and the vagaries of combat had led it close to the fire. Nina picked up the paper just as the corner was starting to blacken.
Then she heard a growling behind her that pinned her in place. She heard a step. She remembered forgetting something.
It turns out that the woven rope of her bolas was not quite enough to contain a being whose teeth were made for crushing bone.
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Rudiger Dornmauer
Established
Roleplay posts: 23
Age: 35
Appearance: Rudiger is tall at 6'3", and muscularly built from his profession. His skin is weathered from his life on the road, with the first wrinkles of age appearing at the sides of his mouth and his eyes have given way to several more. Thick calluses on his right hand from wielding his sword have grown thicker from continuous use over the years. His light brown hair, once sheered to a fade parted on the right side, has grown out longer and has been joined by a healthy snowfall of gray. His strong chin that was once covered by thick goatee has been shaved to stubble, but his thick mustache has remained. His most prominent feature is a thick scar and his missing left eye, which he covers with a tan eyepatch, which he lost in a fight with a bear.
Equipment: Rudiger wears a variety of clothes, depending on the situation. For battle, he wears a worn, red gambeson underneath steel plate armor which has seen better days, being dented in several places and rusted from time spent in the waves. He wears a bellow faced sallet helm, though the visor can stand to be hammered back into proper shape. He wields a mace, his hand and a half sword being rusted into its scabbard. The kite shield of old has been lost in the storm.
When he's not in battle, he wears a white wool shirt, and thick woolen black pants. He always wears his tan riding boots.
Bob the destrier remains by his side, the heavy wooden saddle with a high cantle and pommel covered in thick leather being a bit worse for wear.
Skills and Abilities: Rudiger was born into a minor noble family in the Grand Duchy of Voruta, who were simple knights in the service of the kingdom. Rudiger was born as a second son, so he had no hope of inheriting the family estate, but he was still raised in the arts of war. He proved to be gifted with the use of the sword and shield, and being a naturally talented rider. His skill with the sword and shield has only grown from his occupation of Knight Errant.
Biography: Rudiger is not idealistic, but not pessimistic either. He believes in the rule of law, unless those laws are unjust. He believes in a higher power, but he doesn't go to Church. His whole belief system can be distilled to a single sentence: Do good, avoid evil. He strives to do at least one good turn daily, and seeks to protect the innocent. His last memories were of a long ago adventure with Khepri and Roxanne, though the details are somewhat fuzzy to him.
Registered: Sept 10, 2023 14:35:29 GMT -5
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Post by Rudiger Dornmauer on Jan 12, 2024 20:58:12 GMT -5
Sweat beaded and fell from Rudiger's forehead as he lunged out at another hyena that was making a feint towards him. The hyena slid backwards to avoid the tip of steel which prevented it from leaping at him. Fighting next to a smoldering fire, which was now rising again, was a unique sensation. Fighting in armor was a hot experience even on cold days, the layers of wool and leather underneath steel made sure of that. But usually the smoke was kept out of his eye, which distinctly stung as he turned and swiped again at the hyena he had slashed already.
Apparently the hyenas agreed that there were more preferable places to fight; namely not next to a roaring inferno. He did not bother to cheer as they scampered off instead turning to his companion to make sure she was alright. He spotted her as she bent back up from picking up... something, it was hard to see with the smoke in his eye. Though the smoke did not effect his ability to hear the growl of one last hyena. "NI-!"
The shout of alarm died in his throat as Bob charged the last blue creature, neighing loudly in both warning to Nina and a battle cry of sorts. It did alert the hyena that something much larger and more worrisome had approached, though that did not grant it enough time to avoid the destrier rearing on its hind legs and smashing a heavy hoof into the hyenas ribs. Dust filled the air as Bob thrashed at it again and again, only stopping when the creature limped away as quickly as it was able. Bob snorted and shook his head at the retreating hyena, pawing the ground in an open invitation to any of the others that would attempt another try.
Rudiger had come to Nina's side and pulled her back a few feet from the dust cloud of Bob and the hyena, asking her over the din of flying rocks, "Are you alright? They did not get a bite of you did they?"
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