The Call

[Winterkin]

Diem: a beautiful land once full of peace and prosperity. Granted, that was until the eighth year of Gathan Tabrane's rule. All had gone well until a disease, Swift and merciless, swept across the land. Animals, children, and the elderly fell first, leaving families and livelihoods destroyed; as time passed it slowly choked the life out of the nation, but something much worse was about to strike Diem.

War.

Foreign troops, ghastly and monstrous, were cutting their way across the countryside towards Alsfanna, Diem's capital. The arrival of both the sickness and monsters were too well timed to be a coincidence, and, sure enough, it wasn't. Information from the front lines had described a man with a deep scar eunning down his face commanding both the terrors and unleashing this deadly disease with but a flick of the wrist. Upon hearing this news, the king appeared to pale and called for one of his remaining soldiers: Sabine Valles. Gathan, unable to work up the army needed to take on the invaders, looked to the dregs and criminals of society to bolster the county's defences. Now, Sabine Valles travels to the criminal city Crade for potential soldiers; far removed from the mainland, they had yet to be touched by the sickness. But she has little hope that her trip will turn out fruitful. After all, it wasn't likely that they would want to help the man or country that put them on the prison island.

 

[Winterkin]

Crade, the Prison Island, the Land of Deceit- it had many names. However, you could sum it up with three words: damp, dark, and poor. People who lived here were criminals, so there was very little honest work to be had here. Most returned to thievery to fill their empty bellies while others lingered on the docks, relying in the good will of visiting priests and others who had made their way across the rioting seas. Sabine's eyes narrowed on the thin, ragged men an women who held their hands out to her as she passed. She was on a mission, not working formthe church. She pulled her cloak tighter around her as she left the small dock and headed into the town.

When she had been told that she was to be sent here to procure men for His Majesty's armed forces, she was doubtful that this place would beanything other than a den of thieves and beggars. But she followed orders, no matter how illogical they seemed at times. So, removing her armor and donning less eye catching garb, she had headed for Crade. Now here though, she pondered the best way to go about her business? After all, she would only make herself a target if she proclaimed herself on King's business. Her eyes caught site of a rather bright, rather loud establishment: a tavern.
"If nothing else, I can sleep tonight," she murmured, fingers curling around her purse as she headed toward the tavern.

 

[kaminoku]

(( blarg honk honk blarg honk blarg blarg...haha red vs. blue))

inside the tavern admist all drunkards and noise sat at a table far from everyone else, a solitary man drinking a mug of ale looking around his cold blue eyes watching every silently. on blade is on his back the other two on the table. as looked arounf his gazed turned to her carfully analyzing this stranger. the moves his gaze to other places silent and takes a drink and motions to the barkeep for another pulls back the tp part of his hood his hair black with small gray roots and streaks. after a waitress hands him a drink he whisper something to her. the waitress walks around for a but and turn to pass the woman and quickly whispers to her " you may want to keep a low profile" the waitress nod to the location of the man showing the woman who sent that message the whispers again to her "he says he'd like to speak with you...i'll close a curtain when you get there if you decide to speak with him". the waitress walk off but keeps close to the area of the man.

 

[Winterkin]

((Ah! Red vs. Blue! XD ))
When she entered the tavern, she had expected it to be stuffed to the gills with raucous drunkards and loose waitresses. In that, it did not disappoint. Sabine had thought, also, that the noise would draw any attention her entrance may garner away from her. Her hazel eyes peered around the main room, watching and observing the ruckus around her. One of the serving girls had noticed her standing in the doorway and approached through the brawling, dancing bodies. She seemed like any other, but there was something in her gaze that made Sabine's stomach tighten.

Her message only made the soldier more wary. Apparently she wasn't as good as she thought when it cane to blending in with the locals. Her gaze found the mysterious stranger, sitting a distance away from the crowd. Friend or foe? Sabine could not fathom; in this place, those worlds were as unclear as murkey water and as empty as the morning mists that clung to the trees. Sabine's fingers coiled around the handle of her sword hidden beneath her cloak before walking toward the stranger. Obviously this man saw mire than the other customers did, and she did not want to risk attracting more attention to herself...

Upon reaching the odd man's table, she pulled out a chair and sat; the extent of just what this stranger knew was still unknown to her. The soldier was not going to say anything that would jeopardize her mission. Since he seemed need of her attention, Sabine decided she would let the man be the first to speak.

 

[kaminoku]

(( yep.. my hands down favorite machinimas ever hopefully next year i can go to the rooster teeth convention))


the waitress soon closed the curtain. the man looks to her while taking a drink " you can from the mainland do you not?...nevermind already know..your walk even you smell gives to away to me..the other are not so observent as i am". sets the mug down and lock his eye into her's " knowing your from the mainland i doubt if my name has ever left any lips..especially after i was exiled here. i am tarius former captain of group called the blood guards now turned mercenary." making no gretting gesture " who are you and why are you here..the people here do not take kindly to mainlanders and mainlander do not come here" says this with contemp almost hatred " after all we aren't desirable for a good kingdom."

 

[Winterkin]

Curiosity registered in Sabine's eyes. For a moment. She say back, inspecting this stranger - no, Tarius, captain of the Blood Guards - and shook her head. "Can you be so sure that I am not another cast off from the mainland? After all, I just got here - it's normal for me to be unaccustomed to this place." She looked around the tavern once more. Crade was a hellish place; she doubted that even the most harden of criminals could survive so easily in such a starving, poor place. Especially when competing with thieves and more just to keep what little food and water one had.

Sabine wondered just how many survived here...? Though she had not herself seen or heard of this man, his manner and appearance spoke volumes. Ge was not one to be trifled with. In fact, he was most likely doing her favor by being so quiet about is observations... He could just as
easily told the drunken mob around them. Best no trickery with this one. "But I suppose since you have so keen an eye I can talk plainly.". She locked get gaze onto his before replying, quietly but evenly, "I am Sabine Valles, here on a rather tiresome and important quest, you could say."

 

[kaminoku]

" i see" takes another drink and picks ups one of his blades and twirls it around for a bit and sets it back down " and what quest would you be on praytell" finishes his drink and leans back somewhat, but never fully relaxes " if it pays well i'd be interested even if its for a kingdom that has shunned others like myself"